A West Valley mixologist is putting Arizona on the vodka map.
Faith Vance, a bartender for the Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa, took third place in the U.S. Finlandia Vodka Shake Off on Nov. 10 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Vance tied for second in the "quick mix" category and placed first in the "long drink" category for her concoction, Pink Grapefruit Lemonade.
"Its exciting just to be able to win something. I'm very excited for the whole experience," Vance said.
She said her award-winning drink was made up of a quality ingredient, Finlandia Grapefruit Fusion vodka. It is one of the most well reviewed vodkas around, she said.
"It's got a clean citrus taste. I'm not a fan of grapefruit, but I like that vodka," Vance said.
She and other competitors were critiqued by a panel of judges on their drink's aroma, appearance and taste while competing in three timed categories: an aperitif, the long drink and the quick mix, in which contestants were required to create a concoction on the fly from ingredients they weren't previously aware of. Points from each drink category were added up, with Vance placing third overall.
The competition was very stressful, she said.
"On my first drink, my hands were trembling," Vance said. "The guy next to me dropped a whole shaker and had to start over."
Vance, 28, said her seven years' experience bartending served her well. She also credits her first job as a bartender with T.G.I. Friday's as a good foundation.
"T.G.I. Friday's has a very thorough training program in all aspects of bartending. A lot of really good bartenders start there," Vance said.
She landed a spot in the Shake Off after taking first place in the regional contest last month in Scottsdale with the creation of Lasi-neo-palatsi, an after-dinner drink. Vance said she's excited about being able to compete again.
"I'm looking forward to next year," she said.
