Tips or Wages for Bartenders?

     An old debate has arisen again about whether wages or tips are the better way for bartenders.   As a bartender and a bar patron, I can see both sides of this issue.   As a confident Bartender/mixologist, I feel that I would rather take my chances with tips.  There are several reasons for this.  First of all it is like being a salesman in any other field.  I look at them like sales commissions for selling of any other industry.   For the less out going people, the tips are much slower to fill up the jar.   For them, a salary might be a better way.

     There are several others on both sides of this issue who have com
forward in an interesting article I read just the other day.

     “There is nothing like the rush of a busy night and watching the tip jars fill up rapidly”  
 
I believe having your income based on tips rather than a set salary is part of what keeps service industry staff hospitable.     When you know your money is based on performance, well, you perform.   There is nothing quite like amazing service – you remember it.   As Maya Angelou once said: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget the way you make them feel.”   A good bartender can make everyone’s night, and should be paid accordingly. If you’ve ever seen the best bartenders work a room, it’s an art form, and they deserve to be suitably compensated. As a bar owner, it is important to foster an environment that encourages the bartender to go above and beyond, and a tip income is one of the best ways.   "Those at the top of their game create the money they make. I have seen bartenders turn a usually slow Monday night shift into one of the most profitable by creating an environment that encourages guests to come back time and time again."

     On the other hand, one of the biggest benefits we hope to provide by offering our staff a fixed

salary is quality of life and a regular schedule – this industry is notorious for its chaotic lifestyle. What’s more, if you’re working for tips you become incentivized to work Friday and Saturday nights. By eliminating that incentive and creating an even playing field, it enables us to have some quality control over the other nights and be consistently great.   Ultimately, the biggest issue this will solve is consistency of pay. By having a set salary, our bartenders are never going to run into that scenario. Being in an industry that can cull you off on your way to work and not pay you is so absurd; that should not be legal. With us, we’ll be paying bartenders every week regardless, and if they work more than 40 hours, they’ll receive extra.   There’s a guy called Michael Lynn who’s a doctor at Cornell University and has written more than 50 papers on tipping. He shows if you have bad service, you still tip the same amount out of habit – you just don’t come back to the venue. By removing tips, the pressure is really on us because people will be more outspoken about the service they receive.

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/06/should-salaries-replace-tips-for-bartenders/


     I guess that it is like so many other issues there are valid arguments on both sides, but your performance behind the bar is still the most important issue.  I feel you have more incentive when your pay is based on that performance.   ;o) 

Blue Chair Bay Introduces New Flavored Expressions for Summer

     Independent spirits company, Fishbowl Spirits, owned by Chesney has launched its new flavored expressions in the United States just in time for summer.

     The Vanilla Rum has a silky flavor of exotic natural vanillas combined with soft, delicate Caribbean rum, yielding a warm and lingering finish of creamy vanilla .  The Banana Rum Cream exudes flavors of caramelized ripe banana with notes of vanilla to the original  white Caribbean rum for a gently sweet and warm distinctive flavor
.

     David Farmer, president of Fishbowl Spirits, said: “As the popularity of Blue Chair Bay Rum and the laid-back lifestyle it embodies continues to grow, so does our dedication to adding flavors to our portfolio for our fans to enjoy.”

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/06/kenny-chesney-launches-two-new-rum-flavours/?article-source=newsletter&source=441&date=2015-06-04

Daiquiri Time !!

     Today I stumbled on an idea for a new daiquiri.   I keep hearing about cucumber this and cucumber that, so I worked out an idea for cucumber in a daiquiri.

      Cucumber adds a subtle flavor to the cocktail that I like when making a cocktail.  The daiquiri lends itself perfectly to the making of this type of cocktail.  Fwaygo Rum is a new rum made in Fort Lauderdale and fits the bill perfectly with its clean taste.   Anyway, this is another fun and flavorful patio cocktail for you to try.

Cucumber Daiquiri

• 1 1/2 oz. Fwaygo Hand Crafted Rum
• 5 Slices Cucumber
• Juice of ½ Lime
• 4 oz. Tonic Water
• 4 Mint Leaves
• ¼ oz. Agave Nectar

 place  2 mint leaves, lime juice, 2 slices cucumber, rum and agave nectar into a shaker and muddle.   Add ice and 2 cucumber slices to shaker and shake until chilled.    allow to sit for a couple of minutes and Strain mixture into a chilled cocktail glass and top with tonic water and garnish with cucumber and float a couple of mint leaves on the surface.

     This should quench your thirst for something different on the patio this summer.  ;o)

 

Colonial Williamsburg is Opening a Distillery in the Near Future

     The Williamsburg Distillery focuses upon the use of classic ingredients and recipes from the 1600s and 1700s.    The Distillery has started to produce Jamestown Gin, Yorktown Rum and Williamsburg Bourbon, expressions that are known as the ‘Historic Triangle series’.   "Our slogan is distilling the American spirit," owner, distiller and President Bill Dodson said.

     Rum and Gin are already in the barrels and expected to be ready for consumption this summer.   

    Currently located in temporary quarters until the business can invests in a larger facility.  When open , tours to educate visitors with some of  the local alcohol history and the historical recipes colonial distillers have used to production their spirits.

  They will use modern equipment to produce the expressions, like the 100-gallon pot still that is currently being operated.    There are plans to set up a working period still to give the visitors an accurate picture of how the spirits were made during the colonial times..

Havana Club's Past and Present Masters Meet in Madrid

     There was a lot of rum and Havana Club History came together at the 4th annual International Rum Conference in Madrid this past week.   Francisco Don Poncho Fernandez and Maestro Jose Navarro, maestro and former Maestros Roneros for Havana Club Rum.   Don Poncho in the 50's and Jose Navarro today.  These are the men that are responsible for the rum at all stages of it production, from the sugarcane  to the bottle.      

     They bear the secrets of one of Cuba’s true treasures: rum that owes its incomparably high quality to the noblest traditions and finest ingredients. Around 15 years of training are necessary to become a true Maestro Ronero – a period in which the most experienced Maestro Roneros transmit their knowledge to their successors. Each Maestro Ronero leaves his creations to age so that future generations may use them to blend even better aged rums.

     Today Don José Navarro, Havana Club’s Primer Maestro Ronero, and his team follow every step of this unique process, ensuring the respect of Cuban rum-making tradition and the superior quality of Havana Club rum. "The rum doesn’t come from a magical combination", Don José Navarro explains. "It is a cultural legacy, passed on from Maestro Ronero to Maestro Ronero, from heart to heart, from Cuban to Cuban." 

Read More at http://havana-club.com/en/havana-heritage/maestros-roneros

     Maestro Ronero Fernandez began his career in Cuba with Havana Club, then in Panama with Varela Hermanos crafting the beautiful Abuelo rums, and he has consulted for distilleries all over the world.  Today he is producing such rums as Don Poncho Origenes Rums, Panamonte, Panama Red, Yolo, and many many more.   This linage of Maestros Roneros is what make the Havana Club Rums so consistent and wonderful.

Key West Distilling - The Newest Distillery in Key West

     Master distiller Jeff Louchheim gave up his career as a private investigator to open Key West Distilling.   Located in Old Town Key West where his Artisan Still stands tall in the distillery.   The craft distilleries offer the “small batch” quality of their spirits that the larger commercial facilities lack.   You can visit the distillery between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday

     Upon entering Key West Distilling on Southard Street, between Duval and Simonton, you pick up the aroma of alcohol and fermenting sugar cane.    It is the smell of “home cooking”, according to Jeff.    Jeff uses sugarcane that he buys in Costa Rica as his base for both the rum and his vodka.  He feels that it gives both the spirits a better flavor and natural smoothness.       “There is no comparison to the taste of small batch craft distilling versus commercially made products”.

     The rum at Key West Distillery has recently finished aging in charred oak barrels, which brings out the flavors such as vanilla and oak.  Jeff dropped off a sample of his new spiced rum for me to take a look at as well as the 153 proof expressions.

     The new spiced rum starts off with a very pleasant aroma of crème brulee blended with a grassy aroma that is there when rum is made directly from sugarcane juice.  This is a dry expression with a subtle sweetness on the finish.  I find the rum overall to be quite enjoyable.  This spiced rum that can be enjoyed either neat or in a cocktail.

     The Overproof expression is at a full 153 proof, is as you would expect pretty fiery, but there is a smoothness there that is not usually found in white Overproof rums.  This is a great rum for use in some of the “Tiki Cocktails” that call for overproof rums.  

    If you are in Key West be sure to make some time to stop by the Key West Distilling Company a tour the facility and try the wide variety of spirits.   ;o)

El Coco The Palm Tree in Santiago de Cuba

     Everybody knows about the bat that is the primary logo of the Bacardi company, but do you know the story of El Coco that was planted by Don Facundo Bacardí Massó's son?  
 
    A fascinating Bacardi symbol: El Coco, a coconut palm planted prominently at the opening of the distillery by the founder’s 14 year old son, Facundo, Jr.   As its roots took hold so did a popular legend: "... the Bacardi company will survive in Cuba so long as the coconut palm lives ..."   


     Today there are palm trees planted in front of the Bacardi Cathedral of Rum in Puerto Rico as well keeping the belief alive.   It has been said that the planting of El Coco and the purchase of the Nune's Marina Baja Street distillery mark the beginning of the Bacardi Rum Company.




    

     Call it a liquor legend. As revolution engulfed Cuba at the end of the 1950s, the coconut tree that Facundo Bacardi had planted at his distillery in Santiago de Cuba in 1862, as a symbol of company prosperity, began to wither and die. Months later, Fidel Castro would seize the property and the Bacardi family would flee the island.

 

It seems so fitting that the tree seemed to know when the end was near for the Bacardi Rum Company in Cuba, and would whither and die just as the Bacardi family fled Cuba in the late 50's.

 

 

Getting the Urge to Travel Again

     July Vacation is taking us south again with the opportunity to visit several island including Grand Cayman where the morning sun is such a beautiful way to start the day.  As much as I love Key West it is nice to "get off the rock" and visit other islands in the Caribbean.  Grand Cayman is one of my many favorites...

California Rum Festival. to be Hosted at "Mixo Capital" in San Francisco, California

     The inaugural California Rum Festival in San Francisco is happening on September 12th at the Terra Galley.  This has promised to be an interesting event for those on the west coast and the rest of the US to visit.  You can et tickets on line at http://www.californiarumfest.com/ .   Don't be left behind, get yours now and enjoy the Rum Festival.

     The Rum Lab introduces the inaugural California Rum Festival on September 12th, 2015 at the Terra Gallery. California is one of the key states in the spirit industry alongside Florida, New York, Illinois and Texas-especially when it comes to rums. As an international event produced in the tourist mecca destination, known for its sophisticated mixologist scene, the inaugural http://www.CaliforniaRumFest.com is arguably set to become a leading world-top class event in the West Coast. 

     The rum festival is divided in two sessions. The 1st session, which is scheduled from 2:30-4:30pm will be primarily Spirit Industry Session-focused on industry professionals like:

bartenders, bar managers, distributors, brand ambassadors, F&B managers, etc. The 2nd session, will be for the general public and rum aficionados. Attendees will be able to enjoy some of the world's best national & international rums such as Plantation Rums, Blue Chair Bay Rum, Ron Barcelo, Miami Rum Club, Koloa Rum to name a few. In addition, guests will be able to attend seminars with renown guest speakers, like the "Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell and Master Flair-Mixologist Dean Serneel-already lined up for one of the sessions. 

     The Rum Lab and Reál Ingredients are in conversation to possibly host a Rum Mixo Competition, which may attract bartenders from the West Coast, as well as Hawaii. 

     Terra Gallery is located .6 miles from the BART station in San Francisco's South of Market (SOME) district in Rincon Hill-this one day event celebrates the cultural, ritual and historical legacy of the world's best national & international rums.

Read More at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/05/prweb12737668.htm

Big and Small US Distillers Hail New Tax Bill

      Members of the US spirits industry have hailed the introduction of a new bill that would significantly cut tax for both large and small distillers. 

     Discus and the ACSA successfully lobbied for the introduction of a new bill that would significantly cut spirits tax in the US.   House representatives Todd Young and John Yarmuth have put forward a new bipartisan bill, titled Distillery Innovation and Excise Tax Reform Act of 2015.   If approved, the legislation will see the current tax rate of US$13.50 per proof gallon to US$2.70 per proof gallon on the first 100,000 gallons for all distillers, regardless of size. After the 100,000-gallon threshold has been passed, the bill sets a rate at US$9.00 per proof gallon.

     The legislation has been supported by both the Distilled Spirits Council of the US (Discus) and the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA), both of which also claim the bill should apply to imported and domestic spirits.   “It is significant that the distillers of all sizes are united behind this important hospitality industry legislation,” said Distilled Spirits CEO Peter Cressy, who will retire from the role later this year.   “We thank the sponsors for recognizing the economic impact passage of this bill will have for our industry.”

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/05/big-and-small-us-distillers-hail-new-tax-bill/

     This bill will have a wide reaching  effect on not only the spirit industry, but the Service and tourism industries as well this can have a real trickle down effect that will benefit all who are a part of the spirits industry.  

 

Don't Chase Bears When You are Drunk!!!!!!

     My research for this blog brings me in contact with a lot of very funny articles.  Today I ran across a really funny one.    This one falls under the category if you are going to be stupid, you better be tough.    

By the Way, This is a bear, they are big and strong.  LOL

     The intoxicated man was arrested last week after he was found chasing a black bear into the woods in Massachusetts, brandishing an axe.     Following the incident, the North Adams, Massachusetts Police Department posted a Facebook message warning others not to go all “Davy Crockett” and imitate the man’s actions, urging residents “to NOT chase bears through the woods with a dull hatchet when drunk.”

     “Yes, that really did happen,” police posted. “We understand there are bears in the area. If you see a bear, LEAVE IT ALONE and call us. We certainly don’t need anyone going all Davy Crockett chasing it through the woods drunk with a dull hatchet. It is just a bad idea and not going to end well. It will however, certainly end you up in jail…which it did.” 

     Yes I found it on their facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Adams-Police-Department-Massachusetts/201279173262612?fref=nf   

Oh well another day another seriously funny story.   ;o)

Appleton is Upgrading the Factory

 Hon. Derrick Kellier, is hailing Appleton Estate

     Appleton is undergoing some modernization of its sugar factory in St. Elizabeth.    They are being encouraged by the government to continue their efforts at the farm and factory levels.  The improvements are both working for better efficiency and a greener footprint on the land.

     “Clearly, they have modernized the factory over the last couple of years, brought in new equipment and seems to have made the plant a more efficient and production-oriented operation. That will bode well for them because if you want to be able to compete on a national and international scale, you have to have high levels of productivity in your operation,” he noted.   Minister Kellier said the practices being employed in the cane fields will encourage high levels of productivity and the company will soon be reaping the benefits of its innovations and investments.   “In their field operations, we have clearly seen where their agronomic practices are in keeping with high levels of productivity and clearly, the gains that they have made and practices that they have employed are paying dividends to them,” he noted.

     Minister Kellier said he is particularly pleased about the waste-to-energy project, which has enabled Appleton to generate its own energy and is having a positive impact on the environment.   “This is something that ought to be commended, because that, in itself, will help them to reduce cost to make them more competitive,” he said.   Minister Kellier is encouraging the management of other sugar factories in Jamaica to follow the lead of Appleton.

You can read more at http://jis.gov.jm/minister-kellier-hails-improvements-appleton-estate/

 

     There seems to be a lot going on at the Appleton Estate these days with the improvements at the factories and the updating of their bottles and labels on the Appleton Estate Rums.    This is a sign that the brand is doing well and looks to be getting stronger in the category.   ;o)

Are we "Drunk" When We Fall in Love?

From the Video "Drunk in Love"

     An article in the Spirits Industry, tells us that science says that we are.   I seems that the effects of the “love hormone” oxytocin have very similar effects on the body as those of alcohol.  This is a very interesting article, maybe  Beyonce was right with her video, "Drunk in Love"  (www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1JPKLa-Ofc ).

     The research found distinct similarities between the effects of alcohol and oxytocin on our actions.   Oxytocin is a brain chemical which plays a key role in social interactions and reactions to “romantic partners”, increasing behaviors such as altruism, generosity, empathy, and trust.   The research, conducted by the University of Birmingham and published in the journal Neuroscience and Bio-behavioral Reviews, used data from existing studies on the two compounds, and found distinct similarities between the effects of both.

     Dr. Ian Mitchell, from the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham, explained: “We thought it was an area worth exploring, so we pooled existing research into the effects of both oxytocin and alcohol and were struck by the incredible similarities between the two compounds.”   “They appear to target different receptors within the brain, but cause common actions on GABA transmission in the prefrontal cortex and the limbic structures. These neural circuits control how we perceive stress or anxiety, especially in social situations such as interviews, or perhaps even plucking up the courage to ask somebody on a date. Taking compounds such as oxytocin and alcohol can make these situations seem less daunting.”

     The research revealed that although the two compounds target different receptors in the brain, they cause a common action on the parts of the brain that control how stress and anxiety is dealt with.     The result is lowered inhibitions, especially in situations seen as “stressful”– such as going on a first date.

     Dr. Steven Gillespie said: “The idea of ‘Dutch courage’ – having a drink to overcome nerves – is used to battle those immediate obstacles of fear and anxiety. Oxytocin appears to mirror these effects in the lab.”   However, like alcohol, oxytocin can also make people become more aggressive, envious or boastful, while reducing the sense of “fear”.

 

You can Read more at  http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/05/drunk-in-love-concept-backed-by-science/?article-source=newsletter&source=431&date=2015-05-21

     The concept has been around for many years of being drunk in love,  I guess that it is true.    I find it interesting that it has taken this long for someone to research the subject and bring it out to the public.   ;o) 

 

Memorial Day 2015

     Memorial Day is the one holiday that we take some time to remember all of those that gave their lives so that we can enjoy our freedoms.  It is a long three day weekend to  spend time with family and friends.  It is also a day for those who have lost some one close to them during a conflict to honor their memory.

     I hope that your get to spend this day enjoying yourself as most of us do, but take a little bit of time to remember why we have a three day weekend this year and say thank you to the people who safeguard these freedoms and protect our shores every day.   ;o)

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers

Drifting Back to Granada

     In 2013, I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful island of Granada.   I really get a warm feeling when I think back on the pleasure that that island brought me.   See for yourself if you get the opportunity.

How Alcohol Makes you Friendlier and Nastier, Depending on Who You Make Contact With

    Social Drinking is one of the things that people believe makes them friendlier, but not toward everyone.   I find that if I drink Tequila, it really doesn't make me friendlier toward anyone, but even rum can't make me feel warm and fuzzy toward some people.  There is a story that I ran across this morning that seems to shed some light on this subject.

     Drinking alcohol is associated with aggressive behavior, accidents and ill health. Yet many of us choose to drink socially. This may reflect alcohol's actions on specific brain circuits which make us feel euphoric and less anxious. Alcohol may also make us more empathic and cause us to see other people as more attractive. But why do these reactions occur and are the positive effects of alcohol expressed towards everybody we interact with? 

     Alcohol is a drug, one of the three most commonly used in the world, along with nicotine and caffeine. When we drink, the alcohol binds to a specific type of receptor in the brain and boosts the activity of a natural brain chemical called GABA. The effect the alcohol has on us depends in large part on the dose, and the location of these GABA receptors within the brain. 

     Early on in a drinking session, the alcohol acts on GABA systems to boost the levels of dopamine, the brain's reward chemical. This gives a sense of well-being and a sense of mild euphoria. Alcohol also acts on GABA receptors to impair the activity of the brain circuits that make us feel anxious and, at higher doses, alcohol inactivates a second set of brain circuits that control fear. So threatening stimuli no longer seem quite so scary. Alcohol also compromises our ability to compute risk so that situations we would normally shy away from may now seem quite inviting. 

     All of this points to alcohol as a facilitator of social interactions. As well as making us more empathic, laboratory studies have also shown that drinking alcohol can make us trust others more and make us temporarily more generous.

 

Read More at http://digg.com/2015/how-alcohol-makes-you-friendlier-but-only-to-certain-people

 

   I agree with the fact that alcohol is a facilitator, because I know it takes a couple of drinks before many people will get up and sing karaoke, or ask someone to dance.  It gives the user a euphoric feelings to some people and pick fights with others, and the reasoning of this study is very interesting.  ;o)   

 

 

Change the Name of a Pub Because it Upsets the "Sensitivity" of Chickens

     I think that the naming of a team, bar or building being changed because it was degrading to some group just reached an all-time low.   It seems the PETA has demanded that the "Fighting Cock Pun in the UK to change its name because it is demeaning to chickens.   You know, the birds that eat their young and poop only to be slaughtered to feed the world's masses.  I think you will get a kick out of this.

Ye Old Fighting Cocks Pub in St Albans, UK

     Peta (People for the ethical treatment of animals) launched a campaign against the pub in St Albans urging its owners to rename it Ye Olde Clever Cocks, which they believe would recognise society’s “growing compassion for animals” and celebrate “intelligent, sensitive chickens”.

     In an open letter sent to the chief executive of Mitchells and Butlers, which owns the pub, and its landlord Christo Tofalli, Peta requested that the pub end its association with the sport of cockfighting, which was banned in the UK in the 1800s. The pub was founded in the eighth century and has been called the Ye Olde Fighting Cocks since 1872 because of its history of cockfighting.

     Peta said the name change would “encourage people to rethink the way that we treat chickens and grant these birds the respect and kindness that they deserve”.

     Making its case, Peta compared the pub’s associations to cockfighting with slavery adding: “We understand that the pub has long been called Ye Olde Fighting Cocks and that there may be some resistance to making a name change, but just as many pubs with names tied to slavery changed their names to match modern sensibilities, so it’s high time for The Cocks to change.”

     Today Tofalli told the St Albans Review that it would not be changing its name

Read More at http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2015/05/fighting-cocks-pub-is-offensive-to-chickens/

     When are these groups going to pull their heads out of the proverbial ground and realize that the world doesn't rotate around the feeling of chickens?  This is utterly ridiculous.   ;o)