VinePair

Today on the VinePair Podcast: Can Restaurants Rein in Wine Prices? Joanna Sciarrino and Zachary Geballe are joined by VinePair contributor David Foss to discuss the current state of wine pricing in restaurants: why many restaurants, particularly in trendier cities and neighborhoods, are marking up their wine to previously-unseen levels, particularly in places without a dedicated wine or beverage professional. 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/e2tJdqc3 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eeNy4FeW Listen to a preview 👇

Despite global #wine consumption trailing behind that of beer and spirits, wine isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Despite pervasive doom and gloom regarding the future of the industry, the beverage remains a cornerstone of culture all over the world, especially in nations that have produced it for eons like France and Italy. Outside Europe, consumption remains relatively high, especially here in the United States where Americans down an impressive 935 million gallons every year: https://lnkd.in/ePsA7x6P 📝 Olivia White 🌍 Sara Pinsonault

Coors Banquet is on a tear. Dave Infante digs into what's driving its success 👇👇👇

The Economics of a Martini at 5 Top Bars, Visualized by Rich Manning A classic Martini carries several cues that convey sophistication and elegance. The timeless angular glass. The glassy liquid. The garnish’s pop of color. But behind the scenes, all these enticing little details stem from something unseen by guests as they sip the drink with pinkies extended: the bar’s cash flow. The cost of the glassware, the price of the liquor, the wage paid to the person that kept the glass cold until the last possible moment and built the drink: these are the elements that determine the cost of a Martini. It’s a number that must be high enough to make a profit, yet low enough to keep customers happy. Whether a bar can hit this target consistently can determine its success or even its survival. This target can also look wildly different in an expensive city like New York compared to a relatively cost-effective community like Phoenix. So, let’s take a peek behind the curtain and find out why your Martini costs what it does: https://lnkd.in/e2Yr--pD

🚨 Major NA #beer News: On Tuesday, Athletic Brewing Co. announced it closed a $50 million equity financing round led by private equity firm General Atlantic, with participation from other investors. As part of the transaction, General Atlantic assumed a seat on Athletic’s board of managers. According to a press release, the company plans to use the funding to drive long-term growth. This includes renovating the recently purchased Ballast Point brewing facility in San Diego and expanding distribution to new international markets. Athletic is America’s fastest-growing non-alcoholic beer brand with over 19 percent of the category’s total market share, and according to NielsenIQ, is currently driving 32 percent of the category’s growth. Read more at VP Pro: https://lnkd.in/eAAeqF3q

There’s a halcyon version of the national past where Americans across the political spectrum set aside their differences and had a beer with one another, but if that ever existed, it is gone now. For my Independence Day column at VinePair, I wrote about the latest jingoistic pander-brand to hit the beer aisle.

Today on the VinePair Podcast: Why Are You Talking Me Out of That Wine Sale? Adam Teeter, Joanna Sciarrino, and Zachary Geballe talk about a frustrating issue with wine sales and service, where professionals attempt to talk customers out of buying the wines they're interested in, and whether that comes from a lack of experience, poor training, or just snobbery. 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/epvKpRA5 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eqcVASca Listen to a preview 👇

Most drinkers simply don't give a shit about the three-tier system, to the extent that they even know it exists. Of the bunch, they care about the middle tier — beer distributors — least of all. However! Earlier this month in the country’s second-biggest beer market, the country’s largest wholesaler lost a lawsuit that showcased a major source of the middle tier’s power, and its limits. You better believe I wrote about it in my column this week at VinePair.

Today on the VinePair Podcast: Does It Really Take Longer to Get a Drink Now? Adam Teeter, Joanna Sciarrino, and Zachary Geballe discuss the balancing act between bars serving good drinks quickly in a more frenetic environment, versus a slower pace of service with a more chill atmosphere, as well as what some of the causes of slower service might be. Plus, they discuss their personal IPA Mount Rushmores and answer a listener question about the drinks they turn to for celebrations and special occasions. 🔊 Apple: https://lnkd.in/eSgCkKW2 🔊 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/e96YRAfh Listen to a preview 👇

Fluff It Up: Why the Ramos Gin Fizz and Soufflé Cocktails Are on the Rise Gravity-defying drinks are notoriously hard to execute, none more so than the Ramos Gin Fizz. Here's how bartenders have hacked the cocktail: https://lnkd.in/gK2UYcTG 📝 Hannah Staab 📸 Gabrielle Johnson