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The Zen of Harmonizing Waters, Spirits, and Wines Emerging Cocktails Flirt with Emerging Drinkers Vita-Mix recently conducted a market survey of leading casual dining establishments around the country and found that the average 16-ounce blended drink yielded a profit margin of $3.02. Selling fifty blended drinks a day equates to a profit of just under $55,000 per year. . . Welcome to the Age of Fresh- Squeezing Greatness into Every Cocktail You don’t need a college degree to know that the best cocktails are crafted using the freshest ingredients. The resulting drinks are more flavorful, vital and exuberant on the palate. Today, master mixologists are not only using freshly squeezed juice in their cocktails, they are also making their own bitters, syrups and drink mixes. While using freshest possible ingredients seems to be the path to cocktail glory, it does pose operational challenges. Fruit needs to be procured and juiced on a near daily basis. Because the juices are not pasteurized, or laced with preservatives, continually ensuring their freshness is an ongoing process . . .
Whether Green, Black, or Red, Teas are Piping Hot We should all have futures as bright as the one ahead of tea. George Jage, president and founder of the World Tea Expo cites an industry estimate that sales of tea are expected to nearly double in the United States by the year 2010. Geoff Alexander knows all to well how popular premium tea is becoming. He is the managing partner of Vong’s Thai Kitchen in Chicago, a restaurant in the Lettuce Entertain You portfolio and brainchild of internationally acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. “Here in Chicago we’re seeing tea shops opening at a rate that would impress even Starbuck’s,” says Alexander. “While the concept of our restaurant naturally makes people consider drinking premium teas, demand over the past year has exceeded all of our expectations" . . . Blending Killer Cappuccinos Maximizing the profit potential of your bar blender requires extending its creative envelope. It has the remarkable capability of transforming nearly any conventional drink into a frozen work of art. The key is to look past the Margarita, Piña Colada, and Strawberry Daiquiri, and take stock of your options . . . Poping the Top Off the World of Sodas They are effervescent, flavorful and Americans love them. Sodas and carbonated beverages play an integral part of everyday life in this country. Imagine an office building or public venue without a soda vending machine. Not a chance; it could incite mayhem. No one need convince Nick Cantenella how popular sodas are. He’s the managing partner of Bertolini’s, a chic and authentic trattoria located in the Forum Shops of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. At a restaurant where cappuccinos, lattes and espresso rule supreme, Italian sodas are have recently been surging in sales at Bertolini’s. These effervescent gems are slightly sweet iced drinks made with club soda, three-ounces of Torani syrup and a float of whipping cream . . . Juice and Water Passé? Not Hardly We tend to take for granted that which is within reach day after day. It’s the “familiarity breeds contempt” thing. Such is the lowly regard juices and waters are held in the contemporary bars and lounge scene. It’s ironic in as much as they are the cornerstones of mixology. With few notable exceptions, great cocktails owe their existence to the inclusion water or juice. They are, after all, literally the eaux de vie—the waters of life . . . The Return of Romance: Daiquiris Roll into the Limelight The Daiquiri is the quintessential rum libation. No, we’re not talking about the syrupy-sweet, blended concoction that many establishments now serve, but rather the classic daiquiri, the drink that originated back in the ‘20s and ‘30s, when the island was renowned for having the most capable, professional bartenders in the world. The Daiquiri cocktail swept through the Caribbean and eventually the world like a blast of good news. Crisp, refreshing and amazingly delicious, the Daiquiri is experiencing a resurgence in the United States that borders on the phenomenal . . . Class by the Glass: Champagne Cocktails Bordering on the Sensational Champagne has a nearly universal appeal. Perhaps no other product enjoys such a sterling reputation for outstanding quality. It is also the one wine that may be appropriately served any time of day, with any meal, and about any type of food . . . Ice Cream Drinks: The Epitome of Indulgence This business is about exceeding expectations, and indulging our guests’ desires. Thoroughly decadent and loaded with pleasure, ice cream libations are guaranteed to do just that. They appeal to the child within all of us, and whether they admit it or not, people are attracted most to the instant-gratification of taste. Potable, alcohol-laced desserts are every bit as gratifying as their plated-counterparts . . . Steamy Java Specialties are Unsurpassed Sensations The Mosaic Restaurant is an elegant slice of heaven ensconced in the rolling desert hills of North Scottsdale. Over it’s four-year existence the Mosaic has evolved into an acclaimed desert destination due in no small measure to the talents of bar chef and sommelier Matt Rinn. Mirroring the artistry and philosophies of owner/chef Deborah Knight, Rinn tempts their guests with a changing array of cocktails—all prepared with impeccable ingredients and refreshingly different spirits and liqueurs . . .
Kid's Drinks: Making the Grade with Minor Leaguers Frozen Drinks are Sizzling Hot From industry veteran Cindy Busi’s point of view, blended drinks are likely the most important innovation to hit the bar business since the church key. As the beverage manager for all of the Hard Rock Cafés worldwide, she knows a good thing when she sees it . . . Few Things are Clearer than the Bottled Water Trend I recently had a late night dinner at the Hudson Hotel in Manhattan. After the server took the food order at the four-top next to me, he secured my unyielding admiration with his next question. "And finally, would you care for a bottle of sparkling water, still water, or would you prefer to drink New York tap water?" The host looked at his guests, the guests looked at the host, who in turn looked at the server and said, "How about a bottle of each." The server nodded as if they had made a well-informed decision and left . . . Tips on Shaking up the Classics Don’t think that just because a recipe has been around for more than a century that there’s no room for improvement. Consider if your will the venerable Old Fashion. Several revamped versions of this timeless classic have snuck into the contemporary limelight. About the most ingenious twist on the ageless standard is called the Santa Anita Old Fashion, which combines muddled fresh raspberries, an orange slice, simple syrup and bitters to accompany the bourbon. The addition of the raspberries adds a zesty flavor not found in the original. The effect is sensational . . . Rocking with America's Favorite Spirit Vodka has captured the country’s collective imagination. Its sales continue at a record pace, now accounting for 25% of all distilled spirits sold in the United States. The vodka category grew 6.8% last year alone and industry prognosticators expect this upward spiral to continue at least through 2007 . . . Shooters Have More Marketing Power Than You May Know Shooters are the Rodney Dangerfield of mixology. They get no respect, which is pity, because ounce for ounce they pack more marketing potential than most other cocktails and drinks. Granted, marketing shooters may require a bit more effort than at others. Recipe names might have to be toned down, suggested glassware may have to be changed. Nevertheless, like color TVs and tax refund checks, shooters have a nearly universal appeal . . .
Bourbon Goes Uptown: Manhattan's Popularity Soaring Smoothies Break into the Popular Mainstream Some of us still subscribe to the theory that anything high in nutritional value must taste awful. Likewise, if something tastes bad, it must be just what the doctor ordered. It is, however, difficult to cling to this point of view after taking a long draw from a smoothie. Even its name sounds comforting. In fact, smoothies could possibly be the best of all things. They’re delicious and nutritious, which for many, is a completely alien concept. Nevertheless, smoothies are healthy, potable meals with the look, feel and taste of fruit milkshakes. In this time-conscious, nutrient-depleted day and age, smoothies are something of a panacea, a 21st century concoction perfectly in step with the times . . . Welcome the Margarita: America's Favorite Cocktail Ask your friends and associates what they drink socially and chances are the answer will be "…beer, wine and margaritas." It has become an American success story. One reason for the margarita’s rise in popularity is that it is an exceptionally versatile recipe. The cocktail lends itself to several methods of preparation. It blends easily with liqueurs and marries well with the taste of different types of ingredients . . . Tapping into the No-Alcohol Crowd What if you found out that there was a large and growing segment of the population that you weren’t catering to? These are people who want to enjoy the vitality and ambiance of your establishment, and are primed and ready to spend some of their hard earned discretionary income. However, since you haven’t identified their particular wants and needs, they go and spend their discretionary income at someone else’s business . . . Keys to Successfully Marketing Shooters Shooters are as popular as ever. In one guise or another, shooters are capable of achieving popular success in practically any establishment, regardless of the specific make-up of the clientele. Granted, marketing shooters in your bar or nightclub may require a bit more effort than at others. Recipe names might have to be toned down, glassware may have to be changed and an altogether different approach may have to be taken. Nevertheless, like color TVs and tax refund checks, marketing shooters have a nearly universal appeal . . . Seven Secrets to Making Sensational Martinis In the book Casino Royale, James Bond ordered a dry martini made with "three measures of Gordon’s Gin, one of vodka, half a measure of Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large, thin slice of lemon peel." This famous cocktail is now referred to as the 007 Martini. What you might not know is that by the time Bond hit the big screen in the 1962 movie Dr. No the drink had slimmed down to a more svelte "Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred." . . .
Life Continues After Dinner A Return to Elegance 14 New Cocktail Friendly Spirits Some spirits are better left alone in a snifter and sipped quietly in a corner booth. Others like to party and mix it up. The determining factor is their personality. To be a cocktail-friendly spirit, a brand needs to have prominent and highly marketable characteristics—most notably a vibrant flavor and an engaging aroma. Just like anything else, some have it and others don’t. And in this context how attractive the package is doesn’t count . . . A Three-Minute Primer: Tequila There is a mystique and romance surrounding tequila that few other products enjoy. The import has captivated the imagination of the American drinking public, making it one of the fastest growing categories of spirits in the country. Fueling the phenomenon is a small cadre of upscale, 100% agave tequilas. Unlike their blended counterparts, 100% agave tequilas are distilled from nothing but the Weber blue agave, a majestic green succulent native to Mexico and related to the aloe. While there are nearly 360 varieties of the agave, tequila can only be made from the Weber blue agave. . . Sipping the Good Life: The New Breed of Renaissance Cocktails Most social historians claim the '20s and '30s were the golden age of cocktails. Clearly these people need to get out more often. Forget the good ol' days, we're basking in a spirits renaissance, a return to glory of the fine art of mixology and its crowning achievement, the Cocktail. While these sophisticated libations are every bit as delicious and appealing as their predecessors, a few notable differences do exist . . . A Three-Minute Primer: Irish Whiskey Whiskey distilling originated in Ireland in the 6th century. By the end of the 19th century, there were over 160 active distilleries producing 400 brands of Irish whiskey. It was exported to every port of call in Europe, the British Empire and America, exceeding the worldwide sales of all other types of whiskey combined. Irish whiskey was the world's spirit of choice. The 20th century, however, was not kind to the native spirit of Ireland. Domestic hard times and an industry unwilling to keep pace with technology cost Irish whiskey its position of preeminence . . . Living Large with Kahlua Like the Rosetta Stone and the Magna Carta, Kahlúa is among the cornerstones of civilization. It is one of the fundamental building blocks in the lexicon of mixology and is as indispensable to operating a thriving beverage business as ice cubes. In fact, it is the most used product in all of mixology, and as you're about to see, you can build a universe of amazing drinks all with a bottle of Kahlúa close at hand . . .
Emerging Cocktails Flirt with Emerging Drinkers The Flirtini is an excellent example of creativity in action. It's made in a champagne glass with four fresh raspberries muddled on the bottom. The cocktail calls for VOX Vodka, Cointreau, Rose's Lime Juice, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and a fill with champagne. It's lightly effervescent and exceptionally delicious . . . Latino Cocktails Sizzle in the Limelight Everything Latin seems to be surging up the popularity charts like a bullet. Well, it's certainly true behind the bar. Some of the hottest beverage trends trace their origins back to the Caribbean and South America. So don't be left behind, these drinks are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. Without question, the MOJITO (pronounced "moe-HEE-toe") has captured the collective American imagination and sparked a boom in restaurants and lounges around the country. While the drink originated in Cuba in the early part of the 20th century, it really became an international hit during the '30s and '40s. The country was flourishing and Havana was a playground for the rich and famous. The place to be seen was the La Bodeguita del Medio bar, the birthplace of the Mojito . . . Making the Grade at Zero Proof What if you found out that there was a large and growing segment of the population that you weren't catering to? These are people who want to enjoy the vitality and ambiance of your establishment, and are primed and ready to spend some of their hard-earned discretionary income. However, since you haven't identified their particular wants and needs, they go and spend their discretionary income at someone else's business . . . Summer is . . . The Mixologists Favorite Season Looking out the window at gray-covered snow and pools of slush, it's hard to imagine that summer is beckoning. From a planning standpoint, however, the summer solstice is right around the corner, soon enough to begin devising your operation's beverage menu. For most, summer is the beverage season in the sun. There's nothing like heat and humidity to make people belly up to the bar. Thirst is a serious motivator and your parched clientele will be looking to you for relief. Summer is also a season ripe with marketing opportunities. There is a wide array of drink types and styles that lend themselves to summer promotions, more than at any other time of the year . . . Drinks for the Business Crowd: Corner the Market with Classic Offerings The concept of "Miller Time" has evolved from an ad slogan to an entrenched social institution. When 5:00 PM rolls around, the kid in all of us does a Fred Flintstone as we race to gain some separation from work and begin enjoying what remains of our day. After slugging it out it in the boardrooms and corner offices, your business crowd is looking to slip out of work mode and into a dry martini (apologies Robert Benchley) . . . Low Octane, High Profits While sales of every type of alcoholic beverage are rising, more than one national poll indicates that increasing numbers of Americans are continuing to limit their personal consumption, suggesting that a growing segment of your current market and potential clientele are looking for alternatives to socializing with alcohol. Aside from personal preference, reasons include cost, stricter D.W.I. laws, and health concerns . . .
Summer Drinks: Making a Splash with Cool Summer Specialties Kiddie Cocktails: They're Not Just for Breakfast Anymore I confess that when I was younger I didn't quite get it. I mean why would a restaurant develop a beverage campaign directed exclusively to kids? Now that I've joined the ranks of Baby Boomers with kids, however, I get it. Any restaurant that makes the dining experience special for my kids has got a loyal friend in me. Special to my daughters means being served a great looking, great tasting drink in a sensational looking glass that mom and dad wouldn't make for them at home . . . Beer 101 Archie Bunker maintained that you don't buy beer, you just rent it for awhile. Well a lot of Americans must be renting these days, because according to Beverage Media, beer remains the favorite alcoholic beverage of men and the second most frequent request of women. Yet despite its popularity, there is a lot about beer you might not know . . . Warming the Extremities, Plan Now for the Century's Last Season Can't you hear the loudly ticking clock? The minutes are peeling away until the millennium, and none of us really know what is waiting for us on the other side. We don't want to sound unnecessarily panicked, but this may be your last chance to wow your guests this century with sensational winter specialties. "Not surprisingly, our hot, coffee-based signature drinks prove to be the cold weather, best-sellers at T.G.I. Friday's," confirms David Commer, director of beverage development for Carlson Restaurants Worldwide. "The secret behind their popularity has more to do with their flavor than the fact that it's cold outside. Between their great presentation and tremendous flavor, these drinks have everything you could ask from a drink. Sometimes staying in the box, so to speak, can be extremely successful." . . . Management
Get a new car and you get an owner’s manual. Get drafted into the NBA or NFL and they’ll give you a playbook. Get hired as a bartender or food server and you’ll likely get a handshake, three training shifts and photocopies of house policies. Is that all you give to your employees?. . . For Goodness Sake, Shake it Up! Every day you open your doors, and then close them. Open. Close. And everything in middle starts to blur together as what you do between opening the doors and closing them. Little wonder why we lapse into complacency and let our business go stale. Well, grab your business by the ears and shake it up! There’s no room at the top for the complacent and uninspired. It’s all about stepping over the rut, not falling in it. So take our list, grab a stepladder, and start shaking things up. . . Proven Ways of Improving Bartender Gratuities Getting tips appeals to the kid in all of us. They make good nights better and bad nights more tolerable. When you reach the point where you no longer appreciate getting tipped, it’s time to get out from behind the bar. On any given shift, some bartenders will get tipped better than others. So what do they know about getting tipped well that the rest of us don’t? Here’s the short list . . . The Mantra Today Behind The Bar . . . "Fresh" Few people understand how to better quench thirst than Janos Wilder, celebrity chef and owner of Janos and the J Bar, two of Arizona’s most acclaimed restaurants. “Tucson has become a popular tourist and convention destination, which means that we’re surrounded by posh resorts, hotels and spas. Guests come to our restaurants expecting to sample authentic and expertly prepared Margaritas. So we’re held to extremely high standards. I think our Margarita now exceeds expectations, but frankly it didn’t always.” . . . Touting Twelve Hot New Vodkas Born from water, air, earth and fire, no purer representation of time or place exists than the quintessential eaux-de-vie, vodka. Its transparency and brilliant character are an intriguing combination, two reasons why vodka continues to be the bestselling category of spirits in the United States. It accounts for over 25% of all distilled spirits sold in the country, eclipsed only by the combined sales figures for all whiskies—Scotch, Irish, Bourbon and Canadian. All major indicators suggest that the current bull market vodka finds itself shows no signs of abating . . . Chef Janos Wilder Flourishes While Off the Beaten Path Often the secret behind a highly successful restaurant is uncovered reading between the lines. Menu composition, location analysis and food controls often pale in importance to such things as passion and tenacity. Thus the apparent explanation behind the success of Janos Wilder, one of the Southwest’s most recognized restaurateurs. A self-trained chef, Wilder personifies the belief that a burning creative desire and dogged determination can sometimes trump a conventional education and traditional career path . . . Spirit de Mexico: Tequila Reveling in Limelight In Mexico, it is referred to as Tequila Puro. In the United States, we know them as 100% agave tequilas. They have captivated the imagination of the American drinking public and consumer interest has been nothing short of phenomenal. Handcrafting 100% blue agave tequila is an expensive, labor-intensive process. Ounce per ounce, these super-premium tequilas are comparable in cost to alembic brandies and well-aged single malt Scotch. Their extraordinary character more than offsets the expense and has propelled these sophisticated spirits to the forefront of popularity . . . Developing a Successful Draft Beer Program Benjamin Franklin said, “Beer is tangible proof that God wants us to be happy.” Americans must be quite happy because beer remains one of this country’s favorite alcoholic potables. Since it typically accounts for a sizeable portion of any restaurant’s beverage sales, implementing a dynamic beer program is crucial to long-term success. The principal areas of concern with bottled beers are pricing and reducing waste due to improper storage. With draft beer, the problem areas are portioning control and reducing losses due to theft, improper head, over-pouring and spillage . . . The Business Side of Vodka These are the best of times for vodka enthusiasts. The finest examples of the spirit are readily available and waves of new, high quality brands continue to cross our shores, providing operators and consumers alike the opportunity to enjoy the hunt for the next hot new vodka. The vodka category continues to grow unabated, and according to Impact, it is expected to maintain this upward spiral through 2007. Vodka dominates consumption figures, accounting for a quarter of all distilled spirits sold in the U.S. While interest in tequila and rum are also on the rise, vodka clearly remains America’s spirit of choice—something that won’t likely change for the foreseeable future . . . Avoiding the Ten Critical Errors Beverage Operators Make As the adage goes, “When a man with money meets a man with experience, the man with the experience ends up with the money and the man with the money ends up with the experience.” As any teacher will tell you, making mistakes is an essential part of gaining experience. Some things you just have to learn at the school of hard knocks. Perhaps the keys to success, however, are keeping your mistakes to a minimum, and striving to keep the learning curve short and shallow . . .
A Return to Elegance: New Cocktail-Friendly Spirits Avoiding the High Cost of Bartender Turnover Maintaining a positive work environment is essential to reducing turnover and achieving optimum productivity. It only stands to reason that if you create a conducive working environment your employees will enjoy coming to work and won’t want to leave to work elsewhere. When a bartender leaves your staff, his or her departure will likely weaken the business. It may not be appreciated at the time, but invariably, when an experienced employee leaves a service-oriented business the enterprise suffers as a result . . . Imbibing in Vogue: Sipping Spirits Hip and Fashionable In January 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the constitutional amendment ending Prohibition in the United States. Afterwards, he promptly made a pitcher of martinis for all those present in the oval office. Such is the place spirits holds in American society. Repeal of Prohibition validated what Americans knew all along. A cold beer or a hot toddy now and again is a good thing. With tongue firmly in cheek, perhaps the measure of a country can be found in the quality of its cocktails . . . Rum's a Rising Star in the Popular Limelight Rum is a global phenomenon that’s changing the spirit landscape in the United States. Whereas most spirits are associated with a small handful of originating countries, rum is handcrafted across the spectrum on latitudes. There are several new brands of rum available in the United States that best illustrate the point. Take for example highly acclaimed Starr African Rum. Distilled from sugar cane grown on the African island of Mauritius, the column-distilled rum is light-bodied, aromatic and brilliantly flavored. It’s marketed in an attention-grabbing red pyramid-shaped bottle and imported by Starr African Rum LLC of Beverly Hills, CA. . . . Bar Designs and the Art of Compromise Wanna start a fight? Initiate a discussion about bar design with a group of beverage practitioners and see what happens. It’s a contentious topic that sometimes can only be settled through fisticuffs. “I kid you not, I’ve seen people get so red-in-the-face angry about where a glass-washer should go, or how many bartender stations are needed behind a bar that I thought it would come to blows,” says David Commer of Commer Beverage Consulting and former T.G.I.Friday’s beverage director. “Listen, it’s a passionate subject because so much is riding on every little detail. Bar design affects people’s livelihoods and the viability of a business. Yeah, it’s not a subject for the feint at heart.” . . . Food with Spirits . . . It's All Good The term "bar chef" has entered our lexicon. Not limited to just chefs, the term is best applied to those who venture behind the bar bringing the flavors of the kitchen and melding them with the creative output of the bar. In other instances cases, these resourceful souls find glory pairing specific cocktails with particular foods . . .
Single Cognacs: Elegance Reaches a New Plateau Ten Reasons to Walk Through Your Own Front Door For years you've reserved the parking space close to the back door, walked past the time clock and directly into your office. It's a tried and true, nearly universal routine. And why not? It's the shortest distance to the coffee machine and your over-flowing in-basket. But not everyone in this business subscribes to the theory that the fewer steps to the office, the better. In fact, there are ample reasons to avoid the loading dock, and map out an alternative route. Here then is our top ten list of why to enter your business through the front door . . . Is Stress Killing Your Staff? Karoshi. It's the Japanese word for working oneself to death. Whether you realize it or not, some of your bartenders may be committing karoshi on a nightly basis. A nine-year study recently published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine cited bartenders as having a higher risk of heart attack due to job-related stress than the 243 other occupations reviewed. California Occupational Mortality, a report compiled at the University of California at Davis, found that the heaviest drinkers by occupation were bartenders for men and waitresses for women . . . Nicking the Edge of the Blade While planning is important, execution is critical. Nearly every operation can use a tune-up, but before tinkering with your operation's concept, product, or marketing, look first at performance. Actions speak louder than words, so if your business is running at something less than optimum, scrutinize the human element of the equation. Often sizeable gains can be obtained closing the differential between what you think is going on and what actually is . . . Contemporay Hybrid Spirits add Sizzle to Your Back Bar Consumption of distilled spirits is at a five-year high with no evidence of let-up in sight. To meet this steadily increasing demand, suppliers have concocted some genuinely surprising innovations, what amounts to an exciting generation of spirits that until recently didn’t exist. For lack of industry parlance we’re calling them contemporary hybrid spirits, and they’re likely to change the way that we view once conventional product categories . . . What Can You Learn from Randy Durnal You know your day is starting off on the wrong foot when the crew from "60 Minutes" shows up on your doorstep. The same must be true if you’re in court, seated at the defense table and you see Randy Durnal take the stand for the plaintiff. Case closed, take out your checkbook. Durnal is the country’s most respected and widely relied upon standard of care expert. In the area of dram shop litigation, he is a tenacious investigator and a credible, highly persuasive witness. Having testified in over 500 liquor liability cases, Durnal’s reputation is well justified . . .
Añejo Rum: New Darling of the Snifter Set Top Ways to Increase Your Bar Sales Ask a room full of food and beverage operators why they’re in business and the likely response is "to make money." All except for the one businesswoman in the back, the one with the air of confidence, who knows that the answer is "exceed guest expectations" . . . What Do Your Bartenders Really Need to Know? Considering the pivotal role bartenders play within your business, what they don’t know can hurt you. But let’s be honest, what’s easier to put off than staff training? The irony is that few things are more pivotal to your operation’s success than ensuring your frontline employees are well trained. If a mind is a terrible thing to waste, imagine the terrible cost of squandering the intellectual capacity of your entire staff . . . Beverage Profitability: If Your Can't Measure, You Can't Manage it Keeping a finger on your bar’s financial pulse is accomplished, to a degree, through analyzing your cost percentages, or what in jargon is referred to as pour cost. It accurately reflects the relationship between cost and gross sales. Perhaps the single constant in this business is that every beverage operator would like to see his or her pour cost lower . . . 12 Fascinating Light Spirits You Likely Haven't Heard Of There exists a realm of award winning, world-class spirits that remains largely outside of the mainstream. We’ve culled through the huddled masses and selected the twelve most fascinating spirits you likely haven’t heard of. These artisan products are absolutely guaranteed to knock the socks off any enthusiast or connoisseur . . . Class Acts: 16 Promising New Spirits You’ve probably heard the adage before that the only constant is change. It’s especially true in the beverage industry, where manufacturers continue to introduce new products to capture the drinking public’s imagination. Often watching where the major shakers and movers in our industry place their resources is an excellent indicator of future trends . . .
Increasing Bar Revenues One Step at a Time Why Bad Things Happen to Good Bars My grandfather once told me, "If you want to be successful, watch carefully what the majority of people do, then do the opposite." I confess it had little meaning to me at the time. Fortunately for me, I remembered his advice, and I've made it the cornerstone of my professional career ever since . . . The 12 Best American Spirits You Likely Haven't Heard Of America has a long and distinguished history distilling spirits. Even George Washington was an accomplished distiller who made rye whiskey at his Mount Vernon estate. Distillation was an art bought to this young nation by our forefathers from countries such as Ireland, Scotland, France, Russia and England. It soon became a part of the very fabric of our society . . . The 12 Best American Whiskeys You Likely Haven't Heard Of The world has developed a serious thirst for American whiskey. Exports from Kentucky and Tennessee have risen over 60% since 1992 and 26% over the past five years alone. Foreign sales now constitute a significant percentage of sales for American whiskies. Last year more than 8.8 million nine-liter cases of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey were sold abroad . . . The Epitome of Chic: The 12 Most Promising New Vodkas In July 1945, with the war in Europe drawing to an end, Harry Truman, Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin met in Potsdam, Germany. The historic conference set into motion events that would change world politics for the next 45 years. Stalin hosted a state dinner for his American and British counterparts, at which he toasted the assembled dignitaries with vodka made in the closed city of Magadan in Siberia . . . Top Ten Ways to Modivate Employees Captain William Bligh of the H.M.S. Bounty is a historic figure because of his astonishing skills at motivating people. His draconian methods helped motivate the crew of the Bounty to sail half way across the world; unfortunately he couldn’t get them to return the ship. Interestingly enough, two later crews serving under the infamous Captain Bligh reacted similarly to his motivational tactics. . .
Beating the Mid-Winter Blahs- It's Mind Over Matter Is Your Management Something to Crow About? Human nature dictates that if a manager treats his or her employees with respect the staff will respond in kind. It also stands to reason that if one individual can manage to bring out the best in a group, another individual could mismanage the same group of people, negatively affecting their attitude, morale and performance . . . The 12 Hottest New Rums in America Rum is the best selling spirit in the world and part of its immense popularity lies in its diversity. Distilled from sugar cane in primarily the island nations of the Caribbean basin. They are made in a broad range of styles, from clear and light-bodied to dark and full-flavored. The smart money says that rum is the next category to get blistering hot . . . Reducing Draft Beer Costs Draft beer is a significant profit center, often yielding profit margins of 85% to 90%. Conventional inventory controls, however, are largely ineffective in stemming the waste and pilferage normally associated with draft beer. Improperly maintained systems, improper pouring practices, poor sanitary conditions and internal theft are primary areas of concern. . . The Best and the Brightest: The 12 Most Promising New Gins More than any other clear spirit, premium gins are made from recipes that endow them with well-developed characters and individual personalities. They constitute a rarefied lot, with the fewest number of premium brands of all major spirits. Add to this that no two gins taste alike, and you'll see why each brand name gin is truly a singular commodity. So when gin aficionados say they fancy a particular gin more than the others, believe them . . .
Are Serving Doubles Worth the Risk? Pour the Good Stuff and You'll Never Be Disappointed There is a considerable difference between a genuine Rolex watch and those faux-Rolexes sold by sidewalk vendors. Sure they look similar, but that's about where the comparisons end. Brands such as Lexus, Sony, Macintosh, Mercedes, Waterford, Godiva and Armani gained their reputations for unparalleled quality over scores of generations. They are tried and true products, well worth the investment. . . Unbeatable Drams: Sixteen Intriguing Scotch Whiskies When it comes to marketing Scotch, intrigue sells. A whisky with a good story line sells better than one claiming to be the best. Most people would rather be intrigued than impressed. Consumers have become jaded to marketing superlatives such as oldest, rarest and most expensive. Tempt us with some engaging insights into a particular whisky and the decision to purchase a dram or two is a foregone conclusion . . . How Will They React with the Chips on the Line? Expect the unexpected. It's a common enough saying but one that's especially true in this business. Take for example a recent incident that occurred in a high-profile Florida sports bar. A young man seated at the bar was beginning to show signs of impairment, so one of the two bartenders on duty refused the man further service. He became suddenly enraged, withdrew a knife from his pocket, and with all deliberate force, impaled his own hand to the bar top . . . Marketing Top-End Whiskeys: It's Not as Involved as You Might Think Whiskey aficionados thrive on discovery. Expanding their palates and experiencing new tastes quickly becomes a driving fascination. Whiskey is a spirit of enormous depth, dimension and complexity. The large variety of ultra-premium whiskies allow people to make personal statements about what they drink and affords them the opportunity of becoming connoisseurs and aficionados of their own making . . . The Whiskies of Tomorrow are Here Today When distillers of light spirits issue a new label, you can safely presume that there's a sufficient stock of the product to meet almost any demand. If their supplies get low they merely fire up the still and make some more. This is not the case with whiskies and brandies, which require aging and careful managing of existing stocks . . .
Cutting Off Patrons When the Going Get's Rough What makes refusing further service complicated and often intimidating is that alcohol has a destabilizing effect on a drinker's emotional state. It is difficult to anticipate whether a customer will acknowledge the refusal calmly or react in an agitated or belligerent manner . . . The 12 Most Fascinating Tequilas There is often a great debate among enthusiasts of almost anything as to which product is better than all of the rest. This quest for the best is usually a serious waste of time. What is typically being debated is their stylistic, not qualitative differences. More often than not, these discussions end up with the parties conceding that one fabulous product isn't necessarily better than that marvelous product; they're just stylistically different . . . Class Acts: The Best and Brightest New Light Spirits Distillers continue to introduce new products to capture the drinking public's imagination. Often watching where the major shakers and movers in the industry place their resources is an excellent indicator of future trends. On the off chance you might have missed the initial fanfare surrounding their introduction, here are some of the best new spirits introduced this year. Guaranteed they'll look great on your back bar . . . Should Your Valued Employees Also be Your Valued Customers? I am guaranteed to stir up some controversy with this one. Here's my position—I am opposed to employees finishing their shift, clocking out and heading toward the bar for a cold one. Whether in uniform or not, servers should be required to leave the premises after completing their shift. Drinking at the bar? Out of the question . . . Market Research: Shopping the Competition When it really comes down to it, everything in business depends on how well you understand the marketplace in which you operate. It is especially true for the food and beverage industry. There are two fundamental aspects to deciphering the market. The first is understanding what your direct competitors are doing, or not doing. Direct competition is a driving force behind this industry. Not only are your direct competitors vying for the same discretionary income that you are, how you position your business in relation to your direct competitors will greatly dictate how people perceive your business . . . Does Your Back Bar Have an Achilles Heel? One of the advantages of my job is that I get to see a lot of bars every year. While some people derive pleasure from gazing at artistic masterpieces, or beholding the majesty of the Grand Canyon, I prefer sitting in a lounge and pondering what's on the back bar. Granted, it makes me a limited conversationalist, but I have gained some insights into marketing spirits that you may find beneficial . . .
Hot New Scotch Whiskies: Uncasked and Ready to Wow The 12 Most Romantic Rums Not everyone can jaunt off to the Caribbean, but sipping a fine old rum may be the next best thing. There is a cachet surrounding añejo rums. They are made in exotic places, and imbued with rich aromas and rich, captivating flavors. And that's exactly how they should be marketed—as romantic adventures in a glass . . . Bar Journals Provide the Vital Missing Link I am no longer surprised by the amount of confusion and miscommunication that can occur behind even the best run bars. Managers throw their hands up and mutter about how the bartenders do or don't do things. The bartenders shake their heads and strenuously insist that management never inform them of what was supposed to happen. Misunderstandings and missed opportunities behind the bar are often as prevalent as vodka . . . The 12 Most Unforgettable Gins Americans in droves are rediscovering the simple elegance and wonderful complexity of Britain's most famous export. Gin is an intriguing liquor, the youngest of the major spirits, one imbued with incomparable flavor and aroma. Part of the mystique surrounding gin is that each brand is distinctively individual. No two major labels of gin taste or smell the same. It is easy to appreciate how once smitten, people can become such devotees of one brand over the rest of the field . . . Bar Backs are the Cornerstone of the Bar Business My first days behind the bar were spent as a bar back. I washed loads of glasses, scooped buckets of ice, wiped out stacks of ashtrays and observed the bartenders as they worked. This was in the early '70s, the heyday of drinking. I worked at a busy college bar with bartenders who knew precisely what they were doing and did it quickly. The shifts were long and hard, and I loved every minute of it . . . Top Ten Ways to Criticize Effectively Sometimes it just can't be avoided. For anyone in management, leveling constructive criticism goes with the territory, and unless their empathy meter is pushing empty, it isn't something most look forward to. However, criticism needn't leave the recipient permanently scarred and you emotionally disturbed . . .
The Art of Interviewing Bartenders One point of consensus among the experts is to first have a clear vision of the qualities and attributes you're looking for in a bartender. "You have to know exactly who you're looking for, or you're likely to end up disappointed," advises Michael Barry of Dick Clark's Restaurants. "One of the things I attempt to gauge initially is a person's level of stability. Although a generality, I've found that the more stabilizing factors present in someone's life—things such as being a student, or married with a family—the less likely the person will be to leave or do something to jeopardize his or her job." . . . The 12 Best Spirit Values: Getting More Bang For Your Buck Anyone who contends that value doesn't matter probably has way too much disposable income. For the rest of us, value is as powerful a force as gravity. Who doesn't want to think they are getting the most for their hard-earned money? Don't you? . . . Breaking the Cycle: Reducing Glassware Costs If the sound of breaking glasses affects you like fingernails on a chalkboard, then consider the latest innovations in plastic drinkware. They've come a long way from those brittle, wafer-thin plastic cups found at picnics and party supply shops . . . Shake It Up! : Getting the Cobwebs Out of Your Business Every day you open the doors, then close them. Open. Close. Soon everything in the middle begins to blur together, becoming nothing more than what you do between opening the doors and closing them. Little wonder why we lapse into complacency and let our business grow stale . . . Hiring Experience I have hired more than my fair share of bartenders and am now of the mind that nothing is more misleading than someone's stated work experience. How can you possibly quantify a bartender's experience? Some people may work years and learn relatively little about hospitality and professional mixology. Others seem to grasp them intuitively . . . Top 10 Management Mistakes That Make Bartenders Cringe Working in a high-pressure environment like a bar, hotel, or restaurant is bound to eventually fray the nerve endings of even the most stalwart of characters. The combination of being human and the debilitating effects of stress often cause managers to make as many mistakes, unwittingly or otherwise, as those they supervise. After all, no one's perfect . . .
Fresh New Faces of Bourbon The chant "Buy American" can now be heard in bars around the globe. Bourbon's vivacious, satiny character and assertive bouquet are universally appealing, yet bourbons by nature are understated, preferring rather to saunter through life without pretense or conceit. Even as they ascend toward stardom, bourbons remain accessible to all palates and priced for all budgets . . . The Fear of Cognac: Demystifying the World's Noblest Brandy Cognac is an intimidating subject for nearly all of us. After all, it's French, expensive, and the names are hard to pronounce. Most of us are uncomfortable even talking about it lest we unwittingly reveal an utter lack of savior-faire. Yet, cognac is arguably the noblest of brandies and typifies the height of elegance and sophistication. With our society firmly entrenched in a return to pleasure and small indulgences, consumer interest in cognac has never been higher . . . Top Ten Views From the Tenches As the adage goes, "When a man with money meets a man with experience, the man with experience ends up with the money and the man with the money ends up with the experience." Working behind a bar is a great way to gain insight into the food and beverage experience. Life in the trenches comes with a fabulous view. You see and hear just about everything that can be seen or heard. We've polled our experts and come up with a top ten list of the most important things for bartenders to heed when slugging it out in the trenches . . . Sizing Up the Professional Manager No one can make or break a place like the manager. It takes a lot of savvy to manage a bar or restaurant well, and frankly, not just anyone can pull it off. Between the owners, staff, and clientele, there are numerous agendas for a manager to deal with every day . . . Tasting Dinners: Sip, Chew and Learn Something Are you looking to succeed in the next century conducting business in the same manner as you did in the last? Now before you answer, here's a clue how you should respond…don't say yes. It's not the passage of time that's troublesome, it's the changing attitudes of the American public that requires addressing . . . Great Spirits: Getting The Most Bang For Your Spirit Buck If nothing else, the good ol' nineties was a bumper decade for spirits. Recognizing the "drinking less but better" megatrend, producers kicked out all of the stops and released the finest examples of their trade. Most of these spirits are handcrafted in small batches, made from the highest quality ingredients and aged longer under optimum conditions . . . Where's America Headed?: A Look at Four Hot Concepts There are two precepts that govern the food and beverage industry in the United States. The first is the only constant in this business is change. Here in the US, clubs seemingly open and then shut down on a nearly daily basis. Most contemporary food and beverage concepts have half-lives better measured in minutes than years . . . Hiring Bartenders, How The Pros Recruit Dynamic Bartenders Few things change slower than our perceptions. If we reviewed and updated all of our entrenched beliefs we'd have little time for anything else. For example, many of us still believe that hiring bartenders is a simple matter of placing a classified ad, opening the front door and making sure you have plenty of sharpened pencils handy. In today's job market that's as likely as a Beatles reunion . . . Service  American Whiskey Skyrocketing Worldwide The Twelve Best New Tequilas You May Not Have Heard of...Yet Hard Knocks School of Bartending Bartending is a challenging occupation, and when done right, it’s a sight to behold. Getting to that lofty elevation requires humility and a resolve to excel. Few have become consummate professionals behind the bar without making every mistake in the book, perhaps more than once. To make the trip a bit less frenetic and painful for your bartenders, here’s some constructive criticism gleaned from the featured curriculum at the Hard Knocks School of Bartending. These pitfalls cut short careers and give managers conniptions . . . Hurry Up and Slow Down The restaurant was packed, the lounge was filled past capacity and the bar was like a war zone. The underside of being a popular joint on New Year’s Eve, I thought to myself as I slowly made my way to the service station at the bar. Lori was obviously in the weeds. “No one ever told me there’d be days like this!” And with that she grabbed her drinks and bolted toward the hot end of the bar. That was almost 25 years ago, but it still clear as a bell. I was about to learn a valuable lesson about managing a bar . . . Cocktail Advice - The Pros from Dover Chime in on Making Great Drinks If you only had one opportunity to pass on three pieces of advice to a rookie bartender about making cocktails, what would they be? In other words, based on your experience, what are the three most important things an up-and-coming bartender must know about the fine art of crafting cocktails? That’s the question we posed to 21 of the country’s leading beverage experts. The roster includes noted authors, trade writers, national operators, general managers, consultants and master mixologists. Each of the interviewees has at one point in their lives relied on bartending as their livelihood and is now an impassioned advocate of the profession . . . Tip Jars, Where Art Thou? A few years ago, a musician wrote an article regarding the effect the size and shape of a tip jar has on one’s tipped income. It was his contention after years of firsthand observation that a large, glass brandy snifter prompted people to tip more. He went on to say that if bartenders used snifters and ensured that the tip jars were highly visible to guests that they would make more gratuities . . . Training vs. Education: How to get Bartenders Where They Need to Be Where do you stand on the debate? Some contend that the best results are obtained by educating bartenders, not training them, that the days of training people stops at the potty. They suggest that what bartenders need is a steady diet of education. Others argue that while some aspects of the job require continuing education, technical proficiency is a strict matter of training and guidance . . . Having Bartender Woes? Put Those Days Behind You Bartenders are key employees. They serve your clientele, dole out your inventory, and have their hands in the till. Amassing and maintaining a qualified bartending staff requires time and a great deal of effort. Selecting the right person for the job the first time around requires preparation and the ability to learn a lot about a person in a very short period of time . . . Infused, Enthused, and Full of Spirit Consider how many other bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and lounges your clientele have to pass before they get to your front door. Are you sure that serving them the same old bill of fare is in your best long-term interests? Anyone can make drinks; few make drinks special. Pizzazz behind the bar entails doing something unexpected, something out of the ordinary. The sales axiom “Don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle!” is especially true at the bar. Infusions are among the hottest trends in the bar business. The secret to their success is that they’re a fun and profitable way to create something exciting, something the competition can’t duplicate. When you create a winning infusion, there’s only one place to get it . . . Bartending Etiquette: Avoiding Gaucheries and Faux Pas A quick look around the room tells the story. The guy in the corner booth...the one with the irritated expression...has a drink sloshing over the rim with little pieces of sopping paper napkin stuck to the sides. He looks a lot happier, though, than the suits at the bar. They’ve been waiting easily ten or twelve minutes with empty glasses. The impatient rapping of their glasses on the bar is a sure sign they’re a lost cause. A few short minutes later the two briskly head out the front door with the deportment of men who have tolerated enough bad service for one night . . . Start Flipping Those Bottles! Ours is a business of subtleties and intangibles, where small things often make a huge difference. After all, we tend to stock the same products on our back bars, carry the same styles of glassware and relay on the same types of drink mixes. So what differentiates your operation from those on either side of you? . . .
Keeping Exceptional Service as Part of Your Daily Regiman Familiarity acts like a cataract on perspective, impairing the decision making process. Engaged with day to day concerns, most of us spend untold hours in our operations seeing things as they are and not as they could or should be, growing to accept the norm as the final objective. In most instances, that type of thinking can prove costly, especially behind the bar . . . Your Barware Speaks Volumes Some restaurateurs spend more time designing their business cards than selecting their bar’s small wares. That’s regrettable in as much as barware impacts the operation’s sales and perceived professionalism more than a swank business card ever could . . . The Ten Commandments of Service Excellence We all have our thresholds. Rankle our sensibilities, render lousy service and anyone of us is capable of going ballistic. There are unwritten conventions governing professional bar conduct. You know most of them intuitively. Then why is it that so many bartenders consistently step on these seemingly straightforward rules? And why do so many of those bar jockeys have to wait on me . . . Successfully Building Repeat Business Creating a core of loyal patrons who make your establishment their destination venue of choice is a goal shared by every operator. Gimmicks and slick promotional schemes won’t accomplish the objective. In fact, they often do more harm than good by inadvertently creating different classes of guests, those who are identified as regulars and those lesser folks deemed newcomers. The reality is that today’s regular was yesterday’s newcomer . . . Shaking Up the Hits: Inject Your Signature Drinks with Panache, Pizzazz and Style What you really don’t want to have happen is for your guests to order your signature drinks only to find that there’s nothing special about them. The natural presumption is that if the specialties in the front of the house are lacking, so must the specialties coming out of the kitchen . . . Can You Spot the Onset of Intoxication? It doesn’t take an advanced degree to spot a drunk at ten paces. The indications are fairly obvious — loss of coordination, articulation and the ability to think coherently. If you’re a server of alcohol, however, you face a significantly more challenging task. It’s your responsibility to spot the initial signs of intoxication, the tell-tale evidence that someone is starting to "feel the alcohol." If you wait until a guest is obviously impaired before refusing further service, it’ll be too late. A person’s blood alcohol concentration doesn’t reach its highest level for 15-30 minutes after he or she stops drinking. In addition, the impairing effects of alcohol will continue to increase roughly 25% during that hour . . .
Proven Ways of Improving Bartender Gratuities How's Your Linkage with the Past? If you concocted a drink so intriguing that it survived the test of time and became a classic, wouldn’t you want people to acknowledge you as its creator? Who wouldn’t, right? This issue’s trivia challenge concerns itself with the genealogy of some of the most classic cocktails, drinks so good that how they originated deserve to be known. Bone up on the classics because here’s our best shot . . . The Who, What, Where and Why of Bartending Okay, maybe the following doesn’t contain any "who" questions, but the rest of them are downright interesting. Not only are they interesting, but the answers may prove informative, and dare we say, enlightening. Remember, if knowledge is power, then this quiz is a guaranteed 20-volt jolt . . . The Match Game Of Spirits Day after day they sit patiently on your back bar. You recognize their labels, you may even consider many of them your close friends, but do you know what these stellar performers actually are? You use them everyday, they make you a lot of money, but are you quite positive you know what they are? You know, they have a life too, so to speak . . . Where Does This Beer Come From? Beer is one of the world's most widely produced and widely consumed alcoholic potables. It is a relatively simple substance—the basic components of most are barley, hops, yeast and water. To a degree, its personality is derived from where it is made. The taste of the water used and the yeast used to precipitate fermentation leave an indelible mark on its character . . . The Match Game Of Spirits: Brushing Up On Your Product Knowledge Being a bartender at a busy bar is similar to being the captain of a cruise liner, only you don't get the snazzy uniform and people rarely salute. Other than that, the similarities are many, including a reserved parking space and a comprehensive dental plan . . .
The Match Game Of Spirits: Testing Your Vodka Geography I.Q. Advice for the Rookie Bartender Like the saying goes, "you only get one chance to make a good first impression." In all probability, most new bartenders would welcome constructive advice. Bartending a busy commercial bar is often stressful and uniquely demanding. Some well-intended direction from you might have a significant impact . . . The Match Game Of Spirits: Testing Your Rum/Rhum I.Q. Rum without question is the most popular spirit in the world. Every bar in the country carries it in their well and several brands on their back bar. With the summer heat fully upon us, now is the time to capitalize on rum's nearly universal appeal. You stand to reap tremendous returns if you do . . . Advice on Improving Customer Satisfaction Ask a room full of food and beverage operators why they're in business and the likely response is "to make money." All except for the one businesswoman in the back, the one with the air of success, who knows the answer is "to satisfy the guests." The formula for success in this business is far from tricky—keep the clientele happy, and they'll return to pump their discretionary income into your coffers. Dissatisfied guests will leave and tear out your name from the yellow pages, and advise everyone they come in contact with for weeks to do the same . . . Top Ten Things Bartenders Do That Vex Their Managers Done right, bartending is a challenging occupation, and when someone does it really well, it's a sight to behold. Getting to that lofty elevation requires humility and a resolve to excel. Few have become consummate professionals without making every mistake in the book, perhaps more than once . . . Get It Right The First Time Exceptional service begins with a qualified staff. Putting together a qualified bartending staff requires time and a good deal of effort. Bartenders are key employees. Selecting the right person for the job on the first pass requires preparation and the ability to learn a lot about a person in a very short period of time . . .
How Up Are You On New Products? Dealing With Problem Situations Human beings are a diverse and sometimes unpredictable species. It is important to remember that each person is an individual and deserves to be treated as such and that most problems have more than one solution . . . Bar Trivia IQ: The Stuff Legends are Made From So you have a taste for the unusual and a keen command of the esoteric, eh? Well, get your Dramamine and exit visas ready because this issue's trivia focuses on products from exotic ports of call. Tipping Part 2 of 2 There are many opinions on whether to have them on your bar, how many, what size, etc. Here's what I think. You want to make it as easy as possible for someone to tip you if they want to. So yes, I believe that you should use them. If you don't, some people either will forget or be unsure of what to do, so they won't leave a tip. M |
