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.
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The latest bar and bartender news.
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.
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.
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…