THE RAGE BEVEISSUE
CRAFT BEER
CRAFT: THE NEW DOMESTIC BEER BY CHARLES FRIZZELL
I
t wasn’t too long ago, there might only be a few choices for beer on tap, and they would have all been considered a domestic beer, or light lager, brewed by the usual suspects. Nowadays, you can walk into many establishments, and there may be an overwhelming choice of beers to choose from, with some possibly being brewed by a local brewery just down the street. The entire landscape of beer in America has changed over the past decade, and it’s not just benefitting the consumer, it’s also creating added benefits for the bottom line of those who have embraced the new craft beer culture. The most important benefit to consider is profit. There is a much larger potential for increased profit margins by having a craft beer selection. Take one of the most popular craft beer styles today, the IPA, compared to a domestic light lager. If you charge $5 for a domestic lager and $7 for an IPA, the potential for profit is 1.5 times greater with the craft offering even with its increased cost. You may be worried about sticker shock on the menu, but I can assure you, craft beer lovers and those who seek out local offerings are willing to spend more for the increased quality of the product as well as the experience of indulging in a local offering. The second thing I believe craft beer brings to the table is a way to increase guest satisfaction while at the same time improving guest check averages. Simply having craft beer available to the consumer is not going to show immediate returns. Educating your 36 SU M M ER
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staff to be knowledgeable about craft beer is going to give them the tools they need to help the guest order what they are looking for — or help them find what they might not know they are looking for all while giving your service staff the tools they need to upsell the guest on a higher-ticket item. There are programs out there such as the Cicerone program that provide education and qualifications for beer knowledge, much like a sommelier is trained in wine. Other options include reaching out to your local craft beer distributor or local craft brewery and asking them them to assist with a training program. Or check with your staff, you might already have someone on the payroll that is passionate about craft beer. With the changing landscape of beer in America, the new domestics are the beers being produced by one of the many craft breweries springing up all across the nation, owned and operated by those living in those community. What we once knew as domestic beer is now owned by large conglomerates based in foreign countries. With that being said, I encourage you to support craft beer, as you will also be supporting your community.
Charles Frizzell is the head brewer and managing partner of Broken Strings Brewery, which opened in 2016 and is located at 1012 W. Church St. in Orlando.
F LO R I DA R ESTAU R A N T & LO D G I N G A S SO CI AT I O N