Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/524520
www.cheersonline.com 6 • June 2015 FIRST SIP Cheers RAISING THE BAR I SPENT A FEW DAYS AT THE BAR LAST MONTH, as in the Beverage Alcohol for Restaurants show during the National Restaurant Association's annual convention in Chicago. The program, which was previously known as the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event, was better linked up with the NRA exhibits this year, so there seemed to be a steady stream of restaurateurs checking out the bar booths. What did they fi nd? Plenty of niche and craft spirits, from Bavarian fruit wine, artisanal cider, lavender wine and sake, to mead, Micheladas and pecan bourbon. Several of the big beer, wine and liquor brands were represented, and there were also quite a few companies that specialize in mixers. With the interest in all things craft, authentic and classic, a lot of bartenders have moved away from mixers to create every drink from scratch. But that's not always an option for busy bars and chain restaurants that have to crank out a number of cocktails with an eye on effi ciency and consistency. Mixers have also come a long way in recent years, too. I was impressed with the quality of the offerings at the BAR show and the cocktails they were creating with them. (For more on mixers and purees, see "In the Mix" on page 20.) One thing I enjoy about this event is that they bring in local restaurants to do food and cocktail pairings. It's always great to get ideas on how to match drinks with food—from sliders and sushi to nachos and barbeque—plus Chicago has so many fantastic restaurants. And it's so important to feed people that are tasting beverage alcohol products, especially since many visit the exhibits during the lunch break. I went to a spirited convention recently that did not have enough food available on the show fl oor, which was a problem—attendees were mobbing the few booths that did have some snacks out. This issue also covers summer wine pairings (page 25), mixology tips and tricks (page 32), boozy shakes and slushies (page 36) and light beer trends (page 40), plus our rum cover story, which begins on page 14. With so many styles and expressions, rum is right year round. There's something about the summer months that makes people turn to rum, whether it's Mojitos, Daiquiris, Pina Coladas or any Tiki-inspired cocktails. Maybe it's the island infl uence, the warm weather or general laid-back vibe of the season, but there's nothing like a good rum drink in the summer. Cheers! Melissa Dowling Editor June 2015 / Vol. 26 No. 5 Editor Melissa Dowling 203-855-8499 ext. 223 mdowling@specialtyim.com Associate Editor Kyle Swartz 203-855-8499 ext. 225 kswartz@specialtyim.com Managing Art Director Dodi Vessels dvessels@epgmediallc.com Production Director Cherri Perschmann 763-383-4425 cperschmann@epgmediallc.com Contributing Editors Tony Abou-Ganim, Kelly Magyarics, Jeremy Nedelka, Melissa Niksic, Thomas Henry Strenk Senior Regional Sales Managers Bruce Kostic 203-855-8499 ext. 215 bkostic@specialtyim.com Mark Marcon 248-761-6231 mmarcon@specialtyim.com Debbie Rittenberg 215-860-0306 drittenberg@specialtyim.com List Rental MeritDirect, Jim Scova jscova@MeritDirect.com 914-368-1012 Reprints Robin Cooper rcooper@SpecialtyIM.com Cheers ® is published by EPG Media & Specialty Information Editorial offices at 17 High Street, 2nd Floor Norwalk, CT 06851 Tel: 203-855-8499 • Fax: 203-855-9446 CEO Marion Minor Sr VP/Audience Development Joanne Juda-Prainito Sr VP/Finance & Operations Gerald Winkel VP/Beverage Group Amy Collins Cheers (ISSN 1051-564X—USP Number 007-239) is published nine times per year (January/February, March, April, May, June, July/August, September, October, November/December) by EPG Media & Specialty Information, 17 High Street, Norwalk, CT 06851. Periodical Rate Postage paid at Norwalk, CT and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cheers, P.O. Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823 SUBSCRIPTIONS: One-year subscription rates: USA $35.00; Canada $50.00; air mail to other countries $75.00. All subscriptions payable in U.S. dollars. Payment must accompany order. To subscribe write: Cheers, P.O. Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823, or call the Cheers customer service line at 847-763-9565, Fax 847-763-9569, M-F 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST. Subscription customer service e-mail: cheers@ halldata.com. Copyright 2013 by EPG Media & Specialty Information, 17 High Street, Norwalk, CT 06851. Reproduction without the express written consent of the publisher is prohibited. EPG Media & Specialty Information, publishes Cheers, Beverage Dynamics, StateWays, Wine & Spirits Industry Marketing, Handbook Advance, Liquor Handbook, Wine Handbook, Beer Handbook and Fact Book.