Eureka! is defined as expressing delight on finding, discovering or solving something. Those that truly appreciate great food, craft beer and artisan liquor are discovering a better restaurant experience and Eureka! has elevated it to an art form. In our warm contemporary and slightly rustic environment we create craveable dining experiences in a classy and approachable atmosphere while leaving enduring memories one burger or craft beer at a time.
We had the pleasure to pick Trevor Tyler’s brain as to what it takes to run a successful spirits program for a well known social enterprise aka restaurant bar.
Trevor, tell us about yourself a little bit.
TT: My name is Trevor Tyler. I grew up in Los Angeles, CA and attended Cal Poly Pomona where I received my degree in Hospitality Management. I have worked in bars and restaurants my whole life. My first bar experience go all the way back to the age of 5 where I used to sit at my mom’s bar top where she served and I would steal cherries from the bartenders garnish bin.
I started working at Eureka! in 2011 as a General Manager, and have been doing the Beverage Program for the company since 2014. My favorite spirit is whiskey, and my go to cocktail is a Rittenhouse Rye Old Fashioned. I enjoy traveling and experiencing new bars and restaurants with my girlfriend. I have a French Bulldog named Dodger. I think that about sums it up!
Can you tell us who is involved in this venue? Maybe tell us a bit about the founder.
TT: Eureka! was founded in 2009 in Redlands, CA. The owners were Real Estate developers who caught the restaurant bug when the housing bubble popped in 2008. They partnered with Chef Ron Guidone who had restaurants in Manhattan Beach, CA to develop our menu. The idea of Eureka was to develop a concept that was recession proof, and that provided an upscale experience to guests at a remarkable value.
What is your role and what does your day look like?
TT: I am the Beverage Director for Eureka. My role requires a lot of different skills. Despite what my friends and family think, my job is not just about drinking beer and cocktails all day; although some of my days are spent that way. I am involved in every aspect of the beverage program at Eureka. Everything from product procurement and purchasing, cocktail development, cost analysis, quality control and service in our restaurants. I also like to think of myself as a Brand Ambassador for Eureka! It is my goal to make sure every person I talk to knows about Eureka! and is just as excited about it as I am.
I am sure you had some proud moments so far as the Beverage Director for Eureka, can you share some of those with us?
TT: Wow! I tend to focus on what needs to be fixed more than I focus on achievements. It’s nice to think about the positive things. Some of the things I am most proud of is transitioning our bar program to be truly All American. When I took over the bar program at the beginning of 2014 we preached that we were all American but we had some products behind our bar that were not made in the USA. Today every single one of the liquors, liqueurs, bitters, etc behind our bar are made in America. We only make one exception, and that is for Tequila (for obvious reasons). Another success I am extremely proud of is the CollaBREWation program we do with distilleries and breweries.
We have a lot of great relationship with distilleries that allow us to acquire empty barrels to age beer in. We have partnered with about 10 breweries to date to brew beers to age in whiskey casks and release the collaboration in our restaurants. The most successful collaboration was from Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim, CA. The beer was called “Fundamental Observation”, which is a synonym for Eureka! The beer was an Imperial Stout aged in whiskey casks with Madagascar Vanilla Bean. The beer currently sits at #18 on the list of the top 250 beers in the world on Beer Advocate. Pretty damn cool! I think the biggest success for me though is making our guests and employees happy. If I can achieve that on a daily basis then I am truly proud of my work.
How do you stay current with all the latest whiskies? With all the independent bottlers and small craft distilleries.
TT: Research! Research! Research! I believe in never staying comfortable. There is always something out there to discover; a new whiskey, a new distillery, a new experimental process. I read a lot of industry magazines, and go to a lot of bars. I am always interested what others are doing and how I can either use that to incorporate it at Eureka! or improve on those ideas. Sales People and Distributors also help with discovering new products hahaha. I have the pleasure of having a ton of great relationships with our vendors, and they are always letting me know about cool new products on the market. I also am very particular, so they know what to put in front of me and what not to, which makes the process a hell of a lot easier.
How many different types of whisky do you have available at your venue?
TT: We try to represent all styles of whiskey at Eureka!; given that they are made in the United States. We carry: Bourbon, Rye, Wheat, Single Malt and White Dog (unaged whiskey). We also carry experimental whiskies like hopped whiskey, and whiskey aged in second use barrels such as port and beer. I know I always like to discover something new and exciting, so we want to make sure we offer our guests the same thing. Eureka’s have 30+ different whiskies at any given location.
Is Eureka known for anything else besides great Whiskey selection?
TT: I like to tell people that you can go to a lot of places and have a great drink, or have great food, or get great service; but the thing that makes places great is that you can get all 3. That is our goal at Eureka. In addition to whiskey we have an amazing all American craft beer selection, great craft cocktails, an amazing food menu made from our scratch kitchen and high quality service.
When it comes to making the classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, the Manhattan how do you determine which whiskey to use? Who comes up with the recipes.
TT: All recipes are developed by myself. When it comes to Classic cocktails we try to keep things just that way…. “classic”. These recipes have been around for hundreds of years, and there is a reason why they have stood the test of time. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! I am a big advocate of using Rye whiskey in classic cocktails such as an Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Sazerac. Rye is a great cocktail whiskey due to its complex floral characters. When you use Bourbon in these recipes the cocktail tends to be unbalanced and leaning towards the sweeter side. Cocktails should be balanced, that is why I use Rye.
What kind of crowd does your venue attract?
TT: We attract a very diverse guest base. I tell people that you can walk into a Eureka and see a group of college kids, a young family with children. some dudes with mohawks and senior citizens all at the same time. We serve great food, whiskey and craft beer. What kind of crowd doesn’t like that?
I agree Trevor. Is there any particular type of whisky that sells more than the other?
TT: Bourbon sells the best due to it being more approachable to the average guest. Bourbon is kind of the entry level whiskey drinkers drink. I’d compare it to the pilsner or amber ale of the craft beer world, while Rye whiskey is more like the IPA. Bourbon tends to be sweeter then different styles of whiskey, and is much more approachable.
What are the top 3 coveted cocktails at Eureka?
TT: I guess that depends on who you ask! We train our team members to give the guest the best cocktail for them. Not everyone is going to like a Sazerac or a Manhattan. It is important that we guide our guests to the best option for them. However here are three that our guests really enjoy.
- A lot of our guests love our Moscow Mules. We don’t use pre-bought ginger beer in our mules though. We make a Ginger Lime Syrup in house that is made from freshly juiced ginger root that is hand peeled, fresh squeezed lime juice and sugar. It’s a really simple recipe, but the secret is in the ratio. Which I have sworn to guard with my life. Using a fresh made syrup really allows the ginger in the mule to shine. I describe it as “fresh” and “bright”. People go crazy for our Mules.
- Our Old Fashioned is also very popular. We have come a long way since the bleached cherry, orange wedge and perfect white sugar cube Old Fashioneds of the 80s and 90s. We use demerara sugar cubes in our old fashioned rather than white sugar cubes or a simple syrup that you’ll see in a lot of bars. The demerara sugar is unrefined all natural sugar, similar to what “Sugar in the Raw” is. This sugar has no artificial coloring or flavoring added to it which a lot of sugars do. This give our Old Fashioned a much more rounded sweetness that is not overpowering or cloying like some Old Fashioneds. Of course we use rye whiskey as well in this drink. I’d put our Old Fashioned up against any bar in the United States.
- The last one is our Holy Smokes! cocktail. This cocktail is designed to taste like eating desert by a campfire. We use bourbon, chocolate bitters, maple syrup and a tart cherry liqueur. We then add Hickory smoke which we funnel into a mason jar, and then seal the lid. The cocktail is then delivered to the table with the smoke trapped inside, and the guest is able to take off the lid and imbibe as the smoke slowly dances out of the jar. It’s a really fun experience and an even better drink. It is definitely a drink that when our guest see it, they immediately ask their server or bartender “What is that?! I want that!”
How big is the whisky scene in Texas?
TT: The whiskey scene in Texas is awesome! Balcones is one of my favorite distilleries in the USA. We carry a lot of their products. Herman Marshall, Firestone & Robertson, Banner, Garrison Brothers, and Ranger Creek are all doing amazing things as well. The whiskey industry is growing every day, I am excited to see even more new distilleries come out of Texas.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of Tastethedram?
TT: Go check out Eureka! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
