opinionated alchemist

Screw caps on wine More and more wines are sold in bottles with screw caps - and since wine is sold with screw cas, there is a lot of controversy about this topic. If you are pragmatic, you would know, that a screw cap is far more advantageous. It is easy to use and opens without an additional tool. It closes the bottle air tight. It is has less impact in the environment – and the wine will less likely have a cork taint (the wine could still has contact with TCA, while it is produced – but most of the time, the cork is the offender). Cork is more romantic. More natural. Some people argue, that wine in cork ages better (it has at least a long history of being “ok” in aged wines). I have had a quite interesting conversation with Thibaut of Mouton Rothschild – as they are also changing some of their lower wines to screw caps. And this discussion just fueled my imagination. read on

Hey Folks, I know, there haven’t been a lot of posts lately. I will more frequently post soon. But check out this excellent video from tastetequila.com about the differences (and preferences) of Los Altos and Tequila Valley Tequilas. Enjoy!

Well - we all know that Jeffrey Morgenthaler has at times some controversial ideas. Yet he gets the major support by most bartenders - I am not sure if it is his popularity, his “connection to zeitgeist” or a combination of the two. It is funny to read his ranting about spirit fetishists (just follow the link after  you have read my piece)... and it is quite humorous. Even though I am opinionated, my position is by far not as extreme. Maybe one reason is, that I don’t live in the US, which has probably the most trend-following crowd. But I think a far more important point is, that he really missed an opportunity to showcase some real issues (except of his feelings...). About 15 years ago, I built the then quite impressive liquor selection of the Schaelsick - the hotel bar at the Hyatt Regency Cologne. A couple of moons later, we were quite proud, on the selection... we had tequilas, rums, vodka (by then there was no “issue” with vodka) and especially whiskies, which were rath...

Let me first apologise... this post is not directly about drinks. However I was reminded of a very unpleasant thing: being bullied. The starting point was that post about the Long Island Iced Tea . I got these comments in return: Jo-Jo Valenzuela  ·  Partner  at  Behind The Stick Consulting Group Dear Dominik S.: I don't like calling people out, but I am assuming you have never tended bar in your life. It's either that or you were just never good at making drinks, or at least balancing it. I've been tending bar for 20 years, and I've made thousands of LIIT. I made sure every single one of those drinks that I sent out is the best guests ever had. Not because I make the best, but because I care of the drinks that I make myself. Best is subjective. In case it is not their best, I would ask the guest how they preferred it, and I would customize it to their spec. Yes, I know most people just order it to get sloshed, but there really is a way to make this drink bet...

So just lately the Long Island Iced Tea post created quite a controversy on Liquor.com . It seems, that most people have only read the headline... and were just angry, that I was standing against the opinion of the mighty Jeffrey Morgenthaler.  Unfortunately I feel that the topic was hollowed out - and people screaming at me: how can you dare do doubt a so iconic drink?  Well - not much has changed. Yes - Jeffrey and a lot of other people are right: you can probably do every drink better, than in your average dive. Yes, you can use fresh juices and quality spirits and liqueurs (and you always should). But does that make a flawed recipe a good one? I don't think so! Even before 2000 I tended bars and was managing bars and I never used sweet and sour mix. Because this wasn't accepted at all in Europe (in Germany to be specific) - at least not in hotel bars, where  I started my career. I have encountered only one place, where I have worked as bartender, which h...

Cash Margin Approach for wines

As beverage manager I can not only focus on spirits on cocktails, but I do have also think about wine. Thus I have got a subscription to WineSpectator, which is admittedly quite awesome. In the current issue, there is a very interesting article about keg wines - wines which are not bottles but rather filled into a keg - and which have their own "keg tap system" - as (as pointed out) it is not enough to use the existing beer taps. Personally I do think, that it could turn some people off (there is still a lot of controversy about using screwcaps - people, get over it!) - and especially guests of bars, restaurant and hotels might feel affronted of such innovation. The wine business is really traditional - and there are a lot of people, which are opinionated and against progress throughout the consumer groups - from the connoisseur and collector to the novice. However I do honestly believe, that such system (if properly installed) totally outweighs the negative c...