December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

Now Heer This:

The history of Cherry Heering liqueur is a truly fashionable Sling shot

The How-To Publication

BAR BUSINE$$ December 2013

M A G A Z I N E

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Welcome to

Flavor CoUNTrY Why some classic spirits are looking to infuse a bit of flavor in 2014

CREATE YOUR OWN MODULAR DESIGN

Rivera Collection

Teramo Tall Back Collection

Meridian Curved Collection

BAR BUSINE$$

On Tap DECEMBER 2013

CONTENTS

10

HOW TO

hometown flavorS

22

18

22

26

Staffing miSSion

Productivity PirateS

talking after-tax

If you want the best-ofthe-best working for you in 2014, we have a few suggestions on how to find and hire them.

Don’t let the six silent killers of on-premise productivity hijack your business next year. Part one of a two-part series.

Your after-tax dollars can go a long way towards improving your business in 2014, and we tell you how.

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December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

1

On Tap

BAR BUSINE$$

CONTENTS

Features 30 in range

Departments 4 Bar room drawl 6 Booze news The ultimate in IPA drinkware; Duck Commander wines are all they’re quacked up to be; McCormick Distilling takes two new leaps; TicketLeap leaps as well.

10 liquid assets

30 44 inventory 46 holiday happenings 48 supply spotlight

We sat down with on-premise innovator and owner of San Francisco’s Range to talk about his appetite for aperitifs and how it helps business.

36 Follow the leader Industry veteran Bob Johnson tells us how to be a better bar room leader in 2014 via various, proven managerial techniques and philosophies.

36

We look at the current state of the flavored spirits category, and how oversaturation in one segment may have given rise to another.

14 tuning up Put your staff at ease: Table top tablet technology may be on the rise, but it won’t be replacing servers any time soon.

40 Big six In New York City, one bar is bringing back the bad old days of the 1970s (in a good way) by improving on some of the decade’s most notorious cocktails.

“Bar Business Magazine” (ISSN 1944-7531 [print], ISSN 2161-5071 [digital]) (USPS# 000-342) is published February, April, June, August, October, & December for $45.00 per year and January, March, May, July, September, & November will only be offered in a digital format at no charge by Simmons-Boardman, 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2013 Simmons-Boardman. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any fashion without the expressed written consent of Simmons-Boardman. Qualified U.S. bar owners may request a free subscription. Non-qualified U.S. Subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $45.00; Canada $90.00; foreign $189.00; foreign, air mail $289.00.

2 years US 75.00; Canada $120.00; foreign $300.00; foreign, air mail $500.00. BOTH Print and Digital Versions: 1 year US 68.00; Canada $135.00; foreign $284.00; foreign, air mail $384.00. 2 years US $113.00; Canada $180.00; foreign $450.00; foreign, air mail $650.00. Single Copies are $10.00 each. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. For Subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010. Instructional information in this magazine should only be performed by skilled crafts people with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all reader to exercise care when engaging in any o 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. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

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music. photobooth. karaoke. mobile.

Bar Room Drawl

By Chris Ytuarte editor-in-Chief

For 2014: Free Your Mind As we close out 2013, I’m going to ask that you take this year’s final issue of Bar Business for what it is—a philosophical guidebook to get you in the right frame of mind for 2014.

We are, of course, a hands-on, “HowTo” publication, and we strive each and every month to deliver concrete practices and e x a mple s of success that you can take immediately into your business and work with, improve upon, and benefit from.

But we thought we’d finish this y ear on an intellectualized note, with a focus on the mind and its role in the bar industry. We’ve filled this issue with articles about philosophical approaches, mental techniques, leadership skills, and productivity killers. Because, at the end of the day, all of the technology and hardware and tricks of the trade can only carry you so far. You first need to have your inner-workings working.

Wrap your brain around that.

Sure, we’ve got the usual suspects covered: A look at the flavored spirits surge in our Liquid Assets column, a 70s flashback bar in New York City via the Big Six section, and a rather hardfact-filled filing on what to do with your after-tax dollars to benefit your business' bottom line.

But beyond that, we really rev up the mental rhetoric, starting with a deep

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

look into staffing theories by contributing writer Brian J. Warrener of The Hospitality College at Johnson & Wales University. From there we move on to motivational speaking, per say, with an examination of on-premise productivity and all the little nuances that can kill it; then a lesson in leadership from Bob “The Bar Guy” Johnson, who gives us 20 tips to being a better bar general. Finally we round things out with a way to assure your staff that technology will never replace them entirely in our Tuning Up column.

"If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable."

— Lucius Annaeus Seneca We realize there is a lot of theoretical hyperbole possible in putting forth all of these psychological and philosophical blueprints for success. And believe me, I’m the last person who would ever push a self-help manual on anyone. Tony Robbins, I am not. But beyond the basics of this business—the tangible, technical components—there still lies a necessity for strong-minded people. This is not an industry for feeble thinkers; it is, however, perfect for free thinkers. Which reminds me of a great quote from Thomas Edison: “Hell, there are no rules here—we're trying to accomplish something.”

We hope you had a great 2013, and that our year-end psych study provides you with the mental fortitude to march into 2014 ready for business.

BAR BUSINE$$ MAGAZINE

December 2013 Vol. 6, No. 12 Bar Business Magazine (ISSN 1944-7531) is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004 executive offices

President and Publisher Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Associate Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 212-620-7200; fax: 212-633-1863 asutley@sbpub.com editorial

Editor-in-Chief Chris Ytuarte 212-620-7223; fax: 212-633-1863 cytuarte@sbpub.com Contributing Editor Beer, Wine, and Spirits Adam Levy art

Creative Director Wendy Williams wwilliams@sbpub.com Art Director Sarah Vogwill svogwill@sbpub.com Designer Emily Cocheo ecocheo@sbpub.com production

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers mconyers@sbpub.com circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com advertising sales

Art Sutley 212-620-7247; fax: 212-633-1863 asutley@sbpub.com circulation department

800-895-4389

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BUSINESS.TWC.COM/BAR-TV INTERNET | VOICE | TELEVISION | NETWORK SERVICES | CLOUD SERVICES Offer expires 12/31/13, and is available to new or returning commercial customers only. Price includes the Bars and Restaurants TV package and Basic TV package, and equipment for the primary outlet only. Installation and applicable construction rates may apply, 3 year service term required if significant installation and construction required. Lease of a digital set top box is required. Additional charges apply for taxes, fees and equipment. Subject to change without notice. Products and services not available in all areas. Some channels not available in all areas. Some restrictions apply. Time Warner Cable Business Class is a trademark of Time Warner Inc. Used under license. ©2013 Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC. All Rights Reserved. NHL is a registered trademark, and NHL Network name is a trademark of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. ©NHL 2013. All Rights Reserved. Best Buy® Card offer expires 12/31/13. Offer must be mentioned at time service is ordered to receive Gift Card. Offer valid only for business class customers located within markets in the Northeast, New York City and North and South Carolina areas serviced by Time Warner Cable Business Class (TWCBC). Offer not available to education and government customers. Customer must have switched from services comparable to those selected, or have commenced their business within the last 90 days. Customers must remain active, in good standing and must maintain all services for a minimum of 60 days after installation. For full terms and conditions, please visit www.timewarnercablebc.com. Gift Card will be mailed approximately 4-6 weeks after the 60 day period. Gift Cards may be subject to separate terms and conditions imposed by issuer. Limit one (1) Gift Card per eligible customer as defined by distinct Tax ID and this offer may not be combined with any other offers. To receive your Gift Card register within 30 days of installation or no later than April 30, 2014, whichever comes first, at www.timewarnercablebc.com and complete all required fields including a valid email address and upload a bill from your previous service provider within the last 90 days showing the service(s) you are cancelling or proof of new business. Best Buy does not sponsor, endorse, approve or have any responsibility for this promotion. BEST BUY, the BEST BUY logo and the tag design are trademarks of BBY Solutions, Inc.

Booze News

A Touch of GlAss The Ultimate IPA Drinkware

W

orld-class beers deserve to be served in something better than a pedestrian pint glass.

That’s the idea that led to a collaboration between two of America’s most decorated craft breweries and German glassware experts Spiegelau, and, ultimately, to the creation of the Spiegelau IPA Beer Glass.

Beers brewed in the India Pale Ale-style (or IPA) are some of the most potent and revered craft brews in production today. They are beloved by beer enthusiasts for their aggressively hoppy nature that typically results in aboveaverage strength, a floral aroma, and bitter taste. Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada have made their respective names largely by mastering the IPA style and repeatedly producing stellar examples of the bitter brew.

Recently, the two brewers decided to team up with Spiegelau, the centuries-old German glass artisans, to produce a glass that helps balance the hop-forward flavors of an IPA and improve the drinking experience for everyone.

“Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada know IPAs better than

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

any other brewers in the game, and obviously Spiegelau knows a thing or two about glassware,” says Tom McManus, CEO of KegWorks [www.kegworks. com] and an avowed IPA enthusiast. “Put them all together and what do you get?

A glass that changes the game for anyone who claims to be passionate about drinking beer.”

McManus has nothing against the classics. “I don’t have a vendetta against pint glasses,” he says. “They’ve done the job for a long time, and I’ll always have a cabinet full of that kind of everyday glassware. But I’m a man who believes in using the right tool for the right job. And if my job is drinking an IPA, then this glass is indisputably the right tool.” www.barbizmag.com

Duck commander Wines All It’s Quacked Up to Be

T

rinchero Family Estates recently announced that products. This has helped us both establish customer loyalty which continues on from one generation to the next.” it has collaborated with the Robertson family, of Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson added, “We decided Duck Commander and Duck Dynasty fame, to to create Duck Commander Robertson Family wines because produce Duck Commander Wines. The first vintage will include Triple Threat 2011 Red Blend, we know that many of our customers and our viewers choose Wood Duck 2012 Chardonnay, and Miss Priss 2012 to celebrate family moments with wine. We knew we needed to find a family company in the heart of wine country that could Pink Moscato, all produced from California vineyards. But produce authentic, quality wines. The Trinchero family is the how did this match made in vino heaven come to be? right fit, and the wines are delicious.”

Duck Commander as a company was founded in 1972 by Duck Commander Wines are sold and marketed by familyPhil Robertson to produce professional duck calls. In 2012, owned Trinchero Family Estates, Napa Valley vintners since Duck Dynasty premiered on A&E, and in 2013 it became the 1948. The portfolio includes more than 30 brands such as #1 unscripted cable show on record; the family’s book, Sutter Home, Ménage à Trois, Trinchero Napa Valley, Napa Happy, Happy, Happy, became a #1 New York Times’ Best Cellars, Terra d’Oro, Seaglass, Trinity Oaks, Folie à Deux, and Seller. Duck Commander is still family-owned and familythe number one alcohol-removed wine, Fre. TFE markets and run, and remains the leading supplier of duck calls. sells Joel Gott Wines; Bandit, Newman’s Own, and The SHOW. Trinchero Family Estates was founded in 1948 when the TFE’s import portfolio includes Angove Wines from Australia; Trinchero family purchased the Sutter Home winery. In the Doña Paula wines from Argentina; Carmen Wines from Chile; early seventies, around the time Duck Commander was Shatter Wines from France; and CRUZ and Tres Agaves founded, Bob Trinchero produced Sutter Home White Tequilas from Mexico. For more information, please visit Zinfandel during a serendipitous winemaking experiment. www.tfewines.com.

The new varietal was a game-changer for Trinchero Family Estates and American wine-drinkers.

Still family-run and familyowned, the Trinchero Family Estates Willie and Korie Robertson welcome portfolio now includes more than 35 Duck Commander wine to the family. brands such as Ménage a Trois (the #1 selling Red Blend in the U.S.), Folie a Deux, SeaGlass, Joel Gott Wines and Trinchero Napa Valley luxury wines—the only brand which bears the family name.

The two families planned a private dinner for November 18 to celebrate the launch of the wines and to plan for the upcoming vintage and varietal line-ups. On November 19, an intimate media “Happy, Happy, Happy Hour” reception was held in St. Helena, California with members of the Trinchero and Robertson families.

“There are some natural synergies between the Trinchero family and Robertson family businesses,” says Roger Trinchero, principal, vice chairman and CEO of Trinchero Family Estates. “Both companies were built on family values with a mission to provide consumers with quality www.barbizmag.com

December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

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Booze News MCCORMICK DISTILLING CO. ANNOUNCES TWO NEW BRANDS AND A PACKAGING INNOVATION As the U.S. whiskey category experiences explosive growth, McCormick Distilling has responded with a brand set to rival top industry brands. Triple Crown whiskey is made with the finest North American ingredients and 70 years of experience.

It starts with a premium small grain bourbon made from a combination of small-grain rye, malted barley and corn, then it’s blended using a state-of-the art proprietary process that results in an 80 proof whiskey.

“Our goal was to create the highest quality, best tasting whiskey at an excellent price,” said Vic Morrison, Vice President of Marketing at McCormick Distilling.

McCormick has also launched Hook’s Rum, a

smooth, tantalizing spirit that brings the lore of pirates to life. Available in Spiced and Black Spiced, Hook’s Black Spiced is a 92 proof premium rum with rich notes of cinnamon, clove and vanilla, while Hook’s Spiced Rum has a rich amber color, velvety texture and distinct island flavor.

“Hook’s eye-catching packaging, outstanding taste and provocative brand materials make it a rum that cannot be ignored,” said Morrison.

McCormick also announced its latest packaging innovation, single and double serve pouches. Flat, light, and leak proof, McCormick’s new flex pouches fit easily into pockets or coolers and are available in Triple Crown, Hook’s Rum and 360 Vodka, with more brands to follow.

“Bulky bottles and broken glass are a thing of the past with these flexible pouches,” said Morrison.“

Making the leAp Starting with the holiday season and running through New Year’s Eve, Super Bowl Sunday, and March Madness, the opportunity to host paid parties or use major event ticket giveaways as promotional tools on-premise is at it seasonal peak between now and April. Yet some bar owners fail to take advantage of this period to drive sales; perhaps some simply don’t know how.

Well, it’s time to make the leap.

Ticketeap (www.ticketleap.com) provides a smart, seamless system for all your ticketing needs—from selling to scanning to spreading the word—in order to best facilitate a strong season of event giveaways and parties in your bar. This great new tool can help you create a viral environment surrounding your events and ticket sweepstakes, drawing new crowds to your venue from sources you didn’t even know were there.

After all, “the average event-goer will share your event with over 500 friends,” according to Ticketleap.com, so why not foster that kind of chatter by using the Ticketleap site to build an interactive community page based around your events, with seamless sharing and custom e-mail blasts for ongoing marketing.

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

Ticketleap can even gather demographic date from your customers and those interested in your events, and can track link referrals to optimize future marketing endeavors. And of course, all of Ticketleap’s functionality is available in mobile format for use on iOS devices and smart phones—where everyone does their planning.

"Our story is really all about helping to take the hassle out of event creation," says Chris Karnes, Director of Marketing at Ticketleap. "We want more events to exist, because bringing people together to experience things is pretty awesome."

New Year’s Eve, Super Bowl Sunday, and March Madness are just around the corner—and the line to get into your bar should be too. Ticketleap can help you get there.

www.barbizmag.com

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Liquid Assets

Savor the Flavor

the flavored spirits phenomenon has its fair share of critics amongst

some old-school industry traditionalists, but it’s hard to argue with the millions of consumers who continue to drive sales in this widening category both on-premise and off. we take a look at where it’s heading, and why even some of the most classic of spirits serve well with a little bit of added flavor.

by Chris Ytuarte

B

ack in the day, a flavor infusion in the liquor industry meant a wily bartender took a bottle of vodka out back, dropped some vanilla beans in the bottle and let it sit for a few days. (My wife once tried this while living in London, deprived of her favorite vanilla vodka brand abroad. The results were less than impressive.)

Perhaps the origin of the infusion lies with youngsters in the late 90s who put Jolly Rogers candies at the bottom of their (gasp!) Zima bottle. (Guilty as charged.) Either way, very few would have predicted just how rampant the flavored spirits trend has become; it has launched hundreds of brands based solely on the notion of a taste beyond the base liquor. How did we get here; and have we reached the apex of this marketplace mystery?

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

Some might say that is exactly the case. After all, there is such a thing as market saturation, even in the saturated spirits industry. A November 2013 report by independent food and beverage data firm Restaurant Sciences LLC indicates that sales of on-premise flavored vodkas fell 11.7 percent from third quarter 2012 to third quarter 2013. Analyzing more than 170 million drink orders, Restaurant Sciences learned that flavored vodkas lost nearly one percent of its on-premise spirits market share over that period.

“Flavored vodkas’ on-premise spirits market share peaked at 8.7 percent in Q3 2012,” says Chuck Ellis, president and CEO of Restaurant Sciences LLC. “Since its peak, flavored vodkas have lost market share over the past 12 months to other flavored spirits, such as whiskey.” www.barbizmag.com

Western Spirits, based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, has recently launched into the realm of flavored whiskeys with its Bird Dog label, featuring a classic Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey plus Hot Cinnamon, Peach, Blackberry, and Maple flavored offerings.

It would seem that market saturation in the flavored category might be creating a bit of a mutiny, wherein drinkers are abandoning that ship for other infused spirits. “Despite the market softness in 2013, Restaurant Sciences has tracked the introduction of 46 new flavored vodkas since 2012,” Ellis points out. But consumers may be looking elsewhere for their flavor of the month.

“The flavored spirit market has grown immensely over the past few years,” says Jon Holecz, Vice President of Marketing at Western Spirits Beverage Company. “The growth started in vodka, and that category flourished with multiple innovative ideas that appealed to a whole new demographic. The industry realized the younger legal drinking age drinker was looking for something ‘sweeter’ versus traditional blends. This trend has now www.barbizmag.com

transitioned into whiskey, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. We are just getting started with the flavored whiskey renaissance.”

Western Spirits, based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, has recently launched into the realm of flavored whiskeys with its Bird Dog label, featuring a classic Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey plus Hot Cinnamon, Peach, Blackberry, and Maple flavored offerings. As Holecz sees things, Western Spirits is simply taking an American classic in bourbon whiskey and giving consumers what their expanding palates demand.

“The keys to success are innovation and taste,” says Holecz. “An innovative, unique flavor idea is what captures the audience—and the audience wants something new. Sure, there are a lot of flavored products December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

11

Liquid Assets that exist that do not taste that great. But with Bird Dog, we spent a lot of time finding the right flavor/whiskey balance. We realized a long time ago that if we needed to go to extra lengths to make sure we have the best tasting flavored whiskeys on the market, we were willing to do so, and we are very proud of that.”

The challenges of successfully breaching the flavored spirit market lie in a balance between the extreme and the commercially viable, especially on-premise, where consumers pay a premium price to enjoy a cocktail, and would likely feel cheated by receiving a drink with an

outlandish flavor profile that was simply meant to push the envelope. “There could be some frustration with the complexity of choice, which could lead to dissatisfaction,” Phil Barden, author of Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy recently told The Wall Street Journal while discussing flavored spirits. Sometimes, subtlety is key.

“Everyone has a different pallet, so while most purists do not prefer flavored whiskey, we do like to try them on the brands,” explains Holecz. “And one thing Bird Dog does that is different from our competitors is that we keep our proof at 80. A lot of flavors drop the proof and add less whiskey to their brand, which results in a sugary tasting

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

product. However, Bird Dog starts with our Kentucky bourbon and then we infuse the flavors, and we do our best to keep that whiskey flavor in the taste.”

Not wanting to abandon the purists or new whiskey drinkers, Holecz says Western Spirits made sure to include the classic Bird Dog Bourbon amongst the launch of the company’s new flavored whiskeys. “Bird Dog Bourbon flourishes with light undertones of honey and golden raisins, which are complimented by the richness of caramelized wood sugar,” he describes. “Aged in traditional charred white oak bourbon barrels and bottled at 80 proof, Bird Dog Bourbon is an extremely enjoyable and approachable bourbon.”

Again, on-premise integration of flavored liquors—especially classic spirits such as whiskey—is a careful matter. Manufacturers like Western Spirits, along with the bartenders who serve its product, do not want to step on the toes of consumers who prefer their old-school booze served one way.

Embracing mixology by promoting the mixability and ease of the base spirit is key to up-selling these innovative new flavors to crowds both old and young.

“The on-premise universe is constantly changing, so we have to be very flexible with our approaches,” says Holecz. “The great thing about Bird Dog is that, while it can be consumed on the rocks, neat, or as a shot, it is also very adaptable to all types of mixology. We are now producing quarterly seasonal updates via bartender recipe booklets with different cocktails that match each Bird Dog flavor profile, and more importantly, that can be adapted in the on-premise world. A great recipe should not be too complex from the Bird Dog brand; we know bartenders and mixologists are tasked and busy, so we try to keep it simple.”

Whether or not the massive market of flavored vodkas has opened up a niche for some of the more rugged, classic spirits to sneak into the fray, the fact is that manufacturers like Western Spirits are taking their shot, one way or another. “The biggest challenge is in finding the next best flavor,” says Holecz.

“Everyone has a different taste pallet, so we are trying to find the best balance of unique, innovative flavors for the Bird Dog whiskey family to appeal to as many consumers as possible.”

Let’s see if that dog hunts.

www.barbizmag.com

Sweetbriar Lemonade

bird dog PeaCh and tea

2 oz Bird Dog Blackberry Whiskey Lemonade

2 oz Bird Dog Peach Whiskey Sweet or iced tea to taste

Fill glass with ice. Pour Bird Dog Blackberry Whiskey over ice.

Fill remaining glass with lemonade.

Fill glass with ice. Pour Bird Dog Peach Whiskey over ice.

Fill remaining glass with tea.

Cinnamon Cider 1.5 oz Bird Dog Hot Cinnamon Whiskey 4 oz cider (heated) 0.25 oz honey 1 dash cinnamon 1 piece cinnamon (stick) Pour Bird Dog Hot Cinnamon Whiskey and cider into glass. Add honey and cinnamon, stir. Add cinnamon stick garnish. www.barbizmag.com

December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

13

Tuning Up

Why tabletop tablet technology Won’t replace servers.

On-premise entertainment technology that also allows for ordering is available in the form of tabletop tablets, but your staff can rest assured it won’t render their jobs obsolete.

R

ecently, restaurants and bars across the country have been begun rolling out tabletop tablets. In doing so, these businesses have been improving the overall casual dining experience for everyone involved—guests, servers, and operators alike—resulting in increased guest satisfaction, efficient staff and growing revenues.

The initial thought for some, however, may be that these tablets will reduce the number of servers in venues, 14

Bar Business Magazine December 2013

but in fact, when looking closely at the entire dining experience, there are several notions that point to the contrary.

First, the guest is the most important stakeholder in the dining experience and there is an expectation to be greeted and served throughout the meal, and this will continue to be true, even with a tablet on the table.

The point of a tablet is to make things faster and easier for the guest. Sometimes this means that a guest should www.barbizmag.com

utilize the tablet, but for some things, it will be faster and easier for the guest to tell the server. For example, quickly paying your bill at the table so you can get back to the office over lunch is a great use for the tabletop tablet; however, with one tablet per table, its not convenient or expedient to have a table of 4 or 6 all place their order individually. This is especially true when guests are ordering complicated entrees with multiple modifiers, like getting something on the side or holding something from the original menu item. These types of situations are much better served by guest/server interaction.

A great benefit of these restaurant-ready tablets is that they help servers do a better job SERVING their customers. Tablets do not replace the need for servers, it is in fact quite the opposite—tablets help ensure that a waiter or waitress can spend more quality time with their

been impressively effective at improving the wait staff’s take-home pay; tips have increased an astounding fifteen percent at restaurants utilizing these tablets.

Patrons who get what they want when they want it leave happy; happy patrons order more food and drinks and leave better tips.

Restaurant-ready tablets help staff do a better job serving their customers. tables, providing guests a higher level of attention and service. When tasks like running back and forth to the POS system to print the check, swipe the credit card, and reconcile the tip are removed, servers have the time to refill those water glasses and replace the fork that was dropped on the floor.

Another benefit of tabletop tablets is capitalizing on the “magic moments” of the dining experience. One of the most difficult tasks a server faces at a casual-dining establishment is knowing the precise moment to ask a guest if they’d like another drink. Everyone drinks at their own pace and the server can’t be standing there every second waiting for each person to finish. Tablets on the table provide the perfect way to complement the server – not to mention how attractive that second drink looks when it’s so easy to just push a button for it. About to finish that glass of red wine? Need another margarita?

Bring up the drink menu, tap for a new glass, and it will arrive soon after. This example brings up another instance in which a tablet won’t replace a server.

A perfect example for the need of a server is the order of an initial alcoholic drink. This type of order demands age verification and it must be done by a server in order to make sure that the recipients of these beverages are indeed of legal drinking age. That is not something that can be “convenienced” out by a tablet. (Also, there is no tablet computer that can replace the awkward fun of having all the servers in a restaurant come over and sing happy birthday.)

Servers see the automatic tip calculator built into these tablets as an added benefit as well. It defaults to a suggested percentage of 20% and that calculation is made on the total before any deals or discounts, encouraging guests to not forget to tip on the regular price of their order, a feature servers love. Tablets have www.barbizmag.com

“My tips jumped, I made more money on every shift, and I was able to take more tables,” said Kendra, a server at a tablet-toting restaurant in Northgate, California.

Kendra is one of many servers who are grateful for the tablets making their jobs easier—while not rendering their job obsolete in the slightest.

Another hugely convenient feature and guest benefit of the self-service tablet is enhanced security. One of the most common spots for identity thieves to steal credit card numbers is at restaurants. The tabletop tablet solves this problem by offering guests the ability to pay on demand on the table. The tablets also feature tip calculators, an option to print or email the receipt, and an LED light that turns on to show payment has been received.

This not only improves security by ensuring that the credit card never leaves the diner’s hand, but also means that they are less likely to accidentally leave it behind or forget to take it out of the checkbook before leaving.

However, this way of paying is not a requirement for guests. Some patrons may want to pay the “old fashioned” way and to accommodate those guests, they will need a server.

Dining out is its own brand of entertainment. The pageantry is part of the allure; being greeted by a host, shown to a table, and being waited on by a happy server—these are all expected and necessary components of the dining experience that can’t be replaced with electronic tablets.

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Tuning Up Owners of casual dining restaurants and restaurant groups benefit directly from the addition of tabletop tablets. In early adopter locations, within 24 months of featuring these tablets at 125 locations, revenues went up because, quite simply, people bought more food. There was an impressive twenty percent increase in appetizer sales, and a significant thirty percent increase in dessert sales.

With appetizers and desserts often accounting for favorable profit margins for casual-dining establishments, these numbers translate into a tangible revenue increase.

And higher guest checks result in higher tips for servers.

It is a fact that tablets, and the smartphones from which they procure their basic interface and technology, are on their way to becoming pervasive in this country.

Americans who own tablet computers comprise 34% of the population, and an incredible 61% of all Americans own smartphones. These numbers illuminate the fact that Tablets are changing the face of casual dining, and it consumers will not be confused by finding self-service seems certain that they are affecting a trend that is here tablets at their tables when they sit down to eat. Patrons to stay – to the delight of both the restaurant industry and who are within the ever-growing number of tablet and their patrons. But one of the most important things to note smartphone ownership are already familiar with the is that the restaurant server, who is a time honored part of technology and soon they will expect to see them offered the dining experience, is here to stay as well; now, they at the table, much like pay at the pump is now an just1 have a tool8:37 to help them do their job even better. expectationd-KRUf-prt-BarBusiness-4upLogoCentered-Dec2013-halfpgAd-v1.pdf in purchasing gas.

11/8/13 AM

Patrons are already familiar with the technology and soon they will expect to see them offered at the table.

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How To:

Staff for Success in 2014

The Best of the Best It’s possible that nothing will matter more to the success of your bar in 2014 than the staff you hire. Your employees are the face of your business, the front line of interaction with your customers, and the engine that makes your venue go. So how do you find the best of the best to bring in?

By Brian J.Warrener Associate Professor at The School of Hospitality, Johnson & Wales University

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nybody who has been in the hospitality business for any length of time understands the importance of populating their operation with the right staff. We spend inordinate time and money trying to attract and identify candidates who will be great employees. And still we too often swing and miss, failing to attract the outstanding performers we crave. The problem isn’t effort, but approach.

What we have is a flawed strategy that includes bad questions designed to elicit information with limited usefulness. What we need is a new approach, one that provides an understandable construct that identifies the characteristics of excellent performers and a method for identifying those characteristics in potential hires. Emotional Intelligence provides that construct.

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Research repeatedly indicates that a high IQ is an excellent indicator of competence at a particular task, but not of excellence. Asking a candidate for a bar position to regurgitate drink recipes, proving that he has a high bar IQ, will only illuminate his ability to be a good employee and provides no insight into his ability to be great. Asking that same candidate a series of behavioral questions designed to determine his “Emotion Quotient,” that is, his skill in the five emotional competencies by which emotional intelligence is based, is the best way to predict the possibility of that candidate being a star. To give yourself a fighting chance of putting together a crew capable of greatness, you need to understand these competencies and the questions to ask to uncover them in an individual. Here you go:

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The Five emoTional CompeTenCies Emotional Intelligence is based on five emotional competencies—self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, social skills, and empathy. The better an individual is at mastering these skills, the more likely they are to be considered excellent at what they do.

Self-awareneSS refers to the ability for an individual to recognize and understand his own emotions, strengths and weaknesses. Individuals weak in this competency often underestimate or overestimate their abilities to their own detriment and, if in your employee, to the detriment of you and your customers. They might complain about having too many covers, even though you know they can handle them, putting undue pressure on other members of the team who must now pick up their slack. Conversely, they might repeatedly take on too many tasks that they often have no hope of completing adequately. Their inability to accurately read themselves frequently puts your operation at a disadvantage.

Individuals adept at this competency will often accurately read their own abilities, understanding what they are capable of and what they are not, leading to the appropriate convergence of responsibility and result. An employee possessing this competency might anticipate a really busy night and recognize that really busy nights have a really negative effect on them and their ability to deliver great service. Maybe they do some extra side work to make themselves more comfortable before the shift begins and better able to cope during.

Questions designed to evaluate self-awareness focus on the characteristics of emotional awareness, self-assessment, and self-confidence. Look for answers that indicate the candidate has honest insight into his character, is confident, and is not timid or arrogant. Questions can include:

Motivated individuals are driven to achieve and will take the initiative.

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“How would your supervisors describe you?”

“What is your greatest single strength (weakness)?”

Self-regulation refers to your ability to control your impulses and moods. The beverage industry is stressful and usually fast paced. The products and services we offer can be highly customizable. The flow of customers through the operation is difficult to predict. Customers can be difficult to deal with. There is zero tolerance for error. Studies actually indicate that keeping your cool in this kind of an environment can be the most important predictor of a long and successful career.

Questions designed to evaluate self-regulation focus on the characteristics of self-control, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, adaptability and innovation. Look for answers that indicate that the candidate recognizes difficult situations and has had no problem handling them. Specific questions can include:

“ Tell me about a time when you got angry with a co-worker and how you handled it.” “ Tell me about a time you got angry with a difficult customer and how you handled it.”

“In general, how do you deal with stressful situations?”

MoTIvaTIon refers to the internal satisfaction you get from doing your job well. Motivated individuals are driven to achieve and will take the initiative. They are the types of people whose work is informed by the philosophy that any job worth doing is worth doing well. While external rewards will motivate these individuals to perform, their efforts are fueled by an internally located conscientiousness. This is the team member that will not only take good care of their own customers when things get hairy, but will also help out co-workers who are in the weeds and smile the whole time they are doing it…because it’s their job.

Questions designed to evaluate motivation focus on the characteristics of drive to achieve, commitment, initiative and optimism. Look for answers that indicate that these characteristics should always be demonstrated without question – almost a sense of surprise that you would even ask them. In general, the individual should project a positive outlook. Specific questions can include: “What do you consider a successful night behind the bar?”

“What are your career goals?”

“How do you overcome obstacles that you encounter?”

“Why do you work as a bartender?”

SocIal SkIllS refers to your ability to manage relationships, particularly in the long term but even in the short term. This ability to build and nurture relationships refers to those between the boss and the employee, among co-workers and with the customer. Individuals who demonstrate this characteristic are skilled persuaders, have excellent communication skills, are adept at managing conflict between themselves and others and among co-workers, and are adept at collaborating and cooperating.

These are the characteristics of good teammates and these are often the kinds of people who, even if not in a management position, are looked upon as leaders among December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

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How To: their co-workers. These workers are popular with their colleagues and have many regular customers.

Questions designed to evaluate social skills focus on the characteristics of influence, communication, conflict management, leadership, cooperation and collaboration.

Look for answers that indicate a strong preference for working as part of a team and indications that this individual has been influential in this capacity. Specific questions can include:

“How do you think a new manager can gain respect?”

“How do you build relationships with regular customers?”

“Have you ever had to influence someone, including a co-worker?”

“How do you handle it when co-workers ask for help?”

eMpaThY refers to the most important of the emotional competencies for customer service providers. It describes the ability to identify and understand the emotions of others and to treat them accordingly—to deliver customer-centric service based on what you perceive the customer needs.

Friendliness can often be mistaken for empathy.

Sometimes when I sit at a bar alone, I want to be alone.

Sometimes when I sit at a bar with a friend I mean to spend my time talking to that friend. Sometimes the bartender interrupts. Sometimes I do want to socialize with my server.

If he were highly empathetic he would know the difference.

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

Questions designed to evaluate empathy focus on the characteristics of understanding and developing others, a service orientation and political awareness. Look for answers that indicate that the feelings of others are important and that identifying those feelings seems to come naturally.

Specific questions can include:

“Describe a time when understanding someone’s perspective helped you to better understand their behavior.”

“How do you understand what your team members are feeling?”

“Describe a time when you had to give someone bad news.”

“Describe some of your co-workers to me.”

Final ThoughTs Different positions require different characteristics and skills.

Experience tells me that some people perform best as servers, some as bartenders and still others as cooks. Exceptional servers and bartenders possess many of the same EI characteristics, but the bartender must certainly possess more extensive technical skills than the server. Be sure not to forget about the need for these enhanced technical skills when hiring for this position.

Shiftgig getS Social Shiftgig, the professional networking and employment community for the service industry, announced today that Emerson Spartz has joined the company as an advisor. Spartz, the CEO and founder of Spartz Inc., is best known for founding MuggleNet at the age of 12, a Harry Potter fan site that attracted 50 million monthly page views soon after it launched. In related news, Shiftgig has redesigned its site and hired a team of hilarious, insightful writers to provide social news and entertainment specifically devoted to the service industry to complement its job searching platform.

“Emerson has a track record of generating viral growth in communities, and we’re thrilled to bring him on to the Shiftgig team,” said Eddie Lou, CEO of Shiftgig.

“Shiftgig has quadrupled in size since this time last year, and we expect this growth to continue. Ultimately, we want our audience to find industry information and fun content as well as job opportunities.”

In addition to providing a platform for networking and finding jobs, Shiftgig’s new community pages, The Goods, will offer articles that are fun, informative and inspirational. Already the largest service industry community, over 600,000 people have created profiles on Shiftgig to connect with each other, find better employment and be entertained. For more information, visit www.shiftgig.com.

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How To:

y Avoid Costl Productivity Pitfalls

The Silent Killers Part 1

In this two-part series, we look at six silent productivity and profitability pitfalls that can damage your bottom line and the basic morale of your bar business. By ChrIS Majer

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he last decade ushered in an economic meltdown and technological breakthroughs that have forever changed the business world as we knew it. The changes have been so dramatic that most companies are still scrambling to figure out the new rules of the game.

In order to move in that direction in the nightlife industry, bar owners need a new way to think about waste—where “waste” is not a thing but an assessment or an interpretation.

In other words, waste is not trash to be thrown out; it refers to the events, phenomena, experiences, and features that diminish our capacity to do what matters to us. In the business world, waste kills productivity and profitability.

We must now focus our attention on eliminating the six “modern” wastes. We call these the new silent killers of productivity and profitability. In part one of this two-part examination, we start out by taking a look at the first three silent killers of productivity.

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Silent Killer #1: Degenerative Moods A mood is a predisposition for action. As human beings, we are always living in one mood or another. This is an inescapable aspect of life. We are mood-driven creatures, and our moods are the foundations from which we assess and move in the world.

Moods come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they all fall into one of two categories: generative and degenerative.

In other words, they do (or do not) generate possibilities, and it is in the world of possibilities that new futures are invented.

However, too many organizations today are in the grip of degenerative moods—with a workplace culture marked by some combination of distrust, resentment, resignation, cynicism, arrogance, and complacency. These degenerative moods can lead to a range of unproductive behaviors, which in turn waste vast quantities of resources while leaders are forced to work around or attempt to correct them.

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Degenerative or unproductive moods are tremendous, yet invisible, killers of productivity and profitability. People simply cannot or will not perform to their potential when their work environments are negative, unhappy places to be. Yet contemporary management theory rarely recognizes the importance of moods and the impact they can have on productivity and profitability. While much has been written about morale, which is closely linked with mood, the current common sense has little to offer beyond motivation and engagement work, both of which have proven to be largely ineffective.

Today, a whopping 71 percent of American workers are “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” in their work, according to Gallup. This means they are unhappy with their organizations, emotionally disconnected from their workplaces, and less likely to be productive. In fact, Gallup reports that employee disengagement costs American companies about $350 billion annually.

Shift Your Understanding In this newly emerging business world, one key component for generating competitive advantage is being able to consistently design and deploy the generative moods of ambition, confidence, trust, and esprit. The success of future managers will depend on their skill at “mood management”—which means recognizing that the conversations taking place in the organization are not trivial utterances but are, in fact, the lifeblood of the enterprise. As such, it becomes imperative to develop competence at knowing how to listen for and intervene in critical conversations of the business as they shape the future.

needed for success in business. Yet, less than 2 percent of all professionals have had formal education or learning to understand and improve listening skills and techniques.

Too many organizations today have created and tolerated a range of practices in which creativity, innovation, and the fundamental expressions of our thoughts and feelings about our work and our futures are ignored or spurned. This lack of listening is a tremendous source of waste.

Shift Your Understanding If the popularity of social media has taught us anything, it is that people like to be heard. As human beings we value our own opinions, and we want others to value them as well.

The same is true in business. Our clients, customers, partners, and employees expect us to listen to them.

Rather than being told what they want, they expect us to listen as they tell us what they want. We must now shift our actions toward collaboration with customers, suppliers, and investors to create mutually beneficial relationships.

All of this means knowing how to truly listen. We attune ourselves to other people, and together we build competence for speaking, listening, and building trust.

This will require a dramatic shift in the way we train our leaders, managers, and team members, but it is the key to inventing new, more powerful futures together. Instead of tired practices like “active listening” (whereby one is taught to parrot back what someone says, which only shows that you heard what was said, not that you understood), our teams must develop a new set of competencies in which they learn to clarify what they interpreted in a conversation, not what they heard. Their interpretations are what matter, as their actions will be driven by their understanding of what they hear, not just the words.

Chris Majer's latest book contains more answers for building a better business.

Silent Killer #2: not listening To truly listen does not mean merely hearing or paying attention. Listening is a specific type of active interpretation that shapes our realities.

This largely unknown and certainly unrecognized skill is critical in the new business world. By blindly creating and/or tolerating working conditions in which people do not and often cannot effectively listen to one another, we kill productivity and profitability. This lack of listening can be the result of degenerative moods (e.g., institutionalized mistrust, resignation, or resentment), technology addiction (which can make it difficult for some people to actually talk to others), or a simple incompetence for speaking and listening. If people are not listening to each other, accomplishing anything significant becomes extremely expensive, and making effective changes becomes all but impossible.

According to the International Listening Association, more than 35 studies indicate that listening is a top skill

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Silent Killer #3: Bureaucratic Styles To most people, bureaucracy is a bad word, synonymous with “red tape” and wasted time. Yet, despite the negative connotations, most companies still operate bureaucratically— insisting employees work inside of increasingly complex structures with processes and procedures designed to standardize or control everything. While this might have been the most efficient way to train assembly line workers during the Industrial Era, human capital is now the greatest resource for most companies. In other words, we’re paying people to think, to innovate, and to collaborate with others to produce the best possible results. You can’t achieve this level of performance if you attempt to dictate their every move with rigid policies and procedures.

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How To: In the new business world, bureaucratic practices are becoming increasingly dangerous. They not only kill productivity and profitability, they also kill the generative moods of ambition, confidence, and trust that are essential to building consistent competitive advantage.

Shift Your Understanding Rather than designing complex structures that dictate how employees must complete tasks, today’s leaders should be focused on providing platforms for people to come together, address their concerns, and invent futures together. This process is called commitment-based management, and it will be as powerful for the next generation of managers as quality was for the last.

With commitment-based management, people learn to build structures and processes that enable the smooth flow and tracking of commitments, as opposed to activities—the current norm. While everyone knows organizations are more than just lines and boxes on a chart, the commonly expressed idea that “the people are the organization” is misleading. It is not the people that make up an organization; it is the network of commitments they make to and with each other on a daily basis. Companies generate value when these d-KUf-prt-BarBusiness-Dec2013-halfpgAd-v1.pdf 11/8/13 commitments are clear and crisp and are fulfilled on1time, on

budget, and as scoped. But when the commitments are unclear, late, over budget, or scaled up or down, companies generate waste (what we call “coordination waste”).

The vast majority of companies are blind to this underlying phenomenon and have no means to intervene other than to cut costs, declare new rules and processes, or reorganize—none of which will make a difference.

Commitment-based management is a radical departure from the current standard practices and will require some dramatic changes in the way that we think about and design work, structure organizations, reward and recognize performance, and shape cultures.

Next month, check out our January 2014 issue of Bar Business Magazine for Part 2 of The Silent Killers and find out what the last three productivity obstacles might be to your bar business.

Chris Majer is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Human Potential Project and the author of “The Power to Transform: Passion, Power, and Purpose in Daily Life” (Rodale), which teaches the strategies corporate, military, and sports leaders have used to positively transform themselves and their 8:45 AM organizations.

Visit www.humanpotentialproject.com.

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ADVERTISEMENT

GOING BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT

TO CRAFT A COMMUNITY

JOHN GREENWELL, BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S Owner of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in Newburgh, Indiana, John exemplifies how easy it is to “go beyond” for your customers. What’s his secret? It’s his ability to constantly ask one simple question: “What do my guests want?” By finding the answers to this challenge, John was able to offer them the winning combination of Buzztime and beer… what’s better than that?!

John became a Buzztime fan after playing our trivia, cards and sports games himself and knew that bringing free entertainment to his guests was a no-brainer way to build camaraderie and engagement. He was right! John then learned that his new regulars were craft beer fans, so he quickly added 12 higher-end beers that his trivia buffs love.

In a short time, John saw an increase of more than $800 per week in craft beer sales alone.

John’s recipe for success: He simply paid attention to what excited and motivated his guests to come back again and again. By creating a playful community atmosphere through trivia contests like Smartest Bar and Beef’s Battle, John has built a loyal group of players that not only comes back 3 to 5 times a week but brings their friends too!

John’s story is proof that success is crafted by focusing on the people who help you create it and giving them what they want.

Have you found your recipe for going beyond? Partner with Buzztime to discover it today! Visit goBEOND.com.

How To:

our Y e z i m i x a M After-tax Dollars

After-tax Money to MAxiMize Net iNcoMe Cash in-hand after tax season is simply more tangible than before—it all belongs to you. We look at a few ways smart business owners can take advantage of that notion to maximize that money and boost your bar’s bottom line. By William J. Lynott

I

f you’re like most bar owners, you probably think of one dollar being the same as every other dollar. In truth, there are two kinds: before-tax and after-tax dollars.

After-tax dollars are real dollars; when you go to spend them, each and every one is worth 100 cents. Beforetax dollars are something quite different. While they may look the same

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on paper, a before-tax dollar is something of an illusion. It’s worth less than 100 cents. How much less depends on your tax bracket—and how well you do your homework. So, how do you go about maximizing those valuable after-tax dollars?

By taking advantage of every legitimate way to slash your income taxes, and the best way to do that is to

avoid last-minute attempts to make up for your failure to plan early. The best time to reduce your 2015 (and every year from now on) income taxes to a minimum is right now. Here’s how:

Organize yOur recOrds If you scramble every April looking for receipts and other tax records to pass along to your accountant, you’re

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probably missing some healthy deductions. So, start out right by organizing your records well ahead of tax time. Set up separate manila folders for expense and income records and file them as they accumulate.

“Don’t wait until tax filing time to fund your retirement account,” says CPA, Carol I. Katz of Baltimore, MD. “If you have the cash available, making the maximum allowable deposits into your 401(k) or IRA as early in the year as possible not only reduces your tax load, it also adds months to the tax-deferred compounding of your investment.”

If you haven’t yet set up a retirement account, now is the time to take action.

“The latest increases in allowed contributions to pension plans offer important tax advantages,” says Katz.

Of course, not everyone is in a position to make the maximum contribution.

For anyone in that situation, making the highest contribution that finances will permit is a wise move from both the tax and investment points of view.

Take advantage of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (JGTRRA), which lowered marginal federal tax rates across the board. Among the changes that may affect you is a reduction in the tax rate on qualified dividend income and longterm capital gains from 20% to 15%.

With tax rates on this type of income at a much lower rate than ordinary income tax rates, now is the time to examine your investment portfolio to see if you should take some capital gains at the lower tax rate.

“If you plan to buy any stocks,” says Katz, “it may be best to invest in quality dividend-paying stocks to take advantage of the 15% tax rate on qualified dividends.”

Take full advantage of Section 179 when buying bar equipment. “One of the most important tax savings

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How do you go about maximizing those valuable after-tax dollars? possibilities opened up by JGTRRA is the Section 179 deduction,” says CPA Cheryl Pimlott of Roseland, NJ. “This provision allows you to deduct the full cost of capital assets in the year of purchase up to a defined limit.”

“If you are planning to purchase any equipment or any other assets in 2014,” says Navin Sethi, Senior Tax Manager, Rothstein Kass, Walnut Creek, CA, “you will want to take advantage of Section 179; it allows you to purchase qualifying property, which you may immediately expense rather than depreciate over time.” The maximum for this immediate deduction is $500,000 for 2014. The ability to expense your costs also applies to certain vehicles, trucks and vans, generally limited to $25,000.

Start searching now for those taxreducing deductions that you may have missed last year. “Small business owners often miss out on important tax deductions by waiting until the last minute,” says Paul Rich, CPA, Siegel Rich Division of Rothstein Kass in

Roseland, NJ. “Among the tax benefits easy to overlook are tax credits on both federal and state tax returns. For example, a federal tax credit can now be claimed by eligible small businesses for pension plan start-up costs. This credit is designed to encourage businesses with fewer than 100 employees to establish and maintain retirement savings accounts for their employees. The credit equals 50% of the start-up costs incurred to create or maintain a new retirement plan.”

Deductions for travel, meals and entertainment are also among the often-missed tax relief possibilities.

“Most business people do not keep adequate documentation for these expenses,” says Rich. “As a result, they lose out on deductions that could provide significant tax relief.”

Documentation for travel and entertainment expenses that you incur during the year should include a description of the business purpose and such details as where and when you traveled or entertained. In the case of entertainment—a lunch or dinner, for example—your record should include the name of the person or persons entertained and the nature of the business discussion. You should keep receipts for any travel/entertainment expense over $25.

Will yOu use yOur car fOr business this year?

Whether you use your car for business regularly or only on rare occasions, you are entitled to deduct the costs of maintenance and operation for the business-use portion.

There are two ways to calculate your auto expense deduction, either actual expenses or the standard mileage rate.

Katz advises that you or your accountant figure out your auto deduction both ways and use the method that gives you the biggest deduction.

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How To: When you calculate your deduction using actual expenses, you may include the business portion of all car operating expenses including depreciation, gas and oil, insurance, licenses, parking fees, registration fees, repairs, tires, tolls, and garage rent.

business and pleasure

If you decide to use the simpler standard mileage rate, keep in mind that the 2013 deduction is a flat 56.5 cents per business mile (the highest rate ever, it will probably rise for 2014).

If you’re planning any pleasure trips, consider the possibility of adding in some business. Can you visit a bar owner on your trip to discuss management techniques? Any activity involving an attempt to improve your business skills should qualify for a partial deduction of travel expenses.

If more than half of your time will be devoted to business, you may deduct transportation costs as well as all directly business-related expenses.

However, if more than 50 percent of your time will be spent on pleasure, you cannot deduct the cost of transportation. If the trip is entirely for business purposes, such as attendance at a convention or trade related to the beverage industry, all expenses may be chalked up to business.

feeling charitable?

If you plan to make charitable contributions, consider donating longterm appreciated securities instead of cash. That way, you’ll receive a full fair market value deduction and pay no capital gains tax on the securities. Or sell depreciated securities for the tax loss and give the cash to charity.

pre-paying expenses

HIRE Better Bartenders on Shiftgig.com/barbiz

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

As a bar owner, you might be using the cash method of accounting. “Under the cash method,” says Sethi, “a business recognizes income only when it constructively receives the payment.

Expenses are deductible only after you make the actual payment. One way to take advantage of this is to pre-pay in December any expenses due in January.

This will increase your deductions for this year. For example, if your rent is due at the beginning of the month, date and mail the check for January rent few days before the end of the year.”

Businesses on the accrual method of accounting may not use this technique.

Maximizing your after-tax dollars requires a little early planning and effort on your part, but the time you spend chipping away at your income taxes may be the most profitable investment you’ll make this year and all the years to come.

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Bar Program 411:

We’re in range

By Deborah Harris

We spoke with Tayler Buffington, owner of the innovative venue Range in San Francisco, to find out how he is bringing the aperitif back—and why.

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T

ayler Buffington is bringing a taste, or shall I say sip, of Europe to his bar at San Francisco’s Range. His fascination with Mediterranean social culture has been parlayed into a unique initiative that has inspired his staff and garnered excellent press. Tayler’s creation: Aperitif Hour, a distinct daily bar program that stars lesser common tipples such as sherry and vermouth. The result? Increased patronage, captured foot traffic and an environment where customers can sit back, relax and unwind.

BB

Range, a notable San Francisco establishment, has been ranked Best of the Bay Area 6 years running and received rave reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Weekly, and Gayot, as well as commendations from the Michelin Guide. Positive press and loyal clientele do not provide reason for Range’s team to rest on their laurels. Instead, they have continued to innovate and create food and drink programs that please their regulars while reaching a broader demographic.

TB This menu has done two things: first, it has helped us attract patrons who are looking to try something new…people who stay current on drinking and dining trends in San Francisco and are eager to seek out unique experiences. Patrons’ palates are more advanced than ever (which allows us to) explore exciting new territory.

Second, we wanted to bring people into the space earlier to get some energy flowing before our dining patrons arrived. The new menu and the new operating hours allow us to attract foot traffic, which is immensely important to us. We may not have been on a passerby’s radar at all, but when they see

Tayler Buffington, Owner, Range

In an exclusive interview with Bar Business, Tayler speaks to Aperitifs; the cocktails, the inspiration, and how other locations can find the bar initiative best suited for them.

BB Tayler, tell us about the foundation of Aperitif Hour.

TB Aperitif is about conviviality, first and foremost. It’s about atmosphere and attitude.

It’s not as much about ‘mixology’ as it is about providing our guests with a space in which to be comfortable and relax, where they can ease out of their work-a-day personas and pressures and ease into their evening.

BB Do you find your patrons embrace the “relaxation” component of your aperitif menu?

Has it set a certain tone?

TB Definitely. The early evening is a time of day when a person can finally slow down after rushing about for eight hours. Many of the patrons that join us for aperitif hour are waiting for dinner service to begin, which means that they have literally no place to go, nothing to do until the kitchen opens at 6. So they sit down, have some drinks, and just relax. It’s rewarding to be able to provide that experience for people.

BB Has this menu helped Range attract a particular demographic? www.barbizmag.com

“We think of Aperitif hour as a classy happy hour.” that we’re open and walk in, when they have a drink and a snack, and maybe stay for dinner, we’ve provided that patron with a positive experience that they weren’t necessarily expecting. That’s really powerful.

BB Speaking of demographics, what demographic do you find seeking a relaxing environment versus one more party driven?

TB People of all ages who are motivated by tasting delicious things and who are willing to search those things out. Younger business people who want to continue conversations

and meetings from work and carry those over to a more informal setting. We think of the Aperitif hour as a sort of classy happy hour, or even the anti-happy hour.

BB Would you talk to the inspiration behind the cocktails for this particular menu?

TB A big part of the inspiration comes from the time I spent eating and drinking in Spain and Italy. I was so inspired by the conviviality on display in Spanish restaurants. I wanted to recreate a little bit of that atmosphere at Range.

These cocktails aren’t designed to get you drunk; December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

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“Find a unique angle on something tried and true.” they are meant to cleanse the palate. They’re designed to loosen the tongue and encourage the flow of conversation, and to refresh.

BB How do you recommend an establishment identify the best cocktail initiative for their location and audience?

The (Aperitif) cocktails possess a unique style: light in alcohol, slightly bitter, with lots of bubbles and fresh, bright flavors.

Aperitif cocktails have a ton of personality; there’s complexity, but the alcohol content is just much lower. Classic examples are the Aperol spritz and the Americano in Italy and chilled Dubbonet in Paris.

TB Really and honestly know your clientele and yourself. What are you capable of implementing given the realities of your staffing and infrastructure? And what is your clientele like? Know yourself. Know your customers, current and prospective. Is there a demographic that’s being underserved? Look around at what other bars are doing and learn from them, from what they’re doing successfully and unsuccessfully. Who is thriving?

BB How did you leverage the traditional cocktail cannon to create drinks that were relevant and interesting?

TB We put a subtle Range twist on some of these venerable recipes: creating an Americano with a sense of place by using a California Bay syrup; classing up the traditional Aperol Spritz by adding layers of complexity and flavor in the ultra-refreshing Paris to Milan; and highlighting the fascinating notes and textures of Manzanilla Sherry by mixing it with calvados and chamomile.

We’ve also included a section of inverted classics. The traditional Manhattan calls for a ratio of two to one whiskey to red vermouth, in the Uptown Downtown cocktail we’ve flipped that ratio to lighten the drink and to highlight the intriguing flavors of the Cocchi di Torino Italian Vermouth.

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BB What type of locations would be able to institute a concept such as your aperitif menu?

TB Locations with moderate to heavy foot traffic and a willing and adventurous clientele.

And having a patron base that is willing to come in between 4 and 7 is very important. If a location does good happy hour business then there’s no reason that they shouldn’t be able to implement something similar to what we’re doing. It isn’t an either-or proposition.

A location can feature both aperitif-style as well as more straightforward cocktails on their early evening menu.

BB What factors influence the price points you have chosen?

TB The price points are determined by the

fact that we’re using low-proof products, which in general are much cheaper than fullstrength spirits. The idea is that people can try two or three of the cocktails without breaking the bank. Because the cocktails are lower proof, drinking two or three won’t make you as intoxicated as two or three full-strength cocktails. In that sense the lower price is meant to encourage increased consumption.

This initiative is allowing you to stay ahead of the curve by revisiting classic concepts.

BB Are there other ways locations can accomplish this same thing?

TB Find a unique angle on something tried and true. Obviously the concept of a happy hour is well defined; we’re taking that concept and putting our own spin on it. We’re taking the classic aperitif concepts native to Milan, Cataluña, and Andalucía and translating them into a language that speaks to San Francisco in 2013.

It’s so important to know the place you work in, to know the culture and the ingredients, the traditions, the products. In the Bay Area we share so much with the Mediterranean; we have wine, olives, amazing fruit, and, increasingly, a dedicated culinary culture. So we’re revisiting some of the classic concepts that were born and that thrive there, and trusting that they will work here. www.barbizmag.com

Paris to Milan

Recipes: Paris to Milan

Gemstone

1 oz Cocchi Americano Rosa 1 oz White verjus (unfermented wine grape juice) .5 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur .5 oz Aperol

2 oz Bodegas Hidalgo ‘La Gitane’ Manzanilla Sherry .5 oz Christopher Drouin ‘Coeur de Lion’ Fine Calvados .5 oz Chamomile syrup*

Stir ingredients and strain into a chilled wine glass over ice. Top with 2 oz Prosecco or similar dry sparkling wine.

Garnish with an orange half wheel.

Stir to dissolve.

Stir ingredients and strain into double rocks glass over one big rock. Garnish with thyme sprig. Chamomile syrup: brew 16 oz chamomile tea as per directions on tea package and combine with 16 oz sugar.

Californio

Uptown Downtown

1.5 oz Lustau ‘Don Nuño’ Dry Oloroso Sherry .75 oz California Bay Laurel syrup* .25 oz Gran Classico Bitter

2 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino 1 oz Noah’s Mill Bourbon 3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Stir ingredients and strain into Collin’s glass over ice. Top with seltzer water.

Garnish with fresh California Bay leaf.

California Bay Laurel Syrup: bring 16 oz water to a boil; add 16 oz sugar to dissolve and 2 California Bay Laurel leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Let steep until sufficiently aromatic. Strain out bay leaves. If California Bay is unavailable, Turkish Bay may be substituted at a ratio of 3:1 Turkish to California.

Californio

Stir ingredients and strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with brandied cherry.

Gemstone

Uptown Downtown www.barbizmag.com

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Lead the Way Becoming a great leader is paramount to running a great bar. Your staff will follow if you show them the way, so we look at 20 ways to become a better on-premise field general in 2014.

By Bob Johnson, aka BobTheBarGuy.com

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bar manager asked me recently if I had any suggestions for becoming a better leader. The person asking me had been thrown into a management position because he was very good at what he was doing previously. It was assumed he must have the abilities to be a good manager because of his previous work performance—in other words, he was promoted to his level of incompetence.

Management skills are learned over time, they’re not inherited.

You need training, which creates knowledge, to become a good, effective leader/manager, and you need time (experience) in order to develop what you have learned. Always remember—experience does not mean you have knowledge. I’ve met many a manager who uses the line, ‘Don’t tell me, I’ve been doing this for 17 years.’ (Have they been doing it wrong for 17 years?). Time and/or experience do not take the place of knowledge. Time enhances knowledge. To become a good, effective manager you need time in-grade that coincides with a lot of knowledge—which equals knowledge with experience, the best combination of all. It’s not an overnight thing.

I believe the most important management skill is knowing how to deal with people. You have to tell people what to do (and probably how to do it), and you have to do it in such a way they stay motivated and achieve the desired goals. How you communicate personally and professionally with your staff to get a job done determines their level of respect for you as well as your likeability.

Here are 20 techniques I’ve used over the years to develop my teams. They work. Use them to develop your own style of becoming a great leader.

Always say “Thank you” to staff that are doing well and trying hard.

Show appreciation. It lets them know you are noticing them. It’s important to be noticed and appreciated for what you are doing. The word ‘please’ goes a long way, too.

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Don’t allow drama to fester.

Cheerfulness is contagious.

Do you smile a lot and have a positive outlook on just about everything? Cheerfulness is contagious. Most people will respond to a cheerful person rather than one who is surly, grouchy and yells a lot. If you yell at someone because of a work situation, trust me, they will get even; all of a sudden they’re not around when you need them, they can’t stay to cover a shift for a late arriving bartender, etc. You don’t need that kind of attitude when you’re three-deep at the bar and on the verge of losing control. You need everyone’s help and cooperation, all the time.

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Do you seem to always have a skip in your step? Do you display an aura of energy, which in turn depicts a sense of urgency? Make eye contact. Don’t look down or around when talking to someone, especially if it relates to business. Give your staff your full attention when they’re trying to get through to you. And most importantly, listen to your staff. Encourage constant input. It makes your staff feel like they’re contributing.

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Don’t allow drama to fester amongst your staff. Stop the petty disgruntlements immediately. Try not to let anything carry over to the next day that can be resolved that night. Lead.

Don’t hesitate to take corrective action. I recall nights after closing, sitting at a table with two employees who didn’t like each other, yelling and screaming their derisions, with me acting as referee, until we finally worked it out. Whatever it takes. Promote team family. Your staff must get along with each other. Anyone who becomes a cancer to your team, anyone who thrives on the drama, has to go.

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Be prepared to jump in and help your people when a work related situation gets out of control. You don’t want your staff continually working in the weeds. Stress creates turnover.

Encourage your team to help each other to get through bad situations.

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Let your work ethic form a pattern of leadership. The most successful men I know still mop floors and pick up trash when they see it needs to be done and no one is doing it.

Don’t think for a moment that just because you’re a manager those days are over for you. They’re not.

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Never walk past or delay an action that needs immediate attention. If you do so, you’re just saying to the world, “That’s not my problem.” In other words, “I know it’s wrong and I just approved it by doing nothing about it.” You can’t do that as a leader—ever.

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Improve your team’s morale by remembering everyone’s birthday.

Enhance your team/family capability by remembering everyone’s birthday. It’s simple to do, it works, and every member of your staff will appreciate being recognized by everyone else on their special day. Get a cake, or order a couple of pizzas, start a birthday pool where everyone chips in a couple of bucks and give the cash to the birthday employee at the end of the night. Or how about a birthday dinner for two at a local restaurant (a trade-out with a local eatery)? The ideas are endless. What’s important is that you recognize the employee on his/her birthday.

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Understand strengths and weaknesses. Every member of your staff has a bunch of each, including you. Don’t ask someone to do something they’re not qualified for (or capable of) and expect positive results.

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Know something about every one of your employees outside of work. Are they going to school? If so, what are they studying? What are their hobbies? Do they like to travel?

Would they be interested in going into management one day? It’s amazing how many outside-of-work skills can be used in your business.

I once hired a cocktail waitress who was studying music at a local university. I made her my entertainment director and she loved her second job. An art student made my brochures and table tents. During a casual interview, one of my employees mentioned how much he loved doing landscaping. Guess who improved the entranceway to our club?

Another time I had a bunch of guys and girls who loved to bowl and they invited me to join them. So I took it a step further. We formed a couple of bowling teams and joined a league. Not only did bowling together make a closer team family at our club, we soon became the meeting place after matches for all the other bowlers (36 lanes x 8 bowlers per lane = a full house nine months a year). Our sales went up 40%. Your employees probably have an abundance of talents that can be used for the betterment of your business. Find out what they are. Use them.

They’ll love you for it.

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Look like a manager. Dress appropriately. Keep a change of clothes with you in case you have to get out of your suit or dress to do a dirty job.

You’ll never need a nametag that says manager if you always look poised and don’t over-react to anything. You must always stay calm, cool and collected under the most difficult situations. Remember the ducks. They swim for survival. On the surface, the duck appears to be having a nice swim across the lake.

Underneath, you’d never know an alligator is chasing him and he’s paddling like hell to escape and survive. I’ve felt like the duck many times in the bar business, but tried to never show it on the outside.

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Hide your tattoos and body piercings. No crazy haircuts. Stay cleanly shaven. Look like you’re in a position of importance (you are). Ladies, don’t overdo the makeup or the jewelry.

Avoid high heels and clothes that are uncomfortable to work in.

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Always be early for work. Keep a list of things to do that you refer to everyday. Always be willing to stay late, if necessary. Lead. www.barbizmag.com

MAN AGE R You’ll never need a nametag if you keep your cool.

Don’t play favorites, ever. You’ll lose respect. One of the most demeaning acts a manager can commit is showing favoritism to less qualified staff. This takes the wind right out of your team/family sail.

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Display a great sense of humor. Make it a part of your personality. But know when, how, and where to draw the line.

Business always comes first.

Team-building by bowling?

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Treat your employees better than you do your customers.

Walt Disney said that. I’d say he was pretty successful in the hospitality field, wouldn’t you?

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Don’t be a clock watcher. Management in the hospitality industry is expected to work 50-60 hours a week, sometimes more. Get the job done, whatever it takes.

If your club uses a lot of bartenders and servers (tipped employees), make sure everyone is making money. Don’t kid yourself—no one in this business works for minimum wage.

If they’re not making money, you need to find out why and then do something about it. More training? Splitting up shifts more fairly so everyone has a chance to make money? Otherwise, they’ll find work elsewhere. The last thing you need is more turnover.

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Get up for breakfast instead of lunch. Nightlife hours can get the best of anyone. Set a good example (and stay healhy yourself) by starting each day right.

In the bar business, I learned a long time ago that you have to have the horses to pull the wagon. No horses? You won’t go very far and you’ll end up hating your job. You’ve got to continually feed your horses and continually steer them in the right direction. Everyone has to pitch in (pardon the pun) to get the job done. They must be fed (or led?) into performing.

You’ve got to make your team like you and respect you. It’s not going to happen just because you wear a nametag that says manager.

Think about using some of these techniques I’ve used over the years.

They work. Throw in some laughter, make the job fun, and you’ll be amazed at how you can change your team for the better—because after all, you’re their leader. www.barbizmag.com

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That Golden Era Whether it’s nostalgia for what we no longer have, or simply a way to look back in wonder, the nightlife business always has a fondness for the classics. But in New York City, a venue called Golden Cadillac Food & Drink is harkening back to the bad old days of the 1970s by making it all good again. BY Chris Ytuarte

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et’s called a decade do-over.

In New York City, the 1970s was an odd period.

The dichotomy of crime versus creativity reached its peak here in that decade, where it was often the best of times and the worst of times. The same can probably be said of that era’s nightlife scene.

But like most things in life, what comes around—comes around again. What we once saw as aesthetically criminal (shag carpeting, bell bottoms) eventually became casually cool. With Prohibition-era cocktails still all the rage, it would seem the same reverence for our past products applies to the bar business. But still, who in their right mind would try to bring back the Long Island Iced Tea?

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The proprietors of Golden Cadillac Food & Drink in New York City, that’s who. This newly opened throwback bar has revitalized all of the nightlife staples from the 70s that some would, at first, call tacky. But the drinks, the décor, and even the food in this new venue make those bad old days look great.

“People describe the 70s as the most dangerous yet most exciting time in New York City,” says James Tune, General Manager of Golden Cadillac. “It was a time in New York when there was a lot going on and it was a fun period. So we wanted to open up a bar that was sort of a 70s type of venue with that same attitude—of both fun and danger—that was around back then. And we’re opening up in the East Village, which is sort of the perfect neighborhood for that concept.” www.barbizmag.com

Designed by Crow Hill Design’s Jeannette Kaczorowski and Field Lines Architecture, Golden’s Cadillac’s décor evokes the warmth and texture of a mid-to-late 1970s dive bar.

Walk the streets of 21st century Lower East Side Manhattan and it’s easy to forget New York City’s grittier past: A time of nascent punk and hip-hop, during which heralded Mayor Ed Koch won his first term in office, a young Robert DeNiro walked into a dark, seedy bar in the opening scene of “Mean Streets,” and crime was rampant. All of it, every bit of bad and good, has influenced the experience at Golden Cadillac.

“It was a great time for music, especially in New York,” says Tune. “It was the beginning of punk rock, the early days of hip-hop that came from The Bronx, and of course you had the disco that was popular. You also had some great soul music and funk. So our music will definitely gear towards www.barbizmag.com

that era. A lot of people think it’s just going to be disco, because that’s what people automatically associate with the 70s. And though we will play some of that, we’ll have a mix of the whole 70s sound, because there was a lot of different stuff out there that started coming together in the late 70s.”

Nineteen-seventies’ New York is a stark contrast to the sanitized streets of today’s Big Apple, but it’s vivid in the memories of cocktail historian Greg Boehm and awardwinning bartender Giuseppe Gonzalez, who seek to evoke this bygone era with Golden Cadillac, which opened November 6th, at 13 First Avenue in Manhattan.

“I used to be the general manager for The Pegu Club, where I actually met Greg and Giuseppe,” says Tune. “Greg used to come in for cocktails, and Giuseppe I met there too; I knew him from the industry and he worked at a bunch of bars. It was Giuseppe who approached me with the concept for Golden Cadillac, and I was immediately very interested. It’s a New York City-based bar from the 70s, and having grown up in New York I really related to the concept and I was very excited about it. I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”

Cocktail-inspired nostalgia typically has enthusiasts reaching back to the Prohibition eras filled with bathtub gin and romanticized speakeasies. But as Boehm (best known as owner of Cocktail Kingdom) and Gonzalez (whose resume December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

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“We want people to look at the menu and flash back to their childhood growing up in the ‘70s.” includes celebrated cocktail venues Clover Club and PKNY) are about to remind everyone, the 1970s was a time rich with “classic cocktails” of another ilk.

“The approach was to have our menu feature drinks like the Long Island Iced Tea and Piña Colada and Miami Vice, which are fun cocktails,” explains Tune. “Unfortunately, somehow over the last few decades, they’ve been frowned upon or forgotten, especially once this whole cocktail renaissance began. But they’ve always been fun cocktails—to drink and to make—and with the concept we’re going for, where we’re trying to create that laid-back, fun atmosphere, we knew we could make these drinks work if we used quality ingredients. They’re going to taste a lot better than your typical Long Island Iced Tea or Piña Colada. When you take those types of drinks that were made back then, but use the top-flight ingredients that we have available today, those drinks will be very good at the end of the day. Giuseppe is the head bartender and he’s putting a twist on a lot of them. They’re going to be made with great products. And for the most part, the ingredients will be the same as the classic recipes, we’re just using a better quality liqueur or base spirit.”

Named for the Galliano-based cocktail that was popular at the time, Golden Cadillac will tip its hat to such drinks as the Long Island Iced Tea, Buttery Nipple and Strawberry Daiquiri—all executed with the quality ingredients, masterful techniques and cutting-edge tools that are de

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rigueur for today’s bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts. The cocktail menu, which Gonzalez describes as “Charles Baker style” for its drinks inspired by observation and personal experience, will include the Miami Vice (frozen Piña Colada with a float of strawberry daiquiri), Buttery Nipple (whisky, lemon, brown sugar, milk), Banana Nuclear Snaquiri (rum, lime, Jagermeister, Green Chartreuse) and Hot Grasshopper

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Golden Cadillac takes some of the classically bad 1970s kitsch cocktails and rejuvenates them.

(crème de menthe, crème de cacao, mint, heavy cream).

To accompany the drinks, Chef Miguel Trinidad will serve a menu of classic New York dishes inspired by vintage editions of Gourmet Magazine. Chef Trinidad, known for igniting the Filipino food trend with restaurants Jeepney and Maharlika, will offer a menu of dishes that reflect New York’s culinary past, such as Shrimp Louie (iceberg lettuce, tomato wedges, Treasure Island dressing), Italian Turnovers (tomato a la vodka, Ducks Eatery sausage, Rizzoli cheese), and Knish Fondue (potato dumpling creamy cheese sauce).

“And of course, you have your deviled eggs,” says Tune.

“We’re even doing a Jell-o mold for dessert. Again, it goes back to the fun aspect. We want to create an environment where you walk in—and it’s not gimmicky at all—but we want people to have fun and look at the menu and maybe even laugh at a few things, bringing them back to their childhood if they grew up in the 70s. But in the end, it all tastes great.”

Designed by Crow Hill Design’s Jeannette Kaczorowski in collaboration with Field Lines Architecture, Golden Cadillac’s décor evokes the warmth and texture of a mid-to-late 1970s dive bar, complete with wood paneling, reflective surfaces, www.barbizmag.com

patterned wallpaper and ambient backlighting. “It was a time best depicted as ‘faded glory’ or ‘sad glamour’,” describes Gonzalez.

“We want to go back in time, but we want to make it look like it’s an establishment that had survived the 70s and not just a brand new place that opened up to honor the 70s,” says Tune. “You’ll see a lot of shapes and patterns that were very popular in the 70s, and our back bar itself is rounded into the kind of oval shape you did see a lot back then.”

Golden Cadillac’s team took a lot of inspiration from existing venues that did, in fact, survive the 70s and still function today, such as the Lenox Lounge in upper Manhattan. “Neon was very big back then, and Lenox Lounge was a big proponent of it,” says Tune. “And there are still some places around today, not necessarily bars, but places like Katz’s Deli, which is near us, that still have those great neon signs. So that inspired our sign out front, for sure.”

Tune says the bar is already drawing a young crowd that lives in the area, as well patrons who have lived in the area since those dangerous, decadent, and creative 1970s. “But we’re catering to everybody,” he adds. “There is no age limit that says you needed to know the 70s to enjoy our space.”

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Inventory Holly Nog™ For The Holidays Eggnog lovers will be treated to a special gift this holiday season with the introduction of Holly Nog. Holly Nog is the only premium spiked eggnog made with wine and real Wisconsin dairy cream. Holly Nog brings eggnog back to its origins when it was made with wine up until the Revolutionary War. In America, producers substituted wine with less expensive and more accessible rum and whiskey. Holly Nog is produced by Midwest Custom Bottling, producer of RumChata, one of the fastest growing alcohol brands in the United States. Midwest Custom Bottling is the expert at developing high quality, real cream based products.

We are very excited to use this expertise to bring traditional wine based eggnog back to the market and provide eggnog lovers a premium spiked eggnog that no one can match.

In addition to liquor stores, Holly Nog’s wine base allows it to be sold in wineonly licensed stores and in the dairy aisles of grocery stores. Find out more by visiting www.drinkhollynog.com.

New Busted Barrel® Dark Rum From New Jersey Jersey Artisan Distilling, New Jersey’s first licensed distillery to open since the repeal of prohibition, announces the release of its flagship line of hand-crafted premium spirits, Busted Barrel® Dark Rum. Jersey Artisan Distilling, located in Fairfield, New Jersey is focused on making classically refined hand crafted spirits that require the passion and attention to detail that has been lost in the mass produced “big liquor” marketplace. Busted Barrel Dark Rum is created using all-natural, domestically grown ingredients including the finest molasses from Louisiana. Every drop of Busted Barrel Dark Rum has been distilled in custom made small batch copper stills. The rum is then stored in charred white American oak barrels for approximately three months with a handful of vanilla beans.

Busted Barrel Dark Rum is 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof) and is priced at $34.99 for a 750ml bottle.

For more information, visit www.jerseyartisandistilling.com.

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Tullamore D.E.W is ‘Irish True’ Tullamore D.E.W., one of the world’s fastest growing Irish whiskeys, is proud to announce the release of a new variant, Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix. Born by the strength of a town who witnessed the first ever air disaster on record, the new limited edition Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix celebrates the ultimate courage and optimism of the Tullamore people, who driven by a positive spirit, rebuilt their town, and established the Tullamore Distillery in 1829. Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix packaging features the symbol of the Phoenix from Tullamore’s town crest and adorns streetlights throughout its main streets. The packaging design reflects the revamped styling of the Tullamore D.E.W. Original variant which highlights the heritage of the brand and gives founder Daniel E. Williams’ initials “D.E.W.” more prominence within the brand name.

Phoenix is available in elegant gift boxes with cork tops and is perfect for holiday and special occasion gifting. Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix just took home a Gold Medal at the 2013 Irish Whiskey Masters for its taste. It is an exceptional whiskey, with mellow complexity, deep leafy, malty notes and smooth vanilla. www.tullamoredew.com

Beam Heats Up with Ice Surge™ Ice Surge™ Liqueur, the latest Beam cordials innovation, takes the shot experience to a cool, smooth new level with the combination of refreshing fruit flavor and an icy blast. Available in two variants, Tropical Freeze and Berry Blizzard, the unique Ice Surge formula features a cooling sensation, which adds to the sensory experience for consumers. As well, the line’s packaging showcases an ice-like appearance that actually feels like cracks of ice. Both products in the line feature the perfect complement of fruit and cooling mint.

Ice Surge Tropical Freeze blends the sweet flavors of pineapple and mango, packing an arctic cool sensation followed by the delicious tastes of exotic fruit, while Ice Surge Berry Blizzard combines delicious raspberry with tangy black berry and acai flavors, resulting in a cool minty blast with a fresh sweet berry finish. Fans can also “Ride the Surge” on the Ice Surge website, www.IceSurgeShots. com, by uploading a photo of themselves or their friends, which will then be blasted with a frosty chill photo filter transforming any photo into a wintery scene. For more information, visit www.IceSurgeShots.com or Facebook.com/IceSurgeShots.

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Glenfiddich Makes a Discovery This fall, Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded Single Malt Scotch Whisky, will launch the Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask Reserve, celebrating the intrepid journeys of the most determined pioneers. This release is a toast to the American bourbon industry, which has provided barrels to Scotch distilleries for maturing their whiskies. The Bourbon Cask Reserve is exclusively aged for 19 years in American oak casks—casks that once traveled great American rivers and now serve as the inspiration for this limited edition release. Some of these rivers – the Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Ohio – all flow into the most famous and important waterway of America’s South: The Mississippi. These were the roads along which hundreds of people traveled over history, ultimately cultivating the land, bringing commerce and industry to the areas around which the cities of the South arose. As the cities grew, so did the American whiskey distilling industry, which used local grains to produce their own distinctive whiskeys most notably bourbon and rye whisky.

An ideal gift for the adventurous and discerning drinker. www.Glenfiddich.com

Martell Launches Its New Caractère in U.S. Martell, the prestigious House of Cognac founded in 1715, announces the launch of a new cognac, “Martell Caractère.” The new blend, available exclusively in California, offers style, elegance, complexity and balance for the true man of character, and pays tribute to the spirit of legendary entrepreneur and Martell founder, Jean Martell. Jean Martell was an entrepreneur notorious for his strength of character, and Martell Caractère aims to reclaim this spirit.

Martell Caractère is rooted in the approaching 300-year-old Martell Method, a unique distillation process passed down from Jean Martell himself. It is created using grapes sourced from Martell’s own vineyards in the Domaine Jean Martell, distilled twice without lees and aged in fine grain French oak barrels.

The Martell Cellar Master, Benoit Fil, combines a distinctive blend of two types of eaux-devie, the essential components of cognac. The result is a refined blend of elegant taste, revealing a generous character and subtle fruity notes that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in cocktails. www.martell.com

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Two New Buzz-worthy Bärenjäger Flavors Bärenjäger, the original honey liqueur, is proud to introduce Bärenjäger Honey & Tea, a delicious blend of premium honey and tea liqueur; and Bärenjäger Honey & Pear, a delightful combination of premium honey liqueur and Williams pear brandy.

Bärenjäger Honey & Tea is the perfect combination of premium honey and tea liqueur made from all natural ingredients and no artificial flavors. The new spirit offers an herbaceous nose, a sweet black tea and honey taste and a long finish of lingering black tea notes. Bärenjäger Honey & Pear is made with generous amounts of pure, real honey and high quality pear brandy sourced from Germany. The brandy is distilled exclusively from Williams pears, which are highly aromatic and flavorful. This unique blend results in a balanced and lightly sweet taste with an alternating pear and honey finish. These two line extensions join the growing portfolio which also includes Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur and recently introduced Bärenjäger Honey & Bourbon.

Find out more at www.barenjagerhoney.com.

Chill Out, It's Just a Cool Coaster Luigi Gobbo has designed a coaster that can keep your drink cold without ice. Just put it in the freezer for a while (minimum 5-10 minutes), or even better for some hours. The cooler is made from aluminum outside, filled with propylene glycol USP, and closed with a cap and O-ring hermetically to keep the cold from the freezer.

After removing from the freezer, the cooler gives back the cold to the glass or the bottle, which is in contact directly with it. We have used high precision CNC machines with high quality material. Special aluminum alloy anti-corrosion (from Italy), and the color is made by anodizing treatment. With the O–ring, you can hold it easier, or you can remove if as you prefer. 100% freezer safe, with our special rubber painting it doesn’t slip down, so you can use it in extreme circumstances, such as boating or camping.

For more information please check our Kickstarter project: http://www.kickstarter. com/projects/188164407/ the-cooler-keepsyour-drink-cold

December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

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Holiday Happenings

January 2014

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Jan. 3: Drinking Straw Day. How many cocktails can you concoct today that demand to be sipped through a straw.

The challenge is on.

Jan. 4: Trivia Day. Think while you drink!

Buzztime and World Tavern Trivia offer bar owners great options for on-premise quiz nights and increased profits. What better day to get started?

Jan. 7: Old Rock Day. This holiday is meant to be a time to enjoy and appreciate old rocks and fossils (like your daytime customers). But, instead, we suggest you simply limit your digital jukebox to rock n’ roll songs recorded before 1976. Make a TouchTunes playlist on your smart phone— there’s an app for that!

Jan. 8: Earth’s Rotation Day. At the end of a long, drunken night, turn off the music and ask your remaining customers if they can feel the Earth’s rotation. See how many people say yes and then fall off their stool.

Jan. 9: National Static Electricity Day. On this day, have your bartenders rub a balloon on their head before delivering each drink, then lightly touch the customer’s hand as they serve them. There’s nothing like mixing science and booze to really shock people.

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Jan. 10: Houseplant Appreciation Day. An opportunity to pay homage to a bunch of old, dried-up, withering organisms that sink their roots in, don’t move very fast, and rely on you to feed them liquids. Yes, another holiday in honor of your daytime customers.

Jan. 14: Dress Up Your Pet Day. Ask your customers if they ever dress up their pets in costumes.

Remove anyone who says yes from the premises immediately.

You’ll thank me later.

Jan. 18: Polar Bear Swim.

Offer specials on Hot Toddy’s and other warm drinks on this day, and the first one is free for anyone who comes in still wet from the ocean. (East Coast only.)

Jan. 21: National Hugging Day. Give your daytime customers a hug. They really, really need one.

Jan. 24: Beer Can Appreciation Day. In honor of its presence in the classic 1975 film Jaws, Narragansett Beer released a specialty retro lager beer can that harkens back to decade of disco. Stock up on these puppies and serve them to your patrons today.

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Bar Business Magazine December 2013

www.barbizmag.com

Jimmy Hendrix image: Toniflap / SHuTTerSTock.com

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index of advertisers

Company

web site address

page #

Barzz.net

www.barzz.net

17

Buzztime

www.goBEOND.com

25

Cabaret Design Group

www.cabaretdesigners.com

34

FIO Financial Solutions

www.fiofinancialsolutions.com

20

Flagship Carpet & Alpha Patterned Carpets

www.apcmill.com

35

HARBORTOUCH

www.iharbortouch.com

C4

IDscan.net

www.idscan.net

13

Modern Line Furniture

www.modernlinefurniture.com

C2

Moving Targets

www.MovingTargets.com

9

Shiftgig.com

www.shiftgig.com

28

Time Warner Cable Inc

www.BUSINESS.TWC.COM/BAR-TV

5

TouchTunes

www.touchtunes.com

3

Western Spirits Beverage Co-KRU

www.KRU82.com

16

Western Spirits Beverage Co-KUHL

www.KUHLVODKA.com

24

World Tavern Entertainment

www.worldtavernentertainment.com

21

Inventory Companies B채renj채ger

www.BarenjagerHoney.com

Busted Barrel Dark Rum

www.JerseyArtisanDistilling.com

Chill Coaster

www.Kickstarter.com

Glenfiddich

www.Glenfiddich.com

Holly Nog

www.DrinkHollyNog.com

Ice Surge Liqueur

www.IceSurgeShots.com

Martell Cognac

www.Martell.com

Tullamore D.E.W.

www.TullamoreDEW.com

To advertise in Bar Business Magazine contact, Art Sutley, Ph: 212-620-7247, e-mail: asutley@sbpub.com www.barbizmag.com

December 2013 Bar Business Magazine

47

Supply Side Spotlight

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby A unique and storied brand, Cherry heering is the kind of liqueur that finds its way into a lot of drinks — and into even more stories. By Chris ytuArte

C

herry Heering is the type of brand that has been around long enough to have recently uncorked vintage bottles from 1890; but more impressively, Cherry Heering is the type of brand to share that vintage bottle with the general public. It is truly a liqueur of the people—always has been, always will be.

In the early 19th century, Cherry Heering grew along with the British Empire, which brought the liqueur to all of its global conquests. It made its way to Singapore and became integral to the historic Sling cocktail. That was then, and this is now: In October, five finalists traveled to Berlin to compete in the Peter F. Heering Sling Awards, where eventually American Michael Flannery (inset, right) and his Highland Sling would win out. As always, Cherry Heering remains in touch with its past, but alive in the present.

From antiquated advertisements (inset, left) to modern day fashion trends, the brand continues to bridge the gap between generations of Cherry Heering drinkers in the most stylish of ways. In 2009, The Peter F. Heering Company announced the U.S. winners of Heering Accessorize 2009, The World Championship in Fashion Mixing and Drinks Designing. San Francisco mixologist Jacqueline Patterson represented the U.S. in the international final at the Raffles 48

Bar Business Magazine December 2013

Hotel in Singapore with her Cherry Heering “Romantic” inspired “Star Crossed Lovers” cocktail.

One year later, in May of 2010, the liqueur continued to define fashionable with an opening of some rare bottles circa 1890 and 1950, allowing Cherry Heering to lay claim to truly being one of the all-time classic and quality tasting brands— ever. The historic tasting took place at the famous Campbell Apartment inside New York City’s Grand Central Terminal (above), where the common man makes his way to and from work each day, and on this day, was a little less common, sipping on century-old Cheery Heering.

“That was truly a historic and special day for the Peter F. Heering brand and family,” said Adéle Nilsson, CEO of the Xanté & Peter F. Heering Company. “We see Cherry Heering as an accessory; something added to compliment the greater whole, and this is our way to bring the brand into modern times in a creative, powerful way.”

And today, Cherry Heering remains that—an accessory, to some of the world’s greatest cocktails, to global fashion movements, and to the everyday drinker, who gladly embraces the liqueur of ancient imperialists as an indulgence of modern mixology.

What a history. www.barbizmag.com

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