How To Create An Enticing Cocktail Menu
As consumers’ tastes continue to evolve with the craft beverage movement, it’s crucial that every bar owner keep menus relevant. Craft beers are more prevalent than ever and cocktails are not taking a back seat. Whether your bar has in-house cocktail creators or is looking to hire a mixologist to revamp the cocktail menu, a lot of work goes into crafting the perfect list. Keep these tips in mind to make your cocktail menu stand out and entice your customers to try your original creations.
Just like beer and wine, cocktails can be a great compliment to a dish. Natalie Migliarini at Foodable WebTV Network explains that cocktails can be paired with food using the same philosophy as wine pairings: Stay refreshing and delicate for the softer flavors of seafood and salads and shift to dark and bold for red meats and root vegetables.
Use the farm-to-table mentality on more than just your food menu! Locally sourced ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, and herbs will ensure high quality drinks with diverse flavor profiles.
It’s important to change with the seasons. Summer calls for frozen and refreshing drinks while in the winter, a hot cocktail menu will entice customers who wish to escape the cold. Consider how seasonal ingredients can affect your cocktail menu and keep those drinks rotating; customers are always looking for the best new thing.
As you change the cocktail menu, be sure to inform customers about your new creations. By using the TapHunter cocktail tool, your followers will be notified when you make updates to your cocktail menu. When you add or update drinks on the TapHunter dashboard, your menu will automatically update on your website and Facebook, so the information is accurate and accessible on multiple platforms. You can also include information about ingredients, flavor descriptions, and even add a picture of the glassware it’s served in.
Just like stunning plates of food, many cocktails are beautiful enough for a photo shoot. Photograph new cocktails and post them on Instagram to tempt your followers to come in for a try. TapHunter’s cocktail tools allow you to add a photo for every drink on your menu, so your followers can get a sneak peak of the new offerings.
Once your menu is up to date and looking beautiful online, engage with your customers on social media–it’s a great way to get them back into your bar. Create a contest on Facebook where fans can post their own cocktail recipes and those with the most likes will get to see their creation on your next menu. Don’t forget to give them a shout out!
