{"id":8515,"date":"2012-12-03T00:32:29","date_gmt":"2012-12-02T23:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/?p=8515"},"modified":"2014-07-28T18:33:14","modified_gmt":"2014-07-28T17:33:14","slug":"what-makes-a-good-cocktail-bar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/what-makes-a-good-cocktail-bar\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes a Good Cocktail Bar?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are literally hundreds of Cocktail Bars<\/strong> scattered across the UK, from your big corporate chains, shoveling\u00a0out Frozen Margaritas<\/a><\/strong> from a\u00a0sloshing<\/em>\u00a0neon machine in the corner to your posh hotel bars, some regarded as the finest on the planet, and everything in between. But what is it that makes a Cocktail Bar<\/strong> really stand out? What are those magic ingredients that keep eager customers coming back week after week and that generate \u201cword of mouth\u201d buzz that no amount of money can buy, at least not in the long run?<\/p>\n

\"Mal<\/a><\/p>\n

Mal Spence<\/strong>, head bartender at Blythswood Square<\/strong><\/a> in Glasgow, and generally considered one of the masters in the art of mixology, ponders the question:<\/p>\n

First off, it\u2019s the product, second is the delivery, such as the bar service and thirdly is the consistency. In my experience, consistency is probably the hardest to maintain and achieve, as it mostly relies on adherence to the recipe. Being strict with the recipes is where a cocktail bar will fall down, people won\u2019t return for an inconsistent product. McDonald`s and Starbucks are great examples in how a consistent product, if not amazing, can be a big success.<\/em><\/p>\n

Although some would argue that the elements that make a cocktail bar good are almost intangible, it would be hard to argue against the fact that certain basics must be in position in the initial planning phase and that these must continue to be closely managed. The cocktail bar menu, d\u00e9cor design, staff selection & training could all be heralded as key critical factors in the success or failure of any cocktail bar.<\/p>\n

A good cocktail bar should have a good and well-considered collection of quality spirits and fresh ingredients, all of which have been properly prepared. Not only should the bar staff have been well trained but they should also show a real passion and flair for the job. Consistency and precision are also critical factors \u2013 a good cocktail bartender is only as good as his or her last cocktail! If customers are coming back for their favourite cocktail they expect the same standard every time – excellent bar service is critical. Furthermore, a good bartender is able to generate genuine interest from his customers, letting their passion diffuse over into their customers, generating questions and even leading to more adventurous requests; further exploring the cocktail bar menu.<\/p>\n

Blue Dog<\/strong><\/a> in Glasgow has long been considered one of the city\u2019s premier cocktail establishments, so we asked Blue Dog owner Matthew Ronald<\/strong>, to give us his thoughts on what makes a good cocktail bar:<\/p>\n

At Blue Dog we believe that the most important aspects of what we do are consistency of product; ingenuity & creativity in what you offer & the humility to ignore the status quo & offer any drink in any way that customers desire it to be served. Ambiance & style are often key, but great bar service & great drinks will always trump any cocktail bar whose offerings just don’t cut the mustard…<\/em><\/p>\n

Continuing on the topic of staff, it is important that bar staff are always attentive and friendly. The bartenders training should fully incorporate teaching them exactly which glass, be it a Martini, Old-Fashioned, Collins, etc to use for each drink plus any other little nuances <\/em>the cocktail may call for. Attention to detail is paramount. The right measurements is also obviously of key importance. Recipes should be adhered to religiously.<\/p>\n

\"69_COLEBROOKE_ROW_BAR\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s annual Top 50 Bars in the World<\/strong> awards were, as usual, dominated with bars based in London. Right up near the top was 69 Colebrooke Row<\/strong><\/a>, so we were delighted\u00a0 to catch up with Operational Manager of 69 Colebrooke Row, Marcis Dzelzainis\u00a0, <\/strong>who is regarded as one of the top bar experts in the UK, to get his opinion on what constitutes a good cocktail bar:<\/p>\n

In my opinion, one of most important factors in a great bar is the guests. Regulars, cool people, most of them a little bit different with their own\u00a0idiosyncrasies. A bar is just a space with booze if doesn’t have any guests. Of course a lot of great things go into a bar in order to attract these people: the drinks offer, the decor, the music and most importantly the service. But these can be manifested in many different venues, from the welcoming dive bar, to the well thought out personal touches you find in some hotel bars.<\/em><\/p>\n

But there is one thing that trumps all of these in what makes a great, and that is the staff because all of the above factors mean nothing without a great team behind them to give them soul!<\/em><\/p>\n

In any good cocktail bar, there is almost always one key person who sets the tone, whose passion can resonate with all those around him, staff and customers alike. This person can be the proprietor, head bartender, or other member of the team. An interesting example of \u00a0the pivotal importance of such a person was highlighted in a recent review for Social and Cocktail of the Artesian Bar<\/a>, written by Mark Gill<\/strong> aka The Cocktail Gill<\/strong>. His focus was the influence that legendary head bartender Alex Kratena<\/strong> appears to have on the bar:<\/p>\n

\"alex<\/a><\/p>\n

Surprisingly, and most of all disappointingly however, the quality of bar service is most definitely not consistent. On both of my recent visits, all started out well with Alex present overseeing proceedings. I watched aghast however when the very moment he left the room, everything changed. It was as if the teacher had turned their back and the kids decided to take the opportunity to throw paper airplanes. Drinks were made with such wild abandon that they sloshed out of the glass, customers were ignored, and a general slapdash atmosphere fell on the bar reminiscent of the worst kind of dive bar.<\/em><\/p>\n

Although getting the basics right, and maintaining them is critical for success, it would be fair to argue that there is also an element of luck in any venture and the same can be said for a cocktail bar. Ultimately, some cocktail bars work and reach a certain level of excellence because they manage to get a lot of things right – the cocktail bar menu is well devised, their cocktails are masterly made and innovative, the bar service is excellent, the space is just right and the vibe is perfect. But ultimately, what really makes a good cocktail bar is the people who walk through the front door, as ultimately it is the customer who defines the place, and this will continue to be the case.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are literally hundreds of Cocktail Bars scattered across the UK, from your big corporate chains, shoveling\u00a0out Frozen Margaritas from a\u00a0sloshing\u00a0neon machine in the corner to your posh hotel bars, some regarded as the finest on the planet, and everything … Continue →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[829],"tags":[1028,1126,1125,1123,1122,1121,1120,1124,1029,1045,1127,1128,1119],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8515"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8515"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14384,"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8515\/revisions\/14384"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.socialandcocktail.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}