The Cocktail Trends To Expect in 2017
The spirits industry has never been more exciting or more poised for disruption in 2017. Here, some of the industry’s most innovative mixologists break down the cocktail trends on tap this year.
Locals Only “More and more often, I have guests who sit down and immediately ask what I might have in the way of a local spirit or beer,” says Anne Robinson, head bartender at Westlight , the new, always-busy rooftop bar in Williamsburg’s William Vale hotel. “People are getting more adventurous and are curious to learn about these new producers that are popping up not just in New York, but across the country, so I think that instead of having their say, rum and coke with an old standby, 2017 will see people giving that new liquor that was distilled a few subway stops away a chance.”
Rum, the New Tequila? “2016 was all about tequila for me,” says Robinson. I have a feeling 2017 will end up being massively about rum. Maybe that’s because I’m headed to Martinique for a bit very soon, and imagine touring those distilleries and drinking my weight in Ti Punches will influence my passion for sugar cane pretty heavily. Rum just makes me think of sunshine and good vibes, which I think we’ll need a lot of in 2017.”
A Return to Fine Dining “Drink trends for 2017 — and the industry as a whole — will be about putting the emphasis back on the guest experience and returning to the era of fine dining. Attention to detail — serviceware, glassware, ice programs — and making as much as possible in-house, or incorporating local producers of spirits and ingredients will be important,” says Frankie Solarik, co-owner of Toronto’s BarChef , a dimly lit haunt in the city’s ultra-hip Queen West stretch. “With guests having increased access to information through the Internet, I feel people working in the industry are appreciating this and really starting to consider themselves professionals and taking great pride in providing the guest an exceptional experience.”
Less Juice, More Spirits “In the past, there has been a big influence in the industry with speakeasies and library style designs,” says Solarik. “I feel we’re going to be getting away from this and moving towards a more contemporary and progressive approach – not only with design, but also with cocktail programs and glassware. As a whole, guests are becoming more adventurous with their palates and moving towards more spirit-forward options on cocktail menus. Darker spirits like rum, bourbon, etc., will increase, moving into more adventurous flavors like Islay scotch and mezcals.”
Getting High “Whiskey and soda, whiskey and ginger, gin and tonic, rum and coke. They are all simple spirit-mixer combinations, and yet, so very popular,” says Chicago-based bartender Julia Momose, who made Food & Wine’s short but sweet ‘Best New Mixologists of 2016’ list. “More and more bartenders are taking highball and diving into the two-ingredient combination to a deeper level by switching up the ingredients, and paying more attention to the method of building this beautiful drink.”
Aquavit, the New Gin? “As juniper is to gin, so is caraway to aquavit,” says Momose. “From there, the possible flavor combinations are practically endless, providing bartenders with a flavorful ingredient that can revive classics and become the base of modern classics itself. Gin had its time and its rise over a few years, now it’s time for aquavit. I’ve had a love affair with aquavit for a few years now, and I’m excited to see it highlighted in more bars and recipes in 2017.”
Heritage & Tradition “We continue to champion grower-producer brandy for its deep agricultural roots as well as its heritage of production that has been passed down from one generation to the next,” says San Francisco-based veteran bartender, Craig Lane, who doles out drinks at contemporary hotspot, Bar Agricole . “More and more, such spirits are often undervalued or overlooked because they aren’t flashy or new, and, in an industry that is so often dominated by carefully manicured perceptions of luxury, status, and branding, these traditional spirits can have a difficult time gaining respect outside of their limited regions of production. Without hesitation though, I would easily rank Adrien Camut Calvados from Normandy, Domaine Boingneres, or Chateau de Ravignan Armagnac from Gascogne, and a small but important group of Cognac makers like Dudognon as being some of the finest spirits in the world simply because that’s what they do, and not because they’re trying to meet some sort of market demand.”
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Tales of the Cocktail Announces 2017 Spirited Awards Winners
Following an impressive pool of nominees and months of careful evaluation by some of the most respected individuals in the spirits and cocktail industries, Tales of the Cocktail® is thrilled to announce the winners of the 11th Annual Spirited Awards®. Each of these winners was in front of a crowd of their peers and supporters at the Sheraton Hotel in New Orleans, hosted by comedian and actor Michael Ian Black. In addition to the judged winners, Tales also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to Charles Schumann.
“The Spirited Awards get more and more competitive because our industry keeps raising its game every single year,” said Ann and Paul Tuennerman, Co-Founders of Tales of the Cocktail®. “Congrats to this year’s winners on monumental accomplishment.”
Since being founded in 2007, the Spirited Awards® have grown to become one of the prestigious and sought-after awards in the industry. Recognizing writers and brand ambassadors alongside bartenders and bars, the Awards showcase the talent found throughout every aspect of the spirits and cocktail world. Winners were voted on by two panels of over 100 industry experts, led by Charlotte Voisey (Chairperson), Jacob Briars (International Judging Committee Chairman), Paul Clarke (Writing Committee Chairman) and Brooke Arthur, Bridget Albert and Derek Brown (U.S. Judging Committee Chairs).
“The 15th annual Spirited Awards have once again successfully celebrated excellence in our industry,” said Charlotte Voisey, Director of Brand Advocacy for William Grant & Sons and Chairperson of the Sprited Awards®. “I am so thrilled for each winner as well as all of the finalists honored along the way, especially the new bars that have burst on to the scenes in the last year.”
While every award presented carries a high level of prestige, the final award announced is always the most coveted among nominees. The World’s Best Bar award compiles the gross votes for both American and International finalists in the following categories: Best High Volume Cocktail Bar, Best Hotel Bar, Best Restaurant Bar, Best Cocktail Bar or World’s Best Cocktail Menu. From this incredibly competitive pool of finalists, it was Dandelyan that edged out as the victor, taking home both the signature Riedel Crystal Trophy and the bragging rights of being honored as the best in the world.
2017 Spirited Award® Recipients
American Categories
Presented by William Grant & Sons
The NoMad Bar (New York)
Best American Brand Ambassador
Presented by NOCCPS
Misty Kalkofen (Del Maguey)
Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar
Presented by William Grant & Sons
Sweet Liberty Drinks and Supply Co. (Miami, FL)
Best American Restaurant Bar
Presented by Suze
American Bartender of the Year
Presented by Bacardi
Jeff Bell (New York)
Best American Cocktail Bar
Presented by Lillet
Columbia Room (Washington, D.C)
Presented by Elijah Craig
The Hawthorne at Hotel Commonwealth (Boston)
Best New American Cocktail Bar
Presented by Luxardo
BlackTail (New York)
International Categories
Best International Bar Team
Presented by Angostura
Best International Brand Ambassador
Presented by Rutte
Camille Ralph Vidal (St. Germain)
Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar
Presented by 1724 Tonic Water
Trailer Happiness (London)
Best International Restaurant Bar
Presented by Suze
Tippling Club (Singapore)
International Bartender of the Year
Presented by Bacardi
Shingo Gokan (Shanghai)
Best International Cocktail Bar
Presented by Chivas
Black Pearl (Melbourne)
Best International Hotel Bar
Presented by Bound Bar
Dandelyan at the Mondrian (London)
Best New International Cocktail Bar
Presented by Pierre Ferrand
Writing Categories
Best Cocktail and Spirits Publication
Presented by Gin Mare
Best New Cocktail & Bartending Book
Presented by Nikka Whisky
Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki by Martin and Rebecca Cate
Presented by Beam Suntory
Presented by Pierre Ferrand
Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of an American Whiskey by Fred Minnick
Global Categories
Presented by BarSmarts
Presented by Beam Suntory
Trick Dog (San Francisco)
Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient
Presented by Bound Bar
ITALICUS - Rosolio di Bergamotto (Italy)
World’s Best Spirits Selection
Presented by Montecristo Cigar Bar
canon: whiskey and bitters emporium (Seattle)
Presented by Elijah Craig
Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented by William Grant & Sons
This year official sponsoring partners of the Spirited Awards ® were 1724 Tonic Water, Bacardi USA, BarSmarts, Beam Suntory, Bound at The Cromwell, Chivas, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, GH Mumm, Gin Mare, House of Angostura, Lillet, Luxardo, Maison Ferrand, Montecristo Cigar Bar at Caesars Palace, Nikka Whiskey, Rutte Gin, Suze Bitters & Liqueurs and William Grant & Sons.
To view the past Spirited Awards ® winners, click here. To learn more about Tales of the Cocktail ® , please click here.
Cocktail Builder's Blog
Tips, tricks, and advice for mastering mixology.
3 Cocktail Trends to Look Out for in 2017
Like fashion and food, the landscape of cocktails is largely predicted by popular trends. Thanks to the resurgence of tiki drinks like the Jungle Bird, refined disco sips like the Harvey Wallbanger, and concoctions that questioned everything you thought you knew about a particular spirit (hello, Sherry cocktails !), 2016 was a fun time for liquor lovers. But with a new year comes new trends and new techniques. Here are three things to look out for in 2017.
Latin American and Caribbean Influences
Cocktails Made with Fermented Beverages
Mood and Personality-Based Cocktails
What are you excited to see in your glass in 2017?
15 Champagne Cocktail Recipes Worth Throwing a Party For
From our favorite festive holiday cocktails to the chilled bubbly drinks we deserve all year-round, here, 15 delicious champagne cocktails worthy of a toast.
3 oz. Champagne, chilled
1oz. Sparkling Ice Cherry Limeade
Fill champagne flutes with champagne and Sparkling Ice Cherry Limeade . Place a small 2” piece of cotton candy on top of glass as a garnish. Push the cotton candy into the glass for a fun disappearing effect.
Courtesy of Sparkling Ice
1 Part Champagne
1 Part Sparkling Ice Black Raspberry
Mix and garnish with small lavender sprig.
Courtesy of Sparkling Ice
6 Medium-Size Strawberries
20 White Seedless Grapes
3 oz. Orange Liqueur (preferably Cointreau)
3 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
12 oz. Sauvignon Blanc (preferably from New Zealand)
1 bottle (750ml) Moët Imperial Rose
4 Cinnamon Sticks
In a pitcher muddle the strawberries and grapes, then add the orange liqueur, lemon juice, Sauvignon blanc, cinnamon, and champagne. Add ice and stir. Serve into a goblet or red wine glass with ice and garnish with 1 orange slice and 1 lemon wheel per serving.
Courtesy of Moët & Chandon
3 oz. Moët Imperial Brut
0.5 oz. Honey Syrup (equal parts honey and hot water)
0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz. Cognac Hennessy VS
1 quarter-size Fresh Ginger
In a shaker, muddle the ginger with the honey syrup and lemon juice, then add the cognac, ice and shake. Double strain into a rocks glass with a big ice cube. Add the Moët Brut Imperial and garnish with a candied ginger in a pick.
Courtesy of Moët & Chandon
1.5 oz. Orange Juice
1.5 oz. Sparkling Ice Pomegranate Blueberry
Mint Leaves, for garnish
Combine all into champagne flute. Garnish with mint leaves.
Courtesy of Sparkling Ice
4 oz. Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial infused with Pomegranate White Tea
1.25 oz. Belvedere Vodka
1.5 oz. Ginger Beer
2 oz. Angostura (Aromatic) Bitters
Pomegranate Ice Cubes
Crystallized Ginger and a Sparkler, for garnish
Ice Cubes with Pomegranate Seeds Frozen into them
Build in glass. Take one pomegranate white tea bag and steep it in 4 oz. of Moët Ice Imperial for 2 minutes. Add Belvedere Vodka and Ginger Beer. Add pomegranate ice cubes. Garnish with skewered crystallized ginger and a sparkler.
Courtesy of Moët & Chandon
Sparkling Ice , assorted flavors
1 bottle Champagne
Popsicles, complementary flavors
In a wine glass, pour equal parts Sparkling Ice and Champagne. Place a popsicle in upside down and serve.
Courtesy of Sparkling Ice
5-6 Large Ice Cubes
1-2 Slices of Pear
Veuve Clicquot Rich Champagne
Place 5 ice cubes in a large wine glass, add pear slices, top with Veuve Clicquot Rich, and finish with leaves of fresh mint.
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot
5-6 Large Ice Cubes
2-3 Zests of Lime
Handful of Cranberries
Veuve Clicquot Rich Rosé Champagne
Place 5 ice cubes in a large wine glass, add cranberries, sprinkle with lime zests, and finish with Veuve Clicquot Rich Rosé.
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot
1.25 oz. NOLET'S Silver Gin
.5 oz. Fruit Lab Hibiscus Liqueur
.25 oz. Lemon Juice
4 dashes Bar Keep Lavender Bitters
Combine NOLET'S, hibiscus liqueur, lemon, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake for 3-4 seconds, strain into a champagne flute, and top with approximately 3 oz. of Brut Cava. Garnish with fresh blueberries and/or lavender.
1.5 oz. Patrón Reposado
.75 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Cinnamon Syrup*
1 heaping barspoon Pomegranate Seeds
Build in shaker, adding tequila, juice, syrup, seeds, and then ice. Shake vigorously and fine strain into a champagne flute. Top with Prosecco and then drop a bar spoon of pomegranate seeds into drink. Add 1 dash of angostura bitters to float on top.
Combine 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, and 2 sticks of Mexican cinnamon (broken into pieces) in a sauce pan over medium heat and simmer until sugar is completely dissolved and a prominent cinnamon flavor develops. Transfer to a glass jar and Let cool. Store in refrigerator up to one month.
Created by Zachary Taylor of Dirty Water
1 oz. Jack Daniel's Winter Jack Tennessee Cider
1 oz. Apple Cider
1 oz. Korbel® Champagne
Fill glass with 1 part of each ingredient.
Bottle Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore
¼ Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Lemon Spiral (garnish)
Fill cocktail shaker with ice, gin, lemon juice, and sugar. Pour into champagne flute. Top with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore. Stir and garnish with lemon spiral.
1 1/2 oz. Reyka Vodka
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Vanilla Simple Syrup**
1/2 oz. Apricot Eau De Vie
Top Dry Champagne
Half Passion Fruit Float or Lemon Wheel, for garnish
Combine all ingredients into cocktail shaker except champagne. Shake, top, garnish, and serve.
**Make a normal simple syrup. For every 24 oz. of simple syrup, add .5 oz. vanilla extract
Courtesy of Reyka Vodka
A Kool-Aid color with a grownup taste.
2 oz. Viniq Original Shimmery Liqueur
1 oz. Sparkling Water
Chill all ingredients for 2 hours prior to serving. Add ice to wine glass. Add Viniq Original, champagne, and sparkling water to the wine glass. Stir mixture and garnish with a lime wheel.
2017 Chicago Holiday Cocktail Fest
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2017 Chicago Holiday Cocktail Fest
Sat, November 11, 2017, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM CST
Event Information
Date and Time
Sat, November 11, 2017
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM CST
Old Town Social
455 W North Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60610
Refund Policy
Description
Make sure to watch this video for reminders for the event! http://bit.ly/2zrv45s
Finesse your guests with new cocktails to spark their interest and be the one to help to create new memories. With wine aficionados present and brands concocting and sharing their creative cocktails, it makes for a perfect time to share what you will learn, with the holidays approaching!
Join wine and cocktail enthusiasts for an afternoon of drinking, sharing stories, mixes and connecting. Take your ideas home and make the next party you attend, the opportunity to test your newfound cocktail skills.
Delight yourself in an intimate setting with various brand reps showcasing signature cocktails and featured wines!
Check In Location: Old Town Social (455 W North Ave)
Check out who is signed up to go on Facebook!
2 Hour Tasting (2 1/2 for VIP)
15 Tasting Tickets (More available for purchase - 100% charity)
Featured Food & Drink Specials
Vote for Top Brands (Use #HolidayCocktailFest)
Special Gift Giveaway!
First Time Lyft users, use code BeSocial for $5 in rides!
Have a large group or a ton of friends!? Get Paid to Party!
Portion of proceeds benefit local charity
We stay compliant with all state liquor laws
Must be 21+ w/ State Issued ID
Please contact organizer directly with any questions
Share with friends
Date and Time
Sat, November 11, 2017
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM CST
Old Town Social
455 W North Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60610
Refund Policy
Map and Directions
2017 Chicago Holiday Cocktail Fest at Old Town Social
455 W North Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60610, United States
2017 Chicago Holiday Cocktail Fest
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The 13 Best Winter Cocktails to Get You Through the Cold
From an updated martini to a seasonal riff on the margarita, here's what to drink when the temperature drops.
You can sip a martini any time, but there's something particularly pleasurable about a cocktail designed for the colder months. "Everyone's looking to drink seasonally," says bartender Tristan Willey of Brooklyn's Long Island Bar. "But if you don't know what to do at home, you can just rotate one or two things to make it appropriate for the time of year." That means updating old cocktail recipes with new types of liquor, or adding deep flavors like allspice and red wine. We teamed up with Willey to create 13 cocktails with a winter-friendly twist. Here's how to make them all.
"Using a split base of cognac and rum adds a depth of flavor and makes it a little more delicate. You still get that warm, sippable cocktail, but it doesn't beat you over the head."
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 5 dashes bitters
Add ingredients to 3 ounces of boiling water in a mug. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a lemon wheel studded with cloves.
"It's a traditional whiskey sour, but to make it a New York sour, you float red wine—Côtes du Rhône or Beaujolais, something with a backbone to it—on top. The rich aromatics push it into winter."
• .75 oz lemon juice
• .75 oz simple syrup
Shake the bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass over ice. Top with a red wine float.
"It's just like a traditional margarita, but with an egg white. And we split the base between reposado tequila and mezcal. It gives you those summer flavors, but with the thickness of the body and the smoke of the mezcal."
• 1 oz reposado (slightly aged) tequila
• 1 oz mezcal (like Del Maguey Vida)
• 1 oz lime juice
• .75 oz simple syrup
Shake ingredients without ice, then shake again with ice. Strain into a coupe glass and serve up with a salted rim.
"It's really beautiful, and perfect for an elegant party. It elevates the pomp and circumstance of your traditional glass of Champagne."
• 4 oz sparkling wine
Soak the sugar cube in Angostura bitters and drop into a champagne flute. Fill with sparkling wine (a dry prosecco will also do). Garnish with a lemon twist.
"Winter isn't about eliminating refreshing drinks, but there are things that can make them more seasonally appropriate. By swapping the gin for the richer, silkier flavors of the cognac, it turns it into a more wintery version of itself."
• .5 oz lemon juice
• .5 oz simple syrup
• Splash of sparkling wine
Shake the cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a Champagne flute, and top with Prosecco or another dry sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.
"With the cranberry and allspice you get those more traditional winter flavors and scents, but it drinks like a tall, easy Collins."
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 1 bar spoon of allspice dram
Shake ingredients with ice. Strain into a Collins glass over ice and top with soda. Garnish with a lemon wheel studded with cloves.
"You take the typical white rum out of a daiquiri and replace it with an aged rum that has those caramel notes. It's still balanced, it's light and effervescent, but it has that rich spiciness to it."
• 2 oz aged rum (like Diplomatico Venezuelan)
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• .75 oz simple syrup
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Serve up with no garnish.
"It's a classic, with a blended scotch paired with ginger, honey, lemon, and that smoky Laphroaig misted over the top. It fits so perfectly with the season."
• 2 oz blended scotch
• 1 oz lemon juice
• .5 oz honey syrup
• .5 oz ginger syrup
• .25 oz Laphroig scotch
Shake the blended scotch, lemon juice, and syrups with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with a single large ice cube. Pour Laphroig over the back of a bar spoon so that it floats atop the drink, and finish with a lemon wheel.
"It excels at what the Scandinavians do, which is cope with a cold, long, dark winter. The aquavit is a little herbaceous, which gives it a great caraway and rye background."
• 2 oz aquavit (like Linie)
• .75 oz sweet vermouth
• .25 oz cherry spirit (like Leroux Kirschwasser)
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain over ice into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange twist or cherries.
"Using a sweet vermouth instead of dry, and adding a little bit of maraschino, makes the whole thing so cozy. It's the kind of martini you'd pull up next to a fire and drink."
• .75 oz sweet vermouth
• 1 bar spoon of maraschino
• 1 dash orange bitters
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into a coupe glass. Serve up and garnish with an orange twist.
"It's a negroni, but with rye whiskey instead of gin. It's a natural evolution, bringing a dark spirit into a classic drink that we love. It's great for fall and winter, but I drink it year-round."
• 1.5 oz rye whiskey
• .75 oz sweet vermouth
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into a coupe glass. Serve up and garnish with an orange twist.
"It uses so many wintery things, like the Applejack and maple syrup. You could not make a more fireside-appropriate cocktail."
• 2 oz apple brandy (like Applejack)
• .25 oz maple syrup
• 3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into an old fashioned glass. Serve up and garnish with a lemon twist.
"The rum and its molasses flavors, plus the allspice and Angostura bitters, make for this lovely, rich, slightly thicker old fashioned variation. It's perfect to have late at night."
• 2 oz rum (like Eldorado 12-Year)
• 1 bar spoon of demerara syrup
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Build ingredients into a double old fashioned glass with ice. Finish with lemon and orange twist.
So Many Amazing Drink Books Are Coming Out This Fall. These Are the 10 You Should Know.
Posted on Oct 10, 2017
The weather’s turning colder, and the days are growing shorter, which mean it’s time to hunker down with a good book. Luckily for cocktail and spirits lovers, this autumn brings a surplus of great page-turners ideal for inspiring your next drinking adventure. These are the 10 new tomes to add to your boozy bookshelf.
1: “3-Ingredient Cocktails,” Robert Simonson (Ten Speed Press, $19)
For fans of minimalist recipes, every drink in the book requires no more than three ingredients (give or take, at times, a barspoon of this or a splash of that). It’s perfect for beginners and busy folks seeking streamlined classics and pared-down bartender recipes.
2: “The Art of the Bar Cart,” Vanessa Dina (Chronicle Books, $22.95)
You know you’ve been salivating over those vintage bar carts on Pinterest . Here’s more design inspo: tricked-out bar carts beautifully photographed by Antonis Achilleos, plus guidelines for setting up a bar cart at home.
3: “By the Smoke & the Smell,” Thad Vogler (Ten Speed Press, $27)
This book traces San Francisco bartender Thad Vogler’s adventures through Cognac, France; Cuba; and other spirits-producing regions. It’s part autobiography, part travelogue and part manifesto (Vogler favors small/artisan producers over larger conglomerates). He’s an entertaining, curmudgeonly guide.
4: “Distillery Cats,” Brad Thomas Parsons (Ten Speed Press, $15)
This is a fun illustrated guide to the felines who populate distilleries across the country. Even those who aren’t drinking will enjoy this slim, light-hearted book, because it’s really all about the cats.
5: “Meehan’s Bartender Manual,” Jim Meehan (Ten Speed Press, $40)
Fans of “The PDT Cocktail Book” (Sterling, $24.95) will want to pick up this trade-focused look at how to build a bar, written by the proprietor of NYC bar PDT . Professional bartenders will find value in this book, densely packed with interviews with a who’s who of the industry and useful techniques for making drinks. Home bartenders will want to fast-forward directly to the alluring, accessible cocktail recipes.
6: “High-Proof PDX: A Spirited Guide to Portland's Craft Distilling Scene,” Karen Locke (Overcup Press, $13)
This inside look at Portland’s Distillery Row and beyond includes useful tips for getting the most out of a visit (i.e. which distilleries serve cocktails or have outdoor space for a post-tasting sprawl).
7: “The Modern Cocktail,” Matt Whiley (Jacqui Small, $35)
This lush hardcover comes from London cocktail consultant Matt Whiley, aka The Talented Mr. Fox. Most of the recipes are complicated, requiring various infusions or equipment like rotary evaporators. Though some ingredients, such as black pudding vodka made with pig’s blood, will be challenging to American readers, there’s no denying the beauty and impact of the photography, making this perfect for aspirational armchair reading.
8: “New York Cocktails,” Amanda Schuster (Cider Mill Press, $19.95)
Part of a series of books drilling down on the cocktail scenes in various cities (see New Orleans Cocktails here ), this book spotlights NYC’s classic and of-the-moment drinks and bartenders, with plenty of enticing recipes and photos.
9: “The Spirit of Tequila,” Joel Salcido (Trinity University Press, $24.95)
Photographer and Mexico native Joel Salcido captures the tequila-making process, as well as the region’s culture and traditions. Ideal as a coffee-table book, this stunning hardcover makes for a great gift, along with a bottle of tequila .
10: “Whiskey Business: How Small-Batch Distillers Are Transforming American Spirits,” Tom Acitelli (Chicago Review Press, $27)
A lively look at spirits producers past and present (and despite the title, not just whiskey ), this is a dense, deeply researched book tracing 60-plus years of distillation history in America.
Tales of the Cocktail® Announces 2017 Dame Hall of Fame® Inductees
NEW ORLEANS–June 12, 2017–Six years ago, Tales of the Cocktail ® partnered with Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC) to start The Dame Hall of Fame ® , which recognizes exceptional women in the spirits industry whose hard work and dedication to the craft changes the way we drink. Once again, Tales and LUPEC will recognize the work of five exceptional women in the industry by inducting them as the newest members of the Dame Hall of Fame ® . Joy Spence, Master Blender for Appleton Estate ® Jamaican Rum, will also be recognized with the 2017 Pioneer Award, annually awarded to one woman who has blazed the trail for other women to follow. These exemplary individuals will be honored at a celebratory ceremony held at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse on Friday, July 21 as part of the 15 th annual Tales of the Cocktail ® .
2017 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees:
Vice President of Marketing
New York, New York
Arnaud's Restaurant, French 75 Bar and Remoulade Restaurant
New Orleans, Louisiana
Bartender & Beverage Director
Brooklyn, New York
Pioneer Award Recipient
Appleton Estate® Jamaica Rum
“I was so awed by my first Tales of the Cocktail and I certainly never thought I'd be in a position to receive an award myself,” said 2017 Dame Hall of Fame Inductee Kitty Amann. “I've been fortunate to come up in this industry with strong women as my mentors and consider myself part of a lineage of badass broads. This award is an honor and a hallmark of that experience, which I hope to continue to cultivate for women in the business.”
In 1981, Joy Spence joined Appleton Estate as Chief Chemist and quickly became enthralled with the art of blending rum. Her passion for rum making allowed her to shatter the glass ceiling when she was appointed the world’s first-ever female Master Blender., a title she has held for the past 20 years. To mark her 20 th anniversary as Master Blender, Appleton Estate released “JOY” – the brand’s first 25 year old rum and a fitting tribute to a true visionary. Joy follows a distinguished group of trail-blazing women to receive the Dame Hall of Fame Pioneer, including Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, Lisa Laird Dunn and Melanie Asher.
“This remarkable thirty-six year journey I’ve had in rum-making has brought me so much professional and personal happiness. It’s a true passion of mine, so receiving the Pioneer Award feels like an extension of that passion,” said Joy Spence, Master Blender of Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum. “To see so many diverse women coming up through the ranks in our industry – whether it’s fellow Master Blenders or female bar owners – we need to foster an environment that encourages, supports and nurtures individuals of all genders, races and sexual orientations. I would like to thank both Tales of the Cocktail and all the wonderful women who comprise the spirits community for their ongoing contributions.”
“Joy and the rest of this year’s recipients stand as role models for other women who want to leave their mark on our industry,” said Ann Tuennerman, Founder of Tales of the Cocktail ® . “I can’t wait to honor them at this year’s induction ceremony.”
Tickets for the The Dame Hall of Fame ® induction ceremony, sponsored by Infinium Spirits and Laird and Company can be purchased for $90 and can be booked online. This event has a limited number of tickets, so reservations are encouraged to be made sooner rather than later. View the event menu and cocktails.
“I am so honored to be considered a Dame alongside of women that are pioneers in our industry,” said 2017 Dame Hall of Fame Inductee Dorothy Elizabeth. “I'm in utter disbelief because everyone is so well accomplished and talented. Can somebody pinch me? I constantly bump into the illusion that all women are in competition with one another. I firmly believe women have to bring up other women and empower one another so we can all succeed. In Detroit, a market with so few women, all I want is for us all to work together. We can rely on one another and together we can achieve our cocktail dreams.”
The Dame Hall of Fame ® induction ceremony is a featured event out of more than 200 events scheduled for this summer’s annual Tales of the Cocktail ® , held from July 18-23 in the heart of the French Quarter. For information on how to purchase tickets for the event, please click here. To view the past Dame Hall of Fame inductees, please click here.
LUPEC Mission Statement 2017
Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC) is a guerrilla women’s history action collective that works to dismantle the patriarchy by mixing and serving delicious classic cocktails while surreptitiously teaching interesting and thought provoking women’s history. LUPEC is a feminist organization devoted to working undercover to chip away at the patriarchy. The collecting of anachronistic recipes and the resulting creation of endangered cocktails in an allwomen setting is intended to achieve the following goals:
- To create a secular coven-like atmosphere in which classy broads of today can invoke and honor the spirits of their Forebroads.
- To continue the 150 year American tradition of dangerous women calling themselves ladies and getting together in groups, clubs and societies to work undercover while pressing for equality.
- To protect the collective joie de vivre of LUPEC members by assuring them at least one good party a month.
About Tales of the Cocktail ®
Founded in 2002, Tales of the Cocktail ® has grown from a small gathering of cocktail lovers into the world’s premier cocktail festival. Each year the international spirits industry is welcomed to New Orleans for a week of seminars, tastings, networking events and much more. With 200+ annual events developed specifically for bartenders, distillers and other spirits professionals, Tales of the Cocktail is the industry’s annual meeting place for the exchanging of new ideas, products and techniques. Tales of the Cocktail ® also produces a number of other events and programs such as Tales of the Cocktail ® on Tour, Tales 365, Tales of the Toddy ® and Daiquiri Season, all to further the mission of supporting and growing the international cocktail community.
About the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society
Tales of the Cocktail ® is produced by the New Orleans Culinary & Cultural Preservation Society (NOCCPS), a non-profit organization committed to supporting, promoting and growing the cocktail industry in New Orleans and around the world. In addition to offering opportunities to learn and acquire new skills through Tales of the Cocktail ® events and Tales 365, the NOCCPS invests the proceeds back into the spirits industry. Since 2008, the NOCCPS has invested more than $886,000 into programs like the Cocktail Apprentice Program, a tuition reimbursement program, the Apprentice medical aid fund, educational scholarships and a new health and wellness program for members of the hospitality industry.
On the Cocktail Trail in Brazil, a Favorite Spirit Gets Frisky
By BRYCE T. BAUER SEPT. 28, 2017
As in many large countries, most of the popular stereotypes about Brazil unravel with the slightest tug. A nation of sunny beaches and exquisite tans on svelte bods? Sure, and chilly mountain towns and linebackers in the German enclaves in the south, as well. Dysfunctional politics? In the extreme, but what is functional politics nowadays, anyway?
Yet, in one area the homogeneity holds: the nation’s drink. If you said anything other than cachaça and the caipirinha, you’re thinking of the wrong place.
Across an area the size of the contiguous United States, there are thousands of cachaça stills, many unlicensed, that produce hundreds of millions of liters of the spirit annually.
What is clear is that the vast majority of it is consumed in Brazil and is a cheap variety, lacking in complex flavor, akin to fuel ethanol, and typically drunk neat or as a part of the caipirinha cocktail, said Felipe Jannuzzi, the co-founder of Mapa da Cachaça, which is an amalgam of sorts of sociology, guide and advocacy for high-quality cachaça.
But in São Paulo, the Brazilian metropolis that has always bucked some of the clichés about the nation (there are no beaches, for one), a few bars and bartenders are working to elevate cachaça as a connoisseur-worthy drink and as a key component of the city’s nascent cocktail culture. On a recent visit, I decided to stop in at a few of these to see how such cachaça was being used.
To get a sense of the wide variety of cachaças available, Mr. Jannuzzi and I took a seat at Empório Sagarana, a bar in the Vila Romana neighborhood (there’s also a second location in hip Vila Madalena) that is styled as a traditional boteco of the state of Minas Gerais, a stronghold of cachaça production. Instead of a typical selection of just a few cachaças, Empório Sagarana sports a menu of dozens, many with tasting notes. It also begins with a manifesto of what is good cachaça, which Mr. Jannuzzi helped write.
While Empório Sagarana serves a few pre-bottled cocktails, it is mainly a cachaça and beer place. As we sipped from shot glasses of Serra Limpa, one of the first organic cachaças, and another from Fascinação, Mr. Jannuzzi explained that cachaça comes in two main varieties: industrial and artisanal. Both are made from fresh sugar cane juice (unlike most rums, which are made from molasses), but the former is made on large column stills; the latter, the only type connoisseurs consider worthy to drink, is made on a smaller scale using pot stills. Like rum, cachaça is sold both unaged and aged. Unlike rum, however, cachaça producers don’t limit their aging to just oak — instead they may use barrels made from any of a couple dozen different Brazilian woods. Moreover, a small avant-garde of producers has recently started highlighting different varieties of sugar cane as well as releasing vintage cachaças, Mr. Jannuzzi said. All of this gives the handful of bartenders working seriously with cachaça in craft cocktails in São Paulo a wide gamut of flavors to experiment with and the ability to create cocktails highlighting an individual bottle, he said.
“They are making cocktails thinking of the brands, they use only one cachaça. I really like that. A cocktail custom-made for one brand of cachaça,” he said.
When I visited the bar Guarita in the Pinheiros neighborhood, the bartenders Jean Ponce and David Barreiro said that they often choose a cachaça for a cocktail based on the wood the cachaça was aged in. Amburana wood-aged cachaças, for example, work well in classic cocktails and with vermouth, while white cachaças and those with the almond and anise notes that come from bálsamo wood pair well with lime.
“Bálsamo wood is the future of cachaça,” Jean Ponce said via Greg Caisley, the bar’s owner and chef (Mr. Caisley, an Australian expat, served as translator for my conversation). “It is a very complex wood, it is a wood that speaks, it has minerals, herbs, citrus, it is perfect for cocktails.”
“You’ll understand when you taste it,” Mr. Ponce added, whipping me up a caipirinha made with Canarinha, a bálsamo-wood aged cachaça from Salinas, a city in the state of Minas Gerais and a stronghold of cachaça production. The Canarinha added more complexity than a typical caipirinha with unaged cachaça, as well as some bitterness; overall, it was a drier and, perhaps, a less-beach friendly concoction.
While many of the cachaça cocktails I had in São Paulo that weren’t caipirinhas were riffs on common whiskey cocktails, often with lots of vermouth, at Guarita Mr. Ponce often creates cocktails that show the spirit’s lighter side.
By The New York Times
One, made with cachaça, tonic water and simple syrup, also included turmeric and Rangpur lime and was garnished with the herb rue, known in Brazil as arruda — a nod, popular among the city’s bartenders, to the country’s incredible botanical richness. In São Paulo, I also had cocktails made with the leaves of the pitanga tree, tonka beans (known as cumaru), and the bulbous yellow-orange fruit of the cashew tree, called caju. I also encountered at least three different lime varieties in frequent use, which made decoding which particular variety was in which particular cocktail, maddening. For reference: the standard-issue green Persian lime is the limão-tahiti, the Rangpur lime goes either by limão-capeta or limão-cravo, while a limão-galego is a key lime.
Overall, bartenders say they are eager to craft cocktails that are distinctly Brazilian. However, there are some challenges that are inherent to working with cachaça.
One is that beyond the caipirinha and another cocktail, recently resurgent, called a Rabo de Galo (meaning Tail of the Rooster, or cocktail) that is made from cachaça, vermouth and a bitter, Brazil lacks an indigenous cocktail culture, said Spencer Amereno Jr., the head bartender at Frank Bar in the Maksoud Plaza hotel.
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“We are creating a way to mix cachaça,” he said of the city’s ascendant class of craft bartenders. “It is hard because there is no tradition of mixing cachaça in cocktails, unlike in the U.S., which, for example, has had the book ‘How to Mix Drinks’ since 1862.”
At Frank Bar, Mr. Amereno said he turns to classic cocktails to think of how to use cachaça best. However, that doesn’t mean he’s merely recreating the classics with the native spirit.
“I don’t use the simple thinking: I’ll substitute cachaça for bourbon. I like to put tradition in typical Brazilian cocktails,” he said.
For example, for the version of the Rabo de Galo that he made me he turned to the Manhattan for inspiration. The result, made with oak-aged Leblon Signature Merlet cachaça (known in the United States as Leblon Reserva Especial), two sweet vermouths (Carpano Antica and Noilly Prat) and Angostura bitters, was rich and a bit sultry.
In working with cachaça, Mr. Amereno said, he also must confront perceptions by Brazilians that the spirit, and the cocktails traditionally made from it, are low-quality and unsophisticated.
“We have a number of Brazilian customers who think cachaça is harsh and they don’t like it. I try to surprise them and put value in cocktails with cachaça,” he said.
Nonetheless, it takes only a quick glance at the menus of many cocktail bars, where drinks made from gin and whiskey vastly outnumber those made from cachaça, to understand how far the native spirit has to go before it reaches the prominence of its globalized brethren.
That doesn’t mean you have to shun cachaça in its more traditional iteration of the caipirinha. Far from a relic of a less sophisticated era or an embarrassing marker of an out-of-touch bar and an uninventive bartender, when done properly the caipirinha can capture the qualities the city’s top bartenders are striving for, being both distinctly Brazilian and a showcase of skill. It was a point made clearly when, on my last full day in São Paulo, I found myself 45 minutes from the city center at the restaurant Mocotó, a haven of Northeastern Brazilian cuisine that is so celebrated that it not only spawned more recommendations than any other place in my travels around the city, but also has inspired an haute cuisine spinoff called Esquina Mocotó.
The original remains humble, and when I walked up to the bar with Marcello Gaya, the Leblon brand ambassador, I had the option of ordering various caipirinhas made from an assortment of the fresh fruit that makes Brazil a produce-lover’s paradise.
At Mr. Gaya’s suggestion, I went with a caipirinha três limões, or a three-lime caipirinha, which includes as citrus the Persian lime, the Rangpur lime and lemon (or limão-siciliano) and was one of the first caipirinha variations to make it big, Mr. Gaya said. When it arrived, it was exquisite — hitting a perfect balance of booze, acid and sweetness achieved by only the best daiquiris (both drinks rely on the same tricky balance of flavors and like the daiquiri, the caipirinha is often served too sweet).
“That’s their knowledge, the muddling, they have different fruit every day, some days this is sweeter,” Mr. Gaya said holding up a Rangpur lime, “some days more acidic, so you have to know what you are doing.”
Bryce T. Bauer is the author of “Gentlemen Bootleggers: The True Story of Templeton Rye, Prohibition, and a Small Town in Cahoots” (Chicago Review Press).
A version of this article appears in print on October 8, 2017, on Page TR7 of the New York edition with the headline: On the Cocktail Trail, a Spirit Gets Frisky. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe
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The Cocktail Trends of 2017
From locavorian drinking to tropical-inspired cocktails, the 2017 drinking trends are in full swing! This year, where your liquors are sourced from is just as important as how your bar prepares a drink. Check out this year’s latest cocktail trends below.
Two-Ingredient Highballs
As diners become more progressive with their drinking and more knowledgeable of liquors, the highball sees its relevance increase this year and into 2018. More than just a whiskey and soda, or rum and coke, the two-ingredient highball can be a special drink. When prepared well, nothing is superfluous. Each ingredient is added with exacting care and in a precise order to create a new flavor profile.
Julia Momose, voted one of the Best New Mixologists of 2016 by Food & Wine, agrees that the highball cocktail trend is gaining speed. “More and more bartenders are taking the highball and diving into the two-ingredient combination to a deeper level by switching up the ingredients, and paying more attention to the method of building this beautiful drink.”
Elevated Tiki-themed Cocktails
As seen in recent years, bar set-ups include fresh juice. The expansive varieties of fruits and vegetables, including exotic species like dragon fruit or passionfruit, are easy to source nowadays—which puts fruity cocktails at the top of the 2017 cocktail trends list. Elevate your tiki-style cocktails by adding a splash of prosecco.
The traditional spirit to a tropical-vacation-inspired drink is rum, and you don’t have to turn your back on this classic liquor to elevate your menu. Anne Robinson, head bartender at the popular rooftop bar Westlight in Brooklyn, NY, says 2017 is the year for rum. “I have a feeling 2017 will end up being massively about rum. Maybe that’s because I’m headed to Martinique for a bit very soon, and imagine touring those distilleries and drinking my weight in Tiki Punches will influence my passion for sugar cane pretty heavily.”
Locavorian Drinking
Rum is not the only trend Robinson predicts: The locavore food movement has been growing steadily over the years, and in 2017, spills out of the dining room into the bar area.
Not only do people want to eat locally-sourced ingredients, consumers are interested in locally-brewed, -crafted, and -distilled spirits, too. Robinson says that “More and more often, I have guests who sit down and immediately ask what I might have in the way of a local spirit or beer.”
Diners and bar guests are learning about the types of liquors they like and becoming curious about smaller producers. Introduce local or regional liquor producers to your drinks menu.
Aperitivos to Start the Night
In Italy, aperitivos are the traditional way to begin an evening. Typically, aperitivos are a low-alcohol bitter drink made with Campari or Aperol, paired with a small array of salty snacks. (Did you know that salty foods stimulate the appetite?) At this year’s Tale of a Cocktail, a five-day convention for bartenders, bar owners, and liquor suppliers and producers in New Orleans, LA, aperitivos were a spotlighted 2017 drink trend.
They are easy to prepare, delightful to sip on, and excellent additions to a cocktail menu. Other common aperitivos are the Americano, Spritz, or Negroni. To be fully “in” with the cocktail trends, serve up a Bitter Bianco—the white version of a Negroni. The clear cocktail maintains the bitterness of the red Negroni, and has flavors of rhubarb, thyme, and orange bitters.
Heritage Distilleries
Bars are embracing smaller brandy and cognac distilleries with long legacies of production. Market leaders can overshadow these smaller distilleries, but connoisseurs who appreciate the devotion to tradition recognize that their quality can be better.
Craig Lane, the head bartender at San Francisco, CA hotspot Bar Agricole, reveals his preference for smaller distilleries. “Without hesitation, I would easily rank Adrien Camut Calvados from Normandy, Domaine Boingneres, or Chateau de Ravignan Armagnac from Gascogne, and a small but important group of Cognac makers like Dudognon as being some of the finest spirits in the world simply because that’s what they do, and not because they’re trying to meet some sort of market demand.”
Bars like Bar Agricole are becoming champions of small brandy and cognac producers, valuing their heritage of production and deep agricultural roots over the flashy marketing campaigns of the familiar brands.
Update your cocktail menu with these 2017 drinks trends, and don’t forget to note the changes in your bar inventory lists!
Oct. 06, 2017 | BY Emma Alois
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