Mixologists Shake Things Up for Iron Bartender Benefit

Why should chefs have all the competitive fun? The Oregon Bartenders Guild and upcoming Portland Cocktail Week team up for fourth annual Iron Bartender competition on Thursday, October 13, as part of a yearly fundraiser for the Children's Relief Nursery (which also benefits from Portland's annual Iron Chef cook-off). In a shake-up of the usual format, bartenders will go head-to-head in four themed cocktail competitions — they'll have to come up with concoctions in the Tiki, Portlandia, Prohibition, and Sake categories — before moving up to the main stage in the final competition.

Bartenders Ariana Vitale (Kask), Daniel Jacobson (Irving Street Kitchen), Emily Baker (Rum Club), and Nathan Gerdes (Thatch Tiki Bar) are among the nine contestants, and guests will get to taste each first-round drink and send their favorites to the final round. General admission tickets, which also include hors d'oeuvres, are $75 and available here; $125 VIP tickets include additional drink tickets and exclusive bar and food service, served up by bartender about town Dave Shenaut.
· Iron Bartender 2011 [Official site]

Image of OBG Hospitality Suite courtesy Kenn Wilson via Flickr