Bar november 2013

November 2013

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For many in the trade, Christmas started at the height of summer.

Drinks companies were finalising their on-trade plans while some bar operators were already starting to promote their venues for Christmas parties. Most bars will have been too busy to give it much thought, especially with the “Halloween weekend” being bigger than ever this year. This issue has a festive flavour to it, with ideas for making the most of the opportunities for Christmas, from snacks and cocktails to champagne and sparkling wine.

With sales of whisky surging in the runup to Christmas due to gifting, this time of year sees many new releases so, also in this issue, we look at trends in Scotch.

With William Grant & Sons launching a single-grain whisky and many distillers playing with wood finishes, it is an exciting time for the spirit.

This is also the busiest time of year for new bars and clubs as owners work round the clock to get their venues open in time for the party season. With a wave of openings across the UK, from London and Bristol to Manchester and Glasgow, we look at the latest design trends that prove UK bars are as innovative with interiors as much as cocktails.

Mark Ludmon Editor

www.twitter.com/barmagazine Cover picture: Miodula Presidential Vodka Liqueur, available from Toorank UK on 01865 858918 and all good local wholesalers nationwide.

EDITOR Mark Ludmon • mark@cimltd.co.uk Tel 020 7627 4506 PUBLICATION MANAGER Lewis Thorne • lewis@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509109 Fax 01795 591065 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Lucia Cechvalova • lucia@cimltd.co.uk Felicia Appeti • felicia@cimltd.co.uk Tel 01795 509109 Fax 01795 591065

CONTENTS NOVEMBER

10

49 Regulars 05 Industry news 66 Barhopper Profiles 08 The Hope, Glasgow 10 The Pit, Leeds 12 Pryzm, Bristol 14 Hoxley & Porter, London 16 Union Street, London Drink 19 Drinks news 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

37 25 30 33 37 45

Whisky Mixology Iceland with Reyka Christmas drinks Sparkling wine

Features 41 Bar food 49 Design for the future 55 Bar equipment 58 Technology

© 2013 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 publication of any advertisement.

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news

Diageo and Liquorists team up for Manchester bar

including Tanqueray Diageo Reserve Brands, gin, Don Julio tequila, the premium spirits arm Johnnie Walker whisky, of Diageo, has teamed Zacapa rum and Cîroc up with consultancy The vodka.

Liquorists for a pop-up Tom Sneesby, who bar in Manchester city founded Manchestercentre. based The Liquorists Reserve by The with Jody Monteith, Liquorists opened last said: “We’ve got a huge month at 52 King Street, Jody Monteith, Simon Binns of slate of events planned in the former premises Cityco and Tom Sneesby with some surprises of retailer All Saints, and to come towards Christmas. Reserve is about will run for three months, open Tuesday to a total experience from retail to glass and Saturday from 11am until late. we’re looking forward to bringing a bit of Covering the ground and first floors, Reserve independent spirit to King Street.” offers original creative drinks and classic Reserve by The Liquorists is a joint venture signature cocktails as well as local craft beers with Diageo, with assistance from Sheffield plus drinks master classes and food and drink cocktail bar The Great Gatsby and Cityco, tastings. which supports initiatives for improving the There is also a retail area on the ground city. floor selling high-end spirits from Diageo

Liverpool deli revamped into bar

England and Harlequins rugby player Chris Robshaw and bar specialist Kevin Latouf have opened a wine bar and coffee shop in Jewry Street, Winchester in Hampshire. With an eclectic range of wines, mainly from small producers, Black White Red has wines displayed around the walls grouped by style rather than country. Kevin is also behind Josie’s in Bishop’s Waltham, near Southampton.

New owners save Cardiff bar

Leading Cardiff cocktail bar Buffalo has been sold, saving 22 jobs, after going into administration.

Administrators from insolvency practitioners SFP negotiated the sale of the bar in Windsor Place to new company 8 Bar Blue, formed by Michael Griffiths and Daniel Rickard.

Michael said: “We plan to run the bar as it is for the foreseeable future so we have a better picture of what works well and what may need attention. Our ultimate goal is to restore the venue to its former glory as one of the best destinations for students looking for live music, food and cocktails.”

The venue, which opened in 2005, was part of Beatbox Bars, which also included Cardiff bars Ten Feet Tall and Fire Island. The company was put in administration in July.

A new bar has been created in Liverpool city centre through the refurbishment of the ground floor of deli and restaurant Delifonseca.

The former deli in Stanley Street has been revamped into a 60-capacity bar offering an extensive wine list by the glass plus a large variety of premium spirits and beers. There is also a menu of small plates and snacks, created

by Delifonseca’s head chef Andy Hutchinson.

The deli and restaurant were originally opened by Candice Fonseca in 2006, followed by a second Delifonseca in Brunswick Quay on Liverpool Dockside in 2010.

She said: “We believe that there is a real need for a new place to drink and socialise in this area and, thanks to this new venue, we no longer have to refer our diners to other places when they feel like having a drink or two before or after they dine with us.”

Coalition nightclub on Brighton seafront has been sold by pub and bar group InnBrighton to national bar operator Eclectic Clubs & Bars which operates Lola Lo, Sakura, Fez and Po Na Na. Eclectic also owns Madame Geisha in Brighton which it bought in March and is now planning to redevelop into the first of a new cocktail bar and restaurant brand, Dirty Blonde, in 2014.

The Luminar Group is investing £1million in transforming its Oceana nightclub in Kingstonupon-Thames in London into the company’s new Pryzm concept.

Due to relaunch in November, it will have a downstairs dance room for over-21s (pictured) and a main room with the latest lighting and sound effects, a new dancefloor and a DJ mixing desk positioned in the heart of the room plus the Disco Room, bringing some VIP “sparkle”.

See page 12.

Bars, pubs and clubs will be able to incorporate their Twitter feeds into their listings profiles on the nationwide View goingout websites. After the flagship ViewLondon, 2View Group is rolling out the social media package across all 21 View city guides across the UK.Venues with enhanced listings can also now include their Facebook and Google+ feeds at no additional cost.

Robyn and Robert Wilson, founders of London’s Bleeding Heart and The Don restaurants, are launching a new bar and bistro, The Sign of the Don in St Swithins Lane in the City of London in November.

Next to The Don restaurant, it is inspired by the site that was originally cellars for Sandeman port and sherry. The bar is carved from a solid slab of cork while the top is made with port-imbued chestnut made from old Sandeman port vats. www.barmagazine.co.uk |5

news

Campaign challenges cognac conventions

The Bothy Restaurant and Drinkery has been created within the old Murrayfield Hotel in Edinburgh’s west end, offering pub-style food and an extensive menu of cocktails and beers with Scottish elements. The cosy interior with quirky touches was designed by Jim Hamilton, who also worked on Tigerlily in Edinburgh and Blythswood Square Hotel in Glasgow.

James Gibbs of The Cage Wine Bar in Reigate in Surrey has won a “Jägermeister Ice Cold Experience” for his venue through a competition run by Jägermeister in Bar magazine. The prize includes a Jägermeister Tap Machine and two cases of Jägermeister plus a visit from the Jägerettes promotional team.

A new marketing campaign for Courvoisier cognac is to celebrate “living in the now”, including on-trade activities and a link-up with going-out app YPlan. It aims to challenge conventions around the cognac category, appealing to premium spirit consumers aged 25 to 45 and creating new drinking occasions.

The multi-channel campaign, called “Here’s to Now”, includes online and print advertising,

Funkin reveals innovation champion and new puree Dan Redman-Hubley (pictured) from Trailer Happiness in west London has won the brand ambassador role of “Innovation Champion” for cocktail mix brand Funkin.

He beat other leading mixologists and bartenders at the final of a competition where they were challenged to come up with a future concept for the Funkin range that they believed would shake up the cocktail industry.

They also had to create an original cocktail using a new fruit purée, which was revealed last month to be made from cape gooseberries, also known as physalis. Developed in collaboration with London cocktail bar Nightjar, it is to be launched into the on-trade in December.

As part of his new role, Dan will provide feedback to the Funkin team from the front

The 19-strong Be At One Group is expanding with its second site outside London, taking over the site of Cube Bar in Castle Square, Brighton. The 1,960 sq ft venue, covering two floors, is set to be followed by more sites outside of the capital, with plans for a total estate of 23 by April. Last month, it opened a Be At One in Wimpole Street in London’s West End and a late-night Be At One in Russell Street in Covent Garden.

Six new on-trade suppliers have joined Landmark Wholesale Group which operates on behalf of independent wholesalers. They are Edwards Beer & Minerals which operates within a 30-mile radius of Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire; Nottingham-based Libra Drinks covering the East Midlands; Glamorgan Beer Co in Wales; Hills Prospect operating within the M25 and throughout Essex; Jack Sullivan covering a 35-mile radius of Swansea; and Middleton Wholesale.

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partnerships, event sponsorships, and in-store and in-bar activities including non-traditional new glassware so the on-trade can give consumers “the full Courvoisier experience”.

Distributor Maxxium UK is partnering with YPlan, an app for making last-minute bookings, to host luxury events in London that encourage consumers to enjoy the cognac in cocktails and on other occasions.

line of the cocktail scene, helping the brand continue to deliver what the bartending community wants and needs. The new role will be part-time for one year and includes a £1,000 up-front cash prize.

More at www.barmagazine.co.uk.

Thom Docker and Mikey Seddon, who most recently worked together at The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town in Spitalfields, London, have opened a bar, the Liquor Cabinet, in Hackney, north-east London. Hidden beneath a kebab shop on Hackney Road, it is a cosy candle-lit bolt-hole with intimate booths and a menu of premium spirits, craft beers, wines from small producers and handmade bottled cocktails.

Escapade Bars team plan Manchester venue Dan Purnell of bar services specialist Escapade Bars is to open a luxurious new cocktail bar to bring “creativity and rawness” to Manchester’s Deansgate area.

He has teamed up with some of the city’s best bartenders to open Elixir in November in the former site of Bar 123 and the Malabar Coffee Lounge.

They promise cutting-edge drinks, experimental methods, unique ingredients and exemplary service.

Dan is director of Manchester-based

Escapade Bars, which provides mobile cocktail bars and bar consultancy throughout the UK and overseas. He was previously general manager of Manchester private members club Sugar Lounge and beverage manager of the luxury Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.

He said: “We want to bring some of our creativity and rawness close to the heart of Manchester, and think that there is a niche for a small independent but owner-operated bar at this end of town that offers a truly luxurious experience.”

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venue profile

The Hope Scottish operator Maclay Inns has opened its first bar in Glasgow city centre

D

espite dating back to 1830 and having 27 bars and restaurants around Scotland, one thing Maclay Inns did not have was a venue in Glasgow city centre.This has now been put right with the launch of The Hope in the former site of Grahamston Bar in Waterloo Street. Managing director Steve Mallon says it marks an exciting time for the company which has other sites scattered around Glasgow from the West End to Muirend and Townhead. “We have created 20 new jobs in the city and are planning to recruit more staff in the lead-up to the festive season when we expect to be busy with corporate Christmas lunches and party nights for companies looking to take advantage of our great bar and convenient location.”

Maclay bought the run-down site, close to Glasgow Central station, in May and invested £500,000 in adding a stylish new interior while stripping back to some of the stunning original features. The new interior has been created by Dominic Paul of IBDP who has worked on other hospitality projects ranging from Glasgow’s Zyka Bar & Grill to The Parkville in Blantyre and the Wide Mouth Frog at Dalziel Park Hotel near Motherwell. His designs included installing new feature windows to add more light to the bar, knocking down walls to extend the raised restaurant area and

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restoring a beautiful mahogany and copper bar.

The look is modern and contemporary with stylish mirrored tiling adding to the beauty of the original bar while Glasgow tenement-style floor tiles have been used as a feature in front of the bar, highlighting a large zinc drinking table incorporating the bar’s original marble pillars. Interesting modern features such as oversized hanging felt lampshades and quirky pieces of Glasgow art have been added to create focal points in the restaurant, complementing the grand Sistine Chapelinspired frieze on the ceiling and an Art Deco cupola.

The new bar is well stocked with a broad selection of wines and champagnes as well as craft beers and premium spirits. There is also a short menu of popular classic cocktails such as a Mojito, Bloody Mary, Gin Fizz, Raspberry Martini and Whiskey Sour.

With a newly installed open kitchen, chef Alex Bullock has devised a fresh and contemporary menu including dishes such as slow-cooked pulled pork with barbecue sauce, hand-cut potato skins and apple fritters, and teriyaki chicken breast with wilted greens and fresh coriander rice.

There is also a range of sharing plates such as the mixed seafood platter with crayfish, smoked salmon, mussels, hot smoked

mackerel, tartare, lime mayo, capers and wholemeal bread.

“When we took over, the venue had been closed for months and was dark, dated and in need of some love and attention,” says Lynn Lovelock, marketing manager at Maclay.

“We could see it had great potential and we are delighted with the new look and confident that our customers will be too.”

The Hope is open every day from 8am to midnight, with the raised restaurant level proving popular for groups and events of up to 75 guests. “In addition to our lunch and dinner menus, we also have a great breakfast menu to sit in or take away as well as offering free wifi, daily newspapers and breakfast TV for people looking to relax before heading into the office.”

Where to find it 6-8 Waterloo Street Glasgow G2 6DA Tel: 0141 226 2482 www.thehopeglasgow.co.uk

Who did it Design: Dominic Paul of IBDP Lighting: R&S Robertson, Chantelle Lighting Artwork: Kirstin Heger, Framed by Art Incorporated

venue profile

The Pit Arc Inspirations has entered Leeds city centre for its 10th site

W

ith nine bars scattered around the suburbs of Leeds as well as Harrogate and York, Arc Inspirations has moved into new territory: Leeds city centre. The company has been one of the leading players in the development of the city’s cocktail bar scene after being founded in 1999 by Martin Wolstencroft and Chris Ure but The Pit brings it into the vibrant hub of Merrion Street in the Northern Quarter.

They have taken over the former site of nightclub Rios, previously Heaven and Hell, and completely stripped it back to create the new bar. It has become a destination for cocktail lovers thanks to an extensive menu created by Declan McGurk, formerly Arc Inspirations’ bar development manager and now bar manager at the American Bar at London’s Savoy.

He set out to ensure that Arc Inspirations remained at the forefront of mixology in the city, with an eclectic mix of drinks to suit every taste. Cocktails include the Pale Ale Passion Cooler, made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, Cocchi vermouth, lemon juice and passion fruit syrup, topped with an American pale ale.

Many of the classics are listed – with the menu encouraging customers to ask for others not on the menu – alongside twisted classics, with some coming in jam jars that customers shake themselves. A list of cocktails inspired by the Americas includes the Gringo Mule, combining El Jimador

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reposado tequila with fresh cucumber, blackberry liqueur, fresh lime juice and almond syrup, topped with ginger beer.

There is also a large selection of craft beers, served in schooners, with many from the US such as Blue Moon, Flying Dog and Anchor Steam. Seasonal beers on draught include the likes of Bad Seed Saison from Bad Seed in Malton, North Yorkshire.

Bottled and canned beers come from Flying Dog, Goose Island and Brooklyn in the US as well as other countries such as Sweden’s canned Pistonhead and homegrown ales such as Derbyshire brewer Thornbridge.

The American influence can also be seen in the bar’s American-style Pilsner, Pit Canary, created by UK brewer Otley and inspired by the old mining days when a canary was carried down the pit to check if it was safe to enter. The food menu is based on American favourites, cooked low and slow in “Sally”, The Pit’s smoker from Oklahoma, producing dishes such as burgers, ribs, wings and lobster.

The interior design is rooted closer to home, with a contemporary, urban edge that lends itself to Leeds’ industrial heritage and the vibrancy of the Northern

Where to find it 9 Merrion Street Leeds LS1 6PQ Tel: 0113 247 0601 www.arcinspirations.com

Who did it Design: KPP Leeds Furniture: Oblong Furniture Bar fit-out: Abrahams & Carlisle Lighting: M&E Ltd, Leeds Quarter. It was designed by Richard Lockey at KPP Leeds which also worked on Arc Inspirations’ bar Arc in Headingley, Leeds. The Pit features a sheared concrete curved bar alongside original brick and exposed beams and oak and steel furniture handcrafted by local blacksmiths. A space called The Den is home to two custommade ping pong tables, with imaginative graphics on the exposed brickwork walls, while The White Room is a little more refined, suitable for private parties, events and cocktail master classes. Operating from midday seven days a week, The Pit is open to midnight Sundays to Tuesdays, to 1am on Wednesdays and Thursdays and until 3am at weekends.

“The inspiration for The Pit was to create a great unique basement bar experience, using simple bold design statements with great attention to detail,” Richard adds. “The first thing you see when entering the bar is a full-height impressive feature wall with fun lettering stating ‘Mind Your Head’. The whole concept really came together well.

‘Posh Urban Grunge’ we like to call it.”

A second site for The Pit is now due to open at the end of November in the Leeds suburb of Chapel Allerton to replace Arc Inspirations’ The Hub. “The Pit on Merrion Street has set the benchmark, and what we’ve achieved at this location we’re confident we can achieve in Chapel Allerton,” Martin says.

venue profile Where to find it The South Buildings Canons Road Bristol BS1 5UH Tel: 0845 2932 860 www.pryzm.co.uk

Who did it

Pryzm

Design: Glyn Dyer Design Fit-out: WFC Contractors Loose furniture: Angus Macrae Interiors Lighting and electrics: Haddow Electrical Decorative lights: Northern Lights, Universal Fibre Optics Flooring: CD Group Carpets: Firth Carpets Effects lighting: Technical Arts LED dance floor lights: LED Lites Sound systems: CVA Dance floors: Amtico Signage: NSI Decorators: Paul Schofield

The Luminar Group has unveiled its modern new club concept at the former Oceana in Bristol

F

or 11 years, Oceana has been a major player in the nightlife of towns and cities across the UK, but times change and so must nightclubs. Owner The Luminar Group has begun the process to convert its 11 Oceanas to a new concept, Pryzm, with the first now launched in Bristol. After a £1million refurbishment, the new-look venue in Canons Road features three distinctly styled music rooms – called Opus,Velocity and Disco – as well as the pre-club Myu Bar and a luxurious VIP suite. It is also home to Luminar’s first third-party branded cocktail bar, created in partnership with premium vodka brand Belvedere.

The club has more booth seating, with table service, better entertainment and the latest in light and sound systems, all combining to create a more upmarket experience and attract a broader range of ages. “The Pryzm brand encompasses what we are trying to do in terms of creating something that is not only edgy but has the longevity to withstand the ever-evolving club scene, not to mention changing the perception of the general public,” says chief executive Peter Marks. “As the UK’s largest nightclub operator with 55 clubs across the UK and more than seven million visitors a year, we have been investing in our estate and the quality of the entertainment

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that we provide, which in turn is seeing an upward trend in the age profile of our customers. This focus on quality has already seen us return to profit since we acquired the business less than two years ago and we believe that Pryzm will play a pivotal part in our future success.”

The new look for the club has been developed with Glyn Dyer of Glyn Dyer Design, who came up with more flamboyant wall coverings, drapes, mirrors and carpets infused with sparkly and reflective finishes where possible. “The Luminar brief was to combine opulence and ‘bling’ with the traditional nightclub values of comfort and luxury which had been lost over recent years where clubs had opted for a much harder and minimalistic look,” Glyn explains.

The design team used inspiration from fashion designers and more aspirational clubs in Las Vegas and Dubai to develop a venue that would appeal to men and women of all ages. For instance, the Velocity room has veiled references to Versace, with a palette of black and gold, while Opus has been inspired by Paco Rabanne with a cocktail of colour, light and texture and sparkly steel finishes. The new dance room concept has replaced areas occupied by Aspen Ski Lodge and Boudoir which dated back 10 years.

Each Pryzm will have a drinks menu

tailored to the core customers in that area, with champagne cocktails and classics such as Mojitos and Sours figuring so far. The cocktails have been developed in-house by people working at the clubs, partly driven by drinks that are popular at Myu bars across Luminar’s estate. Different premium brands will be involved at each site. While Bristol has linked up with Belvedere, the second Pryzm due to open in the former Oceana in Kingston-upon-Thames in south London in November will be sponsored by Grey Goose vodka.

With greater emphasis on service, Pryzm in Bristol created 30 new jobs on top of the existing 65-strong team, and its importance to the city’s night-time economy was reflected in the VIP turnout at the launch, which included the city’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Faruk Choudhury. “Pryzm is a stunning venue and I am confident it will be a big pull for residents and visitors to Bristol,” he said. “Any successful city has a thriving late-night economy, creating both wealth and jobs, and on behalf of Bristol we are delighted that companies such as The Luminar Group are looking to invest here.”

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Pryzm, Bristol

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Day & Night...Inside & Out www.barmagazine.co.uk |13

venue profile

Hoxley & Porter Mark Ludmon steps into a world inspired by colonial Africa where cocktails are as inventive as the interiors

H

ercule Poirot, the Pharoahs, colonial railways and surrealist jungles come together as inspirations for a quirky new bar and restaurant in Islington, north London.

Award-winning Michaela Reysenn of Kai Design has drawn on these elements, and others, for the interior of Hoxley & Porter, which has been created in the former premises of the Grand Union bar.

It is the latest venture from Costa Tofan whose other venues include The Lansdowne in Primrose Hill and The Betsy Smith in Kilburn, which was also designed

by Michaela. The new venue conjures up adventure and classic train travel in colonial Africa, inspired by the fictional character of Hoxley, an “intrepid explorer who broke away from his genteel English roots to discover the mysteries of Africa”.

The second part of the name comes from the Porter Rhodes diamond discovered in South Africa in 1880, which has a chequered history of riches, ruin and royalty.

Michaela, who also designed Powder Keg Diplomacy in south London, traces her inspiration back to seeing a gold palm leaf marked with the word “Egypt”. This prompted her to watch the film of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, set in the early 20th century, and to research the Egyptian Pharaohs and the late 19th-century plan for a Cape to Cairo railway across the African continent. “As you walk in from the street, you are within a train carriage which is the start of your journey from everyday life in Islington through to a world of African and Egyptian-influenced design,” she says.

“For me, this style is a natural progression from the Victoriana we are seeing over and over again. People will always love vintage Victorian-style interiors as they are so timeless and beautiful. However, this brings a bit of a twist to it.”

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The restaurant at the front, called the Dining Carriage, features natural light from leaded glass, wicker seating and gilt-edged tableware plus roughly textured woods and dark down lighting. At the back is the bar area, filled with eclectic furniture, tropicalstyle foliage, a warm palette of turquoise and gold and mythological art concealing secret codes, evoking “lost kingdoms, the glittering of treasure and the foreboding of curses”. Bespoke wallpaper, created with creative agency Arm & Eye, has patterns of pyramids and jungles, which continue onto chair fabric, lampshades and even the staff’s bow ties and waistcoat linings.

The back bar, along one side of the long narrow venue, displays glass jars filled with gold scarab beetles and scorpions. But these are not all just for show: a scorpion coated in absinthe is used in a cocktail called Whatever Doesn’t Kill You, which is made with a tea-based mix that changes colour from pale blue to bright purple when served.

The drink is one of the creations of Canadian Mikey Pendergast, who has joined from Powder Keg Diplomacy and knows about ancient cultures from his degree in archaeology and growing up on digs with his archaeologist parents. His menu, dubbed the Tome of Tipples and Tidbits, contains other original cocktails such as the Caribbean Inception, described as “the thinking man’s Banana Daiquiri”, made with fried plantain fat-washed gold rum, lime juice, a touch of overproof white rum and molasses syrup.

Classic-style drinks include Poirot’s Paloma, made with a blanco tequila, white grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur and a dash of lemon, and My Daddy Owns A Yacht Club, which combines El Dorado 8 Year Old rum, homemade apricot brandy, the bar’s own blend of sweet vermouths and house bitters.

Alongside a broad range of premium spirits, the bar team are keen on making their own ingredients which also include chipotle bitters and a ginger beer. Despite being on an Enterprise lease, they have freedom within the tie, allowing them to stock Bethnal Pale Ale and Broadway Black Pale Ale in bottles from east London’s Redchurch brewery.

With his background at other London bars such as Lost Society, Mint Leaf and Last Days of Decadence, Mikey wants the bar at Hoxley & Porter to be laid back but with high-quality cocktails, good food and table service. “We are trying to give people the levels of service you expect from a high-end bar but in way that they don’t necessarily notice.”

Where to find it 153 Upper Street London N1 1RA Tel: 020 7226 1375 www.hoxleyandporter.co.uk

Who did it Design: Kai Design Furniture: Dining Chairs UK, UBC Upholstery Wallpaper: Arm & Eye, House of Hackney Tiles: Solus Ceramics, BluePrint Ceramics Signage, frosting: Signsell Lampshades: Lampshades UK Bar kit: London Bar & Kitchen Gold pendant lights: Tom Dixon Luggage racks, brass railings: Andy Thornton Tables and bases: Trent Pottery Rhino wall lights: I Love Retro Lighting: Gravel Hill Designs, Historic Lighting

Project2:Layout 1 21/10/2013 17:10 Page 1

hb

british / designers / manufacturers /

FROM INTERIOR CONCEPT TO MANUFACTURE AND INSTALLATION

hb head office unit 1 broadwyn trading estate waterfall lane cradley heath west midlands b64 6ps t: +44 (0)121 559 9111 e: sales@hbgroup.co.uk

www.hbgroup.co.uk

venue profile

Union Street Bar

Mark Ludmon steps down to the cocktail bar beneath Gordon Ramsay’s latest restaurant

G

ordon Ramsay’s latest venture, Union Street Café, in Borough, south London, has been one of the most talked-about openings this year. Much of the attention has been focused on the restaurant and the food but downstairs there is an impressive bar operation with stylish interiors and cocktails good enough to match the menu upstairs.

Union Street Bar – Ramsay’s first venture into destination bars – is described as a “local urban living room”, accessible from the street without going through the restaurant. The interior takes inspiration from living rooms for a “home-from-home ambience” but this is juxtaposed with distressed walls and exposed ducting that are a nod to the area’s industrial past. It has been designed by Russell Sage Studios, which has worked on many top London bars, clubs and restaurants such as Zetter Townhouse, Grain Store, Bounce and Jason Atherton’s Social Eating House.

Abdulai Kpekawa

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The bar is the perfect place to lounge with a cocktail, furnished with richly coloured Persian rugs, coffee tables, laid-back leather sofas and chairs with textured scatter cushions, and standard lamps that focus soft lighting on the seating areas.

Artwork has been commissioned through the nearby Stolenspace Gallery, with pieces celebrating the local community by artists such as Eine, Rawn, D*face, Word to the Mother, David Bray and Cyrcle – all of which is for sale.

Reflecting the quality and seasonality of the menu in the restaurants upstairs, the cocktails take influence from Mediterranean and Italian flavours, using seasonal and homemade ingredients. The bar manager is Abdulai Kpekawa, who has worked at some of the best cocktail bars in London such as Experimental Cocktail Club, The Luggage Room, Roux at the Pembury and Sosho Match.

The short list of original cocktails changes

Where to find it 47-51 Great Suffolk Street London SE1 0BS Tel: 020 7592 7977 www.gordonramsay.com

weekly, but the bartenders are trained to make any of the classics on request. Past recipes from the menu can be ordered, so long as all the ingredients are available, including The Duke Meets the Queen, which is made with rinquinquin peach aperitif, riesling, Nardini Bianco grappa and porter syrup, stirred and then topped with soda.

Another flavoursome drink is called Are We There Yet?, which mixes Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum, sloe gin, grenadine, lime juice and cider liqueur, topped up with San Pellegrino limonata.

Other favourites include the Southwark Angel, made with gin, Green Chartreuse, raspberries, cucumber, lemon juice and egg white, and the Mischievous Matilda, combining Tanqueray Gin with Lillet Blanc, rinquinquin and mint. “The weekly changes are all about fresh ingredients and keeping the bartenders interested,” Abdulai explains.

“If they are making the same drinks over and over again, it can get a bit monotonous.”

While he created the first lists, new recipes are being developed by the whole team who have been recruited from other cocktail bars such as The Maven in Leeds. The head bartender is Daniel Ferreira, formerly at Novikov in London.

The bar is open from 5pm seven days a week, until midnight except Sundays when it closes at 11.30pm. Abdulai says: “Borough has such an exciting energy. We wanted to offer our guests something that bit different and add to the great mix that is already well established here. Working here is a dream come true.”

drink

November 2013

www.barmagazine.co.uk

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news

Bulldog grows with bolder release and brand champion

A bigger-flavoured, higher-ABV version of Bulldog London Dry Gin is being introduced in the UK, aimed at cocktail bars for G&Ts and classic-style cocktails.

Bulldog Gin Bold has an ABV of 47% instead of the original gin’s 40% and has a stronger, bolder taste. It also comes in a 100cl bottle instead of 70cl, available exclusively for the ontrade and luxury retail, with a sleeker matte finish.

Anshuman Vohra, founder and chief executive of Bulldog Gin, said: “Bold represents the next stage in our hand-crafted, premium gin.

Given the very successful test marketing in Scandinavia, we have decided to go on limited release in cocktail hotbeds NYC and London.

“What I envisioned – and I’m pleased to say that we’ve accomplished – is a gin with great character and a rich flavour that is enhanced as the additional proof allows our proprietary

blend of botanicals to be more pronounced.”

They have also appointed Leeds bartender Tom Finnon (pictured) to the role of brand champion to represent Bulldog at trade shows, deliver training to bar staff and develop showcase drinks.

Tom began his career in Oracle bar, Leeds, where he spent five years, rising to manager.

He later joined Smokestack in Leeds, becoming general site manager after six months.

New flavours join launch of Ivanabitch

Dutch vodka Ivanabitch is growing its range in the UK with the introduction of the world’s first tobacco-flavoured vodka.

The brand has added two variants: Traditional Tobacco Vodka, with a bold taste of smoky vanilla blended with sweet caramel, and Menthol Tobacco Vodka, featuring the same taste but with a hint of mint.

Ivanabitch, which is made in the Netherlands, is well established in the US and was introduced in the UK by producer Toorank earlier this year.

The vodka is five-times distilled and filtered over charcoal before natural flavourings are added. The flavours also include Cherry, Lemmon, Orange, Coconut, Blackberry, Peach,Vanilla, Red Berry, Whipped Cream and Dutch Apple.

Soho legend inspires new gin A new gin inspired by legendary nightlife entrepreneur Paul Raymond is to be distributed to bars in the UK through a new partnership with drinks company Hi-Spirits.

King of Soho London Dry Gin has been launched by West End Drinks, owned by Howard Raymond, the son of Paul Raymond who ran late-night venues such as Raymond’s Revuebar in Soho.

Hi-Spirits will distribute King of Soho to bars and specialist drinks retailers, with an initial focus on London.

The premium gin, with an ABV of 42%, is distilled at Thames Distillers in London and made with 12 botanicals which, alongside juniper, feature a high presence of citrus ingredients, including grapefruit peel, balanced by flavours such as coriander seeds, angelica root and cassia.

Chase releases its cider for first time Chase Distillery, which is best known for its award-winning premium spirits, is bringing to market a classic cider that is the base ingredient for its gin and vodka.

The medium dry Willy’s cider is crisp, lightly sparkling and fruity, made traditionally using bittersweet cider apples grown in Herefordshire where the distillery is based. The juice from the apples is fermented for three to four months to create the cider, with a little of the fresh Chase pressed apple juice blended in to finish.

Chase Distillery has been producing the premium cider for over four years for making its Williams Chase Elegant Crisp Gin and its Naked Chase Vodka but has never made it more widely available before.

Containing no artificial colours or flavours, Willy’s has an ABV of 4% and is available in 500ml bottles.

What is believed to be London’s first “beer trolley” has been introduced at Honky Tonk bar-restaurants in Clapham and Chelsea. Wheeled round the venues by a trained beer sommelier, they feature the bars’ extensive craft beer selection. Its beers include Fordham Copperhead and Wisteria Wheat, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Old Dominion Hop Mountain, Brooklyn Lager, Harviestoun Old Engine Oil and Gigi Farmhouse Ale. Suffolk-based brewer Adnams has launched its first-ever lager, made according to traditional lager methods but with modern hop flavours. Dry Hopped Lager is the latest addition to its Jack Brand range of innovative craft beers.

Warner Edwards, one of Britain’s newer artisan gins, has extended its line with the introduction of a limited-edition elderflower-flavoured gin. It has produced only 2,200 bottles of the new spirit, made with elderflowers harvested by hand on the farm in Northamptonshire where the distillery is based. The original Harrington Dry Gin was launched less than a year ago, made with 11 botanicals including home-grown elderflower.

Icelandic brewery Einstök has released its limited-edition winter beer, Einstök Icelandic Seasonal Doppelbock, in the UK. With malted barley and chocolate tones, it has a robust aroma and long mellow finish. It has ABV of 6.7%. It joins the core range of White Ale, Pale Ale and Toasted Porter, handled in the UK by Love Drinks. www.barmagazine.co.uk |19

news

Bison-grass vodka sector opens up with Grasovka Germany’s golden Krombacher Dunkel is being released in the UK for the first time after the success of Krombacher Pils. A limited quantity is available on draught and in bottles, testing if there is demand for the darker malty lager to be added permanently in the UK. It is higher in alcohol at 4.8% compared to Krombacher Dark which is already available in the UK. Krombacher Pils has gained a listing in Inventive Leisure’s Revolution and Revolucione de Cuba bars.

A limited-edition bottle that glows in the dark has been introduced for premium vodka brand Stolichnaya for the late-night market. Stoli Night Edition appears to come in a minimalistic, frosted glass bottle but the front label has a subtle, almost hidden pattern that absorbs the energy of light throughout the day. When the lights go out, it releases a radiant pattern from glow-in-the-dark ink.

A new pure pomegranate juice has been launched by the Simply Great Drinks Company, the new owners of PomeGreat pomegranate juice drink brand. Coming in a 650ml bottle, it combines pomegranates from around the world, including India, China, Spain, Turkey, Israel, Azerbaijan and Australia, to create a rich, refined and naturally sweet taste.

A smooth but bold expression of Jack Daniel’s has been released in the UK celebrating legendary singer Frank Sinatra – a fan of the whiskey. Linking into the brand’s musical roots, the special-edition Sinatra Select has been crafted from special “Sinatra barrels”, with extra layers of toasted wood on the inner surface, and bottled at 45% ABV.

20| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Premium drinks specialist Love Drinks is to shake up the Polish bison-grass vodka category in the UK after taking on leading European brand Grasovka.

The spirit, made of Polish grain vodka infused with bison grass, is 100% naturally flavoured, with no artificial colour or additives, and each bottle contains a real blade of bison grass.

The bison grass is harvested by hand in the woods of Białowieża and perfused with vodka to create an aromatic essence. The result is a light note of hay and grass on the nose and initial palate and a slightly sweet taste with a light peppery finish.

The word, “żubrówka”, comes from żubr, the Polish for the European bison, and is used by CEDC for its bison-grass vodka Żubrówka.

Bartender becomes first Chambord ambassador

Frank McGivern (pictured), who has headed leading bars in London, Edinburgh and Australia, has taken on the new role of brand ambassador for black raspberry liqueur Chambord.

Part of Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands, his work will include training sessions, master classes, consumer and trade tasting events, and partnering with bartenders on bespoke projects.

Frank was most recently head bartender at Dean Street Townhouse, part of Soho House Group, in London, which he joined after being head bartender at Bounce, the cocktail and ping pong bar in Holborn in London.

He also worked at bars in Australia but started his career in Edinburgh at The Raconteur and Montpeliers.

A signature serve is a “GRAppleSOVKA” which is made by pouring 50ml of Grasovka into an ice-filled glass and topping it up with 150ml of cloudy apple juice, garnished with an apple slice.

The vodka is owned by Germanbased company Underberg which has also appointed Love Drinks to handle classic German herbal digestif Underberg. Taking over distribution from Halewood International, Love Drinks is to draw on the digestif’s 167-year heritage and all-natural recipe of aromatic herbs from 43 countries. It comes in 2cl bottles wrapped in brown straw-paper.

New gin inspired by Africa A new London Dry Gin inspired by Africa and made with African ingredients is being introduced in the UK, with a slice of the profits helping to save endangered elephants.

Elephant Gin is crafted and distilled in Münster in Germany, with an ABV of 45%, using 14 botanicals including the herb Devil’s Claw, the shrub Lion’s Tail, the baobab fruit, African wormwood and the buchu plant that has a flavour similar to blackcurrant.

Founders Robin Gerlach, Tessa Wienker and Henry Palmer contribute 15% of all profits to conservation charities, Big Life Foundation and Space For Elephants.

Produced in small batches in copper stills, it is also made with juniper, mountain pine needles from the Salzburger Mountains, lavender from France, sweet orange peel from Spain, fresh apple, cassia bark, ginger, pimento berries from Mexico and elderflower.

Schnapps offers lower ABV A lower-ABV herbal schnapps, Stukaberg, is to be distributed in the UK by drinks company Halewood International, aimed at younger people on high-energy nights out.

The smooth-tasting 22% ABV product, developed by Cubic Brands, is a secret blend of selected herbs and spices, inspired by the mountains of Bavaria.

It will complement Halewood’s Josef Meiers herbal liqueur which has an ABV of 30% and the cinnamon-flavoured Josef Meiers at 28% – also developed by Cubic Brands.

Stukaberg is recommended for serving ice cold and neat but is also promoted for drinking with a wide variety of mixers, including fresh juice and energy drinks, and for making cocktails such as a twist on a Mojito.

news

Bacardi to launch stylish D’Ussé cognac in UK

Bacardi is preparing to introduce new cognac brand D’Ussé into the UK next year after its successful launch in the US, backed by rapper Jay-Z. Created at Bacardi’s 218-year-old Château de Cognac in France, it is a smooth, complex VSOP cognac, suitable for sipping neat or on the rocks or in cocktails.

Launched in the US in June 2012, it has reached beyond traditional cognac drinkers because of its smoothness and mixability and the endorsement of Jay-Z. The UK will be its first market outside of the US. It is a blend of eaux-de-vie aged for at least four-and-a-half years in French oak barrels,

producing a cognac with a smooth but spicy flavour with hints of wood and honey. On the nose, it has warm notes of wood and cinnamon.

The UK price point has not been set but in the US it is around $45 – about £28. Further expressions are planned including an XO. It comes in a sleek subtly labelled bottle dominated by a gold two-barred cross based on France’s national symbol, the Cross of Lorraine.

Cornwall inspires new gin The Cornish Gin Distillery has launched a premium gin, Elemental, that blends exotic botanicals to create a product to represent the spirit of Cornwall.

Its ingredients include juniper, coriander and cassia bark, combined to produce a wellbalanced flavour with dry grassy overtones with a sweet gentle spice. Distilled and bottled entirely in Cornwall, it is handcrafted in small batches using local spring water and blended in a copper still using the traditional “one shot” method rather than a concentrate.

It was created by Jon and Jilly Meyer from St Columb in Cornwall, who started the business with the help of their two eldest children.

Jon said: “Gin-making is an ancient process which is dependent on the alchemical elements of copper and water, both of which are strong symbols of Cornwall and why we chose to name the product Elemental.”

TGI Friday’s shakes up its list TGI Friday’s has introduced 15 new cocktails to its menus, featuring more shaken drinks and new ingredients such as popping candy and foamed toppings.

Developed in-house, they include the Passionate Rose, combining Bacardi rum with Monin Rose syrup, lime juice, passion fruit puree, gomme and passion fruit seeds.

The Popping Candy Margarita is made with tequila, strawberry and lime juice plus popping candy.

The Turkish Delight cocktail is a luxurious mix of Hendrick’s Gin with white cacao, Monin Rose syrup, grenadine and chocolate bitters, topped with a foam.

TGI Friday’s master bartender Adam Friend said: “Friday’s has always set the bar for cocktail development and we wanted to try something a bit different and add a little theatre to the cocktails that we serve to our guests. We’ve introduced exciting additions such as foam toppings and more shaken drinks to truly enhance the guest’s experience.”

Alcoholic cream whips up a storm A range of alcohol-infused whipped creams have been introduced to the UK, offering flavoured kicks for topping off drinks.

Whipped Lightning comes in 10 flavours, such as white chocolate raspberry, spiced vanilla, hazelnut espresso, and amaretto, with ABVs ranging from 16.75% to 18.25%.

It has gained on-trade distribution with bars such as Rise 46 in Battersea, London, George’s Bar in March in Cambridgeshire, Charlie’s Bar in Clifton, Bristol, and the Hand & Flowers (pictured) in Chelsea, London, as well as on-trade suppliers such as Wine Lord in the Midlands.

It can also be used as an ingredient within a shaken cocktail or for toppings on shots.

Diageo is extending its super-premium vodka brand Cîroc with a new flavoured variant in the UK: Cîroc Red Berry. With its smooth finish and bold flavour, it can be enjoyed in cocktails or on the rocks. Nick Temperley, head of Reserve Brands at Diageo, said: “Cîroc is the fastest-growing super-premium vodka in Great Britain today. This new flavour will build on the fantastic popularity of Cîroc Coconut, providing consumers with another uniquely flavoured luxury vodka.”

Brooklyn Pennant Ale, a pale ale at 5% ABV, is to become a permanent draught listing for British pubs and bars. It has been introduced on the back of the success of Brooklyn Lager in the UK by speciality beer importers and distributors James Clay. Brooklyn Brewery created the beer to mark the anniversary of the Brooklyn Dodgers beating their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees, in the 1955 World Series in which they were awarded the winner’s pennant.

Drinks company CWF has added Amaretto Terranto to its range of amarettos after a 16% rise in sales in its amarettos in 2012.

Designed to be a good-quality, goodvalue alternative to premium brands such as Disaronno, Terranto is produced in Italy from a blend of spirit with subtle almond flavours and ABV of 15%. CWF’s other amarettos include Sari and Opera White.

Bristol’s Beerd Brewery has launched Bristol Cream Stout, a creamy draught beer with hints of vanilla and sherry with an ABV of 4%. It was created by Beerd’s brewer Shane O’Beirne with Michael Wiper of new Bristol brewery Wiper and True and was introduced via Bath Ales’ pubs during last month’s Bristol Beer Week. www.barmagazine.co.uk |21

news Wiltshire’s Box Steam Brewery has developed a new dark porter-style ale in honour of the Evening Star, the last steam locomotive ever produced in Britain.

Coming in elegant 75cl stoneware bottles, Evening Star has strong intense flavours with aromas of vanilla, chocolate and coffee.

The locomotive was produced in Swindon, only 25 miles from the brewery.

First Drinks is working with bartenders to support the launch of Hudson whiskeys from the Hudson Valley in New York state into the UK. Ralph Erenzo, who co-founded the Tuthilltown distillery and sold the Hudson brand to William Grant & Sons, visited London bars such as NOLA in Shoreditch last month for presentations to bartenders with European brand ambassador Tony Vanaria. With more ontrade activity planned for 2014, First Drinks is focusing on two of Hudson’s whiskeys: the rich, oaky and smoky corn-based Baby Bourbon and the smooth and spicy Manhattan Rye (Bar magazine, May 2012).

Okell’s beers from the Isle of Man are to gain greater UK distribution after they were added to the portfolio of specialist beer supplier Morgenrot. The agreement covers the full Okell’s range including five core ales in nine-gallon cask: Okell’s Bitter, Manx Pale Ale, IPA, dark beer Olaf and red beer Jiarg.

It also covers four bottled beers in 33cl bottles: wheat beer Maclir, IPA, Aile porter and 1907 strong pale ale.

A selection of seasonal ales will also be available. It is Morgenrot’s first venture into cask ale and marks a move into UK beers.

22| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Absolut turns drinks blue for limited bottle Bars have been given chemistry sets so they can serve up Absolut vodka cocktails, with pipettes for adding a drop of cobalt blue liqueur to match the latest limited-edition bottle.

About 250,000 pipettes are being distributed to the trade along with the cobalt blue liqueur and measuring beakers as part of the kits.

It ties in with the new Absolut Originality bottle where each of the 4,000 bottles has an individual design created by adding a drop of cobalt blue, matching the Absolut brand colour, as the molten glass goes into the mould.

Pernod Ricard UK has formed a partnership

with Be At One bars across London that will encourage consumers to take pictures of their cocktail creations in the bar, post them on social media using the hashtag #addyourowndrop and print them live in the bar they are in.

The launch includes digital activity where consumers can add their own “drop of Originality” to the bottle through a production line at a new website, www.addyourdrop.com.

Pernod Ricard UK is also promoting a range of Absolut Originality serves such as the Absolut Original Swirl, which is a vodka and tonic with a drop of the cobalt blue liqueur added.

Brand ambassador Merrydown brings grown-up for Italian liqueurs cider to the bar First Drinks has appointed bartender Rod Eslamieh (pictured) as its first-ever full-time brand ambassador for its Italian brands, Disaronno, Tia Maria and Isolabella.

Spending most of his time working on Disaronno and Tia Maria, Rod will generate brand awareness and trial by training bartenders on the perfect serve as well as promoting the brands’ use in cocktails. He will also host masterclasses and consumer-facing events.

He will also work with Isolabella, a contemporary premium sambuca that is from the producers of Tia Maria and Disaronno, Illva.

Rod has more than 10 years’ ontrade experience, most recently running his own bar, The Old Fire Station in Brentford, west London.

Merrydown Cider has introduced a new 6% ABV classic medium cider in 500ml bottles in the on-trade to appeal to an older audience.

The crisp cider, which was launched by drinks company SHS in the take-home sector earlier this year, is based on a traditional Sussex recipe created by the brand’s founders in 1946.

Marketing for Merrydown, which is produced from eating apples, will highlight how the cider’s crisp, refreshing flavour complements a variety of food dishes.

Amanda Grabham, head of brand marketing for Merrydown, said a lot of the growth in cider was coming from cider aimed at 18- to 25-year olds. “However, as 60% of cider consumers are over 35, this is the audience we are aiming for with the new-look Merrydown.”

Californian lager heads east Anchor Brewing in San Francisco is launching Anchor California Lager in the UK through q partnership with speciality beer importer James Clay.

The beer, described as “California’s first genuine lager reborn”, was first bottled in February this year for distribution in California only.

The beer is based on the first lager produced in the state in 1876 in Boca. The new lager is made in San Francisco with Cluster hops, which were the premier hop in 19thcentury California, plus two-row California barley and the brewery’s own lager yeast.

It is kräusened – adding actively fermenting lager to the fermented beer for extra flavour and natural carbonation – and lagered in the brewery’s cellars.

The all-malt brew has 4.9% ABV and is available in 355ml bottles as well as on draught for selected bars.

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whisky

Whisky’s new wave Mark Ludmon explores the “boom” in innovation in Scotch whisky as well as malt whiskies from overseas

A

round 400 whiskies are available at Scotch, the new whisky bar at Rocco Forte’s The Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh. Believed to be the largest collection of Scottish whiskies available to the general public in Edinburgh, it covers Speyside, Islay, Campbeltown, the Islands, the Highlands and the Lowlands in a variety of blends, malts and vintages dating back to 1940, overseen by three trained “whisky ambassadors” providing advice to guests. It reflects a revival in interest and innovation in Scotch whisky, once the UK’s number-one spirit before it was eclipsed by vodka five years ago. “We have seen a great deal of interest in whisky from our guests over recent years, particularly those from the US and Asia,” explains Franck Arnold, general manager at the five-star hotel. “As Edinburgh’s leading iconic hotel, we decided

that we should be offering the very best of our country’s iconic spirit and supporting the industry in Scotland.”

According to a report from business advisers Grant Thornton UK last month, the Scotch whisky industry has entered a third “golden era”, with revenues at an all-time high. Also last month, a team led by Tim Morrison, formerly of Morrison Bowmore Distillers, unveiled plans for the first new distillery in the centre of Glasgow for over 100 years. At the same time, there are more events than ever for fans of whisky, from the annual Whisky Live and Whisky Show in London to Edinburgh’s quirky Whisky Stramash and The Whisky Lounge’s tastings and festivals around the UK. Innovation is fuelling much of this interest, with new releases of malts and blends exploring age statements, casks and finishes.

Isle of Arran Distillers, an independent distillery set up 18 years ago, is seeing strong sales, particularly for its Arran Malt which is finished in ex-sauternes barrels.

“This success has been driven in part by our innovative and unique limited-edition releases which hold genuine appeal for drinkers,” says managing director Euan

Scotch at The Balmoral in Edinburgh

Trading places The message about the mixability and unique characteristics of Auchentoshan whiskies has been brought to bartenders through the Auchentoshan Switch competition. Last month saw the European final take place in the UK, won

by Aidan Bowie (pictured) from The Blythswood Square Hotel in Glasgow.

His prize will be to “switch” continents with the North American winner and spend two weeks working in The Dead Rabbit in Manhattan, one of the world’s best bars. The North American winner will spend two weeks at the Nightjar in London. Competitors used the smooth, full-bodied Auchentoshan Three Wood which is matured in three different types of casks: North American bourbon casks, Spanish oloroso sherry casks and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.

More at www.barmagazine.co.uk. www.barmagazine.co.uk |25

whisky Mitchell. This summer, it launched the second in its The Devil’s Punch Bowl series, named Angels & Devils, which contains whiskies from 27 different casks including sherry hogsheads and peated barrels. The latest release is the Arran Malt Millennium Cask edition which is a mix of 35 exbourbon barrels and 10 ex-sherry hogsheads, which will also raise money for the island’s conservation charity, the Arran Trust. The distillery also released a 16 Year Old to join its 10, 12 and 14. “Many distillers now choose not to display the age statement of the whisky, which is fine as long as the quality is not compromised,” Euan adds.

Alongside age statements and casks, vintages bring excitement to the single malt category thanks to the likes of The Glenrothes, Glenfarclas, Glen Garioch and Glenfiddich. All bottlings from Highland distillery Balblair are vintages, with no generic age variants available. “This means that each vintage is different and only selected at its peak of perfection,” says Gillian Gibson, brand manager for Balblair.

“The vintage statements mean that Balblair stands out from other single malts so this isn’t something we would ever change.” The distillery has just released its first vintages from 1983 and 2003, aged in ex-bourbon American oak, with signature notes of spice, fruit and honey, as well as the second

Back to Black Burn Stewart Distillers has released a new recipe for premium blended whisky Black Bottle, taking it back to the original Scotch created in Torphins, west of Aberdeen, in the late 19th century.

Master distiller Ian MacMillan has made it more in keeping with the region it came from after changes in ownership in the 20th century led to the addition of more Islay malts.

Maintaining the ABV at 40%, the result is a rich and slightly smoky taste that maintains the distinctiveness of Black Bottle but adds another layer of depth to the liquid. Burn Stewart has also launched new packaging, re-introducing the distinctive black glass bottle that inspired the brand’s name.

26| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Japanese whiskies at Bam-Bou’s Red Bar

release of its 1990 vintage, matured in exbourbon casks and Spanish oak ex-sherry butts, bringing a full-bodied flavour with extra raisin notes.

Blended whiskies are also enjoying a revival after years of playing second fiddle to single malts, such as new investment in Black Bottle (see panel) and Johnnie Walker.

Alasdair Day is drawing attention to blends through The Tweeddale which saw its first release in 2010, reviving a brand that dated back to 1820 but ceased production over 70 years ago. Drawing on records of his great-grandfather who once owned The Tweeddale, Alasdair has now released four batches of limited-edition blends, drawn from nine single casks. The latest combines a 16-year-old single-grain whisky with seven malts aged from 14 to 21 years.

The world’s number-one Scotch whisky brand remains Johnnie Walker, which continues to open up the category to new and younger drinkers. Last year, Diageo cemented its positioning for the different expressions, including the promotion of Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve for high-energy late-night occasions, enjoyed in a tall glass with crushed ice and a slice of orange. To encourage trading up in the run-up to Christmas, the Gold Label Reserve has been released in a luxurious limitededition gold-lacquered bottle.

At last month’s London Cocktail Week, its brand ambassador Colin Dunn ran sessions on pairing whisky with chocolate as part of a six-week pop-up, The Candy Store, at Callooh Callay in Shoreditch.

Diageo has also enlisted Spanish

bartender David Rios, winner of Diageo Reserve World Class 2013, to create cocktails to support Johnnie Walker’s role as official partner of The Ryder Cup in Gleneagles in 2014.

In November, a new £7.2million marketing drive for Johnnie Walker, including its first TV ad in the UK for 50 years, will aim to drive excitement among a younger audience. Activities include promotion of a new serve, Johnnie Red & Ginger, mixing Red Label with ice and ginger ale. It aims to stem the decline in whisky in the UK, where the number of whisky drinkers has dropped by 5.3million over the past 10 years.

Steven Hamilton, customer marketing director at Diageo GB, says they identified that people aged 25 to 35 were put off whisky by the traditional images of older people and cigars. “We need to transform whisky from something stuffy that your dad drinks into something exciting and glamorous. We are going to recruit a whole new generation of whisky consumers.”

A more open-minded approach to how to enjoy whisky is already helping to attract new drinkers, says Ceri Lewis, product controller for spirits at on-trade supplier Matthew Clark. “Over the last few years, we have seen the continued rise in cocktail culture which has grown to encompass all types of whisky and is bringing younger consumers into the category.” She says that another growing trend is the popularity of interesting and unusual food pairings.

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whisky Inver House Distillers has released a limited-edition 40-year-old expression of Hankey Bannister Blended Scotch Whisky.

Only 1,480 bottles are being made available over a three-year period until 2015, with the first 500 coming in gilt-engraved decanters.

“Think of a full-bodied and smoky Islay whisky paired with fish and chips or strong flavours like blue Stilton.” To help licensees, Matthew Clark includes tips on food pairing in its new Whiskies of the World brochure.

Sales of Japanese whisky have more than doubled in the last 12 months for Matthew Clark, Ceri adds. “Connoisseurs and explorers are increasingly looking to discover new brands and whiskies from less traditional whisky-producing countries.” The popularity of Japanese whiskies is led by Nikka and Suntory, which has the Hakushu, Yamazaki and Hibiki brands, while smaller, independent distillers Chichibu, Hanyu and Karuizawa are reaching a wider audience through Number One Drinks Company.

Suntory focuses on the impact of wood with its newly released Cask Collection which features four limited-edition whiskies aged in four different casks: Hakushu Heavily Peated, Hakushu Sherry Cask,Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel and Yamazaki Puncheon.

Last month, London bar Bam-Bou in Fitzrovia launched a new list at its top-floor Red Bar that features nearly 70 Japanese whiskies as well as cocktails.

Back in Britain, whiskies from England and Wales are also on the rise such as Penderyn from the South Wales Valleys and the Chapter whiskies from St George’s Distillery in Norfolk. In December, Adnams is due to unveil its first whisky produced at its Copper House distillery in Suffolk, while The London Distillery Company, which began distilling gin in Battersea earlier this year, is planning to release its first whisky in 2016.

From India, John Distilleries has followed the launch of its three single-cask whiskies over the past 12 months with the unpeated Paul John Brilliance, matured in ex-bourbon American oak, and the partially peated Paul John Edited. This month, it is adding to its UK portfolio with two Paul John Select Cask whiskies, one peated and one unpeated. They were presented at last month’s Whisky Show in London which also showcased the Hellyers Road

28| www.barmagazine.co.uk

whiskies from Tasmania, Australia. Launching into the UK, the range of single malts includes one finished in pinot noir casks.

Also new in the UK from Tasmania is Overeem single-cask single-malt whiskies, which include expressions matured in export and ex-sherry barrels. Toby Dudfield, who is marketing the range with Jonah Costello through their business Oak Cask Distribution, says: “I wanted something different to offer the market, something exclusive and a product that had the potential to change the views of whisky drinkers all over the globe.”

On a bigger scale, William Grant & Sons plans to change the view of whisky drinkers through a new brand of single-grain Scotch.

Single-grain whiskies from Scotland are unusual, mostly available from bottlers such as Douglas Laing and lesser-known distilleries such as Cameron Brig. The first release, due this month and exclusive to the UK, is The Girvan Patent Still Single Grain 25 Year Old, named after the still at the Girvan distillery which is best known for producing grain whisky for blending. It will be followed by two more expressions: a 30-year-old whisky, and a younger spirit with no age statement currently dubbed #5974.

The Girvan uses cereal grains to produce a very pure, fruity and clean-tasting grain spirit, which is lighter in aroma and character than most malt whiskies. It is then matured in first-fill American white oak which adds flavour, character, colour and complexity. Ageing mellows the whisky, amplifies the aroma and enriches the taste, characterised by vanilla, toffee, honey and caramelised fruit notes. “It is elevating single-grain whisky to being a third category of whisky along with malt and blended,” says Jonny Cornthwaite, UK brand manager for The Girvan as well as The Balvenie single malt at distributor First Drinks. “The next 12 months are going to be a very exciting time for Scotch whisky.

We are in a whisky boom that I can’t see coming to an end any time soon.”

Highland distillery Glen Garioch has released two whiskies that highlight its exploration of wood. The inaugural expression in its small-batch vintage programme, the Glen Garioch Vintage 1999, has been matured solely in oloroso sherry casks for 14 years. The other is its first-ever single malt to be fully matured in virgin oak, creating a whisky packed with spiciness and vanilla.

Islay’s independent distillery Kilchoman, founded eight years ago, has released its oldest whisky to date: a 2007 vintage.

With only 10,000 bottles available, it has a smoky vanilla and caramel nose with cooked lemon and citrus fruits, with hints of butterscotch and soft citrus fruit on the palate, complemented by a lasting sweetness that blends with the peaty and fruity finish.

Compass Box Whisky Company is continuing to experiment with Scotch through its Great King Street range that proves blended whiskies are not inferior to single malts. Two years after the first release, Artist’s Blend, it has produced two limited editions, called Experimental Batch, to help it decide on the second permanent addition.

One is smoky and aromatic, mostly from first-fill exbourbon casks and French oak finish, while the other is fruitier and sweeter with light sherry notes from using first-fill sherry casks as well as refill ex-bourbon barrels.

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mixology

Mixologist Charlie McCarthy of All About The Cocktail and World Duty Free champions blended whiskies

Give blended whisky its due Usually considered a poor relation of the noble single malt, blended whisky is beginning to step out from the formidable shadow cast by its illustrious brother. Since the mid-19th century, most Scotch malt was blended with light, sweet grain whisky. Indeed around 90% of all Scotch sold worldwide is blended. And a great blended Scotch can be just as complex as a single malt. I was lucky enough to sample the Royal 62 Gun Salute at the Whisky Show recently. At £2,000 a bottle, it’s not going to adorn every back bar but, in the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up”.

Back in reality, other exceptional blends include Johnnie Walker Platinum, Grant’s 25 and Ballantine’s 17 (especially the Scapa Distiller’s Signature Edition). Gordon & McPhail of Elgin keep up the fine tradition of Scottish grocers producing their own blends.

This is not forgetting the amazing array of blends from Ireland: Jameson Gold Reserve and Tullamore Dew 12 both showcase exceptional pure pot still whiskeys in their blends, while Greenore Single Grain Whiskey is a beautiful example of the silky smooth character that forms the backbone of most Irish blends. The Irish whiskey category is booming right now: Teeling Whiskey Co, young bucks with old stock, are charging into the fray and, with a

host of microdistilleries emerging, there’s much excitement for the future.

A special mention must go to Crown Royal Special Reserve, a magnificent example of a North American blend, combining sweetness and spice in a creamy, elegantly complex drop.

Then there are the vatted malts (blends of malts from different distilleries) such as Monkey Shoulder and the Nikka range, providing a delicious bridge on the journey from single malt to blended whisky.

So let us be thankful for the blenders. A master blender is charged with producing a consistent bottling year on year, from anywhere up to 50 different drams, some of which vary greatly one year to the next, others may no longer be available.

And a final word to the die-hard malt fundamentalist: unless the dram you’re drinking has the words “single barrel” on the label, it too is a blend of whiskies from various barrels, so why not expand your horizons, relax and embrace the blend. Without blended whisky’s insatiable demand for malt, distilleries like Aberfeldy, Talisker and Ardbeg would have closed down long ago.

Now if only I can find some way to sample the legendary blend that is The Last Drop. Maybe a resourceful lad like Ferris might be able to hook me up.

Mixologists’ corner Bengal Tiger Indian fine dining restaurant Chor Bizarre in Mayfair, London, has added this cocktail in time for November’s Diwali celebrations.

Dram-brew-ie Drambuie liqueur is being promoted for a refreshing take on a classic cocktail topped with India Pale Ale.

20ml Scotch whisky 20ml Dark rum 15ml Peach schnapps 75ml Orange juice Grenadine syrup

40ml Drambuie 25ml Lemon juice 25ml Orange juice 1 dash Angostura Bitters India pale ale

Shake the first four ingredients with cubed ice and strain into a tulip glass. Add a drizzle of grenadine syrup.

30| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Shake everything except the IPA and pour into glass.Top with the IPA. Garnish with an orange wedge.

ML

A new list featuring seasonal cocktails has been introduced at 5cc, Barworks’ hidden bar above the Exmouth Arms in Islington, London.

Head bartender Piyush Chavda has created classic-style recipes such as a Rhubarb Daiquiri, a Pear & Ginger Sour, a Cucumber Collins, a Rhubarb & Ginger Cooler and a Kiwi & Mint Margarita. Others include Rimbaud’s Left Hand, made with Bénédictine, Aperol, absinthe, lemon juice, pineapple and egg white, while the Smoky Tommy is a twist on a Margarita drawing on the bar’s extensive mezcal collection.

Rice spirits from Vietnam drinks company Son Tinh are being used for a new range of twisted classic cocktails at Pho, the London group of Vietnamese restaurants. They are the UK’s only restaurants to import Son Tinh, including sticky rice spirit Nêp Phú Lôc, which is a leading brand in Vietnam and owned by Hanoi-based Highway4 Restaurants. The cocktails (pictured above) include a twist on a Mojito, the Phojito, made with Nêp Phú Lôc, mint, lime and soda, and the Hanoi Mule, mixing Hanoi vodka, fresh apple, ginger, mint and lime. The Dua Colada combines Nêp Phú Lôc with coconut, fresh pineapple and apple while the Son Tinh Iced Tea uses Nêp Phú Lôc with apricot spirit Mo Vang, cola and lemon.

Appleton Estate Rum has gone back to its roots to offer UK bars a Jamaican Buck Copper Cup inspired by designs from the 1940s.

It is for serving a Jamaican Buck which is like a Moscow Mule but with vodka substituted by rum.

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mixology

London bartender in global Grey Goose top 13 Mexican bartender Jose Luis Leon has won the Tahona Society’s global competition to find the best tequila bartender. He was one of 15 bartenders from 11 countries around the world, including the UK, who won places in the grand final in Guadalajara, Mexico. Luis, who works at Licoreria Limantour in Mexico City, will go on a trip to work with bartending legend Charles Joly at The Aviary in Chicago. Emma Tanner of Wahaca in Charlotte Street, London, and Chris Mosey of Hula in Manchester took second and third places respectively. Chris, Luis and Emma are pictured (left to right) above.

Full report at www.barmagazine. co.uk.

Nathan O’Neill (pictured) from Milk & Honey in London was one of 13 bartenders from around the world who won a trip to Cognac with Grey Goose vodka.

They visited the French brand’s home and met cellar master François Thibault, who created the vodka, before competing in the global final of the Grey Goose Le Rendez-Vous cocktail competition.

It was won by Cihan Anadologlu from Schumann’s in Munich, Germany, whose prize includes a trip to Los Angeles to see one of his cocktails served at a Grey Goose Oscars party.

Nathan won the UK final at The Gilbert Scott at London’s St Pancras Renaissance Hotel where they were challenged to make a classic Martini using no more than five ingredients, two of which had to be Grey Goose and Noilly Prat vermouth.

Nathan reached the final round with Walter Pintus of the Rivoli Bar at The Ritz and Rudi

Carraro of the Artesian Bar at The Langham Hotel. They had to create a cocktail to pair with a dish created by two-Michelin-star chef Marcus Wareing of The Gilbert Scott.

Full reports at www.barmagazine.co.uk.

Chinese legends inspire cocktails Cocktails inspired by imperial China have been added to the drinks list at dim sum restaurant and bar Courtesan in Brixton in south London.

They include the Wang Zhaojun, named after one of the legendary Four Beauties of ancient China, which mixes Beefeater 24 gin and Wyborowa vodka with violet liqueur and jasmine tea.

The cocktail bearing the name of Xi Shi, another of the Four Beauties, is made with Havana Club 7 Year Old rum, Pierre Ferrand

Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode liqueur, prosecco and chrysanthemum honey.

Alongside twists on the classics on the menu, other signature cocktails include the Courtier, a mix of Glenlivet 12 Year Old whisky, Laphroaig 10 Year Old whisky with lapsang souchong tea, chilli and fig liqueur.

Courtesan, which was opened last year by industrial designer Hammant Patel Villa, has a 30-capacity bar, 50-cover restaurant and a 50-capacity bar for private hire.

New cocktails play with barrels and bottles Damiano Madeddu (pictured) from the Rivoli Bar at The Ritz hotel in London has won the annual cocktail competition for Luxardo’s maraschino liqueurs. He beat 11 other leading bartenders from around the UK at the final of the 2013 Luxardo Masters of Maraschino competition held at Boutique Bar Show last month in association with the UK Bartenders Guild. Damiano won with his inventive cocktail, Luxardo Punch, made with Zacapa 23 Year Old rum, Luxardo Maraschino, Luxardo Sangue Morlacco cherry liqueur, passion fruit syrup, pineapple juice, lemon juice and champagne. Full report at www.barmagazine.co.uk.

32| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Techniques such as barrel ageing, pre-bottling and the use of crystallised liqueurs have been used for the new seasonal menu at London bar The Four Sisters.

The team have also used unusual infusions such as Tanqueray Gin infused with the

Count Negroni

grapefruit-like pomelo and Lillet Blanc aperitif infused with chai tea.

Highlights include the barrel-aged Count Negroni, made with Tanqueray, Lillet Rouge, Punt e Mes, Cynar artichoke liqueur, Campari and Fernet Branca, which is dispensed straight from the barrel or in a pre-bottled, wax-sealed bottle for takeaway.

Last month, the Islington bar teamed up with Divine Chocolate to create cocktails to celebrate Chocolate Week 2013, inspired by the brand’s two new flavours, Chilli and Orange and Toffee and Sea Salt, as well as its popular 85% Dark Chocolate.

The Divine Dark Chocolate Cup combined vanilla-infused Martell cognac, tobacco liqueur, vanilla and rum syrup, and Mozart Chocolate Bitters while the Divine Toffee & Sea Salt Martini mixed El Jimador Blanco tequila with butterscotch schnapps, red grapefruit juice and chilli syrup.

pictures by Joe Petch

vodka

Mark Ludmon visits Iceland to find out how natural resources help to produce Reyka vodka

R

eyka vodka may be a relatively recent invention, developed less than 10 years ago, but it owes its existence to the unique geography of Iceland that formed over 14 million years ago. From the thermal springs and waterfalls to the lunar landscapes of lava rock, different elements come together to create the smallbatch spirit produced at Borgarnes, about 70 kilometres north of the capital Reykjavik.

Like the capital city, the vodka takes its name from the Icelandic word for the steam that comes from the hot-water springs found across the northern European country. This plays a behind-the-scenes role in the production of Reyka, with the steam harnessed to generate the geothermal power that runs the small, isolated distillery.

No visit to Iceland would be complete without a visit to one of the thermal springs so, along with a group of bartenders from London, Liverpool and Tyneside, I found myself breathing in the faintly sulphurous clouds of steam at Deildartunguhver – the biggest hot spring in Europe.

It was part of a whistle-stop tour of the west coast of Iceland, starting just north of Reykjavik in an area of mountains, forests and lakes that resembles the Scottish Highlands so much that there is a myth that one of its lakes, Skorradalsvatn, was a loch stolen from Scotland. The water flowing in the streams in this area is so pure that you can scoop some up in a glass and drink it, as we all did on a brief stop-off. It is the same quality as the Icelandic spring water used to make Reyka, which is so pure that lab scientists once thought it had already been filtered. Tiny black crowberries can be found growing all over – and prove to be a

Spirit of invention

perfect garnish or infusion for sipping a shot of Reyka.

Further north are the spectacular waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, where torrents of water thunder through moss-covered lava rock. A few kilometres to the west at the distillery, chunks of Icelandic lava are used to create the crisp, smooth taste of Reyka. Here, white barley grain neutral spirit, imported from Scotland, is distilled through an eight-metre-high carterhead still – similar to that used for Hendrick’s gin. After being heated by geothermal power, the vapour passes through lava kept in the space that a gin producer would use for botanicals. The distilled spirit is then filtered through a container of smaller lava rocks.

The process is overseen by Thordur

Incentive winners at the distillery

UK bartenders visit the hot spring

Sigurdsson who has worked at the distillery since it was built by William Grant & Son to launch Reyka in 2005. Aged 37, he became master distiller last year and, over the past 12 months, has seen production quadruple as Reyka grows distribution in markets such as the UK. He enjoys drinking the vodka neat with ice, he says. “I have tried it in cocktails and I really liked it but it is better on the rocks or with tonic because you get the character from the spirit.”

In the UK, First Drinks has been working with top-end bars to encourage them to serve Reyka in a Martini or with ice in a rocks glass with special Icelandic Bitters made with ingredients native to the country such as thyme, angelica root and mosses.

UK brand manager Jonny Cornthwaite says this serve will be taken to more bars alongside a bigger programme of on-trade activity in 2014 including bespoke serving vessels and development of sharing serves.

“It is about bringing everything back to the idea of Iceland’s ‘inventive spirit’,” he adds.

The bartenders on our three-day trip to Iceland won their places through an incentive run by First Drinks, and this kind of incentive is set to be repeated in the future. While the visit helped them to learn about Reyka, there was little they could learn from Reykjavik’s bar scene where cocktail culture is still at a relatively early stage despite places such as Lebowski Bar, restaurants Kolabrautin and SushiSamba, 101 Restaurant & Bar and Slipp Bar at Hótel Marína. However, watch this space as First Drinks is looking at bringing bartenders over from Britain on short residencies to work alongside their Icelandic counterparts and share some of their own inventive spirit. www.barmagazine.co.uk |33

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christmas

Spice up Christmas Mark Ludmon examines ideas for adding seasonal flavours to the drinks menu

P

lanning for this Christmas started a year ago at pub and bar operator Orchid Group. Its programme of activities was finalised by January, followed by roadshows for managers in July where they could pick up tips about upselling, party nights, social media and festive food and drink pairing. A training programme called “Reasons To Visit” is focusing on customer service over the Christmas period while the

Wild Lime New cocktails have been added to the list at Bramwell Pub Company’s three Wild Lime Bar & Kitchen outlets. They include the Californian Christmas In A Jar, made with Smirnoff vodka, Chambord, Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime juice, served with a sprig of mint and a striped Christmas candy cane.

Another new drink is the Salted Caramel Surf Shake, made with Jose Cuervo tequila, ice cream, caramel sauce and a sprinkle of salt.

best-performing sites have a chance to win a trip to Miami. “It’s all about offering the best service, choice and environment, making sure our teams create great memories for our customers this Christmas,” says training and development manager Lucy Craig.

Orchid’s team predict spicy drinks and warm flavours will be key sellers this winter, such as punchy mulled cider, aromatic mulled wine and hearty warming winter ales, says senior purchasing manager David Gwilliam. “The cider category has seen exceptionally strong growth this year so we expect this to continue into the festive period.”

Aspall has reintroduced its Mulled Cyder on draught across pub and bar groups such as Mitchells & Butlers, Fuller’s,Young’s and Greene King. Designed for serving warm with slices of orange, it is supported with branded hot drink glasses with a handle.

With an ABV of 4.7%, it is made from Aspall Draught Suffolk Cyder with apple juice and mulling spices added. “Every year, Aspall Mulled Cyder gains a stronger consumer following as it appeals to cider fans but also people who wouldn’t normally drink cider during a wintry festive occasion,” says Aspall partner Henry Chevallier Guild.

Hogan’s Cider has served its warm Mulled Cider at Birmingham Christmas Craft Market for the past four years but it has now launched it into the on-trade, delivered in 20-litre bag-in-boxes.

Hogan’s Cider, made from fresh pressed cider apples from Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire, is spiced

Aspall Mulled Cyder

up with coriander, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, caraway, cloves, allspice and cardamom, with an ABV of 4%.

For the first time, Rekorderlig Winter Cider will be the focus of a £2million advertising campaign for the brand this winter. Made with apples and infused with cinnamon and vanilla, it can be supplied to bars with a branded urn for holding the warmed-up cider plus branded tankards for serving it with a slice of orange. The cider is also promoted for a range of winter cocktails devised by mixologist Joel Persson.

Bartenders are increasingly turning to cider as a cocktail ingredient, reflected by the Winter Cup serve (pictured below) developed for The King’s Ginger liqueur. It combines 30ml of the ginger liqueur with 20ml of cloudy apple juice and 100ml of apple cider, warmed up and served in a glass with a cinnamon stick. Less traditionally, gin can be used in mulled drinks, according to the team behind Martin Miller’s Gin. They are promoting a Merry Mulled Gin serve mixing 50ml of Martin Miller’s with 100ml of apple juice, two tablespoons of honey, a pinch of chilli flakes and equal parts of cassia, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and ginger, heated up and strained for serving with an orange zest and a cinnamon stick.

For the Crabbie’s brand, winter sees the reappearance of Crabbie’s Mulled Wine which is full of spices for serving warmed up. It is also a strong time for the brand generally, particularly Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer and its flavour variants www.barmagazine.co.uk |37

christmas and Crabbie’s Green Ginger Wine.

“Christmas is a key time of year for the Crabbie’s brand as the taste profile of ginger beer is well suited to the festive period in the eyes of our consumers,” explains senior brand manager Claire Kelly.

This will be a busy Christmas for whisky liqueur Drambuie which has launched its first limited-edition bottle, wrapped in a striking black-and-white zig-zag motif. The liqueur is also being promoted for seasonal cocktails such as a Hot Apple Toddy, made by heating up 150ml of pressed apple juice, a cinnamon stick, four cloves, two twists of orange, 20ml of sugar syrup and 25ml of lemon juice and straining it into a tea cup containing 50ml of Drambuie, garnished with a lemon slice and a fresh cinnamon stick.

Another traditional ingredient for festive cocktails is brandy, and this winter sees warm sharing punches promoted for Courvoisier cognac by distributor Maxxium UK. They include the Mulled Cider House Punch where medium-dry cider, pineapple juice, lemon juice, ginger cordial, sugar syrup and slices of lemons and apples are warmed up and poured into a punch bowl with Courvoisier VS. The Spiced Orchard Punch has a base of maple syrup, apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves and slices of lemons and apples, again with Courvoisier VS added once heated.

Maxxium UK is also promoting The Ginger Grouse, its bottled RTD of whisky and ginger beer, for a mulled serve, combined with pressed apple juice, pear juice, winter spice teabags, orange and nutmeg. Its Mixxit team of mixologists have come up with many other festive ideas for the company’s

Braconnier from Badger Ales

38| www.barmagazine.co.uk

portfolio such as the Baked Red Apple, made simply with Red Stag by Jim Beam cherry bourbon, pressed apple juice and cinnamon, served hot or cold with a lemon wedge. Bars should add cocktail lists that fit into consumers’ desire to treat themselves, says Maxxium UK’s on-trade sales director Jim Grierson.

“Premiumisation is key throughout the Christmas period and is a great way for outlets to promote premium brands as consumers look to trade up to add something special to their festivities.”

Maxxium UK is also working with bars and clubs to help them develop serves for the Sourz range of liqueurs which are particularly popular for shots and cocktails in the party season. This winter sees the biggest-ever advertising campaign for the brand, focusing on the 15% ABV liqueurs as a shot. A key indulgent serve is the Cheesecake shot, which is the customer’s choice of Sourz flavour with Bols Yoghurt Liqueur floated on top.

Even the trend of using beer in cocktails can suit warm winter cocktails. Leading mixologist Nick Strangeway of consultancy Strange Hill has created recipes for Hall & Woodhouse’s Badger ales include a Braconnier: 25ml of cognac, two heaped teaspoons of brown sugar, a teaspoon of ground mulled wine spices and half a bottle of Badger’s dark rich ruby ale Poacher’s Choice, all gently warmed and strained into glasses with a garnish of an orange wedge studded with cloves.

According to brand ambassadors working for UK drinks company Cellar Trends, hot cocktails will be bigger than ever this winter.

“More cocktails will be drunk in bars this Christmas than ever before,” adds Katy Carter, its head of insight and research.

“Expect Christmas variations on Manhattans and Old Fashioneds as well as Piña Coladas, all using traditional Christmas spices and flavours such as cinnamon and orange.”

Cellar Trends’ brand ambassadors have created a range of new recipes for Christmas using spirits and liqueurs across its portfolio such as Patrón tequila, Auchentoshan whisky and Chase vodka and gin. With on-trade research specialist CGA reporting that 43% of spirits bought last Christmas were premium, Cellar Trends predicts that this growth will continue to at least 45% this

Have a happy Christ-moose “We’re putting the ‘moose’ into ‘ChristMoose’ this year with a typically WKD take on the festive season,” says Debs Carter, marketing director for the leading RTD range. SHS Group will be giving away thousands of moose-head hats through the on-trade, supported by fun point-of-sale materials. The activity also includes new suggestions for sharing cocktails such as the WKD Scrooge, made with WKD Purple, a herbal liqueur and lemonade, and the WKD Sledgend, combining WKD Iron Brew with Scotch, lime and lemonade. year. “Based on current cocktail trends, this figure could be much higher,” Katy predicts.

Global Brands has identified three key opportunities for bars at Christmas to help licensees plan their offering. Sharing and interactive serves are more suited to the classic “office party” occasion where groups are willing to spend the most on a nightout. The smaller “group night-out” tends to have a lower spend per head where there is less opportunity to trade up but still profit to be made from sharing serves such as cocktails made with RTD brand VK and served in fishbowls. The third category, “Christmas reward”, represents smaller group nights-out where consumers will be looking for treats such as celebratory or indulgent cocktails using ingredients such as Thorntons Chocolate Liqueur. “The festive period is a key time for licensees to upsell on cocktails, liqueurs and RTDs, with consumers’ spend on food, drink and entertainment at double the normal average,” says Global Brands marketing director Simon Green. “To profit from this opportunity, licensees need to go further than putting up the Christmas decorations and must understand the different reasons why consumers go out and what they are looking for when they do.”

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food

Eat and be merry Mark Ludmon looks at ideas for party food for Christmas plus the latest trends in menus and bar snacks

A

new Christmas menu has been introduced at Wild Lime Bar & Kitchen, the new eating and drinking concept from Bramwell Pub Company. At its sites in Reading, Southampton and Banbury, Oxfordshire, it is spurning tradition to bring some sunshine to the cold winter nights. Instead of turkey and trimmings, new toppings for its handstretched stone-baked pizzas include the Columbus Christmas Pizza, combining chorizo, fennel and freshly torn mozzarella, topped with gremolata. For an indulgent festive treat, another new option is the Pudding Pizza, a mix of banana and Nutella served with vanilla ice cream. Sarah Weir, Bramwell’s commercial director, explains:

Wings of Fire from Moy Park

“Wild Lime Bar & Kitchen was born out of fresh thinking and the need for a truly distinctive concept which is why we’ve made a conscious decision not to go with tradition.”

The run-up to Christmas presents plenty of opportunities to encourage people not only to trade up and treat themselves but also to linger longer with food. “Around Christmas, customers will often go straight from work to a bar to celebrate with friends or colleagues – and they’ll soon find themselves hungry,” points out Ed Robinson, national account manager for Big Al’s Foodservice. “To dissuade them from going home or elsewhere for a meal, bar owners should consider offering filling, quick-toprepare food options like burgers. This simple move will keep customers in your establishment for longer and boost drinks sales as well.”

From Big Al’s, ideas include flame-cooked burgers, chicken steaks, barbecue pork rib steak, meatballs and mesquite chicken wings, which can be served in different ways to suit requirements. “You could add variety by adding lettuce and tomato, bacon, cheese sauce or jalapeño pepper, or cross-selling burgers with other food or drinks,” Ed

suggests. “Alternatively, keep things simple during the busy festive period. Big Al’s versatile burgers are just as delicious when served alone on a bun.”

Eating out in pubs and bars generally remains strong, according to research by Allegra Strategies’ Eating Out Panel, with average consumer spending on bar snacks averaging £6.08 in the second quarter of this year. “To ensure spending remains strong throughout quarter four, pubs and bars will need to offer snack options

Dive into Mojo

Wild Lime’s Pudding Pizza

New York delis and dive bars have inspired the new menu at Mojo bars in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.

Served from 5pm to 11pm every day, it includes sliders and a deli board as well as chicken wings that have been spiced, smoked and slow-roasted before being fried until crispy, served with celery sticks, blue cheese sauce and a bottle of Mojo’s Louisiana-style wings sauce. Mojo director Mal Evans says: “We have always been inspired by the great dive bars of New York City and the simple, quality food they serve along with fantastic drinks. We decided to introduce our own versions but with a bit of a twist.” www.barmagazine.co.uk |41

food which are light but offer the rich flavours appropriate for winter,” recommends Adrian Coulter, development chef for Kerrymaid which specialises in dairy ingredients for chefs in pubs and bars. “Snacks are an increasingly profitable part of any bar’s repertoire, so it is just as important that this vital opportunity is not neglected at Christmas.”

Examples of recipes designed for Christmas foodservice are contained in a free recipe booklet put together by awardwinning chef Sophie Wright, inspired by long-lasting cream alternative Kerrymaid Culinary. They include the gelato-style Christmas Pudding Semifreddo. “It contains sweet wine, making it an excellent option for bars, and capitalises one of the major trends in snacking: sharing,” Adrian points out.

The growing popularity of sharing and snacking in bars and pubs led Moy Park Foodservice to offer a range of bowl foods which are expected to be particularly popular in the run-up to Christmas. Its extensive range includes Hot & Spicy Chickwich Dippers, Buffalo wings, Wings of Fire and breaded chicken nuggets, which are all easy to prepare and can be served up in minutes. “Offering bowl foods provides an attractive option for people who may

Tapas TGI-style A range of tapas-style dishes has been introduced at TGI Friday’s across the UK for drinkers and diners looking for light bites they can share. It is based on Mintel’s latest lifestyle report that revealed that consumers are increasingly looking for new flavours which they can do more easily by experimenting with lots of smaller dishes rather than one main meal.

Head chef Terry McDowell has created tapas-style dishes such as fresh salmon tacos and flame-grilled chicken skewers finished with a choice of Jack Daniel’s sweet ‘n’ smoky glaze or mesquite and hickory barbecue sauce.

42| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Fries from Aviko

Snacks in the bag not have the time or appetite to eat a full meal, but are happy to have a lighter bowl of food,” explains Moy Park’s marketing manager, Jayne Hall. “By offering this type of snack, bars can compete with the challenge of other local food outlets and help to expand their audience by providing food that is very much in tune with the time pressures of modern living.”

Gourmet fast food is one of the latest trends highlighted by research group Mintel which has found that 13% of UK consumers have now sampled upmarket “fast food” such as premium hot dogs and burgers. The Menurama survey of high-street dining from research group Horizons found that hot dogs with a gourmet twist were one of the fastest-growing items available, with 80% more menus now listing them than last year.

This has led to consumers having higher expectations of the staple accompaniment of chips, says Mohammed Essa, general manager of potato product specialist Aviko.

“Premium burgers and hot dogs deserve to be partnered with premium fries to create a fully-finished dish,” he insists. Aviko’s products include Sweet Potato, Supercrunch and Superlong fries, offering a healthy margin, especially as the average portion of chips generates a gross profit of 1,215%.

“With so much thought and effort going into the ‘gentrification’ of these fast foods, it would be a shame to let them down at the final hurdle by serving them with everyday fries,” Mohammed adds. With Christmas celebrations bringing many people to a particular bar or pub for the first time, every detail is a chance to impress so they come back for more in the new year.

Big Al’s burger

As people look to more premium spirits and craft ales in bars and pubs, there is also a food revolution going on in bagged snacks. “Issues such as provenance, simplicity, and ethicality lead them to look for producers who take more care to make their own, better-quality products,” explains Alex Albone, managing director of Pipers Crisp Company. Pipers’ gourmet range, which includes Burrow Hill Cider Vinegar, Anglesey Sea Salt and Chorizo, appeals to independent discerning operators seeking a unique selling point because they are not sold in supermarkets, he adds.

Burts Chips has extended its range of hand-cooked premium crisps with the launch of Guinness Rich Beef Chilli after working with Guinness on the flavour for six months. The smooth taste of Guinness has been blended with fresh jalapeño chillies and beef flavours to enhance the layers of barley and hops.

It follows the introduction of Guinness Burts Chips last year.

Mexican jalapeño is the flavour extension for gourmet pork crackling brand Mr Trotter’s, which was launched in 2011 by food writer Tom Parker Bowles with restaurant critic Matthew Fort and farmer and marketing specialist Rupert Ponsonby. Like Mr Trotter’s Original, the new Mr Trotter’s Jalapeño Chilli is made from prime British pigs and triple-cooked for a proper crunch and seasoned with natural yeast and sea salt. Matthew believes this flavour innovation “marks a giant step forward for pork crackling – and mankind”.

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wine

Fizz buzz Sparkling wines from Italy, Spain and England as well as independent champagnes are bubbling up in bars, reports Mark Ludmon

D

espite being from France, Brice De Camargo does not hesitate to champion sparkling wines from New Zealand, Italy and even England while talking about the list at Central & Co in London’s West End where he is bar manager. Last month, he revised the wine list across the ground-floor restaurant and its basement bar which has just switched from being spirits only. Alongside Perrier-Jouët’s Grand Brut, Blason Rosé and Belle Époque, the bar now stocks Cloudy Bay Pelorus sparkling wine from New Zealand and the 2008 classic cuvée from Nyetimber in West Sussex. “The Nyetimber is a very good British product and fits in with Central & Co’s British identity,” Brice explains. “We wanted to make the wine list a bit more diverse with different

Bortolomiol prosecco from CWF

countries and characters of grapes.”

The variety of good-quality English wines available is growing, including new luxury brand Digby Fine English. The first vintage is 2009 Reserve Brut and 2009 Rosé Brut, which has been added to lists at bars and restaurants such as Charlotte’s Bistro and La Trompette in London.

The wines were created by co-founder Trevor Clough with Dermot Sugrue, winemaker at the Wiston Estate Winery in West Sussex. They source high-quality Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes from vineyards in the region and use the champagnestyle “méthode traditionnelle” to achieve a richness of flavour and texture.

“We believe English sparkling wine as a category is coming of age,” Trevor says.

Kent winery Herbert Hall has been gaining high-profile listings since its first release in 2011, including Michel Roux’s Le Gavroche.

Again, it uses the méthode traditionnelle, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, producing a fresh and elegant Brut and Brut Rosé. Its latest listing is with pub operator Shepherd Neame through its wine company Todd’s.

Michael Prior, wine and spirits manager at Todd’s, says: “We are committed to working with small growers and independent wineries and we have been looking for a truly exceptional English sparkling wine for some time.”

While sales of champagne continue to show decline in the UK, other sparkling wines saw value growth of 7% over the last year, according

to figures from research group Nielsen.

The top-selling brand in the UK is Spanish cava Freixenet, led by its Cordon Negro Brut but closely followed by the fruity semi-seco Cordon Oro and rosé Cordon Rosado. Freixenet managing director Damian Clarke says the growth comes from consumers looking for great value and high quality during the tough economic climate. “With £1.7million of sales switched out of champagne into cava within the last 12 months, it is a popular choice among consumers,” Damian adds. “Sparkling wine customers are relatively loyal to the category, with only 17% of sparkling wine consumers also purchasing champagne.”

The biggest driver in the sparkling wine boom has been prosecco. At Central & Co, Brice says the Italian sparkling wine is customers’ most popular fizz, with Jeio Prosecco Valdobbiadene Brut NV sold by the glass and the bottle. The prosecco is also his choice for cocktails, such as a Floral Fizz, made with Beefeater Gin and hibiscus syrup, and a Classic Creole – a Champagne Cocktail twisted through the use of spicy orange and rum liqueur Clément Créole Shrubb.

Valdobbiadene, supplied through Amathus Drinks, was one of the first to bring draught prosecco to Britain’s bars. This opportunity has been seized upon for Frizzenti which offers both its prosecco Frizzenti Classico and pink sparkling Frizzenti Rosato on tap. It makes it easier and quicker to serve by the glass, points out managing director George Workman. “Prosecco is the big wine www.barmagazine.co.uk |45

wine success story of the last 10 years and establishments which adopt our on-tap system in time for the busy Christmas party season will significantly enhance profits. Simple calculations suggest that in busy bars where it is in high demand, approximately a full hour of staff time can be saved with every 150 glasses of Frizzenti served from the tap. This time, which is otherwise lost, can be spent serving other customers at the bar, enhancing the overall customer experience and generating more revenue.”

Sparkling wine will be more popular than ever in the run-up to this Christmas, predicts Nick Tetham, Master of Wine, at CWF, which supplies wines such as Bortolomiol Prosecco, Capetta Asti and Moscato Spumante. “It is partly a matter of price, but the success of prosecco is also due to the appeal of the wines: remember a good, well-made prosecco is a much more pleasant bottle than a cheap discounted champagne.

Prosecco has a soft fruity character which makes it very easy to drink and which many consumers prefer to the aggressive acidity to be found in bargain-basement champagnes.”

While champagne continues to be drunk for celebrations, Italian sparkling wine is seen as a more everyday treat, points out Jon Sampson, prestige and portfolio brands

Sparkling chorizo Copa de Cava, the cava bar in the basement of Spanish restaurant Camino in the City of London, has created a cocktail with leading cava brand Codorníu offering savoury flavours of Spain. The Cavaizo Cocktail is made with a caviar of chorizo al vino plus chorizo-infused gin, topped with Anna de Codorníu Brut Cava and garnished with a chorizo crisp and rosemary.

46| www.barmagazine.co.uk

director at Bacardi Martini. “Drinks such as prosecco are increasingly becoming the drink of choice when enjoying a meal or drinks with friends or family and chosen in preference to still wines,” he explains. “Consumers are moving away from the traditional, more expensive option and instead choosing a more fun and less pretentious alternative such as prosecco.”

The Martini sparkling wine portfolio includes not just the prosecco but the rosé, Asti and Brut, with Martini Prosecco promoted for cocktails such as the signature Martini Royale in a 50/50 mix with Martini vermouth and ice. “All Martini sparkling wines are characteristically fragrant and have a very approachable taste being both crisp and fruity and much less dry or heavy than many other sparkling wines or champagne,” Jon says.

The sparkling wine phenomenon is here to stay, believes Nick Gough, business development manager at wine and spirits specialist Drinks21, which supplies the on-trade through Ooberstock. “Reasonably priced and softer-style sparkling wines such as prosecco and cava have opened up a new sector of the market and encouraged drinkers to choose sparkling wine as an alternative to still wines and other drinks categories, not just champagne.”

Another area opening up in the UK on-trade is independent champagnes, points out Bruno Paillard who started Champagne Bruno Paillard over 30 years ago – the first new champagne house in nearly a century. “Many bars will focus on the big ‘grand marque’ brands, which provide a certain reassurance for their customers, but offering a selection from houses which are independent and family-owned as well, such as Bruno Paillard, gives a point of difference and illustrates that the bar is engaged with its customers who actively seek out standalone prestige houses,” he explains. Its latest releases are the 2004 Assemblage and Blanc de Blancs, supplied via its agent Bibendum.

Many bar accounts list a selection of Champagne Bruno Paillard cuvées, including Bruts from different disgorgement dates – indicating how long the wine has rested in the bottle – which, Bruno says, is becoming of real interest to connoisseurs.

The range of “grower” champagnes – produced from grapes grown on the house’s own estate – is increasing in the on-trade, such as the UK launch of Laurenti which has been around in France for over 90 years.

The first three released in the UK are the vintage Laurenti Grande Cuvée Tradition, aged for 13 years, the Grande Cuvée and Grande Cuvée Rosé, which offer bold and

rich flavours with fine bubbles and a smooth and solid finish.

New company Finest Fizz specialises in sourcing the best independent champagnes exclusively from artisan producers, working with bars and restaurants to develop a tailored offering. Howard Abernethy, who set up Finest Fizz with wife Randi, says: “There seems to be great, and growing, interest in independent champagne.

However one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is many bars and restaurants source their champagne from the same supplier as their wine rather than a champagne specialist. Most wine suppliers tend to stick with the big brands, which is a terrible shame because it’s very simple for bars to stock high-quality independent champagne and be able to sell it cheaper than a larger well-known brand. In offering independent artisan champagnes, bars and restaurants would be riding a growing wave of consumer awareness and give themselves greater credibility with critics and customers alike.”

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design Pitcher & Piano in Hitchin

Design for the future Mark Ludmon explores how established bars are being reinvented for the future and reports on some of the latest design projects

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ar concepts come and go but some have survived and thrived through constant reinvention.

Pitcher & Piano bars continue to be a popular destination after the first was opened in west London in 1986. Marston’s, which has run the chain for the past 17 years, launched the brand’s first new site in five years over the summer in Hitchin in Hertfordshire, designed by BGW Concorde.

It followed the refurbishment of Pitcher & Piano in Newcastle upon Tyne, also by BGW Concorde, who were briefed to add a new twist to classic elements. They used new and existing furniture to produce an eclectic mix of warm vintage style with a cool and contemporary edge, with a colour palette of purple, turquoise and mustard. With a large crystal pendant at the entrance, the bar area combines traditional, antique effects and leather with contrasting accent colours and vivid stain finishes while the bar counter was re-clad in reclaimed doors and distinctive heritage-style tiles in a quirky yet traditional style. The spacious dining area features warm, dark blue velvets and mustard leather topped off with floating piano keys and floating piano lids.

Also dating back to 1986 is Smollensky’s in the Strand, now part of Kornicis Group, which has invested in the brand to keep it relevant. The latest refurbishment at the site in the Strand included wall cladding to bring the interior in line with the latest design trend for exposed brick finishes. The slim, low-weight I-Clad interior cladding system from brick slip specialist Eurobrick

was used, installing its Old English finish to help create warmth and character in the dining area. “Brick slip solutions have proved their worth time and again as a means for designers to create characterful, attractive environments for the customers to enjoy,” says Eurobrick managing director John Mayes. “Design trends are constantly evolving but quality finishes are always in demand. Brick finishes are certainly nothing

New-look Christopher’s

Height of opulence at No 41 The luxurious interior of new London club No 41 has been inspired by European, and particularly Parisian, elegance and opulence at its height. It is fitted out in rich reds and golds complemented by artwork and grand chandeliers. Launched last month, it is in the basement of the five-star luxury hotel The Westbury in Conduit Street, Mayfair, and is open Thursdays to Saturdays, offering a 41-strong list of cocktails. www.barmagazine.co.uk |49

design

Crystal Doors bar frontage at Red Hot World Buffet

new but their continued popularity can be attributed to the low maintenance and robust nature of the material. Our wide palette of colours and textures allows designers to achieve a breadth of aesthetic styles.”

Foil-wrapped cladding for walls, ceilings and bar frontages has been used to enhance the visual impact of the bars and restaurants within Red Hot World Buffet sites in Manchester, Nottingham and Leicester.

They worked with Crystal Doors, a leading supplier of foil-wrapped doors and kitchen accessory products which has moved into the hospitality sector. Crystal Doors produced MDF 3D foil-wrapped cladding for the bars and counter fronts, entrance displays, ceiling and wall panels as well as producing custom-made foil wrapped

New club for Paramount Pierre Condou has created a new club on the lowest of the three floors of his bar and restaurant Paramount at the top of the landmark Centre Point tower in London’s West End. Zinc on the 31st floor offers cocktails and DJs on Friday and Saturday evenings through to dawn thanks to a 24-hour licence. The space has been given a new look by Studio Wick, including a 10ft bar created by Tom Dixon made of zinc, in line with the space’s new name, with a futuristic panelling design. Other features include a snake-inspired velvet chaise longue winding its ways down one entire side of the lounge, fretworking on the walls and cutting-edge lighting.

50| www.barmagazine.co.uk

doors for use throughout each venue. The cladding has also been used at bistro and bar Brown’s in Newark and Mansfield in Nottinghamshire.

American bar and restaurant Christopher’s has been a destination in Covent Garden, London, since 1991, including its ground-floor Martini Bar. Entrepreneur Ambar Paul, who bought the venue in 2010, and his daughter Anika Paul brought in design company De Matos Ryan to help revamp the venue while maintaining the “essence” of the original. The Martini Bar has been opened up with a clean, more contemporary look but with the same classic style as before. The main focal point of the room now is the bar with a bevelled gold mirrored and brass-clad counter plus a long onyx sharing table. Leather seating tucked under a canopy of sumptuous teal velvet offers a more intimate experience where tables can be reserved. “We felt it was now time to give a new lease of life to the building and reinvigorate the space while retaining the charm and spirit of Christopher’s that has been established over the last 22 years,” Anika adds.

A clean-looking aesthetic is a continuing trend in bar interiors, with a preference for greys and light browns, notes Sandro Formisano, chairman of bar and restaurant furniture design specialist New Concept.

“Wood bar tops seem to be out the window – operators prefer granite and marble. Faux leather is very popular, and we’ve just received a large order for real leather seating for one Glasgow venue which is about to be refurbished.”

New Concept has been working with operators throughout the UK on refurbishments and new openings, with London, Manchester and Leeds particularly thriving. “There, they seem to be coming out of the recession, people are spending more and people are going out more,” he explains.

Simple, clean lines are at the heart of the latest designs from bar furniture specialist MRF Design, which uses contemporary patterned fabrics and colours to reflect current trends. Its latest pieces include the S410 Wing two-seater sofa, set on a bright chrome rod frame and taking its styling

Trader Vic’s

Invest for the future Bar operators and hoteliers Malcolm Grey and John Eastwood are helping to save energy costs and the environment after investing in an alternative heating system at The Earl of Marchmont in Edinburgh. They chose Inframonic heating panels from Direct Savings which emit “far infrared” energy that floods a room with warmth. They can be designed to look like art or, as at The Earl of Marchmont, mirrors (pictured). They are now saving 45% on heating costs per year at the pub. “And instead of unsightly radiators or fan heaters, we’ve got a set of smart mirrors that have become part of the interior design,” Malcolm adds.

from the traditional high-back settle and the grandeur of Victorian railway hotels, with the option of timber legs. MRF Design’s new S221 Curve is a single curved seat and back set, on a simple skid-base silver frame, which is also available as a two- and three-seat sofa with a stitching detail to divide the seat positions. “We are currently developing a quilted version of this design, reflecting the

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design

Smollensky’s on the Strand

upholstery trend for a tailored look with added stitching details and buttons,” says director Steve Maher.

Exposed brickwork, industrial ducting and original features are dominant in the design of many of the new wave of bars and restaurants opening around the UK. “The current trends are for strippedback interior designs, with simple, no-frills furniture in natural materials,” points out Jan Dammis, head of international sales at hospitality furniture specialist GO IN (UK).

“Look for simple lines, functional operation and unfussy materials. These all reflect the recessionary times we’ve recently experienced and will certainly be the ‘go-to’ look for the foreseeable future.”

He notes that a good, current “on-trend” example of bar stools is a simple stool with a polished aluminium four-leg frame and a

flat wooden seat plus a stained finish in a colour to match the interior. “Functional and comfortable, these stools will stay looking good for longer and enhance your return on investment.”

The award for longevity must go to long-established London institution Trader Vic’s, which opened at the London Hilton on Park Lane 50 years ago. Its timeless South Pacific-inspired interior has been refurbished but the new look has been more about refreshing and replacing than changing a concept that works at over 30 establishments across the world. It has enhanced its tiki-carved interior through a new totem pole-framed bar with wood bamboo tiles, earthy colours and traditional South Island tapa cloth. Marine shades showcase an eclectic collection of exotic objects such as clam shells, carved wood

statues, boat wheels and Oceania artwork.

Pendant Chinese lanterns provide soft intimate lighting against the thatched roof ceiling, punctuated by authentic island fishing boats. With Trader Vic’s heritage, the investment looks set to ensure it continues to thrive for at least another 50 years.

MRF Design’s S221 Curve

Nordic grandeur at Oslo Tate’s Bar & Grill The traditional look of the former Platform Bar in Holywood, north-east of Belfast, has been transformed with a contemporary new interior by FM Design and fit-out specialist Marcon.

Now called Tate’s Bar & Grill, it has a new bespoke stone bar with feature walnut panels as well as new flooring, lighting, tables, seating and sound system.

52| www.barmagazine.co.uk

DHP, which operates bars and clubs in Nottingham and Bristol, is to open a new destination for food, drinks and music in the dynamic area around Hackney Central in London. It has created Oslo, inspired by a Nordic aesthetic, in a former railway station built in 1870, working with design company Thehousewith…. The two-storey building provided a grand backdrop to the interior design with its high ceilings, exposed original brickwork and impressive Victorian arched windows.

The designers took inspiration from Nordic freshness, seas and woodland folklore.

“Moving away from the conventional trends of factory industrial, we use the laying of raw oak slabs, delicate reeded glass and the softness of large velvet curtains and flowing linen shades to give a sense of faded grandeur – true to the building’s era,” explains concept designer Andy Lampard. “We thrive on the craftsmanship of simple materials, raw edges and nostalgic previous use. The name, Oslo, enabled us to take this beautiful piece of London architecture and reinvent it with a life and character unusual and artistic enough to suit its local community of creative minds.”

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equipment

Tools of the trade Investing in the best products behind the bar can improve operations, create theatre and benefit the bottom line

W

hether it is just Mojitos and Margaritas or foams and infusions, the number of pubs, bars and clubs offering cocktails is growing. According to research group CGA, about one in five outlets now offer them, while drinks company Cellar Trends believes the number will grow by as much as 50% over the next five years.

While every bar will have jiggers and spillstop pourers, a basic cocktail offering will require strainers, Boston tins and mixing spoons. “As there are plenty of cheap alternatives on the market for this, it can be tempting to just plump for what will require minimal initial cost, but in reality these aren’t built for a commercial environment and won’t last,” points out Guy Cooper, managing director of bar equipment specialist Mitchell & Cooper. “It’s always worth choosing wellmade, quality tools that are going to allow a mixologist to produce top-quality drinks accurately and efficiently.”

His company supplies the Professionals Starter Kit, created by barware specialist Bonzer, based on feedback from Londonbased mixologists. It contains a hawthorne strainer, mixing spoon and thimble measure

Hamiton Beach Fury blender

Bonzer barware

as well as a julep strainer, fine strainer, Boston tin and Pasabahce Mixing Glass.

“Showmanship is also a big part of any successful outlet, so the accessories have to look the part as well as be practical,” Guy adds. Other accessories from Bonzer include the Zip Zester which is designed to create impressive citrus fruit garnishes quickly and easily, and the Soda Splash canister which quickly carbonates drinks.

A professional 33-piece bartender’s kit is available from catering trade specialist Stephensons for creating more innovative cocktails. Packaged in a purpose-built leather-bound briefcase, it contains all the basics, and more, ranging from Boston tin and mixing glass to bar knives, tongs, a nutmeg grater, a muddler, a lime juicer and a cutting board. Another product that has taken off for Stephensons in 2013 is the Pourfect Easy which consists of transparent cylinders marked with measurements for helping to train bartenders to free-pour.

For more adventurous bartenders, Cream Supplies offers tools for molecular mixology.

The latest addition is Heidolph rotary evaporators, a leading global brand, which range from basic low-volume machines to the most sophisticated, with accessories and complementary equipment, such as chiller units, also available. Rotary evaporators operate at a very low atmospheric pressure,

which means that only 35C is required to achieve the boiling point of water – low enough that foods and liquids are not “cooked” or overheated and therefore retain their original flavour and aroma.

Snowball twist JJ Goodman (pictured), co-founder of London Cocktail Club bars, has become a champion of the BarBoss Advance blender from Vitamix. He has created new drinks such as a Snowball Twisted, which blends together 15ml of vodka, 50ml of Advocaat, an orange wedge, two dashes of orange flower water and 25ml of vanilla syrup with 16 ounces of crushed ice. It is garnished with an orange wedge. www.barmagazine.co.uk |55

equipment

Anchor Hocking Clip Jar

While innovative techniques continue to spread to bars, the trade is also seeing the return of blended disco classics such as the Piña Colada and the Snowball. “No modern bar is complete without a good blender for mixing cocktails, non-alcoholic cocktails and alcoholic smoothies,” says Heather Beattie, brand manager for Santos blenders at leading bar supplier Nisbets. “When customers can see that their order is being made fresh, not only are they more willing to wait until their drink is ready, but it means you can charge a more premium price.”

Alongside high-speed juicers, the Santos range includes the DN638 drinks blender, which can be placed on the work top or countersunk into the work surface and features a state-of-the-art LED display, glass control panel and touchpad controls. With a 2.4 litre polycarbonate stackable jug, a choice of speeds and pulse facility, it has 30 pre-programmed recipes plus the possibility to pre-programme via a USB stick. Thanks to its sound enclosure and brushless motor, noise is minimised behind the bar.

The new Hamilton Beach Fury drinks blender from Foodservice Equipment Marketing (FEM) can be used for cocktails such as Frozen Daiquiris and Margaritas, ensuring there are no chunks of ice left over. Standard blenders spin their contents around the walls of the container, which can leave whole chunks untouched by the blades, but Hamilton Beach’s Wave Action System continuously forces the contents down onto the blades. With a 3hp motor, it offers a choice of high, low or pulse setting and four durable stainless-steel blades while a timer allows for automatic shut-off.

It comes with a stackable break-resistant 1.8-litre polycarbonate container plus a jar

Santos blender

56| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Rotary evaporators from Cream Supplies

pad sensor that turns the motor off when the container is not in place.

Theatre is also being created through inventive use of glassware and drinking vessels. Leading US-based supplier EveryWare has introduced the Clip Jar from glassware specialist Anchor Hocking to the UK trade. Traditionally recognised as a storage item, the jars are now being used in bars for serving cocktails. Julian Williams, managing director of EveryWare for the EMEA region, says: “The Clip Jar is the perfect way for operators to present and ‘up-sell’ drinks. Making a simple change to the way you serve certain items means you can add a more premium price point.”

EveryWare is also responding to the rise in craft beer by bringing a range of vessels, from Barbary beer glasses to Bavarian pilsner designs, to the UK. Another new tool for behind the bar is Tantalus from security firm Catalyst which is a lockable device for protecting bottles of alcohol in bars, pubs and clubs overnight.

Using a small key, it can be fitted on most spirit, liqueur and wine bottles. “It’s such an easy-to-use device, and gives real peace of mind to users,” says Kevin Hearn, national sales manager for Catalyst.

Also new is Glass-Safe, which helps staff collect glasses and bottles from tables.

Made of canvas, it fits over the head and is strapped to the body with an adjustable waist belt, holding a tray with expandable slots. Chris Holloway, who created the product, says: “I have spent a lot of time observing the precarious manner in which glasses and bottles are transported on trays and other crude forms, from place to place, often in very crowded bars, and felt that there must be a better way of doing it.”

Tantalus lock

Glass-Safe

Buying a fridge for your bar Advice from Paul McAndrew, director of commercial refrigeration equipment specialist Fridgeland The first tip for buying a decent fridge for your bar is to have an internal fan.

This moves cold air rapidly around, reducing the “pull-down” time by hours.

But even a decent bar fridge can take a long time to pull warm bottles down to a well-chilled state, so consider a backof-house cooler for pre-chilling bottles of beer and wines.

Before buying a commercial fridge, check the warranty. The internet is a great place to save money, but there are a lot of one-man-band traders out there who simply cannot offer a warranty. If a product is offered either with a “parts only” warranty or if a labour warranty means an additional charge, then this is likely to be a trader who doesn’t want to have to deal with any warranty issues.

Commercial fridges and freezers are very different to domestic units. Most commercial units have a “ventilated” cooling system which means that air is chilled and blown into the unit with fans.

This is to cope with heavier commercial use and more door openings, but there is a downside: ventilated units suck in dust and dirt along with air and this can cause blocked condensers. This is universally regarded as neglect and will render any commercial warranty invalid.

Blocked condensers can cause serious component damage and compressor failure. Keep the condenser on all of your commercial fridges and freezers clean and free of build-up of dirt and dust by having them serviced on a regular basis. If you want to do this yourself speak to the supplier for guidance and always follow health and safety laws. Clear condensers not only keep warranties intact and prevent costly breakdowns, but they also mean fridges and freezers work much more efficiently and effectively.

Win a £10,000 Ted Todd fitted wood floor

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ed Todd, the leading name in commercial wood flooring, have launched a design competition to celebrate the launch of their new range, Create.

A first of its kind, it is an easy-to-use bespoke design system for anyone wanting to create a fabulous hardwood flooring to suit their project’s style.

Like Ted Todd on Facebook and enter you design at www.facebook.com/ tedtoddwoodfloors for a chance to win. With over 30,000 possible design combinations, designing something to complement an interior has never been easier.

New to the hardwood flooring industry, Create is an innovative programme using CAD technology and provides designers with a simple solution to offer over 30,000 combinations of luxury hardwood flooring to meet the customer’s exact specifications.

The system is accessed via www.tedtodd. co.uk and offers a straightforward threestage process. Once the interior has been

experts, the intricate detail ensures the end product is 100% hardwood. Each component is 15mm thick, making the floors suitable for commercial and domestic applications.

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technology

Tap into wifi Free wifi has become not only an essential in bars but it can also be used as a marketing tool, reports Mark Ludmon

N

can view any promotional offers available. early a quarter of people use The customer verifies if they are male or wifi in pubs, bars, restaurants female, makes a selection from the choice of and other public high-street offers and then inputs their mobile phone locations every week, according number and email address. They are then to leading wifi provider The Cloud, part of sent a verification text with a link which, BSkyB. Among people aged 25 to 34, this rises when clicked, sends a QR code voucher to one in three of them using a high-street to their smartphone (pictured), allowing hotspot each week, with nearly one in 10 of them to redeem the offer at the till or via a them using it every day.With consumers now stand-alone scanning system. It can also be seeking out wifi access in bars and pubs, more run without wifi through texting a free SMS companies are rolling it out to their sites. code to receive the voucher.

Enterprise, which has about 6,000 leased and Any data captured, such as the venue tenanted pubs and bars in the UK, has linked visited, the items bought and the customer’s up with communications infrastructure and email address, will enable licensees to media services company Arqiva to offer highcontact the customer with information speed wifi to licensees. Available for free to about offers and newsletters in the future. all staff and customers, it is being taken up by “One visit opens up a huge opportunity for lessees and tenants across England and Wales. bars, pubs and restaurants to get to know “Wifi is now an expectation, not an option, their customers, promote their brand and for most pubs,” says Ed Cottrell, commercial partners and drive frequency of visits,” says director at Enterprise. “It brings new people Dan Parker, chief executive of Sponge. “For in during the day and increases loyalty and example, if they know a customer likes dwell time from customers.” vodka-based products and has been into the Wifi can also become a central London venue, they can let marketing tool in itself, with the customer know The Cloud now offering about a location-based voucher offers new cocktail through its Fast Connect on the menu wifi app, allowing users to and send an see promotions nearby offer. when they are out and “Identifying about. It has already and keeping been seized upon by in touch with existing partners Spirit customers can Pub Group and Orchid be a problem Group which have for bars, pubs introduced it at some and restaurants of their pubs and bars. because the Mobile marketing experience agency Sponge, is offline,” he which works with continues. “It is companies such as also largely a cash Inventive Leisure, economy so it can Novus Leisure, be difficult to find out Coca-Cola and who is drinking and Bacardi, has dining and get them to launched a new come back. Our new wifi-enabled marketing solution is marketing about encouraging loyalty solution for and helping venues and bars, pubs, the brands that are served restaurants Wifi-enabled marketing through Sponge in them work together and clubs. more effectively to drive When footfall and weight of customers log purchase.” on to wifi in a venue, they

58| www.barmagazine.co.uk

On-trade drinks wholesaler Matthew Clark is helping its customers to introduce interactive digital drinks menus on tablets through a partnership with iRiS Software Systems. It provides a multilingual app that works on Android and iPhone and iPad systems, made up of three components that include a wine, bar and food menu. The app is controlled from a content management system that staff can easily operate, with a bespoke design tailored for each outlet. The user-friendly design allows customers to navigate easily through all areas of the drinks lists. Not only is there no need to reprint paper menus, changes can happen immediately in-house.

With review sites and social media providing consumers with an opportunity to publish instant feedback, a new service has been launched to enable operators of bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants to head off negative comments. MessageTheManager allows people to send instant, anonymous feedback directly to the manager through their mobile phone.

Venues subscribing to the service via www.messagethemanager.com receive pre-designed, print-ready cards with a dedicated MessageTheManager phone number (pictured). One side is blank so operators can add their own logo or marketing message. People text their comments to the number which instantly reach the manager, giving staff the chance to communicate with the customer before they post negative feedback online. At the same time, positive comments can be used in promotional materials and on websites. “It transforms every customer’s mobile phone into a suggestion box and a comment card,” says founder Charles Cridland.

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bar essentials

P&P Clothing launches rebrand P&P Clothing, a leading UK manufacturer, supplier and embroiderer of workwear clothing, has revealed its new branding, including a new logo and website.

The company, based in Mansfield Woodhouse in Nottinghamshire, revealed the new look for the first time at The Restaurant Show at London’s Earls Court last month (pictured).

Managing director Paul Ingham said: “After 23 years, we decided the company and website needed a revamp and asked local design agency Greenline Design to undertake the task. We are proud to be a UK manufacturer and the new logo reflects that.

“We thought The Restaurant Show would be the ideal platform to launch the new branding along with our new website. We had a fantastic show and it will take us a week to go through all the new leads and business enquiries it brought in, and the phone hasn’t stopped ringing since.”

P&P Clothing manufactures, supplies and embroiderers a high-quality range of workwear, including T-shirts, aprons, tabards, chef jackets, trousers and coats, as well as a complete range of PPE and hi-vis.

Call 01623 422044 or visit www.PandPclothing.co.uk.

Rational widens accessory range

In the bag with BIM

Rational has added a versatile new roasting and baking pan to its range of accessories for the SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency combi steamer.

It is ideal for cooking panfried dishes such as tortillas, paella, rösti, quiche and pancakes as well as mini pizzas and cakes in just a few minutes.

The pans’ griddled surface ensures excellent heat conductivity and optimal browning, while the tough and robust Trilax non-stick coating prevents food from sticking.

Call 0800 389 2944 or visit www.rational-UK.com.

Designers, consultants and operators using building modelling software BIM now have access to BIM models for all warewashing products from Winterhalter for free. Fully compatible with standard BIM software packages, the models include all relevant data to make the specifier’s life easier.

“Moving over to BIM will ultimately make everyone’s life easier, but right now it’s a steep learning curve for the industry,” said Paul Crowley, marketing manager of Winterhalter UK. Call 01908 359000 or visit www.winterhalter.co.uk.

Free cook-chill guide

Coffee’s new generation

Williams Refrigeration, a leading manufacturer of blast chill and freeze equipment, has produced a guide to cookchill systems in commercial kitchens, both large and small. Tackling caterers’ concerns that cook-chill is complicated, it is an essential reference for anyone managing or operating a cook-chill system.

With graphics and a glossary, it covers the basics plus more in-depth articles on getting the best out of a cook-chill system. It is downloadable for free at www.williamsrefrigeration.co.uk/info-centre.

Coffee machine specialist WMF has launched its “new-generation” WMF 8000S, an automatic bean to cup machine that maintains consistent quality even with high throughput. Designed to be eye-catching as well as functional, it is only 390mm wide, with a wide-ranging, hot or cold, drinks capability and flexibility. With an 8-inch LCD MMI touchscreen interface, it features an improved brewer for greater drinks capacity and highperformance grinders that are quieter and faster.

Call 01895 816100 or visit www.wmf.uk.com.

Artis gets in festive spirit with glass and tableware With Christmas and New Year approaching, glassware and tableware specialist Artis provides ways for presenting canapés and drinks with festive flair.

Glassware includes on-trend, mix-and-match vintage-style cocktail glasses and champagne coupes and flutes, and handled glassware suitable for hot mulled wine and cider and liqueur coffees.

For dramatic food presentation, try the new bamboo and slate ranges, revolving glass plates, amuse-bouche glasses, sampling plates, elegant tasting forks and spoons, and stylish cake stands.

Artis has a wide range of serving dishes and platters, including the Isola and Symphony orientalinspired ranges, allowing chefs to create sharing dishes. Because of the number of smaller dishes that can be used together in many different combinations, these ranges are particularly suited to canapés, amuse bouche, tasting menus, sharing dishes and buffets.

View the catalogue at www.artis-uk.com or call 020 8391 5544.

60| www.barmagazine.co.uk

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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

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

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

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

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

DRAINAGE

GIANT UMBRELLAS & OUT DOOR PRODUCTS M&D GEE LLP Churchill House, Stiring Way, Borehamwood, Herts WD6 2HP T: 020 8736 0536 F: 020 8736 0537 E: enquiries@mdgee.com W: www.mdgee.com

EPOS

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

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

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

Forrest & Jones 517 Garstang Road, Broughton, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 5JA T: 0845 370 0134 E: info@featherandjones.com W: www.featherandjones.com

CCR Systems 142 Bebington Road, New Ferry, Wirral, CH62 5BJ T: 01516448296 F: 01516458981 W: www.ccrsystems.co.uk

Dali Lighting Ltd Walker Avenue, Stratford Office Village, Wolverton Mill, Milton Keynes, MK12 5TW T: 01908 324050 E: sales@dalilite.com W: www.dalilite.com

Aurora Multimedia Ltd T: 020 7183 1593 E: info@aurora-multimedia.co.uk W: www.aurora-multimedia.co.uk Broadleaf Head Office: 01269 851 910 London: 0207 371 0088 W: www.broadleaftimber.com/ commercial

BESPOKE DIGITAL WALLPAPER

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

LIGHTING

FLOORING

MiniFridge.co.uk Midland House, Wharf Road, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 0AD T: 0845 527 1385 E: sales@minifridge.co.uk W: www.minifridge.co.uk

Digetex Contract 1, Waterside, Old Trafford, M17 1WD T: 0161 873 8891 E: sales@digetexcontract.com W: www.digetexcontract.com

Dawnvale Units 1&2, Albert Street, Hollinwood, Oldham, Greater Manchester, OL8 3QP T: 0161 684 7879 E: sales@dawnvale.com W: www.dawnvale.com

MULTIMEDIA

BAR ACCESSORIES

Including : napkins, coasters, stirrers, beer-mats

INTERIOR FIT OUT & BAR SPECIALISTS

ESPRESSO MACHINES

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

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

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

INSURANCE County Insurance Northwest County Insurance Northwest Block N2, Chorley Business & Technology Centre, Euxton Lane, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 6TE T: 0800 781 8604 E: phillipk@countyinsurancenw.com W: www.countyinsurancenw.com

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

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

To ad ve r tise on our conne ctions page s c all 01795 50 910 9

diary

bar To mark its first birthday, The Blue Pig in Manchester’s Northern Quarter released its signature blue pig, normally found hanging outside, onto the streets. Using Facebook and Twitter, people tracked the pig down and took a picture for posting on social media with the hashtag #BluePigBar. Everyone was entered into a free prize draw for a trip for two to Paris. It was a suitably odd way for celebrating the drinking den opened by Cleo Forman who also runs Manchester’s Odd, Odder and Oddest bars.

1960s Americana and the US TV series Mad Men were the inspiration for a pop-up bar for Buffalo Trace bourbon, which ran for two weeks in Covent Garden, London, last month. The Buffalo Bourbon Empire, which previously popped up in London and Brighton as a Prohibitionbased concept, offered guests the chance to enjoy a classic cocktail like the TV show’s antihero Don Draper. The menu featured new cocktails as well as classics such as the Blood and Sand, Mint Julep, Manhattan, Old Fashioned and Sazerac.

The City of London is not well known for its vineyards but it was a bumper harvest this year on the roof of the seventh-floor bar and restaurant Coq d’Argent.

Staff farmed grapes grown in

66| www.barmagazine.co.uk

Mixing it up >>

the venue’s terrace garden for use in the kitchen, such as the restaurant’s pan-fried foie gras with grape sorbet and caramelised apples. They are also used in one of the bar’s signature cocktails that combines grapes with elderflower cordial and the grape-based G’Vine Gin plus a grape as a garnish.

A pair of bartenders from Leeds were crowned champions of the Underground Punch Pong League (UPPL) Monin Bartenders’ Challenge Cup. Olly Pluck from Roadhouse Flair and Ross Millar from Shears Yard won a day trip to Paris for themselves and two colleagues. They were among 12 teams of two bartenders from across the UK and Ireland who competed at the final at the Arts Theatre in London’s West End last month. The UPPL was created

by JJ Goodman, co-founder of London Cocktail Club bars, and sponsored by Monin and Plantation Rum. It is based on the drinking game of “beer pong” but, while beer pong sees teams trying to get ping pong balls into cups of beer, the beer is replaced with a punch. Each team drew a Monin syrup flavour at random to use as the foundation for a signature punch recipe.

The team behind awardwinning London cocktail bar Purl are opening a pop-up at The Bedford pub (pictured) in Balham, south London from November 3 to April 27. They will bring the unusual and eye-catching cocktails that are familiar to customers of Purl in Marylebone, including old favourites, or “Forgotten Purls”, such as Mr Hyde’s Fixer Upper, a combination of Zacapa 23 rum, Bob’s Chocolate Bitters and homemade cola syrup with Pedro Ximénez sherry smoke, dry ice and lapsang souchong tea. Details at www.purl-london.com.

Two bartenders won places to serve cocktails in one of the most unusual pop-up bars – on an historic sea fort nine miles off the coast of Kent.

Manuel Correa from Old Mary’s Bar in Lancaster Gate, London and Sarah Harker of Cairn Hotel in Newcastle upon Tyne triumphed in a competition run for The Kraken Black Spiced Rum last month, calling on them to create a cocktail “as dark as a Kraken’s ink” – the liquid secreted by giant squids. Their drinks were then served in The Kraken Rum Black Ink Society bar on the Red Sands sea forts (pictured) from World War II when they opened their doors to the public for the first time last month.

If you think you know Britain, think again, says bartender David Coveney

T

here is no hiding that gin is back, and it looks like it’s here to stay.

British distilling has sky-rocketed over the past 18 months and the gin movement has been at its forefront. But there is a part of me that worries that this has clouded our eyes to the other wonderful spirits that this small island is now producing, vodka being the main one.

The now world-famous Chase distillery started it all off by winning the prestigious award of World’s Best Vodka at the San Francisco Spirit Awards in 2010 and, let’s be honest, helped to start a British revolution.

Have you ever been to Devon and looked out for anything other than cider?

Well, now you can. Jason Barber has put a very good use to his 250-strong herd of cows and has been making 100% milk vodka since early 2012.

Its texture and its character is unique and versatile. It stands up so well on its own that you start to think we may have found the new Chase.

Another one that stands out is the brilliant London Dry Vodka from Sacred which really sticks its middle finger up to the gin world as it acts as an almost juniperless gin that makes great Martinis and vodka tonics and works wonderfully in a Mule.

The GreenBox Drinks Company have even produced bag-in-box-style refills for their British artisan copper pot-distilled vodka, Element 29. This reduces the cost of each bottle by more than 20% which makes it more than reasonable to use as a house pour. All of this innovative thinking is what makes British craft distilling stand out from the crowd and is what every bartender in the country should be getting behind.

Discover

The Authentic Belgian Craft Beer - Family brewed since 1747 -

PALM is a smooth-drinking Belgian craft beer that is full flavoured up front but with a clean finish. Special PALM malts determine its honey-like mellowness and fine aroma hops from Kent are added to create this unique, well-balanced craft beer!

Available on draught, 330ml bottles and 330ml cans.

Ask your supplier for PALM: • Madison Drinks - www.madisondrinks.co.uk • Nectar - www.nectar.net • Amathus Drinks - www.amathusdrinks.com • Euroboozer - www.euroboozer.co.uk • Utobeer - www.utobeer.co.uk • Pig’s Ears - www.pigs-ears.co.uk • Bath Ales - www.bathales.com • Inn Express - www.inn-express.com • Colemans ABC - colemansabc.co.uk • Edwards Beers and Minerals - www.edwardsdrinks.com

Want to try PALM? Visit www.palmbreweries.com/PALMuk to book your tasting session!

PALM Breweries Steenhuffeldorp 3 B - 1840 Steenhuffel Tel. 07538 714747 Andy.Bennett@palmbreweries.com www.palmbreweries.com