Brandy

January 4, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Life is Peachy with These Cocktails

Life is Peachy with These Pantone-inspired Cocktails

by David Klemt

According to Pantone, the 2024 Color of the Year is Peach Fuzz, which communicates warmth, community, collaboration, and a sense of welcoming.

There’s a lot that operators can do with Pantone’s annual announcement.

For those who are curious, the 2023 Color of the Year was Viva Magenta, a bold, purplish shade of red. And in 2022, the color was Very Peri, a dynamic shade of blue.

If an operator is looking for a complete venue refresh, Peach Fuzz may be an effective choice. For example, people can leverage the 2024 Color of the Year with feature walls, seating, tablecloths, and physical menus.

Of course, not every operator is looking to undergo a redesign. In this case, there’s still plenty of opportunity to splash Peach Fuzz throughout a bar or restaurant. One simple and effective way is through the drink menu.

Below are three peach-forward cocktail recipes. They’re visually appealing, which is helpful since we tend to “drink” with our eyes first. And with peach brandy, puree, or bitters, they impart more than just color: peach fans will appreciate the flavor.

You’ll also find a recipe for the Cosmopolitan, the famous cocktail created by Toby Cecchini. It turns out Aubrey Plaza, the modern face of the Margarita, is also the spokesperson for the Cosmo. Just like they say there’s no Negroni without Campari, there’s no Cosmo without Cointreau.

Cheers!

Frankly, My Dear

0.75 oz. Cointreau
0.75 oz. Tequila
0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz. Peach puree
3 oz. Prosecco to top
Peach wedge to garnish

Prepare a Collins glass by filling it with ice. Add all ingredients except for the Prosecco and garnish to a shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into Collins glass. Top with Prosecco, garnish with a peach wedge, and serve.

Fish House Punch

1 oz. Rémy Martin 300-Year Limited Edition VSOP
1 oz. Mount Gay Rum
0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz. Peach brandy
0.5 oz. Simple syrup
1.5 oz. Water
Lemon zest to garnish

Add ice to a rocks, Collins, or other glass. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add all ingredients except for garnish. Shake well, strain, garnish with lemon zest, and serve.

METAXA Peach Spritzer

1.5 oz. METAXA 7 Stars
1.5 oz. Prosecco or other sparkling wine
0.75 oz. Tonic
3 dashes Peach bitters
Peach wedge to garnish
For winter: Star anise and tree leaf to garnish
For spring: Jasmine flower to garnish

For this cocktail, start by selecting a red wine glass. Add METAXA 7 Stars, then add bitters and ice. Stir, add tonic, then top with Prosecco or other sparkling wine. Garnish with a peach wedge.

Cointreau Cosmo

1 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. Vodka
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
1 oz. Cranberry juice
Orange twist to garnish

Your bartenders probably know how to make a Cosmo. But just in case, start by preparing a coupe or cocktail glass by chilling it. Add all the liquid ingredients and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake well, then strain into the prepared glass. Garnish and serve.

Images belong to their respective brands.

A dock and door in the Charente-Maritime department of France

July 26, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The Year of Pineau des Charentes?

The Year of Pineau des Charentes?

by David Klemt

A pier and door in the Charente-Maritime department of France, home of Pineau des Charentes.

Take Cognac’s eponymous and legendary brandy, add grape juice or grape must, mature the blend, and you get Pineau des Charentes.

Pineau, a less unwieldy name for this vin de liqueur, comes in white, red, and rosé styles. Unfortunately, owing to Pineau not being as famous as Cognac, these fortified wines aren’t very well known to the general public.

However, bartenders and bar owners are trying to turn that around. In fact, the iconic Ivy Mix theorized last week that 2023 could become the Year of Pineau.

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A post shared by Ivy Mix (@ivymix)

Toward the bottom of her post, Mix says it’s “[t]time to [p]lay with Pineau!” She also includes a recipe for a Pineau-led version of the Saturn cocktail.

Pineau is excellent for hot summer days, and it plays well in tiki or nautical drinks and other cocktails.

Of course, Mix’s post got me thinking: Do enough people know about Pineau to help guide their guests in discovering it and adding it to their beverage rotation?

So, below you’ll get a crash course in Pineau des Charentes, your and your guests’ new favorite fortified wine.

Mix has been a guest of the Bar Hacks podcast, featuring on episode 54 and episode 58 if you’d like to learn more about her approach to hospitality.

A Happy Accident?

If you know anything about me, you know I love a good drink origin story. This is mainly due to the fact that there are either disputes or we’re simply perpetuating a guess or theory.

Well, Pineau des Charentes has a bit of a “foggy” origin itself.

From what I can find, this vin de liqueur traces its roots back to a winemaker in the late 1500s—supposedly. Rumor has it that he put grape must—freshly crushed grape juice—into what he mistook for an empty barrel. In reality, the barrel, which was put to rest for a few years, contained Cognac.

Bippity, boppity, booze, Pineau was born. In 1921, a winemaker in Burie, a commune in Charente-Maritime, commercialized Pineau.

How it’s Made

Production, while controlled, is straightforward.

In most cases, a single house handles production on their own. They grow the grapes that become brandy, they make the juice by pressing more grapes, and they add the juice to the eau de vie.

For the curious, the grapes most often used in the production of Pineau are:

Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Colombard
Folle Blanche
Jurancon
Merlot
Merlot Blanc
Meslier St Francois
Montils
Sauvignon Blanc
Semillon
Ugni Blanc

Many people are probably familiar with the term for blending eau de vie with juice: assemblage. However, they may be less familiar with the result of assemblage: mutage. This step simply stops the fermentation process.

With assemblage completed—the ratios are highly controlled—the blend is matured. A white Pineau must spend 18 months maturing, 12 of those months in an oak barrel. For a red Pineau, those numbers are 12 months and eight months.

Then, the Pineau is bottled. As mentioned at the start of this section, Pineau is controlled; it’s subject to the rules of the vin de liqueur Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, or AOC. So, Pineau must be bottled within its AOC region.

Types of Pineau des Charentes

At the top of this article I mention that there are white, red, and rosé Pineaus. In other words, there will be a familiarity with Pineau from the wine drinkers amongst guests. This can, of course, make it easier to introduce it to them.

White Pineau, the most widely known style, is broken down into:

blanc, minimum aging (18 months, 12 in oak barrels);
vieux blanc, spending at least five years in oak casks; and
très vieux blanc, resting for at least 10 years in oak.

That brings us to red Pineau and its age breakdown:

rouge, minimum aging (12 months, eight in oak casks);
vieux rouge, resting for a minimum of five years in oak; and
très vieux rouge, spending at least 10 years in oak barrels.

Red is the most popular style of Pineau in its home region.

Now, when it comes to rosé Pineau, the aging is very similar to red or rouge. However, the line of separation, based upon maceration time, is quite thin.

Speaking of familiarity, by the way, many well-known Cognac houses also produce Pineau. This means guests should recognize names like Rémy Martin, Pierre Ferrand, and Hardy.

How it Tastes

All of this leads us to the big question that will be on your bar team and guests’ minds: What does Pineau taste like?

Generally speaking, Pineau is sweet. However, it’s not sweet in an overwhelming way. Rather, your guest-facing team members can explain that Pineau is described as having a natural sweetness. Older styles also tend to deliver more complex profiles, including flavors such as honey and nuts.

Of course, the best way to know how to describe a given Pineau in your inventory is to taste your team on each expression.

Pineau is most often enjoyed chilled and served in a tulip-shaped glass. However, as Mix and other bartenders will tell you, Pineau performs very well as a base or modifier in cocktails.

And at 16- to 22-percent ABV (most often 17 percent), Pineau is similar in proof to Sherry and Port. In fact, I recommend creating a fortified wine flight (premium price for premium products and a premium experience) that allows guests to compare Sherry, Port, and Pineau.

To get things started, Mix’s Pineau-based Saturn recipe is below. Cheers!

Venus’s Point

1.5 oz. Pineau de Charentes White (Mix uses Pierre Ferrand in the Instagram post above)
0.5 oz Agricole Rhum (Mix uses JM in the Instagram post above)
0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice
0.25 oz. Passionfruit syrup
0.25 oz. Orgeat
Lemon wheel to garnish

Simply shake, strain, serve up, and garnish.

Image: Les Argonautes on Unsplash

May 3, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: May 2022

5 Books to Read this Month: May 2022

by David Klemt

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

To review April’s book recommendations, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Rum Rebels: A Celebration of Women Revolutionizing the Spirits Industry

Written by authors Martyna Halas and René van Hoven, Rum Rebels raises a glass to women in the rum world. Readers will learn the inspiring stories of Lorena Vasquez from Zacapa, Joy Spence of Appleton, and more women driving rum forward and shaping this iconic spirit’s flavors, aromas, and textures.

In addition, this book serves as a masterclass in rum production, from tasting to aging. And since that’s enough for these incredible and ambitious authors, Rum Rebels also contains rum cocktail recipes.

Drink Lightly: A Lighter Take on Serious Cocktails

Operators, bar managers, and bartenders should see value in the driving ethos behind this cocktail book. Drink Lightly, authored by Nitecap bartender Natasha David, pairs precision drink-building techniques with a relaxed drinking experience.

Drinking lightly doesn’t mean sipping drinks bereft of complexity and depth. Along with 100 recipes, readers will enjoy a foreword by Alex Day of Proprietors LLC, whose concepts include Death & Co. and Nitecap.

Call Me Chef, Dammit!: A Veteran’s Journey from the Rural South to the White House

Hospitality is rooted in sacrifice and a commitment to serving others. Chef Andre Rush and his story embody service. Call Me Chef, Dammit! is the inspiring story of Chef Rush.

The storied chef has led an incredible life which includes a career in the US Army that spanned 24 years, advocating for military personnel and veterans, and winning multiple awards as a chef. Oh, and Chef Rush and his 24-inch biceps have also worked in the White House for four US presidents.

While there are no recipes in this book, there is one hell of an inspiring story in these pages.

The New Kindred Spirits: Over 2,000 All-New Reviews of Whiskeys, Brandies, Liqueurs, Gins, Vodkas, Tequilas, Mezcal & Rums from F. Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal

Anyone looking for a spirits bible need search no further. F. Paul Pacult’s The New Kindred Spirits includes over 2,400 in-depth reviews spanning a wide range of spirits. This tome evaluates a massive number of brandies, gins, liqueurs, rums, tequilas, vodkas, and whiskeys.

This all-encompassing compilation of spirit evaluations doesn’t just cover the usual suspects. The New Kindred Spirits also takes a deep dive into the craft side of the beverage industry.

Drinking & Knowing Things

Author and certified sommelier Michael Amon would like to know a couple things from those considering picking up Drinking & Knowing Things. “Do you want to uncork a bottle of whoop-ass on every winedouche and uppity sommelier?” And, “are you too lazy to spend any time whatsoever learning things?”

Anyone who answered “yes” to either or both questions needs this book. Amon says that readers who commit to spending five minutes reading the weekly wine recommendations found in Drinking & Knowing Things will give sommeliers a run for their wine-knowledge money. Wine intimidation? Not after reading this book.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

Red and black gift boxes and bows on black background

December 7, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

2021 KRG Holiday Bottle & Can Guide

2021 KRG Holiday Bottle & Can Guide

by David Klemt

We’re bringing you new products and gift ideas for the 2021 holiday season for your specialty menus, raffles, and employee incentives.

Whether because they’re unique or leverages eye-catching bottling, labeling and packaging, you can’t go wrong with the bottles below.

In fact, you should probably consider adding some of these to your inventory and seasonal menu. A number of these bottles will attract attention from guests when they spot them on your back bar.

And, hey, we won’t tell anyone if you decide to treat yourself to one of these gifts. You’ve earned it.

Few spirits shine more during the holiday season and winter months than brandy.

Château de Breuil Réserve Du Château 8 Year

This is the first entry in Château de Breuil’s “Hors d’Age” range, which means this Calvados is older than six years. The youngest Calvados in this release is eight years old, and there’s plenty of warming, comforting apple on the nose, palate and finish.

Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège x Julien Colombier

This striking bottle, adorned with an original design by Julien Colombier, definitely stands out from the standard V.S.O.P Privilège.

Hine Cigar Reserve XO

This blend of 20 eau-de-vie is intended specifically to be enjoyed with a fine cigar. In particular, a fine Cuban cigar. A Cognac meant to help unplug, slow down, and enjoy the moment.

Gin

There is an incredible array of gins available that can sway even the staunchest “I don’t drink gin” drinkers out there.

Glendalough Rose Gin

The Glendalough distillery operates via three mantras: Wild foraged. Fresh distilled. Stand apart. Glendalough Rose Gin hits all those marks, particularly standing apart from other gins.

Hardshore Original Gin

There are a few ways to approach crafting a gin. Hardshore Distilling Company’s approach is to be simple in order to be complex. Just five botanicals are used in the production of Hardshore Original Gin: Tuscan juniper, coriander, rosemary, mint, and orris root.

Junipero Gin

With it’s striking new appearance, Junipero Gin’s bottle is now as bold as the liquid inside.

Mezcal & Tequila

The growth of the agave spirit category doesn’t seem like it will stop anytime soon. In particular, luxury mezcals and tequilas seem to be benefitting from consumers interested in spending more to drink higher-quality spirits.

Código 1530 Artesanal & Ancestral

As discussed on episode 57 of Bar Hacks with Collin De Laval, Código 1530 recently released two mezcals, super-premium Artesanal and ultra-premium Ancestral.

Sombra Reposé

This unique mezcal represents a world first: A mezcal aged in Bordeaux wine casks. It doesn’t hurt that the bottle is also attractive.

Tanteo Navidad

There are just 5,000 bottles of Tanteo Navidad, an ultra-premium añejo tequila infused with the flavors of the holiday season: cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cocoa beans, ginger, and pequin chilis.

RTD

With so many hard seltzer and canned cocktail brands hitting the market, it’s difficult picking just a few standout RTDs.

Karbach Brewing

When it comes to RTDs, Ranch Water was basically destined to end up in cans. As a blend of Topo Chico, tequila and lime, Ranch Water has a legitimate claim to the hard seltzer throne. Karbach Ranch Water is available in Original, Grapefruit, Meyer Lemon, Prickly Pear, and Watermelon. It’s also produced by a brewery in a state that knows a little somethin’ about Ranch Water: Texas.

Speaking of Texas…

Shiner Tall ‘Tails

Texas’ famous brewer has entered the hard seltzer space with four expressions based on classic cocktails: Texas Mule, Mexican Martini, Watermelon Margarita, and Ruby Red Paloma.

WESAKE

Given how easily drinkable sake is, I’m surprised there aren’t more RTD sakes on the market. Four cans of Junmai Ginjo WESAKE equal one bottle.

Rum

It’s always exciting to come across something new in any spirit category. The two selections below are from countries people don’t often think of when the topic of rum arises.

Kasama

How about small-batch rum from the Philippines, aged seven years and produced by Alexandra Dorda. If that last name sounds familiar it’s likely because Alexandra is the daughter of Tad Dorda, co-founder of Belvedere and Chopin vodkas.

Phraya Deep Matured Gold Rum

When’s the last time you sipped a rum from Thailand? The answer is most likely never. A beautiful bottle of Phraya Deep Matured Gold Rum—aged seven to 12 years—can certainly fix that.

Zanj Rum Ak Zanj

The name of this expression of Haitian rum translates to “with angels” in Haitian Creole. Made using only pure sugarcane juice (no sugar added) and aged exclusively in Limousin oak barrels, Ak Zanj is characterized by caramel, fruit, vanilla and honey notes. The bottle also looks great on a back bar or home bar.

Vodka

All eyes may seem to be on tequila, mezcal and whiskey, but the vodka category isn’t resting on its laurels. There have been a lot of innovations in this space, such as revisiting traditional processes, playing with flavoring, and even sourcing very specific grapes for production.

Belvedere Heritage 176

As the name suggests, Heritage 176 is an homage to the old ways of producing vodka. To that end, this expression makes use of malting or kiln-drying rye for deeper, more complex flavors.

Hangar 1 Smoke Point

Produced in partnership with Crimson Wine Group, Hangar 1 used smoke-tinged grapes affected by Norther California’s disastrous Glass Fire to create Smoke Point vodka.

Wild Roots Vodka

This corn-based vodka is made in the Pacific Northwest and infused with more than a pound of real fruit. There are several flavors available in addition to the neutral expression, such as winter-friendly Apple & Cinnamon and Cranberry.

Whiskey

This category isn’t just immensely popular, it’s immense in and of itself. It was difficult to narrow it down to just three selections, particularly when it came to bourbon.

Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter

Your guests, staff, family and friends aren’t the only people who wear Christmas sweaters. A Tale of Winter grabs the eye during the holiday season with a label that looks like it’s ready for your restaurant, bar, nightclub or hotel’s holiday party. This Scotch encapsulates the season with notes of cocoa powder, orange toffee, clover, ginger, and cinnamon.

High West High Country Single Malt

It may be an oversimplification to call High Country Single Malt an homage to single malt Scotch but it’s still an accurate summation. When producing the distillery’s latest release, High West uses “on-the-grain” distillation, along with fresh-charred and second-use barrels during maturation.

Redemption Cognac Cask Finish

Bottled at 99 proof, this high-rye bourbon is aged in Pierre Ferrand Cognac barrels. Expect bold but elegant flavors with baking spices, rye and sweetness on the palate.

Woodford Reserve 2021 Holiday Bottle

Every holiday and Kentucky special edition bottle of Woodford Reserve has been a winner. However, I find the artwork on this year’s holiday bottle by Nick Hirst to the best yet.

Wine

Well, in particular, sparkling wine. When it comes to celebrating, it’s hard to beat the craving for bubbles.

Dom Maria

You can’t go wrong with Dom Maria Brazilian Sparkling Brut or Rosé. The packaging is sleek, modern and makes a statement. Both DM expressions are 60 percent Chardonnay, 40 percent Pinot Noir.

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A post shared by Perrier-Jouët (@perrierjouet)

Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs

It’s fair to say that most people are most familiar with Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Époque bottles, adorned as they are with Japanese anemone flowers outlined in gold. However, on episode 56 of Bar Hacks, Maxime Lecocq says that when he sees someone order a bottle of Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs, “they know what they’re doing.”

Yarden Blanc de Blancs

Looking for a Kosher blanc de blancs option for the holiday season? Look no further than Yarden Blanc de Blancs produced by the Golan Heights Winery, currently releasing their 2012 vintage.

Low- and Zero-proof

There are a number of high-quality alcohol-free spirts, beers and other beverages out there. With that number growing, the biggest challenge is deciding which brands and expressions to pick as gifts and add to your menu.

The County Soda Co.

Much attention is paid to the spirits in cocktails, and for obvious reasons. However, crafting the best possible cocktail requires using the best possible ingredients. The County Soda Co. crafts “soda pop for adults” by using real cane sugar and juice concentrates, and by eschewing artificial sweeteners. Proudly produced in small batches in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada, County Soda includes flavors such as Root Beer, Cola, Ginger Ale, Blackcurrant Lime, and Orange Cream Soda.

Lyre’s

This innovative brand is named for a bird famous for it’s accurate mimicry of its avian peers, and for good reason. Lyre’s crafts zero-proof expressions that taste like their full-proof counterparts, including sparkling wine and RTDs. You can even purchase cocktail kits that provide everything necessary to make alcohol-free Negronis, Espresso Martinis, and more.

To learn more, fire up episode 28 of Bar Hacks with Tim Rita.

Partake Radler

Ted Fleming started Partake Brewing partially out of frustration. He made the choice to live sober but had no intention of giving up socializing in bars with friends. Unfortunately, the options for alcohol-free beer were incredibly slim. So, he founded Partake Brewing to produce 0.3-percent craft beer. The highly sought-after Partake Radler is back just in time for the holidays!

Learn more from Ted Fleming on Bar Hacks episode 31.

Q Tropical Ginger Beer

How does a tropical take on ginger beer sound? To me, it sounds refreshingly different. I’m a big ginger beer fan, so Q Tropical Ginger Beer, with its agave, mango, passion fruit, and pineapple notes, is intriguing.

Image: Tamanna Rumee on Unsplash