Licensing World Autumn 2015

Licensing

WORLD Autumn 2015

THE NEW HOME FOR TRAINING IN THE ON-TRADE

4: European Opinion is ‘Nonsensical’ - Says VFI 5: Tindal Targets British Market 7: Mourne Mountains Microbrewery Opens 8: Alltech Eyes Acquisitions in Europe 9: Report Predicts Big Rise in Craft Beer Output 10: New Distilleries for Wicklow & Meath.

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Newe Larg

Bottle

50% of soft drinks are consumed

out of home between 12pm and 2pm*

Why 330ml with Food?

• Only 1 in 10 meals in on-trade currently includes a soft drink at lunchtime**

• Triple your sales at lunchtime with the right pack and activation***

“…it looks and feels like a ‘real’ coke…”

“A proper drink” * TNS Worldpanel Usage, Out of Home Consumption – 12 m/e May 2009 & GFK survey Aug ‘14 ** Glacier On Trade Research 2014 *** CCH independent trials 2015

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© 2015 The Coca-Cola Company. Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Sprite Zero and the Contour Bottle are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company.

• 8 in 10 consumers preferred the 330ml proposition with food**

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Contents

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NEWS COVER STORY The pint is back in growth and publicans quest to improve the quality of the product is the main driver of this positive trend. We report on Heineken's latest online training initiative that trains publicans and bar staff to deliver the perfect pint.

MOVERS & SHAKERS The latest appointments and promotions at Heineken Ireland, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard and Tullamore Dew.

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Mirrorball and Bling was the theme of this year's red carpet Sky Bar of the Year awards at the Round Room in Dublin's Mansion House. Turn to page 21 to get a flavour of the night, which included a pre-drinks reception and post-event party in the nearby CafĂŠ en Seine, and read what our winners, sponsors, suppliers - and twitter followers - had to say.

INTERVIEW Distilleries and craft breweries are popping up all over the country. In this issue Maev Martin talks to Pat Cooney, CEO of the Boann Distillery, craft brewery and visitor centre, which is scheduled to open in Drogheda next year.

FEATURE Shane Long sold his Franciscan Well craft brewery to Molson Coors on December 31st 2012. He tells Maev Martin about the company's plans to increase capacity, build a strong export market, and why the Molson Coors deal was the best business decision he ever made.

SKY BAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015

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BUDGET 2016 Budget 2016 will be revealed on October 15th and, in its recent submission to Government, DIGI (Drinks Industry Group of Ireland) made a strong case for a 15% reduction in the excise tax on alcohol.

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WINE In Ireland, most good restaurants have a Chilean wine in their portfolio and the publican who is looking for popular wines to sell should make sure that they too have a range of Chilean wines on their list. Our resident wine expert, Jean Smullen, reports.

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Editor's Letter

In this issue we bring you all the colour, excitement and winners at this year's Sky Bar of the Year awards. As we were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the awards we decided to introduce a number of new elements on the night, including some new award categories. We felt that it was important that the awards replicated what I have been trying to achieve with the magazine – to reflect the growth and diversity of the modern Irish licensed trade. Categories such as Best Modern Irish Cooking in a Bar, In House/Charity Event of the Year, Bar Food of the Year, Innovative Bar of the Year, Best Use of Social Media, and Outside Space of the Year all reflect the changing face of the bar trade.

Licensing

WORLD Editor: Maev Martin Editorial and Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Art Director: Jane Matthews Layout: Antoinette Sinclair Awards Layout: Alan McArthur Production: Nicole Ennis Stock Photography: Thinkstock.com Sales Director: Paul Clemenson

But this year we also decided that we weren't going to let craft beer and cocktails have it all their own way. There has been a lot of talk in the drinks trade and among consumers about the popularity of craft beer, cocktails and, indeed Irish whiskey. However, sales of gin have also been booming in recent years so we felt it was the right time to introduce a category devoted to the excellence and innovation that is taking place in this sector.

Gin is no longer viewed as the drink of choice for middle aged (and, by implication, unadventurous) souls but is now being embraced by a younger generation. And their interest has been sparked by the surge in popularity of cocktails which is making gin the most fashionable spirit of all.

We have featured some of the creativity and variety of what is happening in gin production on the pages of Licensing World over the past year so we were delighted that Dingle Gin from Oliver Hughes' Dingle Distillery sponsored the inaugural Gin Bar of the Year award this year.

Apart from Dingle Gin, other producers are really making their mark in the trade.

Northern Ireland's only craft gin, Shortcross Gin, is produced by small batch distillery Rademon Estate. Founded in 2012 by husband and wife team Fiona and David BoydArmstrong, the distillery is located at the couple’s historic family estate just outside Crossgar in Co Down and is now being exported to a number of countries, including France, Great Britain and Holland. The award-winning gin was recently listed at The Loop retail outlet at Dublin Airport, which will be a significant boost to the brand’s ambitious plans to make its mark in the global gin market.

Other successful and growing brands include Glendalough Gin from the Glendalough Distillery, Two Trees Gin from West Cork Distillery, and Blackwater Gin from Waterford's Blackwater Distillery.

With all of these bespoke craft gin producers the consumer is getting a unique distillation of Ireland in a bottle that is set to rival whiskey or the ubiquitous pint of plain as the drink that symbolises the best of all things Irish.

Managing Director: Diarmaid Lennon Published by: Ashville Media, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7.

Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 1393-0826 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2015. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Licensing World. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize. ISSN 1393-0826

VISIT US ONLINE www.licensingworld.ie FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BarAwards2015 FIND US ON FACEBOOK For information on the Bar of the Year Awards and the Hotel & Catering Review Awards please visit our dedicated Facebook pages www.facebook.com /BarOfTheYearAwards www.facebook.com /TheHotelCateringReview

Maev Martin Editor email: maev.martin@ashvillemediagroup.com tel: 01 432 2271

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News

News round-up GUINNESS STOREHOUSE SCOOPS TRAVEL INDUSTRY OSCAR

The Guinness Storehouse has been named ‘Europe’s leading tourist attraction’ in the prestigious World Travel Awards. Hailed as ‘the Oscars of the travel industry,’ and decided by an open vote, the award was presented to the Guinness Storehouse at the European Gala Ceremony in Forte Village, Sardinia, which was attended by hundreds of tourism and hospitality leaders from across the world. Shortlisted alongside some of Europe's most historic and recognisable attractions, including the Acropolis, Athens; Buckingham Palace, England; La Sagrada Familia, Spain; Ribeira do Porto, Portugal; the Roman Colosseum, Italy, and the Eiffel Tower, France, it was Ireland's top tourist spot that won the largest public vote.

Now in its 22nd year, the World Travel Awards is widely acknowledged across the globe as the ultimate travel accolade.

As Europe’s leading tourist attraction, The Guinness Storehouse is now put forward for the World Travel Awards Grand Final, where it is in the running to be named as the world's leading tourist attraction. Other attractions in the running will be announced in the coming weeks as regional ceremonies take place.

Since opening its doors in 2000, the seven-storey Guinness Storehouse has welcomed in excess of 13 million visitors.

On average, 92% of all visitors to the Guinness Storehouse are international.

In 2014 the top five nationalities who visited the Storehouse were from the US, the UK, France, Germany and Italy. Approximately 150 people are employed at the Guinness Storehouse, while one in two holidaymakers who visit Dublin visit the attraction. Gravity Bar is the highest bar in Dublin city, located 44 metres off the ground.

EUROPEAN OPINION IS

'NONSENSICAL' - SAYS VFI

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) has expressed its strong disappointment at the opinion set out by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) earlier this month.

The ECJ said that the Scottish government’s plans to create a minimum unit price for alcohol could impact on the free movement of goods and that Ministers must now show that no other measures could be taken to achieve the goal of improving public health.

The VFI has called on Minister Varadkar to bring forward the measures recommended by the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015, which deals with the core issues of affordability and availability. “While today’s announcement by the ECJ is an initial indication, this is a big blow to the industry and is absolutely nonsensical," said VFI Chief Executive Padraig Cribben.

“The abuse and misuse of cheap alcohol being sold by supermarkets that sell alcohol as a loss leader needs to be urgently tackled, regardless of the measure. As a key industry stakeholder, the VFI has called for action to ensure the safe and responsible sale of alcohol for several years and the ECJ's announcement is a step back in the progress we have made over the last couple of years. We are extremely disappointed by the opinion taken by the ECJ and we now call on Minister Varadkar to continue the work done at home to address alcohol misuse. This includes the core issues of availability, promotion and price.”

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More Cans for Metalman Metalman Brewing Company in Waterford announced last month that it is to extend its range of canned beers. Following the release of their flagship Pale Ale in cans earlier this year, the brewery decided to add two of their popular seasonal beers to the range. Equinox is a refreshing wheat lager with a citrus kick of orange and lemon, and a little coriander for a hint of spice. Heatsink is a smoked chilli porter brewed with beech smoked malt and cayenne pepper. Together with Metalman Pale Ale, the canned trio offers a diverse choice to craft beer consumers across the Metalman Brewing canned range. Metalman Brewing purchased a canning line last year from Canada, and is currently the only craft brewery in Ireland to can their beer on-site. Canning was a risky decision for owners Grainne Walsh and Tim Barber. “We looked at the options we had based on the resources we had and we determined that the best quality beer we could deliver to the customer was going to be in cans – they are an excellent package for beer, protecting it completely from light and air," says Grainne Walsh. "Craft beer in cans is becoming increasingly popular, with more high quality canned beer appearing in independent off-licences every week." The new range is being distributed exclusively in Ireland by Four Corners.

BULMERS FAMILY GETS BIGGER

Bulmers launched its Forbidden Flavours range this summer, which features four new bottles - Cloudy Lemon, Strawberry & Lime, Juicy Pear and Berry Berry.

Produced in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, the new Forbidden Flavours will enhance the current cider offering from Bulmers. Forbidden Flavours are now available in 500ml non-returnable bottles in both the on and off trade and the launch is being supported by above and below-the-line advertising, together with a dedicated public relations and trade marketing campaign.

"We really think that Forbidden Flavours will appeal to the person walking into a pub and wanting something truly refreshing with a bit of an edge and a hint of sweetness," says Bulmers Marketing Manager Belinda Kelly. “It is no secret that the drinks industry has been challenged over the past number of years but Bulmers is taking on that challenge and doing something innovative and interesting that we think the market has been waiting for.”

Bulmers Marketing Manager Belinda Kelly.

Tindal Targets British Market which it would supply the British market. In 2014 the wine merchants spent approximately €1m taking over the wholesale customers of rival wine distributor Charles Searson. The company is looking to spend another million acquiring a British business.

Tindal Wine Merchants are also hoping to acquire their own vineyard in the Languedoc or Rhone Valley regions through which they would improve and expand their own-brand wine offering.

Tindal Wine Merchants is expanding into the British market through its own-brand wine labels Puna Snipe and Swallow's Tail. Company founder Anthony Tindal says the wines will be sold throughout Britain by one of the country's largest wine importers.

The firm, which is entirely self-financed, will this year report an increase in turnover from €7.75m in 2014 to €10.7m in December 2015. Tindal is also looking to acquire a British wine firm through

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Stephen Teeling, the 10,000th visitor, Robert Kennedy of Ocean County, New Jersey, and Jack Teeling.

TEELING WELCOMES 10,000TH VISITOR September marked a special milestone for the Teeling Whiskey Distillery as it recently welcomed the 10,000th tour guest to the visitor centre on September 5th. Officially launched in June, the distillery in The Liberties has swiftly become a must-see attraction

for tourists across the globe and for local whiskey enthusiasts. Its 10,000th visitor, Robert Kennedy of Ocean County, New Jersey, was presented with a bespoke bottle of Single Malt Irish Whiskey by the Teeling brothers, Jack and Stephen. The Teeling Whiskey

Distillery offers a range of fully guided tours around Dublin’s only operational distillery which include the Teeling Small Batch & Seasonal Whiskey Cocktail tasting (14), the Teeling Trinity Tasting (20) and the Teeling Single Malt tasting (30).

Emirates Debuts Champagne & Food Pairings Customers travelling on Emirates’ First Class can look forward to the introduction of the recently released Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005 and the Dom Pérignon Vintage Rosé 2003, across different routes. The largest global partner of Dom Pérignon, Emirates has also introduced a pairing menu developed by its team of culinary experts in collaboration with Pascal Tingaud, Chef de Cuisine at Dom Pérignon and two-Michelin star chef. As Dom Pérignon’s leading global partner, Emirates will offer this vintage to its First Class customers. On some routes, Emirates will also serve the Dom Pérignon Vintage Rosé 2003 in First Class.

Both champagnes have been offered to Emirates as a global airline exclusive. Emirates has introduced a pairing menu of six canapés, intended to complement and enhance the experience of the Dom Pérignon Vintage Rosé 2003. Now First Class customers on flights from Dubai can sample canapés of cured duck with saffron poached peach; walnut baguette with persian feta cheese, fresh fig, and truffle infused honey; and wild smoked salmon, lemon and cumin cream cheese on norlander bread. Customers travelling to Dubai can look forward to a menu comprising charcoal cracker topped with ash goat’s cheese and quince jelly, teriyaki-marinated duck breast with a curried apricot and apple chutney and, finally, mixed sesame coated tuna with wasabi mayonnaise. These gastronomic innovations and unusual food combinations are meant to heighten the flavour of the champagne and elevate the overall fine dining experience of Emirates’ First Class cabin.

"Food and wine pairing has reached its tipping point in that it is now an expected part of the fine dining experience," says Joost Heymeijer, Senior Vice President, Catering, at Emirates. "We have worked hard to fine-tune a culinary match with the exclusive Dom Pérignon Vintage Rosé 2003 to make them come alive and reach their full potential when paired with food.”

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MOURNE MOUNTAINS MICROBREWERY OPENS Northern Ireland’s craft beer sector continues to thrive with the official launch of its newest microbrewery, Mourne Mountains Brewery. Located in Warrenpoint, the brewery, which borrows its name from the famous mountain range, recently opened with a special event for suppliers, stockists and a selection of lucky hop-heads to introduce their first three beers. The new range, which is produced using water from the Spelga Dam, includes three core brews; Mourne Gold pale ale, Red Trail red IPA and Big Rock wheat beer. The brewery has also created two special seasonal brews; Mourne Mist Pilsner and East Coast IPA, to coincide with the launch. “In Northern Ireland the craft beer revolution continues to grow and we’ve developed a real taste for high quality crafted ales," says founder and owner of Mourne

Mountains Brewery, Connaire McGreevy. "We are no longer satisfied with the mass-produced offerings of big breweries and instead are looking for something different and more interesting for our taste buds." The five new beers launched by the brewery are available both on draft and in bottles, with production overseen by Master Brewer Tom Ray who has brewed awardwinning real ales for microbreweries in England and worked at a number of global breweries. “Between the pale ale, red IPA and wheat beer there should be something for everyone’s palette and we’re also working to expand our range with a number of one-offs and seasonal specials such as the East Coast IPA and Mourne Mist pilsner," says Connaire. "We’ve already received a fantastic response, both from stockists and consumers."

Pictured at the launch is Connaire McGreevy, founder of the brewery, with Tom Ray, Master Brewer, and Slángha, the legendary figure who travelled over from Greece and was one of the first people to produce beer using water from the Mournes.

Beaujolais Wines Announces First Marketing Campaign in Ireland Following a strategic review of its European marketing, Inter Beaujolais, the professional body for Beaujolais wines, is investing in developing the Irish market through a three-year marketing campaign. The campaign, which started in September, focuses on educating the trade about the potential Beaujolais offers and building consumer demand. It is being managed by UK PR and marketing

agency Westbury Communications in conjunction with local expert, Jean Smullen.

Westbury has run the UK Beaujolais campaign for the last six years, and has previously worked in Ireland with California, Vinos de Madrid and Rioja Alavesa. “This is a very dynamic and vibrant market, dominated by New World countries such as Chile," says Jean Bourjade, Managing Director, Inter Beaujolais.

"The timing is perfect for France to make a

comeback in Ireland, with Beaujolais at the forefront." The campaign includes a major seminar and open pour tasting in Dublin, a trade masterclass in Cork, along with consumer sampling at Taste Dublin, and a series of regional events. All agents and merchants who import Beaujolais wines into Ireland are encouraged to contact Westbury Communications to ensure their wines are included in the campaign.

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ALE WASHED CHEESE Northern Irish artisan producer Dart Mountain Cheese has teamed up with a local craft brewery, Northbound, to produce Ireland's first ale washed cheese. The new cheese, known as Banagher Bold, named after the townland in which it is being produced, is semi-hard and made from pasteurised cows' milk sourced from nearby

and washed in an India Pale Ale (ABV 4.5%), known as Number 26, produced by the recently established Northbound craft brewery in Derry city, an initiative by master brewer David Rodgers and wife Martina. The water used to produce the ale is sourced from the Banagher Dam in the Sperrins. Cheese maker Jill Hickey founded Dart Mountain in 2012 with husband Kevin. "Developing a beer washed cheese has

farms. Both companies are based in Northern Ireland's north west region in county Derry. Dart Mountain, located near Dungiven in the rural Sperrin Mountains, has already developed a series of speciality cheeses, including Sperrin Blue and Kilcreen, an Emmental style Alpine. Banagher Bold is matured for up to six months

been an objective for some time," says Jill. "I wanted it to be a genuinely Northern Irish cheese using local milk and a craft beer brewed here.

The launch of Northbound this year gave me an opportunity to start work on the cheese, something unique in Northern Ireland and probably throughout the island. We are considering producing the new cheese in a range of sizes, including smaller individual packs."

Alltech Eyes Acquisitions in Europe Alltech has bought two breweries from the family of the late Northern Irish businessman Edward Haughey. Alltech's acquisition of The Station Works Brewery in Newry, Co Down and Cumberland Breweries in Great Corby, Cumbria, England, establishes a brewing beachhead for the company in Europe. Alltech is already one of the fastest growing craft brewers in the US with sales of its Kentucky Ale branded beers as well as its whiskey reaching $45m last year. Its two new breweries in England and Northern

Ireland have a capacity of 40,000 hectolitres.

The acquisition adds Finn Lager and Foxes Rock to Alltech's growing beer portfolio. According to Alltech founder Dr Pearse Lyons, the company wants to be in the world's top 50 domestic craft brewing companies in the US when it finishes its current investment programme. He is building three new breweries in Kentucky and is also investing in a new distillery in the former St James' Church of Ireland church in the vicinity of the Guinness Storehouse. Meanwhile Carlow Brewing company is teaming up with an Ameri-

can brewery to increase its presence on the east coast of the US. The brewery, which is behind the O'Hara's brand, is collaborating with Starr Hill brewery in Virginia on two beers. The first, a red IPA called Foreign Affair, was released earlier this year in Ireland for US independence day celebrations on July 4th. A subsequent beer will be brewed at Starr Hill's brewery early in 2016 to target the American market for St Patrick's Day. Earlier this year the business announced a â‚Ź500,000 investment in its brewery.

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Belvedere Casts Bond Actress in Global Campaign Luxury vodka Belvedere has launched a global advertising campaign in celebration of its partnership with the 24th Bond adventure, Spectre, due for release in the UK and Ireland on October 26 and in the US on November 6.

The campaign will feature Mexican actress Stephanie Sigman, who plays the role of Estrella in the opening scene of the film, and Belvedere has created the Belvedere Spectre 007 martini, paying homage to James Bond's iconic vodka martini.

REPORTS PREDICTS BIG RISE IN CRAFT BEER OUTPUT The Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland's second report on the impact of Irish craft beer on the economy reveals strong continuous growth in the Irish craft beer market, at home and abroad. In the report, which was recently launched in association with Bord Bia, economist Bernard Feeney also explores the future growth potential of the market by drawing comparisons with more matured international

counterparts. "Since 2011, Irish microbreweries' output has risen more than threefold and, given the influx of new firms in 2014 and the industry's expansion plans, output is expected to rise substantially again this year" said Bord Bia's Karen Tyner at the launch. "The craft beer market accounts for just 1.2% of total Irish beer production and, based on current trends and growth forecasts, it is likely to increase

to reach 3.3% over the next two years, providing a really positive outlook for the industry."

expected to rise substantially in 2015 to 145,000hl, an increase of over 70%.

The report reveals that there are 63 microbreweries operating in Ireland, of which 48 are production microbreweries and 15 are contracting companies.

There has been a 50% increase in the number of production microbreweries from 32 in mid-2014 to 48 in mid-2015.

As many as 22 new production microbreweries commenced production in 2014. By end year 2015, the total number of production microbreweries may have risen to approximately 58. The output of craft beer by production microbreweries amounted to 86,000 hl in 2014. This represents a 71% increase on the 2013 figure of 49,000hl. Between 2011 and 2014, the output of production microbreweries rose by more than threefold.

Given the influx of new firms in 2014 and capacity expansion among older firms, output is

Microbreweries are forecasting a further 64% increase in output to 241,000hl in 2016. Two-thirds of microbreweries are already exporting, albeit many of them on a small scale as yet.

On average, microbreweries are targeting an export share of almost 50% of total production. Given the growth in microbrewery production to 86,000hl in 2014, the share of craft beer in total beer production was 1.2% in 2014.

With the current and anticipated trends in craft beer production, the Irish craft beer market share is likely to reach 2.0% and 3.3% in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The turnover of craft beer producers in 2014 is estimated at €23m and at a projected €39.6m for 2015. Five microbreweries had a turnover of more than €1m in 2014.

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NEW DISTILLERIES IN THE PIPELINE FOR WICKLOW AND MEATH

(l-r): Gerry Ginty, CEO and Co-Founder, Powerscourt Distillery, Sarah Slazenger, Managing Director, Powerscourt Estate, and Ashley Gardiner, Co-Founder, Powerscourt Distillery.

water from Powerscourt Estate’s well, using traditional pot still techniques," says Powerscourt Distillery CEO and Co-Founder Gerry Ginty. "Powerscourt Distillery plans to focus on the premium end of the whiskey market. At full production the distillery will have the potential to produce over one million bottles of whiskey per year. By the end of 2016 onwards the first batch of whiskey will be distilled and placed in oak casks to mature. Bord Bia forecast demand to quadruple in size to over 24 million cases worldwide by 2030 and Powerscourt Distillery plans to capitalise on the rapidly growing international demand for Irish whiskey."

Powerscourt Distillery lodged a planning application on September 21st for the construction of a craft distillery and visitor centre at Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, while in Meath construction work began on September 29th on the new Slane Distillery and Visitor Centre, which is a joint venture by Brown-Forman and the Conynghams of Slane.

Local entrepreneurs Gerry Ginty and Ashley Gardiner are co-founders of the new Powerscourt Distillery venture and are planning a 10m investment that will create 18 full-time jobs once the business is fully operational. Powerscourt Distillery is a joint venture with Powerscourt Estate, supported by an agreement with the Slazenger family to locate the distillery on the estate. "The project will refurbish the Estate’s old mill house where Master Distiller Roy Court will mix barley grown in the surrounding fields with certified mineral

Having raised 3m in its first funding round closed earlier this year, Powerscourt Distillery is in active discussions with several domestic and international investors and will be looking to close a second 5m funding round by the end of the year.

Franciscan Well Takes Top Honours at World Beer Awards (ABV 5%) was created for warmer months. For its second consecutive year, Franciscan Well Jameson-aged Pale Ale claimed an award - a silver medal in the Flavoured Beer – Wood Aged category. Again, the fruit of a collaboration between the whiskey masters at Jameson and the brewing innovators of Franciscan well, it was developed by Shane using Jameson Whiskey casks handpicked by Dave. The brewery’s signature Rebel Red and Chieftain IPA claimed bronze medals in their categories of Amber Beer and Pale Ale, and the Franciscan Well Friar Weisse added a third bronze to a growing number of awards for the brewery, with the wheat beer impressing judges in the Bavarian Hefeweiss category.

Franciscan Well Brewery won six World Beer Awards last month, bringing the total number of awards that the brewery has won since 2013 to 29. The World Beer awards, established in 2007, reward exceptional beers from across the globe, with leading beer experts from Asia, Europe and the Americas electing the finest selection of brews from each region. The first gold medal winner, Franciscan Well Jameson Stout (ABV 7.8%), was borne out of a collaboration between Dave Quinn, Master of Whiskey Science at Jameson, and Shane Long, Founder of Franciscan Well Brewery in Cork. Together they decided to explore the effect a Jameson whiskey cask would have on a Franciscan Well stout. The gold medal-winning Franciscan Well Summer Saison

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WILD GEESE SWOOP DOWN AT QUALITY AWARDS The Wild Geese Exiles Premium Irish Gin has been crowned ‘Overall Gold Award’ winner at the prestigious Irish Quality Drink Awards 2015.

In winning this accolade, the gin beat off stiff competition from winners in all other categories such as Ales and Beers, Ciders, Lagers, Red

Jameson

Wines, White Wines, Sparkling Wines, and Whiskies. As well as winning the overall award, Exiles was victorious in the competition’s ‘Spirits’ category. The first and only super premium gin produced in Ireland, The Wild Geese Exiles Premium Irish Gin is part of a trio of new

spirits launched in October 2014 as part of The Wild Geese portfolio. Other products in The Wild Geese Collection – Untamed Irish Vodka and Irish Honey Liqueur – were each highly commended in the ‘Spirits’ and ‘Liqueurs and Specialty Spirits’ categories respectively.

Greenhouse Sommelier is Best in Ireland

Celebrates Global Sales of

FIVE MILLION Irish Distillers celebrated reaching global sales of five million cases of Jameson this year on September 15th, as well as the opening of their new microdistillery in Midleton, Co Cork.

Speaking at the event, Anna Malmhake, Chairman and CEO of Irish Distillers, said that the new microdistillery would be run by Karen Cotter, who has recently completed Irish Distillers graduate programme in distilling, and she will be supported by master distiller Brian Nation.

“When fully operational, it will produce 400 casks of Irish whiskey per annum, from brewing through to maturation," she said.

"These will be innovative, small batch whiskeys which will play a key role in the future of Irish whiskey development."

Julie Dupouy and Pedro Julian Jiminezes Lopez.

Julie Dupouy of the Greenhouse Restaurant in Dawson Street, Dublin, and portfolio brand ambassador for champagne brands with Edward Dillion and Co, has won the Best Sommelier in Ireland 2015 competition. She will represent Ireland at the World Sommelier Competitions in Mendoza, Argentina in 2016. Pedro Julian Jimenez Lopez of the Lobster Pot Restaurant in Ballsbridge, Dublin, was the runner up.

The awards were announced by the Irish Guild of Sommeliers' President Oliver J. Murtagh. Julie was presented with the Irish Guild of Sommeliers Gold Medal along with a bottle of Moët and Chandon champagne and Pedro was also presented with a bottle of Moët and Chandon champagne. The champagne was sponsored by Moët and Chandon's

Irish agent Edward Dillon and Co. The School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology at Dublin Institute of Technology was the venue for the selection tests, which took place in August. The tests were designed by the technical committee of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers under the guidance of expert judge Mary O’Callaghan.

The competition required candidates to test their product knowledge, as well as practical tests. The jury panel comprised a world skills expert judge and a gastronomic critic, as well as the President of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers.

Best Sommelier in Ireland, Julie Dupouy was one of six women among 54 national finalists who competed in the tri-annual A.S.I. Best Sommelier of the World competition in Tokyo, Japan, in 2013.

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Commercial Profile

Welcome to

Heinekentraining.ie The pint is in growth again and publicans are telling us that their constant quest to improve the quality of the product and service is the main driver of this positive trend.

Publicans are also winning by diversifying their offer – they are now managing businesses that not only serve a great pint but are also food and/or entertainment destinations. The pub has become an even busier place!

T

o help publicans deliver a good customer experience at all times, Heineken has launched Heinekentraining.ie, an online platform dedicated to training publicans and bar staff to deliver the perfect pint, wherever and whenever suits them. All content is available online 24/7, 365 days a year.

The site will help publicans grow their business by ensuring that their bar staff are delivering the best product possible to drive sales and keep customers coming back to the pub.

World-Class Execution As part of the launch, Heineken have partnered with Ronan O’Gara to demonstrate that world-class execution is not only required on the rugby pitch but is also essential in running a successful pub and pouring a perfect pint. To find out if Ronan masters the ‘perfect pour’, check out the first module - ‘Pouring the Perfect Pint’ - which outlines best practice in ensuring that bar staff know how to deliver a perfect pint every time.

To complete the module there is also content on correct glassware and glasscare techniques and on tapping a keg correctly to ensure that wastage is avoided. More modules will be added to the site, providing an information hub that publicans can use to train staff and incorporate into their own in-house training standards and approach.

How to Register?

Step 1. Visit www.heinekentraining.ie on a laptop, tablet or mobile.

Step 2. Register your pub using your Heineken account number.

Step 3. Once registered, the site will give you a code that is unique to your pub. Give this code to your staff so they can register on the site and complete the training modules.

Why Take Part?

1.

2.

3.

4.

Ronan O'Gara pours the perfect pint.

A cost-effective training solution online 24/7 to suit your diary.

The ability to monitor training progress with your staff.

Staff who complete and pass the training modules will be rewarded with the chance to win monthly prizes.

Staff participation will result in a better pint being served with less waste, driving growth for your business.

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THE HEINEKEN PUB QUALITY PROGRAMME The ‘Pub Quality Programme’ is an independent mystery shopper programme that has been developed in conjunction with Customer Service Excellence Ireland to help HEINEKEN customers identify the strengths and weaknesses of their service offering.

“Quality is the beginning and the end. The Pub Quality Programme has focused me on striving to achieve the highest standards of quality from front to back in all aspects of my business. It is a never-ending journey.”

Ger Callanan, The Glen Tavern, Limerick  To begin seeing the results for yourself, become a part of this programme by calling the Pub Quality Team on 01 522 4850.

 The cost of the programme is €195 ex VAT.

 The Pub Quality Programme mystery shoppers will start visiting pubs from the start of November with results being delivered by post from January onwards.

 Closing date for signing up for a Pub Quality Visit is 9th October.

Sign up today to drive the strength of your service and quality offering!

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28/09/2015 04/09/2015 14:52 11:17

Movers & Shakers

Movers & Shakers

Pictured l-r: Gillian Murphy, Ailish Egan and Emma Oliver.

Tullamore Dew Appoints US Ambassadors Irish whiskey Tullamore Dew has appointed three more Irish graduates as brand ambassadors, bringing to 11 its total number of ambassadors in the US. Gillian Murphy and Emma Oliver from Cork and Ailish Egan from Dublin were chosen from more than 400 applicants. They will be tasked with promoting the whiskey to a US audience over 18 months. The three graduates will be placed in Fort Lauderdale in Florida, Denver in Colorado, and Dallas in Texas. This opportunity for the graduates was offered through the IBEC/Bord Bia Export Orientation Programme.

New Production Chief at Irish Distillers Tommy Keane has been appointed Production Director with Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard. Tommy has worked as General Manager of the Midleton Distillery since 2006 and in his time as General Manager he has increased the production of the plant at Midleton, Co Cork from 19 million litres of alcohol (mla) to 64 mla. He successfully led the design and project management teams involved in the recent â‚Ź110m distillery expansion. He also successfully sourced and negotiated the purchase of the 70 hectare maturation site in Dungourney. The site development

is ongoing, with the first whiskey delivered for maturation on the site in January 2014. Total cost of the project when complete will be circa â‚Ź100m. In his new role, Tommy will head up the Production Division, which includes distillation, maturation, bottling, supply chain and central laboratories.

Tommy has also held a number of engineering and project management roles across the production division since joining the company in 1985. Tommy succeeds Peter Morehead who was appointed Group Operations Director at Pernod Ricard earlier this year.

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Movers & Shakers

ABFI Director Joins Heineken Heineken Ireland recently announced the appointment of Kathryn D’Arcy as Corporate Relations Director.

Kathryn joins Heineken Ireland from the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) where she held a number of roles over a period of 15 years, most recently as Director of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI), the IBEC group which represents the manufacturers and suppliers of alcohol.

In her capacity as Director of ABFI, Kathryn advanced its mission to encourage a culture of moderation in the consumption of alcohol, and communicated closely with legislators and other stakeholders in formulating proposals to address key issues facing the industry. Kathryn began her career working in Germany and London with Bord Bia as a Marketing Executive. She returned to Dublin to work with IBEC and held a number of roles there including Assistant Director of the Food and Drink Federation (FDII) and Director of ICT Ireland, the representative body for the technology sector in Ireland. Kathryn holds a Food Science and Technology Degree from University College Cork and a Masters in Public and Political Communications from Dublin City University.

Meanwhile, Conor Hyland has been appointed Finance Director at Heineken Ireland. The former Finance Commerce Business Controller at Heineken Ireland took up his new position on September 1st. Conor has 25 years’ experience in finance. Having started his career at KPMG in various accounting and auditing positions, he joined Heineken Ireland in 1996 as a Financial Accountant, moving up to Finance Business Support Manager in 2003 and Finance Commerce Controller in 2013. Most recently, Conor led the finance integration of the Beamish & Crawford business following its acquisition

by Heineken N.V. He also played a lead role in the implementation of top line growth initiatives for the company, including innovations such as Heineken’s recently launched new cider, Orchard Thieves. A native of Cork, Conor holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College Cork and is a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Conor Timmons (right) with Jamie Curtis, a past student of Business and Linguistics at UCD, who is also travelling to Tokyo.

Jameson Sends 300th Graduate to Market The Jameson International Graduate Programme has officially welcomed its 300th graduate to its global network of brand ambassadors. The programme, which was established in 1991, has to date sent over 300 brand ambassadors around the globe to support the growth of Jameson whiskey. Conor Timmons, from Cabinteely, Co Dublin, is the 300th graduate to be recruited and will shortly be heading to Tokyo where he will support the marketing and sales team in promoting Jameson.

Growth of the brand is significant in Japan, where sales of Jameson have increased 30% this year in comparison to last year, with sales reaching over 17,000 cases (equalling 204,000 bottles) per annum. Conor is one of 23 graduates, including two distiller graduates, who were chosen as part of the 2015/16 programme. The remaining graduates will be allocated to various global markets across five continents, making it the largest programme on offer to Irish graduates within the Irish spirits sector.

The brand ambassadors will work with the local brand and sales team in order to drive marketing activities in the following markets: the US, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, the UK, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, China, Australia, Poland, India, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Spain, The Netherlands, Israel, Italy, UAE, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Austria, Kazakhstan, and Romania, as well as Singapore, which is a new market. "With over 30 new distilleries planned in Ireland, the graduates' skills will be in high demand in the years ahead," says Graduate Programme Manager, Sinead D'Arch. "While over 34% of our graduates stay within Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard on completion of the programme, there will be no shortage of jobs in the international marketing of Irish whiskey in the years ahead.” This year registration for the programme was up 45% and applications were up 10%.

The programme was voted Most Popular FMCG Graduate Recruiter earlier this year. Over 50% of the Dublin-based international marketing team in Irish Distillers launched their careers through the programme including International Marketing Director, Simon Fay. Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard offer two distinct graduate programmes - the Jameson Graduate Distiller Programme, launched in 2012, and the Jameson International Graduate programme, which was introduced in 1991.

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Interview

Brewing on the

Boyne Distilleries and craft breweries are popping up all over the country. In this issue Maev Martin talks to Pat Cooney, CEO of the Boann Distillery, craft brewery and visitor centre, which is scheduled to open in Drogheda next year.

M

inister for Jobs Richard Bruton announced on September 2nd that the Boann Distillery and Visitor Centre will open in the Boyne Valley in Drogheda in 2016, creating over 80 new jobs as part of an ambitious plan to become one of Ireland's leading independent distilleries and craft brewery initiatives.

The 20m facillity, which is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland, will include a whiskey distillery, craft brewery and taproom, an architecturally-designed visitor centre, which will host distillery and brewery tours, as well as a 120-seater restaurant, whiskey bar, private event space, and a gift shop.

The plan is to produce craft whiskey, gin and a range of craft beers for the domestic and export market.

The whiskey distillery will create a range of Irish single malt, pot still and blended whiskies from nanocopper pot stills. A small batch premium gin will also be produced in a custom made 500 litre Bennett Still. The internationally-renowned master distiller, John McDougall, is consultant distiller to the project and he will be working closely with Áine O’Hora, Head Distiller and Brewer.

Craft beer production is already underway in the 50,000 square foot building and distilling will be underway by the end of the year. With a three vessel 35HL Kasper Schulz brewhouse at its heart and using traditional brewing methods, the Boyne Brewhouse debut range of craft beer consists of: 'Born in a Day Australian Pale Ale' (ABV 4.8%); 'Long Arm Dortmunder Export' (ABV 4.8%); and 'Pagan’s Pillar Sparking Copper Ale' (ABV 4.8%).

The core Boyne Brewhouse craft beer range will be available in bottle, can and draught, and will be followed by a range of speciality food beers and seasonals. And, with state of the art bottling, canning and kegging lines being installed at the production facility, Pat Cooney says that some innovative packaging formats will also be introduced.

So why did Pat decide to develop this facility? "When we sold part of the Gleeson Group to C&C in 2012 we kept the cream liqueur operation (Robert A Merry and Co Ltd in Clonmel) and the cider company (Adam's Cider Co Ltd in Borrisoleigh which produces the Devil's Bit cider brand) and Bord Bia had done a lot of research into the future of the Irish drinks

Patrick, James and Peter Cooney at the launch of the Boann Distillery.

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Interview

Myles McWeeney and Aine O'Hora, Head Distiller and Brewer at the Boann Distillery.

Boann Distillery CEO Pat Cooney.

industry and they identified the industry generally as having significant potential for growth," he says. "But the industry sits on four pillars – whiskey and white spirits, cream liqueurs, craft beers and craft ciders. We already had two of those pillars so it seemed logical that we would develop the other two. In addition, I have had a niggling amibition to build a distillery for a long time. Essentially, we want to tick all of the drinks industry boxes and deliver the full range of product types that Irish drinkers require. Bord Bia is predicting huge growth in the drinks industry, across all categories, over the coming years and we wanted to tap into that potential.

The distillery has the capacity to produce 250,000 cases of whiskey a year and we have a 30,000 hectolitre brewery."

Pat Cooney's cream liqueur business, Robert A Merry, exports to 35 countries.

"That gives us an export base for our whiskey and white spirits and, indeed, for our ciders and beers," he says. "We have just fitted a 3m fully automated cream liqueur bottling line into Clonmel and we are also in the process of expanding the factory. Our first whiskey production will be 'The Whistler' and our gin brand will be called 'Silks'. We are within three miles of Bellewstown Racecourse so it is about associating the project with the local area.

We will be producing whiskey and gin by the end of next year and we will also have the visitor experience up and running by the end 2016. We will go through the traditional wholesale distribution in the ontrade and we will deal with the multiples directly ourselves."

Over the past 40 years, Drogheda native Pat Cooney built the Gleeson Group up to be a business with a 300m turnover, employing 750 people. "I left Drogheda in 1965 to pursue a professional career in accountancy and later in business so establishing a new industry in the town is something of a homecoming for me," he says. "My wife Marie and four of our children are all actively involved in running the business, which will have a strong export focus without neglecting the domestic market.”

Fionnan O'Connor, Irish Whiskey Society, Miriam Mooney, Irish Whiskey Association, and Ross MacMathuna, Alcohol Beverage Association of Ireland at the launch.

Duty Rebate Extension Irish whiskey is becoming the fastest growing spirit in the world. In late 2015, spirit will flow from the Boann Distillery copper pot stills, the first to flow in Drogheda in nearly 50 years. The newlyformed Irish Whiskey Association has a stated aim of rivalling Scotland for both whiskey production and whiskeyrelated tourism. But can we continue to develop Irish whiskey tourism when Ireland is one of the most expensive places to buy the product, with 68% of the average retail price of a bottle of whiskey taken by the Government in the form of taxes? "We have the highest duty rates in Europe," says Pat. "Every part of our whiskey production is indigenous so it seems crazy that we should tax our indigenous products so heavily. If you look at the success of the duty rebate for craft breweries, which was introduced in 2006, it would create a lot of employment in rural areas if it was extended to craft cider manufacturers and craft distillers.

The beer industry in Ireland has been

Tom Collins, Bord Bia and Aisling Wixted, Greenhouse Design.

dominated by multi-nationals for a long time and their beers all taste the same but the craft brewer and distiller is able to create something unique that makes the pub a much more interesting place.

Every publican in the country realises the trade has changed and it has to change even further to become more customerfacing. Stocking more local and more Irish drink products and brands is one way to achieve that." ■

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Feature

Irish Success Story Eyes Shane Long sold his Franciscan Well craft brewery to Molson Coors on December 31st 2012. As the business plans to increase capacity to cope with demand, company founder and director Shane Long says it was the best business decision he ever made.

"B

ack in 2012, I didn't believe I had the skillset that was required to get us up and running in the professional manner we needed to be for the export market,” says Shane. “Molson Coors brought that skillset to the table and gave us access to a superior quality malt and hops. We also had access to their laboratories in the UK to test products, which

MARKET LEADER

allowed us to be a lot more creative and the proof of this is the number of awards we have won. Between 2013 and 2014 we won 16 international awards and before that, in the entire history of the brewery, we had only received two international awards. I didn't have the same financial constraints and I could do a lot more R&D which led to the production of a better quality beer so Franciscan Well really started to shine after Molson Coors came on board.”

2015 has certainly been a busy year for the company, the highlights being their collaboration with Jameson, the 13 international awards that they won and, most significantly of all, their ranking as the number one craft beer in the on trade in Ireland. “According to Nielsen we have over 25% of the craft beer market in the on trade,” says Shane.

“We worked with Jameson on a stout which we aged in Jameson barrels. It won gold at the World Beer Awards this year. They took the empty casks back from us and produced a fantastic whiskey out of it called Cask Mates, which has just been released in the US market. It has a slightly hoppy aroma as well as the smoothness you would expect from a stout. We work closely with Jameson and we are engaged in further collaborations with them which are at the R&D stage.”

Looking ahead to 2016, he says they have no major plans to embark on new initiatives as they are struggling to keep up with capacity in the on trade. “We are served in excess of 600 pubs throughout the island, north and south," he says. "I have to pinch myself sometimes.

I headed home from the conference for the Jameson global summit recently and to be there with the CEO of Pernod Ricard was a major development for me.

I never thought I'd be in the company of someone at that level in our industry.

I set up Franciscan Well in 1998 and there were 11 craft brewers in the country at that time and only three of those have survived – ourselves, the Porterhouse and O’Hara’s.”

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Feature

“I’m really excited about the developments that are coming down the track and there are plans to invest to allow us to increase capacity.”

Shane Long

RIGHT EVERY TIME The emergence and continued growth and popularity of craft beer is one of the major success stories of the industry. But is there a danger that the market could become over saturated with craft brewers and distillers?

“That is a difficult question to answer,” he says. “If you asked me that question this time last year I would have said that there was no issue there because you had people with a background in brewing who were getting into this area and were introducing it to friends and family who had never consumed craft beer before. At that stage I knew everyone involved in the craft beer industry but since then it has really expanded and, going forward, it will be imperative that people get their product consistently right otherwise

there will be someone else waiting in the wings to take their place. I think there are some people doing amazing things with craft beer. They are really standing out and raising the bar for everyone else so I'm optimistic about the future of the craft beer industry. Maintaining the consistency of the product is the only difficulty I would foresee in terms of the future development of craft beer in Ireland. In Cork, Rising Sun has been in operation just over a year and already they are international award winners, they are at maximum capacity in their brewery, and they are expanding as we speak. We helped them to establish their business and they are a prime example of a brewery that delivers consistently good beer to the market. They are an example of where the

craft beer industry needs to be for the future.”

EXPORT PLANS Franciscan Well is being sold in a small number of pubs in Edinburgh and London, as well as in Glasgow. “Capacity constraints mean that we couldn't go into too many bars but the volume in the bars that we have been selling into has been great,” says Shane. “We didn't expect to get the positive response that we have got, in London and Belfast in particular.

I’m really excited about the developments that are coming down the track and there are plans to invest to allow us to increase capacity but we can't go into detail about that at the moment.

I went to the US in 2011 when we were independent and the whole market is a minefield. If you can't detach

yourself completely from your business then you can't break into the US market so just finding a good importer or distributor doesn't mean your product will succeed. If anything I'm working as hard if not harder than I was when I was independent because you have to convince a whole new market of potential customers who don't know your brand that it is top quality. No one anticipated the success of our brand in Ireland – it has surpassed any forecasts or expectations that I ever had for Franciscan Well. In fact, it is 20 times more successful than I thought it would be so once our capacity is increased we will look at servicing other markets. But we have a backlog of pubs in Ireland who are looking to offer our product so we need to respond to that first!” ■

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Commercial Profile

Old World Wines,

New World Attitude Dalcassian Wines hosted an exclusive dinner with Jean-Claude Mas of Domaines Paul Mas on July 21st at Darwin’s Restaurant in Dublin to celebrate the launch of the premium Domaine Astruc range of wines in Ireland.

T

he best way to enjoy wine has always been in the company of some tasty bites and the guests at Darwins Restaurant enjoyed an inspired menu that really highlighted the depth and variety of the new premium range. The welcome drink was a refreshing glass of Côté Mas Picpoul Frizzante.

The entree was a crispy tempura of monkfish with a cumin and chilli-infused tomato compote, curried mayonnaise, and coriander micro herbs, which was paired with a choice of Paul Mas Chardonnay and Domaines Astruc Sauvignon Blanc.

Reserve Domaines Astruc Merlot was the wine of choice to accompany the main course – rack of lamb with samphire smoked garlic and lamb jus, garden pea, pearl

barley, mash potato and crispy rib croquette. The dessert was a yoghurt and rhubarb panna cotta with pistachio biscotti, followed by a selection of cheeses with homemade chutney paired with Domaines Astruc Reserve Pinot Noir.

are for the on trade and the branded wines are for the off trade.” And the company isn’t just about wine – there is a clothing range, a wine bar, a restaurant, and they have even developed their own recipes which they promote at events such as the Dalcassian dinner. “Our strategy is to have a strong base of premium to super premium Old World wines in the on trade that are presenting wine as an experience rather than just a product,” he says.

Paul Mas wines have been in the Irish market for over 10 years. In that time he has, of course, noticed the Irish love affair with all things Chilean but he believes that the Irish wine consumer is beginning to go back to the old world wines, particularly Italian wines and those of the Languedoc region. “These wines are appealing more and more to Irish people,” says JeanClaude. “In Ireland, Paul Mas is much more trade-based than retail-oriented because we are trying to build the brand for the long-term. Our estate wines

The Mas family has grown grapes in the Languedoc region of southern France since 1892 and in 2000 Jean-Claude Mas established Domaines Paul Mas with the 35 hectares of vineyards bequeathed to him by his father, Paul Mas. The 10 estates cover over 550 hectares of vineyards producing 40 varieties spread across the Crus of the Languedoc: Pezenas, Gres de Montpellier, Terrasses due Larzac and Limoux. Jean-

Jean-Claude Mas

Claude Mas is often described as one of the pioneers of ‘the new Languedoc’ or ‘the new wave’ of French wine as he has worked hard to re-establish the prestige of a region that has produced wine for more than 2,000 years.“Paul Mas wines come from an extraodinary region capable of producing fantastic fruits, and reflect our passion for the vineyards, our respect for the grapes during vinification, and our talent for blending and ageing wines,” says Jean-Claude. “Inspired by the new world attitude, we are proud to work the terroirs of Languedoc.” ■

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ANNIVERSARY

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T

NUMBERS he Sky Bar of the Year Awards celebrated their 10th birthday this year so we had to mark the occasion in style. And what better venue to do that in than the spectacular Round Room in Dublin's Mansion House. The team at Ashville Media

decided that this year's award ceremony would be glitz, glam and bling and, if the pictures on these pages are anything to go by, allied to the feedback we have received from our guests, it looks as if we achieved all three! Our drinks reception in the beautiful CafĂŠ en Seine was accompanied by a glass of Hop House 13, courtesy of Diageo and our superb caterers, With Taste, worked with our Event Director Tracey Carney to create a bespoke menu for the evening, pairing each course with a different drink. We decided to prolong the party at bit, given the year that was in it, and guests returned to CafĂŠ en Seine for the Orchard Thieves-sponsored post-awards bash, which went on until, well, quite late I'm told! This year we received over 30,000 votes for our public vote categories and the awards ceremony had a Twitter reach of 3.02 million. Our headline sponsor, Sky, provided some great prizes, with the Sky Bar of the Year award winner not only being presented with the prestigious overall prize but also receiving a box at Royal Ascot for 12 people. In addition, premiership tickets and a Samsung tablet went to our best dressed lady and gentleman. We hope that you enjoyed the 2015 event and, if you couldn't make it, maybe our worthy winners will inspire you to enter for the 2016 awards.

Maev Martin, Editor, Licensing World

on the Night

370

Attended the SKY Bar of the Year Awards 2016

(l-r): Monirull Newaz, Martin Langton, Eamonn Langton, Trish Langton, MC Tom Dunne and Ray Langton of Langtons in Kilkenny, winners of the 2015 Sky Bar of the Year Award with Brendan Napier, National Sales Manager, Sky Business.

100

beautiful cocktail glass from Bunzl McLaughlin

374

entries for the Sky Bar of the Year Awards 2015

10 years since the first Bar of the Year awards (l-r): Fionna Larmon, Commercial Manager, Licensing World, Maev Martin, Editor, Licensing World, and Ruth Dunne from Dalcassian Wines.

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01/10/2015 12:33

Michael Gavigan and Justine Norton from The Central Bar in Navan.

(l-r): Willie Kelly, Emma O'Sullivan, Alan Walsh, Coreen Brosnan, John Brady, Niamh Butler and Maurice Powell of Brady's of Shankill with their award.

BRADY'S OF SHANKILL, DUBLIN Bar Food of the Year

LANGTONS, KILKENNY Sky Bar of the Year

"We won Venue of the Year in 2013 for the Set Theatre, and one of our bar managers, Richie Broaders, won the Staff Personality of the Year award in 2014, but this is our first time to win the overall award so it was very exciting," says Eddie Langton. "My brother Conor and I couldn't be there.

We had to hold the fort in the bar as it was a big celebration night for the county following Kilkenny's win in the hurling but my father Eamonn Langton, my mum Trish, and some of the managers from our Marble City Bar were there to celebrate on our behalf!

They had a great night. We

heard the good news behind the bar on the Monday night.

A big cheer went up and we had a few drinks after work to celebrate."

Langtons are active in marketing Kilkenny as a tourist destination. "The local tourist board contacted us to offer their congratulations, as well as local radio and the local newspaper, and our win as been featured on a number of websites," says Eddie. "We also received texts from other local bars and restaurants so the win has given Langtons and our wider operations here in Kilkenny, as well as our staff, a great boost."

John Mansworth and Mary Verhey.

Brady’s of Shankill scooped the top prize in the ‘Bar Food of the Year’ category. "Our menu, which has been created by experienced and talented Head Chef Alan Walsh, is crafted almost entirely from locally sourced produce supplied by local producers and distributors," says John Brady, owner of Brady's of Shankhill.

"The industry has come a long way since the time when the only 'food' served in pubs was crips and peanuts. Food is a central part of our business and we change our menu regularly to ensure that it caters for all tastes."

SPONSORED BY

THE STRAND TAVERN

Catherine Donegan and Jordana Black from Cagneys in Drogheda.

Denis and Virginia Frayne from Maggie Mays, Wexford.

"The Sky Bar of the Year Awards was fantastic this year.

It was great to be involved in such a glamorous event. The Mansion House was the perfect venue. " Heidi McWeeney, Trade Marketing Activations Manager, Heineken Ireland, who sponsored the Outstanding Customer Service Award and the Café En Seine post-awards party.

Eimear Killian from Blakes Bar, Galway.

Best Modern Irish Cooking in a Bar The Strand Tavern in New Ross, Co Wexford won the Best Modern Irish Cooking in a Bar category. "Having been shortlisted for these awards for the past four years, we were ecstatic to win the category of Best Modern Irish Cooking in a Bar," says Hal Reburn. "The feedback from our loyal customers has been tremendous and supportive and we have had a noticeable increase in new customers since winning the award. It was wonderful to take this award back to our committed and dedicated staff at The Strand Tavern."

SPONSORED BY

Roisin Curtin of Burren Smokehouse presents the award to Hal Reburn, Dervella Reburn, Gerard Phelan and Ian Byrne of The Strand Tavern.

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30/09/2015 17:14

Oliver Hughes of The Porterhouse presents the award to Gerry Derby and Colin Daly of The Gin Palace.

Ger Corkery, Eddie Reilly and Lucas Nowicki of JW Sweetman Craft Brewery.

THE GIN PALACE, DUBLIN

J.W SWEETMAN, DUBLIN

The Gin Palace in Dublin took the top honours in the inaugural Gin Bar of the Year category. “We were delighted with the win,” says Derek Garry. “It makes all the hard work worthwhile. It was the perfect time to introduce a Gin Bar of the Year category to the awards because gin is extremely popular at the moment. We plan to use the award in nearly all of our upcoming promotional campaigns and we hope to generate a lot of new business as a result of our awards success.”

J.W. Sweetman Craft Brewery in Dublin won the Craft Beer Bar of the Year award. "It was our first win in the Sky Bar of the Year Awards so everyone was delighted," says Sales and Marketing Manager Caitriona Kelly. "We got very positive feedback and a lot of people said it was well deserved. We also got a good response on Twitter and it was great for our staff. We have the plaque up behind the bar and we will be using the logo on our marketing material over the next year."

Gin Bar of the Year

Craft Beer Bar of the Year

SPONSORED BY

"Bunzl McLaughlin were extremely proud to sponsor the Sky Bar of the Year Awards because they recognise the talent we have within the industry and the awards are also a great opportunity to network with the bar trades' finest."

Martha O’Neill, Marketing Executive, Bunzl McLaughlin.

SPONSORED BY

Kate McDonnell and Kwanghi Chan, Culinary Director of Söder + Ko, receive their award from Mercy Fenton of Wicked Desserts.

..

SODOR+KO, DUBLIN

Innovative Bar of the Year Södor+KO claimed the Innovative Bar of the Year Award.

“It means so much to the business because we have tried to be different,” says Director Ray Byrne. “We opened in March this year, taking what was a tired nightclub on George's Street and turning it into something we are very excited about. We have really raised the standards and to have that recognised is very heartening. We went out straight away on social media to let our community of customers know about our win because they are our ambassadors for the business.”

SPONSORED BY

T

he licensed trade has changed beyond recognition over the last decade so Ashville Media Group's understanding of the issues facing publicans in Ireland has been a work in progress since we acquired Licensing World and the Bar of the Year awards three years ago.

In early 2015 I met with a cross section of publicans and, based on the excellent feedback, I decided to introduce our own changes to the Bar of the Year Awards to reflect what was happening in the wider industry. The biggest change was the introduction of panel judged categories – we assembled a panel of four judges plus myself who visited 110 entries across seven days over a five-week period. The expertise of the judging panel included a Heineken master brewer, a cocktail guru, a drinks journalist, and a trainer of bar managers, so every aspect of each premises visited was critiqued by four people. This meant that the winner wasn’t decided by an individual judge’s taste. We were delighted to welcome Sky as our headline sponsor this year and they will be with us for 2016. In fact, we are already planning for the 2016 awards and we hope to see your premises entered next year.

Tracey Carney, Event Director, Sky Bar of the Year Awards

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FOOD PAIRING

G

Philip Duignan and Doug Leddin of An Púcán receive their award from James O'Connor of Kantar Media.

AN PÚCÁN, GALWAY

Best Use of Social Media An Púcán took the top honours in the Best Use of Social Media category. "Since we opened the goal was to have the best social media bar in Galway so to be recognised as one of the best social media bars in Ireland was mind blowing," says Doug Leddin. "Our bar staff look after our Instagram and SnapChat, our graphic design team looks after Google Plus, our videographer takes care of our YouTube presence, and our GM looks after all private messages on our social media, so winning this award was a win for every single person on our team."

arrett Duff, Executive Chef, With Taste, worked with Ashville Media Group Event Director Tracey Carney on the creation of the special food and drink pairing menu. "I also worked directly with the suppliers in deciding on the ingredients that we selected for the menu," says Garrett.

"Burren Smokehouse, Pallas Foods and Keeling's Farm Fresh are already suppliers of ours so we knew the specifications that they worked to. We liaised with Wicked Desserts on the dessert, working Dalcassian's Licor 43 into the garnish for the cheesecake.

We are being increasingly asked to pair food with specific beverages, particularly craft beers, at a lot of events and award ceremonies that we cater for."

MENU

on the Night

STARTER Burren Smokehouse Smoked Salmon with Dingle Vodka Crème Fraiche, Walnut Crisp & Micro Herbs Paired with a Dingle Vodka

MAIN COURSE Chargrilled Prime Rib-Eye Beef, Potato Gratin and Glazed Baby Carrot, sautéed Green Beans with Bacon, Petit Balsamic Onions with Red Wine Jus Paired with Chieftain IPA

DESSERT Peanut Butter and Salted Caramel Cheesecake, Licor 43 Caramel Sauce, Candied Peanuts and Praline Crumb Paired with Licor 43 and a shot of Espresso from Darboven gourmet coffee company.

(l-r): Fra Martin, Bunzl McLaughlin, Patrick Thomas, Carolina Britto, Annemarie O'Neill and Gareth Lamb from Vintage Cocktail Club, with André Michel, Arc.

VINTAGE COCKTAIL CLUB, DUBLIN Cocktail Bar of the Year

Vintage Cocktail Club in Dublin won the Cocktail Bar of the Year award. "Our team in Vintage Cocktail Club work tirelessly to perfect every cocktail," says Gareth Lambe, General Manager of the Vintage Cocktail Club. "We aim to provide all our guests with a unique dining and drinking experience in the heart of Dublin city. Everything that comes out of winning is positive - our dedicated staff see that their hard work pays off, which results in a happy crew, and guest confidence increases, which means more bums on seats and more hours for staff, so everybody is happy."

1.9 Déclinaison des logos de Régions et Activités

SPONSORED BY

1. Logo

Seules les régions et activités ayant régulièrement un besoin de représentation interne et/ou externe au Groupe peuvent avoir une identité personnalisée.

FOOD SERVICE

Cette identité sera alors construite sur le principe suivant : 1. Logo Arc International 2. Activité et en Futura Bold Condensed rouge et majuscules.

L’activité doit prendre la largeur du carré sous lequel elle se place, si elle est courte elle sera centrée.

Elle doit être inférieure à 1,5 fois la hauteur du mot «international» dans le logo.

Aucune baseline n’est autorisée.

25

B2B

Licensing World AUT15_SKY BOTY_V2.indd 25

Les proportions de cet ensemble respectent la zone d’exclusion définie précédemment et ont été conçues dans un souci d’équilibre avec l’identité Arc International, elle doivent être respectées.

Tous les logos des régions et activités sont disponibles sur l’intranet Groupe.

01/10/2015 12:38

(l-r): Shaun Boyle, Declan Harrison and Darren McGovern of Harrison's Bar & Restaurant in Sligo, winners of the Country Bar of the Year award.

HARRISON'S BAR & RESTAURANT, SLIGO Country Bar of the Year

Harrison's Bar & Restaurant in Sligo won this year's Country Bar of the Year award. "We expect to get an initial large lift in sales as a result of this award win," says Declan Harrison. "Winning the Country Bar of the Year award also adds book value to the name and premises. We will be using the Sky Bar of the Year Awards accolade to promote our business in the media and also on our menus and signage.

A big thank you to everyone at Ashville Media Group for a great, fun, and smooth awards event."

The Dalcassian team (l-r): John Dillon, Ruth Dunne, Mick Monahan, Lisa Doyle, Brian Rigney, Pat Rigney, Julie McMahon, Sarah Regan and Nigel Duffy.

SPONSORED BY

"The 2015 Sky Bar of the Year Awards was a terrific event. We were delighted to be involved as a sponsor and we look forward to 2016.

Maurice Powell, Key Account Manager, Coca Cola

BRADY'S OF SHANKILL, DUBLIN Best InHouse/Charity Event

(l-r): Doreen Brosnan, John Brady, Willie Kelly and Emma O' Sullivan of Brady's of Shankill with their In House/Charity Event of the Year award.

Miriam Shannon and Sandra Murphy of The Marker Hotel with the hotel's Bar Manager Paul Malone, winner of the Bar Manager of the Year Award.

PAUL MALONE, THE MARKER BAR, DUBLIN Bar Manager of the Year

Brady's of Shankill won the Best In House/Charity Event category. “Giving something back to our local community is very important to us and we support the locality in any way we can," says John Brady. "Honouring our local hero Stephanie Roche earlier this year was a highlight for the entire team and we are delighted that it got such recognition. We see ourselves as ambassadors for the Irish pub so winning this award gives us all great encouragement to continue delivering superior service and quality food at exceptional value to all our customers.�

Paul Malone of The Marker Bar in The Marker Hotel in Dublin won the Bar Manager of the Year award. "I was thrilled to win the award, not only for myself but for the hotel and for all of my team and their tireless effort in delivering a five star product and service," says Paul. "I've been working in five-star hotels for over 10 years now and my philosophy has never changed. I strive every day to to deliver five-star service to all guests and I give the same level of attention to my team."

Special Commendation

AVRIL RING, THE NEW YORKER BAR @ CORK INTERNATIONAL HOTEL Bar Manager of the Year

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01/10/2015 12:38

THE MINT BAR @ THE WESTIN HOTEL, DUBLIN Hotel Bar of the Year

Brendan Napier and Louise Newman with Blake Homan and Jen Feles-Gosavi from Sky Business

SPONSORED BY

(l-r): Heidi Mullen, Alan Carton,Tom Doran, Conor Joey D'Arcy, Hannah Thomas and Barry Brennan of The Mint Bar at The Westin in Dublin.

The Mint Bar in The Westin Hotel in Dublin won the Hotel Bar of the Year award. "This is the category that we really wanted to win," says Head Bartender and Bar Supervisor Thomas Doran. "It was my first year running the bar and it was my main goal to win it this year, so mission accomplished! Everyone who enters the bar can see our award displayed at the entrance. It has become a great talking point. We have already used it on our social media page and it it will be a key part of our promotional activity."

THE IGO INN, DUBLIN

Laura and Tasha O’Hanlon from Club 92 with Michael Gavigan from The Central Bar in Navan

Local Bar of the Year

(l-r): John Brady, Emma O' Sullivan, Doreen Brosnan, Nuala McHugh, Thomas McHugh and Sorcha Brady of the Igo Inn are presented with their award by Colm Bury (second from right) of Keeling's Farm Fresh.

(l-r): Oliver Hayden, Aileen O'Donnell, Cathy Foran and Stephen Hayden from Jar.ie.

SPONSORED BY

The Igo Inn, sister bar to Brady's of Shankhill, took the top honours in the Local Bar of the Year category. "It is an absolute honour to win," says John Brady. "The Igo Inn is a quintessential Dublin local that always puts the customer first. We listen to our customers and we always take their suggestions on board. This, we believe, has been the key to our success. These awards prove that we are the best at what we do and we take great satisfaction from that."

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30/09/2015 17:22

CAFĖ EN SEINE, DUBLIN City Bar of the Year

ANDREW O’GORMAN is a former Head of the Department of Bar Management at DIT and a Past President of the Bartenders Association of Ireland.

JOHN MANSWORTH is a former publican and president of the Vintner’s Federation of Ireland.

MIKE O'CONNOR is Assistant Head of the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology at DIT. GAIL COTTER is a lecturer in CIT's Department of Tourism & Hospitality.

Denise Flynn and Tommy Browne of Café en Seine with their award.

Café en Seine on Dawson Street in Dublin won the City Bar of the Year category. "We are thrilled to have won the City Bar of the Year award for the second time!," says John Moriarty. "From the 300 year old building we inhabit, to our premium drink, food and polished service, we have a unique city offering so it’s great to have that recognised by colleagues, peers and customers.

We see this accolade as a great 'testimonial' and a valuable message to share with potential customers. It is certainly something we will be shouting about."

Sponsor "The growth in the number of craft pubs is testament to the high quality craft beers being produced by breweries around the country and we are happy to support the industry."

ANTHONY FARRELL is the director and proprietor at Love & Death Inc and Director of San-greal Events Ltd. A man whose palate can pick up the smallest nuances in a drink, Anthony was the panel's resident cocktail guru.

DARRAGH DOYLE is an online strategy and community manager for Irish events, film, television, theatre and tourism, and he brought his expertise to bear on the judging of the Best Use of Social Media category.

DONAGH DAVERN is a lecturer in CIT’s Department of Tourism & Hospitality. Donagh is also a former Regional General Manager with The Gleneagle Hotel Group, Group General Manager with the Kingsley Hotel Group, and Resort General Manager with The Heritage Golf and Spa Resort.

Shane Long, Founder of Franciscan Well Brewery

BRIDIE’S BAR, KILKENNY Outside Space of the Year

MICHAEL STEWART is Director at The Hudson Bar, Belfast, and is a Heineken Master brewer. If your bar serves Heineken, the chances are he has taught you or your staff the star serve technique.

STEPHEN HAYDEN is one of the driving forces behind Jar. ie, which was set up to give consumers and the industry detailed information on pubs and bars around Ireland.

TONY CONLON is a lecturer in Food & Beverage Studies in the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology at DIT.

(l-r): Ray Langton, Eamonn Langton, Trish Langton, Martin Langton and Monirull Newaz of Bridie's Bar in Kilkenny, winner of the Outside Space of the Year award.

Bridie's Bar, part of Langton's operations in Kilkenny, took the top honours in this category. The bar opened in 2010 and was designed by David Collins Studio in London. "It is an Irish bar with modern twists," says Eddie Langton. "A local potter designed our bar taps so they aren't branded and our garden was also designed by David Collins. Unlike Langtons, we don't offer food in Bridies - it is a traditional pub where it is all about having a drink and a chat and doing it outdoors if you want."

Left: (l-r) Dennis Frayne, Stephen Miller and Marty Frayne from Maggie May's bar, with Licensing World's Fiona Larmon and Maev Martin.

(l-r): Sharon Geoghan, Brian O'Sullivan, and Heidi McWeeney from Heineken Ireland.

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01/10/2015 12:45

Thank you to our

SUPPLIERS SALMON BY

Ruth Dunne (left) and Mick Monaghan (right) of Dalcassian Wines present the Dublin Bar of the Year Award to Paul and Margaret Corcoran of Toners.

TONERS, DUBLIN

ALL MEATS BY

Dublin Bar of the Year (Public Vote) Toners on Baggot Street in Dublin won the Dublin Bar of the Year award. "I was a bit amazed because the opposition in the category was very tough," says Bar Manager Paul Corcoran. "This is our first win in the Bar of the Year award and our first year to enter. We got great feedback from our customers – they were delighted with our win.

They all said they voted for us so it has been a major talking point with them since we won."

Annemarie O'Neill (left) of the Vintage Cocktail Club with her colleague Carolina Britto, winner of the Staff Personality of the Year award.

SPONSORED BY

DISTRIBUTED BY

FRUIT & VEGETABLES BY

DESSERTS BY

CAROLINA BRITTO

VINTAGE COCKTAIL CLUB, DUBLIN Staff Personality of the Year

Carolina Britto from the Vintage Cocktail Club in Dublin won the Staff Personality of the Year award. "I can’t think of a more deserved winner of that award," says Gareth Lambe, General Manager of the Vintage Cocktail Club. Carolina is one of those rare employees that just brings light to every situation, good or bad. She has been with us for a year now and she came with very little training (as all our crew normally does) but she learned fast and quickly became one of our best front of house team members."

CATERED BY

1.9 Déclinaison des logos WINE GLASSES BY de Régions et Activités

Seules les régions et activités ayant régulièrem besoin de représentation interne et/ou externe peuvent avoir une identité personnalisée.

(l-r): Paul McNulty, Phil Ginnell, Shane Clifford and Shane O'Connor of Blackbird, winner of the Bulleit Style Bar of the Year award.

BLACKBIRD, DUBLIN

Bulleit Style Bar of the Year Blackbird in Dublin won the Bulleit Style Bar of the Year award. "It is great to get an award for the bar," says Shane Clifford. "Obviously, we have been here before with our other two bars, Cassidy's and Pmac's, so we were quite hopeful that we could make it a hat-trick. The plaque will be getting pride of place in the bar and we will be promoting the win on our social media platforms." (l-r): Paul Conneely, Ronan O’Hagan, Ger Corkery, Seamus Harahan, and Neil Hubbard from Franciscan Well.

SPONSORED BY

FOOD SERVICE

B2B

BEVERAGES BY

CONSUMER GOODS

Cette identité sera alors construite sur le princ 1. Logo Arc International 2. Activité et en Futura Bold Condensed rouge et maju L’activité doit prendre la largeur du carré sous se place, si elle est courte elle sera centrée.

Elle doit être inférieure à 1,5 fois la hauteur du «international» dans le logo.

Aucune baseline n’est autorisée.

Les proportions de cet ensemble respectent la d’exclusion définie précédemment et ont été c dans un souci d’équilibre avec l’identité Arc In elle doivent être respectées.

Tous les logos des régions et activités sont sur l’intranet Groupe.

Intranet Groupe > Base documentaire > Charte

Note Aucune déclinaison de logo pour les directions et/ou services internes ne peut êt

Le nom des directions et/ou services internes apparaît en accompagnement du no de la personne rattachée à ce service au sein de documents de correspondance. exemple :

Jean Martin Achats Groupe

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30/09/2015 17:26

(l-r): Slim Derby, Avril Carter, Lorraine Sherlock, Gerry Harrington, Louise Sherlock and James Winters of the Empire Bar in Swords with their award.

EMPIRE BAR SWORDS, DUBLIN

Leinster Bar of the Year (Public Vote) The Empire Bar in Swords in Dublin was named the Leinster Bar of the Year. "We are so proud to win such a prestigious award," says Marketing Manager Avril Kelly. "Our staff morale is at an all-time high. It is huge for Swords and great exposure for everyone concerned. It means that our business will increase by 10% to 15% by being able to talk about this award. The plaque is on the wall and we are very proud to display it."

(l-r): Alan Rooney, second from left, with his colleagues Jamie Neason, Magda Dobrowska, Lisa Meehan and Arun Prabhu of The Sanctuary Bar at the Crowne Plaza Dublin in Blanchardstown.

SANCTUARY BAR @ CROWNE PLAZA BLANCHARDSTOWN Outstanding Customer Service Award

The Sanctuary Bar at the Crowne Plaza Dublin Hotel in Blanchardstown won the award for Outstanding Customer Service.

"Our customer is at the forefront of everything that we do so it is fantastic that our team have won this award," says Senior Manager Alan Rooney. "They have been so excited since we were shortlisted a few months back and it was a very proud moment to be able to come back to the hotel last Monday and tell them that all their hard work had paid off. "

(l-r): Keith Jones, Louise Leneghan, Rhona Kavanagh, Darren Kavanagh and Asta Jones of The Palace in Navan, winner of the Nightclub of the Year

THE PALACE, NAVAN, CO MEATH

SPONSORED BY

Nightclub of the Year

The Palace in Navan claimed the Nightclub of the Year award. General Manager Darren Kavanagh says they are excited to win the award for the second time in four years. “We won Live Music Venue of the Year last year so to get all those awards over a four year period is very exciting,” he says. “It gives us something to shout out loud about and social media will play a big part in getting the word out. We will probably host a celebration night for customers as well.”

We really enjoyed the evening and were delighted to be involved as a sponsor in the 10 year anniversary celebrations.

Congratulations to all winners and finalists .

Colin Owens, Diageo

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30/09/2015 17:26

In the

NEWS @HER.IE

Larry Martin, Joe O' Malley, and Stephen Cooper of The Porter House in Westport, Co Mayo, winners of the Music Venue of the Year award.

THE PORTER HOUSE, WESTPORT, CO MAYO

Music Venue of the Year (Public Vote) The Porter House in Co Mayo scooped the Music Venue of the Year award. "It was a fantastic night – the whole experience was great, from the pre-drinks to the post event party and the venue itself, and Sky really added an extra punch to proceedings," says owner Joe O'Malley. "We were delighted to win this category and surprised, given the calibre of the finalists. Our customers are congratulating us and saying it was well deserved. I must compliment our staff, who coordinate the music to ensure that it is seven nights a week, and the excellent musicians who entertain our customers."

SPONSORED BY

(l-r): Darragh O’Neill and Martina Hannigan from The Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan.

(l-r): Ashley Williams, Lockie Kinsella,Violet Williams, Leigh Williams, Aoife Collier, and Martin Roe of Mickey Finn's Pub at The Wicklow Brewery.

MICKEY FINN'S PUB @ THE WICKLOW BREWERY Tourist Bar of the Year

(l-r): Guests Darragh Doyle and Niamh Ni Chonchubair.

Mickey Finn's Pub at The Wicklow Brewery took the top honours in the Tourist Bar of the Year category. "It was our third time to be nominated in the Tourist Bar category so we were delighted to finally win," says Leigh Williams. "After ten years of redevelopment and putting together a great team we are now a must visit destination for tourists. We got a huge response to the award win on Facebook and in local newspapers. Our next step is to inform local and national tourist agencies, as well as tour companies, so they can bring something new to their customers for 2016."

"The celebrations may still be on in Kilkenny after the senior hurlers bagged another All-Ireland title at the weekend, but now the Cats have been given yet another reason to celebrate. Langton’s Bar in Kilkenny has been named Ireland’s Bar of the Year for 2015 at the Sky Bar of the Year awards which were held in Dublin’s Mansion House.

The popular bar beat off stiff competition from around the country to bag the coveted title."

@JOURNAL.IE "On Monday, The Sky Bar of the Year Awards took place. The awards honoured the best pubs in Ireland, so we decided to take a closer look at the bars that walked away with the all-important gongs.

Langtons, Kilkenny was honoured with the prestigious title of Bar of the Year.

It’s a staple of the Kilkenny nightlife scene. And the perfect place to drop into for just the one."

@JAR.IE "The awards themselves were celebrating 10 years with a gala dinner in the Round Room at the Mansion House Dublin.

The Sky Bar of the Year Awards recognise the excellent bars, knowledgeable staff, high quality service, and innovation in the bar trade. Newstalk’s Tom Dunne hosted a fantastic night in a packed out Mansion House."

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30/09/2015 17:29

COCA COLA - PHOTO BOOTH -

Coca Cola's interactive photo booth, a key part of their summer 2015 promotional campaign, was specially installed in Café en Seine so that our guests could capture the fun of the night. It seems to have kept everybody entertained!

(l-r): Lorraine Pollard, Violet Williams, Aoife Collier, Leigh Williams and Esther Rhynehart.

(l-r): Kieran O'Driscoll, Geraldine Carton, Tom Deasy and Conor Kelly of Sober Lane in Cork, winners of the Munster Bar of the Year award.

SOBER LANE, CORK

(l-r): Barry Moran, Damien O’Reilly and Maurice Powell, all from Coca Cola HBC Ireland.

Shay Livingstone, Philip Duignan, Tom Joyce, Doug Leddin, Cyril Briscoe, and Johnny Duggan of An Púcán, Galway.

AN PÚCÁN, GALWAY

Munster Bar of the Year (Public Vote)

Connacht Bar of the Year (Public Vote)

Sober Lane in Cork were victorious in the Munster Bar of the Year category.

“We were delighted to win,” says Ernest Cantillon. “We have been nominated before and we were lucky enough to win other categories like Best Use of Social Media but never an award this big or prestigious. It is great for the profile of the brand, especially now that Sober Lane D4 has been successful and we are actively seeking more locations. Also, the feel good factor that the win has generated among customers is priceless.”

An Pucán won the Connacht Bar of the Year award.

“We weren't expecting to win any awards, let alone two, so we were thrilled with the result,” says Doug Leddin. “Winning this prestigious award is great for the business and we hope it will attract more new customers to the venue over the coming months. We will be hanging up our plaques with pride at the entrance, as well as including our new award wins in all of our promotional material, both in print and across social media.”

@EmpireBarSwords Empire team picking up our award on Monday night. Still on a high since our win. #skybarawards @BarOfTheYear

BAR OF THE YEAR 2016 If you want to find out more about the Sky Bar of the Year Awards 2016, or if you would like to register your interest, please log on to www.licensingworld.ie/awards and a member of our events team will be in touch.

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01/10/2015 12:50

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www.keelings.com 21/09/2015 14:11

Budget 2016

Reducing Excise A Win Win for Government and Industry Budget 2016 will be revealed on October 15th and, in its recent submission to Government, DIGI (Drinks Industry Group of Ireland) recently made a strong case for the reduction of excise tax on alcohol by 15%.

s a consequence of Budget 2013 and Budget 2014, and in less than 12 months between December 2012 and October 2013, excise on beer increased by 44%, excise on spirits increased by 27% and excise on wine increased by 62%, resulting in Ireland having the third highest excise rate in the EU on beer and spirits, and the highest excise rate on wine.

Even though Budget 2015 kept excise levels on alcohol static, the effects of previous increases continue to be felt throughout the drinks industry and wider economy today. For example, government activity has been responsible for 77% of the price increase since 2011 of an average priced pint of stout.

These increases continue to threaten the sustainability of thousands of Irish pubs, restaurants, hotels and off-licences, endanger existing and future capital investment from global drinks companies,

and compromise the potential growth of indigenous Irish alcohol producers.

In its submission DIGI says that a reduction in excise tax on alcohol by 15%, which amounts to a reversal of Budget 2014's increases and which, they claim, is affordable within the expected economic and public finances environment, will support Ireland's national, regional and local economies, give back to hard-pressed Irish consumers, and protect Irish tourism.

The industry contributes 2.3bn worth of excise and VAT income, as well as hundreds of millions in income tax, PRSI receipts, and tax on profits to the State. In 2015, the State receives 1.34 or 31.2% from an on-trade pint costing 4.30, 16.71 or 65.2% from an off-licence bottle of whiskey costing 25.64, and 5.17 or 48.9% from an off-licence bottle of wine costing 10.58.

The drinks industry has experienced a challenging number of years and excise duty increases have been shown to reduce the commercial sustainability of businesses, contribute to closures and

In less than 12 months ... excise on beer increased by 44%, spirits by 27% and wine by 62%, resulting in Ireland having the third highest excise rate in the EU on beer and spirits, and the highest excise rate on wine.

a reduction in the scale of operations, and are estimated to be responsible for the loss of 1,500 direct, indirect and multiplier jobs. The DIGI submission makes the point that a 15% reduction in excise on alcohol would play a large part in allowing the drinks industry to support Ireland's national, regional and local economies by creating stability in the pub trade and, consequently, job growth.

PRICE The most common criticism of the ontrade, and one of the largest obstacles to commercial viability in the sector, is price, which is being driven largely

by Government policy. Average adult consumption, at 11.086 litres in 2014, is 23.2% below the 2001 peak and 17.8% below 2007. It is also the second lowest annual rate since 2001. Ontrade sales volumes have declined by 34% in the eight years between March 2007 and March 2015, far larger than the 17.8% reduction in consumption rate in the same period.

The decline points to a change in consumption patterns from on-trade to off-trade. This is because the on-trade cannot avoid passing on excise increases by raising prices on other products in their product ranges as some off-trade retailers such as multiples can. And this decline occurred despite substantial efforts by the on-licence sector to sustain volumes through more extensive and improved food offerings, increased marketing and promotion, refurbishment, improved entertainment and other developments.

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Budget 2016

Startling

Stats

Gary O’Donovan, Chairman NoffLA, pictured at the 2015/16 Irish Wine Show judging event, where he said that Government policy unfairly targets wine for excessive taxation because it is not produced commercially in Ireland.

This large volume reduction also comes against a backdrop of increased operating costs, which have been pushing many on-trade retailers to the brink.

The on-licence sector is characterised by small pubs. Most pubs have low turnover levels and are family-owned and operated. Data from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners show that 53% of all seven-day licensed pubs have turnovers of less than 190,500 and are thus highly impacted by changes in economic policy, particularly excise. Data from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners shows a decline in pub licences of over 10% between 2007 and 2014.

They suffer from the consequences of below cost selling by the multiple retailers.

This practice also costs the exchequer VAT revenue because VAT is refunded on the higher bought-in value and paid on the lower 'below cost' selling value.

Unlike large multiples, and like the ontrade, independent off-licences cannot avoid passing on excise increases by raising prices on other products in their product ranges. The DIGI submission also points out that independent offlicences are also disadvantaged by the licensing regime, whereby the licence fee is unrelated to the volume of alcohol sales. Many of these have had to delay in investing in their companies and focus on covering these day-to-day costs as a result of these excise increases.

While the overall off-licence market has grown, the increase is confined to the multiples. Competition from the multiples poses a substantial threat to the commercial viability of the several hundred independent owner-occupier off-licences. Along with on-trade businesses, independent off-licences have a very narrow product range and are heavily dependent on alcohol sales.

50% of independent off-licences reported a decline in turnover in 2014, compared to 2013, according to survey data from DIGI member, the National Off-Licence Association (NoffLA). Close to 50% of these cited the current level of excise as the main reason for a decline in business, with over 50% suggesting they would struggle to remain open if excise was increased again in Budget 2016. ■

LICENCES UNDER PRESSURE

The average price of a pint of stout increased by 37% between 2011 and 2015, with almost 29% or 77% of the increase being directly attributable to government policy. Increases are compounded by the fact that the serving of drinks continues to be burdened by the standard VAT rate of 23% instead of the lower nine per cent tourism rate, and VAT is charged on the total price (including excise) which results in consumers paying tax on a tax.

In 2014, Irish consumers of alcohol paid €1.14m in excise or €399 per consumer to the State.

A 15% reduction would return €74 to the average consumer (based on data from Office of Revenue Commissioners and DIGI analysis).

Sixteen of the EU28 do not charge excise on wine and there is a substantial difference between the high alcohol excise countries of Ireland, the UK, Sweden and Finland, and the rest of the EU28, which have very low alcohol excise. Irish drinkers pay on average €420.37 in alcohol excise per year compared to the €40.21 paid by German drinkers.

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Join the action today!

Help grow your business by drawing in more customers and putting more cash in the tills

Q1_420x297_DPS_LW_1810.indd Untitled-1 1 235420_DPS_Sky_ALS_LW.indd 11

18/09/2015 15:52 28/09/2015 22/09/2015 14:57 10:35

Great sport you’ve missed on Sky Sports

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Wine

Chileans On The List

PUT

In Ireland, most good restaurants have a Chilean wine in their portfolio and the publican who is looking for popular wines to sell should make sure that they too have a range of Chilean wines on their list.

hilean wine resonates positively with many Irish consumers who believe that Chile produces good value drinking wines at competitive prices. The most recent figures for the Irish wine market bear this out - Chile has overtaken Australia as the no 1 country of origin, with 23.5% of the Irish wine market. Australia is next with 18.6%, France is in third place with 14.5%, Spanish wines comes fourth with 11.8% and, in fifth place, you have Italy with 10.2% of wine sales.

Wine is Ireland’s second most popular alcoholic beverage after beer (Source IWA Report August 2015).

Chile's dominance here in Ireland is driven by a number of key Chilean producers whose popularity has put Chile into the number one country of origin. Santa Rita continues to be the top selling wine brand in Ireland, while Concha y Toro’s Castillero del Diabolo, Cono Sur and Vina Carmen are all driving the Chilean category in terms of both volume and value sales.

I really feel that Chile is due a bit of an update in terms of developments within their wine industry. For over a decade, Chilean wine bubbled under in second place but now Chile is throwing off its reputation for safe consistency and is

is ideal for a broad range of wine styles. The best quality cool climate red and white wines come from the emerging coastal regions of Elqui, Limari Valley, Choapa, Aconcagua, Casablanca and San Antonio where white grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay excel.

These regions are also good for cool climate red grapes such as Pinot Noir and Syrah. The warmer climate regions such as Cachapoal, Colchagua, Curico, and Maule are the source for many very good quality red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenere.

introducing new experimental wine styles. These emerging styles are starting to capture the customer’s interest and this too is driving wine sales.

Chile has a vineyard area that is 750 miles long – that is greater than the whole of France, which boasts an area of 440 miles. Nowadays, the styles of wine produced in Chile are fresher, with less oak, lower alcohol and more balance. The country has a unique climate which enables it to produce a diverse range of quality wines. It has the snow-capped Andes range and the cold Humboldt current of the Pacific Ocean that creates cool nights which, combined with a high number of sunshine days, give a temperature gap which

Chile is also surrounded by natural barriers (desert, ocean and mountains) that keep diseases like phylloxera

at bay. It is the only wine producing country in the world never to have been infected with this aphid, which is the scourge of the wine industry globally. With these kinds of conditions Chile produces wines with intense fruit fragrance, good colour, and gentle tannins, making their wines easier to drink young. Chile also has Carmenere, a varietal which was French in origin but is now only commercially produced in Chile.

CHILE WINE FACTS Chile is the oldest New World country in the world and can trace its wine making history as far back as 1548 when vines were first brought to Chile by two Spanish friars.

Chile is only 120km wide and

Aconcagua – one of the five large wine growing regions in Chile.

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Wine

ones to

watch

Some of the Chilean wineries worth looking out for include:

The snow-capped Andes range and the cold Humboldt current of the Pacific Ocean create cool nights which, combined with a high number of sunshine days, give a temperature gap which is ideal for a broad range of wine styles.

vines are cultivated in Chile over a distance of 600 miles. Most regions have a Mediterranean climate with little or no rainfall during the growing season.

Ireland is the 10th most important market globally for bottled wine from Chile.

The Irish market consumes more Chilean wine than Denmark or Russia.

The Chilean wine growing areas are grouped into five large regions from north to south - Atacama, Coquimbo, Aconcagua, Valle Central and Sur. Of these, the last three are the most important, with the greatest concentration of quality wine production centred in the Valle Central, which begins near Santiago and ends just below Cauquenes, 300 kilometres south. From north to south there are 14 main wine producing valleys.

WINE & FOOD Chile’s culinary history has been heavily influenced by the Mediterranean diet of its early European settlers.

It is not surprising then that Chile is world-renowned

Chilean vineyards.

for its extraordinary array of seafood and today there is a growing range of elegant white wines to serve up with a vast choice of seafood, something as simple as little smoked salmon hors d’oeuvres (Chile is one of the world’s leading producers of smoked salmon) would be perfect with a chilled glass of Chilean white wine. The light crisp wines from Casablanca or Limara are always a good choice with poached fish, creamy pasta or rice dishes, as well as cold meat salads and vegetable soups.

Chile’s red wines, especially their outstanding Cabernet

Sauvignon, are perfect served with any type of red meat dish.

Fruity young Cabernet wines whose tannins are obvious but subtle are great served with simple well prepared roast dishes such as lamb or beef, and these wines are also good with simple meat and potato dishes. Merlot dominated wines with a good structure and plummy flavour are great served cool with fish - grilled or baked.

Merlot will also handle meat and onion topped pasta dishes. Vegetarians can try a ratatouille. Light spicy Carmenere is perfect with mild curries or beef casseroles. ■

■ BOTALCURA (Greenlea Wines) ■ BISQUERTT (Dalcassian Wines) ■ CARMEN (C&C Gleeson) ■ VINA CASABLANCA (James Nicholson Wine Merchants) ■ CASA LAPOSTELLE (Comans Wines) ■ CASA SILVA (Barry & Fitzwilliam) ■ CONCHA Y TORO (Richmond Marketing) ■ CONO SUR (Findlater Wine & Spirits) ■ DE MARTINO (Febvre & Co) ■ EMILIANA (Tindal Wine Merchants) ■ ERRAZURIZ (Cassidy Wines) ■ LUIS FELIPE EDWARDS (10 International) ■ MONTES (Liberty Wines) ■ MONT GRAS (Barry & Fitzwilliam) ■ SAN PEDRO (Cassidy Wines) ■ SANTA CAROLINA (Ampersand) ■ SANTA RITA (C&C Gleeson) ■ TORRES SANTA DIGNA (Findlater Wine & Spirit) ■ UNDURRAGA (Comans Wines) ■ VIU MANENT (Mackenway Distributors) ■ VIA/VERAMONT (Classic Drinks) ■ VALDIVESO (J&C Kenny) ■ VISTAMAR (The Vineyard Galway).

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Commercial Profile

A Revolution

By The Glass The Coravin Wine Access System is changing the way wine is enjoyed, served and sold in Ireland.

he Coravin Wine Access System is proving to be a gamechanger for restaurants and wine bars as it allows users to pour and enjoy wine from their favourite bottles without pulling the cork.

EXPANDED OFFERING Coravin makes it possible for restaurants and wine bars to offer a much broader selection of fine wines by the glass. Now they can serve By The Glass offerings from their finest bottles and oneoffs without fear of waste and encourage guests to try iconic wines that they might not have tried otherwise. It also opens up the opportunity to create special themed nights that can run for a week or a month without the fear of the bottles spoiling, as well as the potential for new food and wine pairings. In other words, the opportunities are truly endless.

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED World-renowned wine expert Robert Parker has called Coravin "the most transformational and exciting new product for wine lovers that

has been developed or invented in the last 30 plus years," and he joins Jancis Robinson as one of the many famous wine personalities to lend their backing to the device.

Irish wine experts have been similarly impressed, with Tomas Clancy of the Sunday Business Post saying that "for wine lovers, and especially for restaurateurs, I can see it being a huge boon...this is one of the most exciting developments in wine for a decade." Similarly Martin Moran MW expressed his admiration for the device in the Sunday Times: "I concur with Robert M Parker Jr., who called Coravin a 'gamechanger'...It's hard not to be seduced by the logic of it – and I, for one, have a few fine bottles at home that I'm dying to sample at last by the glass."

confirmed that there was no discernible difference in the wines.

So, after 14 years of scientific development, critical acclaim and independent real-life testing, it can be safely said that Coravin is far from being another wine gimmick and is, indeed, the 'gamechanger' we've all been waiting for. â–

INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED Indeed, following its initial launch at which a number of wines were tasted by using Coravin, Ireland's top journalists were invited back three months later to re-taste the previously accessed bottles versus bottles freshly opened on the day. The result? The blind tests undertaken by 15 of Ireland's top wine minds unanimously

Coravin is available for RSP 299 and is exclusively distributed in the Republic of Ireland by Findlater Wine & Spirit Group.

TM

Contact Findlater at info@findlaterws.ie or call 1850 200 569 for more details.

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS 1. Logo

1.9 Déclinaison des logos de Régions et Activités Seules les régions et activités ayant régulièrement un besoin de représentation interne et/ou externe au Groupe peuvent avoir une identité personnalisée.

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B2B

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Cette identité sera alors construite sur le principe suivant : 1. Logo Arc International 2. Activité et en Futura Bold Condensed rouge et majuscules.

L’activité doit prendre la largeur du carré sous lequel elle se place, si elle est courte elle sera centrée.

Elle doit être inférieure à 1,5 fois la hauteur du mot «international» dans le logo.

Aucune baseline n’est autorisée.

Les proportions de cet ensemble respectent la zone d’exclusion définie précédemment et ont été conçues dans un souci d’équilibre avec l’identité Arc International, elle doivent être respectées.

Tous les logos des régions et activités sont disponibles sur l’intranet Groupe.

Intranet Groupe > Base documentaire > Charte Graphique

Note Aucune déclinaison de logo pour les directions et/ou services internes ne peut être envisagée.

Le nom des directions et/ou services internes apparaît en accompagnement du nom de la personne rattachée à ce service au sein de documents de correspondance. exemple :

Jean Martin Achats Groupe

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Commercial Profile

Value for publicans from

The Cloud "The Revenue gets more value from my books than I do." That's what accountant Danny O'Connell has been hearing for years and it is why he founded Books4Publicans, ic ro i e lica i i orma io a eir fi er i a a r ri i l lo rice

L

arge pubs and groups normally have full-time bookkeepers, and even accountants, who can provide up-to-date information at anytime," says Danny. "But the vast majority of pubs are small and medium-sized and do not have this facility. The Internet now makes it possible for any business person to have information at his or her fingertips. However, in addition to using a cloudbased system, there are three more vital ingredients: there

Dashboard screen.

Select one of the icons e.g. Creditors

'Income & Expenses' icon on the dashboard. The 'change period' button allows the user to view the transactions in the previous year."

must be a simple and secure way to get a report on your phone, tablet or computer; the records must be up-todate; and the price must be right. A publican using Books4Publicans will enjoy all of the above. Information is available on any computer, tablet or smartphone using a very intuitive user interface.

The panel below shows the initial 'dashboard' screen on a phone which, in two screen-taps, brings the user into the account of any supplier. The advertising screen to the right can be reached by selecting the

Books4Publicans standard offering costs 199 per month for any pub with gross sales of up to 2.5m, "subject to reasonable conditions." At this price, books are updated once a month. "In addition to the advantages to the user, his accountant also has the advantage of having full access at any time to the records from his own

Creditors screen (in order of value).

Select a supplier e.g. Counterpoint

Counterpoint account. (latest transaction first)

desktop," says Danny.

"Further features are also being developed which will be available to users, usually at no extra charge.

Books4Publicans keeps all of its records at a hosting centre, which also looks after the records of some of the largest companies in the country. This means that a client’s records are far better protected from Internet threats than if records were kept on an Internet-connected computer in the client’s own premises. Books4Publicans accordingly maintains the highest standards of security regarding confidentiality, virus corruption and recoverability." ■

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• • • • • • •

Up-to-date records Experienced account managers Key information always at your fingertips Intuitive to use Anytime access for your accountant Fixed price From 199* per month.

* Subject to very reasonable terms & conditions.

15 Knockmitten Road, Western Industrial Estate, Dublin 12 T: 01 450 8999 | E: info@books4publicans.com | www.books4publicans.com

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Best Buys

Best Buys Bollinger Bollinger has been James Bond’s on-screen champagne of choice since Roger Moore sipped on a glass in 1973’s Live And Let Die. To celebrate the release this October of Spectre, the new James Bond film, Champagne Bollinger is launching a new limited edition based on the values shared by the House and the famous secret agent: elegance, style and unassuming sophistication. The new gift box is inspired by 007’s legendary tuxedo, using an innovative fabric-like micro-relief thread and satinlike strips inspired by classic tuxedo lapels. Inside is the rare and unique Bollinger 2009 vintage which will only be available via this limited edition.

Black Tower Black Tower has launched the 5.5% ABV ‘B Secco’ to join its highly successful B by Black Tower range.

Available as both White and Rosé, B Secco is highly refreshing, lightly sparkling and only 65 kcals per 100ml, which is 30% less than standard wines.

B Secco provides the ideal combination of low alcohol and low calories, attracting the growing number of consumers who want a healthier lifestyle without giving up on social enjoyment. With its consistently outstanding taste, B by Black Tower is the leading brand in this category, while its lower alcohol duty allows for competitive pricing and greater margins.

Be sure to ask your Findlater Wine & Spirit Group Wine Specialist for more details.

Stoli The search was on for Ireland's Ultimate Martini this year when ultra-luxury vodka, elit by Stolichnaya, invited Ireland's mixologists to invent their own unique cocktail. Darren Geraghty of The Candlelight Bar in Dundrum was the overall winner for his creation 'The Umenez', which thrilled a panel of judges that included John Wilson of The Irish Times. elit represents the zenith of Stoli's distillation technique, using the highest-grade Alpha spirit and a patented 'freeze-filtration' technique to produce an incredible vodka of unparalleled purity. Consistently commended as the highest-rated white spirit in the world, elit is a masterclass in how vodka should be.

Stoli is distributed in Ireland by Findlater Wine & Spirit Group.

For further information, contact Findlater Wine & Spirit Group.

Cono Sur Cono Sur, the No. 2 Chilean wine brand in Ireland, began the year by once again being named in Drinks International’s Top 10 Most Admired Wine Brands before activating a number of innovative consumer-focused campaigns in Ireland. First up was Cono Sur’s partnership with the Tour de Picnic charity cycle, with the winery sponsoring Team Cono Sur’s ten places at the event, followed by the international Cono Sur Blogger Competition: Irish foodies were invited to submit an original recipe to pair with Cono Sur’s Single Vineyard wines, with a trip to Chile for the overall winner. This was all supported by a new TV, digital and outdoor advertising campaign which represented a significant investment by the brand in Ireland.

Visit www.findlaterws.ie to see more wines in Findlater Wine & Spirit's portfolio.

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28/09/2015 02/06/2015 14:33 16:56