Bartender Lindsay Nader competing in a previous leg of the Speed Rack tour. Photograph Lush Life Productions
If you’d like to see your favorite barmen dressed in funny costumes, you might consider heading to Jack Rose this Sunday. Todd Thrasher, Gabriel Rosenkoetter, JP Caceres, and others will be barbacking—that’s right, barbacking—while dressed in some pretty interesting outfits, helping out female bartenders participating in Speed Rack, a national women-only cocktail competition. Twenty-two bartendresses from Philly, DC, Virginia, and Maryland will show up at Jack Rose on Sunday morning, where they will compete to qualify for the national event in New York City Among them: Gina Chersevani from PS 7’s, Jade Aldrighette and Julia Hurst from the Passenger, and Jack Rose’s own Rachel Sergi. At 2 PM, the public (that’s you!) starts filtering in to watch the show.
Proceeds from the $25 entrance fee ($20 in advance, available here) benefit breast cancer charities. Included in the cost are samples and punches from sponsoring liquor and liqueur brands—Pernod, Brugal, St. Germain, etc.
The winning mixtress will go on to New York City to participate in the finals, facing off against women from Boston, the Pacific Northwest, and Los Angeles. They are judged on speed and quality of drinks—the rules are too complicated to get into here, but let’s just say it should be dramatic. Adding to the challenge: hangovers. The competition takes place the day after the Repeal Day Ball, reportedly the biggest booze-a-thon of the year for DC bar staffers. We’ll see what happens.
PS: Mike Isabella is one of the judges.
