FORDS GIN TEAMS UP WITH FELLOW ENTREPRENURIAL BARTENDERS TO CREATE LIMITED EDITION HOME BAR TOOL KIT
Bringing Professional Essentials Into the Home Bar Just In Time For Holiday Gifting
AUGUST 26, 2015 – Bartenders are doing much more than just making drinks these days to push cocktail culture forward – publishing books, making thoughtful tools and launching their own spirits companies. They are passionate about their craft and dedicated to filling voids in industries that previously saw no value in catering to the professional bartender.
The limited edition Mavenhal for Fords Gin Bar Bag is a collection of curated tools that celebrates the entrepreneurial pursuits of professional bartenders while bringing home the essentials an enthusiast needs to make cocktails at home, worthy of their favorite cocktail bar.
This unique bar kit began with a conversation between Craig Krueger of Seattle-based Mavenhal, a design company that creates thoughtful, well-made bags to fit the bartender lifestyle and Simon Ford, co-founder of spirits company The 86 Co. who produces Fords Gin. As both Simon and Craig brought their bartending backgrounds to their current professional pursuits, it seemed only fitting team up to create this toolkit and offer their knowledge to home bartenders as well.
From there, Ford and Krueger looked to fellow bartenders to fill the bar kit with useful tools that together offer the essentials that any bartender needs no matter whether they’re a seasoned professional, aspiring industry newcomer or at-home enthusiast.
The Mavenhal for Fords Gin Bar Bag is a limited edition of 100 pieces, each consisting of the following:
· Newly released Mavenhal Bar Back – a bartender back pack, tote and bar kit all in one with bespoke green lining as a nod to Fords Gin
· 750ml bottle of Fords Gin – a versatile London Dry Gin, the perfect base for any gin-inspired cocktail
· Hardcover copy of The Bar Book written by award-winning bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler of Clyde Common in Portland, OR
· Curated assortment of professional-grade bar tools from Modern Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, made in partnership with Steelite International which includes:
o Julep Strainer
o Hawthorne Strainer
o Twisted Bar Spoon
o Jigger
o Muddler
o Boston Shaker Set
"This project started because a small group of us believe that, just as the home cook has equipment found in the best restaurants in the world, it is time for the home bartender to start using the tools of the trade chosen by the professional bartender” says Simon Ford.
The one-of-a-kind Mavenhal for Fords Gin Bar Bag retails for $399 (excluding shipping), ships in bespoke, gift-ready packaging as of December 1st and is available for pre-order online through luxury site Merchants of Beverage.
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About Fords Gin
Versatility, approachability and quality were the three core requirements when The 86 Co. set out to make its London Dry, award winning Fords Gin. Distilled in London at Thames Distillers, Fords Gin is a collaboration between 8th generation Master Distiller, Charles Maxwell, and Simon Ford of The 86 Company. Fords Gin is made up of a thoughtful mix of 9 botanicals sourced from around the world. It starts with a traditional base of juniper & coriander seed and is balanced by citrus, florals and spices that are steeped for 15 hours before being distilled. The resulting gin is juniper-forward, aromatic, fresh and floral with elegant notes of orange blossom that come together in a harmonious blend of citrus and juniper. Each ingredient decidedly blends together to create the perfect base for any gin inspired cocktail.
The 86 Company was created for and inspired by the bartending community. It launched its four distinctive spirits: Fords Gin, Cana Brava Rum, Aylesbury Duck Vodka and Tequila Cabeza in September 2012 to make available both versatile and approachable full-bodied and flavor-forward spirits ideally suited for mixing in a wide range of drinks and applications. Each product is produced by some of the best distillers and distilleries from around the globe and comes in an ergonomic bottle designed by and for bartenders, making it the go-to portfolio for any discerning bartender or tippler. The 86 Co. brands can be found in the U.S. and abroad in your favorite bars, at select retail shops as well as online nationally in the U.S.
Learn more at www.the86co.com.
About Mavenhal (formerly Barkeeper & Co.)
With the resurgence of cocktails and after running two successful businesses: Shake Bartenders, a top-shelf bartending service in Seattle and Southern California and Local Craft Tours, guided tours of Seattle’s top distilleries that was featured on KING 5’s Evening Magazine, Craig Krueger contemplated what the beverage industry was missing. He quickly recognized the number one item he and his staff needed while on the job was a functional bag to bring the bar with you. Krueger was inspired to replace the 1960s portable travel bar with the modern day Bar Bag for professionals and connoisseurs.
Mavenhal is a design company based in Seattle, Washington. Our desire is to create and produce thoughtful, well-made bags, and accessories for the discerning individual. We started by developing the universal utility bag for mobile bartenders and ended up creating a bag with a much broader appeal. Bar Back is our second invention in collaboration with The 86 Company. Our designs are smart, simple, and intentional. We are makers, fueled by passion, creativity and personal experience. We pride ourselves on creating durable bags, with functionality being at the core of every design. Inspired by hard working experts in their fields, we design appropriately for optimal performance. Our minimalistic approach allows us to obsess over the infinite details, so you don’t have to. We do a careful selection of materials to ensure the longevity of our products. Our production lots are small and limited to sustain quality. We have partnered with a local, made in the U.S.A manufacturer, because we pride ourselves on being able to see each bag individually hand-stitched.
Bar Bag is currently in 15+ countries outside the United States. Our goal is to reach as many bartenders as we can to make their professions or hobby easier.
Learn more at www.mavenhal.com.
About The Modern Mixologist Barware by Steelite
Tony Abou-Ganim has turned cocktail-making into an art form. Moving beyond the simple “how-to” of mixed drinks, he has inspired bar professionals across the globe to become more daring in their creations. Steelite International is proud to partner with Tony to offer the tools every artist needs to create a masterpiece.
Tony has taken classic barware and given it a modern, streamlined flair. Bar tools are designed to not only work perfectly together but also complement each other’s look and feel. These are tools for the professional bartender, and crafting great cocktails begins with the right tools. The Modern Mixologist barware line has everything the professional bartender needs to artfully prepare virtually any handcrafted libation. All around, these tools liberate creativity and empower the mixologist to become an artist.
Learn more at www.modernmixologist.com.
About The Bar Book
Written by renowned bartender and cocktail blogger Jeffrey Morgenthaler, The Bar Book is the only technique-driven cocktail handbook out there. That’s right: technique. This book is focused entirely on learning the techniques that will elevate your skills. Whether cocktails are your obsession or your profession, this is the book that will teach you to make them look and taste better.
This indispensable guide breaks down bartending into essential techniques, and then applies them to building the best drinks. More than 60 recipes illustrate the concepts explored in the text, ranging from juicing, garnishing, carbonating, stirring, and shaking to choosing the correct ice for proper chilling and dilution of a drink. With how-to photography to provide inspiration and guidance, The Bar Book breaks new ground for the growing universe of cocktail enthusiasts.
Learn more at www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com.
About Merchants of Beverage:
Merchants of Beverage is the online destination for discovering impeccable wines, spirits and Champagne, cocktail kits and professional barware. They are committed to providing their customers with all the tools necessary to make exceptional drinking a part of their lifestyle.
Specializing in gifting, their outstanding selection and innovative features make giving a gift elegant and effortless.
Every item that is offered has been handpicked and curated by the experts of The Merchants of Beverage team. Allow them to be your guide when it comes to gifting, celebrating and imbibing.
Give better gifts. Thank your clients. Cater to your guests. Celebrate your host. Treat yourself. Drink better at home.
Learn more at www.merchantsofbeverage.com.