Gin and tonic at Oceana.
Winning Over the Gin Haters
Guests who shy away from gin seems to have a horror
story about why—typically one that involves cheap,
inferior products from their youth or school days. Pedro
Goncalves, wine director at Oceana in New York, recalls
a recent guest in his forties who said he had tasted a
sip of his parents' Martini when he was a teenager. The
experience was so bad, the guest said, he decided to
swear off gin forever.
But when the guest and his friend ordered oyster
shooters, Goncalves mixed with gin. And they loved
them—much to the gin hater's surprise.
"I see this time and time again," Goncalves says. "I often
employ the gin drinker in groups to convince their friends
to try the gin cocktails."
Education—and a little nudge—is the key to increasing
gin sales and winning over new aficionados. "Our
bartenders all have a deep background in classic cocktails,
mixology and gin," says Brady Caverly, co-owner of
Flintridge Proper in Flintridge, CA. "And they train the
www.cheersonline.com
servers who are starting to become fairly expert as they
taste and discover our gins."
He points out that a small-batch, under-the-radar gin
often becomes a top seller during a week that a server was
introduced to it. Flintridge Proper also offers gin flights,
which help educate guests on the history of gin, traditional
vs. modern styles, and bartender favorites.
Comfort-food restaurant Willie Jane in Venice, CA, holds
daily meetings at which the staff is schooled on the history
and inspiration for the featured drink, says mixologist
Derrick Bass. For instance, "the Bentley ($12) is a riff on the
classic Rolls Royce—gin, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth
and Bénédictine—so I explain the difference, where it
comes from, the flavor profiles of the gin being used, and
what dishes it might pair with," he says.
When in doubt, Goncalves always recommends the
G&T as a way to win over the haters. "The tonics give a
completely different dimension to the gins. I've yet to have
one person not like a Gin & Tonic."—KAM
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