Liquor Trends - LiquorWise traced an interesting article about the surprises whicy 2012 may hold – “ liquor wise”. 2011 was a most interesting year and, from all reports, 2012 promises to be even more so.

In 2011, Cognac came roaring back. Craft beer grew more eclectic, more expensive and overwhelmingly more popular. Mixologists began raiding their pantries for all sorts of culinary cocktail ingredients. Vodka makers found a bevy of new flavourings, from smoked salmon to cupcake frosting. And Champagne, of all wines, continued its comeback by building on its unexpectedly strong growth in 2010.

The following are the opinions of some well-known professionals on they see rising on the 2102 horizon :

Doug Frost, wine consultant: “Portugal may be due for its coming-out party. The relatively cooler conditions along its coast create wines with a bit more freshness and crispness than many of Iberia’s other offerings, [and] as consumer awareness lags behind quality, prices for Portuguese wines are very good.”

Sandy Block, vice president of beverage operations for Legal Sea Foods: “Not sure if I’m behind the curve, but we’re seeing rising interest in aged tequilas [añejo and reposado] in cocktails, providing the spirit has enough zip, structure and pure agave flavor to balance the sweet elements.”

David Wondrich, author of “Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl”: “The biggest trend I see is bringing mixology down to the fun/dive-bar level — making new bars that are casual and unpretentious but will serve you a real drink, like The Prizefighter in Emeryville, Calif., Viktor & Spoils in New York City, and a bunch of other places whose names escape me.”

Jim Meehan, head mixologist at New York’s PDT and author of the new “The PDT Cocktail Book”: “Cocktails on tap, wine on tap, vermouth on tap — 10 years after many bars abandoned the soda gun, it seems as though many are growing trigger happy.”

Noah Rothbaum, editor-in-chief of Liquor.com and author of “The Business of Spirits”: “In the coming year, more people will be drinking local spirits made by the hundreds of craft distilleries that have opened around the country.”

Christine Sismondo, author of “America Walks into a Bar”: “While Americans are probably never going to be won over to the anise category, there is hope for caraway. We’re starting to see aquavit being taken up by bartenders as a cocktail ingredient. Kümmel [liqueur flavored with caraway, cumin and fennel] is all the rage in England and will hit here eventually.”

Michael Roper, co-owner of the beer-focused Chicago bar-restaurant The Hopleaf: “I think that high-flavor/lower-alcohol beers are going to be on the rise. There has been so much emphasis on huge, high-gravity beers that there is a great thirst for beers you can actually drink in a quantity of more than one. Bars and restaurants also want good beers that they can make some money on, too, [since] the patron who lingers over a 13.9-percent double imperial stout is not a profit center.”

Kip Snider, director of beverage for the beer-oriented Yard House chain: “I see an increase in the blends of styles already making a splash, like amber pale ales, Belgian [India pale ales], black IPAs and white IPAs — beers that please the taste buds with two flavor profiles.”

John Szabo, wine consultant: “For wine, thin is in, so expect to see the end of 15-percent alcohol, unbalanced prune juice and an embracing of lightness.”

John Hansell, editor and publisher of The Whisky Advocate magazine: “Whiskey companies have maxed out capacity, [and] producers don’t want to put barely legal product on the market, [so] they blend it with some of their older stuff to make it taste better. Since the age statement on a bottle has to be the age of the youngest whiskey in the blend, they will give the whiskey a name, instead. We’ve been seeing a lot of whiskey with names instead of age statements, and we will continue to do so.”

(Article from Beer, Wine & Spirits, edited by LiquorWise)

Liquor Licence Holders - Liquor Licence Holders were surprised by an compliance operation by Liquor Board Inspectors, the The South African Police Service and other liquor law enforcement agencies in the Wallacedene and Bloekombos area of Cape Town to investigate whether liquor traders were complying to the conditions of their liquor licences. Several fines were issued for selling liquor from incorrectly zoned parts of premises and for not having working fire extinguishers. The liquor licence holders were also investigated for serving alcohol to minors, selling alcohol for off-consumption with an on-consumption licence, lapsed licences(when not renewed annually) and the violation of trading hours. 1 700 inspections have been carried out in the Western Cape since April 2011. Fines in excess of R120 000 have been issued. Minister Winde expressed his concern about some liquor outlets which had produced home-made brews (fruit ale). According to him, it is sold cheaper than water. He promised that his department will be investigating all ways possible to stop the production and sale of it. "We are enforcing a zero-tolerance approach, and a further 400 raids are planned for the December and January festive period. In addition, law enforcement will keep a close watch on premises that have already been inspected to ensure that non-compliant behaviour has ceased," said Minister Winde. He acknowledged that liquor is an important income and employment generator for our province, but this must be weighed against its harms. If licensed outlets abide by the rules, we'll see a significant drop in the negative effects of alcohol. We encourage them to get their houses in order now. This December and January, we are ramping up inspections in partnership with SAPS, municipal law enforcement and local CPFs around the province to ensure responsible trading and consumption of alcohol. Through these actions, we are making our communities better together." Chairperson of the Western Cape Liquor Board, Mr Raybin Windvogel, explained that a licence is granted based on an agreement between the Liquor Board, the local community and the liquor trader : "We impose conditions for a reason and when sellers don't obey them, the entire community is affected by increased crime, vehicle crashes, domestic violence and general disorder. We need to guard against these highly damaging effects of alcohol by creating a culture of compliance." If liquor outlets have any queries relating to licensing, they can call LiquorWise on 0861059473.

Liquor Licence Renewal - The Gauteng Liquor Board has called on all Gauteng liquor licence holders to renew their licences. The liquor licence renewal period started on December 1 and licence holders are required to renew their licences. In terms of the Gauteng Liquor Act, licences are renewed annually. Liquor Licence Holders must ensure that they comply with the Gauteng Liquor Act because non-compliance is a punishable offence. The chief director of the liquor licensing office, said traders who continued trading without renewing their licences would be doing so illegally. Liquor Traders who trade without renewing their liquor licences, run the risk of having the businesses closed, their liquor confiscated and being prosecuted. The Liquor Board ensured that their office will be open during festive season to ensure that those liquor traders who want to renew their liquor licences can do so. Liquor Traders in Gauteng have been complaining for more than a year about the cumbersome renewal process which they have to follow when compared to other provinces. The following is a demonstration : Gauteng Liquor Licence Renewal - Collect Renewal Notice personally at Liquor Board - Make payment at FNB Branch - Present proof to Liquor Board Liquor Licence Renewal in most other SA Provinces - Renewal Notice Posted to Licence Holder - Pay per EFT - Keep proof of payment Liquor Traders say it is unreasonably time consuming and expense. (Article in New Age, Edited by LiquorWise)

Liquor – Restaurants. The top three most Googled restaurants in 2011 were all pizza chains - Pizza Hut, Domino's and Papa John's . LiquorWise picked up on this on Google’s 11th annual Zeitgeist list. This list ranks the most popular and the fastest-rising search terms.

As part of the broader lifestyle category, the top 10 restaurants searched in the U.S. this year were:

1. Pizza Hut
2. Domino's
3. Papa John's
4. Starbucks
5. McDonald's
6. Olive Garden
7. Subway
8. Applebee's
9. Jimmy John's
10. Buffalo Wild Wings

Up and comers

Globally, a couple of quick-service and fast casual brands were listed among the fastest-rising food and drink terms searched. Wendy's topped the list, Little Caesars is No. 3, followed by Chick-fil-A. At No. 7 is Jimmy John's, followed by Buffalo Wild Wings (No. and Popeyes' Louisiana Kitchen (No. 9).

The global search included countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America and Oceania (Australia and New Zealand).

Search results of note

Pizza, in general, was the top searched food and drink item in Singapore, Germany and Mexico. This is likely good news for California Pizza Kitchen andChuck E. Cheese's, both of which have expanded their footprints in Mexico in the past few months.

The top searched item in the food category in New Zealand was the "Double Down Burger”, a KFC bun-less burger, which has become the most successful sandwich launch in KFC history. More than 10 million Double Downs were sold in the U.S. in the first month alone.

(Article from www.fastcasual.com, edited by LiquorWise)

Gambling market - LiquorWise has noted that South Africa is the world's third-largest casino market and it was also the fastest-growing casino market in 2010 with a 3.5% increase, according to a new PwC report. the National Gambling Act permits 40 licensed casinos. Currently, there are 37 operating casinos, which leaves little room for expansion. It is expected that casino upgrades and a new casino licence will enhance the South African casino market. There will be relatively little growth from new casinos to 2015. A new 15% tax on winnings of R25000 or higher, provisionally scheduled to go into effect in 2012, is expected to have an adverse impact on the market. However, there is currently no detail available on how the proposed tax is to be calculated or collected, it said. It was reported that France had the largest casino market in 2010 at $3.8-billion, followed by Germany's $2-billion and South Africa's $1.8-billion. However, France has declined during the past year, and a further drop is expected this year. The Limpopo Gambling Board awarded a casino licence to Peermont Global. Peermont also upgraded the Umfolozi Hotel and Convention Resort. Sun International plans to upgrade the Boardwalk Casino in Port Elizabeth. Tsogo Sun Gaming plans to upgrade the Hemingways Casino in East London, having been awarded a new 15-year licence by the Eastern Cape Gambling Board in exchange for a R20m payment for exclusive rights to a large area surrounding East London. GamblingWise advises and assists owners of liquor licensed businesses to obtain gambling licences for limited payout machines. Contact GambleWise for more information! (Article by I-Net Bridge, edited by LiquorWise)

Restaurants and guesthouses were the biggest beneficiaries of the COP17 conference in Durban during the past twee weeks. The accommodation industry expected to benefit by the tune of R500m, but the acting head of Durban’s strategic projects unit, Sue Bannister, said that it was closer to R1billion. Liquor sales at both restaurants, hotels (including guesthouses, B&B’s, lodges), pubs and bars were reported to be excellent. Restaurants (including coffee shops) provided 495000 meals, while accommodation was fully booked during the 14-day conference with approximately 160000 bed-nights. (Article by Times Live, edited by LiquorWise)

Liquor Store – George Park Liquor Store of the Strand (Western Cape) as announced that it delivers all liquor products free of charge in the Helderberg area. It boasts that its beer prices are the best, hard liquor very competitive and promises a great wine list. Ice is free if a minimum order is place. They will deliver for Xmas parties and functions. (Article by LiquorWise)

LiquorWise noted that not all people are enthusiastic about liquor stores! The majority of Arabs are Muslims and form part of one of the cultures in Iraq. Many Muslim Arabs who are conservative in their religious beliefs do not drink alcohol,.

Follow this link to view rioters burn and destroy liquor stores in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region

(Video by Travis Brecher - Article edited by Liquorwise)

A policeman, in uniform, forced an an elderly couple from Johannesburg to pay R75 for a meal they say they couldn’t eat at a seafood restaurant in Kwazulu-Natal. They were told to either pay – or be arrested. Legal experts, with whom LiquorWise concurs, say that the SAP should never have been called to settle a civil dispute between the parties. The SAP should only act in case of a possible criminal offence having been committed or threatened to be committed. The KZN Liquor Act does not apply in such cases, but the legislation ruling criminal offences do. The couple said they were “horrified” by the abuse they allegedly received after they had complained about the quality of the food to the management of the Crayfish Inn restaurant in Ramsgate, They were allegedly verbally abused by the managers and were forced to pay for a meal that had been overcooked and dry. The couple, the Stiffs, visited the restaurant three weeks ago while holidaying on the South Coast. “Fran ordered a main course of grilled dorado. However… her dorado was overcooked and dried out.” Stiff claimed the co-owner flew into a temper on hearing their complaints. “He then told my wife and I that regardless of whether we ate the fish or not, we would pay for the fish, which cost around R75.” The couple stood up and headed for the front door but were blocked by another of the restaurant owners. “He pushed me around and told me to go back to my table and pay for what I had ordered. There was nothing I could do as I am 78 and I am on crutches, so I was defenceless,” said Peter Stiff. The owners summoned the police, who told the couple to pay for the meal they had ordered or be arrested. The owners of the Crayfish Inn confirmed they’d called the police after the couple refused to pay for their meal. “Neither the staff nor management laid a hand on the couple,” said manager Johnson Shou. “Neither did we verbally abuse either of them.” Shou said the couple had complained consistently from the moment they sat down. Although she said that the restaurant had attended to every complaint and offered them free meals, they just refused to pay. “If the consumers felt threatened or were abused in any way by the police they can report this to the Independent Complaints Directorate,” said Bianca Coelho Barata of law firm Goldman Judin Inc. Barata urged consumers to report restaurants to the National Consumer Forum should they be unhappy with the treatment they receive. Ramsgate police did not respond to numerous requests for comment. (Article by Independent on Saturday, edited by LiquorWise)

In South Africa, as in many other parts of the world, Sunday liquor sales are always a much disputed talking point. When the Free State Liquor Act was launched last year, it catered for Sunday trading by liquor stores. Just as Free Staters were getting use to this, the regulations were amended and Sunday trading is no longer allowed! It may be of interest to South African consumers and liquor store owners to read about the perception of the public and traders in Grand Rapids, a county in the US state of Michigan. We at LiquorWise were surprised how much the reaction of the folks in Grand Rapids concurred with the feedback we received last year from the Free State public and liquor store owners. Dudley Larson, a liquor store owner in Grand Rapids, said that he didn’t have much choice but to open Sunday mornings. "I’d rather be closed, but everyone else is doing it, so you have to do it and I would be losing money otherwise," said Larson, owner of Dudley’s Party Store. “The sales have been ok”. Michigan Liquor Control Commission statistics show Larson is in good company with his decision to sell alcohol on Sunday mornings. The State has allowed Sunday sales before noon since December 2011 in terms of an annual $160 permit. They could previously only sell on Sundays after 12h00. 5,974 businesses now have Sunday morning sales permits. Data from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission shows that across the state, In Kent County, 281 places have Sunday morning permits, compared to 575 with Sunday afternoon permits. In Ottawa County, 88 businesses are permitted to sell on Sunday morning, while 178 have the afternoon permits. Statewide, the Sunday morning permits have generated $950,000 for the state. "It’s been a success," said Justin Hermiz, owner of Fulton Party Store at 734 Fulton St., near National Avenue. "We open at 10 a.m. instead of noon." Hermiz said the sales offset the $160 fee and employee costs. "After a couple of Sundays, you have your money back," he said. "You’re going to profit. There’s no way you can’t." But for Larry Lawrence, owner of B & B Liquor Store on 28th Street SE near Breton Road, the potential profits are not worth it. He would rather stick with tradition and give his employees a break on Sunday morning. "I would never ask any of my employees to work it," he said. He says people already have lots of opportunity to buy alcohol. "Do you have to be selling booze 24 hours a day?," he asked. "It just doesn’t seem necessary. They have Saturday night up until 2 a.m." Lawrence said that he considers the $160 permit fee a money grab for the state, particularly since liquor stores already pay a separate fee for selling Sunday afternoons. "It seems to me if you pay one license for Sunday, that should be enough," he said. Paul DeBartolo, owner of Bottlenecks, said some people still don’t know that stores are allowed to sell alcohol on Sunday mornings. A couple of customers who came into his store last Sunday were surprised to hear about the change. Bottlenecks opens at 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings, he said, mostly because it offers convenience to those who want it. The law allows sales as early as 7 a.m. "I can’t say it’s been a huge increase in sales," he said. "But it’s good for the people who want to buy alcohol." (Article in GRPress, edited by LiquorWise)

This is something uncommon to South African citizens, although liquor stores are allowed to deliver liquor during their normal business hours. Apart from a few liquor stores offering this service, liquor stores don't offer this service as a rule. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is now shipping specialty wines and liquors directly to customers. In the past, orders from the board's online store were shipped to state liquor stores to be picked up. This home-delivery service has been in operation since 21 November 2011. The service will be evaluated by the board after Valentine's Day to decide if it will continue. About 2000 to 3000 items not generally available in state stores are sold through its website in this way. (Article from Erie Times-News, edited by LiquorWise)

A cheerful chorus of “Heita” and “Hola!” greeted us as we walked down the stairs to AmaZink Theatre. Situated in the outskirts of Stellenbosch in a township named Kayamandi (meaning “nice place to live” in Xhosa), this is not your typical theatre. Within the dusty winding streets of Kayamandi one wouldn’t expect to find a restaurant, let alone a theatre. From the outside AmaZink looks just like any other township shebeen, but the suited men and glamorously dressed ladies tell you otherwise. Stevie Wonder’s Motown sounds played softly in the background as we took in the already buzzing crowd. We were led to a 10-seater table with eager waiting faces; clearly AmaZink doesn’t do “common”. “We love South African traditional music, Miriam Makeba’s Pata Pata is one of our favourite songs,” said Christien van Maarseveen, seated opposite us. A tourist from Holland, she and her husband heard about AmaZink Live from a local tour guide. “We don’t know what to expect, but we are excited about what’s ahead.” And with that statement, the ice was broken and introductions were made. The theatre is painted black and red and dotted with little stages between rows of brightly decorated long tables. Every wooden chair is occupied. “This place is run by young people trying to make something of their lives,” says Van Maarseveen’s husband, Paans, as the 10-piece cast enthusiastically run around taking drinks orders. The show had yet to start but already the atmosphere was electrifying. “We are using their (restaurant) taxi service, so we can relax, drink and have fun. It’s pretty good organising for a place in the township,” Paans said. It was created and prepared by chef Bertus Basson, for starters we had delicious pickled fish, lentil samoosas, chickpea and mint salad, Indian carrot slaw and vetkoek, a tasty blend of traditional South African cuisine. The show began with the cast led by front-liners Richard Bongani and Ramaine Lloyd. Supported by an eight-piece chorus of waiters who both serve and sing, they had us mesmerised with their Xhosa traditional outfits. The crew took turns belting out tunes produced by Barnyard Productions to honour SA music legends such as Mango Groove, Johnny Clegg, Brenda Fassie and many more. “Lay back, sit back and enjoy the show,” said Bongani, who had us hypnotised as he told the story behind AmaZink between songs. Back in 1987 the theatre used to be a township sheeben that served “very strong drinks” which fought hard to keep its doors open during the apartheid era. The township founded in the early 1950s came about when nine of Stellenbosch’s biggest employers, several vineyards and a fruit packing company joined to erect 38 ready-made homes to exclusively host black migrant male workers employed on farms in area. Bongani describes himself as a “talent yet to be discovered” working at the sheeben back in the days as a car guard/waiter/ barman/cook. “There was a lot going on here, a lot of people coming and leaving. It was one big jol.” Crooner Musa and his back-up singers sang a variety of R&B oldies, with leather bustier-clad Patricia “Miss Tash” Bam seductively showing off her magnificent breasts. As a main course we had a mouth-watering Southern fried chicken, samp and beans, chakalaka and boerewors. Jan Ellis pudding was served for dessert. “They sing very well and you can tell they are having fun while doing it,” said Paans. My colleague felt the show exceeded his expectations: “The music and the food definitely have that local vibe. At first I was a bit doubtful about sitting at a table with strangers, but everyone is just chilling together and having fun.” AmaZink Live runs until March.