May 2016 Bar Business

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Set sail with Carnival Cruise Lines as it launches the first seaworthy brewery.

The How-To Publication

BAR BUSINE$$ May 2016

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BAR BUSINE$$

On Tap MAY 2016

CONTENTS

Tequila Time

HOW TO

19

15

19

23

WE’re all mixed up

Analytical drinking

widening your wifi

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

The bar business is still a numbers game, we offer you three reasons that owners should be using complex analytics on-premise.

We look at why WiFi access has become so invaluable to your customers and ways in which you can utilize your own signal.

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

1

On Tap

BAR BUSINE$$

CONTENTS

Features 28 UNDER CONTROL

6 Departments 4 Bar room drawl

36 Big six

6 Booze News

In Chicago, a new venue called Annex is taking steps toward reviving the long lost allure of the classic dance club.

Set sail with the first major cruiseline carrying its own onboard brewery; Brand new beer for San Francisco Giants; Pendleton Whiskey honors the armed forces.

10 liquid Assets As the summer season settles in across the nation, be prepared to see the usual uptick in orders of rumbased drinks, a tradition that may be enhanced even more so this year by the general interest in brown spirits across the board.

As business picks up with the summer season, Kevin Tam clues us in on four signs that you’re ready to outsource your inventory control issues and keep the liquor room stocked.

32 Legal training Industry veteran Bob Johnson tells us why server training should become law across the country (especially when dealing with bar jerks) in order to protect the investment of bar owners.

40 Inventory 42 h oliday happenings

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44 Owning Up As the owner of Johnny’s Hideaway in Atlanta, Chris Dauria has a few tips on how to keep a bar running for 37 years—and beyond.

28 “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.

2

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

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Bar Room Drawl

By Chris Ytuarte Editor

Horace & Pete: Drink It In

BAR BUSINE$$ MAGAZINE

May 2016 Vol. 9, No. 5 Bar Business Magazine (ISSN 1944-7531) is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004 executive offices

"All is fair in love and beer.”

— Kurt Paradis

I’m a huge fan of comedian Louis C.K. I love his TV show Louie on FX and his standup is brilliant. But he took things to another level with his recent, sneaky dispersal (via email) of Horace & Pete, a ten-episode teleplay-style “sit-com” that he wrote and produced and stars in about two brothers running a Brooklyn dive bar handed down through generations of their family.

Along with books like The Tender Bar and movies like Barfly, Horace & Pete, in my opinion, has claimed its place in the Pantheon of must-have media for bar owners.

The show depicts the oldest style of bar, a generational inheritance that also doubles as a residence, as the main characters live in a small apartment above. (Interestingly, this is not a completely extinct notion today; a bar in Staten Island, New York called Liedy’s Shore Inn, features the same makeup: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/ nyregion/the-staten-island-bar-with-achip-on-its-shoulder.html?_r=0).

4

Bar Business Magazine May 2016

Over the course of ten episodes, Horace & Pete superbly mirrors familial bonds and relationships with those of bar ownership: sometimes dark and tragic, sometimes hilarious and enlightening, sometimes inspiring or heartbreaking, but always hard to let go of. A dive bar, with all its creaks and groans, all its history—good and bad— and all its faces and memories, is passed down from generation to generation, just like family traits.

There are inescapable truths about a bar, inarguable facts and daunting responsibilities that, in Louis C.K.’s darkly (and realistically) humorous hands, reflect the same qualities in the family that runs it.

At times, over the course of watching Horace & Pete, it’s almost impossible to envision the family dynamic as separate from the bar. It’s difficult to think this story could even play itself out in another setting. Life’s little things (and large things) all add up, like a bar tab that never gets paid; like a bottle of bourbon left to age behind the bar for 100 years; like the words of wisdom from a customer that seem insignificant at the time, but resonate for decades. Life is tough, and so is bar ownership. But there are a lot ways to get something good out of both. Horace & Pete is an almost perfect reminder of that.

So if you have $31 to spare, and you love bars and great TV, download the ten amazing episodes of Horace & Pete here: https://louisck.net/show/horaceand-pete/purchase. You won’t regret it.

President Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 212-620-7247; fax: 212-633-1863 asutley@sbpub.com editorial

Editor Chris Ytuarte 212-620-7223; fax: 212-633-1863 cytuarte@sbpub.com art

Creative Director Wendy Williams wwilliams@sbpub.com Art Director Sarah Vogwill svogwill@sbpub.com Associate Graphic Designer Nicole Cassano ncassano@sbpub.com production

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers mconyers@sbpub.com circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com advertising sales

Art Sutley 212-620-7247; fax: 212-633-1863 asutley@sbpub.com circulation department

800-895-4389 Bar Business Magazine is published monthly.

All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.

To Purchase PDF files of covers, layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Art Sutley at 212-620-7247 or email asutley@sbpub.com.

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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

CRAFT BREWING Hits The High Seas

W

hen guests on Carnival Cruise Line’s newest, largest and most innovative ship, Carnival Vista, raise a pint in the RedFrog Pub & Brewery, they will have a choice of three distinctly flavored hand-crafted beers brewed right on board in the first brewery at sea in North America.

Carnival Vista’s RedFrog Pub & Brewery is the result of a unique collaboration between Carnival and Miami-based Concrete Beach Brewery.

Concrete Beach is an Alchemy & Science brand, an independently operating subsidiary of The Boston Beer Company. Alchemy & Science is home to other such popular breweries around the country, including Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles and Coney Island Brewing Co. in Brooklyn, N.Y. Each of these breweries produces beers specifically inspired by and brewed to be representative of their respective locales. The resulting examples include such beers as Tropic of Passion, a passion fruit wheat beer from Miami, Angel City IPA from L.A., and Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner from New York.

Similarly, Concrete Beach is working closely with Carnival to create original recipes and source and select the finest ingredients to produce three distinctive craft beers that will be brewed and served

6

on board Carnival Vista. Those beers will include ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA, ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat and FriskyFrog Java Stout. The line also offers beers brewed either locally or in homeports.

“We’ve been working for months with these talented partners who have helped us create three exciting and unique craft beers for Carnival Vista and we anticipate our guests are going to absolutely love them,” said Eddie Allen, Carnival’s vice president of beverage operations.

Allen noted that the brews were specifically designed with Carnival Vista guests in mind.

ThirstyFrog Port Hoppin’ IPA offers aromatic, floral and hoppy notes with passion fruit and citrus overtones while ThirstyFrog Caribbean Wheat is an unfiltered lager with aromas of bananas and spices.

The third beer, FriskyFrog Java Stout, is a take on a traditional stout, rich and creamy with hints of coffee.

“It was an honor to be a part of this one-of-a-kind project, and we feel like we created a great variety that is sure to please guests,” said Jon Carpenter, Concrete Beach Brewery Brewmaster. “It’s common for vacationers to want to test out the local beer and Carnival Vista has taken the concept of local, and applied it to the decks of their ship.”

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Batter Up! Anchor Brewing Releases Orange Splash Lager™ for Baseball Fans

A

nchor Brewing Company and the San Francisco Giants announce the limited edition collaboration brew, Orange Splash Lager™ (5.2% ABV), now available in cans.

Baseball and San Francisco have gone hand in hand for more than 100 years. With roots that date back to the California Gold Rush, Anchor has been intrinsically tied to the city and has been enjoyed by Giants fans for decades. In celebration of a longstanding partnership, Anchor Brewing and the San Francisco Giants are proud to release the first ever Major League Baseball and craft beer collaboration; Orange Splash Lager.

“Anchor Brewing has had a deep connection with the San Francisco Giants for years. As two San Francisco icons with mutual respect and admiration, it was just a matter of time before we brewed an Anchor and Giants collaboration beer. We’re very excited to release the San Francisco Giants inspired craft beer: Orange Splash Lager,” said Anchor Brewmaster Scott Ungermann. “We first introduced Orange Splash Lager in limited quantities on draught in the fall of 2015.

This year, we’re introducing the beer in cans! When creating this beer, we wanted to make something as

unique as the city’s beloved baseball team. We did this by combining a blend of Pale 2-Row, Caramel, and Patagonia Especial Malts. We hopped the beer generously with Apollo and Bravo hops in the Brewkettle and added a healthy amount of Mandarin Orange juice. We also added orange peels at three different stages of the brewing process and dry-hopped on a citrus-like experimental hop variety.

The final result is an orange-zesty, citrusy, thirstquenching lager with a unique San Francisco twist.”

Visit www.AnchorBrewing.com.

Pendleton® Honors Armed Forces with Limited Edition Bottle

H

ood River Distillers, Inc., the largest and oldest importer, distiller, producer and bottler of distilled spirits in the Northwest, today announced the release of a 2016 Pendleton® Whisky Limited Edition bottle that honors the integrity and patriotism of those who serve, and have served, in the United States Armed Forces.

A portion of the Limited Edition bottle proceeds will benefit programming for Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), a charitable partner of

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the Wrangler® National Patriot™ program. The concept for the bottle design was provided by Noah Currier, a paralyzed Marine Corps veteran and PVA member.

After suffering a spinal cord injury following his service in Iraq, Currier joined PVA and later founded his own design company to help raise funds for paralyzed veterans. He attributes his recovery and success to PVA. “For the second year in a row, we are proud to offer a Pendleton Whisky Limited Edition bottle that salutes veterans who have dedicated their lives to serving our country,” said Tia Bledsoe, senior brand manager, Hood River Distillers. “We appreciate our partnership with the Wrangler National Patriot program and look forward to working with Paralyzed Veterans of America to raise awareness and funds for our nation’s paralyzed servicemen and women.”

Hood River Distillers introduced its first Pendleton Whisky Limited Edition bottle in 2015 to salute honorable men and women who serve, and have served, in the Armed Forces. For more information on how to purchase the 2016 bottle, of Pendleton Whisky’s, visit www.pendletonwhisky.com.

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

7

Booze News Cervezas Alhambra Launches Reserva 1925 Draft In Miami Bars

O

n April 2, Cervezas Alhambra revealed the captivating world of Spanish crafted beer to Miami at Wynwood’s Sprung! Spring Beer Festival. Their participation in the event was a kick-off for Cervezas Alhambra’s draft debut campaign in the U.S., offering beer-drinkers the opportunity to experience their signature brew in a new way putting Spain’s timeless soul, knowledge and dedication on tap across Miami. Just in time for National Beer Day (April 7), Cervezas Alhambra’s presence in the Miami market will continue to unfold as they launch an overarching South Florida campaign.

Made for the beer drinker who appreciates authenticity, education, production and heritage, Cervezas Alhambra targets the consumer demanding craft quality with a premium image. The brand invites beer aficionados to discover the hands-on creative

brewing process that has been distinguished by its traditional character and artisanal foundation since 1925.

This story of Cervezas Alhambra began barely two miles away from the iconic monument of Alhambra, in the vibrant city of Granada, Spain. This is where the brewery created a beer that was destined to share the same name and quickly became a well-regarded national icon in Spain’s beer community.

Reserva 1925, an extra lager beer weighing in at 6.4% ABV, is the iconic brew in the Cervezas Alhambra portfolio and has become a leader in the Spanish market. Visit www.CervezasAlhambra.com.

Heineken Light and Strongbow Hard Apple Cider Are Brewlocked

H

EINEKEN USA, the nation’s leading upscale beer importer, announces Heineken Light and Strongbow Gold Apple Hard Cider are now available on the BrewLock keg as of April, 2016. BrewLock, the company’s revolutionary, on-premise draught technology, has been transforming the quality, consistency and environmentally sound delivery of Heineken Lager and Newcastle Brown Ale since 2014.

The innovation was recently recognized by the National Restaurant Association for its impact on the restaurant industry with a Food and Beverage 8

Innovation Award. The patented system was developed by HEINEKEN as a means to consistently provide a freshly brewed beer taste in an easy to install format, without compromising the quality that consumers demand.

“BrewLock’s ability to block outside contaminants and provide a truly great draught beer experience every time is not lost on consumers,” said Mark Lang, On-Premise Sales Strategy and Shopper Marketing Manager. “Initial results report a +23% increase in rate of sale for Heineken and Newcastle Brown Ale, further illustrating just how important a quality draught beer is to consumers. It’s this clear growth and consumer acceptance that has enabled us to extend the BrewLock system to more of our portfolio beginning with Strongbow Gold Apple and Heineken Light. We are excited to see the system continue to grow with these brands.”

The BrewLock keg is a patented double wall 20L keg made out of 100% recyclable PET plastic. The liquid lives in a bladder inside the keg, protected by the PET shell. For information, visit brewlocksystem.com or contact your local HEINEKEN USA distributor.

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

the

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Liquid Assets

Born to

Rum The summer season approaches, and with it comes the run on rum drinks at the bar.

Are you ready?

By Amy Lennox

I

t’s that time of year again—days begin to slowly stretch into the late nights, happy hours spill out onto the sidewalks, and beer gardens bustle from wall to wall. Energy is heightened and a sense of vitality moves in with the winds of change. Spring Fever: when party-goers and craft cocktail connoisseurs begin to seek a new flavor profile to brighten the palate and accompany the experiences that will quench their thirst for excitement in the coming months. Gone are the candlelit nights wrapped in blankets sipping bourbon, Scotch, and whiskey. But what will replace these classic heartwarming libations for this short window of time?

In one word: Rum.

10

ROOTS OF RUM One thing the vast majority will agree upon is our affinity for sweets. So why not sip a spirit that is derived from the source: sugarcane. Although rum is produced throughout the world, its inception came in the 17th century, on the sweltering Caribbean plantations, where slaves farmed tirelessly to produce highly regarded sugar. The process began with crushing (muddling, for our purposes) the sugarcane after the harvest and boiling the residual juices. This boiled liquid is then drained in clay pots leaving behind two bi-products—within the pot, sugar; outside the pot, the gooey waste we now lovingly refer to as molasses. The molasses, considered a waste product at

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

New York City. “You can taste the heat and it will have a heavy burnt molasses taste. Caramel flavor is obviously a big characteristic associated with rum. Older rums, such as aged anejo, can have a wood taste depending on the barrel. You can get cigar, cinnamon, fig, allspice, butterscotch, brown sugar, coffee, orange, cloves and pepper. Amber rums are easy, offering a little coconut and banana. More obviously, spiced rums offer hints of clove and cinnamon flavors.”

These distinct attributes are achieved by first placing the white rum into oak barrels to age. The type of oak will vary depending on preference, and certainly no two barrels will ever be the same. The final stage of the process is blending, where rum separates itself from all other spirits and adopts its true personae. Each brand maintains their own integrity, essentially setting them apart from other producers.

Rum has had a coming-of-age since it’s origination in the 17th century, and these days production stems from across the globe in countries such as Austria, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Philippines, India, Reunion Island, Mauritius, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, the United States, and Canada. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., Americans consumed upwards of 12 million bottles of distilled imported rum from around the globe in 2015, the bulk of which was from the Caribbean and surrounding areas.

“Rum is not a trend. It’s been around longer than now popular whiskies such as bourbon and rye, or single malt Scotch,” says McCoy. “Sailors, pirates, gangsters, and rockstars drink it and endorse it. It’s the story of legends and rum runners, and is steeped in world history. The rise of rum was similar to what the whiskey boom is today in America. It lasted through prohibition and had a big tiki explosion in the 50s and 60s, which we are beginning to see take shape again. It’s gone in and out of fashion.

Tastes change. Rum fell into a bad rap in the 80s like most spirits.” Take a look around; rum is nesting a nice little nook in the market again due to a piqued interest in brown spirits.

Bumbu ultra premium rum, from Barbados.

the time, quickly became a substantial industrial waste issue. Before long, molasses was being mixed with the cane juice, boiled, and fermented, yielding what we now know as light or white rum. Cuba Libre, anyone?

The next steps, although not necessary for consumption, are where the rums begin to build character. This is where knowledge of the spirit plays an influential role for consumers. Noteworthy characteristics come into play and mixology becomes a factor in creating a palatable experience.

“Flavor profiles of a dry white rum may have light floral notes, while rums at 151 proof are smoky,” explains Kenneth McCoy, Chief Creative Officer at The Rum House www.barbizmag.com

NEW RUM PLAYERS Bumbu Rum, produced in Barbados, is one of the newest ultra premium spirits to hit the market, boasting a 400+ year-old piece of Caribbean history as their recipe.

Brothers Brett and Brian Berish became fascinated with the story behind Bumbu, which was originally crafted in the 17th century by sailors and merchants of the West Indies. This rare blend of fruits and spices that came together to enhance the flavor of the rum is what makes Bumbu truly original. The same recipe is still used, “an authentic expression of this real piece of Caribbean history,” the Berish brothers note.

The brothers spent time studying historical accounts to compile the recipe, which is comprised of native Caribbean ingredients and hand-selected sugarcane stemming from eight countries. Each country boasts a different climate, soil, and harvest time, thus achieving maximum growth. The Bajan water used to produce the May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

11

Liquid Assets

Afrohead rum is produced in Trinidad.

rum contains high levels of calcium carbonate, which lends a major hand in producing yeast growth during fermentation. Bumbu is aged over 15 years in oak bourbon barrels from Kentucky, and has a warm, rich color. When the rum has reached the final stages of the aging process, it is removed to undergo what is referred to as the blending process.

“We use all-natural Caribbean ingredients, our unique combination of fruits, herbs, and spices, just as the original Bumbu recipe was made in the 17th century,” say the Berish brothers. “You can consider Bumbu a hybrid of spiced and dark rum, but after one sip you will understand that our blend is truly unlike anything else in the category.”

The final product is perfect for sipping from a heavy rocks glass; a large ice cube will only enhance the experience. In its most naked state, aromas of Madagascar vanilla, soft caramel, and toasted oak waft gently through your senses. The palate is a smooth, perfectly balanced blend of sweet, savory, and spice, with notes of cinnamon, roasted nuts, and allspice. Given a warm sunny afternoon, or a night out on the town, this is a spirit designed to go the distance, and has made itself a mainstay in the specialty cocktail game across the U.S. When considering rum and the Caribbean, instant thoughts of leisure, laughter, music, and a warm tropical vibe ensue. No one has mastered the art of this lifestyle better than rum savant Toby Tyler, Master Blender for 12

Afrohead Premium Aged Dark Rum. Tyler relocated to Harbour Island, Bahamas in 1997 and much of his drinking career to date consisted of whiskies and Armagnac’s. But once the weather shifted into summer, it seemed evident that the classic brown spirits he had always enjoyed would not bode well in the heat. His interest in rum was sparked after being offered a 15-yearold Cuban rum. He then began collecting different rums for his local bar/restaurant.

“I often wished I could marry two or three rums,” says Tyler. “When asked which of my collection I favored, I didn’t have a true answer. I knew then I needed to blend my own.”

Afrohead is produced in Trinidad. Tyler selected this town because of the yeast they use in distillation. “It’s over 100 years old and proprietary to the island, and yields a dryer style rum, which is what my palate was looking for, something in the middle,” he notes. The rum is aged in once-used charred white oak bourbon barrels.

One thing that sets Afrohead apart is they do not use the Solera aging process, in which new rum is added to the barrels throughout the duration of the aging.

“Afrohead is authentically aged,” Tyler says. “I handpick each rum by the specific number of years it has been aged in its own oak barrel, and then blend them to my flavor profile.”

He has modeled his desired profile after his affinity for Armagnac’s, seeking a drier, complex finish. Afrohead produces two premium aged dark rums: The first, Afrohead Briland 07, is a seven-year blend with a medium amber complexion. This blend has notes of toasted almond,

“Rum is not a trend. It lasted through Prohibition. It is steeped in history. It’s been around longer than popular whiskies such as bourbon and rye or single malt Scotch.” cloves, and cinnamon. The creamy flavors of Caribbean fruits, ripe banana, and burnt toffee dance on the palate.

The second blend, Afrohead XO, is the heart of the Afrohead family, a 15-year-old masterpiece boasting long legs and an elegantly smooth finish. The scent of tobacco and vanilla are present on the nose, while dried fruits with black pepper and allspice tease the taste buds.

Afrohead is currently available in the Bahamas, Florida, Tennessee, New York, and most recently Chicago, D.C., Maryland, and South Carolina. It will be available this summer in Georgia, Texas and Pennsylvania.

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

RECIPES: Cuba Libre Re-release From Underdog, NYC

West Indies Swizzle

1.5 oz Afrohead Rum ¾ oz house made Kola syrup ½ oz lime juice ¼ oz Amaro Meletti Top w/ Cava Add all ingredients except Cava into a shaker tin. Top with Ice, shake. Double strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with lime oils and a lime wheel.

Briland Buck From Butterfield 8, NYC 1.5 oz Afrohead Briland 07 ¾ oz lemongrass syrup Fresh blackberries Fresh mint leaves Topped with ginger beer Combine all ingredients except for ginger beer and shake vigorously. Double strain over rocks, top with ginger beer and garnish with blackberry pick.

OLD CUBAN From The Rum House, NYC 2 oz Diplomatico Añejo Rum ½ oz lime juice ½ oz Demerara 4-5 mint leaves Add ingredients to mixer with ice, shake, double strain, highball with ice; top with sparkling wine, dash of Angostura, mint sprig.

Where is Winter From The Local, Miami ¾ oz pineapple tiki syrup ¾ lime juice ¾ carrot juice 2 oz Afrohead Briland 07 2 dashes apple bitters

THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF BARTENDING IN THE WORLD

Shake in tin, strain into tiki mug. Cinnamon absinthe spray, garnish with mint and star anise.

West Indies Swizzle 2 oz Bumbu Rum 6 mint leaves ¼ oz coconut palm sugar syrup ½ oz fresh squeezed lime juice 1 oz fresh pineapple juice Add all ingredients into a Collins glass. Add crushed ice and swizzle until the outside of the glass is frosted. Top with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint bouquet.

BANANA DAIQUIRI 2 oz Bumbu Rum ¼ oz demerara sugar ½ oz fresh squeezed lime juice ¾ oz banana purée Add all ingredients into a mixing tin. Add ice and shake for 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with banana chips.

Lower your pour cost by 1-2% guaranteed or your money back!

Save Your “PC” In Style Increase Tips Maximize Workspace Showcase Your Brand Entertain Guests

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

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

13

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How To:

Master Mixology

Once Cinco de mayo arrives, it's time for tequila.

Cocktail Ideas

for the on-premise

mixologist

Memphis Tea

Y

es, it is officially time for tequila. As the warm weather attempts to finally make its way into most regions of the U.S., you need to get the blenders ready, prep the rim salters, and cut up those limes, because it’s tequila time.

As the favorite holiday of tequila enthusiasts everywhere, the

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Cinco de Mayo celebrations just past would not be complete without Mexico’s drink of choice. This year, truly celebrate Mexican heritage with the plant that started it all, the agave.

And let us help you get things started. Here are some great tequila-based cocktail recipes to get into the swing of spring.

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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How To: Mexican Sun Abuela's Old Fashioned

THE DON Whether you’re partial to a crisp, classic Blanco, a rich Reposado, or a spicy Añejo, Tequila Don Julio has got you covered with three agave-based libations that will be the perfect addition to your Cinco celebration. Crafted by Miami Mixologist Eddie Fuentes, the below recipes highlight the agave and fresh flavors in Tequila Don Julio in new and unexpected ways. Serving these specialty cocktails made with only the best ingredients will impress friends and add an authentic feel to the festivities.

Abuela’s Old Fashioned Created by Eddie Fuentes “The sweet buñuelo syrup, made with cinnamon and vanilla, pairs deliciously with Tequila Don Julio Reposado’s intense cooked agave finish.

1 1/2 oz Tequila Don Julio Reposado 1/3 oz Buñuelo Syrup* 2 dashes Angostura Bitters 1 dash Chocolate Mole Bitters Orange and lemon twist for garnish

Created by Eddie Fuentes “Like Mexican cuisine, this drink is vibrant in color, a little spicy, and deeply satisfying. I wanted to create a sensory experience, and bringing the smoke into the cocktail allows all the senses to be activated while highlighting the versatility of the Tequila Don Julio Añejo. The fresh ingredients, smoke, and cooked agave expressions of the tequila remind me of a hot night in Mexico right before the sun starts to set.

1 1/2 oz Tequila Don Julio Añejo 1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice 1/2 oz pink peppercorn syrup* 1/3 oz carrot juice with fresh turmeric Mezcal spray Candied ginger, marigold petals, fresh pink peppercorn and lemon verbena for garnish Combine Tequila Don Julio Añejo, fresh squeezed lime juice, pink peppercorn syrup and carrot juice with fresh turmeric into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Pour contents into a Collins glass. Spray with a mezcal top. Garnish with lemon verbena, candied ginger, marigold petals, and top with fresh ground pink peppercorn. * Pink Peppercorn Syrup Ingredients: 32 oz sugar 16 oz ginger root juice 2 1/2 oz crushed pink peppercorn Pinch of Salt Grind pink peppercorn to fine powder and add to medium saucepan over high heat until lightly roasted. Add ginger root juice and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool and double-strain through cheesecloth and fine strainer. Bottle and store in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Combine ingredients into an Old Fashioned glass with ice and stir. Garnish with orange and lemon twist. * Buñuelo Syrup 4 cups sugar 2 cups water 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice 2 cinnamon sticks 1 vanilla Stick 2 star anise Bring cracked cinnamon and vanilla sticks and star anise to a boil in 2 cups of water on high heat. Let boil for 10 minutes. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Lower heat and let simmer for 1 minute. Strain into a large container. Add lemon juice and let cool.

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Mexican Sun

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Battle at Puebla

NEW

!

Innovation

Battle at Puebla Created by Eddie Fuentes “A customary palette cleanser meant to be paired with tequila, this fresh yet spicy take on the classic highlights Tequila Don Julio Blanco beautifully.”

LEDGER’S ORIGINAL & FLAVOR TONIC WATERS

1 oz Tequila Don Julio Blanco 1 oz lime juice 1 oz watermelon juice 3/4 oz Gunpowder Mexican chilies infused with agave nectar* 1/2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice Micro Thai basil, Viola flowers, lemon zest and watermelon slice for garnish

Exclusively Sweetened with Stevia !

LEDGER’S uses Stevia, a natural sweetener instead of HFCS or other artificial sweeteners; thereby creating a finer quality and flavor premium tonic water with less calories than other market tonic waters. Stevia enhances the aroma and flavor of infusions, drinks and foods . . . it is the preferred tonic of bartenders & mixologists!

Combine lime juice, watermelon juice, gunpowder Mexican chilies infused with agave nectar and fresh squeezed orange juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain contents into a tequila shot glass. Garnish with micro thai basil, viola flowers, lemon zest and watermelon slice wrapped around inside of glass. Pour Tequila Don Julio Blanco into a tequila shot glass. Serve sangrita mix and Tequila Don Julio Blanco side by side. * Gunpowder Mexican chilies infused with agave nectar 2 jalapeños 10 Ancho chile peppers 10 chipotle peppers 4 qt Gunpowder Tea 6 qt agave syrup Chop peppers and add to pot with gunpowder tea. Bring to boil and let boil for 10 minutes. Add agave syrup and stir until dissolved. Let cool and strain out peppers. Makes 10 quarts, can be stored in refrigerator.

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How To:

5

4 3

the Numbers:

2

6 8

3 Reasons Bar Owners Need Analytics

lytics a n A e z i l i t U On-premise

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7

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often times, innovative bar owners are not quite as brilliant when it comes to crunching the numbers behind the business.

Here are three ways to be better. By Peter Chen, Director of Data Science at Algebraix Data

Shutterstock/Mr.Exen

F

rom Paris to New York to Bangkok, bars have hosted the world’s greatest literary minds, brought soul mates together, and served as a place for friends and strangers alike to connect. Every great city has its great bars.

However, when you peel back the mythos and good-time vibes, bars are still businesses. Like other types of businesses, they have to be smart about how they operate in order to stay afloat. According to Nielsen, neighborhood bars are “disappearing at a blinding rate across the U.S.” One in six neighborhood bars closed between 2004 and 2014, peaking in 2014 when the national closing rate averaged more than six per day.

“These former community cornerstones—typified by their regular clientele with no dress code, obvious theme or cover charge—are now falling out of style and favor,” the report said.

While entrepreneurs are actively continuing to open new bars, they can no longer afford to let intuition and luck (and

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whiskey) be their guide. Many bar owners fall into the trap of believing that nobody, and definitely not a software program, could ever know their business better than they do.

They trust their gut and believe nothing can trump their years of experience when it comes to making decisions. As a result, they don’t take advantage of data and analytics, and this prevents them from succeeding as much as they could.

Here are three reasons why bar owners need analytics.

1) Increasing Successes, Decreasing Mistakes Today, terms like "predictive analytics" and "data-driven insights" are becoming part of the smartest business conversations. Using these technologies, bar owners are able to access outside, unbiased, data-driven information about the present and future of their business. This is essential because as you build experience, you inevitably build up biases as well, whether they are about the best bartenders or most popular drinks. If these instincts are wrong, or no May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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How To: longer accurate, you could make costly mistakes.

Availing yourself of analytics ensures that bar owners are able to identify what is working, what is not, and act accordingly. For example, you might not be buying enough of a certain spirit or spending way too much on a marketing campaign that does not yield results. Data gives you tangible proof of what is going on and informs your response.

2) Unbiased Testing Ground for Ideas Another opportunity bar owners gain from data analytics is the ability to objectively test new ideas. Let’s say you have inspiration for a new themed cocktail menu. Before, your options were to not pursue the idea and wonder if it would have succeeded, or to pursue it and hope it worked.

Analytics can't come up with new ideas, but it can help you improve on good ones, avoid trying bad ones, and uncover flaws that can be fixed. In other words, it can help make good ideas great and keep mistakes from seeing the light of day. Even asking other people for feedback can be unreliable. An idea for a new menu may be vetoed by the staff because they think it will be more work, and not because customers would not like it. When you use analytics to get a data-driven assessment of your business, it erases biases, preconceived notions, and delicate personalities -algorithms have no ego.

light into whether it would be smarter to try improving your weaker business times/days or to focus on making the strong times/days even more robust. Similarly, it can help you understand which drinks or specials are the most popular with repeat customers.

As outlined above, the benefits of analytics are manifold

3) Gaining a Competitive Edge In addition, analytics can give you a competitive edge. If other bars are analyzing everything from payrolls to pina coladas, they may be learning things that you are not about the neighborhood, clientele, trends and how to run their business most efficiently. For example, you may think you know your most/least profitable times of the day and days of the week, but what if you are wrong? You could be under spending on staff on some days, and losing money, or overspending on staff, and losing money. Analytics can shed The science of a profitable drink service is complex.

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for bar owners. Data science can help you with menu optimization, customer segmentation, staff optimization, operations improvement, and time of day and day of week analysis. Smart business owners should never wonder why a certain aspect of their business is booming or think that their business is different from all the others. A data scientist can quickly help address those thoughts, and help you avoid missteps.

However, many bar owners do not act on analytics because they are concerned about how much work it will take to figure out and set up new systems. That anxiety is understandably stronger when your expertise is running a bar, not analyzing data. I get that. As a data scientist, I'd shudder at just the idea of trying to set up a bar.

Accordingly, my advice is to not even think about trying to be a DIY data scientist or analytics expert.

For this reason, "analytics as a service" makes sense for bar owners. You want an affordable firm that will do the heavy lifting for you and that includes a data science team.

That way, you can focus on using the insights and forecasts bar analytics give you, rather than on setting up and staffing

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Left: Shutterstock/Natykach Nataliia, Right: Shutterstock/Rawpixel.com

as a data scientist, i would shudder at just the idea of trying to set up a bar, which is why analytics as a service makes sense for bar owners who don't want to do heavy analytical lifting.

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A

G

A

Z

I

N

E

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How To: a data-analysis operation. Bars hold a special place in our culture, and data analytics represent a valuable opportunity to ensure your bar survives, thrives, and remains an important part of the community.

Peter Chen has a broad background and more than 15 years of experience, primarily in data science, business analytics, statistical modeling, forecasting, and quantitative and risk analysis at

leading companies such as Mitchell International and Petco.

Peter received his Bachelor of Science degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his Master’s degree in general management from Harvard University. Peter leads the Algebraix Analytics team, providing data science as a service to help organizations achieve the benefits of advanced analytics without the learning curve or upfront technology investment. For more information, visit www.AlgebraixData.com

ANALYZING ON-PREMISE WAGES

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in compensation), as well as contemporaneous schedule and pay records, and to always provide written notices pertaining to sick paid leave, vacation days and personal time off.

“New York employers must maintain payroll and timekeeping records for employees for at least six years or face potential civil and criminal penalties,” he warned.

The three-day-long International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York was the first major restaurant industry event in the 2016 calendar year on the East Coast, and featured more than 500 leading vendors in the industry.

Venable is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Virginia. www.venable.com

Tip credits are a tough wage issue.

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock/Oleg Golovnev

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his past March, Nicholas Reiter of Venable law firm’s New York-based employment practice offered a seminar at the 2016 Restaurant & Foodservice Show called “Don’t Get Burned: Five Common Wage & Hour Mistakes Restaurant and Foodservice Employers are Still Making.” In his presentation, Reiter offered a room of industry managers clear detail on how current wage-hour laws and regulations work and what pitfalls to avoid.

He noted some of the issues causing restaurant operators the most headaches, including sick leave, overtime wages, tip credits and minimum wage, recordkeeping obligations, and mandatory uniform pay requirements.

Regarding paid sick leave, Reiter advised employers to always notify workers about their rights and to have any policy in writing as evidence that employees have been properly notified on sick leave.

Another key issue for restaurant employers is overtime wages, and which employees are entitled to them. Reiter explained that hourly employees must be paid 1.5 times their regular hourly rate when they work more than 40 hours a week.

Reiter explained that employees who have management responsibilities—including a say on hiring/firing of staff, or those who make decisions about inventory purchases—are generally exempt from overtime consideration.

Reiter advised employers on the often-confusing rules governing tip credit. “If a tipped employee performs non-tipped work, such as stocking shelves or carrying inventory, for either two hours or 20% of their work shift, the employer is prohibited from taking a tip credit against the employees’ minimum wage for the entire work shift,” he explained.

Employers must also know when they are responsible for providing uniforms for staff. Reiter pointed out that if a covered employer requires a uniform, it must also cover the costs of cleaning it. One way to avoid incurring this cost is to require a dress code and provide removable nametags with company logos, he said.

Reiter drove home the importance of keeping records. He advised employers to maintain records regarding pay rate notices to new hires (and revised notices covering changes

How To:

Widen Your WiFi Usage

To WiFi or not To WiFi? WiFi on-premise has become an expected luxury for both customers and employees who now frequently require a strong signal for communicating, engaging, entertaining, and even serving. So how many bars do you have? By Amy Lennox

Shutterstock/valdis torms

B

efore delving into the why’s and how’s behind this Millenialcentric luxury known as WiFi, let’s take a moment and define to what, exactly, this all-to-familiar term is referring.

WiFi, by definition, is: a facility allowing computers, smartphones, or other devices to connect to the Internet or communicate with one another wirelessly within a particular area. This

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differs—only slightly—from its hardline counterpart, sometimes referred to as broadband, in that the network card is connected by wires that are bound together tightly within a cable. That cable then runs out to the street where it eventually connects to the ISP (Internet Service Provider). The end result is the same; however the WiFi must go trough an additional step in which it hops onto a router .

CONNECTED It’s important to consider all factors when deciding on whether a WiFi installation is right for your bar. Nick Neocleous, Proprietor of Central Lounge, a premier nightlife, cuisine and event destination in Queens, New York, feels WiFi is an integral part of the operation.

“Today, everyone is constantly using their smartphones and tablets, and they May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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How To: expect constant connectivity,” says Neocleous. “Guests want access to a WiFi hot spot to connect to social media, check emails, and surf the web right from their table. Taking selfies and sharing photos of a great event, special dish or bottle of their favorite wine is part of today’s nightlife experience, which guests have come to expect as much as they enjoy. It serves our business as well—instant, positive reviews and ‘likes’ attract more customers.”

This poses a very important question, however: Is WiFi necessary for the function of these smartphone

operation to cater to their business clientele. “WiFi is so important that many customers won’t come back if a restaurant/lounge doesn’t offer it,” he says. “This is especially important for our business clientele, many of whom consider holding a meeting or business event in one of our private rooms, or an informal dinner with a few colleagues to share ideas. Not having WiFi is a deal-breaker. The same goes for guests we receive from around the world. They do not have an Internet connection on their devices so they rely on WiFi hotspot connections to stay in contact.”

Bacon—a thoughtful menu served in a cozy 94-seat upbeat environment.

Through use of their in-house WiFi, they are able to reach guests through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, showcasing their over-the-top delectables (which by the way, all contain bacon). This is enough for them, and it works.

Though a guest may ask for a WiFi password occasionally, Sherman states, “Very rarely do people leave our establishment due to a lack of WiFi, therefore I don’t think it is necessary to be successful in the restaurant business.”

Taking selfies and sharing photos of a great evenT, special dish, or bottle of their favorite wine is part of today's nightlife experience, which guests have come to expect as much as they enjoy. apps? The answer is no. The necessity factor surfaces when the establishment has a firm grasp of what their target market expects with regard to a level of service or experience. The decision to offer WiFi does not enable apps or smartphones, but offers a luxury and an added sense of hospitality.

In the situation of Central Lounge, Neocleous also notes that WiFi is of the utmost importance for their

DISCONNECTED Peter Sherman, Chef/Owner of Bar Bacon in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, provides a counterpoint to this and notes that Bar Bacon does not offer guest WiFi—any longer that is. This is a neighborhood establishment whose main focus is on the product they are putting out to their guest. That is what the guest experience is all about at Bar

There has not been a point where Sherman has felt the absence of guest WiFi affected his business, as he has continued to maintain 250 covers daily and 1,750 weekly. So we can deduct that what’s good for the goose is not always, in fact, good for the gander.

The lesson here is to know your customer. Are they there for the food?

Sports? A raging night of dancing?

These factors should all play a part in your ultimate decision.

For those bars in the business of providing the ultimate interactive guest experiences, there are some very cool new technologies that lend themselves specifically to just that. AMI, an entertainment company founded over a century ago as the first to mass produce a jukebox, is taking major strides to remain a driving force in the nightlife entertainment industry. The company offers two major platforms for guests to fully immerse with in-house entertainment: digital jukeboxes, which offer a smartphone application that allows guests to make their song selections right from their 24

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock/wavebreakmedia

GAME ON

How To: table or barstool; and TapTV, an interactive gaming system that streams through the television via use of a smartphone app.

“Although WiFi set-up is optional for both our products, our two smartphone apps work great with cellular data services (3G or 4G) as long as the signal strength is adequate

within the bar,” says Ron Richards, Chief Technology Officer for AMI. “However, for some establishments, cellular signal strength is not accessible due to construction or proximity to cell towers. In these cases, WiFi is essential to operation of these smartphone apps.”

A.J. Russo, Chief Creative Officer

at AMI, chimes in on the correlation between their products and the guest experience. “Today, our primary focus is on this idea of creating a convergence of music, television, and emerging technologies to promote and deliver today’s hottest music,” he says.

“Music has always played a key role in a bar’s overall guest experience and will continue to do so far into the future. Remember, an entertained guest is more likely to stay longer, spend more money on food and drinks, and return.”

Additionally, AMI offers an added feature called Ad Manager, an online web tool enabling bar owners to build custom promotional ads that will display across customers downloaded apps within minutes.

With over 1,400 pre-made templates to choose from, your marketing message will be on the forefront of all of your customers’ devices.

WiFi ACCESS California-based company Netgear offers a cloud-based solution to nightlife and bar WiFi needs with its latest technology, Business Central 2.0, a secure, cloud-based IT service platform designed to provide small to mid-sized establishments an alternative to the more costly installation through use of the cloud. Bar owners wishing to subscribe to this service simply need to purchase an access point, which is live on the cloud portal. This enables them to change the configuration across multiple locations from their smartphone, tablet, or other. There is no over-the-top installation or having to deal with onsite technical issues.

“Keep in mind, the access point is what is being sold, so if the network is large, more than one access point may be required,” says Netgear Business Central technician Greg Dunbar.” The pricing for this technology is anywhere from $200 to $400 per access point, which gives you the license to manage your network. Storage packages start around $70/year per access point.

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Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Go Fetch!

T

aking the bar and nightlife world by storm, AudioFetch is an Androidand Apple-compatible smartphone application providing bar patrons an exceptional audio/visual experience. This interactive app has made a name for itself over the past three years providing all TV audio direct to customers and installation and operation could not be simpler.

“AudioFetch is largely plug-and-play, we provide all the necessary audio and Ethernet cables,” says CEO Tim DePumpo.

“Since AudioFetch interfaces to existing WiFi, an IT professional is not required to install. Anyone could install AudioFetch given our excellent service and support.”

Here is the process: 1) Make the decision to enhance your guest experience.

2) Purchase AudioFetch to coincide with the number of TV’s, or number of unique TV sources at any one time, in your establishment (up to 64).

3) Mount your AudioFetch wherever it’s most accessible—walls, ceilings, behind TVs. 4) Connection to existing WiFi and one of three audio plug-in options: analog, optical, and digital coax.

5) Customers download the AudioFetch app and begin streaming the audio of their choice.

The majority of bar owners/operators can attest to the fact that the influx of requests to change the sound to the game or channel of their preference can be a bit overwhelming.

Here are some of the perks of AudioFetch: 1) No guest complaints stating they can’t hear the game (or show) of their choice.

2) FREE built-in marketing feature that allows you to upload content to be displayed within the App promoting specials etc. .

3) A login portal that allows you to view usage/metrics to gain valuable customer insights.

4) No monthly fees.

5) Easily accessible customer support.

“During the sporting events seasons, we see the increasing popularity of AudioFetch by watching the usage/metrics portal,” says DePumpo. “With the metrics portal, AudioFetch system owners see the number of unique www.barbizmag.com

users, how long they use it, what TVs they’re listening to, and whether they click the ads.”

The cost for AudioFetch is around $200 $350 per unique TV feed, depending on the number of inputs. “If there are 36 TVs but only 12 distinct feeds on those 36 TVs, you only need a 12-input AudioFetch system,” explains DePumpo. “There are no ‘gotchas’.

Beyond the bar owner providing the audio

sources and WiFi, everything else is included for free— ad portal capability, marketing kit, and the cables.” Did we mention there is a 2-year warranty?

Now, Go Fetch!

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Send Help!

4 Signs You’re Ready to Outsource Your Liquor Inventory Control

O

perators with growth ambitions often hit a wall in efforts to control inventory usage. It is no surprise for seasoned veterans that effective inventory controls can either make or break a business. To face this challenge, operators spend significant amounts of time and energy on selecting the right system. However, the sheer amount of different liquor inventory control systems is vast in today’s market place. Today you have the option of buying digital scales, portion control spouts, electronic flow meters, and apps that promise to cure your liquor control problems with a simple download.

Selecting the right system can sometimes can be overwhelming to an operator who just really wants something that is simple, effective and can fit into their plans to grow.

Once a system is selected, the next challenge this operator usually faces is sheer amount of time and specialized effort put towards operating these systems properly. Operators of a growing enterprise already have an extremely busy schedule. Finding more time

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to operate a liquor inventory control system is very difficult. In fact, effective inventory control duties can easily add a full days worth of work – maybe even more depending on the size of the inventory.

This is where outsourcing to a third party has been a preferred solution for close to 50,000 bars and restaurants worldwide that use Bevinco. For over 30 years, the Bevinco system has been deployed in bars with a simple idea: auditors would come in once a week, count all the inventory, weigh all the open kegs and bottles, then make a comparison to sales to produce variance reports. These reports are what the owners used in order to manage their staff and reduce shrinkage. Over the course of time, the Bevinco auditor and the bar owner work together in tandem, with the auditor handling the duties of weekly or bi-weekly audits, and the owner continually holding their staff accountable for any shortages. Despite all the choices available in the marketplace, this traditional, “old school” relationship has continued to thrive and be the top choice for operators looking for an edge on their competition.

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Left: Shutterstock /thanosquest, Right: Shutterstock /Dusit

By Kevin Tam

Many clients of Bevinco go through the same things before they decide to make the call and invite a third party to join their team. If you’re on the cusp of making that decision, here are four signs you may be ready to outsource your liquor inventory controls: 1. You have doubts about the accuracy of your present system.

When it comes to counting, there are some systems and apps that use methods of measure that are based on rough estimates rather than precise measurements.

For example, there are some systems that base their measurements on “pointing” bottles or open kegs. It is basically an eyeball estimate if you’re talking about a bottle of liquor or wine. If it was half full for example, you’d record 0.5 as your on-hand inventory. If you shook a keg, if you felt it was around 20% full, you’d assign 0.2. If each one of those estimates that is off even by a little bit, they can quickly add up to a big fortune in lost product.

Secondly, all liquor inventory systems require maintenance, and if it is not done consistently the system will not produce accurate numbers. For month end inventory reporting for example, accountants require the on-hand inventory value at cost. This requires a count, and then multiplying that inventory level by how much was paid for the product. Every industry veteran knows how quickly the price of liquor and food inventory can change. If those prices aren’t kept up to date, the information the accountants receive is not accurate. Many bar operators experience frustrations with a constantly changing team of managers, where only a small portion of which are

detail oriented enough to keep data like this up to date.

Proper maintenance of a liquor inventory control system also involves keeping track of changes in inventory and the point of sale system. For bars that have a large rotating stock, like craft beer or wine, this can become problematic if the system is not kept up to date. Every time a new product is brought in, the product cost must be entered into the system, and there must also be buttons programmed into the point of sale system as well. When you take into consideration that bars with this type of concept change their menus sometimes on a weekly basis, this requires a constantly vigilance to make sure the new products are accounted for in the liquor inventory control system.

2 . Y our present inventory controls are overly complicated and only a few on your team truly understand them.

In the early stages of growth, what often happens is there is one person on the team who has a very elementary knowledge of Excel, who designs spreadsheets that are used for inventory control purposes. There is typically a spreadsheet created for the liquor order, there might be one for daily or weekly variance reporting, and there might be another for costing and month end inventory. To the person who designed it, they are extremely easy to use and accurate. Where problems occur is when they are expected to be used by GM’s and managers who are not strong at Excel, computers and problem solving. This creates a challenge when you want to grow and only one person can use your system.

Outsourcing inventory control to a third party has become a preferred solution for close to 50,000 bars worldwide.

www.barbizmag.com

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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The people producing the numbers have the most to gain by manipulating them.

After all, at the end of the day, they are looking out for themselves, not your business. It’s not a good idea to be overly trusting in this industry.

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were accurate and his methods were precise, but only about half the managers knew how to use it properly.

3 . You don’t trust the people who are currently running your system.

It is no secret that staff are usually the source of shrinkage within the nightclub, bar and restaurant industry. When owners try to implement inventory controls internally in an effort to save money, most times what happens is the owners cannot get the staff to use the system it was designed to be used. It really comes down to trust. The owner is always asking himself, “Can I trust these numbers?”

Prudent operators understand that numbers produced internally are very hard to trust, especially when you consider the people producing the numbers have the most to gain by manipulating them. After all, at the end of the day they are looking out for themselves, not your business. There have been multiple situations where third party auditors have been asked to investigate situations where bartenders, managers and even other owners manipulate numbers in liquor

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Left: Shutterstock /wavebreakmedia, Right: Shutterstock /monticello

It is important to have a system that is easy to learn, easy to duplicate and has leaves very little room for human error. This way, when people quit, change or take time off, the system can remain consistent because multiple people are trained on it and understand it. When companies attempt to use internally created spreadsheets for inventory controls, their solutions often have difficulty being executed properly amongst their team.

There was one large company I worked with that had this exact scenario. Their main liquor control manager created spreadsheets and a variance control program that involved daily weigh outs and daily bottled beer counts. This company, with over 10 locations, had a constantly rotating team of managers aged 20-30 attempting to run variance reports every day, making all kinds of mistakes, and they sometimes lost a fortune in liquor shortages. What happened eventually was the liquor control manager essentially turned into a help-desk, where he was spending all his time teaching his staff basic Excel functions and problem solving. The spreadsheet calculations he had

inventory control systems, to save their own hides and to cover the tracks of theft or laziness. It truly is not a good idea to be overly trusting in this industry.

In these situations, the owner is left with few options. He can either do the liquor inventory control himself (the only person he feels he can trust), or he can bring in an outsider to do it for him. In most cases, because the owner is extremely busy with the day to day operations, he will get a third party auditors to do it for him, saving him time and also providing the peace of mind that the numbers are accurate.

4 . You are spending too much time running your present system.

It is normal for operators to scrutinize the methods employed by their own people and wonder if there is a better, faster way that can provide an edge. One of the problems owners experience when they buy a liquor control system is the sheer amount of time, energy and money their systems require. There are many companies that employ antiquated methods that take more time than is necessary, and involve too many steps where mistakes can be made. For instance, when it comes to counting inventory, the most traditional way to conduct counts is to have a clipboard, a pen, and ideally some kind of count sheet that already has all the products listed on it. The operator must go conduct the physical counts, write all of them on to the count sheets, calculate all the totals, then enter the information into a spreadsheet, which has all the costing information used to calculate variances. There are cutting-edge tools now, like barcode scanners, where inventory is scanned and identified using whatever barcode is on the product. There is no searching for where the item is on the count sheet, flipping pages, and wasting time.

You scan an item, and your only task at that point is to enter how many there are or weigh it if it’s already open.

When the inventory counts are complete, the counts can be merged with costing information with the click of a

button, as opposed to manually entering counts from a clipboard into a spreadsheet. This technology can cut the time it takes to count inventory in half, and it also removes the possibility of human error by doing the data entry for you.

When you utilize a system that cuts down the amount of time it takes to do the busy work of inventory control, it gives you more time to work out problems. And yes – even with a great system, there will always be problems that require solving. There are miscounts, there are errors in data entry, there are missed deliveries from vendors, pricing errors, and incorrect drink mixes assigned to POS buttons that must be constantly tweaked. There is always something that needs specialized attention for the system to operate smoothly. To the operator who is already short on time, this can create a big problem if they don’t have an expert on their team who can fix it.

Many operators soon find themselves in way over their head when they buy a liquor inventory control system and find out it is complex, requires constant maintenance, and has very little support. The cold, hard truth about liquor inventory control is good systems ARE complex. They are supposed to have a lot of different moving parts, and they will always require problems that need specialized attention. Outsourcing liquor inventory controls has been a practical solution for bar operators who have no time or inclination to deal with these tasks themselves. Having an expert on stand by allows the owner to stay focused on operating their business, instead of conducting inventory duties which may not be the optimal use of their time.

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, nightclubs and restaurants. For more information visit http://www.sculpturehospitality.com.

For questions, comments, and inquiries please send an email to kevintam@ sculpturehospitality.com.

Cutting-edge tools keep track of bottles.

www.barbizmag.com

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

31

Better Safe Than...

SORRY

T

he reason I was in the service business for so many years was because I liked people—a lot!

And I’m sure I speak for many other bartenders when I say I really cared about my customers. But sometimes, unintentionally, some of my customers left my bar intoxicated.

But how do I know when someone is drunk? Courts continue to put the finger on me, the bartender, to be able to tell when someone has reached that .08 level of intoxication. How do I do this? How do I know what kind of mood my customer is in? Is he on drugs? Is he taking any kind of medication? How many drinks did he have at another bar before he stopped off at mine? I’m supposed to be able to determine this for each of my

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By Bob Johnson, aka BobTheBarGuy.com

customers, right? What if my bar is packed, two to three deep, and all I have time for is drink making, and I’m working with two other bartenders who serve the same people I do. What if I’m working the service bar and have no contact with customers at all. Now what?

An experienced bartender knows the outward signs of intoxication; staggering, slurred speech, frantic movement of arms, deep silence, talking in a loud voice, hostility, quick mood changes, gulping drinks with fast reorders, two cigarettes going at once, lighting the wrong end of the cigarette, and so on.

What do I do about the person who has none of the above symptoms, was a pleasure to serve, left a generous tip, yet may well be over the .08 percent

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock / wavebreakmedia

Why Server Training Should Become Law

ONCE UPON A TIME

Without training, no bartender can accurately tell when a person reaches the .08 level. level when he leaves to drive home? I know from my personal service to him how many drinks he had within a certain time frame, but what if he stopped off at one or two other bars before coming to mine? How am I supposed to know what, and how many drinks he had elsewhere? Or is he on drugs? It’s amazing how many people get stone drunk in a bar, and you can’t always tell! www.barbizmag.com

Once upon a time there was a study conducted at Rutgers University to determine various levels of intoxication in people. The purpose of the study was to determine whether non-medical observers can reliably judge the intoxication level of others. Three groups (police officers, bartenders and social drinkers) totaling 91 observers, analyzed numerous men and women, one at a time, who had consumed alcohol in two dosage levels—tonic and lime only, three vodka and tonics, and six to eight vodka and tonics (drunk)—all in a controlled time frame.

The experiment was conducted for several weeks under medical laboratory conditions. Basically, it concluded that, “the present premise—whether the customer is sober or intoxicated is a matter of common observation not requiring special knowledge or skill—is clearly in error. Whether a person is sober or intoxicated is not a matter of common observation; rather, it requires special skill and special training.”

The significant conclusions of this experiment are twofold: 1) that “bartenders do not possess and have not acquired special knowledge or skill in identifying intoxicated persons. Accordingly the prudence of legislation holding bartenders responsible for the actions of their intoxicated patrons is challenged by the conclusive results of the experiment. It should be noted that even with the years of experience these bartenders brought to this experiment, they were unable to make accurate ratings of the sobriety or drunkenness of those they were called upon to rate.

The Alcohol Behavior Research Laboratory of Rutgers University concluded that the standard of judgment required of both social drinkers and bartenders by state ABC codes, Dram Shop Acts, and Common Law is unreasonable, and, 2) while most people are not skilled in estimating the intoxication of others, the skill can be acquired by training.

The group that did the best in determining intoxication was the police, largely due to their constant exposure to the problem and the training they had received.

We’ve come a long ways since these early experiments and conclusions. TIPS, CARE, BAR CODE and many other viable server training programs are available in every state and they have made a difference. Yet so few bars and bartenders participate in the programs. The on-premise industry continues to wallow in ignorance, ego and omnipotence. Horrific examples continue to permeate society—the bartender who served 18 shots of rum to a customer in a two-hour time frame, the 93+ judgments against bartenders and owners for flaming alcohol, and on and on. You don’t have to have knowledge about tending bar or running a bar to get a liquor license or work in one, and most don’t.

Tennessee has made it a law. They’ve had enough.

You don’t get behind a bar or serve beverage alcohol until you have completed and passed a test for one of May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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Since barsmarts inception in 2008, the program has produced a total of 13,462 graduates, including 3,168 bar smarts advanced grads. their state authorized alcohol awareness training programs. Why other states don’t make server training mandatory boggles the mind.

I compare it to the stupidity of not having seat belts in school buses, or no drive-thru windows at post offices for the elderly, handicapped and mothers with small children.

GET SMART One of the leading training programs in the U.S. is BarSmarts, created by Pernod Ricard USA and BAR, LLC, which completed their milestone 40th BarSmarts LIVE event April 6th in Denver. The BarSmarts LIVE event is the culmination of BarSmarts’ online bartender education program, inviting the program’s top performers from each market to attend.

Since BarSmarts’ inception in 2008, the program has educated members of the mixology community in major markets who are committed to the profession of bartending, producing a total of 13,462 graduates 34

including 3,168 BarSmarts ADVANCED grads. The BarSmarts program is delivered through an exclusive BarSmarts ADVANCED home study kit that includes a work book, mixology equipment and instructions on how to complete the rigorous online pre-course work. The top performers from each market are then invited to attend one of four annual BarSmarts LIV E events, which have been hosted in 23 cities nationwide and in Dublin, Ireland. The event is hosted by the esteemed BAR, LLC partners who include world renowned spirit experts and mixologists Dale DeGroff, Steve Olson, Doug Frost, F. Paul Pacult, Andy Seymour and David Wondrich.

“BarSmarts is one of the most powerful and successful bartender education programs in the industry,” said Shawn Kelley, Senior Brand Manager for Brand Education, Pernod Ricard USA. “We are thrilled with how the program has grown over the past eight years and extremely proud to be celebrating the 40th BarSmarts LIVE event in Denver.

BarSmarts has set the standard for mixology education and elevated the skills of thousands of bartending enthusiasts and professionals. It is rewarding to be part of such a pivotal transformation.

We are looking forward to our 41st event, which will be held in May in Miami.”

The registration fee for BarSmarts Advanced is $75. Each event starts promptly at 9am and ends around 5pm. Breakfast and lunch are included. The morning session includes a discussion on drinks trends with F. Paul Pacult, a comprehensive blind tasting with Steve Olson and Doug Frost, histor y and cocktail/punch demos with Dale DeGroff and Dave

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Wondrich, and a discussion on ser vice/ hospitality with Andy Seymour.

In the afternoon, par ticipants take a 100-question test (includes a blind tasting) and a separate practical exam. T he practical exam asks that par ticipants properly make three classic cocktails in front of one judge. Par ticipants that pass both exams will become BarSmar ts Advanced Cer tified – the group’s highest cer tification.

WHO’S IN? Bartenders have a difficult job. They have to know when, and how, to stop ser vice, even if it means losing the tip, even if the boss loses potential revenue. You take the chance of upsetting a customer. They might get annoyed and say, “I’m never coming back ” (You’ll almost always see them again a couple of days later, and they usually offer up an apology). Our industr y deals with a product that can, if abused, cause irreparable harm, to the consumer as well as the licensee.

Legislators: What is more important than lowering the national drinking level to .08? It’s the mandatory education and training of owners, managers, bartenders and servers in alcohol awareness. Server

training must be legislated. Our industry will not do it on its own. It must become a condition of owning a liquor license. Swift and costly penalties should be given to anyone dispensing beverage alcohol without sufficient training.

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

THE BAR JERK I was watching my favorite TV show recently, a re-run of Cheers that started with the bartender Woody saying, “Oh no, it’s almost five o’clock, he’s going to be here any minute!” Woody has a problem with a regular customer who comes in every day at 5 – and he’s a “jerk!” Woody begins to get bummed out because he has to put up with him again.

I’ve had many situations like this when I was a bartender. It was easy for me to relate to Woody’s dilemma.These jerk types were rarely a problem for the house, and they didn’t bother my other customers much—just me, Sure, it comes with the turf, all part of the “biz.” You’re supposed to love everybody, right? Wrong! There are some types of customers you just can’t stand. There are many kinds of bar jerks. Are any of these types in your bar?

A) The successful businessman type; lots of money, middle aged, married, but never brings his wife into the bar. Always takes his wedding band off, leaving an obvious white ring. His opening line might be something like, “Hey, Bob, any lonely women around?” or “Do you know if the girl over there came in with anybody?” He hits on everyone anyway; why does he need my counsel, or expect me to be his matchmaker? He’s such an obvious “jerk/loser” that most women he approaches get a few drinks out of him, hold meaningless conversations, and then give him an emphatic rejection. Yet, next day, he’s back to try again, and hits me with those same stupid questions.

B) The “off duty” fellow bartender who questions what I’m doing while I’m working, or flaunts his unlimited knowledge of drink recipes at me.

C) The female who sits on a bar stool for five hours, orders three cokes, goes “gaga” over the band, and services me to death! “Hey, Bob, can you get me cigarette change, would you put more ice in my www.barbizmag.com

drink, got a light?” Her best one is, “Can I put my purse behind the bar?” and then, five trips to the bathroom later, and each time, “Can I have my purse, Bob?” followed by “Can I use your pen?” or “Do you have any aspirin?”— and only a fifty-cent tip (if I’m lucky)!

D) The customer who orders one drink and wants to put it on a credit card.

E) Band members who expect me to drop everything to wait on them when I’m in the middle of a ten-drink order. Sure, I know they only get a 20-minute break, but in my bar the customers come first—band members wait.

F) The customer who keeps badgering me for a free drink. Nobody gets a free drink at my bar. Why give away what you can just as easily sell? When I go grocery shopping I pay for everything I get.

Same with auto parts, dry cleaning, insurance, food in a restaurant— why a free drink? Jerks!

G) The couple sits at the bar. The male orders a rum and Coke.

The girl doesn’t know what she wants. “Suggest something,” she says to me. I suggest several drinks. Nothing appeals. It takes forever for her to decide. Why does this always happen in the middle of a rush?

H) “Hey, Bob, if ‘so-and-so’ calls, I’m not here, got it?!” or “Hey Bob, if ‘so-and-so’ calls, I’m here, but if ‘this person’ or ‘that person’ calls, I’m not here, got it?!” and then, “Hey Bob, when I got home last night, my wife said she called me at the bar and you told her I wasn’t there. How come?” Me: “Because you told me to tell anyone who called for you that you weren’t here, that’s why!” “Hey stupid,” says the customer, “I said if my girlfriend called, I wasn’t here—not if my wife called—you jerk! Can’t you get anything straight?”

What a bar jerk.

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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Big

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t’s true: Back in the day, people went to clubs just to dance. And, to the horror of any knowing owner, sometimes these people didn’t event drink; they just paid a cover, walked in, and started dancing.

And they didn’t stop, all night. The term “dance club” was once viable.

These days, of course, the nightlife scene is much more centralized around the cocktail renaissance, mixology, and craft beer and spirits.

Things are a tad more contrite than those wild days of strobe lights and

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Michelob Lights, when dance floors pulsated with people and big bass lines. And while most major cities still hold on to one or two dance-centric venues, it is no longer the dominant nightlife vibe. But everything that was, comes around again, right?

This spring in Chicago, one ownership group is betting on that very notion, bolstered by the continued growth of EDM on-premise and the loyal following it brings amongst LDA enthusiasts looking for a place to enjoy the music and move their feet.

“Chicago isn’t New York and it isn’t LA. We don’t want the pretense. We just want an authentic, good time,” says Joey Swanson, Program Director for Annex, a new DJ-heavy club that recently opened its doors in the Windy City. “Wicker Park has always been a melting pot and a haven for the outcasts to feel at home.

Like Red Dog welcomed and sheltered all, Annex will, too.”

For those not in-the-know, Red Dog nightclub was a space that played a key role in Chicago’s second wave of House music throughout the 90s as a

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Top: Shutterstock /Pressmaster

Big Shoulders need Big Annex

In Chicago, the City of Big Shoulders welcomes a throwback to the days of big dance clubs with the arrival of Annex, a new venue in an old, familiar space that wants to get the Windy City faithful dancing again.

The design of Annex is built around the dancefloor.

By Chris Ytuarte

venerable launching pad for deejays like Derrick Carter, DJ Sneak, Cajmere (aka Green Velvet), Mark Grant, DJ Heather, Johnny Fiasco, Spencer Kinsey, and more; DJs who have gone on to tour the world (and most of them still do to this day). After closing down and sitting empty for more than two years, the Red Dog location is now home to Annex, a warehouse-style lofted venue that feels spacious yet close and comforting at the same— in a 4,000-square-foot room, that is.

“The response from the people has www.barbizmag.com

been amazing,” says Swanson. “People dig it. I think there’s been a legitimate desire for something like this to happen. There hasn’t been something like this in so long in this city. In New York, you have Output and some other venues that are much more about the music. But Chicago tends to run just a little behind New York, and we’re just now starting to break away from that social/bottle/model thing and we’re getting into it being more of show.”

In a 1993 Chicago Tribune article entitled “Red Dog Underground Without Attitude,” the author described, “What a weird, fun place Red Dog is. Like most of the old house clubs, Red Dog’s a kaleidoscope of races, ages and lifestyles.” Annex plans to pick up where Red Dog left off.

Located via a slightly hidden, back alley entrance of 1958 West North Avenue in Chicago, the main floor of

Annex, located on the second level of the building, features 38-foot tall vaulted ceilings with painted, exposed brick and steel in tones of silver, black, and dark gray, giving an inner-city feel with a stripped-down, music heavy vibe. Each of the four corners of the room contains a full service bar, colorfully backlit, made of punched metal. Most of the space is designated for dancing, with ten tables and banquette seating flanking the room.

A rotating visual effects wall with state-of-the-art lasers and video mapping projection will allow the room to shape-shift with different themes utilizing the very latest in LED technology, all custom designed by Mode Visuals.

“We went with a less-is-more feel,” explains Swanson. “It’s simple, neutral tones; you see the exposed brick, there’s black, heavy-velvet curtains, May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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Banquet seating lines the walls of Annex, but the space is built for dancing.

and there’s a lot of metal in the building, so that’s the natural color, the silver of the metal. I wanted to keep it deliberately neutral so that if we do theme events we have a blank canvas to work with.”

Upstairs on the third floor is a private event space, perfect for a relaxed lounge atmosphere for a partywithin-the-party. The Hot Box at Annex, as it’s known, features a full bar, comfortable seating, private bathrooms, and a separate sound system and DJ booth. The décor pays homage to Wicker Park with rotating street art installations in the 2,000-square-foot space. For 38

audiophiles, both rooms are filled with EV X-Array and X-Sub concert series, high-output speakers powered by 75,000 watts of Crown digital amps.

“The sound system is way over the top,” says Swanson. “And the lighting is very, very much over the top. The moving fixtures were so new that there weren’t even profiles for them. We had to bring in experts from Martin to come in and program them because they were so cutting-edge.”

As Red Dog was once, Annex will continue to be a music-centric den where people come to let their hair down without judgment. But don’t let the throwback vibe fool you; Annex is

not a 90s-themed venue full of people dressed for the decade and waiting to hear the DJ spin another tune from C&C Music Factory.

“It’s certainly not a retro program; it’s very much contemporary and current. I think that’s just the way music is going,” says Swanson. ”For so many years all you saw was lounges and people paying for a little bit of real estate for whatever period of time that you were there for the evening. That’s not really the case anymore. It’s much more about the dance floor, and the music plays a bigger role than it did even four or five years ago. It happens to be something that this room was

Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Top Right: Shutterstock /Maxim Blinkov

“We’re pushing away from ‘bottles and models.’ People are driven by their passion for particular music, and that’s what we’re selling.”

A dark interior with metalic elements adds to the throwback vibe at Annex.

famous for, but I think we’re just leaning into what’s happening now, which is coming out to see and hear what you want to hear with the music being the real motivating factor for where people go out that night.”

Swanson ought to know: Evenings at Annex will be curated by “Just Joey” Swanson, who has 25 years of history in the Chicago music industry to his credit. Swanson was the creator and host of Sonic Boom, Chicago’s first and only EDM mix show on Q101 FM and is the current host and producer of Electronic Playground on WKQX. He is also the owner and music director of Boom Boom Room, the longest running dance night in the world. Boom Boom Room began at Red Dog 25 years ago and returned home on Mondays at Annex beginning in February.

Annex will be open every Friday www.barbizmag.com

and Monday from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am and Saturday from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am—classic dance club hours. A limited catered food menu will be available for private events in The Hot Box, and the nightly cover will range from $5 to $20. While premium and ultra-premium liquor, bottled beer, wine, and Champagne will be offered, and table reservations, bottle service and private party bookings may be made, Swanson is adamant when stating that Annex is aiming to please a crowd of club-goers looking for something more than the imagedriven scene so commonplace today.

“I think these people are pretty serious,” says Swanson. “They are driven by their taste or their passion for a particular kind of music, and that’s what we’re selling. What we are not doing is selling the overall image

of the place. You’re pushing away from the ‘bottles and models.’ That’s something that’s happening all over the country, with the exceptions of Miami and Las Vegas, where so much is driven by tourism; you have big groups, 40 guys at a bachelor party, so they’re going to spend $10,000 buying a table. That kind of stuff I don’t think is really happening in Chicago. We’re trying to push away from that. We will be building around the DJ that’s playing. Then people are paying for real estate, but what they are really paying for is the proximity to the DJ. It kind of plays back to the whole thing of just being more about music and less about being seen. I think people are paying for the vantage point that they have to the DJ as opposed to people seeing them.”

Ok, Chicago, let’s hit the dance floor.

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

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Inventory Woodford Reserve® Releases 2016 Kentucky Derby® Bottle

Popcorn Sutton™ Releases Limited Edition Barrel Finished™ Spirit

Woodford Reserve®, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby®, is honoring this year’s “Run for the Roses”™ with the release of its 2016 Kentucky Derby commemorative bottle. This year’s limited-edition Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle features artwork from awardwinning equine artist Thomas Allen Pauly. Chicago native Pauly is a worldrenowned equine painter and is the Official Artist of American Pharoah – Triple Crown Winner. His painting “Barreling Down” is featured on the front of the Woodford Reserve bottle.

The image on the bottle features a closeup, impressionistic look into the big race as two thoroughbreds and jockeys are neck and neck.

The bright blue sky of a spring day in Kentucky shines through in the background as the horses race towards the finish line. The neck band features crisp black and Woodford Reserve’s signature copper color with the Kentucky Derby 142 date and Thomas Allen Pauly’s signature sealing the top of the bottle. A neck tag provides details about the product and the artist. To learn more about Woodford Reserve, visit www.woodfordreserve.com.

Popcorn Sutton Distilling today announced the release of its first brown spirit – a limited edition, 92 proof, charred oak barrel finished liquid the company is aptly calling Popcorn Sutton Barrel Finished™. As mountain lore goes, legendary bootlegger, Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton, would sometimes “barrel finish” some of his finest small batch product to later share at special events or to give as gifts. Popcorn Sutton Barrel Finished represents a nod to this tradition and is being released to honor the anniversary of his passing on March 16, 2009. This specialty product, which won a Gold Medal at the 2015 Global American Whiskey Masters competition conducted by The Spirits Business, was distilled by Popcorn Sutton Distilling and barrel finished in the hills of Cocke County, Tennessee. It will be available to consumers through select liquor stores in a limited number of markets starting this spring. For more information, visit www.popcornsutton.com.

Forever Young Wine Releases Rosé

Stern Pinball Calls in Ghostbusters

Luxury wine brand, Forever Young Wine is proud to release their new Rosé wine to the marketplace. As Forever Young Wine founder’s hospitality developer Seth Greenberg and Arty Dozortsev of Dozortsev & Sons Enterprises have seen their brand Forever Young Wine continue to be in-demand in the marketplace, it is only fitting to continue by expanding their portfolio of wines offering a Rosé to consumers. Forever Young Rosé Wine is an elegant wine that comes from St. Tropez, France. It has hints of citrus zest with a fresh flavor of clementines and is balanced. For the production process, the grapes are de-stemmed and then left for maceration, then put in stainless steel container for fermentation at controlled temperature, in which the whole process is very carefully checked and then matured in oak barrels.

Forever Young Rosé is available at high-end restaurants, bars, and fine stores and online. It is priced at $19.00. Forever Young Wine is imported and distributed by Dozortsev & Sons Enterprises. For more information about Forever Young Wine, visit www.foreveryoungwine.com.

Pinball, Inc., the world's oldest and largest producer of arcadequality pinball machines, proudly announced today the availability of its much anticipated Ghostbusters pinball machine inspired by the original Columbia Pictures blockbuster “Ghostbusters” film. The Ghostbusters pinball machine will be available in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models. The game will immerse players in the amazing and fun challenge of catching mischievous ghosts in an adventure-filled pinball environment capturing the world of Ghostbusters. The Ghostbusters pinball experience highlights the humor of the film as the player progresses through the game. The game also includes custom speech by original “Ghostbusters” cast member, Ernie Hudson, who guides the player into becoming the newest member of the Ghostbusters team!

Ghostbusters pinball is designed to be easy to play but difficult to master. It features a moving interactive Slimer toy target and a fresh distinctive layout that integrates traditional pinball devices with unique multifunction two-way ramps.

Visit www.sternpinball.com.

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Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

CONGRATULATiONS! to the Bar Business Spirits Competition

2016 winners Double GolD

Silver

bronze

Rum Squeal Spiced Black Rum

CoGnaC Xanté

liqueuRs Lefty O’Doul’s Key Lime Margarita

GolD

Gin Brockmans Gin Hill Country Texas Revenge Stonecutter Spirits Single Barrel Gin

Rum Gubba Rum Silver

BRandy E&J Gallo VSOP Gin Spirit of Hven Organic Gin mixeRs - CaRBonated Kapoya Premium Energy Drink Wild Grape

liqueuRs Lefty O’Doul’s Pomegranate Grenadine

mixeRs - non CaRBonated Backyard Mary Bloody Mary Mix

mixeRs - CaRBonated Kapoya Premium Energy Drink Blue Raspberry

Rum Tiburon Rum

mixeRs - non CaRBonated Unique Energy Drink With Sugar

tequila Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila Los Arango Blanco Tequila

tequila Familia Camarena Tequila Silver Soltado Tequila

Vodka New Amsterdam Vodka Punzoné Organic Vodka

Vodka Pyramid Vodka Spirit of Hven Vodka

tequila Familia Camarena Tequila Reposado Vodka Legend of Kremlin Vodka Whiskey Clyde May’s Whiskey

SponSoreD by

inDiviDual awarDS BaRRel aGed Gin of the yeaR Stonecutter Spirits Single Barrel Gin BRandy PRoduCeR of the yeaR E&J Gallo anejo tequila of the yeaR Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila Best Value Vodka of the yeaR New Amsterdam Vodka BlanCo tequila of the yeaR Los Arango Blanco Bloody maRy mix of the yeaR Backyard Mary Bloody Mary Mix

CaRBonated mixeR ComPany of the yeaR Kapoya Premium Energy Drinks denmaRk distilleRy of the yeaR Spirit of Hven

Rum of the yeaR Squeal Spiced Black Rum Russian Vodka of the yeaR Legend of Kremlin silVeR Rum distilleRy of the

enGland Gin of the yeaR Brockmans Gin

yeaR Gubba Rum

flaVoRed CoGnaC of the yeaR Xanté

sCotland Gin distilleRy of the

mixeR PRoduCeR of the yeaR Lefty O’Doul’s oRGaniC Vodka of the yeaR Punzoné

yeaR Hendrick’s texas distilleRy of the yeaR Hill Country Distillers

www.barbizspiritscompetition.com

Holiday Happenings

JUNE 2016 6

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June 1: National Olive Day.

June 6: Drive-in Movie Day.

June 11: Corn on the Cob Day.

June 14: National Bourbon Day.

June 15: Nature Photography Day.

Thre is no better way to honor this holiday than to serve up specials on house made martinis, complete with an olive—stuffed or otherwise.

As your customers would be hard-pressed to even find a drive-in these days, here’s a chance to set up your own at the back of the bar or your outdoor space. A movie projector, some popcorn, and we’re cruisin’…

Celebrate this day (and this food) by keeping a pot of boiling water going all night, filled with fresh corn on the cob, free for customers tonight. You’ll make your money back selling them dental floss afterward.

It’s too bad bourbon isn’t more popular in the U.S. right now.

This could’ve been a fun holiday.

Tonight, offer a free drink to any customer who can show you a photo they took today on their smart phone of some kind of nature scene. Anything to get these people some exercise.

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June 20: Flitch of Bacon Day.

June 23: Let It Go Day.

June 27: National Sunglasses Day.

June 28: National Body Piercing Day.

June 30: National Bomb Pop Day.

The awarding of a flitch of bacon to married couples who can swear to not having regretted their marriage for a year and a day is an old tradition, the remnants of which still survive in some pockets in England. In lieu of bacon, perhaps offer these lucky souls a drink tonight instead.

Tonight you tell your staff to just “let it go.”

Someone didn’t tip you? Let it go.

Customer keeps snapping his fingers for service? Let it go.

That guy in the corner called your bar a dump? Let it go.

Someone played “Let It Go” from Frozen on the jukebox? Instant ban.

Host a wild sunglasses party on this day, wherein the person with the winning weird pair of shades gets a free bar tab.

The future’s so bright…

Offer one free drink tonight to anyone who can produce a receipt of payment for a body piercing done on this date. For your own benefit, and that of your health inspector, please do not ask to see the actual body piercing.

Fill the freezer with good ol’ American flag Bomb Pops tonight and cool off your customers from time to time with a free one.

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Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

June 1: Shutterstock/Mega Pixel, June 6: Shutterstock/J.D.S, June 11: Shutterstock/Taiga, June 15: Shutterstock/Butterfly Hunter, June 20: Shutterstock/kurhan, June 23: Shutterstock/De Visu, June 27: Shutterstock/Raisa Kanareva, June 28: Shutterstock/Ollyy

1

Index of Advertisers Company

web site address

page #

Barzz.net

www.Barzz.net

25

Bev Buz

www.GoshThatsGood.com

26

Cherry Heering

www.HEERING.com

9

Draft Party

www.DraftParty.us

21

HarbourTouch CA

www.iHarbortouch.com

C2

Heineken USA

www.Heineken.com

Innova Products US LLC

www.StrahlBeverageware.com

27

Newell Rubbermaid

www.NewellRubbermaid.com

18

Paris Gourmet

www.ParisGourmet.com

17

Tin Play

www.Tinplay.com

13

TouchTunes

www.TouchTunes.com

5

3,14

Inventory Companies

Forever Young Wine

www.ForeverYoungWine.com

Popcorn Sutton Distilling

www.PopcornSutton.com

Stern Pinball

www.SternPinball.com

Woodford Reserve

www.WoodfordReserve.com

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

www.barbizmag.com

May 2016 Bar Business Magazine

43

Owning Up

"No one is ever going to say that Johnny's has too much liquor on hand, but they might complain if we don't have enough."

“Ladies night always works.” “During slower times, I tried every trick to drum up business – from balloon drops filled with cash to tropical drink specials,” recalls Dauria. “But Wednesday ladies night is the only one that stuck, and we still do it today.”

“Everyone can drink vodka with something.” Although brown liquors such as Jameson Irish Whisky and Fireball have increased in popularity at Johnny’s in recent years, Dauria has found that all of his customers tend to have a fallback vodka drink. “If we don’t carry a guest’s first choice of drink, they usually ask for vodka mixed with something,” Dauria says.

Survivor Series: Johnny’s Hideaway Celebrates 37 Years of Nightlife Lessons in Atlanta Johnny’s Hideaway has been guaranteeing good times since 1979, and over the years the popular dance club and restaurant in Buckhead has raised the bar for Atlanta nightlife. Many bars in the area have come and gone, but Johnny’s is here to stay thanks to owner Chris Dauria, who has witnessed and been the catalyst for many of the legendary nightclub’s changes over its 37-year existence. In honor of the Hideaway’s anniversary this April, Dauria is spilling some of his most profitable secrets to success:

“Sometimes the DJ knows best.” When Johnny’s first opened, the club played big band and swing music but finally hired a DJ who really fought with the original owners to bring in more modern songs. The DJ finally won, introducing disco tunes to the club’s rotation in the 80s, and sales skyrocketed. Johnny’s continues to use spectacular DJs who keep the older crowds happy with periodic swing and shag songs while also drawing the younger crowds to the dance floor with more modern music.

“We didn’t reinvent the wheel; we just have a great staff.” “It gives me nightmares to think about having to replace our best bartenders, Butch and Harold, who have been with us for more than 30 years,” admits Dauria.

“Our general manager has been here for 15 years, and DJ Jack is a genius.

The consistency that our staff brings is the reason guests always grow to love Johnny’s.”

See what has worked for 37 years at www.johnnyshideaway.com.

It's a sign of the times.

“It’s a nightclub, not a bright club.” The staff at Johnny’s Hideaway knows when Dauria is in the building because he’s always turning down the lights.

“The darker it is, the more inviting it is,” says Dauria. “It makes the men more likely to ask the ladies to dance, and the ladies more likely to accept the invitation.”

“Liquor doesn’t have an expiration date.” Johnny’s is known for taking good care of regulars, and many patrons over the years have preferred some less popular spirits. “We’ve had daytime regulars who always drank Cutty Sark Scotch or Old Grand-Dad bourbon, which we wouldn’t normally keep stocked but started carrying simply because they are loyal patrons,” admits Dauria. “No one is ever going to say that Johnny’s has too much liquor on hand, but they might complain if we don’t have enough.”

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Bar Business Magazine May 2016 www.barbizmag.com

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