Bacoroot Cocktail – Berlins Creation for BLGCC 2019
I recently reported on my statement that we have many talented bartenders in Berlin. Christof Reichert is one of these and you can currently find him at the Lobby Bar of the Hotel Adlon Kempinski. I met Christof on a small Barstalk about his participation in The BACARDÍ® Legacy Cocktail Competition, an annual global cocktail competition in which 10,000 bartenders participate worldwide to promote their own concoctions as far as possible, making them known to the public.
Why especially Bacardí Legacy?
“I have been working intensively with Bacardí products since my apprenticeship as a hotel manager,” says Christof. This is not the first time he has taken part—Reichert successfully finished second for Switzerland back in 2015. The following year, he won the Swiss competition and travelled to San Francisco for the final, where he was 16th. Certainly motivation for this year! Of course, the idea of competition is a big attraction, but much more important for Christof is the worldwide “family togetherness” through the Bacardí brand and community exchanges. The competition requires not only the Bartender’s skills and product knowledge, but also a marketing concept and self-marketing. “You are not only being a bartender, but you are also your own marketing boss, photographer, writer and event manager,” says Christof, “The creation of the drink makes you think globally. Your point of view totally changes. You have to deal with things and circumstances that are normal for us in Germany but perhaps elsewhere in the world quite different. You grow with your tasks and you increase your wealth of experience incredibly.” At the end of January, he got the chance to travel to Bacardí in Puerto Rico with the other finalists to expand his knowledge of the spirit on-site.
An important part of the competition is advertising.
Last week I was able to get a personal impression at a fantastic five-star cocktail dinner as part of the Bacardí Legacy Cocktail Competition. Together with the talented young chef Laurens Friedl, Christof Reichert had developed a five-course menu with corresponding drinks. There he met not only my personal taste, but also the current Zeitgeist of food pairing, that is, the combining of flavours in food and cocktails. The personal invitation in advance, by the way, was the cherry on the cake, and the event was perfectly organised. Thanks again for that! In addition, Christof is promoting the distribution of his creation, the Bacoroot, through guest shifts, a unique logo for his competition drink, training courses, and both a Facebook and Instagram page just for the drink.
A few impressions of the cocktail dinner with my personal invitation:
Bacoroot Cocktail, a filigree Cuba Libre.
The Motto Back to the Roots:
Drinkin’ Rum and Coca-Cola ♬
Let’s take a closer look in the glass. At first glance, we recognise a classic longdrink that originated in Cuba around 1900. The Bacoroot cocktail is not too sweet, and slightly malty due to the maple syrup. Reichert uses the Bacardi Reserva Ocho for his modification. “Created in 1862, the BACARDi OCHO was reserved for members of the Bacardí family for more than seven generations,” Christof explains, “One of the oldest private rum blends in the world, this golden sipping rum was only enjoyed on special occasions. The competition is about family, togetherness and sharing.”
Bacoroot has a distinct Bacardí note. According to the song “Drinkin’ Rum and Coca-Cola,” an essential ingredient is Coca-Cola. Brave use of a rather frowned upon filler in the bar scene. Keywords Bacardi, Cola, back to the roots, I think the name of the drink explains itself. Many alternatives for acid extraction are now being used. Christof chose a Madeira as a creative twist. “Worcestershire sauce isn’t just a certain something for Bloody Mary,” he says smiling, adding two drops to his recipe.
Christof Reichert’s Recipe for
Bacoroot Cocktail | World Libre:
50 ml Bacardi 8
15 ml Barbeito Madeira 10 Malvasia
1 Bsp. Maple syrup
2 Drops Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
25 ml Coca-Cola
Method: Stir, Top Up, Strain
Decoration: Isomalt sugar blue: Heat the isomalt sugar and then pull sugar threads.
So what’s next?
Now it’s time to keep our fingers crossed. On 4th March the D/A/CH final will be held in Hamburg. The winner will be at the final of the BACARDÍ® Legacy Cocktail Competition 2019 in Amsterdam. There, the drinks will be presented to a high-class jury and ultimately the world winner will be chosen.
Cheers Christof, to you and to success. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Thank you dennis.dorwarth photographie
