Happy Drinks Mastershaker 2017 | The Madonna (like a virGIN)
At the beginning of this year we wrote about the Happy Drinks The Battle. With this initiative Pierre Wind and the ‘Trimbos-instituut’ wanted to challenge the hospitality and hospitality schools to make the supply of non-alcoholic beverages more exciting and more diverse. Monday the 6th of March at the finals of the Happy Drinks The Battle, Mark Jędrzejewski, bartender of De Smaakambassade, was awarded as Happy Drinks Mastershaker 2017. From the winning drink ‘The Madonna (like a virGIN)’, a special edition handmade syrup will be created. This will be done by Pinky Rose. This syrup will also be available for hospitality businesses. They hope that the The Madonna (like a virGIN) is going to be the mocktail of 2017!
Happy Drinks Mastershaker 2017
Mark blew the jury away with his non-alcoholic Gin-tonic, The Madonna (like a virGIN). According to the chairman of the jury Pierre Wind: “A true winner”. “The story behind the Happy Drink, the skills and presentation, everything was perfect. The taste of the drink convinced us. Mark’s homemade botanical syrup in combination with mashed Bergamot, rose water, a splash Earl Grey tea and a great tonic made the Madonna extremely delicious, ‘echt kikkûh’(Dutch slang for really great).” Mark Jędrzejewski received a golden shaker and a €500,= voucher.
Lex Lemmers, Happy Drink’s project leader from the Trimbos-institute about the fantastic battle; “Our call to design the newest non-alcoholic taste explosion for the hospitality industry received more entries than expected.” Fifteen people with the best homemade recipes were invited to present their recipes. Applications came from professional bartenders, taste experts, hospitality school students and amateur-shakers. “We are extremely happy that alcohol-free drinks are taken seriously and that so many people experimented.”
Pierre Wind and the Trimbos Institute have started Happy Drinks in 2011. Their motto; “It’s not fresh, it’s not alcohol, it’s alcohol-free with a kick.”
Is The Madonna (like a virGIN) going to be sold at bars, terraces and clubs?
Lemmers explains that they’re not done yet with The Battle. “Pinkyrose” will create a ‘special edition homemade syrup’ that is going to be sold to the hospitality industry. With this syrup only two or three activities are needed to create The Madonna (like a virGIN) and thus it will be interesting for each hospitality business. We hope that this mocktail is going to become well known fast so people can enjoy it this summer at a terrace or club. What I especially like is that profit goes to charity. Together with Mark we chose a project that supports the youth. We start selling this mocktail at our Happy Drinks café at Pinkpop. After this, hospitality businesses can order the syrup as well.
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