Simon’s Picks… Proof Blog

Sitting at a computer all day I do have the luxury of being able to do things like read the New York Times online which has proved to be an inspiration on a number of fronts. Towards the end of last year, for instance, I came across a blog on the site called Proof : Alcohol and American Life…

London Update… Walk In Gin

Let me say first off, to save a flood of corrective comments, that yes, I know a gin and tonic is not technically a cocktail. At least it isn’t when served in a glass, but what if it is atomised and suspended as a cloud in a tiny room and inhaled by intrepid cocktailians in boiler suits?

Tales from the Humidor: Cuaba 2008 Edicion Limitada Review

Cuaba 2008 Edicion Limitada

Introduced relatively recently in 1996, the Cuaba marca is best described as one of Habanos SA’s niche brands. The story behind the Cuaba name is based on Cuba’s Taino Indian population and their use of tobacco leaf. Upon arrival, The Spanish learnt that ignited cuttings from the cuaba bush were the [...]

Alcohologist… The Cocktail Shaker

The cocktail shaker is far more than a simple tool for bartenders to prepare drinks in. It has over the past century become a symbol for civilized society, for elegance, sophistication and the embodiment of good times… Sven Almenning dusts off some antique gems and takes a look at the history behind this, the most indispensable of bar tools…

Sebastian Says… how to write a good cocktail list

The 2008 Bartender Magazine Bartender of the Year, winner of the world’s best cocktail list and owner of 1806 in Melbourne gives you his top ten tips on creating a cocktail list in his Blog, Sebastian Says…

OPERATOR FOCUS: Andy Freeman and Michelle Mok, Luxe Bar

It’s a rare thing when two people with such a personal love and operational knowledge for a business get to write its next chapter. We caught up with the duo while over in Perth, our heads still throbbing from flying over all that desert with little more than lukewarm beer and peanut grease for lubrication. As we soon discovered, these first time bar owners have done quite a bit to their new home already…

COCKTAILS: Scrambled, Poached or Shaken…

Amy Spanton discovers that eggs are a key cocktail ingredient in everything from egg nog to the whisky sour.

I was having a drink with a friend the other night and I ordered a whisky sour. “It has egg white in it,” I said in passing. “That’s disgusting,” she spat. “Why on earth do they [...]

Flak Jacket Not Required

If The Sydney Morning Herald, The Telegraph and the mainstream media in general are to be believed, a night out in Sydney is best experienced wearing a flak jacket and Kevlar helmet.

Ice Ice Baby

A full transcript of the interview with Grant Collins which appears in the February issue of Bartender magazine.
Interview by Simon McGoram

What different types of ice have you been working with at Zeta over the past couple of years?
Like a few bartenders I was inspired by a visit to Japan. I was really focused – with my [...]