Alice Bar
Laneway, 195 Elizabeth St, Brisbane CBD
@alicebarbris
If there’s ever a grievance levelled at Brisbane’s nightlife, it’s an absence of late-night bars. However no extra. Business veteran and Frog’s Hole proprietor, Peter Hollands has gone out on his personal to open Alice Bar, which is now open seven days per week till 3am.
Alice is discovered down an unused laneway on Elizabeth St. Merely observe the pink lights and you may’t miss it. Head down the steps to the basement for an old-school boozer devoted to 80’s rock, cocktails plenty of bourbon. The massive highlights listed here are the 13-metre bar high, and a 100 Disk AMI Jukebox, devoted to your rock favourites.
Peter has pulled collectively one of the vital skilled administration groups Brisbane has seen. Michael Pattison (Suzie Wongs, Brooklyn Customary, The Bowery) leads the venue and is ably assisted by Brendon Osmers (Gerards Bar, The Gresham, The Bowery). The venue presents a cracker record of cocktails, with a concentrate on high quality serves and traditional flavours. The again bar encompasses a 150+ bourbon record for the corn-whiskey lovers.
We requested Bar Supervisor Michael to reply just a few questions on life behind the late-night bar simply a few weeks after the doorways had opened, and right here’s what he needed to say.
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Inform us a bit about how you bought began within the hospitality trade and the place you may have labored earlier than.
I began as an 18-year-old glassy working in nightclubs in Fortitude Valley. After a few months of choosing up cups until 5am I used to be fortunate to safe a place as a barback at The Bowery. For the subsequent 4 years I sunk my head into cocktail books and learnt every part I might about traditional cocktails finally transferring as much as the roll of bartender after which supervisor. After my stint at The Bowery, I took a place as an operations supervisor for the Drunken Monkey Group (Brooklyn Customary, Suzie Wongs & Fats Angel) and learnt learn how to function stay music occasion bars. After six years in that position I teamed up with Peter Hollands placing my expertise of traditional cocktail venues and rowdy occasion venues collectively to create Alice.
Are you a classics or an experimental sort of bartender?
Classics by way of and thru.
What does a shift behind the bar at Alice appear to be? Run us by way of a day in your footwear.
I’ll normally get to Alice a few hours earlier than open, I’ll clear the venue from the earlier evening and ensure every part on the opposite facet of the bar is presentable and able to go for the evening, if something must be mounted that is when I’ll do it. With 1 hour earlier than open I’ll shift my focus to the bar and help the bar workforce with something that must be achieved behind the bar.
As soon as the doorways are open my position is generally to supervise the operations of the venue and management the vibe of the room. Lighting, temperature and sound want to regulate all through the evening to verify everyone seems to be having the most effective expertise that Alice can supply on either side of the bar. My general purpose for the evening is to verify we have now thrown a rattling good occasion.
What are among the belongings you love in regards to the Brisbane bar trade?
I like the Brisbane bar scene, watching it develop over the past 10 years has been wonderful and I’m excited to see the place the subsequent 10 years take it. The sense of group is second to none, everybody within the trade is there to assist and raise everybody else up. The number of venues has grown a lot which you can actually select your vibe and there might be a venue for that, It was simply the pub, the membership or the occasional rooftop bar.
Lighting, temperature and sound want to regulate all through the evening to verify everyone seems to be having the most effective expertise that Alice can supply on either side of the bar. My general purpose for the evening is to verify we have now thrown a rattling good occasion.
A few of the belongings you hate?
In the mean time it has been when patrons complain that there’s an excessive amount of 80s rock being performed on the 80s rock-inspired venue
What recommendation do you may have for rookie bartenders beginning out of their careers? Have been there any large errors you made you’d prefer to see others keep away from?
Spend time doing each position inside the venue, don’t simply be the bartender, be the glassy, be the DJ, be the restore man, be the cleaner, the extra expertise that you just study on either side of the bar will make you a greater operator.
Once you stroll right into a bar, what are you in search of? What makes an ideal bar expertise?
It’s the escapism for me, I wish to be engaged inside the confines of the venue and utterly overlook in regards to the world outdoors. I name them crab pots, as soon as I’m in I can’t get out.
Finest particular person to work with?
Peter Hollands, I’ve learnt extra in my brief time working with Pete at Alice than the remainder of my profession
Who conjures up you?
My Household, out and in of the trade
What are you consuming proper now?
The boilermaker of alternative for the entire crew at Alice & Frog’s Hole: Buffalo Hint & XXXX Gold
High 5 Favorite Bars
Frog’s Hole Saloon, Cry Child, Ramblin Rascals, Shady Pines Saloon, The Gresham
