Q & A with Paul Pacult, Co-Founder of BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resource) The Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) Program is the spirits and mixology equivalent to a Masters of Wine or Master Sommelier program. Headquartered in New York, BAR is an independent organization whose mission is to propagate the healthy and responsible use of beverage alcohol products through innovative and comprehensive training programs and seminars. Conceived by some of the world's leading spirits and cocktails authorities, BAR is transforming the way in which spirits and cocktails are viewed, prepared, understood, appreciated and enjoyed. What is BAR and what is the mission? BAR is the acronym for Beverage Alcohol Resource, LLC, a New York-based spirits and mixology training company. Established at the San Francisco Mandarin Oriental Hotel bar in March of 2005, BAR is the brainchild of six authors, journalists, consultants, and educators: Dale DeGroff, Doug Frost, Steve Olson, myself Paul Pacult, Andy Seymour and David Wondrich. BAR's mission is to create instructional seminars for bartenders, hospitality workers and executives, beverage industry brand ambassadors and executives that reflect our dedication to expert service at all levels. We train these people in how best to appreciate and understand spirits and how best to serve and prepare spirits' natural kin, cocktails. Our 5-Day Certification Program, held twice yearly in New York, is the primary reason why BAR won the Cheers Conference Industry Innovator of the Year Award for 2007. Who are the founders? Dale DeGroff, aka King Cocktail, is the person who perhaps is single-handedly responsible for the current Cocktail Revolution. He's responsible for so many other things, why not pin this on him? Back when Dale ran the Rainbow Room Bar in New York, he insisted on using only fresh ingredients and juices. Look where this has brought us. Doug Frost of Kansas City is one of only three people in the world who's both a Master of Wine and a Master Sommelier. It's rumored that the other two MWs/MSs are in hiding because of threats of physical violence, so Doug pretty much has free rein to do what he likes and go where he pleases. He's also a noted author and a journalist and very mean when provoked. Steve Olson is known as WineGeek and is one of the industry's foremost consultants and educators. You may remember Steve as the co-host of the Food Network shows, Quench. We remember him as the child on I Love Lucy...just kidding. No, I'm not. Andy Seymour is the owner of Liquids Productions, a consulting company, and is one of this nation's most talented creators of cocktails. He lives in Ridgefield, Connecticut and because of that lofty status only agrees to speak with the rest of us on the third Tuesday of every month. David Wondrich, aka the Historical Oracle, is this generation's premier cocktail historian and the author of several books, including the James Beard Award winning, IMBIBE! David is also a musician and treats us and our students to live concerts featuring his tuba. I'm Paul Pacult and I sell Thom McAnn shoes for a living door-to-door and work part-time as a spirits critic, author and journalist. What is the desired take-away for attendees? An expert's appreciation of spirits in all categories and a passion for making the cocktails that best showcase the qualities of those spirits. To always be professional. To understand that service means making someone happy or taking them away from the humdrum of their day for a short period. How does BAR help promote the entire spirits category? By making one expertly made cocktail and serving one tasting of superb spirits at a time. It's our choice to pour and talk about only what we like and what we know to be genuinely good. BAR is all about recognizing and understanding quality in spirits and mixology. BAR is all about using only fresh ingredients in your cocktails. BAR is all about enhancing life through the responsible enjoyment of spirits and cocktails.	ISSUE 0908 Elba Giron debuts her White Ruby Cocktail in Washington, D.C. - Read More Partida cultivates spirit experts and consumers - Read More Online buzz reaching to off-line trial from cocktails to packaging - Read More From the East Coast to the West Coast, Partida can be seen at events with everyone from US Governors to local business people. - Read More The Partida Margarita is Scottsdale’s finest Margarita - Read More Vexenat and Masso impress Esquire Magazine with some delicious Partida cocktails -Read More The most visited No Name Bar serves The World’s Best Margarita -Read More Partida Tequila launches in Australia -Read More The proper cocktail shaking technique with Anthony Alba -Read More Click here for Partida Tequila point-of-sales materials
Partida Bartender Ambassador Elba Giron recently debuted her White Ruby cocktail in Washington, DC, garnering rave reviews. White Ruby 1 ounce Partida Reposado Tequila 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice 1/2 ounce St. Germain 1/2 ounce Lillet Blanc 1/2 ounce Martini & Rossi Bianco 1/2 ounce fresh squeeze ruby red grapefruit juice 1/2 ounce egg whites Glassware: trumpet flute Partida Part of the “Green” Mission at Elixir In the September issue of Patterson’s Tasting Panel, H. Joseph Ehrmann of Elixir, one of San Francisco’s oldest operating saloons, said that Partida’s use of 100% properly aged blue agave and superior natural ingredients puts Partida at the top of his “green” drinks list. To download the full article, click here: Spanish-Language Magazine Features Partida Reposado California based Spanish-language magazine, Vixta featured the Partida Reposado in their September/October issue referring to the bottles as “much more than simple glass.” To read the full article, click here: Partida Sponsors Denver’s Best Live Music Partida’s sponsorship of Denver’s Best Music Festival appeared in the September issues of Denver-based alternative weekly newspaper, Westword. To read the full article, click here: Partida Appreciation Event in San Lucas, Mexico The Partida Breeze appreciation event held in San Lucas during the month of July was featured in Los Cabos Magazine. To read the full article, click here: Mexican Independence Day: Partida Style The popular blog Food GPS posted a listing for a tequila dinner celebrating Mexican Independence Day at Border Grill in Santa Monica sponsored by Partida Tequila. The drinks menu consisted solely of Partida cocktails. To read the full article, click here: The Imbiber Attends Partida Sponsored Mexican Independence Day Dinner Dan Dunn of The Imbiber featured Partida Los Angeles Bartender Ambassador Damien Windsor in the September 19th posting of his blog. Windsor was praised for making some delightful cocktails at the tequila dinner hosted by Partida Tequila at Border Grill. To read the full article, click here: Partida Packaging Is Attention Grabber The AskDzign.com blogger reports that the beautiful Partida Blanco was too tempting not to purchase from a duty-free shop while in Mexico. To read the full article, click here: Tequila Basics: Partida Reposado Top-Rated in the Category On ‘The Shaken Not Stirred’ website, Partida Reposado is listed as one of the top-rated tequilas in the Reposado category. To read the full article, click here: Partida Featured at Annual Baltimore Magazine Party “Best of Baltimore 2008” Baltimore Magazine’s fundraising party, “Best of Baltimore,” held on Thursday, August 14th had a little extra spirit–Partida Tequila. The annual event sponsored by Partida Tequila invited guests to taste the best, drink the best and party with the best that Baltimore had to offer benefiting the Family Tree, Maryland’s leading nonprofit organization working to prevent child abuse, child neglect and to improve the community. The atmosphere was festive with food, music and cocktails. 2,000 + people attended, sampling food and cocktails. “Best of Baltimore was a great event and everyone loved the Partida Margaritas. Abby Geismar and Mary Stack both of Reliable-Churchill did a great job with preparations for this event,” said Michael Gordon of the Charmer-Sunbelt Group. Annual Governors Conference a Hit for Partida Tequila This year’s annual Border Governors Conference, a bi-national venue to discuss and resolve border issues between the US and Mexico, was held on the Spartacus Square Lot at Universal Studios in Hollywood from August 13-15. As a sponsor of the event, all three of the Partida Tequilas were poured for distinguished guests that numbered over 400 including California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, several U.S. Governors and diplomats from all Border States in the US and Mexico. Dave Singh, Partida Director of Brand Development, Jacques Bezuidenhout, lead Bartender Ambassador and Moana Dixon, Southern CA Regional Manager were all present to represent the brand. “Partida was a hit with the crowd and stood out as the best tequila served at the event,” said Moana. Partida Sponsors Labor Day Pool Party at W Hotel On Monday, September 1st, Partida sponsored a Labor Day pool party at the prestigious W Hotel in Westwood, CA. Partida was one of the few products poured at the service bars and the only bottle given to the VIP Cabanas. “This was a very visible and effective marketing opportunity for Partida that will lead to future placements in eight other W Hotel venues that will be picking up the brand in the upcoming months,” said Moana Dixon. Tequila Connoisseurs and Art Aficionados Experience Partida Tequila At the 5th annual “Tequila Tasting” at the Museum of Latin American Art held on September 12th in Long Beach, CA, tequila and art lovers alike experienced an evening of tequila tastings, cooking with tequila demonstrations, art and live music by an all female mariachi band. Partida had the opportunity to showcase the entire line of tequilas to patrons dedicated to supporting Latin American fine art. According to Partida Southern California Regional Manager, Moana Dixon, “the Partida table was extremely popular throughout the event. Many of the consumers were already familiar with Partida and greatly enjoyed the Partida Margarita.” Partida Tequila Celebrates Mexican Independence Day Partida was one of a few ultra-premium tequilas served at The Westchester County Tequila Tasting on September 14. The event to benefit the Adult Learning Center in New Rochelle was held at the Greentree Country Club and coincided with Mexican Independence Day. Over 200 premium tequila consumers were in attendance including local Hispanic business owners, political figures and the Consulate General of Mexico Ruben Guerrero. The festivities included authentic Hispanic fare, plenty of Partida Margaritas to go around and live music by a local mariachi band. “The crowd was very knowledgeable about tequila, especially an ultra-premium tequila like Partida, which was very well received,” said Antonia Fattizzi, Partida New York Regional Manager. Arizona Restaurant and Bar Adds Partida to Roster of Ultra-Premium Tequilas In the August newsletter of Arizona restaurant Café Carumba, the Partida Margarita was proudly introduced as the newest cocktail in their line-up. The story in the newsletter stated that the signature Partida cocktail is a unique approach to enjoying the Partida Blanco. Partida Sole Spirit Sponsor at the “Taste of Cave Creek” Event The annual "Taste of Cave Creek" held on Thursday, September 25th at Stagecoach Village in Arizona featured flavorful taste samplings from nearly 20 restaurants that were paired with the only spirit sponsor: Partida Tequila. The event took place in conjunction with the 2008 Governor's Rural and Regional Development Conference, jointly hosted by the towns of Carefree and Cave Creek on September 24-26 at Carefree Resort & Villas. Bill Hall, Partida Tequila Regional Manager for the Southwest, was on hand as the “World’s Best Margarita” and other Partida cocktails were served to a crowd of over 1,000 people. “Taste of Cave Creek was a great event for Partida. We thank Alliance Beverage for bringing Partida into the loop and making us a part of every aspect of the event from the start to finish. This is a perfect example of how Mike Threadgill's team leaves no stone unturned and maximizes every opportunity,” said Bill enthusiastically. According to Bill, “I had the opportunity to get in front of important restaurant and bar owners, tell them the Partida story, taste them on the tequilas and demonstrate how to make the Partida Margarita. Staff trainings are being done in all locations with incentives and promotions where it makes sense.” All the restaurants and bars that participated in the festivities will feature the Partida Tequilas and the Partida Margarita, including Harold's Corral, the largest cowboy bar in Cave Creek and the world famous motorcycle bar, Hideaway. Upcoming Events: Wednesday, November 12 Partida Tequila Dinner at Ortanique on the Mile with Sofia Partida Wednesday, November 12th at 7:00pm 278 Miracle Mile Coral Gables, FL Tel: (305) 446-7710 RSVP: $75/person, plus tax and gratuity On August 28th, Partida hosted an exclusive tasting event with men’s lifestyle magazine, Esquire. The evening began at Lounge Lover in Shoreditch, where members of the editorial team, including Associate Editor Will Hersey, sampled the full Partida line. The tasting soon moved onto Mexican hot-spot ‘Green & Red’, where Partida was enjoyed alongside traditional Mexican cuisine. A number of delicious Partida cocktails were mixed by Charles Vexenat and Dre Masso from The Worldwide Cocktail Club. The evening was a great success and we managed to educate the staff on the rich history of tequila and more specifically the Partida brand. Following the event, Esquire will be including Partida Blanco in the next issue of the magazine. No Name Bar Recognizes Partida Tequila “In the heart of downtown Puerto Vallarta and parallel to the Pacific Ocean lies Malecón, a beautiful beachfront walkway where one can find craft stores, bars, and exquisite restaurants of all kinds. This is where we find Vallarta’s most visited and liveliest sports bar, the No Name Bar & Grill. The No Name Bar & Grill boasts a view to the famous Caballito de Mar statue created by world-renowned sculptor, Rafael Zamarripa. They have some of the best burgers and ribs in town, and they serve the best margarita in the world, the Partida Margarita, made with Partida’s premium Blanco tequila and 100% organic agave nectar. If you’re in town during baseball’s October classic, or want to catch some gridiron action, be sure to stop by the No Name Bar & Grill and enjoy a Partida Margarita!” — JP DeLoera, Partida de Mexico COMING THIS OCTOBER With much excitment and fanfare, Partida Tequila has just launched in Australia at the 2008 Sydney Bar Show. Feature story to come in the next issue. Shake, Shake, Shake, Shake your Cocktail “Ah, the bartender shake. Nothing else in the beverage world defines a bartender like his shake. Over the last couple of years and throughout my travels, I’ve noticed a regional trend when it comes to the art of shaking a cocktail. Many great bartenders who handcraft cocktails have an enormous amount of product knowledge and are artists in their own right. But when it comes to shaking their libation it looks like they are either trying to punish the drink or are fumbling around trying to get it over with. The ‘shake’ should always be hard, never lazy and should have some form of style to it. The newest theory on shaking cocktails invented by Mr. Kazuo, one of Japan’s most famous bartenders, is called the ‘Hard Shake.” The Hard Shake is a completely new way of looking at the art of shaking a cocktail. It takes the ergonomics and geometry of what’s going on in the tin and marries it with Eastern philosophy. I am by no means an authority on this new cutting edge shaking method but I hope I am doing it justice.” —Anthony Alba, Partida Bartender Ambassador A newsletter is only successful if people see and read it! We encourage you to forward this newsletter to friends, colleagues and potential Partida aficionados. If you have any questions or would like to see something featured in an upcoming issue, please email newsletter@partidatequila.com