Cheers

For beer week, the Tavern promoted craft beer buckets: Customers could mix and match five selections from the bottle list. And Rook worked with local brewers to put limitedproduction drafts on tap for the week. Meet-and-greets were the focus for three events McGillin's Olde Ale House coordinated for Philly Beer Week. Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern, McGillin's hosted "Lunch with the Stoudts," the husband-and-wife team that brews the tavern's proprietary ales and lagers. Another meet-and-greet put customers together with brewers and reps from Pennsylvania producers Round Guys Brewery, Susquehanna Brewing and Yuengling Brewing. Both were informal, pay-as-you-go events. But the biggest face-time experience was McGillin's full-day, three-brewery Pour Tour. Guests start their day with "kegs and eggs" at the tavern, explains owner Chris Mullins, then they board a luxury bus that loops around to the breweries with sampling and snacks at each stop. The Pour Tour costs $30 per person, notes Mullins, who has conducted half a dozen of these tours, largely as a customer amenity. "We like to support our local brewers, and these occasions give our customers yet another reason to come to McGillin's," he says. Top, inside the Tavern at South Water Kitchen in Chicago. Directly above: Participants in a recent Pour Tour, a full-day, three-brewery bus tour operated by McGillin's Olde Ale House in Philadelphia. multiple tasting stations so that customer could sample and chat with local brewers. A recent craft beer week celebration in Chicago was the nucleus for promotions at the Tavern at South Water Kitchen. Part of Kimpton Group's Hotel Monaco, the Tavern just completed a decor renovation that also added three draft lines for a total of eight. Bartender Dan Rook revamped the beer program to focus on local microbrews. "There is a lot of great beer being made here in Chicago and the Midwest," notes Rook. He drives traffic to the Tavern every Thursday with half-price drafts and $5 burgers. "It's one of our busiest nights, because you can't find a better deal in town," he says. 32 | JULY/AUGUST 2013 GET A REPUTATION FOR EDUCATION These days, beer lovers are as thirsty for knowledge as they are for beer. Those who teach can earn their customers' loyalty and patronage. Four Points LAX garnered its moniker as the LA Beer Hotel back in 2000 with a regular series of beer appreciation nights, attracting many pioneers of the craft movement, says Baxter. Then the appointment of a beer sommelier put the operator on the front pages of The Wall Street Journal. That educational curriculum continues today, drawing students from all over LA as well as guests from nearby hotels. A recent innovative program is the establishment of the Beer Advisory Board. Applicants submitted essays about why they deserved a seat on the board. There were 100 submissions—such an enthusiastic response that Baxter picked a board of 10 rather than the original three. The Beer Advisory Board meets quarterly at the hotel. "It keeps our beer programs relevant," says Baxter. At The Tavern, which has limited space, Rook astutely selected a dozen bottles as "study buddies" to his eight beers on tap. If a customer enjoys the draft IPA, Rook can steer them to a bottle of the same style but different accent, an imperial IPA version, for example. "It's a one-two punch," says Rook, a chance to educate guests about variations of a style. Education and promotional events tie in to Taco Mac's "Brewniversity" loyalty program. Not only do enrolled customers get credits and rewards for sampling new beers, now they get extra credit for attending the many and various www.cheersonline.com

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