Max La Rocca @ CitySpace Bar – Moscow

SAVE THE DATE: 21/25 November 2011

I’ve been mixing with the head “up in the Coulds” on the 33rd floor @ City Space Bar & Lounge that has been rated among the 50 best Bars in the World by Diffordsguide 2011 and one of the World’s Top Ten Bars by the Bartender’s Guide 2008.
It is located on the top floor (140m) of Swissotel Krasnye Holmy and offers breathtaking 360 degree view of Moscow.

Thanks for joining me, and the amazing City Space Family 😉

Спасибo!

“WHERE IS THE TURKEY?” Cocktail for ThanksGiving Day in..Moscow @ CitySpace with a Renato Carosone “Tu vuò fà l’americano” Background music…a coincidence?? 😉

City Space Official Video Trailer





Rounding a downtown street corner…and meeting Ohla Boutique Bar

“Rounding a downtown street corner near Passeig de Gracia, a menu caught my attention. Gastronomic was the key word. Fresh take on Spanish tapas it was delivering. The meal was fantastic, amazing food porn picture worthy, and quite affordable.

As I was exiting the lobby, I saw the edge of a bar. Tucked away to the right of the concierge desk, is a bar ran by one Max La Rocca. Black, glass, simple quadrilateral wood, highlight this sophisticated bar. Read the menu and you know you’re in good hands. Quotes from the Savory Cocktail books, award winning drink concoctions (citations included), both simple and inventive ingredient combinations.

This video was shot by third time there. I and 3 other friends rushed from Pobleneu at 1:37am in a taxi to make it there by 2am. We made it, had two amazing drinks each, edible negroni shots, and this amazing smoke infused shot. There was dancing to the Palmetto Bug Stompers, there were hat tricks performed, and we closed Ohla Bar that night!”

Drink Suggestions:
El Conde (a twist on the classic Negroni)
Madama Baudelaire (a wonderful absinthe based drink)
The gold dusted mojito.

Just go crazy there

KENNY

Read the full Article

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from LISTEN TO THE ICE


ENG: Thank you so much to all the Subscribers and Readers for taking the time to follow this wonderful journey into Mixology with me for one more year…hoping that you enjoyed the contents of my blog.

IT: Grazie mille a tutti gli Abbonati e Lettori per il vostro tempo nel seguire questo meraviglioso viaggio nel mondo della Mixology con me per un altro anno…sperando che vi siano piaciuti i contenuti del mio blog.

Always stir..with a dash of love

Max La Rocca

Max Presentation @ BCB and Diageo Reserve Bar

Max La Rocca’s presentation on “Ritual and Cocktail Theatre Challenge” at Bar Convent Berlin 2010 with Spike Marchant and Angus Winchester introducing the prestigiuous Diageo World Class Competition.

The room was extra crowded and the atmosphere was magical…thank you guys for all the support, you have been amazing!

A SPECIAL thank to Spike Marchant for including me in this beautiful experience and Diageo for giving me the opportunity to work side by side with great Bartenders like Ian “Ambassador” Burrell, Ricardo Albrecht from Lebensstern Bar and René Förster @ DIAGEO RESERVE BAR on this fantastic event!!

Thanks to Szabi Sandor for the beautiful pics

DIAGEO WORLD CLASS 2010 GLOBAL FINAL IN ATHENS



Cocktail King of the World

Congratulations to Mr Erik Lorincz from Connaught Bar, London that has claimed the prestigious title of Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year 2010!!!!

After a year long search which saw 9000 bartenders from around the globe shake, stir and pour their way through national heats, just 24 of the most talented and inspirational bartenders congregated in beautiful Athens to go head to head over four days of challenges.

The six themed challenges ranged from, ‘Architecture’ which tested the bartenders ingenuity and ability to adapt fresh ingredients from a local market to create a cocktail out of their chosen produce, to ‘History’ which examined the bartenders’ knowledge of mixology and pursuit of perfection.

In-between all the excitement we managed to catch up with one of the elite judges, Dale DeGroff, and he commented saying, “What’s most impressive about Diageo Reserve World Class is how every aspect of the craft of bartending is tested by the challenges and judges. You need to be creative, thorough and skilled – it’s daunting. Each year I learn different skills from everyone I meet at World Class including the contestants. These 21st century bartenders are the pioneers of a new golden age of the craft.” An incredible experience was had by all involved, each taking away with them some very special memories.

Year after year, bartenders are receiving more recognition for their exceptional craft and the excitement and passion in cocktail culture keeps growing, so we thank you all who contribute to the World Class standard.

( Source: www.weareworldclass.com )

GARY REGAN

DALE DEGROFF AND ANGUS WINCHESTER

World Class Bartender of the Year 2010 Winner:
Erik Lorincz, The Connaught, London, United Kingdom

World Class Bartender of the Year 2010 Runner- up:
Do Hwan Eom, The Ritz Bar, The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul, Korea

**World Class Bartender of the Year 2010 Third Place:
**MAX LA ROCCA, Sheen Falls Lodge Relais & Chateaux, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, Ireland.

The Podium: Erick Lorincz, Do Hwan Eom, Max La Rocca

..AND THE WINNERS OF THE SIX CHALLENGES ARE:

**World Class ‘Theatre’ Challenge Winner – Ritual & Cocktail Theatre
**MAX LA ROCCA, Sheen Falls Lodge Relais & Chateaux, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, Ireland.

World Class ‘Gastronomy’ Challenge Winner – Canapé Matching
Jordi Otero, Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Spain

World Class ‘Architecture’ Challenge Winner – Market Challenge
Do-Hwan Eom, The Ritz Bar, The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul, Korea

World Class ‘Art’ Challenge Winner – Speed & Taste
Heinz Kaiser, DINO’S American Bar, Vienna, Austria

World Class ‘History’ Challenge Winner – Classic Cocktails
Timo Janse, Door 74, Amsterdam, Netherlands

World Class ‘Philosophy’ Challenge Winner – Cocktail Mastery
Torsten Spuhn, Modern Master Bar and Lounge, Erfut, Germany

SPEED AN TASTE CHALLENGE

RITUAL & THEATRE CHALLENGE

Announcement of the RITUAL & THEATRE CHALLENGE WINNER

DIAGEO WORLD CLASS 2010 GLOBAL FINAL CEREMONY
Announcement of 1st 2nd and 3d Place

Some of Max La Rocca’s Jugdes Feedback:

-“Best Aviaton in the competition” (Salvatore Calabrese – Classic Challenge);

-“You can see the Italian School of Bartending in this performance even representing another beautiful country” ( Dale Degroff – Market Challenge);

-“Excellent perfomance, elegance and nice organization of the counter” (Hidetsugu Ueno – Speed and taste);

-“Beautiful Whisky Cocktails made with Passion” (Gary Regan – Mastery Challenge);

-In the Ritual & Theatre Challenge Peter Dorelli when presented with an unexpected iPhone and listening to the music while sipping JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL: “I feel like I’m flying”.

Diageo World Class IRISH FINAL Video

Over the past nine months, the thrill and anticipation built during the WORLD CLASS Whisk(e)y, Gin and Vodka heats, has inspired training events as well as new concepts and ideas in mixology. Since the launch of WORLD CLASS, the very best of Ireland’s bar industry have battled it out through the intensity of the qualifying competitions, leaving three national finalists standing.

Max La Rocca was judged as the most creative and entertaining bartender in Ireland and been crowned with the prestigious title of ” Ireland’s WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year”

Max will advance to the Diageo World Class Global Final 2010 in Athens, Greece this July, where he will flex his mixology might against 30 of the best bartenders from around the world.

If you can’t see the video properly this is the FACEBOOK link and the YOUTUBE link

Thank you to all the people @ Diageo for the amazing event and to the excellent Judging Panel:
Angust Winchester, Justin Smyth, Tom Doorley, Nick Munier


42BELOW COCKTAIL WORLD CUP 2010

Congratulations to Team USA who did an amazing job throughout the week and was crowned in the final event of the 42Below Cocktail World Cup held at The Old Museum Building in Wellington.

Team USA: Todd Thrasher, Mark Stoddard and Sean Hoard.

42BELOW COCKTAIL WORLD CUP 2010 WINNING RECIPE:
I HAVE TOO MUCH THYME ON MY HANDS RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE
30 mls (1 oz) 42BELOW vodka
15 mls (½ oz) aritchoke aperitif
45 mls (1 1/2 oz) lime thyme syrup
Liberal dash of apple bitters
Compressed apple thyme balls to garnish

A short footage of the Grand Final here

The FULL footage of the Irish Performance at the Grand Final here

TEAM IRELAND (Max La Rocca, Aaron Wall, Andy Ferreira):
1st place at the “Modern Martini” Challenge
3rd place at the “21st Century Punch” Challenge
4th place at the Grand final

The 42 Below CWC is completely unlike any other competitions.
After a hard week examinating the contestants ability to work individually and as a team, feeling also the pressure of representing a Country, the competition pushes bartenders out of their comfort zone into real-time scenarios.

Pdt’s Owner Jim Meehan mixing libations

Simon Difford Discusses What Makes a Bar..Great

Melbourne Gin Palace’s owner Vernon Chalker and his session on “The Martini”

Breakfast Martinis on the rocks from Team Ireland

IT WASN’T EASY!!
EVERY morning briefing at 8.30 then get on the bus, do extreme activities followed by a challenge, when your body is still full of adrenaline; then attend a seminar, go back to the hotel for 15 minutes, just the time for quick a shower and off you go againg with either another challenge or a huge party (and when I say huge, I mean…HUGE)

We got to the Bungy Jumping Bridge straight after we landed from a 36 hours trip, and it was only then, that I started to understand the spirit of the Competition…

For the Mocktail Challenge we had 7 minutes to choose from a variety of ingredients on the banks of Lake Wakatipu and then we where taken to a Shotover Jet and had to prepare the drink while the jet was spinning at 360 degree…amazing.

The 21st Century Punch Challenge had teams putting their own twist on a classic to create a unique punch recipe. Our Punch was called The Bee-delaire Builders’ Punch, BEE referring to the Manuka flavoured vodka we used and ..DELAIRE form Baudelaire the french poet who had a huge addiction to Absinthe, BUILDERS’ was used to pay homage to the Irish construction workers community around the world. The punch was served in a beautiful Absinthe fountain and included also Monin pineapple syrup, muddled celery and Celery Bitters, a very refreshing and balanced concotion.

In every team the bartenders have a different approach to cocktail making so it’s not easy to merge and fit everyones’ skill into one.

We braved the JagAir aerial acrobatics trip over the Remarkables mountain range and then the “ready steady shake” challenge put even more pressure on the teams that had to come out in 7 minutes with a signature cocktail form a box of secret ingredients; this is when the teamwork had to take over, one person preparing the drink, another shaking and one garnishing the cocktail.

The Modern Martini Challenge was the most interesting and we achieved the best score on simplicity, which is one of the defining characteristics of a Martini.
Our appropriately titled ‘Kia Kaha’ (meaning ‘stand strong’ in Maori) included 42BELOW Pure, Lillet Blanc, dashes of Peychaud Bitters and was sprayed with a Feijoa mist.

In typical Irish style, we came up with our winning entry on the bus on the way to the event!

US Bartender of the Year and esteemed judge Jim Meehan said the Irish entry stood out for its simplicity and elegance, “it’s a drink I would be proud to serve in my bar,” said Meehan

KIA KAHA
– 50 ml 42BELOW Pure
– 20 ml Lillet Blanc
2 Dashes Peychaud Bitters
– 42 Below Feijoa Vodka mist

-“Throw” the mix from one tin to another in order to aerate and chill the drink without diluting too much.
(old technique from Boadas Cocktail Bar in Barcelona)
-Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe
-Garnish with a twist of grapefruit

The venue was just amazing..

Our Signature drink for the Grand Final was called

WILDE HONEY PORTER” and included
1 muddled cardamom pod
25 mls lillet blanc
15 mls creme de cacao
15 mls gomme syrup
15 mls lime juice
2 dashes angostura
35 mls guinness
35 mls 42 Below Manuka Honey
15 mls egg white

more pictures on
FLICKR
FACEBOOK

One of the most valuable things you learn from a competition like this, is to be able to manage your EGO, that is one of the biggest problem amongst most of the contemporary bartenders, and to act with teamwork in mind..
You go back home enriched as a bartender as well as a person and…with a lot of new friends for life

A million thanks to Alan Kavanagh for the amazing support in Ireland, Jacob Briars, Justin McKenzie, Frances Young and all the people behind this beautiful project!!
Always stir…with a dash of love,
Max La Rocca
42 Below Irish Team