Revolutionizing Beverage Management with Evergreen

Revolutionizing Beverage Management with Evergreen

image of Revolutionizing Beverage Management with Evergreen

Managing beverages effectively requires precision and reliability. Evergreen takes beverage management to the next level with its curated database of over a million entries, including beers, spirits, wines, TCH based drinks, and cocktail ingredients. Here’s how it transforms the way users interact with beverage data. Comprehensive Beverage Coverage Evergreen’s database is a treasure trove for … Read more

Wine Menu Ideas That Have Customers Coming Back Day & Night

Wine Menu Ideas That Have Customers Coming Back Day & Night

Wine Menu Ideas That Have Customers Coming Back Day & Night

A well-curated wine menu is not just a list of beverages; it is an essential element of any restaurant or establishment that aims to provide an exceptional dining experience. The wine menu serves as a guide for customers, helping them navigate the world of wine and choose the perfect pairing for their meal. A thoughtfully … Read more

The Most Profitable Bar Ideas to Base Your Venture On

The Most Profitable Bar Ideas to Base Your Venture On

The Most Profitable Bar Ideas to Base Your Venture On

The bar industry is a thriving and profitable sector of the hospitality industry. Bars offer a unique social experience where people can gather to relax, socialize, and enjoy a wide range of beverages. With the right strategies and careful planning, opening a bar can be a highly profitable venture. According to economic research firms, the … Read more

35 Cocktail Menu Ideas You Can Start Using Today

35 Cocktail Menu Ideas You Can Start Using Today

35 Cocktail Menu Ideas You Can Start Using Today

A well-designed cocktail menu plays a crucial role in attracting and satisfying customers. In today’s competitive market, where cocktails have gained immense popularity, establishments need to offer creative and unique menu ideas that stand out. A diverse and appealing cocktail menu enhances the overall dining experience and leaves a lasting impression on customers. A well-crafted … Read more

The Ultimate Bar Cleaning Checklist You Can Start Using Now

The Ultimate Bar Cleaning Checklist You Can Start Using Now

The Ultimate Bar Cleaning Checklist You Can Start Using Now

Maintaining cleanliness in a bar is not only important for customer satisfaction but also for the overall reputation of the establishment.A clean and sanitary bar creates a positive impression on customers, making them feel comfortable and confident in the hygiene standards of the place. Additionally, cleanliness in a bar is crucial for compliance with health … Read more

Need an Excuse to Drink Beer on Valentines Day?

Need an Excuse to Drink Beer on Valentines Day?

Valentine’s Day has always been the perfect excuse to ignore those New Year’s resolutions and eat lots of chocolate. But why not make it the perfect excuse to drink beer as well?

With this “Best Beer and Chocolate Pairings List” you can do just that. And who doesn’t love a good excuse to drink beer?

These pairings were discovered by Jeff Mendel, a craft beer veteran, and published in his article “Beer and Chocolate’s Not-So-Secret Love Affair.” For the full article click here.

Best Beer and Chocolate Pairings

  • Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro | Left Hand Milk Stout Chocolate Mousse Cupcake

 

  • Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine | Pecan Tart

 

  • Left Hand Good Juju Ginger Ale | Honey Lemon Tart

 

  • West Flanders Woodshed Smoked Porter | 64% Dark Chocolate Liquid Salted Caramel Truffle

 

  • Sierra Nevada Kellerweiss | Lemon Tart

 

  • Avery Tweak Espresso Imperial Stout | Hazelnut Espresso Shortbread topped with a Hazelnut Ganache

 

  • Upslope Foreign Style Stout | an Espresso Truffle

 

Thanks Jeff! We will all enjoy testing these pairings out for ourselves on Valentine’s Day!

Barrel Aged: Our First Barrel Aged Cocktails

Barrel Aged: Our First Barrel Aged Cocktails

barrel aged

More and more bars are seeing the value in offering “house made” ingredients in their cocktails, from syrups, bitters and tinctures to fresh juices. Barrel aging can be another way to customize your ingredients and make your cocktails unique to your bar.

You can age full cocktails right in the barrel or create new base spirits that you can use in a handful of different drinks. Thanks to our friends over at Deep South Barrels our team has been experimenting with “office aged” cocktails.

Here’s the results of our first 3 batches.

Manhattan

A classic cocktail with a new spin. We’d heard of a few places that have done a barrel aged Manhattan, including our neighbor Grant Grill at the US Grant Hotel, so this was a no-brainer first choice.

Recipe
– 3 parts bourbon
– 1 part sweet vermouth
– bitters to taste
Aged 75 days.

Results
The oak softens and rounds out the edges of the drink. Vanilla from the wood plays nicely with the spiciness of the bitters.

A bit of oxidation from the vermouth is present but isn’t off-putting. Overall this is a crowd pleaser.

Tequila with Coffee and Vanilla Bean

We started with silver tequila and added a fresh split vanilla bean and a small handful of crushed dark roast coffee beans. The goal here was a spirit that could be sipped like an añejo or used as a base for fall cocktails.

Recipe
– silver tequila
– split vanilla bean
– 5 crushed dark roast coffee beans
Aged 3 months

Results
The clear spirit picked up lots of color from the barrel and is now closer to reposado or añejo. Tons of vanilla on the nose.

Lots of oak and vanilla taste with a quick coffee hit on the back end. Nice for sipping but would be great in a Mexican hot chocolate, in a cocktail version of a horchata, or in a hot spiced apple cider with cinnamon.

“Bootlegged” Mark’s Bourbon Whiskey

Deep South Barrels has what they call “Bootleggers” which are additives that are meant to be mixed with a neutral grain spirit and then aged to create similar flavor profiles to big well known spirit brands. Can we make something that tastes like a certain bourbon brand out of cheap vodka? Let’s find out!

Recipe
– 100% grain neutral spirit (cheap vodka)
– Mark’s Bourbon Whiskey Essence
Aged 3 months…so far

Results
Based on side by side tasting results the bootlegger doesn’t have the body or mouthfeel of the bourbon. The bootlegger also still has a significantly hotter alcohol burn and sharpness. This bad boy still needs time to settle down. We’re going to leave it in the barrel and see what more time does to this one.

Overall we’ve had a blast doing our first batch of barrel aging and we’ve already got a new batch of ideas mellowing on oak right now. We highly recommend picking up a few barrels for your bar or home and experimenting on your own.

Celebrate Fall at Your Bar

Celebrate Fall at Your Bar

Are you ready for Fall? Yes, the days are going to start getting shorter, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t reason for you and your customers to celebrate this Fall! You just have do your part and be creative with your promoting. Here are some ideas you can use to get people excited to come out during the autumn months:

1. Two words: Football. Season.

Sunday Funday! Not to mention the season will help you out on Monday nights and Thursday nights as well. This is the time of the year that you can go crazy with events–drink specials, tailgate food, team memorabilia everywhere- you can even organize a fantasy draft at your bar! If your bar gets a solid reputation around town as a great place to watch a game, you’ll be busy all season long.

2. Try out a new selection of Fall beers

There’s a fitting palette for every season. Fall is a good time for dark ales, Oktoberfest beers, and pumpkin flavored brews. Having a seasonal selection of beers gives your customers something new and exciting to try. Check with your local distributors for suggestions!

3. Simplify Your Life, with Friends!

The first week of August is National Simplify Your Life Week and the third week is National Friendship Week. Great way to do that? Take a load off and enjoy some relaxing, fun nights out with your friends. Isn’t August a happy month for your restaurant?

4. August 26th- National Dog Day 

Is your bar or restaurant dog friendly? It should be!

5. August 27th- Just Because Day

August 27th is Just Because Day. So, here’s a day where you can create your own ‘Just Because Special’ for your customers to show you appreciate their business!

6. September 4th- A Champagne Toast

Champagne was invented on September 4th, 1693. I’ll drink to that! If champagne isn’t really your bars style, try celebrating with a hybrid champagne beer, or Bière de Champagne- a fairly new style of bubbly beer coming out of Belgium.

7. September 5th- Be Late For Something

September 5th is National Be Late For Something Day. You can officially offer a valid excuse to anyone who stops in at your bar for a few rounds and loses track of time.

8. September 18th- Cheeeeeeeseburgers

National Cheeseburger day is September 18th. Serve up your best sliders and have a burger special this day! This is also a perfect day for a beer and burger pairing menu!

9. Celebrate Oktoberfest!

Bratwursts, pretzels, and German beers! Oktoberfest starts in mid-September so don’t think you have to hold off till October to bust out the Lederhosen! Just as the lord mayor of Munich taps the first keg to officially kick off the Oktoberfest festivities- you could hold an Oktoberfest keg tapping on September 21st!

10. October 1st- World Vegetarian Day

Vegetarian menu options are more popular than ever and promoting your vegetarian offerings on this day could help pull in customers who never knew your restaurant had plates just for them!

11. October 30th- Mischief Night

October 30th has been dubbed “mischief night.” If this isn’t the perfect reason to go out, I don’t know what is.

12. Halloween Festivities

Who said Halloween is just for kids? Halloween is one of the best days of the year to throw a themed party at your bar. Get in the spirit with festive drinks, spooky decorations and even hold a costume contest!

13. November 3rd- Daylight Savings Ends

Yes, it will be darker earlier but when we all move our clocks back on the 3rd, we gain an hour of sleep back! Hooray! Use it for an extra happy hour!

14. November 11th- Honor our Veterans

If you don’t have a Veteran’s special running year round, you definitely have to celebrate our service men and women on National Veteran’s Day on November 11th! Cheers to all they do!

15. Add some fall menu items

As it cools down, it’s a perfect time to add some seasonal plates to your menu. Dishes can be heartier than in the summer months and it’s a great time to add some warm soups to your menu.