Friday night marked The Ann Arbor Art Center’s third annual Artini Martini Crawl — the center’s most successful ethanol-fueled fundraiser to date. Eight Main Street area dispensaries vied for the title of “Most Artful Martini” as voted on by the 400 judges fortunate enough to gain tickets to the sold-out event.

“Artini is a blast!” says event organizer Sara Douglas. “It’s a great opportunity to try a place you haven't been before or sample a new concoction. It’s a great night out for a great cause!” The Ann Arbor Art Center, an 100-year old local institution, offers studio art classes and workshops for all ages and abilities, exhibitions featuring local artists, outreach programs for at-risk youth and even a summer camp.

Stakes were hightened this year, as the event added 100 more judges and a deeper field of local bar talent — including Bab’s Underground Lounge, Cafe Felix, Cafe Habana, Jolly Pumpkin, Melange, Vinology, (two-time defending champs) The Black Pearl, as well as dark-horse The Alley Bar.

Under a full Februrary moon, Main Street was strewn with thirsty judges — many bedecked in purple, gold and green beaded necklaces and Mardi Gras masks.

In the basement of the Schwaben Building on Ashley Street, Bab’s Underground Lounge served an artfully layered martini, highlighting the specific densities of various spirits. However execution proved difficult with patrons stacked three deep at the bar waiting — with various levels of patience — for a martini that requires a finesse.

Cafe Felix featured the creatively named Cuca-tini, which included cucumber vodka, mint and sour mix. While Cafe Felix is certainly a premier downtown venue, one polite judge described the drink as “fine.”

Jolly Pumpkin, which makes its own line of craft spirits on Old Mission Peninsula, served a vodka-spiked mango and curry martini garnished with a Matisse -inspired cut of carrot. The flavor was balanced and each ingredient came through. Served as it was in a small plastic ramekin, some judges may have confused it for a soup, though a delicious one at that.

Across Main Street, Melange surprised many with its humorous and very, very blue homage to Tom Cruise-era cocktails; an era in which flamboyant presentation and portion size trumped balance of flavors, mindfully selected ingredients and measured pours. Regardless of their standing in final tally, Melange deserves credit for being the only establishment to inspire a group of strangers to spontaneously join in singing The Beach Boys classic 1988 hit “Kokomo” — a highlight of the evening for all who were lucky enough to take part.

Cafe Habana on Washington Street served a variation on a vodka-based Mojito, which included freshly muddled lime, mint, a touch of pomegranate juice, topped with Canada Dry. While it may have been overly-minimalistic as an artistic statement, the succession of flavors — fresh lime, mint, and tart fruit finishing with dry ginger ale, was not bad.

By all accounts, the most ambitious martini of the evening belonged to Vinology. It was as though someone had asked "How many culinary trends can fit into a three-ounce drink?" Vinology’s answer: “The Mexitini,” which featured Chorizo infused vodka (trend one: protein-steeped booze), red bell pepper juice (trend two: farmers market ingredients), garnished with lime sorbet and Jalapeno gel dipped in liquid nitrogen (trend three: science), with a spiced corn tortilla rim (trend four: kitchen-bar interplay). While more than one judge could be heard uttering something about a “Traif-tini,” most judges agreed that the savory and spicy flavors played well together.

No venue felt the weight of expectation like the two-time undefeated champs, The Black Pearl, who surprised many by serving a hot chocolate martini, spiked with vanilla vodka and garnished with a marshmallow from Kilwins. The consensus was positive, and there was much smiling and smacking of lips. The choice of a warm drink on the cold night went over very well, and only one person was overheard mentioning that it could have done with a little Chartreuse.

It may look like a dive, but since re-opening under new ownership in August, The Alley Bar has set the standard for professionally crafted cocktails. On this particular Friday night, there were no less then six bartenders squeezing fresh cucumbers and citrus by hand for the evening's most refreshing cocktail. One group of judges planted themselves at the far end of the bar, content to have several of the freshly made martinis rather then venture out to the other participating venues. An informal straw poll showed The Alley Bar as the strongest contender to dethrone The Black Pearl.

While bartenders have been holding head-to-head competitions for at least 100 years , only recently have estimable cultural institutions, such as Art Centers, embraced mixological talent as an artistic enterprise in it’s own right.

“The Artini Martini Crawl is a wonderful event because it showcases creative talents,” says Samantha Solis, Development Manager at Ann Arbor Art Center, adding “It is important to continue to provide opportunities to display how art is in everything we do.”

Ari Sussman is currently eying a set of blue chowder bowls at the Art Center on Liberty.