Beer
The Publican restaurant in Chicago boasts an extensive beer list specializing in Belgian , Trappist and German selections but ranges to the U . K . and Iceland as well as local brews .
surprised ,” says Peck . “ Often when they go with the Pale Ale , they end up having several .”
ON THE LIGHT SIDE Producers have been refocusing light beers , aiming at the health-conscious crowd . Yuengling recently reformulated its light entry as Yuengling Light Lager 99 , with just 99 calories and 3.2 carbs per serving . Molson Coors recently launched Coors Pure , a USDA-certified organic light beer , ringing in at 92 calories . And parlaying the success of its All Day IPA , Founders released a sessionable ( 4.6 %) wheat version , called All Day Vacay .
“ As the low-cal preference continues to grow amongst beer drinkers , I think light lagers will continue to hit big ,” says Johnston at Rock Bottom , because they satisfy the desire for a full-flavored beer that is both low-cal and low-ABV .
Hard seltzers also sell briskly at Rock Bottom , he notes , but not as well as when they first debuted . “ We definitely sell more seltzer to the younger crowd of drinkers . They ' re another great , gluten-free option for cider drinkers or people who don ’ t drink beer .”
Not everyone is on board the low / no train . “ We get occasional requests for low- / no-alcohol , but not to the extent we were seeing pre-pandemic ,” says Stanton . “ I guess people need a stiff drink now more than ever !”
“ From my perspective , low-calorie and low-ABV beers have not had a great year ,” says retailer Daniels . “ They haven ’ t seen as much growth as I would have thought . People are so stressed out they want as much alcohol as possible .”
SPREADING THE WORD During the shutdown , take-away sales of beverage alcohol was a lifeline for bars and restaurants during Covid . Most operators continue to rely on these add-on sales even as customers return to their seats on-premise .
Online offerings like zoom tastings and digital educational programs allow retailers and restaurants to keep engaged with customers . While brewers offer stuck-at-home beer lovers a chance to explore with virtual brewery tours .
Many bars , restaurants and taprooms have substituted QR codes for menus and ordering . Even bottles and cans are strutting their assets via RFID labels .
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ’ s Centennial , CO , location is brewing up small batches of styles ranging from Kolsch and blonde ales , pilsners and porters , sours and seasonals , and of , course , IPAs .
“ Social media platforms have definitely changed the dynamic of promotions , as have safety measures during the pandemic ," says Hanson . " Hand-sells were put on hold last year entirely , though have resumed in a small capacity , and we still have not resumed customer samplings ." But he notes that end-cap displays are still important , especially given the high-volume nature of Applejack ’ s business as a way to promote deals and feature items .
“ In-store merchandising is still important for sure ,” agrees Daniels . Half Time is picky about allowing outsiders to put up displays and shelf talkers . “ We don ’ t want the floor to look like a circus , and it ’ s important that customers have enough room to browse .”
Rock Bottom continues to incentivize with its Rock Rewards program . Members receive points for dollars spent , number of pints ordered , etc . Points and rewards are transferable across all Rock Bottom locations . “ Next up are the Craft Brewer ’ s Conference , football season , the Great American Beer Festival and Rocktoberfest , so we have to get prepared to sell a ton of beer ,” notes Johnston .
NEXT NORMAL Although the future remains uncertain and unsettled , most operators are maintaining positive outlooks .
“ We are looking forward to hosting more events now that restrictions have been lifted and people are getting back into society ,” says Johnston .
“ This year no one knew what to expect ,” says Daniels . “ 2021 is throw our hands in the air and pray everything works out . I think holiday numbers will be insane this year as people are finally able to celebrate and send gifts . And 2022 will see a complete reshuffling of the market .” BD
Thomas Henry Strenk is a Brooklyn-based writer specializing in all things drinkable .
www . beveragedynamics . com September / October 2021 • Beverage Dynamics 25