All shook up for bar flairing comp

BARTENDER Dan Farr is preparing to wow judges when he competes at the Asia Pacific Bar Pro Championships in Vietnam next month.

The Airlie Beach Hotel duty manager is currently ranked in the top three in the world for bar flairing and will represent Australia and New Zealand at the competition.

"I’ve been flairing for seven years professionally," he said.

"I’m looking forward to competing over there and showing them what I’ve got."

The skill of flairing is used by bartenders to make cocktails by wowing customers using cocktail shakers and liquor bottles in tricky ways.

This started out as just a hobby for Mr Farr but quickly turned into a profession.

"About seven years ago I thought about taking my skills to the next level without slowing down my bar service," he said.

"In my first year I used to train four hours every day.

"I started out with four mates and it became a competition within ourselves to out-do each other."

Mr Farr said mastering the art of flairing took a lot of commitment to training and practice.

"You need to have general bar skills but hand-eye co-ordination, patience and no fear of glass," he said.

"My most serious injury so far was probably breaking my cheek bone while flairing at a party.

"It’s like break dancing but without the dancing."

When he competes in Vietnam, Mr Farr will be judged on a range of skills and techniques.

"One of the things I will have to do is a seven minute exhibition with bottles," he said.

"I will be marked on difficulty, originality, how much spillage there is and entertainment value.

"I will have to choreograph my show to music and will get deductions for any droppages, my drink method and bar etiquette."

Mr Farr said he hoped to organise flairing workshops in the Whitsundays if enough interest was generated.

He currently does a show at Cactus Jacks every Wednesday between 7 and 9pm.