At multinational firms, cocktail-making is turning integral to team building. Cardiologists are being introduced to wine pairing at pharma conferences. kasmin fernandes meets the corporate bartender, shaken, not stirred, and asks master mixologists about the shape of drinks to come
At multinational firms, cocktail-making is turning integral to team building. Cardiologists are being introduced to wine pairing at pharma conferences. Kasmin Fernandes meets the corporate bartender, shaken, not stirred, and asks master mixologists about the shape of drinks to come
In future, corporate team building will be about concoction-crazed events where you'll shake up martinis and sip on bellinis while becoming better acquainted with your co-workers. The event will kick off with an introductory demonstration from a cocktail 'King' -- or 'Queen' -- teaching your team the basics of starting and maintaining a bar. You'll then be shown how to shake, muddle and float all the cocktails, make (and later drink) a range of tastebud-tingling mixtures, ranging from the classic to the funky and exotic.
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Top-notch firms are already in on this delicious new trend. Beverage consultant and mixologist Shatbhi Basu has helmed everything from wine and whiskey-tasting and appreciation sessions to cocktail-making workshops for the suits at top multinational and Indian firms Accenture, Hutch, Siemens, HSBC Bank, Citibank, McKenzie, JWT, ICICI Bank and ABN Amro.
Lifestyle channel Discovery Travel & Living broke the ice when it first came to India, through a whiskey appreciation session. Companies are realising how these programmes are beneficial to managers who have to entertain foreign clients here, or big shots at branch offices abroad," says Basu, who is also bar consultant at Manchester United and Escobar.
When Lupin Laboratories launched a pharmaceutical heart-healthy product with grape seed extract, they didn't hold a boring conference. Instead, they asked Basu to teach the cardiologists and lab technicians a thing or two about wines, while they discussed medicine. "Not only was the wine act a good mixer, the cardiologists also appeared visibly relieved. No longer would they be clueless about socialising when they travelled for international conferences."
"Employee engagement, team builder, ice-breaker or pure fun -- the idea works, whatever the objective," says Ajit Balgi, manager and trainer, Western Region at Tulleeho Academy run by the portal Tulleeho.com which has Euro RSCG and Grey India among its clientele. They take companies on a free Four Seasons wine trail -- plus a guided tasting -- "to make wine drinking more accessible".
The academy's Bengaluru branch has IT managers coming in three times a week to learn mixing. "These are young professionals from a competitive corporate scenario. They want to be intelligent about alcohol, talk about single malts and bourbon, know their wine, vodka and tequila," says Basu.
Mixologist Ankit Negandhi started Corporate Being a Bartender, a weekend courseu00a0 at his academy Barwings ufffd The School of Mix at Saki Naka, after he was inundated with enquiries on "what ingredients go into which cocktail". This is the consumer enthusiast; he has no plans to work behind the bar, but would rather be savvy about entertaining. The class has corporate students learning how to shake up cocktails, entertain foreign clients, and then relaxing over a drink at a lounge."
Thirty year-old Sirish Sadanand, senior manager at HR solutions firm Synergy RMS, was a single malt guy until Ankit made him a killer cocktail with aged rum Angostura 1919. Since then, he has turned cocktail enthusiast and wine connoisseur. "It's a great skill to show off at house parties. Friends love my Mojito and Planter's Punch," says Sirish. For Arjun Kaul, manager, operations, Asia-Pacific and Middle East, Nokia, there was no looking back once he "experimented" with red wine. "Now, he knows his way around the bar, like a pro would," beams wife Nikita. As Shatbhi says, "It's also a good way to impress women. The men are pretty candid about it."
The handbook
How to tell cocktails that are a rage abroad
Dirty Martini
Vodka gets muddled with a mess of Spanish olives and cocktail onions, shaken with ice until colder than a Khandala winter, then strained into a martini glass. A distinguishing feature of dirty martinis is olive juice, which gives it a cloudy appearance. Fans of the dirty martini consider themselves to be a rather elite group within the martini fan club.
Sazerac
A New Orleans classic from the 1800s made from rye whiskey, Herbsaint (absinthe) and Peychaud bitters, its variations are finding new fans. Reportedly, the first cocktail invented in America, it was the inspiration for the term "cocktail"; the Sazerac was originally served in an egg cup called a coquetier from which, linguists say, the term is derived.
Dark and Stormy
Dark and Stormy has only two ingredients -- Gosling's Black Seal rum and Ginger Beer. Some bartenders add lime juice, but citrus is unnecessary. Don't forget to cheer with "Kway" if you are sipping it in the US. This traditional salute has Native American roots, stemming from a legend concerning the refreshing drink's healing properties.
Smoking Gun
It's a drink you can hunker down with. Two forceful ingredients -- scotch and Fernet Branca -- balance each other out in this flavourful after-dinner sipper. Use a small scotch or cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint leaf. The drink has a warming effect even though it's served ice-cold.
Tips to impress your guests from 3 women bartenders
Kankshi Mehta, Former flair bartender, owner of Spice Tree restaurant
Don't forget the garnish. Don't be afraid to bend some rules. Try brandied cherries instead of awful neon red sticks. Impress your guests with lemon and orange twists. Look for alternatives to olives; maybe spicy green beans.
Shatbhi Basu, Beverage consultant and mixologist
Don't be stingy with ice; it's what makes a good drink. Stale ice is the fast track to flavour failure. Better to buy a few bags than risk ruining your drinks. Replace celery sticks with cucumber sticks if you need to.
Ami Shroff, Mixologist, flair bartender and guest trainer
Know your flavours. Taste each ingredient you use individually, so if you run out or need to improvise, you can. Like Triple Sec for Orange Curacao, or Honey instead of simple syrup.
Tippling point for India
Wine consultant and educator Sonal Holland was educated at Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) in London. Her wine-centric academy is an approved programme provider of WSET qualification courses. Sonal's forecasts:
wine consumption in india to grow in double digit figures
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Global forecasts by OIV and AWRI predict that wine consumption over the next decade will be dominated and led by countries in the East (predominantly Asian countries). India is already among the fastest growing wine markets in the world. This growth will continue to be led by more and more Indians -- youth, working women, urban and upwardly mobile Indians choosing wine as their preferred drink.u00a0
Wine-pairing will get experimental
Pairing wine with Indian spices goes beyond the conventional international guidelines of food and wine pairing. Over the next decade, India will re-discover and re-invent its strengths in making wines that better reflect our climate, soil and terroir, and compliment Indian cuisine. Wine and the flavours of spices unique to Indian cuisine, will make a fascinating match.
Sonal recommends:
>>Chilean or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (white) or Chablis Premier Cru with a soup, salad or a light appetiser dish.
>>Unoaked Shiraz (red) or Austraian Gewurztrainer (white) with a smoked or grilled kebab dish.
>>Oaked Chardonnay from Burgundy (white) with a creamy or buttery dish like a Paneer in Saffron Sauce or Malai Chicken Korma.
>>French/Chilean Merlot or New Zealand / German Pinot Noir with Dal Makhani.
>>Australian Liquer Muscat or German Trockenbeerenauslese with Jalebi, Gulab Jamun or Rabri.u00a0
Tip: Indian food that is not too spicy matches better with wines. Wines that are fruity, slightly off-dry (whites), less tannic with moderate alcohol levels pair better with Indian dishes.
Know your bar tools
Bar spoon: Used for stirring and layering drinks, a bar spoon usually has a long, spiral handle for reaching the bottom of tall glasses and for easy twisting of the shaft.
Cobbler Cocktail Shaker: This three-piece cocktail shaker comprises a shaker tin, strainer, and tight-fitting measuring cap. Fill up the tin and shake.
Julep strainer: It looks a bit like an oversized spoon but is actually a perforated metal strainer best for pouring cocktails from a mixing glass. Place at an angle.
Corkscrew: A tool to draw stopping corks from wine bottles, generally consisting of a pointed metallic helix (often called the "worm") attached to the handle.
Ice Crusher: Pour ice in the top compartment of the ice crusher, wind the mechanical arm, and the crushed ice falls into the removable transparent section.
Jigger: A measuring device usually made up of two cones, joined together in an hourglass shape. One is an ounce (30 ml) and the other is an ounce-and-a-half (45 ml).
Muddler: A wooden tool shaped like a small baseball bat, a muddler allows you to crush ingredients in a glass or shaker, gently releasing flavours and oils into the drink.
Squeezer: Fresh juice is essential in cocktail-making. With a good stainless steel squeezer, you can easily squeeze juice on the spot, when you are making a drink.
Soda siphon: Soda siphon, seltzer bottle and siphon seltzer bottle essentially refer to a device that dispenses soda. Useful to prepare pure soda, sparkling water and cocktails.
The cocktail trend forecast
Mixologist and liquor industry consultant Sven Almenning is Founder and Managing Director at Behind Bars Industry Services in Australia, which won the Training Programme of the Year 2007, 2008 and 2009 Australian Bar Awards, and ALIA On-Premise Training Program of the year 2009. He says:
Gin is in
Gin is about to get its moment. Any cool and classic cocktail with gin as its base is capturing people's attention. Vodka will still dominate the cocktail range for its versatility. However, gin's subtle differences and personalities make for a great cocktail base. As far as classics go, the Negroni is the 'it' drink of the industry, while Ramos Gin Fizz, Collins and the Martinez are back in vogue. Modern cocktails will be well-balanced and punchy, with some of the character of the base spirit shining through.
Rituals and Theatre rule
Great restaurants offer great experiences. Great bars need to do the same. Over the next few years, expect to see cocktail bars offer drinking rituals and drinks theatre for experiential enhancement. For instance, at eau-de-vie, a small cocktail bar that I own in Sydney, we use vintage cocktail shakers and outr ufffd serving vessels to add to the customer experience. One of them is a glass shaker cast in the shape of a lady's lower leg, replete with chrome high-heeled slipper. The Lady's Leg Cosmopolitan, the shaker's very own signature drink, sees Ketel One Citroen vodka played off against homemade cranberry sorbet.
Molecular mixology is in
The Molecular mixology movement is maturing (process of creating cocktails using the scientific equipment and techniques of molecular gastronomy). These methods enable the creation of greater varieties of flavour and different ways of presenting drinks using gels, powders, foams and atomised sprays.
Dark spirit makes a comeback
Over a century ago when the cocktail first emerged, it was predominately a dark spirits drink. Concoctions such as the Old Fashioned, Julep and Manhattan were all made with whiskies and cognacs.
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Cocktail degustationsu00a0 are big
Although cocktail degustations (matching cocktails with food) have been around for a while, they have yet to earn their spot on the culinary scene. However, cocktails can match any dish better than beer or wine; they can be tailored to enhance or contrast the dish. Restaurants will experiment further with cocktail and food matching.
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