century bartender - beverageguide.net
Transcription
century bartender - beverageguide.net
D E L A W A R E B E V E R A G E G U I D E JANUARY 2016 THE 21 ST CENTURY BARTENDER HAVE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS OVERSHADOWED HOSPITALITY? + WINE & COCKTAILS TAKE A “CAN” DO APPROACH OFF-PREMISE MOMENTUM CONTINUES BITTERS: STRONG & PROFITABLE D E L A W A R E DELAWARE DISTRIBUTORS B E V E R A G E JANUARY 2016 G U I D E © Melton Communications BACCHUS IMPORTERS 800-525-9699 410-633-0400, Fax 410-633-0507 www.bacchusimportersltd.com DOPS 800-562-4619, Fax 301-839-8658 [email protected] NAVILLUS WINES LLC 302-727-1214 [email protected] NKS DISTRIBUTORS New Castle 302-322-1811 Milford 302-422-1220 Fax 302-324-4115 OPERA WINE OF DELAWARE 215-850-7918 [email protected] OPICI FAMILY DISTRIBUTING 800-562-3771 [email protected] PREMIER DISTRIBUTING 800-930-9850 302-777-1511, Fax 302-777-4088 [email protected] C ONTENTS - NATIONAL EDITORIAL PRESTIGE BEVERAGE GROUP 800-762-0662 410-439-1602, Fax 443-784-4165 [email protected] FEATURES & PROFILES 21st Century Bartender REGAL WINE IMPORTS 800-245-0184 Wine & Cocktails Take A Can-Do Approach SANG DE LA TERRE LTD 302-753-7553 Some leading mixology authorities worry that skills and knowledge are pushing out the art of hospitality. A handful of suppliers are lifting a page from the craft beer marketing manual. SNG GLOBAL, LLC 302-290-6784 Fax: 978-359-8135 [email protected] On-/Off- Balance Shifting? In terms of market share, retailers are gaining clout across wine, beer and spirits. Category Focus: Bitters Shelf-friendly and packed with flavor, bitters continue to pique interest on- and off-premise BarTalk: Pan-Asian in the Heartland Jeff Spear, GM at Sujeo, Madison, WI SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRTS 800-292-7890 302-656-6000, Fax 302-656-0291 [email protected] Last Call – Lighten Up! STANDARD DISTRIBUTING 302-655-5511 Customer Service 302-654-5512 Customer Service Fax 302-654-4254 Sales & Marketing Fax 302-654-2601 www.standardde.com By The Numbers • ShopNet SUSSEX WINE MERCHANTS 856-608-9644 Fax 856-608-9670 Rising Star Region: Lodi This old but progressive region is dishing out quality in abundance. As drinkers resolve to cut back, drink-makers seek to lighten up as well.. DELAWARE BEVERAGE GUIDE Published by Vol. 34, No.2 MELTON COMMUNICATIONS [email protected] • www.beverageguide.net • P.O. Box 382, Unionville, PA 19375 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DALE MELTON Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JOAN BRISTOL Circulation Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JOAN BRISTOL Data Management . . . . . . . . MELTON COMMUNICATIONS The Delaware Beverage Guide is the monthly trade publication serving the beer, wine and liquor industry in Delaware. It contains the official price lists as compiled by the Delaware wholesalers and is mailed to all retail licensees. Subscription rate is $38 per year to all qualified non retailers. The deadline for copy and ads is the 10th of the month preceeding publication. The Beverage Network publications are serviced by The Beverage Media Group 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 600, New York, NY 10016, www.bevnetwork.com THE COUNTRY VINTNER Kevin Mullarkey 302-528-5871 Tom Ditzler 302-540-5205 877-946-3620 Fax 302-239-7405 www.countryvintner.com UNITED DISTRIBUTORS 888-800-9707 302-356-3500, Fax 877-390-9423 VINTAGE IMPORTS 800-922-8870, Fax 215-788-9430 [email protected] www.vintageimportswines.com WORLD CLASS WHOLESALE 302-325-2815 [email protected] [email protected] R rising star region LODI THIS OLD BUT PROGRESSIVE CALIFORNIA REGION IS DISHING OUT QUALITY IN ABUNDANCE BY W. BLAKE GRAY L SIGNATURES: Lodi has some of the oldest vines in the U.S., and not just Zinfandel; a powerful selling point, as aged vines yield less volume of more intense fruit. The Bechthold Vineyard, planted in 1886, may have the oldest Cinsault vines in the world. Because Lodi grapes went into blends for many years, while there’s a lot of Cabernet and Chardonnay, there are also grapes rarely found elsewhere Klinker Brick and Mettler Family are widely distributed and consistent producers of good wines. Michael David of 7 Deadly Zins fame makes solid wines in a crowd-pleasing full-bodied style. in California, especially Spanish and Portuguese varieties. Lodi is noticeably cooler than the nearby Central Valley thanks to a breeze off the Sacramento river delta. WHAT’S NEW: The Lodi Native Zinfandel project is new; winemakers agreed to a number of protocols set by Lodi expert, writer Randy Caparoso, including making only single-vineyard wines with native yeast and no new oak. Another influential development is the making of premium wines by winemakers from outside the region, including David Ramey, Greg La Follette and Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock. LEADING WINES: Any of the Cinsaults from Bechthold Vineyard that you can get are worth having (e.g., Turley, Scholium Project, Bonny Doon, Michael David and Onesta). The backstory of a vineyard having been misclassified as Black Malvoisie for more than a century is a winner, plus they’re great wines. RISING STARS: Markus Niggle makes terrific lower-alcohol white wines from German varieties at Borra Vineyards. Matthew Rorick of Forlorn Hope wines was one of the first explorers of Lodi’s unusual grape varieties and his wines are worth stocking. He shares a winery with Abe Schoener’s Scholium Project, a darling among some wine media and handsell staple for some merchants. Watch out for wines from Tegan Passalacqua, director of winemaking at Turley Wine Cellars and the most connected guy to the crazy quilt of old-vine plantings in Lodi. Q SELLING POINTS Lodi might be the most underrated region in California, a place that has been making good wine for a century and only started to make great wine when outside winemakers realized there was a market for it. It has some of the oldest vineyards in the country. And its underrated status makes the best wines from the region cheaper than a midlevel wine for Sonoma County or entry level from Napa. PHOTOGRAPH BY RANDY CAPAROSO odi has been patiently waiting a long time for people to appreciate its wines. In fact, some of its grapevines have been waiting more than 100 years. California wine lovers have been drinking Lodi wines for decades; they just didn’t know it because many of its grapes disappeared into multi-vineyard and multi-region blends. “Lodi is fascinating. It’s sitting there right under people’s noses,” says Mark Nevin, co-owner of Tofino Wines in San Francisco. The last two years have been the biggest for Lodi’s reputation since Prohibition, when its grapes were shipped to home winemakers on the East Coast and fetched a premium. Well-regarded winemakers from outside the region are singling out special vineyards for attention. Sommeliers’ heads have been turned, and the mainstream media has noticed. Attention on this long-neglected region should only increase in 2016, with the Wine Bloggers Conference scheduled there in August. Here’s a quick look at the new generation of Lodi wines: L last call Lightening it Up When bartenders start getting the call for “skinny” drinks, they know what time of year it is: January, the season of New Year’s Resolutions. To answer the call, bartenders can build drinks around healthful ingredients (think: ginger, tumeric, matcha) or find creative ways to lighten established favorites. Isaac Grillo, Rum Ambassador for Afrohead Rum and owner of Repour in Miami Beach, morphed the Coquito, a rich, rum-based eggnog drink popular in Puerto Rico, into a much lighter libation by swapping out coconut milk in favor of coconut water, and using egg whites instead of the whole egg. “I want the original flavors and texture of the Coquito to shine, but in a way that lets you enjoy more than just one,” Grillo says. Trevor Schneider, brand ambassador for Reyka Vodka, suggests keeping cocktails light and fresh by staying away from artificial sugars, and using fresh fruit and detoxifying ingredients, such as cucumbers and lemons. “If your recipe calls for cream,” adds Schneider, “try substituting with nut milks like cashew and almond.” Jonathan Pogash, the Cocktail Guru, offers a pair of tips. “Flavored seltzer waters add a touch of seasonality without any sugar added,” says Pogash. And when using any sort of sweet alternative, such as honey or maple syrup: “You don’t need a lot. A little goes a long way.” Q • Coquito BY ISAAC GRILLO, AFROHEAD RUM Ingredients: ¾ oz Lemon Juice ¾ oz Cinnamon Simple Syrup 1½ oz Coconut Water 1½ oz Afrohead Premium Dark Aged Rum 1 Egg White Garnish: Grated Nutmeg Method: Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice to incorporate the egg white. Strain into a coupe and top with grated nutmeg. MORE RECIPES ONLINE AT BeverageMedia.com T trend spotting READY, SET, COCKTAIL MEETING TIMELESS DEMAND, BOTTLED COCKTAILS ARE NOW MOVING UPSCALE R eady-To-Drink (RTD) cocktails aren’t exactly new. Jerry T h o m a s ’s H o w To M i x Drinks, circa 1862, advised bottling pre-mixed drinks for “fishing and other sporting parties.” Heublein’s “Club Cocktails”—boosted by celebrities—were the rage in the 1950s and ’60s into the ’70s, well before the genre was Ready-ToBe-Named. But the category appears to have taken a remarkable turn of late, with some RTDs going decidedly upscale. The national market first got a taste of high-end bottled cocktails in January of 2014, when Cooper Spirits Co. (the folks who created St. Germain) launched Hochstadter’s Slow & Low, an 84 proof Rock & Rye, based on rye whiskey, rock candy, citrus peel and bitter herbs. The original worked so well that Cooper is now ROCK & RYE SLOW & LOW CAN BE ENJOYED STRAIGHT, AS A SHOT WITH A BEER, AND ON THE ROCKS, LIKE AN OLD-FASHIONED. Campari Negroni “Ready to Enjoy” The 1L bottle makes about 11 Negronis, which averages out to be less than $3.75 per drink. back with Slow & Low 100 Proof Rock offering the Studebaker Old Fashioned and & Rye (SRP $34.99). The current trend the Studebaker Manhattan. The rationale is “directly linked to the rise of cocktail was grounded firmly in American shopping culture,” says Rob Cooper, founder of the habits, notes Jeff Parrott, North American company. “Consumers now want quality Whisky Development at Diageo: “Through cocktails at home.” And the trend is our research, we discovered that mixers are bound to get even stronger now that big one of the top 10 items found in a shopping industry players have joined in. basket with whiskey, and ready-to-drink Campari’s entry seems particularly and pre-mixed drinks have grown +33% bold—they have essentially bottled since 2011.” Inspired by the Prohibition their namesake product’s most famous classics, both products use a Canadian cocktail, the Negroni. “We feel strongly whisky base, are 60 proof and retail for there is a new opportunity for high$24.99 nationwide. Q quality ready-to-enjoy cockBottled tails,” says Dave Karraker, cocktails fulfill Vice President Marketseveral consumer demands: consistent ing at Campari America. quality, convenience “Campari Negroni Ready to and ease—just open, Enjoy allows consumers to pour and enjoy. have a perfect Negroni every single time.” Equal parts Campari, customized sweet vermouth and London Dry style gin, the new product is 52 proof, with an SRP of $39.99/1L and rolling out first in CO, MA, FL, DC, IL, NJ, CT and NYC. Meanwhile, Diageo has tossed two hats into the bottled cocktail ring, BEVBIZ NEWS BevBiz Marketing Unveils New Path for Bringing Brands to Market Founded by Jeff Grindrod, BevBiz Marketing specializes in helping companies and brand owners understand the highly complex and difficult-tonavigate world that is the U.S. wine and spirits industry. BevBiz assists with brand positioning and marketing decisions, as well as advising on industry and consumer trends. With a background in consumer packaged goods, as well as many years at Diageo, Grindrod saw a further need for brands that wanted to launch in the U.S. market, and so has expanded services to include BevHatch. “We always had a marketing side to this business, and now we have a sales side—we are offering a more complete brand incubator service,” Grindrod describes. Working with Jeff Grindrod (left) and Bob MacNevin Bob MacNevin, who has worked at Liquid Proof Beverage and Palm Bay International, Grindrod and his team now provide “everything from back end logistics, to getting in the door with distributors to managing distribution and customizing POS—it is a three-tier, go-to-market strategy.” One of the company’s success stories is Tanduay Asian Rum. The 2nd largest rum supplier in the world, Tanduay had no presence in the U.S. market so BevBiz helped them design a package, secure distribution, engage media and trade through PR and social media. Launched in 2014, is now distributed to over 2,000 accounts across three markets (FL, IL, CT) and has sales of over 5,000 cases. Other BevBiz clients include Brockmans Gin and Egan’s Irish Whiskey. F the find MEDEA VODKA BREAKS (MORE) NEW GROUND IN PACKAGING WILD TURKEY UNVEILS BOLD NEW LOOK Updating a revered spirit brand can be risky. Wild Turkey is taking a crack at it, while making no changes to the liquid itself. The brand’s premium range of bourbon and rye now sports a detailed new turkey illustration. The makeover also reflects Eddie Russell’s recent promotion to Master Distiller; the signature on the Wild Turkey Bourbon label makes it clear that it is Eddie’s creation, while his father Jimmy Russell is the creator of Wild Turkey 101. And toward the bottom of every bottle, embossed in the glass, are the words “BOLD. GENUINE. TRUE.” wildturkey.com THE 86 CO. GIN GOES GREEN FOR A (RE-)PURPOSE Bars ordering Fords Gin will find a slight change in their cases over the next few months. For a limited time, one out of every three bottles of Fords Gin liters will be delivered in a green-coated bottle instead of the usual clear glass. This change comes in response to suggestions by bartenders who have been repurposing their 86 Co. bottles for juices, syrups and batching. It is common practice behind the bar to keep lime juice in a green bottle so the request was only a matter of time. As a small entrepreneurial outfit, The 86 Co. was happy to make some green bottles to further encourage reuse. 90 proof. the86co.com TWO 1-LITER GREEN BOTTLES WILL BE PACKED IN EVERY SIXPACK CASE OF FORDS GIN FOR A LIMITED TIME. Medea Vodka, creator of the first spirit bottle with a customizable LED message band, has upgraded their novelty. Whereas the original bottle was programmed manually, the new edition uses Bluetooth technology. With a free app (Android or iPhone) and a smartphone, users connect to their own bottle, then have the option not only to program a scrolling message up to 200 characters, but also to invite others, join social media and locate their bottle (with more features planned in the near future). Detailed instructions are included with each 750ml bottle. SRP $29.99. medeavodka.com THE LATEST FROM THE ILLUSTRIOUS BOOKER’S ROUNDTABLE Booker’s, one of the few bourbons available uncut and unfiltered, has released the sixth entry in the brand’s 2015 limited-edition collection: Batch 2015-06, also referred to as “Noe Secret.” Fred Noe, 7th-generation Master Distiller, and the Booker’s Bourbon Roundtable—a collection of bourbon experts, enthusiasts and writers—selected the latest expression. Booker’s “Noe Secret” batch is a testament to the robust recipe first created by founding distiller Booker Noe, Fred’s father. “This batch’s name is a play on words, because Dad kept no secrets—in his life, or in the way he made his bourbon,” said Fred Noe. “Noe Secret” is the third and final batch this year to be selected by the Booker’s Bourbon Roundtable, whose members include: F. Paul Pacult, founder of Ultimate Beverage Challenge, and Beverage Media Contributing Editor Jack Robertiello. The final liquid is 128.1 proof; aged 6 years, 8 months and 7 days; showing a nose of vanilla with hints of cherry and a long, warm finish; recommended with ice or cut with water. SRP $59.99. bookersbourbon.com SOCCER SOCCER 86% SALES LIFT UCL FANS CONSUME 38 BEERS A MONTH AND OVER INDEX (132%) WITHIN THE IMPORT CATEGORY.1 HEINEKEN OUTPERFORMS IN THE BEER CATEGORY WHEN ON FEATURE AND DISPLAY2 HEINEKEN SOCCER DIGITAL HUB INCLUDES A SOCCER BAR LOCATOR TO DRIVE CUSTOMERS TO ACCOUNTS TO WATCH GAMES AND ENTER SWEEPSTAKES/WIN PRIZES MARCH 1ST, 2016 – APRIL 30TH, 2016 DON’T MISS A MINUTE, CONTACT YOUR SALES REPRESENTATIVE the 21 CENTURY ST BARTENDER BLOOD & SAND From the book Drinking the Devil’s Acre By Duggan McDonnell BALANCING TECHNICAL SKILLS WITH THE (LOST?) ART OF HOSPITALITY BY JACK ROBERTIELLO T here may never have been a better time to be a bartender. The information age has streamlined access to cocktail lore, training options abound, most restaurants are in need of skilled drink makers to create recipes and train staff, and career horizons have opened wide. But none of that means customers have found the current level of bar service to be correspondingly elevated. True, there are now numerous bars in almost every city that serve well-crafted classic cocktails and complicated modern drinks. But in conversation with some of America’s cocktail luminaries, it becomes clear that although today’s technical skills and knowledge may never before have been as sharp, significant hospitality issues—indifferent attentiveness, glowering greetings, excess geekery, and a sneaky sense that bartenders believe some orders are beneath them—need to be tackled. Tony Abou-Ganim, who has mentored many of the best known bartenders, compares today’s tool-intensive bartending favorably to the days when he opened the Bellagio in Las Vegas at the end of the 1990s, when all drinks were likely to be shaken and even such a simple tool as a bar spoon was a rare sight. Even so, he says great bartending starts with personality and not an encyclopedic recipe memory: “I would much rather hire someone with enthusiasm and passion to learn and teach them from scratch than to undo some bad habits or attitudes.” Tony Abou-Ganim Sharper social skills would certainly please Charlotte Voisey, Director of Brand Advocacy at William Grant and Sons, who trains staff across the country: “Everyone and their dog thinks they’re a bartender, but having humility, knowing how to show people how to have a good time at the bar and not take any sort of attitude, knowing your place and showing a level of respect for yourself and your guests—these are skills we need to work on.” It’s a problem noted by many who train, hire and instruct bartenders; the 21st century bartender’s skill set is quite complicated, but hospitality often suffers. Duggan McDonnell, whose new book, Drinking the Devil’s Acre, charts the history of drinking in San Francisco with a focus on his own Cantina, says the internet has made it easy for novices to catch up, but that base is hardly enough to make one a good bartender: “It does nothing to help you know how to read a room, understand the people in it and make it work. Information is not as important as adaptability.” McDonnell looks for people who can easily make the Scotch and water drinker feel relaxed enough to be open to something different. “Making cocktails isn’t the hardest part of bartending; excitement is more important than knowledge,” he notes. “I grew up in the business when it was friendliness first, and do the best you can do with what you know,” says Bridget Albert, recently named Southern Wine and Spirits National Director of Education, Beam Suntory. “A bar is a place to relax for the guests and it should be a fun experience so they want to come back. A bartender can make me a good cocktail all day long but if they’re not friendly and smiling while they do it, I’ll probably leave the bar—hospitality is key to have in your tool box.” She admires the way many of the new breed of bartenders take their craft so seriously, perfecting their skills at home on their own time, working with new tools and otherwise boning up on the job. Not so long ago, muddlers, double strainers, even Boston shakers were hard to find in a bar—and drink-shaking was likely to be lazy and sloppy, she points out. Duggan McDonnell “Information is not as important as adaptbility.” — Duggan McDonnell MULT I- SKILL SE T While most say these basic skills have improved, better speed and organization are also key, Voisey says: “In today’s society, where everyone wants everything now and perfectly made, there’s more need than ever to prioritize and multi-task.” Social awareness can help here as well, especially when keeping a three-deep bar Charlotte Voisey of waiting customers on the bartender’s side, but a well-organized mise en place as well as shaking and stirring different drinks simultaneously, are now required. Steve Olson, a partner in the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) training program, says he’s seen an across the board improvement in basic and advanced skills in the ten years since BAR launched. He now encourages bartenders to focus on more refined skills: deportment, posture, attitude, ability to multi-task. And, of course, respect and business savvy. “If I come in and order a vodka and soda, you should make it with the same love as that crazy hand-crafted cocktail, if for no other reason than that my drink covers the pour cost of yours,” he says. Olson would like to see bartenders raise their blind tasting skills, especially given the broader flavor profile of emerging craft spirits. At the celebrated Dead Rabbit in New York City, managers have the luxury of scouting candidates in advance. Bar HEY BA RT EN D E R ! Steve Olson “Without a return to hospitality… we’re in danger of alienating all those people we worked so hard to get to come to our bar and try our cool cocktails.” — Steve Olson Manager Jillian Vose believes anyone can be taught the skills necessary to tend bar, but most important are personality and fitting into the team. Drink-making skills are essential, but in order to cut it at Dead Rabbit, charisma is required as well as speed. Management begins timing service from the moment a drink ticket arrives at the bar. Customers already receive a complimentary cup of punch on arrival, but if the drink order GreenRiver, Chicago Jillian Vose isn’t started quickly, servers are trained to offer another while the drink order is built. The goal is a six minute average and never longer than ten minutes. Julia Momose, who heads the bar program at Chicago’s GreenRiver, a collaboration between The Best Bar in the World (BBITW) and Union Square Events (USE), the catering and venue hospitality business from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, says when staffing, she looks for hospitality skills and attention to detail, and when training, focuses on getting the staff to build drinks that will be consistent, no matter who makes them. “Folks may come to a new place with their own styles,” she says, “but for me, shaking and stirring the same way, building a round of drinks the same way, that’s how you can bring consistency to drink making. Drinks must Julia Momose The Dead Rabbit, NYC be built the same way no matter who’s behind the bar and no matter how busy things get.” Voisey says the cocktail renaissance resulted in slower service, since many drinks are made one at a time. She’d also like to see more elegant Martini service, more frequent rolling of drinks, and better garnishes. And since so many newer bartenders have only worked in craft cocktail establishments, Vose fears they may have missed out on the lessons learned in dive bars, pubs or high-volume restaurants that teach guest interaction and create reliable team players rather than divas. Whether it’s better hospitality, quicker service or more efficiency, as Olson put it, a lot is actually at stake: “I worry that we worked so hard to learn the recipes and history and cool shakes and all that, that without a return to hospitality we’re in great danger of alienating all those people we worked so hard to get to come to our bars and try our cool cocktails. If they don’t get it and don’t get treated right, that is a big issue.” ■ VINO 2016 ITALIAN WINE WEEK 5th edition February 7-9, 2016 Hilton Midtown - 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York City MASTER CLASSES TASTINGS AND MUCH MORE! To view the program online, please go to: www.italianmade.com/vino2016/vino-2016-program and register now! Admission is limited to members of the trade and press only. No one under the age of 21 will be admitted. Organized by The Italian Trade Commission - Made possible by support from Piano Export Sud per le Regioni della Convergenza and The Italian Ministry of Economic Development. w i n e & C o c k ta i l s take a can do approach lifting A PAGE FROM CRAFT BEER’S MARKETING MANUAL... By jeffery lindenmuth i t’s back to the future for the aluminum can. First used to package frozen juice concentrate in 1960, aluminum cans were quickly embraced by soft drink and beer producers following the addition of the convenient pull-tab, patented in 1963. Despite the timeless luster of traditional glass bottles and the lightness of modern PET plastics, more beverage producers are realizing that even today few packages can rival aluminum for its combination of recyclability, portability, durability, lightness, and protective qualities. Craft beer producers are returning to the format in droves, a movement instigated by Peter Love of Cask Brewing Systems, who revived the prestige of the package at Colorado’s Oskar Blues starting in 2002. “Cans are now seen Florida, California, New York Malibu RTD by craft beer consumers and and New Jersey. “It is the cocktails have extended easily into brewers as a premium and best of any packaging on the cans; Cola, Cranberry preferred package for beer, and market,” says Bryan Schell, and Pineapple flavors are now joined by we have a long list of brewers VP Sales and Marketing, Strawberry Kiwi. who have quickly grown their Winestar. “It is already made business by using cans. That will from mostly recycled material, someday be the case with wine, cider and is again 100% recyclable.” and cocktails,” predicts Love. Priced at $3.99 per unit retail, Indeed, more spirits and wine Winestar takes advantage of the great producers are asking, “why should quality to price ratio of southern beer have all the fun?” By putting French wines, with flagship red and their products into aluminum white blends from AOC Corbières, formats, wine and spirits are entering joined by a Languedoc rosé. traditional beer occasions and catering to active lifestyles. Launched in 2013, From left: WineStar cans emphasize the great quality/price ratio of French AOC wines. Winestar is moving more aggressively in Oskar Blues is the craft brand that made cans the U.S., distributing their line of French cool again for beer. Tiqo is a custom cocktail in an aluminum bottle. AOC wines in a 187ml “canette” in The popularity of wine in cans comes as little surprise to Francis Ford Coppola Winery, which first put its Sofia sparkling wine in single-serve 187ml cans, dubbed the Mini, in 2004. “The concept of canned wine was received with mixed fanfare at first, but the Sofia Minis have seen steady growth and they’re now one of our most popular selections,” says Tondi Bolkan, winemaker. Sparkling wine and other styles of fresh, ready-to-drink wines are great candidates for cans, explains Bolkan. “Think of the can as a small wine tank— the vessel is sealed with no air venting in or out. Some wines need aging and/or micro-oxidation, be it through the staves of a barrel or the pores of a cork.” Other notable can-do wines include two 500ml “tall boys” from Field Recordings in Paso Robles, CA: the “Fiction” red blend and Alloy Wine Works Grenache Rosé. And from France, two “slim” (237ml, 8oz) cans of Pampelonne, spritzers in Rosé Lime and Red Sangria (SRP $3.99, 6% ABV). And Infinite Monkey Theorem sells their canned wines by the liter (as a four-pack of 250mls), only in Denver and Austin. Now 10 years in the market, Francis Coppola’s “Sofia” is effectively the elder statesperson of the category. For a novel twist, the 187ml cans of blanc de blancs bubbly come with straws, adding to their inherent playful edge. the consistency,” says Malcolm Gosling, President & CEO of Gosling-Castle Partners Inc. Other entries suggest that cocktails in aluminum are just getting started. Frustrated that she was unable to find a good portable substitute for beer during a backpacking trip in central America, Sarah Pierce partnered with a college friend to create Tiqo, a custom cocktail of blanco tequila, coconut water, ginger, turmeric and lime in a black matte aluminum bottle (SRP $4.99, ABV 6%). “Spirits are doing well for a number of reasons. And one of the things Bud Lite does not understand is it’s not just the flavor, but that people are trying to avoid the the carbs and the calories and the sugariness of malt beverages,” says Pierce. With distribution in New York and Connecticut, Tiqo has gained a following among young consumers in beach towns like Montauk; Miami is their next market. Wyn Ferrell, a partner at Mile ■ Spirited Novelty High Spirits in Denver, chose to target While beer producers continue to offer the classic Moscow Mule, with the new cocktail-inspired malt beverages in introduction of Punching Mule, a a can, like Bud Lite with their Mixxtails combination of real vodka and ginger beer, in flavors of Hurricane, Long Island and in a 12oz can. “Not everybody wants to Firewalker, spirits-based beverages are drink beer, and this is a cocktail that can aiming for the high ground, betting that live in a beer world,” says Ferrell, noting consumers will differentiate among their that Punching Mule is comfortable being cocktails with a distilled spirits base. tossed among the crowd by hawkers at Gosling’s Rum is enjoying immense Denver Nuggets games. The brand also success with their own ginger beer cocktail, is actively pursuing those who the Dark ’n Stormy Ready-To-Drink in choose to avoid gluten; “It an 8.4oz can, made with Black Seal Usage was a bland world for them. Rum and ginger beer. Coupled occasions Unless you wanted to with its diet counterpart, the for cans: haul around 2-liter ginger Picnics, train commutes, Dark ’n Skinny, these canned concerts, camping, ale, you had few choices,” cocktails are on target to top 1 hiking, outdoor says Ferrell. festivals, travel… million case sales annually in For San Diego’s craft 2016. “It has taken on a life of beer producer Ballast its own and is being enjoyed Point (recently snapped all over. The convenience up by Constellation), makes it wonderful for golf putting their distilled courses, beaches and boating. spirits into canned But even above convenience cocktails, like a Bloody we find people appreciate Mary made with Fugu Vodka (10% ABV) and a gin and tonic using their Old Grove gin (6.2% ABV), seems a natural fit. Debuted in August 2015, the canned cocktails are available in four-packs, priced around $14.99 at retail. Just another sign that aluminum, this wonder material of the 1960s—stigmatized by industrial beer but recently reclaimed by craft brewers— is helping to carve out future markets for beverage alcohol today. n ❒ underwood wine Oregon’s Union Wine found fast success with their Underwood Pinot Noir in a 375ml can, launched in spring 2015 (SRP $24/ four-pack), followed by Pinot Gris and Rosé. According to Ryan Harms, owner and winemaker of Union Wine Company, the familiar feel of a beer can is instrumental to his larger mission of making wine more accessible: “You can’t easily sniff, or swirl wine in a can. It forces you to just drink it and enjoy it without over thinking the activity.” says Harms. ON-/OFF- BALANCE SHIFTING? RETAILERS GAIN SHARE OVER ON-PREMISE IN U.S WINE, SPIRITS AND BEER MARKET BY DAVID LINCOLN ROSS A fter years of losing share to on-premise bars, restaurants and clubs, off-premise merchants are collectively making a remarkable sales and market share comeback that shows no signs of slowing, according to recent data. Here are some numbers: From 20082014, on-premise spirits sales plummeted 6.1 share points from 56.1% to 50% of total U.S. spirits volume sold, while the share of wine sold on-premise fell from 47.8% to 42.2%. In the same seven-year period, on-premise beer sales fell from a 50% share to 44.7% of total U.S. beer sales, reports Beverage Information Group (BIG), Norwalk, CT. And taking a look at the trend as currently as possible, Technomic, Inc., a Chicago-based research and data provider for the U.S. and global food, food service and beverage industries, has just released their projections for 2015. They have pegged the total on- vs. off-premise share of total adult beverage sales for 2015 to have tipped 51.6% off-premise, to 48.4% on-premise. BRICK & MORTAR = STILL BUILDING What exactly is behind these strong offpremise market share gains in selling spirits, wine and beer? Surprisingly, even in the depths of the recent U.S. recession—marked by massive lay-offs and rising unemployment, declining income for the middle class and many banks leery of making small business loans—the total number of off-premise outlets where spirits, wine and beer is sold increased by a robust 2.3% to 183,570 businesses from December 2010 through December 2014, according to Nielsen. With the exception of what Nielsen categorizes as “mass chain – conventional,” an off-premise sales channel whose number of outlets shrank 1.7% in this period, every other off-premise sales channel experienced some quite stunning numerical “On-premise occasions that involve alcohol have not rebounded to pre-recession levels.” — Donna Hood Crecco, Technomic and percentage gains. During this four-year time frame, traditional liquor store numbers grew 1.2% in number to a total 43,673 licensees, while notably grocery stores focused on gourmet and natural products (but also featured either beer, wine and/or spirits, think Whole Foods, among others) blossomed by 7.2% to 1,615 licensed locations. Though impacting a smaller base, this growth spurt no doubt reflects American consumers’ growing interest in organic and other farm-to-table food and drink. “Post-recession, we find that the share of on-premise occasions that include a call for alcohol have not rebounded to pre-recession levels, due to consumers’ interest in controlling their spending, as well as the growth of at-home entertaining and ‘pre-gaming’ and also their interest in being responsible while out in restaurants and bars,” says Donna Hood Crecco, Associate Principal at Technomic. While the U.S. financial crisis beginning in 2008, with its attendant and severe economic downturn, explains in part slowing beverage alcohol sales at restaurants, bars and club as consumers pulled in discretionary spending outside of the home, it does not explain the full picture, according to John Beaudette, President and CEO of MHW, Ltd., a nationally licensed importer, distributor and service provider for the wine, spirits and beer industries. share continuing apace. With the U.S. economic upturn now in its seventh year, employment on the rise and gas prices still relatively low, one might justifiably predict that on-premise share of spirits, wine and beer has bottomed out and is On-‐Premise vs. Off-‐Premise 51.6% Share of Total Adult Beverage primed to rebound. Then again, with Sales some financial gurus predicting another 2015* recession is on the horizon, there could be renewed pressure to stay home. So it’s anybody’s guess what the future holds, and the short answer is simply: Stay tuned. ■ On-‐Premise SHARE OF SALES Off-‐Premise Frequency o consumption *Projec6on Source: 2015 BarTAB Report, Technomic Inc. © 2015 Technomic Inc. How often do you consum (Once a month +) Beer Spirits BOUNCE BACK HINDERED? Beaudette says, “Traditionally, anytime disposable income goes down, dining out drops. And since the last recession, the middle class has not rebounded as strongly. At the same time, you had off-premise chains and independents continuing to expand. Now, you see groups like Starbucks and Burger King beginning to sell beer and wine, so the traditional 50/50 historical on/off split in spirits, wine and beer sales should return in time. Overall, I am very bullish on the next five years.” But if forthcoming on-premise gains are going to be driven by chains, what will that mean for the classic dynamic of onpremise tastes leading off-premise trends? Perhaps a clearer delineation between cocktail-savvy bars and restaurants and more cut-and-dried chains will imbue mixologists with even more influence. Or, perhaps the consumers who are increasingly turning to brick-and-mortar retailers will continue to count on these merchants for advice—turning them into America’s leading taste-makers for the foreseeable future. Of course, the balance of influence will depend in part on the off-premise market Wine FREQUENCY OF ADULT BEVERAGE CONSUMPTION Base: 1,500 aged 21+ Source: 2015 BarTAB Report, Technomic Inc. © 2015 Technomic Inc. How often do you consume away from home? (Once a month +) 21–24 category focus With strength measured in dashes, bitters have always been a potent weapon for mixologists. Now, with an explosion of increasingly exotic types, the category is ripe for off-premise. BITTERS make for sweet sales shelf-friendly and packed with flavor, bitters continue to pique interest on- and off-premise By W. Blake Gray T he bottles don’t take up much shelf space, stay good for years, and draw customers to your store. For wine and spirits shops, bitters are the dream product. Five years ago, most stores only needed one type of bitters, and there were only a few to choose from. “When I started making bitters in 2006, you only had Angostura [widely] available,” said Stephan Berg, owner of The Bitter Truth. “Occasionally you could find Peychaud’s, which was already owned by Buffalo Trace. Sometimes you could find Fee Bros.” Now, there’s a bewildering array of brands and types. “We have a couple dozen different bitters on the shelves right now,” says Jesse Salazar, wine director for Union Square Wine & Spirits in New York. “They don’t take up a lot of floor space. It’s easy to just try it and carry more of the ones that sell.” That said, you might as well taste them. Ashley Bryant of Milwaukee’s Bittercube recommends first putting a few drops in the palm of one hand, then rubbing your palms together and sniffing the aroma. To taste, put a couple drops on the back of your hand. Just as you would with wine, taste the simpler bitters first, and if there’s something spicy, taste it last. The Bitter Appeal Several types of customers are drawn in by bitters, says Doug Charles, owner of Compass Wines in the Seattle suburbs. Bartenders look for obscure types they haven’t seen before. Home cocktail enthusiasts try to fill out their shelf of essential flavors. And increasingly, people use them to flavor non-alcoholic beverages, most notably soda water, Charles says: “The ones that are most popu- The bitters display at Compass Wines in suburban Seattle shows how 12 SKUs can easily take up less then two feet of shelf space. lar with them are the single flavor bitters: chocolate, peach, lime, lavender.” But single-flavor bitters are just one kind, and it’s important to hit multiple categories, because the celery bitters that are perfect for a Bloody Mary might not be everyone’s fancy in a Rob Roy. “There are very few bitters that are good for many kinds of drinks,” Berg says. He defines the main groups as: aromatic; citrus (orange is essential; grapefruit is also worthwhile); fruit (don’t go without peach); vegetable (e.g., celery and cucumber); and mixes (Creole is their most popular). The last category, mixed flavor bitters, is the newest, and has of some of the most bewildering options—but also some of the most popular. Bryant says Bittercube’s best-selling flavor is Cherry Bark Vanilla, which goes well with whiskey drinks. Their Corazón is flavored with coffee and five types of chiles. Bitters can be made with white whiskey, neutral grain spirits or overproof rum, and that might affect the affinity a type of bitters has for different drinks—another reason to carry a wider selection. Fee Bros. bitters are unusual in that they have a glycerine base, which means they might not be as longlived, but on the other hand the company has been making them for 150 years. In addition to being a producer of bitters, Berg is a collector, and says, “As long as you keep the cap closed, those bitters will stay for a very long time—20, 30, 40 years. I still have bitters from the 1900s. And they’re still good.” n P new products 1 2 1. Caña Brava 7-Year-Old ‘Reserva Añeja’ Rum The 86 Co. has released their first aged spirit: Caña Brava 7-Year-Old Reserva Añeja Rum. The 7YO begins with Panama rums handpicked by Master Distiller “Don Pancho” Fernandez, which then spend seven more years in used bourbon casks. With a clean, dry finish and higher than normal ABV (90 proof), this rum has body and flavor suitable for mixing with cocktails. The 7YO joins Caña Brava 3-YearOld Rum, Fords Gin, Aylesbury Duck Vodka and Tequila Cabeza in The 86 Co.’s signature ergonomic bottle. SRP: $44.99 the86co.com 3 4 2. Kahlúa Salted Caramel Kahlúa Salted Caramel, a limited edition, deliciously balances salty and sweet notes of salted caramel with the classic taste of Kahlúa. The blend of rum and coffee liqueur is best enjoyed over ice or in a variety of hot or cold cocktails. Salted Caramel joins such other successful Kahlúa flavor extensions as Hazelnut, Mocha, Pumpkin Spice, Cinnamon Spice, Peppermint Mocha and more. 40 proof. SRP: $17.99 kahlua.com 4. Egan’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey 5. Brady Vineyard 2015 Sauvignon Blanc Over 116 years of operation, P&H Egan was one of Ireland’s foremost merchant houses, a range of commercial endeavours that included malting, brewing and bottling. Maurice and Jonathan Egan (fifth and sixth generation) and industry expert John Ralph are revitalizing the family’s whisky legacy. Egan’s 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, distilled in copper pot stills and aged 10 years in oak, is non-chill filtered, allowing more cask character to be retained. Available in IL, MA, NY and CA. Just far enough inland from the Pacific Ocean to build heat daily and still enjoy the cooling of nighttime maritime breezes, grapes for the Brady Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc enjoy a long summer of ripening and are harvested when fruit flavors peak. This bright, medium-bodied wine has aromas of green apple and guava and subtle notes of lime zest. Enjoy alone or with fresh fruits, mild cheeses, fish and subtle shellfish dishes. Marketed by Bronco Wine Company. SRP: $49.99 eganswhiskey.com SRP: $19.99 broncowine.com 5 3. Terre BrÛlée Chenin Blanc Cape Classics has linked the French and South African flanks of their portfolio, launching Terre Brûlée, a Chenin Blanc hailing from the Swartland region made in partnership with Loire Valley artisan Vincent Carême. Carême makes several different styles of the variety at his own winery in Vouvray. The 2014 Terre Brûlée is a decadent Chenin for any occasion, offering notes of honeysuckle and citrus balanced by a bright, seamless acidity. SRP: $14.99 capeclassics.com 6. Macchu Pisco ‘La Diablada’ Italia Pisco & Moscatel Pisco New from Macchu Pisco: two varietal Peruvian Pisco expressions made in the “puro aromatico” style, highlighting a single grape. Both are 80 proof and rested for one and a half to two years; ideal straight and in cocktails. La Diablada Italia has a nose of apple, grape, vanilla and peach, with black pepper, butter cookie and ancho chile on the palate. La Diablada Moscatel shows aromas of roses, honey and ginger, with raisins, currants and dark chocolate on the palate. SRP: $31.99 macchupisco.com 6 7 8 7. Clos de L’Oratoire Des Papes ROUGE 2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Displaying its heritage proudly—via a label unchanged since its creation in 1928—Clos de l’Oratoire Rouge (80% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 7% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault) displays classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape character. Aromatic notes of black pepper and licorice lead into a palate of strawberry, cherry and black currant, held together with fine tannins and enhanced by the unique local herbes de la garrigue. Enjoy with beef, spicy dishes and flavorful cheeses. Wine Spectator 90 points. Available in three sizes. $59.99/750ml | $31.99/375ml | $119.99/1.5L broncowine.com 9 10 8. Nomad Outland Whisky 9. Roscato Pinot Grigio González Byass, a leading Spanish wine and spirits producer, has flipped the script on Scotch. Their new Nomad Outland Whisky is a traditional Scottish malt blend produced from whiskies between five and eight years old which are left to mature in Sherry butts in Scotland for three years. But then, the whisky is brought to Spain to be aged in the San Fernando cellars of González Byass for a minimum of 12 months in barrels that had contained lush Pedro Ximénez Sherry. 82.6 proof. Palm Bay International keeps adding to their Roscato line of sweet wines from Northern Italy, with a Pinot Grigio joining the popular Rosso Dolce, Bianco Dolce and Rosé Dolce. Lush and tropical, Roscato Pinot Grigio has a moderate alcohol content of 12% and a lightly sweet taste balanced by vibrant acidity and a crisp finish. Excellent as an aperitif, it also works as a companion to dishes such as creamy pastas, salmon and smoked foods. SRP: $44.99 gonzalezbyass.com 10. Tequila Herradura Coleccion de la Casa 11. Collingwood Canadian Whisky Tequila Herradura has released the fourth Coleccion de la Casa: “Reserva 2015 – Directo de Alambique.” Starting with 100% blue agave, this small batch tequila is fermented with natural yeast—a process unique in the industry—and bottled direct from the still at 110 proof. The fresh, crystal-clear tequila features notes of sweet agave, green pepper, citrus and herbs and spice. As with the other three Coleccion editions, Maria Teresa Lara, one of the only female Master Distillers in Mexico was the force behind Directo de Alambique. Aiming to upgrade functionality, sustainability and overall appeal, Collingwood Blended Canadian Whisky has a new package, with a screwcap. The extra black cap from previous packaging has been removed; the new front and back labels focus on the brand name and the premium nature of the whisky. Made at Canada’s longest continuously operated distillery, Collingwood is uniquely finished with an extra step of resting with heavily toasted Maplewood staves. 80 proof. SRP: $89.99 herradura.com 11 SRP: $28.99 collingwoodwhisky.com SRP: $11.99 palmbay.com 12. Taken Wine Co. ‘Available’ Trinchero Family Estates is extending their Millennial-centric Taken Wine Company line, which plays on catchwords for relationship status on social media. Following the flagship “Taken” red blend and several wines under the “Complicated” label, “Available” comes in two types. Available 2013 Red Blend (50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot) is lush and fruit-forward, with a classic Italian table wine character. Available 2014 Pinot Grigio is made entirely with fruit from Puglia, yielding a richer style of the variety. SRP: $13 takenwine.com 12 BAR TALK PAN-ASIAN IN THE HEARTLAND JEFF SPEAR, GENERAL MANAGER, SUJEO, MADISON, WISCONSIN BY ALIA AKKAM C hef Tory Miller’s restaurant empire in Madison, Wisconsin, includes the Pan-Asian hotspot Sujeo. Here, General Manager Jeff Spear helms the bar, turning out cocktails like the Koreander Old Fashioned, Tongue Thai’d and Get a Job Yo Lazy Plum. BEVERAGE MEDIA GROUP: What is the biggest misconception about Asian-inspired drinks? “Asian cocktails get mentally pigeonholed, but some ingredients are so much fun to use with bourbon and gin.” JEFF SPEAR: That they need to have a base of sake or soju. Asian cocktails get mentally pigeonholed, but there are ingredients like lemongrass, kaffir lime, Thai chile and galangal that are so much fun to use with bourbon and gin. have been times when he’s tried cocktails or picked up a menu and told me that it’s just not doing it for him. He knows what a Sujeo cocktail should be, and luckily we’ve managed to put together a whole list of them. BMG: How big an impact does Chef Miller’s cooking have on your cocktail list? BMG: Do you aim for your cocktails to pair with the food? JS: He always brings energy that inspires JS: I do. It can be a pretty fluid transition you to look for the next new thing. For instance, he came in one day with a pound of prickly ash [shrub] and we ran a drink special with that for about two weeks. Nine times out of ten when I speak with him about the menu he gives me either an idea or an ingredient to run with. It keeps the program fresh and our bartenders on their toes. I think I’ve been lucky walking that line. He told me once he would rather I ask for forgiveness than permission. There between taking flavors from the kitchen and crafting them into cocktails. Our Tongue Thai’d, is an excellent example. Essentially it’s a spicy mango margarita, but the inspiration came from a mango and shrimp curry we had on our menu. It was spiced with Thai chiles, so to get that similar flavor we infused our tequila with the peppers, and then built a fairly standard margarita with the addition of a fresh mango purée we were using to make a soft-serve ice cream. But it can also be challenging. One of my favorite Southeast Asian dishes is Tom Kha Gai soup. Constructing a like-minded cocktail hasn’t been easy. BMG: Are you met with skepticism when attempting to turn guests onto your modern drinks? JS: I’ve had people tell me they want to try everything on the menu and others tell me that all of them sounded terrible. To limit that second group of customers, I like to root most of our drinks in something accessible. For example, when I speak about the Shipwrecked, I call it a play on a coconut-rum-lime cocktail— which it definitely is—but I don’t mention the bitters or galangal because I don’t want to scare anyone away. When people do ask about the galangal, I call it a ginger-like root with floral notes and not as much spice as ginger. Finding that perfect balance between giving the guest something new and familiar at the same time is something I always shoot for. BMG: What is most important to you in your exchanges with guests? JS: What I want to do when a guest sits down is give them a cocktail that they enjoy. I’ll happily sling Rum and Cokes if it’s what makes them happy. I want people to drink what they want to and come back. Always err on the side of hospitality. That’s a mantra here. n