Sources have told Australian Bartender that the long running relationship between spirits company Diageo and Sven Almenning’s training and consultancy business, Behind Bars, is ending in September. “Diageo Australia has decided will be moving ahead with a new on-premise agency this coming financial year and as such, will be ending its relationship with Behind Bars from 13 September 2013,” a Diageo spokesperson said.
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Mike Enright is to open a new bar, called The Barber Shop, on York Street in Sydney’s CBD. Opening in the early July it’s a collaboration between Enright, Julian Train and Chris Mills, and will feature a classic barber shop with a bar out back.
The team here at Australian Bartender are humbled and very proud to be able to…
Our 150th issue is now live in the Australian Bartender app in the Apple App Store. You can check out all three trends from the last 150 issues, watch the How To video (we step through the Tommy’s Margarita), and look at how trends in bar food have changed from the days when the $5 steak was actually a meal. We visit Mexico again for part two of the agave spirit tour, as Dave explores the rustic, boozy charm of Oaxaca. You can check out the Workers in Balmain, all the latest bars, and loads more.
Nearly tens months on since the tragic death of teenager Thomas Kelly in Kings Cross the precinct is still suffering through a drop in trade. Bartender has spoken with a number of owners — some off the record — who have said that trade is down significantly, as high as 60 per cent in some cases. “The four to six month mark immediately after the incident absolutely smashed the traffic coming through Kings Cross, due to all the negative publicity the precinct received,” said Ben Walsh, who’s bar, Goldfish, has had to curtail its business hours and service in the wake of recent legislation introduced to reduce violence in the Cross.
Melbourne bars Black Pearl and EDV getting nominations, as well as Sydney bars The Roosevelt, and newcomer Bulletin Place both among the finalists. Sydneysiders Sven Almenning and Jason Crawley are nominated, as well as Nick Reed from Melbourne’s 1806 along with your very own Australian Bartender Magazine for Best Cocktail Writing (Publication).
The Australian winner of the Disaronno Mixing Star comp has been revealed, with the title going to Nick Selvadurai from Melbourne’s Cookie. A glitzy event was held at theloft Wednesday night, hosted by actress Gracie Otto. On offer that night were three drinks selected by the judges that were put up for the People’s Choice Award part of the competition.
After three years running the influential Brisbane bar, Canvas, the four partners behind the venture have sold the bar and are moving on. “After three years of great success within the Australian bar scene we have decided to sell Canvas,” said one of the partners, Bonnie Shearston.
“With Public going from strength to strength and a new opportunity in sight we have decided it is time to let go and focus on things to come. All four partners are leaving Canvas and it will be taken over by two gents, Bodhi and Dan,” she said.
It was an appropriately large evening to send off a bar that has had an inappropriate influence (in the best of ways) on bartenders around the country, and a fine way for Australian Bartender to celebrate its 150th issue. There was tequila, nudity, lay-backs, tequila, strippers, and then some more tequila. We’ve curated a few of the photos that were safe for publication in the gallery below.
It’s that time of year people — in just four months’ time the country’s biggest and most challenging bartending competition will get underway. Australian Bartender is proud to announce that this year’s competition will be sponsored by ABSOLUT ELYX and Havana Club, both from the Pernod Ricard stable of brands.
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
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.