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.

Whether you're a brand new brewpub in Colorado's Front Range or are looking to replace your beer dispensing towers in one of the West Coast's tried and true microbreweries, Perlick has a new line of beer dispensing draught towers that will make an instant impact in your establishment. Having the right piece of beer dispensing equipment can add character and ambiance to your bar or restaurant, which will make beer sampling a more memorable experience for the beer lovers who visit your establishment. And when those memories are positive, those visitors will return.

Health code regulations and standards can vary from state to state, but regardless of where your bar or foodservice operation is located, health code violations can be catastrophic to your establishment. Bars and restaurants that continue to violate inspections can lose business, get a bad reputation, or even be shut down for extended periods of time.

The most important result of a beer or wine faucet is getting a perfect pour. This maximizes the return on your beer and wine investment, and it keeps your customers happy. But how does a faucet help deliver these results?

Every year, the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies review several thousand product designs and graphics from more than 48 different countries in search of recipients for their GOOD DESIGN™ Awards. In 2014, the Perlick 650SS Forward Sealing Flow Control Faucet was one of these winners. The GOOD DESIGN program is focused on quality designs that yield the highest forms, functions, and aesthetics. It is an international symbol of a company's commitment to innovation and superior design.