Exploring the Latest Trends in Commercial Beer Tap Systems
Commercial beer tap systems have been a staple of food service establishments, sports and entertainment venues, and bars for decades. A bartender or server takes a customer’s order, grabs a fresh mug, tilts it, and carefully dispenses the beer from the tap.
Depending on the skill of the employee and the quality of the system, however, the process of getting a perfect pour can be somewhat slow, and a rushed pour will yield a glass with far too much foam, reducing keg output and disappointing patrons.
Furthermore, despite their long-standing status, these technologies have remained relatively unchanged for most of their service lives, which makes contending with varying degrees of skill levels and inconsistent dispensing capabilities nothing more than a seeming fact of life when it comes to commercial beer tap systems.
In actuality, though, some emerging trends are changing the game for bartenders and patrons worldwide, with the development of new commercial beer tap systems taking the guesswork out of dispensing a picture-perfect glass of crisp, refreshing beer.
Join us as we dive deep into these new and exciting trends to reveal how you can get on board to increase keg yield, improve profitability, and better serve your patrons.
The State of the Commercial Beer Tap Systems Market
Before we shift our attention to which three new trends to watch, let’s first examine the current state of the commercial beer tap systems market, which — if you’re a beer connoisseur — you know is positively thriving. Today’s systems are making their way into all sorts of new environments, no longer restricted to bars and select food service establishments.
Beer and wine retailers, pizzerias, and grocery stores are all investing in these devices to provide their clientele with ice-cold refreshments. Luxury apartment complexes are even getting on board to provide a more resort-like experience to their residents and guests, and it is also becoming increasingly common for bargoers to engage in self-service.
Therefore, to support the continued growth of the commercial beer tap systems market, manufacturers are working to create simpler-to-use and easy-to-maintain equipment that provides businesses with a strong return on investment. All businesses, especially those that are offering draft beer as an add-on or complimentary service, need a good incentive to invest in costly dispensing systems.
Additionally, businesses are also looking for ways to improve keg yield. Traditional dispensing systems have a keg yield of less than 90%, meaning establishments lose hundreds of dollars every time they swap out kegs. The search for a better beer dispensing solution has led manufacturers to think outside of the box and develop creative new tap systems as a result.
3 Trends to Watch
The growth of the commercial beer tap systems market has led to the emergence of some very exciting trends, particularly the following three:
1. Self-Serve Draft Beer Stations
Self-serve draft beer stations are becoming the norm throughout luxury apartment complexes and resorts. Giving patrons the ability to pour their own beer is a commodity that differentiates these establishments from their competitors while helping to attract more guests.
The most innovative self-serve draft beer stations do not feature a traditional dispensing system. Instead, they have a sleek design with a quick setup, and no construction or built-in refrigeration needed. The easy-to-use interface allows patrons to simply place their glass on a dispensing platform and select the tap to pour a glass of refreshingly cold beer with practically zero effort.
Transitioning away from a standard tap to a self-serve draft beer station also instantly creates a new revenue stream. These stations maximize the use of space with compact units that do not require additional staff to manage, and help establishments minimize customer wait times, as patrons can quickly serve themselves. It also makes pouring a perfect beer easy and effortless, which is precisely the type of experience that patrons are looking for when visiting or living in a luxury apartment or vacationing at a resort.
Some bars are also adopting self-serve approaches by installing a series of taps or dispensing stations. In these establishments, patrons must scan a debit card or badge (provided by the bar) to track their purchases. When they are done enjoying the variety of brews, they can simply check out by paying their tab.
2. Push-Button Dispensing Systems
Push-button dispensing systems are game-changers for bartenders and servers across the nation. A skilled bartender may be able to serve two or three pints of beer in a minute’s time, but a push-button solution, like the QuickTap beer dispensing system, allows a single bartender to serve as many as 14 pints of beer in that same period!
On the subject of the QuickTap beer dispensing system, it features a sleek design and an intuitive push-button interface. Users simply need to place their glass under the dispensing nozzle and press the appropriate button. The QuickTap beer dispensing system can serve either 12-ounce or 16-ounce glasses of perfectly poured brews in seconds.
The innovative QuickTap system also provides a near-perfect keg yield, ensuring your establishment can sell every last ounce of beer and reduce waste, but perhaps its best feature is its hands-free approach. Bartenders do not have to hold down a button or continuously work a tap: They’ll just place the glass and press a button, allowing them to switch their attention to another serving station or start taking their next customer’s order.
In general, making the switch to a push-button dispensing system is something you should strongly consider, as doing so can streamline the patron experience, make life a whole lot easier for your bartenders and servers, and boost your establishment’s profits.
3. Alternatives to Top-Down Dispensers
Every commercial beer tap system has served brews using a top-down approach, which, despite getting the job done for decades, can get messy. Tilting glasses can lead to spills, and rushing to fulfill orders can create a similar mess. Just imagine the convenience you could bask in if you could fill glasses from the bottom up to reduce clutter and minimize foam.
As it turns out, you don’t have to imagine it. The ReverseTap draft beer dispensing system uses patented, reusable cups that feature a unique valve and sealing system at the bottom. Servers simply need to lock these cups in place at the dispensing station, press the appropriate button, and watch the beer slowly rise to the desired fill level in just seven seconds. When they remove the cup, its self-sealing valve automatically closes to prevent any leaks or drips.
Much like the QuickTap, the ReverseTap draft beer dispensing system employs a hands-free approach, meaning one bartender can run multiple stations at once. It can dispense 12, 16, and 20-ounce glasses of beer with the perfect head, and it offers a 99% keg yield to maximize profitability.and reduce waste.
Altogether, the ReverseTap is a dynamic solution that is safe for a wide range of chilled beverages, from coffee to cocktails to, of course, draft beers.
GS Draft System Solutions: Paving the Way for the Future of Beer Dispensing
Getting on board with the latest commercial beer tap systems trends can help your business stay ahead of the competition while also providing your patrons with a unique, efficient, and fun experience that is bound to turn your establishment into the talk of the town.
Embracing these trends, however, requires partnering with an equipment provider that loves what they do and enjoys pushing the limits of what’s possible in the beer dispensing space all the same.
Look no further than GS Draft System Solutions. We offer self-service stations and mobile beer service carts alongside both the QuickTap beer dispensing system and the ReverseTap draft beer dispensing system.
If you’re ready to reimagine the way you and your business serve delicious, perfectly chilled beer, we highly recommend that you explore each of these trends and consider integrating them into your beer-dispensing game plan. Should you need a little help finding the right equipment, never fear, as GS Draft System Solutions is always a phone call or email away!