Industry Matters/News | Booze Business: A Blog Dedicated to the Business of Spirits and Wine

Restaurants and Variable Pricing

September 14, 2012 No Comments

WABC-TV New York recently had a story about restaurants charging more for premium dining times. They indicated that people pay extra to board a plane early or for a hotel room over a holiday weekend, and they will soon pay more for prime time reservations.

That’s just not the whole story. Their report was based on a NY Times article about a new approach to filling tables at non-peak dining times.

A table in a restaurant, like an airline seat, hotel room, even a theatre seat is a perishable commodity. If it’s not taken, it’s gone forever at that date and time. What many restaurants have been doing is using variable pricing tools like Groupon or Gilt City for deals to consumers for anticipated slow times.

Booze Research Breakthroughs

September 3, 2012 No Comments

Heavy Drinkers Exercise More.

Beer Glass Shape Alters Drinking Speed.

Those were two recent studies on drinking that caught my attention and seem worthy of exploration and comment.

Let’s start with exercise.

Forget about all the negative things you’ve heard about drinking and exercise, particularly that people who drink exercise less.

Based on a number of studies, The San Francisco Chronicle and the NY Times have reported that people who exercise, drink more than those who don’t exercise. One study, from the University of Miami, concluded, “our results strongly suggest that alcohol consumption and physical activity are positively correlated… the association persists at heavy drinking levels.”

Turns out that, of those who exercised energetically, heavy drinkers (in past 30 days, 46+ drinks among women and 76+ drinks among men) worked out 10 more minutes than moderate drinkers and 20 more minutes than non-drinkers.

The researchers theorized that it might be a result of group sports and drinks afterward or, perhaps compensating for drinking by vigorous exercise.

I wonder — if I increase my workouts, can I have a second martini?

Perhaps I should change the glass I use?

Bartender Forecasts

August 27, 2012 1 Comment

New York magazine’s Fall Preview issue has predictions about what some NYC bartenders/mixologists think are the most promising drink trends for the fall.

It’s been some time since “behind the bar experts” have taken me to task for a blog posting (and I kind of miss being yelled at), so, here are their predictions.

Let me know what you think (he said with trepidation).

The first prediction mentioned is that mezcal will “break through.” Frankly, I’ve been predicting that myself for a number of years. While I’m not an aficionado of tequila or mezcal, the latter has a small batch product quality not to mention allure and mystique – and the worm BS is not what I’m talking about.

Unfortunately, for Mezcal to break through it will take some clout and marketing support that most producers don’t have. Nevertheless, I continue to think it will grow.

My take: I agree with the forecast.

The second prediction is that cognac will become a cocktail ingredient. The magazine argues that the ceremonial “from the bottle” drinking patterns of rappers and hedge fund types will give way to its use in mixed drinks.