Japanese inspired Zen/ritual is embedded into craft mixology!
To understand the why of why Japanese ritual has been so impactful to the 21st Century bar, we need to look back briefly into Japanese history.
Bushido, the Japanese art of samurai swordsmanship, encapsulated the moral values such as mastery, honour and loyalty.
A Samurai’s apprenticeship was a long journey of repetition, consistency and respect. The successful earned the right to become a samurai.
To many this form of study or really understudying, parallels the journey of craft bartenders seeking to deliver liquid enlightenment in a glass to a grateful guest.
Ironically Japanese bar techniques have also assisted bartenders to find a new path to deliver service, experience and exceptional cocktails to guests; the welcome antidote to the bravado and theatrics many see in Flair bartending.
Japanese techniques such as jiggering, shaking, stirring ,combined with ice ritual become the cartas of a new bar order!
At Über™, we lovingly refer to the continuum of hospitality mastery as Bar-Shido™.