We’re used to seeing bartender competitions where the bartenders compete for the best cocktail concoctions or compete in twirling, catching and throwing things in the air with flair bartending. But, Heineken’s bartending competition is all about quality and precision in serving their draft beer using a five-step ritual: rinse, pour, skim, check, and serve.
“Heineken has been here since November 2016 but we felt it is important to run this in our first year because it is a great way to communicate what Heineken is about. You see a lot of bartender finals, which is about creativity and flair; the Heineken Star Serve is about quality,” says Chris Aguilar, Heineken Philippines group marketing manager. “Heineken believes that you buy your second beer based on the quality of your first. But beyond the quality of the brew, it also takes technique to create a perfect pour.”
A perfect pint of draft beer should look appealing both visually and in taste. Last year, Heineken taught bartenders from all over Metro Manila the ritual of the Star Serve. Throughout May and June of this year, mystery shoppers visited bars and judged how the bartenders served their Heineken draft beers. Fourteen bartenders were chosen from the mystery visits to compete for the Philippine Finals, which took place on July 14.
Christian Uy, bartender from Chotto Matte (Taguig City), won the competition and was crowned the first Filipino Star Serve bartender. He will compete in the global finals in Amsterdam later this year.
Heineken is present in 192 countries around the world, and the Global Heineken Star Serve final is expected to have numerous competitors. Last year’s winner was from Malaysia; this year, Chris is hopeful that the Philippines will nab a top spot. “Heineken is all about quality and precision. Pair that with Christian’s upbeat personality, and he might stand out from the competition.”
