COACHING CUSTOMERS IN THE TASTING ROOM WRITTEN BY CHRIS LOZIER
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ike people, spirits only get to make one first impression. When someone visits your tasting room you have the chance to make that first introduction a positive lasting impression of your brand instead of an average “Thanks for the sample!” hitand-run. Learn to think of yourself not just as an ambassador of your spirits, but also a tasting coach. Some people know a lot about how to appreciate spirits, but your average visitor probably does not. If you teach them to love spirits by showing them how to evaluate yours they will think of you as a spirits expert and by default your products will become expertly-distilled. They will remember the aromas, flavors and sensations you helped them discover and regard your spirits as a
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benchmark for quality. Many variables affect your ability to guide their tasting experience including state sampling laws, your tasting room environment and the amount of time you get with the customer. While you cannot control everything, leveraging the factors you can will earn you more sales and more fans.
GLASSWARE, APPEARANCE AND ENVIRONMENT One of the most important parts of your tasting presentation is your glassware. In Artisan Spirit Magazine’s Winter 2015-16 issue we discussed different options for
tasting room glassware, but in summary the message was this: Unless you are prohibited from doing so because of health codes or other restrictions, real glass or crystal glasses with a spirits-specific shape to capture aroma will present your spirit immeasurably better than little plastic shot glasses. WhiskyBack Beer owner Stuart Ramsay regularly coaches spirits newbies at his Portland, Oregon tasting school, Ramsay’s Dram, and he prefers Glencairn or other tulip-shaped glasses. “It’s really important, not just the shape of the glass but also the material,” he explains. “The key is that you’re trying to capture the aroma, but it also has to feel good in your hand.”
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