RESTLESS ENERGY 

Energy Cocktails Continue as an Eye-Opening Profit Source

The world’s most powerful nations may be struggling to find workable sources of energy, but club-goers today have their hands on all the fuel they need. Consider energy drinks a raw resource and each bar a refinery — combining that element with just the right premium spirits and ingredients to create signature drinks to fuel patrons and command high prices. The result? Combustible profit, clicking on all cylinders.
    In the first national survey of nightclubs, bars and restaurants by Nightclub & Bar, conducted recently (full story coming up in our August issue), readers confirmed that customers are skewing younger and drinking better rather than more. The “better” part of the equation is not just high-end spirits but, evidently, also innovative cocktails with higher price tags, including those using energy drinks as an ingredient.
    “I think the trend is going from the straightforward Vodka & Red Bull to ‘Let’s drink Martinis, because that’s what we like, but it will be more fun because it has Red Bull or another energy drink in it,’” says Saeed Bennani, beverage director at Mie n Yu in Washington, D.C., where the energy cocktail selections have grown from one to three drinks — which, he says, sell to patrons across the venue’s entire demographic, ages 25-40.

Variety Propels Sales
    The initial energy cocktail Mie n Yu offered was the Running Bull, made with Three Olives Cherry Vodka, Pinot Noir, Red Bull and orange juice, priced at $11. But the Sultan — Zygo peach-flavored vodka, Cointreau, Red Bull and fresh orange and grapefruit juices — is coming on strong.
    The Babylon’s Garden cocktail uses Level vodka, Midori, Red Bull and acai. “Both Red Bull and acai are energy drinks, I would say,” Bennani says. “Acai is actually fruit from the Amazon, which has almost five to six times the antioxidants as blueberry has, and it actually gives you energy as well ... We find, especially here in D.C., a lot of clubs that offer Red Bull & Acai.”
    Red Bull is the sole energy brand of choice for Bennani. Of course, the market is loaded with other brands with other flavors and unlimited potential for mixability, and as with anything, it’s all a matter of taste.
    Danville, Calif.’s Six80 Lounge, whose slogan is “Stimulating Your Senses,” uses Roaring Lion. The White Lion adds Skyy Vanilla Vodka and Malibu Rum, while the Black Lion takes its darker tone by substituting Jägermeister in place of Skyy Vanilla. The Effen Enner-Tini was born of Effen Black Cherry Vanilla Vodka, Roaring Lion and cranberry.
    “I find that Banzai (energy drink) is the best mixer of the bunch,” says David Blitstein, owner of Swampgrass Willy’s in West Palm Beach, Fla. Putting that statement to perhaps the most telling test, Blitstein features a Margarita using Banzai instead of sour mix. “Because of the carbonation in the Banzai, it really gives a nice head on it. You serve it in a pint glass, and it’s a great-looking drink.”

Shots of Energy
    Energized cocktails are one animal, but, of course, the same young demographic that is looking for that shot of energy often is the same group bellying up for a shot of courage. Shots and bomb shots using energy drinks have proven to be the natural progression, as Chris Eissman, president of Neighbor’s and Dark Horse Tavern & Grill in Atlanta, attests, citing data from his most recent week’s till as a case study.
    “The two that we’ve had the whole time — which are the good old Flu Shot, which is Red Bull and Jäger, and Vodka/Red Bull — believe it or not, at both Dark Horse and Neighbor’s, those are the most popular drinks that we serve,” Eissman says. “For example, last week, the Flu Shot accounted for 25 percent of all the alcohol drinks, which is unbelievable to me. The fact that we get $8.50 for that, as opposed to $5, $6 or $7 for a mixed drink, is crazy.
    “I’d like to say we sat down and did a bunch of tastings and came up with them ourselves, (but) those were distributor- and wholesaler-driven.”
    The fun-and-flavor level at Swampgrass Willy’s is no less exciting. Blitstein says Banzai adapts well to any new shots he wants to do. In addition to the popular Cherry Bomb that’s taken hold at Willy’s and other venues nationwide, Blitstein offers Grape Bombs, using Three Olives grape vodka. The Yurple is the same thing plus a twist of lime and
grape Pucker.
    Whether in cocktails or shots, premium spirits and energy drinks add up to a potent sales weapon. Boosting margins and creating excitement is a no-brainer.
    “It works great for us, anytime you can command a higher price point,” Eissman says. NCB