January 2016 - Beverage Journal, Maryland and Washington, DC

JANUARY 2016
MARYLAND BEVERAGE JOURNAL
JANUARY 2016
The Tool of The Trade for the Licensed Beverage Industry
THE
21
ST
CENTURY
BARTENDER
HAVE KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
OVERSHADOWED HOSPITALITY?
Jan16 Covers_Finals.indd 4
+
WINE & COCKTAILS
TAKE A “CAN” DO
APPROACH
OFF-PREMISE
MOMENTUM CONTINUES
BITTERS:
STRONG & PROFITABLE
12/9/15 5:13 PM
January16
FEATURES
10 21st Century Bartender
Some leading mixology authorities worry that skills and knowledge
are pushing out the art of hospitality.
14 Wine & Cocktails Take A Can-Do Approach
A handful of suppliers are lifting a page from the craft beer marketing manual.
16 On-/Off- Balance Shifting?
In terms of market share, retailers are gaining clout across wine, beer and spirits.
30 Maryland's 2016 Legislative Session
The MSLBA is once again taking a lead role in looking out for the beverage industry's interests.
DEPARTMENTS
02 Pub Page: Casey's Bar and Restaurant Holds Charity Golf Tourney
04 Industry News: Zodiac Vodka l
BevBiz Marketing
06 Company Profile:
Escutcheon Brewing Company
18 Category Focus: Bitters
Shelf-Friendly and Packed with Flavor
06
10
20 New Products & Promotions
24 Bar Talk: Pan-Asian in the Heartland
Jeff Spear, GM at Sujeo, Madison, WI
MARYLAND ONLY
14
26 Bar Shots: Mark Walker
Behind The Bar at Plug Ugly's
18
30
36 Market Shots: Local Promotions
1mdWholesaler Directory,
Brand Index & Price List
WASHINGTON DC ONLY
1dc Wholesaler Directory & Brand Index
VOLUME78Number01
16
January 2016 Beverage Journal 1
PUBPage
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
THE BEVERAGE JOURNAL, INC.
Casey’s Bar and
Restaurant Holds
Charity Golf Tourney
I always enjoy hearing about good deeds
being done by members of the industry. I
came across something that is very worthy
of some press. Casey’s Bar and Restaurant
in Parkville, MD recently hosted their 7th
annual golf tournament in honor of three of
their favorite customers on the spectrum (the
Autism Spectrum) … Christina Pollizzi, CJ
Manouse, and Eric Kane.
Owners Casey Brooks and his mom,
Terry Santoro started their annual golf
tournament as a way for employees and
patrons to get together and have fun outside
of the establishment. There was no specific
charity. More recently proceeds were donated
to a local church. This year, however, Casey
wanted to support an organization that works
to provide resources, research, and awareness
to his patrons. He chose Autism Speaks and
he worked hard to get sponsorships from his
distributors and donations from nearby businesses. Most of all, he needed golfers. Well,
he got them, lots of them. Casey’s efforts
paid off as he raised $5,000 to benefit Walk
Now for Autism Speaks: Baltimore.
This industry is full of people and organizations giving back to their communities
in very heart-warming ways. If you or your
company has conducted a fundraiser, let us
know about it. We are very happy to tout
your efforts here in the Beverage Journal. n
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Thomas W. Murray
LOCAL COLUMNISTS
Teddy Durgin
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Alan Horton
[email protected]
Robert Plotkin
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Photography
Desiree Stover
[email protected]
Stephen Patten
Publisher
Ana Isabel Martinez Chamorro
[email protected]
Member
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Web Site www.bevnetwork.com • 212-571-3232
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The opinions expressed by guest columnists are their own and
not necessarily those of The Beverage Journal, Inc. The Beverage
Journal, Inc. is an affirmative action/equal opportunity corporation.
Copyright 2015 the Beverage Journal, Inc. No part of this magazine
may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Not
responsible for unsolicited material or advertising claims.
Here are Susan Pereles, Autism
Speaks; Kelli and Kayla Manouse,
mother and sister of CJ Manouse;
and Casey Brooks,
Casey's Bar and Restaurant.
This magazine was mailed from Baltimore, Maryland on or before
the 21st of the preceding month. If there has been a delivery delay,
please contact your local postmaster.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
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2 Beverage Journal January 2016
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IndustryNews
Zodiac Vodka Comes
To Maryland and
The District of Columbia
Zodiac Vodka, a division of Zodiac Spirits, LLC, has launched in Maryland and
Washington D.C., marking the brand’s first
expansion into the country’s Northeast region. In partnership with Republic National
Distributing Company (RNDC), the premium gluten-free potato vodka will be available at select retailers in Original and Black
Cherry flavors.
The American-made craft potato vodka
is produced entirely in the company’s Rigby,
Idaho-based distillery. The certified Idaho
russet potatoes benefit from the region’s
rich volcanic soil, mild climate and locally
sourced water from the Snake River Aquifer
that runs beneath the distillery. Filtered using hand-cut Canadian Birch Charcoal, Zodiac uses a patented single-source, four-column distillation process avoiding any need
to redistill. The result is a naturally sweet,
pure, distinct tasting, non-GMO and glutenfree vodka.
Originally offered exclusively in Texas,
Zodiac Vodka began a national distribution
rollout in February 2015. Zodiac is now sold
throughout 12 additional markets including
California, Florida, Tennessee, Colorado,
South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland, Washington D.C., Washington State and Illinois. The craft spirit plans
to expand into New Jersey, Arizona, Idaho,
Iowa, and more by end of this year.
Zodiac Spirits, LLC was founded by Tom
Benson, Zodiac Vodka is offered in Original
(40 percent alcohol by volume) and Black
Cherry (35 percent alcohol by volume),.
Recent accolades include 91 points by Tasting Panel in 2015, Gold Medal in the 2014
Artisan Awards, Double Gold in The Fifty
Best competition, Triple Gold in the MicroLiquor Spirit Awards and more.
The brand ethos is ‘Off The Beaten
Path’ inspired by a partnership with Grammy Award-winning country artist Kacey Mus-
4 Beverage Journal January 2016
graves, who serves as one of Zodiac’s partners
and creative brand ambassadors.
For more information, visit www.zodi
acvodka.com.
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 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 second 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, it 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. For more
information visit www.bevbizmarketing.com.
n
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-to-navigate 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
Jeff Grindrod and Bob MacNevin
of BevBiz Marketing
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
42nd Annual
FREE
VIP
registration
ocean city hotel-motel-restaurant association
online until Feb 26th
oceancitytradeexpo.com
after 2/26 $15 pp on-site
March 6 & 7
Sunday: 11 am-5 pm
Monday: 11 am-4 pm
OC Convention Center
Ocean City, Maryland
exclusively for the trade
no one under 21 admitted
800-626-2326 x 2
Featured Speaker
AnirbAn bAsu
one of the region’s
20 most Powerful
business leAders
CompanyPROFILE
Escutcheon Brewing Co.
mind your draft
M
ost craft brewers are entrepreneurs who have an interesting
back story.
The Escutcheon
Brewery, located in Winchester, Virginia, is
a good example of an interesting story and
some interesting beers.
Escutcheon Brewing Co. started with
the friendship between two guys who both
really like beer. John Hovermale and Art Major met while John was working to open a
different brewery in Winchester. While
that venture didn't work out, their
friendship did. Together, pint after pint, the pair discussed how
they would "do it the right way,"
were they to launch a brewery of
their own.
John, a master brewer, began
at the Siebel Institute in Illinois
more than fifteen years ago and
has worked for breweries in Vermont,
Maryland and Mississippi. Art is an accomplished entrepreneur who has founded
other successful businesses. Although he
doesn't boast the same experience brewing.
The combination of their backgrounds and
experiences, as well as their passions and
drive to create good beer, were the perfect
ingredients to build Escutcheon Brewing Co.
“John brews the beer; Art keeps the lights
on,” explains Kyle Kersey, VP Sales and Marketing at Escutcheon. “John developed the
recipes and brewery design; Art built the
branding. They both drink the beer. Art
spent some time in the merchant marine
and wanted to incorporate that experience
into the brewery. As such, the brand name,
beer names and even the tap room design all
carry a nautical theme.”
"When Art said he wanted to have our
theme be related to the industrial maritime
industry I thought, 'Sure, we're 150 miles
from the ocean … that makes sense.' What
6 Beverage Journal January 2016
a jerk," states John.
“Now, after building the brewery from
the ground up, the men have grown to
absolutely detest one another,” Kyle jokes.
“Luckily, the quality of the product allows
them to continue working together – proving good beer heals all wounds!”
"...When Art said he
wanted to have our
theme be related to the
industrial maritime
industry I thought,
'Sure, we're 150 miles
from the ocean … that
makes sense.'
What a jerk..."
The Story on
The Logo
In the mid-1800s, a nearly 30-year-old
man named Samuel Plimsoll attempted to
become a coal merchant in England. Although he failed and was reduced to destitution, he learned to sympathize with
the struggles of the poor. When his good
fortune returned, he focused his efforts
on creating regulations for what were
known at the time as "coffin ships."
The corrupt owners of these overloaded and often heavily-insured
ships would risk the lives of the
crew, knowing that they would
benefit whether the ship sank or
arrived at its destination.
After many years of fighting,
Plimsoll, then a member of the
British Parliament, championed a bill
known as the Merchant Shipping Act.
This new law forced ships to place a mark …
known as a Plimsoll Mark … on the hull, indicating the safe limit to which a ship may be
loaded, ie. the maximum draft (or how deep
the ship sits in the water), saving countless
lives in return.
In honor of Samuel Plimsoll, Escutcheon Brewing Co.'s logo is a Plimsoll Line,
forever reminding their drinkers, to "Mind
Your Draft."
At Escutcheon the team obviously has a
lot of fun, while taking their beer very seriously. These beers include: Bremen's Harbor Berliner Weisse; Growler Kölsch; Agonic Line Lager; Bowditch American Pale Ale;
Plimsoll India Pale Ale; Blackstrake Stout;
and the most recent edition, John Riggins
4th and 1 Pilsner.
John Riggins 4th and 1 Pilsner has been
crafted in collaboration with the NFL Hall
of Fame running back. Mr. Riggins' friend
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
From the heart of Old Town Winchester
to the region’s finest bars & restaurants
Escutcheon Brewing
Winchester, VA’s first micro-brewery & tasting room
Escutcheon beer is available today in kegs (sixtel & half barrels),
with eco-friendly cans coming in February 2016
Proudly distributed by:
KENCO BEVERAGE DIST. (Maryland)
301-223-6390
KYSELA PERE et FILS (DC & Virginia)
540-722-9228
www.escutcheonbrewing.com
fb.com/escutcheonbrewing
Twitter & Instagram: @escutcheonbrew
and business partner, Art Major recently
stated, “We consider our partnership with
John Riggins to be a real game-changer, and
we're excited as hell about this beer. Any excuse to spend time drinking beer with John
is a good excuse – and making a beer for him
is a REALLY good excuse.”
While in the brewery sampling his new
brew, Mr. Riggins said, “I've known Art
Major for awhile, and when I thought of
the possibility of brewing a beer to my liking, Art's name was the only name on the
list." Mr. Riggins continued, “Not because
there weren't other possibilities, but because
I know [Art] doesn't half-step anything, and
after meeting Brewmaster John Hovermale,
it became obvious Art had chosen his brewmaster wisely. In my opinion, John Hovermale may have created a Pilsner that will put
a fork in the road of the Pilsner Parkway. 4th
and 1 Pilsner may be the road less travelled,
but most enjoyed.”
Escutcheon is distributed in in Maryland by Kenco and in DC by Kysela Pere Et
Fils. For further information, contact Kyle
Kersey, VP Sales and Marketing, Escutcheon
Brewing at 703-689-1039 or kyle@escutch
eonbrewing.com. n
8 Beverage Journal January 2016
John Riggins, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1992) running back for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins; and John Hovermale, brewmaster at Escutcheon; in the Winchester, VA brewhouse.
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
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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
DISTRIBUTED BY INTERBALT: (855)SANTERO OR (301)793.1818
SANTERO FLAVORED MOSCATOS
BARshots
Mark Walker
behind the bar
at plug ugly's
By Teddy Durgin
M
ark Walker, bartender extraordinaire at Plug Ugly's
Publick House in Baltimore, still remembers the
first time he ever poured drinks professionally. It was on a particularly busy
night at Charm City's fabled Hammerjack's, and The Alarm was rocking out on
stage. "Yeah, my first training shift was
a sold-out concert," he recalled, during
a recent interview with the Beverage Journal. "There was probably around 2,000
people there. My boss looked at me and
she said, 'Well, Mark ... sink or swim!' I
guess I swam."
Walker has been doing more swimming
than sinking ever since. A lot more. Last
year, in fact, he was named one of Baltimore's 10 Best Bartenders by the Baltimore Sun. With well over two decades
of experience, Walker got his current
gig at the popular O'Donnell Street restaurant and watering hole because of his
FAVORITE MOVIE:
Forrest Gump
HOBBY:
"I play golf three or four times a week."
HIS CUSTOMERS WOULD BE
SURPRISED TO LEARN:
"That I don't really drink all that much."
OTHER CAREER WOULD
LOVED TO HAVE TRIED:
"I should have gone to college and been
a doctor. A plastic surgeon would have
been great!"
PERSON HE'D MOST LIKE TO
SERVE (living or past):
"My mom. She's no longer with us."
26 Beverage Journal January 2016
longtime friendship with co-owner
Tommy Welsch. "He's a really good
friend of mine," Walker said, "and I
actually waited for him to open this
place up for two years while I was
working elsewhere. As soon as he
opened the doors, though, I started
working for him."
The place that he refers to is a thriving restaurant by day that turns into more
of a nightclub in the evenings, complete
with a DJ, music, and a party atmosphere.
Co-owned by Mark Bogosh, Plug Ugly's
Publick House opened in March 2012
where Helen's Garden used to be. It is
named after the old 1850s political gang
of tough guys who would use strong-arm,
"Gangs of New York"-style tactics to try
and force people to vote a certain way.
Walker says the thing that distinguishes him is his toughness and longevity. "I have been doing this for so long
that even what I used to consider a challenge isn't really a challenge anymore," he
stated. "After you've been doing a job for
as long as I have, you have to make your
weaknesses your strengths. The things
that used to bother you, you learn how
to turn them around so they don't bother
you like they used to. I tell you, if you let
things bother you in this business, you're
not going to make it very long.
He continued, "I enjoy talking with
all of the people who come in, but that
means you do have to try and be in a good
mood all of the time. You definitely don't
want to bring your personal issues into
the bar, because then there would be a
lot of upset people sitting around. When
people come in, they want you to be in a
good mood and make them smile and be
their friend. They don't want to be sitting
around and asking each other, 'What's
wrong with that guy?!'"
While Walker himself doesn't have
a signature drink that he has become
known for, he has gotten to be quite adept at making Plug Ugly's main specialty
drink, known as Pirate Juice. "It's not
my drink," he was quick to point out. "I
didn't make it up. But people love it. It's
a rum-based drink, made with seven different rums. It infuses with fruit, and
we pour it over crushed ice, add freshsqueezed orange juice and a little berry
juice on top. That's our signature drink.
[chuckling] And we do have some nicknames for it, and I'll leave it at that."
Having been in the game since 1988,
Walker says he has certainly seen his
share of changes in the bar and restaurant
business. "The biggest difference is credit
cards!" he declared. "Everybody uses a
credit card for everything. When I started, everybody always used to pay cash."
In addition, there is the little matter of
technology. Chiefly, mobile technology.
He concluded with a sigh, "Everybody
is on their cell phones these days. Even
most young bartenders today seem to be
on their phone a lot, which is kind of
annoying to me and to some customers.
They really need to take their jobs more
seriously. But, hey, I'm glad we didn't
have these phones back when I was their
age, because I probably would have been
on them, too!" n
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
Prowein 2016
ProWein
2016
March
13th-15th
it all starts at Prowein
every March in DüsselDorf, GerMany, the wine inDustry kicks into
Gear at Prowein, the Global staGe for a vibrant Global inDustry
By w. r. Tish
28 Beverage Journal January 2016
of ProWein. Scope is another; ProWein
is truly global, with 6,000 exhibitors
from 50+ countries, 82% from outside
Germany. Also vital: focus. ProWein
is exclusively for the trade; being in
business-friendly
Düsseldorf
rather
than in a wine region (à la Vinexpo
and Vinitaly) keeps the focus squarely
on business.
Not to be discounted: efficiency. And
from the city’s business-friendly city
services to the modern, modular facility
and the custom app that enables planning
for the show weeks in advance, as huge
as ProWein has become, it remains
eminently manageable in its annual
three-day run.
Michael Degen, Director,
ProWein 2016
With 6,000 exhibitors from 50+ countries, all
major wine nations and regions are represented
at ProWein—the “classics” from europe and the
New World as well as the more “exotic” such as
Bolivia and armenia. there are also more than
400 spirits exhibitors from 30 countries.
Positive Plateau
Last year, ProWein turned an important
corner when the Messe Düsseldorf
fairgrounds—essentially a campus of
connected halls—shifted ProWein from
Halls 1-7 to Halls 9-17, in response to
both exhibitors requiring more space
and from wine and spirits producers
who had been waitlisted. “Thanks to
the new hall layout, we increased our
exhibition space by a gigantic 20%. And
so we’ve now reached around 6,000
exhibitors,” notes Michael Degen. “I
think we’ve come to a point that
needs to be consolidated in the sense
of an organic growth before we go any
further. This is why, at the moment, it’s
all the more important for us to attract
new visitors.”
With the halls filled but fluid, and
post-show satisfaction impeccably high
among exhibitors and visitors alike, the
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
PhotograPhy courtesy of Messe DÜsselDorf
J
anuary begins the calendar year,
but for the global wine trade,
2016 does not really get started
until mid-March, when ProWein
once again turns Düsseldorf into the
center of the wine universe. Since
its inception in 1994, the number of
ProWein exhibitors has grown 15 times;
its number of visitors 30 times; and the
occupied space 18 times. This year, trade
visitors will again top 50,000.
The cusp-of-spring timing is ideal for
presenting new (northern hemisphere)
vintages, of course, but even more
importantly, it has made ProWein a
formidable launchpad for new products,
packages and brands. “ProWein is a
platform for novelties in every respect,”
says Michael Degen, Executive Director
at Messe Düsseldorf and Director of
ProWein. He adds, “The early timing also
has clear advantages for many exportfocused companies from other continents.
Getting together at such an early stage
in the year means that decisions can be
made which will impact the conceptual
direction within the same year.”
Getting a jump on the other major
wine trade shows is but one advantage
over 300 tastings, seminars and workshops take
place either in the ProWein forum or directly at
the exhibitors’ stands. ProWein 2015 saw the first
edition of a new special exhibition under the title
of “same but Different,” presenting innovative
ideas for wine production and marketing; that
show-within-a-show will return in 2016.
show has reached a plateau of sorts. It
has become the international stage that
a now-global wine industry needs and
deserves. Which is all the more reason
that savvy Americans are scoping out
ProWein, despite our country’s unique
three-tier system.
ProWein’s organizers understand how
the U.S. market differs. “Admittedly, most
trade markets for wine are a lot simpler
than those in the 50 U.S. states,” notes
Degen. “Yet where wine consumption
is concerned, the U.S. is currently
To Another Great Year
13.-15.03.2016
International Trade Fair for Wines and Spirits
Düsseldorf, Germany
www.prowein.com
Germany
France
Italy
Spain
Overseas
Portugal
Europe
Austria
Greece
Spirits
Tasting Zone
ProWein Forum
The Messe Düsseldorf fairgrounds, designed
expressly to house trade shows, is like
a huge campus. ProWein exhibitors
are
www.messe-duesseldorf.de
grouped sensibly by country of origin, in nine
connected but distinct “halls” that are easy to
navigate, with great ventilation and signage.
Messe Düsseldorf GmbH
P.O. Box 10 10 06 _ 40001 Düsseldorf _ Germany
Tel. + 49 (0)2 11/45 60-01 _ Fax + 49 (0)2 11/45 60-6 68
www.BeverageJournalInc.com right at the top, not only regarding the
quantity but also because of the quality.
U.S. consumers have a very outstanding
knowledge of wine and appreciate
fine wines. So here’s my message to all
buyers from the States: Don’t miss the
opportunities that are offered by ProWein.
Nowhere else will you see such a complete
and comprehensive overview of the
current range of fine wines from all over
the world.”
A new feature at ProWein 2016: for
U.S. importers and wholesalers coming to the show, ProWein and Wine
Enthusiast have built “Route USA.”
The Route will guide visitors from the
U.S to those producers who seek to
meet them. Producers will have special
Route USA signage on their booth indicating their interest in finding importing and distribution partners in the
United States.
Who attends ProWein? International
wholesale and retail wine professionals
make up the largest group of visitors,
followed by experts from the restaurant
and hotel industry. And what are they
looking for? The top aim, according to
exit surveys, was meeting with existing
suppliers and business partners, followed
closely by tracking innovation/trends and
identifying new suppliers and partners.
Clearly, ProWein delivered, and not
just for Europeans: more than threequarters of the 2015 North American
visitors stated they did indeed find
new suppliers.
In addition to exhibitors’ tastings, the ancillary
program includes numerous tasting zones
designed for self-guided analysis and offer varied
themes. other tasting opportunities include the
champagne lounge and winners of the Mundus
Vini competition. In the spirits segment, this
year’s theme at the fIZZZ lounge is “shim”
(low-alcohol) cocktails.
And most of them will likely be back:
97% of ProWein 2015 visitors indicated
that they were satisfied with the show,
and well over half already planned their
visit for ProWein 2016 before they left
Düsseldorf. ■
Prowein 2016
March 13th-15th in
DüsselDorf, GerMany
■ For general information,
visit prowein.com or mdna.com.
■ For details regarding tickets or exhibiting,
contact Messe Düsseldorf North
America: (312) 781-5180; Fax (312)
781-5188; email: [email protected]
■ For hotel and travel information, contact
TTI Travel: (866) 674-3476; email:
[email protected]; traveltradeint.com
January 2016 Beverage Journal 29
A Look Ahead at the 2016
Maryland Legislative Session
By Teddy Durgin
T
he next General Assembly Session is just around the corner,
and the Maryland State Licensed
Beverage Association (MSLBA)
will once again be taking a lead role in
looking out for the beverage industry's
interests. This means guys like MSLBA
President David Marberger and his close
colleagues are expected to step up and
drive the discussions.
"We're at the rough and ready every year
at this time," said the proprietor of Bay
Ridge Wine and Spirits in Annapolis. "In
2016, we plan on working very diligently
at getting a really good relationship going
30 Beverage Journal January 2016
with the Maryland microbreweries, the
distilleries, and the wineries. We really
need to forge together as a cohesive unit.
There will always be some issues that we
won't see eye to eye on. But all of us coming together in this industry as an industry so we can move forward is a must and
something we really want to focus on."
Closer cooperation and collaboration
will be a must if the industry is going to
continue challenging any and all attempts
to get legislation passed that would allow
grocery, big-box, and convenience stores
to obtain off-premise beer and wine licenses. Marberger remarked, "I would
love it if there was legislation that says
chain stores will never be allowed to sell
alcohol in the State of Maryland. That's
the dream legislation, and that's really
the battle we're keeping our eyes out for
first and foremost. Since the early 1970s,
I think, there has always been something
in this regard that pops up. We're lucky
in that we usually have three or four years
of things toning down and being quiet before the momentum starts to build back
up. It helps that we're not the only state
fighting this battle."
Attorney and MSLBA lobbyist Steve
Wise expressed another concern. "Total
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Wine has had a push now for several years
now to change the law so they can hold
more than one license," he said. "While
that has been defeated, I'm sure it will be
reintroduced this year and debated again.
That's just something our membership
feels will change the composition of the
industry in a negative way. It's been one
person, one license for 80 years, and we
feel that has generated a lot of small businesses. That's a good thing."
Marberger and Wise have been vocal
champions of small business enterprise in
the Old Line State, and both are fiercely
protective when they see any legislative
effort developing that seeks to undermine such operators. "We are all essentially small businesses," the former stated.
"There are some larger retailers than others, some larger wineries than others, and
distillers and breweries, too. But the fact
of the matter is, we all started out as small,
mom-and-pop, family businesses trying to
put products out that people like and are
worthy of being on the streets. That's
what we want to keep here in Maryland."
MSLBA Legislative Chairman Jack Milani agreed. "We have to keep stressing to
MSLBA President David Marberger
our members that they need to develop
relationships with their legislators before
they are in session and before these issues
go down. Reach out and have a discussion with your delegate or with your senator, and let them know how many people
you employ and what your business
means to the community. Make it so they
have a connection. Get a dialogue going."
"Dram shop" liability is one big issue
that will likely generate a lot of dialogue
in the new year. If it is ever adopted, this
legal doctrine would permit vendors of alcohol to be sued by individuals who have
suffered injury at the hands of a patron
of that vendor. As a result, the owner of
a tavern where a customer unwisely opts
to drink and then drive and hits another
vehicle could be sued by the occupants of
the other vehicle.
"We have been lucky enough to keep
dram shop away," stated Marberger. "But
that's something that could always rear its
head, and something we are all keeping a
careful eye on."
Marberger went on to concur with
Miliani that it is of critical importance for
MSLBA members to get to know their local elected officials. Just as essential, let
them get to know you, who you are, and
what you do. "The economic impact that
we all as businesspeople on the community, and therefore the state, is extremely
large," he said. "There was a Colorado
study I read not too long ago that stated
52 percent of the dollars that are brought
into a local retail store go right back out
into the community versus 10 to 15 percent of the dollars that go into a major
chain or box store go back into the community."
Marberger continued, "We ARE the
community! Letting your local officials
know who you are, what you do, how
many people you employ, and the monetary contributions that we make are all
very important things. If your elected officials know who you are, they are more
apt to give you that 10, 15, or 20 minutes
that you're looking for when there is an
issue that you really want them to address. And if you get to the point where
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32 Beverage Journal January 2016
can imagine, and I think there is going to
be a lot of discussion this session about
whether you can allow private wholesalers there, about whether there should be
more privately run liquor stores, and so
forth. This has been debated before over
the last 20 years or so. No changes have
been made, but it's something we're very
supportive of. It's a big project."
Looking ahead, all concerned are hopeful that member involvement in the MSLBA and in the state capital will continue
to rise. Milani commented, "If anyone
new to the business reading this wants
a voice and some say in the direction
they think the business should be going
in, then get involved in the association.
Someone new might have a different perspective that ends up being very valuable
MSLBA Lobbyist Steve Wise
to us."
Wise, an attorney with the law firm of
yields, I have been able to source
they call you as the licensee to say, 'Hey,
Schwartz, Metz, and Wise in Annapoenough
from the farm for the last 10
what do you think about this?' That's a
lis, cheekily concluded, "There is an old
years
to
make the smaller amounts I
perfect position to be in. Because at that
phrase, 'Get into politics or get out of
require,” said Bandzak. “I have found
point, to them, you're the expert. You're
business.' That is certainly true in Maryit
to be consistent in taste and color.”
the person they're coming to in order to
land. n
Romano Winery, founded by
find out the real skinny instead of listenJoseph and Jo-Ann Romano, also uses
ing to a lobbyist on
side or
a lobbyist
BYthis
KEVIN
ATTICKS
Rougeon in its wines. The founders
on that side."
his black
Frenchsay that Rougeon boasts “a black
Milani, who has co-owned
Monaghan's
American
hybrid
Pub in Woodlawn since
1990, went
a step
cherry aroma leads to a mediumgrape
is known
forcan
its get
ability
tointo
make
further.
"Indeed,
if you
them
bodied red with a deliciously sweet
simple,
tasty
wines.
your place of business, that's so imporfinish.” The label suggests enjoying
produces
medium-sized
tant," he Rougeon
said. "Then,
they can
better unwith red meat, ripe cheeses or good
derstand
what clusters.
your business
is all
about
compact
Its grape
vines
are
conversation.
you're
all about. Itcan
gives
them
and what
hardy,
but production
be erratic
Joe Romano spoke highly of the
a better
perspective
theto effects
at times,
causingofitswhat
yields
come as
Rougeon grape. “One of the reasons
of some
of as
these
bills
reallyorare,
andasthat
often
twice
a year
as few
every
that I selected Rougeon was because
they should
keep
small
business
owners
two years.
Rougeon wine was not widely availtop of theLike
mind."
all other grapes, Rougeon is
able as a varietal as it is typically
Maryland's
Montgomery
susceptible
to disease.County
The twopromhighest
used in blending for its color,” said
ises to
be topexposures
of the mind
for many
disease
this grape
couldin
Romano. He was looking for a wine
2016. "There is going to be discussion
suffer from are downy mildew and
that would stand out, and he found
this year about getting Montgomery
powdery mildew. These diseases have
the dark red color and aroma attracCounty out of the liquor business," Wise
the potential to reduce vine growth,
tive and thought as a sweet wine—also
predicted. "Montgomery is one of four
yield, quality, and winter hardiness,
atypical or this grape—it would be
Maryland jurisdictions that are still in
especially because the Rougeon
MSLBA
Legislative Chairman
Milani
very
interesting.
“In theJack
end,
the wine
the business. It's a big operation, as you
grows in tight clusters. Other disease
turned out to be everything I hoped
susceptibilities are black rot
for, and it’s great with chocolate!”
and botrytis as well as some
sensitivity to sulfur.
Taste Maryland
Wine
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
Rougeon also produces
Come to The Maryland Wine
MARYLANDWINERIES
Rougeon
Dark and Erratic
T
MarketShots
Banditos (Baltimore) Golf Tournament at
Mountain Branch Golf and Country Club
Music Artist "Jeezy" Visits
Montgomary Plaza Liquors and
signs over 400 bottles of Tequila Avion
Banditos (Baltimore) Jameson Black Barrel
Movember Celebration Raises Over $2,000
Absolut DMV Smackdown Cocktail
Competition at All Set Restaurant & Bar
in Silver Spring
34 Beverage Journal January 2016
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
Little Black Dress Event for Breast Cancer Awareness at
The Gentlemen’s Gold Club in Baltimore
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January 2016 Beverage Journal 35
MarketShots
Southern Wine and Spirits' Tastings arond town
Monika Kaufman, Armand De Brignac; and Phil Bernstein, Bassin’s in
Washington, DC; sample Ace of Spades Champagne.
John Park, Southern Wine and Spirits; hosts a tasting of
Gerard Bertrand Wines at Yes Organic, in Washington, DC.
Above: Christine Sweeney, Southern Wine and Spirits; hosts a
Layer Cake Wine tasting at Harbour Spirits in Severna Park, MD.
At right: Christine also hosted an evening tasting at Annabeth’s
Wine Shop in Annapolis, MD.
36 Beverage Journal January 2016
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
Greater Baltimore Chapter of Club Managers
Association (GBCMA) Wine Event
Joanne Wigod, Wente Wines; pours a glass of their
signature wine for a guest at the event.
Chris Lombardi, Southern Wine and Spirits; recently hosted
a wine event for the GBCMA.
Melanie Denk, Southern Wine and Spirits; talks about several wines
with a member of the GBCMA at the event.
MarketShots
Tom Bulleit Visits Market
Thomas E. “Tom” Bulleit, Jr. recently visited the market
and talked about his family, his experiences and his
whiskey. “Some years ago, I fulfilled a lifelong dream
of reviving an old family bourbon recipe by starting the
Bulleit Distilling Company,” Tom explained. “Inspired
by my great-great-grandfather Augustus Bulleit, who
made his signature high-rye whiskey in the mid-1800s,
I quit my job and risked everything to experience life
on the frontier and I have never looked back. I am very
proud of our family of high-rye, award-winning whiskeys
with unparalleled spice and complexity.” That family of
whiskeys consists of Bulleit Bourbon, Bulleit Rye, and
Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year Old.
Bulleit Bourbon, inspired by the whiskey pioneered
by Augustus Bulleit over 150 years ago, uses only
ingredients of the very highest quality. The subtlety and
complexity come from its unique blend of rye, corn,
and barley malt, along with special strains of yeast
and pure Kentucky limestone filtered water. Due to its
especially high rye content, Bulleit Bourbon has a bold,
spicy character with a finish that's distinctively clean and
smooth. Medium amber in color, with gentle spiciness
and sweet oak aromas. Mid-palate is smooth with tones
of maple, oak, and nutmeg. Finish is long, dry, and
satiny with a light toffee flavor.
Bulleit Rye is an award-winning, straight rye whiskey
with an unparalleled character of spice and complexity.
Released in 2011, it continues to enjoy recognition as
one of the highest quality ryes.
Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year Old is Tom Bulleit’s selected
reserve. Aged in charred American white oak, select
Bulleit Bourbon barrels were set aside to age for 10
years. The result is a special expression of Bulleit
that provides a rich, deep, incredibly smooth sipping
experience.
Here are George Materewicz, Joe Higgins, Jeff Rosenthal, Josh Carter, Tisha Skinner, Chris Lee, Bill Bennet, all with Reliable Churchill; Joe Powell, Diageo;
Tom Bulleit, Bulleit Distilling; Nick Crutchfield, Hal Hindin, both with Diageo; Kelli Johnson, Nick Rulli, Rob Schoenfelder, Stuart Weisshaar, Ryan Hurst, and
Corey Sboray, all with Reliable Churchill; at a recent tasting seminar held at the Reliable Churchill offices.
38 Beverage Journal January 2016
www.BeverageJournalInc.com
Ketel One Movember
The Reliable Churchill Alliance Division
recently partnered with Ketel One
and the Movember Foundation. Sales
representatives held educational tasting
events and created an online Movember
team to raise money for men’s health
awareness. At the end of the month,
a Shave the Date event was held at
Luckie’s Tavern at Power Plant Live in
Baltimore to celebrate the beards grown
and the money raised. Quintessential
Gentleman made a special appearance
to trim and shave the bearded
participants of Movember and paint the
nails of the supportive ladies.
Here are Jeff Hutter, Reliable Churchill; Lindsay
Renninger, Hal Hindin, both with Diageo; Kelsey Guldan, Inspira
Marketing; and Rob Schoenfelder, Reliable Churchill; at the
Ketel One Shave The Date event at Luckie’s Tavern.
Here’s a ‘before and after’ shot of Hal Hindin, Diageo; as he said farewell to his Movember efforts
thanks to the staff of Quintessential Gentleman at the Ketel One Shave The Date event.
Many Maryland retailers supported the month-long Ketel One Movember Foundation fundraiser.
Thank you to everyone that participated.
MarketShots
Maryland Irish Festival
The Maryland Irish Festival, recently held at the Timonium Fairgrounds, is an
annual celebration of Irish culture presented by the Irish Charities of Maryland. The
Tullamore Dew Snug was a popular destination at the Festival for guests to enjoy
cocktails from the bar or experience a whiskey tasting session.
Bond and Belvedere
Belvedere Vodka partnered with the newest James Bond release, Spectre.
Reliable Churchill’s Alliance Division hosted a premier night to celebrate
the nationally recognized partnership. Guests enjoyed complimentary Bond
martinis; fantastic food provided by Clark Burger, and red carpet style
photo opportunities.
Chris Beyer, Tullamore Dew’s Local Ambassador; leads a whiskey tasting
with attendees in the Snug at the Irish Festival.
40 Beverage Journal January 2016
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