The Accessibility Challenge: Making Premium Spirits Approachable
From The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast: Danil Nevsky (Cocktail Trading Company), Federico Riezzo, and Kaitlin Wilkes on breaking cocktail industry language barriers, the "uncle test" for scalable drink strategy, and making premium spirits accessible without losing quality.
The cocktail industry faces a fundamental accessibility problem that limits its growth potential. Through conversations with professionals who work across different segments of the industry, we've identified how technical complexity and insider language create barriers that prevent most consumers from engaging with premium spirits and cocktail culture.
The Language Barrier Problem
The cocktail industry has developed terminology that makes perfect sense to professionals but creates intimidation for regular consumers.
We explored how industry language like spirit-forward, citrusy, or herbaceous carries clear meaning for bartenders but often confuses guests who just want to understand what they're ordering.
Danil Nevsky's observation about London's Cocktail Trading Company illustrates a solution to this challenge. Their menu structure includes drink names, simple flavor descriptors, ingredients, and brief explanations that help customers make decisions without requiring extensive cocktail knowledge.
This approach provides enough information for informed choices without overwhelming newcomers.
Federico Riezzo's experience demonstrates how accessibility barriers appear in service interactions. When bartenders use professional terminology with guests who lack industry background, the disconnect can prevent customers from exploring beyond familiar drinks. His approach emphasizes reading the situation and adapting communication style to match guest comfort levels.
The Uncle Test Philosophy
Kaitlin Wilkes developed a practical framework for ensuring accessibility in drink strategy development.
Her uncle test principle requires that any recipe component should be obtainable and usable by someone without professional bartending experience. If her uncle wouldn't make the syrup at home, it doesn't belong in a scalable drink strategy.
