GOLD WINNER
Nicki Brown, Good Robot Brewing Co.2736 Robie Street
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SILVER WINNER
Lingjie Xue, Dear Friend Bar67 Portland Street
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BRONZE WINNER
Patrick Fulgencio, Dear Friend Bar67 Portland Street
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Nicki Brown spends more time behind the scenes nowadays at Good Robot, running the social media for this year’s gold winner for Best Craft Brewery. But that hasn’t stopped Brown from winning gold for Best Bartender for the third year in a row. “I find it a little funny, but it kind of just shows the Good Robot legacy within Halifax, because I definitely have not been there as often as I used to be,” they say. As a bartender, Brown says their job is to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible. “Keeping (customers’) state of mind in the back of my mind while I'm bartending is very important, just because alcohol is obviously a bit of a drug that some people stay away from or just don't have great experiences with. So just making sure everyone is comfortable, whether they're drinking or not, and I think I try to have a lot of fun with that.” Their current favourite beer at Good Robot is the mint nitro stout. Their signature move? “I can turn the taps off with my head so then I can pour multiple drinks at once!” Brown says. Of the good vibes at Good Robot, they say, “I want people to feel like they're in their living room, but they're being served beer and they do have to pay me at the end.”
