Bars & Clubs January/February 2013

VODKA

Making Waves

RUM FIGHT CLUB – PERTH BARS – PREMIUM MIXERS – LOW CARB BEERS

PREMIUM

MA BA DY R R S EM TH UPER NANT EB U VISO , LIS CKET R T

22 BARTENDER FIGHT CLUB

Some of Perth’s best bartenders battle it out in our Rum Fight Club.

FLAVOURS IN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY FEATURE LIST

REGULAR LIST

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A new range of great mixers on the market give bartenders more to play with.

More and more consumers are embracing low carb beers.

MORE IN THE MIX

LOW CARB BEERS RIDING HIGH

6

VIBE What’s happening on the Australian bar scene.

10

OPENINGS The latest venues to open their doors.

35

PREMIUM VODKA MAKING WAVES

12

Iain MacGillivray looks at the rise of the premium vodka segment.

The Everleigh short lists some great cocktails.

THE HOT LIST

bars&clubs 3

FIRST DRINKS

Cheers,

Premium

Ma Ba dy R R Su eM na p th e B eRviS nt, u o LiStcket R

vodka

Sacha Delfosse Editor

Making Waves

rum Fight Club – Perth bars – Premium mixers – low Carb beers

I

n around a year from now, myself and (I hope) a large number of our readers will be enjoying a range of educational and entertaining events, activities, seminars and tastings at the Top Shelf drinks show in Melbourne.

SACHA DELFOSSE, SHANE T. WILLIAMS Many of you may have already heard AND HENRY POOLE the growing whispers about this event, while others have already had informal conversations about Top Shelf with me over the past few months.

For the rest of you reading this and wondering what this show is all about, let me explain. Top Shelf will be a two-day category inclusive celebration of boutique and premium beverages.

We are talking about the best and finest brands, from the big brands to the cottage industry ones, all showcased under one roof for both consumers and the trade. Along with this will of course be a variety of touch points that will allow people to engage with these brands and walk away with a better understanding and appreciation of them.

But it doesn’t stop there. There will be a week of satellite events, which will bring these premium and boutique brands together with some of Melbourne’s best bars to give people a perfect platform to experience what professional bartenders can do with quality products.

And for anyone who asks why we have decided to launch Top Shelf into the market, the answer is quite simple – because we feel (and we have been told a countless number of times) that there is a need for a sophisticated showcase that provides trade professionals and discerning consumers with the chance to come face-to-face with premium and boutique beverage suppliers and producers, so they can learn new things, discover new products, talk shop and rub shoulders with like-minded individuals.

We also want to provide a chance for as many Melbourne bars as possible to be actively involved with Top Shelf, so any venues that are interested in being part of the show or the satellite events, feel free to drop me a line.

DISCLAIMER MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Grover PUBLISHER James Wells james@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Sacha Delfosse sdelfosse@intermedia.com.au

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4 bars&clubs

D I U Q I L 3 1 0 2 S E L - M I G N I D R A B O -

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NOW

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THE BARS, THE EVENTS, THE DRINKS, THE PASSION

VIBE

A SUBVERSIVE MONKEY

6 bars&clubs

MONKEY SHOULDER has partnered up with bars&clubs and Time Out magazine for a series of innovative events in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney called Reverse/Subverse, which celebrates the brand’s cheeky and rebellious nature by running the night’s activities back to front.

Bartenders are also being encouraged to join the Monkey Shoulder Underground collective by entering a new trade incentive, Subversive Serve, which Monkey Shoulder is also running alongside the Reverse/Subverse activation.

The Subversive Serve cocktail competition builds on the momentum generated by the Monkey Shoulder Cocktail Boot Camp challenge that ran from the end of 2012 till January this year.

This time Monkey Shoulder will be testing bartenders’ ability to think outside the square by asking venues to create a signature ‘subversive serve’ that breaks with traditional norms of a mixed drink or cocktail.

The concoction the venues choose to make can be simple and consumer friendly, but it must be served in the most unconventional way they can think of.

The competition is open to bars in NSW, QLD and VIC, who have till February 28 to get their entries in. Participating venues will have to offer their ‘subversive serve’ at the bar throughout March, during which time mystery shoppers will be evaluating each entry.

The mystery shoppers will determine the top five venues in each state, who will continue promoting their ‘subversive serve’ during April. All the finalist entries will also be featured in Time Out’s April issue, to drive consumer awareness.

During April a second set of mystery shoppers will also do the rounds of the finalist venues, scoring them on the drink and the experience surrounding it.

The winning venue will receive a trip to Scotland to visit the three Monkey Shoulder distilleries (Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Kininvie) plus get the chance to experience the best of Edinburgh and Speyside bars with global brand ambassador and fellow Australian, Dean Callan.

Email cocktails@monkeyunderground.com.au to enter or for more information.

THE WORLD CAN BE YOURS WITH BOLS THE seventh annual Bols Around The World competition has been launched and local bartenders are being encouraged to enter and regain the world champion title that was first won by Australian Naren Young in 2007.

Following Young’s victory at the inaugural Bols Around The World championship, other notable local bartenders such as Luke Redington and Dan Gregory have represented the country as finalists.

The competition attracts bartenders from 60 countries, with the 20 best entrants then chosen to compete in an intensive four day semi-final in Amsterdam.

From there, the top 12 will be chosen to go head-to-head in the finals, which are judged by industry heavyweights such as Hidetsugu Ueno, Helmut Adam, Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry, Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller.

The winner of the world championship will be rewarded with an eight-day global bar tour that will allow them to visit the best cocktail bars of their choice in four of the major cocktail capitals in the world, as well as a one-year Bols Platinum Ambassadorship.

The other 11 finalists will receive a one-year Gold Bols Ambassadorship that includes a training trip to Amsterdam as well as an honorary contract to represent the brand in their home country.

For the 2013 Bols Around The World contest bartenders need to make it through four different heats to qualify for a chance in the finals. The first heat tests bartenders’ skills at creating an iconic cocktail that is emblematic of their country. The deadline for the first heat is March 1. For more information visit www.bols.com

MELBOURNE’S MONDAY MADNESS FOR THE TRADE

DIAGEO TO LOSE JOSE CUERVO DISTRIBUTION

A new weekly Monday night hospitality industry party has been launched at The Vineyard in St Kilda, Melbourne, which offers special drink prices from 930pm and live entertainment till 3am.

“We’ve been getting crowds ranging between 100 to 200 depending on the week and the weather. We plan to keep it running as long as we can,” The Vineyard’s Ian Wallace says.

“We decided to put something in motion and develop a night where industry folk can hangout with like minded people and have a good time on the other side of the bar.

Former 1200 Techniques front man, N’FA hosts the party and is behind the decks spinning good hip-hop beats and crowd favourite jams throughout the evening.

There is plenty of $5 spiced rum available courtesy of Sailor Jerry, which sponsors the night, and companies such as Cricketers Arms and Rogue Wines are supporting the new initiative by providing discounted drinks.

DIAGEO has announced that its planned acquisition of Jose Cuervo tequila has ceased and it will stop distributing the brand this year.

Both Diageo and JB y Compania S.A. de C.V. and Lanceros S.A. de C.V. (the owners of Jose Cuervo) will now work towards an orderly termination of their current distribution agreement, including transitional arrangements, which ends in June 2013.

“We believe that the future of the brand would be best delivered by aligning ownership of the brand with its route to market and I have no doubt that Diageo has the best route to market for this brand,” said Diageo chief executive, Paul S Walsh.

“However it has not been possible to agree a transaction which delivers value for Diageo’s shareholders and therefore, by mutual agreement, we have terminated our discussions.”

VIBE ONE OF THE NEW DISHES - BAKED LOBSTER TRUFFLE

THE ROOSEVELT EMBRACES AMERICAN DINER CONCEPT

BACARDI BUYS ST-GERMAIN

SYDNEY’S The Roosevelt has recently undergone a facelift and changed the focus of its food offer, introducing a ‘Diner with a Twist’ theme, spearheaded by its new head chef Andrew Braham, who has created an Americana Tapas menu inspired by the traditional American diner.

“We’ve always been known for our cocktails and were even shortlisted for World’s Best Cocktail List at Tales of the Cocktail 2013. With the introduction of this new menu, we hope to capture the fun and friendly vibe of the American Diner experience, while introducing more people to the great food offering at The Roosevelt,” Speakeasy Group owner Sven Almenning says.

The American diner influences have not been restricted to just the food menu with a selection of innovative Nitro Shakes and Sorbets have also been added to the cocktail list.

“Milkshakes are a diner staple and The Roosevelt is renowned for its innovative cocktail menu. So we think our Nitro version of a milkshake, which includes all fresh ingredients and quality liquor whipped together with liquid nitrogen to create smooth and delicious shake, will be a great addition to the Roosevelt’s legendary menu while ticking some key Americana boxes.”

BACARDI Limited has recently acquired St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur with plans to expand the brand’s reach internationally.

As part of the deal, Robert Cooper, the creator of St-Germain will remain as the brand’s ‘guardian’ and continue to work with Bacardi on St-Germain’s bartender development and recognition programs.

“With Bacardi’s help, StGermain can now become a truly international brand.

That’s something that would have been difficult for me to achieve as a small, creative brand-building company,” Cooper says.

In Australia, St-Germain is imported and distributed

by Vanguard Luxury Brands, something that director James France stresses will remain “for the interim and foreseeable future”.

“We congratulate Robert Cooper on the wonderful job he has done in creating such an iconic brand in such a short time. Vanguard is proud to have launched St-Germain with such success in Australia and we are looking forward to continuing to work closely with Cooper Spirits on their other brands,” France states.

VALE JAMES MILLER THE local hospitality industry recently suffered a tragic loss with the accidental death of James Miller, one half of the successful Drink N Dine group, on January 14.

Miller, along with his friend and business partner Jaime Wirth, was responsible for renovating a slew of Sydney pubs – The Norfolk, The Carrington, The Abercrombie, The Flinders JAMES MILLER WITH and The Forresters – which were transformed into innovative JAIME WIRTH and popular establishments.

“I will remember James as an endlessly energetic, generous and intensely loyal friend. His charisma would light up a room and his stories would keep me entertained in the office for hours,” Jaime Wirth said.

“He had a fierce business drive and intelligence but also a real understanding of what was important to him — friends, family and enjoying every day. I learnt a lot from James in business, friendship and life and I will miss him greatly.”

NEW TOOL FOR THE TRADE PERNOD Ricard has launched a new innovative bartender training and advocacy programme called Maison, which is accessed through an iPad app.

The range of modules covered includes customer service and bartending skills, as well as detailed training in 10 major drinks categories – vodka, gin, tequila, rum, Scotch whisky, whiskies of the world, cognac, absinthe, pastis and champagne.

“Each module is led by a world renowned category expert from an independent perspective via the iPad app, giving a balanced and thorough approach to training, with the benefit of bartenders’ career progression in mind,” Pernod Ricard brand education manager Ben Davidson says.

Maison is designed for both new and experienced bartenders who will receive diploma from the Ecole Hoteliére de Lausanne in Switzerland once they complete all the modules in the programme.

Rule The World www.republicbeverages.com.au | E: info@republicbeverages.com.au

P: 1300 848 612 bars&clubs 7

VIBE MAARJA LAINEVIIR

DARWIN REEMATCH BEEYATCH

REBECCA STUART

THE DECK BAR’S Jason Hanna organised Darwin’s first ever Reematch Beeyatch competition last month, with Jeremy Spencer from The West Winds Gin and Andrew McIntyre from Perth’s Five bar judging the proceedings.

“Reematch Beeyatch saw 12 competitors – there were six more keen but who entered too late – show the two judges that there was more to the NT bartenders that we all originally thought,” Hanna says.

Wisdon Bar’s Maarja (Maria) Laineviir took out first place with a time of 4 min 36 sec (which included fully garnishing her drinks) with second place going to The Deck Bar’s Rebecca Stuart who clocked 4 min 44 sec.

Tor Trethowan from Hot Tamale came in third with a time of 4 min 52 sec (after having five drinks penalised) while Kiran Oli from Monsoons received the Judges Favourite Award.

Also competing on the night were Sean McCabe and Corey Wilson from The Beachfront Hotel, Michael Marshall from Wisdom Bar, Megan Cowen from The Arch Rival Bar & Grill, Matthew Scally and Meg Pennington from The Deck Bar, Brendon Kassman from The Casuarina Club, and Shane Keown from The Top End Hotel. “[Also] Andy McIntyre was entered into doing a round by Jeremy Spencer. He took it on the chin, cocktail umbrella in hair and jumped behind the well of a completely foreign bar and punched out a perfect round of 3 min 32 sec. Let it be noted that it had already been a couple of big days,” Hanna says.

“The turn out from the local industry was overwhelming with everyone coming for a look and really getting behind the bartenders. We will do another round in March when John Gakuru and Alex McDowell are in town so that we always have pro judges.”

TOR TRETHOWAN

MATTHEW SCALLY

MEGAN PENNINGTON

COREY WILSON

AUSSIE VERMOUTH JOINS VANGUARD

AWARDS FOR GLENMORANGIE

TERRELL JOINS PERNOD

THE GLENMORANGIE COMPANY was named 2012 Distiller of the Year at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC). The distiller also took out the top prize in Best Single Malt over 15 Years Old category for its Glenmorangie’s 25 Year Old. “This accolade makes me very proud to be a part of such a highly regarded whisky company and its contribution to such a vibrant Scotch whisky industry,” Glenmorangie’s director of distilling and whisky creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, says.

“The superb quality of our whiskies has always been my top priority together with my team, and it is great to receive independent validation from the highly respected IWSC. Our attention to detail from the selection of raw materials, through careful distillation to the use of the finest quality oak casks for maturation, helps to ensure that all our whiskies provide an unparalleled taste experience”.

JAMIE TERRELL has joined the marketing team at Pernod Ricard Australia as new On-Premise Strategy Manager, and is now working alongside the company’s Brand Education Manager, Ben Davidson, to refine and deliver Pernod Ricard Australia’s on-premise strategy and brand education.

“I’m really excited to have a kindred spirit like Jamie join our team at Pernod Ricard Australia. Jamie brings his immense experience with brands and the on-premise to the table and will add valuable insight into the way we activate our brands and engage with the on-trade,” Davidson said.

Terrell’s previous role before joining Pernod Ricard was as local brand ambassador for Hendrick’s Gin, and he has also worked with Sagatiba cachaça and Plymouth gin in the US and Europe. Prior to that, he worked at some of the great bars of London, including Dick’s bar at the Atlantic Bar and Grill and the LAB bar.

ENTER THE ONLINE COCKTAIL STUDIO WITH CAMPARI CAMPARI AUSTRALIA has launched a blog and website for local bar community called The Cocktail Studio, where bartenders can access drink recipes, news, stories and get information on trends and competitions.

The site also features high quality drink photography and ‘how to’ videos, as well as regular contributions from Campari Australia brand ambassadors Oliver Stuart, Jordan Berger, Zac Markov, Daniele Pirotta and Jamie Chesher. Bartenders who sign up as members to the site will also be able to make submissions.

The Cocktail Studio will also work as a platform for the brand ambassadors to work with bars and restaurants to create bespoke cocktails and cocktail lists for individual businesses. Members will also be able to enter a monthly national cocktail competition – The Directors Cut – which involves uploading a recipe and image.

Visit www.thecocktailstudio.com.au for more information

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JASON HANNA AND MEGAN COWEN

VANGUARD LUXURY BRANDS has been appointed the Australian distributor for the new Australian vermouth brand, Regal Rogue, which was created and launched into the market late last year

by Yakusan’s Mark Ward.

“Regal Rogue has been created from the heart, from the grape through to the aromatics and branding.

From the first few months of seeding the brand into Australia we have secured amazing media exposure and recently been awarded Best Brand Identity at the Sydney Design awards,” Mark Ward says.

With this all in mind, it is imperative we work with a team who care about brands and can tell our story to the trade and consumer markets.”

Regal Rogue vermouth is currently available in a Bianco variant, with a Rosso and Dry scheduled to be released in the next few months.

OPENINGS THE BOTANIST BOTTLENECK BOTTLENECK is a new small bar located in the Kirketon Hotel lobby, launched by the team behind Eau-deVie. Industry veteran, Kass Hill is running the bar, which occupies a small area that can seat up to 35 people, in both private booths and high seats, in a rustic and relaxed space.

The food offer is refined and limited – with only meatballs, some side dishes and a ploughman’s plate available, while the drinks list is focused on Bloody Marys and a selection of beers.

229 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst, NSW Ph: 0422 263 226

FRANKIE’S PIZZA THE dynamic duo, Anton Forte and Jason Scott, have done it again with their latest venture, Frankie’s Pizza, turning a dumpy old pub into one of Sydney’s coolest and fun spots.

The front bar pays homage to the stereotypical Italian pizzerias from yesteryear, including candle-lit booths covered in chequered red and white tablecloths, and serves up delicious slices of pizza, an excellent rotating range of tap beers and classic aperitifs and digestifs.

The larger back bar is a dark, cavernous space dotted with intimate seating, large booths, disco balls, flashing lights, pinball machines and a long bar that offers a library list of beers as well as a great selection of fine spirits. The friendly and professional staff perfectly matches the quality food and drinks, and with a 4am licence it’s no wonder this place is becoming a popular local hospo hang out.

50 Hunter St, Sydney, NSW

THE guys behind Bondi Hardware have recently opened the doors to The Botanist, located down the road from the Prime Minister’s house in Kirribilli. They have transformed the former site of Milson’s restaurant (and an 80s gentleman’s club) into a stylish and spacious venue decked out with assortment of plants and quirky decorations, which is providing a much needed dose of quality drinks and food in the area.

The botanical theme is inspired by Gerard Fothergill, an eccentric, well-travelled man of science who ran a bookshop on the site where The Botanist now stands. Fothergill’s tale is told on the menu, while his travel destinations have inspired many of the dishes on offer. Drinks-wise, there is a broad range of spirits on the back bar, with rum and gin the top sellers, and a solid cocktail list, as well as a decent choice of wines and crafty beers.

17 Willoughby St, Kirribilli, NSW Ph: (02) 9954 4057

DUNORD

BOSTON

DUNORD opened its doors late last year, with owner Thomas Kiltorp taking inspiration from his Nordic roots when it came to the design of the 180 capacity venue, as well as the food and drinks selection.

Aimed at an older and more professional crowd, DuNord offers attentive, friendly service in a great space framed by exposed brick walls and subway tilings, and filled with hand crafted Oregon timber and recycled steel furniture.

The food menu includes a selection of Swedish bites and there are 20 boutique beers, including a strong selection of Swedish and Danish brews, and 30 wines on offer. The cocktail list changes weekly, and features classics as well as bespoke cocktails created from whichever fruit and vegetables are available from the markets daily.

367 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC Ph: (03) 9642 0052

THE crew from Grasshopper have taken on a new challenge with the opening of Boston, a breakfast and brunch restaurant located in the lobby of the 48 storey Gateway building. Due to the location, the new venue has a strong focus on catering for the corporate crowd and offers the perfect relaxed backdrop for meetings. An outdoor bar serves up great coffees, made with Boston’s specially roasted beans, as well as lighter style beers, artisanal wines and an accessible range of classic mixed drinks – and there is even a barrel aged signature No. 17 cocktail on offer. The place has capacity for up to 300 people and a second bar will be added on soon, while an upstairs mezzanine level has been earmarked as a function and tasting room.

1 Macquarie Pl, Sydney, NSW Ph: (02) 9241 5858

BULLETIN PLACE ONE the most anticipated small bars in Sydney, Bulletin Place, finally opened its doors before Christmas and has not disappointed. Tim Philips, Robb Sloan and Adi Ruiz have created a cosy, intimate and chilled out hole-in-the-wall bar that serves up delicious hand crafted cocktails that change according to what produce is freshly available each day. On top of the flavoursome concoctions, there is a concise back bar of quality booze to explore, which can be sipped from miniature jam jars instead of shot glasses. And the bar also allows patrons to forward-purchase drinks for their mates, which are added to a list on the wall until the person comes in to claim it.

1st Floor, 10-14 Bulletin Pl, Sydney, NSW

OPENINGS

THERE HAS BEEN A PLETHORA OF NEW VENUES OPENING ACROSS AUSTRALIA ADDING TO ONE OF THE MOST COSMOPOLITAN AND VARIED BAR SCENES IN THE REGION.

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OPENINGS

SANTA BARBARA THE WALRUS CLUB THE Walrus Club is a new basement bar, with a semi-hidden entrance, located behind The Regatta Hotel, which is being managed by former Canvas Club cocktail wizard, Krystal Hart.

The intimately lit speakeasy space is framed by exposed brick walls decorated with vintage photographs and is decked out with wooden stools, tables and crates, as well as leather couches and stylish liquor cabinets.

The bar has a rum focus, and Hart has worked hard to source over 150 rums from around the world, which join a back bar boasting close to 300 quality spirits. And they even have their own blended spiced rum.

In keeping with the rum theme, and in honour of a bit of local history, the bar was named after the SS Walrus, a floating rum distillery that sailed throughout Queensland’s rivers from 1864 to 1873.

Apart from a delectable range of rums and other fine drops, the venue also offers a good selection of charcuterie and cheeses as well as a collection of over 30 Cuban cigars.

The Walrus Club, 543 Coronation Drive, Toowong, QLD

THE ROOK THE KEYSTONE GROUP has opened a new late night rooftop restaurant and bar, The Rook, with a strong food focus and a stellar bar team. Head chef Freddy Silveira has created a menu that offers three different servings of fresh lobster as well as a list of signature burgers amongst other things.

And former Black Pearl bar manager, Cristiano Beretta, is at the helm behind the six metre long bar, joined by notable bartenders Ben Hickey and Jonothan Carr.

The bar boasts an extensive range of spirits (including a selection of 50 different gins) which were hand picked by Beretta and Keystone group bar manager Jason Williams, who have also developed the exciting cocktail list.

The venue is situated in a light-filled industrial space that features recycled wooden clad walls, bench seating, a stone brick bar, long glass windows and vintage street-inspired art murals.

56 York St, Sydney, NSW Ph: (02) 9262 2505

BACCHUS RYDGES South Bank Brisbane has unveiled a new bar and restaurant called Bacchus aimed at foodies and wine enthusiasts as well as party goers.

The venue’s boutique interiors, designed by Tracy Beckmann, emulate the chic restaurant and bars found at some of the most impressive boutique hotels in South Beach, California and NYC. The fit-out includes Italian sheer draperies, chandeliers, beautiful dining chairs and settees and a centrepiece four and a half metre long onyx marble dining table, as well as a pool bar and cabanas outside.

Executive Chef Dominic Rose has created a Mediterranean inspired menu while Kal Moore, formerly from The Laneway and Canvas, has taken on the role of head bartender.

Cnr Grey & Glenelg St, South Bank, QLD Ph: (07) 3364 0843

DRINK & DINE has taken over the former Piano Room site in Kings Cross and turned it into Santa Barbara, an exciting and engaging venue that offers guests a fun and fulfilling food and beverage experience.

Santa Barbara’s casual dining menu provides a mix of simple and tasty ‘drinking food’ that combines some of the best elements from American diner dishes and Asian cuisine.

The venue’s décor and fit out works with similar influences to the food, described as looking like a mom and pop Chinese takeaway shop meets LA mansion meets Mexican shack.

For the drinks list, the Drink & Dine team looked towards 80s holiday resorts for their inspiration, coming up with a range of twists such as Santa Coladas, Singapore Slangs and Mekong Iced Teas.

1 Bayswater Rd, Potts Point, NSW Ph: (02) 9357 7882

EL TOPO SYDNEY’S newest rooftop tequila and mezcal bar, El Topo, boasts an extensive selection of Mexican spirits, a great range of food, and an all-star bar team to boot.

Located on the top floor of The Eastern in Bondi Junction, the spacious venue can cater for over 200 people and offers a range of indoor and outdoor seating options including booths and communal tables.

The fit out is bright, colourful and playful featuring a variety of traditional Mexican decorations and icons.

Behind the bar there are close to 100 tequilas, mezcals and sotols to choose from.

The bar team serves up a creative collection of original and well-known cocktails.

The bar also offers several aged and rested sipping tequilas that have been chosen to complement the food and has a few tequila and mezcal flights available.

The rest of the drinks list features light wine styles from across the globe, imported Mexican beers and non-alcoholic Aqua Frescas.

El Topo, 500 Oxford St, Bondi Junction, NSW Ph: (02) 8383 5959

bars&clubs 11

HOT LIST

AIRN

THE B

A SHORT AND SWIFT LIST W

hile many bars regularly release a large selection of new cocktails a couple of times a year. Usually this is done in line with the change in the seasons, or the team behind the bar, but The Everleigh in Melbourne does things slightly different.

The highly acclaimed bar crafts a concise and compact new list every four to six weeks, with one cocktail for every major spirit category, and specifically limited to six or seven selections only.

“It’s never large as we prefer to focus on the Bartender’s Choice option but we always dig up a handful of those unknown to the public,” The Everleigh’s owner and operator, Michael Madrusan, explains.

“It’s designed to be an easy option for those not wanting to specify their taste preferences and be surprised by our Bartender’s Choice, which is our primary focus.”

Bar manager Alastair Walker has the responsibility for selecting the drinks for the cocktail list. And being that The Everleigh aims to ensure no one waits too long for a cocktail, all drinks tend to take less than one minute to make.

“He comes up with a list that is balanced for citrus, glassware and style. All drinks must be from our library and cannot be either contemporary or our own house drinks,” Madrusan says.

“We taste each drink we may not be so familiar with, we take a vote and I print them off. Most of the drinks we know already, so it’s a pretty quick process. Balancing the list takes the longest part.” b&c

12 bars&clubs

IE SUS R LO TAY

SUSIE TAYLOR Glass: Collins Ingredients: • 1/2 oz Lime juice • 3/4 oz House made ginger syrup • 2 oz Jamaican rum Method: Whip and pour. Top with soda Garnish: Ginger candy

THE BAIRN Glass: Rocks Ingredients: • 2 Dashes of orange bitters • 1/2 oz Cointreau • 2 oz Blended Scotch Method: Build Garnish: Orange twist

BUSTER BROWN Glass: Coupette Ingredients: • 2 oz Bourbon • 3/4 oz Lemon juice • 3/4 oz Sugar syrup • 2 Dashes of orange bitters Method: Shake and strain BUSTER BROWN

SPECIAL FEATURE

MIXERS

N, ALEX BROW R BAR MANAGE COOKIE

bars&clubs 13

MIXERS

In the past year the onpremise has seen an influx of premium mixers entering the market, which have been created to meet a growing demand from consumers for a high quality drinking experience. bars&clubs explores some of the new brands now available and what benefits they bring to bartenders. BY SACHA DELFOSSE

S

chweppes Australia has seen a great deal of interest and uptake of its premium Schweppes 1783 single serve range, launched in September last year, from some of the country’s leading bars – a testament to the quality and benefits of the mixers.

In fact, the entire range, which includes Indian Tonic Water, Dry Ginger Ale, Soda Water, Lemonade, Bitter Lemon and Lemon Lime Bitters as well the more exotic Agrum Collection flavours, was developed especially, and exclusively, for on-premise venues.

“Our key market for the Schweppes 1783 range is venues with a strong focus in building an elevated offer and experience for their patrons where quality sits at the heart of everything they do,” Schweppes Australia senior brand manager, Ben Goss, says.

“The Schweppes 1783 premium single serve range brings together quality ingredients, sleek on-premise exclusive presentation and centuries of heritage in a pack format that involves the patron in the

mixing ritual and allows them to customise the strength of their mixed drink to their individual tastes.”

In addition, the new single serve format can provide many benefits for bars, Goss states, from aesthetically pleasing drinks presentation, to fresh carbonation and reduced wastage, easier storage and a crown seal that adds a bit of theatre behind the bar.

And while Schweppes developed the range with bartenders in mind when it came to usage of the mixers, it also focused on making sure the new range satisfied the changing palates of consumers, which have become more refined and cultured.

“We are seeing a trend towards patrons drinking less but better. Patrons are becoming more educated in what makes a quality serve and less people are satisfied paying for a watery, flat mess they could have made better at home.

“To keep the people coming through the door bartenders want to ensure each and every serve is a perfect serve. In a mixed drink sense, that means perfect flavour balance and optimum carbonation.

Schweppes mixers deliver on both fronts,” Goss explains.

One of the first brands that many bartenders think of when talking about premium mixers is Fever-Tree, one of the key instigators in creating premium mixers that to match the quality of the spirits they accompany.

The seeds of Fever-Tree began germinating in 2003 as the company’s founders – Tim Warrillow and Charles Rolls – began their quest to develop the finest tonic water they could, which would

SCHWEPPES AGRUM COLLECTION BLOOD ORANGE Harnessing the oils from oranges, grapefruits and limes, Schweppes Agrum Collection Blood Orange has a fresh zesty finish purpose built for the adult palate.

14 bars&clubs

More in the

Appearance

Aroma

Taste

Texture

Luminescent crimson tones with a cloudy consistency.

Soft, sweet blood orange flavours rounded out with a measure of back palate bitterness.

Vibrant citrus elements on the nose.

A delicate texture of light bubbles that coat the tongue lengthening flavour and aroma.

MIXERS

Fever-Tree brand, fuelled by a Gin & Tonic trend that had taken a strong hold there.

And similar reasons attracted the brand down under.

“There is a great history of Gin & Tonic, and ginger beer, drinking in Australia and I understand this gin wave is starting to come to your shores in Australia.

“We launched our latest product, Mediterranean Tonic Water, late last year and we have very high hopes for that in the Australian market. Our ginger beer is also gathering more momentum in Australia,” Warrillow says.

While Schweppes and Fever-Tree both launched their premium mixers in 200ml bottles, Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) took a different approach late last year with the launch of its on-premise exclusive 330ml bottling for its portfolio.

“With an increase in the number of premium bars opening around the country, we have noticed an increase in demand for more premium products that meet consumer needs.

“This was one of the catalysts for reviewing our offering and re-releasing the Coca-Cola range in a 330ml screw top glass bottle,” CCA general manager – leisure and on-premise, David Halliday says.

He believes the new format, which provides a larger serve for the same cost as the original 250ml bottles, provides consumers with the best drink solution possible and encourages return of business.

“Consumers are also invariably happy to pay a slight premium in return for a premium product – and they really enjoy seeing the product being served in glass,” Halliday states.

Schweppes, Devices, Schweppervescence and Agrum are trade marks used under licence in Australia by Schweppes Australia Pty Ltd.

do justice to a top shelf gin when married together in a Gin & Tonic.

“We both agreed there was an opportunity for quality mixers to match the growth of premium and boutique spirits,” Warrillow says.

“If you are going to buy a good quality spirit why would you drown it in a poor quality mixer, especially in a Gin & Tonic where the tonic component can make up almost three quarters of the drink?”

After a good 18 month development, which included a journey to the RwandaCongo border to source the best quinine, the company launched the first product in its range, Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water.

Since then the range has expanded to include Mediterranean, Bitter Lemon and Naturally Light Tonic Water, as well as Sparkling Lemon, Ginger Ale, Lemonade Ginger Beer and Soda Water.

The focus from the start was high-end venues, and a large percentage of FeverTree’s business comes from the on-premise channel, even though the range is also sold through many major UK retail outlets such as Waitrose (who picked up the brand almost as soon as it launched).

The company has experienced steady growth since its inception and is the market leader in the UK premium mixers category, with Fever-Tree mixers now found in bars across 38 countries, including Australia.

“In terms of bottles, in our first full trading year we did around 500,000 bottles, and last year we did over 45 million bottles globally,” Warrillow states.

He explains that Spain was one of the first overseas markets to embrace the

bars&clubs 15

MIXERS

“To keep the people coming through the door bartenders want to ensure each and every serve is a perfect serve... that means perfect flavour balance and optimum carbonation. Schweppes mixers deliver on both fronts,” Schweppes Australia senior brand manager, Ben Goss.

Another brand that introduced new products to its range in response to changing consumer tastes is Red Bull, which launched three new variants to its portfolio towards the end of last year.

The new extensions to the range come in three different flavours – blueberry, lime and cranberry – which have been embraced by many on-premise venues, with bars such as The Backroom using them in their cocktails.

A range of quality fruit cocktail mixers have also been trickling into the marketplace in the past year, which offers bars all the benefits of real fruit purees along with convenience, consistency and cost efficiency.

One of the UK’s leading fruit puree cocktail mixer brands, Funkin, has been available in Australia for the past year and has seen a huge rise in demand from bars for the range, which includes a Margarita, Mojito, Strawberry Daiquiri, Peach Bellini, Mai Tai, Cosmopolitan, Bramble and Piña Colada variants.

“The feedback has been excellent. Bars and operators today are looking for a great tasting, authentic product they can use in their bar to ensure a consistent, great tasting cocktail every time, that saves them money, reduces their waste and is easy for the staff to use and we have been able to provide this to them,” Funkin director, Gary Polivnick, says.

“Through using Funkin mixers, bars gain year round access to the high quality fruit varieties, as well as increasing their speed of service as a cocktail can be made in as little as 10 seconds.”

Polivnick explains that Funkin cocktail mixers are made with 100 per cent natural fruit and don’t contain any additives, colourings, preservatives or flavours. And he believes any bartender that might have doubts about using Funkin will be swayed once they sample some.

“The mixers were created by bartenders for bartenders and when we have given some to bartenders who are sceptical, once they try the product they change their minds and have been convinced of the benefits and taste.

The company closely monitors cocktail trends and works with bartenders to develop new recipes, while also providing a range of support to venues, including trade education, training and consumer promotions.

“A lot of what is planned for 2013 is to help the venues increase their cocktail sales and presence, especially the venues that are currently not well known for their cocktails.

“We are in the process of working with some of the

16 bars&clubs

CRANB ISLANDERRY

ALEX BROWN BAR MANAGER

CRANBERRY ISLAND Glass: Hurricane Ingredients: • 15ml 42 Below Vodka • 15ml Cazadores Blanco Tequila • 15ml Bombay Gin • 15ml Bacardi Superior Rum • 15ml Cointreau • 30ml Lemon juice • Red Bull Red Edition Method: Shake and strain ingredients and poured over a Red Bull Red Edition base Garnish: Lemon wedge

INI

PEACH BELL

When did you start working at Cookie?

I started working here in 2008 after moving over from New Zealand. It’s creeping up on five years now.

What are bars have you worked at over the years?

I worked in Wellington at two bars, Coyote and Hope Bros – I have very fond memories of both. But aside from those and moonlighting at a few bars, it’s been Cookie all the way.

What have been some of the stand out moments in your bartending career?

When you combine a great crew, great customers, and a heaving cocktail bar, it’s hard to beat. Some of the most memorable nights ensue. I’ve been lucky enough to have many of those nights and they really are the reason I still love it.

How important is using premium mixers like for a bar like Cookie?

It’s always going to be important to us. We love being able to offer a vast array of premium products, and premium mixers like the Schweppes 1783 range are definitely part of that.

They’re great products that are easy to work with, and the idea of giving your customers their own single serve bottle to pour gives them the opportunity to have what they want, how they want it.

What benefits are there for a bar like Cookie in using single serve premium mixer like the new Schweppes 1783?

Anything that gives our punters a more personalised experience is definitely a benefit for us. The more premium products we can provide then the better.

What type of drinks do you see the new Schweppes range working well with?

Summer coolers. When it’s hot, this range is perfect when you need to make a tall refresher.

THAI FIGHTER

PEACH BELLINI Glass: Champagne Ingredients: • 20ml Funkin Peach Puree • 100ml Champagne Method: Add Funkin Peach Puree and top up the glass with champagne. Gently stir from the bottom of the glass to mix the flavours.

Glass: Tall Ingredients: • 45ml Tequila Tromba Blanco • 20ml Lime juice • 15ml Jasmine syrup • 2 Dashes of Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6 • Thai basil • Chopped lemongrass • Schweppes 1783 Agrum Blood Orange Method: Build ingredients in glass and top with Schweppes 1783 Agrum Blood Orange Garnish: Thai basil

THE SCHWEPPES 1783 PREMIUM SINGLE SERVE Combining fine ingredients with the sleekest presentation exclusive to the On Premise trade.

Schweppes, Devices, Schweppervescence and Agrum are trade marks used under licence in Australia by Schweppes Australia Pty Ltd.

MIXERS “If you are going to buy a good quality spirit why would you drown it in a poor quality mixer, especially in a Gin & Tonic where the tonic component can make up almost three quarters of the drink?”

Fever-Tree co-founder, Tim Warrillow.

DAVID FREEMAN OWNER

The Backroom What range of mixers do you stock at your bar?

We use Schweppes, H2Coco coconut water, Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer and we also have the Red Bull full range.

BERRY BULL O MOJIT

spirit companies to create joint promotions using the mixers and their products to create signature drinks for their customers,” Polivnick states.

Late last year, SouthTrade International began distributing the well-known US fruit cocktail mixers brand Finest Call, which also provides bars with the ability to make high quality cocktails reliably and quickly.

“The mixes help busy venues make consistent and tasty drinks and the profit margins are good,” SouthTrade International senior brand manager, Matt Rimmer, says.

“The Finest Call purees are popular with high-image bars that want to make a perfect cocktail. And staff do not need extensive training to make drinks with the range, so it is perfect for a venue that employs part-time staff.”

Rimmer explains that great care and effort goes into producing Finest Call, with the brand using some of the best fruit varieties from around the world, which are picked when they are at their ripest, to make the mixers.

“It is difficult to source fruit in markets that is perfectly ripe and fruit quickly deteriorates after harvesting.

“I would say to any bartender who has to work with unripened strawberries or mushy raspberries that Finest Call is a great solution. It certainly cuts down on wastage – throwing away rotten fruit comes straight off the bottom line,” Rimmer says.

Another brand mix on the market is the locally owned Revel Cocktails brand, which was launched last year with the aim of providing the opportunity for more mainstream venues to be able to offer good cocktails with minimal hassle.

“Many venues want to offer consistently great tasting and well presented cocktails, however they are faced with the significant costs of staff training and drink preparation,” Revel Cocktails director, Marc Miller, says.

“Revel Cocktails is a professional product that can be made in 30 seconds. It lets venues offer great tasting cocktails that are simple and quick to make, with excellent GP percentages.”

Many bars out there will still prefer to, rightfully so, maintain a more hands on and hand crafted approach to the mixers they use in their cocktails and drinks – be it freshly made juices and purees or home made sodas and soft drinks.

But having a range of quality packaged options available for the on-premise, which have been made with their interests in mind, gives bars more options to deliver a better experience to their customers.

GIN &

GIN & TONIC Glass: Rocks Ingredients: • 50ml West Winds The Cutlass Gin • 200ml Fever-Tree Indian Tonic water Method: Build Garnish: Lime wedge

BULL BERRY MOJITO Glass: Tumbler Ingredients: • 50ml Bacardi Superior Rum • 15ml Sugar syrup • Fresh lime and blueberries • Red Bull Blue Edition Method: Muddle lime and blueberries, build ingredients, add fresh mint and ice then stir and top with Red Bull Blue Edition Garnish: Mint Sprig Created by The Backroom

H2COOL Glass: Jam Jar Ingredients: • 30ml 42 Below Vodka • 15ml Malibu • 15ml Agwa • H2Coco Pure Method: Muddle cucumber then add other ingredients.

Shake and strain, and top with H2Coco Pure Garnish: Cucumber slice Created by The Backroom

Are there any specific brands you prefer to use for certain drinks and why?

I think Red Bull bringing out a new range of flavours was a great thing – it reinvented the brand and created a renewed interest with patrons. The new flavours provide a lot more options and versatility for using it as a mixer. We have given the range a real big push and created some twists on classic drinks, removing some of the ingredients and replacing them with the Red Bull flavours.

We also offer bottle service at The Backroom, where we serve the bottle in a specially designed 1950s waterproof suitcase, and we always provide four Red Bulls and four H2Cocos with each bottle.

DANNY SEGURA BARTENDER

Nobu Restaurant What range of mixers do you stock at your bar?

Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Lift, Schweppes Soda Water, Schweppes Tonic Water, Schweppes Dry Ginger Ale and Bundaberg Ginger Beer. All the mixers are bottles as to ensure the highest quality possible.

Are their any particular mixers that are popular with your patrons?

I believe that the customer only knows so much, and that the bar and the bar team themselves need to go the extra mile by making sure that the best mixers can be used by making sure that they stock the best.

Are there any specific brands you prefer to use for certain drinks and why?

From a personal point of view I prefer the Fever-Tree Tonic Water range. Whilst I was in London it was a personal favourite to work with and to drink with. The amount of quinine to sugar ratio was just right and it really allowed for the botanicals in the gin to shine through.

What are your thoughts on premium mixers?

I think that any change is good. It allows for the best to be used. Why compromise the experience of a premium spirit with poor quality mixers? It is an important question that is being asked by the big companies like CCA, Schweppes, Fever-Tree and any other company that has their pulse on the mixers. The only ones to really benefit from it all is the customer with a win-win situation.

What are your views on using fruit puree mixes?

During busy service the need for fruit purees is a must. I think the industry has taken leaps and bounds in this regards, and if it helps the bartender in any means without compromising the service, flavour, texture or experience and the end product is the same… why not?

H2COOL

18 bars&clubs

TONIC

Are their any particular mixers that are popular with your patrons?

H2Coco is quite popular with our clientele, a lot of them are health conscious. We have H2Coco Pure, H2Coco Pineapple and H2Coco Pomegranate and Acai, and use them in a range of cocktails like H2Jungle and H2Cool, which sell well especially in summer. H2Coco on its own is also quite popular, a lot of people drink on its own to hydrate throughout the night or at the end of the night to help with the hangover the next day. Ginger beer also sells well at the bar, we use it in a lot of cocktails and jugs.

Mainstream mixers use artificial sweeteners.

At Fever-Tree we use only the highest quality natural ingredients, sourced from small specialist suppliers all around the world. It’s a matter of taste.

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MIXERS

PRESBYTERIAN

LYNCHBURG LEMONADE WITH WINGS

Glass: Rocks Ingredients: • 30ml Rye whiskey • 200ml split Schweppes 1783 Dry Ginger Ale Method: Add rye whiskey to glass, fill with ice. Add in 50ml of Schweppes 1783 Dry Ginger Ale. Serve with the open bottle of Schweppes 1783 Dry Ginger Ale alongside glass for patrons to lengthen at will Garnish: Lime wedge

LYNCHBURG LEMONADE WITH WINGS Glass: Highball Ingredients: • 40ml Jack Daniel’s • 20ml Cointreau • 30ml Fresh lemon juice • Red Bull Silver Edition Method: Shake and strain over ice, top with Red Bull Silver Edition Garnish: Lemon wheel

H2JUNGLE

FLEMINGTON FLING Glass: Tall Ingredients: • 45ml Vodka • 25ml Fresh lime juice • 5 Mint Leaves • 200ml split Schweppes 1783 Agrum Blood Orange Method: Place mint leaves in the glass, add vodka and fresh lime. Fill glass to top with ice.

Add 50ml of Schweppes 1783 Agrum Blood Orange and churn thoroughly. Serve with open bottle of Schweppes 1783 Agrum Blood Orange alongside glass for patrons to lengthen at will Garnish: Lime wedge and mint sprig

PASSIONFRUIT MARGARITA

H2JUNGLE

What range of mixers do you stock at your bar?

We stock the Coca-Cola range of mixers. These include Coca-Cola, Sprite and the Kirks range.

Are their any particular mixers that are popular with your patrons?

I think Coke will always be a popular brand. You just can’t get around it and there really is only one Coke. Apart from that we make our own range of sodas that are proving to be quite popular, particularly our homemade non-alcoholic ginger beer.

What are your thoughts on premium mixers?

I think that the premiumisation of mixers is a good thing. I believe it allows a wider range of venues to offer a better product. It means that a patron can potentially go to any bar and still get a banging drink. I think it is particularly beneficial to the venues that don’t have the time, or perhaps, the know-how to create their own mixers, but still want to offer a good drink.

After all, isn’t that what we are there to do – create a great tasting drink for our guests? The cost though will ultimately be a factor in their popularity if guests are not willing to fork out more money for a premium mixer and bars do not carry the cost.

PASSIONFRUIT MARGARITA

What range of mixers do you stock at your bar?

Bella Vista Hotel stocks the usual range of soft drinks and juices as well as homemade ginger beer and a pink grapefruit and maraschino mixer that we use for our Hemingway Fizz – a twist on the Hemingway Daiquiri.

Glass: Rocks Ingredients: • 30ml Patrón Silver • 30ml Finest Call Passionfruit • 60ml Finest Call Margarita • Dash of Passionfruit syrup (optional) Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into an ice filled rocks glass Garnish: Passionfruit slice

The Woods Of Windsor What range of mixers do you stock at your bar?

Schweppes, Coca-Cola and Jarritos Mexican sodas.

20 bars&clubs

Hugos Group

What are your views on using fruit puree mixes?

I think that they are good for venues that don’t have time for prep. But most of the time I create my own purees – again giving me greater control over the final product.

BAR MANAGER

Are there any specific brands you prefer to use for certain drinks and why?

Always a Schweppes gin and tonic. Always Coke over Pepsi. Standard.

BEVERAGE MANAGER

Glass: Martini Ingredients: • 45ml 42 Below Vodka • 15ml Pama Pomegranate Liqueur • H2Coco Pineapple Method: Shake and strain.

Top with H2Coco Pineapple Garnish: Lime wheel Created by The Backroom

JAMES SNELGROVE

Are their any particular mixers that are popular with your patrons?

Running Woods of Windsor as a coffee shop lunchtime destination means the Jarritos sodas sell very well. And having a brand as good as Schweppes is great for customers who know what they’re tasting.

STUART MORROW

DAVID GREEN BARTENDER Bella Vista Hotel

Are their any particular mixers that are popular with your patrons?

The majority of stock from both Schweppes and CCA are popular, mainly due to the excellent marketing these companies do for their mixers.

Are there any specific brands you prefer to use for certain drinks and why?

I personally love to use Schweppes Indian Tonic Water, Goslings Ginger Beer and Moorebank Winery Lemonade because these particular brands and flavours have a major helping hand in making the highest quality Gin and Tonics, Dark and Stormys and the Lynchburg Lemonades. I believe their natural flavour compliments all the ingredients involved with as little sugar or additives as possible.

What are your thoughts on premium mixers?

Having fresh mixers for every drink is an absolute must when pairing premium products to sodas. Although it’s important not to take away from the classic flavours that customers know and love. Too light a tonic and you’ll lose a seasoned drinker.

What are your thoughts on premium mixers?

I have a high level of respect for the premium mixers supplied

by Schweppes and CCA. These products help every hospitality outlet whether a small or giant venues. These products also speed up the pace of quality drinks made so the bar has a higher turn over.

What are your views on using fruit puree mixes?

Fresh all the way. They have their place for consistency in high volume bars but personally I want to see the fruit and carbonise in my own way.

What are your views on using fruit puree mixes?

I have used Revel Cocktails mixers to serve cocktails in a venue located in an area that hadn’t had a cocktail scene before, which brought in new clientele and a new flow of profit.

Even though these products can be looked down upon by some experienced, respected cocktail bartenders, they really help some venues with monthly budgets and making customers return.

MIXERS CAMILO VILLAMIL

JASON SOTO

Toro Bar

Tipple Bar & Bistro

What range of mixers do you stock at your bar?

We stock Schweppes Soda, Tonic Water and Dry Ginger Ale bottles, Coca-Cola and Sprite cans, as well as apple, blood orange, lemon and pink grapefruit sparkling mineral waters from Daylesford & Hepburn Mineral Springs Co.

What range of mixers do you stock at your bar?

We use Coca-Cola post mix, Bundaberg Ginger Beer, along with a few house made items such as a ruby red grapefruit soda water, a cucumber tonic water and a bitter lemon. We do recommend using bottled mixers for premium and high end products.

Are their any particular mixers that are popular with your patrons?

The Daylesford & Hepburn Mineral Springs Co. range is becoming popular here.

Are their any particular mixers that are popular with your patrons?

Coca-Cola seems to be the majority holder in the patron’s eyes.

However, I don’t think the general population would be too aware and alarmed about what brand of mixer is going into their drink like a bartender would. The market isn’t flooded with many brands and most of the time you’ll find your bourbon or gin being mixed with either Schweppes or Coca-Cola.

BAR MANAGER

Are there any specific brands you prefer to use for certain drinks and why?

I usually prefer to use Coca-Cola, Sprite, the Schweppes range, and the ginger beer from Fever-Tree, because they are more popular and offer good value. I think Fever-Tree Ginger Beer is really good and spicy, it’s not as sweet as other ginger beers, it has a really nice natural flavour – perfect for Moscow Mules.

What are your thoughts on premium mixers?

The benefit that I see with the premiumisation is that you get more fresh products to the costumers and you have less wastage of soft drinks at the end of shifts.

What are your views on using fruit puree mixes?

We don’t use them. We prefer to use fresh lime and lemon juice because the flavour and quality of fresh citrus juices is unbeatable.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

BAR MANAGER

Are there any specific brands you prefer to use for certain drinks and why?

The Fever-Tree products are a good staple and add a unique character once mixed with the spirits. I found they complement the spirit rather than disguise the flavour.

What are your thoughts on premium mixers?

They’re convenient in small wine and cocktail bars where they add a touch of class to the service. Having a larger venue to control now I don’t see the use of bottles over post mix as it’s a cost effective tool and time eliminator.

What are your views on using fruit puree mixes?

I stay well away from juice mixers, I think its a clever idea but I don’t see much point for them in my bar as we don’t go through a excessive number of purees and I think fresh is best.

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bars&clubs 21

FIGHT CLUB

WA N T E D G Y GOAUN CITEF RSO AN

• ST MANAGER GREEN HOUSE BAR ER • JESS BEAV TRO BARTENDER BIS D AN R BA TEE THE TRUS • DEE ALLEN ER AND HELVETICA BARTEND -FOUNDER S.COM CO BOOZEINPRETTYCUP • PETE LONG MANAGER HULA BULA VENUE A • JOE SINAGR D BOBÈCHE ASSERIE AN BR & R BA GE ITA THE HER BAR MANAGER

BARTENDERS

T S E W D L WI M U R ANGLE WR 22 bars&clubs

FIGHT CLUB

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WA N T E D MOUNT LAWL & NORTHBRIDGE EY GANG • BILL BEWSHER

399 BAR MANAGER • BEN TUA

MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE BAR MAN

AGER

• KENNY SOETOMO

THE BRISBANE HOTEL BARTENDER • JAMES CONNOLLY

EL PÚBLICO BAR MANAGER

• MARIUSZ GANSKI

MUST WINEBAR BAR MANAGER • SIMON HOUGH

LUXE BAR BAR MANAGER • TOM KEARNEY

MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE BARTEND • MITCH KEANE

ER

EZRA POUND BAR MANAGER

For the first Fight Club of 2013, bars&clubs took a long overdue westward trip to Perth with a few boxes of some fine rums in tow and a mission to recruit as many passionate local bartenders to come and showcase the talent found in Western Australia.

To make sure we could include as many bartenders as possible, we decided to split them up in two teams – one representing the bars found around Perth’s city centre, and another comprising bartenders representing the Mount Lawley and Northbridge sectors.

Judging the proceedings were Jason Millhahn – Helvetica bar manager, Lloyd Smith – Clarence’s co-owner, Andrew McIntyre – Five Bar general manager and Tim Wastell – Night Owl Group food and beverage manager. bars&clubs 23

FIGHT CLUB ROUND 1

Havana Club Añejo 3 Años We kick off proceedings with James and Stefano and a bottle of Havana Club Añejo 3 Años. Stefano gets creative and comes up with the Coriandolo, a well presented coriander-laced sour twist with beautiful aroma and peppery taste. But it’s James’ Cuban Bandit, a twist on The Scofflaw, which claims the first round due to its classic look, rich taste, excellent balance and fresh minty aroma.

Cuban Bandit

Coriandolo

Glass: Coupette Ingredients: • 45ml Havana Club Añejo 3 Años • 15ml Mint-infused Noilly Prat • 20ml Lime juice • 15ml Crawley’s Bartender Grenadine • Fresh mint • 1 Dash of egg white Method: Shake and double strain Garnish: Mint leaf

Glass: Coupette Ingredients: • 40ml Havana Club Añejo 3 Años • 1 Inch of coriander root • 2 Cracked peppercorns • 5ml Olive oil • 20ml Lemon juice • 10ml Cointreau • 10ml St Germain • 2 Drops of Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6 Method: Muddle, shake and double strain Garnish: Coriander leaf and cracked pepper

Coriandolo

Cuban Bandit

ROUND 2

Cubaney 21 Year Old Bill and Dee step up for the second round that features Cubaney 21 Year Old, which has recently become available in Australia. Bill gets adventurous and comes up with the innovative 21 Year Old Mushroom Soup, presented in a cleverly branded coffee cup, which packs a savoury and earthy taste and aroma balanced out with some ale. And while the judges praise Bill’s experimentation, they award the round to Dee and her Grinning Face cocktail — a elegantly presented rich rum sour twist with a good balance, colour and lively citrus aroma.

24 bars&clubs

Grinning Face Glass: Large Snifter Ingredients: • 45ml Cubaney 21 Year Old • 30ml Lemon juice • 15ml Toasted coconut syrup* Method: Shake and served up Garnish: Lemon twist

21 Year Old Mushroom Soup

21 Year Old Mushroom Soup Glass: Takeaway Coffee Cup Ingredients: • 60ml Cubaney 21 Year Old • 30ml Special mushroom thing** • 30ml Fresh lemon juice • 10ml Monin Almond Syrup • Half an egg white.

Method: Shake all with ice very, very hard and then strain into a non-transparent receptacle to avoid those drinking seeing the colour Garnish: Pretty little Enoki mushrooms

Grinning Face

* Toast one cup moist coconut flakes in a pan on a stove top with a dash of peanut oil, stirring continuously until flakes are predominantly dark brown. Remove from heat and add one cup of hot water and one cup of sugar. Stir to dissolve, and sit for 8–12 hours. Fine strain and then chill before filtering through coffee paper filters or cheesecloth. ** Take four large field mushrooms and reduce in white wine, butter, garlic and parsley. Allow to cool briefly and then press off any extra liquid from the mushrooms. Cool liquid overnight and in the morning skim off the solids. To the liquid add about 10ml of orgeat and about 5ml of balsamic vinegar.

For more information on Havana Club sales or to book an educational session with our Havana Club Brand Ambassador contact your Pernod Ricard Representative or Customer Service 1300 363 153.

the authentic cuban rum

FIGHT CLUB Grog Me Up Barkeep ROUND 3

Pusser’s Rum

The Northbridge Fizz

Grog Me Up Barkeep

Jess and Ben are the next two to face off, with both of them coming up with some excellent Pusser’s Rum drinks. The Fierce one presents the judges with a twist on the Chicago Fizz, the aptly named Northbridge Fizz, a drink with an alluring appearance and a good whiff of nutmeg, which uses macadamia and port to soften the rum’s kick and bring out its sweetness. However Jess takes the round with her naval themed Grog Me Up Bar Keep, a visually appealing drink with a depth of flavours that are nicely balanced and presented with great chat.

Glass: Julep Ingredients: • 45ml Pusser’s Rum • 15ml Alvear PX 1927 • 10ml Treacle • 10ml Demerara syrup • A Dash of Lagavulin Method: Sit your julep cup in a nice big bucket of crushed ice.

Add the first three ingredients into cup, fill ice two-thirds of the way and churn well. Cap with crushed ice, garnish then remove cup from ice bucket Garnish: Assorted dried berries and nuts and a dash of Lagavulin

The Northbridge Fizz Glass: Fancy Cocktail Glass Ingredients: • 45ml Pusser’s Rum • 15ml Port • 30ml Lemon juice • 20ml Macadamia syrup • Egg white Method: Pour ingredients into a shaker. Shake and strain Garnish: Nutmeg

TMD Gold Rum The next two competitors, Kenny and Joe, use the bottle of TMD ROUND 4 Gold Rum to come up with some tasty and fun concoctions. Joe digs back to his high school days for some inspiration and comes up with the Caribbean Champagne Cocktail, a pretty looking drink with a sweet, tropical taste. But it’s Kenny’s Piña Colada Fizz, with its outstanding and outlandish garnish and vessel, along with its creamy mouth feel and sweet finish that wins the round.

Piña Colada Fizz

Caribbean Champagne Cocktail

26 bars&clubs

Piña Colada Fizz

Glass: Tall Glass Ingredients: • 45ml TMD Gold Rum • 30ml Pineapple shrub • 30ml Coco pandan mix • 15ml Palm sugar mix • 30ml Egg white • Top with Pineapple Fanta Method: Add all ingredients except Pineapple Fanta. Dry shake then wet shake. Strain into a glass with no ice. Top with Pineapple Fanta Garnish: Tiki

Caribbean Champagne Cocktail Glass: Champagne Flute Ingredients: • 45ml TMD Gold Rum • 10ml Lime juice • 10ml Simple syrup • 20ml Boiron Fruit Puree Pineapple • Miranda Golden Gate Passion Pop Method: Add all except Passion Pop to a shaker.

Shake and double strain into a champagne flute. Top with Passion Pop Garnish: A long lemon twist

FIGHT CLUB ROUND 5

Angostura 7 Year Old Joe sticks around for round five, and goes up against Mariusz using a bottle of Angostura 7 Year Old. Mariusz delivers his Stitch In Thyme cocktail, a drink presented in opulent glasses with a good balance and, as the name suggests, plenty of herbal characters and aroma. But Joe gets to claim this one, with his Bingo Bango Bongo cocktail, a bitters-driven but well balanced classic looking drink with a good rich colour and sweet and spicy aroma.

Bingo Bango Bongo

Stitch In Thyme

Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 40ml Angostura 7 Year Old • 20ml Le Birlou • 6 Dashes of Angostura Bitters Method: Stir all together in a mixing glass and strain into a chilled coupe Garnish: Aromatic bitters pickled apple balls*

Glass: Large Snifter Ingredients: • 40ml Angostura 7 Year Old • 20ml Thyme-infused liqueur • 15ml Lime juice • 5ml Sugar syrup • 30ml Apple juice • Egg white Method: Add all ingredients to mixing glass adding the egg white last. Shake and double strain Garnish: Fresh thyme

Stitch In Thyme Bingo Bango Bongo

Popcorn Colada

ROUND 6

Mount Gay Extra Old Stefano returns for round six and is joined

by Simon, and the drinks they both prepare using the Mount Gay Extra Old couldn’t be more different. Stefano mixes up the Nutty Pumpkin, a great looking rum sour with a strong citrus taste and subtle pumpkin finish. Yet it’s Simon’s kitschy Popcorn Colada that gets the judges’ votes, due to its booming taste, buttery mouthfeel, tropical aroma and original presentation.

28 bars&clubs

Glass: Popcorn Bucket Ingredients: • 40ml Mount Gay Extra Old • 20ml Popcorn fat-washed Mount Gay Blanco • 15ml Monin Coco Syrup • 60ml Pineapple juice • 2 Dashes of Bitter Truth Orange Bitters • Fresh pineapple • Orange scented coconut foam Method: Muddle pineapple and add the rest of the ingredients.

Shake and loose strain into popcorn bucket filled with ice.

Top with foam and garnish Garnish: Orange zest and a handful of Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs

Popcorn Colada

Nutty Pumpkin

Nutty Pumpkin Glass: Jar Ingredients: • 30ml Mount Gay Extra Old • 20ml Lemon juice • 15ml Grand Marnier • 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin jam Method: Shake and strain Garnish: Pumpkin crown

* Using a melon baller, remove the flesh of a pink lady or similarly sweet style of apple.

Mix together one part Angostura Bitters and three parts simple syrup. Cover apple balls in syrup in a high sided container. Cover with a small plate or similar to ensure apple balls remain submerged during the pickling process. Place in a cryo-vac machine and run the machine to remove the air from the flesh of the apple balls. Once the vacuum is broken, the submerged apple balls will suck in the bitters liquid to replace the lost air essentially instantly pickling them.

FIGHT CLUB ROUND 7

Stolen White Rum

Jess jumps back behind the bar for round seven in a close contest with Tom over a bottle of Stolen Rum. Jess’ creamy Rum Smuggler milk punch, with its excellent combination of sweet and spicy flavours gets lots of love from the judges. But its Tom’s Need For Speed, a well-balanced high octane Tiki drink with its pyromaniac finale that delivers the most entertaining (and dangerous) presentation for the day, and earns him the round.

The Need For Speed The Need For Speed

The Rum Smuggler

Glass: Tiki Mug Ingredients: • 45ml Stolen White Rum • 10ml Apricot Brandy • 5ml Strega • 20ml Lemon juice • 20ml Orgeat • 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters • 40ml Fresh pineapple juice • Overproof rum float • Absinthe spray Method: Combine all ingredients. Shake and strain into a Tiki mug. Light overproof rum on fire in hollowed out passionfruit.

Ritualistically burn a picture of the volleyball scene from Top Gun with absinthe

Cubaney Rum

has an impressive 10 aged bottles in the range, from a 3 year Anejo Oro up to the gold medal 30yr Centenario.

Garnish: Flaming overproof rum, mint sprig and a burning Maverick

The Rum Smuggler Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 45ml Stolen White Rum • 15ml Licor 43 • 2 Tablespoons of homemade Dulce de Leche • 15ml Apricot nectar • A big pinch of pepper Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker and shake very hard. Doublestrain into chilled coupe glass and garnish Garnish: A sprinkle of vanilla dust and a slice of apricot

Sailor Jerry Mitch and Pete jump on board for round ROUND eight and battle it out with a bottle of 8 Sailor Jerry. Mitch uses it to create his Last Minute Twist, a Sidecar inspired drink with beautiful contrasting colours and a carefully balanced taste and nose. Despite this, it’s Pete’s well-balanced, accessible and bittersweet tropical tasting Tiki drink, The Bitter Britomartis, that takes the win.

The Bitter Britomartis

The Bitter Britomartis

Last Minute Twist

Glass: Goddess Tiki Mug Ingredients: • 50ml Sailor Jerry • 10ml Licor 43 • 5ml Campari • 30ml Pineapple juice • 15ml Ruby grapefruit juice • 10-15ml Homemade grenadine (float) Method: Add all except grenadine to a shaker and shake. Strain into a Goddess Tiki mug, float grenadine and garnish Garnish: Tentacle and wedge of ruby grapefruit

Last Minute Twist Glass: Pretty Cup Ingredients: • 45ml Sailor Jerry • 30ml Fresh lemon juice • 15ml Cointreau • 5ml Brown Crème de Cacao • 5ml Licor 43 • 10ml Orgeat • 15ml Pinot Noir (float) Method: Shake and double strain Garnish: Anise star and orange twist

DistributeD by - La rumbLa imports telephone: +61 (0) 448 0448 60 email: info@larumblaimports.com.au www.larumblaimports.com.au

FIGHT CLUB

ROUND 9

Saint James Royal Ambre Ben and Dee get back behind the bar for round nine, mixing it up with some Saint James Royal Ambre rum. Dee presents her Wise Man tall drink in a vintage highball that the judges love, along with its sweet and savoury flavour extravaganza and subtle aroma. But Ben bags the round with his classic styled Sinking The Saint James drink, which has a savoury, citrus taste, zesty aroma and packs a nice sugar cane spirit punch.

Sinking The Saint James Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 30ml Saint James Royal Ambre • 10ml Grand Marnier • 10ml Reposado tequila • 20ml Rosso vermouth Method: Stir and strain Garnish: Lemon zest

ROUND 10

The Kraken Rum Pete and Mariusz both return for round ten with both of them taming The Kraken and serving up some delicious drinks. Mariusz stirs up a Perfect Weather, a classic styled drink with deep, dark colour and an awesome chocolate and spice taste. But Pete claims this round too, with his Sazerac inspired Krakerac, a big and boozy, yet balanced, concoction that delivers good citrus notes and a subtle lemon nose.

30 bars&clubs

Wise Man Glass: Collins Ingredients: • 60ml Saint James Royal Ambre • 30ml Lime juice • 40ml Apple and sage syrup • Top with dry sparkling wine Method: Shake and serve in a Collins glass over ice, and topped with wine Garnish: A sage sprig and a thyme sprig

Wise Man

Sinking The Saint James

Krakerac Glass: Coupette Ingredients: • 45ml The Kraken Rum • 15ml Martell Cognac VS • 5ml Homemade falernum • 10ml Wray & Nephew OP White Rum • A Dash of Bitterman’s Tiki Bitters Method: Rinse glass with Wray & Nephew, mix remaining ingredients minus bitters in a stirring jug with ice and strain into rinsed glass. Add bitters and garnish Garnish: Lemon twist

Perfect Weather Glass: Martini/Coupette Ingredients: • 50ml The Kraken Rum • 5ml Dolin • 5ml Mozart Black • A few drops of Old Fashioned Bitters Method: Stir and strain Garnish: Orange zest and flamed cinnamon dust

Krakerac Perfect Weather

FIGHT CLUB ROUND 11

Inner Circle Green Dot Round eleven sees Simon and Dee rejoin the fray, this time working their magic with a bottle of Inner Circle Green Dot. Dee presents the judges with the funky looking Amber Wave cocktail, a powerful but harmonious drink. But Simon takes this round with his Purple Sticky Punch, which superbly marries up tarty and sweet flavours and tops it off with a great dark berry aroma.

Purple Sticky Punch

Purple Sticky Punch Amber Wave

Glass: Bamboo Cup Ingredients: • 35ml Inner Circle Green Dot • 20ml Vedrenne White Cocoa Liqueur • 5ml Absinthe • 8 Blueberries • 20ml Lemon juice • 15ml Monin White Chocolate Syrup • 1 Dash of egg white Method: Shake all and strain into cup Garnish: Crushed ice, blueberries and lemon twist

Amber Wave Glass: Tiki Mug Ingredients: • 45ml Inner Circle Green Dot • 15ml Alvear PX • 30ml Pink grapefruit juice • 30ml Lemon juice • 30ml Ginger sugar syrup* Method: Shake and serve in a Tiki mug over ice Garnish: Grapefruit wedge, mint sprig and swizzle * Peel and chop ginger finely to make approximately half a cup.

Cover with a quarter cup of sugar and sit overnight. Next day stir until sugar is dissolved and fine strain.

FIGHT CLUB

ROUND 12

Flor de Caña 7 Year Old Dee sticks around for another round, this time up against Tom, and they both go nuts with a bottle of Flor de Caña 7 Year Old. Tom creates the tasty Nuts Deep In A Nicaraguan drink and puts on a good show when presenting it. But Dee’s Almond Flip takes the round, kicking goals with its creamy and toasted taste, fresh and clean presentation and light almond aroma.

Almond Flip Glass: Coupette Ingredients: • 60ml Flor de Caña 7 Year Old • 60ml Fresh pressed pineapple juice • 30ml Roasted almond syrup* • 1 Whole egg Method: Dry shake, shake with ice and fine strain Garnish: Almond flakes and an orange zest

ROUND 13

Pyrat XO Reserve Rum With the competition neck and neck, James and Jess jump into the ring and throwdown with a bottle of Pyrat XO Reserve Rum. James busts a move and mixes up a great BBQ flavoured drink, Jungle Flower, which ingeniously uses Campari ice cubes to balance out some of the sweeter elements in the drink. But Jess snares the win with her Smooth Talkin’ Pyrat, a rich and robust well balanced drink with a great taste, colour and finish.

32 bars&clubs

Nuts Deep In A Nicaraguan Glass: Crystal Rocks Ingredients: • 45ml Flor De Caña 7 Year Old • 5ml Branca Menta • 1 Barspoon of chestnut cream • 1 Barspoon of plum jam • 10ml Plum juice Method: Combine all ingredients in shaker. Shake and double strain into chilled glass. Pour cinnamon fog over the top

Nuts Deep In A Nicaraguan

Almond Flip

Smooth Talkin’ Pyrat Glass: Vintage Cocktail Ingredients: • 60ml Pyrat XO Reserve Rum • 30ml Vanilla-cherry shrub** • 15ml T2 sweet spice tea Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker. Shake and double strain into a chilled glass Garnish: Orange twist

Smooth Talkin’ Pyrat

Jungle Flower Glass: Highball Ingredients: • 60ml Pyrat XO Reserve Rum • 60ml Mesquite barbecued pineapple juice • 2.5ml Bittermans Tiki Bitters • 20ml Lime juice • 15ml Sugar syrup Method: Shake and strain over Campari ice cubes Garnish: Pineapple leaf

Jungle Flower

* Roast one cup of almonds for 10 minutes at 200 degrees. Blend almonds and mix with one cup of hot water and ¾ of a cup of sugar. Stir to dissolve and sit for 8-12 hours. Fine strain, chill and then strain through cheesecloth. ** Combine two cups pitted fresh cherries with one and a half cups white sugar, and soak for three days in a jar. Strain through cheesecloth and simmer with one cup white wine vinegar, then chill in fridge.

FIGHT CLUB

ROUND 14

J.M Rhum Blanc

Sweet As Joe

Lucky Triangle

The final round sees Joe and Mitch go head to head with a bottle of J.M Rhum Blanc, which Mitch uses to craft the Lucky Triangle, a pretty looking pink cocktail with a big and bold taste and nice citrus aroma.

But it gets beaten by Joe’s raspberry and rum crushed ice creation, Sweet As Joe, which wins the votes with its striking colour, fresh aroma and awesome tarty taste – and delivers the victory to the city crew.

Sweet As Joe Glass: Goblet Ingredients: • 60ml J.M Rhum Blanc • 30ml Lemon juice • 20ml Crawley’s Orgeat Syrup • 2 Tablespoons of defrosted frozen raspberries • 2 Dashes of Fee Bros West Indian Orange Bitters Method: Add all to a shaker with ice and shake. Double strain into a goblet over crushed ice Garnish: Mint sprig and fresh raspberries

Lucky Triangle Glass: Martini/Coupette Ingredients: • 45ml Grapefruit, lemon and orange infused J.M Rhum Blanc • 15ml Lillet Blanc • 1 Dash of Peychauds Bitters Method: Stir and strain Garnish: Lemon, orange and grapefruit twist

FINAL TALLY

CITY GANG 8

MT LAWLEY/NORTHBRIDGE GANG 6 bars&clubs 33

PERTH BAR SCENE

PERTH AND FOREMOST

A

recent visit to Perth at the start of the year highlighted that the mining industry is not the only thing that is booming in Western Australia, with the city’s vibrant and dedicated bar scene continuing to explode and evolve.

The city is undergoing a burst of activity and energy that seems to be engrossing local bartenders with its buzz. One key example of this is the recently developed Brookfield Place.

This drinking and dining hub, located in the shadows of the BHP offices that is home to several thousand employees, has provided an ideal location for a range of classy establishments including Trustee Bar, The Heritage Brasserie & Bobèche Bar, Print Hall and the recently redecorated Bar LaFayette.

And joining them soon will be Choo Choo’s, a semisubmerged hole-in-the-wall bar currently under construction, which will provide an smaller, less formal place for those BHP employees (and others) to drink in.

Over the past few years, a grand selection of stylish, sophisticated small bars such El Público, Clarence’s, Defectors and Five have joined Luxe Bar and Must Wine Bar (two venues credited with spearheading the local cocktail culture) on Beaufort St, making the Mount Lawley area a key destination for any discerning drinkers.

Located a little further away, and standing on its own, in North Perth is The Classroom, which has recently added another ‘secret’ room to the bar and offers top notch food and booze in engaging surroundings.

Another hot spot for alcohol aficionados of all stripes is Northbridge – described as Perth’s answer to Sydney’s Kings Cross – where Mint nightclub continues to successfully cater to the L-plated drinkers while its sister venue, Air (a bartenders’ type of nightclub), keeps pulling in a large and diversified crowd every weekend.

Nearby on the exciting Williams Street bar strip, where notable bars such as Ezra Pound, 399 and Universal Bar are found, the arrival of Mechanics’ Institute has been warmly received, and the team there continue taking things to the ‘nek level’.

Closer to the city, the semi-secluded Wolf Lane is home to a few small bars, including the namesake Wolfe Lane bar, which has recently been taken over by The Publican Group, which has transformed it into a funky and fun bar.

And as soon as licensing issues get sorted out, a new bar will be calling Wolf Lane home, Bar de Halcyon, currently being developed by Tim Wastell (who moved over from Melbourne to work for the Night Owl Group) which will have a Spanish pinxtos menu and a great selection of coastal wines.

Speaking of new venues, Gary Beadle is currently on the look out for a new spot to open his next bar, following the sale of 399, while also working on a book that will offer helpful advice and tips for anyone that is opening, owning or operating a bar.

It will cover everything except cocktail recipes, for as he points out, if someone is at that stage in their bartending career it would be right to assume they already know how to make drinks. b&c

34 bars&clubs

CECIL D COMES TO LIFE

uring a recent visit to Perth, bars&clubs had the chance to visit Cecil, a hidden bar set up in the home of four local bartenders – Dee Allen, Bill Bewsher, Tom Kearney and Mitch Keane – which has taken on a personality of its own.

WHEN AND HOW WAS CECIL CONCEIVED? Cecil is the amalgamation of the collective paraphernalia of four previously homeless people. Circumstance brought us together and only love will tear us apart.

We moved in to what can only be assumed to be an ex-brothel, the bathroom has floor to ceiling tiles, the toilet an ultraviolet light and the hallway has eight separate rooms.

When one of us found the amazing space and told the others our thoughts naturally moved towards the pints we were imbibing and the possibility of doing it in our own home.

HAS HAVING YOUR OWN BAR TAUGHT YOU ANYTHING? Mitch has learnt how to make blazers, Tom has learnt bar origami, Bill has learnt the refined art of Nerf gun warfare and Dee has learnt tolerance. And we may or may not have all mastered the art of illicit distilling.

Obviously this has helped no end in our careers and athletic endeavours.

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE CRAZIEST THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED AT CECIL? Let’s just say if we had a licence we would have already lost it many times over. Cecil enables us to do what we are paid to prevent.

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT MORE ABOUT THE GREAT GLASSWARE AND BAR PARAPHERNALIA COLLECTION FOUND AT CECIL? At first we all collected interesting glasses independently of each other. However when Bill and Dee created the Booze in Pretty Cups website, it shed light on the collective mild obsession with awesome glassware. What’s really important is that we use pretty much all of our crystal and such – so it’s far from a glass museum.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HAVE IN STORE FOR CECIL? An assortment of self-indulgent fun bartender experimental wankery including but not limited to: a house bitters program, glassware accumulation, a tinctures program, an ice program, further glassware accumulation, and most importantly good times.

SPECIAL FEATURE

VODKA

LI LAVER, R BARTENDE DUNORD

bars&clubs 35

VODKA

BY IAIN MACGILLIVRAY

PREMIUM

VODKA MAKING WAVES

Vodka is one spirit that we are all too familiar with.

Whether you are serving a classic Martini to a suited businessman or sixteen Cosmopolitans to a haggle of hens, it is a spirit that every bartender in their life will have had to deal with.

But vodka has evolved. It is no longer that cheap nasty paint thinner you could get from the bottom shelf of the bottle shop. Instead, this sagely spirit has grown up, just like you, changing and evolving to match the demands of the market.

36 bars&clubs

VODKA

I

t is quite clear that vodka has grown and changed from days of yore, clearly evident in the growing range of premium and ultra-premium vodka brands now catering to the more discerning drinkers.

These brands have also led the way in opening up a niche in highend bars for those who are seeking good quality vodkas, and reaching a level of prestige where it is no longer just an economical drink for the mass but an exclusive – and a bit more expensive – choice for those with taste and money to spend.

“Ultimat Vodka is a brand that we would like to position as the brand to party with, the brand to celebrate a special occasion with, for fashion designers and creative people who would like to experience the best things in life. We do not want to be the first pour brand, but the premium back bar brand,” SouthTrade International senior brand manager, Tony Lau, says.

SouthTrade International has moved away from the traditional

image of vodka and has positioned Ultimat as an exclusive brand, which has already been linked with many VIP and celebrity parties, as well as taking part in a range of fashion events, across the US. According to Lau, the vodka category in Australia is expected to grow at above 7 per cent this year, so bars can expect to see an increase in their vodka sales, especial from premium and super premium brands.

“With the strong growth in the premium end of spirits, $75 and above, we are likely to see strong growth for Ultimat Vodka in 2013 as more and more people become aware of not only its quality bottle design but also the quality of the liquid that goes into each bottle.

“Ultimat Vodka has been carefully crafted using three starches — potato, wheat and rye.

This brings a unique taste profile that you will not usually get from other vodkas,” Lau explains.

The company’s plans for the brand this year are to gain distribution into the right venues that are in line with Ultimat’s positioning and profile.

“The target market for Ultimat Vodka is those discerning consumers who want to be different and try something of high quality.

The age group we are targeting is between 25 to 40 years old – people with high disposable incomes who are always looking for brands to reward themselves,” Lau says.

One new premium vodka brand that has been catching both

The vodka category in Australia is expected to grow at above 7 per cent this year, so bars can expect to see an increase in their vodka sales, especial from premium and super premium brands. consumers’ and bartenders’ attention is Crystal Head Vodka, created by actor Dan Aykroyd, which won the 2012 ALIA for New Product of the Year as well as Best Luxury Spirit ($75 Plus).

While the brand’s distinct and dynamic skull shaped bottle is the first thing that gets noticed by people, it’s the quality vodka inside the bottle that is making it quite popular, according to Joe Molinari, the director of the brand’s local distributor, Combined Wine and Foods.

“Its quality is a stand out. Most people I know drink it neat since it contains no additives, so it is a pure platinum spirit. It’s new on the market but at this point all demographics are buying.

“Although it’s very hard to calculate our market share, as it has been on the market 12 months, we were without stock for four months due to unbelievable trade and public reaction,” Molinari explains.

One vodka brand that is set to reinvigorate itself this year is Stolichnaya – one of the top premium vodkas on a global scale – which joined the island2island portfolio last year.

“Stolichnaya vodka is looking to reaffirm its premium positioning in key markets globally. In 2013 island2island will focus on communicating the brand’s unique proposition and usage occasion for bartenders,” island2island marketing manager Nathan Forde says.

“The brand can really hang its hat on the fact that it’s been in production for over 100 years, and is a pioneering quality vodka of many firsts, for example, Stolichnaya was the first vodka brand to release an ultra-luxury product, elit by Stolichnaya, in 2003.”

bars&clubs 37

VODKA

While Stolichnaya is targeted at males and females in the 25 – 34 bracket, elit by Stolichnaya is aimed at more mature drinkers who have larger disposable incomes.

Another premium vodka brand that changed hands last year is Russian Standard, now distributed

by Suntory Australia, which is also planning a great deal of marketing activity around the range.

“For 2013, the key is getting consumers to understand and appreciate what Russian Standard Vodka represents,” Suntory Australia assistant brand manager, Tim Lau, says.

“We plan on executing this through a mix of ATL and BTL activations in the on and off trade, and continual training through the Club Suntory program and brand ambassadors.”

Another way that brands have engaged is by sponsoring more youth driven events. Vodka O is one such brand that has pinned its success on being involved and partnering individual and intimate sponsorships and events.

Vodka O kicked off the year with sponsoring the highly successful New Year’s Day event - Let Them Eat Cake, which was held at Werribee Mansion in Victoria.

It also hosted the Vodka O Cocktail bar, with bartender Clinton Weir carving his magic, at the Portsea Polo in January and partnered up with the Sydney Film Festival.

“Vodka O’s success has been founded on being involved and partnering with individual and intimate sponsorships and events, and this will continue

38 bars&clubs

category has lost its sheen with many members of the bartending community. Tim Lau believes this could be attributed to the fact vodka is “a neutral spirit that lacks the flavour and aromas of other spirits”. “[However] even though bartenders may dislike vodka, consumers love it. So for this reason alone bars should be experimenting with it,” Lau says.

“Classic cocktails such as Cosmopolitans, Moscow Mules and vodka Martinis and mixed drinks like vodka lime and soda are consumer favourites, but it is vodka’s ability to be used in combination with versatile

in 2013,” ASM Liquor marketing manager, Pieta Jordan, states.

This is also the case with Absolut (whose famous advertising campaign reinvented the vodka category in the 90s) who have partnered up with Dean Sunshine (street art fanatic) for the launch of the Land of Sunshine book.

The book is described as the chronicle of an ambitious mission to capture the vibrancy and beauty of street art across the city of Melbourne, and features over a hundred Melbourne artists, with special exposés on a dozen specific artists who have made their impressions on Melbourne’s walls, including Adnate, Be Free, CDH, Deb, Drab and H. Yet despite vodka’s popularity amongst customers the

DILL & PICKLE SOUR Glass: Rocks Ingredients: • 30ml Ultimat Vodka • 30ml Regal Rouge Vermouth • 20ml Fresh lemon juice • 10ml Sugar syrup • 1 Barspoon of pickle juice • 1 Barspoon of Green Chartreuse • Egg white • Dill sprigs Method: Add all ingredients and give it a dry shake. Add ice and shake then double strain into a chilled glass Garnish: A dill and a pickle

LI LAVER, BARTENDER DUNORD, MELBOURNE When did you start bartending and what bars have you worked at?

I started in Oslo, Norway a few years ago. I had a lot of friends working in the industry and was always sitting with curiosity on the other side of the bar, then I got the opportunity to get on board and give it a go myself. In Melbourne I’ve worked at The Emerald Peacock, The Red Hummingbird and now DuNord.

What have been some of the most memorable moments you have had as a bartender?

I must say being involved of the whole process of opening DuNord. Its been such an experience.

How well do premium vodkas sell at DuNord?

They sell well, we don’t have a huge selection of vodkas, but we always make sure we have a wheat based, rye based and potato based vodka, and of course a mixed grain one like Ultimat to offer our costumers.

Vodka-based drinks are in high demand at DuNord, such as your famous vodka lime and soda, but at DuNord our selection of premium vodkas such as Ultimat are mostly enjoyed as a Martini.

Are there any other drinks you think Ultimat works well in?

Ultimat vodka surprises me with its great balance of potato, rye and wheat. It stands out beautifully in all the well-known classics such as your Bloody Marys, and Martinis, but we highly recommend our customers to drink it on the rocks with a twist of lime.

What is you preferred way to drink vodka?

On the rocks or in a Pickle & Dill Sour.

VODKA

flavours that is matched by none and is one of the key reasons for its massive popularity.”

James Howard from the Woolshed Bar agrees and asserts that if customers “want Cosmos and vodkabased drinks, even if bartenders don’t like making them, you have to give them what they want”.

When asked about why some bartenders dislike vodka, Trish Brew from the Gin Palace suggests that it is due to the excessive amounts of vodka brands available so “bartenders have to be quite cut-throat with their decision on which vodka to place on their back bar”.

“If you distill bad vodka you can taste it, you cannot mask and hide it with wood or botanicals like malt whisky and gin does,” Brew points out.

“But patrons are discerning and can distinguish between different products.

This means that once a customer is sold to a particular vodka brand they will continue to come back and drink that product.

This can only lead to better turnover and higher profits for the bar plus education for the customer”.

Mike Barker from GoGo Bar agrees and believes that bartenders who do not like vodka need to “expand their horizons” and that only through more education and

40 bars&clubs

tastings will such change in mindset occur.

Ketel One’s national brand ambassador, David Beatty, concedes that vodka has lost some of its popularity with bartenders but says that “even if there is a strong dislike amongst the community, bartenders have to be aware that there is much to gain from using premium vodkas.

“Vodka is essentially a blank canvas so there’s always room for creativity.

That being said, bringing out and complementing the subtle character of wellmade vodkas is a challenge in itself, so it does provide the opportunity to show your grasp of balancing delicate flavours, aroma and character in drinks,” Beatty states.

Sonya Ward from Tamborine Mountain Distillery — which makes a range of quality artisanal vodkas using native Australian ingredients — has a similar view to Beatty when it comes to what vodka can offer creative bartenders.

“The clarity and purity of vodka lends itself to a more ‘foodie’ bartender who can ‘go to town’ with a plethora of exciting foods and fruit in his or her cocktail mix.

Vodkas should be essential to a bartender’s palate,” Ward says.

She also points out that a good quality vodka doesn’t just go well with a ‘foodie’ bartender, but

can also superbly complement a range of food dishes.

“A chilled straight vodka shot, is superb a with Russian or Swedish style smorgasbord.

Chilled lemon myrtle vodka is sensational accompanied with salted herrings on rye, and chilli vodka is a fabulous friend to oysters,” Ward recommends.

One brand that has embraced the vodka and food pairing potential is William Grant & Sons’ Beluga vodka, which is being marketed as a product that can correspond very well with food and is being placed mainly in highend restaurants.

“Beluga vodka is a truly luxurious brand, named after the most expensive type of caviar, it is the number one performing vodka brand in both the super and ultra premium segments in Russia,” William Grant & Sons marketing executive Laura Thompson says.

“The fine ingredients used along with the distillation process and resting period result in a rich taste and mild aroma that lends itself perfectly to food pairing, particularly with seafood dishes.”

Vodka for all its history is not going to lay down lightly in the ever constant battle for the prime place in the bartender’s back bar. It will still fight to be relevant amongst the bartender community but with the

MADY REMNANT, BAR SUPERVISOR THE BUCKET LIST, SYDNEY How long have you been bartending?

I’ve been a bartender for over three years and have been working at The Bucket List for over a year.

PASH A SKULL Glass: Martini Ingredients: • 60ml Crystal Head Vodka • 15ml Mango puree • 15ml Lime juice • 5ml Passionfruit puree • 10ml Sugar syrup • Sweet vermouth rinse Method: Stir and strain Garnish: Half a passionfruit

advent of these new and exciting premium brands that are coming forth, who knows what vodka’s place will be in the next couple of years.

With food matching, sponsored events and more education, vodka is regaining its place amongst the big hitters again. It would be wrong to say vodka hasn’t changed and maybe the next time you are making those cosmos and vodka lime and sodas that every customer asks for, reach behind you and grab a bottle of premium vodka and upsell.

The versatility of these premium ranges means that new and exciting cocktails can be created if only a little bit of imagination is put into it. Remember though, one piece of vodka etiquette – never serve a martini shaken not stirred. b&c

What are some of your most memorable experiences as a bartender?

Well everyday I spend working at The Bucket List is quite memorable.

It’s such a fun and fantastic environment to work in, we are located right across from Bondi Beach, you can’t really beat that. The venue looks amazing, the customers are great and the team we have here is excellent.

How do you feel about using vodka in drinks?

Vodka is an awesome base spirit when it comes to making cocktails because you can create any flavour you want with it, it allows you to play with a diverse range of ingredients. At the moment we are selling a lot of vodka cocktails made with fresh, seasonal summer fruits.

What do you think of the new Crystal Head Vodka?

It has been quite popular with our customers, we’ve sold a fair bit of it.

I think it’s great because it stands out on the back bar, it gets people’s attention, everyone asks about it, and then when they try it they find it to be a quite smooth vodka.

REINRODUCING TE ORIGINAL TASE

Distilled just three times to retain the subtle taste and smooth character of fine Russian wheat then filtered through super–fine Quartz sand, Russian Birch Wood charcoal and fine cloth. Only the highest quality vodka leaves the distillery gates.

PURITY

To maintain Stolichnaya’s original character; ultra–modern distilling of the highest quality Alpha spirit in Russia combined with century old traditions of charcoal filtration in Latvia, maintains legendary purity.

ORIGINALITY

As the original premium vodka, Stoli can celebrate a catalogue of firsts and pioneering achievements.

It has traveled around the world and even journeyed to the stars.

ORIGINS

Stolichnaya’s origins, history and iconic reputation originate in the early 20th Century. Today, the oldest traditions are honoured to guarantee the vodka is universally praised for the smooth character it brings to every drink.

For more information, contact your island2island Area Manager or phone 02 9672 6440.

DRINK STOLI RESPONSIBLY. STOLICHNAYA® Premium Vodka. Registered trademark of Spirits International B.V., Australia. © SPI Group 2012. 40% Alc/Vol. Distilled from grain.

MASTERCLASS

5

Having cut his teeth at various pubs and clubs in the UK, since arriving in Australia, Paul Ramsay has worked at some of Melbourne’s finest cocktail bars including Gingerboy and The Galley Room.

In January last year he joined The Kodiak Club team and began working on opening Little Blood, the acclaimed and award winning ‘cantina de tequila’ located above The Kodiak Club. And for the last six months he has been managing both bars.

“What can I say about Little Blood, it’s always a party. It’s a small bar with no signage and no advertising, being a bit hidden means punters have to come and find us but also gives us the time to talk about the products we sell and educate the people who want to learn,” Ramsay says.

“This drink was something that myself and Nathan Taylor had been working on for Little Blood – the basic frame of the drink had been built but was missing one last element. I had some jalapeños infusing into tequila for a different drink but thought we should try using it in this and it brought everything together.”

Step Step by

BARRACUDA

Glass: Coupette Ingredients: HEADING • 45ml Jalapeño-infused Herradura Plata Glass: Text • 7.5ml Green Chartreuse • 7.5ml D.O.M. Benedictine • 15ml Fresh lime juice • 1 Slice of cucumber • 1 Whole egg Method: Muddle cucumber then add other ingredients and dry shake. Shake with ice and double strain into glass Garnish: Cucumber slice

BARRACUDA 42 bars&clubs

MASTERCLASS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW JARVIE.

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Muddle cucumber Add lime juice Pour D.O.M. Bénédictine Pour Green Chartreuse Pour Jalapeño-infused Herradura Plata 6. Add whole egg 7. Dry shake 8. Shake with ice 9. Double strain 10. Garnish and serve

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9 10 bars&clubs 43

23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;24

februAry 2014

melbourne

products. knowledge. pAssion.

discover something new.

top shelf 2014.

where: Town Square Pavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds, Gate 5, Langs Road, Ascot Vale, VIC 3032 want to attend? Register your interest at www.topshelfshow.com.au want to exhibit? Contact Paul wootton email: pwootton@intermedia.com.au | Mobile: 0481 167 317 | Direct: (02) 8586 6155

A celebrAtion of premium drinks And bAr culture Top Shelf, a unique drinks show championing boutique brands and bartending excellence, launches in Melbourne in February 2014.

Aimed at trade professionals and discerning consumers alike, it will bring together the drinks industry’s finest suppliers in order to showcase an exceptional range of premium spirits, craft beers and ciders, fine wines, quality soft drinks and bar accessories available in the market.

A packed programme of seminars, tastings and masterclasses will offer a platform for industry leaders to inform, educate and do business; while competitions and cocktail demonstrations will highlight the talent, professionalism and innovation that drives Australia’s bar industry today.

Top Shelf will open to the public on Sunday 23 February 2014, and also includes a trade-only day on Monday 24 February 2014, allowing suppliers to do business with those members of the trade with purchasing responsibility.

In addition, some of Melbourne’s finest bars will play host to events connected to the show, offering unique tastings, private masterclasses, bespoke cocktails and other exclusive drinks experiences throughout the city.

By championing producers who place an emphasis on craft and quality, as well as showcasing the best of Australia’s world-famous bar scene, Top Shelf is sure to be one of the most talked-about events of 2014.

why MelbouRne?

With its vibrant food and drink culture, Melbourne is the perfect home for Top Shelf. The city boasts some of the best cocktail bars in the world, a diverse and thriving hospitality industry and a local population famously passionate about going out. Top Shelf will take place in the Town Square Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds, a multipurpose event and exhibition complex offering topclass facilities and excellent transport links. Located in Ascot Vale, the venue is easily accessible, just a short hop from the centre of the city. You can find more information on Melbourne Showgrounds by visiting: www.melbourneshowgrounds.com

Show highlightS • 100s of world-class products • Category-inclusive: spirits, beers, wines and soft drinks • A place for buyers to do business • Full programme of tastings and masterclasses • Internationally-renowned speakers • Fight Club Live • Additional events in Melbourne’s top bars

why now?

With interest in premium, quality produce at an all-time high among both the trade and consumers, there’s no better time for a show championing and celebrating quality boutique brands. Top Shelf 2014 promises an unrivalled insight into the world of fine beverages. No bartending professional should miss it.

Register your interest now at www.topshelfshow.com.au

MARQUEE SYDNEY

MARQUEE AND THE MINIMUM METHOD

THE MARQUEE SYDNEY

Sydney nightclub Marquee has broken new ground in Australia with its bottle service approach. Here, Lou Abin of brand owner The Tao Group justifies the concept of minimum spend, highlights the differences between running a club in Sydney and running one in Las Vegas and explains why flying fairies are cool. BY PAUL WOOTTON

“B

ack in the States, we have a zip line across the roof of the club,” The Tao Group’s Lou Abin says.

“Once someone spends a certain amount on Champagne, they’re paying for something special and that’s exactly what they get. We’ll have someone dressed in a fairy outfi t that will slide across the club over hundreds of people.

That may look absolutely ridiculous but when you’ve thrown a few back you think it’s the coolest thing in the world. And they’ll present that Champagne to the guest.”

You have to love America.

Nowhere else does nightclub razzamatazz in quite the same way. And in America no one does nightclubs quite like the Tao Group. With clubs located in Las Vegas and New York, the company specialises in attracting high rollers and celebrities – the kind of guests that generally have plenty of cash to burn. Which is just as well.

46 bars&clubs

The bottles of Champagne delivered by that fl ying fairy cost anything between $1,500 and $250,000.

That might seem like a lot of money to pay for some booze but as Abin, a partner in the Tao business, explains, “People aren’t buying the alcohol, they’re buying the real estate, they’re buying the show. They’re buying the notoriety”.

Since March 2011, Australians have been able to get a taste of the Tao show at Marquee Sydney, a joint venture with The Star casino’s owner Echo Entertainment. The same formula of swish design, top DJ talent and bottle service has been faithfully reproduced – with some key differentiations.

Take bottle service, for example. The concept has been around in the US for 12 years or so but it’s relatively unheard of here. The idea has evolved into what Abin calls “real estate minimums”. With high rents and substantial set-up costs, clubs wanted

to ensure a decent return so began to insist on a minimum spend from customers wishing to sit at a table.

That meant guests buying bottles of premium spirits or vintage wines.

With the concept so alien here, Marquee Sydney has fewer tables and more bar stations, where guests can order single drinks rather than bottles. “We knew that changing the paradigm and selling more bottles would take time, it wouldn’t just happen overnight,” Adin says.

“But it’s going well.

Initially, bar sales were double the bottle sales.

On certain nights now it’s almost even.”

He’s confi dent they can grow bottle sales still further.

“Once we get the entire marketing effort behind it, once more people see and appreciate the experience, then more people are willing to pay for that experience.”

By experience, he’s talking about a direct view of the DJ booth, your own personal server and plenty

of room in which to relax “instead of bumping into 500 other people”.

The minimum spend depends on the event and the credentials of the DJs but starts at $1,500 for a table for the night. Belvedere, the club’s biggest selling spirit, costs $385 per bottle but, as Adin points out, you don’t have to buy four bottles of vodka to hit your minimum spend.

“If you’re just there with a friend, you could spend $1,500 on a bottle of Cristal and you get the whole show and live like a rock star for a night.”

It’s not everyone’s idea of value for money but Tao makes sure it offers up the hottest international DJ talent, along with the odd celebrity you can ogle across the dance fl oor. In any case, in the US, a lot of customers love being in the limelight and that’s part of what they’re paying for. Spend enough and you literally have a spotlight shone on you.

One reason why Adin

was in Sydney just recently was to study the Australian market a little more and understand how it differs.

“I’m trying to fi gure out what people want, what makes them happy. In our clubs people who spend a lot of money want to be placed on a pedestal for everyone to see. I don’t feel that happens very often here, whether that’s a good thing or bad,” he says.

“It’s just about understanding what everybody wants. If it’s more of an even feeling across the board then that’s what we have to strive to attain, making every single table feel like that.”

In Tao’s American clubs, single customers have regularly spent $100,000 or more in a night. “We haven’t had a huge spender in Sydney since we opened up,” says Adin. There were some $20,000 cheques when it fi rst opened but those enjoying table service are generally spending between $2,000 and $5,000 a night.

Sydney isn’t Las Vegas, where 10,000 potential customers arrive every day.

As Adin explains, Sydney’s market is more like New York, in that you’ll see the same guests every week. “In Vegas they come out once every three or four months. So marketing to them is a totally different strategy,” he says.

“In Sydney we have to go after that same guest every single week and give them a different experience and another reason to come back the following week. So though we may not have a higher spend in those one-off moments, we’ll have people spending less money but more of them.” b&c

Save the date WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER 2013

K(E)Y COMPONENTS

PROFESSIONAL PIONEERING Navigating The World Of Whisk(e)y For Your Bar

BY DAN WOOLLEY – WORLD OF WHISKY AMBASSADOR

T

he term pioneer has never been one to scoff at. It’s an expression that demands respect — especially in our game — and Glenfi ddich has certainly earned the moniker of pioneer in the fi eld of single malt Scotch whisky.

In fact, single malt Scotch whisky might not have really existed as we know it today if it weren’t for the hard working visionaries at Glenfi ddich.

They were the fi rst to market and sell their single malt outside of the UK and really introduced the whole world to a different kind of Scotch whisky in the early 1960s.

48 bars&clubs

My father was an avid fan of this precious drop and there is an old Woolley family tale that goes a little something like this — when I was but a wee lad of three years, ‘tis said that on Christmas day sitting around the kitchen table with my father that I picked up his large glass of Glenfi ddich and swallowed the entire dram in one swift mouthful, much to my parents’ horror.

After calling the ambulance it was determined that there was nothing wrong with me… but little did they know that I would turn out completely and utterly whisky obsessed.

Since then I have been fortunate enough to spend a lot of time at the Glenfi ddich distillery working with this beautiful spirit and recently I was able to catch up with Brian Kinsman, Glenfi ddich’s Malt Master, during his short visit to Australia and we spoke about his job and some of the new things he is working on.

“I started to study chemistry in 1990 with a view to being a chemist and I went and worked for a dental company for two years. I got fed up with that and I didn’t enjoy it so I joined William Grant’s technical team as a chemist,” Kinsman told me.

“I drank whisky up until that point, I knew a bit about it and my family were all whisky drinkers, but I didn’t have any real knowledge.

I started working on maturation projects and cask projects and that’s when my interest really perked up. It was just my good luck to be in the right place at the right time, jobs like this don’t come up very often and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

I worked on the launch of the Snow Phoenix for Glenfi ddich a few years ago and have always been very interested about exciting new experimental expressions that the distillery is constantly working on, so I asked Kinsman if there was any new bottlings on the horizons.

“We’ve just put into GTR (Duty Free) a special pack to celebrate 125 years of the company and it’s called the 125 Year Celebration. It’s quite heavily peated. It’s a bit of a nod to William Grant’s day when Glenfi ddich would have been quite peated and there would have been a higher percentage of sherry oak because that’s where the casks were coming in from back in those days.”

I’m also very interested in who decides what new whiskies actually make it to the market place. I have spoken with Ian Miller, the Glenfi ddich global

ambassador, about this on many occasion, so I also wanted to get Kinsman’s input on the subject.

“The absolute fi nal say in what whisky goes to the market place comes from me, but normally there is a bit of a group. We would have a bunch of prototypes, send them to Ian, send them to the brand team, if David Stewart (ex-Glenfi ddich now at Balvenie) is in we’ll get his view and then ultimately it is decided by a committee to see what works.”

And due to Monkey Shoulder’s popularity growing and gaining a good foothold in Australia, I thought it would also be a good opportunity to ask Kinsman about its conception.

“Monkey started in 2003 and it’s gearing up and building in momentum. I was part of the team with David that worked on it but it was actually a guy from Australia who was our marketing person at the time who came up with the whole concept of accessible malt whisky and mixable malt whisky so not to get frowned upon by the rest of the whisky industry.”

Glenfi ddich has always been, and will always be, very dear to me and hold a place in my heart and I hope that you can fi nd one of their beautiful whiskies to bond with for years to come. b&c

IN THE COOLER

TWO GUTSY SUMMER BREWS The Pinchgut Brewing Company’s Pilzner and Blk Plz beers are now available in 500ml European style bottles. The Blk Plz is a perfect accompaniment to fresh oysters, and is also a great match for cheese platters and rich chocolate desserts. The Pinchgut Pilzner is a highly hopped, crisp and golden classic pilsner style lager best enjoyed in summer.

Distributed by Pinchgut Brewing Ph: 0416 107 767

A DRINK FROM THE DESERT Western Australian craft brewery, Matso’s, has developed two craft ciders that blend a tasty apple with desert limes, sourced from the Australian outback, as well as mango and ginger.

Both the Mango & Desert Lime Cider and the Desert Lime & Wild Ginger Cider have a natural, fresh fl avour profi le that makes them highly sessionable, especially in warmer weather.

Distributed by Matso’s Broome Brewery Ph: (08) 9193 5811

THERE’S CIDER IN THEM HILLS Following the launch of Hillbilly apple cider last September, the brand has recently added a new pear cider to its range.

Hillbilly cider was launched by Bilpin locals Shane and Tessa McLaughlin last year, and the brand has quickly extended its reach from the Blue Mountains to Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland. Both the apple and the pear ciders are made from 100 per cent crushed fruit, with no added sugar or artifi cial fl avours, which gives them a softer, sweeter fl avour profi le with a refreshing acidity.

Distributed by Hillbilly Cider Ph: (02) 4567 2662

GERMAN ENGINEERED Bionade, a German produced non-alcoholic beverage brand, is now available locally. Created by Bavarian brewer, Dieter Leipold, Bionade is a refreshing and naturally-fl avoured soft drink, which is certifi ed organic and brewed in similar ways to German beer, and is available in four distinct fl avours – Elderberry, Herbs, Lychee and Ginger-Orange.

Distributed by Drinks Beverage Logistics Ph: 0404 048 542

A LONG LASTING CELEBRATION Coopers has announced that its ‘special one-off’ Celebration Ale, which the brewery produced last year to commemorate its 150th anniversary, will now become part of its permanent range due to the strong sales it has attracted since its launch.

Celebration Ale is a hops-driven ale with a dark-red hue that follows the style of an India Pale Ale and is made using three different hops varieties – Centennial from the USA, Nelson Sauvin from New Zealand and Pride of Ringwood from Australia.

Distributed by Premium Beverages Ph: (03) 9245 1900

A TASTE OF THE FORBIDDEN In response to the burgeoning cider market, Vinaceous Wines has launched its new Forbidden Fruit Pear Cider, which is produced with fruit sourced from Manjimup, Western Australia and is bottled in Perth. It is a crisp, dry cider with an aromatic fi nish and higher alcohol content than many other ciders on the market.

Distributed by Vinaceous Ph: (08) 9221 4666

bars&clubs 49

LOW CARB BEER

LOW CARB BEERS RIDING HIGH T

he low carb beer market is continuing to grow, driven by premiumisation of the category and the changing demands of many beer drinkers who are looking for more choices to match a range of tastes, moods and occasions.

One of the major players in the low carb category is Lion, which has a strong selection of low carb beer brands across both the mid and full strength segment including Hahn Super Dry, Hahn Super Dry 3.5, XXXX Summer Bright Lager, Amstel Premium, Boag’s Classic Blonde, and Toohey’s New White Stag.

“The low carb beer market remains one of Lion’s key focus areas. It is a rapidly growing and highly competitive category, so we recognise the importance of clearly differentiating and developing our brands to excite and engage our consumers and grow returns for our customers,” a Lion spokesperson says.

One of most well-known and best selling low carb beer brands is Hahn Super Dry which has a 2.4 per cent (MAT) share of the total beer market by volume. The brand will be launching a new national campaign later this year that will be executed across television, outdoor and digital media.

50 bars&clubs

“Hahn Super Dry is brewed using the fi nest ingredients, with no artifi cial additives or preservatives.

An enhanced brewing process breaks down more of the natural sugars to deliver a genuine Super Dry taste, with only a third of the carbs of standard full strength beer,” a Lion spokesperson explains.

“The product is primarily aimed at open-minded, image conscious 18 to 26 year old men that are looking for a contemporary, full-fl avoured beer that is low in carbs.”

There are currently over 5,000 venues carrying Hahn Super Dry nationally, with 2,300 of these venues serving the beer on tap, a move that Lion says is continuing to grow – and more venues carrying the brand means more consumer engagement with it.

“We expect the popularity of low carb to continue to grow. It’s important for on-premise venues to stock a

variety of low carb beers to provide their patrons with choice, which will ultimately keep them coming back to the venue,” a Lion spokesperson says.

“Consumer repertoires are fragmenting – people drink more brands on a regular basis than they used to and they have room for a greater range of product types. This means the same consumer will drink different products depending on the occasion, opening up opportunities for innovation in areas such as the low carb categories.”

Another low carb beer that has made its mark in the beer market is Coopers Clear, which is one of the brewery’s best selling beers, just behind Coopers Original Pale Ale and Coopers Sparkling Ale. “Coopers Clear has seen success nationally since its launch in 2010 with continuing growth expected for 2013,” Coopers national marketing director, Cam Pearce, says.

Coopers Clear is a full strength, low carb dry beer that is brewed with 100 per cent malt derived from premium barley and fermented with lager yeast. It was created to appeal to the 22 to 35 year demographic who prefers a lighter style, refreshing lager.

“Research showed that traditional low-carb drinkers liked the Coopers brand and what the company stood for, but Coopers simply didn’t offer a beer to match their need,” Pearce says.

“The message was clear, give us a lighter style lager by Coopers and we will drink it.

Coopers Clear will not convert the Sparkling Ale drinker, nor is it designed to do so, but rather offers a Coopers product to appeal to every palate.”

Coopers Clear has shown growth in the past 12 months, which Pearce attributes to a national advertising campaign with a focus on outdoor media.

This year’s campaign includes trade promotions and sampling activations.

Pure Blonde has also been growing in popularity recently celebrating attracting 100,000 fans to its Facebook page, a fi gure it accumulated over a 14 month period.

The brand also unveiled a new look at the end of last year with the aim of reinforcing the credentials as a premium lager. The launch of the new packaging coincided

with a national outdoor campaign to advertise the way the beer is made and its taste profi le.

“Pure Blonde drinkers love the pure, crisp taste and as people become more conscious of what they are drinking the fact Pure Blonde contains nothing artifi cial is a key consideration,” Pure Blonde group marketing manager, Clive Coleman, says.

“The new packaging is a much truer refl ection of the Pure Blonde brand and I think we’ll be seeing it everywhere this summer alongside the music activity and broader new campaign.”

With so many low carb beer brands now being accepted and embraced by beer drinkers – driven by a variety of marketing and communication from brands such as Hahn Super dry, Coopers Clear and Pure Blonde – many on-premise venues can only benefi t and increase their appeal to patrons by including these styles of beers in their offer. b&c

www.hahnsuperdry.com.au

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BEHIND THE BAR THE PRODUCTS EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS MONTH

WORLD OF 1THE WHISKY EXPANDS

The Australian distribution rights for the BenRiach Distillery have recently been acquired by specialist whisky store, World of Whisky, adding to a portfolio that includes products from the Tullibardine, Isle of Arran and Glenglassaugh distilleries as well as Douglas Laing independent bottlers. Located in Speyside, the BenRiach Distillery was built by John Duff in 1898. World of Whisky is initially bringing in eight different variants from the Benriach range, which includes peated and unpeated expressions, as well as some with interesting wood fi nishes.

Distributed by World of Whisky Ph: (02) 9363 4212

FOR 2REDBREAST THE ON-PREMISE

The largest selling single pot still Irish whiskey in the world, Redbreast 12 Year Old, is now available to

52 bars&clubs

Australian on-premise venues. This delicious whiskey, full of fl avours and aromas, is regarded as the defi nitive expression of the traditional style of old pot still Irish whiskey. It picked up Double Gold at the San Francisco International Spirits Awards in 2011 as well as being named Best Pot Still Irish Whiskey at the World Whiskey Awards 2011.

Distributed by Pernod Ricard Ph: (02) 8874 8222

LOOK FOR 3NEW LYCHEE LIQUEUR

Paraiso has unveiled a new brand image, which includes a modern redesign to its bottle created to reinforce the key fl avour characteristics of the brand and give it a sharp, clean look. The rebranding aims to connect the product closer to its key ingredient, lychees, and highlight the exotic nature of the brand.

Distributed by Suntory Australia Ph: (02) 9663 1877

HANDED 4HUDSON OVER TO ITS OWNER The Hudson range of American whiskies has been transferred from incumbent distributor Vanguard Luxury Brands back to the brand’s owner, William Grant & Sons.

Vanguard Luxury Brands began distributing the brand three years ago, prior to its acquisition by William Grant & Sons. The change now allows Vanguard Luxury Brands to move forward with other projects and brands, while giving William Grant & Sons an opportunity to build further on the solid platform the Hudson brand has established amongst high-end outlets.

Distributed by William Grant & Sons Ph: (02) 9409 5100

FROM 5VERMOUTH VICTORIA

French wine maker Gilles Lapalus and Australian bartender Shaun Byrne have collaborated together to

create the new Maidenii Vermouth range, sourcing their ingredients from around the world, including wormwood and wine from Victoria.

Several Melbourne venues such as Madame Brussels, Gin Palace, Collins Quarter and Bar Ampere got to test drive the fi rst two batches of Maidenii and now the range is available to other bars. Named after Joseph Maiden, a British colonist and lover of Australian botany, Maidenii Vermouth is currently available in two variants, Sweet and Aperitif, with a Dry version to be released mid-year.

Distributed by Maidenii Australian Vermouth Ph: 0424 471 311

6RIDING HIGH ON RYE

Vanguard Luxury Brands has announced the addition of High West rye whiskey to its portfolio. The Utah based High West ‘gastro’ distillery produces a range of whiskies, which come in hand-blown glass bottles with wooden-topped cork stoppers

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EDITED BY SACHA DELFOSSE

and hand-numbered labels. Vanguard Luxury Brands currently has two selections from the High West range available, Rendezvous Rye and Double Rye. Rendezvous Rye is non-chill fi ltered and made using two straight rye whiskies, a 6-year-old and 16-yearold. It has a high proportion of unmalted rye that gives it a unique fl avour profi le with notes of spicy cinnamon, caramel, honey, mint and vanilla. The Double Rye is made from a blend of a 2-year-old rye and a 16-year-old with a more conventional mash bill of 53 per cent rye and 37 per cent corn, which gives it vanilla richness and caramel sweetness.

Distributed by Vanguard Luxury Brands Ph: 0408 411 859

7A GRAND TEQUILA

The award winning ultrapremium Gran Centenario is hand crafted in small batches at Hacienda Los Camichines in Jalisico, Mexico

from blue agave that has been harvested in the Highlands for 10 to 12 years. The tequila is then rested in unused French Limousin oak barrels and blended with aged tequila reserves to create a smooth and rich taste. Local distributor, Think Spirits, currently ranges the Plata and Resposado and will be introducing the Añejo and Rosangel later on in the year.

Distributed by Think Spirits Ph: (02) 4577 7800

sweetness and a beautiful balance of sweet citrus notes and gentle hints of honey, spice and oak. The golden amber Glenfi ddich 50 Year Old is light on the palate with vibrant, complex aromas and a long and dry fi nish. The taste includes hints of orange marmalade, vanilla toffee and layers of aromatic herbs, soft fruits, silky oak tannin and hints of gentle smoke.

Distributed by William Grant & Sons Ph: (02) 9409 5100

PRECIOUS 50 WHISKEY HITS 8TWO YEAR OLDS 9IRISH THE SPOT William Grant & Sons recently unveiled two rare Scotch whisky expressions, Glenfi ddich 50 Year Old and The Balvenie Fifty, with only one bottle of the former and two of the latter made available in Australia.

The Balvenie Fifty was matured over fi ve decades in a European oak sherry hogshead, creating a fragrant and fl oral whisky with a velvety

Following the growth of the Irish whiskey category, Pernod Ricard has launched Green Spot into the local market. Green Spot is released in small quantities each year and is made from pot still Irish whiskies aged between 7 and 10 years. The whiskey is matured in a combination of new bourbon and refi ll bourbon casks as well as sherry casks, which

gives it full bodied fl avours including hints of clove and fresh apple, as well as dense, nutty aromas and a spicy fi nish.

Distributed by Pernod Ricard Ph: (02) 8874 8222

EUROPEAN 10AFAVOURITE

One of France’s top vodkas, Poliakov, was launched in Australia over the summer. Sold in 50 countries, and ranked by Euromonitor as a million-case selling brand, Poliakov, has already earned itself a host of accolades including Gold Medals at the Spirits Business Vodka Masters in 2010 and 2011, and a Gold Medal from the International Spirits Challenge in 2009. Poliakov Vodka is triple distilled to give it a smooth fi nish and a rich texture with hints of tropical fruit, pineapple and sweet rye.

Distributed by NILWA Ph: (02) 4951 2385

bars&clubs 53

THE DREAM BAR GAME

The

M A E DRBar Game

For this issue’s Dream Bar Game, bars&clubs recruited some of The Keystone Group’s elite bartenders – Cian Stafford and Jordan Blackman from The Loft, and Ben Hickey and Jonothan Carr from The Rook – and as always we posed the key question to them: If you could pick only 20 spirits for your fantasy back bar, what would they be?

CIAN STAFFORD

1. Reyka – Icela ndic vodka, super smooth and makes vodka Martinis I’v one of the best e ever tried 2. Diplomático Reserva Blanco – One of few white enjoy neat rums I’d happily 3. West Winds ‘T he Sabre’ Gin – W ith tonic and lemon beaten. It throws it 4. Grand Marni a whole different dynamic in gin co can’t be er Cuvée du Cente cktails na ire – I tried this ba can’t say I’ve ever ck in th mad pretty boss when re e a drink with it, but I’d imagine it e UK. I would taste pl ac in g a curaça 5. El Tesoro Plat inum – Delicious o or orange liqueur in a cocktail in margaritas, awes verdita. Yum ome with some 6. Woodford Re serve Maple Wood Finish – I’m not a drinker but I find big bourbon 7. Ballantine’s 17 myself enjoying this far too often Year Old – As far as blended Scotch one for me es go, this is the 8. Ichiro’s Malt – Still the best Ja pane 9. Ketel One Citr oen – When makin se whiskey I have had to date g a cocktail with a a fail safe vodka base, this is 10. Los Danzant es Añejo Mezcal – I would wear this socially acceptab as cologne if it we re 11. High West Re le ndezvous Rye – O nly tried this recent I have already falle ly at Frankie’s, but n in love 12. Bushmills 21 Year Old – Resto res m 13. Antica Formul a – Just about ever y faith in Irish whiskey ything I’ve been cr a splash of this in eating recently ha s 14. Martell XO – it somewhere Deliciously awesom e. Also makes a go bottle if you ever ne od weapon of a ed to clock someo 15. Gran Centena ne over the head rio Añejo – I don’ t think I would ac would just keep it tually sell this. I for myself 16. Campari – N ecessary 17. Ron Pampero Aniversario – Anyt hing you make with out good this turns 18. Crawley’s Ba rtender Orgeat Sy rup – Ag recently, but thus far is showing awes ain I only just tried this ome results when upon in a drink orgeat is called 19. Longrow CV – I just want to liv e in 20. Gosling’s Fam ily Reserve Old Ru side that bottle m – #YOLO

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CIAN STAFFORD WEIGHING UP HIS OPTIONS

DAN JOR AN IN HT CKM BLA THOUG P DEE

MAN behind a JOR66D6 PAureNTasmBanLianAVoCdkKa – A brilliant Australian vodka 1.

al citrus great cause Tastes like actu rsatile, also a great story – n oe itr C ne 2. Ketel O n tasty and ve te Rum – Dam 3. Stolen Whi and n dry gin premium Londo r behind the br fo rd da an st Gin – The 4. Tanqueray er – no comment needed balanced ni ntastically wellar Fa M – ila qu Te o 5. Grand nc del Cristero Bla t 6. Hacienda ar of k or w a is le my please and the bott – Dark & Stor t in Scotch cocktails um R al Se ck la B d a grea 7. Gosling’s Great brand an yet still a great bourbon for – er ld ou Sh y Big on rye, 8. Monke rbon Whiskey – 9. Bulleit Bou face, with love Kicks you in the y – all purposes ey sk hi W ye Double R ex and tast 10. High West l Reposado – Smokey, compl heers ca ez cs M ra 0 Saze . C lso 11. Ilegal Cognac – 50/5 ople should drink calvados. A P SO V ll te ar pe e or 12. M M – omfrontais 13. Calvados D cktails . Google it co ss makes bo eets Limoncello m in g on G – in G d tastes amazin Lemon 14. Plymouth ssential in any cocktail bar an E 15. Campari – eds more banana its own – Everything ne lanced and 41% ABV ur ue iq L a an an h, well ba 16. Lena B r Liqueur – Ric not get enough of TMD ge in G s g’ in K 17. The ur – Can tle Toffee Lique e, it’s bangin’ 18. TMD Wat e Liqueur de Coing – Quinc dr an 19. La Salam a – Just kidding nc 20. Fernet Bra

THE DREAM BAR GAME

BEN HICKEY

1. Belvedere Unfiltered – Vod ka that actually tastes like som ething 2. 50 Pounds Gin – My favo urite of the classic London dry style 3. Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Gin – Like a psychedelic party in your mouth 4. Flor de Caña 4 Year Old Extra Dry – Well priced and crazy tasty especially in a Daiquiri 5. El Dorado 12 Year Old – Rich but not too sweet, it tick s all the boxes 6. Gosling’s Family Reserve Old Rum – Decadent 7. Don Julio Blanco – An old ie but a goody, light and flora l with great agave bite 8. Crema de Mezcal – Aga ve infu 9. Pierde Almas Conejo – Wh sed for killer Tommies at? Your drink wasn’t cooked with a turkey breast and distilled with two dead rabbits in the still?

10. A.H Hirsch 16 Year Old Bourbon – Old, rare and very , very tasty 11. High West Double Rye Wh iskey – It is everything a rye wh iskey should be 12. Ballantines 17 Year Old – Awesome blended whisky 13. Talisker 57 Degrees North – Anything that can improve on regular Talisker is something special 14. Laphroaig Quarter Cask – Someone once told me this stuff is like drinking an old Scottish man’s socks 15. Chichibu The First – Jap anese whiskies blow my mind and this guy is only three years old 16. Hennessy Richard – It’s wh at I 17. Laird’s 7½ Year Old Apple use in all my Harvards Brandy – 100 per cent jacked apples It’s rubbish once it hits that 8 Year Old mark 18. Roger Groult Vénérable Ca lvados – A good honest calvad os for making classics 19. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaç ao – Makes for an interesting change from Cointreau 20. Patrón XO Cafe – The eas iest $14 you will ever make beh ind the bar

BEN KNOWS S WHAT HE WANT

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS

CAlusiRvaR– Almost perfect sippiny,ggoruesmwell AesN OmTátH JON E R erva xc y go to Japanese whiske Diplo ico M

– 1. m The Barrel 2. Nikka Fro ght with a fire .. sad face e it anymore. o comment ak m ’t on a cold ni on d h Whisky – N n 1996 – They 3. Port Elle eadail Single Malt Scotc ig 4. Ardbeg U nds out no h Gin – Sta gt en tr S needed e rn iller’s Westbou 5. Martin M it’s put with ss smoky goodne matter what uis del Rio – t needed L an S y ue 6. Del Mag o Platino – No commen Irish rv 7. Jose Cue old Reserve – Damn good rail yeah?

G on es ’s a fantasy 8. Jam inkle Rye – It nd W an V py ap d arou 9. P ac yet uth 23 – In an balanced cogn 10. Bitter Tr aradis Imperial – Great yP 11. Henness pl m so co ex to ranca – Had t?

12. Fernet B Old Tom Gin – Why no have one ’s ta an ot m G ay – H ao .

13 Curaç ry D nd ra er F ns 14. Pierre reen drago r all hartreuse – G speed rail afte 15. Green C Exquisite Vodka – It’s a – Shots... because a um 16. Wyborow Oakum’s Gunpowder R d an e ok m S .

17 we can – Apertif f 18. Campari randfather Port – Digesti G s ld fo en P fave 19. ormula – My 20. Antica F

bars&clubs 55

PORTSEA POLO TOURNAMENT PORT NEPEAN QUARANTINE STATION, MORNINGTON PENINSULA

SUMMER SUNDAZE GAZEBO WINE GARDEN, SYDNEY

Pernod Ricard Australia held a pétanque competition for local bartenders, over four consecutive Sundays in January and February, which was sponsored

by Ricard and hosted by the iconic French aniseflavoured liqueur’s Australian brand ambassador, Ben Taouss.

As part of its global support for the sport of polo, Royal Salute Scotch whisky sponsored this year’s Portsea Polo tournament in January, which was held on the lawns of the Port Nepean Quarantine Station in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula region.

Apart from seeing three polo matches featuring the world’s top players, guests were invited to join in the traditional ‘divot stomp’ and try a selection of Royal Salute vintages that were on offer throughout the day.

ART BATTLES AUSTRALIA NAME THIS BAR, SYDNEY

Name This Bar hosted a huge grand final last month for the Art Battles Australia competition, sponsored by Tiger Beer, where some of the freshest up and coming and established Sydney visual artists battled it out in front of an enthusiastic crowd for a range of great prizes including a trip to Dubai to be part of the global Tiger Translate showcase, which was won by local artist Nick Ford.

THE BALVENIE FIFTY TASTING SHERATON ON THE PARK, SYDNEY

William Grant & Sons recently held an exclusive tasting of The Balvenie Fifty, its rare and limited single cask bottling with a $30,000 price tag. The distillery’s malt master, David Stewart, appeared by ‘tele-presence’ from London to guide the small group through a tutored tasting.

SCENE

THE PARTIES, THE PEOPLE, THE FASHION, THE DRINKS

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SCENE MONKEY SHOULDER COCKTAIL BOOT CAMP

ROLLING STONE AWARDS

VASCO BAR, SYDNEY

Patrón Tequila sponsored the 2013 Rolling Stone Awards in late January which were held at Beach Road Hotel in Bondi Beach. The cream of the local music industry, along with international artists and VIP guests partied late into the night while enjoying a range of Patrón Tequila and Ultimat Vodka cocktails and creative shots. Guests were treated to an Ultimat Rosemary Martina or a Patrón Perfect Margarita in Patrón jam jars on arrival, and could also head to the Ice Luge bar to drink some Patrón Café XO coffee liqueur in a fun and interactive way.

Bondi Ink had an onsite parlour at the party where guests could get a free tattoo, including the Patrón Tequila Bee symbol found on the brand’s bottles. Patrón also sponsored two awards, presented

by Tex Perkins. The Best New Talent award (sponsored by Ultimat Vodka) went to The Medics and Single of the Year (sponsored by Patrón) went to The Presets, for electro-pop track ‘Ghosts’.

BEACH ROAD HOTEL, SYDNEY

The national final for the Monkey Shoulder Cocktail Boot Camp was at the end of January in Sydney, where Stuart Morrow from Hugos Bar Pizza (NSW), Joey Tai from Golden Monkey (VIC), Richard Blanchard from EDV Melbourne (VIC), Katherine Wasiel from The Bowery (QLD), Kal Moore from Bacchus (QLD) and Davide Zanardo from Harlem On Central (NSW) battled it out for a trip to Scotland.

Morrow claimed the top prize, with Tai coming in second, after a long day of exhausting challenges including a commando course, an archery course and a series of time trials conducted while riding a Segway, which culminated with a cocktail throwdown later that night.

EVOLVED COLLECTION PARTY GRASSHOPPER BAR, SYDNEY

Milagro tequila hosted the Evolved Collection celebratory party at the end of the year for the state finalists of a Mexican food and tequila cocktail pairing competition the brand ran across the country.

The five finalist venues – Mesa Lunga Ristorante Y Tapas Bar (SA), Miss Marley’s (NSW), Stingray (QLD), El Público (WA) and The Table (VIC) – received the Milagro Select Barrel Reserve range, and each chef and bartender team also went in the running for a seven day all-expenses paid trip to Mexico, which was won by the team from Stingray.

JUAN JAVIE SANC R BAYO HEZ NA JONA AND T JACK HAN F STING ROM RAY

THE MEDICS

TEX PERKINS

bars&clubs 57

THE CREW 1

3

2

5

4

6

1. ROBERTA POLIZZI AT FRANKIE’S PIZZA 2. ADI RUIZ AND ROBB SLOAN AT BULLETIN PLACE 3. JOHN TOUBIA AT BOSTON 4. CRISTIANO BERETTA AT THE ROOK 5. ADAM KEANE AT THE CLASSROOM 6. THE EL PÚBLICO POSSE 7. JEREMY SPENCER AND ANDREW MCINTYRE GO SWIMMING WITH THE CROCS

7

8. GARY BEADLE AT FIVE BAR 9. MERLIN JEREBINE AND JOHN GAKURU AT SWEETHEARTS 10. MARIUSZ GANSKI AT MUST WINE BAR

8

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BARS&CLUBS JANUARY/FEBRUARY INDEX

BRANDS AND COMPANIES INDEX A Absolut, 37 Angostura, 28 ASM Liquor, 37

B Bacardi, 7 Beluga Vodka, 40 BenRiach Distillery, 52 Bionade, 49 Bols, 6

C Campari Australia, 8 Coca-Cola Amatil, 15, 16, 18, 20 Combined Wine and Foods, 37 Coopers, 49, 50 Cricketers Arms, 6 Crystal Head Vodka, 1, 36, 37, 38, 40 Cubaney, 24

D Diageo, 6

F Fever-Tree, 15, 18, 20, 21 Finest Call, 18 Flor de Caña, 32 Funkin, 16, 18, 20

G Glenfi ddich, 48, 53 Glenmorangie, 8 Gran Centenario, 53 Green Spot, 53

H Hahn Super Dry, 50 Havana Club, 24 Herradura Plata, 42, 43 High West Rye, 52 Hillbilly Cider, 49 Hudson, 52

I Inner Circle, 31 island2island, 37

J J.M Rhum, 33 Jose Cuervo, 6

K Ketel One, 40

L Lion, 50

M Maidenii, 52 Matso’s, 49 Milagro, 57 Monkey Shoulder, 6, 48, 57 Mount Gay, 28

N NILWA, 53

P Paraiso, 52 Patron Tequila, 57

Pernod Ricard, 7, 8, 52, 53, 56 Pinchgut Brewing Company, 49 Poliakov, 53 Pure Blonde, 50 Pusser’s Rum, 26 Pyrat, 32

R Red Bull 16, 18, 20 Redbreast 12 year Old, 52 Regal Rogue, 8 Revel Cocktail, 18 Rogue Wines , 6 Royal Salute, 56 Russian Standard, 37

S Sailor Jerry, 6, 29 Saint James, 30 Schweppes, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21 SouthTrade International, 18, 37 St-Germain, 7 Stolen Rum, 29

Stolichnaya, 37, 38 Suntory Australia, 37, 52

T Tamborine Mountain Distillery, 40 The Balvenie, 48, 53, 56 The Kraken, 30 Think Spirits, 53 Tiger, 56 TMD Gold Rum, 26

U Ultimat, 35, 36, 37 38, 40, 57

V Vanguard Luxury Brands, 7, 8, 52 Vinaceous Wines, 49 Vodka 0, 37

W West Winds Gin, 8 William Grant & Sons, 6, 40, 52, 53, 56 World of Whisky, 52

BARS & CLUB INDEX 399 Bar, 23, 34

A Air, 34

B Bacchus, 11, 57 Bar de Halycon, 34 Bar LaFayette, 34 Beach Road Hotel, 57 Beachfront Hotel, 8 Bobeche, 23, 34 Bondi Hardware, 10 Boston, 10 Bottleneck, 10 Bulletin Place, 10

C Canvas Club, 11 Choo Choo’s, 34 Clarence’s, 23, 34 Cookie, 13

D DuNord, 10, 35, 38

E Eau-de-Vie, 10 EDV Melbourne, 57 El Público, 23, 34, 57, 58 El Topo, 11 Ezra Pound, 23, 34

F Five Bar, 8, 23 Frankie’s Pizza, 10, 58

G Gazebo Wine Garden, 56 Golden Monkey, 57 Grasshopper, 10, 57 Green House, 23

H Harlem On Central, 57 Helvetica, 23 Hot Tamale, 8 Hugos Bar Pizza, 20, 57 Hula Bula, 23 Little Blood, 42, Luxe Bar, 23, 34

M Marquee, 46 Mechanics’ Institute, 23, 34 Mesa Lunga, 57 Mint, 34 Miss Marley’s, 57 Monsoons, 8 Must Winebar, 23, 34

N Name This Bar, 56 Nobu Restaurant, 18

S Santa Barbara, 11 Stingray, 57

T The Arch Rival Bar & Grill, 8 The Backroom, 16, 18 The Botanist, 10 The Bowery, 57 The Brisbane Hotel, 23 The Bucket List, 1, 40 The Casuarina Club, 8 The Deck Bar, 8 The Everleigh, 12 The Heritage Bar & Brasserie, 23, 34 The Kodiak Club, 42 The Laneway, 11 The Loft, 54 The Regatta Hotel, 11 The Rook, 11, 54 The Roosevelt, 7

The Table, 57 The Top End Hotel, 8 The Trustee Bar & Bistro, 23, 34 The Vineyard, 6 The Walrus Club, 11

U Universal Bar, 34

V Vasco Bar, 57

W Wisdom Bar, 8 Wolfe Lane, 34

PEOPLE INDEX A Abin, Lou, 46 Adam, Helmut, 6 Allen, Dee, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 Almenning, Sven, 7

B Barker, Mike, 40 Beadle, Gary, 34, 58 Beatty, David, 40 Beaver, Jess, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, Beretta, Cristiano, 11, 58 Berger, Jordan, 8 Berry, Jeff ‘Beachbum’, 6 Bewsher, Bill, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 Blackman, Jordan, 54 Blanchard, Richard, 57 Brown, Alex, 13, 16 Brown, Jared, 6

C Callan, Dean , 6 Carr, Jonothan, 11, 55 Chesher, Jamie, 8 Connolly, James, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, Cooper, Robert, 7 Cowen, Megan, 8

D Davidson, Ben, 7

F Forde, Nathan, 37, 38 Forte, Anton, 10 France, James, 7 Freeman, David,

G Gakuru, John, 58 Ganski, Mariusz, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 58 Goss, Ben, 14, Gregory, Dan, 6 Green, David, 20

H Halliday, David, 15 Hanna, Jason, 8 Hart, Krystal, 11 Hickey, Ben, 11, 55 Hill, Kass, 10 Hough, Simon, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, Howard, James, 40

J Jerebine, Merlin, 58 Jordan, Pieta, 37

K Kassman, Brendon, 8 Keane, Adam, 58 Keane, Mitch, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 Kearney, Tom, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 Kiltorp, Thomas, 10

L Laineviir, Maarja , 8 Lau, Tim, 38 Lau, Tony, 37 Laver, Li, 35, 38 Long, Pete, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, Lumsden, Bill, 8

M Madrusan, Michael, 12 Markov, Zac, 8 McCabe, Sean, 8 McIntyre, Andrew, 8, 23, 58 Miller, Anistatia, 6 Miller, James, 7 Millhahn, Jason, 23 Molinari, Joe, 36, 37 Moore, Kal, 11, 57 Morrow, Stuart, 20, 57

O Oli, Kiran, 8

P Pennington, Meg, 8 Perkins, Tex, 57 Philips, Tim, 10 Pirotta, Daniele, 8 Polivnick, Gary, 16, 18 Polizzi, Roberta, 58

R Ramsay, Paul, 42 Redington, Luke, 6 Remnant, Mady, 1, 40

Rimmer, Matt, 18 Ruiz, Adi, 10, 58

S Scally, Matthew, 8 Scott, Jason, 10 Segura, Danny, 18 Sinagra, Joe, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, Sloan, Robb, 10, 58 Smith, Lloyd, 23 Snelgrove, James, 20 Soetomo, Kenny, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, Soto, Jason, 21 Spencer, Jeremy, 8, 58 Stafford, Cian, 54 Stuart, Oliver, 8 Stuart, Rebecca , 8

V Villamil, Camilo, 21

W Walker, Alastair, 12 Wallace, Ian, 6 Ward, Mark, 8 Ward, Sonya, 40 Warrillow, Tim, 15 Wasiel, Katherine, 57 Wastell, Tim, 23, 34 Wilson, Corey, 8 Wirth, Jaime, 7

Y Young, Naren, 6

Z Zanardo, Davide, 57

T Tai, Joey, 57 Taylor, Nathan, 42 Terrell, Jamie, 8 Thompson, Laura, 40 Toubia, John, 58 Trethowan, Tor, 8 Tua, Ben, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34

T Ueno, Hidetsugu, 6 Urso, Stefano, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33,

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