Bars & Clubs March/April 2014

Make mine a

MARGARITA How this classic cocktail is helping grow the agave spirit category

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: BEST BAR TEAMS – CRAFT BEER – LIQUEURS FIGHT CLUB – AND MORE

NKS Y DI ER HINK ANAG E M N R BA ES IRVI JAM

LOOK WHO’S TURNING

SAVE T HE DAT E 29 OCTOBER 2014

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FLAVOURS IN

MARCH/APRIL FEATURE LIST

BARTENDER FIGHT CLUB Sydney cocktail venues, QT Hotel and Rabbit Hole, go head-to head with a range of lovely liqueurs

REGULAR LIST

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24

What’s happening on the Australian bar scene.

The Cargo Lounge has some fun with its new cocktail list.

VIBE

THE HOT LIST

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WORKING THE CRAFT Chris Segrave looks at how the craft beer market is growing and what it means for bars.

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OPENINGS The latest venues to open their doors.

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MAKE MINE A MARGARITA

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We look at the role the Margarita cocktail is playing in getting more people to drink tequila and mezcal.

We team up with some great brands to shed the spotlight on some talented bar teams.

BEST BAR TEAM

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MASTERCLASS Loch & Key’s Sarah Miller shows that you can do more with Little Drippa than just make Espresso Martinis.

bars&clubs 3

FIRST DRINKS

Cheers,

NKS R Y DI HINK NAGE MA NE BAR S IRVI JAME

Make mine a

MARGARITA

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: BEST BAR TEAMS – CRAFT BEER ¬– LIQUEURS FIGHT CLUB – AND MORE

I

t’s with a great deal of sadness that I write this editorial, as it will be my last official piece of work as editor of bars&clubs following my decision to relocate to Perth for personal reasons – and no, it has nothing to do with a forgotten bottle of Penfold’s Grange.

Alas, don’t start celebrating my departure yet – I plan to continue to write for this great magazine – but as of the next issue the reigns will be in someone else’s hands. I just hope whoever takes over my role receives the same warm and open welcome I received, which I’m sure they will, as the nature of this industry is to be hospitable, accessible and inclusive.

On that note I would like to truly say thank you to everyone I have crossed paths with in my three odd years sailing this ship. There really are too many people to name but if you have ever answered my phone calls, responded to my emails, invited me into your bar, served me up a drink, contributed to the magazine, or just took the time out to chat with me, then I owe you a debt of gratitude for helping me do my job better.

I came into this role at a time when the local hospitality industry had already undergone a massive transformation from when I had left it several years prior, and I have been lucky enough to witness that growth continuing to bloom.

Not only has it made the job exciting and interesting, it has also been a great inspiration being able to rub shoulders with such a large group of passionate and dedicated people.

It’s also been a load of fun – some may say too much fun at times – and I walk away with countless hazy memories of great nights spent with amazing people enjoying awesome drinks.

This job has been a blessing in many ways. It has allowed me to increase my understanding of bar culture 100-fold, given me access to places and people many would dream about, and has also challenged me as a journalist and editor to learn new talents and skills.

It’s been hectic at times, but well worth it, even with the hangovers. I walk away from this job with a greater understanding (and love) for this industry, an acquired taste for top shelf spirits and handcrafted cocktails, three years of unforgettable moments, and a whole bunch of good friends all over the country. A toast to you all!

How this classic cocktail is helping grow the agave spirit category

Sacha Delfosse Editor

DISCLAIMER MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Grover PUBLISHER James Wells james@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Sacha Delfosse sdelfosse@intermedia.com.au EDITOR-AT-LARGE James Wilkinson jwilkinson@intermedia.com.au CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Paul Kelly, Dan Woolley, Chris Segrave

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MIDORI BEST MIXED WITH SUMMER Midori Lime and Soda Glass: Rocks / Tumbler Garnish: Lime wedge Ingredients: 30ml MIDORI, 1 lime wedge (squeezed).

Top with soda water.

Method: Build over ice and stir.

For more drink recipes visit

midori.com.au

THE BARS, THE EVENTS, THE DRINKS, THE PASSION

VIBE

A COCKTAIL KITCHEN

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THE team behind Grasshopper and Boston have quietly opened the doors recently to a new, members’ only cocktail bar that pushes the boundaries.

Magazin is the latest creation from Martin O’Sullivan, John Toubia and Belinda Lai – a small, stylish and sophisticated basement bar in an undisclosed location, which can cater for up to 80 people, decked out with intimate seating and booths.

The venue offers table service only, and rather than having a conventional bar set up with speed rails, back bar, bar top and beer fridges behind the bar, it instead has a custom built bar designed around the bartenders – including their own prep kitchen.

“Essentially what we have is a dispense bar that’s set up like a kitchen… it’s a three man bar, two making drinks and one garnishing and getting drinks out. The two bartenders making drinks, that’s all they do… all the beers and wines get dispensed by the wait staff,” Toubia explains.

While guests can order any type of cocktail they want, Magazin prides itself on its cocktail list which features 10 “obscure and strange but great” classic cocktails such as the Ward Eight and the Million Dollar Cocktail.

Toubia has also crafted 10 original cocktails, that don’t carry a specific name, but instead have a straight forward listing of all the ingredients.

“They are all quite soft and relatively dry, none of them will put you off. We have a lot of people ordering them without having heard of them,” Toubia says.

Apart from tasting good the cocktails are designed to look good too and feature stunning garnishes, many of them made using homemade jams, marmalades, lollies and confectionery.

O’Sullivan describes the new venue as “the pinnacle of what we do” and says that it is “a bartender’s bar that is focussed on consumers” with the aim of exposing them to many of the things people in the hospitality industry would be accustomed to.

“We wanted to do something where we felt we were pushing the boundaries. We are doing this to deliver great products, great drinks and great service in a small, intimate environment,” O’Sullivan says.

“We are trying to flip things on their head… the bartenders trying to bring a kitchen element to the bar. It puts a story behind it, it’s very easy for us to talk about… not to sound like wankers but we are essentially a cocktail kitchen.”

Membership has a minimal cost and is only available through invitation and members can bring as many guests as they wish.

Apart from carefully crafted cocktails, Magazin also serves up a good selection of beers and wines, with the beer list containing tasting notes for each of the brews and the wine list built around a range of wines from carefully selected houses chosen by Lai, something not many venues have done.

PERTH BARTENDERS SHAKE AND STIR IT OVER 100 people gathered at The Deen recently to watch some of Perth’s top bartenders compete in the Shaken and Stirred cocktail competition.

Bartenders had eight minutes to make MCINTYRE, two cocktails – one a twist on a classic and TUA AND BENNETT the other a signature creation – and they had to use at least 30ml of a dark spirit for one of the drinks, and 30ml of a white spirit for the other.

Competing on the night were Ben Tua from Purl, Jessica Beaver from Ace Pizza, Tom Kearney and Dim Rtshiladze from Mechanics’ Institute, Andrew Bennet from The Classroom, Mike de Vos from Choo Choo’s, Nick Harris from El Publico, Joe Sinagra from Bobeche, Andrew McIntyre from Five Bar, and Jamie Passmore from Varnish.

Bennett took out the top spot, with Tua coming in second and McIntyre taking third place. Judging the competition were Paul Hickey from Diageo, Kevin Clarke from Sweet & Chilli, Renee Bergere from Scoop magazine, and Max Veenhuyzen from Gourmet Traveller.

150 YEAR OLD BREW CARLTON DRAUGHT will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary this year, and to commemorate this milestone, the brand is embarking on a campaign to encourage Australians to head back to their local drinking hole.

“We thought 150 years of beer is worthy of a jubilee, and given it’s beer, we thought why not an Amber Jubilee,” CUB General Manager of Marketing, Andrew Meldrum, says.

As part of the Amber Jubilee celebrations Carlton Draught is putting together a collection of 150 of the greatest Australian pub stories. The top 150 pub stories will each receive a commemorative plaque plus a $150 bar tab.

“We’re looking for all stories big and small; it might be the one about the kangaroo called Joe Joe who used to hop in to a bar in Gippsland for a cheeky pot of Carlton once in a while, or the time David Bowie filmed ‘Let’s Dance’ in the public bar – whatever the story, we want to hear it,” Meldrum says.

PERFECT POUR ADELAIDE bartender, Richard Yeomans has taken out the Australian final of the Stella Artois World Draught Masters competition, and is now headed RICHARD to Cannes, France to represent YEOMANS Australia at the global finals that will be held during the Cannes Film Festival.

Currently in its 17th year, the Stella Artois World Draught Masters competition tasked bartenders with pulling the perfect Stella Artois using the brand’s Nine Step Pouring Ritual.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be heading to France to compete against the world’s best. Winning the competition for Australia would be a great honour. We’ve had great representation over the years, but I hope to go one better and take the crown,” Yeomans says.

VIBE ICONIC AND INNOVATIVE POP UP VENUE OPENS UP IN SYDNEY THE first winning concept for Sydney’s IconPark crowd funding hospitality space, Stanley St. Merchants, has recently been unveiled and will be operating for the next three months.

The team consists of industry veterans Bobby Carey (ex-Riley St Garage and Shady Pines Saloon), Jeremy Spencer (The West Winds Gin), Salvatore Malatesta (St. Ali Group), Matt Stone (Greenhouse) and Duncan Beard.

The concept consists of three different areas inside the two story venue – Uncle Sal’s House of Cards and Dominos, The East Sydney Distilling Co., and Stanley St Merchants.

Uncle Sal’s House of Cards and Dominos serves up amaros, red wines, white wines, Negronis and classic Italian fare, while The East Sydney Distilling Company is set up like an army mess hall and pays homage to the Rum Rebellion, and is described by Spencer as “M.A.S.H meets Mötley Crüe”.

Stanley St. Merchants is located downstairs, and is “the focus and engine room of the whole business”, Spencer explains, serving up sustainable food (both day and night) by internationally renowned rock star chef Matt Stone.

“The whole process in the lead-up to the announcement has been absolutely invaluable. Even as someone that’s been in the industry for a long time, I’ve learnt so much, and it’s been fun and an inspiration to work with guys like the founders of IconPark, Paul Schell and Dean McEvoy,” Spencer says.

“I really want to encourage people to get involved in the next round of IconPark. It’s an unparalleled innovation and opportunity for anyone in the industry. Feel free to call me and I’ll gladly tell you all about it. Massive respect to all the other competitors, they’ve been great.”

Now proudly distributed by Campari Pty Ltd

ANOTHER AUSTRALIAN GETS TO WEAR THE ANGOSTURA GLOBAL COCKTAIL CROWN SYDNEY bartender, Mike Tomasic, took out the Global Angostura Cocktail Challenge, held in Trinidad in March, beating ten other bartenders from across the globe to take home the first prize, which includes US$10,000 and the chance to be the global brand ambassador for Angostura for the V, ARO next two years.

MAK SIC AND A M TO ALTLOS Although contestants had seven minutes to make two CS signature cocktails, Tomasic finished his presentation with plenty of time to spare. His first cocktail was called the Big Bird and contained Angostura rum, Fernet Branca, citrus, pineapple juice, Crawley’s spiced honey apple syrup and Angostura Bitters. “[Big Bird] was a more modern twist on a contemporary classic created in Malaysia, called the Jungle Bird,” Tomasic explains.

His second cocktail was called the Olympia, in reference to the use of figs as laurels in the ancient Olympics. Apart from fig jam, the drink also contained Hine Cigar reserve cognac, Pedro Ximenez, lemon juice, egg white and Angostura Bitters, and it was served with cigars for the judges to roll in their hands and breathe in as a palate opener. “[Olympia] was based on a hundred year old recipe from one of the first cocktail books ever created, a twist on a St Charles Punch,” Tomasic says.

Second place went to Nazar Makarov from Russia, and third place went to Mate Csaltlos from the UK.

Call your Campari representative on : New South Wales (02) 9478 2727 Queensland (07) 3422 6400 Western Australia (08) 9347 2600

Victoria/Tas (03) 9249 2700 South Australia (08) 9478 2700 Northern Territory 0488 236 262

bars&clubs 7

VIBE TROMBA KEEPS GROWING TEQUILA TROMBA has just launched its whole range into the lucrative US market, locking in distribution for the brand in Illinois (through Tenzing Wine and Spirits), and in Maryland/DC (through Craft Wine and Spirits). Tequila Tromba’s Australian brand manager, James Sherry, has relocated to the US to head up the launch.

“Our focus will continue to be working to change the perception of tequila and creating craft tequila lovers everywhere. We seem to have some already as we’ve spotted bootlegged bottles being poured at bars across the country,” Tequila Tromba co-founder and CEO, Eric Brass says.

“As the US sells more than 70 times the amount of premium tequila than Canada and Australia, it’s natural for Tequila Tromba to move into this market next. We took a strategic approach, only making this move once we were well established in our home bases.”

Locally, the brand has also hired Alex Ross – the ex-owner of iconic Melbourne cocktail bar Ginger, and former sales manager for Think Spirits – to take on the role of Tequila Tromba sales and brand activation manager for Asia Pacific.

Ross will be responsible for all Tequila Tromba trade and consumer brand activity, and will be looking to expand the brand’s influence in the Australian and New Zealand markets, working closely with Local Craft Spirits and Neat Spirits, who distribute the brand in Australia and New Zealand respectively.

“I’m really excited to be joining the Tromba team. It’s a fantastic opportunity, to take the responsibility to help build the Tromba brand, and to work solely with tequila, which I love!”

“It’s also a great opportunity to work with such a passionate ownership team, and in Marco Cedano, one of the finest tequila brains in the industry,” Ross says.

Local Craft Spirits has also recently expanded its team, with Nigel Weisbaum – former Club Suntory manager and Mojito Joe manager – taking on the role of national sales manager.

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SHIPLEY WINS WILD TURKEY COMPETITION SOLOTEL group bar manager, Jeremy Shipley, has taken out the Wild Turkey Cocktail Challenge, which was held last week at Sydney’s Bank Hotel.

The Wild Turkey Cocktail Challenge was organised

by Campari Australia’s NSW Brand Ambassador, Jordan Berger, to showcase the versatility of both Wild Turkey Rye and Wild Turkey Spiced.

“The Wild Turkey Cocktail Challenge was an enormous success. We trust all the bartenders involved see how the new Wild Turkey Rye 81 is still packed with amazing flavour and how Wild Turkey Spiced fits in a unique spot on the bar,” Campari Australia’s National Brand Ambassador, Oliver Stuart, says.

To enter the competition, bartenders had to come up with two drinks, a classic cocktail made using Wild Turkey Rye 8, and an original cocktail made using Wild Turkey Spiced.

The top ten entries were selected by the Campari Australia’s brand ambassador team to compete in the final, where contestants were given eight minutes to make both their drinks and impress the judges, which included The Barber Shop’s Mike Enright and Berger.

Shipley’s winning drinks were the Revisited Scofflaw Cocktail and the Frozen Spiced Milk Sundae. As part of his prize package he received a bottle of Wild Turkey Rye signed by Jimmy and Eddie Russell (Wild Turkey’s master distiller and associate master distiller respectively), a bottle of Wild Turkey Spiced and a Wild Turkey-branded FiiK skateboard.

Also competing on the night were Neilsen Braid from Mr. Wong’s, Jonothan Carr from The Wild Rover, Ryan Gavin from Rockpool Bar & Grill, Alex ‘Happy’ Gilmour from Black Penny, Luke Hanzlicek from The Victoria Room, James Irvine from Hinky Dinks, Peter Nguyen from Palmer & Co., Collin Perillo from Bat Country, and Jordan Roche from Longrain.

“All the competitors were truly wonderful and selecting the winner was a very close contest. We had everything from blended drinks to edible jellied cocktails and wonderful riffs on classics. We were delighted to have such amazing talent enter the Wild Turkey Cocktail Challenge,” Stuart says.

“Our focus on on-premise activity will continue… and this starts with engaging bartenders.

Due to the success of this event, we will definitely run more cocktail challenges in future.”

MONKEY SHOULDER’S NEW AMBASSADOR WILLIAM GRANT & SONS (WGS) has announced the appointment of well-known Sydney bartender, Mitch Bushell, into the role of Monkey Shoulder brand ambassador.

This is the first time Monkey Shoulder will have its own local brand ambassador, with the brand having been serviced in the past by the company’s two Whisky Specialists, who also handled the Glenfiddich, Grants and Balvenie brands.

“Given the growth of Monkey Shoulder and the brand’s irreverent and youthful personality which contrasts with our other whisky brands including Glenfiddich, Grants and Balvenie, the time had come for Monkey Shoulder to leave behind the warm embrace of its parent and siblings and firmly create its own identity and place in the world,” WGS’ Marketing Manager - Blended Whiskies, Nathan Fisher, says.

“Monkey’s vision is to be the new face of Scotch whisky for a new generation of whisky drinkers. Mitch brings with him a wealth of product and industry knowledge, consummate mixology skills and an unrivalled passion and work ethic, not to mention a great sense of humour. He is a bartender’s bartender and commands respect amongst the bartending community.”

Bushell’s role will see him act as both “the medium and the message” for the brand, Fisher says, and amongst his new responsibilities will be driving new distributions and creating brand visibility through cocktail listings in the on-premise, as well as working on bartender programs, cocktail incentives and activities to drive consumer awareness.

“Can I dedicate myself to spreading the gospel of an epic whisky? I reckon I can,” Bushell jokes.

A BACARDI PROMOTION

SIGGINS HEADS TO BACARDI LEGACY FINALS IN MOSCOW M

elbourne bartender, Fred Siggins, from The Black Pearl, was recently named Australia’s first ever Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition winner and is headed off to Moscow in May to represent Australia at the Bacardi Legacy global finals. If he is successful his Bacardi Legacy cocktail will earn its place in bartending history and sit alongside classic Legacy cocktails like the Bacardi Mojito and the Bacardi Daquiri.

Siggins along with the four other national finalists - David Nguyen-Luu from Rockpool Bar & Grill, Marco Nunes from Papa Jack’s, Niall Maurici from IXL Long Bar, and James Irvine from Hinky Dinks – were given three months and $5,000 to promote and market their Bacardi Legacy drinks.

The five most promising then gathered at the Australian final, held in Sydney at the start of March, where they presented their drinks to judges and guests. Siggins presented his Bacardi Legacy drink, The Empire of Dreams, to a panel of three judges on the night to claim his place in the international final and was scored on his technical ability, his drink’s taste and aroma balance and the inspiration behind it.

“A true Legacy cocktail is one that tastes great and is easily replicated by both bartenders and consumers around the world. It must be simple but great. That’s what it takes to be a future classic and a true Legacy cocktail. We felt that The Empire of Dreams had the right mixture of balance, great flavours and originality to earn a place amongst the greats,” one of the judges, Simon Difford, said.

Siggins was also judged on the success of his marketing campaign for the drink, which included media relations, innovative social media work and strong support from both the Australian and international bartending community.

He explained during the presentation that The Empire of Dreams cocktail, was inspired by the art of storytelling and is a refreshing blend of fresh ingredients and Bacardi Rum, shaken over fair trade coffee beans. He describes his Bacardi Legacy drink as a “light tropical style drink shaken with fresh espresso beans for depth and earthiness. Well balanced with a frothy finish, strained and garnished with a rustic lime twist”.

“I’m so proud of The Empire of Dreams and the epic efforts made by the other competitors.

This has been a whirlwind adventure of new and great experiences. I want to thank Bacardi for this fantastic opportunity and I hope to do Melbourne and Australia proud by winning the global finals in Moscow,” Siggins said.

Follow Siggins’ journey to Bacardi Legacy in Moscow at Facebook/bacardilegacyaustralia

Glass: Coupe Ingredients: 50ml Bacardi Superior rum 30ml Fresh pineapple juice 10ml Apricot brandy 10ml Fresh lime juice 5ml Orgeat syrup 15 Espresso beans Method: Shake and strain Garnish: Lime twist

The

Empire of Dreams

Register your interest for the 2015 competition at legacy@bacardilion.com

bars&clubs 9

OPENINGS EASY TIGER

SPAKKA-NAPOLI

EASY TIGER is a 1970s-inspired small bar with a strong focus on live music, which has recently opened up in the basement of Sydney’s The Unicorn Hotel. The new venue sports a vintage fit out taking its cues from 1970s Americana and even features roller-skating waitresses, and serves up retro cocktails as well as a range of signature, fun drinks such as the Easy Tiger, A Marvin Gayetime, Oh No, Yoko!, The Bloody Carrie!, The Grateful Dead and Solid Gold. Open five nights a week, Easy Tiger plays host to regular weekly events and features a live music night every Thursday. Monday night is reserved for the hospitality industry, while guests are able to set up a bar tab and order their drinks through 1970s walkie talkies on Wednesday nights. The food menu also tilts its head towards the 1970s, offering up bar snacks such as Bacon Fat Popcorn, Chilli Cheese Fries and Soft Pretzel with Fondue, Breville Classico toasties, Hick Burgers and a retro share plate that includes vol-au-vents, kiev bites and devilled eggs.

106 Oxford St, Paddington, NSW, Ph: (02) 9360 7994

SPAKKA-NAPOLI is a new wood fire pizza and tapas bar that’s bringing a touch of Naples to Sydney’s Neutral Bay. Named after the famous road that runs through the middle of Naples, Spakka-Napoli serves up authentic Italian cuisine backed by a drinks list that includes a fine selection of Australian and European wines, as well as a solid list of classic and signature cocktails.

13/166-174 Military Rd, Neutral Bay, NSW, Ph: (02) 9908 7045

SEAWALL

ROCAFELAS

SEWALL is a new waterfront food and drink destination that combines the laid back luxurious boating lifestyle of Sydney’s harbour with the finest and freshest local produce.

Seawall co-owners Kirstie Brown and Haiden Walsh have recruited James Watson (Peacock Trattoria and ex Riverview Hotel) and Dion Green (ex Bondi Hardware) to deliver a food menu that offers locally sourced seafood and fresh daily produce, infused with a touch of Mediterranean flavours. The venue’s interior features original pier slats throughout, authentic brass finishes and brown leather touches. Former UK Bartender of the Year, Kieran Bailey has created a cocktail list that features twists on classic drinks from around the globe.

6/17 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, NSW, Ph: (02) 9252 7995

A new Italian-themed bar and eatery called Rocafelas recently opened its doors in Kings Cross, in spite of the continuing regulatory challenges facing the area.

Rocafelas is owned by Nate Johnson and Rocco Tozzi, who said they have decided to buck the trend of venues closing in the area and open a space where good food, drinks and atmosphere go handin-hand. Chef Jess Playford, who previously worked at Sydney’s The Victoria Room and Anchor Bar, has created a menu filled with Italian street snacks, pizzas, pastas, burgers and sausage sandwiches.

Drinks wise, there will be longnecks sold in brown paper bags, a small but solid collection of classic cocktails and a good selection of aperitifs and amaros, while wine drinkers have a strong range of local and imported wines to choose from.

1 Kellett St, Potts Point, NSW, Ph: (02) 9360 0260

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

HUEY LONG’S

ZHOU ZHOU ZHOU ZHOU is a new Melbourne late night drinking den with a 3am license, located above the Oriental Teahouse in South Yarra. The bar specialises in craft beers and stocks over 50 brands, and boasts the largest selection of Asian beers, including Hitachino Nest Lacto and Kujyukuri Ocean White ale.

The bar also offers a concise and decently priced wine list as well as cocktails such as the Japanese Bloody Mary (with sake instead of vodka) and the Mekong Hijinks (a mixture of lychee, lemongrass, hibiscus tea and gin).

The interior has a vintage feel, and is decked out with dark rustic timbers and flooring, accented by Chinese greenery and blue and white porcelain.

Upstairs, 455 Chapel St, South Yarra, Ph: (03) 9826 0168

THE people behind Gumbo Kitchen and Po’ Boy Quarter have opened the doors to Huey Long’s, a bar named after a famous Louisiana governor who opposed prohibition, which specialises in New Orleans classic cocktails and food.

The bar offers a range of craft beer (including some from Louisiana), a selection of American wines, and an extensive cocktail list that includes New Orleans classics such as the Sazerac, Hurricane and the Ramos Gin Fizz. The bartenders also serve up special twists on some of the classics, and the food menu is also full of popular New Orleans dishes.

295 Smith St, Fitzroy, VIC, Ph: (03) 9419 2130

MS COLLINS ROAR Projects, the hospitality group behind Melbourne’s Alumbra nightclub have opened the doors to their latest venue, Ms Collins.

Located on the former Silk Road site, Ms Collins is a lavish, elaborate venue situated in a heritage-listed building, sporting a colourful and opulent design, created by Blackmilk Interiors, which includes the use of fabrics that can change their colour with light.

The space is decked out with custom-made honeycombed tables, street art on the walls, numerous private rooms (including a Dom Perignon-themed suite), and a suspended DJ stage that hovers over a large, stylish, central island bar.

The drinks list was crafted by David Debattista, while the food menu showcases a number of signature dishes from four Melbourne chefs Jacques Reymond, Daniel Wilson, Paul Wilson and Riccardo Momesso. The chefs have also designed a range of canapés for functions and events.

From Tuesdays to Saturdays Ms Collins operates as a cocktail lounge and eatery, while also catering to the nightclub crowd on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. There is also a Men+Co barbershop on site, offering haircuts with a cocktail throughout the week.

425 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC, Ph: (03) 8614 2222

CHINA DINER CHINA DINER is the latest venue from Steve Anastasiou (China Doll, China Lane and China Beach) and Kingsley Smith (Kingsleys Steakhouse Group and Chophouse).

Joining them in this venture are master sommelier Sebastian Crowther, chef Sebastian Gee and a bar team that includes Quynh Nguyen as bar manager and Dan Miller, Kass Hill, Edi Tout, Gabi Hindmarch and Brydie Greedy behind the stick.

The food on offer is described as “modern South East Asian street food with a core of traditional Cantonese food”, while the cocktail list was designed to offer fun drinks made using Asian flavours that can be made quickly and efficiently.

The wine list was created by Crowther and leans towards growers pushing the boundaries of wine making, while the beer list features a combination of Asian and local brews.

The development of the site took 12 months of planning and 12 weeks to do the fit out, which was carried out by Humphrey & Edwards (who also designed Chiswick).

The design of the venue offers guests a “duality” with a more sophisticated and stylish dining room setting at the back and a more casual, relaxed diner setting at the front.

The venue is licensed for up to 198 people and is open from 12pm till 12am.

75-79 Hall St, Bondi Beach, NSW, Ph: (02) 9130 2333

bars&clubs 11

- Fight Club -

Rabbit Hole

(LEFT TO RIGHT) MATTHEW SMITH — ASSISTANT MANAGER HARRY CAVANAGH — BARTENDER DOUG LAMING — OWNER/OPERATOR

12 bars&clubs

- Fight Club -

QT Hotel

(LEFT TO RIGHT) MARCELLUS HELETA — GILT BAR MANAGER JARED THIBAULT — QT HOTELS AND RESORTS BARS MANAGER LACHLAN BEANGE — GOWINGS BAR & GRILL DAY BAR MANAGER DANIEL LAKE — GOWINGS BAR & GRILL BAR SUPERVISOR

For this issues Fight Club we recruited two of Sydney’s most stylish and skilful cocktail bars – Rabbit Hole and QT Hotel – and tasked them to showcase their talents and creativity with a range of fine liqueurs.

Judging this sweet throwdown were; Manuel Terron – Midori global brand ambassador, Cheryl Tang – former Beam Global brand ambassador, and Luke Hanzlicek – The Victoria Room bar manager. bars&clubs 13

- Fight Club ROUND 1

Chambord

FRENCH POLYNESIA Glass: Tiki Mug Ingredients: • 30ml Chambord • 30ml Appleton 8 Year Old • 15ml Housemade falernum • 15ml Lime juice • 4 Dashes of Elemakule Tiki Bitters • Housemade pineapple soda Method: Shake and strain.

Serve on the rocks Garnish: Crushed ice on top with raspberries and a mint sprig

Mars and Harry kick things off with a bottle of Chambord, which Harry uses to make his Plumptious Beauty cocktail, a drink with a great colour, fruity and sour taste, and a complex plum and berry aroma. But it’s Mars’ French Polynesia cocktail, served in a great vessel, which wins the round with the judges digging its fruity and tropical look, fresh aroma and great combination of flavours.

PLUMPTIOUS BEAUTY Glass: Oversize brandy balloon Ingredients: • 30ml Chambord • 30ml Remy Martin VSOP • 30ml Lemon juice • 30ml Cinnamon syrup • 3 Dashes of cherry bitters • 1 Plum Method: Seed plum and muddle with the lemon juice and cinnamon syrup.

Add alcohol, bitters and ice and shake. Fine strain into the glass and balance the cinnamon quill on the top of the glass Garnish: Cinnamon quill

WINNER French Polynesia Plumptious Beauty

ROUND 2

Double Drip

Dan and Matt jump behind the bar for round two, mixing it up with a bottle of Double Drip.

Dan takes inspiration from the 90s and comes up with La Boheme, a drink with an interesting taste, sweet aroma, great foam and garnish. But Matt’s Double Drip Does a Flip creation takes the round due to its rich, nutty flavours, and subtle and inviting aromas.

LA BOHEME Glass: Martini Ingredients: • 30ml Delord Armagnac • 30ml Licor 43 • 30ml Chilled Espresso • Double Drip Foam Method: Shake and strain Garnish: Shaved chocolate and star anise

WINNER Double Drip Does a Flip La Boheme

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DOUBLE DRIP DOES A FLIP Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Double Drip • 15ml Mozart Black • 1 Egg • 30ml Vanilla syrup • 3 Dashes of chocolate bitters Method: Dry shake all ingredients together to emulsify. Add ice and shake again to chill down.

Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Using a pipette, draw up some of the Double Drip and place a line of drops down the centre of the drink. Using a skewer, draw swirls through the liqueur dots and the rest of the head of the drink Garnish: Coffee art swirls and biscotti

Picture yourself basking in the south of France, the sun above, the sea to the south and vineyards to the west, with sweet aromas of paradise in the air.

Enter PAV PAV AVAN AN – a delicate and complex liqueur crafted with carefully hand picked, premium muscat grapes from the renowned AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) region of Frontignan, where thriving vineyards are surrounded by touch of orange blossom is added for refreshing balance to those

Perfect on ice, or mixed with vodka, gin, tequila, champagne, or with sparkling water and fresh fruits in a simple sangria cocktail, P PAV AVAN AV AN celebrates Mediterranean.

Escape into the sun-drenched spirit of the good life, inspired by travel, fashion, music and art.

Raise your cocktail!

HISTORY

PAV PAV AVAN AN is the name of a classic dance popular during the Renaissance period in Europe in the 16th centur century. The inspiration for the name comes from “pavo” which is peacock in Latin.

Today Today oday,, “se pavaner” (verb) in French means “swagger” or to “have a proud attitude”.

PAV PAV AVAN AN is a unique new liqueur embodying the style and elegance of world-renowned Southern France – the Riviera, Cannes, beautiful people, the rich and famous.

entirely distinctive.

WHAT MAKES PAVAN A PREMIUM LIQUEUR?

• Fine premium muscat grapes and orange blossoms compose the heart of this delicate and complex liqueur • Naturally sweetened and coloured from the grape content and touch of orange blossom • from a protected AOC region • Highly mixable and versatile served as an aperitif or digestive NOSE blossom TASTE FINISH

Peacock Tail GLASS: Highball/Collins GARNISH: A lemon slice and mint sprig METHOD: Build over ice INGREDIENTS: 45ml P PAV AVAN AVAN 30ml gin 10ml lemon juice Top with soda water T

Pavan Sangria GLASS: Highball/Cocktail Jug GARNISH: Seasonal fruit sliced: Orange, strawberry and mint METHOD: Build over ice INGREDIENTS: 150ml P PAV AVAN AVAN 60ml lemon juice 600ml sparkling mineral water

- Fight Club MELON BALLS Glass: Hollowed limes Ingredients: • 45ml No. 3 Gin • 30ml Midori • 20ml Lime juice • Kaffir Lime leaves • Tonic water Method: Add ingredients, except tonic water, into a shaker. Add ice and shake.

Fill the first lime with pearls only.

Fill the second with the fine strained cocktail mix and 10-15 pearls. Half fill the final lime with the fine strained cocktail mix, top with tonic and 5-10 pearls Garnish: Midori pearls (Spherified using sodium alginate)

ROUND 3

Midori

The team captains, Doug and Jared, step up to the plate for round three with a bottle of Midori and some great ideas. Jared presents the judges with his twist on the Bramble, Ramble On, a drink full of complex tastes and subtle flavours with a fresh honeydew aroma and refreshing finish. But it’s Doug’s Melon Balls creation that wins this round with its perfect balance, layers of flavours and imaginative presentation.

Ramble On

RAMBLE ON Glass: Crystal Rocks Ingredients: • 30ml Batavia Arrack • 20ml Jasmine syrup • 30ml Lemon juice • 30ml Midori Method: Shake arrack, jasmine, and lemon then strain into a crystal rocks glass with a float of Midori Garnish: A slice of honey dew melon

WINNER Melon Balls

ROUND 4

THE ILLY-AD Glass: Crystal Cut Wine Glass Ingredients: • 30ml Illyquore • 20ml Bookers • 20ml Carpano Antica • 4 Dashes of Xocolatl Mole Bitter Method: Stir and strain into a chilled glass Garnish: Orange twist

Illyquore

Doug and Lachlan step behind the stick for round four with both of them mixing up some great drinks using Illyquore. Doug successfully combines coffee with garam masala in his Tasty Tendulkar cocktail, a well presented drink with a complex and spicy taste and aroma. But it’s Lachlan’s drink, The Illy-Ad, that takes this round due to its strong boozy kick, delicious taste and bitter, rich aromas that linger through.

TASTY TENDULKAR

WINNER The Illy-ad

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Tasty Tendulkar

Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Illyquore • 15ml Chairman’s Spiced Rum • 30ml Coconut cream • 30ml Indian spice (garam marsala, tumeric and cardamon) syrup Method: Shake all ingredients together with ice. Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass and dust one side with garam marsala.

Garnish: Garam Marsala dust

- Fight Club SLOGRONI Glass: Large Old Fashioned Ingredients: • 30ml Solerno • 30ml No. 3 Gin • 30ml Antica Formula • Bitter orange ice sphere Method: For the bitter orange ice sphere; mix 150ml water with six good dashes of orange bitters, 40ml of Solerno and 5ml of orange blossom water. Fill a spherical mould up with the mix and freeze overnight.

Stir down the ingredients with ice and fine strain into the glass. Flame orange zest around the rim of the glass and add the ice sphere Garnish: Orange zest twist

ROUND 5

Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur

Matt and Mars go head to head in round five with a bottle of Solerno, which Mars uses to create his Solar and Soul cocktail, a drink with a big mouth feel, delicious aroma and beautiful appearance.

However, it just gets beaten by the slimmest of margins by Matt’s Slogroni creation, a great looking drink with an awesome taste and intense blood orange notes.

SOLAR AND SOUL Glass: Old Fashioned Ingredients: • 30ml Solerno • 30ml Monkey Shoulder • 30ml Lemon juice • 15ml Orgeat • 30ml Egg white • 4 Dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters Method: Dry shake and then shake with ice then strain into glass with large ice cubes

WINNER Slogroni Solar and Soul

ROUND 6

Mr Black

The team captains jump in the ring once again for round six, this time flexing their skills with a bottle of Mr Black. Jared makes a Moscow Mule twist, called the Café Mule, which the judges praise for its good combination of flavours, enjoyable taste and fresh aroma. But Doug takes this round too, with his F**k Something cocktail, a sweet yet balanced drink, with a complex aroma, an interesting texture and a poppy seed rim that perfectly complements the drink’s components.

F**K SOMETHING Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Mr Black • 15ml Auchentoshan 3 Wood • Walnut bitters • 30ml Banana and poppy infused milk Method: Stir down ingredients with ice and fine strain into the cocktail glass Garnish: Half rim with poppy seeds

CAFÉ MULE Glass: Copper Mug Ingredients: • 30ml Belvedere Unfiltered Vodka • 30ml Mr. Black • 15ml Crawley’s Orgeat • 10ml Lemon juice • Topped with house spiced ginger beer Method: Build over ice Garnish: Lime wheel and espresso beans

WINNER F**k Something Café Mule

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- Fight Club ROUND 7

Marton es Lanya Blueberry Liqueur

ROSEMARY’S GOT THE BLUES Glass: Large Old Fashioned Ingredients: • 30ml Marton es Lanya Blueberry Liqueur • 30ml Auchentoshan 3 Wood • 30ml Rosemary syrup • 3 Barspoons of Lactart • 2 Dashes of aromatic bitters • 2 Dashes of rhubarb bitters Method: Burn off some fresh rosemary and smoke glass with it. Set aside. Stir down all ingredients with ice. Take your glass and fill with ice and fine strain the alcohol mix over it Garnish: Blueberry rosemary skewer

BLUECUMBER COLLINS Glass: Collins Ingredients: • 30ml Hendrick’s Gin • 30ml Marton es Lanya Blueberry Liqueur • 30ml Sugar syrup • 30ml Lime juice • 30ml Cucumber juice Method: Stir and strain. Top with soda Garnish: Crushed ice on top with blueberries and a cucumber

WINNER

Jared and Matt get busy for round seven with a bottle of Marton es Lanya Blueberry Liqueur. Jared combines the liqueur with cucumber to craft his Bluecumber Collins, a light and easy to drink cocktail with a good combination of flavours, a refreshing look and gorgeous garden aromas. But it’s Matt who wins this round with his fantastically presented winter style drink, Rosemary Gets The Blues, which manages to balance sweet, sour, bitter and fruity flavours perfectly, and is topped off with a pleasant smoked rosemary aroma.

Rosemary’s Got the Blues Bluecumber Collins

ROUND 8

Agwa

ODE TO THE SOUR PEAR

Matt and Dan mix it up in round eight with a bottle of Agwa, which Matt uses to make his Ode To The Sour Pear drink, which has a sweet, delicate balance of flavours and soft, herbal notes. But Dan gets to claim this round with his drink, Bolivian Nights, a rich, sweet drink with a spicy and bitter long lasting finish.

Ode to the Sour Pear

BOLIVIAN NIGHTS Glass: Crystal Cut Wine Glass Ingredients: • 30ml Agwa • 20ml Punt e Mes • 20ml Cynar • 4 Dashes of peach bitters Method: Stir down and serve in a crystal cut wine glass Garnish: Lemon twist

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WINNER Bolivian Nights

Glass: 90ml Espresso glass, slate and pear ‘boats’ Ingredients: • 45ml Agwa • 15ml Yellow Chartreuse • 40ml Malic acid solution • 30ml Loomi syrup (black lime) • 1 Pear Method: Cut pear lengthwise and hollow the flesh into a boston glass. Retain newly formed pear ‘boats’. Muddle the flesh with the malic acid solution and loomi syrup. Add alcohol and ice and shake hard. Fine strain into a beaker.

Place pear boats and the glass on the slate and fill each one with the mix Garnish: Pear boats and bulk herbs

A

A D D

S P L A S H

C H A M B O R D

O F

L I M E

C H I C

& S O D A

For all Chambord sales and inquiries please contact your Brown-Forman representative on 1300 656 593

Always stay in style, drink responsibly. Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur Š 2014.

Chambord is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.

Chambord Liqueur Australia

- Fight Club SEÑOR RAMOS Glass: Collins Ingredients: • 30ml Kahlúa • 30ml The West Winds Sabre • 15ml Lime juice • 15ml Lemon juice • 30ml Sugar syrup • 30ml Egg whites • 30ml Cream • 4 Dashes of orange blossom water • Soda on top Method: Dry shake everything except soda then shake with ice and strain into a glass Garnish: Orange zest

ROUND 9

Kahlúa

Matt and Mars meet up again in round nine — this time with a bottle of Kahlúa.

Matt uses it to make his drink, A Figment of Kahlua, a well balanced concoction with a rich colour, an intense taste and gorgeous aromas.

But Mars takes out this round with his creative Ramos Gin Fizz twist, Senor Ramos, which delivers a perfect balance of rich yet light flavours and a great zesty aroma.

A FIGMENT OF KAHLUA

WINNER Señor Ramos A Figment of Kahlua

Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 30ml Kahlúa • 30ml Mount Gay XO • 30ml Fig syrup • 3 Bar spoons of Lactart • Chocolate bitters Method: Stir down ingredients with ice and fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Float the fig slice in the centre of the drink Garnish: Fine slice of fresh fig

ROUND 10

Massenez Cranberry Liqueur

INSIDE OUT COSMO Glass: Chilled Brandy Balloon Ingredients: • 30ml Massenez Cranberry Liqueur • 45ml Russian Standard Platinum Vodka • 20ml Loomi syrup (black lime) • 30ml Sour orange solution (orange zest, citric acid and water) Method: Stir down ingredients with ice and fine strain into the balloon.

Flame orange zest on half of the slate. Cut a 4cm cube of jelly and place it onto the orange oils. Put the cocktail glass upside down over the jelly and serve the balloon on the other side Garnish: Cosmo jelly (vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, lime juice and gelatin)

20 bars&clubs

Dan and Doug get busy in round ten with a bottle of Massenez Cranberry Liqueur, which Dan uses to make his Sweet & Spicy cocktail, a drink with light taste, a slight chilli hit, a zesty orange aroma and an elegant look. But Doug impresses the judges and claims this round with his innovative Inside Out Cosmo creation, a well presented and well balanced cocktail, which pushes the envelope but still delivers a great, flavoursome result.

SWEET & SPICY

WINNER Inside Out Cosmo

Sweet n Spicy

Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 30ml Massenez Cranberry Liqueur • 30ml Applejack • 15ml Lime juice • 2 Dashes of Boston Bittahs • Muddled Chilli Method: Shake and serve up in a Coupe glass Garnish: Orange twist

- Fight Club HARRIET BALLBANGER Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 30ml Galliano • 30ml Ketle One Citroen • 60ml Passionfruit and Mango Yoghurt • Vanilla essence Method: Shake and serve up Garnish: Dried and dusted orange peel skewer

ROUND 11

Galliano

Lachlan and Harry face off in round eleven using a bottle of Galliano, which Harry uses deftly to craft his You Get A Gold Star cocktail, a great looking drink with complex flavours and an enticing garnish.

But Lachlan’s Harriet Ballbanger concoction wins the round, impressing the judges with its thick, creamy appearance, rich taste and lovely Pavlova characteristics.

YOU GET A GOLD STAR Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Galliano • 30ml No. 3 Gin • 30ml Tantaric and citric acid solution • 20ml Sugar syrup Method: Stir down ingredients with ice and fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass Garnish: Gold star anise (edible gold powder)

WINNER Harriet Ballbanger

ROUND 12

PEACOCK DREAMS

Pavan

Glass: Champagne Flute Ingredients: • 200ml Pavan • 200ml Jed Torrontes • 200ml Water • 50ml Russian Standard Platinum vodka • 50ml Sugar syrup • 50ml Malic acid solution • Orange, Lemon and Lime zest • Peach slices • Pear slices Method: Using an Isi siphon, add all ingredients inside (dicing half the peach and half the pear) and do an instant infusion with one whipping cream bulb. Release pressure from siphon and then strain the solids from the liquid and return to the siphon. Carbonate the liquid using two soda bulb charges.

Release the excess pressure, remove the lid and pour into a champagne flute Garnish: Rose petal

Dan and Doug battle it out once again in round twelve, this time using Pavan liqueur. Doug shows off his skills with his Peacock Dreams cocktail, a drink that looks like sparkling wine and which packs a fresh, fruity and floral taste with a zesty kick. But it’s Dan’s Smoke On The Water drink with its well-balanced, subtle taste, bright aromas, floral notes and amazing texture that takes the round.

SMOKE ON THE WATER

WINNER Smoke on the Water

Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 30ml Pavan • 30ml Illegal Mezcal • 20ml Lime juice • 15ml Sugar syrup • 2 Dashes of Boker’s Bitters • 30ml Egg white Method: Served up in a coupe glass Garnish: Amaro Montenegro pearls

bars&clubs 21

- Fight Club BIG H’S BOMBASTIC BAILEYS Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Baileys Chocolat Luxe • 15ml Mozart Dry • 30ml Vanilla syrup • 4 Dashes of chocolate bitters Method: Stir down ingredients with ice and fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Place on slate and serve the Baileys chocolate heart adjacent Garnish: *Baileys chocolate heart *Temper your chocolate and use a heart mould. Use Xanthan Gum with the Baileys Chocolate Luxe for the appropriate ganache consistency

ROUND 13

Baileys Chocolat Luxe

Harry and Lachlan battle it out once again in round 13 with a bottle of the newly released Baileys Chocolat Luxe, which Lachlan uses to make his Choc Luxe Flip, an aromatic and subtly flavoured drink with a great aftertaste and great, creamy head. But Harry takes out this round with his Big H’s Bombastic Baileys drink, a great after dinner cocktail with a sweet and indulgent aroma, a rich taste and appealing look.

CHOC LUX FLIP Glass: Brandy Balloon Ingredients: • 30ml Baileys Chocolat Luxe • 30ml Hennessy VS Cognac • 30ml Vanilla demerara sugar syrup • 30ml Young’s Double Chocolate Stout • Whole egg Method: Dry shake and then shake with ice. Fine strain into a brandy balloon Garnish: Grated nutmeg

WINNER Big H’s Bombastic Baileys

Choc Lux Flip

SECOND TIME’S A CHARM

8

Goji Iced Tea

22 bars&clubs

Glass: Highball Ingredients: • 60ml Strong Green Tea • 45ml Fair Goji Liqueur • 30ml The West Winds Gin Sabre • 15ml Lemon juice • 10ml Passionfruit puree • 20ml Honey Method: Shake all ingredients and strain over fresh ice Garnish: Flaming passion fruit cup

Rabbit Hole

WINNER

Fair Goji Liqueur

GOJI ICED TEA

Glass: Champagne Flute Ingredients: • 30ml Fair Goji Liqueur • 3 Dashes of rhubarb bitters • 15ml Sugar syrup • Jansv NV • 20-30 Fair Goji Pearls (Spherified using sodium alginate) • Flamed orange oils Method: Stir down the Goji, bitters and sugar and strain into the champagne flute.

Top with Jansz NV and place pearls inside the glass. Flame orange zest around the rim of the glass and serve

Second Times A Charm

ROUND 14

Lachlan and Doug get down to business for the last round using a bottle of the newly released Fair Goji Liqueur, which Lachlan uses to create the delicious Goji Iced Tea, a drink that packs an intense taste, a light nose, and a great colour and garnish. But Doug takes out this round too with his molecular creation, Second Time’s A Charm, a beautiful looking drink with a fruity yet dry taste, a slight bitter finish and a fresh aroma.

QT Hotel

6

RCS LIXIR BOBIGNY 393 611 561

50ml of Cointreau + the juice of half a lime + 100ml of sparkling water

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

HOT LIST

BEND AND SNAP Glass: Short Ingredients: • 40ml Pampero Especial • 20ml Aperol • 10ml Passionfruit syrup • 2 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters • Apple Foam Method: Shake first four ingredients. Fine strain and layer foam on top.

Garnish: Red glitter (edible) SMOKE AND A PANCAKE

SMOKE AND A PANCAKE Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Tanqueray Gin • 15ml D.O.M Benedictine • 30ml Lychee syrup • 20ml Lemon juice • Egg white Method: Dry shake, shake well and fine strain. Get your bitter swirl art on Garnish: Blue curacao bitters swirl

SHAKE N BAKE Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Pampero Especial • 15ml Banana liqueur • 10ml Brown sugar • Cinnamon • Nutmeg • 1 Egg Method: Shake the hell out of it. Fine strain into glass Garnish: Cinnamon cross

SHAKE N BAKE

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BEND AND SNAP

S

ydney’s Cargo Lounge unveiled a new cocktail list over the summer period, which has a focus on reflecting the entertaining, exciting and celebratory nature of the venue through its drinks offer.

“Cargo Lounge’s new cocktails are all about party time fun drinks for the people. Cargo is a Sydney institution and for that same reason; people go there to party and celebrate the weekend or a special occasion,” Keystone’s group bar manager, Jason Williams, explains.

“The cocktails had to reflect that with bright flavours, colourful garnishes and a sense of humour. Also being harbour side, and as nod to the area’s nautical heritage, gin and rum get a good run. The twist of the Gosling’s Dark & Stormy is particularly popular with a housemade pineapple and ginger soda.”

The new list features 15 cocktails, which will be available till June, and unlike other Keystone cocktail lists, this time Williams only played a supporting role when it came to the creation of the drinks.

“I barely was involved, just giving advice and support to the team, with some ideas. The management team of Michael Kellaway, Kieran O’Conner and Stewart Luk drove this with lots of input from the bar team,” William says. b&c

TEQUILA & SPECIAL MEZCAL FEATURE

LEY SHIP EMY GROUP R E J R L OTE AGE SOL S MAN BAR

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TEQUILA AND MEZCAL

MAKE MINE A

How this classic cocktail is helping grow the agave spirit category

BY SACHA DELFOSSE

THE ORIGINAL, ULTRA-PREMIUM TEQUILA...

26 bars&clubs

TEQUILA AND MEZCAL

T

he Margarita is the undisputed Queen of tequila drinks, and one of the most recognised and consumed cocktails in the world. Like all mainstream cocktails, it can be found in pretty much any bar in the world – from poorly made, bastardised versions to perfectly balanced servings made using fresh, quality ingredients.

Despite the plethora of variations and the numerous illegitimate versions (such as those made with vodka), there is no denying that a well-made Margarita is still one of the best ways to introduce people to tequila, and mezcal, and that the cocktail serves as the perfect platform to showcase the beauty of agave spirits.

“The humble Margarita has played a pivotal role in the introduction of this great (and arguably the world’s most natural) spirit into many global markets.

“Australia is heavily influenced by American trends and the Margarita is still the most called for of all cocktails in that market,” Casa Herradura brand manager, Patrick McEwan, says.

“It is the driving force behind a category in excess of 1.3 million 9L cases per year due to customer familiarity. It has been around for 76 years and people feel comfortable ordering one.”

According to SouthTrade International’s national training manager, Gee David, the Margarita is the reason that tequila is consumed throughout the world, and on a global scale it is one of the best-selling cocktails. One reason for this is the simple combination of ingredients, which he believes appeals to most peoples’ palates.

“The flavours of fresh lime and tequila are just simply perfect together and with any great cocktail, to create a balance of flavours the addition of sweetness, either by using triple sec, agave or sugar syrup allows the tequila to shine and creates a refreshing and moreish drink,” David says.

Low 302 bar manager and Sydney Agave Cartel organiser, Reece Griffiths, agrees that not only is the Margarita the driving force behind the growth of the tequila category, but that when made properly it is the perfect “hook to introduce agave flavour” to patrons.

Zeta Bar’s Patrick Kanongataa has a similar view, and

VANILLA WATERMELON MARGARITA Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 45ml Tromba Blanco • 15ml Triple sec • 30ml Lime juice • 15ml Vanilla syrup • 4 Cubes of watermelon Method: Muddle watermelon, add all ingredients, shake and double strain Garnish: Watermelon slice

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Del Maguey Vida • 25ml Lemon juice • 15ml White creme de cacao • 3 Dashes of orange bitters • Yellow Chartreuse rinse Method: Shake and fine strain into rinsed glass Garnish: Grapefruit zest Created by James Connolly

believes the Margarita has done for tequila what the Mojito has done for rum, calling it the “go to tequila drink for guests if they are not in the mood for shooting the stuff”.

Not only is it a great platform to showcase tequila and mezcal to people who may not be familiar with those spirits, but as Hello Sailor bartender, Brett Harris, points out, it can also lead them to try some agave spirits on their own.

“After you make the best Margarita ever you can sometimes get the guests to try these agave spirits by themselves. This then opens up stories about production methods and I can show my favourite pictures from my trips to the land of agave, be it tequila or mezcal. Then this leads into sharing huge parts of information that either I have or whoever is selling it has,” Harris says.

Enrique’s bar manager, James Connolly, also sees a well-made Margarita (which he describes as “like a Mexican angel pissed on your tongue”) as a ‘gateway’ drink, which can be used to coax patrons into trying other agave based drinks.

It’s not just the simple yet effective combination of ingredients that makes the Margarita so well-loved, but also the cocktail’s status in mass media, with constant references to the drink popping up in film, television and books – especially in connection to the summer months and holiday periods.

“It is iconic, the salt rim, the fresh lime and that godawful coupette abomination of a glass. Not to mention its constant appearance in pop-culture,” Cookie bar manager, Nick Selvadurai, says.

Tequila Tromba brand manager, James Sherry, points out that the growth in consumer awareness of quality tequilas has gone hand-in-hand with the growth of good quality, freshly made Margaritas, and he asserts that “if you want to grow a tequila brand, your product had better make a pretty good Margarita”.

Mextrade’s Jorge Cervantes points out that not only does the Margarita carry the weight of the whole tequila category on its shoulders, but while previously the quality of the tequila used might not have mattered to most people, nowadays that has changed. (Continue page 30)

UNIQUELY HAND-CRAFTED SINCE 1870.

E N J O Y W I T H U N C O M P R O M I S E D R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y.

Alc. 40% by Vol. Tequila imported by Brown-Forman, Louisville, KY @2014

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TEQUILA AND MEZCAL

JEREMY SHIPLEY SOLOTEL GROUP BARS MANAGER

BLOOD ORANGE MARGARITA Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 30ml Del Maguey Vida • 20ml Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver • 10ml Solerno • 15ml Lime juice • 20ml Blood orange juice • 5ml Agave syrup • Salt rim Method: Shake and strain over rocks in salt rimmed glass Created by James Connolly

MEXTRADE MEZCAL COCKTAIL Glass: Old Fashioned Ingredients: • 60ml Mezcal Amores • 7.5ml Lemon juice • 2 Slices of cucumber • 3 Pieces of mint • 15ml Agave syrup Method: Muddle mint and cucumber slice in a shaker.

Add other ingredients and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled glass Garnish: A slice of cucumber and fresh mint spring

NO HANDS Glass: Coupette Ingredients: • 50ml Clase Azul Blanco • 20ml Fresh lemon juice • 15ml Honey water (3:1) • 1 Bar spoon of Aperol Method: Stir over ice and strain into a chilled coupette, then sink one bar spoon of Aperol Garnish: Discarded orange twist Created by Joey Jones

MELBXICANO SOUR Glass: Wine Ingredients: • 45ml Clase Azul blanco • 30ml Lime juice • 30ml Sugar syrup • 1 Dash of orange bitters • 30ml Grenache (or similar) Method: Shake all except wine over ice. Strain into ice-filled glass. Float Grenache Created by Nick Peters

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CUCUMBER JALAPEÑO MARGARITA Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 60ml Tromba Blanco • 30ml Cucumber juice • 15m Lime juice • 15ml Sugar syrup • 1 Dash of jalapeño pickle juice • 4-5 Slices fresh jalapeño Method: Shake all vigorously over ice. Pour into rimmed glass Garnish: Thick sweet paprika/sugar rim and coriander root Created By Nick Peters

MEXICAN FIESTA Glass: Tea pot and tea cups Ingredients: • 30ml Coralillo joven • 30ml Vodka • 30ml St. Germain • 90ml Pineapple juice • 180ml Ginger beer • 6-8 Basil leaves • 6 Dashes of Fee Bros.

Rhubarb Bitters Method: Add all ingredients into your tea pot. Fill with ice and stir. Pour into teacups filled with ice Garnish: Basil leaf Created by Connor Sainsbury-Canham

THE AUTUMN BLUES Glass: Wine Ingredients: • 45ml Banhez mezcal • 30ml Grapefruit juice • 10ml Sugar syrup • 15ml Lemon juice • 90ml Matso’s mango beer Method: Add all ingredients to a chilled wine glass, fill with ice and stir Garnish: Merlot salt rim Created by Connor Sainsbury-Canham

How long have you been bartending, and what are some of the notable places you have worked for?

I’ve been doing this for nearly 20 years now, so I’m a real veteran, industry dinosaur.

I think the first place you ever sling drinks is one of fond memories, so for me, Joe Bolidos in Christchurch is really notable.

Unfortunately due to the earthquakes, the building is longer standing. I also enjoyed working at Guillaume at Bennelong for the view, my many years at Longrain just because it’s awesome, and obviously my own joint Hinky Dinks, along with all the wonderful bars at Solotel.

Flor De Jalisco Glass: Fancy Cocktail Ingredients: • 45ml Herradura Blanco • 15ml Cointreau • 15ml Homemade blood orange and coriander gastrique • 20ml freshly pressed lime juice • 2 Dashes of grapefruit bitters • 1 Dash of sugar syrup Method: Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.

Hard shake and fine strain into chilled cocktail glass Garnish: Long orange twist

What have been some of the highlights of your bartending career?

I think bartenders always dream of wanting to open their own place, so for me nearly three years again with my good mate Dan Knight (ex Longrain, The Corner House and Sake), we made that dream a reality and opened Hinky Dinks in Darlinghurst. It’s a life changing experience and I encourage as many bartenders to follow their dreams, but an exhausting process, but one that will give you so many rewards.

I’ve also had the opportunity to travel through bartending, so another highlight would be visiting beautiful cities and drinking in some of the world’s most famous bars.

Harry’s Bar in Paris, Tommy’s in San Francisco and Mahiki in London are a couple that come to mind.

Do you have any other favorite tequila cocktails?

I have always loved tequila cocktails. When we opened Hinky Dinks, the focus was always going to be about premium tequilas and rum, so tequila is something I’ve always loved to use when creating drinks. At Solotel we’ve identified a couple of venues that will soon have a large tequila focus which I’m incredibly excited about. I adore a Tommy’s Margarita, and recently we created a Chipotle Tommy’s with chipotle infused blanco, agave, fresh lime and cherry bitters. I’m also a fan of a Rosita: a tequila Negroni as it packs more punch and has real ‘cojones’!

The way I see it, you can basically take any classic gin or white rum cocktail and substitute it with tequila. Good examples would be a Mary Pickford, Breakfast Martini or an Espresso Cocktail. These drinks taste so much better with tequila, actually life is so much better with tequila. The reality is, tequila makes your clothes fall off… fact!

What are your favorite tequilas to drink and mix with?

About four years ago, I stumbled across Tequila Fortaleza in Northern California in a random roadside bottle shop, and from that moment on, I’ve been in love with this brand. That said, I do have a soft spot for Herradura. This was one of the first premium tequilas I tried years ago, and I was blown away by this brand then, and I still love using Herradura tequila today.

I’ve also been fortunate enough to visit the Herradura distillery three years ago, so being able to see where the actual liquid comes from and experience the birth place of this brand, has a real emotional connection for me. It’s a pretty crazy but cool place.

THE ORIGINAL, ULTRA-PREMIUM TEQUILA SINCE 1870 TEQ U ILA H ERRA DURA . NE V E R COMPROMIS E . ™

TOMMY’S MARGARITA 45ml Herradura Plata 30ml Fresh lime juice 15ml Herradura agave nectar Method: combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake vigorously & pour the contents (including ice) into a large rocks glass.

Garnish: flaked sea salt & lime wedge.

E N J O Y W I T H U N C O M P R O M I S E D R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y. Alc. 40% by Vol. Tequila imported by Brown-Forman, Louisville, KY @2014

TEQUILA AND MEZCAL

“Over the last few years we have seen a great increase in the demand for good quality Margaritas. Before, consumers would be happy to sip a Margarita made with any sort of mixto tequila, but we are now finding that bartenders are pushing to use top shelf blancos or reposados, which is fantastic for the category as a whole,” Cervantes says.

“It is up to the people behind the bar and the consumer to demand Margaritas made with quality 100 per cent agave tequila and definitely avoid anything made with mixto tequila.”

It is not just the use of poor quality tequilas that can turn this great cocktail into a horrible experience for drinkers. Many Margaritas are ruined by the use of sour mixes, the wrong ratio of ingredients, sugar rims, or the addition of too many ingredients – which in many cases can make or break someone’s opinion of this classic drink (and to a larger extent the agave spirits as a whole).

“While a Margarita’s ingredients and recipe are simple, I personally think it’s one of the hardest cocktails to make well.

Acidity varies between limes depending on the time of year so if you get the balance wrong, you can easily stuff it up. Good bartenders will always taste a margarita before it goes out,” Vanguard Luxury Brands director, James France, states.

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To avoid making a mess of the Margarita, most bartenders worth their weight in agave will argue that to make a Margarita properly one must use freshly squeezed juice, 100 per cent blue agave tequila, and a high quality triple sec – anything else is not doing the drink justice.

“There are however a lot of negative things with the Margarita: it is usually made far too sweet; it’s more often than not blended; has other fruits added to it; and worst of all... there are premade, preservative heavy, falsely flavoured and coloured mixers that ruin the preconceptions of a classic cocktail,” Cookie bar manager, Nick Selvadurai, points out.

Another issue is bars that choose to use poor quality mixto tequilas in their ‘house’ Margaritas, which as Casa Herradura brand manager Patrick McEwan points out, might let the venue squeeze out a bit more profit, but could cost the bar business in the long term.

“By saving a few cents on nip price you could in fact be limiting the chance of a customer re-ordering. Remember, you can sometimes make a bad margarita out of a good tequila but you can never make a good Margarita out of a bad tequila,” McEwan says.

The ability to be able to make a great Margarita is considered by many as a true test of a bartender’s skills and abilities, and once a bartender has mastered the classic Margarita, or the more modern Tommy’s Margarita variation, they can begin playing around with the ingredients and make their own twist on the drink.

“Margarita twists are awesome… I believe twists can add new depth to the agave spirits category and show how

JAMES IRVINE HINKY DINKS BAR MANAGER How long have you been bartendering, and what are some of the notable places you have worked for? What have been some of the highlights of your bartending career?

I’ve been bartending for over three years now and have been really lucky to work in some great bars.

Most notably theloft, Smiths on Bayswater Road, Black Toreador

by Ezard and of course Glass: Coupette Hinky Dinks.

Ingredients: Career highlights for me • 50ml Patron Silver include; all the nominations • 30ml Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice and recognition that Hinky • 20ml Apricot Brandy Dinks has received... I would • 10ml Sugar Syrup list them, but there’s a lot.

Method: Place all ingredients into a Being nominated for Rookie cocktail shaker and fill full with ice.

Bartender of the Year (2012), Shake vigorously. Fine strain into a Highly Commended as “Hot chilled coupette Talent” at the TimeOut Garnish: Lime zest twist Sydney Bar Awards, joining the team at SouthTrade and any bartending competition I’ve been a part of, in saying that - most recently being a finalist in Bacardi Legacy Australia was pretty wizard.

How have you seen the tequila category change since you started bartending?

In my short time as a bartender, I’ve seen not only tequila, but the entire agave spirit category become more popular within the bartending community and vicariously onto consumers too.

What are your thoughts on the Margarita cocktail? And how do you prefer to drink yours?

I love Margaritas! It definitely has to be one of the world’s most popular classic cocktails and with good reason too. The drink represents balance in booze and flavour, not too punchy and not too sweet or sour… depending on your specs of course. My favourite way to drink one is a Tommy’s Margarita with a mezcal float… Si, señor!

Do you have any other favourite tequila cocktails?

Besides a Tommy’s Margarita I do have some other favourite tequila cocktails. A Paloma, La Batanga, a 21st Century, a Toreador, an East Village Athletic Club Cocktail, a Siesta and a Rosita.

What are your favourite tequilas to drink and mix with?

Some of my favourite tequilas are; Arette Reposado, Ocho Blanco, Centinela Reposado, Hacienda del Cristero Blanco and Fortaleza Blanco. Tequilas that I like to use in drinks are Tapatio Reposado, Calle Blanco, El Charro Reposado and a little gem that I’ve recently come across - Excellia Blanco, which is great as a sipping tequila, but also great to use in drinks.

PATRÓN ADVERTORIAL Since day one, Patrón Tequila has always started with 100% pure Blue Weber agave. Employing traditional techniques and modern technology, Master Distiller Francsisco Alcaraz has refined and perfected the art of making tequila.

GROWING AND SELECTION It all starts with Blue Weber agave Patrón only sources the finest agave from the “Los Altos” Highlands region of Jalisco, Mexico.

On average it takes six to seven years for agave to mature and develop the natural sugar levels needed to make Patrón.

BAKING Unlike other tequila producers that have automated to high-speed steamers called “autoclaves”, Patrón uses small brick ovens for slow roasting in small batches to maximise the flavour of the agave.

The agaves are slowly roasted in the ovens for 79 hours, during this time the starch, called inulin, unfolds into the sugars that are the basis of tequila.

CRUSHING THE AGAVE Uncommon to the industry, Patrón utilizes two crushing methods, one ancient and one modern, to create a more flavourful tequila.

In one method the roasted piñas are crushed in roller mills. The second method, the traditional tahona wheel (large volcanic stone wheel) is used to crush the agave into fibrous pulp.

The combination of these two crushing methods adds to the unique flavour of Patrón.

FERMENTATION The juice and pulp from the two crushing processes are fermented separately in wooden vats. This process takes approximately three days to complete.

Patrón is only one of three tequila distilleries, among hundreds, to use only wood fermenters. Wood is better than steel, as it provides the best temperature and environment for fermentation to progress.

UNIQUE DISTILLATION After both fermentation processes are complete, the mostos are distilled separately in proprietary, hand-made, small copper pot stills.

After two distillations, the fruitier tahona distillate is skilfully blended with the roller mill distillate to create Patrón Silver.

PATRÓN SILVER

Bottled without any age, retaining its crystal clear clarity, clean fresh agave notes and fruit forward flavour

PATRÓN REPOSADO

Aged in oak barrels for more than two months. It blends the fresh, clean taste of Patrón Silver with the oaky flavour of Patrón Añejo.

PATRÓN AÑEJO

This is a delicate blend of unique tequilas aged in small, white, French oak barrels for at least 12 months.

GRAN PATRÓN PLATINUM

Produced from only the finest, hand selected Blue Weber agave, it is triple distilled and then slightly aged in oak to be exceptionally smooth and full-bodied

GRAN PATRÓN BURDEOS

It is distilled from the finest hand selected Blue Weber agave and aged in American and French oak barrels for at least 12 months. Then it is racked in Bordeaux wine barrels. An unparalleled tequila experience.

bars&clubs 31

TEQUILA AND MEZCAL

What are some of your favourite tequilas and mezcals?

“Coralillo, Del Maguey Minero, Fortaleza, Arette, Siete Leguas. Actually, there are dozens.”

– Ben Blair (The Crossing) “Del Maguey is always a sure thing… also Pierde Almas is amazing. El Jorgorio is a fantastic product, also other products that people may not know about like Real minero, Alipus and Loz Danzantes, are amazing.”

– Brett Harris (Hello Sailor) “In terms of Mezcal I’m liking El Jolgorio Tepeztate (neat), El Jolgorio Arroqueno (neat), and Nuestra Soledad - La Compania, San Baltazar and Matatlan - all sing in cocktails. Del Maguey Taviche is something else, we’re lucky enough to have it at Mr Moustache, it’s not even available anywhere in the USA yet.”

– Mike Tomasic (Mr Moustache) “A couple of my favourites at the moment are the El Mayor – neat with Sangrita, Siete Leguas – neat with Verdita, and the Del Maguey Tobala.”

– Nathan Taylor (Kodiak Club/Little Blood) “For tequila, I’m definitely a blanco/plata/silver man, I really like that vegetal rawness of the agave. I tend to either drink them straight or in a Margarita over ice. Mezcals however tend to be a little different, I’m open to all of them, and due to the artisanal aspect, appreciate each for their subtleties in the same way one appreciates a whis(e)y.”

- Nick Selvadurai (Cookie) “Some of my favourites are Herencia blanco, Cuervo Reserva de la Familia platino, Clase Azul reposado, Casa Noble reposado, Las Danzantes joven, and Beneva gran reserve.”

- Nick Peters (Mamasita) “Tequila wise my favourite are Fortaleza, Tapatio, Arette Soave, Exelia, Calle 23 and Herradura. With mezcal, Casa Mexico bring in some great brands like Banhez and Bru-Xo, Brand 2 Bars has Zaguii and Los Amantes, which are my favourite at the moment, and Del Maguey have some impressive small villages product, so we got great brands to play around with in Australia.”

- Max Greco (Vasco)

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really amazing these spirits are. I’ve had some amazing twists. One favourite was one we did at Cafe Pacifico, which was the kaffir lime leaf infused Margarita. It was a great drink and we sold heaps of them,” Hello Sailor’s Brett Harris explains.

As SouthTrade International’s Gee David points out, bartenders have been putting their own personal ‘twist’ on classic cocktails for years “and it’s this playful progression and experimentation that keeps the industry alive and the cocktail culture moving forward”.

“The strengths of the Margarita as a brand call cocktail will always entice bartenders to flavour, alter and ‘twist’ this classic. I guess the most important thing to remember when doing this, is to ensure the flavour of the tequila is not overpowered completely.

“You can argue that when almost all the ingredients have changed, the drink has no correlation to the original. I think if it includes a quality tequila, citrus and a sweetener, it’s still in the realms of a Margarita,” David says.

Mr Moustache bar manager Mike Tomasic believes many cocktail bartenders and cocktail aficionados get too sensitive about twists on the Margarita and lose sight of what is more important - the fact that people are drinking tequila or mezcal.

“I can see why cocktail geeks might not think it’s right to call a Margarita a Margarita if it has been twisted and is now unrecognisable.

“At the same time it’s an instantly recognisable name, everyone knows a Margarita has tequila, even the layman, I’d rather people

are out there consuming all manner of styles of Margaritas than beers, otherwise I’d be out of a job, or working at a pub pulling only beers all day, or a wine bar pouring wines.”

Mamasita restaurant manager, Nicholas Peters, is also an advocate of Margarita twists, and thinks that pushing the boundaries is a good thing as long as the roots of the drink are respected – in this case “the elements of sweet, sour, a thick rim to the drink and a decent slug of tequila”.

Casa Mexico’s Octavio Gomez Haro says he has been blown away by the talent of Australian bartenders with regards to how they have turned the simple concept of the Margarita into a “deep, refreshing and ever evolving drop”.

“I think bartenders should keep them coming in different styles and colours but once again it’s all about keeping it fresh and having a layer of citrus in it, but that’s just my personal view,” Gomez Haro says.

As local tequila guru Phil Bayly points out, a Margarita is a sour styled cocktail, so as long as bartenders “maintain that sweet, sour balance” and add tequila then he is open to any concoction people want to make, something Low 302’s Reece Griffiths agrees with.

“I have no problem with twists on Margaritas, especially utilising fresh seasonal fruits or even a splash of amaro. But Margarita twists need to respect the original cocktail. It should be short, sharp and tequila driven.

“I think a Margarita stops being a Margarita when it loses the concept of the original drink.

Anything that’s a twist on a Margarita should be recognisable as that when it hits your palate. Too sweet, too complex, too many ingredients miss the mark for me,” Griffiths says.

The Margarita is not just a classic cocktail that has permeated its way into the average punter’s list of recognisable drinks. It is also a drink that has held its place on cocktail menus around the world for decades, and survived being bastardised and commercialised to the point it was barely recognisable.

Luckily, local bars are reclaiming this legendary concotion and repositioning it as perfect vehicle for people to explore the wonderful world of agave spirits. Not everyone can visit Mexico - but we can all walk into our favourite bar and enjoy a good Margarita.

TEQUILA AND MEZCAL

What are some other tequila and mezcal based drinks you recommend?

“The big classics such as Palomas and Batangas are easy to throw to people in a hurry, and they’re classics for good reason. I’ve got dozens of my own recipes as well, but if you use logical flavour steps to progress from the Margarita, the guest will follow you wherever you want to lead them.”

– Ben Blair (The Crossing) “Batangas have always been a hospo favourite. Also a mezcal Negroni with a mezcal that isn’t so smoky, Largarita with dark beer and mezcal, a mezcal Old Fashioned, and a mezcal Martini. One cocktails that works for me is a variation of an El Diablo with mezcal, home made ginger beer and Amaro Montenegro.”

– Brett Harris (Hello Sailor) “The Paloma is the most popular tequila drink in Mexico and one that is underrated. The fresh grapefruit just works so well with the Tequila and delivers a thirst quencher every time. The other great tequila drink that I enjoy is El Diablo which has a fruitiness that works with the citrus, charged with a spicy ginger flavour. Again a great drink for the hot weather and perfect for group serves. That said, in my opinion the Bloody Maria is a cocktail that is often overlooked and a real cracker with a great tequila.

My favourite of all though is the simplicity and freshness of a Sangrita. A shot of silver / blanco tequila accompanied by a shot of juice and spice mix, when balanced well is just pure heaven.”

– Gee David (SouthTrade International) “For tequila drinks my staples are Batangas, Palomas, Toreadors and Siestas, for something sharp, and Yellow Jacket and La Perla, for something stirred and boozy. For mezcal - mezcal and squash is my go to, also a mezcal Collins, a 4:3:1, and a Mezcanez from Eau-de-Vie are favourites for something boozy, and a Mezcalada for something fun. Also, throwing mezcal into your classic Sour herbal style drinks works wonders - think Corpse Revivers, Last Words, 20th Centuries.”

– Reece Griffiths (Low 302) “A well made Tequila Sunrise with freshly squeezed orange juice and good quality grenadine like Crawley’s and a dash of lemon juice is so simplistic but also amazing and refreshing. Batangas are awesome too but not the healthiest option.”

– James Connolly (Enrique’s) “People should also explore other drinks such as Tequila Mules, Palomas and a well-made Sangrita as an accompaniment. All of these are easy and really tasty. The Yellow Jacket is also a fantastic drink.”

– James France (Vanguard Luxury Brands) “I love a Paloma with fresh, sweet, highland blanco tequila.

Whilst the Margarita dominates in the US, the Paloma is the most popular tequila cocktail in Mexico, and with good reason.”

– James Sherry (Tequila Tromba)

“Mary Jane is one of our most popular mezcal/tequila cocktails. Often mezcal cocktails are tamed with tequila, with mezcal used more as a modifier to add a subtle smokiness.

One which goes mezcal full throttle on our new menu is the 21st Century, a riff on the 20th Century. The 21st Century plays on the seamless affinity between mezcal and chocolate in a non-cloying, refreshing kind of way. It’s an absolutely banging cocktail in which we use Nuestra Soledad San Baltazar, Giffard White Crème de Cacao, Cocchi Americano and fresh lemon.”

– Mike Tomasic (Mr Moustache) “Tommy’s Margarita and the Toreador cocktail are two that we recommend and are popular with our clientele.”

– Nathan Taylor (Kodiak Club/Little Blood) “At Cookie, we offer a large array of tequila/mezcal based cocktails. Ranging from stirred down Old Fashioned style cocktails, slight variants on traditional Margaritas, and twists on taller style cocktails such as the El Diablo and Paloma.”

- Nick Selvadurai (Cookie) “Our hibiscus flower Tegroni gets a good run - we chill out the traditional Negroni with some hibiscus syrup and use a touch of Aperol with the Campari - people seem to enjoy it. Our tequila Old-Fashioned with Tapatio añejo and orange bitters is getting a bit of a work out which is good to see, as this is usually one for the more seasoned drinkers.”

– Nick Peters (Mamasita) “The smooth, smoky and earthy taste of mezcal goes incredibly well with fresh juices including cucumber, beetroot and carrot, amongst other vegetable creations. Also, fruit based cocktails seem to be very well received by consumers with perhaps lime, apple, orange and pineapple leading the way. The vast majority of these fine drinks can be accompanied or garnished with coriander, fresh chilli and/ or mint.

At Top Shelf we wanted to bring simple and fresh drinks that enhance a true mezcal experience – the favourite was beetroot, apple and ginger fresh juice with Banhez mezcal, garnished with fresh mint and cracked pepper.”

– Octavio Gomez Haro (Casa Mexico) “Batangas, El Diablos, Lagaritas, Rositas, Anejo Old Fashioneds and Mezcanezes.”

– Patrick Kanongataa (Zeta Bar) “After the Margarita my second favourite is the Paloma, I also like the Batanga. At Vasco we have a very popular drink on the list by the name of L.O.L.A - mezcal shaken with fresh watermelon juice, fresh lime, apricot brandy and homemade jalapeño syrup, refreshing as with that hint of subtle smoke and spice.”

– Max Greco (Vasco) “Paloma - try it, it’s awesome. Oh, and the Largarita. Love beer? Love tequila? Match made in heaven.”

– Sam Barnett (Mexico)

HORSESHOE SOUR Glass: Old Fashioned Ingredients: • 45ml Herradura Reposado • 15ml Aperol • 20ml Lemon juice • 20ml Passionfruit pulp • 5ml Herradura agave nectar Method: Shake and fine strain over crushed ice Garnish: Flaked sea salt rim and passionfruit wedge

MAGRONI Glass: Rocks Ingredients: • 30ml Del Maguey Vida • 30ml Antico Formula • 30ml Campari Method: Shake and serve in a large rocks with one very large ice ball made with 10ml agave syrup and water

SMOKED MILK PUNCH Glass: Highball Ingredients: • 45ml Illegal Mezcal • 90ml Almond milk • 15ml Sugar syrup • 2 Dashes of chocolate bitters • 1 Dash of Tabasco Method: Throw and strain into highball filled with ice Garnish: Chilli and nutmeg rim and a side serve of smoked almonds Created by Zeta Bar

LA MANZANA DEL DIABLO Glass: Tall Ingredients: • 45ml Herradura Blanco • Half an apple cheek • 3 Fresh blackberries • 20ml Fresh lime juice • 15ml Creme de mure • Top with homemade ginger beer Method: Muddle apple and blackberries. Add ingredients except ginger beer. Shake and strain into sling glass filled with ice.

Top with ginger beer Garnish: Apple fan and blackberries Created by Zeta Bar

bars&clubs 33

TEQUILA AND MEZCAL

Are there any new trends or interesting flavour combinations you are playing around with in regards to tequila and mezcal drinks?

“One of my favourites is a Tommy’s Margarita tweaked out with red capsicum and cardamom called The Joker.”

– Ben Blair (The Crossing)

JIMIROR RISES Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 30ml Del Maguey Vida • 20ml Lillet blanc • 15ml White chocolate liquor • 5ml D.O.M Bénédictine Method: Shake and strain Created by Sam Barnett

REVOLUCION Glass: Coupe Ingredients: • 40ml Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado • 15ml Manzanilla sherry • 12.5 Raspberry syrup Method: Stir and strain into a coupe Garnish: Grapefruit zest Created by Ben Blair

4:3:1 Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: • 40ml Del Maguey Vida Mezcal • 30ml St Germain • 10ml Ramazzotti Method: Stir and strain.

Serve over hand cracked ice Garnish: Lemon twist Created by Misty Kalkofen

THE PREVIEW Glass: Coupette Ingredients: • 20ml Mezcal • 20ml Cherry Port • 20ml Sweet vermouth • 20ml Fresh lemon juice • 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters Method: Shake and serve up Created by Reece Griffiths

“I was fortunate enough to host a series of Patron Tequila events on Hayman Island and two of these were focussed on flavour pairing with the head chef, creating a complete experience for the guests. The seven course degustation menu was incredible and allowed us to combine elements within the tequilas to enhance flavours within the dishes which ended up with not only tequila pairing with courses but also tequila cocktails. I think we might see more of this being introduced as we continue to import more and more fantastic tequilas into Australia.”

– Gee David (SouthTrade International) “In terms of trends, seeing mezcal being used in stirred drinks makes me real happy. In place of robust whiskies it stands out. And in aperitif style cocktails it’s making moves which is awesome.”

– Reece Griffiths (Low 302) “I find that you can substitute mezcal for gin in a few recipes and it works pretty well. Having a good Sangrita recipe is also a must, such a great way to drink either.”

– James Connolly (Enrique’s) “I like to see a classic cocktail reworked to incorporate tequila. My favourite would have to be the Rosita, taking the gin from a Negroni and replacing it with blanco tequila.”

– James Sherry (Tequila Tromba) “With mezcal, the use of traditional Mexican ingredients such as tamarind and hibiscus has proven to work really well, so I would expect a lot of fresh fruit based cocktails using mezcal.”

- Jorge Cervantes (Mextrade) “Flavoured salts are a very interesting innovation regarding the tequila cocktails.” - Jose Dymenstein (Casa de Vinos) “In terms of trends and innovations, bartenders are now using tequila and mezcal as they would the other spirits.

They are no longer just paired with citrus. So it’s no holds barred in terms of cocktail design.”

– Nathan Taylor (The Kodiak Club/Little Blood) “I have found that most tequilas can go one of two ways.

The first being a more botanical and floral track, pairing with things like star anise, acai berries or hibiscus. The other route is to accentuate the more earthier side by pairing with flavours such as turmeric, coffee, and other roasted nuts.”

- Nick Selvadurai (Cookie) “People are pushing things with barrel-ageing - Herradura with their double aged reposado, other people ageing in

34 bars&clubs

sauternes barrels etc. There are more and more infused tequilas on the market, which I can take or leave - I reckon there’ll be about 20 ‘coffee’ tequilas released in the next five minutes. We generally tend to have fun replacing traditional ingredients with Latino ones, plus trying to recreate dishes we’ve had into drinks. One of my favourites at the moment in our ‘Stigibeu’ - it’s a mix of mezcal, chipotle, tamarind, lemon and nutmeg. It’s intense, but it’s awesome.”

– Nick Peters (Mamasita) “I wouldn’t say it’s new but mezcal with fresh hibiscus water and agave syrup is incredibly tasty and it’s basically leading the charge in Mexico when it comes to mezcal cocktails. It can be made with so many other additions of fruit and vegetable variations. Mexican bartenders also love to add a chilli salt rim to it and trust me you’ll start to feel like you are in Mexico.

Also a personal favourite is mezcal and coconut water served with a big ice rock and cracked pepper, garnished with fresh mint leaves… simple, refreshing and tasty.”

– Octavio Gomez Haro (Casa Mexico) “We have had a great response to the recent Manzana Fresca signature serve which is simply Herradura Plata and freshly squeezed Granny Smith apple juice, built over ice. As the health and wellbeing trend continues to grow consumers are looking for more sessionable, alternative drink options and this was received extremely well by non-tequila drinkers and die hard agave fans alike.”

– Patrick McEwan (Brown-Forman) “Roasted pumpkin with añejos. Lemongrass, cucumber and coriander (not too much) with crisp fruity blancos.”

– Phil Bayly (El jefe de tequila) “I’ve enjoyed experimenting with mezcal over the past few years, adding it to cocktails in various amounts to add that touch of sweet and smoke. At Zeta Bar we do an interesting twist on a classic Milk Punch using mezcal, chocolate bitters, almond milk and Tabasco, a pretty random cast of ingredients but once put together all the flavours seem to work beautifully. Such is the versatility of the category, cocktails made with tequila, mezcal and even the other lesser known sotol and baccanora are getting more and more attention on cocktail lists around the country.”

- Patrick Kanongataa (Zeta Bar) “With mezcal I find they work very well with delicate fruit and refreshing stuff like watermelon, passionfruit, cucumber, coconut, ginger beer etc. With tequilas, I like citrus flavours and coffee.”

– Max Greco (Vasco) “Chilli has been played out, and the Bloody Maria is a staple.

I’m playing with my chefs on just matching tequila/mezcal with food and creating an experience.”

– Sam Barnett (Mexico)

SPECIAL FEATURE

CRAFT BEER

RICK PAT JOHN LE MEIK NERAL GE AGER MAN MISH & FA RAG OTEL H

bars&clubs 35

CRAFT BEER

With the craft beer segment continuing to expand, gaining more market share and leading to more craft brews being released, we invited a number of craft brewers to comment on the growth of the segment, some issues they are experiencing and where they see the market heading.

T

he Craft Beer industry Association approximates the Australian craft beer market sits between 65-70 million litres or approximately 2.5 to 3.0% by volume of the total Australian beer market. That’s definitely something to raise your glass to.

Growth in this category has been fuelled by a number of reasons across the country. We have seen the expansion of small bars, newly designed ‘destination’ venues, products or brands becoming more available as well as being assisted by the resurgence of a cocktail culture here in Australia.

“While craft beers make up a relatively small percentage of the overall beer market, they continue to grow at a time overall beer sales have fallen. The number of craft beers has certainly increased and greater numbers of craft brewers are entering the market with innovative and different beer styles,” Coopers’ National Marketing Director, Cam Pearce, says.

“The sector appears to have real momentum at the moment and I expect it will continue to grow. However, looking that far in advance is difficult and predictions could easily be wrong.”

Drinkworks Australia marketing manager, Grant Caunter asserts that the distribution and availability of craft beers used to be difficult because of a “chicken and egg situation”, limiting the growth of the segment. Five years ago costs were high and so, access to products was low mainly due to deliveries being mainly limited geographically to the breweries.

And, brews were very different to what they are now as well, mainly focussing on the extreme end of the taste spectrum. They were focussed on the outer circle of potential customers, beer enthusiasts, but now, both commercially available and socially on trend, small and large commercial brewers are always looking for new revenue streams.

Joseph Abboud, local importer of Lebanese craft beer 961, makes the claim that big companies don’t do things for the love of it, so “if they are importing and distributing craft beer then the segment must be growing healthily”.

For Caunter it was only a matter of time that brewers, both big and small, realised “that drinkers were broadening their portfolio of preferred beers, and alcohol in general”, and brewers only have two options – either creating new, different and better brews or import international brands.

McLaren Vale Beer Company general manager, Josh Stuart, believes consumers are more demanding of flavour. Both on and off premise are affected, and this promotes more tap points and shelf space, and in turn sales volume.

“It’s lifestyle and consumer led. Premiumisation is spreading amongst most levels of the community,” Stuart says.

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the

CRAFT BEER

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BY CHRIS SEGRAVE

Coopers, which has been producing unique ales for its entire 152 year history, has enjoyed consistent growth in the past 20 years driven by consumers looking for more complex and flavoursome alternatives to mainstream lagers.

“In 2012 we launched the Thomas Cooper Selection, which underlines our expertise as a craft brewer, with the release of Celebration Ale. This year we added Artisan Reserve to the range. We are pleased with the progress of both beers,” Pearce explains.

“Sales of Celebration Ale… have been very pleasing, while sales of Artisan Reserve, introduced earlier this year have also been very strong. Uniquely, Artisan Reserve is an unpasteurised lager, a style of beer not widely produced.”

There’s still the question of whether on-premise branding and sales seem to still be the driving force. There’s no better feeling as a customer than getting recommended a great brew by your bartender, or the bartender offering a tasting paddle or just a few cheeky tasters.

And then there’s the joint satisfaction, a mutual nod of approval when the customer comes and orders another. Ash Fong, from craft beer distributor Northdown, finds that she is impressed when a bartender recommends a particular beer.

“Some venues approach us and ask to educate their wait staff/bartenders but usually they’re beer nerds themselves. It’s good to see that they’re practising what they preach and enjoying good beers,” Fong explains.

Rocks Brewing’s head of sales, Tim Fishwick, also likes to see bartenders who are passionate about beer “and who can work with a customer to explore their taste preferences and recommend a beer for them to try”.

“Not only does that mean more people thinking outside the box when it comes to their beer choices but, in our experience, passionate staff means happy, repeat customers,” Fishwick says.

As many of the brewers point out, the on-premise is still where beer brands are built – and for craft beer it is like a live tasting panel or focus group, and for many people, the collective view of bartenders, owners and patrons is what makes good brands great ones – but it’s not always easy.

“On-premise sales can be difficult for craft brewers to achieve, given that bars and clubs have limited numbers of taps. While draught craft beer is important, it is not essential to long-term success. Craft brewers who execute well off-premise still have every chance of building a brand,” Pearce says.

McLaren Vale Beer Company also sees value in the off-premise, with Stuart pointing out that there is a fair push also coming from the off-premise, which can also help create a household name for some craft beer brands. There are beer festivals every few weeks somewhere around the country, media, marketing and consumer self-education.

Which means many customers ask for a brand specifically when they enter a venue.

Hopefully this flows on to more sales of the SKU. How many venues have a spare row in their fridge to stock something different? It might even be just a case every week or two, but the customer is still appreciating something new or different.

Scott Wilson-Browne from Red Duck thinks there’s a definitive correlation between sales growth and dedicated craft beer venues set up by ‘forward thinking operators’

bars&clubs 37

CRAFT BEER PATRICK MEIKLEJOHN General Manager Rag & Famish Hotel who focus on the look and feel of the bar and how it is promoted is just as important as which beers they stock.

There’s a huge advantage for all venues when they train their staff on the flavour profile of every product in the venue. They can make recommendations based on actual knowledge rather than just guesswork.

So many more customers want to learn about new products these days. It’s no longer about the big two companies and their run of the mill ‘big three’ low flavour profile beers.

Sure your dad might have drank that religiously, but you drive a better car, you carry a mobile phone, you eat Mexican? We have more choice these days. So, why not?

Caunter has been looking for venues to start a similar style food and beer matching competition as Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge in NZ. It’s been running for 16 years with Kerry Tyack (a well-respected food writer and critic) as lead judge travelling the country tasting every competition entry paired with a cider or one of their beers.

The McLaren Vale Beer Company works with venues pairing brews to menu items which Stuart says is an ongoing interest. Many operators want to suggest pairings and educate their clientele. But others are just interested in stocking their beer. Dark Ale with a rich rib eye with a red wine jus anyone? He also sees beer of the month promotions and tap takeovers being important to his business.

Niche players like 961 have created great relationships with restaurants as well, which Abboud admits because of the small footprint they have, “it’s the relationships that make all the difference”.

Rocks Brewing run Beer and Food Matching Dinners and Meet the Brewer sessions, both of which are really popular. They also conduct chocolate cheese matching with their beers at their tavern. Educating customers on new ideas and opening their palates to try new things.

“It is a matter of thinking outside the box when planning beer events and we’re more than happy to get on board and help out,” Fishwick says.

38 bars&clubs

How long has Rag & Famish been running? How long have you worked at the venue?

The Rag has been in operation going on 154 years, however, the current owners, the Calligeros Family, have had the hotel since 1975. Of course there has been the odd face-lift here and there. The Rag and Famish is probably currently in the best shape of its life. As you may have noticed we are even now in the middle of a few new and exciting things. I’ve been here for about two years now and look forward to seeing the changes come to fruition.

How many craft beers do you have available at Rag & Famish?

About 25 in bottles, which is nothing huge by any means, however, we have a craft draught range of 10 to 12 on tap. The Rag has traditionally been a classic beer drinking pub. The new selection has really helped us diversify and set us apart from our competition.

What brands or styles of craft beers have been the most popular with your patrons?

I wouldn’t say North Sydney is exactly on the cutting-edge in terms of trends in beer consumption, as a result, the craft beer mentality was a little slow to hit this side of the bridge. Now that it has, however, I feel like we’re going from strength to strength and I’ve definitely noticed a huge increase in sales figures of craft beer. Occasionally we even have craft beers outselling the domestic bulk beer.

Style-wise, I think the pale ales are definitely a bit of a ‘flavour of the month’. Pale ales have really been a great vehicle in breaking drinking habits, a bit of a ‘’gateway beer’ into more crafty flavours.

As far as brands go the guys at Young Henrys and The Rocks Brewing Co are real crowd favourites. In saying that, it would be hard to find anyone that’s been to The Rag and has not had a Coopers at one time or another. They are like an old couple that just seem to work together. If Coopers Pale Ale is still deemed a craft beer in the eyes of the drinker then it is the king and no-one comes close to their popularity.

What do you think are the main advantages that craft beers offer a venue?

Any disadvantages?

Disadvantages? Is too much choice one? I pretty well only see positives when I think of ‘crafties’. There are so, so many styles out there, and some real ground breaking stuff. So there’s genuinely something for absolutely every palate, whether you like a delicious truffle and bacon stout from the boys at Young Henry’s, or something fruitier and clean like the 69 Summer Ale from Riverside Brewing Co. It is because of this that I’ve also noticed more women getting acquainted with beer.

Let’s face it, who doesn’t love a girl that loves beer? My answer may have been different if I was a brewer, but for the same reason - people are simply spoilt for choice and you could never afford to stop innovating if you wanted to stay in and ahead of the game.

How important do you think Coopers has been in helping the craft beer market grow in Australia?

It has been integral really, without their foundation it’s hard to envisage where the market would be, but the smart money would say it would be nowhere near where it is today.

What are your thoughts on the new Thomas Cooper Selection range? What type of response has the new Coopers Artisan Reserve received from your patrons?

As is the case with any lines, it’s horses for courses. I have been fairly happy with the range, particularly the Vintage and Celebration Ales. The Artisan gets a mixed vibe. It’s a great drop, a real session beer, but not classically what you expect from Coopers, being a pretty traditional pilsner. Craft beers are literally like wines nowadays, and the Artisan pairs brilliantly with bacon and pork sausages.

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CRAFT BEER

Support of venues and training their bartenders is always on the minds of all the brewers. They all agree it’s the most important part of the process of education of the customer. Support delivered in the way of brewery visits or supplying detailed tasting notes or even offering a face to face training session in venue. They all commented on how critical bartenders are to their brands. Customers need bartenders to guide them through the process of choosing what to drink.

“There is no point in giving a traditional lager drinker a big, hoppy American style IPA. It will not only (more than likely) be way too intense for them but it can totally turn them off the category – there is the stereotype that all craft beers have crazily high bitterness levels. On the other hand, pointing them toward a Golden Ale or even a Red Ale will open them up to more flavours and encourage them to explore the category – and the bar’s beer list – even further,” Fishwick explains.

But he also thinks that it’s so important for the individual bartender to remember that they don’t have to love every product, just to describe the characteristics and strengths of the brew so they can help properly educate/assist the customer in their choice.

So, how important is it to have a craft range in your venue? All agree that it’s very important these days. It comes down to product rotation. Food specials and wine range seem to change every other week, there’s a new tequila, rum, whisky, so why not beer?

Caunter highlights the point that “you need new customers to add to your regulars. If you are offering the same beer selection, the same food at the same price, the same happy hour then how can you expect more customers – having new brews and limited releases is one way to entice new customers into the venue. I went into one of the Yardhouse bars in the US, they had 187 beers on tap and the manager said the biggest sellers were still Coors Lite, Miller Lite and Bud Lite.”

While Wilson-Browne asserts that “if you don’t stock craft beers, you’re either an RSL, a Footy Club or you’re going out of business”. He believes it’s that simple. Craft drinkers are always in search of new brews, new flavours, something different. And with such an array of limited release brews, Fishwick says it’s a great way of introducing non-beer drinkers into the category.

But on the other hand, it’s so important not to bombard the consumer with a beer that has too much flavour, too high an ABV, or something just unbalanced. We don’t want to scare them off the category. Something mellow like a summer ale, would be a great transition into a craft option.

Pricing is a touchy subject. Caunter says the bigger the volume the greater the ability to reduce overheads and supply chain costs. But on the other

40 bars&clubs

hand there’ll always be new breweries starting up and smaller breweries expanding.

The only thing that can alter the industry is if the big breweries expand with more acquisitions of small breweries. But Ash Fong from Northdown added there are little pockets of bars in Sydney that seem to buck the trend and punters that don’t mind spending a bit more for something new and exciting. The Red Duck core range sells for almost $300 for a 30L keg – it’s hard to justify when you can get a local brew for much less.

“The more that the big breweries rebrand their commercial beverages as craft beer and sell cheap, and the more they brainwash consumers with misleading advertising, the harder it will be to get a margin on real craft beer,” WilsonBrowne argues.

But others said that while price can be a barrier to new craft drinkers (at the upper end of the scale, RRP for Bridge Rd Aurora Borealis 330ml is $19.50 or Brooklyn Silver Anniversary Lager 750ml is $30.00) customers are prepared to spend a few dollars extra after having a taste or sample. They then know what they are spending their money on!

They feel it’s justified.

Stuart agrees and he believes that “people are used to paying more for quality, be it for their muesli, chicken or a loaf of bread.

Craft is good value. The threat to growth of smaller craft is excise. “ But thanks to the Australian government charging an excise of $46.30 per litre for packaged products over 3.5% ABV, calculated on the alcohol content over 1.15% ABV it

isn’t easy for small brewers.

Overheads are high. The Craft Beer Association is proposing industry to lobby government to reduce current keg sizes from the 48L to 20L to lower the production excise.

So over the last five years the craft beer industry has exploded. There are now so many reps running all over the country spruiking craft beer. Most bars have a craft SKU (in the fridge at least).

Wilson-Browne contends that Australia is still 10 years behind world beer trends so there’s much room to grow.

Fishwick agrees and commented that “being the only growth category within the beer market, we can expect great things from the craft beer market as more and more drinkers move into the category and embrace the “quality over quantity” ethos that goes with it.”

So, there’s much room to grow for craft beer products.

A good number of standout brewers are buying old run down pubs to setup larger operations, offer a different edge or simply to continue something they love doing.

A number of brewers commented that if we are to look at America and what they are doing in terms of craft, we are so far behind.

But it’s not a negative.

It gives Australia a target to strive to. Can we catch up? Can we educate our clientele on a wider scale?

Will the new bartenders be as keen to get into craft and continue the upward trend?

What will the brewers do to push their product? We can only stand up and make the difference, or stand by as the craft movement makes its mark on Australia in the coming years. It’s a very exciting time to get involved. b&c

IN THE COOLER

AN AUSSIE APERITIF Sofi is a new, all-Australian white wine spritzer mixed using a classic Mediterranean recipe and made from locally grown Riesling grapes, blood orange, herbal extracts and citrus zest, which are blended to create a crisp, bitter-sweet drink. It has an ABV of 8 per cent and comes in 200ml bottles.

Distributed by Gateway Ph: (02) 9418 3496

A TOP BLOKE Fremantle’s Sail & Anchor has teamed up with US craft beer brewer, Karl Strauss Brewing Company, to create a limited edition red ale called The Bloke, a medium-bodied, nutty flavoured brew that packs butterscotch, caramel and toffee notes, and has lingering roasted malt finish. It is made using Cascade, Galaxy, Ella and Chinook hops, and has an ABV of 6 per cent.

Distributed by Pinnacle Liquor Group Ph: (02) 9333 8443

CRAFTY CANS Phoenix Beers has just launched a couple of canned beers from US craft-brewers, Founders Brewing Co., including the All Day IPA and the Centennial IPA. The All Day IPA is a sessionable brew while the Centennial IPA is a heavier, classic Americanstyle India Pale Ale with a complex taste. The All Day IPA has an ABV of 4.7 per cent, while the Centennial IPA comes with an ABV of 7.2 per cent.

Distributed by Phoenix Beers Ph: (08) 9275 0955

A MEXI-CAN The Australian Brewery has relaunched its popular Mexican Lager, a carefully crafted brew made using 20 per cent maize, and a small amount of hops, to produce a clean, crisp and light beer with plenty of natural flavour and citrus overtones. As part of the production process, US Liberty hops are added to the brew in post-fermentation, which gives it a lemon aroma.

Distributed by Kollaras Ph: (02) 4230 8009

FRUITY ADDITION TO THE MONTEITH’S RANGE Monteith’s has recently launched a new fruit cider range, Orchard Thieves, which is available in two distinct flavours, Mandarin and Lime, and Raspberry and Vanilla. The Mandarin and Lime variant is made from a blend of sweet mandarins and refreshing limes, while the Raspberry and Vanilla combines the tart taste of raspberries with the smooth finish of vanilla.

Distributed by Drinkworks Ph: (02) 8383 0600

bars&clubs 41

r a b t s be teams Papa Jack’s

Passage

EDV Melbourne

z Cliff Dive

A

bar is only as good as the people that staff it, therefore bars&clubs felt it was only right that we seek out and put the spotlight on some of the skilled and passionate teams of hospitality professionals making some of the country’s best bars what they are.

As with previous years we teamed up with some great brands – Bacardi Superior, Chambord, Little Drippa, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, and Four Pillars – and asked them to select a bar team they rated highly and thought deserved some acclaim.

Now this is just a small example of some of the great bar teams found throughout this land of ours, and the rest of the industry will get a chance to decide which bar teams deserve recognition and praise by voting for them in the 2014 Australian Liquor Industry Awards later this year.

Name: Primary Logo

NEGRO C30 M30 Y30 K100 FUEGO C10 M100 Y90 K5 BLANCO C4 M4 Y6 K0

42 bars&clubs

Victoria Room

Best Bar Teams BROUGHT TO YOU BY BACARDI

TEAM

Alex Dowd - Owner Jeremy Blackmore - Owner Russell Martin - Owner Elise Reynolds - GM Yannick Maslard – Assistant GM and entertainment booker Dan Liechti - Bar Manager Yvng Sally - Bartender

Sarah Crowley - Bartender Scotty Roy - Bartender Darcy Gorman - Bartender Daniel Farinelli - Bar back Marcus Dullard - Bar back Rene Gredel - Bar back Fast Eddy - Bar back Fiona Campbell - Door host

Name: Primary Logo

Cliff Dive

NEGRO C30 M30 Y30 K100 FUEGO C10 M100 Y90 K5 BLANCO C4 M4 Y6 K0

DAN LIECHTI - BAR MANAGER How long has Cliff Dive been opened, and how many people make up your bar team?

We have been open for six glorious months and have 12 staff that make up our bar team.

What do you look for when hiring new staff?

Great chat, smooth vibes and a love of all things rum, rhum and ron.

Does the bar organise any staff functions for team building purposes?

Indeed we do! We just had a staff party a couple of weeks ago… karaoke, Chinese food, and Jack Daniel’s shots in crab claws a.k.a The Crab Daniels.

Our sister bar, Tio’s Cerveceria, is also our home away from home. We are a pretty close bunch here. It’s a lot harder to socialise with the new lock out laws, there aren’t too many places open around us which are open once we close.

What type of training does The Cliff Dive provide the bar team?

Training and knowledge of all things The Cliff Dive, is very important to the venue. We provide weekly training sessions which includes everything from rum/spirit tastings to history chats and cool stuff talks.

Have any of the bar team competed in competitions over the years?

Not as yet. But if any of the guys were to enter any comps we would support the shit out of them.

What have been some of your most memorable moments over the years in regards to your bar team?

The hours of 11pm-1am provide life changing moments for all at The Cliff Dive and #crabdaniels brought us closer than expected.

Do you have any in house rules for your bar team?

Respect The Mint.

MONKEY HAT

Glass: Monkey Mug Ingredients: 45ml Bacardi Superior 30ml Bacardi 8 10ml Absinthe 120ml Tiki juice (half orange/half pineapple)

20ml Orgeat syrup A Dash of bitters Method: Blend Garnish: Pineapple wedge, orange slice, lime wheel, mint sprig and cherry along with a parasol

What role does the bar team play in regards to decision making for the venue with things such as cocktail lists, new products, events, new staff etc.?

A massive role - all ideas, creations, brainstorms, concoctions, decisions and twisted ideas are greatly encouraged by Jeremy, Alex and Russell.

bars&clubs 43

Best Bar Teams BROUGHT TO YOU BY CHAMBORD

Victoria Room LUKE HANZLICEK - BAR MANAGER How long has The Victoria Room been open and how many people make up your bar team?

We are almost at our 11th year and currently have seven people working bar operations.

What do you look for when hiring new staff?

Attitude and great presentation go a long way in an interview. I have pretty challenging questions when I interview applicants to give me an idea of the knowledge they possess. Overall, I am after someone who has a passion for knowledge and great personality. After all, we will be spending loads of time together.

What type of training does The Victoria Room provide the bar team?

Training is essential. If I’m not personally hosting a training session I get ambassadors to come to us and teach the team about their products. Proper training also leads to higher sales as the bar team can suggest different products or cocktails to our guests. I have been known to give the team some homework in the form of researching a cocktail or product and telling me about it.

Does the bar team tend to socialise a lot out of work? How important is this do you think?

We like to play soccer on Mondays and if we fi nish early enough we will most likely be found at Low 302, Hello Sailor, Eau-de-Vie or LoFi having some drinks and bites. It’s not only the bar team that hang out though, the bar, fl oor and kitchen staff are really tight so we will often head out as a massive crew. It is really important as it enables everyone to get together and get to know a team mate for who they are and not just who they are during service.

What have been some of your most memorable moments over the years in regards to your bar team?

The most memorable would be when Raph fi rst came out of his shell and started paying out one of the male waiters for drinking a ginger, lemon and honey tea that I made for him when he was sick. As we host a performance carnival at The Victoria Room on Sunday nights there has been more than one occasion when one of the guys have started pole dancing or swinging on the trapeze, after a couple of knock off drinks – it is bound to happen. Jess Arnott crunking to tunes after work will be a memory that will stay with me forever. Also, Yoshi doing a fi nger fl ip with a cocktail shaker attached to his skateboard was pretty special.

Do you have any in house rules for your bar team?

Leave your arrogance at the door... We’re bartenders, not brain surgeons. Greet all of our guests as soon as they

44 bars&clubs

TEAM Luke Hanzlicek - Bar Manager Yoshi Onishi - Full Time Bartender Clement Martin - Full Time Bartender Raphael Redant - Casual Bartender Marika Cappena - Trainee Bartender Kate Burgess - Cocktail Waitress Christian Greeves - Bar back/barista

# The Buck Berry approach the bar and have fun with them! Finally, always be researching and improving. No one is perfect, there is always room to grow.

What role does the bar team play in regards to decision making for the venue with things such as cocktail lists, new products, events, new staff etc?

I always like to get the bar team to create cocktails when we are introducing a new menu. When selecting new products we all taste it together and if we think we can move it, we will get it in. We do weekly specials and I will often leave it up to the rest of the team to come up with our cocktail special. All I have to do is tell them what I want to push and they create a better drink than I would have.

Glass: Highball Ingredients: 20ml Chambord 40ml Gin Mare 20ml Fresh lime juice 5ml Velvet Falernum 2 Dashes of Bittermens Hellfi re Habanero Shrub Method: Build and top with Capi Ginger Beer Garnish: Three raspberries skewered on a rosemary sprig

$

Best Bar Teams BROUGHT TO YOU BY LITTLE DRIPPA

Passage ED LOVEDAY - OWNER How long has The Passage been open, and how many people make up your bar team?

We’ve been open for four years. Our bar team is made up of four bartenders and one bar back.

What do you look for when hiring new staff?

Attitude is key. You can teach someone to make a drink... but you can’t teach them to be a legend.

What type of training does The Passage provide the bar team?

Regular cocktail and product training. If a bartender doesn’t have at least a basic understanding of each and every product that we serve they really shouldn’t be behind the bar to begin with.

TEAM Ed Loveday - Owner Andy Emerson - Owner Greg Bampton - Venue Manager Mitch Forbes - Bar Supervisor Maddy Hogan - Bartender Imogen Grist - Bartender Sam Muir - Bartender Charles Cohen - Bar Back

Glass: Coffe Mug Ingredients: 30ml Little Drippa 30ml 666 Butter Vodka 30ml Spiced rum 20ml Sugar syrup Method: Shake and strain Garnish: Biscotti

Does the bar team tend to socialise a lot out of work? How important is this do you think?

Absolutely. I think it’s important that you can sit down and share a drink and a laugh with your colleagues... especially after a long shift.

Familiarity is a fi ne line to tread - but at the end of the day you really want your team to get along.

What have been some of your most memorable moments over the years in regards to your bar team?

We took the team to The Ashes at the SCG in January this year. Cricket + Beers + Sun + Smashing The Poms. It’s a combination hard to beat.

What role does the bar team play in regards to decision making for the venue?

The guys have plenty of involvement in cocktail lists and new products. We do $10 cocktails on Tuesdays and 2-4-1 cocktails on Wednesdays and they especially lead the charge on keeping those lists fresh.

bars&clubs 45

Best Bar Teams BROUGHT TO YOU BY BUFFALO TRACE

Papa Jack’s MARCO NUNES – OWNER How long has Papa Jack’s been opened, and how many people make up your bar team?

About 4.5 months now. Our bar team is made of 8 bartenders.

What do you look for when hiring new staff?

When I look for a new team member, I’m after a passionate individual with a natural fl air for customer service, great understanding of drinks and a strong work ethic. In particular in a tribute to New Orleans, we want a good dose of Southern Hospitality! With our bar team, we were after a balance of young passionate bartenders with great creativity and some more experienced ones with a more classic style of bartending.

Does the bar organise any staff functions for bonding/team building purposes?

To be honest there has been so much going on since opening that we haven’t had much chance to have one yet. We have our fi rst one scheduled for this coming Monday and this will be a monthly thing from now on.

TEAM Marco Nunes – Owner Emily Nunes - Owner Perryn Collier – Bar supervisor Rob Scott – Head Bartender Nick Edwards – Bartender Krystal Hart – Bartender Nick Royds – Bartender Edward Quatermas – Bartender William Cowen - Bartender Elliot - Bar Back

Glass: Old Fashioned Ingredients: 50ml Buffalo Trace 10ml Maraschino liqueur 2 Dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters Pernod Absinthe rinse Method: Stir and serve on rocks in a absinthe rinsed Old Fashioned glass Garnish: Orange Twist

BT d e v o r Imp ioned h s a F d l O 46 bars&clubs

What type of training does Papa Jack’s provide the bar team?

We have recently kicked off weekly trainings/meetings now we can get a bit of routine going post-opening madness. We either have reps or ambassadors coming in or one of us picks a topic and hosts the training. Besides being great for our staff knowledge these weekly meetings are a good way to keep all the staff up to date, share ideas, and address any issues quickly.

Have any of the bar team competed in competitions over the years?

All of our bartenders are really competitive and are keen to get involved in any comps that are on. They all talk about their ideas, provide constructive feedback and

support each other during the challenges.

Do you have any in house rules for your bar team?

Leave your problems at the front door, it’s the fundamental rule for all areas of hospitality as a service industry. There’s never any excuse for bad service or being rude.

What role does the bar team play in regards to decision making for the venue with things such as cocktail lists, new products, events, new staff etc?

We have a rotating cocktail list changing every few days so we really rely on input from everyone to keep this rolling. Our back bar is tight and we only keep spirits the bartenders want so sell so again it’s down to the team to decide how this looks.

Emily and I regularly ask our staff for feedback and ideas for special events and feedback on entertainment.

Anything else you wish to mention?

It’s been wonderful seeing younger members of the bar team who are relatively new to the industry bringing an enthusiastic approach to service and some great new energy and ideas to Papa Jack’s. Stand out rookie Eddie has recently won the QLD fi nals for Havana Club Grand Prix and Parlez Vous Chartreuse and we look forward to seeing him whoop some ass at the national fi nals. It’s always a bit crazy during the fi rst few months of opening a new venue but the team has pulled together and we’ve gotten into the groove now and are really pumped for a big year ahead with some exciting events in the calendar!

Best Bar Teams BROUGHT TO YOU BY FOUR PILLARS GIN

EDV Melbourne JACK SOTTI - ASSISTANT VENUE MANAGER How long has EDV Melbourne been open, and how many people make up your bar team?

We’ve been open for two and a half years now and have a full team of 13 people.

What do you look for when hiring new staff?

First and foremost I look at fi rst impressions, a big smile, and confi dence. Next up I need to know that this is a career to them and not just a job, it’s also their hobby, passion and social life. And fi nally a great knowledge base with specialities in whisky and classic cocktails. And fi nally a great attitude when it comes to the team and willingness to learn.

We don’t do egos here.

Does the bar organise any staff functions for bonding/team building purposes?

We have one huge blow out each year, this year we had a day of go karting fi nishing with a nine course degustation. We have set trainings every Tuesday, and use any competition any of us are competing in as an excuse for a staff knees up.

Have any of the bar team competed in competitions over the years? How does the bar and the rest of the team support them when they do?

We encourage the entire team to enter competitions, this year we’ve had fi nalists in Bols, World Class, Legacy, Havana and we’re already scoping out all the upcoming comps. Every week we have a staff meeting and workshop all our ideas.

What have been some of your most memorable moments over the years in regards to your bar team?

Countless after work shenanigans that probably can’t be mentioned, but winning cocktail list of the year last year was up there!

Do you have any in house rules for your bar team?

Every new staff member has to Sabre a bottle of champagne after their fi rst Saturday with us. That’s my favourite. I’ve still got my cork.

What role does the bar team play in regards to decision making for the venue with things such as cocktail lists, new products, events, new staff etc?

Every staff member has a say in the bar, we only hire people whose judgement we trust and who can add a unique element to the team. With new menus we conceptualise an idea, then put it to the team to come up with the drinks, then we spend weeks tasting and tweaking for a result that staff can put their name on but has been rounded by their friends and colleagues.

TEAM Greg Sanderson - Owner and general manager Jack Sotti - Assistant venue manager Tasha Lu - Head bartender Todd Finley - Bartender Orlando Marzo - Bartender Peter Hollands - Events and functions manager

Evonne Eadie - Floor host Betty Cooper - Floor host Patrick Tulley - Floor host Jackson Evans - Junior bartender John Paul - Head chef Ross Magnaye - Sous chef

Glass: Tumbler Ingredients: 40ml Four Pillars Gin 20ml Lemon juice 20ml Champagne syrup 1 Dash of Angostura Bitters 3 Drops of Rose water 20ml Egg white Method: Dry shake, wet shake and strain into chilled glass with no ice. Add a splash of soda Garnish: Rose petal

izz F e i l a s o R The bars&clubs 47

MASTERCLASS

4

Sarah Miller has been managing some of the best cocktail bars in Melbourne for the past seven years and can currently be found behind the stick at Loch & Key where she holds the post of drinks creative director.

She explains that the idea behind her Low County Road cocktail is to showcase the diversity of cold drip coffee, which many bartenders only tend to reach for just for Espresso Martinis. Miller advises bartenders to keep Little Drippa close by and handy, and they’ll “be surprised as to how much you can do actually do with it”.

“The cocktail comes out smooth and creamy without being too heavy.

The lemon gives it subtle citrus notes and the salt finish compliments the cocktail’s sweetness,” Miller says.

“The vanilla and spice characteristic of Woodford Reserve and the true coffee flavour of Little Drippa go hand in hand. It’s all about balance. The cocktail is complex and quite refreshing.”

LOW COUNTY ROAD

Step Step

Glass: Stemmed tumbler by Ingredients: • 60ml Woodford Reserve Bourbon • 30ml Little Drippa • 10ml Sweetened condensed milk • 15ml Orgeat • 15ml Fresh lemon juice Garnish: Fresh cherry and a pinch of salt

LOW COUNTRYROAD 48 bars&clubs

MASTERCLASS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW JARVIE

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1. P our Woodford Reserve Bourbon 2. Pour fresh lemon juice 3. Pour orgeat 4. Pour Little Drippa 5. Pour sweetened condensed milk 6. Add ice and shake 7. Double strain 8. Add pinch of salt 9. Add fresh cherry garnish 10. Serve

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10 bars&clubs 49

K(E)Y COMPONENTS

SALTY COASTAL DR(E)AMS PT.1 NAVIGATING THE WORLD OF WHISK(E)Y FOR YOUR BAR

BY DAN WOOLLEY

A

lot of research has been done over the last few years in regards to the salty fl avour found in some coastal and island single malt whiskies. The main reason for this is that when whisky is broken down into a molecular form there is absolutely no evidence of any sodium whatsoever.

Weird? I know, right? I can see you asking yourself the same questions that I did – ‘I can defi nitely taste a saltiness to this whisky’ or ‘It gets that salty taste because it’s aged so close to the sea and the cask soaks in those maritime fl avours’… You can’t argue with that logic, can you?

Why then are some whiskies that are aged on the coast right next to the sea not salty in fl avour when others are? This is something not even science can explain yet but I’m sure we will fi nd out in the coming years. In the meantime let’s have a closer look at some of these salty single malts that I’ve been harking on about….

Old Pulteney is a superb example of a coastal salty dram. It’s the most Northerly distillery on the mainland of Scotland built in the little fi shing Port of Wick. The distillery was originally built to quench the thirst of the hard working fi sherman. Its entry level 12 year old single malt has a delicious sweet and fruity nose with a very oily and salty palate almost like brine. It has a medium fi nish that matches very well to very strong, aged cheddar or oysters.

The 17 year old expression takes a lot more from the cask as you would expect with dried dark fruits on the nose but it develops into a thicker and creamier palate with a lot longer fi nish. If you’re ever lucky enough to come across the 21 year old buy it and drink it immediately! This is commonly referred to as a ‘desert island’ whisky by many whisky geeks and for good reason. This whisky is made for sharing with friends on special occasions and was crowned whisky of 2012 in Jim Murray’s famed Whisky Bible, scoring a staggering 97.5 per cent. Both the 17 and the 21 year old are aged in American Oak, some ex bourbon and some ex fi no sherry which defi nitely contribute heavily to the unique fl avour profi le of this whisky.

Now it’s time to set sail from the mainland and hit the Isle of Mull. The capital of Mull is a tiny little fi shing village by the name of Tobermory, which coincidently is also the name of the distillery that produces the salty single malt. Tobermory produce some wonderful and very unique fl avours at this distillery which is now bottling two variants. Ledaig is their heavily peated (35ppm) 10 year old expression.

This whisky is now being bottled at 46.3 per cent, a higher ABV than previous bottlings, and is also non chill fi ltered which gives it an amazing nose of salted prunes and sweet honey and an incredible palate of sweet salted pork with a buttery fi nish. I adore this whisky and it’s a great aperitif to wet your whistle and get the juices fl owing before a meal. One of the saltiest single malts around that I just can’t get enough of, Ledaig was the original name of the distillery when it was fi rst founded around 1798.

Some years later the distillery was renamed Tobermory. The Tobermory (un-peated) 15 year old expression is another delicious whisky from this little known distillery. It takes a lot of its very complex fl avour profi le from the sherry casks that it’s aged in which seem to work very well with its sweet and salty DNA. Again I get salted prunes on the nose but this time it’s magnifi ed with a powerful fruit cake spice mix of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

The palate is a spicy marmalade mixed with toffee and salted caramel. It has a medium to long fi nish with sea salt shining through to the bitter end. If you’ve never tried this whisky, look out for it as it’s a cracker! All three of these great whiskies are distributed nationally by island2island. b&c

50 bars&clubs

PROFILE

SUBTLE, REFINED AND COMPLEX

S

untory Australia will be doubling its supply of Japanese whisky in May, with the release of six Suntory whisky varieties - Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve, Yamazaki 12 Year Old, Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve, Hakushu 12 Year Old, Hibiki 12 Year Old, and Hibiki 17 Year Old. According to Suntory Australia managing director, Ian Atherton, Australians are now consuming close to 19 million glasses of whisky per month. In addition, the number of whisky drinkers in the 25 to 34 year old demographic had doubled in the past six years, while the number of discerning female whisky drinkers is also growing.

“We see Japanese whisky as being a particular growth area, as it is ideally suited for the Australian market. Suntory Whisky has a subtle, refi ned, yet complex fl avour which is different to Scotch whisky and Irish/American whiskey,” Atherton says.

“Intended to be paired with food, Suntory Whisky is crafted to accompany a range of fl avours – from traditional Japanese to Asian fusion, and from French cuisine to modern Australian fare.”

The company believes the characteristics of Suntory whisky will appeal to younger drinkers (especially females), while serving the whiskies in Highballs – a popular trend in Japan – will help bring new drinkers to the category.

“Suntory Whisky has a refi ned fl avour that holds appeal with both whisky connoisseurs and those just starting to enjoy whisky.

“Hakushu in particular has been gaining in popularity among female drinkers around the world, especially when consumed as a Highball – accompanied with soda water and a garnish such as a mint leaf, or a lemon wedge to accompany a Yamazaki Highball. With our warm climate, I predict the Hakushu and Yamazaki Highballs will prove very popular in Australia,” said Atherton.

“We’re also very pleased to introduce the Yamazaki and Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve to the Australian market, as they offer a more accessible introduction to Suntory Whisky. These whiskies represent the ‘young talent’, or young malt whiskies that have been hand selected by a team of blenders.”

As part of the roll out Suntory Whisky global ambassador, Mike Miyamoto, recently visited Australia to conducted tastings and interviews, where he discussed the history of Suntory Whisky and the different variants that are will be released locally.

Miyamoto explained that the founder of Suntory Whisky, Shinjiro Torii, started off as a fortifi ed

wine merchant in 1899, and following the success of his wine business, decided to venture into whisky production.

“The reason he wanted to start making whisky was because he was fascinated by the process of maturation. To make his fortifi ed wine he needed alcohol and that had to be imported into Japan at the time – some alcohol was left over in the wooden containers that he imported, and it changed colour and taste from the wood.

“Instead of importing whisky, he wanted to create his own. He didn’t want to just imitate the Scotch whisky style, although he wanted to create a Scotch style whisky, he wanted to create a whisky that would appeal to the delicate Japanese palate,” Miyamoto says.

Shinjiro Torii invested everything he had to open the Yamazaki Distillery in 1923, which is seen as the birthplace of Japanese whisky and the start of a mission to make the best whisky possible.

As Miyamoto points out though, because Japan has nowhere near as many distilleries as Scotland, the local whisky blenders would have had a limited amount of whisky styles to play with, if it wasn’t for some good old Japanese innovation and self-suffi ciency.

“We had to develop techniques to make a lot of different whiskies in the same distillery. At Yamazaki we could theoretically produce 60 different kinds of whisky. We use two different styles fermentation styles, six different type of pot stills, and fi ve different kinds of casks. At Hakushu we can make 40 different styles.”

The distilleries also make their own barrels from Spanish, American and Japanese oak timber, which assures them of the history of the casks they use and gives them more control over the fi nished product.

While each different whisky Suntory produces has its own unique taste profi le and characteristics, Miyamoto sums up the overall DNA strand that threads through all their releases, which he sums up as “subtle, refi ned and complex”. b&c

YAMAZAKI 12 YEAR OLD “Sweet, dry with a long fi nish. It gives you complexity and lingering sensation.”

YAMAZAKI DISTILLER’S RESERVE “It has a distinctive fl avour and tends to give you a bit of acidity. It’s fresh but still mature enough.”

HAKUSHU 12 YEAR OLD “It has herbal, minty notes, and another feature of Hakushu is subtle smokiness because we use just a portion of heavy peated malt.”

HAKUSHU DISTILLER’S RESERVE “It still maintains the smokiness, but also has a very fresh scent and very citric fruitiness. It goes with soda very well, and is very popular with Japanese young females.”

HIBIKI 12 YEAR OLD “There are 20 to 30 different whiskies in it, which gives it complexity but harmony with a bit of acidity.”

HIBIKI 17 YEAR OLD “Hibiki 17 Year Old gives you gorgeous, elegant harmony. Its strong feature is tropical fruit, it’s a bit silky but well balanced, all the fl avours are harmonious, and it lingers a long time.”

bars&clubs 51

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BEHIND THE BAR THE PRODUCTS EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS MONTH

1NEW AGAVE SPIRIT

Vanguard Luxury Brands has expanded its portfolio with the addition of the artisanal La Venenosa Raicilla brand. La Venenosa Raicilla range was developed by Chef Esteban Morales four years ago, and it features four different types of raicillas made by four ‘Maestro Taberneros’, each from a different region, and each one using a different agave species, with ABVs varying from 42 per cent to 47 per cent. Raicilla is a type of mezcal that has been produced in the Mexican state of Jalisco for over 400 years, and the name was adopted in the 1780s as a way for distillers to avoid a tax placed on mezcal.

Distributed by Vanguard Luxury Brands Ph: 1300 DRINKS

2

COINTREAU BETS ON BLACK

Suntory Australia has recently launched Cointreau Noir, a new product that blends cognac with Cointreau, which was created by master distiller Bernadette Langlais,

52 bars&clubs

who was inspired by an old recipe from the early 1900s for a Cointreau and cognac blends created by Edouard Cointreau and called Majestic.

Langlais’ version blends 70 per cent Cointreau orange liqueur with 30 per cent Rémy Martin cognac that was especially made for Cointreau, and she has also original recipe by adding macerations of nuts and almonds.

Distributed by Suntory Australia Ph: (02) 9663 1877

3

ORGANIC VODKA

Isos is a new premium vodka made in the NSW Hunter Valley handcrafted from 100 per cent organic ingredients. The brand name means equality in Greek and is distilled nine times, fi ltered fi ve times, and made using fi ltered rainwater, resulting in a vodka with a smooth mouth feel and a sweet fi nish with vanilla notes.

Distributed by Isos Ph: 0423 312 701

4

THE RUM BLENDER’S CHOICE

Bundaberg Rum has released the

latest addition to its Master Distillers’ Collection (MDC) range, the Blender’s Edition, which is set to become an annual release. The fi rst-ever Blender’s Edition boasts a complex fl avour with hints of raisins, vanilla and spice, and a long, smooth fi nish, and packs an ABV of 40 per cent.

Distributed by Diageo Australia Ph: 1800 066 931

MEDITERRANEAN OVER 5AMAKE Gin Mare has recently introduced a new sleek and refi ned look to its packaging, which includes an elegant redesign of its proprietary bottle, created to emphasise the brand’s Mediterranean roots. The neck of the bottle neck has been given a more sophisticated style and now incorporates a rippled base in reference to the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. Distributed by Suntory Australia Ph: (02) 9663 1877

GOES BACK HOME 6LILLET

Pernod Ricard Australia has recently taken over the distribution for its Lillet range, which has been handled by Cerbaco for the past two years. The company said the addition of the brand back into its portfolio will allow it to consolidate its wine and spirits offer, and allow Lillet to benefi t from its route to market capabilities. The Lillet vermouth range includes Lillet Blanc, Lillet Rosé and Lillet Rouge. The vermouths are made using a unique blend of rigorously selected wines, quinine liqueur and subtle handcrafted liqueurs, which are matured throughout the year in the Podensac cellar, in the Bordeaux region of France.

Distributed by Pernod-Ricard Ph: (02) 8874 8222

UP THE BOURBON CATEGORY 7SPICING Wild Turkey Bourbon has recently rolled out its new, innovative Wild

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EDITED BY SACHA DELFOSSE

Turkey Spiced bourbon, the fi rst spiced bourbon to be launched in Australia. At 86 proof, Wild Turkey Spiced still keeps Wild Turkey’s smooth, signature taste but also features vanilla and caramel fl avours and hints of clove and cinnamon.

Distributed by Campari Australia Ph: (02) 9478 2727

8

A SWEET DROP FROM HUNGARY

Márton és Lányai (Martin and Daughters) Blueberry liqueur is made at the 100-year-old Györköny Distillery in Hungary from high quality blueberries and honey using a traditional recipe. It has an ABV of 40 per cent and comes in a sleek, slim 500ml bottle. It is part of an extensive range of fruit brandies, liqueurs and palinkas available locally through Hungarian Goods.

Distributed by Hungarian Goods Ph: 0433 578 533

9HEAVY DUTY VODKA

Heavy Water is a handcrafted vodka made from Scandinavian winter wheat and pure Swedish water, which comes in a stand out, unique looking bottle designed by Swedish artist Christian Beijer that includes a built-in aeration rod that infuses oxygen into every pour. The smooth and light artisanal vodka is fi ltered through Scandinavian activated charcoal, and contains hints of fennel, licorice and powdered sugar notes on the nose and palate. Heavy Water has earned several awards, including scoring 94 points and a Gold Medal from the Beverage Testing Institute.

Distributed by Quantum Spirits Ph: 0457 070 909

as a touch of Madagascan vanilla.

Distributed by Diageo Australia Ph: 1800 066 931

HIGH FLYING TEQUILA LANDS 11 IN AUSTRALIA Tequila Avión, one of the fastest growing ultra-premium tequilas in the US, has just been launched locally

by Pernod Ricard Australia. Tequila Avión is hand crafted from Avión agave that is grown at 7,000 feet above sea level, which produces a higher sugar content and gives the range a sweeter profi le. The agave is slow roasted for 72 hours at low temperature, before being small batched distilled, and then undergoing

10

AN INDULGENT LIQUEUR

Diageo Australia has just launched the new Baileys Chocolat Luxe, an indulgent fusion of real Belgian chocolate with Irish whiskey and cream. It features 30 grams of real Belgian chocolate per bottle as well

a ultra-slow fi ltration process that takes up to 10 times longer than many other tequilas and gives the range a smooth taste. The Tequila Avión range includes a Silver, Reposado, Añejo and Espresso Liqueur.

Distributed by Pernod-Ricard Ph: (02) 8874 8222

12A FAIR CALL

The Fair spirit range has just been launched in Australia, and features a quinoa based vodka, a goji berry liqueur, an authentic coffee liqueur and a Caribbean dark rum.

The range is Fair-Trade certifi ed, and the brand donates 2.5 per cent of its turnover toward fi nancing local development programs in the communities it sources its ingredients from. Fair’s vodka (its lead brand) is produced and bottled in Cognac, France, and is the fi rst vodka made with organically grown quinoa seeds sourced from a cooperative of small independent producers in Bolivia.

It has already won various awards including a Platinum Medal from the Chicago Beverage Testing Institute, a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and it was named Best Vodka at the New York Spirits Awards. It has a fl oral, fruity nose with hints of wood and citrus, and a clean yet creamy fi nish.

Distributed by Noble Spirits Ph: 0428 149 157

bars&clubs 53

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

BARREL AGED COCKTAILS – THE STORY SO FAR…

BY GEE DAVID – SOUTHTRADE INTERNATIONAL NATIONAL TRAINING MANAGER

S

ome cocktail fads come and go, some have a bigger impact than others but when you look at the idea of putting a perfectly balanced cocktail, one that’s been meticulously made by a skilled hand, primed and ready for consumption, into a barrel where it rests for anything between four to eight weeks, you have to ask the question. Is it all worth it?

What it does, for certain, is create another aspect of cocktail service in a bar that has all other bases covered. There is an experimental side to the process and of course, this gets bartenders thinking of different ways to deliver bespoke cocktails, often twists on classic recipes, which only goes to enhance their guests’ experience.

Liberty, a successful bar on Capitol Hill in Seattle experiments with up to 15 barrel aged cocktails at a time. Could this be something that develops further in our scene and becomes a standard offering?

I recently had the pleasure of playing host to the Master Distiller from Buffalo Trace, Harlen Wheatley, his favourite tipple being a Manhattan.

While he was with me at the bar, I got him to make his own Manhattan (which we multiplied according to recipe) and pour it into a 5L barrel.

This is still ageing quietly, under close supervision, which I’m sure will be a gem when ready to be drunk. Admittedly this was a fi rst for Harlen and he was very keen to get a taste of the end result.

As luck would have it, I happened to have a bottle left of a Barrel Aged Boulevardier that I had made some months previously. We stirred this down over a large block of ice and the result was a big WOW! Harlen agreed that the fl avour profi le was far more complex, with a mellowed sweetness that fi nished well balanced and rounded. So we decided to drink the rest of the bottle… as you do.

Now, more about this topic and I have to say, I’m loving the way that not only are we now aging cocktails in barrels but there are bars that are simply ageing spirits to create cocktails, advertising the fact that the cocktails are made with barrel aged spirit. This could be bourbon, gin or tequila, from what I’ve seen so far.

Just this morning, I learned that you can go even further into the realms of barrel aging and use the water, after rinsing the barrel a few times, you fi ll the barrel to the top, let it stand overnight then transfer into ice molds to be frozen.

Et Voila! As if by magic, you have just made ‘barrel aged ice’.

At fi rst I thought this might be a little too nerdy, even for me to try.

However I think back to times spent with ‘molecular experimentalists’ like Tony Conigliaro of 69, Colebrooke Row in London and Grant Collins at Bar Solutions and their ideas of ‘smoking’ water to then solidify for use in certain classic cocktails, this was genius and so why not have barrel aged ice?

Currently I have been working on some recipes as suggestions for bars that want to offer this style of cocktail using Buffalo Trace Straight Kentucky Bourbon and Patrón Tequila, branded barrels.

There’ll be a Barrel Aged Cocktail program running for all those that want to get involved. Get in touch with your SouthTrade rep for further details. b&c

54 bars&clubs

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

THINGS THAT CUSTOMERS NOTICE THAT DESIGNERS OFTEN MISS PAUL KELLY*

W

hen you’re a designer you often run the risk of getting completely lost in the creative aspects of the project. The overall grand plans of what you’re setting out to do can override the smaller details – and unfortunately it’s these that customers notice but designers frequently forget.

Customers are a discerning breed. They know what they like, and what they don’t. Of course everyone has different tastes, and an interior design style can appeal to one customer, but completely turn off another. However there are aspects of design that go across all venues.

They aren’t always necessarily visual, but are part of the function of a space. A customer can love the venue aesthetically, but sometimes it can be the most minute thing that turns them off – perhaps it’s a wobbly table, uncomfortable chair or bathrooms with poor signage.

I think one of the major problems we fi nd with some venues is that the designer often forgets about acoustics.

This can be a hugely detrimental fl aw in a fi t out for a number of reasons.

Customers want to be able to hear each other talking – they want to linger over their meal and enjoy the conversation that comes along with it. There’s nothing worse than going to a venue and not being able to do so. In turn, customers tend to leave the venue earlier than they would have otherwise, which can have a negative fi nancial effect.

At The Ivanhoe in Manly we realised this would pose a problem, as the space is so large, so we installed a complete acoustic treatment throughout the venue. The product we used is 35 per cent open to absorption, meaning lower noise levels and greater enjoyment for customers.

Lighting is another important factor that some designers can get wrong. In a basic sense, the wrong light fi ttings can be a huge deterrent for customers – for those who are tall, low hanging pendant lights can simply get in the way.

This is especially noticeable when the customers are sitting down and can’t even see their companion across the table. The tone of the lighting also needs to be heavily considered. No one wants bright, unfl attering lighting in a venue – they want soft, moody lighting as it makes them feel and seem more attractive.

Lights can look great, and tie in perfectly with the overall design of a space, but if they don’t function properly, it can be immensely frustrating for the customer.

Seating is also something that needs to be taken into account. A chair or stool may look great, but if it doesn’t function correctly, or it isn’t comfortable, the customer will defi nitely notice. Stools and chairs that are too heavy are a problem.

Firstly the customer will often struggle to pick them up, but on a constructional level, the fabric used to upholster them can easily rip when the stool is moved. The height of

a seat is also something to keep in mind. Imagine you’re sitting opposite someone and they’re a head lower than you – it’s an awkward, and pretty unpleasant, situation to be in for a customer.

Designers sometimes forget this, especially when creating banquette seating. It’s imperative that you match the height of the banquette to the loose seating opposite, and indeed make sure they both work with the height of the table. The customer can feel horribly uncomfortable if the dining table is too high or low.

Most importantly, though, is the basic fact that chairs need to be comfortable.

If you can combine a nice aesthetic with a high level of comfort, the customer will want to stick around.

Good design doesn’t just mean a beautiful bar space – it needs to extend to other areas, too, including the toilets. Too often these are forgotten about, but the customer always notices when the design of a space doesn’t fl ow into the bathroom area.

I’ve been to a few places where it’s obvious that the toilets were an afterthought.

The main areas look great, but the bathroom either doesn’t refl ect the same aesthetic, or is plainly unattractive. I think the bathroom is such an important part of the design brief as a whole, and the customer knows this. We took this into account when designing Jack Greene in

Hobart recently. Instead of standard wall tiles, we took elements of the bar’s design into the toilets by using full height waterproof wallpaper.

Of course there are so many other details that customers pick up on – some things frustrate certain people more than others.

But throughout the years I’ve spent designing bars, clubs and restaurants, these

are the factors I’ve picked up on, both as a designer and a customer. b&c

* Paul Kelly is an accomplished designer with 15 years experience, working on over 150 venues, including Sokyo, Black by Ezard, Ivanhoe Manly, The Oaks and The Bourbon, The White Hart and the Macquarie Hotel.

bars&clubs 55

THE BARTENDERS CUP MEDIBANK ICEHOUSE, MELBOURNE

Busloads of spectators headed to Medibank Icehouse at the conclusion of the Top Shelf trade day in February, for the inaugural Bartenders Cup, a charity ice hockey between the Western Wizards and the Eastside Unicorns.

The Western Wizards was comprised of bartenders representing Perth and Adelaide, while the Eastside Unicorns was made up of bartenders coming from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Unfortunately for the Western Wizards, the Eastside Unicorns dominated the game, and the final score was 7-3 in the Unicorns favour. But with the Bartenders Cup set to become a yearly event, the Wizards will get a chance to redeem themselves next year.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: TASH SORENSEN AND RYAN NOREIKS

THE WESTERN WIZARDS BRAYDON GILLIS JACK WILKES TIM WASTELL NICK HARRIS CAMERON NORTHWAY SHAUN PATTINSON CHAD HANSON TRISTRAM ROYCE FINI CHRISTIAN BLAIR BEN TUA STEVE BURNS RORY LIM DIM RTSHILADZE TOM KEARNEY NATHAN BEASLEY SAM O’LEARY JOE SINAGRA TIM WILLIAMS DAVID NGUYEN-LUU

THE EASTSIDE UNICORNS LEWIS JAFFREY REECE GRIFFITHS LEWIS HALLS JASON WILLIAMS BARRY CHALMERS DAVE KERR ROSSCO CHARMAN MATTHEW STIRLING LUKE ASHTON MIKE TOMASIC ALEX RELIC CHARLIE AINSBURY DAVID ROSARIO CHRISTOPHER FLOWER PETR DVORACEK MARCO NUNES RORY PIE RODRIGO VEGA

SCENE

THE PARTIES, THE PEOPLE, THE FASHION, THE DRINKS

56 bars&clubs

SCENE

R THU K AR JAC ITH AND SM BIAS TO SON IN ROB

THE BARBER SHOP SESSIONS

ARABIAN NIGHTS ONE

THE BARBER SHOP, SYDNEY

The Barber Shop recently launched The Barber Shop Sessions, a weekly night where guests can enjoy live jazz while getting a haircut, hot towel shave and a shoe shine while indulging one of the many cracking cocktails on the drinks menu.

ZETA BAR, SYDNEY

THO

USA N ONE D AND NIGH TS

AZER KEY

MARAKESH BL

Zeta Bar recently launched its new Arabian Nights concept, which includes a number of great cocktails inspired by movies such as Casablanca, 1001 Nights and Aladdin, and made using Middle Eastern spices and aromas including star anise, cinnamon, rose water, figs, mint, fairy floss, liquorice and Turkish Delight.

MIA M AND ORRISSE Y K APPL ENDRA ETON

JACINTA STEVENSON, STACEY TODD AND GABBY DALMASY

DONNY’S BAR LAUNCH DONNY’S BAR, MANLY

ROLLING STONE AWARDS BEACH ROAD HOTEL, SYDNEY

Patrón Tequila presented the 5th Annual Rolling Stone Awards at the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi last month, where more than 1,000 guests gathered to celebrate the local music industry’s finest while enjoying a number of great Patrón drinks including the Patrón Paloma, Patrón Mule, Passionfruit Margarita, and the Patrón XO Dark Espresso Martini.

LAC COTT HLAN JADE EE AND HEAL EY

Matt Clifton and Tol Broinowski recently hosted a party to launch their new venue, Donny’s Bar, the latest spot to open up in Manly.

Guests danced away to the sounds OXBLVD, while enjoying Gosling’s Dark n Stormy, Kraken Punch and Murray’s Angry Man Pale Ale, and snacking on Asian style tapas including Wagyu Sliders and Pork Buns.

bars&clubs 57

THE CREW 1

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5 5

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1. TOTO BAR’S PETER CLARKE 2. PERRY SCOTT AND CAM NORTHWAY CHILLING AT BAXTER INN 3. ENCANTO PISCO’S OTIS FLORENCE SERVING UP SOME TASTY COCKTAILS 4. SIMON HARLEY AND JAKE DOWN FROM POCKET BAR TERRIGAL 5. SPAKKA-NAPOLI’S DANNY SIBILLIO AND LUIGI PELUSO 6. KASS HILL MAKES A MEAN DAIQUIRI 7. TIM PHILIPS, SIMON DIFFORD, DEMETRIUS GIOUZELIS AND ‘BONDI’ ROBB SLOAN AT BULLETIN PLACE 8. JASON WILLIAMS AND SAM ROSS AT THE ROOK 9. MIKE TOMASIC AT MR MOUSTACHE 10. DAN KNIGHT AND SIMON TOOHEY AT THE BACARDI LEGACY FINALS

58 bars&clubs

9

BARS&CLUBS MARCH/APRIL INDEX

BRANDS AND COMPANIES INDEX A Agwa, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 ALIA, 42 Angostura, 7

B Bacardi, 9, 43 Bailey’s, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 52 Bartenders Cup, 56 Buffalo Trace, 46 Bundaberg, 52

C Carlton Draught, 6 Casa Mexico, 27, 30, 32, 34 Cointreau, 52 Chambord, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 44 Coopers, 35, 36, 37

D Diageo Australia, 6 Double Drip, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22

F Fair Spirits, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 53

G Galliano, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Gin Mare, 52

H Hakushu, 51 Heavy Water, 53 Herradura, 25, 26, 27, 28, 34

K Kahlua,12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22

L Little Drippa , 45, 48, 49 Local Craft Spirits, 8

M Marton es Lanya, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 53 Massenz, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 McLaren Vale Beer Company, 36, 37, 40 Mextrade, 30, 32, 34 Midori, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Monkey Shoulder, 8 Monteith’s, 36, 37, 41 Mr Black, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22

I IconPark, 7 Illyquore, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22

P Patron, 1, 26, 27, 30, 31, 54, 57 Paul Kelly Design, 55 Pavan, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Phoenix Beers, 41

R Red Duck, 37, 40 Rocks Brewing, 36, 37 Rolling Stone Awards, 57

S Sail & Anchor, 41 Sofi , 41 Solerno, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Solotel, 8 SouthTrade International, 1, 26, 27, 30, 31, 54, 57 Stella Artois, 6 Stoli, 56

Suntory Australia, 51 Sweet & Chilli, 6

T Tequila Avión, 53 Tequila Tromba, 8, 32, 33, 34 Top Shelf, 56 The Australian Brewery, 41

V Vanguard Luxury Brands, 32, 34, 52

W Wild Turkey, 8, 53 William Grant & Sons, 8

Y Yamazaki, 51

BARS & CLUB INDEX A Ace Pizza, 6

B Bank Hotel, 8 Beach Road Hotel, 57 Black Pearl, 9 Bobeche, 6 Boston, 6

C Cargo Lounge, 24 China Diner, 11 Choo Choo’s, 6

D Donny’s, 57

E Easy Tiger, 10 EDV Melbourne, 47 El Publico, 6

F Five Bar, 6

G Grasshopper, 6

H Hello Sailor, 12 Hinky Dinks, 9 Huey Long’s, 11

L Loch & Key, 48 Low 302, 27, 32

M Magazin, 6 Mechanics’ Insitute, 6 Mojito Joe’s, 8 Ms Collins, 11

P Papa Jack, 9, 46 Purl, 6

Q QT Hotel, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22

R Rabbit Hole, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Rag & Famish Hotel, 35, 38 Rocafelas, 10

S Seawall, 10 Spakka-Napoli, 10 Stanley St. Merchants, 7

The Passage, 45 The Victoria Room, 8, 44

V Varnish, 6

Z Zeta Bar, 27, 28, 30, 32, 57 Zhou Zhou, 11

T The Barber Shop, 8, 57 The Classroom, 6 The Cliff Dive, 43 The Crossing, 30, 32, 33, 34 The Deen, 6 The Kodiak Club, 30, 32, 33, 34

PEOPLE INDEX A Atherton, Ian, 51

B Barnett, Sam, 30, 32, 33, 34 Bayly, Phil, 30, 32, 34 Beange, Lachlan, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Beaver, Jessica, 6 Bennet, Andrew, 6 Berger, Jordan, 8 Blair, Ben, 30, 32, 33, 34 Braid, Neilsen, 8 Bushell, Mitch, 8

C Carr, Jonothan, 8 Caunter, Grant, 36, 37 Cavanagh, Harry, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Cervantes, Jorge, 30, 32, 34 Clark, Kevin, 6 Connolly, James, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34

D David, Gee, 26, 27, 30, 31, 54, 57 de Vos, Mike, 6

Difford, Simon, 9

E Enright, Mike, 13 Enright, Mike, 8

F Fisher, Nathan, 8 France, James, 30, 32, 33, 34

G Gavin, Ryan, 8 Gilmour, Alex, 8 Gomes-Haro, Octavio, 29, 30, 32, 34 Greco, Max, 30, 32, 33, 34 Griffi ths, Reece, 27, 28, 32, 34

H Hanzlicek, Luke, 8, 12, 13, 44 Harris, Brett, 27, 30, 33, 34 Harris, Nick, 6 Heleta, Marcellus, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22

I Irvine, James, 1, 9, 30,

K

Kanongataa, Patrick, 30, 32, 33, 34 Kearney, Tom, 6

L Lai, Belinda, 6 Lake, Daniel, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Laming, Doug, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22

M Maurici, Niall, 9 McIntyre, Andrew, 6 Meiklejohn, Patrick, 35, 38 Meldrum, Andrew, 6 Miller, Sarah, 48, 49 Miyamoto, Mike, 51

N Nguyen, Quynh, 11 Nguyen-Luu, David, 9 Nunes, Marco, 9

O O’Sullivan, Martin, 6

P Passmore, Jamie, 6

Pearce, Cam, 36, 37 Perillo, Collin, 8 Peters, Nick, 30, 32, 33, 34

R Roche, Jordan, 8 Ross, Alex, 8 Rtshiladze, Dim, 6

S

Toubia, John, 6 Tua, Ben, 6

W Weisbaum, Nigel, 8 Williams, Jason, 24 Woolley, Dan, 50

Y Yeomans, Richard, 6

Selvadurai, Nick, 30, 33, 34 Sherry, James, 8, 27, 30, 32, 34 Shipley, Jeremy, 8, 25, 28 Siggins, Fred, 9 Sinagra, Joe, 6 Smith, Matthew, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Spencer, Jeremy, 7 Stuart, Oliver, 8

T Tang, Cheryl, 12, 13 Taylor, Nathan, 30, 32, 33, 34 Terron, Manuel, 12, 13 Thibault, Jared, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 Tomašic, Mike, 7, 32, 33, 34

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