The relationship between alcohol and consumers is not straightforward. In fact, it’s highly complex, dependent on variables upon variables many of which can’t be controlled. But what is straightforward is that the relationship is changing.
‘The Drinking Code’
The recently published report produced by media agency Maxus, investigates why, how and when people drink and what these changing patterns of behavior mean for the alcohol industry. It analyzed attitudes from 6,500 adults across Australia, China, Germany, India, the UK and the US, and the conclusions are pretty cool!
The Rules of Consumption are breaking
Although Maxus found that only 39% of consumers enjoy experimenting with different drinks compared to the 62% that stick to what they know, the alcohol industry as a whole is breaking away from its categorized nature.
Thanks to the rise of craft vendors, the inventiveness of mixologists, and the “new rituals and occasions” of consumers, the industry is diversifying on all fronts.
And Technology is giving a helping hand
As Maxus explains, “consumers are social,” often making drink choices based on social media experiences and what’s “trending” instead of the brand or alcohol type.
It’s easier than ever to share drinking experiences, access recipes and discover ingredients that bring alcohol consumption to a whole new level. Today, “drinks can truly act local and speak global.”
So what?
According to Maxus, it’s the start of something big:
“This is a new golden and cultural age for drink, a new world for liquor not seen since that pioneering time 150-200 years ago when all our now established brands formed, when Johnnie started walking, Dewar started rambling and Jack began filtering.”
For easier grating, place softer cheeses (such as fontina and Monterey Jack) in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes beforehand.
Soften butter quickly sans microwave by using a rolling pin.
Put the stick of butter between two large pieces of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, press down on the butter and roll it as you would a pie crust. When the butter is about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick, lift off the wax paper and peel away the butter (before it gets too soft to peel).
If you go with the microwave method to melt your butter, but went a little too far, it’s ok because you can save it! To save partially melted butter, place it in a bowl with a few ice cubes and stir. In less than a minute, the butter will quickly cool and solidify to the soft texture you are looking for. Simply remove the ice cubes and proceed with the recipe.
This won’t work with completely melted butter, so if it’s a puddle, save it for next time!
Use frozen butter instead of milk when making omelets.
Why? Because milk can add excess moisture to your omelets. Instead, try using frozen butter, which melts more slowly and disperses more evenly, creating that perfect fluffy texture. Either cut the butter into chunks, or grate it into your eggs.
Keep ice cream soft and ice crystal free by keeping it inside a plastic freezer bag.
Store your container of ice cream in a freezer bag to keep it soft for easy scooping. This way, you won’t need to wait to enjoy it nor will you be tempted to microwave your solid ice cream and risk the chance of over melting it.
Plus, this will keep those ice crystals that water-down the taste from forming when your refreeze your ice cream!
Froth milk in a mason jar for a coffee shop-level beverage.
First, pour either 2% or nonfat milk into a mason jar no further than halfway, and shake for 30 seconds to create foam. Then, stabilize the foam by microwaving for another 30 seconds. Pour, and enjoy!
You can use whole milk or cream, but the foam won’t be as foamy because, while 2% and nonfat milk are fortified with foam-stabilizing whey protein, whole milk and cream are not.
Next week, we’re dishing out tricks that will make your entrees unforgettable, so don’t miss out!
When it comes to your daily meals, cooking is the cheaper, and healthier, option, but it’s not always the most convenient. For those who know this all too well, we’re publishing a 4-part Kitchen Hacks series to make you a better, faster cook. Part I is all about getting as much use out of your ingredients as possible.
First, cook your corn on the cob, with the husk, using your method of choice (mine is microwaving; 3-4 minutes per cob). Once it’s cooked, grab the cob by the tapered end with gloves or oven mitts (it’s going to be HOT!). Then, cut off the shank, and a bit of the actual cob, with a sharp knife. To remove the husk, continue holding by the uncut end, then squeeze and shake the corn out of its husk.
Before the bath, take your herbs and start by cutting off the stems. Then, remove and discard any bruised or damaged leaves. Now comes the ice bath. Submerge your herbs in the ice water, and soak. The cold water will shock the herbs back to life. The amount of soaking time will vary, but you can tell they’re ready when the herbs start to float to the top and look bright green and refreshed!
To store, place the herbs in an air-tight container or sandwich bag lined with a paper towel on the top and bottom to absorb any extra moisture. Use within a couple of days.
To keep brown sugar from turning into rock-hard clumps, put a slice of bread, apple or even a damp paper towel in with the brown sugar to keep it soft. And, what is quite amazing is that neither the apple nor the bread gets moldy or rancid. They dry up and become inedible, but they do keep the brown sugar soft.
Don’t waste time peeling potatoes before cooking. After boiling them, place them in a bowl of ice water for a few seconds. Then, just grab it with both hands, twist, and pull apart. The skin should slide right off.
To find out if your eggs are still good without breaking the shell, just fill a bowl with cold water (and add ice for more accuracy). Then, place your egg in the water and if it sinks like a rock, you’re good to go. If it floats, toss it!
Give pomegranates a whack with a wooden spoon to easily remove the seeds.
All you need to do is cut it in half as normal, push out the center a bit, then just start whacking the back of it with a wooden spoon. If done correctly, all the seeds should fall right out into the bowl in just a few seconds!
September is National Food Safety Month, so, in honor of good food practices, here are some best practices to follow when thawing frozen foods, holding them at the desired temperatures, and prepping produce.
Best practices for thawing food, by method
Refrigeration: Thaw TCS food at 41 ̊Fahrenheit (5 ̊Celsius) or lower to limit pathogen growth. Plan ahead when thawing large items, such as turkeys. They can take several days to defrost.
Microwave oven: You can safely thaw food in a microwave, but only if the food is going to be cooked immediately. Be warned: large items, such as roasts or turkeys, might not thaw well with this method.
Cooking: Thaw food as part of the cooking process.
Running water: Submerge food under running, drinkable water at 70°Fahrenheit (21°Celsius) or lower. Never let the temperature of the food go above 41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius) for longer than four hours.
Tips on holding food at desired temperatures
Hold foods at their correct temperatures. TCS foods should be held at the correct internal temperatures. Cold food should be held at 41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius) or lower, and hot food should be 135°Fahrenheit (57°Celsius) or higher.
Check temperatures regularly. Timing is essential. Make sure you check food temperatures at least every four hours. Toss food that’s not 41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius) or lower, or 135°Fahrenheit (57°Celsius) or higher.
Use food covers and sneeze guards. Keep food covered to help maintain temperatures. Covers and sneeze guards also help protect the food from contaminants.
Use hot-holding equipment properly. Don’t reheat food in them unless they are built to do so.
Five rules to follow when prepping produce
Avoid cross-contamination by preventing fruit and vegetables from touching surfaces exposed to raw meat, seafood or poultry.
Wash produce thoroughlyunder running water before cutting, cooking, or combining it with other ingredients. Don’t forget to make sure the water is a little warmer than the produce, remove the outer leaves of leafy greens, and pull lettuce or spinach completely apart, and rinse thoroughly.
Don’t mix different items or multiple batches of the same item together if you’resoaking or storing produce in standing water or an ice-water slurry.
Store items, such as sliced melons, cut tomatoes and cut leafy greens, at41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius) or lower.
Don’t serve raw seed sprouts if you primarily serve high-risk populations.
September in Denver is all about beer, with a calendar packed full of events all staring Hops, culminating in the behemoth beer festival that is The Great American Beer Festival.
As a lead-up (and down) to GABF, Avanti Food & Beverage in LoHi will be hosting a series of ticketless events throughout the week of September 23-27.
It all starts with a Kickoff Party on September 23rd featuring Odell Brewing. From 8pm until close, look forward to keg tappings (mmm … ‘Myrcenary‘), more beer, and giveaways!
And let the good times keep on rolling…
On September 24 at 10pm, Avanti is throwing the GABF After Party featuring Dogfish Head to celebrate the brewery’s 20 off-centered years with the first nationwide tapping of their 20th Anniversary Beer ‘Higher Math’. Also enjoy beers from Dogfish Founder Sam Calagione’s personal stash, including limited bottled beers: 2006 120 Minute IPA, 2006 Fort, 2006 Raison D’Extra, 2007 Immort Ale. And, as a bonus, get a Dogfish signature glasses with any “vintage beer” purchased!
Friday happy hour! On the 25th, Avanti is hosting an extended happy hour from 1-4pm with Ratio Beerworks brewers on hand to discuss their beers.
And, to finish off the week of festivities, enjoy the calm after the storm at Avanti on Sunday, September 26 with a Hungover Sunday Funday. Enjoy “BroMosas” (craft beer mimosas) specials plus creative beer Bloody Mary offerings that will satisfy the hair of YOUR dog!
TopTender303, the 4-week bartending competition to find Denver’s best bartender, kicked off with a bang last Tuesday night!
The competition was stiff, with 10 bartenders from Denver’s top watering holes throwing down their best drink-making moves in a 2-round showdown: Drink of Choice and Mystery Box,featuring the TOP SECRET spirit of the night provided by Beverage Distributers Company.
The Goal: Make the cut to Week 2 of TopTender303, and one step closer to the $500 grand prize.
Pre-competition, the tenders were relaxed and socializing.
While sharing some funny tidbits about their times behind the bar, Conner had us all laughing after revealing his most annoying request to date was some dude asking him to charge his e-cigarette at the packed Cold Crush bar.
When asked about strangest drink requests, Chad spoke up, “Chambord and Sprite, to which I asked, would you like a side of diabetes with that?” Apparently the customers were not so amused, responding with a hostile “Yes” after a few seconds of death staring.
Then it was Game Time, and Vodka was the star.
The first round, Drink of Choice, started with a mad dash to the fully stocked ingredient table, containing basically anything and everything that the bartenders could use to make their drinks, and with only 20 minutes to get it done, it was a hectic round.
The Mystery Box was an entirely different beast. Given a box filled with random ingredients, the bartenders had another 20 minutes to make their final drinks including at least three mystery box ingredients. There was some intense creativity going down. See the photo below, those are Cheetos sprinkled on top (…and it was de-lish-ous).
It was a pretty epic show, with the bartenders in the center of the room surrounded by friends and fans from the industry watching and cheering as the competitors made it happen.
It was a hard decision when it came time to make the cuts.
Both rounds of drinks were sampled by attendees, who voted for their favorites, as well as a panel of judges that helped make the final decision as to who would be moving on to Week 2. Although extremely talented, Kyle Faulhaber, Danny Hampton, and Ryan Buchanan won’t be moving on.
So, after an awesome night of intense competition and delicious beverages, we’re looking forward to Round 2 of TopTender303, going down at NATIV Hotel on Tuesday, September 8, where the remaining 7 bartenders will battle it out using yet another TOP SECRET spirit. DON’T MISS IT!
