Barfly India - Digital Edition 2, 2023

FOR HOSPITALITY BY HOSPITALITY

IN THIS ISSUE

GIN DRINKING CULTURE AROUND THE WORLD | IN CONVERSATION WITH JARED BROWN | BAR ERGONOMICS.. AND MORE

RUCHIKA GUPTA MARKETING DIRECTOR, INDIA

At the outset of World Bartender Day, we introduce second edition of Barfly - the bartender’s zine released just 3 times a year exclusively for the community, and a making of the brilliant team at The Blend.

Created by bartenders for bartenders, The Blend is an innovative & inspiring, globally connected and networked bartender engagement program - brought to you by Beam Suntory.

Launched in 2019 in India, The Blend is a community of passionate storytellers, iconic brands, inspiring talent, industry innovations and of people and professionals you can trust to give the best advicefriends, colleagues, and even some of your heroes of the bar world –creating an ever-expanding database of resources and information.

In addition to community resources, The Blend Cocktail Library for one, also hosts an eclectic arsenal of recipes, enabling you to be educated on classic cocktails, be inspired by contemporary creations, or to create a bespoke menu for your bar. Feel free to also geek out and discover the hidden stories of spirits history, production or just cool facts that you were yet to discover. And don’t miss all about the glorious brands at Beam Suntory that have been bringing people together for over 200 years - world-renowned bourbons, Japanese whiskies, single malt scotches, tequilas and cognac that are truly world class and worth the reverence.

Whether it’s sourcing ingredients in a place you’ve never visited before, or researching history of a little-known cocktail, our vision is for this platform to get it all for you.

An outcome of this vision is a first of its kind, Barfly – a community zine, that brings together diverse voices, and inspire the bartending community with latest trends and developments.

Success of our first edition was a testament to the immense talent and passion of bartenders everywhere, and we are proud to continue with a platform for these industry leaders to share their knowledge and expertise. We hope you find the content and resources on these pages as inspiring and informative as we do.

The bartending community is stronger than ever, and we can’t wait to share its stories with you. Our gratitude for your passion and dedication to this art!

Kanpai, Skol and Cheers to World Bartender Day 2023, and to another year of celebration and growth in the industry.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Bar Fly India is a magazine brought to you The Blend, which is Beam Suntory’s pioneering global advocacy and bar community building initiative. Beam Suntory has been championing World Bartender Day since 2018 as a signature day to enthuse and celebrate the global bartending community. World Bartender Day 2023 is the perfect occasion for us to release the 2nd digital edition of Bar Fly India.

This year saw The Blend expand our World Bartender Day roadshows and celebrations to 9 cities in India, adding on Pune, Panjim, Chennai, Kolkata and Jaipur to NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Our roadshows (featured in this issue) covered subjects ranging from Ice, Sustainability and Bar Ergonomics to Thinking Beyond the Bar, from some of the top practitioners in this field.

With summer around the corner, it felt appropriate for us to spotlight Gin with a selection of diverse articles, from Beam Suntory India’s presence at Gin Explorer’s Club to exploring unique tea botanicals in Roku and looking at specialty gin bars in India.

30BestBarsIndia 2022 saw Sidecar and Santanu Chanda take home respectively the prizes for Jim Beam Best Independent Bar and Jim Beam Best Bartender. This issue of Bar Fly sees us interact with Minakshi Singh, partner in Sidecar and Santanu.

This issue also features articles and features from global editions of Bar Fly.

We hope that you will enjoy diving into every bit of what we’ve put together for you in our second edition. For us at The Blend, supporting and celebrating your journey at every stage of your career is at the core of all we do. And all that we will continue to do.

Happy reading!

Vikram Achanta Rohan Jelkie

#the_blend #togetherweblend https://www.theblend.world/en-in

SPECIAL THANKS AND CREDIT TO:

Narelle McDonald, Director On Trade & Advocacy, International Region

Archita Khanna, India Events & Communications Senior Specialist, India

Meimi Sanchez, Senior Manager, The Blend, Global Hayley Morison, Trade Advocacy Manager, Australia

Robin Nance, Senior Trade Engagement manager, USA

Viktorija Lileiko, Senior Manager On Trade Engagement, Germany

Valentine Maguire, Design Manager, Australia

Ambre Morin, Digital Community Manager, The Blend

Fanny Hennequin, Advocacy Manager, Beam Suntory International Region EDITORS

Vikram Achanta

Rohan Jelkie

CONTRIBUTORS

Anirudh Singhal

Anamika Singh

Bhavya Verma

Brendon Grey

Juan Jose Maillo Garrido

Shubham Shukla DESIGN

P Vel Kumar

Ruchika Gupta

Vikram Achanta

Rohan Jelkie

Jim Beam Classic Highball

CONTENTS

8 30 BEST BARS INDIA 2022 - JIM BEAM BEST BARTENDER - SANTANU CHANDA IN CONVERSATION WITH BHAVYA VERMA, BAR FLY

10 30 BEST BARS INDIA 2022 JIM BEAM BEST INDEPENDENT BAR - MINAKSHI SINGH, SIDECAR IN CONVERSATION WITH BHAVYA VERMA, BAR FLY

12 ROKU INDUSTRY ICON OF THE YEAR - ASIA’S 50 BEST BARS 2022 - COLIN CHIA

13 ROKU INDUSTRY ICON OF THE YEAR - NORTH AMERICA’S 50 BEST BARS 2022 - CHRISTINA VEIRA

14 BAR ERGONOMICS – ANIRUDH SINGHAL

16 GLIMPSES FROM WORLD BARTENDER DAY ROADSHOWS 2023

24 WHAT KIND OF WET - BRENDAN GREY

26 IN CONVERSATION - JARED BROWN AND ROHAN JELKIE

28 ROKU AT DRINKS FESTIVALS IN INDIA

30 GIN DRINKING CULTURE AROUND THE WORLD - JUAN JOSE MAILLO GARRIDO, SPAIN

32 GIN BARS IN INDIA - JYRAN, JUNIPER AND SYLVIA

35 ONE SHOT VS TWO SHOT DISTILLATION –EXPLAINED – SHUBHAM SHUKLA

36 ROKU GIN - THE INFLUENCE OF TEA –ANAMIKA SINGH

38 EE SERIES - WITH MONICA BERG AND ALEX KRATENA

40 10 FUN FACTS ABOUT JIM BEAM

42 THE HIGHBALL

44 INCREASE THE PEATS – DAN WOOLLEY

46 BARTENDER ADMIN - VIRTUAL COURSES ON THE BLEND WORLD - JOE SCHOFIELD

48 JIGGER AND PONY – INDIA TOUR

50 30BESTBARSINDIA 2022 – TOP 30 BARS

56 TALES OF THE COCKTAIL FOUNDATIONSPIRITED AWARDS – 2022

60 THE BLEND SCHOLARSHIP – WORLD’S 50 BEST BARS 2022

JIM BEAM CLASSIC HIGHBALL

Jim Beam White: 30 ml Soda 120 ml Lemon Wedge

Chill the glass, soda and Jim Beam. Squeeze a wedge of lemon and drop it in the glass Fill the glass with ice

Add 1 part Jim Beam Pour soda gently filling the glass Stir once and enjoy

OF JIM BEAM 30 BEST BARS INDIA 2022

AWARD FOR BEST BARTENDER

What inspired you to pursue bartending and how did you get started in this field? Well, it’s a story for the books! I was on a hunt for employment upon my move to Goa and stumbled upon a role as an F&B steward at the legendary Titos. Little did I know, this chance encounter would set me on a path of discovery in the world of bartending. The talented bartenders at the bar captivated me with their smarts, charisma, and mad mixology skills. I was inspired to follow in their footsteps, and voila! My bartending journey was born.

What sets your bartending style apart from others and what makes it unique? Let me tell you, creating the perfect cocktail is like a science and an art combined! My bartending philosophy is all about striking the perfect balance between fun, entertainment, and creativity, with a touch of minimalism in every serve. I firmly believe that the key to a great drink is not just about the ingredients, but about the experience. I strive to create a memorable moment for each and every one of my guests by building a connection with them. After all, as the saying goes, people may forget what they ate or drank, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel. In a nutshell, my bartending style is a mix of imaginative cocktails and warm hospitality.

How do you come up with new and innovative drinks, and what is your creative process like?

The wanderlust life! I’m a firm believer that traveling is a form of education and I love soaking up inspiration from every city and culture I visit. But you know what they say, there’s no place like home - and in my case, that means the kitchen. I find chefs to be the most imaginative people on the planet and I often seek their guidance on the art of flavor extraction and food pairing. When I’ve got a firm grasp

on my ingredients, focus on bringing out their true flavors and presenting them in a minimalist yet impactful way. Because at the end of the day, the goal is to let the ingredients speak for themselves.

What advice would you give to aspiring bartenders and what skills do you think are essential for success in this industry?

If any aspiring bartenders are reading this and hoping to carve a successful path in the bartending industry, allow me to offer you a few words of wisdom. First and foremost, it is essential to bring a genuine passion to your work. Secondly, consider expanding your experiences through travel and exposure to new cultures. And lastly, it is important to invest in a solid foundation of bartending knowledge. By incorporating these three key elements into your approach, you will be well on your way to building a thriving and fulfilling career in bartending.

How do you stay updated with the latest trends and techniques in the bartending industry, and what resources do you use?

Here are couple of ways I keep my self-updated about the industry and trends:Attend industry events: Attend bartending conferences, trade shows, and competitions to network with other bartenders and learn about new trends and techniques.

Follow industry leaders: Follow prominent bartenders, bar owners, and industry experts on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Read industry publications: Stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends by reading trade publications and online blogs that cover the bartending industry.

Join bartending communities: Join online communities and forums dedicated to bartending, such as Bartender Collective and International Bartenders Association, to connect with other bartenders and exchange ideas and information.

Experiment and innovate: Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment and innovate with new ingredients, techniques, and serving styles. This will not only keep you on the cuttingedge of the industry, but also help you to stay creative and engaged in your work.

Social media is the best resource for all these information. So use Instagram and start following your favorite bartenders and learn from them. If you know any of your friend is part of any Bartenders Whatsapp group, try to be part of it.

What do you think the future of bartending looks like, and what role do you see technology playing in this field? The future of bartending is

constantly evolving, but there are a few trends that are likely to shape the industry in the years to come:

Sustainability: The bartending industry is becoming more environmentally conscious, with a focus on using ecofriendly and locally-sourced ingredients, reducing waste, and promoting sustainability in bar environments.

Technology: Technology is playing an increasing role in the industry, from automated bartending machines to digital ordering and payment systems. Technology will continue to shape the way bartending is done in the future.

Health and Wellness: There is a growing focus on health and wellness, leading to an increase in cocktails made with healthier ingredients like fresh fruits, herbs, and natural sweeteners, as well as non-alcoholic options.

Personalization:

Personalization is becoming more important in bartending, with a focus on customizing drinks to suit individual tastes and preferences.

Unique Experiences: Bartenders are striving to create unique and memorable experiences for guests by incorporating elements of theater, storytelling, and creativity into their services.

In conclusion, these trends are shaping the future of bartending and will continue to influence the industry as it evolves.

WINNER OF JIM BEAM 30 BEST BARS INDIA 2022 AWARD FOR BEST INDEPENDENT BAR

How was the idea of Sidecar conceived, and how has your background influenced the atmosphere and menu offerings?

The idea for Sidecar was conceived because we wanted to create a great neighbourhood bar in the city we love - Delhi. The intent was to create a simple, classy yet elegant space that paid homage to the kind of bars we loved drinking at, around the world. Both Yangdup and I are from the trade and have been part of the bar business for decades, so our thoughts were aligned on what kind of menu we’d like to create and what kind of experience this bar will offer. The name and the muse of the bar is one of our favourite classic cocktails, and we do a great signature version of it.

Can you tell us about the creative process at the outlet when it comes to the cocktail menu?

Our menu creation process is a collaborative and interactive one, and the inspiration is often selfexploratory wherein we focus on an idea that we are passionate about, and not necessarily what is “on trend” at the moment. Our menus are instinct driven and we follow our gut once we all agree on and love an idea. There are no boundaries on creativity, but we do ensure we follow our two guiding principles of sustainability and seasonality, so a lot of the menu is dictated by that, but it’s also about finding an idea that speaks to us.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a bar and how have you overcome them?

think our biggest challenge has been the Covid pandemic, just like it was for most of hospitality, but especially the bar business. We were forced to shut for almost 9 months with no steady source of income and a team that we wanted to support through this tough time.

Restaurants still had the option of pivoting to deliveries, but for bars, we were left to our own devices with not many options. Never one to sit still though, we used that time to think outside the box and a lot of our current wins were kickstarted during that phase. Our farm, Bhumi, was started during that time, and has gone on to become one of the reasons we are greener and more sustainable as a company. We also started our consulting wing, Drinks India Co, during the lockdown and have helped build multiple brands, launches and success stories through that.

How do you create a welcoming environment for your patrons and foster a community?

Sidecar has always been a welcoming, open and inclusive for all space. We take our neighbourhood bar tag seriously, and everyone is welcome here - doesn’t matter if you are in shorts or a business suit - and our door policy is built around keeping the bar floor fun, friendly and safe. We regularly carry out sensitivity training for our staff to ensure they understand our ethos and also understand what being a proud pride-flag bearing bar

means, and how to make every guest feel at home.  As for the community aspect, we believe it’s important to create a bar fraternity and support each other. We work closely with a lot of bar owners across the country and count many of them as friends. Our team also ensures we take every visiting bar/bartender coming in from outside the country for a bar-hop to different city bars so they get to experience the full spectrum of Delhi’s cocktail culture and talent.

Can you share any future plans or projects you have for the bar, and how do you plan on continuing to innovate and evolve?

Sidecar is an ever evolving entity and as a team we are equal parts restless and enthusiastic, so we never rest on our laurels and are always looking at doing more. Currently we are working on our next menu, and that’s taking up all our time and energy. There are also a bunch of exciting guest shifts lined up for the year, so keep an eye out.

MINAKSHI SINGH, PARTNER, SIDECAR IN CONVERSATION WITH BHAVYA VERMA, BAR FLY

ROKU INDUSTRY ICON OF THE YEAR - ASIA’S 50 BEST BARS 2022 ROKU INDUSTRY ICON OF THE YEAR -

NORTH AMERICA’S 50 BEST BARS 2022

COLIN CHIA CHRISTINA VEIRA

NUTMEG & CLOVE, SINGAPORE

DYNAMIC IDEAS MAN ELEVATING THE CRAFT OF COCKTAILS IN ASIA

Colin Chia is a man brimfull of energy and ideas, and he channels those qualities into the realms he loves with a passion: drinks and hospitality. As a result, over the last decade or more, few have done more to champion the Asian cocktail scene and to help professionalize the craft of bartending than this year’s winner of the Roku Industry Icon Award.

Steeped in the food and drink sector since his years as a teenage bar back in his native Singapore, Chia is a true industry veteran even though he’s only recently hit middle age. Having been involved in helping bring Diageo’s World Class events to south-east Asia in his corporate days, Chia opened

his first bar, Nutmeg & Clove, in 2014 – and it remains his flagship to this day.

While there are higherprofile bars than Nutmeg & Clove, none represent the Lion City as authentically as the Purvis Street stalwart. The bar and its cocktails are an homage to the history and culture of Singapore, providing a cultural narrative through the medium of original serves and intelligent service. Located in the commercial heart of the city, the bar is pared back and unpretentious, as familiar and welcoming as a local café, but one which just happens to serve some of the best libations around.

It’s from Nutmeg & Clove that Chia has nurtured a host

of young bartenders of all backgrounds, genders and ethnicities, exemplifying his profound belief in investing in and developing raw talent. During the pandemic, it was no surprise that Chia was one of the first to ensure he protected his own team, as well as banding people together to help others in need within the F&B industry and beyond. But Chia has always looked beyond Singapore’s shores too, having worked across the continent in his younger years. He is a massive fan of the Japanese bartending tradition, while also celebrating the fast-developing and varied bar cultures in China, Hong Kong, Thailand and elsewhere. In 2017 he helped

open the Bangkok speakeasy #FindTheLockerRoom with a range of international partners, which was followed by #FindThePhotoBooth in the same city. More recent projects include Chuan by Nutmeg, a craft cocktail bar on the 60th floor above the UOB Plaza in Singapore, as well as the more low-key Last Word, a simple space adjoining Nutmeg & Clove that serves classic cocktails alongside Japanese food.

He is a man at the very heart of the Asian cocktail scene, who remains ever open to new ideas and new flavours. This is Colin Chia, the Roku Industry Icon in Asia in 2022.

BAR MORDECAI, TORONTO INFLUENTIAL BARTENDER AND EDUCATOR TRANSFORMING THE INDUSTRY FROM THE INSIDE

Aprogressive and admired figure in North America’s bar world, Christina Veira has been a central figure in furthering the conversation around cocktails, hospitality, leadership and safety, emerging as a role model and mentor for bartenders across the length and breadth of the continent. She is recognised for her commitment to making the cocktail sector a safer and more equitable place to work with the first-ever Roku Industry Icon Award as part of North America’s 50 Best Bars. With family roots in Jamaica, Veira has hospitality in her blood – her grandmother

owned a shop-cum-bar-cumdancehall – but she only joined the industry by chance while at university. It was the beginning of a romance that saw her progressively hone her practical cocktail-making skills while also developing an interest in the educational side of the business, achieving a certification as spirits educator and hospitality consultant from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).

As partner and general manager of Bar Mordecai in Toronto, No.47 in North America’s 50 Best Bars 2022, Veira is putting her leadership skills to good work by leading a group of talented and

conscious bartenders. Located in a trendy stretch of Dundas Street West, Bar Mordecai has become a hit among Toronto locals and visitors thanks to its accessibility, commitment to community building and carefully crafted cocktails.

At Bar Mordecai, Veira has already harnessed her hospitality skills to raise over US$100,000 for organisations that support women and LGBTQ+ rights and that fight food insecurity. Passionate about educating the next generation of bartenders, she plans to open her own school in the second half of 2022, featuring a holistic approach that will centre intersectionality,

empathy, accessibility and empowerment.

Beyond her work at Bar Mordecai, Veira also shares her learnings generously with the industry as bar and beverage curator for Restaurants Canada Show, the country’s largest hospitality event; as national coordinator for Speed Rack Canada, an all-female bartending competition; and formerly as director of programming for Toronto Cocktail Week. With the Roku Industry Icon Award now under her belt, she is establishing herself as a leading light, nationally and internationally, in the movement towards a better hospitality space.

A WELL DESIGNED BAR WILL PAY FOR ITSELF!

BY ANIRUDH SINGHAL

ERGONOMICSTHE NEW ECONOMICS OF BARS

With the advent of more and more forward thinking bar concepts sprinting up across the country, the importance on designing the bar has taken utmost importance amongst may other elements.

While a good dining experience is crucial for customers at a restaurant, an extremely important factor for restaurateurs to increase sales now also includes an exceptional bar design. Various studies have determined that efficient bar layouts not only increase profits and efficiency at a bar but also boost the morale of the bartender providing quality outputs.

Previously, bars were designed by the kitchen planners, leading to ergonomic problems- bartenders faced difficulty in having a conversation with customers while simultaneously keeping the bar area clean, leading to a difficulty in understanding what the customer wanted, leading to a repetition in orders for cocktails, increasing the time taken to whip up the drinks diminishing the overall experience of the customer. With the exponential growth in the food and beverage industry, restaurateurs realised the importance of a good bar design, putting more emphasis in the beverage sector as well in new and upcoming bars leading to more innovation in bar design thereby evolving the equipment matrix  There are various factors to be considered while deciding the layout for a bar… Whether the restaurant wants bartenders to use multiple workstations, how many bartenders will be working concurrently, what the cocktail programme of the bar is, how much space the restaurant has and so on which directly correlate to making decisions about the layout of the bar the restaurateur shall choose to incorporate! With

output, double the efficiency and speed of the bartender leading the mixologist to take more complex drink orders giving customers an enhanced cocktail experience. There are several features that make a good bar, for instance providing a good quality drip tray enables the bartender to keep their worktops clean and assist in creating great visuals whilst the cocktails are being made. This encourages the bartenders to prepare his or her drinks on these drip trays, so a guest can view and appreciate his skills and at the same time create a visual product offering to other guests in the bar.

Speed rails are a key element in the bar as well. Designing speed rails should be done in an innovative and efficient manner. Adding curved corners helps in avoiding an accident in a high traffic bar and the padded rails are useful for less sound while placing a bottle back.

more focus being drawn to the beverage sector of the business, there have been many additions and advancements in the overall bar design and the equipment offered.

Challenging the market of conventional bars in India, a good bar design redefines the way bartenders work, the speed at which drinks are made leading to an increase in efficiency and output offering unmatchable quality and sales services bringing about efficiency and quality out of creative cocktail curators and great innovation and quality to the beverage sector.

A bar is much more than just a piece of equipment for restaurateurs. It serves many purposes- it reduces the steps to make a drink, making execution of drinks quick. With

all necessary needs of a bar being in the same place, the bartender spends less time looking for ingredients keeping everything at a one-step spaceleading to a faster turnover increasing sales figures. A well-designed bar inspires bartenders to showcase their craft efficiently, permitting them to work effortlessly and promptly as everything they need is provided at an arm’s distance.

With an increasing demand for innovative cocktails in restaurants, the number of ingredients stored behind the bar keeps growing, making it important to keep space as a priority while designing a bar to incorporate both storage and room to move for the bartender. A well-built custom bar can maximize the beverage

One may notice, in many bars across different cities, the bartender is quite far from the counter top to where the customer is. This happens because of deep equipment and counters between them. Therefore, it is very important to make sure that the equipment is kept to the bare minimum depth and offer standing curves in the equipment, where the bartender can really get close to the guests, whether to interact casually or to get the orders right. Building rails in a curved design allow the bartender to get closer to the customer while interacting.

The main goal of a restaurateur should be to create more efficient bar layouts that not only benefit the restaurant owner but patrons as well. In the end, a welldesigned and built bar will pay for itself!

GLIMPSES FROM WORLD

BARTENDER DAY ROADSHOW 2023

TECH- TONIC

SANTANU SHOWS US “ADVANCED DRINK TECHNIQUES” BASED ON NEW AGE EQUIPMENT WHICH TALKS ABOUT THE PROPER USE OF TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THE BAR

DELHI

GLIMPSES FROM WORLD BARTENDER DAY ROADSHOW 2023

DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABLE BAR PROGRAM

SARATH NAIR DELVES INTO THE SECRETS OF HIS AWARD WINNING SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM TO REDUCE YOUR OVERALL CARBON FOOTPRINT AND HOW WORKING WITH HYPER-LOCAL PRODUCE CAN HELP CREATE A CLUTTER BREAKING DRINK PROGRAM MUMBAI

BAR ERGONOMICS

ANIRUDH’S MASTERCLASS AIMS TO EDUCATE BARTENDERS IN UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT AND ACTUALIZATION OF DESIGNING AN OPERATIONS FRIENDLY BAR.

BANGALORE

GLIMPSES FROM WORLD

BARTENDER DAY ROADSHOW 2023

GLIMPSES FROM WORLD BARTENDER DAY ROADSHOW 2023

DRINK PHOTOGRAPHY FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

KSHITIJ GOEL AKA @THECOCKTAILTIMES SHARES HOW TO USE YOUR SIMPLE ANDROID OR IPHONE TO TAKE PROFESSIONAL LOOKING PICTURES JUST BY UNDERSTANDING HOW TO USE CAMERA SETTINGS, LIGHTING AND PICTURE COMPOSITION HYDERABAD

DRINK PHOTOGRAPHY FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

KSHITIJ GOEL AKA @THECOCKTAILTIMES AGAIN SPREADS HIS MAGIC SKILLS IN “THE PINK CITY” THIS TIME. JAIPUR

There are in fact many types of ‘Wet’, and said wetness can be categorized in many ways.

For today, we are going to focus on a few of the most common types of wet that we generally work with behind the bar: ‘Sticky Wet’, ‘Gelatinous Wet’, ‘Hot/Cold Wet’, ‘Airy Wet’ and, my personal favorite, ‘Dry Wet’.

Firstly, let’s establish our base for comparison, which is water.

I could nerd out for a while on how waters with high amounts of minerals become heavy and how Fluorides kind of make water ‘Dry Wet’, but for the sake of brevity, let us classify your standard H2O as ‘Wet Wet’ and make that our starting point.

Water is the common element within all drinks and life on this planet. So, this becomes our base that we add our various chemical components to create flavour, aroma and texture.

Alrighty, let’s begin.

STICKY Wet, I challenge you to name a cocktail that doesn’t have some form of sugar in it. The most common sugars are combinations of Glucose and Fructose, but players like Lactose and Maltose get involved every now and again too.

Every cocktail has some sugar in it somewhere (sorry Negroni lovers, that vermouth is loaded with it) and for a good reason: Sugar makes things taste better by association. Our brains are hard-wired to search out sugar in nature and consequently, it kind of tricks our brain into enjoying whatever else is there. (There’s a reason cough syrups started upping their sugar content over the decades). With sugar comes its distinctive, viscous texture that I will refer to as ‘Sticky Wet’, which bartenders have been playing with for generations now. ‘Sticky Wet’ is a texture

WHAT KIND OF WET?

THE OBVIOUS ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ‘WHAT TEXTURE IS THIS COCKTAIL?’ IS (OF COURSE): WET, IT’S LIQUID. THIS IS A SILLY QUESTION. BUT LET’S DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER.

WORDS BY BRENDAN GREY, THE EXCHANGE, AMBASSADOR.

we don’t think about too often, but innately know when we’ve gotten it wrong. If a drink is too heavy in sugars, it results in a syrupy texture that sticks to the palate leaving an uncomfortable mouth feel that lingers too long like an unwelcome guest. Luckily, the solution for overly

sticky wetness is to simply stir or shake your drinks some more. Too little sugars though and you run the risk of your drink becoming too ‘Wet Wet’, sliding across your palate too quickly and leaving you with a ‘thin’ experience.

GELATINOUS WET Whilst we

Wet’ balance allows the liquid to linger longer on the palate and impart more flavor. If your cocktail is feeling a bit thin but you don’t want to add any more sweetness, mastering your jelly skills is a must.

HOT/COLD WET, The temperature in cocktails is a tricky one. Often we are expected to either chill things down or heat things up, but rarely do we talk about the intricacies of how this messes with texture and, inherently, flavour.

When we heat a liquid up, the molecules within start moving around a lot, meaning there is less friction against surfaces for them to stick too as everything bounces around. This results in warm drinks moving faster across the palate, whilst something that’s been chilled down is more sluggish and can essentially stick to the palate. However, different molecules have different thermal limits, meaning some flavours will zip past your palate whilst others will happily linger, despite an apparently warm or cold sensation.

rarely like to refer to our cocktail creations as ‘Gelatinous’, it is a surprisingly common practice that, if we are honest with ourselves, is absolutely awesome.

Gelatines are formed by long strings of Amino acids that bond like a futuristic 3D matrix across a liquid and add firmness. In their extreme, they result in jelly.

In moderation, the perfect Whiskey Sour. In the modern age of bartending, we’re all getting pretty used to seeing Agar Agar and Aquafaba being used in drinks. But the original ‘gangsta’ will always be the humble egg. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and egg whites are chock full of them, which is why they’re a staple in any kind of cooking where you’re trying to bind something together. Much like viscosity, a good ‘Gelatinous

Understanding this allows us to manipulate these textures to bring out the characteristics we want in our drinks. As an experiment, try warming up a Manhattan and comparing against chilled and room temperature; baby it will blow your mind.

AIRY WET Dry shaking cocktails to create sexy foams is a long-standing tradition that we all love/hate in bartending, often depending on how deep you are in the shift, but what the hell is actually happening and why is it so satisfying?

To create foam, you first need some of those sweet amino acid strings we talked about in ‘Gelatinous Wet’. Due to their super light molecular composition, these strings will quite happily sit on top of air molecules which create dope little bubbles and, depending on how hard you shake/blend, create a delightful foam.

When these foams reach your palate, they begin to break down from the heat in your mouth, slowly collapsing onto your taste buds creating a layered increase in flavour. This can be great for sweet flavours, as it slowly exposes your palate rather than punching it in the face.

Isolated bitter flavours have a strange tendency to compound in on themselves, so be careful where you use these flavours as a texture. Dry shake some bitters with egg white some time and eat a spoonful.

DRY WET This one is my personal favorite to mess with. Whilst we don’t often desire our drinks to leave someone parched afterwards, used in balance with other mouth feels, this is the one that creates clean, crisp textures to round out your drinks.

There are a couple of ways you can do this. The classic way is with something bitter or tannic. Bitterness usually means poisonous in the natural world, so our mouths are programmed to lower our salivating to keep us from swallowing whatever we’ve mistakenly thought was food.

Another way is keeping your

drink’s alcohol content nice and high. At these more boozy levels, small amounts of alcohol evaporate on your tongue and often take a bit of moisture with them, leaving your palate feeling dry and dusty.

Whiskey drinkers know what I’m talking about. The easiest way, however, is to just reduce your sugar level to a minimum. We’ve become so accustomed to everything having sugar in it nowadays that it’s very absence blows our fragile little minds.

So, now that we’ve got our different types of ‘Wet’, let’s discuss application. Any of these on their own is a bit boring really, and the key to an interesting drink is using a few of them in tandem with the flavours you’re trying to champion.

Let’s take the classic Daiquiri as a test run. In my quiet opinion, this is a case of balancing ‘Sticky Wet’, ‘Cold Wet’ and ‘Dry Wet’.

A wee bit of sugar to keep it on the palate, with a nice cold temperature to lengthen, and a good measure of alcohol to give it a nice dry finish. As long as you don’t go overboard with your ‘Wet Wet’, you should be laughing.

Let’s crank the concept up a notch from there.

Let’s say you’re making something for a cocktail competition. You’ve got your flavours and now it’s time to factor textures into it to make things a bit more interesting.

Do you want a nice clean finish with some ‘Dry Wet,’ or really looking to let the flavours linger with some ‘Gelatinous Wet’? Would the sweet, floral notes benefit from some ‘Airy Wet’, or is this drink better to just slide across the palate with some ‘Hot Wet’?

Considering things in this manor allows you to push some limits and try some weird stuff out, and who knows, maybe even stumble across something uniquely different.

But let’s be honest, as long as it’s liquid and boozy, we’re all gonna be fine.

IN CONVERSATION

orange, lemon, lime and other citrus peels, and many others. Between that time and the start of Sipsmith we worked on a few other gins as well.  However, we had to test the formula quite a few times on Prudence as distilling is not at all like cooking. Every still is different so a recipe must be tailored to a still. For example, when Constance our 1500-litre pot still arrived, it took eighteen 1500-litre batches with some of the botanicals varying as much as 25% in ratio to create identical gin on the larger still. Other great botanicals? There are so many. The gin we created for Raffles Hotel in Singapore uses Malay Basin botanicals in a classic London dry structure. Lemongrass, lime leaf, jasmine flower, mace, nutmeg, and others.  I’m constantly exploring both traditional and less traditional gin botanicals. I grow Russian coriander in my garden, planted from Sipsmith coriander seeds. Last year I had around 100 plants. I grow liquorice, orris fiorentina, angelica, lemon verbena, lavender, artemisia alba, red and green shiso, sweet cicely, borage, lovage, marsh mallow, and loads of other plants. Good gin, like good wine, begins with fingers in the soil.

Q: Can you tell us why you chose to adopt the “one shot” method to make Sipsmith?

make gin as it used to be made, as it should be made. We may not take ourselves seriously but we take our gin very seriously. No compromises. If you’re developing a gin, make it the best you can. You are creating your own paradise or purgatory in the process, because at the end of the day—and frequently in the middle of the day—you’re going to have to taste it. And it had better be a liquid that will bring a smile to your face. Sipsmith definitely does that for me and the one-shot method is essential to that, delivering the botanicals as they should be and creating a distinctively rich mouthfeel.

Q: What cocktail according to you is the perfect expression of Sipsmith?

A: We constantly tested Sipsmith in the three most essential gin cocktails while developing it: the G&T, the martini and the negroni. So you could honestly say it was tailored for these. However, it is equally delicious in a fizz, a Collins,  a white lady, a bees knees, an army-navy, a red snapper, a ramos. I’ve tested it in hundreds and hundreds of drinks and it has never let me down. (For further reading, check out SIP: 100 Gin Cocktails With Only Three Ingredients.)

small, so we worked to make it the best possible.

Q: What cocktail trends are you observing of late and how do they play to the strengths of a brand like Sipsmith?

A: Simplex drinks: Simple combinations of complex ingredients. A martini made with just gin and vermouth and a twist can contain the essences of dozens of botanicals. I’m seeing a lot of bars reaching further and finding fascinating ingredients but using fewer per drink. In the words of Antoine de St Exupery, author of The Little Prince, “perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

Local modifiers and mixers and garnishes are on the rise as well, though one should never compromise quality for regionality when it comes to spirits.

Incidentally, the word ‘simplex’ appears in a 1753 medical book, The New Dispensatory. discovered it there last week while reading some of the phenomenal julep recipes in that book.

A: We have returned a few times to the Carl family who build our stills, and added Patience, Constance, Verity and Cygnet to our collection. Each is designed to make our gin exactly as we made our first batches. Each member of our distilling team is trained in how we handcraft gin, down to being able to confirm the beginning and the finish of the heart by the aroma. Over the years we have intentionally restricted our growth to ensure that we could maintain our quality every step of the way.

Q: What would be your advice to bartenders in India on the kind of cocktails that they should look at making using Sipsmith?

Q: What led to the brand being called Sipsmith?

A: A smith is a master craftsman. Fairfax’s father is a renowned silversmith. When he saw us taking an uncompromising approach to developing our gin, he remarked that we were doing what he does: we were applying traditional tools and skills learned from past masters to

reveal the intrinsic beauty of the raw ingredients, to handcraft a masterpiece. He said, “You are smiths. Now you need to figure out what kind of smiths you are.”

To sip is to savour and enjoy, and that is how we became Sipsmith. (My mother’s maiden name was actually Smith, and her father and grandfather and great-grandfather were Smiths.

I have a side table in my house handcrafted by her father.)

Q: How many different individual distillates did you try before finalising the Sipsmith recipe? Are there any botanicals that you think have promise for any new variants?

A: We actually didn’t test that many botanicals when we started, in part because the

three of us are traditionalists where gin is concerned (in my other work I am a historian of drink along with my wife). But also, in 1998 or 1999 Anistatia and I tested over 100 botanicals separately while helping to develop a gin in Boise, Idaho. It was at this time we did comparative studies of such ingredients as anise, star anise and liquorice root;

A: One-shot was how all good gin was made prior to sometime around 1870 when distilleries discovered they could make a gin concentrate and add a little to bottles of alcohol and water to turn them into bottles of gin—a method still used to produce the majority of the world’s volume of gin today because it is far more economical. For example Prudence, our first 300-litre still, could produce 9000-litre batches using the concentrate method. But she has only every produced 300-litre batches. Why? We

All that said, during the pandemic we made a Gibson (martini garnished with a cocktail onion) most nights. We only had one and it was rather

Q: Sipsmith is popularly believed to have sparked the craft gin trend in London, a spark that then fired the world over. How does a brand stay true to it’s craft credentials and values, even as it’s popularity, and one assumes therefore it’s production, increases.

A: it really depends on the bar. You are creating a guest experience, not just a drink. This, the drink must fit the experience. Your ultimate goal, in the words of the late great Gary Regan, is to make sure that people leave your bar feeling better than when they came in. Are your guests looking for martinistyle drinks? Are they leaning toward long and fruity drinks? Bitter flavours? Classics or new surprises? Everything from the drinks and menu to the furniture to your marketing should be done by putting yourself into your guests’ minds.

If I were stepping behind a bar there right now, I would reach back into the history of drink in India for my inspiration—drawn both from newspaper archives and from old texts. But that is because am a historian.

Most importantly, make every drink to the best of your ability. Get or make the best ice you can. Find the best glassware for your drinks. Use fresh-cut garnishes. Use the best mixers you can find. Leave no detail to chance. This doesn’t have to cost more, but it will always earn you more than if you don’t do this.

JARED BROWN, CO-FOUNDER AND MASTER DISTILLER, SIPSMITH AND ROHAN JELKIE, PROGRAM MANAGER, THE BLEND, INDIA

ROKU AT DIFFERENT DRINKS FESTIVALS

THE NEW GENERATION BLEND

TOKI means “time” in Japanese. A vivid blend of whiskies from Suntory’s Hakushu, Yamazaki, and Chita distilleries, Suntory Whisky Toki™ features the quintessential characteristics of a Suntory Whisky blend: exquisite balance, harmony, and oneness.

At the same time, its unique pairing of Hakushu® American white oak cask malt whisky with Chita heavy-type grain whisky overturns the traditional hierarchy between malt and grain.

Tasting Notes

COLOR Clear gold

NOSE Basil, green apple, honey PALATE Grapefruit, green grapes, peppermint, thyme

FINISH Subtly sweet and spicy finish with a hint of vanilla oak, white pepper and ginger

The Toki™ Highball

To begin a highball recipe, fill the glass to the brim with ice. Add one measure of whisky. Stir to cool the whisky and glass. Again add ice to the brim. Pour three measures of chilled sparkling water along the side of the glass to avoid melting the ice or bursting the bubbles. Add a twist of lemon. Enjoy.

GIN DRINKING CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD

Spain is a country where people enjoy socializing and going out of home. It is the number 1 country in bars per capita worldwide with almost 200.000 bars representing around 70% of the consumption of spirits in the country. Going out to their favorite bar afterwork, meeting up with friends at the end of the week, finding out the new bar in town or spending an evening in a terrace with a refreshing Gin & Tonic are some regular habits that consumers have throughout the year. Spanish consumer is used to order their highball by its favorite brand, this is called Brand call, that represents 71% of orders. Although consumers usually already know the brand they order, bartenders play an important role at the time to help them choose what to drink. The bartender helps with their wisdom; recommending

a new product he or she learned about in a masterclass, showing a new cocktail in the menu or creating new ones based on the consumer’s preferences.

74% of spirits are consumed mixed or in a long drink. Gin is not the exception; Gin & Tonic is the best seller in its category. It is usually made in a big glass, with about 350cl of capacity, plenty of ice filled with 50ml of Gin and 200ml of tonic. Finishing with a twist of citrus, ginger or other botanicals that enhance the flavors of the Gin.

The boom of Gin & Tonic in Spain started between 2008 and 2013 when the power of this category was established. In a bar could be found more than 100 types of gins and 10 different tonics. Bars had a collection of botanicals for each Gin & Tonic, from peel of lime or lemon to cucumber, juniper, rosemary, rose petals, basil, etc.

Over time, it appeared new moments of consumption, the nonstop bars where you can have a lunch or dinner and after, the show starts and consumer spend time drinking enjoying the place in another mood. Some brands have stayed until now and some others disappeared from the back of the bars. In 2013 there was more than 400 brands of Gin in Spain whereas now there are around 200.

Spirits in Spain represent, 2.7% of the alcoholic beverage market; leading it beer and wine. The spirit’s category is led by whisky with 42% of share followed by gin 32% in 2022. It is a category that usually grows every year. Premium spirits represent 4% of the total Spirits market and within it, Premium Gin reaches 32%.

There is an average of 6 different gin brands in each bar where consumer can find their

favorite; it depends on local market and local tastes where some local brands are strong for young consumers.

Nowadays the consumers have changed their behavior, they prefer less quantity, but quality and they want to know about what is inside the glass. Premium Gin category is perfect for them, its quality, versatility, craftsmanship and story behind the brand provide a good toolkit for bartenders who make a perfect Gin & Tonic or create amazing cocktails. In the cocktail bars, the top of the menu is Gin. It helps bartenders to create recipes with a personal touch and enhance the botanicals of the gin, like a perfume. They can make from a Dry Martini to a Southside ensuring customer satisfaction.

So why not drink a refreshing Gin & Tonic or a citrus cocktail this summer?

SAKURA MULE

50ml Roku Gin

20ml lime juice

20ml yuzu juice

20ml simple syrup

2 dash Cherry bitters

Top (½) Schweppes

Ginger beer

METHOD : Straight

GLASS:

Old fashioned, cracked ice

GARNISH: Edible flower

JUAN JOSE MAILLO GARRIDO, SPAIN

GIN BARS IN INDIA

Sylvia, W, Goa

Sylvia, a name which refers to a Greek godess protecting the Juniper berries in forest.

Located at a prime spot in the W hotel, you can enjoy the scenic view of Vagator beach from the alfresco area of Sylvia. It has a beverage menu with over 35 brands of Gin

This place is famous for the evergreen “ Sylvia martinis” and “ Floral Gibson’s”

Over the bar counter, you can find a variety of home made Vermouth, waiting to be a part of your drink.

To make the drinks look more eye appealing, bartenders carve the perfect and clear ice cubes right infront of you.

SIGNATURE COCKTAIL:

Sylvia Martini

INGREDIENTS:

45ml Roku

15ml W Vermouth (Homemade)

10ml Absinthe

METHOD: Stirred

GLASS: Coupe

GARNISH: Orange peel

METHOD: Pour Roku, Vermouth and Absinthe in a mixing glass, stir to perfection with ice. Strain in a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange peel.

Jyran, Sofitel, Mumbai

Jyran, which means “Lost love” in Persian, is a name symbolic of hope and a new beginning.

The food at Jyran reveals a real mastery of flavors and textures that can be sensed in delectable Paya yakhni Jyran, Gosht galawat ke kebab, Dahi ke kebab, Falooda and more, creating moments of nostalgia for the restaurants loyalists.

Complementing this eclectic outlet is the Gin bar that hosts India’s largest collection of the best Gins

You will find a menu holding 45 brands of Gin

Savour an innovative beverage menu featuring exquisite Gin concoctions using the finest local and International brands of Gin

SIGNATURE COCKTAIL:

Jyran’s gin paradise

INGREDIENTS:

60ml Sipsmith

15ml ginger juice

15ml lime juice

15ml sugar syrup

½ cucumber (to muddle)

METHOD: Shaken

GLASS: Cocktail

GARNISH: Cucumber slice

RECIPE: Muddle cucumber in a shaker, add Sipsmith, ginger juice, lime juice and sugar syrup, shake to perfection and serve in cocktail glass. Garnish with cucumber slice.

Juniper, Andaaz, Delhi

Juniper bar is India’s first gin bar with 40 in house infusions and signature cocktails.

It is a bar, where guest can make their own cocktails as it is believed at Juniper “No boundaries for guests in Andaz“

It is also famous to customise cocktails according to the guest palette.

Juniper has its own signature belend known as “Delhi,s fire”.

A place where guest can enjoy the atmosphere, relax at large community tables and interact with bartenders

SIGNATURE COCKTAIL:

Kerala lady

INGREDIENTS:

60ml Roku

30ml Pineapple juice

15ml Lime juice

1Nos egg white

METHOD: Shaken

GLASS: Martini

GARNISH: Orange and edible flower

METHOD: Pour pineapple juice, lime juice and egg white in shaker and shake to perfection with ice. Strain in a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel and edible flower.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE SHOT DISTILLATION AND DOUBLE SHOT DISTILLATION

‘SINGLE-SHOT’ AND ‘DOUBLE-SHOT’, ARE DEFINED AS 2 DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO PRODUCE GIN

One shot distillation

Also referred as “Single shot distillation”

After botanicals have been distilled, only water can be added to dilute and reach the bottling strength

Double shot distillation

Also referred as “Multi shot” or “Concentrate”

After botanicals have been distilled, it is diluted twice, initially with a neutral spirit to adjust the volume followed by water to bring to bottling strength

Volume generated is less than double shot Allows distiller to produce high amount of volume

Time consuming but great flavor integration and longevity Time, energy and financially efficient Eg. Sipsmith gin Eg. Beefeater

covering process.

The Tea leaves being covered for such a long period of time throughout the cultivation process results in the leaves becoming dark mossy green. The Tea’s richness in color translates to a richness in taste as well. After picking the Tea leaves, they are steamed to reduce the oxidation.  It is then rolled, followed by a drying process. The leaves are then cut into pieces. These loose tea leaves are now perfectly ready for consumption.

Roku Gin’s ingredients are of the highest quality, many are

ROKU GINTHE INFLUENCE OF TEA

BY ANAMIKA SINGH, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF ANANDINI HIMALAYA TEA.

Where can Gin and Tea roots be traced ? Into the 11th-century and an early credible record of tea drinking dates to the 3rd century AD. However, it is the 17th century which took the culture of drinking both into new depths.

The development of sencha in the 18th century led to the creation of distinctive new styles of green tea, which now

dominate tea consumption in Japan. Sencha is the most popular tea in Japan, representing about 80 percent of the tea produced in the country. The flavour depends upon the season and place where it is produced. Shincha or ‘new tea’ is exquisite from the first flush of the year, and considered the most delicious. It is also believed by drinking sencha, one can enjoy a year of good health.

The Tea process begins with the camellia sinensis plant.  Sencha is made from the leaves that grow directly under sunlight. After the leaves are plucked, the manufacturing process begins with the steaming of leaves to prevent oxidation which as such, affects the outcome of the tea quality, be it in the cup, taste and aroma.  This is followed by a drying and rolling process, where it is moved into cylinders

to dry off and get broken down. The tea now has its customary thin cylindrical shape, resulting in a taste that is fresh and uplifting. Finally, the leaves are sorted and used depending on its differing quality.

Gyokuro, is a unique Japanese green tea wherein using special mats, the tea leaves are shaded from the sun for 20 days. The tea thus  yields a sweet flavour and a distinct strong aroma from the

harmonious gin with a smooth and silky texture.

For Tea, weather, soil, harvest, region are all closely knitted. One affects the other and eventually makes a difference in the tea cup. The major tea growing region has its own terminology when it comes to classifying their teas during harvesting periods. Japan uses a numerical method in naming its harvests.

Japan’s harvest season also varies by region as well but generally begins in late April and finishes in October. Japan has four main harvest periods:

Shincha ( : literally “new tea”): this is the name given to the first harvest of the year.

Ichibancha ( : literally “first tea”) this refers to the entire first harvest season, including Shincha. It typically occurs from late April to May.

Nibancha ( literally “second tea”), Sanbancha ( : literally “third tea”) and Yonbancha ( literally “fourth tea”) are harvested between the period of June to October.

While harvesting, timing is essential. There is a very narrow window to pluck the leaves / bud due to the fast growth of the Tea buds which open up and mature in matter of days. Missing a harvest can ruin a cup.

also uniquely Japanese. The premium gin was inspired by the Japanese four seasons, as each one of the six Japanese botanicals are harvested in accordance with “shun,” the Japanese tradition of enjoying each ingredient at its best, by only harvesting at its peak of flavor and perfection. Each botanical has a specific harvesting season and  Sencha tea as well as Gyokuro tea, are harvested during Summer. The result is a complex yet

An immersive experience - Gin and Tea, be it Gin infused as a Tea botanical or as a cocktail, thoroughly compliment each other. Over the years the popularity of this pairing has grown and is loved. If chosen correctly, the palate can dance to a different tune and most gracefully. As my favorite mixologist Yangdup Lama says, “Keep it simple.”

THE ĒE SERIES WITH

Here at The Blend, we’re all about presenting best-in-class and the ēe series is no exception. The term ‘needs no introduction’ is bandied around, but there are few people to whom it applies more deservedly than Alex Kratena and Monica Berg, owners and operators of the much-celebrated Tayēr + Elementary in London, UK.

So, how exactly did Alex and Monica hustle their way to the top? In the ēe series, we’ll be covering everything you need to apply their methods for success to your own plans.

Ep 1- Establish:-

■ To establish a brand it is very important to know what you need from the business

■ Making a unique logo of your bar can help the bar to stand out and look different from others

■ Brand identity is made from Values and not only the interiors and drinks

■ Following are the tips to “Establish” a brand identity:-

1) Know your Audience It is very important to identify your clients

-Proper location (Neighborhood), proximity to other bars and public transportation

2) Value Proposition – Ask these questions to yourself, What makes your business unique? What can you offer that another can’t?

- Build a story behind every material and aesthetic of the bar

3) Purpose – Have a clear goal and direct mission mapped

- Create an idea and discuss with the team, how will you describe your business?

4) Brand visual identity – Map out your inspiration

-It is the fundamental pillar of business

-Look for the idea that suit the best for your business

-Use high end photography for social media

5) Consistency – Consistency is what make or break your business

-Along with consistency it is also important to be flexible and spontaneous

-Avoid copying the competitors

Ep.2 Evolve:-

■ An entrepreneur is always a “Hustler”

■ Level of focus is that sets the Hustlers apart

■ There is no blue print to succeed, you will have to hustle to work your magic

■ Learn from the mistakes

■ Following are the tips to “Evolve”:-

1) Think outside the box – It is the biggest cliché

-Follow the instincts

-Learn from the guests, put yourself in their shoe

2) Embrace authenticity- Be yourself

-Do not try to copy

3) Importance of network – It helps to meet potential partners

-Build new contacts every day

-Attend events beyond Bartending competitions and tasting sessions

4) Hustlers never quit –Constantly improve

-Take one day at a time

5) Love what you do – It is easier to invest the time in something which you are passionate about

6) Embrace the change - Take feedbacks and work on it

Ep.3 Engage

■ A good way to engage can be through collaboration

■ It also can become a source of revenue generation and publicity

■ Following are the tips to “Engage””-:

1) Curate – Carefully selecting the design, drinks, cocktails, interior etc for the bar

2) Scarcity – Try to explore the market, build connections and come up with the alternate solution to scarcity

3) Who to collab with - Before collaborating think about what will it bring to your business, more importantly think about what will it take away from you

■ Collab when genuinely interested

■ It should be a 2 way street.

4) Pitching a collab – Let it come out naturally -Do it with the brands you are familiar with -It could be a source of revenue

5) Unrepeatable – Keep the collab unique every time

- It creates a desire to approach in modern guests

6) Launching a collab – Plan out in advance -Communicate through social media

-Press release can also help to promote

Monica Berg and Alex Kratena

10 Fun facts about JIM BEAM

The Beam family is THE FIRST FAMILY OF BOURBON.

In 1830, farmers used to SHIP THEIR WHISKEY IN USED FISH OR VINEGAR BARRELS, however they found that the liquid was being exposed to this flavor so to prevent this they decided to char the insides of the barrel to purify the wood.

There is an angel’s share as well as a devil’s cut in the bourbon aging process. As time goes on due to evaporation some of the bourbon is lost from the barrel – this is known as the ‘angel’s share’, whilst the remaining bourbon that has moved in and out of the barrel walls during the ageing process can be extracted, and is what we call “Devil’s Cut®.”

After prohibition, James B. Beam rebuilt the distillery in only 120 DAYS at the age of 69.

The Jim Beam distillery produces more than 90 MILLION BOTTLES annually from their operation in Clermont, Kentucky.

Jim Beam recently filled it’s 18 millionth Barrel

The Jim Beam mash bill has stayed the same for over 200 years, meaning the same corn-rye barley trifecta that constituted the first spirits of industrious farmers in the late 1700s hasn’t been changed.

Booker Noe created the small batch whiskey revolution. He introduced Booker’s®, his name sake, the first small-batch Bourbon from Jim Beam® in 1988. It’s made the stubborn, old fashioned way: hand-made, uncut and unfiltered.

James B. Beam (Jim) used to take a jar of the family’s special strain of yeast home for safe keeping, just in case there was ever a fire at the distillery.

Jim Beam was the first distillery to reopen post prohibition in the USA.

Aquick search on Google gives the definition of a Highball as ‘a drink consisting of a spirit, usually whisk(e) y, and a mixer like soda water served with ice in a tall glass’. For most bartenders, as they’d know, the Highball would form the majority of their spirit based drinks, but is there more to this common creation than meets the eye and how did it come about? The drink may be simple but the story of the Highball is quite complex.

What we do know is that this type of concoction came from the early Scottish and Irish whisk(e)y drinkers who would on occasion mix their whiskies with soda water to form what we now call the Highball. But where did the term Highball come from? The origins are not fully known and can be traced back to a few different countries. One theory is from early Wild West America, where

through prohibition and well into the 50s and 60s where soda water made way for ginger ale. As more people began to pick up a beer or a cocktail over the one mixer, the Highball began to dip in popularity by the 1970s.

After WW2 the Highball resurged as one of the premier drinks in the U.S. with many soldiers still stationed over in Japan ordering the concoction religiously causing most Japanese bars to put the drink on their menu.

At this time the drink was still predominantly mixed with soda water and the Japanese, as they do, went about perfecting this form of the Highball, becoming a hit with the Japanese population. Most notably the father of Japanese whisky, Shinjiro Torii, latched onto this craze and by 1955 had set up a number of bars across Tokyo and Osaka known as Tory’s bars, the preeminent venue for the best Highballs in Japan.

THE HIGHBALL

WHAT IS IT, WHERE ARE ITS ROOTS AND IS IT GOING TO BE THE NEXT BIG ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE IN AUSTRALIA?

it is believed to be derived from train signals that indicated the train to go faster - and Highballs, watered down, allow one to consume whisk(e)y quicker.

British whisky bars also claim to hold the origins saying it comes from ‘ball’ meaning fun times and ‘high’ because they would serve it in a tall glass. The most accepted theory is that a New York barman named Patrick Gavin Duffy got the concept from his Scottish customers around 1896. It was said that a Scotsman was inclined to ask for cut whisk(e)y drinks by

ordering it in a tall glass.

The word Highball is deemed to have come from the fact that the Celtic vocabulary was quite different with words like ‘cup’, ‘glass’ and ‘bowl’ interchangeable – same went for the word ‘high’ and ‘tall’. So where today we would ask for a ‘tall glass’, the Scottish patron of the years gone by would ask for a ‘high bowl’. Throw in the strong Scottish accent and to Patrick’s ears it sounded like ‘High ball’.

The Highball is said to have spread throughout the U.S.A.

For Japanese stomachs the perfect mix of light Japanese whisky and soda water was vital to their cultural habits, as alcohol was and still is today, traditionally enjoyed with a meal. So with this, the American style of drinking Highballs to spur good times mixed with the Japanese culture of consuming alcohol at meal times magnanimously clashed to cause a revolution of drinking in the country. Much like in the U.S. though, the Highball craze burnt brightly for a short time and by the 1980s the buzz had dwindled, with the general public turned off by the now high price of Japanese whisky, becoming attracted to new imported drinks.

By the 1990s, across the ocean in Europe, Highballs were taking off again as the new rave culture took hold, however, this time it wasn’t whisky that was getting used as the base mix –spirits like vodka and liqueurs were getting a run in a range

of Highballs that would often feature sweet mixers, a far cry from the traditional soda water. The Japanese however, as the artists they are, couldn’t bear to let the Highball that had once defined their young whisky history fall by the wayside as it had for over 20 years, so when Suntory decided to reinvigorate the Highball, they did it in the

most innovative way possible –they released it in a can mixed with soda water and lemon. Beer culture had gone to new heights in Japan with some of the biggest beers in the world coming from the Asian nation. Suntory believed the best way to compete with them, was to be like them – bringing the Highball back into homes across the

country with just one crack of the lid. With that, the Highball culture flared up again and bars and restaurants alike started booming with drinkers enjoying a Suntory whisky, soda, lemon and ice daily.

Today the Highball is synonymous with a plethora of spirits and mixers but the original soda water mixer has made a

resurgence not just globally but in Australia too. Buoyed by the success of the Japanese, the nation that took a simple idea and perfected it to a standard that can be easily enjoyed at home or beautifully crafted at bars and restaurants, Australian bartenders have also been making waves in this space.

JIM BEAM CITRUS HIGHBALL

GLASS: Glass mug / Highball

GARNISH: Rosemary sprig and lemon wedge

INGREDIENTS

45ml Jim Beam White Label

20ml Fresh Lemon Juice

Top with Soda water Ice

OPTIONAL: 10ml sugar syrup

Method Pour Jim Beam White over a packed glass of ice. Add fresh lemon juice, add sugar syrup (optional) and top with soda water. Stir with a long bar spoon, garnish and enjoy.

HAKUSHU HIGHBALL

GLASS: Highball / Collins

GARNISH: Mint leaf

INGREDIENTS:

30ml Hakushu Distillers Reserve

Top with Soda water

METHOD: Build over ice and stir. Garnish with a mint leaf.

KAKUBIN HIGHBALL

GLASS: Highball

GARNISH: Lemon wedge

INGREDIENTS:

30ml Suntory Whisky Kakubin

Squeeze of fresh lemon

Top with Soda water

METHOD: Build over ice and stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

YAMAZAKI HIGHBALL

GLASS: Highball

GARNISH: Lemon wedge

INGREDIENTS:

30ml Yamazaki Distillers Reserve Whisky

Top with Soda water

METHOD: Build over ice and stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

BOWMORE SMALL BATCH HIGHBALL

GLASS: Highball

GARNISH: Lemon wedge

INGREDIENTS:

60ml Bowmore Small Batch

Top with Soda water and Ice

METHOD: Build over ice and stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge

IN HONOR OF THE HIGHBALL EVOLUTION HERE ARE A FEW SIMPLE RECIPES THAT WE’VE SEEN IN AUSTRALIA THAT PAY HOMAGE TO THE HIGHBALL THROUGH THE AGES.

NOWADAYS, MOST BARTENDERS ARE BECOMING MORE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT PEAT IS. TO GET TECHNICAL, IT’S DECOMPOSED VEGETAL MATTER COMPRESSED THREE TO NINE FEET UNDER THE EARTH BETWEEN 2,000 AND 10,000 YEARS OLD. TO CAPTURE YOUR IMAGINATION, A BETTER WAY OF THINKING ABOUT PEAT IS TO DESCRIBE IT AS A TIME CAPSULE DISPLAYING WHAT WAS GROWING IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. IT’S A FOSSIL FUEL HARVESTED UNDER THE EARTH’S SURFACE AND IT CHANGES OVER TIME. WHAT WE WANT IS TO CAPTURE IT ON ITS JOURNEY BETWEEN COMPOST AND COAL.

WORDS BY DAN WOOLLEY.

peat a very distinct flavor that sets them apart from any other whiskies in the world.

We have just released a new way of drinking smoky whiskies aptly named ‘the Peated Malts of Distinction’ where you get to enjoy different styles of Peat smoke but also step up the intensity by increasing the parts per million or for the self-proclaimed whisky geek, PPM. Starting off with a very unique whisky, the Connemara. It’s the only peated Irish single malt on the market and its lightly peated starting off at 14 PPM, something to just initiate the smoke. Leading into the Ardmore, again a very unique whisky as well, being that it’s the only Scottish Highland single malt whisky that’s peated. Now were looking at around 15 PPM but this whisky seems much smokier as it’s a different style of peat as well as a different aging procedure using a quarter cask for its second maturation making it very dry on the finish.

Throughout different parts of the world, mankind has been burning peat for thousands of years to heat their homes, cook their food, to smoke meat and fish and most importantly barley to make whisky! If you look at different regions throughout Scotland there is a vast difference in the flora from the mountains of the highlands to the rocky terrains of the islands and the coast. Different trees, shrubs, flowers and seaweeds are going to give us different types of peat and when burnt they will produce different styles of smoke.

The peat coming from the Highlands has sooty fireplace smokiness to it, earthy like wet soil and musty like compost. This is due to the large amount of trees that used to grow in the very fertile soil of the Highlands.

The peat from the islands is different again, even varying from island to island. The isle of Orkney has a very unique style of peat because of its location.

It’s so close to the Arctic Circle that the angry artic wind loaded with salt sweeps across the island with such fury that no trees have ever grown on the island. Instead we see the peat forming from decomposed

heather, which is a low-lying scrub of a flower. Decomposed flowers lead to a floral style of smoke, very aromatic and delicate.

Islay peat is another style unto itself and definitely being the most intense and unique type of peat used in the whisky making industry. This is because the Isle of Islay itself used to be partly under the ocean bed and the peat has a large proportion of decomposed seaweed and maritime material. This gives the most intense iodine and salty flavors to the smoke when the peat is burnt and therefore gives Islay whisky that uses Islay

Time to change things up a bit with a little trip over to Islay starting with the Bowmore 12 year old. This is a classic Islay whisky with a medium peat level now weighing in at around 20-25 PPM but changing the peat over to a local Islay peat we’re now looking at different flavors coming into play with a maritime sea saltiness coming through on the finish. Finishing our journey at the heavy hitting Laphroaig with the select cask, we’re now entering the realm of heavily peated whiskies with a PPM of around 40. Laphroaig has a distinct and unique flavour that is unmistakable with intense iodine, hospitals, and seaweed notes pushing boundaries with palates around the world.

What a fantastic way to discover more about the world of smoky whiskies and peat! Hope to see you at the bar for some smoky goodness soon.

Good times, great whisky!

BARTENDER ADMIN-

Joe Schofield

BARTENDER ADMIN - WHAT DOES IT MEAN EXACTLY? ‘ADMIN’: SHORT FOR ADMINISTRATION, A WORD THAT DOESN’T SOUND VERY INVIGORATING... AND THE BLEND RECENTLY LAUNCHED A VIRTUAL SYLLABUS ON BARTENDER ADMINISTRATION... HMMM, QUESTIONABLE ONE MIGHT SAY. READ ON TO FIND OUT WHY.

Well it was the many questions we were asked about up-skilling and the ‘how’ and ‘where’ to obtain these type of skills, during recent master classes that sparked the conversation and the collaboration with Joe Schofield.

WORDS BY HAYLEY MORISON

We are all aware that bartenders are equipped with the resources and tools within their venues to learn about cocktails, ingredients, bar service, producers and brands, but sometimes the necessary skills required ‘behind the scenes’ are missed or overlooked.

Outside of that, we all know that experienced bartenders who travel the world for training, pop-ups and guest shifts didn’t acquire the skills from nowhere - remember that. They had to acquire those skills and adapt, using them day-today. The skills we are talking about include time

management, presentation skills, personal branding and communication, to name only a few.

Joe Schofield, winner of The World’s Best Bartender twice in one year, has created an online syllabus, breaking down these skills into a format that is useful to industry professionals that

may not have access to them in their day-to-day.

Ask yourself, where is your next step in this industry? Is it brand ambassador, manager, sales rep, venue owner, manager, group operations or education professional? The list is endless, but the foundations of these skills are very much the same.

These administration

skills are thought starters and personal development coaching techniques that can assist you in taking your career to the next level. There’s a reason Joe’s one of the best in the business, and we’re so happy to be able to share these unique and valuable insights with you to help elevate your career.

Sign in or sign up to www.

theblend.world/en-au and watch Joe’s BARTENDER ADMIN modules on The Blends of the Virtual World.

There are six modules available, exclusive to The Blend members. Education topics cover everything from Communication, Organization, Presentations, Project Execution, Leadership and Personal Branding.

JIGGER AND PONY – INDIA TOUR

SINGAPORE’S AWARD WINNING BAR, JIGGER & PONY WAS ON A TOUR OF INDIA SHOWCASING THEIR DRINK PHILOSOPHY. VIKRAM ACHANTA CAUGHT UP WITH GIOVANNI GRAZIADEI, BAR MANAGER, JIGGER & PONY AT ONE OF HIS SHIFTS IN THE COUNTRY.

“We’re a highvolume bar”, explains Giovanni Graziadei Bar Operations Manager of Singapore’s Jigger and Pony, “and the Espresso Martini is one of our hottest selling cocktails, but we weren’t able to standardise on the espresso shot required”. What they did then was to collaborate with PPP Coffee, a coffee

roastery to create their very own Espresso shot captured in a pod and served out via a Nespresso machine. It’s a blend of Rio Brilhante and Thippanahalli Estate. It’s this same machine that Giovanni is carefully storing in his hand baggage and carrying across India as along with New Delhi they stage bar take-overs across the country.

Jigger and Pony ranked as the # 1 bar in Asia in Asia’s 50

Best Bars 2020 list, and went on to come in at 2nd place in both subsequent years. It’s also remained Singapore’s top cocktail bar for the last few years. Of late there’s been a wave of pop-ups and bar takeovers by top bars from around the world. What distinguishes this particular takeover is the collaborative nature of it, wherein it’s in most locations across the country

being co-hosted by Sidecar, itself no slouch in the rankings game and Jigger. The guest shifts take them from Ping’s Bia Hoi, a Vietnamese Beer Garden in Porvorim, Goa to the House of Nomad at the Taj Land’s End in Mumbai and finally at Sidecar itself. There are masterclasses for bartenders, media interactions and of course the sublime cocktails.

I miss out on the

collaborative aspect of the takeover, but decide instead to visit the one guest shift that Giovanni is manning on his own, at Cirrus 9 at the Oberoi, New Delhi. I’m killing a few birds with one stone, as it’s also my first visit to Cirrus and I’m also bidding adieu to Amit Dixit, an editor from one of my writing gigs who’s turning freelancer. Cirrus 9, for those of you who haven’t been is one of the best located bars in New Delhi, if not the entire country, with its stunning rooftop location giving you a view of Delhi unlike any other. Amit and I settle into couches, but soon shift to the bar as soon as a space opens up. There are 4 cocktails on the menu, all priced equally at INR 1000+. We resolve to sample all 4 before the evening is through. Amit is intrigued

by the Black Pepper Sazerac, which uses the Jim Beam Black and black pepper syrup and I by the Soy Milk Punch, with Sipsmith and Pinot Noir. When they arrive however, he finds the pepper less marked than expected and my drink more to his liking, so we switch them around. As I discover later, the version in Singapore also has Oolong tea in it, and the soy milk adds a sense of place to the cocktail as a “childhood staple” in Singapore. All in all, it works very well.

All the 4 drinks on offer are from the Jigger and Pony menu in Singapore, albeit, some with slight modifications. Amit opts for the Clover Club and I for the Espresso Martini, a drink that I’ve always had a special predilection for ever since I heard it’s probably apocryphal creation story. Supermodel Kate Moss, walked into London’s Soho Brasserie and asked legendary bartender Dick Bradsell for a drink that would wake her up and ---- her up! The Clover Club that has Raspberry infused Sipsmith gin is totally on point, with the delicate flavour of the raspberry wellarticulated as is the Espresso Martini. We leave, our pockets a little lighter but wishing for more than 4 drinks! Hopefully they’ll be back soon.

GLIMPSES FROM DIFFERENT BLEND EVENTS ACROSS THE YEAR

WORLD BARTENDER

DAY 2022 – ROADSHOWMASTERCLASSES

NAVJOT SINGH

KSHITIJ GOEL

ANNU KUMAR

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL SPIRITED AWARDS 2022 WORLD’S BEST SPIRITS SELECTION PRESENTED BY

JACK

BEAM SUNTORY

ROSE DINING SALOON — WASHINGTON, DC

Jack Rose Dining Saloon offers a DC rooftop bar with an infinitely of different whiskeys. Bourbons, scotches and whiskeys in over 2 700 bottles, the largest whiskey collection in the Western Hemisphere, and clearly heaven for any fan of the pourable gold.

It specializes in hand-crafted cocktails, 20 beers on draft as well. With several venues, like dining saloon and cellar, the Jack Rose open-air terrace is decorated in a classic bar / saloon style with chairs and tables in wood. Not panoramic in views but lovely and friendly in ambience and vibe and with a retractable roof it can stay open throughout the seasons. During summer there is also a weekend rooftop Tiki Bar available, perfect for tropical vibes and drinks in the heart of Adams Morgan.

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL SPIRITED AWARDS 2022 PIONEER AWARD PRESENTED BY THE BLEND

AMANDA GUNDERSON – CEO & CO-FOUNDER, ANOTHER ROUND ANOTHER RALLY

Amanda has worked with Beam Suntory as a West coast American whiskey ambassador.

Amanda Gunderson has seen first-hand the challenges faced by hospitality workers after spending more than two decades in the field herself. She now draws upon her inside knowledge of the industry daily in her role as CEO and Co-Founder of Another Round Another Rally.

Since launching, Another Round Another Rally has given out more than $3 million in aid and helped tens of thousands of hospitality professionals and their families find not only financial assistance, but also scholarship, mentorship and career-advancement opportunities.

Amanda’s advocacy efforts on behalf of bar and restaurant workers everywhere have earned her applause industrywide, including an induction into Tales of the Cocktail’s Dame Hall of Fame, which recognizes industry leaders who make lasting contributions within the food and beverage industry. Before diving headfirst into advocacy work, Amanda honed her hospitality skills holding virtually every role in the industry, from barback to regional brand ambassador and everything in between.

Most recently, Amanda served as West Coast American Whiskey Ambassador for Beam Suntory, a global leader in bourbon-making, after working at several small-batch distillers.

Her bartending work has graced the pages of numerous industry authorities including Los Angeles Confidential and “Tequila Made Me Do It,” a tequila and mezcal cocktails recipe book.

INTRODUCING DREW FLEMING, WINNER OF THE 50 BEST BARS THE BLEND SCHOLARSHIP!

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASPIRING BARTENDERS

In May 2022, The World’s 50 Best Bars launched its firstever scholarship for aspiring bartenders in collaboration with The Blend by Beam Suntory. Applications were open from May to June and are now closed. The winner of the first 50 Best Bars

The Blend Scholarship was announced at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 awards ceremony in Barcelona on 4th October as Drew Fleming of Kiki Lounge, Isle of Man – a small self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea.

In this opportunity of a lifetime, Fleming will be invited to complete two bar stages (internships) in some of the world’s most-renowned bars: the legendary Connaught Bar in London, named The World’s

Best Bar in 2021 and 2020, and Katana Kitten in New York, which holds the No.9 position in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022. After completing the stages in early 2023, he will then be hosted by The Blend by Beam Suntory for an experience of a lifetime in Madrid, Spain. The internships take place in 2023 and flights between the destinations are included in the prize. The winner also receives £500 per week in living expenses to enjoy the exciting host cities.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES

At 14, got my first part-time job washing dishes and plating desserts at a cozy pub close to my home. spent 5 years there, eventually graduating to Front of House. Looking back, it truly introduced me to a career in our industry and unlocked the

desire I feel to deliver real and warm hospitality.

During my last year of high school, I got a job at a popup nightclub in Douglas, our capital city home to 29,000 of our 85,000 residents. It was safe to say this was the barbed hook that tethered me to a career in hospitality. I loved being around people, helping create experiences, and exceeding their expectations. My role within the company (Extra Fancy Limited) grew whilst I was attending University on-island, studying Event Management and Marketing.

In the midst of the pandemic, a decision was made to pivot half of the nightclub into a more ‘COVID friendly’, tableservice bar, which became Kiki’s Tiki Lounge. It was an exciting change of pace that allowed me to discover and indulge in more

TELL US ABOUT YOUR THEME

I’d love to use this opportunity to show my home island to the world! Navigating the hospitality landscape in a nation whose population could fit inside Wembley stadium presents remarkable uniqueness, perks, and challenges. I want to share these differences with The Blend community and hopefully provide you guys with some interesting insight! I’ll be covering things like island innovation, sustainability, and seasonality (of both venues and produce) alongside the tightrope of nurturing a strong hospitality community, whilst competing for a finite market share.

WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF WORK?

Spending time with my family I’m guilty of bingeing one-toomany Netflix shows!  Walking my dog, Georgie. She’s a cross between a Dachshund and Jack Russel.  Fishing (weather permitting of course!)

WHAT ARE YOU THE PROUDEST OF?

refined drinks whilst embarking on a crash course in a new style of service. Long story short, I loved the transition to quality drinks over quantity.

Shortly after my studies wrapped up, joined Extra Fancy Limited as a Director, alongside my mentor and now business partner, Jamie Lewis. In 2022, I entered the 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship, leaping at an opportunity too good to miss. Diving in wholeheartedly, I managed to secure a place in the top 3 in Barcelona, before being named as the grateful first recipient of the international accolade.

Fast forward to the beginning of this year, I’m about to embark on 3 life-changing stages with equal parts effervescent anticipation and excitement coursing through my veins!

paradises - looking to provide escapism! We also have Moonlight Club, the 80s/90sthemed late-bar that’s geared more towards high volumes of custom!  was named as the 2022 recipient of the Isle of Man’s Awards for Excellence award for ‘Young Ambassador of the Year’. Given to individuals under 30, who have made contributions to raising the Island’s global profile through their professional careers.

WHAT’S NEXT?

I’m really looking forward to traveling this year. Winning The Blend Scholarship means I’ll be embarking on a trip to London and New York. I can’t wait to learn first-hand from some of our industry’s finest. Once it’s concluded, I hope to use my learnings to make an impact within our businesses.

Chips, cheese, and gravy (the official unofficial national dish)

Coffee

My work fam <3

Spider-Man movies

Sriracha Sauce

My EXTRA loud alarm clock

The Football Manager games (my Achilles heel)

Stranger Things

WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A FILM?

I’d say Cole Sprouse would be a solid casting!

invest in this, it would make an impact on a global scale and be a big step in creating a sustainable industry for us all.’ This philosophy was reflected in Drew’s cocktail ‘Webb of Skies’, created for our second round of judging, featuring a homemade falernum, Isle of Man seaweed orgeat, and a cake garnish created by his grandfather, a seasoned baker.

Most recently, I won the inaugural 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship. Which I’d say is my biggest career-based achievement to date.  With my business partner, Jamie Lewis, we co-own two bars on the Isle of Man. Kiki Lounge, a table service basement bar that takes inspiration from tropical

Alongside my business partners, we’ve recently launched a hospitality branding, design, and operations consultancy which we plan to grow over the next few years, with the hope it reaches a stage where I can travel whilst still working remotely!

YOUR FAVORITE BAR SNACK?

Of all time? Nocerella Olives. Although the potato smileys at Seed Library take a close 2nd…

10 THINGS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT?

My mum and sister!  Lego

Earlier this year, we asked budding bartenders around the world to pitch their idea for a more #FUTUREPOSITIVE bar community. A small change may not seem significant, but every conscious decision, every individual who stands for something more, and every ‘what if’ moment helps to move our hospitality industry forward. We received over 750 applications from countries including Kazakhstan, Italy, Australia, Colombia, Mexico, India, France, Spain, Korea, Malaysia, Holland, Argentina, the USA, Ghana, Panama, the UK and the Isle of Man, to name just a few.

With the help of our esteemed panel of judges, the applications were whittled down to 25, then 3, and then 1. Yes, we have a winner. Drew Fleming’s #FUTUREPOSITIVE idea stemmed from his 2.7 years spent bartending at the Isle of Man’s Kiki Lounge and his campaign to remove the word ‘tiki’ from the bar’s name.

As Drew explained, ‘Tropical venues like ours now have a duty to correct the wrongdoings of the past and educate our guests on what›s next for a beloved sub-genre of cocktail bar.’

A proud Manx - as dwellers of the Isle of Man are known - Drew is also passionate about the importance of using local and foraged produce.

‘It’s up to us to begin to shine a spotlight on the wealth of ingredients that occur naturally around us. If all bars began to

Alongside scholarship finalists, Seraphine Afladey (Ghana) and Kyoka Matsunaga (Panama), Drew joined The Blend team (Meimi Sanchez & Ambre Morin) in Barcelona for a jam-packed immersive few days which brought the theme to life through industry round table discussions, kickboxing, beach cleaning, mindful food and drinks, not forgetting the incredible World’s 50 Best Bars events and celebrations. As part of the Scholarship experience, all three had their drinks featured at The Bartender’s Feast, with the winner crowned on stage at the World’s 50 Best Bars ceremony in front of some of the most recognised and respected hospitality industry figures in the world.

Now back bartending in his beloved Isle of Man, Drew is gearing up for an exciting 2023, when he’ll partake in 3 paid internships - in New York City with Masa Urushido at the world-acclaimed Katana Kitten, in London with Ago Perrone at the iconic The Connaught Bar and a year-long mentorship from The Blend team along the way. In his own words, Drew describes his Scholarship journey so far as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

‘The ability to learn hospitality from some of the heavyweights in the industry in cities across the globe is something I’m so grateful for. I am beyond excited.’

So while this chapter might be coming to an end, this is only the beginning for Drew, and we are excited to see what’s next!

Keep following Drew’s journey right here on The Blend.

Name : Drew Fleming Social handles: Insta- drewfleming00; twitter- drewfleming00 Role in Hospitality: Co- owner at Kiki lounge