Ready-to-Poor, Pre-Batched Cocktails

Description

Craft cocktails are fun and popular, but often have complex recipes that slow down service. Additionally, cocktails almost always garner substitution requests for specific spirit brands.

To streamline the craft cocktail experience, we created ready-to-poor, pre-batched cocktails. The menu identifies what spirit each cocktail contains but does not mention the spirit brand, thus eliminating the need for substitutions.

These pre-batched cocktails speed up service of the cocktail, which provides the bartender with more time for fancy garnishes that provide a wow factor. The strict batch recipes also create consistency, ensuring that each time a Member enjoys a specific cocktail at Woodfield it tastes the same.

Implementation

We started with a barrel program with Michter's Whiskey. The cocktail was called “The Employee Only Manhattan” and only one person knew the recipe. The program was such a hit that we looked for ways to expand it. To grow the program, we added additional spirit-only classics like a special Negroni and a remake of a Vieux Carré as well as an amazing Sazerac. Through it all, we never divulged the spirit brands and in some cases the ingredients.

Members often shy away from ingredients that make great cocktails like gin, vermouth, sweeteners or aromatic bitters. Our pre-batched cocktails have exposed Members to these ingredients, and many are enjoying cocktails they never had a desire to try before.

This program has been very successful at turning the average vodka drinker into a full-fledged Old Fashioned drinker or a Vieux Carré fan. Members have really enjoyed trying new cocktails and speed of service has increased dramatically.