History | KRG Hospitality

March 20, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

USBG Announces First-ever Book

Serving Up History: USBG Announces First-ever Book

by David Klemt

Coming out in May, the United States Bartenders’ Guild has written a book that shares the story of the first 50 years of this crucial advocacy organization.

It’s not often that I publish a press release on its own. However, I find this announcement so important and interesting that I’m going to let the release do the talking.

I’ll be including this book in an upcoming monthly roundup. For now, please read the release below for more information.

Cheers!

LIQUID LEGACY: A TIMELESS TRIBUTE TO THE FOUNDERS OF THE UNITED STATES BARTENDERS’ GUILD TO DEBUT MAY 2024

War, Peace, James Dean, and the First 50 Years of the USBG…Through the Eyes of the Bartenders Who Started It All

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, MARCH 14, 2024 – The United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) today announces the release of its first book Liquid Legacy: A Timeless Tribute to the Founders of the United States Bartenders’ Guild. The book will initially be available at the shop at usbg.org.

While plenty has been written about yesterday’s and today’s hospitality scene and the operations behind it, few have undertaken a deep dive into the role bartenders play in society and their communities. From neighborhood organizing, labor movements, and equal rights, to late nights, spirits history, and the story of the bar that served James Dean his last drink – a glass of milk, Liquid Legacy is sure to join the canon of must-have volumes for anyone interested in the hospitality industry.

Jose Acona, Co-founder, former President, and Lifetime Member of the United States Bartenders Guild, opens this historic look at the nation’s only guild for bartenders with the admission that “while the rich history of our Guild cannot be traced back in its entirety, this collection is an amazing celebration of what was accomplished in the first 50 years. If you are a bartender, you need to read this book.”

The Guild traces its roots across the Atlantic to early 20th century Europe as the hospitality industry up-ticked with new taverns and places to drink opening at a rapid pace and requiring plenty of employees to staff them. Bar staff gathered regularly to discuss professional matters, leading to the formation of the International Barkeepers Union, in Cologne, Germany, by 3 Germans and 2 Americans. After a sharp downturn over the following 35 years owing to two world wars, a drought in the US, and Prohibition, bartenders got back to legally plying their trade around 1933.

Over the next fifty years, bartenders created and rode drink trends, striving to deliver the very best experience for their guests.

After bartenders in California formed the first American offshoot chapter of the United Kingdom Bartenders’ Guild in 1948, competitions became a proving ground that hatched the next wave of cocktail trends. The book highlights the winners of the USBG’s National Competition, from Charles Berner’s 1950 win with the Bernice, a combination of vodka, Galliano, Pernod, lime and simple syrup, all the way through the 1998 winner, Conga Line, from Jose Rusieco.

The winners, and other competitors, were passionate bartenders, like Egidio “Angus” Angerosa who was a founder of the UKBG and a founding member of the California chapter. This chapter eventually spawned the USBG and is the first US-based stepping stone that brings us to modern bartending legends like Tony Abou-Ganim, Dale DeGroff, Charles Joly, Bridget Albert, Tiffanie Barriere, Martin Cate, Jen Ackrill, Julio Cabrera, and more.

These trailblazers have their own take on historic cocktails, all of which can be found in the pages of Liquid Legacy along with the recipes of the USBG’s National Competition winners from the first 50 years of the Guild.

Follow the USBG through multiple social media channels: IG/FB/TWITTER: @usbg/@TheUSBG/@TheUSBG.

About the United States Bartenders’ Guild

Founded in 1948, the United States Bartenders’ Guild® is the national, member-led not-for-profit association of bartenders and other hospitality professionals that unites and elevates the bar industry through education, community, and advocacy. Through its network, the USBG connects members with peer-to-peer learning, expert instruction, service projects, and skills-based competition, all while fostering a fun and healthy environment and reinforcing the importance of the ‘third place’ in neighborhoods across the country.

Image: Brandi Redd on Unsplash

December 12, 2023by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Screwdriver

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Screwdriver

by David Klemt

Is there vodka in there? Maybe.

As it turns out, the origins of one of the simplest cocktails on the planet—there are just two ingredients in a traditional Screwdriver—are a mystery.

Another interesting note about the Screwdriver: It’s likely a relatively new drink.

If the Screwdriver is an American invention, the earliest most believe it could have been created is the 1920s. That’s when Smirnoff sold the rights to North American distribution to a distiller in the US.

However, it’s possible the cocktail wasn’t invented until some time in the 1940s. Vodka didn’t really become popular among Americans until the ’40s. So, it’s conceivable that the Screwdriver is less than 100 years old.

Still, it’s difficult to believe that someone, somewhere didn’t think to add a splash of vodka to their orange juice in the 1800s. Or that someone didn’t think to “adjust” the taste of the vodka in their glass with a bit of OJ.

Either way, it’s pretty entertaining to know that we don’t have a definitive answer for who created the Screwdriver, where it was first made, and when. When we consider the fact that the recipe calls for just two simple ingredients, maybe it does make sense that we don’t know the who, where, and why. It’s so easy to make that it’s believable multiple people had the same idea around the same time, across the globe.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Drink Donnybrook without checking into some origin theories. So, let’s dive in!

World War II

One theory involves WWII and the US Marine Corps.

It’s quite simple, really. During WWII, stationed overseas, perhaps a few Marines jazzed up their orange juice with a touch of vodka.

Oh, but wait. The Screwdriver may not be attributable to the USMC. It’s possible, according to another theory, that the former US Army Air Forces came up with drink and name when stationed in Ankara, Turkey.

As the predecessor to the Air Force, the USAF may hold claim to the Screwdriver.

If it’s one thing we need, it’s more fuel for the inter-service rivalry between the USMC and USAF.

Journalists

Two publications mentioned the Screwdriver in the 1930s and 1940s.

According to some historians, Journalism Quarterly at least made reference to a drink called the “Smirnoff Screwdriver” in 1938.

If that’s true, the classic cocktail predates WWII by a year. And if that’s true, it’s possible that American marines, airmen, or soldiers spread it around the world.

In 1949, Time magazine mentioned the Screwdriver. According to the writer, the cocktail was the newest drink grabbing attention at the Park Hotel in New York. Apparently, American engineers, Balkan refugees, and Turkish spies loved the drink.

Interestingly, if Time‘s reporting is accurate, it’s possible the supposed Turkish spies frequenting the Park Hotel bar got the name of the drink from American airmen.

Since apparently no bartenders who worked at the Park Hotel appear to have taken credit for it back in the ’40s, it’s unlikely it was created there.

Roughnecks

Okay, so you’re an oil worker. It’s the 1950s and you’re working in the Persian Gulf.

You’re performing back-breaking, dangerous tasks in oil fields. Maybe you need a pick-me-up, and maybe that pick-me-up involves mixing orange juice and vodka together.

But…you don’t have a barspoon. You certainly don’t have a swizzle stick. And you don’t have a coffee stirrer handy.

What you do have is a screwdriver. That screwdriver will definitely stir a drink. It doesn’t take time for this vodka-orange juice concoction to get the name “Screwdriver” because of the stirring utensil.

Well, that’s one theory, anyway.

Two days from now, December 14, you can share all those stories with your guests. Why? Because that’s National Screwdriver Day, a time to celebrate one of the simplest cocktails ever made.

Of course, you and your team can make the Screwdriver your own. Top-shelf vodka, the finest and freshest hand-squeezed orange juice (maybe even blood orange juice), any number of garnishes or rims, a touch of sparkling wine or water… The simpler the drink, the easier it can be to riff on it.

Cheers!

Image: Ryutaro Tsukata on Pexels

Spider Island Rum bottle and rum cocktail

August 30, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Rum Punch

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Rum Punch

by David Klemt

Like this, but at least four times bigger. And made with more than just one spirit.

With National Rum Punch Day coming up on September 20, I think it’s time we shine the Drink Donnybrook light on another classic, large-format drink.

I argue, and I’m likely not the only one, that the legendary Scorpion Bowl is a Rum Punch. That is, of course, if the recipe calls for rum.

Like Rum Punch, a Scorpion Bowl is a large-format cocktail. Both are meant for sharing, and both aren’t exactly known for being “weak” drinks.

Speaking of weak, both can also follow the classic Barbadian rhyme we all know: “One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.”

So, why focus on the Scorpion Bowl specifically on National Rum Punch Day? In part, because it may help you stand out from the crowd. I also argue the name is a bit more attention-grabbing. Additionally, a Scorpion Bowl tells potential guests to gather their friends for a great time.

A Bit of History: Rum Punch

Punch is one of the oldest types of cocktails that we know about. As with myriad classics, it origin proudly wears a shroud of mystery.

However, we can trace written references to punch back to the 17th century. So, we know that punch, as far as a mixed alcohol drink, is at least a few centuries old.

For the most part, British sailors are credited with creating Rum Punch. That means we have to address an unfortunate reality: Rum Punch is, as far as we know, a result of British colonization. As spirits and cocktail historian David Wondrich puts it when talking about punch, “It’s inseparable from the colonial experience.”

Wondrich also addresses the (likely) mythologized belief that “punch” comes from the Indostan word “paunch,” which means “five.” History suggests that East India Company sailors typically made punch with five ingredients: a spirit, sugar, spice, citrus, and water. The sugar trade, pursued by the East India Company, eventually led to rum being the spirit of choice for punch.

In his 2010 book Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl, Wondrich points out that there are recipes with less than five ingredients. And, of course, there are recipes that call for the use of more than five ingredients to make punch. Therefore, we can call the origin of this centuries-old cocktail’s naming convention into question.

A Bit of History: Scorpion Bowl

Similar to Rum Punch, there’s a bit of uncomfortable history when it comes to the Scorpion Bowl.

This large-format drink is a classic tiki cocktail. Over the past few years, there has been pushback for bar owners using tiki iconography, and even the word itself. “Nautical” or “tropical” are the preferences for people who feel that tiki is an offensive appropriation of Pacific Island culture in general, and Maori culture specifically.

Do with that information as you will; it’s just a note on how some people view tiki bars, tiki drinks, and tiki culture. It’s important for bar owners and operators to be aware of terminology and themes that may keep some people away.

That said, the Scorpion—the precursor to the Scorpion Bowl—has an origin as muddled as the leaves, simple, and bourbon in a Mint Julep.

To this day, from what I can find, we don’t know the bartender or bar owner who should get credit for the Scorpion. The belief is that they worked behind the stick at a bar in Hawaii called the Hut. As the story goes, the 1930s recipe includes rum, brandy, orgeat, and citrus, and is a large-format drink.

The legendary Victor J. “Trader Vic” Bergeron stopped by the bar in the 1940s and afterward created his own version, the Scorpion Bowl. Oh, and the best part is that even Trader Vic couldn’t decide on a definitive recipe for this shareable cocktail; he changed his recipe constantly.

Rum Punch vs. Scorpion Bowl

Okay, let’s look at these two literal titans of the cocktail world.

Bothare members of the tiki family of drinks, or, if one prefers, the nautical or tropical family. The usual serve for both is a large-format vessel, though individual servings are possible. Rum plays an important role in both, as do citrus and sugar.

In terms of differences, Rum Punch “traditionally” calls for the use of two rums (a light and a dark). When it comes to a Scorpion Bowl, the recipe calls for a rum and a brandy, and sometimes bartenders throw in gin and wine. In fact, I’d say that in the modern cocktail era, a Scorpion Bowl is less about a traditional recipe and more about a tropical-style drink served in a bowl.

What that tells me is this: the Scorpion Bowl is a Rum Punch, if it has rum in it.

So, be different this upcoming National Rum Punch Day and mark the holiday with Scorpion Bowls.

Image: Odeani Baker on Pexels

August 25, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Mai Tai

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Mai Tai

by David Klemt

Is there a Mai Tai in there? Maybe…?

There are two big drink holidays coming up in August for your programming pleasure, and the best part is that they both play incredibly well with one another.

One of these holidays you can create a promotion around is National Rum Day, August 16. This year, this spirit-forward holiday falls on a Wednesday. Hey, who couldn’t use a rum drink on Hump Day?

The other is more specific, celebrating a particular drink: August 30, also known as Mai Tai Day. Hey, what do you know—this cocktail holiday also falls on a Wednesday in 2023! It’s almost like these two festive days are exactly two weeks apart or something…

As you’re likely already deducing, these days are related: rum is the base for a Mai Tai. So, creating an LTO around this classic tiki drink gives operators the opportunity to celebrate for two weeks straight, or at least for two weekends. That means it’s also an excellent way to bid August farewell and prepare for the fall.

Controversy!

Scandal! Strife! Squabble! Other words that are synonymous with controversy!

Not only has there been a bit of a debate regarding the creator of the Mai Tai, there has been debate about the day we celebrate this classic cocktail.

Oh, and there’s been plenty of debate over specs. And there will likely be bickering over the correct build forever.

But back to the day we celebrate the Mai Tai. If you Google “National Mai Tai Day” or “Mai Tai Day,” you’ll likely see there’s debate over the correct date.

For a while at least, there were people claiming that National Mai Tai Day is June 30. Well, two crucial sources say that’s flat-out wrong: Trader Vic’s and the City of Oakland, California.

Some people may shrug at that first source, given that there’s still some debate over the drink’s inventor. However, in 2009, Rebecca Kaplan, an at-large councilmember of the city of Oakland, declared August 30 to be Mai Tai Day officially.

Fighting Words

Want to make some cocktail history and bartender nerds heads explode? Just say that Donn Beach, also known as “Don the Beachcomber,” is the father of the Mai Tai.

That should all but guarantee a donnybrook with whomever you target with that statement.

However, unlike the Martini, Piña Colada, and Whiskey Sour, we have a (mostly) definitive answer to the question of who created the Mai Tai.

While there are some who say that Don the Beachcomber created the Mai Tai in 1933, it would be more accurate to say that he created the predecessor of the Mai Tai. Cocktail historians who back Trader Vic as the inventor of this classic would agree.

You see, Don the Beachcomber created a drink called the QB Cooler, and historians say, perhaps generously, that Trader Vic was riffing on Don’s drink when he invented the Mai Tai in 1944. Now, if you really want to kick the donnybrook up a notch, perhaps turn it into a slugfest, see who thinks the Mai Tai tastes like the QB Cooler and which think they taste completely different. Fun times.

Then there’s this: It’s possible we don’t know the exact original recipe for the Mai Tai. Famously—or infamously, if we want to be dramatic—it’s said that Trader Vic never shared his actual specs with anyone. One could argue, then, that nobody has ever had the “real” version if they didn’t drink one made for them by Trader Vic himself. He’ll have passed 30 years ago in October of 2024, so I’m not sure how many people in the industry currently can say Trader Vic made them a Mai Tai personally.

Authentic or Abomination?

Did you read the caption underneath the image at the top of this article? If not, wow—thanks.

If so, you’ll recall that I ask if the drink in the tiki mug in the image contains a Mai Tai. And I answer my own question indicating that, at best, I can only say “maybe.”

Sure, it’s being served in a tiki drinkware, so one could argue that there’s a tiki drink in there. The Mai Tai, as we know, is a tiki classic. The drink is also garnished with mint, which is correct.

But then we look at the rest of the garnish: a raspberry and what appears to be desiccated orange. Oh, and a Mai Tai should be served in a double rocks glass.

Of course, bartenders around the world serve cocktails in drinkware that deviates from the “right” vessel. However, the proper garnish is mint and a lime wheel…to the best of our knowledge.

Ultimately, guests decide with their dollars whether they believe a bar makes them the “right” Mai Tai. You and your bar team will need to dial in a signature version if you want your bar to be known for its Mai Tai, and perhaps come up with a great riff or two.

The Original…Maybe

The original recipe, cocktail historians and drink nerds believe, is:

1 oz. Light rum
1 oz. Dark rum
Fresh lime juice (keep half of the squeezed lime’s shell)
0.5 oz. Orange curaçao
0.25 oz. Orgeat
0.25 oz. Simple syrup
1 cup Crushed ice
Fresh mint sprig to garnish
Lime wheel to garnish

Fill a shaker with crushed ice and add the light rum, lime juice, curaçao, simple, and orgeat. In other words, hold back the dark rum! Shake for a few seconds and pour the contents into a double rocks glass. If you want to be fancy, add fresh crushed ice to the double rocks glass and strain the shaker into it. Float the dark rum, then garnish and serve.

Technically, a bartender should use J. Wray & Nephew rum…but a bottle, if one can be found, goes for at least $50,000 last I checked. Bartenders should also refrain from adding pineapple juice, orange juice, or grapefruit juice. And they shouldn’t garnish with cherries or pineapple wedges. But, here we are; all of those things and more happen.

Oh, there are also tequila, mezcal, amaro, and whiskey versions, plus riffs made with avocado and variants that call for an array of bitters. What you do with this information is up to you and your bar team.

Image: Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels

July 31, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Whiskey Sour

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Whiskey Sour

by David Klemt

If I were to say that the Whiskey Sour is a cocktail with an uncertain and disputable origin, would you find that statement surprising?

Regular readers of KRG Hospitality articles probably won’t think that’s shocking. After all, it’s well known at this point that I enjoy diving into cocktails with “hazy” histories.

For example, there’s the Martini, the Mint Julep, and the Margarita. I guess if you want to ensure it causes endless debate, you should make certain your cocktail’s name begins with the letter “M.”

Dial “M” for “moot,” as it were.

One thing we can state with certainty is that the Whiskey Sour is a true classic cocktail. We can also state with conviction that it will always boast decades of popularity amongst drinkers, particularly in America.

This particular sour cocktail may not be among the top ten or 20 most-popular drinks, but it was at one point. One can make the argument that the Whiskey Sour was among the most popular for a century.

So popular, in fact, that we dedicate an entire day to it. We celebrate the Whiskey Sour on National Whiskey Sour Day, August 25. This year, we honor this classic on a Friday.

“M” is for “Mystery”

A ubiquitous tipple for a century? Looking into what we know of the Whiskey Sour’s history, yes.

That may seem like a bold claim. However, it’s possible its time in the spotlight boasts more than 100 years.

This comes down to the Whiskey Sour’s creation and when it became so popular. Interestingly, it appears historians can’t agree on when it was first mentioned.

For example, some say the recipe for the Whiskey Sour first showed up in print in Jerry Thomas’ The Bar-Tenders Guide. This legendary tome was first published in 1862. Then there are those who say the cocktail first appeared in 1870 in the Waukesha Plaindealer, a Wisconsin newspaper.

Of course, there’s a technicality. In The Bar-Tenders Guide, the 1862 print specifically mentions the Brandy Sour, the Gin Sour, and a rum sour called the Santa Cruz.

Either way, we can assume with confidence that the cocktail was known to at least a handful of bartenders and bar guests before the recipe was published in 1862. Then we can add this quote from David Wondrich about just how important the Whiskey Sour has been to American bargoers:

“From roughly the 1860s to the 1960s, the Sour, and particularly its whiskey incarnation, was one of the cardinal points of American drinking, and one of the few drinks that could come near to slugging it out with the vast tribe of cocktails in terms of day-in, day-out popularity.”

If we trust Wondrich’s understanding of cocktail, spirits, and bar history—and I think it’s safe to say we absolutely can—there’s at least a century’s worth of human history where at least Americans couldn’t seem to enjoy enough Whiskey Sours.

Prepare Your LTOs

As a member of the Sour Family of cocktails, the Whiskey Sour makes it easy to build an LTO menu for National Whiskey Sour Day.

First, of course, there’s the standard Whiskey Sour recipe: two ounces whiskey, 3/4-ounce fresh lemon juice, 3/4-ounce simple syrup, and a small egg white (optional).

Then there’s one of my favorite cocktails, the Penicillin: two ounces blended Scotch, 3/4-ounce fresh lemon juice, 3/4-ounce honey-ginger syrup, and 1/4-ounce Laphroaig 10 or other Islay Scotch (fl0at).

Finally, to add a third LTO because people like things in threes, there’s the New York or Continental or Southern Whiskey Sour: two ounces rye or bourbon, one ounce fresh lemon juice, 3/4-ounce simple syrup, one small egg white (optional), and 1/2-ounce red wine (float).

Of course, there are other riffs on the Whiskey Sour (the Gold Rush, for example) you can include on your LTO menu.

There you have it: another cocktail whose creator will likely never get full credit for their influential invention. Cheers to this mystery person!

Image: Ambitious Studio* – Rick Barrett on Unsplash

September 5, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: September 2022

5 Books to Read this Month: September 2022

by David Klemt

This month’s engaging and informative book selections will help you develop next-level leadership skills and dial in your drink menu.

To review August’s book recommendations, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Your Restaurant Culture Sucks!: Stop surviving. Start thriving. Escape mediocrity

Donald Burns, the Restaurant Coach and friend of KRG Hospitality, completes his Your Restaurant Sucks! trilogy. For the third book in the self-improvement and hospitality industry leadership series, Burns tackles culture.

In Your Restaurant Culture Sucks!, Burns helps owners, operators, and leadership team members understand the importance of workplace and company culture. Instead of complaining that “nobody wants to work anymore,” look inside and find out why perhaps nobody wants to work for you. That kind of honesty helps implement real change, change that sets you apart and improves recruitment, hiring, and retention.

“All restaurants can buy from the same vendors and hire from the same labor pool. What separates the good, from the great to the outstanding is culture!”

Subtract

Sometimes changing our outlook and improving our leadership skills is about streamlining.

“We pile on ‘to-dos’ but don’t consider ‘stop-doings.’ We create incentives for good behavior, but don’t get rid of obstacles to it. We collect new-and-improved ideas, but don’t prune the outdated ones. Every day, across challenges big and small, we neglect a basic way to make things better: we don’t subtract.”

With Subtract, Leidy Klotz explains how changing how we approach solutions can be life changing. Maybe we need to stop adding and start subtracting to improve our strategies.

Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em from the Award-Winning Bar

If you travel to New Orleans and you’re in this industry, you probably make sure to include Cure on your itinerary. For more than a decade this 2018 James Beard Award winner (Outstanding Bar Program) has been integral to the city’s craft cocktail scene.

Whether you’re after a deceptively simple beer and shot or a cocktail made with a rare, allocated bourbon, Cure is there to elevate your French Quarter visit. And soon you’ll be able to bring Cure home with you, and to your restaurant or bar as well. Available now for preorder, Cure includes 100 cocktail recipes that tell the tale of NOLA from past, present, and future.

Craft Beer Design: The Design, Illustration and Branding of Contemporary Breweries

Anyone who pauses to consider beer can design knows that it’s becoming nearly as important as the liquid. With thousands of breweries all over the US alone, how does a brewer stand out? How does a small, independent craft brewer grab a potential new customer’s attention in a sea of options? In part, through their can designs. Of course the beer itself is crucial and the most important element. However, a consumer has to be motivated to try a beer before they learn how good it tastes.

Craft Beer Design dives deep into craft beer design, featuring real-world examples and interviews with the designers themselves.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

Curiosity keeps us learning. The pursuit of knowledge keeps us sharp. Learning helps us improve ourselves, our leadership, and our operations. The belief that we’ve learned all there is to know, however, prevents us from learning to our own detriment.

Much like Subtract teaches us how to remove rather than add, Think Again proposes a new approach: unlearning and rethinking. Why do we get defensive when we’re wrong? Why are we so afraid of challenges to long-held beliefs? Admitting when we’re wrong and seeking facts is a strength, not a weakness.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

August 3, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

8 Books to Read this Month: TOTC Edition

8 Books to Read this Month: Tales of the Cocktail Edition

by David Klemt

This month’s engaging and informative book selections consist of the eight finalists from two of the 2022 Spirited Awards writing categories.

For your convenience, the award winner kicks off each category below. To review July’s book recommendations, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book

WINNER: The Japanese Art of the Cocktail

This is the first cocktail book written by Masahiro Urushido, the award-winning bartender from NYC’s Katana Kitten. After just one year with Urushido at the helm, Katana Kitten took home a 2019 Spirited Award. The Japanese Art of the Cocktail features 80 recipes and serves as a deep dive into a unique approach to cocktails and technique.

Death & Co: Welcome Home

The third book from Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan, the team behind Death & Co., features more than 400 recipes. Now, while this book targets home bartenders, it’s also beneficial to bar professionals as it delves into the Death & Co. cocktail development program. Is that worth a $35 investment? Absolutely. Pick up Death & Co. Welcome Home today.

The Cocktail Seminars

As the story goes, author Brian D. Hoefling taught his fellow Yale students about cocktails and build techniques during his senior year. The Cocktail Seminars is a collection of five of Hoefling’s education seminars and spans 30 cocktail recipes. Along with technique, readers will learn about the history of cocktails, which they and their bar teams can leverage to engage with guests.

The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes

The Way of the Cocktail comes from Julia Momosé, one of the minds behind Chicago cocktail destination Kumiko. From classics to new riffs, the recipes in this book are based on 24 micro-seasons.

Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits

WINNER: The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails

David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum team up for likely the deepest dive into the role alcohol plays in human history. The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails is everything you ever wanted to know about fermentation, distillation, aging, cocktails, cocktail bars, and more. In addition to global techniques and processes, readers will be treated to illustrations, a guide to making drinks, and even a timeline of distillation and spirits.

Bourbon: The Story of Kentucky Whiskey

Clay Risen is considered an authority on spirits. In particular, he’s lauded as an expert on whiskey. Bourbon lovers will appreciate the Bourbon: The Story of Kentucky Whiskey box set for what it is: a definitive history of America’s native spirit. Along with profiles of Kentucky distillers, Risen has included interviews and photographs to tell the story of bourbon.

Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization

Edward Slingerland takes a look at not just the history of imbibing but what has motivated humans to catch a buzz with alcohol. Drunk goes far beyond anecdotes, myth and lore and uses science to address why alcohol is so important to so many people. More case study than well-spun yarn, Drunk is as entertaining as it is investigative.

Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol

Written by Mallory O’Meara, Girly Drinks takes a hard look at the gendering of bars, brewing, distillation, and drinking culture. O’Meara also delves into the history and cultural importance of women bartenders like Ada Coleman, creator of the Hanky Panky.

“Filling a crucial gap in culinary history, O’Meara dismantles the long-standing patriarchal traditions at the heart of these very drinking cultures, in the hope that readers everywhere can look to each celebrated woman in this book—and proudly have what she’s having.”

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

July 18, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

How Two Boston Hotels Modernized America

How Two Boston Hotels Modernized America

by David Klemt

To understand how far we’re moving forward with hotel design and hospitality we can look at two historic and influential Boston hotels.

In part, this dive into hotel history finds its inspiration from a Time Out list. Recently, the publication revealed their 2022 list of the world’s top cities.

According to Time Out, Boston, the location of two historically significant hotels, is 29th in the world. It’s also one of just six American cities to make the list. For some context, number 28 is Lisbon, Portugal, and number 30 is Mexico City.

Now, it’s impressive for a city to be the home of one influential hotel. That Boston is home to two is extraordinary.

Both hotels trace their openings to 1800s America. One is, to many, the first modern hotel in the US. The other is America’s longest continually operating hotel.

Tremont House

Now, neither of the hotels I’m writing about are the first hotel in America. That honor goes to the City Hotel in New York City.

However, the Tremont House in Boston, which traces its opening to October 16, 1829, delivered many other firsts. Sure, it’s not the first building designed and built to be used as a hotel. But look at the other firsts this historic hotel brings to the table:

Tremont House is the first hotel in America with a reception area.
Also, this is the first hotel in the US to employ bellboys.
Another impressive first for Americans and American hotels? Locking hotel rooms.
And behind the locking door of that hotel room, free soap.
Arguably the most important American hotel first ties into the free soap. The Tremont House is the first hotel in America with indoor plumbing.

Sadly, the Tremont House’s history ends just 66 years after first opening its doors. In 1895, the historic hotel was demolished. If you want to visit the site, head to 73 Tremont Street and check out the office building occupying the space.

Omni Parker House

So, the Omni Parker House obviously isn’t the first hotel in the US. And it doesn’t boast the first reception area, locking hotel rooms, or indoor plumbing in an American hotel.

However, this hotel brings with it other firsts. On top of that, the Omni Parker House is still operating today. Seriously—you can book a stay right now.

Another awesome detail of the Omni Parker House? Well, it’s literally across the street from the Tremont House’s former site. So, you can book a stay or pop by for a bite or drink, then walk across the street to stand where America’s first modern hotel once stood.

Also of note, the Omni Parker House opening date. This landmark hotel opened for business on October 8, 1855. So, the same month as the Tremont House, which was across the street, 26 years later. These historic hotels, then, were competing against one another in Boston for 40 years.

Upon opening, the Omni Parker House became the first hotel to separate room rates and fees for meals. Showing how much hotels in Europe influenced American hotel operators as they became more modern, this separation of fees was known as “the European Plan.” Prior to this development, guests paid an all-inclusive rate and had to eat when the hotel made meals available. The Omni Parker House gave more control over if and when guests ordered their meals.

In terms of firsts for Boston, the Omni Parker House has quite an impressive list:

The first hotel to offer cold and hot running water.
This is the first Boston hotel to feature an elevator for guests.
Oh, and this is where the Boston Cream Pie was created.
And let’s not overlook the Omni Parker House is also the home of the Parker House Roll.

Enduring Legacies

Clearly, the Tremont House’s influence on modern hotel design and amenities is undeniable. Once an afterthought, the lobby is now a prominent space in hotels. To show how far we’re taking the lobby, consider the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco (Time Out 25).

Incredibly, this space measures 42,000 square feet and stands 17 stories tall. Today, modern hotels are crucial design elements.

Indoor plumbing? Hot and cold water and toilets in rooms? We certainly take these design features for granted now.

Today, you can find hotel rooms that feature jetted tubs, steam showers, heated floors, multi-head showers, saunas, and views. And that’s to say nothing of the free soap, now often provided in partnership with the finest skincare companies.

Additionally, consider how we enter our hotel rooms now. One hotel in America had to be the first to feature locking hotel room doors. Now, we can access rooms through apps on our phones. There are also hotels that feature biometric technology. Not only can a guest access their room with this tech, they can complete check-in with biometrics.

When it comes to culinary influence, the Omni Parker House ushered in a new era. The power to order from a menu on your own schedule? It’s almost unbelievable that guests didn’t have that type of control until the mid-1800s.

Per historians, Harvey D. Parker was incredibly particular about his hotel’s culinary program. On average, chefs were paid $418 per year back then ($14,236 today). Parker paid a French chef $5,000 per year ($170,293 today).

We have to look backward to appreciate how far we’ve come. And we must tap into that appreciation to move forward.

Image: Omni Hotels & Resorts

June 3, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: June 2022

5 Books to Read this Month: June 2022

by David Klemt

These engaging and informative book selections will help you develop next-level food and beverage skills, and motivate you throughout June, 2022.

To review May’s book recommendations, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Doctors and Distillers

As the historians in our industry have known for a while, cocktails were once considered medicinal. Of course, in some ways that’s still the case.

Industry author, speaker, and educator Camper English shows us how medicine and alcohol have long been connected throughout human history in Doctors and Distillers. Have you head of using wine as a dewormer? How about treating wounds with beer? Would you ever consider using spirits to heal a snakebite? Well, humans have done those things and more with booze. Pre-order this book today!

A Bartender’s Guide to the World

I’m just going to be blunt here: Lauren Mote probably knows more about spirits, liqueurs, and cocktails than you. That’s not a slam—she loves sharing her knowledge and helping people improve their craft and business.

Available for pre-order now for an October launch, A Bartender’s Guide to the World shares not only Mote’s journeys around the world but also more than 75 cocktail recipes. The book’s recipes are organized by their base ingredient. Additionally, there’s an entire chapter just addressing alcohol-free drinks.

The Portugal Cookbook

Chef Leandro Carreira shares well over 500 recipes in The Portugal Cookbook. These dishes range from traditional Portuguese cuisine to modern recipes.

Every region throughout Portugal is represented in this informative and mouth-watering book, including the Duoro Valley and Algarve coast. Portugal is known as a global destination for foodies and this book will definitely help you add some delicious, on-trend recipes to your menu.

Hacking the New Normal: Hitting the Reset Button on the Hospitality Industry

The world around us has changed. The food & beverage industry has changed. The hospitality industry has changed. But will some ways of life change for the better? In Doug Radkey’s second book, Hacking the New Normal, he asks the following: “Do you think you can hit the reset button on your approach to business? Do you think you can help hit the reset button on this industry? I have made the decision to do so. The question remains, have you?”

Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others

Stephen M.R. Covey, author of The Speed of Trust, addresses the leadership crisis we face today. As the author of Trust and Inspire points out, the world is changing but leadership styles remain the same. That simply won’t work moving forward. It’s crucial we change how we view leadership, and develop new leadership styles and strategies if we’re going to succeed from now on.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

Sazerac cocktail and mixing glass on bar

March 22, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

National Cocktails: Canada & America

National Cocktails: Canada & America

by David Klemt

We’re taking a look at two cocktails that can trace their roots to America and Canada for this year’s National Cocktail Day.

Further, KRG Hospitality has a headquarters in each country. So, we’ll be focusing on the cocktails for which Canada and America are known.

Celebrate National Cocktail Day, March 24, with the recipes below. Cheers!

Canada’s Official Cocktail

Let’s kick things off with Canada. There’s no cocktail with as close an association to the Great White North as the Caesar.

In fact, it’s Canada’s national cocktail. So ubiquitous, it’s woven into the fabric of Canadian pop culture.

Consider this Letterkenny exchange as exhibit A:

Darryl: “I’d have a Bloody Caesar.”

Wayne: “Do you wanna know what? I’d have a Caesar, too.”

Squirrely Dan: “I could have a Caesar if you guys are havin’ Caesars.”

Darryl: “Hard to see a Caesar and not want a Caesar.”

Wayne: “That’s actually how they market Caesars.”

According to cocktail lore, the city of Calgary and province of Alberta get to call themselves the home of the Caesar.

Disputed Origins

As the story goes, Walter Chell invented the cocktail in 1969. Chell was a restaurant manager at the Calgary Inn, now a Westin property.

Oh, wait. There’s also Walter Winchell and the Smirnoff Smiler cocktail. Tracing mentions back to 1953, this drink is made with vodka, tomato juice, clam juice, and Worcestershire sauce.

Hang on… In 1959, Charles Addams—y’know, the creator of the Addams Family—said he created the Gravel Gertie in Manhattan, New York. This cocktail calls for vodka to be mixed with tomato juice, clam juice, and Tabasco sauce.

Well, Chell was onto something when he combined every ingredient in the Smiler and Gertie. To me, this an original that stands far above any perceived predecessors.

Chell also crafted the recipe using a “rule of four”:

one shot of vodka;
two dashes of hot sauce;
three dashes of salt and pepper; and
four dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Prepare a glass with a celery salt or salt and pepper rim. Add ice, then add the above ingredients. Top with Caesar mix (Clamato juice, these days), and garnish with a celery stock and lime.

America’s Unofficial Cocktail

Now, onward to America. So, we don’t have an official national cocktail here. Clearly, our neighbors to the north know how to have more fun.

We have a native spirit—bourbon—but that’s where it ends.

However, we do have New Orleans. And in New Orleans we have the birthplace of American hospitality.

We have something else in New Orleans. In 2008, the Louisiana state senate passed a bill that named an official cocktail for the city.

That cocktail? The Sazerac.

Two Bases, One Drink

Cocktail historians will tell you that there are essentially two recipes for the Sazerac. They’ll also tell you that the origins of this cocktail are under dispute.

Are you beginning to see a pattern with cocktail history? It’s never clear, is it?

First, let’s address the original, assuming it’s America’s first (or at least oldest known) cocktail. From the 1850s to 1870s, it was made with Cognac. And not just any Cognac, Sazerac de Forge et Fils.

Depending on who you ask, either bar owner Aaron Bird or Antoine Amedie Peychaud invented the Sazerac. The cocktail recipe includes two dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters, so it’s easy to understand why some credit Peychaud with creating this drink.

Then, there’s the version that took off in the 1870s. Again, depending on the source, either American tastes changed or a phylloxera outbreak affected Cognac production. Perhaps both are true, converging to alter the Sazerac recipe.

Either way, rye whiskey replaced absinthe, and Herbsaint replaced the absinthe. Some bartenders also substitute bourbon for the rye.

The Recipe

It’s not difficult to make a Sazerac, just like it isn’t difficult to find one in New Orleans.

You’ll need two Old Fashioned (aka rocks) glasses, or one Old Fashioned and a mixing glass.

Rinse a chilled glass with absinthe or Herbsaint, and add ice. In the mixing glass or second glass, add ice, two ounces of Cognac, rye whiskey or bourbon, a half-ounce of simply syrup, and three dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters. Stir until well chilled.

Before straining, discard the ice and any excess absinthe or Hersaint from the prepared glass. Now, strain into prepared glass, express a lemon peel, and use that peel as garnish.

Alternatively, you can split the base and do Cognac and rye or bourbon, paying homage to each version of the Sazerac.

Image: Johann Trasch on Unsplash