FIRST SIP ® Try It, You'll Like It T
Forever." I didn't write the piece, but I could have—The Aviation recently inspired me to try gin again, too. As a result, I am now intrigued by the botanical spirit—after all but giving up on it some years ago. The only reason I even ordered an Aviation
he Huffington Post ran an article in October titled "The Aviation Cocktail: How It Made Me Love Gin Drinks
was because I'd been thinking about the renewed interest in violet-flavored spirits. I spied the classic cocktail—which mixes violet liqueur with gin, maraschino liqueur and lemon juice—on a drink menu and decided to give it a go. The drink was fresh, sophisticated and
November/December 2012 Vol. 23 No. 9
Executive Vice President, Group Publisher Charles Forman Tel (845) 426-6072
cforman@m2media360.com Editor
Melissa Dowling
Tel (203) 855-8499 ext. 223 mdowling@m2media360.com
Managing Editor Jeremy Nedelka
Tel (203) 855-8499 ext. 213 jnedelka@m2media360.com
Art Director Kathleen Sage
ksage@m2media360.com
Production Director Mary Jo Tomei
Tel (760) 318-7000 ext. 220 mtomei@m2media360.com
Editor-at-Large Liza B. Zimmerman
surprising: As the Huffpo writer pointed out about the Aviation, "This cocktail has converted more people who thought they hated gin than I can count at this point." How do we convince others to taste things they might enjoy but they're afraid to try,
Michelle Paolillo Lockett Kelly Magyarics Melissa Niksic Todd Price
Contributing Editors Jason H. Barker Andrew Freeman
Thomas Henry Strenk Carolyn Walkup
whether it's gin cocktails, imported whisky, an unfamiliar wine or a new craft beer? As several articles in this issue point out, some beverages require a bit of a hand-sell, with some friendly education, encouragement and the occasional sample. Some operators take a more hands-on approach. At the inaugural Boston Cocktail
Vice President of Sales, Associate Publisher Anthony Bongiovanni Tel (248) 253-0108
tbongiovanni@m2media360.com
Summit in October, presenter Troy Clarke (director of food and beverage for the Royal Sonesta hotel in Cambridge, Mass.) explained how he developed a beer cocktail made with mezcal and IPA for a guest who didn't drink mezcal or IPA. Clarke said he wanted to bridge the gap for the customer "and show him what he was missing." It worked—the cocktail was a hit. Sometimes we all need a little nudge to see what we've been missing. You can find more of my coverage from the Boston Cocktail Summit on page 10. And
on page 46, Sandy Block offers some terrific advice on pairing beer with food—subtle suggestive strategies you could use with a number of situations. We also cover how operators are marketing—and often mixing—imported whiskey
(page 28), sparkling wines (page 32), and craft beer (page 40). And don't miss the feature on festive cocktails (page 22), in which mixologists show off some serious seasonal creativity. Each issue of Cheers is jammed-packed with content to help you succeed; the same goes
for the programming of the upcoming Cheers Beverage Conference. This annual event, which in 2013 will be held in Dallas Feb. 12-13, is a great opportunity to learn from the beverage industry experts presenting in sessions and keynotes and also enjoy some networking face-time with your peers. (For a preview of the Dallas scene, see page 36; for more on the show visit CheersConference.com.) On that note, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.
Cheers!
Melissa Dowling Editor
6 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012
Senior Regional Sales Managers Mark Marcon
Tel (248) 761-6231 mmarcon@m2media360.com
Debbie Rittenberg Tel (215) 860-0306
drittenberg@m2media360.com
List Rental & Reprints Cheryl Naughton Tel (678) 292-6054
cnaughton@m2media360.com M2MEDIA360
President/CEO Marion Minor
Vice President, Finance and Operations Gerald Winkel
Vice President, Circulation and Collateral Services Joanne Juda-Prainito Tel (630) 543-0552 jjuda@m2media360.com
Vice President of Operations Mary Jo Tomei
Tel (760) 318-7000 ext. 220 mtomei@m2media360.com
Cheers®
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is published by The Beverage
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ANDREA TOPALIAN
