Locally Produced Wine and Beer. Until recently, locally produced wine and beer were frowned upon by restaurant owners due to their perceived poor quality. Besides, local wine and beer products were not able to withstand fierce competition from more well-known and established wineries and breweries, and they didn’t have the adequate sales force to drive the sales. However, as local wineries and breweries begin to emphasize their uniqueness and build reputation, restaurant owners are more open to try locally produced alcohol and support local wineries and breweries.

Culinary Cocktails. Culinary cocktails are the new school of cocktails. They are usually made with savory, fresh ingredients, using fresh juices, earthy spices, infused syrups, fruit, and herbs. While classic cocktails, such as Martinis, usually have a high alcohol content, culinary cocktails place more importance on non-alcohol ingredients, emphasizing refreshing, pure and simple qualities of the drink. Such cocktails are becoming a popular item on many restaurants menus.

Micro-Distilled, Artisan Liquor. Another big trend in the alcohol market is the increase over the last few years of the number of micro-distilleries, which produce hard alcohol, including whiskey, brandy, gin, rum, and vodka. Because various states have recently changed the laws, many micro-distilleries are now springing up to manufacture premium liquor under new, local brands. Such unique products are gaining increased popularity and have attracted support of many restaurant chefs.

Food-Beer Pairings. More restaurants these days are offering food-beer pairings to their guests. Just like food-wine pairings, food-beer pairings are based on the flavor of a particular type of beer, sweet or dry maltiness, or any other beer quality. The pairings are done on the basis of how a certain type of beer complements or contrasts a certain type of food. For instance, a rich dish can be contrasted with a light beer, while a strong stout can be complemented with a dark chocolate dessert.

Gluten-Free Beer. A lot of Americans have gluten intolerance, which is an allergic reaction to a protein found in various grains, such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt, oats, and so on. Ingesting even small amounts of gluten can cause serious health complications in some affected individuals. Because of this, more breweries are looking for ways to produce 100% gluten free beer or low-gluten beer. Some of the most common substitutions utilized to replace gluten grains in beer fermentation process are rice, soybean, corn, sunflower, flax, sorghum, and quinoa.

Specialty Beer. Fruit beers are also gaining popularity in restaurants. Brewed with fruits or vegetables, these beers are especially flavorful. Common fruits are cherry, peach, and raspberry. Some breweries only add flavored extracts to the finished product, instead of fermenting the fruit. Other types of specialty beer are beers flavored with tequila from blue agave nectar, or pumpkin-flavored beers.

Organic Cocktails. Restaurant chefs are paying more attention to the quality of ingredients not only in foods, but in alcohol as well. The most popular trends are using pesticide-free vodka, organic vodka, carbon-neutral rum, and organic agave nectar as a sweetener. Organic cocktails are made using fresh ingredients, such as garden-fresh herbs and fruits, organic berries, organic vegetables, and so on.

Creates New Drinks. Mixologist is like a bar equivalent of a culinary chef.  A Mixologist not just pours the drink; he creates new ideas and signature cocktails by utilizing new culinary and savory concepts and knowing how to use ingredients.  A Mixologist’s objective is to showcase the versatility of beverage alcohol and enhance the guest experience by creating sophistication.  Many new trends have been recently introduced by Mixologists, such as food-beer pairings, for instance, with restaurants now hiring the so-called beer sommeliers to work closely with chefs to select complimentary beer flavors to meals.  Mixologists also expertly pair other alcohol drinks, such as cocktails, with dishes to complement the flavors, textures and the style of any cuisine.

Uses Seasonal, Locally Sourced Ingredients. It’s been a hot trend among Bar Chefs to utilize seasonal and locally sourced ingredients for alcohol drinks, including wine and beer.  Sourcing locally creates better community connection and also accomplishes other goals, such as supporting local business, minimizing transport costs and contributing to environmental cause by reduced need for transport.

Utilizes a Wide Range of Ingredients. Mixologists seek out quality organic and artisan-made ingredients.  As awareness about allergies and other health conditions increases, the Bar Chefs use greater variety of ingredients, including organic and gluten-free drinks, allowing diners on restrictive diets to participate more.   Mixologists are not afraid to use bold ingredients, such as bacon, hot pepper, fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables and other flavors.

Where to Get Inspired. There are a lot of sources where Bar Chefs get their beverage ideas from: other restaurants, TV shows or trade shows.  Bar Chefs often work closely with brewers, vintners and distillers to get ideas and latest trends, newest brands and labels.

Examples of Mixologists at Work. One of the most famous Mixologists, Dale DeGroff, has worked for decades at some of the US most renowned bars.  What makes him the best of the best?  Dale DeGroff has an almost scientific level of knowledge about ingredients and is able to consistently turn familiar drinks into new and trendy ones.  He pays great attention to the freshness of the ingredients, even taking care of such details as making sure ice cubes are made from really pure water and are of the right size.  Dale DeGroff uses funky ingredients most bar tenders won’t touch, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and handmade juices.  He is also extremely knowledgeable about cocktail history, from its origins in 19th century till now.

Bar Chefs understand the importance of alcohol drinks (other than wine) in enhancing taste experiences for diners.   Mixologists utilize extraordinary techniques to create a frenzy of flavors in drinks to make drinking and dining experience more exciting and sophisticated, ultimately increasing your margins and bolstering restaurant’s bottom line.

1. Do Research and Get Experience. Never start a business only because you think it’s a great idea. Do your due diligence – research the feasibility of your Wine Bar project. Consider the local economy and the general profile of people frequenting the location where you’re planning to set up a Wine Bar. Do those people have enough disposable income to spend in your bar? Perform competitor analysis. How well are your competitors doing, and what target markets are they serving? What can you do that will differentiate yourself from another Wine Bar in the area? Starting from scratch may be too risky or too early for you. A great way to gain experience is to become a manager of the existing bar. You will learn what type of clientele you’ll be dealing with, what kind of wine is popular, and even details like what kind of music people listen to in wine bars. Then you can start bringing your ideas to fruition.
2. Location and Size of Premises. Location of the Wine Bar, or any restaurant for that matter, often defines the success of your new venture. The location alone will be responsible for driving guests to your Wine Bar. The location of a Wine Bar should be in a busy area frequented by a lot of people, such as restaurant plazas, shopping malls, college towns and ski resorts. One option would be to find out if there are any restaurants or bars that are going out of business or are already empty. This could be your perfect location; it will also be easier to obtain a liquor license or even take over a liquor license of the restaurant going out of business. The key is that you get enough exposure to a strong customer base. Consider the size of your premises as well: how many people do you want to serve?
3. Your Market Niche. Understanding of the marketplace and the demographics of your area are key to differentiating yourself from the competition. If you know that you are capable of providing excellent value to your target market, you’re on the right track. Is your market tourists or predominantly residents? How sophisticated is your clientele? A great example for a tightly marketed group is Wine Bars on top of the mountains at major ski resorts – these bars specifically target skiers and are able to charge premium prices. Targeting skiers vs. college students are 2 different things. Price accordingly.
4. Sell the Right Products. Decide on how large a selection of wine you want to serve. Plan on how many varieties of wine you will include in the wine list. While having enormous wine lists works great for some Wine Bar owners, especially those with established restaurants and strong existing wine cellars, make sure to keep an eye on your budget and control stock levels. Remember that the shelf life of the average wine is limited to about 2 days, after it has been opened. Depending on the size of your Wine Bar and demographics of your guests, make your wine selection suited to your customers and the size of their wallet. If you are an expert on wines, by all means use your expertise, but keep an eye on your budget.
5. Equipment. Keeping your wine at the right temperature is essential to preserving it. Depending on the size of your wine collection, you can purchase either commercial Wine Cellars or Wine Coolers. If you need a smaller wine cooler, a good choice would be a 23 cu.ft. Model True GDM-23W that features thermal glass hinged doors. The Wine Coolers are also offered in oversized versions such as a 49 cu.ft. Model True GDM-49W-RF. It holds 33-38 F temperature range and has energy efficient construction with double pane thermal insulated glass doors. Don’t forget about essential bar supplies, such as pourers, shakers, blenders, bottle openers, glass racks, and condiment servers – everything you need can be found here.
6. Serving Food on Premises. Most Wine Bars do not have a fully equipped kitchen, and they serve mostly cold, refrigerated food. All you really need is some sort of grazing menu: platters of olives, cheese, nuts, fruits, crackers and antipasto. All of this can be prepared in advance and served right from behind your bar.
7. Look and Feel of Your Bar. Wine Bars often have wooden floors, which look trendy, and are practical and easy to clean. Be minimalist in the bar design. Lighting and music is what will create the mood and ambiance of your bar, select classical or jazz music, instead of dance music, have appropriate décor, use low light, use empty wine bottles in your bar design, paintings.
8. Level of Service. Make your customers feel included in the whole bar atmosphere: hire professional, attentive and friendly staff. Be present in your bar, create and control the mood and attitude of your establishment. You cannot fail with consistently good service.
9. Legal permits. Make sure to get proper licensing and meet other legal requirements for your Wine Bar. Obtaining liquor license is of paramount importance and should be investigated in advance, as the process is often lengthy and takes months.

Setting up a Wine Bar might seem easy, but it’s not. There are a lot of small details to the whole process that will create a sustainable business. Having the right location, creating the right ambiance, having a menu and style that fits the demographic, and keeping your eyes on service will help create a personality to your Wine Bar and attract a devoted following.