All About Liz Logan

UPDATED: 2/22/24

Bar games conjure a variety of mental images. Visions of darts and billiards evoke the dive bar aesthetic, reminding us of a time the beer-and-skeeball combo was exclusive to reluctant parents at Chuck E. Cheese. But as Bob Dylan once said, “these times, they are a’changing!” And in 2024, offering the right game at your bar and brewery can have a huge impact on cultivating clientele.

The concept of bar and brewery games dates back to the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. when Ancient Greeks could be found playing Kottabos, a game that involved flinging wine sediment at targets in exchange for prizes.

Today, more than ever, people are looking for that ‘x’ factor when it comes to visiting a brewery, bar, or taproom. It’s no longer enough to just make or serve great beer, unfortunately. Don’t get us wrong. That certainly helps. But when people go out to spend their hard-earned money, they’re looking for more from the hospitality industry.

“I think that taprooms are going to have to innovate more than ever as consumers migrate back from taprooms to traditional bars,” predicts West Sixth Brewing Co-Founder Brady Barlow. “Events are key. Increased community engagement is key. Food helps, for sure.”

Games continue to attract patrons and keep them coming back for more. And while the concept of pairing games and alcohol is ancient, bar and brewery owners are concocting new ideas for what the pairing can look like in modern taprooms.

Keeping games on hand gives guests a reason to stay longer (and thus spend more) while elevating the customer experience, making your taproom a destination. Having theme nights and group games as a recurring event increases engagement, and can be used to create a regular crowd on what would otherwise be a slower night.

Depending on your free space, clientele, and overall vibe, your choice of games may change. One thing is sure: introducing games adds something unique for patrons to enjoy and creates a deeper sense of community as guests interact in ways that get them talking, laughing, and connecting not just to one another but to your establishment and brand.

While most bars and breweries provide games free of charge, others choose a paid system with a per-game or day-pass fee. These fees are nominal (between $1.50-$5.00) but can add up and require minimal investment. Others, like Cleveland, Ohio’s Tabletop Board Game Cafe, off year-long memberships for around $25, giving patrons a reason to return on a regular basis.

If you’re looking to make your bar, brewery, or taproom a bit more fun and up your food and beverage sales, try bringing some of these games on board.

UPDATED: 1/26/24

In the last five years or so, the way we’ve tipped has changed. Today, many contactless and digital payment apps make it easy to add anywhere from a ten percent to even twenty-five percent tip to an order.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean that more Americans are tipping. Even as business has returned to a new normal.

While tipping at standard American sit-down restaurants has remained around 19.4 percent, Toast reports that an average tip for quick-service restaurants (and places like breweries) on their platform now only reaches 16.1 percent, down from seventeen percent in 2022.

Overall, Toast reports that tipping remained steady over the course of 2023.

According to a Pew Research survey, Americans report leaving a tip on average the most at sit-down restaurants (92%), when ordering food delivery (76%), and when buying a drink at a bar (70%). On the other hand, only 12% of Americans leave a tip at a fast-casual restaurant.

While most people are inclined to tip, others may need a little nod in the right direction. And while the aforementioned payment platforms, such as Toast, offer easy tipping options (66.6 percent of people using that platform will include a tip in their transactions), nothing replaces a good ole’ tip jar on the counter.

Whether you’re starting up a friendly competition, roping them in with cultural references and puns, or incentivizing with freebies, remind your customers to tip their bartenders by making it fun and engaging.

A good tactic to get tips going is to start the shift off with a few bills in the jar to remind guests this is a real need, kind of like an “everybody is doing it” subtle peer pressure. If you’re stuck on how to get the tips rolling in, check out thirty of the best tip jar ideas we came across for an emotional appeal, a little bit of humor, and clearing up local rivalries.

Outdoor seating gives a distinct advantage to your brewery space. Even in pre-COVID times, brewery patios and beer gardens were uber popular. Often magazines and newspapers put together lists of the best places to eat and drink outdoors in their respective cities.

While there is a lot to be said for a well-crafted indoor space, outdoor spaces at your brewery or restaurant can add personality and artistry—as well as more customers. Plus, during the global pandemic, outdoor spaces have been crucial for breweries to safely reopen and once again welcome people into their establishment.

“People want to be outside now more than ever,” says Frank Scott Krueger, Co-Owner of Humble Sea Brewing in Santa Cruz, CA. Scott Krueger and his team just opened a new taproom in Pacifica, CA, and their outdoor beer garden has been incredibly important for their business.

So what are some things to think about when you’re looking to design the perfect outdoor space? We’ve got some ideas to get the ball rolling.

Opening a brewery can have a profound effect on both the local economy and community. Historically, beer gardens have been a gathering space, providing people a home away from home.

With this idea in mind, breweries have grown from welcoming just adults to being spaces for families too.

While being inclusive is an important aspect of any business, it may not be right for every brewery. How do you decide?

It’s important to understand all of the factors when determining if you’d like to allow kids in your brewery.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:

There are many facets to running a restaurant. While hiring a chef and developing a cuisine is undoubtedly important, the most front-facing consumer experience is your restaurant design and concept. When conceptualizing your space, you’ll want the two—food and decor—to speak to one another, while staying on board with your brand and vision.

These, along with a handful of ideas we’ll cover when planning your space, will allow for a great jumping off point, whether you devise the space yourself or enlist the help of an interior designer.

Traditional distributors are the second tier of the United States’ three-tiered system. In this system, a brewery sells beer to a distributor, who then goes on to sell it to various retail, bar, or restaurant accounts. In many states, and if you want to move beer across state lines, a traditional distributor is a necessary partner for any brewery.

But not always. For those committed to keeping beer local, learning about their local regulations, hiring sales reps and drivers, and ensuring their production matches demand, self-distribution is an option.

As a brewery, you need to make a choice. Do you want to self-distribute, work with an outside distribution company, or some combination of both?

Breaking down the advantages and disadvantages of self distributing versus traditional distribution simplifies the decision-making process. We’ve spoken with a few experts in the field to help you make a well-informed decision.

If you’ve ever had daydreams of naming dogs, babies, or hypothetical cover bands, you know the excitement of finding the perfect name that will make its mark for years to come. Naming beers can come with that same excited anticipation or be shrouded in anxiety as you search for the perfect words to represent your beer.

Not only are names a fun way to speak to your brand and product, but it’s also a requirement. In some states such as North Carolina individual beers must be registered with their “fanciful name” (which simply means the name of the specific beer being registered) in order for the beer to be distributed or for off-premise sales.

So how does one go about naming a beer that entices drinkers to choose you above the competition?

Whether your brewery is up and running or you’re just in the process of getting your name out there, it’s understood that you probably want to get your beer into as many hands as possible. Sometimes, this takes the form of local festivals and events. Other times, you may look to do a tap takeover in a different city or want to do an out-of-town festival. Aside from personally delivering your beer, how do you get your beer from place to place? Many times, common questions around beer shipping and transport that may keep some breweries from taking the plunge.

At one point in a not-so-distant past, when certain rare and well-loved beers were next to impossible to get (like Cigar City’s Hunahpu Imperial Stout and Bell’s Hopslam), due either to a limited production or a lack of nationwide availability, consumers paved their own way when procuring their desired beverage. They traded products amongst themselves, shipping (largely illegally) from all over the country to ensure they got their hands on hard-to-come by brews.

Shipping in unconventional and unideal modalities, often with a lack of proper insulation and a fingers-crossed method of packaging, has made it hard to determine how to ship beer legally and safely, while also ensuring the quality and integrity of the beverage.

For businesses to ship beer or alcohol, there’s a bit to understand, from techniques to pricing. Learn the ropes and you can make decisions on how to ship your beer safely and securely from your brewery to consumers across the nation — and the world!