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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/504798
www.cheersonline.com 34 • May 2015 2) LOOK FOR MARKET STRENGTH Consider your market and which beer styles are gaining momentum. IPAs may be pervasive in popularity throughout the country, but there are several elements within the style to consider. For instance, Two Hearted Ale, from Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo, MI, is an award-winning American IPA that's widely distributed. But it might not perform well in a city like San Diego where intense, West Coast IPAs are standard, and the local brewing companies such as Stone and Ballast Point contribute to supplying the style. 3) SEEK OUT SEASONALS From the warm, wood finishes and the low lighting to the traditional fare and clinking glasses, Republic in Minneapolis has all the makings of an old-school pub, but the beer selection is modern and expansive. Co-owner Matty O'Reilly gets a jump on seasonal releases. "I proactively stay ahead by researching release dates," he says. Part of his strategy likely has to do with the pub's Minnesota location, he notes. With the massive changes in temperature, which can go from from minus 10 degrees to 60 degrees in a few weeks, "there is a huge change in what people are drinking." Most operators organize their rotations to feature heavier, stronger styles in colder months and lighter, more sessionable brews during the dog days of summer to ensure they are offering the most appealing beers with the seasons. 4) CONSIDER CUSTOMER COMFORT LEVELS No beer menu should be tailored to accommodate one level of drinking proficiency, but it is important to keep your audience's beer education in mind. If you are the first craft-beer-centric bar or restaurant in a neighborhood, an obscure gruit ale might be too advanced. But if you are trying to distinguish yourself from several other neighboring establishments with impressive beer offerings, a bottle of Special Herbs—a gruit-style brew from Portland, OR- based Upright Brewing—might be just the thing. The first thing you may notice at Links Taproom in Chicago is the digital menu. Two monitors above the bar display listings of I I I I I I I I the 36 beers on tap, along with their descriptions, pouring size, and how much of the keg remains. This high-tech presentation illustrates the thoughtfulness that co-owner Michael Quinlan put into the beer menu. "It's important to consider the needs of any customer who walks through the door, regardless of their experience with or knowledge of craft beer," Quinlan says. This may mean dedicating a few taps to gateway beers, he adds. "We always keep Left Hand Milk Stout [from Republic in Minneapolis tries to get a jump on the seasonal beer releases to stay ahead of weather changes and guest preferences. Above, Links Taproom in Chicago dedicates a few taps to gateway beers; two monitors above the bar display listings of the 36 beers on tap, with descriptions, pouring size, and how much of the keg remains. PHOTO COURTESY OF REPUBLIC PHOTO COURTESY OF LINKS TAPROOM