Bartending’s hairiest event took place on December 30 at the closing ceremony for the 2008 Papa Doble Beard-Off.

It began back in August, when 20 top drinkmeisters from Death & Company, PDT, Little Branch and Milk and Honey faced the razor and set out to grow the wildest whiskers. But the rivalry proved too intense (or itchy) for 12 dropouts, and only eight finalists arrived at Death & Co. for the event’s final showdown: D&C’s home-team heroes, Brian Miller, Joaquin Simo and Phil Ward; PDT’s Daniel Eun, Don Lee and Brian Shebairo; as well as Mayur Subbarao (barman at large) and spirits wizard Allen Katz.

Judging the hirsute contestants were bearded tipple experts Dave Wondrich and Gary Regan, as well as Julie Reiner (the mercifully clean-shaven mixtress behind Clover Club and Flatiron Lounge). Ward cleaned up, nabbing the honors in three categories, including touchability, absorbability (soaking up the most beer with his beard) and most inspiring runway show (Ward worked it as Jesus). The meticulous Simo won for chili-dog eating (eating a sloppy tube steak without amassing telltale crumbs).

But alas, there could be but one overall champion. And after an evening fueled by Flor de Caña rum concoctions, it was deemed to be Katz, whose impenetrable thicket of luxuriant fuzz reigned supreme.—Michael Anstendig