Pernod Ricard USA and BAR LLC announce the spring 2010 schedule for BarSmarts Advanced bartender training, education and certification program. Beginning in April, Seattle, Washington D.C., Orlando, Fla., and New Orleans will host the program, which targets bartender protégés committed to the profession. Partners, including Dale DeGroff, Steve Olson, Doug Frost, F. Paul Pacult, Andy Seymour and David Wondrich, will host the BarSmarts LIVE culmination event. To date, the program has trained more than 1,000 established and aspiring bartenders. Seattle will see the bar stars April 27; Washington April 29; Orlando May 10; and New Orleans May 12. Those not able to join in on the Advanced program can check out the online BarSmarts WIRED program, held March 1 - April 30, here.
In Washington, D.C., Derek Brown continues his 90-minute cocktail seminars in the Columbia Room at the Passenger. Each class is $65/person and must be registered for in advance by emailing events@passengerdc.com. First up in March: Make Your Own Vermouth, and Shaking versus Stirring.
Uber Bar Tools announces its spring lineup of implements. New are the ProCrush for muddling and crushing ice for cocktails, available May 2010; the Boston Bar Roll, featuring everyday tools required to make cocktails in the convenience of a rolled bag, available in April; and the ProSep to separate egg whites. Featuring a wire frame construction and a stainless steel handle, the Pro Sep is available in May.
Making noise is Chicago bar whiz Adam Seger of Nacional 27, who assisted Perfect Puree of Napa Valley with its line of puree blends. The Beverage Artistry line includes eight blends and nine fruit bases designed with modern mixology in mind. Seger worked on three unique blends: Yuzu Luxe Sour, El Corazon and Passion Colada. El Corazon is a mix of passion fruit, blood orange and pomegranate concentrates, inspired by Seger’s signature cocktail of the same name. Yuzu Luxe Sour blends yuzu with lemongrass and Kaffir lime. Fruit bases include Banana, Cranberry, Guava, Lemon, Mango, Passion Fruit, Peach, Raspberry and Strawberry.
Beauty Bar owner Paul Devitt announced the launch of Beauty Bar Vodka, an ultra-premium vodka made in a family-owned distillery in the Netherlands. Beauty Bar locations in New York, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and Austin now sell their own brand of Beauty Bar Vodka; $1 from each vodka drink will go directly to Bright Pink, a national nonprofit organization that provides education and support to young women who are at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.