As the Beer Category Branches Out, Operators Rejoice At the Possibilities of Profit

By Andy Ashby

   While domestic beers, primarily under the umbrellas of Miller, Anhesuer-Busch and Coors Brewing Co., still command the lion’s share of America’s beer sales, today there are plenty of options for bar owners and operators looking for growth brands to increase sales.

Belgium’s on the Rise 
   At the Taphouse Grille in Belmont, Wash., just outside of Seattle, local beers rule the beer landscape. However, Seattle isn’t just any place when it comes to beer drinking; it’s at the forefront of the brewing industry.
Jamie Hann, manager at the Taphouse Grill, points to one Washington state offering that sells particularly well, Mac and Jack African Amber, a red ale from Redmond, Wash. Also, beers from Pike Brewery and Pub in Seattle have shown growth in the state.
   “People are very loyal in Washington state,” Hann says. However, the Taphouse Grill has more than 160 beers on tap, so not all the beers can be local.
Many types of brews from Fort Collins, Colo.-based New Belgium breweries put up good numbers in the Northwest, including perennial favorite Fat Tire, a well-balanced amber ale.
   Dogfish Head Craft Brewery from Delaware has made inroads at the Taphouse Grill, too, with the company’s 90-Minute Indian Pale Ale selling particularly well.
Another beer segment that is gaining steam in the Pacific Northwest is European imports — with an especially strong call for the selection of beers from Belgium.
“We find them to be a lot more available,” Hann says. “More and more small markets are carrying these beers.”
   One particularly popular set of offerings is from Maredsous. This Belgian  brewery makes 8- and 10-percent beers that have a maltiness which smoothes out their alcohol flavor.
   Closer to home, North Coast’s Pranqster Golden Ale is a Belgian-style brew from a Northern California brewery. “Those are great high-alcohol beers, and they give our customers more bang for their buck,” Hann says.
   Growing Breweries = Growth Brands Henry’s Pub in Berkeley, Calif., is a restaurant/lounge located in the Hotel Durant, a place with a decidedly Victorian feel and plenty of English imports mixed in with microbrewery beers among its 51 taps.
   Bar Manager Lawrence Anderson says over the past few summers, an Indian Pale Ale called Racer Five has been doing exceptionally well there. It’s from a growing Mendocino, Calif.-based brewery named Bear Republic. Racer has shown a 60 percent growth over the past few years.
   Other offerings, such as the ones  from Deschutes Brewing Co. out of Oregon also have seen growth over the past few years. Beer from Boont Brewing Co., particularly that company’s signature amber ale, has been moving quickly at Henry’s Pub, Anderson says. Sales of Boont beers have increased 20 to 30 percent in past few years.                                    

NCB