Batching, tapping, bottling
Lucky for us, cocktails on tap and in punch bowls, in flasks, and most certainly in bulk have mainstreamed. Your guests don’t need to see a bartender shakin’ it up when a house-bottled beverage in an apothecary flask will do. If you were at the Premonition party at CSES2015 in Las Vegas, you saw three different fruit and vegetable juice combinations, corked and ready to grab on the way out the door. Prebatching for consistency and ease of service is huge, and absolutely acceptable to consumers. Big batch cocktails and barrel-aged boozy drinks are happening, as are pitchers of cocktails and special punches, served as one might have a bottle of wine for the table or a magnum of champagne for VIP service. Bar tabs rise when bulk buying is involved; yet for you—less work on the serving side. You will also be seeing higher-quality pre-mades such as the bottled Boulevardiers from High West Distillery out of Park City, UT. No, this is not your Bartles & Jaymes wine cooler-style but honest to goodness spirit forward and delicious bottled cocktails.
Conversely, the mini cocktail is on the rise—does this sound like the liquid equivalent of small plates to you? It is exactly that. A tiny cocktail in a mini coupe allows more guest experimentation. Invest in some mini coupes and serve a flight of mini Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and Sazeracs—how fun would that be?!
Mini cocktails served at AOCF2015 during the Monday afternoon facility tour. Photo by Kathleen Stoehr
Batched non-alcoholic beverages were pre-bottled for guests of Catersource’s Premonition party at CSES2015 to take on their way out the door. Photo by Alex Quijano
Culinary Crafts offered a bottled hibiscus tea at AOCF2015. Cost to produce with the vessel was just over a dollar, and can be sold for $5 to $7—more if it includes booze. Photo by Alex Quijano
