Bars & Clubs September - October 2014

AUSSIE BITTERS

RUM

White, Gold, Dark, Spiced: from Daiquiri to Tiki, it’s rumbullion

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: TEQUILA, BRANDY, RENOVATION CASE STUDY, NEW BAR OPENNGS, SANGRIA, TOP 10 BEER VENUES

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FIRST DRINKS MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Grover

W

e’re coming into the busiest time of the year, when hospitality never sleeps and the demands on our services and venues reaches an annual high. Aside from a solid number of new venues opening for the high season, what else is happening in our industry? Well, unfortunately for Sydney CBD venues the compulsory 1:30am last entry/3:00am last call/no shots after midnight lock-out shows no signs of repeal seven months on and despite a public submissions hearing. In fact legislative wowsers are now making noise that their focus will fall next on the recently revitalised inner west region – experiencing an resurgence in night life activity since lock-out forced people outside of the CBD. Unfortunately, again, Sydney remains untouched by the catalytic lobbying that Melbourne achieved via the unification of its licensees and venue owners to defeat lock-out. Aside from the lowlights – of which there are thankfully few, the spring months bring out a change in seasonal menus, most of our industry awards, such as Bar Week and ALIA, and some of our best industry parties, such as Idiot Savant and Put It In Your Mouth, where we can let our hair down. In fact, we have some very exciting news to share regarding ALIA: our special guests at this year’s 21st anniversary awards will be Dushan Zaric and Steve Schneider of Employees Only. The multi-award winning venue is a selfie essential for any respectable bar professional – and we have seen a few “I’m at E.O.” posts on Facebook this year. In the days prior to ALIA B&C and Vanguard Luxury Spirits are hosting two invitation-only trade events – one one at Black Pearl, Melbourne, on Tuesday October 21, and one at Barber Shop, Sydney, on Tuesday October 28 – where Dushan and Steve will meet with Australian industry and no doubt get taken for an unforgettable night on the town. Not too unforgettable, though, as the next night we have ALIA. Celebrating its 21st year, this year’s theme 'Celebrate With Colour' encourages guests to dress to impress and with more than 51 awards up for grabs, the night promises to be huge. Get your tickets now

PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia. com.au EDITOR Suzan Ryan sryan@intermedia.com.au EDITOR-AT-LARGE James Wilkinson jwilkinson@intermedia. com.au

from: www.liquorawards.com.au or by emailing: bookings@ liquorawards.com.au.

In other ALIA news, Sydney bartender Paige Aubort of Lobo Plantation won the privilege of having her cocktail featured and served to ALIA guests (including Dushan and Steve) as the winner of the second annual ALIA/Crystal Head Vodka cocktail competition. Paige impressed the judges with her refreshing Crystal Solution cocktail, which we will share with you here: Name: Crystal Solution Cordial: (for 500ml batch), skin of one cucumber, 3 mint sprigs (blanched), 500ml sugar syrup (1:1), 10g citric acid. Peel cucumber (discard core), blanch mint in boiling water for 10 seconds then cool in ice bath, add sugar syrup and allow to sit for two hours. Strain, add citric and bottle.

Glass: Highball Ingredients: 60 ml Crystal Head vodka, 45 ml cucumber/mint/lime

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jason Lyon, Fred Siggins, Meghan Coles, Tim Grey NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Thomas Rielly trielly@intermedia.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Gian Reyes greyes@intermedia.com.au NATIONAL SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Shane T Williams stwilliams@intermedia. com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN Ryan Vizcarra ryanv@intermedia.com.au

cordial soda.

Method: Add vodka, cordial and a dash of soda. Stir (otherwise

cordial is dense and will sit at the bottom of the glass) Fill with ice and top with soda.

Garnish: 2 straws and a mint sprig.

Make it yourself or try one amongst friends at ALIA. See you there!

Enjoy,

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd ABN 940 025 83 682 41 Bridge Road, GLEBE, NSW Australia, 2037 Telephone: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 1883

Suzan Ryan Editor

“Extra añejo can be great for both GP and ego; I’ve had many people ask: ‘What is the most expensive tequila you have?’ and buy shots just to impress girls, friends or to find out for themselves.”

AVERAGE NET DISTRIBUTION PER ISSUE: 6,006 CAB YEARLY AUDIT PERIOD ENDING 30TH SEPTEMBER 2013.

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Australia’s largest broad-range liquor wholesalers Cellarbrations On Premise and Harbottle On-Premise offer a specialist service with National coverage allowing us to cater for all your on-premise liquor requirements.

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www.harbottleonpremise.com.au

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FLAVOURS IN

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

FEATURE LIST

REGULAR LIST

10

NEWS All the latest industry news.

TEQUILA From sipping and shaking to cocktails and conversation.

SANGRIA Forget simply red, the best sangrias tackle all palates and spirits. Uncover your GP summer solutions here.

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Grey Goose global ambassador Joe McCanta toured Australia recently to reveal the story behind one of the world’s most premium vodka brands.

From Australian brandies to French Cognacs, the spirit of kings is making a killer comeback via classic cocktails and celebratory shots.

FLOUR POWER

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BRANDY

BEHIND THE BAR

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OPENINGS The new, revamped and rebranded venues opened around Australia.

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The latest wine and spirit releases to consider for your back bar.

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White, gold, dark or spiced, rum is charging ahead and Australian bartenders, mixologists and distillers will tell you why

HOT LIST

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IN THE COOLER The newest beers and ciders.

Surry Hills pub restoration goes from run down ghost town to southern Californian hipster hang. We take you through the refit.

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Beer & Brewer shares its top 10 places to enjoy a craft beer with B&C.

José Artidiello of The Woollahra Hotel, Sydney, talks Aussie Bitters.

TOP 10 BEER VENUES

BARTENDER PROFILE

NEWS THE BARS, THE EVENTS, THE DRINKS, THE BRANDS

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BRAND YOUR FRUIT AMERICAN company Laser Application Technologies has invented a laser that brands fruit and vegetables without bruising the produce, offering companies the opportunity to market their brands direct to bars and restaurants without use of sticky labels. The NLL system is now in use in produce packing houses in unit-level traceability and product identification.

CitrusMark, in contrast, uses the NLL System under exclusive licence to imprint fruits for marketing and advertising purposes – think: a tequila brand logo on lime wedges at a bar.

“The ability to remove pigment from citrus skin to reveal brand images without the use of chemicals is unique to the Natural Light Labeling System,” says CitrusMark V.P. of business development, Rob Giuffre.

“A premium garnish in a beverage can be a powerful and engaging tool that marketers can use to reach their target customers on a very personal level.”

The laser vaporises the top layer of pigment on fruits and vegetables and can etch up to 10 pieces of fruit or veg per second.

“A typical tomato skin is 50 to 60 cell layers deep, so neither the skin nor the product is harmed in any way,” says inventor and physicist, Greg Drouillard. “It’s maintenance free, with a 10-year life span and there’s no consumables, so there’s no on costs such as inks.”

For Australian trade enquiries, email: rob@citrusmark.com.

BEER AND CIDER SHOW WINNERS SYDNEY brewer Redoak took out Gold in the Champion Bottled Beer category for its Château Sour at the recent Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show Awards. Château Sour previously won Supreme Champion at the International Beer Awards in London. Master Brewer and Redoak founder, David Hollyoak and his sister Janet run the small, independent brewery that specialises in craft beer. Château Sour uses Château malts which are made by one of Belgian’s finest and oldest malting companies. A Flanders red ale, it is brewed to the Flemish regional beer style.

Mash Brewing in Henley Brook, in the Swan Valley, Western Australia, was another big winner – crowned Champion Draught Beer for its Russell brew. An American amber ale, the brew packs a hop punch behind a solid malt sweetness, overall likened to Jaffa cakes due to its chocolate and orange/ citrus characteristics. In a competition first, a Champion Cider trophy was awarded, with The Barossa Valley Cider Company Pty Ltd crowned the inaugural winner. Based in Nurioopta, South Australia, its tank-fermented Squashed Apple Cider – an authentic tank-fermented cider made with South Australian apples – was judged the stand-out due to its full, rich and creamy flavour and crisp finish.

NEWS

SYDNEY CRAFT BEER WEEK IS BACK THE fourth annual Sydney Craft Beer Week kicks off October 18 with more than 100 events on the calendar between October 18 and 26.

Sydney Craft Beer Week offers craft beer connoisseurs and novices alike the opportunity to experience a mix of both free and paid-for events such as brewery, pub and restaurant tours, seminars, tap takeovers, beer high teas, “beergustation menus” and pop-up installations throughout the week-long event. Craft Beer Week kicks off Friday October 17 at The Giant Dwarf Theatre, in Redfern, with more than 25 Australian and International breweries in residence.

With the Craft (Pub) Crawl, punters are encouraged to make their way through a seven day beer journey; a comprehensive experience enhanced with a “beer passport”.

Stone & Wood are bringing back The Big Pig Out, featuring four pigs and four Stone & Wood Beers on tap. The cheekily named Sausage-fest! will see Ekim and The Welcome collaborate to present a barbie with a difference, with five gourmet sausages inspired by and accompanied with five of Ekim’s brilliant beers. The Young Cavaliers Block Party features arts, music, culture and beer in conjunction with Cavalier, 44 Records and the Newington Hotel. Other events include the Feral Tap Takeover at Trinity Bar and The Ultimate Beer Experience at 4 Pines Brewpub, Manly. CarriageWorks is home to a two-day beer festival within a festival – Sip & Savour, October 25-26 – which will bring together more than 250 craft beers and ciders alongside local gourmet foods, home-brewing, live music and interactive seminars.

Visit: www.sydneycraftbeerweek.com to access the full events schedule.

BIG PLANS FOR IRISH DISTILLERY THE makers of Writer’s Tears Irish Whiskey, distributed in Australia by island2island Beverage Company, has kicked off a EUR$25 million redevelopment of its distillery at the site of Royal Oak, Carlow, Ireland. Work began on the Walsh Whiskey Distillery in September with construction due to be completed in December. The revamp will reveal a world-class independent craft Irish whiskey distillery, maturation warehouses and “a unique visitor experience” by the banks of the River Barrow in Royal Oak. A new distillery visitor centre will cater to 75,000 whiskey tourists by 2021 with the distillery ready to begin operating in 2016. The distillery will be large enough to produce 400,000 cases annually utilising two production lines using both pot and column stills to produce four types of Irish whiskey: pot; malt; grain; and blended. The distillery will also distil whiskey under contract for private labels without means of independent production.

VANGUARD LAUNCHES MICHTER’S WHISKEY AMERICAN whiskey brand Michter’s is now available in Australia through Vanguard Luxury Brands. Known originally as Shenk’s and then as Bomberger’s, the whiskey company that went on to become Michter’s was America’s first distilling company, founded in 1753. Under the stewardship of master distiller Willie Pratt, who has spent over 50 years in the whiskey industry, Michter’s has become known for its premium single barrel and small batch expressions.

Says Vanguard founder James France: “They take a ‘cost be damned’ approach to making their whiskeys, including air-drying the wood used in their barrels utilising a low barrel-entry strength of 51.5% ABV rather than the industry standard 62.5% and heating the rickhouse gradually in winter then cooling it again so the whiskey ages during the frigid winter months.”

In 2012, Michter’s was named Wine Enthusiast magazine’s Distiller of the Year.

Last year, the limitededition Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey achieved US$4000 per bottle. Vanguard will release the following expressions to the Australian market, under the Michter’s brand: US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey; US*1 American Whiskey; US*1 Small Batch Bourbon; US*1 Single Barrel Rye; 10 Year Old Bourbon; 10 Year Old Rye; and 20 Year Old Bourbon.

bars&clubs 11

NEWS

PERTH TO OPEN FIRST CROWD-FUNDED BAR/RESTAURANT AUSTRALIA’S first permanent crowd-funded restaurant/ bar, Lucky Chan’s Laundry & Noodle Bar is hunting for cash donations via Kickstarter. The venue, if it achieves its goal of $100,000 will open in the Northbridge suburb of Perth before the end of the year. Operators behind the project are the teams behind The Classroom and Cocktail Gastronomy, Andrew Bennett, Sasha Verheggen, Daniel Sterpini and Adam Keane.

“In less than a week, the project raised more than $10,000 towards Australia’s first permanent crowd-funded restaurant and we’re continuing to gather more support and more momentum each day,” says Andrew Bennett.

“We have a 60-day campaign so it’s important that we continue to spread the word about how people can be involved in the project, not just from a financial point of view, but also by providing us feedback about what they want to see in the new venue. We saw in crowd funding the

opportunity to get empirical feedback and support for Lucky Chan’s from real life people during these early months of the project. Often when you set up a new business or venture, you do it in a vacuum so we see this as an opportunity for us to engage with our future audience months before we open.

The Kickstarter campaign ends November 14.

Find out more at: http://www.luckychans.com.au

CO-OWNERS ANDREW BENNETT, SASHA VERHEGGEN, DANIEL STERPINI AND ADAM KEANE.

LARK DISTILLERY WINS TASSIE NEW ASIAN INFLUENCED BAR BUSINESS AWARD TO OPEN IN CANBERRA

I2I GETS SAN MIGUEL BEER In other i2i news, the company has won a longterm contract to distribute international beer brand San Miguel and its flagship beer Pale Pilsen with other San Miguel brands to follow.

San Miguel Pale Pilsen is southeast Asia’s oldest beer brand and one of the highest-selling beers globally. It is a pale golden lager with a rich, fullbodied flavour.

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TASMANIAN malt whisky producer, Lark Distillery, is 2014 Telstra Tasmanian Business of the Year. The award, presented

by Premier of Tasmania Will Hodgman, hands Lark Distillery the mantle from last year’s 2013 Telstra Business of the Year, Bruny Island Cheese Co., which won both the Tasmanian and national overall award.

Established by Bill and Lyn Lark in 1992, the Hobart distillery employs 18 full-time staff. It has added vodka, gin, rum and liqueurs to its product line and recently acquired Overeem Whisky.

Founder Bill Lark said the company’s success stems from starting small and thinking big. “Like many of Tasmania’s other premium food and beverage businesses, our success stems from small-scale production of high quality, high-value products,” he said.

Lark said he had a vision for an industry, not just a business, and proudly supports local producers, promoting other whiskies and beverages at Lark’s cellar door and whisky bar, and mentoring start-up distilleries in Tasmania and on the mainland.

Will Irving, Telstra business group managing director and ambassador for the Telstra Australian Business Awards, said: “Lark Distillery has stretched itself internationally, achieving local and global notoriety [and] in the process becoming a significant ambassador of the industry – [both] mentoring and leading.”

AKIBA, opening in Canberra in November, is a new bar and restaurant concept by owner/operators Pete and Mike Harrington (Tetsuya, Aria, Forty One, Bel Mondo).

The Akiba concept is inspired by the informal and bustling atmosphere of Asia Pacific food halls and its menu will include Asian barbecue, raw bar and dim sum, with the cocktails list described as “contemporary and creative without any played-out prohibition or Mad Men references”.

Thomas Weis (Icebergs, Bambini Trust, Prospero Group, Pendolino) has been tapped as general manager and executive bartender Lee Potter Cavanagh (The Victoria Room, Lotus, Hemmesphere) will head up the drinks program.

The restaurant will source product from its own farm – as does the Harrington’s other Canberra restaurant, Sage – and feature an opened-to-the-floor bar and kitchen to involve guests.

Heading up the kitchen are chefs Johnon Macdonald and Brian Logan. Between them they have manned the pans at Tetsuya’s, Rockpool Sydney, Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne, Gingerboy, Marque, Morimoto NYC, Nobu London and Sokyo.

Akiba’s kitchen will change its menu quarterly to reflect seasonal produce while the bar will feature tools such as a Rotovap and carbonation system for interest as well as cocktails on tap and cold pressed juice.

The concept behind Akiba was inspired by the Japanese deity of the same name, often depicted riding a white fox, wreathed in fire, and the venue was designed by Melbourne architect Adam Dettrick of Movida fame.

NEWS

ASAHI TO OPEN FIRST POP-UP BAR IN SYDNEY CBD ASAHI will launch its first Australian pop-up bar, the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar, in Sydney’s CBD on Friday October 24.

Open for three months, the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar will offer guests the opportunity to taste Asahi Super Dry as well as the newest addition to its portfolio – Asahi Super Dry Black Extra Cold – “served to scientific perfection”, which means poured fresh and at sub-zero temperatures. Asahi Super Dry Black Extra Cold is a fuller-bodied, malty yet crisp variant – making the pop-up bar the first venue in Australia to feature the dark lager on draught.

“By chilling Asahi Super Dry beer to -2 degrees, the beer head maintains its high bubble density for longer, which creates a smoother texture and ultimately makes it more refreshing,” says Asahi Premium Beverages marketing manager, Michael Vousden.

“We know once people try Asahi Super Dry in its perfect state – poured fresh and served extra cold – they’ll immediately appreciate the concept of the ‘perfect serve’. This, in essence, is the driving force behind the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar.” The bar will also feature a range of bar snacks to complement the dry, crisp flavour of Asahi.

The Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar will be located at 37 Bligh Street, Sydney, and open Friday October 24 from 4pm-10pm Monday to Wednesday and 12pm-10pm Thursday to Saturday.

US STYLE BUFFALO BAR TO OPEN IN BRISBANE FOLLOWING the October 5 closure of Brisbane’s Belgian Beer Café at 169 Mary Street comes the news that American franchise Buffalo Bar will open in the Heritage-listed building late next month.

Buffalo Bar will showcase American food and drink for lunch and dinner in a sit-down dining hall, with an indoor craft beer and whiskey lounge designed to impart a Southern rock’n’roll atmosphere and a separate bar menu featuring 18 signature style buffalo wings.

Outdoors, the craft beer lounge will boast one of the country’s most extensive American craft beer lists plus an extended selection of whiskies, wine and specialty cocktails.

Simon O’Brien and his Mighty Mighty Cue & Brew team in Fortitude Valley are the group behind the new Buffalo Bar. The team, including executive chef Adam Herbert and "beer expert", Matt Kirkegaard, have championed the introduction of American cuisine in Brisbane since the inception of Mighty Mighty Cue & Brew in November last year.

Drawing on the success of Mighty Mighty, Buffalo Bar will be a standalone entity, with the venue showcasing a wider American experience – from New York-style fittings and Southern comfortable furnishings to the relaxed summer atmosphere of the Californiastyle beer lounge.

“Expansion was always a projection and we’re thrilled to have been entrusted with this iconic building to launch Buffalo Bar – a place unseen before in this state, in this country,” said co-owner Simon O’Brien.

“The building has been maintained immaculately and captures the essence of American spirit in its charismatic Australian surrounds.”

Located at 169 Mary Street, Brisbane, Buffalo Bar will open in late November and trade seven days per week.

CCA AND CASELLA LAUNCH NEW CRAFT BEER RANGE AUSTRALIAN Beer Company (ABCo), the Coca-Cola Amatil and Casella joint venture, has announced plans for a new craft beer range, launching in December. Under the master brand, Yenda, referring to the New South Wales town where the ABCo brewery is based, the range will include a Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, Unfiltered Lager and a mid–strength Ale. The Yenda Pale Ale and Yenda India Pale Ale will be previewed at a number of events during Sydney Craft Beer Week. They will be accompanied by the launch of the small batch brew, Stirling Castle, a collaboration between ABCo brew master, Andy Mitchell and UK-based IBD International Young Brewer of the Year, Rob Percival. The beer commemorates the arrival of the first English India Pale Ale in Australia on the ‘Stirling Castle’ in 1835. The Australian Beer Company's craft beer range plans will be announced in December.

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OPENINGS

THE WHISKY ROOM

ROCK GETS ROLLED AT THE ANNANDALE FORMERLY a dedicated rock venue and inner west local, The Annandale Hotel re-opened recently under new ownership and with a pub bistro focus. Music is served up on the side.

New owners Oscars Hotels overhauled the venue under the direction of architect and interior designer, Elaine Richardson, whose previous works include Trinity Hotel, Bat and Ball and The Henson Park Hotel (Sydney). The redesign maintains the historic integrity of the venue while updating its atmosphere from sticky carpet pub band venue to light and bright gastropub. The venue features a large, leafy courtyard and bistro and casual coffee bar with a breakfast menu.

The main bar and open air back bar feature a signature cocktail menu, local and international wines, as well as a range of boutique and craft beers. Executive Chef John Rankin (formerly of Waitan) created a breakfast menu featuring traditional favourites such as the big breakfast, topped with house made béarnaise, hotcakes with blueberries and maple syrup cream, corned beef hash, baked eggs with bacon, caramelised onion and Comté cheese. Those battling hangovers are invited to pair breakfast menu items with the Bloody Mary menu.

The Annandale Hotel, 17-19 Parramatta Road, Annandale, Sydney, NSW Ph: (02) 9550 3924

SYDNEY inner city pub The Clock Hotel has launched what it calls “the ultimate whisky retreat” in The Whisky Room, on Crown Street, Surry Hills. Open Wednesday to Sunday, The Whisky Room welcomes the whisky novice through to the enthusiast with a menu featuring more than 100 of the world’s best whiskies from regions such as Islay, the Highlands, America, Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand and Australia. Guests can enjoy a whisky flight of three hand-selected whiskies chosen to highlight a region, country or brand, or ease their way into the amber gold via one of the Boiler Maker specials: a bottle of craft beer with a shot of matched whisky, designed to sip and appreciate. Whisky cocktails include Whisky Sour, Penicillin (Monkey Shoulder, fresh lemon, honey-ginger syrup and smoky whisky float), Japanese Plum Sour (Yamazaki, plum jam, fresh lemon, plum bitters and egg white) and the Malt Express (Black Bottle, fresh espresso, vanilla syrup and Amaro), all $17 each. Designed to reflect a cosy den, The Whisky Room features an interior of sporting trophies, leather bound books, fishing rods and vintage maps.

The Whisky Room at The Clock Hotel, 470 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW Ph: 02 9331 5333

BIG BARS BEGET SMALL BARS SYDNEY’S inner west suburb of Newtown is the city’s new home of rock ‘n’ roll with the opening of small bar, Waywards. The new late­night, live music venue launched by playing host to rock band The Dandy Warhols' after party – featuring DJ Rescue (Zia of The Dandy Warhols) – to kick off the rock vibe. Designed to evoke the atmosphere of 1960s and '70s venues from the heyday of Brit rock, Waywards offers guests a house party vibe with late night pizzas and live music. The venue was known previously as Upstairs at the Bank and marks the venue’s second attempt at creating small bars from a large venue (the previous bar being Uncle Hop’s, featured in the July/August edition of B&C).

Waywards, level 2, 324 King Street, Newtown, NSW Ph: (02) 8568 1900

OPENINGS

NEW, REFURBISHED, REFIT OR RESTORED VENUES NOW OPEN AROUND AUSTRALIA...

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OPENINGS

A SLICE OF SCANDINAVIA IN CHINATOWN A PIECE of Scandinavia has opened in Sydney’s Chinatown district of Haymarket with The Bear bar and restaurant. The pocket-sized venue is run by owner Andy Curtis and partner Grace Gao and is licensed for 50 people. Andy and Grace are both from a hospitality background and Andy owned London bar, Nordic, for 10 years – hence the Scandinavian theme. “Well, it’s more of a winter lodge theme,” says Andy. “Think Christmas trees and Swedish meatballs, log cabins and sexy fondue and that you are in a small but perfectly formed Bear.” That’s right, bears are everywhere.

There’s a bear on the menu, painted on the walls, in cute and kitsch frames, and even a plush costume bear’s head for outgoing guests to don for selfies. The layout is intimate and cosy: walk in the red-painted door from the laneway access into the bar area and you are greeted by deep red walls and visions of a crackling log fire projected from the back bar to the facing wall. The Bear specialises in gourmet hot dogs such as the Snoop Dog (made with European sausage, mash potato, crispy onion and Dutch curry ketchup), The Continental and the delightfully tongue-in-cheek Sure Coronary, as well as pizza, meatballs and even fruit with butterscotch fondue. The bar stocks a mix of red and white wines and the top shelf boasts Indian, Tasmanian, Scottish and Japanese malts. The Bear offers guests weekly drink and food specials, including $10 beer and pizza every Sunday.

The Bear, 37 Ultimo Road (entrance via Thomas Lane), Haymarket (behind the Aaron Hotel), NSW Ph: 0451 029 226

LAS VEGAS COMES TO BRISBANE BRISBANE’S Family Nightclub in Fortitude Valley has unveiled its multi-million dollar Vegas-style refurbishment. Featuring marble, timber, precious metals and leathers, the new look was designed to evoke the luxury atmosphere of high-end international nightclubs and to appeal to a VIP clientele desiring luxury and privacy. The renovation of the basement, mezzanine and VIP areas includes extensions to the existing bars, bathrooms and VIP tables as well as an overhaul of the entry and foyer. The DJ arena features a configured four-metre high dancing catwalk and stage area, a massive LED lighting screen and complete sound system upgrade.

“There’s no doubt that the nightclub scene is evolving and changing constantly and we wanted to capitalise on this and deliver a venue that lives up to this shifting environment,” said Harry Katsanevas, Family Nightclub promotions manager and music director.

“We drew inspiration from five star nightclubs and entertainment venues in Las Vegas to deliver a nightclub of comparable standards, suitable for our regulars and those who may have not visited Family recently.”

The Mezzanine has a new bar with a hand-crafted, custom-made marble top and eight VIP tables overlooking the main stage. Each table features its own “luxe booth style seating”, a private marble table and private balcony space to enjoy the Main Room entertainment, plus premium service including priority entry, personal hostess and bottle service.

The new Family features a VIP Room suspended high above the main dance floor, with a hand-crafted, custom-made marble private bar, floor-to-ceiling glass wall overlooking the Main Room entertainment, lush couches and seating, premium service “and total exclusivity and privacy for up to 40 guests”. Level Two also features a brand new cocktail lounge and The Bone Room, named after the extravagant feature bone chandelier.

Family Nightclub, 8 McLachlan Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD Ph: 07 3852 5000

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OPENINGS

MUNICH MOVES INTO MELBOURNE THE Urban Purveyor Group, owners and operators of Sydney’s Löwenbräu Keller (for more than 40 years) and nine Bavarian Bier Café venues across NSW and Queensland, has opened its newest venture, Munich Brauhaus at Melbourne’s South Bank. The spacious waterfront venue seats more than 900 people and features 250 waterfront seats, three bars and private function rooms, high truss ceilings, mezzanine levels, inbuilt stage and audio visual capabilities. Paying homage to all things pork, as expected the menu focuses on classic Oktoberfest specials such as suckling pig, sourced locally from Riverlea and cooked over a charcoal spit, an extensive wine list and hand-crafted cocktails. The Munich Brauhaus boasts a signature beer, Munich Lager, plus exclusively imported Bavarian beers such as Fürstenburg Premium Pils, Löwenbräu Original, Stiegl Goldbräu, Franziskaner Hefeweizen Hell and seasonal brews such as Oktoberfestbier. The Munich Brauhaus, located at 45 South Wharf Promenade, is designed to impart the atmosphere and energy of a traditional Bavarian bierhaus – where guests eat, drink and party like Oktoberfest never ends – to the South Bank foreshore every day of the year.

The Munich Brauhaus, 45 South Wharf Promenade, South Wharf, Melbourne, VIC Ph: 1300 686 424

FRASER SHORT OPENS JAPANESE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAR NEW Japanese rock ‘n’ roll bar Daniel San pays homage to The Karate Kid and 1980s California beach culture by combining Japanese street food and a rock ‘n’ roll attitude within the space and surrounds of an international hotel.

The 350 capacity venue sits underneath the Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific Hotel on the beachfront of North Steyne.

Executive chef Benjamin Orpwood, formerly of Surry Hills’ Toko, is behind the Robata grill where he cooks up dishes such as: crunchy tuna and salmon tacos; sushi of tuna belly, truffle and yuzu; steamed buns with soft shell crab and kimchi mayo, “a huge rotation selection” of Japanese skewers; rolled pork belly and chicken skin with ponzu, and more. Pinball, rock ’n’ roll and hot pink neon sets the tone for the premium Japanese sakes, beers, cocktails, wines and spirits featured at Daniel San’s Sake Bar. There's even a Japanese beer slushie machine to provide a new twist on a childhood treat.

Says owner, Fraser Short: “We wanted to capture the fun and slightly quirky elements of Japanese culture infused with a rock ‘n’ roll vibe, while creating an offering that capitalises on the beachside location”.

Daniel San’s rock‘n’roll bar and eatery includes an outdoor beachside seating area, an exclusive private dining room area with beachfront views for up to 25 people on the venue’s mid-level and an indoor/outdoor rooftop dojo which can hold 200 people and provides sweeping views of Manly Beach, for functions and events.

Daniel San, 55 North Steyne Manly, Sydney, NSW (02) 9977 6963

SYDNEY’S FIRST ‘CONCEPT GIN BAR’ STILLERY TO OPEN IN DOUBLE BAY THE new bar on the first floor of the brand new InterContinental Sydney Double Bay (formerly the Ritz Carlton and Stamford Plaza hotel) will open next month as Stillery, Sydney’s first "concept gin bar". Inspired by the distilling history of the local area, Stillery focuses on a growing collection of high-end local craft, imported, vintage and rare gins, poured behind a seven metre bar of marble and leather. The bar’s menu and selection of signature cocktails and punches, mixed and infused with a range of botanical ingredients and blends, includes fresh kaffir lime leaves, honey, lemon sherbet, celery seed, citrus sugar and dandelion bitters.

The bar will offer a "make your own martini" selection of six limited edition gin-based cocktails – with one of each available every day – and a broad selection of other spirits, tonics, craft ciders, boutique beers and world-class local New South Wales, Australian and imported wines. Leading Stillery’s team is bar operations manager, Katrina Ford (ex Guillaume, Glass Brasserie, Hugo’s Lounge), and bar manager Aaron Gaulke (Hotel Centennial, Eau de Vie).

“Australia’s first licensed distillery was established in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs in the 1820s," said Frederic Brohez, general manager, InterContinental Sydney Double Bay. "We are thrilled to build on this rich local legacy with Stillery, a beautiful gin bar which breaks from the traditional hotel offering and is designed for both locals and hotel guests to enjoy.” Bar furnishings include lounges, armchairs and marble coffee tables, as well as a restored dark green marble fireplace and grand piano. Stillery will open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and carry a seasonal menu designed by executive chef Julien Pouteau.

Options include crepes, freshly-baked pastries and croissants and organic eggs, for breakfast; fresh gourmet salads and creative sandwiches for lunch; and a cheese and truffle bar, cured meats and house-made pickles and preserves, gourmet bruschetta and tapas-style dining in the evening.

Stillery, 33 Cross Street, Double Bay, NSW

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OPENINGS

SYDNEY POPS CORK ON CHAMPAGNE ROOM SYDNEY hospitality company, The Keystone Group, opened Australia’s first Perrier-Jouët Champagne bar with the launch of Champagne Room on the upper level of The Winery, Surry Hills, in September. Champagne Room is a luxury experiential concept featuring deluxe booths, a Champagne bell that lights up the waiter station whenever guests need a flute topped up and views of the city skyline. Following the concept of famous international Champagne hotspots at London Champagne bars such as Duke’s Hotel and Harvey Nichols, Champagne Room showcases an impressive list of fine Champagne, including Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Époque 2006 by the flute. Champagne Room is the only venue in Australia to offer this wine by the glass and bottle. Curated by The Keystone Group’s creative director, Paul Schulte, Champagne Room is designed for intimate groups to get together and celebrate in sophisticated style, reflecting a French art de vivre meets Sydney nightlife. Guests can pair gourmet Calvisius Oscietra caviar with a flute of Perrier-Jouët or Champagne Mumm. Weekend guests can enjoy freshly shucked oysters, Hervey Bay scallops and Cloudy Bay prawns, while those dining late can tuck into Champagne matched with Black Angus scotch fillet, whole lobster tail and poached Skull Island prawns.

The Winery, 285a Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW Ph: (02) 9331 0833

NEW WINE & DINE FOR SYDNEY’S DOUBLE BAY VINE Double Bay, owned by Gavin Douchkov and Manny Karson, has opened on the old Zigolini’s site on Short Street, Double Bay, Sydney. Managed

by Sydney hospitality veteran Mikee Collins, the 235 capacity venue is focused on relaxed dining with the menu ranging from bar snacks to substantial dishes to share between three to four people. The kitchen team is led by Chef Drew Bolton, (ex Darley’s at Lillianfells and Peter Gilmore’s Quay). The 50 bottle wine list focuses on boutique wineries and organic and biodynamic styles, while the international craft beers and cocktails menu is inspired by vine-grown fruit and vegetables.

Vine Double Bay, 2 Short Street, Double Bay, Sydney, NSW (02) 9363 0010

SUTHERLAND GETS ON-SITE BREWERY & FINE DINING BLACKROCK Brasserie combines restaurant quality cuisine with a working brewhouse. Blackrock, situated in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, is dedicated to offering guests a fine dining menu designed to complement ingredients used in the micro-brewing process via dishes such as Aussie Ale beef pie, Kolsch battered fish and chips and caramel and stout pannacotta, which use Blackrock Brasserie beer in the dishes. Other menu items include roast blue eye trevalla with spicy lentils and pickled cucumber salad paired with Aussie Ale. “The fruitiness and bold hop character of the Aussie Ale blends perfectly with spicy foods and fish,” says venue marketing and events manager, Lisa Cochrane.

“Slow braised lamb shoulder, roasted root vegetables, salsa verde – shared between two – is paired with our Dark Kolsch; the distinct toasty flavour of the Dark Kolsch with a clean, hoppy finish helps cut through the richness of the lamb shoulder.

“Our philosophy is focused on combining quality dining with locally-made fresh craft beer. We offer a specialty 'Beergustation' tasting paddle of four core beers matched with bite-sized food. For those interested in learning about our brewing process we run short tours and tastings as well as hosted degustation evenings.” The family owned and managed restaurant is sectioned by the large brewing and fermentation tanks that diners are seated around. The menu changes every three months to showcase the in-season produce and to keep the menu fresh.

Blackrock Brasserie, 117-119 Princes Highway, Sylvania, NSW 02 9522 5558

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BEER

THE TOP 10 BEER VENUES IN AUSTRALIA

10 The Royston VIC

F

9 Terminus Hotel VIC

Our sister publication Beer & Brewer recently published its list of the top 50 beer venues in Australia.

Here are the very best from the list

or consumers, trying to find a good beer can sometimes seem like searching for a frothy Holy Grail. To help them in their quest, Beer & Brewer magazine recently drew on the extensive knowledge of industry experts to determine the finest places in which to order a brew. The result? A list of Australia’s top 50 craft beer venues.

12 RIVER STREET, RICHMOND 3121 www.roystonhotel.com.au Always a Good Beer Week favourite, The Royston has a great rotating tap list and impressive staff knowledge to match. Taken over more than a decade ago by the Griggs family, who also run Terminus Hotel, The Royston was Melbourne’s first pub to go craft beer-only.

“A cosy, quaint English style pub with an ever-evolving beer list and big smiles from knowledgeable staff make this little space feel like it could be your own living room. A great place to pull up a stool and imbibe a well-selected craft beer, when you want to take a little time out. Added bonus: a pool table that our boys pretty much monopolise whenever we all go there!” Kirrily Waldhorn, Beer Diva

492 QUEENS PARADE, NORTH FITZROY 3068 www.terminus.com.au

How did Beer & Brewer arrive at the list? In all, 26 experts contributed their views, listing their favourite venues, before the results were collated.

The scoring was weighted so those venues at the top of panellists’ lists scored higher than those at the bottom.

The complete list of the top 50 beer venues in Australia can be found in the current issue of Beer & Brewer, available in leading newsagents, Dan Murphy’s and other liquor stores. Or you can subscribe at www.beerandbrewer.com/subscribe.

THE ESTEEMED PANEL • Darren Arrowsmith – national manager – Brewery Fresh Team, Carlton & United Breweries • James Atkinson – editor, The Shout •M ike Bennie – drinks writer and judge, Gourmet Traveller WINE •D ave Bonighton – chair, Craft Beer Industry Association • Tim Charody – The Beer Pilgrim •G emima Cody – food and drink editor, Time Out Melbourne • Joel Connolly – festival director, Sydney Craft Beer Week • Paul Esposito – Premium Beverages • Ian Kingham – Category Lead – Beer, Woolworths • Matt Kirkegaard – beer writer, Australian Brews News, BeerMatt • John Kruger – beer writer and judge • Darren Magin – beer writer, 250 Beers

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• Chris McNamara – executive officer, Craft Beer Industry Association • Mark Mead – manager, Warners at the Bay • Peter Mitcham – beer writer, Radio Brews News • Clyde Mooney – editor, Australian Hotelier Magazine • Adrian Moran – beer writer, AusBeerJourney • Neil Miller – beer writer, Beer & Brewer, TheShout NZ • Pia Poynton – beer writer, girl + beer • Luke Robertson – beer writer, Ale of a Time • Suzan Ryan – editor, bars&clubs magazine • Jeremy Sambrooks – beer writer, Beer & Brewer • James Smith – beer writer, Crafty Pint • Chris Thomas – editor, Homebrewer • Kirrily Waldhorn – beer presenter, educator, consultant, writer and judge, Beer Diva • James Wilkinson – editor, Hotel Management Magazine

This year’s Good Beer Week Festival Hub, Terminus Hotel was recently named Melbourne’s Best Pub by the Herald Sun. A cocoon of crafty goodness, the Terminus has 16 taps that are constantly rotating and a fridge full of bottled craft from around the world.

“Old-school watering hole on the outside – clean and slick, without being pretentious; font of beery goodness inside. The front bar has maintained its carpet and timber warmth while the old drive-thru bottle-o is now a comfortable and classy lounge bar. Food runs a close second to the quality of beer on tap and the friendly knowledge with which it is dispensed.” - Peter Mitcham, Radio Brews News

8 Clancy’s Fish Pub WA

51 CANTONMENT STREET, FREMANTLE 6160 www.clancysfishpub.com.au/fremantle With three Clancy’s Fish Pubs; Canning Bridge, City Beach and Dunsborough, all top notch beer venues, it was likely at least one would make the list. Here you can expect quality seafood in generous portions as well as a good selection of well-priced, local craft beer on draught.

“Clancy’s has been supporting local beer from the very beginning. The Fremantle pub was the first venue to pour Little

BEER

Creatures, the kegs were loaded onto the LC truck aptly named ‘Elsie’ and driven two kilometres to Clancy’s; that’s fresh! Whenever I go to a Clancy’s it is tradition to have a serving of ‘fried mice’ – cheesestuffed deep fried jalapeños, and a pint of Nail Ale Pale Ale.” – Pia Poynton, girl + beer

7 The Pour House WA

26 DUNN BAY ROAD, DUNSBOROUGH 6281 www.pourhouse.com.au With more than 100 local and international craft beers on offer, the range is so big it’s on an A3 menu and makes for some impressive looking fridges behind the bar.

“The Pour House is the kind of trendy craft beer bar that wouldn’t look out of place in inner Melbourne, but it’s actually in the coastal WA town of Dunsborough, population 4,000. More than 100 local and international craft beers can be found here, as well as quality restaurant food downstairs, a cracking burger bar upstairs, characterful decor and the smell of salty air – the beach is just a couple of hundred metres away. The only downside is having to leave, knowing that it’s a three hour drive back to Perth.” – Jeremy Sambrooks, Beer & Brewer

6 Sail & Anchor Hotel WA 64 SOUTH TERRACE, FREMANTLE 6160 www.sailandanchor.com.au While no longer a brewery, the Sail & Anchor remains one of WA’s premier beer venues, with 40 cold taps and three hand pumps across its four bars.

“There is a romance to this old pub, she might be old but it just means she’s got a lot of stories to tell.

I remember going to the Fremantle Markets with my parents when I was little and we’d always stop at The Sail after and Dad would have a Redback.” – Pia Poynton, girl + beer

5 The Scratch QLD

8/1 PARK ROAD, MILTON 4064 www.scratchbar.com The ultimate dive bar, The Scratch also has a great selection of beers available with something for everybody. The

beer list is matched with some of the best staff and service in the country. Free peanuts here too.

“There has been an explosion in quality craft venues in Brisbane in the past couple of years and, while Archive was the first, The Scratch for me encapsulates the best of the unique, experimental, slightly unhinged (and frequently hairy) character of this thriving scene.” – James Smith, Crafty Pint

4 Two Row Bar VIC

351 SMITH STREET, FITZROY 3065 www.tworowbar.com.au Two Row Bar is Tiffany Waldron and Slow Beer’s collaboration brew bar. Targeting serious beer nerds, there’s rarely a soft option on the five taps, with mostly random Rogue gems from the States and the single batch stuff from locals like Brew Cult.

“Two Row felt like home the first time I visited. Their five taps are always rotating and always serious (no pandering to the ‘I just want a beer’ crowd), while their bottled beer list is a lesson to other bars and restaurants in how to do it right. In addition, the food is based around cheese and charcuterie, with cheese toasties being the centrepiece, and the wine, cocktails and spirits will tempt any beer lover to stray to something a bit stronger. It’s simple, effective and exactly the kind of place I want to spend an evening.” - Luke Robertson, Ale of a Time

2 The Wheatsheaf SA

39 GEORGE STREET, THEBARTON 5031 www.wheatsheafhotel.com.au A very close second, ‘The Wheaty’ is dedicated to great craft beer. This suburban pub meets craft beer venue runs masterclasses out the back of the pub, and has even installed a microbrewery of its own.

Under the expert guidance of publican Jade Flavell, the selection of full-flavoured characterful Australian and imported beers on tap is second to none. Well almost none.

“What else needs to be said? The best run pub in Australia, bursting with innovative ideas, always on the itinerary for big name international brewers heading Down Under and now home to its own experimental brewery. Simply awesome.” - James Smith, Crafty Pint

1 The Local Taphouse NSW 122 FLINDERS STREET, DARLINGHURST 2010 www.thelocal.com.au

3 The Local Taphouse VIC

184 CARLISLE STREET, ST. KILDA EAST 3183 www.thelocal.com.au Arguably where it all began, The Local Taphouse in St Kilda is the godfather of true craft beer bars in Australia. This beacon of craft has a weekly rotating selection of local and imported brews, and staff that are knowledgeable and friendly.

The old tavern-inspired décor with plenty of nooks and quiet tables, is complete with a fireplace for those chilly Melbourne winters.

“Proof that this place is loved by all was their recent People’s Choice gong at the Time Out Melbourne Pub Awards. Opened seven years ago at a time when Australia was only dipping its toe into craft beer, The Local Taphouse has cleverly evolved with its locals and has continued to be innovative in the craft beer venue space. The venue is great, staff are awesome and beers… sublime!” - Kirrily Waldhorn, Beer Diva

It was a close finish but The Local Taphouse in Sydney squeezed into our number one position.

‘The Local’ boasts 20-plus beer taps, a hand pump and a fridge bursting with an assortment of beers from across the globe. Co-owners Steve Jeffares and Guy Greenstone are also the duo behind The Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular (GABS), the biggest craft beer and brewing festival in Australia, so it is little wonder The Local came up trumps.

“Willie Simpson reputedly once described them as, ‘The best beer bars in the land’ and the Taphouses continue to shine as beer leaders. Newcomers engaged in an unseemly arms race for the most beers or taps, take note: The Taphouses don’t boast the biggest beer list or the craziest taps, but still lead with a well curated selection, properly served.”

- Matt Kirkegaard, Australian Brews News, BeerMatt b&c

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TEQUILA

TEQUILA A CATEGORY OVERVIEW WITH PHIL BAYLY Australia is currently the world’s 9th largest market for tequila imports - whether charged by the small bar movement or the emergence of 100% agave based tequila as opposed to mixto (51% blue agave and 49% non agave sugars and grain) which gave most of us our first hangovers.

Sydney tequila expert Phil Bayly shares his advice on how to make money and have fun with Mexico’s most profitable export.

T

here is not much Phil Bayly doesn’t know about tequila after 34 years in the industry and owning one of Australia’s most revered tequila bars, Café Pacifico. B&C asked Phil to shed light on how bars and clubs can use tequila to improve their bottom line….

TELL US ABOUT YOUR MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH TEQUILA? My last trip was for research and development, I flew to Tales of the Cocktail to meet, discuss and plan with some of the presenters for my Agave Love conference in March.

I then drove to Miami to see John Lermayer at the Regent Hotel. From there I flew to Albuquerque and drove up to see Ron Cooper from Del Maguey at his studio in Taos, I then flew to Durango, Mexico, to visit mezcal distilleries and finally off to Oaxaca to see mezcal production there. My focus in Oaxaca was to see where, how and by whom the mezcal brands we currently have available in Australia are made along with talks with the CRM (Consejo Regulador del Mezcal) regarding my conference.

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WHAT’S HAPPENING GLOBALLY WITH TEQUILA? Celebrity endorsed or owned tequilas and flavored tequilas have been popularised, especially following the success of Patron Café and the 1800 range, with coconut, etc. This is, in general, targeting non-agave spirits drinkers and being pushed by the big players in the industry. The interesting trend for me and what seems to be more sustainable is the interest in more artisanal premium and super premium small batch tequilas, with a focus on quality not quantity and experimenting in aging techniques, agave selection, etc., similar to what is happening with mezcal and the interest in traditional methods and small batch productions.

WHAT SHOULD BAR OWNERS CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING TEQUILA? Make sure it is tequila and it has all the required labelling information, including Made in Mexico, NOM, etc. Just because it is tequila and has all the required information by law, or that it is 100 per cent agave does not make it great tequila. Do your research. It’s not hard to find out what is good and what’s not. Lists like The 10 Best Tequilas and such are often heavily influenced by marketing dollars, depending on who wrote the list.

Work out who is your clientele? That will help establish price-point and what it will be used for: sip, shots or cocktails. Unless it is a true-blue Aussie pub, I think it should be mandatory to have blanco, repo, añejo and depending on the venue extra añejo for customers.

How many types of vodka do you have on the back bar right now?

If you want to do it right and you can’t or don’t want a whole section of tequilas, just have one of each, but don’t just offer one brand. Design your selection on the individual flavors that you think suit you venue and customers. If you sell a lot of Scotch, and good Scotch, you should be able to sell some good añejos easily.

TEQUILA

“Good tequila is like good wine, the effect and after effect is relative to the quality of the spirit you drink.”

Extra añejo can be great for both GP and ego; I have had many people ask, ‘What is the most expensive tequila you have?’, and buy a couple of shots just to impress girls, friends or to find out for themselves. Find the tequilas you like and you believe your customers will like and make an interesting selection from what is available from the different brands. Make it a great selection!

Biggest is not always best.

SHOULD BARS BUY BOTH TEQUILA AND MEZCAL? Yes! Because they are not the same thing and they do not taste the same. It is up to you how much you offer but you should have at least one, preferably two, mezcals on the bar. One as a house pour for mixing – this is normally of lower alcohol, around 40 percent, and it is preferable the second should not be less than 45 percent.

This should be what they call artisanal mezcal and should be sipped (not shot) straight up in a short, wide-mouthed glass and appreciated like a single malt Scotch. Staff should also know something about the premium and super premium tequilas and mezcals to help people understand why they are more expensive and why they should drink them. They should also taste these products so they can describe them to secure the sale. This should be available from the brand reps and make for an easier sell.

WHAT DO CONSUMERS ASK FOR WHEN THEY ORDER TEQUILA? Traditionally and currently the shot remains the most popular – more for the camaraderie than anything. The cocktail has gained strength through the versatility of the offerings available but the Margarita maintains its position mainly due to the popularity of the Tommy’s Margarita and its variances. The sipping tequila has grown with the awareness and popularity of great 100 per cent agave artisanal tequilas offering fresh or clean, sweet, round, lively, complex and other flavours.

HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND A TEQUILA TO A CUSTOMER WHO ASKS FOR YOUR ADVICE? My focus has always been to try to match a tequila to the spirit of their choice. For example, Scotch to añejo and extra añejo or intense-lively blancos to gin or soft-sweet blancos to vodka.

For those clientele who already drink tequila, I suggest comparing highland tequilas like Don

Julio, Siette Leguas, Ocho, Cazadores, etc, to valley tequilas such as Fortaleza, Sauza, Cuervo, Arette, Herradura, etc. There are very distinct differences between the two regions.

ACTIVATIONS: ANY ADVICE FOR BARS LOOKING TO GET BRANDS INVOLVED? I’ve been involved in tequila promotions and activations for 30-plus years. Most are illegal now but were a lot of fun. Everything from slammer competitions, body shots to food pairing and other sensory experiences, online product placement photo competitions, cocktail competitions, seminars and trainings, etc. The single most effective promotion was doing tours with brand principles or owners, to venues.

The people behind any product are really what make that product what it is – good or bad.

When people meet the person who created that product, they get a different understanding of that product and why it is.

THREE ESSENTIAL TEQUILAS EVERY BAR SHOULD HAVE? 1. I recommend a house tequila that has some interest and an intensity of flavor to still be identified in a cocktail; 2. A really good 100% agave highland tequila; 3. An equally good valley tequila. These can be a blanco, reposado and añejo, and any combination. I suggest not using the añejo for a house pour based on price and flavour. This way you have a good range to cater for all tastes.

TO USE TEQUILA TO INCREASE GP? Every full time bartender should know every product on the back bar and why it is there.

Premium and super premium tequila need the respect they deserve so present them in the appropriate glass, snifter or international tasting glass. This helps people appreciate and feel value for what they have paid. The more ‘wow’ you put into the presentation, the more others will notice and request it as well.

LAST WORDS? Drink with caution. Don’t encourage people to mix their drinks. Even Margaritas can hit you like a brick unless they are Tommy’s which is more like getting hit by a hard pillow. If you or others are drinking tequila stay on tequila. Beer is fine, but avoid wine and liqueurs.

Another thing is just because it is in a pretty bottle with a big price tag does not make it great tequila. Often you are just paying for the bottle or worse, it is crap tequila. If you don’t know the brand you can use the NOM number and search the Tequila Match Maker app on your phone to see who makes it, where it is from, highland or valley, and what other tequilas the company may make. A very handy app. Good tequila is like good wine, the effect and after effect is relative to the quality of the spirit you drink. b&c

TEQUILA VS MEZCAL FACTS Tequila and Mezcal are produced in different states of Mexico, though there is overlap.

Tequila must be made with blue agave, only.

Mezcal can be made with more than of 30 varieties of agave (though most are made with the agave espadin).

The production process for mezcal (underground in palenques) differs to tequila, resulting in a smokier flavour profile.

bars&clubs 21

TEQUILA

CACTUS FLOWER

Top drinks to get tequila moving over your bar from those who know.

AVION TEQUILA Aviacion • 45ml Avion Silver • 10ml Maraschino • 10ml fresh lime juice • 30ml fresh pink grapefruit juice • 10ml agave nectar (diluted 1:1 with water) • Garnish with a cherry Tommy’s Margarita • 45ml Avion Reposado • 25ml fresh lime juice • 15ml Agave nectar (diluted 1:1 with water) • Garnish with 1 sprig of fresh Rosemary • Rosemary salt rim High Plains Drifter • 45ml Avion Anejo • 10ml Lillet Blanc • 5ml apricot brandy • 1 dash grapefruit bitters • Stirred down and strained over an ice sphere • Garnish with a grapefruit peel Jet Stream • 30ml Avion Espresso • 30ml Avion Silver • 25ml fresh lime juice • 10ml Agave Nectar (1:1 diluted with water) • 1 small dash Tabasco sauce • 1 pinch of sea salt

TROMBA TEQUILA La Paloma • Poured straight into a salt-rimmed highball • 45ml Tromba Blanco • 15ml lime juice • Fill to the brim with ice & top with pink grapefruit soda El Diablo • Poured straight into a salt-rimmed highball • 45ml Tromba Blanco • 15ml lime juice • Fill to the brim with ice & top with ginger beer • Finish with a drizzle of Crème de Cassis (approx 5-7ml) Mexican Espresso Cocktail • 45ml Tromba Reposado • 15ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao or Cointreau • 30ml Little Drippa cold drip coffee • 15ml sugar syrup or agave nectar • Add ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake hard. Strain into cocktail glass and garnish with a dusting of cinnamon.

La Doña • 45ml Tromba Reposado • 15ml Cherry Heering • 20ml Aperol • 2 dashes Angostura bitters • Stir on ice until chilled. Serve in a cocktail glass • Garnish with an orange zest Añejo Old Fashioned • 60ml Tromba Anjeo • 15ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao • 10ml pure agave nectar • 1 handful coffee beans • Stir without ice until beans release their flavour and strain into rocks glass. Add ice, stir three times and garnish with flamed orange zest.

PHOTOS BY FRED SIGGINS

22 bars&clubs

THE NEW KID

with Ken Austin of Avion Tequila WHAT’S AVION ABOUT? I set out on a personal journey to create a tequila that would be distinctive in both flavour and design. I combined two of my long time passions: aviation and tequila. That passion drove me to create Tequila Avión, which was voted the best tasting tequila at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Talk about a dream come true!

WHEN BUYING TEQUILA… To me, never cutting corners is the key to great tequila — choose a product that was created with a love and, more importantly, respect for the liquor in mind, and the quality experience for your customers should follow.

HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND TEQUILA TO A GUEST? I recommend tasting a silver as an opening introduction to what we offer— it is important to note that Avión Silver (voted World’s Best Tasting Tequila at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition) is the gateway of our brand. Silver tequila is the base for everything that we do. If you don’t have a great silver, you can’t have a good reposado or añejo.

No Place Like Home Barrio Chino licensee/director Peter Lew explains why Casa Herradura feels like part of the family.

Barrio Chino has a large tequila range for a restaurant – how did you get into the spirit?

I used to travel to NYC for work where I fell in love with Mexican food, visiting as many taquerias as possible.

This naturally led to many nights trying all different types of tequila. Mexican food and tequila are the perfect combination – they just go hand in hand!

What three words best describe Barrio Chino?

Lively, colourful, flavourful.

How did you get involved with Herradura?

When we were opening Barrio Chino, we were looking for a 100% blue agave tequila at a competitive first pour price.

El Jimador was far and away the best option.

How long have you been aligned with Herradura and what does such an agreement entail?

Three-and-a-half years – since we’ve been open.

The relationship started organically with no formal agreement. Herradura would sponsor our big events throughout the year (Cinco De Mayo, our birthday party, Day of the Dead)

and it’s now evolved into a formal relationship where we are a Casa Herradura lighthouse account.

Tell us about your recent visit to Casa Herradura?

We spent four days in Guadalajara – two of which getting to know the place and the other two days at the hacienda Casa Herradura. The property is steeped in tradition. The grounds are maintained beautifully. Of the many families that live on site, most have been there for generations. The word on the ground in Jalisco is that every jimador and other worker involved with the whole tequila process strives to one day work for Herradura. The Brown-Forman family have definitely adopted the love for this property and kept it very true to the previous successors, the Lopez family.

Your comments on agave sustainability issues?

Brands such as Herradura use only estate-grown agave and have a program in place with appropriate crop management. What I do know is that there are also many active groups involved with reforestation efforts, by purchasing land and continuing to purchase land to create nurseries where local schools foster programs to adopt agave plants. Each school child adopts an agave and then replants it in the wild when the agave plant is three years old or older. Like many natural resources, being informed and aware is the first step in sustainability.

HERRADURA ADVERTORIAL

uses traditional techniques and estate-grown blue agave, which is quite rare.

Each version of Herradura has specific flavour profiles and are equally as good. We use the range for sipping but the Plata and the Reposado mix well. Another reason is the standard or minimal legal requirements for aging of tequila; Herradura rests, or ages, for much longer than industry standards in order to achieve its unique flavour.

Tell us about Barrio Chino’s Casa Herradura project?

My business partner Nicole Galloway and I were invited to create a specially selected double barrel Reposado tequila for Barrio

Chino in Guadalajara in July.

We had the option of six barrels. So we tasted with Herradura master distiller Maria Lopez and Herradura global brand ambassador Ruben Aceves and after blind tastings we agreed on a choice – it was the same as Maria’s, unbeknownst to us – and signed up to begin aging our own barrels.

Our barrel – in the form of 240 bottles – will arrive in November. Stay tuned.

What drink do you recommend to a first-time tequila drinker, and why?

We often have non tequila drinkers visit Barrio Chino, often due to bad experiences at adolescent age. We recommend they begin their night with our house favourite: the Tommy’s Margarita. Our version with Herradura Plata, agave syrup and freshly squeezed lime juice (very important; I can’t stress enough the use of fresh squeezed lime). The result, a delicious, fresh, zesty, sour, salty lively cocktail. b&c

What impresses you about the Herradura range?

The brand as a whole. Herradura

bars&clubs 23

GREY GOOSE ADVERTORIAL

Field TO

bottle

Creating Grey Goose: A Unique Process with Global Ambassador, Joe McCanta

You trained with Best Cellars founder and elite sommelier Joshua Wesson, what did he teach you?

Working at Best Cellars and leading tastings alongside Josh taught me quite a bit about the importance of how to simplify decisions for your guests. Sometimes we can get too caught up in the details of what we do and Josh, after training in-depth tasting groups on the intricacies of wine, would say: “Hey, at the end of the day there’s only three types of wine: the one you like; the one you don’t like; and the one you’ll drink as long as someone else is paying!”

Why move from wine to spirits?

While I was studying wine it was never separate from an interest in spirits. In fact, often you’ll have bartenders who will know everything about products on their back bar but might not be too confident with their wine list. Similarly sommeliers can manage 300 bins and not be able to tell you how a Daiquiri is made. For me, the big change was working at Counter Restaurant and Bar in NYC. When I started it was a wine bar but I helped the owners realise that a cocktail offering would be a great addition. They then made me put my money where my mouth was and create the entire program. So the transition was very much an organic one.

Tell us about your Greenhouse Bar project.

The project started out as a Grey Goose bartender initiative called the Dream Bar Competition. The basic idea was built around the fantastic collaborations that Grey Goose had done to design bars with incredible characters and then auction them off to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

The comp required London bartenders to think up their Dream Bar then paired the top entries with a designer and sketch artist to bring it to life. Mine started with a simple premise: to use only the absolute freshest ingredients in cocktails. I was lucky enough to win the comp and the prize was having the Greenhouse Bar built in a courtyard of busy Shoreditch.

Any funny stories?

Running this as a working greenhouse was a lot more difficult than I let on. But one of my favourite realisations was a common problem found in a greenhouse - fruit flies! They almost derailed the concept as cleanliness within the drinks service arena is key. But I had a Eureka! moment and planted Venus Fly Traps!

24 bars&clubs

What discoveries have stayed with you?

Something my dad taught me, from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky: “De gustibus non est disputandum” which means “in matters of taste, there can be no disputes”.

What it means is that we all have our own personal taste. Just because I like one thing and you like another doesn’t make either of us right or wrong. The most powerful thing we can do as bartenders is guide guests towards the drink most suited to their personal taste and the most important thing we can do as consumers is to realise our own taste. The worst thing is when you see a bartender interact with a guest and belittle their confidence in what they like. It is great to educate a customer but if someone loves vodka tonics chances are no matter how much you think they should they will probably not be a mezcal drinker!

What excited you most about working with Grey Goose?

That the brand controls the process from field to bottle.

So many other vodkas buy in neutral grain spirits then re-rectify them in various ways to create different flavours. But with Grey Goose we know our three

farming cooperatives from Picardy, the breadbasket of France, and work closely with them in the field to make sure the soft winter wheat we use is of the finest quality. From there we mill that wheat into flour at our distillery. So we use 100 per cent of the wheat grain and most importantly control the granularity. We want to make ‘Grey Goose flour’ not ‘food grade flour’. This also happens directly before fermentation so just like with a great espresso we grind for freshness right before

use. Then everything from fermentation to distillation to our single filtration is about capturing the flavour of the flour. As the Grey Goose Maître de Chai (cellar master), François Thibault, says: “I don’t need to distil and filter out my imperfections like other vodkas – I just don’t let them get in there in the first place”. Most importantly I love that François, who created the recipe and has been with Grey Goose from day one is still in control of every aspect today. b&c

GREY GOOSE ADVERTORIAL

Wednesday September 1 Arrive in Melbourne.

Thursday September 11

Media interviews then to Saint Crispin’s in Collingwood for the Field to Bottle and Taste by Appointment programs where I give mixologists insight into the world of Grey Goose. The evening leads us to Taste by Appointment, where we take consumers through a sensory experience and help them create their personalised cocktail.

TRAVEL

DIARY

Friday September 12

Sleep in to overcome jetlag then more media and two more Taste by Appointment sessions with consumers. These sessions go beyond just talking about a brand, and start to get to mixology and cocktail culture. This is the reason I’m in this game.

After work I visit The Black Pearl and Attic Bar and get to meet bartenders at their craft and taste some great drinks.

Sunday September 14

Another Field to Bottle session with keen attendees such as Sammy Ng, Gareth Edser, Greg Sanderson and Sarah Fulford. Each group allows me to modify my approach to ensure that everyone receives a personal experience. More nightlife to follow: Hell of the North for dinner, then Bar Americano. Really enjoying my time in Melbourne!

Monday September 15

Field to Bottle with Claire Wong, Kevin Griffin, Nick Reed and Fred Siggins. We begin in the field, where we touch the fine winter wheat that goes into Grey Goose and discuss the water filtered through Grand Champagne Limestone. We move through the process of creating this special product right through to bottling. The idea behind the program is that we give bartenders insight into why Grey Goose is the world’s best tasting vodka. Now: off to Sydney.

Tuesday September 16

Our first Field to Bottle experience in Sydney, and what a venue: O Bar and Dining. This is a great opportunity to share the experience with our industry leaders from QLD, SA & WA (including Marco Nunes and Bonnie Shearston), as well as get a taste for what Sydney has to offer. After work, I

Wednesday September 17

I’m pumped for another Field to Bottle experience and today I meet Sam Egerton and Stuart (Chewy) Morrow for the journey. The evening transitions to QT Hotel (what a fit-out!) and Taste by Appointment. The differences between Melbourne and Sydney highlight the diversity of the industry to me and keeps me on my toes to ensure that I deliver a personalised experience that speaks to the needs of the attendees.

Thursday September 18

Saturday September 13

I get to play tourist, checking out St Kilda and the city with more bars to discover throughout the evening: Madame Brussels, Loop Roof, Cumulus Up (memorable Grey Goose Martinis) and 1806, which I thank for preparing cocktails and cheese matching for me.

visit M. G’s, Hinky Dinks (for a Midnight in Paris with Grey Goose La Poire: perfection), Shady Pines and Hello Sailor, in Surry Hills.

with Joe McCanta,

GREY GOOSE GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR, AUSTRALIAN VISIT SEPTEMBER 11-20, 2014

Morning meetings with a range of Australian and NZ media before heading back to O Bar and Dining to meet more Sydney industry leaders for Field to Bottle. In the afternoon, we head back to QT for Taste by Appointment. The session finishes at 10pm, however I am keen to get out and get to some more bars, so we head to Magazin and Henrietta’s Supper Club. Once again, beautiful establishments doing a great job in getting consumers to appreciate cocktails.

Friday September 19

Field to Bottle with a twist, as I take key travel retail customers through the program. The content is the same but the flow is different which allows me to mix things up. The evening is filled with a Taste by Appointment experience at QT Hotel – our last in Australia. After hosting five sessions I have good flow and I’m getting a stronger understanding of the Australian consumer. Taste by Appointment allows the participant to create bespoke cocktails based on their reaction to certain senses. Going through this with so many people, it’s interesting to see how differently people approach the program.

Some jump in and are extremely confident, whereas others approach hesitantly, not wanting to make a mistake. My take is that making mistakes is half the fun!

We tie things up at Palmer & Co., and then Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice, celebrating a great week and topping the evening with delicious Grey Goose cocktails.

Saturday September 20

An early morning flight to New York to attend the launch of the Grey Goose partnership with Virgin Galactic. I can’t thank the Australian bartending fraternity enough for making me so welcome and participating in the Field to Bottle program. It has been a great experience and I walk away with new knowledge having made some great connections.

See you again soon, Australia. Real soon, I hope. b&c

bars&clubs 25

RUM

RUMBULLION Rum, like gin and whisky, is back. And just in time for summer. With so much diversity on offer B&C asked some of Australia’s most interesting distillers, suppliers, venues and aficionados to share their tips on how to turn rum into bullion, all over again.

CAPTION THIS

26 bars&clubs

RUM

THE AFICIONADO with Tom Bulmer: president, Sydney Rum Club

What’s something people may not know about rum?

It’s delicious! No, I’d say the most important thing that I try and get most people aware of is that there are three very different types of rum: Spanish, English and French.

This because these were the nations that colonised the Caribbean. The English islands - including Australia - typically produced heavier style rums. The Spanish produce light, aromatic styles, and the French produce something French.

How long have you been involved with rum?

About 15 years. It became more of a focus when I worked at Zeta Bar (The Hilton, Sydney) in 2007. After working at Mahiki in London in 2008 my fate was clear.

What do you most enjoy about rum?

The culture of it. Rum is the most international spirit. Its palate and flavour is constantly changing depending on the small communities and cultures of the islands that make it. No other spirit can be so vastly different and use such a range of production methods.

How long have you been involved with the rum club?

I’ve been a member in the UK for six years and started running the Sydney sessions when I arrived in Australia in 2010.

What’s happening with rum domestically?

We are seeing real growth in the rum category as more bar managers try to find different rums from overseas to bring in. There is a strong desire to have rums that no other bar has and [to] offer unique products. This is really going hand-in-hand with the number of specialty rum bars that are opening at the moment. In the past year we have seen more than 10 rum bars open in Australia.

Should pemiumisation be a factor in choosing a rum for your bar?

No. I think this is a poor marketing solution to increase the price. This tends to work in bottle shops rather than bars. There is still not much consumer awareness about the different types of rum. In bottle shops this means the bottle has to sell the price to consumers but in a bar it really comes down to the educated bar team explaining the variety of rum styles. Rum is about culture, it’s more important to have a variety of rum styles and a point of difference that staff can actively sell rather than a perception of premium.

How can bar managers use rum to increase GP? When negotiating your spirit contracts don’t sell it all to one brand. With such a diversity of styles it also means the brands have a specific focus for their product. I always recommend that you negotiate white and dark rums separately as well as traditional cocktails. For example, ask for a discount based on your first pour Daiquiri and you’ll start a competition between Spanish and Cuban rum companies, but it would be Jamaican rums that would be more interested in your Mai Tai. Find the focus for each brand and you will definitely find them more receptive and offering better discounts.

Name three essential rums for the back bar One Cuban, one Jamaican and one Aged English. Just make sure you have a strong variety before you start stocking a full range of one brand. This will allow you to have more diversity while keeping your stock holding costs down.

Your favourite rum drink is?

Nothing can bring as much happiness to one glass as a Piña Colada.

How do you make it?

With a smile.

RUM FACTS Barbados first began distilling rum at its Mount Gay rum distillery in 1703. It continues to produce rum today.

Rum is made mostly from molasses, which is more than 50 per cent sugar, but sometimes also from cane juice.

Rum is known by many names, such as rumbullion (as it was used as currency in the 19th century) and ‘kill devil’ due to its nasty hangover properties.

Bundaberg Rum is the second most popular alcoholic beverage in Australia after beer.

Darker rums are currently trending stronger than white rums, although Bacardi isthe leading rum brand worldwide with a generated sales volume of about 19.1 million 9 litre cases. (*Drinks International; Euromonitor)

“No other spirit can be so vastly different and use such a range of production methods.” bars&clubs 27

RUM

THE SPECIALIST OPERATOR with Mark Wyatt, Rum Bar Airlie Beach, QLD Tell us about your bar...

We have 468 rums on our back bar. Anyone can build a collection like this but without an acute understanding of the flavours and how they relate, it’s useless! The rarities, such as very early Bacardi, pre-1970s Demerara rums, and even completely unidentified rums, are more of a talking point than anything else; we have about 60 of those. They provide the consumer with a great interactive experience through the rum world.

“To say you don’t like rum is to say you don’t like music; there is a rum for everyone.

Guaranteed”

Three rums for behind the bar?

You need a white, young rum for light-style cocktails such as Daiquiris and Mojitos. You need a smooth gold rum of about four years for mixing - this rum should be tasty enough serve neat or on the rocks. You need a dark, well-aged rum for the back bar, distilled to be served neat, but that can be also adapted to classic high-end cocktails.

If you’re serious about providing a good range of rum-based drinks, including the always popular Tiki drinks, I recommend extending your range to include a Navy-style rum to provide depth of flavour without using your high-end rum. It would be remiss not to carry a spiced rum; it’s a very popular style with new rum drinkers so spend the extra money and buy a good one, it will pay dividends in loyalty and GP.

Dark and light rum: Night and day; really, completely different. This is a huge subject. Do not be fooled by colour, just because something is light in colour does not mean it is light in flavour. Rhum Agricole from former French colonies such as Martinique or heavy pot-stilled Jamaican rums, for example, can be light in colour, yet are full flavoured. Dark rum is so because of the contact with the barrel, or in some cases, the addition of colouring. We are seeing a move from spiced ‘gateway’ rums to people trying mid-range aged product eight to 15 years, either neat or on the rocks. In Airlie, we see massive quantities of Mojitos over the bar.

Although we are by no means a Tiki bar we do offer some Tiki drinks as customers enjoy the theatre of the flames and the sense of fun. Zombies are on the rise.

How can rum make my bar money?

If you want to increase your rum sales the best way is to pick quality rums and rum-based drinks with a damn good yarn. This is not hard. Then inspire the bar team to get into it and get involved. Get them to find a great story on a rum, then stock it and build a drink around it. It will become their thing. Encourage them to take ownership of the story. If a customer is unsure about a rum, give them a taste, build this into your cost of goods. It will create loyalty and push the category and your bar. Don’t become too snooty even when you think you have learned a bit: Rum is fun. People want to hear about pirates and revolution, not the ins-and-outs of multiple column stills (unless, of course, they ask). Be patient with daft questions, sometimes people are nervous to ask. Embrace all rums, then steer people to what you prefer, don’t slam at their initial choice. Passion, understanding and fun sells rum.

Activations: how to work with brands We have a very active Airlie Beach Rum Club. We often pair with rum suppliers to host rum tasting nights.

This is a great way to get patrons involved and interested in the product. We start with an arrival cocktail and some street food from the rum’s country of origin. Then have a guest speaker talk us through the range while sipping rums. We launched Mt Gay Black Barrel Rum with a degustation dinner of rum and food pairing – some cocktails, some neat. We designed the menu and it was attended by their global brand ambassador Miguel Smith. A great night.

28 bars&clubs

SELL AN EXPERIENCE

with Jack Pollock, marketing controller, William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd What do you do with rum?

In Australia William Grant sells and markets Sailor Jerry rum. The brand was seeded in late 2010 and launched in 2011.

We’re in year four with 26 percent share of the Spiced Rum segment in value terms (according to AZTEC) and second only to Captain Morgan.

Rum trends: White Rum is declining at a faster rate than dark rum. It’s my opinion, but I don’t believe that either white or dark rum has provided any relevant or interesting product innovations that have appealed to the consumer for quite some time. The changing consumer palate has fuelled some of this decline. We’ve seen rapid growth in flavoured spirits, from honey to spices. Brands such as Sailor Jerry offer a lifestyle rooted in clothing (the S.J. brand began as a clothing brand), tattoo culture and now music. Both dark and white rum will continue to decline at the expense of spiced rum until such a time that they can appeal to new consumers.

Activations: do you work with venues?

Yes, we look to partner with a number of venues. Our main form of activation involves linking venues and bands with Sailor Jerry to create a music experience for patrons. For example, we have worked with over 100 bands across Australia. We support venues by offering POS (such as cups), clothing, merch and other incentives to encourage trial. We have invested in a team of Sailor Jerry brand ambassadors who can be on hand to help with styling the venue, cocktail/ drink recipes, support the bands or band A&R team themselves. They will even create flyers for venues to post on social media or to have printed.

Where appropriate we can bring our 1962 Airstream which can act as a green room for bands, a place to run media interviews, or simply a cool space to hang out in.

RUM

THE SMALL BAR

with Connor Sainsbury-Canham, general manager, The Corner House, Bondi The Corner House is: Like sitting in your living room but with a personal bartender.

What’s moving over the bar?

We’ve been serving up an Earl Grey tea-infused rum drink that has been flying out the door.

Have you introduced rum into any of your bar food menus or flights?

I matched the venue’s cigar collection with rum and whisk(e)y. We had a selection of 20 cigars so it was a cool concept to pair them in a menu with spirits.

Any advice for operators on how to use rum to increase rum sales?

Daiquiris.

What’s your favourite rum-based drink?

You can’t have just one favourite rum drink so I have chosen three: Hemingway Daiquiri; Dark & Stormy; a sipping rum with a beer match.

Any rum adventures?

The launch of Stolen Rum overproof rum, SX9, in Wellington. Bartenders from New Zealand and Australia were flown in to party in former military caves. There are still stories from that night.

Three rums to get behind the bar?

Wray and Nephew – but it’s hard to find a constant supply in Australia with the laws around unaged and overproof rum. Banks 5 Island white rum and Murray McDavid 1991 vintage Guyana – it’s predominantly bourbon cask aged but finished in a Syrah cask to add another layer of complexity to an already tasty drop.

THE SPECIALIST OPERATOR with Theo De La Paz, The Rum Bar, Canberra, ACT favourite is well-priced, well-produced rums like Diplomatico Exclusiva Reserva (from Venezuela), El Dorado 12 Year, Appleton 12, Angostura 1824 and Pyrat XO. The most expensive bottle we own is Bundaberg 125: a special edition rum released to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the Bundaberg Distillery. Only 1,888 (the year the factory was founded) bottles were produced and we have the only bottle in the ACT. It’s worth between $5-7K and we sell it for $120 a half nip or $240 a full. And yes, we’ve sold a few nips!

Three rums for behind the bar Angostura 7YO (Butterfly series) from Trinidad and Tobago; Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva (Aged 12 years) from Venezuela; HSE (Habitation St Etienne) Single Malt Finish Agricole from Martinique.

A Canberra rum bar. Tell us more…

We opened in January. The boutique bar scene is in its infancy here. We specialise in rum, contemporary and classic cocktails and pintxos.

Which rums made it to the back bar?

We stock 220 rums, from the affordable (Bundaberg UP, Bacardi, Malibu and Kinky Nero) to the top shelf (Appleton 21, El Dorado 20, Cubaney 30 year, English Harbour 10). My

Do you offer guest experiences?

Yes. We recently kicked off a rum degustation series on Tuesday nights. Each Tuesday we focus on one particular brand of rum – most recently it was Angostura. Tickets are $75 for a cheese board and tasting session of all rums by that producer.

We take patrons one-on-one through each of the rums, its history and how it is produced.

Dark and light rum: your thoughts Light rums are best incorporated into citrusbased cocktails such as a Daiquiri, Cuba Libre

or Caipiriñha. As far as dark rums go, depending on age, they can be mixed through as a Dark and Stormy or with freshly squeezed apple juice.

Otherwise, from seven years and beyond I believe rum is best enjoyed neat or accompanied by an ice carved cube.

Bar food: is there rum on the menu?

Yes. Dishes include: Sticky Orange Rum Pork Belly; Kickin Kraken Chicken (Southern fried chicken with Kraken rum dipping sauce); Popcorn Shrimp with Piña Colada dipping sauce, and Rum Bar BBQ Chicken Wings. We always look for ways to work rum into the bar menu.

How can I get more from rum?

Hold an event each week that incorporates or is in dedication to rum. We hold rum degustation evenings and a Bookie’s Board evening special that pairs a house-chosen rum nip with a matching beer.

Your favourite rum drink?

Old Cuban: Havana Club Añejo 7 with fresh mint, Angostura bitters, lime juice, caster sugar and Prosecco (I have mine without Prosecco). A delicious drink.

bars&clubs 29

RUM

THE DISTILLERS

with Raymond (Spike) Dessert III, owner, Hoochery Distillery What kind of rum do you make?

White, dark and soon-to-be spiced. All hand-crafted, smooth, aged in oak barrels and completely naturally flavoured and coloured.

Where do you get your molasses from?

Australia. We use various sources and we are starting to experiment with crushing our own sugar cane and creating product made from fresh cane juice, but this is not commercially available at this stage.

What do you most enjoy about rum?

Its colour, smell and taste. I love that when I drink Ord River Rum anywhere in the world it makes me feel at home.

Do you wood blend or mature from oak only?

We always use miscellaneous used oak barrels. We re-cooper the barrels in-house then give them a very dark toast to colour our rum without additives. It also gives the rum the very smooth wooden finish we are known for. We intentionally decided to make blended rum so we could offer a consistent product to our customers.

Dark or light rum?

I personally prefer dark rum but our white rum, Kimberley Moon, with freshly squeezed Australian ruby grapefruit is a fantastic tipple after a hard day’s work.

What’s happening with rum?

We live well beyond the last fence so we mostly concentrate on what we are doing. However, I think it’s becoming the next generation’s top shelf spirit of choice. It’s no longer the drink of young yahoos. Internationally, quality has improved and customers willing to pay for quality are seeking new rum experiences.

What drops other than your own do you find interesting?

When I travel I always seek to sample the local product. I thoroughly enjoyed my latest trip through South America. There was plenty of interesting styles to be enjoyed.

What do you wish consumers would get into more of when it comes to rum?

A Croc on the Rocks. By this I mean a short glass with square ice cubes filled with a decent dash of Ord River Rum. The red-eyed croc is a logo. Hence a Croc on the Rocks.

Do you sell direct to venues and do you offer any incentives to smaller operators?

We do sell direct to venues. Nip of Courage distributes our product in the Eastern States. In WA and the Northern Territory venues can source through ALM, Liquid Mix or direct from The Hoochery.

Tell us something about your rum that we might not know The Caribbean is the original home of rum. The climate in Kununura is the most similar to the southern Caribbean to be found in Australia. We feel that this along with our very unique water sources helps to create a quality rum that I think would stack up to any around the world.

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THE DISTILLERS

with Mark Watkins, head distiller, Mt Uncle What is Mt Uncle Mt Uncle Distillery is set amongst a banana plantation at the base of Mt Uncle. I began distilling over 10 years ago, producing different liqueurs. We now produce six products ranging from a marshmallow liqueur through to vodka, gin, whisky and, of course, our two rums.

Tell us about the rums you make We produce two rums: FNQ Co. Platinum and FNQ Co. Iridium.

Both are made from sugar cane syrup. Platinum is a light-bodied rum with sweet, cane-y guise perfect for Caipiriñhas and the classic Mojito. Iridium is an aged rum, aged for four years in a reconditioned ex-red wine American oak, hogshead barrel. Iridium typifies what a sugar cane rum should be: sweet, light, aromatic and smooth.

Where do you source your cane syrup and barrels?

The sugar cane syrup comes from the Ariga Mill in the Atherton Tablelands, which sources its product from volcanically grown local sugar cane. Our barrels are Australian made at an Australian Cooperage.

Three rums you recommend operators try to increase their rum knowledge El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve; Flor de Cana 18 Centenario; Ron Zacapa XO. Dark and light rum: your thoughts Light rum is perfect for cocktails, dark rum should be for sipping!

What’s news with rum, internationally and in Australia?

The trending is to go towards spiced rums, but these are typically poorly made and full of colouring and flavouring – something we do not adhere to and is very sad to see. Watch this space for our up-and-coming natural spiced rum!

What do you wish consumers would get into more of when it comes to rum?

Aging protocol and provenance.

Any advice for small business operators on how to use rum to increase sales?

Get back to the roots of rum and push more traditional, rum-based cocktails.

Tell us something about rum that we might not know Of all the liquors it’s the most mythical and seductive. It will warm you and turn even the most mute man into a poet!

What’s your favourite rum-based drink?

Mojito in summer, hot buttered rum in winter, and for any day of the week: a Cuba Libra!

THE SMOOTHNESS TO BLEND IN. THE BACKBONE TO STAND OUT. Sailor Jerry’s blend of Caribbean rums lays down a

smooth-as-hell base for any drink. Meanwhile, its bold spiced character stands out, so even fancy-ass cocktails taste better.

sailorjerry.com RESPECT HIS LEGACY. DRINK SAILOR JERRY RESPONSIBLY. ©2014 Sailor Jerry Spiced, 40% Alc/Vol William Grant & Sons Australia Pty Ltd.

RUM

BUNDABERG RUM: THE EVOLUTION OF SPIRIT with Sarah Watson, blending & liquid development manager at the Bundaberg Distilling Company

How long have you worked at Bundaberg distillery?

I have worked within the scientific/technical field for more than 10 years and have been part of Bundaberg Distilling Company team for four years. Since joining the company I have visited other distilleries, globally, from the whisky distilleries in Scotland to the bourbon distilleries in America to other rum distilleries in the Caribbean. This has allowed me to meet with experts and gain an understanding in the craft of creating other exceptional distilled spirits.

BEHIND THE MOLASSES > 1888 – BIRTH A group of sugar millers join to form the Bundaberg Distilling Company – a company that will produce rum using the molasses by-product of sugar refining.

> 1899 – WAR The Boer War breaks out and Bundaberg Rum is sent as rations to Australian troops serving in South Africa.

> 1907 – FIRE A fire destroys the Bundaberg Rum Distillery.

> 1914 – REBUILDING Bundaberg Rum is back in business.

> 1936 – FIRE (AGAIN) Lightning strikes the distillery and, for the second time, fire wipes out production.

> 1939 – BACK IN BUSINESS Where did you work before Bundy?

My background is in chemistry and I originally started in this field. I was then presented with the exciting and unique opportunity to work on Bundaberg Rum and be part of the distillery’s Blending and Innovation team. This gave me the chance to use my skills and knowledge through our innovative premium rum offerings and new liquid production process.

It also allowed me to build my knowledge on the traditional crafting methods of distilling and blending of Bundaberg Rum from the experts on site.

After three years of rebuilding, Bundaberg Rum is back in business.

What drew you to the Bundaberg distillery?

I grew up in Scotland surrounded by whisky distilleries so to be able to work in this field, as well as on such an iconic Australian brand was incredible. To be able to work at a distillery that has been making rum for more than 125 years is an exceptional opportunity. There is so much to learn about the craftsmanship of rum production from the team. Combined, we have more than 500 years’ experience on-site. We are unique in that we complete the entire rum production process here at our distillery – from bringing in raw material molasses to the essential production processes of fermentation, distillation and wood maturation, to the craft and skill of blending the final product. This means we have experts in every area of rum production and the passion they have for their roles is like none I have seen anywhere else.

> 1985 – BUNDABERG RUM IN A CAN

What is your goal at the distillery?

Our distillery has a long and proud history spanning 125 years. Throughout this time our distillery has faced huge challenges, like floods and fires, yet it always manages to persevere.

Challenges like this become who you are and a part of your DNA. It is this survival spirit and depth of character that is present today and keeps us motivated to continue to push the boundaries of rum-making. We are very proud to have been awarded medals in various international spirit competitions with our Master Distillers’ Collection. We were recently awarded our first ever gold medal for MDC Double Barrel. This was a huge achievement for us as a team and it is something that we want to continue to achieve with our future products.

What’s new: blends, barrels and ageing?

Two of the more recent releases are Bundaberg Small Batch Rum and our annual MDC Blender’s Edition release. Bundaberg Small Batch Rum is the latest development in the Master Distillers’ Collection. When crafting Bundaberg Small Batch Rum we wanted to create a harmonious blend with some of the finest rum we had aging in our sweet Cognac and brandy barrels. The result is a complex rum with exceptional fruit flavours and the perfect balance of vanilla, honey and spice flavours. This rum is a particular favourite of mine. MDC Blenders Edition is an annual release that we are very excited about. Each year as a blending team we look to craft what we believe is our ‘blend of the year’ utilising our rich port and sherry barrel reserves matured in our barrel house. This specific blend is then released as the annual Blenders’ Edition each year. This product really allows us to show off our blending skills in the area of small barrel finished rums.

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> 1961 – SQUARE BOTTLE & BUNDY R. BEAR ARE BORN Sam McMahon, the brother of Prime Minister Sir Billy McMahon, designs the classic square bottle and three piece yellow label. At the same time Bundy R. Bear makes his first appearance - the polar bear representing Bundaberg Rum’s ability to ward off the wickedest chill.

Bundaberg Rum releases Bundaberg Rum & Cola in a can. In less than a decade it will represent 30 percent of all RTD products sold in Queensland.

> 2001 – DRAUGHT ON TAP Bundaberg Rum introduces the world’s first spirit on tap, Bundaberg Rum & Cola draught.

> 2010 – NEW LOOK, OLD HERITAGE In 2010, a new marketing coat of arms featuring forefathers Frederic Buss, A.P. Barton and F.L. Nott, is launched with the square shape of the Bundaberg Rum bottle emerging from rows of sugar cane: the key ingredient in Bundaberg Rum.

> 2011 – THE MASTER DISTILLERS’ COLLECTIVE A series of boutique rums made from globally sourced barrels wins gold medals in some of the world’s most prestigious spirit competitions.

> 2011 – FLOODS Floods destroys much of Bundaberg. Distillery launches The Watermark bottle to raise money to assist recovery.

> 2013 – FLOODS (AGAIN) Distillery launches Road to Recover, an event that attracts more than 6,000 people to Bundaberg.

> 2013 – 125 YEARS YOUNG Mixing the oldest and rarest rums ever produced by the distillery, starting with a 35-year-old rum set aside years ago for the occasion, just 1,888 bottles of 125th anniversary rum is released.

RUM

THE BOUTIQUE SUPPLIER

What’s news with rum in Australia?

Aussies are becoming more interested in dark spirits. We’ve all seen the growth of the aged whisky category in Australia – supply of craft whisky in Tasmania has almost dried up. It won’t take long for the Australian market to jump on board with premium craft rum products that are produced locally.

with Kathleen Davies, Nip of Courage

Nip of Courage is...

A liquor wholesaler and exporter of Australian made and Australian owned craft spirits. There are approximately 50 craft distilleries in Australia. We help to promote and market our distillers and their brands.

Who does Nip of Courage represent?

In terms of Australian made/owned, we represent the largest range of local craft rum in Australia.

Our rum distillers include: Hoochery Distillery, Kununurra WA; Mt Uncle Distillery, Walkamin QLD; Stone Pine Distillery, Bathurst NSW; and William McHenry & Sons, Port Arthur TAS. Any fast moving styles?

Our most popular product at the moment is the Iridium Aged Rum from Mt Uncle Distillery, it is made from cane syrup, not molasses, and has

I wish consumers would…

Experiment with Aussie hand-crafted rum.

Support our Australian craft distillers.

been aged for four years in American Oak ex-red wine casks. It is very approachable and easy to drink straight up and has a sweetness that differs from the molasses-made rums in our portfolio.

What rum or rum-based drink do you enjoy?

Imported: VSOP Dillon Rhum from Martinique. It is an agricole rhum distilled in a copper column still and matured in small oak casks. Dark: a cocktail – the Dark and Stormy. Light: another cocktail – the classic Mojito.

How can bars get guests into rum?

Offer a flight of different styles to introduce patrons to the complexities of good quality rum.

Or offer cocktails using quality rum and fresh ingredients.

Do you offer operators any value-adds to buy your rums?

We sure do. We are offering off-premise deals to independent retailers and special offers for onpremise bars to list us on their cocktail menus for this summer.

PUB TAKE: THE SUBSTATION NO. 41 RUM BAR, BRISBANE

on ice, this 12-year-old from Trinidad is sweet to taste, with vanilla, caramel oak, nuts and smoky overtones. It’s so popular that we are currently in negotiations with the distillery to order it direct to our bar, as it’s a nightmare to keep in supply.

THE BAR Stuart: The Substation No. 41 Rum Bar is housed in an abandoned electrical substation previously dormant on the Breakfast Creek Hotel site.

What’s happening with rum in Brisbane?

Stuart: The other night we had a group of 20 guys in for an informal rum tasting. An hour later they continued on to a whisky tasting/dinner at a different venue. Consumers are tailoring their evenings around not only the venue but also the spirit group that takes their fancy.

Simon: There are now four rum bars and five whisky bars in Brisbane and this is pushing other venues into expanding their spirit ranges to meet demand. Never has the person on the other side of the bar had so much quality choice.

With Stuart Griffith, bar supervisor, and Simon Griffith, senior bar assistant

Rums at Substation 41 include…

Stuart: We have more than 500 rums, including a large number of rare and limited releases.

We were the first venue in Australia to get the Appleton Estate 50 year old Jamaica Independence Reserve Rum. Believed to be one of the oldest rums in the world, we received two and have already sold the first. At $250 a nip that’s a massive achievement and slightly alarming; it’s not easy to replace.

What entices you to buy?

Simon: Initially it was a case of building the back bar. But over time, the more knowledge and skill we have acquired the more we can be selective in our choices of new products.

Three rums for behind the bar?

Stuart: The Cubaney 3 year old white rum is subtle and soft enough to be sipped. It has a classic vanilla milkshake taste and feel. Often the

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simplest explanations of taste and characteristics provide the consumer with the best description.

Simon: The Dictador 20 year old from Colombia is a personal favourite. The nose is full of a rich coffee, fortified wine, liqueur-like aroma with a deep toffee finish. The palate has honey, Demerara sugar and cigar leaves and a spice that holds. A rum to be sipped over a cube of ice and enjoyed with a cigar.

Stuart: No range would be complete without the Zaya Gran Reserva Rum. It appeals to such a broad range of palates. To be sipped straight or

What drinks are you serving?

Stuart: Currently we are enjoying our in-house spicing and infusing. Each month we take a different base rum, create a concept or theme and add a slight twist using seasonal flavours. In July we infused a D’Aguila XM Rum from Guyana with bacon and the patrons couldn’t get enough.

Simon: We take already outstanding products and give them a tweak. Earlier in the year we made a beer-infused rum, using Galaxy Hops and Hoochery Ord River Rum from the Kimberley, served neat and accompanied by a small, hoppy beer.

RUM

RUM MAGIC cocktails to suit every bar THE SUBSTATION NO. 41 RUM BAR, BRISBANE

drinks guide A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO USING RUM IN YOUR DRINKS MENU: Spanish or Light Rums = Daiquiri or Mojito Gold Rums = mixers or ‘straight up’ or ‘Martini’ serve cocktails English or Dark Rums = Old Fashioneds or Rum Punch Black Rums = Ginger Beer & Lime Spiced Rum = Tiki cocktails

BAR CUBA, ADELAIDE Name: Mum’s Secret Recipe Ingredients: • 45 ml Cubaney Spiced Rum • 15 ml Cubaney Plata • 2 tbs butternut sangria reduction • Cream, coconut and kaffir lime leaves foam, coconut flakes, sugar syrup, sea salt.

Method: Add rum and sangria reduction to a shaker with ice. Hard shake, double strain into coconut flaked and seasalt rimmed Martini glass using the sugar syrup. Top with the cream, coconut and Kaffir lime leaf foam.

Garnish: Kaffir lime leaf.

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Name: Ti Punch Ingredients: • 60 ml Clément Première Canne • 10 ml Clément Sirop de Canne • 3 lime wedges • Crushed ice Method: Muddle 3 lime wedges, add Clément Sirop and 60 ml of Clément Première Canne, add half a glass of crushed ice, stir gently 10 times, fill glass with crushed ice, stir another 10 times. Serve in rocks glass.

Garnish: Lime twist on top (optional).

THE RUM BAR, CANBERRA Name: The Raven Ingredients: • 60 ml Angostura 7YO • Bar spoon of Fernet Branca • Rose water aromatic • Angostura Bitters • Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters • Raw sugar cube • Dash of Dry Ginger Ale Method: Place Angostura Bitters covered raw sugar cube into rocks glass and crush. Add ice carved cube, Angostura, Fernet Branca, 3 drops of Whiskey BarrelAged Bitters and stir. Add dash of Dry Ginger Ale and spray the rose water aroma over the rim of the glass.

Garnish: Flamed orange twist and skewered Morello cherries.

RUM

RUM BAR, AIRLIE BEACH Name: Squeaky in a Tiki Ingredients: • 50 ml Jamaican dark rum • 20 ml Cuban gold rum • 10 ml Orgeat • 15 ml Pomegranate grenade • 10 ml Pomegranate molasses • 45 ml Fresh pineapple • dash Angostura Bitters • 10ml House-made 151 falernum • 30ml Fresh lime juice • 20ml Bermuda Rum 151 Method: Set up tiki cup with ice. Put all ingredients except 151, in a Boston and shake with ice. Single strain into tiki.

Top with crushed ice and spent lime shell. Pour 151 in lime shell and ignite. From a height sprinkle powdered pudding mix and cinnamon. Clap to extinguish flame.

THE CORNER HOUSE, BONDI Name: The Modern Trader Ingredients: • 45 ml Stolen Spiced Rum • 60 ml Pineapple juice • 5 ml Sugar • 2 Thyme stalks • 2 Dashes Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters • 2 Plums Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker.

Shake hard. Fine strain over ice into a low ball.

Garnish: Thyme.

THE MOONSHINE RUM & CIDER BAR, MANLY Name: El’ Cherry Snow Cone Ingredients: • 30 ml El Dorado 8 • 10 ml Maraschino juice • 30 ml Coke syrup • 15 ml Crème De Griotte (cherry liqueur) Method: Splash soda, top with crushed ice.

Serve in rocks glass.

Garnish: Cherry garnish.

MARQUEE NIGHTCLUB, SYDNEY Name: Ron Zacapa 23YO Old Fashioned Ingredients: • 60 ml Ron Zacapa 23 • 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters • Brown sugar cube • Orange zest Method: Add 2 dashes of Bitters to a brown sugar cube and let the sugar absorb the Bitters, crush the cube into a Boston glass. In 15 ml increments add the Ron Zacapa and stir over ice. Repeat. Serve in a rocks glass with an ice sphere.

Garnish: Orange zest.

THE RUM DIARIES, BONDI Name: Maria Ingredients: • 45 ml Bacardi 8 • 20 ml Cointreau • 10 ml Licor 43 • Half fresh squeezed lime Method: Add ingredients to a Boston shaker, shake and double strain into Martini glass Garnish: Rum salted rim and a sliver of vanilla bean.

SAILOR JERRY

TOM BULMER: SYDNEY RUM CLUB

Name: Lola Ingredients: • 2 parts Sailor Jerry • 1 Part sweet vermouth • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters • Cherry cola / cola Method: Add ingredients to an ice-filled highball and garnish with an orange wedge.

Name: Piña Colada Ingredients: • 60 ml Light delicious rum • 4pc of fresh pineapple or 30ml fresh pressed pineapple juice (note ‘fresh’ because this also provides for acidity) • 15 ml Coco Lopez cream of coconut (not cream) • 12 oz (1.5 cups) of ice Method: Blend with ice using the Daiquiri-Whacker for best results (Google that! It’s an epic petrol-fuelled blender) Garnish: Serve inside a hulled out pineapple with an umbrella, two straws and a unicorn swizzle stick.

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BEHIND THE BAR NEW, REFRESHED, RELAUNCHED & READY TO ORDER

1CUBANEY SPICED RUM A new premium spiced rum (34% ABV) created by Justin Bosley of La Rumbla Imports in conjunction with the Oliver rum distillery in the Dominican Republic. The rum is infused with cinnamon, clove, vanilla, anise and black pepper to create a flavour profile of subtle flavours, light on vanilla. It's a blend of three, eight and 15-year-old solera aged Cubaney rums chosen for the peppery, long finish they produce. Enjoy neat, with a mixer or in a spiced Daiquiri for something different. Winner: silver medal, Madrid Rum Festival 2014.

Distributed by: La Rumbla Imports 0448 044 860

2MIOLO TANNAT

The family-owned and operated winery is a leading premium wine exporter from Brazil with a 40% market share. Winner of more than 200 international awards in the last five years, Miolo recently obtained Brazilian’s first Denomination of Origin (DO). The 750ml 14% ABV

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2011 Vintage Tannat is from the Campanha (South Brazil) region. It presents high colour intensity with ruby-red and purple tones and a fruit aroma, emphasising red fruits and spices integrated with the oak, giving the wine complexity. Taste is well structured, round, smooth and big on flavour. Winner: silver, 6th International Wine Competition (Brazil).

Distributed by: Brazilian Style Imports (02) 9997 7753

WILD TURKEY 3 DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY The limited-edition bottle is a blend of selected and rare whiskies made

by Eddie Russell, son of Wild Turkey’s longest-serving Master Distiller Jimmy Russell - in honour of his father. Eddie selected barrels aged 13 to 16 years (almost twice as long as Wild Turkey 101) in order to yield a spirit with notes of caramel and vanilla and a spicy oak finish. 45.5% ABV. Distributed by: Campari Australia 02 9478 2727

4ONLY PREMIUM GIN 6DIRTY SUE Only Premium Gin is a floral gin from Spain and the only gin to receive a perfect score by Business Insider, which commissioned research firm FindTheBest to analyse expert reviews and consider all awards received for gins at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Made with 100% neutral grain spirit and infused with juniper berries, jasmine, lemon balm, hibiscus, violet, rose petals, mallow, lavender, pansies, veronica and orange blossom.

Distributed by: Kollaras Trading Company 02 4230 8079

5LAMB'S SPICED RUM

Relaunched by Bouchon Wines & Spirits with a new bottle and label to increase eye appeal, Lamb’s Spiced is a smooth, golden liquid blended with cinnamon and caramel and exhibiting a citrus finish. Lamb’s Spiced is made from 100% Caribbean rum and spices.

Serve neat, over ice or in cocktails.

30% ABV. Distributed by: Bouchon Wines 07 3854 0407

"Finally, a dirty Martini product that accents a good gin instead of burying it!" So says Dale DeGroff.

Dirty Sue is a twice-filtered olive brine made from the finest olives from Spain’s Sevilla region and created

by American bartender Eric Tecosky of L.A. restaurant Jones Hollywood, specifically for dirty Martinis. A halfshot of Dirty Sue also works as an ‘olive back’ to a shot of tequila.

Dirty Sue is available in 375ml bottles at RRP$12.99.

Distributed by: VIC - Paramount Liquor (03) 9311 6655 & Festival City Wines (03) 9361 1681 NSW - Little Mix Co, 0438 620 726.

7HELLYERS ROAD 12YO Hellyers Road is Australia’s largest single malt boutique distillery.

Located in dairy farming country on the outskirts of Burnie in northwest Tasmania, in 2010 its peated variety was recognised by the Malt Whisky Association of Australia as the nation’s Best Single Malt and in 2012

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the distillery released its first aged statement whisky – 10 Year Original.

Now for the 12 Year: the distillery’s most significant milestone. The 46.2% ABV whisky provides a calming softness in the mouth, reflective of its age. It is an elegant spirit with an oily sweetness over tones of vanilla and citrus. The mellow aftertaste provides warmth without the fire. A delicious introductory whisky for novices.

Distributed by: Stewart Ferguson Ph: 03 6433 0439

STANDARD 8RUSSIAN VODKA

Russia’s number one premium vodka brand, Russian Standard has relaunched with a new label and decorative bottle embossed with the brand’s unique tapestry pattern. The bottle has been upgraded from screw cap to cork to evoke an opening ritual similar to Champagne. The liquid has also been updated to include Siberian Ginseng (aka ‘golden root’) along with its trademark soft glacial water from Lake Ladoga and Russian winter

wheat grown on the Russian Steppes.

Distributed by: Suntory Ph: 02 9663 1877

GLENROTHES 9THE ALBA RESERVE

Alba Reserve was developed specifically as a kosher product and authenticated in March 2009. The Glenrothes normal wood policy uses a combination of Spanish and American oak, seasoned with sherry, bourbon and malt Scotch, and sherry is not a kosher product. While the amount of residual sherry from the cask in Select Reserve is less than 1 part per 1250, The Glenrothes asked John Ramsay to develop a non-sherry cask alternative using Glenrothes matured exclusively in American oak refill bourbon casks.

Why Alba? Quercus alba is the Latin name for White (or American) oak and Alba is Gaelic for Scotland. The taste?

Coconut and vanilla; rich and sweet with a pale straw, clear and bright appearance and a palate of crème brulée and berry fruits.

Samuel Smith & Son (02) 8344 8244

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10FAIR RUM

Noble Spirits has launched the first aged Fairtrade rum in Australia. FAIR Rum originates in Belize, in the Caribbean, south of Mexico and east of Guatemala, and the rum is made from molasses and aged for five years in American oak barrels.

The sugar cane is grown using organic and sustainable farming methods on small farm plots. Noble Spirits guarantees higher margins to the farmers and also donates 2.5% of its turnover to finance local development programs. FAIR Rum offers a complex aromatic structure. Available in 700ml bottle at 40% ABV. Distributed by: Noble Spirits Pty Ltd orders@noblespirits.com.au

11WHITLEY NEILL GIN

A hand-crafted, small batch gin distilled in England's oldest copper pot still but "made in Africa" from “never before used” botanicals from Baobab Fruit and Cape Gooseberry.

Flavours of subdued juniper and citrus are followed by subtle spice and a

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complex finish. The finish is long with a subtle fade of herbs, cocoa and candied lemon peels, while the nose is citrusy sweet and peppery, and the nose floral. At 42% ABV the gin took out the Gold Medal: Super Premium Category - International Spirits Challenge 2013.

Distributed by: Bouchon Wines and Spirits 07 3854 0407

12PERRIER-JOUËT BLASON ROSÉ

This rich rosé Champagne made from a blend of 50 different crus from the best parcels in the PerrierJouët vineyards. Blend includes: 25% chardonnay, 50% pinot noir, and 25% pinot meunier. Nose: intense fruit aromas with pomegranate, red fruits and blood orange. Subtle floral notes (honeysuckle) are followed by buttery brioche aromas. In the mouth: an intense, lively attack. The wine offers a a complex and long finish.

Distributed by: Pernod-Ricard Australia 1300 363 153 b&c

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SANGRIA

r e m m u S g n i l F

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SANGRIA

Sangria was created in Spain and made popular in the US at the 1964 World’s Fair. It is most often made from red wine, brandy and fruit but almost any liquid and fruit can be combined. Most importantly, sangria can transform house-pour wines and spirits from moderately priced stock to high GP product - in any season. Quench a summer thirst with a sangria jug built with fresh citrus such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits and limes, and warm and enliven throughout winter with fruits such as blueberries, cherries, plums and blackberries. B&C examines how to make sangria sell.

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SANGRIA ADVERTORIAL

THE WINEMAKER

Trends: MAKING A SPLASH

People study tea leaves, others look into crystal balls, but you don’t need such obscure methods to predict trends within our industry.

With more creativity and innovation in the industry than ever before including a vast array of quirkier bar tools, liqueurs infused with flavours that put Willy Wonka to shame, and bitter flavours consisting of names that even the Oxford Dictionary may question. However for the year ahead, industry experts are predicting a return to basics in customer service, consistent revival of the classics, the Tiki dream and whiskey dominance will stay alive and niche liqueur flavours will be popular.

We jump abroad and since NYC is ahead of the curve, we find out what cocktails were influential at Tales of the Cocktail 2014. Pavan Muscat Grape Liqueur made a big splash amongst thirsty revellers being served during the first annual GRAPE BASH. Providing 350 guests an escape to the Mediterranean with a celebration and intrinsic exploration of the vibrant colours of Pavan, highly acclaimed bartenders from Employees Only, Dead Rabbit, Regent Cocktail Club and The Spare Room were serving up innovative, Mediterranean-inspired Pavan cocktails, sangrias and punches. Flavour combinations included the likes of a simple-yetflavoursome recipe of Pavan, gin, lemon juice and rosemary, or a more intricate mix of Pavan, Lillet Rose, watermelon juice, lemon juice, hibiscus tea, bitters and soda water.

A great mix of trade, media and consumers were in attendance and, as a result, a lot of social media hype, buzz within the press and talk about town was that the Pavan sangria seemed to be the favourite tipple on many people’s lips.

Don’t believe us? Try one for yourself.

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With Nicholas Schirripa, Casella Family Brands WHY SANGRIA? We saw that sweeter wines were trending and we know how popular sangria is around the world. We decided that a ready-to-drink sangria made from quality wine would be something fresh to introduce to the market.

SANGRIA IN AUSTRALIA The sangria category in Australia is made up of a handful of little known products imported from Spain, which are made to suit a traditional sangria consumer’s palate.

Sangria has enormous potential in Australia.

Sweet wines are experiencing strong growth here. Our Sangria is made with a blend of citrus and red wine. Parcels of fruit are chosen that give great upfront freshness and fruit flavour. It is refreshing and light, with lots of fruit characteristics and a hint of sweetness.

WHY STOCK CASELLA SANGRIA? Due to its convenience, adaptability and versatility, bartenders can just chill, twist and pour over ice. They can also customise it to suit the tastes of their customers, adding fresh fruit, soda water, lemonade or a splash of bubbles.

WHAT WINES WORK BEST IN SANGRIA? Traditionally merlot and shiraz are used in Sangria; however, Yellow Tail Sangria comes pre-mixed, giving it fresh taste, with delicious orange and lemon flavours.

PAVAN MASTERCLASS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON LYON WITH DAVID GREEN, THE VICTORIA ROOM, SYDNEY

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PAVAN PASSION ROSÉ SANGRIA Glass: 1.2 litre glass jug Ingredients: • 60 ml Pavan Muscat Grape Liqueur • 150 ml (1 glass) rosé wine of your choice • 90 ml cloudy apple juice • 30 ml lemon juice • 90 ml passion fruit pulp • 150 ml mineral water Method: Add Pavan, rosé wine, cloudy apple and lime juice to a 1.2L jug. Fill with ice and top with water and passionfruit pulp.

Garnish: Fresh strawberries and mint.

Stir and serve.

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SANGRIA

SPECIALIST OPERATOR with Georgia Kay, bar manager, Mesa Lunga Sangria Bar, Adelaide, SA HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW SANGRIA? I have been making sangria throughout the two years I have worked at Mesa Lunga. Mesa Lunga has been serving sangria since it opened eight years ago. The Sangria Bar [at Mesa Lunga] opened after that to become a small bar in addition to the restaurant.

SANGRIA AND THE AUSTRALIAN PALATE? It varies between people who want to try something different - like our tequila and rose red wine sangria or our strawberry and balsamic white wine flavour. However, there are still a lot of people who prefer to play it safe and stick with the sweeter flavours or traditional rum, brandy and cinnamon red wine sangria. This happens if [customers] don’t really know what sangria is and therefore don’t know what to expect. A lot of the time, on their second carafe, they are a little more curious to try something new.

WHAT MAKES SANGRIA INTERESTING? The many ingredients and spirits make very different flavour profiles. It’s also a theatrical drink to make - customers love it when you pour three or four different spirit bottles in the carafe at once! And the sharing aspect: you can buy a carafe for up to four or five people; it’s like a Pimms jug or a jug of beer that everyone can drink together on a sunny afternoon.

WHAT VARIATIONS CAN YOU MIX? Although sangria has become known as typically red wine, orange juice, cinnamon and rum or brandy, when you go to Spain, every city and every bar has a different version. Some simply mix red wine with soda or lemonade - sometimes even Coke - whereas others serve it with macerated fruits and spirits such as brandy and rum.

YOUR FAVOURITE RECIPE? Las Flores. It’s a bit quirky! For a 1 litre jug you need: 30 ml brandy, 30 ml tequila, 30 ml berry liqueur, 30 ml rose syrup (or to taste), 200 ml clear apple juice, 250 ml red wine and mixed berries to garnish. Combine in a jug with ice and enjoy!

WHAT WINES WORK BEST? Wines without a huge flavour profile are best because you’re using the wine as the base and building the flavours on it. Mellow, dry wines are best because you can add sweetness and let the flavours come out. If the wine is too strong it can be overpowering. For our sangrias we use a merlot as the red, a sauvignon blanc as the white, and a sparkling brut for the cuvée.

BEST HOUSE POURS TO USE? Brandy, rum, gin, tequila, triple sec, schnapps and fruit or nut liqueurs. The key is to not use too many different flavours as you don’t want to make it overwhelming or like a tropical fruit punch! Rum and brandy are the main spirits to use for sangria as they are the most traditional but there is nothing wrong with using something different. Consider sangria like a cocktail: start with a base and build the flavours.

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THE RTD with Manolo Lopez, director, Spanish Boutique Beverages WHAT IS SKA SANGRIA? SKA Sangria was released into the Australian market in July. We use Australian ingredients, promoting a network of businesses and generating Australian jobs.

My passion and desire to run a business led me to open the Spanish Tapas Bar in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. In the beginning, we faced some difficulties trying to sell sangria, people were simply reluctant to try it.

However, demand increased as word of mouth propelled the sales of our sangria to overwhelming demand.

We reached a Eureka! moment and I decided to take the next step and fulfil my dream.

WHY SHOULD BARS USE YOUR SANGRIA? Less wastage, greater staff efficiency and better time management. SKA provides an alternative option for guests: it is a high-end, consistent product.

WHAT WINES WORK IN SANGRIA? It depends on what result you want to achieve. For Spanish Boutique Beverages, the objective is to produce a sangria full of flavour that maintains the properties of premium quality wines and accentuates the freshness of the fruit juices. Sangria is a diluted beverage, so it is best to use full-bodied wines with a high level of tannin.

Cabernet sauvignon is the main grape varietal.

SANGRIA

THE DISTILLER with Lesley Gracie, Master Distiller, Solerno & Hendrick's Gin WHAT IS SOLERNO? Solerno is the world’s first and only blood orange liqueur. It’s a bright, citrus liqueur with strong, fresh notes of orange supported by just the right level of sweetness to ensure a smooth flavour balance.

WHAT DO YOU DO AT SOLERNO? I have a degree in chemistry and a real passion for plants, flowers and unusual ingredients. I have worked for William Grant for 26 years after working in the pharmaceutical industry.

At William Grant I am responsible for all product recipe developments. This is a job where curiosity is key.

HOW CAN BARS USE SOLERNO? Solerno is versatile as a base spirit, it is also a modifying sweetener and shines in modern interpretations of classic cocktails such as the Solerno Spritz: Solerno, Aperol and club soda; Solerno Bellini: Solerno, blood orange purée, Prosecco; and Solerno Smash: Solerno, Hendrick’s Gin, fresh squeezed lemon juice, Angostura bitters, mint leaves.

YOUR FAVOURITE RECIPE? Name: Haberdashery Punch Glass: punch or rocks Ingredients: • 1 bottle Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur • 1 bottle Lillet Rouge • 1 bottle dry, sparkling white wine • 473 ml freshly brewed, strong, chai-spiced black tea (no cream or sugar added) • 236 ml Fever Tree Ginger Beer • 236 ml fresh lemon juice • 16 dashes Angostura Bitters Method: Build ingredients in a punch bowl over a large block of ice.

Garnish: Jug – thinly sliced orange wheels. Glasses – cinnamon stick and a small orange wedge.

bars&clubs 45

PUTTING SPECIAL IT TO FEATURE WORK

N

BRANDY HEADING

RLIE CHA ANN, M LEH BLIN’ N, RAM TAVER CAL RAS SYDNEY

o longer just a tipple for royalty, rappers and the rich, the Cognac and brandy category has, over 2010 to 2013, experienced an 11 percent annual growth rate globally (International Wine & Spirit Research), supporting evidence that this increase in consumption reveals consumers are eager for a differentiated and premium drinking experience.

While premiumisation and Australia’s increasing Asian population both play a part in the category’s growth, the diversity of Cognac and brandy as an effective and flavoursome base spirit in classic and new cocktails is a sure-fire way to improve GP.

BRANDY

SPECIALIST BAR

with Charlie Lehmann, co-owner, Ramblin' Rascal Tavern, Sydney is usually associated with such a fine spirit is what we aim to do.

How popular is it with guests?

On the busiest shift we smash through 12 bottles of Martell VS, affectionately known as 'Marteezy', which is our biggest and fastest mover because it’s our house pour. Other big movers include Remy Martin VSOP and Hennessy VS.

What kind of bar is Ramblin' Rascal Tavern?

Ramblin' Rascal Tavern was conceived with the intention of whetting the palettes of Sydney’s discerning drinkers, having a fun time and sucking down delicious Cognac and brandies.

As enthusiasts of drinking quality beverages we saw a lack of coverage in the Cognac and brandy category so we thought we'd give it a crack, collecting numerous ‘gnacs and Aussie brandies (such as St. Agnes 7 Star XO) that we feel are essential to a Cognac-leaning bar.

How do you serve it?

In cocktails. So many classics and banging cocktails are Cognac or brandy based - particularly the Vieux Carré, Harvard and Sidecar. As a bar owner and purveyor of the good stuff we tend to push Cognac cocktails and, when all else fails, just do shots of it. Getting people engaged with Cognac and stripping away the haut monde of elitism that

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How do you buy for the back bar?

We spread love across some of the bigger houses: Hennessy, Hine, Camus, Martell and Remy Martin, ranging from the essential VS to the XO. We pick and choose based on what we like to drink so you can be sure that the back bar includes stuff we like. A favourite at the moment is the Jean Grosperrin special edition which uses 100 per cent Folle Blanche - the original grape used in Cognac - which is rare. The predominant grape used today is Ugni Blanc. We have 33 Cognacs on the back bar. One brandy we are excited about in particular that is arriving soon is Dumangin Fine de Champagne 6 Years, which is not from Cognac but from Champagne, France. It consists of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes and makes up a tasty brandy eau de vie.

Any high volume serves?

We go through a lot of Cognac and apple.

Cocktail-wise many Vieux Carré slide across the bar. We also down a lot of Martell VS shots!

And what about your Aussie brandies?

Not only are we repping French Cognac, Armagnac and a couple of international brandies but we are also throwing in Straya gold with St. Agnes 7 Star XO - the one Aussie brand we stock on Rascal's back bar. Having an Aussie brandy behind the bar, and one that tastes exceptional,

highlights the fact that Australia has the ability to produce quality spirits.

Your top three for the back bar ?

Martell VS = shots. Killer. Bache-Gabrielsen XO is an inexpensive XO; easy drinking and delicious.

Hine VSOP has up to 100 different eau de vie. It's a fine Champagne blend, which means that the distilled wine comes from the terroir of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, the two best crus of the Charente Cognac area.

“We go through a lot of Cognac and apple. We also down a lot of shots!”

How to serve it up?

Both Cognac and brandy can be complex spirits but don't necessarily need to be treated as a special occasion beverage. So many classic cocktails are made with Cognac and brandy and this needs to be reinforced more.

What’s happening with brandy?

We're focused on the fun side of drinking Cognac in the form of shooting Martell VS with a side of Melbourne Bitter tinnies but we are also pushing classic cocktails such as the Vieux Carré and Sidecar. Many guests are aware of the classic Old Fashioned so introducing them to a Vieux Carré or Sazerac isn't hard.

How can bars make bank by serving brandy?

Cocktails! Use it in classics such as Between the Sheets and Philadelphia Fish House Punch, or keep it simple and serve it up with fresh apple juice.

Did you know…?

Only three per cent of Cognac is consumed in France - the rest is exported. The largest market for Cognac is China.

BRANDY

LOCAL FOCUS

with Seb Costello, owner, Bad Frankie, Melbourne What Aussie brandies do you pour?

We specialise in local craft spirits. Rivière du Nord XO Brandy from Hobart and St. Agnes 7 Star XO from Magill, South Australia are the two we have so far. Australia has a wonderful history of distilling great brandies. We’re always on the hunt for more.

What’s good about Aussie brandy?

Australian brandy, like our wines, is big and bold. It has intensity in its grapes and depth in the wood. It's very tasty stuff and has a hell of a lot of spice. St. Agnes XO is fantastic and goes up against any in the world as a well-balanced spirit with spice and depth of flavour. I love the stuff and drink it a fair bit.

Name: The Harvard Glass: Martini Ingredients: • 45 ml St. Agnes 7 Stars XO • 15 ml sweet vermouth • 2 x dash Angostura Bitters Method: Combine ingredients in mixing glass with ice, stir through, then strain into Martini glass.

Garnish: Orange twist

SNAPSHOT Cognac is brandy but not all brandies are Cognacs. The grape-based spirit is made only in the south-west of France in the Cognac region. Grape spirit or eau de vie is barrelled for a minimum of two years before it can become a Cognac. It must be blended first and is heavily regulated and domain protected – only grapes harvested, distilled and blended in the Cognac region can be called Cognac.

Spirit processed outside of this area is known as brandy. Or, if the brandy is made in the Gascony region of France, it’s known as Armagnac.

THE NONSPECIALIST BAR

with Benito Drovandi, general manager, Daniel San, Sydney I work at…

Daniel San, a Japanese themed rock ‘n’ roll bar in Manly, north of Sydney, as general manager.

What’s your pick of Cognac?

I have always loved Martell’s Cordon Bleu.

Hands down it's my go-to Cognac.

How do you move it over the bar?

In premium cocktails. My advice to bar managers is to stock a couple of bottles and brands but nothing more unless your target market can afford it. Dubai and China is a different story.

What are you serving a lot of right now?

You can’t beat a Crusta. Juleps work well, too.

Earl’s (Juke Joint) has a great Julep featuring rye, Cognac and Chartreuse, happening now.

What bottles should be behind the bar?

Remy VS - your best pound-for-pound option; Hennessy Paradis for balance and mouth-feel; and Cordon Bleu: no explanation needed.

Pro tip?

Invest in quality glassware; it makes all the difference.

Serve it up...

Cognac and tonic works with a big chunk of orange. Take the Cordon Bleu challenge: substitute any base/spirit used in any classic cocktail with Cognac or brandy. It just works.

Your house special?

Ume Plum Crusta: 40 ml plum wine, 20 ml Hennessy VSOP, 20 ml lemon, 10 ml sugar, one tinned plum, lemon bitters; a citrus sugar rim.

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BRANDY

COCKTAIL & BEER BAR

with Pasan Wijesena, owner, Earl’s Juke Joint, Newton, NSW Describe Earl’s Juke Joint A neighbourhood bar where you can order a Sazerac while listening to some boom bap.

The bar is housed inside an old butcher shop called Betta Meats. I kept the original frontage and took New Orleans as a starting point for design. Drinks and musical inspiration evolved from there. It's still evolving. A lot of the cocktails we make feature whiskey, rum and, of course, Cognac.

What do you know about Cognac?

Apart from references in Hip Hop, Cognac wasn't on my radar until I started working in better bars where I had access to taste and make drinks with it. Once I started to get serious about bartending I learned how widely Cognac was used in a lot of classics in the pre-whiskey era. Cognac can be one of the cornerstones of a good bar.

What makes it useful in a bar?

Its versatility. Aside from the classics, it’s a perfect substitute for bourbon or rum and offers similar levels of sweetness and oak. It’s great in spirit-forward drinks and mixes really well with fruits and juices. It lends extra body and balance. As with all "forgotten" spirits and the classic cocktail renaissance, I think it’s a natural progression for modern bars to rediscover Cognac. More simply, it’s delicious!

How much Cognac does Earl’s move?

Two or three cases a week - mainly due to our cocktail list. Our house Cognac is Martell VSOP so that’s the one that moves.

What cocktails are in demand?

We have two drinks on our menu with Cognac: The 28 With A Bulleit Julep - Bulleit Rye Whiskey, Martell VSOP Cognac, Yellow Chartreuse, Amaro Averna, ginger syrup, fresh lemon juice and mint; and Jelly Roll Morton's Zombie (our house Zombie) - Havana 7, Havana 3, Martel VSOP, El Dorado 151, Pernod Absinthe, Angostura Bitters, fresh lime juice and house-spiced spiced grapefruit juice.

How can bars pour brandy to increase GP? Use it as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, rum or bourbon. It’s great in Tiki-style drinks, which when done well, are delicious crowd favourites.

Did you know?

Hip Hop saved Cognac! Busta Rhymes’ track Pass The Courvoisier led to a 30 per cent increase in Cognac sales in the States.

What’s your favourite brandy-based drink?

A Vieux Carré or Sazerac. With the availability of the Tempus Fugit Crème De Menthe, I'm enjoying really tasty Stingers.

House special?

A drink on our very first cocktail list - which still gets ordered even though it hasn't been printed for over a year - is the Original Gangster. Equal parts rye whiskey and VSOP Cognac, balanced with Luxardo Maraschino, Antica Formula and orange bitters.

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TRUE BLUE BRANDY

with Matt Redin of Angove Wines The Angove family was the first to commence wine making and distilling in Renmark in South Australia’s Riverland region, and it is here that St. Agnes brandy was born in 1925, although distillation began back in 1910.

St. Agnes was made by the time-honoured double distilled, pot-still process. A tradition established in France over centuries and studied by Thomas Carlyon Angove, the second generation Angove to be involved in the family business.

Matured in oak for three to 25 years, with portions of blend 50 years of age to bring out the deep oak colour, spirity palate with good depth and complexity, the total process of grape growing, wine-making through to distillation of brandy, ageing bottling and packaging, is still undertaken on company-owned estates in South Australia.

The flagship of the range, St. Agnes 7 Star XO brandy, has won many first prizes in Europe against leading distillers as well as dozens of Australian awards.

St. Agnes has been World Champion three times in Europe’s most prestigious wine shows. St. Agnes 7 Star XO was awarded Double Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge London (2003). The best of the best.

St. Agnes is a clean, dry style brandy with a depth of flavour and palate weight that make it suitable to enjoy neat or with a simple mixer. As a fruitbased spirit that is neither over-oaked or with any peat characteristics, St. Agnes can be used in a wide variety of cocktails, especially those using fresh fruit such as raspberries, limes and tropical fruits. It has soft, slightly-sweet, oak afterflavours that complement the clean-yet-fullflavoured palates of fruit cocktails.

BRANDY ADVERTORIAL

WHATEVER YOU

Desire

The magic of brandy is its versatility as well as its taste.

St. Agnes brandy impresses as a serious all-rounder, as showcased in these recipes…

Brandy Amaretto Sour

Brandy Smash

Glass: Rocks Ingredients: • 45 ml St. Agnes 7 Star XO • 20 ml Amaretto • 30 ml lemon juice • 15 ml egg white • 15 ml sugar syrup Method: Dry shake. Shake again with ice and strain into ice-filled rocks glass.

Garnish: Lemon wedge.

Glass: Mini stein Ingredients: • 60 ml St. Agnes 7 Star XO • 1 cube sugar Method: Stir sugar with soda water and mint in mini stein, add brandy and ice.

Garnish: 4 sprigs of mint.

Brandy Lime & Soda

Autumn Kiss

Glass: Highball Ingredients: • 45 ml St. Agnes 7 Star XO • Lime juice or cordial • Soda water Method: combine all ingredients in a tall glass.

Garnish: Slice of lemon.

Glass: Mini goblet Ingredients: • 45 ml St. Agnes 7 Star XO • 15 ml Yellow Chartreuse • 15 ml Benedictine • Dash of bitters Method: Stir ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.

Garnish: Lemon twist.

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HOT LIST

FACE OFF ATTRACTING NEW

CLIENTELE: REMODEL, REFIT & REBRAND Case study: The Hills, Sydney WHAT IS THE HILLS? A slice of Venice Beach in Surry Hills. A colourful southern California-inspired bar and eatery. The aim of The Hills is to inject some of the vibrant and eclectic vibe of iconic Los Angeles’ beaches to an urban corner of Surry Hills, complete with references to skate, surf, roller girls and, of course, the one and only Muscle Beach. It’s the perfect spot for casual food and drinks with friends either inside by the Malibu surfboard or outside under the festoon lighting on a balmy evening. Owners Raul Gonzales, David Freeman and Ben May opened level one of The Hills – Brooklyn Social – two months ago. The New York-styled dive bar is in direct contrast to its new ground floor brother, the light, sunny and distinctly Californian-styled The Hills.

WHAT IS THE ETHOS BEHIND THE HILLS? A place to enjoy casual food and drinks with friends. The Hills' menu is about sharing and focuses on simple, no fuss tacos, salads and pizzas that are tasty and great value. Think: snapper ceviche tacos with coriander, chilli and lime ($5); grilled octopus tacos with yuzu and pickled radish ($5); spinach, kale, caramelised peach, cranberries and crispy shallots salad with white balsamic dressing ($12); and Hawaiian jerk chicken pizza with smoked bacon, bell peppers and pineapple ($16).

Midweek lunches include $10 pizzas from noon to 3:00pm while $5 drinks at 5:00pm allows guests to wind down after work for happy hour.

The southern California vibe doesn’t stop with the food – half the wine list is sourced from the United States’ east and west coasts and sit alongside eight American craft beers available on tap and in bottle.

WHY THE CENTRAL TAVERN? The old Central Tavern had the whole package we were looking for for more than a year. We had some close calls with venues but they fell through. The timing was right and the opportunity to work on this, as it’s a big project – our biggest project to date, venue-wise (as it’s two levels) – was perfect. We also noticed that the area had such a high volume of traffic but was normally a dead zone; the area needed something new and fresh.

WHY WE REFITTED To make our concept work we needed to direct a lot of attention to it as we wanted to be clear about our message. What [the venue] was before the concept [The Central Tavern] would not have worked. The new concept adds something fresh to an area of Surry Hills that is booming.

WHERE DID YOU START? We assessed other elements first – the drinks side of things was a major priority, employing our consultant and also a wine sommelier to do the list, and we worked closely with him on the remainder of drink options, too.

We wanted to showcase a point of difference.

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HOT LIST

TAKE US THROUGH FIT-OUT Inside you’ll find pastel orange and blue hues, solid oak wood panels and Malibu surfboards while the casual bench seating and palm tree landscaping spills out on to the sidewalk to create a relaxed party atmosphere. Also there is strong references to Lords of Dog Town which was a big part of the Venice Beach culture in the 1970s. The theme song to The Hills ranges from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Beach Boys to The Eagles, classics and everything in between.

THE INTERIOR? Interiors needed to be done quickly, as we didn't have a big time frame – the concept had been established prior to [start, via the opening of upstairs dive bar, Brooklyn Social, two months earlier] and we knew what we wanted and how we want to do it. Food and tweaks to the drinks menu happened during this period, too, as we wanted to get that right from the beginning.

We employed Sydney company TomMarkHenry (Toco Fresh, Brooklyn Social) to renovate the space. Chloe Matters, Cushla McFadden and Jade Nottage handled concept design, design development and documentation, material and finishes selection and project management of the space.

DID YOU WORK THE HILLS' CONCEPT INTO YOUR UPSTAIRS VENUE, BROOKLYN SOCIAL? Yes. This opening means there is now a bona-fide east-coast-meets-westcoast American drink-and-dine experience in the heart of Surry Hills. The Hills’ southern Cali offering on the ground floor and dive bar and diner, Brooklyn Social, on the top floor makes the venue a one-stop destination.

A balance of dude food and gin cocktails upstairs and healthy tacos and a 50-plus wine list downstairs.

HOW DID YOU LOCK IN YOUR MENU? Myself and David Freeman went to L.A., San Francisco and other southern California areas earlier this year and tried a lot of the cuisine. We knew then that we wanted to take this home and use it at a venue. We worked closely with our chef, Kye Stamp (former Mexico Food and Liquor) and his background in SoCal cuisine led to us utilising this to our advantage, as he came up with some great twists on some dishes.

DID YOU ROAD TEST YOUR CONCEPT? Yes, we spoke with a few friends that are also venue operators and invited them to a few closed trials so they could see The Hills before anyone else; we value and respect their feedback.

WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL WITH THIS RE-FIT? To see the wine garden in full action now it’s warmer. People enjoying wine bottles on a nice, balmy summer night... That would see our goal achieved – to bring a little slice of Venice Beach to Surry Hills in a relaxed and warm environment.

ANY TIPS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS PLANNING TO REFIT THEIR VENUES? Leave a margin for budget increases because surprises happen all the time – especially when you have a short turnaround time. Keep a calm head and value what your designers and creative team see as they are bringing your concept to life.

The Hills, 42 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW Ph: 02 9212 3814

SNAPSHOT: AIM: Located across from Central Station (rail), The Hills’ open face street frontage and pastel colour scheme is designed to appeal to and attract both Surry Hills locals and urban professionals.

INTERIORS: 205 sq m: strip interior; refurbish floors, walls, bathrooms; replace all lighting, bar and outdoor area; extend ceiling; new paint.

TIME FRAME: Five weeks.

BUDGET: $200K.

bars&clubs 53

IN THE COOLER

ALL GOOD SPARKLING All Good is a New Zealand company founded by Kiwis, Chris Morrison (Phoenix Organics), his brother Matthew Morrison and Simon Coley (ex 42 Below). Flavours: Blood Orange & Sparkling Water - organic Sicilian blood oranges grown on Mt Etna with sparkling Waiuku (New Zealand) water; White Grapefruit & Sparkling Water - organic white grapefruit from Israel's Shephelah lowlands; Red Grapefruit & Sparkling Water - red grapefruit from northern Israel with water from Mount Hermon; Blackcurrant & Sparkling water - with Canterbury Plains blackcurrants from New Zealand's South island; and Bitter Lemon & Sparkling Water - with organic lemons grown in the Negev desert.

Distributed by: All Good Organics (Tess Lenart) - 0401 084 149

MATSO’S LYCHEE BEER After more than three years on tap in Broome, Western Australia, Matso’s Lychee Beer – a fruity twist on Belgian fruit beer – is now available. Says head brewer at Matso’s Broome Brewery, Marcus Muller: “Infused with the flavour of Asian lychee, this brew is able to fascinate beer drinkers as well as fruit lovers”. Ingredients include: pale malt; wheat malt; carafa malt; raw wheat; elderflower; lychee and Pride of Ringwood hops. Matso’s Lychee Beer is in draught at selected on-premise venues and in 24 x 330mL cartons.

Distributed by: Matso's Broome Brewery - 0423 332 754

PRESSMAN’S APPLE CIDER Pressman’s Original All Australian Apple Cider has relaunched with a new look and new Mid-Strength variant. Made with 100% Australian apples from the Goulburn Valley, Pressman’s Original All Australian Apple Cider and Mid-Strength Cider is made in collaboration with SPC, Australia’s largest producer of premium fruit, and bottled at the new Australian Beer Company brewery, a joint venture partnership between Coca-Cola Amatil and Casella. Available in 330ml bottles (6-pack): Original RRP$16.99, 4.5% ABV; Mid-Strength RRP$14.99, 3.5% ABV. Distributed by: CCA - 13 COKE

SAN PELLEGRINO POMPELMO (GRAPEFRUIT) Pompelmo contains “enriched” 16% Sicilian grapefruit juice and packs a bittersweet, zesty taste. The juice is made with all-natural ingredients and has no added preservatives. The foil seal provides tamper-proof security. San Pellegrino recommends serving the juice with its Pompelmo cocktail, "From Italy, with Love": 45 ml Ketel One Vodka, 2 x dashes of Fee’s Peach Bitters, 5 ml of Apple Pie Monin Syrup and 200 ml of San Pellegrino Pompelmo, garnished with Pink Lady apple slices. Price: RRP$36.85 for 24 cans.

Distributed by: Sanpellegrino S.p.A. - 1800 660 189

ASAHI DRY BLACK A new offer in the dark beer category, made from the same yeast as Asahi Super Dry. Asahi claims Dry Black is unlike other dark beers due to its Karakuchi (which means 'fully attenuated' or 'dry' beer) DNA. Dry Black claims to marry the bitterness and bold flavour distinct to dark beer with a refreshing aftertaste. Asahi Dry Black is brewed using a process called bottom fermentation (a slow alcoholic fermentation where yeast collects at the bottom of the fermenting liquid, providing a smoothness and mild sweetness).

Distributed by: Asahi Premium Beverages - 1800 090 378

REKORDERLIG POMEGRANATE Rekorderlig Cider’s new summer seasonal flavour blends crisp pear cider with pomegranate and was, according to the brand, designed specifically for Australian palates. “Pomegranate has been a hit in our consumer tastings and we hope bartenders across Australia will be as excited to get hold of this flavour as we are,” says John Logue, customer marketing manager.

Distributed by: CCA - 13 COKE

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GRAND MARNIER ADVERTORIAL

MAKING MAGIC WITH SUMMER JUST AROUND THE CORNER NOW IS THE TIME TO INVIGORATE YOUR DRINKS LIST WITH REFRESHING COCKTAILS COURTESY OF GRAND MARNIER.

GRAND MARGARITA

GRAND COSMOPOLITAN

Glass: Margarita Ingredients: • 30 ml Cazadores Reposado • 30 ml Grand Marnier Liqueur • 30 ml Fresh Lime Juice • 2 bar spoons of castor sugar Method: Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a saltrimmed chilled cocktail glass.

Glass: Cosmopolitan Ingredients: • 30 ml Grand Marnier • 30 ml Grey Goose L’Orange • 15 ml Cranberry Juice • 10 ml Lime Juice Method: Place all ingredients into a Boston shaker filled with ice and shake hard until ice cold.

Strain into a chilled martini glass, then garnish with an orange zest.

ANEJO HIGHBALL

GRAND MARNIER SMASH

Glass: Tall Glass Ingredients: • 30 ml Grand Marnier • 15 ml Bacardi Gold • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters • Top with Ginger Beer Method: Build in tall glass with cubed ice, top with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Glass: Short Glass Ingredients: • 45 ml Grand Marnier • 30 ml Lemon Juice • 5 ml Sugar Syrup • 8 Mint Leaves Method: Shake all ingredients with cubed ice. Strain into a rocks glass over cubed ice.

Garnish with mint and a lemon wheel.

bars&clubs 55

BARTENDER PROFILE

Bitters Sweet Jose Artidiello, cocktail bartender at The Woollahra Hotel, reveals his top drinks for the summer.

Tell us a bit about you…

I’ve been in the industry for about five years now, from restaurants to pubs to nightclubs.

I started as a bar back at a restaurant, which gave me the opportunity to jump right away into making cocktails. Some of the venues I’ve worked at include Bondi Pizza, The Eastern, Ryans Bar, Beach Haus and Bar 333.

Tell us a drink you won’t order, and why?

I would have to say a Mojito. Not because I don’t like the taste but because I know the pain it inflicts on the bartender to order one at the bar!

A drink you enjoy making?

Anything from my collection of signature cocktails. There is nothing more satisfying than having a customer really enjoy one of your own creations. I like to work with fresh fruit rather than purees and I like to keep it simple: three to five ingredients, max. It is more about the contrast between a quality spirit and a liqueur rather than a blend of syrups and spices.

Some of your favourite cocktails?

You can never go wrong with a good Old Fashioned. One of my favourites from our list is El Dorado (the golden one) which is a twist on the Margarita, with spicy tamarind and Grand Mariner. It has a unique flavour - different to what the Aussie palate is accustomed to, but somehow it has become one of the go-to ones at The Woollahra Hotel.

What drinks are popular right now?

Winter was good for spiced rums and served to revamp old classics like Old Fashioneds and Negronis. I think this summer is going to be good for the Mexicans - with tequila and mescal coming in strong.

Have you worked much with bitters?

Sure. Bitters are very common in the cocktail world. Personally, I really like that spicy kick that it gives to drinks so I have used bitters

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as a key ingredient in many of my signature cocktails over the years.

What’s the most popular bitters drink at The Woollahra Hotel?

Vodka, lemon, lime and bitters, sadly. I wish it would be something more exciting like a sour cocktail or a Manhattan, but you can’t win them all.

What's a fresh way to use bitters?

Right now at The Woollahra Hotel we have a twist on the whiskey sour called the Rye & Gosling with rye whiskey, Gosling’s spiced rum, cinnamon and bitters that is a crowd pleaser.

What bar tool can you not do without?

The tin shaker. I use it for everything - from scooping ice to opening bottles. If you have worked with me you would have noticed that it is like an extension of my arm.

What can bar managers do to keep staff?

Hire good people, treat them right and empower them.

Any bartending highlights?

I haven’t been involved in the industry in terms of competitions and stuff, so the highlights of my career are the people I’ve met, the places I’ve worked at and the drinks I’ve created.

Any unforgettable adventures?

It’s hard to remember since most of my stories as a bartender start with a busy shift, followed by a boozy night, and an early morning finish.

When not making cocktails what do you get up to?

I’m usually always working, but when I’m not I like to take it easy: read a book, do some exercise, listen to music - that kind of stuff. I enjoy the simple things.

The Aussie

Glass: Highball Ingredients: • 60 ml Larios Gin or Vodka O • 10 ml Fresh Lemon Juice • 10 ml Fresh Lime Juice • 15 ml Cascade Lime Cordial • 3-4 dashes Australian Bitters Co. Method: Shake with ice and pour all contents into highball glass. Top with soda and more ice.

Garnish: Lime wedge.

LIQUID MILES ADVERTORIAL

SOUTHTRADE INTERNATIONAL’S LIQUID MILES WINNERS HIT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL The lucky winners of SouthTrade International’s Liquid Miles Trade Incentive returned recently from their amazing trip to the USA. During their travels the winning bartenders attended Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans and toured the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky and the Finest Call production facility in Indiana. SouthTrade International announced the winners at the Liquid Miles finale party that took place at the Soda Factory in Surry Hills on Monday June 30.

The winning bars were Zanzibar from NSW and Frisk Bar from WA.

T

he lucky winners of SouthTrade International’s Liquid Miles Trade Incentive returned recently from their amazing trip to the USA. During their travels the winning bartenders attended Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans and toured the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky and the Finest Call production facility in Indiana.

SouthTrade International announced the winners at the Liquid Miles finale at the Soda Factory, in Surry Hills, Sydney, on Monday June 30. The winning bars were Zanzibar from NSW and Frisk Bar from WA. Zanzibar’s Raymond Daniel and Richard White were accompanied

by SouthTrade Sales Representative Johannes Pauw. Frisk Bar’s Michael and Karen Cheang were joined by SouthTrade Sales Representative Jimmy Houston.

The Liquid Miles trade program was introduced in 2011 with the aim to incentivise venues to educate their consumer. The fourth annual program witnessed over 200 venues participate nationally.

Johannes Pauw, Michael Cheung and Jimmy Houston took time out to share their travel experiences with Bars & Clubs.

WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM THE TRIP? Johannes Pauw: I enjoyed the Buffalo Trace Distillery tour for its heritage and the Finest Call tour for its innovation. It was also really nice to meet the people involved in production and witness the passion and pride they take and to see their delight when we told them about their brand’s success in Australia.

A big highlight for me in New Orleans was the delicious food – my favourites were the pulled pork, buttermilk chicken, gumbo and jambalaya.

Michael Cheang: Buffalo Trace for is size, its heritage, its barrels and

it personalities. My favourite was Freddy, our tour guide. His grandfather and father had also worked at the distillery and Freddy had Buffalo Trace running through his veins – this guy was a huge personality and he would be a massive hit if we could see him in Australia.

Finest Call was fascinating and I am adding new cocktails to my menu that use the Real range of fruit purees.

Jimmy Houston: Spending an afternoon with Finest Call’s mixologist, Drew. We experimented with fruits and flavours and came up with some wonderful creations using Finest Call and the Real range of fruit purees.

The Buffalo Trace Distillery surpassed anything I have seen before. I have been in the industry for 30 years and visited many distilleries around the world and Buffalo Trace was easily the best I have ever seen. Buffalo Trace is an incredible blend of heritage and modern innovation.

WHAT SEMINARS OR MASTERCLASSES DID THE GROUP ATTEND AT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL? The group attended several seminars and the highlights included the Pyrat Rum tasting session, the launch event for Roca Patron, the Big Lebowski inspired dinner, with plenty of White Russians, hosted

by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and

an intimate session with craft and independent distillers.

WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE BAR YOU VISITED DURING YOUR TRAVELS? Johannes Pauw: The Pendennis Club in Louisville Kentucky was a real treat for us – such a grand old building with its wonderful history.

The Pendennis Club is the home of the Old-Fashioned Cocktail and it was great to sit down and enjoy one at the bar where this drink was first conceived.

Jimmy Houston: The Bourbon Cowboy in New Orleans for its range of whiskey and wild party atmosphere. I enjoyed my first Bourbon milkshake which was unexpectedly delicious!

Michael Cheang: All of the bars on Bourbon and Frenchman street were fantastic - live music, great drinks and a wild party atmosphere! b&c

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l a i c So

THE PARTIES, THE PEOPLE, THE PASSION, THE DRINKS

CHRIS BATES, FALLON DURAY, ALEXA FERGUSON, MATT DUNN

WHAT: The Barber Shop's 1st Birthday WHEN: Tuesday September 2, 6pm WHERE: The Barber Shop, 89 York Street, Sydney GUESTS: Mike Enright, Julian Train, Chris Mills, Michael Falzon, Carolina Jensen, Michael Moore, David O'Brien LOWDOWN: Cocktails and shaves were the order of the evening as The Barber Shop, Sydney's own barber-and-bar-in-one, celebrated its first birthday. The bar kept cocktails flowing while guests sampled sampled the venue’s new tasting menu.

Tap dancers entertained the crowd before singer Michael Falzon sang happy birthday to bar owners Mike Enright, MAX GRECO Chris Mills and Julian Train, who cut the eight kilogram cake.

WHAT: John Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee First Tasting Event WHEN: Thursday August 28, 6:30pm WHERE: Concert Hall Foyer, Bennelong Point, Sydney Opera House, Sydney GUESTS: Ronan Keating, Storm Uechtritz, Tom Williams, Braith Anasta, Jonathan Driver LOWDOWN: Black tie dinner and exclusive tasting of the John Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee. Priced at $200,000 this rare, hand-crafted Scotch whisky was the first bottle to be opened worldwide. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal matched with Johnnie Walker whiskies.

58 bars&clubs

JODI HOOKER, CHARLOTTE BODELL, JESSICA BODELL

ALAN PARKER, NIC ROSE MIKE ENRIGHT

WHAT: Sullivans Cove Whisky Dinner WHEN: Tuesday August 5, 6:30pm WHERE: Glass Brasserie, The Hilton, George Street, Sydney LOWDOWN: Tasmania’s multiple gold medal-winning distillery Sullivans Cove introduced guests to some of its world’s best whiskies at a five-course degustation dinner hosted by Bert Cason, of Sullivans Cove, who flew to Sydney from Tasmania especially for the event. The five courses were matched with Sullivans Cove whiskies and single malt liqueurs, including the world's best single malt: Sullivans Cove French Oak.