Shirley Yeung & Pippa Canavan share advice on creating a winning RHUBI Apéritif drink

The #JustAddRhubi Bartender Competition is back, and with a great prize on offer and invites to Melbourne to for each of the finalists, entries are open now to bartenders around Australia.

RHUBI has joined forces with Mix Haus again this year — as well as partnering with Fever-Tree for the first time — to bring the competition around the country, and the finalists to Melbourne for the live finals in November.

And whereas last year’s competition aimed to spotlight female and non-binary bartenders — the talented Charlie Hunter from Brisbane took out the top prize in 2024 — this time the competition is open to bartenders and allies of all genders.

It’s a smart competition from a forward-thinking (and delicious) Australian brand.

So below, mark the important dates in your diaries, look at what you need to do, and get some potentially game-changing advice from Mix Haus’ founders (and award-winning bartenders themselves), Shirley Yeung and Pippa Canavan. They share their advice on entering the competition, working with RHUBI, and give their recipes using the RHUBI and Fever-Tree brief to give you some inspiration.

Important dates

Registrations open: September 4th.
Entries close: October 31.
Finalists announced: early November.
Live final: Tuesday 18th November, at Runner Up Rooftop, Melbourne.

Here’s what you need to do

Create a drink with RHUBI Apéritif and Fever-Tree, offer it in your venue, and share it on social media. Four finalists will be announced in November and flown to Melbourne for the live finals held at Runner Up Rooftop on November 18th, which will determine the winner. The winner will take home the bragging rights, a $1,000 cash prize, stock, and coverage in paid media promotion with Boothby.

To enter, visit the official competition entry form found on RHUBI’s website at www.rhubimistelle.com.au.

Q&A with Shirley Yeung & Pippa Canavan

Both bartenders have had success in cocktail competitions in the past, and below, they share their advice on working with RHUBI and entering bartender competitions.

What advice do you have for working with RHUBI — which styles of drinks do you think are worth exploring?

Keep it simple but effective and delicious. Don't overthink simplicity with technique and too many flavours, is our advice. Think about what flavours work with RHUBI and how you want to tell that story through your drink and concept. Go back to the fundamentals and principles of the classics and build your way up from there, and how suitable a particular style can showcase the best of RHUBI.

Can you share a few pieces of advice for anyone thinking of entering their first cocktail competition?

1. Do it, what's to lose? Get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. 
2. Keep it simple and find a genuine way to showcase your concept. Being genuine doesn't necessarily mean originality either, you can recreate or be inspired by something. 
3. Reach out and ask for advice, help and/or feedback. Don't be afraid of asking, it can only help you be better. A short conversation might spark a bunch of ideas or give you a different perspective to your concept or idea.

Velvet Garden — by Shirley Yeung

A fresh, floral highball with a subtle botanical twist.

Ingredients

• 50ml RHUBI
• 20ml Black Tea Umeshu
• 7ml Mount Zero Verjuice
• 80–100ml Fever-Tree Raspberry Tonic

Method

1. In a Highball glass, build ingredients over spear or Hoshizaki-style ice.
2. Garnish with a shiso leaf.

RHUBI Sgroppino — by Pippa Canavan

A zesty, refreshing take on a classic Italian favourite.

Ingredients

• 60ml RHUBI
• 1 scoop lemon sorbet
• 20ml lemon juice
• Dash of saline
• 60ml Fever-Tree Blood Orange Soda

Method

1. Blend all ingredients with ice.
2. Serve in a wine glass.
3. Garnish with grated orange zest.