Beverage Dynamics

Beverage Dynamics Jan-Feb 2016

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.

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Half Time employees are well prepared for all scenarios. The personal reward is in experi- ence and fellowship. "If you want to work in the craft beer world, then you can work for one of the largest craft beer retailers," Jason says. "We've had employees from day one, who've now been here for thirteen or four- teen years." "This is a family business, and everyone working for us is like family," he adds. "We have holiday parties together. We hang out and volunteer together on the weekends. Whether you're at work or off work, there's a camaraderie that exists among everyone." WHAT'S NEXT Considering Half Time's past and present, it's no surprise that the company intends to expand. Additional Hudson Valley locations are planned for coming years. The chain will also grow digitally. According to Goo- gle, Half Time already has the internet's most visited beer website, Jason says. The goal is for the website to become more of an e-commerce platform. It will sort beers into easily searchable categories, further helping customers narrow down to what they like. Half Time will also produce beer of its own. The com- pany recently purchased Matthew Vassar Brewing Co., a major U.S. brewery from the 19th century. The aim is to restart production soon. Opening a brewery would be another considerable under- taking for a business that excels at both large-scale projects and attention to detail. With lofty goals backed by a knowledgeable staff and a dynamic father-son duo, the future looks bright for this growing chain. BD up with new beers." To keep abreast, staff members utilize the stores' features. "When we get something that we've never had before, we'll put it on a growler tap and give it a taste," says Joseph Buddo, Director of Operations in Mamaroneck. It's no simple job. The craft beer category is expanding so rapidly that Half Time must make room nearly every week for new SKUs, Buddo explains. The stores will stock as much as they can. Deciding between SKUs is a matter of reputation and demand. "We'll base a lot of it on scores and reviews," Buddo says. "We'll look into what has a lot of hype and what's gotten big on social media. We give a lot of new beers a shot. If they don't move well, we move them out." Half Time also collects cus- tomer information for waiting lists on new products, which are ordered when there's enough interest. Especially hot right now, Jason says, are sours and barrel-aged beers. Foreign products are also on the rise. "Customers will come back from a country and want to know where they can buy that country's beers," he says. Cider, too, has seen a size- able uptick. The Mamaroneck location has a cider aisle 100 feet long. "I think hard cider is a gateway to other alco- hol," Jason says. "Whether the drinker is female or just someone who hasn't hopped into craft beer yet, cider allows everyone to get some great-tasting stuff." WELL-ROUNDED STAFF "Anyone who comes on board must have either a very good knowledge of craft beer, or a very good knowledge of hard work," Jason says. Keeping up to date with beer is just one part of the employee equation. A well-rounded skillset is necessary, so staff go through three weeks of training before beginning in stores. "A lot of craft beer places want to hire a lot of craft beer geeks, which of course we do too," Jason explains. "But we also want someone who understands retail and customer service." Some customers want to explore the store on their own. Some people want to have long talks about beer, or spend an hour going through every country's offerings. Others will BIG STORE, BIG FESTIVAL In 2014, Jason organized the first annual Harbor Island International Beer Festival, selling over 5,000 tickets. This year's festival was again a great turnout. Thousands of attendees packed shoulder-to-shoulder under huge tents. There were 150 breweries sampling 350 beers. Products came from as far away as Iceland and Japan. The festival also featured live music and food trucks, plus premium ticket packages. VIP passes gave access to a tent with a food buffet and dozens of special beers. These included products by Clown Shoes, Brooklyn Brewery, Dogfish Head, Bad Seed Cider and the Goose Island vintage series. For the craft connoisseur, there were Brewmaster Reserve tickets. Rare beers in this tent were the types that have enthusiasts lining up for hours, or traveling across states to buy. Two kegs from Hill Farmstead Brewery were on tap all day — Double Citra and Brother Soigné — an unusual abundance of small- batch beer. Hourly tastings in the Brewmaster Reserve tent included other top-ranked brews: Heady Topper, Sip of Sunshine, Founders Kentucky Bourbon Stout and Cantillon sours. BD 20 Beverage Dynamics • January/February 2016 www.beveragedynamics.com

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