BUILDing A SPECIALITY BEER FOLLOWING
Top tips from Beautiful Beer Platinum Award winner Fiona Hornsby, licensee of Liverpool's legendary Thomas Rigby's - which boasts more than 50 brews from around the world
l Ask suppliers for free samples so you can
go round the pub offering people a taster. This will give you the chance to talk about your beers. Listen to customers who know their stuff and ask if they have any requests
l Keep it simple. Start with two or three beers and slowly build your range - and customers' trust (you can't go wrong with a Czech lager like Budvar), learning about each brand before putting it on the bar
l Familiarise yourself with all the beer styles, look in supermarkets for inspiration and hold tasting sessions for staff
l You can charge a premium for these beers - we sell Dutch pilsner Lindeboom for £3.20 a pint. Offer something different to high-street chains
l Glassware is key to price - you've got to give customers a bit of theatre. If you can't get a particular branded glass try to use a similar shape for each style
l Introduce a beer of the month, such as a fruit beer - try Liefmans Frambozen (raspberry) or Kriek (cherry) - or Polish lager
l Monitor stock levels. Cask ale isn't the only beer that can go off; unpasteurised beers may only have a couple of months
l Serve at the recommended temperature and ensure that dispense equipment is checked and lines are kept spotless
l Beer lists help customers find what they're looking for and also encourage them to try something different. Group beers into styles and add information on each. Put a few beer suggestions on the backs of menus
l In matching beer and food, the best way is to experiment. We get together every quarter for a tasting session, which helps staff develop their tasting skills, allowing them to understand why we're recommending certain matches
l Beer festivals attract beer lovers. Our World Cup event was the most successful to date: 20 beers representing participating countries and a real cross section of styles, so there was something for everyone.
