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Looking to elevate your cocktail game, streamline your bar operations, or simply unlock the secrets of the perfect pour? You've come to the right place!
At Überbartools™, we're passionate about all things bar-related, and we're dedicated to sharing our knowledge and insights with you.
SPIRITS CHAUVINISM THE WINE PARALYSIS EFFECT!
The rise and rise of single country or region dominated bar specialists offering only products produced sourced from that source have blossomed around the world.
Barring spirits produced from outside a territory in a sense becomes a form of Spirits Chauvinism, which we can define as a "biased devotion to any group, territory or region produced and sourced spirit."
There’s nothing inherently bad about Spirits Chauvinism, in fact to the contrary in most cases it reflects the renaissance of spirits distilling, enabled by educated consumers.
The USA, UK, Italy and Spain are some notable countries where established single sourced regions or territory spirits (or wines for that matter) are available in exclusive bars or bottle shops, only serving from that territory.
A recent visit to Melbourne revealed what we believe is the first Australian bar sourcing and selling only Australian produced spirit, wine, cider and beer. Called Bad Frankies, this eponymous liquor locker offers an unbelievable 200 plus range of liquor SKU’s excluding locally produced craft beers and all the other good things.
With a population of about 24 million, it’s was inconceivable just 5 years ago that Australia could ever produce such an incredible range of spirits from as many producers!
The micro distilling and brewing movement has produced more and more nuanced or otherwise producers, searching for their special niche or chunk of someone else’s pie. Throw in the other disruptors - beer and cider makers turning their hands to spirits and there you have an explosion of new world choices.
One could imagine that the ever growing number of producers/brands will create “wine paralysis” effect whereby too many different offerings within the same category creates potential consumer confusion, where the final default position could be based on familiar "mass" brand.
How will potential consumer paralysis be turned into positive outcome? Your guess is as good as ours!
The Pour Challenge
Anyone can pour liquor right.
What's not to know.. pick up a liquor bottle, pour into a jigger, serve into a glass of some sort...yawn.. it's so easy.. a child can do it?
Pouring alcohol consistently, without spilling or wasting a drop takes lots of skill, whilst it may appear so easy, yet many of us know intuitively the simpler something appears the more difficult it’s likely to be.
Ironically when children play games, it takes practice, practice and more practice before mastery is attained.
To prove have you taken: A series of deceptively easy tests (or are they?) to challenge:
- TEST WASTE: Pick up a liquor bottle, pour alcohol into a jigger, tin or glass without spilling a drop.
- TEST ACCURACY: Pour an exact shot of alcohol - i.e 1 oz, 30 ml etc. repeat (3 times)..then measure each portion to check for.
- TEST CONSISTENCY: Prepare the same cocktail 3 times ensuring it LOOKS and TASTES the same.
- TEST SPEED: Prepare 3 different quickly, just like a real bar situation, except don’t waste a drop, serve each drink accurately and consistently!
Odds are that most people will fail some if not all the above? Why?
Possibly the answer may lay with bar managers not really understanding the impacts and consequences of pouring failure.
From experience people don’t treasure what’s not valued.
The impact of inconsistently made cocktails affects the bottom line, reducing Spend Per Guest, increasing costs as liquor is over-poured or just wasted.
Once drink inconsistency is identified as an issue, one can then start looking at impacts on business outcomes such as provided guest value for money, quality and ultimately guest satisfaction!
Bars wanting to sustain profitability long term need to get the Pour Challenge right, there's nothing childish about disappointing guests...it's not a game!
Did you complete each test without failing any test?
FOUR REASONS TO FLICK YOUR WOODEN MUDDLER!
The bar's evolved since Prohibition!
One of many improvements has been the introduction of Occupational Health and Safety(OHS) regulations to mitigate food/drink contamination.
Doesn’t it then seem a little odd that the continuing use of wooden muddlers in North American bars and restaurants continues whilst in many other parts the wood muddler has been thrown into the recycling bin!
For those who haven’t yet flicked their wooden stick here's 4 reasons to re-think the issue:
1. Wood is porous, allowing bacteria to build up within the wood creating potential transmission issues.
2. Wood is likely to increase flavor retention (pass on flavors) between totally different drinks.
3. Varnish, pesticides and other nasties live in and on the wood which can be transferred into drinks.
4. Wood discolors easily making the muddler look very unappetizing.
Life’s already complicated so then who really needs all the extra hassles to then make it worse!
In a nut shell...isn’t it really time to "flick the stick"?!
CAN YOU REALLY OPERATE YOUR OWN BUSINESS? MAYBE NOT...
At some point entrepreneurs will ask the big question: “can someone else run this business better than me?”
The entrepreneur wishing to be true to themselves and their stakeholders must regularly ask this question to ensure long term success.
Ironically friends, family and colleagues may never share the thought that at some point the knowledge and talent to run that business may not be there!
Transitioning from bartender to manager to owner takes giant leaps: each representing a learning curve requiring education, experience and brutal honesty.
Most passionate entrepreneurs find it difficult to recognize the right time to bring in the people with the experience needed to run their businesses.
Such moments are not failures but rather the time to take control; re-setting the trajectory towards continued success and ultimate fulfillment.
The day we start asking more questions than we have answers to it's probably the time to take a step back and leave it to someone else!
What do you think?
SPIRIT LABELS: BACK TO FRONT
Every spirit brand has it's own unique story and history.
The story can usually be found at the back of the bottle, on a label!
What better way to keep bar staff informed , when encouraged to read both sides of a spirit bottles label particularly during slow times or obligatory bar bottle clean ups!
Imagine the info pearls located on a label.. becoming an invitation to explore , learn and hopefully retain fascinating information to educate attending guests.
Sometimes the story about a brand’s journey can be just as intriguing as the liquid contained within the bottle!
Give it a go.. there's everything to learn!
THE BATTLE FOR ON-PREMISE POURING AGREEMENTS
Around the world at any one time 10,000s of on premise accounts are looking to either tender or re-tender their speed rail business to a dominant Liquor Company.
The process occurs every 1 -2 years involving a roller coaster ride of posturing as Liquor Company’s vie or die for business.
Prospective bar brides sit patiently on the throne waiting for liquor beaus to make lucrative offers, turning the process into a total Dutch auction.
Is this circus really worth the effort long term to a Liquor Company when one considers some of the unintended consequences.
- Liquor Companies invest in huge amounts of time, effort and money into retaining or gaining business, diverting staff and resources from more profitable activities
- Reduced margins from discounted pouring agreements necessitate cost cutting down stream usually reflected in reduced head count. The standing few are left to pick up the slack of the near departing, placing additional stress on the already stretched.
- Supplier/customer relationships are reduced to a transactional game based on “cost per shot (nip)”, where it’s questionable whether sustainable loyalty is really created between bar and Liquor Company.
Is it possible to change pouring agreements and transition them from 1-2 year sugar fixes to more orderly 3-5 year deals (with allowances for reasonable cost increases)? Can relationships be re calibrated around the “value” to a business of a sole relationship with one company rather than essentially a “zero sum game” based on a "cost per shot" game of roulette.
Is follows that greater business certainty creates longer more beneficial outcomes for bar and Liquor Company creating with it potentially positive impacts on long term profits.
Imagine how 3-5 year contracts would change the structures of Liquor Companies as reduced venue churn, reduces back office staff time working out deals, BDM’s refocusing time to building sustainable relationships based on "value to a venue “rather than cost of a shot".
Ultimately a rethought strategy would open up new possibilities creating new win/win scenarios for brand, bar and the totally forgotten party in this game of thrones: the guest.
Organisation focus misdirected towards short term plays takes focus away from the bigger picture allowing smaller craft brands to seep through the cracks or wedges created by behemoths bucking it out!
Maybe it’s time for a rethink!
ENTER-DINING: HOW COCKTAILS AND LIFESTYLE MERGE
In the search for emotional as well as inter connected experiences, Millennials are increasingly making choices based on how they “feel” or make others feel.
Very much rooted in the less is more genre; consumers are now actively seeking options where quality, authenticity and provenance seamlessly live.
Helped by the myriad of cooking and lifestyle shows filling the air waves, educated consumers are changing their year round eating and drinking habits. This experience we call enter-dining
Some of the arising consequences of this food and drink fest: food choices becoming healthier with accompanying beverage choices becoming more premium!
ProConsumers (the name given to the educated, experienced, serious minded home consumer), are investing in more expensive craft beers, wines and spirits to improve dining experiences by better delineating between flavours, taste and context.
Degustation menus are being homed, with more consumers understanding that cocktails can be enjoyed as an individual solitary occasion as well as a perfect accompaniment to a series of courses, surpassing other more typical prepared bottled alternatives such as wine.
Stirred drinks such as Manhattan’s, Negroni’s and Martini’s together with a whole bunch of rediscovered classics are being taken from the bar and replicated at home.
The rise of bar cocktail culture with the knowledgeable bartender at its lead can be credited with the renaissance now seen where cocktails, lifestyle and entertaining experiences merge to provide for more memorable and enjoyable occasions!
HOW TIPS INCLUDED PRICING WILL CHANGE U.S. HOSPITALITY
The recent decision by New York restaurant legend Danny Meyer to remove tipping progressively from his hospitality empire, by increasing menu prices by 20% is brassy!
This idea is called service INCLUDED pricing!
Should the idea take hold in America, the reverberations will carry through to 2021 where U.S. minimum hourly wage rates are set to rise to US$15 per hour.
In the meantime most developed countries, America excepted, serve staff are paid higher comparable wages as service is included in menu pricing!
The habit of U.S. hospitality operators to pay minimum or below minimum wages is notorious; yet strangely it’s the guest who’s then forced to shoulder the added costs for service, the very same service that’s included in menu pricing in every other part of the world.
A visit to a restaurant and/or bar now in the U.S., guests will see internationally comparable menu (exchange rate adjusted) pricing with the noted exception a further obligation to pay a 15-20% tip.
The hugely competitive US market is home to some of the CHEAPEST produce, protein and beverage costs in the world. Yet, in other markets with far higher input costs and similar U.S. menu prices, these operators pay staff higher wages. The arising thought: why then do U.S. operators demand increased menu pricing to pay staff better?
The answer without question is WASTE!
Tips under the current U.S. system give rise to alcohol, food and other waste/carelessness, with businesses accepting operational tolerances that the same business in another country would never allow! Free pouring generous amounts of excess alcohol to keep guests on side, is a great example of this!
The average free pouring bar in the U.S. will typically suffer higher amounts of wasted profits (increased costs) caused by over-portioned alcohol serves actioned by staff looking for customer tips.
At the moment waste at the level we see in the U.S. will force operators to look very closely at every aspect of business costs given the countdown to 2021 hourly rate increases.
Today’s empowered, activist consumers are unlikely to accept blanket menu price increases to cover increased staff wages, the same wages that should be now paid by operators.
If consumers start to buck higher menu pricing then U.S. operators must quickly find innovative ways to save money, by driving down operational costs.
Increased hospitality staff wages in the U.S. long term will be a win for everyone – it may take time for the new reality to play out however, rest assured U.S. hospitality will change for ever!
WHEN BIG GOES SMALL: COMPETING AGAINST SMALL CONCEPT BARS
The days of bar barons and ‘pub-preneurs’ has taken a beating.
In many markets liquor licensing requirements were deliberately onerous precluding smaller players from entering the market!
Clever operators used licensing as a barrier to competitive entry leaving only the giants to compete against each other.
To further control the market, large operators would open multiple concepts in easy steps from their own venues to help maintain share of wallet.
Then some years back the democratisation of the bar changed everything as small bar licenses were granted allowing independent bartenders to become owners, helping to fuel the craft bar boom.
The boom then created massive competition, pulling from big boxed venues consumers, particularly those searching for more authentic experiences.
The Empire Strikes back
The big guys began to understand that to tackle the small guys they too needed to get small, creating niche competitors to meet the needs of a market fracturing into micro segments.
Relying on unlimited access to money, designers, process, volume discounts advertising and the best ideas from around the world, the big guys turned the tables.
Here's some of the different plays we’ve seen:
- Large venues cut down large spaces into unique spaces with multiple concepts
- Satellite micro venues – surrounding hub venues, smaller specialized offerings that feed into the fickleness of consumers looking for other options within easy walk of main venues.
- Chain concepts developing niche brands.
- Pair n' partner Pop Ups: Bringing a well-known chef in with an experienced bartender or bar team to deliver short term concepts.
Whereas the little guys were once the disrupters, the bigger players have learnt fast & scaled down to meet and beat the people who created market instability in the first place.
Who’s the loser in this redrawn market place, now that's your call!
AIRBNB YOUR BAR ÜBER INNOVATION: SPACE FLIPPING!
The sharing economy has spawned new ways of thinking about limited resources.
New examples: car sharing, private residences for rent, office sharing, private taxis… the list goes on and on!
Let’s pose the question: why not potentially share your existing business space with another business? Sound crazy?
May be not... we call it “Space Flipping”
Defined as: a purpose built space designed for dual concept occupancy co-existing in the same area, yet operating at completely different times.
As we know many businesses operate within a fixed time frame say 9-5 pm, 6am -3 pm, i.e. coffee and sandwich shops.
Irrespective of the number of hours a business premises is in used daily, rent is payable 24/7/365.
It will come as no surprise that after wages, RENT, is the number 2 expense most businesses must pay... so why not turn a challenge and flip it into a leveraged opportunity!
So can we apply the concept to a bar, is it possible?
The answer is of course it is, so long as there’s willingness, flexibility, and great design!
Assuming willingness and flexibility amongst parties how then could design be critical to completing this picture?
Well, let’s think of it like this: smart design allows one to re-imagine, plan and execute around a framework mandated to achieve a desired outcome i.e. dual occupancy space...
To see what we mean check out this simple space plan... from 6 am-3 pm the space is known as “Johnny’s Coffee Emporium”, late afternoon to early morning “El Diablo Tapas and Tequila Bar”
Here’s a way it may work.
- A two side revolving shingle outside of the space... depending who’s in occupancy.
- Two working areas... one open kitchen with coffee and other value add services; the other as a bar
- The non-used area is closed and concealed when not in use-possibly using the space to advertise the no-open business as an example.
- Stack-able table and chairs to allow for furniture changeover... or possibly utilize existing tables and use different coverings.
- Separate incoming telephone lines.
- The bar could retain the coffee shop to make tapas to supply the bar, and the kitchen uses the bar to create bespoke batched non-alcoholic drinks.
The potential opportunities are endless with willing parties. Of course like any relationship it needs to be carefully regulated, with plenty of mutually agreed boundaries-yes it’s not going to be a walk in the park, but it’s doable!
With more and more young people unable to find employment or make the jump from employee to entrepreneur… the chance to Space Flip may be an opportunity for 2 people to co-exist in business sharing the risk and expense!
What do you think?
BRING AN ICE PROGRAM TO YOUR BAR
Bartender Joe Villanueva
Bringing a great ice program to your bar can make a huge difference!
Once the preserve of craft cocktail bars providing bespoke experiences, ice has become the new “it” providing a WOW factor to enhanced guest drinking experiences.
Today more mid-tiered bars are searching for ways to generate incremental income at the expense of the “guys at the top” by replicating or dumbing down ice programs.
With more consumers educated to appreciate that better ice makes for superior cocktail experiences, the genie is out of the bottle!
The new democratisation of ice establishes an expectation that all bars should/must offer a premium ice experience as part of the deal! So then why can't a $10 cocktail contain a big piece of hand carved ice, versus cocktails selling at $15-$25?
So, if you want to add some extra pizzazz to your bar consider a deconstructed ice program. Here’s some tips:
- Craft ice is now delivered as you like it by entrepreneurs seeking to cash in on the bonanza.. so why not buy it in!
- More bartenders have self-educated, so make your own blocks, by-passing the more expensive option of delivered ice
- Ice machine manufacturers are offering machines making larger format ice cubes.
With more competition it’s possibly a chance for high end bars to go back to the drawing board to offer more interesting, bespoke ice experiences. here's a thought: carving ice balls in front of guests!
Recently Uberbartools™ introduced the LuxPik™ and LuxFork™ to allow bartenders the opportunity to hand carve ice balls. Taking a very non-Japanese approach, we put the bartender’s need front of mind and designed some really innovative ice tools incorporating comfort grips, safety with enhanced control together with modularity to prolong product usage life to indefinite!
If you’ve never watched an ice show, check it out, as there's few more engaging pieces of bar theatre. You might be pleasantly surprised to see guest spend increase by introducing ice carving!
Wherever your bar stands on the ice sheet, maybe it’s a good time to re-visit your ice program! Go on, take a crack!
The Causality Dilemma
In a world of technological advancement – where the prospect of attaining information and answers requires only the click of a button – is it possible to solve the age-old dilemma of causality?
Forget the vexed question of chicken or egg; we’re confronting the more pressing issue of which came first, the theme of the bar or the widespread trend.
Take Tiki culture for example, an enduring concept used in restaurants and bars primarily in the United States and to a lesser extent around the world.
Tiki culture first gained traction in 1934, with the opening of Don the Beachcomber in California – a Polynesian-themed restaurant and bar. Serving Cantonese cuisine and exotic rum punch, this exciting new establishment was decked out in pacific cane furniture, bamboo torches and flower leis.
Don Beach, the owner of what came to be this popular and extensive chain, has even been credited for the innovation of several Tiki cocktails that have stood the test of time.
One establishment, that drew inspiration from and went on to rival the Don the Beachcomber brand was Trader Vic’s, which also grew to international fame.
From here, Tiki culture spread like wildfire, with fruity, tropical cocktails packed with the punch of rum popping up everywhere, including Hollywood – where the Mai Tai featured heavily in the film Blue Hawaii, starring Elvis Presley – before coming to a calm at the end of the decade.
Tiki culture then surfed its way back into the U.S.A on the wave of alcoholic globalization that followed the Second World War, as soldiers previously stationed in the South Pacific wanted to celebrate the good times and forget about the bad.
This time, however the bartenders raised the benchmark for quality cocktails by introducing flavours inspired by the cultures of Hawaii, Tahiti and the Philippines.
As all good things do, Tiki culture came to an end in the 1970’s where it was seen as incredibly kitsch – nothing but a lowbrow style of mass-produced popular culture.
Until more recently, Tiki cocktails – the Zombie in particular – were resurrected by bartenders working in the nooks and crannies of hipster havens across the globe.
Still served in a traditional Tiki mug, the classic cocktails continue to reach new standards as the bartenders interject a modern twist.
While a history of Tiki culture makes it look as though the theme of Don the Beachcomber fuelled a widespread trend, others would argue that the venue simply amplified the relaxed lifestyle of tropical cultures that we as consumers already adored.
So instead of offering a definitive response we dare to question:
When the quality of establishments continues to peak and our cocktail preferences are consistently met, does it really matter if theme trumps trend or does it point to the futility of identifying the first case of a circular cause and effect?
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