Brighten up your serve

At about £2.50 a go, a spirit and mixer is not one of the cheapest options on offer to customers at the bar. When shoppers can buy a bottle of their favourite brand for around £10 in the supermarket, pubs need to work hard to justify this price tag. The good news is that it's not very hard to do - a few simple steps can really lift the experience and satisfy drinkers' perceptions of receiving value for money.

But are pubs following the basics?

The MA asked two leading suppliers - Pernod Ricard and Jim Beam - to investigate during a tour of five Brighton pubs.

Beam national field sales manager for the on-trade Andy Rose and Pernod Ricard customer development director Lee James, both experts in the spirits arena, were keen to see if the marketing budgets they spend on talking to consumers about their drinks is affirmed or undermined by the product which is put into consumers' hands.

In each pub we ordered a range of spirits with different mixers, covering the most simple and popular combinations, including a gin and tonic and vodka and orange.

What we were looking for

We were searching for a well-presented drink in a clean glass. And as well as an appealing overall appearance, we hoped to see drinks garnished with fresh fruit, squeezed if necessary. If staff had not stirred our drinks already we were looking to be given a stirrer or straw to blend the spirit with the mixer.

During our tour we observed whether staff demonstrated product knowledge such as distinguishing between bourbon and whisky.

Finally we wanted to find tasty drinks

offering good value for money.

Venue one

The pub: A traditional pub owned by a regional brewer where cask beer dominates.

The fact that the clientèle tends to be slightly older is reflected by the emphasis on simple pub grub and ales.

What we ordered: A gin and tonic, vodka and orange, Jamesons and ginger beer and a bourbon and cola.

The verdict:

Lee: "All the basics were there, but there was no consistency. The tonic for the gin came from the gun, but we were given a bottle of ginger beer for the Jamesons. The barperson put a piece of lime into the glass, but didn't squeeze it - so there has been some education, but not enough. Because the drinks didn't have enough ice, the Jamesons and ginger only tasted of the ginger, although I could smell the alcohol.

The drink hadn't been mixed and I wasn't offered a straw or stirrer to do it myself. As consumers move away from RTDs, pubs need to get their mixables right.

Consumers want something tasty and

refreshing - if pubs can't deliver that, they have a problem."

Andy: "The gun had run out so the drinks made from that - two out of four - were flat. The other issue was the dirty glasses, which make carbonated mixers lose their bubbles. And there wasn't enough ice.

The ice was kept in a plastic-encased bucked that didn't work as well as a metal one - all the ice had virtually melted by the time we got the drinks to the table.

The fruit in the gin and tonic had

deteriorated and had turned brown. Only one drink came with a straw - two in fact - but why not put one in each drink?

However much they cost, those drinks were poor value and too expensive."

Venue two

The pub: In the middle of the bustling

North Laine area, this pub is a tenancy and attracts a young clientèle. It has been refurbed recently to make it more modern and upmarket.

What we ordered: A gin and tonic, vodka and orange, Jamesons and ginger beer, bourbon and cola and a Malibu and cranberry.

The verdict:

Lee: "The fact that two of our drinks

were served in branded glasses suggested that they were high quality, even though

the Malibu came in a Stoli glass. We requested slimline tonic with the gin - top marks to the pub for stocking it. But the drink was served in a lipstick-stained glass and tasted more of tonic than gin.

The orange juice with the vodka came out of a carton, but some of the theatre is lost if that's poured in front of the customer and the perception is that a pub is cutting costs. The orange juice should be put in a jug in the fridge. The danger with drinks like this is that consumers may just decide to stay at home, where they can make their drinks with the correct amount of ice, a straw and some fruit to suit their tastes."

Andy: "The bartender asked if we wanted ice, then gave us a tiny amount each.

By the time we ordered our last drink - Malibu and cranberry - she explained that the ice had run out.

Only some drinks contained fruit, and the lime in the gin and tonic was brown and decaying. The glasses were dirty and one was stained with lipstick. Even drinks made with mixers from bottles - Jamesons and ginger beer, and gin and tonic - were flat

because the glasses are filthy and, in the case of the Malibu, warm. An unappealing foam appeared on the bourbon and cola, because the glass was not clean."

The bartender was actually very dextrous behind the bar, using both hands but she still didn't get two fundamental things right - clean glasses and we weren't offered a straw to stir the drinks with."

Venue three

The pub: An upmarket style bar in a busy stretch of town. Popular with a young audience, it has an impressive back bar and luxurious decor.

What we ordered: A gin and tonic, vodka and orange, Jamesons and ginger beer, bourbon and ginger ale and a Malibu and cranberry.

The verdict:

Lee: "The bartender squeezed the lime around the rim of the gin and tonic glass, which was good. But it would have been better if she had done it in front of us, as it would have been perceived as a bit of theatre and add value for the customer.

The ice was an issue too - it's important because it plays a big part in the drink. If you have too much or too little, the ratio of the drink is out. The tonic was from the gun, although the gin used was Bombay Sapphire, which is a higher quality brand than many others. However, unlike the other drinks, we were not offered a choice and the bartender did not try to upsell us."

Andy: "One of our drinks was wrong - we were served a vodka and tonic instead of vodka with orange, which wasn't a great start. I was offered a choice of bourbons, which was good.

Yet again, the drink did not have enough ice. The rule of thumb is that if it's wet and melting, don't use it. If it is not visibly dry and cold to the touch, chuck it away.

We were given straws in the gin and tonic, vodka and tonic and in the Malibu, but not in the others. Perhaps that's because these are perceived as 'girlie' drinks.

Although it was not what we ordered, the vodka and tonic was OK. It would have been good to have more ice in it - it was the best drink we had been served so far.

But why put lemon in it and not put a garnish in the others?"

Venue four

The pub: A popular managed pub in the central strip of Brighton's nightlife, attracting a mixed group of customers of

all ages.

What we ordered: A gin and tonic, vodka and orange, Jamesons and ginger beer, bourbon and cola and a Malibu and cranberry.

The verdict:

Lee: "The vodka came with concentrated orange juice, poured from a carton. But

the drink was warm and too overpowering and the glass was dirty. Consumers are trading up to premium juices in the off-trade and would be willing to do the same in pubs. Consumers will happily pay 20 or 30p more for a pure juice instead of a concentrate.

The Malibu and cranberry was too sweet

and there wasn't enough ice - so the mix was not balanced. It wasn't very more-ish.

The bartender was trying to go through a process and asked a few questions such as whether we wanted ice, and preferred a single or a double. And he re-confirmed our order as he went along, to check we were getting what we wanted."

Andy: "Again, ice was a big issue. You could taste the spirit in the bourbon and cola, which was good but overall, it was still not perfect.