Category: Featured Articles
Legal Matters: Growing the Growler Business
Although the debate among scholars and beer aficionados may linger regarding the etymology of the word “growler,” there can be little doubt that the future of malt beverages is likely to be filled with them. In beer circles, the word growler is now synonymous with a one-half gallon, refillable glass container that is used by local brew pubs and operators for off-premise consumption.
Growlers are advantageous for a variety of operators for many reasons. Growlers afford customers with direct access to tap-quality malt beverage products in affordable, bulk containers that are reusable and, accordingly, environmentally favorable over disposable glass bottles or aluminum cans. Also, growlers stimulate brand awareness both as takeaway brew pub souvenirs and bulk service pieces likely to facilitate group tastings and the shared enjoyment of the malt beverage products in and around the comforts of home.
Online Exclusive: Holiday Beers
Why should cocktail fans have all the fun during the holidays? Brewers of seasonal beers turn to the same baking spices and fruits found in back bar libations, for ales, lagers and stouts that speak to the ingredients used in fall and winter.
Scene: Bellocq Blows Into New Orleans
A bar conjures up another era. Bellocq in New Orleans, the walls are blood red and metal curtains hide alcoves where couples can hide. Low tables and vintage rugs fill the dark, old-fashioned lounge. Once a month there are performances by world music acts, which are booked by Lou Reed’s former manager. For many guests, however, the most striking feature of Bellocq is the menu.
Marketing Matters: Heat Up Your Beverage Sales
Looking for ways to make your summer beverage sales soar? Many operators are finding unique ways to cool down guests and quench their thirst for hot summer deals. Summer seasonal programming and merchandising are great ways to enhance the guest experience and drive incremental revenue.
The summer season is a great time to experiment with offering new beverage selections or adding current trends that appeal to operators’ core guests, and for operators to focus on cleaner, lighter flavors and drinks that can be enjoyed outdoors and poolside.
Brew News You Can Use
Innovative beer packaging that attracts customers. Operators know that beer drinkers love their brews, but it’s not just the suds inside the packaging that entice them. Aluminum cans and bottles, quirky labels, cool taps and suitable glassware are some of the ways that bars and restaurants make the sale. In terms of ringing in beers sales,
A Spirited Mix
Cooking with beer, wine and spirits can increase beverage sales. The key to successfully cooking with beer is understanding the unique flavor profiles and how those will translate in the final dish. Chefs agree that here experimentation in the kitchen is vital.
Growth Brands at WSWA
The Beverage Information Group used the venue of the recent WSWA Convention to honor those suppliers whose wine and spirits brands won Growth Brand Awards.
Perfectly Pinot
Pinot noir has been a favorite on restaurant lists for some time as it offers name recognition, pairs easily with a wide range of foods and has a variety of appealing aromas and flavors. Pinot noir styles run the gamut, from Burgundy’s elegance and minerality, to fruit-forward, juicy, tannic styles from warmer appellations in California. We asked operators for their thoughts on pinot’s appeal, regional differences, food pairings and ideal marketing techniques.
Mastering Mixes: High-Quality Mixers Amp up the Flavor
Operators turn to premium mixers as they deliver consistency and quality throughout the year. “When I think of fresh, I think of hand juicing at the bar, we can’t do that,” says Melissa Davis, director of adult beverage for HMSHost, the Bethesda, Md.-based airport foodservice company that operates about 400 bars and restaurants serving adult beverages in about 85 airports in U.S. and Canada. “Drinks using mixers always taste the same and they are always in season.”
Sidebar: Garden Mixers
Many cocktails are fruit-based, but that’s changing as inventive bartenders experiment on the savory side. Cucumbers can be found in some classic drinks such as the Pimm’s Cup, but now herbs, chilies, beets and even parsnips are showing up in drinks.