Callin' Baton Rouge

"Callin' Baton Rouge", for those who don't know,  is a 1993 smash single made famous by none other than the great, Chris Gaines. Wait... sorry, error on our part! We mean country superstar, Garth Brooks. LOL! 

Unlike Garth, who is brought back to Baton Rouge because of the lovely Samantha, we make the pilgrimage to our capital city each month because of an ever growing network of talented, creative, and enthusiastic makers. Every second Saturday you will find these makers gathering on the corner of Eugene and Govt. street at the MidCity Makers Market to show off their newest leather bag or their new jewelry line or in our case a new classic cocktail mix flavor.

Now pushing close to 50+ makers, our market is the must attend event for the MidCity area of Baton Rouge. Not only rejuvenating but boosting this area and its community as well.

You may be asking yourself "How can I get involved?" or more specifically "I'm a maker and how can I sell my product?". The answer is as simple as 5 easy steps. Honestly, there are more but we at Leisuremann's like to keep things simple. Capisce? 

1) Find a Market - For us Baton Rouge was a short drive and made the most sense. For you, start with a quick and thorough Google, Facebook, or Instagram search. Use key terms like, "market", "pop-up", "festival", "shop", "event" + "your area" to garner results. Finalize the search by reaching out via email or phone to your perspective event. Searching will pay off. Trust us!

2) Face to Face - It's true, people do buy product site unseen but our experience has shown that people also heavily buy you and your team. Live, love and enjoy the product you sell. Wear it, eat it, use it, flaunt it, post it, snap it, have your brand reflected in you.

3) Quality Product - Make sure your product is up to snuff. Natural ingredients, sustainable, handmade, unique, organic, playful, creative, are just a few traits off the top of our heads. People can see through the bull$h&% from a mile away. Don't skimp.

4) Be Yourself - Just be you. Don't be overly professional or pushy when selling your product or service. Keep it casual, keep it calm, keep it real, and for damn sure keep it business bohemian. Chillax baby!!

5) Transparent - Like a window, if someone doesn't like your product or has an issues with your service ask them why and how would they change it. Honesty is the best policy. Starting and ending each event with a positive customer centric attitude is key.

Not everyone is going to have a "Baton Rouge" but everyone sure can find a community of makers and like minded individuals they rally around and in our case have cocktails with on a monthly basis.

#midcitymakersgonnamake

Cheers // Cliff

For more information about our market visit MidCity Makers Market

To help grow your business get with Paul @ Southern Collaborative

For more information on how you can enjoy cocktail anywhere SHOP TODAY!!!!!

Why isn't Happy Hour every hour?

Happy Hour as defined by dictionary.com is "a cocktail hour or longer period at a bar, during which drinks are served at reduced prices..."

Simply put - Who doesn't need a drink after a hard day at the office?

Most sources point to "Happy Hour" originating in the early 1900's with it becoming more mainstream in the late 1950's. Through the decades, Happy Hour, as we know it today, exploded in popularity. Most if not all bars and even some restaurants have Happy Hour drink specials. Some places even have live music or entertainment to help ease the stress of being cooped up in the office all day. It's a true liberating experience. 

Though liberating, Happy Hour, like all good things, has to comes to an end. Saddened by this proposition we asked ourselves the age old questions - Why isn't Happy Hour every hour?

With some quick thinking and ingenuity, we realized our mixes could solve the world Happy Hour conundrum, extending Happy Hour to every, any, and even ALL hours of the day!!!

Using our mixes there are no lines at a bar, no crowds, no complex mixing steps, no extra bar ingredients, just combine WATER + MIX + SPIRIT  and you have a COCKTAIL! 

It's just that simple. We promise.

Don't believe us? Try it for yourself - OUR MIX SHOP

To wrap it up, next time you find yourself in a bar or restaurant during Happy Hour think for a minute about how with Leisuremann's every hour is Happy Hour.

Cheers!

- Cliff #leisurehour

Improvements, New Mixes, and Why Not Use the Oxford Comma?

Not sure what the Oxford Comma is?  The Grammarly Blog post about it does a great job explaining it.

Moving on.

Improvements!

1. Less mess is best.

Spilling is our number one product complaint.  In turn, this is the number one thing we have sought to improve through the beginning of 2017. Our Leisuremann's Anti-Abuse Campaign is driven to eliminate the two main factors:  The packaging is opaque and lacks head space.

Lets break it down.

If you cannot see that Leisuremanns is a powder and/or cannot confirm that it has settled in the tin properly, you have a potential mess.  Additionally, not having ample distance between the top of the product and rim of the tin increases the chances of spilling.

Enter new packaging.  Clear bases, Screw tops, ample "necked down" head space, protective cushion seal, and scoop holding fanciness. Check it out!

2.  Ingredient Improvements.

We are currently testing some new ingredients in our Old Fashioned mix that is going to improve our products resistance to heat, oxygen, and time; not to mention bringing our flavor profile from "Man, that's good" to "Man, that is scary good".

Bonus good news - All our ingredients now are all natural and contain no artificial colors or flavors!

New Mix!

Before I reveal the flavor - I want to say thank you to all our tasters, fans, and patrons that shared their input.  We meshed our company's vision with the feedback we received form all of you.

Once again a BIG Thank you!

Nevertheless, we have a new flavor!  Fans of the Old Fashioned, meet the Classic Daiquiri.

It is simple and sweet, and that is the beauty of it.  The mild lime aromas and flavors are ready to ride shotgun with any silver rum.  This time tested combo will provide you with a refreshing and mobile classic cocktail experience. Not to our surprise, we enjoy it with one of our local brands, Sweet Crude produced by Rank Wildcat Distilleries, but any good quality silver rum would do the trick. Overall, The Classic Daiquiri mix is designed to work well with the clear liquors.  Do not hesitate to explore it with the likes of Tequila, vodka, or gin!

Hope everyone's Spring has been as pleasant as it has been here in Southwest Louisiana. Usually by this point the humidity and heat is comparable to that of The Degobah System in The Empire strikes Back. 

Oh - One more thing: If you are a Lafayette local, stop in at Genterie Supply Co.  You can find our product exclusively in this store. He has a ton of great products in a fantastic location. Make sure to stop in when you find yourself downtown.

Support local business when you can!

Thanks guys,

Matt

Know What You're Ordering?

"Don't be afraid, it's just a cocktails"... Should be what most people say to themselves before placing an order for a drink at a bar, right?

Honestly, when asked, most individuals have limited knowledge of what they are actually ordering or the terminology behind drink orders. Though cocktail history is deeply rooted, having just an general knowledge of key terms and practices can not only aid but make your overall cocktail experience that much more enjoyable.

When ordering utilize the spirit first chaser second rule unless the cocktail/drink of your choice has an official name (ex. Old Fashioned or Dark & Stormy) or you prefer a single spirit, which we will get into later. Instead of telling your bartender you would like a cranberry vodka, use your confident voice and state "I would like a vodka cranberry". Also, don't be afraid to be specific. I would like a Ketel One and cranberry or an Absolut and cranberry. This shows your bartender that you didn't get off the 21 train yesterday and affords you the grand opportunity to make the "call" on your own cocktail. Hence the term "call" brands vs "well" liquors, but thats for a different blog.

In conjunction with proper ordering, knowing how you like your spirits served, is crucial. Though terminology varies from bar to bar, city to city, spirit to spirit, and even bartender to bartender, a few cocktail serving methods hold true.

Neat - A single spirit that is unmixed as well as not chilled. This is usually reserved for spirits that by their nature are best served and enjoyed at room temperature.

On the Rocks - A single spirit that is served on or over ice. This is usually reserved for drinks or spirits that are enjoyed cold and with the addition of melting ice brings flavor profiles not achieved neat.

Up or Straight Up - A libation that is shaken or stirred with ice, strained and served sans ice. This is usually reserved for specific spirits and cocktails and is either at the discretion of the bartender or the patron.

Cocktail or Mixed Drinks - An alcoholic beverage crafted of varying ingredients and spirits not limited to flavor or amount that is uniquely its own. Most are named. Refer to them by name and trust your bartender as they usually are the experts. Let your pallet for cocktails roam free!

At Leisuremann's we want you to have an excellent cocktail experience no matter where you go. We sample our mix on the rocks, as we find the slightly cold and mellow melting of an ice cube lends subtle flavor profiles not achieved when consumed neat. With that said, enjoy how you please. The beauty of our mix, as well as most cocktails, is that you can make them your own. Try new things, new spirits, new ratios and overall have the cocktail adventure you desire.

Remember Keep Calm and Cocktail On!

Cheers.

Cliff

$50 Dolla Make You Holla!

Not all spirits are created equal.

This week we came across a very informative video from Business Insider titled "Whiskey Expert's Favorite Bottles Under $50".

In this video, Tommy Tardie, whiskey expert and owner of The Flatiron Room in NYC, breaks down the nuances of 5 whiskeys under $50. Delving into the history of each and giving a little insight as to what makes these 5 whiskeys top of their class. 

To quote Tommy, "There's no best whiskey, it's really just based on your palette." So sit back, make a Leisuremann's Old Fashioned with your favorite whiskey and enjoy this short video!

Thanks Tommy!

Cheers!

-Cliff

One hell of a year!

From its inception, we knew we had something big, not just a product but an authentically honest and no-nonsense brand that is truly experienced by its users. 

2016, in retrospect, has been one hell of a year! Filled with unique places, chance encounters, grand adventures, and even the occasional festival or 3.

To our patrons and supporters, thanks for an awesome 2016. We look forward to even greater things to come in 2017.

To those seeing us for the first time, welcome! Take a look around, let us know what you think, and maybe even order a tin or two. Shop here now!

Have a great NYE and till 2017 - Drink up, be safe and Cheers from the gents @ Leisuremann's!