As we wind down an old year and look toward a new one, we thought we'd take a few minutes to review what was a remarkable 2017 in the bar and beverage world. As more and more consumers look toward high quality beverage options, each year seems to bring a new set of opportunities and associated challenges. So let's take a look back at what some of those were in 2017.

When you can't build out, build up. That's the basic idea behind the new Wine Column Refrigeration from Perlick. And because these units provide maximum visibility with a small footprint wine display, they're ideal for restaurants and foodservice operations that don't have an ideal space for increasing the visibility of wines but are looking to increase wine sales.

From fine dining restaurants to your local sports pub, even a quick survey of America's beverage programs will show the growing presence of cider. And because the cider market segment is so versatile, it requires greater consideration than most areas of the bar. To understand cider, or cidre, you first have to look at who's producing it. Cider usually comes from apples but can also be made from fruits like pears. It's bottled and marketed like beer, often as a gluten free alternative. It is also bottled and marketed like wine, particularly the French varieties.

Pumpkin beer comes in many forms, and as we near the Thanksgiving holiday, the varieties of pumpkin beer get better and better. From cinnamon and sugar rims to pumpkin spice stouts served with dessert, you know what to serve WITH your beer, but are you serving it the right way? Let's take a look at a few important factors to consider when serving pumpkin beer.

Flavor and aroma will make or break the reputation of any wine. But we’d be remiss not to include visual appeal in a list of factors that can impact a guests’ purchasing decision. There are two pillars to a profitable wine program: storage and display. The latter should not be overlooked, as the visual impact of a wine display is quite often the first impression for dining guests. And when a restaurant or bar wants to showcase premium wines, the equipment makes all the difference.

For any restaurant’s wine program, successful wine preservation hinges on two major factors: storage and display. Proper wine storage is key to maintaining flavor profiles and quality. Just as important, however, are the conditions in which the wine is displayed. Is your wine program profitable? If not, you’re likely not addressing these pillars of wine preservation.

Baseball and drinking beer. These two American pastimes have gone hand-in-hand over the last 100 years. But the relationship between baseball and beer has had its ups and downs. In the late 1800s, the National League kicked teams out of the league for selling beer. Today, you can’t go one pitch without seeing beer advertisements.

All over America, summer revolves around great weather, captivating entertainment, and of course, delicious food and beverage. Name the food, you can likely find it at an amusement park, state fair, or music festival: deep-fried Twinkies, beer-battered bacon-wrapped brats, ice cold beer. Summer festivals bring in huge crowds over several days or weeks during the season. And if there’s one thing these folks want to do, it’s eat and drink.

It’s been a long day, and your customers are heading into your bar for a nice cold beer. But when the bartender pulls the pint, what's supposed to be a refreshing beverage pours as a glass filled with foam. The reason is because the beer line is running too warm, and the negative effects are numerous. As we get into the heart of summer, warmer temperatures can impact not only your customers’ experience, but also your bottom line. While most 16 ounce beers should have about 2.25 ounces of head, any more than that will leave your customers feeling cheated.

From speed rails to beer towers, keeping a bar productive and efficient will keep the profits pouring. Installers of bar equipment need that same efficiency when installing equipment like ice chests, sinks, and faucets. Nothing can derail a bar or foodservice operation like downtime needed to install new underbar equipment. It negatively affects both the installer's and the bar operator's time. And in the bar industry, time is money.

Many holidays have an iconic character associated with them. Christmas has Santa Claus. Valentine’s Day has Cupid. Cinco de Mayo has the bartender. Much like St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo is both a cultural celebration and sales enhancer for bars and restaurants. We know what we do on Cinco de Mayo, but why exactly are we celebrating?

Ever walk into a bar or restaurant, glance upon the massive beer tap list covering hundreds of ales and lagers, and after an hour of studying, decide on that same Irish Stout you always order? There’s an inexact science to curating a beer menu that not only meets the demands of your customers, but maximizes the profitability of your bar. But can there be such a thing as too many beer taps in your bar?

Miller Park announced this week that the renovations to their concessions area is now complete and ready to go for opening day, April 3. Miller Park's new food and beverage program includes 24 draft beers, all brewed in Wisconsin, and flowing from Perlick taps. Beer selections include Citrus Happy, Lo-Gii and Outboard from Milwaukee Brewing Co., Happy Place and Upward Spiral from Third Space Brewing, 5th Element from One Barrel Brewing Company, and more.

In today’s digital age, what was “hip” a week ago is likely old news by now. Trends and tastes are changing faster than ever, and nowhere is that more prevalent than with bar and beverage selections. The group with both the influence and the buying power spearheading these changes are Millennials. For restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, it’s important to offer bar and beverage selections that reflect this generation’s tastes. But before you offer the newest craft cocktail, you want to first understand what quenches the thirst of this demographic.

Over the past several weeks, we've looked back at the last century to see how far we've come in the world of bar and beverage. From the 1917 wine vintages in Europe to cocktail trends through the decades, it's been fun reminiscing about what bars were serving 100 years ago. But now we'd like to take a look at why Perlick is here and the reasons we're still in business after all these years. Let's take a look back at 100 years of bar and beverage equipment innovations.

As the entire country gathers around the television on Super Bowl Sunday, we’ll all have our rooting interests. Some will be pulling for their favorite team and others will be rooting for the host to announce, “The wings are ready!” However, a good number of us will have far more interest in the commercials than the football game itself. Ask someone about their favorite play in the Big Game or their favorite commercial and we bet they’ll recite the advertisement first!