One of the keys to Perlick’s success through the years has been partnering with other innovative companies. We know that we do not exist in a vacuum, and we must work together, especially when it comes to offering unique products that help to change the landscape of refrigeration and beverage dispensing.

Table Tap self-pour kiosk with Perlick taps

For more than a decade we have worked with Table Tap in their quest to be a leader in the self-pour industry. Self-pour technology has been gaining in popularity for years, as a way for bars, restaurants, wine stores, and other businesses to offer an additional amenity to customers. As sanitation continues to be a primary focus since the pandemic, self-pour has offered a way to reduce the number of touchpoints for bar and restaurant workers.

SELF-POUR WHERE YOU LIVE

Today we are looking at a more niche application for self-pour: Apartments and condos. Table Tap’s Director of Sales and Marketing Kermit Lowry took some time to answer our questions about self-pour where you live, and how it has been a game-changer for him personally.

Perlick: For those that do not know about Table Tap, can you tell us your story? Where are you based and where are your projects?

Lowry: Table Tap was started way back in 2006 when our President and Founder, Jeff Libby, saw a tap on a table in South America. He came back to the United States, learned about the draft beer industry, and began developing his product. We launched at STATS in Downtown Atlanta, and they still utilize the Table Tap system to this day.

We have projects all over the nation and internationally. Wherever there is a draft beer tap, we will go! 

Perlick: What makes you guys unique?

Lowry: Table Tap can provide a full turnkey solution for restaurants and apartments. This means we can provide the entire draft system and self-pour technology and install it all in house. We are the only system designed and developed with multi-family developments in mind.

Perlick: How did you get involved with Perlick?

Lowry: Jeff Libby has had a relationship with Perlick since he started the company in 2006.

TABLE TAP AND THE PERLICK DIFFERENCE

Perlick: What do you like about working with Perlick?

Lowry: Perlick’s equipment is extremely reliable and commercial grade. To install our system, we need to run wires out of the unit and we have found Perlick’s DDS and DZS refrigerator lines to be the best for our application and install. 

Perlick: One of your coolest applications is apartments and condos. Why is self-pour so popular in these venues?

Lowry: Self-pour is so popular at apartments because it builds community like in a pre-COVID world. Nowadays people do not want to leave their home so going to grab a beer downstairs is ideal. We have seen our apartment business explode in 2020. There is an amenity war going on with these luxury complexes and self-pour is the hottest amenity out there.

Perlick: You yourself have lived in an apartment complex with self-pour. Tell us how that works… can a person really just walk in after a long day and pour themself a draft beer? How cool is that!?

Kermit enjoys a self-pour beer at his apartment complex!

Lowry: I lived at Revel at The Ballpark in Atlanta, GA. The residents each get 24 ounces of beer a day, which is accessible by placing their RFID card on the reader.

We were the only apartment in the area with this amenity, and a ton of residents said the beer taps were the reason they moved in versus the 10 other complexes within a mile. 

Perlick: Do you spec Perlick for most of these apartment and condo projects? Why?

Lowry: We do spec Perlick in our multi-family development projects. Designers are familiar with your product and it fits the look and feel they are going for. Also, as mentioned earlier, Perlick refrigerators are great to work with from an install perspective. We know they will last for years to come.

Perlick: Do you think an apartment complex with self-pour taps is a game-changer? Is it worth the investment?

Lowry: Self-pour at apartments is definitely a game changer. Multi-family developments see the cost of the unit as a Marketing cost. They know having draft beer, wine, cold brew or kombucha is going to catch people’s attention and fill apartments.

The system can also be a profit center for complexes if they choose to charge for it, but we find that 95% of our complexes are offering the draft products as a free amenity just as they do with coffee.

Perlick: Why do people love tap beer, wine, etc. so much? It must be a good feeling to have a successful install and see those happy faces.

Lowry: We love seeing both our clients and their residents happy when they pour their first beer. Pulling that handle is an empowering experience that has for the most part been left up to the bartender. Residents love to watch the ounces count on the screen in real time. 

Thanks Kermit. It has been really interesting learning more about the self-pour craze, and why it helps people feel empowered. We look forward to future projects with the Table Tap Team!