Alexis Ortega, the reigning U.S. Bartender of the Year, has been named to the judging panel for the 2027 Bartender Spirits Awards in Chicago.

The Philadelphia-based bartender earned the national title at the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Presents World Class sponsored by Diageo U.S. Finals. Ortega competed against 14 other leading bartenders in challenges designed to test cocktail creativity, technical precision, speed, flavor development, storytelling and hospitality.

His victory also secured his place as the United States representative at the Diageo World Class Global Finals in Scotland, where he will compete alongside leading bartenders from around the world.

Ortega brings more than two decades of hospitality experience to the Bartender Spirits Awards panel. He currently works at Static, a Philadelphia cocktail bar known for its lively atmosphere and approachable drinks, as well as Vetri Cucina, one of the city’s most highly regarded fine-dining restaurants.

Working across two very different hospitality environments gives Ortega a valuable perspective on how spirits perform in real-world bar and restaurant programs—from creative cocktail development and premium service to speed, consistency, pricing and guest appeal.

Creativity Grounded in Hospitality

Ortega’s success at the World Class U.S. Finals was built on more than technical skill. Throughout the competition, he demonstrated an ability to connect creativity with storytelling and genuine hospitality.

His cocktails and presentations drew inspiration from his personal journey and Philadelphia’s diverse immigrant communities. Cultural influences, neighborhood stories, and carefully selected ingredients were brought together in drinks that were technically accomplished but remained accessible to guests.

That balance is central to Ortega’s approach behind the bar. For him, an impressive cocktail must do more than demonstrate technique. It must also be enjoyable, relevant and welcoming to the person drinking it.

This guest-focused philosophy will inform his role at the Bartender Spirits Awards, where judges are asked to consider how a spirit would perform within an active on-premise program.

Evaluating Spirits for the Working Bar

The Bartender Spirits Awards evaluates products through the lens of bartenders, bar managers, beverage directors and hospitality buyers. Its purpose is to identify spirits that industry professionals would feel confident stocking, recommending and using in their beverage programs.

The judging criteria include mixability, balance and versatility, taste, mouthfeel and finish, packaging and value. Judges consider the liquid itself while also examining whether the product has the qualities needed to earn a sustainable place on a working back bar.

For active bartenders such as Ortega, that assessment includes several practical considerations. A spirit must offer a distinctive and useful flavor profile, perform consistently across cocktails, make commercial sense for the venue and give bartenders a compelling story to share with guests.

“Alexis represents exactly the type of judge we want at the Bartender Spirits Awards—an active hospitality professional who combines world-class technical ability with a clear understanding of guests, service and commercial realities,” said Sid Patel, CEO of Beverage Trade Network and Founder of the Bartender Spirits Awards.

“His national achievement is outstanding, but equally important is the experience he brings from working in real bars and restaurants. He understands what makes a spirit useful, relevant and successful in the on-premise market.”

An Active Industry Voice on the Judging Panel

Ortega will join a panel made up of bartenders, bar managers, beverage directors and hospitality buyers who actively influence which spirits are selected, listed and recommended across the U.S. on-premise market.

His appointment reflects a broader emphasis on ensuring that competition entries are assessed by professionals currently working with products, building drinks, managing service and responding to changing guest expectations.

For participating producers, feedback from judges with active on-premise experience can provide insight into more than the technical quality of a spirit. It can reveal whether a product is versatile enough for cocktail use, appropriately positioned for its price point, appealing to guests and practical for bars and restaurants to stock.

Ortega’s addition brings the perspective of one of America’s most accomplished working bartenders to that process—combining competition-level creativity with the everyday realities of hospitality.

About Alexis Ortega

Alexis Ortega is a Philadelphia-based bartender with more than 20 years of experience in hospitality. He currently works at Static and Vetri Cucina and holds the title of U.S. Bartender of the Year after winning the World Class sponsored by Diageo U.S. Finals.

He will represent the United States at the Diageo World Class Global Finals in Scotland.

About the Bartender Spirits Awards

The Bartender Spirits Awards is an international competition created to identify spirits suited to bars, restaurants, hotels and other on-premise establishments in the United States.

The competition is judged by active bartenders, bar managers, beverage directors and hospitality buyers. Products are evaluated on mixability, balance and versatility, taste, mouthfeel and finish, packaging and value.

The Bartender Spirits Awards is organized by Beverage Trade Network, a global media and events company serving the wine, beer, spirits and beverage industries.

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