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.

“Whoa. That’s Instagram-worthy.” In today’s digital age, there’s no higher compliment. That’s especially true in bars or restaurants. When a colossal-sized cheeseburger, an artistically presented slice of cheesecake, or a glowing craft cocktail arrives in front of us, our first instinct might be to reach for our phones and share these creations with the world.

Keeping wine at ideal temperatures is obviously a critical element to success for any operations featuring a wine list. That being said, there are different ways to refrigerate wine, and this requires refrigerant. Refrigerant is a substance used to lower temperatures, but there are a range of options to consider. Some are more efficient and eco-friendly than others.

Square footage. It's hard to come by no matter where the operation. Even restaurants in suburban or rural locations have to deal with the challenges of doing more with less in their attempts to maximize profits. Bar and beverage. For many restaurants, it's hard to imagine a menu segment that brings in more revenue, and wine is an important part of this, especially as more and more Americans consume wine.

"We've noticed the non-drinker has evolved," said award-winning bartender and founder of London's Dandylyan said in a recent article in Forbes. "It means you have people not drinking for a multitude of reasons, but they still want to socialize." This is a statement on the non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beverage trend that is gaining in popularity both at home and abroad. Consumers who choose not to imbibe have more than just the basic teetotaling options of decades past, and operators who understand this and are willing to step out of their comfort zones stand to attract a new type of customer.

Eat. Drink. Shine. That's the way life is in Boulder, Colorado, where one of the most established groups in the local food and beverage industry has developed their latest legacy... potions.

If you stop and think about it, you can probably come up with a few cocktails that incorporate vegetables -- Bloody Mary's, Mojitos made with cucumber, or even a jalapeño-infused Margarita. And while fruits are still far more popular than vegetables when it comes to cocktail flavors, don't count out the veggies just yet.

Summer is here, and one of America's greatest pastimes is traveling the country in search of the Great American Ballpark. Here at Perlick, we're doing the same thing, though we're not just limiting our tour to baseball. From the World's Greatest Arena to the Frozen Tundra here a little closer to home, let's take a quick look at the evolution of stadium beer and beverage service from famous arenas across the country.