Draft Beer & Beer Systems Archives

Beer tap system troubleshooting

November 8, 2023

Bars are something many Americans frequent on the weekends, after work, or to watch their favorite sports team. A major part of a successful bar business is having a wide variety of drinks on tap. As with any aspect of running a business, you can run into issues. A common issue bar owners face is beer tap system issues. Below, you will find helpful information on beer tap system troubleshooting. These tips will ensure that your customers are happy with their favorite beer in hand.

Beer tap system troubleshooting

Depending on the specific beer tap issue you are facing, there are a number of possible solutions. Consider these tips if you run into any of the following beer tap problems.

Keg Will Not Pour:

If your keg is not dispensing beer, this can be a serious problem. Patrons want beer on tap fast and refills as needed. Pour issues with your keg can be for a number of different reasons. Common reasons include an empty keg, an empty gas cylinder, or your ket may have been incorrectly tapped. Still, in some cases, your gas may be turned off, or your beer lines may be frozen. Run through this list before you call for maintenance, as you may be able to solve the problem yourself.

Foamy Beer:

Nobody wants to drink beer that is too foamy. While this is a common problem, it’s a pretty easy fix. Common reasons you may have foamy beer include the draft cooler being too warm, the beer lines being too warm or too cold, or there is too much pressure in your system. In addition, there may be an issue with your beer being improperly dispensed, or the taps being dirty, or just malfunctioning overall. Be sure to check your tap lines, as any damage or obstruction can mess with the quality of your beer.

Flat Beer:

Customers want fresh beer from the tap for a reason. If your beer is coming out flat, you can usually fix the issue pretty easily. Common reasons the beer comes out flat include an obstruction in the tap lines, not enough pressure in your system, or that you are using an air compressor for pressure. Be sure to also check that your beer isn’t too cold and that the glasses have been properly cleaned. Run through this list, as the issue will likely resolve pretty quickly. If it doesn’t, consult with a beverage equipment supplier for support.

Poor Tasting Beer:

Bad-tasting beer, especially from the tap, can tank your business. Customers want a beer that is both fresh and tastes refreshing. Common reasons your beer tastes bad include dirty beer lines or faucets, warm keg or beer lines, contaminated gas cylinders, or issues with the beer lines not being properly flushed between kegs. Be sure to also check that you aren’t serving old beer and that the glasses are properly cleaned. This issue is pretty easy to resolve. Be sure to schedule regular maintenance on your beer dispensing equipment to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Cloudy Beer:

A great beer should have a 1-inch head and be carbonated yet clear. Cloudy beer can be unappealing and make your customers look at you sideways. Some beers are meant to be cloudy, but if they aren’t, consider checking your tap system to address the issue. Still, common reasons beer may be cloudy include inadequate cleaning of the beer lines or taps. It may also be due to pressure source contamination or over-chilled beer in the beer lines or keg. Run through each of these potential solutions to address the issue. If your beer is still cloudy, you may need to contact an equipment supplier for help.

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Top Ways to Save Money at a Bar

April 28, 2023

Going out to the bar is easily one of the nation’s favorite ways to spend time after work. But, going out for a beer or a dance every weekend can get really costly really fast. Paying upwards of $16 for a “cheap” cocktail won’t get you far when you intend to carry the party all night long.

Top Ways to Save Money at a Bar

Today, your beverage systems company experts will offer some of the top ways to save money at a bar so you can have fun and stay under budget the next time you go out. When all else fails, you can always invest in your own beverage equipment for an affordable at-home party alternative!

Learn the Art of the Pregame

As long as you don’t have to drive to get to your destination, you can start the drinking part of the party at home. That way, you and your friends can gather together and drink alcohol you already purchased rather than waiting to spend tons of money on individual drinks later on. This way, you can drink however much you want without completely emptying out your wallet. Just remember to drink responsibly.

Schedule a Happy Hour Excursion

Every bar has its version of a happy hour. Some venues, however, don’t set up their happy hour events until later at night. Others may open up happy hour much earlier in the day. Depending on when you are trying to go out, try to line up your plans with a local happy hour event. You’ll be able to enjoy discounts on your favorite drinks, making it easier to afford your night out.

Try a Different Drink

You might have your go-to beverage each night you go to the bar, but are there cheaper options available that you can enjoy as well? By switching out a fancy cocktail for a bottle of beer, you are not only saving money, but you are also making it more feasible to drink more than one drink in a single sitting – without breaking the bank. You can continue shaking things up by learning about some of the more affordable yet classic drinks to order at a bar that can also save you some coins next time you’re out on the town.

Go for a Tasting

Many venues offer the option to order flights, which are small sample-size servings of multiple drinks. Depending on the type of bar or brewery you plan on visiting, you may be able to schedule a session of wine tasting, beer tasting, whiskey tasting, or even cocktail tasting if you’re lucky. While alcohol comes in smaller portions than the average drink, there are many varieties available for you to try at a much lower rate.

Set a Cash Budget

If you still have trouble keeping your spending habits under control when you go out, you can put harder limits on yourself by budgeting with cash. Put all of your cards away and only bring cash with you to the bar. That way, you have a set amount of money to spend and you cannot spend anymore once you’re done. This will help you more effectively choose the most affordable drinks as well.

Set Up Your Alcohol Equipment Today

We are fully equipped to provide you with a number of tools and resources so you can turn your Friday night bar nights into your own money-making opportunity. If you own a venue or a restaurant, you may be looking for beer dispensing equipment that can stand the test of time. Whether you are looking to order in bulk or you want single units, our experts can help you out ASAP. Get in touch with us today to learn more.

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Bar Beer Pricing Guide

October 25, 2022

Craft beer, local brews, and even old reliables on tap are getting more popular by the day. While the bar landscape will always be the same at heart, there are many elements of the beer market that are constantly changing. No matter what kind of vibe you’re trying to bring to your bar, it might be helpful for you to familiarize yourself with the newest bar beer pricing guide to keep you on the right track to success.

Bar Beer Pricing Guide

Your Southern California Beverage Company pros have arranged a short pricing guide to help you understand the market and get more used to some changes that are going on in the bar scene. Let’s talk markups, macro brews, and major discounts!

New Markups

Pricing beer for your bar is a lot different than pricing out beer for retail customers. Currently, average markups on beer are between 200% and 300%. Interestingly enough, restaurants are seeing a similar markup with wines, but profits are measured differently for wine than for beer.

The cheaper the beer, the easier it will be to mark up. Macro brew bottles and cans can be marked up by almost 500% in some bars. Some bars are still choosing not to mark them up as high since wholesale prices are still expensive. It’s important to make sure that your markups earn you a profit and don’t lose your earnings during happy hour prices.

How to Price Your Draft Beer

Kegs are currently being priced 40% – 45% less per ounce than they used to be. Draft beer pricing for kegs should be different than for specialty beers. The best advice is to try and hit a liquor cost of 20% – 30%. Setting drink prices can be tricky depending on your equipment and system needs. Not to mention, with beer comes CO2 and nitrogen costs, which come with their own rates of inflation.

Running a bar business will give you a lot of margins for error. Spillage, messes, unexpected cleanups, and over-pouring could make your previous calculations moot. Other factors like keg and glassware size can determine how you’ll price your kegs.

Bottled Vs. Craft Beer

Pricing craft beer is always going to be more difficult because there are so many great varieties of beer to choose from. Because there are a lot of similarities and differences between craft beers, there are a couple of pricing guidelines that you should follow:

Always understand your liquor costs and calculate what it would take to achieve them based on your craft beer pricing.
Add more variety to your pricing. It’s okay to sell mainstream beers at a different price than your specialty local crafts.
But keep your canned, bottled, and draft beers at the same price.

A good way to achieve these goals is to calculate your menu prices for draft beer and then follow suit with your bottled and canned selections to meet your profit goals.

Think About the Products You Offer

Do you offer wine by the glass? Do you offer beer flights for interested parties? There may be different strategies involved depending on the different types of products that you are selling at your bar. Margins are constantly changing, but adjusting your pricing to reflect these goals can help you remain afloat.

Learn More with SC Beverage

Whether you are starting a new bar or investing in new systems, you can benefit from the wide range of top-notch Los Angeles beer dispensing equipment that we have to offer. By keeping up with the latest pricing trends, you will be able to stay on track to meet your profit goals without having to constantly juggle new price points. Call us today and consult with our specialists to figure out the perfect beer pricing points for your own bar venue.

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Top Steps for Running a Successful Bar

April 15, 2022

Running a successful bar isn’t easy. You have to master the economics while maximizing your social capital to really make a thriving business. If you are about to open your own bar, here are a few tips that you can keep in mind. Let’s get into our top steps for running a successful bar.

Top Steps for Running a Successful Bar

Track Consumption

Successful bars don’t run out of their patron’s favorite beverages and snacks. To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, you will want to keep careful track of what your guests consume regularly.

As long as you’re keeping track, you can be sure that your Los Angeles beer dispensing equipment never runs dry.

Serve Draught Beer

Bottled beer is perfectly fine, but the average bar-goer prefers draught beer. With proper maintenance, your SC Beverage Company beer systems will deliver the most refreshing beer money can buy. If consumer demand isn’t enough to convince you, consider that draught beer is often the biggest money-maker for a bar.

Choose Glassware Intelligently

Heavy bottomed glasses are great for three reasons. They’re harder to knock over. They’re a little more resistant to shattering. Plus, they give the impression of a larger drink while containing less liquid.

When you’re picking glassware keep economy and durability in mind to protect your bottom line.

Always Measure

Your staff may think they can eye a drink perfectly well, but the truth is that exact measurements are necessary to a successful bar. You don’t want to be the bar that only serves weak drinks, and you don’t want to be the bar that is always over budget. Measuring your drinks solves both potential problems.

Choose Reliable Staff

Hiring and training staff costs you time and money. To limit overturn in your small business, you want to make sure you pick reliable staff the first time. Pay close attention to applicants who have stayed in each job for at least a year.

More mature applicants may have a more established history of staying in one position, but don’t ignore younger applicants who have stayed in each position for one year or more. It can take a few tries to find your niche, and they could end up being a very valuable employee.

Offer Signature Drinks

Classic drinks will never go out of style. However, if you want to stick out from the crowd, you will need to make a small menu of your own signature drinks. It doesn’t need to be a huge offering. If you’re looking for a particular vibe, you may choose to just do a different variation of your favorite classic drink each month.

Host Events

Happy hour, pub trivia, and karaoke are three easy events you can host to boost local engagement. Pub trivia and karaoke may sound like an investment, but the truth is that you don’t have to do it yourself. Third-party companies exist to help bars run these events for a reasonable price.

Train Staff in Safety Practices

Bar safety is incredibly important to your bottom line and your reputation. Make sure all staff are well-trained on what they should do in potentially dangerous situations. Having a security guard and an Angel shot policy are two ways that you can help to decrease the risk of something illegal happening on your property.

Getting Started

The learning curve for running a successful bar can be steep. Even if you do all of your research and do all of the prep, you will still find yourself making adjustments during those first few years. The good news is that your bar can be a success. As long as you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you can build a place that becomes a hallmark of your community.

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How to Price Draft vs Bottled Beer

January 7, 2022

If you’re brand new to running a restaurant or bar, then you know pricing is one of the most challenging aspects of getting started. You want to make a profit while offering quality products at prices appropriate for your area and customer base. It sounds easy at first, but there’s actually a lot involved, especially if you want to maintain a balance that allows you to thrive. So, let’s look at how to price draft vs bottled beer.

How to Price Draft vs Bottled Beer

For many restaurants and bars, this means that you have different profit margins for different products. There will likely be just a few items on your menu that really up your businesses profits. While you might experience a slight loss on one or two other items to stay competitive. Fortunately, if you have a beer and wine license, it can be really easy to make up for those small deficits.

The Profit in Beer

One of the restaurant industry’s best-kept secrets is the absolutely ridiculous profit margin on draft beer. With the right set up, draft beer in particular can rake in up to an 80% profit margin. Bottled beer can bring in a pretty profit as well, but it typically costs 40-45% more per ounce, so it isn’t the most cost-effective option if you’re planning to own your business for more than a few years.

With that said, most savvy bar and restaurant owners do serve both. Having draft and bottled beer available allows you to serve a wide variety of preferences even if you’re only able to sustain a three or six-handle draft beer system. However, in order to make that work, you’re going to need to know how to price both appropriately.

Pricing Draft VS. Bottled

Draft and bottled beer are priced differently according to their pour costs. The pour cost is the initial cost of the beverage divided by its sale price. On average, you can expect a draft beer’s pour cost to be about 20%. A bottled or canned beer’s pour cost will be about 25%. This is a result of the fact that draft beer is substantially cheaper per ounce and also tends to fetch a higher price point. However, you might wonder why the difference in pour cost isn’t greater.

The truth is that there is a lot of overhead associated with purchasing and properly maintaining Los Angeles Beer Dispensing Equipment. You need the space, the pipes, the handles, the nitrogen, the CO2, the refrigeration. And a whole host of other smaller pieces necessary to serve a quality, safe draft beer. All of that overhead brings your pour cost higher. But even with all of that draft beer remains more profitable than bottled or canned beer.

Putting Together Your Final Prices

When you’re first getting started, you can certainly look at other businesses in your area for an idea of what your prices should be. You just need to be careful that you don’t assume their costs are the same. If you want to be certain that your prices are right for your business, you need to take all of your overhead into account and budget it to get an accurate pour cost.

For newer businesses with higher overhead, you can start by pricing your beers individually according to precise pour costs. Over time, as you get more comfortable with your business, you can embrace a grouped price point model. By that we mean you can start charging a standard rate for domestics, internationals, and specialty beers. This model can make your life much easier if you’re planning to consistently exchange what you have on tap.

Getting Started

Running a bar or restaurant is hard, and it takes an exceptional level of dedication. Fortunately, with the people of Southern California Beverage Company in your corner you can be sure that you’ll have the right equipment to make your business everything you hope it will be.

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