After last year’s Bartender of the Year Competition written exam we noticed that a few Aussie barkeeps were a bit light on in the geek factor when it comes knowledge on hops. It’s understandable as there’s a lot to get your collective heads around, but we thought we should put together a few study notes to get you started – this isn’t the lot though, so do some solo research.
A new addition from Suntory to the Australian market in 2012, King’s Ginger liqueur is a fitting match for cocktails, or can be simply served tall Collins style with some bitter lemon and a wedge of fresh lime.
Bonnie Shearston and Tom Sanceau, two of the masterminds behind the Australian Bar Awards’ New Bar of the Year, Canvas, have unveiled plans for their latest Brisbane venture called Public. If all has gone to plan the venue should be trading as you read this article with construction underway early in January 2012.
Melbourne has numerous ‘haunts’, ‘holes’ and ‘tippling joints’ and Australian Bartender always likes to share the best of the best with its readers – so here’s one for the whiskey lovers.
The Kodiak Club has been up and running since mid-2010 and while it now has a firmly established moniker as a ‘bourbon bar’ co-owner Nathan DeBritt says that it wasn’t always the hard and fast plan. “We didn’t really know what the bar would evolve into and didn’t want to trap ourselves with a specific theme,” DeBritt explained, “so we came up with a name that both complimented our North American vision but left room to move if the response to our product was not positive.”
Tara Steele hold court at Brisbane favourite Laruche Bar & Supper Club and will do her best to talk you into a Tequila – and one for her too! If she wasn’t serving up drinks for a living Tara counts herself as a potential environmental crusader – she previously worked as a horticulturalist. She’d like to have a sit down with Sir David Attenborough and is also right into antiquing, so much so she considers it a sport.
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.
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’.
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.
“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.
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 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.
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!”