Since launching in 2011, Speed Rack has raised thousands of dollars for breast cancer research. And after
months of prelims held across the country, the finalists are heading to NYC
next Thursday, May 16, to shake up one last round. So who’s duking it out for
the 2013 Miss Speed Rack crown? Here’s a peek at the competition.
KARAH CARMACK, Winner of
Speed Rack San Antonio
Tending bar since: 2008.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: Jason Litrell told
me so.
My mixing soundtrack
includes: Mumford and Sons,
Radiohead, Death Grips, The Kooks, The White Stripes.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: The Last Word! Everyone gets
weird after a Last Word.
Least favorite: Mojito, for no reason other than I just hate making
the damn things.
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: The first time it
included being intensely hung over and lots of pacing. This time it will
include some time by the beach, a nice breakfast and a nice night’s rest the
evening prior.
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never heard of: The Hotel Nacional
cocktail.
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me:
How big of an event it really is and how serious my competitors were! Everyone
had flash cards and a good attitude, studying intensely over their recipes. I
was just pacing around making everyone think I hated them when, really, I was
just freaked out!
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Practice! These girls are good, the judges are legit people you do not want to
disappoint—they will tear you up if you mess up!
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
I practice every single day, every drink I make at work I imagine it’s a Speed
Rack drink!
My female bartending
idol is: Ivy Mix! Holy smokes she’s
a badass!
LIZ PEARCE, Winner of
Speed Rack Chicago
Representing: The Drawing Room, Chi-city
Tending bar since: 2003.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: I made a Pisco Sour
for Grant Achatz and he said it was "not too shabby." (HOLY
SHIZZLES!!!!!)
My mixing soundtrack
includes: Ideally? My get-pumped
jams would include Mötley Crüe, Rihanna, the Bonedaddys, Budos Band, Dengue
Fever and Bob Marley to even it all out.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: I actually love making
Mojitos, cause I love to smash ice with the EO hammer! My second favorite (if
it's not busy) is my Angostura Ramos. It's ridiculous.
Least favorite: Dirty martinis. yuck.
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: Face paint,
stretching, meditation and mezcal.
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never heard of: The Chicago Fizz. How
is that possible?
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me: Wear
water-proof makeup.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Focus on quality equally to speed. One without the other is useless.
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
I make solid, consistent cocktails, fast. And I'm charming. And I want it. BAD.
My female bartending
idol is: God, there's so many
people I'm impressed by in Chicago alone! My boss Cristiana, Mea Leech, for her
incredible persona behind the bar, Bridget Albert is just the sweetest person
ever! Nationally? Yael is a total gangster, Jillian Vose, Pam the Wiz,
Karen Fu, Logan Lavachek is a badass. I guess if I had to narrow it down to
one, I'd say my former compadre from WAY back in the day, Heather Hans. She
doesn't do mixology; she's an old-school volume bartender who's fast as hell
and does it day in, day out, with a smile. She is sweet, generous and humble.
She doesn't give a shit who you are, or where you come from—all she cares about
is getting you a drink FAST and making sure you're happy. At the end of the
day, it's just a drink, and she doesn't get caught up in all the nonsense that
we every now and then are guilty of.
PAIGE UNGER, Winner of
Speed Rack St. Louis
Representing: Extra Virgin/Michael Smith, Kansas City, Missouri
Tending bar since: Does making Gin & Tonics for my grandma as a
kid count? If not I've been bartending for four years.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: I made it in the to
the Paris of the Plains Bartending Competition after bartending for just six
months.
My mixing soundtrack
includes: Lately I've been rocking
some Wilson Phillips “Hold On” and Hall and Oats.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: I love making Negronis! It
reminds me of being in Florence, Italy, and going to the Caffe Rivoire. Their
head bartender, Lucca Picchi, is the Italian national historian on the Negroni
cocktail. He let me come behind the bar and taught me how to make a proper
Negroni. It was amazing!
Least favorite: I used to work brunches and have made more BloodyMarys than any one person should.
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: Not drinking! I kind
of keep to myself and wander around on competition days. I've been the same way
since I was a little girl competing in gymnastics.
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never heard of: The Hanky Panky.
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me:
Bring a change of clothes! I looked like a wet poodle after I got doused in
Perrier.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Practice, practice, practice!
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
I have an insanely accurate free pour. You can save so much time by using both
hands to pour and not just one and a jigger.
My female bartending
idol is: Ada Coleman. Any time I
don't know a cocktail, I research it. After reading the story behind the Hanky
Panky I was in love with the woman! She held her own in a man's world and she
rocked it! If she were here today I'd bet shed enter Speed Rack and shake
cocktails for boobies!
JAKI WINKLES, Winner of
Speed Rack Tampa
Tending bar since: 2003.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: I broke the record
for highest sales at a nightclub in Hollywood's Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
My mixing soundtrack
includes: Fastest Girl in Town by
Miranda Lambert.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: Anything with gin. I usually
make a Bee’s Knees, Corpse Reviver #2, or Negroni when I have guests over.
Least favorite: Jolly Rancher shots. Even though it may be the most
improvised mix around—any bartender can throw the closest flavored liqueur
in a shaker and call it a Jolly Rancher. Makes me nauseous when I think about
it.
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: A cup of coffee, a
light lunch, a shot of Chartreuse, a shot of mezcal, a deep breath and go. I
can't really run through drink recipes or practice the day of the event—it'll
psych me out. My mind goes blank while I'm up there anyway.
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never heard of: The Airmail
Punch, Antrim, Brain Storm, Chicago Fizz … there were a lot [of cocktails] I
hadn't heard of.
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me:
To prepare an outfit. I had to start borrowing pink paraphernalia from other
girls.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Make sure you rinse your jigger after using raspberry syrup. I was so focused
on moving fast that I didn't wash my jigger out and it caused my next drink to
have a pink tint and, of course, taste like raspberry. Having your drinks taste
right is just as important as being fast.
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
Fast is what I do! I'm used to my bar being 10 deep at halftime. I have to
imagine that it's just another day at work.
My female bartending
idol is: Kate Gerwin. Not only does
she have a great palate for cocktails, she is also one of the fastest
bartenders that I know. She is a blast to work with and a genuine friend.
Not to mention she's also a mom, like me, and it's motivating to see another successful
working mom in this industry.
SHEL BOURDON, Winner of
Speed Rack Tucson
Tending bar since: 2009.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: I beat all the boys
in the AZ Bourbon Battle.
My mixing soundtrack
includes: Anything indie pop that
reminds me of Coachella.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: Daiquiris for days.
Least favorite: Singapore Sling.
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: Not drinking and
trying to avoid talking about cocktails to not psyche myself out!
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never heard of: The Irish cocktail.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Don't freak out. There are four guests sitting at your bar—just make
drinks!
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
I'm a (wo)man with a plan!
My female bartending
idol is: Miss Layla Linn of
Phoenix, Arizona. She is one of the founders of Arizona Cocktail Week and is a
radiating light of inspiration, class and grace. She is above all a badass
bartender.
NAOMI LEVY, Winner
of Speed Rack Boston
Tending bar since: 2004.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: The first time the
bar was 4 deep, the tickets from the printer hit the floor, and I felt in
complete control.
My mixing soundtrack
includes: Eclectic mix, everything
from the Ramones, to Stevie Wonder to Damien Marley … anything I can sing along
to or dance to.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: The right drink for the right
person and the right time.
Least favorite: A Bloody Mary after 4 p.m.
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: Focus, clearing my
head, stretch.
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never heard of: The Brainstorm.
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me:
Time slows down when you try to move that fast.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is: Don't
jigger for the preliminaries … jigger once you make it to the final eight.
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
It's just another day of doing what I do every day. Making great drinks at top
speeds.
My female bartending
idol is: Misty Kalkofen.
ERYN REECE, Winner of
Speed Rack New York City
Tending bar since: 2004.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: I finally won Speed
Rack!
My mixing soundtrack
includes: "I Want Action"
by Poison.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: An Old Fashioned. A drink that
can get people to really appreciate a well-made spirit.
Least favorite: A Ramos Gin Fizz. For multiple reasons.
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: Figuring out the
best way to cut up my Speed Rack shirt.
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never heard of: Pisco Punch.
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me:
How seriously intense that this was going to be.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Don't drink that much, if at all. It’s such a fun competition where all your
friends are, so it would be easy to do, but you really need to be on your A
-game.
I’m going to smoke the competition at the NYC finals because: I have a game plan and I’m not telling any of you about it.
My female bartending
idol is: Lynnette Marrero. Because
she is the shit.
JILL WEBSTER, Winner
of Speed Rack San Diego
Tending bar since: 2002.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: Badass since birth.
My mixing soundtrack includes: Mark Morrison, Mötley Crüe and Yacht Rock for days.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: Americano.
Least favorite: “Something fun.”
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: Coffee and
cigarettes.
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me:
I’d have to give video interviews.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Relax.
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
Seeee YA!
My female bartending
idol is: Brooke Arthur from HouseSpirits. BOOM!
VICTORIA GEORGE, Winner
of Speed Rack San Francisco
Tending bar since: 2010.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: I split a bottle of
green Chartreuse with three other bartenders during a 5k event one morning from
7 to 11 a.m., and then worked a busy shift that night after unexpectedly being
called in to cover a co-worker. And slept only three hours the night before.
My mixing soundtrack
includes: Santigold, 1960s classic
rock and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s "Have You Ever Seen the
Rain?"
Favorite cocktail to
mix: The Sazerac.
Least favorite: The repeat cocktail order, made by the same
customer in the same transaction, immediately after the first is complete.
("I need one more of THAT one.")
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: A long walk with
headphones, three bites of a breakfast sandwich and a shot of mezcal.
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never made: A Godfather Cocktail.
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me:
To bring a change of clothes in case a Champagne shower occurs.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Practice your prelim strategy before the day of the competition. And remember
to breathe.
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
If I successfully keep my hair out of my face, I might do alright.
My female bartending
idol is: The entire SF female
bartending community constantly inspires me. I've learned so much from so many
other females, and I'm thankful to be a part of this industry.
Tending bar since: 2007.
I knew I was a badass
bartender when: A patron told me I
had a real gift for saying inappropriate and offensive things but still coming
across as witty and charming.
My mixing soundtrack
includes: Have you heard the new
Justin Timberlake album? Addictive. But, my pre-Speed Rack mix is packed full
of delicious jams to make your body move. I'm a complete wreck before the
competition, but once I'm listening to music that matches my energy level,
everything becomes a little bit clearer. And then I kinda feel like Eminem in 8
Mile.
Favorite cocktail to
mix: I take pride in what I do, and
my favorite drinks are always the show stoppers—the ones where everyone starts
asking what I'm making and if they can have one too.
Least favorite: The Bloody Mary. Bloody Marys belong on a Sunday
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. It's the Lord’s Day and a sacred time for
Bloody Marys.
My day-of Speed Rack
prep includes: Pedialyte, Tums,
failed attempts at eating or drinking anything, inevitably followed by mezcal
with pals, dance parties with myself anywhere I can be alone, flash cards
stuffed into my boots, and, of course, a heavy dose of flirting.
Before Speed Rack, I’d
never heard of: The Weeski
Cocktail. I still have a hard time remembering that damn thing!
Before signing up for
Speed Rack I wish someone had told me: "Don't forget, you're still a little fish in a big
pond." That type of underdog mentality always brings out the fiercest
competitor in me.
My one piece of advice
for next year’s competitors is:
Have fun and do what you do best. You'll nail it.
I’m going to smoke the
competition at the NYC finals because:
I jigger my toothpaste, I'm on a high-proof diet, daily jogs on the waterfront
with bottles in my hands, the Harlem Shake before bed … and I twerk once a
week.
My female bartending
idol is: You mean aside from the
ladies I'll be sharing the stage with? Ada Coleman. I mean,
come on—she made one of the first Fernet-Branca cocktails. Her Fernet coin
would trump everyone.
All photos courtesy Speed Rack.
All photos courtesy Speed Rack.