Hyderabad mixologist wins prestigious cocktail competition

Hyderabad mixologist Chapay Anand has bested stiff competition to ace one of India’s most prestigious cocktail challenges. Anand, who is from the Zero 40 Brewing, a microbrewery, has won the American Whiskey Legacy Cocktail Challenge 2020 in a thrilling finale. His ‘The Dark Soul’ and ‘The Chanting Jack’ topped the cocktails created by seven other finalists, who are numbered among the finest mixologists in the country.

Chapay exhibited great craftsmanship to present his signature cocktails. His aim was to choose sustainable ingredients that generate zero waste. Though it was initially a challenge, after several trials he succeeded in making balanced and tasty concoctions.

“I worked in a beer brewery so I decided to mix beer in my cocktails in the form of the stout syrup,” says Anand, who started his career as a bartender in 2010. “It is all about how innovative I am in making delicious cocktails. In the initial stages of my career, customers would request me to serve them something new, and I started making inventive cocktails. My passion has grown over the years.”

He says the quality of the spirit that he uses plays a major role in the ultimate taste of his cocktails. Every bar uses key ingredients like lime and mint in cocktails, but apart from those, the use of exotic fruits is the key. Use of organically grown fruits as well as dehydrated fruits for garnish is eye-catching, he adds.

The Brown Forman American Whiskey Legacy Competition is one of the foremost competitions in the country to showcase bartending skills. “It gives bartenders a platform to grow and I am very proud to say that I’m the first bartender from Hyderabad to win a national championship,” claims Anand.

The fourth edition of the challenge this year saw over 250 mixologists from the best liquor outlets and bars across the country compete for the crown.  Of these, eight were shortlisted for the grand finale.