Why Big Whiskey Makes The Best Whiskey

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The whiskey revival is reverberating across the globe. All categories of the barrel-aged brown spirit have experienced continued growth in the past few years. Japanese whiskey is having its moment. Irish whiskey recently achieved the largest growth of all whiskey categories. American bourbon and Tennessee whiskey are at the forefront of the category.

The biggest players on this global stage will be quite familiar to American drinkers. Jack Daniel’s and its iconic black no. 7 label remains the world wide leader in American whiskey. Not far behind is Jim Beam. While these labels are iconic signposts in American culture, they are not the most exciting whiskeys these producers are making. Behind the support of global sales, the biggest producers are using their expertise and long history of whiskey making to create some of the best drams on the market. You may not realize it, but some of your favorite whiskeys are made by the same producers you may scoff at.  Read more

Drinks After Dinner: The Wonders of a Digestif

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A meal doesn’t have to end once the plates are cleared. After-dinner drinks are a great opportunity for satisfied customers to extend their night-out with a digestif. It’s also a great opportunity for a server to increase their check-average and for a restaurant to increase sales. Digestifs and bitters can end the meal on a comforting note. Literally. And like many old-world staples, digestifs are pouring back into mainstream culture.

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How Bars Can Better Track Inventory

For The Weekend: Inspiring Fall Cocktail Ingredients

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 The google calendar page has flipped, and we’ve stumbled, sunburnt and sandy, into the start of fall. It’s time to pick the Mojito mint from your muddler sticks, and dump out the last drops of your sangria. Now, you can start stirring in your favorite fall cocktail flavors. If you want to make your at-home bar more exciting and versatile, then here are some tips on how to use new liqueurs and ingredients that will turn classic cocktails into impressive feats of cocktail wizardry.

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Creating Custom Beverage Menus With Private Bottle Programs

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There is a growing trend of adventurous restaurant goers who seek out new and unique experiences. Customers at bars and restaurants are looking for new wines to drink, old cocktail recipes to resurrect, and exotic fusions of new flavors to taste.

One trend on the rise in the beverage industry that consumers are excited about is private bottle programs. Read more

Harsh Truths of Operating a Restaurant

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Owning and running a restaurant is hard and generally under-appreciated, especially if you’re not Wolfgang Puck or Gordon Ramsey.  Last month, Amanda Cohen, the owner of Dirt Candy in NYC, wrote an article in Eater called Harsh Truths: Failure Is Always on the Table When Opening a Restaurant. I think this post is a must read for restaurant owners and operators. She provides an honest assessment of her struggles with running her restaurant. As an acclaimed chef and industry veteran,  everything was seemingly going well from the outside, but the financial success was not following.

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7 Tips for Training Wait Staff on Your Wine and Beverage Program

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Restaurant Wait Staff Training

We talk to dozens of restaurants every day and they often tell us one of their top challenges is training their wait staff.  And training staff on the wine list and beverage program can be extra difficult because there can be a lot of items, many details to know and it changes all the time. There’s a few core things you want your wait staff to know about your beverage program: Read more

Saint Patrick’s Day: A Pot of Gold for Restaurants

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Whether you’re Irish or not, Saint Patrick’s Day is a holiday celebrated across the nation. Each city has their own ways of recognizing the Saint, but more than 30% of those enjoying the holiday will be at bars and ordering a themed food dish or drink. This occasion only comes around once a year, so prepare your restaurant with these helpful tips from your friends at Uncorkd.

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Trending Cocktails: Citrus and Grapefruit Flavoring

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Citrus has always been a favorite when it comes to both food and beverage flavoring, but trend reports show that 2015 is the year of the orange, grapefruit and lemon. Consumers tend to lean towards bold flavors and citrus helps spice up a meal or beverage without the added calories.

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Cocktail Armageddon Is Here

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The End Times might actually be here… but only if you’re a cocktail. That’s because a new trend, the Vapor Spirit, is starting to catch on. The Vapor Spirit is an invention that boils your favorite spirit so that you can literally inhale the alcohol through a straw. The Vapor Spirits product claims to make drinking “as easy as breathing,” and it promises enhanced flavor and smooth “drinking,” all while reducing your chances for a hangover. We’re kind of worried. Here are the details on what the Vapor Spirit is and how to use it, as well as three reasons why it might just kill the cocktail. 

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Add It to Your Menu: Amaro

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Looking for a new menu addition? Try amaro. Although bartenders have known about amari (the plural of amaro) for many years, they’ve mostly been keeping the secret to themselves, or using amari solely as drink additives to kick up their cocktails. This means that most of your customers don’t know what this exciting “new” drink is. Here’s everything you need to know to add amaro to your beverage menu. 

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