Photo courtesy of Cory James, Ancho Reyes
Ponche Primavera
By Elyse Glickman
Not long ago, the term “batched cocktails” evoked visions of bars catering to rowdy game day or spring break crowds, or high-volume nightclubs relying on pre-made mixers to keep prices low and service turnaround high.
The maturation of the craft cocktail movement further challenged the batching paradigm. How could restaurants and bars dependent on high-volume sales appeal to a generation of food-savvy customers?
The answer: Create a batched cocktail program—maybe even with cocktails on-tap—that reconciles quality and quantity.
Bartender and menu consultant Jonathan Pogash of The Cocktail Guru says bar professionals are looking at batching in new ways. When consulting for Cantina 33, a new Peruvian restaurant in Queens, N.Y., he and the owners recognized that the new wave of batching was in harmony with the restaurant’s focus: Traditional Peruvian food with a modern flair.
“The cocktails will take on that same theme,” Pogash explains. “I've worked quite a bit with batching cocktails, including cocktails on tap for a while. For Cantina 33, the planned Peruvian Mule cocktail is the perfect candidate for on-tap service, while daily variations on the classic Pisco Punch are a natural for batching.”
Batching’s Benefits
Batching cocktails basically means making a large quantity of the cocktail in advance. The batched cocktails can be stored in pitchers or bottles in the refrigerator or included in the bar’s tap system. Either way, batched cocktails mean less pressure on staff and better service for customers, according to Cory James, brand specialist for Ancho Reyes liqueur.
“Whether it’s a large format cocktail for the table like a punch bowl or a pitcher of cocktails, or [cocktails] pre-batched in bottles behind the bar for speed or efficiency, the product quality and versatility are never lost,” says James, whose Ponche Primavera made in a punch bowl with ingredients including mezcal, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur, lime and lemon juice, sweetened Agua de Jamaica, and Oleo Saccharum (a combination of sugar and citrus) is one example. “The key is to try the drink in small format first, and then do the math to batch in larger quantities.”
Pogash agrees that batching eases stress when the bar and restaurant are slammed.
“There is a bit more prep time involved, especially pre-batching before the shift starts, but all in all the wait time for drinks lowers dramatically, and a bartender's efficiency is greatly improved,” Pogash says. “As long as the batch is kept on ice or refrigerated, you should be all set. Pre- and post-shift testing and tasting to ensure freshness is also necessary.”
Ingredients Matter
Jose Felix Colon of Mixed Troupe, the mixology team at La Concha Resort in San Juan, Puerto Rico, agrees that batching speeds up the process of creating consistent, high-quality cocktails because bartenders don’t have to spend time mixing in the middle of a rush. However, what goes into the batch can make or break the effort.
“It is essential that the handcrafted elements of craft cocktails are translated when created in batches,” explains Colon, who notes that batching also can help address new beverage trends.
“Due to the popularity of our signature batched cocktails, we’ve actually experienced a high demand from customers for new recipes,” he says. Gluten-free, skinny-style and mock cocktails are some that customers have expressed interest in. “We’ve recently refined our mixology program to add four new batched recipes as result of these requests.”
Presentations that Pop
While batching’s benefits abound, the way bartenders connect with customers, and the way drinks are presented, remain key.
James, for example, believes many customers appreciate watching the bartender in action—a skill that is lost when batching becomes the norm. “There is something about watching a bartender work while they are in the zone,” James says.
That’s why marketing and small, personal touches are important for bars considering a batch cocktail program.
Using promotions and social media outlets to let customers know you offer quick service but don’t skimp on quality is essential, says Juan Coronado, rum ambassador for Casa Bacardi in Puerto Rico.
So are the little things.
“Details such as glassware, garnishes and service make a difference and elevate the batched cocktail experience,” Coronado echoes. “By serving with a garnish and offering the cocktail with a smile, you can serve the cocktail quickly with elements of the craft cocktail experience.”
Another plus: Lauren Shlemon, bar manager at Mexican Sugar, a Dallas-based innovator in on-tap cocktails, says her restaurant’s batching and house on-tap system give bar staff more time to improve presentation.
“We use the extra time to add beautiful garnishes and colorful salts to each margarita,” she says.
Trying On-Tap
Making big batches of cocktails and storing them behind the bar is one way to embrace batching.
As Amos notes, it involves simple math, no matter how large the format is. “As long as you have the math right, then the cocktail will come out the same way every time,” Amos explains.
Many cocktail recipes—including margaritas, mules, fizzes, daiquiris, and old fashioneds—also can be adapted for taps.
If your bar has a large refrigerator space or cold storage room, and your existing bar program includes beer on-tap, you are half way to getting your cocktail on-tap program up and running.
You’ll need a nitrogen tank and regulator, a CO2 tank and regulator (if you wish to add carbonation to some cocktail recipes), kegs and ball locks. Companies like KegWorks (kegworks.com) and WebRestaurantStore (webrestaurantstore.com) offer more in-depth explanations on what to buy and how the components work together.
“The challenge with dispensing cocktails through tap is that the customer often assumes it is not as fresh,” says Colon. He adds that it is important to convey the bar is delivering top quality cocktails with fresh ingredients each time a cocktail is dispensed via a batched container or created by hand.
Explaining the process to guests who might be turned off when they see cocktails coming out of a tap helps quell any doubts about quality.
“Once you explain why you do it and assure them how fresh the product still is, they understand and typically appreciate it that much more,” Shlemon says. “Social media is also key. Even just a short clip on Instagram showing our steps in creating amazing cocktails with the freshest ingredients gets the message across—from our in-house juicing to adding the liquor to [dispensing the finished cocktail] straight through the line to the guest.”
Today’s technology can put questions about quality to rest.
“The CO2 will help prevent any loss of aromas or flavors, and this system also helps keep the cocktails at the correct temperature,” Coronado says.
On-tap cocktails, in fact, can actually enhance the customer’s experience—at least that’s what Jamie Amos, bar manager and assistant general manager at Barcito, an Argentine-inspired bar in downtown Los Angeles, has found. The restaurant has three on-tap cocktails plus one batched drink.
“The cocktail taps are a great conversation starter, as customers are surprised when they see the cocktails on-tap dispensed, try them, and ask us about how we get them to craft quality,” says Amos.
Amos goes through the protocols for the on-tap part of the program. Even when working with large kegs filled with the cocktails, calculations are made in advance of every event (like game nights at the nearby Staples Center) or “regular nights” to ensure nothing will need storage at the end of the evening.
“After some trial and error in the beginning, we have figured out how to calculate how much we will make in advance based on a specific night or situation,” Amos says. “We also need to be sure to clean the kegs and the draft lines after the night is through—this is another step in quality control.”
If you’re considering adding batching in any format, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before jumping on the batching bandwagon.
As Coronado says, “The best pro of batched cocktails is being able to make more people happy—quality cocktails with less wait time. The challenge is creating a quality cocktail experience for the customer, while you maximize efficiency of both service and revenue. From there, showmanship comes through detail-oriented things including the garnish, shaking the cocktail, glass preparation, ice stamp, stirring the drink and interacting with the customer.”
Elyse Glickman is the bar columnist for el Restaurante.
SIDEBAR/BOX:
Batch Prep
Mixology pros Jonathan Pogash (“The Cocktail Guru”), Cory James of Ancho Reyes liqueur, Lauren Shlemon of Mexican Sugar in Dallas, Jose Felix Colon of Mixed Troupe (the mixology team at La Concha Resort, Puerto Rico), and Juan Coronado of Casa Bacardi offer tips on making the most of batch and on-tap cocktail programs.
- Accurately assess the amount of the cocktails sold per day. This will help prevent wasting ingredients in either a traditional or on-tap batching program.
- Make a small trial batch to affirm the cocktail will be a big seller.
- Use citric acid. It’s a natural extract that helps delay oxidation in cocktails.
- Keep it fresh. Batched cocktails should be made daily and never stored for more than a day.
- Store batched products in a cold, dark place.
- Taste the cocktails pre- and post-shift to ensure freshness.