July 2015 Bar Business

annual seasonal summer cocktail Spicy Sippin’: Our section spices things up this year.

The How-To Publication

BAR BUSINE$$ July 2015

M A G A Z I N E

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GIVE IT A KICK

How to teach an old Mule some new tricks

How to: Bar Food Big Six: Miami Gastropub Bartending: Dangers

BAR BUSINE$$

On Tap JULY 2015

CONTENTS

21 all together

HOW TO

25

17

21

25

We’re all MIXED UP

Eat, drink & Be Merry

Bartenders Beware

The latest edition of our bi-monthly section for digital issues only, where we provide a collection of cocktail recipes for mixologists. www.barbizmag.com

One of the best ways to keep customers spending on spirits and beer is to feed them, whether its small bites, pub grub, or beyond.

The bartending game has just as many dangers as it does benefits, and Bob Johnson lets you know how to avoid them.

July 2015 Bar Business Magazine

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On Tap

BAR BUSINE$$

CONTENTS

Features

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28 More Mules You can teach an old mule new tricks, as it turns out, and Chris Reed, owner of Reed’s Ginger Beer, talks about the Moscow Mule and the magic powers of ginger brew.

Departments 4 Bar room drawl

36 Big six

6 Booze News

A bar owner in Miami took an unusual approach to claim market share amongst the dance halls of South Beach by opening Batch.

Perlick’s latest tap service solution; A first for Scotch distillation; First shots of the Wine War is fired; Speedrack names the best female bartender in America; The Greene Turtle continues to grow.

10 liquid Assets The cachaça craze continues to cultivate a cultish craft spirits following beyond the borders of Brazil as American consumers and cocktail creators alike take a liking to this South American spirit.

40 Inventory

32 SUMMER SIPPIN’ With summer in full swing across the nation, it’s time to look at some ways to spark interest in a seasonal cocktail menu suited for the sweltering days and nights in your bar.

42 holiday happenings 44 Supply SIDE An inside look at new liquor statistics shows the craft spirits segment making similar waves as its craft beer cousin in the U.S.

CORRECTION

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In our June 2015 issue, the feature article on page 32 about female bar ownership titled “A League of Their Own” was incorrectly attributed. The article was written by longtime Bar Business contributor Elyse Glickman.

Check out Elyse’s latest piece, about cachaça, on page 10 of this issue.

“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 July 2015

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Bar Room Drawl

By Chris Ytuarte Editor

There Are No Shortcuts "I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating."

— Sophocles The nightlife industry, seemingly more than others, is ripe for roundabout routes to success, full of wrong-way options that are either illegal, immoral, or unethical, while wholly profitable and, as such, entirely tempting.

After all, this is an industry based on legal-age drinkers, with profit available from serving those under. We walk the line between satisfied customer and over-served liability every night; we measure product pours down to the smallest decimal to stretch margins; we watch customers straddle mutual flirtation and aggressive harassment every night. This business, by nature, can lure the lesser proprietor to make poor decisions, take short cuts, or lower their standards, all in the name of a few more dollars.

But here’s the thing: The great bar owners don’t need to go that route.

Instead, they know how to maximize what they have and what they can offer to make the most money. Anyone can water down a drink to squeeze more from their liquor sales; but can you make a fully sourced cocktail with ample alcohol that tastes so great it simply entices more overall purchases?

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Bar Business Magazine July 2015

The latest trick to rear its ugly head in the service industry comes under the guise of one of the most important tools we have in the bar business—POS. Last month, several news outlets reported on the recent trend of “sales suppression” software being used on-premise. In New York last month, the Manhattan District Attorney released a grand jury report indicting a seller of “zappers,” which are essentially POS terminals designed and built to cheat the state and the city out of billions of dollars in sales tax. Using this hardware, some restaurant and bar owners simply make certain sales “disappear”—every fifth drink sold, or every third appetizer purchased, let’s say—meaning the sales that don’t show up simply don't get taxed by the state or by the city. The software is even sophisticated enough to reconcile sales records with the existing inventory, should someone inquire about missing items. And if such inquisitive minds do seek more information, the hard drives on these “zappers” can be intentionally crashed, destroying any record of questionable or missing sales. The grand jury, in New York’s case, went after one manufacturer, with 10 restaurants pleading guilty to tax evasion. That may seem like small potatoes, but it’s indicative of the bigger picture.

I personally found it disheartening to hear of such activity in this industry. I know full well there a million loopholes bar owners can work to boost profits on-premise, but I like to think the great owners simply work harder. Am I wrong?

BAR BUSINE$$ MAGAZINE

July 2015 Vol. 8, No. 7 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

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 Now Pouring: More Variety, More Impact

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f you’re looking to make a big splash with more variety and you want to free up some barspace in the increasingly diverse beer market, take a look at Perlick’s new Series 4076 WallMount Beer Dispenser. As a wallmount, it opens up your barspace for other uses while creating an impressive front-and-center visual statement — smooth, SEAMLESS construction all the way up to 32 faucets in 96”. Need more? The number of faucets can be extended indefinitely with additional units.

Choice is the name of the game, and with the new Series 4076 you have plenty of options for adding beers, hard ciders, carbonated waters and more. Cleaning is easy, and flavor is clean and crisp — Perlick’s Forward Sealing Stainless Steel Faucets feature a revolutionary ball and floating O-ring design, which eliminates the need for a valve shaft. Beer is not exposed to air so the handle lever

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n other beer news, HEINEKEN USA has announced the return of its Beers of Mexico variety pack, the ideal all-in-one party pack solution, right on schedule for the Fall and holiday entertaining seasons. Joining the mix of perennial favorites, Dos Equis Lager, Tecate and Sol, is newcomer Dos Equis Roja, a distinctive red lager crafted with Mexican

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Bar Business Magazine July 2015

doesn’t stick, and there is no build up of mold and bacteria in the faucet body.

K ey F eatures:

• Modular Wall Mount Beer Dispenser–4076

• Seamless head in any length up to 96” (32 faucets max) • Gang run multiple heads in series for unlimited run length and faucet count • E asy installation system – Heavy duty 14 ga. mounting bracket is slotted to allow anchoring to multiple wall studs along the length of the head • Beer and glycol leads may exit through the back or bottom • Optional glass rinser may be integrated into multiple glass racks in virtually any location along the drain pan • Glycol cooled malted barley and hops. This latest version of the Beers of Mexico pack will be available in 12 and 24-packs starting August 1st.

"Variety packs have experienced incredible growth, contributing an incremental $224M and more than doubling retailer profits over the last five years,” said Ryan Thompson, Brand Director for Dos Equis, HEINEKEN USA. “Our

Family owned since 1917, Perlick’s awardwinning commercial product lines have maximized the profitability of the world’s finest restaurants, bars, stadiums, hotels and resorts. As a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, based manufacturer, Perlick is dedicated to providing innovative, customizable food and beverage storage and serving solutions.

To learn more, visit Perlick.com or call 800.558.5592.

Beers of Mexico pack showcases the breadth of HEINEKEN USA’s Mexican beer portfolio and will satisfy a range of tastes for any gathering.

Each beer in the pack has a unique and individual personality, and when available together, offer shoppers a premium quality ‘Party in a Pack’ perfect for enjoying, entertaining and gifting.” www.barbizmag.com

ISLAND FIRST: MULTIMILLION-POUND WHISKY DISTILLERY PLANNED FOR ISLE OF RAASAY

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tiny Hebridean island off the coast of Skye is set to become the location of Scotland’s newest distillery.

The multimillion-pound Raasay Distillery and visitor experience centre will be independently owned & operated by R&B Distillers and hopes to open in January 2017, if planning permission is granted later this year.

The development would become the island’s first legal distillery and is expected to generate employment for eleven of the island’s 120 residents.

The creation of a state-of-the-art visitor experience centre and luxury accommodation– which will include the restoration of the island’s currently derelict Victorian hotel, Borodale House–is hoped to put Raasay on the map for whisky lovers around the globe.

Driven by a desire to make ‘handcrafted whiskies of uncommon provenance’, R&B Distillers hope to release the first batch of Raasay whisky by 2020 and produce up to 150,000 bottles of whisky a year thereafter.

Bill Dobbie–Scots entrepreneur and co-founder of online dating site ‘Cupid’ – and business partner Alasdair Day – who currently produces Tweeddale whisky – founded R&B Distillers in 2014.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: TOP MIAMI SOMMELIERS SET TO BATTLE FOR WINES OF CHILE

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ines of Chile and the Guild of Sommeliers last month presented the second annual “Wine Bar War,” in Miami. The celebrated, one-of-a-kind competition challenges 16 top sommeliers to showcase 32 unique Chilean wines through the creation of four exceptional pop-up wine bars in one day. Informally recognized as the capital of South America, Miami was selected as the host city for its vast representation of Latin American cultures and its fastchanging culinary landscape.

On Thursday, June 18, the teams went head-to-head as they transformed The Moore Building in

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Don't worry, more whisky is on the way.

Managing Director, Alasdair Day, shared his excitement: “It’s incredible to think that there are still areas of Scotland completely ‘forgotten’ by whisky.

“The Isle of Raasay is one of those unique locations and the perfect home for R&B Distillers to handcraft whiskies of uncommon provenance.

“We’re now working hard to engineer a whisky destination unlike any other. From the magnificent views over to Skye, to experiencing craft distilling first hand, we can’t wait for visitors to discover our whiskies, the island and the community here on Raasay.”

Miami’s Design District into four unique Chilean wine bars that brought Chile to life through their selection of wine and creative design. The teams competed for a chance to win flights in Premium Business Class and all‐expenses paid trip to Chile courtesy of LAN Airlines, part of LATAM Airlines Group, and Chilean Tourism Board – Turismo Chile. Votes from 300 ticketed guests, trade members, and a panel of 4 judges would determine the winning team. LAN Airlines will also raffled a pair Premium Business Class tickets to Chile for a lucky winner in attendance.

The Guild of Sommeliers handpicked four of Miami’s most distinguished sommeliers to lead their teams into victory. Captains include: Brian Gandison of Hakassan, Heath Porter of Uvaggio, Amandra Fraga of Michaels

Following a pre-planning application that was submitted to Highlands & Islands Council in January 2015, R&B Distillers are currently undertaking a protected species audit for bats, otters and the Raasay vole.

A wildlife report is expected at the end of August with a view to the full planning application being submitted by September.

Around 12,000 people are expected to visit the Raasay Distillery in its first year. Plans are also afoot for R&B Distillers to open a distillery in the Scottish Borders, where the last whisky distillery closed 150 years ago.

Genuine and Greg Rivera of The Breakers Palm Beach. Each captain invited three other sommeliers to join their team. “This event challenges sommeliers like no other event,” said Master Sommelier Geoff Kruth, Chief Operating Officer of the Guild of Sommeliers.

For more information go to www.winebarwar.com. Information about Wines of Chile can be found at www.winesofchile.org.

July 2015 Bar Business Magazine

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Booze News LOS ANGELES’ BRITTINI RAE PETERSON CROWNED MISS SPEED RACK USA 2015

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ew York; June 15, 2015 – On Sunday, June 15, 16 of the country’s top female bartenders went shaker-toshaker at the finals of the Speed Rack National Tour, competing for industry glory and breast cancer research. The competition was fierce in the spectator-sport-meetsthe-best-in-bartending event, but Brittini Rae Peterson of Los Angeles’s Melrose Umbrella Co. rose to the top, beating out her competitors in the shaking and stirring showdown, earning the title of Miss Speed Rack USA 2015.

More than 200 female bartenders across the country poured their hearts, souls and favorite spirits into the Speed Rack regional heats that were held in eight of the top cocktail cities nationwide. Eight finalists rose to the top and took the stage along with eight wild card winners at the Speed Rack National

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Bar Business Magazine July 2015

Finals held at Webster Hall in New York City. The master mixtresses competed in heats to make rounds of cocktails culled from a list of 50 accepted industry-standard classic recipes, in front of a panel of judges and a crowd of excited viewers.

The judging panel, which featured cocktail world luminaries Dale DeGroff, a.k.a King Cocktail, Kate Krader of Food & Wine Magazine, Audrey Saunders of Pegu Club, and Charlotte Voisey, Portfolio Mixologist, William Grant & Sons, USA, rated each drink based on prep time and accuracy.

More than 500 guests cheered on the contenders while PernodRicard’s Chris Patino emceed the event while San Francisco bar owner, bartender and DJ Ryan Fitzgerald had the house rocking and the audience amped. Top-name male bartenders served as barbacks to keep the show running smoothly and

prep the finalists for each round.

Miss Speed Rack USA 2015 will join Speed Rack founders Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix for an educational trip to the Jameson Distillery in Ireland and represent the United States at the Jameson Bartender Ball; along with the Speed Rack winner in each tour city. She also receives an allinclusive trip for two to France, where she will enjoy the beauty of the Anjou region and take a tour of the Cointreau distillery while attending the Cointreau Bartender Academie, an educational and intricate program designed to enlighten the trade on the secrets and subtleties of Cointreau.

In addition, Miss Speed Rack USA 2015 receives a scholarship to its five-day program from the founding Partners of BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resource) and a custom bar bag from Barkeeper & Co. www.barbizmag.com

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Liquid Assets

Cachaça Thanks to the 2014 World Cup, the 2016 Summer Olympics and Brazil’s impact on fashion, entertainment and design, this may be the right moment to get to know cachaça, its national spirit. By Elyse Glickman

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Cocktails photos by Vítor Formiga

Catching Up With

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ime and again, Brazilian culture has found its way onto the world’s pop cultural stage. From Rio’s annual Carnival to fashion icons, cuisine, soccer and Bossa Nova, there are many ways it has captured the collective imagination of people worldwide. About a decade ago, cachaça, Brazil’s homegrown spirit, seemed poised to be the next big thing in spirits. Leblon, Sagatiba, Cabana, Cuca Fresca, Novo Fogo, Beija and other brands staged clever campaigns to put cachaça on the map outside Brazil, inspired in part by the lifestyle of Rio’s fashionable and fearless.

Even though the campaigns worked their magic among professionals and customers in the beginning, some skeptics wrote the emerging spirits category off as a fad. Others said cachaça’s centuries-old reputation as a working man’s sugar cane juicebased spirit got lost in translation.

In the years that followed, the heat originally generated by the big brands began to cool, even as caipirinhas (the sassy, cachaçabased counterpart of mojitos and daiquiris) remain on cocktail menus at Latin American-themed bars and restaurants.

Cecilia Kruel

A Brazilian Gem Worth Mining

Fred Yarm, bartender at Boston’s Loyal Nine, writer for the Cocktail Virgin blog, and author of Drink & Tell: A Boston Cocktail Book, notes that cachaça has enjoyed a presence in the Boston bar scene because of its large Brazilian expat population in areas like Cambridge and Somerville, where at different times there have been as many as 30-40 brands available. While some bartenders may explain it as a cousin of rum because of sugar cane being their common root ingredient, he’s often asked, “Why not call it rum?”

Yarm says that there are unique characteristics that separate the two spirits, especially as cachaça can run the gamut from industrially-produced or rustic www.barbizmag.com

“We’re all friends and we’re together fighting to present the best aspects of cachaça.” spirits (with a more powerful, bitter palate) to the refined, including the brands more Americans are familiar with. While rustic varieties are excellent partners for basic cachaças in the preparation of caipirinhas (as the sugar and citrus balance out the overall flavor of the drink), the smoother “artisanal” varieties have refreshing grassy notes that compliments not only fruits but also herbs and herbaceous spirits such as Cynar, Amaro Averna and Benedictine.

Other observers point out that cachaça is not only here to stay, but will grow as long as there are people out there to explain its interesting history, its versatility as a spirits category and what separates the best from the rest, as the industry did with tequila a decade ago.

Daniel de Oliveira, a Brand Ambassador for Leblon in the Midwest, believes that as a category, cachaça is today where tequila was back then. To bring the category up to speed, education among bartenders, beverage directors and customers alike is necessary to create awareness, which will hopefully lead to greater demand.

“It’s up to us as brand reps and bartenders to educate other bar industry pros and the public on what cachaça has to offer,” de Oliveira says. “All of us are doing

what we can to push the entire cachaça category forward. A lot of people ask me, ‘Aren’t these people your competition?’ Yes, we are all fighting for a limited amount of back bar space and menu placements. However, we’re all friends and we’re together fighting the greater fight to present the best aspects of the cachaça category.

I deal with bartenders who would never carry a tequila made in a diffuser, yet they have a cachaça that’s industrially made. Our task is to educate professionals about why cachaça is an important spirit category, and that it is one of the oldest spirits in the world and not just another member of the rum family. It deserves more respect.”

Going to the Source

With Brazil back on the map in light of the recent, highly televised 2014 World Cup and the approach of the 2016 Olympics, it is safe to reason that the companies behind marketing Cachaça may be planning a comeback.

However, instead of looking to Rio, bartenders, buyers and programmers may want to look for inspiration 350 miles away in Belo Horizonte, in Miner Gerais state.

The region is the main production center for commercial and boutique Cachaça. The city also counts over July 2015 Bar Business Magazine

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Liquid Assets 18,600 bars and restaurants, besting Rio and business center Sao Paulo.

For professionals who travel to find new inspirations for their bars and bottom lines, the Belo Horizonte bar scene is one worth mining.

Tony Harion, who balances his brand ambassador responsibilities for Grey Goose and running his in-demand bar menu consulting company, Mixing Bar Premium Cocktails, explains why “BH” is the ultimate place to experience the past, present and future of local Brazilian flavor. Although brands available in the U.S. are more limited, he encourages visiting bar professionals to visit informal cachaçarias like Via Christina, which offer over 900 varieties of the spirit, along with several varieties of simple fruit caipirinhas.

“Cachaça is great friends with fresh fruit in season as well as tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, citrus and melons,” Harion explains. “In markets like with Brazilian populations, you should be able to find herbs and spices that work well with cachaça.”

A Generation of Innovation

Behind the scenes in “BH,” Harion is part of a group of trail-blazing bartenders and cocktail consultants who think that with some good planning and a greater focus on the spirit’s versatility itself, Cachaça’s next wave may last a lot longer than a good marketing campaign. A huge part of that involves getting out of the caipirinha comfort zone into more adventurous territory with drink recipes and presentation. The other challenge involves continuity, especially when it comes to meeting the expectations of the adventurous customer on a regular basis.

“In Belo Horizonte, many bartenders who are also in the consultant role will change bars fairly frequently,” observes Joao Morandi, who divides his time bartending at Dub (a bar particularly popular with twentysomethings) and consulting for other establishments. “If bar owners are serious about being a viable part of the craft cocktail scene, they need to be aware that they need a very

Traditional cachaçarias like Via Christina offer over 900 varieties of fruit caipirinhas.

capable person behind the bar to carry forward what the consultant they hired established.”

Tiago Santos (now based at Jangal), suggests bar managers and bartenders familiarize themselves with Brazilian cuisine, as many Brazilian food dishes balance sweet, salty, bitter and mild flavors. Those newer to the spirit should start experimenting with white/unaged cachaça before moving on to aged ones (such as Leblon’s recently launched variation) that may take getting used to in terms of knowing what will mix with the spirit. Harion, meanwhile, says a good rule of thumb with white cachaça is to play with ingredients that work well with rum (because of its similar sugar composition) or blanco tequila (as it has grassy notes in common with cachaça).

For those with a solid familiarity with caipirinhas and a command of cachaça use, bartender/consultant Filipe Brasil (who is currently based at (BAR)) says they can move forward and break with traditional ingredients and work in less traditional and familiar ingredients, such as celery or beet root, taking customers out of their comfort zone in the process.

Stateside Samba

De Oliveira says he likes the idea of getting bartenders away from the caipirinha and getting them to use cachaça in new ways. However, many consumers have yet to be exposed to the caipirinha, and there are so many ways to create diversity within the basic recipe in order to build up that audience.

“We have aged cachaças on the market now, which can be used in Manhattan recipes,” he says.

“Sweeter cachaças can be used in place of gin in cocktails like The Negroni or the Last Word. I personally don’t think it’s always necessary to create the next big cocktail out there when there are 12

Bar Business Magazine July 2015

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many classic recipes to work with that the average consumer has not tasted before. We can simply take A Last Word, for example, and swap the gin out with a cachaça, or take a Moscow Mule, and swap the vodka with cachaça. You get a simple-tomake drink that becomes more

interesting to the consumer and yet is very accessible. You take them out of the comfort zone just enough to give them something new.”

Cari Hah, bartender at 3 Clubs Cocktail Lounge, Los Angeles, discovered the spirit by accident when her co-worker was

discussing how to make caipiroski’s, which he told her was like, “a caipirinha, but with vodka instead of cachaças .” This prompted her to do some research at a local a Brazilian restaurant/ bar. “The possibilities,” she says, “are endless.”

Recipes From Brazil

Citric Love

Merlet Mint Julep

Guaraná Delight

Citric Love

Guaraná Delight

Uai Tai (Pronounced “Why Tai”)

Dickie Goggin, Gilboa, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Dickie Goggin, Gilboa, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Tony Harion, The Mixing Bar

2 oz Cachaça ½ oz lemon juice 1½ oz orange liqueur 2 oz ginger ale 3 dashes Angostura Bitters

2 oz Cachaça 1 oz lime juice ½ oz lychee syrup (Monin Lychee) ½ oz Cedilla Açai liqueur 1½ oz Guaraná soda 3 dashes Root Beer Bitters 8 basil leaves

2 oz Maison Leblon Reserva Especial (oak aged cachaça) ¾ oz lime juice ½ oz orange Curaçao or triple sec ½ oz Brazil nut orgeat syrup• ¼ oz simple syrup

Merlet Mint Julep Joao Morandi, DUB, Belo Horizonte, Brazil 2 oz Cachaça Merlet Signature ¾ oz sugar cane simple syrup 10 mint leaves 3 mint sprigs for garnish In a metal mug, add 10 mint leaves, Cachaça Merlet Signature and sugar cane syrup. Gently muddle all together, top with crushed ice. Stir. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with 3 mint sprigs. www.barbizmag.com

Brew & Love

Mix all ingredients and shake with ice.

Strain over crushed ice. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint.

Tony Harion, The Mixing Bar Brazil nut Orgeat syrup (500 ml) 9 oz Brazil nuts, 1½ cups water, 3 cups sugar, ½ teaspoon orange flower water, ½ teaspoon rose water (optional)

*

1½ oz Leblon Cachaça Top with carbonated cold brew coffee (or iced coffee) Orange twist for garnish Fill a tall grass with ice. Fill with Leblon Cachaça. Top with carbonated cold brew coffee and garnish with an orange twist.

Put nuts in a plastic bag and break them up a using a wooden mallet. In a saucepan, add nuts, water and sugar and boil for five minutes. Strain using a cheesecloth and store in a clean bottle.

July 2015 Bar Business Magazine

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Liquid Assets Recipes From USA

Lazy Lover

The Gale Brasileiro John Lermayer, The Regent Cocktail Club, Miami 2 oz Leblon Reserva Especial ¾ oz simple syrup 2 dashes walnut bitters 2 dashes orange bitters Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir well, and strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube. Garnish with a shave of coffee bean and an orange peel.

The Jinga Ben Scorah, The Windsor, NYC 1½ oz Leblon Reserva Especial 1 oz Cedilla Açaí Liqueur ¼ oz agave nectar 2 dashes angostura bitters Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir well and strain into a rocks glass overfresh ice. Garnish with an orange peel.

Miami Spice From the Mondrian Miami Hotel 1½ oz Leblon Cachaça 2 oz fresh passion fruit puree ½ lime, cut in wedges 1 tsp sugar 2 drops sriracha sauce 14

Bar Business Magazine July 2015

The Gale Brasileiro

Miami Spice

1 small piece of chili pepper Muddle lime, chili pepper and sugar in a shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, and add the remaining ingredients. Shake well, and serve in a rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of cucumber and a chili pepper.

Lazy Lover

a sprig of mint, lightly spanked between your hands to release the aroma.

For the mint syrup, combine 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 cups of roughly chopped mint leaves in a saucepan.

Bring to a light boil and remove from heat when the sugar is dissolved. Let steep for 30 minutes, then strain and allow to cool.

*

Milos Zico, Employees Only, NYC 1¾ oz Leblon Cachaça ½ oz Benedictine ½ oz fresh lime juice ¼ oz jalapeno-infused Green Chartreuse* ¼ oz agave nectar Thyme stem for garnish Put all ingredients into mixing glass. Add large ice cubes and shake vigorously for 7-9 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and garnish with thyme stem.Mention

Basiado Tobin Ellis, Las Vegas 2 oz Leblon Cachaça 3–4 pieces of lemongrass 2 cucumber wheels 2 lime wheels 3 tsp cane sugar Sprig of cilantro Coconut espuma* to top

this ad and receive FREE Muddle everything but the cachaça and onsite installation!

Pencil Thin Moustache Dustin Olson, Forest Point, Brooklyn, NY 1½ oz Leblon Cachaça ¾ oz Fernet-Branca 1½ oz pineapple juice ½ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz mint syrup* Combine all of the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain over fresh ice into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with

coconut espuma in a mixingglass. Add cachaça and ice and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Top with the coconut espuma and fresh lime zest.

For the coconut espuma, combine equal parts pasteurized egg whites, monin coconut syrup, and cachaça in a siphon (or whipped cream dispenser).Charge the siphon with nitrous oxide (NÇ0) cartridge and refrigerate for 2 hours. Shake bottle vigorously for one to two minutes, tilt dispenser down, and release espuma on the top of the drink.

*

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12/16/13 10:55 PM

How To:

Master Mixology

Cocktail Ideas for the On-premise Mixologist It’s New York. It’s hot. We are thirsty. Thankfully, several New York City hot spots are serving up some cool summer cocktails that are sure to throw a little bit of a twist into our evening. Venues like Lazy Point, Randolph, and Bounce Sporting Club are making creatively named and refreshing cocktails that are mixing things up for our summer staycation spent sipping all things seasonal in the City That Never Sleeps.

Yes, aside from a quick jaunt to the even more stifling and stagnant air of New Orleans this month for the annual Tales of the Cocktail event, we here at Bar Business are stuck amongst the Manhattan humidity and the mysterious summer odors that emanate from our streets. So we look forward to ducking into these three bars this season to sample some of their amazing cocktails.

You might try them out yourself. www.barbizmag.com

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How To: Cocktails From a Castle

Elin Nordegren

If we could get out of New York City this summer, one place we would head is the iconic Newport, Rhode Island destination, Castle Hill Inn. Set on a 40-acre peninsula overlooking Narragansett Bay, Castle Hill Inn is truly the quintessential New England summer getaway and the place to imbibe in Newport on its lively lawn, which is sprinkled with guests in Adirondack chairs enjoying al fresco dining and some of the amazing cocktails below. Pass the peas, please!

More Champagne, Peas 2 oz Pea & Mint Infused Vodka* 1 oz Michelle Brut Pea tendril or flower Chill martini glass. In a Boston shaker filled with ice, add 2 oz Pea Vodka. Shake vigorously, strain into martini glass, fill with Michelle brut.

Garnish with pea tendrils, pea flowers, or other edible flowers (temp lemon & mint leaf).

*Pea & Mint Vodka 20 oz Sobieski Vodka 8 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth 2 oz fresh mint 6 oz simple syrup 10 oz frozen peas Zest of 1 lemon

Ice a Collins glass and pour in syrup and sake. Fill with soda water, then stir using bar spoon.

Garnish with cucumber “umbrella” or edible flower.

1.5 oz Belvedere Pink Grapefruit Vodka .75 oz Domaine de Canton .25 oz lemon .25 oz simple syrup Shake and strain. Pour over fresh ice and top with Champagne. Garnish with grapefruit shavings. Serve in wine glass.

Staw-Q-Fizz

From Randolph Beer (343 Broome St, NYC)

*Hibiscus Rose Syrup 20 oz sugar 8 oz hot water 2 oz dried Hibiscus flowers Rosewater 6 oz simple syrup 10 oz frozen peas

Fresh strawberry juice Fresh cucumber juice Fresh lemon juice Sugar Vodka Soda water Puree fresh strawberries and strain, add fresh cucumber juice, add fresh lemon juice then sugar, then vodka.

Top with soda water.

Warrior Breeze

Bloody Shrimp Cocktail 1.5 oz tomato vodka ¼ oz Sambal-cilantro puree* 1 oz Clamato juice Poached shrimp Lemon wheel

Created by Spencer Elliott, at Bounce Sporting Club (55 West 21st St, NYC)

(Large Format Brunch Punch)

Sake-Rose Cooler 2 oz Hibiscus Rose Syrup* 1 oz Tentaka Sake Soda water to fill Cucumber slice or flower

(aka The Trophy Wife)

*Sambal-Cilantro Puree 12 oz Sambal Olek 1 oz lime juice 1 oz lemon juice 1 oz cilantro

2 oz TY KU Cucumber Sake Muddled watermelon Garnish with watermelon cube

Chill martini glass. In a Boston shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, puree, clamato, lemon juice.

Shake vigorously, strain into martini glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel and shrimp on rim of glass.

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Kick Back With the Classics

Sometimes in the summer you simply need to sip on some classics, like the three cocktails below. In case you didn’t know, July 10th was National Pina Colada Day, followed by National Mojito Day on July 11th, and July 19th is National Daiquiri Day. What a month.

Brugal Extra Dry Daiquiri 2 oz Brugal Extra Dry Rum 1 oz fresh lime juice .5 oz simple syrup

Iced is Hot!

ICED COFFEE IS THE HOTTEST DRINK TREND OF THE SUMMER. CASH IN B Y F E AT U R I N G T H E R U M C H ATA & C A S A D E L S O L G I F T PA C K !

*Personalize by adding ingredients (strawberries, blueberries, jalapenos, ginger or basil) to shaker. Then shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a scoop of ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

BACARDÍ Piña Colada 2 parts BACARDÍ Superior rum 1.5 parts fresh coconut water 1 part fresh pineapple juice 3-4 chunks of fresh pineapple 2 tsp caster sugar Slice of pineapple and pineapple leaf

+

Place the pineapple chunks into a cocktail shaker and crush them lightly (using a muddler or bar spoon). Then pour in the pineapple juice and coconut water and stir it all up to dissolve the sugar before pouring in the BACARDÍ Superior rum. Fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake until it’s frosted. Next pour the mix into a tall glass over crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple slice and leaf.

BACARDÍ Superior Mojito 2 parts BACARDÍ Superior rum 4 lime wedges 12 fresh mint leaves 2 heaped tsp caster sugar 1 part soda water/club soda Sprig fresh mint to garnish Gently press together the limes & sugar. Bruise the mint leaves by clapping them between your palms, rub them on the rim of the glass and drop them in. Next, half fill the glass with crushed ice, add the BACARDÍ Superior rum & stir. Top up with crushed ice, a splash of soda and a sprig of mint.

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=

$

RumChata. Caribbean Rum with Real Dairy Cream, Natural and Artificial Flavors.

13.75% alcohol by volume.Bottled by Agave Loco Brands, Pewaukee, WI. Please Enjoy Responsibly. RUMCHATA and CHATA are Registered Trademarks of Agave Loco, LLC.

July 2015 Bar Business Magazine

19

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How To:

fits o r P e s a e r c In with Bar Food

Eat Up:

The Benefits of Adding Food to the Menu Bar profits have long been centered around drinks served at the bar, with liquor, beer and wine all having high profit margins on their own. But if you’re looking to increase profits further, it might be time to consider adding food to the bar menu.

By Bess Couture

A

bar food menu can increase profits and can also create a more complete experience for guests.

With food as an option, patrons are more likely to drink more and stay longer, raising that tab two-fold.

Moreover, you can now attract patrons who aren’t looking to drink, adding an entirely new set of patrons to your establishment.

Of course there are some factors to consider before implementing a food service strategy and promoting your bar food menu. You’ll need to work out a menu concept that is correlated to the type of equipment you’ll have in your kitchen. This paper aims to look at all the factors that go into adding food to your revenue stream and discuss the benefits versus the costs.

www.barbizmag.com

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS One of the first things you will have to determine is what you want to serve. For some locations it makes more sense to strictly serve appetizers while other locations are more compatible to serving a full dinner menu. To determine your food menu you need to consider your budget, customer demographics, kitchen layout and staffing.

BUDGET YOUR STARTUP COSTS Don’t just think cost of food, consider every cost that you will incur as a result of adding food to your line up. Start with the bigger items and work your way down to the minor costs. Consider cost of equipment, cost of additional food prep labor, cost of waste removal.

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How To: All these things add up and while the additional profit of adding food should work to offset those costs, you want to make sure your bar food menu will be strong enough to produce those sales.

If you are working with a limited budget, think about ways you can reduce start up costs: leasing or buying used equipment, cross training current staff on foodservice rather than hiring new staff, etc.

CUSTOMER DEMOGRAPHICS Do your research and do it well. This is KEY before making the leap into food service. If you didn’t do demographic research when opening your bar, you had better do it before starting a food program. Get to know your customers. You have regulars; ask them if they would want food from you. Ask them what kind of food they would want and ask them how much they would be willing to pay for your food.

KITCHEN LAYOUT AND STAFFING You already have the bar, and it’s unlikely you’ll want to move in an effort to add food to your offerings, so consider your kitchen space. If it’s limited you can still serve food but you’ll need to be strategic about the menu and being able to prep food with restricted space. You also already have a staff, are they equipped with the skills to serve and prepare food? If you have limited time for training, consider easy to operate equipment or hiring additional staff.

CHOOSING A MENU There is such a wide range of options for a bar food menu. From tapas to themed menus, you can really go as far as you’d like with your offerings. After considering the factors from before, you should now have a decent idea of what your customer wants, what you have the capability to provide, and a strategy for meeting somewhere in the middle of those two things. Below are a couple menu varieties you can consider, and some common items that might be found on each menu.

Tapas Style: One of the trendier menu options, tapas is the Spanish term for small plates or appetizers. Tapas tend to be more upscale and give patrons the option to order small portions of gourmet food. Some menu items that might be found on a tapas bar menu: beef carpaccio, goat cheese stuffed dates, chicken and vegetable croquets, and more.

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Themed Foods: Does your bar already have a theme? Maybe it’s little Italy or an Irish Pub. Perhaps you’ve got a throwback vibe? Stick to that when it comes to the food menu. If you’re an Irish pub, serve corned beef and cabbage pot stickers, if you’ve got an old fashioned vibe, offer gourmet pretzels and dipping sauces. Stay authentic but add your own twist on the classics.

Pub Style: This is the most common bar menu option. Pub style features all your favorite quick serve foods, usually with a large focus on fried foods. Pub style appeals to the largest range of customers and is one of the most cost effective start-up options. Some menu items you may find on a pub style bar food menu: mozzarella sticks, onion rings, chicken wings, chili cheese fries, and more.

Full Dinner: If you’ve got the kitchen space and staff to offer full dinners we say go for it. Come up with a solid menu of starters, sandwiches, entrées and desserts.

It’s easy to go too far with the menu and turn into a restaurant, so keep the offerings small and easy to prepare so your current staff doesn’t feel bogged down. Try fish and chips, fresh made pizzas or chicken wing platters.

EQUIPPING FOR YOUR MENU Kitchen equipment is going to be one of the larger startup expenses to adding food and you want to be sure you’ve purchased the right equipment for the food you wish to prepare. Common bar food equipment includes deep fryers, convection ovens, charbroilers, refrigeration and dishwashers.

If you’re on a limited budget, think about trying a fully contained, ventless oven or fryer like the MultiChef and AutoFry. Ventless options remove the need for hood and venting installation, saving you thousands of dollars and are also safer for employees to operate, giving you the added peace of mind as a benefit. If you’ve got limited kitchen space, skip floor models and focus on countertop options, which often can be stacked for added space saving.

Make sure that anything you purchase will be easy to operate, maintain and clean. Your staff will need to be trained on any new equipment and you want that process to be as easy as possible. Maintenance is also another huge budget factor, so be sure to choose well-built, reliable equipment. Finally, you want a machine that is easy to clean, as this will ensure that employees clean it thoroughly and lead to longer lasting equipment. www.barbizmag.com

SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS Ok, you figured out budget, you’ve decided on a menu and even outfitted your kitchen to start implementing that menu… but now what? Your final decision is if you want to serve food all day or just during limited hours.

Once you’ve determined food hours you’ll need to start promoting those times in every outlet possible.

Social Media: By now you should already be using social media to engage with your bar fans and new patrons. You’ll want to announce the food news on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram. Try posting enticing photos of your new food items and consider a first launch promotion with limited time discounted pricing for followers of our social accounts.

Word-of-Mouth: You’ve already got bar patrons, before you announce the news publicly you should tell your regulars and frequent patrons that you’ve got big news to share. Let them spread the word to their friends and family and soon you will have a nice buzz going about your upcoming addition.

Internal Signage: Advertising is expensive, but advertising within your own establishment is free and very effective. Bar specials should be posted daily behind the bar. Table top signage is also perfect for promoting your new menu. Similarly, try placing signs in other high traffic areas like bathroom doors or near your lottery station.

Consider a pairings menu, where you choose the perfect drink compliment to all of your menu items and offer a discount when people buy both items from a pairing.

Start a happy hour where drinks and appetizers are discounted for a limited time of the day – this is especially smart to boost sales during non-peak hours.

And don’t forget to have a small menu of mocktails.

Now that you’re offering food, it’s likely that some people will come to your bar for the food and not the alcohol. By having a small mocktail menu, you can still upcharge for a specialty drink rather than having the patron stick to soda or water.

Now that you’ve made all these changes to your business, you want to make sure that this new venture into the food service world is actually profitable. It is imperative for you to keep careful watch on your records and create action items based on what you find.

MAINTAINING MOMENTUM Make note of what food items sell the best and what doesn’t sell and adjust your prices and inventory accordingly. If you see burgers sell really well, but chicken patties don’t sell at all, consider swapping the chicken patties for another variation of your best selling burger.

You’re first few months should be heavy on learning from sales records to adjust your menu based on hard data. www.barbizmag.com

Watch for trends, is there a time of day or day of the week that performs the best?

If so, try implementing food promotions of the remaining days of the week. This can help you to boost sales during non-peak times. If you find a certain day that gets limited or absolutely no food sales, consider not opening the kitchen on that day to save on expenses.

Be cognizant of what gets thrown away at the end of each week and work towards reducing waste. Ultimately, you are responsible for the success or failure of your new menu and that all revolves around keeping great records and acting on the trends you see within those records.

Waste management is a huge factor in that equation and should be watched very carefully as you continue with food service.

Whether small plates or full dinners, food keeps customers lingering longer on-premise and helps them absorb alcohol better.

Don’t just stop talking about your food now that you’re a few months into the program. Continue spreading the word on social media, train staff to up-sell and keep an eye on what the public is saying about you. Sites like Yelp and Google Reviews can be both a blessing and a curse for business owners. If you weren’t keeping and eye on your online reputation before, you had better be now that you’ve added food to the mix.

Keep up with maintenance on your equipment. This is such a vital step in keeping your investments working as long as possible. Just like a car, the better you take care of your kitchen equipment the longer it lasts and better the quality of your output.

Motion Technology, Inc., a Northborough, MA based company, manufactures and sells ventless kitchen equipment solutions to the food service industry. For more info on Motion Technology and ventless kitchen equipment options call 800-348-2976 or visit MTIproducts.com, AutoFry.com and MultiChef.com.

July 2015 Bar Business Magazine

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August 16, 2015

SPIRITS COMPETITION By the Trade, for the Trade

| Bottle vs. bottle |

barbizspiritscompetition.com

How To:

ect Better Prot Your Bartenders

Save Your Moneymakers As a bar owner, your business is deeply reliant upon the people who pour your beer, mix your drinks, and put money in the register. Your best bet is to protect these living assets to the best of your ability, so let’s look at some situations you'll need to watch out for.

By Bob Johnson, aka BobTheBarGuy.com

B

artending is a great full- or part-time vocation, but it has been the ruin of many well-intended people. For starters, many bartenders get carried away with drinking the product, thinking it’s part of the job.

Bartenders stand behind a bar for long periods of time and listen to complaints and problems. People open up to bartenders. People trust bartenders. A couple of drinks is all it takes.

The stories and problems a bartender must listen to can drive anybody to drink. This is one of the cancers that make bartending a dangerous job. Everyone’s problems, added to his own, can drive the bartender to his favorite watering hole after work, where he may chug a few before going home. Five or six nights of this, week after week,

www.barbizmag.com

and the bartender develops a need for the “drug” alcohol, just so he can make it through another day.

A routine sets in. From here, bartenders begin drinking on the job, whether it’s allowed or not. Vodka, for example, is easy to drink. It’s barely detectable on the breath, especially with any type of mixer, and the bottle is right at the bartender’s fingertips.

There are many generous customers who want to buy the bartender a drink. How many bartenders can refuse a free drink? There are only a few states that do not allow a bartender to drink while working. How many owners and managers encourage their bartenders to drink because “it’s good for customer relations and helps sales”? In my opinion, there ought to be a law against this kind of mentality and practice.

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How To: SELF PRESERVATION Wake up bartenders! The owner or manager who allows or encourages you to drink with customers makes a statistic out of you. The house ends up with the money, you end up with the problem. When the problem becomes uncontrollable, the house hires another bartender, that’s all. Do you think you can’t be replaced?

Remember: If you’re ever injured on the job and have to get medical attention, you will lose your workman’s comp benefits if there is alcohol or any other illegal drug in your system. That means you pay for emergency room treatment to fix that cut hand requiring seven stitches because of the foggy, hung-over condition you were in that morning from the day before when attempting to cut fruit.

I was sitting at a bar recently, observing the bartender’s inability to handle business due to drinking on the job. I saw her shooting Peppermint Schnapps with friends. It took forever, it seemed, to get her attention for my drink order. I put a $10 bill on the bar top and ordered my usual Absolut and O.J. with a splash of club soda. She went to make the drink but had to return to ask me to repeat the order. Then she pours rail vodka instead of Absolut and forgets the splash of club soda. So she had to make the drink over, wasting the rail vodka. She took my $10 bill and brought me change for a $20. I corrected her again, preventing her from ending up short in her drawer. Then the bar manager walked behind the bar and said, “Hey, Joanie, there’s a customer over there who wants to buy you a drink,” and off she went to get another free drink.

Another time I saw a bartender pour himself four good shots of Ouzo in an hour. A customer who didn’t want to drink alone bought all four. Meanwhile, someone

Wake up! The owner or manager who allows their bartenders to drink with customers is simply looking for trouble.

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Bar Business Magazine July 2015

was agitating a single girl at the bar. The bartender interjected, uninvited, and nearly caused a major bar brawl. He overreacted to a situation he misread, embarrassed the girl, lost the customer (and the tip), and had to be calmed down by a cocktail server before he could continue working. His reaction to that situation would have been totally different had he not been under alcohol’s influence.

Alcohol is an anaesthetic, a central nervous system depressant – a drug. It dulls your senses. In moderate amounts it appears to stimulate because it inhibits the “new” part of the brain – the part that records new learning, judgment, and social controls. It also makes you feel physically able and emotionally freer. At first it can be a great “pick-me-up”. But, in excess, alcohol puts the “new” brain parts to sleep. You’re not as sharp or aware.

You don’t even realize your mistakes. Your personality can radically change.

TIME TABLE Most bartenders don’t realize how quick-acting alcohol can be. When alcohol enters the stomach, about 20 percent of it is absorbed by the capillaries that line the stomach, which then takes it to the brain. The remainder is absorbed through the intestine after the pyloric valve (a little “trap door” at the base of the stomach) opens.

One could have three or four drinks in a short time and hardly feel anything. Most of the alcohol is being stored at the base of one’s stomach. Then the pyloric valve opens and the alcohol hits all at once. Ever notice that? It happens often at Happy Hour time, when customers come in for a couple of drinks and have no food in their stomachs. The alcohol goes straight into the small intestine where about 80 percent of it is absorbed into the blood stream immediately. Once alcohol gets into the bloodstream, it circulates up to the central nervous system, the part of your brain that controls behavior, judgment and the ability to use motor skills, like driving a car.

Don’t misunderstand me. I personally enjoy beverage alcohol. Most people do.

But why is it that bartenders can’t qualify for life insurance, disability insurance, a car loan, or a home loan? Is it because we work in a violent place – a bar?

Not necessarily. According to one insurance analyst, it’s because, “it is too easy for a bartender to climb into a bottle himself and run away from the problems he has to hear about all the time.” (Another reason is because bartenders don’t report all of their tips, thereby showing a small yearly income – not enough to qualify for any kind of a loan. You are also depriving yourself of substantial Social Security income and unemployment compensation benefits.) www.barbizmag.com

It's great when bartenders form a rapport with customers, but this is a business and there are lines that should not be crossed between employee and patron.

TAKING CONTROL Many bartenders find themselves exploited, taken advantage of, because of the availability of the product alcohol. Many bartenders have succumbed to the temptations of the very product they’re required to regulate. How can they regulate others in a bar environment when they can’t regulate themselves?

It’s time many bartenders took a long, hard look at themselves. What were your drinking habits before you entered the bar business? Have they changed? Are you drinking more? Are you drinking everyday? What improvements have you made in your life because of the bartending profession? Are you involved in your community?

Do you go to school? Do you participate in sporting events?

Are you healthy? Do you work out four times a week?

Don’t kid yourselves, bartenders. Bartending does not require great physical or mental prowess. It’s a business – a way to make money – nothing more, nothing less. Don’t www.barbizmag.com

let it rule your life. Don’t let the product of our business take over your life. Don’t let it deter your personal development and growth. Use the profession of bartending to better yourself. Use bartending to become a better and more accomplished person.

There’s a chimpanzee named Mr. Joe that knows how to bartend. He can make up to 40 drinks on verbal command and rents out for private parties. Whenever you think you’re something great, invincible and bulletproof, Mr. Joe might come by and take your job.

Bob Johnson, Bar Management expert, is a multi-unit beverage director who specializes in inventory control, bar management and bartending. His latest book release, “Manage Your Bar My Way!” is a compilation of 50 years of making mistakes and finally getting it right. It’s a “one of a kind” publication that every owner/manager should have. Contact Bob at 800-447-4384 or check out his website at BobTheBarGuy.com.

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Mule Variations

As a cocktail, the Mule has multiple faces. It can be Moscow, it can be Mexican, it can be many things, and that is part of what makes it a great canvas for mixologists in today’s modern marketplace. But there is one constant in this chameleon of a cocktail: the Mule won’t kick without a great ginger beer.

By Chris Ytuarte 28

Bar Business Magazine July 2015

www.barbizmag.com

T

he title Mule Variations is, of course, pilfered here from a fantastic Tom Waits album of the same name, as any musicologist worth his weight would know. Likewise, any good mixologist should understand that while there may be many Mule variations behind the bar, without that ideal ginger beer, the song just ain’t the same.

The Moscow Mule, the basis to which any divergent Mule variation must adhere, is inherently a simple, classic cocktail: • 2 oz vodka • 8 oz ginger beer • Lime wedge • Mint leaf To concoct, squeeze a lime into a copper mug (or Collins glass, if you must) and drop the wedge. Add two or three large ice cubes. Then pour in the vodka and fill with ginger beer. Garnish with a mint leaf and serve with a stirring rod.

The Mule was invented in 1941

by John G. Martin of G.F. Heublein Brothers, Inc., an East Coast spirits and food distributor, and “Jack” Morgan, President of Cock ‘n’ Bull Products (which produced ginger beer) and proprietor of the Cock ‘n’ Bull restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. The cocktail became popular during the vodka craze in the U.S. in the 1950s, as its name refers to the popular perception back then of vodka being a singularly Russian spirit.

From simple beginnings came a simple drink, one that, initially, required only two decisions to be made: which vodka brand and which ginger beer to use. Today, however, the Moscow Mule is a template. As the universal nature of ginger beer became apparent, its ability to mix and blend with many spirits allowed for a creative approach to making multiple Mules with various booze bases and additional fruits and flavors and garnishes. The Mule was now a canvas for spirited expression.

But, at the heart of any Mule remained the ginger beer. Chris Reed, CEO and Founder of Reed’s Original Ginger Brew (www.reedsinc. com), has seen his product expand

www.barbizmag.com

from its early days in the late 1980s as a leader in the health drink market with major retail success, to the forefront of the cocktail renaissance, aiming to become the cornerstone of any great Moscow Mule built on-premise.

“We’ve been in grocery for most of our existence, and we’re just starting to go up and down the streets to bars and we’re doing a big partnership with Absolut vodka this year, so it’s new to us, but people have been buying our stuff from grocery stores for years and now we’re moving into bars,” says Reed. “We started off as a health tonic drink and now we’ve become a mixer, but only people behind the scenes know how authentic Reed’s is. Everyone else is using flavors and extracts and high-tech crap from a flavor chemist. We’re brewing fresh roots and spices.

Your customers have been buying Reed’s for years and taking it home, and they’ll be thrilled when it shows up in your bar.”

Indeed, Reed’s has seen its share of success off-premise. For the fiscal first quarter of 2015 ending in March, the company’s net sales increased 19% to a record $10.6 million, driven by 44% gross sales growth of Reed’s Ginger Brew line, representing 44% of sales for the corporation. In that same quarter, gross profits increased 12% to $3.3 million, versus $2.9 million in the first quarter of 2014. Yes, ginger is one profitable root.

“If you’re consuming food and digesting food, ginger helps that,” says Reed, whose interest in the root began when he was studying Ayurveda, the herbology of India, and Chinese medicine. “I was fascinated with self-healing and taking herbs for optimum health and things that kept me away from doctors. At one point I realized that ginger is revered in all these old ancient cultures that gave us things like acupuncture and meditation and martial arts and tai chi. These are pretty sophisticated systems that come from our past and they all revered ginger.”

In 1989, Reed’s devotion to ginger

led him to launch his company’s first ginger beer, some two years in the making and created through a brewing process that dates back more than 200 years, utilizing a Jamaican recipe with 17 grams of fresh ginger root and lime juice mixed with honey, herbs and spices.

The Limerick Mule Reed’s Ginger Brew Apple-flavored vodka Lime juice (or Rose’s Sweetened Lime) Green apple, sliced thin Soak green apple slices in a mixture of equal parts apple vodka and water, with a splash of lime juice (to prevent apple from browning). In a copper mug (or a pint glass), add crushed ice. Pour in 2 ounces apple vodka, 1 ounce lime juice, and one bottle Reed’s Ginger Beer. Stir gently. Add apple slice to garnish, or several slices in glass. See more at: www.southtosouthwest.com/ the-limerick-mule “Before there was an Internet, I went to the computerized library at UCLA where I looked up in their databases some old books about soda flavor manufacturing,” explains Reed. “I figured if you went far enough back in time they were still using real stuff. They hadn’t yet cut all the corners and cheapened it and found all these alternatives to real ginger. I found a book from 1780 about digging up roots and brewing sarsaparilla and fresh ginger, and I thought: ‘If I’m an herbalist, this is how you dose people with ginger.’ That was the ‘aha!’ moment.”

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29

a celtic kick: the limerick mule

While Reed’s new ginger brew took on a marketplace full of ginger ales based in chemical flavoring, it wasn’t until a few years later that the potential for cocktail-based business began to evolve.

“Three years into it we have Seagram at the door telling me our stuff mixes incredibly well with spiced rum and they want to do a 5,000-store test and they ask if we had enough production,” says Reed.

“I was such an idealist, I was trying to heal people with my herbal tonics disguised as ginger ales, and I said, ‘No, that is not the right image for my company.’ But I’ve mellowed over the years and lots of mixologists around the country have discovered Reed’s at their local Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods and it’s made its way into drinks.”

The Moscow Mule, in particular, has enjoyed a comeback, riding the wave of crafted cocktailing the last decade and (along with the Dark n’ Stormy) has opened the eyes of a new generation of bartenders and mixologists who now realize the importance of the base ginger beer 30

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in any great Mule.

“Everything with ginger beer is a Mule,” says Reed. “Though the vodkas switched out and became all kinds of different liquors, and some people are being very traditionalist with it, at this point the Mule is so popular, this is when cutting-edge mixologists ought to be playing around.”

The classic Mule, of course, is meant to be served in a copper mug, according to tradition. (“If you’ve had it in a copper mug, you know it has to be in a copper mug, because it just does something to the drink,” says Reed.) And along with the usual mint leaf, Reed likes to encourage adding a crystallized Reed’s ginger cube as a garnish, “so at the end of it you can have this big bite of ginger.” Yes, he is a true devotee.

Reed does, however, discourage the use of simple syrup in a Mule, citing his ginger beer’s organic sweetness as enough to carry the drink. (Though back in 2010, Oprah Winfrey spoke about using Reed’s Ginger Brew to make Moscow Mules,

which she called her favorite cocktail, and her recipe called for simple syrup. But we digress.)

At the end of the day, Reed loves ginger, loves his ginger brew, and loves when people love both. He is excited about becoming the standard ginger beer for Mules of all kind, and it is his deep understanding and appreciation for his beloved root and its health aspects that fuels his assertion that a great Mule or Dark ‘n Stormy cocktail can be made better — and less painful, at times — with Reed’s Ginger Brew.

“In my own personal experience, if I’m drinking rum and I’m getting serious about it that night, doing it with Reed’s Ginger Brew, with fresh ginger in it, you find that you got away with murder the next day,” says Reed. “Ginger keeps inflammation down, and that inflammation can cause headaches. So if you didn’t start out right and mix with it, at least catch it on the tail-end and have yourself a ginger beer for breakfast.” www.barbizmag.com

Going to

extremes Adding excitement to your summer cocktail menu

By Deborah Harris

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W

hen a palpable energy floods your bar you know you are doing something right. That white hot, electric buzz of excitement is no doubt your first sign of success. That’s why we chose this profession, isn’t it? Professionals of hospitality, we thrive in high intensity, social settings and are jazzed when our guests are passionate about an experience we have provided. More than anything we are motivated to entertain and relish bringing that flood of energy to our locations. But we all know maintaining this excitement takes a boat-load of work with a side of creativity.

You and I both know the most successful establishments are destinations sought out for their level of “fun” — a “let your hair down,” “forget your troubles,” “school’s out for summer,” kind of pleasure.

A bar should be a haven from everyday life. “Four-yearold crying in the middle of the night? Boss making your life miserable? Come here, have a drink with your friends and step away from your stress.” You, my friend, are providing an E-S-C-A-P-E. If you are mindful of that word in every thing you do, your location will thrive.

And now is the time of year when people want to escape the most. It is a universal time to indulge and treat oneself to some much-needed R&R. So I recommend you embrace the true meaning of the word “escape” and GO ALL OUT. Design an experience your patrons will never forget and create some fun for yourself and your staff while you are at it. Why not? It’s summer!

This summer can be the summer of extremes. Set yourself apart and add some spice to the life of your location. Choose an angle that fits your style or throw something completely unexpected at your regulars.

Make a statement and don’t go there halfway. If you buy in, they will too. I normally advise people to proceed with caution, but this summer throw caution to the wind. Be bold, be courageous, be authentic and be great. Here are a few ways to get your “extreme” on.

But don’t just listen to me…choose your own adventure and don’t look back.

sinner or saint

Explore decadent drinks that make dessert look like your skinny best friend. Why should candy and cake just be for kids? Choose candy bar cocktails like Heath Bar, Almond Joy and Butterfinger Crunch or get sinful with a dessert martini and cake-pop pairing menu.

House infused vodkas and homemade syrups take these sweet treats to the next level. Infuse the flavors of sponge cake, brownies and apple pie into a masterful martini by throwing a vanilla bean in your vodka and caramelizing some sugar and fresh apples on the stove. But don’t stop there. Pair each cocktail with its own cake-pop garnish for Tipples and Dessert.

Where one could be a sinner, one could as easily be a saint. Feature the highest quality organic spirits mixed with fresh, locally cultivated herbs and fruits. www.barbizmag.com

Substitute honey or agave for refined sugar and seek mixers that promote vitality such as pomegranate, kale or beet juice. Summer brings out a bit of the health-nut in all of us. Embrace the instinct for clean living by offering patrons a rejuvenation menu complete with cardamom, ginger and ginseng. Go the extra mile and offer a virgin “detox” menu that make use of all of those fresh ingredients and attracts a whole new demographic of patrons.

Spicy Pear

spicy and sweet

Bring the heat inside with a menu of all kicked-up cocktails. Habaneros and chile peppers are not just for hot sauce. These fiery peppers provide a nice bite to offset sweet and savory flavors. Keep in mind, though we are going to extremes, I caution you to use a gentle touch. These babies can be downright painful if used in excess.

And if all that spice is heating up the joint, what is more satisfying on a hot summer night than ice cream? “We want our patrons to have a sip and immediately remember how great it is to enjoy a cold, hand-made milkshake with their meal on a hot summer day,” communicates a representative from the Hard Rock Cafe when discussing their Twist & Shout Shake. This summer deploy a malted and milkshake menu that is not for the faint of heart. Blend your booze into a frozen treat of epic proportions. Go the extra mile with a dollop of liquor-laden ice cream with lots of whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Haagen Daaz works just fine, but The Ice Cream July 2015 Bar Business Magazine

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Bar’s beer and liquor-based ice creams will intensify any adult milkshake with flavors like Brandy Alexander Chip, Bourbon Butter Pecan, White Russian and Mojito Sorbet. Their hoppy flavors are also a great way to top off any beer. Try Malted Milk Chocolate Stout with a Guinness or Peach Lambec with a Blue Moon.

This company is still working on national distribution of their frosty creamy pints, so if they can’t get their product into your freezer, make a boozy ice cream recipe of your own. Start from scratch with the recipe in this article or purchase already-made ice cream, blend it with the liquor and toppings of your choice and re-freeze #barhack.

choose your own adventure

There might not be anything more extreme (and exciting) than evicting the ole cocktail menu and flying by the proverbial seat of your pants. One night per week say bye-bye bar menu and hello possibilities!

New York City’s Little Branch, opened in 2005 by Sasha Petraske and Joseph Schwartz, doubles down on adventure. With an ever-rotating cocktail list, Little Branch’s only constant is change. Oh, and the unknown.

The team has ingeniously created their menu’s only mainstay cocktail to be the “Bartender’s Choice—Leave it to the Professionals.” An improvised symphony of

liquor and dreams, Little Branch’s “Bartender’s Choice” allows a patron to select a liquor and enjoy whatever drink their bartender should dream up.

top-shelf tipples

Who doesn’t want to be in on a secret? Perhaps a pricy little secret…like an unpublished top-shelf menu?

Feature only elevated cocktail selections on this hushhush list. Leverage social media to leak the list with an Instagram here and a Tweet there. In-the-know patrons can order caviar cocktails garnished with gold leaf, select Russian vodka martinis with house cured olives, or Dom Perignon spritzers made with nitrogen-charged champagne popsicles that evaporate as you drink. The sky is truly the limit here, but make sure you train your bartenders on these high-end cocktails. You will lose big if you charge a customer beaucoup bucks for a dud. Dan Oliver, from Red O, preps his staff to make their $100 Benjamin cocktail using well tequila. He also shakes up a single one of these pricy concoctions during staff training. Count me in!

Cocktails

Bourbon Brown Sugar Ice Cream

Raspberry Chocolate Cake-tini

6 egg yolks 3/4 cup dark brown sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise) 1/4 cup bourbon

1 oz. raspberry infused vodka ¾ oz. Baileys ¾ oz. Frangelico ½ oz. chocolate syrup Chocolate shavings Fresh raspberry

Whisk the egg yolks and brown sugar together in a large bowl and set aside. Combine the cream and milk in a heavy bottomed pot. Scoop out the paste from the vanilla pod and add the pod and paste to the pot. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until mixture begins bubbling around the edges. Remove the pot from the heat and allow vanilla to infuse into cream for about 15 minutes. Warm the mixture again on the stove until steaming. Slowly drizzle the vanilla infused cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Cook combined mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pot from the heat. Strain and mix in bourbon. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 4-6 hours. Process mixture in your ice cream maker and freeze ice cream over night.

In a cocktail shaker vodka, Baileys, Frangelico and syrup and shake with ice. Strain into a chocolate drizzled martini glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings and a raspberry.

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Spicy And Sweet Twist & Shout Shake, courtesy of the Hard Rock Café 2 oz. Guinness Draught 1 oz. Bacardi OakHeart Spiced Rum ½ oz. Dark Crème de Cacao ½ oz. chocolate syrup ½ oz. Monin Salted Caramel Syrup 2 scoops vanilla ice cream Blend ingredients. Garnish: Whipped cream, caramel syrup, chocolate syrup, spoon of extra crispy bacon crumbles. www.barbizmag.com

The Southwestern

Billionaire Bijou

Sinner Or Saint

The Southwestern

Peaches & Herb, courtesy of Allison Evanow 2 oz. Square One Botanical 3 lemon verbena leaves 1 thick slice of ripe white peach ¼ oz. lemon juice ¼ oz. organic agave nectar 1 dash Fee’s Peach Bitters 1 thin slice of peach & 1 lemon verbena leaf for garnish

2 parts Hornitos® Spiced Honey ½ part Lemon Juice 4 dashes Angostura® Bitters Jalapeño Sage

Muddle lemon verbena and peach in a rocks glass. Add lemon juice and agave nectar and top with crushed ice. Pour Square One Botanical over crushed ice and stir well with a bar spoon. Garnish with peach and verbena leaf.

Spicy Pear Courtesy of Union Kitchen & Tap 1 ¼ oz. Grey Goose Pear ¾ oz. St-Germain ½ oz. lemon juice ¼ oz. agave Serrano chilies Add all ingredients into a tumbler with ice and two or three Serrano chilies. Shake thoroughly and strain into a martini glass or tumbler.

Garnish with a Serrano chili slice.

Looking to drink healthy to prepare for the beach season ahead? Look no further; Isabel’s Cantina serves a margarita filled with antioxidants from fresh pomegranate juice and sweetness from natural agave that is a skinnier alternative to the typical sugary cocktail. www.barbizmag.com

Muddle jalapeño slice and one sage sprig in a glass, combine remainder of ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake vigorously and strain into the glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a sage sprig.

Top Shelf Tipples Billionaire Bijou ($100) Courtesy of Nolet Created by Brian Mantz, Wink and Nod, Boston, MA 1 ½ oz. NOLET’S Reserve Dry Gin 1 oz. VEP Green Chartreuse ½ oz. Punt e Mes 2 dashes Saffron Seville Orange Bitters

Black & Gold cocktail ($100) Courtesy of the Hyatt Regency, New Orleans Vodka Super Premium Absolut 100 Chambord Billionaire’s Row Cuvee Fresh pineapple juice Topped with edible flakes of real gold. Garnished with a black & gold sugar rim.

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MIami Boston CHICAGO Las Vegas Los Angeles

A Fresh Batch T

he city of Miami, and in particular the South Beach neighborhood, has long been known for its excess. The megaclubs and swanky lounges and the ubiquitous pounding basslines require a clientele’s devotion to high-end dress, high-priced bottle service, and high-energy entertainment. For a city based around beaches, relaxation is not typically a key component of the nightlife here.

Of course, that excess has lead to success for many

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new york

In the wild world of Miami, sometimes a little serenity is what the discerning customer needs, evident by the success of newcomer Batch Gastropub, featuring great beer, spirits and food while staying above

By Chris Ytuarte the fray of South Beach. club owners in Miami. But sometimes playing against the grain can prove just as fruitful, as Kevin Danilo found out when he opened Batch Gastropub on New Year’s Day, 2014, in the Brickell neighborhood of Miami.

Combining craft beer and cocktails with seasonal small bites set amongst a brick-heavy décor and an inclusive business philosophy, nearly every aspect of Batch contradicts the usual approach for Miami nightlife — but that’s exactly the way Danilo wanted it. www.barbizmag.com

“Miami is always going to be nightclub-driven,” says Danilo, owner and creator of Batch Gastropub.

“It’s always going to be about South Beach and the glam of how Miami is portrayed, and a lot of people love that. But at the same time, in the downtown area, you have a lot of professionals who just want to be a little more relaxed and have a drink and be able to talk to people and watch a sporting event. We wanted to tap into that market.”

Danilo and his partners first hatched the idea for a spot in Brickell that had a laid-back, neighborhood bar feel with better-than-average food back in 2012.

Their initial search was rocky as the market heated up. Leases for new spaces came tied with ruthless lease agreements or prices that were way out of their budget.

Finally, they found a raw space that would become their current location and they began to build.

“This neighborhood really started blowing up,” explains Danilo. “It became a much younger, more vibrant community, and with the condo bubble a ton of buildings were being built that attracted 25- to 35-year-old professionals. And what we saw was that there really wasn’t a neighborhood pub. There were a lot franchises and a lot of corporate places, because the barriers to entry were so high. So we saw it as an opportunity to go in and create something that had a really great food program and a great beverage program, but was accessible.”

The decision to enter the Miami market with the kind of laid-back but high-quality gastropub the city was sorely lacking was an easy one for Danilo, who saw Miami’s nightlife scene as trailing some other major U.S. cities, thus creating an opportunity.

“The good thing about Miami, for hospitality people and restaurateurs, is that it is generally a couple of years behind the trends everywhere else in the country,” says Danilo. “So we were able to look at Chicago, New York, LA — some of the places that were on the cutting-edge of craft beer and craft cocktails and gastronomy — and we were able to take some of what we saw and apply it to Miami.”

While the initial concept was immediately different from most Miami ventures, Danilo didn’t stop there when it came to designing Batch. The south Florida heat typically calls for light, airy, open spaces with white paint and beachy aesthetics. Batch, however, is all about the brick. “I grew up outside of New York City, went to school in the Midwest, and I really liked the brick walls of the casual pubs that served great drinks and great food,” says Danilo. “It’s kind of that hybrid between bar and restaurant.”

The next step for Batch to truly differentiate itself was to move away from the mass production and service of big brand beers and sugary cocktails that so many of the massive Miami nightclubs heap upon their patrons. Instead, Danilo focused on craft

batch’s brick interior is a tribute to nyc.

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MIami Boston CHICAGO Las Vegas Los Angeles

cocktails and beer that often can’t be found anywhere else in Miami. At the same time, accessibility was a key, and introducing customers to such new and innovative food and drink became a way to bring them in and keep them engaged without requiring a PhD in mixology to grasp the concepts.

“We target the foodies with our food and we target the beer snobs with our beer and the craft cocktail connoisseurs with our cocktails, so there’s always something for everybody and we try to market to everyone and create a well-rounded concept,” says Danilo. “But we’re a very approachable place. Even when we put the verbiage on the menu, we try to make it as approachable and appealing to everybody as possible. If we take some of the fine-dining flavors, we try to make them so that they’re appealing to someone who might not know some of the higher-end culinary techniques. And what’s cool about that is you can take a really simple dish and make it phenomenal and people don’t care how it’s worded, they just want a great dish.”

Batch as it stands can be seen one of two ways: a fun, inviting restaurant with cocktails that can’t be found elsewhere, or a bar with delectable food, minus the pretentious attitude found in other Miami spots.

Their menu features classics dishes reinvented, such as the Mac Attack, a mac and cheese dish featuring gnocchi and aged gruyere cheese. Other bar staples have a distinct twist, including the Duck Confit Nachos and Chili Glazed Wings. There is no holierthan-thou attitude here.

Another key component to the inclusive nature of Batch is the venue’s unique table top tap systems.

Six of the bar’s tables feature a tap system with four options, usually including a rotating selection of two beers and two cocktail options. The tables are perfect for larger groups, as patrons have the option to try a one-ounce pour of any of the four selections. If the sample is a hit, a full-size beverage can be purchased on the spot. Amongst the selections are premium liquors such as Patrón, joined by cocktail blends unique to Batch, including 305 Collins and Naked Zombie. At Batch, it’s all about being able to be a connoisseur without the commitment.

“I wanted to create an approachable way of sampling new drinks,” says Danilo. “Our specialty cocktails, from the Irish Handshake to the Santiago Sling, aren’t your typical drink orders, but after one sip they will definitely become your new favorites.”

The tap tables, which Danilo says sell-out early in the week via reservation, are Batch’s response to the bottle service trend, which Danilo sees as being part of 38

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new york

the strawberry colada

the exclusionary nature of too many Miami nightclubs.

“It’s almost like bottle service without the attached stigma,” says Danilo. “It’s a nice way to tap into what makes Miami great without some of the associated nightclub clichés. We wanted to keep it casual so that everyone feels comfortable here. Miami is such an exclusive city — people waiting in line to spend thousands of dollars are then told, ‘No, you can’t come in and pay $20 for a drink.’ We wanted to be an inclusive place, a place that people wanted to come to and know they are always welcome and where they’ll get great service. We didn’t want to be a place that put a bottle in front of somebody and made everyone else feel uncomfortable. This is our way to tap into that market without that exclusivity.”

Batch also stands out as one of the only owneroperated restaurants in a sea of franchises that dot www.barbizmag.com

the Brickell area, something Danilo is proud of, especially considering he has been in this industry since the tender age of 13, when he started out as dishwasher. By 19 he was an assistant general manager, and after heading to school for accounting, he was ready to get behind the bar and make the money he would need to open his own venue.

“The hospitality industry is such a different business from everything else,” says Danilo. “To be successful, with so many different aspects to it, I think one of the most important things is being able to do everybody’s job and understand every aspect of the business. Knowing how to serve tables, bartend, manage, how to do the financials and marketing — it’s all integral to knowing the business.”

For now, Danilo is content to enjoy his success with Batch. And while he may in the future look to grow the brand and expand, these days he is happy to see something in Miami that broke away from the mold of megaclubs to be a little more inviting and relaxed.

“Miami is becoming a pretty popular area,” says Danilo. “We have a lot of people from New York moving down here, and a lot of people come in and say, ‘Oh man this reminds me of a bar I used to go to in Manhattan or this place I went to in Chicago.’ So it’s cool to see the people that I’m familiar with coming down here and finding a place that feels like home.”

the spanishamerican war

“We target foodies with our food and we target the beer snobs with our beer and the craft cocktail connoisseurs with our cocktails, so there’s always something for everybody.”

batch is comfortable and slick all at once.

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Inventory Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy Cider

Myx Fusions Single Serve Sangria

Woodchuck Hard Cider proudly announces the release of Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy, the latest cider to join the Out on a Limb lineup. Out on a Limb is a rotating six-pack that features some of Woodchuck’s most creative cider varieties.

Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy is the fifth cider to be featured in the unique Out on a Limb series and will be available while supplies last, as of June 15th. Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy is Woodchuck’s own twist on the traditional “shandy,” created using a mix of McIntosh, Empire and Cortland apples infused with fresh lemon juice and lemongrass, which delivers a mix of sweet and tart in every sip. The light body, combined with hints of lemongrass and citrus aroma, make this semi-dry cider a perfectly refreshing summer beverage. The Out on a Limb series features changing labels and liquids, with a single consistent 6-pack carrier. Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy is 4.2% ABV and has a suggested six-pack retail price of $10.99. Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy will be available in limited quantities nationwide through June. For more information about Woodchuck Hard Cider visit www.woodchuck.com.

After an incredible 500% growth in 2014, MYX Beverage LLC has announced another innovative single serve offering: MYX Fusions Sangria, expected to reach shelves on July 1st, just in time for the 2015 summer season. The company, co-owned by international pop superstar Nicki Minaj, is taking the next bold step in the single-serve, ready-to-drink wine market with three new blends that combine select premium Spanish wine with natural fruit flavors and a touch of sparkling carbonation to create a refreshing, ready to drink experience. In early tastings, the unique, slightly effervescent MYX blends consistently proved superior to other Sangrias on the market and even to fresh offerings in the on-premise. Once again, as with MYX Fusions Moscato, MYX is poised to change the way young women and men enjoy their wine. Packaged in striking, shelf-savvy bright red 187-ml bottles, the three new sangria flavors include: CLASSICO - A new take on classic red Sangria.

Combining a traditional Spanish Red with lemon, orange, cassis, and peach natural flavors. TROPICAL – A Spanish White, bringing the flavors of the tropics straight to the consumer For more information visit www.myxfusions.com.

New Peach Flavor from Midnight Moon

Rare 100% Cupreata Mezcal to the U.S.

Midnight Moon continues to honor authentic moonshine traditions by using real peaches in their newest flavor, Midnight Moon Peach. Midnight Moon Peach is the newest flavor addition to America’s favorite and best-selling moonshine family, Midnight Moon. The all-natural sweet, juicy taste of peaches is perfectly captured in each jar, because each jar is made with real peaches!

Upholding the authentic traditions of moonshine, Midnight Moon hand-packs each jar with sliced, cooked peaches for an authentic rich peach flavor. Coming off the successful launch of Midnight Moon Raspberry, Midnight Moon is poised for success once again with Peach, the perfect complement to the summer season.

Bottled at 70 Proof to create the perfect taste-balance between the peaches and Midnight Moon’s triple distilled ultra-smooth base spirit, Midnight Moon Peach outshines its competitors with its superior quality and flavor.

Distributor shipments begin this week, with Midnight Moon Peach set to hit store shelves in July.

Scheduled for a nationwide rolling launch over the new few months, Midnight Moon Peach joins the brand’s other varietals including Raspberry, Apple Pie, Strawberry. www.piedmontdistillers.com.

The rare cupreata agave, found only on certain mountain slopes in the Rio Balsas basin in Mexico, produces an equally rare mezcal, known for its distinctly vegetal flavor profile. Today, Anchor Distilling Company makes this special mezcal more available in the U.S. with the introduction of Mezcal Amarás Cupreata, a 100% cupreata agave unaged mezcal. This new release joins the brand’s first expression, a 100% espadín agave unaged mezcal, released in January 2015 and named “Best Mezcal & Best Unaged White Spirit in Show” while earning a Double Gold Medal at the 2015 Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America 72nd Annual Convention, as well as the Chairman’s Trophy at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. Mezcal Amarás Cupreata is produced by master mezcalero Don Faustino Robledo in the small village of Mazatlán in the State of Guerrero, Mexico. Of the more than 22 different species used to make mezcal, the cupreata agave, or maguey papalote (as it is referred to in Guerrero), is one of the least common agaves utilized. Semi-cultivated on the steep terrain of the Sierra Madre del Sur highlands at 4,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level, the plant has bright green, wide, fleshy leaves lined with copper colored thorns, and takes approximately 13 years to mature due to the harsh climate conditions of the region. For more information on Mezcal Amarás, please visit AnchorDistilling.com.

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Herradura’s Ultra Tequila Makes Its Debut

FlyPunch!® Swats Away Disease Carriers

Herradura announces the launch of its latest product extension and innovation, Herradura ULTRA. Casa Herradura’s Añejo tequila provides the base for Herradura ULTRA. The Añejo is blended with premium Extra Añejo that has been aged for up to 49 months in American White Oak barrels. A subtle hint of agave nectar is added before the liquid is filtered, creating a rich, crystal-clear tequila with a full-bodied flavor and ultra-smooth taste. The launch of ULTRA is being supported with a full marketing campaign. In addition to product rollout in key markets in June, the brand plan includes on-premise sampling, bartender trainings, ATL campaign, public relations, as well as digital and social media efforts. The suggested way to enjoy ULTRA is stirred with ice and once chilled, served neat in a shot glass. The ultra-smooth tequila will be priced at parity with other luxury tequila brands and available for purchase at on-premise accounts in select markets including: California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Texas. For more information, visit www.Herradura.com.

There may be no simpler way to spoil a good meal than having fruit flies hover and contaminate food with bacteria that may result to serious health risks among consumers. This is most disturbing in restaurants where customers may question the establishment’s safety and sanitation standards. These questions may lead to investigations from the health department, which may impose fines of more than $2000 if found guilty of food safety code violations. Beyond the investigations and fines, customers who are turned-off by the sight of fruit flies in an establishment may end up writing negative reviews online.

Unfortunately, according to a recent study, 70% of Americans trust and rely online reviews when making a decision to use a service or purchase a product. FlyPunch!’s proprietary formula contains all natural, non-toxic ingredients that attract, disable, and subsequently kill fruit flies on contact. To use FlyPunch! just simply tear off the top, place near the flies, and watch it go to work almost immediately. One FlyPunch! DiveJar can be left out for up to 15 days, and can be replaced as needed. FlyPunch! 6 fl. oz.

DiveJars are made with 100% recyclable materials, and come in a variety of commercial packs perfect for restaurants, bars, hotels, cafeterias, breweries, wineries, grocery stores, etc. To request more information visit www.auntfanniesco.com.

Sonoma Cider Debuts Two New Flavors

Introducing The Annasach 25 Year Old

Sonoma Cider, the award-winning producer of such innovative hard ciders as the The Hatchet, The Pitchfork, and The Anvil, is adding two new limited run flavors to its highly acclaimed lineup: The Crowbar, a habanero lime cider which launches in late May and is the company’s first cider to be available in a can, and Zider, an apple cider aged in zinfandel wine barrels and the company’s first in the Reserve Series, debuting in June. Sonoma Cider is the popular upstart brand in the exploding hard cider category, rapidly gaining a reputation for its certified organic ingredients and crisp, distinctive flavors. Founded in 2013 by a father-son team, David and Robert Cordtz, Sonoma Cider is earning high praise from consumers and critics alike, including the 2015 Cider Producer of the Year recognition at the New York International Beer Competition. The Crowbar combines dry cider with the heat of organic habanero peppers and the tartness of fresh lime, creating a refreshing trio of flavors that pairs perfectly with summer staples like Mexican food and BBQ. The Crowbar is available in 12-ounce cans 5.2 gallon kegs.

Alcohol by volume is 6%. Ingredients: organic apples, organic habanero peppers, organic limes. Sonoma Cider Dry Zider balances dry, organic cider with rich, robust Sonoma County zinfandel. Find more information at www.sonomacider.com.

William Grant & Sons is proud to announce the launch of Rare Cask Reserves The Annasach 25 Year Old, an exciting release of four rare and finite signature blends, handcrafted from its cherished archives. The exceptional range of whiskies released from the William Grant & Sons Rare Cask Reserves, which is exclusive to the United States, offers only a select few whisky specialists a rare insight into the artistry of whisky blending.

The Annasach release is comprised of four ancient blended malt expressions, which have been personally selected by four key customers and blended by William Grant & Sons’ sixth Master Blender Brian Kinsman. The four unique expressions of Rare Cask Reserves The Annasach 25 Year Old have been selected by whisky specialists from Binny’s, BevMo!, Total Wine and Spec’s Liquors, and are available exclusively in their respective stores due to the exclusive nature of the products that are available to all retailers. Master Blender Brian Kinsman has personally combed William Grant & Sons’ warehouse ledgers. To learn more about the process visit the web site at www.williamgrant.com.

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Holiday Happenings

AUGUST 2015

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Aug 1: India Pale Ale Beer Day. The first known use of the term “India pale ale” was in an ad in the Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser in 1829. If you’re just starting to serve these amazing beers, you’re 186 years late. Time to get started.

Aug 3: National Psychic Day. On this day, have bartenders announce their psychic abilities by predicting that they see large gratuities in the future for all of your customers.

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Aug 19: Aviation Day. 2 oz gin .5 oz Maraschino liqueur .25 oz Crème de violette or Crème Yvette .75 oz lemon juice Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a cocktail glass.

Garnish with a cherry if desired.

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Aug 20: National Radio Day. Remember the radio?

Yeah, me neither. Make this a true #TBT and turn on the old FM radio in the bar today.

What is that sound? A disc jockey? Weird.

Bar Business Magazine July 2015

58 Aug 5: National Oyster Day. Few things go better together than oysters and beer, so treat your patrons to a few free oysters today with their draughts, and be careful shucking!

Aug 8: International Hangover Day. Honor this holiday (or fight against it?) by pairing each drink you serve tonight with a healthy portion of good ol’ H20 for each customer. Let’s hang up on the hangover!

22 24 Aug 22: International Tongue Twister Day. On this day, any customer who, after two drinks, can say “Toy Boat” ten times fast without messing up gets the third drink for free. (Try it.)

Aug 24: Pluto Demoted Day. Poor Pluto. It went from being one of nine head bartenders running the galaxy to one of a million barbacks just hustling for that next shift. We toast you Pluto. It was a good run while it lasted.

10 Aug 10: National Duran Duran Appreciation Day. Umm….which nation honors this holiday, and how does one renounce citizenship from said nation?

26 Aug 26: National Toilet Paper Day. Stocked up? Good to day to check. Bad day to find out you’re not.

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Index of Advertisers Company

web site address

page #

Agave Loco LLC (RumChata)

www.RumChata.com

19

Barzz.net

www.Barzz.net

16

Harbortouch Corp

www.Harbortouch.com

C2

Harbortouch CA

www.iHarbortouch.com

15

Hobart Food Machine

www.HobartCorp.com/LXGe

20

Reed’s Inc

www.ReedsInc.com

3

TouchTunes

www.TouchTunes.com

5

Ultimate Bars

www.UltimateBars.com

9

Inventory Companies

Annasach 25 Year Old

www.WilliamGrant.com

FlyPunch!

www.AuntFanniesCo.com

Herradura’s Tequila

www.Herradura.com

Mezcal Amarás Cupreata

www.AnchorDistilling.com

Midnight Moon

www.PiedmontDistillers.com

MYX Fusions

www.MyxFusions.com

Sonoma Cider

www.SonomaCider.com

Woodchuck Hard Cider

www.Woodchuck.com

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

www.barbizmag.com

July 2015 Bar Business Magazine

43

Supply Side Spotlight

Craft Spirits are following the same trajectory as

Craft Beer

A

merica has fully embraced craft beer. Looks at the stats: • On average, a new brewery opens its doors every single day in the U.S., according to NPR. • Craft brewers now account for one out of every 10 beers sold in the U.S. • Higher learning institutions are adding brewing minors, certificates and even four-year programs.

Craft beer completely disrupted what was once believed to be a very traditional business,” says Steven Earles, CEO of Portland-based Eastside Distilling (www.EastsideDistilling.com), a producer of master-crafted spirits created from local ingredients and focused in small batches to ensure unparalleled quality. “We believe craft spirits will follow the same path as craft beer. It’s basically a slam dunk, according to the data, and our hunch.”

In 2008, when Earles’ distillery launched, there were only 210 craft distillers in America. Now, there are more than 700. Whiskey and bourbon continues its rapid growth. Helping to fuel this recent growth, women now represent 37 percent of the whiskey drinkers in the U.S., compared to just 15 percent in the 1990s.

And stories continue to unfold regarding possible bourbon shortages due to high demand. Innovations in distilling methods to create new flavor profiles are taking charge. Earles’ distillery uses locally sourced barrels and ingredients for their infused whiskeys and rums.

“Some states like Washington and Oregon – where we are based – have strict laws regarding quality control on distilled spirits,” Earles says. “We’re proud to be from the northwest and that we use locally sourced ingredients.”

Earles discusses America’s growing taste for quality spirits, and what craft may mean for the future of the liquor industry, citing the following: Bourbon and whiskey will continue in popularity. In the past decade, there has been a nearly 40 percent growth in sales of bourbon and Tennessee

44

Bar Business Magazine July 2015

whiskey in the United States, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Bourbon is now the hottest distilled spirit in the world. In the U.S., bourbon and Tennessee whiskey revenue has leapt 47 percent throughout the past five years to a total of $2.68 billion in 2014.

An International Wines and Spirits Record (IWSR) survey commission by Vinexpo predicts that global bourbon sales will increase by nearly 20 percent more in the next five years, and the Aristocrat Group Corp. (ASCC) is making plans to capitalize on that growth.

New flavor profiles will be sought by consumers, especially millennials and women. While consumers look to craft liquor for authenticity, women and 20-somethings are especially open to expanding their palates. Recently, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky has blazed quite a trail in the industry. The brand exploded in just a few short years, from just shy of $2 million in 2011 to $63 million in 2013 to $130 million last year, according to IRI, a Chicagobased market research firm. Those numbers do not include drinks sold in bars. Fireball is the fastest-growing major brand of liquor in America. Major industry players, including Jack Daniels and Jim Beam, have since come out with their own versions of the flavor.

“While Fireball has proven to be more than just a flavor of the month, we’re counting on consumers seeking out still more twists in their liquor,” Earles says. “Our locally sourced Oregon Marionberry Whiskey, for example, is a popular choice.”

Lifestyle imaging will likely expand. While bourbon and whiskey have skyrocketed in popularity, advertisements have delved into the lure of what those spirits have meant to the popular imagination: earthy, direct, real. That will likely continue, but it will expand, too. “Perhaps Bacardi is ceding whiskey and bourbon to one image – the salt of the earth – whereas Bacardi’s efforts for their clear liquors are now meant to be aligned with a more glamorous lifestyle,” Earles says. www.barbizmag.com

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