On-premise craft beer predictions for 2024, via BrewLogix

BrewLogix — a technology solutions company focused on beverage hospitality and craft brewing — recently released its year-end insights for 2023 and predictions for 2024 in the hospitality technology and bar and restaurant industries. 

“In 2023, the BrewLogix craft beverage community brought together human and digital experiences and conversations across thousands of craft creators, sellers, and consumers,” said Lori Bolin, president of BrewLogix. “By evaluating these real-life and digital interactions, we’re able to see trends that will drive on-premise profits and consumption in 2024, from enhancing the guest experience to placing an emphasis on local brews.”

• Experience Creates Consumption: Craft beverage consumers have evolved over the years, shifting from a “consumption creates the experience” mindset to an “experience creates consumption” mindset. Consumers want the full on-premise experience, including variety across variables (styles, ABV, flavor profiles, serving sizes), knowledgeable servers, food pairings and the right glassware/temperature for the beverage. As long as on-premise professionals embrace the needs of the highly coveted craft-beverage loyalists, draft program profitability will increase throughout 2024.

• Innovation in the Creator Market: When working on the 2024 draft line-up, creators should place an emphasis on local ingredients and unique blends, while also developing beyond-beer options. Providing hyperlocal options incentivizes consumers to try new blends and flavors, and offers businesses exciting options that are different from their competitors to serve on their draft line-up. 

• Keep it Local: One of the major shifts in trends in 2023 was distributors moving away from smaller, local brands. However, the favorability toward “fresh,” local” and “locally sourced ingredients” is still a profit driver. To come out on top in 2024, businesses should maintain relationships with their local breweries and take intentional steps to partner with local creators.

• Make Technology Work for You: Technology adoption at tap rooms, bars and restaurants is booming, but not all operators use the platforms to the best of their ability. Technology is less about solving the “staffing problem” and more about enhancing the guest experience. Use technology to reduce staff participation in “non-value activities” so staff can focus on providing top-notch service.

“To get ahead of the curve and start 2024 on a high, bar, restaurant and tap-room owners should start preparing for 2024 now. By leaning into top-line trends and utilizing technology to turn the on-premise into an efficient operation, bar owners and managers will see continued success for the rest of 2023 and into the new year,” added Bolin.

BrewLogix offers an integrated software ecosystem to help bars, restaurants, tap rooms, and breweries elevate customer and staff experiences that drive profitability and brand loyalty. Recently, BrewLogix launched the BreweryDB mobile app–an extension of the trusted BreweryDB site — which is the world’s largest curated database of independent craft brews and breweries. The app allows users to find breweries or brews and create completely customized brewery experiences (think Google Maps meets Pinterest!). The app is available now for download on mobile devices in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. For more information, see here.