Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/421848
40 Beverage Dynamics • November/December 2014 www.beveragedynamics.com Holiday Cheers! THE WHY OF WINTER Why should retailers stock up on winter seasonals? The ales spice up shelves with variety, have a built-in audience, generate `impulse buys, and produce add-on sales during holiday merry-making. "We get a lot of customers who come in looking for the festive beers," says retailer Mark Sahara at the Charleston Beer Exchange in Charleston, S.C. "There is a lot of anticipation because they can only get those beers for a short period of time, so they stock up," he explains. "Winter seasonals are great for holiday occasions; they create impulse buys, and consumers are gener- ally willing to try new beers," says Dave Guender, VP of sales for SweetWater Brewing Co. Festive is the brewery's winter warmer, an 8.6% ABV, strong ale brewed with a sleigh load of Centennial and Goulding hops, as well as cinnamon and mace. "What better way for a retailer to increase their basket ring than with the incremental six-pack sale of a craft win- ter seasonal beer to go with the bottle of wine or bottle of spirits that the con- sumer buys during the winter season?" asks Tysler of Deschutes. "Spending $20 on beer for a gift is not that big of a stretch for most consumers," says Ed Bremer, owner of Heritage Liquor in Saint Paul, Minn. He says his store will typically feature a stack of 40 to 60 cases of seasonals, including a number of local beers such as Schell's Snowstorm. "The number of seasonals available has grown dramati- cally over the past few years," he says. PICK OF THE PACK With so many seasonals in the running, how do retailers select the right assortment for their clientele? Strategies vary. "We tell the salesmen: we want whatever is new; just send it," ex- claims Raj Singh, a manager at JB's Food & Bottleworks in Spokane, Wash. The small but packed supermarket carries seasonals for virtu- ally every label it sells. "Seasonals sell pretty well for us," Singh adds. "We preorder our Christmas and winter beers in the summer, way back in June and July," notes Bremer. Reviews, visits to brew- eries, tastings, customer requests and supplier recommendations all fi gure into his purchasing decisions. "I know which breweries make great beer year in and year out, across all the styles," Bremer says. He will also take a chance on seven or eight new breweries, ordering a trial case from each. "We'll crack open a bottle, taste among the staff, and see how our cus- tomers like it." "Consumers are looking for variety and new fl avors from trusted brewer- ies," says Robin Ottaway, VP of sales for Brooklyn Brewery. People who enjoy year-round offerings from a brand will most likely try a seasonal as well. The brewery's two entries are Brooklyn Win- ter Ale, a rich Scottish style weighing in at 6.1% ABV; and Brooklyn Black Choc- olate Stout, a high-octane (10%) imperial style that gets its robust chocolate char- acter from three mashes of roasted malts. The Charleston Beer Exchange relies heavily upon the palates of its staff when purchasing. "Among the four of us who work here, we've tried all of the breweries and beers on our wholesalers' lists," Sahara says. "We can make an educated estimation of how well the products will sell." "A portion of our purchasing decisions are driven by customer requests; partly we look for what's new and exciting, what's been getting good publicity and marketing," says Crokus at Steve's Wine Beer Spirits. The retailer also keeps tabs on which seasonals have sold well historically. "But we won't sell a product just because it's got a cool label or a lot of marketing behind it," he adds. "The beer has to taste good. That's the over-riding purchasing concern." Samuel Adams Winter Lager, White Christmas Ale, Old Fezziwig and Merry Maker Shock Top Shockolate Wheat Goose Island's Ten Hills SweetWater Festive "Winter seasonals are great for holiday occasions; they create impulse buys, and consumers are generally willing to try new beers." — Dave Guender, VP of sales, SweetWater Brewing Co.