Fort Myers: Regional craft brewery taps into hidden pent-up demand

by: Andrew Warfield Lee-Collier Editor

To read the full article, click the link!

Just a few days removed from celebrating its sixth anniversary, Fort Myers Brewing co-owner and brewmaster Rob Whyte contemplates, only for a split second, his long-term goal. 

“World domination,” he says jokingly. Mostly anyway. That includes going from weekend brewing in converted old dairy tanks into Southwest Florida’s largest independent brewery and taproom, their 20,000-square-foot facility tucked in the back row of a set of industrial buildings in the Gateway development in eastern Fort Myers. Now  producing some 12,000 barrels of brew per year — or 372,000 gallons — the Whytes have a long-term goal of 30,000 to 50,000 barrels.

That’s a long way from their 500-barrel annual capacity when they opened Fort Myers Brewing in 1,500 square feet, including taproom and brewery, in 2013. Not only were they new to the region, so was their concept. The idea of brewing and serving beer on-site in a business park was so foreign Lee County’s zoning code had to first be amended to allow it.

The Strange Origins of the Margarita

I dare say that the Margarita cocktail is at least for me the perfect cocktail any time of the year in any situation. It one of the first you will all learn & one of the easiest to remember. Any version of the cocktail whether it is the straight up, on the rocks or the slush puppy version I support anyone who makes it with fresh juice & quality blanco Tequila. Looking into the history of the drink though we uncover that no one really has any clue of how or where it came from

Confusing Origins.
Find below just 'SOME' of the supposed origins of the infamous Margarita:

- Early 1930s: Agua Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana and Bertita’s Bar in Tasca, Mexico both claimed to have created the margarita.

- 1935: A bartender at Las Dos Republicas in Matamoros, Mexico supposedly created the drink for a guest named Marguerite Hemery. She loved the cocktail, and he named the drink after her – the “Marguerita”1936: Danny Negrete was a bartender at the Hotel Garci-Crespo in Puebla, Mexico. The drink was a wedding present to his brother’s fiancé, Margarita.

- 1937: John Durlesser was Head barman of the Los Angeles bar, McHenry’s Tail O’ the Cock Restaurant, and claims to have invented the cocktail as a tribute to a girlfriend.

- 1938: Carlos “Danny” Herrera supposedly created the cocktail for a showgirl named Majorie King who was allergic to most spirits, but not Tequila. The owner of the “La Plaza” bar in San Diego knew Herrera and visited frequently, and was also known for popularizing the Margarita in San Diego in the 40’s. Albert Hernandex, bartender at the La Plaza, also confirmed this story.

- 1940’s: Enrique Bastate Gutierrez worked at The Foreign Club in Tijuana where Margarita Carmen Cansino (Stage name: Rita Hayworth) worked as part of a dance act. Gutierrez claims to have invented the Margarita in the dancer’s honor.
 

- 1941: Margarita Henkel visited Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada, Mexico. The bartender there, Don Carlos, had been experimenting with drinks and offered her one of his recent concoctions. It was served in a salt-rimmed glass over ice. Don Carlos named the drink after Margarita, as she was the first to try it.

- 1942: Francisco Morales created the Margarita on July 4, 1942 in a bar called Tommy’s Place in the El Paso-Juarex area. Morales was asked to create a Magnolia – a drink he didn’t know. Instead, he whipped up a drink – that the customer loved. It became the Margarita. Morales moved to the US and became a milkman for 25 years.

- 1948: Margaret “Margarita” Sames was a rich, young Texas socialite and was hosting a Christmas party at her home in Acapulco. The story goes, Sames was challenged to create a cocktail and the result was the Margarita.1958: The first mention in print of a Margarita cocktail is 1953 issue of Esquire magazine where it states simply that, ‘She’s from Mexico, Señores, and she is lovely to look at, exciting and provocative’.

The most likely:
Meanwhile, Danny Negrete is also named as inventor of the drink. Apparently, the cocktail was a wedding gift for his sister-in-law, yep another Margarita, bestowed upon her at the Garci Crespo Hotel. Interestingly enough, Negrete worked at Agua Cliente Race Track, where starlet Margarita Cansino (you might know her as Rita Hayworth) would often perform

.Margarita Cansino, aka Rita HayworthHowever the margarita may not be named after a beautiful woman at all, but instead may just be a variation of another cocktail that was popular during Prohibition: the Daisy. In fact, margarita means “daisy” in Spanish.

The only difference between the Daisy and the margarita is that the former was made with brandy and the latter with tequila. However, it’s remarkable to see what a simple swap of spirits does for a cocktail. How many people today have heard of the Daisy?

The tequila-filled margarita, however, is famous in epic proportions & while it is tequila that gives the margarita its Mexican flair, doubt has been expressed over whether it would be likely for such a cocktail to emerge out of Mexico in the 30’s or 40’s. 

Interestingly Margarita Sames, the inventor of the world’s first frozen margarita machine was from Dallas. His name was Mariano Martinez, a restauranteur who, in 1971, created the fuel for spring break parties everywhere. In 2005, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History acquired the original machine.

Original article

The Strange Origins of the Margarita

By. Danil Nevsky

I dare say that the Margarita cocktail is at least for me the perfect cocktail any time of the year in any situation. It one of the first you will all learn & one of the easiest to remember. Any version of the cocktail whether it is the straight up, on the rocks or the slush puppy version I support anyone who makes it with fresh juice & quality blanco Tequila. Looking into the history of the drink though we uncover that no one really has any clue of how or where it came from

Confusing Origins.
Find below just 'SOME' of the supposed origins of the infamous Margarita:

- Early 1930s: Agua Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana and Bertita’s Bar in Tasca, Mexico both claimed to have created the margarita.

- 1935: A bartender at Las Dos Republicas in Matamoros, Mexico supposedly created the drink for a guest named Marguerite Hemery. She loved the cocktail, and he named the drink after her – the “Marguerita”1936: Danny Negrete was a bartender at the Hotel Garci-Crespo in Puebla, Mexico. The drink was a wedding present to his brother’s fiancé, Margarita.

- 1937: John Durlesser was Head barman of the Los Angeles bar, McHenry’s Tail O’ the Cock Restaurant, and claims to have invented the cocktail as a tribute to a girlfriend.

- 1938: Carlos “Danny” Herrera supposedly created the cocktail for a showgirl named Majorie King who was allergic to most spirits, but not Tequila. The owner of the “La Plaza” bar in San Diego knew Herrera and visited frequently, and was also known for popularizing the Margarita in San Diego in the 40’s. Albert Hernandex, bartender at the La Plaza, also confirmed this story.

- 1940’s: Enrique Bastate Gutierrez worked at The Foreign Club in Tijuana where Margarita Carmen Cansino (Stage name: Rita Hayworth) worked as part of a dance act. Gutierrez claims to have invented the Margarita in the dancer’s honor.
 

- 1941: Margarita Henkel visited Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada, Mexico. The bartender there, Don Carlos, had been experimenting with drinks and offered her one of his recent concoctions. It was served in a salt-rimmed glass over ice. Don Carlos named the drink after Margarita, as she was the first to try it.

- 1942: Francisco Morales created the Margarita on July 4, 1942 in a bar called Tommy’s Place in the El Paso-Juarex area. Morales was asked to create a Magnolia – a drink he didn’t know. Instead, he whipped up a drink – that the customer loved. It became the Margarita. Morales moved to the US and became a milkman for 25 years.

- 1948: Margaret “Margarita” Sames was a rich, young Texas socialite and was hosting a Christmas party at her home in Acapulco. The story goes, Sames was challenged to create a cocktail and the result was the Margarita.1958: The first mention in print of a Margarita cocktail is 1953 issue of Esquire magazine where it states simply that, ‘She’s from Mexico, Señores, and she is lovely to look at, exciting and provocative’.

The most likely:
Meanwhile, Danny Negrete is also named as inventor of the drink. Apparently, the cocktail was a wedding gift for his sister-in-law, yep another Margarita, bestowed upon her at the Garci Crespo Hotel. Interestingly enough, Negrete worked at Agua Cliente Race Track, where starlet Margarita Cansino (you might know her as Rita Hayworth) would often perform

.Margarita Cansino, aka Rita HayworthHowever the margarita may not be named after a beautiful woman at all, but instead may just be a variation of another cocktail that was popular during Prohibition: the Daisy. In fact, margarita means “daisy” in Spanish.

The only difference between the Daisy and the margarita is that the former was made with brandy and the latter with tequila. However, it’s remarkable to see what a simple swap of spirits does for a cocktail. How many people today have heard of the Daisy?

The tequila-filled margarita, however, is famous in epic proportions & while it is tequila that gives the margarita its Mexican flair, doubt has been expressed over whether it would be likely for such a cocktail to emerge out of Mexico in the 30’s or 40’s. 

Interestingly Margarita Sames, the inventor of the world’s first frozen margarita machine was from Dallas. His name was Mariano Martinez, a restauranteur who, in 1971, created the fuel for spring break parties everywhere. In 2005, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History acquired the original machine.

Restaurant Business Expansion: How to Successfully Open Your Second (or 22nd) Location

Picture this: Your restaurant is thriving. Your staff is happy, your customers are coming back, and your wallet is bursting. Things are going SO well that it might have you thinking if it’s time to open another location.

Is your dream is to grow the community and ethos behind your restaurant to other cities? It might be time to consider opening an additional restaurant location. The decision to open a second, third, or twentieth restaurant isn’t an easy one. It takes a lot of thought and planning to ensure a painless execution.

Over the past five years, the multi-location restaurants in the United States have grown by 3.5 percent to reach a predicted revenue of $144 billion in 2019. In the same timeframe, the number of multi-location businesses has grown by 2.7 percent and the number of employees has grown by 3.5 percent.

If you want to grow and expand your business, but don’t know where to start, have no fear. From the first thought about opening a new restaurant to opening day and beyond, we’ve compiled everything you need to know to successfully operate a multi-location restaurant.

How to Know You’re Ready for Business Expansion

There’s no simple, straightforward way to know if you’re ready to open an additional restaurant location. Here are some important questions to ask yourself before you start planning.

• Are you so busy you can’t handle the crowds?
• Do your customers travel from distant cities to visit your restaurant?
• Do you have funding?
• Will opening another restaurant increase your capital?
• Are you willing to put in the hours?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, congratulations! You’re ready to open an additional restaurant. 

Why a Solid Support System is Key to a Successful Expansion 

For some restaurant owners, checking the boxes above isn’t enough to take the leap into opening a new restaurant. Having a reliable team behind you is necessary to give the push you need.To read the full article follow the link

Know your ABVs when drinking alcohol

By.Connor Cyrus

Vermont health officials want the public to better understand the varying amounts of alcohol in products on the market, because in many cases it could be higher than you think. 

It's Restaurant Week in Vermont. Many restaurants will be showcasing their food and drinks by offering a fixed menu at a discounted rate. One of those places is Citizen Cider.

New to the world of cider and can't decide on what to get? Many people will turn to a flight. That's five sample size cups each filled with a different flavor. At Citizen Cider, there's no shortage of options. 

“We have 10 different ciders on draft all the time, so if you don't have a lot of experience with cider or you want to have even more experience with cider, I think that we are really the premier place to go,” said Meghan Garry with Citizen Cider.

When it comes to Alcohol by Volume (ABV), the cider itself is held to a pretty high standard. It's controlled by the ATB, or the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. 

Any cider being sold outside the building can't have more than 6.9 percent alcohol, but inside alcohol content can be higher

Citizen Cider officials say they keep their product within the 5 to 6 percent alcohol content. 

“Basically, that's pretty general for a cider. If it's lower, it tends to be sweeter and we try to have more dry ciders,” said Cheray MacFarland, with Citizen Cider.

This is important to know anywhere an adult over the age of 21 plans to drink. Vermont Department of Health officials say craft breweries, wineries and distilleries can have a higher ABV than what's recommended for one glass. They say not all alcohol is created equal. 

The state defines a drink as a 12 ounce beer with 5 percent alcohol, 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor, or a 5 ounce glass of wine at 12 percent. That means you may be getting more than just one drink in one glass.

“A 16 ounce, 9 percent beer is really 2.4 drinks,” said the health department's Kelly Dougherty. 

Not sure what you're getting? Check the menu or ask a bartender. 

At Citizen Cider, the staff has no problem cutting you off if you start to get rowdy. 

“We want to make sure that everyone in the restaurant is having a great experience because that one person who is drinking too much can ruin the experience for everybody that's in here,” Garry said. 

Health experts say it takes an hour to metabolize one standard drink. That means you may have to wait before heading home at the end of the night or get yourself a ride.

Netflix And Sip: Best Wines To Pair With Your Favorite TV Shows

Admit it: It's fun to throw on a blanket and binge-watch TV. With abundant streaming services—Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, there are more high quality shows now than ever. While many of you may have a go-to snack, but how about the perfect drink? 

To make your binge-watching session even better, I asked several experts for the best show and wine pairings. Here are their top picks, cheers!

Billions

When you’re watching a show fueled by power and complexity, you need to drink a rich, full-bodied and multi-layered wine. Paul Hobbs’ Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard—a 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($350/bottle)—certainly fits the bill.

Much like the show’s intriguing plot twists, the opulent flavors—of dark fruit, contrasting bright cherries and anise—layer over esoteric flavors of new leather. Hobbs frames his wine with a satisfying tannic texture, which drives you through a powerful and provocative finish.However, “if you're stretching a salary at the DA's office, go for a more accessible Cabernet from Julien Fayard like the 2016 Idiosyncrasy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($45/bottle).” Created in a premier vineyard site by one of Napa’s top winemakers, this Cabernet displays just the right mix of bold and powerful qualities that characterize Axe and Chuck.

—Vanessa Conlin: Head of Wine for Wine Access 

The Crown

If you want to feel as royal as Queen Elizabeth, the 1907 Madeira D'Oliveiras Malvasia 1907 ($825/bottle) is a must-try. As a long-time favorite of British royalty since 1455, Madeira wines have found its way into British history on several occasions. In 1455, the popular Portuguese wines were notably banned from Charles II’s broad importation ban of all European wares. In 1478, the Duke of Clarence—brother of Edward VI—received a death sentence for treason, and he decided to drown in a barrel of Madeira. History aside, this wine will charm you with its "complex yet sweet flavors along with hints of dried apricot, quince and caramel."

Meanwhile, for those with a less regal budget, pick the NV Ridgeview “Bloomsbury” Brut ($36/bottle). “Made in South Sussex, this English Quality Sparkling Wine was the official wine served for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and has refreshing notes of citrus, apples and sweet honey.”

—Bill Burkhart, Sommelier at The Grill Room in the Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans

Game of Thrones

When I think of Game of Thrones, I think of magical dragons, the impending threat of a long winter and a race to the throne. So what should you pour before catching the final season’s premiere? I would suggest a burgundy. As an extension of GoT’s ‘tale of medieval intrigue,’ I reckon Charles the Great’s favorite wine—Pinot Noir—could be an excellent choice for setting the mood. In particular, I'd recommend splurging on the 2011 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru ($349/bottle)—a highly elegant wine with complex and rich flavors such as ripe strawberry and cinnamon notes, resulting in a velvety feeling on the palate.

— Jon Griffiths, Corporate Beverage Director of Datz Restaurant Group in Tampa, Florida

As a cheaper—but no less impressive—alternative, the official Game of Thrones Pinot Noir 2016 ($15 to $27/bottle on Drizly) is a must-try for wine-drinkers and GoT fans alike. Beyond its inspiration by the show’s “complexity and nuances, the wine also has nobility and pedigree tied to its premium vineyard sources in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.” This pays tribute to the lineage of the noble houses of the Seven Kingdoms, which is further enhanced by the imprinted corks with either the House Tyrell or House Martell sigil.Click to read full article

Synthetic 'Alcarelle' Promises to Make You Feel Drunk Without the Hangover

The scientist David Nutt has big plans for Alcarelle, his “hangover-free” alternative to alcohol. The English professor, famous for his research on how psychedelics affect the brain, said in 2016 that his concoction could replace all regular alcohol by 2050. Now, he’s offering a more temperate prediction: Alcarelle will be publicly available in five years; an alternative to boozy options at the bar.

In an interview published Tuesday in the The Guardian, Nutt explains that Alcarelle is intended to induce that tipsy, social feeling you get from drinking alcohol without the ensuing pain and health problems. The goal is for drink companies to eventually incorporate Alcarelle into their products, creating an alternative option to alcoholic drinks. In that scenario, Alcarelle would be regulated as a food additive. 

While Alcarelle is the name of the synthetic alcohol, its active ingredient is an alcohol replacement molecule dubbed “alcosynth.” Nutt describes the molecule as an alcohol antidote and says he discovered it while researching how to reverse drunkenness in 1983 as a Ph.D. student. He says that alcosynth activates the GABA receptors — neurotransmitters that send chemical messages through the brain and nervous system — that induce tipsiness, causing an almost-alcohol effect.

Alcohol is linked to numerous health consequences.

“We know where in the brain alcohol has its ‘good’ effects and ‘bad’ effects, and what particular receptors mediate that — GABA, glutamate, and other ones such as serotonin and dopamine,” Nutt says. “The effects of alcohol are complicated but … you can target the parts of the brain you want to target.” 

Only time — and regulation — will tell whether Alcarelle actually makes it to market. As of now, Nutt and his team are the only ones slurping it down (mixed with some fruit juice).Click to continue the full article