Washington’s Hard Cider Boom
A self-described beer man, Alan Shapiro had his cider “wow moment” on a beautiful spring day in Suffolk, England, in 2003. He was staying at a mansion surrounded by a moat on an apple orchard estate. “It was like a light bulb went on over my head,” he grinned. “It reminded me of when I had my first good beer, and I realized very quickly I had stumbled upon something.” READ MORE>>
Boosting the variety and appeal of refreshment beverages
Gearing up for the great refreshment season, restaurant operators are touting flavored lemonades, iced teas, iced coffees and flavored waters that please the palate as well as quench the thirst. READ MORE>>
Could the new Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) save 10,000 lives?
The American government has been advising its citizens not to drink and drive for decades, but for the first time, it may be able to physically stop you from getting behind the wheel while hammered. A new system called the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) will actually prevent a car from starting if its driver is intoxicated. READ MORE>>
House Beers Bring Distinction, Depth to Restaurant Menus
Chefs and restaurants are teaming with local brewers to craft house beers that can serve as signature brews. House beers have a long tradition in brewpubs of course, but only more recently have independent and chain restaurants really gravitated toward creating their own beers—attributed in part to the rise of local craft brewers. But why bother developing a house beer when there’s already an overabundance of craft brewers, beers styles and seasonal selections to fill out a draft and bottle list? READ MORE>>
Drink to your health
Consumers are gravitating toward more healthful beverage choices in foodservice venues, and operators are responding with more teas, flavored waters, and other fresh, natural and fruit-based drinks. READ MORE>>
Lemonade offers beverage opportunity for restaurants
It can be a struggle to get customers to upgrade their beverage choice from tap water, but as soda sales continue to slide, lemonade offers a bright spot on the drink horizon. “The two biggest dramatic changes we’ve seen is more tap water, and lemonade sales going up,” said Craig Dunaway, president of Penn Station East Coast Subs, a 295-unit chain based in Cincinnati. READ MORE>>
U.S. Champagne Market Returns To Growth, Led By Moët Hennessy Duo
After a decline in 2012, the U.S. market’s Champagne segment has resumed an upward course over the past two years, reaching 1.3 million cases on a 4.5% advance in 2014.While Champagne’s U.S. volume has followed an up and down road over the last half-decade, overall the category has expanded by 140,000 cases since 2009, according to Impact Databank. Meanwhile, Champagne’s U.S. value-per-case is up significantly of late, rising 10% to €251.67 ($283) from 2010-2014. READ MORE>>