King Cocktail’s New Venture

Dale DeGoffDale DeGoff is a booze business entrepreneur and somewhat of a renaissance man. His latest endeavor moves him from behind the bar into the realm of a manufacturer. He’s been credited as the inventor of the Cosmo and, more important, is a really nice guy.

I first met Dale back in the day when he was tending bar at some great places, most notably the Rainbow Room. From that point on, he was at the forefront of what’s been described as the gourmet (or mixologist) approach toward cocktails, particularly the classics.

I suppose that’s why he’s known as King Cocktail, although I think of him as a booze business equivalent of Wolfgang Puck – a celebrity barman (but without an accent).

The man has a list of awards, including the James Beard Award for Wine & Spirits and has written a number of books about cocktails. But wait, there’s more – he’s a partner in the bar training program called Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR, get it?) and founding president of The Museum of the American Cocktail. He also tours the country with a one-man show called “ON THE TOWN! A Tribute to Bars, Speaks, & Legendary Saloons.”

You’d think that would be enough to keep him busy, right? Wrong. Dale has recently launched his own brand of bitters called Dale DeGoff’s Pimento 2bottles-3inchlrAromatic Bitters. It’s designed to be very similar to Pimento Dram, an ingredient Dale often used, but is no longer available. He joined forces with Ted Breaux, of recent Absinthe fame, to produce it.

I think that before I go any further, we should talk about bitters and their use in cocktails. If you’re a booze maven, you probably know this but indulge me anyhow.

According to Wikipedia (my go to information resource), bitters is an alcohol beverage (DeGoff’s is 90 proof) flavored with a range of herbs and spices. He uses select botanicals and allspice, which is made from the pimento berry (not to be confused with the little red things stuffed in olives). Adding a little bit of bitters to cocktails and you won’t believe how it enhances the flavor and taste.

Check out these recipes from his website .

So, Mr. DeGoff jumps over the bar and joins the ranks of other bar personalities and companies making commercial bitters, including Gary Regan (Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6), Angostura, Peychaud and others.

Welcome to the producer’s side of the bar, Dale.

 

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Star Power Booze

Celebrity

Celebrity endorsed or owned liquor products, with a few notable exceptions, nearly always fail. So why do these products keep coming out?

This subject was first covered in an August 21, 2010 posting but the line up of recent new efforts makes it worth re-exploring.

Let’s start with those that seem to have made it.

Top of the list is P Diddy and Ciroc. The brand started life without him but, with him, it has gone through the roof. He has a following and, with an interest in the brand, his marketing has paid off. Next up is Sobieski, with a Bruce Willis connection. He licensed his image for which he received shares in the parent company. Is it Willis or the attractive price point that has made the brand strong?

Then there is Bethenny Frankle and Skinny Girl. And, let’s not forget Dan Akroyd and Crystal Head.

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What’s in a Name?

Bevlog, the blog run by my favorite alcohol industry attorney Robert Lehrman, has an interesting posting about a new vodka product. It’s called “Chokin’ Chicken.” The TTB approved the label in early Oct. You can find the blog here.

Is it a new direction in vodka? Are we moving from candy, cake, bacon and other flavors to nomenclature designed to get attention by being over the top. You know, like the guy who thinks he can get a laugh by putting a lampshade on his head.

Probably not. This most recent example of branding “excellence” joins the ranks of other previously approved sexual innuendo brands like – Spank My Ass and Call me Sally, a red wine from California; Well Hung Vineyard, a red blend from Virginia; and Vas Deferens Ale. (You’re just going to have to Google that one.)

Fortunately, none of these brands have seen the light of day, so far as I know. Which, I suspect, will be the chicken’s fate.

I don’t know about you but I’m glad the TTB approved these names. Their job is to regulate, not act as censors. Besides, they probably didn’t get the double entendre of chokin’ chicken.

It’s your tax dollars at work.

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