The year 1917 began with our nation on the brink of World War I, which would eventually happen a few months later when President Woodrow Wilson declared war on Germany. On a different gridiron, the New Year began with Oregon beating Pennsylvania in the third annual Rose Bowl. And throughout the year and across the country, bars, saloons, and taverns were as popular as ever. But what were bars serving 100 years ago?

Though it's a bit too early to know exactly how the 2016 vintage will turn out, thanks to experts like Robert Parker and the Wine Enthusiast, we're starting to get some ideas of what the last several years have brought in terms of quality wines from around the world. To begin a little closer to home, the 2016 vintage recap for the Napa Valley was listed as "a near perfect growing season: according to Napa Valley Vintners.

The most famous day of the year for sparkling wine has come and gone, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't consider wines like Champagne, Prosecco, and Cava for other festive events, or even as an aperitif before a nice, Saturday night dinner. Yes, sparkling wines are associated with celebrations like New Year's Eve, but the style is much broader than just crystal balls and confetti.

Throughout the food and beverage industry, there's no denying a trend toward everything "craft." From beers and cocktails to coffee and chocolate, consumer preferences are trending toward small batch, locally made, sustainably created, and artisanal focused. But how is this trend affecting things that are more traditional, specifically as it relates to bar and beverage? What is happening to all the Irish pubs? Are we losing our love of all things "green"?

The beer industry is always evolving. So are people’s tastes. Customers these days want options when drinking beer, and lots of them. Chalk it up to the craft beer movement. The challenge for a bar or restaurant is to decide how many of those options to provide their patrons. Just as leaving a beer out for too long will make it stale and flat, leaving a tap list unchanged will do the same to your bar.

The Tobin Ellis Signature Cocktail Station from Perlick is one of the only pieces of underbar equipment in the industry designed by a bartender for bartenders. Often referred to as the "Bartender's Cockpit," the Tobin Ellis Signature Cocktail Station features many thoughtfully designed and ergonomically created features that help eliminate typical bartender pain points.

While some brewers are hesitant to serve sour beers on tap, we're here to tell you it doesn't have to be difficult. As long as you follow a few basic guidelines and maintain your beer lines often you won’t have a problem dispensing your sour beer.

Perlick is honored to receive the 2016 Best-in-Class Underbar Fabrication awards for the 13th year in a row. The award included honors from both consultants and dealers who participated in the Foodservice Equipment and Supply Magazine annual survey. In addition, Perlick also received overall Best-in-Class Award for Underbar Fabrication, and despite winning the 12 previous years, it does not diminish the significance of winning the prestigious award again.