Hospitality Business April 2019

WHEELS WITH MEALS | CHOCOLICIOUS DESSERTS | STUFFED DOG?

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz APRIL 2019 Vol.6 No.3

Another serving of innovation coming up…

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Contents REGULARS

16

06 D IGEST

Relevant business news you need to know

08 I N SEASON

Meat & Seafood for April diners!

32 N ELSON’S COLUMN

Peter Nelson – The Decision Corridor

PEOPLE 10 W HEELS WITH MEALS

Food Truck stars share their vision

22 T IMARU’S STUFFED DOG Hector’s fine dining team

FEATURES 09 W INTER MENUS

Soul food ideas to warm your customers!

14 O UTDOOR DINING

Are you ready for the winter months?

Tips from Melbourne.

16 C HOCOLICOUS DESSERTS Sweet treats return!

28

22 10

08 HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - APRIL 2019 3

Editor PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136 MANAGING DIRECTOR - PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul Wootton The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd, Australia www.intermedia.com.au EDITOR - HOSPITALITY Business Kimberley Dixon kdixon@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 0274 505 502 PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz SALES DIRECTOR Wendy Steele wsteele@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 300 473 SALES MANAGER - THE SHOUT Jacqueline Freeman jfreeman@intermedianz.co.nz 021 256 6351 CONTRIBUTORS Jes Magill, Sue Fea GRAPHIC DESIGNER Adrian Tipper – atipper@intermedia.com.au HEAD OF CIRCULATION Chris Blacklock – cblacklock@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper – jacqui@intermedia.com.au SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Eclypse Lee – Publishing Assistant elee@intermedianz.co.nz

APRIL 2019 Vol. 6 No. 3

The Business of Hospitality In the words of Brazilian born Rea Scur, a meal ending beautifully on a sweet note can be described as perfection! This month we take a look at the rise of chocolate in the dessert menu and how indulgent options are good for your bottom… line!

We also feature Wheels with Meals – specifically one with a message that is supportive of a key message - mental health in the hospitality industry.

March 15 2019 will remain a notorious date in New Zealand history when a nation witnessed for the first time the horrors of intolerance on a scale unseen before. Our islands of oasis - frequently even left off global maps – became the centre of unwanted attention for an act of needless hate on our shores. It is an understatement to say we were rocked and time seemed to stand still as we grieved for the 50 dead and 39 injured.

It took us all be surprise and shock yet it also reminded us of who we are - prompting an even greater response of closeness and an outpouring of love – and something we are renowned for globally –our business of hospitality.

Kia Kaha Stay Strong.

Kimberley Dixon kdixon@ intermedianz.co.nz 0274 505 502

Kimberley Dixon

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FOLLOW US ON Circulation 7,031 Official external audit 30/09/18 www.abc.org.nz

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WHEELS WITH MEALS | CHOCOLICIOUS DESSERTS | STUFFED DOG?

ON THE COVER: UNITED FISH CO.

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz APRIL 2019 Vol.6 No.3

Hoki Hash - a delicious new hash by United Fish Co. Hand made with New Zealand hoki, this is just one of our exciting new products that will transform your menus.

Turn to pages 26 & 27 to see more of our tasty, on trend, and easy to prepare Asian, Japanese, Mexican and Indian inspired products.

For more information, visit http://www.unitedfisheries.co.nz/ sites/default/files/UFC-HokiHashFlyer.pdf TEL: 3 343 0587 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unitedfoodco/

Another serving of innovation coming up…

HOOKED ON HOKI HASH NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST HOSPITALITY AUDIENCE

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - APRIL 2019 5

Digest In association with Hospitality Business’ online newsletter

The Inland Revenue has gone through 90,000 test scenarios to check the system is up to the task.

www.hospitalitybusiness.co.nz

IRD Gears Up For New Tax System Queries Inland Revenue is gearing up to take around 1.9 million calls between now and July – a 23 percent increase on the same period last year – as the modernisation of New Zealand’s tax system continues.

With the third stage of the process rolling out over Easter, Inland Revenue has brought in and trained more than 300 temporary workers to help cope with what will be an unprecedented demand, says Inland Revenue Deputy Commissioner Gaye Searancke.

“Our planning is all on track but we know it’s unlikely, given the scale of what we are doing, that we will get through this period without any problems or delays. But our goal is to keep them to a minimum.”

Inland Revenue has also taken action to improve online services in myIR. This followed issues customers experienced last year trying to log in and access the system.

An independent review has found nothing was fundamentally wrong with the technology but it did identify ways to fine tune and improve performance, and also make the service more resilient.

Ms Searancke says last year’s log-in issues can’t be repeated. “myIR will undoubtedly be under more pressure this year but we have taken action to ensure it will perform better.

“There are a regular series of operational checkpoints in place to keep holding us to account. These help us measure progress and assess readiness, and we continue to pass them.

“No stone is being left unturned. We’ve worked through 90,000 test scenarios to check the system is up to the job our customers expect from it. That’s around 40,000 more than we did ahead of last year’s release.”

Extensive marketing and communications to explain the major changes coming in Release 3 are underway. “This will intensify over the coming weeks but we expect some customers still won’t understand what it all means for them and are likely to call us.

That’s why we have more people on board to support our customers,” Ms Searancke says.

“These are the biggest changes to the tax system in a generation and most New Zealanders will benefit. We will receive more information earlier, which allows us to issue automated refunds and offer greater accuracy so fewer people are under or over paying tax.

“Payments, such as Working for Families will also be more accurate, meaning our customers will spend far less time and effort making sure we have the right information.

“These changes will be worth it and we appreciate everyone’s patience and support while we roll them out,” says Gaye Searancke.

DINING IN STYLE Rich texture, colour and flavour combined on March 14 at Auckland’s Glasshouse venue for the promotion of Le Creuset’s new Freestyle collection. Guests enjoyed canapés, family style mains and dessert from Jess’ Underground Kitchen, all served in the range’s cast iron stoneware and kitchen accessories. The range includes Ultra Violet, a striking new shade of purple, and the flatware finished the presentation of the food. For more information & design ideas go to www.lecreuset.com.au 6 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

Entries Open For 2019 NZ Hotel Industry Awards Entries are open for prestigious awards that celebrate the achievements of the outstanding individuals who work in New Zealand hotels.

The 2019 New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards will celebrate the success of 12 individuals in roles ranging from Front Office Services to General Manager, as well as a hotel with an outstanding environmental initiative.

Sally Attfield, Hotel Sector Manager at TIA, says the New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards are unique in rewarding the efforts of those filling key hotel roles.

“There are numerous award programmes that recognise incredible hotels but we aim to celebrate the people who are vital to delivering outstanding guest experiences. We also want to exhibit the wide range of exciting career options available in the hotel sector,” Ms Attfield says.

A new category is being introduced in 2019 with the Hotel Industry Technology Innovation Award, recognising an employee who has made an exceptional contribution in championing a technology project that has led to increased guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Horwath HTL Director Stephen Hamilton says the New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards are going from strength to strength.

“We attracted a record number of entries in 2018 and I expect the competition will be just as fierce this year,” Mr Hamilton says.

Ingmar Becker of the Bolton Hotel in Wellington, winner of the 2018 Hotel Industry Concierge of the Year, says that entering the awards was valuable.

“I would encourage everybody to enter the award because it raises the profile of yourself, it gives you the opportunity to look back on yourself, what you've achieved in the last year, and raises your profile within the industry as well,” Mr Becker says.

Annalise Stewart, Executive Housekeeper at the InterContinental Hotel Wellington, says winning the 2018 Hotel Industry Housekeeper Employee of the Year has boosted her career. It was also an opportunity to win recognition for her achievements.

Queenstown Sake Producers Pair With MASU Leading New Zealand Japanese restaurant MASU, in Auckland, has teamed up with Queenstown-based, international award-winning, boutique sake producers Zenkuro Sake to collaborate on an exclusive, specialist brew for the prestigious restaurant.

Renowned MASU owner and executive chef Nic Watt and MASU manager and sake sommelier Fumi Nakatani flew to Queenstown late last month to help Zenkuro head brewer Dave Joll on the special brew.

Collaborating with two of New Zealand’s leading sake experts on this project is a huge coup for Zenkuro, says Dave.

The humble Queenstown company took the world by storm again last year, scoring its second top medal at the highly-sought after London Sake Challenge in an industry dominated by Japan’s best. That win came hot on the heels of winning gold and silver at the last event, held in 2016.

“For us it’s a huge breakthrough to be recognised and acknowledged by these people, as they’re leaders and experts in Japanese food and sake in New Zealand,” says Dave. “Fumi is also New Zealand’s top sake educator, so it’s a true privilege for us to be collaborating on this special project with them.”

The MASU project is the first time a specialist sake of its style has been produced in this country. “It’s something entirely new for the New Zealand sake world,” says Dave.

The Junmai Nama sake is fresh and unpasteurised, and needs to be specially stored at fridge temperature, he says. “We didn’t add any preservatives, additives or stabilisers, and this sake wasn’t clarified.

It’s the first real Nama sake ever produced in New Zealand, as all other Nama sake comes over by ship from Japan and can’t possibly be this fresh.” A huge plus for Zenkuro is also the New Zealand alpine water that’s used in its brewing process.

It’s been important to have Nic, who’s worked as a chef at famous restaurants, ROKA in London and NOBU in California, prior to owning MASU, and Fumi, New Zealand’s leading sake educator, as part of the brewing process from day one, says Dave.

“At MASU, we pride ourselves on using the freshest, locally sourced ingredients, aiming

From left, Fumi Nakatani, Dave Joll and Nic Watt brewing up a winning sake at Kiwi owned Zenkuro in Queenstown. to educate our diners and bring them on a journey of discovery,” says Nic. “To be able to partner with a local sake supplier that is world class and can help us to tell a whole new and unique story is a natural and exciting fit.”

Nic and Fumi will release the special sake at a grand showcase dinner, paired with special Japanese food, at MASU, at SkyCity Auckland, in July.

Zenkuro is owned by three Kiwis, Dave, Richard Ryall and Craig McLachlan, and their Japanese business partner, Christchurch hotelier Yoshi Kawamura – all big sake fans.

They only began dabbling in making their own sake in 2015, and the following year hit the world stage, after deciding to enter their sake produced in a tiny brewery in Queenstown.

Earlier last year the company sent off its first export order to the renowned ROKA Restaurant in London. In December last year, Zenkuro was launched at Zealandia Restaurant in Tokyo, where it was showcased alongside New Zealand cuisine.

With the Rugby World Cup happening this year the company sent its first decent-sized order off to Japan earlier this month. Four to five more rugbythemed restaurants and bars in Japan are also lining up for their supply – one is a classical Japanese restaurant interested in pairing a mix of Japanese and European food with Zenkuro Sake.

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - APRIL 2019 7

IN SEASON

KAHAWAI

An iconic fish amongst Kiwi anglers, Kahawai (Arripis spp) are the second most commonly caught fish in New Zealand. A pelagic schooling fish, Kahawai are found year-round in coastal waters, harbours and estuaries north of Kaikoura.

A solid and powerful fish, kahawai have streamlined bodies which allows them to swim vast distances quickly – travelling between 7 to 12kmph. Their upper bodies are green to blue in colour, with darker shades, marking and spots that fade into a silver underbelly. A green tinge in its eyes make kahawai distinct.

Growing up to 5 kilograms, kahawai yield a delicious thick fillet. Fillets are dark in colour and medium in texture but lighten upon cooking or turn a delicate pink when canned. Their high oil content means they’re also a good source of omega 3s.

Despite being underrated as an eating fish, Kahawai are a treat when prepared properly. Bleeding the fish as soon as it’s caught avoids an overly oily taste and keeping the fillets chilled on ice for at least 24 hours before eating removes the strong fishy flavour.

Fillets can be baked, grilled or fried, but their rich profile works particularly well as a fish pie, fish cakes and when incorporated into chowders. Eating it raw is also sensational. Try it as a sashimi, with some fresh pickled ginger and a dash of soy. Or for a more traditional dish, massage honey, brown sugar, flaky sea salt and a hint of chili into each fillet and barbecue for 15-20 mins. Top with some freshly chopped chives and a squeeze of lime.

For more ways to enjoy seafood, visit www.seafood.co.nz/recipes/seafood

FRESH PRODUCE APPLES

Grown in Nelson, Hawkes Bay and Otago the apple harvest is well underway in New Zealand, with most varieties being harvested from now until May. Great on their own as a snack, or for chefs as part of a coleslaw or salad, apples are more versatile than many of us think.

Combine a JAZZ apple with shredded red cabbage, kale leaves, carrot, fig and add a handful of coriander and you get a solid dose of fruit and vegetables in a zesty coleslaw. Dress with your favourite zesty dressing and combine it with any protein from chicken to pork, or by itself, and you get a bowlful of summer at this cooler time of year.

Store in the refrigerator. Handle all fresh produce with care and wash before eating.

8 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

MEAT

LAMB RUMP

Lamb rump is a versatile and flavoursome cut to use on autumn menus. It lends itself well to being sous vide and pan seared ready for service and can take on a wide range of flavours. Pictured here is a dish by Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef, Jarrod McGregor from Rothko in Matakana, featuring lamb rump with caramelised cauliflower and umeboshi vinaigrette. Jarrod says the sharpness of the ume pairs perfectly with the richness of New Zealand lamb and the roasted cauliflower purée is a natural fit to round off this dish. nzexcellenceawards.co.nz

IN SEASON

WARMING WINTER MENU IDEAS REMEMBER GREEK MOUSSAKA– A DELICIOUS TASTE OF GREECE This dish is a legend! Creamy, juicy and absolutely delicious.. Greek moussaka (mousaka) is one of the most popular dishes in Greece, served in almost every tavern and prepared in every household on special occasions for good reason! To prepare a traditional Greek Moussaka recipe, luscious layers of juicy beef mince (or lamb) are cooked in a tomato based sauce, layered with sweet eggplants and creamy béchamel sauce and baked together until golden perfection.

PUREED PORTABELLO MUSHROOM SOUP

Deliciously tasty and a great base for sauces and toppings, robust pureed or cream of mushroom soup embraces deliciousness!

Easy to prepare in a large saucepan over medium heat, wholesome recipes include onion, celery, leek, sherry, stock and seasonings…blended to perfection! Serve with a variety of lightly toasted breads such as sourdough and ciabatta!

GOURMET PEA & SPINACH RISOTTO Hearty, comforting spinach & pea risotto is just one of the flavours to consider adding to your menu this winter . Authentic Italianstyle risotto cooked slow and laboriously might seem to time consuming for many, yet it provides a brilliant complement for grilled meats and chicken dishes. The history of risotto is naturally tied to the history of rice in Italy. ... Milan had been under Spanish rule for almost two centuries (hence the similar evolution of paella in Spain), and rice had become a staple.

Slow-cooking also dominated the culinary landscape of the region, with Ossobucco a long-held favourite.

WHEELS WITH MEALS

JO BRO’S

BURGERS –Takin’ Talent to the Streets

T

here’s a new food truck in Auckland that’s turning heads, owned by two super talented chefs with a passion to serve fast, delicious burgers from their blue and timber panelled 80s’ caravan and do good in the process.

Owners Josh Barlow and Brody Jenkins (executive chef at The Sugar Club and head chef at Little Easy, Ponsonby), give ‘work hard, play hard’ a new benchmark. As moonlighters, they produce well executed burger classics made from local, fresh, sustainable ingredients to the outdoor dining public and private events around Auckland.

This is about more than great burgers though. Jo Bro’s cares for the environment and the people within it and shouts out to farmers and growers and those within their own industry, using the caravan as a platform. These Bros want to get people thinking about the positive impact that choosing sustainable local produce has on our world around us.

Jo Bro’s also collaborates with All Good, a not-for-profit group focused on improving the mental health of workers in the hospitality space.

“Mental health is a hot topic for our industry right now and we want to do all we can to address the negative points of working in a kitchen and 10 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

keep making noise until things change,” Brody says.

Back to those burgers: Jo Bro’s had a sell-out at Whangaparaoa recently, smashing its fourth event with 190 seriously good burgers leaving the truck dripping with great juices and good times. The Boys are well pleased.

Brody says, considering the allure of food trucks, “I guess it’s people wanting to do things on their own, and cheaply.

Starting a small restaurant could cost $1m plus. All up, we’ve spent $60k. It’s a lot easier moving around and having your customers everywhere rather than starting a restaurant in one place and taking a gamble on whether it’s going to work.”

Their home-built 4.2m long caravan features art work by a friend on the exterior plus a timber panelled effect courtesy of a vinyl-type wrap product.

“Our fitout is super basic. The caravan came with a walk in fridge, then it’s literally benches down both sides with a big flat Blue Seal grill placed in the middle so we can open the fridge door.”

Josh and Brody met working in the kitchen at Grove Restaurant in Auckland. Josh had recently returned after seven years in London, working in several Michelin-star restaurants and Brody spent eight years with SkyCity’s signature restaurants and getting Andy’s Burgers & Bar off the ground. n

“Mental health is a hot topic for our industry right now and we want to do all we can to address the negative points of working in a kitchen and keep making noise until things change.”

PŪHĀ & PĀKEHĀ: KA PAI KAI

The bouquet for a hugely successful food truck business model in New Zealand which is famous for bringing modern Māori fusion street food to Auckland since 2014 goes to Pūhā & Pākehā, the brainchild of Belinda and Jarrad McKay. The couple saw the chance to reconnect people with the kai of Aotearoa at a time when traditional Māori kai was being overlooked by a public keen to try different cuisines overseas but less enthusiastic to do so here.

Pūhā & Pākehā’s kaupapa guides the way they run and develop their business, which is all about blending modern flavours with elements of old school Māori kai and taking measured, steady steps to ensure sustainable growth. And what a winning formula.

Awarded Idealog magazine’s ‘Most Innovative in Food & Beverage’ category

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in 2018, Jarrad and Belinda were taken by surprise. “We were delighted and often still smile at the irony,” she says.

“Because we’re doing New Zealand food in New Zealand, we’re thought of as being really different.”

Experiencing growth in their catering business as well as the food truck fare saw Pūhā & Pākehā open their Eatery in Grey Lynn last year.

“We needed to increase our production kitchen for the catering side of the business so it made sense to offer retail and restaurant space as well. We had a lot of fans following us who often couldn’t find us so it’s nice to say “Here we are”, says Jarrad.

Setting up a venue without wheels doesn’t happen to all food truckers. In fact only 5 – 10% of the industry makes it. “It is a tough market,” Jarrad explains.

“You see people in it for a couple of years then they sell their trailer and move on. Lots of people think it’s all massive lines of hungry open wallets and people throwing cash at you. It’s not. You have to be at the top of your game if you want to survive.”

Irrefutably still at the top of their own game, Pūhā & Pākehā continues to evolve. Now working in with Ateed, international tourists visit the Eatery for genuine Manaakitanga, genuine Kiwi hospitality experiences, and Te Reo classes are held at the Eatery every Tuesday night.

Photo credit: Genie De Wit

M

id last year Taurangabased marketing adviser Sheldon Nesdale, a self-confessed food truck lover said, “It’s absolutely boom time for the food truck scene.” Talking with Hospitality Business recently, he said, “It still is. I’m adding a new food truck to the list on LoveFoodTrucks.nz every few days.”

The number of mobile food vendors nationally was 214 in July last year; this month there are around 260 and the word from food truck aficionados is the quality of food on offer is high, with passion and commitment right up there too.

The food quality Sheldon sees as a key trend. “Food truck vendors have split into two groups: Those who supply low cost deep fried options in high volume; and the gourmet food truck group who have quirky, clever branding, unique dishes with clever names, sustainable packing, a price point for some that’s comparable with cafés and restaurants, and offer a fun outdoor experience as well.”

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Puha & P a

Hot Mobile Culinary Experiences

&

WHEELS WITH MEALS

WE’RE BETTER TOGETHER

Owner of mobile organic smoothie bar RAWE and co-founder of the Auckland Food Truck Collective (AFTC), Maggie Gray says the past 12 months have been great for food truck operators, especially in Auckland, with the number of food vendor members doubling in size.

“It’s competitive but it’s supportive too every food truck has a point of difference.

That’s essential,” says Maggie. “Foodies and the general public now expect more variation with the offerings and catering that meets their dietary requirements.

There are a few new vegan trucks >>

Pūhā & Pākehā The Eatery

JUST LAUNCHED: AUCKLAND FOOD TRUCK FINDER APP Find your favourite Food Trucks in a heartbeat with Auckland Food Truck Finder.

Searching for quality street food, but don’t have time to check multiple pages to see where your favourite trucks are? Simply download the free and ad free Auckland Food Truck Finder App for all the information in one place. www.aucklandfoodtruckcollective.com HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - APRIL 2019 11

WHEELS WITH MEALS

5

HEALTH & SAFETY TIPS FOR FOOD TRUCK NEWBIES

By Tim van der Werff, Double Dutch Fries 1. Outline all the risks within your operation

Simply run through your process step by step and ask at what points someone could injure themselves.

2. Initial and ongoing training

entering the scene, for example, specifically to cater for the growing number of people adopting a vegan diet.”

Maggie says running a food truck properly is at least a full time job. “To succeed you have to work hard and often much longer than 40 hours a week.” With over 50 members, the Collective meets monthly to trouble shoot, plan events and seal supplier partnerships like the one with ecofriendly company, Innocent Packaging.

Paying high fees relative to the amount of money that food truck owners can earn at events is a pressing issue for AFTC. Holding more bespoke events and winter night markets in covered venues are Collective initiatives to help members keep their business operating during the leaner months.

Collective co-founder Tim van der Werff from Double Dutch Fries says: “It’s hard to part with high stall fees when you’re unsure if the risk will pay off. So we’ve adopted a new approach.

We encourage those who ask us for advice when recruiting food trucks for an event, to charge a fixed percentage or a commission for a food truck. It’s a more fair and welcomed arrangement.

12 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

It incentivises the organiser to ensure a popular event and one that’s successful for food trucks as well.”

LET’S GET EVEN BETTER

“The council is doing a great job ensuring all the food trucks are maintaining high quality control and best practices in regards to managing their businesses,” says Maggie. “The Collective hopes, however, to work more with the council to further support the industry.”

Passion, creativity and innovation are embedded in the food truck industry’s DNA and while challenges seem to go with the mobile nature of the business – unpredictable weather, the high cost of events and their spasmodic nature making staffing tricky – the industry still has huge appeal.

Sure, the AFTC is an Auckland group but the industry’s strength and potential is felt nation-wide. “The Collective is growing at an unbelievable rate,” Maggie says. “We’re excited for the future and passionate about sharing the stories of the people behind each food truck; supporting their Kiwi businesses and their dream.” n

Each new crew member needs to be aware of all potential hazards that you’ve identified and this is best included in their initial training.

3. Include staff in hazard identification

Every crew member is responsible to help identify hazards. During regular catch ups, be sure to ask if there’s anything you may have missed.

Stepping in and out of trucks is a big one to watch.

4. Report injuries and incidents

Record and report any injuries and get in the habit, whenever someone uses the first kit for anything, record it.

5. Mitigate where possible

Review risks and past injuries regularly and try to reduce potential risks. If the same person gets hurt on the same equipment, perhaps give more training or move them to a different station. www.doubledutchfries.co.nz www.worksafe.govt.nz

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Introducing the next generation of our famous Gourmet Beef Burger Patties. Rounder for better bun fit, thinner for faster cook time and with a rustic, homestyle look - your diners will be sure you made them yourself.

For more information, contact your local distributor or get in touch with us: www.angelbay.co.nz | info@angelbay.co.nz

WINTER CUSTOM

Outdoor Winter Dining Tips - from over the ditch

W

inter is coming and you can’t beat Mother Nature, but you can certainly work with her.

Over the ditch, the savvy restaurateurs in Melbourne are prepared for the winter months, providing well designed outdoor spaces where the clientele are kept warm, whilst relaxing and enjoying their outdoor dining experience, enticing them to order more food and drink and giving them a reason to stay and indulge in the ambiance for just a while longer. Make no mistake, an appealing restaurant fit-out increases profit and turn-over, and that’s why we need to spend the extra time and investment, ensuring we provide something just a little bit special.

Offering skyline views, water vistas, sunsets or people watching, outdoor dining offers inspiration and, in some cases, an elevated experience that most indoor spaces just can’t match.

Believe it or not, there are also scientific reasons customers are attracted to the experience of outdoor dining. (Harvard School of Health) • Eating outdoors boosts levels of Vitamin D, a vital hormone that can protect us from some diseases • Eating food in the fresh air helps our mood by decreasing anxiety and increasing happiness • Eating outside improves concentration and healing

What’s on trend: ANYTHING GREEN

Right now, it’s all about greenery and fresh air, as we continue to see the natural evolution of eco-friendly spaces which appeal to environmentally aware clientele. Today’s clientele wants to be embraced by nature as a calming reprieve from busy city work life.

That’s why floral wallpaper, hanging gardens and pot plants galore are the go. Vertical planting creates a living wall often sustained using hydroponic techniques. For potted plants, it’s also helpful to have your thinking cap on to ensure you have good access for the ongoing maintenance, watering and general upkeep.

14 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

GROUP SEATING

Swap out small settings for bench seats and larger groupings. It’s all about optimising space. Families and work colleagues dining out together is growing in popularity. Add the feel at home vibe with a few comfy sofas with cushions for customers to kick back on. Home comforts mean clientele stay longer and spend more.

EXTRA ELEMENTS

Don’t fall into the trap of buying stock furniture in bulk. Bulk buying is generally boring. Ensure your furniture has character and stands out from the norm. Check out the local op shops, eBay and auction houses for unique pieces that make a statement and add that WOW factor. Be inventive and think car rims on pedestals for stools, antique dressing tables for cash counters, old rocking chairs to fill in odd corners, upside down taps for jacket hooks. Xeom, a Vietnamese street food restaurant on Smith Street, Melbourne, has furnished their automotive inspiration restroom area from recycled car-parts.

FARM-TO-TABLE FOOD

This is one of the industry’s hottest trends for 2019. Some restaurants are landscaping their outdoor dining areas with a few raised garden beds. This enables them to create a wonderfully eco-friendly environment for their clientele whilst growing herbs, tomatoes, lettuce and other vegetables that they include in their menu. FYI check out https://www.omyrestaurant.com.au/ Also deserving a mention is Burwood’s old brickworks in Sydney, which is being transformed into a hive of sustainability, including a 2000-square-metre urban farm and dining precinct- on the roof.

Seasonal dishes crafted from on-site produce will be utilised by the full-service restaurant, with cooking classes and market days also on offer.

Weather versatility: To provide shelter for your outdoor dining space, the most common structures are pergolas, patio umbrellas, awnings, and canopies.

• Pergolas can have vines, plants, or strings of lights hanging from them.

However, they only offer minimal covering or insulation.

• Retractable awnings offer good protection during bad weather days, plus you can also add side curtains to fully enclose the area.

• Restaurant canopies are available off-the-shelf at many building or hospitality stores. However, you may want to consider a custom-designed canopy as a long-term investment if you require a specific shape or design.

Heating: Clientele need to be warm and comfortable to enjoy their dining experience. Stylish, efficient outdoor strip heating and elegant gas heaters are pretty much the norm, and many restaurants have introduced blankets for their outdoor guests- why not take this up a notch and give them a cosy fleece robe, or a crocheted quilt. Make sure any drafts are blocked effectively with large pot plants or feature screens.

Remember, North is your friend, so if you have the option with your space, ensure it is north-facing and you will get the sun for the whole day, which also is a great help for reducing your lighting and heating costs.

If you have space, an open fireplace or firepit tops the list as the ultimate heating solution. If clientele are cosy, they will be sure to stay longer. n

CHOCOLATE - SWEET CELEBRATION

DELICIOUSLY DECADENT

Desserts - Chocolicious highlights!

By Sue Fea

16 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

CHOCOLATE - SWEET CELEBRATION

C

hocolate and desserts may have taken a bit of a back seat in recent years, but they’re freshly adapted and back with a vengeance as the highlight of the night and no amount of health hype can keep them away.

The small plate craze and the huge increase in special dietary requirements have only served to drive pastry chefs and chocolatiers to be even more creative. They’re now turning out some deliciously decadent desserts, patisserie and chocolate goods while still catering to specific dietary requirements and health needs. These are delicately woven from combining new and exciting ingredients with some of the old, into beautifully presented new creations.

This country has some highlytrained pastry chefs and chocolatiers who’ve learned from Europe’s best.

Brazilian-born Rea Scur, who opened popular new Christchurch patisserie cafe Sweet Soul with her sister, Tania, last year, is one such talented creator.

She studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and also at the prestigious “I love working with Bellouet Conseil Pastry School ruby, as it’s that first in 2017. stage of chocolate. It has Rea’s focus is mostly on artistic pieces in the form that lovely pink colour of beautifully-presented and fruity sourness, and entremets – small, intricate, it’s all natural from its multi-layered, moussebased French cakes. She also own fermentation.” creates stunning cakes and Sweet Soul is already supplying a handful of upmarket Christchurch establishments, including The George Hotel and Mona Vale with entremets for their High Teas.

Chocolate is another of Rea’s specialties with her eye-catching egg creations taking pride of place in the boutique patisserie window in the leadup to Easter this month.

Callebaut Belgium chocolate is Rea’s brand of choice for chocolate patisserie too and there’s a big demand for the hit that rich, dark chocolate provides. Her work incorporates dark, milk, white, gold and ruby chocolate. “I love working with ruby, as it’s that first stage of chocolate. It has that lovely pink colour and fruity sourness, and it’s all natural from its own fermentation,” she says. “It’s quite unique as not many places in New Zealand work with ruby chocolate.”

Callebaut and ruby chocolate are Rea’s secret weapons.

The use of ruby may be rare in New Zealand but Rea’s customers are already asking for it.

To give chocolate work a nice glossy, crunch finishing you need to temper it, says Rea. There are a few techniques for tempering and also different temperatures depending on the chocolate.

“We’re very lucky as pastry chefs in New Zealand,” says Rea. “We can try the different chocolates and get the best balance of fat, thickness and flavour.”

Her chocolate eggs serve as an exclusive dessert collection, known as ‘Callebaut Discovery’, for Sweet Soul’s hotel clients, offering a tasting platter of each different type of chocolate egg in a little nest.

Callebaut has a really interesting range of single origin chocolate,” she says.

“Cacao Barry has about six single origins, using cocoa beans from different countries, so each chocolate results in its own characteristics, like aroma, content and taste.”

Reso-Tech Food in Auckland keeps her in supply with a full range of Callebaut and Cacao Barry products.

Her work is very seasonal – Hagley Park’s cherry blossom last spring inspiring her delightful pink entremets and the cinnamon and star anise flavour of hot cross buns infusing her gluten free, chocolate mousse dessert cakes this autumn.

“People don’t want to feel guilty when they enjoy dessert or chocolate so I always point out the dark chocolate options, or our vegan entremet dessert, as they have less fat and sugar,” she says.

“The vegan entremets have been very, very popular. They sell out every day, mostly to non-vegans, and then we feel mean when the true vegans arrive and there’s none left,” says Rea. >> HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - APRIL 2019 17

CHOCOLATE - SWEET CELEBRATION She’s also working on a sugar-free dessert, targeting diabetics, and a ketogenic one, after an increasing number of requests for these too.

There’s a huge groundswell of demand for vegan desserts, slices and cakes, as well as sugar free, says German-born Ralf Schmidt, senior lecturer at Manukau Institute of Technology’s School of Baking and Patisserie. Ralf has extensive experience in the industry.

He’s seen many trends and fashions come and go, but knows all too well that operators also need to be aware of their bottom line. “Raw desserts that use ingredients like dates, macadamia nuts and natural sweeteners, like agave, to replace refined sugar have high material costs,” says Ralf.

“You’re just replacing the sugar, but sugar is still sugar.” It’s about retraining the palate, says Ralf. “I often reduce the sugar in recipes by 20 percent or more and that usually does the trick.”

Demand for vegan is definitely on the rise. “There’s a vegan restaurant on every street corner in Europe,” says Ralf, who recently returned from there. He says that wave is coming here, so anybody adapting their recipes to that will be ready for this future trend. Replacing egg can also be expensive, but just as pastry chefs use starches to modify recipes to gluten free, they just need to use their skills to create great vegan flavours and appealing textures, he says.

Patisserie trends are always a few steps ahead in Europe, but Ralf says New Zealand is catching up with some strong Patisseries in this country. “You can be more experimental here as people are more open to change than they are in Germany.”

In fact, current trends have become just a little too ‘naked’ and bright for Ralf.

Naked cakes and modern dessert plates are arriving in all shapes and sizes, resembling partlycompleted construction sites as the full artistic flair of pastry chefs is lost in the mess.

“People are also going for some crazy colours at the moment,” says Ralf. “Everything is so bright…to the point where I don’t like it anymore, if it’s matched wrongly. It’s really bold and in your face. At first glance it’s like Picasso and I wonder if it’s art, or did somebody just drop the paint pot,” he quips.

At Milse, a dessert restaurant and patisserie in Auckland, junior sous chef in charge, Fijian Elenoa Saumi and her colleagues from around the world, are enjoying this new splash of colour and the different techniques used to apply it. Milse supplies small-style café product to a few fellow Hipgroup sites and does regular corporate catering.

As with all eateries, Milse has had to adapt to the increasing demand for vegan options, opting for the likes of Valrhona’s Inspiration range, and working as a team to collaborate and improve the product offer, says Elenoa.

Milse’s offering may have been increased to include more options for those with special dietary needs, but there’s still plenty of demand for the restaurant’s rich and indulgent desserts, she says. Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Gelato, the Bombe Alaska range and Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Rocher are still sliding down nicely. >> 18 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

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CHOCOLATE - SWEET CELEBRATION RIGHT: Sweet Soul warming the heart and delighting the heart in Christchurch with these stunning patisserie and dessert creations.

BELOW: A boot cake/dessert prepared by Ralf’s diploma students at Manukau Institute of Technology School of Baking and Patisserie.

BOTTOM: A burger cake/dessert prepared by Ralf’s diploma students at Manukau Institute of Technology School of Baking and Patisserie.

“Many consumers are wanting to know more about what exactly is in the food they’re eating, where it’s from and how it’s made, and we see chocolate following that same trend.”

“We can’t be completely sugar free, but we have low sugar options too.”

New dietary needs have definitely forced a rethink when chefs approach any dessert item. “This is a welcome challenge and, if anything, it really helps you to broaden your knowledge and experience as a chef,” says Elenoa.

“For me personally, dessert has always been the highlight of the night.” A meal ending beautifully on a ‘sweet note’ can be described as perfection as that what’s she’s aiming for.

Dessert is still the game changer, says Ralf. It’s an important component of any menu as it’s last. “That’s what people will always take away from the meal, he says. “If you serve a great dessert that always compensates for something bad beforehand. It can pull things up or down.”

Frenchman Nico Bonnaud, of Honest Chocolat, has spent more than 20 years working as a pastry chef, many of them with some of the best chefs in the world, including French Master Chef Pierre Gagnaire and New Zealand’s own Peter Gordon. For Nico, working with really good quality ingredients is vital, and he says he loves to experiment with pairing new and exciting flavour combinations together.

“Many consumers are wanting to know more about what exactly is in the food they’re eating, where it’s from and how it’s made, and we see chocolate following that same trend,” says Nico. “We use single origin chocolate for our chocolate tablets, and with it comes

traceability and sustainability in the way it’s sourced and made,” he says.

“We showcase the unique flavours of these origins with clever pairings, such as our 64 percent dark chocolate from Madagascar, which we pair with blueberry and raspberry.

With social media taking over, any new trend is quick to spread. He’s always keen to learn of innovative new ways to work with chocolate from overseas. “There are some really creative ideas out there.”

Customers are definitely wanting less sugar and more dairy-free options, says Nico. We don’t believe decadent necessarily has to mean overly sweet or fatty, especially when it comes to chocolate,” he says. One of Honest Chocolat’s best sellers is its 100 percent cacao tablet, which has no sugar or other ingredients added to it.

Surprisingly, the flavour isn’t bitter.

It’s popular, partly because people want less sugar in their diets, but also because people’s palates are wanting that dark chocolate hit, says Nico.

Honest Chocolat’s delicious, popular water ganache bonbons are dairy-free. “We choose not to use dairy in our ganaches, in order to maintain the fine aromatic flavours of the dark chocolate,” says Nico.

The result is bright and clean, rich and decadent, and they taste great.

“We’ve also made a commitment not to use gluten or soy in our products,” he says. “We make the most amazing, dairy-free caramels, including salted caramel and a raspberry and pink peppercorn caramel.”

Nico says the change in dietary requirements has been a very motivating challenge, but only when it doesn’t compromise flavour. n HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - APRIL 2019 21

NEW OPENINGS

Timaru Tales The legacy of Hector Black lives on!

By Sue Fea

N

ot many dogs get to take pride of place at the bar, but the memory of muchloved Jack Russell, the late Hector Black, will live on forever in Timaru, where he’s the total focus of a stunning new bar.

Hector, who was bred by former stock agent and now wool business owner Tim Black, sadly met an unfortunate fate when he was run over while staying on a friend’s farm in 2016.

Wanting to keep his best mate close by, Tim went on the hunt for a sympathetic taxidermist to stuff and mount Hector’s furry little body as a keepsake. “Many taxidermists will not work on an animal that has been a pet, or was well known to the owner,” says Tim. However, he did manage to find someone who was and together they ended up launching New Zealand Animal Art and Taxidermy, preparing, stuffing and mounting a few dearly22 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

loved cats and dogs that have passed, for their owners. His company is believed to be the only one in the country that will work on domestic pets. “We’ve done some weird and wonderful things,” says Tim. So when it came time for Tim and his wife, Brooke Black, to open their first bar in Timaru what better theme and name than ‘Hector Black’s’?

Their stylish new lounge bar has been created in a beautiful old heritage property, built more than 140 years ago, that originally housed the city’s National Bank of New Zealand.

Hector takes pride of place in his glass showcase as a central, focal point, and a constant topic of conversation.

It’s not only restaurants that serve up good ‘story’. Hector Black’s has certainly got this sussed. The cute Jack Russell stands watch with great prowess, fitting perfectly into the early 1900's, vintage, equestrian feel of the interior, with its rich burgundies and oak finishes.

NEW OPENINGS

“He was a rural dog and went to work with me every day when I was a stock agent and he was right into meat, so I think that would’ve been his choice of signature dish.”

ABOVE: The late Jack Russell, Hector Black, takes pride of place at this new Timaru bar named after him.

LEFT: Hector Black’s interiors reflect the rural, equestrian focus in what is one of the city’s most prized heritage buildings.

Canterbury-raised in rural Tai Tapu, Tim’s father played polo and his mother was an equestrian competitor. That influence, combined with his former career as a stock agent and his current wool classing work, has been cleverly reflected in the interiors of Hector Black’s. “We’ve tried to incorporate that style into our uniforms with tweed, leather and cheese-cutter hats,” says Tim. Hector Black’s has seating for 50 to 60 people with a sunny outdoor deck and a small intimate outdoor VIP balcony.

There’s been mostly only positive feedback from the customers, who are all very intrigued about the prowess of Hector’s perfectly preserved presence. “It’s all positive so far,” says Tim, with only one woman seeming a little bewildered by it all. “She was fine once she realised that we’re actually dog lovers.”

It’s not only Hector that’s been getting the locals talking about Hector Black’s since it opened in February though. Brooke has designed a specialty

signature cocktail, The Anzac Biscuit, a creamy, cinnamon and caramel flavoured, butterscotch liqueur and vodka-based cocktail, which is proving popular in the lead-up to Anzac Day this year. ‘The Salty Snowman’ is Hector Black’s white rum-based version of an alcoholic caramel milkshake, complete with popcorn, caramel and ice cream.

Hector Black’s is primarily a lounge bar and Tim says with so many first class restaurants around them they’re focusing heavily on tasty platters and tapas-style shared plates. The Ploughman’s Platter, with its local salamis, cheeses, bread and chutneys, has been a winner to date, and one that Tim is sure Hector would be into.

“He was a rural dog and went to work with me every day when I was a stock agent and he was right into meat, so I think that would’ve been his choice of signature dish.”

Another Hector Black’s speciality is a delicious, warm paprika dip, served with fresh ciabatta bread.

“We’ve been blown away by the great reaction so far,” says Tim. n HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - APRIL 2019 23

FINE DINING

Sensational Seven-Course Menu Promised

A

uckland diners are in for a treat with a very special trans-Tasman chef collaboration taking place at three hatted fine dining restaurant, Clooney

in May. For one evening only, on Thursday May 9, Clooney head chef Nobu Lee will join forces with Daniel Puskas, the head chef and co-owner of Sydney restaurant Sixpenny, to create a truly memorable seven-course tasting menu.

With the menu’s focus on New Zealand’s exceptional seafood, both chefs will spend two days prior the dinner at sea in the deep south of the South Island, gathering kaimoana for the event before returning to the kitchen to create a memorable menu with their bounty.

Chef Lee joined the Clooney team more than a year ago and is recognised as one of Asia Pacific’s top chefs with an impressive resume of Head Chef roles at award-winning restaurants including Marque in Sydney and Vue de Monde in Melbourne.

Chef Puskas has a string of creds to his name including the coveted Sydney Morning Herald Citi Chef of the Year 2018, now a national award, while late last year Sixpenny gained 3 chefs hats in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2019, two stars in Gourmet Traveller and in the last three years the restaurant has been listed in the top 10 restaurants for Australian Financial Review’s Australia’s Top 100.

Clooney’s owner and manager Tony Stewart says this collaboration will be a celebration of local cuisine.

“We believe New Zealand’s cuisine is defined by its exceptional ingredients; this dinner is about two very accomplished chefs and their different interpretations, using their craft to create a story through food.”

He adds that while he’s always wanted to hold a collaboration dinner with a three hatted chef, it was the philosophy of Daniel Puskas and his Sixpenny restaurant that made them the ideal partner for this event.

“We believe Daniel and Sixpenny have the same drive and determination for excellence that we strive for at Clooney. This is what 24 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

attracted us to him and I’m confident this dinner will be a night to remember.”

Sixpenny is named after the sixpence restaurants that operated in Australia in the late 1800s and is a small, independent, three-hatted restaurant which has been operating since 2012.

Much like Clooney, it utilises local suppliers, growers, producers and craftsmen to focus on a complete dining experience. Chef Dan says he can’t wait to visit New Zealand: “I have never been to New Zealand and cannot wait to come and explore the beautiful country, co-create a special menu, cook using new ingredients and make new friends."

The collaboration dinner will take place on Thursday, May 9 at Clooney. n

Would You Like To Work In Poland -?

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Poland has one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and a vibrant food and wine culture, so vibrant in fact that many in the hospitality business are recruiting abroad. That includes us at Kania Lodge, for 25 a benchmark in Poland for quality accommodation, food and wine and service.

But we are looking even further afield than most. We’d like to hire a young, or not so young, New Zealand chef for our summer season from May until the September.

Why a New Zealander? Because we’ve built our reputation largely on the basis of our New Zealand roots and the positive perception of all things antipodean in Poland.

Kania Lodge is a small boutique hotel on a lake in one of the most scenic areas of Poland near Gdansk and the Baltic Sea. We’ve 16 rooms and suites and a luxury villa. Our popular restaurant offers a constantly changing, innovative and modern international menu.

We’ve an award winning wine list with more than 300 wines from leading wineries worldwide, including more than 50 wines from New Zealand. We’ve also produce and export an award winning Vodka called Vestal.

The job would best suit someone keen not only to use their culinary skills but also to learn more about the general running of a boutique hotel.

We’ll pay a good salary, provide quality accommodation on site as well as keep and take care of all the required employment paperwork.

Because of our extensive links with hotels and restaurants elsewhere in Poland, we can guarantee further work at the end of the lodge’s summer season or a permanent position with us.

Interested, curious? Then check out our website – www.kanialodge. com.pl – and get in touch with me at kanialodge@gmail.com or by phone at 0 48 601980922.

Kind regards John Borrell Owner

FOOD OF THE MONTH Garlic

Garlic On Toast Please!

A

t 72, one of Queenstown’s most colourful, original restaurateurs, Chico Lanz, is still turning his hand to producing good food, with his latest business venture sprouting forth in his own back garden.

It all started about eight years ago when Chico, who worked in hospitality for more than 35 years until retiring 17 years ago, first discovered the rare jumbo garlic while holidaying in Australia.

A successful Queenstown restaurateur and innovator with food, Chico started what became the famous Chico’s Restaurant in Queenstown Mall in the early 1980’s. It was the first licensed restaurant in the district that wasn’t an hotel. A few years later he and business partners, German, Ralph Hahn and Bruce Leitch opened Black Forest Restaurant – a fine dining restaurant. By 1986 the trio had opened Avanti, which was once the resort’s most popular Italian restaurant.

Naturally, when Chico, who arrived in New Zealand from his homeland, Switzerland, to work at the THC Hotel in Mount Cook in the early 1970’s, got a whiff of another good flavour it had to be pursued. He began dabbling in growing his own jumbo garlics in his organic hobby garden at home in Queenstown.

“At first I just grew 100 or 200 bulbs and gave them away, but there was so much demand.”

By 2014 he’d created a delicious range of garlic pastes with the jumbos and selling the pastes at a local farmer’s market, where these days if he’s missing one Saturday regulars are asking where is ‘The Garlic Man’?.

His range of tasty pastes, with flavours including everything from coriander, oregano and plain garlic, to smoked chilli and turmeric, sell out every week at the Remarkables Markets.

Jumbo garlic is rarely grown in New Zealand and Chico’s even supplied a top Wellington restaurant, one in Waikato and a restaurant in Kerkeri, not too far from the friend’s farm in KatiKati, where he grows much of his garlic.

He’s also got a 500sqm organic hobby plot in Arrowtown, near Queenstown,

with his own small vegetable garden overlooking Lake Wakatipu not large enough to cater for the increasing demand. Sales so far, have all been from the Farmer’s Market and word of mouth, and his business has grown 100 percent during the past year. “I ran out of garlic planting only 2500 to 3000 garlics last year, so I’m going to need to plant 4000 to 5000 this year,” he says.

He’s off to Katikati next month to work on planting his next crop.

“It’s a totally different flavour to normal garlic – much milder,” he says.

“You can steam, boil or roast it, or eat it raw, if you like.” It’s not strong enough for cooking in the likes of spaghetti, he says, but once combined, raw, with lemon juice and rock salt the delicious, sweet flavour comes out.

“People love it spread on toast, with things like tomatoes, cold meats and cheeses,” he says. The smoked chilli paste is beautiful on prawns cooked on the barbeque, in stir fries, dressings, or stirred into pasta, and the smoked paste is the perfect complement, spread on a good steak.

The Wakatipu provides the perfect climate, as jumbo garlic loves the frost, he says.

However, after a full-on lifetime career in hospitality, Chico’s being careful to ensure his new retirement hobby doesn’t get out of hand, despite phone calls from fans wanting more paste.

“We would pump through 300 to 350 people a day at Avanti. We had a heap of fun, but I became a bit burnt out from the lifestyle,” says Chico, who’s now enjoying a quieter life.

Queenstown and the New Zealand hospitality industry have changed dramatically since those early days when Chico first arrived and made his Kiwi hospitality career debut, fresh from his Swiss hotel school training in Lucerne.

“It was the best time of my life,” he says. “It was so different back then.

There wasn’t so much emphasis on service or training, but it was lovely and relaxed and so easy, just a bit behind Europe, but not anymore,” says Chico.

“This place is wonderful. We make the best wine and the quality of our lamb and beef has improved so much through better breeding. The whole industry has improved. We’re no longer at the end of the world, we’re the best in the world,” he says, proudly. n

“once combined, raw, with lemon juice and rock salt the delicious, sweet flavour comes out.”

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS - APRIL 2019 25

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Creed Culture & Idealogies

By Marisa Bidois- CEO Restaurant Association of New Zealand

M

y deepest and most sincere condolences go out to all the families and friends of the victims of the Christchurch Terror Attacks. This day will be remembered by all of us and has had wide ranging impacts on our country and our industry.

Our industry is one of the most diverse globally. We are made up of people from all walks of life and parts of the world. We are also the nation’s sitting rooms, hosting people of all creeds, cultures and ideologies. I believe that there is no other industry that can celebrate, welcome and navigate cultural differences with as much ease as we do.

With the recent and tragic events still fresh in our hearts and minds, it pays to think about your own wellness and your teams. Now is the time to revisit the work that was carried out by the Association’s Wellness Forum

28 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

last year, which lead to so many powerful discussions in our industry.

I’d like to remind you that we have a number of resources on wellness and mental health available for everyone in the industry on our website (https://www.restaurantnz.co.nz/ membership-resources/resources/) – thanks to our relationship with the Mental Health Foundation. With this in mind and with the support of Hospitality Business Magazine, Mental Health Foundation and the Wellness Committee at the Association we have been able to provide you with an insert in this magazine on managing wellness. Please feel free to contact us if you would like more information or assistance and we can put you in touch with the right support.

To support our Christchurch members we organised a free Mental Health workshop at the beginning of April, with the generous support of Ora King.

Another one of our wellness partners, EAP, have put together a handy guide on coping with stressful times and we recommend checking this out on our website as well.

It seems fitting to also acknowledge the amazing and generous spirit that exists within our industry. Many of our members support Dineaid, a hospitalityfocused charity, who are raising funds for the victims in Christchurch. So many generous donations to Dineaid have come through and I know they will continue to roll in.

There are so many acts of kindness I have seen since the attacks, from our industry and others.

We are an extremely diverse industry here in New Zealand, so is there a way that we be even better at supporting this in our businesses? Here are a couple of tips from the 5 ways to promote cultural awareness handbook: 1. ASK ABOUT YOUR TEAMS’ HOME If they are taking a day off to celebrate a holiday with their family, inquire about the meaning of the occasion. Particularly when other employees are around to listen, asking and offering appreciation for a given employee’s culture fosters a mutual respect between employees. Find opportunities and be curious.

2. GET OUT AN OLD FASHIONED WORLD MAP Maps are making their exit these days, being replaced by smart phones and GPS systems. But you can still get an old school map if you look hard enough. Get a world map and post it in a staff area or some other area where people assemble.

When you have a new team member join give them a pin with a flag on it and write their name. Have them stick the pin on the map to show where they are from. Not only is this a great way to welcome a new worker, but they may find someone from their home country on the map and forge an instant bond.

Plus, when employees walk by the board and see the distribution of the flags, they will have a better sense of the diversity within their own workplace.

You can find more tips here: www. managersresourcehandbook.com/5ways-to-promote-cultural-awarenessat-work. n

www.ServiceIQ.org.nz

0800 863 693

Please call ServiceIQ now to find out how your hospitality business can go to the next level with one small step. With ServiceIQ it could even be free.

The difference comes down to three words and one simple and effective concept: on-job training.

It’s the difference between just doing the job and doing it brilliantly. So brilliantly in fact, that your customers come back more often, spend more, bring their friends and colleagues, write favourable reviews and recommend you to others.

Some people have a talent for service, but they still need to learn the right skills to do it well. The tricks of the service trade. The art of satisfying customers.

IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN WEARING AN APRON, AND CARRYING A COFFEE, TO BE A WAITER.

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HOSPITALITY NEW ZEALAND

As We See it Marginal Profits For Customer Convenience

By Vicki Lee, CEO Hospitality New Zealand

A

s a hospitality association that oversees 3,000 members nationwide, we are often surprised that many outside the industry are unaware of the costs that actually go in to serving a cup of coffee to customers, and consequently just how small the margin for profit for the average operator usually is.

For example, it is likely that a number of customers at restaurants, bars and cafés are unaware that when they choose to use contactless payment methods such as Paywave, or to pay via credit cards, their hosts are usually being charged for giving their customers that choice and convenience.

The increasing cost of being a good and compliant hospitality operator is a point that we have laboured to make as clear as possible to all those decision makers we meet during our advocacy work, particularly in relation to Fair Pay, and the minimum wage.

We have advised the Government that the cumulative effect of increases to the minimum wage, fuel prices, and (in some cases) the targeted rate, is squeezing our members, and 30 APRIL 2019 - HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

leaving them with very little room for manoeuvre. This is especially relevant for NZ’s small businesses, which not only make up 97 percent of the nation’s business ventures, but operate on particularly tight margins. SMEs are also still waiting for confirmation on the tax reliefs initially proposed by the Government to offset the impact of the minimum wage increase.

Amid the rising cost of operating a business in New Zealand, it is not surprising that some small business owners are feeling the pinch, and that some feel they are no longer able to absorb the cost of card payment fees.

According to recent reports in the media, some café and bar owners have opted to do away with contactless payment methods altogether. One of those bar owners has stated that carrying the extra cost of providing Paywave could actually pay for the salary for an additional member of staff.

In New Zealand, we are typically paying more in card payment fees than our peers operating in countries such as Australia or the UK. According to Retail NZ, the average fee in NZ for a contactless card transaction is

1.2 percent, compared to 0.6 percent in Australia and 0.3 percent in the UK. A quick scan of how other industries (such as taxis or airlines), have coped with the pressure of credit and contactless card payment fees shows that on-charging to customers has been accepted and normalised for a while.

We understand that many customers like to have the option to use credit cards and contactless payment methods, because they consider it to be faster and more convenient. Our members, and other hospitality operators, may wish to continue giving their guests this choice. Either way, consumers should be made aware that this is a provider generated charge that hospitality operators are obliged to either absorb or pass on, as other industries have already been doing for some time.

Just as consumers welcome choice when making their payments; amid the rising pressures and costs for small business owners, hospitality operators should also feel they have options open to them to deal with the cost of card payment fees, and to cope with the increasing costs of running their business. n

IF YOU LOVE SPORT...

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE IT They want it. You’ll have it.

SKY has nine dedicated sport channels, and even now we are finding it hard to fit in all our exclusive sporting events.

A SKY subscription will give your venue all the LIVE sport you need to create that match day atmosphere for your customers.

Some additional charges will apply for premium channels and events.

Call us now on 0800 759 333 to cash in on the benefits of having SKY in your venue.

NELSON’S COLUMN

Your Corridors Of Power

E

very time you enter an area where you are going to make a purchase you are entering a “Decision Corridor”, and when we are in that Decision Corridor we can be easily influenced and a restaurant or bar is no different.

Research in the North American market found that upto 60% of people entering a hospitality venue had not made their mind up what they were going to order. Think about the opportunity that gives you to increase your profitability by steering those customers to purchase drinks that are going to give you a good profitable return. Take for example a cocktail that you have designed that you know gives you a good Pour Cost, having attractive Black Boards with the ingredients and table tents are just a couple of silent sales tools that you could use to influence the customer.

Imagine what percentage you could increase your Premium Vodka sales by having a large bowl of ice behind the bar with a bottle of Premium

Vodka sitting in the ice with some drink suggestions on a black board beside the bowl?

Your most influential and powerful tool however are your Staff, “suggestive selling” is proven and successful method of upselling. By asking a few simple questions your staff could steer your customers in a direction that will give them something that they are going to enjoy and hopefully is very profitable for you.

• What do you feel like today?

• We’ve just stocked this great new Gin……

• What about trying the cocktail of the week?

• You’ve got to try our new Imported Beer This becomes even more prevalent in a restaurant., upselling is a great way of increasing the spend per head; • Would you like some bread for the table?

• A Pinot Noir would go nicely with that • Would you like me to order a few sides to accompany your mains?

All of the examples quoted above are a simple case of staff training. Give your staff a

few pointers about asking the right questions to get the outcomes you want. Similarly, have they tried the dishes o your menu, a staff member who can attest to something is far better than one that doesn’t know.

A great way to further drive the success is to incentivise your staff, be it the most sales for the cocktail of the week or the person who sells the most deserts of the week an incentive will really deliver a good return.

Remember 60 percent of people haven’t made their minds as to what they are going to order. Do not let the opportunity pass, increase your customer spend per head and your overall profitability. n

Peter Nelson is the Managing Director of Sculpture Hospitality New Zealand & Australia

KIWI ACCESS

The new Kiwi Access Card has replaced the 18+ Card.

Visit the website for more information, or email info@kiwiaccess.co.nz.

Get the most out of life with the Kiwi Access Card.

Available now from your local NZ Post shop.

Freedom for only $55.

www.kiwiaccess.co.nz

BE WISE WHEN YOU ADVERTISE Everyone deserves to get what they pay for.

Hospitality Business is independently audited and verified by ABC, because we want our advertisers to know they’re getting the exposure they’ve been promised.

To advertise call Wendy Steele on 021 300 473

www.theshout.co.nz

April 2019

There is a

Chardonnay out there waiting for you

N E W Z E A L A N D ’ S L A R G E ST L I Q U O R AU D I E N C E

PLUS MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS • COFFEE COCKTAILS • BRUT IPA

AVAILABLE FROM 1 st MAY elephanthill.co.nz

The Shout Editor Charlotte Cowan

Contents 04 I ndustry news and insights

Back on board!

Happy April, Shout readers! I’m pleased to inform you all that I’m back from maternity leave, having had my little girl - Belle Daisy - in November. Now that I can partake in a wine or two again, let’s chat about what’s happening in this issue.

For lovers of Chardonnay and the Hawke’s Bay (or both), we have some of New Zealand’s best wines tasted by Cameron Douglas MS on pgs 15-17. Plus, John Oszajca gives us the downlow on one of the new and unique IPAs – Brut IPA (yip, like the sparkling wine) – on pgs 1819. And forget to check out spirits writer Tash McGill’s coffee cocktail extravaganza on pgs 10-11.

And speaking of Cameron, John and Tash, we thought it was about time to introduce our amazing contributors to you. We’re lucky to work with some of this country’s best liquor experts, check out their bios – and our brand new Sales Director – on pgs 8-9.

If you haven’t signed up to our weekly eNewsletters already, head along to www.theshout.co.nz click the subscribe button! And don’t forget to check us out on Facebook and Instagram @theshoutnz.

13 H awke’s Bay highlights Tasting Notes from Cameron Douglas MS

07 T he comeback of Chardonnay

Allan Scott Family Winemakers' Chardonnay collection

08 B est in the business

Introducing The Shout’s amazingly talented contributors

15 F uture Chardonnay

Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS

18 T he new fizz: Brut IPA Beer writer John Oszajca delves into this dry style

10 M aking cocktails brewtiful Tash McGill takes us into the world of coffee cocktails and spirits

www.theshout.co.nz

April 2019

THE COVER: ALLAN SCOTT FAMILY WINEMAKERS

Allan Scott has been a staple on the Marlborough wine scene since the early 1970s and now, together with his family, he produces some of New Zealand's most exciting examples of Chardonnay. For more, take a look at pg 7, as well as Cameron Douglas MS' tasting notes on pgs 15-17.

There is a

Chardonnay out there waiting for you

N E W Z E A L A N D ’ S L A R G E ST L I Q U O R AU D I E N C E

PLUS MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS • COFFEE COCKTAILS • BRUT IPA

Editor’s picks TONY BISH GOLDEN EGG HAWKE’S BAY CHARDONNAY 2017

A good ol’ buttery Chard might not be for everyone but we may have just found a Chardonnay to suit all tastes. Tony Bish is New Zealand’s only Chardonnay-exclusive producer and the Golden Egg Chardonnay is a stunning example of what this family-owned winery is producing. For more Chardonnays tasted by Cameron Douglas MS, head to pgs 15-17.

BLACK BARN VINEYARDS HAWKE’S BAY CONCETTA 2015

Published By The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand Managing Director-Publisher Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz Editor Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph 021 774 080 Sales Director Jac queline Freeman ph 021 286 7600 jfreeman@intermedianz.co.nz

The gorgeous Hawke’s Bay is famous for its landscape, its climate and, of course, its wine. Black Barn Vineyards Hawke’s Bay Concetta 2015 commemorates Concetta Lombardi, a remarkable woman known as ‘The Godmother’ of Black Barn Vineyards. A Sangiovese and Montepulciano blend, only 1698 bottles were produced. For more from the Hawke’s Bay, take a look at pg 13.

URBANAUT BREWING COMPANY COPACABANA BRUT IPA

Bone-dry and spritzy, with intense aromas of fresh fruit salad with melon, mango, stone fruit and citrus… but no, it’s not a sparkling wine. This Brut IPA is a bubbles-like beer and is 7.1% ABV. Curious? Learn more about this unique beer style on pgs 18-19.

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | April 2019 | 3

NEWS

Highball is happening!

New Zealand’s first dedicated spirits and cocktail festival, Highball, is happening next month in Wellington.

Taking place at the Embassy Theatre on May 11-12 (following the inaugural NZ Spirits Awards on May 10), Highball is an immersive celebration of cocktails and spirits, where you can explore fine spirits, rare exports, creative cocktails and other libations, presented by local and international distilleries, as well as the best of Wellington’s cocktail bars and talent. “[Wellington is] gaining an international reputation as one of the world’s great culinary cities, and we’ve established two very successful annual food and beer festivals,” says Sarah Meikle, Wellington Culinary Trust Chief Executive. “We thought it was high time we added cocktails and spirits to this line-up. It’s the perfect way to recognise and celebrate the cocktail and spirits industry, the talent within it, and also offer something new and exciting for the public to get behind.”

There are four separate sessions available and here’s just a snippet of what you can expect…

DISTILLERIES:

Highball will showcase 16 local and international distilleries, including Glenfiddich, Four Pillars, House of Angostura and NZ’s Thomson Whisky, who will share immersive experiences, tasters and cocktails.

BAR TAKEOVERS:

Wellington’s preeminent cocktail bars and bartending talent will be shaking, stirring and garnishing your cocktails throughout the festival. Bars include C.G.R. Merchant & Co., Havana Bar, The Library and Lulu.

SPEAKER SERIES:

Cocktail experts, bartenders and professionals from home and abroad will share their knowledge. Speakers include Philip Greene, Cocktail Historian (USA) on Hemingway’s Drinks; Dan Monk, Rum Diary Spiced (NZ/Australia) on Tiki Culture and Jason Williams, 28 Hong Kong Street (Australia) on Cocktail Education.

Highball weekend is followed by Wellington Cocktail Week (WCW) from May 13-19, where the capital’s best bars and venues host events, pop-ups, special menus and masterclasses in a city-wide cocktail takeover. For more info on Highball and WCW, visit www.highball.co.nz, and for the winners of the NZ Spirits Awards – with our very own Tash McGill as one of the judges – check out the May issue of The Shout.

5–6 October 2019

THE CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE SHOW

IS BACK IN 2019!

Your chance to get face to face with more than 7,000 passionate foodies over 2 days at The Cloud on Auckland’s waterfront. Over 80 artisan chocolate, coffee and sweet treats exhibitors, Masterclasses, Barista Zone, Demo Kitchen and much more.

Exhibitor stands and event partnerships now available, contact Shaughan 021 744 138 or Dale 021 361 136 www.chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Fresh hop heaven As summer becomes a memory and the sights turn to stacking firewood, many will be reminiscing over the sunny days past, most brewers however have their sights set on the annual hop harvest.

Late February and March each year in New Zealand is when we see the hop flower - also known as a cone - from the hop plant Humulus Lupulus processed on mass for brewers around the country and indeed, to export to the rest of the world. It is well recorded that New Zealand hops are rather sought after. We produce a wide range of uniquely New Zealand varieties, of which around 80% are exported to markets all around the world.

At this time of year, hop farmers work around the clock picking hops to clear the fields. Picked hops are moved to drying rooms, where they are spread out and dried with hot air. Once they’re dry, the majority of hops are processed into pellets. These tiny bursts of flavour remain usable for around a year when stored correctly. Most beer produced is made using these.

However, for many brewers, the excitement of the hop harvest comes from the ability to brew fresh hop beers (sometimes called wet hop beers).

These beers are made using the freshest possible hops with brewers looking to add them to a brew within 24 hours of picking before the hop cone starts to degrade. Fresh hop beers have a unique flavour with aromas and flavours described as floral, piney, and grassy, fresh hop beer takes advantage of the bold aromas and flavour compounds within the hop cones. These characteristics normally would disappear as they’re dried. Most fresh hop beer is made into a pale ale or IPA, although you’ll increasingly see other styles popping up as experimentation becomes more the norm.

The best time to drink these floral brews is during the month of April, right after the harvests in February and March. So keep an eye out at your local bar or supermarket for some limited release fresh hop beers, they are certainly something worth trying.

DYLAN FIRTH Executive Director, Brewers Association of New Zealand

What will you be doing this International Sauvignon Blanc Day?

AMBER SILVESTER New Zealand Winegrowers Communications Manager

The countdown is on until International Sauvignon Blanc Day, taking place on Friday, 3 May 2019.

Celebrations will kick off in New Zealand, home to some of the world’s most famous Sauvignon Blanc, before continuing across the globe.

Sauvignon Blanc was commercially produced on our shores for the first time in 1979, and is now New Zealand’s most widely planted variety. While New Zealand may only produce less than 1% of the world’s wine production, the zesty varietal shows huge popularity all over the world, with Sauvignon Blanc making up 86% of all wine exported from New Zealand.

2019 has already seen an impressive celebration of this popular varietal, with Marlborough hosting the International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration at the end of January. The International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration was built around three themes; Place, Purity and Pursuit and provided an opportunity for New Zealand to shine the spotlight on our diverse Sauvignon Blanc offerings to over 350 attendees.

New Zealand Winegrowers are celebrating the variety that awoke the world to New Zealand wine by running an online social media campaign, holding promotions with international retailers, and hosting tasting events around the world, including key markets USA, Canada, UK, Asia and Australia.

Our aim is to get everyone raising a glass to toast New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, no matter where they

FOR MORE INDUSTRY NEWS FOLLOW US ON

are in the world. Whether it be a few glasses shared with loved ones and friends, a bottle paired with fish and chips on the beach or a picnic, or a visit to a local cellar door, what will you be doing this #sauvblanc day?

So if you’re a Sauvignon Blanc fan, show your appreciation by posting video clips, photographs and messages that celebrate our most popular drop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #sauvblanc and #nzwine. And make sure to follow @nzwinegrowers to keep up with all of the #sauvblanc action!

CHECK OUT

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TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | April 2019 | 5

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COVER STORY Allan Scott Family Winemakers

The comeback of

Chardonnay Josh, Victoria, Catherine, Allan and Sara

T

he collection of Chardonnay styles produced by Allan Scott Family Winemakers come from years of love for the variety. Chief Operating Officer, Josh Scott, says Chardonnay has always been a variety that is loved by the family and each member has a different pick when it comes to their favourite style.

“As the years have gone by, we’ve really developed one for everyone,” he says. “From the soft, rich and smooth aged style, like Eli - Allan’s favourite - to a fruit-forward and light style like the Estate, Sara’s favourite.

“I prefer the creamy, stone fruit sophistication reflected in the Generations Chardonnay,” says Josh. “And my Mum’s choice is our Cecilia Vintage Methode Traditionnelle.”

The “Scott Base” Chardonnay, fondly named by Victoria, is from the Central Otago vineyard and the loamy soils from this beautiful landscape give this wine a classic elegance.

In 2019, Allan Scott Family Winemakers are choosing to highlight their range of Chardonnay with the introduction of a new premium Black Label to be released in early May. “The Premium label will really compliment the range,” says Josh. “All our wine lovers will be able to find an Allan Scott Chardonnay that suits their palate.”

For tasting notes on the Allan Scott Family Winemakers Chardonnay range, head to pgs 15-17. And for more information, visit www.allanscott.com n

ABOUT THE SCOTTS

Allan Scott Generations Chardonnay

Allan Scott has nearly 46 years in the wine business, having worked on Marlborough vineyards since 1973. He launched Allan Scott Wines in 1990 and since then, it has become a family affair. Elder daughter Victoria is responsible for Marketing, while son Josh is Chief Winemaker, taking responsibility for the variety of wines the winery produces. Younger daughter Sara has also trained as a winemaker, but works mostly in the vineyard having followed her father’s specialty as a viticulturalist.

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | April 2019 | 7

PEOPLE

The best in the business

The Shout NZ is privileged to work with some of the best liquor experts in New Zealand. Here we share a small snippet of their extensive, and impressive, backgrounds and skills… plus our upcoming features to put on your radar this year.

Our wine expert:

Cameron Douglas MS Not only was Cameron Douglas the first New Zealander to obtain the Master Sommelier credential (and, at the time, the first in the Southern Hemisphere), but he took out the trophy for the top marks. Only around 250 people in the world have attained this qualification since its inception in 1969, and the Masters’ Exam is deemed the hardest in the world.

Cameron is an experienced wine writer, commentator, judge, reviewer, presenter and consultant. He takes his position as unofficial Ambassador for New Zealand Wine very seriously, ensuring he spends time in every wine region in the country regularly.

He lives his life around his enthusiasm for all things beverage – teaching, travelling, tasting and talking. He judges and presents wine regularly in the USA, the UK, Australia and Asia.

As a professional Sommelier, Cameron spends much of his time involved in education – academically in charge of the Wine and Beverage Programme at AUT University in Auckland, and ‘out in the field’, consulting for the wine, hospitality and tourism sectors, and

the interested public. He is Patron of the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Association, and consults to a variety of establishments, taking care of their wine lists, wine and food pairings, and staff training matters. He is on the Fine Wines of New Zealand team, selecting for Air New Zealand Business Premier class.

Cameron also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas, and is committed to being an instructor and examiner for the MS programme both in the USA and Oceania.

IN OUR UPCOMING ISSUES...

May - Sparkling wine and Regional Focus: Martinborough June - Aromatics and Regional Focus: Marlborough July – Syrah, Shiraz and Merlot and Regional Focus: Auckland and Northland August - Chardonnay and Regional Focus: Central and North Otago September - Pinot Gris and Regional Focus: Hawke’s Bay October - Sauvignon Blanc and Regional Focus: Canterbury

Our spirits expert:

Tash McGill Tash McGill was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but now spends more than half the year living out of a suitcase between old world and new world whisky locations. A writer, taster, judge and ambassador for all things whisky, she doesn’t discriminate against spirits. In the 15 years Tash has been writing about spirits for both the hospitality industry and consumers, she’s developed a passion for the health and growth of New Zealand spirits and the hospitality industry as a whole. As such, she invests time with local producers, bartenders and brand experts and introducing consumers the world over to the rich histories and bright futures of the spirits world.

A passionate broadcaster and writer, you can often find Tash on the airwaves of Newstalk

ZB, or on her podcast, website and social media channels where she loves connecting people with her new discoveries – often inspired by her travels and the search for great local booze wherever she is. A judge at the inaugural 2019 NZ Spirits Awards, the NZ Whisky Awards and a number of national cocktail competitions over the last 10 years, she is working towards a master taster’s qualification.

IN OUR UPCOMING ISSUES...

May – Bitters and aromatics

August – Pink drinks

June – Whisky

September – Vodka

July – Cocktail trends

October – Tequila

8 | April 2019 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

PEOPLE Our beer expert:

John Oszajca IN OUR UPCOMING ISSUES...

May - Mead June - Smoked beer July - Winter warmers August - Beer and wine hybrids September - Beervana October - English Bitter

Hawaiian-born John Oszajca moved to Los Angeles at a young age to pursue a career in music. He would eventually land one of the largest new-artist record deals in history and would release albums for Interscope and Warner Brothers, as well as independently.

One day in early 2000, while enjoying some down time from the studio and touring, John wandered into a homebrew shop, fascinated by the notion that one could brew their own beer.

He bought the ingredients and equipment needed, went home, and got to work, thus igniting an enduring interest in beer, its history, and the brewing industry as a whole.

Years later, John would meet a Kiwi girl from the Far North. The pair got married and soon left the City of Angles behind in favour of the Land

Our new Sales Director:

Jacqueline Freeman When the opportunity to work with extraordinary people such as Cameron, Tash and John presents itself, you want to say yes. The Shout is blessed to have exceptional talent writing for it. Like the readers of this publication, Jacqueline appreciates the quality of a great drink, and is now learning so much more about wine, spirits and beer and their respective industries than she could ever have imagined.

Jacqueline worked in the media world for close to three decades in senior roles within APN News & Media (now NZME), Fairfax Media and Ogilvy. She is a mum to two sconegrabbers and

In the next issue of

ON TREND Share your favourite product or exciting new launch with our readers!

FOR BOOKINGS, CONTACT The Shout NZ Sales Director

Jacqueline Freeman jfreeman@intermedianz.co.nz 021 286 7600

has a busy life, with lots of comings and goings of young people through the door with endless laughter along with them. Jacqueline’s is a house where people like to stop and have a drink and a chat, with the discussion now including many new subjects such as great wines tasted

by Cameron, or spirits introduced by Tash, or John’s insight into beers.

“I am delighted to be part of this great team and am looking forward to building strong relationships with all our amazing clients,” says Jacqueline. “Your success is ours, so please give me a call or drop me a line.”

of the Long White Cloud. There, they would settle down in rural Northland to raise a family.

As the craft beer industry blossomed over the last decade, so too did John’s involvement with New Zealand’s beer scene. In addition to winning dozens of medals as a homebrewer, he has served as a beer judge, Northland’s regional coordinator for SOBA (Society of Beer Advocates), the host of the New Zealand Brewer Podcast (New Zealand’s most popular beer podcast), and the resident beer writer of The Shout NZ (since 2015).

John’s passion for the subject has made him an active and integral part of New Zealand’s beer scene. He reaches hundreds of thousands of readers and listeners each year, helping to tell the rich and remarkable story of beer, both here in New Zealand and abroad.

Making cocktails

brewtiful Spirits writer Tash McGill takes a look at the coffee cocktails that are getting people buzzing and shows there’s more out there to try than just an Espresso Martini.

H

ere in the South Pacific, coffee is a staple part of our hospitality culture. Whether talking about the first purpose-built cafés and roasteries that began opening in the 1960s or our premium coffee brands like Coffee Supreme and Allpress that have won international acclaim and branched into offshore markets – one thing is certain, we love a good cuppa Joe. The meteoric rise of coffee culture here has paralleled the cocktail renaissance over the last 20-or-so years, so it should come as no surprise that the two have met in a romance of unique and interesting flavour profiles, tasting notes and drinks that offer so much more than a classic Espresso Martini.

One of Aotearoa’s top global bartending exports, Jason Clark (formerly of Bedford Soda and Liquor and Hummingbird, to name a few), is an expert in the field of coffee and cocktails, releasing his own cocktail book in September 2018. The Art & Craft of Coffee Cocktails was perfectly timed to capture the parallels between the industries. For Clark, it’s all about the creativity and focus on flavour in both industries that has created a moment.

“With passionate bartenders and baristas both pushing the boundaries of quality and creativity within their respective trades and consumers happily lapping up the results, it’s the perfect time to bring these two worlds closer together,” he says. “There is a movement towards quality over quantity and people are showing more interest in provenance, production and flavour.

Coffee is an extremely diverse and versatile ingredient that can be used in so many ways other than the classic Espresso Martini and Irish Coffee.”

We often think of the primary flavour profile without paying particular attention to the individual notes, layers and aromas that make for the full complexity of flavour we might identify as coffee or whisky or rum. But each is made of so many unique components that invite creativity when it comes to matching and enhancing flavour, aroma and texture. With so many unique variables between ingredients including the application of subtlety and strength, the possibilities are boundless.

“The obvious flavours in coffee are chocolate, nuts spices and berries, however there are often citrus notes and acidity along with stone fruits, floral, herbal, earthy, citrus and many other sensations to be found,” says Clark. “I’ve paired coffee with Hibiscus, beetroot, fig, pineapple, granny smith apple, gin, tequila and much more with great success and I encourage others to experiment with different combinations too.”

When it comes to the type of coffee to use in behind the

10 | April 2019 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

Jason Clark’s Clash of Stags cocktail

Barney Toy’s Island Wake Up Call cocktail

SPIRIT ON SHOW Harpoon Cold Brew

Keen to try your hand at a couple of interesting coffee cocktail twists?

Check out these delicious beverages from The Art & Craft of Coffee Cocktails.

Quick Brown Fox coffee liqueur

bar, there’s plenty of discussion to inspired by Sydney bartender Fred be had. Coffee has often been an Siggins from a Bacardi Legacy afterthought, with an infrequently competition, Toy’s version is made used espresso machine behind the with coffee bean infused Scotch and bar. Espresso itself is an art form a pineapple cordial. The result is and not necessarily something delicious: the slight bitterness and that a bartender has a particular acidity of the coffee balances the focus on. The introduction of cold sweet juiciness of the pineapple and brew, cold brew concentrates and the chocolate notes of the coffee other shelf stable coffee products infused Scotch leave a creaminess has really changed the game for to the mouthfeel. I’m convinced hospitality venues wanting to keep that it’s delicious, but will people in step with consumer’s drinking be intrigued or unconvinced about interests without sacrificing quality. coffee and pineapple combos?

“I’m a huge advocate for use “You don’t want to be the bar Jason Clark of Cold Brew coffee in bars as that only sells weird stuff - you still it’s consistent, shelf stable, fast to pour and most want to sell great classics,” says Toy. “But we are in importantly delicious,” says Clark. “I tend to make a the epicentre of where we do forage for interesting concentrate at 5:1 for 12-18 hours, taste, asses and and local ingredients, make our own cordials, syrups, then construct the drink to suit its profile.” Cold cold brews and infuse our own spirits. So the culture brew coffee has been a multi-million-dollar industry is welcoming of that kind of interest because they in the US since 2014 and its presence in the New are already interested in coffee flavour profiles when Zealand market continues to grow. they sit at a specialist coffee shop. Why wouldn’t they Dunedin’s own Harpoon Cold Brew is be the same way in a bar?” undoubtedly the market leader here, as New While access to some hard to find products is a Zealand’s original cold brew only company. Made challenge, New Zealand also has our own premium through a painstakingly detailed 18-hour process, coffee liqueurs available - Quick Brown Fox comes they produce both 330ml ready to drink cold brew, a from the same family as Harpoon Cold Brew and has soda version and a shelf stable concentrate product at begun the international export journey. Handcrafted 375ml. The product is high quality and available both from organic coffee, Quick Brown Fox has a distinct for trade and consumer purchase. cinnamon note as opposed to a more traditional So what about consumers? Are they really vanilla and caramel sweetness. That stands in interested in the complex and subtle flavours that contrast to Australian export, Mr Black – an intense, coffee can add to their favourite cocktails? dark coffee liqueur that focuses on a strong, bitter Barney Toy, the new owner of cornerstone edge to the flavour profile.

Auckland cocktail bar Mea Culpa, thinks the New Jason Clark is also a fan of coffee-infused alcohol.

Zealand consumer is more than ready.

“I like coffee infused vermouth as it gives a subtle “The New Zealand palate is really open to trying twist of coffee to classics like the Negroni, Manhattan new things - they want to be able to experience and Vieux Carre,” he says. “There’s nothing quite like the new things. It means we get to be creative and an exceptionally well-made Espresso Martini. I’ve explore a range of trends,” he says. certainly had more than my fair share of good, bad We chatted over one of the new cocktails on the and ugly ones over the years but a great one certainly menu, the Island Wake Up Call cocktail. Originally is an amazing experience I’ll never get tired of.” n

Beets By J A complex recipe with coffee as a subtle flavour, rather than the dominant character. Made using Johnnie Walker Gold Label, whisky, Drambuie, cold brew coffee (El Salvador medium roast), beetroot, lemon, raspberry, Creole bitters and freeze-dried raspberry dust.

Clash of Stags Designed as a big bold alternative to the Espresso Martini using Speyside Whisky, Jägermeister, Vana Tallinn Liqueur, Cold Brew Coffee (Colombian), spices and cola.

The Art & Craft of Coffee Cocktails by Jason Clark, published by Ryland Peters & Small, RRP $39.99

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | April 2019 | 11

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TASTING NOTES

Hawke’s Bay highlights

BY CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

H

awke’s Bay really does seem to have it all – excellent soils for wine, growing conditions that are mostly predictable, and great wine results. Winemakers still get nervous around harvest time – watching the weather especially.

Prepping and micro-training picking teams.

Hawke’s Bay has been linked to high quality red wine, in particular, for at least the last 25 years. The modern expressions of Merlot and Cabernet-based blends are fantastic. Issues of the past with under-ripe fruit and ‘green’ wine is all but gone. The development and success of Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Tempranillo and even sweet wine is a testament to the love of wine that exists in the Bay. Extreme vineyard work kind of goes without saying. Better yeast strains, wider use of natural ferments and less impact of oak have all contributed to fine wine results. It doesn’t just happen on its own, of course, and there’s a whole load of work that goes on in the

background to make these modern wines look as good as they do.

The red blended wines of the region (sometimes referred to as Bordeaux Blends) feature Merlot, the Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon and often Malbec and Petit Verdot.

The best of those produced have a focused core of fruit, are ripe and bold on the palate and display very expressive and abundant tannins, plenty of acidity and oak. Syrah from this region are as good as any you’ll find from its counterparts in France and the New World.

Sangiovese and Montepulciano are emerging as varieties to now pay attention to.

The selection of wines tasted for this issue have shown both the challenges and delights of the of the last few vintages. Without exception, the wines tasted all showed a focus on ripe fruit - some also showing earthy mineral highlights, not too much oak (when used) and, the most important to this writer, balance.

Wines are scored out of 100 points and are listed in no particular order.

Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

1

PASK DECLARATION HAWKE’S BAY MERLOT 2013

A lovely bouquet, complex. Loaded with aromas of plums and spice, gravelly soils and French oak spice. Firm textures on the palate showing off the youth, focus and concentration. Flavours of dark berries and plums, toasty wood spices and steely, youthful and engaging core. Long finish, totally harmonious and exemplary. Drink well now and through 2026+. A real treat.

Points 96 RRP $50.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit and Beer Merchants Phone: (06) 879 7906 www.pask.co.nz

BARN VINEYARDS 2 BLACK HAWKE’S BAY CONCETTA 2015 Complex, earthy, woody and totally varietal with aromas of sweet and sour cherry, red plum, blackberry and tea. Quite aromatic with clove and tobacco oak. Dry, equal fruit and oak flavours, dark spices, rustic and complex earthy layers. A fantastic wine, complex lengthy finish.

Best drinking from now and through 2028+ Points 95 RRP $85.00 Distributor: Negociants NZ Phone: (06) 877 7985 www.blackbarn.com

LATE HARVEST 3 ASKERNE HAWKE’S BAY GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2017

FOUR

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Honey, spices, baked apple tart, clove and brown sugar. Very sweet, very fruity, loaded with flavours of honey and apricot, baked apple tart and clove. Full-bodied and rich and creamy texture. Long finish, delicious! Drink now.

Points 94 RRP $22.90 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (09) 412 9137 www.askernewines.co.nz

GIMBLETT GRAVELS 4 PASK HAWKE’S BAY MERLOT 2016 Rich, vibrant, fruity and toasty bouquet. Dry on the palate with flavours of baked plums and cinnamon, roasted dark cherry and toast, old rose and blackberry pie. Firm and youthful texture with abundant tannins and acidity and a core of dark red fruit flavours. Youthful, firm and dry so food recommended. A well-made example with a lengthy focussed finish. Drink now if decanted otherwise best from 2020 though 2026.

Points 94 RRP $22.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit and Beer Merchants Phone: (06) 879 7906 www.pask.co.nz

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | April 2019 | 13

TASTING NOTES

Future Chardonnay T

BY CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

he style, shape and form of Chardonnay is changing. Yes, there are the predictable ‘traditional’ expressions still popular and available – creamy, fruity, oaky and buttery. Yet, like many wine styles, Chardonnay must also evolve.

Evolution and change in Chardonnay styles, from New Zealand in particular, are inevitable. Mainly because viticulture and winemaking itself is responding and changing to conditions in weather, soil, environment and even market demands. This suggests that all grapes are affected by these changes, and that would be right. Chardonnay is eccentric and really likes things to be the same in the vineyard, with little variation in growing conditions from one year to the next.

In market - competition for excellent and affordable Chardonnay is becoming tougher. In order to reproduce traditional expressions under changing vineyard and growing conditions, as well as keep the price the same or similar, winemakers have to deploy and engage different approaches in the winery. The costs of winemaking are increasing and so must the price to customers. Otherwise the quality will decrease.

More tricks are used to recreate taste profiles, which is not good for wine or Chardonnay.

Vineyard practices have had to change also, because vineyard conditions are changing. Climate change - even a small amount - has an affect on plant life and viticulture is no exception. Disease pressure, for example, can arrive earlier or later in the season; canopy management is changing as well due to hotter more intense sunlight.

Some wine growers/companies are recognising these changes by showing more understanding of style within style for Chardonnay. By disengaging some of the traditional approaches to handling fruit, they are trialling more natural wine practices to learn where acceptable new style can come from (or not). Less preservative (or more), less oak handling, small batch wine making, different yeast strains, concrete eggs.

Chardonnay is one of those wine styles that can polarise a wine audience easily. Our role, as wine professionals, is to guide customers to Chardonnay examples that are leading the charge of change, but not too far away from what they are used to.

Wines are scored out of 100 points and are listed in no particular order. Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

Great bouquet of Chardonnay, complex and alluring. Aromas and flavours of baked peach and nectarine, baked custard and raw brown sugar. An abundance of spicy oak, specific and engaging structure with a youthful acidity, oak tannins, weight, warmth and core of fruit. Full-bodied and powerful wine, lengthy finish and complex. Drinkable now though best from 2021 through 2026+ Points 96 RRP $34.99 Distributor: Quench Collective Limited Phone: (06) 879 8760 www.sacredhill.com

TWO

CHARDONNAY 2016

Complex, full and rich in scents of soil, oak, spice and fruit. Equally enticing on the palate, youthful too with an oak and fruit core, baked fruits and kitchen spices. Acid and tannins noted. Complex lengthy finish. A wine to cellar or enjoy with wine friends. Best from 2020 through 2026.

Points 96 RRP $54.00 Distributor: Procure Liquor Phone: (06) 872 6073 www.elephanthill.co.nz

ONE

HILL SACRED HILL 1 ELEPHANT RESERVE HAWKE’S BAY 2 WINE THIEF HAWKE’S BAY CHARDONNAY 2017

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | April 2019 | 15

TASTING NOTES SCOTT ELI GIBBSTON CENTRAL TONY BISH GOLDEN EGG HAWKE’S 4 ALLAN 3 BRENNAN 5 COLLECTION MARLBOROUGH OTAGO CHARDONNAY 2016 BAY CHARDONNAY 2017 CHARDONNAY 2016 A very different and exciting bouquet of Chardonnay with a lees and wood smoke beginning, then lemon peel, apple and lemon custard aromas. These ideas follow through to the palate with a seamless transition, abundant acidity and measured use of oak. Well made and lengthy, complex and very individual. Drink now and through 2024.

Points 95 RRP $35.00 Distributor: Brennan Wines Phone: (03) 442 4315 www.brennanwines.com

6 ARCHANGEL CENTRAL OTAGO CHARDONNAY 2018

Lovely bouquet of Chardonnay enticing aromas of sweet citrus and apple, white peach and oak, finely balanced and finely tuned.

Even better on the palate, with loads of texture from noticeable oak, wood spice and tannins to precise fruit flavours and a creamy, yoghurt-like lactic layer. Well made, complex and weighty. Drink now and through 2025.

Points 94 RRP $35.00 Distributor: Archangel Wines Phone: (03) 443 4347 www.archangelwines.co.nz

Complex and sophisticated Chardonnay bouquet. Aromas and flavours of citrus and apple, just ripe yellow stone fruits and cashew nut oak scents. Youthful, dry, weighty and developing complex layers of textures and themes. A lovely wine still developing. Best drinking from 2020 through 2024.

Points 94 RRP $100.00 Distributor: Allan Scott Family Winemakers Phone: (03) 572 9054 www.allanscott.com

Elegant, complex and enticing bouquet. Layers of lees spice and aromas of baked yellow stone fruits. Tense and vibrant on the palate with texture as much a feature as flavour. Lemon and apple, stone fruits and spice. Elelgant, natural flavours, finesse and charm, lengthy and complex. A wine to be considered carefully sip by sip. Well made. Drinking nicely now and through 2025.

Points 94 RRP $39.95 Distributor: Caro’s, Warburton Wines and Long Cloud Wines Phone: (06) 650 3353 www.tonybishwines.co.nz

ROAD 7 DOMAIN VINEYARD DEFIANCE

ILIAD 8 ODYSSEY GISBORNE

DECLARATION 9 PASK HAWKE’S BAY

Complex and enticing bouquet with aromas of mineral and wood spice, citrus, apple and toasty wood layers. Dry, firm youthful textures; flavours of citrus and stone fruit, wood spices and mineral. Youthful with fine tannins and plenty of acidity. Lengthy finish. Best from 2020 through 2025.

Points 94 RRP $28.00 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (09) 412 9137 www.copilotdistributors.co.nz

Rich, fleshy, fruity, complex and distinctive bouquet of Chardonnay. Equally distinctive on the palate with flavours of wood spice and peach, crush rocks and vanilla, apple and grapefruit.

Weighty with balanced use of oak and acidity. Ready to enjoy with cellar time potential. Drink from today and through 2024.

Points 94 RRP $36.95 Distributor: Odyssey Wines Phone: (09) 837 5410 www.odysseywines.co.nz

No mistaking the power and presence of this wine on the nose with aromas of spicy toasty wood, ripe stone fruit and baked apple.

Nutty flavours of French oak and creamy textures laced with spice and acidity, a core of yellow fleshed stone fruit, bacon-like oak layer and full-bodied richness. A lovely example - drinking well now and through 2024.

Points 94 RRP $40.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit and Beer Merchants Phone: (06) 879 7906 www.pask.co.nz

CENTRAL OTAGO CHARDONNAY 2017

CHARDONNAY 2016

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CHARDONNAY 2017

TASTING NOTES WAIPARA 10 GREYSTONE CHARDONNAY 2017

Floral, fruity, some wood accents and earthy/ mineral layers. Creamy, weighty, complex and layered on the palate. Flavours do reflect the nose, but this wine is more about texture and synergy. Medium+(ish) acidity, moderate use of oak with fine tannins and wood spices, a core of yellow fruits and apple, some wild flowers and intriguing harmony. Well made with a lengthy finish. Drink now and through 2024.

Points 94 RRP $39.00 Distributor: Procure Liquor Phone: (09) 376 9385 www.procureliquor.co.nz

HAWKE’S BAY 11 ASKERNE CHARDONNAY 2017

Full and richly scented bouquet - baked custard and brulee, vanilla and fresh peach. Toasted French oak spice. Nutty, fruity, oaky, spicy fullbodied wine. Creamy texture, firm oak core with tannins to match. Lengthy finish, youthful and distinctive. A well-made wine with cellar time and immediately drinking option with food.

Best from 2020 through 2024.

Points 93 RRP $22.90 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (09) 412 9137 www.askernewines.co.nz

CHALICE THE FALCON 12 LAKE MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2017

Enticing aromas of peach and vanilla, nectarine and grapefruit peel. A butter toast layer adds depth and a layer of complexity. Fresh, fruity, crunchy textured wine with weight and youthful bite. Lengthy finish, balanced and ready. Drink now and through 2023.

Points 92 RRP $18.99 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit and Beer Merchants Phone: (09) 361 8400 www.lakechalice.com

ESTATE 13 JACKSON SHELTER BELT

SCOTT 14 ALLAN GENERATIONS

15

ALLAN SCOTT SCOTT BASE CENTRAL OTAGO CHARDONNAY 2017

SCOTT 16 ALLAN ESTATE

Fruity, nutty, varietal and inviting bouquet of Chardonnay. Vanilla and sweet wood, peach, pear and apple flavours. Dry with a lovely mealy texture, nice line of acidity highlighting the white and yellow fruit flavours as well as oak.

Balanced and well made, ready to enjoy today and through 2022.

Points 92 RRP $24.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone: (03) 572 9500 www.jacksonestate.co.nz

Distinctive and familiar aromas of Chardonnay with a cream and peach, vanilla and nectarine, melted butter and wet stone bouquet. Dry, full-bodied and weighty on the palate. Flavours of Brazil nut and toasty oak, butter and yellow stone fruits. Balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2022.

Points 91 RRP $31.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit and Beer Merchants Phone: (03) 572 9054 www.allanscott.com

Fruity, crisp, refreshing varietal and enticing scents of Chardonnay.

Flavours of lemon and crunchy apple, white flowers and fine gravelly soils. Firm texture from acidity and oak - a wine with some time for cellaring if desired. Other flavours of wood and vanilla, loads of grapefruit and peach stone. Balanced, youthful, fresh and crunchy. Drink now and through 2023.

Points 90 RRP $31.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit and Beer Merchants Phone: (03) 572 9054 www.allanscott.com

Fruity, fresh, varietal and familiar scents of chardonnay = a little peach, a little nectarine, a little oak and vanilla. These aromas turn into flavours on the palate with refreshing acid line and mild oak centred finish. Balanced and ready.

Drink now and through 2020.

Points 88 RRP $18.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirit and Beer Merchants Phone: (03) 572 9054 www.allanscott.com

MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2016

MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2016

MARLBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2018

SIXTEEN

FIFTEEN

FOURTEEN

THIRTEEN

TWELVE

ELEVEN

TEN

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | April 2019 | 17

The new fizz:

Brut IPA Beer writer John Oszajca explores this new and unique IPA, named after the driest style of sparkling wine.

S

ince the very beginning of the craft beer explosion, the IPA (India Pale Ale) has been the most popular, and best-selling, of craft beer styles. One only needs to add those three little letters to the name of their beer and suddenly sales will skyrocket. A Session IPA will typically sell better than a boring old Pale Ale, and where an American Brown Ale might garner a few fans, a Brown IPA will fly off the shelves. As such, it should be no surprise that commercial brewers are always experimenting with ways to come up with some new variation on the popular IPA style; all but guaranteeing some degree of commercial success.

Historically, the India Pale Ale was a strong, hoppy beer that was built to withstand the long sea voyage between England and India. The beer’s higher-than-average ABV, and the large amount of bacteria-inhibiting hops added to the brew helped stave off spoilage. As pragmatic as the beer’s origins may have been, the style caught on and its popularity has persisted into the modern age.

In the early days of the current craft beer movement, the world saw three distinct variations on the style: the English IPA, the American East Coast IPA, and the American Westcoast IPA. The English and East Coast IPAs were fairly similar beers; the primary difference being the use of domestic malt, hops, and yeast, as well as the differing water profiles, respectively. But as the American North West (Oregon, Washington, Idaho) became known as a premier hop-growing region of the United States, more and more aggressively hopped IPAs – with increasingly experimental hop varieties – became a signature of the West Coast style. As the hoppy West Coast IPA exploded in popularity, the herbal and piny notes of English and East Coast IPAs were replaced by citrus, floral, and (eventually) tropical fruit flavours and aromas. Before long an IBU (International Bittering Unit) arms race was in full swing, as brewer after

“The typical Brut IPA is a pale golden colour, loaded with new world hop aromatics, slightly hazy, and bone dry.”

18 | April 2019 | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | TheShout NZ

BEER FEATURE brewer competed to cram increasingly obnoxious amounts of hops into their beers as a way of capturing the attention of the market.

As the craft beer industry continued to evolve, so too has the IPA. With each year, more and more variations of the style emerge. We’ve seen Black, Brown, Red, White, Belgian, Session, Double, Triple, Quadrupel, Sour, Bretted, Fruited, Hazy, smoked, and even (ehem) ‘Milk Shake’ IPAs appearing on the shelves of bottle shops the world over. But it is the fairly new Brut IPA that is the fizzy yellow darling of the day.

The Brut IPA comes as, perhaps, a response to the incredible popularity of the New England (aka Hazy) IPA. The New England IPA emerged in the early 2000s, with the introduction of Heady Topper, from the Alchemist Brewing Company in – as its name would suggest – New England. These notably hazy IPAs are known for being fruity, ‘juicy’, less bitter, and having a sweeter finish than a traditional IPA. The high hopping rates of these beers and the fact that they are packaged and served with yeast still in suspension (to a degree), made them beers best brewed locally and served fresh. The hard-to-get nature of many of these beers led to a fanaticism that has made the New England IPA a target for traditionalists. In the wake of this love-it-or-hate-it New England IPA came the Brut IPA. A bone dry, champagne-like counterpoint to the sweet and juicy NEIPA. First created in 2017 by Kim Sturdavant, the brewmaster of Social Kitchen and Brewery in San Francisco, the popularity of the Brut IPA has spread rapidly around the globe, including here in New Zealand.

Named ‘Brut’ after the driest style of sparkling wine, the definitive characteristic of the Brut IPA is the total lack of malt sweetness.

The typical Brut IPA is a pale golden colour, loaded with new world hop aromatics, slightly hazy, and bone dry. But it is the lack of malt sweetness that makes this style so unique. All barley and wheat-based beers have some degree of residual malt sweetness; the result of sugar molecules that are too large for brewer’s yeast to consume. If a beer is higher in alcohol, it means more grain is used to make the beer.

The more grain, the more residual sugar. Often this simply translates into more body and mouthfeel, but it can also produce a beer that is cloying and sweet. Or, in the case of Light American Lagers, a beer that is less ‘poundable’, or richer in carbohydrates, than consumers

fermentable than barley and can often contribute a complimentary creaminess as well as help with head retention.

Last but certainly not least, are the hops. A traditional IPA relies on a considerable amount of hop bitterness to balance the malt sweetness typically present in a 6%-7.5% beer. That bitter balance is also a definitive aspect of the style. However, because that malt sweetness is absent in the Brut IPA, less bitterness is needed to produce the ideal balance. As such, brewers tend to favour adding hops near the very end of the boil and/or as the wort (unfermented beer) is cooled. Late hoping like this, extracts hop flavours and aromas, without as much of the bitterness. A considerable amount of hops are also added after fermentation has completed to produce even more intense hop aromas and flavours. While the style is still very much in its infancy – and as such – no doubt likely to continue to evolve – so far we tend to see brewers favouring the use of new world hop varieties, which lean towards citrus, melon, and tropical fruit as opposed to the herbal, floral, and pine-like qualities of old world hops.

Hops are particularly prone to oxidation. Beautiful grapefruit and passionfruit flavours can quickly turn into cardboard as a beer ages; sometimes within just a matter of weeks depending on the care taken at packaging. So, as is the case with nearly all hoppy beer styles, fresh, locally-brewed IPA is always going to taste best. Fortunately you won’t have to fly to San Francisco to get yourself a world-class example of the style.

One of the first to jump on the Brut IPA bandwagon in New Zealand was Auckland’s Urbanaut Brewing Company with the Copacabana Brut IPA, a dry, effervescent IPA, with pleasant aromas of peach, melon, mango, citrus and more. Another Kiwi-brewed Brut, worth seeking out, is 8 Wired’s High Society Brut IPA, a 7% ultra-dry, Americanstyle Brut IPA, brewed with a blend of six different New Zealand and US hops. Finally, for those who want to try a super charged version of the style, keep an eye out for Epic Brewing Company’s Thirteen, a thundering 15% ABV Quadruple Brut IPA that was brewed to celebrate the breweries 13th anniversary. And, according to the popular beer review site untapped.com, it happens to be the highest rated Brut IPA in New Zealand. n

“The popularity of the Brut IPA has spread rapidly around the globe, including here in New Zealand.” want. Brewers often remedy this by adding the amyloglucosidase enzyme to either the mash or the fermenter. This enzyme breaks down those residual sugar molecules, making them smaller, and thus more easily consumed by the yeast.

Sturdavant had been using amyloglucosidase in his Triple IPA for a few years before it occurred to him to try adding it to his traditional IPA. He finally gave it a shot, and the result was a unique, Champagne-like, ultra-aromatic IPA, that was surprisingly drinkable (or “digestible” as the Belgians would call it) given its 7% ABV. Soon this new Extra Brut IPA (soon shortened to just Brut IPA) was the toast of San Francisco’s beer scene. It wasn’t long before breweries around the world were trying their hand at brewing this new, and much sought after style.

There are a few keys to brewing a good Brut IPA. Chief among them is how and when to use the amyloglucosidase enzyme. Some brewers choose to use the enzyme in the fermenter. This allows the enzyme to completely break down the complex sugars and results in a very dry beer. However, many brewers choose to add the enzyme to the mash, thus denaturing it in the boil and preventing it from continuing to break down sugar molecules. The limited exposure tends to leave a slight amount of residual sugar, producing a dry beer with a bit of additional structure and mouth feel. Additionally, it is common for brewers to use a large quantity of corn, wheat, and/or rice. These grains are more

Urbanaut Brewing Company’s Copacabana Brut IPA

8 Wired’s High Society Brut IPA

Epic Brewing Company’s Thirteen

TheShout NZ | HOSPITALITY BUSINESS | April 2019 | 19