Let’s Talk Whiskey: Tips for Your Bar
Table of Contents
What You Will Learn
- Big facts about whiskey
- How to sell more whiskey
- Best tools for your bar
- Ways to make your bar look good
- How to pick the best whiskey
Whiskey Is Big in 2024
Whiskey is big. We mean really big. By 2032, people will buy $105 billion of whiskey. That is a lot of money!
If you run a bar or sell drinks, this is good news. More people want good whiskey. They want to try new kinds. They want to feel smart about what they drink.
Fact: The whiskey world grows by 6.5% each year. This means more money for you if you plan well.
Asia loves whiskey now. Asia makes up 42% of all new whiskey sales. This is why more bars work with drink makers in China.
Three big whiskey facts to know:
- More people want fancy whiskey
- Green bottles and cups sell better
- People want to try new whiskey brands
What Bar Owners Need
Most bars (76%) now have more than 15 kinds of whiskey. This is a big jump from the past.
To help your whiskey sell well, you need:
- Nice cups and glasses
- Mats to catch drips
- Good ice buckets
- Fun signs about each whiskey
Our friends at Micet Group sold 30% more when they got new tools for their bar.[^1] They used our custom bar coasters and saw big results.
Table: What Whiskey Drinkers Want
| What They Want | Why They Want It | How You Can Help |
|---|---|---|
| Nice glasses | Makes drinks feel fancy | Use clear, heavy glasses |
| Stories about the whiskey | Feel smart when they drink | Have fun facts ready |
| Good ice | Keeps drinks cold, not watery | Get a good ice bucket |
| Clean look | Shows you care | Use bar mats |
Green Whiskey Is Hot
Did you know? 68% of people who buy whiskey want green, clean bottles and cups.
What does “green” mean? It means:
- Bottles you can use again
- Tops made from trees, not plastic
- Boxes that can be made into new things
This is big! Bars that use green items sell more drinks. People feel good when they buy from these bars.
To go green:
- Get cups that last a long time
- Use PVC bar mats that are easy to clean
- Pick boxes that look nice but don’t hurt trees
- Tell people you care about the earth
Fancy Whiskey Makes More Money
Fancy whiskey tools made 55% more money last year! This means cups, boxes, and signs that look rich.
What makes something look fancy?
- Shine: Cups that catch the light
- Weight: Cups that feel heavy in your hand
- Show: Ways to show off the whiskey color
If you want to sell more fancy whiskey, get:
- Glass cups that shine
- Wood boxes for gift sets
- Metal ice buckets that look rich
People will pay more for drinks that look and feel fancy.
Five Ways to Sell More Whiskey
Want to sell more? Try these five tips:
1. Make Your Bar Look Like a Whiskey Place
Put up tin signs that show whiskey brands. Our custom tin signs look old but new. They tell people “we know whiskey here!”
Use dark wood. Set up good lights that make the whiskey glow. Think of an old book room.
2. Have Fun Whiskey Facts Ready
Train your staff to know:
- Where each whiskey comes from
- How it is made
- What food goes well with it
When staff sound smart, people buy more drinks.
3. Hold Whiskey Taste Tests
Let people try small bits of whiskey. Use a wine bucket filled with ice to keep bottles cool.
Make cards that tell about each whiskey. Put them on custom coasters so people can take them home.
People who try will buy!
4. Make Your Own Whiskey Drink
Make a drink that only your bar has. Give it a fun name. Put the name on your rubber bar mat so people see it.
Take a fun photo of it. Put it on your wall and on the web. People will come just to try it!
5. Sell Gift Sets
Make sets with:
- One good whiskey
- Two nice cups
- Fun facts about the drink
Wrap them in a box with your name on it. Now you sell gifts, not just drinks!
Whiskey From All Over
Did you know whiskey comes from all over the world? Not just from one place!
Big Whiskey Places:
- Scotland: Makes Scotch that is smoky
- USA: Makes bourbon that is sweet
- Ireland: Makes smooth, light whiskey
- Japan: Makes clean, crisp whiskey
- Canada: Makes mild, easy whiskey
More and more, whiskey comes from China too! This is good if you buy bar tools from China. You can get cups and tools that fit each kind of whiskey.
Tools You Need for Whiskey
To serve whiskey right, you need good tools:
Must-Have Whiskey Tools:
- Good ice: Big, clear ice cubes
- Right cups: For each kind of whiskey
- Water drops: To help taste the whiskey
- Fun mats: To catch spills
- Ice tongs: To pick up ice with care
Our silicone bar mats are best for whiskey. They don’t slip, are easy to clean, and look nice.
How to Pick Good Whiskey
Not sure what whiskey to buy? Start with these tips:
- Know your bar: What do your friends like?
- Try it first: Don’t buy what you don’t like
- Mix it up: Have some from each big place
- Watch the proof: High proof (over 100) is strong!
- Ask the maker: What food goes with it?
Start with one good whiskey from each place. Then add more as you learn what sells.
Whiskey Words to Know
When you talk whiskey, know these words:
- Mash: The mix they make whiskey from
- Proof: How strong the drink is (two times the %)
- Neat: Just whiskey, no ice
- Rocks: Whiskey with ice
- Cask: The big wood box they age whiskey in
- Single malt: Made at one place from one grain
- Blend: Mix of many whiskeys
Knowing these words helps you sound smart. Your bar will sell more!
Make Your Bar Stand Out
Want to be known for whiskey? Try these steps:
- Look the part: Use dark wood, soft lights
- Sound smart: Know your whiskey facts
- Serve it right: Use the right cup for each kind
- Keep it clean: Use good bar runners to catch spills
- Tell your story: Why do you love whiskey?
Bars that look like they love whiskey sell more of it!
Green Tips for Your Bar
People care about the earth now. Show you care too:
- Use cups that last a long time
- Pick acrylic ice buckets that don’t break
- Clean with stuff that won’t hurt the fish
- Use boxes more than one time
When you show you care, more people want to buy from you.
What’s Next for Whiskey?
Whiskey keeps changing. Here’s what’s next:
- More from Asia: Look for new kinds from China and India
- Tech helps: Apps that help pick whiskey
- Fun with food: More ways to mix food and whiskey
- Women drink more: Not just for men now
- Mix it up: New drinks that use whiskey in fun ways
Stay on top of these trends to sell more!
Sum It All Up
Whiskey is big and gets bigger each year. To win with whiskey:
- Get the right tools
- Know your facts
- Make your bar look and feel right
- Try new kinds from all over
- Use good custom bar tools that last
When you show you care about whiskey, people will buy more from you. And that means more money in your bank!
Start small. Learn as you go. Soon you’ll be the whiskey pro in your town!
