Vetiver is a grass which belongs to the same family as lemon grass and citronella and is priced for its roots which give you all the aromas and therapeutic properties.The roots of Vetiver or khus ki jad do not give you a hint till they are soaked in water, the earthy woody notes make them a favourite in the perfume industry and also aromatherapy. Vetiver is used in the form of an essential oil for its calming effects and it's extract is also ingested for its cooling effect on the human body. You will find the khus sherbat made during summers in many Indian homes. We tried making the Vetiver syrup at home it turned out great. here is our recipe. Do let us know how it turned out for you in comments or any suggestion that you may have to improve this recipe. Ingredients: Vetiver roots : 30 gms ( Bought from a Ayurveda Shop) Water: 350 ml Sugar: 300 gms Lime juice: 5-7.5 ml Method: - Wash the muddy dried root well in water at least 2 times and cut them into 4-6 inch pieces with a pair of scissors - Soak the roots in 350 ml water. Press the roots in so the water cover it completely. Leave it for 12 -14 hrs. - The Khus extracts are now in the water, strain it through a regular strainer and then muslin. - Add sugar to the water and cook till one string consistency. Add lime juice to finish, this is to avoid crystallization. - Cool it and store in a refrigerator. - Ready-made khus syrups are green due to added colour.
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Sandal wood is known for it therapeutic properties and is used in Ayurvedic medicines as much as it is used in religious rituals in India. Sandal wood is also used in Awadhi cuisine for Kebabs etc and is slowly making it way into a common man's kitchen in India in the form of ready made sandal wood syrups and sharbats. We tried to make our own for use in cocktails and non zero proof cocktail drinks and the wood can add wonderful aromatics and complexity to a simple drink. Here is our recipe. Do comment and let us know if you made any changes or if you have any suggestions. Thanks . Ingredients: Sandal wood powder: 50 gms ( edible, bought from a Ayurveda shop) Water: 500 ml Sugar : 400 gms lime juice: 5-7.5 ml Method: - Soak the Sandal wood powder in water overnight, 10-12 hrs - Strain it 2-3 times through muslin cloth or filter paper to get rid of the fine particles - Take the clear fragrant water and add sugar to it and cook till one string consultancy - Add the lemon juice at the end to avoid crystallization - Cool it and strain once more for clarity - Store it in the refrigerator. Ours went good till a month before it got over. ![]() Mumbai, India Gin industry is fledgling in India with so many new brands in the foray to get a fair share of the growing gin market . However today we speak about Gin brands which are not Indian but they are surely India inspired , at least their names say so. Here are a few foreign Gins with Indian names. Of course we have not included the well known Sapphire, the Blue one. Jodhpur Gin Already available in India and quiet famous in the Jodhpur, this Gin is inspired by the Blue City. Jodhpur is a London dry style produced with 13 botanicals including Jeera and Ajwain in the oldest distillery of England. Maharani Gin A gin made in Cork, Ireland the Maharani is the brainchild of Bhagya who hails from Kerala and her husband Robert Barret. The spices like mace, cassia are sourced from a cooperative; Vanamoolika from Wayanad Kerala and the bottle also has Malayalam text. Malayalis in the house, please stand up ! Mumbai Gin Created by one the largest Indian caterers in the UK, the Mumbai Gin flavoured with Mango and Pomegranate complements gourmet Indian food, their website mentions. Old Raj Gin Made for Cadenheads's since 1972. the Old Raj is bottled in Campbeltown Scotland. The yellow tint is because of the use of Saffron and the name is of course leading to its India connection. Goa Gin A made in London gin, Goa is inspired by the Indian state and co-incidentally the state is already home to some 5 odd home grown gins. Indian Summer Gin Made in Scotland; it refers to the bright sunny and hot days which are often referred as the Indian Summer in Britain. This gin again comes with a golden hue because of Saffron. Indira Gin Made in the United States, this gin with 13 botanicals uses Grape spirit as a base unlike grain spirit for most of them. Chai Gin Again from the states, this gin is inspired by the Masala chai and uses ginger, pepper corns, black tea apart from the other ingredients. P.S: Greater Than, Stranger & Sons, Hapusa, GinDia, Jaisalmer, Gin Gin, Gin Jiji, Samsara, Terai, Pumori, Tickle are some Indian Gin brands for your perusal. Mumbai, India
The Bar World of Tomorrow is a training course developed for the post Covid scenario by Pernod Ricard, Trash Tiki and the Sustainable Restaurant association on the platform edapp. Our founder Ajit Balgi completed the course and thought that it is very much relevant to India in most aspects . The whole objective about the module to make your bar more sustainable and includes topics from reducing carbon foot print to waste management to associate work life balance. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle are the mantras that are reiterated in this module and it helps a bartender navigate through the various aspects they may have ignored till today. With difficult times, Saving is as good as making more money and this cannot be at the cost of consumer dissatisfaction, the course brings all that up. Taking care of yourself is as important as thinking about your consumers, work-life balance is highlighted here. The Trash Tiki comes in with knowledgeable inputs on sustainability in the bar with regards to ingredients and its reuse or getting the maximum yield out of ingredients in your bar rather; thus saving costs. Oleo Saccharum, cordials, stocks etc add to the jazz that the bartender often seeks. It will take you a couple of hours to navigate through this and if you are a progressive bartender, then you better give it a shot. You can sign up through the link below, it is free. https://www.edapp.com/course/the-bar-world-of-tomorrow Mumbai, India
With Covid-19 pretty much putting the entire hospitality industry into a precarious position, do or die is the way ahead. With necessity being the mother of all inventions, the restaurants and bars industry will have to keep pulling rabbits out of their hats till the situation normalizes. The liquor industry which is also dependent on bars and restaurant;not completely though can also innovate to mitigate losses or at least the loss in the revenue. Both the bars and the liquor industry will have to be ready for the post COVID consumer. Here are a few trends/suggestions/solutions we envisage going forward: Home delivery of Cocktail premixes: If the consumers aren't coming to you then be ready to take your experience to the consumer. With alcohol delivery not possible in the Indian context, the beverage revenues could be still given a boost with premixes of signature cocktails that could be home delivered. These premixes need to be just poured over ice along with the spirit and the cocktail is ready. Pricing cannot be prohibitive for most restaurants but the luxury hotels can price it their way with fancy packaging, DIY kits etc. The rise of RTDs ( Ready to drink ) beverages: The sales of retail will surely go up as people will prefer to drink at home and stay safe and also save money. This throws open an opportunity to create ready-to-drink SKUs mimicking favourite cocktail recipes like the LIIT, Cosmopolitan, Sours, Sangrias etc. These will be convenient for the house party culture that will become the norm. 'Crack it open and pour it on ice' will address a big pain point. House party catering will rise: House parties will rise and can you as a restaurant/bar cater to beverages too? Can you create compact per person packages that can get your restaurant experience at people's home? Hygiene, Safety checks will be paramount and then comes the number of cocktails, drinks that can be offered in the package. Of course there are bartending services out there but can they match up to your standards and hygiene levels! So think on these lines and there is a huge opportunity here. Rise of the home bartender: A lot of people would want to learn the art of cocktail making etc to be a better party host and manage the show themselves. Can you as a restaurant /Bar create educational experiences for your consumers in your bars ? These home bartenders trained by you could be the ones who could be the customers for your cocktail premixes in the future. We at The Happy High are already offering some courses online Bundled Pricing: Bundling up food and beverage at an attractive price to get the consumers visiting you will have to be done till the situation eases. These fixed priced options will ensure a certain business to the restaurant whilst the insecure consumer will have the option to choose a fixed budget for that evening. All said, every place will have to sincerely adhere to safety and hygiene norms and also let the consumers know about it. We can only put our best foot forward with a hope that 2020 will not be that bad a vintage as it seems now! Indian Sommeliers are making our country proud by excelling in different part of the world. Some of them even find the time from their tannic schedules to post on Instagram and inspiring the world to drink wine or for people to pursue the profession. Here the instagram accounts of Indian Somms to follow. We considered accounts that had activity on them insterspersed with wine inspiration once in a while if not always. Follow them, Seek advice, Drink better, Work better ! (The article is written by Ajit Balgi, WSET Educator, BNIC Cognac Educator, Wine Judge.)
If you still aren't following us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehappyhigh/
Find out more about our wine courses and our Bartending Academy by clicking on the links. Bracing for Impact is what anyone should be doing right now. With loss of business in all sectors and uncertainly of a bounce back in the economy, job losses are on the anvil. Non-Essentials like Luxury dining, leisure travel which has come to a screeching halt will take much longer to get started which means that it will be the survival of the fittest for businesses and survival of the fittest employees within the business. The fittest businesses in case of this event are the ones with deep pockets with an ability to burn cash and keep their employees with them for the dawn that will eventually happen. But most in the restaurant businesses will not have that depth and hence they will have to let go of people in the interest of the greater good. So here I am speaking for entry level , rank and file employees in hotels and restaurants, retail services. What should you do so that you don't suffer a job loss after or during the lockdown?
![]() What do you do if you lose your job because of this lockdown?
We at The Happy High announced our full time 6 week bartending course and this could be one of the skills one could acquire which could or rather have led to globe trotting careers. Our bartending institute in Mumbai looks to admit students from any discipline with a minimum education of 12th Pass and a good conversational level of English. Bartending is a skilled job and it take years to learn the skill which translates to better jobs each time. So if you have lost your jobs as a waiter, flight attendant, retail store associate, travel desk associate then this may be the course you want to upskill with. Even fresh graduates who are coming out of colleges in this difficult times, may consider this. You can find more detail on this vocational course in bartending here https://www.thehappyhigh.com/bartending-academy-mumbai.html ![]() 1) Cognac Summit 4 ginger slice + Muddle + 40 ml Cognac + build + 60 ml lemonade to top + Lime zest + Cucumber peel 2) Sidecar •2:1:1 60 ml Cognac + 30 ml Cointreau + 30 ml Lemon Juice + Shake + Coupe + Lemon peel + Sugar rim optional 3) Sazerac Sugar Cube + 3 dashes Peychaud’s + 45 ml Cognac + Stir + 15 ml Absinthe rinse for Rocks glass + Lemon Peel 4) Vieux Carre 20 ml Cognac + 20 ml Rye + 20 ml Vermouth + 5 ml Benedictine + 2 dash Angostura and Peychaud each + Stir + Rocks Glass + Lemon Twist 5) Between The Sheets 4:4:4:1 20 ml Cognac + 20 ml White Rum + 20 ml Cointreau + 5 ml lemon juice + Shake + Coupe + Flame Orange peel and discard 6) Brandy Crusta 60 ml Brandy + 7.5 ml Curacao/Triple Sec + 5 ml Maraschino liqueur + 2 dash Angostura + 15 ml Lemon Juice + 15 ml Rich syrup + Shake + Sugar Rimmed Cocktail glass + Lemon Twist 7) Brandy Alexander 45 ml Brandy + 30 ml Crème de Cacao + 30 ml cream + Shake + Coupe + Nutmeg (original Alexander contains Gin) 8) B&B 30 ml Cognac + 30 ml Benedictine + Stir + Rocks Glass + Lemon Twist 9) Corpse Reviver No 1 40 ml Cognac + 20 ml Apple brandy + 20 ml Sweet Vermouth + Stir + Cocktail glass + lemon peel 10) Brandy Daisy by Jerry Thomas 60 ml Brandy + 5 ml Gomme Syrup + 3 dashes Orange Liqueur + 5 ml Gold Rum + 10ml Lemon juice + Shake + Cocktail/Coupe + 45 ml Soda to top ![]() Seems like an nouvelle relation, but it exists and the Swedish have embraced it as a colonial gift. Let's decode this a little better. What is an Indonesian Arrack aka Batavia Arrack? A spirit that predates rum, Arrack was a spirit made out of sugar cane molasses and red rice in the 17th Century Dutch colonized island of Java, the capital of the Java was Batavia and hence the name. It was very popular in Punches in the 18th and 19th centuries but emergence of other spirits including Rum and import taxes pushed Batavia Arrack out of fashion. ![]() What is the Swedish connection with Arrack? The Swedish East India company formed in 1731 started to import Arrack from Java in 1733 and along with it came the Punch, the Swedish Punsch. The Swedish punch was hot water, Arrack, lemon, sugar, spice The swedes raised a toast to it and it became a part of their culture. It was drunk hot and in small cups with an ear. It soar in popularity that people started offering premixed punches and it became more accessible when a wine merchant J. Cederlunds Sonner started to bottle it in 1845. He added a little sour wine to his recipe, may be to make it more affordable. With Ice, Punches also started to be drunk cold globally. The Haryy Johnson's 1882 Bartender's Manual had a recipe of a Cold Ruby Punch which had Batavia Arrack, of course, Ruby Port and Green Tea. In fact, the Arrack is an ingredient in the Swedish chocolate Praline the Punschpraline and the Punschrulle and also the Finnish Runeberg torte called Runebergstårta in Sweden. Today multiple brands of Swedish Punsches are available in the market and they include rum too in the mix whilst in the west the Batavia Arrack is trying to make a comeback over the last decade. 1) Margarita 2:1:1 60 ml Tequila + 30 ml Cointreau + 30 ml Lime Juice + Shake + Coupe + Salt rim + Lime Wheel 2) Picador 60 ml Tequila + 30 ml Triple Sec + 30 ml lime Juice + Shake + Coupe + Lime Wheel 3) Toreador 60 ml Reposado Tequila + 30 ml Apricot Brandy/Liqueur + 30 ml Lime Juice + Shake + Coupe 4) Tommy’s Margarita 60 ml Tequila + 30 ml Lime juice + 15 ml Agave syrup + Shake + Rocks Glass + lime wedge + Salt rim (optional) 5)Paloma 60 ml Tequila + 60 ml Grapefruit juice + 10 ml Sugar Syrup + Dry Shake + Collins + Salt rim + Soda to top 6) Matador
30 ml Reposado/Anejo Tequila + 30 ml Vermouth Bianco + 30 ml Cointreau + Stir + Cocktail Glass (Cafe Royale Cocktail book,1937) 7) Batanga 60 ml Tequila + 15 ml Lime Juice + 2 pinch salt + 100 ml Cola + Build + Tumbler + Salt Rim + Stir with Knife 8) EL Diablo 45 ml Tequila + 15 ml Crème de Cassis + 15 ml Lime Juice + Shake + Collins + 90 ml Ginger Beer to top + Lime Wedge 9) Sangrita 60 ml Orange Juice + 30 ml Lime Juice + 30 ml Pomegranate Juice + Chili Powder (other spices) + Build + Tumbler 10) Tequila Sunrise 60 ml Tequila + 120 ml Orange juice + 7.5 ml Grenadine + Build + Highball + Orange slice 1) Pinacolada 60 ml White Rum + 45 ml Coconut Cream + 45 ml Pineapple Juice + 15 ml Lemon Juice + Shake + Hurricane + Pineapple Slice 2) Mai Tai 45 ml Aged Agricole Rhum/Cachaca + 15 ml Orgeat + 22.5 ml Curacao/ Triple Sec + 22.5 ml Lime Juice + shake lightly + Rocks Glass + Crushed Ice + 15 ml Aged Jamaican Rum to float + Mint Sprig + lime wheel 3) Daiquiri 60 ml White Cuban Rum + 30 ml Lime Juice + 15 ml Rich Syrup + Shake + Coupe 4) Mojito 12 mint leaves + Muddle + 60 ml White Rum + 22.5 ml Lime Juice + 15 ml Simple Syrup + Crushed Ice + Build + Soda to top + Mint Sprig 5) Dark & Stormy 60 ml Dark Rum (Gosling’s) + 15 ml Lime Juice + Ginger Beer to Top + Build + Collins + Lime Wedge 6) El Floridita (Hemingway Daiquiri) 60 ml White Rum + 15 ml Maraschino Liqueur + 22.5 lime juice + 15 ml Grapefruit Juice + Shaken + Coupe + Lime Wheel 7) El Presidente 45 ml White Rum + 22.5 ml White Vermouth + 7.5 ml Orange Liqueur + 2 dash Grenadine + Stir + Cocktail 8) Planter’s Punch 60 ml Dark Rum + 40 ml Lime Juice +20 ml Rich Syrup + 3 dashes Angostura + Shake + Tall glass + crushed Ice + Mint Sprig 9) Hurricane 60 ml light Rum + 60 ml Dark Rum + 30 ml Lime Juice + 30 ml orange juice + 15 ml Passion Fruit Puree + 15 ml Simple Syrup + 15 ml Grenadine + Shake + Hurricane Glass + Cherry + Orange Slice 10) Hot Buttered Rum 60 ml Dark Rum + 2 Sugar Cubes + Hot water + Mug + 5 g unsalted Butter + Coffee mug +Grated nutmeg 1) Manhattan 60 ml Rye or Bourbon + 30 ml Red Sweet Vermouth + Stir + Cocktail/Coupe + Cherry/Lemon twist 2) Mint Julep Muddle 1 large mint sprig/8 Leaves with 15 ml Simple Syrup + Crushed ice + 60 ml Bourbon + Build + Silver Cup + Mint Garnish 3) Whiskey Smash 10 Mint leaves, 22.5 ml Lemon Juice (or 3 lemon wedges), 15 ml rich syrup + 60 ml Bourbon or Rye + Shaken + Rocks + Mint sprig 4) Sazerac 60 ml Rye + 15 ml Simple Syrup + 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters + 5 ml Absinthe ( to rinse the glass) + Stir + Rock Glass + Lemon Peel 5) Boulevardier 30ml Bourbon + 30 ml Campari + 30 ml Sweet Red Vermouth + Stir + Rocks/Coupe + Orange Peel 6) Seelbach 30 ml Bourbon + 15 ml Triple Sec + 2 dash creole bitters + 2 dash Angostura + Stir + Flute + Champagne to top + Orange twist 7) New York Sour 60 ml Rye + 30 ml Lemon Juice + 15 ml rich syrup + 1 Egg White + Shake + Rock glass + 15 ml Dry Red wine to float 8) Ward 8 60 ml Rye + 22.5 ml Lemon Juice + 22.5 ml Orange juice + 10 ml Grenadine + Shake + Cocktail Glass + Cherry 9) Scofflaw 45 ml Rye + 30 ml Dry Vermouth + 22.5 ml Lime Juice + 15 ml Grenadine + 2 dash Orange Bitters + Shake + Cocktail Glass + Orange twist 10) Brown Derby 45 ml Bourbon + 30 ml grapefruit juice + 15 ml honey water + Shake + Cocktail glass + Grapefruit Twist 1) Blood & Sand 1:1:1:1 25 ml Scotch + 25 ml Sweet Red Vermouth + 25 ml Cherry liqueur + 25 ml Orange juice + shaken + coupe + Orange slice 2) Penicillin Muddle 1 piece ginger + 45 ml blended Scotch + 20 ml lime juice + 20 ml honey water + Shaken + Old Fashioned + 15 ml Islay Malt to float + Candied ginger/Fresh Ginger Slice 3) Rob Roy 50 ml Scotch + 25 ml Sweet Rosso Vermouth + Angostura 2 dashes + Stir + Cocktail/Martini glass+ Cherry 4) Rusty Nail 45 ml Scotch + 15 ml Drambuie + Stir + Old fashioned + Lemon peel 5) Godfather 40 ml Scotch + 20 ml Amaretto + Stir + Old fashioned + Orange peel (Can range from 1:1 to 1: 8 , higher is whisky) 6) Whisky Sour
60 ml Scotch or Bourbon + 22.5 ml Lime juice + 15 ml Simple Syrup + 15 ml Egg White + Shaken + Old fashioned + Angostura bitter 7) Scotch Old Fashioned Muddle sugar cube with 2 dashes Angostura bitters + 60 ml Scotch + Stir + Old fashioned + Orange Peel 8) Bobby Burns 30 ml Scotch + 30 ml Ross Vermouth + 15 ml Benedictine + Stir + cocktail glass + lemon zest 9) Atholl Brose 60 ml Scotch + 45 ml Brose + 20 ml honey water + Shake + Coupe •Brose : 45 gms Oats + 150 ml warm water + Soak 15 minutes + strain = Creamy Brose 10) Blue Blazer 60 ml Scotch + 60 ml hot water + 1 tsp powdered sugar + Throw with flaming scotch + Brandy balloon + lemon zest ![]() 1) Classic Martini (5:1) 50 ml Gin + 10 ml Dry Vermouth + Dash or Orange bitters (optional) ( Stir, Martini, Olive/Lemon peel ) *A Martini with cocktail onion as garnish is called a Gibson 2) Gimlet 60 ml Gin + 15 ml Lime juice + 15 ml Sugar syrup (Shake, Coupe, Lime wheel) 3) Negroni •20 ml Gin + 20 ml Italian Bitter ( Campari) + 20 ml Red Vermouth ( Stir, Rock Glass, Orange Peel ) 4) French 75 45 ml Gin + 15 ml Lemon Juice + 10 ml Sugar syrup ( Shake, Champagne Flute, 75 ml Champagne to top, Lemon peel) *A lot of bars use Cognac instead of Gin as it is believed the former was a part of the original recipe 5) Clover Club 45 ml Gin + 15 ml Dry Vermouth + 15 ml Raspberry Syrup + 10 ml egg white (Shake, coupe, raspberries on stick ) 6) Tom Collins
60 ml Gin + 30 ml Lime juice + 15 ml Simple Syrup + Soda water to top (Build, Collins glass, Lime Wheel) 7) Singapore Sling (Raffles Singapore) 30 ml Gin + 15 ml Cherry Brandy + 7.5 ml Triple Sec + 7.5 ml Benedictine + 10 ml Grenadine + 15 ml Lime juice + 120 ml Pineapple juice ( Build + Hurricane/Sling Glass + Pineapple slice) 8) Aviation 60 ml Gin + 15 ml Maraschino Cherry Liqueur + 7.5 ml crème de Violette + 22.5 ml lime juice (Shake, coupe, Cherry on stick) 9) Ramos Gin Fizz 45 ml Old Tom Gin + 30 ml Sugar Syrup + 30 ml Lime + Lemon Juice + 1 whole egg white + 60 ml cream + 2 ml Orange flower water (Shake till tired, Collins Glass, Soda to top) 10) Bee’s Knees 60 ml Gin + 22.5 ml honey water + 22.5 ml lemon juice ( Shake, coupe /Saucer, lemon peel/dried lemon) ![]() 1) Bloody Mary 60 ml Vodka +150 ml Tomato + Tabasco + Worcestershire sauce + 2 lime wedge +Black pepper + celery salt Rim (Build , tumbler, Celery Stick, Lime Wedge ) 2) Moscow Mule 60 ml Vodka + 120 ml Ginger beer/ale + 10 ml lime juice + Fresh ginger optional ( Build + mule mug Lime Wedge) 3) Cosmopolitan 45 ml Citrus Vodka + 15 ml Triple Sec + 15 ml lime juice + 30 ml Cranberry Juice (Shake, Martini, Lime Wedge/Wheel) *White cosmo replaces Triple sec with Elder flower liqueur) 4) Screwdriver 60 ml Vodka + 120 ml Orange ( Build ,Tumbler/Collins, Orange Slice) 5) Vodka Martini 60 ml Vodka + 20 ml Vermouth (Stir, Martini, Lemon Peel) 6) Salty Dog
50 ml Vodka + 100 ml Grapefruit (Build, rocks, salt rim, lime wedge) 7) White Russian 60 ml Vodka + 30 ml Coffee Liqueur + 30 ml cream (Build + rocks) 8) Kamikaze 60 ml Vodka + 22.5 ml Triple Sec + 22.5 ml Lime juice (Shake, 2 Shot Glasses) 9) Espresso Martini 30 ml Vodka + 30 ml Coffee Liqueur + 30 ml Espresso (Shake, Martini/Coupe, 3 beans to garnish) 10) Harvey Wallbanger 60 ml Vodka + 120 ml Orange Juice + 20 ml Galliano to float (Build ,tumbler Orange Slice, Cherry) 11) Porn Star Martini 45 ml Vanilla Vodka + 15 ml Passion Fruit Liqueur + 30 ml Passion Puree + 15 ml Lime Juice + 15 ml Vanilla Sugar Syrup (Shake + 60 ml sparkling wine to top up + Cocktail Glass + ½ Passion to Garnish) ![]() A cold dense black coffee like infusion with a fine creamy foam or head on top is what comes to your mind when you think of a stout beer. So, what is a Stout? A Stout is a top-fermented beer or an ale which is typically made using roasted unmalted barley and often with adjuncts like oatmeal etc added. The classic aromas of a stout include coffee, chocolate with hops in the background. Going against its looks, a Stout is not that bitter but is on the sweeter side relatively speaking in terms of beers. Indians have taken up to stout very well, perhaps it all started with the Irish Guinness and then the microbreweries took it even higher so much that we now have stouts in bottles made by Indian producers. Here are the Indian Stout Beers in bottle Simba Stout Creamy, Espresso, Ebony, Bold are the adjectives the company uses to describe their stout. It is again light bodied relatively with 5% alcohol. Bira Malabar Stout
The Malabar Stout beer from Bira mimics a cold brew coffee with alcohol. It has 4.5% alcohol and is much lighter than traditional stouts. They use coffee beans from the Malabar hills in India and hence the name. Sounds like a good beer to induct a coffee lover into the beer world. Goa Brewing Cos Breakfast Cereal Stout This one has a different take on a traditional stout with a different grainbill. This one had rice puffs, oats, corn flakes as the base of the beer and you now understand where the nomenclature comes from. They also add adjuncts like chocolate and lactose to the mix and bottle it at 4.5 percent alcohol Briggs Brewery Stout Alchemy A full bodies Irish stout, it exudes aromas of caramel, coffee and chocolate and will moderate bitterness from the hops. This will be released short in the market A career in bartending is slowly gaining momentum in India and hence lot of bartending institutes and bar schools are mushrooming to fill the gap in bartending education. Whilst some may be focused on education, many are factories where the quality of education of often ignored specially due to faculty with lack of industry experience and hence content. How to choose a Bartending School ? Do: - Look at the faculty and their experience to ensure the right mentors. - Look at the infrastructure, a functional bar, equipment's, learning environment etc. - Look at the course relevance and practical aspect. -Look for real reviews, speak to ex-students to get a true feedback Don't: - Don't look for low fees. You do a bar course once, so please don't cut corners. - Don't look at earning money during the course. You are there to study. - Don't look at the duration but look at the content - Don't get lured into Flair Bartending, the industry relevance is low however fancy it may look. It is a nice skill but not mandatory in the industry - Don't look at whether it is a degree or a diploma or a certificate in bartending as institutes can award the same as per their liking. At The Happy High Bartending institute, we aim to groom beginners and get them job ready with content that is relevant for today's bars. We will look at getting the basics right in terms of spirits knowledge, wine tasting techniques, cocktail styles and cocktail making apart from getting the core of customer service and Bartender's personality right. Whilst Flair Bartending is what many beginners aspire to learn, we feel that the skill is not relevant for bars in India and abroad for now. Hence Fire Flair etc will be out of purview in this course but for basic work flair.
Check the below link for more details on our bartending institute in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. Bartending Academy The world of wines begins with some 8-10 grapes and most wine list comprise of these because they are global and move off the shelf easily. However, because of the brand value these grapes carry, they automatically command a price which may necessarily not offer value. As a wine enthusiast it is advisable to look beyond to broaden your wine horizon and also save money as the lesser known varieties can offer super value. Here are a 10 not so known grape varieties that are available in India. Sante! White Wines: Caricante: Hailing from Sicily this is the main hero in Etna DOC wines made 800 meters above sea level on volcanic soils. It produces a very lean and crisp wine with green fruits notes. Mt Etna is still an active volcano by the way which make this wine even more interesting. Caricante brands in India: Scalunera Etna Bianco Vermentino: Hailing from Sardinia; Italy, the Vermentino is quite an aromatic grape variety and offers refreshing notes of pears and citrus with floral undertones. It’s also called Rolle in France and brings out very value driven wines from South-eastern France. Vermentino brands in India: Marius by Chapoutier, France, Bibi Graetz Casamatta, Italy, Metal, Australia. Gruner Veltliner: The Austrian specialty with bracing acidity, the GruVee is a wine meant for ageing. A high yielding variety it can be spicy & peppery or can be laden with stone fruits depending from where it comes from. It accounts for over 28% of Austrian wine acreage. Gruner Veltliner brands in India: Domaene Gobelsburg, Weingut Jurtschitsch Albarino: Albarino in Spain or Alvarinho in Portugal is a grape known to produce wines with refreshing acidity and citrus notes with some stone fruit and tropical melon creeping in with ripeness. The grape is also a part of Vinho Verde blends from Portugal. Albarino brands in India: Bodegas Paco & Lola from Rias Baixas; Spain Torrontes: The most famous white grape from Salta, Argentina. This is one is very perfumed with balanced acidity couple with stone fruit notes. Indian palates will love this. Torrontes brands in India: Crios, Zuccardi Santa Julia Red Wine: Corvina: This north eastern Italian grape make is the main hero in the world-famous blends of Valpolicella and Bardolino. It can also be available as a 100% with a very good potential to age. It makes light to medium bodied wines with refreshing acidity, red fruit notes with cherry lingering. It is the same grape used to make our favourite Amarone Della Valpolicella. Corvina brands in India: Zenato, Tedeschi, Zonin, Folonari, Pasqua, Tenuta Saint Antonio Garnacha A thin-skinned paradox which requires a lot of sun to ripen to give out a lot of lovely strawberry and red fruit noted but the acidity gets it caught on the wrong side, it’s low. Thus Grenache in most cases is a blend with Syrah for the balance and also GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blends . The classic region for Grenache is southern Rhone, Priorat in Spain where it is called Garnacha and now Australia too, mainly Barossa is getting very popular. Garnacha brands in India : Rhone and South West France Blends: Famille Perrin, M Chapoutier, Daronton, Le Grand Noir GSM. Spain: Prima by Bodegas Maurodos, Castello De Monseran Australia & India: Rolfbinder;Oz, Source by Sula Grenache Rose, Chapel Hill 100% Grenache; Oz, Monastrell:
Monastrell in Spain or Mourvedre in France is a grape which yields a full-bodied red with black fruit, spices and herbs. It can see oak and makes wine which are a mouthful. It is the ‘M’ in the GSM blends. Monastrell brands in India: Eco Bodegas Fuerza; Spain, Fairview Caldera GSM, Montepulciano: This Italian grape is the 2nd largest varietal planted in Italy. It yields medium bodied red wines which are black fruit driven with sweet spice and supple tannins. The most famous Montepulciano wines come from Abruzzo. Montepulciano brands in India: Sirente, Folonari, Pasqua, Nero D’Avola: Lush black fruit, licorice and the ripeness is alluring in this Sicilian variety which is not as known. It makes medium to full bodied fruit driven wines. Surprisingly we also have an Indian version of Nero D’Avola made in India by Reveilo wines. Nero D’Avola brands in India: Donnafugata Sedara, Pieno Sud 2019 passed of in a jiffy and India saw a lot of progression in the drinks trade like every year. Sustainability was the buzz word and so was gin to a great extent and homegrown whisky brands continued to make a splash locally and globally. Here are our insights on what should 2020 be like or would be for the wine and spirit trade in India… Cocktail trends, new spirits and more. Low-Alcohol Cocktails: People are getting more conscious about their diets and about price points. Low alcohol cocktails with a 30 or a 40 ml shot of spirit can bring the costs down by 1/3rd and also make the drink healthier. The price will also attract more patrons to order a cocktail and the bartender can have more creative work behind the bar. Sugar free Cocktails: With health becoming a priority and people going for spirit and water combinations, sugar free cocktails will be a new thing on the menu. Sugar free doesn’t mean drinks with Stevia and sugar alternatives but cocktails with a salt and acid balance or balance drawn from the sugar in the aged spirit. Hand Cut Ice The importance of ice in a drink has long been known by bartenders but due to operational issues that it was just treated as another ingredient. However we will soon see more bars getting serious about one of the most important ingredients in a drink by investing in better ice machines and also getting more involved in cutting ice blocks and hand carved ice Organic wines: Wine is slowly coming to terms with India and vice-versa. The upper echelons of the society who is more exposed to wine and can afford it will look at the next level, Organic wines. Wine lists will have organic pointed to for those discerning. Ayurveda and seasonality: India has 6 seasons or ritus , Vasanta (spring), Grishma (summer), Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn), Hemant (fall winter), and Shishir (winter) and the Indian Ayurveda diets based on these apart from the classification of food based on Satvik, Tamasik or Rajasik. For Cocktails, India will take of leaf of Ayurveda and use of ingredients like vetiver, licorice root, turmeric, sesame,neem, brahmi, ashwagandha, ginger with more functionality. Even regional fruits like the Bael fruit, kokum would see some light. Antiaging, cooling properties etc will be the buzz words. Alcohol free :
Why should only people who drink alcohol have all the fun! Teetotalers wouldn’t want to be left out and hence will take up to non-alcoholic beverages as long as the look and the feel and the experience is like that of an alcoholic beverage. Artisanal mocktails or alcohol free cocktails with more seriousness will take some steps this year. Fermented: In house fermentation of fruit juices, kombuchas, tepaches, hop infusions and more. Progressive bartenders will pave the path for the country to follow in due course. It will be small beginnings given the resources and people’s ability to afford thus translating to lower demand. Top bars will set themselves apart with this. Rum & Brandy: Lastly there will be new wave of dark spirits with Rum being at the forefront and brandy specially Cognac in tow. Rum Old fashioned, Cognac Sours, Rum and Cigar, Cognac cocktails will take a leap. Both spirits have a profile that suit the Indian palate and it is only a matter of time and sustained marketing that these will rub shoulder with whisky, of course in the higher Cheers to 2020! Mumbai, India Wheat beers are favourites in the craft beer scene in India because of their fruitiness and low IBU (International bittering units) typically. So, what is a wheat beer? Wheat beers use a higher amount of wheat than barley to produce beers and because of the higher protein content in the former the beers are hazy but give a richer and thicker mouth feels to the beers. The wheat unlike malted barley doesn’t add much flavour of its own to the final product and hence the yeast plays a very important role for flavour. In the India the two most popular style of wheat are the Hefeweizen and Belgian Wit. We will look at them both individually and list Indian brands in bottles for you apart from one American Styled Wheat. ![]() Belgian Wit bier Wit bier is made of minimum 50% unmalted wheat in Belgium which makes them different from the German style in addition to the flavouring of Coriander and Orange peel the Belgians add to this style. They could add more spice but the above mentioned are the basics. This style was revived globally and in India by Hoegaarden specially with their ritual of adding an orange slice into the glass. Kingfisher: The latest entrant in the India’s bottled non-lager segment, Kingfisher the market leader in beers is all set to ride the craft wave with this wit bier. Simba: Apart from the classic Coriander and Orange peel, the Simba roars with some added goodness of Lemongrass. Mad King Dufa: This one was thought of in Delhi but made in Belgium. The other one from the brewery is a lager call the Kolga. White Owl Spark: It started off as a microbrewery in Mumbai and continues to but has also added to bottled fare. Bira White: The craft behemoth which started the wave for bottled craft beer in the country continues to grow. White Rhino: India’s first craft brewery in the bottled business, they also flavour their wit bier with Himalayan coriander. Mahou Maestra Wheat: Although owned the Spanish Mahou, this one’s made in Indian and used Himalayan Coriander and Seville orange peel for the brew. Willy's Witbier: The latest entrant in the bottled witbier segment, the Will's by Briggs Brewery Bengaluru is now launched in the Bengaluru market. ![]() Hefeweizen: This German cloudy wheat beer has aromas of banana and cloves owing to the yeast so much that it can’t be handled by many palates and hence a slice of lemon can help uplift. It can be made with made with both malted and unmalted wheat. In Germany Hefe come from yeast or beer with yeast that is typically unfiltered and that is showcased by Weihenstephan which claims to be oldest brewery in the world through their beers. Thirsty Simona: This one’s a Indian co but they brew in Bosnia under Alex their brew master. American Wheat Beer This style is America’s take on the traditional Bavarian Hefeweizen but without the spice. The beers are summer beer which are thirst quenching with great balance of malts and hops. The bittering units are low and so are the hops. The style has been making waves and become mainstream over the last one decade. Arbor Easy Rider: An easy drinking beer for the tropical weather with good balance of hops and malt. Hence the name perhaps! Read More: Imported Wine Brands in India with Mumbai Prices, grape wise, price wiseMumbai, India IPA or India Pale Ale was created for India, not for Indians bur for the British Colonists in India. The British got their ration of beer directly shipped from England; however, a lot of beer was spoilt during the long and arduous sea voyage. To overcome this, the brewers started to work on different ingredients and then finally decided to harness the power of two ingredients which were already a part of the beer, Hops the flavouring agents in beer and alcohol the by product of fermentation. They made a more alcoholic beer and hopped them more than usual. When the beer reached Indian, it wasn’t spoilt, it was more aromatic, and it was bitter. The soldiers loved it and Voila, the India Pale Ale was created. IPA’s have got popular in India over the last decade majorly owing to the craft beer scene in India, and we heard recently about Kimaya brewing co based out of Pune created the ‘IPA Divas by the Pune Beer Mandal’ , translates from Marathi to ‘IPA Day by the Pune Beer Association’. It just reiterates the increasing popularity for the beer category; however, IPA is not for all; specially the Indian palate. The bitterness is the hurdle and hence most brewers keep the IBU (international bittering units) relatively low. low for the Indian palate. IPA hence has flourished in our opinion and now also coming in bottles for those who do not have access to brew pubs around them. ![]() Here the 4 Indian IPA beer brands: Bira IPA: The Bira version of how Indian would love an IPA. This one is brewed with pomelo and is very zest and citrusy. It used a blend of barley and wheat and is flavoured with Citra and Mosaic hops. White Rhino: At 40 IBU the bitterness is very controlled. The brand uses Ahtahnum, Cascade, Mosaic and Styrian Goldings hops for their brew. Arbor Beach Shack IPA: They call it a session IPA, session refers to low alcohol beers this IPA at 6 is much lower than traditional IPAs. Citra and Centennials hops give it that aromatic thrust. Eight Finger Eddie by Goa Brewing Co: Gutsy attempt and a successful one at lauching an IPA as their maiden and flagship product. This one with 30 UBU is a very easy drinking IPA with pleasant aromas. Hoppy Feet by Briggs Brewery: The latest entrant to the bottled craft beers segment in India , this American IPA is brewed in Bengaluru and now available in the city's retail. ![]() One counter of the breakfast buffet at my hotel in Athens had an exquisite decanter like bejeweled bottle which read ‘Tsikoudia’ and some shot glasses. I saw people pouring a 40% something alcoholic beverage and sipping it alongside their eggs, cheese and pastries. I had never seen this culture before. Greece, certainly not the oldest civilization but the Greeks were the birthplace of the western philosophy. The idea of democracy, scientific and mathematics principles, literature and drama and more emerged from here. Given their strategic location in the midst of Asia, Africa and Europe, the Romans, the Persians and the Ottomans had their eras in Greece thus giving us a rich history and a reason to visit Greece. Of course islands, beaches, party zones are as much motivation to go holidaying on the islands. I had a different motivation to visit Greece, it was the gourmet angle. Baklava, Gyros and Souvlakis to Greece are like Pizzas and Pastas to Italy and I had my share of those. After that breakfast with Tsikoudia, I set out to find more about what the Greeks drink! Apart from their incredible wines and commonplace beers, here is a list of beverages you should try on your vacation to the islands this summer. Tsipouro It is a pomace brandy made from pomace which is the residue of grape skins etc from the wine press. It is also called Tsikoudia on the island of Crete, the same one I had for breakfast. Tsipouro is best had chilled and neat however many people dilute it with water and ice. The beverage comes as is or with Anise flavouring and these days aged ones are also common. Ouzo This is perhaps the most recognizable spirit outside of Greece, an anise flavoured spirit which turns cloudy when mixed with water. It takes its roots from Tsipouro which was created my monks in the 14th century and their anise version got to be known as Ouzo. Ouzo only became popular in the 20th century with the downfall of Absinthe. Ouzo is served with mezze or Greek appetizers and I loved it during the nip in the spring evenings. ![]() Mastica It is brandy based liqueur which is flavoured with Mastic a resin drawn out of the Mastic tree. The resin also known as Arabic gum is known for its medicinal and antioxidant properties since millennia. The Mastica is produced in the island of Chios where the Mastic tree grows. Mastic translates to ‘gnash the teeth’ and is the root of the English word ‘masticate’. Mastica can be enjoyed in a variety of cocktails Retsina Another drink with resin, this time pine resin used to flavour wine. 2000 years ago when wine used to be prone to oxidation, the amphorae or clay pots used to be sealed with pine resin , the pine kept the oxygen out but imparted flavour to the wine. When barrels came into the scene the resin became obsolete however the consumers enjoyed the resinous taste and Retsina stayed on and is popular even today. Metaxa It is a brand but I have included this here as it was the first Greek brandy which began selling in 1888 and since then survived both world wars, only one of the two companies to do so the other was a tobacco co. Metaxa is an oak-aged brandy mixed with fragrant muscat wines and then flavoured with natural herbs and floral extracts. Metaxa and Tonic and in cocktails Metaxa Juleps and other such long refreshing drinks are preferred. Hotel management careers ? Beverage is the choice for most. The beverage industry is alluring to many from the outside and as beverage professionals we can confirm that it is as much from the inside however passion is the driving force to stay put in the industry. As a fresh hotel management graduate or as a student of hospitality, many are quite disillusioned as to what the industry has to offer based on their industrial training experiences or influenced by colleagues. For them they know that the hardships in hotels and restaurants are not their cup of tea however they do not know where to go to! Through this article we are highlighting career paths in beverages for hotel management students however we would like to reinstate that hardships are everywhere and passion is the key. There is no easy way out
1)Bartender: The more glamorous term is mixologist and even more is the Bar Chef doing the round these days! An experienced bartender with 4-6 years of experience can get over Rs 50000 a month in bars and a skilled bartender is always in demand. Don’t shy away from taking your first job as a assistant barman in a very good bar , the first few years are the foundation of a glorious career which could take your to various countries. The Happy High bartending academy offers a full time 6 week bartending course. Check details here. 2)Sommelier: Translates to a wine waiter in English, the Sommelier’s role in India is still nascent and taking shape. The role initially would involve stacking of bottles, serving on the floor and as the career progresses once is also responsible for buying and P&Ls. A lot of Indian sommeliers are making their presence felt in the Middle East and South Asia and countries like Maldives and Seychelles. The minimum requirement to get on the floor knowledgeably is through a WSET ( Wine and Spirit Education trust) lev 2 qualification or a CMS ( Court of Master Sommeliers) both of which cost Over Rs 32000.For those who don’t want to spend as much as want to test the wine industry , The Happy High has an introductory course focusing on wine tasting technique for Rs 5500. 3)Wine Salesman: Which hotelier doesn’t like Sunday day offs! This job will give you 9 hr work days and a better work life balance. The flipside is the sales pressure and the hardships on the field be it summers, winters or rains and outside an air conditioned environment. A wine sales fresher could start at Rs 15000 and move up the ladder with experience. A wine tasting course will certainly help the aspirant with more jargons and move him/her ahead of the class in interviews. 4)Brand Ambassador: After having been in career option 1 or 2 as above for long, could be 6-8 years opportunities to be a brand ambassador for a liquor co or an import co come around once in a while. This job role entails one to be the educator and the spokesperson for the brand and offers a good work life balance and decent money many a time going to a lac plus. The downside of this role could be monotony and then inability to go back to the rigours of hotel or bar operations thus reducing your job options. 5)Beverage Journalist: For those who can paint with words a beverage journalist role could be your gateway to the world! Beverage journalists often get opportunities to travel to different wine and spirit regions around the world on invitation and taste the best of luxury. The flipside is the relatively less pay the profession offers. A wine course will help you with this , but the command over language and a crash course in journalism could help further. There are gifts and there are gifts to impress. The way to the man’s heart is through his stomach believe some but some men with finer tastes in life have it through their liver. You got me; few things could be more impressive than the lady being proactive in setting up her man’s wine and spirit closet. One liver, so you better ensure that he is drinking the best. This valentine day here are some tipples you want to bedazzle your date with.
Johnnie Walker Green Label An outlier from the JW portfolio, the Green is a blend of malts and has no grain whisky unlike other expressions from the range. You will find the elements from four corners of Scotland with hints of Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore and Linkwood. El Dorado 15 year old Always in the top rums of the world, this Demerara rum takes its name from a river in Guyana. The brand from the only distilling co in the country is made in century old wooden stills; a rare treat. El Dorado is a sipping rum best had neat. Tanqueray No.10 With the essence of grapefruit and other citrus elements, this gin is best had with a dry tonic with a slice of your favourite fruit, preferably citrus. I love to put in a mogra or Arabian Jasmine flower for that extra burst of aroma. Woodford Reserve The bottle stands out amongst bourbon whiskies and the liquid doesn’t fail to impress. Aged in barrels made in their own cooperage this elixir shows nuances of prunes and figs with the freshness of orange, it is well rounded but more crisp than luscious. Paul John Bold This homegrown Single Malt from Goa is available in over 20 countries and scores over 94 points in the whisky bible. At 40 ppm peat this smoky whisky is likely to impress those who love their Islay malts.It is a perfect blend for making penicillins and sours too. If you are in the mood to splurge then Goa has another expression, the “Kanya’ which was adjudged Asian whisky of the year in the Whisky Bible. Lastly don’t forget to look into your partner’s eyes when clinking your glasses or it will be 7 years of bad sex as per a French belief! Wish you a love filled Valentine’s Day. Mumbai, India
Last time the piece I wrote on how Indian bars cheat customers drew a lot of ire from unscrupulous bars who thought that as a beverage professional I shouldn’t have written it and let the beans spill. Thankfully, the good bars were a happy lot. Now there is the other side of the story where bartenders sweat it out to delight their customers but are driven to the edge by the same guests. Here is what the Indian bartenders hate about their customers There is no alcohol in my cocktail After all that alcohol that goes into making of an LIIT or such tall drinks, it is irritating for a bartender to hear complaints of less alcohol being poured. Please remember, the sweeter the cocktail the less is the perception of alcohol. Some bartenders for the customer’s sake or insistence pour that extra alcohol however it just doesn’t help the customer to be in control of their alcohol levels. I will make my own drink In a busy bar, customer’s often use their loyalty and recognition as a tool to pull out a bottle behind the bar and helping themselves with a drink. Imagine someone intruding into your space at work especially when the bartender’s are responsible to pay for alcohol shortages. I love to Snap Whistling, snapping one’s fingers and other such condescending behaviors to seek attention of a bartender certainly shows one’s upbringing or lack of one. Give respect and take respect, an adage still holds true. I love to order after closing time The last drinks were announced repeatedly but there will be a few customers who still want to order post closing time and they literally pester the gullible staff. Please remember the bartenders don’t go home as soon as the last customer leaves, they have their closing checklists and tasks to clean the bar and make it ready for the next day. Please be kind and stick to the timing, the bartender does have a life outside of work! Am I running away? When asked to clear the bills after a round of drinks at a busy bar, “Will pay it at the end, here is my credit Card.” is many a times the response. When the bartender insists, “Am I running away” is a certain response. Please remember you may not be a fraud, but there are enough ‘respectable looking people’ who come with stolen cards, cancelled cards with a plan to plunder as much in a given night. All such unpaid bills are often paid by the bartender from his salary. Next time, clear the bills and don’t be fussy. Don’t you know I love free shots/discounts A discount/ free shots/freebies etc which were a tool to delight the customer have become a norm these days. Alcohol is expensive and there are considerable costs to run a bar, if you get a discount great, you may wan’t to ask once, no harm; but please do not be persuasive and bothersome. I want my drinks in 3 seconds Drinks take time to make and a good bartender will always give you a good drink without shortcuts. Please be patient especially on a busy night, moreover if you see the bartenders trying their best. I love a private bar counter The bar counter may be a prime position to be at, but don’t be a jerk to block it during a busy night as there are other people trying to buy drinks, be a little more socially responsible. I love to poke my nose! Do not interrupt conversations between the bartender and a fellow guest. Everybody is trying to get their drinks; you will get your chance. |
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The Happy High is a Mumbai based beverage consulting co founded in 2014 with a vision to raise the bars of the wine and dine scene in the country. Read more.
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16, Goldcrest Business Park, LBS Marg, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai 400086.
+91 99307 71739 [email protected] |