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/92599
says Julia Herz, director of craft beer marketing for the Brewers Association, the Boulder, Colo., based trade association representing America's craft brewers. Yet this success does not rely on price promotions or pouring W hat's the secret to success in selling craft beer? "Operators who take their beer menus, staff training and presentation very seriously are the ones who sell the most craft beer," massive portions. Smaller half-glasses, tiny tulips and snifters, tasting and sampling glasses, in sizes from 4 oz. to 8 oz., are becoming key to selling craft beer profitably. Tasting sizes and beer samplings are really only possible with a solid draft program: According to the Brewers Association, 30% of craft beer is sold via draft. VARIETY BY THE GLASS Kip Snider, director of beverage at the Irvine, Calif.-based chain Yard House, oversees more than 800 brands of beer sold at 40 units. "Beer flights are incredibly popular at the Yard House," Snider says. "We offer the six-pack flight, a collection of six 5-oz. glasses of beer, featured according to season or beer style." Six-pack flights are priced according to the scarcity of the beer served, ranging from $8.95 and up. The Yard Hous e also features "shorty" glasses, which are location. Some franchises are located in existing structures retrofitted for the "WOB" experience: exposed brick, deep wood-toned finishes, lots of booths, highly visible taps and reach-in refrigerators holding bottled beer on display behind glass doors. "Some taverns have 20 seats, and others have as many as 60 seats," says Foster. "The Tempe Arizona WOB is in an old bank, with the original vault door left intact; it's a funky, unique space." Glassware programs at the Quaker Steak & Lube, a chain Formats for the World of Beer taverns vary according to of 10 company-owned units and 35 franchised units, remain focused on draft. "We offer a standard 16-oz. pint, a 22-oz. mug, a 32-oz. tankard, and a portable tabletop tap called the Lube Tube, which holds 100-oz. and serves 6 to 8 guests," says Kate Malaniak, senior food and beverage director for the Sharon, Penn.-based chain. "Sponsored glassware is tricky for us to roll out across all the units," she notes, "but individual franchises have had success with smaller branded glasses, such as the Stella [Artois] chalice," which holds 14 oz. "The trend for independent operators is to find a unique 9-1/4 oz., along with classic pints, goblets and half-yard glasses. "The shortys are great for variety, because a customer can enjoy three different beers of their own choosing," Snider says. Priced from $2.75 to $7 per shorty, these pours allow guests to sample different styles without committing to a full pint or half yard. How does the Yard House manage so many beers? The operator works with nearly 200 distributors on the supply side to coordinate all of the beer brands sold. "There's lots of availability all across the country," says Snider, "and craft breweries are pushing the envelope on beer styles and brewing creativity." World of Beer, the Florida-based chain of 32 units, builds its glass for each beer, but space can be an issue in terms of presentation," says Jason Oziel, director of on-premise national accounts for New Belgium Brewing Co. in Ft. Collins, Colo. "We are introducing a display, made of bamboo and metal, for our signature globe glasses to make it easier to showcase and use the stemware." The display may be placed on a counter, bar top, or wall-mounted. success on craft beer on draft, as well as selling by the bottle. Each unit offers 500 brands by the bottle and another 40 on draft. "We use samples to sell craft beer," says Tegan Foster, manager of World of Beer franchising. "Paddles (carved wooden serving trays that hold four 4-oz. glasses), promotions for tasters, seasonal flights and also choice brands on draft are successful for us." Each World of Beer paddle includes four tastings as a flight, but sold individually as the beer shot, it's a 4-oz. pour. Paddles are priced starting at $6 to $8, and individual tasters from $3 to $5. Small sips of draft beer (about a half-ounce) are complimentary and help cinch the sale. "We want everyone to be happy with the glass of beer in front of them," says Foster. www.cheersonline.com World of Beer's sample paddles hold four 4-oz. pours of beer. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 | 41