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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/490399
www.cheersonline.com 32 • April 2015 anything he's ever had before due to its unique combination of spirits: Pimm's No.1, Batavia Arrack, St. Elder elderflower liqueur, honey and lime juice. The drink is consistently one of the top-selling items on Russell House's menu, Mitra says. As you are combing spirits and flavors, be sure to document every step of the process. That way, if you prefer the taste of earlier versions of the drink, you have the ingredients and measurements saved so you''ll know how to correct the flavors. HAVE SOME FUN WITH THE NAME Creative naming definitely affects signature cocktail sales, Stanton says. All Sable bartending staff come up with the names for their custom-crafted cocktails, using the drink's ingredients, books, songs, movies and so on for inspiration. For example, The War of the Roses cocktail was named after the series of historic wars between the two English houses of Lancaster and York in the 15th century, because the drink incorporates two English spirits (gin and Pimm's). The "Dusk 'til Dawn" (High West Double Rye, East India sherry, Ramazotti amaro, Angostura bitters) was named after the classic Robert Rodriguez movie because the cocktail is classically built from the ground up. Both cocktails sell for $14. Customers are often intrigued by unusual drink names on the menu, says Mitra. "Someone may not know anything about a 'Corpse Reviver' or a 'Suffering Bastard,' but they have names that are simple and evocative," Mitra says. "That person might, at the very least, ask about the cocktail when hearing it aloud or reading it on a menu." Mitra advises sticking to simple names that are short and easy to remember. At Russell House, the Whippersnapper cocktail ($9), made with Four Roses bourbon, raspberry, lemon, Creole shrubb, Angostura bitters, has a catchy title and is one of the bar's top sellers. Keep in mind that catchy cocktail names may cause people to order a drink regardless of whether or not it suits them. That's why Stanton tries to ensure that the name of the drink reflects the nature of the cocktail in some way. What's more, "I try to come up with names that are as gender neutral as possible," Stanton says. "A name like 'Pretty in Pink' will most likely only sell to women, no matter what ingredients go into it." You don't want to name a drink that people are embarrassed to say, Stanton adds. "I remember going to a diner and seeing a turkey club I wanted, but it was called the 'Super Birdy,' and I didn't want to say it, so I didn't order it. I try to keep that in mind when naming my drinks." CONSIDER YOUR CONCEPT AND LOCATION Signature cocktails can also be created to enhance a region- specific menu. Nico Osteria, a seafood-focused Italian restaurant that opened in the Thompson Chicago hotel in 2013, designs specialty cocktails to incorporate Italian liquor and ingredients. For instance, the Starlight ($13) combines Old Forester Bonded bourbon, Medley Bros. bourbon, Lazzaroni amaretto, maple and pomegranate, shaken with citrus. You always have to consider your location and audience when developing signature drinks, says Matty Eggleston, head bartender at Nico Osteria and the hotel bar Salone Nico. "Chicago is a vodka and whiskey town," so Nico offers a vodka cocktail—the Gilder, made with vodka, sorbet, hazelnut and prosecco. "Even though [vodka cocktails] might not be the coolest thing these days, we make a really good one and it sells for us," he notes. START SMALL AND SIMPLE While some cocktail-centric operations have success with multipage specialty drink menus, start with a smaller selection that isn't intimidating for your guests or your bar staff. Casey suggests making room for eight to 12 cocktails, allowing room for base drinks as well as seasonal selections. "We always keep the menu to ten drinks or less. It makes it easier for the customer to make a choice," Eggleston says. Another thing: "All of the cocktails are simple so the bartenders can make them quickly." The Nico (Sipsmith gin, Amaro Braulio, Cocchi Americano, mineral water) has only four ingredients. Extreme simplicity is key for cocktails at certain operations, such as Gilley's BBQ, a restaurant and saloon dance hall in the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Because of the fast-paced atmosphere of that location, director of food and beverage Paul Pace has opted for a smaller specialty cocktail menu consisting of just five drinks. One is the popular Kentucky Highball, made with an in- house spiced bourbon ( Jim Beam blended with cinnamon, vanilla and allspice) and Fever Tree ginger ale ($11). All of Gilley's cocktails are drinks the bartenders can make quickly, such as the Rattlesnake ($11), with Jim Beam Devil's Cut bourbon, lemon sour, simple syrup and rhubarb bitters. STYLE Signature The bartenders at Sable Kitchen & Bar in Chicago come up with the names for their specialty cocktails, using everything from the drink's ingredients to songs and movies for inspiration.