Australian Bartender

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.

Editor’s Pick – Hangin’ in Hobart

It had been many years since my last visit to our southern most capital city and to be honest I didn’t know what to expect as I generally get zero information come across my desk about Tassie bars. It’s a city that in 11 years I don’t believe has ever had a Bar Awards finalist and frankly I can’t remember the last time I even spoke to Tasmanian bar person? What was going on down there? Is anyone doing great things or is it just a quiet country town by the sea pushing cappuccinos and Cascade? Amy and I decided it was time to head down and have a few kids-free days and see for us what is or isn’t happening in Hobart and get this question answered!

Freda’s

This new bar & café is looking set to revolutionize the Chippendale area. Up for offer is a mix of well crafted cocktails, imported and local wines, draft brews and bar food to match. The Freda’s crew make regular jaunts to the Sydney fish market and Flemington markets in order to source the best and most interesting produce around. Billing their service as ‘sharp yet simple’ they aim to give customers incomparable food and drink.

Why I have a problem with cocktails in a cask

Vodka Mojito in a bottle? Yep, you heard it right. This is just one of a slew of offerings from drinks companies in a new category called the ‘ready to serve’ mixed drink! Don’t be confused with the RTD ‘ready to drink’ category that we all know (and many like myself despise) as the RTD focuses on alcoholic mixed drinks in a single serve bottle. RTDs have been around for decades and the stats tell us that Aussies love them.

Cerbaco to tour the nation

Cerbaco is hosting Mr Gerard Chaussee, General Manager of Verdrenne, in a action packed four day/ 4 state tour of the nation.