KEEPING IT CORDIAL

BITTERLY CORDIAL THERE’S A SMALL REVOLUTION HAPPENING AT THE BAR, REPORTS CLIFFORD ROBERTS.

For a long time, a mixer in the average bar generally referred to big-brand cool drinks. Pizzazz was a bartender who could make drinks like Tom Cruise. Now, the leading edge of the drinks world has plenty that’s interesting and new. Think jazzy cordials, mystic tinctures and craft tonic waters.

A place like Cause|Effect in the V&A Waterfront is one of the showcases when it comes to this – the brainchild of Kurt Schlechter, who has been in the business longer than most and remains an eternal student of the field. Of course, schweet décor is still part of this bar experience – there’s muted lighting, raw stone walls, copper and wood. Fynbos shrubbery hangs over the bar and is occasionally plucked for drinks. Alongside backlit brands on the back-bar stand unlabelled bottles of mysterious, slowinfusing concoctions.

The enterprise is the result of observation, says Kurt. “Cape Town has many epicures [people who take particular pleasure in food and drink] and we saw they were getting younger every year. We thought perhaps the time for experiential drinks had come. So, we set about making a space where people could drink better, not necessarily more.”

Those home-grown preparations behind his bar include naartjie bitters and floral tinctures like the blend of hibiscus and

artemisia. “We use local wormwood and lion’s tail as bittering agents instead of the popular gentian or angelica root,” he says. Of course, not everything that’s seems new is new, points out Shane Smith who co-owns West Coast Distillery in Langebaan with Shaun Bebington. “I think South Africans have always been ready for developments like craft bitters. In fact, people have never realised they’ve been drinking bitters in most cocktails they order.” The distillery, which produces the Caspyn and Belladonna Night Shade gins, started making bitters soon after it was established in 2017. Its Rooibos bitters won the trophy for best innovation at the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirit Awards this year.

The bitters came about after seeing the trend in the UK and wanting to create diversity in the portfolio.

“We loved the idea of diving deeper into the world of mixology,” says Shane. “After some eight months of development, we chose three to pursue – our Aromatic (Original), Spiced Orange and the world first Rooibos Bitters.”

Together they make up the Mutiny portfolio. Selling them isn’t easy, he admits. “It is a product we need to push hard and educate South Africans as to the potential for mixers and cocktails.”

They tweaked the recipe for an Old Fashioned, suggesting Bains Cape Mountain Whisky served with the Orange Bitters and sugar. “We’ve dubbed it the New Fashioned,” says Shane. They did likewise with the rock shandy, switching out the traditional recipe to include Mutiny Rooibos Bitters.

At the other end of the scale is the granddaddy of bitters, which often is still synonymous with the category. The story goes that Dr Johann Siegert first produced aromatic bitters as a medicinal tincture designed to alleviate stomach ailments. In the 1870’s, Siegert’s three sons migrated to Trinidad, among them Don Carlos, who founded Angostura aromatic bitters and established an ingredient made famous in cocktails. “In recent years we’ve seen a growing trend of bartenders collaborating with chefs and similarly more chefs using Angostura aromatic bitters in the kitchen.” – Vanessa Nel, DGB

“In more recent years we’ve seen a growing trend of bartenders collaborating with chefs and similarly more chefs using Angostura aromatic bitters in the kitchen,” points out marketing manager Vanessa Nel at DGB, the company responsible for local distribution. “Not at all bitter when added to food or drinks, Angostura adds depth of flavour and intensifies the characteristics of other ingredients.

“In addition, one of the trends for 2020 is the comeback of herbals and aperitifs. Bitter and umami flavours are also becoming more popular,” she says. Into this environment, the company launched Amaro di ANGOSTURA® liqueur although it’s “not yet” available here.

“The focus now is on the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge (AGCC) 2020 – an event for mixologists, bartenders and lovers of spirits that is part of the brand’s commitment to nurturing talent in the cocktail culture,” says Vanessa.

The SA national leg took place in September and was won by Leighton Rathbone of Orphanage Cocktail Emporium in Cape Town. He’ll soon compete in the Africa and Middle East regional heat, and potentially in the world final in Trinidad and Tobago in February. In addition to Angostura, Vanessa takes care of a brand in one of South Africa’s exploding mixer categories – Fever-Tree tonic water.

The brand coined the mantra that’s driving much of this mixer revolution: “If three quarters of your drink is the mixer, mix with the best”.

“Generally, both locally and abroad, there is a trend toward simply built drinks of better quality,” she says. “Fever-Tree has seen huge growth with the increase in craft gin. In addition, we are seeing the use of tonics in other spiritbased drinks also on the rise with the likes of rum-and-tonic and tequila-and-tonic drinks coming to the fore.”

According to Fitch & Leedes brand manager James Shaw, a key driver in local mixers now is “flavour profile innovation”.

“Consumer experience and engagement with the brand is extremely important,” he says. “Consumers, especially millennials and Generation Z, need to satisfy their taste buds and social media needs. Mixers like Fitch & Leedes are Instagramable. People want to tell their friends what they are drinking, and they want to be on-trend.”

James says unique flavour and colour profiles will continue to be introduced. “Low sugar or sugar-free options will see new growth and so too mocktails in convenient packaging such as cans.

“Young consumers are very aware of social behaviour and want to consume responsibly.”

It’s curious that gin led the tonic revolution: distilling involves a lot more onerous legislation and tax than tonic does. But there you are. Added to Fitch & Leedes in the premium arena are now brands like Swaan from Swartland-based AA Badenhorst Family Wines and, Barker & Quinn.

October saw the launch of Cederberg Aqua tonic water, which somewhat ironically was born from the drought. As company founder Lieben van der Merwe headed for retirement, the 17-year-old, Citrusdal-based natural water business needed a new boss. Daughter Esmari Schoonwinkel took over the reins. “There was a lot of competition. Approaching Day Zero in Cape Town had led to a dearth of new bottled water companies. We had to find something new,” she says. They had the PET bottling facility and gin was at an all-time high. After 12 months of product development, the tonic range was born. There are five flavours, including buchu, and all are available sugar-free too.

So, what does the future hold at the coalface? Kurt Schlechter has just returned from an exploratory trip to Berlin – a cutting-edge hub of the drinks scene. His forecast, based on the visit, echoes that of local managers attached to international brands: expect a growing demand for lower alcohol cocktails as well as more curiosity for vermouth cocktails and a return to that great tradition that Italians call apertivo hour, otherwise known as sundowners. Bring on summer.