Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/61075
COMPETITIONS Cole Apodaca, bar manager of The Shangri-La Hotel in Santa Monica, chilling with the iconic Hangar One blimp and sipping his cocktail, the "So Fresh and So Clean, Clean." Hanging with Hangar One A THE HANGAR ONE COCKTAIL COMPETITION HAS MIXOLOGISTS FLYING HIGH by Megan Wieczorek / photos by Christine Merson s the morning rays of sunlight swept across the glimmering Pacific Ocean, the first bottles of vodka were already being popped open at the first annual Hangar One Cocktail Competition—reassurance that there is indeed no time too early to begin think- ing about a good cocktail. The shakers were ready, the glasses chilled and the ingredients fresh, as a full day of artisanal cocktail-crafting promised innovation, creativity and a slew of tasty tipples. The last of more than 20 stops on Hangar One's U.S. blimp tour, California is the homecoming for the brand that found its namesake roots at the Alameda Naval Air Station on San Francisco Bay a decade ago. Each destination along the way hosted a social media–driven cocktail competition in which mixolo- gists from across the city were filmed concocting signature drinks using their favorite Hangar One expression. The videos were posted to Hangar One's Facebook page, allowing fans to vote for their favorite cocktail; now, it's California's turn (THE TASTING PANEL will feature the Golden State's winners in an upcoming issue). We dropped by Copa d'Oro in Santa Monica for one day of Los Angeles invite-only filming (other CA stops include San Diego and San Francisco) and were greeted by enthusiastic bartenders eager to use their favorite vodka brand. "I work at a vodka bar where we carry 97 different vodkas," says Luis Sanchez, head bartender at vodka-centric hotspot Nic's Beverly Hills, "but Hangar One has a level of freshness and seasonality that is amazing!" Hangar One is indeed fresh: Each expression is created by distilling whole, just-picked fruit to craft eaux-de-vie in a European-style copper still. Hangar One straight vodka, for example, is distilled from Viognier grapes mixed with Midwestern wheat spirit to dimin- ish acidity and create a smooth, balanced vodka complemented by the floral notes of aromatic Viognier. Hangar One's unique social media initiative involves bartenders and consumers alike, showcasing the brand's versatility and the creativ- ity of each mixologist. Enthusiasm for Hangar One is high, but most important, the quality of the product translates into ultimate staying power. In the words of Sean Hines, bartender at Comme Ça in West Hollywood: "If I'm going to drink vodka, it has to be either a potato or Hangar One." Visit the Hangar One Facebook page to vote and for complete tour dates: www.facebook.com/hangaronevodka. For more photos, visit www.facebook. com/TastingPanelMagazine. Mixologist Sean Hines of Comme Ça Restaurant in West Hollywood serving up his Smoked Loon cocktail. (And that's the smoker he used on his cocktail!) Shake it! William Perbellini, bar manager of Bar Toscana in Brentwood, shakes with author- ity as he crafts his Brentwood's Garden cocktail. april 2012 / the tasting panel / 113