How it works

The Competition

Speed Rack taps top female bartenders across the globe and puts them head to head in timed challenges. Regional competitions whittle down the applicant pool, with 20 mixologists in each market vying for one of sixteen slots that will make it to the nationals.

Part 1

Online Applications

Bartenders first use an online application to apply throughout the country. Last year we saw an average of 150 women apply per region; this year we expect even more! The twenty most qualified and talented bartenders in each market are then carefully selected from these applications and receive our official spec book of classic cocktails featuring our sponsors.

Part 2

Qualifiers

The selected bartenders compete in a qualifying round that tests not only their speed, but also their aptitude in making four quality cocktails. The top eight fastest times after penalty adjustments will advance to the on-stage.

The rate of first-time competitors increased by 60% in Season 9. Each subsequent year 65% of Speed Rack applicants are new competitors. Continuing a trend recruiting new trade talent.

Part 3

‘Round Robin’ Elimination

These top eight bartenders are then placed into a bracketed round robin style competition.Competitors go head-to-head in instant elimination rounds. They will make a round of cocktails selected at random, culled from a list of 50 classic industry-standard cocktail recipes. The judges request their selected drink from each competitor and then evaluate it based on accuracy, taste and presentation. The swiftest and most skilled women move forward to the next round until the final showdown. There is only one winner.

Each local winner receives an honorarium to compete in their country’s National Finals and the opportunity to be crowned Miss Speed Rack.