Drinks World Australia Edition 33 | T25 Australia 2019

THE MAGAZINE FOR MANAGERS, SOMMELIERS AND BARTENDERS EDITION 33 AUSTRALIA

ALEX BOON

VOTED AUSTRALIA’S NO.1 BARTENDER

The Women Driving Speed Rack Australia + Kurtis Bosley: Bartender to bar owner + Jason Crawley on Fortunate Son + The 100Proof family

drinks.world

Connoisseurs Tonic Water

Premium Indian Tonic Water

2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Silver

The world’s first botanically brewed tonic water is made with a blend of herbal infusions and lemongrass extract which creates a refreshing and unique tonic water.

Suggestion for Pairing The perfect partner to your premium gin.

2018 The Caterer - Best Soft Drink

This versatile tonic has been specially created with a delicate infusion of natural botanicals and quinine for a clean and balanced taste. The delicate flavour profile enhances and amplifies the beautiful botanicals of premium spirits, letting the spirit be the hero.

Suggestion for Pairing Your premium spirits.

Rose Lemonade

Naturally Light Tonic Water

2018 SIP Award - Platinium

Made with pure Rose oil from the world-famous Rose Valley in Kazanlak, Bulgaria and the juice of real lemons. Delivers a beautifully refreshing drink with a unique aroma.

2018 Bartenders’ Award - Gold

The world’s first botanically brewed light tonic water is made using a recipe based on Fentimans Tonic Water and maintains a refreshing and distinctive citrus flavour but with 30% fewer calories.

2019 Bartenders’ Award - Silver

Suggestion for Pairing Serve over ice, garnish with pale pink rose petals.

2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Silver

Suggestion for Pairing Your premium gin.

Pink Grapefruit Tonic Water Made with ruby red grapefruit and quinine for a tonic that is refreshingly dry and crisp.

Distinguished by its attractive pink colour.

2018 SIP Award - Gold

Suggestion for Pairing Mix with Gin or Vodka for a refreshing and zesty long drink.

Valencian Orange Tonic Water 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition – Gold First Ever Tonic Water To Win A Gold Medal*

2018/2019 Bartenders’ Award - Gold

Ginger Beer

A traditional brewed Ginger Beer with a complex taste.

Made using the finest natural ginger root. Fiery and full of flavour.

2018 SIP Award - Gold

Suggestion for Pairing Serve over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Made with beautifully sweet Valencian oranges and infused with Lemongrass, this mixer is perfectly rounded with a hint of quinine for a refreshing and aromatic tonic water.

Suggestion for Pairing Pairs perfectly with citrus and herbaceous gins.

Ginger Ale 2018 Bartenders’ Award - Gold

2019 Bartenders’ Award - Silver

A distinctive but light ginger taste with the addition of orange and herbal infusions of Galangal and Cinnamon gives this ginger ale a fullness of flavour.

Suggestion for Pairing Mix with whisky or spiced rum for a delicious timeless classic.

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Welcome

A

s we head into a new decade, we celebrate all that is great about our industry and look forward to an exciting time ahead in bars around the country. We are heading into the 2020s and wouldn’t it be good if they could ‘roar’ like their namesake from 100 years ago.

One hundred years ago our American friends finally passed the 19th Amendment and gave women the vote. George V was our King and Billy Hughes our Prime Minister. The US endured Prohibition and The Wall Street Crash. One hundred years on, and we are again being challenged with how we can do things better.

At Drinks World we want to be a part of the positive work and celebrate the achievements – of which there are plenty. Some of the most talented people in our industry are in the following pages, and I encourage you to reach out and learn from as many of them as possible.

Our T25 Bartenders Awards was hosted by one such person. Alex Ross is an example of someone that goes further than her presence behind the bar, her work with Speed Rack is just one example of what she brings to the industry, and along with Jemima McDonald and Stephanie Haile (see page 40) she continues to develop important initiatives.

In this edition we also hear from industry legend Jason Crawley on his new venue, Fortunate Son (page 22), a recap of the winners from the major cocktail and bartender competitions in 2019 (page 14), the world’s most sustainable bar (page 32) and what safety in the workplace should look like (page 28).

The backbone of this edition are the 25 inspiring bartenders voted by the industry as the best.

The voting started way back in May this year and culminated in the T25 Party at The Marble Bar in The Hilton, Sydney in October. Alex Boon carried off the title of “Bartenders’ Bartender” and leads off this edition with his interview and cocktail on page 10. Congratulations to a deserving winner and a wonderful ambassador for the T25.

Keep your eyes on www.drinks.world for information on next years’ T25 Bartender Awards and how you can get amongst it. We are always open to working with all in the industry on promoting good drinks, great service and a healthy and sustainable workplace, and with the news that Sydney’s Lock out Laws being pulled back, it’s all looking positive for 2020.

Cheers,

Ash Pini

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Contents

14 19

20

32

38

40

44

Feature

Meet

Visit

10 19 25 36 40 44

22

14 28 30 32 38

Recap of competitions in 2018/19

This is what safe really looks like Drinks that are dope

HIMKOK The world’s most sustainable bar Kurtis Bosley: Bartender to Bar Owner

Alex Boon

Anna Nguyen

100Proof

Jason Crawley & Dylan Howarth: Fortunate Son

Drink

20

Rum Co. of Fiji cocktails

Hayley Dixon, Proximo Spirits Tequila Specialist Speed Rack: Jemima McDonald & Stephanie Haile Drinks World Top 25 Bartenders 2019

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Credits CREDITS Publisher Ashley Pini ashley@hipmedia.com.au Production Manager Sasha Falloon sasha@hipmedia.com.au EDITORIAL Melissa Parker DESIGN Racs Salcedo SALES / MARKETING Tim Ludlow ADMINISTRATION Georgie Dawson DRINKS WORLD AMBASSADOR Alex Ross PHOTOGRAPHY Photographers: Atmohs Studio (WA), Charlie Bliss (NT), Glen Scrymgour (SA), Millie Tang (QLD), Parker Blain (VIC), Peter Whyte (TAS), Ryan Stuart (NSW), Steve Woodburn (NSW) CONTRIBUTORS: Anna Nguyen, Colin Peebles Christensen, Jason Crawley, Hayley Dixon, Kurtis Bosley, Jemima McDonald, Stephanie Haile, Sylvia Mead PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY

Editorial Enquiries: If you, your bar, or your brand and company have news or events you would like to share with Drinks World please contact: ashley@hipmedia.com.au and/or sasha@hipmedia.com.au Although Hip Media endeavours to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the information and Drinks World and www.drinks.world, we do not accept any liability or responsibility for any inaccuracies or omissions. The views expressed by authors of publications or event presentations, published Drinks World, do not necessarily represent the views of Hip Media.

Decisions or actions based on the information and publications provided by Hip Media are at your own risk. drinks world

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drinksworld

FRONT COVER IMAGE: Alex Boon from Mjølner Melbourne voted Australia’s best bartender PHOTOGRAPHY: Parker Blain

To find out more, please visit our website, or email: fentimans@stalex.com.au or free call: 1800 2234. fentimans.com

R

R

ecently relocated to Melbourne for the vibrant bar-scene, Alex Boon talks about the comradery of the bar trade and why leaning over the bar is not always a good idea.

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? Since T25 last year I’ve relocated to sunny Melbourne where I’ve been working for the Speakeasy Group. I was fortunate enough to represent Australia in Diageo’s World Class competition in Glasgow and there is some exciting stuff in the works for next year.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT NUSA CAÑA AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? Nusa Caña Rum is telling a forgotten story of Indonesian rum but for me it’s all about having fun times with people that matter most. I wanted to convey that message in a delicious, refreshing but refined cocktail.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT BEHIND THE BAR? There are a few but I think being able to list the friends I’ve made through my career. They are lasting friendships that are incredibly important to me and make me proud of the job I do.

YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT? There are many but one that comes to mind is one day at Finney Isles in Brisbane I leant on the bar utensil cleaner on the well, the one you push your tin down on and it blasts water up to clean it (it probably has an actual name). I immediately copped a blast of high-pressure water straight to the face in front of about ten guests.

Luckily no one behind the bar caught that one.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS. Easily distrac... what?

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Alex Boon DRINKS WORLD

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NUSA BANANA

By Alex Boon INGREDIENTS: • 40ml Nusa Caña Rum • 20ml Pineapple and anise hyssop verjus • 20ml Banana honey GARNISH: Orange penny METHOD: Stir down and pour over a large block of ice GLASSWARE: Chilled rocks glass

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° SPONSORED °

AUSSIES WIN LICOR 43 BARTENDER AND BARISTA GLOBAL CHALLENGE A

ustralian duo, Mille Tang and Jessie Williamson, were crowned the global champion’s of the LICOR 43’s BARTENDERS & BARISTAS CHALLENGE grand final held in the Gran Canarias last month.

Over three days of cocktail and coffee making contests and challenges, teams from 12 countries battled it out at the global final for the ultimate prize.

The 26 grand finalists from Europe, Australia, and Russia were joined by a further two professionals, one from

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each speciality area, chosen from the European Bartender School (EBS) network worldwide.

The judging panel comprised of cocktail and coffee gurus Simon Difford and Merijn Gijsbers, as well as coffee consultant and educator, Timon Kaufmann.

The winning cocktail, Island Hopper, was created by none other than our own home-grown Millie Tang, bartender at The Gresham Bar in Brisbane and barista Jessie Williamson from Blackout Paddington and Black Lab Coffee Brisbane.

Jessie Williamson & Millie Tang

Island Hopper

ISLAND HOPPER Ingredients: • 20ml Licor 43 Original • 20ml Espresso coffee (Platinum blend by the Black Lab Coffee Co) • 15ml Coconut & pandan syrup (pandan infused Coco Lopez) • 10ml Fernet-Branca • 1 x Dash Angostura Bitters • Top with a splash of cava (10ml) • Garnish with grated nutmeg It’s the second year Licor 43 has called on bartenders and baristas to team up for the Challenge. The world’s fastest-growing premium liqueur* has also just announced its three-year partnership with the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship (WCIGS), cementing the brand’s vision to be the reference liqueur of choice in coffee and cocktail mixology globally.

Why coffee? Licor 43 and coffee combine perfectly thanks to their similar and complementary tasting notes and offer a wide range of tasting experiences. Any types of coffee and any methods of extraction when combined with Licor 43 extract different level of aromas, from sweet, botanic to citric and floral.

A key serve in this combination which is mixed easily at home or in a bar is the Carajillo 43 (cara-hih-yoo). Simply combine 30ml Licor 43 with 30ml espresso over ice and enjoy!

Licor 43 Original, launched in 1946, is made from a secret family recipe of 43 natural ingredients including selected Mediterranean citrus fruits and botanicals.

“Licor 43 and coffee have long worked well together. Now, in an age where heritage and provenance are paramount, we are digging deep into all the different ways this can be expressed,” says Licor 43’s Global Marketing & Innovation Director Julian Fernandez.

“Gran Canaria is home to the plantation we source coffee for our Baristo expression from, so it was the obvious choice of venue for this grand final trip designed to immerse candidates in all things Licor 43 and coffee.”

Licor 43 Baristo is made with a Canary Island coffee so singular that its mere existence is extraordinary. Licor 43 Baristo is exclusively available in Australia through Heinemann Duty Free retail.

Judge Simon Difford said: “This competition stands apart from other cocktail competitions as it brings together professionals with complementary skill sets to collaborate, learn from, and inspire each other”. He continued, “It’s been fascinating to see how bartenders and baristas use their combined knowledge to create coffee cocktails within the constraints

of three different creative challenges held in settings as diverse as a coffee plantation to a 19th-century market place. The competition allowed personalities to shine while bringing 26 professionals from 12 different countries together to share and demonstrate techniques to each other as well as the privileged judges.

Congratulations to Millie and Jessie, and everyone who took part.”

Runners-up from Denmark and Spain also impressed the judges with their ‘The Companion’ and ‘Esfera’ cocktails.

THE COMPANION Ingredients: • 45ml Licor 43 Original • 45ml Manzanilla Sherry infused with coffee ESFERA Ingredients: • 30ml Matusalem Añejo • 20ml Licor 43 Baristo • 10ml Licor 43 Original • 50ml Dry tomato syrup • 50ml Ethiopian coffee and coffee husk • 20ml Fresh lemon juice Next year will see the third instalment of Licor 43’s Bartender & Barista Challenge, giving Aussies the opportunity to represent the country on a global scale. For the latest Licor 43 and competition updates as well as recipes, make sure to join the Licor 43 Australian Facebook community and the Spirits Platform subscription list.

Links: facebook.com/Licor43AUS spiritsplatform.com.au/new-subscribers/ *6% sales increase, CAGR 2015-18 (IWSR 2018)

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° FEATURE °

Recap of

COCKTAIL COMPETITIONS T

in 2019

here are many cocktails competitions held throughout Australia each year, and the challenges and requirements push the boundaries and imaginations for those who enter. Being able to make a drink behind the bar in your comfort zone on a busy night may be a part of your routine; however, stepping on the competition stage is a whole new ball game. Presenting your drink to a judging panel, keeping the hand steady, and your pour accurate, all while engaging the audience, can be scary. We take our proverbial hats off to the brave warriors who take to the stage and get amongst it. You are all winners (so they say), but in reality, there can be only one.

Here we take a look back at the competitions that took place this year, who won and went on to represent Australia on the global stage. Competitions are tough, require a lot of time and commitment above and beyond the hours you’re already committing to your venue. But the rewards are irreplaceable. By gaining industry experience, making life long friends, and building your profile, you can cement your place in the industry and build the career you dream of.

ANGOSTURA GLOBAL COCKTAIL CHALLENGE This September Rohan Massie of Rude Boy, Hobart, was titled the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge champion. As part of the competition prize, Rohan took home AU$10,000 as well as a year’s contract as the Oceania Angostura Brand Ambassador. Rohan heads over to Trinidad & Tobago in 2020 to compete in the global finals.

DOCTOR’S ORDERS Ingredients:

Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge 2019 Winner Rohan Massie with his cocktail Doctor’s Orders

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• 50ml Angostura 5-Year-Old Rum • 20ml Strawberry cordial • 40ml Mandarin juice • 30ml Coconut milk • 5ml Fresh lime juice • 10 x Basil leaves • 2 x Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters Garnish: Freeze-dried mandarin segments and fresh basil leaves Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker, short shake over cubes, double strain over pebble ice Glassware: Pearl diver glass

BACARDÍ LEGACY AUSTRALIA COCKTAIL COMPETITION Jenna Hemsworth, from Swillhouse Group, was crowned the winner of the BACARDÍ Legacy Australia Cocktail Competition 2018/19.

The finals of the competition were held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, where hospitality royalty gathered to watch the final four bartenders shake, strain, stir and promote their drink. Jenna headed over to Amsterdam in May and competed on the global stage, against 42 world-leading bartenders. Jenna did an incredible job and made it through to the top 16 with her award-winning cocktail The Monarch.

Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn from Bangkok, Thailand, took out the global title. Ronnaporn co-owns Backstage Cocktail Bar and impressed the judges with his cocktail ‘The Pink Me Up’, a cocktail designed to be enjoyed over brunch.

Bacardí Legacy Australia 2019 winner Jenna Hemsworth

THE MONARCH Ingredients: • 45ml BACARDÍ Carta Blanca • 15ml Dom Benedictine • 30ml Mandarin juice • 20ml Fresh lime juice • Peel of one mandarin • 8 x Basil leaves Method: Shake all ingredients hard to infuse the peel and release the basil oils properly. Double strain and garnish with a young basil sprig Glassware: Coupette

GIN MARE COCKTAIL COMPETITION Now in its 8th year, Gin Mare Mediterranean Gin invited seven finalists from around the world to compete on the party island of Ibiza.

The competition was hosted at the brand’s very own ‘Villa Mare,’ which has stunning views overlooking the Mediterranean, making it the perfect backdrop for the finals. The finalists were challenged to craft a gastrobartender drink based on bergamot as a representative ingredient of Mediterranean food culture.

Gin Mare Cocktail Competition 2019 winner Chau Tan Below: Chau Tan’s cocktail Fluffy Emu Chau Tran of Burrow Bar Australia won over the judges with her Fluffy Emu cocktail, which was her rendition of the shoey - traditionally a celebratory drink out of a shoe.

FLUFFY EMU Ingredients: • 45ml Gin Mare • 50ml or 45g curd (in this curd there is Lacto ferment finger lime and wild honey distillate and bergamot oleo) • 30ml Seville orange juice – sweet oranges • Top with sparkling Australian wine Method: Shake strain into a tin. Top with wine and spritz with Earl Grey elixir

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PATRÓN PERFECTIONISTS COCKTAIL COMPETITION 2019 Anneliese Grazioli from Hot Tamale in Darwin was announced this years winner of the Australian and New Zealand Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition. Anneliese won over judges with her cocktail, ‘Over & Above’, that was based off a Manhattan with a twist. She will now head to Mexico in January 2020 to represent Australia on the global stage.

Annaliese competed the night after the T25 Bartenders Party in Sydney, making it a huge week for one of Australia’s rising stars.

Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition 2019 winner Anneliese Grazioli with her cocktail Over & Above

The Blend 2019 winners: Left: Max Giudice Right: Tim Laferla

OVER & ABOVE Ingredients: • 40ml Patrón Anejo Tequila • 25ml Mango skin vermouth • 10ml Patrón Citrónge Mango • 3 x Dash Martini bitter • Lemon myrtle olive oil Garnish: 1 drop of lemon myrtle olive oil Method: Add all ingredients except for the oil into a mixing glass over ice. Stir for 14-16 stirs.

Strain into a frozen Nick & Nora glass Glassware: Nick & Nora

THE BLEND Professional and Apprentice Winners The Blend received an impressive 400 entries into the 2019 competition, which saw 92 regional finalists shortlisted across Australia and New Zealand. The competition took to the road late February 2019, completing a lap of the country, including our neighbours in NZ, where they hosted the regional finals, picking up a winner in both the Professional and Apprentice categories at each event. This year

the finals and grand final were hosted in Bali over five days, where a winner from each group was announced.

Winners of the Blend for 2019 were Tim Laferla from Scout Sydney, took out the Professional category, while Max Giudice from Tiny’s, took home the major prize for the Apprentice category.

THE VERO BARTENDER Adam Lau from Grain of the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney, was crowned the winner of The Vero Bartender Australia. This was Adams’s first professional cocktail competition and was thrilled to have won. Adam headed over to Milan and competed in the global finals.

TE NERO Ingredients: • 45ml Amaro Montenegro • 15ml Pilla Select Aperitivo • 15ml Fresh orange juice • 15ml Fresh lemon juice • 15ml Earl Grey Tea Syrup Garnish: Candied lemon zest. Boil lemon zest for 15 minutes to soften the zest, strain and toss the lemon zest with fine sugar.

Method: Add all ingredients to your Soda Stream and add 35 per cent dilution (water) to add to the carbonation. Build in a wine glass rimmed with powdered orange* and a candied lemon zest garnish Glassware: Wine glass *Powdered Orange • Dehydrate and powderise leftover orange after juicing

DIAGEO WORLD CLASS The Vero Bartender 2019 winner Adam Lau with his cocktail Te Nero

Diageo World Class winner Alex Boon

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Alex Boon of Mjølner Melbourne was crowned the Diageo Reserve World Class title for Australia. This is the 4th time Boon has entered the highly acclaimed competition and won due to his unique flair, passion and creativity during the event. Competing on the global stage in September Boon battled it out against 53 worldleading bartenders in London.

2019 was a massive year for Alex Boon, also taking out first place in the T25 Bartenders Awards, confirming his position at the top of the bartending tree.

Taking the World Class title for 2019 was Bannie King from Antidotein Singapore. Next year World Class global final will be on our home turf in Sydney.

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Refreshing Summer Rum

Four Cocktails by Anna Nguyen B

artender at Door Knock in Sydney’s CBD, Anna Nguyen gets a kick out of making drinks that are refreshing and fruitforward. Teaming her up with BATI and RATU rums by RUM Co. of Fiji to create four cracking summer cocktails with their ranges was a no-brainer.

Read on to discover her go-to cocktail, the story behind her intriguing tattoo and the inspiration behind her show-stopping concoctions.

DRINKS WORLD: How long have you been bartending?

ANNA NGUYEN: Nearly three years, but I have been in the hospitality industry for over five years now.

DW: How did you get into bartending?

AN: I started as a waitress at Palmer & Co but left the floor as I wanted to gain experience behind the bar. I worked at a pub for a while before moving back to cocktail bars to really hone down on the craft of cocktails. From here, I got a bartending gig at Button Bar and then moved to Door Knock where I have been for over a year.

DW: How would you describe your cocktail style?

AN: I love making drinks that are refreshing, fruit-forward. I also love a good blended cocktail.

If I had to pick one cocktail to make, a daiquiri is my go-to. Simple and refreshing.

DW: Is there a particular spirit you gravitate to?

AN: Rum and whisky.

Anna Nguyen, bartender at Door Knock Sydney

DW: For someone new to the category, what rum would you first introduce them to?

AN: If the consumer prefers white spirits, I would suggest the BATI 2YO White Rum in a Daiquiri; however, if they are a traditional dark spirits drinker the RATU 5YO Premium Dark. The RATU Dark works well in an Old Fashioned or Espresso Martini, and I find cocktails are a great way to introduce someone to the category.

DW: How do you approach the creation of new cocktail?

AN: At Door Knock we have two ways we go about creating a new cocktail. First, we taste a spirit and decide of the style of cocktail we would like to create with it, what produce is in season and flavour combinations that work well with the base liquid. Otherwise, someone will come up with a really creative pun, and we’ll work backwards from there.

Creating each list is a collaborative effort with the team, and we work with each other to find out what produce we’re each using and how we can reuse that produce to minimise waste in our venue. For our new list, each of the team members will have up to four cocktails featured.

DW: Guilty cocktail pleasure?

AN: A Pina Colada DW: What’s been your most embarrassing moment behind the bar?

AN: I don’t have much shame, and not much embarrasses me; however, I once had a sneezing fit and ran towards the kitchen to be out of site from the customers and ended up falling over.

DW: You have several tattoos, what’s the reason behind the tattoo of Pikachu, wearing a Thor helmet, eating a taco?

AN: My friend and I got the same tattoo while doing a guest shift together in Singapore. We’re both Marvel, taco and Pikachu fans, so we thought it was a great idea and it’s still one of my favourite tattoos – I absolutely love it!

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° MEET °

Fijian Daiquiri

Fijian Daiquiri INGREDIENTS: • 45ml RATU 5 YO Spiced Rum • 45ml Coconut water (from drinking coconut) • 15ml Fresh lime juice • 15ml Crawley’s Real Falernum Syrup GARNISH: Fresh mint, skewered ginger slice and lime wedges METHOD: Shake and strain GLASSWARE: Drinking coconut

Waking the Giant INGREDIENTS: • 30ml RATU 5YO Dark Rum • 30ml RATU 8YO Signature Blend • 30ml Coffee • 15ml Coconut cream • 15ml Brown sugar syrup GARNISH: Grated nutmeg and orange twist METHOD: Shake and strain GLASSWARE: Chilled coupette

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Waking the Giant

Cable Car INGREDIENTS: • 60ml BATI 2YO Spiced Rum • 30ml Fresh lemon juice • 30ml Orange Curaçao GARNISH: Fresh mint, skewered ginger slice and lemon wedges METHOD: Shake and strain GLASSWARE: Drinking coconut

Cable Car

Mellow Spritz INGREDIENTS: • 30ml BATI 2YO White Rum • 30ml Dry Vermouth • 15ml Fresh lemon juice • 15ml Raspberry syrup GARNISH: Skewered frozen grapes METHOD: Shake and strain GLASSWARE: Chilled wine glass

Mellow Spritz

DOOR KNOCK B2/70 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW W: doorknock.com.au

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° VISIT °

SOME FOLKS ARE BORN TO OPEN BARS B

usiness partners in creative agency, the Drinks Cabinet and well-known Sydney drinks’ kings’, Jason Crawley and Dylan Howarth, have opened a bar together opposite the Enmore Theatre. Called Fortunate Son it will hone the extensive knowledge, experience and expertise of this dynamic duo and focus on cool drinks, warm service and great tunes. Drinks World finds out more from Jason Crawley.

DRINKS WORLD: What style of bar is Fortunate Son? JASON CRAWLEY: The bar is essentially “bricolage”. It is the sum of the positive experiences we have had in bars all over the world. Guest experiences are our core passion, so old school classic bartending with warm service and cool drinks served swiftly to an incredible soundtrack of the world’s best singalong and arresting music.

DW: Why is now the right time to open your first bar?

JC: In sum we have just been waiting for the right venue to pop up in a location teeming with ‘our people’ - and being bang opposite Australia’s most iconic music theatre is just a dreamy feeling. People are out following their music passions - so they will be in a good mood - which is good energy we can harness and extend.

DW: Tell us the meaning behind the name?

Any connection to Creedence Clearwater Revival?

JC: You got it. Yes, we are a music-focused bar, and Creedence’s famous rebellion song is the signature soundtrack. It’s going to be a rebellious bar. We feel it is a sort of reset button for the industry.

DW: Has this always been a dream to open a bar?

JC: Yes and no. Dylan and I have been in quite a few ventures over the last ten years, and bars always seemed unrealistic purely from a sparetime point of view. We are very busy with our agency The Drink Cabinet, old cars and we both have families, but this one just had to be done.

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DW: You both have a lot of industry experience - have there been any situations throughout the whole process that you weren’t expecting?

JC: Mixed bag. We knew it was going to be incredibly hard work and between Dylan, his dad and uncle (and me being the labourer - tea maker) we have come across a few tough hurdles, more from a construction point of view. Dylan has a solid carpenter background, so I’m glad to say his detailed joinery is wildly ambitious but, his hard work and talent delivered an amazing product. I’d say the physical bar itself is on a biblical scale!

DW: Share with us details about the menu.

How has this been constructed?

JC: It was designed to create fun and meaningful talking points that develop rituals.

We did a Fortunate Son pop up with Jack Daniel’s a few weeks ago, and we had over 400 people going around saying “Smoke and Pancake”! (Austin Powers pronounced “Schmooowke and Pancake) which will (now we know people like it and get the joke) be a signature drink with JD, banana, maple and smoke and finished with some weird bitters.

DW: There is a heavy focus on sustainability at the moment. Will this practice be incorporated into your venue?

JC: As much as is possible, yes of course, but mostly we are trying to be just a bar. We don’t have any desire to shout out how positive our moral fabric is, or lean on any particular cocktail, ferment program or spirit focus. We want you to come and spin around on our comfy bar chairs, sing together and drink champagne!

DW: Would you do it again?

JC: 100 per cent! We feel we are building a little bit of history by delivering a bar that will hopefully produce a lifetime of fun and positive experiences for people. Don’t we need more of these?

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° MEET °

MEET THE THREE FAMILIES OF AUSTRALIAN LIQUOR WHOLESALING

D

rinks World caught up with the Directors of Liquid Mix, Paul Murphy, Paramount Liquor, Mark Rowe and Liquid Specialty Beverages, Darren Terlich and Duncan Baldwin the General Manager of 100Proof. They discussed the business of liquor wholesaling in today’s market and how they are in prime position to support the business of Australia’s on-premise retailer.

With over 90 combined years of liquor wholesale experience these three families came together to form 100Proof in 2016. Launching the 100Proof innovative marketing platform to support their wholesale customers. They are now operating in five states and are growing from strength to strength. They continue to deliver on-premise specific tailored services and solutions.

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° MEET °

DW: Tell us about your businesses?

PAUL MURPHY: We are a wide-range beverage wholesaler specialising in the service of small bars, cafes, restaurants, hotels, taverns, liquor stores, sporting clubs and nightclubs.

With the largest range of luxury spirits, craft and international beers, wines and non-alcoholic we are well equipped to provide a unique crosscategory beverage solution for any venue.

We tailor a personalised approach, helping you select the right products for your business and simplify the process for you, in essence your ‘one stop shop’.

It doesn’t stop there. Through our team of specialists and BDM’s we offer our customers category education and training, support with menu development, POS, year-round category promotional programmes and access to trade activation events in each state.

DW: What does it mean for you to be working across Australia with the three family businesses?

PM: We have all experienced the challenging journey of building our businesses from start-up, so there is mutual respect among the families

for our resilience and endurance. Despite the ever-changing liquor wholesaling landscape, our businesses have stood the test of time.

This demonstrates success in two key areas: relevance and adaptability.

We also have a long history of working together and share similar family values. Our businesses are inter-generational with the second generation playing a formative role in transitioning our structure into its modern context. And we enjoy working with each other.

Australia is viewed as a homogeneous nation.

However, along with the distinct regional

100Proof Live event in QLD

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differences in climate, factors such as distance, history, culture and ethnicity exert a noticeable impact on beverage as well as food. “Local” has serious market credibility and is growing.

Wine, beer and more recently, spirits are regularly sought out for their distinctive local characteristics. Each of our family businesses has strong local roots and has developed strong relationships with our local producers.

DW: How did the three businesses come together and form the marketing arm 100Proof?

DARREN TERLICH: We launched formally in July 2016, and the vision for 100Proof came through the three Families of Australian Liquor Wholesaling coming together wanting to offer enhanced services supporting the already successful wholesale businesses. Linked to prior experience, we developed a model that works on category first and in developing a customer, key supplier partner and wholesaler relationship.

Our mission is simple, to inspire the Australian on-premise to build the world’s best venues.

DW: How important is product range for a wholesaler to stay relevant?

DT: Drinks trends and customer needs continue to change so rapidly so it’s essential that we have the right range and selection available so we can provide our customers solutions to service these ever- changing ways.

Our team of specialists are on hand to help educate and train venues on a wide range of products and how they are relevant.

DW: What is it about servicing the hospitality industry that you love?

MARK ROWE: We are part of a passionate, hardworking and fun on-premise community.

We are proud and thoroughly enjoy helping our customers to create memorable experiences in their venues. We’ve hosted four 100Proof LIVE events across the country this year with the Melbourne event happening in February 2020. These events are an excellent opportunity for us to showcase what we do as a business and to meet and talk to hundreds of talented and inspiring people working in these great venues.

DW: If I was opening a new bar or had an existing one that needed assistance, what could 100Proof do for me?

MR: Each of the wholesale business offers a one-stop shop delivering cross-category solutions. Through our sales team and specialists, we can provide a total tap solution across beer, spirits, wine and non- alcoholic, through to category education and training on cocktails and wine lists. Time is of the essence in the on-premise, and we believe we offer the complete, impartial solution for any bar, restaurant, club and hotel, all under one roof.

DW: How do you keep abreast of trends in the continually evolving on-premise channel?

DUNCAN BALDWIN: There are a series of ways we monitor trends, but for us, insight is the key to any businesses health, and we fundamentally believe you can never have enough.

Firstly, our team’s experience is vital in gaining insight. They are at every touch-point.

Their relationships and knowledge are second to none and are heavily involved in the category decision-making process, ensuring relevance.

We listen to our customer’s needs.

We work closely with our suppliers who gain valuable insights from their brands, and we study world trends such as in the UK and the

USA. All this is linked back into our data, which is on-premise specific, enabling us to build a forward-thinking platform.

DW: You partnered with T25 2019, a `strategic decision to support the on-premise trade. Explain how this alliance is beneficial for 100Proof.

DB: We are dedicated to the on-premise and T25 offers a great opportunity to extend our reach and build links with our Live events. As an example, we provided T25 sessions at several of our events, showcasing the budding talent that exists in each state. In return, we presented participants with a free hype-reel showcasing them. Hopefully, these people will be voted into T25 next year and go on to great success!

DW: What do you think will happen in the on-premise in the next 5 years?

DB: As the market continues to change, innovation will be the key to success. The consumer has higher expectations of range, execution and service and it’s our role, in conjunction with our supplier partners to help, support and deliver tailored solutions across every category.

Many of our supplier partners see the onpremise as a channel for experiential activation, and I think this will continue. Without doubt brand trials target consumers and deliver memorable experiences in venue.

As service providers we have to remain nimble, on-trend and above all relevant to our customers. I still believe the industry is about people. We will continue to support in education, choice, the complete service and category solutions.

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째 FEATURE 째

THIS IS WHAT SAFE REALLY LOOKS LIKE WORDS 째 Sylvia Yamanaka-Mead

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recently spoke out about my own experience of sexual assault in connection with the hospitality industry. Even before my own MeToo I had stopped being surprised by stories of sexual harassment and abuse in the industry. These stories of violence and humiliation have always jarred painfully with my love of hospitality, which I recently wrote on.

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Sexual harassment and assault are illegal and damaging.

It disproportionately affects women, people of colour and LGBTQI people. Under Australian law, employers have a duty to eliminate discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation against workers. This duty is not a passive suggestion; it is a compulsory obligation to preserve the safety and dignity of workers. This duty extends to salary staff, as well as casual and ‘off the book’ workers. Employers can also be held vicariously liable for sexual harassment and assault that occurs in workplaces by employees.

Not all behaviour between colleagues, guests and staff, is inappropriate. So how do managers know when to step in? Is the responsibility on workers to raise the red flag when a line has been crossed? What does a ‘zero tolerance on sexual harassment’ mean?

In venues where alcohol is served – which is often the centre around which business revolves – the social constraints on behaviour can appear to change. But in reality, the same standards and rules of social interaction and decency must prevail after dark.

Protecting the safety and dignity of workers isn’t a contra-indicator to a successful, profitable business.

In hospitality, feeling safe is in the details. Safe feels like working with colleagues who respect our pronouns and our boundaries. Safe feels like being heard and being believed. The humiliation of not believing victims, of minimising abuse and gaslighting, is retraumatising and can easily lead to further harm. Sexual harassment and abuse, of any kind, is not a joke. As renowned food writer and critic Larissa Dubecki has described in a 2016 interview: “There was a waitress I worked with who was followed into the coolroom by two chefs. They turned off the lights and then casually talked about how easy it would be to rape her. They claimed it was a joke.”

Hospitality is an environment where ‘locker room talk’ is often allowed (or encouraged). The law recognises this and specifically notes that the motive behind discrimination is irrelevant. It doesn’t matter if an abuser was ‘just having a laugh’ the behaviour is still abuse.

Safe workplaces must stamp out the ‘culture’ of sexually exploitative joking, as well as reductionist simperings of ‘boys will be boys.’

For those who overstep, does it always have to escalate to throwing a guest out or firing a staff member? Of course not, there is a sliding scale of action that managers and employers can take. In an industry that exists in the enchanted hours between day and night, we must train flexible, confident managers who can think quickly and creatively to minimise harm and keep our businesses moving.

The solutions aren’t complicated. Best Bartenders’ Bar 2019 winners and late-night venue Hatts & Tatts use techniques similar to Drinkaware’s Bystander Intervention Project where staff will regularly check in with staff and guests throughout the night, asking if they are ok. Mel Musu, owner and operations manager at The Rooks Return says that often the simple act of telling staff they have support can make all the difference.

Musu describes a conversation with a staff member: “[I said] I was always available to step in or back her up, she needn’t ever feel obliged to come and get me as soon as problems arose. This act in itself made her feel strong and capable.”

High-risk environments need specialised tactics. A manager of strip clubs in Melbourne interviewed for this article described initiatives such as a house Uber account and chaperoning between venue and workers’ cars at the end of shift keep sex workers and other staff safe.

Jemima McDonald, manager at Earl’s, also highlights the need to hire more women in venues. McDonald’s advice: “Hire more women and promote more women.

Women find it easier to confide in other women when they’re feeling uncomfortable.”

The City of Melbourne, in conjunction with Good Night Out and Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia, recently ran a pilot program training M elbourne venues on how to spot and deal with sexual harassment. 170 Russell, Cookie, The Toff in Town, Mesa Verde and Rooftop Bar participated, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. One participant said they “learnt how to respond to an incident in a way that is respectful, understanding, and appropriate.

What I took from this [training] was the importance of the first response.”

Hospitality is an industry that brings people together – our greatest ambition is to create joyful, unforgettable experiences for our guests. To continue to do this, we must be brave enough to face past and present s and build better workplaces in which we can all thrive. We must all stand as allies beside our colleagues, friends and staff to create the zero-tolerance policies we want to see become the standard in our venues.

As the industry continues to change and evolve – and weather storms along the way – we must protect each other and ourselves.

Thank you to Alex Ross and Harriet Leigh. The following venues did not respond to requests for comment: Speakeasy Group, Sandhill Road Group, Andrew McConnell Group, CLG, Merivale Group, MoVida Group, Rockpool Group, TYCA and Vue de Monde. The Lucas Group declined to comment directly for this article.

HospoVoice declined to comment directly for this article.

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° FEATURE °

Photo by Justin Aikin on Unsplash

DRINKS THAT ARE

DOPE

Will cannabis drinks cannibalise alcohol?

I

n the words of the great poet, Bob Dylan, everybody must get stoned. Or so that would seem in the United States and Canada since both have legalised cannabis for recreational and medicinal use. It begs the question, what do these new laws mean for the alcohol industry? Is it just a matter of time before Australia follows? Should we be prepared? In the United States and Canada, many feared this new wave of cannabis love would take consumer spend from the drinks cup, however, beverage companies have adopted the strategy of embracing the movement with cannabisinfused drinks developing a category that is unlike anything we have seen before.

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There are two types of active ingredients in the production of cannabis drinks, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the psychoactive ingredient producing the euphoria or high and cannabidiol (CBD) producing the relaxing effect.

The drinks are made with varying strengths of both these ingredients so the consumer can tailor their experience. They can choose the kind and level of buzz, like a drinker would the proof.

While traditionally, when we think of marijuana, we think of getting high, or the THC effect, it is CBD that is getting a lot of press for its medicinal benefits. It can combat depression, chronic pain, anxiety, protects the brain, and is also anti-inflammatory and anti-tumoral.

On the San Francisco Cannabis Drinks Expo website blog they report that ‘according to estimates by analysts at Canaccord Genuity, the marijuana-infused drinks sector is on track to become a US$600 million market in the US by 2022, estimating CBD beverages will become a $260 million and THC infused beverages a $340 million market – Source, Business Insider.

There are over 100 cannabis drink businesses in the US including Evergreen Herbal, founded

by David Paleschuck, and selling drinks such as Blaze American Cola with 10 mg of THC and 10 mg of CBD, but also available in 100 mg of THC and 100 mg of CBD for a more pronounced buzz. Another producer is Mirth Provisions. This wave of producers hopes for cannabis-infused drinks to be sitting alongside wine and beer in retail as an alternative to alcohol.

In the US the new category has spawned a new cannabis drink expert known as the ‘bud-tender’, the equivalent of a sommelier but instead of recommending a wine, they recommend a strain or flavour for the personalised high the consumer is seeking.

Indeed, there is such as interest with this new category that big players such as Constellation Brands have invested significantly in a business called Cannabis Canopy Growth, Canada’s largest marijuana growing company, buying a ten per cent stake allegedly worth a billion dollars. Speaking with the Communications Specialist, of CCG for Asia Pacific, Renee Shingles, she said they were launching a cannabis-infused beverage range in Canada later this year to meet the deadline for legalisation.

The flagship brand is Tweed, already an established brand with other cannabis products in Canada but will now be manufactured as a drink brand. CEO of Canopy Growth, Bruce Linton said he is excited about Tweed & Tonic becoming a brand call of the future.

Canadian brewer, Molson Coor’s Brewing has also entered a joint venture making nonalcoholic cannabis-infused drinks with Gatineau, the Quebec-based Hexo Corp., called Truss. They too, have developed a range of products in time for the legalisation deadline to meet market demand and maximise the opportunity. Truss’s marketing blurb says, ‘Taking the cannabis beverages to brand new highs - we’re crafting beverages that’ll help you feel the wonders of cannabis faster, so you can be in control of the experience.’

It may just be a matter of time before we see legislations change in Australia.

Will cannabis cannibalise alcohol as the new social leveler? We can only see how high the stakes go.

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Himkok Bar

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° VISIT °

HOW A “MADE IN NORWAY” ETHIC MADE HIMKOK A GOLD MEDALIST IN SUSTAINABILITY B

ehind a teal stone facade in downtown Oslo, marked only by the street number, visitors are greeted by shelves of preserved fruits and vegetables — a visual appetiser for the bar’s celebration of hyper-local flavours and ingredients. Himkok means moonshine in Norwegian, but translates literally as “cooked at home”. Fittingly, the bar brews, distills and produces as much as possible in-house.

WORDS ° Colin Peebles Christensen

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° VISIT °

Himkok won the exclusive Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award Since opening in 2015, the bar has shot up global bar rankings, leaping to 17th place on the World’s 50 Best Bars list this October. Last year, Himkok also won the exclusive Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award — a nod of approval of the team’s tireless efforts to put locavore ethics and waste reduction on the agenda. It also helped push Himkok onto headlines and chyrons as the world’s most sustainable bar.

“Unless we fix the way we eat and drink we can’t fix the world’s climate issues or starvation.

And the biggest impact to our own environment starts with our own sources,” says Himkok’s founder and general manager Erk Potur. “And [this kind of] sustainable business gives local consumers more understanding of their own habitat and craftsmanship and reason to be proud of their own heritage.”

The venue comprises a cocktail bar and distillery, a backyard cider bar, and a large upstairs area seating 300-350 people, where tap cocktails help lubricate service. They are all connected by a common theme that rests on two key pillars: local focus and waste reduction and repurposing.

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Himkok currently produces 75 to 80 per cent of its own spirits. That’s thanks to a 180 litre hybrid-still distillery on the first floor that churns out potato-based vodka, gin and aquavit, Norway’s signature spirit. These lay the foundations for most of Himkok’s seasonal cocktails. Specialised expressions such as the Himkok Old Tom sherry cask gin and Himkok seaweed aquavit, are reserved for the spirits list.

“Wine is huge in Norway, but it’s mostly French wines, Italian wines, South African wines,” Potur says. “But at Himkok we reduced imported wine sales 50 per cent.”

Fruit wines, made in-house from rhubarb and strawberry, and the ice plum wine from Skott Gård, are local replacements for imported bordeauxs, burgundies and rieslings. Himkok’s beers, too, are made just a few blocks away at the affiliated microbreweries Crow Bar and Eik & Tid. Himkok also makes its own mead, with honey from a local Oslo beekeeping collective.

An outdoor cider bar — Norway’s first, according to Potur — was originally stocked with international ciders. But as domestic production

grew, especially in the apple-growing Hardanger region, Himkok cut back on its foreign offerings.

“We had nearly 90 per cent foreign ciders. Now it’s the total opposite. Ninety per cent of our ciders are from Norway, 10 per cent are coming from abroad,” he says. “It was a process.”

The new cocktail menu, titled “Around Norway”, was launched in September and showcases local, seasonal ingredients.

“Farmers are the most important part of the ‘farm-to-table, field-to-drink’ movement,” Potur says. “So very early we made a lot of research about local producers, farmers and their best available products [that] you can use for the season.” Himkok currently cooperates with around 60 producers across the country.

Domestic ingredients include sea buckthorn from Trondheim, milk kefir from Rørås, pine needles from Telemark and tomatoes from Finnøy — home of Norway’s annual tomato festival. The tomato juice is clarified and combined with vermouth, Himkok aquavit and the bar’s bread-infused vodka for the “Tomato” cocktail. Oats from Moss, a city about 50 kilometres south of Oslo, is combined with

Team Himkok aquavit, aquafaba, raspberries and allspice in “Oats and Raspberry”.

Aquafaba — a non-dairy foaming agent made from chickpea water — comes from leftovers at neighbouring Turkish and Indian restaurants. It is used as stand-in for egg whites, slashing the usual egg yolk wastage while also making use of restaurant refuse.

Himkok substitutes imported citrus with seasonal Norwegian souring agents. Rhubarb and red currants from southern and northern Norway, as well as organic whey from cheese production at Bygdø Kongsgård, located within city limits, are effective low-milage alternatives to lemons and limes.

Each month, Himkok makes 100 litres of milk punch using 3.5 kilos of organic dairy waste.

The bar turns discarded citrus peel into aromatic perfumes and leftover fermented fruit pulp from wine production is distilled for Himkok’s Nordic eau de vie. ‘Tails’ from distillation, high in non-drinkable fusel alcohols, are collected and used for cleaning bar counters and toilets.

Nothing from the distillery is thrown away, Potur explains.

Green operations can be profitable too: The bar sold 200,000 cocktails and 10,000 litres of house-made spirits last year. “Financially, also, we are very sustainable,” he says.

Himkok belongs to a small family of lowwaste locavore pioneers. Other members include the nomadic Trash Tiki, Native bar in Singapore (this year’s sustainability award winner) and Luke Whearty’s Operation Dagger in Singapore and Outrage of Modesty in Cape Town. Potur specifically highlights Byrdi, Whearty’s freshest Melbourne venue, as a bar to watch.

Norway’s world-leading bottle deposit scheme and hydro-powered electricity help reduce Himkok’s carbon footprint, but short growing seasons present a challenge for seasonal sourcing. In contrast to sun-soaked Australia, Norway’s growing season last about two months. This has forced the team to think creatively about preservation, using methods like pickling and fermenting. Still, Potur believes that if it can be done in partly Arctic Norway, it should be a piece of cake elsewhere.

“We are not zero waste”, Potur concedes.

“Whoever say that they are zero waste, I don’t know, it’s hard to believe because at the end of the day our industry is a luxury business.

We bring in a lot of bottles, and all the packaging is waste.”

But Potur advocates thinking broader than waste reduction by looking at the environment you inhabit as a whole, using everything that is available to its fullest. “Maybe in the future we can be 100 per cent Norwegian, or at least Scandinavian,” he says. “That’s the aim.”

“Our goal is always to be 100 per cent sustainable. And we’re increasing this every year.”

HIMKOK BAR Storgata 27, 0184 Oslo, Norway W: himkok.squarespace.com/contact Opening Hours: Sunday-Thursday: 5pm-3am Friday-Saturday: 3pm-3am

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. ° MEET °

GET TO KNOW HAYLEY DIXON

PROXIM O TEQUIL A SPECIA LIST

M

elbourne based Tequila Specialist Hayley Dixon, shares with us her love for agave, what an average day looks like, and the thought process behind creating Tequila cocktails.

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DRINKS WORLD: Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in the industry.

HAYLEY DIXON: My hospitality career came off the back of almost ten years in retail and a failed attempt at University. After working in a few cafes and as a waitress, I decided I wanted to try bar work. I ended up doing one of those ‘bar schools’ and although I don’t think the school itself taught me a great deal, the manager of the bar where we were doing the classes offered me a job.

Since then I have been lucky enough to land jobs in some top bars and with some incredible mentors such as Linus Schaxmann, Joey Jones and Jorge Cervantes. I don’t think I would have made it to where I am today, working for the number one tequila brand in the world, without these guys sharing their passion with me.

DW: Tell us what your average day looks like in the industry.

HD: No two days are ever the same. I could be out visiting bars on World Tequila Day, training bar teams on 1800 Tequila, organising events, behind a bar in the snow, serving margaritas at a music festival, or sipping on Jose Cuervo in Mexico. We have the broadest Tequila range in the world, so there are no limits to where or what I could be doing.

DW: Do you remember the moment you fell in love with Tequila?

HD: I am not sure anyone remembers that moment in their life! While I don’t know the exact moment, there have been a few times along the way where I have had a ‘pinch me’ moment. Driving up through the agave fields on the back of a ute holding on for dear life and getting to the top of a mountain overlooking all the agave fields at sunset, a giant jug of margarita in hand, was one of them. Just visiting the families and distilleries in Mexico is enough to make anyone fall in love with Tequila.

Seeing the hard work and processes associated with the spirit is amazing. Anyone lucky enough to sit and sip on Jose Cuervo’s Reserva De La Familia understands how amazing all those processes can taste.

DW: What are you doing to educate people on appreciating Tequila?

HD: At Jose Cuervo we are putting a big focus on sipping, not shooting Tequila. Tequila is on two different levels when it comes to consumer

vs industry, so education is still very much at the forefront of our priorities. We are still up against the perception that Tequila is the source behind ‘that one bad experience’ that sparks fear, even though we know it to be untrue. For that reason, at Jose Cuervo, we spend time on the versatility and mixability of Tequila. Showcasing its place in cocktails and on menus and alongside different fruits, nuts and foods to help showcase its sweet and complex flavour profile.

DW: Out of the 1800 range, what’s a good tequila to recommend for new drinkers to the category?

HD: I think I say this in almost every masterclass I do: 1800 Añejo is my ‘stepping-stone’ Tequila.

For anyone new to the category, it is the perfect Tequila to start on. It is very oak, vanilla, cinnamon and clove driven, causing it to drink very much like a fine whisky or cognac. For that reason, it is also a great go-to alternative for cocktails such as an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, or a richer, more complex Tommy’s Margarita.

DW: How do you approach the creation of new Tequila cocktails? Where you do you start?

HD: A few years ago, I would have responded to this question very differently. I guess people change and therefore, so does their style! I now look at cocktails in a way that initially may seem, more straightforward, but realistically tastes more complex. I rarely aim for more than four ingredients, and I avoid house-made ingredients if I can. Seasonal, fresh ingredients benefit a drink more than a smoked glass ever will. I will often start with a concept – for example, I will see flavour combinations in food, and try to translate that into a drink. Once I have my flavour foundations, I work back towards the Tequila that will benefit the drink the most.

1800 Tequila has become my staple range for cocktails as the flavours hold up incredibly well against other ingredients. From there, it is just like all cocktail creation – a lot of trial and error.

DW: If you could save only one bottle of Tequila from your collection because of a fire, which ones would you grab?

HD: This is an incredibly tough question. Do you go for the rarest or the one you enjoy drinking the most? Jose Cuervo Platino is undoubtedly my favourite. I never skip it in a tasting and if there was a fire, believe me, I would be holding

as many bottles as I could. However, Reserva De La Familia is a vintage we release each year in very small amounts and with a whole new flavour profile each time so it would be hidden under an arm if I could manage an extra. That is based on personal preference. I am a silver, lowland Tequila drinker but I know plenty of people who would reach for an Extra Añejo or highland such as Gran Centenario.

DW: What is the best part of your job?

HD: Telling Uber drivers in small talk that my job is ‘Tequila Specialist’. Seriously, Tequila is quite new to a lot of people and getting the chance to change people’s perspective, would have to be my favourite part. We have seen visible growth and understanding of the category as of late. Recently we conducted a series of 1800 Tequila tastings in Dan Murphy’s stores and the International airport and just seeing people go from not even wanting to taste Tequila to buying a bottle makes my job worth it. Bartenders and suppliers are more vocal now than ever before, and the results speak for themselves. They want good quality Tequila, and after over 220 years producing at Jose Cuervo, the growth across our premium categories reflects this.

DON JUAN

by Hayley Dixon INGREDIENTS: • 30ml 1800 Añejo Tequila • 10ml 1800 Coconut Tequila • 15ml Dom Bénédictine Herbal Liqueur • 5ml Oloroso Sherry GARNISH: Grated coffee beans METHOD: Stir down all ingredients until correct dilution and temperature is reached. Strain into a frozen coupette or Nick & Nora glass. Top with a thin layer of honeyed cream* GLASSWARE: Coupette or Nick & Nora *HONEYED CREAM To make honeyed cream lightly hand whip 250ml thickened cream, 50ml honey and three sugar cubes until light enough to layer on top of the drink

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° MEET °

FROM BARTENDER TO BAR OWNER WORDS ° Kurtis Bosley

T

he dream of owning a bar was never far from thought as I navigated my way into the hospitality industry. Taking a glimpse into that world as a younger bartender and meeting guys like Jared Merlino, Stefano Catino, Greg Sanderson and Huw Griffiths, was always something that propelled my thirst for knowledge on how they got to do, what so many of us dream of.

This article isn’t to list the complications and frustrations of opening your first bar but instead highlight some of the ‘fine print’ details I wish I had known before taking on my biggest challenge to date. I am the sole owner of Corretto, a restaurant and bar in Dee Why on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Having opened the venue without any partners or financial backing, I never had the luxury of being able to have slow weeks or growing pains as I opened the doors and prayed people made their way into the venue.

Corretto Dee Why is a seasonal venue on the beach that is renowned for turning operators over quicker than most in the country. With sky-high rent, quiet low seasons and a fickle mix of both tourist and hyper-localised crowds, your offering needs to be able to cater to an eclectic crowd while being competitive with the other 30 operators on the strip.

My first key point in opening your venue is research who lives in the immediate area. These people will become your regular clientele. I was too focused on venue style rather

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Corretto Dee Why

than what the area was missing. This was a mistake. It’s the regular guests who will get you out of the woods during the bad weather.

I’ll never forget the first few months. I was trying to find my feet as a sole owner-operator that involved marketing for the venue, a lot of the handy-man work, working full days on the floor and talking to the guests about what they would like to see from us and the venue moving forward. Getting into this position means you must be ready for 16-18 hours of work a day for the first few months at the very least. In this role, you undertake a variety of positions including janitor, cleaner, host, bartender, chef, dishy and general handy-man as you need to hold your money tight as we work on absolutely minimal budgets and profit percentages.

My second key point is budget. I invested months in my initial budget and thought I had it all figured out. The budget I had set was miles out from what it has now become with a few pretty scary moments not accounted for.

In the first few weeks where you’ll want to

buy the best cocktail equipment, plates and fancy tech stuff, make sure you’ve got enough money to pay your energy, gas and staff superannuation. I hadn’t accounted for the cost of these three, and it almost sent me broke in the first few months putting me on my back foot. Setting aside an additional 20 per cent of your opening budget for these unforeseen issues is vital to ensure the survival of your venue during this fragile opening state. Also, make sure you have a bookkeeper to keep on top of everything.

Staff costs have changed dramatically over the last ten years, and it’s more important than ever to invest in good Human Resources for your venue to make sure you’re compliant with up to date industry requirements. Having a venue that is table service only, our budget allowed 35 per cent wage cost, including taxes (superannuation), 10 per cent higher than what I originally had planned before taking over. As an owner-operator, you need to account for your own hours as you slowly free up hours for staff to take on more. The additional cost of this needs to be budgeted, or you’ll get a shock once these costs begin to hurt your budget.

Looking back at the process of opening the venue, I was lucky to have built up a strong network of people within the industry that were more than delighted to lend a helping hand. I am forever grateful to those who have been there to support me continuously with valuable advice, physical help, or lending an understanding ear. If you’re opening a venue, be sure you have a strong support network. You cannot do this on your own!

CORRETTO DEE WHY 1/ 24 The Strand, Dee Why, NSW T: (02) 99812061 W: correttodeewhy.com Opening Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 7:30am-late Saturday: 7:30am-12am Sunday: 7:30am-10pm

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° MEET °

SPEED RACK OZ

TAKING OFF N

ext year is Speed Rack’s tenth year, born in New York and raised around the world.

The all-female speed bartending competition is gaining plenty of attention, not just because it provides a great platform for women in the bartending community (as if that’s not enough in itself), but it also raises money for breast cancer research at the same time.

It’s fun, it’s vibrant, and it’s a damn good initiative to get behind. Drinks World caught up with Jemima McDonald and Stephanie Haile, who run Speed Rack Oz (SROz) to learn some more about them while getting the low-down on what Speed Rack is all about and why you should get involved.

Jemima McDonald and Stephanie Haile

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DRINKS WORLD: What is Speed Rack and how did it come about?

JEMIMA MCDONALD: Speed Rack is an all-female, speed-round bartending competition. It was founded in NYC by Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix in 2011, as a means of shining a spotlight on women in the bar industry, which was (and is) a somewhat male-dominated industry. The pair felt as though

there needed to be a platform for women to showcase their skill in a supportive but competitive environment. Speed Rack creates opportunities for women, while also raising money for breast cancer research charities. It has since expanded globally to the UK, Central America, Canada, Asia, and here in Australia.

DW: Can you tell us a little more about Lynette and Ivy? JM: They are both very established and successful women in the hospitality industry worldwide and business owner/operators in New York, as well as the founders of Speed Rack. Both women are Tales of The Cocktail Dame Hall of Fame inductees and have received countless accolades for their work within the bar and restaurant industry in the US. Most recently, the work they have done with Speed Rack has led them to be named Best Bar Mentors as well as winning the Philanthropy award at Tales of The Cocktail this year. They have brought thousands of women together and helped jump-start careers of many up-and-coming bartenders the world over.

DW: How does Speed Rack Oz work?

JM: Speed Rack aims to find the fastest and most skilled bartenders in Australia and put them head to head in knock-out rounds.

The women go through the initial application process, then onto qualifying regional heats.

This year we held regional heats in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane. There was a considerable competitor turn out, with about 75 bartenders entering. During these heats, they get three minutes to set up their well, then make four drinks as fast as they can while being judged on accuracy, balance, and presentation. The fastest times (with penalty adjustments included) go on to the national finals. The nationals are a huge deal, with high pressure knock out rounds that become increasingly demanding. The judges request their drinks from a list of around 50 possible cocktails; the girls get three minutes to set up their well, then they’re off!

DW: What do you want to see happen for Speed Rack Australia in the future?

STEPHANIE HAILE: This second season of SROz has already been so much bigger than the first, and we would love to see even more women from around the country entering and keep pushing to make more money for the breast cancer charities we support.

DW:Why do you think that Speed Rack has been so well received?

SH: Speed Rack is a positive experience on so many levels and was one of the first platforms created to show the world what amazing things women in our industry are capable of.

The fact that it stands to raise the profile of well-deserving women while raising money for charity is something that everyone can get on board with.

DW: Share with us your industry experience and how you got to where you are today.

SH: I’ve been working in the industry for ten years in Australia and the UK, across various venue styles from 400 seat restaurants, high volume nightclubs, and small bars. Currently, I’m managing all things beverage at The Royal Hotel and Totti’s in beautiful Bondi.

beer full-time (although I still bartend weekends because I will never let go), so now I’m a brewer! The world is my oyster.

JM: I’ve worked in bars for about nine years.

I started in pubs and became serious about hospitality as a long-term thing when I worked for Swillhouse Group. The last five years of my bartending career have been spent at Earl’s Juke Joint, managing the bar for the last three.

Recently I decided to make a move into brewing

DW: What made you want to get involved in Speed Rack?

SH: I’ve always admired Speed Rack and the work Ivy and Lynette have done to push it and its positive message over the years. I’m also a big advocate for anything that pushes talented women into the forefront.

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° MEET °

If you’ve never entered a competition before, this is the perfect one.

JEMIMA MCDONALD

JM: I absolutely adore the competition and everything it stands for, so I felt so lucky to be asked to join the organising team along with Steph. Any event that is for women by women in our industry is wonderful, rare, and should be encouraged and rallied around hard! Especially when it’s all for such a good cause!

DW: The competition itself is intense, have you done it?

SH: I have not, but many of my friends have. I’m the one on the sidelines screaming for them like a crazy person!

JM: Yes, I competed in the top eight last year in Sydney. I was knocked out by Priscilla, who ended up winning, so I am bloody proud of that.

The competition was intense, but it was also the most supportive and fun environment you can imagine. Every single girl that entered was fiercely talented, and I can confirm that this year is no different. I will say, I am so glad I entered last year, but I am happy to leave it to the professionals this year.

DW: What is your advice for bartenders wanting to get involved?

SH: Don’t overthink it. Just sign up! There is so much to get out of being involved; it’s more than just the moment you’re competing. You’ll meet so many fantastic new people, make some new friends, and have a damn good time all while helping raise money for a very important cause.

JM: DO IT. No one in this world has regretted entering Speed Rack, and that’s a fact. When else do you get behind a bar with that many` babes at once? As for advice, practice as much as possible, be prepared and know your classics. Don’t try anything weird for the first

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Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero time while on stage. If you’ve never entered a competition before, this is the perfect one. It’s all skill, no wank.

If you’ve never entered a competition before, this is the perfect one.

DW: How does it feel to be running the Australian chapter?

SH: It is an absolute honour, and I feel very lucky! I’m loving working with Jemima and meeting all the badass women getting involved along the way. To continue to help provide a platform for women in hospitality in Australia to display their skill and talent makes me proud.

JM: It feels brilliant. It’s an honour. One of the best things about this style of competition is that it brings so many people together for a fab reason (feminism!). Everyone that has gotten involved this year and last, whether they be competitors, judges, sponsors, etc., have been passionate about the cause and so unbelievably supportive. I feel great knowing I can help make a small difference to some women’s experience within this industry. Providing women a platform to gain traction, to put themselves out there competitively, and prove their undeniable worth is something very special.

Quality Puree’s Crafted with a Movement in Mind I dig the rich, intense fruit flavours with a balanced sweetness.

SIMON “THE HOFF” HOUGH WA MANAGER OF STRIKE & HOLEY MOLEY (FUNLAB)

Why I love Reàl, I find the products incredibly versatile and easy to use.

It’s consistent in its quality and in the squeezy tubes my guests love it! We use it to bring colour and flavour to our tiki cocktails and the coco reàl on fresh lime with tequila is epic!

BJORN KARASON MANAGER OF TIKI AS FK, PERTH

Starward Colada

Kentucky Muffin

Banana Daiquiri

Tommy’s Margarita

Glass: Tall

Glass: Double Rocks

Glass: Nick & Nora

Glass: Double Rocks

45ml Starward Two-Fold

60ml Buffalo Trace Bourbon

45ml White Rum

60ml Corazon Blanco Tequila

30ml Reàl Coconut 15ml Lemon Juice 60ml Pineapple Juice Method: Blend with scoop of ice.

Garnish: Rosemary sprig, dehydrated pineapple

15ml Reàl Blueberry Syrup 30ml Pressed apple juice 15ml Lime Juice Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice Garnish: 3 Blueberries on a stick

30ml Reàl Banana Infused Syrup

30ml Lime Juice

15ml Finest Call Single Pressed Lime juice

15ml Reàl Blue Agave Nectar

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a chilled glass

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into an icefilled glass

Garnish: Lime Twist

Garnish: Lime wedge

Selection Panel

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ADAM KEANE 100Proof

ALEX ROSS Hip Media

ANDREW RATCLIFF Proximo

ASHLEY PINI Hip Media

CAMERON PIRRET The Exchange

CHARLIE AINSBURY Proof & Company

DANIELE PIROTTA Campari

FRED SIGGINS Sullivans Cove

GORGE CAMORRA 100Proof

HAYLEY MORISON Beam Suntory Australia

JOEY TAI Baranows Emporium

KAREL REYES MONIN

KASS HILL Vanguard Luxury Brands

KRYSTAL HART Sweet&Chilli Ltd

LOY CATADA Bacardí-Martini Australia

LUKE SANDERSON William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd

MARK HICKEY Spirits Platform

MIKE LOWE William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd

MITCH WILSON Maison Ferrand

ROSS BLAINEY William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd

SASHA FALLOON Hip Media

THALITA ALVES Brown-Forman Australia

TIM LUDLOW Hip Media

TRISTRAM LILBURNE-FINI Campari

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TOP 100 BARTENDERS AUSTRALIA 2019

Congratulations to all who made the Drinks World Top 100 Bartenders list for 2019. It’s a massive achievement to be announced as one of the leading bartenders in Australia given the amount of talent we have in this market. T25 is one of our favourite projects to work on as we get to connect with the industry and grow the bartending community across the nation.

We look forward to T25 2020 and seeing new up and coming talent on the list. We’re mixing T25 up next year, so stay tuned for more details.

ADAM HINGSTON AL SIMMONS ALEX BOON ALEX CHAPLIN ALEX GILMOUR ALEX GONDZIOULIS ALICIA CLARKE ALISSA GABRIEL ANDREA GUALDI ANNELIESE GRAZIOLI ANTONELLO ARZEDI ASH TURNER BRITTANY ROWE CHAD HANSON CHARLIE LEHMANN CHELSEA CATHERINE CHRISTINE LAM CODY BANKS DAMIEN KOS-BECKWITH DAN GREGORY DARREN LEANEY DAVID ALEXANDER XANDER STUCKEN DAVID ROBINSON DEAN BUCHANAN EDWARD QUATERMASS ELISE GODWIN ELLA RHODES ELLERY LOW ELLIOT PASCOE EMMA CRISP ESTEBAN SAVIC ETIEN CELZNER EVAN STROEVE HAYDEN LAMBERT HOLLY INGRAM JAMES PENNEFATHER JAMIE FLEMING JENNA HEMSWORTH JESSICA ARNOTT JIN MAEKAWA JOEY FOLKERSMA JONOTHAN CARR JOSEPH CHISHOLM JOSEPH SINAGRA JOSH MACK KADEN POOL KAL MOORE KAYLA GRIGORIOU KAYLA REID LEWIS HALLS

Maybe Mae Snapper Rocks Mjølner Melbourne Frogmore Creek Tio’s Bulletin Place Bar Evolve Spirits Bar Mjølner Sydney Maybe Sammy Hot Tamale Scout Sydney Robbie Brown’s Old Mate’s Place Electra House Hotel Double Deuce Lounge Black Pearl Employees Only Sydney Hains & Co. The 18th Amendment Bar Evolve Spirits Bar Capitano The Ritz Carlton Hot Tamale Long Chim Perth Maker Strange Company Romeo Lane Maker Death & Taxes El Grotto Rochford The Den Bulletin Place Bar Above Board Amici Tiny’s Liquor Emporium Alba Bar & Deli Swillhouse Group Tiny’s Liquor Emporium Bar Torino Chow Liquid & Larder The Boom Boom Room Halford Bar Hains & Co. Long Chim Perth The Gresham Bar Torina Savile Row Bad Frankie

LOU DARE LUKE FLEMING MARK WHITE MARTIN HUDÁK MARY WHITE MATTHEW LINKLATER MATTHEW STIRLING MATT WHILEY MATT ZARIMIS MAX GIUDICE MICHAEL CHIEM MICHAEL KEOGH MIKE HAN MILLIE TANG MITCH GURRIN MURRAY WALSH NIALL MAURICI NICK CORLETTO NICK MILES NICK TESAR NICOLA DEAN NORIEL CALUB OLLIE MARGAN PEZ COLLIER RACHAEL MERRITT RAPHAEL REDANT ROHAN MASSIE RUSSELL PEARSON RYAN LANE SAMUEL TRIPET SARAH ELYSE WATSON SARAH JONES SARAH MYCOCK SAVANNAH PIPER SEAN HOWARD SHAY CHAMBERLAIN SHIRLEY YEUNG TIM LAFERLA TIM POPE TOM JONES TOM KEARNEY TOM PRICE TONY HUANG TRACY GARDNER TRISTAN GREEN VANESSA RECH WILL SLEEMAN YAO WONG ZACHARY MORGAN ZACK GARCIA

Employees Only Sydney Paloma Bar and Pantry Mechanics’ Institute Maybe Sammy The Lobo Plantation Black Pearl Fancy Free Scout Sydney Hot Tamale Tiny’s Liquor Emporium PS40 Maybe Mae Jack & Jill’s The Gresham The Palace Arcade Mechanics’ Institute The Glass House Maybe Mae The Gresham Bar Liberty Maybe Mae QT Maybe Mae Lychee Lounge Jangling Jack’s Stitch Rude Boy 54 Benjamin Proof BBQ & Booze Death & Taxes Joe Taylor Boilermaker House PS40 Boom Boom Room Cry Baby Black Pearl Panama Social Scout Sydney Manhattan Bar The Highball Express Panama Social The Baxter Inn The Lui Bar Jane Doe Bar Alba Bar & Deli 2KW Bar and Restaurant Fancy Free The Elysian Black Pearl Canvas

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Missed out on this year’s T25 event at Marble Bar? Here we’ve captured the night so you can catch-up on all the action.

! p a r W a s ’ It

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Photography: Steve Woodburn

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Meet Your

10 | Alex Boon

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50 | Alex Gilmour

54 | Andrea Gualdi

58 | Anneliese Grazioli

62 | Antonello Arzedi

66 | Dan Gregory

70 | Darren Leaney

74 | David Robinson

78 | Dean Buchanan

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82 | Elliot Pascoe

86 | Emma Crisp

90 | Evan Stroeve

94 | Hayden Lambert

98 | Jenna Hemsworth

102 | Jessica Arnott

106 | Joseph Chisholm

110 | Joseph Sinagra

114 | Kayla Grigoriou

118 | Michael Chiem

122 | Millie Tang

126 | Nick Corletto

130 | Nick Tesar

134 | Ollie Margan

138 | Shay Chamberlain

142 | Tom Kearney DRINKS WORLD

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M

exico is a bartender’s idea of paradise, Alex “Happy” Gilmour from Cantina OK! went, drank mezcal and still managed to make it home to complete his Masters in Brewing and Distilling.

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? It’s been a cracking year so far. Most of my focus has been on opening up Cantina OK! but also working across the group at Tio’s and Cliff Dive. We went back to México for another 12-day exploration, found some great mezcal, drank it with some awesome people and then also got to try some fantastic local meals.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT HERRADURA AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? Herradura is one of the oldest tequila houses and the first attributed to using the word reposado in connection with tequila. For me this is always one of my favourite tequila categories, the light vanilla and black pepper notes in the Herradura Reposado, pair perfectly with the carbonated tea in a highball style cocktail.

LAST YEAR WHEN WE SPOKE YOU WERE WORKING TOWARDS YOUR MASTERS IN BREWING AND DISTILLING. HOW IS THIS GOING AND WHAT ARE SOME KEY LEARNINGS? I have managed to finish all my coursework and now just have my final thesis to go which I should start ASAP. I have found huge benefit in learning more about the distillation side of our production. I have really enjoyed getting my head around still construction and building my knowledge on how the juice, that I ramble on about all day, is actually made.

CANTINA OK! IS THE LATEST VENUE YOU’RE A PART OF. THE VENUE IS THE SIZE OF YOUR AVERAGE SHIPPING CONTAINER AND MAINLY STOCKS MEZCAL. THIS IS A NEW CONCEPT FOR SYDNEY – HOW HAS IT BEEN RECEIVED AND ANY PLANS FOR MORE BESPOKE BARS LIKE THIS? New builds are always about how to make what you want to happen in the space you want to work in. It’s been a great challenge opening Cantina OK!, super interesting concept with less space than I have ever had to manage. Each part of the venue has a story and it’s been great fun watching our guests learn a new piece every time they come in. We have been very humbled by the support of the bars around us and the people who have helped make it such a great fun vibe all night and every night.

IF NOT AGAVE, WHAT? I’m really into fruit brandy and eau de vie. I find working with these materials from a production standpoint very different and difficult but it is so much fun. When a great fruit distillate is tasted it draws aspects of all parts of the fruit and I think that is awesome. Nerdy, I know.

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Alex

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TÉ ANTIGUO

By Alex ‘Happy’ Gilmour INGREDIENTS: • 50ml Herradura Reposado Tequila • 60ml Carbonated citrus and honey tea • 10ml Fresh lime juice GARNISH: Fresh mint sprig METHOD: Build in a highball glass and top with crushed ice GLASSWARE: Highball

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Alex in action

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t h e wo r l d ’ s m o s t g o l d m e d a l awa r d e d t e q u i l a H e r ra d u ra.c o m

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.

t h e wo r l d ’ s m o s t gold medal

Alc. 40% by Vol. (80 proof) Tequila imported by Brown-Forman Beverages. Louisville, KY ©2019. September 2017 by Infiniti Research Inc.

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Andrea Gualdi C

o-owner of Maybe Sammy in Sydney’s The Rocks precinct and lauded as one of Australia’s best bartenders, Andrea Gualdi takes inspiration from his Italian heritage to champion the balanced and complex bitter sweet taste of Italy’s number 1 premium Amaro: Amaro Montenegro.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT AMARO MONTENEGRO AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? As Montenegro is one of the most iconic Italian amaros, I took inspiration from one of the most iconic Italian cocktails for my drink, the Negroni.

At Maybe Sammy, we love our mini cocktails. Here is one of those using a mix of Italian products including Select Aperitivo, the key ingredient of the Original Venetian Spritz and one of my favourites just to add an extra kick to the drink, a touch of mezcal.

DESCRIBE THE MOMENT MAYBE SAMMY WON BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL COCKTAIL BAR AT TOTC SPIRITED AWARDS. It was insane. When you hear your name in such a huge competition like this, you get an injection of adrenaline I struggle to describe. We’re still over-excited about it.

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WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER? I would place as a highlight of my career my first steps into Artesian Bar in London as it was the best school I could have ever asked for. The opening of Maybe Frank is another and the friends I made there. Diageo’s World Class opened many doors for me and pushed me to grow as a person and a professional.

Now it is the opening of Maybe Sammy, those four are the moments I am most proud of in my career.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING BEHIND THE BAR, HOW DO YOU ENJOY YOUR TIME OFF? When I’m not working, I love spending time home cooking or going for a run in this amazing city or enjoy some wine and walk along the beaches. I think, as a hospitality worker, it is important to push yourself to do something that is not barrelated in your free time.

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MONTENEGRONCINO

By Andrea Gualdi INGREDIENTS: • 25ml Amaro Montenegro • 25ml Select Aperitivo • 20ml Mezcal • 10ml Italicus • 10ml Cedarwood syrup • 2 x Dash Peychaud’s Bitters • 25ml Purified chilled water METHOD: Combine all ingredient into a bottle and store in the fridge. Pour chilled when ready to serve GLASSWARE: Mini coupette

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A

nneliese is the talented general manager at award-winning Mexican restaurant, Hot Tamale on the scenic Darwin waterfront. While she is responsible for Australia’s largest collection of tequila, she also loves a good Australian spirit. Here she was challenged to make a signature cocktail with Larrikin Gin. YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH LARRIKIN GIN. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. Larrikin’s Sunburnt Country - Bush Tucker Gin was created using local botanicals themed around Bush Tucker. There are ten native botanicals in the gin. Growing up and living in the Northern Territory, I am very familiar with these flavours, so I wanted to create a cocktail that complements them but doesn’t overpower. I also wanted it to be what you would want to drink during the Australian summer, so something light and spritzy.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. I had been working at a cafe for three years when the owners decided to open a tequila bar/Mexican restaurant. It was due to open the year I turned 18, and they asked if I wanted to come across and learn more about management. Deciding to defer uni for a year, I took up the opportunity and never looked back. Learning everything about a restaurant, running it, and taking a focus on improving the bar were all exciting challenges. That’s why I am here today as GM of the same venue, trying to grow the bartending scene in Darwin.

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IF A CUSTOMER WAS TO STEP INTO YOUR VENUE FOR THIS FIRST TIME, WHAT CAN THEY EXPECT? Hot Tamale is still foremost a restaurant, so a host would greet and assist the guest with what sort of evening they were after. If the guest wanted to sit at the bar, they would be looked after by some of the most passionate agave bartenders I know, who are always excited to talk agave to anyone who will listen.

IF YOU WEREN’T BARTENDING, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING? Probably something involving sales and customer service. Maybe tourism.

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE WITH? Julio Bermejo at Tommy’s. His hospitality skills are outstanding, and there is a back bar with some very cool agave.

WHY SHOULD EVERYONE EXPERIENCE DARWIN AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIVES? The lifestyle, it’s probably not something you’ll completely understand with a quick trip, but you will notice the absolute stark difference to any other capital city - more sun, more greenery, fresh air and wider open spaces. It is a city with so much potential.

Anneliese i l o i Graz DRINKS WORLD

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BUSH TUCKER BOTANIC

By Anneliese Grazioli INGREDIENTS: • 45ml Larrikin Sunburnt Country - Bush Tucker Gin • 100ml Rosella citric balanced wine • 3g Cracked pepperberry METHOD: Built on ice GLASSWARE: Stemless wine glass

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Antonello i d e z Ar 62 °

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S

cout Sydney’s Antonello Arzedi was inspired by a certain mid-century magic when creating his Jack Daniel’s-based cocktail.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. The industry sparked my interest when I was around 11 in Sardinia, where I am from. I saw the art and magic of bartending in a hotel I visited with my parents. I was captivated by the bartenders’ skills and gracefulness, and it became fluid from there. I then went to hospitality school in Alghero but I didn’t do so well because I just really wanted to work. I did a series of work experiences in Italy and landed a couple of jobs, but it wasn’t until I started working at Kick-Out that I felt myself grow and feel serious about this industry. After three years it was time to explore the world and travel around Europe. My Australian dream has been going on for seven years.

WE’VE SEEN YOUR LAB AT SCOUT. WHAT’S THE PROCESS YOU GO THROUGH TO CREATE AWARD-WINNING COCKTAILS? For me, and I am sure for most bartenders, I am driven by flavour. My inspiration is art, colours, food and childhood memory. Often I lie on my bed and imagine all the colours and flavours and how they could combine. The lab and the machines are a massive luxury - I am lucky to have (but in truth, are not necessary).

I do love to use them; they make my imagination a reality. Often I love to try things that I know may not work, and I think to myself

some of the greatest inventions came from mistakes, and this actually inspires me to make them, on purpose sometimes. The results are always surprising.

YOU WORK WITH MATT WHILEY, SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO. WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING WITH ONE OF YOUR INDUSTRY ICONS? I appreciate my time working with him because we have common interests and believe in the same things. He enables me to be free and as creative as I want and trusts me to do so. Working in the lab with Matt is awesome, we have the best debates and real conversations about ingredients, produce, flavour, drinks etc.. because he is raw and genuine, he is approachable and easy to talk to. I will say, however, what I admire the most about him is his attitude towards his craft. He doesn’t go searching for approval or opinion. The spotlight happens to follow him and for me that ‘no ego’ factor is what I look up to the most.

IF YOU HAD A TIME MACHINE WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU GO TO? Definitely the 1960s and 1970s when drinks were happy and colourful and cocktails brought people together in good times and creativity. Mixed drinks went to the next level.

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PUBLIC HAZARD

By Antonello Arzedi INGREDIENTS: • 40ml Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey • 5ml Cauliflower distilled • 40ml Fermented banana skin • 2.5ml River mint syrup • 50ml Filtered water GARNISH: Citric acid and mint dust METHOD: Combine all the ingredients and chill to ice-cold, carbonate with soda stream or carbonation rig system GLASSWARE: Small highball

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Antonello in action

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A ONE IN ONE HUNDRED TENNESSEE

whiskey That’s not simply a phrase we use for our Single Barrel whiskey. It’s the truth. Only the whiskey that matures in one in one

hundred of our American White Oak barrels becomes Single Barrel. And they all come from the topmost floors of our barrelhouses, where temperature swings are the most temperamental. If you’ve visited us here during the summer, you know it gets hot. However, a Lynchburg winter has a bite too. Those big temperature swings push the whiskey in and back out of the barrels, so they soak up even more oak flavor. And not every drop sees the light of day. The whiskey that evaporates is known as the “Angel’s Share.” And because it’s hotter up on the top, those lucky angels get a bit more of that precious Single Barrel to enjoy.

But it’s not only the temperature that makes our barrels special. It’s also, well, the barrels. No one is the same as the last, which means each one brings something special to the whiskey. More char means a smokier sip. More sugars in the wood means a sweeter finish. The smells and tastes may be different, but you can be sure to expect a deep take on Jack from the barrel it’s born in.

It’s how Jack did it in 1866. Does it take more time picking the best barrels?

Absolutely. It may not be the easy way, but it’s the right way. So when you sip a little Single Barrel Select, take your

time. Let the stories last. This one in one hundred whiskey has quite the story behind it, after all.

One sip and you’ll see why every drop is worth the time that went into it.

SELECT THOUGHTFULLY. DRINK RESPONSIBLY. JACK DANIEL’S is a registered trademark. ©2019 Jack Daniel’s. All rights reserved. ©2018 Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey 45% Alcohol by Volume (90 proof). Distilled and Bottled by Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee.

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T

asmanian lifestyle convert, Dan Gregory, discusses the benefit of local honey as one of the most versatile ingredients for his signature cocktails.

Dan Gregory

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CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT FORTALEZA TEQUILA AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? Not only is Fortaleza Tequila GODDAM amazing, it is rooted in traditions established well over a century ago with 5th generation tequila master Guillermo Erickson Sauza continuing in the family footsteps. Fortaleza is produced from estate grown, 100 per cent stone-milled agave. These agaves are cooked in a thick brick-walled oven for 36 hours, crushed and mixed with mountain water from Volcan de Tequila. The agave mosto is naturally fermented for five days in small wooden vats and double distilled in copper pot stills. I’m very lucky to be using Fortaleza Reposado in my cocktail, having been rested in oak for four months I wanted to showcase these soft vanilla oak/beeswax undertones from the ageing and play on the vegetal notes as well. A stir down drink is always best for this with some interesting ingredients to help make it pop.

WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE CITY/TOWN TO WORK IN AND WHY? Hands down I would have to say the city I’m in now, Hobart. Having been lucky enough to work in a few different cities now I can’t go past the lifestyle I have living down here. It has made my work as a bartender more enjoyable having a balanced work/family life and the produce that is at my doorstep is amazing.

The boundaries feel endless right now and the only thing that is stopping me from getting all the wonderful ideas I have in mind done is there is not enough hours in the day. But I feel as time goes on, I will have a lot to showcase from this wonderful city.

LIVING IN TASMANIA, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF THE BEST PRODUCE IN THE WORLD. WHAT’S AN INGREDIENT THAT YOU HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED AND ENJOY WORKING WITH? Honey! There is so much you can do with this sweet nectar in the terms of fermentations and down here a lot of different types of honey are harvested. For example, mead is endless to what flavours you can end up with. You can make very sweet to bone dry, and the magic that happens in the bottle over a year or two if you have the time to wait is something that cannot be made in a short period of time.

AS A BAR MANAGER, HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT IN THE GROWING F&B SCENE? I have a family now which makes it harder to get out to new places and being in Hobart I don’t get up to the mainland as often as I like. But nowadays with online resources and a good old book always keeps me up to date with the goings on.

Having younger staff where we both feed off each other and trying new things.

Never be afraid to go into the deep end and try something that is not what the rest of everyone else is doing.

SUSTAINABILITY IS A HOT TOPIC AT THE MOMENT. DO YOU FEEL THIS IS A CURRENT TREND OR A PRACTICE EVERY VENUE SHOULD INTEGRATE? I feel if it is practical with your venue, works for the business and is a practice that can be ongoing I give two green thumbs up!

YOU HAVE A TIME MACHINE, WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU BE TRANSPORTED TO AND WHY? 1930s all the way, I love my classics and it would have been a melting pot of amazing drinks, bartenders and bars to be around. Looking at London and the U.S. in particular but I would love to see the bars and pubs of Australia in that era too.

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FORTITUDE & HEART

By Dan Gregory INGREDIENTS: • 40ml Fortaleza Reposado Tequila • 20ml Off-Dry 5YO Madeira • 20ml Alpe genepy herbetet • 5ml Lacto-Fermented pineapple scented honey • 1 x Dash walnut bitters GARNISH: Orange disc and pineapple sphere METHOD: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and stir down well with ice. Strain over a large single rock of ice and place garnish on top GLASSWARE: Rocks

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DARREN LEANEY F

rom behind the bar at the Capitano in Melbourne’s Carlton, Darren tames the bold palate profile of the extremely bitter Fernet-Branca and creates the After Eight, inspired by After Dinner mints from childhood memories, and the golden age of home-entertaining.

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH FERNET-BRANCA. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION? I looked to make a slightly softer variation on a classic Stinger with an Italian bent. FernetBranca is such a wonderfully psychotic ingredient so, to my mind, requires bold flavours and lower alcohol levels to tame it.

I wanted to create something that anyone could make with ingredients that most bars have on hand and with products that can be easily substituted as well. A childhood memory growing up was when my parents had friends over for dinner a box of After Dinner mints would inevitably follow the coffee out.

Childhood memories are on-trend these days thanks to shows like Chef’s Table. I was inspired to combine the more fun FernetBranca with Cognac to create a bourgeois take on the After-Eight.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY? I was working in a factory doing an apprenticeship as a boilermaker when one Saturday night I got a call from a friend asking if I could pull a ‘glassie’ shift. I begrudgingly (hungover) accepted under the promise of as much Red Bull and Coopers Sparkling Ale as I

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could consume. Within the first half-hour I was completely sold. I was pretty much ready to walk away from my apprenticeship, however, stuck it out and worked weekends and the odd weeknight at the bar (Botanic Bar, ADL). Once I scraped my trade papers together, I started working full time in bars.

AT WHAT STAGE DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE F&B INDUSTRY? That fateful Saturday night all those years ago, just the feel and energy of the room was intoxicating. When you’re 19-years-old and out drinking and partying you never think about more than trying to get laid, shots, and trying to get laid. To see the choreographed mayhem that goes on behind the scenes, that whole swan effect, was super cool. Add to that, you’re part of creating memories and moments for people, even if I was picking up empties and sweeping up broken glass and ciggy butts.

It just felt like such a rewarding way to earn a living. Interacting with people having the best night of their lives is pretty cool. Once I started learning about cocktails and spirits and matching flavours, I fell quite fast down that rabbit hole. It’s an immensely rewarding feeling to see someone’s face and get a sense of their happiness when they taste something that they

deem right or delicious. So no matter how I’m doing that with either cocktails, wine, shots or whatever, it’s a feeling that I’ve not yet, and don’t think, I’ll ever tire.

SHARE WITH US THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE IN AUSTRALIA? Good - Creativity is absolutely insane at the moment with bartenders looking at using modern techniques and local, native ingredients to give some of the drinks coming out of Australia a true expression of terroir.

The inclusivity of the industry and willingness to share knowledge is also super good, and it keeps you pushing every day.

Bad - People not wanting to learn how to bartend and instead be creative. It’s all well and good to challenge flavour profiles and guests’ ideas about what works in drinks, but if you don’t have your head up to greet people as they arrive in your venue, come to work with the intention of making sure people feel better when they leave than they did when they came in, or pump out drinks and multitask like a mofo, then what’s the point?

Exciting - It’s such a clichéd answer, but the produce here is just outstanding, so it makes creating drinks more accessible than it should be.

AS A BAR MANAGER – HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT IN THE GROWING F&B SCENE? Try to travel as much as possible, read as much as possible, go out as much as possible, especially to new openings or places that you love. There is something about just being out and about that can be hugely inspiring. You have a different view of things when you’re not getting paid to be in a bar, watching who’s doing what and which bars are at the global forefront of the industry. The beauty of platforms like Instagram allows you to seek out an individual’s page and hear more about the exact preparations of their drinks.

GLOBALLY WHO INSPIRES YOU OR WHICH COUNTRY HAS A BAR SCENE YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN OR IMMERSE YOURSELF? I’d love to work in New York or San Francisco.

There are too many people and venues to name, but the crews at Sager + Wilde, Caffé Dante, Three Sheets and The Everleigh are all doing their bit to make the world a happier place!

WHAT’S NEXT FOR DARREN? Just keep my head down and push on at Capitano. I feel like looking too far ahead will mentally push you halfway out the door.

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AFTER EIGHT

By Darren Leaney INGREDIENTS: • 20ml Fernet-Branca • 20ml Branca Menta • 20ml Mancino Rosso Vermouth • 20ml Cognac METHOD: Stir over cubed ice and strain GLASSWARE: Rocks

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Darren in action

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F

rom Macca’s as a 14-year-old to Hot Tamale in Darwin, David Robinson ditched the office job in between to follow his dream working with great drinks and a relaxed vibe.

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH ARCHIE ROSE RYE MALT WHISKY? TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. I was pumped to be playing with Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky. A beautiful Aussie refined Rye Whisky, strong, but soft and subtle at the same time. I wanted to retain as much whisky as possible. I stole a house mango skin vermouth Anneliese Grazioli created for a cocktail competition she was competing in. It has amazing flavours of fermented mango, herbal notes and a meaty, savoury element, which plays well with the approachable fruity and spicy rye.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. I started my career in a fairly standard way by working at McDonald’s at 14 and 9 months. Honestly, I fell in love with the industry from there. It was a great training ground, structured, planned and organised. From there, I moved into cooking while studying at uni, ended up ditching uni to develop further in kitchens. I worked through literally all roles in hospitality, including working on the supplier side for CUB and Treasury Wine Estate, first in sales and then management. My role ended up being stuck at a desk sending out emails. I hated it and longed to be back working as a barista or in the bar, so I did.

DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM BAR. My dream bar depends on the day and time, but it’s pretty hard to beat having a couple of fish tacos and a margarita or two at Hot Tamale. My dream bar is anywhere with great drinks but unpretentious and relaxed.

IS THERE A NEW INGREDIENT YOU ARE WORKING WITH THAT YOU ENJOY? I’m not messing around with too many new ingredients at the moment, more going back at subtle variations and incorporating more of our awesome Australian wines into my drinks.

THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB? The best part is being able to see the development of the legends I get to work with every day. Not just the bar teams, but all the passionate team members I have who are busting their guts to do the best they can.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT BEHIND THE BAR? T25 has to be right up there, what an incredible honour.

YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT? Jesus, my whole 90s weren’t a highlight. Who am I kidding? The 90s were awesome.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS? Driven, passionate and focused.

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ARCHIE & A MAN GO

By David Robinson INGREDIENTS: • 50ml Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky • 20ml Housemade mango skin vermouth* • 15ml Mango ferment** • 2 x Drops Angostura Bitters or Wattleseed Bitters • 2 x Drops Xocolatl Mole Bitters & Wattleseed Bitters GARNISH: Express orange peel over the drink METHOD: Add all ingredients into a chilled mixing glass. Fill with ice. Stir to chill and strain GLASSWARE: Nick & Nora

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*MANGO SKIN VERMOUTH INGREDIENTS: • 1L Mango skin Lacto-Ferment • Neutral grape spirit (depends on ABV) • 75mg Wormwood • 1g Lime zest • 1g Lemon myrtle • 2g River mint • 2g Pepperberry • 100ml Agave nectar METHOD: Macerate ingredients in the fridge for five days. Fine strain and store in the fridge

**MANGO SKIN LACTO-FERMENT INGREDIENTS: • 4 x Fresh mango skins (with a little bit of flesh still on) • 200g Sugar • 15g Non-iodized salt • 1.5L Water METHOD: Place all ingredients into a bottle and put a balloon over the top with a tiny hole in it. Leave at Darwin room temperature for six days (26-28 degrees). Fine strain and store in the fridge for a further 14 days for a second ferment

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n a De n a n a Buch

A

fter making cabinets for bars around Melbourne, Dean Buchanan found his love for bartending and hospitality but nothing will get in the way of his ritualistic 45 minutes at the local barber at the end of a busy week.

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YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH TANGLIN GIN. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. Tanglin Gin represents the marriage of multiple cultures, just like Singapore. Utilising whole vanilla beans in the column during distillation creates a rich, harmonious, silky texture and an incredible mouthfeel. I wanted to create a highball style of drink that ties together multiple South-East Asian influences. By using ingredients that are simple and approachable within these cultures, they all come together to celebrate the flavour of Tanglin Gin. The passionfruit wine adds not only a delicious, bright flavour and acidity but employing local wildflower honey in the fermentation process, highlights some of the more floral notes in the gin. Rounded out by a rice blossom liqueur, the whole drink is then carbonated providing subtle minerality that accentuates the key botanicals, unripe green mango and the dried stems of the dendrobium orchid. YUM! TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. My parents worked in the hospitality industry for the majority of my life. During my cabinet making apprenticeship, our company built and installed a large number of bars and kitchens around Melbourne. I started to love and appreciate the aesthetics of venues and from there grew my love for the industry. I started my career in pubs and cocktail bars in London and eventually moved back to Australia to base myself in Perth.

IF YOU WEREN’T BARTENDING WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING? If I weren’t bartending I believe I’d find my calling as a chef. I cook at home four days a week and always manage to sneak into the Long Chim kitchen to throw together some noodles or fried rice. Accessing and learning the ins and outs of Thai culture and ingredients has opened my senses and palate to different ways of working with flavour, shaping the way I approach not only drinks but also the way that I cook.

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING AT JOINING THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION? Learn the basics of hospitality as a whole. I was lucky enough to be trained by talented professionals who I looked up to very early on in my career. Knowledge accessible through books is incredibly invaluable, so never stop reading and learning.

A positive attitude will also speak volumes for your dedication to the craft!

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE? As amazing as doing guest shifts all over the world is, I had one of the most incredible drinking experiences ever at Maybe Sammy in Sydney during Bar Week this year. Martin Hudak’s personality and skill behind the bar is outrageously entertaining.

Bubble machines, flashing disco lights, and Stefano on the microphone created an atmosphere I can only describe as world-class.

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO DRINK AFTER A LONG SHIFT? A very dry gin martini, which is usually consumed very quickly!

HOW DO YOU TREAT YOURSELF ON YOUR DAY OFF? I like to get my hair cut once a week. It’s something I’ve treated myself to for about four years now. Being able to sit down after a long week of work and have someone take care of you for 45 minutes is very relaxing. I also enjoy a meal out every now and then, but being able to chill out at home for 24 hours is equally as enjoyable. I’m getting older now and learning to appreciate the simpler things that keep me grounded.

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MERLION

By Dean Buchanan INGREDIENTS: • 25ml Tanglin Gin • 40ml Young passionfruit wine • 7.5ml Verjus • 10ml Rice blossom liqueur • 20ml Distilled shiso water GARNISH: Shiso leaf METHOD: Add all ingredients to a PET bottle and carbonate at 42 psi. Once carbonated pour 120ml into highball glass over an ice sphere GLASSWARE: Highball

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Elliot e o c s a P P

ascoe waxes lyrical about the thrill of being included in the T25, again, the highs of hitting a flow on a busy night behind the bar, and the inspiration derived from eating a Mango Weis Bar.

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CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT SLANE AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? The salient point of Slane for me is the same as anything I intend to put in my mouth - deliciosity.

Big, golden, boisterous and yet rounded – it is whiskey archetypally Irish in style.

Inspiration for this drink is a bit of a left turn from the normally hyper-convoluted-slash-pithily esoteric concepts I usually enjoy (with no small degree of intellectually onanistic, albeit genuine, joy). Simply put, I was sitting on an old tree stump after a walk in a small nature reserve, enjoying the sounds and smells of an Australian bush in springtime and taking quiet pleasure in watching the day pass by. I was thinking at the time, sitting there, how much I wanted a Mango Weiss Bar. I had the day off and decided to head into the bar to workshop this drink printed above, and I was eating the Weiss Bar and thinking ‘oh goddamn this is delicious’ and well the rest just fell into place.

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? Thank you! As always it is super-humbling to be included in a cohort that numbers a heaping handful of my biggest inspirations, mentors and people who give me pause to say ‘oh hot damn, that is awesome!’ in Australian hospitality. I decided around this time last year to move overseas. In Helsinki, I met a whole cast of colourful characters, made some great friends, and did a whole lot of walking in frozen forests. Due to circumstances, I moved back and was presented with the opportunity to open a bar with a good friend. Although none of the aforementioned really worked out according to plan, all were fantastic learning experiences for which I am grateful.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT/S OF YOUR CAREER? At the risk of becoming an even larger self-recursive parody of myself than I already am, I would have to say that there are many highlights. Each is important in their way. What I value most about this industry are those moments on busy nights, on a well with a good friend, when you hit that flow state and sling drinks,

chit-chat, punch dockets, and dance around each other. And in that frenetic lacuna of activity, revel in its euphoric energy.

YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH THE COCKTAIL COMPETITION SCENE IN AUSTRALIA, HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A COMPETITION? AND WHAT ARE THREE WORDS OF ADVICE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE COMPETITION ARENA? Read the criteria. Make tasty shit. Answer the question(s). Do not swear.

SHARE WITH US THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE IN AUSTRALIA. Definitely not going to dwell on the negative aspects on the scene, ain’t nobody got time for that in today’s increasingly depressing world. Rather, what I am enjoying at present is the change in the community I am seeing. More and more people are taking the time to take care of themselves. People are finding simple pleasures like making food at home, physical exercise, or hell, even drinking water on shift or not drinking altogether on shift. It is spiritually recharging to see members of the community doing things other than going to bars and smashing shot after shot on their days off, or getting tunnel vision around the industry in general. Instead, I see groups of people going rock-climbing, going for bushwalks, going for picnics. A lot of my friends are connecting, or re-connecting with art practices and hobbies that spark joy in their lives. That is one of the things that excites me about the current scene in Australia.

YOU HAVE A TIME MACHINE, WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU GO TO AND WHY? I have a time-machine, and in an H.G. Wells-ian cum Inspector Clouseau-esque string of comedic errors, I brain myself on the controls and am flung far into the future: far, far past the Anthropocene extinction we find ourselves in currently. Many millions of years post-time-of-writing, I would like to sit down by some alpine spring, drink the cool water, listen to whatever fauna has taken its place in post-sixth extinction Earth, lie down, and let the moss grow over me.

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THREE KINGDOMS

By Elliot Pascoe INGREDIENTS: • 50ml Mango-Rested Slane Irish Whiskey • 30ml Ginger verjus (acidulated) • 12.5ml Black cardamom syrup • 10ml Goats milk GARNISH: Mint Leaf METHOD: Carbonate and pour from PET Bottle GLASSWARE: Old Fashioned

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Elliot in action

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Emma Crisp E

l Grotto’s Emma Crisp talks about the people and places that have inspired her career and her passion for advocating women behind bars.

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YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE

seemed to pour out of everyone I met during

YOU’RE ALSO A PART OF LOLLA. FOR THOSE

A COCKTAIL WITH TIMBOON PORT EXPRESSION SINGLE MALT. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. While this Single Malt is only three years old, it modestly packs a ton of flavour due to the unique climate of Timboon in rural Victoria. With the hot days, cold nights and heavy rainfall, the American oak barrels work hard, breathing the whisky in an out of the wood to impart a strong note of vanilla and caramel on the nose, while notes of polished timber, red currant and spiced plums are also present within the mid palate - evidence of the ex-port barrel’s influence. I wanted to veer away from an old-fashioned style drink, so I drew influence from Timboon’s heritage. It was founded by owners of an ice cream factory, so I created a cocktail that was decadent and dessert worthy. I arrived at a fizz style drink with flavours of strawberry and pistachio complementing the vanilla notes with calamansi, and jasmine kombucha adding acidity and a slight floral quality to the cocktail.

that course. I then spent the next two to three months roaming around Europe to friend’s hometowns, the bars they worked at, as well as some of the most highly praised bars and restaurants in Europe. This only solidified my desire to move into the F&B industry when I arrived back home to Perth. Three years later and it’s still one of the most important (and best) moments in my life!

NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS COMMUNITY, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SHARE MORE DETAILS AND WHAT’S INVOLVED. LOLLA or Ladies Of Liquor & Larder Australia initially started up as a social/professional booze-hag network for all the amazing women that were passionate about the hospitality industry in Perth. Be it bartender, chef, sommelier, blogger, photographer, musician, designer, there was no bias! I was super lucky to work with the girls on the design of the brand and opening events/promotions.

Since then, it really has developed into this supportive community of women that run events, network and generally help boost the education and confidence of women in hospitality all over Perth.

AT WHAT STAGE DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE F&B INDUSTRY? After a particularly bad breakup, I left for Europe (surprise!). I chose to do it a bit differently, however, and started a four-week bartending course in Barcelona because, to be honest, it sounded like a good time. What I didn’t realise was how well I would take to the training on spirits, numerous cocktail recipes and overall passion for the industry that

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE? After meeting Ivy Mix during the Australian Speedrack Nationals last year, I would probably say it would have to be at her bar ‘Leyenda’ in Brooklyn, NYC. She’s such a bad-ass bartender with a sharp sense of humour and passion for all spirits, but particularly that of Latin origin.

Having developed a love for agave myself at El Grotto, this would be an amazing experience for sure!

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN THE INDUSTRY? My biggest influence would probably have to be my first bar team at Bobeche. These guys have been my role models and my go-to guys for everything bar and cocktail related for the last two years, even when we all moved onto other venues. They really have been key to helping me navigate the ins and outs of the industry, especially with the work/life balance and expectations of being a professional bartender. Shoutout to those boys!

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO LEAVE YOUR LEGACY ON THIS INDUSTRY? Even though the bar scene and industry in general is making huge strides in female advocacy, I find that a lot of women still lack the confidence in themselves when it comes to bartending. I’ve found that I’ve had a strong desire to push the girls at work and in LOLLA to better themselves as bartenders through guidance and education. It’s so satisfying to see a girl supersede the expectations of herself and of those around her when she wins a competition or receives a positive comment from a customer at work. Knowing how much the talented bartender babes around the world have influenced me to get to where I am, I’d love to be one of those strong, positive and inspiring women in the future.

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TIMBOOCH HOOCH

By Emma Crisp INGREDIENTS: • 45ml Timboon Port Expression Single Malt • 40ml Jasmine kombucha • 20ml Egg white • 15ml Pistachio orgeat • 15ml Citrus (2:1 lemon to calamansi) • 1 x Bsp. Strawberry Champagne conserve GARNISH: Pistachio Tuille METHOD: Dry shake all ingredients except for Jasmine kombucha. Hard wet shake and double strain into ceramic cup. Top with kombucha GLASSWARE: Ceramic cup

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B

earing a resemblance to the famous Matthew McConaughey, Bulletin Place’s, Evan Stroeve feels inspired to work with Wild Turkey’s Longbranch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, developed by the actor and Master Distiller, Eddie Russell.

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CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WILD TURKEY LONGBRANCH AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? Longbranch is the hero whiskey of my doppelgänger Matthew McConaughey.

It works well with most berry fruits and strawberries are humming right now. A touch of sherry, some cold-pressed strawberry and caramelised cream. Banger!

I’d take this one home to Mum. WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? I’ve taken over the reins at Bulletin Place. It’s pretty humbling being entrusted to run one of the countries most successful cocktail bars. With the help of my incredible team, I feel like we’ve lifted and brought a new life to the venue.

YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH THE COCKTAIL COMPETITION SCENE IN AUSTRALIA; HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A COMPETITION? AND WHAT ARE THREE WORDS OF ADVICE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE COMPETITION ARENA? Honestly, the only piece of advice is to follow the criteria to a tee. When you start asking how the judges can take marks away from you, the whole process becomes simple.

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE? Little Texas in Tokyo. Google it. It looks sick! But more seriously, Attaboy (New York). It’s still the best cocktail bar in the world, in my eyes.

WHAT’S THE BEST PRACTICAL JOKE YOU’VE PULLED OR FALLEN VICTIM TO? We ice each other pretty regularly at Bulletin. If you’ve not heard of ‘icing’, you hide Smirnoff Ice in different places and whoever finds it has to put it away. I’ve got cash drawer, behind back bar bottles, first aid box. Pretty sure we iced the lady who came to restock the bandages.

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STRAWBERRY HILLS

By Evan Stroeve INGREDIENTS: • 35ml Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky Straight Bourbon • 10ml Seppeltsfield Aged Flor Apera • 20ml Caramelised cream • 15ml Strawberry syrup • 15ml Fresh lemon juice • 10ml Aquafaba • Top with soda GARNISH: Strawberry dust METHOD: Reverse dry shake and fine strain GLASSWARE: Fizz glass

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“TOGETHER, WE MADE MY FAVORITE BOURBON ON THE PLANET” M AT T H E W M C C O N A U G H E Y

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ulti-award winning bartender, Hayden Lambert aspired to be behind a bar since watching Tom Cruise flip a few shakers in the 1980s cinema classic, ‘Cocktail’. Today, he co-owns venture ‘Above Board’, lauded as one of the top 100 best bars in the world and Time Out’s Cocktail Bar of the Year 2018.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WEST WINDS AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? Well, I couldn’t wait to get into their latest release of award-winning Wild Plum Gin. It is incredibly complex and honeyed with a zesty citrus finish.

I was inspired to use West Winds Plum Gin to make a refreshing highball, adding a couple of Above Board twists to the drink while staying true to the flavour profile of the gin.

SO THIS IS YOUR RETURN TO THE T25. IN THE PAST YEAR, WHAT’S HAPPENED PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY? It has been a big year. 2018 saw Above Board make the top 100 bars in the world.

Time Out crowned it Cocktail Bar of the Year 2018. At the Australian Bartender Awards, we won Small Bar of the Year in both 2018 and 2019. Above Board was awarded an interior design commendation. We also hosted several memorable and fun take-overs, and we did a pop up at Scout in London back in January. On a personal level, my wife and I celebrated ‘big’ birthdays and had a few cool trips to the UK and Ireland and here within Australia. It truly has been an action-packed and eventful year, and it’s been amazing watching our dreams come true.

IS THERE A NEW INGREDIENT YOU HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH? I recently discovered Australian Alpine Mint. We have been doing some experiments with it to test its uses so we hope to have it in some drinks in the future.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR TEENAGE SELF? Don’t apologise for being yourself!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING TO JOIN THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION? Find the place and style of venue that best suits you and will give you the best chance of achieving what it is you want or need.

Learn the basics, for example, crawl before you start to run, read books and study. Just remember that what you see on Instagram is not the real world.

Communicate and share information, it’s the best way to learn, to grow and to be better at what you do.

YOU HAVE A TIME MACHINE, WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU BE TRANSPORTED TO AND WHY? 1988. Cocktail, the movie, had just been released and 10-year-old me decided that bartending was something I would love to do. I would have loved to work in the bars that a lot of my bartending mentors called the ‘glory days’, with lots of flair, shoulder pads, bad haircuts, no mobile phones, smoky bars and drinks with terrible names and of course, Midori was king.

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B.G. EXPERIENCE

By Hayden Lambert INGREDIENTS: • 35mls Westwinds Wild Plum Gin • 15mls Japanese peach liqueur • 25mls Fresh lime juice • 7.5mls Sugar syrup (2:1) • 1 x Dash orange bitters • Top with soda water METHOD: Build over ice GLASSWARE: Highball

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WILD PLUM GIN

LIMITED EDITION WHILE STOCKS LAST AVAILABLE AT: THEWESTWINDSGIN.COM

For information call 1800 225 417 or orders@stalex.com.au @thewestwindsgin

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YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH BACARDÍ. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR LEGACY DRINK. The drink itself came about as a flavour pairing I threw together in the speed round of the Bartender of the Year exam in 2018. I had some really positive feedback on the pairing of mandarin and basil. As I used BACARDÍ in that drink, it seemed fitting that when I went through to the finals of BACARDÍ Legacy on the back of my BOTY win, I used that cocktail as inspiration. Some polishing and finetuning were required, but really, it’s essentially the same cocktail that I threw together in under two minutes under incredible pressure!

As for the inspiration behind the drink’s message, that was something I became passionate about the more I delved into it and explored the concept.

Championing women in not only our industry but any profession is something that you might not think is important until it is. Challenges I have faced in the industry for my gender or appearance have been too many to count. If I can empower anyone to stand up for their rights and equality then maybe they won’t go through the shit I, and so many women I know, have over the years!

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? I took on my dream role within the Swillhouse Group as the Group Beverage Director. I get to work in all the venues and help the staff develop drinks, cocktail lists and standard of service. It’s something I’ve worked for a long time to achieve, and I’m pretty excited about the future. Most days, I am in one of the five Swillhouse venues. I still get to make drinks five days a week while overseeing venue operations and pushing the envelope with how great they can be!

YOU WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE VENUES WITHIN THE SWILLHOUSE GROUP PORTFOLIO, ARE YOU DRAWN TO A PARTICULAR VENUE? IF SO, WHY? The beauty of working across multiple venues is that it gives me so many different creative outlets. Instead of working in one type of venue 100 per cent of the time, I have the opportunity to do fine-dining one day, cocktail bar the next, and get geeky into spirits the next. Each day is different,

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and each venue gives me the chance to exercise a different aspect of hospitality service and keep me sharp across the board.

So in short, I love all of them, it’s like having five different bar team families to learn from and hang out with.

GLOBALLY WHO INSPIRES YOU OR WHICH COUNTRY HAS A BAR SCENE YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK AND IMMERSE YOURSELF? Realistically, I could pick anywhere on the globe and find a rich and inspiring bar scene that I could learn so much from. The more I get the opportunity to travel around the world, the more I’ve found inspiration and cocktail scenes in places I’d never have imagined. For instance, Las Vegas never struck me as a place with a burgeoning craft cocktail scene, but I left inspired by the innovation and passion behind the couple of bars I visited. I would never have found that or thought of being inspired by casino bars without getting the chance to see it first hand.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO LEAVE YOUR LEGACY ON THIS INDUSTRY? I stand by the idea of championing others to push themselves further through the process of self-empowerment. If I’m out there kicking ass and being an example; standing up for what I believe in; not settling for second best or not good enough; showing people it’s okay to not be perfect and mentally well all the time; I feel that speaks volumes, more than just preaching about ideals of wellness and health (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

I don’t know if I will be leaving anything close to a legacy behind. That might be a bit of a stretch. But if I can help others find the confidence in themselves, I lacked for so long that’d be pretty cool.

IF SOMEONE WROTE A COMIC BOOK ABOUT YOU, HOW WOULD THAT LOOK? I’ve done most of the work for them, I’m a walking, talking anime character (or at least that’s how I like to see myself).

I would definitely have a cape, and I would also have Turd (my cat) as my trusty sidekick who would also have a cape.

The rest would be pretty boring, to be honest, but I’d have lots of costume changes.

J

enna Hemsworth is passionate about women’s rights and equality.

She strives to send this important message through the drinks she creates as Group Beverage Director at the Swillhouse Group, her dream job.

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THE MONARCH

By Jenna Hemsworth INGREDIENTS: • 45ml BACARDÍ Carta Blanca • 15ml Dom Benedictine • 30ml Mandarin juice • 20ml Fresh lime juice • 1 x Peel of one mandarin • 8 x Basil leaves GARNISH: Garnish with a young basil sprig METHOD: Shake all ingredients hard to properly infuse the peel and release the basil oils. Double strain into glass GLASSWARE: Coupette glass

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Jenna in action

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B:34.5” (69”) T:33.5” (67”) V:32.772” (65.544”) S:32.5” (65”)

DRINKS LIVE PASSIONATELY. DRINK RESPONSIBLY. ©2018. BACARDÍ, ITS TRADE DRESS, AND THE BAT DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS OF BACARDÍ & COMPANY LIMITED. RUM - 40% ALC./VOL.

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essica Arnott is the ‘Lord of Liquor’ at Tiny’s Liquor Emporium in Perth’s CBD. Tired of the reputation Jägermeister has developed as a mixer for Red Bull, she has taken this unique amaro and developed the sophisticated Wednesday Cobbler cocktail.

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YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH JÄGERMEISTER. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. Jägermeister gets a bit of a bad wrap from its previous life as a not-soresponsibly consumed BFF with ol’ Red Bull, but really, for a group of people as obsessed with amaro as bartenders, we should be taking a second look. It’s complex and rich with a charming, warming spice profile. I’ve been vibing on blackberry recently, and as a general rule, I put sherry in almost everything, so I just tried to create a smashable cobbler with some acid and dryness to balance out the sweetness in the Jägermeister.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. By the time I finished high school, I had been working in cafes on the weekends for a couple of years already. I was not keen on university at all, so hospitality seemed like a natural choice. Due to some very cool parents, I had been frequenting Sydney institution The Bayswater Brasserie (RIP!) since I was a toddler and the manager took a chance on me. I was eighteen and working with a great team that included Naren Young and a teeny-tiny Charlie Ainsbury.

It was an amazing and inspiring start to my career.

YOU’RE A COOK, BARTENDER AND EX MASTERCHEF CONTESTANT – IF YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE LIQUOR OR FOOD, WHAT WOULD IT BE? That’s a horrible predicament to ponder! Professionally I would choose liquor.

I love that you’ll never finish learning and I love the camaraderie of the bar industry. I’m better at front of house to back of house, plus I still get a creative outlet through flavour. I still love food and cooking has improved my drink making a lot, it will always be a massive part of my professional life, but I prefer to keep it as a side hobby than my every day.

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING AT JOINING THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION? When you work with talented people, watch them like a hawk and be a complete sponge for everything they do well. Study their every move and emulate it. Also, go to every training that you get access to. We are so lucky in this industry that spirit brands provide us with so much free training. I know it might suck to give up your day off, but not only will you learn new skills and be inspired, it’s fantastic for networking and the more you are seen at these events, the more opportunities will flow your way.

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE? Look, I wouldn’t say no to travelling anywhere to work with anyone. Any opportunity to travel and learn is a good one. I spent ages trying to think of fancy overseas bars to say, but deep down, my inside voice keeps saying “Dominion League. Get Dominion League back together. DOMINION. LEAGUE.” This now-closed bar in Perth was my spiritual home and my favourite place I’ve ever worked. It made me fall back in love with bartending after being out of it for a while. Hell, let’s get the band back together and take it on the road.

DOMINION ON TOUR! WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO DRINK AFTER A LONG SHIFT? Mid strength sour beers and shots of brown liquor!

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WEDNESDAY COBBLER

By Jessica Arnott INGREDIENTS: • 25ml Jägermeister • 25ml Barbadillo Amontillado sherry • 25ml Blackberry verjus shrub • 2 x Dash salted wattleseed and vanilla bitters GARNISH: Two blackberries and rosemary flowers METHOD: Add all ingredients to a julep cup, fill with crushed ice and churn well. Top with more crushed ice, garnish and serve GLASSWARE: Metal julep tin

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Jessica in action

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Joseph Chisholm 106 °

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he Boom Boom Room in Brisbane is all about the best live music and the best cocktails. Joseph Chisholm is responsible for delivering the latter. Expect to get a little of his current favourite ingredient, kombucha, thrown in.

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH BELVEDERE. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. I’m using Belvedere Smogory Forest. This is a single estate rye based vodka. It has a beautiful mouth feel with hints of pepper spice and berry notes.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. I started ten years ago working as a function waiter in a winery. I’ve spent some time overseas in the UK working in five-star hotels as a room service attendant and butler.

YOU’RE CURRENTLY WORKING AT THE BOOM BOOM ROOM TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE VENUE. We are a basement cocktail lounge that has an aviation theme set in the basement of an old bank. We have live music and some of the best cocktails in town!

IS THERE ARE NEW INGREDIENT YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH? I love using kombucha! It offers an amazing ability to add sourness and funkiness to my cocktails.

BEST PART OF YOUR JOB? Working with some of the best in the business! I love working with Aaron Clark and Adam Meredith.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT BEHIND THE BAR? Hosting Salvatore Calabrese at The Boom Boom Room.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS. Passionate. Creative. Loud.

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BOOCHI BERRY

By Joseph Chisholm INGREDIENTS: • 40ml Belvedere Single Estate Rye Vodka Smogory Forest • 15ml Raspberry and Champagne sugar • 15ml Aperol • 25ml Fresh lemon juice • 15ml Egg white • 45ml Rose and berry kombucha GARNISH: Davidson plum dust METHOD: Dry shake all ingredients apart from the kombucha. Wet shake without kombucha. Strain into fizz glass and top with ice and kombucha GLASSWARE: Fizz glass

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Joseph in action

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TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT BELVEDERE AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? It’s everything you want in a vodka; clean and textural, lending a great base to cocktails and great on its own.

I wanted to do very little to the vodka to showcase its texture and subtle floral notes.

Also reading up on the Lake Bartezek region where the rye grain for this single estate release comes from, inspired me to create a warm cocktail. The region is known for long, cold and snowy winters.

within seconds pull up articles about the bar, the bartender, or the technique and be pretty across all of it very quickly.That doesn’t take away from the need to go out and experience these things, but it certainly takes the pressure off having to be out all the time. I’m getting too old for that (laughs).

HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE YOUR TEAM? I’m lucky to work with some amazingly passionate younger team members. They’re all relatively fresh and still have a lot to learn to develop a long-term career. This is great for me as I love to pass on knowledge and skills.

Being in an environment where they’re learning from me and loving it is hugely satisfying for both myself and the team. They are great sponges for information.

parts of the country, all creating new trends and consumer interest. For me it’s got to be focused around the customer experience.

The longer I’m behind the bar, the more I appreciate that the best and most successful people in our industry aren’t just making great drinks but are the best at hosting and interacting with people.

You can rotovap, ferment or milk wash whatever you want but if it can’t be used in a tasty drink and delivered to the customer in a warm and friendly way, what’s the point? My favourite bartenders are the ones who are the best at hosting and giving the guest an amazing experience. It’s something that a lot of bartenders miss, but it’s also something that Australian’s, in particular, have a natural affinity for.

AS A VENUE MANAGER – HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT IN THE GROWING F&B SCENE? I’ve been around for a while now so staying current is more about adding to my knowledge base as opposed to having to build it entirely from scratch.

With access to the internet and social media it has made life easy when it comes to staying on top of everything. I can see a post from a new bar about a new cocktail technique and

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SHARE WITH US THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE IN AUSTRALIA. Everything is moving at lightspeed when it comes to bar innovation. There are so many things going on right now in so many different

SUSTAINABLY IS A HOT TOPIC AT THE MOMENT. DO YOU FEEL IT’S A TREND OR PRACTICE HERE TO STAY? For me sustainability is just a catchphrase for what kitchens have been doing for many years, making the most out of everything and being smart about how you use ingredients to get the most value out of the investment you put into purchasing them. Sure it’s been brushed with a modern concern for the environment, but at the end of the day, it will benefit your bottom line. It doesn’t take much to be smart about a lot of these things, but it does take some thought process and skill to make it tasty and something worthwhile for guests.

One of my pet hates is seeing “sustainable” ingredients that have a negative effect on the guest experience either through low quality of flavour delivery or bartenders just using something to say it’s sustainable when another product would do a far better job. The bars and bartenders doing it well are the ones who are smart enough to know when to re-use or up-cycle an ingredient and when to let it go and put it in the recycling, compost or trash.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR JOE? If I knew I’d tell you. There’s always stuff going on in the background, but I’m pretty focused at the moment continuing to build Halford and the team into their full potential.

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oseph Sinagra is the venue manager at the Halford Bar in Perth. He enjoys the cocktail innovation boom but has been around for long enough to know nothing beats good old fashioned service when it comes to impressing your customer.

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PROSTY

By Joseph Sinagra INGREDIENTS: • 60ml Belvedere Single Estate Lake Bartezek Vodka • 15ml Spiced honey syrup • 20ml Hot water GARNISH: Star anise pod METHOD: Combine the vodka, honey and hot water. Stir to combine and then pour warm into a cocktail glass GLASSWARE: Nick & Nora

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Kayla Grigoriou 114 °

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ayla Grigoriou decided two years ago that bartending was for her. Coming from a winemaking family, she has an innate knowledge of combining just the right ingredients to create great drinks behind Bar Torino in Adelaide.

YOU WERE CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH HENNESSY. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. Hennessy was a brilliant spirit to work with, it has depth of flavour with loads of soft caramel, spice and vanilla. I knew I wanted to play off the spice and vanilla character of Hennessy and delve into the delicious undercurrent of flavours. My inspiration comes from Hennessy’s push to continue to develop and reinvigorate the brand. Hennessy appeals to all ages, as I am hoping my cocktail will too!

AT WHAT POINT DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE F&B INDUSTRY? I started in the industry as most people do during uni as a part-time job. But I grew to love it more so than the job I got from university. I’m naturally a creative person with a tendency for OCD and that works perfectly in this job, but not so much an office job. I think I started to take my role at Bar Torino seriously about two years ago.

SUSTAINABILITY IS A HOT TOPIC AT THE MOMENT. DO YOU SEE THIS AS A TREND OR A PRACTICE THAT SHOULD REMAIN AND EVERY BAR SHOULD IMPLEMENT? Absolutely. I think sustainability is beyond important; it is crucial. We should not only be looking at how we can implement sustainable practices in our venues but also in our everyday lives. As an industry with a large amount of waste and influence, we should be vocal about how our venues implement certain practices. At the end of the day it’s about learning, educating and enabling others in our industry and our community.

WHAT TRENDS CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE? There has been a massive non-alcoholic and low alcoholic trend develop I expect will last for some while.

Leaning from this is the use of more sherry, vermouth and wine in cocktails. I also think the pairing of drinks and food is going to be another big thing, much like the European style of drinking.

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE? Tough… can I pick two?

1. Ryan Chetiyawardana – Mr Lyan 2. Jillian Vose – Dead Rabbit WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN THE INDUSTRY? If I’m looking on a global scale, I would say the team at Bar Nightjar. I love the creativity and unusual ingredients that they use in their cocktails. To me, I also liked the idea of communicating with farmers about produce – this is something they like to push.

I’d also say Ryan Chetiyawardana – his team and group push this idea of sustainability and that hits close to home for me. It is also not just drinks focused but as a whole, drinks, food, service, creativity, implementation, management. Everything!

Closer to home, my biggest influence would be my dad!

He is exceptionally hard-working and creative in his work.

He is also a vintner and winemaker, where a lot of my inspiration comes from. Using the land and produce we have available to us to create something delicious!

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HENNY SPRITZ

By Kayla Grigoriou (serves five) INGREDIENTS: • 240ml Hennessy VS Cognac • 150ml Banana & cacao nib syrup • 120ml Coconut water • 120ml Fresh lemon Juice • 120ml Fresh lime juice • 240ml Milk GARNISH: Banana & cacao nib crisp using leftover banana and cacao nib from syrup METHOD: Add all ingredients together, allow to curdle overnight, filter all through. Using a carbo-rig, spritz the serve GLASSWARE: Wine glass

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Kayla in action

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M

ichael Chiem at PS40 is seeing a new lease of life with the revised lockout laws in Sydney and reveals news of a new drinking area opening up at the venue.

Watch this space!

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT BLACK TEARS AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? Black Tears dry spiced crafted with Cuban rum, is a rum with coffee being at the forefront of the profile. Coffee and caramel has always been one of my favourite combinations and is the main inspiration for this cocktail. What’s also interesting about Black Tears is it’s low in sugar, with only 9 grams per litre.

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25. WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT OF THE LAST YEAR? Taking PS40 to the next stage! We’re three years into our lifespan. It’s easy to be complacent but with the help of our tight knit core team we’re constantly pushing and driving the bar to do cool and delicious things. It’s nice to see us ‘mature’ as a venue.

WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST THING YOU’VE DONE ON A DARE? I’ve once comp’d a bill and when there was push back from my friend to pay I cut her credit card in half!

IN PREVIOUS EDITIONS YOU SHARED YOUR STORY ON HOW YOU ARE BLACKLISTED FROM GOLDEN CENTURY. WORD IS THEY ARE OPENING A NEW RESTAURANT – WILL WE SEE A REPEAT PERFORMANCE? All rumours! And I can’t wait to go to the new place!

YOU’RE A SUPPORTER IN THE QUEST FOR THE LOCKOUT LAWS TO BE REVIEWED. HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW THAT THE LAWS HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY LIFTED AND HOW WILL IT HELP YOUR BUSINESS? It’s great to see that they are being lifted! The more people drinking well and drinking in great venues the better. Hopefully we can encourage a healthy and late nightlife to revitalise the city.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR MICHAEL AND PS40?

Our soda production has now moved off site so we are working on designing a new drink space in that blank space at PS40. We’re keeping our cards close to our chest but very excited for something new!

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PEAR AND PRALINE

By Michael Chiem INGREDIENTS: • 45ml Black Tears Spiced Rum • 20ml Pear and praline • 20ml Verjus • 5ml Chardonnay vinegar GARNISH: Thinly sliced pear METHOD: Shake and fine strain GLASSWARE: Short glass

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M

illie Tang’s heart is with a camera but she discovered the art of bartending on the path to pursuing photography and eight years in, is a dab hand at creating delicious cocktails.

TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. St-Germain is a French liqueur infused with elderflowers handpicked during a once-a-year harvest in late Spring. They are romantic, delicate, light and delicious. I created a simple, low ABV cocktail that reflected my interpretation of the aesthetics of the spirit and brand. Think a mood board with sun-drenched European Spring afternoons, fruit picnics, citrus-forward desserts and white fish lunches in St-Tropez. The Printemps Pleaser could find itself at home amongst any of these situations.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. I started bartending eight years ago at a live music piss-slinger in Brisbane, smashing out VCRs so that I could utilise my days to pursue photography. It was so much fun, and I was pretty unambitious at the time.

A friend of mine lied about my experience to get me a job at Press Club two years later. I didn’t know the difference between Scotch and Bourbon or my ass from a Mojito but had the best in the game helping me, training me and teaching me. My biggest motivation to stay in hospitality has been the people you meet and work with. I really can’t think of any industry that has the same amount of creative, real, badass individuals like this one.

WHAT’S A NEW INGREDIENT YOU’VE DISCOVERED RECENTLY? Maybe not a new ingredient but the idea of taste first in terms of cocktails. Sometimes working for large groups, where the bulk of my experience has been, can restrain you to working with specific products and ingredients because of pour agreements and cost-effectiveness, that and shaking off the good old spirit, flavour modifier, citrus and sugar equation.

WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN INDUSTRY? Steen Jones for showing me The Way of the Hustle.

SUSTAINABILITY - TREND OR PRACTICE? I find questions like this hard to answer as I think opinions can differ purely based on individual interpretations of the language used. What is trend? How do you define trend? It’s the same with sustainability. Too often I’ve found myself half an hour deep in a discussion about a topic only to discover that we are arguing two different arguments based on the fact we define the language differently.

The transmogrification of these words can make meaningful and effective discussion difficult and frustrating. In terms of zero-waste programs, plasticuse limitation and recycling, I believe that every bit counts. A movement that arrives to effect positive and healthy change will become the norm and eventually improved upon. We will never go back to using the type of plastic we did, the way we once did. We will never go back to mixing general waste and cardboard unless science develops a way for these practices to be better and healthier than our practices now.

PHOTOGRAPHY OR BARTENDING? Photography. Like many who came before me, I don’t wish to be behind the stick forever. I also don’t have any set career goals, I still have no idea what I want to do, so I’m trying everything. I started in a nightclub, moved on to speed cocktail service, VIP floor management, dive bar, opened a venue, ran a venue and closed a venue, took a shot at cocktail competitions and am now focusing on photography within the industry. To stay motivated I mostly concentrate on lifestyle goals - independent financial security, lots of travel, the opportunity to teach/help others and regular creative and personal improvement. As long as I’m achieving these things while doing something that I find enjoyable and challenging, I’m set.

WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN INDUSTRY? I always admire those that possess the qualities I lack or find hard to maintain. Salvatore Calabrese has always been someone I admire for his service, his career success and dedication to the stick. And I recently had the pleasure of meeting him.

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PRINTEMPS PLEASER

By Millie Tang INGREDIENTS: • 20ml St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur • 30ml Roasted almond fino sherry • Blended tea soda (English Breakfast, chamomile, Earl Grey) • Small scoop of lemon myrtle sorbet GARNISH: Lemon myrtle leaf METHOD: Shake and top with sorbet and soda GLASSWARE: Cocktail flute and skinny dessert spoon

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1000 fresh, wild, handpicked elderflowers in every bottle.

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N

ick Corletto is the venue manager at Maybe Mae and finds inspiration in his Italian roots for his Disaronno-based cocktail, Stefano di Milano.

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CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT DISARONNO AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? Disaronno originated in the Saronno area of Italy, and the HQ is currently in the middle of Milan. I decided to draw inspiration from the district and history of my ancestor’s hometown, and the ingredients are a reflection of the surrounding culture.

WELCOME BACK TO T25. IN THE PAST YEAR, WHAT’S HAPPENED PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY? I couldn’t be more thankful! I’ve recently taken the reins as venue manager for Maybe Mae. I’m trying to find the right balance between professional life and personal life. It’s incredibly important for great results to hit that balance.

IS THERE A NEW INGREDIENT YOU HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH? I’m finding the right application of lactic fermentation to be quite interesting at the moment. It’s probably popping up everywhere right now, but I’m trying to keep my head on straight with it and not just chuck it into every drink concept. It provides great aromatic qualities. As long as it’s used correctly and sparingly, it supports other ingredients by giving them greater punctuation.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR TEENAGE SELF? It’s okay not to go to university. Save yourself that HECS debt and allow yourself to pursue what you want to pursue.

Don’t juggle everything and then drop all the pins.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING TO JOIN THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION? Seek something new, push yourself and always ask questions. If you stop learning, seek a place that will challenge you. Conversely, anyone who supports you and wants to nurture your thirst for knowledge should see the fruits of your creativity. It’s never silly to push new ideas or concepts forward. We all raise the bar together.

YOU HAVE A TIME MACHINE, WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU BE TRANSPORTED BACK TO AND WHY? The 80’s. I could demolish a couple of Cosmos. That said, I feel a time machine has far nobler uses!

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STELLA DI MILANO

By Nick Corletto INGREDIENTS: • 30ml Disaronno Liqueur • 15ml Rue infused Grappa • 40ml Fig leaf infused clarified milk • 12.5ml Acid Modified Spent Verdelho GARNISH: Almond bread METHOD: Combine ingredients into a batch bottle if desired, otherwise measure out ingredients and stir down over ice; strain into chilled coupette and serve with almond bread GLASSWARE: Coupette

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Nick tesar B

ehind the bar at Bar Liberty is where Nick Tesar is creating and pouring his brand of cocktails using seasonal and fresh produce. His knowledge of flavour was borne from childhood in the home kitchen sharing the cooking.

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YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH MICHTER’S. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION. The Michter’s range of whiskey is consistently delicious.

With the non-age statement range incredibly accessible in terms of price as well. The Rye (the whiskey I have been tasked with using here) is consistently on my back bar due to its peppery, toasted rye bread nose.

DESCRIBE THE MOMENT YOU FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH FLAVOURS. I was lucky to grow up in a family where fresh produce and getting involved in the kitchen were big parts of our week. I loved cooking (and eating) for a long time before I was interested in mixing drinks. The flavour in alcohol and liquids was a natural progression.

WHAT DRIVES YOUR PASSION AND MOTIVATION FOR THIS INDUSTRY? I love seasonal and fresh produce and getting the most out of what is available and at its best, furthermore being creative and finding means of preserving consistent flavours year-round. We can educate consumers on how to do this but also steer drinkers to have a little bit of something better as opposed to a lot of something not so good.

GLOBALLY WHO INSPIRES YOU OR WHICH COUNTRY HAS A BAR SCENE YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN OR IMMERSE YOURSELF? The Japanese market. The simplicity and clarity of flavour is a thing of beauty.

IT’S NEARLY EVERY BARTENDER’S DREAM TO OWN A BAR. DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VENUE. Definitely a pub. It’s a venue anyone can walk in and feel comfortable. Also you have the opportunity to shape an experience for someone who isn’t necessarily expecting it, but at the same time, will appreciate it even more.

IF YOU HAD A TIME MACHINE WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU GO TO? I am happy with where we are now. We have the knowledge and learning of past generations and with that the ability to create our golden age, not the same as previous eras, but more shaping future drinking trends and production.

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BAXTER

By Nick Tesar INGREDIENTS: • 30ml Michter’s US 1 Single Barrel Rye Whiskey • 20ml Cynar • 10ml Marionette dry cassis GARNISH: Lemon twist METHOD: Stir and strain GLASSWARE: Nick & Nora

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CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT SAILOR JERRY AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? Sailor Jerry is spiced rum inspired by the rum rations drunk by naval sailors throughout history. Spices were often added to their rum rations to smoothen the flavour. Working with the round vanilla midpalate and lifted cinnamon/clove high notes of this Caribbean spiced rum, I wanted to create a savoury, rich yet refreshingly light ABV swizzle.

AS A VENUE OWNER, HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT IN THE GROWING F&B SCENE? I think you can only really stay in front if you are sticking to your mission statement. You need to have faith and confidence that it is one of longevity. As long as you are continually moving in a direction, improving every day, and avoiding complacency, then you should succeed long term. You should be hyper-aware of the industry around you, but emulating that exactly, really just puts you behind the pack from day one.

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING TO OPEN A NEW VENUE IN ADELAIDE? Know your market. When we opened Maybe Mae over five years ago, there was no real cocktail scene.

If we had of opened with the same level of drink concept/ambition as we have now, we wouldn’t have survived. It takes time, patience and long-term consistency to establish trust here, but when you have it, the opportunities are pretty great.

WHAT’S ONE SIMPLE CHANGE A BAR CAN MAKE TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF BECOMING MORE SUSTAINABLE? It’s about education and learning where the big areas of carbon output are occurring in your business.

Throwing out your straws is a great start but there

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are so many other things we can be doing to greater reduce our footprint. Talk to your produce supplier about where stuff is actually coming from and design your menu around that. Swap out your Edison bulbs for LED’s for example. Every venue faces slightly different variables, so there isn’t a direct prescription for all.

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS IS GROWING MORE PREVALENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. AS A VENUE OWNER, HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR STAFF’S WELLBEING? A super important talking point at the moment, and I am very glad it is finally a talking point, another one of those ‘not black and white’ subjects. I think as long as you care for your staff as people and not utensils, you will end up doing what is required to maintain wellbeing. What is a once-a-month coffee with one person, might be the odd phone call for another, might be professional therapy for another. Keep on the pulse, make sure you are allowing for adequate downtime and promote a healthy work-place culture. Should be simple right?

WHAT ARE THE MOST EXCITING CHANGES YOU’RE SEEING IN THE ADELAIDE BAR SCENE? The obvious one is the small bar license (six years ago) that led to a huge amount of high-quality venues opening up providing many specialised and general drinking/eating options. That coupled with rent, has attracted some really fantastic operators both locally and domestically. I think we have one of the fastest emerging quality hospitality scenes for our population in the world. It is such a great time to live here and see it unfold.

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llie Margan pioneered the cocktail bar scene in Adelaide when he opened Maybe Mae in the West End. You will find it tucked away in the basement of the tunnel between Peel and Leigh Streets beneath Bread & Bone. Today it is lauded for making some of the best cocktails in town.

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CLIP IT

By Ollie Margan INGREDIENTS: • 30ml Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum • 60ml Lactic pear* • 40ml Walnut apera** GARNISH: Dehydrated pear crisp METHOD: Build with pebble ice/ churn/cap with pebble ice GLASSWARE: Highball

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*LACTIC PEAR INGREDIENTS: • 500ml Fresh corella pear juice (adjusted to 3.1pH with 1:1 tartaric:citric acid) • 250ml Full cream milk • 250gm Sugar • 250gm 1:1 simple syrup • 1 x Bsp. Vanilla paste

METHOD: Warm milk to simmer, remove from heat. Add pear juice to curdle, strain through a coffee filter, then strain again through previous curds. Add simple syrup and vanilla. Add sugar (allow for +/- 50gm variation depending on the time of season – taste)

**WALNUT APERA INGREDIENTS: • 10% w/w toasted walnuts – Seppeltsfield Apera METHOD: Toast walnuts and sous vide at 55c for 45mins with sherry. Strain

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CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT ELIT AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? elit Vodka to their friends is all about purity. The mix of wheat and rye along with the artesian water from the Russian city of Samara, makes this triple-distilled vodka the perfect choice for cocktails.

It is also filtered through Russian birch charcoal and quartz sand, creating a refined spirit with versatility and sophistication.

I love blood oranges! The excitement of cutting into one to reveal the colour inside is like biting into a clinker as a kid.

They are also delicious. With their season fast coming to an end I wanted to get in one last delight. This drink is to be enjoyed in the spring sunshine.

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY? This last year has been great! Building a somewhat new team with fresh faces has been our main focus. We’re into our groove now and going from strength to strength. The launch of a new cocktail menu has been a collective effort allowing everyone to make a mark.

Eight months in the making, the drinks are flying over the bar now, and it’s something we are incredibly proud of.

It has been another big year for Black Pearl with nominations for Tales, Australian Bartender and the ALIAs. I was humbled with a nomination for Bar Manager of the Year at this year’s ALIAs. I also scraped in at number 90 in the Top 100 Most Influential list at Sydney Bar Week Speed Rack came to Australia last year and was one of my highlights. Making it to the top four in the inaugural year was

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very special. Women in the industry have a spotlight and a stronger network than ever before. We’re in the middle of season two, and it’s only going to get better!

Working the late nights and long hours in an intense environment can take a toll on your body and mind. I find it important to take a decent break every year. So this year I headed over to Mexico to soak up the sun and feed my soul and stomach.

I took the opportunity to participate in the Fortaleza Bartender Work Program that consisted of working alongside the jimadors and distillers from the field to the bottle. It was a phenomenal experience, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get a deeper understanding and appreciation for agave spirits.

WHO’S IN YOUR FANTASY LEAGUE BAR TEAM? Harriet Leigh (GM- Generally Mischievous) Alex Ross (HR- Hilariously Raunchy) Jen Wake (BM- Badass Mentor) Dominique Easter (Wine wench) Rachelle Hair (Knife sharpener) Kitty Gardner (Flavour Wizard) Jemima McDonald (Beer Bish) Ashling Barret & Stephanie Haile (Dance Choreographers) SHARE WITH US THE GOOD, THE BAD AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE IN AUSTRALIA. I’m loving the venues popping up with creative use of space. Cantina Ok! in Sydney, Mono XO in Melbourne and Sho (the small front seating at Shobosho) in Adelaide are particular standouts.

TELL US AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW. I have an irrational fear of cats.

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t Melbourne’s Black Pearl you will find Shay Chamberlain who has a love of blood oranges and travelling to Mexico for a bit of agave spirit inspo. Here she reveals her dream bar team and why she will not pat your cat.

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PURE BLOOD

By Shay Chamberlain INGREDIENTS: • 40ml elit Vodka • 20ml Seppeltsfield Amontillado style apera • 10ml Crème de cacao • 10ml Blood orange sherbet* • 15ml Fresh lemon juice • 60ml Soda GARNISH: Thai basil sprig METHOD: Add all ingredients (except soda) to a tin and whip with one cube until the cube has dissolved. Add soda and pour over cubed ice.

GLASSWARE: Wine glass C

*BLOOD ORANGE SHERBET Method: Zest 6 sml blood oranges, muddle the zests into 400g of caster sugar until all combined. This extracts all the oils. Add 300ml blood orange juice and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Fine strain.

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Tom y e n r a e K I

n Smith Street Collingwood, Melbourne is a creative hub called The Craft & Co. It’s a place where hospitality experts come together to make great drinks. Tom Kearney who is the venue manager of Panama Social in Perth is inspired by the concept and creates a cocktail from The Craft & Co’s Old Tom Gin. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE CRAFT & CO. AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL? The Craft & Co. is an amazing business concept in which different avenues of hospitality work together to make something greater than the sum of its parts. The Old Tom Gin is a shining example of this, which inspired the Co–Op cocktail. It’s all about taking advice, working with local chefs and bush tucker experts and applying their knowledge to create a better drink.

WE’RE IN PERTH FOR THE WEEKEND AND LOOKING FOR THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE. WHERE ARE YOU TAKING US?

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Firstly, we head out to the Swan Valley for a bush tucker lunch at Maalinup gallery, hitting breweries and wineries on the way back.

We also will spend a solid afternoon and sunset at the best beaches in the world.

Then we party, lock-in, grab some more wine and go bowling when the sun comes up.

FOUR YEARS IN A ROW NOW IN T25. HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED TRAVELLING EAST TO WORK IN THE BAR SCENE? I’m way more about getting eastern staters to come and visit Perth and see what we have to offer. The Perth scene has got so much going on now; new bars winning national awards, up and coming bartenders winning national comps. There’s nowhere I’d rather be.

GLOBALLY WHO INSPIRES YOU OR WHICH MARKET / COUNTRY HAS A BAR SCENE YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN OR IMMERSE YOURSELF? Peru has an amazing hospitality scene, Bar Carnivale was an amazing experience.

Otherwise I love the Japanese bar culture, but who knows if I have the discipline to work there.

WHICH SPICE GIRL ARE YOU? AND WHY? Scary Spice because BuzzFeed told me so.

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THE CO-OP

By Tom Kearney INGREDIENTS: • 60ml The Craft & Co. Old Tom Gin • 10ml Sandalwood Nut Washed Cocchi Americano • 2 x Dash plum & saltbush bitters • 3 x Drops salted liquorice oil • Crispy saltbush GARNISH: Salted liquorice oil METHOD: Add the gin, cocchi and bitters to a mixing glass and stir down. Strain into your glass and add three drops of salted liquorice oil to the surface of the drink. Flash fry some saltbush leaf and serve on the side GLASSWARE: Nick & Nora

COCKTAIL VIDEO Click here to watch Tom in action

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