Hangover Observations: SUPERBURGER 2012

Here now, hangover observations from the sixth annual SUPERBURGER (fka Hamptons Burger Bloodbath) from over the weekend in sunny Montauk, NY. The winner received the SUPERBURGER crown and a slot in the 2012 New York City Burger Bash. Please welcome Eater co-founder and Eater National Special Contributor Lockhart Steele:

Grid View

• Victor Seamus Mullen
• Spike Mendelsohn
• Josh Capon
• Lee Schrager at the judges table
• Spike Mendelsohn
• Kate Krader
• Ben Leventhal, Spike Mendelsohn, Kate Krader, Lee Schrager
• John McDonald and Lockhart Steele
• Pat LaFrieda
• Gabe Stulman, at far right
• Mark Pastore and Ben Leventhal
• Christina Tosi and team Momofuku Milk Bar
• Seamus Mullen

· In the sixth year of the Burger Bloodbath, the name was cast aside for the more chipper monicker SuperBurger. Tickets $150 at the door. Venue, the gorgeous lawn of the Montauk Yacht Club, overlooking Montauk harbor. The weather, divine.

· The difference in the competition might have come very early, when a cut Tito's vodka cup was used in place of a ring mold to adjust the size of Seamus Mullen's patties, which La Frieda had made way, way too big for Mullen's buns.

· 3x champ Mo Koyfman spent the first half hour of the day fleecing entrants. Sample sound bite: "This isn't a bad pickle, chef. This burger might do better than the White Label you guys tried last year."

· Judge Kate Krader makes first official notation of Spanish burger trend.

· Momofuku Milk Bar's Christina Tosi serving up minty Grasshopper Pie, discussing her weekly Saturday runs to Montauk to stock the Milk Bar's outpost there. Total East End vet at this point.

· Michael White's name on the Butterfly Burger — alongside didn't bring Michael White himself. His chef PJ Calapa cooked up a burger that got us even more excited for the Fall's opening of The Butterfly Supper Club in Tribeca.

· Judge Josh Capon declares his Mustard on the Burger story retired: "We really had a good run with that one, Johnny."

· That flesh wound sported by Stu Willson? Mandolin incident. Props for not taking himself out of the game.

· Gotham Gal Joanne Wilson roaming the grounds documenting the competitors, as revealed here in her blog post about the event.

· Two New York City classics showed up: PJ Clarke's and Burger Joint. Both excellent if perhaps too straightforward to claim gold here. Points to Burger Joint for including its trademark paper wrapping around each burger.

· Personal favorite? Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly's Fedora burger: smoked cheddar, pickled cucumbers, thinly sliced and fried potatoes with BBQ mayonnaise. Couldn't stop eating it.

· Sleeper? Zak Pelaccio's bold lamb burger. Lamb burger with Lady Jaynes barrel aged Worcestershire sauce and salty spicy chiles, served on an English muffin. Just delicious.

· Seamus Mullen's winning burger — lightly smoked burger with lightly smoked cheddar cheese, caramelized onion jam, and peppery ketchup — seemed like a bit of an underdog amongst tasting groups overheard chatting up the various burgers, but it played.

· All Hangover Observations Coverage on Eater [-E-]