Meet ALIVE’s Top 6 Bartenders. First here, then face to face at ALIVE’s Iron Bartender Contest on Sunday, March 28 at Flamingo Bowl.

Beginning in February and through March 15, ALIVE Magazine asked you to vote online for 25 of St. Louis’ best bartenders. More than 20,000 votes have been cast, and the Top 6 bartenders have been announced. Meet the Top 6 competitors below and then watch as they throw down in hopes of being named St. Louis’ Iron Bartender at ALIVE’s 4th Annual Iron Bartender Contest on Sunday, March 28 at Flamingo Bowl.

The Top 6 bartenders will go head to head in three rounds and will be judged on the following criteria: Presentation, Taste, Name, Creativity+Flair and Neatness. Then they will compete to get the highest ring total at the bar in the final showdown. In the end, one lucky bartender will be named St. Louis’ Iron Bartender and walk away with $300 cash, $200 worth of Miller Lite gear, an iPod Touch courtesy of 360 Vodka and a six-month supply of vitaminwater.

The top bartender will also be featured in an upcoming issue of ALIVE magazine. See you at ALIVE’s Iron Bartender Contest on Sunday, March 28 at 8pm. RSVP to bartendercontest@alivemag.com.

Name: Megan "Beams" Bright
Bar: Morgan Street Brewery

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Age: 27
Sign: Gemini
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: napping, boozing, friends, and sports

What is your specialty drink?
Cherry Cheesecake

What do you do when you're not working?
Sleep

Where else do you hang out?
Al Hrabosky’s, Bobby’s Place and Fusion

Did you always want to be a bartender?
Somewhat

What type of music do you like to listen to?
Everything

If you could be one person for a day, who would it be?
Any Cardinals player on Game 5 of the World Series in 06”

What is one thing people don’t know about you?
I’m extremely messy

Do you have a nickname? If so, where did it come from?
Beams-enough said

Someday, you would like to...?
Go to Ireland

Name: James Dunse
Bar: Just John

Hometown: Jerseyville Il.
Age: 29
Sign: Piecies
Marital Status: In a relationship, not married.
Hobbies: Performance, Non-For-Profit Fundraising, Reading, and enjoying live entertainment!!

What is your specialty drink?
The Sex on the Roof Martini.

What do you do when you're not working?
Hang out with my gorgeous partner, and fantastic friends!!

Where else do you hang out?
Just John’s is the place to be, but I am up with hanging out anywhere my friends are!!

Did you always want to be a bartender?
Not always, but I have fallen in love with the people I get to meet and the fun atmosphere of working in a bar.

What type of music do you like to listen to?
I am very eclectic and will listen to almost anything, but the music I am listening to right now is Lady GaGa, and some great Jazz Standards.

If you could be one person for a day, who would it be?
I am pretty happy being myself everyday, but some fantastic performer like The Lady GaGa would be a lot of fun for a day!!

What is one thing people don’t know about you?
I am terrified of Clowns!!

Do you have a nickname? If so, where did it come from?
“Shakes Mahoney” and “Sweet Baby James” the first because I have had a tremor in my hands since I was little, and the later, I am not sure about. Possibly because I am pretty sweet…. LOL

Someday, you would like to ...?
Travel the World, and meet as many interesting people as possible.

Name: Dave Ragan
Bar: Ice Kitchen

Hometown: Maryland Heights
Age: 31
Sign: Leo
Marital Status: Taken
Hobbies: Baseball, Music, Movies, Gangster shit, and midgets

What is your specialty drink?
Gold Digger, or the Techno Panda

What do you do when you're not working?
Hangout with the girlfriend, listen to music, and head up an organization to save the almighty unicorn.

Where else do you hang out?
The Waiting Room, Flamingo Bowl, and Drunken Fish

Did you always want to be a bartender?
Since I discovered the wonderful taste of alchohol, and the money.

What type of music do you like to listen to?
Story Of The Year, F**k Off And Dies, Greek Fire, Alkaline Trio, and other punk and hard rock

If you could be one person for a day, who would it be? Chuck Norris

What is one thing people don’t know about you?
I once guest starred on an episode of “Salute Your Shorts” on nickelodeon. I was donkeylips cousin.

Do you have a nickname? If so, where did it come from?
Ninjitsu Ron. Im a ninja

Someday, you would like to ...?
Finish school and open my own bar. And grow a moustache.

Name: Jason Reed
Bar: Eclipse

Hometown: St. Louis, Mo
Age: 28
Sign: Libra
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Music, Sports, Traveling, Reading, Laughing

What is your specialty drink?
Reeds’ Quantum Leap at Eclipse Restaurant

What do you do when you're not working?
Eat, sleep, read, hang out with friends and sometimes pretty ladies, Blues games with my Dad, capitalize on awkward silences around strangers.

Where else do you hang out?
Pi in the CWE, Atomic Cowboy, Pin-Up Bowl, Flamingo Bowl, The Speakeasy, 33 Wine Bar, Halo Bar, Blueberry Hill, JP Fields

Did you always want to be a bartender?
Ever since my Dad gave me a sip of his Budweiser at Busch Stadium in 1987.. When I was 6..

What type of music do you like to listen to?
Passion Pit, Phoenix, John Butler Trio, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Wilco, LCD Soundsystem, etc.

If you could be one person for a day, who would it be?
My Mom so I could realize what it means to be the most caring, loving, supportive, and selfless person I’ve ever known.

What is one thing people don’t know about you?
I can operate a zamboni

Do you have a nickname? If so, where did it come from?
“The QB” in high school.. My friends said it was because I always took charge in figuring out where to go and what to do.

Someday, you would like to ...?
Live in a foreign country.

Name: Jennifer Pratte
Bar: Mike Shannon's

Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Age: 29
Sign: Gemini
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Photography, Hiking, and Reading

What is your specialty drink?
It depends on the guest. My new favorites to make are The Jaded Pear, Muddled Grapes, and The Road to Hana.

What do you do when you're not working?
I am also a full time student so these days it seems like if I am not at work or in class I am studying. It may not be the most exciting answer in the world, but it is definitely the most accurate.

Where else do you hang out?
After work, when I do go out, we usually end up at either Broadway Oyster Bar or Sandrina's.

Did you always want to be a bartender?
No, but I absolutely love it! It has given me the opportunity to do quite a bit of traveling and go back to school.

What type of music do you listen to?
I will listen to just about anything....except country.

If you could be one person for a day, who would it be?
Myself in 20 years

What is one thing people don't know about you?
I can surf......anyone who has been on a trip with me can tell you I'm not very good at it though.

Do you have a nickname?
Double N Jenn or JP, but only a few friends use those and I think they are pretty self explanatory

Someday, you would like to...?
Earn a Masters Degree in Biology and learn how to play a musical instrument

Name: Justin Sampson
Bar: Roxane

Hometown: Freeburg, IL
Age: 29
Sign: Gemini
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Movies, Music and Eating

What is your specialty drink?
I don’t really have a Signature Drink because our crowd has such varied taste but I make a great Mojito.

What do you do when you're not working?
Work Out

Where else do you hang out?
Pin-Up Bowl, J.P. Fields, Sub-Zero and anywhere that has anything to do with Cardinals Baseball

Did you always want to be a bartender?
No

What type of music do you like to listen to?
I listen to Old Country, 70’s Rock but I really Love my Old School Punk Rock!

If you could be one person for a day, who would it be?
No One… I like being me!

What is one thing people don’t know about you?
I have a soft spot for Old People… I can talk to them and listen to their stories for hours!

Do you have a nickname? If so, where did it come from?
Sampson… My last name

Someday, you would like to ...?
Have my own little Pub