Wine on Tap
Do you ever wonder why certain wines can’t be ordered by the glass and only by the bottle? The truth is wine is a tricky beverage. Traditionally, it goes through a rather pricey packaging process. It has to be bottled, labeled, printed, sealed and cased. Then, the cases finally get shipped to the restaurant or bar, which has to pay for all of those costs. If all the wine is sold in a timely fashion, then it’s no big deal. But, for many establishments, someone will order a single glass of premium wine, and then that wine won’t get called again for some time after.
After a wine bottle is opened, it begins to oxidize. The wine’s taste changes as it oxidizes, even after it has been recorked. The wine will not taste as fresh and won’t have its proper flavor if someone drinks a glass from a bottle opened a week ago. Most often, the glass is sent back, and the bartender has to pour the entire bottle. Many establishments are afraid to serve wine by the bottle. There’s now a way to stop this waste of wine!
The Benefits of Wine Tap Systems
- It is more cost-effective to package stainless steel bottles than multiple bottles
- Many kegs can be reused
- A keg weighs less than a case full of bottles
- Wine is never oxidized because it is always under pressure by an inert gas.
- The last glass from the barrel tastes as good as the first
- There are more premium options available by the glass
- No need to waste time pulling corks
- You don’t have to throw away bottles, corks, and cardboard boxes at the end of the night
- Customers can now order premium wines by the glass.
- Kegs require less space to store than bottles
- A barrel is approximately equivalent to 26 bottles
Installing a Wine Dispensing System
On average, it can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 to have a wine dispensing unit set up in your restaurant or bar; however, this cost will quickly pay for itself due to savings per bottle and savings from waste. In fact, many establishments will see a return on their initial investment within nine months.
The setup of a beer dispenser is very similar. You will need to choose where you want to install your wine dispenser. Do you serve wine every day? You should place it behind the bar if you serve a lot of wine. You can put your wine dispenser to the side if wine isn’t as popular as beer.
Consider the requirements of a wine faucet. All components, including the valve coupler and tubing nipples, must be made of stainless steel 304. The flavor of the wine will be affected if it doesn’t pass through a 304-grade draft system. A 304-grade stainless steel oxygen barrier is also required to prevent oxygen from permeating, along with an air tank containing a mixture of 75 percent nitrogen and 25 percent carbon dioxide. This gas blend is widely available because Guinness requires it. It preserves the quality and freshness of the wine.
Cocktails on Tap
Now, it’s time to picture this: It’s thirty minutes prior to your home team’s kickoff time. You own a sports bar, and the lines are at least five people deep. You have a cocktail special, but you still have to take the time to measure out perfect rum-to-lemonade ratios. Then, you get a complaint about someone’s drink not being as strong as their friend’s. There has to be an easier way!
There is. Equip your sports bar, nightclub, or casual restaurant, which has a high volume of customers, with a cocktail dispenser that provides liquor on tap. These machines have a tray for bottles of liquor that can be easily refilled. The mixer can also be stored in the device. You can mix a drink in seconds by pulling the tap handle on the unit. The best part is that you didn’t need to measure out an ounce of alcohol.
Benefits of a cocktail on tap system
- Hand-made cocktails can only produce one drink per second. The cocktail maker makes 5 to 7 drinks per minute.
- Drinks that are consistent every time so no one gets a stronger beverage or a weaker drink than another.
- The units are pre-fixed with the ratio of liquor to mixer.
- Overpouring is no longer a problem
- Lines in busy bars move faster
- Shakers and jiggers are less likely to leave dirty dishes.
- The attractive design of the tap head allows you to advertise drink specials and drive impulse purchases.
How to set up a Cocktail Dispensing System
A cocktail dispensing system is very easy to install! Its compact size allows its base to fit underneath your bar while the tap platform slides onto the bartop with no mounting hardware required. An included hose attaches to the tap and connects to the base, allowing you to dispense the product. A CO2 tank also powers these units and requires no electricity, which means you can place your team almost anywhere. Choose a spot where bartenders can easily access the tap during happy hour, kickoff, or a special event.
You can offer wine on tap in your lounge, restaurant, or upscale bar to help reduce waste, increase sales, and provide more premium wines by the glass. If you run a sports bar, nightclub, or casual restaurant that is crowded, having cocktails available on tap will be a great benefit. These systems will not only reduce the time it takes to prepare drinks but also ensure consistency.
