Australian Bartender Magazine wishes to thanks the State Archives of NSW for the permission to use their photographic records: www.records.nsw.gov.au and also the City of Sydney Council’s Historical Atlas of Sydney resource which was invaluable to determining many of the Hotel’s names www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Sydney’s Oldest Pub…Well For Now Anyway

Whether the claim is ‘the oldest pub’, ‘the longest running continual liquor licence’ or ‘the oldest building ever used as a public house’ there will never be a definite answer as colonial Sydney was brimming with sly grog-shops and hotels from 1800 onwards. Furthermore, the irregularity with which liquor licences were issued would make it all but impossible to substantiate a claim of actually being the ‘oldest hotel’ in Sydney.

The State Archives of NSW is a history buffs delight and is a good place to start when researching the history of Sydney’s hotels, but at best can lead to an informed opinion about Sydney’s oldest pub and below are two such ‘bites’ of history that seem to start the ball rolling.

On August 12, 1824 The Sydney Gazette ran a small memo announcing;

“Those noble and extensive premises… are now occupied by George Morris, late of the Greyhound-Inn, Castlereagh Street. Hence forth they will be known by the name of “The Australian Hotel“.

So is this the birthday of Australia’s oldest continuously licensed pub? It certainly gives a good argument and is used by the venue as proof that they hold the prize. However, in the 1820s there was no great necessity to actually hold a liquor licence in order to open a ‘hotel’ and there is no mention of a license, let alone one that has continued until today, so it can’t be used to substantiate the claim. The building certainly exists, and it’s named on many maps of the period, but is that enough?

From 1824 onwards the Sydney Gazette ran numerous compliments directed toward The Australian Hotel for its hospitality and good service, so it appears that the publicans were determined to make a go of it and business was indeed thriving. They also advertised that they offered ‘the finest alcohol’, however, again, it does not mean they had a licence to do so.

Over the years new owners of The Australian Hotel went to considerable lengths to maintain the name of the hotel when they took it over, assuring the public that the fine tradition of hospitality would continue, so it’s clear that it was running a fairly swish accommodation package for the time - but no official licence just yet.

A year earlier, in July of 1823, the Sydney Gazette had run a memo that concluded with;

“Further particulars may be known on application to William Foreman, at the Sign of the Fortune of War opposite the King’s Wharf” (Modern day Circular Quay)

Firstly, this most certainly leads to the conclusion that the Fortune of War had had a sign outside its door a full year before The Australian Hotel came into existence, and the chances they sold alcohol are fairly high as many other public houses of the period that were selling alcohol are prefaced in the same “at the Sign of” manor.

During the 1800s private houses often simply hung signs outside their residence offering them as ‘public’ and relied on their reputation for drink and word of mouth to prosper. If they no longer wanted to offer themselves in this way, they simply took the sign down and announced it.

To have a house marked by a named sign can lead to the thought that the owners of the Fortune of War were certainly operating as some sort of public house (while perhaps not as fancy as The Australian Hotel) or, more likely, a ‘grog-shop’ in 1823. By 1826 the owners of the ‘Fortune’ were openly advertising that they sold alcohol, so it’s not far to think that they were doing it in 1823.

Rum and wine was often simply purchased directly from the ships that had landed and the Sydney Gazette is filled with offers of ‘fine quality rum and wine for sale’. Again, no license was usually required to buy, just the funds, so the ‘Fortune’ could have easily been operating as a ‘pub’ prior to The Australian Hotel. Furthermore the owner of the Fortune of War, William Foreman, was later involved in other ventures, included the grog-shop ‘The Jolly Sailor’, so one could pretty much conclude that rum was probably on the menu at the Fortune of War in 1823.

What’s interesting to note is that Fortune of War states that it was established as a pub in 1828, despite advertising in the Gazette that they were  selling rum two years earlier. 1828 was the first time a liquor licence was recorded as issued to the venue (countless hours of troving through the archives couldn’t find mention of it unfortunately), so perhaps the discrepancy comes because while they sold it, it wasn’t consumed on the premise.

As the issuance of licences for the sale of beer, wine and spirits prior to the 1830s was extremely hazy and often willfully administered at the Governor’s discretion, it makes it almost impossible to track accurately.

The Australian Hotel is not recorded as holding a licence at the time it was gazetted in 1824 and the Fortune of War makes no mention of holding a licence in 1823, although the assumption can surely be made that Mr Foreman had passed some grog over the counter in the same way you can assume that Mr Morris would have done so at The Australian Hotel.

In 1830, when liquor licences became mandatory for hotels, both the Fortune of War and The Australian Hotel applied for and were granted a licence to trade as Public Houses. They were in fact, listed as numbers one and two in the official document - so both hotel owners seemed determined to be properly recognised when it became a matter of law.

From all the evidence (or lack of) that surrounds this issue, you can reasonably conclude a number of points. Firstly, it can’t be proven that The Australian Hotel’s licence has been continual, although its good reputation probably meant that the business has managed to continue until today.

There also doesn’t seem to have been another hotel in the vicinity with a similar name granted a hotel license - although another hotel named ‘Australian’ had did have their application rejected in the 40s. Secondly, the site of The Australian Hotel has changed a number of times since the 1820s, making the name historic but not the building.

What makes the Fortune of War unique in this instance is that while it has been rebuilt in parts it appears to still be standing on the same site as originally built marking the Fortune of War as an icon of an era long past and something that should be treasured.

Thirdly; both the Fortune of War and The Australian Hotel are listed in the official list of houses granted publicans’ licenses in 1830, which was when the legislation determined the guiding laws for what we consider to be a Public House - The New Licencing Act of 1830.

So in the last regard, perhaps the most important, both the Fortune of War and The Australian Hotel have had their licence the same amount of time.

A Sandstone Colony to last an Age

Early colonial Sydney was a mire of sandstone quarries, hollowed out by hand in order to lay the building blocks of our fledgling city. Indeed, ‘The Rocks’ was given its name because of the valuable sandstone blocks that it produced in its hundreds of thousands. Sandstone was crucial to the building of the city and by 1900 there were some 50 sandstone quarries in operation in Pyrmont alone.

Today, if time is on your side, you can pass a few hours at the iconic Lord Nelson Hotel (est.1841). Sitting in the hallowed bar, you can enjoy her home crafted, full flavoured ales while taking some time to admire the proud, hand chipped sandstone walls that surround you. The ‘Nelson’s’ cumbersome blocks hold the marks of a generation of men long past, men who toiled endlessly in the pits under a blazing sun and often bound in chains. Those convicts and laborers that gouged the sandstone out of the ground worked from Cockatoo Island to the Hunter Valley and spent hours breaking them into shape.

“There will never be a definite answer about Sydney’s ‘oldest pub’ as colonial town was brimming with sly grog-shops and hotels from 1800 onwards“

Another of Sydney’s sandstone beauties is the Hero of Waterloo (est.c1845). The sandstone blocks that built this gem came from the Argyle Cut, near the now established Argyle Bar, and still hold the tired and endless gouges that were required to turn them into shape. Unfortunately much of Sydney’s historic ‘pub’ past has been lost over the years.

The threat of the Bubonic plague in the early 1900s saw many of the city’s slums and eyesore dwellings torn down. With them went numerous residences and hotels including, it is claimed, the original site of Hero of Waterloo that was said to stand at the current site of the Museum of Contemporary Art (the King’s Wharf back in the day).

In the 1920s great swathes of the city were also demolished in preparation for the development of the Harbour Bridge. The Harbour View Hotel (c1843) was one fortunate hotel that escaped in name, moving to its current location, but the regal looking Ocean Wave Hotel (est.c1830 and named The Black Dog) perished for good, lost to future generations.

As we blaze into the new age of the bar, we should pause to remember the origins of the Australian Hotel industry.

The Public House, but not as we Know It

Throughout the 1800s the new city of Sydney was littered with public houses, their names straight from Victorian England. Often heavily localized, the names of these early ‘pubs’ usually reflected the clientele’s trade or occupation; The Whalers’ Arms; The Quarrymans’ Arms; The Shipwrights’ Arms; The Bakers Arms; The Sperm Whale; The Farriers and The Coopers’ Arms to name a mere fraction. Other names that were used were terrifically colourful, and show the creativity and imagination that was used by the publicans, perhaps in memory of a favourite tavern back home; The Dog and Duck; Swan with two Necks; Keep within Compass, The Cheshire Cheese; The Bee Hive or the Hit or Miss Hotel.

With the heavy whaling trade that thrived outside of the Sydney Heads it is not hard to think why there were at least three venues named The Whalers Arms operating at the around the same time and only a short cobblestoned meander from one another. At least one building survives today, a grand sandstone private residence directly opposite the Hero of Waterloo (cnr Windmill/ Lower Fort Street).

In 1842 the site was listed in the city records as The Young Princess Hotel and having a licence for billiards. However, an 1842 drawing names it as ‘The Whalers Arms’, so the drawing’s date may be incorrect or the artist was perhaps drawing from memory, unaware of a change in name.

In the same drawing, another ‘Whalers Arms’ is shown in the distance, standing on the docks around from Walsh Bay (this pub also appears later in Doves” 1880 city survey map). A third ‘Whalers Arms’ is also known to have stood proudly on Gloucester St, just down from the current site of The Australian Hotel (now the location of the Sydney Archeological Site). Over the years the ‘Whalers’ on Gloucester St was captured in numerous paintings and drawings which make it appear to have been quite well known at the time - especially to the ‘ruffians’ who ruled The Rocks.

Public Houses did not have to have the word ‘Hotel’ in their title and they were far from what we might expect today. From 1796 a licence to sell wine or spirits could be obtained if your character was in good repute, had the connections and could offer the issuing body a cash surety as bond (usually around £20). As there was no regulatory body to enforce licences there was little problem in trading alcohol without one.

From 1825 however, a more sustained effort was made to regulate and police the selling of alcohol in the city and different pubs were often issued different closing hours. Trading hours were usually announced in the Sydney Gazette as a means of keeping the public informed about new restrictions put in place or a house that may have had its hours extended.

Police reports from the late ’20s show that some effort was actually expended to the end of regulating the ‘hotel’ industry with fines in the range of $100 per infringement - such as late trading or illegal sales. Public opinion also shows that the inhabitants of Sydney were demanding a more regulated ‘hotel’ trade, and in 1825 one contributor to the Sydney Gazette demandingly asked; “how many of those public-houses are little better than places of rendezvous for vagabonds, prostitutes, drunkards and the nurseries of every species of vice?” Fine prose indeed, but with citizens having to listen “with unhallowed pleasure - [it is with] horror we hear the extravagant and obscene ceremonies with which the poor heathen celebrate”. Many town residents welcomed tougher regulations as they were enforced.

The big change to the colonial ‘hotel industry’ came 42 years after the colony was established with the New Licensing Act of 1830. This act defines what we still consider today as the basic rules of governance for a Public House, albeit slightly relaxed. The rules were clear; all licensed houses have “at least two sitting rooms and two sleeping rooms, for public accommodation”, and furthermore; licences are only granted from a central authority (not local) and publicans provide both accommodation and liquor - it also saw the emergence of the ‘licensing police’.

The demand for the licence to come from a ‘central authority’ was important as it regulated the process and certified that the licences were all issued from the same governing body.

While certain houses were certainly operating prior to this as ‘public’, by taking the date of 1830 as the official time that pubs as we know them today developed, it becomes far simpler to track down licences and assess who, if any, can claim to be the ‘oldest pub/ hotel in Sydney’ - in whatever manner they are claiming. While there have been many amendments to the Act of 1830 made over the years, the basic principles are the same today.

Some Forgotten Oldies

The Lord Nelson Hotel and the Hero of Waterloo are perhaps the most noted of Sydney’s historic pubs, set with their sandstone walls they have maintained a fairly traditional feel and give a good idea of days long past. Next door to the ‘Waterloo is the site of the diminutive Shipwrights’ Arms Hotel (est.1831) and two doors further is the former Hit and Miss Hotel (est. c1839). Neither of two these pubs seemed to have survived longer than a few years so perhaps the ‘Waterloo had a better trade. The Captain Cook Hotel (est.1877) is now a more modern building, but it still stands on its original site. Captured by a photographer around 1901 you can see how the pub has grown in size, enveloping Mr Boyce’s business next door. Another sometimes overlooked venue is the Observer Hotel (est.1848 as the Observer Tavern). While the interior has undergone extensive renovation and rebuilding, the pub stands proud today where it did long ago and the familiar awning is still recognizable over the footpath. The current site of the Orient Hotel (es.c1850s) was originally named as the Marine Hotel and on the opposite corner to it once stood the ASN Hotel (Australian Steam Navigation Co.) - a wonderful building that served as a pub until the 1980s.

This Product News item was featured in Bartender’s December issue.

Forbo Flooring Systems has a product that is ‘ideal for hospitality venues’. A hard-wearing, easy clean vinyl based product, Forbo Flotex, is a textured surface that looks and feels like carpet but without the certain drawbacks that come with having the real thing. Available in either sheet or tile formats this product is a highly durable flooring option, and has an R12 slip resistance and acoustic dampening properties of up to 20dB. Treated with built-in Sanitized^TM treatment which enables it to give constant anti-micro bacterial protection throughout its life; it has the endorsement of the National Asthma Council of Australia, Sensitive Choice. The product is waterproof and is the only truly washable textile floor covering. The options available for design purposes are extensive with Forbo Flotex offering a huge range of over 400 colour and design choices including large endless pattern repeats and vivid life like designs created through high definition print technology. Options for creating a unique and harmonious space are broad.

For further information please contact Forbo Flotex on 1800 22 44 71

This bar profile was featured in Bartender’s December issue
By Edward Washington

Want to find one of the seriously cool Sydney dive bars that’s filling out this ever growing category? Then get the cabbie to drop you at The Flinders Hotel. With dim lights, exposed brickwork, chincy décor and a turquoise tiled bar that’s accessible from all angles this place fits the bill. There is also space aplenty to roam free, and not get boxed in by the crowds. The Flinders Hotel is under new owners (James Wirth, Angus Gruzman, Paul Wilson and Nick Mathers) and is set to take on a whole new lease of life. As for the name sake, The Flinders Hotel sits on Flinders Street (tucked away behind Taylor Square) and the name paid recognition to the man who circumnavigated Australia. Mathew Flinders was also the man that championed the use of the name Australia - so just remember that little factoid for your next trivia challenge.

Long times have passed however since Flinders and his ever present cat Trim graced the cobble stoned paths of the colony and it’s now Pickle Back and beer time at the Flinders Hotel - all the time. Having re-launched itself in April, there is now nothing better that navigating your way up the straights of Oxford Street to prop yourself against the bartop with a seriously good home made sausage role and a fresh poured beer. The inspiration behind revamping the age old site was, “to create a local pub with good drinks, good music, good food, good staff and late hours,” Wirth says. “It’s somewhere you can drop in at anytime. It’s simple but it’s something we felt Sydney kind of lacked. The whole project has been driven by the owners, Mike Delaney (designer) and Andy Penny.”

“The Flinders is best described as American dive bar meets classic Aussie pub, meets colonial boat galley.” James Wirth

The road to the new and improved Flinders Hotel took about the same amount of time as it took Mathew Flinders to sale around the continent. “It took us six months to build and get the pub level open, and Duke opened about six months after that. We still have some other things we will be adding soon…so it’s complete without being actually being finished,” Worth stated. And just like the groundbreaking voyage of Flinders ship the Investigator, there were the obligatory setbacks and unforeseen problems that plague even the most well thought out plan. “A flooding basement, forgetful builders and an ever shrinking bank account. Nothing too out of the ordinary - but it defiantly was an interesting learning experience,” said Worth as he reflected on the journey.

If you take the time to look around the interior you’ll see some pretty interesting design features and an array of random bar accoutrements (like a collection of icon stubby cans and weapons form the Philippines). Michael Delaney, owner of Honky Tonks and Sorry Grandma, was heavily involved in the venue design and owner James Wirth describes him as, “a legend and design visionary.” Taking a new lease of life to the pub, that according to Worth had, “some pretty average Thai food and some odd upstairs tenants,” now sees a finished product that Worth describes as; “a mix of American dive bar meets classic Aussie pub, meets colonial boat galley. Taxidermy, varnished brick and jars full of pickled bar snacks.” With such a visual display on offer the Flinders’ team advises that people should make more than one visit in order to discover and experience all of the eclectic décor on offer. Contrasting paint schemes, street signs, propeller props and strings of luminous light bulbs, some with vintage looking shades adorn every square inch of the venue. There’s a bear’s head protruding from a small canoe as well - try not to over think it, its more of a link to the ‘bear parties’ of days well past.

While this is primarily an all hours watering hole, the Flinders is offering a good selection of bar food to keep you upright throughout the wee hours. See: What’s On Offer? to get the run down about the Food, Drink and Music. Wirth says, “We have DJ’s five nights of the week and have just started a Flinders Mix CD/ ipod cast series. There are also talks of doing some kind of online music station/ player,” so stay tuned - pardon the pun. What about the team steering this old girl on her new course? “We have a crack team of bartenders and barbacks, led by bar manager Chris March. Most of them have worked with Andy Penny and Chris at other venues in Sydney before, so it’s a close family team.”

The Flinders sails in 12 hour shifts, before weighing anchor each morning for a spell. “As we are open from five pm until five am we get a great mix of customers coming through our doors,” Wirth says. “We attract an after work crowd earlier on in the evening and then the young hipster side of Surry Hills generally turn up after ten pm (resplendent in their Ksubi outfits and locking up their fixie bikes out the front). Even later still the hospitality crowd turn up after service to let their hair down.” Wirth keeps the philosophy simple when it comes to creating something with longevity. “It’s a very simple formula. Have friendly staff and make people feel like they are at home - like the show Cheers. Throw in great drinks and music and you have yourself a bar that should be around for a very long time.”

What’s On Offer?

Food: The Flinders offers home made sausage rolls, jaffles, pickled eggs and pork scratching. And there is a full pub menu coming soon, if not already available.

Drink: A classic mix of Aussie pub and American dive bar. Schooners of beer, Pickle Backs, shots of Jack Daniels. Most cocktails are served on the rocks and come summer there will be Margarita and Jack Daniels slushies to cool you down as well as jugs of punch.

Music: An eclectic mix running hot from the ipod/ record player that ranges from; Nigerian Psych Rock to Hillbilly Disco, Welsh Disco Pop and Japanese love songs.

Next in Line For The Crown - The Duke

If the reigning nobility is the unpretentious downstairs section of this two storey venue, then the next in line for the thrown is The Duke: the snazzy little cocktail bar and balcony accessible through a door next to the Flinders’ main entrance. When you head up the narrow staircase away form the street you find yourself transported into a different style of bar. The vibe in The Duke is set by the fresh thick paint, giving a sort of regal feel and the layout puts you in the mood for a laid back time with great drinks and well prepared food.

Thomas Lim, (former Tetsuya’s) is in the kitchen along with Mitchell Orr and they are serving up some pretty special treats to entice you in. There are three sections to choose from; Snacks, Share Plates and Afters - and the Fried Chicken Wings served with Coleslaw milk and hot sauce are causing quite a stir. The share plates are ideal for two or more, and include produce like Pork Neck, Wagyu, Sardines, or Muscles served with cider, cream and parsley. If you’re after some smaller pieces, then there are snacks like octopus, fried rabbit and spiced prawns.

“Our vision for the Duke’s bar is to be an unpretentious cocktail joint.” Charlie Ainsbury.

Charlie Ainsbury is the man behind The Duke’s one man bar and it is a cool little setup tucked away in one of the corners. With just enough shelf space for Ainsbury to balance his raft of bar wares, including a top selection of spirits, he is able to bang out some great cocktail treats. “There’s something for everybody,” Ainsbury told Bartender. “This applies to all the spirits and liqueurs we stock. If we find there’s a demand for a particular spirit then we will consider stocking it, and that’s important to let the guests know - The back bar selection is smaller than most but it provides almost everything you could really ask for. For instance we are stocking 5 gins and each one of them represents a different category.”

“Our vision for the Duke’s bar is to be an unpretentious cocktail joint,” stated Ainsbury. “The cocktail list sits around eight choices, and that will see a fair bit of rotation allowing new drinks to come to fruition.” Plans for the near future include a Punch station; something the team thinks is going to be a big hit when it arrives. “Another of the Duke’s unique traits is the ice used for the cocktails.” Ainsbury says. “We freeze and chip our ice in-house every single day - We’re not doing this for the sake of trend. We believe that using the best possible ice with quality ingredients will result in the best possible cocktail.”

With this focus on getting the basics absolutely right and producing some great drinks (both classic and modern) Ainsbury assures us that there won’t be too much trouble when it comes to ordering something that is not on the list. “We aim to please everybody; if we have the ingredients on the bar then we’ll make it. If not we’ll try our best to make something like it and hopefully something better.” Sounds like the right attitude.

A Quick Look at The Duke’s Cocktails

Banana Between the Sheets: Cognac, Gold Rum, fresh lemon and Banana liqueur.

Adonis Cocktail: Dry Sherry, Sweet Vermouth and Orange Bitters - flamed Orange zest.

The Duke Cocktail: Duo of Orange, Maraschino Liqueur and Bubbles. Finished with a lemon twist.

Floradora: Gin with Raspberries, fresh lime juice, ginger and club soda.

Bartender’s Wine Picks

• 2009 Basa Verdejo,  Rueda DO, Spain. $50
• 2008 Meyer Fonne Muscat, Alsace, France. $65
• 2008 L’Anglore Grenache (Rose), Tavel, France. $35
• 2008 Pizzini Sangiovese, King Valley, Australia. $14 glass
• 2004 The Duke Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia. $8 glass

Do you want to create new and innovative ways of doing business? Do you want access to practical and cutting-edge information?

To evolve both your thinking and understanding of what a successful social business requires and to learn about the resources necessary to achieve social business leadership you should attend The Social Business Leadership Workshop for 2011.

Guests are now more demanding and more engaged in defining value for themselves - with or without your input. This is why it is extremely critical to understand and engage with your guests on a deeper and more social level than ever before if you want to build future business success.

The Social Business Leadership Workshop will be an intensive two days of intellectually rewarding work that includes both strategic and tactical challenges to better prepare yourself and your business to face your ever increasing social marketplace.

Contact Tony Williamson for further information: tom@twillyon.com.au

Tickets to SBL2011 can be purchased from HERE

Dates:
March 22-23, 2011

Venue:
Fringe Bar, Sydney

637-641 Chapel Street
Melbourne
www.steerbarandgrill.com.au

Chapel Street Melbourne is a hot spot for all things bar related and Steer Bar & Grill is sure to make use of the street’s reputation. Since opening in early September the new kid on the block has been going all out to impress those well heeled Melbournites. “It’s been going really well since we opened,” says co-owner and GM Paul Bellette, “the venue has been really well received by the locals.” With the food and wine side of things well under way under the watchful eye of New Zealand born Executive Chef Stacey Thompson and Wine Director Raúl Moreno Yagüe the venue plans to open a chic cocktail bar upstairs by the end of this year. If all goes to plan guests should soon be sitting back in an ideal location indulging in deliciously infused cocktails served up with a range of bar food. Steer Bar & Grill also shows off some impressive design features, utilizing high ceilings and having a contemporary warehouse look. The main feature is the 3.5 meter sculpture of a raging bull that sits first and foremost in your eye where ever you may sit. Thompson wants Steer to be “and ambient space where locals, foodies and visitors alike can feel relaxed and comfortable.” Just keep and eye on the bull.

55 Liverpool St Sydney
www.goodgodgoodgod.com

This bar was featured in Openings in Bartender’s December issue.

Owners Jimmy Sing and Hana Shimada have revamped their recently opened venue adding a new front bar area that they describe as, “Part social Club, part subterranean getaway and part late-night drinking haven.” The team wanted to create a timeless ‘paradise’ in the midst of the Sydney city where you could head after hours and enjoy good drinks, good vibes and escape the ruckus of post midnight drinking sessions. Taking advantage of a late trading license the Goodgod team wants their late night haunt to be a social environment where people can relax until the wee hours of the morning. The team collaborated with visual design experts and set-builders in order to bring their amended vision to life and have harked back to a bygone era with tropical colours, electric render, utilitarian deco lines and whitewashed booths. With a tight wine list, a barkeep service and a focus on ‘House cocktail jugs’ why not check it out.

This product was featured in Bartender’s December issue.

Crown Commercial has invested a lot of time and resources into its unbreakable drinkware range and their polycarbonate drinkware collection was recently released. The new range is unbreakable and will not chip, crack or craze - and as the team at Crown Commercial discovered will survive even if a truck runs it over! “There is a need for some hospitality venues to comply with new legislation that apply in their state [regarding a ban on glassware] and yet there is consumer awareness and distaste for ‘plastic’ drinkware,” says Tim Russle from Crown Commercial.

“Our new collection has been designed to be aesthetically pleasing to consumers and to benefit the hospitality industry through savings on breakages and by assisting to reduce the nasty consequences of broken glassware.” The Crown Commercial polycarbonate products have assured long life, are made from food grade material and are 100 per cent recyclable. They are OH&S compliant, BPA free, stain and odour resistant and will wash easily in the dishwasher. Made from a lightweight, high grade polycarbonate the new range has the look and feel of real glassware.

For further information contact Crown Commercial on 1800 252 360

This new product was featured in Bartender’s December issue

Perfectly timed for summer release and assured to stay out of the shadows is Mt Gay’s Eclipse Silver. Fresh on the Australian scene this gentle and mellow white rum reveals subtle notes of cane sugar and banana on the nose and has an overall, harmonious complexity. Crystal clear with an extremely clean palate, hints of peppermint and citrus this truly unique rum is exceptionally balanced and showcases the craftsmanship of the Master Blender. Having won an impressive swath of awards the triple filtered expression from Mt Gay Rum should be available as of this December issue of Bartender Magazine and would be a great addition to your portfolio.

For further information about this product please contact
Suntory Australia on 02 9663 1877.

Shop 24-27, Level 2, Queen Victoria Building
455 George Street, Sydney
www.bacco.com.au

Housed within the auspiciously arched Romanesque walls of the historic QVB building is the second Italian offering from the team at Bacco. With the success and reputation of the original Chifley Plaza site comes their secondi, and brings with it a good little offering of cocktails, wine and food. Take some time out to refresh yourself with a Giorgio IL Bello, a true aperitif from Venice; Aperol, elderflower cordial and Pinot Grigio spritzed with homemade lemonade, served in a glass rimmed with handcrafted orange rhubarb dust. Or tuck into a few Sydney-Milano’s; Sydney-made vermouth mixed with Campari from Milan, served short with a side of seltzer they are just the way ‘mamma used to make them.’ If you are in the mood for some vino rosso, Zenato’s Ripassa Valpolicella would be a wine to try and if you’re after bianco, then try the Pierre Spar Gewurztraminer from France (even though it might get you chased out of this little Italian spot).

This Product News was featured in Bartender’s December issue.

Nuance has listened to your carafe conundrums and has come up with an answer. Tired of wine carafes that spill their ice out in the first pour and which can’t be put through the dishwasher at the end of a long night with all the other glassware?? Then worry no longer because the design team at Nuance has put their heads together and come up with something special. The new multi-carafe represents a serious shift in how you will look at the formally humble bar item. This carafe features a unique design that allows you to screw off the bottom enabling you to fill it with ice cubes, chopped fruit or what ever else you want to make those summer cocktail jugs more appealing, and the pourer features a design that allows you to keep ice cubes in the carafe and not falling all over the table. If you remove both the top and the bottom attachments, the carafe can easily be fitted into the dishwasher as well. If you’re thinking about using it for wine then you could splash out and attach the wine aerator to help open the wines bouquet as you pour it in, and the non drip spout will ensure you make the glass and not the customers shirt.

For further information please visit www.bristolandbrooks.com.au