Bar Magazine June 2012 Issue

June 2012

www.barmagazine.co.uk

Developing premium bar excellence

Don’t mention the Olympics!

That’s the message being given to bars, pubs, clubs and drinks companies looking to benefit from this summer’s big event. LOCOG is poised to pounce on anyone not respecting the rule that only official partners can use Olympics-related images and wording.

But, as we report this month, these restrictions are not stopping Britain’s bars from making the most of the opportunity by creating special events and drinks this summer.

The warmer weather is a godsend for smokers who have been shivering outside bars during the inclement spring. In this issue, we provide an update on how the continuing clampdown on smoking is affecting the trade and the opportunities arising from it, including the rise of the cigar bar.

We also look at the latest trends in cocktails, where sweet concoctions and disco drinks are balancing some of the more serious sides of mixology.

But the popularity of classic and vintage recipes continues, and we find out how bars are mixing sherry, port and whiskey – especially with the new wave of flavoured whiskeys arriving on our shores.

Mark Ludmon Editor

www.twitter.com/barmagazine Cover picture: Summer drinks from Toorank’s Coppa Cocktails. More summer drinks on page 41.

EDITOR Mark Ludmon • mark@cimltd.co.uk Tel 020 7627 4506 PUBLICATION MANAGER Manjeet Griffiths • manjeet@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509109 Fax 01795 591065 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Sanny Muhith • sanny@cimltd.co.uk Dan Hickford • dan@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509109 Fax 01795 591065

CONTENTS JUNE

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31 Regulars 05 Industry news 66 Barhopper diary Profiles 08 Saltwater, Nottingham 10 Gillray’s, London 12 Q Bar at Quilon, London 14 Baa Bars Drink 17 Drinks news 25 World of whiskey CHIEF EXECUTIVE John Denning • jdenning@cimltd.co.uk STUDIO MANAGER Paula Smith • paula@cimltd.co.uk DESIGN & PRODUCTION Grant Waters • grant@cimltd.co.uk James Taylor • james@cimltd.co.uk ACCOUNTS Vickie Crawford • vickie@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509103 www.barmagazine.co.uk www.twitter.com/barmagazine

31 Mixology trends 36 Focus on Freixenet 38 Sherry and port Features 41 Summer of sport 45 Smoking report Club 53 Jalouse, London 55 Technology 59 Sound systems © 2012 CIM Online Limited, The Goods Shed, Jubilee Way, Whitstable Road, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8GD. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form – electronic, mechanical or physical – without express prior permission and written consent of the publisher.

Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and addressed envelope. Manuscripts should be type written. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor’s hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographic or artistic, belongs to CIM Online Limited.

The publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non Cert no. TT-COC-2200 publication of any advertisement.

www.barmagazine.co.uk |3

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news

Bar and pub groups innovate with food

Managed pub and bar group TCG has launched an innovative food concept,Wok Out, offering meals for eating in or take-out.

At more than 30 TCG venues, customers can buy cartons of hot, freshly-cooked snack meals from front-of-house serving stations, or served at their tables on usherette-style trays.

Wok Out has four options: sweet chilli chicken or vegetable chow mein with noodles; chicken curry with rice; and meatballs with pasta. Cooking times start at just two minutes, making them ideal impulse orders for customers when watching sport or live music, or when leaving the pub.

Commercial director Nick Francis said:“Too many licensees are familiar with the sight of customers deserting them for the nearest

takeaway once the final whistle has blown.

Wok Out will keep customers in the pub, and secure a share of the spend currently going to local food outlets.”

The Living Room bars’ new spring menu features low-calorie badging, home-made desserts, free gourmet butter and sauces and fixed-price offers. Marketing manager Maria Williams said:“The new seasonal menu focuses on the key trends that we are seeing when it comes to dining out – from healthy options to making the most of fresh produce.”

New dishes include a pudding, the Basil Grande Eton Mess, based on the bars’ signature cocktail.The menu features a small-scale calorie labelling system, with an “under 500 calories” badge highlighting healthy options.

Shaker & Co bar near Euston, London, has unveiled the latest new look for its basement bar: the Pot & Ketel One Café. Based on a Dutch café, it has been developed by consultancy Shaker with Diageo’s Dutch vodka brand Ketel One.The design celebrates craft, reflecting the vodka’s production methods and heritage.

Mahdis Neghabian (pictured) of The Camden Eye in north London has been named 2012 BII Licensee of the Year.At the BII annual lunch last month, BII chief executive Peter Thomas said:“Mahdis has shown us how she revived the fortunes of her business by combining innovation, strategic thinking, excellent customer care and a great deal of charm.”

The Talbot Hotel in Malton, North Yorkshire, has opened after a £4million refurbishment, including a new-look lounge bar (pictured).

The country hotel has formed a partnership with celebrity chef James Martin, with a new menu using Yorkshire produce, served in the revamped restaurant and bar.

SSP rethinks station pubs Red Bull curates With a modern interior and high-quality wines by the glass, SSP UK plans to “revolutionise” the typical station pub with its new venue,The Merchant of Bishopsgate.

It has invested £1.2million in the pub at London’s Liverpool Street station, aiming to put it on a par with the capital’s best high-street bars and pubs.

Its range of local, regional and national ales is complemented by rotating guest ales and “ale sampler flights” using third-pint glasses.An Enomatic wine preservation system allows for a broad choice of good wines by the glass.

The British food menu uses fresh ingredients sourced from suppliers including London’s butchers and bakers.

The concept is intended as a blueprint for more “modern pubs” by SSP UK, which runs cafés, bars, restaurants and pubs at stations and airports around the world.

art in bars

Artists have created bespoke pieces at bars, clubs and pubs across London as part of a new burst of activity linking Red Bull with cutting-edge art.

Artists from the Newcastle-based Zero Cool gallery, which specialises in street art, have been brought together with venues through the Red Bull Curates programme.

Hayden Kays’ work can be seen at Jamm in Brixton, Bridge Stehli at the Horse & Groom in Shoreditch, Copyright at Brixton Club House in Brixton, BeiBadgirl at The Wellington in Knightsbridge and Josh Stika at the Queen of Hoxton (pictured).

Thomasina Miers and Mark Selby are opening a temporary site for their Wahaca restaurants on London’s South Bank at the end of June. Perched on the terrace of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, it will be built from recycled shipping containers and include a bar.

Live music venue Joseph’s Well in Leeds has been relaunched as The Well after being taken over by new management Simon and Sharon Colgan of bar operator The Colgan Machine.They plan to extend its offering to blues, rock, indie, soul, DJ nights, comedy and cabaret.

Their other venues are the Duck ‘n’ Drake in Leeds and Blues Bar in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. www.barmagazine.co.uk |5

news

Search for best operations managers The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers has launched its annual competition to find the UK’s best operations managers.

The 16th ALMR Operations Managers Awards will recognise the skills, enthusiasm and professionalism of area managers and

A range of five American craft beers has been introduced at Mojo bars in Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool.They are Brooklyn Lager, Goose Island India Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Anchor Steam Beer as well as Samuel Adams Boston Lager which was added in March.The bars also offer Ilkley Brewery’s Mary Jane ale.

Charlie McVeigh is to open his fifth site of The Draft House in the former Northumberland Arms pub on the corner of Charlotte Street and Goodge Street in Fitzrovia in London’s West End. It will open in July and, as with the other Draft Houses, will specialise in cask and keg beers alongside classic cuisine.

Duncan Stirling and Charlie Gilkes have revamped a Eurovisionthemed bar at their Italian-inspired venture Bunga Bunga in Battersea, London, into a club.The EDC, or Euro Disco Club, has a new look but continues with the Eurovision concept including memorabilia, themed cocktails and karaoke.

Fusion By Design, a leading designer of bar interiors, has transformed the former Shaftesbury Arms in Richmond, London, with classic furniture combined with modern lighting and artwork. Operated

by Young’s, it is now called The Shaftesbury, offering cocktails alongside cask and speciality beers and an extensive wine list.

6| www.barmagazine.co.uk

business development managers in leased, tenanted and managed estates.

Nominations can be made at www. almropsawards.org.uk or via a form available from the ALMR on 020 8579 2080. Entries must be submitted by July 31.

Courvoisier makes summer plans on grand scale

Maxxium UK is launching a major new initiative, Courvoisier Cocktails on a Grand Scale, this summer in its ongoing campaign to promote the mixability of cognac.

As part of a £15million investment, it will promote four signature serves and run a competition in both the on- and off-trade, challenging consumers to collect ingredients for the creation of “the grandest cocktail” to win exotic holiday prizes.

It will also include an “immersive, story-telling cocktail experience” in London in mid-July for consumers and the trade, focusing on three classic mixed drinks: punch, the Sazerac and the champagne cocktail.

This is being developed in collaboration with three leading London-based mixologists and bar managers:Amanda Humphrey of Paramount, Chris Lacey of Rules, and Mickael

Perron of Annabel’s.

Maxxium UK’s marketing controller for Courvoisier, Chris Anderson, said:“The event will present cognac cocktails in a grand and surreal manner and create an immersive and explorative experience for consumers that will transform their appreciation of cognac cocktails and motivate them to embrace Courvoisier as part of their cocktail repertoire.”

A bartender competition for Courvoisier Cocktails on a Grand Scale will take place over two days at the Imbibe Live show in July, with three teams from London and three from other regions.

Entries need to be submitted by June 15 at http://courvoisier.com/uk/how-to-enter/.The prize is a trip to the home of Courvoisier in Jarnac.

IRC expands with new cocktail bar A new lounge bar has been unveiled by Individual Restaurant Company (IRC) as part of a new phase of growth for the business.

The revamp of the company’s Piccolino restaurant in London’s Heddon Street includes a central marble cocktail bar on the lower ground floor and DJs playing till the early hours.

It follows a share offering that raised £4million, supported by the company’s new owner,W2D2, which took IRC private last year.The money will support “ambitious” plans for expansion and refurbishment of the 32-strong estate which includes the Piccolino and the Restaurant Bar & Grill brands.

Two new bars have been developed at Starwood’s Sheraton Heathrow Hotel as part of a multimillion-pound revamp of its public areas by interior design company Y2DC. Inspired by travel, they are the Aviator Bar, which specialises in cocktails, and the Reclaim Bar (pictured), with old trunks and suitcases above the bar counter and furniture in fabric decorated with vintage postcard text.

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venue profile

Where to find it

The Cornerhouse Forman Street Nottingham NG1 4DB Tel: 0115 924 2664 www.rocketrestaurants.co.uk

Who did it

Interior design: Fusion Design & Architecture Fit-out: Rocket Interiors Signage and graphics:Academy Signs Floor tiles: Solus Ceramics Carpets: Christy Carpets Lighting: Into Lighting Electrics: Connect Electrical Services Furniture: Design Resource

Rocket at Saltwater Nottingham cocktail bar Saltwater has a new look thanks to Rocket Restaurants and Fusion Design & Architecture

F

or over a decade, Saltwater has been one of the hotspots on Nottingham’s bar scene, boasting the biggest rooftop terrace in the city. Located in The Cornerhouse entertainment complex, it was part of the portfolio of operator Principle Leisure that went into administration a year ago but it has been reborn under the new ownership of Rocket Restaurants and Bars.

Now called Rocket at Saltwater, the venue combines the much-loved latenight atmosphere of Saltwater with the food and drink elements of Rocket’s four restaurants in London.All the Rocket sites have been designed by hospitality specialist Fusion Design & Architecture, which was brought in to create a stunning new look in Nottingham. “Every site is designed with its own personality, but they’re all identifiable as part of the Rocket family, sharing key aspects of the Rocket design DNA,” explains Fusion co-founder and director Roger Gascoigne.“The Rocket concept is based on creating memorable, quirky, contemporary spaces for eating great pizzas and drinking wine and cocktails. Some people come to Rocket just to eat, and others just to drink, so providing different and distinct spaces for each purpose is a really important part of the design brief.At The Cornerhouse in Nottingham, Saltwater had always been a real destination place to go to so, in creating ‘Rocket at Saltwater’, we wanted to keep all the best bits of

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Saltwater – notably the dramatic outdoor terrace and the buzzy central bar area – and add in all the characteristics of Rocket that we know work really well.”

On top of the overall new design, Fusion came up with a stronger front bar area and a much clearer route through to the restaurant area at the back.This route is created with a stunning ceiling feature formed from gilt-framed Old Master paintings, leading to a “wine wall” that forms the entrance arch into the restaurant.

“As with all the Rocket sites, strong visual elements create the distinctive Rocket feel – vibrant colours, dramatic lighting, highquality materials and a few visual jokes,” Roger says.“So, apart from the ‘Old Masters’ and the ‘wine wall’, we’ve also created the ‘security box back bar’, the ‘pink plate wall’ and a dramatic new pergola and seating area for the terrace.At the re-opening party, one of the returning Saltwater regulars said it felt like being in St Tropez – quite a design achievement given that the site is in the East Midlands.”

Saltwater’s general manager, Nick Revill, has remained on board, with an impressive drinks list alongside the new menu of pizzas, salads and grills.The bar offers a wide range of wines by the glass and the bottle plus an extensive selection of spirits across all categories but particularly rums and whiskies.With six beers on draught, there is also a broad range of bottled beers available, from Budvar, Peroni and Duvell

to Anchor Steam Amber Beer and Innis & Gunn Original Oak Aged.

There is a comprehensive list of cocktails, mainly classics and twists on classics, with a message on the menu that bartenders will make others that are not listed. But it will be a challenge to spot one that is missing, with drinks ranging from a Rob Roy and Vesper Martini to an Aviation No 1 and a Sidecar. Mainly priced around £6.70 and £7.50, they are arranged by spirits category, with whisky, bourbon, gin and rum dominating.

Rocket’s chairman James Horler, formerly of La Tasca and Ego Restaurants, fell in love with Saltwater’s iconic location years ago and felt that it would be a perfect match for the brand’s move out of London.“The interior design looks fabulous and has been created by Fusion to combine comfort and style.” With its impressive drinks list, Rocket at Saltwater also continues to be a destination for some of the best cocktails in town.

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venue profile

Gillray’s Mark Ludmon returns to London’s Marriott County Hall Hotel to find its bar transformed

D

espite its historic setting and views of Big Ben, the bar at the Marriott County Hall Hotel on London’s South Bank has never been much of a destination.This has now changed after the dependable but dull-looking Rotunda Lounge has been transformed into a stylish cocktail lounge as part of the new Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar. It is in the former reading room of County Hall which was opened in 1922 and became the headquarters of the Greater London Council – home to Ken Livingstone until it was dissolved by Margaret Thatcher in 1986. Redevelopment of the building led to the arrival of Marriott 14 years ago, but the listed status means much has been retained.

The original features include the oakpanelled walls of the former Rotunda Lounge which, with its plain brown leather chairs and red chesterfields, had a very traditional look. It has now been softened by drapes, bespoke furniture and a modern colour palette to give it a contemporary but classic look. It includes a stunning central chandelier that looks like it is made of giant white butterfly wings.The interior design is the work of Blacksheep, a leading hospitality design company whose other projects include glamorous London venues The Cuckoo Club and Whisky Mist.

Designer Angie Newby-Stubbs worked with furniture specialist and interior contractor Andy Thornton which supplied the bar itself, with an illuminated counter in specially sourced granite and a zinc bar top.The back fitting is an ornate solid brass drinks gantry with open-glazed shelving and four antique mirrors.

Directly in front of the bar is a circular seating area which is defined by four bespoke high wing-back curved deepbutton-backed sofas set around a circular patterned carpet.They are upholstered in mustard leather to complement the carpet. Andy Thornton also supplied

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sumptuous leather Chesterfields, including one measuring nine metres to fit against the curved back wall.These are matched by side chairs upholstered in colour-dyed leathers with contrasting piping to add to the contemporary feel.

The new name reflects efforts to hold on to the past while updating the interior, taken from James Gillray, an English caricaturist and political satirist of the late 18th century.

Some of the cocktails are named after his sketches such as The Morning After Marriage – a 1788 caricature of the Prince of Wales after his wedding – which uses Hayman’s Gin with an Assam tea tincture, shaken with Morgan’s Spiced rum, lime juice and sugar, served long over ice.

Many of the cocktails remain from the Rotunda Lounge days but bar manager Karina Elias and head bartender Carlos Santos have been developing new ones since before the refurbishment.The menu is split into different periods, starting with the Gillray-themed cocktails inspired by the Georgian Era. It passes through Victorian and Edwardian England to post-war serves such as a Jubilee Punch made with Bloom Gin, pineapple juice, camomile tea, fresh lemon juice, honey syrup, mint bitters, fresh cucumber, seasonal fresh berries and mint.

The GLC – inspired by the battle between Livingstone and Thatcher – mixes Chase vodka with fresh ginger, fresh lemon juice, a balsamic reduction and a dash of Bramley & Gage Dittisham Plum Liqueur.

The new drinks with a molecular element are inspired by classics such as a Rosewater Rickey using brandy cherries caramelised in a flame of Angostura Bitters and a navy rum, shaken with Berkeley Square Gin, fresh lime juice, sugar and rose water, topped with soda water.The Gunpower & Smoke

Where to find it

London Marriott Hotel County Hall Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7PB Tel: 020 7902 8000 www.gillrays.com

Who did it

Design: Blacksheep Contractor, furniture:Andy Thornton Cocktail uses Hayman’s 1850 Reserve gin enlivened with gunpowder green tea tincture, shaken with Rémy Martin VSOP, lime juice, sugar and egg white, finished with a flame of Laphroaig whisky.

British ingredients figure strongly on the menu, including the bar food such as fish and chips, a Melton Mowbray pork pie, Bury black pudding rings and Highland venison sausage rolls.This reflects the steakhouse menu which, under executive chef Gareth Bowen and manager Jonathan Prescott, sources its beef from the Duke of Devonshire’s estate in Yorkshire.The bar offers 10 English beers, 39 English gins and seven English vodkas plus English wines including Kent’s Chapel Down. In fact, Gillray’s reports that English sparkling wines have been outselling champagne by four to one.

Another key change for the bar is that it is no longer necessary to reach it via the hotel’s corridors from reception.

Instead, the former fire exit is now open permanently, accessible up a flight of steps from the tourist-thronged Thames-side walkway, offering a sophisticated oasis for enjoying cocktails seven days a week until midnight.

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venue profile

Q Bar at Quilon A new stand-alone bar has been created at London restaurant Quilon as part of a major redesign

F

or the past 12 years, London restaurant Quilon has been winning awards and plaudits for its southern Indian cuisine.While it has become well known for its beers and wines, it has only ever had a small bar space, suitable only for diners to wait before they are seated.

That has now changed as part of a major refurbishment of the restaurant, with the launch of the stand-alone Q Bar at Quilon.

“We’ve always wanted to have a standalone bar at the restaurant,” says executive chef Sriram Aylur who developed Quilon as part of the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces complex in Buckingham Gate, near Victoria, “not simply somewhere for diners to have pre-dinner drinks but a place for people to pop into on the way past for a quick drink and a snack, or come to wind down after work.” He adds that Q Bar aims to be “fun and relaxed” while remaining in keeping with the restaurant’s elegance and atmosphere.

Where to find it Quilon 41 Buckingham Gate London SW1E 6AF Tel: 020 7821 1899 www.quilon.co.uk

Who did it

Design: DesignLSM Furniture: Hill Cross Furniture Lighting: Into Lighting Bar: ServaClean Curtains: Bowden Tollit & Associates Wallpaper:Timorous Beasties Carpet: Brintons

12| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Sriram has built further on Quilon’s reputation for its wine and beer lists, which has included the promotion of pairing beers with Indian food.With help from master of wine Peter McCombie, the new wine list includes 135 bins from well-known producers and more boutique vineyards and lesser-known regions around the world.

The 20-strong beer list features a selection of British, vintage and world beers such as Flying Dog’s Old Scratch Amber Lager and Goose Island’s 312 Urban Wheat Ale from the US as well as Pietra organic chestnut beer from Corsica and Little Creatures pale ale from Australia. British bottled beers on the list include Camden Hells, oak-aged Innis & Gunn, Ceilidh lager and Brewster’s plus a range of Fuller’s vintage ales.

These are all available in Q Bar alongside a new menu of spiced cocktails, managed by head bartender Namita Gurung.There are exotic champagne cocktails such as a Xancha 10, which is made by adding XanGo – a blend of juices including mangosteen from Indonesia.There are also plenty of twists on the classics from Martinis and Margaritas to a Qojito – a Mojito made with Angostura 1919 rum and chilli vodka.The comprehensive range of spirits includes a whisky list of over 50 varieties, put together with drinks writer Dominic Roskrow.

Q Bar also has a canapé menu, created by head chef Ramesh Ganiga, offering light bite and sharing dishes based on Quilon’s cuisine.They include crispy fried spiced silver fish, tamarind-glazed chicken winglets, semolina chips with tomato chutney, and batter-fried plantain, asparagus and baby carrot with artichoke dip.

The redesign of Quilon and Q Bar was led by DesignLSM which has worked on many top restaurants and bars. Its managing director Steve La Bouchardiere and senior designer Karen Mitton visited southern Indian with Sriram for inspiration, from Kerala, Cochin and Bangalore to Mumbai and Goa.“Following our trip to India, we wanted to recreate the same sense of serenity coupled with the first-class hospitality you experience in Indian hotels,” Steve says.

The result is dark grey tones accentuated by vibrant splashes from amber, jade, green and blue fabrics throughout the restaurant, bar and the new self-contained private dining room. Striking design features include a bespoke wenge candle wall, inspired by a Hindu temple in Kerala, with flickering tea-lights in small portholes.An imported 8ft Indian fishing boat has been transformed into a glass-topped bar and a floor-to-ceiling “wine wall”. Steve adds:“Quilon customers can escape the bustling streets of London and enjoy a sophisticated, tranquil dining experience.”

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trade profile Baa Bar in Sackville Street

Baa chart Mark Ludmon speaks to the boss of Baa Bars as the group celebrates 21 years and prepares for expansion

E

laine Clarke was just 23 when she was approached in 1991 to run a new bar opening up in Liverpool city centre. She had been working in bars and restaurants since school and, at the time, was already general manager of Café Tabac in Bold Street.The new venture was Baa Bar which opened over two floors in a converted warehouse off Concert Square in Fleet Street, developed by bar entrepreneur Tom Bloxham and designer Jonathan Falkingham, both of developer Urban Splash.

Twenty-one years later, the bar is still going strong, part of a group of seven Baa Bars plus a handful of other venues.

Elaine, who has been managing director and a shareholder since 1992, says the founders never expected the business to develop in the way that it did.“Baa Bar was going to be just one to begin with.There was no game plan for a chain of bars.We just grew organically, grabbing opportunities as they came up.”

Baa Bar was the first bar in an area that otherwise was home to only pubs and clubs, but that has all changed as Liverpool has been redeveloped. It was also the first bar in the north-west to gain a 2am licence and, as more bars and restaurants have opened up in the city centre, Elaine says business is better now than 21 years ago.

Still not seeing Baa Bar as a “brand”, the team opened their second site, Modo, in Concert Square in 1997. Expansion gathered pace in 2000 when the second Baa Bar opened, in Manchester’s Deansgate Locks, followed two years later by a Baa Bar in Sackville Street in Manchester’s gay village.Another Baa Bar opened in Wigan in

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Elaine Clarke

2004 – the group’s only site that has since been sold on – and in the same year, they launched both gastropub The Ox Noble in Manchester’s Castlefield area and, back in Liverpool city centre, indie bar Bumper – a destination for live music.

Manchester welcomed its third Baa Bar in 2008, in the student area of Fallowfield, with another Baa Bar opening the following year in Myrtle Street on the fringe of Liverpool’s student quarter.Two years ago, the group moved beyond the north-west for the first time to open Baa Bar in the Hockley area of Nottingham, but in April this year they were back on home turf to open their third Baa Bar in Liverpool, this time in Victoria Street, close to the city’s commercial district.“We now have five bars in Liverpool all within about 200 yards of each other,” Elaine points out. Eleven years ago, in a separate venture, she also bought Café Tabac where she had started working at 14.

While the group’s previous sites were designed with Jonathan Falkingham, Miles Falkingham of Union North and design studio Burn Everything, the latest Baa Bar involved Neil Dawson of Snook Architects.

It shares features with the other sites such as light walls and illuminated tables but with “an underground basement edge”. Elaine

says the concept has continued to evolve along the “80/20” rule:“We use the best bits of the other sites and try to add 20 per cent to each new one.”

Not only Liverpool but the industry has changed considerably over the past 21 years. Elaine praises developments such as the smoking ban, the Security Industry Authority’s door staff licensing and ID initiatives Challenge 21 and Clubscan for raising standards in the trade. Baa Bar has also been in the forefront of innovation such as the introduction of shooters in 1996.“We have been able to stay strong because we invest a quarter of our profits back into the sites,” Elaine adds.“You have to do that to keep it fresh.”

The management team has also changed, with Jonathan now focused on being chief executive of Urban Splash and Tom Bloxham now just a shareholder after 16 years as chairman. Richard O’Sullivan – the founder of the Millie’s Cookies chain and chairman of Boost Juice bars – has been chairman for the past six years, working with Elaine, finance director Andrew Blackburn and marketing and brand manager Iain Hoskins, who leads on drinks development.

The company has just appointed its first operations director, Barry Aspinall, formerly of Rileys sports bars, as part of a restructuring to prepare the company for more expansion.They want to add 10 more Baa Bars over the next four years, initially looking in Leeds and Sheffield, funded out of their own cash reserves and “with a little help from the bank”, Elaine says.“We are looking for existing operations where we can see a real opportunity.”

drink

June 2012

www.barmagazine.co.uk

A Bar magazine supplement

Mixed messages Beer cocktails, big garnishes and “skinny” serves are making their way onto drinks lists

Also inside: world whiskies – cava – sherry – drinks news

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news

Green Mark campaign links up with Living Room

First Drinks has launched the first major marketing campaign for Russian vodka Green Mark in the UK including a link-up with bar chain The Living Room.

The nationwide “Toast of Russia” campaign includes outdoor advertising in city centres, PR and digital activity, focusing on the brand’s authentic Russian credentials.

After securing a listing in all of Orchid Group’s Living Rooms, the campaign includes poster advertising near each venue directing people to the bar for Green Mark drinks.

A competition is also being run with The Living Room where consumers can vote at www.facebook.com/greenmarkvodka for their favourite Green Mark cocktail created by the bars’ mixologists.The winning serve will become cocktail of the month in August.

The Living Room’s marketing manager Maria Williams said: “Vodka is a massive seller for us so having a new player on the back bar with an authentic Russian heritage is exciting. Having the advertising support around our main sites will really help drive trial of Green Mark in our bars and we look forward to a long-term partnership with the brand.”

Serves being promoted for Green Mark over the summer will include a Russian Lemonade using lemon juice and sugar syrup, a Raspberry Moscow Mule, and a Topaz Punch – adding apricot liqueur, passion fruit syrup, lemon juice and pressed apple juice.

The campaign is the first since First Drinks added Green Mark to its portfolio after forming a partnership with its owners Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC).

Green Mark is the number-one vodka in Russia.

Stella Artois adds pear ‘cidre’ AB InBev is introducing Cidre Pear into the UK, a new variant for its premium Stella Artois Cidre which was launched last year.

It will be available in the on- and off-trade from June in 568ml bottles, supported by an integrated marketing campaign for Stella Artois Cidre, with Cidre Pear playing an important role.

James Watson, Stella Artois’ European marketing director, said:“With the premium credentials of Stella Artois, the proven success of Stella Artois Cidre and the research results we have seen for Stella Artois Cidre Pear, we anticipate our new variant will give further boost to the cider category and delight our consumers.”

Back to basics at boot camp Bartenders are due to head off on a two-day “cocktail boot camp” this July in Crieff in Scotland after a nationwide search for the perfect whisky cocktail.

Promoting The Naked Grouse blended whisky, Maxxium UK challenged them to use only four ingredients: spirit, sugar, bitters and water. Just 100 bartenders were invited to enter, receiving a box containing everything they needed.

They were judged in five regional heats in May by Maxxium’s Mixxit training team plus other experts. Heats took place at Ginger’s Bar in Birmingham,The Nightjar in London,The Milk Thistle in Bristol,The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh and The Black Dog Ballroom in Manchester.

The winners, due to be announced after Bar magazine went to press, will go on the boot camp, joined by topperforming bartenders in regional sales incentives.

Plantation unveils first white rum Cognac Ferrand, the owner of Plantation golden rums, has introduced the brand’s first white rum – Plantation 3 Stars.

Available in the UK through Bibendum, the new product is named after the three “stars” where the three rums in the blend come from: Barbados,Trinidad and Jamaica.

Plantation’s other rums come from across the Caribbean and Latin America and are refined through a second ageing in cognac barrels at Cognac Ferrand in France.

Owner Alexandre Gabriel said: “Most white rums on the market today are either too neutral and too vodka-like or too rough and rustic.We wanted a rum that shows character, elegance, complexity and a great finish – the ideal rum for cocktails.”

Islay single malt whisky Bowmore is launching a new expression in the UK, Bowmore Small Batch Reserve.

The delicate expression is created from a selection of the finest firstand secondfill bourbon casks and brought together for an extended period of maturation.

A new expression is being launched for The Black Grouse blended whisky to celebrate its endangered namesake.

The Black Grouse Alpha Edition, available exclusively in the UK at www. thefamousgrouse. com, is created by blending a greater concentration of aged, peaty malt whiskies to achieve a fuller, richer whisky.

Like the “alpha male” flamboyance of the black grouse during the mating season, the blend is flamboyantly rich and sweet followed by layers of smoke.

Miller Brands is giving consumers a chance to experience “stylish Italian lifestyle” through a giant digital cube installation which is visiting busy urban areas around the UK showcasing the Peroni spring/ summer advertising campaign.

It uses technology to interact with passers-by and promotes the new “Vivi in Stile Peroni” app which features style advice and city guides.

French liqueur and cognac producer Merlet has introduced an apricot brandy called Lune d’Abricot. It is made from a maceration of French apricots blended with a touch of cognac that has been aged in its cellars in Cognac. Its ABV is 25 per cent. www.barmagazine.co.uk |17

news Boutique whisky company Wemyss Malts has launched a new eightyear-old expression of its blended malt The Hive. It follows last year’s successful launch of the 12-year-old The Hive which is named after the honeyed sweetness on the palate.

A new global campaign has been unveiled for Highland single malt scotch whisky anCnoc featuring exclusive limited-edition designs by Scottish illustrator Peter Arkle.

The first is based on a depiction of each of the single malt’s ingredients – malted barley, spring water, heat, yeast, time and “magic”, which Arkle describes as “the secret thing which makes anCnoc anCnoc”.The whisky inside is a new expression, matured wholly in Spanish oak sherry barrels – a first for the brand.

Freedom Brewery in Staffordshire has launched Pioneer, a hellespilsner lager with hints of a classic British IPA.With an ABV of 4.6 per cent, the hand-crafted lager is described as a “full-bodied beer with just a hint of sweetness which creates a refreshing fruity bitterness on the palate”. It is initially available in kegs for ontrade customers only and will be available in bottles by the summer.

Gerber is launching two new variants after the success of Welch’s 100% Pure Purple Grape Juice:Welch’s 100% Pure Rosé Grape Juice and Welch’s 100% Pure White Grape Juice.They are focused on grocery but also supplied to the on-trade.A new £1.5million marketing campaign for Welch’s will include new TV advertising in the autumn, brand partnerships and sampling, including recipe ideas for “mocktails”.

18| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Blanche absinthe joins La Fée range A clear style of absinthe has been added to the La Fée range, making it the only brand to offer the complete range of different types of absinthe.

La Fée Absinthe Blanche is distilled with 11 herbs and spices but without the final process that turns absinthe green.

The style is best known from Swiss absinthes, where it is also called La Bleue, but La Fée Absinthe Blanche is distilled alongside the premium La Fée Parisienne in south-east France.

The new absinthe, with an ABV of 53 per cent, was developed by absinthe historian Marie-Claude Delahaye and La Fée managing

director George Rowley.

George said the Blanche was softer and more elegant than the core Parisienne and could bring more women into the category, but it retained a powerful flavour for adding impact to cocktails.

Key accounts will be offered new branded absinthe fountains that are filled with ice and water which drips through small taps into the absinthe to louche it.

Distributed by Cellar Trends, it joins La Fée’s other styles: Parisienne, NV Absinthe Verte,Absinth Bohemian and the ultra-premium absinthes XS Française and XS Suisse.

New Rekorderlig flavour exclusive to Stonegate

Leading brands to switch to new business

The Stonegate Pub Company has agreed an exclusive on-trade launch of Rekorderlig’s latest flavour, Mango & Raspberry, across its Scream,Yates’s, Slug and Lettuce and unbranded pubs until September.

The new flavour, in 500ml bottles, was introduced in a special section of flavoured ciders in the Slug and Lettuce summer drinks menu. It follows the general on-trade release of Rekorderlig’s Orange & Ginger.

Stonegate’s head of purchasing Miles Selby said:“Across the estate, the flavoured cider category continues to grow. By offering our customers a greater range of innovative flavours such as Mango & Raspberry amongst other Rekorderlig flavours, it will further ensure that the category draws in more and more people.”

He added that Stonegate would work with Rekorderlig’s distributor Chilli Marketing to launch further on-trade exclusives.

Matthew Clark has launched a new agency business, Catalyst Brands, to represent and supply drinks brands to the UK on- and off-trade.

It is described as an evolution of its Wine Studio Agency business and will take over its portfolio which includes 97 wine agency agreements. New exclusive distributor agreements include Marie Brizzard liqueurs,Voss Water and Zatec Beers.

Premium spirits distributor Cellar Trends has announced that distribution of Campari Group products will pass to Matthew Clark from July. Cellar Trends has grown volumes by 68 per cent over the past five years for a portfolio that includes Campari, Aperol, Cinzano, Cynar, Frangelico, Glen Grant, Sagatiba, Skyy and Wild Turkey.

Budvar adds 330ml dark lager Czech brewer Budvar has introduced a 330ml version of its dark lager in the UK after sales of the 500ml version doubled in 2011.

The company said it hoped the new format would appeal to customers in restaurants and gastropubs where the 330ml format is more popular.

Using the slogan “Budweiser Budvar - the new dark age”, point-of-sale materials include

beer mats, bar runners and tent cards plus dedicated Budvar Dark glassware.

news A fresher, more contemporary look has been unveiled for Speyburn Highland single malt whisky’s core expressions.

The Speyburn 10 Year Old design uses the deep emerald green colour of the outdoors, reflecting the lush woods of Speyburn where it is distilled.The Bradan Orach design uses a deep golden colour which reflects the golden salmon, which the Speyside region is famous for.

Both bottles have embossed glass and wide shoulders, and are taller than competitor brands.

Coastal Spring, a pure spring water that donates 1p to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for every bottle sold, is now available to the on-trade through distributors Haywood Products. It comes in 250ml, 330ml and 750ml glass bottles in either still or sparkling.The water is drawn from beneath Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, where it is naturally filtered through rocks to an underground lake.

An exclusive Diamond Jubilee Cuvee has been produced for June’s royal celebrations by Moët & Chandon. Moët & Chandon Impérial, available in May and June.

It follows exclusive cuvees for both the Silver and Golden Jubilee celebrations from Moët & Chandon which is a holder of the Royal Warrant.

Gourmet Classic, a specialist in cooking wines, has introduced new products inspired by recipes from the Montebello region in northern Italy, suitable for flavouring hot drinks.

The syrups include vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, amaretto, cinnamon, chocolate and mint.The fruit brandies, with an ABV of five per cent, are for adding a kick to coffees and include kirsch, peach, plumb, pear william, strawberry and calvados.

20| www.barmagazine.co.uk

New additions open up Johnnie Walker range

Diageo Reserve Brands has added two new expressions to the Johnnie Walker portfolio in the UK, prompted by growth in consumers trading up to premium whisky blends.

Johnnie Walker Platinum Label is a blend of malt and grain whiskies that has been matured for at least 18 years, inspired by the Walker family’s historic tradition of creating exclusive “private blends”.

It is a delicate smoky blend with the full characteristic flavours of the Johnnie Walker whiskies, reflecting a strong, sweet and elegant Speyside style.

The second addition is Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve, blended using whiskies such as Clynelish malt whisky. It has a taste of sweet fruits and creaminess, with deeper honey tones, before finishing on wood and light smoke.

Targeted for late-night celebrations, it is

Harvey Nichols bars champion English wine Kent winery Chapel Down has launched its two newest wines through Harvey Nichols’ bars, restaurants and shops across the UK. The Blanc de Blancs 2007 and Chardonnay Reserve 2010 are part of a five-month “Drool Britannia” promotion running at Harvey Nichols until the end of August.They will be offered by the bottle and the glass at its bars in Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Leeds and Knightsbridge in London.

The wines are new styles for Chapel Down – its first 100 per cent chardonnay sparkling wine and its first oaked reserve. Ivan Dixon, wines and spirits buyer at Harvey Nichols, said:“The two new releases are among the best English wines we have tasted and comprehensively showcase the potential excellence of this fastemerging category.”

positioned as one step up from Johnnie Walker Black Label, followed by the Platinum Label and the pinnacle of the core range, Blue Label. Created by master blender Jim Beveridge, the two new expressions have been available in Asia for some time.

Nick Temperley, head of Reserve Brands at Diageo GB, said:“There is a clear trend in Great Britain of consumers trading up in their choice of spirits and this is having an encouraging effect on the success of the premium blended whisky category. By updating the Johnnie Walker range at this key time, we are able to provide our customers with an exciting opportunity to maximise sales and provide a compelling choice of whiskies at diverse price points to meet the evolving tastes of our consumers.”

Ginseng spirit inspires creativity A “foundation” has been set up by Alex Kammerling, the creator of Kamm & Sons ginseng spirit, to inspire and support creativity within the UK drinks industry.

Through the Kamm & Sons Foundation, entrants are being asked to submit ideas for a creative piece of work inspired by the Kamm & Sons brand – the colour, taste, packaging, concept and history.

The idea would be for presenting in some form at an exhibition or show, produced or printed.The only stipulation is that it must not be a cocktail.Visit the “Kamm & Sons Ginseng Spirit” page on Facebook.

Mixologist launches bottled cocktails

A range of bottled cocktails has been developed by mixologist Christian Ozzati who has been behind the drinks lists at some of London’s top bars.

Launched under the banner of London Cocktail Company, the four packaged drinks are a Mojito, a Margarita, a Mai Tai and a Strawberry Daiquiri.They just need to be poured over ice with a suitable garnish.

They are ambient products with a 12-month shelf life, packaged in a 250ml PET bottle.

Christian was formerly head bartender at JuJu in London, where he won the title for outstanding mixology in the London Club and Bar Awards. He has also worked as a consultant for London bars such as Souk and Hideout and for Brompton Brands, operator of venues such as Mahiki and the Rose Club.

Absinthe?

Clearly “ La Fée Absinthe Blanche is a fine example of this classic clear absinthe, commonly distilled pre ban in both Switzerland and France – often referred to as “La Bleue ” Marie-Claude Delahaye World-renowned absinthe expert and historian The French Absinthe Museum (Auvers~sur~Oise)

ABSINTHE’S PERFECT PAIR:

Part of the full range imported by Cellar Trends UK Ltd, sales enquires: lafee@cellartrends.co.uk & general enquires: contact@LaFee.com All our absinthes are distilled with Grand Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

‘La Fée’, ‘La Fée Absinthe Blanche’, ‘La Fée Absinthe Parisienne’ and the ‘La Fée Eye’ device are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Green Utopia Ltd and/or La Fée LLP ©

news Yealands Estate, the New Zealand winery known for the sustainability of its production, has joined the range of wine wholesaler Enotria.

The wines, from the Awatere Valley in Marlborough, include sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, viognier and pinot noir.

Kingsland Wine & Spirits has joined forces with Cabana Soft Drinks, the dispensed soft drinks supplier, to launch an exclusive new range of 10-litre bag-in-box wines for the on-trade. Under the name of Legacy Road, the range includes a Spanish tempranillo, an Australian chardonnay, a South African chenin blanc, a Californian white zinfandel and an Italian pinot grigio/ garganega.

The 2004 vintage of GH Mumm Cordon Rouge Millésimé has been rolled out into the UK market.

It is dominated by 70 per cent of full-bodied pinot noir plus 30 per cent chardonnay to bring added freshness and elegance.Although ready for drinking now, it will age gracefully for a decade or more.

Pernod Ricard UK has unveiled its new Jacob’s Creek Winemaker’s Collection of wines, launched exclusively for the on-trade (Bar magazine, May 2012). Lucy Bearman, head of marketing for wines, said: “This exclusivelybranded range offers consumers wines from an award-winning producer that they know, love and trust but serves as a point of difference on the wine list.” It features a shiraz, chardonnay and shiraz rosé.

22| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Kick Energy tour bombs into bars and clubs

A promotional tour of bars and clubs is under way for Kick Energy as part of a raft of ontrade activity for the energy drink brand.

The eight-week tour across cities in the UK until the end of June is supporting an on-pack promotion run in partnership with Marvel’s blockbuster film Avengers Assemble.

Cans in the off- and on-trade feature a QR code that can be scanned by smartphones to take users to a dedicated website to enter a competition. Prizes include Marvel computer games, DVDs, comics and a weekend trip for 10 friends called The Avengers Ultimate Hero Adventure Experience.

Promotional teams visit venues in branded vehicles, including a LandRover which opens up to allow people to play videogames. It links into

Industry veteran launches her own liqueur

Drinks industry veteran Ylva Binder has gone back to her Swedish roots to launch Rhuby, described as “the world’s first all-natural rhubarb liqueur”, in the UK. Using Swedish rhubarb stalks, the aromatic mixture is softened by bourbon vanilla bean and sugar for a round and sweet finish.Added to this is a smooth wheat vodka from the rhubarb-growing region of Södermanland in Sweden.

At 20 per cent ABV, it is light and refreshing, recommended for serving shaken with ice and strained into a Martini glass. It is also suggested for mixing with vodka or added to champagne with a dash of vodka.

Ylva was previously international development and marketing director at gin producer G&J Greenall and also held senior roles at William Grant & Sons, Bacardi and Svensk Vodka.

the insight that 1.8million gamers go out in the ontrade at least once a week.

The brand is also being promoted in bars and clubs through “bomb bars”, staffed

by Kick Energy’s promotional teams or a venue’s employees.They serve up bombs with Kick Energy and Jägermeister or Jungfrau.

Global Brands, which owns Kick Energy, has trialled the bomb bars in Sheffield and Chesterfield and is planning to roll them out nationally. It also offers branded cup dispensers to make bomb servers quicker.

Team returns to St-Germain New activities are planned for StGermain elderflower liqueur which has switched distributors in the UK after three consecutive years of growth.

It was launched into the UK by Inspirit Brands, now part of Global Brands, which has announced it has ended the agency agreement as part of a “strategy to focus on brands with significant growth potential”.

St-Germain has moved to Cask Liquid Marketing, set up by Stuart Ekins and Richard Herbert, former directors of Inspirit.They plan to build the brand through a programme called L’Equipe StGermain, designed to build community within the bar trade.

This includes the existing St-Germain Bartender Exchange which sees bartenders swap places at top bars in different countries. It also offers scholarships to an educational programme taught in New York City by drinks experts such as Dale DeGroff and Dave Wondrich.

Exclusive launch for Absolut vodka Pernod Ricard UK has launched a single-batch super-premium Absolut vodka into the UK exclusively through only five top cocktail bars in London.

Absolut Elyx is made from a single-estate harvest of Swedish winter wheat and water, and it is distilled in an original handoperated copper column still

from 1929.

The first five bars to stock it last month were China Tang at the Dorchester, the American Bar at the Savoy, Quo Vadis, the bar at the Ritz and the Connaught Bar. Introduced into travel retail and other markets in 2011, it is being released to the wider “prestige” on-trade in the UK in June.

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whiskey

Whiskey galore A

s Dominic Roskrow and his team were writing new book 1001 WhiskiesYou Must Try Before You Die, they were hearing about another 10 to 20 new whiskies being introduced every week. The doorstop-like book has 960 pages but is just the “tastiest tip of a very large proverbial iceberg”, Dominic says. He points to a worldwide revolution in whisky:“We are seeing the emergence of good-quality spirits from Sweden and Finland in the north to Australia and New Zealand in the south, and from Taiwan and India in the east to Brazil and Argentina in the west.” Over half the book is devoted to Scotch, but otherwise it demonstrates the exciting variety of products available, including whiskeys from Ireland and the US.

Mark Ludmon reports on the rise of whiskies from the US, Ireland and the rest of the world In the UK, innovation is coming from flavoured whiskeys. Last month saw the launch of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey whiskey, hot on the heels of March’s launch of Jim Beam Honey and last year’s launch of black cherry-flavoured Red Stag by Jim Beam.While Tennessee Honey is made by mixing Jack Daniel’s with honey liqueur, it retains the distinctive flavour of the core whiskey and has an ABV of 35 per cent.

This will appeal to existing Jack Daniel’s fans but also help to recruit new consumers, both male and female, says Mark Davis, area marketing manager for American whiskeys at Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands (BBFB).

“The spirits market overall is broadly static but some of the flavoured spirits categories are in real growth.We see an opportunity

Irish whiskey

Belfast’s Crumlin Road Gaol is to be transformed into a whiskey distillery by businessman Paul Lavery whose brands include Titanic and Danny Boy.This £5million investment reflects the continuing growth in Irish whiskey globally, with work also due to start on an £80million expansion of the Jameson distillery in County Cork.

Jameson is growing in value in the UK on-trade in most channels, with bars and clubs showing value growth of 17.1 per cent year on year.The brand has been reaching consumers through activities such as the Jameson Cult Film Club screenings as well as sampling at 542 events in 284 bars over 11 weeks across the UK.The so-called “brand in hand” campaign is due to continue later this year.

William Grant & Sons is to invest nearly £30million in a new distillery in Tullamore, County Offaly, because of growth for its Tullamore Dew whiskeys.

It follows last year’s repackaging of the brands alongside a new push in the UK, including the introduction of premium variant Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old Special Reserve. for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey in the arena of flavoured spirits. It provides a new accessible way into whiskey.”

Mark adds that consumers in the UK see Tennessee Honey as a “treat” for “highenergy special occasions”, drunk chilled straight, over ice or mixed with lemonade.

Launched last month exclusively into the on-trade, it will enter the off-trade in August, with a total marketing investment of more than £2million.

While whiskey-based flavoured liqueurs such as Southern Comfort and Evan Williams Honey Reserve were already available, Red Stag by Jim Beam was the first flavoured bourbon in the UK when it was launched by Maxxium UK just over a year ago.“It is a unique piece of innovation in the bourbon category that will recruit new users and break down barriers, being accessible, different and great tasting on its own or mixed,” says Eileen Livingstone, marketing controller for imported whiskeys at Maxxium UK.“Today, flavoured spirits have become increasingly popular and Red Stag allows Jim Beam to introduce bourbon to new drinkers who wouldn’t normally www.barmagazine.co.uk |25

whiskey

Mickey Finn

Alongside a new on-trade drive for the Mickey Finn range of liqueurs, Babco Europe has launched Mickey Finn Apple Whiskey Liquor – a 35 per cent ABV blend of Irish and American whiskeys infused with Irish apple.“Due to its lower strength and sweeter notes, we believe it’s the ideal drink for those who are discovering whiskey for the first time or looking for something a little different,” says Babco Europe chief executive Mark Wilson.

It contains a four-year-old American grain whiskey produced in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and aged in charred white oak barrels for at least 40 months.This is blended with a micro-distilled Irish whiskey and shipped in apple barrels. Distributed in the UK by Proof Drinks, it is initially being targeted at Irish bars. It is supported by an on-trade promotion, called Golden Boot, to mark Ireland’s participation in Euro 2012, offering prizes including limitededition gold boots filled with the spirit. drink it.The opportunity for Red Stag in the UK is huge and it will bring in drinkers from categories including rum, imported whiskies and specialities.”

Jim Beam Honey, with an ABV of 35 per cent, is made with four-year-old Jim Beam bourbon, slowly infused with natural honey.

The addition of the new variant is part of Maxxium UK’s increased investment in Jim Beam and the bourbon category including Maker’s Mark, supported by bartender training from its Mixxit team.“Currently, there’s a lot of experimentation in the bourbon category, and consumers are coming to expect that brands will try new things,” Eileen adds.“Bourbon is growing in popularity and brands are recognising that, to keep growing, they need to innovate and create new ways of engaging the consumer and expanding the relevance of the category as a whole.”

While not a bourbon, Jack Daniel’s remains the number-one American whiskey in the UK, and this is driving the whole American whiskey category, says Crispin Stephens, trade marketing manager for American whiskeys at BBFB which also distributes Woodford Reserve bourbons.

“There are lots of opportunities for us to educate consumers about what American

26| www.barmagazine.co.uk

whiskey is, what it stands for and the difference between Jack Daniel’s and bourbon,” Crispin says.

BBFB continues to invest heavily across the Jack Daniel’s portfolio.

Alongside activities linking the core No 7 with live music, new on-trade activity will promote the “perfect serve” of a Jack Daniel’s and cola, supported by point-ofsale materials for bars.The richer Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel has been popular with premium bars, including the option of sourcing a bespoke single-barrel exclusive to a particular venue. BBFB is also planning new activity for the full-bodied Gentleman Jack, which benefits from a second charcoal mellowing after reaching maturity.The Gentleman’s Sour campaign will involve tailored activity with individual bars to develop twists on classic cocktails using the premium whiskey.

Global Brands is building on bourbon’s links with the “golden age of cocktails” and speakeasies for Four Roses – one of only six distilleries allowed to operate through Prohibition.“The speakeasy theme is increasingly popular and fashionable with on-trade venues across the UK,” says marketing director Simon Green.“We plan to build on Four Roses’ speakeasy positioning by owning the ‘jam jar’ serve, strengthening the brand’s links with live music and communicating Four Roses’ rich and authentic heritage.”

The variety of American whiskeys available owes much to importer Eaux de Vie whose portfolio includes Wasmund’s from Copper Fox Distillery in Virginia, Leopold’s American Small Batch Whiskey from Colorado, High West whiskey from Utah and the incredible range from Heaven Hill in Kentucky including Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Pikesville and Rittenhouse.

The choice of boutique brands has grown thanks to First Drinks introducing small-

batch Hudson whiskeys from New York state, starting with its rich, oaky and smoky corn-based Baby Bourbon and the smooth and spicy Manhattan Rye. Award-winning whiskeys such as George T Stagg and Thomas H Handy are available in the UK through Hi-Spirits and its partnership with Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Limited quantities of unaged Buffalo Trace White Dog, bottled at 62.5 per cent ABV, have been supplied to the on-trade, including Mint Leaf Lounge in the City of London. Bar supervisor Paul Loki explains:“It’s basically old-fashioned moonshine whiskey, and there’s a lot of interest amongst bartenders in traditional drinks at the moment.” He is currently serving a Mad Dog Old Fashioned using the spirit infused with caramelised walnuts, which he has also used to make a Sour. He is next planning to infuse White Dog with summer fruits.“One interesting thing about White Dog is that it has a fresher, sweeter flavour than aged whiskey.

While traditional bourbon cocktails are wonderful, the younger flavour of White Dog enables you to use other distinct flavours in drinks.” n 1001 Whiskies You Must Try Before You Die is published by Cassell, priced £20.

Made in Japan Japan continues its awards domination over the Scots. In this year’s World Whiskies Awards,Yamazaki 25 Years Old from Suntory was named world’s best single malt while Nikka gained the title of best blended whisky for the fourth year running, with Taketsuru 17 Years Old. In the UK, Suntory whiskies brand ambassador Zoran Peric is highlighting the mixability of Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki through cocktails for each of the 24 Japanese seasons. For shousho, meaning “little heat”, he mixes 50ml of Yamazaki 12-year-old single malt with 75ml of water infused with orange blossom, lemon zest and lemongrass, poured over large chunks of ice and stirred 24 times plus a zest of lemon (pictured).

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mixology

Super cherries

Michael Stringer plays with Fireball

In the mix Mark Ludmon reports on some of the latest trends in British bartending

T

he links between the kitchen and the bar are becoming ever-blurrier.While the term “bar chef” remains a peculiarly American term, bars are increasingly serving cocktails where the ingredients and methods owe much to gastronomy – especially molecular. Some bartenders hate the term “molecular” but it has been embraced by bar consultant Matt Wilkinson who named his business MolecularMixology.co.uk, supplying ingredients and equipment to the bar trade.

“The techniques that have stuck are those that have a complementary effect on the taste and presentation of a beverage while being relatively easy and cheap to implement,” he points out. He says foams and airs have been a hit as have flamed mists, using fine mist sprayers.There is also the growing trend for smoked cocktails, using tools such as the Polyscience Smoking Gun – with one bar reporting that its smoked drink is second in popularity only to a Mojito.

Caviar and vacuum-infusing get a great reaction from consumers but have proven slow to spread because they are hard to implement well, Matt adds.“Due to the short shelf-life of the final product – and Chamahez at Après

therefore the need to make them to order – both of these techniques have found their way onto and off beverage menus fairly quickly.” He says the latest innovation is “sparkling cocktails”: the Perlini carbonated cocktail system was launched at last year’s Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans and nominated for best new product.Also new for the “bar lab” is the Sonicprep Ultrasonic Homogenizer which offers a wide range of techniques such as extraction, infusion, homogenisation, emulsification, suspension, degassing and rapid barrel-ageing, applying 20,000 cycles of high-frequency ultrasonic waves to a liquid.

Bartender Stu Hoyland has created molecular offerings both for events and at Southampton venues Café Parfait and 90 Degrees.“It’s something very different for customers, and gives drinks a real ‘wow’ factor,” he says.“All the hard work in preparing them is done in advance, so when you produce a molecular cocktail from behind the bar or serve it at the table, it’s almost like magic.”

Popular serves include a platter of cocktails, served like bar food. Stu has worked with brands such as Antica Sambuca to produce sambuca candy floss and ice cream, and Fireball Cinnamon and Whisky Liqueur to make Fireball Foam with apple slice dips.

The secrets of molecular cocktails are shared at Alchemists Anonymous masterclasses run by Hire The Barman with mixologist Michael Stringer, with different versions for consumers and bartenders.

Working with drinks companies, he has come up with specialities such as bacon-

Cherries are having a revival behind the bar alongside the renaissance of classic cocktails.

Drinks company Cellar Trends has introduced authentic Luxardo Maraschino Cherries – the same native Marasca cherries from northern Italy used for Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur.The appeal of natural cherry flavours has driven demand for Visciolata del Cardinale Cherry Dessert Wine among bartenders, says Rob Stephany of supplier Super Cherry. It has been used in cocktails at top London bars such as the Artesian, Rules,Albannach, Pollen Street Social, Quo Vadis and China Tang. Supercherry also supplies Visciole del Cardinale Sour Cherries, again used at leading bars.“They appeal to bartenders because they have a deep rich intense cherry flavour and colour which has both sourness and sweetness,” Rob explains. infused Buffalo Trace bourbon and Effen Black Cherry vodka foam.“Clients are often looking for the ‘wow’ factor at corporate events and functions, and making and serving molecular cocktails is a great way to achieve that,” Michael says.

Experiments with savoury ingredients are common, from vegetables through to meat itself. Shaka Zula restaurant and bar in Camden, north London, has introduced a dedicated Meat Bar serving up meat-infused cocktails.They include the Meatequita, made with tequila reposado infused with chorizo, mixed with vegetable juice, balsamic vinegar, smoked sea salt, pepper and port.The Wheeling Salmon uses a smoked salmoninfused vodka mixed with lemon, pepper and ice.

The use of fresh produce in cocktails is a trend that really stands out for Manuel Terron, global brand ambassador for Midori.

“It’s refreshing to see so many bartenders working more with locally produced ingredients and sourcing from farmers markets or regional vendors in order to get better-quality produce or even to reduce the bar’s carbon footprint, and sometimes it is simply to infuse cocktails with a more home-grown flavour.” He adds that he has found that Midori, made from Japanese yubari and musk melons, marries beautifully with many, if not all fresh herbs, such as basil leaves, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, sage, coriander, curry leaves and mint. www.barmagazine.co.uk |29

mixology MolecularMixology’s smoking gun

A popular flavour behind the bar is elderflower, either through an elderflower liqueur such as St-Germain or elderflower cordial.With June being the elderflower season, Bottlegreen Drinks Co is seeing demand for its elderflower cordial flying for British summertime serves in the on-trade.

“Through our quintessentially British and popular cordial range, we’re seeing that consumers are interested in both traditional and more unusual flavours, from classic varieties such as elderflower to unique blends such as our new Lime & Coconut Cordial,” says Bottlegreen managing director Simon Speers.“Consumers are also becoming more engaged in the idea of natural ingredients and the need to adopt a more well-balanced diet.”

Demand from more health-conscious consumers has led many bars to introduce low-calorie “skinny” cocktails to their menus.At central London bar Après, head mixologist Jez Hewitt has created a menu of “Skinny Sippers” – which cut calories by half or more while improving on the flavour – alongside a list of “Big Hitters”

69 Colebrooke Row At 69 Colebrooke Row bar in Islington, north London, co-owner Tony Conigliaro commissioned ceramicist Reiko Kaneko to produce a bespoke drinking vessel for its new Prairie Oyster cocktail.The shelllike vessel complements the drink which is inspired by three concepts: a Prairie Oyster where an egg yolk is downed with a shot of tomato juice and spices; swallowing a classic oyster; and a Bloody Mary, replacing the tomato juice with a clarified tomato juice, reformulated to resemble an egg yolk, plus horseradish vodka, oloroso sherry,Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, shallots, red wine vinegar and an oyster leaf.

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One For The Road at Drake & Morgan

for customers who don’t care about the calories. Skinny options include the Chamahez, made with watermelon, red jalapeño chilli, Fair Goji Liqueur and agave syrup – totalling 200 calories.

Skinny cocktails were introduced two years ago at London’s Drake & Morgan bars which have picked up on another emerging trend – the beer cocktail.Their new summer menu includes One for the Road, using a base of Peroni Nastro Azzurro plus Tanqueray gin, cranberry bitters, fresh lemon and Greek basil leaves.The Dark & Pour Me enhances Beck’s Vier by adding The Kraken Black Spiced rum, spicy ginger syrup and fresh lime juice, shaken with Angostura Bitters. Both are served in glasses that are a cross between a jam jar and a beer mug.

From jam jars to vintage crystal, bars continue to seek a point of difference by using interesting and unusual glassware.

The champagne saucer glass has been making a return after being overtaken by the champagne flute in the second half of the 20th century. Catering equipment supplier Stephensons saw a 454 per cent increase in the sale of champagne coupes in 2011 compared to 2009. It is part of a broader move by bars towards using classic glassware, also represented by Steelite’s new Minners range and Artis’s new Hob Star range, says Stephensons managing director Henry Stephenson.“These venues seem to be following the retro trend, creating an Art Deco feel to their establishment, using glassware reminiscent of the 1930s.”

Unusual drinking vessels from gramophones to wellington boots continue to delight bartenders and consumers, particularly for sharing drinks, points out Ian McLaren, head of product training and mixology at Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands.“Vessels will continue to be big going forward, and I’m also noticing a lot of big garnishes. Delivering drinks in that

Yoghurt liqueur Maxxium UK has launched the firstever natural yoghurt liqueur to the UK market, developed by Dutch liqueur and spirits producer Lucas Bols.With an ABV of 15 per cent, Bols Natural Yoghurt Liqueur is made with 100 per cent fresh white yoghurt, producing a sweet-sour liquid with a rich and smooth flavour.

Bols brand ambassador John Clay says it can be served chilled or used as an ingredient in most drinks and cocktails, including twists on the classics.“Rather than having a specific flavour, it brings the different flavours in a mixed drink together. It has the potential to be a staple ingredient for the bartender.”

Suggested serves include cheesecakeinspired recipes, such as mixing the liqueur with strawberries, lemon juice and Bols Strawberry Liqueur (pictured). way means that, when you put it in people’s hands, the person next to them sees it and wants to know what it is. It’s about great presentation as well as great ingredients.”

The pace of change in bartending is faster than ever, Ian notes, with online videos and social media allowing them to find out what’s going on in bars around the world.

“Bartenders are just as likely to be taking their cues from American or Japanese bartenders as they are from Russia.” He and his training team, who visit bars around the UK with their Cocktail Culture training events, have seen a move for 70s-style cocktails making a comeback.“The element of fun is coming back into cocktails – very retro, cool fun.The thinking is that it’s great to be serious about cocktails and flavours and techniques and being a professional bartender, but the majority of consumers go to bars to have fun.”

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www.barmagazine.co.uk |31

mixology

Michael Stringer of Hire The Barman and Michael-Stringer.com mixes with energy drinks

Shaking with energy Recently there has been a very noticeable shift in my working patterns, including much longer days in the Hire The Barman office.This for me is a rarity as I am not normally a daytime kind of guy, usually preferring being behind the stick until the early hours.This switch to becoming a “day-walker” has forced me to indulge in something I normally never touch: energy drinks!

I have never really been a fan of the traditional stimulants coffee, tea or especially energy drinks, which spawns from what I think was my sports tutor at college lecturing the class on the negatives of these sugar-filled, caffeinefuelled heart attacks in a can. I definitely needed something to help my eyes stay open at work but it had to be a healthier alternative to the standard energy drinks with their nasty chemical aftertaste.

During some research I came across a rather unusual drink called Pussy.This is a 100 per cent natural energy drink made with natural products such as sarsaparilla and milk thistle (which by the way is a great hangover cure). I had to give it a try. On my first sip, once I got over my childish nature of making jokes with the name, it certainly didn’t have the chemical taste I spoke about.This was very refreshing, clean and actually had a very pleasant taste to

it. Being a mixologist I naturally thought of a few ingredients to mix it with - gin, strawberry and balsamic vinegar is one of the best combinations.

I then looked further afield to the rapidly growing market of coffee within bars. Being honest I seriously can’t stand the taste of coffee, or most hot drinks in general, so I looked around for a cold alternative. Eventually I came across a company based in Dorset, which was set up by Jim and Suzie Cregan, called Jimmy’s Iced Coffee.

The packaging seemed pretty fun, including a little moustache on the top for when you drink it straight from the carton. I got in touch and asked Jimmy himself for a sample.About a week later there were a few cartons at my door. I nervously shook the carton, opened the top and took a little swig. Before I knew it the carton was empty and I was buzzing with energy and excitement.Again, this turned into a cocktail-making session with a blend of Jimmy’s, amaretto and Cointreau being a big hit! You can get my recipes which are now on Jimmy’s website at www.jimmysicedcoffee.com.

So what did I learn? Just because you think you hate the flavour of something and have been lectured on the health warnings, it doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with an alternative!

A cocktail competition celebrating loud shirts, quirky music and banter has been won by Jonathan Leathley from Socio Rehab in Manchester.

The first-ever Coco Lopez Cocktail Challenge final at the Liar’s Club in Manchester featured 16 bartenders who showcased both their mixing and entertaining skills.The top prize was £1,000 in cash.

They were challenged to create a recipe for a Piña Colada and an original drink using Coco Lopez Coconut Cream. Jonathan won with Coconut Stout – 35ml of Appleton VX, 15ml of Bärenjäger honey liqueur, 50ml of mineral water, 50ml of Anchor Porter, 50ml of pressed apple juice, a pinch of sea salt and 25ml of Coco Lopez. He is pictured with James Coston and William Opie of importer Opies.The award for best Piña Colada went to Tom Mullin, a former head bartender and bar trainer who is development manager at barware specialist Artis.

Mixologists’ corner Floridita’s Mai Tai London bar Floridita has shared their recipe for this classic cocktail.

35ml Appleton Estate Extra rum 25ml Pusser’s Navy rum 10ml Orange curaçao 10ml Orgeat 1 Lime Shake the liquids with the juice of half a lime and strain into a tiki glass half-filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a slice of orange, a wedge of lime and a sprig of mint.

Maharaja Fizz Until the end of August, D&D London’s restaurant and bar Carom at Meza in Soho features the popup Indian Summer Garden serving up cocktails including this exotic recipe.

12.5ml Home-made saffron syrup 6ml Rosewater 110ml Prosecco Add the rosewater and home-made saffron syrup into a champagne flute, top up with prosecco and stir gently.Add a garnish of a long orange peel spiral.

ML

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Sam Sidgwick from Audio Bar in Brighton won the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild Southern Open Day cocktail competition which attracted bartenders from across the south of England. It was hosted at The Honey Club in Brighton and sponsored by, among others, Bénédictine and De Kuyper.

Second place went to Tom Fry of Hotel DuVin in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, while Daniel Watts of Audio Bar was third and Michael Ragoss of Cliveden House in Taplow, Berkshire, was fourth.Visit www.ukbg.co.uk for recipes and pictures by Tom Elms Photography (www.tomelms.com).

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For sale. Sold.

In this second instalment of mixxit maintenance, mixxit Manager Patsy Christie assesses back-bar and drinks menu real estate

O

I also suggest, with much controversy, listing Socio-economics, more specifically ver the years, I’ve been privy to the most to least expensive, top to bottom merchandising techniques, have taught interesting and valuable consumer within category.There’s no guarantee that consumers to look up for luxury behaviour data that’s changed my on-trade guests will view all options but it will ensure (penthouse) and down for gradually more commercial strategy and influenced mixxit that they view and consider the most price-conscious alternatives. Culture, guidance. One philosophy I’m always eager profitable, before choosing and closing the specifically reading methods, dictates to share is the comparison between the menu.The chances are a guest will stop how we scan. Behaviour statistics found on-trade and real estate and the parallels reading the menu once they select their westerners scan from the left to right, in between the two. desired choice.Whisky bars, please take a zigzag pattern top to bottom, tending Think of the back bar as a competitive note. to slow and focus more on the right end real estate market, where numerous bottles Steer clear of cocktail descriptions which of each shelf.A back bar displaying luxury are listed and your guests have the arduous resemble grocery lists. Just like a great products on the top shelf, with premium task of selecting their preference.The same property ad, know your target demographic and standard products below and within applies to the drinks menu (any menu in and romanticise your offering accordingly. their spirit categories, while also displaying fact) where a selection of suggested serves “Bols Genever, maraschino liqueur, Lillet desired products on the right-hand side is presented to guests for consideration.

Blanc and freshly squeezed lime juice shaken (prime real estate), is set up to offer userSimilar to the housing market, there to chill, served straight up and finished with friendly navigation for guests, crucially are numerous factors that influence a a fresh orange zest perfume” sounds a heck maximising profits for the outlet. prospective buyer including, but not limited of a lot better than “genever, maraschino, Drink menus have a somewhat differing to, price, value, quality, trends, marketing and Lillet and lime”. strategy, yet location remains at the knowledge. It’s the three rules of real estate Sticking to the theme of locations in core. People have a short attention span, however that I want to examine more demand, try pairing cocktails with dishes this we know.That means a bar needs closely: location, location, location. on the food menu, in the same way as wine. to communicate its signature and most Depending on any given report, we know Again, this will help to maximise profits profitable serves first before losing guests’ that a large proportion of a bar’s traffic as many restaurant guests skip the drinks interest. Generally speaking, cocktails have will make their drink choice in the final menu altogether. one of the highest gross profit margins on moments before ordering. It’s therefore Your mechanic: @mixxit_patsy the menu so they should be listed first, imperative for every bar to make that For information about mixxit, log followed by spirits, wine, beer and so forth decision process as straightforward, onto www.mixxit.co.uk or email depending on gross profit margins. convenient and informative as possible, to mixxit.uk@maxxium.com.

If selections per page have differing prices avoid confusing guests as they make their choice.The back bar and drinks menu serve as a catalogue for each guest Holland House Deluxe looking to quench their thirst.

Ingredients: 37.5ml Bols Genever, 12.5ml maraschino liqueur, 12.5ml Lillet Blanc (keep refrigerated), 12.5ml freshly squeezed lemon juice Method: Shake all ingredients with cubed ice for 10 seconds, fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass Garnish: Orange zest Units: 2.2

The Warehouse

Ingredients: 37.5ml Jim Beam Black bourbon, 12.5ml Red Stag, 12.5ml Bols Triple Sec Liqueur, 25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, 10ml Monin Pure Cane Syrup Method: Shake all ingredients with cubed ice for 10 seconds, fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass Garnish: Fresh cherry Units: 2.6

www.drinkaware.co.uk

www.barmagazine.co.uk |33

wine

Cava class

Segura Viudas winery

Mark Ludmon explores cava country with leading producer Freixenet

M

y first attempt at creating my own cava was not a success.At the pictureseque SeguraViudas winery in Catalonia in northeast Spain, I took part in an “assemblage masterclass” under master winemaker Gabriel Suberviola, learning how different wines are blended to create sparkling wine.

“We believe that the wine is better than each of the individual wines used in the assemblage,” Gabriel explains.“As the harvest is different each year, we have to change the blend to have consistent wine.”

For the masterclass, we were presented with measuring tubes of macabeo, xarel-lo and parellada wines – the three grapes used for making cava. My efforts at balancing the acidity of the macabeo with the more elegant parellada failed to win Gabriel’s approval but he has had slightly more practice – he joined Freixenet Group, the owner of Segura Viudas, in 1980 and has been master winemaker at Segura Viudas since 1998.

While the Freixenet name is well-known in the UK, the profile of the premium Segura Viudas range is set to grow after supplier Bibendum added five expressions to its portfolio: Brut Reserva, Brut Rosé, Brut Vintage, Reserva Heredad and Torre Galimany.The winery is also a base for Gloria Collell who is not only export director at Freixenet but also winemaker for the Mía still wine range, launched to attract more women to drinking Spanish wines.

The winery’s “Assemblage Experience” is organised for both press and the trade by invitation. More accessible is the main Freixenet winery in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia in the heart of the cava-producing Penedès region – less than an hour’s drive from Barcelona and connected to the city centre by a direct train line.

Built by the Ferrer family between 1917 and 1921, the winery is now also home to a visitor centre. Like an iceberg, the quaint low-rise building sits above four floors of cellars where wines are stored and, using the traditional méthode champenoise method, turned into cava.After the first fermentation, the wines are capped and aged on the lees for one to five years.They are placed on racks at a 45-degree angle so

34| www.barmagazine.co.uk

that the lees, or yeast sediments, collect in the neck.To consolidate the lees, the bottles are rotated slightly every day through a process known as “riddling”.After ageing, the necks of the bottles are frozen and the caps removed, with the pressure inside the bottle forcing the lees out – known as dégorgement. The bottles are then topped off with base wine plus sugar – called dosage – before being corked and shipped.

Freixenet is the world’s largest producer of cava, at 102.5million bottles a year, including the black-bottled Cordón Negro and the rosé Cordón Rosado as well as the top-end Elyssia cavas and Mía wines – all now available in the UK through on-trade supplier Matthew Clark.The cellars at Freixenet cover such an incredible distance that there is a mini train to carry visitors through some parts, where it resembles a lofty underground multi-storey car park.

But the heart of the cava experience is back above ground in the vineyards. During my trip with Freixenet, we were taken to the Torre del Gall estate in Sant Cugat Sesgarrigues, nearly an hour south-west of Barcelona.With views of the Montserrat mountains, it covers 30 hectares, with vines up to 72 years old.

But the most important part of the Freixenet experience is the drinking.

During our visit, we were treated to a meal matching still and sparkling wines with food such as cod fish carpaccio with Elyssia Gran Cuvée and marinated salmon with the Cordón Rosado.We were also taken to Dry Martini, one of the world’s best

Gabriel Suberviola

cocktail bars, in the fashionable Eixample area of Barcelona and treated to a taste of The Academy, which opened next door two years ago and offers classes in cocktails.

Sitting at the seven-metre bar, we found out just how mixable Freixenet cavas can be.

Bartender Ernesto came up with a delicious blend of vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur and passion fruit, stirred with ice and strained into a flute, topped up with Cordón Negro, garnished with a blackberry, raspberry and pineapple chunk on a cocktail stick. He also created a cocktail, dubbed the Dirty Blush, mixing calvados, green apple juice and Cordón Rosado, plus a garnish of apple slices on a stick.With classes like these, learning is much more fun than it was at school.

sherry Advance Sour at the Nightjar

Harveys Cellars

Sherry go round Mark Ludmon looks at how a new generation of drinkers is rediscovering sherry

L

ook back at the cocktail books of the 19th century and early 20th century, and you find sherry as a common ingredient.American bartender Jerry Thomas’s 1862 guide features a Sherry Cobbler adding sugar and orange, and a Sangaree mixing sherry with sugar, water and nutmeg. In Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, recipes include the Sherry Twist Cocktail mixing sherry with Cointreau, brandy, vermouth, lemon juice and cinnamon.

While sherry is making a comeback on cocktail menus, it remains chiefly restricted to top-end bars playing with vintage recipes.

At the Nightjar in London, Harveys fino is included in the Ginza Cocktail along with Japanese whisky Nikka from the Barrel, sake vermouth, pomelo bitters, Campari crystals and bamboo charcoal.The bar’s elegant Advance Sour uses the rich Harveys 30-year-old Pedro Ximénez with Woodford Reserve bourbon, mastiha honey, freshly squeezed lemon and orange and marzipan syrup.This is part of a move by Harveys’ distributor, Maxxium UK, to encourage bars to use the brand’s premium expressions.

It comes at a time when sherry – once seen as grandma’s Christmas tipple – is being embraced by a new generation turned on by its provenance and variety of styles.

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A new wave of sherry bars in London over the past two years includes José in Bermondsey, Capote y Toros in South Kensington and Bar Pepito in King’s Cross – named Time Out bar of the year – while high-quality sherries have been championed by restaurants such as Sam and Eddie Hart’s Barrafina and Fino.

This has been good news for the category, says Jane Wilson, Maxxium UK’s senior brand manager for Harveys.“Previously it had an old-fashioned image, and younger consumers had no knowledge of sherry, what it is or how to serve it. It was not that they didn’t like it but, worse still, it wasn’t on their radar. People had forgotten what complex sherry wines taste like, so trial and education are key to its future success.”

With staff sharing their knowledge of sherry with customers, these bars are instilling confidence in consumers that sherry fits into 21st-century lifestyles, Jane adds.“Discerning consumers are consciously seeking out new drinks, and sherry is gaining a resurgence with new followers, giving us the opportunity to share with them just how good sherry can be when served correctly.The love of sherry and food-matching is also emerging and, rather than being pigeon-holed as an elitist

Harveys Cellars in Bristol has reopened as a contemporary sherry, wine and cocktail bar, with plans to roll it out as a brand across the UK. Originally designed as a restaurant in 1961 by Sir Terence Conran, it has been developed in collaboration with Maxxium UK and its Harveys brand.

Located in an area once central to Bristol’s sherry trade, it features Harveys memorabilia from the past 40 years on the walls and large Harveys sherry barrels as tables.The bar serves fine Harveys sherries including its VORS range, served with tapas dishes created to complement them.

Owner Clinton McLeary, who runs the bar with general manager Claire Judd, said:“I am passionate about sherry and its heritage in Bristol so, despite the state that the cellars were in, I knew that I wanted to take on the task of redeveloping them into an iconic city centre venue. Eventually we would like to roll the brand out across the country, offering something that is unique to consumers.” experience, it should be celebrated as a passion to be shared socially with friends and family and embraced by lovers of fine wines nationwide.”

Already the UK’s number-one sherry, Harveys has been leading the category’s fightback in the UK.This includes the “Harveys Half Hour” campaign which sampled sherry to over 200,000 adults last year and is set to achieve the same again in 2012. It aims to recruit new consumers and re-engage with lapsed fans, promoting ideas such as the signature serve of Harveys over ice with a slice of orange. Maxxium UK is also encouraging more discerning drinkers to trade up to the intense rich flavours of its VORS range and has particularly been building distribution for the Pedro Ximénez.

Drinks distributor Molson Coors UK is currently working with Harveys and sherry producer Bodegas Hidalgo – with its flagship La Gitana manzanilla sherry – to develop the category for on-trade customers.

Molson Coors UK’s senior buying manager for wine, Gary Keller, adds:“We are looking to expand our sherry offering and hope this will bear fruit in the future.”

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summer of sport Summer cocktails at Anise

Winning ideas

Mark Ludmon looks at how bars are preparing for the Olympics and Euro 2012

T

he five flaming cocktails on the bar at Anise, part of Indian restaurant Cinnamon Kitchen, in the City of London may conjure up associations with an event taking place four miles away in east London in July and August but of course this is purely coincidental.The spicy cocktails, each matched with five dishes, may have similar colours to the Olympics rings but nobody at the bar is saying the “O” word. Excitement about the Olympics is building, and it is inevitable that bars, pubs and clubs will want to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime event. But, with the games’ organising committee being strict on how words like “Olympics” and “London 2012” can be used, operators are having to be careful and creative.

At London bar Zenna in Soho, manager Dan Thomson has developed the Cocktail Quintathlon with Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands – a series of 15 events from late June to late July that will test bartenders in core skills such as speed, strength and stamina as well as knowledge, mixology and flair. Challenges include the Cocktail Sprint

– the fastest time for making three classic cocktails – and the Cocktail Marathon – the most cocktails made in three minutes.Add the Gin & Tonic Dash and the Spirit Case Dead-Lift, and you have a contest that tests physical fitness as well as cocktail-making skills.

An inventive promotion will be running at London bar Boyds Brasserie inspired by the dates when London has hosted the Olympics: 1908, 1948 and 2012. Cocktails will be half price for 10 minutes at 19.08, 19.48 and 20.12 every evening throughout July and August. Over in Notting Hill in west London, the theatrical Supperclub will go back to the birthplace of the Olympics, with staff dressed as Greek gods and goddesses as well as an enactment of the first-ever

Olympic Games opening ceremony nearly 3,000 years ago. One of its signature cocktails, called the Crazy Horse, will also be served in miniature chariot vessels.

Kitsch Italian restaurant and bar Bunga Bunga in Battersea, south London, is being transformed into an “Italian players lounge” with a board keeping count of Italian medal wins and regular broadcasts of the Italian national anthem. It will have its own opening and closing ceremonies, including a running track leading up to the venue. It will also have a new cocktail called the (whisper it) Olympic Flame-ing Cocktail which incorporates a real flame. Olympic-inspired cocktails will also be served at African restaurant and bar Shaka Zulu in Camden, north London.The Cape Town Share is a

Cape Town Share at Shaka Zulu

Euro 2012 celebrations with Captain Morgan

www.barmagazine.co.uk |39

summer of sport sharing cocktail for four people, celebrating Olympic athletes from Africa, and contains a blend of Santa Teresa Claro rum, Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Rum, lime, watermelon, pineapple and coconut.

In another Soho bar,Archer Street, themed cocktails being added to the menu include Bulls-eye, made by building Martin Miller’s Gin over crushed ice with raspberry liqueur, rose syrup and fresh lemon juice, topped up with ginger ale.The bar will also offer the Flaming Arrow combining Ketel One vodka with lychee liqueur, shaken with fresh mint, cucumber, apple juice, fresh lime juice and gomme.Archer Street has also spotted another opportunity: with many of the West End’s theatres closing during the Olympics, it will host performances by musical theatre stars and create a pop-up theatre in its basement.

The licensed trade in Greater London is being warned to prepare for the disruption caused by the Olympics, with different agencies providing advice at Getaheadofthegames.com.

Drinks wholesaler Vivas and its parent company 3663 is already planning special arrangements for deliveries to customers located near the Olympic Route Network which will be closed to non-Olympic traffic between 6am and midnight every day during the games. But the company is also helping A previous Indigo Awnings project in Canary Wharf

Olympic win Indigo Awnings is best known for supplying parasols, awnings and other outdoor accessories to the hospitality industry but it has also become an official supplier to the London Olympics.

It has provided its A4 Extreme Parasols – which can withstand wind speeds of up to 120km per hour – for two clients for fixing on the roof of Westfield Stratford City, for viewing areas overlooking the Olympic stadium.

In another Olympic-related contract, 32 standard circular parasols in three different sizes and colours – red, white and blue – are being installed by the Thames at Canary Wharf in time for the Olympics although they will be a permanent fixture. Since the installations, Indigo Awnings has received an enquiry about providing parasols inside the Olympic Park itself.

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WKD’s Euro 2012 capey

its customers with ideas on themed events and drinks such as offering sharing platters with wines from competing countries or running a promotion offering a glass of sparkling wine when Team GB wins a gold.

Drinks company Hi-Spirits is suggesting themed promotions for its brands.

“Creating an atmosphere around the Olympics can be as simple as offering a range of cocktails, long drinks and shots to celebrate whenever Team GB wins a medal,” says chairman Jeremy Hill. Colour-coded examples include using Fireball cinnamon whisky for gold,Antica Classic Sambuca for silver and Buffalo Trace bourbon for bronze.

As one of the sponsors, Coca-Cola is in a unique position of being able to highlight the Olympics in its on-trade activities this summer. Last month, it introduced a new series of limited-edition 330ml Coke, Diet Coke and Coke Zero bottles featuring designs relating to Olympic sports such as swimming and beach volleyball. Coca-Cola Enterprises points out that the 2010 World Cup, saw the soft drinks category benefit from an uplift in sales throughout the tournament.

But this summer is not just about the Olympics – there is the small matter of Euro 2012 which has been somewhat overshadowed.As the “Official Beer of the England Football Team” and sponsor of Euro 2012, Carlsberg UK has begun a multimillion-pound campaign including a new TV ad. In the on-trade, point-of-sale kits have been sent out containing life-size player standees, bunting, flags, posters, banners and T-shirts that carry the dates of England group matches so staff can be a walking advert for screenings. Operators are also working with Carlsberg’s customer marketing managers or using the Carlsberg We Deliver More online portal to develop bespoke activities.

An unofficial football anthem has been released for Captain Morgan’s Spiced rum as part of a £3million campaign in the on- and off-trade for Euro 2012, rallying consumers to treat every match as an opportunity to have a “legendary night out” with friends. In the on-trade, 10,000 outlets will receive trophy-shaped pitchers to offer a new sharing serve for the signature bar call of “Captain and cola”, accompanied by point-of-sale kits and Captain-branded

Cold War classic The newly launched Monin Tarragon syrup is being promoted by Bennett Opie for the Olympics because of a classic Russian drink born out of the Cold War rivalry surrounding the 1980 Moscow games.With many American products banned, Coca-Cola and Pepsi were supplanted by Russian drinks Tarhun and Baykai – bright green lemonades flavoured with tarragon.

“This herb is really versatile and works with strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants as well as citrus fruits, cucumber and tomato juice,” says Monin UK brand ambassador James Coston.“As the Russians have shown, it’s wonderful with lemonade but the sophisticated taste blends so well with a range of other flavours that Monin Tarragon syrup is a winner across a host of drinks applications.” armbands.The characters of the Captain and his Morganettes will visit parties in 150 nightclubs and bars across the UK armed with a treasure chest, which consumers unlock for a chance to win one of 15,000 prizes.“We have developed a few really innovative tools to help football fans make the most of the long summer evenings, enjoying the football and help them to party like champions regardless of what the game result is,” explains brand manager Violeta Andreeva.“This campaign will benefit thousands of licensees who already are trying to get their customers to stay on long after the final whistle has been blown.”

Bars can also tap into an on-trade promotion run by Beverage Brands for WKD to tie in with Euro 2012.When buying WKD drinks, customers can be offered a free England “capey” – a cape that is a cross between a flag and a tabard featuring the St George cross.“They will generate additional rate of sale for stockists and help build the big match atmosphere in bars,” says marketing director Debs Carter.“Consumers turn to the on-trade

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summer of sport

Service >> Best of British

Big screen from Epson

Top tips for big sporting events as they know that a great bar with great service and a great atmosphere is the next best thing to being at the match itself. By employing tactics to ensure that customers are served quickly and efficiently, and supporting promotions that enhance the Euro 2012 feel-good factor, licensees will maximise their chances for a highly successful tournament.”

Food is an important opportunity, with customers more inclined to seek sharing dishes while watching sport. Moy Park Foodservice is encouraging bars and pubs to prepare for a “unique summer of sharing”, tapping into its own “It’s Good to Share” range of easy-to-prepare hot snacks such as Crunchy Chick ‘n’ Mini Fillets and Red Pepper & Jalapeno Goujons.“The summer is very much a one-off because of the sheer number of major events that will bring the nation together with licensed outlets being very much the focal point of such shared celebrations,” says marketing manager Jayne Hall.“The social nature of such major occasions must be reflected on the menu – by offering food that will go down well with groups of customers who will be drinking and eating together.”

Getting the background music right is just as important for bars, and a “Summer of Sport” promotion has been launched by Soundnet which supplies audio and visual content to bars and clubs.Where venues have Soundnet’s Milestones in Music service of hit songs and new releases, consumers search for sports-related songs with the chance of finding a hidden “golden trophy” icon that provides them with a code to text to Soundnet.The prize promotion, using Sound Leisure’s VHub jukeboxes, runs from June to August, with about 6,000 venues expected to take part. Soundnet’s commercial director James Luck points out:“’Summer of Sport’ provides a golden opportunity for pubs to increase jukebox takings and use music to add to the sporting atmosphere.”

Big-screen TV is one of the most underused assets in many bars, believes Lee Hazell, general manager of the TCGowned Famous 3 Kings in West Kensington, London.“Most venues show the big football

42| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company is providing all its lessees with guidance on how to maximise sports in their pubs and bars including the following tips.

Delivering food and drink quickly is one of the key factors that will determine whether or not customers come back to your pub to watch other Olympic sports so ensure you offer a fast and efficient service. Pre-ordered rounds, pre-poured drinks or a “bottles only” bar area all help at busy periods as does table service during key events.

If using roving servers, train them to keep an eye on the action and keep a low profile during crucial moments such as penalty kicks and the last five or 10 minutes of a close game.

In your advertising and promotional activity highlight the fact that your bar offers something extra that customers cannot get at home such as 3D TV, HDTV or table service.

Remember you cannot use Euro 2012, Olympic or Paralympic words or imagery to theme your promotions. Use general sport or international themes instead. matches, and some make an event of the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup. However if you have satellite TV, there is sport shown 24 hours a day, seven days a week – and there’s an audience out there for just about every sport. Events such as Wimbledon and the cricket are actually much better for trade than a football match.They last longer, and so customers are more likely to order food and stay longer.”

The BBC will be launching 24 Freeview Olympics sports channels so that, along with coverage on other channels, there will be thousands of hours of live sport broadcast during London 2012, Lee points out.“It all means that bars can choose the events they want to follow and be sure that they will be able to show them live, from the qualifying heats right through to the final.”

Lee stresses that operators need to make sure their customers know you will be showing the games, maybe offering them a chance to book tables in advance for the biggest events.“Offer sports-friendly

Tim Ogle, chief executive at customer intelligence specialist Market Force Europe

The Olympics this summer will bring millions of visitors to London – visitors who will all be searching for places to eat and drink.This is a chance to show customers the best of British, not only in the food and drinks we offer them, but also through good customer service.

From experience of working with many bars and listening to what customers want there are very simple and easy-toimplement tips that will help you this summer.

Make sure television screens are as visible to as many customers as possible.

You don’t want people leaving because they cannot see the action.

Have as many bar staff as possible working when the events are on.

Customers do not like to wait for long periods and will often leave because of service delays.

Get your establishment into the summer celebrations spirit. Simply decorating your premises and encouraging staff to celebrate and engage with customers will add to the overall experience.

Word of mouth is very powerful and customers are quick to share bad experiences. By listening to what your customers want now you can make sure this summer your bar experience is one they won’t forget.

food and drink menus, such as pitchers of beer and cocktails, hand-held food such as burgers and hot-dogs, and sharing platters,” he suggests. “Alongside the most popular events, take advantage of the extended live coverage by picking more unusual events to follow through the games. From GrecoRoman Wrestling to Taekwondo, there’s something for everyone.”

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smoking report

Smoke signals Mark Ludmon reports on the rise of the “COSA” and how tobacco is inspiring bartenders

T

his month sees the opening of a new “cigar room” at the May Fair Hotel in London, serving up cognacs, armagnacs, whiskies, vintage champagne and Martinis alongside the finest cigars. It is part of a growing trend for bars to make the best of the smoking ban which has now been in place for six years in Scotland and five years in England and Wales. Many operators have now created a “cosy outdoor smoking area”, or a COSA, to attract smokers and their friends.While the likes of the Lanesborough Hotel in London led this trend with its Garden Room, it has spread to bars across the rest of the UK. Last summer, a “cigar room” opened next to the Blue Bar at the Gleneagles Hotel while a

“cigar bothy” at Hotel DuVin in Edinburgh and Glasgow has been a great success.

At the May Fair, they talk about their COSA being a “cigar experience”, with chain mail-clad walls, hanging gardens and real fireplaces for when it is colder.There will be a cigar concierge to invite smokers to trial new brands and the latest releases, with a menu of cigars from leading supplier Hunters & Frankau including the Habanos that it exclusively imports.The hotel’s general manager,Anthony Lee, says they will be “banishing the gentleman’s club atmosphere” by create a more “feminine” experience to attract the increasing numbers of women who smoke cigars.

Another important part of the experience The cigar terrace at Ten Manchester Street

The Rib Room Bar & Restaurant

will be the ability to enjoy the same drinks as in the May Fair Bar and its 150 magnum champagne bar.

A new COSA has also opened at The Rib Room Bar & Restaurant at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in Knightsbridge, London, as part of the elegant and stylish redesign

by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio.The new heated terrace offers an extensive cigar list and a walk-in humidor. Customers can choose from a range of rare and fine varieties of cigars from central and South America including many from Cuba such as Montecristo and Romeo Y Julieta.They are encouraged to enjoy the cigars with whiskies, cognacs and brandies or they can pick from the bar’s cocktail list.

Pairing ideas have been developed at Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill in London’s West End, run by chef Richard Corrigan.

It hosts monthly “cigar tastings” run with Hunkers & Frankau on the heated terrace where people can sample a different cigar alongside drinks to match. Over the past few months this has ranged from Dalmore 12-year-old and Dalmore Alexander whiskies matched with a Montecristo Grand Edmundo to last month’s pairing of fine sweet Royal Tokaji wine with Vagas Robaina Unicos cigars.

Cigar and drinks pairings are on the menu on the cigar terrace at boutique hotel Ten Manchester Street in Marylebone, London, developed by Joel Lawrence, head mixologist in the hotel’s Ten Lounge www.barmagazine.co.uk |45

smoking report

The Rib Room terrace

Bar. He has created a signature cocktail especially for cigar smokers called Tobacco Road, which consists of Havana Club Añejo Especial rum, Rubis Chocolate Wine, the bar’s sour mix and Perique tobacco liqueur which is made by Jade Liqueurs from the rare, high-quality Louisiana Perique tobacco.

“The idea is every time you draw on the cigar and then sip the drink, it enhances the tobacco flavour notes,” Joel explains.

He adds that cocktails based on chocolate, orange, cherry or vanilla can complement the flavours and smells found in most cigars.

The all-weather cigar terrace at Ten Manchester Street, which opened in early 2010, features a walk-in Hunters & Frankau humidor with a comprehensive range of hand-rolled Havana cigars and many other famous Cuban brands. Boasting a team of cigar sommeliers, it runs monthly tutored tastings hosted by Hunters & Frankau’s cigar specialists where guests enjoy a matching cocktail.“The terrace is very successful and full the majority of the time after 5pm, especially when the weather is wet or cold,” Joel says. Over the past year, he has seen a more constant flow of women coming through the doors to indulge in cigar smoking.“A few days ago I saw, for the first time, the terrace full of only women, not one gent.” He believes the increase in women visitors is in large part due to the bar’s Ladies Cigar Tutorials which are held every three months, hosted by Hunters and Frankau.“Ladies can enjoy a hand-rolled Havana specifically developed with the female cigar connoisseur in mind, paired with a delicious cocktail.”

“Cigar terraces” are part of a trend for consumers to seek an escape from recessionary gloom in luxurious experiences, according to Duncan Chapman, managing director of Inn-Fresco, a specialist

Cig Safe

46| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Holy smoke Outside area by Inn-Fresco

in outdoor solutions for the hospitality sector. Cosy outdoor smoking areas may feature not only luxuriously comfortable seating and outdoor heating and lighting but also retractable roof systems and side screens such as Inn-Fresco’s Med

by Inn.“We have seen a real increase in the demand for our premium retractable roof systems,” Duncan says.“They are significantly more substantial than an awning or a parasol and can provide a real all-season solution.We can provide a fabric internal roof liner in any colour to enhance the decadent feel of the inside and, by installing heating, lighting and stylish rattan furniture and cushions, the outside area can be transformed into a really cosy and luxurious place for smokers to sit.”

He points out that other products are coming to the market to suit the luxury end of the market. Innovations include Markilux’s Concertronic which allows music to be transmitted through an awning without the need for speakers or equipment.“Smokers no longer have to sit huddled outside in the cold but can relax and enjoy a cigarette or cigar in impressive and comfortable surroundings. Increasingly we are seeing whole parties sit outside enjoying the ambience even when there are only a couple of smokers in the group.’’

Despite a substantial fall in the number of people smoking in the UK, more than 20 per cent of the population still smokes.

The Government continues to consider ideas for further reducing these numbers, including calls by organisations such as the Royal College of Physicians for no-smoking zones to be extended to other public areas including outside areas in pubs and bars.

A cosy outside area at late-night bar Barts in Chelsea, London, opened last year as Barts Cuban Garden, offering a humidor for enjoying cigars alongside a refreshing Havana Club Mojito. But for people who want the taste of tobacco without venturing outside, the bar has created an entire menu of cocktails using Perique Liqueur which is produced by Jade Liqueurs using Louisiana Perique, a rare and high-quality tobacco.

Under the banner of Barts Goes Up In Smoke, the list features cocktails such as the Holy Smoke, made with Perique, Hennessy VS, Havana Club 7 Year Old and vanilla syrup.The Cig’nature Cocktail (pictured) is a mix of Perique, Lindisfarne Mead, lemon juice and Perrier-Jouët champagne, while the In Vogue combines Perique with Sauza Hornitos tequila, raspberry puree, gomme syrup and crème de framboise.

Cigarette vending machines were banned in England in October last year, followed by Wales in February and Northern Ireland in March, while Scotland is set to follow suit in October after the failure of a legal challenge by the tobacco industry last month.

Staff can still sell cigarettes from behind the bar although no advertising or branding can be visible.This challenge has been met

by Sound Leisure which has introduced the Cig Safe which can hold up to 48 packets of cigarettes securely and out of sight, using the minimum amount of space.“Just because a cigarette vending machine is banned, it won’t stop the demand from smokers in a pub or club,” says Sound Leisure’s managing director Chris Black.“Venues will be keen to keep these customers on site by supplying branded cigarettes rather than forcing them to leave and buy them from a local shop.”

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Smoking kills

smoking report

E-cigarettes light up After a slow but steady start, e-cigarettes are starting to take off in the UK, reports Mark Ludmon

E

lectronic cigarettes have been around for nine years now but, despite the smoking ban in the UK, they have been slow to catch on. However, figures from the Electronic Cigarette Consumer Association earlier this year showed that the UK electronic cigarette industry is now worth about £5million a year and that the number of users of the devices is expected to reach one million in 2012, with about 250,000 people already using them regularly.

E-cigarettes are the same size and shape as a normal cigarette and release varying amounts of nicotine in a warm water mist, simulating the flavour of a cigarette.They normally come in three parts – a cartridge of liquid nicotine, an atomiser and a battery – but manufacturers are developing instant-use versions. Some have a red LED light at the tip to resemble a burning tip, although some brands have switched to green because they looked so realistic that users received abuse in bars and clubs.As e-cigarettes produce water vapour rather

Premium touch The total cigarette market in the UK was down by five per cent year on year in 2011, according to AC Nielsen, but that still equates to 42.6billion cigarettes being sold.Tobacco company Philip Morris continues to invest in innovation for its brands including Marlboro which grew its market share to 26.9 per cent last year. Its newest launch is the premium Marlboro Gold Touch which is slightly thinner to the touch than a conventional cigarette.

than smoke, they can legally be used in enclosed public spaces in the UK. One of the leading brands in the UK is E-Lites which has about a third of the UK market and is seeing average monthly sales rises of 18 per cent.“Around 5,000 new customers are making the switch and coming on board each month, and the early signs are that 2012 will be our biggest year since we established E-Lites in 2007,” says E-Lites co-founder and director Adrian Everett.“During 2011, we saw a 400 per cent increase in sales via the website, making us the UK’s leading electronic cigarette manufacturer.”

Several players are now driving sales in the UK market such as Gamucci, Vapourlites, Nicolites and VIP. Interest has also been boosted by media coverage including storylines in TV soaps as well as celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio being spotted smoking e-cigarettes.“In the last 12 months, we have seen astonishing growth in the electronic cigarettes market within the UK,” says Adrian at E-Lites.

“There’s been a significant rise in general awareness among the public, and that is increasing exponentially as smokers recognise the advantages of an alternative to tobacco cigarettes that is familiar and satisfying but 99 per cent healthier, significantly cheaper and legally unrestricted for use almost anywhere.

Although they are used very much like a cigarette, E-Lites contain no tobacco, tar, carbon monoxide or harmful chemicals and do not produce the cigarette

odour that so many of us find unpleasant.”

The latest product development from E-Lites is its instant-use E30, which provides the equivalent of about 30 cigarettes.

It allows users to light up instantly with no charging required so is perfect for an evening out.Available in regular, menthol and light varieties, the E30 is also rechargeable.

Sales of e-cigarettes are primarily direct to consumers online but some manufacturers and suppliers hope to build sales through pubs, bars and clubs. Last year, E-Lites agreed a deal with wholesale giant Booker to make them more readily available while this year it is in negotiations with a number of large bar and club operators.

“We’re seeing an increasing demand for the products across a range of venues,” Adrian says.“With increasingly tough restrictions on both the sale and use of tobacco products, E-Lites electronic cigarettes represent a promising new opportunity for bar, pub and club managers.”

He points out that, after the ban on cigarette machines in the licensed trade, e-cigarettes represent a valuable new revenue stream, with a far greater margin than that offered by conventional tobacco products – estimated to be between 600 and 800 per cent higher in the case of E-Lites.“The main attraction for venue owners is that smokers can enjoy their familiar hit of nicotine from the warmth of the pub, club or bar without impacting on other customers,” Adrian adds.“There is no need to create additional smoking spaces which can be costly and difficult to accommodate.”

New E30 from E-Lites

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club

June 2012

www.barmagazine.co.uk

A Bar magazine supplement

Sound investment

Multimillion-pound investments have been made into clubs such as Movida

Also inside: Jalouse – La Bodega Negra – Dry Bar – Dorsia

52| www.barmagazine.co.uk

venue profile

Jalouse

Moruf Yoozooph and Freddie Achom have invested in the AV system and interior design of their London club

S

ince it opened four years ago, Jalouse has been firmly established as one of the top nightspots on the London scene.With its strict door policy, the Mayfair club continues to attract the glamorous and the good but owners MorufYoozooph and Freddie Achom wanted to enhance the interior design and sound system.

The original interior was designed by Mark Humphrey, creating an “art interior” concept. Its many stunning and luxurious features include a dramatic ceiling of nearly 3,000 diamond-shaped pieces of LED-lit cut crystal.As part of a revamp of the space, the owners brought in designer Rebecca James whose other recent projects range from Balans restaurant in Westfield Stratford City to Freddie Achom’s ultra-private London club Scotch of St James.

Her work at Jalouse starts at the entrance which lacked the glam factor needed to make clients feel special. She describes the new entrance as “dark and mystical” with letter cut-outs on each riser of the steps using words associated with jealousy such as lust, greed, amour, zealous and love.Then, as you turn the corner, a lit snake design on the floor leads you in.

A new bar area has a curved wall mirroring the shape of the bar, with a cosy, warm and inviting ambience.There are pillars which, according to Rebecca, are “a place for ladies to hide, flirt and drape”.

The enclosed pillar banquettes are a take on Balinese daybeds, similar to those at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée hotel in Paris.The VIP

room now has three black-panel lacquered sliding doors with shutters that allow people to see through when illuminated by the glow of a light.

Rebecca also designed new lacquered cocktail tables and a centralised DJ booth.

“Our aim with this project was not to interfere with the current designs,” she says.“Rather we wanted to enhance and complement the space so the clients feel that they were always meant to be there – just like adding an exquisite new pair of shoes to a very lovely dress.”

To upgrade the sound system, the owners brought in Cosmic Electronics, a specialist in custom-designed audio-visual services.

Opting for a system from Italian audio manufacturer RCF, the engineers redeployed the dancefloor’s existing system to ensure it was suitable for the whole bar and lounge space.At the same time, they carried out some digital rewiring and placed the crystal ceiling under computerised lighting control.

Enveloping the clientele in an improved and more potent dancefloor sound are two pairs of RCF C5215W loudspeakers — containing a 15-inch high-output lowfrequency transducer — facing each other across the dancefloor.At the same time the existing subwoofers have received further low-frequency extension with the addition of an RCF S8015 single 15-inch high-output unit, which is sufficiently compact to recess neatly under the existing seating with 1mm tolerance.These are capable of delivering 1kW of power and maximum sound pressure levels of more than 135 decibels.

Where to find it 17 Hanover Square London W1S 1HU Tel: 020 7629 8871 www.jalouse.co.uk

Who did it

Original design: Mark Humphrey Design changes: Rebecca James AV services: Cosmic Electronics Loudspeakers: RCF So that DJs can monitor their own output, a tiny powered RCF TT051-A loudspeaker, with a five-inch woofer and one-inch dome, has been flown above the console.

Cosmic UK also re-configured the existing Crest amplifiers and reprogrammed the gain structure of the BSS Soundweb digital sound processing system.“The result is a clean, warm sound, rich in bass, which envelops the entire club,” says Cosmic Electronics managing director Keith Damon, who managed the project. www.barmagazine.co.uk |53

Integrated Technology for Club and Bar Operators EPOS • Membership • Head Office Management Stock Control • Loyalty Event Management • Access Control

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• Front Night Clubs Point of Sale (POS) nightclub software is customised to support the needs of any nightclub business with an easy to use, touch screen interface at POS for all sales and management functions. Staff require no training or computer knowledge and log onto the system via password, barcode, swipe card or fingerprint reader. User access rights and options can be configured for each employee.

• Front Night Clubs is scalable for all sizes of facility and automates all essential ordering functions at POS, eg specific drink mixes, table status control, order printout in kitchen, configuration of turns, printing subtotals, sales totals with different payment forms and currencies, daily cash closing, etc • Front Night Clubs has been designed with many specific features for the nightclub owner: • Tickets - sale of tickets and summary of items to track the number of tickets sold at the box office.

• Selectable multi-lingual designs at POS. • Loyalty cards - management of many card types as required by the operation of the club - (cards, postpaid, prepaid, loyalty VIP, etc.)

• Credit/Debit card payment from the Front Night Clubs POS terminal • Time of day pricing • Links directly with FrontHotel software, allowing charging to hotel room • Includes a full Purchase Module for automated stack replenishment • Creates purchase orders from cheapest supplier according to predefined stock levels

54| www.barmagazine.co.uk

www.kepos.co.uk Tel: 0845 074 3820 • Mob: 07939 927 624

technology

Shaka Zulu

Operators are switching over to cloud computing

Cloud control A round-up of the latest business-boosting technology for bars, pubs and clubs

O

perators of bars, clubs and pubs increasingly have their heads in the cloud – the network solution where IT resources and software are shared and available on demand via the internet.

Whereas businesses have traditionally had to buy and maintain their own in-house servers, cloud computing means they can tap into banks of servers provided by large internet companies anywhere in the world.

A hosted cloud network solution has been introduced across Mitchells & Butlers’ 1,600 bars, pubs and restaurants, implemented and managed by Fujitsu. It connects all of M&B’s offices and outlets to applications and services delivered from “the cloud”, such as wide area network (WAN) services as well as Ethernet for offices. It also includes wired and wireless local area network (LAN) services for individual outlets, such as access to central applications and services as well as connectivity of the epos terminals.

Robin Young, operations director at M&B, says the implementation of a cloud network solution has created an “agile” IT infrastructure that underpins the group’s expansion and growth plans.“The hosted network solution provided enables our growing UK network of restaurants and pubs with an enhanced experience both in how and what they access through the network,” he explains. It has laid the foundation for initiatives such as wi-fi for customers and the deployment of advanced ordering and payment systems using both

in-house and customers’ mobile technology.

To offer wi-fi to customers, M&B last month announced a three-year deal with O2, with plans for the service to be available across the whole estate by October. Greene King’s pubs, restaurants and hotels are to introduce free wi-fi to their customers through specialist provider The Cloud after it proved a success at 300 of its managed pubs since the start of this year. It will be rolled out to all 1,000 of its managed houses and offered to its 1,400 leased and tenanted premises, offering fast internet access for computers and smartphones. Unlike alternative systems, The Cloud’s wi-fi will be available for free and without time constraints.

The Cloud’s data found that 57 per cent of wi-fi users in Greene King venues have been on iPhones and 22 per cent on other smartphones.According to research group Ipsos MORI, it is estimated that, when watching live sport in a pub, 30 per cent of smartphone users visit social media sites.Vince Russell, managing director of The Cloud, said:“As tablet and smartphone penetration continues to climb so customers increasingly demand great connectivity, whether to keep in touch with emails, sharing the excitement of great sporting moments via social media or even keeping the kids entertained.” Other operators who already offer wi-fi from The Cloud include JD Wetherspoon, Spirit Pub Company and Stonegate Pub Company.

Back to cloud computing, new epos

Covering 27,000 square feet on two floors, bar and restaurant Shaka Zulu (pictured) in Camden, north London, has added Restaurant Guard to its already successful point-of-sale solution using Aloha software from NFS Hospitality.

Restaurant Guard, which identifies suspicious transactional activity, began gathering data in December 2011 and the system went live in January.

Immediately it revealed around 10 notifications of suspect transactions per week.

The chief problem identified and eradicated was the “transfer scam”.

Shaka Zulu owner Roger Payne explains: “Supposing you come into the restaurant as the guest of some friends.You have drinks in the lounge, which you then take down to the restaurant. Because your friends are paying for dinner, you use cash to pay for that round in the lounge.

The staff member then pockets the cash and dumps the cost onto a false table that doesn’t exist – then keeps doing the same thing, inventing more false tables for the rest of the evening.

“Later, an unsuspecting table where a bill is about to be paid is identified, and the cost of the scammed drinks transferred to that table’s bill. If the customer notices, he complains and the manager legitimately voids the transaction.”

To combat this, Restaurant Guard assigns every item a unique reference number so it can be followed wherever it is in the venue.At Shaka Zulu, the system identified two members of staff who were operating the fraud.

“Restaurant Guard has eradicated our fraud problems so that they are down to a trickle – most of which are explainable,” says Roger.“The fact that staff know it’s there deters them from getting into further scams.” solutions are being developed to exploit the increased potential of using software and applications available via the internet rather than stored on hardware in-house.

Casio has the new Casio Business Portal using cloud services, offering bar operators www.barmagazine.co.uk |55

technology Casio VX-100

Font of knowledge

limitless opportunities to take advantage of Android’s application-based platform.

The business portal provides retailers with on-demand, low-cost apps and services as well as the opportunity to trial applications and to roll out with a phased programme.

Operators are free to create their own apps, increasing ways to interact with customers, upsell, generate new revenue streams and handle stock control more efficiently.

Potential app ideas include mobile phone receipts instead of paper receipts, electronic discount vouchers and SMS marketing direct from the local epos device. It follows the launch of Casio’s VX-100 Android platform epos terminal, which can be managed remotely from anywhere in the world using automated email access. Casio has also launched the new Casio VX Tablet which allows bar staff to take service direct to the customer. It features a tough rugged chassis, making it both drop- and splashproof, a 10.1-inch colour touchscreen and a long battery life for extensive overlapping work shifts.

Android-powered tablets and hand-held point-of-sale devices are exceptionally flexible and compatible with a wide range of hardware and software products, making them quick to set up and straightforward to use, points out Tim Van den Branden, director of epos hardware manufacturer Sigma Touch Solutions.“Unlike the Windows operating system, the Android platform has been developed specifically for mobile devices and doesn’t need a full-blown PC specification to work,” he explains.

“Android-compatible hardware and software applications are also much easier and cheaper to manufacture too, making a complete system significantly lower in cost than a traditional one.”

Sigma Touch Solutions is trialling an Android-operated handheld and tablet solution that it is developing alongside a specialist software partner to target

56| www.barmagazine.co.uk

the mobile hospitality and retail markets.

“Using a tablet means there is no electrical infrastructure needed to power the technology, which is great for bars that want the flexibility to make the most of their outdoor space when the weather allows or for special events, but don’t want anything more permanent.A lightweight tablet or handheld will give a bar a variety of options to improve service, from queue-busting by taking orders away from the bar area, to allowing customers to view cocktail and food menus at their table, scanning loyalty cards and redeeming promotional vouchers.”

Software retailer CTS Retail has launched Cervello-Lite, designed to be an entrylevel point-of-sale solution for small and independent bars, clubs and pubs. Currently running on the Casio VX-100 terminal, Cervello-Lite is the latest in “cost-per transaction” point-of-sale (POS) software solutions, drawing on all of the benefits of the full Cervello POS suite, but in a simplified form.With an attractive front-end design, Cervello-Lite provides basic sales needed from a POS system where access to back-end functionality is unnecessary.

“Additional features of Cervello-lite include item enquiry, price override functionality as well as dynamic fast-selling lines keys,” adds CTS Retail managing director Scott Storey.

An epos solution developed specifically for the late-night bar and club market is Front Night Clubs, created by ICG Software and supplied by epos specialist Kepos.

The software is customised to support the needs of any nightclub business, with an easy-to-use touch screen interface at point of sale for all sales and management functions. Staff need no training or computer knowledge and log onto the system via password, barcode, swipe card

Nightclubs have traditionally had a mixed reputation for serving draught beer but, thanks to modern technology, running an efficient bar and cellar operation in a busy nightspot is simple. iDraught, which is live in around 2,500 UK bars and increasing, gives operators a window on every part of the draught beer journey, from cellar to glass, providing detailed but easy-to-understand information about beer and cellar temperature, pouring yields, regularity of line cleaning and font utilisation. Such is the power of the system that it typically adds two to five per cent to gross profit margins on draught products. iDraught can also be seamlessly integrated with an epos system such as Nucleus Smart Tills.Together they provide accurate real-time monitoring of every aspect of a bar’s operation, including staff performance, making it a valuable training tool.

It also gives operators advance warning of faults so that they can be corrected before a problem occurs. If there is a sudden and potentially dangerous spike in cellar temperature, the iDraught system will alert the bar manager so it can be put right before damage to stock occurs. Operators are also able to access the system from anywhere in the world via the internet on a laptop, tablet computer or smartphone. or fingerprint reader. User access rights and options can be configured for each employee.

Front Night Clubs can be adapted for all sizes of business and automates all essential ordering functions at point of sale such as specific drink mixes, table status control, order printout in the kitchen, printing subtotals, sales totals with different payment forms and currencies and daily cash closing.

It can also support loyalty and VIP cards and time-of-day pricing. It adds to the arsenal of software solutions available for bars and clubs looking to make their businesses more profitable with minimal effort.

touchscreen EPoS

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58| www.barmagazine.co.uk

club sound

Make some noise Downstairs at La Bodega Negra

L

a Bodega Negra is no ordinary Mexican restaurant.The new venue in London’s Soho not only features a “tequila and mezcal cellar” but it has been created by two high-profile figures on the London and NewYork bar scenes.

Will Ricker has been a leading restaurateur in the capital for nearly 20 years, from restaurant and bar Cicada in Clerkenwell to the Great Eastern Dining Room, and its latenight cocktail bar GG’s, in Shoreditch. He has teamed up with Serge Becker who has been creative director for bars, clubs, hotels and restaurants in NewYork from the Bowery Bar and The Box to nightclub Area. With this background, they have invested in a top-ofthe-range sound system for the venue which includes a DJ booth in the basement.

La Bodega Negra is split into two spaces, each with its own entrance: a taqueria and café on the ground floor on Moor Street and a basement restaurant and bar on Old Compton Street.A multi-zone system has been installed by CP Sound which has also worked on the Great Eastern Dining Room.

As with Ricker’s other venue, they have gone for a JBL solution, using more than 20 JBL Control 25 loudspeakers across the two floors for distributing background music – installed discreetly to avoid intruding on Becker’s design theme.

The entire venue system is powered by 12 Crown XLS DriveCore 1000, 1500 and 2000 amplifiers and processed with three dbx DriveRack PA+ devices, all supplied

by Sound Technology, the UK and Eire distributor of these Harman Professional

A spotlight on new club and late-night bar sound fit-outs in London and Manchester brands.The speakers are controlled from either a computer or the fully featured DJ booth, where the DJs receive their reference sound from a JBL Control 28.

Four of the Control 25 speakers are in the basement, with further enclosures in the toilets and ancillary areas, but the bulk are in the ground-floor daytime café, including four around the bar. La Bodega Negra general manager Richard Seldon says:“We needed a good, unobtrusive system that could deliver background music evenly and with clarity.The JBLs do that.”

In the basement, CP Sound managing director Colin Pattenden has designed the sound into five zones, specifying RCF sound reinforcement throughout. He has wall-

mounted four compact C3110 full-range wide-dispersion, low-profile speakers – one in each corner of the “piano room” zone.A pair of concealed Acustica S8015 low-profile 15-inch subwoofers provide low-frequency extension.

In the basement’s secondary dining room are a further pair of RCF C3110 speakers and an S8015 sub, with three further C3110s and a low-profile sub distributing sound around the bar.“These speakers produce a clean, well-balanced sound, with good bottom end,” Richard says.

“Downstairs we need music that’s loud but, at the same time, doesn’t interfere with the dining.The RCF system delivers that.”

Feeds into the system vary, from computer Dorsia

www.barmagazine.co.uk |59

club sound La Bodega Negra

Movida moves on

music files for general background music to CD playback from the Pioneer CDJ-900 multi-player, used by DJs operating Tuesdays through to Saturdays.With such a powerful system and a bar open till 1am daily, care had to be taken not to disrupt the sleep of guests at the new boutique budget Z Hotel in the same development.“The system has been carefully processed and, although La Bodega Negra is situated under the Z Hotel, there is massive concrete isolation which enables the system to be pushed up to around 115 decibels if necessary,” Colin at CP Sound adds.

Dorsia

CP Sound also installed a JBL sound system as the primary sound reinforcement system at members club Dorsia which opened in South Kensington, London, at the end of last year.The 300-capacity venue is made up of the club itself plus a bar and restaurant set within decadently stylish interiors over three floors. Colin specified JBL’s Contractor Control series for owners Nick Andreen and Fraser Carruthers who have both worked with CP Sound in the past.

The JBL speakers are distributed through eight zones. Background music in the bar and dining areas on the top floor is provided through a pair of white JBL Control 25 speakers, powered by a Crown XLs 1000 amplifier. In the ground-floor “disco bar”, multiples of JBL Control 28s have been specified along with a JBL 4893 subwoofer in the main space under the DJ booth.The smoking terrace is populated with a pair of JBL Control 25AV speakers, powered by Crown’s XLs 1000, XLs 1500 and XTi 4000 amps.

Serious clubbing is down in the bronze and baroque-look basement, accessed by marble stairs and a gold corridor. Music is generated by four JBL Control 28s and a pair of JBL ASB6112 subs, powered by Crown’s XLs 1500 and XLs 1000 amps.An adjoining club room has been fitted with four JBL Control 29 speakers, with a further

60| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Dry Live

JBL 4893 subwoofer nestled under the DJ’s feet within the booth. In a low-ceilinged area, a further pair of Control 28s have been sited, again powered by Crown’s XLs 1000, XLs 1500 and XTi 4000 amps.

The VIP room has been equipped with a JBL Control 19 sub, set behind the seating, and four satellite speakers powered by a Crown XLs 1000 amp.“Having worked with the operators previously, we knew what they wanted,” Colin adds.“The sound system throughout has been designed to deliver a crisp top end with a thumping bass.”

Dry Bar

With so many new clubs and bars continuing to open, Dry Bar in Manchester has been investing in its interiors and AV to stay ahead of the competition.

Originally opened in 1989 by the band New Order, it was at the forefront of the emergence of the Northern Quarter.After a refurbishment in 2010, its Dry Live music venue in the basement has been fitted with a new Martin Audio sound system.

The project was carried out by sound system installation specialist Masons. Due to the low ceiling, arrays or standard “portrait” profile speakers could not be used while conventional floor-standing stacks on either side of the stage would be impractical.

“The system needed to have no permanent footprint on the floor and be flown as high as possible, out of the way when not in use,” says Masons’ system design engineer Jack Jennings. He opted for a Martin Audio Blackline H3H+ full-range three-

A major refurbishment of leading London nightclub Movida has been completed to help it maintain its “iconic” status and cement it as “the global nightlife brand of choice”.The revamp was carried out by Cannes-based boutique interior design firm Prospect Design which also worked on the Movida in Dubai that officially opened in January. Overseen by interior design consultancy Tibbatts, Prospect’s new interior aimed to bring it in line with the aesthetic of the Dubai club.

The new-look London venue features a 15-metre Top Vision video wall, made up of 17 separate panels.The sound system has been rebuilt using ATC speakers as with the previous fit-out. Other changes include art displays that will be rotated every month, curated by London’s Urban Art Gallery, in Movida’s Mood pre-club drinks chill-out area.

Set under the London Palladium theatre in the West End, Movida covers 13,000 square feet with a capacity of over 400 over four rooms, with four bars. It is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10pm to 4am. way speaker system which would provide dynamic and even coverage for different uses while delivering high-quality instrument and vocal reproduction.

Four H3H+ speakers are lined up across the front of the stage area.The central two are mounted tight against the ceiling and tilted slightly down to cover the audience at the front, while the outer two are mounted slightly forward and below, on steel joints either side of the stage.The crisp highfrequency output is matched by four Martin Audio WS218X direct-radiating subs, two on either side of the stage, fitted with castors to allow them to be easily moved and stored.

The entire system is powered from just a 4U rack, containing a dedicated Martin Audio DX1.5 two-in, six-out digital controller and three Martin Audio MA switch-mode amplifiers.“This elegant setup provides huge amounts of power and reliability and allows the venue to operate the system without fear of any technical issues,” Jack adds.

No matter where you go in this world, you’ll find JBL Installed Sound Speaker Systems at many of the most notable venues.

With that kind of global perspective, JBL has come to respect the one indisputable truth of business: every customer is unique. A speaker that is perfectly right for one job might be perfectly wrong for another.

That’s why JBL offer a range of options without equal. From the extraordinary value of Control Contractor to the ultimate precision of the CBT Series, there’s a JBL product with a solid business solution based on equally solid business savvy.

For more than 60 years, JBL has been the professional speaker of choice wherever sound matters. For more information contact JBL Professional’s exclusive UK distributor Sound Technology Ltd, on 01462 480000 or email info@soundtech.co.uk

www.jblpro.com

Attractions

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A/V Systems

Fitness & Recreaction | Nightclubs

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Offices

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Bars

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Cafés

Government Buildings |

Public Transport

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Casinos

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Health Facilities

Restaurants

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Concert Venues |

Retail

Hotels |

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Corporate

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Education

Houses of Worship

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Museums

Sport Arena

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| Theatres

| Theme Parks

bar essentials

Oil the wheels

Lifetime value for money

Fat-free combi steamer

Keep the cocktails flowing

The VarioCooking Center Multificiency allows chefs to fry faster, with better quality and versatility than a dedicated fryer, while using up to 40 per cent less energy. It can be used as a bratt pan, kettle pan, boiler, pressure cooker and a griddle.

Its Oil Cart accessory makes frying oil management easier, safer and much faster. It can be used for filling, discharging, filtering and hygienically storing oil used for deep frying. Call FRIMA UK on 0845 680 3981 or visit www.frima-uk.co.uk.

Rational’s CombiMaster Plus has been developed for chefs who prefer to use their combi steamer as a manual machine – but with the option of programmes just in case. It features several new technologies, including a centrifugal grease trap that automatically separates out grease.

With simple controls, it offers four modes for manual cooking: steam, convection, combination and “finishing”, using Rational’s regen technology. There are also up to 50 programme slots for automating recipes. Call 0800 389 2944 or visit www.rational-UK.com.

When buying equipment, it is tempting to look at initial cost and plump for the cheapest. But warewashers can be big consumers of energy and other resources, so running costs are critical.The cheapest machine to buy may not be the cheapest in action.

Winterhalter, market leaders in warewashing technology, has invested in the IRT (intelligent resource technology) programme that is committed to developing warewashers that use less energy, water and chemicals and are less expensive in operation.

Call 01908 359000 or visit www.winterhalter.co.uk.

For special events in bars, JM Posner has come up with a striking fountain for literally keeping the cocktails flowing.With a capacity of 15 litres, it drives liquids through an illuminated central column and transparent dome.

It allows bars to prepare drinks in bulk in advance but keep the liquid constantly moving so that it never looks stale. Call JM Posner on 020 8421 9482 or visit www.jmposner.co.uk.

Bar Fittings Ltd

Supplying the hospitality industry with stainless steel, chrome & Brass Fittings inc Footrails Hand Rails Balustrading 15 Fountain Court, Great Witley, Worcester WR6 6HW Call us on 01299 870 700 or email on info@cmeimports.co.uk www.illuminatedpots.co.uk

62| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Glass Racks Optic Rails Handles

Portholes Lighting

And Much More

Tel: 01702 614488 For the FREE NEW 156 page colour catalogue

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...put your contacts to work Call Manjeet on 01795 509109 • manjeet@cimltd.co.uk

Samuel Snawdon Making quality furniture since 1843 Bar and reception counters Restaurant refurbishment Design and installation across the south west Tel: 01752 880420 samuelsnawdon@tiscali.co.uk www.samuelsnawdon.co.uk

Creed Design Associates creative design solutions

t : 0116 275 2592 f : 0116 275 2593

e : info@creeddesign.co.uk w : www.creeddesign.co.uk

Raw Design 118 Hewlett Road, Cheltenham, GL52 6AT T: 01242 227342 E: design@matthewrawlinson.co.uk W: www.raw-design.com

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UKEE DIGS DESIGN interior design. furniture design. concepts & branding. styling & art direction. bespoke events & party planning. phone / 07771 870 495 email / callingukee@gmail.com website / www.digpartyplanners.co.uk get in touch with one of our lovely team to peruse our portfolio.

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9/5/12

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TAYLOR’S

QUALITY FURNITURE SUPPLIERS

“Cheers, Ma’am” Champagne Glasses

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Another unique piece from Taylor’s. This Gothic style, single or double sided solid oak bench makes a great statement and the perfect room divider.

Taylor’s is an established supplier to the pub, hotel and leisure industry, with an emphasis on high quality, robust furniture. We supply: • a new range of beautifully designed and constructed tables, chairs, benches and accessories • a huge collection of restored antiques • special pieces of retro furniture for superb styling

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We supply, Install and maintain air conditioning, cellar cooling and heating systems.

Many of our clients are busy nightclubs and bars, who require a service that is professional and of the highest standard.

We’re based in Leicester, but serve all of the UK. Some of the clients we have worked for: Ministry of Sound Hed Kandi bars The Jam House nightclubs Oceana & Liquids Fever Bars ( MooMoo bars ) Leicester City Football Club Leicestershire County Council Midlands Co-operative Society Ltd Link Mechanical & Electrical Services Ltd have been supplying the leisure industry with quality heating and ventilation services since 1983 Call us to enquire about our maintenance services on

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Deralam is a family run business established for over 25 years. We are nationwide distributors of High Pressure Laminates, Kitchen Worktops and Melamine Faced Products offering immediate delivery from Wigan and Dunstable.

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APRONS

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DRINKS DISTRIBUTION Nectar Imports Ltd The Old Hatcheries, Bells Lane Zeals, Wiltshire, BA12 6LY T: 01747 840100 F: 01747 840467 E: sales@nectar.net W: www.nectar.net

AUDIO VISUAL ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE WITH A BOSE SOUND SOLUTION

Bose Professional Systems Division 1 Ambley Green, Gillingham Business Park, Kent, ME8 0NJ T: 0870 741 4500 E: uk_pro@bose.com W: www.bose.co.uk/business_solutions Avonics Ltd Northstage, 78 Broadway, Salford, M50 2UW T: 0161 872 7001 F: 0161 872 7002 E: info@avonics.co.uk W: www.avonics.co.uk

BALLOONS, BUNTING & FLAGS B-Loony Ltd Sunnyside Road, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 2AR T: 01494 774376 F: 01494 791268 E: sales@b-loony.co.uk W: www.b-loony.com

BAR ACCESSORIES

Including : napkins, coasters, stirrers, beer-mats

Celebration Paper & Plastics Ltd Stanley Street, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 1DY T: 01283 538259 F: 01283 510085 E: sales@celebration.co.uk W: www.celebration.co.uk

DRAINAGE Auline Group Cyprian Torralba, 59-62 Briindley Road Astmoor Industrial Estate, Runcorn, WA4 1NU T: 01928 563532 F: 01928580224 E: enquiry@alulinegroup.com W: www.alulinegroup.com

EPOS

Image used for illustration only.

Image used for illustration only.

Griddles FROM

£50

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iControl Hospitality Ltd Amberside, Wood Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertforshire, HP2 4TP T: 0330 010 1000 / 0800 6122 868 F: 03300101001 E: info@icontrolepos.com W: www.icontrolepos.com Partner Tech UK Unit 11, Berkeley Court, Manor Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 1TQ T: 01928 579 707 F: 01928 571 308 E: sales@partnertech-uk.com W: www.partnertech-uk.com

Francino T: 0121 328 5757 E: sales@francino.com W: www.francino.com

Junckers T: 01376 534700 F: 01376 514401 E: sales@junckers.co.uk W: www.junckers.co.uk

CATERING EQUIPMENT Shop-Equip Limited Park View, North Street, Langwith, Mansfield, Notts, NG20 9BN T: 01623 741500 F: 01623 741505 E: info@shop-equip.com W: www.shop-equip.com

Deltalight UK 94 Webber Street, Waterloo London, SE1 0QN T: 0870 757 7087 F: 0207 620 0985 E: design@deltalight.co.uk W: www.deltalight.co.uk

inn-fresco Newmarket Approach, Leeds, LS9 0RJ T: 0870 80 30 199 F: 0113 249 2228 E: info@inn-fresco.co.uk W: www.inn-fresco.co.uk

SEAMLESS RESIN FLOORING Resdev Limited Pumaflor House, Ainleys Industrial Estate, Elland, HX5 9JP T: +44 1422 379131 F: +44 1422 370943 M: +44 7711 404744 E: jillc@resdev.co.uk

SIGNAGE Heath Advertising Pub Signs T: 01299 877605 M: 07778564882 E: pubsignsuk@aol.com W: www.heathadvertising.co.uk

SOFT DRINKS Tynant Spring Water T: 44 (0) 1974 272 111 F: 44 (0) 1974 272 123 E: info@tynant.com W: www.tynant.com

SOUND TECHNOLOGY Velocity Event Tech Ltd Banks Mill, 71 Bridge Street, Derby, DE13LB T: 01332 268619 E: info@velocityeventtech.co.uk W: www.velocityeventtech.co.uk

TECHNOLOGY Retail Systems Technology Campsie Industrial Estate, Mclean Road, Eglington, Londonderry, BT47 3XX T: 02871 860069 F: 02871 860517 E: ciaran.coyle@rstepos.com W: www.rstepos.com

Atkinson & Kirby T: Ormskirk 01695 573234, T: London 0208 577 1100, E: sales@akirby.co.uk W: www.akirby.co.uk

BESPOKE DIGITAL WALLPAPER

Willis Publicity 2 Allied Business Centre Coldharbour Lane Harpenden, Herts, AL5 4UT T: 01582 764040 E: sales@willispublicity.co.uk W: www.willispublicity.co.uk

LIGHTING

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Comtrex Systems Ltd Contact: Clive Keywood, Sales Manager, 2 Gatwick Metro Centre, Balcombe, Road, Horley, Surrey, RH6 9GA E: sales@comtrex.co.uk Point of sale with Comtrex Everything Posible W: www.comtrex.co.uk

Bain Maries FROM

Supercover Ltd Sovereign House, Trinity Business Park, Wakefield, WF2 8EF T: 0845 844 5000 F: 01924 200010 E: info@supercoverltd.co.uk W: www.supercoverltd.co.uk

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BAR EQUIPMENT IMC Unit 1, Abbey Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham, LL13 9RF T: 01978 661155 F: 01978 729990 E: garyb@imco.co.uk W: www.imco.co.uk

INSURANCE

NFS Hospitality NFS House, 15 Harforde Court, John Tate Road, Foxholes Business Park, Hertford, SG13 7NW T: 01920 485725 F: 01920 485723 W: www.nfs-hospitality.com

FURNITURE Craftwork Premier House, Barras Street, Leeds, LS12 4JS T: 0113 290 7939 E: sales@craftworkupholstery.com W: www.craftworkupholstery.com Geometric Furniture Ltd Geometric House, Lark Hill, Townley Street, Middleton, Manchester, M24 1AT T: 0161 653 2233 F: 0161 653 2299 E: sales@geometric-furniture.co.uk W: www.geometric-furniture.co.uk Hill Cross Furniture Cramble Cross, North Cowton, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 0HL T: 01325 378 307 F: 01325 378858 E: info@hillcrossfurniture.co.uk W: www.hillcrossfurniture.co.uk Wish Interiors Rowlands House, King Edward Street Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 3LA T: 01472 230332 T: 07802382732 E: info@wishinteriors.com W: www.wishinteriors.com

TOILET & DRAIN TOOLS Monument Tools No.1 in the No.2 Business T/F: 07092 894 317 E: sales-team@drain-tools.com Use Partner/ Promotion Code BARDIR for 15% Discount W: www.drain-tools.com

WASTE COOKING OIL SERVICE Arrow Oils Ltd M: 077 80 000785 T: 01706 627772 Nationwide Used Cooking Oil Collection Service – Call Now And Help Reduce Carbon Footprint

WATER BOILERS Image used for illustration only.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Connections

Water boiler

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diary

bar When he’s not churning out cocktails at Society in Aberdeen, 22-year-old bartender Danil Nevsky (pictured) is becoming a seasoned player on the competition scene.After causing a stir at competitions for Lillet aperitif, G’Vine Gin, Gin Mare and Havana Club over the past year, he is off to France this summer after winning a place in a global contest for Byrrh aperitif.

Bar magazine’s editor Mark Ludmon saw him in action in Amsterdam last month where the Russian-born mixologist was representing the UK in the Bols Bartending World Championship.The four-day event culminated in him and the 11 other finalists making cocktails on stage in Amsterdam’s packed Escape club for judges including Jared Brown and Anastatia Miller of Mixellany and Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. He was beaten by Gábor Onufer from Boutiq’Bar in Budapest, Hungary, but, based on Dan’s amazing performance in Amsterdam, we will clearly be hearing a lot more from him in the future.

A hotel bar in the Cotswolds is set to put itself on the world map.As Bar magazine was going to press, the

66| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Mixing it up >>

Feathers Hotel in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, was poised to be certified by a Guinness World Record adjudicator as having “the largest gin collection in the world” with a stock of 162.Alongside the assessment on June 1, there were due to be gin-themed lunch and dinner menus, with sponsors Hendrick’s and Martin Millers, as well as a talk by Jared Brown, who is master distiller for Sipsmith Gin when he isn’t judging cocktail competitions in Amsterdam (see above).

With such a party planned, everyone is clearly confident the bar is a record-breaker.

Over in Herefordshire, another English gin will be celebrated this summer by bartenders from across the UK.The two-day music festival Rock the Farm was run by Chase Distillery last year as a way to thank the bartender community.This July’s event will be bigger than before, with 1,500 bartenders set to descend on the Chase farm for drinks, live music, the final of the Chase Cup cocktail competition and tours of the distillery where Chase’s gins, vodkas and liqueurs are produced. It is by invite only but details can be found on Facebook.

Down in Bristol, the bars, pubs and clubs have come under the microscope of researchers at the University of Cardiff. Dr Antonia Layard, a senior lecturer at Cardiff

Law School, is working with other academics and historians from Bath and Exeter universities on the Taverns Project, looking at “the development of community drinking and regulation over the past 500 years in Europe”.This means a night-out in Revolution, Walkabout and Slug and Lettuce will be compared with “tavern culture” in 16th-century Florence and 18th-century London – the time of Hogarth’s famous sketch of the gin craze (pictured). Details at www. tavernsproject.com.

Some people know how to make an entrance, but no-one can compete with WKD’s official Head of Weekends.

He is the “promotional spokesman” for the brand’s “WKD Weekends – Bring It On!” campaign, touring bars and clubs around the UK. He turns up in his purpose-built Saturday-night outfit that is not only covered in lights but plays music.When he and his entourage enter a venue, a klaxon sounds to announce their arrival, and the Head of Weekends’ clothes spring to life with lights, lasers and music.A great way to start the evening – but probably not the best outfit for getting romantic with the ladies later on.

Stu Baillie (aged 33¼), bars manager at Black Dog Ballroom in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and New Wakefield Street

M

ixo comp? I’d rather sit on hot coals. The good old mixology competition: God, I hate them.

I can’t be the only one out there. Please don’t let me be the only one. Now, without wanting to sound like an old git (in bartending terms I’m practically dead), “when I were a lad” they used to be (1) good fun, and (2) the right person usually won and it didn’t feel like a fix.

I’ll address the fun aspect first. The main reason I stopped competing was this. Now don’t think that I’m some bitter, win-less old codger. I’m not. In fact I had a very successful career in mixo comps and won more than my fair share.

However, we used to talk and laugh and even heckle each other as people were competing – you know, as if we were actually bartending.

Now it seems that a respectful silence must be kept at all times. So I’m expected to stand in a room and listen to the same facts over and over and over but I can’t have any fun while I’m there?

Stick it.

Secondly, I’ve been to countless comps over the years where the winner is either from the bar that holds the event or is mates with the rep that sponsors it. As much as this irks me, it isn’t the worst. It’s people winning because they made muffins or bread or some other erroneous item that sits alongside their drink. I mean, really…. “Oh look at all the effort they made, they hand-wove the napkins and baked a loaf.” I couldn’t care less. The drink tastes like ass.

I know it sounds like sour grapes but I just want to go to a competition where it’s a giggle and it seems fair. The only thing that ticks that box these days is something like Rematch Beeyatch where true bartending skill is tested.

Come on people. Let’s put a little bit of fun back into these competitions. After all, isn’t that why most of us started doing this job?

NOT BITTER. JUST TWISTED. Follow us on twitter @BabickaBrothers or find out more at www.babickavodka.com

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