Definitely a book for the gin buff, rather than just a pleasure read and let’s face it, Gin has a juicy past, with lots of little gems to help spice up your bar banter. Gin has been a drink of kings infused with crushed pearls and a drink of the poor flavored with turpentine and sulfuric acid.
Zeta Bar at Sydney’s Hilton Hotel has got a new consultancy behind it — Sven Almenning’s Behind Bars will provide ongoing consultation on Zeta Bar’s exciting drinks program. “We are delighted to collaborate with one of Sydney’s leading cocktail venues at the iconic Hilton Sydney” said Behind Bar’s Russ McFadden. Along with Dr Phil Gandevia, McFadden will be managing the new partnershop
In those dark times, before the Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs and Fizzes, there was Punch. It’s the idea of the pub — an occasion in which people gather at a place in a shared (drinking) experience — where they gathered around the flowing bowl. Punch is for sharing en masse.
At the start of each year you come across articles in industry magazines or websites focusing on trends for the next 12 months that lay ahead. They normally ask some well known bartenders what they think will be “the big thing” and in the past we have seen molecular mixology, barrel aging, bottled cocktails, bourbon, rye, gin, rye again…. and so on.
There’s a lot going on at Alfred & Constance. In fact, there are four venues in one. And more drinks lists, food menus and nooks and crannies to peruse than one outing will allow. It seems the era of Brissie’s pumping super-nightclubs is coming to a close with patrons clamouring for more eccentric and intimate places to spend their downtime.
New bar consultancy, Drinks By Design, have just opened the doors on their first consultancy, a 600 seater restaurant at Sydney’s Moore Park, called Rum Fire and stocking over 100 rums. Drinks By Design is partnership between two industry vets, AJ Nathan Jones (formerly the general manager of Hugo’s Kings Cross) and event specialist par excellence Leeroy Petersen.
Over the last couple of months Island2Island have taken Stoli to mix, muddle and mash its way across the country, wrapping up a successful tour yesterday in Sydney at the Village, Potts Point. The tour involved masterclasses that saw select groups of bartenders in all the major cities discover the rich history behind Stoli and where it sits in the vodka category, all the while catching up with other bartenders — and causing a ruckus or two along the way.
Australian Bartender got to know Mr Lambert, a two-time Bartender of the Year in Ireland and who previously ran the award-winning Merchant Hotel in Belfast, through his vocal and sometimes controversial opinions on Twitter (others would say he just calls it as he sees it). When Matt Bax tapped him to head up the bar at Melbourne’s Bar Americano, he leapt at the chance. Meet the talented Mr Hayden Lambert.
Bartenders and industry folk alike gathered yesterday at Brasserie Ananas in the Rocks, Sydney to celebrate the launch of new French liqueur, Pavan.
Club Suntory put on an event that evoked a sun-drenched south-of-France glamour and included a variety of cocktails, with matching canapes provided by the Ananas kitchen.
What makes a great blended whisky? What’s the process involved, and is it a craft, art or science? We asked an expert – the knowledgeable Colin Scott from Chivas Regal – to find out more about blended whisky.
That’s right, Australian Bartender is sending out our 150th issue this June. It’s a huge milestone and to celebrate we’re teaming up with Cafe Pacifico to host the tequila party to end all parties.
We’ve loved Pacifico over the years and want to give them a fond farewell for their 15 years of service to the Aussie bar industry with this invite-only celebratory bash next Tuesday the 7th of May. It will be Pacifico’s last night and it promises to be huge!
We’re proud to see the craft of the cocktail getting the attention it deserves these days. Venues with an eye to the future know the importance of quality drinks, incorporating them into their vision for their venues.