BESPOKEN WORD:
Customizing a menu of bespoke cocktails can carve a niche on-premise
The How-To Publication
BAR BUSINEss July 2016
M A G A Z I N E
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Class in a Glass The return of a New York City institution
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BAR BUSINESS
On Tap July 2016
CONTENTS
take a token
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HOW TO
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We’re all mixed up
to Coin a phrase
What to not tolerate
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
Tokens score high at an Alabama bar arcade where gaming brings in big business and builds a loyal customer base for ownership.
Kevin Tam tells us about the three top management traits shared by successful zero-variance operators on-premise. July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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On Tap
BAR BUSINESS
CONTENTS
Features 24 Bespoken to
6 Departments 4 Bar room drawl 6 Booze News The Macallan presents a Peerless Spirit; Jim Beam announces global packaging redesign; Booker’s and Knob Creek limited edition releases; Cooperstown Distillery plays ball.
10 liquid Assets As the colorless conduit for many a mixed drink, vodka will always have a place on the shelf, but the current environment has cultivated a curious moment for the category as competition comes from within and from beyond.
32 Big six Michael Lomonaco reopens a beloved New York City nightlife scene as Porter House Bar and Grill, bringing new flare to an old Big Apple haunt.
37 Inventory
Even if a bar has a solid list of cocktail classics and a revolving cycle of seasonal inventions, a bespoke bar menu can be an education for both you and your customers.
28 Beer Bubble The beer industry has come to a crossroad. While craft brewing has brought culture back to the business, big beer continues to dominate market share. Can the two segments coexist in a mutually beneficial bubble?
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38 holiday happenings 40 Owning Up The Lease Coach helps us understand the significance of signage for bar tenants.
32 “Bar Business Magazine” (ISSN 1944-7531 [print], ISSN 2161-5071 [digital]) (USPS# 000-342) is published February, April, June, August, October, & December for $45.00 per year and January, March, May, July, September, & November will only be offered in a digital format at no charge by Simmons-Boardman, 55 Broad St, 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2016 Simmons-Boardman. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any fashion without the expressed written consent of Simmons-Boardman. Qualified U.S. bar owners may request a free subscription. Non-qualified U.S. subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $45.00; Canada $90.00; foreign $189.00; foreign, air mail $289.00. 2 years US 75.00; Canada $120.00; foreign $300.00; foreign, air mail $500.00. BOTH Print and Digital Versions: 1 year US 68.00; Canada $135.00; foreign $284.00; foreign, air mail $384.00. 2 years US $113.00; Canada $180.00; foreign $450.00; foreign, air mail $650.00. Single Copies are $10.00 each. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. For subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 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 2016 www.barbizmag.com
DON’T BELIEVE ME JUST WATCH.
GET THE ONLY JUKEBOX TO COMBINE SONGS, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE.
Bar Room Drawl
By Chris Ytuarte Editor
The Dog Days of Summer "The better I get to know man, the more I find myself loving dogs.” — Charles de Gaulle
NOW THAT WE are halfway through July and firmly basting in the dog days of summer, I thought I’d take the opportunity this month to revisit one of my favorite bar room topics: dogs. I understand that each bar owner’s circumstances dictate their on-premise policy with regards to allowing patrons to bring their dogs to the bar; I’m not advocating a club hosting hundreds of dancing people letting a few hounds roam the floor, and I’m not saying a high-end cocktail lounge would be better served with some cocker spaniels sipping from diamond-encrusted doggie bowls. But there are venues ideal for a little canine companionship. As with any other business decision, there are things to consider before opening your doors to Dalmatians. There is always the chance some human customers can be allergic, and while it’s hard for me to imagine, some people are even afraid of man’s best friend. Only you know your usual clientele well enough to know if your favorite day4
Bar Business Magazine July 2016
drinkers would be amenable to a few Fido’s roaming around. Of all the bars I've been in, those with a dog-friendly policy have had some of the most welcoming social environments. In my old Brooklyn neighborhood, Great Bar Harry was a laid-back scene with an impressive craft beer selection that always hosted a few well-behaved puppies on-premise (including mine, pictured here). A Sunday afternoon with a few friends, my dog mingling with other dogs, and some great beers on tap—what more could you ask for? And this summer, while visiting friends on the Jersey Shore, we brought our dog to the excellent Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, where Yappy Hour takes place every weekend from noon to 8pm in an expansive outdoor bar space. They even have specific times set apart on Thursdays and Fridays for small dogs only to hang out at Yappy Hour, so as not to give them a complex. While we owners sit under the sun and sip on Coronas from the bar, the puppies have free reign—and even pool access. A dog policy is a great thing if it works for you. It attracts a certain type of clientele—most dog owners are kindhearted and generous in taking on a pet. They make great tippers. And just like a discerning door policy for humans, dog-friendly bars should demand a certain etiquette and behavior from the canines. So check out your lease and look into the legalities of letting your customers off the leash this summer. After all, everyone prefers to drink with their best friend.
BAR BUSINEss MAGAZINE
July 2016 Vol. 9, 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 Associate Graphic Designers Nicole Cassano ncassano@sbpub.com Aleza Leinwand aleinwand@sbpub.com production
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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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NEW TOUCHTUNES APP
Featuring an all new design and a personalized user experience, the new TouchTunes mobile app is more fun and engaging than ever, allowing patrons to search for music, import playlists, earn rewards, and play their favorite songs like never before.
Booze News
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Peerless in Quality (and Price!)
he Macallan presents the sixth and final masterpiece from their prestigious The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection in partnership with Lalique. The 'Peerless Spirit' decanter represents the concluding chapter in the story of The Macallan's foundation stones, the elements that define the character of this extraordinary single malt. It also showcases the strength behind the decade long partnership, which has seen The Macallan and Lalique united by an unwavering commitment to craft, mastery and beauty. The final decanter in this global sell out collection, The Macallan in Lalique 'Peerless Spirit', features a 65 years old whisky, one of the oldest and rarest ever released by the distillery. The whisky is not only a true testament to the skill of each and every one of our craftsmen but it also pays homage to The Macallan's commitment to creating beautiful whiskies through the tireless and obsessive sourcing, nurturing and maturing of our supreme spirit in exceptional oak casks. Designed and created by the legendary French crystal house Lalique, the 'Peerless Spirit' release will be limited to only 450 individually numbered decanters. It celebrates the wonderfully rich, viscous and aromatic spirit that lies at the very heart of The
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Macallan. The exceptional sherry seasoned oak casks, rich flavor and beautiful natural color all come together to deliver the distinctive character and quality that and has helped make The Macallan one of the most precious single malt whiskies in the world. Raul Gonzalez, Brand Director for The Macallan, commented: "This stunning collection of decanters is the result of two kindred spirits, rooted in a shared passion for craftsmanship, detail and mastery. This sixth and final release continues to showcase the unwavering commitment of both the masters of Lalique and The Macallan to create beautiful and desirable objects d'art." With the Six Pillars collection now complete, it is time to reflect not only on the exquisite whiskies that have been brought to the fore by The Macallan's Master Whisky Maker but also on the extraordinary skills of the Lalique craftsmen carrying on the legacy of RenĂŠ Lalique, the man whose talent continues to inspire and influence. It is the heritage, customs and traditions of both The Macallan and Lalique that have united to create these ultimate collectable whiskies." The Macallan 65 Years Old 'Peerless Spirit' decanter will retail at approximately $35,000 USD. For more information, visit www.themacallan.com.
Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
Jim Beam Announces First-Ever Global Packaging Redesign
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im Beam®, the world’s No. 1 Bourbon, announces an all-new global packaging redesign, marking the first time significant changes have been made to the Jim Beam® Bourbon bottle in decades. Starting in mid-2016, the entire Jim Beam portfolio will have a new, premium look in the more than 100 markets around the world where the products are sold, including the brand’s largest markets, the U.S., Australia, Germany and Japan. The updated bottle and exterior styling will better represent the premium liquid inside, which is not changing. This global packaging upgrade comes two years after the company announced Make History®, the first global marketing campaign for the iconic American brand, which traces its history to 1795. The global unification and premium look of the new packaging contemporizes the Jim Beam brand while celebrating the company’s renowned heritage. Packaging upgrades include new premium bottle structures; refreshed labels with higher quality paper, real gold foil and matte finishes; unique bottle closures for the premium line; and label harmonization across the flavored product range. The Jim Beam® Bourbon bottle now has a bolder structure with more cleanly designed labels featuring premium finishes, refreshed distiller portraits and a refined “rosette” logo. Products in
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the premium portfolio, which includes Jim Beam Black®, now feature a bolder, more rectangular bottle structure with premium label enhancements including extra fine detailing, crafted borders, foil finishes, refined embossing and a paper matte stock. The premium bottles also include matte finished shrink sleeves along the closure. “For seven generations and more than 220 years, Jim Beam has prided itself on going above and beyond to create the world’s finest bourbon, and we’re thrilled that our new premium packaging now even better reflects the quality and heritage that goes into every bottle around the world,” said Tim Hassett, President, Americas at Beam Suntory. “We’re continuing to make history in 2016 with one of the most ambitious and far-reaching efforts ever made for Jim Beam. We look forward to continuing to drive the unified brand presence around the world with the upgraded packaging.” “This represents another historic milestone in my family’s history,” said Fred Noe, 7th Generation Master Distiller and Jim Beam’s Great-Grandson. “I’ve always been proud to see the faces of every Beam Master Distiller displayed on Jim Beam bottles across the world. These bottles feel even better in my hands when I pour the world’s finest bourbon.”
July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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Booze News Booker Noe Honored With Limited Edition Releases
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ooker's ® Bourbon and Knob Creek ® Bourbon are proud to introduce two ultra-premium, limited edition releases to whiskey fans this month — Booker's Rye Whiskey and Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon — each paying tribute to Booker Noe, the Beam Family's 6th Generation Master Distiller and founder of The Small Batch Bourbon Collection® . These special releases are each made from some of the last barrels laid down by the late Booker Noe in the final years of his life and will each be available as limited, one-time offerings. As the first rye whiskey ever offered from Booker's Bourbon, Booker's Rye Whiskey was made from a very limited number of barrels of a previously unreleased rye mash bill in Booker's signature uncut and unfiltered style. Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon debuts as the longest-aged expression ever released from Knob Creek, the ultimate expression of the bourbon's big, full flavor. " W hen Dad helped pioneer the small batch movement nearly 30 years ago, he introduced a whole new way of thinking about how whiskey could be made — introducing small batch, high quality whiskies like Booker's Bourbon and Knob Creek Bourbon with flavor
like nobody had tasted before," said Fred Noe, Beam Family's 7th Generation Master Distiller. "Now, all of these years later, we're excited to keep this tradition alive by giving our fans something really special with these two limited releases made from some of the last barrels Dad laid down. Dad knew exactly what he wanted when it came to making whiskey, and I know these releases would make him proud." The hallmark of Booker Noe's innovative spirit, Booker's Rye Whiskey is made from a never before released rye mash bill, bottled uncut and unfiltered at its natural proof and full of robust flavor, just the way Booker preferred his whiskey. The supply of Booker's Rye is about half that of Booker's 25th Anniversary Bourbon from 2014. Aged for 13 years, about twice as long as a standard batch of Booker's Bourbon, Booker's Rye is now available nationwide with an SRP of $299.99 for a 750ml bottle. For more information visit: www.BookersBourbon. com and www.KnobCreek.com.
Play (High)Ball!
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ooperstown Distillery, an award-winning farm distillery in upstate New York that seamlessly marries award-winning spirits and America’s favorite pastime – baseball! The distillery produces a portfolio of delicious spirits that pay homage to the history of baseball that were a major hit with baseball fans this Father’s Day. The spirits are available for purchase online at
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www.cooperstowndistillery.com or in select N YC liquor stores. The Distillery’s best selling product is their glass, baseball-shaped decanter filled with either Glimmerglass Vodka, Beanball Bourbon or Classic American Whiskey. Each 750ml patented baseball shaped glass decanter, is perched atop a ball-field shaped pedestal, creating a perfect replica of an actual baseball right down to the 108 stitches. Abler Doubleday's signature is etched into the hand blown bottle and is packages in a pine wooden box with vintage branding. Priced at $50. The whiskey, flavored with three types of cinnamon, packs a powerful punch of heat and finishes with undertones of coffee, chocolate and caramel. For more information, visit www.cooperstowndistillery.com.
Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
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Y
CM
MY
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CMY
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WINE ENTHUSIAST RATINGS SCORE OUT OF 100 POINTS
PTS
My American Handmade Vodka beats the giant “Imports” every day. That’s because it’s distilled six times, we use old-fashioned pot stills we built ourselves, and taste test every batch to make sure you get only the best. Try American! Tito’s is made from corn, so it’s naturally gluten-free.
2015
Liquid Assets
FREE
AND CLEAR By Amy Lennox
As the colorless conduit for many a mixed drink, vodka will always have a place on the shelf, but the current environment has cultivated a curious moment for the category as competition comes from within and from beyond.
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odka—the quintessential liquor that championed the cocktail game for decades past is now facing a new opponent—the distilled spirit. Vodka spent much of its heyday holding rank and rising sales for the better part of the 21st century, yet has recently seen a decline with the uptick in sales of distilled spirits such as whiskey, Scotch, bourbon and even 10
tequila. So, why all the fuss with the impending threat to this simplistic spirit? Well, let’s just say that the Moscow Mule has plans to maintain its presence in the booze game.
FLAVOR OF THE MONTH From the late 90s until recently, vodka had seen a heavy insurgence of flavored and craft variations bombarding backbars and cocktail
menus across the country. (If you close your eyes you can almost taste the raspberry vodka and Sprite). Having been the largest category spirit for such an extended period of time, this created an opportunity for smaller brands to gain some of the expansive market share vodka was experiencing. Although much of the flavored vodka trend we have seen previously has since subsided, and
Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
aged or brown spirits are definitely seeing an increase, the Distilled American Spirits Council reported this year that vodka still shows a steady sales growth of 3.7%; flavored varietals across the board hold 1.9 million cases of this stake, thus positioning them at the top of the leaderboard. President and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council, Peter H. Cressy, recently commented on the growth of distilled spirits and believes that the combination of a sparked interest in mixology, accessibility, and forwardthinking advancements in the industry are allowing for this rapid growth. He cites the introduction of flavored whiskies, and a piqued interest in American whiskies, as some of the key contributing factors. Additionally, US Category Data & Council Chief Economist, David Ozgo, notes an entirely new category of adult consumers is being introduced to distilled spirits. Enter the Millenial. This is a sector of the market that has been flagged as “experience seeking.” This twentysomething, tech-centric sector of partygoers and hosts makes up a bulk of the consumer population. When referencing the mixology experience, Kevin Denton, National Mixologist from Pernod Ricard (producers of Absolut), brings up some food for thought. “We are seeing
Absolut launched Elyx, a labor-intensive luxury brand vodka crafted in copper stills, while Absolut Oak is rested in Swedish and American oak barrels. a swing from the mixology craft department,” he says. “As though vodka were a ‘dirty word’ for a little while and it’s starting to come back around and be more embraced, partially because the consumer never stopped drinking it”.
LOYAL FANS Another important point to consider is brand loyalty. It is important to remember that while brown and aged spirits may be able to sell to anywhere between 5% and 20% of new prospective consumers, the certainty
RECIPE Cool as a Cucumber From NoMa Social, New Rochelle, NY 4 oz Cucumber Vodka 4 cubes of seedless watermelon 2 limes, diced 2 oz simple syrup Combine vodka, watermelon and lime in a cocktail shaker. Muddle all ingredients. Add simple syrup, fill with ice, cover and shake until ice cold. Fill the glasses with ice and pour the ingredients from the shaker into the glasses. Garnish with a watermelon slice, a cucumber slice and a mint sprig.
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that vodka companies will retain their existing consumer base is between 60% and 70%. However, the trends have indeed shifted since the launch of craft brands such as Tito’s Handmade Vodka, which has stayed the course and successfully made a name for itself. This brand pioneered the craft game by convincing distributors that craft vodka brands were, in fact, a point of interest amongst consumers, and are around today to tell the story. “Back then, the obstacles were different than today,” says Peter Angus, EVP of Fifth Generation Inc. producers of Tito’s. “Skeptics told him he couldn’t compete against all the resources these large multi-national companies had at their disposal. He experimented with ingredients and distilling methods, and had the foresight to let the consumer tell him when he had hit the right recipe.” This mentality has afforded Tito’s a mainstay in the vodka category. The most common misconception of vodka is that it is odorless, colorless, and flavorless. “Absolut has a very signature, rich mouth feel, it’s got some of those aromas from the winter,” explains Denton at Pernod Ricard. “There is a flavor and there is an aroma there”. Denton also alludes to the fact that any vodka maintaining a place in the market also shares similar nuances. July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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Liquid Assets
Distilled spirits have very distinct flavor profiles and characteristics of their aging process that make them stand out, which can be difficult to identify and intimidating for many. “From my experience, it takes consumers time to acquire a taste for different whiskies,” says Angus. “We don’t have that learning curve, and tend to be more approachable than brown spirits.”
“He sat in his shack for seven years putting bottle caps on by hand, filling bottles himself. That’s not marketing, that’s the real deal, and it’s hard to replicate in today’s environment.”
DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK As with most trends, the most noteworthy being fashion, there is almost always a resurgence. The same goes for the spirits and cocktail categories. Although it may seem as though brands that once competed against other brands within their category (i.e. vodka vs. vodka) are now fighting to differentiate themselves against brown spirits, this is not the case. “What we are seeing now is a sort 12
of calling of the herd a little bit,” says Denton. “The brands that have real loyalty and integrity are weathering this and maintaining a pretty healthy market share. Others, because vodka was the fastest growing category for a long time, thought they could jump in and get a piece of it. Some of these less desirable brands are now falling by the wayside.”
In the case of brown spirits, they are required to be aged, leaving a sizeable window of time for vodka to shift the focus to brand fortification and put out a higher standard of product. Tito’s maintains its top level of sales by keeping a consistent focus on quality, using the best distilling methods and ingredients. Angus proudly draws attention to the fact that the product has its roots in Austin, Texas and a singular name. “One man, Tito Beveridge, had the foresight and fortitude to see his vision of offering better quality vodka at a fair price come to life,” Angus says. “He sat in his shack for seven years putting bottle caps on by hand, filling bottles himself. That’s not marketing, that’s the real deal, and it’s hard to replicate in today’s environment.” Absolut vodka has launched Elyx and Oak, two new labor-intensive luxury entries into the category.
Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
TIS THE SEASON As the National Mixologist for Pernod Ricard and Absolut, Denton predicts the summer months will prove fruitful for the vodka industry with a focus on wellness and cocktails containing a low alcohol base, those that incorporate sparkling wine and club soda, as well as the use of fresh ingredients. One establishment that can attest to the resilience of these types of cocktails throughout the years is the Russian Vodka Room in New York City, which has flourished since 1997. Partner Olga Leng created the concept to give patrons an
experience seeped in the Russian drinking traditions. “In Russia, they don’t just drink vodka,” says Leng. “It is a process, and they aim to share this experience.” The Russian Vodka Room is best known for its vodka infusions, which differ from flavored brands in that they do not use any synthetic components, which Leng clearly states does not place her in competition with these flavored brands, but makes her stand out among them. “Our customers come to visit the Russian Vodka Room for
a reason,” she says. Some of the flavors that can be found in these infusions include honey, fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. This only further confirms Denton’s prediction, as well as the shift in trends as of late. Consumers are seeking a more thoughtfully executed product and experience, one with history and a story they can send out via their social media outlets. As the modernization of the industry continues expand and mature, so must the spirits being offered. For vodka, that is perfectly clear.
Coming Of Age
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ime & Oak is changing the aged spirits game profoundly, allowing for traditional spirits such as vodka, gin, rum, & tequila to take on a barrel-aged flavor by accellerating and reversing the process. The product or ‘Elements’ which are a mere few inches long take the spirit out of the barrel and put the oak into the bottle. What’s more is that the desired aged flavors can be achieved in a matter of DAYS! THE PRODUCT The wood is 100% all-natural proprietary American Oak sourced from the midwest where hot summers and cold winters create intricate capilary structures throughout the wood providing optimal flavor profiles for spirits. Next the wood undergoes a rigorous quality control process ruling out anything in which the capilary structure is too wide or too tight. The selected wood is then cut and charred using retooled industrial lasers. Finally, they are baked in the oven.
be effective. Given an aged spirit or cocktail traditionally costs $2-$6 more than non aged spirits, the Element will have paid for itself and the bottle after the first cocktail leaving the next 10-12 cocktails as straight profit. Time – The use of Elements to age individual bottles gives a greater surface area interaction over the 52 gallon barrel barrel which expedites the process. This allows you to really cut down the time factor. It also allows you to see and taste the flavor progression that is happening within your spirit or cocktail, something you were unable to do with traditional barrel aging. Versatility – Although there are a plentiful number of aged Rum, Tequila, and Whiskey, there are just as equal a number of these spirits that are unaged versions. Time & Oak Elements allows for us to age all spirit categories including …VODKA! Visit www.timeandoak.com.
HOW IT WORKS The element draws the distinct flavor characteristics and rich caramel color from natural sugars within the oak. The repetitive laser cut design used to char the wood allow for a greater amount of control over the char level. The laser preserves every capillary making it extremely easy for the spirit to gain access to the wood. Once the spirit gets into the wood it extracts Vanillin, Sugars, and Tannins, which is a combination that makes fantastic brown spirits. Simply stated – DROP…WAIT…TASTE…ENJOY! ADVANTAGES OVER BARREL AGING Price - $15/Package of two Elements Interpretation – Each element may be used from 1-3 times depending on the desired flavor profile. Generally speaking if you age each bottle for one day you can yeild three uses per Element. If left in one bottle for a week or more the sugars will have desipated and the Element will not longer www.barbizmag.com
July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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How To:
Master Mixology
Cocktail Ideas for the On-premise Mixologist
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here are two things that symbolize summer’s official arrival: long weekends and coyly bitter cocktails. You thought, perhaps, we’d say June 20th and beach parties? Nah. We prefer to go old school. Three-day weekends that stretch into Monday morning and perfectly poured Negronis that compliment the humidity in the air with some bitter bite on the tongue.
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So let’s unofficially kick things off this summer with some cocktail recipes that revolve around both – long drinks for long weekend BBQ’s courtesy of our friends at the Tilted Kilt; and some amazing Negroni ideas to build upon that classic cocktail so ideal for whetting your appetite before a big meal on a late summer night. Enjoy. July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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How To: RECIPES Tilted Kilt Irish Margarita 1.5 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey .5 oz Patrón Citrónge .5 oz Monin Agave Nectar 1.5 oz Sun Orchard Lime Juice Build in shaker glass with ice. Shake vigorously. Salt rim fresh glass.
Tilted Kilt Spicy Ancho Chili Margarita 1800 Silver Tequila Ancho Reyes liqueur Fresh lime juice Simple syrup
Tilted Kilt Spicy Ancho Chili Margarita GET TILTED It may or may not be full-on summer weather, but it's always warm enough near the grill. Whether you're barbequing chicken, burgers or veggies, you're going to get thirsty. Sure, you could buy a carton of lemonade and fill a cooler with rosé and IPA, but Tilted Kilt and STK LA are way more creative when it comes to filling their summer glasses. Here are some delicious cocktail recipes:
STK LA Basil ‘Rita 1.5 oz Avion Tequila 4 basil leaves .75 oz lime juice .5 oz simple syrup .25 oz triple sec Add all ingredients in a mixing glass and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a few basil leaves.
STK LA Secret Affair 2 oz Don Julio Silver .75 oz fresh lime juice .5 oz Simple Syrup 4 watermelon cubes 1 slice red chili pepper
Tilted Kilt Irish Margarita
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Muddle red chili and watermelon. Add Don Julio, lime and simple. Shake and strain on the rocks in a Tajin rimmed glass.
Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
Negroni ‘On Tap’ Created by Naren Young for Dante NYC 1 oz Bombay Sapphire ¾ oz Campari ¾ oz Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth Method: Stir and strain on 1 large ice cube Glass: Etched Rocks Ice: Cube Garnish: Orange twist
Hwayo Negroni
Hwayo Negroni ALL GRON UP With the fourth annual Negroni week taking place June 6th — 12th, we wanted to share our finest recipes from the festivities. Below are some Negroni cocktails from Naren Young from Dante, Ryan Te from Oiji, William Aporih from Abajo at Añejo Tribeca, and Richard Woods of SUSHISAMBA NYC.
Created by Ryan Te for Oiji 1.5 oz Jasmine Hwayo 41 Soju .75 oz sweet vermouth .5 oz Campari .25 oz Aperol 1 dash Fee Orange Bitters Method: Stir. Strain Glass: Rocks Ice: King cube Garnish: Orange peel
Oaxacan Negroni Created by William Aporih for Anajo at Añejo Tribeca .75 oz Espolon Reposado 1 oz Botanist Gin .75 oz Campari .75 oz Barolo Chinato Splash Cola Nut Extract Method: Stir. Strain Glass: Rocks Ice: King cube Garnish: Orange slice
Smoked Plum Negroni Created by Richard Woods for SUSHISAMBA NYC 1.5 oz Hibiki whisky .25 oz Aperol .75 oz Sweet vermouth .5 oz Plum wine Method: Stir. Strain Glass: Rocks Ice: King cube Garnish: Dehydrated orange slice
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Oaxacan Negroni
July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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How To:
emise r p n O e s a Incre Gaming Revenue
TO COIN A PHRASE Tokens score high at Alabama bar arcade.
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tepping into Pints & Pixels is like stepping back in time—you’re greeted by the familiar whizzes, dings, whirls, pops and bright colorful lights from over 50 classic arcade games. The Huntsville, Alabama establishment is part arcade, part restaurant and bar—capitalizing on nostalgia by transporting customers back to the good ol’ days of their childhood, when a pocket full of quarters could put off homework for a few more hours while you helped PacMan gobble up ghosts. Now those children are old enough to have a beer between games, and the pocket full of quarters has been replaced by custom tokens. You couldn’t tell from the sound, but instead of quarters clanking into machines, it’s custom tokens that keep these high scores scoring. Co-owner Sherry Wallace likes that the tokens provide a retro experience for gamers while simultaneously
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being easy and safe to operate. Pints & Pixels officially opened April 9th, but given how busy the soft opening has been—and how well the tokens are already operating— it’s a sure bet that they are in for a busy summer.
LEVEL 1: How to Play the Game Co-owner Richard Moss explained that the idea for Pints & Pixels came from a business trip to Portland, Oregon where he and his coworkers fell in love with a new concept bar called Ground Kontrol, an arcade for adults that served food and beer— along with a side of nostalgia. As “barcades” began popping up across the country, appealing to every age and demographic, he decided to bring the concept to Huntsville. The games at Ground Kontrol use quarters, but Moss
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and Wallace thought they could improve on the idea by using tokens. They knew they didn’t want the arcade to be “free play,” where the customers would pay an entry fee and play for free. “Inserting coins is part of the arcade experience. When you hear that coin rattle its way through the validation mechanisms and clunk into the cash box, that's a sign you're about to have some fun!” said Moss. Plus, he feels having that small investment in a game makes gamers try harder and care more. If you don't do well on your first “life” in a game that is on free play, maybe you just walk away; if you've put a token in there, you want to get everything you can from it. And that’s not even mentioning continuation games like Gauntlet or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which allow for continued play with additional coins. There's a challenge in trying to go as far as you can for each coin, or to beat the game on as few coins as possible. All that goes away when you can just press a button to keep going. With that decision firmly made, Moss began researching custom coin mints. He found Osborne Coinage, in Cincinnati, Ohio and asked for a quote. He knew he wanted the token to feature the P&P logo, a pixilated Space Invaders alien with their motto “Where Everybody Knows Your Game.” The other side reminds customers the title of the barcade and that the coin has “No Cash Value.” Osborne’s design teams quickly went to work, and sent back a mock-up and price quote. “They have been so accommodating and easy to work with. I’ve encountered the opposite of that in many of the businesses that we’ve dealt with, so Osborne was refreshingly delightful to work with,” Wallace said. Meanwhile, Moss went to an auction and bought two coin change machines made by American Changer of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Because the custom tokens are about the size of a quarter, no changes were necessary to the machines. All that was left was to set the price: one token for video games, three for most pinball machines. Because the tokens are an internal system, and only redeemable inside the arcade, Wallace won’t need to reorder them regularly. They’ll stay nice and clean, and unlike paper tickets, won’t get soggy or jam the machines if they get wet.
"When you hear that coin rattle its way through the validation mechanisms and clunk into the cash box, that's a sign you're about to have some fun!" on tap. Each beverage purchase is rewarded with one bonus token, and food purchases with two tokens. Finally, they decided to award private parties with 100 tokens for every hour booked. Additional sets of 100 tokens then are offered for $20. The token machines took some adjusting to offer the bonus tokens, but Wallace and Moss found that, for the most part, these promotional offers ran themselves.
EXTRA LIFE: Hidden Values of Tokens “No Cash Value” means Wallace and Moss can give tokens away—but it also means that nobody breaks in to take them either. Using tokens instead of coins inherently turns away thieves and vandals, who often target change machines for a quick and easy hit. And, because machines are dealing with the exchanges, no employees are handling currency, so there are no accounting errors or quarters mysteriously walking away at the end of a shift. It’s too soon to tell for Pints & Pixels, but another way tokens add value might be “walkaways”—when customers take the tokens home instead of using them. Tokens with the P&P brand on them end up in pockets, cup holders, change drawers, etc., and act as a mini billboard, beckoning for a return trip. Since P&P charges a quarter for each token (which have a landed cost of less than 20 cents), each walkaway nets a nickel—small value that adds up over time.
Joystick in Hand and a Pocket Full of Tokens According to Wallace, customers have raved about the tokens—their ease of use, their value-to-cost ratio, and that little pixilated alien. Wallace and Moss rave about the ease of installation and use of the tokens, and their cost-to-value
BONUS ROUND: Promotional Options As they were deciding on pricing, Wallace and Moss realized that using tokens opened up an endless variety of promotional options. That “No Cash Value” reminder on the back of the token means that Wallace and Moss could give away tokens as they see fit. First they decided to reward buying bulk tokens with bonus tokens: one dollar in the machine yields four tokens, $5 gets 24, and it goes up by four tokens with each denomination. The next opportunity was right under their noses; in addition to their 50 arcade and pinball games, P&P seats 100 with a full service restaurant and bar with 20 craft beers
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Bling bling!
July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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How To: ratio—the tokens are actually paying for themselves. For Richard Moss, there’s nothing like the feeling of putting the token in the game, hearing it clunk in, and knowing you’ve invested something into that game. “It makes it more fun, makes you care about how well you play, and that’s part of the experience we wanted to give our customers,” he said.
Putting a token into a game is a small investment that pays off in fun. Running an arcade on tokens is a big investment that pays off in ease of use, value, and security (as long as the customers don’t use them to pay the parking meter outside). At Pints & Pixels, the tokens are rattling and Sherry Wallace is as happy as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with a pizza.
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How To:
How To:
tent in s i s n o C y a t S Your Management
By Kevin Tam
ZERO SUM: The Top 3 Management Traits of Zero-Variance Operators
Shutterstock /baranq
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iquor inventory control systems vary in techniques and methods but they all come down to identifying the differences between units used and units sold, otherwise known as variances. Variance reports allow operators to identify where they are losing product and how they can make improvements. However, not every operator that uses variance reports is successful in eliminating losses to shrinkage. In fact, there are many operators who have extremely sophisticated liquor inventory control tools and still suffer unnecessary losses. The tools by themselves are clearly not the only answer. The key difference between an operator who is successful in eliminating variances boils down to how they manage their staff. After all, a variance report is only a tool. In the right hands it can save a fortune in lost product. However, in the hands of an ineffective operator it is simply a validation of how poorly their business is operating. Zero-variance
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operators have a certain mindset that allows them to use variance reports to their maximum effectiveness. How a person thinks determines the way they manage, and therefore directly affects the amount of inventory losses they have. The three major, observable commonalities of a zero-variance operator are:
1) Stop Sugar Coating Mistakes A zero variance operator has no problem voicing their disappointment with even the smallest mistakes in search of higher levels of performance. Tony Parker, a four-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, mentioned in an interview that playing under coach Greg Popovich was difficult because of how much he yelled and screamed at him for every little mistake. After winning their first title in 2003 during Parker's sophomore season, he mentioned how Popovich was too harsh in his criticism of his play during July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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How To:
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In bars doing $10 million a year in sales, employees will hear about their mistakes. 2) Know That No One Is Irreplaceable A zero variance operator fires people that can not, or will not, work to their standards. Firing people shows the person that is being fired, and the rest of the staff, that owners are serious about getting everything done perfectly. Successful operators do not tolerate mistakes that are made consistently and they are not afraid to replace people. Operators with large variance problems tend to fire people very slowly, warn people very little, and as a result, are not respected by their staff. There are many contributing factors that lead to this erroneous decision-making. However, the largest culprit by far is the relationship the owner has with their staff. Owners who have out-of-control staff tend to refer to them as family, close friends, and people “who would never do that.” They live in a constant state of denial that people in their employ would ever betray their trust. However, the evidence across the industry shows a much different story. In an article by Food Service Magazine published in 2014, an examination of industry trade group studies showed that prior to implementing liquor inventory control programs, the average bar loses 10-20% of their inventory to shrinkage. That number increases to 18-30% for draft beer due to foam and other keg related issues. That evidence alone should be enough
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the year. This was after winning the title, a feat the majority of players never reach. Even after the victory celebration, Popovich still let Parker know where he was making mistakes and needed to improve during the off season. Popovich never let him off the hook. He never stopped challenging his key players. Companies that operate at a high level manage like this. They get on their people for every little mistake and error, and they do not often use a polite tone to communicate it. Furthermore, even if the work being evaluated is satisfactory, they will always mention the tiniest mistake that was not done perfectly. Some people perceive this style of management to be too harsh, but it is the hallmark of a strong employee if they can take constructive criticism from the owner and make improvements quickly based on the feedback they receive. It is commonly observable that in high-level bar and restaurant groups doing over $10 million a year in sales, when employees make mistakes they will hear about it. There is no favoritism. There are no “laid back managers.” This is just how large, successful companies manage their staff. For example, when it comes to an item like bottled beer, there is no valid reason why it would not be rung in. Because bottled beer is not served in partial quantities, it cannot be over poured like hard liquor or draft beer. Additionally, even breaks, QSA issues, and server errors should all be rung in. There is no valid excuse why bottled beer should be short. If an operator receives a variance report and sees that they sold 1,500 bottles of beer throughout the week but was short 21 bottles, they can react to that information in two ways. By looking at the overall variance in percentages, 21/1500 = 1.4%. Now that’s only 1.4%, and most industry operators will try to stay within 1-2% as a benchmark for acceptable shrinkage range. Ineffective operators in this scenario celebrate. They congratulate their teams for getting most of their stuff rung in and getting a variance report that was close to perfect. They tip-toe around the issues because they don’t want to offend anyone and ruin the celebration. Simply put, they have low operating standards, which results in consistent shortages in inventory and a tremendous amount of lost sales. It is common for this type of operator to see no corrections made by the team because the message that is communicated to the staff doesn’t point them in the direction on how to improve. However, zero variance operators look at that 1.4% and see a catastrophic mistake. At cost, those 21 beers are worth approximately $40, and retail value somewhere around $100$130 depending on what the average price of a bottle is at retail. They see a mistake that is worth about $6,000 in lost revenue and an unnecessary $500 bill per year if it’s repeated every week. When they tell their teams how they did on their variance reports, it is always about the 21 missed beers. The 98.6% of them that got rung in don’t receive any credit.
to change the mindset of an operator that refuses to fire staff contributing to inventory shrinkage. However, it is near impossible to ask an operator who has a pre-existing relationship with their uncooperative staff member to confront them and terminate their employment when those mistakes are repeated. Sometimes the uncooperative individuals are at the ownership level. For instance, Jon Taffer's SpikeTV show Bar Rescue has profiled many bar owners who had problems with other owners contributing to theft of their product. This is quite a common scenario when friends who have never worked together before decide to invest in the bar and restaurant industry without any prior experience working in a successful company. Although it is much harder to orchestrate a buy-out or forcibly remove a toxic person at the ownership level, successful operators do what is necessary to get that person out. This is a difficult scenario with no easy answers. Perhaps the best thing operators can do is to avoid this scenario altogether by choosing their partners more carefully next time they decide to invest in bars and restaurants.
3) Maintain Constant Vigilance A zero variance operator is always watching their numbers, and their level of concern slightly borders on the edge of paranoid. Any operator who has been in the industry for more than a decade has been stung before by people who steal. This deep emotional hurt tends to make operators realistic about liquor control procedures. Sometimes they may not enjoy having to institute stringent inventory policies, but they know it is something they must do regardless of their feelings. Once inventory audits are a regular part of operational procedures, zero variance operators never let their guard down, even if their variance reports come back reporting no losses. They are always watching, nothing gets by them, and everyone that works for them knows it. Zero variance operators embrace the level of detail a good variance report provides and they investigate everything that is suspicious. For example, when a zero variance operator receives an itemized variance report, which lines up every different kind of liquor, bottle of beer, bottle of wine, and keg of beer with their itemized sales, they will go through every little variance that is negative and seek out an explanation as to why that product is short. These operators will ask their managers for an explanation, re-count inventory, re-examine drink mixes tied to POS sales, and look at prior variance reports to see if anything was missed during the last audit. If after all those steps no explanation can be found, they report the variances are unacceptable and immediately turn their attention to which staff member could have done it. When that person is found, they are informed and immediately reprimanded if it is a severe loss.
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How consistent an operator is in auditing inventory greatly contributes to how many variances they have. Operators with extremely high sales volume may audit inventory daily. Operators in the mid-range typically go weekly. Smaller operators may go bi-weekly. Operators of businesses with sporadic sales, like non-profits and event halls, may only audit as business occurs. The idea is that when audits are a regular part of the business, staff becomes conditioned to working in an environment where they cannot get away with making mistakes with inventory. The consistency creates successful work habits that become engrained in the culture of the business. Successful operators also look at every angle where variances can occur, and take steps to mitigate them so they are not a factor. This is what creates a zero-variance environment. Kevin Tam is an operations consultant for the hospitality industry with a specialization in liquor inventory control. He operates a liquor auditing practice that serves owners of casinos, hotels, bars, night clubs and restaurants. For more information visit http:// www.sculpturehospitality.com. He is also a published author, speaker and trainer. His book – Night Club Marketing Systems: How to Get Customers for Your Bar, was published in Fall 2011 and is available on Amazon.com.
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Taking Things
Personally A “bespoke” bar menu can be an education for both you and your customers.
By Elyse Glickman
T
here will always be that one customer who regularly comes into your bar and asks for his or her “usual,” and others who want “something different” but can’t put their finger on what that something is, even with your well-conceived bar menu. With “creative” a buzzword in craft cocktails these days, how you do get your customer out of a rut? Customize it! Even if a bar has a solid list of
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cocktail “classics” and a revolving cycle of seasonal inventions, a good bartender knows he or she will have to get inventive to shake things up, for their own sanity and the customers’. For this reason, some bars have implemented “bespoke” or “custom” cocktail programs that benefit both bartenders and customers. A program like this will keep bartenders on their toes while the customer gets a drink that’s
a perfect fit for the occasion. “The bespoke cocktail thing is great for a bartender and great for customers,” says Marcus D. Sims, whose cocktails can be found at Faith & Flower and The Roof On Wilshire in Los Angeles. “There’s always going to be anchor cocktails on a menu, like the aged English milk punch at Faith + Flower. But who doesn’t love a good pop-up special? Putting five or six fresh and exciting cocktails on a custom
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answers on favorite spirits, fruits and flavor profiles will inform what special drink is crafted. Better still, it may inspire future menu selections, helpful customer feedback, and turn customers on to spirits they never could have imagined they would enjoy. “The bespoke menu is an opportunity to try things that you normally wouldn’t put on a menu,” says Sims. “Maybe it’s R&D that you need to have the public taste before you remove a popular cocktail. If you’re tour-guiding a guest and you’re giving the history of the spirit you’re using, talk about the distillery/state it comes from, why you chose these particular ingredients to mix, how you grew the mint in your backyard, etc. It’s all about the narrative. If you’re lucky enough to sit in a bar with me behind the stick and it’s not crowded, you’d better bring your high tolerance level and your wallet, because I’m going to put them both to the test, and you’ll thank me!” “It’s all about the customer,” agrees Zachary Blair of the Whiteface Lodge in Lake Placid, NY. “If a guest is looking for a strong, classic cocktail, I will mix a boozeforward cocktail lightened by citrus for a balanced taste. If the guest wants something tropical and juice-forward, I will muddle fruits and use fresh juices to make a high quality cocktail.”
Worth a Gamble
menu for a limited time creates a sense of urgency for a customer. They feel like they must try the latest and greatest before it’s replaced by the next big thing.” It also means that the floodgates of communication will open wide between bartender and customer. The bartender asks the customer a few questions, in the old-school conversational way, or via penand-paper questionnaire, an app or a tablet. Ultimately, the customer’s www.barbizmag.com
To get into the spirit of things, Blair sent us a questionnaire that ranges from the elementary to the esoteric. He told me that even from 3,000 miles away, he could create a cocktail that would rock my world. “Are you ready to play the game?” he asks before sending the questionnaire he hands his customers. I am in the mood for a refreshing, contemporary gin drink with a hint of sweetness, Asian flair, and a mild kick served in either a rocks or traditional martini glass. I have been experimenting with mezcal as well. What I end up with is a drink that literally has my name on it, that’s
bright and zesty and combines the best elements of my favorite classic cocktail (Pimm’s Cup) with unfamiliar combinations of ingredients that somehow works. The Berkshire Room at the ACME Hotel, touted as one of Chicago’s most sophisticated cocktail lounges, is helmed by Beverage Director Benjamin Schiller, and features an excellent custom “Dealer’s Choice” option, which offers guests a collaborative experience with the bartender by creating their own specialty drink from a selection of spirits, flavor profiles, and glassware. Guests choose their spirit, (gin, sake, cognac, etc.), flavor profile (sweet & sour, fruity, herbaceous, etc.), and glassware (choice of flute, julep, Collins, coupe, and rocks). Then the bartender concocts a beverage satisfying every preference, and the sky’s the limit for the drinks they create. Schiller says the locals can’t get enough of this special program and look forward to creating a new beverage each time they visit. A bespoke program can also give bars supporting local and artisanal/ craft distillers a fantastic platform that allows them to showcase how versatile their products are. It opens doors to an extension for marketing programs, fundraisers and other events. For example, Berkshire Mountain Distillers, located in western Massachusetts, makes a range of vodka, gin, rum and whiskey. While there is something for everybody in the portfolio, owner Michael Sharry says it serves the bar’s best interest to get even the most loyal customers to try something different. “This summer, we are launching a custom cocktail program, not only for weddings and corporate events, but also individuals interested in learning from not just distillers and bartenders but also gardeners,” says Sharry. “As the main gardener here at BMD, I lead a program where we are using our home grown botanicals for our wildly aromatic gins but also for fresh cocktail ingredients. We’ve July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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H. Joseph Ehrmann
Recipes: Elyse’s Cocktail Custom-made by Zachary Blair, Whiteface Lodge, Lake Placid, NY 2 oz Gin Mare 1 disk of muddled cucumber ¾ oz lime juice ¾ oz simple syrup 2 oz pear nectar Shake above ingredients Float Del Maguey Minero mezcal Ginger beer topper Garnish with an orange twist, cucumber wheel and mint Shake and nectar, gin, lime juice, simple syrup and cucumber. Strain over new ice. Top with ginger beer.
Country Thyme H. Joseph Ehrmann, San Francisco 1 sprig of thyme 10 organic blueberries Half an organic lemon 1½ oz Square One Organic Vodka ¼ oz organic agave nectar Slap thyme it to release oils, twist and place in the bottom of a 10-ounce highball or Old Fashioned glass. Fill with ice and set aside. Muddle the blueberries and lemon. Add the vodka and agave nectar, and fill with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 to 20 seconds and strain into the prepared glass. Take a nice large, pretty sprig of thyme and slap it before using to garnish the drink.
Elyse’s Cocktail
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gotten a lot of great response from this endeavor as far as getting more folks to try our different gins and our rum.”
Prioritize to Customize Legendary San Francisco bar owner H. Joseph Ehrmann, who had made his mark with the trendsetting Elixir bar and his cocktail creations for Square One Vodka, is shifting gears towards simplicity; this means keeping a small, carefully thought-out arsenal of spirits and making sure the staff is trained in their use. “If you’re considering a custom program, the place to start is with a specially curated line of spirits,” he says. “You would have one in each category where you can vouch for their quality to customers, but are also economical in terms of pour costs and profit margin. For example, our go-to whiskey for cocktails is Rittenhouse 100 because it has great flavor profile, brand-recognition among customers and the high proof, which punches through a lot of cocktail-making challenges.” H. is also a believer in starting the creative process with a simple and direct conversation, which he says is in line with several changes he has recently made at his bar. As he sees it, a good bartender should have a “perfect database of options” already in his head. Furthermore,
after a decade of mixology where showmanship and high concept drinks were front-and-center, he is now a proponent of letting his mixologists show their skills through their ability to connect with customers who get a great drink as a result. “I like to come straight out and ask my customers, ‘What do you like to drink?’ It doesn’t have to be a specific cocktail or spirit, and can run the gamut from Sauvignon Blanc to ginger ale to whiskey,” he adds. “From there I ask whether they want to go down that path or take a different one that’s opposite of what they normally go for. They may say, ‘I want something brighter than that,’ or ‘I want a different texture.’ Once you get the base of what that drink will be, it’s then a matter of getting a fix on the modifying flavors and the texture—or the difference between a tall, crisp gin Collins or a boozy cocktail over a large chunk of ice.” In other words, the simpler one keeps his or her bar program, the more one can keep control over costs—or even cut them. It’s not just “Keep It Simple, Stupid,” but also “Keep It Profitable, Stupid.” Daniel Zacharczuk of Salt Cure in Los Angeles, is like-minded with H. in terms of making sure there is consistency that runs from the bar owner or head bartender to the rest of the staff.
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“The most important thing in the hospitality business is to keep the customer happy,” he says. “To ensure that, you need to be able to make somebody’s special drink on any given night. This depends a lot on your staff and what kinds of protocols and techniques you put into place.” Zacharczuk recommends keeping a recipe book or compendium at the bar with basic, solid recipes staff can access and adapt whenever they see fit. In contrast to H., he feels a bar should have a wellrounded selection of core spirits to ensure customers with varying tastes come back. In other words, if you go to a bar and see a whiskey selection that is limited to a couple of bourbons and Scotch whiskies but no Rye, Irish or Tennessee whiskey or even inclusion of a Taiwanese or Japanese whiskey, the limited selections will mean limited options for the customer and bartenders trying to get creative. “When responding to, ‘I want something like a margarita, but not exactly a margarita,’ this is where the conversation opens, and the bartender or bar staff has an opportunity to really get closer to the bulls-eye territory to assess what the guest wants,” he explains. “This is where the recipe book comes in, as it will provide the bar a starting point for inventing something new on the spot on any given day of the week.” Another tip Zacharczuk offers in developing a personalized drink is to ask a customer what they will be ordering from the food menu that night. This not only results in a better overall gastronomic experience, but also offers a higher level of hospitality that will enable you to make something as close as what the customer wants to drink, even if they can’t immediately pinpoint exactly what that is.
Dealer’s Choice “When you make something special for a customer, there’s a romance about it; they are intrigued enough www.barbizmag.com
to try something outside their norm, especially when you are using infusions, squeezing fresh juices and making everything else from scratch,” says Andrew Almanza, bar manager at Las Vegas’ Trump Hotel and the DJT Lobby Bar. “Your goal is to open customers’ eyes and get them to order something more interesting than a gin and tonic.” Given what the Trump name has represented in terms of branding, Almanza often thinks along the lines of luxury and exclusivity when quizzing customers about what they’re thirsty for. One key marketing element that sets DJT apart from other hotel lobby bars is the “Black Book” program. Recipes created for repeat and regular customers are logged into the book so they can be repeated again, whether the regulars come weekly or every six months. “Not only does the Black Book tie-in with the luxury element of the hotel, but also helps us build relationships with customers that’s truly special,” details Almanza. “It also helps us with new customers who don’t know what they want. We can let them see the Black Book to show them what we’ve created and how we use a seasonal menu to its fullest. The conversation should start with, ‘What’s that,’ and then we may have them sample a couple of things, and from there, get them to tell us what they want to drink. If somebody comes up to you and simply says, ‘Make me something fun,’ it will be hard to intuit what they really feel like drinking until you ask them about their preferences for sweet or sour drinks, and so on.” While the Black Book, like the Trump name, represents something established, small bars looking to get a personalization program off the ground may find the start-up phase daunting. However, beyond asking the customer good questions to assess likes and dislikes thoroughly, Sims says ramping up is a process that should be done with care and diligence.
Aperol Cream Soda Daniel Zacharczuk, Salt Cure, Los Angeles 2¼ oz Aperol ¾ oz vanilla syrup* 3 oz seltzer Combine Aperol and vanilla syrup in a mixing tin. Shake briefly with a small piece of ice, strain over ice into a Collins glass, top with seltzer. Garnish: orange wedge. *Vanilla Syrup Start with 500ml simple syrup (equal parts white sugar and warm water) and add in 1 whole vanilla bean, split and cored. Let sit for 24 hours, and fine strain with coffee filter or French press.
Negroni Cobbler Daniel Zacharczuk, Salt Cure, Los Angeles ¾ oz gin ¾ oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth ¾ oz Campari ¾ oz Salt’s Cure House Curaçao* 1 lemon wedge 1 orange wedge Squeeze lemon and orange wedges into mixing tins, combine all ingredients, shake briefly with ice, strain into a Collins glass. Top with crushed ice. Garnish: Lemon and orange wedges and powdered sugar. *Curaçao 3 parts Grand Marnier 2 parts simple syrup 1 part Amaro Montenegro
Negroni Cobbler
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GLASS HALF FULL? By Chris Ytuarte
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Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
The beer industry has come to a crossroad. While craft brewing has brought culture back to the business, big beer continues to dominate market share. Can the two segments coexist in a mutually beneficial bubble? Or is that bubble about to burst?
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t’s hard to deny that the craft beer boom of the past decade has been a great thing for all— brewers, distributors, bar owners, and consumers. In the U.S., we are experiencing growth in the category unlike anything we’ve seen before; there are more breweries operating in America today than in any other time in the nation’s history. But, as with any momentous shift, strife is often inevitable (see: presidential election, 2016), and while the benefits of a better beer marketplace overall are evident, some still see the glass as half empty. Since Memorial Day indicated the kick-off, America’s more than 3,000 independent beer distributors have been helping retailers and bar owners stock up for the summer beer selling season by delivering an unprecedented variety of beer brands. “Over the course of the year, beer distributors across the United States deliver nearly three billion cases of beer to more than 600,000 retail establishments, including restaurants, pubs, convenience stores, bottle shops, grocery stores, ballparks and concert venues,” says National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) Chief Economist Lester Jones. “And, on average, beer sales are 20 percent higher in the summer months compared to the rest of the year.” Those kinds of numbers would seem to indicate a nice problem to have for the U.S., especially when you consider that, according to BusinessInsider.com, the overall global beer market is on track to generate $688 billion in sales by 2020. The Brewer’s Association, meanwhile, reports the U.S. beer industry alone topped $100 billion in 2015. It would make sense, then, for independent brewers to aim for even a sliver of that cash pile. But this game remains one dominated, still, by the giants.
market saturation in recent years,” suggests Gnel Gabrielyan of Cornell University, a member of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (A AEA) who has done extensive research on hops and the brewing industry. “It’s anybody’s guess what would happen if the craft beer market boom had not happened. But apparently, craft beers give enough variation for consumers to continue buying beers, keeping the overall market stable.” If you browse the latest list of the top ten beer brands in the world by market share, according to Euromonitor, you see plenty of familiar names (Coors Light #10, Heineken #7, and Budweiser and Bud Light at #4 and #3, respectively) as well some unfamiliar brands, at least in the eyes of most American consumers (Brahma, from Brazil, at #9, Harbin and Yanjing from China at #8 and #6 respectively, Skol #5, and two more Chinese brews at #2, Tsingtao, and #1, Snow.) Impressively, Snow Beer is sold almost exclusively in China, yet holds 5.4 percent of global beer volume market share. Evidently, the Chinese really like their beer. But where are the craft brews? “The total beer sales [between 2010 and 2015] fluctuate between $100 and $105 billion annually,” says Gabrielyan. “However, if we take a closer look at the market structure, we can notice that the sales of craft beers increased from $7.6 to $22.3 billion for the same time period. This shows that while the beer market is pretty much constant for the last decade,
DAVID VS GOLIATH? While small craft breweries have spent the better part of a decade spearheading the spiking interesting in beer amongst LDA consumers—and in doing so, rescuing the category from a long period of spirits dominating revenue share—the vast majority of profits remains with an ever-shrinking, consolidating list of big beer manufacturers. Despite swaying the public view of beer and encouraging experimentation through innovative flavor profiles, craft beer, for the most part, is not reaping the rewards. “It seems the brewing industry has reached www.barbizmag.com
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huge changes are happening inside the market. Macro beer is still the favorite beer of the masses, but it’s constantly losing its market share to hoppier beers.”
HELP US, ST. PATRICK To gain some insight into this shift on a micro level, we looked at some numbers from the single biggest beer sales event of the year in the U.S.—St. Patrick’s Day. On this most recent March 17th , SteadyServ, a management and inventory platform for tracking realtime beer data, analyzed statistics registered at all their on-premise accounts nationwide. As expected on St. Paddy’s, Guinness ranked #1 with more than 14,000 ounces poured that day. Next was Bud Light, followed by Miller Light and Stella Artois. Finally, at #5, came Bell’s Brewery Two Hearted Ale; #8 was New Belgium Fat Tire; #14, Founders All Day IPA; and #16 was Great Lakes Conway’s Irish Ale. The rest of the labels amongst the top 16 were all big breweries. Brand awareness is obviously a major factor here, as with any industry, and so is cost. Big money behind big beer keeps production costs down, passing the savings 30
along to the consumer. But as Millenials move to the forefront of the LDA demographic in the U.S., and another generation moves in behind them, those two predominant causational indicators may shift. “The change in the beer market can be attributed to various factors,” explains Gabrielyan. “One of the main changes is that consumers’ tastes are changing. Nowadays consumers are looking for more variety in terms of taste, flavor, hops and aroma. A study conducted by researchers at Washington State University shows that consumers are willing to pay higher prices if they like the overall taste and the hoppiness of the sample. “Social norms and peers also have a significant impact on the changing market. The market structure is changing to adapt to consumer preferences—more producers enter the niche market offering more varieties highlighting the novelty and the locality of their products. Availability of a variety of hops also plays a vital role in the scheme of events. Hops allow brewers to diversify their products from other new products that enter the market every year.”
Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
Shutterstock /mountain beetle
beer drinkers today have more choice than ever before, with more than 4,000 domestic brewers and hundreds of importers offering thousands of styles and brands that make the beer industry innovative and exciting.
DUAL GROWTH Gabrielyan and others continue to theorize (and hope) that big beer and craft brews ideally can play in the same sandbox. Anheuser-Busch InBev, which is in the midst of a $100 billion-plus acquisition of No. 2 global brewer SAB Miller, has dipped heavily into the buying of U.S. craft breweries in recent years. Since acquiring Chicago’s Goose Island in 2011, AB InBev has purchased eight U.S. craft breweries including Blue Point Brewing, Elysian Brewing and Breckenridge Brewery, and most recently purchased Devils Backbone Brewing Co., of Virginia, which began operation in 2008 and has won more than 28 awards at the Great American Beer Festival over the last seven years. While this trend continues—big beer buying-up craft—Gabrielyan suggests there are ways for both sides to benefit and still remain true to their foundational culture. “One of the driving factors for craft beer growth is the fact that it is produced by local brewers,” he says, “so more consumers are eager to buy local products to
support local farmers and local economy. Similarly, many people buy locally produced beers because they are both different and local/regional at the same time. A possible solution for a big producer to keep up the sales of a recently purchased local brewery, therefore, is to keep up the quality of the beer. They can achieve this by not intervening too much upon the brewery’s production culture. They can integrate behind-thescenes activities into their corporate machine but keep a low profile of their ownership of the brewery for the public.” If the big players and the smaller innovators in the U.S. can find a way to co-exist, it is better for all involved. “Thanks to an open and independent system that helps new brands get to market, beer drinkers today have more choice than ever before, with more than 4,000 domestic brewers and hundreds of importers offering thousands of styles and brands that make the beer industry innovative and exciting,” says Lester Jones of the NBWA. We couldn’t agree more.
3 Questions WHEN Choosing a Tap Lineup
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ith draft beer often serving as the highest-margin menu item, the same attention to detail and strategy that goes into choosing your food menu should be applied to choosing your tap lineup. Unfortunately, many purveyors simply guess what goes on tap based on what they think patrons want vs. actual consumption data and trends. This guesswork hinders profit, freshness and customer engagement. When choosing a tap lineup, these three questions will guide decision-making:
What role should beer play in your overall beverage strategy? Draft programs require a close eye and trained staff; draft beer must be maintained, and a number of brand/style options require education and focus to create a great customer experience. Freshness is key. Monitoring how quickly a beer depletes is critical, because a beer’s flavors change the longer the beer has been on draft and/or the more it ages. Dig deeper and separate bottle vs. draft sales numbers and assess what you are actually selling. Draft is a different animal from bottled beer, and ounces can’t be “counted” in the same way. Unless you know how much draft beer is leaving your www.barbizmag.com
kegs in real time, and how many ounces are being poured vs. ounces sold, percentages can appear wildly different from reality. Do you have the right variety, and what is the optimal number of taps? As a general rule, having the right variety of between 12-18 taps provides enough selection for the different customer preferences. As for variety, there is a big difference between carrying 3 IPAs on draft vs 15. IPAs represent about 20 percent of craft sales, so it’s good to be aware of what
By Meagan Anderson
styles warrant additional space. At the same time, be cognizant of not eroding value by over-representing a style and confusing the customer. Having a wellplanned and diverse list, along with a well-trained staff, is incredibly important. What is your commitment level to making a statement with your draft beer offering? Consistent rotation: Optimizing both the selection and price are important, but nothing is more important than freshness. Some of the best bars often miss the boat on draft freshness because lines are constantly shifting. Instead of moving through all beers as quickly as possible and pushing the slow movers off after about two days for new/fresh product, they replace the fastest movers with new kegs. Rotation is all about freshness, similar to the process of managing food in the cooler. One thing technology has done for the beer industry is to allow visibility into the kegs/cooler from mobile devices— essentially putting kegs online. This helps restaurants prioritize freshness and selection, and “talk up” the beer currently being poured to patrons and recommend great food pairings—all elements in creating an awesome customer experience. Meagen Anderson is a certified cicerone and vice president of global sales at SteadyServ. July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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More Pours at Porter House
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fter a brief hiatus period, Executive Chef/Partner Michael Lomonaco this summer has unveiled Porter House Bar and Grill, an impressive renovation of his beloved restaurant in the iconic Time Warner Center in New York City. The debut of Porter House Bar and Grill marks a celebration for the restaurant as it approaches its 10th anniversary later this year, and the next chapter for Lomonaco who has spent a career elevating contemporary American cuisine. With extensive planning and thoughtful considerations spearheaded by Lomonaco, Porter House Bar and Grill brings a refreshed design 32
and dynamic culinary updates to the restaurant, while providing diners with the same quality experience and genuine hospitality that they’ve come to expect. With a deep appreciation for a decade spent showcasing the breadth of the American table, the opening of Porter House Bar and Grill sets the stage for the long-term future of the restaurant. “We are thrilled to welcome our valued guests and friends back to experience our renewed look and feel at Porter House Bar and Grill,” says Lomonaco. “As we reflect back on almost a decade spent here in the Time Warner Center, it is you, our customers, whose expectations we constantly strive to
exceed. What you will find behind the doors at Porter House Bar and Grill is an exciting new vision with modern culinary and interior updates, while the core of our menu and commitment to hospitality remains the same.” A lifelong New Yorker, Lomonaco has been in the restaurant business for decades, starting with training at Le Cirque, moving on to executive chef at the 21 Club in the early 90s, and he ran the Windows on the World restaurants at the top of the World Trade Center until 2001. He also had his own television show in the early says of the Food Network called Michael’s Place, and was on the Discovery and Travel channels with a show called Epicurious
Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
Michael Lomonaco reopens a beloved New York City nightlife scene as Porter House Bar and Grill, bringing new flare to an old Big Apple haunt.
that he hosted for right years. He first opened Porterhouse New York in 2006. “Now, we’re about to have our 10th anniversary in September,” he says. “So this year we did a big refurbishment— renovated the dining room, did major redecoration of the bar and the lounge, we even modified our name. We’re kind of reborn after our redecoration as Porterhouse Bar and Grill.”
and contemporary design elements that make way for the space’s welcomed future. Reflecting a New York sensibility that further enhances the restaurant’s sweeping views of Central Park and Columbus Circle, the main dining room features a bold new color palate, with accents of custom midnight blue fabrics, patina walnut flooring, polished nickel finishes and bronze tinted accent mirrors. “We redecorated, which means new lighting, new chairs, new banquettes, new tables, new floor treatments,” says Lomonaco. “Everything is in the same physical place. We didn’t build new walls, we didn’t redesign the layout of the restaurant. We just refreshed all the finishes.” Pearlescent wallcoverings brighten the main dining room, adding a softer glow to the distinct space, all of which pair with the restaurant’s signature cherry wood. The most notable transformation occurs in the restaurant’s bar area, which takes on its own distinct identity – truly separating bar from grill. Removed from the main dining room by an impressive floor-to-ceiling glass wine cabinet, the bar exudes a sophisticated and luxurious allure, with a custom stone mosaic floor and
a statuarietto marble bar top. “The lounge and the bar probably have the most dramatic impact because of not only the new lighting and new color scheme, but also the bar is being beautiful Carrara marble,” Lomonaco details. “The whole back bar’s been redesigned, not only to show off the bottles, but to make it more appealing to the eye and also more efficient for the bartenders and the staff to make great cocktails. It’s a great bar.”
MENU With the unveiling of the cosmetic updates at Porter House Bar and Grill also comes a broadened menu of seasonally-inspired dishes from Chef Lomonaco and his team of talented New York-based chefs. Showcasing the full breadth of their award-winning cuisine, prime-aged, hormone-free steak will remain at the core of the menu, reflecting Lomonaco’s signature bold flavors and dedication to the American table. Menu updates accurately reflect what diners want today – high quality ingredients, seasonally sourced and expertly prepared, with refined techniques. Updated starters like Hamachi Crudo with Meyer lemon,
The buttermilk onion rings at Porter House Bar and Grill
DESIGN Designed by Jeffrey Beers International, the same architecture firm that brought Lomonaco’s vision to life nearly a decade ago, the expansive interior renovation captures the classic essence of the restaurant, while adding timeless www.barbizmag.com
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Some Porter House menu staples from Michael Lomonaco (bottom left).
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Calabrian chilies, olive and lemon oil, along with main courses like Dover Sole with lemon-caper brown butter, and Natural Veal Chop with sage gnocchi, cipollini onions and natural pan juices, showcase the diversity and reach of Lomonaco’s renowned style of cooking. “Back in the day, restaurants didn’t focus much on their bar, but I worked for almost ten years at the 21 Club, and we always had a fabulous bar, and a real restaurant with deep restaurant menu, and also a deep wine list,” says Lomonaco. “It’s been my background to work with great foods and great wines and a big wine list and a big bar program.”
BEVERAGES A destination onto itself, Porter House Bar and Grill’s expansive beverage program, overseen by Beverage Director Brad Nugent, is perfectly aligned with its new design – featuring truly premium products of the highest quality. Along with the restaurant’s already impressive wine program, highlighting diverse selections of both old and new world varietals, Porter House Bar and Grill now offers expanded wines by the glass offerings, utilizing the revolutionary Coravin system, allowing individual pours from some of the most sought-after vintages. “One of the more daunting aspects [of the redesign] was getting the wall-of-wine storage area built, because that’s, of course, a custom piece, and it’s custom wood working, custom glass work, custom refrigeration work,” explains Lomonaco. “For us, it’s really important that it be an ideal wine storage unit, as well as a beautiful display unit, so you have form and function. Getting those things right was kind of nerve wracking. You wonder, ‘Did we do the right thing? How is this really going to turn out?’ Because the wines that are in there are very high-end, very expensive, but you also want to store them at the most ideal temperature, and consistently, because people will come in and enjoy those wines. We take it very seriously.” Building upon the restaurant’s focus towards classic cocktails, Porter House Bar and Grill pairs luxury bar tools with luxury spirits, offering tableside single malt scotch and cognac services that exemplifies the restaurant’s world-class, professional program steeped in showmanship and craftsmanship. “Porterhouse has a classic cocktail ideology that really looks back and looks forward at the same time,” says Lomonaco. “In other words, there are so many drinks that are in the classic idiom, that when you really get a change to make them, and make them well, and precisely, a bar really can be great. And we focus on spirits depending on the season, the browns maybe in the winter. Now we’re doing so many things with gin, and we have so many different varieties of gin, and gin based cocktails. I think at Center Bar, we’re more prone to make things on order, www.barbizmag.com
or to customize things for the guests.” Bringing a modern standard to classic beverages, Porter House Bar and Grill’s updated bar design and enhanced focus perfectly complements the adjacent Center Bar, Lomonaco’s mixology lounge also on the 4th floor of the Time Warner Center. “Center Bar is just 35 feet away,” he explains. “It’s an open air cocktail lounge that overlooks Columbus Circle, and it is about 50 seats, and it’s a fine mixology cocktail bar, as well as small plates. We do completely different food prepared for the Center Bar than for Porterhouse—a different kitchen staff, different items, small plates. At the bar, a similar menu of American classics, including a number of exclusive dishes like Lomonaco’s Double Stack Cheeseburger with real American cheese, red onion jam and pickled jalapeños, is also available. “I think what people look for in bar or in a lounge is their kind of place, the place that they feel comfortable in,” says Lomonaco. “I think with our renovations we were able to really give people a place to enjoy great beverages.” Porter House Bar and Grill is located at 10 Columbus Circle on the 4th Floor of the Time Warner Center. Lunch is served daily from 11:30am – 2:45pm, with dinner service from 3:00pm – 10:00pm Sunday through Wednesday, and 3:00pm – 11:00pm Thursday through Saturday. Bar open until midnight daily. Reservations can be made by calling 212-823-9500. Follow @porterhouse_ny and @ cheflomonaco, or visit www.porterhousenyc.com for more information.
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Bar Business Books Open Up a World of Possibilities
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Inventory Canadian Club 100% Rye Whiskey
This Calls For a Drink!
Canadian Club®, the iconic brand that has produced high quality whisky since 1858, launches the award- winning Canadian Club 100% Rye Whisky in the United States. Due to the exceptional skill and care required to distill a pure rye whisky, Canadian Club 100% Rye is one of the few premium 100% rye whiskies on the market today. Boasting intricate flavors of caramel, vanilla and oak, Canadian Club 100% Rye offers a spicy, yet balanced finish. Produced by Beam Suntory Inc. partnersa Alberta Distillers Ltd., who have been perfecting the art of rye whiskies for 70 years, this new whisky combines the smoothness of Canadian Club with the distinct taste of rye, resulting in more complexity and character than standard rye whiskies. Bottled at 80 proof, it can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a classic whisky cocktail. To achieve the best balance of flavor, aged liquid for Canadian Club 100% Rye is selected from three different types of barrels—brand new, white American oak barrels; once-used bourbon barrels; and Canadian whisky barrels—and blended to taste. The final product is a rye whisky that truly stands out in the category. For more information and cocktail recipes please visit www.CanadianClub.com.
Ever wonder what’s the best wine to pair with a blind date? What goes with a bad break up? A job promotion? Facebook stalking? Camping? Times have changed and rather than worrying about finding the perfect Cabernet to pair with an exquisitely dry-aged steak, today’s modern woman is much more concerned about what bottle to uncork while she binges on popcorn and Netflix. THIS CALLS FOR A DRINK! by Diane McMartin, a 30-something graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, offers hundreds of expertly chosen wine and beer pairings for any situation, including dating, work, holidays, weddings, music festivals, and baby showers. A fullbodied guide, McMartin adds tips and primers on all wine and beer related topics, such as tasting, buying, and serving; profiles of grape varieties; and primers on topics like hops and wood-aging. It’s been widely reported that Millennials – especially millennial women – consume close to half the wine sold in the US, including higher end bottles. And now there is a book written specifically with them in mind. Inspired by trying to soothe a brokenhearted roommate with cheap rosé, McMartin began writing an occasionbased drinking column on The Hairpin, where she honed her craft. In that same situation today, she’d break out a Moscato D’Asti. Cheering and slightly sweet with 5% alcohol, you can go a little crazy and “down most of the bottle without becoming a complete hot mess and drunk dialing your ex.” Now available on Amazon.com.
The Baron Samedi Spiced Rum Is Here
The Barbarian Bar Tool
Campari America introduces a new deviously delightful addition to its award-winning rum portfolio – The Baron Samedi® Spiced Rum – named for the Haitian guardian of all things enchantingly dark and otherworldly. Bursting with flavor, the 90-proof spirit is now available in select US markets nationwide. Known to be raucous and unruly, the Baron Samedi is one of the most notorious Vodou figures and has existed in the Haitian Vodou culture since the 18th century. He is pictured as tall, dark and handsome, wearing a black top hat and black tuxedo. Frequently, he is called on for healing those near death, as only the Baron can shepherd an individual’s spirit into the realm of the dead. His drink of choice? Rum. Featuring Caribbean column still rum enhanced with Jamaican pot still rum, The Baron Samedi features natural ingredients including vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon, clove, and our signature spice, vetiver - a grass native to Haiti that lends a fantastic woody and earthy flavor to the product. The rum is smooth and rich, and was specifically blended to be paired with traditional mixers such as cola or ginger beer, or enjoyed as a shot. The price point for a 750ml bottle is $21.99. www.baronsamedi.com.
If MacGyver had been a bartender instead of a secret agent, this would have been his tool of trade. The Barbarian is 9 bar tools in one — taking the citrus press to a whole new level by adding eight other essential bar tools. As a citrus press, it’s great for squeezing limes, lemons and oranges. The Jigger measures out 5 oz, 1 oz and 1.5 oz. Its Corkscrew & Lever easily opens wine bottles. The Zester is great for adding texture and flavor to any concoction. Channel Knife slices a citrus rind for garnish. The convenient Can Lance punctures tin cans to allow quick and easy pouring. The 1-inch Knife is ideal for cutting wide citrus garnish or removing bottle labels. And the Citrus Knife is the perfect size for lemons, limes and oranges. Available wholesale and retail. $59.95 www.barbarianbartools.com.
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July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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Holiday Happenings
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1
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Aug 1: India Pale Ale Beer Day.
Aug 2: National Night Out.
Aug 5: National Oyster Day.
Aug 6: National Jamaican Patty Day.
Aug 11: Presidential Joke Day.
Honor this old-time tradition of beer styling by discounting any draught or bottled IPAs on your beer menu tonight. Get hopping!
I’ll be heading out tonight for my 13th wedding anniversary on this date, so if you see my wife and me, buy us a drink.
Nothing says summer like beers and oysters. Offer some specials tonight on half-shell brew pairings. Why not, right? Who gives a shuck.
While we can’t necessarily vouch for selling Jamaican patties on-premise today, we do highly recommend locating some Ting Jamaican grapefruit soda to mix into your cocktails. Yeah mon!
Presidential joke? Isn’t that a tautology? Tipple-on in honor of this tautology tonight.
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Aug 13: Middle Child Day.
Aug 19: International Orangutan Day.
Aug 21: Brazilian Blow-out Day.
Aug 25: Kiss and Make Up Day.
Aug 29: More Herbs, Less Salt Day.
Tonight offer a free drink to anyone who is drinking with their older and younger sibling. Free tab if that person is Peter Brady.
See Aug 11.
While we think this holiday may honor some kind of haricut, we instead suggest you break open a bottle or two of cachaça today and serve up some Caipirinhas!
See Aug 2.
Honor this holiday by focusing on cocktail service tonight that includes herbaceous ingredients and garnishes. And no margaritas.
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Beachball: Shutterstock/IG_Studio, August 1: Shutterstock/Keith Homan, August 2: Shutterstock/Galina Tcivina, August 5: Shutterstock/Kelvin Wong, August 11: Shutterstock/MyImages - Micha, August 13: Shutterstock/Charles Edwards, August 19: Shutterstock/jeep2499, August 25: Shutterstock/Valua Vitaly, August 29: Shutterstock/Valentina Razumova
AUGUST 2016
Index of Advertisers Company
web site address
page #
AMI Entertainment Network LLC
www.AMIentertainment.com
3
Harbourtouch CA
www.iHarbortouch.com
C2
TinPlay
www.TinPlay.com
23
Tito’s Handmade Vodka
www.TitosVodka.com
9
TouchTunes
www.TouchTunes.com
5
Inventory Companies
Barbarian, The
www.BarbarianBarTools.com
Baron Samedi Spiced Rum
www.BaronSamedi.com
Canadian Club
www.CandianClub.com
This Calls for a Drink
www.Amazon.com
To advertise in Bar Business Magazine contact Art Sutley Phone: 212-620-7247 Email: asutley@sbpub.com
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July 2016 Bar Business Magazine
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Owning Up
Understanding the Significance of Signage for Bar Tenants
By Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton, The Lease Coach
Entrepreneurs can’t just open a bar and expect customers to beat a path to their door. Those customers need to be able to find them. One of the easiest methods to ensure that your bar business is conspicuous is by means of signage. While you may envision a large sign prominently identifying your place of business, don’t assume that your landlord will agree. As we explain in our new book, Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals FOR DUMMIES, commercial landlords may, in fact, prefer to decrease your amount of signage and will often reject tenant requests for more or larger signage. This may seem counter-productive to you; however, landlords often find that tenant requests granted become similar demands from other tenants. Therefore, it is easier for the landlord to draw the line on all signage requests. If each tenant leasing in the property is given a larger sign, the site will become cluttered and people may dislike visiting there. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask but remember that you are going to be responsible with creating and maintaining that sign. This extra work on your part, however, can be beneficial: • Signage can make your bar business easier to find for customers who are specifically looking for you. Obviously, if you’re located in an area with a sea of shopping plazas or office buildings, a sign with your name on it makes it much easier for visitors to pick you out of the crowd. • Signage can bring in customer traffic. People who don’t know you’re there may be drawn in by your sign as they walk or drive by. • Signage will become recognized by local residents who will see you as they commute to and from work daily. These residents are eventually more likely to visit your place of business because they are familiar with your name. To give you a better idea of what may or may not be allowed, here are the most common types of signage: 40
Building signage: This is the signage that almost every business owner will have and it will generally appear directly above your main entry door. However, do not overlook the possibilities of having signage on multiple sides or even the rear of the commercial property if that will provide you additional exposure to walk-by or drive-by traffic. Pylon signage: The tall sign by the roadway that tells passers-by what tenants are in the plaza is called the pylon sign. A property may have several pylon signs, which all display the name of the plaza at the top of the sign. Don’t just assume that you will automatically get a panel of the pylon sign. There are often more tenants in a property than sign panels available, so make this a part of your offer to lease or lease renewal. Ideally, try to pick your actual panel (both front and back), because a panel higher up on the pylon sign is usually more visible and read first. Monument signage: A monument sign resembles a tombstone coming out of the ground – smaller than a pylon sign and located closer to the ground. It will advertise only one or a few select tenants. Monument signs aren’t that common; however, they can make your bar business look more substantial if you can get one. Tenants typically pay rent for monument signage. Temporary pull-away signage: These are the signs on wheels covered with images or business messages. Most landlords hate these signs and the problems that they create. Don’t just assume that you may be able to have pull-away signage for your grand opening or other promotional events. Landlords think that these signs clutter or obstruct their property and may only allow a limited number of pull-away signs to be used (and shared) by many tenants throughout the year. Again, negotiate pull-away signage rights up front, because the landlord doesn’t have to let you put these signs up if they are not included in the lease agreement. Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield - The Lease Coach are Commercial Lease Consultants who work exclusively for tenants. Dale and Jeff are professional speakers and co-authors of Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals FOR DUMMIES (Wiley, 2013). Call 1-800-738-9202, e-mail DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com or visit www.TheLeaseCoach.com.
Bar Business Magazine July 2016 www.barbizmag.com
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