Inventory for January 21st, 2018

In this week’s inventory we got Seedlip gearing up for a portfolio expansion with a new industry hire, Diageo partners up with UberEats to offer alcohol on-demand, Punch investigates how the “Walken Cooler” became a thing, and New York’s Dead Rabbit bar is set to expand. Cheers!

Health is all the rage in January, and we don’t want to stop anyone. Which is why we’re sharing this link to Chef Seamus Mullen’s healthy drinks. The chef swears by his lime and maple chia tonic for a post-workout recovery drink “as the manganese, zinc and potassium in maple syrup make your muscles as happy as the syrup does your sweet tooth.” We’re also a big fan of the rosemary-grapefruit number, particularly because it sounds like it would go well with a bunch of booze. See all the recipes here.

Seedlip Announces New Brand Plans with Industry Hire

Seedlip is gearing up for a portfolio expansion and after hiring Claire Smith-Warner, the former Head of Spirit Creation for Belvedere. Founder Ben Branson says “At Seedlip we are committed to leading this nascent category and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in this space. Having the support of the most prominent bartenders, chefs and industry influencers has been fantastic and to have one such as Claire joining is testament to what we have achieved at Seedlip to date. I am very much looking forward to working with Claire to expand our portfolio with exciting new propositions relevant to tomorrow’s drinker.” The non-alcoholic spirit has grown exponentially over the last few years, going from eight to 50 employees. It looks like they’ve set their eyes on even bigger targets.

Diageo Increases On-Demand Alcohol Offering

“Diageo has partnered with home delivery service UberEats in the hope of growing alcohol retail sales across the UK,” The Spirits Business reports. Customers will be able to order alcoholic beverages next to mixers and snacks. The company’s aim is to expand the growing opportunity of on-demand delivery by bridging the gap between retailer and consumer. Diageo GB’s Rachel D’Silva says “Through this partnership, Diageo has embraced an innovative technology trend, driven by a shift in millennial needs and a rise in tech-enabled delivery channels. The initiative also enables our trusted stockists to work alongside us and UberEats to set up, promote, and arrange a smooth pickup and delivery service, which will help them to maximise alcohol sales as a result.”

How the “Walken Cooler” Became a Beer World Meme

“A growing number of breweries, as well as bars and restaurants, are maintaining shrines to the cultish actor,” and Punch investigates why. Or, shall we say, they try to. “No one’s quite certain when breweries—plus bars and restaurants, too—started turning the utilitarian storage room’s door into a makeshift shrine to cultish actor Christopher Walken. Nonetheless, Walken is tailor-fit for this role. Beloved for adding oddball gravitas to movies ranging from Annie Hall to Joe Dirt, plus craving more cowbell in that famous Saturday Night Live sketch, Walken is a fitting icon for an often anti-mainstream industry.” It’s basically a smart word pun on a beloved actor. Doesn’t seem that curious.

New York’s Dead Rabbit Bar to Expand

“Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry have announced plans to expand famed New York bar The Dead Rabbit to almost twice its current size after signing a 17-year lease for the building next door.” Apparently, work has already begun to connect the two buildings over two floors. The owners have a busy time ahead of them, “Muldoon and McGarry, who opened the venue in 2013, are also planning to launch an Irish whiskey in February, followed by two books: Mixology & Mayhem this spring, and From Barley to Blarney, an Irish Whiskey Lover’s Guide to Ireland in 2019. In addition, the fifth and sixth comic books in the current menu series will be released this year, followed by a new series of menus. An outdoor bar will also open at sister site and Cuban-inspired bar BlackTail this year, along with an events space and an ‘entirely new’ concept in the same building.”