Inventory for July 2nd, 2017

Welcome back, friends! This week the saga of Canada’s stolen toe continues (spoiler alert: it has a happy ending), Barra México returns to Mexico City for the third time this summer, a landlord in North Yorkshire shuts down his pub for five days after customers break the “no swearing” policy, and Diageo buys Casamigos Tequila. Cheers!

Meet our newest obsession: Andrew Rea is the mastermind behind the “Bingin with Babish” YouTube channel. Every week the filmmaker recreates food from a beloved series (think Seinfeld’s babka, Louis C.K.’s fried chicken, or Park & Rec’s waffles and whipped cream). This week, he tries his hand at six different cocktails. From Casablanca’s French 75 to The Dude’s White Russian, he’s got it all. Enjoy!

Stolen Toe Returned

Remember last week’s stolen toe saga in Canada? Well, it’s been returned! Jezebel reports that the mummified toe has been returned to the Dawson-City-based Sourdough Saloon, which uses it in its infamous “Sourtoe Cocktail.” The Royal Canadian Mounted Police released a statement saying “On Tuesday afternoon, June 20th, Dawson City RCMP received a phone call from the alleged suspect, stating that he had placed the toe in the mail, addressed to the Downtown Hotel.

The man then called the Downtown Hotel and provided the same message to staff, along with a verbal apology. Earlier today, on Thursday, June 22nd, the expected package was received. To ensure the package was safe to open, it was brought to Corporal Jeff Myke from Dawson City RCMP for him to open. Located inside the package was an apology letter, as well as the stolen toe.” Well, that’s a relief.

Barra México Returns to Mexico City for Largest Show to Date

Mexico City will play host to Barra México for the third consecutive year this summer. The bar show takes place between August 20th and 21st at the Pepsi Center at the World Trade Center and is expected to attract 3,000-plus bar industry professionals from around the globe. This is Latin America’s only trade show specializing in premium and craft spirits, an estimated 400 brands and 70 members of the media are set to show up. Business seminars will be given by Distill Ventures and Park Street. Mexico City, known as D.F. amongst its residents, is a growing hub of high quality restaurants and cocktail bars. The city alone is well worth a visit!

Barra México Co-Founder, Ara Carvallo, says: “Barra México is a gateway for international spirits brands that want to enter the Latin American market. This show provides brand owners, distributors and wholesalers with the opportunity to either begin, expand or consolidate their presence in Mexico and the wider Latin America region. This part of the world continues to make waves in the industry with leading bars and restaurants claiming their spot on the world’s best lists, making it a region to watch. We are looking forward to another exciting year and offering both exhibitors and delegates the opportunities they need to grow their business.” Find more information here.

Landlord Shuts Down Pub After Guests Break Swearing Ban

Where else could this happen other than England? “A landlord kicked out all of his customers and shut his pub for five days after overhearing some of his punters using expletives, breaking the company’s zero-tolerance policy on bad language,” The Drinks Business reports. All pubs run by the Samuel Smith Old Brewery in Tadcaster have implemented a “zero tolerance no swearing policy” since April 12th of this year. This policy was put to the test in the Arlington Hotel in Loftus, North Yorkshire this week.

“The landlord began recounting Sam Smith’s policy on swearing before turning to a girl behind the bar and telling her, ‘shut this bar and get these out,’ closing the pub at just 9.30pm on Wednesday.”

Diageo Buys Casamigos Tequila

George Clooney just got a whole lot richer. Last week, Diageo bought his Casamigos tequila brand for “$700 million, with the potential of an additional $300 million depending on performance.” Clooney co-founded the company back in 2013, with Cindy Crawford’s husband. Their vibe is very much two dudes having fun on the beach in Mexico and drinking tequila without a worry in the world – we bet they’re feeling even more relaxed now. Clooney is keen to stay onboard and “remain a vital part of the brand after the acquisition is finalized.”