Catering to Different Wine Tastes

March 24, 2023 by evebushman

It’s no secret that Eddie and I love to entertain. In our home in Santa Clarita, that has a big kitchen and dining area, we sometimes have large groups. Our Las Vegas home, which is our starting-to-scale-down home, is better for smaller groups. Having just one other couple over is really our “sweet spot” for entertaining there. And with the addition of our Wine Room in Vegas, that has four upholstered swivel chairs (and two cushy ottomans when needed) we often start there with appetizers before moving to the dining room for the main course. (We do sometimes entertain in the kitchen, as that’s where the action is: Ed cooks and plates there.)

When we entertain guests we also plan a menu and drinks based on what we think they would enjoy, keeping their comfort in mind. Let me explain. Part of this is due to the different levels of our guests’ wine interests, and secondly to make sure we’ve made the best possible match – between what guests we will have together, what drinks we will serve and what’s for dinner.

One gal pal prefers Rose wine while her husband sticks to light spirits. So for this couple we will plan a dinner that pairs well with those choices like a light pasta or fish. We sometimes make something heartier, and while we switch to red wine, and our friends may try a glass, they always return to their favorites.

Another pal prefers Pinot Noir, though she is known to drink everything, but we do try and make a dish like pork Wellington or salmon for her to pair with her preferences.

One couple admits that they only drink “rubbish” and though we know they are joking, and they do appreciate great wines, we don’t kill ourselves selecting rare bottles from our cellar when they come over. I usually select something a little less expensive from places like the Central Coast, Australia, Argentina or Chile and steer clear of the aged Napa or French wines that come from more expensive real estate. And the menu can be whatever we like, nothing too grand.

We have pals that appreciate the expensive and non-expensive wines, and base their choices on their palate. For them we have an array of wines to taste. Once, at a local restaurant, we all enjoyed a wine I had selected from the wine list for our dinner. I realized that a friend of mine may have imported the wine. I sent him a quick text, and sure enough he had. He told us which store sold it, at $12 a bottle verses the restaurant price of $60, and we – all four of us – went in on the purchase of a case together.

Another couple has their own wine label from Napa, not too pricey, and it’s lovely when we dine in. However when we dine out this couple prefers a wine in the $200 and up range. Needless to say that’s a bit high for us, especially as the markup can be three times the actual price of the wine – which makes it nearly impossible for me to justify spending, even when they ask me to select the wine for them from the wine list. For these occasions we tend to bring in one of our better bottles (that is not on the wine list) and pay the corkage.

We have other couples that only like the really fine wines so we follow suit and only serve our fine wines with them, another that prefers cocktails alone and that gives me a chance to work my home bartending skills, and so on. Again, we adjust our menu to suit the preferences of our guests.

We will literally plan a month of entertaining around who is coming and what we’ll be drinking, and have found that while we are catering to our guests, we are catering to ourselves as well. So, for example, after a night of fine wine we will take a night off and our next dinner will be with our friends that prefer cocktails, and so on again. It’s like dressing up one night and relaxing in sweats the next.

We’ve had pals that wanted to meet some of our other pals. But I’m sometimes concerned that the wine aficionados wouldn’t pair well with the rubbish wine drinkers. I needn’t have worried; everyone is gracious drinking the good stuff and the jokingly called swill stuff. However, later, when I’ve spoken with these friends I learned that they didn’t feel they had that much in common in general. Just another reason why I feel that pairings, food/wine/friends, requires thought. And Vive la différence!

How do you do it?

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Las Vegas Proof Awards, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Art Beyond The Glass 2022 Has Returned – Celebrating Their 10th Anniversary!

July 15, 2022 by evebushman

Another annual event we’ve missed is Art Beyond the Glass where local teams of bartenders show their talents, with the help of some amazing spirit sponsors, in LA’s only killer daytime cocktail party with live music, art and food! This year’s event was held at Catch One nightclub in Los Angeles, and who wouldn’t love to party in a nightclub in the daytime? Too much fun!

Art Beyond the Glass (ABTG) was founded in 2011 by Daniel Djang and Zahra Bates as a special event for bartenders to showcase their artistic talents when they’re not behind the bar. From cocktails to paintings, photography, live music, DJs, spoken word and more, ABTG is a celebration of bartender artistry inside and beyond the glass. Proceeds from every ABTG event are donated to a local arts-based nonprofit – to date, ABTG has donated more than $210,000 to these vital community organizations.

What We Discovered

If you just want the story in photos and videos go here. This is what we enjoyed the most: the bartender teams this year really outdid themselves, there was a foggy tent with even foggier-seeming bartenders from Empirical Spirits, the Fernet Branca people made several cocktails – I liked the Pink Negroni – and also cheerfully offered to water gun drinks directly down your gullet; the Drifter Cocktail Company/Drifter Spirits table was set up like an airport check in complete with a TSA agent, boarding passes and a computer to order your cocktail; SelvaRey Rum was poured through an ice sculpture filled with fruits, bottles and cans, before the drink landed in your ice filled glass; then the Birds and Bees booth, sponsored by Patron and Grey Goose, served Espresso Martinis to Vespers in mini Martini glasses, with lots of fruity concoctions in between.

Taking a break between drinks there was plenty of framed art and a silent auction to peruse, guests partaking in karaoke, and live bands in the multi-level venue. Also munched on fresh pizza, empanadas and street corn.

Going back to sample (or just look at) more drinks I enjoyed the bourbon and rye from San Francisco-based Bespoken Spirits; a popular “Jack Daniel’s Stage”; from the “Disco Sucks Forever” group I sampled their Fizzy Melon Disco Balls with Ford’s Gin at its base; the “Hymns” table had Bib and Tucker and Redemption whisky-based drinks served up by a priestly bartender; the Diplomatico Rum group made popular pineapple, passion fruit and coconut Mojitos; Johnnie Walker had their “high rye” blended scotch whiskey on hand; Chareau, an aloe-based liqueur, was very popular; Amaro Montenegro in Italian inspired light libations; the “Outta This World” table made a fine Makers 46 based cocktail and more; Mulholland Spirits served up a fruity snow cone with their whisky, vodka or gin at its base; I loved the Americano made with Noilly Prat Rouge Vermouth and Topo Chico – and a huge shout out to Topo Chico for supplying lots of icy cool mineral water to keep guests hydrated and drinks cool.

Where We Started: Drinking Wine and Spirits

January 14, 2022 by evebushman

I recently wrote about how I got started with writing about and studying wine. Made me think about how I got started with drinking both wine and spirits. Had a chat with my husband Eddie, and a boozy trip down memory lane, and this is where it started and led me:

Spirits And Wine

Eve at Del Dotto, into caves with winemaker Gerard Zanzonico, circa March 2012.

When I was in high school and underage drinking was at every party, I have seriously no recollection of imbibing but I’m sure I did – and God knows what. My earliest memories of booze include Bartles and Jaymes Wine Coolers, wine spritzers, as well as Mateus and Blue Nun wines.

Not a fan of beer but I did enjoy Mickey’s Big Mouth malt liquor at least once.

Fast forward to my early 20s and I enjoyed Myer’s Dark rum with orange juice, Long Island Iced Tea, Cosmopolitans, Tequila Sunrise and Kahlua with milk, cream and/or vodka. So yea, I wanted sweet cocktails, preferably ones that hid the flavor of the base spirit.

When I met Eddie his mother introduced me to Vodka Tonics. Later came single spirits, for Eddie it was Chivas Regal blended Scotch whisky, for me my tastes evolved much later, into single malt, as there’s what Eddie became more interested in. I was covering cocktail events, which we both loved, and then whisky events. In both I was learning more and more about the spirits, and how to make cocktails with them.

While I prefer gin cocktails like a Negroni or a Martini, Eddie prefers whisky. So added to my home-bartending recipes are the Sazerac, Old Fashioned and Manhattan.

Only Wine

I never drank White Zinfandel. When that was introduced I was enjoying red Zinfandel. I can remember being at Sutter Home in Napa and everyone ordering White Zinfandel, it was the moment I had to start saying “red” before the word Zinfandel to get what I wanted. Thank God that craze is over.

After we got married my sister-in-law and her husband invited us to a vertical wine tasting at Concannon. I didn’t know what that was at the time but quickly learned that we were to taste the same wine from the same winery over several years. It was U.S. my a ha moment as we carefully studied the difference in each vintage. A few years later, during our first trip to France, I wanted to visit Willi’s Wine Bar that I had read about in Wine Spectator. I’ve written about Willi’s several times over the years, suffice it to say that being introduced to the perfect Chateau Lynch Bages Bordeaux with owner Mark Williamson was a turning point for me.

Around the same time my first wine classes were via The Wine House in West Los Angeles: starting with sparkling wine and junk food, Chardonnay Fests, Cab Fests, and a few weeks worth of classes just on France. It would be decades later, after already obtaining my WSET Level Two that I would return there for classes held there by the North American Sommelier Association and my Level One Sake Certification.

Now, how did you get started?

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Dalmore and Gonzales Byass Sherry With Women Who Whiskey LA!

November 13, 2020 by evebushman

“The Sherries of Gonzalez Byass: DNA of The Dalmore” was the name of the Zoom presentation organized by Women Who Whiskey LA I attended recently. This is an excerpt from the invitation:

We are beyond excited to welcome back Craig Bridger, Head of Education for The Dalmore Single Malt Scotch, who will co-host this intimate virtual class with Claire Henderson, Senior Brand Manager for Gonzales Byass Sherry…Women Who Whiskey Los Angeles is honored to host this exclusive event: an in-depth exploration of two historic liquids and a century-long partnership. Craig and Claire will discuss the unique relationship between these two noble houses — a relationship critical to the sumptuous character so beloved in The Dalmore whose signature chocolate and orange character is imbued with rich and nutty flavors from the sherry…

We will start with a boozy Dalmore cocktail then explore the interactive flavor influences of these powerhouse spirit brands with a dram each of The Dalmore 12 yo, The Dalmore 15 yo and The Dalmore 18 yo as well as a dram each of three Gonzales Byass Sherries.

We Learned While We Tasted

We did indeed start with Bridger showing us how a Royal Sour, aka Whiskey Sour, is made (recipe at the end of this article). I found this helpful as I had never made this cocktail with an egg white. Bridger knows his way not only around The Dalmore and has exceptional bartending skills as well. Then, onto the tasting and lesson!

Gonzalez Byass Familia de Vino and The Dalmore

In three small wine tasting glasses we sampled the Alfonso, Apostoles and Matusalem sherries. Almost immediately we noted similar aromas and flavors found in The Dalmore definitely came from these three different sherry casks that they had aged in. Quite remarkable. Also of note, even though the three sherries grew sweeter on the nose as we tasted through them, that didn’t transfer to high sugar in the mouth.

“What makes us definitive (is our use of) exclusive casks and…the one of a kind sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass,” Bridger began. Henderson, from Scotland, added in arich Scottish tone, “This presentation is (to show) why the sherry cask is so important.” She also noted that Scots drank fortified wine as regular wine would spoil. The fortified wine, of course, was Sherry. The Highlands were littered with sherry casks that were then used for storage, transportation and of course, whisky. The Dalmore was one of the first to do it. (The photo shows a 23 yo in a sherry cask.)

Henderson went on to explain that Gonzalez Byass was established in 1936 in Jerez, Spain. The area is dependent on rainfall as you’re not allowed to irrigate Sherry vines. That lack of rainfall means the roots have to dig deep for water, and accounts for more salinity. Finally, Sherry is aged in American oak casks.

Alfonso had notes of almond, caramel, dried apply and vanilla. The Apostoles reminded me of a Port with some candied apple and that same almond. Finally the Matusalem, my favorite, had aromas and full flavors that included coffee, toast, cream, oak, milk chocolate, hazelnut and prunes.

The Dalmore 12 yo was an entire bowl of fancy roasted and slightly salted nuts, vanilla bean and a hint of banana. The 15 yo, my favorite of the three, had a sweeter nose; rounder, more fruit, creamy, with a little toasted almond and pineapple. And the 18 yo, following a trend, had the sweetest nose, with lots of toasted oak and more spice. Simply outstanding.

My conclusion was exactly what Bridger and Henderson were going for: One could easily see the corresponding notes between the Sherries and the whisky.

The Royal Sour (Recipe)

2 oz – Scotch (ideally, The Dalmore 12 or Port Wood)

3/4 oz – Fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 oz – Demerara Simple Syrup

1 small egg (or 3/4 oz aquafaba/liquid from canned chickpeas for vegan options)

Black walnut bitters (or Angostura)

Ice

A cocktail shaker (a mason jar will work)

Empress 1908 Gin Tasting With Founder Peter Hunt!

October 16, 2020 by evebushman

Enjoyed a virtual tasting and happy hour via Zoom recently with the founder of Empress 1908 Gin, Peter Hunt, complete with a bottle of their gin, fancy bar tools, unique recipe cards and a list of ingredients I would need to make “seasonal focused cocktails leading into Fall and Holidays.” Before the cocktail making part of the meeting we learned a bit from Hunt about Empress 1908.

Founding Empress 1908 Gin

Hunt is not only the founder, but he is also the master distiller in the Victoria, British Columbia based distillery. They launched in 2008, as a small family owned company, and then launched Empress 1908 in 2017.

In 2016 they had reached out to the Empress Hotel and drew ideas for their 1908 gin from the teas the hotel serves during their popular, and often sold out, afternoon tea. The 1908 number refers to the year the hotel first opened. (We visited the hotel last year where I had to try the gin myself. Here is the link to my social media post and photos.)

Hunt commented, “…We started with just a small wood-burning copper pot still. (Their stills are all made in Victoria.) My previous decade of bartending, and bar managing, a master’s degree in molecular biology, and work at the BC Cancer Agency’s Genome Sciences Centre, have brought art and science together to provide an ideal foundation for making fine spirits.”

Besides the same black tea used at the Empress Hotel, and the butterfly pea blossom mentioned below in the About section, Empress 1908 also incorporates other dried botanicals such as juniper, grapefruit peel, coriander seed, cinnamon bark, rose petal and ginger root. These botanicals account for a remarkable nose and flavor to the gin.

Cocktail Time

NYC based brand ambassador, Tracey Eden, led the cocktail making part of the tasting. I, of course, made the drinks in advance as I couldn’t even imagine trying to do it while also wanting to take notes. (I made them in one-half the suggested measurement, and though I did taste “on air” I reserved the remainder of drinks to have before dinner. So no, I don’t actually “drink in the daytime” during all of these Zoom presentations. We taste.)

The cocktails I made can be seen here in a less than a minute video. They included The Queen Bee with Empress 1908 Gin, lemon juice, honey syrup, apricot jam and grated cinnamon. Then I made the Cranberry 75, also with Empress 1908 Gin, lemon juice, cranberry juice, simple syrup and Prosecco on top. Both were very tasty and easy to make.

Hunt said there were at least 25 downloadable cocktail recipe cards on the website. Also interesting: the color of the gin changes from Indigo blue to purple/pink when tonic is added to it in a classic gin and tonic – their signature cocktail – and Hunt prefers Fevertree Elderflower for that drink. Looks like I’ll be spending a wee bit more time trying my hand at more Empress gin based cocktails!

About: Empress 1908 Gin is a remarkable spirit that could have only been created in the city of Victoria, on beautiful Vancouver Island, where rugged mountains meet the beautiful Pacific Coast. It is a place where tradition is honored, nature is revered, and artistic expression drives innovation. Perched on the edge of the continent, Empress 1908 is inspired and guided by the natural world. They embrace the wild, and respect both the saltwater that surrounds them and the pristine fresh water used in their gin. Empress 1908’s commitment to nature extends beyond the product to include sustainable production practices, including a geothermal cooling system used in their distillery. Empress 1908 is proud to be paving the way in sustainable spirits.

Empress 1908 Gin is now available for purchase in select liquor stores across Canada and (about 40 states in) the USA, and can be purchased online and shipped across North America.

Vintage Eve Circa April 2017: The Turf Cocktail from 12 Bottle Bar

February 18, 2020 by evebushman

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of recipes from the 12 Bottle Bar book, and not just because the authors have generously served up how-to-make bitters and how-to-make scrubs at Cocktails on the Roof the last two years. We actually have local cocktail aficionados living here and I, for one, am going for the gusto in learning all I can from them.

From the 12 Bottle Bar website, this is who they are:

David Solmonson
An avid home-bartending enthusiast, David is a screenwriter and media executive by trade. He is married to author Lesley Jacobs Solmonson. David is BarSmarts certified.

Lesley Solmonson
Lesley’s book “Gin: A Global History” (Reaktion) was published in 2012, and she is currently working on “Liqueur: A Global History” (Reaktion). She is the cocktail/wine writer for the LA Weekly and writes for Chilled magazine. Lesley has written for many other publications, including Wine Enthusiast, Gourmet, and Santa Barbara, and she serves on the Advisory Board of the Museum of the American Cocktail.

Now about the main ingredient in this cocktail, genever, it took David and Lesley about three times to get me to say it like Geneva with an r at the end and I’m still not sure that’s right. What is genever? Well…I’m a gin fan and the Solmonsons are gin fans so the logical step in my cocktail education was to try a gin-like spirit. Enter genever.

As 12 Bottle Bar explains: “…Modern genever is essentially a blend of two distinct spirits. The first is triple or quadruple pot-distilled ‘maltwine’, equal amounts of corn, rye, and malted barley. The second is neutral spirit like that used in London Dry. And then, of course, there are the botanicals, which must include juniper. It’s the use of juniper that has caused many to call genever “gin”; the term “genever” translates quite literally as juniper. Indeed, when genever made its way to America in the mid-1800s, it was often referred to as Holland gin…” Read more here: http://12bottlebar.com/2012/06/bottle-reboot-part-4-genever/

And the cocktail I loved made with Genever this week is:

The Turf Cocktail

2 oz Bols Genever
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Add all ingredients to a chilled mixing glass.
Stir with ice and strain into a coupe.
Garnish with a lemon twist.

Contact: drinks@12bottlebar.com

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Tio Pepe Challenge U.S. Winner Announced – The U.S. Representative will Head to Jerez to Compete in the 2019 International Final

May 6, 2019 by evebushman

CHICAGO (PRWEB) – The results are in and Javier Ortega Diaz from Libertine Social in Las Vegas, NV is heading to Jerez, Spain to compete on behalf of the U.
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S. in the Tío Pepe Challenge International Final. This is the second time that the Tío Pepe Challenge took place in the U.S.

The Tío Pepe Challenge was created by leading Sherry producer, González Byass, to inspire mixologists from around the world to create original, great tasting cocktails using Sherry as their principle ingredient. Javier competed against five other bartenders from around the U.S. on Tuesday, April 9 at Osamil Upstairs in New York City. The six competitors had to test their knowledge of Sherry through a blind tasting, showcase their use of a venencia (the tool traditionally used to extract Sherry from the barrel), and finally, to create a cocktail mixed with a González Byass Sherry.

The judges, which included González Byass Master Blender Antonio Flores, Tasting Panel writer Courtney Schiessel and González Byass Brand Ambassador Alvaro Plata, judged on all three aspects and selected Javier based on the creativity of using Tío Pepe in his cocktail and the knowledge and skill displayed.

Javier will go on to compete at the International Final, which will be held on May 15, 2019 during the world-famous Feria de Jerez. The top 15 bartenders from around the world, who have created the best Sherry cocktail recipes, will compete and battle it out live in front of a panel of renowned, international experts.

Due to the increased popularity behind the Sherry Revolution, pioneered by González Byass, one of the world’s leading Sherry producers, the Tío Pepe Challenge allows aspiring Sherry experts to test their knowledge about this wonderful fortified wine. The Challenge is designed to inform, educate and instruct on crucial aspects of Sherry.

In addition to Javier, the other five competitors in the 2019 U.S. Tío Pepe Challenge were: Tiana Dillard from Ford Fry Restaurants in Atlanta; Joshua Fossitt from Hospitality 201 in Chicago; Alexander Lazzari from Biltong Bar in Atlanta; Patrick McDonald from Chaval in Portland, ME; and Carlie Steiner from Himitsu in Washington, DC.
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For more information about the competitions, please visit: http://www.tastingpanelmag.com/thetiopepechallenge.
@tiopepewine @gonzalezbyassusa #tiopepechallenge #tiopepechallengeUSA

Winning Cocktail:
Sophia by Javier Ortega Diaz from Libertine Social in Las Vegas, NV

2 oz. Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
¾ oz. Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
½ oz. Freshly squeezed lime juice
½ oz. Homemade kumquat, rosemary and thyme syrup
1 oz. Homemade sparkling hibiscus water

Add all the ingredients together except the hibiscus water. Shake and double strain in to a wine glass fill with ice. Top with hibiscus sparkling water. Garnish with sliced kumquats, rosemary, thyme and edible flowers.

About González Byass USA
González Byass USA is a Chicago based importer for a strategically selected portfolio of fine wine and spirit brands from around the world including Spain, Chile, Italy, Austria and the US.

González Byass USA is the US subsidiary of González Byass headquartered in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. González Byass is a family-owned, collection of wineries founded in 1835 which spans across Spain’s most important wine producing regions. From its foundation, the González family have been dedicated to making fine Sherries and brandies in Jerez, Spain, creating such well-known brands as Tío Pepe Fino Sherry and Lepanto Brandy de Jerez.

Today the fifth generation of the family are the custodians of these exceptional brands having built the company into a family of wineries which produces wine in some of Spain’s most famous regions; Bodegas Beronia (Rioja and Rueda), Cavas Vilarnau (Barcelona), Finca Constancia (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla), Finca Moncloa (Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz), Viñas del Vero (Somontano) and Pazo de Lusco (Rías Baixas). In each of these regions the family strives to make the best possible quality wines respecting the local terroir and the environment. At the same time the company has also expanded its interests further in the premium spirits business and has created pioneering brands such as The London No.1 and Nomad Outland Whisky to compliment the Spanish brandies in the portfolio Soberano and Lepanto, as well as their Mexican brandies from Pedro Domecq: Presidente and Don Pedro.

González Byass USA also represents a number of international wineries in the US market including from Austria Domäne Wachau, from Italy Caldora, Cantine Cellaro, Vesevo, Vigneti Del Salento and Tenute Rossetti, and from the US Row Eleven. In addition, Harveys Bristol Cream and Fundador Brandy de Jerez were recently added to the portfolio.

Learn more at http://www.gonzalezbyassusa.com.

Wisconsin Company Launches New Portable Bar Product Line (And Eve Wants One!)

August 30, 2017 by evebushman

AUKVILLE, Wis. (PRWEB)August 2017

On August 8, 2017, Badger Case officially launched its newest product line, the portable “Badger Bar,” proudly made in Wisconsin.

The portable bar appeals to a wide audience from bartenders and event planners to homeowners and liquor distributors.
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The Badger Bar assembles in minutes, folds neatly into one of our custom-made Badger cases, and fits into the trunk of a truck or SUV.

“The Badger Bar is a real game changer for the professional service industry. Not only is it sleek and cool to look at, but it’s portable, affordable, and a huge timesaver … setting up in only minutes,” says Joseph Couto, Vice President of Badger Case.

The portable bar is available in red or black and a custom logo can be added for a minimal charge.

The bar is available for purchase on Amazon.com, or by calling us at (262) 268-9950.

Badger Case, founded in 1959 as Badger Leather Goods has been servicing customers in the U.S. Military, professional sports teams, tech companies, and hospitals. The company was originally founded as Badger Leather Goods and is now an Alliance Technology Company. Please visit our new microsite http://www.badgerbar.com for more information.

Vintage Eve Circa March 2013: The Chivas Brotherhood

April 4, 2017 by evebushman

In following trends in both wine and spirits I sometimes will accept an invitation to try something in a new way. Lo and behold some companies do these free pop-up type bar events for a week or so at a secret location, the address of which is divulged once you sign up.

Courtesy Legacy Marketing

The one I was headed to was from Chivas, titled “Mentoring”, held Mar. 27, 2013, second seating (there were three 90-minute session in all that night) at the Chivas 1801 Club located that night at 6314 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles:

Here’s to exploration…to discovery…to awakening the mind and senses.

Friendship improves with age….and so does great scotch.

The Chivas Brotherhood celebrates the finer things in life, like friendship, success and the Perfect Serve of Chivas Regal 18.

Please join us at the Chivas 1801 Club as we explore the PERFECT SERVE through a scotch tasting designed to take your senses on a journey to discover the unique and rich character of Chivas Regal 18.

Palate whetted as usual, I made the trek to Hollywood, got the last free parking spot, stood in line with mostly men, and then had my ticket scanned. Sent up a staircase, and not expecting more than a scotch time-share presentation, I was more than pleasantly surprised at what I found:

A large room with several seating areas, a high-tech bar on one end and the center area devoted to a dozen or so tall tables set with scotch tasting glasses, water, and stands for…test tubes?

Before the tasting class we were given two coins to exchange for two mixed cocktails made with Chivas: The Fix and The Sandy that incorporated the Chivas 18 year old, fruit juices, green or yellow chartreuse and a “spanking” of fresh mint leaves. (I joked with our bartender that his style was akin to 50 Shades of Bartending.) Attractive female servers walking around with plated appetizers and sweets equally matched the attractive male bartenders.

Within 30 minutes, Christian Oleve entered, the brand ambassador for the evening, entered to lead us through our tasting.

Now here is where I learned something: Each of the three vials we were to taste was served at a different temperature. The first was frozen, the second refrigerated, and the third one was served at room temperature. To me this mimicked having your scotch served with ice or neat (no ice); but what I learned was that for the novice, having the scotch served ice cold reduced some of the initial burn for them, a little of the burn was introduced in the refrigerated vial, and then they were ready for the burn in the last taste. It was a very smart way of tasting. Just like going from light to heavy in a wine tasting; we start with whites and then move on to reds, etc.

Christian didn’t explain why the tasting was presented this way, and he confirmed my feelings about it after. In his presentation he talked about how the Chivas 18 year-old blended scotch was a blend of whisky – all aged a minimum of three years and each was 18 years or older.

When we tasted the second vial in glass, Christian instructed us to taste it only with the tips of our tongues – the tip being where he said sweetness was most easily detected. I knew this trick but I tried it for fun anyway; and it worked.

“We did not make a smoky scotch at Chivas,” continued Christian, “instead we went for a rich, sweet and floral flavor.”

In my own notes, on all three I got plenty of vanilla and sweet hazelnuts in what Christian dubbed the “Trilogy” tasting. I think that some of those new to scotch, once prompted by Christian to look for flavors, were able to detect them; proving once again that thinking about what’s in your glass produces favorable results – not just a buzz.

The Party

I want to mention that I came to the tasting with my friend Claudia Sheridan, who has generously offered to be our volunteer and event coordinator for A Toast and a Wish wine tasting event on April 13 in the Old Town Newhall Library. Claudia is my wing-man/go-to-girl for events. We have the same Wine and Spirit Education Trust Level Two certification and so we always have plenty to write about at these events.

We met a lovely man on the way in, Joe Poe, as well as several women at our tasting table. The group as a whole was very interested in learning. And, with the two free cocktails at the start and the small vial tasting, you could, if you drank everything offered, get a slight buzz on. We noticed that the mood wasn’t one of drunkenness but rather, the way an event could be run, for education, and, for fun.

Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show Coming this March to Las Vegas

February 18, 2016 by evebushman

2016 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show Adds Certification Programs, Educational Seminars, Expanded Expo Floor and More

Las Vegas – The Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show (www.ncbshow.com) introduces new programming to the 2016 conference, the largest annual bar and nightlife trade show, March 7-9, 2016 in Las Vegas.

The conference program will feature eight tracks: bartending and mixology (in partnership with the United States Bartenders’ Guild); promotions and marketing; social media; beer, food and wine; operations and management; customer experience and liability; and new to the conference this year, nightlife (in partnership with Nightclub.com) and industry trends and research. Bar and nightlife professionals will also have the opportunity to gain the right tools from hands-on certifications, workshops, off-site trainings and back of house tours.

“We are incredibly excited about this year’s certification programs, off-site trainings, workshops and seminars,” said Kristen Santoro, Nightclub & Bar Media Group conference and content director. “Nightclub & Bar Show is constantly searching for new and thought-provoking ways to enhance the conference, and we really feel like we hit it out of the park this year.”

Certifications:

Brand new to the 2016 show, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive certification programs including:

National HOST Security Certification – This program is highly recommended for all owners, managers and bar or club security hosts. Topics covered by Robert Smith, CEO of Nightclub Security Consultants and Richard Bistline, law enforcement liaison with Nightclub Security Consultants, will range from conflict resolution and legal limits to criminal liabilities and alcohol regulations.
ServSafe Manager Training Certification – Timothy Moulson, president and CEO of Term Management will host a 2-hour seminar covering the importance of food safety, how to prevent food-borne illnesses, how to train employees in food sanitation and much more. This session will wrap up with a written test to earn nationally accredited certifications.

Conference:

This year’s conference will hold 92 information-packed seminars and workshops from over 120 industry experts with additional food-centric sessions, training tips for managers, platform-specific social media seminars, design strategies and much more including:

The Craft Beer Phenomenon: What to Expect Next, with Andy Sparhawk, Brewers Association, Pat Fahey, Cicerone Certification Program, Matt Meadows, New Belgium and Paul Gatza, Brewers Association
Turn Your Staff Into Sales Superstars,with Bob Brown, Bob Brown Service Solutions
Quality vs. Quantity: Social Strategies That Deliver Results, with Cheldin Rumer, i-g creative
The Rise of Clean Cocktails, with Melissa Davis, Liquor Lady Marketing
Crush Your Competition: Sports Bar Marketing, with Ram Krishnan, Buzztime

Off-site Training:

Off-site training sessions provide participating guests the opportunity to get hands-on experience at top Las Vegas venues. Professionals can sign up for the following off-site sessions:

Whiskey Tasting and Cocktail Creation Training at Commonwealth in Downtown Las Vegas sponsored by Beam Suntory. During this course, whiskey experts will conduct a blind tasting and share unique recipes.
Lighting Training at Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub sponsored by Elation Professional will allow attendees to experience lighting like never before. Expert staff from Marquee and Elation Professionals will walk through lighting, sound and video programming in three distinct venue types for optimal effects for anyone in the business who wants to learn the ins and outs of their lighting equipment.
Mixology Training session at Herbs & Rye by owner Nectaly Mendoza. Sponsored by Diageo, Mendoza will demonstrate some of the best practices behind the bar, share cocktail recipes and innovative ways to entertain customers.
Back of House Tour at LIGHT Nightclub will give guests the opportunity to get an exclusive look behind the scenes at one of Las Vegas’ most acclaimed venues. LIGHT Nightclub merges cutting-edge creativity with incredible music to produce a new kind of nightlife experience.

Expo Floor:

The expo floor will feature over 700 suppliers packed with products and services from the most popular brands in the industry. This year, the conference has extended the floor hours on Tuesday, March 8 from noon to 6:30 p.m., giving attendees ample time to experience all there is to offer on the floor from suppliers, sponsors and big brands including:

American DJ
Angry Orchard
Beam Suntory
Brewers Association
Buzztime
Constant Contact
Diageo
Elation
Food & Beverage Innovations
Jevo
Mechanical Bull Sales
Middleby Corporation
MillerCoors
Revention
Russian Standard Vodka
Samuel Adams Brewery
Starbuzz Las Vegas
True FoodService
United States Bartenders Guild

Attendees will also have the opportunity to experience more than 65 product categories throughout the floor including décor and furnishings; sprits; beer and wine; alcohol-free beverages and food.

Nightlife:

Exciting nightly events and parties allow peers to network with thousands of colleagues, friends and industry professionals.

Monday, March 7 – Guests can kick off the conference by attending the Welcome Kickoff Party at Daylight Beach Club at Mandalay Bay, one of Las Vegas’ premier daylife venues. Super Premium Pass attendees also have the option of attending an exclusive networking event at Hyde at Bellagio.
Tuesday, March 8 – All attendees are welcome to Mix + Mingle at LAVO inside The Palazzo to share stories, gather ideas and build relationships with industry personnel. Additionally, the Platinum Party of the night will take place at XS Nightclub at Encore, providing an elegant and enticing environment at the No. 1 Las Vegas club.
Wednesday, March 9 – The convention’s nightlife events will end with a bang at the The Downtown Backyard Bash at Gold Spike with fun activities including cornhole and shuffle board and the opportunity to merge work with play.

The 2016 Nightclub & Bar Show offers industry professionals the opportunity to connect with suppliers, network with new businesses, gain critical skills to ensure their success in the dynamic bar and nightclub industry, and discover new products. For those interested in attending the show or for more information, please visit www.ncbshow.com.

About Nightclub & Bar Media Group

Nightclub & Bar Media Group, a division of Boston, MA based Questex LLC, is the go-to resource for the on-premise professional. Mirroring the fast-paced, trend-setting nature of the beverage industry, Nightclub & Bar has been providing the specific tools bar professionals, owners and managers need to grow their businesses, compete, and succeed in this hyper-competitive and dynamic industry for 30 years. Nightclub & Bar Media Group produces the Nightclub & Bar Show (www.ncbshow.com), VIBE Conference (vibeconference.com/), Nightclub & Bar Top Rated Lists (www.nightclub.com/category/ncb/scene/top-rated), Nightclub & Bar Awards, and produces daily content on www.nightclub.com.