The modern rebirth of the speakeasy can be traced back to the 1990s, but it took the craft cocktail renaissance the last 15 years to really cement it into our everyday bar vernacular. Since then, more and more speakeasies have been established across the country, and in many cases, one of the signature features of those establishments has been the entrances.

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.

Ben Franklin may not have been talking about cocktails when he came up with that proverbial saying, but nowhere does it ring more truly today than behind the bar. Every second is key for bartenders, and proper organization and bar setup saves them time for when they’ll need it most. The craft cocktail movement has led to more complex cocktail recipes, and consequently, warranted the need for bar setups to become more elaborate. That’s why the concept of mise en place has moved from the kitchen to the bar.

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.

At Perlick, we’re all about bar and beverage innovation. We’ve been that way for 100 years. And now, the latest bar equipment design can be found directly in front of bartenders. The improved Perlick speed rail and lock cover design is the solution to lingering problems for bartenders and bar operators alike. Productivity can be hampered if the bar is not designed with a bartender in mind. A speed rail is one such piece of bar equipment that can provide a number of benefits if designed for efficiency.

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?

When you think of the Kentucky Derby, what comes to mind? Fancy hats? Singing “My Old Kentucky Home?” The Call to the Post? Or how about an ice cold mint julep? Hopefully the latter. No cocktail is so closely attached to a sporting event like the mint julep and the Kentucky Derby. You don’t need to be at Churchill Downs to enjoy a mint julep (although we highly recommend it). No matter if you’re in the racetrack infield, sitting on Millionaire’s Row, or throwing a Kentucky Derby party at your bar or restaurant, no Derby weekend is complete without this minty concoction.

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.

The Guinness Book of World Records claims there is no other place on earth where a beer aficionado can find more beers on tap. It’s been named one of the top 1,000 places in the country to visit before you die. For us, the Great American Beer Festival sounds like paradise. Every fall, craft brewers from around the country, and visitors from around the world, gather to celebrate the best that American beer has to offer. There's a reason the Great American Beer Festival is the “premier U.S. beer festival and competition.”

From sea to shining sea, the United States is filled with high quality cocktail bars as part of the great cocktail revolution. But at the recent Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, the Columbia Room in Washington, D.C. took the Spirited Awards honor as Best American Cocktail Bar. The award recognizes the American bar that set the highest standards in the industry and influenced national cocktail trends over the past year. Considerations for the award include menu, bar teams, atmosphere, and cocktail quality.

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.

Whether it's in a hotel lobby, a new trendy restaurant, or a speakeasy, a cocktail bar is often the most profitable location in any food and beverage operation. Because it represents so much potential, it's even more important to consider best practices to help maximize the profitability of this space. Let's take a look at five essential tips for a profitable cocktail bar.

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.