in the Mix Summer 2019

Vol. 60 Summer 2019

BUILDING BETTER BEVERAGE BUSINESS

Paul J. Fiala Vice President Food & Beverage Americas

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

®

© 2019 Chloe Wine Collection, Livermore, CA *The Wine Group depletions, Sept – Oct 2018 v Sept – Oct 2017

FOR EVERY BOTTLE OF CHLOE SOLD DURING SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, CHLOE WILL GIVE $2 TO THE BREAST CANCER CHARITIES OF AMERICA.*

*Total donation up to $40,000

C L ASSIC BE AUT Y, BOTTL ED® Give back while increasing sales!

On average, national chains that ran Chloe Cares in 2018 grew their Chloe case volume by 21% vs 2017.

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER Mixing It Up and Looking Back

Don Billings Publisher, in the Mix Media

“Great things happen when we look forward. This is a new year and a new beginning with old friends and new friends, in this very special business we are in.”

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This year we will celebrate the 15th anniversary of our magazine! It’s hard to believe that time has flashed by so quickly. The magazine was first published as IMI drinks for three years before we changed the name to in the Mix in 2007. So, just for fun, I decided to dig out a few of our first two years’ issues and see what we were talking about back then.

Our very first magazine was celebrating the holiday season of 2004.

Our focus was on-premise POS Solutions, IMI Agency’s Promo Law, and ePrice, a beverage alcohol-pricing tool. And as we moved into 2005, we covered the Libations Menus with Interstate Hotels and Resorts, Hard Rock Café new openings, the XO Bar at the new InterContinental Hotel in Atlanta, and by the summer of 2005, we were covering the opening of The Museum of the American Cocktail and an interview with Dale DeGroff. We also had an article discussing blueprints for new bar layout and design of beverage operations for Ritz Carlton properties with Rick Fogel. And in the spring of 2006, we did an article on Mathew Von Erfelda called “Last Man Standing.”

So, the focus of the magazine has always remained embedded in the on-premise national accounts beverage business. We still have the same management team at both IMI and in the Mix as we did back then. It was great fun flipping through the pages and seeing so many old friends and faces that we still work with today, almost fifteen years later.

They say the only constant in life is change itself. It’s true a lot has changed over these last 15 years but some things still remain the same. in the Mix, published by IMI Agency, continues to “mix it up” in the on-premise national accounts beverage segment of hospitality.

– Don Billings

Spring 2019 • itmmag.com

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Contents

48

26

Cover Story

40.

Interview with Paul Fiala, Vice President, Food & Beverage Americas, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Features

18.

26.

30.

32.

The Adventures of George – From Seed to Glass, by Tony Abou-Ganim Private Select Program Lets You Make Your Own Maker’s Get Funky with Functional Cocktails, by Sherry Tseng, Datassential Spirit-Free Beverages, by Edward M. Korry, CHE, CSS, CWE

Happenings

12.

20.

48.

60.

This and That – A look at recent stories of interest.

Making the Rounds with Helen Benefield Billings, A Man and His Barrel 2019 VIBE Conference recap Hospitality Executive Exchange (HEE) West recap

Interview

16.

24.

Q&A with Julie Vaninger, National Sales Director, Heineken USA Take 5 Interview with Rick Monkarsh, General Sales Manager, National On-Premise and Strategic Accounts, Campari Group

Properties

62.

Table 55 at the Hilton Miami Dadeland

Recipe Articles

14.

Seasonal Summer Cocktails from Monin featuring recipes by their Beverage Innovators.

Sam Seasonal is up +10.8% in sales,1 driven by our

Our American wheat ale brew bursts with bright citrus notes from orange, lemon, and lime peels, and is accented by subtle grains of paradise. Iconic as it is refreshing, Summer Ale is just right for any summer day.

©2019 THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY, BOSTON, MA

SAVOR THE FLAVOR RESPONSIBLY.®

5

L4W ITI Total US Multi Outlet + Conv thru 04/28/2019

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Contributing Writers BUILDING BETTER BEVERAGE BUSINESS Known as “The Modern Mixologist,” Tony is an accomplished bar chef, speaker and consultant who has created several original cocktail recipes, including the Cable Car, Sunsplash and Starlight. He has recently authored his second book, Vodka Distilled (Agate Surrey, publisher).

Tony Abou-Ganim

Larr y McGinn, Par tner Celeste Dinos, Par tner Don Billings, Founding Par tner

Hospitality and travel writer, Helen Benefield Billings has been with in the Mix since its inception in 2004. Helen lives in her native childhood home of Sea Island, Ga. when not traveling or attending industry functions with her husband, Don.

PUBLISHER

D o n B illin g s E D I TOR I A L A N D D E S I GN

Helen Benefield Billings

Managing Editor – Michael Raven Designed by – Kester Chau of Kester Creative Copy Editor & Proofreader – Christine Neal Associate Editor – Celeste Dinos Associate Editor – Helen Benefield Billings A DV E RT I S I N G S A L E S

Rebecca Wilkie – Advertising Manager Rebecca@ITMmag.com 916-412-6142 E D I TOR I A L A N D BU S I N E S S OFFIC E 1 1 9 6 B u c k h e a d C ro s s in g Wo o d s t o c k , G A 3 0 1 8 9 P H O N E 7 7 0 - 9 2 8 - 1 9 8 0 | FA X 7 7 0 - 5 1 7 - 8 8 4 9

Sherry Tseng Sherry Tseng is a publications specialist at Datassential, a supplier of trends, analysis and concept testing for the food industry. She enjoys combining her background in research with her passion for food and beverages, to cover the latest trends in foodservice, from alcoholic beverages to global cuisines and flavors.

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Edward Korry Edw ard is an Associate Professor and Department Chairman, College of Culinary Arts, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I. Edward carries many certifications as well as being past President of the Society of Wine Educators and an executive board member of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild Master Accreditation program.

E M A I L m ike @ it m m a g .c o m WE B I T M m a g .c o m i n t h e M i x is p u b lis h e d q u a r t e r ly. R e p ro du cti o n o f a ny p h o t o g r ap hy, a r t wo r k , o r c o py p re p a re d by in the Mix is s t r ic t ly p ro h ib it e d w it h o u t p r i o r w r i tte n p e r m i ssi o n o f t h e p u b lis h e r. T h e a d ve r t ise r s a n d p u b l i sh e r a re n o t re s p o n s ib le o r lia b le fo r m is i n fo r m a ti o n , m i sp r i n ts, o r t y p o g r ap h ic a l e rro r s . A ll e le c tro n i c fi l e s su b m i tte d to in t h e M i x b e c o m e p ro p e r t y o f t h e m a g a zi n e . © 2 0 1 9 in the Mix a n d B u ild in g B e t t e r B eve r a g e B u si n e ss™ 1 1 9 6 B u ck h e a d C ro s s in g , Wo o d s t o c k , G A 3 0 1 89 . A l l R i g h ts R e se r ve d.

in the Mix is exclusively operated and owned by Incentive Marketing Inc .

Submissions: Incentive Marketing Inc. assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

VODKA, THE CALIFORNIA WAY. Easy-sipping California rosé vodka worthy of any occasion.

JOIN US AT THE HANGAR 1 DISTILLERY. 2505 Monarch Street, Alameda, CA – HangarOne.com HANGAR 1®. VODKA 40% ALC./VOL. (80 PROOF). | HANGAR 1®. ROSÉ FLAVORED VODKA. 30% ALC./VOL. (60 PROOF). ©2018 HANGAR 1, ALAMEDA, CA. PLEASE DRINK HANGAR 1® VODKA RESPONSIBLY.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Mike Raven

Our summertime cover story interview is with Paul Fiala. Paul is the Vice President, Food & Beverage Americas, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Paul answers questions about managing one of the most progressive in-house hotel restaurant and bar operations in the country.

We feature two articles on Maker’s Mark Whisky. The “Private Select Program” is written by our publisher, Don Billings, and it describes how customers can create their very own barrel of Maker’s Mark. In the second article, “Making the Rounds with Helen Benefield Billings,” she writes about Maker’s Mark Ambassador Don picking up his personalized barrel that he bought, complete with his name on the labels, and in which each bottle had been hand-dipped by him, in the traditional red wax. I’m hoping to get one for Christmas this year!

Every year in the summer issue we recap the VIBE Conference. VIBE is the conference for national accounts to attend. This year was no different with an agenda full of educational and fun events.

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We are also featuring a recap of the Hospitality Executive Exchange (HEE) West. Jen Robinson has made this into a fantastic event for suppliers and operators.

Inside this issue as well, there are other interviews and plenty of articles for your reading enjoyment.

Our fall issue will celebrate IMI’s 30th anniversary and in the Mix’s 15th anniversary.

It’s been a long time that IMI has been Building Better Beverage Business! I hope you have a great summer season and thanks for being part of the in the Mix family.

Mike Raven Managing Editor, in the Mix Media Our cover shot was taken by Monique Dykstra, Studio Iris Photography, at the Four Seasons Hotel Montreal.

california’s first. california’s finest.

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800.926.1266

For more information on how to get these highly acclaimed wines in your area, contact mark.drake@dlgconsultants.com

Spring 2019 • itmmag.com

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INTRODUCING

Q ELDERFLOWER TONIC Elderflowers are the blossoms of the elderberry plant. They can only be harvested for a few weeks in spring, and then must be infused into syrup carefully yet extremely rapidly. The good news: if you do it right, the result is a sublime addition to your favorite cocktail.

WHY ELDERFLOWER •

Floral beverages and cocktails continue to grow as a consumer favorite (Washington Post)

•

Whole Foods Market voted Elderflower as the new MVP (Most Valuable Petal) of cocktails and bubbly drinks

ABOUT Q ELDERFLOWER Subtly complements great spirits rather than overpowering them. Q Elderflower Tonic Water is fragrant, crisp, clean, less sweet and more carbonated.

Available in 6.7 oz glass, 7.5 oz cans, and 500 mL glass

Real Ingredients • More Carbonation Less Sweet • Crafted in the USA • Non-GMO

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Qmixers.com | sales@Qmixers.com

CELEBRATE THE

YEAR OF THE HIGHBALL

WITH COCKTAILS BY SOME OF OUR FAVORITE FRIENDS

ELDERFLOWER COLLINS 1½ oz Premium Gin ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice ¼ oz Simple Syrup Top with Q Elderflower Tonic Water Garnish with a lime twist and mint @THEWEEKENDMIXOLOGIST

HEY, BASIL 1½ oz Premium Gin Squeeze of Lime Top with Q Elderflower Tonic Water Garnish with a basil leaf and raspberries @WISECRAFT_ MIXOLOGY

OFFICIAL MIXER OF

Spring 2019 • itmmag.com

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THIS

That &

Sam Adams Releases New Summer Ale Recipe The brewers at Samuel Adams today announced the release of a new recipe for Summer Ale — the first recipe change in 23 years. The new Summer Ale has all the flavor drinkers know and love, with a boosted citrus profile and scaled-back earthy, spice note, for a lighter and brighter taste.

“When we introduced Summer Ale 23 years ago, it was inspired by the weather and ingredients of the season and had a dynamic flavor profile. As we started experimenting with the Summer Ale recipe, we decided to only update the classic recipe if we were blown away by the flavor and drinkability. With this new recipe, we found a way to give drinkers even more of what they know and love about Summer Ale.” – Jim Koch, Sam Adams Founder and Brewer

Kathy Casey Opens New Restaurant Our friend, Kathy Casey, opened Lucky Louie Fish Shack on March 29th in Seattle’s Sea-Tac Airport’s Central Terminal. The concept is fast casual seafood and is operated by 1915 KCHouse Concepts, a woman-owned business co-founded by Kathy and Managing Partner Stacy House. “I met Stacy when she was a Managing Director for HMSHost at Sea-Tac. We became fast friends and also discovered we both had birthdays on the 19th and anniversaries on the 15th — thus the name of our company!” says Kathy. She goes on to say, “We are proud to serve wild and sustainable fish from the icy cold waters of Alaska. Our signature fish & chips features Alaska Pollock dipped in batter made with a splash of local Pike Place Ale, tumbled in panko and served with Rock the Boat Tartar™. YUM!” 12

in the Mix Magazine

Uncle Nearest Appointment

Uncle Nearest, Inc. has appointed Damian Shine to head their National & Global Accounts channel for Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey. Shine is familiar with building brands on-premise, having done so for over 30 years. Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey is distributed throughout the USA, England, Japan, Australia, Singapore and South Africa, with more coming. Uncle Nearest 1856 continues to win impressive awards but it’s the Uncle Nearest story that’s even better.

Damian can be reached at Damian@unclenearest.com.

Cannabis Popularity Increases With Every Generation

According to new polling from Bloomberg Businessweek and Morning Consult, Generation Z is twice as likely to use cannabis compared to the national average. More specifically, seven percent of Baby Boomers, 14 percent of Generation X, 22 percent of Millennials and 27 percent of Generation Z use marijuana.

Source: Jackson Shedelbower’s article in The Industry Update by Richard Berman Mark Drake Starts His New Company, The Drake Luxury Group

With decades of distributor, supplier, and national and international experience, Mark Drake has founded DLG Consultants (The Drake Luxury Group). The firm will concentrate on selected wineries and spirit companies to represent to the National Account On-Premise channel.

With the national landscape continuously evolving, there is an opportunity to bring Drake’s many years of experience to selected clients in helping their brands be represented and marketed on a more personal and individual basis.

Companies that are presently represented by the DLG Consultants are Boisset Collection of Napa, Sonoma and France, Silverado Vineyards of Napa Valley, Vitani Spirits, LLC, a pre-mix Martini company, and Wine Spots of San Francisco.

The DLG consulting team consists of Mark, Michelle, Zachary and Tom Drake (CEO-Founder of Strategy Depot) who have over 75 years of combined experience in the wine, spirits and beverage category. dlgconsultants.com Source: Wine Business Monthly

Jean-Charles Boisset Releases New Book Explore the World of Boisset with JeanCharles’ new book, The Alchemy of the Senses. It has long been Jean-Charles’ dream to curate and create a “wine” book that speaks not only of tannins and barrels, but also of emotions and fantasies, hope and imagination.

Jean-Charles created The Alchemy of the Senses book as an experiential voyage through your dreams, your emotions, your senses and your passions — all inspired by wine! The book is an opportunity to experience the limitless dimensions of wine. In connection with the book, which was released in December, Jean-Charles Boisset has embarked on a national, transformational tour to share his world, from wine, spirits and cider to jewelry, perfume, candles and glassware.

Visit www.alchemyofthesenses.com for more information and to see if the tour is coming to your city!

The retail book price is $395; Club members pay only $316.

Photo credit: Alexander Rubin Summer 2019 • itmmag.com

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Summer Cocktails from

Seasonal

Monin’s Beverage Innovators give us their personal picks for summer recipes to spice up your menus.

Summer Fling

“Layers of fresh fruit and juice with lovely rose make a complex cocktail creation with zero percent alcohol (and zero guilt).”

Shelby Goelz, Beverage Innovation Director 1 ½ oz Ruby Red grapefruit juice ½ oz Monin® Rose Syrup 6mL Monin® Watermelon Concentrated Flavor top club soda 1. Fill 16 oz. serving glass with ice.

2. Pour ingredients, except club soda, into serving glass in order listed.

3. Pour mixture into mixing tin and back into serving glass to mix.

4. Top with club soda and garnish.

Smash Mouth Collins

“This blackberry yuzu smash-up brings together fresh citrus and botanicals for a delicious, unexpected cocktail.”

Jeff Ruth, Beverage Innovation Director 2 ea lemon wedge 5 ea mint leaves ½ oz Monin® Zero Calorie Natural Sweetener 1 ¼ oz Rye Whiskey 6 mL Monin® Blackberry Concentrated Flavor ½ oz Monin® Yuzu Purée 1.

2.

3.

4.

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Fill 14 oz. serving glass with ice.

Place lemon, mint and sweetener into bottom of mixing glass and muddle.

Fill mixing glass 2/3 full of ice and pour in remaining ingredients, in order listed.

Cap, shake and strain into serving glass. Garnish.

in the Mix Magazine

Shrub A Dub Dub

“Fresh, flavorful and feel good! Best sober sip of the summer.”

Anne Fontana, Beverage Innovation Manager ½ oz 3 ea ½ oz ½ oz 2 dashes 2 oz

Monin® Honey Syrup cantaloupe balls fresh lime juice Champagne vinegar bitters Ginger Beer

1. Chill 8 oz. serving glass.

2. Place honey syrup and cantaloupe into bottom of mixing glass and muddle.

3. Fill mixing glass 2/3 full of ice and pour in remaining ingredients, except ginger beer, in order listed.

4. Cap, shake and strain into serving glass.

5. Top with ginger beer and garnish.

Hatiku Koktail

“‘Hatiku’ means ‘my heart’ in Indonesian, and this drink combines florals, bright citrus and juicy fruit to create a light and refreshing summer cocktail.”

Jeff Ruth, Beverage Innovation Director 1 ½ oz ½ oz ½ oz ¾ oz ¾ oz 1.

2.

3.

4.

Ketel One® Botanical Grapefruit Rose Vodka Aperol Apéritif Monin® Mango Syrup fresh lemon juice cranberry juice

Fill 12 oz. serving glass with ice.

Pour ingredients into mixing glass with 2/3 ice, in order listed.

Cap, shake and strain into serving glass.

Garnish.

Spiked Turmeric Lemonade

“Our Golden Turmeric Syrup is enhanced with spices that make it the perfect match for a scratch Bourbon lemonade.”

Anne Fontana, Beverage Innovation Manager

1 ½ oz ¾ oz ½ oz ¾ oz 3 oz 1.

2.

3.

4.

Bourbon Monin® Golden Turmeric Syrup Monin® Agave Organic Nectar fresh lemon juice water

Fill 16 oz. serving glass with ice.

Pour ingredients into serving glass in order listed.

Pour mixture into mixing tin and back into serving glass to mix.

Garnish.

Spring 2019 • itmmag.com

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Q & A with Julia Vaninger, National Sales Director, Heineken USA Q — I see you have done a revamp on your cans, which have so many uses on-premise — pools, cruise lines, stadiums, and the list is endless. Can you tell us about that?

We have, and what an impact the package makes. It really stands out and you can clearly distinguish the brand. The timing was right for Heineken to make the change. The can is very versatile and provides access into so many different occasions when most customers want to avoid having glass present. Summer is right around the corner and with the weather turning warm, more people will be spending time on patios, rooftops, grilling in their backyard and at music festivals – the can is a great option for every venue. In addition, cans are really on trend right now!

Q — Heineken 0.0 has hit the market strong. What can you tell our operator readers about the features and benefits of it?

We have really had a fantastic launch of Heineken 0.0!

Last summer, customers began reaching out to us to see when we would launch Heineken 0.0 in the U.S. after hearing of the success the brand had in Europe, and seeing the trends leaning towards low ABV and no ABV. There was excitement and support from our customers before the brand had hit the shelves. Heineken USA has

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invested $50 million into our 2019 marketing campaign. The timing to launch a beer without alcohol was right; consumers are demanding beverage choices they can enjoy any time of the day, in any circumstance, hence the strength of the low ABV and no ABV categories right now. We were very excited to be the first to market beer without alcohol in the U.S. Heineken 0.0 has had tremendous success throughout Europe and we are confident the brand will do the same in the U.S. The liquid tastes identical to a Heineken, only with 69 calories and three carbs and ZERO alcohol! Heineken 0.0 is building the Heineken brand and driving usage in appropriate occasions.

Q — Heineken Light is one of my favorites. It should be in every operation to give us a chance to drink an outstanding imported light. Can you tell us about the ABV and calorie counts?

Heineken Light is one of my favorites as well! You get the same great, refreshing taste of your favorite beer with less calories. This is a great opportunity for consumers to enjoy the lighter version of their favorite beer that is well-balanced and full-bodied, with only 99 calories and 3.3% ABV.

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The Adventures of George

by Tony Abou-Ganim

The Creamery at night

From Seed to Glass

George is back in Las Vegas for a poker tournament and after a grueling day of Texas Hold’em, he has developed a staggering thirst. As the tournament is being held at Mandalay Bay, he quickly makes his way to one of his favorite haunts, Libertine Social. When he arrives, the bar is bustling with what appears to be an after work, or after convention, or after a day of playing poker crowd. George secures a seat at the end of the long bar and is presented a menu and a tall glass of iced water.

“Welcome back to Libertine Social and Happy World Cocktail Day*,” the young man behind the bar welcomes him. “I’m Fabian and I’ll give you a minute to look over the menu. Let me know if you have any questions.”

George peruses the cocktail menu, scaning the list of swizzles, fizzes and highballs before spotting a drink called a Bee’s Knees, listed under cocktails. “What’s a Bee’s Knees?” George inquires.

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“It’s a Prohibition-era cocktail that most likely was created to mask the flavor of bathtub Gin with citrus and honey,” Fabian explained. “We feature Juniper Grove Gin, which definitely doesn’t need to be masked and makes a delicious Bee’s Knees!”

Fabian places a chilled cocktail coupe in front of George and gently pours the frothing mixture from a shaker into his glass, carefully garnishing it with a dehydrated lemon wheel and delicate white edible flower. George raises the glass to his lips and upon taking his first sip, he notices the bright juniper, citrus and floral notes of the Gin shining through and being complemented beautifully by the sharp, fresh lemon juice that was balanced perfectly with sweet, desert honey.

“Well, what do you think?” Fabian inquired, looking at George’s empty glass.

“Fantastic!” George replied. “It’s amazing how yummy those three ingredients are together. I better try another one!”

“Great! May I recommend an order of our Scotch olives to go with this one? They pair beautifully

together,” Fabian suggested.

George found the rich, creamy feta cheese and lamb sausage together with the briny olive, to be a stunning match for the Bee’s Knees.

“I’ll take one more and the check please, but I also have a question. I’ve never heard of Juniper Grove Gin before — what’s their story?” George inquired.

“Juniper Grove is made right here in Nevada, at Bently Heritage Estate Distillery in Minden,” Fabian replied. “It’s just an hour’s flight from here, near beautiful Lake Tahoe. You should check them out.”

Well, George did not need to think twice; he had already decided that once the poker tournament was finished he would make a side trip to Minden to visit the Bently Heritage Estate Distillery. Upon his arrival at Bently Heritage, he immediately notices the level of detail in everything from the historic building preservation to the cobblestone streets and property signage. This isn’t some craft distillery

The beautiful gazebo at night Summer 2019 • itmmag.com

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The bar on the second floor

thrown together on a budget — these guys are serious. He walks into the main building and is immediately greeted by a friendly woman asking how she can help him. George explains he traveled from Las Vegas to see the distillery. The woman then signs George up for a full tour and tasting experience that will forever change his view on how spirits should be made.

First, a fully restored classic 1943 White Coach Motors tour limo picks him up in front of the distillery. It takes him and 10 other visitors out to Bently Ranch. Tom, the very friendly and knowledgeable guide explains how all the grains used in every spirit Bently Heritage makes is grown on the ranch. Each non-GMO heritage seed type was selected specifically to pair with the yeast strains chosen, soil type and climate of the area. They have been growing and experimenting with different seeds for years to ensure the right choice for each spirit, as they developed Heritage Bloody Butcher corn, winter wheat, barley and oats.

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“No one else is doing this?” George asks.

“That’s correct,” Tom replies, “and it doesn’t stop there. Next stop is the malthouse.”

Once inside the malthouse, they meet Matt the Maltster, one of a very few in the country. Matt oversees the grain processing. There are two large automalters and a huge floor malting room. When the grain is milled and malted, with some smoked for the Whiskey, the grain is sent to the distillery.

“Bently Heritage has feet in two worlds: that of tradition and heritage, and another in the most state-of-the-art processes for making spirits today.

Both are necessary to keep culture, quality and intent clearly focused on the best product humanly possible,” Matt explains.

Next, they head out to the rick house where the Whiskey is being aged. The aging is taking place in casks formerly used for Oloroso Sherry from Spain, Port from Portugal, as well as in wine and charred oak from Napa and France, all of which are used to create different flavor profiles for Whiskey, from Bourbon to Single Malt. The casks are stacked

in several separate climate-controlled rooms where temperature and humidity are all perfect for aging requirements. “Each room simulates a different climate depending on what’s being aged and what they want from the barrels: cool, or warm and humid ramping temperatures in varying time increments. We leave nothing to chance,” explains Tom. George is blown away — he has toured distilleries in America, Mexico, Ireland, Japan and Scotland, and has never seen anything like this.

Next, they return to the distillery where George gets a full tour of the distilling operation.

In the Creamery distillery, which is in an old creamery, there is a huge Carl 40 column still.

Behind it is a continuous column still for Bourbon, and at the other end of the room is a small Carl still. Carlito is the size of most craft distilleries’ main stills and is used for R&D and small batches. On one side of the room are four huge stainless fermenters for neutral spirit, and the other side has four huge wood fermenters for Whiskey. A long hallway leads to the casking and

disgorging room, the fully automated bottling line and tanks upon tanks holding finished spirit waiting for barreling or bottling.

Finally, they return to the old mill where George’s day began. He proceeds up an incredible spiral staircase that dissects the whole building for three floors. On the second floor, he sees a bar with friendly bartenders ready to take his order but it’s what’s behind them that grabs his attention. Behind a glass wall in the center of four silos that have been cut out to create a distilling floor are two massive copper Forsyth stills.

“These stills were hand-forged in Scotland,” says Tom. “They are made specifically for Single Malt Whiskey and are what 90 percent of the Scotch producers use in Scotland.” They are works of art and look almost like a movie set, as there are no visible pipes around them. The Bentlys used wineries as their inspiration rather than other distilleries.

Wineries are much more beautiful and made to host guests, where distilleries are usually very industrial looking places.

“There was a huge engineering effort to

The Bently Heritage Estate Distillery mill and fire pit

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The distillery’s mill and silo

plumb everything below the floor so all you see are these beautiful stills and the wood fermentation tanks behind them,” says Tom. “Beauty was as important as functionality when we were designing this distillery.”

George is blown away again, but now it’s time for him to try a house-made cocktail. The bartenders are fun yet professional; they grasp the concept of hospitality as well, if not better than in most bars George has visited. He quickly learned that they make great cocktails, created only with spirits and tinctures made at the distillery by Bently Heritage.

“This is our twist on an Old Fashioned featuring our Sherry-rested Vodka,” Lucas Huff, bar manager and lead mixologist, explained. “The Bentlys wanted a world-class cocktail experience worthy of the spirits they make.”

George loved Lucas’ Old Fashioned and quickly understood that Bently Heritage is truly world class and was built to produce the finest spirits in the world with honesty and transparency. It is 100 percent estate, beautiful and one of a kind. He made one last stop at the gift shop to buy a bottle of Juniper Grove Gin and the Sherry-rested Vodka before thanking Tom and Lucas for the tour and their wonderful hospitality!

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Libertine Bee’s Knees 2 oz Juniper Grove Gin 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 oz desert honey syrup (1 part honey, 1 part warm water) 1 tablespoon egg whites (optional) In a mixing glass add Juniper Grove, lemon juice, honey syrup and egg whites; shake with ice until well blended. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe.

Garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel. *May 13th is World Cocktail Day

Celebrating 100 Years of Joy with Summer’s Hottest Cocktail!

Aperol Spritz is now one of the top 10 best-selling cocktails in the world!*

*DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 2019 ANNUAL 2019 ANNUAL BRAND REPORT

Spring 2019 • itmmag.com

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ITM: Campari America has made significant investment in the on-premise. What’s different for Campari America now compared to a few years ago?

Rick Monkarsh: Our most impactful change was the increased headcount and incorporating all three customer-selling teams under one structure. These teams are primarily customer facing, not distributor facing, which enhances our ability to react faster to customers’ needs, allows us to share information across the country quickly, and ensures we have a consistent approach to managing the channel. This structure also grants us the ability to support our customers if they grow from a single key account, to a regional account, to a national account, and focus on their needs efficiently.

We know brands are built in the on-premise and we have seen success in tackling this model – specifically with Campari, Espolòn Tequila and Aperol. With the entire company and our distributor partners aligned, we are well poised to achieve our strategic objectives and aggressive ambitions for the on-premise channel.

ITM. How is Campari America gaining momentum with its national accounts and maximizing trends that are important to those partners?

RM: Campari America’s positive momentum is driven by several factors, one of which is heightened customer 24

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focus. For example, specialization in the on-premise channel has led to an increased headcount in hotels, casinos and casual dining, which in turn helps us better understand those customers’ needs. We’re also committed to our segmentation strategy to ensure the right brands are in the right types of accounts, based on relevant consumer insights. Most importantly, we are working more closely with our distributor partners to align on the right customer focus, and then ensure consistent communication with the buyers for better teamwork and support of their needs.

We’re also leveraging information sharing and our expertise. We frequently share best practices and successes of both cocktails and activations, from our key accounts to our national accounts, much faster due to our one-team commercial strategy. We’re working closely with our agency partners that support the channel and communicate better with the key stakeholders. This gives us the opportunity to focus on promoting activations for our key brands that generate better results based on our team’s growing expertise of their customers.

ITM: It takes strong business partnerships to obtain the success Campari America has had. Let’s talk about how your alignment with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (SGWS) has propelled Campari America forward.

RM: Dan Butkus, Vice President National Sales, Campari America, has led the charge with our SGWS alignment.

He says, “Campari America weighed many options during our decision process to consolidate nationally with SGWS two years ago.

“We’ve had a long-standing relationship with the Chaplin family’s organization. Our companies also have a similar mission and values. Separately, we recognized their national footprint would afford Campari America opportunities in areas that were important to our growth, particularly national accounts and the on-premise channel. Aligning our route-to-market allowed us to leverage our resources and capitalize on the scale of SGWS’s enterprise.

“The results have been exactly what we had hoped for. In 2018, Campari America expanded significantly in our market share gains in national accounts, both on-premise and off-premise, as well as finishing the year as a top performing supplier in the on-premise channel (second to only Tito’s Vodka in growth, according to Nielsen CGA). But our partnership extends beyond a traditional commercial supplier/distributor relationship.

We realized cross-functional synergies in logistics, IT, procurement and POS optimization, to name just a few.”

ITM: How important is education when it comes to forging your on-premise relationships?

RM: Education is a key pillar for Campari America, and we are working on several initiatives to support our ambitions. With information so readily available and the thirst for increased knowledge from the trade, we are ensuring our team is armed with the best resources to support our customers and investing in digital technology to better communicate key messages

for our brands.

As part of the strategy behind the recent move of Campari Group’s North American headquarters to New York City, we have built a beautiful space called the “Campari Academy” for internal and external education needs. The Campari Academy is led by Jessamine McLellan, who created a stimulating education curriculum that “levels up” Campari America’s internal team and the spirits industry at large. Her curriculum ranges from simple cocktail tutorials and technique courses to deep, comprehensive dives into industry education – offering a truly immersive experience for guest bartenders and industry professionals. We want our customer-facing teams to be viewed and used as experts regarding the category and brand training needs. Campari Academy is how we’ll get there.

ITM: Campari America has a clear vision and strategy.

What’s next for the company?

RM: Campari America will continue honing our focus on listening to our customer needs and ensure we enact upon their feedback efficiently. Part of this includes using technology to be even more nimble and support those needs. Additionally, we’ll drive our “big bets” such as Aperol and Espolòn Tequila with full 360-degree programming for increased awareness and conversion both in the onand off-premise. We will evolve our strategy as needed to ensure we remain laser focused on our customers’ needs and the ability to deliver against them.

Inside the Campari Academy located in Campari Group’s new North American headquarters in New York City. Photo Credit: © James John Jetel, courtesy of Gensler

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Don Billings with Scott Mooney, discussing the flavor profiles of the Private Select Program at Maker’s Mark Distillery.

Private Select Program Lets You Make Your Own Maker’s As Mark Twain has been quoted as once saying, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good Whisky is barely enough.”

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I recently had the opportunity to visit the Maker’s Mark distillery in Loretto, Kentucky and meet with Scott Mooney, Maker’s Mark Private Select Program Manager, to talk about this wildly successful program that was first launched back in 2015. Working alongside eighthgeneration Whisky maker and Maker’s Mark Chief Distillery Officer, Rob Samuels, and Distillery Maturation Specialist, Jane Bowie, Scott has become a champion of the firstof-its-kind barrel program, Maker’s Mark Private Select.

In his present role, Scott manages the operations side of the Private Select Experience — from wood and barrel education, to sharing the flavor nuances that each stave will have upon final selection, and spreading the magic of Kentucky’s Maker’s Mark Bourbon throughout the world.

I happened to be on hand during the time a restaurateur and his beverage team were actually in the process of creating their own unique favorite expression of Maker’s Mark Private Select for their establishment.

It begins with cask-strength Maker’s Mark®, which is then aged for nine additional weeks in barrels specially fitted with 10 wood-finishing staves in Maker’s Mark’s limestone cellar. Where Private Select separates itself from Maker’s 46, is barrel customization using five different stave types. This results in over 1,001 different possible combinations. As a small batch Bourbon that then goes into a single Private Select barrel for finishing,

all expressions of Maker’s Mark Private Select are bottled at cask strength, which ranges from 108 to 114 proof.

The Private Select Experience is more than just choosing your own barrel of Whisky. It’s a one-of-akind Bourbon experience that allows you to follow the process Bill Samuels, Jr. used when he created Maker’s 46®. After a day at the distillery, you and your guests will leave with the satisfaction that you’ve created a Bourbon combination that is truly Maker’s Mark® — and truly your own.

BELOW: The tasting process

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LEFT: Private Select finished barrel BELOW: The final stave types selected by the F&B team from Antonio’s Ristorante located in Maitland, Florida.

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Scott Mooney Indiana native and Bourbon expert, Scott Mooney has been a part of the Maker’s Mark family since 2013. With a background in hospitality and marketing management, his passion for Bourbon grew with a move to the heart of Bourbon country in Kentucky.

As the Private Select Program Manager at Maker’s Mark, Scott focuses on one of the industry’s most innovative programs, the Maker’s Mark Private Select Experience.

RIGHT: Scott Mooney, Private Select Program Manager

Denny Potter Maker’s Mark was thrilled to welcome back to the Maker’s Mark Distillery, General Manager and Master Distiller Denny Potter.

Denny is an expert craftsman with an impressive breadth of experience who knows the Maker’s Mark brand very well, having served as the Assistant Master Distiller from 2007 to 2013. Denny will focus on maintaining and preserving the way Maker’s Mark handcrafts their Bourbon in Loretto, along with the quality of the liquid and ongoing commitment to best practices and sustainability.

RIGHT: Denny Potter, General Manager and Master Distiller

A truly unique portable beer cart.

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LEFT: Partial showcase of on-premise operators’ private select bottles displayed at Maker’s Mark Distillery.

So if you are interested in creating a unique private select barrel of your own, spend an educational day at the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. Enjoy a VIP tasting and roll up your sleeves as Scott Mooney guides you through the process of customizing and creating your own version of cask-strength Maker’s.

Where did the name “Maker’s Mark” come from?

The phrase “maker’s mark” is defined as the hallmark on a piece of English gold, silver, or plate denoting the person or firm responsible for its production.

Margie Samuels took that cue and is responsible for creating two of Kentucky’s most widely known symbols: the Maker’s Mark name and the bottle’s red wax seal.

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Haku® Vodka 40% Alc./Vol. – Roku Gin 43% Alc./Vol. ©2019 Beam Suntory Import Co., Chicago, Il.

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Spirit-Free Beverages

By Edward M. Korry CHE, CSS, CWE, Associate Professor and Department Chair, Beverage Department at Johnson & Wales University At Johnson & Wales University, we have had a term-long course for over five years entitled “Coffee, Tea and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Specialist.”

It addresses the perceived need for restaurants to serve their public well by having equally sophisticated non-alcoholic cocktail, beer and wine lists. Years later, while the retail off-premise market has plunged into sophisticated and flavorful nonalcoholic beverages, restaurants in general still offer what can best be described as children’s drinks, as non-alcoholic beverages.

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Terminology The name itself has always posed a bit of a marketing challenge. The words “mocktails” and even “non-alcoholic” sound disparaging to most consumers. Thankfully, despite widespread use, there is a movement towards change. Julia Momose, of Kumiko in Chicago, who built her reputation at The Aviary, Green River and Oriole, produced a spirit-free manifesto that succinctly argues for different labels for this category, such as “zero-proof cocktails” and “alcohol-free cocktails” and including her preference and mine for “spirit-free.”

I recently attended a session presented by Kathy Casey, President of Liquid Kitchen® and Maeve Webster, President of Menu Matters, at the VIBE Conference in San Diego, which further validated much of the research I have conducted. The market for the spirit-free category has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Projected growth of this category is 32

percent over the next five years, and spirit-free beverage sales are $7 billion higher than just four years ago. In the meantime, beverage alcohol sales have fallen about .8 percent for the third year running, and in states where marijuana has been legalized, there has been an average drop of 15 percent.

Health Concerns Why is this? For one thing, millennials are consuming less beverage alcohol. Data suggests that 45 percent of millennials would give up alcohol to improve their health. Older Baby Boomers are more aware of potential health risks posed especially when alcohol is consumed with prescribed medications; additionally, they have decreased tolerance and therefore are consuming less. So, health is a major reason, which can also be seen in the marketing of “Dryuary” after the holiday season, National Mocktail Week in the second week of January, “Go Sober for October” in the U.K., or “Oct’sober Fest.”

Functional, Natural, Wellness-Focused and Refreshing Sugar-free drinks and fresh fruit-based drinks are a broad-based trend that includes the soda market. The refreshing characteristic of soda or carbonated drinks

makes all kinds of possibilities very attractive to the U.S. market, which represents the largest consuming nation of carbonated drinks in the world. Adding fresh and natural flavors to sodas without sugar has exploded in popularity.

Some refer to this as the La Croix effect, and its impact is ubiquitous whether it is canned bubbly, bottled ice or on-premise less conventional sodas that are more savory than sweet. For example, Dram Apothecary Soda sells less conventional flavor combinations emphasizing zero sugar, natural fresh ingredients and no artificial ingredients, while incorporating floral elements such as lavender, or spice such as black cardamom. Many restaurants carbonate their own juice combinations with little or no sugar.

Many restaurants have even created their own colas using kola nut-based recipes and combining it with citrus peels, vanilla and fresh herbs, delivering fresher and more complex tastes — but the emphasis is still on natural and healthier beverages. There are other “functional” drinks that extol wellness by including super fruits such as blueberries and açai, or vegetal-infused beverages that are flavored with turmeric or ginger and supposedly have health benefits. The use of artichoke, clover, damiana, ginseng and lemon balm, in particular, fall under this category.

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PROFILE

Wellness concerns have also led to the increased presence of fermented beverages such as kombucha and vinegar-based drinks, including shrubs. Restaurants are adding pickle juice or sauerkraut juice to their funkier health-driven concoctions for their probiotic value. Who had ever heard about Eastern European fermented drinks such as kvass until recently, which includes fermented red beet juice? We are in for the most diverse and expanding market to capture the attention of younger generations.

Visual Delights This also ties in to the millennials’ “thirst” for experiences that are authentic, multi-cultural and visually appealing for Instagramming. There is nothing more reflective of the successful impact of Instagramming appeal than Starbucks’ limited rollout of their Unicorn Frappuccino.

There are simpler ways to provide eye appeal, freshness and an experiential component, such as the simplicity of the oldfashioned syphon method for brewing coffee at the table.

Having a selection of brightly colored, quick-serve, healthy juice concoctions that include aforementioned ingredients in clear and attractive dispensers is merely a riff of what hotels currently use in their lobbies for waters infused with lemon or lime wheels. This is just going the extra mile.

Beauty and Spiritual Wellness This was new to me though I have seen drinks that claim to have rejuvenating qualities. At VIBE, Kathy Casey and Maeve Webster enlightened me further with references to companies such as the German Waterdrop, who include collagen and hyaluronic acid potions. There are other drink crystal companies that create customer experiences with claims of enhancing one’s metaphysical state, such as Blue Moon Dream Water. More potentially impactful, in my mind, is the recent innovation of Ooho’s spherical, gelatinous and edible container for water and flavored water, created to eliminate plastic bottles.

Hard Adaptations

The most iconic hard adaptation of a spirit without the spirit is Seedlip, the “world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit.” This English company has now introduced its products into the U.S. and as it has now formed a partnership with Virgin Atlantic, one can expect to see much more of its three primary spirit-free spirits: Spice 94, Garden 108 and Grove 42.

More ubiquitous is Coca Cola’s Bar None Sangria, Dry Aged Cider, Bellini Spritz and Ginger Mule. The trend will no doubt expand considerably as Anheuser-Busch continues to expand its non-alcoholic offerings with the purchase of Hiball’s organic energy drinks company and Alta Palla’s organic sparkling juice and sparkling waters.

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The On-Premise Scene So, what is a restaurant operator to do to distinguish itself from its competitors and offer its clientele a fresh, complex and delicious spirit-free beverage? The first trick is not to try to create a nonalcoholic version of an alcoholic cocktail. The main ingredient of a spirit-free beverage is water, whether infused by flavors, juices, coffees, teas, etc. Trying to substitute alcohol with water doesn’t translate well. The second key element is to remember that if serving it cold, don’t use plain ice. Make ice from the base of the spiritfree drink, otherwise it becomes quickly unbalanced and diluted. Use fresh ingredients when possible; at the very least, use colorful and even exotic garnishes including edible flowers that make sense and enhance the visual appeal. Use more savory ingredients that are in sync with the restaurant’s food menu theme.

Different exotic teas are a very good starting point. They can be infused with all kinds of flavors, transforming them into something complex and original.

Mild heat from peppercorns and other spices can provide the consumer with the texture and taste that alcohol provides. Hibiscus and other natural ingredients including peppers can provide intense red colors to a drink. Or, you may choose to source natural food colors from an array of companies, to provide the same outcome.

Lastly, I provide a recipe from a recent Johnson & Wales University graduate, to demonstrate that it does not require great experience, only a dash of daring creativity.

Eric Freeman, now at the Management Development Program for Food & Beverage at Hilton, produced this recipe for a class and it was then used at the renowned Providence restaurant, Persimmon.

Part-Thyme 3 parts orange juice 1 part pomegranate syrup 3 thyme sprigs 3 basil leaves 1/8 lime juiced Combine syrup and herbs, then muddle well.

Next, add juice and ice; shake and double strain. Garnish with thyme sprig; add a dash of Sprite (optional). Also can be made with a dash or two of hot sauce, or add hot pepper when muddling.

So, here’s to yours and your customers’ health!

Bring a better spirit-free experience to an ever-more sophisticated consumer. And by the way, those who are already in the game and charge accordingly, have discovered not only a point of differentiation but also a valuable profit center.

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MAKING the ROUNDS

With Helen Benefield Billings

A Man and His Barrel

A

re all Whisky barrels created equal in this world? What makes a Whisky unique and downright extraordinary? Many factors play into constructing the exceptional product that is the revered Maker’s Mark, of Loretto, Kentucky.

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Start with the storied history of co-founders Bill Samuels, Sr. and wife Margie Samuels, and their desire to construct smooth Bourbon to share with friends and family.

In 1953, this dynamic duo modified an old family recipe and they were hands-on in the creation of this internationally acclaimed brand known for its certain “front-of-palate sweetness.” Margie Samuels created the Maker’s Mark name and label, as well as the instantly recognizable signature redwax-dipped necks. She was truly a trailblazer in her day.

Segue to the actual precision and consistency of its production, year after year. Maker’s Mark has been carefully handcrafted for three generations. “Handcrafted” is a term that is thrown around liberally these days, but Maker’s Mark insists on keeping the process pure and true to its original roots. Even though it uses techniques that are quite labor intensive, the brand refuses to hand over time-honored methods to automation.

It all begins with red winter wheat (as opposed to rye), corn and barley as its basis. Next up is exceptional filtration, for which they use on-site sourced limestone water. Unique yeast fermentation tanks made from 100-year-old cypress planks, along with the double distillation process taking place in double copper barrel stills, ensure Maker’s Mark refined and distinctive taste.

Don Billings, IMI Agency’s Founder and our fearless publisher here at in the Mix magazine, signed up to participate in the Maker’s Mark Ambassador Program some seven years

ago. Having your name etched onto one of these exclusive 525-pound Bourbon barrels was too intriguing and, frankly, too much fun to pass up. His barrel would go through the same meticulous aging process as others in production on site in Loretto. Periodic updates were sent via mail and email to Don throughout every year, with special gifts being sent during the holidays including festive red ear muffs perfectly sized for our Maker’s Mark bottle in our home bar. I delighted in dressing up our Maker’s bottle at Christmas and taking photos, while throwing together the obligatory eggnog or Don’s favorite classic Manhattan.

Anticipation grew until we received notification in late 2018 that his barrel was indeed ready for consumption. A March 2019 date was set for the trip up to Kentucky to “fetch the juice.” With great expectation Don and I set out to claim the ultimate prize: his very own Whisky collection, complete with personalized labels. With the help of our guide named Christopher, Don was schooled in the proper art of handdipping the bottle neck into the famous red wax (just about half way down), then quickly swirling several times before promptly tilting sideways and placing each individual bottle in an upright position.

This remarkable concept is wildly successful and is a brilliant way to draw upon consumers’ already existing enthusiasm for the Maker’s brand. A certain feeling of satisfaction and pride were certainly evident as Don Billings’ very own private label Maker’s Mark bottles were loaded into our SUV for the long drive back to Georgia.

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The Duckhorn Portfolio, an Unwavering Commitment to Quality

The Duckhorn Portfolio has set the standard for American fine wine for four decades. This acclaimed portfolio includes Duckhorn Vineyards, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Migration, Decoy, Canvasback, Calera and Kosta Browne, each with its own dedicated winemaker.

Each winery within the Duckhorn Portfolio aims to craft wines that speak to their unique sense of place. With more than 850 acres of renowned estate vineyards, along with grapes from the finest growers, each winery has a canvas of lots from which to blend its wines. From California’s Central Coast to the worldrenowned Napa Valley and as far North as the new frontier of Washington State, the Duckhorn Portfolio searches for premiumsites that produce grapes with distinct attributes reflective of the variations in soil, terrain, microclimate, and exposure.

The Duckhorn Portfolio is the only American wine portfolio in this century with two Wine Spectator “Wine of the Year” winners. The Duckhorn Portfolio wines are available throughout the United States, on five continents, and in over 50 countries.

Contact Jessie Griggs for more information at: 314.537.7757 jgriggs@duckhorn.com

Summer 2019 • itmmag.com 39

Cover Story

Paul the J. MixFiala Magazine 40 in

Paul J. Fiala

Vice President Food & Beverage Americas

in the Mix Managing Editor, Mike Raven, tracked down Paul Fiala for an interview, which was no easy task considering Paul’s responsibilities and time availability.

We hope this gives you an insight into the managing of this chain of gorgeous hotels and resorts.

Mike: You are currently working on the chic Four Seasons Hotel Montreal and the cover shot was taken in the Marcus Lounge and Bar. Describe this fabulous space for us, as well as the Marcus Restaurant.

Paul: Four Seasons Montreal is a perfect example of how we are creating the finest destination restaurants and bars. Our hotel has an entire floor plan activated through food and beverage with a lounge, several bars, a restaurant and a terrace that is enclosable. Montreal is a proud city that has many, many great restaurants and bars — it’s a food city. When we were doing our market research, it wasn’t lost on us that many of the better restaurants were still jamming at 10, 11 and later into the evening. To create a concept that would be a welcomed addition by Montrealers, we approached this project with what I call the perfect trifecta of ingredients: the owner’s dream of creating the most popular social hub in the city, Marcus Samulesson’s vision of bringing that dream to life, and our Four Seasons approach to hospitality.

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The guest journey is part of the experience.

Guests arrive into what we call the Social Square, which is our lounge. As the day-parts change, so does the atmosphere, from sexy and light early on, to louder, moodier and seductress in the evening when the music starts pumping. The Social Square leads into the Marcus restaurant where our chefs are featured in an enormous open kitchen. There is not a seat in the dining room where you cannot see the food being prepared for you — quite an accomplishment for a 150-seat restaurant. From there, the terrace welcomes you with its own bar and DJ / live music stage. Wine is a critical component to the Marcus concept so we created a sommelier station at the entrance to Marcus. This is not a wine display; this is an active, working som station where wines are decanted and sampled for guests. It’s quite an operation!

Our bartenders, chefs, musicians/DJs and wait staff are always on stage. It’s one gigantic performance that kicks off early in the morning and stays alive through 3 a.m.

It’s a combined 300-seat behemoth that is active almost 20 hours a day with different styles of programming, lighting, music, menus and a design that ties it all together. What we are seeing is guests floating through the different spaces and staying for hours. I love watching a project come to life and the most rewarding part is our guests are enjoying themselves and returning.

Bar Margo, Atlanta

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Mike: I see you obtained a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University — top notch training. What was your early culinary career like?

Paul: Mike, I feel like I was extremely lucky in my early culinary career. I was able to work with top chefs who were willing to mentor me. The very first chef I worked with was Michael Mina; this was before Michael had the tremendous success that he has today. I also worked with Leslie Revsin, who was the first female chef at the Waldorf Astoria. Her style of cooking is still the biggest influence on me today. She believed in simple preparations that were executed in very precise ways.

At the time, it was counter to every culinary trend that was happening, where all food was going vertical and was very architectural. But in retrospect, her food is very in tune with trends that we are seeing today — true to origin, earthy, vegetable-based and honest cuisine.

I remember the relationships that we had with local farmers and foragers. We worked with this one woman, Rachel, who would come into the kitchen right out of the woods with her backpack full of wild herbs, grasses or mushrooms — whatever she could find that day — and the dirt was still on her hands.

Those early days of my career set me up perfectly for when it was time for me to take the reins of the

The Game Changer Zardetto was one of the first Proseccos imported to the U.S., upending the sparkling category forever. And we’re changing the game again. Coming this SEPTEMBER, Zardetto will reveal a new look and a new attitude.

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kitchen. Our first review was from the The New York Times and we earned three stars. I think back on that and realize how young I was when that all happened and how lucky I was as well. We had a great team and very supportive owners. But that success got me to think about what was next and what I really wanted out of my career. I mean I loved to cook and was good at it, but I also wanted to do other things. I am glad that I made the call when I did to begin looking outside the kitchen at other options, and that’s what brought me to Cornell and set me on the path that ultimately landed me at Four Seasons.

our rooms, but all should want and be able to dine and drink or just hang with us in our R&Bs. Also, our guests spend the majority of their time in our hotels interacting with our F&B and those interactions need to be stellar. So I am focused on creating amazing R&B experiences, which really calls on my roots of when I was in the stand-alone restaurant industry. We are engaging the best restaurant and bar designers in the world, and we are partnering with the best restaurant and bar talent. So I spend about half my time focused on developing R&B projects.

Mike: Tell us about your breadth of responsibilities in the Americas.

Mike: I assume you travel a lot — not that we feel sorry for you staying in these resorts! Give us an idea of your schedule.

Paul: I support our food and beverage teams across the continent, from menu development to talent identification and beverage strategy. Four Seasons’ focus over the past two years has been to amp up our restaurants and bars.

We have graded and prioritized all of our hotels in terms of which hotels and resorts require restaurant and bar renovations. We see our restaurants and bars as the gateway to the Four Seasons experience for many, especially for the communities that surround our hotels.

When you think about it, not all of the people that live around our hotels have many occasions to stay with us in Ulu Bar Hawaii, Hualalai

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Paul: Our approach to either a renovation or a new development is very hands-on. We sweat every detail.

That generally means we need to be on site, not just doing the planning from an office. I do travel extensively.

This year, we are opening five hotels in the Americas, from Montreal to Cabos, to Napa, to Boston and to Philadelphia — that’s a lot of ground to cover. This week, I have been in Dallas, Toronto and Montreal. And in between those cities, I make sure I stop into home. I’ll build trips that take me through New York City so that

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LegentTM Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Partially Finished in Wine & Sherry Casks, 47% Alc./Vol. ©2019 Legent Distilling Co., Clermont, KY.

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I can spend as much time with my family as possible. It’s a tough schedule, but when you’re creating such amazing projects and working with such talented people every day, it makes it easier. But none of that works unless you have family support. You truly need to love what you do but then again, as you said, no one I know feels sorry for me as I get to stay in the most amazing hotels in the world.

Mike: How does IMI Agency assist you in your realm of responsibilities?

Paul: As we just discussed, I am time challenged. Beverage is critically important to us as a company and to our guests; I need “best in class” support to execute on our strategies and programs. I began working with IMI back during my Starwood days. When I came to Four Seasons, I was thrilled to see that we had chosen to partner with IMI because I know what IMI is capable of and the lengths they go to, to create victories. At the end of the day, it comes down to people and Patrick is amazing. He understands what we are attempting to do as a company and works tremendously hard to make sure we’re successful. I can’t ask for more.

Mike: Hotel restaurants and bars have become destinations again, like in the old glamour days, an invaluable asset to the property. What is the importance of their relationship to the Four Seasons Hotel and the community?

Paul: It’s really been a journey for hotel restaurants and bars — they have gone from passé to priority. I think there are several things driving this but the main cause is the increasing cost of real estate. Let’s face it: Prime standalone restaurant space also makes for good prime retail space and landlords can get a better return on retail, which is driving up the real estate costs, so chefs have begun to look at hotels again as viable options. Great chefs creating great restaurants draw crowds and our savvy hotel owners understand the value of having buzzy restaurants and bars to the overall success of a hotel product. We have come full circle now where customers don’t necessarily see hotel restaurants of the past — they see great restaurants that are situated in hotels. Four Seasons has been on the leading edge of this curve and as you look at either our new development projects or our renovated hotels, you see that we are creating true destination restaurants and bars.

Mike: Your bars and lounges in the hotels are amazing. Every one of them has their own flare and style, from the elegant Ty Bar in New York to the spirited, sassy slope-side Handle Bar in Jackson Hole.

Talk to us about the role your bars and lounges play in your hotels.

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Typical street in Jerez, Spain

Paul: We look at restaurants, lounges and bars as very different types of operations, serving different purposes.

From concept to design to how we operate them, they are very different. Our lounges serve as social anchors for guests and the local community to entertain, work, eat and drink. They are social, flexible and relaxed. There is also the strongest relationship between our lounges and our hotels from both a proximity and a branding perspective. Our bars are very distinct from our hotels in that they have a very different feel — their design is sophisticated and playful.

Our bars are a modern showcase for beverage artistry. When we begin a bar project, we seek bar designers that can create memorable experiences to ensure that our bars maintain a very separate identity from our hotels.

Mike: What was the evolution and inspiration for these great bars and restaurants?

Paul: I don’t think anyone would argue that our hotels are known as the best in the world for service and quality. When we evaluated our restaurants and bars, we realized that the product quality ran the gamut from legendary to legacy.

Across our industry, bars and lounges have evolved from what used to be waiting areas, where guests would stop for a drink on their way to their final destination, to becoming the destination. As an organization, Four Seasons is very attuned to knowing when we need to evolve and stay ahead of the curve. Thus, our goal is to make every aspect of our guest experience — our room product, our restaurants, our lounges and our bars — fabulous, memorable and quite frankly, the best. But change is difficult and refocusing an organization on providing the ultimate in R&B experiences requires a lot of work, not only internally but also in convincing our owners to spend the required capital. However, setting a vision and getting a team excited about executing on that vision is something that I love doing. The most satisfying aspect is seeing the results speak for themselves, and we are seeing those results now.

Mike: Finally, do you have any words of advice for ambitious hotel food and beverage upstarts who would love to aspire to your role?

Paul: I wake up every day thankful for the opportunity to do what I do. When I speak to students, I remind them that no two paths are the same and I speak to them about the following qualities: Be humble, be passionate and be laser-focused on excellence. Hard work is not enough in our industry — everyone in the hospitality industry works hard — it really comes down to knowing what “great” looks like and the steps required to get you there. The other powerful message that a mentor once spoke to me about was not being afraid to fail, but more importantly, to fail forward.

Montreal Hotel

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2019 Operators Learn About the Latest Beverage Trends The Tenth Annual Premier On-Premise Beverage Conference Featured Networking Opportunities, Workshops, Tastings and More

VIBE Conference’s Official Charity, Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE) Raised $86,000 for Families in the Food and Beverage Industry Facing Terminal Illnesses or Sudden Losses.

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More than 200 operators representing more than 125 separate chain restaurants, hotels and cruise lines traveled to San Diego to attend the 2019 VIBE Conference, held February 25–27. Throughout three days, attendees learned about the latest beverage trends through education workshops, beverage tastings, research sessions and lively networking opportunities.

About 400 sponsor attendees representing 110 companies also attended in support of the conference, with 100 more attendees coming from distributors, agencies, consultants, speakers and industry notables, taking total attendance to the 700 mark. Before the start of the conference, the official charity of VIBE, Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE) invited operators to its annual “Giving Back to Our Own” party on Monday, Feb. 25.

Through the event and its partnership with VIBE, CORE raised $86,000 for families in the food and beverage industry facing terminal illnesses or sudden losses.

On Tuesday, Feb. 26, well-known wine consultant Evan Goldstein and Questex CEO Paul Miller kicked off the two-day event by welcoming operators to the VIBE Conference inside the San Diego Sheraton Marina. Following the opening remarks, attendees were treated to an innovative keynote session by award-winning professional speaker Scott Steinberg, hailed as “The Master of Innovation” by Fortune magazine. During his session, Steinberg spoke about what it takes to thrive in the new operating reality, to create competitive advantage and adapt to changing trends.

Steinberg was followed by one of the top-rated presentations annually, from Jack Li and Colleen McClellan of Datassential, on the current trends that influence consumer behavior in the on-premise environment, and how they decide what and how much to drink when away from home.

Evan Goldstein and Ed Korry of Johnson & Wales University presented the VIBE Vista Awards to 13 companies for their positive, result-driven corporate beverage programs. VIBE Vista Awards recognize the top performers in the beverage industry through the creation, training, execution, management and on-going positive results of beverage programs. Entries were reviewed by a panel of Johnson & Wales University beverage faculty, staff and alumni, and were judged on positive beverage sales initiatives, efficient operational innovations and training and service programs producing high quality standards.

This year’s VIBE Supplier Awards category winners were: Beer:

Large company: Constellation Brands Medium company: Boston Beer Company Small company: Lagunitas Brewing Company

Wine:

Large company: E&J Gallo Winery Medium company: Jackson Family Wines Small company: The Mark Wine Group

Spirits:

This year’s VIBE Vista Award winners included:

Large company: Beam Suntory Medium company: Sazerac Small company: Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Non-Alcohol:

Large company: Red Bull Medium company: Monin

Summer 2018 • itmmag.com 49

lime.

Sunset at Raymond Vineyards

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Natural Flavor Without Sweetness Introducing Monin Concentrated Flavor – perfect for adding natural flavor without any added sugar or artificial ingredients to your beverage and culinary creations. Available in more than 20 delicious savory, spicy, fruit and herbal flavors derived from nature. Use Monin Lime and Coconut Concentrated Flavor to create your next favorite summer cocktail.

Lime in the Coconut Glass Size: 14 oz.

• • • • •

½ oz. fresh lemon juice 6 mL Monin Lime Concentrated Flavor 3 mL Monin Coconut Concentrated Flavor 1 ¼ oz. Premium white rum 2 oz. ginger beer

Fill serving glass with ice. Combine ingredients except ginger beer. Cap & Shake.

Top with 2 oz. ginger beer. Roll once to mix.

Visit monin.com for more information.

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Photo by Drew Clark

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Thank you for all your help getting us where we are today!

TOP ON-PREMISE

PROFIT GENERATOR

+30.7%

1

Tito’s Bloody Mary The infamous brunch cocktail that, depending on the garnishes, can overshadow the meal. Go ahead… load it up. As Tito says “It doesn’t make you a bad person!”

Photo by Clark Source: (1) Nielsen CGADrew on premise data - market total, US total spirits top 25 spirit brands by $ value, volume 9L EQ, value $, Avg Price 1.5OZ EQ, rolling 52 w/e 08/11/2018 vs YA

Photo by Regina Fell

During the afternoon sessions, operators had access to two workshop series featuring a variety of tastings, research sessions and discussion panels.

After the sessions, attendees networked at the welcoming cocktail party while sipping on delicious craft cocktails prepared by celebrity mixologists, as well as beer and wine at the sponsored themed bars.

On Wednesday, the conference opened with David Henkes and Lizzy Freier of Technomic for a look at the impact of consumer hyper-choice on the on-premise environment and how choices will only continue to grow.

Then David Portalatin, Vice President, Food Industry Advisor, The NPD Group, Inc., addressed another facet of the changing consumer — those looking for the memorable and the experiential in their drinking and dining.

Later that morning, Tom Fox, managing partner of CM Profit Group presented the VIBE Supplier Awards to 13 companies. For the past eight years, the VIBE Supplier Awards has invited beverage operators to rate their respective supplier companies, using an online survey, on key attributes including business-building support as well as service and support performance. To ensure efficient, fair and unbiased balloting and analysis, survey results were analyzed by food and beverage industry research and consulting firm CM Profit Group. Winners were then identified in the four categories of beer, wine, spirits and non-alcohol beverages, categorized by total annual case volume.

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TWO OTHER PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS WERE GIVEN OUT: VIBE Conference Presents 2019 Industry Legend Winner

VIBE recognizes a food and beverage industry legend every year and this year’s winner was Ken Ruff, Vice President, National Accounts, Beam Suntory. Ken was recognized for his contributions to new ways to continue to serve American consumers with cutting-edge methods.

Ruff ’s career has been marked by his contribution to the on-premise market through his long association with Beam Suntory as it evolved from the James B. Beam Distilling Company, to Jim Beam Brands, Future Brands and Beam Global. For the last three years, including this year’s conference, and for seven of the last 10 years, under Ken’s on-premise guidance, Beam Suntory has been rated as the number one large spirits supplier as determined by the 50 top chain restaurants and hotels polled.

“I have been at Beam Suntory for more than 30 years. It is a great honor to be recognized with the Industry Legend Award at the VIBE Conference. I feel like my award is a nice statement about all the supplier representatives at the conference, and the great work they do to help our customers,” Ruff said upon accepting the award.

VIBE Conference Presents 2019 VIBE On-Premise Innovator of the Year Award

This year, King Cocktail himself, Dale DeGroff was recognized as the Innovator of the Year. Dale has been at the forefront of the modern cocktail renaissance and has mentored many and taught thousands of aspiring bartenders, especially through his work with Beverage Alcohol Resources training program.

Master Mixologist DeGroff developed his extraordinary techniques and talent tending bar at the legendary Rainbow Room, where in the 1980s, he pioneered a gourmet approach to recreating the classic cocktails. DeGroff has since been credited with reviving the profession of bartending and setting off a cocktail explosion that continues to transform the industry.

“I am accepting the Industry Innovator award on behalf of my mentor Joe Baum, and as a member of the team that shared his vision of American culinary excellence, wine on every table and a return to the ‘golden age’ of the cocktail! And what a team it was,” said DeGroff, mentioning Baum’s partner Michael Whiteman and others who were part of the original team at the Rainbow Room and Windows on the World, where DeGroff also created the cocktail program.

VIBE Conference, a division of Boston, Massachusetts-based Questex LLC, is the premier event for chain and hotel adult beverage executives and suppliers. Produced for Questex LLC by Weiss Foodservice Visions, Inc., the top on-

premise conference is held annually and involves high-level content, tastings and networking opportunities. The 2020 conference will be held Feb. 24–26 at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.

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Get Funky With Functional Cocktails

By Sherry Tseng

Summer has seemingly snuck up on us – are you ready for beach weather? As we move into the hottest time of year for many parts of the country, consumers are also moving towards consuming healthier food and beverages, not only to get their beach bods in shape but as part of an overall push to improve their health in general. Operators have picked up on that focus and are extending it beyond the food menu into the cocktail menu as well, and many are now touting alcoholic beverages with a variety of functional benefits. While these health-forward cocktails can sport a range of functional ingredients that provide different benefits, all of them have one thing in common: they’re meant to help customers feel good about what they’re drinking.

Offer a Different Kind of Buzz With CBD and THC Cocktails

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Cannabis and its derivative compounds, CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), are seemingly everywhere in the news these days. With the public becoming increasingly more accepting of marijuana and more states moving to legalize its consumption, CBD- and THC-based products are popping up all over, including in alcoholic beverages. In fact, according to Datassential’s Creative Concepts: Retail Alcoholic Beverages, over a third of consumers said they would be interested in trying THC-infused alcoholic products like beer, wine or spirits. With the majority of Americans now in support of marijuana legalization (62 percent, according to a survey by Pew Research Center conducted last year), the inclusion of CBD and THC in alcoholic beverages will likely only become more widespread in the near future, so bartenders and mixologists should start brainstorming how they can take tweak their alcoholic beverage offerings to take advantage of the trend. Adriaen Block is New York’s first CBD restaurant and bar, and around half of its cocktail menu is dedicated to cocktails made with a CBD tincture. There is some concern around potential negative effects of mixing CBD and alcohol (some say alcohol may in the Mix Magazine

Photo by Steven Krause

Purple Rain courtesy of Madison On Park Spring 2019 • itmmag.com 57

amplify CBD’s relaxing effects, though Tonic notes that there are conflicting studies on the interaction between CBD and alcohol, and “experts can’t even seem to agree”), so Adriaen Block’s CBD offerings are either low- or zero-proof. Drinks that customers might find on the menu include the cheekily named Rolled Fashioned, featuring Aperol, Pineau des Charentes and Angostura bitters.

Tinctures aren’t the only way to introduce CBD into a cocktail either, as Plant Miami demonstrates with its aptly-named Plant Medicine cocktail, made with dark Rum, fresh pineapple, coconut milk, lemongrass, clove and CBD oil. Similarly, Madison on Park in San Diego has menued a Purple Rain cocktail (in tribute to the late singer Prince) made with Aquavit, peach liqueur, lemon, egg white, butterfly pea flower tea and CBD oil.

Some manufacturers are beginning to introduce CBD-/THCinfused syrups as well. Seattle-based Craft Elixirs produces THC syrups in flavors like Bagley Ave. Brew with chicory and coffee, which can be incorporated into a number of foods or cocktails.

And Chicago’s Fort Willow offers customers the option to add CBD to any drink for an additional charge, an effective way to introduce the ingredient to menus without necessarily investing time and resources into developing brand new items.

While turmeric is one of the more well known functional ingredients, there are others making their way into cocktails, too. Beatrix in Chicago offers a menu of cocktails that play off the fresh juice trend, offering beverages like the Green Machine, which incorporates vitamin- and nutrient-packed leafy greens into a cocktail with Vodka, Chareau, lemon and pineapple. Buffalo and Bergen in New York menus a Deeply Rooted cocktail made with Avuá Cachaça Amburano, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, lime and gentian root soda (gentian root is a medicinal plant often used to treat indigestion). Then there’s activated charcoal, the Instagrammable pitch-black powder that’s thought to have detoxifying properties, showing up in the Sucker’s Luck cocktail at Pink Rabbit in Portland, Oregon; the drink is made with Sherry, Vermouth, Batavia Arrack and Gin. And have you ever heard of ashwagandha? Named one of Datassential’s Flavors to Watch for 2019, the herb is touted as a treatment for anything from anxiety to backaches and asthma.

Ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine and can be found in the Down the Rabbit Hole cocktail (Mezcal, Gin, carrot-turmeric shrub) at Oakland, California’s Copper Spoon.

Make Your Drink Work for You

When brainstorming ways to add functional ingredients to your beverage lineup, it may help to consider ingredients that are already common, but might not normally be considered as functional foods despite having healthy benefits. For example, coffee and tea are very familiar beverages for most consumers, and are high in antioxidants and can promote alertness – both functional benefits. Trendy matcha, a powdered green tea from Japan, is one type of tea that’s practically exploding in cocktails.

According to Datassential MenuTrends, it increased over 530 percent on alcoholic beverage menus within the past four years.

When menuing functional cocktails, the most important aspect to consider is how the drink is presented to customers – if you’re introducing an ingredient that’s relatively unknown, consider adding a brief description of what it is and its functional benefits. On the flip side, operators can also think about whether or not any of the ingredients they’re already using have any functional benefits, and highlight those. For example, while many customers are familiar with tea or beets, they might not know of the specific health-forward aspects of those ingredients, so calling them out can help lend a health halo to drinks on the menu. As noted in the Functional Foods Keynote Report, there’s currently a gap between consumer interest in functional foods and beverages, and the number of operators who are actually offering them. Given that mixologists often have a reputation for utilizing cutting edge ingredients that later proliferate through the mainstream, alcoholic beverage operators are well-positioned to take advantage of growing health trends that have consumers yearning for functional foods and beverages.

Functional foods have seemingly taken over the health and wellness trend lately, with operators and manufacturers touting how their food and beverage offerings contain ingredients that do anything from boosting your immune system and improving mood and cognition, to reducing blood pressure and acting as a sleep aid. According to Datassential’s Functional Foods Keynote Report, awareness and understanding of the term “functional food” is fairly high – around 68 percent – but actual interest in functional ingredients is even higher. When given a definition of functional foods (“foods that have a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition”), 90 percent of consumers said they were interested in trying them. While several non-alcoholic beverage operators have long been incorporating functional ingredients on their menus (think superfood smoothies or pressed juices), now mixologists are also beginning to experiment with functional flavors. Take, for example, trendy turmeric, which has not only made its way into mainstream beverages (golden lattes, for instance), but is now being featured in cocktails, too. Please, a craft cocktail bar in Cincinnati that draws inspiration from the health and juice bar culture of the West Coast, has leveraged turmeric as an ingredient in its seasonal Alisha Budkie cocktail, which mixes Gin, turmeric, elderflower, lime and egg white. Turmeric has grown nearly 85 percent on alcoholic beverage menus within just the past year according to Datassential MenuTrends (and a whopping 1,145 percent over the past four years). As the functional ingredient continues to become more mainstream, operators can expect its use in alcoholic beverages to increase as well.

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Add a Healthy Twist to Your Tipple

This article has been provided by Sherry Tseng, Publications Specialist at Datassential, a leading consulting firm and supplier of trends analysis and concept testing for the food industry.

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Hospitality Executive Exchange (HEE) held its West

Coast program on May 5–8, 2019 in beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. HEE is a unique, one-of-a-kind program that focuses on relationships and conversations through an all-inclusive agenda for multi-unit operators and select supplier partners. HEE West had more than 140 individuals participating and engaging for 2 ½ days of fresh, relevant conversations discussing beverage strategies and real topics that are top of mind for the hospitality industry.

HEE continues to resonate with both multi-unit operators and select supplier partners because of the intimate setting and customization of every program. HEE has become one of the most talked about programs in the industry.

Mark your calendars for HEE East, which will be October 27–30, 2019 and will be held at the Omni Championsgate in Orlando, Florida. Both multi-unit operator and select supplier seats are now open. For more information, visit the website, www.hospitalityexecutiveexchange.com or send an email to Jen Robinson, jen@thepineapplegroup.net.

TOP: Mary Melton, P.F. Chang’s, hosted the Welcome Kick-off Sensory Challenge for HEE West participants. Teams were given the task of identifying three wines (varietal and region) along with descriptors and two sensory bites.

CENTER: Tony Abou-Ganim and Anthony Pullen led an engaging Railroading the Highball session that ended with a toast.

BOTTOM: Celeste Dinos enjoys lunch on the terrace overlooking beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene.

OPPOSITE TOP LEFT: Carolyn White, Trinchero Family Estates, and Grant Hewitt, Loews Hotels & Resorts, take a moment to chat during one of the networking breaks.

OPPOSITE CENTER LEFT: Patrick McGinn proudly presents Grant Hewitt with the coveted green jacket for the third annual HEE Masters Glow in the Dark Tournament.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM LEFT: HEE West participants enjoyed the traditional mariachi band during the Cinco de Mayo celebration.

OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT: Participants enjoyed beautiful weather and lots of outdoor activities during HEE West including cocktail hour by the pool and Lake Coeur d’Alene.

OPPOSITE CENTER RIGHT: Donna Fredrickson, Beam Suntory, and Angie Mikeska, Monin Gourmet Flavorings, catch up during the Cinco de Mayo celebration.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM RIGHT: Mara Lee, Total Beverage Solution, and Rebecca Wilkie, in the Mix magazine, enjoyed reconnecting during the Fly Me to the Moon dinner.

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SPOTLIGHT ON

at the Hilton Miami Dadeland

Table 55 was named after the original property it sits on, Henry Kendall’s 55 acres of fruit groves. Today his legacy is carried on in the name of the street the property is on, Kendall Drive. The Hilton Miami Dadeland, managed

by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, is led by General Manager James Shandor. Their restaurant, Table 55, creates flavorful, fresh and seasonal food offerings that are made with the best ingredients from sustainable local farms and producers, and complemented with produce from their on-site garden.

Table 55 is another example of the new generation of hotel destination restaurants, a favorite spot for both locals and guests.

In the bar, the mixologists have the same philosophy — using locally sourced farm fresh ingredients, they create fresh and exciting cocktails. Signature cocktails include the T55 Hard Lemonade and The Antidote, featured here.

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T55 Hard Lemonade (left) Ingredients: Strawberry, cucumber, agave and Tito’s Handmade Vodka

lemon

juice,

Recipe: Muddle the strawberry and the cucumber together with the lemon juice and agave in a shaker.

Add the Vodka and ice, and then shake.

Pour all in a highball, and garnish with a cucumber slice and strawberry on a bamboo stick.

This drink is named after the stunning farm fresh restaurant Table 55, where the staff pride themselves on using the freshest local produce, an approach showcased in this cocktail with fresh strawberries and cucumbers harvested from local farms.

The Antidote (right) Ingredients: Don Julio Tequila, Vida Mezcal, StGermain, lime juice and agave Recipe: Pour all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Truly the perfect antidote for a tough day at work and the beginning of a night of fun with friends, this cocktail is considered to be an exciting and tougher version of a Margarita.

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