Drinks World Top 25 Bartenders 2019

ADAM KEANE 100Proof

Selection Panel

ALEX ROSS

Hip Media

ANDREW RATCLIFF

Proximo

ASHLEY PINI

Hip Media

CAMERON PIRRET

The Exchange

CHARLIE AINSBURY

Proof & Company

DANIELE PIROTTA

Campari

FRED SIGGINS

Sullivans Cove

GORGE CAMORRA 100Proof

HAYLEY MORISON

Beam Suntory Australia

JOEY TAI

Baranows Emporium

KAREL REYES

MONIN

KASS HILL

Vanguard Luxury Brands

KRYSTAL HART

Sweet&Chilli Ltd

LOY CATADA Bacardí-Martini Australia

MARK HICKEY Spirits Platform

SASHA FALLOON Hip Media

MIKE LOWE William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd

THALITA ALVES

Brown-Forman Australia

MITCH WILSON

Maison Ferrand

TIM LUDLOW

Hip Media

LUKE SANDERSON

William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd

ROSS BLAINEY William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd

TRISTRAM LILBURNE-FINI Campari

TOP 100 BARTENDERS AUSTRALIA 2019

Congratulations to all who made the Drinks World Top 100 Bartenders list for 2019. It’s a massive achievement to be announced as one of the leading bartenders in Australia given the amount of talent we have in this market. T25 is one of our favourite projects to work on as we get to connect with the industry and grow the bartending community across the nation. We look forward to T25 2020 and seeing new up and coming talent on the list. We’re mixing T25 up next year, so stay tuned for more details.

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a Wrap!

Photography: Steve Woodburn

Meet Your

10 | Alex Boon

50 | Alex Gilmour 54 | Andrea Gualdi 58 | Anneliese Grazioli 62 | Antonello Arzedi

82 | Elliot Pascoe 86 | Emma Crisp 90 | Evan Stroeve 94 | Hayden Lambert

98 | Jenna Hemsworth 102 | Jessica Arnott 106 | Joseph Chisholm 110 | Joseph Sinagra

114 | Kayla Grigoriou 118 | Michael Chiem 122 | Millie Tang 126 | Nick Corletto

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

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?

It’s been a cracking year so far. Most of my focus has been on opening up Cantina OK! but also working across the group at Tio’s and Cliff Dive. We went back to México for another 12-day exploration, found some great mezcal, drank it with some awesome people and then also got to try some fantastic local meals.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT HERRADURA AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

Herradura is one of the oldest tequila houses and the first attributed to using the word reposado in connection with tequila. For me this is always one of my favourite tequila categories, the light vanilla and black pepper notes in the Herradura Reposado, pair perfectly with the carbonated tea in a highball style cocktail.

LAST YEAR WHEN WE SPOKE YOU WERE WORKING TOWARDS YOUR MASTERS IN BREWING AND DISTILLING. HOW IS THIS GOING AND WHAT ARE SOME KEY LEARNINGS?

I have managed to finish all my coursework and now just have my final thesis to go which I should start ASAP. I have found huge benefit in learning more about the distillation side of our production. I have really enjoyed getting my head around still construction and building my knowledge on how the juice, that I ramble on about all day, is actually made.

CANTINA OK! IS THE LATEST VENUE YOU’RE A PART OF. THE VENUE IS THE SIZE OF YOUR AVERAGE SHIPPING CONTAINER AND MAINLY STOCKS MEZCAL. THIS IS A NEW CONCEPT FOR SYDNEY – HOW HAS IT BEEN RECEIVED AND ANY PLANS FOR MORE BESPOKE BARS LIKE THIS?

New builds are always about how to make what you want to happen in the space you want to work in. It’s been a great challenge opening Cantina OK!, super interesting concept with less space than I have ever had to manage. Each part of the venue has a story and it’s been great fun watching our guests learn a new piece every time they come in. We have been very humbled by the support of the bars around us and the people who have helped make it such a great fun vibe all night and every night.

IF NOT AGAVE, WHAT?

I’m really into fruit brandy and eau de vie. I find working with these materials from a production standpoint very different and difficult but it is so much fun. When a great fruit distillate is tasted it draws aspects of all parts of the fruit and I think that is awesome. Nerdy, I know.

Alex“Happy” gilmour

TÉ ANTIGUO

By Alex ‘Happy’ Gilmour

INGREDIENTS:

• 50ml Herradura Reposado Tequila • 60ml Carbonated citrus and honey tea • 10ml Fresh lime juice

GARNISH: Fresh mint sprig

METHOD: Build in a highball glass and top with crushed ice

GLASSWARE: Highball

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Alex in action

Andrea Gualdi

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

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT AMARO MONTENEGRO AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

As Montenegro is one of the most iconic Italian amaros, I took inspiration from one of the most iconic Italian cocktails for my drink, the Negroni. At Maybe Sammy, we love our mini cocktails. Here is one of those using a mix of Italian products including Select Aperitivo, the key ingredient of the Original Venetian Spritz and one of my favourites just to add an extra kick to the drink, a touch of mezcal.

DESCRIBE THE MOMENT MAYBE SAMMY WON BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL COCKTAIL BAR AT TOTC SPIRITED AWARDS.

It was insane. When you hear your name in such a huge competition like this, you get an injection of adrenaline I struggle to describe. We’re still over-excited about it.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER?

I would place as a highlight of my career my first steps into Artesian Bar in London as it was the best school I could have ever asked for. The opening of Maybe Frank is another and the friends I made there. Diageo’s World Class opened many doors for me and pushed me to grow as a person and a professional. Now it is the opening of Maybe Sammy, those four are the moments I am most proud of in my career.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING BEHIND THE BAR, HOW DO YOU ENJOY YOUR TIME OFF?

When I’m not working, I love spending time home cooking or going for a run in this amazing city or enjoy some wine and walk along the beaches. I think, as a hospitality worker, it is important to push yourself to do something that is not barrelated in your free time.

MONTENEGRONCINO

By Andrea Gualdi

INGREDIENTS:

• 25ml Amaro Montenegro • 25ml Select Aperitivo • 20ml Mezcal • 10ml Italicus • 10ml Cedarwood syrup • 2 x Dash Peychaud’s Bitters • 25ml Purified chilled water

METHOD: Combine all ingredient into a bottle and store in the fridge. Pour chilled when ready to serve

GLASSWARE: Mini coupette

Anneliese is the talented general manager at award-winning Mexican restaurant, Hot Tamale on the scenic Darwin waterfront. While she is responsible for Australia’s largest collection of tequila, she also loves a good Australian spirit. Here she was challenged to make a signature cocktail with Larrikin Gin.

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH LARRIKIN GIN. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

Larrikin’s Sunburnt Country - Bush Tucker Gin was created using local botanicals themed around Bush Tucker. There are ten native botanicals in the gin. Growing up and living in the Northern Territory, I am very familiar with these flavours, so I wanted to create a cocktail that complements them but doesn’t overpower. I also wanted it to be what you would want to drink during the Australian summer, so something light and spritzy.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY.

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

IF A CUSTOMER WAS TO STEP INTO YOUR VENUE FOR THIS FIRST TIME, WHAT CAN THEY EXPECT?

Hot Tamale is still foremost a restaurant, so a host would greet and assist the guest with what sort of evening they were after. If the guest wanted to sit at the bar, they would be looked after by some of the most passionate agave bartenders I know, who are always excited to talk agave to anyone who will listen.

IF YOU WEREN’T BARTENDING, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

Probably something involving sales and customer service. Maybe tourism.

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE WITH?

Julio Bermejo at Tommy’s. His hospitality skills are outstanding, and there is a back bar with some very cool agave.

WHY SHOULD EVERYONE EXPERIENCE DARWIN AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIVES?

The lifestyle, it’s probably not something you’ll completely understand with a quick trip, but you will notice the absolute stark difference to any other capital city - more sun, more greenery, fresh air and wider open spaces. It is a city with so much potential.

AnnelieseGrazioli

BUSH TUCKER BOTANIC

By Anneliese Grazioli

INGREDIENTS:

• 45ml Larrikin Sunburnt Country - Bush

Tucker Gin • 100ml Rosella citric balanced wine • 3g Cracked pepperberry

METHOD: Built on ice

GLASSWARE: Stemless wine glass

Antonello

Arzedi

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

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY.

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

WE’VE SEEN YOUR LAB AT SCOUT. WHAT’S THE PROCESS YOU GO THROUGH TO CREATE AWARD-WINNING COCKTAILS?

For me, and I am sure for most bartenders, I am driven by flavour. My inspiration is art, colours, food and childhood memory. Often I lie on my bed and imagine all the colours and flavours and how they could combine. The lab and the machines are a massive luxury - I am lucky to have (but in truth, are not necessary). I do love to use them; they make my imagination a reality. Often I love to try things that I know may not work, and I think to myself some of the greatest inventions came from mistakes, and this actually inspires me to make them, on purpose sometimes. The results are always surprising.

YOU WORK WITH MATT WHILEY, SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO. WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING WITH ONE OF YOUR INDUSTRY ICONS?

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

IF YOU HAD A TIME MACHINE WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU GO TO?

Definitely the 1960s and 1970s when drinks were happy and colourful and cocktails brought people together in good times and creativity. Mixed drinks went to the next level.

PUBLIC HAZARD

By Antonello Arzedi

INGREDIENTS:

• 40ml Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey • 5ml Cauliflower distilled • 40ml Fermented banana skin • 2.5ml River mint syrup • 50ml Filtered water

GARNISH: Citric acid and mint dust

METHOD: Combine all the ingredients and chill to ice-cold, carbonate with soda stream or carbonation rig system

GLASSWARE: Small highball

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Antonello in action

A ONE IN ONE HUNDRED

TENNESSEE whiskey

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

hundred of our American White Oak barrels becomes Single Barrel. And they all come from the topmost floors of our barrelhouses, where temperature swings are the most temperamental. If you’ve visited us here during the summer, you know it gets hot. However, a Lynchburg winter has a bite too. Those big temperature swings push the whiskey in and back out of the barrels, so they soak up even more oak flavor. And not every drop sees the light of day. The whiskey that evaporates is known as the “Angel’s Share.” And because it’s hotter up on the top, those lucky angels get a bit more of that precious Single Barrel to enjoy. But it’s not only the temperature that makes our barrels special. It’s also, well, the barrels. No one is the same as the last, which means each one brings something special to the whiskey. More char means a smokier sip. More sugars in the wood means a sweeter finish. The smells and tastes may be different, but you can be sure to expect a deep take on Jack from the barrel it’s born in. It’s how Jack did it in 1866. Does it take more time picking the best barrels? Absolutely. It may not be the easy way, but it’s the right way. So when you sip a little Single Barrel Select, take your time. Let the stories last. This one in one hundred whiskey has quite the story behind it, after all. One sip and you’ll see why every drop is worth the time that went into it.

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

Dan Gregory

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT FORTALEZA TEQUILA AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

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

WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE CITY/TOWN TO WORK IN AND WHY?

Hands down I would have to say the city I’m in now, Hobart. Having been lucky enough to work in a few different cities now I can’t go past the lifestyle I have living down here. It has made my work as a bartender more enjoyable having a balanced work/family life and the produce that is at my doorstep is amazing. The boundaries feel endless right now and the only thing that is stopping me from getting all the wonderful ideas I have in mind done is there is not enough hours in the day. But I feel as time goes on, I will have a lot to showcase from this wonderful city.

LIVING IN TASMANIA, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF THE BEST PRODUCE IN THE WORLD. WHAT’S AN INGREDIENT THAT YOU HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED AND ENJOY WORKING WITH?

Honey! There is so much you can do with this sweet nectar in the terms of fermentations and down here a lot of different types of honey are harvested. For example, mead is endless to what flavours you can end up with. You can make very sweet to bone dry, and the magic that happens in the bottle over a year or two if you have the time to wait is something that cannot be made in a short period of time.

AS A BAR MANAGER, HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT IN THE GROWING F&B SCENE?

I have a family now which makes it harder to get out to new places and being in Hobart I don’t get up to the mainland as often as I like. But nowadays with online resources and a good old book always keeps me up to date with the goings on. Having younger staff where we both feed off each other and trying new things. Never be afraid to go into the deep end and try something that is not what the rest of everyone else is doing.

SUSTAINABILITY IS A HOT TOPIC AT THE MOMENT. DO YOU FEEL THIS IS A CURRENT TREND OR A PRACTICE EVERY VENUE SHOULD INTEGRATE?

I feel if it is practical with your venue, works for the business and is a practice that can be ongoing I give two green thumbs up!

YOU HAVE A TIME MACHINE, WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU BE TRANSPORTED TO AND WHY?

1930s all the way, I love my classics and it would have been a melting pot of amazing drinks, bartenders and bars to be around. Looking at London and the U.S. in particular but I would love to see the bars and pubs of Australia in that era too.

FORTITUDE & HEART

By Dan Gregory

INGREDIENTS:

• 40ml Fortaleza Reposado Tequila • 20ml Off-Dry 5YO Madeira • 20ml Alpe genepy herbetet • 5ml Lacto-Fermented pineapple scented honey • 1 x Dash walnut bitters

GARNISH: Orange disc and pineapple sphere

METHOD: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and stir down well with ice. Strain over a large single rock of ice and place garnish on top

GLASSWARE: Rocks

DARREN

LEANEY

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

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH FERNET-BRANCA. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION?

I looked to make a slightly softer variation on a classic Stinger with an Italian bent. FernetBranca is such a wonderfully psychotic ingredient so, to my mind, requires bold flavours and lower alcohol levels to tame it. I wanted to create something that anyone could make with ingredients that most bars have on hand and with products that can be easily substituted as well. A childhood memory growing up was when my parents had friends over for dinner a box of After Dinner mints would inevitably follow the coffee out. Childhood memories are on-trend these days thanks to shows like Chef’s Table. I was inspired to combine the more fun FernetBranca with Cognac to create a bourgeois take on the After-Eight.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?

I was working in a factory doing an apprenticeship as a boilermaker when one Saturday night I got a call from a friend asking if I could pull a ‘glassie’ shift. I begrudgingly (hungover) accepted under the promise of as much Red Bull and Coopers Sparkling Ale as I could consume. Within the first half-hour I was completely sold. I was pretty much ready to walk away from my apprenticeship, however, stuck it out and worked weekends and the odd weeknight at the bar (Botanic Bar, ADL). Once I scraped my trade papers together, I started working full time in bars.

AT WHAT STAGE DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE F&B INDUSTRY?

That fateful Saturday night all those years ago, just the feel and energy of the room was intoxicating. When you’re 19-years-old and out drinking and partying you never think about more than trying to get laid, shots, and trying to get laid. To see the choreographed mayhem that goes on behind the scenes, that whole swan effect, was super cool. Add to that, you’re part of creating memories and moments for people, even if I was picking up empties and sweeping up broken glass and ciggy butts. It just felt like such a rewarding way to earn a living. Interacting with people having the best night of their lives is pretty cool. Once I started learning about cocktails and spirits and matching flavours, I fell quite fast down that rabbit hole. It’s an immensely rewarding feeling to see someone’s face and get a sense of their happiness when they taste something that they deem right or delicious. So no matter how I’m doing that with either cocktails, wine, shots or whatever, it’s a feeling that I’ve not yet, and don’t think, I’ll ever tire.

SHARE WITH US THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE IN AUSTRALIA?

Good - Creativity is absolutely insane at the moment with bartenders looking at using modern techniques and local, native ingredients to give some of the drinks coming out of Australia a true expression of terroir. The inclusivity of the industry and willingness to share knowledge is also super good, and it keeps you pushing every day.

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

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

AS A BAR MANAGER – HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT IN THE GROWING F&B SCENE?

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

GLOBALLY WHO INSPIRES YOU OR WHICH COUNTRY HAS A BAR SCENE YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN OR IMMERSE YOURSELF?

I’d love to work in New York or San Francisco. There are too many people and venues to name, but the crews at Sager + Wilde, Caffé Dante, Three Sheets and The Everleigh are all doing their bit to make the world a happier place!

WHAT’S NEXT FOR DARREN?

Just keep my head down and push on at Capitano. I feel like looking too far ahead will mentally push you halfway out the door.

AFTER EIGHT

By Darren Leaney

INGREDIENTS:

• 20ml Fernet-Branca • 20ml Branca Menta • 20ml Mancino Rosso Vermouth • 20ml Cognac

METHOD: Stir over cubed ice and strain

GLASSWARE: Rocks

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Darren in action

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

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH ARCHIE ROSE RYE MALT WHISKY? TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

I was pumped to be playing with Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky. A beautiful Aussie refined Rye Whisky, strong, but soft and subtle at the same time. I wanted to retain as much whisky as possible. I stole a house mango skin vermouth Anneliese Grazioli created for a cocktail competition she was competing in. It has amazing flavours of fermented mango, herbal notes and a meaty, savoury element, which plays well with the approachable fruity and spicy rye.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY.

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

DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM BAR.

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

IS THERE A NEW INGREDIENT YOU ARE WORKING WITH THAT YOU ENJOY?

I’m not messing around with too many new ingredients at the moment, more going back at subtle variations and incorporating more of our awesome Australian wines into my drinks.

THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

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

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT BEHIND THE BAR?

T25 has to be right up there, what an incredible honour.

YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT?

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

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS?

Driven, passionate and focused.

DavidRobinson

ARCHIE & A MAN GO

By David Robinson

INGREDIENTS:

• 50ml Archie Rose Rye Malt

Whisky • 20ml Housemade mango skin vermouth* • 15ml Mango ferment** • 2 x Drops Angostura Bitters or Wattleseed Bitters • 2 x Drops Xocolatl Mole

Bitters & Wattleseed Bitters

GARNISH: Express orange peel over the drink

METHOD: Add all ingredients into a chilled mixing glass. Fill with ice. Stir to chill and strain

GLASSWARE: Nick & Nora

*MANGO SKIN VERMOUTH

INGREDIENTS: • 1L Mango skin

Lacto-Ferment • Neutral grape spirit (depends on ABV) • 75mg Wormwood • 1g Lime zest • 1g Lemon myrtle • 2g River mint • 2g Pepperberry • 100ml Agave nectar

METHOD: Macerate ingredients in the fridge for five days. Fine strain and store in the fridge

**MANGO SKIN LACTO-FERMENT

INGREDIENTS: • 4 x Fresh mango skins (with a little bit of flesh still on) • 200g Sugar • 15g Non-iodized salt • 1.5L Water

METHOD: Place all ingredients into a bottle and put a balloon over the top with a tiny hole in it. Leave at Darwin room temperature for six days (26-28 degrees). Fine strain and store in the fridge for a further 14 days for a second ferment

DeanBuchanan

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

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH TANGLIN GIN. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

Tanglin Gin represents the marriage of multiple cultures, just like Singapore. Utilising whole vanilla beans in the column during distillation creates a rich, harmonious, silky texture and an incredible mouthfeel. I wanted to create a highball style of drink that ties together multiple South-East Asian influences. By using ingredients that are simple and approachable within these cultures, they all come together to celebrate the flavour of Tanglin Gin. The passionfruit wine adds not only a delicious, bright flavour and acidity but employing local wildflower honey in the fermentation process, highlights some of the more floral notes in the gin. Rounded out by a rice blossom liqueur, the whole drink is then carbonated providing subtle minerality that accentuates the key botanicals, unripe green mango and the dried stems of the dendrobium orchid. YUM!

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY.

My parents worked in the hospitality industry for the majority of my life. During my cabinet making apprenticeship, our company built and installed a large number of bars and kitchens around Melbourne. I started to love and appreciate the aesthetics of venues and from there grew my love for the industry. I started my career in pubs and cocktail bars in London and eventually moved back to Australia to base myself in Perth.

IF YOU WEREN’T BARTENDING WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

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

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING AT JOINING THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION?

Learn the basics of hospitality as a whole. I was lucky enough to be trained by talented professionals who I looked up to very early on in my career. Knowledge accessible through books is incredibly invaluable, so never stop reading and learning. A positive attitude will also speak volumes for your dedication to the craft!

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE?

As amazing as doing guest shifts all over the world is, I had one of the most incredible drinking experiences ever at Maybe Sammy in Sydney during Bar Week this year. Martin Hudak’s personality and skill behind the bar is outrageously entertaining. Bubble machines, flashing disco lights, and Stefano on the microphone created an atmosphere I can only describe as world-class.

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO DRINK AFTER A LONG SHIFT?

A very dry gin martini, which is usually consumed very quickly!

HOW DO YOU TREAT YOURSELF ON YOUR DAY OFF?

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

MERLION

By Dean Buchanan

INGREDIENTS:

• 25ml Tanglin Gin • 40ml Young passionfruit wine • 7.5ml Verjus • 10ml Rice blossom liqueur • 20ml Distilled shiso water

GARNISH: Shiso leaf

METHOD: Add all ingredients to a PET bottle and carbonate at 42 psi. Once carbonated pour 120ml into highball glass over an ice sphere

GLASSWARE: Highball

Elliot

Pascoe

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

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT SLANE AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

The salient point of Slane for me is the same as anything I intend to put in my mouth - deliciosity. Big, golden, boisterous and yet rounded – it is whiskey archetypally Irish in style.

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

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?

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

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT/S OF YOUR CAREER?

At the risk of becoming an even larger self-recursive parody of myself than I already am, I would have to say that there are many highlights. Each is important in their way. What I value most about this industry are those moments on busy nights, on a well with a good friend, when you hit that flow state and sling drinks, chit-chat, punch dockets, and dance around each other. And in that frenetic lacuna of activity, revel in its euphoric energy.

YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH THE COCKTAIL COMPETITION SCENE IN AUSTRALIA, HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A COMPETITION? AND WHAT ARE THREE WORDS OF ADVICE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE COMPETITION ARENA?

Read the criteria. Make tasty shit. Answer the question(s). Do not swear.

SHARE WITH US THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE IN AUSTRALIA.

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

YOU HAVE A TIME MACHINE, WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU GO TO AND WHY?

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

THREE KINGDOMS

By Elliot Pascoe

INGREDIENTS:

• 50ml Mango-Rested Slane Irish Whiskey • 30ml Ginger verjus (acidulated) • 12.5ml Black cardamom syrup • 10ml Goats milk

GARNISH: Mint Leaf

METHOD: Carbonate and pour from PET Bottle

GLASSWARE: Old Fashioned

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Elliot in action

Emma

Crisp

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

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH TIMBOON PORT EXPRESSION SINGLE MALT. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

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

AT WHAT STAGE DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE F&B INDUSTRY?

After a particularly bad breakup, I left for Europe (surprise!). I chose to do it a bit differently, however, and started a four-week bartending course in Barcelona because, to be honest, it sounded like a good time. What I didn’t realise was how well I would take to the training on spirits, numerous cocktail recipes and overall passion for the industry that seemed to pour out of everyone I met during that course. I then spent the next two to three months roaming around Europe to friend’s hometowns, the bars they worked at, as well as some of the most highly praised bars and restaurants in Europe. This only solidified my desire to move into the F&B industry when I arrived back home to Perth. Three years later and it’s still one of the most important (and best) moments in my life!

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE?

After meeting Ivy Mix during the Australian Speedrack Nationals last year, I would probably say it would have to be at her bar ‘Leyenda’ in Brooklyn, NYC. She’s such a bad-ass bartender with a sharp sense of humour and passion for all spirits, but particularly that of Latin origin. Having developed a love for agave myself at El Grotto, this would be an amazing experience for sure!

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN THE INDUSTRY?

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

YOU’RE ALSO A PART OF LOLLA. FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS COMMUNITY, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SHARE MORE DETAILS AND WHAT’S INVOLVED.

LOLLA or Ladies Of Liquor & Larder Australia initially started up as a social/professional booze-hag network for all the amazing women that were passionate about the hospitality industry in Perth. Be it bartender, chef, sommelier, blogger, photographer, musician, designer, there was no bias! I was super lucky to work with the girls on the design of the brand and opening events/promotions. Since then, it really has developed into this supportive community of women that run events, network and generally help boost the education and confidence of women in hospitality all over Perth.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO LEAVE YOUR LEGACY ON THIS INDUSTRY?

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

TIMBOOCH HOOCH

By Emma Crisp

INGREDIENTS:

• 45ml Timboon Port Expression Single Malt • 40ml Jasmine kombucha • 20ml Egg white • 15ml Pistachio orgeat • 15ml Citrus (2:1 lemon to calamansi) • 1 x Bsp. Strawberry Champagne conserve

GARNISH: Pistachio Tuille

METHOD: Dry shake all ingredients except for Jasmine kombucha. Hard wet shake and double strain into ceramic cup. Top with kombucha

GLASSWARE: Ceramic cup

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

EVAN

STROEVE

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WILD TURKEY LONGBRANCH AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

Longbranch is the hero whiskey of my doppelgänger Matthew McConaughey. It works well with most berry fruits and strawberries are humming right now. A touch of sherry, some cold-pressed strawberry and caramelised cream. Banger! I’d take this one home to Mum.

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?

I’ve taken over the reins at Bulletin Place. It’s pretty humbling being entrusted to run one of the countries most successful cocktail bars. With the help of my incredible team, I feel like we’ve lifted and brought a new life to the venue.

YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH THE COCKTAIL COMPETITION SCENE IN AUSTRALIA; HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A COMPETITION? AND WHAT ARE THREE WORDS OF ADVICE FOR ANYONE NEW TO THE COMPETITION ARENA?

Honestly, the only piece of advice is to follow the criteria to a tee. When you start asking how the judges can take marks away from you, the whole process becomes simple.

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE?

Little Texas in Tokyo. Google it. It looks sick! But more seriously, Attaboy (New York). It’s still the best cocktail bar in the world, in my eyes.

WHAT’S THE BEST PRACTICAL JOKE YOU’VE PULLED OR FALLEN VICTIM TO?

We ice each other pretty regularly at Bulletin. If you’ve not heard of ‘icing’, you hide Smirnoff Ice in different places and whoever finds it has to put it away. I’ve got cash drawer, behind back bar bottles, first aid box. Pretty sure we iced the lady who came to restock the bandages.

STRAWBERRY HILLS

By Evan Stroeve

INGREDIENTS:

• 35ml Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky

Straight Bourbon • 10ml Seppeltsfield Aged Flor Apera • 20ml Caramelised cream • 15ml Strawberry syrup • 15ml Fresh lemon juice • 10ml Aquafaba • Top with soda

GARNISH: Strawberry dust

METHOD: Reverse dry shake and fine strain

GLASSWARE: Fizz glass

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

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WEST WINDS AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

Well, I couldn’t wait to get into their latest release of award-winning Wild Plum Gin. It is incredibly complex and honeyed with a zesty citrus finish.

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

SO THIS IS YOUR RETURN TO THE T25. IN THE PAST YEAR, WHAT’S HAPPENED PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY?

It has been a big year. 2018 saw Above Board make the top 100 bars in the world. Time Out crowned it Cocktail Bar of the Year 2018. At the Australian Bartender Awards, we won Small Bar of the Year in both 2018 and 2019. Above Board was awarded an interior design commendation. We also hosted several memorable and fun take-overs, and we did a pop up at Scout in London back in January. On a personal level, my wife and I celebrated ‘big’ birthdays and had a few cool trips to the UK and Ireland and here within Australia. It truly has been an action-packed and eventful year, and it’s been amazing watching our dreams come true.

IS THERE A NEW INGREDIENT YOU HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH?

I recently discovered Australian Alpine Mint. We have been doing some experiments with it to test its uses so we hope to have it in some drinks in the future.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR TEENAGE SELF?

Don’t apologise for being yourself!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING TO JOIN THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION?

Find the place and style of venue that best suits you and will give you the best chance of achieving what it is you want or need.

Learn the basics, for example, crawl before you start to run, read books and study. Just remember that what you see on Instagram is not the real world. Communicate and share information, it’s the best way to learn, to grow and to be better at what you do.

YOU HAVE A TIME MACHINE, WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU BE TRANSPORTED TO AND WHY?

1988. Cocktail, the movie, had just been released and 10-year-old me decided that bartending was something I would love to do. I would have loved to work in the bars that a lot of my bartending mentors called the ‘glory days’, with lots of flair, shoulder pads, bad haircuts, no mobile phones, smoky bars and drinks with terrible names and of course, Midori was king.

Hayden

Lambert

B.G. EXPERIENCE

By Hayden Lambert

INGREDIENTS:

• 35mls Westwinds Wild Plum Gin • 15mls Japanese peach liqueur • 25mls Fresh lime juice • 7.5mls Sugar syrup (2:1) • 1 x Dash orange bitters • Top with soda water

METHOD: Build over ice

GLASSWARE: Highball

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH BACARDÍ. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR LEGACY DRINK.

The drink itself came about as a flavour pairing I threw together in the speed round of the Bartender of the Year exam in 2018. I had some really positive feedback on the pairing of mandarin and basil. As I used BACARDÍ in that drink, it seemed fitting that when I went through to the finals of BACARDÍ Legacy on the back of my BOTY win, I used that cocktail as inspiration. Some polishing and finetuning were required, but really, it’s essentially the same cocktail that I threw together in under two minutes under incredible pressure!

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

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?

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

YOU WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE VENUES WITHIN THE SWILLHOUSE GROUP PORTFOLIO, ARE YOU DRAWN TO A PARTICULAR VENUE? IF SO, WHY?

The beauty of working across multiple venues is that it gives me so many different creative outlets. Instead of working in one type of venue 100 per cent of the time, I have the opportunity to do fine-dining one day, cocktail bar the next, and get geeky into spirits the next. Each day is different, and each venue gives me the chance to exercise a different aspect of hospitality service and keep me sharp across the board.

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

GLOBALLY WHO INSPIRES YOU OR WHICH COUNTRY HAS A BAR SCENE YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK AND IMMERSE YOURSELF?

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

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO LEAVE YOUR LEGACY ON THIS INDUSTRY?

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

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

IF SOMEONE WROTE A COMIC BOOK ABOUT YOU, HOW WOULD THAT LOOK?

I’ve done most of the work for them, I’m a walking, talking anime character (or at least that’s how I like to see myself).

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

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

Jenna Hemsworth is passionate about women’s rights and equality. She strives to send this important message through the drinks she creates as Group Beverage Director at the Swillhouse Group, her dream job.

jennaHemsworth

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Jenna in action

THE MONARCH

By Jenna Hemsworth

INGREDIENTS:

• 45ml BACARDÍ Carta Blanca • 15ml Dom Benedictine • 30ml Mandarin juice • 20ml Fresh lime juice • 1 x Peel of one mandarin • 8 x Basil leaves

GARNISH: Garnish with a young basil sprig

METHOD: Shake all ingredients hard to properly infuse the peel and release the basil oils. Double strain into glass

GLASSWARE: Coupette glass

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

Jessica

Arnott

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH JÄGERMEISTER. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

Jägermeister gets a bit of a bad wrap from its previous life as a not-soresponsibly consumed BFF with ol’ Red Bull, but really, for a group of people as obsessed with amaro as bartenders, we should be taking a second look. It’s complex and rich with a charming, warming spice profile. I’ve been vibing on blackberry recently, and as a general rule, I put sherry in almost everything, so I just tried to create a smashable cobbler with some acid and dryness to balance out the sweetness in the Jägermeister.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY.

By the time I finished high school, I had been working in cafes on the weekends for a couple of years already. I was not keen on university at all, so hospitality seemed like a natural choice. Due to some very cool parents, I had been frequenting Sydney institution The Bayswater Brasserie (RIP!) since I was a toddler and the manager took a chance on me. I was eighteen and working with a great team that included Naren Young and a teeny-tiny Charlie Ainsbury. It was an amazing and inspiring start to my career.

YOU’RE A COOK, BARTENDER AND EX MASTERCHEF CONTESTANT – IF YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE LIQUOR OR FOOD, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

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

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING AT JOINING THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION?

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

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE?

Look, I wouldn’t say no to travelling anywhere to work with anyone. Any opportunity to travel and learn is a good one. I spent ages trying to think of fancy overseas bars to say, but deep down, my inside voice keeps saying “Dominion League. Get Dominion League back together. DOMINION. LEAGUE.” This now-closed bar in Perth was my spiritual home and my favourite place I’ve ever worked. It made me fall back in love with bartending after being out of it for a while. Hell, let’s get the band back together and take it on the road. DOMINION ON TOUR!

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO DRINK AFTER A LONG SHIFT?

Mid strength sour beers and shots of brown liquor!

WEDNESDAY COBBLER

By Jessica Arnott

INGREDIENTS:

• 25ml Jägermeister • 25ml Barbadillo Amontillado sherry • 25ml Blackberry verjus shrub • 2 x Dash salted wattleseed and vanilla bitters

GARNISH: Two blackberries and rosemary flowers

METHOD: Add all ingredients to a julep cup, fill with crushed ice and churn well. Top with more crushed ice, garnish and serve

GLASSWARE: Metal julep tin

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Jessica in action

Joseph

Chisholm

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

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH BELVEDERE. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

I’m using Belvedere Smogory Forest. This is a single estate rye based vodka. It has a beautiful mouth feel with hints of pepper spice and berry notes.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY.

I started ten years ago working as a function waiter in a winery. I’ve spent some time overseas in the UK working in five-star hotels as a room service attendant and butler.

YOU’RE CURRENTLY WORKING AT THE BOOM BOOM ROOM TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE VENUE.

We are a basement cocktail lounge that has an aviation theme set in the basement of an old bank. We have live music and some of the best cocktails in town!

IS THERE ARE NEW INGREDIENT YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH?

I love using kombucha! It offers an amazing ability to add sourness and funkiness to my cocktails.

BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

Working with some of the best in the business! I love working with Aaron Clark and Adam Meredith.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT BEHIND THE BAR?

Hosting Salvatore Calabrese at The Boom Boom Room.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS.

Passionate. Creative. Loud.

BOOCHI BERRY

By Joseph Chisholm

INGREDIENTS:

• 40ml Belvedere Single Estate Rye Vodka

Smogory Forest • 15ml Raspberry and Champagne sugar • 15ml Aperol • 25ml Fresh lemon juice • 15ml Egg white • 45ml Rose and berry kombucha

GARNISH: Davidson plum dust

METHOD: Dry shake all ingredients apart from the kombucha. Wet shake without kombucha. Strain into fizz glass and top with ice and kombucha

GLASSWARE: Fizz glass

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Joseph in action

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT BELVEDERE AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

It’s everything you want in a vodka; clean and textural, lending a great base to cocktails and great on its own.

I wanted to do very little to the vodka to showcase its texture and subtle floral notes. Also reading up on the Lake Bartezek region where the rye grain for this single estate release comes from, inspired me to create a warm cocktail. The region is known for long, cold and snowy winters.

HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE YOUR TEAM?

I’m lucky to work with some amazingly passionate younger team members. They’re all relatively fresh and still have a lot to learn to develop a long-term career. This is great for me as I love to pass on knowledge and skills. Being in an environment where they’re learning from me and loving it is hugely satisfying for both myself and the team. They are great sponges for information.

AS A VENUE MANAGER – HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT IN THE GROWING F&B SCENE?

I’ve been around for a while now so staying current is more about adding to my knowledge base as opposed to having to build it entirely from scratch.

With access to the internet and social media it has made life easy when it comes to staying on top of everything. I can see a post from a new bar about a new cocktail technique and within seconds pull up articles about the bar, the bartender, or the technique and be pretty across all of it very quickly.That doesn’t take away from the need to go out and experience these things, but it certainly takes the pressure off having to be out all the time. I’m getting too old for that (laughs).

SHARE WITH US THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE IN AUSTRALIA.

Everything is moving at lightspeed when it comes to bar innovation. There are so many things going on right now in so many different parts of the country, all creating new trends and consumer interest. For me it’s got to be focused around the customer experience. The longer I’m behind the bar, the more I appreciate that the best and most successful people in our industry aren’t just making great drinks but are the best at hosting and interacting with people.

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

SUSTAINABLY IS A HOT TOPIC AT THE MOMENT. DO YOU FEEL IT’S A TREND OR PRACTICE HERE TO STAY?

For me sustainability is just a catchphrase for what kitchens have been doing for many years, making the most out of everything and being smart about how you use ingredients to get the most value out of the investment you put into purchasing them. Sure it’s been brushed with a modern concern for the environment, but at the end of the day, it will benefit your bottom line. It doesn’t take much to be smart about a lot of these things, but it does take some thought process and skill to make it tasty and something worthwhile for guests. One of my pet hates is seeing “sustainable” ingredients that have a negative effect on the guest experience either through low quality of flavour delivery or bartenders just using something to say it’s sustainable when another product would do a far better job. The bars and bartenders doing it well are the ones who are smart enough to know when to re-use or up-cycle an ingredient and when to let it go and put it in the recycling, compost or trash.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR JOE?

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

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

Joseph

Sinagra

PROSTY

By Joseph Sinagra

INGREDIENTS:

• 60ml Belvedere Single Estate Lake

Bartezek Vodka • 15ml Spiced honey syrup • 20ml Hot water

GARNISH: Star anise pod

METHOD: Combine the vodka, honey and hot water. Stir to combine and then pour warm into a cocktail glass

GLASSWARE: Nick & Nora

Kayla

Grigoriou

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

YOU WERE CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH HENNESSY. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

Hennessy was a brilliant spirit to work with, it has depth of flavour with loads of soft caramel, spice and vanilla. I knew I wanted to play off the spice and vanilla character of Hennessy and delve into the delicious undercurrent of flavours. My inspiration comes from Hennessy’s push to continue to develop and reinvigorate the brand. Hennessy appeals to all ages, as I am hoping my cocktail will too!

AT WHAT POINT DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE F&B INDUSTRY?

I started in the industry as most people do during uni as a part-time job. But I grew to love it more so than the job I got from university. I’m naturally a creative person with a tendency for OCD and that works perfectly in this job, but not so much an office job. I think I started to take my role at Bar Torino seriously about two years ago.

SUSTAINABILITY IS A HOT TOPIC AT THE MOMENT. DO YOU SEE THIS AS A TREND OR A PRACTICE THAT SHOULD REMAIN AND EVERY BAR SHOULD IMPLEMENT?

Absolutely. I think sustainability is beyond important; it is crucial. We should not only be looking at how we can implement sustainable practices in our venues but also in our everyday lives. As an industry with a large amount of waste and influence, we should be vocal about how our venues implement certain practices. At the end of the day it’s about learning, educating and enabling others in our industry and our community.

WHAT TRENDS CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE?

There has been a massive non-alcoholic and low alcoholic trend develop I expect will last for some while. Leaning from this is the use of more sherry, vermouth and wine in cocktails. I also think the pairing of drinks and food is going to be another big thing, much like the European style of drinking.

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE?

Tough… can I pick two? 1. Ryan Chetiyawardana – Mr Lyan 2. Jillian Vose – Dead Rabbit

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN THE INDUSTRY?

If I’m looking on a global scale, I would say the team at Bar Nightjar. I love the creativity and unusual ingredients that they use in their cocktails. To me, I also liked the idea of communicating with farmers about produce – this is something they like to push.

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

Closer to home, my biggest influence would be my dad! He is exceptionally hard-working and creative in his work. He is also a vintner and winemaker, where a lot of my inspiration comes from. Using the land and produce we have available to us to create something delicious!

HENNY SPRITZ

By Kayla Grigoriou

(serves five)

INGREDIENTS:

• 240ml Hennessy VS Cognac • 150ml Banana & cacao nib syrup • 120ml Coconut water • 120ml Fresh lemon Juice • 120ml Fresh lime juice • 240ml Milk

GARNISH: Banana & cacao nib crisp using leftover banana and cacao nib from syrup

METHOD: Add all ingredients together, allow to curdle overnight, filter all through. Using a carbo-rig, spritz the serve

GLASSWARE: Wine glass

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Kayla in action

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

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT BLACK TEARS AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

Black Tears dry spiced crafted with Cuban rum, is a rum with coffee being at the forefront of the profile. Coffee and caramel has always been one of my favourite combinations and is the main inspiration for this cocktail. What’s also interesting about Black Tears is it’s low in sugar, with only 9 grams per litre.

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25. WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT OF THE LAST YEAR?

Taking PS40 to the next stage! We’re three years into our lifespan. It’s easy to be complacent but with the help of our tight knit core team we’re constantly pushing and driving the bar to do cool and delicious things. It’s nice to see us ‘mature’ as a venue.

WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST THING YOU’VE DONE ON A DARE?

I’ve once comp’d a bill and when there was push back from my friend to pay I cut her credit card in half!

IN PREVIOUS EDITIONS YOU SHARED YOUR STORY ON HOW YOU ARE BLACKLISTED FROM GOLDEN CENTURY. WORD IS THEY ARE OPENING A NEW RESTAURANT – WILL WE SEE A REPEAT PERFORMANCE?

All rumours! And I can’t wait to go to the new place!

YOU’RE A SUPPORTER IN THE QUEST FOR THE LOCKOUT LAWS TO BE REVIEWED. HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW THAT THE LAWS HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY LIFTED AND HOW WILL IT HELP YOUR BUSINESS?

It’s great to see that they are being lifted! The more people drinking well and drinking in great venues the better. Hopefully we can encourage a healthy and late nightlife to revitalise the city.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR MICHAEL AND PS40?

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

MICHAELCHIEM

PEAR AND PRALINE

By Michael Chiem

INGREDIENTS:

• 45ml Black Tears Spiced Rum • 20ml Pear and praline • 20ml Verjus • 5ml Chardonnay vinegar

GARNISH: Thinly sliced pear

METHOD: Shake and fine strain

GLASSWARE: Short glass

millie Tang

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

TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

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

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY.

I started bartending eight years ago at a live music piss-slinger in Brisbane, smashing out VCRs so that I could utilise my days to pursue photography. It was so much fun, and I was pretty unambitious at the time.

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

WHAT’S A NEW INGREDIENT YOU’VE DISCOVERED RECENTLY?

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

WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN INDUSTRY?

Steen Jones for showing me The Way of the Hustle.

SUSTAINABILITY - TREND OR PRACTICE?

I find questions like this hard to answer as I think opinions can differ purely based on individual interpretations of the language used. What is trend? How do you define trend? It’s the same with sustainability. Too often I’ve found myself half an hour deep in a discussion about a topic only to discover that we are arguing two different arguments based on the fact we define the language differently. The transmogrification of these words can make meaningful and effective discussion difficult and frustrating. In terms of zero-waste programs, plasticuse limitation and recycling, I believe that every bit counts. A movement that arrives to effect positive and healthy change will become the norm and eventually improved upon. We will never go back to using the type of plastic we did, the way we once did. We will never go back to mixing general waste and cardboard unless science develops a way for these practices to be better and healthier than our practices now.

PHOTOGRAPHY OR BARTENDING?

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

WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN INDUSTRY?

I always admire those that possess the qualities I lack or find hard to maintain. Salvatore Calabrese has always been someone I admire for his service, his career success and dedication to the stick. And I recently had the pleasure of meeting him.

PRINTEMPS PLEASER

By Millie Tang

INGREDIENTS:

• 20ml St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur • 30ml Roasted almond fino sherry • Blended tea soda (English Breakfast, chamomile, Earl Grey) • Small scoop of lemon myrtle sorbet

GARNISH: Lemon myrtle leaf

METHOD: Shake and top with sorbet and soda

GLASSWARE: Cocktail flute and skinny dessert spoon

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

NickCorletto

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT DISARONNO AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

Disaronno originated in the Saronno area of Italy, and the HQ is currently in the middle of Milan. I decided to draw inspiration from the district and history of my ancestor’s hometown, and the ingredients are a reflection of the surrounding culture.

WELCOME BACK TO T25. IN THE PAST YEAR, WHAT’S HAPPENED PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY?

I couldn’t be more thankful! I’ve recently taken the reins as venue manager for Maybe Mae. I’m trying to find the right balance between professional life and personal life. It’s incredibly important for great results to hit that balance.

IS THERE A NEW INGREDIENT YOU HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH?

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

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR TEENAGE SELF?

It’s okay not to go to university. Save yourself that HECS debt and allow yourself to pursue what you want to pursue. Don’t juggle everything and then drop all the pins.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING TO JOIN THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION?

Seek something new, push yourself and always ask questions. If you stop learning, seek a place that will challenge you. Conversely, anyone who supports you and wants to nurture your thirst for knowledge should see the fruits of your creativity. It’s never silly to push new ideas or concepts forward. We all raise the bar together.

YOU HAVE A TIME MACHINE, WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU BE TRANSPORTED BACK TO AND WHY?

The 80’s. I could demolish a couple of Cosmos. That said, I feel a time machine has far nobler uses!

STELLA DI MILANO

By Nick Corletto

INGREDIENTS:

• 30ml Disaronno Liqueur • 15ml Rue infused Grappa • 40ml Fig leaf infused clarified milk • 12.5ml Acid Modified Spent Verdelho

GARNISH: Almond bread

METHOD: Combine ingredients into a batch bottle if desired, otherwise measure out ingredients and stir down over ice; strain into chilled coupette and serve with almond bread

GLASSWARE: Coupette

Nicktesar

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

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO MAKE A COCKTAIL WITH MICHTER’S. TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR CREATION.

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

DESCRIBE THE MOMENT YOU FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH FLAVOURS.

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

WHAT DRIVES YOUR PASSION AND MOTIVATION FOR THIS INDUSTRY?

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

GLOBALLY WHO INSPIRES YOU OR WHICH COUNTRY HAS A BAR SCENE YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN OR IMMERSE YOURSELF?

The Japanese market. The simplicity and clarity of flavour is a thing of beauty.

IT’S NEARLY EVERY BARTENDER’S DREAM TO OWN A BAR. DESCRIBE YOUR DREAM VENUE.

Definitely a pub. It’s a venue anyone can walk in and feel comfortable. Also you have the opportunity to shape an experience for someone who isn’t necessarily expecting it, but at the same time, will appreciate it even more.

IF YOU HAD A TIME MACHINE WHAT COCKTAIL ERA WOULD YOU GO TO?

I am happy with where we are now. We have the knowledge and learning of past generations and with that the ability to create our golden age, not the same as previous eras, but more shaping future drinking trends and production.

BAXTER

By Nick Tesar

INGREDIENTS:

• 30ml Michter’s US 1 Single

Barrel Rye Whiskey • 20ml Cynar • 10ml Marionette dry cassis

GARNISH: Lemon twist

METHOD: Stir and strain

GLASSWARE: Nick & Nora

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT SAILOR JERRY AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

Sailor Jerry is spiced rum inspired by the rum rations drunk by naval sailors throughout history. Spices were often added to their rum rations to smoothen the flavour. Working with the round vanilla midpalate and lifted cinnamon/clove high notes of this Caribbean spiced rum, I wanted to create a savoury, rich yet refreshingly light ABV swizzle.

AS A VENUE OWNER, HOW DO YOU STAY CURRENT IN THE GROWING F&B SCENE?

I think you can only really stay in front if you are sticking to your mission statement. You need to have faith and confidence that it is one of longevity. As long as you are continually moving in a direction, improving every day, and avoiding complacency, then you should succeed long term. You should be hyper-aware of the industry around you, but emulating that exactly, really just puts you behind the pack from day one.

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING TO OPEN A NEW VENUE IN ADELAIDE?

Know your market. When we opened Maybe Mae over five years ago, there was no real cocktail scene. If we had of opened with the same level of drink concept/ambition as we have now, we wouldn’t have survived. It takes time, patience and long-term consistency to establish trust here, but when you have it, the opportunities are pretty great.

WHAT’S ONE SIMPLE CHANGE A BAR CAN MAKE TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF BECOMING MORE SUSTAINABLE?

It’s about education and learning where the big areas of carbon output are occurring in your business. Throwing out your straws is a great start but there are so many other things we can be doing to greater reduce our footprint. Talk to your produce supplier about where stuff is actually coming from and design your menu around that. Swap out your Edison bulbs for LED’s for example. Every venue faces slightly different variables, so there isn’t a direct prescription for all.

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS IS GROWING MORE PREVALENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. AS A VENUE OWNER, HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR STAFF’S WELLBEING?

A super important talking point at the moment, and I am very glad it is finally a talking point, another one of those ‘not black and white’ subjects. I think as long as you care for your staff as people and not utensils, you will end up doing what is required to maintain wellbeing. What is a once-a-month coffee with one person, might be the odd phone call for another, might be professional therapy for another. Keep on the pulse, make sure you are allowing for adequate downtime and promote a healthy work-place culture. Should be simple right?

WHAT ARE THE MOST EXCITING CHANGES YOU’RE SEEING IN THE ADELAIDE BAR SCENE?

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

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

Ollie

Margan

By Ollie Margan

INGREDIENTS:

• 30ml Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum • 60ml Lactic pear* • 40ml Walnut apera**

GARNISH: Dehydrated pear crisp

METHOD: Build with pebble ice/ churn/cap with pebble ice

GLASSWARE: Highball

*LACTIC PEAR

INGREDIENTS: • 500ml Fresh corella pear juice (adjusted to 3.1pH with 1:1 tartaric:citric acid) • 250ml Full cream milk • 250gm Sugar • 250gm 1:1 simple syrup • 1 x Bsp. Vanilla paste METHOD: Warm milk to simmer, remove from heat. Add pear juice to curdle, strain through a coffee filter, then strain again through previous curds. Add simple syrup and vanilla. Add sugar (allow for +/- 50gm variation depending on the time of season – taste)

**WALNUT APERA

INGREDIENTS: • 10% w/w toasted walnuts –

Seppeltsfield Apera

METHOD: Toast walnuts and sous vide at 55c for 45mins with sherry. Strain

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT ELIT AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

elit Vodka to their friends is all about purity. The mix of wheat and rye along with the artesian water from the Russian city of Samara, makes this triple-distilled vodka the perfect choice for cocktails. It is also filtered through Russian birch charcoal and quartz sand, creating a refined spirit with versatility and sophistication.

I love blood oranges! The excitement of cutting into one to reveal the colour inside is like biting into a clinker as a kid. They are also delicious. With their season fast coming to an end I wanted to get in one last delight. This drink is to be enjoyed in the spring sunshine.

WELCOME BACK TO THE T25! WHAT’S HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THE LAST YEAR PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?

This last year has been great! Building a somewhat new team with fresh faces has been our main focus. We’re into our groove now and going from strength to strength. The launch of a new cocktail menu has been a collective effort allowing everyone to make a mark. Eight months in the making, the drinks are flying over the bar now, and it’s something we are incredibly proud of.

It has been another big year for Black Pearl with nominations for Tales, Australian Bartender and the ALIAs. I was humbled with a nomination for Bar Manager of the Year at this year’s ALIAs. I also scraped in at number 90 in the Top 100 Most Influential list at Sydney Bar Week

Speed Rack came to Australia last year and was one of my highlights. Making it to the top four in the inaugural year was very special. Women in the industry have a spotlight and a stronger network than ever before. We’re in the middle of season two, and it’s only going to get better!

Working the late nights and long hours in an intense environment can take a toll on your body and mind. I find it important to take a decent break every year. So this year I headed over to Mexico to soak up the sun and feed my soul and stomach. I took the opportunity to participate in the Fortaleza Bartender Work Program that consisted of working alongside the jimadors and distillers from the field to the bottle. It was a phenomenal experience, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get a deeper understanding and appreciation for agave spirits.

WHO’S IN YOUR FANTASY LEAGUE BAR TEAM?

Harriet Leigh (GM- Generally Mischievous) Alex Ross (HR- Hilariously Raunchy) Jen Wake (BM- Badass Mentor) Dominique Easter (Wine wench) Rachelle Hair (Knife sharpener) Kitty Gardner (Flavour Wizard) Jemima McDonald (Beer Bish) Ashling Barret & Stephanie Haile (Dance Choreographers)

SHARE WITH US THE GOOD, THE BAD AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE IN AUSTRALIA.

I’m loving the venues popping up with creative use of space. Cantina Ok! in Sydney, Mono XO in Melbourne and Sho (the small front seating at Shobosho) in Adelaide are particular standouts.

TELL US AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOURSELF THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW.

I have an irrational fear of cats.

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

Shay Chamberlain

PURE BLOOD

By Shay Chamberlain

INGREDIENTS:

• 40ml elit Vodka • 20ml Seppeltsfield Amontillado style apera • 10ml Crème de cacao • 10ml Blood orange sherbet* • 15ml Fresh lemon juice • 60ml Soda

GARNISH: Thai basil sprig

METHOD: Add all ingredients (except soda) to a tin and whip with one cube until the cube has dissolved. Add soda and pour over cubed ice.

GLASSWARE: Wine glass

*BLOOD ORANGE SHERBET

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

TomKearney

In Smith Street Collingwood, Melbourne is a creative hub called The Craft & Co. It’s a place where hospitality experts come together to make great drinks. Tom Kearney who is the venue manager of Panama Social in Perth is inspired by the concept and creates a cocktail from The Craft & Co’s Old Tom Gin.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE CRAFT & CO. AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR COCKTAIL?

The Craft & Co. is an amazing business concept in which different avenues of hospitality work together to make something greater than the sum of its parts. The Old Tom Gin is a shining example of this, which inspired the Co–Op cocktail. It’s all about taking advice, working with local chefs and bush tucker experts and applying their knowledge to create a better drink.

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

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

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

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

FOUR YEARS IN A ROW NOW IN T25. HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED TRAVELLING EAST TO WORK IN THE BAR SCENE?

I’m way more about getting eastern staters to come and visit Perth and see what we have to offer. The Perth scene has got so much going on now; new bars winning national awards, up and coming bartenders winning national comps. There’s nowhere I’d rather be.

GLOBALLY WHO INSPIRES YOU OR WHICH MARKET / COUNTRY HAS A BAR SCENE YOU WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN OR IMMERSE YOURSELF?

Peru has an amazing hospitality scene, Bar Carnivale was an amazing experience. Otherwise I love the Japanese bar culture, but who knows if I have the discipline to work there.

WHICH SPICE GIRL ARE YOU? AND WHY?

Scary Spice because BuzzFeed told me so.

THE CO-OP

By Tom Kearney

INGREDIENTS:

• 60ml The Craft & Co. Old Tom Gin • 10ml Sandalwood Nut Washed Cocchi Americano • 2 x Dash plum & saltbush bitters • 3 x Drops salted liquorice oil • Crispy saltbush

GARNISH: Salted liquorice oil

METHOD: Add the gin, cocchi and bitters to a mixing glass and stir down. Strain into your glass and add three drops of salted liquorice oil to the surface of the drink. Flash fry some saltbush leaf and serve on the side

GLASSWARE: Nick & Nora

COCKTAIL VIDEO

Click here to watch Tom in action