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2024 is shaping up to be an interesting year in terms of bar openings, with several new bars already opening in Melbourne. In the suburb of Northcote, an impressive group of hospitality industry stars have joined forces to open Goodwater, a community bar specializing in American whiskey.
The group is led by former Whisky & Alement and Angel’s Envy member Nathaniel White and includes Fred Siggins (Whisky & Alement, Victoria Whiskey Festival), Cara Devine (Behind the Bar), John Hallett (ex-The Everleigh), Kia Rasteh (Honey) Barrel), Yao Wong (co-owner of The Elysian Whiskey Bar) and April Hudson (The Keys).
with shoutFred explains how the team came together and how easily they developed a shared vision.
“Nathaniel was really the driving force behind everything, this project was his idea and he convinced the rest of us to come on board. He was passionate about everything and we knew he had the drive to make it happen.
“When we got together and started chatting, it was obvious that we all had very similar ideas about what we wanted a place to be like, and we all had the same basic philosophy of hospitality. We were all mates, which helped a lot .
“I think the best part is that we are all able to make the vision happen as it happens. To some extent, you have to let the space, the budget, and the ideas of the people around you shape the vision and not be rigid, especially when you’re starting out When you don’t have a million dollars.”
Drawing on everyone’s personal experiences is the essence of how hospitality giants are formed, Fred said.
“This is an amazing group of people. Nate and Yao are extremely knowledgeable about whiskey, Cara is well versed in wine and service in addition to her obvious knowledge of spirits, and John’s cocktails are It’s great. Kia’s business knowledge and passion for American whiskey, plus a non-hospitality perspective is really important, and I’m a trained chef, so I handle the food side of things as well as being our resident dad.
“We all listen to each other and respond to each other. Of course, there are tensions sometimes, but that’s healthy in a creative environment, and we all have a lot of respect for each other.”
Describing the concept behind the bar, Fred said: “Goodwater is inspired by modern American bar culture from a Melbourne perspective, offering a curated selection of American whiskeys, captivating cocktails and local American bar snacks.
“But most importantly we want it to be a community bar where people can have a good time. Northcote is a community and we want to be part of it. So while we do intend to have the best American whiskey in Australia choice, but we also want to have great cocktails, great wine, great local beer, great music, great food, and most importantly great service.
“I think we’ve all worked in places where people were too focused on the drinks or the theme of the venue and we’re excited to share our love of great drinks and making people happy.”
John, formerly of The Everleigh, is in charge of Goodwater’s cocktail program, which is sure to please people.
“Our list is a bit of a new concept, and people can enjoy all of our signature cocktails in one of three ways: as a strong stirred drink, as a refreshing version (shake or highball style) or as a non-alcoholic cocktail,” Fred said.
The approach to cocktail menus, he said, is to let people choose flavors and ingredients that interest them, rather than becoming obsessed with certain glassware or styles.
“Our current favorite is the 400 Rabbits, which comes with tarragon-infused Calle 23 tequila, fresh peach juice and grapefruit.
“We’ve also given a twist on classic American whiskey drinks, so all the most popular whiskeys are here, like sours, Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, but each one is infused with Goodwater’s signature moves, To bring a little fun.
“In addition, there are some fun items like the Badwater, which is our seasonal barrel-aged cocktail based on a vodka cruiser, and our Champagne Old Fashioned, which is house bourbon and Coke served with Four Roses, Orange bitters and a dash of absinthe.”
As you might imagine, American whiskey features heavily on cocktail lists, and for Melbourne hospitality professionals who want to learn more about American whiskey, Goodwater has launched a series of brand launches over the coming months meetings and activities.
Accompanying the carefully curated cocktail list is a menu of bar snacks based on local American influences, including premium grilled cheese sandwiches, cornmeal bread pickle chips and Nola-style shrimp dumplings.
“Right now, the most popular dish is General Tso’s Chicken Steak,” Fred said. “General Tso’s is a staple on all American Chinese takeout menus, but it’s not actually Chinese. The flavors originated in Sichuan, but the dish itself was invented in Los Angeles, kind of like Tikka Masala, which was invented in the UK.”
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