Brooklyn Bowl, features concerts and local beers.
costs and seasonality," says Ehrmann. He will switch a drink out of the list if a product is too costly or out of season. In other cases, the proprietor will decide to take a smaller margin on a drink to keep the price in line. "I think customers understand that a handmade, 100 percent
important that your employees 'get it,' that they are on board with the philosophy," says Ehrmann. "Th ere are no table tents, posters or fl ashing signs," says
certifi ed organic product is going to cost more than a mass- produced product," posits Cameron. "So maybe an $8 cocktail becomes a $10 cocktail, but when you list all the local and organic ingredients used, people don't mind paying that extra dollar or so because they know the love and care that went into it."
WEARING OF THE GREEN Signifi cantly, those operators with the most to brag about are
often the most modest about touting their green eff orts. Browse their websites and you might fi nd a page about commitment to the environment. Th e terms organic, biodynamic, sustainable may be noted on menus, but not prominently. Green is not a marketing tool; it's a philosophy and a way of doing business. "I don't like to preach," declares Ehrmann. "We don't shove
Cameron. Uncommon Ground doesn't have an advertising budget; it never has. "We get the word out through our employees, with training and education and they get our guests excited," he explains. "Guests tell friends and family. It's viral word of mouth that's been way more valuable than any advertising I could buy." "We don't really emphasize our green aspects," says Ryan at
these ideas in our customers' faces." He used to list every single organic ingredient on the menu, but not anymore. "You can only say organic so many times; it got annoying." Hand-selling by the staff is the main way the green message grows. "It's
www.cheersonline.com
as he considers opening another bar. A new place, he insists would have to include aspects of Elixir's green sensibility. And, says, Ehrmann, "I would love to see more bars become more environmentally responsible."
Ryan. "I think doing the right thing is its own reward." Ehrmann has been thinking a lot about eco-eff orts lately
Th omas Henry Strenk is a Brooklyn-based freelancer who writes about all things drinkable.
MAY 2012 | 35
Brooklyn Bowl. Nonetheless, he adds, "Customer response has been uniformly positive. People understand that our place is diff erent, and the spirit behind it is good. "Green is good business as well as good social policy," insists
