bar ar busines business March 2022
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EXPECTING AN Experience
Plus
TALKING WITH
DALE DEGROFF
RETHINK & RENEW
HOW BARS ARE COPING IN UNCERTAIN TIMES.
Bars meet the demand for a memorable experience alongside cocktails.
TRENDING NOW
WHAT’S POPULAR IN COCKTAILS.
CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS
4
From the Editor
6
Health & Hospitality
8
Happenings
March 2022
A letter from our Editor Ashley Bray. Tips for staying well.
Important dates for the month.
10
On Tap
18
Bar Tour
21
Behind The Bar
Industry news & announcements. The Tipsy Flamingo fills a void in downtown Miami. In-depth analysis of beer, wine, and spirits.
24
Inventory
28
Q+A
Featured product releases. A conversation with Dale DeGroff.
FEATURES
12
Re-Think, Re-Organize, Renew
15
Are You Experiential?
How some establishments are coping in uncertain times.
With guests looking for more incentive to go out, it’s time to offer a full-on sensory experience.
COVER & CONTENTS PHOTO: GR VISUALS.
barbizmag.com
March 2022
Bar Business Magazine
1
bar business MARCH 2022
VOL. 15
NO. 1
Bar Business Magazine (ISSN 1944-7531) is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 88 Pine St 23rd Fl., New York, NY 10005
SUBSCRIPTION DEPARTMENT (402) 346-4740
EXECUTIVE OFFICES President Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr.
Group Publisher Gary Lynch Office: 212-620-7247; Cell: 646-637-5206 glynch@sbpub.com
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief Ashley Bray 212-620-7220 abray@sbpub.com Contributing Writers Elyse Glickman, Izzy Kharasch, Justin Roberts
ART
Art Director Nicole D’Antona Graphic Designer Hillary Coleman
PRODUCTION
Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers mconyers@sbpub.com
CIRCULATION
Circulation Director Joann Binz joann@qcs1989.com
ADVERTISING SALES David Harkey 973-563-0109 dharkey@sbpub.com
Bar Business (Digital ISSN 2161-5071) is published four times a year. March, June, September, and November are only offered in a digital format at no charge by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 88 Pine St. 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005. COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2022. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: Gary Lynch, Phone (212) 620-7247, or glynch@sbpub.com. For Subscriptions, & address changes, please call (402) 346-4740, Fax (847) 291-4816, e-mail barbusiness@omeda.com, or write to: Bar Business Magazine, Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation, PO Box 239, Lincolnshire IL 60069-0239 USA. Instructional information in this magazine should only be performed by skilled craftspeople with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all readers to exercise care when engaging in any of the how-to activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein.
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Bar Business Magazine
March 2022
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FROM THE EDITOR
FROM THE EDITOR
“ T People are looking
hey’re baaaaack!”
for experiences, especially [when] we’re emerging in an unfamiliar postCOVID world. - Manny Nieves, Corporate Beverage Manager, Pacifica Hotels
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March 2022
And no, we’re not talking poltergeists. After a year, Bar Business Media is bringing back its magazine, and we’re super excited to once again be providing content in this format. You’ll recognize many of the same readerfavorite departments as well as some features that provide a deep dive into industry issues. While we’re not invoking any ghostly creatures, the opening line of this column could refer to a variety of other scary impediments bars have been haunted by over the last few years. Take the labor shortage. The Great Resignation has seen workers leaving our industry in droves and owners scrambling to fill positions. On page 11, we provide you with some tips for recruiting and retaining workers in these difficult times. In Behind the Bar on page 21, the bar owners and bartenders we interviewed also recommend some strategies for being more efficient with fewer workers behind the bar with the help of techniques like batching. And in our lead feature on page 12, “Re-Think, Re-Organize, Renew,” Contributor Elyse Glickman talks with bar owners and staff about the ways they are combating the labor shortage. In that feature, Glickman also discusses strategies to banish other spectral entities plaguing bars like inflation, COVID-19 cases, and supply chain issues. But it’s not all doom and gloom. In the
era of the Experience Economy, where consumers deal in the currency of memories and experiences, bars are providing a much-needed escape from the day-to-day doldrums. “People are looking for experiences, especially [when] we’re emerging in an unfamiliar post-COVID world,” said Manny Nieves, Pacifica Hotels’ Corporate Beverage Manager, in our feature “Are You Experiential?” on page 15. “Everyone wants to bank in memories, laughter, and connection.” Providing a place to connect is what bars have always been in the business of, and we need that now more than ever. Read this month’s feature to see some of the ways bars are providing escapism and a unique experience guests can’t get anywhere else. We look forward to continuing to provide you with top-notch content on the bar industry that you can’t find anywhere else. You can expect quarterly issues from us in June, September, and November of this year. In between issues, be sure to visit barbizmag.com for daily industry updates and online-exclusive features and interviews.
ASHLEY BRAY, Editor
barbizmag.com
FROM THE EDITOR
HEALTH HEALTH & HOSPITALITY
& Hospitality
RECOMMIT TO RESOLUTIONS How to get back on track with your 2022 goals.
A
s we enter the third month of 2022, where are you on your New Year’s resolutions? Are you still committed to them, or have they slipped away? “Many people start the year off with good intention to stick to a New Year’s resolution, but within weeks, begin to taper off or peter out entirely,” says Dr. Teralyn Sell (drteralyn.com), psychotherapist and brain health expert. “This is likely because they take on too much at once and become overwhelmed and also because their brain health hasn’t been prioritized to maintain motivation from a neurochemical perspective.” In layman’s terms? Habits are hard to make and keep! But don’t worry, we have you covered with four tips from Dr. Sell on how to stick to—and achieve—your 2022 goals. 1. Start Small Dr. Sell recommends focusing on one 6
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small goal and building from there. For instance, if you want to improve your movement, pick a time of day that you are less likely to avoid doing it. Also, if you are already moving (hello wait staff and bartenders!), start by doing something more than you did before, which might be a micro-goal instead of a huge goal that will likely lead to a big let down.
Often, we forget about the things that we love to do so they don’t get included in our goals. With added shifts at the bar due to staffing shortages and additional worries about COVID protocols, perhaps you’ve gotten away from the hobbies you once enjoyed. Make time for those activities, as Dr. Sell says they are just as important as physical activities for the health of your brain.
2. Achievable Goals Incorporate a goal of learning something new. For instance, if you have a goal to lose weight, Dr. Sell says instead of focusing on the scale, focus on learning how to cook healthier or learning how to meal prep. By learning something new, you are also encouraging the health of your brain, so it’s a win-win!
4. Be Prepared If you’ve set a goal, make sure you have prepared yourself with the proper equipment to do it. Want to learn how to cook? Make sure you have the necessary utensils and pans. Want to increase your physical activity? Invest in a new pair of sneakers or some free weights. Want to learn a new skill like drawing? Buy a sketchbook and some pencils. Dr. Sell says the act of preparation and planning allows your brain to anticipate the activity, creating those new neural pathways for success.
3. Make Time For What You Love Include something you love to do in your 2022 plan. If you really love biking or gaming or crafting—make time for it!
barbizmag.com
Photo: Shutterstock/ Kostikova Natalia.
BY ASHLEY BRAY
SHARING STORIES FROM BEHIND THE BAR THAT Inform,Educate AND Inspire THE BAR COMMUNITY
Bar Business Media is a digital platform dedicated to bringing stories from behind the bar to the forefront of the conversation through our newsletters, website, podcasts and virtual events. From the smallest dive bar to the largest franchise, we highlight members of the community who are transforming the guest experience, advancing their company culture, inspiring others in their drive for success, and leading the industry into the future. www.barbizmag.com
HAPPENINGS Spring 2022
17
APRIL 17 EASTER Let the adults get in on the fun by offering candy-colored (and flavored) cocktails.
MAY 25 NATIONAL WINE DAY Red, white, rosé, or sparkling—anything goes today!
20
MARCH 20 FIRST DAY OF SPRING Mix up some refreshing, floral-inspired cocktails to celebrate the arrival of spring.
Pour a pint (or two) or even create a menu dedicated to local craft beers.
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March 2022
MAY 1 NATIONAL FITNESS DAY Mental fitness is just as important as physical. Turn to page 6 to find out how to keep your mental health in tip-top shape.
barbizmag.com
All Photos: Shutterstock.com.
APRIL 7 NATIONAL BEER DAY
HAPPENINGS
Upcoming
APRIL 9 NATIONAL GIN & TONIC DAY
EVENTS
Name a better duo. We bet you can’t.
Due to COVID-19, the following information is subject to change. Check trade show sites for up-todate information.
MARCH 2022 BAR & RESTAURANT EXPO MAY 21 NATIONAL WAITSTAFF DAY Celebrate your staff! If you’re looking to add to the team, check out page 11 for recruiting tips.
March 21-23, 2022 Las Vegas, Nevada
barandrestaurantexpo.com
APRIL 2022 NEW ENGLAND FOOD SHOW April 3-5, 2022 Boston, Massachusetts
newenglandfoodshow.com
8
MAY 8 MOTHER’S DAY Raise a toast to mom with bubbly brunch cocktails.
MAY 2022 NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW May 21-24, 2022 Chicago, Illinois
nationalrestaurantshow.com
JULY 2022 TEXAS RESTAURANT SHOW July 9-11, 2022 Dallas, Texas
tramarketplace.com
MARCH 24 NATIONAL COCKTAIL DAY
TALES OF THE COCKTAIL
Turn to page 21 to learn more about trending cocktails, flavors, and spirits.
talesofthecocktail.org
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July 25-29, 2022 New Orleans, Louisiana
March 2022
Bar Business Magazine
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N
ON TAP Bad Online Review? Here’s What to Do
ot all businesses realize that the way they deliver customer service directly impacts their sales and profits. It isn’t always easy to see where, or why, service falls short from the customer’s standpoint. Even when you try to do everything right, a customer may still have a poor experience. So when that customer shares a negative opinion on Yelp, Google, or social media, it’s not time to run and hide. Bad reviews are valuable because it’s critically important to find out why your customers feel as they do. If you can improve your customer service, you will have a long-lasting business and more money in your bottom line. A bad review doesn’t mean you have a bad customer; it’s an opportunity for you to pinpoint your company’s weaknesses and improve operations. A business owner ignores negative reviews at their peril, especially now that social media spreads bad news like never before. So you need to respond to those negative reviews. The question is how. 10
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First, don’t make excuses. The common denominator of failure is making excuses instead of responding. Be willing to accept and handle conflict. Rather, thank your unhappy customers for their honest feedback. You should say, “I’m so glad you brought this to my attention. We want to provide great service, and I apologize that we didn’t meet your expectations.” Give the customer your phone number and invite them to call you because you’d like to learn more about what happened. Then resolve that customer’s issue, whether it’s a billing error or just a bad experience. It’s how a business can turn an angry customer into not just a satisfied customer, but a brand ambassador. It’s important to realize your response is not really for that customer but for everyone else who will see that review and realize you take care of customers. Great customer service starts with the first call or visit. Done right, it’s the reason businesses are successful. The key is greeting your customers, acknowledging them, and making them feel appreciated.
People need to be greeted, even if it’s busy. Unfortunately, I find that very often the host is busy doing many things, but the one thing they’re not doing is their main job. Public-facing staff members are often the least trained, but they should receive the most training when it comes to showing appreciation to every customer. If your business is struggling, go back and look at your Yelp and Google reviews for the past two years and see if you can spot any patterns or problem areas. Then contact each of those customers and ask how you can improve. They will be amazed that you bothered to call them. They may tell you that they’ve moved on to other restaurants or bars, but if it’s appropriate, invite them back and give them a great customer experience. You will see those negative reviews turn into glowing recommendations. By Izzy Kharasch, president and founder of Hospitality Works, Inc., a Chicago-based consulting company.
HospitalityWorks.com barbizmag.com
Photo: Shutterstock/ baranq.
FROM ON TAP THE EDITOR
ON TAP 5 Ways to Recruit Bartenders During the Worker Shortage
I
t’s safe to say that hospitality has been one of the industries hardest hit by the labor shortage. Venues seeking bartenders have a unique challenge because the bartender role requires a skill level that can be tricky to find. The key to recruiting success? Get creative. Of course, it goes without saying that every worker deserves a fair, living wage, but it’s not just about outbidding your fellow employer. If you’re doubling down on your hiring efforts, consider leveraging these five tips to attract (and retain!) bartenders.
Photo: Shutterstock/ Flamingo Images.
1. Cast a Wide Net Move past the traditional recruiting strategies of signage and hiring sites and try one of these tactics instead. Website: Add your listing to your website and make it stand out. You can leverage inexpensive software to add a branded banner to your site, or you can create a new careers page that lists all available opportunities. Social Media: Post your job listing across all of your social media pages. Paid ads: If you’re on social media, you can boost or sponsor your job listing post for a small fee, or you can create an ad account through Facebook. Local schools and colleges: Bartending is a great fit for college and grad students who are in school during the day but have free time on evenings and weekends. Many schools have their own online communities and job forums.
There are ways to make any process less daunting and give everyone a chance to let their personalities shine. For example, take your top candidate out for beers with other team members, or host an intimate “open house” for applicants. Building meaningful relationships from the start can draw in candidates and give them a feel for what your culture will be like, so they’re more likely to join your team and stick around for the long haul. 4. Offer Professional Development When companies offer professional development to their employees, they see better hiring outcomes and lower turnover rates. But in the hospitality industry, professional development is often an afterthought, and that’s a big missed opportunity. Bartenders especially can benefit from continuing education, no matter how seasoned they are. Trends, tastes, and best practices change constantly. Giving bartenders the knowledge and resources they need to delight customers is critical to their success and the success of your business. 5. Pay Out Tips Instantly COVID-19 has highlighted a major issue in this industry: Hospitality employees haven’t always received fair compensation for the hard work they perform. Fortunately, many venues are finally addressing this.
But keep in mind: It’s not just how much you’re paying — it’s how you’re paying it. Tips make up a large percentage of bartenders’ compensation, and traditionally, they received those tips in cash at the end of a busy night. However, it’s never been safe for bartenders to walk out with wads of cash in their wallets. Not only is cash risky, it’s also costing your managers and bartenders more time than ever. Most customers pay with credit cards, which means there’s never enough cash on hand to pay out tips. And some establishments are switching to payroll tips, which requires employees to wait days or weeks for their payments. If you haven’t already, consider using automated tip distribution software that: • Sends instant, cashless tips directly to your employees’ bank accounts. • Makes funds instantly accessible. • Eliminates the risk and hassle of cash tip payments. Bartenders want and expect to get paid instantly; offering instant tip payments to your team will help you compete with employers in your industry and with gigeconomy jobs that have been offering instant, digital payments for years. By Justin Roberts, co-founder and co-CEO of Kickfin, an instant tip payment platform that sends cashless tips to employees’ banks.
kickfin.com
2. Make Hiring A Team Sport When it comes to finding new bartenders, your current team members, especially the top or most tenured ones, likely have a reliable radar. So, incentivize your team members to leverage their networks. Offer referral bonuses for employees who connect you to quality candidates. That could mean you pay a respectable finder’s fee if your employee’s referral makes it to the interview stage. Or, maybe you offer a larger lump sum payment for anyone whose referral actually gets hired. 3. Build Relationships Make the hiring process personal. barbizmag.com
March 2022
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BAR MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
Renew
RE-THINK, RE-ORGANIZE,
A
s we tiptoe toward the morning after the pandemic, bar/restaurant owners and managers now face additional challenges. Safety is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, and they now need to rethink their course to avoid hitting it. “Covid can’t be predicted, and human behavior, which impacts the restaurant and bar labor/guest pool, can be just as fickle,” says Colin Geoffroy of G Hospitality, a hospitality management and development company with venues in the greater Boston/Metro Providence area. Amid this storm of activity and uncertainty, Geoffroy believes that COVID simply exacerbated these issues. Even as new practices are taught to employees, rules are being accepted by many loyal customers, and his team has become more cohesive, the way back is unclear and something he and his employees strategize about daily. He is hardly alone. Ivan Vasquez, owner of Madre Oaxacan Restaurant & Mezcaleria in Los Angeles, agrees, and says that in the last two years, inflation, compliance with local ordinances, and economic issues like minimum wage increases as well as extra expenses on PPE, propane, and outdoor dining equipment, have all added further strain. The recent spike in Omicron cases made consumers feel insecure and unsafe, tempering enthusiasm for going out. “All we can do is hope for better sales and Covid cases to go down,” he says. “We will keep focusing on service and food so we can continue doing what we know how to do: run restaurants and bars.” While frustration is understandable on both sides of the bar, the good news is that swift and smart rethinking on the part of a bar/restaurant’s leaders can ensure customers’ and workers’ spirits can make a 12
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comeback, even in the face of intense economic and social change in the U.S. “We have been trying to climb a slippery hill with buckets of water being dumped on us for the last two years,” says New York City-based Consultant Christopher Bidmead, whose Bar Methods handles everything from programming nightclubs facing constant supply chain issues to smaller bars and restaurants struggling to find qualified employees. “As a consultant and educator in the bar industry for the last 15 years, this is the hardest we’ve been hit since Prohibition,” says Bidmead. “This is something plaguing several programs I’m working with now, and I find myself having to reengineer our beverage program to be able to operate with one or two leaders simplifying the execution side of things so that I can work with less skilled labor and work to educate them as we evolve the program.” (SHELF) LIFE SUPPORT Bidmead’s recent consulting experience underscores the reality that supply chain glitches can be a particularly thorny problem in some areas. “We have been putting a lot of time into modifying the menu and overall programming,” says Bidmead. “We don’t want to depart from what we are offering guests, but we also want to make sure they are getting a quality experience. The focus has been on simplifying the execution of the cocktails taking advantage of batching, bottled and draft cocktails, and other prep techniques and products. This gives us the opportunity to run service with fewer staff members and train up new staff.” Barry Prescott, general manager at The Landsby Hotel in Solvang, California, says some managers don’t possess enough knowledge on costs of wine and spirits to make calculated managerial decisions, and
HOW SOME ESTABLISHMENTS ARE COPING IN UNCERTAIN TIMES. that most bars should pivot by, “revising cocktail-making and teaching standards and putting the right-priced spirits into those cocktails to keep production costeffective and prices down.” “I think that the world is getting back to normal, but as new variants emerge, the uncertainty continues to grow,” says James Flanigan, CFO of Old School Hospitality (including Quarterdeck Restaurants, nautical-themed sports bars around South Florida). He points out that his venues’ management decided to remove lobster from the menus entirely because it became prohibitively expensive to sell. He had to make similar adjustments to their drink menus as well as leverage supplier relationships to ensure things came in a little more quickly and frequently. On the other hand, bars in some regions, like those operated by Geoffroy’s company, have rolled with the supply chain punches, underscoring the importance of continuous education and conversation in anticipating what adjustments will be needed, finding good substitute products, and educating staff. “While there have been slight differences in product availability, the situation posed nothing significant enough to impede our business,” says Geoffroy. “We are grateful to have healthy lines of communication within our restaurants to make effective change less challenging.” To deal with supply chain issues affecting Nella Kitchen & Bar at the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn in Los Olivos, California, Bartender Chris Hewes has looked to local wine and spirits producers as well as farmers to fill in some of the gaps. Benefits of this strategy include giving staff practice on introducing customers to new products, helping to support regional businesses, and a more sustainable approach resulting in a smaller barbizmag.com
BAR MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
Photo: Anthony Nader, 52 Chefs.
BY ELYSE GLICKMAN
carbon footprint. “There will be times when I order thousands of dollars in wine and alcohol, and then, when I receive the order, there’s only one case of something because everything else is out of stock,” he says. “I have leveraged this situation to encourage the staff to apply their customer service skills by encouraging customers to try other comparable varietal wines, spirits, or cocktails with slightly different combinations of ingredients with a unique local spin.” ”TEAM BUILDING” HAS NEW MEANING Of course, you need to have all hands on deck to have those conversations and recalibrate. Just ask Old School Hospitality’s Flanigan, who argues his barbizmag.com
biggest challenges at press time were related to labor shortages as well as inflationary pressures from both the supply chain and the labor force. “It is very difficult to find qualified people,’’ agrees The Landsby Hotel’s Prescott. “I believe many senior bartenders, and staff in general, retired when the pandemic started. Many of them never rejoined the workforce. There are some qualified bartenders to hire, but unfortunately, they are looking for the highest hourly wage, have very little loyalty, and jump ship as soon as someone offers them a dollar more.” Prescott recently started hiring younger, less experienced people who are willing to learn. While he notes that it is hard on
payroll at the present, it will be a good investment in the future. “We’re basically looking for that kind of all-around [employee]; somebody who will be able to bartend or take on managerial tasks in a pinch but also can be a food runner or wash dishes if needed,” says Hewes of Nella Kitchen & Bar. “In this situation, super versatile people are learning first-hand how to run a restaurant from back [of the house] to front. Once an employee masters certain tasks in the kitchen, opportunities open up for him or her to jump up to higher positions with greater responsibility. There are people who, with fair pay, will be willing to work that much harder if they can earn valuable work experience as well as money.” March 2022
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Hewes adds that this allows him to tap into employees’ strengths and function more effectively as a team. For example, there may be an employee who really knows Pinot Noir but not the computer system, while another employee may be good with the computer but not selling wine. “This dynamic creates a better support system for all of the employees when they can help each other with different skills.” Bidmead, in his consultation work for bars in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Yonkers, reports having a similar experience over the past two years with people leaving the industry, moving away, no longer working at multiple venues, or having overall health and safety concerns. “The days of simply interviewing an applicant are over,” agrees Vasquez. “The labor pool is shrinking exponentially because people seem to be using this time to explore new avenues of employment. We’ve been working hard at adjusting our recruitment and employee retention efforts to position ourselves as a premier employer.” On the positive side, Vasquez notes existing teams at his Madre restaurants are very cohesive and working extremely hard to keep everything on the menu and to open on time. They are also taking longer shifts to cover sick people and fill the staffing voids, while Madre is working breaks into each employee’s schedule. 14
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“Our management team has become very strong and reliable,” says Vazquez. “Tighter, more streamlined communication and arming our staff with the tools to properly perform their jobs are paramount to our continued success. We’ve always been nimble and creative problem solvers. However, COVID has pushed our team exponentially in this area, and we are much better for it.” NATIONALLY GEOGRAPHIC “While bars and restaurants, by nature, are in the business of managing, identifying, and exceeding customer expectations, one of the biggest and most recent challenges is doing so in the context of COVID-19,” says Robert Castellon, general manager for KOJO, a modern Asian concept in downtown Sarasota run by Hi Hospitality Group. He says his restaurants’ challenges are rooted in the transient nature of hospitality in places like Florida, where tourists’ notions of having a good time during COVID clashes with that of locals. “We are looking at this in the same way we would any other challenge we have faced or will face. We ask ourselves three golden questions when making decisions: Does this do right by our staff? Does this do right by our guests? Does this do right for the company?” says Castellon. “Most times, we will find a solution that checks all boxes.
Every once in a while, that decision will still rub a small percentage of our guests the wrong way, at which point our hospitality instincts kick in and we do our best to meet this particular guest’s expectations.” In contrast to the hospitality landscape in Florida, Geoffroy says that in the greater Boston/Metro Providence area, most businesses, including hospitality, share a concerted focus on mitigating the risk of COVID spread, even if this region has its fair share of tourists from elsewhere. “Part of this may be a result of being in an area with many major hospitals and universities devoted to medicine and science,” he says. “We’re in a much colder environment, so cold and flu season is making people much more cautious.” “After nearly two years of repeat outbreak waves and ever-changing regulations, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t waiting for the next shoe to drop,” admits Bidwell, back in New York City. “Unfortunately, I think we are still years away from COVID no longer being in our daily lexicon and returning to some version of normal staffing and business. New talent may take more time to gain the experience a seasoned bartender has, especially with the modified service that we are running. However, I think the solutions that we have found are [opening up] more opportunities to be a stronger industry on the other side of this.” barbizmag.com
Photos (clockwise from left): Bri Burkett for Nella Kitchen & Bar; The Landsby; Jakob Layman for Madre.
Despite the challenges of COVID, the labor shortage, and supply chain issues, swift and smart rethinking on the part of bar management has led to a comeback even in the face of intense economic and social change in the U.S.
ON PREMISE EXPERIENCE
Are You
Photo: David Linsell for Chicago Magic Lounge.
EXPERIENTIAL? W
WITH GUESTS LOOKING FOR MORE INCENTIVE TO GO OUT, IT’S TIME TO OFFER A FULL-ON SENSORY EXPERIENCE.
ill the ’20s of this century be as roaring as that of the previous one? The simple answer is that it depends on how quickly bars, lounges, and restaurants with bar programs can adapt and shift their paradigms. For the first two decades of the 21st Century, the bar scene was steered by a “build it, and they will come” philosophy and a solid formula: Take a spirits or barbizmag.com
BY ELYSE GLICKMAN
bartending trend, have your bartenders master the skills and recipes, decorate accordingly, and open the floodgates. “Mixology” became an exciting buzzword, and the increasing use of social media added voltage to the electrical charge that powered word of mouth to spread and new customers to come and join the fun. Some bar owners and managers, however, decided to build their bars into a full-on, immersive adventure that transports guests to a completely different
world. While you can still find bars in most major U.S. cities rendered in timetested themes using curated decor (Tiki, Prohibition speakeasies, English and Irish Pubs), theme bars getting attention beyond their respective cities transcend the nostalgia wave and tap into a variety of special interests, pop cultural phenomena, and even the interesting lives of some owners through attention to detail. High-profile bars established as bona fide escapist destinations rather than March 2022
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Death or Glory, inspired by The Clash’s 1979 song of the same name, combines tropical escapism with punk rock hedonism.
neighborhood watering holes include The Lovecraft (Portland) and Donny Dirk’s Zombie Den (Minneapolis), focused on horror movies and Halloween-all-year themes; Gotham City Lounge (NYC) and Villains Wicked Heroes (Atlanta), celebrating comic book culture; spythemed Safe House (Milwaukee); film noir-inspired Noir Lounge (San Francisco); and journalism-themed Local Edition (San Francisco). “People are looking for experiences, especially [when] we’re emerging in an unfamiliar post-COVID world,” notes Manny Nieves, Pacifica Hotels’ Corporate Beverage Manager, regarding Lilly Rose inside the Wayfarer Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. Nieves describes Lilly Rose as a “whimsical and wonderful basement parlor where the bizarre meets the beautiful.” Even with its “Alice in Wonderland” flavor, it is still adaptable for different events to keep customers coming in regularly. “Everyone wants to bank in memories, laughter, and connection, which is exactly what we aim to provide at Lilly Rose—and with a drink in their hand,” says Nieves. DRINKING IN THE AMBIENCE The Chicago Magic Lounge is devised as 16
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an experience with surprises around every corner. Guests enter through a laundry room and emerge into an Art Deco-style lounge—a mysterious, magical setting that is both retro and fashionable. The requisite attention to detail can be found in the lush 1930s interior design and electro-swing ambient music as well as the pre-Prohibition inspired cocktails with names like “Sleight of Hand” and “How Houdini Died.” A mini-stage is built into the bar where close-up magic is performed every night. “As a theater and speakeasy lounge dedicated to the history and experience of close-up Chicago-style magic (also known as bar magic), we specifically wanted to center the guests and make them the hero in the story of their visit,” says Chicago Magic Lounge Marketing Director Cynthia Ferkol. “The discovery of the speakeasy entrance, the optical illusion floor in the bar bathroom, a library full of magic ephemera, and their participation in the magic make for very Instagram/ TikTok-able moments where every customer is the star. Our concept is deeply rooted in magic history.” Another bar deeply rooted in history is New Orleans’ Arnaud’s French 75 Bar. The bar starts with speakeasy decor as its thematic foundation, but Head Bartender
Christoph Dornemann notes what makes this spot a destination bar is its mix of French and Big Easy sensibilities. However, as time has progressed, management found it needed to keep the concept relevant by staging special events that complement the identity of the bar, such as a James Bond-themed martini happy hour, a Thin Man (1930’s detective film series) party, and tropical cocktail hour. “The identity of our bar was originally built on early 1900’s escapism,” says Dornemann. “While the bar itself is historic, the decorations and design were changed over time to further immerse the guests in 1920s Parisian safari aesthetic. While this setting was put in place more than 20 years ago, we continue to build on the experience with classic cocktail offerings, modern classic interpretations, and elaborately garnished tropical cocktails. We also offer cocktail specials that celebrate local and national holidays.” Cocktail bars celebrating past decades have also proven popular. Although the ’90s and ’00s fashion aesthetic and nostalgia are poised to return to the pop culture universe, the ’70s and ’80s nostalgia is alive and well at establishments like JoJo’s Beloved in Atlanta, The Smoking Gun in San Diego, Fable Bar in Nashville, Death & Glory in Delray Beach, and Rosemallows Bar in Long Beach. All of these bars have each found a unique way to allow Gen-X customers and others enamored with the era to escape to that simpler time, or as Fable Bar Co-Owner Erick Erickson explains it, “When arcade games, bell bottom jeans, and viewfinders were all the rage.” Design elements like a bright green bar and retro-orange-and-yellow-striped walls that pop out as soon as you enter help to evoke the bygone era. Cocktail recipes also call back to a time when the Long Island iced tea, amaretto sour, espresso martini, and anything with blue curaçao was at its peak. However, as the drink recipes need to be translated for modern palates, Erickson (and other bar owners and managers interviewed for this story) says this is accomplished by swapping out old, artificially sweetened ingredients and well spirits with fresh ingredients and higherend spirits. Erickson says his bartenders have found ways to make the cocktails barbizmag.com
Photos: (left) Death or Glory; (right) James Murphy Trainman Photography for Chicago Magic Lounge.
ON PREMISE EXPERIENCE
ON PREMISE EXPERIENCE fresh, exciting, and almost unrecognizable except for presentation. Guests even have a unique way to view the menu—through old-school red viewfinders. Other Fable bestsellers are themed, including The Golden Girls, made with Wild Turkey Rye, vanilla, honey, lemon and black walnut bitters; and The Karate Kid, with Suntory Whiskey Toki, blood orange amaro, and pecan bitters. At Rosemallows Bar, guests can expect a, “tropical/Tiki ’80s themed bar with some Miami Vice vibes and a hidden Tiki bar in the back,” says Owner Jimmy Han. “The ’80s theme brings a lot of the fun neon and tropical design elements to compliment our fruit-forward cocktail and Tiki program,” says Han. “Aside from the rad drinks, I think the greater appeal to the 80’s is a throwback to the nightlife back in the day before technology ruled our lives. No cell phones, no constant internet and social media, no distractions, and only partying with the people in front of you.” Death or Glory, inspired by The Clash’s 1979 song of the same name, was devised as a bar where tropical escapism meets punk rock hedonism. “Escapism was alive and well in the ’80s (many thanks to Jimmy Buffet), and tropical drinks were all the craze,” says Bar Manager + Lead Bartender Kristen
Shaneyfelt. “As a bar specializing in tropical drinks and thriving in creativity, we’re constantly looking for ways to take popular drinks from the past and put our own quirky, contemporary spin on them.” Meanwhile, Chris Reece, owner of The Pike Restaurant & Bar in Long Beach and former drummer of Social Distortion, dug into his life experience as a musician during the ’80s and beyond to shape the guest experience at his bar. “The pandemic made people realize how much they enjoy live music because they had to do without it,” he says. “To add that extra edge, however, we are constantly adding rare and unusual items to our decor to make us unique and harder to imitate. People appreciate interesting decor more than ever, as bland corporate restaurants are becoming more common.” MAINTAINING THE EXPERIENCE Despite COVID-19, labor shortages, and supply chain issues, owners and management are making sure that any changes or adjustments they make don’t greatly alter the guest experience. For example, although drink and food prices continue to rise, the managers and owners maintain the value proposition for theme bars has always rested in quality over quantity. This goes for not only cocktails,
but also the small details and interesting, conversation-starting surroundings that add up to a great escape customers will want to return to regularly. Ferkol says that in spite of COVID-19 forcing certain changes to live entertainment, the Chicago Magic Lounge’s clientele has been supportive and enthusiastic since it reopened in August 2020. “We believe that interactive live experiences that encourage socialization are the future of bar entertainment,” she says. During Chicago Magic Lounge’s closure at the height of the pandemic, the management added new elements to the lounge’s collection of magic ephemera. It also installed ionizers in the air conditioning to purify the air and implemented a vaccine-only policy for all guests. Staff members check for proof of vaccination at the door, and the bar requires all staff and magicians to be fully vaccinated and boosted. Stage magicians need to wear masks when not performing. Lilly Rose also made adjustments to keep the “wonderland” safe without compromising the theme. “We have taken standards for cleanliness very seriously and regularly enforce our hygiene and daily cleaning and disinfection procedures for the bar,” says Nieves.
The Chicago Magic Lounge is a theater and speakeasy lounge dedicated to the history and experience of close-up Chicago-style magic.
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BAR TOUR
BAR TOUR
L TIPSY FLAMINGO MIAMI, FLORIDA
A bar experience that fills a void in downtown Miami.
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ast September, after overcoming a series of challenges that included a pandemic, floods, and permitting delays, the Tipsy Flamingo opened in downtown Miami. The bar combines Miami vibes with cutting-edge cocktails in a fun and flirty atmosphere. Developed by Last Call Hospitality Group (the group behind other Miami locales Redbar and Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar), the Tipsy Flamingo (tipsyflamingomiami.com) is co-owned by Juan Marcos Rancano, Dobry Dimitrov, and Antar Sosa. Last Call Hospitality Group decided to open this third bar concept to fill the missing gap between upscale, luxurious venues and dive bars in the downtown Miami area. “There’s no in-between where someone can go and enjoy an upscale atmosphere and quality drinks but still dance, have a good time, and enjoy good music,” says Rancano. “We decided to create a bit more of an elevated cocktail concept that combines the fun atmosphere of a
bar with the trendy and intimate feel of a lounge.” It was an uphill battle stepping in to fill that role. Rancano says the team signed the lease in October 2019 with the intention of opening in March 2020—and we all know what showed up on the scene that month. “It was tough because not only did the pandemic shut us down, but thankfully, we had a really understanding landlord that worked with us throughout the whole process because it could have gone the other way, which we saw a lot of.” Getting through the pandemic was just the first challenge. When it finally came time to pull permits and start opening, the city itself wasn’t ready. “There were not enough city employees,” says Rancano. “People didn’t want to come out and do inspections and all that stuff. So that obviously delayed the opening process a lot.” On top of that, the building that the 1300-square-foot bar is housed in is very old and has had a lot of issues. barbizmag.com
All Photos: GR Visuals.
BY ASHLEY BRAY
BAR TOUR
“We had a flooding issue right in the beginning. The first two days, the bar flooded really badly, and we had to kick everybody out and close for a few days,” says Rancano. “Then right before New Year’s, we had a contractor working in the building doing some renovations, and they hit a water pipe that flooded the whole bar again. We had to buy new speakers. Both those times we got really lucky, my partners really stepped up, and in two days we were able to solve both of those problems.” Tipsy Flamingo—like so many other bars now—also had to navigate the labor shortage when looking for staff ahead of its opening. “Thankfully, Tipsy Flamingo is not a huge bar, so we were able to hire people pretty quickly, but it was still a bit of a challenge,” says Rancano. Fortunately, Last Call Hospitality Group has always focused on employee retention, which Rancano says is now more important than ever. “You need to focus on creating culture, on treating your employees the right way, on listening to their complaints and barbizmag.com
their feedback, and seeing how you can improve,” he says. “[This way] you don’t find yourself in a position where you’re turning over employees on a monthly basis, but you’re working hard to keep the ones you have. And then the labor shortage or issues of trying to find talent and keep them is not really an issue because you’re able to retain employees.” Something else that Last Call Hospitality Group has been focusing on is the guest experience, and this is on full display at the Tipsy Flamingo. “People want things to get them out of their heads, and they don’t just want to go to a bar anymore. They want to go to an experience,” says Rancano. “When you walk into Tipsy Flamingo, it’s an experience. The LED colors, the lights, the music that we’re playing, the cocktails—everything ties in. And it makes the customer feel like they’re experiencing something new or something fresh. “We try to pay attention to every single detail as much as we can to not get people taken out of that
experience. We don’t want wires to be shown, we don’t want it to be dirty. We want the customers to feel like they’re getting lost in the Tipsy Flamingo experience from the beginning to the end.” Rancano says the partners even have plans to eventually extend the Tipsy Flamingo experience into a brand. “So doing apparel, to-go cocktails, and definitely playing around in that field of take-home memorabilia and things that say Tipsy Flamingo,” he says. The aesthetics of Tipsy Flamingo draw inspiration from Miami’s natural elements with a color palette of greens, purples, and hot pink with walls decorated in playful vintage palm leaf wallpaper and faux foliage. “Basically, we took the best characteristics of Miami from the tropical ambiance and colors to the sounds and blended them together to create a unique and intimate venue that’s rare to find in this city,” said Rancano, in a press release. A collection of eclectic artwork also decorates the walls (think the Mona March 2022
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BAR TOUR
Lisa cuddling a flamingo) as well as a variety of neon signs, including one that says, “No Flocks Given.” “We didn’t want to take ourselves too seriously, and we thought that we could accomplish that by having some artwork that was maybe a little bit more funky, a little bit more fun,” explains Rancano. “We did some research and found some art by some really cool artists.” The vibe of the Tipsy Flamingo also shifts depending on the time of day thanks to changes in lighting, music, and seating arrangements. “We have pillows laid out on the couch area a certain way, the lights at the bar are set at a certain percentage of brightness, and then we have a specific playlist that we play that is kind of like funky and slow, deep house music, a little bit more chill,” explains Rancano. “But as soon as the DJ comes in at 9 p.m. and starts getting more lively with the music, we dim the lights a little bit, remove all the pillows from the seating area, and 20
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then we remove the stools from the bar area to make it more like a lounge, dancing kind of vibe.” The cocktail menu, which was created by bartender Marco Balza, adds to the Tipsy Flamingo’s
When you walk into Tipsy Flamingo, it’s an experience.
experience and Miami vibes. Each drink was designed to pay homage to and showcase the city’s personality as well as to celebrate its Cuban population. The Tipsy Colada is a play on Cuban coffee and includes Diplomático Planas Rum, coffee,
vanilla syrup, and salted caramel. It is served from a coffee percolator. The cocktail My English is Not Very Good Looking is named after a lyric from Cuban-American artist Celia Cruz. It contains Canaïma Gin, guava marmalade, lime juice, orange bitters, cream cheese foam, and Galleta Maria cookie crumbs. “The cocktail is like a guava pastry that Cubans and Miamians usually like to eat,” explains Rancano. The Tipsy Flamingo is already working on expanding the menu and changing out the cocktails over time to keep things fresh. It’s also working on bringing in a food menu through a partnership with Reef, a Miami tech company with a concept called Second Kitchen. “Basically they’re going to start delivering food from local concepts to Tipsy Flamingo so we can actually start providing bites,” explains Rancano, who says the first menu has already been drafted and should be rolling out soon. barbizmag.com
Let’s talk
BEHIND THE BAR: TRENDING SPIRITS
Photo: Chris F from Pexels.
WHAT’S TRENDING
Ongoing bar challenges influence what’s trending. BY ASHLEY BRAY
barbizmag.com
I
n years past, the changing of the seasons and consumer tastes often determined what was trending behind the bar. But now, supply chain struggles, labor shortages, and ongoing challenges due to the continuing pandemic are heavily influencing what’s popular—or what bartenders can even get in hand. Kim Haasarud, president of the United States Bartenders’ Guild and owner of Garden Bar PHX in Phoenix, Arizona, says the supply chain issues resulting in shortages of mainstream spirits like tequila, whiskey, cognac, and others have led
bars to get creative with what they’re pouring. “I see more bars carrying items that they can get that they wouldn’t have ever thought to carry or thought they could sell to their guests,” she explains. “For example, other agave spirits in lieu of the tequila they can’t get. The geeky bartender that always loved mezcal, raicilla, or sotol, but could never sell it, may have a rare opportunity to now share and sell their guests on it.” Adam Fournier, 2021 Bartender of the Year, USBG World Class Sponsored by Diageo, is also seeing an influx of more styles of agave spirits spurred on by tequila’s continued March 2022
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BEHIND THE BAR BAR: TRENDING SPIRITS
Paloma Sagüesera
Watermelon & Rosemary Gimlet
1.5 oz Tequila Ocho .25 oz Aperol aperitif .75 oz Grapefruit juice .5 oz Lime juice .25 voz Agave liqueur 3 Drops of saline solution Top off with tonic qater Build in glass over ice. Stir to incorporate all ingredients. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and a straw. Recipe by Julio Cabrera, Café La Trova, Miami, Florida.
5 g of Sugar in the Raw 1 ½ oz Slane Irish Whiskey 4 oz coffee (Marlay House uses Dancing Goats Blend Coffee from Batdorf & Bronson) Preheat Irish Coffee mug with hot water then discard water. Add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add whiskey and coffee. Top with 2 oz Workhorse Whip, which calls for 6 dashes cacao bitters and 1/2 Cup Fresh Whipping Cream. Lightly whip to a smooth texture. Recipe by Chris Thigpen, Marlay House, Decatur, Georgia.
Mad Pina .75 oz Pineapple Juice .5 oz Lime Juice .75 oz Coconut Milk .5 oz Pea Flower Syrup Top with Mad Tasty Unicorn Tears Pink Unicorn Stick Combine pineapple, lime and coconut milk in shaker. Shake and strain over fresh ice into a pint glass. Pour Mad Tasty over mix. Top with pea flower syrup and garnish with unicorn stick. Recipe by Mad Tasty.
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popularity. “I think in 2022, you’re going to see the continued growth of agave spirits and the domination of tequila, especially premium tequila,” he says. “There are some truly innovative mezcals that are being made with traditional techniques that are on the market and other agave distillates like sotol, bacanora, and raicilla are starting to appear on the back bar.” Haasarud also sees supply shortages in big brands paving the way for smaller, craft spirits beyond tequila and agave spirits to get more attention on the back bar. Spirit-free options are also getting more attention and space on cocktail menus. “I predict we’re going to continue to see an explosion of nonalcoholic spirits. They won’t dominate the bar, per se, but I think we’ll see a significant increase in them,” says Haasarud. “Health and wellness will play bigger roles in beverage. This trend of adaptogens, CBD, and other mood-enhancing botanicals will grow. That also ties into the spirit-free movement— wanting a good drinking experience without the buzz, or at least slowing it down. “At Garden Bar PHX, we have a really good selection of spirit-free cocktails,” continues Haasarud.
“We’re seeing people come in and order a spirit-free CBD drink after their first or second cocktail as a way to slow down the alcohol intake. We’re getting a lot of questions and interest in the category.” Fournier has found that the popularity of ingredients like coffee and tea, which lend a tannic (bitter or astringent) element to a drink, work well to anchor a low-ABV or spirit-free cocktail. “I also think less familiar herbs like bladderwrack and shisho will make appearances as they add a value and experience that most guests won’t have with drinks they make at home,” he says. And speaking of coffee, the resurgence of the espresso martini was the big cocktail news in 2021, and Fournier believes classic cocktails like this one will come to dominate menus. “Classics are bound to make a comeback, or at least strengthen their hold on the dialogue, as many young bartenders enter the scene and bars work to maintain consistency,” he says. Haasarud believes a feeling of nostalgia is behind the return to the classics. “Nostalgic flavors like watermelon, cherry, or grape, and even chocolate and vanilla, [are returning],” she says, noting that brightly colored drinks are also barbizmag.com
Photo: Kirsten van Santen.
Workhorse Irish Coffee
BEHIND THE BAR: TRENDING BEHIND THE SPIRITS BAR
Nimbu Pani 2 oz. Fresh lime juice ¾ oz. Simple syrup Pinch of Chaat masala Pinch of Black salt Regatta Craft Mixers Pacific Sea Salt Club Soda Rim the glass with sugar, chaat masala, and black salt. Add all ingredients to a glass with ice and stir until combined. Top with club soda. Recipe by @pinchpurrfect
Sagittarius Sour
Photo: Denny Dulbert.
Sagittarius Sour
popular (think neon-hued drinks from eras like the 70s and 90s). However, the bartenders of today are putting their own spins on these blasts from the past through elevated ingredients. “Bright colors (like using blue algae) or hot pink (prickly pear and dragonfruit) are easy to incorporate,” says Haasarud. Indeed, bright colors may be relied on more to make cocktails social media worthy, as bartenders move away from extravagant garnishes that require more touching. “We might see a movement with fewer hand-touched garnishes. Many garnishes in years past have required bartenders to touch it with their fingertip, which is kind of a no-no in this new COVID world,” explains Haasarud. “I think we’ll see more creative ways of garnishing and being Instagram-worthy that don’t require bartenders having to touch something that goes on top of the drink. So, more colors of the drink itself, which could also include more layered drinks.” And COVID isn’t the only thing affecting cocktail creation, as the labor shortage demands more from fewer bartenders. To keep up with demand, many bartenders have turned to batching. “Batched cocktail programs have barbizmag.com
been around for years, but it’s more important than ever to implement them, especially during a labor shortage,” explains Haasarud. “Batching streamlines the process, creates less waste, and leads to more consistency and fewer steps to make a cocktail. For a busy bar, that could equate to doing a lot more for a lot less labor.” Batching may have had a bad reputation in the past, but Fournier says it’s time to rethink things. “Done thoughtfully, batching can really elevate your service. Look at what non-perishable items can be combined for each cocktail and create a batch for that drink. This helps build complexity while maintaining speed of service. I have a few drinks on the menu that could be five-plus bottle pick-ups but with thoughtful batching become a simple three-bottle pick,” he says. Fournier also suggests working specific times to batch and prep into the bar schedule. “I would also recommend trying to build in a prep shift for your week—a day that is dedicated to producing all of your batches, kegged cocktails, and complex syrups,” he says. “It keeps labor down during service and ensures a proper stock and par of all of your offerings.”
1.5 oz Singani 63 .5 oz Midori .25 oz Bianco Bitter .75 oz lemon juice .25 oz 1:1 simple syrup 3 dashes Fee Foam In a cocktail shaker, combine all the ingredients. Add ice to the shaker, seal, and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. You should be able to hear and feel the ice breaking apart. Strain the drink into a smaller shaker tin, discard ice, reseal your tins, and dry shake (without ice) for a few seconds longer. Fine strain into a rocks glass and add ice. Garnish with frozen melon balls. Recipe by JoJo’s Beloved Beverage Director Sophie Burton.
Watermelon & Rosemary Gimlet 1 ¾ oz Damrak VirGin 1 cup watermelon cubes ½ oz rosemary syrup ¾ oz lime juice Muddle the watermelon in a shaker, add all ingredients, shake and fine strain into a pre-chilled coupe. Garnish with rosemary sprig. Recipe by Damrak VirGin.
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INVENTORY
JAMESON® IRISH WHISKEY ANNOUNCES NEW RELEASE
UNCLE NEAREST DEBUTS ITS OWN WHISKEYS
Jameson® Irish Whiskey is proud to announces its newest release, Jameson® Orange. As the latest addition to the celebrated Irish whiskey portfolio, Jameson Orange combines the brand’s signature triple-distilled Irish Whiskey with natural orange flavor for a delicious taste experience. With distinct notes of orange and hints of sweet, spicy, nutty vanilla, Jameson Orange delivers a subtly sweet and perfectly balanced taste. Jameson Orange is a versatile, flavorful spirit that can be enjoyed on the rocks and in a range of mixed drinks. It pairs perfectly with many simple serves including lemon-lime soda or cranberry juice. It is equally delicious in a variety of craft cocktails. Jameson® Orange is available nationwide for a MSRP of $24.99 (750mL).
Uncle Nearest announces the release of its long-awaited new packaging containing whiskey 100-percent distilled, aged, and bottled by Uncle Nearest. The distillery also unveiled its 2022 slate of whiskeys, which use four different recipes. This year, Nearest Green Distillery will release: Uncle Nearest Rye, Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye, and a new more widely available Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Whiskey. Among the greatest change to the new packaging is the replacement of the sketch of the property where namesake Nearest Green originally distilled by the insignia of Nearest Green Distillery, which boasts a dram of whiskey encased by a horseshoe, signifying its iron Tennessee roots. Victoria Eady Butler, fifth-generation Nearest Green descendant, has also added a note and her signature to the front of every newly released bottle. “Our first-generation Uncle Nearest bottles shared the history of my great-great-grandfather and his significance to the Tennessee Whiskey coming out of the hills and hollows around Lynchburg,” said Eady Butler. “Our new generation of bottles reflect the future of our brand and our Shelbyville distillery being what cements his legacy for my family and every future generation of whiskey lovers.”
Jameson® Orange
jamesonwhiskey.com
Uncle Nearest
unclenearest.com
LEGENDARY BAR ENTERS THE RTD MARKET Death & Co Ready-to-Drink Cocktails
Legendary bar Death & Co has released its debut line of namesake ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, which was created in collaboration with prominent craft spirits portfolio, The Craft Spirits Cooperative. The Death & Co line of RTD cocktails pays homage to the indelible bar experience, featuring rotating and seasonal menu changes, collaborations with some of the most respected names in the cocktail landscape, and special issues. The initial cocktail release is a trio that celebrates American Craft producers, natural ingredients, and includes Moonsail Fizz (gin, passion fruit, bright citrus, vanilla, and spice); Aurora Highball (vodka, sake, green tea, pear, and mint); and Ranger Buck (bourbon, birch, and amaro)—all made using specific craft spirits and real ingredients. They can be enjoyed straight from the can or poured over ice. drinkfellows.com 24
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barbizmag.com
INVENTORY
RANCHO LA GLORIA ANNOUNCES A NEW LOWALCOHOL TABLE WINE MADE FROM AGAVE
TEQUILA AVIÓN RELEASES NEW INNOVATION
Agavida
Avión® Reserva Cristalino
Rancho La Gloria, the largest brand in the wine-based ready-to-drink beverage category, introduces a new product line: AgaVida, a subtly sweet, slightly effervescent wine made from premium agave and infused with natural fruit flavors. The launch of AgaVida builds on Rancho La Gloria’s line-up of agave-based alcoholic beverages. AgaVida is derived from 100% Blue Agave nectar. It is then sweetened with syrup from the same 100% Blue Agave that is used in the fermentation process. Prior to bottling, Rancho La Gloria takes it one step further by infusing the wine with a variety of premium fruits, resulting in an easily drinkable agave product featuring light and refreshing flavors. AgaVida is 5% ABV with only 80 calories per serving, and it comes in four flavors: AgaVida Strawberry, AgaVida Mango, AgaVida Peach, and AgaVida Green Apple.
Tequila Avión, an award-winning tequila that continues to redefine standards of quality and taste, has unveiled Avión Reserva Cristalino, the latest addition to its exclusive Reserva Range. The newest innovation in the Avión portfolio is a crystalclear, aged tequila that is a unique blend of the finest 12-month-old añejo and a touch of three-year-old extra añejo, achieving unparalleled clarity and smoothness. Distilled from hand-selected agave grown at the highest elevations, Avión Reserva Cristalino is further elevated by a meticulous doubledcharcoal filtration process in order to remove color and enhance fruity and floral characteristics. Resulting in crystalline clarity, while retaining the taste and aroma of barrel aging, Avión Reserva Cristalino masterfully showcases the brightness of the agave with the complexity of an añejo for a superior drinking experience. Avión Reserva Cristalino is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks, as the complexity of the aged tequila brings out notes of oak, vanilla, spices, and nuttiness.
rancholagloria.com
tequilaavion.com
INFUSE COCKTAILS AND BEVERAGES WITH A RICH, SMOKY FLAVOR Stündenglass Gravity Beverage Infuser
Stündenglass introduces an all-new immersive cocktail experience with the Gravity Beverage Infuser. Using a high-quality glass cloche and extra fine wood chips, the Stündenglass Gravity Beverage Infuser delivers cooled smoke for memorable and flavorful cocktails. As a firstof-its-kind infuser, Stündenglass masterfully creates smoke-infused drinks. More efficient than traditional infusers, it features a patented 360-degree gravity system and is engineered to be gentle enough for use on delicate beverages without changing temperature while strong enough to deliver a rich, smokey flavor. Easy to use, users place drinks under the cloche and simply fill the chamber with wood chips, spices, or herbs. Stündenglass offers a variety of 100% natural kiln dried raw wood chips to choose from. Light the material and spin the top globe to begin pulling smoke into the Stündenglass. Rotate it again and cool, water-filtered smoke fills the cloche, adding depth of flavor to drinks. stundenglass.com barbizmag.com
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INVENTORY
GET 40% PROFIT WITH JUST CHICKEN WINGS Just Wings, Inc.
STELLA ROSA JOINS THE NON-ALCOHOLIC WINE CATEGORY Stella Rosa Non-Alcoholics
Just Wings, Inc. has announced its launch as a virtual restaurant brand that helps bars/restaurants increase revenue by serving America’s favorite meal—chicken wings. The Just Chicken Wings system allows restaurants to profit from making wings, and the brand handles the rest. A virtual brand is an incredibly effective and efficient way for owners to increase their bottom line with minimal impact on current operations. Virtual brands offer owners a separate concept that runs out of their kitchens and is available only via food delivery services. Restaurants that partner with Just Chicken Wings will receive a tablet for orders. Once an order is processed, the company is notified and a third-party delivery service is dispatched to pick up and deliver the order. Just Chicken Wings offers a 40 percent profit on all orders and provides extensive marketing to help restaurants gain more orders. justchickenwings.com
Stella Rosa, the Italian wine brand imported by California-based Riboli Family Wines, now offers non-alcoholic options to consumers. Stella Rosa NonAlcoholics offers a non-alcoholic wine substitute. The non-alcoholic line-up is consistent with the original in that they provide semi-sweet, semi-sparkling Italian wine, made with real fruit flavors and are naturally gluten-free, vegan, and low-calorie. With 30% less calories than its alcohol counterpart, it can be served chilled or over ice in a cocktail/mocktail. The line comes in four of the most popular flavors: Stella Rosa NonAlcoholic Black, Red, Rosé, and Peach. stellarosawines.com
Featured
PRODUCT
SHINER ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF NEW TEX HEX IPA FRANCHISE HISE Bruja’s Brew
The independent, family-owned makers of the iconic Shiner Bock introduce their new IPA series, Shiner Tex Hex IPA, beginning with the launch of the flagship Bruja’s Brew (7% ABV) as the first of three new IPAs launched under the Tex Hex umbrella in 2022. Tex Hex Bruja’s Brew is a mystical IPA brewed with cactus water and Amarillo hops, an ode to the brand’s Texas roots. The beer delivers a hops-forward aroma and flavor that is a mix of bright, citrusy, resinous and tropical, featuring a medley of tangerine, pineapple, citrus, and stone fruit. “Shiner fans have demanded that we get back in the IPA category, and we believe Tex Hex delivers in a groundbreaking way,” says Matt Pechman, Shiner Beers Head of Marketing. shiner.com
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Q&A Photo: Dan Kreiger.
B
ar Business recently chatted with King Cocktail himself—Dale DeGroff. DeGroff is a bartender, author, and a cocktail expert with decades of experience, including his time at the Rainbow Room in New York City. DeGroff is known for his 2002 essential tome, The Craft of the Cocktail, and he recently released an updated edition titled, The New Craft of the Cocktail. “I always thought of The Craft 2002 as a book of its time, and we’ve passed that time,” says DeGroff, who explains that he wanted to impart new knowledge from his travels and conversations with bartenders. He points out that some of the information in the book is timeless, while the industry is still learning to adopt other pieces of advice, like the use of fresh juices. “The fresh juices and all that stuff, I hate to say it, but it was revolutionary back in 2002. And sadly, we haven’t won that battle yet. We can’t claim victory yet just because the craft movement is doing that; that’s a
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with DALE DEGROFF relatively small portion of the market,” says DeGroff. “There is a tremendous amount of pressure from the public for people to have real ingredients and fresh ingredients. So I think you’re seeing more and more even larger upscale chains saying, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to do this.’” But plenty has changed in the new edition. For one, rather than focusing on tools and technique, DeGroff shifts his focus to culinary influences as more and more botanicals, spices, fruits, vegetables, etc. can now be found in a cocktail glass. He also touches on the “roots” or “mother sauces” of all cocktail types. “We’re so culinary in the new millennium with a cocktail,” he says. One of the biggest additions has come in the form of specific brands added to the cocktail recipes. “We can actually focus the flavor of the brand into the drink itself,” says DeGroff. “Almost every cocktail in the New Craft is branded either by me or by my guest bartenders. I tried to shine a very
bright light on the craft movement by bringing guests in and giving them credit, letting them choose the brand that they wanted to have in their drinks.” And bartenders are a huge part of the craft movement. DeGroff said in his book and in our conversation that the profession has now been legitimized as a career. It is also a position that’s key to the success of a bar. “We go to bartenders, not bars. Period,” he says. “There is no other business of any kind where the interactions with your customers are so intimate, so personal, so experiential. I mean, there’s joy, there’s celebration, there’s community. There is a sense of belonging.” Given the worker shortage and the labor to make certain craft cocktails, built-in efficiencies are key to give time back to bartenders to spend with guests. DeGroff sees the use of RTDs and quality bottled tonics and mixers, which cut down on drink preparation time, exploding across the industry. This also feeds into the demand for quality mixers. Other methods like cocktails on draft or batching, which DeGroff has done as far back as at the Rainbow Room, are great ways to get craft cocktails out to large groups. He uses the example of prepping a shrub ahead of time, “With a proper shrub or a refrigerator full of them at a bar, a party walks in and your sales acumen says, ‘Have I got a drink for the seven of you! How would you like a rye whiskey punch or a cognac punch?’ You’ve got the shrubs, all you do is add the spirit and the modifier that changes it for that spirit, and you’ve just taken care of seven people.” DeGroff also sees room for improvement in bar design, specifically, behind the bar. “We need garde manger stations,” he says. “In other words, our bar below needs to have refrigerated drawers for everything, freezer drawers for different types of ice. And that’s happening now. We need so many things that will make this craft movement so much easier and profitable.” As for trends in craft cocktails, DeGroff sees the rising influence of spirits from the Pacific Rim area like baiju, which is one of the largest white spirits in the world. He also mentions the explosion of whiskey from places all over the world like Japan, India, France, and of course, America. “They’re doing so many different kinds of crazy things, which is delightful.” barbizmag.com
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