Educator and consultant for bars, restaurants, and well-known
beverage brands, and voted “Best Craft Cocktails of New England”
by Yankee Magazine, Jonathan Pogash tells us how hotels are
getting it right, where he can work with them on improving their bar
program and highlights trends for 2018
HOW HAS THE LUXURY BEVERAGE EXPERIENCE
CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS?
Over the last several years the beverage industry has seen an uptick
in premium spirits and cocktails being offered at bars, restaurants,
and hotels. The drink ingredients have improved in quality, while
the actual drink recipes have become simpler. The trend is to
consolidate ingredients for ease of service and maximum efficiency.
Guests are requesting drinks that are more natural, local, and
organic when possible.
WHERE DO YOU THINK HOTELS ARE GOING RIGHT?
I think that there is a continued trend towards premium spirits and
ingredients, but with a catch. It’s all about pleasing the guest and
various likes and dislikes. As far as cost is concerned, menus are
becoming more varied in their offerings as it pertains to cost. There
is a mix of premium, super-premium, and more cost-effective
offerings on menus nowadays. Guests have a choice as to their
budget.
There is an overall discrepancy in the spirits/cocktail world.
Casual dining has seen a huge increase in sales, and super-
premium spirits sales are up in the double digits. To compensate,
luxury establishments need to (and will need to) cater to several
demographical layers of consumers.
WHERE ARE THEY GOING WRONG?
The “wrong” of it is two-fold: Ineffective drinks menus and training -
and - overly-complex cocktails.
To stand out from the crowd, drink menus need to be creative
and enticing to the guest. This is only the first part. These drinks
need to be properly executed by bar staff that is properly trained in
technique, ingredients, and efficiency. I’ve walked into numerous
luxury establishments and taken a peek at their drink menus. They
seem creative and well-written on paper, but when that drink
arrives, it says an entirely different store. It’s unbalanced, not
enticing to the eye, and sloppy. It’s this ineffective execution of the
drinks that undermines one’s entire bar program.
Keeping the drink recipes simple, with methods that are easy to train
on and execute are pivotal in a successful craft cocktail program.
There are simple shortcuts to implement in your establishment that
do not take away from the overall appearance and taste of the drink.
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