October 2016 Bar Business by Bar Business Magazine

What About Bill?

Up & coming ‘craft mixologist’ William J. Murray stirs up trouble in Brooklyn!

The How-To Publication

BAR BUSINESS October 2016

M A G A Z I N E

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Florida’s New Ice Capades

A fountain of youthful bars & award-winning spirits springs up in St. Augustine

DROP A SHOT OF R U M C H ATA I N T O 8 OZ O F PUMPKIN BEER!

A N E A S Y A N D D E L I C I O U S I N C R E M E N TA L S A L E . C A P T U R E T H E F L AV O R S — A N D P R O F I T S — O F FA L L . PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.

RumChata®, Caribbean Rum with Real Dairy Cream, Natural and Artificial Flavors, 13.75% alc./vol. Produced and Bottled by Agave Loco Brands, Pewaukee, WI 53072. Please Enjoy Responsibly. RUMCHATA and CHATA are Registered Trademarks of Agave Loco, LLC.

BAR BUSINESS

On Tap October 2016

CONTENTS

Never Quit Wine-Ing

Top: Shutterstock/Africa Studio ; Middle: Shutterstock /Macrovector; Bottom: Shutterstock /Lightspring

HOW TO

bartenders Ridin’ dirty?

No deposit, ALL returns.

Never quit wine-ing

Just because they’re behind the bar doesn’t mean bar staff should be behind the 8-ball when it comes to basic food handling and safety. www.barbizmag.com

You needn’t always pay security deposits to be secure. Learn how to properly negotiate this number down—possibly even to zero!

You don’t need to be a sommelier to learn how to squeeze every last drop of profit from your wine list, no matter how small it may be.

October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

On Tap

BAR BUSINESS

CONTENTS

Features 28 Tableside manner Nestled inside the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, CliQue Bar & Lounge bartender Antony Sazerac creates a unique “tableside mixology” program from scratch.

32 so hot right now

Departments 4 bar room drawl 6 Booze News

The (Bar)Man Who Knew Too Little? Larger Than Life comedy Kingpin Bill Murray tended bar on a Saturday Night Live in NYC. We pushed The Limits of Control with some other lucky Wild Things to Get Low and pass over The Razor’s Edge of sobriety.

10 liquid Assets What makes beer beer? Delve into the production of our favorite sudsy soda to learn its many unique new styles and flavor profiles.

36 Big six

USA Today’s recently-crowned “Best Craft Gin Distillery” joins a new fountain of youthful bars, clubs and restaurants in St. Augustine, Florida ...just when they need it most.

Capsicum is the new black, as peppers of all colors continue to be popular infusers of cocktails of all types. But there is such a thing as too hot. Learn how to safely give your drinks a kick without also giving yourself one too.

40 Inventory 42 h oliday happenings 44 Owning Up The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act finally gains ground on Capitol Hill and in the Senate to officially level the craft playing field for small batch spirits.

“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 © 2016 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 3135, Northbrook, IL 60062-2620. 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 3135, Northbrook, IL 60062-2620.

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Bottom Left: Allagash Brewing

Bar Room Drawl

By ChrisTOPHER TARANTINO Editor-in-Chief

St. Augustine and Everything After "If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times." –Augustine of Hippo

Our profile of the burgeoning bar and nightclub scene in St. Augustine has been in the works since June. I decided to run it this month, in my first full issue as EIC, based on very little outside of my own curiosity with a city I was wholly unfamiliar with. The timing to celebrate the city turned out to be rather fortuitous to say the least. We ran it as part of our Big 6 section, normally reserved for current nightlife trends in our six biggest cities, which St. Augustine is not—although it is our oldest—as the world that was "bubbling up" there seeemed more interesting to me. Once our publisher got onboard, we were off to the races. So, from now on, if you're doing something interesting in the world of cocktailing, on-premise entertainment or innovating in bar presentation in some new or unique way, you can be anywhere and we will find you. And since The Big 50 sounds like a weight loss competition show, or a surprise party that could end with a heart attack, we'll be needing a snappy new name for it and are open to your suggestions. With all our changes coming on the way, we've got a lot on 4

Bar Business Magazine October 2016

our collective plate at the moment and will not turn down help of any kind. After seeing the beautiful photos coming back from venues we'd profiled, we also decided to feature The Ice Plant—recently crowned USA Today's "Best Craft Gin Distillery"—on our cover, even though in our eight years we'd never once featured a Big 6 there. Then Hurricane Matthew hit. On October 7th, the Category 3 storm hammered Haiti and caused massive destruction up and down the southeastern U.S., forever altering the geography of our coastline. St. Augustine was hit particularly hard, causing millions of dollars in damage, displacing countless residents and leaving many businesses underwater with months until they're back on their feet. So right now, St. Augustinians (St. Augustans? St. Augustinos?) are probably not believing much in the above quote from their city's sainted namesake. Oddly enough though, Auggie was the patron saint of brewers, and after a legendary life of loose morals, crazy vices, heavy sinning, parties aplenty, and, possibly most evil of all, "wordly ambitions," Augustine turned his wicked ways around and became a man of God. (Which is too bad really because, if you ask me, he sounded like a pretty righteous dude.) This is not to slutshame the dead, but just to point out that if this trash bag of a man can turn things around and get sainted, then a city full of good people—and maybe a few modern Augustine-types?—can certainly rebuild their beautiful and historic city. Godspeed y'all, good luck!

BAR BUSINEss MAGAZINE

October 2016 Vol. 9, No. 10 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-in-Chief Christopher Tarantino 212-620-7223 ctarantino@sbpub.com C

art

Creative Director Wendy Williams wwilliams@sbpub.com

Art Director Nicole Cassano ncassano@sbpub.com Graphic Designer Aleza Leinwand aleinwand@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 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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CMY

As demonstrated at NAFEM by Tobin Ellis, founder and CEO of BarMagic.

Imagine bar equipment conceived by a renowned bartender, and built by Perlick Perlick’s new Tobin Ellis Signature Cocktail Station is a breakthrough achievement in underbar design resulting from an ambitious collaboration between 6-time national bartending champion and celebrated bar designer, Tobin Ellis and the award-winning engineering team at Perlick.

“Together, we’ve built a cocktail station that’s perfect for everything from craft cocktail bars to high-volume nightclubs and 5-star/5-diamond hotel environments. It’s the tricked-out station every serious bartender has dreamt about and every savvy operator has hoped for.”

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Exclusively from Perlick Learn more at perlick.com/cocktailstation WATCH the Video!

Booze News

For Relaxing Times...Make It Bill Murray Time.

t's rare, but there are times when the stars just align and things work out exactly as you would have liked. A nd when one of those stars is comedy legend and lifelong anti-maturity crusader Bill Murray, you do not question it. Or, as one of the classic lines in Ghostbusters goes, “W hen someone asks you if you’re a God…you say yes!” So when the call came in, I heeded Winston Zeddemore's advice and said “ Yes. I am a God.” Let me explain. On September 15, a news item lit up the inter web announcing Mr. Murray as a “guest bartender” that weekend at his eldest son Homer’s bar/restaurant.

The Brooklyn establishment, previously known as River Styx—named for its proximity to the East River, not as some sort of mud-funk tribute to the popular 1980s band—was getting a makeover to its physical plant as well as its food and cocktail menus, to become 21 Greenpoint—named for its street address, not as some sort of local, coded pot slang. Homer Murray and his partner Syd Silver (former bassist in riot grrrl band Lunachicks) had collaborated before at the stalwart Roebling Tea Room (one of Williamsburg's best burgers), and had enlisted Bill for a two-night bartending stand for

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

All photos: Gabi Porter

By Christopher Tarantino, Editor-in-Chief

their soft (re)open. An amazing string to pull, you know, if it’s one you actually can. And they could. Murray had pulled this one before. In 2010, at music festival /guerilla advertising mecca South by Southwest, he waltzed into Austin bar Shangri-La with his Coffee & Cigarettes costars Wu-Tang Clan’s R Z A and GZ A, and just up and decided to get behind the stick and start pouring tequila shots for folks while the actual bartender was on break. And really, who’s stop him?? He’s Bill freaking Murray! So, as you can imagine, ever yone and their literal mother wanted in—mothers love the Murray—and what originally was meant to be an event open to the general public quickly became an invite-only affair for press or family/friends. W hich was I? Well, like a stranded Phil Connors says in Groundhog Day when asked if he is "a celebrity or in an emergency": “I’m both!” Well, technically I wasn't family (verifiably, at least), but this was an emergency, with a celebrity, and I was press so this quickly became a personal and moral imperative. Suddenly remembering that I now ran a popular bar and nightclub publication— number one search result in Google for “Popular Bar Magazines” - tr y it!—I went about procuring my spot for the evening. Reviews started slipping out about his Friday performance early Saturday morning. Apparently he showed up around 8pm—fashionably late, of course—wearing barman’s suspenders and proceeded to knock back four tequila shots within his first five minutes there. Woah. As Bob Harris in Lost in Translation might have said, “I don’t usually get this close to the glass until I’m on the floor.” The event had a set start time of 7pm, but by 6pm there was already a massive line around the block with random people snapping pictures, of what, they didn't know. Ever yone waited outside quietly and ver y patiently, afraid of making any sudden moves that could bar them from the glor y of entr y, until the doors finally opened around 7:45. Inside, the redesign looked great, with a clean-but-unobtrusive open kitchen, multi-floor back dining room and an intimate, newly-constructed candlelit front bar with a massive back wall mirror where, tonight, people could stare back at themselves whilst ordering a drink from the most-famous barman they've probably ever been ser ved by. There were traypassed hors d'oeuvres from chef Sean Telo, like Steak Tartare on Roasted Marrow Bone, Fried Late-Summer Eggplant, some excellent Neapolitan pizzas with dough made in-house, as well as a classic restaurant standby "Ugly Vegetable Snack" (don't ask). Telo’s career has brought him from Atlanta’s James Beard– nominated Miller Union to the nearby Extra Fancy. His 21G menu will change daily, but focus on items from local pur veyors, as well as “repurposing normally discarded ingredients, from land and sea, to offer food that is good, clean, fair and accessible to ever yone.” The new cocktail menu comes from www.barbizmag.com

noted bar director Sean McClure of N YC’s Le Bernadin and Dirty French, and is inspired by Telo’s menu using local and seasonal fruit creating some unexpected flavor profiles across a diverse range of spirits, minus any "Ugly Vegetable-tinis." By 8:45, I considered the possibility that Mr. Murray could pull a no-show/no-call, which, as all of us in "the biz" know, would get him fired from his temporar y position, thus rendering ever yone's excitement null and void. But sure enough, around 9pm he walked in to much fanfare and flashbulbs. It’s truly amazing to watch an other wise well-

October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

Booze News Me: “Two shots of Bulleit Rye.” Bill Murray: “What was the second thing?” Me: “Just one thing. Two shots of Bulleit Rye.” BM: “What's that? I don’t know what that is” Me: “It’s a distilled American Rye whiskey?” BM: “Oh, OK. What does it look like?” Me: “Uhh, it’s kinda brown but being a barrel-aged spirit made from a mix of grains, it's also—“ BM: (smiles) “No, the bottle genius. What does the bottle look like?” Me: “Oh, right. Well...it’s rounded and...kinda cylindrical and sorta like—” (I awkwardly try to show him its shape with my hands) BM: “Nevermind, I’ll ask him.” (Another bartender finds the bottle, hands it to him and he comes back to pour my shots.) Me: “Actually, can you make it three?” BM: “Alright, which is it?” Me: (sheepishly) “Well, I 'd like to buy you a shot…sir.” BM: (deadpan) “The drinks are free kid.” Me: “I know...” BM: (smile #2) “I had enough of 'em last night, but thanks. That's a very ‘kind’ offer.”

behaved crowds of full-grown adults quietly lose their minds but keep it all inside, while still capturing it all on their iPhones for friends and social media proof of actual IR L attendance. Clad in a casual white tweed blazer and blue button-down tonight, Murray got behind the bar to a standing ovation. (Granted it was a bar, so ever yone was pretty much already standing, but you get it.) He looked ver y much like you might imagine, but maybe slightly worse for the wear from his tequilaladen Friday shift. After building up enough courage, I eventually I made my way up to the bar and found myself feeling less like I was ordering a drink and more like I was asking a supermodel for her phone number. My mind raced with all of the possible things I might say to one of my personal comedy heroes and inarguably, one of the all-time great onscreen comic actors. I knew more stupid quotes from his movies then I cared to admit and he probably cared to hear—Quick Change, Rushmore and Kingpin are some personal faves. He’s known to be a bit prickly, and for good reason: For thirty years, clowns like me have been stopping him on the street to regale him with piss-poor renditions of his most iconic onscreen moments, always thinking they're the first ones to do it. So, don't be that guy. Out of respect, just don't. So I decide to play it pretty straight. This is basically how it went down: 8

At this point I start to wonder “What does one tip Bill Murray?” to which I answer “Everything you’ve got!” Maybe out of fear or awkwardness, people didn’t seem to be tipping him—which he dryly compained about the next day online—but I decide that this guy's a true everyman and would appreciate being treated as such. So, he hands me one shot and I reach out to take the second one with six dollar bills in my hand, which he eyes rather suspiciously, now pausing our transaction. "Uh oh," I think, “Is it too much? Not enough? Have I insulted him? Am I a dick? Good God man, what have I done??” He stares at the money in my hand, then looks up to my eyes, then back at the money, then back to my eyes. This could all go sideways ver y quickly. Til' suddenly he says “Sure, why not?” He takes the cash, hands me the shot and smiles (#3). Classic. I just got Murray'd and I couldn't be happier. Notoriously hard to locate in the wild—until he wants you to—it’s understandable to see why he's content popping up at frat parties and crashing weddings and private karaoke sessions: Because the business of Being Bill Murray is better than any other business. And let's face it, probably way more fun too. As a now-classic urban Murray legend goes, he'll tackle some poor soul in a park, or casually walk up to a stranger and slap them in the face, and then, allegedly, say to them, “No one will ever believe you.” Well, after being lucky enough to be at tonight's event and having the pictures to prove it (see page 7), I don’t have to worry about that anymore.

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Liquid Assets

By Amy Lennox

Lager or Ale? Domestic or Import? Pale Ale or India Pale Ale?? To people who just fancy simple suds, these days, the mere act of ordering a beer can seem taxing. But solid basic ingredients always ring true, and amidst the current craft boom, one can explore nearly limitless possibilities. 10

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Allagash Brewing

beauty of the yeast

eer—proclaimed to be one of the first beverages ever produced— has certainly stood the test of time. Although its precise origin is about as hazy as one’s vision after a few pints of any variety. Most historians place it somewhere in the Middle East about 3,000 to 5,000 years ago, but it’s safe to say that beer has been breeding good times for quite some time now. Today, the industry employs over 1.75 million people as it plays a major role in countless American traditions— BBQs, happy hours, weekend nights, or any nights, and all major sporting events—to the tune of around $250 billion annually. This is more than twice the economic impact of wine and higher even than the U.S. videogame industry. But for the casual fan, the recent onslaught of craft brewers has made it even more difficult to keep up with this everexpanding market. According to The Brewer’s Association in Boulder, Colorado, craft beer sales increased by 12.8% in 2015 across a $22.3 billion market, while the overall number of breweries across every state has steadily increased since 2011 with no end in sight. Currently, craft brewers produce one of every ten beers sold here, making this the perfect time to get acquainted with these homemade brews and see what these creative minds have fermenting in their labs. We visited Brooklyn Brewery, which produces over 275,000 barrels a year, with one-third brewed right in Brooklyn. According to The Brewer’s Association, Brooklyn is the eleventh largest U.S. craft brewer and New York is their largest market. Traditionally, beer used to be viewed as low-maintenance, with phrases like “Just grab me a beer” or “I’ll take whatever’s on draft” often overheard at bars. But if you stop and take a look now, it’s quite the contrary. While it’s made up of only four simple main ingredients—malt, hops, yeast and water—it can have many styles, variations, and additives that can make this simple beverage ironically complex. Malt can be any germinated cereal grain, but is often barley, which is steeped in water and can affect different flavors and colors.

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Other commonly used malts are: Pilsner Malt, Vienna Malt, Munich Malt, Rye Malt, Wheat Malt Pale, Wheat Malt Dark, Carafoam, Carafa, Carahell, Carawheat, Chocolate Wheat Malt, and Chocolate Rye Malt. Most of the sugars from these malts are then converted to alcohol. Hops provide bitterness and balance as these vine dwelling flowers add natural preservatives for depth of flavor. Some beers such as IPAs get an extra dose of hops, giving off a much more fragrant, bitter flavor. Yeast is a single-celled organism which acts as a chemical catalyst, eating the sugar and converting it into ethanol and CO2—essentially alcohol. There are typically two types of yeast in beer: Lager yeast and ale yeast. Lager ferments at a colder temperature (around 45°F) and sits at the bottom of the tank taking up to eight weeks to convert to alcohol while ale yeast ferments at warmer temperatures (around 65-70°F) and sits at the top of the tank taking only three weeks to become alcohol. Water is the final piece of the beer puzzle and, much like humans themselves, is made up of mostly water, 90% to be exact. The mineral content of the water will always affect the flavor, so this must stay consistent. This unique science and process is how small batch brewers are turning out such artfully created and unique products. Next, and most importantly is to get these beers into the hands of the consumer, and to ensure they have the tools to select a blend that compliments their own preferences. Such a wealth of knowledge can definitely seem overwhelming if you’re new to the game or just looking for something simple. So, Bar Biz saddled up with Erik Nesensohn, a self-proclaimed “beer nerd” whose NYC Hell’s Kitchen bar Hudson Station is known for their thoughtful draft selection. “It’s all about knowing your customer and knowing your product. It’s all trial and error. Find a way to balance price point with name recognition and quality,” he said when asked about his selection. One particular brand that fits his bill is Lagunitas. When a new beer comes through your door, it’s important to

LAGERS

American Pilsner Pale in color and thin- bodied; a mainstay in the U.S.. Bohemian Pilsner A crisp, deep-golden color with bright, pronounced hoppy flavors.

Bock Rich and dark in color, typically brewed in the winter and enjoyed in the spring.

Light Low-calorie, low-alcohol, light bodied, light flavor.

Maren/Oktoberfest German term meaning “March” as it’s brewed in spring, yet enjoyed from summer to fall.

Schwarz Lighter than stout or porter. German term meaning “Black Lager”.

Steam (AKA American Lager or California Common) Fermented at higher temperatures with distinct flavors that are both lager and ale in nature.

October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

Liquid Assets

American Wheat Light-bodied, crisp with notes of spices and fruit. Barleywine One of the strongest of any style. Fruit-sweet and bittersweet; complex and strong ranging from sweet to hoppy. Belgian Trappist Brewed in monasteries by Trappist Cisterian monks. Darker in color, malty with caramel and toffee notes. Brown Ale Moderately bitter with a rich toasty aroma and nutty chocolate notes. Dry Stout Thick and very dark. Rich roasted flavor with a bitter finish. Pale Ale American/English lighter ale. Woody and aromatic. India Pale Ale (IPA) Strong ale with profound malty and hoppy flavors. Porter Thick and dark like a stout, but with more pronounced hoppiness. Scottish Deep amber, with a rich smoked malt and a light hoppiness. Stock Ale Smooth, strong and fruity with a peppery finish. Sweet Stout Thick and very dark with a rich roasted flavor and slightly sweeter finish than its dry counterpart. Weizen/Hefeweizen Unfiltered German wheat beer with sharp citrus and spice flavors. Wit (White) Light-filtered Belgian wheat. Cloudy with citrus (orange) and spice (coriander). 12

From Left to Right: Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout, Brooklyn Lager, Troegs Dreamweaver Wheat, Allagash White, Hittachino Nest Red Rice Ale When Autocrat was started in 1895, founder Frank O. Field was drawn to the word Autocrat, one who rules with undisputed sway. It was then that their most delicious flagship product, Autocrat Coffee, got its name. Throughout the 1900s, ’Gansett and Autocrat were the beverages of choice in New England. We present here our collaborative Coffee Milk Stout, a flavorful and smooth dark ale that pays homage to our shared heritage, while celebrating the art of craft brewing. A swallow will tell you!

GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) ACCORDING TO THE SURGEON GENERAL, WOMEN SHOULD NOT DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANCY BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF BIRTH DEFECTS. (2) CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IMPAIRS YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE A CAR OR OPERATE MACHINERY, AND MAY CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS.

ALES

because something is priced well doesn’t mean it’s a good fit. “You don’t want to be making this decision on your own, so be sure to let your whole staff taste, and get their opinions,” he elaborates. “You want the opinion of someone who doesn’t like beer; doesn’t like cider; doesn’t like IPAs.” A good way to solidify your decision is to purchase a sixtel (1/6 of a full barrel), he says and “see if it moves before committing to a full barrel.” Erik educates his staff when any beer arrives on-premise, and prefers to fluctuate pour sizes rather than raise prices on stronger crafts. These beers often come with specially designed glassware that allow the drink to open up, and typically have higher ABVs than domestics. Additionally, he recommends offering ‘Beers of the Week,’ which is helpful for customers to sample things out of their comfort zone. Hudson Station also holds a title for something that all beer drinkers—outside of the U.K. at least—like: ice cold draft temps. Thanks in part to a unique draft system called ‘Arctic Ice,’ which, outside of dispensing nearfreezing brews, also looks pretty cool, covered in frost from spout to base. “People eat and drink with their eyes first. When they see insulated tap lines coming out of an ice-cold fridge to an iced-over tap going into an ice-cold glass they know it has to be cold,” Nesensohn points out. This system is quite new and naturally must stay wellmaintained. He recommends monthly glycol baths and having vents blown-out to ensure clean lines to preserve the precious blance of draft flavors. Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about non-drafts. Bottled beer from the same brewery, bearing the same name as their draft siblings, can just not always be equal. The differences will be brand specific, and, in most cases, a matter of personal preference. One certainty though, according to Nesensohn and probably every U.S. bar owner, is that beer is always most in-demand during football season. “Trends come and go here and there, but the simple things never change,” he laughs. “People will always love a good pitcher of beer and a bucket of wings!” After all this info, if you still need a little nudge in the right direction, we’ve taken a bit of the guesswork out of it for you with some of our favorites in a few different variations. So, take a look at what these crafts got brewin’ and see for yourself!

MADE ON HONOR TM

LA E IS

ND TRADITION S IN

NARRAGANSETT BREWING COMPANY, ROCHESTER, NY.

Write or visit us at 60 Ship Street Providence, RI 02903 Gansett.com

STOUT WITH COFFEE ADDED

SOLD ON MERIT ALC. 5.3% BY VOL. FLAVORED STOUT ONE PINT · 16 FL. OZ. (473 mL)

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Stout Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout

Wheat Allagash White

Malts: Roasted Barley, Chocolate and Crystal Malt Hops: Nugget (Additionally lactose is added to make the beer a milk stout, as well as Autocrat Coffee extract) Color: Deep chocolate color ABV: 5.3% Availability: Winter Description: A collaboration between Narragansett Beer and Autocrat Coffee, an iconic Rhode Island company that produces the syrup used in “Coffee Milk,” Rhode Island’s official state beverage.

Malt: Allagash 2-Row Malted Barley Blend, Red Wheat Malt, Raw White Wheat, Oats, Carapils Hops: Perle, Tettnang and Czech Saaz Color: Cloudy gold ABV: 5.1% Availability: Year round Description: Brewed in the tradition of Belgian wheat beer using a generous portion of wheat and spiced with coriander and Curaçao orange peel, this beer is fruity, refreshing and slightly foggy in appearance.

Lager Brooklyn Lager

Amber Hittachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Malt: 2-row, Munich, Crisp Hops: Challenger, Cascade, Hallertauer, Mittelfrueh Color: Golden amber ABV: 5.2% Availability: Year round Description: Lager in the prohibition-era Vienna-style— a firm malt center supported by a refreshing bitterness and floral hop aroma—has been the signature entry from the very first Brooklyn Brewery in 1976 to today. Hefeweisen Troegs Dreamweaver Wheat

Malt: Malted Wheat (55%), Pilsner, Vienna Hops: German Northern Brewer Color: Hazy gold ABV: 4.8% Availability: Year round Description: This ‘dream’ begins with open-top fermentation and a high krausen, and a foamy, rocky yeast head cresting the sides of the fermenter, releasing notes of black pepper and spicy clove.

Malt: Pilsner, Flaked Barley Hops: Hallertauer Color: Hazy pink ABV: 7% Availability: Year round Description: Red Rice Ale has sake-like flavors with sweet malt notes and hints of strawberry on the nose. This bottle conditioned beer is also available on draft.

THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF BARTENDING IN THE WORLD

Lower your pour cost by 1-2% guaranteed or your money back! Save Your “PC” In Style Increase Tips Maximize Workspace Showcase Your Brand Entertain Guests

Jeremy@tinplay.com www.tinplay.com 858-337-8816 www.barbizmag.com

October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

How To:

Food Handling

Susan Tellem and Jeff Nelken

Don't let bartenders practice

foodborne chillness

ost of us are pretty knowledgeable about basic safety and cleanliness rules waiters should follow for food handling. In fact, many of them you’re legally obligated to post in plain sight somewhere in your establishment and are basically just common sense for anyone above the age of twelve: Wash your hands after using the bathroom! Keep your fingers out of the food!

The 'Five Second Rule’ is a Depression-era fallacy! While they may not handle the same quantity of food as servers, bartenders nonetheless are handling similar items that can also get people just as sick—or worse—when not followed correctly. Set a good safety example for your staff by implementing these basic rules, making sure to properly train all staff upon hiring. By providing them with the basic

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock/Lightspring

Become your own in-house Inspector General to ensure safe food-handling from your behind-the-bar staff.

How To: tools and encouragement to always do so, you're helping them protect themselves, your customers, and especially, your business. 1) Bartenders should possesses a food handler certification with a valid expiration date. These classes are incredibly reasonable and infinitely valuable. Offer to pay if your staff are

willing to take them, or offer a small incentive or pay bump to those whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve successfully completed a program. 2) Allergy warnings for liquors and mixed drinks should be properly displayed as well as mentioned to any customer ordering one, as they can often vary. In New York City bars, for example, a White Monkey contains

vermouth and almond syrup, which an out-of-towner with a nut allergy would probably love to know! 3) Bar tools of the trade should be washed and sanitized frequently and in the same manner as cooking utensils in any kitchen are. Shakers, strainers, stirrers, scoops, funnels, frothers, jiggers, juicers and mixing spoons can get just as dirty as any fork or spoon. 4) Ice can often be a harbinger of filth, so only use a dedicated, covered container whenever transporting or serving it and also remember to clean and sanitize these tools regularly. 5) Like everyone, bartenders really can't wash their hands too much. It's quickest and easiest with a small behind-the-bar sink. No staff will ever wait in line for the bathroom on a busy weekend night to wash up.

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An out-of-towner with a nut allergy would probably love to know your White Monkey contains almond syrup.

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

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How To: 6) Bar towels soak up more spills, mop up more counters and dry more sticky hands than you want to know. But they’re cheap, so always provide plenty of them so bartenders don’t come to think of them as a luxury. 7) Disassemble and clean the soda gun as well as its holster after each night to prevent insects and pests being drawn to its sticky residue. 8) Just like restaurants, bars can be a breeding ground for dangerous mold and bacteria. Check and clean refrigeration gaskets, fan-guards and shelves frequently to avoid it forming. 9) Pests thrive in any areas where food is served or staged. Sure the kitchen got a clean bill of health, but what about all the edible items behind the bar? Have it checked frequently for rodents and other pests. 10) One disturbing study showed that almost half of all bar fruit

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Keep fruit caddies closed so overlyfriendly guests can't garnish their own drinks—your bar is not self-service!

was contaminated with human fecal matter. Not cool. So encourage gloves or skip the garnish and keep caddies closed to discourage overly-friendly customers from garnishing their own drinks—your bar is not self-service! Jeff Nelken is a registered dietician,

food safety coach and frequent media guest on restaurant cleanliness. Susan Tellem is a senior partner at global public relations and marketing firm Tellem Grody PR whose Food Issues Group is a complete food safety program for restaurants and bars providing front and back of the house support. Visit tellemgrodypr.com for more information.

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October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

How To:

Deal with Lease Deposits

By Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton

Reading Between The Lines Shutterstock/Macrovector

Your bar needs security. but not necessarily this kind. Learn how to negotiate your lease security deposit, sometimes even down to nothing.

hile landlords often ask for security deposits and personal guaranties on commercial leases, neither one is mandatory or legally required. These can always be negotiated. Unfortunately, many tenants are not aware of this fact and quite willingly pay their landlord the full amount. Deposit money, which generally doesn’t earn you a penny in interest, can better serve you as working capital for your business rather than locked up and quietly

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earning interest for your landlord in the form of a deposit. To begin, let’s first define the terms. Simply put, a security deposit is a financial promise to a landlord in the event that the bar tenant doesn’t pay his or her rent, or damages the property in some manner. The personal guaranty is the provision in a lease naming a guarantor who is held individually responsible for the payment of all the amount of monthly rent—and any additional rents— October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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as set out in your lease. There is no advantage to you, the lessor, to providing this deposit or agreeing to a personal guarantee. By doing so, you tie up your capital, money which the landlord now controls and often tries very hard not to return to you if you choose not to renew your lease. Conversely, a security deposit makes perfect sense to the commercial landlord, as it gives him a chance to recoup some of the money he spends to attract and bring in a new tenant—often a costly endeavor. Here are just a few reasons why landlords really want to collect deposits: • The commercial space may have sat vacant for some time, bringing in zero income for the landlord. • Monetary inducements paid by the landlord (e.g. tenant allowance or free rent), as well as building renovations, may be required to attract tenants. • The landlord has to pay real estate commission fees in most cases. (Fees to agents and brokers securing your tenancy typically cost a landlord 5% of your base rent.) Once you have negotiated your amount and agreed to pay the deposit, always ask plenty of questions beforehand and get as much as possible in writing. Questions like: • “How much is the deposit?” • “Where will the deposit be applied?” • “Is the deposit fully refundable? • “When will the deposit be returned to me?” • “Under what conditions would the deposit not be returned to me?” Remember, most landlords will prefer you pay them a large deposit as soon as possible and that you get as little of it back as late as possible. At The Lease Coach, we help you negotiate the best possible deposit terms so that you get to keep more of your money to run your business.

How To:

Increase Wine Sales

By Paul Lambert

Shutterstock/Africa Studio

Whine or Dine?

It's easy to Set up your wine program in tiers and never have another customer cry about selection again.

obody likes to have to say ‘no’ to a customer, and the bar and restaurant business is no different. More and more consumers are becoming more educated, more knowledgable and getting more and more opportunities to taste myriad different types of wines these days. The saying

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in the business is “On-premise builds brands,” meaning a customer can sample a glass of wine in your bar that they've heard about from a friend or read about in a magazine without having to spring for an entire bottle—of course, if and when they try it and love it, hopefully they’ll end up October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

How To:

buying a bottle or three from you right there on the spot. This gives you a distinct advantage over off-premise sales points, as customers can 'try before they buy.' Or, as the old adage sort of goes, "If they like the milk, they can now buy the cow!" Many non-wine-centric establishments, such as local pubs, nightclubs and dive bars tend to have a very limited selection of choices; often just red or white. Served in a one-and-a-half liter bottle or ‘magnum’ which, typically, is not the best quality the vineyard is producing. These wines are usually purchased in bulk by both the establishment and the winery. They are most likely not oak-aged for any length of time, if at all, and are possibly just leftover juice that didn't meet the quality level for that production year. Or, it is intentionally made that way as a very inexpensive way to produce wine under the same banner, and then sell 24

it at a very healthy profit margin. This happens quite often in the wine industry. For example, most people probably remember drinking Sutter Home wine—usually the White Zinfandel—at one point or another in their life. This particular wine is extremely inexpensive to produce and its sales were enormous—giving the family that owns the brand enough money to purchase premium Napa land and produce the world class wines they currently peddle. But back to the cost of production. When a wine's label only lists its state, such as California, Oregon or New York, it means that its grapes could be sourced from anywhere within that state, as opposed to a more specific appellation such as Napa, Sonoma or Willamette. Wine without a clearly defined appellation usually means that it was produced in bulk and that the quality isn't the highest. A wine with a more specific appellation, meanwhile, means a

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

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You have a distinct advantage over off-premise sales points, as customers can 'try before they buy.' Or, as the old adage sort of goes, "If they like the milk, they can now buy the cow!"

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How To: much product of a higher quality, as the land usually is owned by the winery, indicating much more care was likely taken during its harvest and production as well as the wine likely carrying a significant period of oak-aging as well. Because of these facors, oak-aged wines from these specific regions tend to cost more.

But even with that said, it is still much more accessible to modify and grow your wine program than you may realize, thus increasing your customer base, word of mouth and, eventually, revenue. So, how does that relate to growing your wine program? Well, one simple suggestion is to start to offer at least

two tiers of all of your wines. For example, you could offer house wine as the first tier, maybe a Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio for your white and a Cabernet, a Merlot or a Pinot Noir as your red. Again, these wines are the least expensive to purchase, have minimum oak-aging, and are mostly served from the magnum. Depending on your establishment, this could be a perfectly fine offering for your customer base, but the point is to slowly grow the program, and offer your clientele a second tier of more expensive but better quality wine, in addition to your already existing house selection. Maybe that second tier is a Chardonnay from Sonoma, a Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige, Italy, or a Sauv Blanc from New Zealand, and then possibly a Cabernet from Napa, a Pinot Noir from Burgundy, or a Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. These wines typically will cost more than your "house" selections, but they don't necessarily have to break you or your customer’s budgets. You could offer a great quality Côtes du Rhône from France without having to pay more than $8-10 a bottle wholesale and even less for a South American Malbec. The third tier—if you decide you'd like to go that high—is up to you, but pricewise, should also increase accordingly. The best way to start to grow your program is to start to build a better

Despite what you may have heard, wine and spirit wholesalers are extremely good guys—and some of us are even pretty easy on the eyes. 26

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

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relationship with your wine and spirit wholesaler. (Despite what you may have heard, we're extremely good guys—and some of us are even pretty easy on the eyes.) We are actually there to help you accomplish these things, so try to be as honest as possible about your #winegoals. Let them know that you're interested in adding additional tier(s), or maybe that you’d like to rotate your by-theglass selections, and you, as the buyer, need to know each month about the newest deals. All wholesalers have multiple wines you can work with at the best price points for your business to help you keep healthy margins with only minimal additional investment. But it's up to both the respective buyer for your establishment and a knowledgeable sales rep to understand your business, know your intentions, and connect with the taste of your consumer base. Then it’s up to you to keep an eye on sales and see what's working and what isn't. Lastly, as you build this relationship with your rep, have them come in and conduct a short training for your waitstaff anytime you add a new wine, as sometimes they're even able tohelp incentive-ize sales where the law permits. These trainings will help your less-knowledgable employees speak more confidently about the new wines to your clientele, enabling them to sell more or at higher levels, which equals higher checks for you, higher tips for them, and higher repeat business and word-of-mouth sales. Paul Lambert has been in the wine and spirit industry since 1998, having worked for some of the major importers such as The Terlato Wine Group and TGIC Importers as well as Empire Merchants, one of the largest distributors in the New York tri-state area. He's studied wine extensively and traveled to many of the major growing regions around the globe. He is certified at the Master Level of Wine Education by Charmer Industries.While he is a lover of literally all wines, Champagne will always be his drink of choice.

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October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

10/5/16 10:28 AM

A Place

at the Table 28

By Elyse Glickman

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas enlists Antony Sazerac to bring a new form of bar showmanship direct to the table.

ll rules are made to be broken…including one of the biggest: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” In the case of CliQue Bar & Lounge at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the “Tableside Mixology” program fleshed out this past year by bartender Antony Sazerac, will now make its way to its sister property in Washington, D.C. Vegas native Sazerac, who perfected his craft at JW Marriott, House of Blues, The Link and Vesper Bar, was already a bonafide bar showman when he arrived at the Cosmopolitan and soon established himself as the expert in providing the “right amount of wrong” in liquid form to hotel guests. Eventually, management proposed he set up shop at CliQue, their new concept bar, which would require him to develop a program around bar carts that would bring the craft cocktail experience to the guest in a slightly different way. “When I was informed that (my bosses) wanted to start a tableside mixology program at CliQue, I was surprised to learn it was actually a very high-energy nightclub with DJ programming,” says Sazerac. “I personally questioned whether tableside cocktailing was going to work, as I pictured it appealing to the serious connoisseurs at serious cocktail bars.” Sazerac soon discovered that tableside mixology program he was charged with implementing actually provided CliQue the perfect opportunity to stand apart from other bars with noted cocktail programs in the Cosmopolitan, as well as other bars on the Strip. The heart of developing a menu on a specially designed bar cart would involve having some unique aspect or component to each cocktail that would give the guest a moment of pause, a chance to be present in a moment where they were having an incredible experience different from any other place in Vegas. “We offer a Mixologist’s Choice option on the menu where (the guest) can chat with the bartender and come up with something on the spot based on that conversation,” he details. “However, what we really wanted to accomplish was creating a menu that takes advantage of the intimacy of the tableside experience. In a way, it’s the opposite of the ‘wow factor.’ That may sound weird, however, when you consider there are Swarovski chandeliers and all kind of ‘wow factors’ all over the hotel and the city, it can become white noise at some point where there are so many impressive things that nothing’s impressive. What we’ve done here is make people stop and be aware of the work, energy and precision that goes into making these drinks.” One of Sazerac’s biggest challenges was streamlining everything needed for his cocktail list to a small space on wheels a fraction the size of a traditional bar. He likened the process of creating the bar microcosm to an

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interior decorator attempting to turn a studio apartment into a showroom instead of a mansion with an abundance of space. Also, as each bar cart is such a sizable investment, he suggested designing the menu first, and building the cart around that. “The first step was eliminating ingredients to get down to what the cart could accommodate,” Sazerac explains. “We then built the menu around a finite number of modifiers. Orgeat, for example, is in three of the cocktails, and we had to find ways to make the flavors in those three cocktails really different from one another. Another thing we did was pre-batch some of the spirits for the cocktails. Each one of our drinks has at least three alcoholic components to it, so we have

Tableside mixology also encourages fireside chats.

a storage unit in the back where we keep a large batch of all those mixes. This creates more space on the cart and lowers the margin of error, making it a huge cost and time saver. Plus, if prepping a drink takes too long, the customer will lose interest. Anything we can do to shave even 10 to 15 seconds off the preparation is huge.” Another consideration is the actual design of the cart itself. Sazerac stresses that because a cart bar could obviously never be as diversified as a full-size bar, he suggests developing a theme or concept ahead of time that can be worked into the design itself. This might include showcasing a specific spirit category, such as “stirred and boozy” cocktails where a shaker tin is not needed, or citrusy cocktails that don’t require October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

Something May Catch Fire

mixing glasses. However, other elements which are often taken for granted, such as proper lighting or drainage for extra fluids and ice also had to be factored in. “The dump sink was not in the design of our original cart, so we ended up adding a small plastic Cambro onto it,” he recalls. “For the second generation cart design in our DC venue, we went back to the drawing board with the company who designed the original carts and told them that we needed a place for our dirty stuff to go. Another necessity was having a draining area for the ice bin. In the first design, we just had a stainless steel one-piece ice bin, which was great as it did not leak. But after an hour, the ice turned into an ice bath. Another thing we noticed we really needed was LED lighting on the cart as most of CliQue has nightclub lighting, and it was near impossible to see what we were doing.” The forthcoming opening of DC’s CliQue this fall is a clear indicator for Sazerac that the less-is-more concept can not only push the craft cocktail experience into new places for consumers, but also be adaptable to a variety of different bar and restaurant genres, allowing them to bring new customers to, well, the table. “Some people believe that craft cocktails belong in a specific corner, complete with pretentious mixologists with curly 19th century mustaches looking down at customers who don’t drink Campari straight,” he says. “One thing I became convinced of when implementing this program is that there is a space for the craft cocktail everywhere, and a space to use unique presentations to connect with guests. Tableside mixology has so many different applications and venues it can work in, from a steakhouse or a fine dining tasting menu, to a restaurant showcasing 30

Japanese whiskies. It’s a different kind of side road to pushing the cocktail movement forward. While it may not necessarily become the ne hot trend, it shows the possibilities that exist for a lot of different venues.” In terms of marketing the concept, one way the team got buzz was to strategically organize a few rounds of complementary cart-drinks for the venue’s most visible tables. From there, they’d engage the guests, getting their thoughts on the drinks themselves as well as the experience of seeing them created up-close-and-personal. In other words, rather than selling a drink, Sazerac’s team was selling an actual experience. “It’s cool when you can really customize the drink with unusual ingredients from the cart,” he says. “And get people to stray from their whiskey gingers and their vodka sodas to order something off the menu that introduces them to fresh ingredients and new cocktail creation techniques, because of the intimacy of our process.”

Something May Catch Fire Antony Sazerac, CliQue Bar & Lounge, Las Vegas, NV 2 oz tamarind-infused Espolon Blanco Tequila ¾ oz Cherau Aloe Vera Liqueur ¾ oz Yellow Chartreuse 1 oz lemon juice ¾ oz pineapple juice 1. Shake, strain and pour over crushed ice. 2. Burn rosemary and cassia with a butane torch. 3. Garnish with lime wheels, cassia sticks and rosemary.

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

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Pep Talk By Elyse Glickman

Peppers are still quite hot in the cocktail world—both literally and figuratively—But there are right and wrong ways to make your statement to keep this trend from cooling for you.

t is inevitable that certain trends come and go with the seasons, while others have staying power all year round. This is true even with cocktail flavor profiles, regardless of what spirit lies at the foundation. We tend to see a lot of apples and

pears turn up on bar menus in the fall, with cinnamon and nutmeg appearing around the holidays. However, peppers have become a year-roud go-to ingredient, not just with Latin American dishes and at tequila bars, but as a lovely accent in cocktails accompanying Spanish

tapas, Thai food, Indian dishes or even American Steakhouse fare. “Its all about the capsicum,” says Ernest Miller, executive chef for Rancho La Merced Provisions, who adds that their harvest season starts in August and goes through November. “It’s all about the

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

enjoyment we get from that sensation, which enhances flavor and triggers a natural endorphin release. It also causes us to sweat a little bit, bringing evaporative cooling, which can be addictive.” While peppers have long had a presence in the margarita world, we first saw the stirrings of a trend about a decade ago. Three or four years ago, Miller started seeing chili peppers pop up in more places, like beer cocktails and knew that they’d finally hit the big time. www.barbizmag.com

“You really have to experiment with different flavor profiles,” informs Ted Kilgore, proprietor and beverage director at Planter’s House in St. Louis, Missouri. “Blanco and reposado tequilas naturally work with hot, Mexican foods, so they work great with chiles. However, you can’t just add chile to anything. It wouldn’t work with a Manhattan, as the cocktail emits enough ‘heat’ as it is. Aside from tequila, gin often works great with chiles, because the heat acts as a botanical. Unaged Pico or Peruvian Brandy works as well.” As customers’ palates become more sophisticated, and craft cocktails push bartenders to new creative heights, the inclusion of peppers—from habañero and jalapeño to other members of the capsicum family—can be just what the proverbial doctor ordered in adding new flavor profiles to a variety of bar programs. While various bartenders and owners have different takes on what peppers match up best with different spirits and recipes, one piece of advice is unanimous: Always wear gloves! When prepping fresh peppers, you must be sure to wash hands thoroughly, keeping them away from eyes and sensitive areas…or end up paying the price. “I’ve been infusing peppers into spirits and syrups for a very long time, and as a result have experienced a lot of failures,” says Ian Hardie, head bartender at Huckleberry Bar in Brooklyn, New York, in introducing two of his most teachable moments with peppers: “The first was while making jalapeño tequila, which we’ve been doing here at Huck for years. The very first time I did it, I failed to wear latex gloves. Some hours later, I innocently scratched an itch in my eye. Needless to say, I immediately regretted it. The second lesson came while making habañero syrup, underscoring the importance of ventilation and protective eye gear. This process begins with boiling sliced habañero peppers in water, which infuses it with an intense

spiciness, followed by adding and dissolving sugar into the boiling mix. The sweetness and viscosity of the sugar helps counterbalance the spice. However, when you boil spicy peppers, the resulting steam is now also infused with spice. If you don’t take proper protective measures, you’ll basically end up pepper spraying yourself.” Hardie recommends bartenders new to the trend start out infusing jalapeño into blanco tequila. Alex Vlastnik of Spoonbar in Healdsburg, California, meanwhile, cautions that a bartender is always rolling the dice when choosing to muddle on the spot. He suggests infusing alcohol with peppers ahead of time, or deseeding and coring them to cut down on inconsistency of heat. “I always take the proper precautions, so I’ve been lucky enough to not have too many fails,” Hardie says. “It’s important to be careful from the beginning, and being mindful that muddling on the spot often doesn’t work. It consistently comes out too spicy, from my experience.” Patrick Williams, who runs the beverage program for the Punch Bowl Social restaurant group recommends prepping peppers for muddling and shaking in cocktails the same day only. He also has other alternatives for getting a balanced pepper flavor with less on-the-spot fuss for larger volume bar situations. “We favor making syrups with hot peppers over using peppers to order,” he says. “This yields a more consistent heat level from one cocktail to the next. It’s also a good idea to retain some amount of control when infusing a spirit. Don’t infuse the entire amount of spirit, keep some to potentially balance the heat. Also, if you plan on using multiple ingredients, such as pineapple or serrano chili, infuse each separately, and blend the results to achieve the proper heat and flavor you are aiming for.” In terms of direct infusing, Williams also advises being mindful about the extremes to which chili-related heat can go. October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

Recipes Heat of The Moment Mike Monrreal, Borracha Mexican Cantina, Las Vegas 2 oz Espolon Reposado Tequila 1 oz Funkin’ Passion Fruit Puree ½ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz agave syrup 2 Fresno chili slices 1. Add all ingredients into mixing tin. 2. Add ice and shake vigorously. 3. Strain over fresh ice into a big martini glass. 4. Half-cinnamon sugar rim, Fresno chili horns, lime spiral.

Hot Desire Jose Torrella, Barclay Bar at the InterContinental New York Barclay 2 chunks of fresh watermelon 1 oz fresh lemon juice 1 oz simple syrup 1 oz jalapeño-infused Calvados Boulard V.S.O.P. 1. Muddle the watermelon. 2. Add all ingredients to mixing tin. 3. Shake and double strain into martini glass. 4. Garnish with fresh watermelon chunk on wood stick.

Sweet Heat Alec Vlastnik, Spoonbar at the h2h Hotel, Healdsburg, CA 1½ oz mango pepper–infused tequila ¾ oz Ancho Reyes ½ oz agave syrup 1 oz lime juice

Ring of Fire Ian Hardie, Huckleberry Bar, Brooklyn, NY ¾ oz HKB (Hong Kong Baijiu) ½ oz Marti Coconut Cream Rum ¾ oz light rum ¾ oz habañero syrup ¾ oz lime juice 3 dashes Peychauds bitters Splash of soda water 1. Shake and strain into highball glass. 2. Top with soda water and add lime wheel garnish. 34

Jalapeño Cucumber Limeade “A chef I was working with came across some ghost chiles,” he recalls. “Although I knew they were hot, I proceeded to make a syrup out of them, similar to a serrano syrup we had used before. However, just in the nose told me it was too hot to use, and I knew that by the coughing and tears that followed. Later, I took another stab at the hottest pepper on the planet, at a time when everyone was making too many house-made bitters.” The second time proved to be the charm, as he used the ghost chili bitters (made from one ghost chili per liter of spirit) to finish The Proper, a Bloody Mary–style drink served up with no ice and pickle brine, a small amount of bloody mix, potato vodka and and mere dashes of the ghostly bitters. Today, his Jalapeño Cucumber Limeade is still a hit at Punch Bowl Social, delicious on its own, or with tequila. Orson Salicetti, owner of New York City’s Lumos, notes that when prepping his Asian-inspired Baiju cocktails, he has to be mindful of their strength. “Szechuan pepper can have a strong numbing effect for your entire mouth,” he cautions. “However, if you boil it for five minutes, let it dry, then infuse, it will remain powerful in flavor, but the numbing effect will be diminished. Habañero is my favorite chile, and although it doesn’t have a strong aroma or

flavor, it is very powerful and spicy, and is a pure spice perfect to infuse with spirits.” “The only wrong way to infuse peppers into any spirit is to let it infuse too long,” opines Mike Monrreal, mixologist at Borracha Mexican Cantina in Las Vegas. “You technically only need six to eight hours to infuse heat into a spirit, depending on the pepper.” While Monrreal believes peppers work with almost any spirit, he, along with many of the other bartenders we talked to, cites reposado and blanco tequilas as a solid choice for infusions. He does not advocate infusing añejos and extra añejos, which should be savored on their own, and other pricey brown spirits like cognacs or single malts. “One of the best cocktails I’ve ever done was The Heat of The Moment,” claims Monrreal. “It hit your palate with the perfect amount of heat from the Fresno chile, with hints of vanilla, citrus, and pepper from the reposado, with just the right amount of sweet tart from the passion fruit, blending harmoniously with the lime and agave.” While Ann-Marie Verdi, proprietor of The Bellwether in Studio City, California prefers to keep details of her craft cocktail recipes a secret, she freely shares her insight into the proper handling of peppers, which are

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

central to many of her best-sellers. “Infusing is a lot like cooking,” she says. “There are usually a few renditions before you get your ‘dish’ exactly how you want it. The first time we did our Habañero Vodka, it came out (way too hot); we couldn’t even serve it. The best cocktail I think I’ve done with peppers would have to be our Pebbles On a Beach, where I infused strawberry and jalapeño into Tequila Arette, and the resulting flavors were the perfect balance of sweet and spice.” While Verdi says one of her favorite infusions is the strawberry-and-jalapeño Tequila Arette, she generally favors reposado for its flavor profile. While she notes there are many options when it comes to infusing chiles into spirits, she also advises against “peppering up scotch.” Vlastnik, meanwhile, says a good place to start is with pre-opening

exceptions. “Play around with some spirits,” says Bezuidenhout. “You never know what works until you try. The Spiced Old Fashioned is more about subtle heat, The Fresno has a touch of sweetness to it and it works really nicely with the añejo and has a nice maple spice finish.” Ben Foote, Bar Manager at Blackbelly Market in Boulder, Colorado, points out chiles can be dried ahead of time, while fresh chiles should be reserved for drinks made to order. This ensures that the chili flavors and aromas are preserved and used properly. “When infusing chiles there really isn’t a wrong way to use them, although dry chiles tend to do better with aged spirits and fresh chiles do with unaged spirits,” says Foote, who cites paloma variations as a great canvas for certain peppers. “I believe there is probably a right pepper out there for every

The only wrong way to infuse peppers into any spirit is to let it infuse for too long. You only need six to eight hours to infuse heat into a spirit. prep, as all fresh pepper varieties can be inconsistent in terms of spice. When he’s integrated peppers into whiskey recipes, he introduces the pepper element through a fruit purée, such as jalapeño or blood orange. He also makes tinctures with high-proof alcohol infusion in large batches, as numerous peppers can help create the perfect blend of mild and hot. “Never use top-shelf spirits, those products have enough flavor on their own and never infuse for over 24 hours,” he adds. One solution for adding the right amount of spice, according to Jacques Bezuidenhout of Kimpton Hotels in California, can be to make a tincture or syrup with the chosen pepper. He also believes blanco tequilas and vodkas provide the best canvas, while oaked spirits don’t lend themselves to a harmonious flavor profile. However, there are always www.barbizmag.com

spirit, depending on your taste. I personally recommend using a jalepeño or serrano with a silver tequila like Herradura Silver or El Tesoro Platinum. Miller, meanwhile, is particularly proud of the pepper rimming salts and sugars he developed which can easily add effortless and palatable heat. He also advises people to remember that peppers are fruits, with flavor nuances and sensations beyond spice and heat. “There is still a lot of exploration to be done, and you should always remember spicy peppers are used in cuisines around the world, from Korean kimchee to Szhechuan cooking to Indian vindaloo curries and North African harissa,” he says. “There are endless possibilities in terms of the ways peppers can inspire cocktails (with flavor profiles) from around the world.”

I Want to Break Free Ben Foote, Blackbelly Market, Boulder, CO 1½ oz jalapeño-infused Herradura Silver ½ oz Aperol ½ oz fresh lime juice 2 slices fresh jalapeño 5 oz San Pellegrino Pompelmo 1. Muddle jalapeño. 2. Add Herradura, Aperol, fresh lime juice and Pellegrino. 3. Stir to mix. 4. Garnish with grapefruit slice and a few slices of fresh jalapeño.

Jalapeño Cucumber Limeade Patrick Williams, Punch Bowl Social, Austin, TX 1½ oz jalapeño cucumber syrup (recipe below) 1½ oz fresh lime juice 2 oz seltzer water 1. Build in small tin, fill with ice. 2. Shake vigorously and strain into glass with cayenne salted rim (1 part ground cayenne to 3 parts kosher salt). 3. Add ice, garnish with cucumber wheel (To transform this into a cocktail simply add 1 oz of blanco tequila) Jalapeño cucumber syrup 1. Slice ½ pound of jalapeños, removing most of the seeds. 2. Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add jalapeños and let simmer for 15 minutes. 3. Strain out jalapeños. 4. In a vegetable juicer, juice fresh English cucumbers. 5. Add 1 part cucumber juice to 2 parts jalapeño syrup. 6. Adjust ratios for proper heat.

Spiced Old Fashioned Jacques Bezuidenhout, Kimpton Hotels, San Francisco, CA 2 oz Partida Añejo Tequila 2 bar spoons of maple syrup 2 slices of Fresno chiles 1 dash Angostura Bitters Orange twist 1. Muddle fresno chili, bitters and maple syrup in an old-fashioned glass. 2. Add ice and Partida Añejo. 3. Stir to mix all ingredients. 4. Garnish with an orange twist. October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

Big

ST. AUGUSTINE Boston CHICAGO Las Vegas Los Angeles MIami

By Elyse Glickman

History On The Rocks In Florida 36

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

The ‘water of life’ is spiked in Florida’s youngest up-and-coming bar, club and dining scene proves in St. Augustine.

he words ‘Florida’ and ‘nightlife’ can conjure up any number of things when uttered together. Some think of the glitzy nights and tropical cocktails in Miami. Others will picture the Florida Keys and margaritas evoked in Jimmy Buffet songs, or the stiff men’s drinks of Ernest Hemingway novels. Others still may come up with visions of sugary theme park fruit punch served in plastic fruit-shaped containers, bingo nights and lemonade in senior bedroom communities or cheap yards of beer and mixed drinks during spring break. St. Augustine—the oldest town in America, home to the ‘Fountain of Youth’ and gateway to the ‘New World’ for Spanish explorers in 1565—has an identity of its own thanks to a historic past, as well as a foundation for its own cocktail scene. This is in part due to a percolating bar and restaurant scene that integrates its Andalusian roots, down-home Southern traditions, as well as other surprising influences, that taken together, point to a distinctive bar scene taking shape. According to Aaron Jockers, Venue Relations Manager and guide for The Tasting Tours, St. Augustine has always had a heritage of variety; a combination of different cultures and civilizations that made their mark over the course of 500 years. “This particular town has ethnic groups from around the world, which have shaped the cuisine from the early days forward,” says Jockers. “This means that no matter what kind of cuisine you’re looking for—Spanish, Greek, Polish, French, Italian—you can probably find it here. That said, dishes, as well as cocktails, all receive a different spin based on local ingredients and the way these different groups interacted over the generations.”

The Reign of Spain Thanks to Savannah-based boutique hotelier Richard Kessler, many locals and regular visitors point to the Casa Monica and its Costa Brava Restaurant and Bar as the downtown area’s culinary and social center. Executive Chef Fred Mero offers a mix of authentic Spanish tapas and main courses, as well as eclectic dishes fusing Mediterranean and South American sensibilities. The adjoining bar, meanwhile, exudes so much personality through its Moorish decor and live music that it is tempting to live it up at the hotel every night. Costa Brava has a nice, balanced mix of classic (Bee’s Knees) and original cocktails (St. Augustine Unicorn) that hits on many different trends—including beer cocktails like ‘Old Fashion Beer,’ marrying Woodford Rye and Intuition IPA and dessert cocktails like ‘Espresso,’ with Godiva Vodka, Frangelico and prosecco—keeping its local star status. However, the main attraction is the sangria menu, which, like www.barbizmag.com

the Sevilla-influenced tapas menu, is food friendly and takes advantage of locally grown ingredients. The Costa Brava, their signature sangria cocktail, is built upon a simple recipe with fine spirits: Grand Reserva Malbec, Torres 10 Year Brandy, Grand Marnier and blood orange juice. The others, which are offered in June, take sangria in non-traditional directions. The Apple & Pear has a foundation of La Marca Prosecco, and packs a punch with Grey Goose Pear, Apple Pucker, lime and apple juices and fresh fruit slices. When strawberries are in season, they’re also sliced and added to a mix of Benzinger Sauvignon Blanc, Bacardi Limon, Torres Orange Brandy and fresh mint. If sangria’s your thing, then Sangrias, located just off the main St. George Street shopping area, might be for you. With a more casual, neighborhood bar–vibe, live music and an outdoor porch, it takes the notion of sangria-beverage-as-artform even further with seven house-devised sangrias ranging from ultra traditional (Ancient City Classico, with a red wine and port foundation) to the truly inventive (SangriLa, the offspring of white sangria and rum punch; Reilly’s Rojo Sangria, with cranberry and apple juice; and Ruby Porto, adding apple slices, peach liquer and cinnamon to a traditional Spanish sangria base).

A Brave New World The Ice Plant and St. Augustine Distillery, located just a tenminute walk from the main city center, are at once one-stop shopping for craft liquor connoisseurs and modern cocktail fans. Although each business is independently operated, and St. Augustine Distillery spirits are proudly integrated into the city’s better bar programs, a visit to the distillery followed by drinks and dinner at The Ice Plant will give one a full appreciation of the entrepreneurial spirit that’s shored

October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

Big

ST. AUGUSTINE Boston CHICAGO Las Vegas Los Angeles MIami

“I don’t know how to put this... but I’m kind of a big deal”

up St. Augustine’s image in the last few years. “We use regional agriculture, such as Florida wheat and corn for our bourbon and South Florida sugar cane syrups and molasses for our rum,” says Kara Pound, a representative for the distillery. “We have a great partnership with the 38

Florida Department of Citrus, and promote Florida citrus in much of what we do. In addition to offering products visitors will love and locals can be proud of, we also have an incredibly community minded outlook at the St. Augustine Distillery. We have created 40 local jobs, and partnered with organizations such as the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, Lincolnville Community Garden. (We compost our lime rinds, ginger pulp and coffee grinds) and sponsor local beach cleanups with Keepers of the Coast.” The Ice Plant, opened in 2013, established its unique niche through reintroducing customers to the craft of ice harvesting by freezing purified water in large blocks as the original plant had done in the early 20th century. The slowermelting, higher-quality ice, in turn, results in drinks that are not only balanced, but bring an added dimension of ‘cool’ to modern and traditional drink recipes. Ice Plant mixologist Zach Lynch notes that although citrus plays a big role throughout the year in the bar’s cocktail program, he emphasizes the menus change menus seasonally and incorporate local citrus and fruit whenever possible. Although the comfort element of Southern-style cooking expresses itself in the food menus, he observes customers a re looking for lighter alternatives consistent with the balmy weather and their own well-being. “I’ve seen a good trend in food and drink since we opened up,” Lynch says. “I think more people are caring more about what they drink, and it’s starting to show in the other bars and restaurants’ menus in

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

RECIPES town. There are now more places to go out and get a balanced drink and enjoy a bartender that knows their stuff.” Cellar 6 and Tini Martini are among the bars following suit with creativity and determination. Tini Martini, a teeny space inside the Casablanca Hotel, has both a speakeasy feel and a beach view. However, what sets it apart is that the potent classic and original cocktails are often served with a shaker, so it’s practically like getting two drinks for the price of one. Cellar Six (“C6”) contrasts with its Aviles Street surroundings in that it is all about the modern cocktail experience, from its self-illuminating menus to house specialties, some inspired by its staff (i.e. Kaley’s Cosmo, with Tito’s Vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, pineapple and lime juice) or using local products (i.e. Fountain of Youth Martini, with St. Augustine Vodka, Sweet Blue Liqueur, agave, lemon and lime topped with Champagne) One of the newest bars on the scene is Odd Birds, a craft cocktail bar with a Venezuelan theme. The menus pair seasonal cocktails and beer selections with Venezuelan style street foods, such as arepas. “We feature odd spirits from around the world, as well as flights, for guests to taste a variety,” says Ryan Arvin, general manager and self-described “bird keep.” “We are an industry-driven bar that allows guest bartenders from around the country to visit and share our bar, but also a place where oddness is the rule. These ’guest bartenders’ come prepared with their own menu and local ingredients for a Monday night take over.”

The Captive Mind Zach Lynch, The Ice Plant, FL 1½ oz St. Augustine Distillery Florida Cane Vodka ¾ oz lemon juice ¾ oz simple syrup 6 blueberries 5-6 mint sprigs 1. Shake all ingredients. 2. Strain into a glass with ice. 3. Garnish with mint and blueberries.

Infinite Arms Zach Lynch, The Ice Plant, FL 1½ oz St. Augustine Pot Distilled Rum 1 oz watermelon juice ¾ oz lime juice 2-3 Shishito pepper wheels 1. Shake all ingredients. 2. Strain over fresh ice. 3. Garnish with a shishito pepper.

Tahiti Kingfisher

Never Long in the Tooth

Ryan Arvin, Odd Birds, FL

St. Augustine is not the only game in town in terms of distilleries who turn out high-quality products that bars and customers are embracing. Leading that pack is Ancient City Brewery which not only fashions the superb Ponce’s Pale Ale and Anastasia Island IPA in their regular year-round collection, but also Castillo Coconut Porter, which captures the geographic and historic attributes of St. Augustine itself. The dessert-y brew is crafted with raw organic coconut and finished with Northern Brewer hops, and sports malty, dark chocolate notes. Special release brews, only available in the tasting room include a Key Lime Kolsch, Pecan Nut Brown Ale and Black Cherry Ale. Another incentive to take in the local St. Augustine scene, is to visit Ancient City’s party-ready tap room which is outfitted with a pool table, darts, games and large screen TVs. That said, the brewery has also made itself available for formal tasting dinner experiences, such as a recent gathering at the Casa Monica Hotel, where the brewers paired their year-round staple beers with several of Chef Fred Mero’s Southern-inspired dishes. “I love bigger markets, but being in a smaller market definitely has some advantages because the healthy competition we breed is friendly and kinda fun,” sums up The Ice Plant’s Lynch on St. Augustine’s small-but-growing craft cottage industry. “We are all here to just give people a good drink and elevate the food culture in a city that needs to get more recognition. Miami, in contrast, has got it hard because they’ve been at the top of their game so long.”

¾ oz Diplomático Reserva Rum ¼ oz Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum 1 oz port wine ½ oz berry or white tea syrup ½ oz grapefruit juice 2 dashes of mole bitters

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1. Shake and serve in a rocks glass over a large 2” ice cube. 2. Garnish with an orange swath and Firestix edible flower.

Guacamaya Ryan Arvin, Odd Birds, FL Muddled Mint 1½ oz Mezcal ¾ oz lime juice ¾ oz simple syrup 2 dashes Angostura Bitters Topped with prosecco 1. Shake ingredients excluding bitters and prosecco. 2. Fine-strain into a stemmed glass. 3. Top with prosecco and 2 dashes of bitters. 4. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

Inventory Now it’s a Party!

Don't Be a Jack Ass: Drink Mule 2.0

Jenga GIANT Genuine Hardwood Game is the biggest authentic hardwood Jenga game yet. Gigantic fun for ages eight to adult, it stacks≠ to over four feet high. And with the available Booster Pack (sold separately), it can reach over five feet! Jenga GIANT Genuine Hardwood Game is made to the exacting specifications of classic Jenga using 54 precision cut, high-quality, durable, polished, oversized hardwood blocks, so the fun can last for years to come. It’s the perfect addition to your bar, restaurant or really any place where people gather and are looking for a good time. For a limited time, buy a Jenga GIANT Genuine Hardwood Gam at jengagiant.com using code REALJENGAFUN for just $100 and free shipping (US & Canada only). Offer expires December 31, 2017.

Mule 2.0 is a ready-to-drink Moscow Mule crafted in the spirit of the original cocktail invented in 1941. It is 8% ABV Grain Neutral Spirits with natural ginger and lemon-lime flavors and is gluten free. The unique compact packaing holds four – twelve ounce cans. Mule 2.0 was first launched in October 2015 in Illinois and has since gained distribution in nineteen states as both an offpremise (retail) and on-premise (bars, country clubs, patio bars, poolside, golf courses, tailgates, nightclubs). It won double gold in April 2016 at the WSWA Conference in Las Vegas–voted on by twenty industry professionals. Visit our website at mule20.com or find us on social media under @therealmule20. For purchasing information please email info@mule20.com.

Bars: It's Time to BOX Yourself In

It's a Beer Fest with Festbier

Introducing the new, yet not so new, Barboxes. Finally, you can trash those cheap, ugly plastic bartop fruit trays and caddies emblazoned with some other company's logo or brand. Barboxes are unique bar top products designed and created by bartenders that are hand-crafted from reclaimed wood. All of them are artisan built and one-of-a-kind, or as we like to say "perfectly imperfect". All are individually built under the shady oaks of their outdoor workshop and, of course, made in the U.S.A. That means no two boxes are alike due to the incredible variances in wood grain and coloring. And the best part is—they can be branded with your restaurant, bar or logo. So why litter your bar with someone else's brand when you can class it up with one of these beauties. Check out the complete line of Barboxes at barboxes.us.

Gordon Birsch Festbier celebrates fall and the beers served at the modern-day Oktoberfest. Its aroma begins with a burst of toasty malt character highlighting the essence of bread crust, with a hint of caramel malt, followed by a delicate yet firm hoppy finish. Maltiness is achieved via a combination of dark-roasted, Munich-style and pilsner malts. GB Festbier uses imported Hallertau hops to create a clean, authentic, and aromatic finish. Although bearing some similarities to their flagship Marsen beer, the Festbier is lighter in color pouring a bright orange color with a low but dense head of white bubbles. As a traditional beer of the Oktoberfest, the recommended pairings are bratwurst and fresh baked pretzels encouraging you to eat, drink and be merry. For more information visit our website at gordonbierschbrewing.com.

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

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October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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9/29/16 10:41 AM

Holiday Happenings

NOVEMBER 2016 9

Nov 2: Plan Your Epitaph Day

Nov 6: Marooned Without a Compass Day

Nov 8: Election Day

Nov 9: Chaos Never Dies Day

Nov 10: Forget-Me-Not Day

It sounds morbid, but think of it as a fun exercise for friends to do over drinks so your disappointed parents or PO’d children don’t get in their last licks by writing it for you.

...or as it’s known in this century: “Leaving Your Smartphone in an Uber Day”.

Finally, after what feels like 20 years, we will all learn whether our research into the Canadian real estate market pays off. Hopefully it was all for naught and tonight we shall celebrate!

Throw one back for Jeff Goldblum’s Jurassic Park choasobsessed Dr. Malcolm on this “holiday” that could also double as the title of the next Bond installment.

Let’s drink to oldwhat’s-his-name!

PLEASE UPDATE ALL CALENDARS.

Nov 13: National Indian Pudding Day

Nov 14: Operating Room Nurse Day

Nov 17: Great American Smokeout

Nov 25: Black Friday

Ironic that most of us get a day off work for Columbus Day, yet no one’s heard of ‘Indian Pudding Day.’ Or indian pudding at all.

Maybe randomly dial one bright and early to wish them an amazing day so you don’t somehow end up drunkenly having to do it in person later? Just a thought.

Whether you celebrate this holiday with Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson, Guy Fieri and charcoal briquettes, or just an uncle with emphysema and a tracheotomy is really up to you.

#AllFridaysMatter? Can we still say that?

30 Nov 30: Stay at Home Because You Are Well Day …immediately followed by ’Stay at Home Because You Are Blindingly Hungover Day’ on December 1.

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Nov 2: Shutterstock/Amy Johansson, Nov 6: Shutterstock/pogonici, Nov 8: Shutterstock/3dfoto, Nov 9: Shutterstock/Who is Danny, Nov10: Shutterstock/Natasha Kramskaya, Nov 13: Shutterstock/Anna Kucherova, Nov 14: Shutterstock/Zurijeta, Nov 17: Shutterstock/totallypic, Nov 25: Shutterstock/ kenny1, Nov 30: Shutterstock/ William Perugini

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G&G Closed Circuit Events LLC

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Inventory Companies

Dewars

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Glenlivet Single Cask Edition

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Jack Daniels Single Barrel

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Narragansett Beer

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To advertise in Bar Business Magazine contact Art Sutley Phone: 212-620-7247 Email: asutley@sbpub.com

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October 2016 Bar Business Magazine

Government GETs Crafty

Spirits look to join beer and wine in major federal tax break By Christopher Tarantino, Editor-in-Chief

The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (S.1562) was originally introduced by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D–OR) and Roy Blunt (R–MO) in 2015, and with the addition of Sens. Barbara Boxer (D–CA), Heidi Heitkamp (D–ND) and Joni Ernst (R–IA) now has a clear majority in support of its tax parity legislation. The Senate groundswell is echoed by growing support for a parallel House bill (H.R.2903), both of which indicate a need for modernization of the current tax code for the craft spirit distilling industry, whose numbers are currently at an all-time high with 1,400 distilleries across the country.

were joined in Washington DC by industry partners like the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (D.I.S.C.U.S.), Beer Institute, WineAmerica, Wine Institute and The Brewers Association, marking the first time the major alcohol advocacy groups joined forces to help push legislation. The rally alslo included a sit-down with Sen. Charles Schumer (D–NY) and a reception, where three hundred senators, congressmen, representatives and various tax legislators from Capitol Hill mixed, mingled and sampled some of the craft spirits they’re currently fighting for (oh to be a fly on that wall). During the reception, Representative Erik Paulsen (R–MN) spoke to the importance of tax relief legislation, arguing that a reduced tax for the industry would create more manufacturing, grow more jobs and increase tourism, and noted he intends to keep up the momentum for bipartisan support of the current legislation.

Under these bills, craft spirit distillers will be provided a tax break in line with both craft brewers and vintners by paying a reduced Federal Excise Tax (F.E.T.) – a benefit which those producers have enjoyed for decades. Taxes on distilled spirits are among the nation’s highest, comprising as much as 54% of the typical spirit’s purchase price. Spirit producers remain disadvantaged compared to their brewery and winery counterparts, who receive significant reductions in their tax rate. In fact, spirit producers pay taxes in excess of five times more than that of a craft brewery and sixteen times more than a small winery, for an identical beverage quantity. The non-profit trade group American Craft Spirits Association (A.C.S.A.) advocates on behalf of the national craft distiller community and have been pushing for such legislation for a number of years. Recently, they 44

A.C.S.A. board president & FEW Spirits founder Paul Hletko added, "While the craft distilling community is encouraged by reaching a landmark achievement in the fight for a reduction in F.E.T., we will continue to press Congress to do the right thing and pass this historic legislation. A drink is a drink is a drink, and parity with beer and wine is long overdue." The A.C.S.A. is governed by a board of directors who are elected by a voting body of eligible, independent and licensed distillers and membership is open to anyone. For more information or to become involved, visit americancraftspirits.org.

Bar Business Magazine October 2016 www.barbizmag.com

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