Bar am Steinplatz - Interview with bar manager Willi Bittorf

“If someone had told me a few years ago that my first menu would be completely alcohol-free, I would have laughed in their face.” Instead, Willi prefers to show off the alcohol-free menu, or rather, the little works of art that adorn the tables of the Bar am Steinplatz are painted. The sophistication of his non-alcoholic drinks, the attention to detail, and the outlandish names of his creations almost knock us off our (bar) stools.

We are visiting Willi Bittorf in the Bar am SteinplatzGermany's first hotel bar with a signature non-alcoholic menu featuring drinks such as Let's talk about sparkling wine, baby. and A winning horse named Julip find.

But more on that later. When you hear "hotel bar," you might think of sprawling leather armchairs, a piano player, ties, and rather unimaginative spirits on ice? Apart from the chic leather armchairs, none of that applies here. In the Bar am SteinplatzJust around the corner from the lively Savignyplatz in Berlin's west, you can take a seat in your sneakers. The team around head bartender Willi focuses on the enjoyment of good drinks and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Sophisticated and top-notch, yet far from stiff and unapproachable. Launched in the summer of 2020, the new bar menu was only available for four months.

“We give people who can’t or don’t want to drink alcohol the opportunity to have an awesome experience – that’s what counts.”
Willi knows a thing or two about amazing experiences. At 32, after a traditional restaurant apprenticeship, he discovered his passion for the bar scene, "with the cool guys behind the bar." He explored the world of spirits at the Shangri-La in London, the Regent Berlin, and the Waldorf Astoria. Now he's the new head bartender of... Hotel am Steinplatz and responsible for the disruptive, sensational map.

For him, it was clear that he wanted to do something truly special. A strong concept for a renowned bar that has won multiple awards, including "Hotel Bar of the Year" and the Mixology Bar Award. He created Germany's first hotel bar with a signature non-alcoholic menu, which just a year ago featured ten clear drinks that all looked the same. Willi reveals to us how much ingenuity is required to conjure up creations that impress with their sophistication and depth, offering exciting alternatives to classic drinks.

How do they arise Non-alcoholic drinks with you?
“The approach is exactly the same as with alcoholic cocktails. You have something in mind that you've drunk before, know a great product you want to use, or there's a dish that needs to be complemented. For example, there's a really delicious salted grapefruit lemonade. I immediately think of umami, dried seaweed, coconut syrup, and lime water. The spirit shouldn't be too strong. A vermouth enhances the umami character. When everything is shaken, you get a subtly salty result with the savoriness of seaweed. A harmonious sweet and sour interplay.”

In the end, it involves a lot of tinkering, a lot of trial and error, and a lot of mixing. And also a lot of throwing away. I often had to pester my colleagues to get me to taste it. The funny thing about it... non-alcoholic drinks is that the staff can also stand behind the bar and drink.”

“This is all uncharted territory.”

What did you notice when working with the non-alcoholic drinks Learned?
“There are many brands and products that I don’t understand and don’t like, and working with them was quite a challenge. It was all new territory. It was a process and it took time.”We often had drinks that were okay, sort of "okay," but in the end, they were nothing more than a better soda. They simply lacked the complexity and interest that would make me take my time with them, like I would with a proper drink, instead of just gulping them down. And that caused a lot of frustration at the beginning. My biggest lesson: alcohol is a flavor carrier. Getting a rich, full flavor is the hardest part. But we've managed to achieve that very well using essences, kombucha, or vinegar.

What surprised you the most?
“My concerns that the menu would become too monotonous proved unfounded. Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised because I hadn't thought so much was possible with texture and flavor. The basic building blocks are the same as with alcoholic drinks, but the properties and characteristics can be completely different. I'm sure that the mixological level will continue to rise with the increasing popularity of non-alcoholic spirits.”

How is the concept being received?
“In the beginning, there was a lot of resistance and skepticism, even from colleagues. That's why I put in a lot of work and effort to nip the criticism in the bud. Looking back, there was a lot of pressure to convince everyone and not confirm their prejudices. It's the first bar menu I've published on my own. For me, it will ultimately be a success if I receive positive feedback. My colleagues were very enthusiastic. I can still picture their surprised faces when they first saw the…” Garden 108 Smash They tried it and the comment was “This intense note of ginger is really in your face.”

“We don’t want to be exclusive. Our idea is to bring everyone to the table.”

There are critics who don't understand the concept. I had to learn that. It's about recognizing the type of guest and catering to them. For example, if someone wants a classic nightcap. Businesspeople who want a beer during the week and Negroni They want that. And that's exactly what they get from us. Maintaining a dual approach is a challenge: keeping the top-quality alcoholic products and expanding the non-alcoholic range.”

How do you deal with critics of alcohol-free diets?
“The most important thing is communication and wording: ‘If you’re interested and would like to remain alcohol-free, we recommend…’. Ultimately, it’s the taste that wins people over. For everyone else, there’s also alcohol on the back of the menu. We don’t want to be exclusive. Our idea is to bring everyone to one table. Everyone can drink what they want. It’s a bit like it used to be with vegetarian food. If you’d told people in the pub where I trained that there would one day be purely vegetarian restaurants, nobody would have believed it.”

What are your favorite drinks?
“I like the Ramos 0.5% With its slightly creamy texture, it's very refreshing. We use ayran and non-alcoholic IPA, which gives the drink its hoppy character. We also add citrus flavors, a little cream, and aquafaba—no egg white. It needs to be shaken a lot, so it takes a while to make.

“Let’s talk about champagne, baby”
Also great, a fresh aperitif with enough acidity and therefore a super Alternative to champagne cocktailsAfterwards, you really crave something to eat. For a show effect, we use a flavor blaster to aromatize the champagne glass. The smoke stays in the glass, allowing the guest to fully enjoy the aroma. A real eye-catcher. A winning horse named Julip It is based on rose water, which is prepared in-house, and an alcohol-free bitter.It's fruity, tart, and acidic. The best anecdote is about the drink. Who is Frank “Palini” BaumFrank Palini Baum was the most famous guitarist in German-speaking countries for Hawaiian Tikki music. We wondered if Tikki could also be alcohol-free and reimagined it with black cherry, sea buckthorn, and carrot. A fruity, earthy drink, and the story behind it is a real icebreaker for conversations.

What tips do you have for mixing drinks at your home bar?
“For home use, I think simple and delicious drinks are ideal. When mixing, there are a few small things you can do a lot with. A pinch of salt enhances the aroma and provides support, just like in cooking. The interplay of sweetness, salt, and acidity is what makes drinks broad, deep, and very exciting. As simple as it sounds: the most important thing is the ice. If the ice cubes are too small, the ice gets diluted. It's key for our cocktail menu. If they weren't 3.2 cm, the drink would get diluted, and the flavor wouldn't last as long. At home, it's important to use whole ice cubes, not broken ones. I like to make my own ice cubes with a muffin tin. Also good: turn down the freezer so the ice cubes are really cold. In the end, though, it might get boring if people can easily recreate everything at home; then we wouldn't need us anymore.”

Has your relationship with alcohol changed after focusing on being alcohol-free?
“Even before we designed the map, I had already decided to forgo heavy drinking.” Negroni Old Fashioneds are nice, but I've never been one for hard liquor. I also don't drink much alcohol at home. It's more for social occasions. And it's been far too long since my last game night with friends. My favorite drink at home is tea. For me, it's one of the most exciting drinks in the world because of its diverse flavors—from smoky to strong, sweet to floral. Nevertheless, I still enjoy my after-work beer and other drinks just as much as before.

One last brief conclusion?
“The great thing is that we have an opportunity for everything here. It just so happens that we have such great things.” non-alcoholic drinks "They can create. That's the bottom line."

Feeling thirsty?

Have you suddenly developed a real craving for non-alcoholic drinks? Then try our non-alcoholic gin. & Tonic – a classic that's easy to mix. You can find the recipe here. here.

Photos: Bar am Steinplatz