The Great Martini
Divide
Are we paying too much for cocktails? By Zaki
Jufri, I-S Magazine
Other than being discerning
shoppers and diners, Singaporeans are beginning to be astute
drinkers too. As we become better travelled and more knowledgeable,
we naturally demand more out of service and product offerings. No
longer do we go to bars and just ask for a pint of beer or a
standard house pour. We now expect something premium that we can
take our time to enjoy. That is why cocktails are the drinks du
jour. More bars are starting to upgrade their drinks list, throwing
in a few classics along with the multitude of martinis and modern
creations in a bid to attract a new wave of savvy drinkers. And a
number of them, especially some new ones are devoting themselves to
just offering cocktails on their menu. Of course, premium comes at
a price. The general consensus here among Singaporeans is that
cocktails are expensive. Why is that? And does the quality of the
drink reflect the high prices? I-S finds out.
Costly
Concoctions
An online check by I-S on cocktails prices from bars in Tokyo, Hong
Kong, New York and London reveal that prices here are relatively
higher if one was to compare them dollar-to-dollar. A cocktail at a
hip bar in New York City costs around US$12 while one in London
goes for about £8. One in a Japanese bar will usually be priced at
800¥ whereas a bar in Hong Kong averages around HK$80. But, prices
of cocktails here can go anywhere from $15 to $27 depending on
which bar you go to, definitely more than the places stated
above.
“Singapore is one of the most
expensive places to drink in Asia!” says Sam Jeveons, mixologist
and bar consultant. Jeveons, who is now based in Taipei and is also
the brand ambassador in Asia for Polish vodka Belvedere, believes
that consumers are frustrated because sometimes the price doesn’t
reflect the quality of the drink and the service. He was also quick
to add that if people here accept the fact that nightlife and
drinking here is pricey, then they should demand quality for the
money that they’re paying.
Jeveons feels that most
Singaporean consumers are also paying a high price for low quality
spirits and what he considers too many “sweet, syrupy and
artificial” flavors. He also concedes that bar operators are also
to blame for the lack of quality in their offerings as they tend to
want to maximise profits and cut costs. “This is when the outlet,
the bartender and the management might let the customer down. You
have to understand that drinking cocktails will cost the customer
quite a bit of money and I wish that more bars here would have the
initiative to put quality ingredients into their cocktails so at
least customers will get value for money.”
Erik Hon, a regular cocktail
drinker and business development manager agrees that cocktail
prices here are quite exorbitant. “Cocktails here are generally
very expensive and most of them definitely do not hit the mark in
terms of quality and taste. Sixteen dollars for a martini and a bad
one at that is indeed ridiculous. I can get a pint of Hoegaarden
for that price and I know it’ll taste good,” Hon said. “I’ve been
to bars in London and Paris, and for the price of about £8 or €10,
I can get a very good cocktail,” he added.
Getting
High
One of the main reasons for the poor quality of cocktails here is
the price of alcohol. Governments everywhere have been taxing
alcohol almost from the moment it was produced on a commercial
scale. The recent tax tweak on excise duty for liquor in
Singapore—on the basis of alcohol content—saw a slight reduction in
duty rates for most types of liquor, but the tax is still high.
Liquor is now taxed based on a flat rate of $70 per liter of
alcohol. A 750 milliliter bottle of vodka with 40 percent alcohol
will be slapped an excise tax of $21—only $1.50 less than
previously. On the other hand, this reduction doesn’t really
translate to lower prices at the bars. Bar operators have and are
still charging $10 to $15 (depending on the brand) for that 30
milliliters of spirit that goes into your cocktail, and some go as
far as passing off mediocre brands of vodka for premium ones and
charging a high price.
The other reason is the amount of
time it takes to make a cocktail. Time is money, whether a bar is
paying its staff by the month, week or hour. It is definitely more
work for bartenders to mix a cocktail than it is for them to pour a
pint of beer or a glass of wine. For beer, all a bartender has to
do is get a glass, put the glass under the draught, pull the tap
and then serve—for all of two to three minutes for that perfect
premium beer. When it comes to cocktails, bartenders have to
remember cocktail recipes, the methods of mixing and so forth. All
the measuring, stirring, shaking and muddling of fruit means it can
take a bartender more than three minutes to prepare and serve your
drink. And, the bars I-S spoke to say that cocktails make up only
about a quarter of their total nightly takings (the rest come from
beer, wines and house pours) and looking at the economies of scale,
it’s no wonder bars charge more for
cocktails.
Quantity—or
Quality?
But there is another reason why
cocktails often come at a premium price. Since its creation in the
19th century, the cocktail has often been associated with class and
wealth. Gary Tan, Loof’s marketing manager tells us that cocktails
are priced that way because they’re perceived as “high-end” or
“luxury” drinks and they are not something that can be premixed.
According to Tan, cocktails made with premium brands and served in
attractive glassware make a statement about the consumer in much
the same way as designer clothing or a nice watch.
And increasingly bartenders are
choosing to use only top quality ingredients in their cocktails to
deliver luxurious concoctions. Cocktails are only as good as what
go into them and the best ones are crafted using the freshest
ingredients, resulting in drinks that are more flavorful and easy
on the palate. More bartenders are not only using freshly squeezed
juices in their repertoire and combining them with some of the
world’s finest spirits; they are also making their own syrups,
infusions and purees. All this of course pushes the price of
cocktails up even more. Because while using the freshest possible
ingredients seem to be the path to creative libation, it is also
not very cost efficient. Fruit needs to be procured and juiced on a
near daily basis, and wastage can be high.
While really good cocktails
require more quality ingredients—hence have higher price tags—than
cheap ones, they don’t necessarily cost more if drunk properly,
says Edward Chia, co-managing director of Ublues Group, adding that
he’d rather see people enjoy one or two excellent cocktails than
seven or eight run-of-the-mill ones that just get them drunk. The
Ublues Group, which manages live music chain Timbre recently opened
Klee. Located at Wessex Estate in Portsdown Road, the “speak-easy”
style bar aims to lift the cocktail culture in Singapore by
offering customers bespoke and premium cocktails using the freshest
of ingredients available.
Get What You Pay
For
There are some though who think that
cocktails in Singapore are priced as they should be. Ublue’s Chia,
for instance, doesn’t think cocktails are all that expensive. He
believes that they’re actually value for money, “I want to dispute
the perception that cocktails are expensive. If you look at
Singapore alone, there are beers here that cost $16 a pint, and
that I think is expensive. But that price for a cocktail is
reasonable, because cocktails require extra attention to detail,
and should be priced proportionately,” Chia explains. Bars have to
recoup cost of preparation, labor and ingredients that go into a
cocktail. Other factors that justify the higher price of cocktails
are, according to Loof’s Tan, “glassware, the skill of the
bartender and the presentation.”
Industry observer Yvonne Phua of
Asian Hospitality media shares Chia’s sentiment that
customers are paying for the whole package. The publisher of
moods.sg, a trade publication of the bar and hospitality industry
says, “A $16 or $20 martini must meet the premium drinks criteria
of being served in a premium venue, made by a bartender who knows
and uses his ingredients in a respectful manner and makes it a
point to find out that the drink he created is to the customers
liking.” And there are a number of bars here that are stepping up
and giving customers’ exactly this—good quality cocktails that are
value for money. Belvedere’s Jeveon agrees. “There’s been a surge
of high quality places like One Rochester, 1 Twenty Six, Loof,
Astor Bar at the St Regis Hotel and Klee. They are producing what I
consider worldclass cocktails and if you put them in the world’s
best cocktail capitals, I’m very sure they’ll do exceptionally
well,” he says.
Phua, for one, would like to see a
day when people look beyond the prices and start appreciating the
fine art of bartending and cocktail drinking. “There are bars out
there who offer exceptional drinks; if consumers cannot see the
value in that, they can head to the nearest hawker center to drink.
Last thing that they need are customers who love their creations
and bitch about the price they pay for it. You can’t expect to own
a Mercedes at the price of a Skoda,” she quips.
For now, cocktails fans have to concede to that the price of
cocktails will continue to be significant as alcohol and labor
costs remain high. But if more cocktail bars start providing good
value for money, and the new wave of cocktail drinkers starts
growing, prices may decrease as bars try to stay competitive. That
said, if bars continue to make great cocktails, not necessarily
newfangled ones but classic ones too, and do it better than
anywhere else using the best ingredients, we as consumers will have
a second drink no matter what the price.
I-S’s guide to kick ass
cocktails in Singapore. We show you what to drink and
where.
Astor Bar (Lobby, St Regis Singapore,
29 Tanglin Rd., 6506-6888)
Chilli Padi Mary
What: Vodka, tomato juice, lemon
juice, lemongrass, chilli padi and old Chinese ginger.
In the mix: Frank Petiot invented the Bloody Mary at the King Cole
Bar in the St. Regis New York in 1930, and since then every St
Regis bar throughout the globe has their version of it. Singapore’s
contribution is a “modern and contemporary” adaptation which
substitutes chilli padi, Chinese old ginger and lemon grass for
Worcestershire and Tabasco, and is not for the faint-hearted.
Price: $19
Suzette
What: Belvedere Pomarancza vodka, Grand Marnier and flambéed
Californian oranges.
In the mix: Think of this like cocktail version of the classic
dessert, the Crepe Suzette. Served hot with a side of mini crepes,
this bewitching brew is definitely ideal for those with a palate
for citrus as the deep orange-y flavors of the vodka and Grand
Marnier balance perfectly well together.
Price: $22
Klee (#01-04 Wessex
Estate, 5B Portsdown Rd., 6479-6911)
Flirtini
What: Smirnoff Black or Belvedere vodka, Chambord (French black
raspberry liqueur), raspberries and pineapple juice.
In the mix: True to its name, the Flirtini teases you with fresh
tangy raspberries and pineapple juice that’s squeezed right in
front of you. If you find the flavors too sharp for your liking,
swirl the straw and let the Chambord (French black raspberry
liqueur) add a tinge of sweetness to the mix.
Price: $18/$20
Klee’s
Mojito
What: Bacardi rum, lime juice, sugar, mint leaves, soda water and
lager.
In the mix: A modern twist to the classic Cuban drink. The
mixologists at Klee top off the long concoction with a layer of
Kirin beer for that dash of bitterness to an otherwise sweet
drink.
Price: $18
Loof (#03-07 Odeon Towers,
331 North Bridge Rd., 6338-8035)
The Gummiberry
What: Forest berries, gin, Cointreau and meringue.
In the mix: Tooth-achingly sweet but absolutely delish, the
Gummiberry certainly tickled our taste buds with its unique blend
of forest berries and a hint of Cointreau. The flambéed meringue
that tops everything off is a nice touch to the presentation.
Price: $17
Tom Yum
What: Vodka infused with Tom Yum spices, lime juice, coconut liquor
and soda water.
In the mix: A refreshing twist to your favorite Thai soup. Made of
vodka steeped with Tom Yum spices, the Tom Yum adds that kick to
those who can take the heat, while lime juice and coconut liquor
calms everything down. Perfect drink when under the sun.
Price: $18
CAMP (8D Dempsey Rd.,
6479-3511)
Jamaican Black Strap Buck
What: Rum, orange bitters, sultanas, star anise, molasses,
lime juice, spiced syrup and ginger beer.
In the mix: A contemporary twist on an obscure classic and homage
to brown bagging, the Jamaica Black Strap Buck is one of our
favorite cocktails. The spicy and sweet concoction comes in a wee
brown bagged bottle.
Price: $18
Prohibition Long Island
Iced Tea Party
What: Bombay Sapphire gin, Absolut vodka, Havana Club Especial rum,
Sauza Horintos tequila, Cointreau and fresh lemon
juice.
In the mix: Forget what you already know about this lethal
concoction when you order it here at CAMP. The bartenders take you
back to the time when it was originally made—during Prohibition,
when the sale of alcohol was banned in the US, and people used
whatever bootlegged brew was available. CAMP’s version is
delightfully refreshing and tangy, just the way it’s meant to be.
It’s served in a teapot with cups for four and a jug of cola.
Price: $55 (serves four)
Majestic Bar (41 Bukit
Pasoh Rd., 6534-8800)
Kampong Freeze
What: Dark rum, advocaat, Cointreau, banana and Thai honey mandarin
juice.
In the mix: This concoction reminds us of a banana chendol with a
hint of rum and orange liqueur for that extra kick.
Price: $15
Thumper (1/F Goodwood Park Hotel, 22
Scotts Rd., 6737-3845)
Tigerito
What: Strawberries, lime juice, sweet
and sour mix, mint leaves, Chambord and Tiger beer.
In the mix: We love this one. The Tigerito is definitely for those
who like sweet things.
Price: $17
Atrium Bar at
Morton’s
(4/F Mandarin Oriental Singapore, 5 Raffles Blvd., 6339-3740)
Heavenly Pomegranate Mortini
What: Vodka, pomegranate syrup, passion fruit puree and Heavenly
foam.
In the mix: Pomegranate is the cocktail world’s latest “in”
ingredient. Here, tangy pomegranate syrup and passion fruit puree
blend terrifically with the Heavenly foam’s (an infusion of Grand
Marnier and passion fruit puree, lime juice, egg whites and
sweet-and-sour mix) fresh tartness.
Price: $27
Ballymoons Spirits
Bar
(#01-06/08 Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade, 442 Orchard Rd.,
6735-0400)
Strawberry Kaffir Cosmopolitan
What: Kaffir-lime infused vodka, strawberries and Cointreau.
In the mix: Ballymoons recently added four new concoctions to their
menu. The most noteworthy will be this tangy vodka infusion twirled
with a blend of fresh strawberries with a hint of orange-y
Cointreau. Simply divine.
Price: $18