Sydney pub group J & J O’Brien — who operate the iconic Jacksons on George, along with The Watershed Hotel, Cohibar, and the Belvedere Hotel — have gone into receivership, sources have told Australian Bartender. ANZ has appointed receivers and have taken on oversight of the venues, they said.
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The latest bar and bartender news.
The folks at Posi Pour are inviting bars to get creative and submit a signature cocktail using their range of 1883 Gourmet French Syrups. The winning signature cocktail will be showcased in Australian Bartender’s Staffies page along with the bartender’s name and venue. The winning bar will pick up a dozen 1883 Gourmet French Syrups of their choice while the bartender who came up with the drink will receive a gift bag of assorted bar utensils.
The April issue of Australian Bartender has gone live in the App Store. It’s a cracking issue — we’ve taken an old school approach to the drinks with old-fashioned illustrations, a How To on shrub and a masterclass in punch. We’ve also debuted our new Blind Tastings section — this month our panel sniffed, sipped and scored 28 of the country’s best craft beers.
After 15 big years, countless bottles of tequila, and more hangovers than anyone cares to remember, Sydney institution Cafe Pacifico will close its doors this month. Problems renegotiating the lease and leaky ceilings left owner, Phil Bayly with no choice but to move on.
Beneath the now-defunct Bull & Bear Hotel on King William Street a new bar, Jack Ruby Bar & Diner is taking shape and has opened at the start of April. According to bar manager Joshua Dolman (ex-Sangria), the bar is “named after the nightclub owner who famously shot down Lee Harvey-Oswald before he could be put on trial for the assassination of JFK.
It’s never been so good to be a bartender. Just look at the endless supply of competitions to enter with mind-blowing prizes, and the fantastic array of drinks brands that now are available. But be careful of the subversive sell…
This week sees the Just One Shift initiative taking place. Starting from Monday the 8th and rolling all the way through to Sunday 14th, bartenders from Australia and all across the globe will take part in the plan to raise $250,000 USD over a one-week period…
There’s just six months to go till Sydney Bar Week kicks off again and the schedule is filling fast. Importantly the official after-party to the Bar Awards is sorted too and looks set to be the best yet. Put on by industry vets Rossco Charman and Andy Penney, they’re promising this year’s party will be bigger and better than ever.
One half of the Swillhouse Group, Jason Scott (Shady Pines Saloon et al) is partnering with Jamie Webb (Cabiria, Peasant) in a new saloon-style music hall in Brisbane. “It’s called Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall,” said Webb. “We are a country music hall with free music and a democratic door policy.”
Boring stuff, right? But wherever booze is there’s someone looking to make money from it, someone wanting to tax it, and someone looking to find ways they can sell more of it. Yesterday’s Sydney Morning Herald carried a story about calls from the Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia to change the way alcohol is taxed — which would see ciders attracting a higher tax rate than they do now.
In a sign of growing interest in bourbon and in quality spirits generally, Josh Ozersky writes in the Wall Street Journal that as demand for artisanal products has exploded, brands like Pappy Van Winkle — spurred on by ringing endorsements from celebrity chefs — are increasingly hard to find. And they are increasingly expensive.
What’s the best way to carry out $102,400 worth of stolen pre-Prohibition whiskey?
Well, in your belly might be one way…