Tales of the Cocktail® New Orleans 2016

Low proof or high, it’s in every spirit. Shaken or stirred, it’s in every cocktail. We serve it to our customers when they arrive, and we clean their glasses with it when they leave. We take it for granted, but it’s integral to our industry and every other one for that matter. H20, Water, Agua! The colorless, flavorless ingredient no one ever talks about but can’t mix (or live) without. It’s the cheapest ingredient on your rack, and the cocktail bars of the future might not have any…... With the rapid increase of beverage programs throughout the country (and world) and the scarce water resources, are we on the verge of a potential shortage of our cocktail's most important component? Alarming actions were taken this year in bars throughout California during the year long drought including state penalties for water service and waste. And yet, this same scenario has and could easily happen in your hometown. How do we manage the growing demand for beverages while attempting to safeguard our planet's most precious element? Come engage in a thought provoking conversation and learn the facts with some of the country's leading experts on this topic: Chad Arnholt (Co-Founder of Tin Roof Drink Community: Beverage Consultants specializing in education and sustainable bar design), Eliot Sherman (EPA Environmental Scientist - Office of Water), and Pamela Wiznitzer (Creative Director, Seamstress). It's time to learn what happens to all that liquid once it's dumped down the drain. We can enact water efficiency initiatives in our venues and bring this subject afloat.

Atmospheric air is primarily made up of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Air is one of the most accessible yet elusive ingredients in the bartenders' arsenal. We are constantly trying to preserve precious vermouths and other highly perishable items by shielding the from as much air exposure as possible. At the same time we implement force carbonation and shaking techniques as we seek to achieve that sweet spot of aeration and dilution in cocktails. Should we consider air a friend or a foe? In this seminar join cocktail maven, Jaymee Mandeville as she sheds light on the methods practiced by bartenders around the world and through time. Panelists with diverse backgrounds weight in on topics like the science of oxidation and application of NO2 vs CO2. To shake, throw, stir...is there a difference...or are we just putting on airs?

As long as there have been cocktails, nutmeg has been making them smell better. This seminar studies the wondrous weapon of mass aromatization enjoying a second wind in mixology. It is one of the earliest drink ingredients, pre-dating the American cocktail with its application in English punch. Nutmeg then made the transatlantic journey to be included in Sangarees and Flips, folded into Tom & Jerrys, and eventually grated atop modern Tiki cocktails. What most regard as shriveled seeds primarily used by bakers, nutmeg has a fantastic and world altering history. Come and learn the history and applications of nutmeg and why it has remained a key, but often overlooked, ingredient in cocktails. Discover the biology of nutmeg, why this seed spawned a spice war that would build and crumble empires, the medicinal and culinary uses for nutmeg in different cultures, and hear from Jack McGarry, Peter Vestinos and Charlotte Voisey on modern sources and suppliers of nutmeg, proper storage, and application on the bar-top. Said to cure incurable diseases like the plague and dysentery, claimed to preserve meats better than salt and valued for increasing the male libido, nutmeg was once worth well beyond its weight in gold. Taste three cocktails designed to demonstrate the aroma and flavor powers that nutmeg brings to a drink and take away instantly useful information as well as a gift from our sponsor, the spirits portfolio of William Grant & Sons.

It is no secret that sherry has been something of a dormant category, too often associated with the sickly sweet liquid our grandmothers used to drink by the bucket full. Thankfully the last couple of years has seen a resurgence in the number of sherry drinkers and sherry based cocktails with people drinking smarter and indulging in richer, lower ABV cocktails. Join us as we explore a brief history of the sherry category and taste some special and remarkable concoctions before moving on to an overview of sherry cocktails past and present. Experience the liquid's versatility and the possibilities it has to offer. This is an in-depth look and discussion about the global future of sherry in mixed drinks.

On a hot summer day there’s nothing like cracking open a cold beer and chugging the heat away. Refreshingly delicious, beer is great on its own but it also has the ability to add carbonation, texture and a variety of complex flavors - ranging from citrus to coffee - to any cocktail.

In this seminar, Elayne Duff AB-InBev's craft beer division Global Event Manager (and former James Beard-nominated mixologist) will team up with Lynnette Marrero ( Co-Founder of Speed Rack and Owner of DrinksAt6 Consulting. 2015 Food and Wine + Forbes Most Innovative Women in food and drink ), Jacob Grier, author of Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer and Christian Siglin (2014 Eaters bartender of the year). In this seminar you will learn: the best spirit and beer combinations, the different beer varietals and their uses within the components of the cocktail, the benefits that beer can bring to played out classics, pitfalls to avoid when embarking on cocktail development, and other artisanal uses for beer. All while tasting some traditional and not-so-traditional beer cocktails created by our experts!

Pegu Club, Clover Club, Pendennis Club — you know them as iconic cocktails, but they were also actual clubs. Join TOTC Spirited Award winners David Wondrich and Jeff “Beachbum” Berry as they storm the gates of history’s most famous — and infamous — private drinking dens. From London’s blasphemous Hellfire Club and its punch-­fueled orgies to Manhattan’s impregnable Marco Polo Club and its millionaire movers and shakers, you have an all-­access pass to the secrets, the sins, and the drinks of the elite, the effete, the bad and the beautiful.

Think you know your Meyers from your Almafi’s? Join us to test your Citrus knowledge with five citrus experts from around the globe. Citrus has remained a pivotal ingredient in cocktails since its initial inception. From the squeeze of a lime, to the zest of an orange, this fruit is integral behind the bar. But how many of us truly understand citrus? In this seminar attendees will be presented with an in-depth look into the history and anatomy of citrus that includes the species history going back to the “Original Four” Citrus fruits, from which all citrus today can trace their origins. This understanding can embolden you to experiment far beyond basic citrus varietals with confidence. Attend this seminar for the opportunity to experience rare, experimental, and hybrid citrus varietals from one of the largest citrus collections in the world, the Citrus Variety Collection [CVC] at University of California, Riverside. The CVC has roots that date back to 1910 as the citrus industry began to take root within CA and was originally a way for the migrant Midwest farmers to research and learn how to grow citrus in the area. Today, the collection is home to nearly 1,100 different citrus varietals, some of which can only be found in the CVC Grove. It is the most diverse collection of citrus fruits in the world, and due to restrictions on the transportation of citrus fruits and rootstocks, it will never be able to be recreated anywhere else in the world. The collection is a true historical treasure and home to vast citrus research and knowledge. We will provide a citrus field guide full of information on the unique varietals featured during the seminar from the UCR CVC Grove. Guests of this seminar will also go home with a fragrance inspired by a unique varietal from the CVC Grove custom designed by Givaudan’s Fine Fragrance team. We will dive into the challenges unique to citrus involving oil extraction, acidity levels, oxidation, changes in pH, enzymatic bittering and changes in volatile aromas. A large majority of the characterizing flavor in our favorite citrus varietals live in the plant’s outer peel, or zest. With this in mind, we will turn next to focus on the process of natural citrus flavor extraction methods, from which citrus oils are derived, relevant to both commercial spirit production and behind-the-bar scale. During the seminar, you will have the opportunity to taste two daiquiris to compare and contrast the different approaches to the citrus consistency issue. First, we will serve a freshly squeezed lime daiquiri. Next, will be a daiquiri featuring natural flavor and acid. In closing, we will serve two signature daiquiris that utilize both approaches in perfect harmony to kick off the Q&A segment. Ultimately, you will leave this seminar with four key takeaways. The first is a unique opportunity to explore the history of all citrus and experience the profiles of rare and exotic citrus. The second is a firmer understanding of the inherent citrus challenges. Third, you will gain awareness into various citrus flavor extraction tools along with guidance on how to choose the best method based on the desired output. Lastly, you will have the ability to achieve more consistent results as you continue to work with citrus.

Whether as a bar snack or in a cocktail, the egg has been a staple in bars across the world for generations. Hear the story of the genesis of eggs in bars and cocktails, the tradition of the bar egg, learn about egg production and nutrition, the facts on egg contamination in cocktails! The best of and most unusual egg cocktails from around the world, how to utilize eggs in your bar and all things Flips, Sours, Nogs and Fizzs Join the NoMad’s Nathan O’Neill, and Nick Wright of Suffolk Arms, New York, who have both stood behind London’s and New York’s best bar making egg cocktails, as they join former Egg Farmer, Egg Enthusiast and Tullamore D.E.W. ambassador Tim Herlihy to discuss the egg’s impact on cocktail culture as they tell the story of eggs in bars and cocktails, as well as the panel’s favourite egg drinks from around the World Whether you are a Bartender, Fizz Fanatic, Flip Fiend, or Egg Enthusiast, this Egg-stravaganza will be the ultimate guide to everything Egg in bars and cocktails Expect a definitive answer on which came first: the chicken or the egg, plus many egg puns #TheEgg

It's been about 5000 years since grapes were crushed into drink. Temples have been constructed, gods dedicated, and wars waged over the nectar. Isn't about time we follow the advice of Homer to the "wine-dark sea" and drink? The ancients provide us with guidance, but we will share with you options to take your ready-made ingredient to new realms. Come join Jason and Meredith Nolley, two NYC industry vets, in teasing forth flavor so readily held in nearby bottles. We will touch on the aromatics of the first cocktails, the secret quinine held in the Piedmont hills, brewed rice concoctions of the Far East, the expectations of the Sherry barrel, and the impression of the the vintage. Our seminar will taste through five examples that prove not all ingredients are pre-ordained, although some certainly have the ingredients.

Abbott's Bitters was the second most popular bitters in the United States in the 1800s and was said to be the original bitters in the Manhattan Cocktail. By the 1950s, the Abbott's brand had all but disappeared, except for a few vintage bottles collected on eBay. The vintage bitters are exceptional, but is the Abbott's formula truly lost? In 2009, Darcy O'Neil discovered a bitters recipe from the 1860s with the signatures of two Abbott's. Coincidence? Possibly, but to truly answer the question a four-year research project began, culminating in a trip to the Caribbean to harvest a rare bark off trees in a tropical jungle to reproduce the recipe. This presentation will detail all of the research, including genealogy to determine who the Abbott signatories on the recipe were and if they were related to C.W. Abbott, detailed newspaper and historical document searches as well as using old marketing material and court cases will all be used to provide clues to solve this mystery. All of the information will be presented, including the recipe and the source, which has dozens more historical bitters recipes. A tasting of the bitters and a few cocktails made with Abbott's Bitters will be provided. The source of the recipe will be of great interest to people in the industry as it will open up a whole new resource for research and development of bitters, ingredients, and cocktails.

From charred barrels to tiny bubbles, learn how carbon not only purifies spirits, but how it also contributes to flavor. Join Golden Spirit Award winner Ian McLaren, Beverage Scientist Ned Popovic and cocktail innovator and Bacardi Ambassador Juan Coronado to take this journey through an Organic Chemistry lesson incorporating the principles of Carbonation, how Carbon plays an important part in the spirit production process, and how atomic number 6 can be incorporated into cocktails.

Imagine selling 23,000 glasses of a single drink every month in one bar. Imagine doing that for years, decades. Jared Brown spent the last year researching the history and evolution of the Singapore Sling on behalf of Sipsmith Independent Spirits and Raffles Hotels. Brown ferreted out every reference to the drink in the Straights Times, Singapore’s main newspaper, from the 1860s up to modern day. Then he turned to every other available historic source he could find. He conducted extensive interviews. He met and drank with a number of the people involved in running this historic Southeast Asian hotel. He even created a bespoke gin tailored to fit this iconic drink, which is now available in Raffles Hotels worldwide. Come hear his fascinating discoveries and taste a selection of the steps in the evolution of the Sling (plus at least one other long-lost Singapore classic) as the Singapore Sling enters its second century and receives a much-needed overhaul.

Some call it an aperitif. Some call it an aperitivo. And some people just like to have a drink before dinner. Whatever you call it, the aperitif has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity around the world. But what is an aperitif? Where did it come from, and how can bartenders perfect aperitifs of their own? And is it a drink, or more a way of life? We will explore the historical roots of the aperitivo, explore how France, Italy and other European countries have put their unique twist on the category, and showcase some of the finest aperitifs from the Old and New Worlds. Join our stimulating panel of aperitif experts Carina Soto Velasquez of Mary Celeste, which has helped put the aperitif cocktail back in fashion in Paris, Daniele Gentili of ‘aperitif embassy’ Bar8 in London, Naren Young of New York City’s pioneering Caffe Dante, and ‘aperitif aficionado’ Camille Vidal, for an in depth discussion of this tradition from yesterday to today. Attendees will learn how the aperitif has evolved, the role that food plays in aperitif service, and how the growing trend among cocktail lovers for ‘low proof’ drinks makes this the perfect moment for bartenders to master the art of the aperitif.

In the 1860s, when Italy began exporting its vermouth to the United States, this new ingredient changed the way Americans drink, and quickly—by 1885, the Manhattan and the Martini were beginning their long reign as the king and queen of American mixed drinks and vermouth was everywhere. But the encounter with American markets and the Americans’ unique ways with mixed drinks radically changed Italian drinking as well. Please join renowned cocktail Historian David Wondrich in a characteristically detailed but lively and anecdotal exploration of both sides of this exchange between cultures. Both cocktails and aperitivi will be served.