DRAM June 2012

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262 DRAM MAGAZINE JUNE/JULY 2012 ISSN 1470-241X

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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

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ALL THE 2012 AWARD FINALISTS • THE ADAMSON FAMILY

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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME

CONTENTS

What a busy month this has been. I have been out and about all over Scotland checking out the pubs that have entered the DRAM Awards. It’s been a great journey, and I’m delighted to say how impressed I have been. See pages 17-19 for all our finalists. This magazine is out very late in the month due to the fact that we wanted to get all the finalists in,and the Sunday Mail Pub of the Year finalists weren’t revealed until the 17th.

While I’ve been visiting pubs Jason Caddy has been tasked with writing not only our licensee interview which is with Scott and Stuart Adamson of City Hotels Ltd in Fife, but our design features too. He also visited the Cairn Lodge near Gleneagles to see its renovation, the newly opened Strata in Glasgow and The Southern in Edinburgh. He has certainly been busy too.

This month we also take a look at lager and what some licensees are doing to capitalise on the Olympics. All sporting occasions lead to an increased spend on beer, and July ought to be a great month for beer sales.

All the news on our award winners will be in the next issue, which is set to a be a bumper one.

June/July

Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com

2012

FEATURES BOOST FOR BEER SALES 12 OLYMPIC Beer always does well over the summer months and with July’s Olympics it good be a bumper 2012.

DRAM AWARD FINALISTS 17 2012 A full listing of all the the award finalists.

ADAMSON FAMILY 20 THE Jason Caddy talks to father and son team Stuart and Scott Adamson.

FOCUS 25 DESIGN Strata, Glasgow; Cairn Lodge, Gleneagles and The Southern, Edinburgh.

REGULARS

04 NEWS All the news on pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels.

NEWS 08 BRAND All the latest brand news.

SAYS 33 SUE Straight talking from our very own Editor.

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NEWS ALL THE NEWS ON PUBS, BARS, RESTAURANTS

Hemma sets up home Our love affair with all things Swedish is undeniable, and now Swedish-born husband and wife team Anna and Mike Christopherson, the people behind the likes of Boda and Sofi’s in Edinburgh, have added to the Capital’s Swedish quarter with new outlet Hemma at 75 Holyrood Road, formerly The Tun. Says Anna, “Hemma means ‘at home’ in Swedish and that’s what we wanted to

create - a home from home feel for our customers, with traditional Scandinavian style and cosy furniture. I also took the two managers to Sweden in February where we ate our way through 20 bars to get the Scandinavian food offering just right in Hemma. In addition we have a wide selection of world beers and will be running lots of community events, given our proximity to Holyrood Park.”

First Scottish Restaurants for Michelin-Starred Brothers The Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh will unveil two new restaurants by Michelin-starred brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin in late summer 2012 – the brothers’ first in Scotland. The restaurants will form part of a £24m restoration and upgrade, which will also see the 241-room city centre hotel re-branded as The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

The two restaurants, The Pompadour by Galvin and Galvin Brasserie de Luxe, continue a partnership between Hilton Worldwide and the Galvin brothers, who run the Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows situated on the top floor of London Hilton on Park Lane.

Chris Galvin said, “It has been our ambition for some time to open a restaurant in Scotland, so to be able to open two distinct restaurants as part of our great partnership with Hilton Worldwide, is a truly

CC Re-Blooms in Edinburgh Have you heard...

James Sutherland, the man behind Edinburgh’s 56 North, has teamed up with the Innis & Gunn Brewing Company to open a bar in the Capital called ‘Innis & Gunn at 32 Potterrow’. The bar has been planned for the summer months only, whereupon its future will be reviewed. James told DRAM, “I have only committed to run the ‘pop up’ bar for three months to see how we get on with it, and we will review its future at the end of August once the Edinburgh Festival is over. So far the feedback has been immensely positive, but it’s still too early to make a call on its future.” He continues, “The interior has also undergone a bit of a makeover, and we have had a lot of support from the likes of Caledonian Brewery and Stuart Brewing, and as well as beer, we have a wide whisky selection too, along the back bar. We also have a Drambuie Dining Corner as part of the dining area.”

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Edinburgh gay bar and club CC Blooms on Greenside Place has been treated to a £250k restoration by owners Mitch Stark and Tim Douglas. As well as the refurbishment, the two-storey outlet will also open its ground floor level for daytime trade, with a food offering. The business partners, who acquired CC Blooms in 2008, have stripped it back to its original features, and repointed stone and exposed brick feature predominantly through the spacious bar area which is lit by the now uncovered large windows to the rear with views across Carlton Hill. The lowered ceilings are gone and three vast archways have now been revealed.

Said a spokesperson, “Mitch and Tim remembered open views to Edinburgh from large windows towards the rear of the venue and a more traditional environment with beautiful historic features, high rise ceilings and delicate cornicing. The couple having been on the scene in London where they first met, and wanted to capture some of that big city style and breathe glamour into the venue. Fifteen years of clubbing and late night shenanigans had taken its toll on the venue, so the couple started working towards securing the finance to set the record straight and bring the venue back to its former glory.”

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Rosemount Taverns has spent £100k on the renaming and refurbishing the former Jeanie Deans on Glasgow’s St Vincent Street as Barco. Two new tenants, business partners Richard O’Brien and Ilir Kapidani are now operating the bar which opened last month,. The new look Barco has a fresh and contemporary style. Craig Bruce of Rosemount Taverns told DRAM, “We had to strip the whole place back to basics in order to bring it up-to-date, the floor, ceiling, walls and the bar too. The bar is a mixture of marble and granite, with glass pillars, booths and a grey pastel colour scheme.” Richard O’Brien and Ilir Kapidani have both worked together before at The Shack and The Garage. Richard told WWW.DRAMSCOTLAND.CO.UK AND HOTELS TOO!

unique opportunity. The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel is set to become a superb luxury addition to Edinburgh, and we want to showcase the very best of both Scottish ingredients and talent to make The Pompadour by Galvin and Galvin Brasserie de Luxe destination restaurants that appeal to locals and visitors to Edinburgh.”

The Pompadour by Galvin will revive the glamour of the dining room as a luxurious French culinary experience, while Brasserie de Luxe, with its street access, will be styled on a Parisian brasserie, with a crustacea showcase at its heart, and a large circular bar for diners.

The Shilling Group in Edinburgh has added to its portfolio of bars with The Fountain on Fountainbridge. The refurbished unit was unveiled earlier this month and now sits alongside the group’s other five Edinburgh outlets which include Bar Kohl, Golden Rule and Carriers Quarters.

Have you heard...

The Chaophraya Thai restaurant chain will open its first £2m Scottish venue next month on Glasgow’s Buchanan Street. The makeover will include a gold leaf ceiling and large Thai Buddha statues throughout what will be a highly decorative and opulent décor. Chaophraya (pronounced Chow-pry-a) has restaurants across UK cities Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield. Chaophraya manager, Richard McCandleless, said, “Glasgow is a wonderful city and we are very excited to be launching Chaophraya in July. We have a fantastic location on Buchanan Street in the historic Townhouse building with capacity for over 400 diners across four decadent floors.

The four beautiful VIP private dining rooms will be perfect for those special celebrations and events and with the very best team. Customers are guaranteed a very warm welcome and a dining experience that they will remember.”

The Inn at Torbrex, on Torbrex Lane in Stirling is set to re-open shortly. It was bought by Ross Henderson, owner of The Birds and the Bees, also in Stirling, back in January, when it closed for a major overhaul. Ross told DRAM, “It will finally open in late June, after being closed since January. We stripped it right back to the four walls and have built an extension housing a brand new kitchen, toilets and full disabled access. What was a drinking pub will now be a food-led, family-friendly ‘malt, ale and dining pub’, much like the Birds and the Bees. There is also a function room upstairs.” And, as Ross explains, The Inn contains a wealth of history. “It was a Laird’s House for the surrounding lands, then it became a coaching inn, before being converted into a HQ for the Home Guard during World War 1. It reopened as a pub 40 years ago,” Edinburgh Larder Ltd has opened a new bistro on Alva Street called Edinburgh Larder Bistro. It’s the sister outlet to The Edinburgh Larder Deli/Café on Blackfriars Street, and began trading in midJune. The basement property now has white painted exposed stone, green paintwork, and some intricate iron work. Manager Stuart Shearer told DRAM, “We acquired the lease for what was Howies Cellar from building owner John Christie back in February and we closed it for three months for a complete refurbishment. Our food offering will concentrate on local Scottish seasonal produce.”

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Date set for Torbrex

Thomas Cushley has bought the former Sannino Pizzeria on Glasgow’s Bath Street and turned it into a contemporary Italian bar and restaurant called San Romano.

The newly decorated interior, unveiled last month, now boasts chandeliers and leather booths.

Cushley also owns the Independent Bar & Kitchen on Queen Street, as well as McGunnigals Irish Bar in Coatbridge.

Brianna Poole, owner of the Dalmunzie Castle Hotel in Blairgowrie, is being forced to sell the 17bedroom hotel following the recent sudden death of her husband Scott.

Together they operated the hotel for eight years. The hotel has been completely refurbished with each bedroom individually styled, including the three tower rooms, which are the former Laird’s bedrooms.

The baronial-style building, which was originally built in 1884, is set in its own grounds in the Cairngorms National Park.

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Rosemount Taverns has spent £100k on the renaming and refurbishing the former Jeanie Deans on Glasgow’s St Vincent Street as Barco. Two new tenants, business partners Richard O’Brien and Ilir Kapidani are now operating the bar which opened last month,. The new look Barco has a fresh and contemporary style. Craig Bruce of Rosemount Taverns told DRAM, “We had to strip the whole place back to basics in order to bring it up-to-date, the floor, ceiling, walls and the bar too. The bar is a mixture of marble and granite, with glass pillars, booths and a grey pastel colour scheme.” Richard O’Brien and Ilir Kapidani have both worked together before at The Shack and The Garage. Richard told

Diageo, the world’s biggest drinks company has just announced it is to invest £1bn in its Scotch whisky production over the next five years. A major new malt distillery will be built as part of the investment, alongside a programme of major expansion at a number of Diageo’s existing distilleries. Detailed plans will also be developed for a second new distillery which will be built if global demand for Scotch is sustained at expected levels.

The plans will create, say the company “hundreds of jobs.” Announcing the investment Diageo Chief Executive, Paul Walsh said, “This is a pivotal moment in the development of the Scotch whisky category for Diageo. Over recent years our brands have achieved remarkable, sustained global growth. Scotch whisky is Scotland’s most celebrated manufactured export, led by brands like Johnnie Walker, resonating with consumers from Boston to Beijing.

“We expect that success to continue, particularly in the high growth markets around the world, which is why we are announcing this major investment in Scotch whisky production, committing over £1bn in the next five years, to seize that opportunity for global growth. This builds on the foundations we have already laid down over recent years through sustained investment in both production assets and in maturing Scotch inventories.

“Scotch whisky is a significant manufacturing export industry in the United Kingdom, driving domestic investment and job creation through our success in exporting to high growth markets around the world. We look forward to working with both the UK and Scottish Governments to realise the full potential of our investment plan, and to continue growing global Scotch exports.”

Across Scotland the investment will create over a hundred new Diageo jobs, largely high value jobs in rural areas of Scotland. It is also expected the investment will create an average of 250

construction jobs for each year of the investment period and in wider Scottish economy there will be a knock on effect which will generate around 500 further jobs. Diageo also intends to make its contribution to efforts to tackle youth unemployment by taking on around one hundred apprentices and graduate trainees over the term of the investment, and the company will also encourage its suppliers and construction contractors to focus on youth job creation and apprenticeships.

Mr Walsh added: “I’m particularly pleased our investment will generate significant numbers of new Diageo jobs, as well as boosting the local construction sector and stimulating job creation throughout the Scottish economy. We are determined to use this investment to make a contribution towards helping people into training and work through our apprentice and graduate placement scheme and by using the opportunity to encourage suppliers to take on apprentices to work on the investment projects.”

In the last five years Diageo has reported 50% growth in net sales of its Scotch brands with total net sales approaching £3bn this financial year. Scotch represented 23% of Diageo’s volume, 27% of net sales and a third of gross profit in the financial year 2011. In the first half of the financial year 2012, Diageo’s Scotch category saw 8% volume growth and 14% net sales growth.

Over the five year period Diageo plans to invest over £500m in the construction of the distillation and warehousing capacity. This increased production capacity also requires Diageo to commit £500m in working capital for the maturing spirit which will be laid down over the next five years. The exact total investment figures may vary over time depending on the progress of specific projects, but the overall commitment is expected to total over £1bn over the five years.

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DIAGEO COMMITS TO SCOTLAND AND TO WHISKY

NEWS ARRAN DISTILLERY DOUBLES NET PROFIT IN ONE YEAR Following on from the news that Diageo is to invest a billion in Scotland, one of the country's smaller independent distillers Arran Distillery has also revealed that it has more than doubled its net profit in the space of a year.

Arran has reported a turnover of more than £3m, an increase of almost 14% on the previous year.

Now in its 16th year trading, this is the first time that Arran has exceeded the £3m sales mark. Net profits for the year stood at £250,000, marking an increase of 113% on last year’s results.

Euan Mitchell, Managing Director of Arran Distillery, said, “The confidence of an industry giant to invest shows demand for the drink, both in the UK and overseas, is set to continue to grow.

“By forging more paths into emerging markets this represents great news for us as many consumers will begin by drinking blended whisky and then eventually move on to try single malts, which is where we’ll really see the benefit.”

SUB CLUB ANNOUNCES NEW OWNERSHIP The Sub Club, now the world's longest running underground dance venue, has announced the departure of co-owner Paul Crawford, who will leave the business in the weeks ahead to pursue pastures new. The club’s management will continue under the operating team of Mike Grieve and Barry Price, alongside Ricky Scoular, the club’s new Operational Director. Mike Grieve said, “Paul has been an integral part of the Sub Club for 20 years and we are all going to miss him massively. During his time he has been instrumental in the development of the ‘Subbie’ into one of the most recognisable and respected clubs on the planet and the reputation the club enjoys is in no small part down to Paul's efforts. From a personal point of view it's been an absolute pleasure to spend so much of my working life shoulder to shoulder with him.”

Ricky Scoular said, “I have big shoes to fill, but I’m absolutely delighted to join the Sub Club team. I can’t wait to be an integral part of it all.”

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BRAND NEWS ALL THE LATEST BRAND NEWS

Whisky

Vodka First Drinks has added premium Icelandic vodka, Reyka, to its portfolio, and the brand will be seeded in select, premium bars across the UK.

Finlandia Vodka added the new Finlandia Blackcurrant Vodka to its range of premium Flavours available in the on trade last month. The new variant joins the range of Finlandia Flavours.

Finlandia Blackcurrant will be packaged in the ‘melting ice’ bottle design that was launched last year.

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands has also announced it will be launching a new smaller bottle for Finlandia Classic and Finlandia Grapefruit. Designed to help licensees capitalise on the social occasions and sporting events taking place in the coming months, the 35cl bottles are available now in the on-trade.

Jinro sells more than double Smirnoff Smirnoff, the world's top selling vodka, has a fair bit to go if it wants to top the best selling spirit in the world...

Korean, rice-based liquor soju brand Jinro sells 61.4m 9-ltr cases compared to Smirnoff's 24.7m cases!

Soju the drink of choice for South Korean's is basically a sweeter version of vodka. The figures released by Euromonitor and Drinks International, also revealed that La Martiniquaise's Poliakov vodka and Ciroc have joined their "Millionaire's Club". Brands have to sell one million 9-litre cases to gain entry.

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The Macallan launches ‘The Last Word’ photography competition Following the launch of the Masters of Photography: Annie Leibovitz Edition, The Macallan, has launched a photography competition ‘The Last Word’.

Photography aficionados will be able to upload a portrait they have taken with one word - ‘The Last Word’ - capturing the mood of their photograph. The Macallan Masters of Photography website, is a global platform which will both profile the photographs submitted and allow users to vote on the portraits – entrants to the competition will also be able to share their work through Twitter, Facebook and google+ and there

will also be a dedicated Pinterest board.

Each week one portrait will be chosen as ‘The Last Word of the week’ which will become Macallan’s Facebook profile picture for the following week.

The Macallan Masters of Photography series features exclusive collaborations, conjoining the art of whisky making with the artist’s interpretation of the world of The Macallan. This year, Annie Leibovitz has interpreted the four single cask variants released for the first time and created four powerful images, using Scottish actor Kevin McKidd.

JURA HITS THE SHUTTER TOO Jura single malt whisky, in partnership with Olympus, is launching an online photography competition (www.jurawhisky.com/communityspirit) to find images from across the world that best embody the theme of ‘community spirit’.

Three budding amateur photographers are being offered the chance to win an unforgettable trip to the island of Jura. The island is famed for its small and close-knit community of less than 200, united by the island they love and the warmth of its people. The walls of the Distillery Visitor Centre are adorned with photos of Diurachs (the Gaelic name for the people of Jura) past and present, who have all played their part in contributing to the island’s famous community spirit.

Amateur photographers are invited to submit photographs that best tell a story of community spirit. These images could include photos of groups or individuals that evoke the spirit of the neighbourhood in which they live, or even photos of festivals and events that conjure the character of a particular place.

Each one of the three winners and their partners will enjoy a week’s all-expenses stay in the exclusive Jura Lodge and a VIP tour of the Jura distillery and island. The winners will also receive an Olympus PEN E-PL3 camera to create a lasting memento of their visit to Jura, and a photography workshop on the island from award-winning photographer David Nightingale (www.chromasia.com). For more information visit www.jurawhisky.com/communityspirit. The competition closes on Friday, 3 August.

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BRAND NEWS ALL THE LATEST BRAND NEWS

Cider

Beer

BELHAVEN LAUNCH NEW AD CAMPAIGN Belhaven Best has launched two new TV advertising campaigns, which aims to strengthen its position in the market.

The new campaign for Belhaven Best “Tae a pint” is inspired by Robbie Burns and celebrates the Scottish heritage of the brand. Euan Venters, group managing director at Belhaven told Dram, “We wanted to incorporate everything that makes Scotland special which I’m sure people will love.

Instead of shortbread and tartan we wanted to highlight some of the key

areas in Scotland, with a message that shows people Scotland at its best.”

The second campaign is for Belhaven Black, which is shorter in length and has a more dramatic tone, simply stating the magnificence of Scotland in black and white. Both adverts kicked off during the first match of the Euro 2012. Says Euan, “I am sure both adverts will be a topical point of conversation, paired with the great timing of the Euros. Pubs are still a great place to watch football.”

Liqueur Chambord backs new TV series ‘Revenge’ Bacardi Brown-Forman has announced its first ever TV advertising campaign for Chambord with a sponsorship of E4’s newest US drama, Revenge, which began last month. The drama is set in the modern day millionaire’s playground of the Hamptons, and there are 22 one-hour episodes.

The sponsorship deal aims to grow Chambord black raspberry liqueur’s brand awareness and usage among 25-34 year-old women and increase the brand’s visibility. Charlotte Ashburner, senior brand manager for Chambord said,“’Revenge’ is perfectly aligned with our brand and I am delighted to have Chambord showcased with this fabulous femalefocussed show. The series has been a huge hit in the US and I don’t doubt that its glamour, excitement and fast pace will strike a chord with our Chambord consumers in the UK.” 10

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Kopparberg promotes ‘un-established since 1882’ Kopparberg has launched a multi-million pound advertising and marketing campaign entitled ‘un-established since 1882’. Drawing on Kopparberg’s Swedish heritage, the ads, which debuted on TV and cinema last month, were set and shot in Stockholm. They capture the spirit of being ün-established by showing the viewer contrasts of tired stereotypes versus contemporary Swedish bands showcasing their talent in an unconventional way.

As part of the ‘un-established since 1882’ campaign, Kopparberg has also pioneered a new partnership with Spotify and Last.fm which will be the very first time these two music platforms have worked together on a project led by a brand. Together they have created an app - the ‘Kopparberg Festival Player’ - which is unique to Kopparberg.

Heineken has bought Belgium cider brewer Strassen.

The acquistion highlights the companies focus on international cider sales. Strassen will become the companies R&D centre.

STRONGBOW PEAR CIDER ROLLS OUT IN DRAUGHT Heineken UK is to launch a new 4.8% ABV Strongbow Pear draught into the on the from trade next of middle month. Says John Trading Gemmell, Director – On Trade North at Heineken, “As the clear market leader, Strongbow is best placed to drive the in growth and category Strongbow Pear the first everyday Pear cider available on draught - will help to licensees capitalise on a major build to opportunity incremental sales by stocking a Pear cider that lives up to the Strongbow name by delivering

the ultimate in great taste and everyday refreshment.” Stylish fonts, premium POS and bespoke glassware will also be available for outlets and the be will launch supported by a heavyweight multicampaign media from August.

The move comes almost three years after the company dropped Bulmers draught Pear.

Magners is also rolling out Magners Pear draught. The first installations have already taken place with Cargo in Edinburgh one of the first places to get it in.

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Olympic boost for beer sales

BY JASON CADDY ype ‘2012’ into google and you’ll be presented with various harbingers of doom banging on about the end of the world, and the Olympic Games. One is a dead cert. The Olympics may eclipse pretty much everything, although there’s a bumper summer of various sporting events scheduled across the globe, and for licensees this offers Olympic countries lots of opportunity to sell beer. After all, beer and sport do go hand in Great Britain: hand.

Despite beer sales Australia: declining a further £2.2bn in 2011, to Argentina: take the overall market value from £17.7 bn China: (roughly £1.77 bn in Scotland) in 2006 to Netherlands: £15.5bn (roughly £1.55bn in Scotland) in 2011, there is still Estonia: room for optimism.

Lager dominates this Italy: category and has therefore seen a Namibia: greater loss than, say, ale or stout. A report by USA: industry analysts Mintel suggests there's still Mexico: plenty of appetite among younger drinkers for innovation Germany: in lager. Johnny Forsyth of Mintel says, “Some Denmark: 28% of UK lager drinkers are interested Spain: in sweet-tasting lagers this rises to 57% of France: those aged 18 to 24.

Indeed, while older Japan: consumers view lager in quite a traditional way, younger drinkers see it as more of a 'blank canvas’. The beer market has been trying to appeal to a broader audience, more recently to females with products such as lite beers. Beer is also belatedly catching on to the importance of flavour innovation.”

One such example of flavoured innovation is the recently launched summer lager from Molson Coors, Carling Zest. It

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helps that it is being backed by a £2m ‘Summer Bottled’ marketing campaign. As well as press and TV campaigns they are also utilising YouTube and aligning the brand with various DJs. But all eyes will be on Heineken at the Olympics. It is the official lager supplier and is the only branded lager, and Heineken will and their beers have exclusive pouring rights. And they do this Carling type of activity incredibly well. You only have to look at how they Foster’s supported the Heineken Rugby World Cup, and Quilmes the Olympics is a far bigger occasion. Says Tsingtao John Gemmell, Heineken UK’s Trading Heineken Director North, “It’s a momentous summer Viru for Heineken in the UK. We kicked off with the Champions League and Birra Moretti Heineken Cup, culminating in the Windhock sponsorship of London 2012 and the Miller Genuine Draft Paralympics. This of course is a great Corona opportunity to do some global brand building, Becks & Fustenberg not just in London, but along the route of the Olympic torch relay and Carlsberg & Tuborg beyond. We won’t be taking our eye off the Sol & San Miguel ball in Scotland either, as the official pouring Kronenbourg beer at Hampden, and we will be supporting Asahi licensees around the stadium that stock Heineken. Plus, the Olympics will undoubtedly be an opportunity for all licensees to think about their proposition during the games.”

The other beers in the Heineken stable are also getting in on the act this summer.

Foster’s has launched a Good Call Centre in response to a Facebook petition calling for a ‘real-world’ helpline that offers tongue-in-cheek advice to daily dilemmas from TV agony JUNE /JULY12 DRAM 13

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Olympic boost for beer sales uncles Brad and Dan. Miller Brands is rolling out ‘Czech Mates’, its experiential activity for its Czech beer Kozel. The new phase of the sampling activity began a few months ago, and will be organised in key cities around the UK. Czech Mates takes the format of an interactive game whereby Kozel ambassadors challenge consumers to answer questions about their mates.

As part of the activity, each participant has to answer three questions correctly to win a 2-for1 Kozel beer token, which is redeemable at the bar.

Lucy Jordan, Director of Customer Marketing for Miller Brands, said, “World Beers, like Kozel, represent a real opportunity for retailers to maximise profits as the category is in strong growth.” Licensees will also receive a customerfocused support package, including POS and new glassware.”

Miller Brands is also launching a new TV advertising campaign for Miller Genuine Draft. The activity, which kicks off this month, features a new creative that will build on the ‘Tonight, It’s Miller Time’ campaign, and also includes sponsorship of MTV. There are some great creative ideas coming from licensees too. Carl Glanville manager of Sharkys International Bar, Montrose, “We are a Belhaven leased pub and they are providing us with a lot of inbar stuff in support of Spain at the UEFA cup and we have San Miguel of course. We have loads of world beers - some 30 - and the staff are always encouraged to push them and pair them with food.

For example our Buffalo burger goes superbly with American beer Samuel Adams.

Downstairs is all kitted out in Olympics paraphernalia and this room has an international flavour to it anyway, as we invite our foreign customers to pin foreign notes to the back wall. Other than that we are also doing our own pub Olympics.

We have Beer Pong, and we’re aligning different beers with different athletes, like pushing Jamaican Red Stripe when Usain Bolt runs.”

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Donal Hurrell, General Manager at Edinburgh’s Three Sisters, said, “Upstairs at The Three Sisters is The Beer Hall, with waitress service and steins of beer and food platters which customers have to book. We’re doing this for the UEFA cup and for major sporting events at the Olympics.

We’ve also just invested in a giant outdoor LED screen which is going to make watching sport such a quality experience.”

Jim Anderson of The Anderson in Fortrose writes passionately about beer every month in DRAM. He thinks that there are many simple and inexpensive ways that licensees can exploit this time of year. He says, “It’s summer so everyone reaches for a lager, right? I think that the Olympics is a great driver for sales of world beers as most of the countries competing have a beer associated with it. We do something similar with the Six Nations where we feature beers from competing countries and introduce some flavour and sparkle into an otherwise humdrum beer selection. It’s a natural fit, and there are plenty of yellow fizzy selections which mean that you don’t have to go down the road of dark beer, which people can be afraid of.”

John Gilligan, sales managing director at Tennent Caledonian believes that there is a lot to be positive about and insists on support based on individual licensees’ needs rather than a onesize-fits-all approach. He said, “There’s a lot creativity already out there among Scottish licensees, and we are happy to meet individual customer needs instead in terms of support. I have been impressed by what I have seen already when out in the trade and the efforts being made to make occasions out of the Olympics.”

And the new advertising campaign from Tennent's Export has an international flavour too.

It's the most amusing campaign from the brand in years.

So if you are thinking about tying in the Olympics with your beer offering our guide on the previous page should be useful.

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If you feel you can answer yes to all of the following: Do you have: • Drinks Category Knowledge • Cocktail Knowledge • The Ability to Train Others • Fantastic Communication and presentation Skills • The Ability to Develop strong relationships Then apply directly by sending your CV to recruitment@maxxium.com.

Competitive package including Salary, Company Car and other industry leading benefits are on offer to the successful candidates for these permanent roles.

DRAM262 Q9 NEWEST_DRAM 253 19/06/2012 12:05 Page 17

AWARDS FINALISTS 2012 Congratulations to all our award finalists. The standard of entry has been extremely high this year and our judges have not had an easy time deciding on the finalists but here is the full list. congrats.

BENROMACH AWARD FOR SUCCESS

OMNI TAVERNS EDINBURGH

BROUGHTY FERRY

THE FORT

SIMPSINNS LTD

BOWMORE WHISKY BAR OF THE YEAR

BON ACCORD

BALLYGRANT INN

WHISKI ROOMS

GRILL AT 29

THE GRILL ON THE CORNER

ISLAY

EDINBURGH

T

BII SCOTLAND CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD 2012

SH

CAPTAIN MORGAN’S SPICED AWARD FOR BEST LATE NIGHT VENUE

GLASGOW

LI C

ENSE D T

CHAMBRE 69 GLASGOW

E D RA

GLASGOW

MAGGIE MAY GLASGOW

W

O

TI

AR

SC

DS

GLASGOW

AYRSHIRE

A LE MONDE EDINBURGH

SUGAR CUBE GLASGOW

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DRAM262 Q9 NEWEST_DRAM 253 18/06/2012 20:39 Page 18

DOG FRIENDLY PUB OF THE YEAR

BEN NEVIS

BUNGO

THE BLUE GOOSE

BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

THE GRILL ON THE CORNER

LE MONDE

SUGAR CUBE

JAMIE RAY

GLASGOW

GLASGOW

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH

EDINBURGH

GLASGOW

FOSTER’S MANAGER OF THE YEAR

ARCHIE DENNY

JAMES KELLY

KOPPARBERG NEW BAR OF THE YEAR

THE BLUE GOOSE

THE FINNIESTON GLASGOW

GLASGOW

THE KRAKEN RUM COCKTAIL BAR OF THE YEAR

BOND NO 9

THE FINNIESTON

THE LONGHOUSE

MIXXIT BAR APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

STANDING ORDER

EDINBURGH

EDINBURGH

MINT & LIME

GLASGOW

ARTTO HOTEL

STRATA

KILMARNOCK

DRAM262 Q9 NEWEST_DRAM 253 18/06/2012 20:48 Page 19

MOLSON COORS CHAMPION BEER PUB OF SCOTLAND

THE ANDERSON

THE DRAKE

GASTRO BAR OF THE YEAR

BOND NO 9

THE LEFT BANK GLASGOW

GLASGOW

SALTIRE TAVERNS SALES REP OF THE YEAR

TOM CLARKSON

GEMMA LEISEGANG

LAURA SUTHERLAND

TENNENT’S QUALITY AWARD

THE FORT HOTEL

THE THREE JUDGES

THE KITTYBREWSTER

FORTROSE

EDINBURGH

FORTH WINES

BROUGHTY FERRY

SUNDAY MAIL PUB OF THE YEAR

CERES INN FIFE

EDINBURGH

NICKS

WEST BREWERY

COMMERCIAL BAR WISHAW

HOLYROOD 9A

GLASGOW

GLASGOW

FORT BAR

BROUGHTY FERRY

BACARDI BROWN FORMAN

ABERDEEN

THE OLD ANCHOR INN LARGS

There will also be a lifetime achievement award presented at the dram awards. the awards take place on july 2nd, at the grand central hotel in glasgow.

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DRAM262 Q9 NEWEST_DRAM 253 18/06/2012 20:54 Page 20

For enquiries contact 01506 602 516 LICENSEE INTERVIEW

THE A FAMILY DUNFERMLINE PUB COMPANY CITY HOTELS LTD IS HEADED

BY THE COLOURFUL STUART ADAMSON. JASON CADDY MET WITH HIM AND SON SCOTT, TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS FAMILY-RUN FIFE PUB COMPANY.

hey say that the family that eats together stays together. The Adamson’s, the family behind City Hotels (Dunfermline) Limited, has gone one better by working (and even sometimes jamming) together.

The business was started by Stuart Adamson in 1992, during which time he’s grown his pub and hotel portfolio from one to eight freeholds (four of which are leased out), with an annual turnover in the region of £3.5m.

I met MD Stuart together with son Scott, Financial Director, at The City Hotel in Dunfermline, managed by Scott’s wife Emma, and it soon became obvious that the sense of family is key to the continued success of the business. It was also clear from the word go that Stuart is a character with immense passion for what he does, animatedly rattling out his undiluted opinions, and whose strong vision has shaped the company’s personality. Scott is quieter, yet no less eager to share his thoughts and ideas. Stuart’s wife Mary and other son Craig are also Directors, and despite some initial reservations, it didn’t take long for the man at the top, initially lukewarm about being interviewed, to really get into his stride.

As well as the 1000-covers-per-week City Hotel in Dunfermline, the company also owns and operates The Pitfirrane Hotel and Somewhere Else Lounge Bar in the town, and The Caledonia Hotel in Rosyth. The business leases

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ADAMSON LY Dunfermline’s Tappie Toories and The Bruce, plus Cleo’s (which is in the middle of an £80k refurbishment) and CJ’s Pool House in Rosyth.

Stuart brings both passion and many, and varied, skills from his previous life, working in electrical sales based in the Middle East. He explains, “I started the business back in 1992, after I returned from Saudi Arabia, where I was working as a sales agent for electrical companies – I am an electrical engineer to trade. But the licensed trade, moreover the hospitality industry, was always something that I fancied. A small hotel came on the market called The Carmichael, between Blairgowire and Pitlochry, and I decided to go for it, all the while keeping my electrical work going. The previous owner was in trouble and I was in a position to buy it from the receivers at auction. I caught the auction bug straight away, and have been on the lookout ever since. There’s always a bargain to be had.”

He continues, “It was tough going to begin with, but we did well, as we were young, enthusiastic and hungry for success, and we were able to bounce off any setbacks and roll with things. We were also fortunate in being close to Glenshee, and it snowed, so we had both summer and winter trade.”

It then became obvious quite rapidly that he had made the right decision as the business was then in a position to acquire outlet number two. Says Stuart, “Then I went on to buy The Maltings, just outside Dunfermline in Cairneyhill, a 12-room hotel that I knew just had terrific potential as it had been built to last, and I took the business from a turnover of £200k to £450k in just a few years, before we sold it in 2000. It was one of the only places in the area that had Coors and Coors Light, and we got fantastic support from the brewer. When we first took over The Pitfirrane it was the same story, as we were doing 90/10

split with Tennent’s and Carling, now it’s more like 70/30, going from two to five kegs of Carling per week. Molson Coors has always been very supportive.”

And it soon becomes clear that Scott has inherited his father’s economic sense, amongst other things. He says, “We manage our debts as a company, and didn’t go mad when the banks were throwing money at businesses left right and centre during the boom.

We plough much of our profit right back into the business, and have been fortunate enough not to have required lending for recent acquisitions in a time when it’s difficult to secure bank backing.”

He continues, “Our latest venture is the Caledonia Hotel at Rosyth – formerly The Cochranes Hotel - a 36-bedroom hotel with its own bar, lounge and gym.

It requires a £100k ongoing investment, although with the army carrier contracts secured, and the new Forth Bridge crossing swelling the workforce in the area, I think that we have hit the jackpot once again.”

So is there any kind of formula to the success that the business replicates? Stuart thinks so. He says, “Simplicity is our formula: a good location in an area that we know well, as we are in our own wee cocoon here and we don’t usually exceed a ten-mile radius. Then I like to recycle when it comes to any refurbishments that we do and

STUART ADAMSON ABOVE AND SON SCOTT PICTURED LEFT.

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always manage costs very closely. Knowing your customers and what they want is also essential.

With my food offering, for example, we are talking traditional pub food - lasagne, steak pie, macaroni cheese and chips. We did go down the Rosette route at The Pitfirrane but it wasn’t for us, as you are at the mercy of your chef – and chefs can be fickle and temperamental. They can also be mercenary.”

Stuart also knows what doesn’t work. He explains, “Live music was disastrous for us in the past as the bands were expensive and invariably poor.

Although it has been making a comeback and open mic nights are now proving successful. We as a family also play instruments and jam with local man Stevie Agnew, son of Nazareth bassist Pete Agnew. I play various instruments, as does Craig, and Mary sings!”

The economic climate has resulted in less waste and what Stuart sees as the inevitable creativity that comes from austerity. He continues, “Now, and in such uncertain times, licensees have to be savvier than ever before, and I am seeing more and more recycling in bar designs in the likes of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Whereas once upon a time they wouldn’t think twice about ripping out the interior and starting from scratch, now designers are retaining quality bits and realising that the distressed look can be achieved relatively inexpensively.”

He also has very definite ideas on the kind of tone management and supervisors should set for the rest of the staff. He says, “Management can have fun and do a good job. It’s all about observation and creating an environment in which you’d like to be in, and striking a balance between a frosty face and going over the score by fussing too much around them. That said I encourage staff to be inquisitive and find out if they’re on holiday and where they come from as well as any other feedback. With the opening of a Wetherspoons in the town, next door to one of our pubs, it’s more important than ever that we keep ahead of the game.”

It’s clear that Stuart and Scott’s thoughts never really stray very far from the business, despite the 22

DRAM JUNE/JULY 12

odd round of golf. Both Scott and Craig also have three children, so they keep granddad busy, too.

Stuart has obviously always been a keen observer of how different operators respond to customers’ needs and match these against the needs of their respective business. He says, “Edinburgh and Glasgow are an entirely different market to Fife with more cultural associations and tourists, and we understand what our customers want and we are doing well. I also want a quality of customer, but it’s about flexibility. I always go for working class clientele - and give them something decent.

We get a lot of repeat business and feedback about our friendly and comfortable accommodation, and I am always happy to deal with genuine customer complaints, although I have to say that the ‘where there’s blame there’s a claim’ culture has made me more wary.”

And over the years Stuart has made it his mission to make the business as selfsufficient as possible.

“We do all the design, maintenance and outfitting in-house,” he explains. “Maintenance is especially important at time of recession, and you have to keep on top of things like blocked drains, holes in walls and broken toilets. We have a team of three dedicated guys who take care of all of this. This is where I am concerned for the single operator who can’t absorb costs with discounts from brewers and doesn’t have the money to re-invest in his/her business. Customers want to support them, but they will inevitably go elsewhere, if the basics aren’t right. And the toilets are very important as where the girls go, the boys will follow.”

Stuart may be nearing retirement age, but it’s clear that his passion burns as brightly as ever, and he’s always on the lookout for a ‘bargain’. “If I retire it will be all or nothing,” he says. “No half measures.” He continues, “I do like to chill and potter around the garden, but at the moment I still have lots of ideas I’d like to implement, and I am also happy to listen to others and adopt their ideas if I think they are right. I like change. It is the lifeblood of growing a successful business.”

DRAM262 Q9 NEWEST_DRAM 253 18/06/2012 19:19 Page 23

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MAIN CONTRACTOR ON STRATA

Wishing Euan, Sean and Vinnie success with their latest venture.

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DESIGN FOCUS: STRATA

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DRAM JUNE/JULY 12

E: enquiries@restaurantsuppliesltd.com T: 01506 871418

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DRAM262 Q9 NEWEST_DRAM 253 18/06/2012 21:07 Page 25

BY JASON CADDY

T

he cold front associated with what was Glasgow’s weather-themed Strata, has now been replaced by a warmer looking and altogether more colourful interior design by DBD. 2PT - and its three directors Euan Bain, Vinnie Roarty and Sean Cairnduff - is the company behind the newlook Glasgow Queen Street outlet. Between them they decided to stick with the name, and breathe new life into the property that’s been closed for a number of years and was just a shell when the outfitters, Primero, rolled in to undertake a fourweek refurbishment.

Vinnie Roarty showed me around on the opening day late last month, as a representative from Heineken took the staff through some pretty intense beer training. He said, “It’s quite a responsibility to take on premises with such a reputation, and we want to uphold this so training and quality are paramount. We also decided to keep the name as there will be many people among our clientele that will be able to relate to what it used to be like. We also didn’t want to build up a new brand, and the main difference in the design is that it’s friendlier and warmer with industrial/warehouse touches here and there.”

All of the design tweaks have been cosmetic with the threepart structural layout remaining intact. There’s the main area including bar and window seating, a secluded back area for overspill as well as private function hire, and a mezzanine. As well as inheriting the name, they also plan on keeping the function hire element for both the mezzanine and the back area.

So how significant have the changes been? The only two design remnants left behind are the white tiles on the barfront which, Vinne tells me, are a design classic that the designer insisted they keep. They are white porcelain with a raised bump, almost like a square of liqueur chocolate. The second is the beautiful exposed stone wall on the wall opposite the bar. The bar top is all wooden and brand new, and a new JUNE /JULY12 DRAM 25

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back bar is showcased with a relatively simplistic back bar design against a dark green/grey painted wall. The gantry boasts a series of utilitarian-style metal shelves which complement the industrial look of the ceiling with its exposed ventilation and metal wire tracking. To the right of the bar and high on the wall are mirrored shelves with all sorts of vases and pots on display that add a splash of colour.

As well as the painted walls and pillars, there’s some wood panelling and a splash of grey here and there. The original wooden floor boards have been sanded up and finished with a natural stain, while a carpet finishes the back room.

The furniture downstairs and in the mezzanine is an interesting mix of banquettes in green velour and distressed leather, with a horseshoe-shaped one in the apex of the window as you enter.

There are also high posing tables next to the bar and the freestanding wooden tables have been stained in a kind of mushroom colour, and this has been paired with a variety of dining chairs, from plain black wood, to upholstered turquoise and lime.

The light source comes from large bell-shaped frame pendant with the exposed, and increasingly ubiquitous, filament light bulbs.

There are also some wall lights which contribute to the overall warming of the bar. There’s quite a bit of natural light shining through the front windows, but this is compromised along the side of the bar as it looks out onto a dingy alley.

The mezzanine is fairly plain in design terms with the aforementioned tables and chairs and view over both the bar and the separate function area. The latter will certainly be a talking point with its snug feel and various vases and a wall-mounted wooden plinth displaying a thought provoking quote. There are also some large Georgian window style mirrors sitting alongside grey walls and green/blue tiles. I’m sure that they’ll have no problem hiring this area out as it’s ideal for lots of different occasions.

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DESIGN FOCUS: THE CAIRN LODGE & HOTEL urora Hotels’ boss Steven McLeod has breathed new life into The Cairn Lodge & Hotel Auchterarder with an extensive £3m refurbishment. It was Steven’s own design vision, and he had very clear ideas on how to do the Victorian property justice in his restoration. He explains, “The Cairn is an icon in Auchterader, although I think that it’s always been considered as a bit of a poor relation to Gleneagles. I didn’t want to do a quick paint job and open the place with a low average room rate. The Cairn deserved better than that, so I went for luxury and comfort, as I feel sometimes the latter is completely sacrificed for design’s sake. Customers need to appreciate something better than home, and want to feel comfortable with it. Because the Cairn has been around forever, a lot of people have an opinion on it, so I listened to a lot of feedback too. One particular gripe was that the hotel was too cold, so I installed a few luxury gas fires. I also wanted a grill over a formal restaurant, so customers didn’t feel as if they were going to be robbed to sit in beautiful surroundings.”

The whole project took around two years to complete, and The Cairn now boasts 10 rooms, plus bar and grill, and a separate lodge, which is currently being refurbished into either selfcatering accommodation, or as an additional four rooms. It

A

BY JASON CADDY

opens later this month.

As you drive up to the Cairn, you can immediately spot attention to detail, from the new fountain at the foot of the entrance stairs to the candles that light your way as you climb them to the main entrance. Once inside the glass-fronted atrium leading to reception, you’re hit by a sense of opulence with a heavy emphasis on monochrome, with twinkling lights and mirrored walls. There’s also a small grand piano in the far right corner of the square space, opposite the reception desk, while the near corners to the entrance have a cluster of white chairs orbiting a black table.

To the right hand-side of the reception is the bar, which is quite compact, comprising a bar in a nook along the back wall, and a seating area, with gas (real effect) fire on a low white marble plinth with a mirrored flume, and surrounded by silver orientallooking vases. Again, this room is dominated by black and white – silky black wallpaper, black carpet and white furniture. There’s also quite an interesting ceiling lighting feature which looks like the space craft Superman travelled to earth from Krypton in.

These lights have been used throughout the grill too, and were imported from Italy. The bar, which is housed in its own wee nook, has a marbled bar top and a mirrored back bar. There JUNE /JULY12 DRAM 27

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are also three white leather bar stools facing a wall in the only corner opposite the bar and these walls have been panelled in white wood.

Back to the reception and straight on, you come to the largest area in the Cairn, the 75-cover Grill. The Italian lighting has been scaled-up in here and really stands out in a space that is essentially divided into four areas. There’s a smaller square separate area as you enter leading into the main body of the Kirk, off which is an area at the back occupied by a white leather banquette that has been encrusted with Swarovski crystals, and a cosy corner with real (effect) fire at its centrepiece.

Steven is particularly proud of the seating in this area and the comfort factor was key in their design, and these high backed chairs are ones you can sink into. They also tick the style box.

In keeping with the rest of the design, they’re black and white, and a bit sparkly, and all paired with black tables. The carpet throughout is black and the walls have been decorated in a mixture of plain white, and white padding in the white banquette corner.

I also got a tour of most of the ten rooms, and I have to say, they have a WOW factor, and each is unique in shape and layout, but with certain design constants – such as the large beds, Egyptian cotton sheets black fur throws and black carpets which, like all of the other fabrics and curtains, were sourced by a Stirling-based company called Guardian Soft Furnishings. The company was also responsible for the chandelier lighting in the rooms. Company director Corinne Muir, said, “It was great working with Steven, as his visions are always superbly on the ball. I think that he is taking hotel design to a brand new level, and he knows exactly what it is that he wants to achieve. We also had a bit of fun with the design, like blinging up some of the seating with Swarovski crystals.”

The bathrooms also merit a mention. They are quite something and, like the rooms, come in lots of different shapes and sizes.

Again, there are standards - a white minimalist and clean design, with Duravit fixtures and fittings.

If Steven is right and The Cairn was known as the poor relation to Gleneagles, what he has done in the last two years should knock any such notion into a cocked hat.

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DESIGN FOCUS: THE SOUTHERN he Fuller Thomson portfolio of bars definitely has a common thread running through it, with uncomplicated, unpretentious and functionally designed interiors. New kid on the block, The Southern, in Edinburgh, upholds this tradition after a re-imaging of the design and an outfit that took around six weeks to complete.

Working with Glasgow-based 3D8, and Ambience, who managed the full re-furbishment, Gary Thomson and Gordon Fuller devised a design incredibly sympathetic to the building’s original features, with a few splashes of new, although mainly cosmetic, and with only minor structural alteration. It opened last month.

The South Clerk Street bar, just behind The Meadows, has long figured in the local area’s sipping history, so any tinkering that took place with the design had to be done respectfully. Explains bar manager James Stuart-Gammie, “I think it’s fair to say that the bar was quite dark and dingy before the refurbishment, but there was nonetheless a lot of affection for the place in the local community.

Now it’s a lot airier and brighter, yet sympathetic to the original design with the cornicing and other original features retained, like the windows. The feedback we got from regulars and newcomers alike has therefore been extremely encouraging.”

Jackie Latimer is creative director at 3D8. She added, “The residential location of The Southern played a major role in the way that the design went, and we wanted to deliver a great neighbourhood bar that had enough of an eclectic feel to appeal to all kinds of people. One major inspiration was the Ace Hotel in New York City, and the bar attached to it, called The Breslin. It’s a very unpretentious design, with modest material pallets, although we were blessed with a terrific interior on which to work at The Southern. “ From the outside The Southern is rather understated, with a black painted frontage and plain wooden sign and this sets the tone for what is to come. Inside, the main difference to the layout in what is a long, narrow space, is the removal of what was a raised area

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BY JASON CADDY to the left, which now houses a fireplace with a mirror hanging above it, and some high tables. Natural light pours in through the original sash windows and this is welcome given the dark green walls, black wooden panelling a metre or so high from the floor, paired with black wooden original flooring. Opposite this is another raised area containing some more seating with a view out of the opposite window, with slightly smaller stools.

Further in to the space, on the left hand-side is a collection of pictures, from the drinks-related to the obscure, and slightly beyond this is the bar. It is the original, that was just sanded down and painted, but with the now standard Fuller Thomson back bar beer dispenser. The bar has been stained in dark wood with plain shelves for spirits directly behind the bar, with another shelf to the right housing snacks in jars, like nuts. The blackboards are another traditional nod in the design.

Opposite the bar in an alcove up some stairs is perhaps my favourite part of The Southern. There are two areas, both overlooking the bar. One has a circular table with a pendant light hanging above it, surrounded with orange chairs. This leads into the second area which has more sedate dark green leather banquette, square tables and stools.

Given the absence of natural light the further in the bar that you go, this is more than compensated for by the bright pendant lights, which are essentially glass oblong boxes containing a few bulbs making the light quite stark, there are also some spotlights here and there to illuminate the cluster of pictures and the blackboard.

In between this and the bar are high copper topped ‘posing tables’ with wooden stools, and beyond all this, on the very far wall is a server to the kitchen.

There’s nothing revolutionary about the design, but that was never in the original brief, and its simplicity will attract locals looking for a relaxing drink or bite to eat and win over some new trade with it, no doubt.

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SUE

SAYS

do love this time of year going out and about checking out the entries for this year’s awards. This year every venue received two visits. One from two mystery shoppers, and another visit from the judges. I would like to say a huge thank you to my fellow judges and the mystery shoppers. Their contribution to this year’s awards was invaluable.

It’s always necessary to visit a pub, even if the entry was first class.

I

What didn’t impress me though was the cellars in some of the pubs that we visited. I find it hard to believe, in this day and age, cellars are still not being kept at the right temperature, and are still not food free zones! In one Edinburgh pub they were drying the staff’s apron wear in the cellar...if it is warm enough to dry clothes, it is definitely not the right environment to be storing beer!

The Mortimer family hosted the first Donna Ball at the Hilton recently, in memory of Donna Ballantyne Mortimer, who died a year ago. They raised a massive £400K for the Kilbryde Hospice. That was amazing. The event, a sell out, was obviously a massive success and it was great to see so many from the trade there supporting the family. I am sure that Donna was there in spirit, and I think she would have been so proud of the Mortimer clan.

Congratulations to Sir Willie Haughey and wife Lady Susan - the couple that founded City Refrigeration. They attended the Donna ball, which was on the same weekend as the Queen’s birthday honours announcement. So he took some ribbing from a few people, not least Sir Tom Hunter. But his new knighthood took a back seat as he stepped in to act as auctioneer at the event.

It seems that charity cycle rides are the order of the day. Not only did Pernod Ricard organise a charity event, but Diageo did too. (see roundup).

Now I hear that Uncle Bob Taylor is organsing an industry cycle ride to raise cash for the charity set up by Mark Goldinger’s wife. So if you are interested in taking part why not give Bob a ring.

I paid a visit to The Longhouse in Kilmarnock recently. It is the latest venture from Buzzworks. It was about 6.30pm and every

Top to bottom: Rena and James Mortimer; Sir Willie Haughey and wife Lady Susan; and Brian Maule with John Sharkey. All pictured at the Donna Ball. For more pics see Roundup.

table was taken! Once again they have a success story on their plate. Kilmarnock now has a place to shout about, Technology is fabulous. Except when it doesn’t work. I managed to have a full four days without email recently. Because I was out of the office it piled up... and my mailbox was full. At the same time I left my phone at a friend’s and didn’t manage to get it back for a couple of days... do you know it was bliss! No one could get me, and I didn’t feel the the need to keep checking my emails. I think it would be a good thing to have a phone and email free few days at least every month. My staff would love it!

The recent Norovirus outbreak at Gleneagles must be a nightmare for the PR folk there, not to mention the poor guests and staff - more than 100 folk were affected. But the heading ‘Killer Virus’ which ran in a few newspapers was a bit over the top. Technically it is right, you could die, but if you take into account that some 23 million people in the US get it every year, and 200 die - usually very young or very old... less than 0.001% it puts it into perspective what was far more concerning was the Legionnaires outbreak - 2 out of 41!

The best news this month was the fact that Diageo are investing £1bn in Scotland over the next few years. This will mean at least 100 extra jobs at the company alone, but there will be lots of knock on effects for associated businesses.

Something to cheer about!

Something else to cheer about is the fact that Pub Month is not that far away.

September is the month allocated for celebrating all that is good and great about the Scottish pub industry. Check out the Daily Record and Sunday Mail websites for information on how to take part. I am hoping that as many of you as possible are going to get behind this great initiative.

Congratulations to Brian Maule. He just named Chef of the year at the recent CIS Awards. An accolade long overdue. No wonder he was celebrating on the Saturday night at the Donna Ball. And as Chef Murphy of The Grand Central said, “This award couldn’t have gone to a nicer guy, He puts an incredible amount of work in.”

JUNE /JULY12 DRAM 33

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BEYOND THE PALE

BY JIM ANDERSON o doubt about it, today's trendy beer is India Pale Ale, and it seems that every brewer has to make one. A style of beer born of failure of traditional pale ale to reach Anglo-Indian colonists in drinkable condition, the robust character of IPA was a result of basically three elements: long attenuation time, large hop quantities and high alcohol level. The first two elements were devised as a means of preventing the beer from souring during its long ocean journey around Africa. The last one was to take advantage of a 5p-per-barrel excise tax drawback (plus ça change . . .).

This tweaking of the failed pale ale formula is credited to the fellow who first turned the new export ale into big bucks, John Hodgson of London, and it is his surviving recipe that is the basis for most modern IPAs. You see, IPA gradually fell from the drinker’s grace and eventually drifted away after it was introduced to the domestic British market, probably in the same dumbed-down fashion as Indian cuisine was. I say probably, because -- unlike authentic Indian cuisine -- there are no surviving examples of the IPA that was being drunk at the time of its export to India.

As soon as IPA became extinct, we had very little frame of reference for its flavour.

So, in order to re-construct IPA, the modern brewer must look back at the Hodgson recipe and scattered memoranda.

We know the recipe called for extended attenuation of a pale ale, which certainly would have made for a drier-tasting and more-stable beer because of the lower levels of unfermented sugars. The tax break would have made for a strong beer, above 6%ABV. So far, our re-constructed IPA is a dry, strong top-fermented, copper-coloured beer. (“Pale” at that time meant “as opposed to dark porter,” not “like Michael Jackson’s target complexion.”) We also know that the recipe called for more hops, especially those added to the ale just before the cask is sealed. This technique is known as “dry hopping,” and results in a beer that is initially sharp with hop bitterness as well as protected for a time from spoilage by the humulon content of the hops, registering above 40IBU (International Bitterness Units).

But the beer that left the UK was not the beer that arrived in India. What was IPA like when it actually reached the lips of the colonial punter? That’s the stuff of intense speculation among exciting people like me who love to debate things like that. “Surely the months spent in oak casks under warm, rollicking conditions would have influenced the beer’s flavour and colour,” I preach to a pub full of stifled yawns and closelyexamined fingernails. “The beer would most likely have darkened a bit and mellowed as the hops lost their bitterness with age,” enthusiastically replies the only other person among our group who hasn’t fallen asleep.

So which is it for today’s IPA brewers? Do they try to give us an authentic, 19th-Century Indian drinking experience? Do they literally interpret Hodgson’s recipe in order to present the beer as it would have tasted as it left the brewery? Or do

N

they simply pick and choose their favourite characteristics and end up with something that’s an IPA in name only?

In America, my generation’s first exposure to IPA would have been through Ballantine India Pale Ale in the 70s. This quirky beer was the product of a famous brewery started by a Scot named Peter Ballantine, and has been elevated to god-like status among Beer Geeks in the USA. Within the curious, short green bottle lay an amber, bitter ale of 7% whose aroma was pungent with the earthy perfume of wood aging.

Later, we’d begin to see bottles of Bass Ale with the letters, “IPA” in fine print on the label, but this was of a much different and familiar character – as clean and mechanical as Ballantine’s was rustic and natural.

As part of a general frenzy of interpreting classic British beer styles in the 80s, craft brewers on the American West Coast began to experiment with IPA formulas. These were more-orless based on Hodgson’s recipe, albeit with modern, highalpha hops and no wood aging. Anchor Liberty Ale is an enduring classic among those early efforts. Its sharp, citrus sting has become a signature among craft-brewed Americanstyle IPAs from the Americas to Australasia to Scandinavia to the UK. A few years later, the restless and experimental nature of brewers from that savage land resulted in more-extreme versions of IPA, such as Oregon’s Rogue I2PA (9.5%ABV, 75IBU). With due respect to the history of the style, these new beers were dubbed Imperial India Pale Ale, and have grown so popular that IIPA has become a legitimate style in beer competitions.

Meanwhile, back in the UK, things were going much in the opposite direction. Insipid beers like Greene King IPA (3.6%ABV and ~26IBU) and Caledonian Deuchars IPA (3.8% and ~30IBU) profited from their in-name-only connection to IPA whilst helping destroy it as an identifiable style by exhibiting virtually none of the classic characteristics of IPA. A bit like fastening a Bentley marque to the bonnet of a Fiat Punto – don’t be shocked when the movie star refuses to get in.

Yet, all is not lost -- British microbrewed versions such as Thornbridge Jaipur IPA (5.9%ABV, ~45IBU) and Stringer’s IPA (5.5%ABV, ~45IBU) are fine efforts to return to the style’s origins, and only Britain’s fear of beer over 4.9% is keeping these beers from some serious trending.

But in an age in which deconstruction masquerades as creativity, IPA as a style has boiled down (requisite bad beer pun) to little more than a sound-bite of bitter, strong ale. So, it’s only natural, isn’t it, when Scottish Brew Dog and American Flying Dog breweries challenge one another to a competition to see who can brew the bitterest IPA without using hops -- the one ingredient that defines IPA. After all, if you call a Punto an IPA, it must be an IPA, right? Jim Anderson is co-owner of The Anderson in Fortrose, and likes a few IBU with his ABV. JUNE /JULY12 DRAM 35

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ROUND UP Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Charitable Trust Ball The Hilton Hotel in Glasgow was the venue for the inaugural ‘Donna Ball’ or to give the event it’s official title the Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Charitable Trust Ball - it raised a massive £400K for the Kilbryde Hospice. A tremendous amount, I’m sure you will all agree. Congrats to everyone involved.

From left to right:Sophie Ballantyne, Marion White, Michelle Mone, Jackie Mortimer, Susan Haughey, Annette Mortimer, Susie McGuire, Lynn Mortimer, Christine Sherry and Lesley M Wiggins.

Diageo staff raise £65K for charity

bottom, left to right:Fiona Brown and friend, James and Rena Mortimer, Jill and Mark Hollinshead, Nicola Young and Colin Beattie, Paul and Diane Burns, Susan Young and Alistair Roy.

Over 200 Diageo employees, including David McGowan, (2nd from the left) participated in a 972 mile cycle ride that was broken up into 14 stages to raise over £65,000 for charities Help for Heroes and To Walk Again.

The total height climbed on the ride of 30,000ft is comparable to that of Mt.Everest. Despite some sore saddles the event was a great success and the team are hoping to exceed £100,000 in total.

DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING PUBLISHED BY MEDIA WORLD LIMITED UPPER FLOOR / FINNIESTON HOUSE / 1 THE STABLES YARD / 1103 ARGYLE STREET / GLASGOW / G3 8ND t. 0141 221 6965 e. dram@mail.com web. www.dramscotland.co.uk Editor: Susan Young • Chairman: Noel Young • Production: Brad Cunningham Advertising Executives: Martin Cassidy, Emma McDonald • Editorial: Jason Caddy • Administration: Cheryl Cooke Published by Media World Ltd. Subscriptions: DRAM is available by subscription for all other qualified persons involved in the Scottish Licensed Trade at the rate of £48 per annum including the DRAM Yearbook.

The publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. Any transparencies or artwork will be accepted at owner’s risk. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2012. Printed by Meigle Colour Printers Ltd. 38

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