What’s Shakin’ in the Bar & Nightlife Business: Week of August 28

Bar, nightclub and restaurant operators, managers, bartenders and other staff members have a lot to keep tabs on. From every day operations tasks to new product releases to spirit, beer, wine, cocktail and food trends, keeping on top of bar and nightlife news each week can be a project in and of itself.

That’s where we come in. To make things that much easier for you we’ve put together a detailed rundown of what happened this week that you should know. You need to know what international products are finally being distributed throughout America, what innovations are being made in glassware and bar and kitchen products, what and when music streaming services are featuring a new album, and so much more. In life, knowledge is power. In this business, knowledge is dollars.

 

Are you On Duty or Off Duty this Labor Day?

 
Fireman's Brew Off Duty beers and On Duty sodas and coffees - What's Shakin' week of August 28
Attribution/Copyrights: Fireman’s Brew

Either way, Los Angeles-based Fireman’s Brew has your back. For those off duty and free to celebrate Labor Day with a cold, refreshing beer, Fireman’s brews Blonde (a pilsner-style lager), Brunette (German doublebock), Redhead (red amber ale), and their IPA. But those looking to enjoy an artisanal, alcohol-free beverage can choose from Fireman’s On Duty sodas and coffees: Root Beer, Cream Soda, Black Cherry Soda, Three Alarm French Roast, and False Alarm French Roast decaf. In addition to making great beers, sodas and coffees, Fireman’s Brew also donates a percentage of their profits, products and volunteer time to organizations that serve the First Responder community, something we can call get behind right now.

 

Lucky number ten.

September 2017 National Bourbon Heritage Month - What's Shakin' week of August 28
Attribution/Copyrights: Bulleit Frontier Whiskey

Friday marks the start of the National Bourbon Heritage Month. This was made official by the United States Senate in 2007, so you know what that means: 2017 is the 10-year anniversary of this celebration of bourbon. Your opportunity to capitalize and profit from National Bourbon Heritage Month should be fairly obvious: highlighting your bourbons inventory, adding new bourbons to your menu, featuring bourbon cocktail drink specials, and obtaining specialty POS from your reps. And since this is the tenth anniversary of this celebration, you can make an effort to feature bourbons aged for 10 years. To get you started, consider stocking Bulleit 10 Year Old, Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Eagle Rare (which is aged a minimum of 10 years), and Widow Jane 10 Year.

 

The whisky trilogy: master blending, intense aroma, and rich flavor.

The Macallan Edition No. 3 Scotch whisky - What's Shakin' week of August 28
Attribution/Copyrights: The Macallan

Edition No. 3, a collaboration between Master Whisky Maker Bob Dalgarno and Master Perfumist Roja Dove, is the latest release from The Macallan’s Edition Series. Unveiled today, Edition No. 3, is a unification of the whisky world and aroma world. Setting itself apart from Edition No. 1 and Edition No. 2, the third release in this series sees Dalgarno utilizing Dove’s mastery of aromas to help shape the whisky. The intense aroma and flavor of No. 3 can be attributed to the use of smaller European and American oak casks, and the liquid is imbued with vanilla, fresh cut oak, delicate floral, bourbon, crisp green apple, and rich fruit cake notes. Around 250,000 bottles are available worldwide. To learn more, visit The Macallan.

The Macallan Edition No. 3 notes

Color: A natural color of Barley gold

Aroma: Reminiscent of a fine fragrance, the nose leads with vanilla ice cream, fresh cut oak and delicate florals. Orange oil provides subtle grandeur while ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg flit in and out. Vanilla imparts sweetness, leading citrus fruits forward then allowing chocolate to show. Burnished oak delivers a soft ending.

Palate: A sensory journey of flavor and aroma intimately entwined, the palate is sweet fruit and vanilla and rich fruit cake with suggestions of apricot, pear and crisp green apple. Hints of ginger and cinnamon are balanced with a light resinous oak finale.

Finish: The finish is long, sweet and fruity, leaving a lasting impression on the senses.

 

Who doesn’t like to experiment?

Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch Whisky Blender’s Batch Wine Cask Blend - What's Shakin' week of August 28
Attribution/Copyrights: Johnnie Walker & Sons

Johnnie Walker’s experimental Blender’s Batch program will be releasing a new limited edition release in the US in September. Blender’s Batch Wine Cask Blend is the result of experimentation with maturing whiskies in wine casks, as the name suggests. Master Blender Jim Beveridge began the experiment about 10 years ago, and blending team member Aimee Gibson further developed the project in 2015. The result, Wine Cask Blend, is a whisky meant to be enjoyed by bartenders, aficionados and whisky neophytes alike, indicating that the liquid is both approachable and innovative. Seems like a must-have for your bar!

 

High tech is benefiting from high minimum wage.

Juke Slot self serve restaurant ordering kiosks - What's Shakin' week of August 28
Attribution/Copyrights: Juke Slot

Juke Slot, a restaurant ordering kiosk company operating out of Alabama, has experienced strong growth this year. Interestingly, the company believes that increases in minimum wages and also labor shortages are driving their growth. Operators located in high minimum wage states are adopting cost-effective kiosk technology and developing their back-of-house staff. Hospitality industry technology companies appear to be stepping in to help operators in a number of states deal with the challenges presented by a shallow labor pool and increased front-of-house expenses.

 

Now that the Curse of the Billy Goat has been broken…

EFFEN Vodka limited edition Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field commemorative bottle - What's Shakin' week of August 28
Attribution/Copyrights: Beam Suntory

EFFEN Vodka, the Official Vodka of the Chicago Cubs, has a special treat in store for you. EFFEN is releasing a limited edition bottle designed to commemorate Beam Suntory’s role as a legacy partner with the 2016 World Champion Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field. The commemorative bottle is wrapped in a co-branded sleeve and is available in Chicago and additional select markets. Visitors to Wrigley Field will have the opportunity to enjoy an EFFEN Vodka Lemonade served on draft from bar carts.

 

Drink like a champion.

Conor McGregor announces intention to enter whiskey market with Notorious Irish Whiskey - What's Shakin' week of August 28
Attribution/Copyrights: Conor McGregor via Instagram

In case you missed this announcement during all the hyping of the Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather “Money Fight,” The Notorious One announced that he has entered the whiskey fray. Perhaps spurred on by the massive success of George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila brand, more and more celebrities are attempting to strike it big in the spirits market. McGregor made certain to have a bottle of Notorious Irish Whiskey on hand while promoting his fight with the now 50-0 Mayweather. Speaking in his typical modest manner, McGregor offered this humble take on Notorious Irish Whiskey:

“I’m going to take over the Irish whiskey market – and this is delicious! Boy that whiskey tastes so good. Keep an eye out for it.”