These OKC bartenders mix their best drinks for a monthly smackdown — and a good cause

JaNae Williams, The Oklahoman
Updated ·2 min read

A good bartender can make all the difference in a night out. The Oklahoma City branch of the United States Bartenders' Guild is putting the city's best bartenders on display, while also giving back to local charities.

Every month, bartenders representing two area bars come together at Ponyboy, 423 NW 23 St., for the USBG OKC Bartender Smackdown.

Karson Edie, left, from The Grove bar, and Michaela Tetzlaff, from Frida Southwest, race to complete daiquiris in the speed round of the Bartender Smackdown.
Karson Edie, left, from The Grove bar, and Michaela Tetzlaff, from Frida Southwest, race to complete daiquiris in the speed round of the Bartender Smackdown.

The Bartender Smackdown is a charity event, with the USBG OKC partnering with local nonprofits. The various partners receive proceeds from the door cover and sales of the signature "charity" drinks during the night. Sunday night's beneficiary was Pivot, a group that works with young people experiencing homelessness to help provide educational and vocational opportunities and a safe place to live.

Alcohol for the event is donated by various spirits brands. Sunday's event was sponsored by Heaven Hill, makers of popular lines of whiskeys, vodkas, bourbons and more such as Elijah Craig, Evan Hill, Deep Eddy and Burnett's.

Across three rounds of competition, bartenders compete head to head and a panel of judges samples the completed drinks and scores them. Sunday, two-time reigning champions Frida Southwest took on The Grove, one of Midtown's newest bars.

Kearstin Harp, left, and Colby Poulin talk before their round of competition Sunday at the Bartender Smackdown.
Kearstin Harp, left, and Colby Poulin talk before their round of competition Sunday at the Bartender Smackdown.

The competition follows a similar format each month. Round one — the speed round — tasks bartenders with crafting a daiquiri with speed and precision. Round two, the mystery ingredient round, provides competitors with a mystery ingredient they must use in a cocktail creation. Round three — the service well round — combines knowledge, skill and speed, tasking bartenders with creating multiple classic cocktails.

The winning bar takes home the Bartender Smackdown trophy and the glory that comes with victory.

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Sunday night saw Karson Edie from The Grove take on Michaela Tetzlaff from Frida in the speed round. Then USAG OKC President Colby Poulin went head to head against The Grove's Kearstin Harp to craft cocktails using the night's mystery ingredient: chocolate Nesquik. In the service well round, Ashley Graham represented The Grove against Frida's Christina Zesiger.

Frida's bartenders narrowly beat out The Grove in 2 out of 3 rounds to retain their title by a slim margin. The third win puts Frida into the "Hall of Fame," a designation for those who win three times in a row.

Ashley Graham puts the final garnish on the drinks prepared in the "service well" round of the Bartender Smackdown on Sunday.
Ashley Graham puts the final garnish on the drinks prepared in the "service well" round of the Bartender Smackdown on Sunday.

Frida's win also means two new bars will face off in the competition just in time for October's spooky-themed Smackdown, scheduled for Oct. 29. That evening's event will feature the standard smackdown format as well as door prizes for costumes and other fun, according to Poulin.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC bartenders mix their best drinks for local charities