“This industry is all about personality,” says Rooster Rojo’s Abbie Weir

We’re storytelling animals. We like to make meaning, we want to connect with others who do too — we get inspired, grossed out, angry, joyful. We’re moved by stories.

There’s only so many types of stories out there — there might be three, six, or 36 story archetypes, but they are finite. So what makes stories compelling to us? It is exactly the same thing that makes a memorable night in a bar.

It’s the people.

Abbie Weir is a memorable, compelling human. The agave specialist for Amber Beverages Australia is a big personality in an industry where there that’s a prerequisite.

“This industry is all about personality,” Abbie says in this week’s episode of Drinks At Work. “A bartender can make or break your experience.”

I’m talking to Abbie this week because she’s also the ambassador for Rooster Rojo, and together we’re hosting The Rooster Rojo Rumble — entries open Friday 1 March.

The Rooster Rojo Rumble is a cocktail competition that does things a little differently: yes, it’s about the drink, but it’s also about your personality and your storytelling.

Forget ‘signature serves’, forget about brand calls and ‘rituals’ — great drinks travel the world because of the people who love them.

That’s because when a drink becomes A Thing, it’s not just because it tastes good. There’s always a big personality behind the drink telling stories to anyone who’ll listen. And those who listen tell their friends, and they tell their friends, and the next thing you know some bartender is doing a version of your drink 13 timezones and half a hemisphere away from you.

If you’ve got a good drink and a great story, you could be one of six finalists on their way to Sydney for a big, memorable party and the national final. The winner on the night — the person with the best drink and most captivating story — will score a trip to Greece with Abbie, where you’ll link up with other Rooster Rojo legends from across the globe and experience that country’s bar culture.

Listen to this episode to learn more about what Abbie does and, crucially, the kinds of stories she wants to hear. And to enter and learn more, visit boothby.com.au/rojorumble from March 1st.

Give the episode a listen in the player here, and below, I’ve got a couple of additional takeaways from the chat.

“I used to always like to say, I can get anyone’s favourite sex position out of them within the first five minutes of meeting them. Sales and hospitality was always in me.”

I don’t have anything to add to that. It’s just a great quote.

“Ambassador life is definitely a high energy life.”

If you’ve ever considered becoming a brand ambassador, you’ve probably thought about the travel, throwing events and parties for the trade and the public, and more variety in your day to day working life. But it takes a certain personality to do the job effectively, as Abbie says, and living out of a suitcase isn’t for everyone.

“I want to laugh and cry.”

That’s what a good story does, right? It moves us. That’s what Abbie is looking for not just from entries into the Rooster Rojo Rumble, but from a great bar experience, too.

“It’s the agave era we’re in.”

Tequila is booming yet again. Some of that it seems is driven by the wave of celebrity tequila releases over the last year and a half, but I think the resurgence (again) of tequila is in no small part thanks to the second coming of the Margarita.

“I’m frothing Perth, it’s so fun.”

Rooster Rojo is making an effort to get to Perth, something not all brands do. Sure, it’s an expensive flight, and there’s a healthy flight time getting to the most remote capital city in the world. But the Perth bar scene has long been a favourite of mine and I think anyone who goes there form the east coast. They kill you with kindness, and they’ve got some great bars and bartenders — but some advice: don’t get the red eye back if you can spare the time. The flight from Perth to the east coast is quicker than the one that took you there.

The Rooster Rojo Rumble — entries open Friday 1 March.

The Rooster Rojo Rumble is a cocktail competition that does things a little differently: yes, it’s about the drink, but it’s also about your personality and your storytelling.

If you’ve got a good drink and a great story, you could be one of six finalists on their way to Sydney for a big, memorable party and the national final. The winner on the night — the person with the best drink and most captivating story — will score a trip to Greece with Abbie, where you’ll link up with other Rooster Rojo legends from across the globe and experience that country’s bar culture.

Entries open March 1st at boothby.com.au/rojorumble.