February 2021
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FEBRUARY 2021 Maryland l Washington, DC 08 18 28 34 26 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 14 34 WHISKEY: WHAT'S NEW PROPRIETOR PROFILE: 18 02 Party Time Liquors ... HOW BARS ARE PUB PAGE 24 An American Success Story SURVIVING THE A Look Back, BRAND PROFILE to Find a Way Forward ... PANDEMIC Barefoot Stays Sweet Bar owners from across the with Fruitscato country share strategies for 04 staying in business. NEW PRODUCTS 26 & PROMOTIONS REGION FOCUS 28 LIGHT WHISKEY’S 08 Opportunity Knocks for Alentejo COMEBACK? BEER, Distillers rediscover this INDUSTRY TRENDS 28 high-proof, light-colored— Breweries were forced to CATEGORY FOCUS and long forgotten— adapt in 2020. Which pivots category as a blank canvas are poised to become Light Whiskey's Comeback? ON THE COVER: of opportunity. permanent fixtures on the Photograph by brewing landscape? Maxim Fesenko / iStock VOLUME83NUMBER02 February 2021 BEVERAGE JOURNAL 1 PUB Maryland l Washington, DC PAGE Published Monthly by The Beverage Journal, Inc. (USPS# PE 783300) A LOOK BACK, Over 80 Years of Continuous Publication TO MOVE FORWARD… We now know that three things are BEVERAGE JOURNAL, INC. For so many, 2020 was a year of fear and certain: the pandemic tested the limits of President / Publisher Stephen Patten uncertainty as the coronavirus ravaged the operator creativity and knowhow, acceler- [email protected] country and put the on-premise side of the ated tech adoption and emerging trends, and 410.796.5455 industry through its worst year in history. The confirmed that customers sorely miss their Board of Directors Lee W. Murray economy came to a halt as millions of Ameri- restaurant experiences. Thomas W. Murray cans sheltered in place, and businesses were From surveys of 6,000 restaurant op- Information Technology Peter Williams forced to close indoor spaces. The National Director [email protected] erators and 1,000 consumers, the National Restaurant Association (www.restaurant.org) Restaurant Association has identified how EDITORIAL has gathered some interesting statistics and restaurateurs demonstrated resiliency, innova- Senior Editor Kristen Bieler trends I wanted to share… [email protected] tion and commitment as well as the food and About 110,000 restaurants across the na- menu trends likely to stick around. Managing Editor W. R. Tish [email protected] tion fell victim to dining restrictions imposed Top trends include: due to the pandemic, closing either tempo- Contributing Editors Alia Akkam, Arielle Albert, • Streamlined menus Keven Danow, Edward Durgin rarily or for good. David Lincoln Ross, • Overwhelming shift to off-premises dining Ed McCarthy, Jack Robertiello According to the National Restaurant Association research, the industry lost some • Blended meals, part homemade, part ART & DESIGN restaurant-supplied Creative Director Larry Lee $240 billion in sales and is still 2.5 million jobs [email protected] below pre-pandemic levels. • Restaurant-brand meal kits Senior Designer Jeff Tsui [email protected] Nevertheless, the on-premise side of the • Alcohol to go industry has persevered. By quickly switching TECHNOLOGY & WEB If you’re wondering what foods customers to off-premises service, innovating opera- eCommerce Director Ian Griffith craved most, the National Restaurant As- [email protected] tions, and adapting contactless technology, sociation asked operators to name their No. eCommerce Managers Karli Del Rossi, Evan Berube restaurants and bars have shown resiliency, Online Web Programming Vali Balescu 1 selling item right now and 6,000 of them doing everything they can to keep their busi- responded. Here are the top sellers from PRINT & PRODUCTION nesses open and employees on the payroll. fullservice restaurants: Print Services Manager Lee Stringham Some converted closed dining rooms into [email protected] • Burgers 410.519.7034 grocery store staging areas so that customers • Seafood could pick up supermarket staples and hard- ADVERTISING & MARKETING to-get supplies along with their restaurant • Pizza MD & DC Advertising Sales Stephen Patten [email protected] orders. Working through a different supply • Steak 410.796.5455 chain, operators often had access to supplies • Chicken (excl. wings) National Advertising Sales Jody Slone-Spitalnik grocery stores couldn’t keep in stock. [email protected] • Breakfast items 212.571.3232 Technology that might have been “nice • Pasta to have” before the pandemic suddenly became “need to have” to enable touchless • Mexican food transactions. • Sandwiches/subs/wraps POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Alcohol-to-go service became a best- • Chicken wings THE BEVERAGE JOURNAL, INC. selling option for many struggling establish- 2021 Restaurant Trends is developed with P.O. Box 159, Hampstead, MD 21074-0159 ments as many state and local jurisdictions the National Restaurant Association’s State of The Maryland Beverage Journal, the Washington, DC Beverage Journal and the temporarily stayed regulations that prohibited the Restaurant Industry report, which will be Delaware Beverage Journal are registered trademarks of Beverage Journal, Inc. such sales prior to the pandemic. All rights reserved. available for download Tuesday, January 26. Periodicals postage paid at Baltimore, MD and additional Many of the innovations deployed not Visit www.restaurant.org for more informa- mailing offices. Subscription rates: MD edition; 1 year $45.00 plus tax, 2 years $75.00 plus tax, 3 years $100.00 plus tax, FedEx Ground delivery $85.00 plus only helped keep on-premise establishments tion. n tax per year per edition, single copies $10.00 plus tax. DC edition; 1 year $36.00 plus tax, 2 years $60.00 plus tax, 3 years $83.00 plus tax, FedEx Ground delivery afloat in 2020, they also signal the trends STEPHEN PATTEN $85.00 plus tax per year per edition, single copies $5.00 plus tax. shaping 2021. PUBLISHER The opinions expressed by guest columnists are their own and not necessarily those of The Beverage Journal, Inc. The Beverage Journal, Inc. is an affirmative action/equal opportunity corporation. Copyright 2021 the Beverage Journal, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Not responsible for unsolicited material or advertising claims. 2 BEVERAGE JOURNAL January 2021 www.BeverageJournalInc.com BeverageJournalInc.com NEW PRODUCTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 . NEW LONDON LIGHT . HINE COGNAC ‘BONNEUIL’ . OUT EAST HERMITAGE Salcombe Distilling Co.’s nonalcoholic spirit Bottled only in vintages deemed exceptional, The first ever Hermitage wine to be released takes fresh aim at health-conscious drinkers. the Hine’s Bonneuil collection showcases a by an American company (let alone one The aromatic, mixable, 0% ABV liquid features single harvest that exemplifies the essence owned and run by women), Out East’s 2017 a low calorie content, all natural ingredients of Cognac’s Grande Champagne subregion. was produced in collaboration with Rhône chosen for specific nutrients, and bioactive The fourth installment in the Bonneuil producer Cave de Tain. Out East is aiming to compounds that have health benefits. Inspired collection, sourced exclusively from Hine’s modernize the Hermitage category, known by gin-making principles, New London private estate, this Cognac captures Grande for firm intense, age-worthy Syrah-based Light’s juniper, ginger, habanero, and 15 more Champagne’s limestone terroir. Only 18 wines. Out East 2017 Hermitage shows botanicals echo the trading routes through casks (8,100 bottles) of Bonneuil 2010 were classic aromas and flavors of gamey meat, Salcombe and the coast of England in the hand-selected for bottling by cellar master spice, leather, co ee, and black currant. 1800s, when exotic fruits and spices were Eric Forge. 80 proof. carried from England to the Americas. SRP: $34.99 SRP: $139.99 SRP: $85 us.salcombegin.com hinecognac.com | hotalingandco.com out-east.com . VOGA PROSECCO ROSÉ . ’MERICAN MULE ‘FIRE MULE’ RTD . TEQUILA KOMOS Voga Italia stands apart from the bubbly crowd The RTD brand dedicated to the ever- Tequila Komos is an ultra-premium añejo with an interpretation of Italy’s newest DOC popular Moscow Mule cocktail continues cristalino tequila from Richard Betts o ering, Prosecco Rosé. The wine displays to add variations. ’Merican Mule has (creator of Sombra Mezcal and Astral all the bright spritiziness of classic Prosecco launched a seasonal Fire Mule expression. Tequila). Tapping into European winemaking underscored by the fruity undertones of Pinot Showing both sweetness and spicy techniques, Komos is aged in French oak Nero. The flavor profile includes lemon, melon, heat, Fire Mule is crafted with bourbon, white wine barrels (instead of bourbon) elderflower, pear, peach, and currants. Fresh ginger beer, and cinnamon (7% ABV). and stored in amphorae after a careful and versatile, Voga Prosecco Rosé o ers a Fire Mule joins the flagship Moscow Mule, purification process leaves it crystal clear fresh new experience for rosé and Prosecco Mexican Mule (tequila), Tropical Mule (rum), and extremely smooth. The result is flavorful lovers alike. Imported by Enovation Brands. Southern Mule (bourbon), and seasonal but delicate; best chilled or with a splash of Pumpkin Spice Mule (vodka). sparkling water. Clay bottles glazed in vivid blue nod toward the Mediterranean. SRP: $15.99 SRP: $13.99/four-pack (12oz cans) SRP: $119.99 enovationbrands.com | vogaitalia.com mericanmule.com komos.com 4 BEVERAGE JOURNAL February 2021 www.BeverageJournalInc.com BOLD CALIFORNIA WINE Iron Side wines are made from