For most, the holiday season has already come to an end. But for Chicago Puerto Ricans, the festivities last well into January.
The celebrations this year will culminate with a competition sponsored by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and Bacardí to find the city’s best coquito. The contest returns to Chicago for the second time on January 20.
Coquito, a holiday drink that originated in Puerto Rico, is made with a base of creamy coconut, spices and Puerto Rican rum.
While the exact story of its creation remains unknown, coquito rose to popularity in the 1970s and has remained a beloved beverage for generations of Puerto Ricans on and off the island. Some speculate it became a big thing after condensed milk was introduced to the island in the 1950s.
This contest has a special way of honoring the Chicagoans putting their twist on coquito. Some of the eight finalist versions include unconventional ingredients like atole (a hot, creamy, corn-based drink from Mexico), chocolate bitters and mango black tea foam. All of the mixologists used Bacardí Reserva Ocho for their cocktails, an eight-year-old dark rum made in Puerto Rico with a spicier, woodier taste than its younger, white counterpart.
New Orleans-based Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is hosting the event, which will be held at Beatnik, 1604 W. Chicago Ave. Prospective attendees must fill out an RSVP form to be approved and added to the guest list. Priority will be given to bar and spirits industry professionals.
Last year’s event attracted approximately 400 people, said one of the event’s organizers, Pito Rodríguez. He works as an ambassador for Bacardí’s premium rums in Chicago alongside his colleague Allaina Roberson.
DJ and producer Syko will curate a “tropical vibe” alongside DJs from Tribe Chicago, and one of the judges is former B96 radio personality Gabe Ramirez, who currently works as the in-stadium host for the Chicago Fire during their home games.
“I’m excited about seeing people smiling, representing Puerto Rico, and giving people a taste of Puerto Rico,” Rodríguez said. “I try to bring Puerto Rico to the people.”
This year, 21 establishments participated in the first round of the contest. In December, Rodríguez sent out three secret judges to each of the participating restaurants to try the coquito and judge it on a scale of one to five based on aroma, taste, spices and texture. This year, the contest winner will travel to Puerto Rico to tour the Bacardí rum distillery.
The eight restaurant/bar finalists include:
- The Pearl Club, 495 N. Milwaukee Ave.
- Arbella, 112 W. Grand Ave.
- Celeste, 111 W. Hubbard St.
- Marina’s Bistro & Rum Bar, 4554 N. Magnolia Ave.
- Copper Club, 70 W. Madison St.
- Mariscos San Pedro, 1227 W. 18th St.
- Valedor, 1620 N. Milwaukee Ave.
- Sparrow, 12 W. Elm St.
They will compete for the Judge’s Choice award, where the final element is presentation. Two-ounce portions of each will be served up so attendees can vote for their favorite.
Attendees will also help select the People’s Choice Winner, to be announced at the night’s end.
Beatnik’s bar will also feature Bacardí specialty cocktails available for purchase, such as mojitos and rum old fashioned.
“Coquito can be kind of thick, so we’ll have some more refreshing cocktails on the menu,” Rodríguez added.
The date for the contest finals follows the last day of las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, known colloquially in Puerto Rico as “SanSe.” Held annually during the third week of January, the street festival in Old San Juan marks the unofficial closing to one of the world’s longest holiday seasons.
