Today I attended a seminar entitled The Green Bar. I guess I thought I was going to be attending a talk about how to use fresh/seasonal/local ingredients in cocktails, but that was only a small part of this session (not to mention, of course, a theme that ran through a great many of the seminars). The Green Bar was moderated by Bridget Albert, who worked under Tony Abou-Ganim at the Bellagio and who has come out with a book about farmer's market cocktails. The two panelists were H. Joseph Ehrmann, known as "H", who is an evangelist for fresh fruit cocktails at his bar Elixir in San Francisco, as well as with his job as Brand Ambassador for Square One Organic Vodka; and Allen Katz, of Southern Wine & Spirits and Slow Food. My complete notes are posted below, but here are the main themes:
>"Greening" your bar is not just the environmentally responsible thing to do, but also makes business sense, as long as you keep in mind that you can't always make the "most green" decision because it may not be feasible.
>For consumers, there is a responsibility to share information and to ask questions. Talk to your local establishments about what you want to see on their menus, and ask businesses questions to find out if they are really sustainable, or just "greenwashing" to appear as such.
>Sustainability in the bar relies on using not just fresh ingredients, but also seasonal and regional ingredients. But this is only one part of a much bigger picture that encapsulates the entire business, from the light bulbs you chose to the cleaning products you use. Vendor choice is also important, and it is critical to establish relationships with the people who are producing your products: farmers for food, brand ambassadors for spirits; and through this process establish a reputation for quality with your customers.
>There is a cultural heritage aspect present in cocktail bars that serve classical drinks and those made with "heritage foods", ie all of the countless varieties of produce that are available. A drink is thus not just a drink, but a connection to our cultural and agricultural past.
>Going the sustainable route is not the easiest, but it is still accessible. Businesses that make the commitment will be rewarded with a loyal clientele, even if they have to accept a different margin than if they took the conventional route. The business can be green and also be profitable
The Green Bar
Moderator: Bridget Albert, bartender and author of Market Fresh Mixology
Panelists:
H. Joseph Ehrmann, owner of San Francisco’s Elixir and brand ambassador for Square One Vodka
Allen Katz, host of the Cocktail Hour on Martha Stewart radio, president of board of directors, Slow Food
What does it mean to be a green business?
How to manage energy, waste—consider lighting choices; green energy availability; recycling; reduce water usage by using pressurized commercial toilets
Decision-making process: what is the impact of this decision? The economic reality of this decision—you cannot always make the greenest decision that you know you could make, because it doesn’t make sense to the bottom line.
“Green & Tonic”—a group that helps bars become more green. They go through a certification process sponsored by the city, and hold fundraisers to raise money to make green improvements more affordable for businesses.
Change cocktail menu every month based on seasonality of ingredients as well as thematic ideas such as St. Patrick’s Day. Farmer’s Markets have seasonal availability charts showing what’s coming in and going out of season. Staying on top of this information allows you to manage your menu. San Francisco cocktails are very produce-driven. If it’s not in season, don’t force it. While it’s here, enjoy it. Use preservation methods to keep things past season when that makes sense, such as with Bing cherries.
Regarding price, you have to accept that it may cost more to provide a higher quality product. Make a commitment to quality. Customers come to the bar knowing they will get a quality drink, with fresh juices, etc. By being committed to it you will be successful, even if you have to accept a different margin.
RE: Square One’s commitment--Make every decision you can to the best extent possible. The distillery runs on 35% wind energy. Labels are tree-free. Inks are soy-based. Everybody works from home so there is no commuting. On the farming side, look at what are you starting with. Why do some vodkas have to be distilled 20 times? Probably because they are not starting with a quality product. Look beyond the marketing and ask questions about what the company is doing—are they legitimately sustainable or just greenwashing?
The integrity and commitment you make to your program—you have to have the same pride that a chef has when they put their food out.
Give your producers props for using their products—differentiates your establishment from others.
The sustainability platform which dominates ways of thought from utilities to gas prices is now finally getting translated to cocktails.
Green or sustainable cocktails mistakenly get lumped in with “healthy cocktails.” (According to David Wondrich, the concept of “healthy cocktails” is absurd. Cocktails should be fun but “a little bit naughty as well.”)
go with seasonal as well as regional
A look at sustainable distilling:
The ideology of sustainability is going from consumers to distillers. A dozen years ago, at an organic wine seminar in California, producers were unwilling to label their product “organic” because they didn’t want to be perceived as substandard. Many major wine labels are mostly organic, though consumers don’t know it. Now the
Quatro Copas Tequila— an 80-yr old estate in Jalisco where all agave is certified organic. This starts with the soil. Certifying soil as organic is challenging because residual chemicals from previous agricultural endeavors can linger for years. At 4 Copas, soil lays dormant at least 3 years so that it can be certified as organic. Every aspect of the distillery from energy usage to recycling takes sustainability in to account. In the future, there is the possibility of using solar energy or energy from spent mash.
Makers Mark—well-known, but not known as sustainable. For their size, they are one of the most sustainable facilities in the world. Recycling of glass, plastic, cardboard, pallets, lubricants, etc to fullest extent. The campus features 620 acres of nature preserve. They are experimenting with an anaerobic digestion system that takes spent mash and converts it to fuel, possibly reducing energy needs by 30%. Importantly, they use zero genetically modified grains.
Other products, such as Veev and Kino One are pursuing Fair Trade certification and other sustainability projects.
On the Farmers Market ethos:
From a business perspective, you are providing farmers an opportunity to provide in bulk, set up a schedule, negotiate on price. It may be advantageous to combine a group of bars/restaurants together to cooperatively get a better price point, secure delivery, or to rotate that responsibility when delivery is not available.
Farmers markets are one of the fastest growing venues—invite a farmer to your place to discuss the merits of his/her fruit. Introduce the farmers and their ingredient to bartenders and to customers. It gives understanding about the product as a delicate human interaction and not just an industrial product.
Role of the Brand Ambassador
Get in front of end users, spread the word. In the case of H, it means taking the ‘California’ approach (i.e. produce-driven as opposed to spirit-driven cocktails) to other markets.
Slow Food
Focus on seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as on regional products, meaning roughly 350 mi. or less between producer and user. Learning that there are countless varieties of produce, not just “apples” as a category. What about different kinds of mint? Fresh herbs can be grown on the property at many establishments.
Preservation of food traditions is important, as well as drink and ingredient traditions. Events like “Save the Daiquiri” also work towards this goal—you’ve got to drink them to save them.
This year’s Slow Food conference will feature the Jerry Thomas American Cocktail Bar—connecting food and cocktails, as a practice and as part of our American heritage and culture. Promote the cultural aspects of cocktails, as well as the ingredients that go in to them.
Sustainability isn’t easy or simple but it is still profitable. Businesses need to see that these practices are accessible.
