In 1870 the Felix Lopez family officially registered and started crafting their tequilas on this historic site in Amatitan, Jalisco just a short drive out of the town of Tequila. Herradura (horseshoe) would be one of, if not the most picturesque distillery in Mexico.
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Taka is a busy guy — the day we visit him at Gilt (he’s since moved on to Black by Ezard) he is sorting out two functions, meeting with reps and posing for our photoshoot. But he takes it all in his stride, which is an approach that has seen him compete successfully in a number of competitions. he’s a humble guy too, not wanting to give out too much advic e to newbies as he reckons he’s still not been in the game long enough. Read on for more…
You know an operator means business when they head to NYC, scouting out one of their best bar operators and getting them involved here in Australia. That’s exactly what Damian Griffiths — the man behind Alfred & Constance — did, snagging NYC tiki man Richard Boccato, with the result being a pitch-perfect Tiki bar by the name of White Lightning. Boccato was recently out in Australia to do some training at White Lightning, and we took the opportunity to ask him a few questions.
By Nick Reed. A recent conversation with a difficult customer has been playing on my mind. The main point of contention with the woman in question was the fact that my head bartender was not straw tasting every one of his drinks as he sent them over the bar. She asked me whether he thought of himself as some sort of cocktail god. For the sake of conflict resolution I obviously did not justify this comment with an answer however what I really wanted to say went something like this. “No, I believe he’s just an accomplished bartender who can execute the same simple recipe over and over without tasting the drink every single time.” Oh if only.
Simon Ford has worked at the big spirit companies, is known for bringing Plymouth gin to bartenders worldwide, and worked for a long time as an ambassador for Pernod Ricard. He’s traded all that in now for his own spirits company, The 86 Company, and his very own eponymous gin, Ford’s Gin. Bartender sought to find out more about where the market’s been and where it’s going.
Who knew Google was so enthused about cocktail book archaeology? Last week they had Jim Meehan, owner of NYC’s PDT and author of his very own cocktail book, pop in to their offices to give a Google Talk. Meehan broke out the mezcal, making everyone a cocktail before launching in to a 45 minute talk that traced the history of cocktail books with a look towards their future.
One of the most respected authorities on vodka and mixology worldwide, Claire Smith, sits down with Bartender to discuss her ten year love affair with Belvedere Vodka, trends and her latest creations.
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.
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.
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.