Merry Christmas to all of our listeners!

As those in the industry know we're all powering through the busiest time of the year in combination with the World Cup, the lads discuss the impact it may of had on peoples spending. 

It wouldn't be a Spitting Bars podcast if we didn't go in on brewdog who once again put themselves into another tricky situation... *shock*

With Christmas parties all over the place, are they mandatory? Well for one worker he was dismissed for not attending out of hour activities and deemed 'too boring'... and he took them to court, what was the verdict?

We have some product taste testing today, starting off with dragon soup! A deadly concoction of 2 beers worth of alcohol and more caffeine than a red bull, Party Powelly gives his expert opinion on the drink. Followed by Panther milk, an alcoholic oat milk, coming in multiple flavours and being offered as a milk replacement for cocktails.

HOT OR NOT

HOT-
-Stretch talks through the Roadhouse Re-opening.
-A new rival to Tequila Rose? Lustre is offering new flavours; Coffee Latte, Strawberry cream, Pineapple cream all coming back with good feedback.
-Stoli Vodka tries to sell the brand at auction, valued at £2 Billion... with the highest bid coming in at £200k.
-A great cause, Mira restaurant in London with a Ukrainian menu and refugee workers with profits going back to London!


NOT-
- Christmas Fetes charging more for goods due to price marks on items, Stretch didn't feel to festive or happy leaving the school that day.
-Brewdog gets named and shamed for their bartenders online presence trying to do a parody but coming across a bit distastfully
-BeAtOne in Covent Garden gave Stretch a very bad first impression so much so that he didn't even stay for a drink.
-Dictador Rum Brand unveiled a limited editing rum collection with each bottle starting at £1.5 Million per bottle.
-Top 50 Bars were released with some great bars being nominated, JB sets a goal to get one of his bars into the nominations.
-Cost of living discussions about strikes, travel and different living situations while maintaining a healthy social life.

At the end the lads discuss new podcast names and ideas as they open the search for the right name to the public so if you have any suggestions, let us know!

Please Email [email protected]

After a busy break the lads are back, discussing recent trips, business and news happening in the industry. Kicking off with what's on everyones mind... the cost of living crisis and offering some advice for businesses and customers. Following onto the worlds best bars & UK winners.

The boys reflect on how things have changed with a question a majority of Gen Z'ers might agree with... Is drinking no longer cool?

Moving into Durham, with potential breathalysers to be introduced into nightclubs or is it just a scare tactic to stop 'pre loading' before going out

The boys discuss and taste a celebrity product called. Mister Katz's Rock & Rye. An Old fashioned alternative hearing stretch go into detail on this new whiskey product and where it sits in the market.

HOT OR NOT

HOT-
-Nashville & Country music - Could we bring a music city to the UK?
-Cocktail Bar, Maybe Sammys fantastic awards season
-RTD Spirit drinks to increase globally by 11.2% / 86% in US, Survey shows more choice is wanted in bars, will the UK match up?
-Patron en Lalique, Patrons new Pineapple flavour coming in with a hot price...

NOT-
-Is Hooters failing in the US as well?
-M&S Distilled spirits range making people more likely to drink at home?
-When in Tennessee? You do a snake shot..?
-Nightclub closures & latest stats  

Lads catch back up after a lengthy time off, but with valid reasons, as all will become clear.

We review the busy month of June, within the hospitality industry.
Starting with a review of Pride events across the country, and what products were most successful in LGBQT marketing campaigns?

In a month where the owner of Heaven and Gay inferred that he was considering their future existence, Metro also ran an article on the fear of LGBQT venues surviving much longer.
Is it a valid concern, or are these venues just suffering the same statistical losses in trade and closures as the whole of the industry?

Most of the team had attended Imbibe, and discuss the event and try to predict trends for the coming year and products to look out for.

Steven Bartlett interviewed show favourite James Watt of Brewdog on his recent podcast, they covered most of the subjects we've already discussed on previous shows.
Has it changed any of our views?

Elit Vodka have announced a Sustainable Martini Competition and we announce all the details.

Celebrity Product this week covers Hacien Tequila and their genius tagline 
"Every Tequila has a celebrity, we have 3"

HOT or NOT

HOT
^Christian Del Pelch Instagram
^ Revolution Bars recent Awards and Expansion
^ Panthers Milk- Paul Crawford
^ Aperol Spritz National Pop Ups
^ Resurgence of Pina Coladas
^ Edible Cocktail Toppers

NOT
V Box Park Viral Incident
V Brewdog Gold Bar Competition
V Fomo Management Team


Thanks again for sharing your time with us folks, can you continue the sharing by sending our show to an industry friend.
Also feel free to join the conversation and if you agree or disagree with any of our views, start a thread and lets thrash it out.

Hope to see more of you all in 2022 and make up for a shaky start 

As we move further into Season 2 we have a wide range of topics with the lads starting off with upcoming events and ones from the past.

With the cost of living increasing and people keeping their money closer to them than ever how is our industry fairing against this?  With different trends from around the world and right here in the UK emerging, this is the place you can come to find out what’s going on in the Hospitality industry. 

Then leading up to is Bo Jo on the side of the employee or the employer? With him backing out of the tipping laws, where are your “Service Charge” payments going to the staff or to the company to top up managers and higher ups wages? We all stood very firmly on one side of the fence.

HOT or NOT;

HOT-
- Graham Nortons Wine… did Graham catch JB with his subliminal marketing?
- Brewdog’s Blue Print Scheme offering salaried employees a financial incentive
- Laki Kane tiki bar review… which blew the whole team away with its creativity and attention to detail
- Milk Thistle a bar based in Bristol which clearly showed a great manager makes a massive impact
- Drinks Trust are studying and offering free support to improve people in the industries sleep without any medication
- Hospitality Action are doing a fundraising campaign with a back in business tour for the public to cover as many miles as possible by walking, running, cycling or swimming!
- Brew for Ukraine Campaign, Pravda Beer have transitioned from beer to molotov cocktails and publishing their recipes online to help their national cause.
- AU Vodka’s Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn entering the rich list
- Paul Heaton giving away free pints for his 60th birthday to 60 pubs he’s chose for his bike tour around the UK
- Bar stools, are they out dated? or do they create a better bar environment?


NOT-
- Intrepid Whisky the largest bottle of whisky in the world, with 311 regular bottles of Macallen single malt inside and sold for a whopping £1.1 Million
- Asparagus Vodka… would you buy a bottle?
- Negroni will Party Powelly ever like Negronis? His first step to liking them he had a “Palatable” Cherry Negroni
- Dirty Shirley a Shirley Temple with a twist

We end the show by discussing the drink of the summer Stretch saying Flavoured Spritzers and JB calls a Miami Vice… a mix of Pina Colada & strawberry daiquiri, what’s going to be your drink of the summer?

We have a lot lined up for the upcoming episodes so stay tuned for more and thanks for watching!

Welcome back to Season 2 and we launch straight into a packed show. 

The lads catch up on Stretch's travels with the Mangrove brand and JB's opening his newest bar, Fomo.

With news dominated by Russia's intrusion into Ukraine, we discuss the reactions of the hospitality sector.
 Is it right to delist Russian products? Are the companies that make such a public stance in supporting Ukraine actually doing it for the right reasons? Or are they just baying to public opinion? Even worse, are some profiteering from it?

To celebrate Cinq De Mayo, we blind test Stretch on recognising his own product Vivir next to 'Hollywood' Tequilas, Teremana and Casamigos. See how he does.

Kevin Hart is the latest celebrity to launch a Tequila, will it be a hit or miss?
Thomas Ashbourne Craft Spirits launch their celebrity endorsed RTDs, Sarah Jane Parker was always the obvious match to a Cosmopolitan but does John Cena shout Old Fashioned?

HOT or NOT;

HOT-
-142 yr old Whiskey found in wardrobe
-Heinekein Zero stocked in Rovers Return
- Revolution announce a mostly female Executive Management team
-World Flair Association move to Ballie Ballersons
-Rockstar Vodka continues to wow This Morning
- Manhatta Bar 0f Arc Inspirations impress with bar designs

NOT-
-FKING Bourbon slammed for sexist marketing
- Diageo buy flavoured Tequila Brand 21 Seeds
- Huddesfield Irish Bar Hooleys miss Paddy's Day Opening because of no Guinness
-Acapulco Nightclub book Harvey Price P.A

WE end the show by discussing the worse personal appearances we have worked with over the years.
Thanks again for listening, and sticking with us into Season 2

We have loads lined up for this season, and hope you stick with us as we continue to Spit Bars.

 
As we approach our tenth episode, the team cover their working weeks including a new bar opening for JB, and another celebrity for Stretch to meet with Talk Radio.

It's officially the end of Covid regulations, is it time to celebrate or  should the hospitality industry remain cautious for now? 

We analyze just how much Covid has cost the hospitality sector and review changes that are here to stay with App development offering additional sales.

Gary Vaynerchuck discussed our industry recently and stated that Alexa and speech search engines offered us a great opportunity as technology develops. But what will their results be based on?
Will it be google reviews, TripAdvisor ratings or the new Pinnacle system announced this week?

Leo Di Caprio has teamed up with Telmont Champagne, surely based on his Great Gatsby GIF this should have been done ages ago?

Tyson Fury and Bruce Willis launch energy drinks. Does Bruce Willis represent the worse form of celebrity endorsement with how he was chosen as the face of Hell Energy drink?

And finally...

HOT
^ Butterfly Tequila
^ Rodrizio Rico
^ Nightcap Group


NOT
v Bartender Appreciation Day
v Beluga Bar
v Dresscodes 

Full episode this week, JB & Stretch return from a few days in the Big Smoke.

Brit Awards Afterpartys, trade shows and industry events have left us with loads to catch up on, and gossip to share.

Competitive Socialising Event 2022 was the first trade show since lockdown ended, Junkyard Golf, Gravity Active and XP Factory were all in attendance -but which keynote speakers made the biggest impressions.

Martin Hudak, King of Coffee Cocktails was in town to promote his new book Spiritual Coffee at Scarfes Bar, what were his cocktails like?

In the week that 50 Best UK Cocktail bars were announced, what won? 

Miller Lite have opened a Meta Verse Bar just in time for the  Super Bowl, what is one of them? Is this the future for brand marketing?

The Mayor of Liverpool has objected to the opening of a Hooters bar, claiming they're misogynistic. Does she have a valid point? 

Molson Coors and Diaego have announced the UK launch of Spiked Lemonade?
With the recent media coverage of alleged Spikings in the UK, is this a marketing faux pas?

Stretch eventually gets to review a Mirror Margarita from Hacha, what were his thoughts?

Finally in Hot or Not this week....

HOT
^ Cardiff City
^ Competitive Socializing 2022
^ Inception Group
^ Home Leisure Direct

NOT
v Top Hat Bar
v Windmill Theatre Soho
v Savoury Cocktails


Thanks again for listening to us.

In a week where tv and film has covered the hospitality industry, the lads discuss just how damaging the representation has been.
Has The Apprentice's attempts to create a non alcoholic drink in 48 hours undermined the research put into this field in recent years. 
Has Stephen Graham's intense movie Boiling Point given a fair reflection of a day in the life of a busy bar, restaurant? 

JB tells us about his visit to the Tuilagi Gin Distillery and his most recent 2 Minute Bar Reviews in Northampton and Leeds.

With the success of bottled cocktails not slowing down in 2022, we sample Mirror Margarita, widely tipped to be one of the best such products on the market.
Party Powelly tipped Baiju as one of his products to watch out in 2022 without trying it, how does he feel about it now he's tasted it?

This weeks celebrity launches saw Mark Wahlberg launch another Tequila to market in Flechu Azul, and Gary Barlow debated his wines in Morrisons. How do we think either product will fare?

Finally in what's HOT or NOT...

HOT
^ Uncle Nearest
^ Guinness Guru
^ Aces & Pins 
^ Black Grape AU Vodka & Milk

NOT
v Cosy Club
v Tiger Tiger Caustic Soda Incident
v Savoury Cocktails

Thanks again for listening, please like and subscribe if you've enjoyed us Spitting Bars.

The Year of 20-tutu. 
  
A spiky Steve (Simon Jordan), and a fired up Party Powelly let rip on JB as he leads them through a review of 2021 and an indication of hospitality trends for the year ahead. 

We cover the rise and rise of lo-alcohol products including a product review of Lucky Saint and Big Drop Brewing Co.  
How much have lo/no alcohol products improved over the past two years? And how far can they go?  

Should DRY JANUARY be banned? 

Difford's published their 100 Best Cocktails of 2021. 
How many can the lads get right, and which ones shouldn't be there? 

Which cocktail trends of 2021 should be left there? 
We boldly predict the products Baijiu, brands Vivir and trends bottled cocktails that we think will have great success in 2022. Do you agree? 

Steve pours scorn again on celebrity sponsored products after the launch of Katy Perry's De Soir and Logan Paul's Prime but after the announcement of Rock's Teremena Tequila sales, is this the future? 

This week's ; 

HOT 
^ Italian Pharmacists 
^ Cocktailman 
^ Club Soda 

NOT 
v Dry January 
v New Year's Eve celebrations 
v Boris' shenanigans 

Finally JB makes a pledge to the Drink's Trust. 
Send in your suggestions on how he can best raise funds for them this year. 

We hope you enjoy the show. Ten and counting now! 
Please help us by forwarding to anyone you think that will like it, subscribing and leaving us a review. We'll be forever grateful. 

JB

The XMAS Special.

Boris has shafted our industry again, the lads discuss how it has directly affected their jobs and businesses.
What can we do? How can we remain positive?
Party Powelly may have a genius suggestion for once.......

We cover what charities that can help YOU through this difficult time.
Where to go? Who to call? If you need advice or even financial grants.
What industry support do Hospitality Action and Licensed Trade Charity offer?\

We pay tribute to the industry giant, Stephen Thomas and the lads share stories of encounters with their former boss.

Craig Mosey of the Average Joe Whisky show joins to tell us what whiskies we should be buying this Xmas, and more importantly which one to avoid.

JB gives his suggestions fo Xmas presents, if you're buying for anyone who works in the industry.

Finally what's;
HOT
^ British Fighting Spirit
^ Nando's Customer Delight Initiative
^ Brendan Whitworth 

NOT
v Gorditos, baby burritos
v Eggnog & Advocaat
v Mulled Wine

We then reminisce on favourite staff Xmas parties over the years, and JB struggles to remember the term 'Free For All'

WE wish you all a Merry Xmas and a better 2022.
Stay positive through these tough times, if you need help reach out to mentioned charities or directly message us. We would love to help where we can!


JB