September 2016 Bar Business

GODARD IS MY CO-PILOT:

Laszlo gets a new look and drink menu in San Francisco

The How-To Publication

BAR BUSINESS September 2016

M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com

unCommon Scents Aromatics: Keep your nose in your business!

How to: Be a Boss beer: Dodging Draft Loss Liquid assets: Botanical Boom!

FREE

POS SYSTEM

Harbortouch’s free* point-of-sale system is the perfect way to make running your business easier and more profitable!

Features & Benefits: s Blazingly fast sales and inventory tracking s Employee management s Manage orders more accurately and efficiently

Guarantee: s We’ll program your menu and inventory s Free training for you and your staff s 24/7 Support / Repair / Replacement

Mention this ad and receive FREE onsite installation!

CALL NOW! 866-286-8744 iharbortouch.com

*Monthly service fee and merchant agreement are required.

Harbortouch is a registered ISO/MSP of First National Bank of Omaha, 1620 Dodge St., Omaha, NE - Member FDIC HT_Final.indd 1

12/16/13 10:55 PM

BAR BUSINESS

On Tap September 2016

Top: Shutterstock /Africa Studioo; Middle: Shutterstock /Bloomicon; Bottom: Shutterstock /squarelogo

CONTENTS

HOW TO

23

15

19

23

Trending topics

enjoy... responsibly?

like a boss

Tapping new trends in the modern bar scene as it relates to innovations in tapped beverages versus bottled and canned in 2017. www.barbizmag.com

How to curb underage drinking and protect your customers—and yourself— by stopping DWIs before they ever even start.

You’ve earned the title, now learn the finer points of running the show. Take our quiz and see if you’re inspiring your employees to do their best everyday.

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

1

On Tap

BAR BUSINESS

CONTENTS

44

Features 26 Dodging Draft Loss Even the smallest losses eventually stack up over time. Learn how to ensure you’re getting the most from beer sales and not pouring extra draft dollars down the drain.

30 UnCommon Scents

Departments 6 Booze News Time capsule craft brews, glow in the dark barware, barrel-aged cachaça, flying pigs in Vermont and whiskey goes ‘Croze-y.’

10 liquid Assets Gin. 3 simple letters can’t even begin to describe this complicated spirit. We break down its history, various production styles, flavor profiles and learn how some of nature’s sweetest fruits are infusing modern blends through botanicals.

36 Big six Foreign Cinema’s Laszlo, the Godard-referencing San Fran bar, gets a new cocktail menu and its first facelift since opening in 2001 from the original team of architects.

40 Inventory

30

42 h oliday happenings 44 Owning Up Longtime disc jockey DJ Mednas lays out 13 tips every modern DJ should know...so you won’t have to!

36 “Bar Business Magazine” (ISSN 1944-7531 [print], ISSN 2161-5071 [digital]) (USPS# 000-342) is published February, April, June, August, October, & December for $45.00 per year and January, March, May, July, September, & November will only be offered in a digital format at no charge by Simmons-Boardman, 55 Broad St, 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2016 Simmons-Boardman. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any fashion without the expressed written consent of Simmons-Boardman. Qualified U.S. bar owners may request a free subscription. Non-qualified U.S. subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $45.00; Canada $90.00; foreign $189.00; foreign, air mail $289.00. 2 years US 75.00; Canada $120.00; foreign $300.00; foreign, air mail $500.00. BOTH Print and Digital Versions: 1 year US 68.00; Canada $135.00; foreign $284.00; foreign, air mail $384.00. 2 years US $113.00; Canada $180.00; foreign $450.00; foreign, air mail $650.00. Single Copies are $10.00 each. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. For subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 3135, Northbrook, IL 60062-2620. Instructional information in this magazine should only be performed by skilled crafts people with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all reader to exercise care when engaging in any of the how-to activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 3135, Northbrook, IL 60062-2620.

2

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Top: Shutterstock /Vladimir Hodac

4 Bar room drawl

A pioneering German bar owner helps customers who can’t quite put their finger on what they want to drink. So he has them put their nose on it through barroom aromatics. He shares with us some common scents.

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.

Bar Room Drawl

By ChrisTOPHER TARANTINO Editor-in-Chief

The New Adventures of Old Chris T. “I'm a drinker with writing problems.” ­–Brendan Behan

They say the more things change, the more they stay the same. This is true. They also say when one door closes, another door opens. Also true, but for our sake, that door is a Chris.

You may have noticed a new surname above this column. It is not a typo, or a “rebranding” of Chris Ytuarte.

It is, believe it or not, an altogether new Chris. Bar Business is nothing if not superstitious and, not wanting to tempt fate and challenge the long, successful run of “Old Chris,” they set out simply to find a “New Chris” who vaguely fit the bill. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am that Chris.

Taking over for someone who held such a big position at such an influential publication—that he also founded—is no easy feat. “Chris Ytuarte has been the leading voice of the hospitality industry over the course of 94 issues,” said publisher Art Sutley of his co-founder. “He consistently fought for the success of the modern on-premise innovator since the day we began this publication 9 years ago.”

While I personally only interacted briefly with Chris 1.0 for our proverbial 4

Bar Business Magazine September 2016

baton-passing, I can tell you this: He is a smart and dedicated dude who liked his goodbyes like he liked his whiskeys – Irish and without fanfare.

Having previously served as Nightlife Editor at Time Out New York, I am definitely new to the world of business-to-business publishing, but definitely not new to the world of drinking in bars and nightclubs. That I am quite experienced at, believe you me. I hope to serve current bar owners and operators well, while hopefully inspiring and educating the next generation of men and women crazy yet driven enough to enter this world.

You will notice some coming changes in both the print magazine and our website, as well as in in the size of our social media footprint. If you like them, hate them or have any suggestions of your own, please feel free to reach out and let me know. I'm always here.

I'd like to close with a quick story. I recently ran into an ex on the street in New York City. She was my very first girlfriend and, at the time, had recently broken up with her first boyfriend, coincidentally, also named Chris. We politely chatted, catching one another up on the intervening years, time completely erasing any potential bad feelings. But what I took away was how she said her tough, police officer father comforted her after our break-up, saying, “Don’t worry honey, there’s plenty of other Chris in the sea.” I hope I am the right Chris for the job, filling the sizable shoes of the former Chris.

But if not, I’m sure there’s another highly competent Chris just around the corner, waiting to step into mine.

BAR BUSINEss MAGAZINE

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

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

Editor-in-Chief Christopher Tarantino 212-620-7223 ctarantino@sbpub.com C

art

Creative Director Wendy Williams wwilliams@sbpub.com

M

Y

CM

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

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers mconyers@sbpub.com circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com advertising sales

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

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

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

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

www.barbizmag.com

MY

CY

CMY

K

Beverage Directors Find Menu Innovation and New Suppliers JOIN FELLOW INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS DURING THE ON-PREMISE ADULT BEVERAGE EFFICIENT PROGRAM PLANNING SESSION (EPPS)

November 6-8, 2016 | Westin Cape Coral Resort | Cape Coral, FL Wine, beer and spirit producers, importers, distributors and exporters will present products to an audience of on-premise buyers (restaurants, hotels, resorts/parks, cruise lines, and airlines), as well as distributors and importers.

Save Time and Increase Productivity

Meet with Decision Makers

Attend Mixology Session and Grand Tasting

Uncover Industry Trends

Develop New Beverage Programs

For more information about this EPPS please contact: Sarah Davidson | Senior Vice President of Grocery (440) 542-3033 | SDavidson@ECRM.MarketGate.com

A Better Way To Do Businessâ„¢ ECRM.MarketGate.com/Events

Booze News GREEN with Glass Envy

L

et is introduce you to the latest project from product designer and drinkware artist Martin Jakobsen, which he calls Gem — the first mixing glass that glows in the dark.

“Our brand is famous worldwide for unusual glass design, and now we've come up with another revolutionary concept,” says Jakobsen.

Gem is a jewel among barware. It is made from a luxurious combination of uranium glass with a hand-cut Japanese pattern, that makes it glow in the dark. Use any source of UV light and be charmed by the glass’ transformation. And it’s 100% safe.

The crystal edition is made from high-quality glass with a hand-cut pattern inspired by the geometric abstraction of Kazimir Malevich's paintings. It is a masterpiece through which cocktail presentation becomes high art.

6

Jakobsen founded his brand in 2010 and his work is mainly influenced by minimalism, with a penchant for finding innovative solutions. The brand’s philosophy is based on detailed work in terms of creating a simple, yet functional and aesthetic design. All presented glass products are marked by the designer’s signature and each piece is hand-blown in the Czech Republic.

The collection is currently found in some of the best hotels, restaurants and bars around the world, including such famous names as The Ritz-Carlton (USA), Marriott (USA), Moet Hennessy (USA), Hard Rock International (USA), Bacardi (USA), Reyka Vodka (USA), The Setai (USA), The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (USA), The Cup Bearer (USA), The National (USA), Backroom (Mexico), The Connaught (UK), Pernod Ricard (UK) and many more.

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

When Pigs Fly

A

n upcoming celebration hosted by WhistlePig Rye Whiskey on its 1,300-acre farm and distillery in Shoreham, Vermont will honor members of the company’s unique brand loyalty program, The League of the Flying Pig, celebrate the upcoming October launch of Boss Hog (a periodic rare release of WhistlePig’s finest juice), and commemorate the one year anniversary of the company’s distillery. And you might be invited.

Taking place over two days from September 18–19, the party will include a host of activities, including a full pig roast, interactive distilling, a black tie dinner, education from the legendary Dave Pickerell and more. About 100 influencers from the industry are expected to attend. The 1st Annual League of the Flying Pig Celebration will be a gathering of over 100 WhistlePig enthusiasts, tastemakers, and leaders in the whiskey industry.

Guests will gather at the WhistlePig farm and distillery in Shoreham, V T for the unique chance to connect with the WhistlePig brand firsthand.

Attendees, who will hail from all across the country, are members of the League of the Flying Pig, a unique loyalty program for WhistlePig’s most ardent supporters.

The League of the Flying Pig is a unique brand loyalty program that includes bartenders, distributors and assorted influential folk from the whiskey industry. The point of the league is to create a distinct and authentic connection to the brand. Advantages of membership include

opportunities to spend time on the WhistlePig farm with Dave, and Founder and Chief Steward Raj Peter Bhakta. Members are also encouraged to offer feedback on the business and new expressions.

An invitation to this celebration is a reward to League members that provides an opportunity to connect with, and better understand the essence of the brand. Attendees will have the chance to spend time with Raj and his family and see WhistlePig’s farm-to-bottle operation firsthand, and will be among a select number of people who've seen the distillery in action since it opened in October 2015.

Novo Fogo Cachaca Introduces GRACIOSA

F

ollowing the success of Tanager, Novo Fogo's first Two-Wood barrel-aged cachaça, the brand is proud to release their second two-wood expression: Graciosa, named for the idyllic road that crosses the Atlantic Rainforest from the mountains to the sea.

This special release for 2016 was aged for two years in repurposed American oak and finished for another 18 months in barrels made of legally-acquired castaneira do Pará wood, the same

www.barbizmag.com

tree that also bears Brazil nuts.

The two-wood aging process, pioneered by master distiller Dr. Agenor Maccari, Jr., allows the rare flavors of Brazilian woods to harmonize with the delightful flavors of American oak that have come to define Novo Fogo barrel-aged cachaças.

Moreover, the two-wood technique affirms Novo Fogo's commitment to environmental sustainability.

Brazilian law prevents most native trees from being cut down, since many are classified as endangered or protected, so Novo Fogo is committed to sourcing indigenous wood both legally and sustainably. Pairing scarce Brazilian woods with American oak doesn't just produce delicious barrel-aged cachaça; it's also the right thing to do for Brazil's environment.

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

7

Booze News Time Is On My Side

C

raft brewer Innis & Gunn is sealing a bottle of its latest limited edition beer in a time capsule to be opened in one hundred years time.

Innis & Gunn fans across the globe, including those here in the U.S, have been hot on the trail to snap up one of the limited edition bottles produced. The 7.7% ABV beer, named Vintage, is a bottle conditioned strong ale which becomes richer and more complex the longer it is left. Although the beer is brewed to be enjoyed on the day of release, time is on the beer's side, as the yeast inside the bottle continues to condition the beer beyond its official 'best before date'.

• The time capsule sees Innis & Gunn’s Vintage displayed in sealed transparent enclosure at Innis & Gunn’s Inveralmond Brewery in Perth, Scotland.

• The time capsule will be opened by the Innis & Gunn brewers of the future in one hundred years time.

• The absence of food spoilage bacteria in the beer will mean the century old Vintage will be drinkable, with a flavour profile far different from how it tastes today.

• Vintage comes in 500ml bottles and the last few

bottles are available for purchase Nationwide.

• The beer is matured in American Bourbon casks and only 8,000 bottles were produced for sale.

• Created with Super Styrian hops, Vintage’s malt profile includes Innis & Gunn Ale Malt, Crystal, Roasted Barley and Raw Wheat. Innis & Gunn brewers describe the beer’s taste profile as “Buttered toast, creamy toffee, a little sharpness from the yeast and a creamy full mouthfeel.”

New Jameson Irish Whiskey Shines Light On Head Cooper Ger Buckley

W

8

ith a commitment honoring those behind the brand and their unwavering passion for longstanding traditions, Jameson Irish Whiskey releases Jameson Cooper’s Croze.

A super-premium whiskey, The Cooper’s Croze is part of The Whiskey Makers Series, a range of three whiskeys, each highlighting a specific part of the whiskey making process.

Curated by Ger Buckley, Jameson's fifth generation Head Cooper, Jameson Cooper’s Croze is designed to showcase the varying characteristics imparted by the barrels—and by extension, the important role played by the cooper in the whiskey making process. With highly specialized knowledge passed down from his ancestors, Ger is tasked with

selecting, repairing and maintaining the Midleton Distillery’s diverse and treasured barrels. The whiskey’s namesake – the croze – is Ger’s most prized possession. A tool used to make the groove where the head of the barrel is positioned in order to seal the barrel, it symbolizes the important role played by each barrel.

“I’ve created Jameson Cooper’s Croze to show the versatility and profound influence barrels have on our distinct whiskey flavors,” said Buckley.

Using virgin American oak, seasoned bourbon and Iberian sherry barrels, the result is a perfect illustration of oak’s influence on a whiskey’s character.

This non-chill filtered whiskey effortlessly carries the charred virgin oak character with vanilla sweetness from the seasoned barrels with rich fruit flavors and a fine balance of floral and spice notes.

Jameson Cooper’s Croze will be available at participating retailers at a suggested retail price of $69.99. For more information visit jamesonwhiskey. com/us/ourwhiskeys/coopers-croze.

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Get in the mix.

In print, in person and online.

The premier how-to resource.

BAR BUSINESS M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com

Liquid Assets

A visit to the

botanical Garden Italian monks and Egyptian tombs. Greek athletes and Indian contraception. British wars and Dutch courage. While the wild, international story of gin may seem unnatural, its earthbound forebearers, botanicals, are anything but. By Amy Lennox 10

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

J

uniper. Coriander. Cardamom. Citrus Peel.

Cinnamon. Nutmeg. Grains of Paradise. These are just a handful of the botanicals frequently seen in modern gin production. It’s this infusion of such warm, delicate and versatile flavor profiles that sets gin apart from all other spirit categories, allowing for tremendous creative freedom for the masterminds of liquidity that we lovingly refer to as bartenders.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take it back a few hundred years to what it all began with: genever. Also known as jenever to the Dutch, or genièvre in French, they all translate to juniper. It’s said Italian monks in the 11th century were the first to use the oil of juniper berries to crudely flavor distilled spirits, mainly used for medicinal purposes to treat gout and gallstones—rather ineffectively, it should be added. Written references first pop up to the term ‘genever’ around the 13th century, while the first actual printed drink recipe containing it appeared in Antwerp in the 16th century. Once the Dutch began to levy a tax for various liquors—and included genever on that list—it had finally crossed over into the ‘spirit world,’ you could say. By 1663 there were nearly 400 distillers in Amsterdam alone with the trend fast spreading to the rest of Europe.

“It all started when the English were fighting The Thirty Years’ War in Holland,” recalls Bulldog Gin founder Anshuman Vohra. “They saw the Dutch soldiers drinking the genever before heading into battle, hence the term ‘Dutch courage.’ Fast forward to the late 17th century when William III, Prince of Orange—coincidentally, also from Holland—landed in Britain. Under his ruling, the

upper class continued drinking imported genever.” Distillation began among the lower class, but due to a lack of access to the right ingredients to properly produce the spirit, experimental gins were inadvertently born.

In the nearly 250 years since, we can all agree that gin, in addition to medicine itself, has thankfully, come a long way.

Improvements in the distillation process and the use of more quality ingredients helped the spirit continue to gain its current popularity. Consumers today now enjoy the long-held and ever-evolving production practices passed on from many generations of distillers, both amateur and master.

Modern gin undergoes one of three types of production processes. There is ‘pot distilled,’ the earliest known style; ‘column distilled,’ used after the inception of the Coffey still, with a fermented mash; and ‘compound gin,’ which infuses flavor into neutral spirits. It is rumored by some that gin is simply vodka infused by this compound process. We caught up with gin connoisseur Brett Hughes of the AvroKO Hospitality Group, who helped break down the different production processes for us.

BARTENDER AND DISTILLER MAKING HISTORY WITH NEW AGE AMERICAN DRY GIN - AVIATION First produced in Portland, Oregon in 2006 by founders Christian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian, and produced by House Spirits Distillery, Aviation American Gin is less juniper-forward utilizing seven botanicals such as lavender, sweet and bitter orange peel, cardamom, coriander, indian sarsaparilla, anise seed and juniper. It is pot distilled and boiled at 84 proof and classified as an ‘American Dry Gin’ or ‘New Age Gin.’ Inspired and guided by the great American cocktail gins of the past, it is “a category that now sits front and center in our current golden era of cocktails.” American Dry Gin offers “more rounded flavor profiles and less overt juniper notes.”

Aviation American Gin is relative to the era soon after prohibition ended, and is “a welcome departure from the traditional London Dry style of gin offering a more balanced expression that brings together exotic spices from around the world.” This allows the small-batch spirit to be “extremely mixable and outstanding in contemporary culinary cocktails and vintage drinks alike.”

Crafted using all natural ingredients that are also glutenwww.barbizmag.com

free, this small-batch production yields fewer than 100 cases at a time. The Indian sarsaparilla contributes to a complex, mildly sweet mid-palate, while the lavender provides sweet, floral notes with a mellowing aroma.

The coriander serves as a traditional dry gin ingredient dating back to the 19th century providing aromatic tones of citrus, sage and ginger. The anise seed is a Mediterranean spice with subtle notes of licorice, and the cardamom is an exotic member of the ginger family that originates in the Himalayas. The sweet and bitter orange peel is for brightness, structure and zip, and last but not least is juniper, the backbone of all gins, containing notes of menthol, camphor and pine. The core Aviation American Gin is not aged, but the company now produces an aged gin under the name Aviation American Gin Old Tom. Born from the first ever distiller-and-bartender collaboration between Christian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian respectively, Aviation American Gin will proudly celebrate their 10th birthday this year – a major milestone for any craft spirit brand.

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

11

Liquid Assets

RECIPES Brockmans Hot Apple Punch 2 oz. Brockmans Gin 1 oz. lemon juice Warmed apple juice (to your taste) Stir gin and lemon juice in a glass mug and add warmed apple juice. Garnish with a stick of cinnamon.

Spanish Gin Tonic 1.5 oz. Bulldog Gin 1 200 ml bottle Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic Lime wheel Fresh mint sprigs Fill a tall glass with ice, lime and mint or a garnish of your choice. Pour gin over garnish, add tonic and lightly stir.

The State Fair 2 oz. Suerte Reposado Tequila ½ oz. Greenhook Ginsmiths Old Tom gin ¼ oz. Amontillado sherry¾ oz. corn syrup Dash black pepper Orange twist Combine all ingredients in a tin with ice, and shake.

Garnish with black pepper and an orange twist.

Cinnamon Bols Fashioned 1 ½ oz. Bols Barrel-Aged Bols Genever ¾ oz. Becherovka liquer ¼ oz. demerara syrup 3 dashes Angostura bitters Touch of chili Combine genever, Becherovka, and demerara syrup in an oldfashioned glass. Add ice and stir. Garnish with bitters and chili.

Cinnamon Bols Fashioned

Pot Distilled Gin “Basically, you start with a raw, very high proof neutral distillate, and flavor it through one of three processes.

The first process is a maceration before and during distillation where the botanicals are in the high proof neutral state whilst being boiled, turned into vapor, and finally condensed back into liquid.”

Column Distilled Gin “The second process is where the botanicals are hung in a basket above the boiling spirit and alcohol vapor passes through it. The soft touch of the vapors makes this process a bit more delicate and begets a more intricate product.”

Compound Gin “This process is a combination of the previous methods, utilizing botanical baskets as well as the harder, sturdy botanicals in the liquid, like juniper. The end result is extremely strong; too strong to actually consume and enjoy. Therefore, when it comes out of the still, water is added to attain the desired proof of the distiller.”

There are a number of other gin classifications, with new techniques and small batch productions popping up all the time and served in bars throughout the world. For example, Madame Geneva in New York City serves at least 10 variations including: Aged Old Tom, Belgian Genever, Aged Belgian Genever and Rye Gin, which is a reproduction of a forgotten spirit stemming from an old recipe brought to America by Dutch settlers. Bulldog’s Anshuman notes, “London Dry tends to be more floral, as with Bulldog, containing lavender, white poppy and dragon eye, whereas Plymouth Gins are more fruit forward.”

Here are some common modern styles of gin and their basic flavor profiles: • London Dry – Light-bodied with a strong juniper flavor • Plymouth – Fruity and aromatic, only regionally produced in England • Old Tom – Citrus forward and added sugar for sweetness • Young Genever – A popular Dutch-style with a dry palate and light body • Old Genever – Aged, sweet; with a straw hue and aroma

12

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

• New Western Dry – A concentrated flavor focused on cucumber, rose petal or lavender as opposed to juniper Now that we understand the process, let’s break open that berry, the core characteristic behind most gins.

Technically speaking, juniper is not a true berry, but rather a female conifer seed cone produced from various species of juniper. While too bitter to eat on their own, the berries are used to spice various European cuisines and are what give many traditional gins their flavor. Juniper is also a natural diuretic and was used by Native Americans to treat rheumatism and arthritis and help control appetite, which is why it is also currently being researched as a treatment for diet-controlled diabetes as it helps to release insulin from the pancreas to satisfy hunger. It was also known to be used by some tribes as an early female contraceptive (“No berries, no love!” went the saying, we assume).

The berries were also said to be found in ancient Egyptian tombs in multiple sites, having been imported from Greece. The Greeks utilized the berries in many of their Olympic events and believed them to increase physical stamina in athletes. Romans used the berries as a substitute for expensive black pepper and imported Indian long pepper before the Dutch developed gin in the 17th century. The many uses and long, intertwined history of juniper and gin help to create many delicious and very palatable cocktails, and a spirit with tremendous—and still untapped—pairing–potential.

Here are some other common botanicals and their basic flavor profiles: • Coriander –Citrus, sage and ginger; used in dry gins since the 19th century • Cardamom – An exotic member of the ginger family originating in the Himalayas.

• Chamomile – Sweet, floral and earthy; a daisy-like plant from the Asteraceae family • Orange Peels - Intense orange; sinensis is sweet while aurantium is more bitter • Anise Seed – Plant with a licorice-like taste similar to fennel or star anise • Nutmeg – Nutty and slightly sweet; produced from the fruit of the evergreen tree • Berries – Citrus-like with a spike is sweetness and concentrated flavor • Cucumber – A creping vine bearing bitter fruits of 3 different varieties • Rose Leaves – Fragrant with a mild, soft and sweet flavor • Lavender – Herbaceous and woody, with undertones of mint The list of botanicals goes on and on, however, given these profiles, the list of ingredients pairing well with gins extend far beyond what can even be cataloged here. From citrus juices and herbs to simple syrups and bitters, or even just straight, gin has fashioned itself into a classic jack-of-all-trades spirit that is ever-present in the modern spirit line-up both on and off premise. www.barbizmag.com

Four different gin classifications, four unique brands and four enticing drink recipes to use them in (see page 12).

DISTILLED GIN: Brockmans Gin Produced at Langley Distillery in Birmingham, England, Brockmans uses exquisite botanicals from the far corners of the world along with pure English grain for a distilled gin with top notes of blueberries and blackberries, supported by orange, lemon and coriander, and underpinned by juniper and traditional dry gin notes.

LONDON DRY: Bulldog Gin Founded in 1761, this is the oldest continuous gin distillery in the world, consistently sourcing twelve botanicals from 8 different countries. Their balanced and approachable blend is versatile enough to enjoy in a dry martini or stand tall in a G&T.

OLD TOM: Greenhook Ginsmiths Old Tom Gin Produced in Brooklyn, New York, this Old Tom mixes tradition with modern innovation for a very spicy expression with unique notes of baking spice and smoke.

AGED GENEVER: Bols Genever Originally established in 1575, Lucas Bols B.V. has mastered the art of mixing in this aged gin, blending the classic simplicity of a genever with the complexity of a brown spirit, resulting in a flavor like nothing else.

THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF BARTENDING IN THE WORLD

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

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

Jeremy@tinplay.com www.tinplay.com 858-337-8816 September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

13

Bar news on the go?

There’s an app for that.

Introducing the new Bar Business app Bar Business Magazine App

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bar-business-ma...

•Educational bar, hospitality, and nightlife news updated daily •Full access to all previous/archived editions of monthly magazine •Automatically receive new issues on IOS5 or higher •Download and save individual pages to enjoy offline or on the go

http://kaywa.me/gBf2B

Download the Kaywa QR Code Reader (App Store &Android Market) and scan your code!

•Social media integration to easily share news

How To:

th Keep Up wi Industry Trends

By Paul Wilhite

What's the ‘Haps in Taps?

Shutterstock/rocharibeiro

As the modern bar scene continues to evolve, we examine several specific trends to consider for tapped beverages versus bottled when looking towards 2017 on-premise.

M

uch has changed since the days when saloons served homemade whiskey in dirty glasses and the only thing cold about beer was, well not much. Since Adolphus Busch implemented pasteurization as a way to keep beer fresh for longer periods of time and introduced new methods of refrigeration with his Budweiser brand, beer shelf life improved and the joy of having a cold one has become a

www.barbizmag.com

national motto. The revolutionary 19th century innovations to the beverage industry were unmatched until the dramatic developments of the last decade. Over the last ten years, flavored drinks and craft beers have become in high demand and these runaway trends have stimulated an incredible expansion of the flavors, qualities, types and variety of alcoholic beverages. California alone has 316 breweries, September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

15

How To: and with this expansion has come the demand for bars to not only serve these drinks, but to serve them the right way.

Craft & Strange Brews

Getting it Right Bars wanting to capitalize on this trend will face new challenges because the thing about connoisseurs is that they want things done right and, the legion of curly mustachioed posers aside, they can tell when it’s not. Thus, a bar serving craft beers and strange brews will typically need more refrigeration to accommodate a wider bottled selection.

Also, clean, efficient and properly balanced draft beer systems are critical to maintain the 38-42° Fahrenheit intended-serving-temperature for most beers. There is also the issue of glassware. Special glassware is

important to these brews and their drinkers. Keep in mind that since most of these glasses cannot be stacked, bars will need to plan for proper glass washing and storage.

Growlers For bars specializing in craft beers, growlers are a key to their repeat business by allowing customers to take home a goody bag from the party.

While growlers present a unique obstacle given the difficulty in filling them, and their size and awkward shape, this problem can also be flipped to an advantage. Trade-in growlers can be used as a way to highlight the bar’s specialization, showing customers that, like MC Hammer, when it comes to beer, they're "Too legit to quit."

Growler towers offer a great storage solution and add a lot to the aesthetic.

Also, manufacturers have started creating special, sleek growler faucets that, aside from making sure your expensive brews don’t end up all over the floor, feed a bar’s image of being a home to beer-lovers.

You Can Do the Can-Can Canned beer has left the realm of the 'midnight run for a 24-pack of Coors' to keep the good times rolling. In fact, it’s become a hot space for many beer lovers because glass bottled beer lets in light leading to a shorter shelf life.

16

Furthermore, many micro-breweries such as Oskar Blues have turned their can into a defining characteristic.

Refrigeration is no less important for these beers and, while they won't maintain their temperature as well as bottles, they can be cooled down in just five minutes. Recognizing this need, manufacturers have created back refrigerators for bars with glass front windows, easy access and most importantly, tight temperature controls to get that quick restock on a Friday night to help keep quality—and profits—high. On changing beer trends, Paul R. Peot from Perlick said, “We know which way the wind is blowing and we have shifted our designs to meet the needs of the 21st century bar owner, creating literally millions of refrigeration options for cans, bottles and kegs.”

Wine-O Was His Name-O Remember those olde timey movies where the hero in the tavern orders wine from a tapped vat the size of Aunt Ethel’s Buick? Well friends, history is about to repeat itself. With sales of wine by the glass on the rise versus bottle purchases in restaurants and the greater margins to be had on it, wine service is shifting to an old model in a sexy, new way. Reflecting the trending preference of patrons for wine sold by the glass, manufacturers like

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock/squarelogo; Shutterstock/MaxyM

The explosion of craft beers and strange brews in the beverage scene has created a new kind of regular at the counter. Far from the days of two-dollar bottles of Pabst, today's customers are a generation of beer connoisseurs with diverse palettes, willing to spend beaucoup bucks for each beverage. Delirium Tremens for instance, a Belgian strong ale once named the best beer in the world, is often served for more than $15 per glass. This has created new areas of potential profit for bars, allowing them to work strong margins into beer sales and giving them an avenue to specialize in this still burgeoning niche.

Perlick and Wine by the Glass U.S.A. have created sleek updates to the tap system that allow bars to capitalize on wine more than ever. This has also opened the door for restaurants, like national chain Umami Burger, that traditionally have not had wine service, to include it in their offerings.

Keeping it Fresh Like beer, wine has a proper serving temperature and kegs simplify critical refrigeration. Most refrigerators are set to 38-40° Fahrenheit, far too cold for many wines. Temperature controls are easier, ensuring the value received by

your customers. They also eliminate the need for expensive cellar storage, meaning there may finally be room for that foosball table in the basement.

Distributors will even pick up empty kegs, which opens up even more back bar and store room space.

Red on Tap Equals Green Serving wine from a keg enhances the bottom line because of the increased price per glass sold and because kegged wine will stay fresh for up to ninety days, compared to the three-to-five days for an open bottle. But there is another reason to tap this area, pun

Future Trends In The Liquor Industry

T

he Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) reports that the liquor industry as a whole now contributes more than $400 billion of economic activity to America. Here’s a look at what the future holds for businesses in the liquor industry in 2016 and beyond.

Millennials continue to embrace distilled spirits. In 2016, the distilled spirits niche of the liquor industry increased its market share for the sixth consecutive year, even outpacing 2015 beer sales. Businesses in the liquor industry can leverage the continued popularity of distilled spirits like cognac, whiskey and scotch by serving “old school” cocktails that use these liquors in a way that appeals to younger generations. For example, DISCUS points out that millennials have embraced distilled spirits in large part because of an increase in artisanal and craft-style spirits produced at local distilleries.

Healthier liquor drinks are in high demand. An increased focus on health will prompt more bargoers to seek liquor and cocktails made with “natural” and less processed ingredients. On the heels of brands like Skinny Girl, experts at Spoon University predict that “healthier liquor mixers” will continue to impact how bars and sellers in the liquor industry market

www.barbizmag.com

intended: It’s incredibly eco-friendly.

With each keg holding the equivalent of twenty-six bottles of wine, Wine-onTap eliminates the need for corks and caps, and leaves you with no bottles to recycle. During the life of a keg, 3,000 bottles, labels and corks are eliminated, meaning they never wind up in a landfill. Sometimes getting paid and being socially responsible line up and when it does, well, why not lean into it!

Paul Wilhite is Sales Representative & Partner at Integra Marketing. www.integra-marketing.com

By Kendall Reed

their cocktails. Replace sugary, calorieladen cocktail mixers with fresh juices; use agave nectar and even fresh foods to create new flavor profiles in drinks that appeal to this generation of healthconscious customers; and convince them to pay top dollar for the perceived higher quality of their new, healthy cocktail.

Though 2015 was a record-breaking year for the number of craft brewers in the United States, experts at Wine Enthusiast also predict that demand for gluten-free liquor and beer products will continue, as evidenced by the success of certain niche suppliers.

Staying in is the new going out. As the “on-demand” economy continues to shape American consumers’ ability to satisfy wants and needs in nearly the same moment they have them, experts at Business Insider believe 2016 will be the year liquor-related businesses focus on how to connect with consumers at home and on their mobile devices, as much as they do in a bar setting. Whether marketing messages encourage customers to interact with liquor brands and share their in-home entertaining experiences on social media; introduce products that make it easier for consumers to create a quality bar experience at home; or promote on-demand liquor delivery; businesses that have the tools to empower customers

to drink on their terms will finish the year strong. Businesses that are equipped with mobile point-of-sale tools can meet this new need to, quite literally, bring the bar to the customer.

While some liquor trends are a throwback to decades past, 2016 marks a shift toward a new kind of empowered consumer. As consumers maintain realtime access to information about the drinks they buy, where they buy them, and what ingredients their booze of choice contains, thanks to mobile devices, the liquor industry demands that sellers shift their perception of how to serve the customer. Businesses that leverage smartphone apps and mobile point-of-sale tools can create the perception that the customers are in charge, while at the same time, meeting them wherever they are, in order to connect with today’s modern liquor consumer.

Kendall Reed is a key contributor in planning and executing marketing initiatives for NCR Counterpoint’s Retail SMB Solutions. She is responsible for strategy, creative conceptualization and delivery, and measurement of programs to drive awareness and growth.

Her experience includes creating digital strategies to benefit the SMB merchant in both the hospitality and retail space.

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

17

Business slow?

Sign up your entire staff to receive the digital edition of Bar Business Magazine.

Sign up for free at www.barbizmag.com

To a s t i n g S

h ows : trJoadnesTaffer talks te

BAR B USINES S Th e H ow -To

February

P u b li ca

ti on

levi hows an d trendssion, in 2014

2014

M A G A Z I N E

www.ba

rbizmag

Are You

R E A DY F O

R RUM?

JUKEB WINE: MAR OX FUTURES: TECH K E T P L AC E BIG SIX: S MOVEMENT AN FRANCIS CO

BAR BUSINESS M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com

.com

How To:

rons t a P t c e t o r P Against DWI

The Good

Fight

014

Diageo welcomes the alcohol industry’s progress in a global effort to tackle harmful drinking.

Shutterstock/Africa Studio

T

his summer, The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) issued its third annual report on the progress toward the Beer, Wine and Spirits Producers' Commitments to contribute to the global target of reducing alcohol-related harm 10% by 2025.

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. What follows is information that Diageo’s global colleagues issued for the company’s contribution toward achieving these goals, and for reference, a few examples of the work done by Diageo in the U.S..

THE FIGHT BEGINS Diageo welcomed the release of the latest Producers’ Commitments Report by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, which shows signatory companies

www.barbizmag.com

have stepped up implementation of their Commitments to contribute to the global target of reducing alcohol-related harm 10% by 2025.

Diageo is one of 12 leading producers of beer, wine, and spirits who are signatories of the Commitments to tackle alcohol-related harm. This is the third annual report following a groundbreaking agreement for the alcohol industry to collaborate in 2012, and the first since the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were agreed to by governments in 2015.

“I am proud of Diageo’s significant contribution towards the industry’s overall progress in reducing the harmful use of alcohol, particularly our work to prevent underage drinking and ensure the next generation has a positive relationship with alcohol,” said Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive, Diageo.

“We are three years into the most ambitious initiative our industry has ever collectively undertaken to address harmful drinking and, while we have made good progress, there is still more work to be done. At Diageo, we are always committed to doing more.”

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

19

How To: countries last year, including its flagship program 'Join The Pact.'

(To see how this was activated in the U.K. in December last year, go to www.bit.ly/2cZ9ibH) Diageo’s strong track record in drunk driving programs also led the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) earlier this year to select Diageo for a two-year partnership and project entitled 'Road Safety Initiative for Cities,' which aims to improve road safety globally. Scheduled to start later this year, training will run in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, as well as Latin and Central America, focusing on countries with the highest death rates related to road traffic accidents, with over 60 countries invited to participate.

“We are developing a virtual reality experience that simulates what it’s like to be a passenger in a drunk driving accident,” says Crofoot. “And we worked with the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) to create an informational brochure for college students called ‘The Dangers of Excessive Drinking: Think Before You Drink.’”

This year’s report highlights particular progress in programs to prevent underage drinking. Collectively in 2015, the 12 signatory companies implemented 257 underage education initiatives, a 49% increase on the previous year. These programs directly engaged nearly 30 million unique adult influencers such as parents, teachers and community leaders on the importance of respecting legal age limits on alcohol purchases. Over 192 million additional individuals were reached through education programs, mass media and social media campaigns.

“We partner with the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR) on a wide variety of programs dedicated to preventing underage drinking, drunk driving and binge drinking,” explains Kristen Crofoot, Communications Consultant for Diageo North America.

Diageo underage initiatives, which took place in 29 markets last year, include Smashed, an award-winning theater and education program that informs young people about the dangers of alcohol. Launched in the U.K. more than a decade ago, it has reached over 300,000 young people in more than 1,400 schools across the U.K.. Building on this success, Smashed is now being rolled out globally, including in Vietnam, Taiwan, Jamaica, Peru, Thailand, China and Mozambique this year, aiming to reach over 135,000 young people around the world.

(To see an example of Diageo’s work to combat underage drinking in Mexico, go to www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WqYyfjan1YE)

Reducing drinking and driving In 2015, IARD members and industry organizations supported 345 drinking and driving prevention programs.

Diageo themselves, also supported such programs in 39 20

Providing consumer information and responsible product innovation Diageo is committed to providing consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions about drinking as part of a balanced lifestyle, and has been providing nutritional information for its brands on its responsible drinking website DRINKiQ.com since 2006.

Last year, 100% of Diageo products produced in countries including Brazil, Kenya, Mexico and Nigeria carried one or more responsible drinking symbols on their packaging, alongside a DRINKiQ link which also appears on all Diageo products.

Earlier this year, Diageo relaunched DRINKiQ.com, making the site available in 12 languages across 25 countries, featuring enhanced alcohol content and nutritional information for all its brands, including a breakdown of calories, carbohydrates and protein, as well as, for the first time, detailing saturated fat, sugar, caffeine and sodium content. “In January 2016, we announced the launch of a new, revised DRINKiQ to help consumers make more informed choices about alcohol as part of a balanced lifestyle,” says Crofoot.

Enlisting the support of retailers to reduce harmful drinking The Guiding Principles on Responsible Retailing were published last November at the World Retail Congress in South Africa. Collectively, the signatories rolled out a total of 253 local responsible retailing initiatives in 75 countries where signatories are commercially active in 2015, up by nearly 20% from the previous year. Local responsible retailing initiatives are now in place in 89% of the countries in which Diageo is commercially active.

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock/Pressmaster

Reducing underage drinking

“We are partnering with the Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI) to develop a Sociable Nightlife Hospitality Guide for college communities,” Crofoot adds. “This guide is a collaborative endeavor by local government, citizen groups, retailers and colleges to help keep downtown communities vibrant and livable places to socialize and will include strategies for preventing underage drinking, drunk driving and other issues that may result from over-consumption.”

In Italy, for example, Diageo, in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Health and leading retailer Auchan, has successfully run a program to deliver responsible drinking hints and tips direct to consumers in-store for four years.

Last year, Diageo and Auchan increased the number of hypermarket participants to 150 outlets, reaching three million consumers.

all its products, as well as enforcing a Digital Code of Practice.

(To read about those policies, go to www.drinkiq.com/en-gb/what-diageois-doing/diageo-marketing-code) As part of the Producers’ Commitments, Diageo also ensures that the same rigorous standards are followed by the companies that it

works with—94% of contracts between Diageo and commercial partners, such as marketing agencies, now include clauses mandating responsible marketing.

Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ. com, for information, initiatives and ways to share best practice.

Water soda Goblet

World’s Best Glass alternative • Made of high quality, durable polycarbonate • Safer environment with no exposure to broken glass • All products can be chilled and are dishwasher safe • An elegant appearance with the same clarity, weight and feel of glass

Strengthening and expanding marketing codes of practice In 2015, an alternative method for assessing advertising placement was adopted by the signatories to address who was being reached by alcohol advertising in data-poor environments.

This information is critical to ensuring that company marketing is directed to LDA+ adults through channels that have a minimum of 70% adult audience, as intended. The 2015 data demonstrates that in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria, the three countries studied, alcohol advertising by signatory companies exceeded the industry standard for reaching adult audiences.

“Our stringent marketing code governs everything we do,” says Crofoot. “We only advertise our products where 71.6% of the audience is over the legal drinking age, which corresponds to the percentage of U.S. adults of legal drinking age, based on the last census.”

The company uses the Diageo Marketing Code, a well-established and strict code for the marketing of

www.barbizmag.com

Contact us for more information: Innova Products US LLC Ph: 1 800 884 4543 usinfo@innovaproductsltd.com www.strahlbeverageware.com

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

21

All the tools you need, all in one place.

Subscribe for free at www.barbizmag.com

BAR BUSINESS M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com

How To:

oss B t a e r G a e B On-premise

By William J. Lynott

ARE YOU A GREAT (OR EVEN A GOOD) BOSS? You may not be doing as well as you think you are in running your bar. These 9 questions can help you figure things out.

Shutterstock/baranq

O

ver the years, you’ve built a reasonably profitable business, but you often feel that you should be doing better. Unfortunately, pinpointing the reasons for less than optimum results can be a tricky business.

It’s far too easy to blame external causes such as poor employee performance, uncontrollable operating expenses, or the economy. While those situations certainly do exist, another cause can be much more difficult to face: management shortcomings.

www.barbizmag.com

Are you really doing the great management job that you think you are? The following 9 questions will help you analyze your own performance—before you find your employees doing it for you—while also leading the way to better profits.

1) Do You Avoid Showing Favoritism?

Favoritism, or even the appearance of it, can be a deadly enemy of positive employee attitudes. An employee who September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

23

How To: advantage in connecting with people on the whole, whether they are a customer, a prospect, or an employee, and is a critical part of running any business, especially something in the hospitality industry.

Author and adjunct professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business, Michele Tillis Lederman agrees.

“Regardless of where you are in your business career,” she says, “Listening is a skill that you must work on.

Listening is not a passive activity.

It takes energy and concentration to focus on what people are saying and what they mean by it.” Or as playwright Wilson Mizner once said, “A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something.”

feels that he or she is the victim of favoritism is likely to develop an unseen grudge that can silently but effectively damage your business.

Any indication that you regard one employee with more respect or appreciation than another is a certain path to negative morale. While it’s not always possible for you to avoid regarding some employees more highly than others, allowing that notion to become apparent is a serious management failure that will almost certainly exact a costly penalty.

2) are You doing enough to build Self-Esteem?

Every human being has a powerful need to feel respected, accepted and valued by others. This need is felt in every aspect of a person’s life, and nowhere more strongly than in the workplace. From brain surgeons to salesclerks, the human craving for respect and recognition is so strong 24

that it can dominate and control employee behavior and performance regardless of financial considerations.

The work of an employee who believes that his supervisor fails to respect or value his contributions is almost certain to fall well below his potential. In extreme cases, negligent or even harmful behavior can also eventually result.

Providing the kind of recognition that satisfies this important need is a key ingredient of being a great boss.

3) Are You a Good Listener?

Most experts agree that good listeners are rare. Human nature, being what it is, makes it easier for us all to think about what we're going to say next rather than listen to what is being said to us. If that sounds familiar, you have a valuable opportunity to bolster your business's success.

Good listeners have a huge

A serious disincentive for employee motivation generated by some owners and managers is failing to accept the blame when something does go wrong.

Take a page from President Harry Truman, who set the tone for his administration by placing a sign on his desk reading “The buck stops here.”

A reputation for always putting the blame on others is a management deficiency that will eventually exact a heavy toll in the form of employee unrest. Being in charge means being willing to take responsibility for whatever happens on your watch.

If a leader wants to build an atmosphere that promotes positive motivation, he or she needs to discuss problems with employees in a private setting. If he wants people to work hard on Fridays to get ready for the coming weekend, he needs to stay late himself. If he wants courteous employees, he must offer courtesy to others. In short, the person leading the operation must display the behavior he or she wants others to emulate.

While employee motivation may seem too theoretical a subject for some busy bar owners and managers, others will recognize that attention to the

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock/Chones

Bright ideas from employees can improve productivity, encourage morale and make people work harder to see their idea come to fruition.

4) Do You Avoid “Passing the Buck?"

kind of employee concerns discussed here can make the difference between success and failure.

5) are You open to receive Employee Ideas?

People who do the same job over and over every day often gain a perspective that even the boss can’t match. This can lead to new ideas for improvement attainable in no other way.

Of course, not every employee suggestion will be workable, but those that are have a double benefit: They improve productivity and they encourage the contributor, as well as other employees, to make a stronger effort to see their idea come to fruition.

6) Do You Really Know Your Employees?

Each of your employees is a human being with a unique set of needs, talents and individual circumstances. Showing that you have a genuine interest in your employees as fellow human beings is one of the best ways to build employee loyalty -- and productivity.

Fortunately, providing the kind of acknowledgment that recognizes individuality is an easy task. One of the simplest and most effective ways to develop and demonstrate a sincere interest in your employees is to take a little time to learn something about each one. Ask them about simple things like names of spouses and children, or hobbies and special interests. Then follow through with the occasional conversation to show you remember and are genuinely interested, and who knows, maybe you will be!

the "If you want something done right, then do it yourself." But in the business world, that philosophy simply closes the door on employees who genuinely want to contribute to the success of the business. In actual practice, effective delegation is a hallmark of skillful management.

8) Are You a Good Communicator?

Have you ever been frustrated by an employee’s failure to follow instructions or perform a task as assigned? If so, it’s quite possible that the fault was actually yours for failing to make your instructions unmistakably clear.

The ability to communicate with precision doesn't come naturally to most of us, regardless of the extent of our education. That's unfortunate, since the ability to express our thoughts clearly and effectively is an essential ingredient in successful management.

Since words are the tools with which we build ideas, most experts agree that building a better vocabulary is a key to better communication. That doesn't mean you begin relentlessly adding exotic, "three dollar words" just to impress people—quite the contrary.

The most appropriate word will seldom be the longest or most obscure.

The possessor of an unnecessarily large

vocabulary runs a constant risk of being misunderstood.

The trick is to master enough words to allow a clear expression of your thoughts without resorting to using terms that are beyond the understanding of anyone who's not a Rhodes scholar or linguistic professor.

Remember, the responsibility for successful communication lies primarily with the sender, not the receiver.

9) Do You Set a Good Example?

If you want to get the best out of your employees, if you want them to be loyal and productive, it’s important for you to set a good example.

Employees don't receive inspiration from manuals, handbooks or lectures; they learn from observation. Therefore the behavior you wish to see from your employees is best shown, not told. As an example, great bosses raise the bar by handling tough situations such as customer complaints with courtesy and respect toward the customer, even when the customer may seem to be “wrong.”

Great bosses never practice the “Do as I say, not as I do” philosophy.

The most effective managers ashould be able to answer "Yes" to most, if not all of the questions in this brief test. So...how did you make out?

Shutterstock/Bloomicon

7) Are You a Good Delegator?

The idea of delegating responsibility to others makes some bosses feel uncomfortable, as if they are giving up power that rightfully belongs to them.

Actually, good delegation is a way of harnessing the talent of other people to the boss’s advantage.

Some managers foolishly adhere to

www.barbizmag.com

"Are you a good listener?"

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

25

Wasteful

Sins:

I

f you’ve ever been to a block party with a few kegs of beer, you’ve seen the party host “shake the keg” to determine when it’s time to tap another. This measurement process is good enough for a neighborhood gathering, but no way to run a business in the age of technology and analytics. Yet, this is how many bar managers still manage

26

their inventory; as if it were 1995.

Draft beer is often the highestmargin menu item, yet it also results in pouring significant profit down the drain. Let’s examine average waste at 20 percent per keg. On a 20-tap bar, this translates to 26,000 wasted pints per year. At $5 per pint, you’re looking at a potential $130,000 in missed revenue annually.

Draft beer waste is impossible to manage when you don’t know where or when it’s occurring or the solutions available to help you better identify what’s left in each keg—providing the data needed to make informed purchasing decisions on what to stock, what to serve, and how to price it.

The waste problem boils down to seven primary offending ‘sins.’

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock /Roman Sigaev

How You’re Losing Profit on Draft Beer Sales

to customers, and it adds up – quickly - which is a cost that you are bearing.

Make sure bartenders know that you have a process for tracking draft beer, and that “poor pours” are being monitored.

To provide incentive for accuracy, create shared goals among the bar staff for reducing waste – perhaps providing a bonus when numbers are reduced.

Sin #2 Inventory Guesswork

By Steve Hershberger, Co-founder and CEO SteadyServ Technologies

SIN #1 Giveaways Vs. Overpours Free beer makes customers feel good, special and may indeed keep them coming back…for more free beer. Giveaways to friends and regulars can be intentional, but overpours are more of a sloppy oversight. Either way, your staff is pouring beer that is not being sold www.barbizmag.com

Unless you know how much draft beer is leaving your kegs in real time, ounces poured versus ounces sold can vary widely from the reality. New technology innovations are helping bar and restaurant managers calculate draft beer profit with a high degree of accuracy in real time, but here are two simple tips for keeping inventory waste at a minimum: Keep it fresh. There is lowhanging fruit when it comes to reducing inventory waste: The most common mistake you can make is to assume the beer you have in stock is fresh. Once a keg is tapped, depending on the style, you have about five days before it goes bad.

Bad beer is wasted beer and the best way to prevent this is to track the delivery date and the date the keg was tapped.

Keep it moving. Rotation, too, plays a key role in maximizing the inventory you have on hand. Your goal should be to move through all of the beer as quickly as possible, instead of replacing the fast movers with new kegs. After about 5 days, replace slower-moving beer as well, always rotating in a ‘First In, First Out’ process.

Sin #3 Unappealing Tap Lineups A tremendous amount of research and evaluation goes into choosing food menu selections, layout and presentation, yet many bar managers choose their beer selection at random or based

on the recommendation of various beer reps. Rather than guessing, you should take time to analyze the market, make decisions based on what is actually selling and understand that the right variety is vital.

Do you have the right variety?

The ideal number of taps is somewhat up for debate; your patron demographics, the bar size, sales volume, season and local availability of styles al play a role in how many you choose to offer.

Depending on cooler space and bar layout, all draft programs can be optimized with the right amount of data to guide a retailer. As a general rule, having the right variety of between 12-18 taps provides enough selection for different customer preferences.

Variety though, is something you must get right. IPAs, for example, represent roughly 20 percent of craft sales, and capitalizing on its popularity is a smart move. But that doesn’t mean that 15 IPAs on draft is a good idea, as over representing a style erodes its value and confuses the customer, so a diverse list is best.

Sin #4 Foam Waste We all know that too much foam is a bad thing – it’s easy for the customer to recognize and it also contributes to waste. W hat causes foam?

Pressure. It’s a balancing act, maintaining the proper temperature and right level once the keg has been tapped.

The safest bet is to work with an experienced draught technician to determine the right gas blend and amount of pressure.

Temperature. When kegs get too warm, excess carbon dioxide is released, causing foam to erupt and the beer to go sour and become cloudy. About 25 percent of foam is beer, so allowing foam to accumulate in the keg cheats you out of sellable product. Store beer at constant 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

To prevent foaming once the beer September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

27

Variety: The spice of life and your tap lineup, so be sure to get it right.

leaves the keg, make sure the lines can maintain the same ideal 38-degree temperature.

Sin #5 Non-Competitive Pricing With so many variables and new products on the market, pricing beer properly represents a big challenge for operators. Both ends of the extreme are to blame – from charging too much for premium crafts to charging too little for lowcost domestics.

Like every consumer product, each pint has an optimum price point – the price at which the most people are going to buy it at the highest profit value for the bar or restaurant owner. Charge too little for a beer and you might sell a lot of beer, but undercut your own profit.

Or, in some cases, you might 28

actually lose sales among consumers who perceive low price as low quality. Charge too much, and nobody will buy the beer.

Think about selling your beer by the ounce, not the glass. In doing so, you’ll better maximize your profit per ounce. As an example, did you know the perfect price for a 16 oz. Blue Moon White Ale is $5.15?

At that exact price point, a retailer will sell the most of that beer, on average, than when priced at $6 or even at $4.25. Surprised? Getting pricing right is key. Remember this mantra: ‘For success, never guess!’

Sin #6 Stale Beer Your bar is busy and beer is selling. What you don’t notice are the two reject styles that are selling every now and then, but

the bar is busy so you leave the rejects on tap to keep the variety.

Instead of moving through all beers as quickly as possible – including the slow movers – you only replace the fastest movers with new kegs.

The problem? Beer is like milk – it has a finite shelf life. Once tapped, the beer begins to lose its freshness and, once it’s stale, it becomes unsellable. Seasoned beer drinkers will be able to tell right away, sending beer back and contributing to waste.

Knowing what is selling in the first place will reduce the overall problem of stocking beer that no one wants – so invest in technology that helps you track real-time consumption and provides the ability to track consumption trends over time; you’ll end up with an optimized

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock /Phase4Studios

The draft beer industry is poised for a fundamental shift in how beer is brewed, distributed and sold. You can either accept the inevitability of the forthcoming new standard of technology, or get left at the bottom of the barrel.

cooler of beer that you know will move quickly and consistently.

Sin #7 Shaking The Keg As with Sin #6, untapping a keg too early occurs because bartenders don’t know if—or how much—beer is left in the keg.

Traditionally, bartenders “shake the keg” to gauge how much beer is left – the same method used at fraternity parties. If you had 20 filet mignon cuts in a cooler, you would never pick up the covered tray without looking inside and assume that all the meat had hit the grill, potentially throwing away one or two steaks? Why, then, is this method accepted when it

comes to draft beer?

The answer is that there has not been a better way to “look inside” a keg – and on busy nights, it’s easier to simply give it a shake and move on.

How can you make sure the keg is empty before untapping? Today’s technology innovations can track real-time keg levels and provide actionable insights, eliminating guesswork and helping you sell every last drop.

As with many things in life, you don’t know what you don’t know, and how to maximize you draft profit is no exception. In the next five years, the draft beer industry is poised for a fundamental shift in how beer is brewed, distributed and sold. You can either accept the

inevitability of the forthcoming new standard of technology, or get left at the bottom of the barrel. Either way, a change is coming to make draft beer sales more efficient, and we can all toast to that.

Steve Hershberger is Co-founder and CEO of SteadySer v Technologies, a data-as-aser vice company that delivers real-time performance intelligence on draft beer consumption and inventory. Prior to SteadySer v, he co-founded and ran marketing agency Comblu, where he used his data analytics skills to build solutions that gave clients accurate metrics regarding word-of-mouth and ROI. An avid craft beer enthusiast, Hershberger also co-founded Indianapolis-based Flat12 Bierwerks in 2009.

Shutterstock /lchumpitaz

Draft beer waste is impossible to manage when you don’t know where or when it’s occurring.

www.barbizmag.com

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

29

The Sweet Smells of Success

By Elyse Glickman

30

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

There are times when the nose knows what the customer is craving. This is when the art of aromatics comes into play at the bar.

I

f you’re Arnd Heissen, an ambitious bar owner in Berlin, Germany, how do you get the attention of both worldly travelers and locals looking for something new?

Heissen devised a way for his customers to engage all their senses, especially smell at Fragrances inside the Ritz-Carlton Berlin hotel. Using the KaDeWe department store fragrance bar as inspiration, he did away with the familiar printed menu and replaced it with bookshelves at both bar entrances. About 30 cubicles display a man or woman’s fragrance, the cocktail’s foundation spirit, artfully arranged ingredients and a photo of the finished drink.

“Our rationale for the unusual menu is that some customers can be overwhelmed by the listing of ingredients, or not have a clear cut notion of how the final drink will taste,” explains Heissen. “They can use their sense of smell and sight. The pictures, which function the same way photos do on a Chinese restaurant menu, tell customers what (a drink) will look like, while the top notes of the colognes and perfumes will give them an idea of what it will taste like.”

Heissen also insisted the two year-old bar had developed a solid following with both well-traveled and local cocktail fans, without any publicity or splashy events.

“The best way to market something is word of mouth, and get a buzz going,” he says. “We were so confident this was going to work that we did not even do an opening night party. We just had people come in and let the displays and drinks do the work for us.”

taste when it’s through the lips and over the gums.

While I like using a perfume bottle atomizer for the delicate flavor of the Bee’s Sneeze, I also use the torching technique for rosemary, and you can always take advantage of slapping herbs like mint— a technique used in making mojitos—which releases the essential oils. All of these stimulate the nose and evoke interest.”

“Aromatics are everything when it comes to cocktails,” says Matt Ragan, general manager at Victor Tangos in Dallas, TX. He points out that 75% of what customers taste comes from aromatics being perceived through the brain during a process called “retronasal olfaction”—smelling aromas through both the nose and the air passageway from the mouth to the nose.

As something is eaten or sipped, compounds float up from your mouth and are perceived in the back of your nasal passageway. The human tongue is capable of picking up between five and seven distinct flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami). For smell, the olfactory system can distinguish between two and seven trillion distinct aromas depending on the study.

“Simply put, smell is taste,” says John Lermayer,

“Every sense is important in creating an engaging cocktail”

Scents and Sensibility While Fragrances is a perfect fit for Berlin, given its innovative art scene, bartenders around the U.S. are finding creative ways to make smell as much a part of their cocktail program as taste and sight are. However, like with any spirit, experience is key in terms of achieving the right sensory balance.

In Charlston, NC, you will find a perfume atomizer on the bar of Allen Lancaster, Jr., Mixologist at The Spectator. It plays a key role in the Bee’s Sneeze with Old Tom Gin, while edible flowers provide an elegant finishing touch.

“The sensory creation of a cocktail is a three-part process,” says Lancaster. “The eyes are the first component, as the customer can either see it being made or can anticipate what the final cocktail will look like. The olfactory, or aromas come next, and then, www.barbizmag.com

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

31

Recipes The following are provided by Arnd Heissen of Fragrances, The Ritz-Carlton Berlin, Germany

Bahia by Frau Tonis The arrival of the birds – Flamingos waving scents of magnolia and japanese cherry blossoms 1½ oz. Jinzu Gin 2/3 oz. lime juice 2/3 oz. magnolia-sakura syrup 1 teaspoon Disaronno Amaretto Original 1 teaspoon Ceylon-cinnamon brandy 1 teaspoon Nutmeg brandy 1 egg white Fill with rose lemonade

Black Saffron by Byredo Sensuality, elegance and extravagance 1 oz. Saffron Gin 1/3 oz. Don Julio Anejo Tequila 1/3 oz. Bigallet Creme de Violette 1/3 oz. Leblon Cachaça Rum 10 dashes rose water 2 barspoons Vetiver syrup

Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone A night in the Caucasus, Samarkand and one million cultures 2/3 oz. Mancino Vermouth Rosso Amaranto 2/3 oz. Incense patchouli Tequila 1/3 oz. Leblon Cachaça rum 1/3 oz. plum nectar 1/3 oz. pomegranate liqueur 1/3 oz. Swan Lake Gin 1/3 oz. lime juice 1 barspoon Cedar wood syrup

Viola Essential by Salvatore Ferragamo The festival on the rooftop in Macau with a stunning view of a starry night with fireworks 2 oz. Tanqueray Gin No. 10 1 oz. lime juice 2/3 oz. Neroli-Patchouli syrup Foam: litchi-purée, egg white, Neroli syrup

32

Stone Fruit Smash bartender at the Florida Room in Miami. “It’s a marriage that can’t be ignored. The body does not like when your nose lies to it. If it doesn’t taste like it smells, the overall result will not be enjoyable.

The first and most important tool for any bartender is knowledge… understanding your ingredients.”

Steve Escobar, Beverage Director at New York City-area venues The Regal, Hotel Chantelle and Penthouse808, states customers are now literally following their nose to cocktail bars and menus that incorporate use of all five senses to experience full enjoyment of a drink. His customers now expect a higher-level cocktail containing higher-level ingredients.

“Things that were once innovative are now the starting point for a cocktail,” says Escobar.

“Finding different ways to elevate the cocktail drinking experience has led to experimentation with aromas and other ways to improve the sensory experience.”

Using Common Scents Hien Truong, Bar Manager at Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres at SLS Hotel in Las Vegas adds one should be mindful of avoiding sensory overload when preparing a cocktail. “It’s very important that the aromas complement the flavors,” he advises. “It’s not just

about tasting something sweet, but having a particular flavor match up with certain aromas; be it florals, citrus or anything else we associate with sweet flavors, and then take that to a higher level.”

Putting it another way, Regan says the secret to giving the cocktail nuance is to focus on accenting the things you want to and push other aromatics into the background. “My standard is and always will be a Classic Daiquiri with Jamaican Pot Still Rum,” he says. “It’s the greatest example of getting great ingredients—lime, sugar and rum—and showing restraint with them. When put together in the right proportions, they transcend the sum of their individual parts.”

Adrian Grossman, head bartender of Social Drink & Food, notices that before customers sip any cocktail, its aromas will often hit the nose first. Making an impact through aroma can be as simple as adding bitters or fruit zest.

However, he also suggests they should be used in moderation because of their high concentration of flavor and aroma.

“Certain bitters like Peychaud’s can be overwhelming, so it’s key to not have a heavy hand while applying to a cocktail,” he says, suggesting alternative techniques.

“I like to use Absinthe in a spray

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

bottle to lightly coat a glass before making a cocktail. It can easily enhance the aroma of a cocktail and make a big difference. We also like to use a few drops of rose water to finish our Rose Water Martini.

Without the rose water, the drink would be a basic martini.”

Joseph Quintela, of New York City’s Salinas, believes the most important tool a bartender has is his or her own nose. He compares a bartender that doesn’t use it to a chef that doesn’t use a tasting spoon. He insists that it is necessary to repeatedly checking the aroma of the drinks to make adjustments and come up with new ideas.

“Spanish cuisine, in particular, achieves a careful balance between salt (savory), sugar (sweet) and acidity in the flavor profile,” Quintela says. “We use this same principle in our cocktails such as the Cilantro Roto. The foundation of this drink is the balanced triad of Tequila (savory), Chili Syrup (sweet), and fresh-squeezed lime juice (acid). But the aromas of the apple and cilantro are developed through muddling and sit atop the drink both visually and aromatically.”

“We eat with our eyes, then our nose, and finally, we taste the drink,” says Zachary Blair, Lead Mixologist at The Whiteface Lodge in Lake Placid, NY. “You should pay

attention to the season and the flavor profiles the customer is looking for. In the summer, I like to use fresh, floral aromas like mint, lavender, strawberry blossoms, orange twists and toasted coconut.

When a cocktail calls for savory profiles in the cooler months, deep herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, anise or cinnamon sticks can help to bring color and boldness to it.”

Truong’s team in Las Vegas uses familiar techniques with bitters, fresh fruits and atomizers and proprietary techniques for fire and smoke infusions to achieve desired aromas. He cautions bartenders to be mindful of how a little goes a long way when choosing among thousands of aromas to achieve a desired effect.

“Just like flavor pairings, we have to be able to match aromas that will end up enhancing a final cocktail product rather than conflict or dominate key ingredients,” Truong says. “It’s also important to underscore the importance of using the right glassware. When serving cocktails, we use stemware and bowl-shaped glasses to bring out aromas and allow evaporation to filter up. In rocks or martini glasses, there is some movement, but nowhere for those aromas to get trapped and linger in the cocktail.”

Speaking of glassware, Blair

Rosewater Martini www.barbizmag.com

Bee’s Sneeze Allen Lancaster, Jr., The Bar at The Spectator, Charleston 2 oz. Ransom Old Tom Gin 3/4 oz. Lavender-infused Charleston Bees Honey 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice 1 egg white Atomizer Spray Orange Blossom & Rosewater 1. Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice.

2. Shake vigorously until froth from egg white is thick.

3. Strain into cocktail glass.

4. Spray orange blossom and rose water perfume.

5. Garnish with edible micro viola flowers.

Rosewater Martini Adrian Grossman of Social Drink & Food, New York City 3 oz. Reyka Vodka 3/4 oz. lemon Juice 3/4 oz. simple syrup 8 eye drops rose water 1. Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.

2. Strain into a coupe glass.

3. Garnish with edible rose petal

Wood and Fire Hein Truong, Bazaar Meat at the SLS Hotel, Las Vegas 2 oz. Cazadores Reposado Tequila 1/4 oz. Benedictine liqueur Maple Syrup 2 dashes Chocolate Bitters Cedar Plank Garnished with marigold flowers and cloves 1. We start this cocktail by taking a torch to the cedar wood plank.

2. After igniting the plank, we trap the flame and let the glass fill with cedar wood smoke.

3. We then take the smoke and transfer it over a 2x2 ice cube. By doing this we infuse the smoke into the ice cube.

4. After this infusion we then pour our cocktail into the glass.

5. The maple syrup in the cocktail gives it just the right amount of sweetness and complements the cedar smoke extremely well.

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

33

El Juancho Emmanuel Pena, Brand Ambassador for Diplomático Rum 2 oz Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva 12 yr ¾ oz La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Blanc ½ oz liquid sugar or 1 tsp sugar 2 dashes Suze Bergamot and Orange bitters 1½ inch-long orange peel

Ginger Paloma Eric Rubin, Brand Manager at Blue Nectar Tequila 1½ oz Blue Nectar Silver Tequila 1½ oz Top Hat Ginger 1½ oz ruby red grapefruit juice 1½ oz club soda Lime wheel 1 pinch Himalayan Pink Salt 1. Measure all ingredients into a mixing glass half full of ice.

2. Strain into a Highball glass filled with ice.

3. Garnish with a lime wheel & a pinch of pink salt.

Smoke & Spice Tyler Burns, Beverage Manager, Smoke & Steel, Chicago, IL 1 oz Rittenhouse Rye 1 oz Monte Alban Reposado ¾ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz Lazzaroni Amaretto ½ oz spiced simple syrup Pinch cayenne pepper 2 dash apple bitters 2 dash San Francisco alpine herb bitters Cedar plank 1. Set the cedar plank out on the bar and ignites the wood with a blow torch.

2. After the wood has blackened a bit and the cedar’s char begins to scent the air, trap the smoke from the cedar plank by placing a coupe glass on top of the heated plank.

3. Prepare the cocktail and serve it in a beaker next to the glass on the plank.

4. Present the plank to the guest, and allows the guest to turn over the smokefilled glass and fill it with the contents of the cocktail.

5. The finished cocktail has a lingering smoke flavor that works perfectly with the sweet and spicy elements in the drink.

34

Smoke & Spice finds he gets a fantastic effect when he smokes a burgundy wine glass. Sometimes he will leave the smoke in the glass as he pours the cocktail. It bellows out of the glass, which enhances the appearance of the drink, and fills the nose with a rich, deep spoke. Other times, he will wave the glass as soon as it fills with smoke, so the oils from the cinnamon only coat the glass to achieve a less smoky flavor and aroma.

“I use whiskey bitters often as a garnish and an aromatic with egg whites and “paint” a design on the top of the glass,” says Blair. “I also use flames or torches to light ingredients on fire – the smells are amazing and it’s always a great show at the bar! I use essential oils in a mister to give a ‘ghost’ scent – an instance when a cocktail is presented without a garnish, but as soon as it hits the taste buds, imparts a hint of basil or lavender.”

From Smell to Sell “Every sense is important in creating an engaging cocktail,” explains Quintela. “Do you know why we clink glasses at a toast?

To engage the sense of hearing!

Everything else--sight, feel, taste and smell--is in the glass. When developing a cocktail, we pay particular attention to each of the senses, and smell is no exception.

In fact, it is particularly important because it bridges the space between the first impression (‘oh! that looks good’) and the final impression (‘mmm, that tastes good, too!’). A unity between these two moments is achieved by creating engaging and pleasing aromas.”

For Salinas, every drink sale begins with a conversation. While some cocktails are “crowd pleasers” that appeal to a broad range of customers, their menu also includes drinks that are suited to customers who have taken the time to develop an appreciation of a more rarified experience.

“The nose of the drink is the entree into its enjoyment,” insists Ryan Judson, Brand Ambassador for Usquaebach Scotch Whisky.

“Using lively language to highlight the aroma is the cocktail’s first impression for the customer and likely an important reason for ordering it. The nose and aromatics are the first place I start when describing each offering. Words like ‘bright,’ ‘smoky,’ and ‘earthy’ play a huge role in developing brand interest.”

Robert Albright of the Hotel Nikko San Francisco recommends devising carefully thought-out displays.

“At Hotel Nikko, we like to keep fresh herbs on the bar,” says Albright. “When a guest walks by

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

and sees a torch smoking a glass, or smells the aroma of the bar’s herbs, it brings out the, “Woah! I need to try that.’ For many customers, the smells evoke a memory. Perhaps the smoke reminds them of a fire burning at their favorite cabin. We have a drink named after Herb Caen, the Herbed Caen that contains Herb Infused Gin, Honey Syrup, Fresh Lemon Juice and kombucha.

When a guest orders this, we allow the guest to choose from six or seven fresh herbs on our bar to add to their drink. It really adds that extra kick.”

As Eric Rubin, Brand Manager at Blue Nectar Tequila, sees it, a cocktail description that provides an exciting preview of aromas is a perfect point of sale. In the Ginger Paloma cocktail recipe he submitted, Top Hat Ginger Beer Craft Concentrate evokes a Paloma experience, but with an added ginger element. The proverbial cherry on the top for any cocktail, meanwhile, is a fresh herbal garnish that adds both a visual and aromatic boost. These tricks also provide a way for high-volume accounts to achieve the craft cocktail appeal with minimal stress.

“Even with on-tap in high-volume environments we look to quality garnishes to set our cocktails apart,” says Rubin. “At the Gaylord

Texan Resort in Dallas we do multiple on-tap cocktails that are delivered efficiently, but always encourage a nice, fresh garnish to show the ultimate quality of the cocktail.”

Diplomatico’s Pena says factoring olfactory elements into a cocktail can help even the most modest bars up their game with increasingly sophisticated customers.

“You see more and more dive bars with a nice selection of bitters,” he observes. “I think people behind the bar are feeling more comfortable understanding the elements by using something more than your classic Angostura.

A perfectly balanced cocktail must touch every sense in a subtle way and let the complexity or the simplicity of the spirit takes center stage. Thinking back to when you began to understand this element you can easily play that in your favor when creating a recipe.”

“I think most of the credit of the explosion has to go to chefs, media, spirits companies and bartenders drive for career validation,” concludes Lermayer. “When the food scene in a city starts to boom, cocktail bar are right behind it.

Spirit companies have done incredible outreach programs to educate and motivate bartenders to further the craft.”

The following recipes are from Zachary Blair, lead mixologist at The Whiteface Lodge, White Plains, NY

Demonio de Fuego 2 oz Milagro Select Barrel Reposado ¾ oz Ancho Reyes ¼ oz Suze Bergamot and Orange bitters ½ oz Montelobos Mezcal 2 oz Pineapple Juice ½ oz Lime Juice ½ oz Simple Syrup 1 disk Jalapeño 2 disks Cucumber Orange twist 1. Muddle jalapeño and cucumber.

2. Add ingredients and shake with ice.

3. Strain into coupe or martini glass.

4. Garnish with orange oil brûléed jalapeño and cucumber.

American Prairie 1 oz High West American Prairie whiskey 1 oz Bar Hill Tom Cat 2 oz Pom Juice 1 oz Apple Cider 1 oz Saratoga Sparkling Water ¾ oz Lime Juice 1. Build in a glass and stir in sparkling water 2. Garnish with apple and lavender blossom

Lion’s Den 2 oz Gin Mare 1 oz Dandelion Syrup (Dandelion greens boiled down. Strain off water and add sugar, 1 part water to 1 part sugar) Muddled apple Dash of Bittermen’s Orchard Street Bitters ¼ oz Lemon Juice 1. Shake all ingredients in shaker.

2. Roll into highball glass.

3. Garnish with edible flower.

Little Bruce 2 oz Remy Martin 1738 2 oz Passion Fruit Puree ¾ oz Lemon Juice ½ oz Sweetened Condensed Milk

Pomegranate Noir www.barbizmag.com

1. Combine ingredients in a shaker, and shake.

2. Roll into bell glass.

3. Top with strawberry puree float.

4. Mint garnish.

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

35

Big

6

SAN FRANCISCO BOSTON CHICAGO LAS VEGAS

MIAMI new york

Cinema Paradiso Foreign Cinema’s Laszlo Bar, an iconic industry venue in San Francisco, re-opened in May, debuting a refreshed look and new cocktail menu.

36

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

L

aszlo, the classic bar connected to Foreign Cinema in San Francisco, has quietly experienced a modern refresh. Re-opened on May 12, this is the bar’s first and only renovation since originally opening 16 years ago. Along with the fully updated interior comes a tempting new bar bites menu, a film-inspired cocktail list, and a revitalized emphasis on local DJ programming.

“So much has changed in San Francisco since we first opened the bar in 2000. We knew it was time to modernize Laszlo so it could continue to serve the community in the best way possible,” says Foreign Cinema Owner/Chef Gayle Pirie. “The goal was to warm up the overall atmosphere while enhancing what patrons always loved about the bar.

And yes, that does mean the return of the retro-red television, always a favorite detail amongst regulars.”

THE LOOK Designed by Bay Area–based Praxis Architects, the original team who worked on Laszlo when it first opened, the bar has moved slightly away from its loft-like feel and now has a more open and inviting street-facing storefront. The new look boasts prominent booth seating around the mezzanine and upgraded lighting that plays off the space’s angles and high ceilings. The bar’s enigmatic name is said to have its origins as a reference to a character in Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless, and this cinematic sensibility comes to visual effect in the vintage European movie posters that bedeck the walls.

“The architects have remained active participants in our expansions, so we collaborated with Praxis using lots of warm wood paneling, mirrors, and added three snug booths for seating upstairs to incorporate an intimate feel upstairs for groups, while keeping the design and shape of the room exactly the same with warm wood finishes, open windows, an entire new bar top, and bar equipment and refrigeration essentials,” says Pirie. “Green leather seating echoes the Foreign Cinema dining room, a new DJ booth with improved sound and an elevated station make the bar a focal point. You’ll see films projected on our back wall as well, just like before.”

“Our biggest challenge was merely helping to shepherd the plans into fruition, and watching all the details come together. We were closed for 9 weeks and that was tough.

Our bar in FC really felt the pressure of servicing guests without Laszlo.”

In terms of music, Pirie and Co-owner/Chef John Clark created a pulpit-like platform for DJs to perform, with a new and improved sound system to complement the lightsdown-low vibe. Under the direction of Foreign Cinema’s Assistant GM Sarina Eastman, longtime DJs Felix the Dog, Saurus, and Delon will continue to spin along with a rotation of up-and-coming talent. Gayle’s own vinyl www.barbizmag.com

compendium, which spans over 50 years and includes much inherited from her grandfather, adds an emotional and impressive heft to the whole affair.

“The inspiration behind Laszlo’s redux stems from our desire to keep the bar evolving and necessity breeds change,” says Pirie. “Frankly there were a lot of poorly constructed parts that needed addressing: The place was much too dark for us and the sound system was lacking finesse for our music program.”

THE DRINKS With the redesign comes a revamped cocktail menu created

by Foreign Cinema and Laszlo Bar Manager Nicky Beyries.

The new menu is comprised of seasonal flourishes with a dedication to local craft spirits, and also offers a selection of lower ABV cocktails made with aperitifs and aromatized wines that are perfect for sipping pre- and post-dinner at Foreign Cinema. Highlight cocktails include the Sunset Boulevard made with Benham’s Gin, inflected with lemon, rose essence and Mirabelle, which invigorates the senses, and the All About Eve which seduces Manhattan lovers

“So much has changed in San Francisco since we first opened the bar in 2000. We knew it was time to modernize.”

Nicky Beyries’ new cocktail menu is dedicated to local craft spirits.

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

37

Big

6

SAN FRANCISCO BOSTON CHICAGO LAS VEGAS

MIAMI new york

A view from the top: Laszlo’s new bar, DJ booth and upstairs lounge. using Michter’s Rye, Cocchi di Torino and Foro Amaro with orange bitters.

“Overly complicated drinks that take a long time to concoct were definitely something we wanted to avoid,” says Pirie. “Also, avoiding any pretension that we need to ‘educate the public’ with a lofty, arrogant program and position on the offerings was out.”

“The goal is friendly, humble service, delicious thirstquenching cocktails, really good food in a rich, warm environment and a charming eager to please staff.”

And the food? Regulars will be excited to know that Foreign Cinema’s full menu will continue to be available during dinner and weekend brunch. In addition, guests will be treated to a bar-only menu of global tastes (think: Madras Curry Fried Chicken “Sammies,” Fried Pickled Mushrooms and Sea Bass Ceviche Spoons).

“We brought in a fun bar snack menu meant to share and purchase by piece that’s also easy on the wallet to accompany our new drink program with our bar manager Nicky at the helm, creating seasonal libations that mimic 38

our daily changing menu,” says Pirie. Then, all that was left was the make the place look like a classic San Fran bar.

THE SCENE The passionate team imagines the revitalization to be reflective of the neighborhood, with Alamo Draft House and even Lolinda still being relatively new kids on the block.

The modern Laszlo is the same Laszlo, just nearly 20 years older, wiser, more refined and a lot more worldly. So, Laszlo is still living somewhere in Europe, although it’s apparent he’s no longer trapped in Budapest behind the Iron Curtain.

“Design trends were not on the radar,” says Pirie. “The original architects of Laszlo, Praxis, had proposed plans for Laszlo when it opened in 2000 that went largely ignored due to time and money. Laszlo was opened pretty quickly under duress just to get the doors open at the time.

“Well when you change a place that has been operating for 16 years, yes, a few hardcore regulars may not like it, but we needed to respond to our own aesthetic and service standards in order to compete and continue the

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

“When you change a place that has been operating for 16 years, yes, a few hardcore regulars may not like it, but we needed to respond to our own aesthetic and service standards.” evolutionary journey we’re all on. Change remains the only evidence of life, really. It’s how to keep invigorating what is offered at FC. Laszlo remains a unique destination for guests enjoying FC and want to cap off the evening in a different venue without venturing very far. Or stumble in www.barbizmag.com

before a film next door at Alamo.”

At the end of the day Pirie and her team wanted to be sure their redesign straddled the line between refreshing and recognizable, carefully keeping some of the cinemabased themes intact that had always played a role in the bar’s strong identity.

“We’re developing patina which comes with a little age, service and shifts, as well as trying to get all of our vintage movie posters framed along with some charming, obscure paraphernalia and imagery,” says Pirie. “The snug seating upstairs is highly coveted and can be rented—‘rent-a-snug’ as we call it—for up to 6 folks, which gets you bottle service and food. Other than that, the bones are sound, the sound is boss, and the space has good chi. It’s no longer a cave, and that was our ultimate goal.”

Laszlo is located in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, attached to restaurant Foreign Cinema. For more information please visit www.laszlobar.com or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/foreigncinemasf.

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

39

Inventory New Single Malts from Dewars

Jack Daniel’s Personal Collection

Aberfeldy 16 and Craigellachie 17-Year-Old are two new expressions joining the Dewars single malt family. Aberfeldy 16 presents a new version of the classic highland-style malt, offering more maturity than their 12-year and less body than the coveted 21-year. Like the other marques, the soothing Scotch uses water sourced from the Pitilie Burn, where alluvial gold is picked up and incorporated into the malt. Full of fresh fruit and buttery notes, just one sip of the 16-year-old marque is sherried and full like fruitcake, with dabs of dark chocolate that follow.

Craigellachie 17 is produced in oldfashioned worm tubs, adding extra flavor and creating a dram to rival whiskies twice its age with a distinctive, meaty character. While the big, bold and unadulterated taste remains true to the brand, the new marque is identified with more sweet flavors than those of the existing agestatements. While the 17-year-old is unique to the portfolio, the smooth, smoldering finish is reminiscent of the fan favorite Craigellachie 13-Year-Old and the treasured and rare 23-year-old which retail for $89.99 and $144.99 respectively.

For additional information, please www.dewars.com.

What was once a privilege reserved only for Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Jeff Arnett is now available to connoisseurs around the world who will be able to explore Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel themselves. Only the barrels from the top of the Jack Daniel’s warehouse will be set aside for the Personal Collection program, as those are exposed to the most extreme temperatures, creating the most flavor and color within the whiskey. Each barrel has its own personality and characteristics from being exposed to those extreme temperatures that create subtle differences barrel to barrel, a signature of the Single Barrel collection.

Each barrel starts around $10,000 plus tax. The new program will offer a more special and personalized experience for buyers. Jack Daniel’s has also created premium collectibles and experiences to be enjoyed with every Personal Collection selection including a custom barrel head and framed barrel certificate as well as a unique purchase certificate, luxury decanter and glassware. Participants will be commemorated with their name in the Barrel Recognition Room in Lynchburg, TN – an exhibit honoring barrel purchasers in a part of the tour that nearly 400,000 people take every year. Please visit www.jackdaniels.com for more information.

Lovecraft back in Narragansett

The Glenlivet Honors The Past

Narragansett Beer announced the release of White Ship White IPA, the fourth chapter, and fifth installment, in the popular Lovecraft Series which honors the famous horror writer and lifelong Providence, Rhode Island resident, H.P. Lovecraft. Each beer in the series is based on a different Lovecraft tale, in both beer style and can design.

The beauty of The Lovecraft Series is that there is no end to the source of inspiration,” said Narragansett President Mark Hellendrung.

Narragansett’s White Ship White IPA is now available in six packs of 16-ounce cans, priced at approximately $12.99 SRP per six pack. White Ship will be distributed throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, Portland, Ore., and Greenville and Columbia, South Carolina. The timing and availability will vary per market.

For additional information or to find a retailer near you, please visit www.narragansettbeer.com.

The Glenlivet has been a standard-setting luxury brand for nearly 200 years, appealing to whiskey connoisseurs looking for a rare expression steeped in heritage and history. The brand’s historical ties to the Pullman Company, a pioneer of first-class railroad travel, are due in large part to the business savvy of Captain Bill Smith Grant, Founder George Smith’s last distilling descendant. Grant was able to persuade the Pullman Company to offer 2-ounce miniatures of The Glenlivet as one of the only Scotch whiskies available in dining cars helping to spread the whiskey’s fame across the US. To commemorate this piece of The Glenlivet’s history, The Glenlivet Single Cask Edition Pullman Train Collection contains 3 new, specialedition Single Cask whiskies marking the first time ever the brand has released a Single Cask in this market available exclusively in the US. The name of each bottle is inspired by the Pullman Company: Pullman Club Car, Pullman Twentieth Century Limited, and Pullman Water Level Route.

The Glenlivet Single Cask Edition Pullman Train Collection is available at retail locations and at www.caskers. com for $349.99/bottle. For additional information, please visit www.theglenlivet.com/us.

40

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Service with a Smile.

We’re happy to serve you all the info you need for a successful Bar Business.

Sign up for free at www.barbizmag.com

To a s t i n g S

h ows : trJoadnesTaffer talks te

BAR B USINES S Th e H ow -To

February

P u b li ca

ti on

levi hows an d trendssion, in 2014

2014

M A G A Z I N E

www.ba

rbizmag

Are You

R E A DY F O

R RUM?

JUKEB WINE: MAR OX FUTURES: TECH K E T P L AC E BIG SIX: S MOVEMENT AN FRANCIS CO

BAR BUSINESS M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com

.com

Holiday Happenings

1

2

4

6

11

Oct 1: CD Player Day

Oct 2: National Custodial Workers Day

Oct 4: Vodka Day

Oct 6: National German-American Day

Oct 11: Southern Food Heritage Day

Remember these?

Yeah, me neither. And if you do, then check the answering machine on your cordless phone because 1996 called and said to go buy a digital jukebox pronto.

Offer a free drink to all local custodians today, and especially to the crew that comes in to clean your bar every night. Without them, you’d be a mess.

Literally.

Vodka goes well with just about everything, except decisions. So put some on special tonight. People can try and fight it, but it’s 40% stronger than they are.

Queue up a tradiotnal waltz playlist on your brand new digital jukebox and break out the beer steins!

(Otherwise it’s David Hasselhoff CDs on your “Discman” all night and no one wants that.)

Deep-fry everything on the menu and you’re all set. Or just employ this simple acronym W.W.P.D.D. (What Would Paula Deen Do?) and then do the opposite.

13

15

16

19

22

Oct 13: Silly Sayings Day

Oct 15: I Love Lucy Day

Oct 16: Dictionary Day

Oct 19: Evaluate Your Life Day

Oct 22: Caps Lock Day

Free drink tonight for any customer who uses a well-known silly phrase. Except for “I’ll have a Long Island Iced Tea.” That’s not silly, that’s just stupid.

Roll some old I Love Lucy reruns on your TVs tonight. Or just offer to sell single cigarettes to customers and ask married couples if they sleep in separate beds. Either way it’s funny.

With each first drink order today, challenge a customer to give you the definition of a random word from the dictionary that you always keep behind the bar. It will be quite jocular.

Technically, not one of the all-time great themes for a fun bar night...although many who are unaware of the holiday may still be “celebrating” at one, anyway.

(AKA KANYE WEST DAY)

42

DO NOT FORGET TO TIP OR YOU WILL BE TYPOGRAPHICALLY YELLED AT ON YOUR RECEIPT!

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

October 1: Shutterstock/Tarzhanova, October 2: Shutterstock/Vectorvault, October 6: Shutterstock/stockphoto-graf, October 11: Shutterstock/Joshua Resnick, October 13: Shutterstock/ BeautyStockPhoto, October 15: Shutterstock/catwalker, October 16: Shutterstock/Mega Pixel, October 19: Shutterstock/Kiko Jimenez, October 22: Shutterstock/Carolyn Franks

OCTOBER 2016

Index of Advertisers Company

web site address

page #

ERCM

www.ECRM.MarketGate.com/Events

5

Harbourtouch CA

www.iHarbortouch.com

C2

Innova Products US LLC

www.StrahlBeverageware.com

21

TinPlay

www.TinPlay.com

13

TouchTunes

www.TouchTunes.com

3

Inventory Companies

Dewars

www.Dewars.com

Glenlivet Single Cask Edition

www.TheGlenlivet.com/us

Jack Daniels Single Barrel

www.JackDaniels.com

Narragansett Beer

www.NarragansettBeer.com

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

www.barbizmag.com

September 2016 Bar Business Magazine

43

Owning Up

Moving the Needle There's a lot of noise out there these days about digital music technology. About how unpaid DJs are "ruining" the business.

And about how “kids today" just don’t get it. But DJ Mednas is here to tell us that that's just what it is - noise. By Chris Ytuarte

Born in Morocco, Nassiri moved to Miami in 2008 and immediately paired up with house music superstar Erick Morillo at Arkadia, playing at the DJ's famous and long-running Subliminal Sessions party. Eventually the soiree moved to LIV, where Mednas is currently resident DJ.

4. New technology is common but truly new thinking is rare.

5. You may be tempted to compare your DJ skills to someone else. Don't.

Instead, compare yourself to you when you first started.

6. You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do; just do it!

7. Integrity is crucial to infuse your DJing with passion. Instead of just compromising, get serious about your real purpose.

Playing many types of music, Mednas keeps an eclectic repertoire as his base but always stays open to new influences. The crowd is what energizes any DJ, and Mednas freely adapts his set to that intereaction, spinning all genres and styles into one seamless party mix. Here are his tips for DJs to keep your parties running just as smooth.

8. It’s not “laptop DJ vs. vinyl DJ,” it’s “bad DJ vs. good DJ.” There’s always room to improve—format be damned.

13 Tips for the Modern DJ:

10. You can’t just prove yourself once to get noticed. You must prove yourself so much that people wonder how they ever missed you in the first place.

9. The free DJ does not devalue the paid DJ. Everyone has to start somewhere and you shouldn't be able to tell a DJ's cost from his or her set.

1. Crate digging's not dead, and it’s nobody else’s fault if you're too lazy to search deeply through a larger and more accessible music pool.

11. Learn to pace yourself. Magic only happens when it’s not forced.

2. As a DJ, “success” is typically about doing more of the things you know you should do, rather than learning some special secret you don’t.

12. If the most interesting thing you can say about your event is that it's a social obligation, you’re doing it wrong.

3. Don’t fear the equipment or the format of the modern DJ: Only that which can change can continue.

13. Nurture your network and it will return the favor.

Visit mednasmusic.com to hear more.

44

Bar Business Magazine September 2016 www.barbizmag.com

Shutterstock /Vladimir Hodac

Mehdi Nassiri, who plays as DJ MedNas at clubs worldwide, is here to remind bar and nightclub owners of what good DJing can and should be, so they can stop worrying about everyone who's getting it wrong and start thinking of how to be one of the ones who's getting it right.

Get Your

FILL.

In print, in person and online, the premier “How-to” resource.

fb.com/BarBizMag

BarBizMag.com

@BarBizMag

BAR BUSINESS M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com

Want more?

The How-To Publication

BAR BUSINESS M A G A Z I N E

www.barbizmag.com