Sunday (September 22) turned out to be a gorgeous day, and perfect for Rum Day DC‘s Poolside Punch Competition held at the rooftop pool and bar of The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel. Mixologists representing The Liaison Capitol Hill, Farmers Fishers Bakers, and Hogo DC all crafted a unique rum punch for attendees and judges to try. (I ended up be a judge!) Sponsors of the Rum Punch Competition included Rhum Clement, Atlantico Rum, Chairman’s Reserve, Veev, Bacardi, Brugal USA, and Diplomatico Rum.
True from The Liaison mixed up a beautiful, nearly crystal clear punch, named True, that included basil and rhubarb. I should admit that I know just about nothing about rum, but I know what I like to drink. While this drink was beautiful, it just didn’t quite do it for me. But, it was a valiant effort, and 1,000x better than anything I concoct at home.
Julia from Hogo created what she called, “All of Last Night’s Drinks”. It was delicious and was definitely a strong contender for first place. Have to say, I was a little worried that she wasn’t going to pull through by the end of the 20 allotted minutes. But, there’s something to be said for taking one’s time and not allowing the stress of competition to hinder your process.
And finally, Jackie from Farmers Fishers Bakers went to town crafting what truly was (for lack of better words) a work of rum punch art. I was absolutely mesmerized watching her work. She was quick and precise with everything, from measuring and pouring to garnishing and even cleaning up her station. She titled her punch “Winter is Coming” after the hit show Game of Thrones. Her punch not only exuded Fall colors and flavor, but the title matched exactly the time of year I would enjoy consuming her beverage. Just picture it; sitting in front of a fire on a crisp Fall night after a day of seeing reds, yellows, and oranges decorating the trees. After a little deliberation with the other guest judge, we both deemed Jackie’s “Winter is Coming” worthy of the Poolside Punch Competition champion title.
Follow Rum DayDC on Twitter for updates about upcoming events in 2014.
Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel
415 New Jersey Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20001
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