I periodically see references to the "Japanese Way" of making cocktails and such. Includes things like carving ice-balls, fancy bar tools, bars which sit only three or four at a time, etc.
Having never been to Japan, I'm curious as to what the scene is really like over there? Are such bars popular? Common? Or are these just the one-in-a-million sort of places and aren't necessarily representative of a particular movement?
Are there any bars/bartenders out there not in Japan who are taking things in a similar direction?
Robert, like you I've never been to Japan but find the bar scene over there to be very interesting. A few weeks ago at the Paris bar show, Cocktails & Spirits 09, Ueno Hidetsugu of High Five Bar in Tokyo gave a presentation where he, amongst other things, demonstrated the famous Japanese "hard shake" and carved ice balls from the giant block of ice he flew over from Japan with him specially for the show! It was absolutely fascinating and Japan sounds like such a completely different bar culture to anywhere else in the world, with tiny bars hidden away on the 10th floor of buildings, a bar sunk in to the floor so the barman is the same height as seated customers etc.
Happily I was able to record his presentation on video - I'm still sorting through all the footage I took in Paris, but I hope to have it online within a week or two.
Robert, Jay,
A good friend of mine whom I am sure you know deal in Japanese style.His name is Stan Wadrna, I think he could answer most of your questions but for certain I can tell you he opened Pandora's box when he got involved with the style.
here is a link from the mixology.eu where Helmut writes about him
http://www.mixology.eu/en/blog/shochu-master-class-stan-vadrna
Zoltan
I too am in the unfortunate position of never having been to Japan but being completely enamoured with what I've read and seen of the bar and cocktail culture there. As already mentioned Stanislav Vardna seems to be the go to name for a western version of Japanese bartending. What intrigues me apart from the more obvious, "showy" examples of the "hard shake" and ice carving are the more subtle aspects that seem to form such an integral part of the Japanese approach. Concepts such as "Ichigo Ichie" and "Omakase" (Actually a Sushi term but one I see as easliy transferrable to the bar) seem to reflect a greater understanding of and dedication to the true art of bartending. An interesting place to start learning about this philosophy (and it truly is) is Kazuo Ueda's very informative and inspiring site http://www.cocktail-academy.co.jp/index.html
One issue that I have with Japanese bars is that many smaller bars, not the famous ones or hotel bars...they don't let white people in. I can't tell you how many times I have asked people who went to Japan to tell me about their bar experience, and if they went to more than just the routine, high-profile bars, they told me time and time again how the bartender would either just shake his hand 'no', or do an "X-like" thing with his arms...
Now, I LOVE Japanese whisky. Seriously. Amazing stuff. Easily some of the best single-malts and blends ever made, but this thing about not getting into many Japanese bars being a honky? Well...
Liberty Bar :: Seattle, WA :: Alcohology
i got a copy of ueda's "cocktail technique" from uwajimaja's bookstore, very interesting. if i could read it, it would be even more so. the way i understand the bar culture is that the japanese continued trying to perfect the hospitality aspect of a bar and pair it with the highest technique for the most basic drinks.
that concept i completely respect. i always say, you must make 1000 gimlets before you make 1 pegu club.
as for the tools, i've found a lot of them to be cheap, just different. we all know the $3 crap spoon with the red plastic nub? theirs is $5, a couple inches longer with tines on the end. its better, but $3 better.
again, not being able to read japanese, but being able to infer a lot through photos and text, i offer this as an explanation for japanese bar culture. the "gimlet page" in my ueda book has 2 pictures of rose's lime and a photo of the bruise-st gimlet ever. i can't read the text, but its double the text of the recipes for any other drink with obviously half the ingredients. the point is, to make a gimlet, there is more that two things being mixed with cold, there is a lot of method backed up by several squigglies i can't read.
Unfortunately when I was in Japan, I wasn't into cocktails but having know Stan for a while, having visited Paparazzi in Bratislava and been to a couple of Stan's classes it just seems to me that the Japanese bartenders are very customer oriented (the customers experience begins at the door of the bar), they seem to really hone their skills and perfectly minimize their moves and techniques. I have a couple of Japanese books and their attenction to detail and garnishes is just amazing.
Watching the few films that you can find on youtube really impressed me. Although they sometimes seem to be a bit "robot like".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqulsZZ2Ekc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWVDQghoav4
But this Thai girl just blew me away with her shaking style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUJjikRB_Wc
"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. " - Marie Curie Sklodowska
Tomek Roehr: Unfortunately when I was in Japan, I wasn't into cocktails but having know Stan for a while, having visited Paparazzi in Bratislava and been to a couple of But this Thai girl just blew me away with her shaking style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUJjikRB_Wc
Unfortunately when I was in Japan, I wasn't into cocktails but having know Stan for a while, having visited Paparazzi in Bratislava and been to a couple of
She's the 2006 IBA's World Champ, Mrs Kung Hui Chun..
http://www.iba-world.net/english/cocktails/cocktails.php
"I even once heard the story of a man who was allergic to himself"- David A. Embury
Dear All,
so I have been lucky enough to spend three or four visits to Tokyo and Osaka and focus on the Japanese Way of Bartending ( a term used by Stan who is as several people say the western bartender with the gretest understanding of the scene there)
It is as amazing for any bartender to see as much as it would be for any chef to study japanese cooking but often equally confusing and equally un replicatable.... the culture and economics of the place are so different to western bartending.
I would not be able to do it justice here but do know that there are several articles coming out on the subject soon that will explain it better
The guiding concept tho is an alcoholic version of the Tea Ceremony - hugely stylised and intensely personal with a huge respect for the 'guest' as well as the theatre of making drinks.
The Authentic Bar as they call them tend to be very small and owner operated and often sit no more than 20, most of whom tend to be regulars (most bars have no real signage and are often located away from street level so its unlikely you would stumble in to one). Most often the O/O is a 'master bartender' who has several interns/apprentices. These often feel more like private houses/parties or very upscale hotel bars than anything else.
The tools can be most beautiful and well made with gold inlays and high quality crystal (I just picked up two gorgeous stemmed mixing glasses)
The drinks are very small and carefully made with visuality being key (colour, garnish and glassware being very important)
Ice balls and ice carving are a relatively new development (last 20 years or so) as bartender strive to add extra theatre to the drink.
The major problem with the scene is the lack of english spoken by most people in Japan and the reluctance of many to even try for fear of embarassment - as I have posited before this might be the cause of Liberty Bar's comment - s but I have never had any trouble at all drinking in Japan when with a host and would advise anyone to go if they have an interest in cocktails and bartending
aw
Thanks for the additional details everybody, as well as your insights Angus, would love to see this thread continue on and discuss both any aspects of the "Japanese Way" which would be interesting, if not useful, to incorporate globally, as well as how/where visitors to Japan might be able to experience this themselves.
I totally undertand the languge issue, and how that might provide a barrier. I cautiously offer the thought that perhaps (if there was enough need), we could work up a small set of cards. One which you could present at the door which would identify you in Japanese as a visiting cocktail enthusiast, and were prepared to order in Japanese (via the cards). There would then be a few cards which would say things like "I would like a gin cocktail please, of any type you choose", or "I would like a slightly sour cocktail please, of any type you choose", or... you get the idea. Thusly the customer would simply place a card before to engage the bartender. Or is this too corny or contrived? It would be necessary to work with some of the bars in Japan to come up with a set of cards which would be appropriate, and well accepted.
-Robert
Robert Hess: I totally undertand the languge issue, and how that might provide a barrier. I cautiously offer the thought that perhaps (if there was enough need), we could work up a small set of cards. ...
I totally undertand the languge issue, and how that might provide a barrier. I cautiously offer the thought that perhaps (if there was enough need), we could work up a small set of cards.
...
It’s true art form to see someone work like that. The care with the tools and ingredients, all the procedures etc, gorgeous!! It might not fit many people on the west, but still… very beautiful!
The idea of the card is pretty interesting Robert. I think we might want to check with some bars for the acceptance of this as you mentioned. In my case I would be very intrigued and interested to have a costumer coming up to me with the cards. IMO it’s nice to see that a costumer took it’s time to research and find ways to communicate with the professional as a form of respect. And as we know, respect gets respect, it works both ways and I can’t imagine why this wouldn’t work.
I wonder what would be the average price for a drink in one of those bars? Any ideas Angus?
Dear R,
I think the cards are a good idea... I will reach out to my people in Tokyo and maybe we should even consider it for other languages as well... sounds very amusing "Help, I am a liguistically poor cocktail geek on a mission of enlightenment and would like one of your favourite cocktails please"
As for price of drinks it really varies from the terrifyingly expensive (I paid 250$ for a round in the Mandarin Oriental) to fair in one of the smaller bars.
But they only seem to have fairly awesome spirits to work with and they are not cheap... there is no concept of "rail" and they love all whiskies.
Tomek Roehr: Watching the few films that you can find on youtube really impressed me. Although they sometimes seem to be a bit "robot like". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqulsZZ2Ekc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWVDQghoav4 But this Thai girl just blew me away with her shaking style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUJjikRB_Wc
Tomek;
Call me a romantic, but when I think of "Japanese" (whatever THAT is) bar-tending style, I think of the style exactly illustrated in those videos you linked. Fluid and controlled movements, akin to dancing or swordsmanship, performed with grace and artistry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHb44h1_GVk
I'll take that type of service over the Western 'flair' bar-tending with juggling, flames, strobe lights and exploding napkin confetti...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-hlNan7INA
Andrew brought up earlier about how his japanese cocktail book had a rather involved looking recipe for a Gimlet... thought I'd include scans of that to provide illustration. If this works properly, then clicking on the images below should open up a larger version... which if you know japanese, should be readable?
Ok... so perhaps that images viewable in the message itself are readable too :->
check out page 106, same amount of info on how to make a sea breeze