Hosting a Whiskey Tasting Event
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Exclusive Tasting Club for Restaurants and Bars
Hosting a Whiskey Tasting Event
I hosted my first whiskey-tasting party several years ago. I had thrown other parties before, but my event planner brain wasn’t fully formed, so I would not classify those as hosting. This was the first time I thought about giving my friends an experience they probably hadn’t had.
The Prohibition Era was an obsessive interest at the time. I was completely fascinated by that particular place in history when Americans were pulling wild stunts as a way of getting around the ban on alcohol. I was also simultaneously into learning how to make craft cocktails. It felt like a good time to practice hosting a whiskey tasting event.
1920s Speakeasy
With my prohibition theme in mind, I did lots of research. It was important that the party was fun and educational. I hoped my love for the subject would come through in how I hosted the party.
I planned for eleven people and mailed invitations with a speakeasy-inspired door password. Three bottles of whiskey were purchased. I found some small and regular-sized bucket glasses at Dollar Tree. My decor was simple; I bought three bricks to prop my whiskey bottles on. There is a famous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre news story that inspired the brick choice. I also planned this event around Valentine’s Day.
My party timeline went like this:
Host Intro: Describe my love for the prohibition era
Host Whiskey #1: Describe Whiskey #1
Tasting Whiskey #1: Everyone receives 1 oz pour
Socialize: Everyone takes their pour and hangs out
(10-15 mins to socialize)
Host Whiskey #2: Repeat the Steps Above
My super cheap drink props! Red bricks from Lowes! Templeton Rye, Old Overholt, Early Times from BevMo! 2013
I had a self-serve bar set up with two recipes for cocktails posted on my wall. My music playlist was a mix of jazz and hip-hop with a jazz influence. We played an easy game after the third tasting and then called it a night. I felt good about the execution.
Exclusive Tasting Club for Restaurants and Bars
I had a prohibition angle with my whiskey-tasting party because I wanted to demonstrate authority over the subject. Most restaurants and bars want to be known for something. Whether it’s intentionally created by owners or unintentionally by customers. Sometimes your sales are showing you that your angle isn’t working. Sales also show you where to pay attention.
If you were a new business or just struggling with marketing, I would ask:
What are your sales showing you?
What solutions can we come up with by connecting with your current base?
What are we telling our customers, when we demonstrate authority on a particular specialty?
One solution that connects your base and demonstrates authority is offering a free membership club. Webstaurant’s blog suggests running specials on whiskey on Wednesdays and offering exclusive tastings for club members. I love this suggestion!
Creating a membership club for your patrons can have several benefits, including:
Increased customer loyalty: By offering a membership club, you create a sense of community and exclusivity among your patrons. This can increase customer loyalty and encourage repeat visits to your restaurant.
Additional revenue: Membership clubs typically require membership fees, which can provide an additional source of revenue for your restaurant, but fees can be offputting. By offering a FREE membership you can attract a bigger audience and are more likely to cash in on the benefits at least once. If your audience grows you may be able to create a path to a paid membership as WildApricot suggests.
Differentiation from competitors: If there are other restaurants in your area that offer similar items, creating a membership club can help differentiate your restaurant and attract new customers.
Opportunities for education: Membership clubs often involve tastings and educational events, which can provide your customers with a unique and educational experience that they may not get anywhere else.
Increased sales of items: By creating a membership club, you can introduce your customers to new and different varieties of your specialty, which can increase their interest and ultimately lead to increased sales of that specialty in your restaurant.
Some scenarios:
A full liquor, beer, and wine lounge with consistent wine sales
A barbeque and beer joint with strong tequila sales
A neighborhood bar and grill with growing morning football sales
Some solutions:
A Wine Club that offers exclusivity
A Tequila Club that offers community
A Breakfast Club that offers loyalty
If you're looking for a way to capitalize on the popularity of your specialty and attract new customers to your business, creating a membership club is definitely worth trying.
Here is a FREE Whiskey Club proposal for a Bar and Restaurant
Free Membership Includes the Following:
%10 off premium whiskey and whiskey cocktails (well/bottom shelf not included in the promotion)
Free whiskey tasting (1 oz pour on a featured whiskey)
Exclusive offers/discounts on special events (by invitation only)
Have Customers Sign-up
Add a newsletter or sign-up form linked to a Whiskey Club Membership page on your website. Sites like Squarespace have membership pages that are easy to add.
Create a QR code through sites like QRCode Monkey and place them on tables or at the front of the house for patrons to scan and sign up.
Sign up with a digital membership app like Joinit and add a widget to your website.
DIY or order paper/plastic membership cards through sites like Canva. You can get tips from membership organizations like WildApricot.
Here are details for the following promotion. This promotion demo lands within budget for one of my current clients:
The Whiskey-Whisky Club
Offering premium cocktails and tastings of whiskey/whisky from all over the world, including special offers, and invitations to restaurant events
Members are notified of events/offers by newsletter
Non-Member Patrons are notified by social media/in-house marketing
Events occur once a month
Events occur after 6 pm on Wednesdays
The events are advertised for all patrons but digital/print ads will note that exclusive benefits are for club members only
A special whiskey menu is designed with full pricing for each event
The whiskey menu will advertise the club's promotion
The whiskey menu will show the full price for the featured whiskey tasting but will note the tasting is free for club members only
Slow Your Roll with a Reservation Requirement
Before establishing orders with your vendors, a safe way to roll out a new membership club is to require sign-up or reservation by a determined deadline. This will give you an idea of how much whiskey and glassware you’ll need for this once-a-month event. Once you’ve been able to determine a regular turn-out you may be able to forgo advance sign-up.
Having a deadline also prevents patrons from signing up on the day of the event, which could throw your inventory and prep into a downward spiral. When all the club details are dialed in, that would be the time to make any adjustments to club rules.
Consider Logistics
There are a lot of factors to consider when offering this promotion to guests. Your budget is probably the biggest consideration. Obviously, this promotion is not one size fits all. You should only try this if you have the resources to execute it with routine management. Having a specific staff member or manager lead this project would be ideal.
Why having a Social Media/Web, Marketing or Event Manager is Helpful
With a budget to consider, owners have to make the call to manage this promotion themselves or find staff who is not only interested in advertising the restaurant but has the time to effectively manage an ongoing marketing campaign. This is a constant battle in the food, beverage, and hospitality world.
Social media, content creation, newsletter copy, and web updates all take time and there are lots of individuals like me who are ready to jump in and help. With a ton of services like Thumbtack and platforms like LinkedIn, you can find freelance professionals to assist you. Be upfront about your budget and open to adjustments that uniquely fit your business.
The Joy of Hosting with Authority
I’ve been using the word authority a lot in this blog because it’s a big part of advertising. Showing customers that this is what you do and telling them why they should do it too is taking ownership of your product or service. When you advertise yourself, you are the author of your story. You want people to read your enthusiasm.
My friends ask when I’m going to throw another tasting party. I’m forever grateful to them because they allowed me to entertain them with this silly idea in a 900 sq. ft. apartment that hadn’t been renovated since the 80s. It was hardly a roaring venue. I really believe my friends still bring it up because it was a unique experience for them. I hoped my guests would see how much love I had for learning about whiskey and would feel special that I included them in my passion.
This is the same idea for your bar or restaurant. Providing insight, and showing authority for your craft is the best invitation you can extend to your customers.
Aged Whiskey Barrels
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