ABSOLUT ORIENT APPLE
Absolut Vodka's New Flavor...
Press Release
ABSOLUT ORIENT APPLE, that was first called ABSOLUT BROOKLYN benefited and paid tribute to Spike Lee‘s boyhood home and neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and now its ready for sale around the globe.
This was another test market flavor with a great story that has resulted in a great new product with International appeal. The currently wildly popular ABSOLUT WILD TEA is a flavored vodka that first appeared as ABSOLUT BOSTON in 2009. ABSOLUT BERRI ACAI launched as ABSOLUT LOS ANGELES in 2008. ABSOLUT MANGO was released the same time as ABSOLUT NEW ORLEANS in 2007, although the New Orleans recipe turns up the heat in the form of black pepper.
With the May 2011 launch of the new ABSOLUT ORIENT APPLE, a classic ingredient is in for a fiery twist. The timeless notes of all-natural green, red, and yellow apple are spiked to perfection with fresh ginger from exotic reaches of Asia.
ABSOLUT ORIENT APPLE brings together a fresh and distinct charecter of ripen apples with a slight hint of ginger. The taste is naturally sweet, fruity and smooth with notes of ripen apples followed by a balanced note of ginger.
The new ORIENT APPLE from ABSOLUT is a symbol of the contrast of life. Sensual at first sight; fresh and beautiful, but at second glimpse profound, mysterious and almost dangerously tasty…
About the bottle designers for ABSOLUT ORIENT APPLE… Johanna Basfords has worked with the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Tate Modern Museum in London. She specializes in flora and fauna and was responsible for creating the leaves design.
Master engraver Christopher Wormells, creator of the golden apple in the back of the bottle, collaborated in developing the official shield of the Royal Opera House in London. The back of the bottle presents a beautiful golden apple that will generate maximum shelf standout and differentiation from existing ABSOLUT Flavors in a premium and stylish ABSOLUT way.
In the world of premium vodka, there's nothing quite like ABSOLUT VODKA. ABSOLUT actually enhances the mixers to create cocktails perfected: With no added sugars, it has a natural smoothness that allows the mixers to come through cleanly. The proprietary blend of Swedish winter wheat gives it a well-rounded taste profile that forms the most versatile base for mixing superior drinks. The pristine Swedish water ABSOLUT uses results in a optimal viscosity for ultimate mixability between the vodka and mixers.
Naturally sweet and pleasantly fruity. The unique flavour of ABSOLUT ORIENT APPLE is a flavour that really has a great range of mixing opportunities, for professional bartenders and for amateur cocktail enthusiasts, ABSOLUT ORIENT APPLE enriches all flavours quite sensationally, whether these flavours are sweet, sour or bitter. It's a fantastic cocktail base to mix with a variety of juices and sodas. -Anderson Olsson, director of The Absolut Company Global Travel Retail.
$1,000.00 ONLINE VIDEO MIXOLOGY CONTEST
Drinkdub: Keep the Conversation Going...
By Rob Husted
Welcome to the first annual Flairbar.com“Online Video Mixology Contest” sponsored by Absolut Vodka & Finest CallPremium Mixes. Where every eligible bartender around the world can compete for the ultimate cocktail, $1,000.00 and bragging rights as Flairbar.com’s Finest Bartender.
Entering is easy…! just videotape yourself in a 3 minute video making an original Absolut Vodka & Finest Call cocktail on camera and upload it to Youtube and then take the “Embedded Code” and post it in the “Online Mixology Contest” discussion page on the Drinkdub website (Found on the "Cut Off" page on Flairbar.com) along with the drink name, exact recipe, procedure, garnish, your name, your email and where your from.
Then promote your video as best as you can to get the most votes by other Drinkdub members to become on of the six (6) finalist. One finalist will be chosen each month in April, May, June, July, August and September to determine the six (6) finalists. Each contestant may enter a video once each month. The finalists will be judged only on their qualifying video.
The finals six (6) finalists will have their original videos judged on by a panel of expert judges chosen by Flairbar.com in October to determine the Grand Prize Winner who will receive $1,000.00 and bragging rights as Flairbar.com’s Finest Bartender!
LOOKING FOR FLAIR BARTENDERS TO WORK IN LAS VEGAS!
New Casino Opening on the Strip...
By Todd Connell
Margaritaville Casino Flair Bartender Auditions
We will be conducting Flair Auditions for the new Margaritaville Casino at the Flamingo.
Date: Tuesday, August 16th
Time: 9am – 3 pm
Location: Royal Hall at Imperial Palace on the 4th floor
Auditions will consist of the following:
• Panel interviews
• Free Pour evaluation
• 3-4 minutes working/exhibition flair demonstration
Bartenders who pass the audition and are invited back will be required to complete the Margaritaville Entertainment Bartender Level Testing.
Date: Wednesday, August 17th
Starting Time: 9am
Location: Royal Hall at Imperial Palace on the 4th floor
Please contact the Flamingo Employment Center for more information. We look forward to seeing you there.
Tickets On Sale Now for Tales of the Cocktail® New Orleans! We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail®, the world's premier cocktail festival.
Online ticket sales through the Eventbrite Ticketing System have ended, but please visit us in Registration beginning on Tuesday, July 19th through Saturday, July 23rd from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM in the Hotel Monteleone (214 Royal Street) in Royal Ballrooms A & B Tickets for the 5th Annual Spirited Awards® are still available. Presented by Pernod Ricard USA and Beverage Media Group
Saturday the 23rd of July, 2011 9:30 PM to 11:30 PM Mahalia Jackson Theatre This summer, spirits from around the world will descend on America’s most soulful city as Tales of the Cocktail® returns to New Orleans. At Tales of the Cocktail®, Mahalia Jackson Theater will come to life welcoming the stars of the cocktail industry for the 2011 Spirited Award® Ceremony, a red carpet event hosted by Pernod Ricard USA. Dress in the style of 1920’s Atlantic City for an evening of Boardwalk Empire gangsters and glamour! Enjoy Big Band tunes and take in a variety of entertainment and the talents of your peers.
SUMMER FLAIR 6
September 18th-20th, 2011 Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
By Rob Husted
It's that time again! This two round one day open
bartender competition takes place at Club Safari West
Palm Beach, FL. This is a fun Flair competition with emphasis on Flair.
First we start on Sunday September 18th, 2011 for our Summer Flair 6 Kick-Off Party inside Club Safari! Then on Monday September 18th where we have our FAST Tender Accuraccy round
as well as the Qualifying Flair rounds. Next on Tuesday September 20th we have our "Mixology Matters Cocktail Conference" along with the "Flair
Trick Contest". Where competitors will basicly compete against
each other using their best Flair tricks to knock out the competition
until we have one winner. Think of playing the game of horse with bottles
and tins. Then we move on to the Summer Flair 6 finals with the Flair Trick finals,
as well as the final Flair rounds for Advanced and Pro. There will also be a Mixology competition
open to anybody in the room... competitors, judges, staff, crowd...
This event promises to be fun and exciting. All of that and...
Flairbar.com will
be there with complete coverage of the event. All Competitors need
to be at Club Safari no later then 6:00 pm on Sunday September 18th
2011. For more info on Summer Flair Bartender Competition 6 you can
check out "www.BarWars.info".
You can reserve your VIP seating and tables HERE.
See you there!
Any competitors interested in competing need to register online HERE. Questions can be posted on the FBA message board.
"Helping Bring the Craft of the Cocktail & the Art of Flair Bartending Together"
In its third year, the “Mixology Matters Cocktail Conference” on Tuesday September 20th 2011 will continue to bring together some of the world’s best Flair bartenders, Mixologists, Industry Professionals, everyday bartenders and managers to learn and collaborate from one another and help further push the boundaries of the cocktail by raising our voices and saying YES! Mixology Matters…
This celebrated event will take place during the day all leading up to the Summer Flair 6 finals that night complete with cocktail samplings, seminars, demonstrations, Mixology contests, social networking, product awareness and much more. The idea is to expose the attendees to new ideas, procedures, trends, products and knowledge to further educate and motivate them at their craft. While also exchanging lines of communication, interests, passions and awareness to our exhibitors.
This event is free to the public to attend and promises to be a fun and informative event!
BÄRENJÄGER HONEY LIQUEUR ANNOUNCES SECOND-ANNUAL NATIONAL BÄRENJÄGER BÄRTENDER COMPETITION
Fighting for Their Honey, American Bartenders Face Off
Press Release
New Rochelle, NY –– For the second year in a row, Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur is kicking off the brand’s national annual bartender competition. While the Bärenjäger Bärtender Competition initially focused on New York area bar talent, this year’s contest, like last year’s, invites national* bartenders as well as amateurs to submit innovative cocktails using Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur. With an A-list lineup of celebrity judges and a grand prize that includes a trip for two to Oktoberfest in Munich, contestants are encouraged to fight for their honey using bar-smarts and creativity.
This year’s competition coincides with Bärenjäger’s September 2011 release of its new premium packaging—a more contemporary homage to the spirit’s unique history and lore. The new packaging reflects Bärenjäger’s premium position and embodies the brand’s unique personality and character. All cocktail submissions should aim to reflect these same qualities.
The panel of judges includes five nationally acclaimed industry mentors. Joining returning judge Dushan Zaric of Employees Only & Macao Trading Co. are four industry powerhouses: “King Cocktail” and master mixologist Dale DeGroff, acclaimed spirits writer and mixologist David Wondrich, Todd Richman - corporate mixologist at Sidney Frank Importing Company, Inc., and famed bar talent Aisha Sharpe of Contemporary Cocktails, Inc.
These esteemed judges will score all submissions prior to selecting the top 6 recipes to move on to the final round. Finalists will mix off at a private event at the bar downstairs at Andaz 5th Avenue for media and industry heavyweights this September 19th in New York City. The contest winner, chosen by the judges, will also receive the grand prize: an all-expense paid trip for two to Oktoberfest 2011 in Munich, Germany and $1,000 in cash to sweeten the pot. Additionally, all guests will be asked to cast their vote for best cocktail, and the audience favorite will take home a check for $1,000.
“Last year’s competition was fierce and the finalists created wonderful drinks,” says returning judge Dushan Zaric. “We’re hoping to see even more cocktail mastery from this year’s submissions and are looking forward to another wonderful battle for the Best Bärenjäger drink!”
To enter the competition, Bartenders must visit www.barenjagerhoney.com and complete the online registration form by August 22, 2011. Must be at least 21 years of age to enter. No purchase necessary. The official rules and regulations can also be found on this site.
In the forests of medieval Europe - during the 18th century, the Eastern Prussian bear trap company, Teucke & König, introduced Bärenjäger, a honey liqueur which translates to “Bear Hunter.” In an effort to end the struggle between man and bear, this sweet concoction was the first professionally produced Meschkinnes - mead-like moonshine made from honey by beekeepers and farmers - and was formulated to aid hunters in attracting bears and to lure them from their dwellings.
Made in Germany, Bärenjäger is a 70 proof honey liqueur made from neutral grain alcohol and pure premium natural honey from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Each liter bottle contains 300 grams of pure honey and other natural ingredients resulting in a subtly sweet, spicy and herb edged taste profile. Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur is available in the United States in the liter, 750ml, 375ml, and 50ml sizes.
*Contest is not open to residents of Texas, Washington, California, Tennessee, Alaska and Hawaii.
INDUSTRY DRAWS UP RULES ON DRINKS ADVERTISING FOR CHILDREN
SF World Spirits Competition Results
Press Release
US drinks firms have published their own guidelines on the nutritional content of products advertised to children US drinks firms have published their own guidelines on the nutritional content of products advertised to children Food and drink manufacturers including The Coca-Cola Co, Nestle and PepsiCo have published their own uniform guidelines on the nutritional content of products advertised to US children.
Published July 14, 2011, the guidelines are an attempt to regain the initiative over the issue from the US government, which has put forward plans for criteria for the food and drinks industry to follow. The US government, which is facing rising levels of obesity, published its set of "voluntary principles" in April and invited public comment on its plans, including from the food and drinks industry. The deadline for comment passed yesterday.
US food and beverage makers, through The Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), yesterday announced guidelines for ten categories, including dairy and juices.
For example, no added sugars are permitted in juices, and the serving must contain no more than 160 calories. For ready-to-drink flavoured milk, an 8-oz portion is limited to 24g of total sugars.
The CFBAI, which also includes companies like The Dannon Co, said the agreement between its members on the new nutrition guidelines would "change the landscape of what is advertised to kids by the nation's largest food and beverage companies". CFBAI's VP and director, Elaine Kolish, said the criteria were "another huge step forward, further strengthening voluntary efforts to improve child-directed advertising".
She added: "Now products from different companies will meet the same nutrition criteria, rather than similar but slightly different company-specific criteria. The new criteria are comprehensive, establishing limits for calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and total sugars as well as requirements for nutrition components to encourage." The CFBAI, a programme of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, said the guidelines would require "many companies" to alter product recipes or they will not be able to advertise them after the end of 2013.
DIAGEO PRODUCT LAUNCH: "QREAM"
Press Release
Diageo's Qream Category - Spirits, flavoured cream liqueur, vodka-based, 12.5% abv Available in the US, nationwide Price - RRP of US$29.99 per bottle Distribution.
Diageo Diageo has teamed up with musician Pharrell Williams to create Qream for the US market. Williams was “instrumental” in the development of the product, from the taste and bottle design to the marketing and advertising. Qream, which will be targeted at North American women, will be available in two flavours, Strawberry Crème and Peach Crème. It is 99% lactose free. A series of events to mark the launch will be hosted by Pharrell in Los Angeles, New York and Miami from this month. The tie-up with Pharell echoes Diageo's relationship with rapper Sean Combs for the Ciroc vodka brand, formed back in 2007.
PERNOD RICARD TARGETS ART WITH ABSOLUT BLANK
Press Release
Pernod Ricard's Absolut Company division has teamed with 18 artists for a “global creative movement” based on its namesake vodka brand. The campaign, titled Absolut Blank, invites the artists – from a variety of disciplines – to use the Absolut bottle as a blank canvas, to “inspire artists throughout the world to collaborate and fill it with creativity”.
The Absolut Company, which announced the push on July 13th, 2011, said that Absolut Blank will be launched in the UK today. The campaign will roll out to other markets globally, although specific countries and dates are yet to be confirmed. It will be supported by a television ad (see above), print, out-of-home, digital and experiential. The vodka brand has boasted previous creative collaborations with the likes of Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Damien Hirst.
GLOBAL: DIAGEO GIVES TANQUERAY LONDON DRY GLOBAL PUSH
Press Release
Diageo has launched a global promotional campaign for its Tanqueray London Dry gin brand. The push, entitled ‘Tonight We Tanqueray’, will consist of fashion, film and music platforms and will roll out across the US, the UK, Spain and Greece, Diageo said late last week. The company intends to spend around GBP15m (US$24.1m) on the campaign in the US, the UK and Spain.
Fronting the campaign are singers Aloe Blacc and Karen Elson, and actors Idris Elba and Michael Pitt. All four have contributed “exclusive content” to be rolled out over the next year and will also take part in a number of fashion, film and music events for Tanqueray. They will also feature in an above-the-line campaign, shot by photographer Tom Munro.
The campaign will last throughout this year through a series of events and digital activities. “Lifestyle partnerships” have also been signed with GQ magazine in the UK and with Esquire magazine in the US. Footage from a recent event to mark the launch of the campaign can be viewed above.
PHENIX BRANDS PRODUCT LAUNCH: SAMOGON
Press Release
Phenix Brands' Samogon Category - Spirits, similar to vodka, 45% abv Available in the US, in Missouri, Illinois and Louisiana Price - US$26.99 per 75cl bottle Distribution - In Missouri, Major Brands. In Illinois, Tenzing Wine and Spirits. In Louisiana, Paul Bologna Fine Wines and Spirits.
Hailing from Russia, Samogon is the name of home-distilled spirit for personal consumption. The Samogon brand, however, has been created by master distiller Valery Stepanovich using a recipe dating from the late 1700s. His custom-made still allows him to produce this traditionally homemade spirit on a scale sufficient for distribution. It is made from grapes, wine and pomace.
US: ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV APPLIES FOR AREA CODE TRADEMARKS
Press Release
Anheuser-Busch InBev has applied to trademark 14 area codes in the US, amid speculation that it is plotting to capitalise on renewed demand for local beers in the country. A spokesperson for A-B InBev confirmed to just-drinks on July 8th, 2011 that the Budweiser brewer has applied for the trademarks, but declined to comment further. The applications concern the telephone area code prefixes for 14 cities.
Trade publications Craft Busines Daily reported that these include St Louis (314), Washington DC (202) and San Francisco (415). Goose Island brewery, which A-B InBev bought for US$22m earlier this year, already sells a beer called 312 Urban Wheat Ale, reflecting the area code for its Chicago home. Small-volume craft beers have consistently outperformed a lacklustre US beer market in the US recession. Budweiser sales have waned as more consumers have turned to imports and craft beers. Many in the craft beer sector believe that a desire for local brews has helped to drive sales of their niche beers.
GIVING FROM THE CORE Press Release
Children of Restaurant Employees, Ltd., (CORE™) is a non-profit organization focused on educating and encouraging employees in the hospitality industry with children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The support given on behalf of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where wish-granting is available to enrich the lives of their children, is what makes this all possible; we refer to this positive alignment as CORE™ WiSH. Whether it’s a GM at a national chain restaurant who is aware that a waitress of his has a daughter with a life-threatening condition or a banquet manager at a hotel who’s only son has a life-threatening condition, CORE™ WiSH is now our industry's way of educating, supporting, encouraging and donating to the children and their families that are going through the challenges of their medical conditions.
To learn more about CORE™ WiSH you can check out there website here.
