Benefits of Draft Cocktail Systems
Alcohol has long been a way for people to gather and socialize when consumed in moderation. Whether you favor beer, wine, or cocktails, bars and restaurants could provide delicious drinks again and again. However, up until recent years, beer was typically the only option if customers were looking for a draft option. Today, more and more bars and restaurants are looking at installing cocktail draft systems. Let’s explore what these systems have to offer with help from the team at Northwest Draft Technicians.
What Are Cocktail Draft Systems?
Like draft beer systems, draft cocktail systems feature a readymade beverage in a keg that is transported through traditional beverage lines. If you are using them for still cocktails like margaritas, they will use liquid-insoluble nitrogen to move the liquid through the line. For Aperol spritzes and other sparkling cocktails, carbon dioxide will be used.
How Do These Draft Systems Work?
With draft beer systems, the beer comes in a keg and is easily transported through draft lines to come out of your tap. However, for cocktail-on-tap systems, you can’t simply multiply a normal cocktail recipe by x amount and create a tasty cocktail. This is because cocktails usually contain multiple ingredients that, over time, can separate. The result could leave customers with a literal bad taste in their mouths.
To avoid these problems, companies like Bacardi take time to pre-craft some of the most popular mixed drinks in their kegs. Using special technology, these premade drinks are designed specifically for tap dispensing, making them great for bars, nightclubs, hotels, festivals, and plenty of other environments.
Some kegs are designed for room-temperature use, while others may require carbonation and must be chilled for a day or two before they can be served.
Why Should You Install a Draft Cocktail System?
There are many benefits to adding a draft cocktail system to your bar area, including:
Consistent Cocktails
As much as bartenders may follow a recipe as best they can, different bartenders are going to end up with slightly different drinks. Using draft cocktails means you’re getting a consistent batch that tastes the same from the first glass to the last. This is due to the process that goes into creating each batch.
Speed
As fast as your bartenders may be, they aren’t faster than draft lines. Quickly transporting these pre-mixed drinks through the lines and into your glasses means you can make drinks at a rapid rate, which is ideal for your busy periods. This will help prevent customers from getting disgruntled waiting for their drinks, and not needing to reach for four or five bottles just to make one drink will help bartenders serve more customers and bring in more money.
Cost
Draft cocktails are pre-measured, making it easy to avoid overpouring liquor. Also, cocktails in kegs will stay fresh longer, allowing you to make sure you use the entire batch and reduce waste.
Offering Samples
Nowadays, many customers may be interested in a cocktail but not sure it’s for them. That’s why many businesses offer samples or flights, giving customers a small taste of a drink rather than forcing them to buy an entire drink they may not end up liking. Cocktail flights also let customers try out three or four drinks at a time to find their favorites.
Simplicity
Having plenty of premade cocktails on hand makes it easier for your bartenders. Rather than having to remember how to make tons of different drinks or trying to listen to a customer spout out ingredients in a loud atmosphere, they can simply hear the name of the drink, grab a glass, and pull the tap.
Atmosphere
Having cocktails on tap is a modern system that today’s patrons can’t get enough of. Also, you can even have your own cocktail creations made in the kegs without your in-house recipes getting out.
Look into Our Cocktail Draft Systems
At Northwest Draft Technicians, our team can set you up with a cocktail draft system you’ll love. We even offer custom branding to give your system flair and maintenance and draft line cleaning to keep everything running right. Contact us today if you’re a bar or restaurant in Portland, Oregon, and are interested or have any questions.
