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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.
FAUX CRAFT FAST BUCKS
Much has been written about spirit producers falsely claiming a craft pedigree.
Some brands advertising authenticity may on closer inspection fail to deliver, resorting to deceptive labeling with seductive design cues to suggest and imply something that it’s not!
We call this new phenomenon Faux Craft!
So what's the motivation for producers or marketers to produce faux craft products and then pass off mystery and provenance as illusion... THE GREEDY BUCK!
Designers and producers will tell anyone that’ll listen: there’s no short cuts to the creation process other than lots and lots of time, passion and cash burn!
In a sense it's the initial quick dollar forgone that makes the craft process so attractive to consumers, delivering the expectation of a superior product!
The 1950s to early naughts of this Century production was all about faster and cheaper; today the market is eschewing the fast, lazy buck in favour of the crafted dollar!
Crafted products, are the result of human ingenuity and passion. Companies falsely claiming unearned pedigree must be held to account!
"Innovation, Quality & Daring!"
The race is on for large established distillers, vintners and brewers to capitalize on the world craft movement.
In each alcohol category, consumers seek new and more authentic expressions of their favourites with discovery and curiosity being the fuel driving volumes and profits.
In each alcohol category, consumers seek new and more authentic expressions of their favourites with discovery and curiosity being the fuel driving volumes and profits.
Founder of Camden Town Brewery in the UK, Jasper Cuppaidge describes this process as “innovation, quality and daring.”
From where we sit, it seems that disruptors take a rather counter cyclical approach to business and here may be the seeds for future industry/category expansion.
Over the last 10 years the number of players entering the alcohol ecosystem has been remarkable with most of the now known being totally unknown or their founding ideas were yet to be big banged into existence!
Seems like 2016 will be a year of huge change - hang on!
WAR WEEDS AND WHOA ...BEHIND THE BAR!
Expressions such as: I’m Deep in the Trenches, Knee Deep or In the Weeds... are some of the more colourful metaphors used to caricature the unrelenting pressure meted out by thirsty customers demanding drinks!
The Military is renowned for taking undisciplined “rabble," and transforming them into well-oiled fighting machines!
So could military style thinking be applied behind the bar, effectively?
We say, why not!
Imagine the potential impact on accuracy, consistency, improved drink execution (sorry no pun intended), as well as reduced wastage - with every cocktail becoming part of a carefully designed strategy designed to make well-made drinks, to win customer loyalty!
Consider this: if shots of alcohol were the equivalent of ammunition, wouldn’t bartenders think more carefully about how they’d pull a “trigger” (pour a shot) or where they’d “aim a bottle” just to save ammo!
In this new universe poorly made bar products would also disappear from behind the bar, as no successful Army deliberately provides their troops with the worst weapons, and then expected them to win!
So yes.. the bar is a kind of battlefield, stop the whoa!
What do you think!
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?
DRINKING THE SUGAR BULLET ...DIABETES
The Western world has become it’s own victim, with increasing numbers of people suffering from lifestyle diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is triggered by substances such as sugar and carbohydrates which is converted in the body to sugar.
The ravages of diabetes is growing at such an alarming rate that more and more children (tomorrow’s liquor consumers) are also now registered as sufferers.
The question that the liquor industry at some time will need to address: if diabetes continues to grow exponentially as it’s now doing how will this impact future consumers and their drinking habits?
When consumers start demanding lower sugar and carbs entire categories such as rum which is derived entirely from molasses and possibly liqueurs that contain very high levels of sugar could be negatively impacted.
Wine and beer as a category could also be affected as consumers look for bottled alternatives that will allow them to still enjoy a drink without any of the nasty health consequences that a disease such as diabetes brings.
We’re not trying to generate fear but rather re-focus manufacturers as well as owners of bars, clubs and restaurants to consider different drinking options that can safely be offered to a category of guests to enable them to continue to enjoy drinking experiences with their friends.
Any thoughts?
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!