It’s one thing to out mix your competition with them right in front of you, but imagine trying to do so in secret? That’s exactly what 21 bartenders tried to do during the month of July. Ten have survived and on August 22 are set to do battle on stage at Deer Valley in front of a live crowd there to watch every pour.
The Park City Area Restaurant Association just announced the Top 10 finalists for the 2nd Annual Mountain Mixer Cocktail Contest. If you take your deck drinks seriously then this lineup just made your bucket list. The live finale is all set to go down on Saturday August 22 from 5 to 8 Pm on the deck of Silver Lake Lodge at Deer Valley Resort. Get your tickets now.
How the PCARA Mountain Mixer Cocktail Contest Works
Photo Credit: Park City Area Restaurant Association
Throughout the month of July PCARA has been sending anonymous judges into member bars and restaurants around town to sample and score their cocktails without them even knowing. 21 entries started the competition. Ten have survived. Now these 10 finalists get one chance on an outdoor stage in front of a judging panel and a live audience. Here’s the kicker, this year’s crowd actually gets a say in who wins.
If you happened to catch last year’s version, this is a shift worth mentioning. In 2025 PCARA brought the Mountain Mixer back to a live format. Since the pandemic it ran purely online which, as you can imagine, can easily turn into a popularity contest. Last year AJ Anderson took the win with a fascinating cocktail called Melt, a whiskey and rum drink built around a melting ice cube that released tropical flavors as it melted. Talk about setting the bar high. So who has the chance to clear it?
Meet the Top 10 Park City Mountain Mixer Finalists
Photo Credit: Park City Area Restaurant Association
Here is who will be shaking or stirring their way to the title this year:
40° North, Jordan Greiner, Goldener Hirsch Bloods Lake, Allan Joseph Anderson, Handle Cena Strawberry Spritz, Adam Krebs, Cena Ristorante Coco Verde, Charles Franco, Grub Steak Crimson Smoked, Adriel Danan, Dos Olas Cucumber and Jalapeño Gimlet, Chace Ciulla, Timbers at Park City Sheraton Guava Getaway, Tristan James Beattie, Flanagan’s on Main Hive Mind, Katelyn Fraser, Butcher’s Chop House and Bar Sounds of Dolomites, Milana Powers, The Nelson Cottage Freedom of Peach, Victor Wilson, Pine Cone Ridge
Just in case you were wondering, a couple of the competitors are repeat threats. Fraser and her Nebbia cocktail took second place last year, and Franco’s Ube Halo landed third. If their Hive Mind and Coco Verde cocktails carry any of that same craft, the judges have their work cut out for them.
Mountain Mixer Ticket Details: What $40 Gets You
For $40 your ticket gets you admission to the deck at Silver Lake Lodge and two cocktail tastings of your choice from the Top 10 contestants. Want more than two? I wouldn’t judge. Additional tasting tickets are available throughout the event, so you can easily work your way down the list. Deer Valley Resort will be cooking up festival food to complement the cocktails while DJ Dolph is back and ready to spin tunes to keep the whole event moving. One important fact of note, this is a 21 and up event, so a valid photo ID is required to get in.
Why Deer Valley’s Mountain Mixer is a Must-Attend Event
Photo Credit: Park City Area Restaurant Association
Anyone who has been to Park City knows that they don’t lack for bars. However, the Mountain Mixer in the one afternoon where the town’s best bartenders aren’t just serving you a drink. They are defending theirs in front of a huge crowd. There’s a difference between ordering a drink off a cocktail menu and watching the person who invented it sweat out every live pour with judges only a few feet away. It’s as much entertainment as the drinking itself.
So make your way up to the deck, grab your two pours and let the mountain air do its thing. Silver Lake Lodge in late August, cocktail in hand and a DJ spinning tunes in the background, is about as good as it gets.Â
About the Author
Rich Stoner is the founder of the après-ski lifestyle clothing and media brand, All About Après. He is also the co-host of the Après All Day Podcast. No stranger to the ski and après-ski scene, Rich has been a long time contributor for many publications on topics like skiing, travel, gear, beer and food. However, his passion is on the slopes and enjoying good times with good people. You can find him perfecting his craft carving turns and drinking beers in the Green Mountains of Vermont. @allaboutapres