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.
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FIRST SIP �� Thinking Outside the Margarita Glass A April 2013 Vol. 24 No. 3 Executive Vice President, Group Publisher Charles Forman Tel (845) 426-6072 cforman@specialtyim.com Editor Melissa Dowling Tel (203) 855-8499 ext. 223 mdowling@specialtyim.com lthough its share of total has slipped a bit in recent years, the Margarita remains the most popular on-premise mixed drink. After the venerable tequila-based cocktail, the Martini, Rum & Coke, Jack Daniel���s & Coke and Mojito round out the top-five most popular drinks in 2012. How do we know all this? As part of the Cheers OnTrac Bar Managers Study, each year our Beverage Information Group division conducts personal interviews with about 2,500 bartenders/bar managers in 31 key metropolitan markets. The results provide us with intelligence on distribution, sales, marketing and merchandising trends in the on-premise segment of the beverage alcohol industry. We���ve been doing the study for 13 years; the most recent survey was conducted this past September. (For more on the 2012 Cheers On-Premise BARometer Handbook, visit BevInfoStore.com.) Getting back to the Margarita, it���s not hard to see why it continues to be the top cocktail in bars and restaurants. The festive classic is a balanced drink with a pleasing sweet/sour taste profile, plus a strong kick. It also allows for numerous flavor variations and makes a great frozen drink���perfect for summer, vacation and celebration. All that said, there is so much more to tequila and tequila drinks than the Margarita. The spirit adds a unique, savory dimension to mixed drinks and also makes a good base for beer cocktails. Not that you have to mix tequila with anything at all���several premium brands are best enjoyed neat or with a few rocks, the way one might savor a fine scotch. The tequila category is on fire right now, with more than 1,000 brands on the market. Our cover story on tequila offers tips on how to market and sell the spirit and highlights some of the innovative things operators are doing, from tequila pairings and flights to custom serveware and creative chasers. Education is key if you want to be taken seriously: If customers are tequila enthusiasts, they expect you to know your stuff. And if they���re not, you have an opportunity to teach them about tequila, which can enhance your operation���s authority and boost repeat business. This is true with any major spirits category, as well as with wine and beer. In this issue we cover several other products now generating buzz, including single-hop beers (page 21), moscato (page 24) and cider (page 27); we also offer tips on how to suggest and sell sparkling wine (page 34). As our top-five���and even our top-10���most popular cocktails indicate, most consumers are still playing it safe with their beverage orders. And that���s fine, if that���s what they want to drink. But a little education and encouragement could go a long way in helping them expand their horizons. Managing Editor Jeremy Nedelka Tel (203) 855-8499 ext. 213 jnedelka@specialtyim.com Art Director Kathleen Sage ksage@specialtyim.com Production Director Mary Jo Tomei Tel (760) 318-7000 ext. 220 mtomei@specialtyim.com Editor-at-Large Liza B. Zimmerman Contributing Editors Sandy Block Michelle Paolillo Lockett Monica Kass Rogers Lucy Saunders Vice President of Sales, Associate Publisher Anthony Bongiovanni Tel (248) 253-0108 tbongiovanni@specialtyim.com Senior Regional Sales Managers Mark Marcon Tel (248) 761-6231 mmarcon@specialtyim.com Debbie Rittenberg Tel (215) 860-0306 drittenberg@specialtyim.com List Rental & Reprints Cheryl Naughton Tel (678) 292-6054 cnaughton@specialtyim.com Cheers�� is published by Specialty Information Media Editorial offices at 17 High Street, 2nd Floor Norwalk, CT 06851 Cheers (ISSN 1051-564X���USP Number 007-239) is published nine times per year (January/February, March, April, May, June, July/August, September, October, November/December) by Specialty Information Media, 17 High Street, Norwalk, CT 06851. Periodical Rate Postage paid at Norwalk, CT and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cheers, P.O. Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823 SUBSCRIPTIONS: One-year subscription rates: USA $35.00; Canada $50.00; air mail to other countries $75.00. Melissa Dowling Editor 6 | APRIL 2013 ANDREA TOPALIAN Cheers! All subscriptions payable in U.S. dollars. Payment must accompany order. To subscribe write: Cheers, P.O. Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823, or call the Cheers customer service line at 847-763-9565, Fax 847-763-9569, M-F 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST. Subscription customer service e-mail: cheers@halldata.com. Copyright 2013 by Specialty Information Media, 17 High Street, Norwalk, CT 06851. Reproduction without the express written consent of the publisher is prohibited. Specialty Information Media, publishes Cheers, Beverage Dynamics, StateWays, Wine & Spirits Industry Marketing, Handbook Advance, Liquor Handbook, Wine Handbook, Beer Handbook and Fact Book. www.cheersonline.com