Berlin is no doubt the capital of Europe, surrounded by 8 frontiers all part of the EU is the country with more access to other territories in the world. Yeah, not other country has more borders than Germany, jump in your car or on the Euro train system and reach in couple of hours the capital cites of the continent, or stay at home, in Berlin, the place where all they meet an open the door to the world best drinks, musicians and artists.

Or at least it felt like that last week when 40 Bartenders from all around Europe gathered to create the best cocktail drink, using multiple kind of spirits, and all of them mixed with water sodas, tonics and gingers, or, as they call them "Bitterlimonaden", from the German manufacturer Thomas Henry.

It was a hard day for the jury, they had to try 20 great recipes from the Crème de la Crème of the bartenders' scene (most of them already prize winners in the past years) and pick their best. The prize for the winner: to be know as the Best Bartender of the year at the House of Thomas Henry.

Surrounded by over 1000 assistants over two days of workshops, music, burlesque, a barber, a BBQ team and a lot of fine drinks in a market styled as in the 1920s, and lead by the bartender and Thomas Henry Brand Ambassador Phum Sila, a group of four alcohol connoisseurs over 6 hours worked to find that one recipe, that magic algorithm that makes a cocktail unique.

THE WINNERS?

The best cocktail award stayed at home in the hands of the duo bartenders from the "One Trick Pony" bar at Freiburg, Germany. The couple created a chill ice harmonious combination of Rutte Dry Gin , Ginger Alle and Rutte Oude Jenever (a traditional Dutch spirit from which gin evolved) a mix perfection for those hot summer days.

However it was a hard competition and two more bars got to the final round.

The second place was for the girls at the Little Red Door bar from Paris, with a cocktail mix of Campari, beetroot, cherry blossom, absinthe, Verjus (a grape juice), Oloroso Sherry (a sweet dessert wine) and Soda Water.

The third place (but one of my favorites) went to "The Tiny Cup" from Frankfurt. The duo created a Mystic Cheesecake Drink, with Hennessy VS , lemon juice, sugar syrup and the new Thomas Henry Mystic Mango... Oh Gosh, I just loved that one, so sweet, so tasty, so perfect!

But it was not all about alcohol, the event, which bring together cocktail tools vendors, bartenders, dancers, musicians, a barber, a BBQ house and a group of workshop attendants, at the historic department store Jandorf (now an abandoned building) unite to donate a part of the revenue to "Gastronomy against racism ". The association donates funds to organizations that use language courses to integrate immigrants and fugitives (I'm one of those!!).

At the end DJ Senay closed with a Friday party, a perfect closure for two days of cocktails and style.