The Bar Journal

1. It’s all about purity and simplicity…back to the basic!!

The industry is seeing a return to embracing flavour and character, with greater emphasis on creating depth of taste and expressing (not masking) the spirit in a drink and probably had been driven by the reissuance of classic cocktail.

The education of bartenders has led to an appreciation of the balances in classic cocktails that underpin a lot of contemporary creativity.

One temptation in the tropical countries where there is an abundance of wonderful fresh fruits is for young bartenders to be lulled into the easy use of the blender.

In historically fruit-deprived cold climates, bartenders had to learn tricks using fruit and herbal liqueurs, fruit juice and crèmes, and this is where the understanding of matching unusual flavours is a more rigorous discipline.

1. Master mixologist session

Influences and trends in different regions are increasingly joined up as there is greater exchange of information with international trade magazines, blogs and global training programs driver by several spirits brands:

Gin Connoisseur with Philip Duff  is a clear example of brand education lead by an industry expert, but also Tahona society with Henry Besant is a quintessential jump in the wonderful world of Tequila

The group bartending community has really expanded in the last five to six years.

Cities like Seoul, Tokyo in Japan,Singapore and Bangkok in Asia, Sidney in Australia.

S.Francisco and Seattle in the west coast as well as NYC and Boston in the east.

London and Paris in Europe are gaining prominence as important cocktail destinations.

2. Trendy ingredients

More awareness of aromatized wines and vermouths, from the renaissance of wonderful vermouth to the use of ports and sherry.

More bartenders are creating their own infusions such as aged cocktails in barrels, homemade syrup and also homemade bitters.In an evocation of 19th century traditions, more bartenders are realizing that just a couple of drops can transform a drink and add depth to a cocktail.

Master Ago Perrone at Connaught  Bar in London serve a classic dry Martini aromatize with herbal exclusive aromatic bitter choose by the costumers.

3. Molecular Mixology

The term is problematic as can create expectations of a circus act.

In fact, Harold McGee, the grandfather of food science, Ferran Adria and Heston Blumenthal disavowed the term “molecular mixology” because it is misleading.

Better descriptions are perhaps “new wave” or “avant-garde techniques”

Dario Comini at Nottingham Forest in Milan was the pioneer in the cocktail world and inspiring by his knowledge and sharing passion many others bartenders have start to use these techniques in their bar.

4. Trendy style…

There is growing recent interest in Japanese bartending techniques and an overall increase in precision and specific tools such as shakers, ice carving, and strainers.

Sometimes takes by bartenders to the extreme focusing only on their tools and not enough on guest service,as Peter Dorelli saying: It’s not about us but it’s all about guest experience.

Overall we are leaving in a new golden age of bartending, cocktail trendy and ingredients journey, but we should never forget where we came from….

SALUTE !