Navarre Fenwick gets a ‘selfish satisfaction’ from making someone’s night

Melbourne bar Black Pearl is something of an icon in the Australian bar industry, with a 22 year long existence making it an All Time Great. It’s a bar that’s known around the world, too. But its big reputation hides the fact that at its heart, Black Pearl is simply a little neighbourhood cocktail joint.

For bartender Navarre Fenwick, it’s the camaraderie at Black Pearl that makes the place special. “I feel very safe here, learning so much as well,” he says.

Navarre is also one of the top 25 bartenders in the Espolòn Afterlife To The Bone cocktail competition, and below, lightly edited and condensed for clarity, he tells us about his cocktail, about what makes Black Pearl special, and the creative process he works through.

How long have you worked at Black Pearl?

I’ve worked here for a year and a half. Yeah, it’s been a good time.

Tell us what is it about Black Pearl that you like?

Yeah, the camaraderie for me. I feel very safe here, learning so much as well. I just think that progression, just for my own self-confidence professionally — and socially as well — has been really prominent for me.

How long have been bartending for?

Three years. Yeah, and I’m glad that this is my next step.

Tell us about your drink — what’s it taste like?

It’s called Homebound. It’s a highball serve and it’s punchy, fruity and very moreish. It uses blood orange and cinnamon juice, along with some blood orange and grapefruit peel to make an oleo, and then it’s topped up with rosella water for a lengthener, with a bump of lime, juice and then using Espolòn Reposado for those tropical fruit flavours.

I wanted to make an ode to the Pan Am Clipper, which uses an aged spirit as well. And along with those very prominent tropical fruit flavours, there’s tropical fruit notes in Espolòn Reposado tequila as well, which I wanted to make use of.

What was the inspiration behind the drink?

Well, I was really inspired by family and connection with the Pan American Clipper being about flights, I wanted to have that tie into that — it’s a welcome home to your loved ones. I love hugs. Hug your family guys. Do it.

What was the creative process involved?

I worked to a flavour, so again, with those warm fruit notes in Espolòn Reposado, I wanted to start from there. I picked out fruits that are in season as well. Which is kind of also a call to the brand messaging behind the Reposado, meeting at the marketplace. I wanted those seasonal ingredients just to represent community as much as I could.

What makes the community around here, around the Black Pearl special?

Fitzroy has been a huge hub for nightlife and for people of all ages to come together. Prominent bars, nightlife, dance, food as well.

Whether or not you’re coming in for a late night cocktail or before dinner, I think it just has always been a place of regulars, a place where you can make friends too.

Why do do what you do? Why are you in bartending and hospitality? What’s it about?

I love people. I love people. I love making friends. And I think there’s just a bit of a selfish satisfaction with making someone’s night.

Homebound

45mL Espolon Reposado Tequila
30mL Blood Orange & Cinnamon Cordial
2.5mL Lime Juice
60mL Rosella Hibiscus Tea

Serve into chilled Highball. Garnish with Queen Cerise and Fennel Bouquet.

Batch for Carafe (6 serves):

270 mL Espolon Reposado Tequila
180 mL Blood Orange & Cinnamon Cordial
15 mL Lime Juice
360 mL Rosella Hibiscus Tea
300 mL Soda Water (Into Carafe for dilution)

For the Blood Orange & Cinnamon Cordial:
Juice Component:
Juice 500 mL fresh Blood Orange juice and strain to remove pulp.
Combine the juice with 2 grams of dried Rosella leaves and 6 grams of Cinnamon sticks in a vacuum-seal bag.
Vacuum seal at 18 MBAR and let infuse for 1 hour.
Release the vacuum slowly and strain the liquid, ensuring it does not boil over.

Oleo Component:
Combine 100 grams of Blood Orange peel and 50 grams of Grapefruit peel with 200 grams of white caster sugar in a vacuum-seal bag.
Vacuum seal at 15 MBAR. Take out and let macerate for 24 hours.
Yield: 150 mL Blood Orange/Grapefruit Oleo. Adjust with 0.25 grams of citric acid.

Combine Juice and Oleo: Mix together at a 2:1 ratio of Blood Orange Juice to Oleo (40 mL Juice - 20 mL Oleo).

Prepare Rosella Tea Dilution Component:
Brew Rosella Tea by boiling 250 grams of water at 90°C.
Steep 3 grams of dried Rosella Leaves in the boiled water for 5 minutes.
Strain and let cool.

Assemble Homebound Cocktail:
Combine 60 mL of prepared Rosella Tea with 30 mL of Blood Orange & Cinnamon Cordial (at a 2:1 ratio).
Add 45 mL Espolon Reposado Tequila
Add 2.5 mL Lime Juice to glass
Mix well.

Batch and Serve:
For a larger batch (6 serves), combine 270 mL Espolon Reposado Tequila, 180 mL Blood Orange & Cinnamon Cordial, 15 mL Lime Juice, 360 mL Rosella Hibiscus Tea into Carafe. Add 300 mL Soda Water after for more dilution.
Serve over cubed ice in a chilled highball glass.
Garnish with Queen Cerise and Fennel Bouquet, Blood Orange slices, fennel, and violas.

Kegging Instructions:
Make sure ingredients have been chilled overnight for best carbonation result.
Combine 2700 mL Espolon Reposado Tequila, 1800 mL Blood Orange & Cinnamon Cordial, 150 mL Lime Juice, 3600 mL Rosella Hibiscus Tea in to a clean Cornelius keg.
Leave about 5 litres of space in the keg for oxygen to escape.
Seal keg with a leak proof lid with carbonation stone attached.
Set co2 pressure to 40psi.
Tap the co2 to the Cornelius keg passing co2 through carbonation stone for best diffusion into liquid.
Bleed any oxygen from the keg using the release valve at the top of the lid.
Roll you keg in a rocking motion on its side to evenly distribute the co2.
Bleed all the gas and re charge with co2 and roll. Repeat this process 3 times and leave keg to chill.