Building a better beer menuBuilding a better beer menu

Beer is hot, and everyone wants a piece of the action. But with imported and domestic craft beer now a common sight at most bars and restaurants, the key to scoring those lucrative premium beer sales is fast becoming not just choice, but selection.

That means choosing the right mix of beers is now as important as assembling a studious selection of wines.

Kip Snider, beverage director of the beer-focused concept Yard House, which operates more than 40 units and was acquired last year by Darden Restaurants Inc., said representing popular styles is a logical place to start, and picking the right beers for the region is of prime importance.

“In our world, with so many taps, that can be 17 or 18 styles, easily, but for some places that’s obviously overkill,” Snider said, adding that different regions might well favor different styles based on such factors as weather and demographics.

“When I look at markets, one of the things I look at is the age group we’re serving, since Millennials will be more experimental in what they drink, for example, while an older crowd can be more regimented and set in their ways,” he said.

Matt Bonney, co-owner of Brouwer’s Cafe in Seattle, noted that some taps must be reserved for specific types of beer, saying there are certain categories that absolutely must be represented if a beer list is to be considered sufficiently worldly.

“I think having an [India pale ale], a Belgian or Belgian-style beer, a porter or stout, maybe something sour if you’re lucky enough to have that available to you, and definitely reserving room for local beers is important,” Bonney said. “At Brouwer’s we have what we call the Local 8, which are always going to be reserved for local favorites.”

Dale Lewis, general manager of World of Beer in Naperville, Ill., part of a 40-unit, Tampa, Fla.-based chain, said that forging relationships with key breweries is also important.

“I’d suggest using relationships to fill roughly half the taps, [choosing] breweries that are approachable to the regular consumer while also filling certain style requirements,” Lewis said. “Then I’d use the remaining handles as rotators [for] seasonals, special releases and other rare barrels that ... lend credibility to your draught list. Giving your relationship breweries permanent real estate will guarantee your bar access to these special releases.”

A cautionary note on rotating taps was supplied by Jesse Andreozzi, bar manager at Underground Arts, a Philadelphia bar and live-music venue. He pointed out that certain beers — and cider — require a permanent, dedicated line. 

“Ciders and some beers, certainly lambics, have certain qualities that can permeate a line despite line cleaning, [including] residual sweetness, fruit flavor, as well as possible wild yeast and bacteria,” Andreozzi said, meaning that sometimes what’s important is not just what you choose to carry, but how you choose to pour it. 

Stephen Beaumont has spent more than 20 years writing about beer, spirits and travel and is the author of seven books on beer, including his latest, "The World Atlas of Beer." Contact him at [email protected].