Change is brewing
Witch Craft Beer
We lead this week with a very interesting story about witchcraft and women in brewing published by The Conversation. For centuries, brewing was an important household task primarily undertaken by women. Much of the iconography associated with witchcraft has been attributed to female brewers and the smear campaigns of the day that followed. The bubbling cauldron, the pointy hat (worn to be noticed in bustling markets), the cats for keeping mice out of the grain were all part of the female brewing lookbook until it was unfairly turned against them. If brewing history is any indicator, it's only a matter of time before neckbeards and big cloud vape sticks become the mark of the warlock.
Sonic The Fledgehog
We turn our attention from Medieval brewing to the modern day gold rush known as the hard seltzer business. Trying to pay attention to all the new brands out there is like being on a 150 person Whatsapp group. It's exhausting, repetitive, and can cause a lot of undue mental fatigue. But wait... ***Sonic Drive-In has entered the chat***. Now you have our attention. Ocean Water hard seltzer? Yes please. End of story.
The New Best Margarita
First place in the annual Patrón Perfectionist Margarita of the Year competition was announced this week. Chiara Mascellaro's "Rosalia" was crowned this year's winner. It's a simple but well thought out cocktail consisting of Patrón Silver Tequila, Martini Bitter, rose syrup, and fresh lemon juice. Mascellaro created the drink to raise awareness for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
Our Thoughts
Cocktails like these illustrate a very important, but often overlooked point for bartenders. More often than not, a simple, well-executed cocktail, thoughtfully designed around a premise that speaks to the consumer, triumphs over more-complicated, flashy cocktails. We created Better Menu Maker around this concept. The best cocktails feel like the people and places that serve them. It also helps to have a reliable system for getting them out efficiently and effectively. If you are interested in learning more about Better Menu Maker, click the button below and check out the website Ben spent all day making. Our next class starts on April 5th, so if you're interested in joining, let us know!
What Else?
Remember that incredible video we shared teaching you how to pour correctly? Well, we made ANOTHER video! This one is about the art of Stirring, which can be pretty daunting. Click the video below and have a look! Want instant updates on all of these Better Bar Basics videos in one place? Sign up here to get access FOR LIFE.