Thomas Henry Strenk
Articles by
Thomas Henry Strenk
Page 6Draft notice: Tapping the latest libations
More than beer is being drafted these days at restaurants and bars. Sparkling wine, liquor, cocktails, cider and kombucha are all flowing from taps.
2012 drinks new product preview
Once upon a time it was the most popular drink in the Thirteen Colonies; now hard cider is making a comeback, thanks to many of the same factors fueling craft beer and classic cocktails.
For the first time in history, the U.S. surpassed France as the world’s largest wine-consuming nation, cheers the San Francisco-based Wine Institute. In 2010, shipments from domestic and foreign producers were up 2 percent, to nearly 330 million cases. That’s a record, with an estimated retail value of $30 billion.
Unlike many beverages, tea has been less affected by the recent recession. Indeed, as the economic picture brightens, sales of tea products are rising. In 2010, tea imports were up 10 percent over the previous year, to a record 274 million pounds, according to estimates by the Tea Association of the U.S.A.
You can’t learn everything in culinary school. Or business school. Some lessons you’ve just got to learn on the job. With that in mind we set out to gather a little collected wisdom from the industry on how to do some of the more obscure tasks an operator might face. Challenges abound out there. Hopefully this will help get you through a few of them.