Bars & Clubs September - October 2017

&clubs

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

SOUTHERN COMFORT The spirit of New Orleans

GIN AND TONIC

Get sophisticated with your pairings

TEQUILA

Phil Bayly on trends and terroir

JEFF BERRY

An interview with the Beachbum

PLUS: CRAFT CIDER – ZOMBIE – PINK DRINKS

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THIRD TIME LUCKY

“With the days getting longer, the air getting warmer, and happy hour more regular, summer is so close you can almost taste it.” @BARSANDCLUBSMAGAZINE

MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Grover PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Tam Allenby tallenby@intermedia.com.au PHOTOGRAPHER Dan Gray: Front Cover Simon Taylor: Category Spotlight

With the days getting longer, the air getting warmer, and happy hour more regular, summer is so close you can almost taste it.

In this issue we’ve featured many of the drinks that just cry out for a rooftop and a sunny afternoon; the Gin Queen Caroline Childerley tells you how to elevate your G&T game, Phil Bayly looks at tequila trends and the issues facing the industry in Mexico, and we profile the growing craft cider category as well as an emerging pink drinks craze.

The Tiki theme also continues on from July/August, and not entirely by design. Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry was in town recently, so we sat down with the legend for a good chat about all things Tiki; coincidentally opening in the same month as Berry’s visit was Jacoby’s, a darker spin on the Tiki bar from the team behind Earl’s Juke Joint, and to continue the island theme we’ve also profiled one of its iconic drinks, the Zombie.

On the darker side of the equation – and just to keep things interesting – our product photoshoot this edition is all about whisky, with and without the (e).

By the time you read this, the 2017 ALIA winners will also have been announced – so a massive congratulations is in order for all the champions. And if you haven’t yet attended the liquor industry’s night of nights, mark down October 31, 2018 in your calendar – it’s not to be missed.

Tam Allenby Editor

/BARSANDCLUB

@BARS_AND_CLUBS

GENERAL MANAGER SALES – LIQUOR & HOSPITALITY GROUP Shane T Williams stwilliams@intermedia.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Jacob Gawlik jgawlik@intermedia.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN Ryan Vizcarra ryanv@intermedia.com.au

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BARS&clubs 5

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Features 24 GIN AND TONIC How to elevate your G&T game with the Gin Queen.

24

30 TEQUILA Phil Bayly looks at the trends and big issues facing the tequila industry in Mexico.

36

36 PINK DRINKS Pink gin, pink tonic, pink cocktails, and even frosé – get pink this summer.

40 CIDER Just like the beer market, cider is undergoing a craft evolution.

30

Regulars 8 NEWS What you need to know.

10 OPENINGS The new, the revamped and the rebranded venues opening around the country.

13 NEW FACES Keep an eye on these up-and-comers.

14 INSPIRATION An interview with a legend, internal cocktail competitions and a branding overhaul.

22 ZOMBIE What’s the story behind this tiki classic?

28 CATEGORY SPOTLIGHT This issue, it’s all about whisk(e)y.

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BARS&clubs 7

news UNTOLD: ASAHI WORKS WITH BARTENDERS ON NEW SPICED RUM

Dan Gregory.

AUSTRALIA’S ANGOSTURA GLOBAL COCKTAIL CHALLENGE WINNER

Dan Gregory from Canvas in Brisbane emerged victorious in the national final of the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge in Sydney last month.

In front of a crowd of bartending peers at LOT.1, Gregory bested Michael Chiem (PS40), Liam Monk (Bobeche), Lachlan Robinson (Bobeche) and Hyobin Vini Wang (Hains & Co) to be crowned the Australian champion.

Gregory made two cocktails; ‘The Williams Flip’ using Angostura’s award winning rum portfolio and the ‘Like Father, Like Son’ using Amaro di Angostura, with both cocktails featuring Angostura’s iconic bitters range.

The judges faced a difficult decision. Head Judge James Irvine said: “Right from the get-go, we were inundated with talent and found it a challenge to form a Top 10 for the preliminary final and then again for an overall winner.

“Any of these competitors would have given the global final a run for its money. I’m looking forward to see how Dan goes, his drinks were top quality and his presentation was flawless. I think he could stand a good chance of taking out the global title.”

Gregory pockets AU$10,000 as well as a year’s contract as the Australian Angostura Brand Ambassador and will move on to the global final of the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge 2018, held in Trinidad & Tobago. Here he could win the ultimate prize of the title of “Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge Champion”, US$10,000 and a two-year contract as Angostura’s Global Brand Ambassador.

BEACHBUM IN AUS De Kuyper partnered with Tiki legend Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry on “The Works” program in August, hosting a series of inspirational and creative workshops in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Beachbum, on his first visit to Australia, hosted the program alongside Bacardi-Martini’s Peter Hollands.

8 BARS&clubs

GLENMORANGIE BIKE Portland-based bicycle manufacturer Renovo has collaborated with Glenmorangie to create the world’s first bicycle made from whisky casks.

Every bike is made with around 15 whisky barrel staves. While alcoholbranded bicycles are a dime a dozen, actually making a bike out of the same materials used to make a whisky is new.

A new spiced rum developed by a collective of mixologists, bartenders and artists, has been launched by Asahi Premium Beverages.

Developed by Dave Kerr (The Beaufort) and his fellow Australian bartender friends Nathan Beasley (Black Pearl), Oscar Eastman (ex-Eau de Vie) and Dre Walters (The Lobo Plantation), ‘Untold’ comes as a full strength spiced rum plus a range of pre-mixed drinks.

“One of our greatest achievements was creating something that balanced spice, sweetness and then finished with a delightful savoury note to steer it away from the sickly sweet rums that dominate the market, yet still keeping its authenticity,” Eastman said.

Kerr added: “We see Untold as a versatile product or a ‘blank canvas’ where everyone can enjoy it their own way. However you approach your experience with it, people can contribute and shape the brand as their own..

“It’s balanced, works perfectly with our favourite mixers and gives people with a good palate a great alternative in a spiced rum.”

$250 OLD FASHIONED Rum and rye bar Kittyhawk in Sydney’s CBD has unveiled what’s believed to be Australia’s most expensive Old Fashioned, The No.10 Rum and Rye Old Fashioned. At $250 a serve, it blends the extremely rare Michter’s Rye 25 year old and Bacardi Facundo Eximo Rum for a pricey take on the classic cocktail.

news DIAGEO WORLD CLASS 2017 WINNER CROWNED In late August, Canadian bartender Kaitlyn Stewart beat her competitors to be crowned the 2017 Diageo World Class winner at this year’s final in Mexico City. The week-long competition final saw 55 of the world’s best bartenders battle it out in a Lucha Libre ring, before the top four was named for the final round.

That top four included Australia’s Andrea Gualdi from Maybe Frank in Sydney (featured on the BARS&clubs May/June cover), as well as Stewart, Kevin Patnode from Turkey and Mate Csatlos from Denmark.

EDDIE RUSSELL: “THE BARTENDING COMMUNITY CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR US”

By Deb Jackson, Editor National Liquor News Eddie Russell the Master Distiller for Wild Turkey has noticed a change in the demographic of people drinking whiskey, and thanks the bartending community for this shift.

The number of Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) candidates worldwide in the academic year finishing 31 July 2017 – an increase of 19%, signaling the demand for wine and spirits education is higher than ever.

SLANE IRISH WHISKEY LAUNCHES IN AUSTRALIA The rise of Irish whiskey shows no sign of abating, with Brown-Forman launching its new label, Slane Irish Whiskey, in Australia. Slane Irish Whiskey is triple-casked in virgin American Oak, seasoned oak and Oloroso Sherry casks to deliver a “bold yet smooth spirit” which is described as having a “more robust flavour than traditional blended Irish whiskeys”. The whiskey is a collaboration between the Brown family of Brown-Forman in Kentucky and the Conyngham family of Slane Castle in Ireland.

BARS&CLUBS ONLINE MOVES PLATFORMS TO THE SHOUT We’re pleased to announce that BARS&clubs has moved platforms and is now fully integrated with The Shout, further strengthening Australia’s leading alcohol industry website. With BARS&clubs under The Shout umbrella, you will have easy access to a huge library of drinks-related content and, because The Shout platform is also fully mobile-optimised, you’ll find it more convenient to catchup on all the happenings in the bartending world while on the go.

You’ll find us at: theshout.com.au/ section/bars-and-clubs

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Russell has been at Wild Turkey for 36 years. For the first 20 of those he says his consumer was a 50-and-older male.

“I’ve noticed a shift big time, it’s changed dramatically for the whole Bourbon industry, not just Wild Turkey. And that’s not something we did.

“Believe me, I grew up with Freddy Noe from Jim Beam and we were all best friends in Kentucky, so we grew up together and would talk about how we could get younger people into the industry, but really it didn’t work, it was the bartending community that really changed things.

“So while it used to be 95 per cent of people who used to drink my Bourbon would be a 50 and older male, I think about 48 per cent now are 21 to 41 males and females and they’re starting in a bar, because this bartending community, they’re knowledgeable.

“When I was younger and would ask for whiskey on the rocks, people would look at me like I was rough and. Now my son walks into a bar and orders a neat Rye or a Bourbon and people look at him like he knows what he’s doing, so the bartending industry changed everything for us.”

HAVE YOU SEEN BARS&CLUBS ONLINE?

All the latest industry news, along with features, tips and tutorials. theshout.com.au/bars-and-clubs

BARS&clubs 9

openings

“

JACOBY’S

If you can’t get to paradise, I’ll bring it to you.”

Open the drinks list at new bar Jacoby’s in Sydney’s Enmore and you’re greeted with these words from the Tiki movement’s founding father Don the Beachcomber, ready to whisk you away to a land of palm trees and sunsets.

This particular slice of paradise has been created by the team behind nearby Newtown institution Earl’s Juke Joint – Pasan Wijesena, James Fury and Adrian Sanchez, as well as regular barfly turned business partner Stuart Ellis – who have added their own, darker spin on the tiki theme.

“It was always a genre of drinks that we loved fiddling around with,” Wijesena told BARS&clubs. “Tiki and Jacoby’s are more on the lighthearted side of things rather than being a stiff, prohibition-style bar which we never were at Earl’s either – it’s more about having fun.”

Decked out with tiki statues, sunset murals, old glass buoys and even a thatched hut-style 10 BARS&clubs

roof, the fun follows through to the cocktail list which primarily features tiki classics like the Fog Cutter, Pearl Diver, Scorpion Bowls (for two) and the Romero, Jacoby’s spin on the iconic Zombie.

“Eventually we’ll have two menus: one of classics which you can come and order if you’re a Tiki fanatic, and one of originals with housemade everything which will allow us to flex our bartending brain a bit more,” Wijesena says.

Named after a Tiki-loving character from the iconic 90s TV series Twin Peaks, Jacoby’s brings classic tiki themes and visual cues together with 90s pop culture.

“A lot of it’s about escapism and sitting in a room with no natural sunlight, drinking from mugs with ridiculous garnishes and a corridor that kind of evokes the Twin Peaks Black Lodge – it was purely us indulging ourselves and the things that we love.”

On tap, Jacoby’s keeps the island vibes flowing with Red Stripe Jamaican Lager while

the fridge is well stocked with Hawaiian brews from Kona, Queensland’s Balter and Grifter Pale Ale from their brewery just down the road.

Natural wines are another big focus at Jacoby’s. “We thought it’d be cool to do a menu that was all orange wines and rosé and other colours of the sunset,” says Wijesena. “That was honestly the starting point for the menu, so all the wines are on the lighter side.

“I’m finding that because we’ve gone that way with the menu we’re hardly selling any red or white wine, it’s all orange or rosé – I think people are coming here looking for that which is kind of cool, and it feeds into the overall ‘fun’ element of drinking too.

“We’ve tried to bring that quality of service and attention of detail to drinks from the bars we’ve worked in, but within the Tiki format, which I don’t think has been done yet around here.”

Address: 154 Enmore Rd, Enmore NSW

openings

Misfits

Misfits, an eclectic new bar and dining local in Redfern, Sydney, opened in August – and much like the suburb, it’s a little quirky and full of personality. It’s the second venue in the area for the W. Short Hotel Group, having purchased the nearby Tudor Hotel in 2015. Taking the first floor of a building on the corner of Redfern and George Streets, Misfits reflects the eclectic atmosphere of the neighbourhood. It’s full of retro-inspired furniture throwing back to the 60s and 70s and accents of neon. Food and beverage are the main focus, with a casual dining space, private dining, cocktail lounge, and rooftop terrace. The bar focuses on craft beers, single malt whiskies and twists on classic cocktails – Smoked Palomas, Chilli Margaritas and Boilermakers all feature – while the menu is all about comfort food.

Concrete Boots

Richmond has a new destination for craft beer, cocktails and delicious but slightly left-of-centre food offerings, like spam chips – made with real spam! Concrete Boots aims to champion Victorian wines and seasonal beers from local brewers, while the cocktail list features creative mixes like the Australian Negroni – made with Four Pillars Gin, Maidenii Vermouth and Red Okar Amaro – or the Love Lychee, made with house-infused basil gin, lychee and rosewater. The name comes from the local history of the nearby Yarra River, where unlucky gangsters and crims ended up in the drink sporting ‘concrete boots’. “We wanted to bring something a bit different to this part of Richmond,” says owner and Richmond local Andrew Reed. “Our plan is for locals to be able to enjoy seriously good food and drinks in their own neck of the woods”.

Frenchies Bistro & Brewery

Frenchies Bistro & Brewery has opened its doors in the growing foodie hub of Rosebery, bringing Parisian bistronomy to the suburbs of Sydney. The venue combines the talents of two ‘Frenchies’ who now call Australia home: chef Thomas Cauquil and brewer Vincent de Soyres. Frenchies has eight beers on tap ranging from an easy drinking Kölsch to an Old World IPA made with new European hops, as well seasonal beers like Laperouse, a golden ‘Biere de Garde’ with malty, white stone fruit and spicy flavours. The bistro menu focuses on seasonal cuisine, delivered at an affordable price, with dishes reflective of available produce and Cauquil’s creative inspiration; typical dishes include bone marrow and beef stew, Lyon sausage poached and cooked in brioche, roasted lamb saddle and Balmain bug in puff pastry.

Fargo and Co

The old State Bank on Swan Street in Richmond has been repurposed as a stately and eclectic bar. Signature cocktails include ‘High Interest’ (Junmal Gino Sake, Mozart White Chocolate, Salted Caramel and Luxardo Maraschino), and the ‘Loomis Fargo’, a spin on a classic Penicillin. Drinkers can also opt to ‘invest in shares’ with sharing cocktails like ‘The Joint Account’, a mix of Captain Morgan’s, lime, a dash of cherry juice, pineapple and maple syrup. Chef Dylan Evans serves up a range of sociable gourmet snacks until late, all designed to be munched at the bar with your hands – like ‘Wild Mushroom, Fromage Fraiche and Roasted Onion Tostadas’ or ‘Cod and Chip Fritters’. The bottomless brunch on Sundays has also proved to be a hit, with the bar serving endless Mimosas and Prosecco for only $35 a head, and a brunch menu available until 2pm.

Address: 106 George St, Redfern NSW

Address: 381 Burnley St, Richmond VIC

Address: 6-7/61-71 Mentmore Ave, Rosebery NSW

Address: 216 Swan St, Richmond VIC

BARS&clubs 11

new faces

Wen Wang, Nola (NSW)

I became a bartender because… Of my desire to see the world, to explore the possibilities as well as the very roots of where I came from. My service weapon is… Professionalism. The attitude and the approach of the bartender is where my secret weapon of service lies. The best part of the industry is… Though paying your server tips is a way of expressing your gratitude, this is not so common in Taiwanese culture. Personally, the best part about service is when a customer is able to recognise you by name because of your exceptional service.

The worst part is… Nope. The international bar I want to visit is… There’s too many! My next stop is Melbourne’s Black Pearl. If I could serve someone famous it would be… Definitely Christian Bale wearing a batman suit. The cocktail I would make cool again is… The Sidecar.

Drinkers are paying attention to… The familiarity with which bartenders are able to bring to the customers as soon as they name a cocktail. If I ruled the world, I would make everyone… I would like to see cocktails be recognised as a normal occasion in the daily experience.

Harry Saunders, The Lobo Plantation (NSW)

I became a bartender because… I was at uni and spending all the money I was earning as a shelf-monkey at Woolworths at Scary Canary so figured I’d cut down and earn money partying as a bartender. My service weapon is… Ice scoops. Who needs a bar blade? The best part of the industry is… Getting people excited about things they had never tried before. The worst part is… Bartenders who think where they work/industry gossip/general big-dick swinging is good chat. Can we talk about anything but work for a second? The international bar I want to visit is… Tonique in New Orleans – I’ve already been but it’s just such a good time. Either that or La Capilla in Tequila Town in Mexico. If I could serve someone famous it would be… Bruce Willis. Die Hard is my favourite Christmas movie. John McClane saves Christmas from German terrorists – so good. The cocktail I would make cool again is… Alize. Alize was never really “not cool” though so I’m gonna go with Orange Mocha Frappacinos. Drinkers are paying attention to… Everyone’s going nuts for natural wine. I feel like tequila is making a bit of a comeback in the bartending world too. If I ruled the world, I would make everyone… Margaritas.

Josh Wedd, Bobeche (WA)

I became a bartender because… I started bartending to supplement my income while I was studying. I stayed to fuel my ego and interest in drinks. My service weapon is… There’s a plethora of items that could be used as a weapon during service. My choice would a jigger with a sharp edge. The best part of the industry is… the hospo community, and all the events revolving around free food and booze. The worst part is… Spending half a day or more on your feet then sitting down and feeling like a retiree. The international bar I want to visit is… Death & Co. NYC. If I could serve someone famous it would be… Morgan Freeman. I’d ask him to narrate my actions in exquisite detail as I made his order. The cocktail I would make cool again is… Trinidad Sours. Drinkers are paying attention to…

Locally made booze. If I ruled the world, I would make everyone… Replace thank you’s with high fives.

Will Meadley, Jacoby’s (NSW)

I became a bartender because... I’d been a milkboy in the dairy department at Coles for 4 years and my career development in that area was limited, so i felt it was time for a career change. My service weapon is… probably a .22, maybe a drone bomb. The best part of the industry is… Knowing that you’re better than everybody else. The worst part is… Being lonely, because you’re rude and obnoxious. The international bar I want to visit is… AER bar and lounge, Mumbai. If I could serve someone famous it would be… Sisyphus. The cocktail I would make cool again is… Lychee martini. Drinkers are paying attention to…

Every move you ever make. If I ruled the world, I would make everyone… Go to war with another nation, and then when we lose the war and the other ruler is approaching my front door, I’d escape in just my nightgown and come back to Jacoby’s.

12 BARS&clubs

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14 BARS&clubs

inspiration

THE BEACHBUM Tiki legend Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry recently visited Australia for the first time to co-host De Kuyper The Works for 2017. Madeline Woolway sat down with the Beachbum in Sydney to pick his brain on all things Tiki – and capture some of the master’s wisdom.

WHERE DID YOUR OBSESSION WITH TIKI START? When I was six years old. I was taken to one of these places in the 1960s when I was child and it was just completely immersive. They had an indoor waterfall, even the carpet had a Polynesian print on it and there was a little dawn to dusk diorama of an island scene behind the bar. When I was old enough to drink I went to a few of those places and the drinks were as good as they looked. This was in the 1980s – the dark age of cocktails, when everything devolved and became prepackaged mixes – and you couldn’t get a good cocktail to save your life. But Tiki places were still doing what they’d always done with fresh ingredients and really teasing, elusive flavours that I could not pass.

WAS THE SECRECY AROUND TIKI DRINKS ALLURING TO YOU? Yeah, it was detective story. And this was just my hobby back then, I didn’t want to be Trader Vic, I wanted to be Stanley Kubrick. I was in the movie business. But I liked going to tiki bars, I like drinking the drinks and I like learning how to make them. I very quickly realised in looking for the recipes – I was a journalist as well – going to the library and looking up things on a microfilm, and no internet of course, and going to used book stores and swap meets and yard sales and trying to find old bar guides, there was almost nothing.

Then I started to meet some of the old timers or their sons, daughters, grandkids and they would tell me these were very valuable trade secrets: you did not give these recipes out. Don the Beachcomber was famously secretive. He put his recipes in code. So if there was a new hire he didn’t know he could trust, the recipes would have quarter ounce number four, quarter ounce number 2, dash number eight. Half an ounce ‘munrelaf’ and that’s what the bartender would read and that’s what the labels on the back bar would have on them.

THE BARTENDING COMMUNITY IS A LOT MORE OPEN NOW – HOW DO YOU THINK THAT COMPARES TO THE SECRECY OF THE GOLDEN AGE? The ethos now just seems to be completely opensourced. Now, that’s not always the smartest thing to be. I’ve had my recipes put on other bar menus without

credit. And if they do credit you, then they get it wrong and you don’t look good. So, now that I’ve crossed-over from being a drinks writer to being a saloon-keeper I’m not completely convinced open-source is the right way to go – it can hurt your business. But, it can also help build your reputation and more often than not people credit you.

WHY DO YOU THINK THERE’S BEEN A RESURGENCE IN TIKI IN RECENT YEARS? Historically, if I may give you a long answer to a short question, the worse things get in the world the better it is for Tiki. Tiki has always thrived when things are at the crappiest. It started during the depression and it had a real shot in the arm during World War II. It was the worst conflagration in human history and people were freaked out and they needed an escape. They needed two hours in an immersive environment that made them forget about all that stuff. That carried all the way through the 1950s – the age of nuclear paranoia.

Then you look at today and look what we’ve got: you’ve got climate change happening at a rate that means our children might not be on a planet they can survive on, and certain governments aren’t doing anything about it. Then there’s perpetual war and the constant threat of terrorism. And then in the United States you have the rise of fascism again and that’s horrible for the American people, but it’s great for tiki.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT TIKI DRINKS? They are never sweet – if they’re done right. This is the biggest misconception people have if they’ve never been to a proper Tiki bar. We get people coming into Latitude 29 saying they don’t like sweet drinks and we say, in the politest possible way, we don’t serve sweet drinks.

We serve balanced drinks. The sour element is just as important as the sweet element. Also, the whole idea they came from the South Pacific is complete nonsense.

It’s a really weird faux-Polynesian thing, it was developed in mid-century America as a pop-culture phenomenon.

The term my friend Sven Christensen, who was the first to chronicle the phenomenon, has termed it Polynesian pop, which I think sums it up pretty nicely.

BARS&clubs 15

inspiration

Jeff Berry at De Kuyper The Works.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DRINKS YOU PRESENTED AT DE KUYPER THE WORKS THAT ARE EXAMPLES OF CUTTING-EDGE, MODERN TIKI? Something we’ve done to modernise Tiki drinks is using liqueurs as the sweet component of the drink rather than spice syrups the way Don the Beachcomber did. When you do that you boost the ABV of the drink so you’re not just causing it to be weaker or more diluted. You can also make a drier drink, for example with a Triple Sec or Curaçao made from dried orange peels the orange oil is going to give you an entirely different orange component than if you used orange juice or if you used an orange based syrup. We have a drink called the Bondi Beachcomber, which mixes De Kuyper Blackberry with De Kuyper Creme de Cacao and that’s the sweet element.

When I’m looking for drink inspiration the first thing I do is go to the grocery store and look to desserts or the candy aisle for inspiration. If you look at the gourmet chocolate, it’ll be chocolate with cranberries or with almond or with just about anything. So basically chocolate is bartenders duct tape – it fixes everything. Creme de Cacao has become a really versatile ingredient for me when mixing drinks, it adds 16 BARS&clubs

another dimension to the drink and harmonises with whatever fruit elements or nut elements you have in the drink.

HOW DOES THE SCENE IN AUSTRALIA COMPARE TO THE USA? It reminds me of a lot of the Chicago bar scene, which is a compliment. Chicago has the same kind of world class drinks that other cities in the US have, but it has a much higher level of hospitality. What I like about the bars I’ve been to so far in Sydney, is that the drinks are world class but they’re served to you with a warmth and a smile – and that’s really why people go to bars.

WHAT’S YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF TIKI BAR CULTURE? I want to see it continue to blow up the way it has been.

I never thought this global phenomenon would happen.

Just about every major city in the world has a Tiki bar now: Moscow, Hong Kong, Tokyo. It really is a second Golden Age. What I hope is that people don’t jump on the bandwagon, who want to cash in on the trend but then do the drinks wrong, because that was one of the contributing factors that lead to the first decline.

inspiration

WOMEN IN WINE J

uliet Melbourne, recently opening beneath Punch Lane, is a bar with a difference. Owned by Martin Pirc of Punch Lane and Saint Urban, the carefully curated menu champions female winemakers, spirit-makers and producers.

“The hospitality industry is one where women often do not receive the recognition they deserve. Our goal is to showcase their hard work and evolve our menu over time so those who visit Juliet will get to sample and learn about an array of local and international female-created products, and – if they get their timing right – maybe even meet the maker,” says Pirc.

Highlighted at the time of opening was Corrina Wright from McLaren Vale, who had four wines on the list under the label Oliver’s Taranga – each made from grapes from her family’s longstanding vineyard.

Cocktail are a focus too, with popular choices including the ‘Elderflower Vespa’ (white light vodka, cocchi americano, St Germain elderflower, orange and lemon) and a spin on an Old Fashioned made with Espolon Reposado tequila, agave, chocolate bitters and grapefruit.

The menu by chef Gabriel Alonso focuses on sharing, with a series of small plates, dry aged meat and cheese all part of Juliet Melbourne’s offering.

“We’ve made it as welcoming as possible and seen it be enjoyed by many different groups – from couples on dates to corporates who want to book it out in its entirety.

“It’s the sort of place where you could imagine F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway speaking in hushed tones by the fireplace, or, fastforward to groups of millenials Snapchatting and dancing into the early hours,” adds Pirc.

BARS&clubs 17

inspiration

SOUTHERN COMFORT: BACK TO ITS ROOTS

W

The Southern Sour.

ith a new bottle design, brand positioning, a new Black label offering, and most importantly the re-addition of whiskey back into the recipe, the Sazerac Company has brought the spirit of New Orleans back to Southern Comfort.

Southern Comfort once again includes whiskey in the blend, which previously had been phased out until Sazerac purchased the brand in 2016. In addition, new packaging has been developed that better represents Southern Comfort’s whiskey credentials and its New Orleans roots.

The developments don’t stop there – a robust, whiskey-forward 40 percent ABV Black Label has joined the Southern Comfort family, joining the existing 100 Proof and Original expressions.

Ray Noble, Managing Director of SouthTrade, described the relaunch to BARS&clubs as a “full refresh”.

“Backed by a multimillion dollar, multi-platform investment, Southern Comfort will once again reclaim its position as ‘The Grand Old Drink of the South’.

“The whiskey comes from Sazerac’s North American whiskey reserves and the new blend was guided by Master Distiller Drew Mayville, both of who have strong reputations in the whiskey world internationally.

“The result is a new, robust whiskey-forward profile coupled with subtle sweetness, for comfortable enjoyment and easy mixing. Rest assured, it is still the same classic, original and distinct Southern Comfort flavour.

“Over the years whiskey was phased out of the liquid, with whiskey notes being artificially amped up. However in honour of M.W Herons original recipe from 1874, whiskey is back in the bottle.”

Southern Comfort’s new packaging and new 40% Black label expression will roll out this summer in Australia, supported by The Spirit of New Orleans Campaign across events, digital media and the on and off trade.

National Training Manager at SouthTrade and our September/October cover model, on the Southern Sour:

GEE DAVID 18 BARS&clubs

“The Whisky Sour first appeared in print in (Professor) Jerry Thomas’ 1862 book How to Mix Drinks but by that stage, was probably already a well-known, popular drink. Classically made in three parts - whiskey (typically American), lemon juice and sugar, this cocktail has been a constant in bar culture for more than 150 years and is as popular today as it ever was... Typically the recipe calls for two parts whiskey to one equal part of lemon juice and sugar.

“The Southern Sour, featuring Southern Comfort delivers a great balance of the flavours that traditionally would be a smash hit in the glory days of the cocktail. The distinctive spice and fruit flavours in Southern Comfort marry perfectly with the fresh citrus which only needs a touch of sugar to complete the balance.

Today the recipe usually includes a dash of bitters which highlights the whiskey and a dash of egg white that delivers texture and holds the flavours together.”

Have you seen our FREE digital edition?

&clubs

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

SOUTHERN COMFORT The spirit of New Orleans

GIN AND TONIC

Get sophisticated with your pairings

TEQUILA

Phil Bayly on trends and terroir

JEFF BERRY

An interview with the Beachbum

PLUS: CRAFT CIDER – ZOMBIE – PINK DRINKS

CHECK IT OUT ONLINE AT barsandclubs.realviewdigital.com

NOW

inspiration

WINNING COCKTAILS

ROCKPOOL GETS COMPETITIVE B

ack in August, Rockpool Dining Group staged its own internal cocktail competition for bartenders at its premium restaurants.

The group’s National Bar Manager Ryan Gavin designed the competition, which asked each entrant to design and create their own cocktail using Four Pillars Rockpool Bartenders Series Modern Australian Gin as the base, and create a dream botanical list for their own small batch gin.

Gavin conducted two tastings – one in Melbourne and one in Sydney – before announcing the three winners: Joe-Wing Chiu Chan, Matt Langdon and Andrea Zafarana.

20 BARS&clubs

All three won a trip to Four Pillars Distillery in the Yarra Valley to create a new small batch gin, which will feature in the bars of all the premium restaurants. The trio’s winning cocktails will start appearing on selected cocktail lists over the next six months.

“The competition was a great initiative and encouraged our bartenders to think outside the square,” said Gavin. “We are all looking forward to creating the second bartender’s gin with the team from Four Pillars.”

There were a few other rules around the competition as well: cocktails could include no more than 8 ingredients, couldn’t exceed 70ml of alcohol (higher than 15% ABV), but could include house made infusions and ingredients; also, the botanical list could not contain fictional ingredients “such as dried unicorn eyelashes”.

Internal cocktail competitions: that’s one way to get bartenders thinking outside the square.

Joe-Wing Chiu Chan – Spice Temple Melbourne ‘EXPLORE’ • 20ml Four Pillars Rockpool Bartender Series Gin • 20ml blackcurrant & hibiscus syrup • 20ml lemon juice • 10ml Fernet Branca • Garnish with a lemon twist and crispy brik pastry and serve in a Nick & Nora.

Matt Langdon – Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney ‘BLACKTHORN DOWN’ • 45ml Four Pillars Rockpool Bartender Series Gin • 20ml Cocchi sweet vermouth • 20ml bespoke pink grapefruit/ Sichuan pepper cordial • Sloe gin foam • Garnish with juniper dust.

Andrea Zafarana – Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney ‘ORIGINAL GIADA’ • 45ml Four Pillars Rockpool Bartender Series Gin • 15ml jalapeno Cocchi Americano infused • 15ml homemade cucumber syrup • 20ml celery juice • 20ml lime juice • 10ml egg white • 1 dash Absinthe • 3 basil leaves • Dry and wet shake, serve in a coupe with no garnish

classic cocktail

ZOMBIE S

econd only to the Mai Tai, the Zombie is one of the world’s most famous (and kitsch) Tiki classics.

The story of its origin is widely known, but nonetheless entertaining. Invented by Donn Beach AKA Don the Beachcomber at his restaurant of the same name in 1934, the famously secretive father of Tiki kept his original recipe so closely guarded that bottles at his bar were said to be numbered or given codenames; employees mixing up drinks were unaware of their actual contents.

Of course, there were imitators, but unfortunately these inferior knock-offs – that often just threw a random assortment of cheap rum, juices and spirits together and called it a Zombie – became the norm.

Enter Jeff ‘Beachbum’ Berry. The year was 1994 when the tiki-revivalist and detective began his quest to track down Don’s original Zombie recipe. Little did Berry know that it would take over a decade of research to uncovered what exactly went into the cocktail; most difficult to uncover was the mysterious ‘Don’s Mix’, which Berry found scribbled into a notebook handed down by Don’s daughter.

It wasn’t until midway through the 2000s that Berry pieced together the final piece of the puzzle and uncovered the second half of that elusive Don’s Mix: cinnamon syrup.

These days, around the world, every Tiki (or Tikiinspired) bar worth its salt would have a Zombie – or variation thereof – on its drinks list; indeed, without it, the whole Tiki craze would have been missing a vital element.

And never forget Don’s golden rule: there’s always a two Zombie limit per customer.

ZOMBIE Glass: Collins or something fun (like a tiki mug or a skull!)

Ingredients: • 20ml fresh lime juice • 15ml falernum • 30ml Puerto Rican rum • 30ml dark Jamaican rum • 15ml overproof rum • 5ml grenadine • 6 drops Pernod • Dash of Angostura bitters • 15ml Don’s mix (2 parts grapefruit juice to 1 part cinnamon-infused sugar syrup) Method: Put ingredients into an electric blender, adding crushed ice last. Blend for no more than five seconds. Pour into glass and add more crushed ice to fill.

Garnish: Mint sprig and a flaming lime for a flourish.

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NAME A MORE ICONIC DUO… …we’ll wait. The G&T is probably the most popular drinks pairing in the world and there’s no one more qualified in this department than Caroline Childerley, AKA the Gin Queen.

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gin and tonic

T

here is nothing else like lifting a G&T to your lips and having the bubbles from the tonic fizz and pop, emitting the fragrance of the gin to really get your mouth watering. Why do we love that fizz so much? The fizz from carbonation triggers pain receptors (like eating spicy food but on a lower level), so when we sip a G&T (or any fizzy drink), endorphins are released – creating that “aaaah” moment.

There are now over 6000 gins on sale globally – from icons like Bombay Sapphire’s Star of Bombay to experimental and boundary pushing gins from the smallest artisan distilleries – and consumers very often expect to choose their gin, tonic and sometimes garnish.

Many bars have taken advantage of this trend by creating dedicated G&T menus, like Enrique’s in Perth, Gin Palace in Melbourne and my own favourite The Oliver Conquest in London.

COLONIAL ORIGINS The Gin and Tonic is steeped in history dating back to the 17th century, when Spanish colonists of Peru discovered that the bark from the Quinquina tree could be used to treat malaria. Fast forward to 1800s and the colonization of India by the British, where officers mixed their daily dose of quinine powder with gin to mask the bitter taste. As the colonies expanded, the combination of gin and quinine’s reputation as a medicinal tonic grew.

Quinine was originally taken in powdered form, then as a syrup before becoming a bottled carbonated beverage. Unfortunately, by the 1980s mass production of tonic water had greatly diminished the quality and flavour of the product. Natural quinine was replaced by artificial substitutes and were made using high fructose corn syrup and other nasties such as saccharine and aspartame.

Increased concern over sugar consumption and a move towards choosing more natural ingredients created the perfect conditions for tonic water brand Fever-Tree to be born. Champions of natural flavours, it’s fair to say that without Fever-

Common gin botanicals.

Tree there would not be the range of tonic waters that are on the market today – we certainly have them to thank for taking the classic G&T to new heights!

In addition to Fever-Tree there are some interesting Australian brands establishing a strong reputation for themselves. CAPI and Strangelove are two Melbourne companies worth checking out; especially interesting is the Strangelove Dirty Tonic, which uses raw, unrefined cinchona bark to create an earthy, rich bitterness.

CHECKLIST FOR THE PERFECT G&T 1) Glassware Years ago, I remember G&Ts being served in a small wine goblet. Spain has driven the trend towards large COPA glasses – Burgundy glasses make a good alternative if you can’t find a decent COPA. These are filled with lots of ice, plenty of tonic and often more than one garnish. It’s visually appealing and the wide glass allows the aromas of the gin to really open up, though they aren’t always the easiest to drink from, so best add a straw to avoid spillages!

Highballs are still popular and have the added advantage of being

an easier receptacle to arrange your garnish (think of slices of cucumber artfully arranged down the inside of the glass in your Hendrick’s and tonic). Finally, the classic rocks glass is still great for the boozier ratios of G&T; Star of Bombay is best served this way.

2) Ratios As Dave Broom says in his book The Gin Manual, “mixers are there to lengthen and enhance, not obliterate”. This is worth remembering when working with some of the lighter, floral styles of gin where too much tonic is likely to drown the gin. Ratios in Spain tend towards four parts tonic to one-part gin, whereas in the UK it’s more like two to one (according to data collected by Gin Foundry UK).

It’s also worth checking out the individual qualities of the gin and the tonic you are using before deciding the ratios. The lighter the gin (in flavor and ABV), the less tonic required. With overproof and more botanical-heavy gins you can be a bit more liberal with the tonic. It’s also worth noting that not all tonics go with all gins, so play around until you find a good match.

BARS&clubs 25

gin and tonic

& Sons Navy Strength, and Stone Pine Gin. Lime and ginger on the other hand works really well with Tanqueray Rangpur and McHenry & Sons Navy Strength.

Juniper berries.

3) Garnishes First off, I always tell people to garnish with what they like rather than following any hard and fast rules. However, a good place to start is by looking at the botanical ingredients of each gin. Most gins can be divided into five different flavour camps: juniper, citrus, spicy, floral or savoury (vegetal). I’ve added another group for gin using Australian botanicals.

Once you’ve determined where your chosen gin sits, you can start experimenting with garnishes. The first question is do you want to complement the botanical profile or contrast it?

CITRUS A traditional option and for good reason. Most gins use coriander to provide lemon citrus notes that balance against the juniper, so lemon or lime is a good choice if you want to play up these notes.

This would always be my ‘go to’ in a juniper-forward gin like Beefeater or Tanqueray. However, orange or grapefruit are becoming more popular. Four Pillars’ signature serve uses a wedge of orange, and grapefruit is brilliant with Melbourne Gin Company gin.

Orange also works well with Opihr Spiced Gin, Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin, Xoriguer Mahon Gin, Whitley Neill, and Fords Gin, while Pink grapefruit works well with Melbourne Gin Company Dry Gin, No.3 London Dry Gin and Tanqueray No. 10.

SAVOURY/HERBACEOUS More and more gin distillers are using botanicals like rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cardamom to 26 BARS&clubs

create more savoury-style gins. Gin Mare is an excellent example, using rosemary, olives and basil to create a taste of the Mediterranean – try it with a fresh sprig of rosemary, a wedge of lime and some cracked black pepper. The team at West Winds have also converted me to using green capsicum to mix a G&T with The Cutlass, which is well worth trying for yourself.

SPICY You can play up the spicy notes by adding a slice of ginger, or contrast with some kaffir lime leaves, a stick of lemon grass or a simple wedge of lime. I also like the combination of jalapeño and lime which works great with Opihr Spiced Gin, McHenry

TONIC SYRUPS In recent times, tonic syrups have become more popular. Mixed with soda water they can be a more cost effective option, although the colour is less appealing than a ready to drink tonic water. Only Bitters (onlybitters. com) has an amazing selection and Sinkonah is another Australian brand to try. Tonic syrups can be useful addition to the back bar. One of my favourite examples is Trish at Gin Palace, who makes a cracking Gin Old Fashioned with tonic syrup.

FLORAL The delicate flavors in a floral gin can sometimes be overwhelmed by adding citrus. A classic example of a good pairing for a floral gin is cucumber and Hendrick’s. Lavender is a great garnish too, not only to lift flavour, but to add colour; it works a treat with Bulldog Gin, G’vine Floraison, and Botanic Australis.

FRUIT Fresh fruit in a G&T is one way of adding instant summer appeal.

There are quite a few gins that feature some type of fruit as a botanical, including Elephant gin and Poor Tom’s (apple), G’vine Floraision (grape flowers), and Ferninand Saar (infused with Riesling grapes). With the latter two gins, try using frozen grapes – chilling the drink and garnishing it at the same time! Apple and juniper berry works well with Elephant Gin, William Chase Elegant Gin and 78 Degrees. Strawberries and basil is another killer combo – pair these with Martin Miller’s Gin, Gin Mare, or Poor Toms Gin. AUSTRALIAN GINS With over 120 Australian gins now available, if there isn’t already at least one on your back bar, there should be! It can be tricky to get hold of native botanicals to add to your Aussie G&T, but it’s worth it.

Garnishes to look out for include strawberry gum leaf, eucalyptus, riberries and finger limes. Daylesford and Hepburn Springs have also just released a range of ‘native tonics’ that feature lemon myrtle, quandong and lemon myrtle.

For more on this topic, there’s plenty of resources out there to check out. Worthwhile publications include the Gin Foundry’s little book of gins, tonics and garnishes, and The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit.

There’s a world of gin out there – so time to get mixing.

DRAM ON THE NAKED GROUSE A new, deluxe offering, The Naked Grouse uses malt whisky from The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes and Glenturret distillery, matured in first-fill sherry casks. thefamousgrouse.com

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THE IRISHMAN ‘FOUNDER’S RESERVE’ A unique take on the old Irish Pot Still Whiskey, the Founder’s Reserve is a blend of Single Malt and Single Pot Still (70/30) and is the only Irish blend to contain 100% copper pot whiskey distillates. walshwhiskey.com

WILD TURKEY 101 PROOF For more than 60 years, legendary Master Distiller Jimmy Russell has been crafting Wild Turkey 101 the right way.

With a high rye content, this iconic bourbon is perfectly aged blend of 6-8 year old bourbons in American White Oak barrels with the deepest char for more character. wildturkeybourbon. com.au

WILD TURKEY RYE Wild Turkey Straight Rye Whiskey is an 81 proof ode to America’s first distilled spirit. Big, broad vanilla and spice notes burst through without changing the bold rye taste. It stands up to any mixer and shines through in cocktails. wildturkeybourbon. com.au

whisk(e)y promotion

SHOT AT

Kittyhawk THE MACALLAN DOUBLE CASK 12YO A new release from The Macallan Distillery, the Double Cask 12 is 100% Sherry-cask matured using a combination of American and European oak casks. Rich and indulgent. themacallan.com

SOUTHERN COMFORT Southern Comfort has gone back to its roots, with whiskey back in the bottle it truly is "The Spirit of New Orleans".

Whether it’s the classic Original or the new whiskey forward BLACK label, Southern Comfort is the perfect whiskey for all occasions. southerncomfort.com

RUSSELL’S RESERVE 10YO

BRUICHLADDICH ‘THE CLASSIC LADDIE’

A balanced and bright Bourbon: spicy and rye forward. Sweet spices, musk and bay leaf on the nose. Lovely spice with notes of chili and spearmint on the palate, caramel on the finish. wildturkeybourbon. com.au

Bruichladdich believes that terroir matters.

The Classic Laddie has been crafted from individually selected casks to showcase the classic, floral and elegant distillery style.

Unpeated and aged in American oak. bruichladdich.com

BARS&clubs 29

TEQUILA TRENDS Founder of Agave Love and all-round agave guru Phil Bayly takes a look at the issues facing the tequila industry today.

O

ne of the major issues facing the tequila industry today is sustainability.

Sustainability is defined as being “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance” and has been recognised in many industries since the 1970s, if not long before.

However, it seems that it’s only been identified as a growing issue in the industry within the last 10 years. With 365 percent growth recorded in the premium tequila

30 BARS&clubs

market between 2004 and 2014, and an annual growth rate in sales of 13.5 percent, tequila has exploded as a category, putting stress on the industry in more ways than one.

CHANGING TIMES New areas in the Denomination of Origin Tequila are being planted to meet demand, and a decline in traditional farming practices – i.e. the pruning of agaves to control pests – are being replaced with pesticides and chemicals, causing pollution.

Many tequila producers are now planting their own agaves; this is causing the removal of some independent farmers, as well as the displacement of traditional food crops, having a negative socioeconomic impact on communities.

The recent popularity in the use of agave syrup has also put undue stress on the agave crops; Misty Kalkofen from Boston has begun a movement to only support producers who are using sustainable methods to make this product.

tequila

Barrels used for ageing tequila.

“Agave Love this Town!”

– Phil Bayly

Futhermore, the decline in long nose bat populations due to the removal of quiotes (flowers) from the Tequilana Weber Azul agave to preserve the piñas for their sugars, and the practise of replanting the hijelos (subterranean shoots) – relying on the plants asexual form of reproduction for the next generation of agaves, and making them clones of the mother plant – is lowering the agave’s genetic diversity and making it more susceptible to disease and insects.

Some growers have recognised this and have created a ‘Bat Friendly Program’ that practises leaving around 5 percent of their agave fields to go to flower, so the bats who play a major role in the functional pollination of the flowers can enable the agave to naturally evolve and diversify.

Some growers are also considering introducing Agave Angustifolia Haw (Espadin), the most common agave used in the production of mezcal, to the region to increase the genetic diversity of the agaves. It is believed that currently, only about four different DNA strains of agave in the DOA (Denomination of Origin) tequila exist.

Interestingly (and positively), Ford Motor Company is also looking into using left over agave fibres to make sustainable bio plastics

for car parts, helping to reduce the overall footprint of the tequila industry.

Discussions about sustainable practises being included in the NOM (Mexican Standard) for Tequila, a legal document defining the category, may help to secure a sustainable future for this growing category.

AGEING AND FINISHING Tequila is growing in more ways than one: cask ageing and finishing has added to the variety of expressions available.

While tequila has a history of some 250 years, the concept of ageing it is relatively young in comparison; the very first expression of reposado was created as recently as 1974 by Tequila Herradura, and the first Extra Añejo was created in 1995.

Since that time, the concept of ageing has exploded, traditionally using ex-bourbon American White Oak barrels and ex-cognac French Oak barrels. Many of the cognac barrels have been used for more than 20 years making the aromas of the Cognac deeply embedded into the wood, which in turn is slowly and subtly released into the tequila.

With the growth in popularity of the premium tequila spirits market, the expansion of the concept by experimenting with different types BARS&clubs 31

tequila

of woods and barrels has exploded.

We are now seeing expressions of tequila aged in everything from ex-Scotch barrels to Buffalo Trace and even Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon barrels.

Cask finishing has also gained in popularity, where tequila is placed in port barrels – or barrels used for Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Madeira, Bordeaux, Tuscans and Gran Cru Sauternes – for a few months at the end of the ageing process. The result is a richer, more complex spirit, with something extra in the flavour profile, a touch of port or the young wood of Sauternes barrels bringing sweet fruity notes.

Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley are also being used to age tequilas for up to five years, and even ale casks are being experimented with – the stout leaving notes of chocolate, cocoa, and caramel.

Tequila Ocho, a tequila based on single field vintages, uses 20-yearold exhausted French Oak barrels for their Extra Añejo, giving very little influence of wood in flavour or colour, but still allowing the tequila to mellow and soften through time, while maintaining the agave profile.

TEQUILA TERROIR Each vintage or harvest is from a single field of agaves, and just like wine, each field has its own character and influence based on elevation, sun exposure, terrain, water retention and influences of surrounding elements such as other types of vegetation and adjacent crops. Although the production process remains consistent, the difference from field to field is extraordinary.

The concept of terroir has always existed in the Denomination of Origin Tequila. Major growing regions are the Tequila Valley or Vallee de Tequila which lays about 70 kilometres northwest of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, and the Highlands or Los Altos region that is about 140 kilometres east-northeast.

The Valley of Tequila runs east to west and includes the towns of Magdalena, Tequila, Amatitan and 32 BARS&clubs

Agave fields in Mexico.

Arenal, at an altitude of around 1400-1600 metres above sea level.

With warm days and warm nights and loamy and volcanic soil, the Tequila Volcano dominates the skyline to the south.

There is very little water retention in the soil and high levels of Silica exist. The average size of agaves is about 35-50 kilos. The Tequila produced from these agaves tends to be earthy, vegetal and dry in character.

The Highlands are set on a high plateau at an altitude between 1800-2000 metres; the main towns in this region are Arandas, Jesus Maria, Atotonilco el Alto and Tepatitlan de Morelos. The days are warm and the nights are cool, the soil is high in iron and red clay, and when it rains the clay seals and prevents the water penetrating.

This makes the agaves smaller on average, weighing approximately

15-20 kilos. The change in temperature between day and night increases the starch levels in the agave producing a tequila that tends to be sweet fruity and floral in character.

While around 70 percent of the agaves that are used in the tequila industry are sourced from the highlands and blended with valley agaves, there is a growing trend to explore specific terroirs within the category.

As consumers we are all responsible for the future of tequila in the way we drink, promote and support the category. Through our own dissemination of information and the use of best practise we can all help to maintain a positive future for this amazing spirit.

Who knows where the Tequila category will go next, but rest assured it can only get more interesting.

tequila

DAY OF THE DEAD

C

oming up this Thursday 2 November, the annual Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a great opportunity to promote tequila and bring a little slice of Mexico to your bar or venue.

For 2017, Jose Cuervo Australia has partnered with some of the country’s best venues to bring Day of the Dead to life with a unique celebration of tequila and food matching. Venues all around the country will be creating bespoke cocktails and matching them with unique food dishes to hero Jose Cuervo Tradicional 100% Blue Agave tequila, introducing drinkers to new ways of enjoying tequila beyond shots and new occasions for celebrating with tequila – as well as driving volume sales in partner venues.

Two venues in Sydney that will be making the most of the day are El Camino Cantina in The Rocks and Chica Bonita in Manly.

Nicole Gassett, Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Rockpool Dining Group, says that Day of the Dead is “quite a massive celebration, and I think one we can leverage off in terms of El Camino just being a really fun venue.”

El Camino’s bartender Nicholas Zarate says that pairing food and tequila is another way to drive sales on the big day: “We usually recommend when they’re starting a meal to take a shot of tequila and for dessert, but between those when they’re eating they should order a tequila cocktail.”

Over in Manly, Chica Bonita co-owner Luke Miller says that for them it’s always been food-driven. “We try to focus everything that we do on the food,” Miller says. “I think this year we’re going to do a Mexican, barbecue-inspired thing and that will form the base of our Day. There’s a bit of theatre that goes with that and the smell and the feeling that will help us drive people to the venue.”

It’s also a great day to leverage the recent upswing in keen tequila drinkers; Miller says that his customers “will look for the cocktail that has tequila or they won’t shy away from it, which I think was a common thing not so long ago. But now it seems to have dropped any kind of negative connotation for most people which is great!”

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EL CAMINO’S SPECIALTY COCKTAIL ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ – pictured with Kangaroo Fajitas Glass: Tumbler Ingredients: • 45ml Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver • 15ml black raspberry liqueur • 30ml Jalapeno and ginger syrup • 30ml Fresh lime • 15ml House-made grenadine • 45ml Ginger beer Method: Shake all ingredients except the black raspberry liqueur and the ginger beer with ice.

Strain over fresh ice and top with ginger beer.

Float the liqueur on top and cover with a done of crushed ice. Place two bird’s eye chillies on either side of the dome so they look like devil horns.

Serve immediately.

Garnish: Red bird’s eye chillies.

pink drinks

TICKLED PINK There’s so much more to pink drinks than the Cosmopolitan, and with summer just around the corner there’s a number of exciting pink products to consider for your bar.

T

he rise of Rosé and frosé in recent years is a phenomenon attributable to more than just the flavour of each drink, and it’s no coincidence that their popularity has grown alongside photo-sharing apps like Instagram. Thanks to their photogenic nature, pink and similarly-hued drinks have great potential to be solid performers at the bar over the warmer months.

Fortunately, there’s a number of new products that recognise this photographic potential without making any sacrifices in the flavour department; after all, a pink drink should still taste great right?

FEVER-TREE ON BOARD The latest to recognise the growing opportunity in this segment is Fever-Tree, who will roll out a new

36 BARS&clubs

(and pink) Aromatic Tonic Water in November. Fever-Tree Aromatic’s subtle pink tinge is the result of adding angostura bark to the recipe; the drink itself has a uniquely refreshing aromatic flavour, and a dry, clean finish with citrus notes.

Launching last year in the UK, early indicators of the Aromatic Tonic's performance are strong, with the product having the highest rate of sale of any in the Fever-Tree portfolio since its launch. Bruce Priddy, National Brand Manager at SouthTrade International, attributes this success directly to the tonics' colour.

“The big insight behind its success in the UK is really because it’s pink – it’s really that simple,” Priddy told BARS&clubs. “It outsold the Mediterranean Tonic in the first

13 weeks when it was launched – so it’ll be quite a big play for us here in Australia.”

While the obvious (but nonetheless tasty) option would be to pair the Aromatic Tonic with a juniper-forward gin like Tanqueray or Star of Bombay, Priddy says they’re trying not to get too category specific with their suggested serves.

“Yes it matches up really well with gin, but the Aromatic is not really tonic heavy, so you can actually mix it with vodka really well; we’ve put it with tequila and lime, we’ve mixed it with Champagne, and it actually goes really well across categories so we’re not going to try and lock it in to just being for pink G&T’s.”

“We’ve got quite a strong strategy

INTRODUCING FEVER-TREE AROMATIC

pink drinks

Ink Gin cocktail.

in terms of targeting rooftop venues and bars like that around the country because it’s a really nice ‘instagramable’ drink, and it’s easy to have on those warm summer afternoons.”

PINK GIN With pink-hued tonic, the logical flipside is the creation of a pink gin.

Two Australian distilleries, Bass and Flinders and Husk Distillers, have each gone ahead and done just that, releasing a Cerise Gin and Ink Gin respectively.

Bass and Flinders Cerise Gin

gains its colour from a unique infusion of cherries and raspberries.

A contemporary gin with subtle hibiscus and orange blossom aromas, blended with cherry and raspberry flavours and a subtle sweetness reminiscent of Turkish delight, Holly Klintworth, Director and Distiller, says that her distillery’s Cerise Gin “defines spring”.

“It has crisp, clean, and smooth fruity flavours that kick the ordinary gin and tonic up a notch and helps celebrate the good things that come with the

www.bassandflindersdistillery.com

38 BARS&clubs

warmer weather,” she says. “Cerise Gin is lovely as a G&T garnished with rose petals and raspberries”.

Other suggested serves include a ‘Mon Chéri’ – mixing the gin with sparkling pink moscato – or a ‘Berry Alexandria’ made with Cerise gin, thickened cream, white Crème de Cacao, vanilla sugar syrup and chopped strawberries.

While infused gins have been done before, the infusion can sometimes take over the flavour profile – restricting what you can do with it as a mixer. However, according to Harriet Messenger, Marketing and Sales Manager at Husk, the butterfly pea flower petal used in Ink Gin is a “really soft botanical”, adding to its versatility.

“We built the gin recipe around this flower to complement it and create a bright, citrus-led, modern Australian gin that is really versatile and has the added intrigue of the pH sensitive floral infusion and colour play,” Messenger explains.

“Like many flowers, the butterfly pea is pH sensitive, so when you mix Ink Gin with natural acidity it changes colour to blush pink. Tonic water, lemon juice or lime juice will all cause this reaction. Ink Gin is a real blend of science and tradition.”

This colour infusion can also add another layer of depth to cocktails; Messenger recommends layering a

FEVER-TREE AROMATIC TONIC COCKTAIL IDEAS FROM GEE DAVID

Spring Punch Glass: Sling / tall glass Ingredients: • 30ml Tito’s Vodka • 15ml Marie Brizard Crème de Cassis • 15ml lemon juice • 15ml Ginger Real syrup • Fever-Tree Aromatic Method: Shake first four ingredients with ice and strain into an ice filled glass. Top with tonic Garnish: Lemon wedge and berries (blueberry, raspberry, strawberry)

Blushing Mojito Glass: Highball Ingredients: • 45ml white rum • 30ml lime juice • 15ml real agave • 10 mint leaves • Fever-Tree Aromatic Method: Churn mint together with lime juice and agave in a glass half filled with crushed ice. Add the Rum and fill remainder of the glass with crushed ice.

Top with tonic Garnish: Fresh mint sprig

French 75, serving a deconstructed G&T, or shaking up a pink Southside garnished with edible flowers. And while the Ink & Tonic is a classic, and in terms of creativity she says “the sky is the limit”.

There’s even signs that pink gins are moving beyond the boutique distillers and going mainstream: Aldi UK will be stocking the affordable, pink-hued Gin Lane 1751 Victoria Pink Gin in its stores in the lead up to Christmas. And who’s to say they won’t consider the same for Australia in the near future?

COCKTAIL CORNER There’s also endless potential for experimentation with pink cocktails. The cocktail list at New York mainstay Employees Only, for

example, features two pretty and pink-hued creations: the Fraise Sauvage (“Fords Gin shaken with Wild Strawberries and Tahitian Vanilla, finished with EO Prosecco di Conegliano Brut”) and At First Blush (“Hendrick’s Gin, Amero Aperitif and Chareau Aloe Liqueur shaken with fresh Lemon Juice and topped with Sparkling Cava Rosé”).

Closer to home, Lobo Plantation and Kittyhawk’s Dre Walters told BARS&clubs about a cocktail that came about as a challenge he set to his staff, most easily described as a “capsicum margarita on the rocks”.

“We roasted a capsicum and some chillies and basically made a reduction out of that. From there, what we do with all the pulp and the waste of it is dehydrate it; then we take out the mortar and pestle and it turn it into a fine powder and we mix that with salt and pepper”.

Mixing tequila, lime, agave and the capsicum reduction, the result is a drink that starts out bright red but fades into more of a blush.

“I think the only struggle for pink drinks in terms of a colour, it’s seen as a feminine thing,” Walters continues. “For some guys there’s even a thing that they a) won’t drink anything in a martini glass, and b) won’t drink anything that’s pink coloured.

“There’s always that sort of stereotype that goes around but in today’s world it’s pretty easy... if someone’s going out for a cocktail and you approach it in the right way it’s pretty easy to sway someone’s opinion to try something new.

“At the end of the day I know a lot of people sort of turn their noise up at a Cosmo, but one thing I would say we’ve noticed - especially at Kittyhawk - is you get a lot of people that you wouldn’t expect drinking a Cosmo.

“For example last Friday this guy came in who’s basically a director of a law company –and it’s his thing to drink Cosmo’s. I’m guessing he’s about fifty, and he’s basically the stereotype of exactly the polar opposite of the type of person that would drink them – you can never judge a book by its cover!”

BARS&clubs 39

INCIDER TRADING Just as there’s more to beer than bland lager, there are far more options for the discerning drinker in 2017 than mainstream, sugary cider – write Vanessa Cavasinni and Tam Allenby.

40 BARS&clubs

cider

I

t’s no secret that the cider category has grown exponentially in Australia in the last five or so years. According to Euromonitor International, cider and perry recorded a total volume growth of 9% and current value growth of 7% in 2016, to reach sales of 111 million litres and AUD 1 billion respectively.

But it’s not only mainstream cider driving the trend. Sara Agostino from Euromonitor International credits the popularity of craft ciders, especially those which are locally produced, as a key driver of this continued growth. “In fact, Cider Australia declared 2016 ‘The Year of Craft Cider’,” says Agostino.

“Industry sources suggest this craft cider trend mirrors that seen in beer, with consumers becoming more curious and knowledgeable about the production of cider.”

And while cider drinkers in 2017 might be a few years behind craft beer drinkers in terms of their knowledge, there is no such lag on the production side of the equation – with cidermakers practicing an art and method that has existed since at least the Middle Ages.

that drinkers are now aware that not all ciders are “real” ciders. “I think just globally in the food space we’re all becoming a bit more aware of what we’re putting in our bodies,” Condon says. “People are more often than not turning around to the back label to see what’s in it, where it’s come from and what it contains, and that works really well in the craft cider space.”

PROVENANCE In cider, one of the biggest consumer drivers is provenance. As cider drinkers become more educated about what goes into their drinks they are expecting all-natural ingredients – and to be able to trace exactly where those ingredients came from. Consumers now know that some of the cheaper, massproduced ciders are made from concentrate (often imported from China) rather than actual pressed fruit, and now want to know that what they are drinking is produced naturally and is of real quality.

When combined with the general push in Australia – particularly among millennials – to eat and drink to a healthier standard, as well as an increased focus on sustainability, the quality of ingredients is all important when a cider drinker in 2017 scans the shelf at the bottle-o or orders a schooner at the local pub.

Nyall Condon, Cidermaker at Flying Brick Cider Co and Vice President of Cider Australia, agrees

FRESH FLAVOURS Another cidermaker that understands this vital fact is Sean Prendergast from Bilpin Cider, who says that the visitors who come in through his cellar door can “100 percent” tell the difference between his products – made with live fruit – and the more commercial offerings that they might be used to.

“People love coming to the cellar door and having an explanation of the product and the process, the style of apples we use and why the flavour profile of each one is coming through in the way that it is,” he explains. “You just can’t get that from a commercial product that’s really a recipe – we’re dealing with live fruit, but most of those larger cidermakers aren’t.

“Take our Bilpin Blush, which has been very successful for us – we created that to provide consumers with a sweeter-style product. Now most of, if not all the sweet ciders out there are laced with sugar and concentrate and syrup, but

Bilpin Blush.

we wanted to do it our way using crushed fruit. So we got the sweetest apple we could get which was Pink Lady and fermented it to 3.5% ABV. “By keeping the ferment low you’re holding back more natural, residual sugar and that’s what we did with Blush. If you put it up against some of the mainstream ciders, where you get the same sweetness up front but at the back you get a cloying syrup taste, the back palate of the Blush is like biting into a crisp apple – and the punter really notices.”

BREWERIES GET INVOLVED While it’s by no means a new phenomenon, a number of craft beer breweries have also added a cider into their range to take advantage of Australia’s increasing thirst for the apple-y goodness. Notable examples of independent breweries with a well-received cider in their portfolio include Young Henrys and their Cloudy Cider, the KAIJU!-produced Golden Axe Cider, Sydney Brewery’s Sydney Cider and Agave Ginger Cider, and Australian Brewery’s Fresh Press Cider.

One of the latest to do so is Colonial Brewing Co with the release of Bertie, named after the street that their new Port Melbourne brewery occupies. Ash Hazell, Head Brewer at Colonial, says that it is the quality and freshness of the produce that has the largest impact on the final product.

BARS&clubs 41

cider

Colonial Brewing Co. Bertie.

And while Bertie was envisioned before Hazell came on board with Colonial, as Head Brewer he’s now in charge of the cider, which he describes as a “medium-dry cider, with a little bit of sweetness to keep the flavour profile nice and balanced – overall it’s got a crisp finish, not a tart finish, with just a bit of sweetness to cut through the acidity that apples naturally have.”

With over a decade of experience in the industry, Hazell says that just like in craft beer, people are now wanting better and better ciders.

“There’s been ciders on the market for a long time but it’s only in the last five or six year that it’s really taken off. People want to explore, they want to try new things and we thought we could bring a different sort of flavour profile to the market with Bertie,” Hazell says.

“There’s less cidermakers than there are brewers and every cidermaker has something that’s just a little bit different about what they’re doing, and I really like that.

I haven’t tried one cider that’s identical to Bertie, and on that sweet-to-sour spectrum, everybody sits at a different point.”

TRENDS: APPLE TYPES So with the fundamental importance of natural produce and freshness well established, what are the trends that will shape the cider market moving forward? We put this question to Nyall Condon.

“In my role at Cider Australia I head up the running of the Australian Cider Awards that we do every year,” he explains. “Obviously the big trend we’ve seen in the last five years is that the consumer is 42 BARS&clubs

becoming more educated and more interested in different styles, and they’re moving away from the sweet style to the drier, more complex and tannin-derived styles of ciders that are a bit more interesting – for want of a better term.

“Another thing we’ve seen is more traditional cider apple varieties are being sought after and used, and people are getting to understand that too as their palate matures beyond some of the more mainstream ciders as they move into the craft space.”

Most of the ciders produced in Australia are made using dessert or table apples – Pink Lady, Granny Smith and the like – but as Condon explains, “like wine grapes, those apples are more like table grapes – they’re good to eat, they’re nice and plump and juicy, but they don’t make as rich and concentrate a cider as a cider apple would. Just like a wine grape they’re a quarter of the size and much more concentrated in skins and tannins and seeds.

“So cider apples are like that, and are often smaller, lumpy, warty looking things but with high levels

of sugar, acid and tannin – from before when apples were made to look so pretty and perfect! That’s next-level cider really and Australia’s starting to move into that space slowly but surely”. Flying Brick, where Condon is cidermaker, has one such cider in its core range: the Methode Champenoise ‘MC’ Cider, which is traditionally crafted with 100% heritage cider apples.

Released in early August, Willie Smith’s Traditional, made using onethird heirloom cider apples and twothirds eating apples, is another. The rich golden colour and un-filtered haze is visually more reminiscent of a beer, in contrast to lighter straw or even clear ciders that have gained mainstream popularity, and it echoes the traditional French and English farmhouse ciders in style. The complex blend of cider apples with more familiar dessert apples was a hit at the recent MidWinter Festival in the Huon Valley in Tasmania – where the cidery is located – and sold as much as Willie Smith’s flagship Organic Cider, boding well for the future popularity of ciders made with traditional heirloom apples.

So as cider drinkers’ knowledge and thirst for products made with fresh apples grows, expect to see more flavoursome and interesting ciders hitting the market – especially those made with traditional cider apples. While drinkers are still buying sweet, mainstream cider in droves – just as bland lager continues to lead sales in the beer world – craft cider in Australia is on the up, and consumers are taking notice.

The Flying Brick core range.

EST 2010