The trade in tap beer at Frankie’s Pizza is a good example of where brewing is right now: they’ve got their mainstream, chuggable Boags Draught (of which they plow through plenty, we’re told). But you’re just as likely to have your bartender put your plastic beer mug down on the bar, filled with a distinctly blue-coloured beer.
This was an exciting blind tasting to watch unfold. As our 150th issue approaches we’ve responded to the feedback from readers and our advisory panel. Bartenders are having a greater say in the mag and we think that is great. We also think that the Australian craft beer scene is growing stronger and more and more bars are expanding their range, so we thought we’d put together a panel and a tasty beer line up to see just what was out there and hopefully identify some beers worth packing in your fridges
Mixxit Chronicles – winners of On Premise Training Program of the Year at last year’s Australian Bartender Bar Awards — is set to launch at the iconic 1806 next week 30th April & 1st May at 1pm, with a session titled “Scotch & Irish Whisky – un-Censored”! Led by Jason Crawley and Dylan Howarth, the lads are promising a fresh look compared with last year’s program, and best of all — it’s uncensored.
Campari’s National Brand Ambassador, Oliver Stuart, says that often the information that bartenders find most interesting during training sessions is the tidbits that come up in the course of presentations, often as an aside. And it’s this avenue he hopes their recently launched blog, The Cocktail Studio will go down. The blog has already had great feedback from bartenders, becoming the kind of place where bartenders can come and share ideas, recipes, stories — and these little gems of trivia.
One of the nicest guys going, Cosmo is cast from the old-school bartender mould: that means he know his drinks as well as the next guy but he’ll be the one talking to you rather than at you. No pretence, no need to be a startender, and a great ‘tache to boot.
Over the course of two nights in Sydney last week, two international luminaries from the Moet-Hennessy stable – Belvedere’s Claire Smith and Glenmorangie’s Dr Bill Lumsden — put on a show for Australian audiences.
Kansei Beverages and 3R Tequila are sending four lucky bartenders to Mexico this November to visit the 3R distillery, and whilst you are there 3R Tequila will be throwing a Mexican beach party. One lucky competition winner will be chosen based on the amount of Like’s they receive on their cocktail, which will be posted on Kansei’s Facebook page.
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.
It’s a liqueur that has been around for some time and its longevity is due to its popularity: it’s the bottle that bartenders reach for when they need to add a whack of watermelon to freshen up their drinks.
The Bourbon is arguably the grand dame of Kings Cross drinking — no other place has the name, the notoriety and the rich and colourful history that this one does. It’s now undergone another refresh thanks to new owner Chris Cheung and veteran hospitality designer Paul Kelly. And though it will never be the same as the days long gone when guys like Frank Sinatra would visit when in town, the Bourbon’s refresh has a lot going for it.
Ron Cooper, the founder of Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, has kick-started his agave educational tour of Australia and last night Sydney bartenders were lucky enough to catch up with Ron on his first ever trip down under. Eight expressions of Del Maguey were sampled including the Tobala which is distilled from only wild maguey from the highest altitude canyons along with the Pechuga that involves suspending a chicken breast (yes, folks) in the atmosphere of the still!
In 1898 the streets of New York were ripe with vice; Gotham was in the grip of a burgeoning trade in brothels. A letter that year to The New York Times described hotels “where rustic beaus are fleeced and rustic belles debauched,” and a casual walk to church could see a man “accosted by a leering drunken woman.”