A bartender needs a jigger and pony they can trust, so we asked the Bar Programme Director of Jigger & Pony group how he uses his. Presenting Aki Eguchi from Singapore.
Singapore is not a big country, but one thing that has touched many visitors is the vibrant cocktail scene. From unbeatable classics to more inventive signatures, you’d be surprised by how many good bars they have packed in one city.
Aki Eguchi, with more than 20 years of bar experience, is part of the Jigger & Pony group, overseeing the drinks in many cocktail bars and restaurants in Singapore. He’s also part of the founding team of Find The Locker Room, and the bar consultant at The Japanese Highball Bar 1923 Krung Thep. Let’s just say he has a lot of experience under his belt.
A few weeks ago, we ambushed the Yokohama-born bar expert before his guest shift in Bangkok, and made him spill all his industry likes and dislikes. Here’s the interview.
[Hero and featured Image credit: The Japanese Highball Bar 1923 Krung Thep]
So we talked Asian bar industry with Aki Eguchi of Jigger & Pony
Welcome back to Bangkok! How do you normally prepare for guest shifts?
“Usually, we represent the brand.” Aki explains, “For example, Jigger & Pony. One of the main points of a guest shift is to present Jigger & Pony, so we bring some of the drinks we already have at the bar.”
“But here [The Japanese Highball Bar 1923 Krung Thep], it’s different. Everything I bring to the bar is new [as a bar consultant], and it’s all my own.”
What’s the secret to Jigger & Pony’s success, having ranked No.2 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022 List?
Aki notes that there are two main things to focus on: the hospitality, and the craft. “It’s the hospitality industry, right? That should be the highlight of the bar, and it gives a personal touch when your guests visit. People pay money for drinks, but it’s not just for the alcohol inside. People pay for the experience. If the experience is not good, they would not pay THB 400 for a cocktail.”
“Jigger & Pony focuses a lot on classics. So what we feature on the menu is simple classics and classic twists, compared to other bars we have. For example, Gibson focuses on Asian ingredients, and so on.”
What would you say is the difference between the bar scenes of Singapore and Bangkok?
“Both bar scenes are very similar, actually.” Aki says, “Good cocktail bars started popping up almost ten years ago, but I think Singapore’s pace of new bar openings has slowed down a bit. There’s a lot of different kinds of bars in Singapore—Japanese craft bars, American party bars, very diverse. I feel like Bangkok is getting more and more different cocktail bars opening up. It’s like each month, there’s a new bar.”
“Bangkok people drink a lot, I think even more than Singapore. The price of a cocktail is not cheap, but people always find new places to party, and that’s good for them, and for the businesses.”
What’s your favourite classic cocktail?
“It’s not a popular drink—the Jasmine. It’s very similar to a White Lady, but has a hit of Campari. It adds a nice touch to the cocktail, makes the drink not too sour, and goes very well with gin.”
The Jasmine is a riff on the Pegu Club with a slightly bittersweet taste, made from gin, Campari, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and garnished with a lemon twist. It’s perfect if you’re looking for something that feels a bit tart, refreshing, but not too sweet.
What’s a classic cocktail where you don’t understand how it got so popular?
“A cocktail depends on your preference, so there’s no right or wrong answer. That being said, I don’t understand the Singapore Sling. It’s more like a Singapore Punch. It’s quite a shame, because if you try it at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore (where the Singapore Sling was invented), even though it has a rich history and a focus on making Singapore Slings, it’s the worst Singapore Sling you can get.”
“The Singapore Sling itself is not from a Sling recipe, so I don’t really understand it. But I see people like it, so yeah. The people that I see ordering the Singapore Sling includes old Caucasian couples, Japanese, or Korean guests—basically 100% tourists.”
Do you miss being behind the bar, apart from the occasional guest shifts?
As the Bar Programme Director of Jigger & Pony group, Aki handles the drinks of four cocktail bars and three restaurants, so he doesn’t find himself behind the bar as often as he used to.
“Yes and no.” He answers, “Not every customer is nice. I did a guest shift in Bangkok, and one of the guests complained about why we used pre-batches. His idea of a bar is for everything to be made on the spot. Nowadays, a lot of cocktail bars make pre-batches of cocktails because speed is also important. Cocktails are very complex these days, and it’s just impossible to make everything on the spot and serve guests in a short time. We do make fresh, but we can’t make everything on the spot. Sometimes people don’t see that part, I guess.”
“But I like creating drinks. It’s a very exciting job to create an entirely new drink each time. Talking to customers at the bar is also good because sometimes you’re just in the mood to meet new people. Good things and bad things.”
Lastly, if someone wants to get started in the bar industry, what would be your advice to them?
“Try. Some people are too scared to try and apply. They think you need all sorts of qualifications to be a bartender, but truth is there are places that will be patient and teach you what you need to know. Those qualifications are honestly useless. Just go for it. It will take a long time, and there’s a learning curve. Being in a bar is tiring—you talk to customers, you make drinks, you clean, you serve.”
“Maybe you grow, maybe you flatline. Be patient. Specialisation in something is hard to get, but doable.”
Vichayuth Chantan
Digital Writer, Drinks and Dining
Writer by day and skinny legend by night, Vichayuth focuses on the hospitality industry of Thailand. You'll often find him at a bar finding new friends, discovering new drinks, and silently judging you from across the room.
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