Basement, 72 Campbell Street
Surry Hills, Sydney
playbar.com.au

Occupying a space that PLAY’s owners believe used to be an opium den in the 1930s. There is a clear emphasis on all things hip hop and what people in the nineties used to call “street culture”. It’s refreshing. To walk past on the street — and this has become a kind of commonplace when it comes to bars, but it’s true — you wouldn’t know it was there. Downstairs in the basement, the old chess supplies store has had it pre-fab walls ripped out to expose the beautiful, raw brickwork.

That’s backed up by the tunes owners Dan Robertson and Sarah Vuong are spinning inside.

“He brings the musical creative side, I bring the functional side, and we got talking and thought maybe we could really do this,” said Vuong. “Truth be told, I think we were both over working for people,” she said.

Music is a big thing at this bar. “We do an open vinyl night on Thursdays,” said Robertson. And it’s converting even those who aren’t necessarily coming for the tunes. “We’ll get an older couple come down, feel a little out of place for the first drink, but then stay for six glasses of wine,” said Robertson.

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A recent conversation with a difficult customer has been playing on my mind. The main point of contention with the woman in question was the fact that my head bartender was not straw tasting every one of his drinks as he sent them over the bar. She asked me whether he thought of himself as some sort of cocktail god. For the sake of conflict resolution I obviously did not justify this comment with an answer however what I really wanted to say went something like this. “No, I believe he’s just an accomplished bartender who can execute the same simple recipe over and over without tasting the drink every single time.” Oh if only.

Now I believe that it is important to check the quality of your cocktails, especially those which are notoriously hard to balance, but tasting every drink you make throughout the night is unnecessary and also related to a wider health issue which is endemic within our industry, alcoholism.

Before I go on let me just point out that I am no puritan looking to throw stones, I simply feel this is a discussion that needs to be raised by someone from within.

In a standard working week most bartenders will do five shifts. If during these shifts they make 60 cocktails and taste five ml from each one this will on average lead them to consume two standard drinks each shift. Add in a knock-off drink or two after work this leads to an approximate minimum of 15 standard drinks throughout their ‘working week’. Then we have the bartender’s weekend. After a tough week of serving punters it is of course natural to want to let your hair down and enjoy some R&R, unfortunately this most often stands for Rye whiskey and Red Wine rather than rest and relaxation. A conservative estimate for these nights of booze-fuelled banter would be about 15 standard drinks. Let’s then throw in the obligatory two drinks the next day to quell the hangover and we have a grand total of 30 drinks per average week.

When one considers that the experts recommend no more than 10 drinks a week with at least two Alcohol Free Days the stats aren’t good. Even if we double the quacks’ recommended total (because let’s face it, that’s what they expect us to do) the average bartender is still way over the odds. If we throw in the culture of fast food and caffeine consumption, smoking not to mention other illicit substances it isn’t hard to see why this is certainly a young man’s caper.

So, as managers, owners or those with experience is it not partly our responsibility to make sure we try to educate the budding younger generation and ensure that they don’t see excessive drinking as an integral part of the hospitality culture?

It will surely make them better employees and in turn provide them with more promising future prospects, above all they will be healthier people. Furthermore the industry as a whole must stop brushing the issue under the carpet and begin preaching moderation as the key message. If not we will continue to see our beloved alcohol further demonised and out way of life threatened. If a shortened life span doesn’t bother you, unemployment just might.

America’s biggest bartending bash, Tales of the Cocktail, has just released the top ten finalists in each category for this year’s Spirited Awards. The awards cover the best of American bartending and cocktail culture, and recognise those international bars, bartenders, people and publications that strive for excellence in the cocktail sphere.

A quick summary of some homegrown talent making the top ten this year: both Jason Crawley and Sven Almenning have been nominated for Best Bar Mentor, and Illegal Mezcal’s Stephen Myers nominated for Best International Brand Ambassador; Melbourne’s Black Pearl has received two nominations, one for World’s Best Cocktail Bar and one for World’s Best Cocktail Menu while fellow Melburnians EDV are finalists for World’s Best Drink Selection; Sydney’s The Roosevelt is up for Best Restaurant Bar, while new Sydney bar, Bulletin Place, is up for World’s Best New Cocktail Bar. Ex-pat bartender and former editor of Australian Bartender, Naren Young, has been nominated for Best Cocktail Writing (Author) and International Bartender of the Year. Melbourne’s 1806 also scored a nomination by way of Nick Reed’s 1806 Cocktails:  World History as Seen Through the Bottom of a Glass, nominated for Best New Cocktail Book.

Rounding out the Australian contingent is none other than Australian Bartender, nominated for Best Cocktail Writing (Publication).

Below are the full results. You can read more at the Tales website.

American Bartender of the Year

• Charles Joly-The Aviary-Chicago, Illinois
• Eric Alperin-The Varnish-Los Angeles, California
• Erick Castro-Polite Provisions-San Diego, California
• Ivy Mix-Clover Club-Brooklyn, New York
• Jack McGarry- The Dead Rabbit-New York, New York
• John Lermayer-Regent Cocktail Club-Miami, Florida
• Leo Robitschek-The NoMad Hotel-New York, New York
• Naren Young-Saxon + Parole, The Daily-New York, New York
• Sean Kenyon-Williams & Graham-Denver, Colorado
• Steve Schneider-Employees Only-New York, New York

Best American Brand Ambassador

• Amanda Boccato- Lillet
• Diego Loret de Mola-Barsol Pisco
• Elayne Duff-Diageo Portfolio
• Gardner Dunn-Yamazaki
• Gaston Martinez-Milagro Tequila
• Jackie Patterson-Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
• Jamie Gordon-Absolut Vodka
• Neyah White-Yamazaki
• Nick van Tiel-Beefeater Gin and Plymouth Gin
• Todd Richman- Sidney Frank Portfolio

Best American Cocktail Bar

• Anvil-Houston, Texas
• Booker and Dax-New York, New York
• canon: whiskey and bitters emporium- Seattle, Washington
• Clover Club-Brooklyn, New York
• Cure-New Orleans, Louisiana
• Prizefighter-Emeryville, California
• The Barrelhouse Flat-Chicago, Illinois
• The Broken Shaker-Miami, Florida
• The Hawthorne-Boston, Massachusetts
• William & Graham-Denver, Colorado

Best Bar Mentor

• Bridget Albert-Chicago, Illinois
• Charlotte Voisey- New York, New York
• Dushan Zaric-Los Angeles, California
• Francesco Lafranconi-Las Vegas, Nevada
• Jackson Cannon-Boston, Massachusetts
• Jason Crawley-Sydney, Australia
• Julie Reiner-Brooklyn, New York
• Julio Bermejo-San Francisco, California
• Sven Almenning-Sydney, Australia
• Wayne Collins-London, United Kingdom

Best Cocktail Writing – Author

• Dan Priseman
• Derek Brown
• Gary Regan
• Geoff Kleinman
• Ian Cameron
• Jenny Adams
• Naren Young
• Paul Clarke
• Philip Duff
• Robert Simonson

Best Cocktail Writing – Publication

• Australian Bartender Magazine
• Bar Magazine Digital
• BarChick
• Barlife UK
• DiffordsGuide.com
• Find. Eat. Drink.
• Imbibe Magazine
• Sauce Magazine
• ShakeStir.com
• The Cocktail Lovers Magazine

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar

• Clover Club-Brooklyn, New York
• Flatiron Lounge-New York, New York
• Harvard and Stone-Los Angeles, California
• Macao Trading Co.-New York, New York
• Polite Provisions-San Diego, California
• Sable Kitchen and Bar-Chicago, Illinois
• Saxon + Parole Restaurant-New York, New York
• The Dead Rabbit-New York, New York
• The NoMad Hotel-New York, New York
• Vesper Bar-Las Vegas, Nevada

Best International Brand Ambassador

• Claire Smith-Belvedere Vodka
• Colin Asare-Appiah-Bacardi Portfolio
• David Cordoba-Bacardi Portfolio
• Dean Monkey Callan-Monkey Shoulder Whisky
• Giuseppe Gallo-Martini
• Ian Burrell-Rum Ambassador
• Jacob Briars-Bacardi Portfolio
• Max Warner-Chivas Regal
• Raj Nagra-Bombay Gins
• Stephen Myers-Illegal Mezcal

Best New Book (Cocktail/Bartending)

• 1806 Cocktails:  World History as Seen Through the Bottom of a Glass by Nick Reed
• Craft Cocktails by Brian Van Flandern
• Diffordsguide Gin book by DiffordsGuide.com
• Drinks by Tony Conigliaro
• Edible Cocktails:  Garden to Glass by Natalie Bovis
• Gin:  A Global History by Lesley Jacobs Solmonson
• Sanctuaria, The Dive Bar of Cocktails by Matt Seiter
• The Tequila Ambassador by Tomas Estes
• To Have and Have Another:  A Hemingway Cocktail Companion by Philip Greene
• Vodka Distilled by Tony Abou-Ganim

Best New Product

• Bartender’s Choice iPhone App
• Cana Brava Rum
• Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Aromatic Bitters
• Dorothy Parker Gin
• Filthy Black Cherry
• Fords Gin
• H by Hine VSOP
• Imbue Petal and Thorn
• Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
• Tequila Cabeza

Best Restaurant Bar

• Gwynnett St-Brooklyn, New York, USA
• Imperial by Chef Vitaly Paley-Portland, Oregon, USA
• Island Creek Oyster Bar-Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen- San Francisco, California, USA
• No. 9 Park-Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Oak at fourteenth-Boulder, Colorado, USA
• Oven & Shaker-Portland, Oregon, USA
• Saxon + Parole Restaurant-New York, New York, USA
• The NoMad Hotel-New York, New York, USA
• The Roosevelt-Sydney, Australia

International Bartender of the Year

• Andrea Montague-Callooh Callay-London, United Kingdom
• Carina Soto Velasquez-Candelaria-Paris, France
• Hidetsugu Ueno-Bar High Five- Tokyo, Japan
• Jack McGarry-The Dead Rabbit-New York, New York, USA
• Jamie Bourdreau-cannon:  whiskey and bitter-Seattle, Washington, USA
• Marian Beke-The Nightjar-London, United Kingdom
• Misty Kalkofen-Brick & Mortar-Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Naren Young- Saxon + Parole, The Daily-New York, New York, USA
• Simone Caporale-Artesian Bar at the Langham-London, United Kingdom
• Zdenek Kastanek-28 Hong Kong Street- Singapore

World’s Best Cocktail Bar

• 28 Hong Kong Street-Singapore
• Black Pearl-Melbourne, Australia
• Callooh Callay-London, United Kingdom
• Candelaria-Paris, France
• Clover Club-New York, New York, USA
• Death and Co.-New York, New York, USA
• Drink-Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Milk and Honey-New York, New York, USA
• The Dead Rabbit-New York, New York, USA
• The Varnish-Los Angeles, California, USA

World’s Best Cocktail Menu

• 28 Hong Kong Street-Singapore
• 69 Colebrooke Row-London, United Kingdom
• American Bar at the Savoy-London, United Kingdom
• Black Pearl-Melbourne, Australia
• cannon:  whiskey and bitters emporium-Seattle, Washington, USA
• Clover Club-Brooklyn, New York, USA
• Pouring Ribbons-New York, New York, USA
• The Dead Rabbit-New York, New York, USA
• The Hawthorne-Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• The Nightjar-London, United Kingdom

World’s Best Drink Selection

• cannon:  whiskey and bitters emporium-Seattle, Washington, USA
• Cure-New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
• DaddyO-New York, New York, USA
• Eau de Vie-Melbourne, Australia, USA
• Mayahuel-New York, New York, USA
• Saxon + Parole Restaurant-New York, New York, USA
• Seven Grand-Los Angeles, California, USA
• The Dead Rabbit-New York, New York, USA
• The Hawthorne-Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Whistling Shop-London, United Kingdom

World’s Best Hotel Bar

• Beaufort Bar at the Savoy-London, United Kingdom
• Black Angels Bar-Prague, Czech Republic
• Clyde Common-Portland, Oregon, USA
• Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks-Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Regent Cocktail Club-Miami, Florida, USA
• Sable Kitchen and Bar-Chicago, Illinois, USA
• The NoMad Hotel-New York, New York, USA
• The Zetter Townhouse-London, United Kingdom
• Vesper Bar-Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
• Widder Bar-Zurich, Switzerland

World’s Best New Cocktail Bar

• Bar Le Coq-Paris, France
• Broken Shaker-Miami, Florida, USA
• Bulletin Place-Sydney, Australia
• Experimental Cocktail Club-New York, New York, USA
• Polite Provisions-San Diego, California, USA
• Pouring Ribbons-New York, New York, USA
• The Dead Rabbit-New York, New York, USA
• The NoMad Hotel-New York, New York, USA
• Trick Dog-San Francisco, California, USA

The Australian winner of the Disaronno Mixing Star comp has been revealed, with the title going to Nick Selvadurai from Melbourne’s Cookie. A glitzy event was held at theloft Wednesday night, hosted by actress Gracie Otto. On offer that night were three drinks selected by the judges that were put up for the People’s Choice Award part of the competition. Guests were invited to sample all three drinks and vote for their favourite. The crowd-pleasing concoction from The Fish Shop‘s Quynh Nguyen, the Scarlett Rose, beat out the competition from theloft’s Jordan Blackman, and Rockpool Bar & Grill’s James Connolly, to win the night.

Check out the action in the gallery below.

Interviewed by Sam Bygrave

Simon Ford has worked at the big spirit companies, is known for bringing Plymouth gin to bartenders worldwide, and worked for a long time as an ambassador for Pernod Ricard. He’s traded all that in now for his own spirits company, The 86 Company, and his very own eponymous gin, Ford’s Gin. Bartender sought to find out more about where the market’s been and where it’s going.

Can you describe the thinking behind your spirits?

The 86 Co produces spirits in collaboration with some of the great distillers and distillers from around the world using constant input from our friends in the bartending community.  While creating each spirit, we tested every batch in benchmark classic cocktails and took feedback from these tastings back to the distillers so they could make adjustments to the recipe to improve the spirit for mixing. The distillers enjoyed the challenges that came from the bartenders and completely understood the idea of creating spirits for mixing.

We started the company with a philosophy of always putting the bartender first. Whatever we did, it would only happen through conversations with the bartending community. Two of the co-founders of The 86 Co, Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas of Employees Only, are bartenders, but we wanted to listen to many different perspectives. Innovation in spirits is rarely driven by the bartender and by what the bartender wants; it’s usually marketing companies reacting to what trend-watch companies tell them and consumer research. Every now and then they hit and launch something great, but the usual result is an endless stream of flavoured vodkas, line extensions and nonsense products with slogans like “The worlds first Super premium un-aged Cognac.” I guarantee that most bartenders that just read that had a shiver run up their spine and muttered under their breath “expensive eau de vie in a stupid bottle”.

The last decade has seen tremendous growth in the diversity of spirits — where do your brands fit in to this?

I agree, the last decade has been amazing. There has been plenty of innovation from the absurdly useful to the ridiculous, and I have loved witnessing the resurgences of more global categories like bitters, piscos, cachacas, amaros and mezcal to name a few. Our company nearly started with the creation of an Absinthe Bitters and a Grapefruit Triple Sec (which I would still like to do). I would never have thought we’d end up with spirits from already oversaturated categories, but we found that stylistically there is still plenty of room. The bartenders we worked with helped define the characteristics of the 86 spirits and their primary goal was: how well do the spirits mix? That in turn, led us back to some quite stereotypical flavours. Fords Gin’s flavour is dominated by juniper; our vodka tastes like wheat; Caña Brava rum tastes like sugar cane juice, but it’s also really dry giving the bartenders better control of sweet and sour when making drinks like the daiquiri with it; and I have never tasted a tequila with so much cooked agave flavour before as in Tequila Cabeza. The other thing that really stands out is how full-bodied and viscous each spirit is; they have a fullness that serves well as a backbone for mixed drinks, as every base spirit should. In hindsight, this back-to-basics approach makes sense, they are products that do what they say on the label—they are reliable and honest.

What trends or spirits do you think we’ll see more of in the next year?

The back bar is changing at a rapid pace right now – brands that I grew up with are no longer being served at my favourite bars; they are being replaced by small producers, young entrepreneurs and formally undiscovered categories, and I think the changes that are about to come are going to shape what people drink for the next 50 years. It’s still early days for mescal, but I expect to see a lot more from that category next year.  Sotols may even make a small appearance, as there is so much interest in anything made from agave right now. I also think that we are going to see more spirits coming to market that have been created with input from bartenders; blends picked by bartenders, flavours created or suggested by bartenders, bartender editions and so on.

Do you have plans in store for distribution in Australia?

Once we have established our distribution in the USA, Australia is one of the first countries we plan to launch The 86 Company, and we have already started conversations with possible partners. You have one of the best cocktail cultures in the world, and it’s a place where I have some of my best friends, as well as many great drinking memories. The first time I came to Australia was to launch Plymouth Gin and I’ve attended three Sydney Bar shows; it’s always been part of the dream that one day I would get to launch my own spirit in Australia, so see you soon.

Can you describe a little of the process involved in bringing a new product to market, from idea through to the bottling to getting on the shelves?

It took over 2 years before the idea started transforming from just an idea into a reality. The first challenge was finding distillers that would partner with us and were capable of making the quality of spirits that we wanted. We went to over 25 distilleries in several different countries before we found the distillers we now work with. Then product development started, which was surprisingly smooth. I put this down to the talent we partnered with. Francisco “Don Pancho” J Fernandez, who makes our rum, has over 45 years of rum-making experience including 35 years as the Minister of Cuban Rum.  Charles Maxell, who makes Fords Gin for us, is an eighth generation gin distiller, and we make Tequila Cabeza with the Vivanco family who have been growing Agave on their estate since the 1920s. They are all masters of their craft and so getting to work with them was an honour for us. We took their initial distillates and tested them in classic cocktails. This is when we started taking notes that we took back to the distillers who made the recipe tweaks needed to improve the spirit for mixing. For some of the spirits it only took one or two changes, and for others as many as 20-30 changes were made. While the spirits were being formulated we started working on a bottle design that was specifically designed for functionality. At first we were just going to use a stock bottle to keep packaging costs down but through some research we discovered we could make our own bottle without increasing the cost of goods. We enlisted the help of a water bottle designer and took the opinions of over 150 bartenders. The results were as expected, a bottle that is ergonomic and easy to hold, fits speed pourers well, has a consistent pour, a long neck and measurements on the side. The next stage was my least favorite part of the journey – obtaining label approvals, getting compliant and setting up distribution as it is very litigious and often requires lawyers. It also takes three times longer than you think it will. Once all that has been completed, it’s time to go and sell. Even with a great product and a great label, the odds are stacked against you. Your marketing budgets will be peanuts compared to the competition and you are only a small group of people trying to sell against mighty sales forces. Of everything I have ever done in my career, this has been the most difficult and challenging.

What advice would you give to bartenders thinking of getting their own products out there?

Anyone who is planning on starting his or her own spirits company should know that it’s going to take a lot longer than you anticipate – remember overnight success takes at least 5 years. I think that finding business partners with skill sets other than yours is a good idea; for example, if you are the creative person, find someone who is good with finance and organisation. Finally, starting up with a some capitol is wise as it’s a very competitive market place and it will most likely be a few years before you see any profits.

What makes your gin more versatile for mixing than another gin?

The thought behind the gin started over a brunch with Sasha Petraske at Blue Ribbon Bakery in New York. We drew a flavour map of botanicals and matched them to classic gin cocktails. I took that to Charles Maxwell, our Master Distiller and we started distilling. There are a few reasons Fords Gin is versatile for mixing. My personal favourite attribute is the high oil content. During development, we tested different ratios of botanicals to alcohol and we increased the quantity of botanicals a few times for higher oil content — the result is a viscous and silky texture, making it great for stirred drinks. The high juniper content combined with the botanicals being steeped in the base alcohol for 15 hours prior to distillation—which pulls out a lot more flavour, helps create a full flavour in the gin that plays well in long drinks like fizzes and G&Ts. The botanical profile was also built to support both lemon and lime based sour cocktails. Juniper, coriander, Jasmine and orange all support lemon citrus. Cassia, lemon and grapefruit support lime. To say our gin is more versatile than other gins is something I will let the bartenders who mix with it decide because taste is a very subjective thing. Our goal with Fords Gin was to create a workhorse/go-to gin for cocktails, but I know enough about gin to understand that you’ll always need at least four or five gins in your bar… my aim is of course to be one them.

How do you know when you get the “right” formulation? What kind of testing is involved?

All I can say is lots of Margaritas, Palomas, Bloody Mary’s, Moscow Mules, Martinis, French 75s, Negronis, Tom Collins, Corpse Revivers, Gimlets, Mary Pickford’s, Hemingway’s, El Presidentes and Daiquiris were harmed during the development of The 86 Company spirits. We would set up experiments in which we’d taste different ABV’s of our tequila side-by-side in Margaritas or we would test our gin with different oil contents and ABV’s in martinis. I think all the due diligence and obtaining validation from some of the people in the industry we respect the most helped us make great spirits.

Is it important where the botanicals come from?

Where the botanicals come from is extremely important. Just as the grapes for wine making rely on specific agriculture, geography and climate so do many botanicals. For example, the best juniper grows in chalky and limestone soils in northern Europe.

You display the percentages of the different botanicals in Ford’s Gin in your fact sheet; often these are closely guarded secrets — aren’t you worried that someone will replicate your gin?

The aim of The 86 Company is to share as much information about how our products are made as possible because bartenders like to know about the spirits they serve and don’t always get the opportunity to visit distilleries. We do understand that this opens us up to the possibility of being copied, but I think it’s worth the risk. By sharing the botanical profile of Fords Gin, we will, perhaps, give people a better understanding of how gins are made and how different botanicals act in gin. I also think the list acts as a good reference point when tasting the gin.

Your website says your labels are “filled with useful and honest information”; what do you think the problems are with most spirits labels?

There are many labels that I really like that don’t carry much information, and I am fine with that because I understand the compromises one has to make with label design to accommodate a lot of information being shown. Besides there is always the internet where you can source the information. I personally see the label as an opportunity to tell the story as well as answer questions that I anticipate people might ask about our spirits, and that is what drove the decision to fill up the label with content about the production of our spirits. There are labels out there that are filled with meaningless terms and tag lines that don’t really mean a great deal though. Terms like handmade, hand-crafted, artisanal, superior, reserve, special reserve, supreme select, select reserve, etc. don’t really have legal definition and terms like distilled 74 times or filtered 17 times through pancakes are misleading. There is an assumption that it sounds special so people will think its good, and in some instances these terms do help us distinguish between different marks within a brand, but in other instances, it’s just plain marketing silliness. My argument is that there are many drinks enthusiasts and professional bartenders who really care about how the spirits they drink or serve are made and where they come from, and I am trying my best to respond to that. We are certainly not the first people to do this, but I do wish more brands would.

Where do you hope this spirits venture will be in 5 years time?

My first hope is that we are still around. It would be even better to still be around and financially stable. Once that is achieved, I would like to see The 86 Company take a role in helping other bartenders who want to become spirit entrepreneurs set up shop. By then we will have gained so much knowledge of distribution, production and the legal aspects of building a spirits company that we could easily save people a lot of time and effort and hopefully be in a position to provide good advice and contacts also.

Jay, Dushan and I have a bucket list of bartenders and distillers we would like to work with on future collaborations because our belief is that bartenders use spirits more than anyone else, they pour them all not long and they try them in countless different mixed drinks. This gives them incomparable insights into the consumer and what people like, and this inevitably makes it a great breeding ground for innovation for our industry. To be in a position to bring some of those ideas to life is one of my dreams, but first things first, The 86 Co needs to survive and that’s what my focus will be for the next 5 years.

Richard Boccato is at the centre of all things tiki in New York. He started his bar career manning the door at Little Branch before getting behind the bar, ending up at Milk & Honey. He then went on to open Dutch Kills and then tiki bar PKNY (originally called Painkiller). His talent with tiki caught the eye of Damian Griffiths, who brought Boccato out to Brisbane to help launch the tiki bar at Alfred & Constance, White Lightning. They’ve put a new cocktail list out recently, with Boccato visiting to implement it, and we asked him to walk us through the 1934 Zombie he’s put on the list.

“The CBD scene has come a long way,” said Lara Dignam (Red Lantern), one part of a trio opening new voodoo-inspired Sydney small bar, Papa Gedes. Aiming to open in August, the bar takes its cues from a rich vein of voodoo taken from the Bond film Live and Let Die, New Orleans and Haiti.

“Papa Gedes is a voodoo spirit of lust and laughter,” said Dignam. She’s joined in the new bar by Michael Dhinse (ex-Grasshopper, Grandma’s) who, having worked at these two city small bars has a wealth of experience to draw on. Together with Joshua Ng (ex- Ivy Pool and Hemmesphere, currently at the Wild Rover) they’re putting cocktails front and centre of the new bar. “We’ll have a section on the menu which is a revivers section,” said Dhinse, “and the whole menu is like a soul awakening.”

The bar will hold 60 people. “We’re going for comfort, more than trying to cram in as many people as we can,” said Ng. They have just got their DA approved through council. Though they won’t be going all the way with the voodoo theme. “There’ll be no chicken sacrifices — yet,” said Dignam.

Papa Gedes is hoping to open in August, at 346-348 Kent St, Sydney.

After three years running the influential Brisbane bar, Canvas, the four partners behind the venture are selling the bar and moving on. “After three years of great success within the Australian bar scene we have decided to sell Canvas,” said Bonnie Shearston, one of the partners and a member of the Australian Bartender advisory panel.

“With Public going from strength to strength and a new opportunity in sight we have decided it is time to let go and focus on things to come. All four partners are leaving Canvas and it will be taken over by two gents, Bodie [Schofield] and Dan [Rodriguez],” she said.

Canvas was set up in 2010 by Shearston, Tom Sanceau, and Marco and Emily Nunes. The bar won the Best New Bar Award at the 2011 Australian Bartender Bar Awards, took out the title of Cocktail List of the Year at the 2012 Australian Bartender Bar Awards, and has had some talented bartenders come up through its ranks. Shearston and Sanceau set up their other venue, Public, at the start of 2012; Marco and Emily Nunes are opening the doors on their next project, Papa Jacks, in the coming months.

But what will come of Canvas? ”[The new owners] will keep it trading as Canvas and have some exciting things in store,” said Shearston.

Schofield’s background is in hospitality, whereas his business partner, Dan Rodriguez’ background is in marketing and advertising. It was Rodriguez’ return from a three year stint in Amsterdam (where he spent time working in hospitality) that prompted the two to begin looking for a bar.

“I’ve always been interested in having my own venue,” said Schofield, “and Dan came back and threw the idea out there.”

“Then Canvas came up and we thought, there’s definitely something we can do with that,” he said.

The pair have plans to build a beer garden out the back, which will “have an industrial feel, but we want to keep it quite arty,” said Schofield. They’re keen to reinforce Canvas’ emphasis on cocktails, but are looking to add other aspects — like the installation of beer taps — to the bar. “We want to do a fair bit more with food; we’re putting in more of a kitchen than there is [now],” he said, wih plans to open for breakfast on Saturday and Sundays. There’ll be tapas and share plates and other “drink-oriented food,” he said.

The pair will take over Canvas as soon as the licensing and council paperwork is finalised. “We were hoping it would be earlier, but right now I think it could be as late as July the 1st,” he said.

Hey Sydney Bars! Bar Week’s trade events are now all confirmed so it’s time to start looking for amazing consumer-focused drinks events to be included in our timetable.

Have you got a great idea? It could be a drinks dinner, a spirits symposium or a tiki safari night for the punters, whatever it is you’re thinking of we’d love to hear more. We want to get behind the bars that are going to put on the most inventive nights for consumers, but we only have a handful of spots on the calendar. Using a brand or brands from our sponsors line up gets you pushed to the top of the list (full line up announced in June). If included you will get loads of free publicity and you’ll keep ALL the proceeds! If you have a amazing consumer event idea then email david@spantonmedia.com ASAP!

The Panel:
Bobby Carey Shady Pines Saloon
Daniel Mussen Shady Pines Saloon
Mikey Lowe The Wild Rover
David Green Bella Vista Hotel

The last few years have seen an explosion in the popularity old time American whiskey made from rye. Aside from a handful of brands — if there was indeed that many — rye whiskey was essentially extinct in this country, with scant interest even in its homeland of the US of A.

There were a number of different styles of rye that were prevalent prior to Prohibition — in fact, rye was the dominant spirit in the northeast of America since the days of rum mania, which died out with the revolution. There were distinct styles depending on the region from whence the bottling came — Maryland ryes, which celebrated DC bartender, Derek Brown (whom we featured in our March issue) nominated as the one drink that has disappeared that he’d like to bring back , were known for their brightness, roundness, and floral notes; Pennsylvania ryes, also known as Monongahela ryes, were rye-dominant whiskies (often nearing 95% of the blend), with Old Overholt being one of the few remaining styles of rye from Pennsylvania today.

To be labelled a rye in the US, the whiskey must be distilled from at least 51% rye (though it may go higher) and be aged in new, charred American oak. The panel found the six ryes we tasted to be mostly to their liking; a clear preference, however, was expressed for ryes that showed themselves as what they are — ballsy, spicy drops that certainly left no questions about their identity.

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