Syrup question

[billagirly]

I guess I should have rephrased the inital question right after I got the first few answers, but I like the direction the thread went.
In any case, I will now rephrase the question a bit so that anyone still interested can help me out on what I was initially asking. A couple people hit it but I'd love to know what everyone thinks about this:

No matter how many flavors I have, be it 3 or 30, should they all be the same brand? Or should I try each brand's version of each flavor, and pick the best of the best?
I just can't decide if it's more important to have consitency in the brand because of concentration levels, or to have consistence in excellent taste on a flavor-to-flavor basis.

 

[Muddycup]

pose the question that most bars serve the same products, I.E. budlight and vodka people go to there favorite bar for what reason?

 

[cafemakers]

pose the question that most bars serve the same products, I.E. budlight and vodka people go to there favorite bar for what reason?

Not sure... my favorite local bar is at the Kona Brewing Company - I go there because I'm able to purchase their imperial stout and barleywine style on tap - something unique that is not offered anywhere else on the island.

Before that, I used to frequent the Mauna Kea Resort beach bar (which is operating on severely reduced hours while the resort is closed for repair following the earthquake last year). There are a few beach bars along the Kohala Coast that offer the same sunset and beautiful ambiance, but I preferred the Mauna Kea for its well-mixed Mai Tais and Tropical Itch mixed drinks - they use fruit puree concentrate for flavoring, not mixes like the other bars, which creates a nice taste. They also offer a signature drink called a "Frederico," a blended drink with a balanced sweet and sour (guava vs. Jack Daniels) bite. They should reopen again and resume normal in 2008. I'm looking forward to going back when they reopen.

Back in LA, my favorite bar was Father's Office in Santa Monica; again, with unique Belgian beers available on tap not available elsewhere in my area. They also offer what has been hailed as "the best burger in America" by magazines, newspapers and the Today Show. I think that's what really packs the crowds in; there's a line out the door before they open at 5:00 pm. I've tried duplicating the recipe for that burger here in Hawaii (so popular, the LA Times attempted to reverse engineer it a few years ago) and have met with some success - close enough until I get back to Santa Monica in a few months.

There was a great martini and coffee bar in Charlotte called "Therapy" that I went to a couple of times while in Charlotte last year for the SCAA conference - well-mixed premium martinis, outstanding coffee! (Counter Culture) and a simple but well-executed food menu. Great place that I would definitely go back to or visit frequently if I lived in the area.

I don't really remember the airport bars and hotel bars that I've stopped in while traveling; however, it's a good thing their product comes in bottles, so they can't ruin the taste too much!

 

[griffin911]

Try all the different syrup brands. Find the one you like. The one that mixes well with your drinks and stick with it. Why clutter your bar with many different brands. Whether you carry 3 or 30 flavors is a different question altogether.

 

[equus007]

more

Really the concentration issue boils down to how good of a staff you can expect to hire. Good baristas will be familiar with the syrups after a reasonable amout of time behind the counter. If you plan on hiring high school kids stick with one brand because its much easier to be able to tell them
"give 3 squirts/12oz...".