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DRINK CULTURE www.cheersonline.com 9 January/February 2015 • BACK BARS AVERAGING 83 BOTTLE FACINGS Shelf space on back bars is seriously crowded these days. Bar and restaurant op- erators average 83 bottle facings (those bottles you can see the faces of ) on their back bars, according to the latest OnTrac survey from The Beverage Information & Insights Group (the research unit of Cheers' parent company). Formal restaurants offer a vast selection, with an average of 88.2 bottle facings. Looking at specifi c spirit categories, vodka commands the most self space, with an overall average of 22.2 facings, plus an average of 12.7 fl avored vodka facings. Rum selections are also robust; survey participants offer an average of 15.0 rum bottle facings. OnTrac surveys on-premise accounts annually, including fi ne dining restau- rants, casual-themed eateries, hotels, bars and taverns in 20 major metropolitan markets. The full report is available in the 2014 On-Premise Barometer Handbook (visit www.BevInfoStore.com for more information). Channel Bars/ Taverns 81.0 21.8 13.0 14.9 13.7 6.8 10.5 Informal/Family 81.9 22.0 12.6 15.0 12.8 5.9 10.0 Formal Restaurants 88.2 23.2 13.1 15.5 12.9 5.6 10.2 Hotels/Clubs 80.7 21.7 12.0 14.3 13.4 5.9 10.6 All Outlets 83.0 22.2 12.7 15.0 13.1 6.0 10.2 Source: 2014 OnTrac survey All Back Bar Facing Vodka Facings Flavored Vodka Facings Rum Facings Whisky Facings Flavored Whisky Facings Bourbon Facings AVERAGE BACK BAR BOTTLE FACINGS FLOATING MARGARITAVILLE TO DEBUT ON NEW NORWEGIAN SHIP The fi rst fl oating Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant and 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar will set sail this fall onboard Norwegian Cruise Line's new Norwegian Escape. The ship's Margaritaville restaurant and bar, which will be one of Norwegian Escape's complimentary dining outlets, will offer the chain's signature items like the Cheeseburger in Paradise and Who's to Blame Margarita. The 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar, a full-service music venue and outdoor bar, will feature live nightly performances. In addition to the venues on Norwegian Escape, the cruise line's partnership with the restau- rant chain includes Margaritaville branded food and beverage locations on Norwegian's new island destination in Harvest Caye, Belize, and a 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar on Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, both planned to debut in 2015. The partnership with Margaritaville Holdings, which Norwegian CEO John Cohlan described as "a perfect match between two brands that celebrate escapism, relaxing and having fun," will extend to other ships in Norwegian's fl eet in the future. Norwegian Escape will begin weekly seven-day cruises from her year-round homeport of Miami to the Eastern Caribbean beginning in November. The ship will be the largest to home port year-round in Miami, according to the company, carrying 4,200 guests to tropical Caribbean destinations including St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas. Newcastle Scotch Ale is a new, limited-edition collaboration between the Newcastle and Caledonian breweries, which represent English and Scotch brewing. The ale is 6.4% ABV and 40 IBUs and is brewed at the Caledonian brewery in Edinburgh. The Newcastle Collaboration Series will continue to roll out throughout 2015 and include partner- ships with other European breweries. In celebration of its 250th anniversa- ry, House of Hine has created Hine 250, a Grande Champagne Cognac bottled in a Baccarat crystal decanter. With a limited edition of 250 bottles worldwide, Hine 250 contains eau-de-vie barreled in 1953. The 42% ABV Cognac is available for a suggested retail price of $15,000 for a 750-ml. bottle.