thebartrainer

When we say worst are we talking in terms of value for money or just straight out most disgusting? Cheers Ian

The Scottish Malt Whisky Society will have single cask, cask strength examples of Ardbeg. See www.smws.co.uk for more details. They mail worldwide I think... Cheers Ian

Could there be other methods to add to the list of, shaken, stirred etc... "How would you like your Martini" "Plymouth gin, slightly wet, flash chilled with nitrogen please" Could thermometers and spectrometers be the next pieces of must have bar kit? Cheers Ian

I have looked this place up and I must go!!! http://travel.guardian.co.uk/activities/fo...,819330,00.html Imagine being able to describe a night of drinking in the same terms Cheers Ian

Fascinating stuff isn't it... After reading the suggested sites (thank you Robert ) I'm starting to think that the specifics of the production process could fundamentally affect the end result. I'm not talking about the obvious shaken or stirred choices but of more scientific options. A tasting plate of 6 glasses each with the same (for the sake of arguement) Malt Whisky in them. The only difference between them would be that the liquids were heated or chilled to different temperatures in order to release different specific aromas. You could present a small piece of food beside each glass to be eaten before or after the drink which would also compliment the specific aroma released. Unfortunately you would either have to have the most amazing palate or a friend with a laboratory in order to pull it off. Back to the original post but does anyone know if there is an independent source of this type of information? Reidle already do specific glasses for all grape varieties on the premise that the way in which the liquid hits your mouth is fundamental to the taste (aroma release) you experience. Don't think they have done a cocktail glass yet... Cheers Ian

Exactly... however when you read the articles on the concept of Molecular Gastronomy the examples quoted are a bit more off the wall. For example; Snails in white chocolate, egg and bacon ice cream on french toast with jam (can't remembaer what type!!) and pipe tobacco infused chocolate. These range from interesting to down right silly sounding but the guy (Heston Blumenthal) has 3 Michelin stars so there must be something in it!! A group of us recently got invited to a preview of a new vodka flavour and were given a bar with all the usual ingredients to play with. I found some cheese in the fridge and tried to incorperate it on the basis of the creamy vs. the berry flavours of the spirit. It was disgusting in a way in which I had never thought imaginable, but the idea was not necessarily a bad one. There are a few sites that can explain this concept better than I can if you do a search. Not seen any books but I'm sure that one exists. Cheers

I have been reading with interest about Heston Blumenthal's adventures in the field of Molecular Gastronamy. It seems fascinating that all types of ingredients are compatable even though they may seem to have absolutely no 'traditional' links. The use of garnish to embelish a drink, even though the scent provided is not present in the drink, is not a new idea (Mai Tai's & Sprigs of mint come to mind). But has anyone taken it to its logical conclusion and placed all of the modifying agents to a base spirit in the garnish? I heard of a mintless Julep which had a veritable forest of sprigs as a garnish for example. The other part of the top class molecular gastronomics which intregues me is the apparent depth of scientific analysis that goes into the creation of dishes. Is this information easily accessed or do you have to have a friendly molecular biologist handy? Could Molecular Mixology be a success? Cheers Ian

I heard this about a couple of others as well. At Bowmore the doors of the warehouse open onto the sea , as they do at Old Pultney (the most northerly distillery on the mainland). Cheers Ian

Too kind You are absolutely correct in what you say about cocktails not having any part to play in 90% of bars (pubs) in Scotland certainly. And I would doubtless have a very different attitude to the whole situation if I had grown up with cocktails playing a role in the majority of bars. Maybe it is not that important what people are making as long as their customers appreciate it and keep buying. Lets face it if cocktail culture falls flat then I'm in a much less fortunate position than I am now!! There will always be the people who will seek out the quality in everything not just the drinks they choose. However the challenge for the industry is to convert those who assume that what they have always bought is all that there is. I also take your point about the "booming" thing. Edinburgh is not a big place by any stretch of the imagination, but proportionately 'cocktail bars' are becoming an increasingly larger segment of the market. Cheers

Did Mr. Trummer think that his soundbite on the quality of American bartending was going to make recruitment for his new bar easier or harder?? It is interesting to see the transatlantic divide in our industry. In Edinburgh (Scotland) the cocktail bar scene is booming and all, with only one or two exceptions, are using fresh ingredients. The last time I used I thought about using anything other than a Raspberry to get Raspberry flavour into a drink was about 4 years ago (Ok chambord but only in conjunction with fruit!) The quest for consistancy is a bigger battle with the use of fresh juices, fruits and herbs. In this quest my approach is to teach bartenders to balance cocktails so that they are neither sweet or sour. If I taste a sweet Cosmopolitain it doesn't get served... it gets corrected. I am a firm believer in the power of the bartender to influence their customers to try new things. I am not so convinced that the way to get them to order something new is to not to stop stocking it. Whatever happened to building a rapport and talking, especially in bars where it is not a 5 deep throng at the bar. Cheers

A good point but do bartenders have a professional obligation to be filters for marketing jargon? Or do the suckers get what they deserve? I'd be much happier selling someone a drink in the knowledge that they may well want another rather than seeing them painfully sip a poorer quality drink for twice as long. Spirit companies look to bartenders as opinion formers. So by stocking brands that people have been duped into buying in the name of image, have we not lost some of the power to change trends for the better? Plus when Absolut Level arrives in Scotland, I'd be mortified if it was the only reason people came to the bar.

Point taken!! Cheers

Has anyone heard of Absolut 'Level' Claiming to be the cleanest, purest vodka ever created it is (according to the UK trade press) "much softer in style than its robust weaty cousin" Has anyone else had enough of super premium Vodka? Has anyone else spotted more than different marketing spin around a pretty bottle, in the last bunch of new releases? Pardon me for being cynical but they are all starting to look remarkably similar Cheers

How about this... 1 1/2 Sochu 1 Sake 1/2 Gomme knob ginger Muddle Ginger, add other ingredients, shake vigorously and double strain into a cocktail glass Cheers

I would have thought that a peppery/spicy note was more likely to come from the use of oak barrels for maturation. I can never remember which ones are responsible for spice but I think it is American Oak that does it. European Oak imparts a softer vanilla/butter flavour. Also Talisker, also known as 'the lava of the Cullins' after the mountain range on Skye and its fiery nature, comes from a pretty cold part of Scotland. Perhaps this affects the levels of evapouration from the cask and as such means that the spirit doesn't mellow as quickly (10-15yrs is not long in Malt terms). Cheers

I'm a fan of both but for me it's a Martinez all the way (a Plymouth Martinez!) Cheers

Maybe the link to the chef/kitchen scenario lies in the process. As I said before I think there is a (roughly 12 drink) list for all bartenders in bars with a cocktail menu. What those drinks are will have big regional and national variences... Bartenders should, however, be able to process preferences effectively. Just as you would ask for a medium rare steak, if you ask for a shaken or stirred drink it should be produced properly. So does the knowledge lie in the specific recipes, which in the end are all matters of personal opinion. Or does it lie in the knowledge of ingredients, terminology and the process of cocktail production? You shouldn't always expect your martinis to be very dry, Stirred with Plymouth and garnished with 3 Olives... But if that's what you specify, it should always taste the same. The other skill lies in taking a list of ingredients from a half-cut customer who wants you to make a random drink they once had on holiday, and turning it into something drinkable. Hope all that made sense

A good point, Do spirit & mixer serves really count???? In the more cocktailian(?) bars in Scotland, the list may read like this Martini Manhattan Daquiri Margarita Old Fashioned Sours (many varieties, same basic recipe...) Fizz, Collins, Rickey..... Julep, Mojito, Smash.... Bellini Classic Champagne Cocktail (Bitters, cognac, etc.. not to patronise but to aide trans-atlantic understanding...) Bloody Mary (& Red Snapper) Mai Tai (not in all but maybe catching on...) Breezes, Sea, Bay, etc... Cheers

An aperatif should enliven the tastebuds prior to your meal so I'd go for a drink with some citrus.... Maybe even a straight up Daquiri made with a nice aged rum. Having said that the vermouth idea sounds good.... A Cinzano Rosso and Tonic, loads of ice and a lemon twist. Cheers

Isn't a Manhattan made with scotch a Rob Roy??? Or an Affinity if made perfect??? Mixology semantics aside... they shouldn't have had to ask twice! Cheers

I've never seen or heard of this in the UK... Seeing as many Local Authorities in the UK are in the process of banning happy hours and capping the low prices of discount drinks I find it hard to believe. In my book the journey from sober to drunk is the fun bit, not going from standing to crawling in one easy blast. Cheers

Don't believe all the hype when the marketing tour comes your way. The Scotch Whisky industry is using less and less Spanish oak as a result of rising prices for ex Sherry casks. So, far from being worthy of a higher price point than the original brand, it is probably cheaper to produce. I would be sceptical as to McCallan's motives behind bringing out a Bourbon cask line. Anyone seriously into Malt should check out www.smws.co.uk the Scottish Malt Whisky Society. Serious single cask malts produced by people who care more about what is in the bottle than on the label!!! Cheers

You can't really beat Wyborowa for a quality (good value) house pour... A vodka with character and credibility that shines both with a mixer and frozen. Ketel 1 and Ketel 1 Citron are also great frozen shots, especially for those extra dry martini fans. It has a kind of slatey dryness and is lush when chilled. Cheers