The 18th Amendment has raised the bar, making the finals of five categories in the Annual Bartender Magazine Australia Awards – a record for the business.
“It’s really lifted our spirits,” said owner Gorge Camorra.
The reigning 2019 Regional Bar of the Year winners will defend their title in the final after COVID-19 caused a write-off of the awards in 2020.
The finalists themselves will vote for the winners, Gorge explained.
“This is what I love about this competition – it’s the ones we look up to that will vote for us,” he said.
The business also has a shot at Bar Team of Year, with employees Ana Mitchell and Damien Kos-Beckwith contesting the host and bar manager award finals respectively.
Gorge praised the “outgoing and personable” finalists.
“I sit back and watch Ana, see what she says to the customers, and then copy that,” he laughed.
“Damien does everything. He works at all our venues, does the behind-the-scenes work and is super passionate about what he does.”
Gorge owns two venues in Geelong and last year opened a new 18th Amendment in Ballarat, which is up for Rookie of the Year.
“It’s a bit of a fresh air for the staff – they’re all excited about it,” Gorge said.
“We’ve retained all our staff, so we’re lucky, but it’s been really hard during COVID.
“It’s been very mentally draining – it affected my mental health having to close three venues but still pay rent.
“But Geelong people have been fantastic. [They] have kept us afloat.”
The awards are scheduled to take place in Sydney on September 21 but could move online or be postponed dependent on the city’s COVID-19 restrictions at the time.
