What is the best draft beer to sell at my bar?

You have already come a long way to get here, from your bar's business plan to your opening plan. Now it is time to decide on the brands and styles of draft beer that will fill your taps. The good news is that a good draft beer is worth money. But what is good for your palate may not be good for another customer. So what now? How do you decide which draft beer is best to sell at my bar?

A sea of options

Some bars that offer draft beer and craft beer, try to serve something for every taste. Places like these have a large number of taps, generally 50 or more. This sea of options can even be intimidating for a customer who is not a draft beer expert when choosing what to drink.

For bars with a smaller draft line, with one or two dozen taps, the ideal is to focus on choosing options that truly deserve to be there, that is, options that will be profitable and well loved by customers. Here, everything has to be chosen carefully.

Putting together a beer list follows the same process, regardless of whether you are trying to fill 10 taps or 50. Of course, having a smaller number of taps is a bit more challenging, but it is still possible to make the right choices.

At the same time, it is not possible to create an ideal tap menu, because you need to take into account variables related to the size of the bar, sales volume and customer base. And there is also the fact that some beers are subject to regional availability and personal preference. However, with a few golden tips everything gets easier.

Beer variety is the key

Most people who come to a bar are not looking for a specific brand but for a style of drink that complements their meal or the experience of that night. That is the key to a good draft and craft beer menu: give your guests plenty of options and variety within your means.

From a culinary point of view, the brand doesn't matter. All that matters is how a beer will help create a specific experience on your customers' palates.

Fundamental craft and draft beer styles

• American Red Ale/Amber Ale
• Brown Ale
• IPA
• Stout
• APA
• American Wheat

With these six styles, your bar will be ready to handle practically any request your customer might have, and there will surely be something on your list they will want to try. These are only the styles that will form the foundation of your menu. Within these styles, you can go down very broad paths. From this base, your draft and craft beer menu can keep growing.

Read also: Beer pairing guide for bars and restaurants

Know your customers

Most bars would like to have a menu full of robust, rare options and styles that are always on the lips of beer-market experts. But that may not be the reality of your bar if the audience that goes there doesn't drink these options.

The good news is that more and more people are drinking craft beer, which means demand for conventional beer is falling. It also means that your bar needs an interesting craft option.

Knowing your customers is what will let you build a menu and keep improving it. Think about the tastes in your area. Introduce new beers, explain why you chose them and keep people excited and informed.

Checklist for choosing the best draft beer to sell

The suggestion is to use this checklist to help when choosing the best options for your taps:

✓ A wide variety of flavor styles.
✓ Accessible beers for those who like the basic, common style.
✓ Exclusive beers for craft beer lovers.
✓ Beers that pair with the food menu.
✓ A few trendy beers.
✓ Beers that are guaranteed sellers.

Deciding on the different types of draft and craft beer that will make up your menu may take some research on your part. With so many craft breweries out there producing good beer, choosing the best options can be complicated. But by knowing who your customers are and what they like, it gets much easier.

Once your menu is ready, think about adding an incredible experience for your customers. Imagine your customer having the chance to pour directly from the taps, being able to choose just a sip among the many options and thus decide which flavor is best for them. You don't have to imagine it, it's real. myTapp is an expert on the subject and wants to help you. Download the free e-book: How self-pour can help your business.

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