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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/35338
or those of us who think of beer as food, it’s no surprise that comfort foods—home-style cooking with generous portions—draw beer drinkers to the dining table. So many styles of beer go well with staples such as burgers, mac’n’cheese and all kinds of grilled and fried foods. Caramel malts in beer off er a seamless match with bready, grilled and browned steaks, meat loaf, pot roast and other baked, broiled and fried foods. And the typically generous portions of comfort food, and high satiety, let customers relax and savor the pairings without fuss. At the Rock Bottom in Milwaukee, WI, comfort foods are mainstays of the menu at the polished casual dining and craft brewing operation. CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc., through its three principal operating units, Old Chicago, Gordon Biersch and Rock Bottom, is reported to be the nation’s leading operator and franchisor of craft beer-focused casual dining and brewery restaurants with nearly 200 owned and franchised locations across the United States. CraftWorks also operates regional brands, including ChopHouse and Big River and maintains intellectual property rights to the Boulder Beer, Inc. microbrewery. Th e company maintains dual headquarters in Chattanooga, TN and Louisville, CO. Ryan Hartman, general manager of the Milwaukee Rock Bottom unit for the last 10 years, has seen the 14-year-old restaurant evolve over time. To off er good value, several comfort food appetizers are now off ered in dual portion sizes: smaller tasting plates are off ered for $3.95 to $5.95, and full portions priced at $7.95 to $10.95. Comfort foods also get new presentations beyond portion size. “Our Green-Chili Fried Mac’n’Cheese Bundles are served with tomatillo dip,” explains Hartman, a pairing that blends the appeal of basic mac’n’cheese amped up with Mexican seasonings and salsa. Th e appetizer is priced at $3.95 for the tasting plate and $7.95 for the full portion. Why is comfort food so popular now? “Th ese are not the trendiest items on the menu,” says Hartman, “So there’s some safety because the food is basically familiar and we typically serve large portions, so there’s a bang for your buck.” Rock Bottom’s mac’n’cheese is very creamy, but also uses a blend of Wisconsin Asiago, Havarti and Cheddar cheeses to make it stand apart from home-style cooking. Comfort food sales volume depends on the season, explains Hartman, “Because we defi nitely sell a lot more comfort foods during the winter.” Dishes will be tweaked for seasonal variety, with more small plates, seafood and salads highlighted during the summer months. “Th is summer, we’ve added a variation of mac’n’cheese with grilled chicken, and also one made with lobster, at $18.95 for the entrée portion,” says Hartman www.cheersonline.com Chapter One serves a beer sampler that can be paired with a variety of dishes. JULY/AUGUST 2011 | 35 Th e large size of the Rock Bottom in downtown Milwaukee draws many convention and meeting groups, as the 20,000-square- foot establishment can seat 475 guests including the riverside patio, three diff erent bars and two main restaurant rooms. Although the unit does not divulge overall sale fi gures, 67 percent of sales are from food and 33 percent from bar and beverage sales, with beer accounting for half of the beverage sales. Rock Bottom’s beers are priced from $4.79 to $5 per Imperial pint (20 ounces) with smaller 12-ounce glasses priced from $3.25, and other brands, such as Miller Lite, at $4.79. Regular customers appreciate the consistent pricing and generous portions. “If we take the Chicken-Fried Chicken off the menu, we defi nitely hear about it from our regulars,” adds Hartman, describing the hand-battered chicken breasts served over White Cheddar cheese mashed potatoes with country gravy.