Monday, April 8, 2019

Miami Celebrates Spring Brews at Sprung Beer Festival 2019

While spring in Miami may not have the same excitement as it has up north after a long winter, the season marks the impending arrival of South Florida's humid and hot summers. Perhaps that's why locals flock to Sprung Beer Festival every year, hoping to enjoy the last bit of cool weather while sipping on beers. The weather on Saturday, April 6, was definitely as perfect as it could get with attendees enjoyed beers from 26 Degree, J. Wakefield, LauderAle, Tripping Animals, Tarpon River, Wynwood Brewing, and others. In addition to the brews, Sprung brought back its popular live wrestling matches as well as live music and vendors.For full article click below

Saturday, April 6, 2019

Star Wars Themed Alcohol Will Be A Thing(Disney Orlando)



Move over blue Milk Gold Squadron Lager is coming to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

APRIL 04, 2019 - 1:13 PM

Disney will soon be opening one of the most highly anticipated additions to its parks in a long time.
“Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” will open May 31 in Disneyland in California and August 29 at Disney World in Florida.
The life-like “Star Wars” land will be a dream come true for all of the young Jedi who get to experience flying the Millennium Falcon and explore a remote outpost that will make you feel like you’re in a “Star Wars”: movie.
In addition to the rides and merchandise there will be food and drink including the blue and green milk Luke Skywalker drank in the movies.
And while the kids get to enjoy colored milk adults will apparently have the opportunity to imbibe in plenty of “Star Wars” themed cocktails.
According to TheBlast.com, Disney has registered a line of “Star Wars” alcohol.
They say that Lucasfilm, which is owned by Disney, has registered nine beverages.
They are:
  • White Wampa Ale
  • Gamorrean Ale
  • Gold Squadron Lager
  • Trandoshan Ale
  • Toniray wine
  • Andoan White wine
  • Spice Runner Hard Cider
  • Corellian Red wine
  • Imperial Guard wine
That next trip to Disney just got a lot more exciting!

Friday, April 5, 2019

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.

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.

Thursday, April 4, 2019

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

restaurant manager conducting interview
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. 
“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.