Monday recipe inspiration, from around the country

“I just want to make weird drinks and make people happy and have experiences that they haven’t had before,” says Elisa Rodrigues. The Maybe Mae bartender — whose drink, below, is called Puentes — is one of six from the top 25 finalists in the Espolòn Afterlife To The Bone cocktail competition we’re featuring today (you can see another five top cocktails from top bartenders we profiled last week here).

It’s a good taste of who is making waves around the country: Elisabetta Luppi, 55 floors closer to the stars at Lui Bar in Melbourne; Jack Turner getting creative at Hobart’s Rude Boy; Georgia Gresham at Maker in Brisbane making creative, delicious drinks; Elisa Rodrigues at Maybe Mae and Jack Somers from Trap., both doing their bit to make Adelaide delicious; and here in Sydney, Emre Bilgin mixing things up at perennial favourite, Maybe Sammy.

In the links below, they talk about their creative process, the inspirations for their drinks, and a whole lot more.

And don’t forget to get along to the national final taking place in Sydney on Tuesday 10 September during Sydney Bar Week. The top six will compete to take home the big prize of $10,000 — to RSVP click here.

Elisa Rodrigues wants to make weird drinks and make people happy

Her drink, Puentes, is all about the marigolds.

Boothby.Sam Bygrave

‘I want to pay homage to amazing memories,’ says Elisabetta Luppi

How her grandfather’s Sunday afternoon mixing inspired her latest drink.

Boothby.Sam Bygrave

‘When you make something that tastes good, it make you feel so satisfied,’ says Emre Bilgin

Maybe Sammy in Sydney is one of those bars — and there’s not many like them — that when the bartenders go to work, whether it’s mid-week or the weekend, they know they’re going to be busy. There are no slow nights at this award-winning bar. Emre Bilgin has

Boothby.Sam Bygrave

At Maker, it’s all about creativity, says Georgia Gresham

Get Georgia’s riff on the classic Boomerang cocktail throughout August.

Boothby.Sam Bygrave

‘I want to try and push myself,’ says Trap’s Jack Somers

And why he wants to breathe new life into the Knickerbocker.

Boothby.Sam Bygrave

‘We get in the books’: Jack Turner talks drinks and creativity

Four months ago, Jack Turner — along with Kayla and Rohan Massie, and Campbell Nicol — took ownership of bartender favourite, Rude Boy, in Hobart. They’re known for their fried chicken — its deliciousness we can vouch for — as well as their cocktails. And Jack is one of the top 25 bartenders

Boothby.Sam Bygrave