Month: February 2012

Tiki Madness from Appleton Estate!

It’s back! And Appleton Estate Rum will be taking its annual Tiki Mug Design competition to the next level in 2012. This year’s incarnation will see the Tiki mug designed by Tiki Farm but based on the story behind the bartender who creates the best Australian Appleton Estate Tiki Cocktail.

Viva la Cuban Rums!

Originating from Santiago, Cuba, Santiago de Cuba Carta Blanca and Anejo rums are new additions to the Australian rum portfolio. The blanca is a light style of rum, smooth in the mouth and with wonderful aromas of fruit and flowers – a perfect addition to your speed rail for ‘Mojito hour’.

Drinks With – Sam Ross

There’s no doubting that Sam Ross is ours, however for the better part of a decade he has been holding court at Milk & Honey, New York. In 2011 he took out the American Bartender of the Year award at Tales of the Cocktail and in December he popped his head up downunder to host a couple of seminars revealing a few tricks and insights to the NY bar scene. As they say in show biz….take it away Sam.

Sydney Bar Week – New Direction for Australia’s Premier Bar Event!

“After a decade of being the Australia’s leading bar trade event we saw an opportunity to expand trade only format and incorporate a host of consumer focused activities to help educate todays enthusiastic consumers who are keen to learn more about premium drinks.” David Spanton – Managing Director Spanton Media Group.

Upstairs in Surry Hills

Merivale’s new live music venue, Upstairs Beresford, has been inspired by some of New York’s finest music spots and was specifically designed to give the performer and the patron a first class experience. Decadent décor, state of the art technology and a full suite of amenities backstage all combine to revitalize and invigorate one of Sydney’s iconic hotels.

To access this inner-city music hub you have to wind your way up the dark stairway and follow neon orange arrows as they lead you to a glowing amber pocket of glitz and decadence. The venue was designed so that the performers could connect with their audience and it boasts a large stage, tiered booths, a spacious dance floor and a state of the art sound and lighting system.

Backstage and away from the action the performers and their crew want for nothing. Designer décor, wireless internet, a full kitchenette, powder room with theatre lights, a private balcony, and a viewing window to the main stage give them the ability to run a seamless operation.

Jamie’s Italian

Jamie Oliver has landed and he’s bringing with him all the expected bells and whistles. Inspired by the culture of laneway gastronomy and tippling Jamie’s Australian foray features antique coppers, earthy coloured tiles, leathers and blackened steel.

The venue features a fully operational pasta preparation station, which produces all the fresh pasta required while also satisfying the curious urge of onlookers. Jamie’s Italian also has an impressive bar area that turns out an array of delightful drinks, all under the watch of the 150kg tiered chandelier, which is suspended over head.

The LuWOW

When Josh and Barbara Collins took the plunge to take on the Melbourne bar scene we knew that something special was coming with them. After all, we did get a sneak peak of the place quite some time before the doors opened and it was apparent that their love for the crazy, their ability to embrace the creative and above all their passion for tiki theming was set to rock.

“The LuWoW finally blossomed the same weekend as BarShow 2011,” said Josh Collins when we caught up with him to chat about the venue’s launch. “The name – LuWoW – is the name of the great south seas movie made by Erich von Stroheim. It involved all the classic clichés; giant octopus, clam attacks, scantily clad goddesses, rum consumption by the barrel load – and of course, stormin’ ukulele fuzz driven gogo soundtrack!”

Fantastic Falernum – Spice up your cocktails with this Barbadian favourite

It’s January. It’s 30 plus degrees outside and you’ve just rocked up to work while the day is in its prime. Let’s be honest, you’re not particularly focussed on setting up the bar right now perhaps that’s why you’ve flicked to this page. But you’re in luck – there’s a cure to your summertime bartending blues. It’s a potion that will help you ignore the fact that unlike your punters you still sport a snowy white complexion and it’s a cocktail ingredient that will transport you straight to the Caribbean mon. That’s right it’s none other than fantastic falernum.

Grace the Establishment

With the 2012 wine vintage closing in and a quick jaunt planned to Adelaide wine country in the coming months we took a squiz at one of Adelaide’s – or ‘Radelaide’ as it can be sometimes known – small success stories. Grace the Establishment opened on the cusp of the 2011 New Year and since then has been ploughing ahead with good food, good wine and a friendly, congenial atmosphere – a good combination when you’re at the serving end of the hospitality scene.

This is another venture undertaken by the Trim Hospitality Group which is owned by Matthew and Olivia Trim. They have a string of venues under their belt, including; The Banque, The Queens Head, The Manse Restaurant and Sparrow Kitchen and Bar. Of their latest addition, there is no strict story behind the name, more of a feeling according the venue, ‘grace the restaurant, grace the bar….grace the establishment’ they say.

Auchentoshan 1975

Limited to under 500 bottles, this rare expression of the Auchentoshan is available through Suntory. Bottled at cask strength and non-chill filtered this 35 year old (bourbon barrel aged) malt is sure to be appreciated by any serious malt advocate.

Harry knocks a ton

Global icon Harry’s New York Bar (Paris) recently celebrated its 100th birthday – a fine notch for a venue that’s lived through two World Wars, seen countless local developments and hosted some of last century’s most famous faces.

The story began in 1911 when US jockey Tod Sloan acquired it and with the help of his friend Clancey, a Manhattan bar owner, and set about creating a unique American bar in Paris. The duo embarked on a mad-house scheme to dismantle Clancey’s NY bar and rebuild it the French capital. Clancey, it is said, was determined to escape the draconian restrictions that were being forced upon the alcohol industry in the US, and so the pair made good their dream and relocated some 5,800km away.

Parched March Kicks Off at The Winery!

Sydney’s month-long charity bar odyssey is back for the third year running – and it’ll be our biggest celebration yet. Parched March 2012 will pack the month with an exciting calendar of activity and entertainment in Sydney’s bars. The good times for a good cause just won’t stop coming.

There are more exciting venues involved, more events to join in and more excuses to have a great drink, so grab a team and sign up now.