jukebox technology stretches Outside the Box: Digital across multiple platforms on-premise. The How-To Publication
BAR BUSINE$$ April 2015
M A G A Z I N E
Strainy Season
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New cocktails for your Spring seasonal menus
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BAR BUSINE$$
On Tap APRIL 2015
CONTENTS
27
Working together
HOW TO
19
19
23
27
Getting in the game
beat the beer drip
the getalong gang Rules
The Arooga’s sports bar franchise opens its first Mohegan Tribe unit in the shadow of a gaming casino and offers some great gaming of its own.
Inventory expert Kevin Tam has 8 tips to reduce waste and improve pours from your on-premise draught beer system.
Brian Warrener looks at ways to create harmony amongst your back-house and front-house employees to improve business.
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April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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On Tap
BAR BUSINE$$
CONTENTS
30 Departments 4 Bar room drawl 6 Booze News Heineken Light is the best light beer you’ll ever taste, or your money back; Jon Taffer talks with Bar Business; Lighting design award for Texas club; Limited edition U.S. armed forces whiskey bottle; Brewing and distilling academy.
10 liquid Assets With the continuing influx of new beer flavors and seasonal styles aimed at appeasing smart consumers, cider has emerged in the U.S. as a viable option for bar owners on-premise.
40 Big six The latest save by nightlife innovators 1933 Group is the rescue of a Los Angeles landmark that now serves a barrel full of great drinks under the name Idle Hour.
44 Inventory 46 holiday happenings 48 OWNING UP For an amateur beer brewing enthusiast in the U.K., the dream job was to get paid to do what he loves. Guess what happened next.
Features 30 A Full Moon The most American of spirits in a sense, moonshine is finally getting its day in the sun as a legitimate cocktail component as mixologists and culturalists alike, align.
36 Sprung spirits Yes, Spring has sprung, finally. With our quarterly look at seasonal spirits, a New York City mixologist brings herbs and other timely ingredients to the forefront of his drinks.
ON THE COVER Seth Boyce pours a “Still of the Night” moonshine cocktail at Spiked Lounge, Harrah’s Resort, Southern California. Photo by Troy Doney.
40 “Bar Business Magazine” (ISSN 1944-7531 [print], ISSN 2161-5071 [digital]) (USPS# 000-342) is published February, April, June, August, October, & December for $45.00 per year and January, March, May, July, September, & November will only be offered in a digital format at no charge by Simmons-Boardman, 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2015 Simmons-Boardman. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any fashion without the expressed written consent of Simmons-Boardman. Qualified U.S. bar owners may request a free subscription. Non-qualified U.S. subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $45.00; Canada $90.00; foreign $189.00; foreign, air mail $289.00. 2 years US 75.00; Canada $120.00; foreign $300.00; foreign, air mail $500.00. BOTH Print and Digital Versions: 1 year US 68.00; Canada $135.00; foreign $284.00; foreign, air mail $384.00. 2 years US $113.00; Canada $180.00; foreign $450.00; foreign, air mail $650.00. Single Copies are $10.00 each. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. For subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172. Instructional information in this magazine should only be performed by skilled crafts people with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all reader to exercise care when engaging in any of the how-to activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172.
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Bar Business Magazine April 2015
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Bar Room Drawl By Chris Ytuarte Editor
Beer, Booze and Blue Sky "Show me how you drink and I will tell you who you are." — Emile Peynaud Finally, Spring has arrived. And for those of us on the East Coast and in the Midwest, that is a big deal. We just suffered through one of the coldest, longest, snowiest (Boston, I’m looking at you) Winters in recent memory. It was the Winter that lingered like a customer who doesn’t think the term ‘Last Call’ applies to him, and when he finally does decide to vacate, he leaves you a tip in the form of three more inches of snow. That was our Winter. So forgive me if I’m a little excited about the change in season and about the content in this issue, much of which celebrates Spring. If you’re reading this in San Diego and wondering what I’m whining about, just back off, ok? For most of the country, the bar season really begins now. “We believe the year begins and ends at The Nightclub & Bar Show, meaning if you’re a bar operator and you come to the show every March, when you go home you have an arsenal full of promotions and stuff to do all year,” says Jon Taffer, President of Nightclub & Bar Media Group and host of Spike TV’s hit show Bar Rescue. “To us, the new year — the new business season — begins when you leave The Nightclub & Bar Show.” 4
Bar Business Magazine April 2015
We’d have to agree with Jon. After exhibiting once again at The Nightclub & Bar Show and meeting with Taffer on the show floor (see Booze News page 7 for more info on that pow-wow), the Bar Business staff not only came back to New York with a stockpile of new information and ideas to share with the industry, we also arrived to temperatures above 60 degrees, to warm happy hour evenings, and to bars finally opening outdoor spaces on sidewalks, courtyards, and rooftops throughout the city. So of course, our April issue had to be in line with the times. We kick off our Spring seasonal coverage with a look at the cider category and its arrival as a viable option for U.S. consumers who like to go light with their beverages this time of year. That is followed up by two features, one on the emergence of moonshine and its cocktail applications this Spring, the other a download from a New York mixologist named Cody Goldstein who is just as excited about seasonal cocktails this Spring as we are, and he provides some great ideas for you to try on-premise. Of course there is plenty of additional “How-To” information in between, on gaming, draught beer controls, and staff relations; plus a visit to sunny LA and Idle Hour, the newest nightlife rescue project by 1933 Group; and finally a look at the latest in the expanding on-premise entertainment ecosystem in our Tuning Up column. But you know what? It’s 70 degrees. The sun is out. Let’s head to the bar.
BAR BUSINE$$ MAGAZINE
April 2015 Vol. 8, No. 4 Bar Business Magazine (ISSN 1944-7531) is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004 executive offices
President Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 212-620-7247; fax: 212-633-1863 asutley@sbpub.com editorial
Editor Chris Ytuarte 212-620-7223; fax: 212-633-1863 cytuarte@sbpub.com art
Creative Director Wendy Williams wwilliams@sbpub.com Art Director Sarah Vogwill svogwill@sbpub.com production
Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers mconyers@sbpub.com circulation
Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com advertising sales
Art Sutley 212-620-7247; fax: 212-633-1863 asutley@sbpub.com Kim Noa 212-620-7221; fax: 212-633-1863 knoa@sbpub.com circulation department
800-895-4389 Bar Business Magazine is published monthly. All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. To Purchase PDF files of covers, layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Art Sutley at 212-620-7247 or email asutley@sbpub.com.
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Booze News
Heineken Light: The Best You've Ever Tasted, Guaranteed!
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eineken Light ÂŽ, two-time award winner of the World Beer Championships, is so confident it's the best tasting light beer you've ever tasted that Heineken is offering a money back guarantee. To inspire fans 21+ to try the Best Tasting Low Calorie Lager, Heineken is partnering for the second year with five-time Emmy award winner, host of two Primetime Emmy Awards, four Annual Tony Awards, and most recently, the 2015 Academy Awards, Neil Patrick Harris, on a new commercial and digital video to bring the offer to life in a humorous way. "What we're saying in the new creative is pretty simple: Heineken Light is a great tasting light beer," says Neil Patrick Harris. "But if you're crazy enough to not agree, Heineken will give you your money back." The money-back offer follows the 2014 World Beer Championships announcement of Heineken Light as the "Best Tasting Low Calorie Lager" for the second year running. The beer, reformulated in 2013, is brewed with Cascade Hops, which gives it that smooth taste profile and floral, fruity hop aroma. Containing
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only 99 calories, Heineken Light uses all natural, quality ingredients – that is, no filler grains, no coloring, no preservatives and no GMOs. "At Heineken, we believe that you don't need to sacrifice taste when drinking a light beer," says Ralph Rijks, Vice President, Heineken USA. "We're so confident in Heineken Light's award-winning flavor that we're putting our money where our mouth is. We understand that tasting is believing and are thrilled to be working again with Neil Patrick Harris to help deliver this message." Building on last year's campaign, the new Heineken Light commercial, "Money Back," continues the story of Neil struggling with legalities and regulations. In it, Neil promises the viewer that Heineken Light is the Best Tasting Light Beer or he'll give you your money back, before humorously backpedaling to clarify that someone at Heineken will be fulfilling the guarantee, not him personally. To watch the videos go to BestTastingLight.com or www.youtube.com/ HeinekenUSA to join the conversation. www.barbizmag.com
Meeting of the Minds
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t this year’s Nightclub & Bar Show, which took place March 30 – April 1st in Las Vegas, Bar Business Magazine Publisher Art Sutley (left) and Editor Chris Ytuarte (right) had the chance to meet with Jon Taffer (center), President of Nightclub & Bar Media Group and host of Spike T V’s hit show Bar Rescue, to discuss the 30th anniversary of the trade show, future endeavors, and the industry on whole. “The industry is doing really well, and there are several factors behind that,” said Taffer. “For example: Last year was the largest graduating class in the history of America — 13 million students. And most of those graduates are between 20 and 23 years old. So when you look at that, these are the grandchildren of the Baby Boomers, and this is another ‘boom,’ demographically, for the bar business. When you consider that all of these college grads are now going into the bar marketplace, that’s a demographic boom in the 21- to 25-year-old age group, which is the group that is most important to bars and nightclubs. So there is a demographic boom in our industry, and we’re seizing it, and it’s creating tremendous opportunities and great job growth. It’s a good time for the bar business.” After exhibiting at the 30th annual Nightclub & Bar Show once again, as well as partnering with Nightclub & Bar Media Group to promote the event leading up to March, Bar Business Magazine Publisher
Art Sutley explained to Taffer how mutually beneficial the publication’s presence at the show had been this year, as in the past. “Not only do we help support The Nightclub & Bar Show ahead of its opening, we also end up supporting our mutual audience of show attendees and Bar Business Magazine readers, the thousands and thousands of bar owners — and prospective bar owners — who read our publication and come to the show in Vegas every year to discover new ideas, new products, and new ways to improve their business,” said Sutley. “It’s always great talking with Jon during the year and at the show, and we look forward to doing so more frequently and working with him and his team to help keep this industry, that we all love, remain healthy and thriving.”
Lightfaktor Lighting Design-Build Wins
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Austin Music Industry Award
ightfaktor, LLC, an Austin, Texas-based lighting design firm, announced that its lighting designbuild installation at the nightclub Vulcan Gas Company has received the Austin Chronicle's award for Best Club Lighting. Vulcan Gas Company was also awarded third place for Best New Club as a part of the Austin Music Industry Awards. "We have been sure to keep Lightfaktor at the absolute bleeding edge of technology and design, so we
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knew we could deliver when Vulcan's ownership came to us with the simple request; 'we want the best lighting possible,'" said Wes Lane, Lightfaktor's lead designer and founder. "We used a suite of High End Systems products including DLV digital moving projectors to add an extra dimension to the user experience. We are able to project onto the stage, crowd and walls allowing us to use the whole venue as a palette." "Lightfaktor is about creating an emotional response through the use of light, and as something that is often overlooked, we were thrilled to work with clients that shared our passion for impeccable lighting," said Sushanta Parikh, Lightfaktor's business development director. At Vulcan, Lightfaktor was responsible for architectural lighting design, custom fixture design and fabrication, automated lighting system design and programming, as well as truss, power and data distribution design and installation. Visit www.lightfaktor.com for more information. April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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Booze News Salute! Armed Forces Limited Edition Bottle
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ood River Distillers, Inc., the largest and oldest importer, distiller, producer and bottler of distilled spirits in the Northwest, recently announced a limited edition bottle for Pendleton® Whisky that honors the integrity and patriotism of those who serve, and have served, our country with pride. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Pendleton Whisky limited edition bottle will be donated to the Wrangler ® National Patriot ™ program to make a difference in the lives of active military personnel and veterans throughout the country. “It is with this limited edition bottle of Pendleton Whisky that we raise a glass and proudly salute the honorable men and women, and their families, who have dedicated their lives to the American people by serving in the United States military,” said Tia Bledsoe, Senior Brand Manager, Hood River Distillers. “We have a high degree of admiration for our service members – past and present – and look forward to partnering with the
Wrangler National Patriot program on this meaningful endeavor.” Founded in 2009, the Wrangler National Patriot program is designed to raise awareness and funds for wounded or fallen American military veterans and their families by uniting the rodeo and western communities in fundraising efforts. The Pendleton Whisky 2015 limited edition bottle will be available at spirits retailers throughout the country beginning May 2015 with a suggested retail price of $26.95 (750 ml). Additionally, the Pendleton Whisky limited edition bottle was designed by Owens-Illinois, Inc., the world’s largest glass container manufacturer, with bottle art designed by French/ West/ Vaughan. “Pendleton Whisky has always been a friend of the Wrangler National Patriot program, and we are excited to now announce this formal partnership,” said Jeff Chadwick, director of special events for Wrangler Western Wear. “The Pendleton Whisky 2015 limited edition bottle further enforces the combined dedication from both organizations to patriotism nationwide.” For more info visit www.pendletonwhisky.com.
Alltech Brewing & Distilling Academy Launches
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he college town of Lexington, Kentucky has a new institute of learning — one that schools its students in beer and spirits. The unique school will be the only brewing and distilling academy in the state, as well as the only one connected to an operating brewery and distillery — Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. The Alltech Brewing and Distilling Academy launched in March, with a short course on raw materials. Instructors will eventually teach everything from weekend courses for homebrewers, to two-week courses for experienced technologists working in a commercial brewery or distillery. The school will also have a pilot brewery and distillery installed this summer for student use. A $3 billion industry in Kentucky in 2014 generating 15,400 jobs, the bourbon and the spirits industry have drawn greater attention in recent years. Craft brewing is no exception. At a time when beer sales
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are flat, craft beer volume in the United States just hit a double-digit share of the market. A new craft brewery opens every 16 hours. “Brewing and distilling used to be a rather quiet industry in Kentucky, but today, a new brewery or distillery opens every day,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “Yet many of these new brewers and distillers are not formally educated in this craft, which can lead to compromised products. With the Alltech Brewing and Distilling Academy, we want our graduates to go on to create exciting beers and spirits that are of high quality and consistency so that the market continues to grow and is an important part of the state economy, and even the national economy.” Boasting a new state-of-the-art laboratory and classroom, students will benefit from the expertise and resources of Alltech, a billion-dollar global company with a core competency in yeast and fermentation technology that also ran its own Alcohol School for 25 years in Lexington and across the globe. Much of that same experienced staff, many with master’s degrees in brewing and distilling or doctorates in biotechnology, yeast fermentation or other related fields, will teach at the Academy. www.barbizmag.com
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Liquid Assets
Desperately Seeking As craft beer consumers continue to educate themselves on what is available in the beverage marketplace, cider has stepped in as a viable and growing alternative for those seeking a crisp, unique experience on-premise. What has long been big in the UK is now making waves in the USA. By Chris Ytuarte 10
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t’s no secret that the craft beer explosion in America has stimulated the consumer palate. Your customers are seeking flavors, styles, and ingredients in their beverages that, only a few years ago, were likely uknown to them altogether. A glass of beer, these days, is rarely just a glass of beer. Along with flavored brews — Bud Light Lime, Sam Adam’s Cherry Wheat, etc. — there has been of late a spate of cocktail crossover attempts, such as the popular Bud Light Limea-Rita, as well as varying styles and mixtures. Last month, in our March 2015 issue, we ran a feature on the emergence of beer cocktails, in fact. And as the seasons swing towards Spring and Summer, the warm weather brings out other light, crisp options, such as the shandy. Up-andcoming craft brewers like Shocktop and Narragansett, plus new-to-thescene brands like Curious Traveler, are all pushing their shandy-style offerings this time of the year. “Today’s marketplace offers an unparalleled number of styles, varieties and flavors of beer to consumers from coast to coast,” says Craig Purser, President & CEO of The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA). “American consumers continue to demonstrate that they enjoy this vast variety.” With all of these options available to the educated beer drinker, where is the next frontier? In the U.S., the answer to that question might lie with cider, a longtime European tradition on-premise that is finding a true foothold in the U.S. marketplace as of late, with 2015 figuring to be an important year in the process of American drinkers embracing this crisp, flavorful beverage. “The cider segment is the fastest growing segment in the alcohol industry, growing 700% since 2009, and sustaining its momentum at 70% in the last three years,” explains Alejandra de Obeso, Brand Director, Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders, citing statistics from The Beer Institute. “This phenomenal growth is driven www.barbizmag.com
by three key trends: consumers’ desire for variety in flavor as they look for refreshing alternatives beyond beer; the growth of upscale products; and the increased awareness of quality ingredients. Cider is unique in its ability to capitalize on all three of these trends and has made a significant comeback as a popular and growing beverage among today’s consumers.” With 125 years of cider-making tradition, Strongbow is currently the number-one hard cider brand in the world, according to online data and analysis firm Canadean, which based its findings on 2013 global volume in ranking the largest single cider brands. Heineken USA acquired import rights to the Strongbow Hard Cider brand in January 2013 and has since introduced four styles of the beverage to American consumers: Gold Apple, Honey & Apple, Red Berries, and Ginger. A new category with unique flavors is undoubtedly appealing to American consumers seeking alternatives to beer. “Millennial and multicultural consumers are more willing to experiment and try new flavor profiles,” says de Obeso. “As they seek out new beverages, hard cider is increasingly embraced by both men and women as an option that is easy to drink and approachable, as most people enjoy the recognizable taste of apples in hard cider. When compared to beer, hard cider is gluten-free, considered to be less bitter, and seen as a refreshing alternative, especially when served and sampled over ice. “New fans of hard cider still consider quality to be an important attribute, and are mindful of their purchase choices. As these consumers increasingly trade up, they shop the upscale segment where Strongbow plays and where variety, brand equity, and credentials play a key role. The sweet spot for Strongbow over ice is to be offered by bar owners as the first drink of the evening, during the time of day that we call the ‘golden hour’ where consumers are shifting gears from
Today’s marketplace offers an unparalleled number of styles, varieties and flavors of beer to consumers, and cider enters the category as another option.
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Liquid Assets work and are preparing to kick-off their afternoon plans with friends.” The cider boom is in business. In March, Mine Shaft Brewing, LLC, a start-up craft beer and hard cider company in Park City, Utah, took one step closer to opening one of the largest craft beer start-ups by crowdfunding more than $650,000 in seed funding on top of financing
“The cider category is still in its infancy, with considerable room for growth. The biggest challenge it faces is expanding consumer awareness.” of some $9.4 million from investors. The company will open with a 60K BBL capacity day one, with distributors already wanting most, if not all, initial capacity. The cider push in the U.S. has reached a point, in fact, where bar owners are starting to look at venues that focus on the beverage as a viable business opportunity on its own. Wassail, which just opened on the Lower East Side of Manhattan last month, is New York City’s first cider bar and restaurant. Wassail, which in Old English means “be you healthy,” more often refers to the drink of the same name (a hot, mulled cider traditionally enjoyed as an English drinking ritual to encourage a healthy cider apple harvest). As a venue, New York’s Wassail features 12 ciders on tap, several more by the glass, and an impressive list of cocktails that include cider as an ingredient. Naturally, Calvados and other apple brandies are highlighted as well. Husband-and-wife owners Jennifer Lim and Ben Sandler are stocking ciders from Spain, France, and the UK, as well as the U.S. The couple will also look for rare bottlings, and they’ll focus on changing the American perception that cider is a sweet, fizzy, mass-produced beverage by serving well-crafted pours. “We’re really excited about raising 12
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public awareness about cider being an agricultural product and a foodfriendly product,” Sandler recently told The Village Voice. While Lim and Sandler seek out ciders from around the globe to pour, there are brands across the pond just as anxious to crack the American marketplace in venues like Wassail and other bars throughout the country. And in some cases, the opportunity is a new experience for companies that have been well established for generations on other continents. Thatchers, for instance, has been crafting cider at their farm in Somerset, England for over 100
years, and since 1904 has enjoyed growth and sales throughout the UK and elsewhere. Now comes the chance to crack the U.S. market, and this family-owned brand is ready to roll. “The UK has the largest cider market in the world, but it has changed dramatically over recent years and will undoubtedly change again over the coming years,” says Martin Thatcher, Managing Director at Thatcher’s Cider Company and a fourth generation cider maker. “I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts with those passionately producing and promoting cider in the USA.” www.barbizmag.com
Thatcher, who gave a key note speech at CiderCON 2015 in Chicago this past February to further gauge and investigate the American market, understands that the category is just starting to realize its potential in the U.S., but the potential is there nonetheless. Thatchers Gold is the company’s flagship brand, the number-two best-selling draught cider in the UK, and the product that Thatchers is bringing to American consumers this year. The Gold label will roll out across 18 states in 2015, including New York, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Nevada. “With a new generation of American consumers looking for ciders with heritage, quality and character, we are delighted to be introducing Gold into the U.S. to share this crafted English cider with them,” says Thatcher. While Strongbow has had a headstart in the U.S., strongly supported by Heineken USA’s existing relationships, de Obeso agrees that, for the most part, cider is just starting to scratch the surface in American bars. “The cider category is still in its infancy with considerable room for growth,” he says. “As the category continues to develop, two distinct
segments are emerging: the ‘Savor’ segment, featuring a lower-energy, individually focused artisan set of brands that now represent approximately 80% of sales, and the faster growing ‘Amplify’ segment, consisting of a higher-energy, upscale, and very social set of brands. Strongbow is positioned as a premium cider in the Amplify segment, where we believe there is tremendous untapped potential, as has been the case with beer and spirits where both segments are evenly balanced.” Like the duality of the endeavor facing Thatchers — leveraging established UK success while adapting to
U.S. trends — bar owners who want to bring cider on-premise may experience something similar; the growing demand by consumers for new product can create both a challenge to keep up, and an opportunity to expand. “The biggest challenges cider faces are expanding consumer awareness, providing enough variety, and driving trial,” says de Obeso. “We are doing our part in letting consumers know which bars and restaurants serve our ciders through our product locator, www. discoverstrongbow.com, but the on-premise channel would be able to benefit from a much bigger opportunity if the cider category was specifically called out on menus and had more than one option to choose from, especially with flavors.” I think we can all wassail to that.
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Tuning Up
More Than Music The modern bar room is a battleground for the attention of fickle patrons who want music, video, gaming and television to distract them while they drink. Simply spinning a few records from the jukebox is no longer an option for on-premise entertainment in the multimedia world of 2015. By Chris Ytuarte
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hen the Apple Watch lands on its first consumer wrist this month, the world will have taken another step towards a self-contained future of multimedia, multi-platform operations being available to us at the flick of our fingers. The current 14
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generation of tech-savvy tipplers who frequent your bar no longer ingest information or entertainment one channel at a time; sounds and sights, touch and taste, it’s all blending together. Bar owners need to be ready for this sea change. Your vinyl platters spinning in the corner jukebox
won’t cut it; your silent T V showing the same sports highlights over and over again won’t appeal; your bartop video poker console won’t enthrall. The audio/visual entertainment “ecosystem” on-premise is becoming a place where you need to be all things to everyone, or be nothing at all. www.barbizmag.com
“Today, jukeboxes are put in the bar by operators who have access to a lot of different products, whether they be pool tables or T Vs or other devices,” says Mike Maas CEO of A MI Entertainment Network. “There’s no question that bar owners and managers should be pushing their operators to get them all of the available tools they have to keep customers longer, make them spend more, and make them come back — retain, return, and spend.”
The A/V Toolbox Many of these tools, fortunately, are being designed as suites, with on-premise entertainment companies like AMI and TouchTunes creating integrated, networked, multi-channel media platforms that, while useful individually, become ideal when bundled together in nightlife environments. “We feel there is a lot of value to engaging patrons beyond music,” says Marc Felsen, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Product Marketing at TouchTunes. “So we’re extending the music experience out from the jukebox and beyond music to social and other content-driven interactions people can have.” TouchTunes as a company has for years been cultivating its multi-platform approach. Alongside its improving digital jukebox hardware (Virtuo, and now Playdium) and upgraded software for both (Open Stage II), a mobile phone app for accessing music and creating personal playlists— among other functions—has proven wildly successful and popular with on-premise accounts and their patrons (over 3.5 million downloads). After all, the first step toward truly reaching Millenials in your bar starts and ends with their ever-present smart phones. “Our penetration with our mobile app continues to grow at a very steady pace,” says Felsen. “We have more and more locations where a significant percent of the music is being played through the mobile app, and our users are engaged. www.barbizmag.com
We want to provide them a way to interact with their music experience that’s relevant, and mobile gives us a more one-on-one connection with our customers, whereas with the jukebox is more of an anonymous relationship. The mobile app allows us to provide better recommendations to the user and it allows us to analyze what they’re doing and provide a better experience.” With the jukebox and mobile app as a base, TouchTunes is now actively engaging consumers through other on-premise channels such as Attract TV, which helps bar owners bridge the gap between a customer looking at the jukebox and a customer staring up the TV. With an integrated system of devices and software, the jukebox/television experience merges and keeps patrons involved longer. “The primary purpose of Attract TV is to create a messaging platform and an engagement platform for the consumers,” explains Felsen. “The components are first and foremost about music promotion. It integrates with the TouchTunes jukebox and will display what is now playing, what’s coming up, the popular music on that jukebox in that location, and it will even display who the mobile players are buying music and the top players in that location. So you add a lot of information about what’s going on and you extend the jukebox experience off of the jukebox screen onto the TV screen.”
Two Pieces of Glass Addressing the multi-channel approach on-premise, especially with regard to mobile phones, music, and television, is also a priority for Maas and his team at AMI Entertainment. Along with its own state-of-the-art digital jukeboxes, the company has launched an interactive gaming platform called Tap T V. Both are accessible on mobile phones.
Music Video functionality represents an upsell opportunity for bars to encourage more spending by patrons.
“We’re attempting to help our bars and restaurants succeed by focusing on two pieces of glass — the glass on the wall and the glass in patrons’ pockets,” says Maas. “The glass on the wall is T V and the glass in your pocket is smart phones, tablets, mobile. Everything we’ve been doing and everything April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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Tuning Up we’re going to do is focused on a bringing those things together. And jukeboxes sit in the middle; they’re a launching point for us.”
Tuning in TVs While upgrading its jukebox technology one year ago with a Music Video capability that allows bars to upsell patrons from a song to a video selection, it’s been two years since AMI re-launched Tap T V as a gaming platform with trivia and other options. Integrated into that product is the company’s Ad Manager technology, which allows bar owners, managers and staff to customize promotional messages for broadcast over any displays running Tap T V programming. AMI’s Excite channel can run alongside trivia and poker options, featuring, as Maas puts it, “Bar T V the way it should be — no sounds, just interesting content.” “Television, from an entertainment standpoint, is probably the most popular entertainment medium on the planet, but how it’s used in a bar is a little bit weird,” says A.J. Russo, Chief Creative Officer at AMI. “You can walk into any bar know exactly what’s on T V — ESPN, Fox News, or CNN. And with the volume down those are not exactly pinnacles of entertainment. So we’re trying to create all these channels to have a better way for businesses to use all these screens that they’re investing big money in.” Engaging the television gazer is a priority for TouchTunes as well. The Attract T V platform allows for powerful venue messaging opportunities, along with interactive content and social streaming on-screen for patrons who want to be involved with their experience on all levels. “The social interaction component allows staff and consumers to post messages and pictures using their own Twitter and Instagram accounts,” explains Felsen. 16
Bar Business Magazine April 2015
The future of on-premise entertainment is here. Depending on how you embrace it — and the ways your customers engage in their own lives — you can shape your venue experience.
Tap TV from AMI allows bar owners to engage patrons away from the jukebox. “We want to connect all of our experiences, but not to the point of a walled garden,” says Maas. “The Apple view of the world is a walled garden, single experience, whereas a Microsoft or Google view is a little bit more standard-based, open environment. We’re sort of in the middle. We certainly have done and want to do things that make our products work together seamlessly. That said, if there is a location running a different music solution, it doesn’t mean they can’t get a lot of value out of Tap T V. Each one of our product classes or categories can stand alone and be of high value in someone’s bar.” www.barbizmag.com
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How To:
Grand Scale
s with s e n i s u B w Gro On-premise Gaming
Gaming
The newest Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar franchise sits in the shadow of the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut and keeps pace with that famed gaming floor by offering an oversized sports bar experience and some on-premise gaming of its own. By Chris Ytuarte
I
f you reside most anyplace around Central Pennsylvania, Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar and its co-founder Gary Huether, Jr., are likely well known amongst locals looking for a great beer selection, stellar food, and entertaining on-premise gaming options via Buzztime trivia. In Uncasville, Connecticut, however, the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort is the name in gaming and entertaining, and is surely a tough act to follow. Now, the two are working together. As Bar Business reported in May 2014, Arooga’s, the Harrisburg-based
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award-winning full-service casual restaurant and bar with nine locations in Central Pennsylvania, announced it had entered into a franchise agreement with the Mohegan Tribe that will eventually nearly triple the brand’s overall footprint. The deal calls for a minimum of 15 restaurants in the New England market over the next five years, and last month, the first of those 15 opened in Uncasville. “We are thrilled to bring this incredible sports bar concept to the New England area,” said Kevin Brown, Chairman of the Mohegan Tribe, back
in May. “Arooga’s reputation for being the next great restaurant franchise is well-earned and we are privileged and pleased to have them as an important part of our organization.”
Betting on a Business Relationship As states across the U.S. continue to explore options for increased tax revenue and job creation via casino licensing in places like upstate New York, one concern over such endeavors, for those in the nightlife industry, has been the possible detrimental effects of such large, well-financed establishments April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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How To: on local bars and restaurants in the surrounding areas. As such, the new relationship between the Mohegan Tribe and a franchise like Arooga’s may serve to assuage some of those worries and possibly act as a model for future partnerships and agreements in the future. For now, with only a month of business under its belt, the Uncasville Arooga’s is simply finding its footing, focusing on the proven model of success that Huether, Jr. has created and introducing the locals to the Arooga’s experience. “The most impactful thing about this is that there is nothing like it in the vicinity,” explains Arooga’s General Manager Jeffrey Higgins. “When I first walked into the other locations in Pennsylvania, I was blown away. There’s nothing like it. And the guests we’ve had so far share my sentiments. It’s such a unique concept. I’ve worked in sports bars and in five-star restaurants, and there aren’t many places where you can walk in and see this kind of media and sports environment surrounding you.” Higgins worked directly for the Mohegan Tribe for nearly 14 years before being tapped to be the GM of the first new Arooga’s build-out. With only 30 days of operations thus far, Higgins says it’s too soon to see exactly how the relationship between the big gaming floor of Mohegan Sun (500 yards away) and the on-premise gaming options of Arooga’s will play out, and whether patron overlap and cross-promotion will be a major part of business. That said, he is well aware that gaming in general will play a major role on his floor.
A Buzz in the Air “Buzztime is working out really well,” says Higgins of Arooga’s longstanding company-wide incorporation of Buzztime interactive gaming on-premise. “We had 20 Buzztime consoles to begin with and I’ve ordered ten more, and I’ll probably need ten more after that.” With 63 tables in addition to a large, 20
Bar Business Magazine April 2015
rounded bar, Higgins says Buzztime is great for family dining here and also improves customer retention at the bar. Adding to the success of Buzztime at this Arooga’s is the sheer number of available screens for displaying content, trivia, and other entertainment options provided by the Buzztime service. “When I was first setting up the DirectTV account for this location, I told the representative I was working with that we were a 300-seat sports bar, and he asked how many TVs we were going to have,” says Higgins. “So I told him — 120. And he argued with me! He told me it was impossible, that there was no way we could have that many televisions. But I told him that was the concept — to make it unusual and make it over-the-top, and that’s the draw.”
Hitting the Jackpot As Higgins and his team plan more promotions and scheduled gaming events at Arooga’s, Buzztime has also announced functionality upgrades like Jackpot Trivia™, which infuses
The BEOND tablet-based platform from Buzztime now includes the company's latest gaming upgrade, Jackpot Trivia.™ traditional bar and restaurant trivia with popular game show and interactive social gaming elements. “Jackpot Trivia is available exclusively on Buzztime’s tabletbased BEOND™ platform, the most advanced entertainment-on-demand platform we’ve ever offered,” said Ram Krishnan, Buzztime’s CEO. “One of our key priorities has been to migrate Buzztime locations to BEOND, which enables automatic content updates and interactive play. In 2014 alone we
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combination of a great formula proven by Arooga’s Pennsylvania success with the gaming nature of Uncasville’s casino economy will play out well, especially as summer approaches. “I don’t necessarily think it’s the casino or the proximity, I think it’s more our concept that is going to draw
people,” says Higgins. “Promoting those trivia nights will be very important going forward, and I think the patio will be huge, with our fire pits and media out there, and in the summer the casino business is busier. So I think we’re just starting to ramp-up.” Game on.
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moved our BEOND install base from 4% to 36%. Jackpot Trivia further enhances the value we bring to customers and consumers, and makes our BEOND migration that much more exciting.” In May 2014, Arooga’s announced it was making those next-generation BEOND tabletop tablets from Buzztime the brand standard for all current and future corporate and franchise locations. “Everything we do at Arooga’s is designed to turn new customers into regulars by providing an exceptional experience,” said Gary Huether, Jr., President and Co-founder of Arooga’s. “With Buzztime’s cutting-edge tablets, we are ‘with the times’ in terms of customers’ expected technology and we exceed their expectations for their overall entertainment experience. Buzztime is a great solution for Arooga’s because we know it keeps people entertained and it also keeps our guests coming back.” In Uncasville, the guests are coming back indeed. The first month has seen waves of crowds for lunch, dinner, and drinks, and Higgins believes the
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Contact us for more information: Innova Products US LLC Ph: 1 800 884 4543 usinfo@innovaproductsltd.com www.strahlbeverageware.com
April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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How To:
ught a r D e c u d e R Beer Waste
It’s Not Hip to Drip: 8
shutterstock/bogdanhoda
P
Tips for Preventing Draught Beer Loss
rudent operators take steps to prevent draught loss, because an inefficient draught system can result in thousands of dollars of lost product. Draught beer is one of the hardest areas of liquor inventory to control. Beer is, by its very nature, volatile. It is carbonated and pressurized, which means foam WILL happen. Foam from draught beer can seem, at times, inescapable. The key to controlling draught beer begins with how you approach the problem. You cannot wish for a magic pill that will completely eliminate draught spill because it simply does not exist. However it IS possible to get things close to perfect, and to keep them there. Here are some tips to help along the way.
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By Kevin Tam
1
Keep temperature of draught cooler consistent:
According to draught beer specialist Tanner Van Ameringen from Draught Worx in Calgary, the optimal temperature of a draft cooler is 37 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius), and you want that temperate to change as little as possible. Kegs of beer are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature, and when the temperature of the beer inside the keg is different than the temperature of the beer in the line, it creates foam. On an inventory and operational level, you must also consider the time between receiving a keg and tapping one. It takes 24-36 hours in a beer cooler for the keg to be cooled to its optimal temperature. That means if you April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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How To: receive a keg on Wednesday, you might not be able to tap it until Friday. If you do it earlier and the temperature of the beer is off, foam will ensue.
head in to see if you need to call a technician for maintenance.
Do monthly maintenance checks on system: You don’t need to be a
go new. Age does take its toll on the performance of your draught system, and there comes a time in every draught system's life when it must be replaced. If you can come up with the money, make the investment. New draft set-ups, with new glycol, draft lines and taps, can mean a world of difference in efficiency. Over the course of time, your investment will come back to you in the lost product you will have saved just by having a newer system.
2
mechanic to know how to check your oil every now and then. Similarly, you may not be an expert on draught systems, glycol or refrigeration, but you should know enough to check basic things. Simple checks — like noticing if there is any built-up condensation on your refrigeration unit, or if you hear a strange noise coming out of it, or if the glycol unit has any glycol in the tank, or if something is loose on a beer tap — should be done every month to catch small things before they become problems. You don’t want to get caught in a situation where a small thing builds up and unexpectedly the refrigeration unit breaks one day, for example, leaving you with warm beer to sell your guests. To avoid this problem, be proactive and poke your
Save and make an investment in newer systems: Whenever you can, 3
Choose your draught technician wisely: The draught beer system is one 4
of the major functional components of most bars and restaurants, and it can not just be replaced without a major investment if it is later found out to be flawed. Your draught technician is a critical member of your team who you must select with great care and consideration. Not only will they be
responsible for installing a piece of vital infrastructure in your bar, they will likely be the one maintaining it. For that reason, a great draught technician will be concerned with the design of your entire system, which entails the shelves, cooler, refrigeration unit, glycol unit, tap design, flow meters, fobs, pressure gauges, and every little thing that affects the beer. I have seen many draught systems where the workmanship appeared shoddy and there were functional flaws in the design that left the bar owner with a poorly performing draught system. To avoid this problem, you must put careful thought into who your draught technician is, and make sure they know what they’re doing.
Design the draught room so it is isolated: When bars have their bottled 5
beer shelves accessible via the same fridge where the kegs are stored, this typically causes problems when the door is opening and closing every time a bottle of beer is served. The beer
littleny/shutterstock.com
A pile of empty kegs in your alley should indicate money made, not beer lost.
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Bar Business Magazine April 2015
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coolers I have seen with the least amount of wastage are those that are isolated rooms that are sealed off and accessed only when required. This may not apply to you if your beer cooler is already designed and there is nothing more you can do to change it. But you must keep this in mind for future designs. You want your draught beer cooler to be like a vault. You want it to be isolated with very little traffic going in and out. 6 Look at your pressure: According to Van Ameringen, “The pressure should be the same on all lines going to the same tower.” Obviously, if you do not have pressure gauges installed, you must do that first. Get your draught technician to install the gauges, and then calibrate them. Calibration of pressure is different for every system, depending on how long the lines are and how many different directions the run is to the taps.
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Clean lines monthly: At a minimum you want to clean your draught lines monthly. If your volume is high, like in a beer house for example, then it may have to be done at an even higher frequency. Keeping the draught lines clean is vital to making sure a quality product is delivered every time, and that guests will send back fewer pints that taste “off.” There are multiple areas between the keg and the tap where buildup occurs and can only be removed via cleaning by a qualified technician. 8 Check your beer gas daily: A manager should have it in their routine to check the beer gas and make a note if they are getting low. Running out of beer gas in the middle of a busy shift can be catastrophic if it goes unnoticed. If the check was already made, the manager can instantly act and go straight to the beer gas, instead of checking every component of the draught system (like the keg, coupler, 7
fob, glycol) as soon as the beer starts pouring oddly. Kevin Tam is an operations consultant for the hospitality industry with a specialization in liquor inventory control. He owns a liquor auditing practice that serves owners of casinos, hotels, bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Along with weekly on-site audits, he also provides remote auditing services and does consulting work internationally for bar and restaurant owners who reside outside his hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is also a published author, speaker and trainer. His book Night Club Marketing Systems was published in Fall 2011 and is available on Amazon.com. Kevin is a contributing writer for multiple trade publications and he self-publishes a monthly newsletter for bar operators called The Night Club Marketing Letter. For a free copy please send an email to kevintam@sculpturehospitality.com with your name, bar name, mailing address, and phone number.
April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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How To:
ff Manage Sta Relations On-premise
Working in Harmony: "Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?” By Brian Warrener, Associate Professor, The School of Hospitality, Johnson & Wales University
C
onflict between departments exists in almost every food and beverage operation. You should understand that restaurants and bars where staff are in a constant state of conflict can exist and sometimes even thrive. Mostly, however, this state of affairs leads to high levels of stress among employees that result in reduced productivity, diminished customer service and poor rates of employee
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retention. Understanding why your departments don’t get along is the first step. Coming up with actions to make it better is the second step.
Kitchen Staff Employees drawn to the back of the house are typically: 1. Unambiguous – Back-of-house employees are most comfortable where certainty exists. They make every effort
to jam as much of it as they can into food and beverage environments that are by their very nature uncertain. To be fair, this level of planning is a matter of survival in the back of house. 2. Task Oriented – Back-of-house employees like to make things. They prefer to work on one thing and then work on another thing and then work on another thing and then go home. 3. Results Oriented – They like the April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
27
How To: thing they are working on to have a positive, tangible result. The good ones are also perfectionists. 4. Hard Working – Working in a kitchen is hard as hell. 5. Team-oriented and Loyal – But only to the few guys they work the line with…like girls in a clique in 9th grade. 6. NOT Good with Customers – They lack the social skill, self-regulation and empathy to deliver really great service in a direct customer contact position.
Conflict in the food and beverage business is a little like theft: the causes are inherent, so minimizing the instances is best. Service Staff Employees drawn to the front of the house are typically: 1. Ambiguous – The dining room is a hyper uncertain environment and servers need to be comfortable with constant changes in order to thrive and survive on the floor. 2. Rewards Oriented – Big tables and bigger tips mean “I am good at this.” 3. Relationship Oriented – Servers possess the desire and ability to create, nurture and maintain relationships with their customers, over both short-and longer-term durations. 4. Empathetic – They can sense what the customer wants and are willing to deliver it. 5. Self-regulated – Customers are difficult and frustrating, so controlling your temper is a prerequisite for longevity. 6. NOT Task Oriented, Results Oriented or Detail Oriented – They will follow the rules that they need to follow until they can get away with not following them. If they get caught, they will explain that they did what they did “to keep a customer happy.” 28
Bar Business Magazine April 2015
Bar Staff 1. Employees drawn to the bar are really a hybrid of the categories above, but more like servers. They need all of the social skills required to effectively deal with customers on a personal basis. 2. They are also in the production business and therefore must be organized and fastidious like their counterparts in the back. But let’s face it: the production part of the job isn’t as demanding as it is in the back and the customer contact part is just as demanding as it is on the floor. Bar staff are indeed a hybrid, but are more like their counterparts in the front.
We Can All Get Along Here’s what we know so far: • Food and beverage operations environments are stressful — a breeding ground for conflict. • The people in your functional areas have very different personalities that don’t often mesh.
• The nature of your operation and the interdependent units in your operation make conflict inevitable. In operations management, the ideal and recommended solution is to make the interdependent units more independent. In many businesses this is simply not feasible. In our business it is quite impossible. The solutions, then, need to focus on improving conditions among the units, making their interactions work better. This is possible with the right approach from managers. 1. Focus on the overall goal of your operation and reiterate that goal whenever possible. That goal is to provide a pleasant dining experience for the customer — period. Each employee must focus on the specific and unique role they play in achieving this goal while never losing site of the fact that, regardless of how successfully they complete their task, a dissatisfied customer is a fail for the operation. If allowed, cooks will measure their success on how and when their dishes hit the
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window; Servers will pass ridiculous requests from guests on to the kitchen and then blame the kitchen for not satisfying that request; Bartenders will ignore orders from servers while focusing on their customers at the bar. Shame on managers for allowing this to happen. 2. Cross-train all of your employees in all of the other departments. Don’t put your cooks on the floor and your bartenders on the line. That’s not what I mean. What I do mean is that you should explain the function of each department to every other department. Describe the information everyone needs and why they need it to achieve the ultimate goal (see #1). 3. Create sympathy and understanding among staff and managers in one unit for the staff and managers in every other unit. Staff meetings are a great idea and should be held on a regular basis. Some of them should include everyone. Staff meetings that only include employees from one department reinforce the separateness of departments and reinforce rivalries. The bar manager may have a new hire training this week. He may want to let everyone know when and why and that they should take it easy. 4. Establish mechanisms, policies and procedures that help the departments coordinate with one another. This is probably the most important of these recommendations, at least in the short term. Managers should evaluate their operation and identify those areas that mostly lead to conflict. If the chef is repeatedly complaining about not getting the right information from servers, audit your POS system to require certain information be included in tickets before they are fired. That’s a mechanism. If your bar manager is complaining that servers are shouting out orders to bartenders before ringing them through the POS, reinforce the policy that drinks aren’t made unless a slip prints on the bar prep printer. That’s a policy. If your servers complain that incomplete tickets are being ignored by
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the kitchen staff without the server being notified that this is the case, require your expeditor to inform your food runners that there is a problem. Require them to inform the server immediately. That’s a procedure. Conflict in a food and beverage
operation is a little like theft. The causes are inherent, so minimizing the instances is best. Managers who commit to creating a better environment, who refuse to accept that the kitchen has to hate the waiters, will run better operations because of it.
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Moon The Bright Side of the
Moonshine goes from outlaw to upscale in its ascent as a surging spirits category. By Elyse Glickman
30
Bar Business Magazine April 2015
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F
amiliar comfort foods have gone from routine to haute cuisine with a few twists. With the addition of bacon, foie gras, lobster, truffle oil or imported cheese combinations, mac-andcheese and grilled cheese sandwiches can command as high a price tag as steak in some restaurants. In the hands of chefs like Thomas Keller, fried chicken is a delicacy instead of a fast food fix. Even the humble lunch truck has evolved into a gourmet food truck movement, introducing customers to reinvented comfort foods from around the globe. In the spirits and cocktail universe, there’s a similar watershed moment taking place, through the rise of moonshine. Once associated with Prohibition, rural culture and down-home Americana, the new crop of moonshine spirits is shifting paradigms of what makes a spirit “artisanal” and “premium.” When mixed properly, they just happen to be perfect partners for gourmet Waygu beef burgers, haute cuisine BBQ, gourmet fried chicken and other menu mates. The founders and distillers behind next-generation moonshine spirits have interesting explanations of how they reconcile its storied past with the refined, sophisticated and adventurous customer base of the 21st century. Bar cocktail programs are also doing that, as well as making the storytelling process a part of the moonshine experience.
Full Moon Fever Just as moonshine was on the verge of being reintroduced to American imbibers, spirits journalist and author Mark Spivak started work on the book Moonshine Nation (released July 2014) with the intention of creating the definitive book on moonshine for both industry pros and consumers. The first part traces the history of moonshine from the Whisky Rebellion to Prohibition to the founding of NASCAR to the present day. The second covers its re-emergence through modern-day legal producers of moonshine in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and other states. Spivak explains how the genesis for the new book came when he interviewed Junior Johnson for his book, Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History, because he was intrigued with the link between moonshine and NASCAR. Though best known as one of NASCAR’s first superstar drivers, Johnson was convicted in 1956 for producing moonshine. In 1986, he received a presidential pardon from President Ronald Regan. A decade ago, he came full circle, teaming up with Piedmont Distilleries (the company behind spiced moonshine spirit Catdaddy) to launch Midnight Moon. Today, the brand is regarded as the ”800-pound gorilla” in the emerging moonshine category. “The first time I went to North Carolina to interview Junior Johnson three years ago, Midnight Moon was selling between 10,000 and 20,000 six-packs a year,” recalls Spivak. “In 2013, Midnight Moon was pushing over a million. This gives you an idea of how much this category is exploding. The movement also dovetails www.barbizmag.com
Education is a big part of growing a category like moonshine beyond its mythology. with the popularity of the craft distilling industry. Both happened over the past decade, with major growth taking place in the last three to four years.” Spivak observes that moonshine’s growing popularity can be tied to the fact that consumers are drawn in by the mythology of outlaws, rebels, desperados and anybody else displaying a rugged individualism celebrated in Americana-focused pop culture and literature. “(Distillers) producing moonshine have a certain appeal as the target market yearns for that kind of freedom,” says Spivak. “Moonshine is deeply rooted in the American heritage because (every legal producer) tells me their customers, ‘look like America.’ They are split demographically between male and female, Oregon and New Jersey, bikers and bankers.”
Moonrise Kingdom Another fascinating aspect of the rise of the moonshine category, as well as Spivak’s book, is that consumers and professionals are learning moonshine production extends beyond the “Whisky Trail.” Onyx, launched in 2011 by Adam von Gootkin and Peter Kowalczyk, is produced in Connecticut and celeApril 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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brates New England’s unique moonshine production history, in light of the fact that Connecticut and Rhode Island were the only states to reject the 18th Amendment that made Prohibition the law of the land. “People want quality American-made products, and moonshine, being liquid Americana, is the epitome of that idea,” says von Gootkin. “Moonshine is always thought of as a Southern creation, but it originated in New England way before people even lived down south and certainly hundreds of years before prohibition. At Onyx Spirits Company, we are picking up right where historic New England distilleries left off.”
”People want quality Americanmade products, and moonshine, being liquid Americana, is the epitome of that idea.” Buellton, California-based Semper Fi Moonshine, which donates some profits to U.S. veterans’ charities, salutes the category with a crafting style in line with
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Bar Business Magazine April 2015
the “Americana” angle. The whiskey is distilled from red, white and blue corn, just like the multi-colored native corn used in the earliest American corn whiskies from 1620 forward. Wicked Tango Wicked Lightning Moonshine, produced in Atchison, Kansas, is a smallbatched 100% corn-based whiskey blended with an 80/20 corn-barley spirit base to enhance flavor and balance. Back near the American Whiskey Trail, Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine CEO John Cochran points out two things made the launch of the brand by Gallenburg, Tennessee-natives Joe Baker, Cory Cottongim and Tony Breeden possible: Changes in the laws affecting Tennessee distillers five years ago and a dream of creating a distillery and tasting room a short distance from Smoky Mountains National Park that would be a tourist destination celebrating the history and craft of making the moonshine. “Our mission wasn’t about getting into major retailers like Target, Safeway or Kroger,” Cochran says. “We wanted to be an expression of southern hospitality, and get into craft-focused, high-end bars and restaurants focused on sharing the history and traditions of the region. It just so happens, however,
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Moonshine Cocktail Recipes STILLHOUSE Moonshine Mary Bludso’s BBQ, Los Angeles 2 oz STILLHOUSE Original Moonshine 3 oz tomato juice 1 tbsp lemon juice Salt & black pepper to taste 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce 2 drops Tabasco Sriracha to taste
Moonshine Sangria (above) 1 bottle American Born Moonshine Apple Pie ½ bottle American Born Moonshine Original 1 bottle dry red wine (750 ML) 2 bottles orange juice (750 ML each) Chopped fruit of choice (lemon, lime, orange, apple) Combine all ingredients in large glass pitcher, and let refrigerate overnight (or about 12 hours). Serve over ice. Makes 10-12 servings.
Everything on Red
Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, combine ingredients over ice and shake until cold. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lemon wedge, celery stalk, green olives and a Bludso’s BBQ Rib Tip.
The Ginger Bitch Rock & Reilly’s Irish Pub, West Hollywood, CA 1½ oz STILLHOUSE Apple Crisp Moonshine 1 oz Reilly’s Ginger Whiskey 1 oz cranberry juice 3/4 oz fresh lemon Ginger ale and fresh basil to top off drink. Mix all ingredients together in a shaker and pour over rocks. Top with ginger ale and basil, and finish with an orange twist.
5 Japanese chili-spiced watermelon cubes muddled 2 oz White Lightning Moonshine ¾ oz lemon juice ½ oz simple syrup 1 barspoon Mezcal 2 dashes lemon bitters. Shake, strain into large coupe. Mist lemon peel and discard.
Moonraker Christiaan Rollich, Head Barman at AOC, Lucques and Tavern, Los Angeles
Dry shake, shake with ice, dry shake. Strain over fresh ice.
Onyx Spirits Company 2 oz Onyx Moonshine 2 oz black currant juice ½ oz honey simple syrup ½ oz ginger liqueur Splash of fresh lemon juice Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice and shake well. Serve on the rocks or strain into a martini glass.
Spicy Cup 4 basil leaves 5 cucumber slices 1¾ oz Moonshine ¼ oz Green Chartreuse infused with jalapeno ½ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz simple syrup
Matt Wise, The Roger Room, Los Angeles
1 oz Semper Fi Moonshine 1 oz poached apple juice 1 oz lemon juice ¾ oz tamarind syrup 1 oz Eagle Rock IPA
Black Onyx (above)
STILLHOUSE Double Moon Punch Josh Curtis (above) ½ oz STILLHOUSE Original Moonshine 1¼ oz organic apple cider 2 oz Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale ¼ oz honey syrup ¼ oz lemon juice Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg
Muddle the cucumbers and the basil in the bottom of a mixing glass, add all the other ingredients, add plenty of fresh quality ice, seal the mixing glass with the boston and shake vigorously in order to properly combine all the ingredients. Double strain (or fine strain) into a cupe’ glass and garnish with a basil leaf and a dry jalapeno. Enjoy.
Wicked Fat Burner Wicked Lightning Moonshine 1½ oz Wicked Lightning Moonshine ½ oz grapefruit juice (ruby red) ½ oz organic agave syrup Topped with Lucky Buddha
Mix ingredients, shake and strain and top with Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale. Glass: Rocks
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that we did so at the same time competitors in other states were stepping up their production and there was also the reality show, Moonshiners, on the Discovery Channel. This led to a lot of opportunities for Ole Smoky and the moonshine category.” Cochran adds that other things such as the craft beer phenomenon and craft spirits production in all beverage categories have helped bolster the profile of moonshine. In particular, small batch whiskey, bourbon and brown spirits, which he calls, “the most traditionally American spirits on the market,” add an extra dimension of glamour to their moonshine cousins.
history, such as (post-Civil War) Reconstruction and the Great Depression, we created a product we could truly be proud of. We have been supported by business and bartenders not only from Nashville, but also businesses throughout the greater South before we expanded into other markets across the U.S.” While Koffel acknowledges that the brand still has work to do in terms of bringing American Born into the mainstream beyond its core states, he says in-person interaction between the company’s brand reps and on-premise people, and their relationship with their customers is what will ensure long term success. Much of their marketing budget, therefore, is poured into point-of-sale activities. Koffel’s team is focused on getting the messages across that moonshine tastes amazing when it is made correctly, and it is a viable spirit to have on the shelf along with other spirits.
The craft beer phenomenon and craft spirits production in all beverage categories has helped bolster the profile of moonshine.
“There’s a folkloric feel to moonshine that appeals to a lot of people,” Cochran affirms. “When you are talking about younger legal drinking consumers (21-35) who came of age with the craft beer and craft spirits culture, it is not surprising that the whole hand-crafted, smallbatch kind of work is something they really appreciate and seek out. (Our target audience) views it as barely legal and a little naughty. When you’re 22-32 years old, you want to participate in the excitement.” Tennessee is also home to American Born Moonshine. Founded in 2012 by former Notre Dame quarterback Patrick Dillingham and Iraq-war veteran Sean Koffel, American Born consists of a “patriotic trio of spirits” (Original, Apple Pie and Dixie) bottled with the promise to deliver the “tradition of authentic mountain moonshine and the patriotic American rebel spirit.” While the product is currently available in Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and California, plans are for a national rollout over the next two years, which would effectively make it an “all-American” spirit. “The cool thing about the moonshine category is that it helps tell an American story,” Koffel explains. “Although all the producers wanted to somehow pay homage to the moonshine producers who did their part to get through some of the most difficult times in 34
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“Education is a big part in building a brand, especially in a growing category like moonshine,” he says. “You can’t build a brand without teaching people how to enjoy and order the product, whether it’s a traditional cocktail or something modern. For example, we have recipes for an incredible moonshine margarita and moonshine mojito where we replace tequila or rum with American Born. For customers who are fearless and want to try something, you can offer them our ‘Apple Pie’ served as an awesome shot.” Brad Beckerman, founder of STILLHOUSE Moonshine, produced in Louisville, Kentucky, believes that with improved production techniques and original spirit recipes, the emerging category has grown beyond the low-price, harshly finished product. This, in turn, has given way to a clearer, smoother corn-whiskey-based product and a portfolio of flavored infusions (Red Hot, Peach Tea, Apple Crisp and Coconut) that allow mixologists to create cocktails and punches. “STILLHOUSE is right at the center of what is happening,” points out Beckerman. “There is a certain lifestyle being built around STILLHOUSE Moonshine that attracts consumers, not based on demographics, but on psychographics. Coming out of a difficult economic period, there appears to be a hunger for “Americana,” and with that is a desire for quality products that feature a purely American traditional spin. Our legal drinking-age consumers want to be part of a comfortable, strong, fun-loving ethos of Americana tradition. They may be professional women enjoying an evening out looking for something they’ve not tried yet, or Rat Pack-inspired revelers who want a little history to go along with their cocktail.” Shine on you crazy diamond. www.barbizmag.com
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Our quarterly discussion of seasonal cocktail menus brings us (at last) to the warming weather of Spring and all of the possibilities that can bloom on-premise alongside the sunnier days and seasonal ingredients. By Cody Goldstein
Spring Into Action
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uilding a cocktail menu for Spring allowed my imagination to run wild with vivid colors and fresh ingredients. To me, a Spring cocktail should be vibrant and light, while using local ingredients as much as possible. The thought of sitting outside and sipping on a long drink or a chilled martini with fresh juice, fragrant herbs and interesting spirits is one life’s many joys. Spring is the perfect time in my opinion to imbibe with family and friends and serve your customers the same. I truly fell in love with food and beverages while on a trip to the Bahamas as a teen. I had never left the United States before and was intrigued by exploring other cultures. While there, I tried some local fare and was blown away with the possibility of having local and fresh ingredients no matter where you are. Living in one of the most diverse food locales in the world, New York City, I have been exposed to some of the most amazing produce and ingredients that normally are spread out across other regions and continents. It truly is like being a bartender in a candy store, except in my dream the candy is substituted with spices, fruits and herbs.
Farm Fresh
The real inspiration for me comes from venturing to local farmers markets. My creativity spawns from being able to see, smell and taste all the incredible fruits and vegetables that have “sprung” up during these few months. Familiar ingredients such as honeydew, mango, strawberries and pineapple are staples in my cocktail repertoire. A few unfamiliar ingredients that I like to use during the Spring months are corn, fennel, snap peas and rhubarb. My goal with any cocktail menu is to present drinks that have familiar ingredients in an unfamiliar way. I like to keep my customers on their toes by pairing ingredients they may never have thought would go together. Have you ever considered pairing rum with roasted corn juice? How about pairing fennel with strawberries and mezcal? I want to evoke an experience when you have one of my cocktails. The taste should be unique and different but also a little familiar at the same time. Some of my favorite things to use, as of late, are shrubs, also known as drinking vinegars. These add an amazing tartness and zing to any drink. You can easily make them at home or go out and find some really interesting ones like a Texas Grapefruit Shrub, which is a little smoky, salty and savory. I truly believe that if you can find balance using an ingredient then it can work in a cocktail. This time of year you also start to see flowers blooming and citruses coming into their prime. Many of my all time favorite cocktails involve, simply, a spirit, herb, sweetener and citrus. Simple yet complex flavors are a bartender’s and chef’s best friend. You look at classics such as Daiquiris, Old Fashions, or a Collins and they all have something in common (spirit, sweetener, citrus as a base). Spring is the perfect time www.barbizmag.com
Spring in New Zealand
Spring Cocktails 2015: Spring in New Zealand 2 oz pisco 1 oz kiwi-lime puree ½ oz Lillet ½ oz marjoram syrup Marjoram sprig, for garnish Combine all ingredients into a shaking tin and fill halfway with ice. Shake for 10 seconds and double strain using a fine mesh strainer into a coup glass. Place sprig of marjoram across the top as garnish.
High Tea 2 oz Earl Grey-infused rye ½ oz lavender syrup 3 dashes Chamomile bitters Lemon ice ball Lavender flower, to garnish Combine rye, lavender, and bitters into a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with lemon ice ball. Garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender.
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to go back to these classics and give them a fresh new look incorporating a great available ingredient — herbs. Many of my favorite herbs are in their prime this time of year such as basil, mint, marjoram, and sage. Adding just a hint of these potent but floral ingredients will go a long way in creating something truly delicious and unique. Fresh flowers are also in bloom. Whether its using rose petals as garnish, scenting the glass with lavender or a making a syrup out of cherry blossoms, these beautiful ingredients should be part of any Spring menu.
Ice Ice Baby
Burning Sunset
Burning Sunset 1½ oz mezcal ¾ oz lemon juice ½ oz strawberry-fennel syrup ¼ oz Campari Soda water, to fill Salt water ice Rosemary sprig, to garnish
One of the fun things I have been doing lately is infusing ice. Ice has evolved into more than just a vesicle to keep your drinks chilled. These days large and clear ice cubes are showing up all over cocktail menus. These bespoke style ice cubes offer a less diluted cocktail while keeping the drink chilled. I have taken tings a step further and allow my ice to also be part of the recipe. Being able to infuse ice through a quick boil using your favorite ingredients and allowing them to cool has given me a whole new range of opportunities. These flavored ice cubes can allow a gradual infusion of flavor to the drink over time. This allows for a constantly changing drink that starts off one way but evolves over time. During the hot days of Spring going into Summer, I dream of an ice-cold flavored pop. This is the next best thing, but in your cocktail. Lemon, salt, smoked and mint ice cubes are finding their way onto my cocktail menu to compliment the flavors in the drink. When it comes to picking liquor for a Spring cocktail, I don’t believe that a spirit should be
Combine mezcal, lemon juice, strawberry-fennel syrup and Campari into a shaking tin. Fill halfway with ice and shake for 5 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with salt water ice and top with soda water. Using a match, flame the piece of rosemary for a few seconds and place on the side of the drink for garnish.
Yellow Is The New Black 1¾ oz reposado tequila ¾ oz yellow Chartreuse ½ oz dry curacao ½ oz grapefruit shrub 1 egg white Grapefruit bitters, to garnish Combine all ingredients in a shaking tin. Shake without ice for 10 seconds. Fill halfway with ice and shake for 5 seconds. Strain into a coup glass and garnish with 4 dashes of grapefruit bitters.
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relegated to a certain seasons. These days, bartenders have such an incredible ability to create something using the darkest of spirits and make it feel light and refreshing. You will obviously have an easier time getting the most vibrant colors while using clear spirits however. Some of my favorites are gin, rum, mezcal and pisco. I also really enjoy giving Scotch, rye and Cognac a much softer tone. Using liqueurs, cordials and wines is a fantastic way to jazz-up any cocktail menu. A lot of smaller companies are producing some amazing stuff, and it would take me a long while to name them all, but some more well-known ingredients that I am using in my Spring cocktails are Lillet, dry curacao, and Campari. A few of the less wellknown ingredients making it into my drinks are fino sherry, Yellow Chartreuse and Averna Amaro. Below are a few of my favorite cocktails that I am making for Spring. Some of them have made their way onto a new seasonal cocktail menu at the restaurant in which I work, Upholstery Store, in the West Village of New York City. I am also working with an amazing company called Spice and Spoon, which is offering bartending/mixology classes in the comfort of your home. If you see any cocktails in here that you like then go check out their site, book a class, and enjoy custom made cocktails for you and your guests. I hope you enjoy! Cody Goldstein is one of the top mixologists/ bartenders in New York City and is currently the Head Bartender at The Upholstery Store in the West Village. He has a very eclectic viewpoint on mixology and is passionate about his craft. He recommends you check out @Muddlingmem on Twitter, @muddlingmemories on Instagram, and www.muddlingmemories.com.
Party on the Patio
Party on the Patio 1½ oz rum 1 oz apple jack 1½ oz blood orange juice 1 oz passion fruit 1 Jalapeno, chopped ¾ ounce lemon thyme syrup Orange slice, to garnish Lemon thyme sprig, to garnish Combine all the ingredients in a shaking tin and shake for 10 seconds. Dump into a wine glass and garnish with a piece of orange and sprig of lemon thyme.
A Southern Gentleman 1½ oz of Makers Mark bourbon ½ oz Averna amaro ½ hickory smoked peach ½ oz lemon juice ½ oz cinnamon bark syrup Brandied cherries, to garnish Cinnamon, to garnish Combine peach and cinnamon syrup in a shaking tin. With a muddler, press the peach and syrup together until soft. Add in bourbon, Averna and lemon juice into tin. Add ice half way and shake for 10 seconds. Double strain using a fine mesh strainer into a rocks glass filled with ice. Zest cinnamon over top and garnish with 3 brandied cherries.
A Southern Gentleman www.barbizmag.com
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A landmark Los Angeles building, for decades saved from the scrap heap by a lone squatter, has been rescued, resurrected, and restored to its former glory as Idle Hour, a barroom timepiece of 1940s California dreamin’ born through the efforts of 1933 Group and one aging flamenco dancer.
Glory
William Bradford
By Chris Ytuarte
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ost people have a building or a structure they saw everyday growing up that reminds them of childhood and of a different time whenever they drive by it now. Few people, however, have the chance to one day take possession of that building, save it from imminent destruction, and restore it to its original glory in the form of a world-class drinking establishment. Well, this is that story. True to form, and more so to its own moniker, members of the nightlife collective known as 1933 Group recently seized the opportunity to rescue a 1940s-era landmark building in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles to create (or essentially, re-create) Idle Hour, a new cocktail bar that harkens back to the heyday of old LA and the bulldogs of generations past. Idle Hour, with nearly 75 years of history to preserve and reinvent, was reintroduced in February when 1933 Group opened the doors once again for business. The barrelshaped bar, after a three-year restoration, was brought to life by maintaining the architectural integrity of the structure and filling the space with classic American cocktails and cuisine. “It’s a building that [partner] Bobby [Green] has known about since he was a kid because he grew up in the Valley,” explains Dimitri Komarov, 1933 Group partner and “unofficial” CFO. “He’s been watching that building for years and years, and it’s been abandoned since the early 80s. Its was initially The Idle Hour in 1941 and then I believe it was in the late 60s or early 70s that it was taken over by a woman named Dolores Fernandez, and she turned it into a flamenco bar.” Following the demise of that format in 1984, Fernandez shuttered the venue but continued to live there, all alone. According to Komarov and Green, it was the ongoing presence of Dolores Fernandez, however, that essentially prevented the structure from being condemned by the city and demolished. “It sat dormant, and every year it would get a little more rotted and get a little more graffiti on it and it would decay a little bit more,” says Green, 1933 Group partner and designer. “I don’t think people really knew there was a lady living inside of it the whole time, but that’s what truly saved the building from being destroyed, was that she squatted there for 30 years.”
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With close to a dozen bar design projects under their collective belt by 2010, 1933 Group members began “stalking” the Idle Hour building that was so familiar to them all, waiting for their chance to pounce. Word spread that Dolores Fernandez had finally vacated, having reached an age where assisted living became her best option. That same year, Idle
“For the day is coming soon You don’t have to worry Your light will return In its former glory” — Ron Sexsmith
Hour, which had originally established in 1941, achieved landmark status as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #977. Opportunity had knocked. “A friend of mine named Chris Nichols, a writer for Los Angeles Magazine, is very active in the LA Conservancy; he’s the guy who ties himself to trees so historical buildings don’t get bulldozed,” explains Green. “He was championing the landmark status for this building for two years, and he had to prove why it was historic. It was one of the last April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
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The Idle Hour floors consist of reclaimed ceiling planks, and walls feature vintage photos of Programmatic buildings.
examples of that style of architecture in the city, and they agreed. They gave it landmark status right about the time Dolores went into a home and the state seized the property due to back-owed taxes. Chris was able to save it and he naturally called us first because we have a reputation as being very vintage-minded and historically-minded people in the hospitality industry. We were a perfect fit for this building. And when I got the call from Chris I was ecstatic.” Despite being declared a historic cultural monument, which can often create a challenging environment for those aiming to alter a venue, 1933 Group’s intentions to fully restore Idle Hour to its former glory was in line with the city committee overseeing the property, and things went smoothly. “You have to get special permits from the Historic Committee and they have to pretty much approve all the
changes you want to make and the things you want to do,” says Komarov. “Fortunately we didn’t have too much of an issue with it because they liked all the things we were going to do, as our goal was to preserve it as much as possible. So pretty much all the changes we wanted to make, they approved.” Idle Hour’s thematic structural design, known as “Programmatic” architecture and one of the last remaining in LA, is a throwback to the dawning of the city’s booming car culture. It originated as a response to the rise of the automobile in the 1940s, providing rapidly passing motorists a chance to instantly recognize buildings designed to reflect their operations. In order to be noticed as a taproom, Idle Hour resembled a whiskey barrel, while other quick-serve locations were built in the shapes of tea kettles, doughnuts, and other wildly oversized objects. As a testament to 1933 Group’s devotion to the preservation
“Follwing the specifics of this building was quite challenging. We wanted to restore every last detail.”
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project, and we bring something elaborate to that space. of thematic architecture, another piece of history sits on The first ten years we would find spaces that were very the back patio of Idle Hour — a pipe-smoking bulldog-shaped nondescript on the outside, they usually wouldn’t even have construction. Known as the Bulldog Café from 1928 until the a sign. And then we would juxtapose that with an insanely mid-1960s, it is actually a reproduction of the eatery, which elaborate interior, so when your average person walks will serve as private event space for up to 15 guests and is through the door they’re blown away because they don’t open to all curious diners when not reserved. know what to expect from the outside. This was the first “We’re very thematic designers, so we’ll take a theme and place we’ve done where the outside is as dramatic as run through it 100%,” says Green. “Whatever the theme or everything else.” style of the place, it’s going to trickle down to the drinks, the The whiskey barrel-shaped cedar structure and its two food, the music, the uniforms, etc. With Idle Hour, we went flanking wings showcase subtle decorations to complement for that iconic California Americana, with a bit of whimsy the original structure. Plenty of care went into reviving Idle thrown in. We had our theme right off the bat, so we didn’t Hour’s inherent style, including the original stained glass have to come up with it.” adorning the ceiling and To accommodate a lineup of every door. Floors consist 24 beer and cocktail taps, the of reclaimed ceiling planks, bar program, designed by Chris while the walls feature Amirault of Harlowe, offers vintage photographs of other a wide rotating selection of Programmatic buildings. distinctive local and seasonal A ficus tree shades the craft suds, and a mingling expansive patio, which also of hand-crafted, draft, and features a communal fire pit. bottled cocktails. Tipples “We knew exactly what we harken back to the era of were doing, so on that level it Idle Hour’s origin, and was maybe a little bit simpler,” Amirault tips his hat to says Komarov. “But following beloved families of cocktails, the specifics of this building including a Rickey on draft was also quite challenging, with Mount Gay Black Barrel because we wanted to make it Rum, lime, raspberry syrup, quite special and restore every angostura, and soda; the last detail that we could.” Sentimental Lady, inspired That attention to detail by the Collins with Ford’s Gin, and respect for the original Giffard Pamplemousse, lemon, structure was not lost on and soda; and a version of a neighbors and community Manhattan called the Class members who overwhelmAct with Rittenhouse Rye, ingly approved of and even Sweet Vermouth, Fernet appreciated 1933 Group’s Branca, Crème de Cacao, undertaking with Idle and orange oils. Hour, something not many “We always try to build a bar Idle Hour’s unmistakable structure is a page nightlife developers can say. based on understanding what torn right out of American history, and the “We’ve gotten emails from the neighborhood around it is,” says menu holds true to this heritage as well. people saying, ‘Thank you Komarov. “But this bar was even more for saving this building; we can’t wait to see it; you guys have challenging because in order for us to preserve it the way saved LA,’ and that was very cool,” says Komarov. “We’ve never it was back in the day, as far as bar set-ups go, this is had that kind of attention for anything that we’ve done.” probably the least ergonomic bar that exists. We had to be Green agrees. “Usually in this business you’re showing really creative to figure out a program that would work so up at a neighborhood council meeting ready to defend that we could still maintain the pace as well as the ability to yourself and convince the neighbors that a new bar is going make great drinks.” to be good, which is always challenging,” he says. “But this “This is probably the first time for us that the previous time we showed up and everyone was applauding; it was venue has dictated the outcome of our space,” adds Green. like a whole different world.” “Most spaces in Los Angeles are very generic and boxy. Isn’t that what true restoration is all about? We’ve always had a blank canvas every time we start a www.barbizmag.com
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Inventory VOV Italian Zabajone Cream Liqueur Molinari, noted for Molinari Sambuca Extra, the number one selling Sambuca in the world, and 375 Park Avenue Spirits (formerly Van Gogh Imports), one of North America’s premier spirits importers, are proud to introduce VOV to the United States. This traditional Italian Zabajone Cream Liqueur, akin to American eggnog, is made from egg yolks, sugar, the highest quality, aged Sicilian Marsala Superiore wine and alcohol. VOV was created in 1845 by Gian Battista Pezziol, a confectioner and nougat specialist from Padua Italy. Looking for a way to use the leftover egg yolks from his nougat-making process, Pezziol mixed them with Marsala wine, alcohol and sugar to make an energy drink, a popular trend at the time. He named the beverage VOV, short for “vovi,” the Venetian word for eggs. An immediate success, the drink won a silver medal in 1856. That same year, the Archduke of the Court of Vienna issued a patent with the royal double headed eagle. The spirit remained prevalent into the 20th century and was consumed by the troops during World War II for its energizing properties. For more information, please visit www.vovzabajone.com.
High West Launches American Prairie Bourbon High West Distillery, Park City’s award-winning distillery, is excited to announce a new release of American Prairie Bourbon. American Prairie is a blend of 2, 6 and 13-year-old straight bourbons, one more bourbon than the previous compilation. The result is a wellbalanced marriage of honey nougat, candy corns, sweet corn bread biscuits, Juicy Fruit gum and caramel apples with a dose of cinnamon spice and a long, sweet finish. American Prairie Bourbon is named after an effort to assemble the largest wildlife reserve in the lower 48 states. The American Prairie Reserve is a 5,000-square-mile preserve on the Great Plains of northeastern Montana, which will ultimately measure one-and-a-half times larger than Yellowstone National Park. High West donates 10 percent of the profit from American Prairie Bourbon toward the project. For more information visit www.highwest.com.
Stern Announces Whoa Nellie! Pinball
Hornitos® Tequila Unveils Spiced Honey
Stern Pinball, Inc., the world’s oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball games, and Whizbang Pinball LLC officially announced the availability of their Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons™ pinball machine. Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons pinball takes players on a journey through the Mellon Family farm renowned for abundant produce. Players score points on the farm operated by the lovely Melony Mellon and her twin sisters while avoiding the wrath of their over-protective shotgun-wielding father. The colorful easy-to-learn game features a fun classically styled pinball playfield tuned for a balance of randomness and skilled shooting challenges. The game rewards players of all skill levels. “Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons offers an entertaining classic pinball experience,” said Gary Stern, Chairman and CEO of Stern Pinball. To learn more, visit www.sternpinball.com.
Hornitos® Tequila continues to revolutionize the tequila experience with the introduction of the brand’s newest on-trend offering Hornitos Spiced Honey, which features 100% blue agave Hornitos Plata Tequila infused with natural honey flavor and a special spice blend. Hornitos Spiced Honey serves up a clean tequila flavor with a touch of floral honey, rich vanilla and a lingering spice finish. The warm, spicy and caramel notes of honey paired with a unique spice blend provide the perfect balance to the citrusy, peppery and earthy notes found in tequila. Hornitos Spiced Honey is 70 proof and is currently available in 750ml and 1L, with a suggested retail price of $19.99 per 750ml bottle. The newest addition to the Hornitos Tequila family has an exceptionally smooth and rich flavor, allowing fans to enjoy it neat, on the rocks, as a shot or in a cocktail. For more information, visit www.HornitosTequila.com.
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From Mountaintop to Tabletop
Oculto Beer Has Secrets
Cape Classics welcomes another addition to its range of premium wines: Lourensford “The Dome” Chardonnay. Now available in New York through MS Walker, and soon to launch in other major markets this spring, “The Dome” joins Cape Classics’ awardwinning portfolio of over 20 brands of South African and French offerings. As the highest peak of South Africa’s Helderberg Mountain, the Dome creates a natural amphitheater where the Lourensford vineyards are situated. Climbed by winemaker Hannes Nel, this mountaintop serves as the inspiration behind “The Dome” Chardonnay. The Dome overlooks the valley below where the vines grow in close proximity to the Lourens River at 656 feet above sea level. The result of the combination of Tukulu soils and this unique microclimate is a luxurious, full bodied Chardonnay that is decadent yet refined with a substantial palate of tropical fruit with a caramel, nutty undertone. The Dome is ideal for buyers and consumers who are passionate about the fruit in California Chardonnays yet crave Burgundian elegance and complexity. Lourensford, situated in the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest yet most diverse of the six plant kingdoms, is dedicated to preserving the health of the overall ecosystem. www.capeclassics.com
Oculto is now available on shelves and at high-end bars, clubs and restaurants nationwide. Inspired by and brewed for nightlife, Oculto combines the social invitation of beer with the exciting nature associated with tequila—for a step in creating an entirely new category. Oculto is infused with blue agave for a bright citrus flavor that delivers a smooth, bold taste. With a premium look, unique flavor, seductive positioning and 6-percent ABV, Oculto is designed to tap into late night occasions. Oculto means “hidden” or “waiting to be found” in Spanish. Bringing the brand to life right out of the gate, Oculto launched on Friday the 13th to emphasize unparalleled positioning that will carry over to all consumer engagement moments. From immersive events to engaging social media to best-in-class partnerships, it is all about tapping into the spontaneous nights out with friends. In 2015, the secrets of Oculto will be revealed—and consumers will be inspired to share secrets of their own. Oculto packaging is an innovation in and of itself. It brings to life a look that is premium, seductive and energetic. Visit www.Facebook.com/Oculto.
Pisco Portón Adds La Caravedo
Woodford Reserve® Ready to Run
Pisco Portón, LLC announces the addition of La Caravedo™, a pisco puro, to the company’s portfolio. La Caravedo is the newest expression from the company following overwhelming growth of the company’s flagship brand, Pisco Portón, which is the #1 exported Pisco to the US. La Caravedo is handcrafted with the same quality, authenticity, and heritage distinctive to Pisco Portón. Both are produced by renowned pisco authority and Pisco Portón’s Master Distiller Johnny Schuler at Hacienda La Caravedo located in Ica, Peru which was established in 1684. La Caravedo is a pisco puro, which means it is made from only one of the eight grape varietals allowed by Peruvian law to make pisco. La Caravedo is handcrafted from the Quebranta grape, a non-aromatic varietal from the Peruvian coast known for its body and fullness of flavor. Approximately 8 pounds of grapes are used to make each bottle. La Caravedo is versatile, mixable and a unique addition to any cocktail. www.piscoporton.com
Woodford Reserve®, the “Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby®” is honoring this year’s “Run for the Roses”™ with the release of its 2015 Kentucky Derby commemorative bottle. This year’s limited-edition Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle features the artwork from elite equine artist Carole Andreen-Harris. Harris’ main image on the bottle is bold and vibrant, featuring six horses with their jockeys in colorful silks rounding the first turn on their quest to win the big race. The historic Twin Spires are centered prominently in the background alongside an image of the packed stands of fans cheering them on to victory. The neck band features a diamond pattern of light mint and Woodford Reserve’s signature copper color as well as the Kentucky Derby 141 date sealing the top of the commemorative bottle. A bottleneck tag provides consumers with details about the product and the artist. The commemorative liter-size bottle will be available nationwide on shelves in early April. For more information, please visit www.woodfordreserve.com.
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Holiday Happenings
May 2015
May 1: New Homeowner’s Day. Free drink on this day to anyone who can show proof of purchasing a home in the last 30 days. They’re gonna need it.
14 May 14: National Chicken Dance Day. Plug in the jukebox, put The Chicken Dance Song on repeat, and play nothing but that song for the entire day. Prepare to do no business.
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May 2: Beer Pong Day. It’s still a huge draw for the right crowd, so why not find out if your crowd is drawn to it. Host a pong tournament tonight and see if it sticks (or floats!).
May 3: World Press Freedom Day. A great day for Bar Business Magazine, as we celebrate our freedom to educate you, the reader, and to be the best on-premise information source in the industry. Cheers to us!
May 10: Mother’s Day. A round of free drinks to any mom who shows up tonight with her child or children. But remember, Eight Is Enough.
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May 15: NASCAR Day. $1.00 Busch Light Cans all day. (True fact: Busch Light is the 7th most popular beer in the U.S. by sales. Look it up. Then cry.)
May 16: Mimosa Day. Why are these delicious cocktails restricted to a.m. hour consumption? By that rule, shouldn’t they be served any time after midnight? Give it a try today.
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18 May 18: Visit Your Relatives Day. Who needs a good stiff drink more than people who just spent the day visiting their relatives? Be kind to them.
11 May 11: Root Canal Appreciation Day. We have no idea who would celebrate this day (except maybe dentists, though probably not), but if someone comes straight from root canal to your bar today, ease their pain. Shots on the house.
22 May 22: Heat Awareness Safety Day. Are your customers aware of how hot it is outside, and how cold your drinks are? They should be. May 16: dcwcreations/shutterstock.com
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www.barbizmag.com
Index of Advertisers
Company
web site address
page #
Agave Loco LLC (RumChata)
www.RumChata.com
16
Barzz.net
www.barzztopz.com
18
Coast to Coast Insurance
www.CoastToCoastInsurance.com
13
Harbortouch Corp
www.Harbortouch.com
3
Harbortouch CA
www.iHarbortouch.com
C4
Innova Products
www.InnovaProductsLTD.com
21
Manhattan Cocktail Classic
www.CocktailClassic.com
22
Perlick USA
www.Perlick.com
5
TouchTunes
www.TouchTunes.com
C2
World Tavern Entertainment
www.WorldTavern.com
25
Inventory Companies
Cape Classics
www.CapeClassics.com
High West Distillery
www.HighWest.com
Hornitos Tequila
www.HornitosTequila.com
Pisco Port贸n
www.PiscoPorton.com
Oculto Beer
www.Facebook.com/Oculto
Stern Pinball
www.SternPinball.com
VOV
www.VOVzabajone.com
Woodford Reserve
www.WoodfordReserve.com
To advertise in Bar Business Magazine contact Art Sutley Phone: 212-620-7247, Email: asutley@sbpub.com www.barbizmag.com
April 2015 Bar Business Magazine
47
Owning Up
Dream Job for Amateur Brewer: Getting paid to play in UK
A
n independent Barnsley Brewery has appointed a keen amateur brewer with a penchant for international ales to its growing staff team. Ian Darvill, 43, joined Acorn Brewery as assistant brewer, where he will learn all about the individual recipes and techniques used to create its famous range of beers, including Barnsley Bitter. Darvill has been a home brewer for the past five years and most recently worked for Sematic UK Ltd, a sheet metal fabrication company in Wombwell, making lift doors. Originally from Lancaster he now lives in West Melton in Rotherham. “I was overjoyed when I found out that I’d got the job at Acorn because I’m passionate about beer and learning how to make it,” said Darvill. “The principals are basically the same as home brewing but obviously on a much larger scale.” Darvill‘s home brewing background saw him making American pale ales, IPAs, German wheat beers, traditional English beers and saison, a Belgium farm house style beer. “I used to buy all the grains, hops and yeast from an online supplier and then start experimenting with different ingredients,” said Darvill. “My most successful home brew was a variation on a Bavarian wheat beer with new world hops, giving a mix of traditional and contemporary flavours.” Acorn Brewery owner David Hughes said: “It’s good to have someone with Ian’s expertise and enthusiasm on board. He brings a fresh approach to our team and we look forward to his input as we are constantly developing new beers and flavors.” Acorn Brewery currently delivers beer direct to over 400 pubs and bars and 50 retail outlets including delis and farm shops in the north and
48
Bar Business Magazine April 2015
midlands. It supplies to countless others across the UK via wholesalers. The brewery now sells into all five established UK supermarkets, Morrisons, Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s. Acorn started exporting its real ale to Italy last year and, just last month, attended the UKTI organized ‘Barcelona Food and Drink Exhibition’ to court buyers in Spain. In addition to taking on Darvill, Acorn has also recently appointed Yvonne Underwood as an additional administrator. “Acorn Brewery has grown successfully over the years,” said Hughes. “We now have 11 staff and our growing team in manufacturing, sales and business administration is really reaping dividends for us as a company.” The brewery, which has a turnover of £1.2 million ($1.8 million U.S.), is based on Aldham industrial estate in Wombwell and currently brews around 30,000 pints of real ale per week – with capacity increasing all the time. One of its best-selling brands is the iconic Barnsley Bitter which it has produced since 2003 using the original strain of Barnsley Bitter yeast, dating back to the 19th century. This award-winning beer won Gold in the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) North East Region competition (standard strength brew category) in 2014 and is up for the national award in this category next week at the BeerX Festival to be held at Ice Sheffield (March 18th – 21st). Hand-pulled cask ale accounts for 90 per cent of Acorn’s production and investment over the last couple of years means the brewery has also increased production of bottled beers by 20 per cent and introduced keg beers to its range. Acorn Brewery also runs the Old No 7 in Barnsley town centre where it showcases the brewery’s own beers amongst other worldwide brands. www.barbizmag.com
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