Cocktail news

Colin Asare-Appiah and Mark Talbot Holmes
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

New Cocktail Festival Coming to Africa

New Cocktail & Spirits Festival Coming to Africa

by David Klemt

Colin Asare-Appiah and Mark Talbot Holmes

One of the most influential people in the hospitality industry, Colin Asare-Appiah, is bringing a new cocktail and spirits festival to South Africa in 2024.

Asare-Appiah is, of course, a bartender and spirits aficionado. However, he’s also an industry educator, author, a mentor, and historian. And he’s driven to shine a spotlight on the cocktail scenes throughout Africa.

AJABU, which means “wondrous” in Swahili, is the creation of Asare-Appiah and Mark Talbot Holmes, the founder of U’Luvka Vodka. From March 12 to 13, Johannesburg will be the first city to host AJABU. Cape Town will follow closely, with the festival taking place from March 15 to 16.

To put it plainly, the cocktail community doesn’t seem to pay much attention to African countries. At KRG Hospitality, we focus primarily on North America. So, I have to admit that when it comes to industry coverage, I’m guilty of overlooking African countries as well.

Looking back at industry awards from the past couple of years drives this point home. Bars, restaurants, hotels… If they’re not in Johannesburg or Cape Town, they’re not earning nominations, honorable mentions, or rankings, with very few exceptions.

Asare-Appiah and Talbot Holmes are aiming to change this situation. They duo and their collaborators intend to build international connections between trade, brands, and media through this bi-annual cocktail festival.

To learn more about this new industry gathering, please review the press release below. Cheers!

AJABU Cocktail and Spirits Festival Set to Debut in South Africa

New International Festival will Celebrate the Incredible Growth in the African Hospitality Community in 2024 and Beyond

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – AJABU, Africa’s first bi-annual international Cocktail and Spirits festival, is set to debut in Johannesburg and Cape Town next year, with the first of two week-long events taking place from March 10-18, 2024.

Curated by Colin Asare-Appiah (Bar World 100 Most Influential Figures 2023, Co-Author Black Mixcellence, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s 2023 Spirited Awards® Finalist: Best Bar Mentor) and Mark Talbot Holmes (founder of U’Luvka Vodka). AJABU aims to become Africa’s leading spirits and cocktail festival. It will not only connect the hospitality industry and their community across Africa and beyond, it will also inspire innovation, collaboration, and creativity, while celebrating the continent’s incredible diversity of people, ingredients, and beverages.

The word AJABU means ‘wondrous’ or ‘amazing.’ As the name suggests, the festival will embrace the wondrous diversity of the hospitality industry across Africa, connecting brands, bar trade, media and cocktail enthusiasts, while supporting a new generation of African bartenders and hospitality professionals.

Taking place in both Johannesburg (March 10-13) and Cape Town (March 13-18), AJABU will host each city’s most renowned venues for a line-up of exciting mashups. Participating award-winning international bars include Library by the Sea, Milady’s, Rayo and Trailer Happiness. These teams will partner with bars across Africa such as Front Back and Hero for a week of education sessions, spirited forums, wine tours, and hosted dinners at local Johannesburg and Cape Town venues. In Johannesburg, festival-goers can look forward to experiencing the unique offerings of bars such as Sin + Tax, Saint, Smoking Kills, Cin Cin Zioux, Mesh Club, and Marabi Club. Meanwhile, Cape Town will host festivities at Cause/Effect, Art of Duplicity, Chef’s Warehouse, Hacienda, The Drinkery, House of Machines, Asoka, and Talking to Strangers.

“AJABU is a platform to celebrate Africa’s vibrant spirit and bartending culture,” exclaims Asare-Appiah. “We’re committed to fostering the growth of the hospitality industry across the continent by inspiring and empowering the bartending community to push the boundaries of their craft while providing a unique platform to showcase the diverse and rich culture of African drinks and ingredients.”

AJABU is thrilled to announce its partnership with local industry legends Kurt and Etienne Schlechter as well as award-winning writer & educator Leah Van Deventer as the team on the ground.

The festival will soon announce a lineup of the world’s best bars who will bring their creativity and knowledge to Johannesburg and Cape Town venues. Attendees can anticipate an unforgettable gathering of industry-leading professionals who will surprise and delight attendees with their creativity and innovation.

The March edition of AJABU will be followed by another week-long event across both cities in November, in partnership with Cape Town Beverage Show.

For more information, please visit ajabufestival.com

About AJABU

AJABU is Africa’s first annual international spirits and cocktail festival, created by Colin Asare-Appiah (Bar World’s 100 Most Influential Figures 2023, Co-Author Black Mixcellence of the Cocktail Foundation’s 2023 Spirited Awards® Finalist: Best Bar Mentor) and Mark Talbot Holmes (founder of U’Luvka Vodka). With a mission to become the continent’s leading hospitality community gathering, AJABU connects the industry across Africa and beyond to inspire innovation, collaboration, and creativity.

Image: AJABU

Bar Pub Brewery Nightclub Club Nightlife Business Plan

Paddle and ball on pickleball court
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

af&co. x Carbonate: 2024 Trends to Watch

af&co. x Carbonate: 2024 Trends to Watch

by David Klemt

Paddle and ball on pickleball court

Marketing and creative agencies af&co. and Carbonate Group‘s 16th annual Hospitality Trends Report provides in-depth insight across several categories.

This is an in-depth, insightful report operators should review in its entirety. The “Sweet Sixteen” edition of this yearly report is available for download here.

There are two interesting details toward the end of af&co. and Carbonate’s report. First, a list of 2023 clients. Second, an explanation for the design of the report itself.

This makes sense: Carbonate is a creative agency that works in the hospitality space, after all. Further, af&co. is a hospitality industry marketing agency.

Now, I won’t be sharing every trend or insight found in these two agencies’ report. Rather, I’m highlighting a number of items across four of the report’s six categories. Again, I think operators and leadership team members should download the report for themselves.

Food

While af&co. and Carbonate identify specific cuisines and items that are trending, it’s their 10,000-foot view of food that I find most compelling. In terms of the big picture, “rigid” adherence to authentic cuisine is falling out of favor.

Chefs, in the agencies’ opinions, are taking a more modern approach to menus. Instead of following the “rules” of certain cuisines, they’re creating dishes and programs that defy labels. Of course, for those who feel the need to label, one could call this approach “contemporary fusion.”

Examples given are Good Luck Gato’s Okonomiyaki Baked Potato, and the Birria Dumplings at Little Bull.

Cuisine Trends

Of course, af& co. and Carbonate also zoom in on food. Their Cuisine of the Year goes to Korean.

Dessert of the Year goes to the Pavlova or Eton Mess. So, one can argue that operators should connect with their back-of-house teams about meringue-based desserts.

Other food trends include making pastries with buckwheat; getting inventive with mortadella; serving borek in snack and entree size; and Brazilian-style pizza.

However, it’s a presentation trend that stood out the most to me. Accompanied by a timeline complete with images, the agencies state confidently that we’re in the “Crescent Moon” era of plating.

Visualize a plate, then place all of the food along the edge, with roughly two-thirds of the space open. That’s the crescent moon presentation.

Beverage

A number of the trends in this section aren’t exactly new. That tells me that some are likely on the brink of moving from trend to ubiquity.

That, or they’re at risk of bumping against their expiration date.

Two trends that have been popping their fins out of the sea of cocktails for a bit make it into the af&co. and Carbonate report. One is clarified cocktails.

Spend a bit of time looking up cocktails on social media and you’ll see these are a bit divisive. Some bartenders are all for them, some appear to absolutely despise this trend. Guests, however, seem to like the novelty of well-known, opaque or translucent classic turning transparent.

Another drink trend? Culinary cocktails. For food-driven concepts, it makes perfect sense to encourage the bar team to work closely with the kitchen team. Offering culinary cocktails is one method of pulling a concept’s threads tighter, telling a more complete story.

Along those lines, the agencies identify another divisive cocktail trend: cheese.

Personally, cocktails that feature cheese aren’t my thing. However, these drinks are, at the minimum, going to grab a guest’s attention. And those who order these drinks aren’t likely to forget the experience any time soon, good or bad.

That last point is important for operators and their teams to remember. A negative experience can be more powerful and stick with a guest longer than a positive one. So, pursue trends with caution.

Hotel

One of the biggest hotel developments the Hospitality Trends Report identifies is the dual-brand hotel. This is also a trend with which KRG Hospitality is well acquainted, both through industry research and client projects.

So far, the most common approach tends to include two towers, a shared lobby and fitness center, and shared F&B concepts. However, there are properties that incorporate not only brand-specific design for each tower but separate the bars and restaurants as well.

Notably, Marriott opened the first-ever tri-brand hotel in Nashville in 2019. The hotel and resort colossus combined an AC Hotel, a Residence Inn, and a SpringHill Suites.

Another interesting hotel trend? Eco-friendly, pre-fab construction. An excellent example of this approach is Moliving. To learn more about this brand, check out Bar Hacks podcast episode 68 with Jordan and Hanna Bem.

Interest by consumers in supporting eco-friendly brands informs two other trends identified by af&co. and Carbonate. One of these is hotels and resorts including e-bikes among their amenities.

Another is rewarding guests for engaging in a number of green initiatives. For example, cleaning up the beach in front of a hotel, or helping to plant trees on or near the property.

Speaking further of amenities, hotel and resort operators are likely aware that if they have courts for racquet sports, they need to include pickleball.

Design

Operators considering a refresh or starting from a clean slate for a new space may want to work with a designer on the following approach: maximalism.

According to the 16th annual Hospitality Trends Report, this bold, playful design language is on the rise. Following this trend, af&co. and Carbonate think that maximalism is working particularly well for “concept-driven, design-forward” bars.

As far as colors and materials operators may want to ask designers about, the agencies suggest pink, bronze, gold, and velvet. These colors are warm and welcoming, exactly what a hospitality venue should be.

To download the Hospitality Trends Report, click here. Two categories not covered in this article are Marketing Ideas and Social Media Trends, so follow that link!

Image: Mason Tuttle on Pexels

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Menu Development Drinks Food

Two Espresso Martinis on a bar
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Celebrating the Espresso Martini

Celebrate the Espresso Martini with Mr. Black

by David Klemt

Two Espresso Martinis on a bar

For the second time in its brief but exciting history, Mr. Black Espresso Martini Fest is coming to bars throughout America.

Last year, 70 bars in eight cities across the US took part to celebrate the Espresso Martini. This year, participation more than doubles.

Fourteen cities in ten states will play host to more than 200 bars during the fest. For 2023, Austin, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Nashville, Phoenix, and Seattle are joining in on the fun.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mr Black Spirits (@mrblackspirits)

I, for one, expect Espresso Martini Fest to have the same staying power as other cocktail celebrations. The inaugural event took place in 2016 in Australia. In 2018, the Fest spread to the UK. After launching in the US, the week-long event growth has doubled over the course of just one year.

Logically, Mr. Black Espresso Martini Fest should join the ranks of Negroni Week, Old Fashioned Week, and Bee’s Knees Week.

Now, I know I’ve called the Espresso Martini “the cocktail that won’t die.” And yes, I’ve pointed out that it’s not technically a Martini, and that many bartenders hate it for the time it can take to make. That doesn’t mean participating in Espresso Martini Fest is a bad idea.

This is a cocktail that guests enjoy. It’s a drink that generates headlines each year. And clearly it’s a beverage that can drive traffic and generate revenue. At the end of the day, participation is a smart move.

2023 Espresso Martini Fest Cities

Given that the Fest runs from October 9 to 15, it’s unlikely the organizers are still vetting venues for participation. However, at the time of this article’s publication, the portal appeared to be open. It’s a worth a shot if you want your bar to join Espresso Martini Fest!

At least you’re aware of the event now so you can prepare to sign up next year.

Bars in the following cities are taking part in this year’s Fest:

  • Austin, Texas
  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Houston, Texas
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Miami, Florida
  • Nashville, Tennessee
  • New York, New York
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • San Diego, California
  • San Francisco, California
  • Seattle, Washington

I certainly anticipate this list growing by at least 50 percent for 2024. Cheers!

Image: Krists Luhaers on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

Bartender pouring Negroni into glass
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Celebrate the Negroni, Support Slow Food

Celebrate the Negroni and Support Slow Food

by David Klemt

Bartender pouring Negroni into glass

This month, operators will have the opportunity to sign their bars up to take part in the tenth-anniversary celebration of Negroni Week.

For 2023, Negroni Week hosts Imbibe Magazine and Campari are raising funds for Slow Food. Sponsors also include Cinzano, Bulldog Gin, Bols Genever, and Coopers’ Craft Bourbon.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Campari USA (@campariusa)

Negroni Week will take place from September 18 through September 24. Registration is now live and operators can sign up their bars via this link.

So, we’re helping spread the word early and giving operators and their teams plenty of time to prepare to participate this year.

Negroni Week 2023

After first launching in 2013, Negroni Week is celebrating their decennial year.

Over the course of ten years, Imbibe and Campari have seen tremendous growth and results. In its inaugural year (or perhaps inaugural week is more accurate), a little over 100 venues participated. In its second year, 1,300 venues registered for Negroni Week.

Now, thousands of venues sign up every year, helping to raise money for worthy causes. To date, Negroni Week boasts more than $4 million in funds for charitable organizations.

Participation really couldn’t be any simpler: register, make a donation of at least $25, serve Negronis and/or variations of Negronis, and donate proceeds from your Negroni Week LTO menu.

After completing registration and making at least the minimum donation, an operator’s venue will gain placement on the Negroni Week website. The listings are searchable by state and city. Venues that donate $250 or more will carry a Premium Donor designation.

Those looking for inspiration for their charity LTO menus can click here to sift through Negroni Week’s recipe database.

Slow Food

Simply put, Slow Food’s mission is to help everyone access food that’s good for them, good the people who grow it, and good the planet as a whole.

An even more succinct description comes from the Slow Food website: access to food that’s “good, clean, and fair for all.”

Further, Slow Food seeks to prevent the loss local food cultures, along with food traditions. The organization was founded in 1989 and is now active in more than 160 countries.

In the US, Slow Food operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been active in Canada for several years. The charitable organization has had a strong presence in the provinces of British Columbia, Calgary, Montréal, and Ontario.

Get Ready

With just three ingredients in a 1:1:1 ratio, any bar team should be able to handle putting delicious Negronis across the bar.

So, operators should ensure their team can craft a traditional Negroni while encouraging them to work on some creative variations.

We’ll see in a little over a month to celebrate Negroni Week!

Image: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality Complete Bar Menu Audit

Beer pouring into glass from tap
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

iPourIt Releases Their 2023 Pour Report

iPourIt Releases Their 2023 Pour Report

by David Klemt

Beer pouring into glass from tap

Interactive self-serve beer experience platform iPourIt‘s latest report, the 2023 Pour Report, is now available for download and review.

iPourIt is a pioneer in the self-serve beverage space. While it may seem counter-intuitive to some, many guests have shown time and again that they enjoy using self-serve walls. For these guests, a not in any way insignificant number, iPourIt installations enhance the guest experience, increase loyalty, and boost revenue.

And while many people associate iPourIt and self-serve programs with beer, these systems can also pour wine, cocktails on tap, spirits, non-alcohol beverages, and soft drinks.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Matt Plapp (@mattplapp)

Another benefit from iPourIt? Transparency and sharing of data. The company doesn’t limit providing valuable guest behavior insight to their clients. Rather, they make the data they collect available to anyone. Simply head to their website, fill out a few fields, and gain important beverage insights.

Anyone curious can choose between a standard report and a “pro” version. Both are free to download and peruse. People can also read our article that dives into their fourth-annual report via this link.

Below you’ll find key takeaways from their 2023 report. I strongly urge operators to download and review either report.

The Who

We agree that demographics are a metric that people and businesses often misuse. Valuegraphics can be far more effective for businesses looking to build loyalty and boost revenue.

Still, demographics can provide beneficial insights.

First, let’s look at how men and women used iPourIt systems in 2022. Men poured 20,477,288 ounces last year, whereas women poured 10,848,435 ounces. The average per pour for men was 6.4 ounces in comparison to 5.3 ounces per pour from women. On average, men spent $14.72 per visit to an iPourIt-equipped location; women spent $12.24.

Next, the generational breakdown. IPA was the number-one style poured for Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. For legal-drinking-age Generation Z drinkers, IPA came in second; their top pour style was cider. Likewise, Lager claimed second place for Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials. Second was IPA for Gen Z, and Lager was third. Wheat beer was third place for Boomers, fourth for Gen X and Millennials, and fifth for Gen Z. Sour came in fifth for Gen X and Millennials fourth for Gen Z; for Boomers, the style didn’t rank among the top five. Stout clinched the fifth spot for Boomers.

Finally, in terms of traffic, men of every age group poured more ounces than their female counterparts.

The What

Below, the top 10 styles of beer poured by men:

  1. Fruit beer
  2. Pale Ale
  3. Blonde
  4. Pilsner
  5. Stout
  6. Sour
  7. Wheat beer
  8. Cider
  9. Lager
  10. IPA

In descending order, the top five (download the report for the top ten) products poured by men were Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, Golden Road Brewing Mango Cart, Coors Light, and Modelo Especial.

And now the top styles of beer or category of beverage poured by women:

  1. Stout
  2. Fruit beer
  3. Blonde
  4. White wine
  5. Hard seltzer
  6. Wheat beer
  7. Sour
  8. Lager
  9. IPA
  10. Cider

Also in descending order, the top products poured by women were Michelob Ultra, Mango Cart by Golden Road Brewing, Bud Light, Ace Pineapple Cider, and Coors Light.

The Where

The 2023 Pour Report by iPourIt breaks the US down into five regions: West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast.

Because our American head office is in Las Vegas and our hotel consultant is in Pennsylvania, we’ll look at the West and Northeast.

The top-five pours for the West in 2022 were:

  1. Bud Light
  2. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. 805
  3. Golden Road Brewing Mango Cart
  4. Coors Light
  5. Modelo Especial

While the top-five pours in the Northeast were:

  1. Blue Moon Brewing Co. Belgian White
  2. Allagash Brewing Co. White
  3. Lord Hobo Brewing Co. Boom Sauce
  4. Sloop Brewing Co. Juice Bomb
  5. Stella Artois

For the curious, Bud Light and Coors Light are categorized as American-style Light Lagers, 805 is a Blonde Ale, Mango Cart is a Wheat Ale, and Modelo Especial is a Mexican-style Pilsner. Blue Moon and Allagash White are both Belgian-style wheat beers (or Witbiers), Boom Sauce is a Double IPA, Juice Bomb is a Northeastern IPA, and Stella Artois is a Lager.

For further insights, please download this year’s iPourIt report here.

Image: cottonbro studio on Pexels

KRG Hospitality Beverage Programming

Redesigned and reformulated Novo Fogo ready-to-drink canned cocktails
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Novo Fogo Reformulates Brazilian RTDs

Novo Fogo Reformulates and Redesigns Brazilian RTDs

by David Klemt

Redesigned and reformulated Novo Fogo ready-to-drink canned cocktails

Just before Tales of the Cocktail kicks off, Novo Fogo Organic Cachaça announces the reformulation of their award-winning ready-to-drink cocktail line.

As founder and CEO Dragos Axinte reveals on episode 97 of the Bar Hacks podcast, the RTD series now features key changes.

For example, the RTDs now come in 12-ounce slim cans rather than their original eight-ounce cans. As you can see, the design is also much more colorful and eye-catching.

Of course, the changes aren’t simply cosmetic. Inside the can, each expression represents a new recipe. The last iteration of Novo Fogo RTDs was delicious and showcased their Silver Cachaça brilliantly. However, the new formulation offers even more robust flavor and drops the sweetness a bit.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dragoș Axinte (@treerestrial)

Most importantly, the new RTDs are truly a pioneering beverage. Novo Fogo’s new canned cocktails are the first RTDs made with Brazilian cachaça ever to achieve USDA Organic certification.

This means that Novo Fogo’s entire lineup, from core expressions to special releases, is USDA-certified 100-percent organic. That’s a huge win for the company, for operators who feature their products, and for operators’ guests.

Operators will be able to introduce these new 12-ounce, nine-percent ABV RTDs to their guests shortly. They’re perfect as a refreshing summer cocktail, served on ice in buckets with limes for garnish.

NOVO FOGO ANNOUNCES NEW BRAZILIAN ORGANIC COCKTAIL

RTD Line Sets Industry Standard as the First-Ever USDA-Certified Organic Canned Cocktail Made with Brazilian Cachaça

SEATTLE, WA—Novo Fogo Organic Cachaça today announces that they have completely redesigned and reformulated their popular line of award-winning Brazilian canned cocktails, offering consumers a fresh way to experience their carbonated twist on Brazil’s national cocktail, the Caipirinha. Novo Fogo Brazilian Organic Cocktails come in three tropical flavors and are USDA-certified organic.

The award-winning, sustainability-oriented cachaça producer makes handcrafted cachaça from estate-grown sugarcane in Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest and is a pioneer in spirit-based ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. For over six years, Novo Fogo’s canned cocktails have introduced North American drinkers to Brazilian cachaça in an approachable, convenient, and delicious format. The current product evolution represents a giant leap forward in organic ingredient certification, packaging design, and flavor.

Novo Fogo’s Brazilian Organic Cocktails highlight three traditional Brazilian flavors—Lime, Passion Fruit, and Mango—that complement the base spirit of Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça, beloved by bartenders across the globe. The 100% natural ingredients have been reformulated to create a cocktail that is now certified organic by the USDA, a first for any cachaça-based RTD and a big win for Mother Earth. This breakthrough now makes Novo Fogo’s entire product line USDA-certified organic.

The colorful design of the 12 oz sleek cans evokes Novo Fogo’s origins in the Brazilian rainforest and emerged in collaboration with multi-Grammy-nominated dance music duo, SOFI TUKKER, who became co-owners and global ambassadors of Novo Fogo in October 2022. SOFI TUKKER’s vibrant, inclusive, and global perspective on electronic music has attracted legions of adoring fans worldwide, and Novo Fogo’s Brazilian Organic Cocktails are poised to accompany SOFI TUKKER’s music as the perfect concert cocktail.

Novo Fogo Brazilian Organic Cocktails feature new recipes that are full-flavored and not too sweet, each at 9% ABV with 150 calories and 12 grams of carbohydrates per serving. The aluminum cans have grown to 12 oz in volume, with 1.8 proper cocktail servings per can. Although they are new in every way, these updated cocktails continue to combine freshness, deliciousness, and shelf stability by virtue of their organic-certified ingredients that harmonize as balanced, carbonated drinks. Drink ‘em how you like ‘em, as long as they’re cold: straight from the chilled can, over ice in a glass, and with or without an extra squeeze of lime.

Novo Fogo is an award-winning Brazilian cachaça producer that handcrafts their spirits at their zero-waste distillery at the edge of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil’s southern state of Paraná. The purest representation of USDA-certified 100% organic sugarcane, Novo Fogo’s Silver Cachaça is the result of single pot distillation in small batches to maximize the flavors of local terroir in the finished spirit. Silver Cachaça is the base spirit for all three Brazilian Organic Cocktails.

“We have always been committed to genuinely reflect Brazilian culture in our brand persona, while also observing and respecting North American consumer trends. These new organic cocktails are a natural evolution of our understanding of the world and incorporate the positive, colorful, and vivid inspiration that SOFI TUKKER brought to the brand. As with everything we do these days, our new Brazilian Organic Cocktails represent the intersection of integrity and joy,” says Novo Fogo’s founder and CEO, Dragos Axinte.

Novo Fogo Brazilian canned cocktails are sold to distributors nationwide by 375 Park Avenue Spirits and online with a suggested retail price of $3.75 per can and $14.99 for a four-pack. To learn more about Novo Fogo products, please visit www.novofogo.com.

About Novo Fogo

A passionate advocate for sustainable practices in the spirits industry, Novo Fogo is a carbon-negative company that produces USDA-certified 100% organic cachaças at its zero-waste distillery in the heart of Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest. Its production methods prioritize human and environmental sustainability; the company is proud of its all-female distiller team and its legacy reforestation project, The Un-Endangered Forest™, which seeks to restore 44 species of threatened native trees. Extending this ethos to its cocktail audience, Novo Fogo has been a trailblazer for sponsoring health and wellness initiatives for spirit industry members. The company’s product line intersects traditional Brazilian culture with modern cocktail trends of healthier drinking, such as low carbs, low ABV, and low calories. Seeking to build a business that can last 100 years, Novo Fogo has partnered with multi-Grammy-nominated global dance music duo SOFI TUKKER to foster increased awareness towards its brand of conscientious capitalism. Find Your Own Brazilian Zen™ by visiting https://www.novofogo.com.

About 375 Park Avenue Spirits

375 Park Avenue Spirits specializes in the premium- to luxury-spirit categories and their portfolio includes numerous expressions from leading international producers.  Founded as Luctor International, LLC in 1981, 375 Park Avenue Spirits joined the Sazerac Company in early 2015 to act as an independent, yet fully integrated sales and marketing affiliate. The company is known today for creating an environment of growth for supplier partners in the domestic market for renown brands like Van Gogh Vodka from Holland, Sobieski Vodka from Poland, Cutty Sark Blended Scotch, J.P. Wiser’s Canadian Whisky, Paul John Single Malt Whisky from India, Scapegrace Gin from New Zealand, Novo Fogo Cachaça and many others. For more information on 375 Park Avenue Spirits, please visit www.375park.com.

Images courtesy of Novo Fogo Organic Cachaça

KRG Hospitality Start-Up Restaurant Bar Hotel Consulting Consultant Solutions Plans Services

Bartender presenting cocktail in upscale setting
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The 50 Best Bars in Asia in 2023

The 50 Best Bars in Asia in 2023

by David Klemt

Bartender presenting cocktail in upscale setting

2023 Asia’s 50 Best Bars Bartenders’ Feast.

Join us in congratulating each of the bars and their teams earning placements on the 2023 Asia’s 50 Best Bars list by the World’s 50 Best Bars.

As is often the case, Hong Kong and Singapore claim an exceptional number of bars. I fully expect to see a handful of the bars on the list below on the World’s 50 Best Bars list this year.

Speaking of which, that ceremony, the 15th edition of the list, will take place on October 17 in Singapore. Again, I expect the host city to claim multiple spots.

Cheers to Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2023!

To review the 2023 Asia’s 50 Best Bars, 51 to 100 list, please click here.

By the Numbers

While Singapore doesn’t claim the number one spot this year, the island country does boast 11 entrants. Further, three of Singapore’s bars hold spots in the top ten.

Hong Kong is home to eight bars on this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. Like Singapore, three bars in Hong Kong are among the top ten.

There are seven bars in Japan (five in Tokyo), one earning a top-ten slot. Six of the bars on the 2023 list are in Seoul, South Korea.

Thailand and India both have four bars on the list. The former boasts two bars in the top ten.

There are three bars in Taiwan among the fifty.

Malaysia and Indonesia each have two bars among Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2023. Both of Malaysia’s bars in Kuala Lumpur, and both of Indonesia’s are in Jakarta.

Mainland China, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka each have a bar on this year’s list.

100 Incredible Bars

When we take the back half of this list into account, Singapore continues its domination, with 19 bars earning placement.

Hong Kong boosts its number of bars to 13, and Japan adds seven bars to bump its total to an even dozen. Seoul, South Korea, claims eight bars total.

Thailand, counting both lists, has eight amazing bars, as does Taiwan. In total, there are nine bars in India. Six bars in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and there are a total of four bars in China.

The Philippines have one bar on the one to 50 list, and one on the 51 to 100 list, for a total of two bars among Asia’s 100 best.

The Best Bar In:

Hong Kong: Coa

India: Sidecar

Japan: Bar Benfiddich

Korea: Zest

Mainland China: Hope & Sesame

Malaysia: Bar Trigona

Philippines: The Curator

Singapore: Jigger & Pony

Sri Lanka: Smoke & Bitters

Taiwan: Indulge Experimental Bistro

Thailand: BKK Social Club

See the list below for the Best Bar in Asia.

Asia’s 50 Best Bars: 50 to 1

  1. Penrose (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)*
  2. The Bellwood (Tokyo, Japan)*
  3. The Living Room (Mumbai, India)*
  4. The Old Man (Hong Kong)**
  5. Soko (Seoul, South Korea)*
  6. High Five (Tokyo, Japan)**
  7. Bee’s Knees (Kyoto, Japan)
  8. The Public House (Taipei, Taiwan)*
  9. Native (Singapore)**
  10. Vender (Taichung, Taiwan)*
  11. Smoke & Bitters (Hiriketiya, Sri Lanka)(The Best Bar in Sri Lanka)
  12. Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou, China)(The Best Bar in Mainland China)
  13. Copitas (Bengaluru, India)
  14. Southside Parlor (Seoul, South Korea)*
  15. Bar Trigona (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)(The Best Bar in Malaysia)
  16. The Bombay Canteen (Mumbai, India)*
  17. The Curator (Manila, Philippines)(The Best Bar in the Philippines)**
  18. Mostly Harmless (Hong Kong)*
  19. Stay Gold Flamingo (Singapore)*
  20. Quinary (Hong Kong)
  21. Employees Only (Singapore)**
  22. Pantja (Jakarta, Indonesia)*
  23. Alice (Seoul, South Korea)
  24. Atlas (Singapore)
  25. Penicillin (Hong Kong)
  26. Le Chamber (Seoul, South Korea)
  27. 28 HongKong Street (Singapore)
  28. Lamp Bar (Nara, Japan)
  29. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok, Thailand)(London Essence Best New Opening)*
  30. Manhattan (Singapore)
  31. Virtù (Tokyo, Japan)(Disaronno Highest New Entry)
  32. The Cocktail Club (Jakarta, Indonesia)(Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu, the Best Bar in Indonesia)
  33. Sidecar (New Delhi, India)(The Best Bar in India)
  34. The Aubrey (Hong Kong)
  35. Republic (Singapore)
  36. Analogue Initiative (Singapore)(Ketel One Sustainable Bar)
  37. The SG Club (Tokyo, Japan)
  38. Cham Bar (Seoul, South Korea)
  39. Vesper (Bangkok, Thailand)
  40. Indulge Experimental Bistro (Taipei, Taiwan)(The Best Bar in Taiwan)
  41. Sago House (Singapore)(Michter’s Art of Hospitality)
  42. Darkside (Hong Kong)
  43. Argo (Hong Kong)
  44. Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
  45. Tropic City (Bangkok, Thailand)
  46. Zest (Seoul, South Korea)(Nikka Highest Climber, the Best Bar in Korea)
  47. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo, Japan)(The Best Bar in Japan)
  48. BKK Social Club (Bangkok, Thailand)(The Best Bar in Thailand)
  49. Jigger & Pony (Singapore)(Rémy Martin Legend of the List, the Best Bar in Singapore)
  50. Coa (Hong Kong)(The Best Bar in Asia, the Best Bar in Hong Kong)

Congratulations to each of the operators and bar teams above! Cheers!

* Denotes new entry, ** denotes re-entry.

Image: The World’s 50 Best Bars

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

Negroni on edge of white countertop with reflection
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

People Aren’t Done ‘Improving’ the Negroni

People Aren’t Done ‘Improving’ the Negroni

by David Klemt

Negroni on edge of white countertop with reflection

It’s possible the infamous Sbagliato Negroni is just the opening salvo from bartenders hell-bent on taking on the traditional specs and build techniques.

Two “new” versions appear to be getting attention now. One is essentially a reverse cocktail. Additionally, it’s likely only really a “new” drink to North Americans.

The other, well, it’s something else entirely. Let’s take a look.

The Mariano, a.k.a the Marianito

This is the Negroni cocktail that’s probably new only in the sense that many North American drinkers are just now hearing about it. In Northern Spain, this is a go-to summer cocktail.

It’s also, like many reverse cocktails, low-ABV and therefore rather sessionable. Further, the Marianito is an excellent ambassador for aperitivo culture.

To be fair, we probably shouldn’t be so reductive and refer to this cocktail as a Negroni riff. So far, I’m unable to uncover the story of its genesis, so I don’t know if the Negroni even inspired the Marianito.

After doing some digging, though, the Marianito apparently first appears in print in 1989. However, some people believe the drink likely traces its origins back to the 1950s. There are also two prevailing origin stories that focus on the name because…of course. This is how so much of cocktail history goes, and I love it.

One story is that “Mariano” is a portmanteau that combines the names of the most popular vermouths in Spain: Martini and Cinzano.

The other story? A waiter who drank little glasses of vermouth (often with a splash of gin or Campari) fell in love with the daughter of someone named Mariano. She didn’t feel the same way, locals in the area found, and they referred to his little drinks as “Marianitos,” after his father-in-law who never was. Not very nice, but alright.

At any rate, the Marianito is a popular summer cocktail. It’s also a year-round drink for many in Northern Spain. Particularly, apparently, in the port city of Bilbao. It’s also a cocktail that is often riffed on, so it lends itself to experimentation.

A Marianito Recipe

Notice this says “a” recipe, not “the” recipe. I’ve come across a few different builds claiming to be the “right” specs.

Some people add 50ml of sweet vermouth, some add 75ml. There are builds that call for vermouth rosso, and those that call for sweet vermouth.

That tells me one thing: bars in Northern Spain like to try and make the Marianito their own. So, experimentation is encouraged.

However, try the specs below before playing around with your Marianito:

  • 75ml Sweet vermouth
  • 15ml Campari
  • 15ml Gin
  • 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • (Optional) 15ml Pomelo juice
  • Orange twist and an olive to garnish

The Sushi Rice Negroni

This…is exactly what it sounds like. When building a classic Negroni, you add sushi rice when mixing it.

The theory is simple enough to understand: sushi rice “softens” the flavors of other ingredients. So, adding sushi rice to your build should soften or “round out” the flavors of your Negroni.

Before we get too far, no—the rice doesn’t end up in the glass.

For this technique the bartender adds anywhere from a few grains to two tablespoons of cooked sushi rice to a mixing glass. After that, the build is the same as the standard cocktail, including the final step: straining into a glass over large ice cube.

Interestingly, bartenders can play with using uncooked or cooked sushi rice. Theoretically, this would adjust how much “softer” the drink turns out. And, of course, proponents of this technique say it can be beneficial to cocktails beyond the Negroni.

However, at the moment, it appears that the Negroni once again finds itself as the subject of experimentation. I can only imagine what else bartenders will subject it to before the year’s end.

So, will you and your bar team try the sushi rice technique?

Image: Tim Durand on Pexels

KRG Hospitality Mixology Training with Jared Boller

Aubrey Plaza holding a Margarita made with Cointreau
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Are You Making MargaRights or MargaWrongs?

Cointreau Wants to Know: Are You Making MargaRights?

by David Klemt

Aubrey Plaza holding a Margarita made with Cointreau

Temperatures are rising and people are socializing, so Cointreau wants to make sure you and your team make Margaritas right.

In fact, they’re so serious about Margarita specs that they’re partnering with Aubrey Plaza educate the public. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Margarita, the iconic brand is launching the MargaRight campaign.

Challengers come and go but so far, the Margarita is the top cocktail in the US. This has been the case for many, many years. Of course, it’s also a popular cocktail around the world and has been number one in other countries as well.

Now that we’re a week away from the “official” start of summer, it’s paramount to make sure your Margaritas are MargaRight. For one thing, it’s the perfect summer sipper. For another, people are eager to socialize in restaurants and bars, and the Margarita is sure to join groups of friends as they hang out together.

But there’s another reason to ensure your Margs are on point: The wrath of Aubrey Plaza. More accurately, avoiding incurring Plaza’s wrath for putting MargaWrongs across your bar.

Margarita mix? Anger. No Cointreau? Fury.

To borrow a refrain from fanatics of another classic cocktail, it’s safe to say that Plaza would agree with, “No Margarita without Cointreau.”

The Original Margarita

Some, including Cointreau, support the belief that the Margarita’s creation traces back to 1948. For this origin story, Dallas socialite Margarita Sames is either the inventor of the Margarita or asked for a signature cocktail for a party she was hosting at her Acapulco home. Going further, another claim is that Tommy Hilton was a party guest and brought the recipe to Hilton properties, helping to make it famous.

Another claim is that the Margarita is simply a logical evolution of the Daisy. The mid-1800s tipple has a cocktail family named after it, and the Margarita, Sidecar, Cosmopolitan, and Daiquiri sprang forth from it.

Regardless of what origin story you choose to believe, Cointreau champions the original recipe: Cointreau, blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, and a lime wheel to garnish. It’s this classic recipe that Cointreau and Plaza are adamant about for the MargaRight campaign.

To learn more about the MargaRight campaign and Cointreau’s celebration of the Margarita, please read the press release below. Cheers!

Cointreau and Aubrey Plaza Make Your Margarita MargaRight This Summer

Plaza celebrates summer and 75 Years of The Original Margarita

NEW YORK – June 14, 2023 – Cointreau, the iconic orange liqueur, is teaming up with Aubrey Plaza to launch a new creative campaign where the actor insists that the only way to enjoy a Margarita is the MargaRight way, and that is with Cointreau, of course.

Who better to show you MargaRight from MargaWrong than the famously irreverent Aubrey Plaza, who is known for her fearless honesty and unparalleled wit. “I love Margaritas – and the only way to make them MargaRight starts with three ingredients: Cointreau, tequila and fresh lime juice,” said Plaza. “Otherwise, it’s just MargaWrong.” Plaza continued, “This summer, you’ll only catch me ordering Margaritas MargaRight, and Cointreau will always be at any party of mine.”

Cointreau is an essential ingredient in The Original Margarita, and has been for 75 years, since Dallas socialite Margarita Sames created the recipe in 1948. In celebration of its 75th anniversary, Cointreau debuts today its largest creative campaign to-date across connected TV, digital, and social platforms. Captured in both home entertaining and bar and restaurant settings, Cointreau’s summer campaign creatively captures a comedic tone alongside its elevated style. The campaign has a range of video spots and photo stills showcasing how Margaritas should be enjoyed all summer long, always with Cointreau. To check out the NEW campaign, head to https://www.cointreau.com/us/en/whats-new/margaright.

“Cointreau has a history of cinematic storytelling with continued investment in marketing and partnering with top-tier celebrity talent, now including Aubrey Plaza,” said Nicolas Beckers, President and CEO at Rémy Cointreau America. “We want to continue to invite consumers to enjoy our brand wherever they are, and Aubrey is the perfect partner to showcase how three simple ingredients – Cointreau, tequila and fresh lime juice – are all you need to make your summer and Margarita MargaRight.”

As Margarita Sames once said, “a Margarita without Cointreau is not worth its salt.” Whether you’re ordering one at a bar or shaking it up at home, make your Margarita MargaRight and head to Cointreau.com to learn more.

The Original Margarita:

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz. Cointreau
  • 2 oz. Blanco tequila
  • 1 oz. Fresh lime juice

Directions:

  1. Rim your rocks glass with salt
  2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice
  3. Shake vigorously until well chilled
  4. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice
  5. Garnish with a lime wheel

About Cointreau:

Iconic orange liqueur creator and cocktail pioneer, Maison Cointreau was founded in 1849 in Angers, France. The brand’s heritage as a liquorist-distiller lives on today at the heart of more than 500 cocktails, including the original Margarita and Cosmopolitan. Cointreau liqueur’s distinctive character is the result of the meticulous selection, harmony, and distillation of sweet and bitter orange peel essences, a task entrusted to Maison Cointreau’s Master Distiller. Unique and boasting exceptional organoleptic qualities, it’s a staple for bartenders and at-home cocktail enthusiasts around the world. Visit www.cointreau.com and follow us on Instagram for more.

To learn more about Cointreau, visit www.cointreau.com or follow Cointreau on Instagram via @Cointreau_US or Facebook via @cointreauUS.

About Rémy Cointreau:

All around the world, there are clients seeking exceptional experiences; clients for whom a wide range of terroirs means a variety of flavors. Their exacting standards are proportional to our expertise – the finely-honed skills that we pass down from generation to generation. The time these clients devote to drinking our products is a tribute to all those who have worked to develop them. It is for these men and women that Rémy Cointreau, a family-owned French Group, protects its terroirs, cultivates exceptional multi-centenary spirits and undertakes to preserve their eternal modernity. The Group’s portfolio includes high-end and singular brands, such as the Rémy Martin and Louis XIII cognacs, and Cointreau liqueur. Rémy Cointreau has a single ambition: becoming the world leader in exceptional spirits. To this end, it relies on the commitment and creativity of its 1,850 employees and on its distribution subsidiaries established in the Group’s strategic markets. Rémy Cointreau is listed on Euronext Paris.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, from Rémy Cointreau, Cointreau, or any other entity in exchange for this post.

Image and videos courtesy of Cointreau

KRG Hospitality Beverage Programming

2023 Woodford Reserve Secretariat Julep cups
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

How to Make a $3,500 Mint Julep

How to Make a $3,500 Mint Julep

by David Klemt

2023 Woodford Reserve Secretariat Julep cups

If you want to craft an incredible $3,500 Mint Julep, the first step is to acquire one of 50 Woodford Reserve gold Secretariat Julep cups.

Now, should $3,500 seem a “bit” exorbitant, you can also opt for one of 100 silver Julep cups for $1,000.

Cup in hand, simply fill it with crushed ice and pour a refreshing Mint Julep over it. Et voilà—a delicious $3,500 or $1,000 Mint Julep!

Okay, so you’re probably wondering what I’m on about. Am I really suggesting you craft thousand-dollar-plus cocktails? I mean…if you have guests who’ll pay that much, yes, I am.

In reality, however, I’m making you aware of this year’s Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep™ charity program. This program is a longstanding Kentucky Derby tradition.

For 2023, the $1,000 Mint Julep™ will benefit the Secretariat Foundation. That makes sense given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of Secretariat winning the Derby.

The foundation, the brainchild of Secretariat’s owner Penny Chenery, is a non-profit that focuses on equine-related industry subjects, such as:

  • veterinary research into lameness of the horse;
  • Thoroughbred retirement and rehabilitation facilities;
  • therapeutic equestrian programs; and
  • general funding for related established charitable programs.

Silver and Gold

As you probably can put together yourself, there are 150 Secretariat Mint Julep cups available. One hundred are silver, 50 are gold. Respectively, they cost $1,000 and $3,500.

In keeping with this year’s theme of celebrating Secretariat and supporting the horse’s namesake charity, each features blue and white checkered silks in sapphires. The 2023 Mint Julep cups are handmade by Louisville, Kentucky jewelers From the Vault.

Gold 2023 Woodford Reserve Secretariat Mint Julep cup

People who choose to support the charity via purchasing the gold cup will have their name engraved on the bottom of the cup. These cups also come with the autograph of Ron Turcotte, Secretariat’s jockey.

In addition to supporting the charity, people who buy one of the 150 cups will have access to the $1,000 Mint Julep Experience at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. (Which is also where and when buyers must pick up their cups.)

Secretariat’s Mint Julep

Alright, so let’s be more realistic. Only 150 people are going to splash out for the $1,000 or $3,500 Secretariat Mint Julep. And while supporting a charity like the Secretariat Foundation is a great thing to do, people are struggling.

So, below you’ll find the recipe for the Mint Julep variation that those attending the $1,000 Mint Julep Experience will be enjoying. It’s up to you if you want to offer it on Derby Day to raise funds for the Secretariat Foundation or a charity of your choosing. It’s perfectly reasonable to simply offer the refreshing cocktail as a Derby Day LTO.

Pack a Julep cup with crushed ice, making sure to make a dome over the lip of the cup. Add the whiskey and liqueur to a mixing glass and stir. Pour over the prepared cup. Garnish with one sprig of mint and one stalk of Virginia bluebells.

Should you prefer a more traditional build, express the oils of a mint leaf inside the cup. Add the bourbon, chestnut liqueur, and crushed ice. Garnish with more crushed ice, mint, and Virginia bluebells, then serve.

For our most bourbon-centric Bar Hacks podcast episodes—including episode 32 with Woodford Reserve—click here.

Images: Woodford Reserve

KRG Hospitality Beverage Programming

Top