Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/458161
www.cheersonline.com 32 • January/February 2015 THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE: BEVERAGE TRENDS FOR 2015 Instant gratifi cation, education and participation will be recurrent themes throughout restaurants and hotels in the coming year. The economic upturn in 2014, coupled with the desire to attract the millennial patron, has led to a surge of hip new concepts, personalized service and customized expe- riences geared towards satisfying this "demand" generation. While this shift is a driving force, operators must still fi nd a way to balance the desires of their longstanding regulars with this emerging customer base. Chefs, restaurateurs and hoteliers are providing experiences that are less formal yet high in quality, more interactive and rooted in catering to the pleasure seeker. In compiling The Pleasure Principle, our annual report that previews the hottest trends and predictions that will be shaping the restaurant and hotel industries, we identifi ed key infl uences in hospitality marketing, hotel, food and beverage for 2015. Here's a look at some of the on-premise beverage trends. SPICE, SPICE BABY Restaurants these days aren't afraid to bring the heat. And diners aren't afraid to accept the challenge. With the prolif- eration and popularity of authentic ethnic eats, there is no shortage of dishes that pack a punch. The trend is moving to the bar as well. For example, Flora restaurant in Oakland, CA, serves up a cocktail named "Carter Beats the Devil," a tequila-based drink with a Thai bird's eye chile tincture. PUCKER UP From pickles to vinegary, shrub-based cocktails, we're into sour fl avors. It's an easy way to add dimension to dishes and by refreshing the taste buds, it literally makes your mouth water. You can make shrubs by preserving fruit with vin- egar, sugar and water. The bracing beverage can be used in cocktails, like the Gunnersbury Park at Sable Kitchen & Bar in Chicago, which is a combination of Great King Street whisky, rhubarb shrub and spices. EAT, DRINK, PLAY Game halls are the next big thing. Adding an inter- active gaming element to the bar atmosphere keeps people drinking and makes places a destination in- stead of a stop along the way. For instance, Plank in Oakland, CA, keeps the fun under one roof with a beer garden, bowling and bocce. And Denver is set to welcome 6,000-sq.-ft. RheinHaus to its restaurant ranks. The Bavarian beer hall will feature bocce ball courts to keep the drinks and fun fl owing. WHO YOU CALLING SHORTY? The solution to cocktail indecisiveness? The short drink. Miniature versions of full-sized cocktail offer- ings for guests who can't decide what to order, or for those who just want to sample a few things. For example, the drink menu at New York's Alder offers "Shorts" of any of its cocktail selections for half off the full drink price. And you can fi nd "The Littles" at Dominick's in Los Angeles. These 3-½-oz. portions of classic cock- tails such as Martinis and Manhattans are served for $4 during the restaurant's Happy Hour. SORRY, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU (EXCEPT WHEN YOU CAN) Bartenders tip their hats to the past and add a bit of spectacle to their presentations by incorporating fl asks into the mix. Large-format cocktails at Rose. Rabbit. Lie. at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas are served in customized glass fl asks that guests can take home with them. The Robert Burn's Hunting Flask cocktail at Charles Phan's The Coachman in San Francisco is presented to guests in a small metal fl ask and poured tableside over a large block ice cube. CIDER HOUSE RULES The craft beer movement has paved the way for an infl ux of artisan ciders. On tap, in bottles and even in the can, these easy drinking, sweet yet tart beverages are a welcome addition to bar menus. The Seattle Cider Co., for instance, offers its tart and tangy Dry Hard Cider in a 16-oz can. Cider By Andrew Freeman MARKETING MATTERS Plank in Oakland, CA, offers a beer garden, bowling and a bocce court.