century bartender - beverageguide.net

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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
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DELAWARE
DISTRIBUTORS
B E V E R A G E
JANUARY 2016
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© 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
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Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DALE MELTON
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THE COUNTRY VINTNER
Kevin Mullarkey 302-528-5871
Tom Ditzler 302-540-5205
877-946-3620
Fax 302-239-7405
www.countryvintner.com
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WORLD CLASS WHOLESALE
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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