Where Craft Meets Performance, Community Fuels Competition, and Florida’s Best Bartenders Take the Stage.
Sunday March 1st, 2026 in Boca Raton, Fl
The USBG United States Cocktail Competition Florida Qualifiers is more than an event—it is a statewide celebration of craft, creativity, and community, bringing together the collective power of Miami, Tampa, Palm Beach, and Orlando on one unified stage.
This competition showcases Florida’s most driven and influential bartenders across both Classic and Flair disciplines, creating an atmosphere charged with pride, passion, and performance. Partnering with us at any level places your brand inside an authentic, high-energy environment where excellence is on display, relationships are forged, and the future leaders of our industry are shaped. This is an opportunity to align with credibility, culture, and momentum—while standing shoulder to shoulder with the bartenders who define what’s next.
The journey begins…
This competition begins at the local chapter level, where bartenders step forward to represent their cities and showcase their skills, passion, and professionalism. From there, top competitors advance to one of five USBG Regional Competitions, earning the opportunity to test themselves on a larger stage alongside the best talent from across the country. Those who rise to the challenge continue their journey to the United States Cocktail Championship, where excellence, dedication, and craft are recognized at the highest national level—turning local ambition into national achievement.
In Florida, the journey is elevated even further as the local USBG chapters unite to host one premier statewide competition, bringing together the top qualified bartenders from each chapter and division. Miami, Tampa, Palm Beach, Jacksonville, and Orlando will join forces to create a singular, high-impact event where Florida’s best Classic and Flair competitors advance together on one stage. This collaborative format amplifies the level of competition, strengthens statewide camaraderie, and ensures that those who move forward truly represent the highest standard of bartending excellence in Florida.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1530364735761313&type=3
Itinerary Sunday March 1st, 2026:
• 11am: Staff Arrive
• 1pm: Competitors arrive (First ones to complete their paperwork and have
everything submitted get to pick what spot they compete in so show up on
time!)
• 2pm: Competitors Meeting
• 3pm: Judges Meeting
• 4pm-11pm: Competition
CLASSIC DIVISION
1. Tessa Marley-Becker: USBG Palm Beach & Broward
2. Vernon Vaden: USBG Tampa
3. Oguzhan Karac: USBG Miami
4. Adrianne Stebbins: USBG Tampa
5. Liz Rodriguez: USBG Miami
6. Armando Conway: USBG Palm Beach & Broward
7. Karen Gomez: USBG Palm Beach & Broward
8. Dakota Thompson: USBG Palm Beach & Broward
FLAIR DIVISION
1. Nikolai Fomin: USBG Miami
2. Alexis Cerrada: USBG Orlando
3. Billy Lazarte: USBG Miami
4. Jean Manuel Griman: USBG Palm Beach & Broward
5. Joseph Chavarria: USBG Miami
6. David Rose: USBG Tampa
ONLINE RESORCES
Rules Release Party & Bartender Competition Virtual Boot Camp Rebroadcast below…
BartendBetterNow Online Academy Training Modules below...
Q: When will the rules be posted?
A: Please join us for the online Rules Release Party and Bartender Competition Virtual Boot Camp on Wednesday February 4th at 7pm EST using the Zoom Info below…
Virtual ZOOM Info below…
Topic: Bartender Competition Virtual Boot Camp: USCC Multi-Florida Chapter Qualifier
Time: Feb 4, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88114976889?pwd=FPbQs0czXFHQa0rM7vMLVGd9hpaeWe.1
Meeting ID: 881 1497 6889
Passcode: 885589
Q: Can I take my foam maker?
A: Yes, you can use that for your round.
Q: Is the Rum and Tequila Sponsor posted yet?
A: YES, the Rum partner is Dos Maderas and the Tequila partner is Corralejo Tequila.
Q: The competition rules state “each classic competitor must make a cocktail with at least 2 different spirit sponsors and real syrups”Does that mean I have to use 2 spirits plus Real? Or just two spirits/one spirit and one real?
A: YES, 2 different spirit category sponsors and Reàl Infused Exotic. Copy & Pasted from the rules…
“Your Specialty Cocktail
(You are making 4 of these)
At least 2 different Spirit Sponsors (totaling a minimum of 1 1/2oz) per
cocktail and Reàl Syrups (any expression & minimum of 1/2oz) per cocktail.
Ingredients: Competitor Provided
Glassware & Garnish: Competitor Provided”
Q: The rules say each competitor will have one minute for presentation before starting the routine, the timer for the 6 minutes start then or after the presentation?
How are the minutes broken down since the moment you start setting up?
Since 3 competitors go at one time does one speak at a time and then once all have said their drink story the timer starts??
A: YES, each competitor will speak one a t a time for their 1 Minute Presentation, after all competitors on stage have finished their 1 Minute Speech then the Emcee will say 3,2,1,… Go and start the 6 minute timer for the Classic Bartending competition round.
Q: Hey, question, the real has to be put in a big unlabelled competitor choice bottle?
A: YES, the Reàl has to be put in a competitor choice bottle for Classic & Flair… big or small bottler is up to you as further outlined in the rules video above.
Q: It says all ingredients are “competitor provided”, does that mean I need to purchase and provide the finest call lemon or lime, Makers Mark, Real syrups, etc? Or are all brand sponsors products provided?
A: Copy & Pasted from the Rules…
“On stage there will be a back bar with various expressions of Vodka, Gin,
Rum, Agave Spirit, Whiskey & Cognac set half full, Accuracy bottle of water
set half full, Finest Call Single Pressed set at any amount and Reàl Syrups the
competitor can utilize in their original French Long Island Iced Tea &
Specialty Cocktail.
• Competitors may utilize any additional store bought ingredients, non-
competing spirits or mixers, glassware, ice, garnishes, etc… in their Specialty
Cocktail they wish as long as they supply it themselves, it is in their recipes
and it adheres to the rules with a minimum of 1/2oz of Liqour in each bottle.”
To make it easier, here are the Bar Layouts for Classic & Flair with the supply list for Reàl Infused Extoics underneath to use in your competitor choice bottles for Classic & Flair as NO REÀL INFUSED EXOTICS BOTTLES WILL BE ALLOWED ON STAGE.
Here are the available Reàl Infused Exotics Product List we are supplying for your Competitor Choice bottles…
Agave Real
Apple Real
Banana Real
Blackberry Real
Black Cherry Real
Blueberry Real
Coco Real
Ginger Real
Guava Real
Fig Real
Hazelnut Real
Kiwi Real
Lychee Real
Mango Real
Passion Fruit Real
Peach Real
Pear Real
Pineapple Real
Prickly Pear Real
Pumpkin Real
Pureed Pepper Real
Raspberry Real
Strawberry Real
Yuzi Real
Vanilla Real
Watermelon Real
Q: Do the competitors choice bottles have to be a certain size? Do they have to be glass or can they be in a plastic, clear, unlabelled squeeze bottle?
A: The Competitor Choice bottles for Classic and Flair can be any size and either Glass or Plastic is fine.
Recent Comments