Inventory for September 6th, 2015
Welcome back! This week we explore what it means to be JetBlue’s wine expert, new food and drink trends of 2016, Glenlivet presents an addition to its Nàdurra range, a bourbon-infused beer makes the rounds, World’s 50 Best Bars announces it 51-100 placing, and a patent for a prohibition-era gadget is released. Cheers!
Fireball Whisky is increasingly popular in the States, though it’s not really found a fan base in Europe (how peculiar). If you are so inclined, feel free to try Jim Meehan’s homemade take on it. You’ll probably need to order some American candy from Amazon, but that shouldn’t be a problem. A quick overnight infusion will turn any whisky into “an almost fluorescent shade of red” and all it needs is a orange juice mixer. Try it if you dare (and please – report back!).
1) What It Means to Be JetBlue’s Wine Expert
Last year the American airline JetBlue announced that it would be expanding its wine range. In order to do so, in order to maintain the quality the company prides itself with, they hired wine writer Jon Bonné to help with the selection. Kate Taylor of www.entrepreneur.com spoke to the former editor of The San Fransisco Chronicle. He revealed that he only chooses wines that he’s personally written about and recommended. Which seem to make no business sense, but apparently JetBlue went with it.
The crew serving the wines are trained expertly and must remember a 50-word speech, written by Bonné himself, about each and every wine to help explain the origins of the bottle. Bonné says “I think that over time, it will improve the ambient level for wine service [in the airline industry, though] not for everyone.” Yup, that sounds about right. We doubt EasyJet will be calling us up to advise their cocktail menu any time soon.
2) Food and Drink Trends of 2016
Every year as the seasons start to change, experts get all up in a flurry trying to figure out what the next, best, newest, and loudest flavor trends of the coming year will be. This year ain’t no different. Elaine Watson of beveragedaily.com sat down with Virgina Dare’s VP of marketing Anton Angelich to discuss new flavor trends and product concepts. In the broadest terms he sees a demand for clean label, non-GMO, vegan, free-from, organic and natural as well as a continued interest in heat.
Unfortunately for us in the beverage interest, the interest in cake flavors still holds strong. Angelich mentions its popularity in “smoothies and nutritional products to vodka and dairy beverages”. Fantastic. In interesting news, Virgina Dare is close to launching a dark amber organic maple flavor, which won’t taste artificial like most fake maple syrups, but more buttery. We can get on board with that easily!
3) Glenlivet presents Second Quality
Glenlivet is expanding its range, the Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection will be joining the ranks of the Nàdurra series, which was introduced last year. The series’ range is ripened in various caskets, this gives the fillings its distinct character. Unlike other modern whiskies, the Nàdurra are bottled without a cooling filter, which enhances the complexity and body of the end product.
4) Beer’n’Bourbon
The Scottish brewer Innis & Gunn has latched onto what they see as the moment’s hottest trend: Bourbon infused beer. The spirits business notes that the beer was created was a summertime complement to the company’s Bourbon cask dark ale. The beer is matured “in an “Oakerator”, which percolates the beer through Bourbon cask oak chips”.
Founder of Innis & Gunn Dougal Sharp says “It’s been a labour of love to nail the true depth of Bourbon flavour but by using American Heartwood oak in our ageing process we’re pretty confident this beer is a true American beauty.”
5) Not World’s 50 Best Bars … But Close
Next month will see the World’s 50 Best Bars announced in the eponymous ceremony and in anticipation of that, W50BB released its 51-100 in this year’s poll. A personal favorite, we’re happy to see Copenhagen’s Barking Dog make the list (just barely, but there’s time) at no. 99. And of course we’re more than delighted to have Frankfurt’s The Parlour rank at 65. Cheers to those who made it and let’s see what bars are announced in 1-50 next month.
6) Patent for Prohibition-Era Gadget Released
No, it’s not “Throwback Thursday” (what on earth does that even mean?), but we’ve still got a throwback for you. Boingboing.net just released a patent from the 1930s which was meant “to help prohibition-era enforcement agents surreptitiously take drink samples from establishments suspected of selling alcohol”. Frankly, it sounds like something from a bad movie: “It consisted of a tube that was clipped onto a drinking glass, and a rubber bulb that could be squeezed to suck a sample of the drink for analysis”. Also, don’t think that one could just “surreptitiously” sample a customer’s drink without him or her noticing … seems like a bad idea all around.
