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2 INDUSTRY INSIGHT By Alan Forester, CPA, Attorney 4 MARKETING NEWS GET A SHELF LIFE Stack up the profits with these smart shelving strategies.

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12 BRAND PROFILE FERRARI-CARANO 14 NEW PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS

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16 NEW PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS

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18 COVER FEATURE A SEA-WORTHY NEW RUM Though Seagram’s has enjoyed a solid, 150 year-old reputation covering many spirits categories, the launch of Seagram’s Smooth Brazilian Rum shows it continues to think outside the bottle. 28 CATEGORY FOCUS SMALL BREWERY, BIG BUSINESS Craft beers attract attention and market share, as brewers commit more resources. 34 CATEGORY FOCUS RUM-BLINGS OF CHANGE The enduring spirits category, more than ever, continues to surprise and startle with its versatility and increasingly upscale appeal.

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48 CATEGORY FOCUS PISCO’S HOUR Interest in the history, making and experience of distinctive Muscat grape-based spirits has gained momentum over the past decade. Now, it is now poised to take a greater role on bar menus throughout America. 50 CATEGORY FOCUS CACHAÇA CROSSOVER To understand Brazil’s national spirit, you must understand where it comes from, where it’s been and where it’s heading. 54 INDUSTRY EVENT JACK DANIELS Jack Daniels Studio No. 7 rocks Southern California beverage trade with music and cocktails that rock. 56 WINE & SPIRITS GUILD ADVICE FOR RETAILERS FROM RETAILERS 60 INDUSTRY INSIGHT By Lauren C. Tyson, Liquor Liability Consultant 62 INDUSTRY NEWS 64 POUR OF THE MONTH FINEST CALL MIXERS

INDUSTRY INSIGHT BY ALAN FORESTER, CPA, ATTORNEY WWW.ABCLAWYER.COM 800-464-1040

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Beverage Industry News VOLUME 100, ISSUE NUMBER 35 FOUNDED IN 1934 www.binonline.net

MISDEMEANOR DUI LAW IN CALIFORNIA - PART 1 A driver convicted of a DUI in the state of California may be punished by a court imposed penalty. The most common DUI offenses are the misdemeanor offense and felony offense. Although misdemeanor DUI offenses are punished less severely than felony DUI offenses, a driver may still be sentenced to jail and fined up to $1,000. The most important distinction between a misdemeanor offense and a felony offense is that a misdemeanor offense does not involved injuries to the other driver. When a driver is convicted of a misdemeanor offense the judge is required to impose at least the minimum fine, penalty assessment, license suspension period and treatment program duration required by law. Drivers convicted of a misdemeanor offense are typically ordered to pay two types of fines: (1.) an offense fine, and (2.) a penalty assessment. A misdemeanor offense fine generally ranges from $390 to $1,000 and penalty assessments total 170% of the offense fine. In terms of the driver’s actual license it may be restricted, suspended or revoked. A restriction on the license limits when and under what circumstances a driver can use a vehicle and typically only allows for transportation to and from work or a treatment program. If a driver’s license is suspended it will be entirely withdrawn but only for a specified time period or until a certain condition is met by the driver. Lastly, if a driver’s license is revoked it will be completely terminated and the driver will be required to reapply for a license after the revocation period ends. Drivers who are convicted of a misdemeanor offense must also complete a drinking and driving treatment program prior to license reinstatement. Repeat offenders will never receive credit for programs completed prior to the current violation. In some cases, the judge may even have the driver’s vehicle impounded if the offender is the registered owner of the vehicle, although this is not occur very often. Judges have the power to impose additional sanctions on top of those mandated by the state and may ensure that an offender’s sanctions are the maximum allowed by the state for a misdemeanor. For example, if a driver is convicted by the court of their first offense misdemeanor DUI it is up to the discretion of the judge whether the offender is sent to jail or granted probation. In the instance that the judge decides to impose a 48-hour jail sentence, they must also mandate probation. Court-ordered probation for DUI offenders typically lasts three to five years. During this time drivers must ensure not to commit any criminal offense, drive with any measurable amount of alcohol in their blood, and can not refuse to submit to a chemical test upon the court’s request. I will discuss second part of misdemeanor DUIs in the next article. Alan Forester is an attorney, CPA and an expert witness in Alcoholic Beverage Control Law. For more information, please visit www.ABClawyer.com or call 800-464-1040. I Disclaimer: This article is not to be construed as legal advice. Please check with an attorney before taking action.

Editor’s Note: In BIN's June 2009 issue, the article discussing DUI Law in California was incorrectly called “Sexual Harassment.” The correct title for the article is: “DUI Law in California.”

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GET A (SHELF) LIFE By Alia Akkam

Stack up the Profits with these Smart Shelving Strategies

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alk into any wine and spirits store, and it

Wine Sense

might take you a few minutes to get your

Scott Spencer, owner of Houston Wine Merchant, stocks about 95% of his store with wine and the other 5% is devoted to spirits to keep his loyal wine customers happy. Spencer’s American selections are organized by varietal and price point within that category. “If someone is looking for a bottle that costs $25, they have all their alternatives right in front of them,” he points out. Niche Texan wines on the other hand are arranged by winery. “For this section, customers are familiar with the wineries already and they want to know what is available from them,” he notes. Global wines are usually broken down by country and then color and price. If one is looking for a white Italian, they’ll find it by pricing, not a specific region. French wines, though, which are extremely pop-

bearings. Is the California Chardonnay with the Zinfandel or the Viognier?

Does vodka share shelf space with bourbon? Retailers organize their stock in many different configurations, but is there only one correct way to maximize your shelf space? We asked the experts to uncover their profit-boosting strategies. 4

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ular with Spencer’s clientele, are grouped into geographical regions. Karl Ronne, who owns two Wine Thief locations in New Haven, CT, has experimented with various shelf layouts for his stores. He found that when he organized all Syrahs together, for example, it easily got confusing for his customers. So, he now arranges wines by region first and then varietals. Usually, his clientele seeks out specific French or California wines, so it is much easier for them to locate a bottle when the geographic buzzword is amplified. Bob Lipinski, director of training, Southern Wine & Spirits of New York, sees another trend. “There seems to be a small, growing interest in grouping wines by flavor and style,” he explains. “It’s something I happen to like because it offers creativity and makes a wine shop stand apart. [More than three categories isn’t necessary, however; you don’t want to confuse the customer.]” To help drive wine sales, Lipinski encourages retailers to capitalize upon their cold boxes given that about 90% of wine purchased off-premise is meant to accompany food, whether at home, a party or a BYOB restaurant and start asking themselves if they’re going to put a brand in there that generates a good return on investment. “Start maximizing your sales opportunities by knowing how many and which bottles are sold after 6:00 pm. from the cold box,” he points out.

Every Monday, Houston Wine Merchant showcases slow-moving products on the discounted “close-out” rack.

“Our advice is to provide value products at the shelf for those who want them, but to keep the overall merchandising focus on the premium tier.” – Bob Fountain, director, Category Business Solutions, Diageo North America

Insider Tip no.1 Don’t take your cold box for granted. Many wine-buying trips take place at the last minute, right before a customer sets out to dine or head to a party. If they don’t have the time to explore the shelves in search of the perfect bottle, they’re going to settle on the convenience of what is ready to go in the cold box. So, make sure the brands that are chilled are popular, recognizable names that are sure to drive profit. 6

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Focus on Spirits For Spencer, the key to moving his small collection of spirits is by offering different sized bottles of the best-selling brands. When placing the 1.75 L and 750 ML bottles side by side, he always puts the 1.75 L to the right. “It’s old school merchandising: most people grab with their right hand,” he notes. 6

At The Jug Shop Wine & Spirits in San Francisco’s Nob Hill, eCommerce manager and Spanish wine buyer, Paige Granback, says that spirits are organized by type, but given spatial constraints, the most popular ones, vodka, tequila and Scotch, get wall space while the rest are found on gondola shelving. “Most retailers merchandise spirits by sub-category (e.g., vodka, rum, scotch),” explains Bob Fountain, director, Category Business Solutions, Diageo North America. “At a higher level, we recommend merchandising white spirits adjacent to white spirits (e.g., vodka next to gin), and the same for brown spirits (e.g., Scotch next to North American whisky). Research shows that consumers tend to shop within spirit colors than across colors and merchandising complementary products together may help to drive incremental sales.” One often overlooked tip for pushing spirit (as well as wine) sales, comes from Mark Wartenberg, sales and marketing consultant for the Royal Wine Corporation and former general manager at Wine on the 9 in Howell, NJ. “Salespeople should take special notice of their merchandise and go around their store with a cloth, dusting and making sure their products look approachable on the shelves,” he says.

The Power of Words Can shelf talkers really drive your bottom line? Clean, attractive shelf talkers lure in customers at California Wine Merchants in NYC

“Some retailers want to carry everything; but carrying too many items makes as little sense as carrying too few.” – Bob Lipinski, director of training, Southern Wine & Spirits of New York

Insider Tip no.2

ENGAGE YOUR CUSTOMERS Jennifer Frank, California Wine Merchants, NYC, thinks shelf talkers can help keep customers interested. “Shopping for wine can be an intimidating experience,” she says. “We find that our customers like information to be conveyed in an accessible and entertaining way because it engages them in the wine buying process and enables them to make a smart purchase decision.”

While it’s tempting to lump all of your vodkas together and your gins separately, you may want to consider organizing all your white spirits together (and the same for brown goods). Customers like shopping within the same color spectrum and this means you could actually help push sales of another category. When seeking out say a flavored vodka, having a London-style dry gin on display nearby can introduce them to new products that may spike interest.

AVOID CLUTTER Shelf talkers and bottle neckers are undoubtedly more common for bottles of wine than spirits, but Bob Fountain, Diageo, thinks they are just as important for the spirit categories, with one caveat: “It is important to balance the use of tags, which can be extremely effective because they call attention to certain items amidst a sea of bottles. When used too sporadically, however, they look like a mistake or an afterthought; when used too often they become just more clutter in the store environment and actually end up doing more harm than good.” KEEP IT SHORT “Retailers don’t always have

Breaking the Routine

the opportunity to hand sell each product so that’s why shelf talkers are important,” says Mark Wartenberg, Royal Wines Corporation. “Keep them short and clean. They should be no more than five words long with terms customers can relate to like bold, medium bodied or semi-dry. Keep the pretentiousness off shelf talkers.”

When customers return to your store, naturally they want to see their same go-to brands. But how often do you need to shake up inventory to keep them interested? “We change our product selection based on what the industry presents to us. Whenever there’s a great new spirit that our buyers feel would make a nice addition, we bring it in,” notes Granback. “Some are very loyal to the brands they want, while others are more like explorers,” she explains. “Conversely, when something isn’t selling well, we don’t bring it back.” Lipinski says that with finite shelf space, particular attention needs to be paid to items that are guaranteed

USE AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL Bob Lipinski, SWSNY, would like to see more shelf talkers and neckers used in the promotion of spirits. “There are three groups of shoppers: someone not interested in Parker scores who knows which Bordeaux they want; someone who has $5 and is looking for a bottle on the cheap; and someone who is hungry for info. Very few really know everything about single brands,” he says. “Shelf talkers and neckers are a way to educate your consumers and let them know they’re not just buying a Scotch, they’re buying, say, a Speyside Scotch aged in sherry barrels.”

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to sell: “On any given shelf, there are about 35-40 items and 12-15 are understocked or overstocked. Some retailers aren’t really paying attention and want to carry everything; carrying too many items makes as little sense as carrying too few items.” While it is vital to focus on the top selling brands for each category (and for each retailer, these selections will undoubtedly be different) niche products, like the $1,200 Cognac, also shouldn’t be overlooked. “Not everything is for everybody, but for every product there is a customer,” points out Wartenberg. “A whiskey that most people consider bad can be labeled a ‘novelty item’ or ‘a collector’ and can be sold for a nice profit.” Sometimes, the realization of an inevitably poor buying decision can translate to creative marketing promotions. Each Monday morning, Spencer fills up his “close-out rack” with marked down bottles of

Insider Tip no.3 What are your top two selling brands for each category? Make sure you’ve got them stocked in all available sizes. Your fastest moving brands are going to be different than your competitor down the block. Make sure you stay ahead by playing up those brands that are category leaders and most recognized through word of mouth and advertising. 6

Keeping Your Shelves Relevant “We change our product selection based on what the industry presents to us. Whenever there’s a great new spirit that our buyers feel would make a nice addition, we bring it in.” – Paige Granback, The Jug Shop, San Francisco

Q Sitting on your shelf for six months or longer? Toss it. You’re wasting precious shelf space—and dollars—on a more financially viable product. Getting rid of slow-moving SKUs means you can bring in more facings of faster, productive selections. Q The key to a successful store is product diversity. Does your store attract a particular ethnic community? If so, make sure your selections reflect that. Q A vast product assortment is essential to keeping customers content and intrigued but overstocking, without considering the impact a product will have on your consumers, can actually work against you. Q Don’t neglect niche brands. While they might not be instant money-makers, they symbolize prestige and make your store stand out as a specialty from the rest of the pack. Q Take advantage of the calendar year. Each month brings a new holiday or season. Capitalize upon that by utilizing free-standing displays and endcaps to spotlight products specific to certain events or times. Putting your rosé selections up front during the warmer months is bound to drive traffic while showcasing cordials in the winter months will help boost holiday sales. Q Finding favorite products easily is important to loyal customers, yet at the same time, it’s important to them to see that your store is staying current and tapped into trends. Make sure you cycle in new products.

product that aren’t selling; if it remains there the following week, it gets marked down even further. This creative sales tool not only opens up new shelf space for a wine that isn’t moving or a vintage that changes, but keeps the customers interested. For some of them, they may choose to come back a week later to see if it’s still there at an even deeper discount. Whether they do or don’t buy that particular sales item, the important thing is, they’re back in the store.

Value Versus Luxury While the new economy might have altered many things, as far as the fundamental principles of shelf merchandising, little has changed. Fountain points out that shoppers still look for premium products on the top shelf, value products on the bottom shelf and leading brands on the eye shelf. In particular, Diageo still uses leading brands, like Smirnoff and Crown Royal, as signposts to help customers navigate category offerings that might otherwise confuse them. “Even in the new economy the premium tier is still growing and is gaining share within spirits,” Fountain says. “Our advice is to provide value products at the shelf for those who want them, but to keep the overall merchandising focus on the premium tier. Through high visibility and competitive pricing on premium spirits, retailers may improve customer satisfaction by delivering great deals on the products their shoppers love, while paving the way for 10

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greater profits by selling a higher ring, higher margin product.” For the Wine Thief’s Ronne, he doesn’t see any shelving changes in direct response to the economy. “We work with a lot of smaller producers. Regardless of what’s going on out there, our average bottles sales are still around $15,” he says. “We keep those bottles at eye level instead of putting the luxury bottles there.” The Jug Shop also hasn’t altered their layout to accommodate the more trying economic times. “We really have not changed anything in the spirits section in response to the economy,” says Granback. “The less expensive brands have been and still are placed towards the bottom, with the luxury brands more at eye level and higher. If you want something cheap, you’re going to have to squat for it.” Q

I S S U E

Insider Tip no.4 Never mind today’s troubling economy. All the forecasts might predict the time isn’t right for premium products, but continue to play them up. Value brands, which are undoubtedly more in demand today, should be available to keep prices relevant for your customers, yet premium products are still growing. Be sure to keep them in visible areas. 6

BRAND PROFILE

Three Cheers for the Reds, Whites and Green Ferrari-Carano stays successful beyond its great American wines, putting more emphasis on environmentally sound practices and providing superb value for trade and consumers. By Elyse Glickman

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have included, ‘A Tradition of Excellence promotions and campaigns reflect people’s hile Ferrari-Carano has been Time and Time Again,’ ‘Fall In Love Again desire to stay closer and entertain more at a market leader for more than and Again’ and a ‘Tried & True Friend’ phihome,” Rhonda Carano points out. “We are twenty years, and is always delosophy in our marketing efforts.” focusing on Ferrari-Carano’s longevity in the veloping exciting new wines to maintain “Ferrari-Carano is a consistent, familmarket, emphasizing quality and value comtheir niche in California wine production, iar face that has always provided quality bined. Recent Ferrari-Carano ad headlines one thing that is not new to founders Don and value in every bottle of wine, at every and Rhonda Carano is their green approach price point,” concurs Don Carano. “With to winemaking, from the fields to the table. a diverse portfolio of wines to choose from, Though winemaking has generally been a we are proud to be able to offer high-quality “green” production process in many respects, wines for every budget and every palate, the Caranos and their team have always while being respectful of the land for future made it a point to take care of the earth. generations.” “Long before the public became tuned Among this year’s new releases, the 2007 in with such issues as global warming, Ferrari-Carano Tre Terre Chardonnay from Ferrari-Carano has practiced sustainRussian River Valley is full-bodied and rich able farming techniques, from vineyard to with a delicious fruit component. The 2006 bottle,” says Rhonda Carano. “We believe Cabernet Sauvignon’s depth and showy tanworking hand-in-hand with nature enhancnins make it perfect for pairing with red es the quality of the fruit. For this reason the meats and strong-flavored cheeses.Those winery gives back to the land in many ways, who prefer powerful, robust Cabernets will such as ensuring natural crop nutrition by also enjoy PreVail West Face and PreVail recycling organic matter for use as mulch in Back Forty, two Cabernets from Ferrarithe vineyards, planting cover crops and inDon and Rhonda Carano Carano’s mountain ranches in Alexander tergrating desirable plants and animals.” Valley. They are also particularly Though the balance between proud of their 2008 Fumé Blanc, on- and off-premise sales is shiftas it is such a versatile wine. ing, the Caranos point out there “We have an opportunity to are ways to create excitement for tell our story, get personal with their new releases, as well as ways our customers via our wines,” conon-and off-premise accounts may cludes Rhonda Carano. “While help their customers find joy in rewine lovers are cutting back and discovering classic reds and whites searching for value-oriented, with fresh new twists. The new quality wines, they want to idenpromotions and forthcoming retify with the personalities behind leases reflect their preparedness for Ferrari-Carano. It’s not just a botthose shifts. Ferrari-Carano’s Baby Doll sheep munch on the green grass and weeds tle of wine, it’s a lifestyle.” Q “Some of our more recent below the grapevines, turning them into natural fertilizer.

NEW PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS

1 Burnett’s ADDS PINK LEMONADE TO PORTFOLIO OF VODKAS Burnett’s collection of vodkas has expanded to include its 19th flavor, Pink Lemonade. The launch of the new flavor will be supported by POS floor displays and shelf facings as well as sales education materials. Burnett’s Pink Lemonade is available in PET 1.75 L/50 ML and glass 1L/750 ML sizes and bottled at 35% alcohol by volume (70 proof). Vist www.burnettsvodka.com

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2 Bonterra RELEASES ITS 2008 DRY ROSÉ Recognized organic producer, Bonterra Vineyards, has released its 2008 dry rosé. The salmon-colored wine is a blend of 100% organic Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Syrah grapes and offers flavors of strawberry, tart cherry and vanilla. Visit www.bonterra.com

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3 Yarden INTRODUCES MOUNT HERMON RED Yarden Inc., recognized importer of Israeli wine, has released its Mount Hermon Red to the American market. Mount Hermon Red, named after the mountain in Golan Heights, is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and has strong berry fruit characters with hints of herb. Visit www.yardenwines.com 4 Van Gogh LAUNCHES DUTCH CARAMEL VODKA Dutch caramel is the newest flavor to join the Van Gogh portfolio of 19 super-premium vodkas. Produced in small batches at the Royal Dirkzwager distillery in Holland, Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka is the first caramel flavored and colored vodka on the market. The new flavor will be available in three sizes: 1L, 750 ML and 50 ML and will retail for $27/750 ML. Visit www.vangoghvodka.com

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5 ÍS Vodka LANDS STATESIDE ÍS Vodka (pronounced “ice”) is an ultra-premium vodka crafted from naturally pure Icelandic water and non-genetically modified European wheat. The new vodka comes in a tall, elegant bottle carrying an Icelandic angel holding a “7”, its number of distillations. ÍS Vodka retails for $39.95, and is available in select markets. Visit www.isvodka.com 6 Charles & Charles UNVEILS SINGLE VINEYARD ROSÉ In a unique collaborative effort, Charles Bieler (of Three Thieves / Rebel Wine Co. and BIELER Père et Fils) and Charles Smith (of K Vintners, Magnificent Wine Co. and Charles Smith Wines), have paired up to create a single vineyard dry rosé. The wine – aptly named Charles & Charles – is produced at the Talcott Vineyard in Columbia Valley Washington and follows a traditional Provençal style of rosé. Charles & Charles retails for $12 and will be available nationally. Contact: [email protected] 14

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NEW PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS

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1 Asunto de Vino RELEASES THREE NEW CHILEAN WINES Asunto de Vino, translating into “An Affair with Wine”, has added Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a Shiraz/Carménère blend to its line of wines. The Asunto de Vino collection also includes their flagship varietal Carménère, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The three new wines will retail between $9.99 and $12.99. Visit www.asuntodevino.com

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2 Drambuie UNVEILS BOLD NEW BOTTLE DESIGN Drambuie Liqueur is changing its look with a striking new package concept. Altering the original design first created in 1745 for Scotland’s Charles Edward Stuart, the brand has adopted a new style developed by French design studio Linea. The new bottle launch will be supported by television and print advertising, on-premise events and consumer sampling. Visit www.drambuie.com.

DRAMBUIE LIQUEUR changes its look with a striking new package concept.

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3 Crane Lake Cellars INTRODUCES AUSTRALIAN CHARDONNAY Crane Lake Cellars has imported and begun distribution of a 2008 Australian Chardonnay. Described as “rich and abundant in flavor”, the wine has an SRP that competes in the super-value category – about half the price of many leading Australian Chardonnays. The package is eco-friendly, with a lighter weight glass, real cork and recycled paper label. Advertising support including radio and outdoor, entitled “More For Your Dolla Koala”, will be available in select markets. Down Under, imported and bottled by Crane Lake Cellars, Napa and Sonoma, CA 4 Boisset’s Fog Mountain Wine DEBUTS WITH ECO-FRIENDLY BOTTLE Fog Mountain, the newest addition to Boisset Family Estates, is the first California wine launched in the U.S. in a 1L PET plastic bottle. The wine is 100% Merlot sourced from prime growing areas throughout California and is served in a lightweight bottle made from recyclable plastic, offering 33% more wine than a typical 750 ML bottle. eVisit www.boissetfamilyestates.com

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5 Southern Comfort LAUNCHES READY-TO-SERVE COCKTAIL LINE Just in time for summer barbeques, Southern Comfort has created two ready-to-serve cocktails: Southern Comfort Sweet Tea Cocktail with classic Southern Comfort and refreshing sweet tea, Southern Comfort Hurricane Cocktail, a combination of the and New Orleans Hurricane and Southern Comfort. Both new cocktails will come in 1.75L sizes and will retail for $19.99. Visit www.southerncomfort.com. 6 Kellan Offers AN IRISH WHISKEY WITH AMERICAN FLAIR To add a distinctive touch to its whiskey, Kellan selects onceused American bourbon barrels for its aging process. The result is a whiskey excluding aromas of honeyed nuts, cream and dried wildflowers with a smooth spiced finish of cocoa and gingerbread. The International Wine and Spirits Competition has awarded Kellan the title of “World Distillery of the Year”. Available through Berniko Imports. Visit www.berniko.com 16

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Are you paying for the bottle ? Or, are you paying for the vodka ?

www.truthinvodka.com

Please Enjoy Sobieski Responsibly. SOBIESKI

®

VODKA, 40% ALC./VOL. (80 PROOF). PRODUCT OF POLAND. ©2009 IMPORTED BY IMPERIAL BRANDS, INC., PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL

A SEA-Worthy New Rum THOUGH SEAGRAM’S HAS ENJOYED A SOLID, 150 YEAR-OLD REPUTATION COVERING MANY SPIRITS CATEGORIES, THE LAUNCH OF SEAGRAM’S SMOOTH BRAZILIAN RUM SHOWS IT CONTINUES TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOTTLE BY ELYSE GLICKMAN 18

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ith a myriad of next-big-thing brand names and concepts seeking their niche in different spirits industry categories, there’s something to be said for being the “old” kid on the block. The marketing intelligencia and distillers at Seagram’s know this, and they are milking their good name for everything it’s worth—and doing it with continued momentum and finesse. Besides being one of North America’s oldest purveyors of Gin as well as a major producer and/or player in several spirits categories, they are also behind some of the most clever product launches of their day. Who could forget the blues-y and memorable “Seagram’s Golden Wine Cooler” campaign from 1986, featuring a cool, young Bruce Willis?

This blockbuster sent Seagram from the fifth biggest distiller to the top in less than two years. More recently, in 2003, Seagram entered the vodka game at the start of this category’s major boom. Since then, Seagram’s Vodka has grown at an 18% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate)—which translated in to layman’s terms, means the company continues to prosper, even in a recession which has affected a normally recession-proof line of products. The expansion of the rum category into sub-categories provides an opportunity to give consumers many options to fill their different needs during different occasions. The growing rum sub-categories have definitely attributed to the strong growth of the rum category.

COVER FEATURE continued “You can’t escape the fact that everybody’s looking for great quality at an affordable price.

That

pretty much describes Seagram’s Rum, which is a spirit made from great quality ingredients at a very affordable price...” – Craig Johnson, Marketing Director

SEAGRAM SEES RUM IN THEIR FUTURE Even with the economy and increasingly competitive and crowded spirits arena, Seagram’s is showing there is no challenge they cannot handle when staking their claim in a category they set out to conquer. Rather than answer the predictable question, “Why launch a new rum,” their approach is to boldly ask, “Why not launch a new rum?” To create the perfect product to venture into this new arena, Seagram searched the world over for an ideal source for the perfect rum. They found it in exotic Brazil, a product of several rums made by two distilleries in Sao Paolo, one of which is the Capuava distillery in nearby Piracicaba, known for their long history of producing distilled products from sugar cane. According to Sheila Senhouse, Brand Manager, Seagram's Rum at Pernod Ricard USA, the resulting authentic and highquality spirit provides an ideal balance of unique rum character and unparalleled smoothness and this smooth flavor and unique taste profile make it the perfect rum to mix in today’s most popular cocktails. “As one of the only spirits/adult beverage trademarks to successfully span across mul20

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tiple categories, we thoroughly did our research before making the decision to develop and release the line. Our research positively revealed rum as a great fit,” she says. “From this point, there was nothing else to do but move forward.” Seagram’s top brass realized in digging further that the category offered Seagram’s and parent company Pernod-Ricard significant sales and awareness building opportunity for the Seagram brand name. Furthermore, they found that because the rum category had grown by 10 million cases over the last decade, and is forecasted to grow by another 10 million cases in the next 10 years, they not only had a nice competitive edge but also a good foundation to back it up. While Seagram’s Rum is currently available only in the U.S., Senhouse attests that 6

the growing popularity of rum internationally gives Seagram’s Rum extra excitement, buzz and vitality in the U.S., as consumers all over the world are interested in trying new and exciting rum cocktails. With Seagram’s Rums joining the Pernod Ricard USA portfolio, it becomes part of a globally successful beverage industry force that includes other iconic spirits brands and products, such as ABSOLUT® Vodka, The Glenlivet® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Chivas Regal® Scotch Whisky, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, Wild Turkey® Bourbon, Seagram’s Extra Dry Gin®, Beefeater® Gin, Plymouth™ Gin, Martell® Cognac, Malibu® flavored Rum, Kahlúa® Liqueur, Hiram Walker® Liqueurs, Pernod® and Ricard®; such superior wines as Jacob's Creek® and Brancott Estate®; and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines

COVER FEATURE continued CLASSICS WITH A SEAGRAM’S SWING Senhouse points out that nationally acclaimed mixologist Allen Katz (who also serves as director of mixology and spirits education for Southern Wine and Spirits of New York, and is the president of the New York

chapter

of

the

United

States

Bartenders Guild) was one of the creative forces behind several of the cocktail recipes being used for highlighting the flavor and versatility of the rum.”

SEAGRAM’S RUM & COLA 1 part Seagram’s Smooth Brazilian Rum 3 parts cola Pour ingredients into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with lime wedge.

SEAGRAM’S CAIPIRINHA 1 Part Seagram’s Smooth Brazilian Rum 1 Tbsp. granulated Sugar 1 Lime Muddle sugar into lime wedges in an oldfashioned glass. Fill glass with ice cubes. Pour Seagram’s Rum into glass. Stir well.

SEAGRAM’S RASPBERRY FIZZ 1 part Seagram’s Raspberry Rum 3 parts club soda Pour ingredients into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with raspberries.

products, remains the number one selling gin in the U.S. The combination of growth opportunity and respected quality brand name made the decision to enter the rum category a no-brainer. Collectively the Seagram’s adult beverage franchise represents more than 12million cases in the US which is attributed to the strength of the Seagram’s name, so the addition of rum builds on that strength rather than represent a ‘me too’ approach.” This then leads up to the question, “Why Brazil?” Johnson offers many answers. “On a practical level, Brazil has been the world’s largest producer of sugar cane since 2005, with raw products used in making sugar, molasses and rum,” Johnson adds. “On a consumer level, meanwhile, there is a mystique about Brazilian culture, lifestyle and cocktails that’s well loved on a global scale. And from a flavor standpoint, mixologists and rum fans love the light variation on the spirit, with distinctive citrusy notes and great mixability coming from a blend of column & pot still distillation. “We tested concepts from around the world with consumers and the exotic, mysterious qualities that embody Brazil emerged as having the strongest appeal,” says Johnson. “ “Brazilian rums are traditionally distilled to create a lighter spirit with citric, lemon notes which is exactly what we were looking for and what we know our consumers and trade clients want as well.” “During these economic times, consumers are still demanding a lot from their purchases, and our trade clients demand products that will move from their shelves,” interjects Senhouse. “You can’t escape the fact that everybody’s looking for great quality at an affordable price. That pretty much describes Seagram’s Rum, which is a spirit made from great quality ingredients at a very affordable price. Consumers and our trade clients can buy with confidence, knowing they are getting great quality, mixability, fantastic flavor and versatility” As a mixologist who trains and educates bartenders, Allen Katz, Mixologist for Southern Wine & Spirits (distributor for Pernod Ricard products, including

as Perrier-Jouët® Champagne, G.H. Mumm™ Champagne and Mumm Napa® sparkling wines. Along with the other brands, Seagram’s Rums will benefit from an overall corporate strategy combining a respect for the past with the constant search for fresh ideas. Marketing efforts for every brand are consistently aligned with consumers’ evolution, and it will allow marketing for Seagram’s Rums, beyond the launch, to not only respond to changes in the market, but also to anticipate them. Pernod Ricard USA’s success is credited to a solid strategy focused on generating value and striving to outperform the competition through brand-building activities that capture consumer imagination as well as effective wholesaler management ensuring a successful route-to-market.

THE SEA-CHANGE Seagram’s Smooth Brazilian Rum launched in May 2009 along with two vibrantly packaged flavors, Seagram’s Citrus Brazilian Rum and Seagram’s Raspberry Brazilian Rum, amid great hopes and expectations. Seagram’s Smooth Brazilian Rum is now available in 1.75L, 1.0L, 750ml, 375, 200ml, 100ml and 50ml sizes, with the 750ml format retailing for a suggested price of $11.99. Seagram’s Citrus and Raspberry are available in the 1.75L, 1.0L, 750ml, and 50ml sizes, also line priced at $11.99. Craig Johnson, Marketing Director for Seagram’s Smooth Brazilian Rum at Pernod Ricard USA, believes Seagram brand rums, even with a crush of ambitious newer brands and products entering the market, would be an attractive proposition for the trade as well as a compelling new offering for consumers who both love something new and looking for ways to enjoy their old, trusted favorites. “The monumental growth of the rum category definitely offers the Seagram’s trademark a significant opportunity to increase sales and brand awareness,” he affirms. “American consumers know and trust the Seagram’s name. Seagram’s Gin, which also incorporates the Seagram’s Twisted Gin and Seagram’s Gin & Juice 22

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COVER FEATURE continued Seagram’s Rums) feels that a mix of interest in Brazil stirred up by the emergence of cachaça, along with great taste and real value gives the newly launched Seagram’s Rums a competitive advantage. “I am often working in bars and prefer to order drinks I would not make at home,” Katz points out. “Consumers and beverage professionals are all looking for that sense of adventure when preparing and drinking cocktails. With this in mind, something as comfortable as rum is good to have in stock, especially when you’ve got rums like Seagram’s--affordable from a consumer standpoint and an opportunity for great profits from an on-premise standpoint. Bartenders are the rock stars of the service industry at the moment. And during this recession, bartenders are looking at what they can do to contribute to the profitability of their bar. Though taste rules, and quality and flavor are important in the final cocktail, there is a keen interest in looking at the profitability of the spirits used to mix them.”

Capuava Distillery in Piracicaba located in Sao Paulo.

products a distinctive taste, natural spices and fruit flavors that, “makes it so blendable, not only with fresh fruit and juices, but also colas, sodas and pretty much any kind of mixer. One of the recipes being used to promote the new line of rums is a variation on the classic caipirinha.” She also adds that Seagram’s rums and cachaça are made from similar ingredients, sugar cane juice, but Seagram’s rums are distilled at a much higher level (55% -72% abv) than a cachaça, which makes the product a smoother, more palatable, mixable spirit. That being said, most mixologists worth their salt (and sugar), as well as an increasingly savvy pool of consumers, know that cachaça has been the traditional foundation of the caipirinha. Even with the possibility of some purists and spirits of aficionados balking out there, Senhouse, Johnson and the rest of the team are not worried about any form of backlash or comparisons. Senhouse feels that even with the new(er) cachaça category on the rise, the best strategy to adopt is to sell Seagram’s rums on their own merits. A straight-forward message woven with a little history will set the stage for a great exchange of communication.

THE CACHAÇA QUESTION Katz believes that whether one is considering a purchase of rum or cachaça, what ultimately matters most is the quality of the product inside the bottle. Whether you are dealing with adventurous consumers, people behind the bar, or retailers, and there is an interest in both cane spirits, you can go on to the story about what makes rum from Brazil special. “Because most Americans have not spent a lot of time in South America, but are familiar with the culture, you can conjure up an image of the vibrant culture and exotic flavors of their cocktails in consumer’s minds,” he adds. “Generally, when people think of rum, they often think of the Caribbean, or other countries in the tropics. To bring clarity, and tell the story behind Seagram’s Rums, it’s best to explain exactly what’s inside the bottle and where exactly it comes from.” Senhouse enthusiastically brings up the fact that Seagram’s trio of rums are made from sugar cane juice that she explains is processed in such a way to give the final 24

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FROM THE HEART OF BRAZIL While Seagram’s Rum is sourced from two distilleries in Sao Paulo, it should be noted that the Capuava Distillery, brings a literal 6

history of success to the Seagram’s Rum formula. Founded in April 22nd, 1886 by a Danish Engineer, and owned and operated by its fourth generation, Capuava transformed from a collective of Danish Immigrants manufacturing wooden furniture to a sugar-distilling powerhouse that integrates a mix of science, meteorology and quality control to produce optimum raw material to manufacture rum and Cachaça. They credit their endurance and consistency to excellent soil, along with Analytical field productivity control, variety control, maturation control, harvesting control and constant meteorological follow up. In 2001, Capuava established its Brazilian Beverages & Liquor Ltda. (BBL) arm, around the mission statement that their objective was to be a purveyor of, “Alcoholic Distilled Liquor of high quality supplied to national and international bottlers.” The founders also acknowledge that the international consumer has changed, and they now demand high quality spirits that not only taste great but also have no after effects to ensure “pleasure in drinking”(responsibly).This is undoubtedly something Seagram’s embraces, which in turn is reflected in their sales and marketing efforts. “Even with the Cachaça boom happening right now, we shouldn’t forget that Brazil is actually a major rum producer for

COVER FEATURE continued the world,” Senhouse elaborates. “Many distilleries all over Brazil make both cachaça and rum products, and for many brands. For this reason, we feel we do not have to define a distinction between cachaça and rum, because our products are clearly labeled as Brazilian rum. On the other hand, if we were making a cachaça, we would have the challenge of explaining that it wasn’t a rum, and we would do our labeling and marketing efforts accordingly and clearly. I think a lot of American consumers will also be intrigued because Seagram’s is a Brazilian rum, and there are not too many Brazilian rums on the market in this country.”

SALES SAMBA Senhouse confirms that Seagram’s Rum will support their recent launch with trade advertising, a range of POS materials, a 50ml retail promotion where legal, off-premise sampling (where legal) and targeted internet programming to reach younger (LDA+) consumers who enjoy socializing and having fun. “Our tag line is, ‘Taste how Seagram’s Does Rum,’ which is a call to action for consumers to try the product, especially as chances are they’ve tried other plain and flavored rums,” stresses Senhouse. “We have a two-fold goal with this philosophy-to leverage the Seagram’s brand equity and play up the product’s Brazilian origin and connections to the culture that inspired it. Visuals are colorful and meant to evoke the passion, vitality and zest for life embodied by Brazil. Furthermore, we are conducting local tasting events in different markets across the U.S., including off-premise sampling and cocktail promotions so consumers don’t just hear the message but experience it through their senses. Senhouse also acknowledges that the still-emerging foodie culture is playing a role in the future for Seagram’s Rums, especially with the decision to include the flavors in the initial push of the brand and product launch. “People these days are really paying attention to taste and quality, which, again, creates the perfect launch pad for Seagram’s rums,” she continues. “Our consumer appreciates the quality of ingredi-

“People these days are really paying attention to taste and quality, which, again, creates the perfect launch pad for Seagram’s rums,” – Sheila Senhouse, Brand Manager

ents that went into it, especially the Brazilian sugar cane. This (development) is not surprising when you consider drinks using fresh muddled fruit and juices are so popular right now, and you need a product that has the right flavors and degree of smoothness to work for those recipes.” Based on the company’s research prior to the launch, the marketing people at Seagram’s determined after talking with mixologists as well as on- and off-premise clients, that citrus-flavored rums were the most in-demand, followed by raspberry rums. Senhouse also notes that Mixologists and trade clients’ input will continue to be valuable as more consumers become more familiar with Seagram’s Smooth Brazilian Rum. “Mixologists play a wonderful role in highlighting all the many ways to consume rum,” says Senhouse. “With the popularity of drinks like the mojito and the revival of old classics like the daiquiri, mixologists continue to lead consumers in versatile ways to consume rum. Mixology and the foodie culture have both given rise to consumer demand for quality. Seagram’s Rum is a quality product made from quality ingredients and is a perfect rum to fill consumers’ needs.” While some beverage industry profes-

sionals may wonder if Seagram’s Rums are a “me-too” product, capitalizing on the growing interest in the category, Katz explains that issue can be resolved by looking at it from two different perspectives. “There is always going to be enthusiastic audiences for these new products hitting the market, and with a name like Seagram’s, consumers and some members of the trade will react favorably because they are familiar with the name and know it as a mark of quality,” he says. “Those who know and like Seagram’s Gin will have a built in curiosity about the new products under the banner. The other thing is that there is such a big interest in the trade and professional, that will naturally create a wonderfully strong demand for new products and education. Though there may be some presumptions made about Seagram’s Rum by professionals based on their opinions of Seagram’s Gin, blind taste tests even the playing field and give professionals to experience what’s in the bottle. We’ve done this with Seagram’s Rum, and reactions have been overwhelmingly positive”. For example, Seagram’s Smooth Brazilian Rum and Seagram’s Citrus Rums each won silver medals in the 2009 San Francisco Spirits Competition. I

Two Brothers mountain in Brazil that is used on the label of Seagram’s Rum.

Magic Hat Brewing Company’s brewery in South Burlington, VT

CRAFT BEER

At work in the Dogfish Head brewery, Milton, DE

Inside McMenamins’ Highland Pub & Brewery, Gresham, OR

Small Brewery, Big Business Craft Beers Attract Attention and Market Share, as Brewers Commit More Resources

O

n Tuesday nights at The Beer Table in Brooklyn’s Park Slope, the communal tables are packed with friends and couples tucking into the $25 three-course meal, which might include arugula salad with roasted ramps, butter beans with herbs and ramp mayonnaise and rhubarb crumble. For just $15 more they pair their meal not with wine, but with corresponding specialty drafts Hopfenstark Baltic Porter, Wintercoat Double Hop and Hopfenstark Ostalgia Rousse. 28

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Meanwhile, in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley, Arlequin Café, sister to cocktail lair Absinthe Brasserie & Bar and Arlequin Wine Merchant, features more than 30 beers to pair with its Indian spiced lamb burgers and Cuban pork confit sandwiches. This summer they’ll also be rolling out an afternoon beer pairing for customers to enjoy in the outdoor garden. Currently, total annual dollar volume for the craft brewing industry is $6.3 billion according to the Boulder, CO-based Brewers Association. In 2008 there were nearly 8.6 million barrels of craft beer produced in the U.S. and growth was 5.9% by volume and 10.1% by dollars. The Brewers Association also reports that as of December 2008, craft brewing sales is 4% by volume and 6.3% by dollars. Sam Calagione, founder and president of Dogfish Head in Milton, DE describes the craft beer phenomenon as a “true grassroots, organic consumer movement.” Craft brewers might not have the

Photo credit: StudioSchulz.com

By Alia Akkam

CRAFT BEER

financial resources “to advertise and market with enough critical mass to move the market share needle the way Bud, Miller, Coors and Corona do, but in the long-run, our method of slow and steady, word of mouth, consumer-pull-based growth will be more sustainable.” Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing in San Diego agrees. He’s been enjoying great craft beers for over 20 years and thinks that the category’s profitability has been cultivated over the years. “Since craft beer’s growth has been natural, rather than artificial–it’s not based on old-line models of advertising, discounting, trendiness–it is one of long term sustainability,” he says. Jeff Gorlechen, vice president of Sixpoint Craft Ales in Red Hook, Brooklyn, points out that prior to the mid-60s and the advent of mass advertising, Americans supported their local breweries with staunch enthusiasm. “What you are seeing now is a return to where the American beer industry was in the first half of the last century,” he says. This return means good things for Sixpoint: last year they produced just over 6,000 barrels and expect to do 25%-50% more than that this year. Twenty years ago, it seemed like the big imports dominated the beer scene. “They were here when the population exploded after the war, with pocketfuls of money to invest in marketing their brand. Today, the buzz is back to crafts and the imports market is flat or declining for the first time in memory. Clearly an oversimplification but, I believe, directionally accurate,” says Alan Newman, CEO of Magic Hat in South Burlington, VT, whose brewery has grown–save for one year–at an annual rate of 22%. Whether it’s a college student who spends 90% of their discretionary income on specialty brews or a wine lover who wants to age their favorite beer alongside the Bordeaux in the cellar, Calagione says that his demographic for Dogfish Head is broad. “When we opened in 1995 the average beer we brewed was 90% abv and brewed with six as opposed to the ‘traditional’ four ingredients. In that era we were the smallest brewery in the country. Fast-forward to today and we are one of the fastest-growing breweries in the country but still our average beer today is 9% abv and brewed with six ingredients. I think consumers see and appreciate

Stone Brewing’s Greg Koch with a Stone Ruination IPA

CRAFT BEER BY MARKET SHARE (as of 12/31/08)

4% 6.3%

in volume in dollars

Source: Brewers Association, Boulder, CO

CRAFT BEER BY PRODUCTION (for the year ended 12/31/08)

5.9% growth by volume

10.1% growth by dollars

Source: Brewers Association, Boulder, CO

that we have been committed to our mission of off-centered ales for off-centered people since day one,” he explains. Dogfish Head’s commitment to innovation translates to successive financials: they are up over 40% in revenue and over 35% in barrelage thus far this year.

Living Local Drinking and eating locally has gained tremendous importance in the past several years which means a boon for craft brews.

Newman remembers growing up in postwar suburban Long Island and seeing local bakeries shut down to make way for packaged Wonder Bread instead. But now, he has not had a piece of “fluffy white bread” served to him in over 10 years, thanks to the return of the artisanal movement. This same trend applies on the beer front. “In the Pacific Northwest and Northeast, craft beers now have mid-teen market shares of beer–higher than imports in many markets–and we are seeing dramatic growth rates in parts of the country that were considered ‘no-man’s land’ for craft beer just five years ago. I believe this trend will continue,” Newman says. The craft renaissance has put the emphasis on affordable luxuries points out Calagione: “Instead of a giant SUV or fancy watch, consumers are treating themselves to locally roasted coffee, organic milk from a regional dairy and amazing, fresh beer brewed right in their communities.” Koch, however, thinks that it’s the craft products themselves helping to set the trends. “I believe that the deeper trend of drinking and eating locally-made artisanal products has been driven by the fantastic companies making them. Whether its cheeses, breads, CSAs, small ethical pig farmers or craft brewers, together we have

Pint of Sixpoint Craft Ale

CRAFT BEER

all contributed to this larger movement. And we have been collectively raising the bar and producing things that are compelling,” he explains. In fact, it is this passion that has prompted him to create his I Am a Craft Brewer video, capturing the camaraderie and character of the American brewing movement. John Richen, chief brewery administrator of McMenamins Breweries in Portland, OR says that some microbreweries are now so popular on a national scale, that regional appeal matters far less than it once did: “But it started as a local movement and will always have drinkers who gravitate toward the beers made by small breweries close to home, which is a good thing and an important and marketable connection that allows the little guys to stay very competitive and healthy on their own turf.”

A selection of beer from McMenamins Breweries

sales happen at the table. In a crowded bar on a Friday night, Magic Hat’s new Artifactory this is a little more challenging when the bar is three deep and people tend to order the Dogfish Head is known for its beer dinbeer they know and it’s difficult to ask quesners revolving around Calagione’s book with tion. Flash forward four years later and our wine expert Marnie Old, He Said Beer, She highest volume accounts are bars now that Said Wine, which gets it paperback release people are more familiar with our brand,” he this month and attracts both beer and wine says. This brand awareness has led to collablovers. “It’s been great,” says Calagione who orations with The Modern at the Museum is releasing a new tea and spice-infused beer of Modern Art in NYC, where all four tap this month called Sah’tea. “From national lines are devoted to Sixpoint. chains like Ruby Tuesday to all the killer local beer-bars around the country, our draft sales are up over 40% YTD at a time when casual restaurant sales in general are down, so a lot of people must be trading up to more “In the Pacific Northwest and flavorful beer.” Northeast, craft beers now have Koch also notices that more restaurateurs are getting in touch with him to let mid-teen market shares of beer him know how happy they are with his – higher than imports in many beers. “A large number of restaurants now markets – and we are seeing recognize that great craft beer can be profdramatic growth rates in parts itable, it brings in a better guest and helps to set their restaurant apart from the masses. of the country that were conThese are people that have gone to the efsidered ‘no-man’s land’ for craft fort to be passionate about what they do and beer just five years ago. I believe to seek out the best quality choices for their this trend will continue.” establishments. They are actively engaged and have a strong connection with the pro-Alan Newman, founder, ducers of the foods and beverages and with Magic Hat Brewing Company their local customers.” There’s still a long way to go. To get to the “promised land” as Newman calls it, craft needs to be a minimum of a 10 share For McMenamins, which doesn’t serve of beer in order to have the capital to invest its beer outside of its McMenamin-branded and compete with imports and domestic speproperties, historic locales like the Bagcialty beers. “To get there, we need multiple dad Theater and Pub in Portland and the strong players to accumulate the capital Lighthouse, Oregon coast’s first brewpub, an necessary to invest in capacity, marketing historic tie to the neighborhood is key to and sales to be competitive with imports, wine companies and specialty domestics,” reaching out to the community. “Our ‘culhe says. “While variety has been our greatture’ is successful because we expect each est strength, it is also our greatest weakness. place to establish their own neighborhood It drives category interest–at some level–but identity rather than take a cookie cutter apwithout building strong local and national proach to creating an environment,” says brands we dilute resources and prevent Richen. McMenamins special events inbrand allegiance, which is what I believe clude live music, festivals, dinners and cask will ultimately drive category growth.” Q releases at happy hour on a Friday.

Building a Brand For the guys over at Sixpoint Craft Ales, the biggest challenge was getting the product into people’s hands. They were fortunate to have a great business partner in their distributor, which had a history of forging relationships with key accounts. Particularly distinctive about Sixpoint Craft Ales, though, is that they are their own demographic. “We are seven guys in our mid-20s to late 30s and nearly all of us live in Brooklyn. We go out and enjoy life in the city and the people that visit the establishments that pour our beer have a lot in common with us,” explains Gorlechen. “They like the product but they also see a part of themselves in the brewery.” Since Sixpoint Craft Ales has virtually no marketing budget, hosting events with business partners has been key to building their brand. “We are unique in that we don’t have any bottled product so nearly all of our customer experiences take place in social settings which really goes a long way towards building a positive image for our brand,” Gorlechen continues. Available in just New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and now Philadelphia, Sixpoint Craft Ales first relied on accounts in better restaurants to drum up sales but now the trend has shifted according to Gorlechen. “In a restaurant it is much easier for them to sell a new product to a customer because many of the 32

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RUM-BLINGS OF CHANGE THE ENDURING SPIRITS CATEGORY, MORE THAN EVER, CONTINUES TO SURPRISE AND STARTLE WITH ITS VERSATILITY AND INCREASINGLY UPSCALE APPEAL

F

rom the end of Prohibition forward, the Rum category has been perceived as a vacation in a glass, whether sipped straight or incorporated into cocktails of the fruity, fun and frothy variety. However, the winds of change are blowing, and at the strength of a powerful Caribbean storm. The mixology craze over the past decade has boosted the Rum category’s prominence. Since the dawn of the 21st century, inventive bartenders have elevated sweet drinks to new levels of sophistication and reintroduced their patron’s to classics 34

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such as mojitos and daiquiris. The recent boom in luxury and novelty goods, including spirits, has prompted rum producers from around the world to strut their best stuff, and put upscale rums on the market intended to compete with the finest cognacs and brown spirits. Even in the current economy, a good rum and a cigar, is one luxury that particular segment won’t give up. The same holds true for young people on the hunt for something new, fresh and challenging that will brighten up a night out or a party in house. From the looks of things, no matter how tides

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Here’s to you! For more information about Admiral Nelson’s Premium Spiced and Flavored Rums please contact your Luxco representative.

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Please Enjoy Responsibly. ©2009 Admiral Nelson’s® Rum Company, 35% Alc./Vol. (70 Proof) Luxco Inc., St. Louis, MO

CATEGORY FOCUS continued

turn, Rum is on the rise. Retailers, restau-

the last fifteen consecutive years and is

urally spiced and smooth, is designed to rep-

rants, bar owners and bartenders better be

now the second largest spirits category

resent the history of rum as it was consumed

prepared for the new ideas, recipes, trends

behind vodka.

Cocktails such as the

throughout American history through the

and related products that will be raining

Mojito, Daiquiri and Mai Tai, are now

time when Sailor Jerry was active,” explains

classic starting points for innovative

Cesco. “If you look at the way rum was con-

mixologists to develop future classics.

sumed before WWII in America, it was

down and bringing customers in droves.

INTERNATIONALLY AMERICAN

“Rum was one of the top growth cate-

regarded as a masculine spirit and the basis

gories in the spirits industry last year, up

for a number of cultural revolutions in

Though Rums on the market today origi-

three percent from 2007,” observes Matt

America and throughout the world. In

nate from every point on the globe, from

Carroll, chief marketing officer at The

Sailor Jerry’s time, if sailors ran out of

South America and the Caribbean to

Patrón Spirits Company. “As the populari-

money they could trade and barter with

Austria, Africa and Asia.

However, as

ty of rum continues to increase, we see

rum. In some cases throughout U.S. history,

Tommy Bahama Rum’s marketing team

great potential for more people to discover

they could receive rum as part of their pay.

points out, Rum in America has a storied

and enjoy our portfolio of ultra-premium

Tattooing, meanwhile, was a right of pas-

history in its own right. Rum was distilled in

Pyrat rums.”

sage for many American soldiers, and Sailor

our country by 1664 and by 1770, with

Sailor Jerry Rum, a concept brand that

Jerry had elevated tattooing to a high form

more than five million gallons produced

is now seeing its sales soar, is building its

of folk art. To enjoy the rum that’s named

each year. In 1778, General George

brand equity through its ties to American

for him today, however, consumers don’t

Washington marked July 4th with a double

history, the artistic legacy of tattoo legend

need to have tattoos. A Sailor Jerry drinker

ration of it for his soldiers and an artillery

“Sailor Jerry” Collins and the role rum has

can also be somebody who appreciates fine

salute. Paul Revere had a swallow of the

played in social and popular culture.

spirits as well as American history, folk art

stuff to refuel his spirit during the course of

According to brand manager Suzi Cesco,

and the evolution of popular culture.”

his midnight ride. Benjamin Franklin com-

rather than conduct mass marketing or

Cesco adds that as the Sailor Jerry Rum

posed a poem about it. Ernest Hemingway

engage in over-the-top liquor promotions

marketing team sees things, many of the top

famously mixed it the cocktails that served

on- or off-premise, the company is allowing

rum brands have moved away from their

as a creative muse. On election night in

the Sailor Jerry name to speak for itself, not

original roots and consumption styles. They

1960, John F. Kennedy sipped it over dinner

only in its Rum format, but also other brand

see Bacardi’s image now focused on nightlife

at his house in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts

extensions, including a clothing line

and Captain Morgan’s brand equity built

as election returns trickled in.

launched prior to the rum in 1999, an

around party culture.

Though Cruzan is currently one of the

acclaimed documentary film (Hori Smoku

brands’ shifts of paradigm enables Sailor

few rums that can say it is produced on

Sailor Jerry) and music program. That said,

Jerry Rum to be a sub-category on its own.

U.S. soil (in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin

Sailor Jerry Rum has emerged as the brand’s

Islands), rum still holds an important place

stand-out product.

in our nation. The category has grown for

“Sailor Jerry Rum, which is strong, nat-

However, these

“We are not looking at the wider rum category in terms of how we market ourselves,” assures Cesco. “We are fortunate

CATEGORY FOCUS continued

that the quality of our product is high

Swizzle made with our English Harbour

enough quality to span several segments. It

Rum (Antigua) as well as Grand

Fond

can be enjoyed as a shot, on the rocks, as

Galion

sipping rum or as the base of high-end and

Cadenhead's Classic Green Label Rum

White

Rum

(France)

and

high-concept cocktails. However, when we

(blended with rums from Guyana, Jamaica

do promotional events and work with our

and Nicaragua). As people come to appreci-

clients, we focus most on the simple prepa-

ate the premium segment of the rum catego-

rations—the classic rum-and-Coke or rum-

ry, they will find exciting new taste sensa-

and-Ginger (Ale)—to emphasize the singu-

tions from hand-crafted rums. This trend

larity of the brand. We are not looking at

reinforces that rum has a place in the premi-

flavor extensions or other kinds of market-

um snifter that once only held Cognac.

ing approaches that other rum brands are

Rum, like single malts, is becoming an

engaged in. At the moment, we are one of

exciting category with many styles and fla-

the fastest growing rum brands in America,

vors coming to market. The expansion of

and this was validated by our taking the Fast

these styles has increased the awareness

Track Brand Award for a second time in

among consumers who now seek the better

2008. Our marketing is about brand discov-

products on the market.”

ery, which leads to sampling the rum and

Francesco Lafranconi, Director of

learning about the man who inspired it and

Mixology for Southern Wine and Spirits,

his artwork—and vice versa.”

RUM FOR IMPROVEMENT

like Henry Preiss, observes that the rum cat-

These rum cocktail recipes are guaranteed to up the happiness quotient at your customer’s next gathering or party.

gence, especially as Southern Wine and

egory in the U.S. is experiencing a resur-

THE KINGS OF CANE: THE TOPS OF TOP SHELF SIPPING RUMS Prior to changes in the economy, luxury enced a spike in popularity. Although current conditions have caused sales among most products to fall, super- and ultra-premium rums and other spirits are benefitting from the fact that they are an affordable luxury that consumers can enjoy out on the town or with home entertaining. Imports CEO and Founder, however, the rum category in the U.S.—especially the artisanal brands he focuses on--still faces international recognition in the U.S., it is fighting a slow battle up the hill of victory,” he assesses. “All that said, premium rums are making strides and inroads on drink lists

Pour all ingredients into a blender with a scoop of crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into a hurricane glass and garnish with a fresh pineapple slice and maraschino cherry.

are showing rum styles that hold up to Cigars, as well as flavorful and powerful drink cocktails such as the Caribbean I S S U E

at

large,”

Lafranconi

says.

“Nowadays, consumers are far more educated and understand that there is so much more to the category than the sweet, almost liqueur-like brands they came of age Latina food trends spreading across the country have also contributed to the growth of the rum category over the past American products such as Pisco and Cachaca has played a role. Aged rums and after dinner rums are just starting to catch on. Even so, we have to give credit to the mojito as the embodiment of the category,

in upscale on-premise establishments. We

•

Morgan were familiar to American consumers

decade. Even the emergence of other South Tommy’s Blue Hawaiian 1 part Tommy Bahama White Sand Rum 1 part blue curacao 1 part coconut cream 2 parts pineapple juice

some challenges. “While rum has gained

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such as Malibu, Bacardi and Captain

with. Additionally, the mojito and Nueva Muddle blackberries, basil and ginger in a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients, shake well and strain into a mixing glass. Top with a splash of lemon-lime soda. Garnish with an orchid.

According to Henry Preiss, Preiss

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rum brands. “Just a few years ago, only a few brands,

Bahama Basil Smash 2 ½ parts Tommy Bahama White Sand Rum 2 parts sour mix 3 fresh blackberries 4 basil leaves 4 slices of ginger ¼ part lemon-lime soda

products—including fine rums—experi-

38

Spirits distributes many of Preiss’ artisanal

generating more interest in the category and encouraging both businesses and consumers to expand their personal definition of what rum is all about.”

6

CATEGORY FOCUS continued

CEO Phil Joffray, whose Infinium

collection (Pyrat Cask 1623, Pyrat XO

Spirits recently acquired and revitalized the

Reserve and Pyrat Pistol). So much so, in

Zaya Gran Reserva brand, is very optimistic

fact that an elaborate consumer website

about the expanding reach of aged and arti-

www.pyratrum.com has been set up to bring

sanal rums.

The brand recently faced a

more substance to Pyrat’s “story.”

challenge of quality perception when pro-

Patrón

Spirits

International’s

Says Chief

duction facilities for Zaya Gran Reserva

Marketing Officer Matt Carroll, “The new

were moved to Trinadad from Guatemala.

site marks the first time that The Patrón

However, much labor and time was put into

Spirits Company has created a consumer-

the brand to ensure trade clientele and con-

focused brand campaign to support this

sumers were getting their money’s worth

high-end spirit. Creating this website

from the Zaya brand based on the niche it

allowed us to really dig deep into what

had occupied for years.

makes this rum so special, and tell the story

“In order to provide a plentiful supply of

of why Pyrat is truly so exceptional. In the

Zaya Rum without compromising on quali-

meantime, trade-focused print advertise-

ty or taste, we moved production to

ments for Pyrat, touting it as ‘the enlight-

Trinidad because of its nearly century-long

ened ultra-premium dark rum,’ came out Caribbean Swizzle 1 1/2 oz English Harbor 5 Year Old Rum 1/2 oz D’Aristi Xtabentun 1/2 oz Harvey’s Bristol Cream 1/4 oz Elixir G Ginger Mix 1 oz Fresh Lime & Agave Nectar Blend 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

history of producing luxury rums of exceptional quality and excellence,” says Joffray. “We’re using the same Zaya recipe, as it has always been, developed by the same Master Blender. Furthermore, the rum used for the new release of Zaya Gran Reserva has been resting undisturbed, in medium charred white oak barrels, for a minimum of 12 years on the island of Trinidad.” According to Joffray, initial tastings

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into ice filled glass, garnish with fresh mint sprig.

results were excellent. A side by side comparison of the new Zaya release with a bottle

Admiral Nelson’s Apple Pie 4 oz Admiral Nelson’s Premium Spiced Rum 2 cups apple juice or cider 2 oz Arrow Cinnamon Schnapps

of ‘old’ Zaya did reveal some subtle differences between the two. Testers, and since then, industry buyers and consumers have noted the new variation’s butterscotch, brown sugar and maple nose, balance, consistency and smoother palate as assets.

Combine all and garnish with apple slices.

“These results prove that the propriAdmiral's Punch 3 oz. Admiral Nelson's Premium Spiced Rum 1 oz. lime juice (fresh) 1/2 tsp. superfine sugar dash of orange bitters Fill with sparkling water

etary recipe handcrafted by our master tional quality,” says Joffray. “We predict prestigious awards will be forthcoming, and that Zaya will retain its position as the World's Finest Sipping Rum. I have no doubt that Zaya Rum will continue to be a

Shake with cracked ice and pour into a chilled Collins glass. Garnish with a slice of orange, a slice of banana, a maraschino cherry and sprinkle with nutmeg.

joy to drink.” The Patrón Spirits Company, meanwhile, is still enjoying success with its Pyrat BIN

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I S S U E

lications to support the impact the web site could make among consumers.” Carroll acknowledges that while total rum category sales was up by about 3%, the ultra premium sector is an area where consumers are especially gravitating toward. And while rum is produced in many countries, he believes that because the Caribbean is the epicenter of rum production, there is no better place to produce ultra-premium Pyrat rums. “For all Patrón Spirits products, including Pyrat rum, consumer education is key,” Carroll continues. “That education begins with bartenders and waitstaff who understand and appreciate quality spirits and cocktails. For this reason, we spend considerable effort to demonstarate Pyrat’s mixa-

blender will be hailed as a rum of excep-

40

during 2008 in beverage alcohol trade pub-

6

bility and versatility, as well as encourage drink menu placement.

Furthermore,

mixologists have a lot of fun with our products, conceiving new and unusual cocktails. People will continue to realize that better spirits make better drinks, which will help the continued growth of ultra-premium rums like Pyrat.” Elwyn Gladstone, Vice President for Marketing at Proximo Spirits, likewise, bet-

CATEGORY FOCUS continued ting the origins and distillation techniques that make Ron Matusalem, will capture the imagination of an increasingly educated and sophisticated buying public.

The

change in America’s overall demographics has also helped the brand. “Ron Matusalem has Cuban origins and is still made using the original Cuban recipe and formula,” says Gladstone.

“With so

much in the news about Cuba, I think it has spiked a lot of interest and attention. Also, in the U.S., a lot of the rum brands have strong following from people who have come from the same country as the rum, such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Honduras and Jamaica. People who travel

“Nowadays, consumers are far more educated and understand that there is so much more to the category than the sweet, almost liqueur-like brands they came of age with. Additionally, the mojito and Nueva Latina food trends spreading across the country have also contributed to the growth of the rum category over the past decade.”

to these places also develop an interest in these products. Consequently, this makes rum a very diverse category with much room for growth.”

SWEET SOMETHINGS: NICHE AND FLAVORED RUMS STILL SET TRENDS While luxury rums are gaining momentum, purveyors of flavored brands and other unique products built around a concept or novelty still have solid footing in the category. “The competition in this industry is incredible,” said Red Rum founder Dan DaDalt in an interview with the ArgusCourier, a newspaper based near the company’s headquarters in Petaluma. “It's a constant battle for shelf space. It's a tough, but fun business. I took a chance when I came up with it. I had no crystal ball. In my own mind I haven't reached my expectations for the company yet, but I'm glad that

– Francesco Lafranconi, Director of Mixology, Southern Wine and Spirits

the business is growing and getting a nice following. My goal is for it to be a national brand someday.”

CATEGORY FOCUS continued

The vision of this former SKYY Vodka

year veteran of rum production, to create,

executive has slowly but surely come to

distill and bottle the product.

fruition in recent years, as he added the

“The integrity of the rums was never

spiced VooDoo Rum and has most recently

comprised to meet a certain price point for

launched the heavy duty/50-proof Jolly

mass production,” affirms Byrne. “Only the

Roger Coconut & Key Lime Rum. One

finest all natural ingredients were used. The

thing contributing to the brands’ growth is

rums were allowed to fully mature before

his grasp on his target market, billing him-

being bottled. In today’s ‘foodie’ culture,

self as a forerunner in the “indie” part of the

consumers are savvy. They appreciate natu-

rum category. Peter Seely, CEO of Trader

ral products. They appreciate local ingredi-

Holding

ents. They appreciate heritage and tradition

Company, Nubeco and grandson of brand

Vic’s

Gourmet,

and

their

when it comes to what they eat and drink,

founder Victor J. Bergeron, has followed a

and Tommy Bahama Rum represents all of

similar path, maintaining the unique iden-

these things. (Furthermore), we believe Pyrat Passion 2 oz Pyrat XO Reserve 3/4 oz Peach Puree 7-up Dash of Grenadine Lime wedge (for garnish)

tity of Trader Vic’s Rums. On his watch, the brand is defined by its multi-generational appeal and pop-cultural connections. “My grandfather invented the Mai Tai in 1944,” stated Seely to BIN last year. “Some of his friends who lived in Tahiti

Combine all ingredients into a bucket glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

decided to ride out the war in Piedmont. home, he created a cocktail with Wrey &

Pyrat Punch 2 oz Pyrat XO Reserve 2 oz Soda water Juice of 1/2 Lime Dash bitters Splash of Pineapple Juice (optional) Splash of Grapefruit Juice (optional) 1/4 tsp nutmeg Fresh Cherries

Nephew Gold Rum, a fine 17 year-old rum and other ingredients. His friends’ response was, ‘Mai tai roa ae,’ which means, ‘The very best.’ Not surprisingly, it caught on, and a regular recipe was developed initially using an ounce of the Wray & Nephew (now marketed under the Appleton name) and one ounce of the Rum St. James (of Martinique by way of France), along with

Combine rum, limejuice, and bitters in a shaker of ice. Shake gently. Pour into margarita glass. Garnish with nutmeg and fresh cherries. Optional juices are pineapple and grapefruit.

whole lime and a dash of rock candy syrup (a simple syrup) we make in house.” Like Sailor Jerry, Tommy Bahama Rums

Hawaiian Plantation Cobbler 1 1/2oz Pyrat XO 1/2 oz Patrón Citrónge 1 1/2 oz Fresh sweet and sour 1/2 oz simple syrup 1/2 slice of peeled pineapple Ginger Ale

are an extension of a lifestyle brand concept. And like Trader Vic, Tommy Bahama Rums tap into the enduring appeal of tropical vacations and a carefree, festive lifestyle. According to Julie Byrne, Tommy Bahama Brand Manager, when parent company Sidney Frank created the brand, they did

Shake all ingredients (except g. ale) then add the ginger ale and pour over ice. Garnish: Fresh mint sprig and crystallized ginger.

not want to settle for mediocre. This led to their hiring R.L. Seale in Barbados, an 802 0 0 9

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I S S U E

And embrace the subtleties of the various brands that are on the market today.”

RUM-OR HAS IT: WHAT’S NEXT FOR RUM Frank’s marketing efforts have been extensive to continuously reinforce the brand’s is versatility. “Tommy Bahama White Sand makes a fabulous mojito or typical frozen rum summer cocktail, and it can also mix with the most unique of ingredients, from pear nectar to Prosecco,” Byrne declares. “Last fall and winter we promoted a ‘Golden Sun Pumpkin Pie’ made with our gold rum, pumpkin spice syrup, cream, cinnamon and

Orgeat syrup (now made in-house), ¾ ounce of a fine Orange Curaçao, juice of a

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continue to embrace ultra premium rums.

Byrne continues by explaining that Sidney

Seeing how much they missed the flavors of

44

that consumers and bartenders are going to

6

a graham cracker rimmer. That’s certainly not your typical rum pina colada, but it was successful in many non-traditional rum markets throughout the country. Promoting cocktails such as this helps consumers realize that rum is not just for summer. Marketing through specialty cocktail tasting is crucial for our brand. Rum connoisseurs and bartenders, meanwhile, understand and appreciate the traditions of this style rum and can identify what makes Barbados rum different from recently introduced rums from other countries and regions.”

CATEGORY FOCUS continued

Importer Henry Preiss agrees that the blend of marketing and mixology result in helping rum win the popular vote, no matter where the rum is from—as long as it is a quality product. “Mixologists are the beginning and the end of the game,” Preiss states. “These highly talented people are creating some of the most exciting cocktails in years and showing us all what a powerful ingredient Rum is in premium cocktails.” It is commonly agreed among members of the rum community that mixologists can set trends through their cocktails and serving styles while getting individual messages about different rums out to consumers. Brian Labuda, Group Brand Manager at Luxco Spirited Brands—parent company to the Admiral Nelson collection of Spiced and Flavored Rums—believes it is prudent to assume a wait-and-see mentality to forecasting future rum trends in the current economy. Still, he is confident that mixologists as well as savvy off-premise retailers, can pass along a combined message of quality and value that will keep consumer interest healthy. “With the economy still dominating the headlines, and the consumer’s wallets, it is difficult to estimate the impact that this will have on the industry in twelve weeks, let alone twelve months,” says Labuda. “However, we feel our brands and especially our Admiral Nelson’s Premium Spiced and Flavored Rums are positioned very well for the consumers who are mindful of their budget but still want to indulge in their favorite beverage of choice. We foresee a trend of more off-premise consumption among consumers who gather with friends and families in their backyards and on patios and pool decks vs. spending a night out on the town. Much like the travel industry has seen an increase in stay-cations vs. the traditional traveling vacation, consumption of alcohol will likely trend in the same direction with the occasional treat or reward of an evening out versus being the norm.” Appleton’s, meanwhile, is tapping into the increasing public interest in the environment, greener production method. The Jamaica distiller has integrated messages about improvements in their facilities into their general marketing and web campaign. “The company has made a significant investment in plant, equipment and training to ensure that our operations in the Nassau Valley, as well our head office in Kingston, are green,” announces the web site. “At Appleton we currently harvest both mechanically and manually, however the Company is committed to moving to what is referred to in the industry as ‘Green Cane Harvesting” by 2010. ‘Green Cane Harvesting’ is 100% mechanical and, more importantly for the preservation of the environment, does not involve burning the sugar cane fields prior to harvesting.” It is clear that no matter what challenges come in the greater marketplace, rum producers are ready, thanks to their respect for the past, assessment of the present and their eye on the future. I 46

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6

PISCO’S HOUR THE

DISTINCTIVE

M U S C AT AT

GRAPE-BASED

SPIRIT HAS GAINED MOMENTUM OVER T H E PPA AST DECADE.

NOW,

IT IS POISED

T O TTA AKE A GREA ATT E R R O L E O N B A R MENUS THROUGHOUT

T

hough Pisco, imported into th the he best U.S. from Chile and Peru, is be est “Pisco known through the classic “Pisc Piscco Sour”” cocktail, the spirit itself is ju just Sour ust starting starti ing to get a toe-hold in a market oco cupied and cupie ed by a generation raised on rum an nd getting Ironically,, in gettin ng hip to cachaça. Ironically California, Calif fornia, Pisco had a past life as an “it” it” spirit. century,, as shi ships spirit t. Back in the 19th century ips way from Chile and Peru found their w ay bay,, different forms of into San Francisco bay adventurous Pisco o got into the hands of adventuro ous residents resid ents settling in to their new life in the new n world. century,, one thing that has IIn n this century h helped curiosity helpe ed generate additional curiosi ity about abou ut Pisco among spirits enthusiasts is controversy owns contr roversy over which country ow ns Peruthe appelation a of the spirit. The Per ruthe vian Embasssy issued its Defense of th he Peruvian Pisco Peruv vian Denomination of Origin Pisc co (PDF). producers fired (PDF F). Chilean Pisco pro ducers fire ed back with a campaign to promote Pisco as uniquely beverage. a uni iquely traditional Chilean beverag ge. producers countered The Peruvian pro ducers then countere ed that move by obtaining a certification of authenticity authe enticity from of the Instituto de DeD Propiedad fensaa de la Competencia y la Propieda ad Intelectual Defense Intel lectual del Peru (Institute of Defen nse Competence Peru). of Co ompetence and Copyrights of Peru u). 48

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AMERICA.

Pisco was first produced producced in Peru during the time of the Spanish viceroyalty vviceroyalty,, which included territory that is now Chile. Chile AddAdding to the fascinating debate debate is the fact that alcoholic content and sweetness sw weetness vary bebetween the Pisco producing producin ng regions in each country. Pisco growcountry. With With the story behind b growing more interesting as time t passes, spirits enthusiasts in the U.S., no n doubt, are going to want to judge this forr themselves, and could be encouraged to try trry different brands in order to make up their minds…or decide they can have more than one favorite. Given Pisco’s Pisco’s storied storieed history, history, some brands are marketing themselves th hemselves as spirspirits like absinthe have, billing billling it as a classic waiting to be rediscovered, ed, embraced and interpreted by a new generation. generation. Others are taking a more adventurous adventuroous route, offering their Pisco as a spirit of mystery and advenm adventure, carrying with it the allure of its country a of origin. The intrigue is keeping keepin ng things interestinteresting, enabling purveyors and importers of Pisco to navigate this new w world. But more challenges lie ahead, as consumers coonsumers are more diverse, better travelled and more curious than ever about tastes andd experience origioriginating outside the U.S.’s U.S.’s shores. s For producers producers and their th heir on- and off6

Tales T ales of the Cocktail 2009 Professional Pr ofessional Series ries W ed, 8 Jul Jul 20099 Wed, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM “T The he Fine Art Art of Banging Out the he Drinks like lik e a Maniac: ac: Gr Great eat Bar Barss ar around o nd the ou World W orld and T Throughout hroughout Histor History ory that Make Great Fast" Ma ke Gr eat Cocktails F ast" In tthis his pr presentation esenta entation and demonstra demonstration, monstration, Philip Duff Dufff and nd Dushan Zaric roll rolll up their sleeves drinks-per-slee ves and show show yyou ou how how to double double drinks-per hour speed while while maintaining top p cocktail quality, quality y, hygiene, hygiene, and guest attention. attention. Tales T ales of the Cocktail 2009 Seminar Sem inar Sun, 12 JJul ul 20099 12:30 PM - 2:00 0 PM "Liquid "Li quid Nudging" ging" Decor, menu bodyy language language,, Decor r, drink men u design, bod cchoice hoice of words, words d , inflection, infflection, misdir misdirection e ection and psychology psy chology can literally ha have ave an anyy guest st drinking anything loving an ything you you care car are to make them - and d lo ving it! Moderated Duff Modera ted by by Philip P Dufff with Panelist Panelist elist Angus Winchester. W inchesterr.

Join our o Facebook fan page, search h Gran Sierpe Pisco

CATEGORY FOCUS continued roots in San Francisco dating back to premise clients, the effort to get the gold rush. Marketing to the trade the category firmly established is an also involves tying Pisco in with upadventure in itself. On the market, scale mixology and the fresh ingredithere are many paths one can take to ent-driven-cocktail programs. Pisco discover Pisco, including Gran Siercan be a differentiator for the mixolope, Don César Pisco, Capel, BarSol, gist who wants to distinguish himself Macchu Pisco, and the premium La from his competition, especially if his Diablada. clientele includes cocktail enthusiasts On the other side of the bar and who cringe at the thought of a drink retail shelves, meanwhile, consummenu with nothing but vodka drinks ers and beverage industry professionon it. als may turn to a mixologist and speAt Preiss Imports, CEO Henry cialized salespeople to serve as their The bar at Yerba Buena, New York City offers a number of Preiss and his team are betting on the guides as they embark on this new cocktails with Pisco complementing a Latin-inspired menu Don César line of Piscos (including flavor endeavor. Pisco Puro, Pisco Italia and Pisco Es“Pisco is a great category for pecial varieties) to provide both enthusiasts mixologists,” explains Herbie Loebl of Arand traditional consumers with a primer to tisan Brands, who is bringing his three Gran the Pisco category. Preiss is counting on the Sierpe spirits into the mainstream with the fact that the brand he’s carrying is also popusupport of bar chefs. “Every mixologist I lar in Peru, adding much needed authentichave talked to is looking for spirits categoity to the marketing formula. ries that they can use as a foundation for flaDon César Pisco Puro, considered an vorful well balanced drinks. They are bored excellent base for Pisco Sours and other with vodka because they feel vodka has no cocktails, is the result of careful distillation real flavor. Pisco, on the other hand, has of newly fermented Quebranta grapes in character. Gran Sierpe resembles the grapes copper stills. Don César Especial, considthey are made from.” ered a sipping Pisco, undergoes an extensive Loebl hopes that new consumer friendly mellowing process, while Don César Italia is package combined with the fact that his made from the Italia grape harvested from company has been in the Pisco business Peru’s Magollo valley. Wonderful straight or longer than most U.S. importers will conon the rocks, it is distinguished with natural vince on- and off-premise clients that there scent of white Italian Muscat. is a future for the new category. He has also “Every year the Sheraton Hotel in Lima, brought an innovative Miami marketing Peru, hosts a Pisco tasting, which Pisco Don company (The Workshop) into the mix to César has won for eight consecutive years,” create a “360-degree marketing approach” Preiss points out. “Pisco Don César is the to the brand that will include on-line social only Pisco brand served there, as it is in networks, charity exposure, targeted group many other great restaurants of Peru. With events, mixologist programs in addition to that in mind, we hope that restaurants in the traditional on- and off-premise marketing. “PISCO IS A NEW SPIRIT U.S. serving Peruvian dishes and progressive “We understand the American conCATEGORY FOR THE U.S. bars will take that into account when bringsumer and realized our entire approach had ing a Pisco onto their bar menus.” to be geared towards introducing them to THAT IS LARGELY UNTAPPED Though the category’s future is somethe category and our brand,” says Loebl. BUT CAN BE BROUGHT TO what unknown, where its going is still an “We’re starting with the idea that it is differLIFE THROUGH EDUCATION. ” open canvas with great potentials. Purent, new, exotic and made from grapes! The veyors and importers, such as Henry Preiss main idea is that Pisco is a new spirit cate- HERBIE LOEBL and Herbie Loebl, feel that the category gory for the U.S. that is largely untapped but will grow as more beverage industry become can be brought to life through education. ARTISAN BRANDS more interested in servicing their customer Also, in the past few years there has been with spirits defined by their distinctive flavor a renaissance of Peruvian gourmet cuisine profile. Though Loebl feels that this categoall over the world including many high-end ry will remain a niche category, producers restaurants offering Peruvian cuisine in the restaurant staff by starting with the basics— in general agree there is plenty of room for US. This lends perfectly to broadening the it is a distilled spirit made from 100% of the growth…and there’s history to be written on effect of all things Peruvian, hence Pisco.” finest Peruvian grapes. Then they add the Pisco as it finds its way from South America With training being an important part story: Pisco dates back to the 1600’s, and has to the U.S. and the rest of the world. of the equation, Loebl’s reps educate bar and 50

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Cachaça Crossover To understand Brazil’s national spirit, you must understand where it comes from, where it’s been and where it’s heading.

Cachaça may be a relatively new spirits category, but since the mid-1500s, it has been part of the Brazilian identity. Although purveyors inside and outside of Brazil have placed it in our collective consciousness as a lifestyle spirit for connoisseur, traveler and foodie, it is more remarkable that the newest “old” sugar cane-based spirit started in the most humble setting: among slaves working on Brazilian sugar plantations.

T

hough the upper classes dismissed cachaça as a “working man’s” spirit, it caught on over the centuries and became an inseparable part of Brazil’s culture, along with soccer, samba, Carnival and the rain forest. Today, 30,000 producers of all sizes and stripes are testament to the spirit’s endurance and versatility, as it is consumed both straight and as part of caipirinhas, bestidas and other cocktails that have helped bring Brazil’s carnival spirit—figuratively and literally—to the rest of the world. Even if the words Sagatiba, Leblon and Cabana are firmly established in every hip American bartender’s vocabulary, the party is just beginning for cachaça outside of Brazil. Though the traditional mintladen caipirinha and its fruity cousins are the most common vehicles used to bring the newly trendy spirit to the palates of thousands, the big three and other upstarts such as Ypioca, Rio Joe’s, Rio-D, Pitu and Boca Loca are working diligently with trade accounts and ad agencies to translate this form of Brazilian into a universal vocabulary of cocktails that will make Brazil’s spirit as international as Mexican Tequila, Scotch Whiskey and Kentucky Bourbon.

SPINNING SUGAR INTO GOLD Cachaça is made from the juice of the first pressing of sugarcane, and sent through a filtration process to extract cane fragments and other matter prior to fermentation. At that time, a leavening agent, such as corn meal (fubá) or rice bran, is added and imparts its own distinctive flavor and aroma to give a cachaça the nuances that clearly distinguish it from rum.

With each producer’s unique approach to the cachaça recipe in place, sugarcane juice is fermented from one to three days, then distilled at a steady temperature of approximately 90º C, cooled and filtered to remove impurities. The first distillation batch is called cabeceira, which is potent and often used to make liqueurs. The second 18% proof batch, cachaça boa, is what is often sent on to be bottled or aged. The third batch, called água fraca, at 12% proof, is often returned to the next batch. Better cachaças are aged in wood barrels, which include European or American oak, Brazilian amburana, cedar, freijó, garapa, balsa, vinhático or jequitibá. The aging process yields a spirit with a smoother flavor and most often a yellow or caramel color. The time that cachaça is aged varies depending upon the barrel size, type of the wood, relative temperature, and humidity as well as the storage environment. Brazilian law stipulates that cachaça must be aged at least one year to be labeled "aged"

FINDING ORDER AT THE CARNIVAL As cachaça is becoming an essential bar staple, its growing popularity has inspired producers in the Caribbean and South America to develop knock-off products. In response, the Brazilian government has assumed protectionist measures to preserve cachaça’s foreign markets, similar to DOC and DOCG certifications for wine and spirits in Europe. The Cachaça Council is soliciting the TTB in Washington to gain status for cachaça as a category similar to cognac in France or tequila from Mexico.

CATEGORY FOCUS continued Spirits industry watchdogs stress the importance of differentiating cachaça from rum. However, when cachaça imports into the United States it is taxed as rum, and cachaça is sometimes referred to as Brazilian rum, confusion ensues. With that, constant education and clarification is necessary, as ambitious export programs from a variety of companies, aim to increase cachaça exports to 40 million liters annually by end of the decade.

SAGITIBA: A DRIVING FORCE Though Brazilian iconography is inevitable when marketing cachaca, Marcelo Loureir, Sagatiba’s California Sales Manager, is focused on recasting it as a spirit for the world. Even as two new products, Sagatiba Velha Preciosa Cachaça and Sagatiba Velha Esplêndida Cachaça, hit shelves, Loureir stresses that more is being done to present Sagatiba as an international spirit that just happens to be Brazilian--not a niche Brazilian product pushed with familiar Brazil imagery. “We believe we are a premium white spirit that just happens to be a cachaça,” insists Loureir, “We’re not denying we are a Brazilian cachaça, but Sagatiba is so much more than that. We are not just for caipirinhas, but also a great foundation for any cocktail that may typically use vodka or rum. If you look at the bottle, nothing about it suggests its an ethnic beverage or has associations to Carnival, but it does say there is a very high quality product inside the bottle that every bartender and consumer will embrace for a variety of cocktails.” Loureir also points out that Brazil is a truly globalized nation, with cultural influences coming from a mix of European, Japanese, African, Arab, Jews and indigenous peoples living together. He believes this metaphor of Brazil’s population mix will translate well into explaining how and why cachaça can be a part of mixology’s global language. He also uses it as a sales tool to push Sagatiba beyond the confines of the cachaça category. “We believe the category will grow, but our goal is to grow beyond the category itself, even if the category grows in the US, it may be a small category,” he says. “However, we are focused on being so versatile that we cut into sales of other spirits with bartenders. For this to happen, however, we need to maintain our educational efforts. We have promos everywhere, education with trade on premise and education with consumers off premise.”

LITTLE BIG BRANDS Though consumers and even some trade accounts are just getting to know Ypioca, it is actually the largest producer of cachaça in Brazil and produces several types, including Ypioca Crystal (clear, aged for 10 months in Brazilian freijo barrels), Ypioca Ouro (aged for two to three years in balsamic barrels) and Ypioca Prata (clear cachaca suffused with aromas of tea leaves and evergreen). Priess Imports is becoming increasingly success52

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Co-owner Leonardo Rangel of Academia da Cachaça in Rio de Janeiro ful in marketing it to its trade accounts thanks to a variety of offerings with distinctively different flavors, as well as Cachaça 21. “Preiss Imports’ cane spirits portfolio offers seemingly endless opportunites to discover this spirit, especially as mixologists are getting into bebidas and caipirinhas made with Ypioca Cachaça and Cachaça 21,” Henry Preiss, CEO, observes. “Whatever your passion and flavor profile, no other importer has a better selection of rums that mix into cocktails or rums or straight sipping than Preiss Imports brings to market.”

CACHAÇA 101 IN 2009 Insight into cachaça’s global future potential can be glimpsed through a visit to the Academia da Cachaça in Rio de Janeiro (www.academiadacachaça.com.br). Located in the Leblon neighborhood, the venue is unassuming at first glance. However, a closer look at the shelves reveals it takes hundreds of cachaças from all points in Brazil to tell the story of how a humble sugar cane spirit evolved into one of the country’s great gastronomic institutions. Co-owner Leonardo Rangel and his partners, who have taken over business operations of the spirits museum-cum-restaurant founded by Edméa Falcão, Renata Quinderé and Hélcio Santos (Rangel’s father) in 1983, continue the mission of introducing visitors from Brazil and abroad to cachaça. Even if guests are familiar with Sagatiba, Rangel strongly encourages them to try as many of the better ones as possible to appreciate what makes cachaça not just a single spirit, but a whole category. He also notes that when professionals from the U.S. beverage and restaurant industries visit the Academia, they are there specifically to learn, even in the venue’s festive atmosphere. “The big challenge for all cachaça producers from this point forward will be to learn how to invest their money in such a way to be able to grow their business beyond Brazil,” says Rangel. “It is important to remember the most recognizable brands outside Brazil, though made here, came into the market big, with lots of money and investors behind them. I think what is happening now with cachaça internationally is an extension of how it has caught on in Brazil. When the Acadamia de Cachaça first opened in the 80s, most (locals) regarded it as a secondary beverage and not a premium spirit. However, what makes the Academia unique is that it was the first place where people from outside Brazil could experience cachaça as a spirits category with its own complexities and qualities.”

INDUSTRY EVENT

SEVENTH HEAVEN Jack Daniels Studio No. 7 rocks Southern California beverage trade with music and cocktails that rock. On June 8, select Los Angeles beverage, bar and restaurant industry and trade had a front row seat to the final tour date of Studio No. 7, a Jack Daniels-sponsored event showcasing the perfect, enduring and all-American union of Jack Daniels and rock music. Though the evening’s musical headliners, Wakey!Wakey! and Rogue Wave, took center stage at the historic Sunset Strip rock club The Roxy, the neighboring, equally historic, and memorabilia-packed Rainbow hosted a bracing warm-up act--an educational tasting session attended by 100 guests. As the evening progressed and Jack Daniels cocktails flowed, 200 key target industry guests made their way over to the Roxy to enjoy live music as well as premium giveaways such as drumsticks, music download gift cards, stickers and other rocking memorabilia. One lucky attendee even walked away with her own collectable Jack Daniels custom autographed guitar. “The Roxy was a great venue for this event because the venue is a historic music establishment in Hollywood,” noted Micah McLendon, brand rep heading the Southern California marketing team. “The venue projected an ideal intimate ambiance for this group, and offered a special VIP area where selected industry partners could get a great view of the show! Guests entered The Roxy, red carpet style with a step and repeat outside along Sunset Boulevard. Upstairs Jack Daniel’s banners were used to brand a second VIP area upstairs. This venue was decorated with subtle branding, which included Gobos and Jack Daniel’s bottles, which were lined up along the bar. It no doubt provided attendees with a great time to enjoy music and fine Tennessee Whiskey.” 54

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WINE & SPIRITS GUILD

(Standing) TOM DRULEY, Belmont Beverage Stores, Indiana BRAD FEUERBACHER, Brown Derby Stores, Missouri KEN LEWIS, The Party Source, Kentucky

In April, members of the Wine & Spirits Guild gathered for their annual meeting held in northern California.

s s s s s s

(Seated) BURT NOTARIUS, Prime Wines Corporation, New York BOB SELBY, Kappy’s Fine Wines & Spirits, Massachusetts EMMETT MALLOY, SavWay Fine Wines & Spirits, Illinois

ADVICE FOR RETAILERS FROM RETAILERS he Wine & Spirits Guild of America, representing independent and chain retailers across the country, has become an important forum for market leaders and business owners to exchange their ideas. Since its creation in 1948, the Guild has grown to represent more than 500 stores which accumulate over $2 billion in sales annually. This year at its annual meeting, The Beverage Network, with the cooperation of the group’s current president, Bob Selby, had the opportunity to ask questions to a panel of members about some key issues concerning retailers today. Here are some highlights from the discussion:

T

COST SAVING MEASURES IN CHALLENGING TIMES

MALLOY: Three months sagoEMMETT we removed all our old florescent light-

NOTARIUS: sWeBURT have taken a careful

about it more in times like these. We are careful to make sure that we have the right people working at the right times and we pay more attention to overtime pay. We also focus more on the heating and air conditioning. One example is our system of taking outside air into our refrigeration units during the winter. It’s extremely efficient and it has saved us a lot of money.

ing fixtures in two stores and replaced them with new state-ofthe-art energy saving fixtures. Prior to this, one of the store’s electric bills ran at about $5,000 a month, now it is down $900. It was a big cost initially, but our payout will come in two years.

look at our promotional investments. For instance, we’ve eliminated newspaper advertising because it wasn’t effective. We’ve turned that money from newspapers around and we’ve put it into television. The overall effect is that business is still strong and we were able to reduce our advertising budget by 20%. We have also focused on reaching our custom-

SELBY: A lot of what we are dosingBOB about cost savings is basic, but you think

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timidating. Often people ask us how they can get into wine. In response to that we are creating a wine appreciation center. We are going to offer free classes that will be led by our wine knowledgeable staff. This will bring them into a less intimidating environment to learn about wine, and give us an opportunity to get to know our customers and what they are drinking.

ers through emails. We created something called ‘Premium Wine Weekends’. Monday through Wednesday we email sale messages to our customers. Thursday, Friday and Saturday we send messages to people to come in and taste wine. By using different media outlets and forms of advertising we have been able to reach different markets. DRULEY: We’ve changed most of sourTOM analogue surveillance camera systems

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KEN LEWIS: About six or eight months ago we saw that there was going to be a downturn coming. We’re fortunate to have a large number of long-term career people on our staff and we felt comfortable sitting them down and explaining our situation. By talking with them we were able to calm their fears and create a more relaxed and positive workplace, which in turn has led to better customer service.

into digital color. Not only does this observe customer traffic and employee habits, it also tells us which displays are working better. It has a merchandising aspect and has been a worthwhile expense. BRAD FEUERBACHER: We have sfocused on our hours of operation. We are open 365 days a year from 8am to midnight. We thought we could adjust our operating hours and get the same volume of sales, so we changed to opening at 9am. This eliminated overtime entirely. In addition to the OT labor savings, the change also helped our customer service. Management, who previously left at 4pm, now leaves at 5pm, and are able to spend more time with customers.

SHIFTING CUSTOMER BUYING TRENDS

s NOTARIUS: It’s extremely important to listen to your customers and to hear their

GIVING CUSTOMERS BETTER SERVICE AND INCREASED ADDED VALUE

concerns. What we’re seeing is individuals looking for value. That may mean they are looking for something under $10, $20 or $30. Those items need to become a priority no matter what their price. It’s important to reposition your store so that you’re focusing on the products that really over-deliver for the price.

s

SELBY: Customer service is something we stress a great deal in these hard times. Our competition is the club store and the grocery store, so customer service is the biggest advantage we have. We have people on the floor and we insist that they engage the customers as much as possible because that’s simply something they don’t get at the larger stores.

s

MALLOY: I think everyone is impacted by this economic problem. It’s like a customer’s conscience bothers him if he spends money like he used to, so he trades down. He is still spending about the same amount, but instead of buying a $30 Cabernet he goes down to a $25 bottle. You also have more and more women doing the buying. We have put energy into feminizing our stores and adding touches that make them more comfortable.

s

NOTARIUS: In the end, your best advertising is satisfied customers, because they become the advocates of your business. Satisfied customers are the ones that are going to return, not because of a sale, but because they like the place and the experience that they have there. We have also seen the importance of an educated customer. Wine is a complicated subject and it can be in58

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There is a trend in the U.S. srightLEWIS: now toward localization and reconnecting with local retailers and local food products. That works for retailers 6

because we are in tune with our customers and we work closely with them. They are also interested in the products that are localized, and those are the products we are carrying.

SUPPLIERS HELPING RETAILERS BUILD BRANDS FE U E R BACH E R: sI enjoy when suppliers ask questions about our business, and when they launch new products. They need to know how their products can fit in and then what might need to go out to make room for it. We just don’t have room for all the new brands and flavors that come out each year and obviously certain brands are more important to suppliers than others. LEWIS: There needs to be points of difsferentiation. Why is this product beneficial? Why does it represent your consumer? How does it represent value? Too many people are coming sin DRULEY: and giving us numbers as to how their products are selling nationally, but not locally. The smart ones come in and show us how they are selling where we are. Our liquor buyer says that he likes to choose one or two products in January and really go after it all year long. This focus has proven to be a huge success.

s

SELBY: I think the wholesalers and the suppliers need to realize how important the independent retailer is to their whole business and future. The chain and club stores will take the top 10 SKUs and they’ll give them away. When it comes to introducing new products and building brands they have to come to us. It’s important for them that we exist and continue successfully, because if we don’t and there are only the chains left, then they are not going to be able keep the same level of business. Q

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT BEVERAGE INDUSTRY NEWS

BY LAUREN C. TYSON, LIQUOR LIABILITY CONSULTANT

BIN ONLINE www.binonline.net

BEING PROACTIVE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

WWW.THELIQUORLICENSEADVISOR.COM

Hello! I'm Lauren Tyson. After 29 years with the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), I'm here to help you sell alcohol safely, responsibly and legally. In this column, I'll cover responsible beverage service: Written alcohol policies, training your staff and good community relations. Here's a sad case, and how you can prevent this from happening in your business. Recently, a male patron died after another male patron punched him in the head in a Redding nightclub. Several readers of the online news story blamed everyone from the “cave men” in Redding (it could have been a cave man from anywhere) to the ABC and local police. These things happen all too often—even in places where you think they never could! Liquor licensees have a legal duty to run a lawful business. This includes spotting and preventing drunks, preventing violence and so on. As you well know, crimes, if proven, can result in liquor license sanctions from a warning to license revocation. Experts will tell you it's always better to prevent problems before they happen. Be proactive. Here's how: • Have written alcohol policies. These provide your staff members with your expectations and the rules. Policies cover things like drink discounts, drunk patrons, crowd control and more. They may also help in your defense if you are accused or sued. • Make sure all staff are trained. Laws are always changing, and training keeps staff up to date. You can find a list of ABC-certified training programs on the ABC's website at www.abc.ca.gov. • Get to know your local ABC and law enforcement. They can give you sensible advice on how to stay within the law and tips on crime prevention. No matter what type of business you own, being proactive is the key to success. Lauren C. Tyson is a former peace officer with the California Alcoholic Beverage Control and a liquor liability consultant. For more information, please visit www.theliquorlicenseadvisor.com or call (951) 226-7845.

Go online and discover a wealth of resources at your fingertips. • CURRENT ISSUE • NEW PRODUCTS • WILFRED WONG’S MONTHLY WINE SELECTIONS • BIN PRODUCT OF THE WEEK • BEVSOLUTIONS • ONLINE GUIDE TO NATIONAL BEVERAGE COMPANIES SUPPLIERS/IMPORTERS/ MARKETERS/WHOLESALERS • CLASSIFIEDS • INDUSTRY JOB POSTINGS • SPECIAL AD RATES AVAILABLE ONLINE

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TERRACYCLE’S WORK WITH NOMACORC AND SPEC’S TerraCycle and Nomacorc are proud to announce that Spec's Wines, Spirits and Finer Foods, a leading independent liquor retailer in South Texas, has become the first retail participant in the TerraCycle program that collects post-consumer-use wine closures to be upcycled into unique consumer products, available in Spec's stores and online via TerraCycle. Spec's will donate 2 cents to the Young Texans Against Cancer organization for each closure collected. As the Cork Brigade expands, TerraCycle looks forward to participation from wine enthusiasts, restaurants, and retailers across the U.S. Nomacorc is the worldwide leader in alternative wine closures. TerraCycle puts as much emphasis on its social and environmental impact as it does its profits. Sign up for our free fundraising collection programs - we pay you for packaging such as drink pouches, yogurt cups and more. For more info, visit www.TerraCycle.net; our upcycled products are available at www.shoponlygreen.com. 60

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WE MAKE OUR BOURBON CAREFULLY. PLEASE ENJOY IT THAT WAY. Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Whisky, 45% Alc./Vol. ©2009 Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc. Loretto, KY

MARKETING NEWS Pinnacle Introduces 2 New Flavors – the Next Phenomenon

Celebrate the 4th of July the Bombay way with The Red, White and Sapphire cocktail!

White Rock Distilleries is excited to launch Pinnacle Cherry Lemonade and Tropical Punch. Cherry Lemonade is the perfect marriage of juicy ripe cherries and tart lemons. Tropical Punch is a mouth-watering combination of tropical flavors: pineapple, pomegranate, papaya, orange, and passion fruit. Both are scheduled to hit shelves in early Fall. For more information on Pinnacle Vodka, please contact White Rock Distilleries (800) 2876462, or log onto www.PinnacleVodka.com or www.WhiteRockDistilleries.com.

The quintessential summer weekend is just around the corner, and while people making their Independence Day plans, they’ll also be looking for delicious food and drink ideas to impress guests and keep the party going. A unique, refreshing cocktail like Bombay Sappire’s Red, White & Sapphire is a great way to entertain guests and cool off in the hot summer sun. This festive twist on the classic Collins cocktail is the perfect addition to any 4th of July celebration, be it a backyard barbeque with family and friends or a big beach house soirée underneath the fireworks. RED WHITE AND SAPPHIRE 1 ½ oz. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin 1 oz. fresh lemon juice ¾ oz. simple syrup 3-4 Fresh Raspberries 3 oz. club soda Garnish: Lemon Twist & a fresh Raspberry Collins Glass Muddle Raspberries with simple syrup and lemon juice. Add ice, Bombay Sapphire and stir well. Add more ice and top with club soda.

POUR OF THE MONTH

POUR OF THE MONTH Bartender, Patricc, shows off the Finest Call products.

FRIDA Mexican Cuisine Frida’s in Glendale takes the heart and soul of the original Beverly Hills location (an intimate Mexican café and bar with a classy bistro approach) and rolls it out into a lovely south-of-the-border getaway in the heart of The Americana shopping and lifestyle complex. How diners and bar patrons enjoy the literal expansion of the concept is only limited by their imaginations and appetites. This also holds true for Frida’s other restaurants in San Diego and Brentwood. While freshness, selection and attention to detail power the kitchens at all Frida’s locations, the standards are just as high at the bar. The shelves are stocked with some of the best top shelf tequilas as well as vodkas, rums and other essentials needed for quenching margaritas and cocktails that compliment the various spicy, smoky salsas, crisp chips and flavorful main dishes and appetizers. And just as the salsas complete the food offerings, Finest Call mixers—such as the Mango, Pina Colada and Strawberry flavors—complete the bar and make the job of Frida’s bartenders all the more exciting. “Just as we have a dish for every kind of guest, we’ve got a cocktail that suits them as well,” says Patricc, one of the bartenders we caught up with on a busy Thursday afternoon during happy hour. “It’s important to always have a full bottle of Finest Call handy because you never know who will come in, or how many people will be coming in. Frida’s is so popular because we’ve got something for everybody, so it’s always a challenge to keep the flow going. This is where Finest Call really helps the bartender. You can make many things fast, but everything’s going to come out just the way your customers like it…just like the food here.” Frida’s at the American At Brand is located at 750 Americana Way Glendale, CA 91210. For more information call (818) 551-1666.

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