Bar Madness

Susan Collins - our fellow Mainers are hurting. Restaurants make up a $2.5 Billion industry in our state, not only employing over 69,000 Mainers but also supporting 7,170 small farms and thousands of fishermen and seafood purveyors. Restaurant closures affect the bottom line of our entire supply chain and make up a large part of our unemployment line. There is a solution. I urge you to pass the bipartisan RESTAURANTS Act. There’s no more time to wait.
Maine friends, please go to saverestaurants.com/letter to show your support in getting Congress to help Maine Senate Democrats Maine Senate Republicans Independent Restaurant Coalition

Great article in the about Arvid's () victory. Way to go!
https://www.pressherald.com/2020/08/10/bar-guide-meet-arvid-brown-the-best-bartender-in-town/

WE HAVE A WINNER! Congratulations to Arvid Brown from for becoming Bar Madness' first Grand Champion! His cocktail, the Shapely Ape (featuring Signature Rum), won the judge's over, and he clinched the victory by 1 point.

Video clips from the finals and post-competition interviews are being edited and will be released soon!

Thank you to EVERYONE who made this inaugural year such a success, especially to our generous sponsors:

Horizon Beverage, Campari America, Fogg's Boatworks, Portland Old Port, Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar, Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs, SOPHY Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront, Maine Home Connection, Lone Pine Brewing Company, Nappi Distributors

We'll see you in 2021 when the madness starts all over again! Cheers!

Ok, so we had to keep the finals of on the down-low and host a small, private event (thank you, Covid!). Both Shaun , representing and and Arvid from gave a great performance, and the final decision came down to a 1-point difference! Who won? Stay tuned... we'll be dropping a video of the finals later this week!

Good luck to all the restaurants who are opening today! Have a great service!

Another day of filming. Thank you to for letting film on their beautiful decks. They have, hands down, the most gorgeous waterfront views in Cumberland County!

Hair by , shirt by , sunglasses by , delicious wine by

While I wait to reopen so we can host the finals, I may have some other projects in the works...

Haircut by Momentum
Jack Victor blazer and Eton Shirts shirt courtesy of Joseph's of Portland , wine from Seghesio Family Vineyards.

Two amazing bartenders, two amazing cocktails. Thank you to everyone who came out for the Semifinals on Sunday, and congrats to from and and to from who will be competing in the finals (date TBA). Who will be crowned the first Grand Champion of Bar Madness? Stay tuned and follow for the latest updates!

Who's gonna make it to the Finals? Join us tomorrow at 7pm at Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar to find out!

Thank you to our sponsors!
Horizon Beverage
Fogg's Boatworks
Maine Home Connection
Nappi Distributors
Lone Pine Brewing Company
Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs
Portland Old Port
Campari America
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
SOPHY Hotel
Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar

Thank you to Bar Madness superfan for these great pics from Sunday's Quarterfinals! Join us this Sunday at 7pm at Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar as the Final Four compete for a slot in the Grand Finale!
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Liquid Riot Bottling Company Blyth & Burrows Central ProvisionsVena's Fizz House Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room Baharat Yelp Maine
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Sponsor Shout-Out:
Maine Home Connection Horizon Beverage SOPHY Hotel Campari America Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront Fogg's Boatworks Nappi Distributors Lone Pine Brewing Company Portland Old Port Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar

What a great kickoff to the competition last night! Thank you to everyone who came and to all our talented bartending competitors. The results of the Quarterfinals are in - meet your Final Four who will be competing in the Semifinals, Sunday, March 15th, 7pm at Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar :
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Adam Woodfin from Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room vs Shaun Gordon from Blyth & Burrows and Central Provisions
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Arvid Brown from Baharat vs O'Rourke from Liquid Riot Bottling Company
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See you on Sunday!

Sunday. 7pm. Old Port Sea Grill and raw bar. The Top 8 compete live in the Quarterfinals. Be there or be square! @ Old Port Sea Grill

Meet the awesome crew from Liquid Riot Bottling Company - Chase, Erin, and Dylan.
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Not only are they incredibly talented, but they are so hospitable, too! Thank you for hosting us at Liquid Riot after our Meet and Greet Cruise from Fogg's Boatworks ! If you haven't been to Liquid Riot lately, you MUST check it out - lots of cool stuff happening there (ask for the homemade Fernet!)
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All three of these talented bartenders have made it into the Top 8 and will be competing live this Sunday at 7pm at the Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar ! Who will advance to the Semi-Finals? Come check out the competition - admission is free!
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Giving a shout-out to Abby and Kevin, representing our sponsors from the Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront . It was so great to have them join us on the Meet and Greet Cruise on Sunday, courtesy of Fogg's Boatworks ! Btw, Abby was our connection to the kind folks at the luxurious SOPHY Hotel in Hyde Park, who donated the free hotel stay for the winner of Bar Madness. Thank you for all your support!

SPONSOR SHOUT-OUT to Laura from Maine Home Connection, enjoying a delicious Brightside IPA from Lone Pine Brewing Company ! Not only is her real estate agency a generous donor, but Laura will be one of our guest judges at the competition this Sunday!

Meet our spokesmodel, Gregory, showing off the delicious Pinot Noir from Irony that was provided by Nappi Distributors for our Fogg's Boatworks booze cruise!!

Christopher and Bruna - sweet couple. Come watch from Black Point Inn battle head-to-head on Sunday at 7pm at the Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar!


Booze Cruise with Fogg's Boatworks

Shout out to Lone Pine Brewing Company for the incredible support! What a great time we had aboard Fogg's Boatworks heated catamaran!

A few scenic pics from our Meet and Greet Booze Cruise yesterday, courtesy of Fogg's Boatworks . These guys have the coolest heated catamaran. A great time was had by all! Thank you Nappi Distributors for the wine and Lone Pine Brewing Company for the beer!

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: When walking through the Old Port, be sure to stop by Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs ! It's our favorite liquor store, and they also have an incredible selection of local craft beers and wines that are perfect for any occasion! And check out their awesome cigar humidor, too!

In our opinion, Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs is Portland’s best liquor store with the friendliest and most knowledgeable staff. (Maybe the best collection of beards, too.)

Thanks for your sponsorship, Old Port Spirits!

GIVEAWAY ALERT! We're giving away a free t-shirt this weekend. All u have to do is:
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1. Follow Bar Madness on Instagram
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2. Follow
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3. Comment on the post and tag 2 friends.
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The deadline to enter is Sunday evening at midnight. The winner will be drawn Minday and contacted by DM. Good luck!

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Bar Madness would not be possible without the generous support from our sponsors. Today, we're giving a special shout-out to Lone Pine Brewing Company.
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Lone Pine Brewing Company is a Gorham and Portland, Maine, based brewery focusing on American ales and small batch specialty beers that feature unique, local ingredients. Founded in 2016, Lone Pine currently operates its production facilities in Gorham, with tasting rooms in both Gorham and on Anderson Street in the East Bayside neighborhood of Portland.
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Stop by their tasting room and say hello to some of the coolest people I know while sampling some truly outstanding beer!
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By random drawing, here are the head-to-head matchups for the Quarterfinals on March 8th, 7pm at the Old Port Sea Grill. Good luck to the Final 8!



Thank you to our sponsors:

THE RESULTS ARE IN! Say congratulations to the Final 8!
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Shaun Gordon from and
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Dylan Duran Stafford from
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Steve Corman from
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Arvid Brown from
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Erin O'Rourke from
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Chase Rochon from
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Adam Woodfin from
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Christopher Makrides from

Thank you to ALL our participants - what a great group of contestants!

Join us at the Old Port Sea Grill and raw bar on Sunday, March 8th at 7pm to watch them battle head-to-head in the live Quarterfinals! The bracket match-ups will be announced shortly!



Thank you to our sponsors!

MEET THE CONTESTANTS: Giving a shout-out to Meredith Johnson from ! In her words:

"Since I was a teenager I’d always been interested in bartending and wanted to learn which i did last August when I got my start at Stroudwater Distillery! I love connecting with customers and being able to make something beautiful and delicious right in front of them. The drink I came up with is called Blood of My Blood, an homage to Game of Thrones. I wanted to create something rich and decadent yet still refreshing. Excited and honored to be a part of this competition!"

Good luck, Meredith!

Keep following - the Final 8 will be announced shortly!

Who will be chosen to compete in the live bracket competition on March 8th? The Final 8 will be announced tomorrow- follow for the results! Who are YOU rooting for?

LIKE and SHARE!! Also, if you are in the area, show the restaurants/bars they represent a little love:

Fore Street
Stroudwater Distillery
Liquid Riot Bottling Company
Blyth & Burrows
Black Point Inn
Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room
Baharat
Vena's Fizz House
UNION Restaurant
The Press Hotel
AC Hotel by Marriott Portland Downtown/Waterfront

Sponsor Shout Out:
Fogg's Boatworks
Campari America
SOPHY Hotel
Lone Pine Brewing Company
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar
Maine Home Connection
Horizon Beverage
Portland Old Port
Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs
Nappi Distributors

MEET THE CONTESTANTS: Today, we're introducing you to Ashley from Stroudwater Distillery ! In her words:

"My name is Ashley and I grew up in Portland! I work at Stroudwater distillery, and I am a mixologist.
My drink is inspired by a poem called "Wild Strawberries" by Robert Graves. Like Robert I share a love for strawberries as they are one of my favorite fruits as well. I grew up bakes strawberry pies with my father who is a big part of my life and this drink reminds me of him💕"

We love her inspiration for her cocktail entry, "Robert Graves", made with Stroudwater Gin, Grand Marnier , , Royal Rose strawberry fennel syrup, Owl & Whale lemongrass bitters, and strawberry puree. Yum!

Follow for the announcement of the final 8 tomorrow!

Sponsors shout out:
Fogg's Boatworks
Maine Home Connection
Campari America
SOPHY Hotel
Lone Pine Brewing Company
Nappi Distributors
Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar
Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs
Portland Old Port
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
Horizon Beverage

MEET THE CONTESTANTS: Hunter Goodenough is ready to do battle for Blyth & Burrows with his cocktail entry, "Cynar-and-Away".

Hunter moved to Portland from Vermont in 2017 and entered into the cocktail world that same year when he joined the team at Blyth & Burrows in the downtown Old Port. During the past 3 years he has observed and learned much about the cocktail industry and the unique social environments it creates. In that time he's dabbled with cocktail creation on his own time but the barmadness2020 entry will be his first public output of his learning so far! He's looking forward to experiencing the competition and to garner as much learning out of it as he can, regardless of outcome.

His cocktail features CYNAR Argentina , Averna , and Grand Marnier . Good luck, Hunter!

Follow to see who will make it to the Final 8 on Sunday, Feb 9th!

Shout out to our sponsors:

SOPHY Hotel
Lone Pine Brewing Company
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar
Nappi Distributors
Fogg's Boatworks
Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs
Maine Home Connection
Campari America
Horizon Beverage
Portland Old Port

The trophy for our Grand Champion arrived today, and it is stunning! Who is your pick to win? Follow to view all the contestants. The Final 8 contestants will be announced on Sunday!

Sponsor Shout Out:

Campari America
Maine Home Connection
Fogg's Boatworks
Horizon Beverage
Nappi Distributors
Lone Pine Brewing Company
Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs
Portland Old Port
SOPHY Hotel
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar

MEET THE CONTESTANTS: Making Stroudwater Distillery proud, say hello to Shannon Lee Kennedy!

Shannon is the the GM at Stroudwater Distillery. She's been in the service industry for 20 years. Having the pleasure and honor of working with some of Maine's most talented chefs, she has developed a passion for flavor. The science behind blending citrus and sweetness, acidity, natural colors, aromas, and flexibility of the human palate intrigues and drives her.

Check out her beautiful creation, "Better Late Than Never", made with Stroudwater gin, Frangelico , Grand Marnier , , blueberry cardamom syrup, egg whites, & Fever-Tree tonic. Thirsty yet?

Good luck, Shannon!

Check out on Sunday, Feb 9th when we announce the Final 8 contestants!

Sponsor shout out:

Campari America
Horizon Beverage
SOPHY Hotel
Fogg's Boatworks
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
Maine Home Connection
Portland Old Port
Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar
Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs
Lone Pine Brewing Company
Nappi Distributors

MEET THE CONTESTANTS: Representing the Black Point Inn , say hello to Christopher Makrides.

Christopher loves bartending because of the connections/friendships he makes with his guests and coworkers. On top of that, he gets to be at the party every night while getting paid to do it! What started out as “just making a drink for someone” turned into a passion for detail in regards to every element of bartending: the ingredients, techniques, styles, flavors, hospitality, learning how to be an effective listener - everything meshing together to create something exciting.

Check out his cocktail, "Cleopatra's Desire", featuring BULLDOG Gin and .

Good luck, Christopher!

Sponsor shout out:
Campari America
Horizon Beverage
Fogg's Boatworks
SOPHY Hotel
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
Maine Home Connection
Portland Old Port
Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar
Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs
Lone Pine Brewing Company
Nappi Distributors

MEET THE CONTESTANTS: From Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room say hello to Adam Woodfin! Adam has been in the Portland bar scene for a little over a decade. When he’s not slinging drinks these days at Boone’s Fish House and Oyster Room, you can find him onstage with his bass in hand or sweating his way to the top of a mountain.

Check out his cocktail, "Yo DJ, Drop the Beet" featuring CYNAR Argentina and Appleton Estate Rum . Cheers, and good luck, Adam!

Follow on Feb 9th when we announce the final 8 contestants!

Shout out to our sponsors: Horizon Beverage Campari America SOPHY Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront Nappi Distributors Lone Pine Brewing Company Fogg's Boatworks Portland Old Port Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar Maine Home Connection Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs

MEET THE CONTESTANTS: Chase Rochon is the Front of House Manager for Liquid Riot Bottling Company . In his words:

"I am a born and raised Mainer who found my way back two years ago after time working in New Hampshire and Boston. Two years of building the bar program at Liquid Riot has me excited to step out from behind the curtain a little and go head to head with some of Portland's other passionate bartenders."

Check out his cocktail, "Of Kings and Heroes", made with Espolòn TequilaReposado, Averna , Campari and lots of other goodies. Good luck, Chase!

Shout out to our sponsors: Horizon Beverage Campari America Maine Home Connection Fogg's Boatworks Old Port Sea Grill & raw bar Portland Old Port Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront SOPHY Hotel Old Port Spirits and Ci**rs Nappi Distributors Lone Pine Brewing Company