8 Things I Learned Working at a Craft Beer Store

     

While I was going to school last year I had some time off to find temporary work.  After all, the craft beer hobby is an expensive one and my savings was dwindling down.  One of the beer stores I frequently visited in Louisiana was hiring and in need of a craft beer connoisseur.  Although my knowledge of whisky, vodka, rum and wine was limited, I was determined that I could be the best damn beer salesman they have ever seen.  After getting a call from the manager and a preliminary interview I was on board with the team.  I had no idea what I was getting into and how difficult it can be run a successful craft beer store.  After all, this wasn't a beer cave or a beer store run by amateurs, it was a artisan store that specialized and catered to craft beer wizards such as myself.

Here are a few things I learned while working there and what you should know the next time you go into a store and grab a beer.  I have left out the name of the shop to protect their integrity and business model.

1 || Check The Date!!!

I cannot stress this one enough!

 The average liquor store employs minimum wage employees that couldn't care less about rotating stock, especially when it comes to beer.  I was lucky enough to work at a place that did care about the date of a beer.   If it did not sell by the "drink by" date, it was returned to the distributor.  This is much worse at a grocery store where Cans are typically stocked by pushing the new product in from the front and the older products to the back... and behold it is possible to find a year old IPA.  Gross!

 Next time you drink a beer that tasted like your Uncle Jimmy's first home-brew, check the date! 

General rule of thumb: IPAs, Ambers, and Pale Ales are good up to 3 months old for freshness and Double/Imperial IPAs can last longer but will lose their carbonation and bitter hop taste.  Use your judgement on searching for other styles and ask if you are unsure of how long a beer can be aged or not aged.  There are many other factors that can contribute to a bad taste or "skunk" smell, which leads us to the next point.


2 || Proper Beer Storage


It is often common to see displays setup by store windows or in a poor air circulated damp corners that are susceptible to mold or other elements that can hinder the taste of beer.

 Sunlight and Oxygen are the two biggest enemies of beer, and proper beer storage is essential to providing fresh beer to the masses.

Once a beer leaves the brewery it is at the mercy of the distributor, truck driver, and store owner to maintain the integrity of the beer and the way it was meant to be enjoyed by the brewery.  The packaging and bottle can affect the flavor.  Bottles that are completely enclosed in a packaging box or a Can are the best alternative because they allow zero light to infiltrate the beers' DNA.  Other bottles that are clearer and green are the worst for maintaining the quality that we deserve.  Check the location the store has the beer located in and look for signs of any sunlight to infect the beer.

3 || To Keep Cold or Hot?

My friends tease me constantly for my love affair with room temperature beer.  My time living in Colorado and Ireland have engrained the idea in my head that beer is designed to be enjoyed where the flavors can be tasted.  It also is a important question that I was asked at the liquor store.

 "Do you have this beer on your hot shelf?  I'm traveling with it and don't want it to lose it's hoppy flavor".  

 What in the world???  It will not hurt a IPA or hoppy beer to transfer it from cold to hot necessarily nor will it lose flavor.  A beer has already made that journey several times from the brewery to the beer store.  Again, the most important thing when transporting beer is proper storage and to monitor temperature swings.  If it's 38 degrees in a store cooler it may not be the best idea to leave the beer in your car when it's 103 degrees outside in the summer time.  The "Ice Cold" myth was developed by American big beer companies and I will agree with them 100% here.  If your drinking a light beer, please drink it as cold as possible, you DO NOT want to taste the beer!

4 || "Do you guys carry this beer?"

"Yes, I was on a trip in Florida recently and loved this beer.  Do you guys have Cigar Citys Double IPA?" 

 I got asked those questions daily and it got very very very old.  I understand that the average person doesn't understand the dynamics between distributors, State Laws, and where a beer can be purchased.  Cigar City Brewery is not distributed in Louisiana (although they where purchased by Oskar Blues, which is distributed in Louisiana).  It can be complicated trying to keep up with the ever-changing craft beer scene.

SeekABrew.Com is a helpful google docs website that is a helpful interactive map that will show you which Breweries are distributed in each state.

For comparison reasons, Louisiana has around 90 breweries that are distributed in the state and that number is difficult to count between Northern and Southern LA.  Texas has around 160 Breweries that are constantly revolving in and out of TABC permits.

5 || The Distributor 

In 1933 Prohibition was repealed under the 21st Amendment and the Three-Tier System was developed as a way for States to tax beer and have the sales monitored.  Although it varies state to state, the system is simple.

Importers/Breweries sell to Distributors,   Distributors sell to Retailers, and finally Retailers may sell to customers.

The process varies in different states but Distributors are generally tasked with keeping the beer fresh as well as strategically choosing the best method of distribution to its' clients.  The clients differ based on their needs.  The store I worked at had a large profit of sales based off craft beer purchases and was able to access the special artisan craft beers that are harder to find than at your average grocery store.  Be cautious when you see something new and do some research on it before you buy it.  If the cost is cheaper for the customer and not a high mark up, then it's a great deal.

6 || Limited Cooler Space: Who Controls It 

In a ever changing market full of beer competitors, it can be tough get a front row seat in the beer cooler space.

The "front row seat" products are what are seen first by customers and generally have the best movement of stock.

I had the pleasure of designing a few beer displays and choosing which ones would go into a cooler to replace older stock.  This is not always the case for other stores that do not have the same flexibility.

 Rotating and keeping a beer fresh is A-LOT of work! 

 I have a high respect for finding a good beer selection at a store these days.  A good bottle selection is generally not created by the distributor but by the manager working with the distributor.  A few cooler spaces are reserved for the BIG beer guys and the rest are typically chosen by the manager or employees depending on how well a product sells. Again, this varies from State to State.  If a product sells, you can be sure to see it back on the front row center for all to see.  If you don't see it, just ask a sales person if there are more, usually it will be in the back or on a hot wall.

Pro tip: be nice and front beer the next time you pull one!

7 || The Make Your Own 6 Pk Section 

The holy grail of a beer store for a Untappd user would be the Make Your Own 6 Pk section.

That is the best and most cost effective way to try as many different beers as possible without breaking the bank.

This can be complicated with the variety of SKU's and beer packaging.

Generally a SKU on a bottle has a different number then the SKU on a package and can be purchased separately.  One Can of beer however has the same SKU for the price of the entire 4 or 6 Pk depending on what you're purchasing.  This can be difficult to track and many stores choose the "$10, 6 packs" to add to the Make Your Own 6 Pk section.

Wherever you shop, always ask what the policy on splitting up a 6 Pk is.

You may be able to purchase bottles or Cans individually and save money while trying several different breweries!

8 || The King of Beer Styles

Lagers, Pale Ales, Stouts, IPAs, Double IPAs, Barley Wines, Porters, Lambics, or Hefeweizens?

In a tough market a Brewery is constantly searching for trends for the new year and how to meet the ever changing demands of the craft beer connoisseur.  In the 75+ beer styles, there is one style the prevails above the rest in America.  There is one style that is convented by store managers that specialize in artisan beer because it simply sales better then others.  The American IPA or a hopped beer easily out sell's other styles.  It's no wonder many traditional breweries are switching over to hoppy beers, and Big Beer companies are buying up craft breweries that specialize in IPAs.

The king of beer styles is ruling the craft beer world without a hint of slowing down and is revolutionizing the hops industry in America.  You support IPAs and generally you can support American Farmers. We all win!



The Happy Chappy (Jeff)  

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing"

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

"Can I draw you a beer, Norm ?"

"No, I know what they look like. Just pour me one." 

-- Hilary Norm Peterson

Like many of you, I grew up watching the show Cheers. From a young age I longed for a place where I could go, relax on a barstool, and enjoy a cold beer “where everybody knows your name”. There have been a few times in my adult life when I thought I was close to finally having my own “Cheers” but more often than not the place either closed up shop or couldn’t ever put together all the pieces.

I needed a bartender that was knowledgeable about beer and that could carry on a conversation. I needed regulars who were there to listen to me when I had a bad day. I needed a place that felt like my home away from home; a place free from judgement and negativity. We have enough of that in our daily lives. A local pub is that safe place where for the short time you are there all is right in the world.

There was the one time I had a really unique bar a block down the street from my house in the historic Ginocchio hotel. No driving! A great happy hour! Housed in a beautiful historic building! But sadly it went out of business and my dreams of living next to my neighborhood pub were crushed.

Or how about the little East Texas sports bar that had $1 craft beer every day of the week? I’ll never forget the time three of us kept going back day after day until we almost drank an entire keg of Pineapple Sculpin ourselves. We rode that one hard while it lasted but from day one we knew that place was too good to be true. We enjoyed the free chips and salsa and the free pool on Wednesdays but alas the party came to an end eventually.

Over the past few years I’ve seen several promising craft beer friendly businesses open their doors in my town. I’d try and try to force it to feel right. I’d visit time and time again even though the previous visit was a total letdown. Horrible beer selections, pathetic food and terrible service were just a few of the things I would endure in the hope I might finally find my own Cheers.

A few months ago a promising new restaurant opened with 24 beers on tap. I was lucky enough to take my family to the soft opening and our server Kayden did a great job of taking care of us. I ordered a Karbach (pre sellout) F.U.N. Series 014: Roll in the Hay and it wasn’t long before one of the owners, Justin, walked over and introduced himself. Behind the bar was the familiar face of Ronnie who I had known from a couple of those other places I tried to make work over the years.

During that first week I returned 4 more times and each time had wonderful food, amazing service and fresh craft beer. With each visit I’d see new craft beers on tap and got to know the staff a little more than I did before. Over the past few months I’ve watched Rotolo’s become the premiere hangout of craft beer lovers in our area. Managers Felisha and Jess make sure we are treated as friends instead of just a customer. Dee is always there to make sure we are behaving ourselves.

Justin is one of the few businessmen around who works tirelessly to make sure his restaurant is one of the best in the area and that his craft beer selection is second to none. Do yourself a favor and check out their beer list right now. Instead of having to drive to Dallas or Austin for hard to find beers for the first time I am able to just go down to my local pub.

It is nice to walk in and not only have an whole staff that is glad to see you but also see an entire bar full of guests you see regularly. The Brew Krewe reward program has created a sort of Band of Brothers. For those making their way to 500 points there is a mutual respect that bonds us together.

Every Sunday you can find our trivia team, Talionic Justice, enjoying some friendly competition. Getting paid to have fun and drink great craft beer is something I’ll never get tired of! Even when we lose, which isn’t often, we enjoy the hell out of trivia night at Rotolo’s.





I don’t have the room to list them all but each member of the staff and all of the regulars know who you are. Thank you for welcoming me every time I walk through those doors. Thank you for always finding the perfect beer and for always bringing a smile to my face. It is because of you I have finally found my local pub. The place where I can go and all is right in the world. No one judges me when I drink a Blue Owl Professor Black for the millionth time. I only get moderately teased for all the times I order a side pasta salad with no cheese. I am accepted and made to feel as I am part of their Rotolo’s family. It is my hope that every person reading this has found or does find their own “Cheers”. It is so much fun when you are on this craft beer journey with others. The communal aspect of drinking beer is so important. The laughs I have shared at that bar are worth much more than the beers I have bought. Yes the food is great. Yes the beers are excellent. At the end of the day what brings me back (way more often than my wife probably would prefer) are the people. Without those smiling faces it would be just another restaurant with a great beer selection and while that would be a good place to visit it still wouldn’t be my “Cheers”. Between the crew and the regulars I have to say for me it really has become a place “where everybody knows your name.”

Sláinte

Joel Patrick Heflin

Longview's First Craft Beer Rewards Club

The day has finally come. 

We have dreamed of the day we could stay right here in East Texas and be rewarded for our love of craft beer and Rotolo's has stepped up to the plate in a big way. Each time we walk through the doors the owners and staff makes us feel like we are family. The taps rotate to new great brews nearly every time we are there and they keep bringing in beers that nowhere else in town would dream of putting on tap.

Head over to Rotolo's, sign up for the Brew Krewe, and start earning rewards for drinking what you love!!! I don't know about everyone else but I'm already planning what free keg I'll have at my party once I hit 500 points!

Also make sure you check out Rotolo's on Untappd. Longview's first Verified Venue let's you know as soon as a new beer is added to their tap wall. If you aren't visiting Rotolo's on a regular basis you are missing out on some great craft beer as well as some amazing food!