BUDDY, ARE YOUR BITTERS BETTER...
TRU ORGANIC SPIRITS LAUNCHES "BARMADE BITTERS CHALLENGE" AT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL 2009
Winning Bitters to be Sold Nationally, Winner to Bask in the Glory of Shared Profits!

LOS ANGELES, February 17, 2009—Tales of the Cocktail and TRU Organic Spirits today announced the first ever Barmade Bitters Challenge, a forum to showcase the world's best aromatic bitters at this year's Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans July 8-12. The Bitters Challenge offers a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME opportunity for bartenders to have their bitters recipes produced, packaged and sold nationally by TRU Organic Spirits. The winning bartenders will not only have his or her name on the final product, garnering the visibility of a national audience, but will also share in profits from the total sales of the bitters.

"Tales of the Cocktail is the premier cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking," says Ann Tuennerman, Founder of Tales of the Cocktail. "It is the ideal place to celebrate and explore the bartender's craft of handmade artisan bitters—with the ultimate goal of finding the world's most innovative new ideas."

Inspired by artisan bartenders, the contest will include three categories—fruit, spice and herb. Five finalists per category will be invited to present their aromatic bitters personally at this year's Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, where judges will select one winner per category. "There's volcanic potential in bartenders," says Melkon Khosrovian, co-founder and spiritsmaker at TRU Organic Spirits. "Can't wait to see what they've got." Khosrovian will work with all three winning bartenders to formulate and produce their aromatic bitters for commercial sale. Each bitter will be produced as an organic product as an extension of the TRU Organic Spirits line of organic vodkas and gin.

Aromatic bitters entries will be judged according to each bartender's recommended proportions in a selection of six simple cocktails made with popular base spirits (gin, vodka, bourbon, cognac and rum). Judges will look for how small quantities of bitters add depth to cocktails and mix with a broad range of alcohols.

Submissions are due at the Modern Spirits Laboratory, where TRU is created, April 1, 2009. There judges will select the finalists to compete live at Tales of the Cocktail on Sunday, July 12, 2009 starting at 10:30am in the Hotel Montelone. Final judges will include some of the industry's most well-regarded experts, and the event will be open to all festival attendees.

Rules and more information at www.truorganicspirits.com/bitters.html

The TRU Organic Spirits Menu is part of the hotel's larger initiative to "go green"

As a member of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Florida Green Lodging Program, The Mandarin Miami is committed to adopting "green" practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. The commitment has now influenced their beverage menu, and TRU has played an integral role in developing a stellar menu of high-quality, organic cocktails to meet the standards of the Mandarin's discerning clientele.

Ready. Set. Craft!

About Tales of the Cocktail

Tales of the Cocktail is an internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine and culture held annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community—award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers—for a five-day celebration of the history and artistry of making drinks. Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and parties all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made. For more information on Tales of the Cocktail, visit the website at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com and register your name to receive email updates or call 504-948-0511.

About TRU Organic Spirits

TRU is a sustainable line of vodka and gin made in Los Angeles by Modern Spirits. With an innovative and activist approach to their craft, they make spirits without compromise. Ingredients are organic, packaging is recycled or recyclable and for every bottle sold, the company plants a tree. Founded in 2004 by husband-and-wife team Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew, the heart of Modern Spirits' philosophy is based on their passion for flavors, Slow Food ideals and deeply engrained eco-sensibilities.

Barmade Bitters Logo

Media Contact