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Spain, Italy, France and Greece, as does its beverage program. "Our wine list is Mediterranean, our spirits are all Mediterranean and the beer list is Mediterranean; they are an extension of our menu," says Jon McDaniel, manager and sommelier. The Purple Pig's beer list currently includes Birra Moretti La Rossa Doppelbock from Italy, Estrella Damm from Spain and Brasserie Pietra Colomba White Ale from Corsica among its eight draft taps; priced $6 to $12. The dozen beer bottles available include a Sagres Lager from Portugal and Macedonian Thrace Hillas from Greece. They're priced $6 to $8, and as much as $36 for large formats. "If we serve a dish from Sicily, we want to suggest appropriate beers to our guests," McDaniels says. Customer education is often necessary, he adds: "If someone asks for Budweiser or Miller Light, our servers are trained to suggest similar styles; perhaps a Peroni Italian lager, in this case." HOLIDAYS FOR HOISTING IMPORTED BREWS Imports are invariably center-stage at culture-specific, beercentric events like Oktoberfest and Saint Patrick's Day. "We had a wonderful Oktoberfest last fall; we changed out six of our taps and only featured beers from Germany," recalls Caliendo of Lazy Dog Café. The casual chain's promotion featured German classics such as Spaten Optimator, Weihenstephaner Oktoberfest and Köstritzer Schwarzbier. "The event was a huge success—we sold a ton of beer," says Caliendo, who plans a similar program this year. Imports also come out at the 13 Lazy Dog Cafés during the St. Patrick's Day season. The chain then promotes the classic Black & Tan Guinness Stout and Harp Lager combo. The rest of the year, however, American craft brews dominate the chain's 18 draft taps. While imports do have a place on Lazy Dog's beer list, "there are so many exciting things happening domestically," Caliendo notes. Chives celebrates every year with a menu of German food and Oktoberfest beers from Germany and America, as well as some seasonal English ales. "Imports are always the stars of the show at Oktoberfest," says Glasser. Similarly, a number of Irish beers are on tap during St. Patrick's Day. During the Christmas holidays, Chives imports a number of seasonal winter ales from England. "The Christmas beers sell really well," says Chives co-owner Tammie Sobotka. Not surprisingly, "St. Patrick's Day is a very big week for our company," says Gray at Kildare's Irish Pubs. Playing off of that is a monthly promotion called St. Practice Day. Held on the 17th of every month, Kildare customers practice up for St. Patrick's Day with discounted pints of Irish beer and other specials. While ethnic cuisines and traditional holidays give imported beer consumptions a boost, the focus on the American craft scene right now has clearly stolen some thunder from imports. Some observers believe that imported beer will regain footing lost to U.S. craft brews, however. "European brands have taken a hit over the past few years from American craft beer, but imports will come back," says Gray. "Right now people are trying every craft beer they've www.cheersonline.com The Purple Pig has branded glassware for nearly all the beers it sells. Raise your chalice European drinking traditions demand a specific glass for every beer brand. American operators are following suit. That custom enhances prestige, reinforces brand awareness and leads to me-too sales. "Many of the big European brands push the use their glassware, because the logos are such a big part of their marketing image, and they try to carry that tradition over into the States," notes Dane Gray, director of operations for Kildare's Irish Pub. Top seller Guinness Stout is only and always served in logoed glasses at Kildare's, as are other imports such as Carlsberg, Stella Artois and Hoegaarden. Distinctive glasses can boost sales too. Stella Artois, for instance, "has an attractive chalice with a gold rim that grabs customers' attention," says Gray. "It's all about the proper vessel," says Jon McDaniel, manager and sommelier at The Purple Pig in Chicago. The Purple Pig has branded glassware for just about each of the beers it serves. "We are lucky to partner with a couple of great distributors and importers that provide glassware for us," he says. Chives Grille, a sports bar in Alliance, OH, serves imports in branded glasses wherever possible, says bar manager James Glasser, "especially with the Belgian beers in those fancy goblets." The Lazy Dog Café is in the process of choosing new glassware. The Huntington Beach, CA-based chain now serves beer in 16-oz. and 22-oz. glasses, but those sizes are too large for higher-alcohol brews such as barleywines and Belgian triples, says Gabriel Caliendo, vice president of food and beverage. "I want to choose specialty glassware that goes better with those styles—dubbels, tripels and bocks," he says. —THS never heard of, but I think that will settle down. Then the established brands will regain their loyal customers." That's the reason Gray continues to reserve fully half of Kildares' draft taps for imported beers. Thomas Henry Strenk is a Brooklyn-based freelancer who crafts his own homebrew and writes about all things drinkable. MARCH 2013 | 51