AT THE BAR
Tap O n
When it comes to draft beer, savvy
operators pay attention to service.
By Lauren Kramer
DRAFT BEER is one of the most
lucrative items in a bar or restaurant,
with an average profit of between $360
and $400 per keg, according to Tom
Geordt, technical director for Micro Matic,
a manufacturer of draft beer dispensing
equipment with four locations nationwide.
“It’s different from any other liquid you
dispense, because unlike soft drinks,
which often come with free refills, you’re
charging for each glass of draft beer,”
Geordt says. “Your profit margin on a steak
might be $7, but a customer can usually
only have one per meal. With draft beer, by
contrast, you could sell the same customer
three or four glasses of this really high-profit item in one night.”
Beer culture is changing, and making slow
forays into the culture and sophistication
occupied by viticulture.
Bull & Bear
“There’s a perception out there that beer is
the drink for the average Joe, and to some
extent, that’s still true,” says Mike Gauthier,
head brewer at Court Avenue Restaurant
