You can XXXX those cans of lager, says Sven Almenning, Australia is now home to a cocktail scene that is world class
Until recently, Australia’s most famous footnote in the history of drinks was perhaps that former Prime Minister Bob Hawke once found himself immortalised by the Guinness Book of World Records for
downing two-and-a-half pints of beer in 11 seconds.
But when Melbourne’s 1806 bar walked off with the prestigious title of ‘Best Drinks Selection’ at the recent Tales of the Cocktail festival in New Orleans, it confirmed what many industry insiders
had suspected for some time – Australia is now turning out some of the best bars and bartenders in the business.
So, what’s driving the scene Down Under? Former UK Bartender of the Year and Aussie import Barry Chalmers thinks it comes down to an incredibly competitive spirit and a thirst for knowledge. ‘There
is so much quality training happening here in Australia,’ says Chalmers, ‘training that I think goes beyond what I’ve seen anywhere else. I mean, the Alchemy Programme, which I am part of, brings
in actual stills to showcase gin and vodka production! Then there are bar-specific Trivia Nights, the study groups run by Melbourne bartenders leading up to the Bartender of the Year Competition at
the Australian Bar Awards, and almost every city has a bartender-led community that focuses on education of sorts.’
David Spanton, founder of the Australian Bartender magazine and organiser of the Australian Bar Show agrees: ‘It’s amazing to have witnessed the development in the Australian bar scene over the
past few years. When we first launched our Knowledge test as part of the Bartender of the Year competition, few bartenders had heard of the Lincoln County process (the filtration method used to
make Tennessee whiskeys such as Jack Daniels), whereas today that question would almost be too elementary.’
Spanton also brings up the fact that he believes Australian bartenders have to work harder to get noticed on the international arena, something that finally has started to give the local bar scene
an edge. Melbourne bar guru Greg Sanderson could not agree more: ‘Just like the boys here in Melbourne felt overshadowed by Sydney, the country at large feels like the runt of the pack
internationally.
‘We may not have as many great bars as London or New York, but I think that in the bars where the drinks are great, Australian cocktails are on a par with any city in the world. You may have to
look harder for it, but it’ll be worth it.’
Which of course means that if you want to sample the best Australia has to offer drinks-wise, you may need some inside information. So, when Down Under, where should you go to seek out a great
drink?
The Sydney bar scene is predominantly led by bars that are either attached to restaurants or have access to a kitchen. Largely due to the local licensing laws, it has been impossible to open a bar
that serves drinks only – unless you’re running a night club and are limited to opening after 8pm. This has no doubt hurt the vibrancy of the scene, but has in turn generated some great bars where
bartenders work closely with the kitchen.
Bayswater Brasserie
An unpretentious bartender’s bar, the focus here is on good drinks. Hidden at the back of the restaurant, you have to know it’s there, but what a find it is! The list features classically inspired
drinks such as the Georgia Mint Julep.
www.bayswaterbrasserie.com.au
Foveaux
Perhaps my favourite Australian bar at the moment, this venue was, until recently, headed up by the eminent Julian Serna, one of Australia’s leading bartenders. If you’re in town try the signature
Copa De Rey, an old fashioned-inspired creation based on Don Julio Añejo and served with an iced chocolate sphere.
www.foveaux.com.au
Toko
This Japanese restaurant and bar is one of the hot spots in Sydney at the moment. Drinks include house-infused shochu, single malt served with a hand-chipped block of ice, and my absolute favourite
martini at the moment, Tanqueray No. Ten stirred with sake and strained into a chilled cocktail glass, garnished with a slice of salmon sashimi and pickled ginger.
www.toko.com.au
At the risk of getting some heat from Sydney bar operators, I’d say Melbourne offers a far greater diversity and funkier selection of bars, partly because laws here are so liberal. Melbourne bars
love to be hard to find and you may just discover that to get to your favourite bar you need to traverse down dimly lit lanes, step around garbage bins and hobos and whisper secret passwords
through the door…
Black Pearl
Barely
holding 50 people and furnished with stray and pre-loved couches and armchairs (very Melbourne, by the way), this is one of Australia’s best bars. Led by veteran bartender Robb Sloane, the team’s
greatest asset is that they’ve not forgotten how to have fun behind the stick. Try the Tequila Espresso Martini ‘garnished’ with a tiny chocolate teddy biscuit on the side.
304 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy 3065
1806
Owned and operated by Melbourne’s godfather of bartending, Sebastian Reaburn, 1806 is almost as much museum as it is a bar. Marvel at Seb’s collection of vintage cocktail shakers and books, attend
the Tastes of the Ages cocktail class, or simply come to sample some of Melbourne’s finest drinks (see box).
www.1806.com.au
Known more for its fine, hot weather than its quality drinks, Brisbane is definitely developing into a great place for cocktail aficionados. The main hub is the very fashionable Fortitude Valley
where you’ll find both of the following establishments.
The Bowery
A Brisbane institution, The Bowery combines great cocktails with a laid-back attitude and a thumping atmosphere. Led by master mixologists Barry Chalmers and Matt Hewitt, the standard of drinks
does not get any higher.
www.thebowery.com.au
Cru
Bar
A casual champagne and wine bar that combines a restaurant with a high-end bottle store. Arrive for a late breakfast, stay through lunch and dinner and party until late. Then before the doors
close, buy a couple of bottles of wine to take home from the shop. If there’s an award for best off licence, the shop should win it, every time!
www.crubar.com
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Bazza’s Aussie charm offensive...
Barry Chalmers
Head bartender, The Bowery, Brisbane, & manager of the Behind Bars consultancy group
One of the biggest names in Australian bartending is not an Australian at all, but rather a frosty Scot who’s come Down Under to thaw out his
bones in the Australian sun. After a distinguished career in the
UK which included managing The Player, and a year-and-a-half as head bartender at Lonsdale, Mr Charmers (as he pronounces it), relocated to Oz a little over two years ago.
‘The bar scene in Australia is still quite mainstream, and Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are small cities compared to the likes of London and
New York.
‘But that could be working in our favour as well. It means that everyone knows each other and everyone supports each other. If you’re an
enthusiastic bartender in Oz, there’s relatively easy access to the old gurus who can inspire and help drive the passion.’
By the time you read this Chalmers will have moved on to become general manager for the Bowery’s sister venue, yet to be named. To find him and
sample one of his creations, just ask for Bazza at any of the bars in Brisbane and you will be shown the way. Meanwhile try out a signature Barry Chalmers cocktail…
El Pepino
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50ml Don Julio Blanco
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¼ bosc pear, muddled
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30ml cucumber purée
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30ml cloudy apple juice
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15ml maple syrup
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a highball glass filled with cubed ice. Garnish with a long cucumber slice.
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Australia’s host with the most
Greg Sanderson
Head bartender, Black Pearl, Melbourne
With a CV that ranges from managing the award-winning murmur bar in Melbourne to a long stint at Edinburgh’s Opal Lounge, Greg Sanderson is fast
becoming known as one of the most passionate and knowledgeable bartenders in Australia. He also hosts the Melbourne Bar Trivia Nights, where bar teams come together to battle it out for
the title of the city’s most knowledgeable bar team.
‘Travelling to Europe and the US is almost becoming a rite of passage for Australian bartenders these days.’ he says. ‘Many of the bartenders on
the top level here in Australia have either spent some time in the UK or the US, even Asian hot spots such as Shanghai and Hong Kong, and in some cases, Mumbai.
‘And then of course there’s the amount of overseas bartenders that either move to Australia for good, or that come through for a few months. The
climate here and the emerging scene seems to draw a lot of international professionals Down Under, which definitely benefits the scene.
‘And luckily, because there are only a few bars that really attract the top echelon of bartenders, it means that we all get to soak up each
other’s international experience, share ideas and learn from each other.’
Try a Sanderson special:
Wild passion
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45ml Smirnoff Black
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15ml Montenegro
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20ml lime juice
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Dash of gomme
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20ml passionfruit pulp
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3 basil leaves
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Dash of orange bitter
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Cracked pepper
Combine all ingredients in a Boston shaker. Fill with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a floating basil
leaf.
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The proof’s in the pudding
Sebastian Reaburn
Owner, 1806, Melbourne
One of the key pioneers of the molecular mixology currently taking hold in Australia is Sebastian Reaburn, owner of the award-winning
1806.
‘A lot of people are playing around with molecular techniques such as foams, sodas, spherification etc, but there’s a limit to how many of these
drinks you can have on your menu,’ he says. ‘(But) at 1806 we try to fly the flag by always having something outside the norm on offer, and as such have one molecular drink on the menu
that continues to change.’
Currently on the 1806 cocktail list, and one that should be easy for all bars to try, is…
Margarita custard
Place all ingredients in a heat resistant rocks glass. Whip it with a fork until it is thoroughly mixed. Steam it as you would a cup of milk on
the coffee machine for about 20 seconds or until it sets solid.
Grate over a touch of fresh nutmeg and serve with a spoon while it is hot (should take on a thick consistency like a crème caramel or chocolate
mousse).
‘On quieter nights we can even shake sugar and nutmeg on the top and “brûlée” it with a blow torch,’ adds Reaburn.
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Editorial feature from Imbibe Magazine - September / October 2008
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