Bar, nightclub and restaurant operators, managers, bartenders and other staff members have a lot to keep tabs on. From every day operations tasks to new product releases to spirit, beer, wine, cocktail and food trends, keeping on top of bar and nightlife news each week can be a project in and of itself.
That’s where we come in. To make things that much easier for you we’ve put together a detailed rundown of what happened this week that you should know. You need to know what international products are finally being distributed throughout America, what innovations are being made in glassware and bar and kitchen products, what and when music streaming services are featuring a new album, and so much more. In life, knowledge is power. In this business, knowledge is dollars.
A formal declaration was created for American brandy.
During the first-ever summit of its kind, a group of American spirits industry leaders made the pledge to elevate the perception of California brandy. Over two days, California brandy producers, mixologists and influencers who attended the inaugural California Brandy Summit participated in discussions, seminars and tastings aimed at examining brandy production techniques in such areas as distillation, maturation and blending. The result was a formal Declaration to Raise the Status of California Brandy. Read an excerpt below:
"We are committed to heralding the exceptional brandy crafted by California producers. We are committed to restoring the perception of California Brandy as ranking alongside the world's most acclaimed spirits."
Sweet tea and craft beer converge.
Just in time for summer, Village Tea Company has been tapped by Eagle Creek Brewing Company. Eagle Creek, located in Statesboro, GA, will be using Village Tea’s high-quality organic black tea to make Georgia Tea Party Sweet Tea Amber Ale. What’s better on a hot summer day or night than sweat tea and cold beer?
4, 6, 7, 8… Did we miss a number?
Rogue Ales has announced that 4 Hop, 6 Hop, 7 Hop, and 8 Hop IPA will finally be joined by 5 Hop IPA. Rogue Farms’ proprietary Liberty, Yaquina, Freedom, Alluvial and Rebel hops compliment Risk and Dare malting barley from Rogue's farm in Tygh Valley, OR. 5 Hop IPA is a black IPA with incredible hop aromas, and flavors of citrus and pine, with the added bonus of a roasted malt finish.
"We wanted to put a twist on our hop family of IPAs, and feature not just the hops we grow but also the barley we grow, malt and roast ourselves," said Rogue President Brett Joyce.
A Canadian family is celebrating 150 years of brewing beer.
Moosehead is celebrating their sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) with an entire year of celebrations, promotional packaging, and the release of Moosehead Radler. At the 2017 New York International Beer Competition, Moosehead Lager won a silver medal in the Lager category and Moosehead Radler took the gold and was awarded “Specialty Beer of the Year.” Keep an eye on their social media channels to keep up with the anniversary-themed promotions the beer company has planned.
What?! There’s more beer news?
Yes, there is! Hood River’s own Full Sail Brewing Company is introducing Brewmaster Reserve Hop Shooter IPA. This new release was dry hopped with four varieties of Northwest hops. Hope Shooter is a Chinook-forward IPA “shot,” as Full Sail describes it, with over 1.5 pounds of hops per barrel. You can expect intense piney aromas and hints of tropical fruit. Pale and Crystal malts help to balance Hop Shooter, which comes in at 6.7% ABV and 67 IBUs.
And the survey says – the future is looking “spectacular” for Champagne and sparkling wine.
Producers of bubbly all over the world have cause to pop bottles and pour a toast for one another. According to a report from just-drinks and IWSR, overall sparkling wine consumption expanded 0.3% in 2015. That may not sound like a lot but the report indicates that non-Champagne sparkling wine is poised to accelerate even faster than Champagne in the next 5 years, with volumes set to reach 219 million cases by 2021, a gain of nearly 30 million cases at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +2.2 percent.
Speaking of the future of Champagne…
…Perrier-Jouët has announced the creation of a new cuvée focused on the vibrancy and vivaciousness of the Chardonnay grape. The iconic Champagne house’s Blanc de Blancs pays tribute to the grape that is the touchstone of their style. This unique cuvée is imbued with a brazen charm that makes it perfect for all of your special moments.
Do you like tequila? How about cupcakes? What about tequila and cupcakes?
After a long day operating or managing your bar or nightclub, or surviving crazy weekend bartending shifts, you deserve to #TreatYoSelf. From May 1 to May 31 you can do just that at Sprinkles bakeries across the country. Sprinkles is teaming up with Casamigos so that you can order a Casamigos Margarita cupcake, made with key lime cake that’s loaded with Casamigos Blanco Tequila and topped with key lime frosting. Treat yourself, my friends!
Have you run an operational gap analysis?
That is, have you taken a look at your bar or restaurant to compare what you think you should be doing with what you're doing currently, then creating a plan to close that gap? If you haven't, Stephen Barth, a professor of hospitality law and leadership at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston, strongly recommends that you do so. All the plates an operator or manager has to keep spinning every day can cause some important things to be overlooked, but safety, legal and security challenges need to be a top priority.
Wouldn't it be great if Barth had compiled a list of suggestions that you as a food-and-beverage operator in the hospitality business could review to close legal and safety gaps at your bar? He did exactly that, and you can check it out on the Hotel Management site here. We assure you that you don't need to operate a hotel to benefit from this list.