Happy new year, and welcome to 2024! We wanted to kick off season five of the Bar Hacks podcast with an amazing guest.

Host David Klemt had the opportunity to chat with Colin Asare-Appiah, an industry icon he's wanted to talk to for many years. Colin is Bacardí's trade director of multiculture and lifestyle, and the brand's LGBTQIA+ advocate. Not only does he spread the message of diversity, equity, and inclusion, he believes (as does KRG Hospitality and Bar Hacks) that diversity is necessary for our industry to thrive.

In this episode you'll learn about Colin's journey through hospitality, which includes saying he'd never be a bartender to becoming a bartender and creating a bartending school; his thoughts on what makes a successful operator and team; cocktail and spirits trends for 2024; the AJABU cocktail festival coming to South Africa in March of this year, spearheaded by Colin and his partner Mark Talbot Holmes; and more. Cheers!

Notes

Colin's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cocktailcolin/

AJABU Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajabufestival/

AJABU Website: https://ajabufestival.com/

FreePour App: https://www.freepour.app/

Bar Hacks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barhacks

KRG Hospitality Website: https://krghospitality.com/

KRG Hospitality Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krg.hospitality/

Finian Sedgwick, the COO of BAXUS, calls into the Bar Hacks podcast to talk about this exciting new platform. He also shares the details of another platform within the BAXUS family: BoozApp.

BAXUS is a natural progression of Finian's career path in hospitality and luxury spirits and wines. While he started his journey with Jameson, he followed a path that led him to the luxury segments of wine, sparkling wine, and spirits. In particular, Champagne and the house of GH Mumm.

Now, he and the BAXUS team are helping people to find and trade wine and spirits via blockchain technology. They even have a vault that requires fingerprint scans to access, with more vaults coming online over time. Shaking up many traditional auction houses, BAXUS is focused on transparency, technology, security, and community. Importantly, Finian and the team want to make it easier for people to find bottles that matter to them, get their hands on them with confidence, and actually drink them.

Then there's BoozApp. Ever wonder if you're getting a good price on a bottle? Well, the BoozApp team and the engaged community can help you find the answer to that question. Overall, the platform can save users money, helping prevent them from overpaying for a bottle.

Cheers!

Notes

BAXUS website: https://www.baxus.co/

BAXUS Instagram: https://instagram.com/baxus.co/

BAXUS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baxus.co/

BAXUS X: https://twitter.com/BAXUSco

BoozApp website: https://www.booz.app/

BoozApp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/booz_app/

Bar Hacks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barhacks

KRG Hospitality website: https://krghospitality.com/

When it comes to curating a beer program, creating a complementary cocktail program, and delivering an incredible beer program, we can't think of anyone better than Anne Becerra. And lucky for us, she stopped by the Bar Hacks podcast!

Anne is the first female Certified Cicerone in New York City and has been working in beer for more than a decade. More importantly, however, she's as passionate as she is educated about beer. Anne's also passionate about hospitality, which comes across in this conversation. Truly, she loves hospitality, the beverage world, and how the two pair to make people feel amazing.

On this episode Anne talks introducing guests to beer; serving beer aficionados, beer neophytes, and the beer wary; how to make guests feel comfortable in a beer-centric concept; what she's excited about in the beer world; tips for operators who want to succeed with a beer-forward venue; and much, much more. Cheers!

Anne's website: https://annelikesbeer.com/

Anne's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annelikesbeer/

Treadwell Park website: https://www.treadwellpark.com/

Treadwell Park Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadwellpark/

Bar Hacks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barhacks

KRG Hospitality website: https://krghospitality.com/

There are those who say that, in comparison to cities in Canada and the United States of America, London has been slow to pursue agave spirits. However, KOL Mezcaleria has been changing that at a rapid pace over the past few years.

Since opening their doors, KOL Restaurant has found its way onto the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, and Kol Mezcaleria can be found on the World's 50 Best Disovery tool. The upscale Mexican restaurant and bar, co-owned by Chef Santiago Lastra, celebrates Mexican culture and traditions hand in hand with British ingredients. They're also currently participating in the 14th annual London Cocktail Week.

KOL bar manager Matthias Ingelmann dropped by the Bar Hacks podcast while he and the team prepared for service. On this episode, Matthias talks agave spirits; introducing guests to artisanal and ancestral agave spirits along with Mexican rum, gin, and whiskey; planning for seasonality and menu changes; maintaining the familiar while offering new menu items; honoring Mexican culture with this fusion concept; what he looks for in team members; and more. Cheers!

Links

Matthias Ingelmann's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthias.ingelmann

Chef Santiago Lastra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/santiagolas

KOL Mezcaleria website: https://kolrestaurant.com/the-mezcaleria/

KOL Mezcaleria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kol.restaurant

Bar Hacks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barhacks

KRG Hospitality website: https://krghospitality.com/

Just ahead of an incredibly busy but rewarding and exciting trade and consumer gathering of thousands of people, London Cocktail Week co-founders Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne drop by the Bar Hacks podcast.

Unlike most of our guests, Hannah and Siobhan aren't bartenders or bar operators. However, they're every bit as passionate about hospitality and the bar world as the people who have dedicated their professional lives to serving others. On this episode, this dynamic duo discuss the ins and outs of London Cocktail Week, including several innovative initiatives and activations. For example, lucky trade applicants will have the opportunity to spend time with the Connaught Bar team to see how they prepare for service.

Hannah and Siobhan also share the details of what should prove to be an global industry game changer: the Pinnacle Guide. Think the Michelin Guide for bars, though the recognition system will approach awarding venues across the world differently. Oh, and there's also the pair's brand consultancy, because they're not busy enough. Cheers!

Links:

London Cocktail Week: https://londoncocktailweek.com/

London Cocktail Week Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Londoncocktailweekofficial

The Pinnacle Guide Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepinnacleguide/

HANDS London Consultancy: https://hands-london.com/

HANDS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HANDS_London

Hannah Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hsharmancox/

Siobhan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/londonsiobhan/

Bar Hacks podcast: https://www.instagram.com/barhacks/

Simone Caporale, an internationally renowned bartender and operator, swings by the Bar Hacks podcast to talk spirits, branding, the guest experience, and operations.

Noticing a gap in the industry and seeing a way to lend his expertise to help grow spirits brands, Simone and Luca Missagli founded Cocktail Concierge, a brand-building agency focusing on craft spirits brands. One of the most recent brands Cocktail Concierge has helped introduce to the world is Amaro Santoni.

Of course, Simone is also one of forces behind SIPS Drinkery House, number three on the World's 50 Best Bars list, and the World's Best Bar according to Tales of the Cocktail. Simone shares his thoughts on what he thinks makes SIPS so successful, why he views service as a privilege, three tips operators can implement today to plant the seeds for long-term success, and more!

Amaro Santoni: https://www.amarosantoni.com/

Cocktail Concierge: https://www.cocktail-concierge.co.uk/

SIPS Drinkery House: https://www.instagram.com/sips.barcelona/

Simone Caporale: https://www.instagram.com/simonecaporale_/

Bar Hacks podcast: https://www.instagram.com/barhacks/

Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr. Lyan, returns to the Bar Hacks podcast! Ten years ago, Ryan opened the first bar in what would become the Mr. Lyan empire, White Lyan. This innovative venue set the tone for Ryan and the team's approach to creating bars.

On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, Ryan shares details of the ten-year celebrations; what it means to him to have reached the ten-year operator milestone; lessons learned over the course of more than ten years running bars; what people can expect from the re-release of his book Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan and Friends, now with brand-new content and a new title, Mr Lyan’s Cocktails at Home: Good Things to Drink with Friends; and more! Cheers!

Be sure to visit the links below to keep up to date on the Mr. Lyan celebrations, pick up his new book, and connect with Bar Hacks and KRG Hospitality.

Mr. Lyan website: https://mrlyan.com/

Mr. Lyan Instagram: https://instagram.com/mrlyan/

Seed Library website: https://www.seedlibraryshoreditch.com/

Silver Lyan website: http://silverlyan.com/

Super Lyan website: http://superlyan.com/

Lyaness website: http://lyaness.com/

Mr Lyan’s Cocktails at Home: Good Things to Drink with Friends: https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Lyans-Cocktails-Home-Friends/dp/0711287635/

Bar Hacks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barhacks/

KRG Hospitality website: https://krghospitality.com/

Thank you for being patient during our summer hiatus. We're back with a great conversation with an awesome guest.

Global Hennessy brand ambassador Jordan Bushell returns to the Bar Hacks podcast. While Jordan may know people with more Cognac knowledge, we don't know anyone who knows more about this spirit category. More importantly, he's as generous with his time as he is knowledgeable about Cognac. If you have a question about the spirit of Hennessy you can reach out to him and he'll answer you.

On this episode of Bar Hacks, Jordan talks about special Hennessy releases, initiatives, collaborations, and what sets the maison apart from others in the Cognac region of France. He also talks about how operators can introduce guests to Cognac and Hennessy, including paying attention how they price their menus. Cheers!

Connect with Jordan on Instagram, along with Hennessy and Hennessy US. Learn more about Hennessy and their releases on their website. Connect with the Bar Hacks podcast on ⁠Instagram⁠ and X⁠, and with host David Klemt on ⁠Instagram⁠. Cheers!

Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr. Lyan, is one of the bar world's true visionaries. He opened his first bar, White Lyan, in 2013 and the venue immediately achieved its intended purpose. Beyond being an award-winning bar and one of London's best places to grab a drink, White Lyan started a much-needed conversation about sustainability in the industry.

Dandelyan, Lyaness, Super Lyan, Cub, and Silver Lyan would follow shortly after, making an even bigger splash not only in London but also Amsterdam and Washington, DC. All Mr. Lyan venues, while showcasing incredible innovation, accomplish something just as important: each bar is a place people to want to spend their time and money, and where professionals want to work.

During this fantastic conversation, Ryan shares insights into the menu programming processes at each venue; discusses seasonality; provides a look into hiring and engaging each team; the reissue of his book and his foray into the RTD cocktail space; and much more. Cheers!

Learn more about Ryan and each venue by visiting MrLyan.com. Connect with the Bar Hacks podcast on ⁠Instagram⁠ and X⁠, and with host David Klemt on ⁠Instagram⁠. Cheers!

We can hardly believe that we've reached 100 main episodes! Thank you so much for listening, supporting, spreading the word, and helping us reach this milestone. We're honored and humbled to be able to celebrate 100 episodes with you. To really mark this occasion, we're thrilled to bring you an amazing guest representing an incredible venue.

Tako Chang is the manager of brand marketing & PR communication for the award-winning Double Chicken Please in New York City. DCP has gone from a wandering pop-up concept touring the US in a VW bus to one of the hottest reservations to score in NYC, and has won several awards. For example, DCP achieved the number one spot on World's 50 Best Bars, North America list. And just days ago, DCP won the Spirited Award for World's Best Cocktail Menu.

During this chat, Tako shares her approach to building the DCP brand, going from zero hospitality industry experience to overseeing the front of house, how the guest experience and marketing relate to one another, ongoing team training, building an incredible team, and more.

Learn more about Double Chicken Please by visiting their website and following them on Instagram and Facebook. Connect with the Bar Hacks podcast on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Twitter⁠, and with host David Klemt on ⁠Instagram⁠. Cheers!