Based on my hangover following four Bar Convent Brooklyn after-parties last month, the state of on-premise seems alive and well (and very fun). But sales numbers, as well as the perspective from brands and bars, tell us that we’re all still in a post-pandemic flux, so I wanted to check in with some veterans in the industry who have transitioned from the bar to the brand side about what’s working for their companies. Are the ways they once connected with bartenders still effective, and if not, what is? Inflationary challenges, plus certain ongoing pandemic-related woes like shifts in customer behavior and the new landscape of city centers, are changing on-premise culture, and they’re potentially barriers to entry for brands. With tight margins and staffing struggles, some restaurants and bars are less likely to take on esoteric offerings or get creative. “It takes a really talented hand to strike that balance between innovation, accessibility, and making the bosses happy,” said Joe Brooke, trade advocacy manager for Fords Gin. That’s a bummer for small spirit categories, who depend on the ambassadorship of bartenders. Plus, as some brands can pay-to-play, emerging or craft brands face more competition than ever to get on the backbar. So how can a brand, any brand, become a value-add to a bar or its staff? You can start by moving beyond mixology education, instead taking the more modern approach of caring for the whole person beyond the bar. Uncle Nearest’s Raise the Bar Mentorship Alliance is the latest example, which trains and pairs up heavy hitting mentors with a cohort of bar professionals to support their individual projects that range from mental health support programs to starting a bar. Lucia Creed, head of trade advocacy for Uncle Nearest, said that apprenticeship has always been foundational to the bar world, but with many of the industry veterans shifting careers after the pandemic, the spirits company is now among others hoping to fill that gap, while building relationships for the brand over time. Brooke says that on-premise morale is at an all-time low, with staff under the pressure of rising costs and outbursts from guests. He tips and pays hired event staff well, but he also notes that we’re “past the days of the headier brand trainings that had more of a place when we were fighting the cocktail revolution.” Events should be easy, light, generous with food and drinks. Your approach may also depend on the bar: GN Chan, co-founder of one of the world’s top bars Double Chicken Please, said at BCB that he needs to build trust with brands and ambassadors over time and through phases. Brands also need to show what’s unique about their product (vodka has the hardest case to make, he said). The approach should be less about riding trends and more about “how can we create the next trend together?” What’s working for your brand at the bar post-covid? Send me a tip. | 
