Recently, mixology has taken center stage at many of the most upscale and popular bars and nightclubs; and patrons have been welcoming it with open arms! Gone are the days of simply serving draft beer and standard cocktails mixed with cola. Today’s consumer is a little more demanding. If you aren’t familiar with the concept of infusions, then you are missing out on a huge opportunity to sell more drinks at larger profits. Additionally, you can attract a loyal customer base that will frequent your establishment. The science behind infusions is actually quite simple, so here’s an introduction. Hopefully, it will help your bar or nightclub adapt and embrace the latest trends.
What are Infusions?
The concept of an infusion is actually quite simple; it is any liquor or mixer that is combined with another flavor through a process called infusing. The idea of infusing flavors into alcohol isn’t new at all; there are many different flavored liquors on the market that use the same technique. With their methods, they can offer a more diverse product line to their consumers. Anytime you see an orange or blackberry flavored vodka, that’s an infusion. Another popular flavor that you’ve likely seen on the rise is maple. Currently, it’s being infused with everything from spiced rums to 12 year old single malt scotches!
Typically, you will find these concoctions around the holidays. Perhaps you can have a red, white, and blue creation in preparation for Independence Day.
How Do I Make an Infusion?
Making your own infusions is very simple to do, but is can be a little tricky to get just right. To combine a flavor into an alcohol, you simple combine the two (or more) into one container and allow it to “marinate” for a prescribed period of time. For instance, let’s say you want to make a strawberry and black pepper brandy. You would add a specific amount of brandy, fresh strawberries, and cracked black pepper into a container for a certain length of time.
The amount of each item you put into the vat as well as the time you allow it to age will have a large impact of the final flavor. So, you’ll need to play around until you get it just right. Chances are that you’ll go through several ideas and timings before you find a recipe that is actually worth keeping. However, all that work will certainly pay off in the end!
The Benefits of Selling Infusions
Once you have an award-winning concoction infused together, you can start selling it at your bar or nightclub. Make sure you come up with a few cocktails that utilize your custom infused alcohol so your customers have a variety of choices to suit their taste buds. The biggest benefit of offering infusions is that your competition can never duplicate it and steal away your business. Even if they try to clone it, they won’t get it right unless they know the exact brands, quantities, and marinating times for your custom infusion. This means that customers who like your particular blend will only be able to get it at your bar. So, they will come back time and again to enjoy a delicious beverage!
Promote Them Vigorously
Once you have the perfect selections crafted, you need to promote them ruthlessly. You can do something direct like placing bottle sparklers on each serving. Additionally, you can use more traditional marketing approaches to get the message out. However you choose to push your product, do it in a big way.
Whether you’re a small local bar or a big city nightclub, you’ll need to start adopting infusions to compete with the competition. The sooner you begin experimenting with different recipes, the sooner you can lock down signature cocktails that can’t be duplicated. It’s best to start off small or hire a professional mixologist to come in and help you get started, but the time or money will be well-rewarded in the end.
