Postcards from Atlanta
Grabbing a Cold One in One Market’s Bars

Often called the Capital of the South, Atlanta today is on equal footing with any of the major markets nationwide. As such, its on-premise beer dynamic is a fair sampling of what’s on tap and in bottles in bars in other urban environs. We talked with a few operators there in different bar concepts about what brews they’re serving and what the current demandlooks like in Atlanta.

Hudson Grille
Hudson Grille is one of 12 restaurants in the Atlanta area owned by Metrotainment Cafes. Eric Astin manages the unit in suburban Alpharetta. He started as a bartender and has been in the business for 13 years, What would Astin rate as probably the most positive thing to impact the bar business in Atlanta?

“It’s probably when Georgia lawmakers passed a bill that permitted an increase in the maximum alcohol content in beer from 6 percent to 14 percent,” he says. One outspoken Atlanta brewmaster putit this way: “Beer has gotten a bad rap because of what we’ve been forced to drink the last 40 to 50 years.” Astin quickly grasped the significance of that legislation. Bars in Georgia could then sell microbrews and international beers. “This has given us a lot of different options,” Astin says. “We now could sell beers with much greater alcohol content. “Sweetwater 420 ale has been our biggest overall selling brew,” he says. “We now carry about 20 different bottle beers, half of which are imports or micros. The most popular European brands we sell are Guinness and Stella Artois. ” Beer accounts for about 25 percent of the total sales at Hudson Grille, which features 16 beers on draft from around the world. Eleven are either imports or some type of microbrew or craft brew. The bar also offers single malt scotches and an extensive cocktail menu and wine list. Guests come to Hudson Grille for lunch, dinner and drinks and to be part of an engaging TV -sports atmosphere. I t’s similar to the relatively new sports bar themes that typically have been found in many classic taverns in New York and Chicago. The menu features char-grilled steak, fresh seafood, burgers and desserts from itsown bakery. 

Sutra Lounge
Rez Madhany, managing partner, describes his Sutra Lounge in Midtown Atlanta as an upscale nightclub. “People come to us because they want to lounge and dance,” he says. “All of our beer sales seem to be influenced by the time of the year. For example, we serve a lot of Mexican beer on and around the Cinco de Mayo holiday. And we sell American beer almost exclusively on and around the Fourth of July.” “Bud Light historically has been our top seller, followed by Heineken regular. Spirits make up about 60 percent of our sales, beer is about 30 percent, and wine and Champagne make up the remaining 10 percent. “We don’t do draft or a lot of the small batches because we’re a nightclub. However, I ’ve been in the business for 14 years and have seen that small batches from the microbreweries really started quite a strong trend a few years ago. “The higher alcohol-content beers have been selling very steadily ever since. For example, we have noticed that the Sweetwater and Red Brick microbreweries have really exploded in the Atlanta market and throughout the Southeast in just the past few years.”  

Verve Lounge
Verve Lounge, which opened in 2006, also is in the center of Atlanta nightlife — or in the heart of Midtown, as it’s known. It has been comfortably placed in a 10,000-squarefoot building with three different levels. The Verve environment is characterized by elements of international appeal. It shines with some beautiful people, talented musicians and renowned DJs. Headed by Vice President Brad Walton and Managing P artner Lloyd G eddes, The Verve’s decor and cuisine are influenced by their favorite places in Paris, London, Morocco and South Beach Miami. Walton describes Verve Lounge as a hybrid between a restaurant and a lounge. It’s a full-service restaurant, but as evening progresses, it’s more of a bar or lounge with most customers visiting for drinks only. The bar seats 30 customers. “When it comes to beer, our customers tend to stick with their preferred brands,” he says. Verve typically carries about 10 brands of beer including Heineken, Guinness Stout, Bud Light, Budweiser Select, Amstel Light, Red Brick and Corona and Corona Light. Corona and Hineken have been Verve’s biggest sellers since it opened its doors. Bud Light and Budweiser Select are next. Beer represents about 30 percent of gross sales, with spirits and wine representingthe other 70.