August 2024
Welcome to August’s issue of Bar Magazine, the place where we delve into an array of hot topics, providing invaluable education and insights for hospitality professionals. With summer’s end on the horizon, this month we offer unmissable content to help propel your business into the remainder of the year with our extensive Cocktail Report.
With commentary from industry experts, the Cocktail Report will delve into expected category trends for the latter half of 2024, offering essential insight into cocktail trends, including spirts, mixers, sustainability and much more! With exclusive industry stats, the Cocktail Report has your business covered as you begin to think about creating fresh new serve lists for the cooler months ahead.
Our second focus, Training and Education, will look to the growing role of industry competitions within the sector, revealing their purpose of keeping standards high while uniting bartenders and mixologists from across the world – and with exclusive words from esteemed Diageo World Class Ambassador, Pippa Guy, this is one not to be missed!
Among our in-depth focuses, you will find our regular features including Hospitality Heroes, Venue of the Month, Hospitality Around the World, and two very special ‘New Creations’ courtesy of Equiano Rum and Pusser’s Rum.
Enjoy!
EDITOR
Eleasha Pritchard ep@cimltd.co.uk
Cover: Menabrea
www.menabrea.co.uk
Facebook: @menabreauk
Instagram: @menabreauk
PUBLICATION MANAGER
Manjeet Griffiths manjeet@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509109
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Jazmine Davis jazmine@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509109
ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Natalie Murray admin@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509103
CREDIT FACILITIES MANAGER
Gwen Lee creditcontrol@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509103
MARKETING MANAGER
Lucas Payne lucas@cimltd.co.uk
ELEASHA PRITCHARD EDITOR
@barmagazineuk Bar Magazine UK
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Lily Lawson socials@cimltd.co.uk
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
James Taylor
Grant Waters
SALES DIRECTOR
Tom Woollin
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
John Denning
8 HOSPITALITY HEROES
We talk to Andrew Scutts, Founder of Cocktails in the City, who tells us the story of his career in the industry so far.
11 BAR MAGAZINE AWARDS
We reveal the first member of the BMA 2025 judging panel – Kat StanleyWhyte, Bartender and Agave Expert at Viajante87, and next year’s esteemed judge of the Bar Magazine Best Hospitality Group award.
21 COCKTAIL REPORT
We delve into the cocktail sector, revealing expected trends for the rest of 2024 and expert advice on how to curate the perfect new season serves list.
45 TRAINING & EDUCATION
With the help of industry experts, we focus on the role of industry competitions within the bar community, revealing the benefits they offer and how best to prepare for them.
56 VENUE OF THE MONTH Archive & Myth.
60 HOSPITALITY AROUND THE WORLD
Amazónico Monte-Carlo.
Hooch Launches Limited Edition
Collab with SALT, Backed By 90’s Music Icon, Bez
The original alcoholic lemonade, Hooch, has announced an exciting brand collaboration with awardwinning craft brewery, SALT; launching a limited-edition product available in major mults and on-trade venues, supported by 90’s music icon, Bez.
Taking inspiration from the 90s ‘Cool Britannia’ era and launching just in time for summer, ‘Twisting My Lemon Man’ is a light and refreshing lemon-infused pale ale, made with real Hooch; the ultimate juicy drink for 90s nostalgia chasers and beer lovers looking for a twist.
Set to be an instant beer garden hit, the new product has launched in Tesco and Morrisons, in a 440ml can format, and a selection of on-trade venues, including Roxy Ball Room. With a sessionable ABV of 4%, ‘Twisting My Lemon Man’ is a summer exclusive, and expected to be a sell-out.
The strategic launch of ‘Twisting My Lemon Man’ follows consumer insights revealing a crossover between craft beer
and Hooch drinkers. The NPD will target three primary audiences; nostalgic Hooch drinkers, younger consumers familiar with both brands, and beer drinkers who would not usually consider an alcopop as their drink of choice.
Twisting my Lemon Man is also available to purchase online at the Hooch e-comms store in packs of 12 for £36: www.hoochlemonbrew.com/hooch-x-salt
For more about SALT and online orders, visit: www.saltbeerfactory.co.uk
Maison Villevert Launches
New Creation: Anne Bonny™ Rum
Maison Villivert has launched a brand-new spiced rum inspired by the legendary female pirate, Anne Bonny.
Over the past five years, spiced and flavoured rum sales in the UK have surged by 80%1, reflecting the spirit’s universal appeal.
Anne Bonny offers a unique blend of Caribbean rum, aged with spices and tropical fruit flavours, delivering a smooth profile with notes of caramel and vanilla. This mixable spirit is a tribute to the bold and adventurous spirit of its namesake. Combining Jamaica, Dominican Republic and La Réunion, blending British, Spanish and French traditions, to create a fresh take on a timeless spirit. With 44% of rum consumed in cocktails, Anne Bonny’s style makes it perfect for using in a daring mixup.
The story of Anne Bonny, a woman who defied the norms of her era to embrace
a life of adventure, inspired this rum.
Her legacy of breaking boundaries and living boldly is captured in every bottle.
Anne Bonny is available in the UK in 70cl bottles, made to 40% ABV. RRP: £39.99
1 https:// straitsresearch.com/ report/rum-market/ united-kingdom
Glenmorangie Reimagines Its Signature Whisky for Even More Deliciousness
Glenmorangie Highland single malt Scotch whisky has reimagined its smooth, luscious flagship Glenmorangie Original to make it more delicious than ever. The Distillery’s whisky creators are always exploring ways to bring new flavours and possibilities to their single malt. And in the course of their experiments, they concluded that their signature whisky’s tastes were even more luscious at 12 years old than at 10. Shared worldwide to delight whisky fans old and new, Glenmorangie’s silkier, creamier The Original 12 Years Old catapults this single malt’s much-loved notes of orange, honey, vanilla and peach to a new pinnacle of flavour. What is more, its wondrous tastes and aromas have already been recognised with a prized industry award.
Glenmorangie Original 12 Years Old is available from Glenmorangie.com and the Distillery Visitor Centre, and available elsewhere in the UK from August onwards, RRP: £40.
www.glenmorangie.com
BCB is Coming to London
BCB is one of the leading international trade show brands for the bar and beverage industry. BCB London will be the place to be for the global drink sector to do business and networking, especially for UK and Irish markets. It will be focused on high-quality spirits, beers, the wider drink category and showcasing the newest products on the market, providing education and knowhow as well as covering the hottest trends from around the globe to bring the BCB vibe to London.
BCB London provides a high-quality platform for industry players to present themselves specifically to the UK and Irish markets. Enabling international companies to enter this dynamic and diverse market, to position their premium brands in the UK and Ireland, to make key on-trade as well as off-trade connections and to meet their bar and beverage industry partners from all over UK. National and regional companies will have the opportunity to position themselves amongst the best of the best and network with both independent and
Signups Open for Prestigious National Cocktail Competition
The UK’s largest bartenders organisation is hosting the search for the nation’s top cocktail maker in the return of the famed National Cocktail Competition, of which there have been more than 30 competitions since the Guild started 90 years ago. Bartenders and mixologists from venues across the UK will compete in a high-stakes competition that tests their skills and creativity, with the winner progressing to take on the world’s best at the IBA World Cocktail Competition finals in Madeira this October.
Hosted by the UK Bartenders’ Guild, the UK’s largest bartender trade organisation, the theme of this year’s competition is to celebrate the 90th anniversary.
Signups for this year’s National Cocktail Competition are now open, and you can apply to enter at https://ukbartendersguild. co.uk/events/ukbg-national-cocktailcompetition-2024/.
Applications for entry to the competition close on 12th August, with the National Cocktail Competition finals being held in London on 9th September.
Once a winner of the UK competition
group decision makers.
Are you excited to see what BCB London will be? More information will be released from September 2024.
has been crowned, they will then take on the world’s best at the IBA World Cocktail Competition on 31st October 2024, with the finals being held in Madeira.
Sophie Turner Stars in Global Ad Campaign with
ST-GERMAIN Elderflower Liqueur
ST-GERMAIN Elderflower Liqueur announces a new collaboration with renowned actress Sophie Turner, who joins the brand in their mission to inspire people to ‘Spritz Up Your Summer’. The multifaceted campaign launches today with a content series starring Sophie, which brings to life the bright qualities of the brand’s signature cocktail, the ST-GERMAIN Hugo Spritz. The cocktail serves as Sophie’s co-star, as she searches for her ‘perfect match’ in the South of France.
The ST-GERMAIN Hugo Spritz has exploded in popularity over the last few years, as people look for new and exciting flavors in the Spritz category. Jetsetters from all over the world grabbed more than a slice of sunshine when holidaying
in Europe last year to make the cocktail a huge social media trend, driving +290M TikTok views and a +231% increase in Google searches in the UK at the start of summer1. The perfect cocktail to enjoy wherever you are, the lighter and brighter tasting cocktail is made with ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur, prosecco, soda water, and garnished with a mint sprig and lime wedge.
Be sure to follow both @StGermainDrinks and @SophieT on Instagram and use the hashtags #StGermainHugoSpritz and #SpritzUpYourSpritz to stay in the loop for more exciting campaign updates, or visit https://www.stgermainliqueur.com/sophieturner/.
1. TikTok Search Data (July 2023), 2023 Google Search Trend Report
Andrew Scutts
WITH A FLAIR FOR CONNECTING PEOPLE FROM AN EARLY AGE, ANDREW SCUTTS, FOUNDER OF COCKTAILS IN THE CITY, WAS DESTINED TO MAKE HIS MARK ON THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR. IN AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION, ANDREW REVEALS MORE ABOUT HIS JOURNEY IN THE INDUSTRY SO FAR, TELLING THE REFRESHING STORY OF THE BIRTH OF THE UK’S LEADING SUMMER DRINKS EVENT, COCKTAILS IN THE CITY.
ANDREW, PLEASE TELL US HOW YOUR CAREER IN HOSPITALITY BEGAN; AND WHERE DO YOU FIND YOURSELF TODAY?
I guess like a lot of people in the industry, I first worked in hospitality during my time in education. At University, I was working as the bartender in our halls of residence – which was the best job in the world for meeting people.
After education, I travelled around the world working in bars and restaurants, which was a great way to earn additional money. When I came back to London, I was fortunate to get the opportunity to work in a venue called Mint Leaf on the Haymarket, which had a highly regarded bar team at the time.
I was due to leave hospitality and move into teaching however, due to a family illness I had to leave the course and took a job for a small brand Blackwoods Gin whilst staying close to my family in Newcastle.
I moved back down to London exhibiting at a lot of shows with Blackwoods, and it was while attending Bar 07 in Earl’s Court that I registered the Boutique Bar Show. Bar 07 didn’t feel like a good event for small independent brands; you had big stands
Since 2007, I’ve organised 83 drinks exhibitions under two brands, Boutique Bar Show and Cocktails in the City, with over 100,000 guests that have come through the doors.
with big brands handing out lots of free drinks, whilst the small independent brands – which, in my opinion, were a lot more interesting to high-end bars – were located on the fringes of the venue in small stands and got lost at the event.
I hosted the first Boutique Bar Show in September that year, held at the Truman Brewery, which happened to coincide with a TFL tube strike – I nearly didn’t make it to my own event! We had so many registrations on paper but attendance was only 20%, so my first experience hosting an event was quite disappointing. However, the drinks brands that were there assured me and said, “don’t be disappointed, there’s a lot of key buyers and people that care”, which made me realise the importance of quality over quantity. This gave me the confidence to persevere and
so, from 2007 through to 2018, I operated Boutique Bar Show. Our promise was equality for all brands and quality brands on every stand, meaning that, everyone was treated equally and fairly, and that if you came to this event as a buyer, you would find the relevant exhibitors.
Having run the Boutique Bar Show for a few years, there was one thing missing: consumers. So, in 2013, we allowed consumers through the doors, extending the Boutique Bar Show into the evening. My learning from that was that the tradestyle exhibition didn’t have enough energy and flair for a good consumer event. So, the following year we introduced Cocktails in the City – a stand-alone experience –where a lot of the bars who turned up as guests to the Boutique Bar Show the day before, returned as exhibitors the following
Andrew Scutts
evening – a pop-up experience with the bar and brand together.
Since 2007, I’ve organised 83 drinks exhibitions under two brands, Boutique Bar Show and Cocktails in the City, with over 100,000 guests that have come through the doors. So, a lot of sleepless nights mixed with the euphoria and pride that comes with putting on a great event that people are grateful for. As an individual, I’ve always had a tendency to create new things and bring people together. For example, during my A-levels I was organising coach trips to nightclubs and created a University society to do the same thing.
WHAT INSPIRED THE BIRTH OF COCKTAILS IN THE CITY; AND HOW ESSENTIAL DO YOU THINK THIS EVENT WAS TO THE INDUSTRY; HOW IS ITS POPULARITY GROWING YEAR ON YEAR WITH MORE AND MORE BARS GETTING INVOLVED?
We were growing and growing around the country until the pandemic came. In 2019, we hosted six CITC events around the UK, with a pop-up in Los Angeles. One of those six events was an outdoor event in Bedford Square Gardens, and in September 2020 –the year of COVID – in partnership with the Bedford Estates, we hosted a community edition event, a charitable version of CITC. Hosting this event with Bedford Estates really transformed our relationship and they invited us back in 2021 throughout the summer for our summer series – three events, one per month across the summer season.
The fundamental format of CITC hasn’t changed over the years because it works –
the guests get a great experience because of the theatre and charm of the bars, the brands are presented in a really credible way and the event is a great catalyst for bars and brands to continue working together in the future – everyone wins
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT THE INDUSTRY?
The people – the industry is full of the characters, big personalities and generally, people are very generous in spirit.
WHAT IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON YOU HAVE LEARNT WITHIN YOUR TIME IN HOSPITALITY?
Focus on the things that you can change –there’s no point stressing about things that you can’t affect.
WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR FELLOW HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS – THOSE WANTING TO EXCEL IN THE INDUSTRY AND INSPIRE A NEW GENERATION?
It’s an industry that many people ‘fall’ into and sometimes it takes them quite a long time to realise it can be a great, long-term career. A career path in this industry is not particularly obvious or linear, so I think it’s important to surround yourself with good people, and find the individuals or organisations that impress or inspire you. All-in-all, take a professional approach early in your career and surround yourself with good people.
LOOKING
TO THE FUTURE, WHAT ARE YOUR SHORT AND LONG-TERM GOALS – WHAT’S IN STORE FOR CITC GOING FORWARD?
Short-term goals are always to put on a good next event – you’re only as good as your last one! For me, successful means we look after our exhibitors as well as we look after our guests. 2023 was another record year for us and we would love to build on that.
Looking to the future, I would love to reintroduce a London indoor event, much like our pre-pandemic flagship event. I have always been interested in taking CITC abroad, a dream of mine is to have CITC in cities all around the world!
Cocktails in the City Summer Series is now in full flow with the next event popping up on August 8th-10th.
For more information, visit www.cocktailsinthecity.com
Judge’s Profile
INTRODUCING KAT STANLEY-WHYTE, BARTENDER AND AGAVE EXPERT AT VIAJANTE87, AND NEXT YEAR’S ESTEEMED JUDGE OF THE BAR MAGAZINE BEST HOSPITALITY GROUP AWARD.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING AHEAD OF THE BAR MAGAZINE AWARDS JUDGING DAY?
Excited! It’s always a wonderful moment getting to learn more about our industry and seeing the hard work and progressive installations within different groups.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO PARTICIPATE AS A JUDGE FOR THE BAR MAGAZINE AWARDS; AND, IN YOUR OPINION, HOW ESSENTIAL ARE THESE AWARDS TO THE INDUSTRY?
To be brutally honest, I saw a lack of female representation throughout different judging panels across the globe, and saw an opportunity to be a part of something special and to make it known to minorities in this industry that they are seen. Any awards are never essential, but they are a great experience and addition to the industry, allowing people from all across the industry to see what is catching attention, what trends are, who’s progressing quickly, etc. It gives moments of opportunity and can install a drive to push for success.
AS THE JUDGE FOR BEST HOSPITALITY GROUP, WHAT QUALITIES WILL YOU BE LOOKING FOR IN NOMINATIONS?
I will definitely be looking at staff retention,
I hope to showcase those that are bringing their style of hospitality to the forefront of the industry and to break into some innovative discussions with the other judges.
benefits and working hours. Is there a training programme or progressive opportunities, and are the staff being supported correctly during these transitions. Development and growth are exceedingly important so these will be a main focus. In addition to this: what does the core drink offering look like, are the brand agreements in line with the venues, are the spaces cohesive or do they have their own unique branding and how well is this executed? There are a multitude of
areas I’ll be looking into, but staff are at the forefront of it all!
FINALLY, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE THROUGH YOUR ROLE AS A JUDGE?
I hope to showcase those that are bringing their style of hospitality to the forefront of the industry and to share some innovative discussions with the other judges.
@whyte_tales
True Italian Heritage
INTRODUCING MENABREA, THE PREMIUM BEER BRAND STEEPED IN OVER 170 YEARS OF HISTORY…
Nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps, the beautiful town of Biella benefits from a unique geography and access to quality ingredients, making it an ideal location for beer-making. It’s no wonder this town is home to one of Italy’s oldest and best-loved premium brewers –Menabrea.
The history of beer dates back to 4,000 BC, with ancient Sumerians developing the earliest known brewing methods. This long-standing connection to human civilization has led to many of today’s beers having remarkable heritages. In Italy, beer was known in Roman times but gained prominence in the 19th century when modern styles became widespread across Europe.
Menabrea, originated in this period and has a particularly captivating story. It holds the title of Italy’s oldest continuously producing brewery and is one of the country’s most popular beers,
holding its own thanks to the quality and craftsmanship that goes into every drop. It’s no wonder then, that the beer is making a mark in the trade here in the UK.
Founded in 1846, Menabrea’s success stems from its ingredients, brewing processes, and the unique ecosystem around Biella. This magical town in the Italian Alps has always been Menabrea’s home and has given its name to the beer’s unique descriptor – the Italian Alpine Birra. Its unique geography, resources, family history, and Italian cultural influences coalesce to create a premium beer that is continuing to rise in popularity.
“Menabrea really could only have been made in Biella, where the incredible natural environment meets some of Italy’s border countries,” says Angus Lawrie, C&C Group’s Head of Premium Brands, and the man in charge of Menabrea in the UK. During the brewery’s early days, without refrigeration, the natural surroundings were essential. “Biella is located at the foothills of the Italian Alps, where soft, pure water runs straight from the mountain, helping to shape the character of the beer.”
Biella’s natural environment allowed the beer to be cooled and stored for longer periods, while its proximity to France and Germany also played a crucial role. Located just 45 minutes west of Milan, founder Giuseppe Menabrea could import barley from the Champagne region in France and hops from Bavaria. The very best ingredients to make the very best beer.
By developing a meticulous process rooted in Italian high-quality craftsmanship, Giuseppe established Menabrea as a premium beer, first locally, then nationally. The brewery has remained in the same family for five generations, each retaining the original formula, ideals, and expertise.
“It’s been passed down from father to son, father to son,” says Lawrie. At the brewery, photos depict Franco Thedy, the current managing director, brewing with his father and grandfather. This tradition embodies the Italian way of passing down skills and being passionate about creation. “You have a classic Italian story of family, passion, and craftsmanship, but what makes Menabrea different is its geography and position at the foothills of the incredible Italian Alps – which defines the beer’s character”.
Over the years, Biella has remained a relatively small town while Menabrea’s brewery has grown in size, and reputation. As the beer’s popularity increased across Italy, the brewery expanded vertically due to surrounding residential properties. More than €14 million has been invested recently
It holds the title of Italy’s oldest continuously producing brewery and is one of the country’s most popular beers, holding its own thanks to the quality and craftsmanship that goes into every drop.
to develop a new brewhouse, fermentation cellar, and modern filtration plant to meet the growing demand with plans for further expansion with partners around the world.
Menabrea pairs perfectly with Italian food like Parma ham, creamy mozzarella, and beautiful tomatoes. Local Biella delicacies, benefiting from the beer’s slightly citrusy notes, include dishes such as Ris e Malastre, a pale-yellow soup made with milk, butter, potatoes, rice, and malastre flowers, and Paletta Biellese, a traditional pork shoulder ham. Additionally, the mouthwatering beddo, a cheese made from raw cow’s milk, pairs well with Menabrea.
Being a light lager, it won’t leave you feeling bloated. “It’s not overly carbonated and also has a lovely long-lasting head. It’s just beautiful, and the perfect accompaniment for quality Italian food,” says Lawrie.
With an optimal climate, rich tradition, and meticulous craftsmanship, it’s no surprise Menabrea is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. “The craftsmanship and obsession they’ve had for over 170 years to create this fantastic beverage – that’s what it’s all about,” says Lawrie. Visiting Biella,
you can’t help but fall in love with Franco Thedy’s passion and care for brewing, a magical union of tradition and dedication.
Menabrea’s position in the UK continues to grow, as awareness spreads and consumers look to the very best when choosing their beer. Lawrie says: “Menabrea has traditionally held a special place in quality, food-led outlets, particularly Italian restaurants where the beer pairs perfectly with the food on offer. Increasingly though, you will find a Menabrea tap in bars across the country –offering discerning consumers a premium beer choice that stands apart from the crowd.”
Italian Alpine Birra is Menabrea’s strapline, and the idea of elevation is key to the beer’s offering. “Whether it’s with food, or a social occasion with a few drinks, Menabrea will elevate the occasion, and that’s what stockist venues are buying into”.
Distributed in the UK by C&C Group, Menabrea is available via Matthew Clark and Bibendum across the country, and via Tennent’s Direct in Scotland. For more information on stocking Menabrea, visit https://menabrea.co.uk/wholesale/
Game-changing
BEN MINTER, DIRECTOR OF B2B SALES AT THE SOCIAL GAMING GROUP, SHARES FIVE REASONS WHY SOCIAL GAMING WILL GIVE YOUR WET-LED VENUE THE COMPETITIVE EDGE.
Looking to take the competitive advantage? From bigger crowds and increased spend per head to simply standing out from the crowd, social gaming brings a host of benefits to wet-led venues…
ENHANCE THE
CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE AND DRIVE FOOTFALL
Give customers another reason to visit your venue. Serving up the best drinks menu is one thing, but really standing out from your competitors is tough in today’s evolving market. Bringing the fun and games to your customer experience with a social gaming concept can make the crucial difference. Counter low footfall times of the week by using your competitive socialising offer to attract new customers with mid-week offers and tactically timed tournaments and events.
Understanding your customers; the reason they visit your venue and when‘after-work drinks’, ‘big night out’ and ‘date night’ are the most popular – will help you create a compelling events line-up to keep pulling in the punters.
ADD A NEW REVENUE STREAM TO YOUR BUSINESS AND BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE
By charging per player or per hour, bars can make significant additional gameplay revenue as well as managing their customer flow and upselling drinks before and after the main event.
INCREASE CUSTOMER DWELL TIME AND AVERAGE SPEND PER HEAD
Your customers will stay and play longer to enjoy the games, working up a thirst for more drinks. Tailor your drinks menu to your social gaming offer with sharing pitchers and drinks bundles for groups. Social Gaming Group partners who have introduced a social gaming activity are reporting strong returns thanks to darts and shuffleboard appealing to group bookings and being easy to play with a drink in hand.
ELECTRIFY YOUR ATMOSPHERE AND DIVERSIFY YOUR CROWD
Who doesn’t love a beer and a bar game? Inclusive and with wide-ranging appeal, social gaming offers that incorporate a variety of games can draw in different demographics, from young adults interested in digital games to older patrons
who enjoy traditional pub games. This can broaden the venue’s customer base.
Plus, a dose of healthy competition with groups cheering, laughing and having a great time delivers a vibrant experience for all guests whether they’re playing or not.
By organising regular tournaments and social events based around a social gaming offer, bars can also build a loyal player community.
SUPERCHARGE YOUR SOCIALS
Create compelling content for your social media channels with action-packed video reels to drive new customer discovery. Sleek and stunning, championship grade shuffleboards handcrafted in Texas from Canadian maple wood and photogenic interactive dart boards featuring the latest technology are great for grabbing attention and raising your venue profile.
Bars can also leverage user-generated content as customers will have plenty of opportunities to capture that all-important memorable Insta-moment.
Switch up your game plan and incorporate a social gaming offer to enhance the customer experience, drive repeat business, and create new revenue opportunities.
www.playflybydarts.com
www.playshufl.com
The Golden Pineapples Returns!
THE DRINKS TRUST IS PLEASED TO INVITE MEMBERS OF THE DRINKS AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO JOIN THE INDUSTRY CHARITY’S MAIN FUNDRAISING EVENT OF THE YEAR, THE GOLDEN PINEAPPLES AWARDS!
Following two successful years, celebrating the businesses, brands and individuals who have invested significantly in the industry workforce, The Drinks Trust’s Golden Pineapples Awards returns on 19th September 2024!
This year the event will be held at The Steel Yard, London, EC4R 3UE on Thursday 19th September 2024.
Now in its third year, The Golden Pineapples returns in 2024 to celebrate the businesses, brands and individuals who have made a significant investment in the industry workforce. Established as one of the cornerstones of the industry event calendar, The Golden Pineapples is unique in its offering, delivering attendees and brands the opportunity to network and socialise with industry leaders, whilst raising vital funds for the work of The Drinks Trust.
The evening is a coming together, and
celebration, of the UK drinks & hospitality industries and will comprise of a drinks reception, canapes and food bowls, a select few prestigious awards and firstclass entertainment. Attendees on the night will include buyers and procurement professionals from across the industry, many of the leading companies within drinks retailing and the hospitality industry, as well as The Drinks Trust patrons, suppliers, manufacturers and their invited guests.
In 2023 The Drinks Trust delivered over 5,400 beneficiary acts across financial, wellbeing and training. Over 70% of the people who sought our help in 2023 were currently in work. Our work in 2023 was delivered in three ways.
ASSIST
The Drinks Trust supported 2,540 industry colleagues with financial support, which, excluding the pandemic year in 2020, is the highest level of financial support delivered in the organisation’s history.
RESTORE
Our wellbeing services, supported over 1,700 people in 2023. The support line received 1,445 calls, and £37,000 was spent providing therapy sessions, mindful drinking support and Insomnia guidance.
DEVELOP
Our education and training service to those in financial hardship continued to grow, with 840 people receiving the industry qualifications to help them with long-term employment opportunity, and deliver skills to our industry. Since March 2022, over 200 individuals have been placed in employment through the referral programme.
This year’s Golden Pineapples is set to be the largest to date, with over 550 tickets available to the businesses and individuals in our industry. Tickets include all food, drinks and entertainment.
In order to make this industry leading event more accessible, ticket prices have been made more affordable than ever before, so we encourage you to bring your whole team together and enjoy the industry event of the year.
Tickets are now available, as well as opportunities to support The Golden Pineapples through product and award sponsorship. Tickets for the “must-attend” event of the year are selling fast!
To buy the tickets, visit: www.drinkstrust.org.uk/get-involved/ events-awards/upcoming-events/ the-golden-pineapples-awards-2024
Cocktail Report
WE BRING YOU INVALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE COCKTAIL CATEGORY, REVEALING TREND ALERTS AND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR VENUE’S NEW SEASON MENUS.
Serving Success
IN LIGHT OF THE VENUE’S NEW COCKTAIL MENU, AIDEN PAGE, BAR MANAGER AT GŎNG BAR, SHARES HIS TOP FIVE TIPS ON HOW TO CREATE A NEW AND SUCCESSFUL SERVES LIST FOR GUESTS.
TRENDS
The first thing we do as a team is sit down, collaborate, and take inspiration from all around us. We ask ourselves several questions: What is everyone drinking? What similar drinks are we seeing on other bar menus? What drinks are we seeing constantly on social media? Has the Whisky Highball made a return? For us, a trend is not just about what cocktail is popular; we also look at which seasonal ingredients are in vogue. Whether it’s rhubarb in summer or pears in autumn, we always keep these popular ingredients in mind when creating a menu.
DON’T PLAY IT SAFE
As much as we love to follow trends at GŎNG Bar, we think it is very important to ensure our menu is not full of them. In the bar industry, we all like to push the boundaries by using unconventional ingredients, and every menu should have one or two drinks that use peculiar ingredients not usually associated with cocktails. A personal favourite of mine on our new Decade of Moments Cocktail Menu is ‘Into the Unknown’ – an umami take on the Manhattan, with a unique blend of Woodford Rye, shiitake mushroom, soy, pure honey, cocoa vermouth, and tobacco bitters.
VARIETY
Giving your guests variety is crucial. It is important to use a selection of different ingredients to provide depth, but you also have to consider glassware and style. It is very easy to forget to check the flow of your menu: how many highballs do you have? How many stirred martini drinks do you have? Great menus not only have a variety of styles but also a variety of different glassware or vessels. So, remember, a highball does not have to be in a tall vessel made of glass!
DEEP DIVE INTO LIQUEURS
We work in the great world of creativity and have a ‘chef-like’ mentality when creating homemade ingredients. However, sometimes we can become fixated on creating an amazing peach cordial or tonka syrup, and when you try it in a cocktail, it doesn’t come out as you imagined, so you rework the homemade ingredient. Sometimes the homemade ingredient is perfect; however, the drink could use a modifier. At GŎNG Bar, we follow the rule that if someone already makes a perfect product, use it! This is why we deep dive into all different types of liqueurs —if we don’t, we would never know what we are missing.
TELL A STORY
With guests adopting a more mindful approach to drinking, the brands you use become very important and can assist in telling a story. We recently celebrated our ten-year anniversary, and to mark the occasion, we launched our Decade of Moments Cocktail Menu. Guests can experience a journey through nostalgia with this new collection featuring ten bespoke cocktails celebrating the past ten years of London and the UK’s history, marking ten years of sky-high drinking and dining at Western Europe’s highest hotel bar. The menu honours icons such as David Bowie, Stephen Hawking, and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as memorable events, such as the 2015 Supermoon Eclipse. This innovative menu boasts unique flavours, ingredients, and garnishes, while simultaneously telling a unique tale of the past decade.
TOPTENBEST SELLINGMIXER
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Causing a Stir
WITH THE HELP OF INDUSTRY EXPERTS, WE PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON COCKTAIL TRENDS FOR THE LATTER HALF OF 2024, OFFERING ADVICE ON HOW YOUR VENUE CAN BUILD AN EFFECTIVE NEW SERVES LIST THAT TAPS INTO DEMAND AND MAXIMISES REVENUE.
With summer – and all the fun that comes with it –beginning to draw to a close, now is the perfect time to begin thinking about reimaging your venue’s cocktail offerings in line with the new season. This Cocktail Report will provide all the insight you need to create the perfect, new season menu, as summer fades and the autumn leaves prepare to fall!
To provide a heightened guest experience and to effectively tap into everchanging consumer tastes, it is crucial that your venue’s cocktail menu reflects the
season. Ben Anderson, Marketing Director at FUNKIN COCKTAILS, summarises this view, stating, “As the seasons change, so do consumers’ palates – and we know this is driven by a range of variables – the weather, flavour preference, choice of spirit, even the mood on the day. So bars need to offer up a range to cater for this throughout the year and a change in season is a great opportunity to have a refresh.”
Additionally, creating a stand-out cocktail list in line with the new season, is sure to benefit your bar from a business perspective. Ben explains, “With a third of
consumers1 still regularly ordering cocktails during the winter, it is definitely worth keeping them firmly on the menu for every season, adjusting the offering as needed. Particularly as cocktails provide a higher spend-per-serve than your average drink category such as beer or wine.”
Recreating the perfect seasonal cocktail menu can often be overwhelming, so to make this easier, and ensure you are offering guests serves that are appealing, it is a good idea to begin looking to the category’s showing significant growth.
Luca Rapetti, Curator for the UKBG, notes three key categories that bar professionals should be keeping an eye out for as we look to the rest of 2024.
He explains, “The agave spirit category will still see an increase in demand, especially for premium products, mainly driven by strong American market demand as well as the involvement of actors and VIPs in the shares of some brands.
“Whisky will see an increase in demand during the winter seasons, with a focus on New World Whiskies, as consumers want to explore new styles and countries.”
Finally, Luca states, “With big investments and expansions of big brands in Asia, we will also see a growth of Asian products, like Sake and Baijiu.”
Looking to the agave category, Tequila is set to grow further into the latter half of the year, as Jonathan Dennys, Head of Portfolio at Mast-Jägermeister, explains, “While vodka continues to lead in popularity among spirits, the trend toward experimentation, flavoured mixers, and tequila-based cocktails is set to shape the cocktail landscape for the remainder of the year.
“Consumers are increasingly recognising the diversity within variations of Tequila to understand and appreciate the individuality of different expressions. Teremana Tequila particularly stands out with its three distinct expressions, Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo, as it allows venues to cater to a variety of tastes and preferences. Furthermore, consumers are increasingly seeking value for money, and with Teremana boasting 17 leading spirits awards, they can be assured of its premium quality,” Jonathan adds. Another extremely versatile spirit set to dominate the rest of 2024 is rum – and with its growing appeal to younger audiences, rum-based serves are an essential addition to any newly imagined menu.
Chris Jones, Managing Director at Paragon Brands, explains, “Rum is now a nightlife staple and is going to dominate the drinks menu for the rest of 2024 and beyond, and why wouldn’t it? It’s a hugely
With a third of consumers 1 still regularly ordering cocktails during the winter, it is definitely worth keeping them firmly on the menu for every season, adjusting the offering as needed.
While there is seasonal fluctuation for certain serves, it’s important to remember that the classics never go out of style.
versatile drink that can be enjoyed in all seasons and we love that it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves.
“We’re also noticing a change in buying activity from popular whisky and gins to rum, so operators can’t afford to miss out on the rum resurgence by not considering their offering; including the types of rums they serve with variations of light, gold, dark, spiced and flavoured.
“The versatility of rum allows bartenders to create diverse and exciting concoctions and it pairs well with a wide range of mixers, from cola, lime and soda, to even milk, leading to the creation of a White Cuban, a twist on the classic White Russian traditionally served with vodka,” he adds.
Also seeing a surge in popularity among consumers is the Low and No category, with more guests opting for mindful serves. Nicolas Medicamento, Events and Digital Executive for the UKBG, stresses the importance of including a range of no and low serves on menus, “Venues are missing something if they are not offering an alcohol-free menu to guests. It is key in the winter to plan ahead for Dry January, but also as more people are alcohol-free all year
round now – even at Christmas. Giving those that chose not to drink alcohol a really thoughtful, well-made cocktail menu could be a huge opportunity, not to be missed.”
James Stimson, Senior Brand Manager at Franklin & Sons, offers insight into the category, stating, “One trend set to continue into the second half of 2024 and beyond, is the moderation of alcoholic beverages, seen across all age groups so far this year. Along with the increase in popularity of low and no alcohol alternatives, soft drinks are increasingly becoming a preferred drink of choice for consumers looking to moderate their intake.
“We are also seeing a general consumer behaviour shift towards being more health conscious in their drinks consumption, actively seeking out lower sugar alternatives with natural flavours or sweeteners that do not sacrifice taste.”
Harry Furse, UK Sales Director at Mocktails, agrees, commenting on guests rising demand for low and no serves, as well as the growing popularity of RTD’s, “Low and no-alcohol cocktails will continue to be popular as health and wellness remain at the forefront, driving the popularity of low-ABV and alcohol-free cocktails.
“Additionally, the RTD category is experiencing significant growth, driven by consumer demand for convenience and highquality pre-mixed drinks. Some of the factors contributing to this trend include the convenience of enjoying a well-crafted drink without the need for bartending skills or equipment.”
While looking to growing and trending categories is a must when beginning to plan your venue’s new serves list, it is essential to not ignore the long-standing, classic cocktails and their power over guests. Ben at FUNKIN COCKTAILS urges, “While there is seasonal
fluctuation for certain serves, it’s important to remember that the classics never go out of style, with half of all consumers opting for timeless favourites such as the Pornstar or Espresso Martini all year round.
“This should make the menu easier to start, keeping these tried and trusted options as the core. This can then be supplemented with seasonal serves or even be turned into a dedicated special menu for autumn,” he adds.
Lee Hyde, Senior Beverage Expert at MONIN, agrees, advising venues to add excitement to their cocktail menus by feature some interesting twists-on-classics. He explains, “Well-loved classic options and flavours remain popular, yet at the same time, consumers keep an eye on new and adventurous products that spark their interest and intrigue. This offers a chance for bartenders to design menu options that put twists on the classics, evoking feelings of both nostalgia and excitement in customers.”
When curating the perfect cocktail menu for the new season, accessibility is key. Giovanni Spezziga, General Manager at the Coral Room and Dalloway Terrace at The Bloomsbury Hotel, explains, “The best way to sell a cocktail to a guest is to make it understandable – either with tasting notes, an illustration of the drink, or a name that suggests what it might taste like. If guests feel alienated by a menu, they’ll order a classic.”
Supplying more advice on curating the perfect cocktail list for the new season, Luca comments, “My advice is to look at what your crowd is looking for and do an analysis of the sales of your current menu, so you can understand the bestselling drinks and most popular styles.
“Then choose a theme for the menu and make sure to maintain a good level of creativity and research behind each cocktail, but without going too far. A good cocktail menu is designed and served for people, not for bartenders!” he finishes.
Ultimately, as we look to the latter half of the year, it is certain that there will be an obvious handful of spirit categories dominating the cocktail scene – and while, tapping into this growth is crucial in creating new seasonal serves lists that appeals to guests, it is also essential to strike a balance. This involves creating space for classic cocktails and more curious twists-on-classics. As summer draws to a close, and your team begin to endeavour on creating a new cocktail menu that hits all the right spots, remember: accessibility is key!
One trend set to continue into the second half of 2024 and beyond, is the moderation of alcoholic beverages, seen across all age groups so far this year.
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Pioneers
Mahiki 2.0
KEITH GODDARD, CEO OF MAHIKI, EXCITEDLY SHARES DETAILS ON THE RELAUNCH OF THE GLOBALLY RECOGNISED NAME, REVEALING MORE ABOUT ITS RECENT APPEARANCES AT SOME THE WORLD’S TOP SPORTING EVENTS.
KEITH, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT MAHIKI’S RELAUNCH; HOW IS THE BRAND COMING BACK BIGGER AND BETTER?
Mahiki was hugely successful throughout the 2000’s and hosted the likes of Beyoncé, Jay Z, Rihanna and The Royals. After its closure – just before COVID – as a team, we had many discussions as to whether the club should or should not re-open, with the final conclusion being the latter, for a number of reasons. Alternatively, we decided to focus on activating our outposts at the world’s top sporting events, which is what we’re working towards at the moment. You may have seen our recent appearance at the British Grand Prix, the Henley Royal Regatta and Polo in the Park in London. Essentially, we are bringing our club to all of these amazing sporting events for their duration – you can imagine the fun and buzz that we create!
Though it wasn’t the easiest decision to not relaunch Mahiki as it was once widely known, we have effectively reengineered the business to move away from it being associated with merely a popular London nightclub; we’ve recruited significant new ownership, investors and partnerships, and have many exciting talks taking place
with some new additional sporting events for next year. I think the colour, fun and positivity that we bring as a brand to all of these huge events seems like such a natural fit.
WHERE DOES MAHIKI DRINKS
FIT INTO THIS RELAUNCH?
Alongside our outposts, we’ve also been developing a whole portfolio of completely new branded Mahiki drinks and in the last month, we have released two new editions in the range, our Pineapple and Coconut Rum and a wonderful White Spiced Rum – the first full-proof rum we have ever released.
We’ve engaged with the top drinks makers in the country and have spent the last six months developing the two which, so far, have had great feedback among
the industry! We intend to release some premium drinks later in the year, some sipping and dark rums as well as a range of non-alcoholic RTD’s – all designed for the on and off-trade. In line with our outposts, we are also developing an isotonic drink, aimed at our sporting collaborations and partnerships which is really exciting.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR MAHIKI?
The brand has received a huge amount of love and what we’re really trying to do is to connect that with our outposts, providing guests experiences they cannot find elsewhere. Essentially, we are taking the fun, colour and spectacular experience showcased at the original Mahiki venue and now offering this at multiple large scale places and in our wonderful drinks range!
Pusser’s Painkiller® Cocktail
ENJOY THE AUTHENTIC AND BOLD TASTE OF PUSSER’S RUM, MADE TO THE ADMIRALTY’S SPECIFICATIONS.
Pusser’s has a rich heritage in the traditions of the British Royal Navy, being the only rum blended in exact accordance with the Royal Navy specifications.
Its name draws inspiration from the early days of sailing, when the officer in charge of distributing the rum ration was known as the purser. Mispronunciations of the name led to calling the rum “Pusser’s,” making it the precursor to the award-winning rum you know and love today.
The centuries-old tradition was then abolished on July 31st 1970 – an event now commemorated as Black Tot Day.
Fast forward to 1979 when entrepreneur and Marine Corps aviation veteran, Charles Tobias, resurrected the time-honoured tradition of naval rum by founding Pusser’s Rum. He even went as far as to sought and receive the Admiralty’s blessings to recreate the original Admiralty blend, a rum that is as rich in history as it is in flavour.
To this day, Pusser’s Rum is worldrenowned for its exceptional quality, crafted using the original wooden pot stills, a method that has remained unchanged for centuries since it first went into production in 1732. This process ensures a rum that is both full-bodied and rich, with a distinctively smooth finish, a true testament to its naval heritage which allows Pusser’s to proudly be labelled as the authentic Navy Rum, not just ‘Navy Style’.
Pusser’s offers a wide selection flavours and blends, including the Original Admiralty
To
Blend, Gunpowder Proof Spiced, Pusser’s Rum Aged 15 Years, and the original Gunpowder Proof. Its maritime connections of Pusser’s Rum go beyond its naval origins; it is a rum that embodies the spirit of
this day, Pusser’s Rum is world-renowned for its exceptional quality, crafted using the original wooden pot stills, a method that has remained unchanged for centuries since it first went into production in 1732.
adventure, exploration, and camaraderie. This dark rum boasts flavours and notes of demerara sugar, molasses, island spices and caramel and can be enjoyed straight or paired with a sweet mixer.
PUSSER’S RUM BLUE LABEL
Pusser’s Rum Blue Label has a full, round body perfect for cocktails with a long finish and mild spicy burn. This is a clear, dark amber coloured pour, with notes of demerara sugar, molasses, dried fruits, island spices, and caramel.
PUSSER’S GUNPOWDER PROOF
Pusser’s ‘Gunpowder Proof’ is a traditional Royal Navy style rum produced at original
Admiralty strength and in accordance with the Admiralty’s blending recipe last used when the Royal Navy discontinued its daily ration on 31 July 1970.
Prior to the invention of the hydrometer, the Royal Navy ship’s “Pusser” shutdown claims of watering down sailors’ daily tots by dousing a bit of gunpowder in the rum and attempting to light. If the mixture ignited, the rum was “at proof.” If it didn’t, the Pusser might find himself tossed to sea.
This rum is bold with aromas of pungent molasses, treacle, toffee, honey and vanilla with oak, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
PUSSER’S AGED 15 YEARS
Pusser’s True-Aged 15 Year Rum is crafted in small batches. It is a superb, coveted and limited 15-year aged rum that continues to win awards and accolades amongst peers.
Featuring flavourful notes of demerara sugar, molasses dried fruits, island spices and caramel.
This rum can be enjoyed straight or on the rocks, sipped with an ice cube or two. Alternatively, try the infamous Painkiller® Cocktail. A delightful blend of Pusser’s Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut, served on ice with an orange slice and a cherry, then topped off with freshly grated nutmeg.
This once-local drink has since gained global fame, featured in numerous bars and restaurants worldwide.
Pusser’s navy rum also works a treat with other mixers making it the perfect versatile drink to add to your collection. Pair with a delicious ginger beer, sweet cola, refreshing lime seltzer or bitter cranberry. And for those hot summer days, serve over ice cream with a splash of water for a perfect boozy milkshake.
Pusser’s Rum is available to purchase from a variety of retailers including Amazon and Master of Malt.
www.pussersrum.com
INGREDIENTS
• 60 ml Pusser’s Rum
• 120 ml Pineapple juice
• 30 ml Orange juice
• 30 ml Cream of coconut
• Freshly grated nutmeg
METHOD
Add liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Then, pour into a glass or goblet filled with ice and grate fresh nutmeg on top. To finish, garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
Equiano Rum Paloma
IAN BURRELL, GLOBAL RUM AMBASSADOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF EQUIANO RUM CO. PRESENTS THE PERFECT SUMMER DRINK, A RUM TWIST ON THE CLASSIC MEXICAN DRINK.
A BIT OF HISTORY
There are a lot of theories around the origins of the most popular drink in Mexico. The history of the drink has been difficult to trace, and even today, historians can’t really agree on where, how and by who the drink was first created.
What we do know is that when Squirt, the popular grapefruit soda, was launched in Mexico in the 1950s, the locals started to add it to Tequila and the Paloma drink
INGREDIENTS
• 50ml Equiano Light rum
• 100ml Pink Grapefruit Soda
• 10ml Lime Juice
• 5ml Agave syrup
• Fresh grapefruit slice or dried Grapefruit as garnish
• Ice
METHOD
Mix lime juice and agave syrup in a shaker, add the Equiano light, ice and shake. Then, pour into a highball and top up with pink grapefruit soda. Finally, garnish with a slice of fresh or dehydrated pink grapefruit and serve!
popularity grew to become one of the most served in Mexico’s bars.
La Paloma means “the dove” in Spanish, some think it was named after a popular Mexican folk song composed in the 1860s and some others attribute its name “the dove” to the whitish colour of the drink.
Whatever its origin, the Paloma cocktail is having a huge come back. With Tequila being more popular than ever, we see a growing appetite for Tequila based cocktails. Although Margaritas have historically been the signature serve for the spirit, there are a lot of bad margaritas made and served. The Paloma takes advantage of the popularity of Tequila and the refreshing taste of sparkling grapefruit juice. It is extremely simple and quick to
make and doesn’t necessarily require a blender or shaker. This means you simply cannot go wrong with a Paloma.
WHY EQUIANO LIGHT RUM IS PERFECT FOR A RUM PALOMA…
Being the first African & Caribbean rum, Equiano Rum is all about the marriage of different continents, terroirs and cultures. Revisiting classic recipes and in this case, the original Paloma, to add our very own Equiano touch is what we do best.
Refreshingly unique, Equiano Light is an exceptional blend of lightly aged molasses rum from the Caribbean, fused with fresh sugar cane juice rum from Africa. Equiano Light elevates the gold rum category and enriches the taste profile with a
The beauty of the Equiano Rum Paloma is how easy it is to make and how refreshing it is. You simply cannot go wrong, it is the perfect summer drink. – Ian Burrell, Equiano Co-founder and Global Rum Ambassador.
sophistication you might expect from a darker rum.
Equiano Light works perfectly in a Rum Paloma because of its earthy grassy flavours that come from the fresh sugar cane rum. Its light citrus notes also match perfectly with the zesty flavours of the sparkling grapefruit. The addition of Agave Nectar not only pays homage to the original
drink but also compliments the sugarcane juice rums in the blend. Commonly prepared by mixing tequila, lime juice, and a grapefruit-flavoured soda, we’ve mixed it up with the addition of agave syrup to the pink grapefruit soda. All these ingredients are very widely available and the recipe is very easy to pre-batch so all you have to do now is to give it a try!
Check our website to find out more information about our delicious rums and serves at shop.equianorum.com.
Celebrating Excellence
BEN ANDERSON, MARKETING DIRECTOR AT FUNKIN COCKTAILS, TELLS ALL ABOUT THE BRAND’S VERY SPECIAL 25TH ANNIVERSARY, DETAILING HOW THEY WILL BE CELEBRATING AND WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE.
HOW IS FUNKIN CELEBRATING THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY?
Marking our 25th birthday is a huge achievement for us, so of course we are celebrating and raising a glass in style. We have so many exciting plans throughout the year to mark the occasion – and for the on-trade, we’re going big and bringing back our Heritage cocktail competition.
The concept of the competition reflects our ethos as a brand, as we look for a cocktail that honours the past whilst also incorporating modern techniques and ingredients. Since we started in 1999, we’ve been driven to ensure that bartenders have the best ingredients to work with while they continue to experiment and push the boundaries of the category. For us, the excitement of mixology comes from honouring tradition, perfectly balanced with measures of innovation.
Those looking to enter can request samples of our expertly crafted for cocktails Liqueur range which launched last year and must be amongst the ingredients in any submitted serve. Entrants must concoct and submit their creation to the Funkin Heritage website by 1st August. We’ll then choose our six finalists to participate in a live competition on the 28th August, the winning drink will triumph across a variety of categories including the cocktail taste, appearance, inspiration and sustainability credentials.
As well as the finale, this event will also be our official 25th birthday celebration. We’ll crown our champion, who will receive £1000 in prize money, before we all celebrate like it’s 1999. Expect major throwbacks and nostalgia aplenty.
For more information, head to the FUNKIN Heritage web page (https:// funkincocktailstrade.co.uk/pages/funkinheritage-liqueur-competition) or speak to your account manager for an exclusive invitation and remember to RSVP to marketing@funkin.co.uk .
WHAT DOES THE 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY MEAN TO THE BRAND; HOW IS THIS A TESTAMENT TO THE BRAND’S FOCUS ON EXPERTLY-CRAFTED AND AUTHENTIC PRODUCTS?
It’s a huge milestone for us, especially in the on-trade, as our roots are firmly within the bar and cocktail scene. We started out with our Pure Pour Lemon and Lime juices which are still available to this day and are ideal for adding balance to a variety of drinks. Our aim then, as it is now, was to develop fresh-
tasting, ready-to-mix ingredients that would make it possible for any venue to serve up delicious cocktails.
Our Pro Cocktail range is testament to that. With fresh fruit purées, syrups, liqueurs, as well as pre-batched cocktail mixers, we’re proud that our products are used by bartenders throughout the UK and beyond.
We grew the cocktail category by empowering bartenders to maximise serve efficiencies and consistencies by providing ready-made fruit purées expertly created for cocktails. We make all our products with only the finest ingredients and we always use 100% real fruit with no artificial colours or preservatives across our range, guaranteeing an exceptional serve every time.
As well as winning multiple awards and being the UK’s number one cocktail brand1, we know that we’re trusted by the best and brightest in the category as well. The legendary Douglas Ankrah used FUNKIN’s Passion Fruit purée in his original Pornstar Martini, still the UK’s favourite cocktail2, to ensure the silky smooth texture and tropical sweetness for which the drink is known.
We’ve achieved incredible success over the last 25 years and while this is a golden opportunity to reflect on everything we’ve done, our eye is always on the future to lead and support the category as it continues to evolve.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, WHAT DOES FUNKIN HAVE PLANNED; HOW IS THE BRAND CONFIDENT IT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPLY TOP QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR THE ON-TRADE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME?
We’ve evolved over the last quarter of a century to ensure that our products are the best they can be for those working with
Since we started in 1999, we’ve been driven to ensure that bartenders have the best ingredients to work with while they continue to experiment and push the boundaries of the category.
them – and this fundamental belief will continue to inform everything we do in the future.
We invest in a multitude of flavour and category data to ensure we stay ahead of the curve in terms of trends and innovations.
Just last year, we saw a gap in the market for premium liqueurs made with real fruit and no artificial flavours, launching our range of Passion Fruit (18% ABV), Triple Sec (20% ABV) and Peach (18% ABV). More recently, we noticed a rise in Pink Grapefruit and the Paloma cocktail, inspiring our launch of a 70cl Pink Grapefruit syrup
solution which simultaneously creates a delicious drink, reduces single use glass and creates a highly cost-effective solution for the Paloma.
We also brought our cocktail knowhow to develop our ready-to-serve 70cl pre-batched cocktail bottles and our Nitro RTD cans which are brilliant in high footfall spaces, such as music venues, as well as outlets that may not have the expertise or capacity at hand to build cocktails from scratch.
This insights-driven, practical approach will ensure we continue to innovate in line with what the industry needs.
And we’re committed to ensuring we are doing our bit for the future in all our work. Last year, we became the first UK-based cocktail brand to achieve B Corp certification. This means we passed the rigorous accreditation process, meeting the high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
So join us as we toast to our history and to the next 25 years of working together!
www.funkincocktails.co.uk
Marvellously Mindful
CAMILLE VIDAL, LOW AND NO DRINKS EXPERT, REVEALS HOW THE BRAND’S ALCOHOLFREE LIQUEURS ARE SHAKING UP THE ON-TRADE’S ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAIL OFFERING.
Launched last year, Giffard’s Alcohol-Free liqueur range is proving to be a game-changing addition to the sector as ontrade venues switch on to the business opportunity of extending their alcohol-free cocktail offering.
Featuring four carefully crafted flavours – pineapple, elderflower, ginger and grapefruit – the range has been developed with the specific needs of bartenders in mind. The result is a high quality, reduced sugar alcohol-free liqueur with complexity that offers a real added value to cocktails.
As consumers increasingly demand more from the on-trade’s alcohol free drinks menus, Camille Vidal, Founder of La Maison Wellness, Creator of mindful cocktails and Giffard’s Low and No Drinks Expert, explains why bars and restaurants need to be creative and think outside the alcoholfree box.
Camille says: “When it comes to alcoholfree, the numbers are really compelling. According to KAM insights, every year bars and restaurants lose out on an estimated £800 million by not up-selling from tap water.
“It’s clear from this figure that businesses need to completely reevaluate their alcoholfree menus to make themselves as inclusive as possible. We know that 74% of people are actively moderating and 56% of people in the UK say that they want to drink even less than they are currently doing so. The opportunity is huge.
“It’s also important for bars and restaurants to understand the psychology of customers and how a non-drinker can dominate the choices in a group. In a group of six friends there will usually be at least one mindful drinker. Usually, the mindful drinker will influence decisions about which places the group will go (and perhaps equally importantly, how long they stay there), because they want options. They don’t want to drink soft drinks all night or the same alcohol-free cocktail on repeat; they want a varied menu that excites them as much as the menu available to the drinkers in the group. In fact, almost half of consumers will research a venue’s alcoholfree offering before they go somewhere.
“We are seeing drinkers changing their behaviours too, to actively moderate. One technique is called zebra striping where consumers are alternating between alcohol and alcohol free. We’re also seeing a behaviour called book ending where consumers will start and end their evening with an alcohol-free drink.
“According to KAM insight research, 44% of consumers would stay in a bar longer if they could have an alcohol free version of their favourite drink instead of a soft drink. Clearly bars and restaurants who offer the greatest choice will benefit the most.
CHOICE, QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY COUNTS
“Lack of choice and lack of quality is a complaint that dominates the conversation around alcohol-free menus in UK bars and restaurants. There is also a value perception that bars need to address. Customers will pay for quality when it comes to low and no drinks, however they want to feel that they are getting value for money and some alcohol-free offerings are simply not delivering.
“The term mocktail has also done the sector a huge disservice, we need to be
actively moving away from this outdated perception of what an alcohol-free cocktail is, and showing consumers what this category can offer.
“Giffard’s new alcohol-free range is a huge first step in really turning that perception around. These liqueurs are helping bartenders craft alcohol-free cocktails and drinks which have depth, complexity and excite tastebuds. They can now elevate the quality of their creations as well as providing a consistency that has been lacking. It’s about a premium experience which has been carefully considered, offering customers a sophisticated menu that meets their growing expectations.
“Of course this extends to low alcohol drinks too. An alcohol-free liqueur makes it easy to create low alcohol versions of classic cocktails which are ideal for people who want to be a bit more conscious in their consumption.
“There is no doubt that the sector is switching on to the mindful drinking movement but the next step is getting creative with menus to provide a wellrounded offering. Here are some recipes to help get the creative juices flowing.”
www.giffard.com/en
FRENCH BIRDIE
INGREDIENTS
• 50ml Alcohol free rum
• 15ml Giffard bitter aperitif
• 25ml Giffard Alcohol Free Pineapple
• 25ml Pineapple juice
• 3 dashes Seasn Dark Bitter
• 15ml Lime
METHOD
Shake ingredients and pour into a rock glass. Finally, garnish with dehydrated pineapple.
CAFÉ TROPICAL
INGREDIENTS
• 50ml Alcohol free rum
• 25ml Cold brew coffee
• 25ml Pineapple juice
• 25ml Giffard Alcohol Free Ginger
• 15ml Vanilla syrup
• 15ml Lime
METHOD
Shake ingredients and pour into a rock glass. Finally, garnish with a pineapple leaf.
Alcohol-Free Recipes by Camille Vidal.
An Everlasting Legacy
IN AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION WITH BAPTISTE LOISEAU, CELLAR MASTER AT RÉMY MARTIN, HE REVEALS MORE ABOUT THE EXCLUSIVE ANNIVERSARY COUPE RELEASED THIS YEAR TO CELEBRATE THE HOUSE’S TRICENTENARY.
BAPTISTE, PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT THE 300TH ANNIVERSARY COUPE; WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE HOUSE TO CELEBRATE THE OCCASION WITH THIS SPECIAL RELEASE?
It was so crucial for us to take the time and celebrate all the years of Rémy Martin with our vision to not only pay tribute to the past, but also to the future. Through our celebrations, we hope to share that it’s not
the end, in fact, it’s really the beginning. For us, this is the best moment to share our vision for the future by sharing a liquid that is so specific and to share our vision of the future of cognac and the house, internally, and also, for all the growers.
HOW IS THE 300TH ANNIVERSARY COUPE A PERFECT REPRESENTATION OF THE HOUSE’S LEGACY SO FAR?
My mission as the Cellar Master is to maintain the aromatic profile of all blends, and ultimately, ensure consistency across the range. For the Anniversary Coupe, the creative process was entirely different because we approached it to pay tribute to what has been done previously, while also adding a distinct, personal touch. For this blend, only a small quantity have been bottled – 6,724 bottles to be exact– the rest is kept in the cellar to age, and will be the basis of the next Anniversary blend that will be done by Rémy Martin’s next Cellar Master, as I have done with the previous 290th blend.
The meaning of the Anniversary Coupe is that it’s a never-ending process. It is important for us to pay tribute to the past but at the same time, equally important to acknowledge that we do not stay stuck in history. We stay true to the DNA of the house, but we go further in the making.
WITH 300 YEARS OF EXPERTISE, WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR RÉMY MARTIN; HOW WILL THE HOUSE CONTINUE TO STAND AS A BEACON OF KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE AND EXCELLENCE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY?
It really is a question of expertise and being true to the land where we grow the grapes. For this special anniversary, we wanted to share our dedication to the future of the house, in the fields. We have a lot of cellars, casks and stock, but to prepare for the future, we have to anticipate the conditions of growing, in terms of climate, rainfall, and even the skills of the growers, to maintain consistency and excellence.
Sharing the vision, for me, means sharing the fact that we don’t have all the answers but we are constantly trying to find them. The idea is to not be static, and instead, be constantly moving and innovating to find solutions; as a house, we are always anticipating and adapting.
Rémy Martin has been experimenting for centuries and centuries and for this reason, we are established as true innovators in the industry, and the 300th Anniversary Coupe reflects just this.
The 300th Anniversary Coupe is available to purchase at The Whiskey Exchange and on www.RemyMartin.com.
The Definitive Hospitality Event
STEPHEN HERRING, EVENT MANAGER AT CASUAL DINING, SHARES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YEAR’S CASUAL DINING SHOW, FROM WHAT GUESTS CAN EXPECT TO WHY THEY SHOULD ATTEND!
WHAT CAN GUESTS EXPECT FROM THIS YEAR’S CASUAL DINING SHOW?
We’re celebrating Casual Dining’s 10th anniversary this year, so we’re really looking forward to bringing the pub and bar industry a show to remember. Casual Dining is the premier event for thousands of restaurant, pub and bar operators looking for the best innovation in food, drink and hospitality from over 200 hand-picked exhibitors. From sustainable drinks to cutting edge technology, the show will feature the best suppliers under one roof (ExCeL London) across two inspirational days (18-19 September).
We understand how important it is for pubs and bars to provide fresh products and concepts for their ever-evolving customers, which is why we have three dedicated alcohol zones at the show – the Artisan Spirits Lounge, The Taphouse, and The Vineyard. Some of the brands buyers can find here include White Claw, Funkin, Disaronno, Adnams, MOTH, Served, Lockdown Liquor, Pimentae Drinks, Freedom Brewery, SXOLLIE, ROKiT Drinks, Dutch Cocktail Club – and many more.
As well as the show floor, Casual Dining’s free-to-attend Keynote programme is full of leading figures in the industry and will take place across three theatres (sponsored by Uber Eats), including a dedicated Pub & Bar Keynote Theatre. This year, the line-up includes leaders from JD Wetherspoon, Loungers, Greene King, Caravan, Bill’s, Banana Tree, Wahaca, Hickory’s Smokehouse, Rare Restaurants, and others, yet to be announced.
The popular Innovation Challenge is back in 2024, where you can hear pitches from shortlisted exhibitors about their latest products – LIVE on stage. It’s the perfect time to discover what new products have
just launched to market and see whether the product wins a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award. Additionally, the Taphouse Champion will be crowned on day two. Not forgetting, the show is co-located with lunch! So there are even more exhibitors to discover across two exciting shows.
WHY WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE WET-LED VENUE OWNERS AND DECISION MAKERS TO ATTEND; HOW CAN ATTENDING THE CASUAL DINING SHOW ELEVATE VENUES?
Attending Casual Dining can do wonders for wed-let venue owners and decision makers. It not only gives you free access to new products and services, but it puts you face to face with the brand owners themselves. There’s no better way to create lasting relationships. You can quickly get a better understanding of the business and product on hand, including whether their costs or business values resonate with your own.
Plus, you can see and sample lots of great food and drink products, without having multiple samples sent out to you. Networking is a key part of Casual Dining. Being in a room with your industry peers is such a great way to get business advice from other operators too.
The content from the inspirational talks is also invaluable for any business. It’s the place to understand how other operators grow, what challenges they have faced and most-importantly what opportunities are ahead. Is there a more effective way to ask Sir Tim Martin, the Founder and Chair of JD Wetherspoon, a direct question? I highly doubt it!
Casual Dining is the two days where the whole industry comes together, and we can’t wait to see you there.
REGISTER FOR CASUAL DINING 2024
Casual Dining, the definitive restaurant, pub & bar event will take place on 18-19 September 2024 at ExCeL London. The show will co-locate with lunch! the definitive café, coffee shop & food-togo event – and will feature over 500 exhibitors. For more information and to register for a free trade ticket, visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk and quote priority code VCD27.
Training and Education
WE LOOK TO INDUSTRY COMPETITIONS, SHARING EXPERT INSIGHT ON THE ROLE THE PLAY IN CONNECTING AND EXCELLING THE BAR COMMUNITY.
Winning Advice
ANTONIA FERGUSON, HOSPITALITY TUTOR AT BARFECTION, OFFERS FIVE TOP TIPS TO GET COMPETITION READY!
PREPARE
It doesn’t matter what you are trying to do, the old saying is right – fail to prepare or prepare to fail. Do as much as you can before you start. Make sure you have juiced any fruit, sliced any garnish and double check you have all the correct ingredients readily available. My advice is to check you have everything they need in front of you to make the competition run as smooth as your Old Fashioned’s. Most importantly read the competition rules TWICE! You don’t want to fail because you didn’t read the instructions properly.
INGREDIENTS
Pick your ingredients carefully. Trending items come and go but making them part of something special takes real skill. While it’s important to be aware of current trends, they don’t always have a place, so be mindful of trends but remember this is your creation! Play with the five senses.
BRAND STANDARDS
If you are entering a competition, make sure you know some fun facts about the brand and always make sure the labels are visible. We are visual creatures and allowing your audience to see the product is a great way of engaging them. Maybe you are using MONIN’s Yuzu Syrup, and how they are breaking the mould, growing their own in Portugal. Being knowledgeable about the brand, telling a story, what it stands for and why that’s important to your drink really can make the world of difference.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
In the infamous words of Mary Poppins, you want to be practically perfect in every way. This is great advice, but we all make mistakes. There is always something unexpected so, it is better to prepare than not. Demo your cocktail to friends, family and colleagues to help practice and gather any suggestions and feedback to make your cocktail that extra special. It also helps to repeat some of the phrases and terminology that you will be using when presenting. Avoid following from a script because it will feel forced, but it’s good to drill the main conversation drivers to make sure you are comfortable talking about your creation.
BE YOURSELF
The biggest part of any competition is YOU. If you are relaxed and having fun, then the judges will be too. Do you have flair in how you shake? Have you got the gift of the gab? Can you create a drinkable masterpiece? It isn’t just about having a wonderful drink, during a competition you have to be able to take the judges and the audience on a journey. You have full narrative control, if you want to evoke emotion, play with all of the senses and tell them your story!
Being yourself can make you feel vulnerable, but it is your skill and talent that brought you to this point. Don’t let nerves get the best of you. Take a deep breath, shake it out and go show everyone why you deserve to win. www.barfection.co.uk
Shake, Stir, Conquer
WE OFFER EXPERT OPINIONS ON THE ROLE OF BARTENDER COMPETITIONS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, REVEALING THEIR IMPORTANCE AND THE BENEFITS THEY OFFER HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS.
With the number of industry competitions growing year by year – all promising a number of benefits to bartenders’ careers – it is crucial to consider just how valuable these can be to professionals within the sector.
Speaking on the growing emergence of competitions within the industry, Pippa Guy, Diageo World Class Ambassador, comments, “It’s an interesting subject of conversation at the moment, with many of the bigger brands pulling back from competitions and smaller or emerging brands now starting to re-engage bartenders in this way.
“Diageo is going into its 16th year of World Class and I think the sheer scale of it (57 countries last year!) as well as, the level of difficulty and versatility required from the bartenders is why they keep coming
Whilst it’s not an essential part of their job and all bartenders would be completely fine without them, it gives them the opportunity to get noticed in a sea of noise.
back. World Class is a learning process over a competition; some bartenders get lost on focusing on the win but many come to us focusing on improvement year on year and enjoy the process of challenging their creativity, learning more and more how to taste, learn about our brands and how to work with them.”
Pippa sees industry competitions like World Class much more than simply an opportunity to win a shiny trophy; for
many, these competitions are a catalyst for self-improvement, creativity and personal growth. She explains, “Holly Bennet from Exeter has participated in the competition every year, each time getting a stage further for the last five years and grown so much in her skill, knowledge and drinks presentation she made the GB final last year! That was her ultimate goal and I was so proud of her commitment to learning the process and challenging herself and
working hard to get a stage further each and every year.”
Nicolas Medicamento, Founder of Dr Cocktail, agrees, “Competitions are valuable for three main reasons. First, they nurture the interest of both younger and more experienced professionals to showcase their skills. Second, they offer significant networking opportunities, allowing participants to meet like-minded individuals and potentially create new business or career opportunities. Third, competitions help individuals face their fears, step up, and grow personally.
“Participating in competitions is crucial for personal development and career advancement in the industry. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone significantly impacts growth, which is why I always encourage bartenders to compete. It makes a massive difference in their professional and personal development,” Nicolas adds.
Partaking in competitions can bring a plethora of benefits to finalists – from presenting new work opportunities to widening individuals’ networks, and much more! Pippa explains, “Bartender’s don’t initially realise how much competitions can do for them. Whilst it’s not an essential part of their job and all bartenders would be completely fine without them, it gives them the opportunity to get noticed in a sea of noise.
“If you’re looking to move into brand work it’s a great first step to engage with the brand and people that work in them and see what that world might look like for you. If you’re looking to widen your network, you will meet bartenders from all over every corner of England Scotland and Wales and we often see this transfer into new friendships, jobs, takeovers etc. over time.
“If you’re looking for inspiration, then following bartenders’ journeys online, in person at the live finals and getting to taste other people’s creations during the World Class Cocktail festival is a great way to do so! The World Class Cocktail Festival was new this year and an amazing way for everyone to taste each other’s drinks, be proud of their work and have friends and families actually come in and buy them from the bar. There is also a massive uplift in consumers looking for top level cocktails and discerning drinkers always want to know where to go and get the best cocktails so why not go get them from the Top 100 bartenders in GB,” she finishes.
Nicolas echoes these words, “Competitions offer massive opportunities for travel and live experiences, providing exposure that can be leveraged for
personal development. They allow bartenders to showcase their proactivity, interest in nurturing their knowledge, and expertise in the industry. This exposure can be pivotal for career growth and personal branding.”
This year’s World Class was another huge success and saw Danilo Frigulti from Viajante87 take the crown. Pippa reflects on the World Class 2024, commenting, “This year we wanted to go bigger and better. From previous experiences, we know that people love to attend and watch in real life – there aren’t many high energy exciting bartending events where people get to come and watch a full showdown of bartenders on the spot in front of hundreds of people. It’s amazing for the bartenders to be able to practice being under pressure, and Jo and I have learnt over the last few years that the more challenging the finals are, the better it set up our winner for success at the global finals.
“This year we made the final as large as we could – giving 22 bartenders the opportunity to get to the Top 10. World Class specifically is designed to challenge lots of different aspects of bartending so, bartenders learn a huge amount each year. We often see winners getting to at least one, if not two finals before taking the actual win. This is because you have to almost acclimatise yourself with the process, the challenges, the brands and the
Competitions
offer massive opportunities for travel and live experiences, providing exposure that can be leveraged for personal development.
volume of work required before gaining confidence enough to really push yourself and be consistently great across each challenge to take the win.”
Speaking from first-hand experience, Benedetta Paris, Top 10 Finalist of World Class, states, “World Class is such a unique gem. It is so important for how you can create a relationship with those that represent a brand and work in other bars around GB, to see how other bars and bartenders work and create and to see how other people present so that you learn to be better and challenge yourself to go further.”
This year sees the return of the MONIN
Cup Competition, which encourages new, young bartenders aged 18-27 from across the world to showcase their talent as mixologists by creating original serves with MONIN products.
Lee Hyde, Senior Beverage Expert at MONIN, tells us more, “The theme of the 2024 MONIN Cup is ‘Low is More’; a brief for aspiring bartenders to take inspiration from the current low and no alcohol trend gripping the drinks world to create aesthetic and flavourful low and no alcohol cocktails. MONIN’s acclaimed portfolio, featuring an impressive range of syrups, concentrates, liqueurs, and mixers lends itself perfectly to the creation of exquisite low and no alcohol drinks.
“More than just a competition, partaking in MONIN Cup offers the opportunity to receive expert mentorship from the MONIN team and industry-leading mixologists. From 1st – 16th August, finalists will develop their skills by learning from the best with critique on presentation, technique and flavour profile. Entrants are encouraged to connect with fellow aspiring bartenders, explore the exquisite flavours of MONIN, and revel in friendly rivalry for a truly unforgettable experience,” he adds.
Anna Price, Winner of the 2022 UK MONIN Cup, shares her first-hand experience with the brand’s competition, “MONIN Cup provides young bartenders with an exceptional opportunity to
fully immerse themselves in the global bartending industry. It not only enables them to refine their craft and build confidence, but it also challenges their creativity.
“Beyond being a competition, the MONIN Cup serves as a reminder of the endless possibilities within the industry while emphasising the continuous pursuit of knowledge and the boundless potential for innovation. Young bartenders should enter the MONIN Cup because it can inspire them, push them to improve their craft, challenge their creativity and serve as a catalyst for both personal and professional growth.”
It is important to remember that competitions can be daunting and may not suit everyone – just because you’re an experienced and skilful bartender, does not mean that partaking in competitions will be a walk in the park!
Pippa explains, “Controversial opinion incoming… competitions don’t make you any better at your day job. I fundamentally disagree when people say, “relax, it’s just the same thing that you do every day!” It’s not.
“It takes a particular set of skills, a lot of confidence and a lot of time dedicated to research and creativity. I used to love every aspect of comps except the final part,
Controversial opinion incoming… competitions don’t make you any better at your day job.
standing on stage in front of lots of people presenting. It simply wasn’t for me and I was working at the Savoy when I figured this out – the number one bar in the world at the time.”
Pippa advises hospitality professionals to explore other avenues if competing isn’t suited, “There are also so many other ways to get involved, for instance – competing was never going to be for me, but one thing I love is being a mentor and being behind the scenes – pulling the strings to make the whole thing happen. I love the organisation and being able to pass on my knowledge to the next generation. There are so many different ways to get involved if being the one person on stage isn’t the role for you.”
Are you interested or perhaps, even preparing for an upcoming competition? Nicolas shares three top things to remember: repetition, structure and mindset!
“Practice is crucial. Repetition helps
create muscle memory and strengthens mental recall. Go through your routine multiple times.
“Having a clear, well-defined structure is essential. Know what you are going to do and aim for your desired outcome. This clarity will guide your actions and improve your performance.
“Maintain an open mindset and embrace the challenge. Being mentally prepared is just as important as physical preparation,” he finishes.
Ultimately, industry competitions hold a valuable place within the bar community by acting as a catalyst for creativity and personal growth. However, it is crucial to remember that they are not suited to everyone and are not essential in elevating individuals’ careers. When considering getting involved in competitions, it is important to be yourself and avoid feeling pressure or ‘out of place’. After all, there are many different ways within the industry you can develop your flair!
BCB 2024: Curtains Up For Whisk(e)y!
NO MATTER WHETHER WHISKEY OR WHISKY: AT BAR CONVENT BERLIN THIS YEAR’S SPIRIT OF HONOR IS SURE TO CAUSE A STIR. LIKE LAST YEAR, THERE WILL BE A DEDICATED BAR HOTSPOT WITH AN ADDITIONAL EDUCATION AREA – THE “BCB WHISK(E)Y EMBASSY”. FURTHERMORE, A WELL-KNOWN BAR TEAM WILL ALLOW VISITORS TO REDISCOVER THE SPECIAL FLAVOURS OF THIS SPIRIT. TO THIS END, BCB HAS SUCCEEDED IN ENLISTING HAMBURG’S HIP “COLLAB BAR” – BY AND WITH CHLÓE MERZ!
After the BCB Spirit of Honor celebrated a successful premiere last year, BCB 2024 will again be focusing on one special spirit – whisk(e)y. This tradition-rich spirit is currently enjoying tremendous hype at the bar hotspots of this world. It is not only passionately produced in long-established whisk(e)y exporting countries like Ireland, Scotland and the USA, but also in all other
parts of the world including Germany or India. BCB visitors will now be able to experience this wide spectrum of facets first hand.
“We see whisk(e)y is enjoying ever increasingly popularity – both in retail and in bars. This spirit has reinvented itself, become more modern and is currently very trendy. And this is what we want to mirror at BCB with a dedicated area,” says Petra Lassahn, Director of BCB.
“COLLAB BAR” PRESENTS THE DIVERSITY OF WHISK(E)Y IN DRINKS
The bar hotspot at the BCB Whisk(e)y Embassy aims to familiarise visitors with the diversity of this spirit and the BCB Team could have hardly found a better partner to do so: the young female Collab Bar team, comprising celebrity bar expert Chloé Merz and her team mates Fredi (Frederike) Behrens and Adelina Schefferski, will demonstrate how to produce creative and modern drinks with this spirit at the bar hotspot over three days.
The Collab Bar only opened in Hamburg last year but has developed into one of the hippest bar hotspots in the country in no time at all. The young bar team that is keen to experiment and stands for “equal
drinking” offering both a wide variety of no & low creations as well as high-proof cocktails on its menu. At BCB, they will now show how whisk(e)y can be ideally presented in drinks. Like last year, BCB exhibitors from all over the world are again invited to make their products available at the Buy-In-Bar, thereby introducing them to a wide audience. The Collab Bar team will then draw up a varied drinks menu on the basis of this product selection for all three days of the trade show.
ADDITIONAL EDUCATION AREA: GETTING TO KNOW & LOVE WHISK(E)Y
BCB visitors will be inspired by whisk(e)y and its diversity not only in terms of taste –because in addition to the bar hotspot, the BCB Whisk(e)y Embassy will also feature a special Education Area, where experts will deliver lectures, workshops and tastings on the topic of whisk(e)y.
So passionate whisk(e)y lovers – and those aspiring to become one – can already now look forward to three days packed with events and creative drinks at the BCB Whisk(e)y Embassy from the 14th until the 16th of October at Bar Convent Berlin.
Get your BCB ticket now at https://www. barconvent.com/en-gb/tickets.html
Image © BCB / FRB Media
Image © Swetlana Holz
Archive & Myth
JACK SOTTI, AWARD-WINNING BARTENDER AND THE EXPERT BEHIND THE INNOVATIVE MENU FOR ARCHIVE & MYTH, REVEALS MORE ABOUT THE NEWLY OPENED VENUE – A PLACE WHERE CLASSIC COCKTAILS ARE REIMAGINED.
JACK, PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ARCHIVE & MYTH.
Archive & Myth was built to feel timeless, like it could have been this beautiful subterranean gem that existed during the times of the Hippodrome Theatre or Talk of the Town. We simply gave it a face lift. With these old classic bars, hospitality and atmosphere is paramount. The sound and lighting have been dialled in like a theatre production, the interiors carefully designed for comfort instead of maximising capacity.
The aim is to set the bar as the stage, with all tables surrounding, to really guide the evening’s service and guest experience.
TALK US THROUGH THE BAR’S DRINKS MENU; WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS?
The main ambition was to have a menu that read like an old school classics bar, but with interesting names to add intrigue and mystery, elevating classics. We made a conscious decision to not describe any mise
en place techniques like distilled, sous vide, centrifuged etc., as I find these are a great way of boosting one’s ego, but inhibit the guest experience as they add confusion to guests. Instead, our bar team are armed with the knowledge to describe the mise en place if a guest requires it, but equally someone can come, relax and drink without ever knowing the three full-days of prep that goes into the menu. We do have some beautiful cocktail cards that we present to guests at the end of their visit, that shine a
It’s a hidden underground drinking den that’s comfortable and cosy where you can enjoy a great glass of champagne and forget about your day – or you can sit at the bar and get lost in discovering the cocktail list.
little more light on the preparation of their cocktails, and also give a little memento to remember the next day!
WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, SETS ARCHIVE & MYTH APART FROM OTHER BARS; AND HOW SUCCESSFUL DO YOU SEE IT BEING AMONG VISITORS?
It’s really hard for a bar to tick all the boxes of atmosphere, guest experience, warm and professional hospitality and banging drinks… but I feel that Archive & Myth really does; it’s a hidden underground drinking den that’s comfortable and cosy, where you can enjoy a great glass of champagne and forget about your day – or you can sit at the bar and get lost in discovering the cocktail list. I think once
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER WET-LED VENUES LOOKING TO ELEVATE THEIR OFFERINGS AND PROVIDE GUESTS WITH EXCEPTIONAL ON-TRADE EXPERIENCES?
Make sure all your bases are covered. People can now make a pretty damn good drink at home, or get it in a can, so make sure you over invest in hospitality –human contact and being taken care of by someone is one of the last refuges in this modern world. Danny Meyer said it best… “Within five minutes of being born, each of us gets our first four hospitality gifts: eye contact, a smile, a hug and some pretty good food. Don’t think for a moment we
don’t go searching for those same gifts in every subsequent transaction of our lives. Do those things in your restaurants and you can’t lose.”
PLEASE TELL US THE BAR’S SHORT AND LONG-TERM GOALS.
Our short-term goals are of course to build a sustainable business, take care of our team and build our community of regulars. Longer term, who can say? But we have so much history behind us and the building, we would be honoured to become a staple part of London’s fine drinking scene. And hey, some recognition wouldn’t go amiss!
www.archiveandmyth.com
people discover us, they will be regulars!
Efficient Cleaning, for Efficient Service
INDUSTRY-LEADING EXPERTS, TORK, REVEAL HOW THEIR HYGIENE PRODUCTS CAN HELP WET-LED VENUES STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE, BOTH IN TERMS OF CLEANLINESS AND EFFICIENCY.
Pubs and bars are often a storefront for visitors to a community, and a hub for regulars who might live in the area. It is therefore important to the establishment itself, and to the local community, that guests are treated to great service, great food and drink, but also high standards of hygiene to ensure they leave with the best possible impression. However, due to the fast-paced nature of the industry, keeping bar areas and washrooms clean to guests’ expectations is often difficult.
One issue bars struggle with is space to store hygiene products – which compete for space with important consumable stock. Designed to save space for businesses with small facilities, the Tork Xpress® multi-fold towel dispenser directly helps bars get the most out of limited washroom resources. New compressed refills mean the system holds up to 50 per cent1 more towels, resulting in twice the number of guests served per refill. The Tork Xpress® multi-fold towel dispenser also helps bar staff get the most out of their time – as we know they’d rather be serving food and drink than cleaning. For instance, 71 per cent2 of staff wish their system were easier to refill. Fewer refills, with the multi-fold towel
dispenser, means less time cleaning and more time serving.
From a renewability and waste reduction perspective, it is up to companies like Essity (makers of Tork products), who deal in disposable products, to maximise efficiency, and minimise waste as much as possible. For example, the new Tork Xpress compressed hand towels system reduces packaging by up to 27 per cent3 – meaning more towels can fit on a shipment, and less packaging is thrown away. Once used, Tork Xpress Hand Towels can be recycled with Tork PaperCircle® the world’s first paper hand towel recycling service, which helps businesses to go circular by collecting and recycling used paper hand towels into new tissue products.
EFFECTIVE MARKETING, ALONGSIDE EFFECTIVE HYGIENE
Has your bar got a special promotion
running? Do you want more people to see your drinks menu? It may not seem like it, but cleaning and hygiene products are a useful marketing tool. Tork Xpressnap is the only napkin dispenser that offers a digital DIY marketing tool that allows bars to create and share a special message with guests that they can share on social media. Running a bar can be challenging. We get it. Essity (makers of Tork products) are here to provide your setting with the appropriate tools to get the most out of your space and staff. Having a clean environment should never be a hindrance to the hive of activity that bars offer; instead, it should improve efficiency and quality of service.
www.tork.co.uk
MONDAY 14TH OCTOBER
ILEC CONFERENCE CENTRE
47 LILLIE RD, WEST BROMPTON, SW6 1UD
DOORS OPEN: 12PM 5PM www.rumfest.co.uk
HOSPITALITY TRADE ONLY
Hosted by the award winning
The World’s first & longest running Rum festival is back for it’s 18th year, showcasing the world’s best rums. With more seminars, more tastings, more masterclasses and more Rums than any other UK Rum show; The RumFest is a must for anyone in hospitality seeking to master the category of Rum. So book your limited tickets now at Rumfest.co.uk or e -mail info@rumfest.co.uk
Amazónico Monte-Carlo
GIANNIS APOSTOLOPOULOS, HEAD OF BARS FOR AMAZÓNICO RESTAURANTS, REVEALS MORE ABOUT THE RECENTLY OPENED MONTE-CARLO LOCATION, SHARING DETAILS ON THE VENUE’S SUCCESS SO FAR.
PLEASE TELL OUR READERS ABOUT AMAZÓNICO MONTECARLO; WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE VENUE AND THE VENUE’S APPROACH?
Amazónico Monte-Carlo, which launched in April, is the latest venture by Sandro Silva
and Marta Seco, the creative minds behind the original Amazónico in Madrid (2016), followed by London and Dubai in 2019.
Amazónico is known for its unique blend of tropical and Latin American ingredients that seamlessly integrate Asian and Mediterranean influences. Amazónico Monte-Carlo offers guests two exclusive bar experiences; take to the roof terrace for unrivalled views of the iconic Place du Casino and live band performances, or enjoy the luscious high-energy lounge where resident DJs and live performers take to the stage every night. Both settings effortlessly creating a lively, immersive experience.
ONLY RECENTLY OPENED, HOW HAS THE LAUNCH BEEN AND WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK FROM THE FIRST GUESTS?
The opening has been a remarkable success, particularly highlighted during the Monaco Grand Prix, where guests enjoyed unbeatable views of the racetrack. Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with guests praising the unique ambience that blends tropical and Latin American flavours with a touch of luxury. The vibrant atmosphere, enhanced by live music and DJ performances, has been particularly well received,
Like a rare treasure found in the middle of the jungle, our cocktails are an invitation to explore. The Femme D’or, with Remy Martin Louis XIII and passion fruit mead is inspired by Princess Grace of Monaco, Grace Kelly.
Giannis Apostolopoulos
establishing Amazónico Monte-Carlo as a top destination for both dining and entertainment.
GIANNIS, PLEASE TALK US THROUGH THE VENUE’S BAR MENU AND THE ACCOMPANYING A LA CARTE MENU; HOW WERE THESE CURATED?
Amazónico Monte-Carlo’s bar menu features exotic cocktails inspired by Latin American flavours where you will find Amazónico signature cocktails such as the Sangria Blanca and the Rainforest Old Fashioned, alongside specials created solely for the Monte-Carlo menu. Highlights include the ‘Treasures of the Jungle’, unique concoctions crafted with rare ingredients and spirits from all around the world. Like a rare treasure found in the middle of the jungle, our cocktails are an invitation to explore. The Femme D’or, with Remy Martin Louis XIII and passion fruit mead is inspired by Princess Grace of Monaco, Grace Kelly; the Embarricado, with Barrel-Aged Tequila Enemigo Extra Añejo draws inspiration from Amazónico Dubai; while the Sea Tron, Belvedere and cantaloupe topped with Dom Perignon 2013 takes its inspiration from Amazónico London’s speakeasy, OCTO. The extensive spirit list offers over 300 handpicked options with focuses on agave, rum and whisky. Flavours that perfectly accompany the A La Carte menu, a culinary journey through the Amazon, blending traditional dishes with modern twists. At Amazónico, talented chefs and mixologists collaborate to create an immersive dining experience that captures the essence of Latin America and provides an authentic taste of the Amazon Rainforest.
WHAT MAKES AMAZÓNICO
MONTE-CARLO STAND OUT FROM COMPETITORS?
Amazónico Monte-Carlo stands out with its distinctive Latin American flavours, vibrant ambiance, and prime location above the Café de Paris, offering stunning views of the Place du Casino. The lush, jungle-inspired design by Lázaro RosaViolán creates a tropical paradise feel with an exclusive club hidden down the iconic leopard-print staircase, another opportunity
to experience the energy of Amazónico. Offering some of the most sought-after spirits and Champagnes, along with all Amazónico’s signature cocktails, this is the ultimate destination for late-night indulgence. All our cocktails are unique serves that focus on minimal waste and signature flavours to create a distinct and sustainable beverage experience, setting Amazónico apart from competitors.
WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE EMERGING IN THE BAR SECTOR; WHAT ARE GUESTS LOVING AT THE MOMENT THAT FELLOW BARS SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR?
Current bar trends are shifting to a “less is more” approach, favouring minimalistic presentations with elevated flavour profiles. The focus is now on the liquid, rather than exotic appearances, using modern techniques to create a journey through taste and smell. Sustainability and locally sourced ingredients are also gaining importance, with many bars emphasising eco-friendly practices. Amazónico excels in this area, incorporating these principles into both its mixology and culinary offerings.
www.amazonicorestaurant.com/ monte-carlo
Stand Out Summer Spaces
THIS SUMMER, WOODBERRY HAS BEEN BUSY CREATING INCREDIBLE OUTDOOR HOSPITALITY SPACES… THE TEAM TELL US MORE BELOW!
Does your venue have any outdoor space? Whatever space you have needs to work hard for your business, whether it is pavement frontage, a roof top terrace, or a larger area.
Thriving, vibrant, atmospheric outdoor spaces draw customers to your venue as a destination, choosing your business over competition.
Outdoor areas are a priority in the summer months but can work hard for your venue, providing extra capacity and memorable experiences, throughout the year if you provide some weatherproofing.
Woodberry offers outdoor solutions from small changes to full garden refurbishments. Talk to the expert team about how to enhance your outdoor spaces.
OUR TOP GARDEN PROJECTS COMPLETED FOR SUMMER 2024
SHEPLEY
SPITFIRE, GREENE KING, SHEFFIELD
The pub has a large paved outdoor space with a shelter and different level areas that create zones. Working with a designer, we specified bespoke powder coated coloured furniture to work with the pub colour scheme. The result is a colourful, friendly, flexible space for dining, drinking and events!
THE DIRTY DUCK, GREENE KING, STRATFORD UPON AVON
This urban garden is now an oasis of greenery. The pub needed different group size dining and drinking seating in a mixture of materials; wood and metal.
Working with the designer’s overall vision, Woodberry sourced a large variety of furniture and cushions. Featuring two sheltered areas, with a specific private hire space, the garden has clever zoning that works year round.
MILL ON THE EXE PUB, ST AUSTELL BREWERY, EXETER
Our in-house designer created bespoke table designs for St Austell Brewery on this garden scheme. The designs proved so popular they are now an in-stock table range on the website.
With three distinct areas at different heights tiered down to the river, this is an idyllic spot for drinking and dining.
The wooden tables are complemented with metal and rope bar and dining chairs for a sophisticated rustic look in fitting with the surrounding environment.
TAPESTRY, LIBATION GROUP, BRIGHTON
In a small space for pavement dining, the bar originally had canvas awnings that were old and unusable. Our expert shelter
specialist recommended a retractable metal canopy providing a bioclimatic shelter solution.
This small area now hosts 12 outdoor tables with bench seating to maximise capacity. The canopy does not ruin the aesthetic of the beautiful building frontage with this subtle canopy shelter and clever planting scheme.
INN THE MIDDLE PUB, NOTTINGHAM
This paved urban area surrounded by walls was zoned into three specific areas with a sheltered all-weather space, patio and decking area. The designer embraced the industrial urban style of the garden, working with us to specify chunky wooden and metal furniture.
The furniture is a mix of bar and dining height tables, chairs and stools, with reclaimed barrel tables providing points of interest.
Woodberry offers expert solutions to optimise capacity, create a memorable atmosphere and generate great revenue opportunities for your hospitality business. Whether you are looking for small changes or a full outdoor refurbishment, contact the Woodberry team for a free project consultation by telephone or by email, 01926 889922 mail@woodberry. co.uk www.woodberry.co.uk.
Directory
BEHIND THE BAR
Hoshizaki
+44 (0)845 456 0585 uksales@hoshizaki.uk www.hoshizaki-europe.com @hoshizakiuk hoshizakiuk @hoshizaki_uk hoshizakiuk
Koldbox 01254 614444 sales@pentlandwholesale.co.uk www.koldbox.com @pentlandwholesale pentlandwholesale @pentlandw pentland-wholesale-ltd
Nelson 0800 592 833 office@nelsonwash.co.uk www.nelsonwashonline.co.uk
BUSINESS
Bizimply
+44 203 642 5644 support@bizimply.com www.bizimply.com @bizimplyhq Bizimply bizimply
TNT Sports www.tntsports.co.uk @tntsports TNTsports @tntsports
DESIGN
Cult Furniture
+44 (0) 208 185 6960 info@cultfurniture.com www.cultfurniture.com @cultfurniture cultfurniture
Woodberry 01926 889922 mail@woodberry.co.uk www.woodberry.co.uk
DRINKS
Amaro Montenegro +44 751 609 8527 miriam.pomioli@montenegro.it www.amaromontenegro.com @amaromontenegro_ww amaromontenegroglobal
Beluga Vodka www.vodka-beluga.com @vodkabeluga belugavodka noblewoodgroup
DeKuyper +31 (0)10 42 79 700 royalinfo@dekuyper.nl www.dekuyper.com @de_kuyper_cocktails dekuypercocktailsuk
Frobishers 0870 242 1989 ahoy@frobishers.com www.frobishers.com @frobishersjuices Frobishersjuices
Gordon & MacPhail www.gordonandmacphail.com @gordonandmacphail gordonandmacphail gordon-macphail
HEINEKEN
+44 (0)131 528 1000 www.heineken.co.uk @heinekenukcompany heinekenuknews heineken
Hoxton Spirits London 020 3892 6780 hoxton@hoxtonspirits.com www.hoxtonspirits.com @hoxtonspirits HoxtonSpirit
Lanchester Wines 01207 521234
sales@lanchesterwines.co.uk www.lanchesterwines.co.uk @lanchesterwines lanchesterwines @lanchesterwines
Paragon Brands
+44 (0) 161 390 0019 hello@paragonbrands.co.uk www.paragonbrands.co.uk @paragonbrands paragonbrands @paragonbrands
Pernod Ricard UK www.pernod-ricard.com/en @pernodricard pernod-ricard
Thatchers Cider 01934 822862
info@thatcherscider.co.uk www.thatcherscider.co.uk @thatcherscider ThatchersCiderCompany @thatchers_cider thatchers-cider-company-ltd
The Secret Garden Distillery 0131 285 6833
info@secretgardendistillery.co.uk www.secretgardendistillery.co.uk @secretgardendistillery secretherbgarden the-secret-garden-distillery
Tipplemill Distillery info@tipplemill.com www.tipplemill.com @tipplemillgin Tipplemill Distillery
Lamb Weston +31 88 00 33 200 info@lambweston.eu www.lambweston.eu/emea lambwestonmeijeruk lambwestonemea
McCain Foodservice Solutions www.mccainfoodservice.co.uk @mccainfoodserviceuk @McCainFoods_B2B mccain-foodservice-gb
Midland Snacks 01536 204200
info@taytogroup.com www.midlandsnacks.co.uk tayto-group-limited
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps 01536 204200 info@taytogroup.com www.realcrisps.com @realhandcooked real-handcooked
HOSPITALITY ORGANISATIONS
Licensed Trade Charity 0808 801 0550 enquiries@ltcharity.org.uk www.licensedtradecharity.org.uk @ltcharity licensedtradecharity @LTCharity licensed-trade-charity
The Drinks Trust 0800 915 4610 supportline@drinkstrust.org.uk www.drinkstrust.org.uk @drinks_trust drinkstrust @drinks_trust drinks-trust
Golden Wonder 01536 204200
info@taytogroup.com www.goldenwonder.com @goldenwonderofficial goldenwonder
UKHospitality 020 7404 7744 info@ukhospitality.org.uk www.ukhospitality.org.uk @ukhospitality UKHospitality @ukhofficial ukhospitality
