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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/490399
www.cheersonline.com 24 • April 2015 Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort in Las Vegas prefers the versatility of the tulip beer glassware, which can also be used for cocktails. wants it displayed, so we have more than 30 different kinds of glassware to correspond to the draft list," says Schmidt. If you have to buy glassware, Simpson says, "it's possible to invest less than $1,000 to get an assortment of tulip snifters, stemmed goblets or chalices, IPA glasses and tasting glassware for fl ights." He recommends investing in logo glassware to sell as souvenirs for the visitor experience, in a design that is attractive and memorable, conveying the character of the bar or restaurant. At Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, food and beverage operations director Sarah M. Johnson prefers the versatility of the Spiegelau tulip beer glassware. Why? "It elevates the status of the beer in the consumer's eyes and makes a better presentation for the beer, as you're able to swirl around the beer to get the aromas without transferring heat from your hands," says Johnson. What's more, "we fi nd that the tulip glass can be adapted for specialty cocktails, as well the higher end beers," she says. "If I'm going to a glass without a stem, then I prefer the stemless Riedel glasses, as those are fun and we can use them for cocktails as well." The IPA is the reigning beer style in the casinos, Johnson adds, "but we haven't moved toward using a glass designed just for the IPA style. STICKY FINGERS Beer trends focus on styles, and more often, beer glassware that is designed specifi cally for that style. "Depending on the scope of service, we recommend presenting beer in the appropriate glass for each major style category, such as IPA, stout, wheat and a 'all-around' tulip glass to support strong and Belgian ales," says Rutkowski. From an operator's perspective, that's an investment that can be tricky to protect. "It's always a peripheral concern," says Tavern Restaurant Group's Schmidt, "as a specialty beer glass can be so attractive—to the point that some people walk off with them." The biggest challenge for the company, he says, "is the keeping them in stock, as some people love souvenirs, so we offer many of the branded glasses for sale." Most of the limited-release beers that demand specialty glassware are featured at events such as beer dinners and festivals at Mandalay Bay. A recent beach-themed event called for a beer glass designed to withstand breakage. "We wound up using stainless-steel pints, because it was a night event, so looking at the beer color wasn't a huge issue," Johnson says. "The bigger issue was safety, as everyone was served poolside, so we made the pint into a giveaway with the ticket," says Johnson. Beer prices at Mandalay Bay start at $7 for standard 12- oz. craft selections and specialty releases and go up to $35 for large-format bottles. UNIQUE POURS There are more opportunities for tasting fl ights with draft beer, Johnson says, but fi nding the right glassware can pose problems. "Some of the challenge lies in that it is diffi cult to miniaturize a glass and get the same drinking experience," she notes. "You also need enough headspace in the glass so that the beer looks full, and the guest can perceive the foam and all the aromas." Cordials glasses, such as 5.5-oz. mini snifters, can also be repurposed as beer tasting glasses, Simpson says. "The standard sample pour is about 3 ounces, so this glass design leaves an ounce or so to swirl and get the crown of foam," he notes. "The curved lip turns inward to focus and collect aromas, making it easy to smell and savor." A "pour-your-own-beer" wall, featuring 15 to 20 taps designed for self-service, offers more opportunity for specialty glassware. "We have been using the pour-your-own-beer walls in several of our units," says Schmidt. "It's getting a lot of customer attention." How do they work? Guests show IDs to a server and purchase an RFID card that unlocks the taps to Cincinnati, OH-based Tavern Restaurant Group, which operates 12 pubs, fi nds that guests tend to walk off with the branded beer glasses.