If the world of spirits was a metropolis, gin would be its constantly evolving, bustling city centre. It’s a category that never stands still and styles, brands and trends consistently turn over.
As a bartender or bar manager, you have an extraordinary opportunity to introduce patrons to the diversity of this unique spirit. Look at that in a different way though. You also need to continuously keep up with their expectations in order to remain relevant. There are constantly new entries to consider, new flavour trends to tap into and innovation going on from packaging to campaigns.
Selling more gin in your venue is not simply about stocking the bar with more options however. They’ll just stagnate on the shelf. It’s about creating an experience that resonates with the customers’ evolving palates and curating your offering. Here are some tips and tricks you can use to increase turnover.
Here are a few proactive strategies you can adopt to sell more gin.
Know your gins
Just like whisky, gin comes in an excess of varieties, each with a unique flavour profile determined by a distinct combination of botanicals. This affords you a broad spectrum to work with, but you can’t be effective at selling something you don’t know.
Empower staff with this knowledge, enabling them to guide customers through the diverse and rewarding world of gin. Treat it just as you would your wine list or whisky selection.
It might not be a category that is used to having that kind of training attention, but if upselling is ever going to succeed, it begins with putting in the hours and the passion before the shift starts.
Gin tasting flights
A fun way to pique curiosity and interest in gin is to offer tasting flights. Showcase gins of different styles, origins, or botanicals, allowing patrons to experience the breadth and depth of gin’s flavour landscape.
This exploration can encourage varied gin purchases by familiarising consumers with the versatility of this spirit.
Seasonal gin cocktails
Gin’s botanical diversity makes it a thrilling base for cocktails. Why not build seasonal twists on classics to renew interest in iconic cocktails that guests are familiar with? A summer version of a Negroni. A spring version of a Bramble…
It is an innovative way to showcase a different gin depending on the season and connects the drinking experience with the relevant flavours for the time of year.
Moreover it can be a great way of turning over more of the offerings you have on the back bar, which would otherwise be perennially overlooked as you reach for the ‘house’ pour.
Education & events
Host gin-focused events like tastings, masterclasses, and meet-the-maker nights. Alternatively, you can theme certain nights around gin where your pairings and recommendations are all geared to match.
For example, work with gin’s unique botanical profiles to complement an array of food flavours, much like wine, by introducing a gin-pairing menu that matches specific gins with appetisers, mains, or even desserts.
Statistics show that the majority of guests are still most influenced by what they see. They are most likely to choose a gin based on what they can spot on the back bar.
But for venues where table service is the norm, this might not be possible!
If you want to upsell gin or sell beyond the recognised names that guests are familiar with, simply listing the brands you stock is not effective.
Therefore, how you present the gins your menu is just as important as how you curated your selection in the first place. Just as it has for wine or whisky – an alphabetised gin menu isn’t helpful and should be relegated to the 90’s.
Here are four ways you can ‘theme’ your presentation to help better present gin.
The where – the region
You could curate your gin menu by geographic location. This approach introduces a novel perspective on gin that encourages exploration and deepens the understanding of the spirit’s rich diversity.
Accompany each geographic section with a brief description of the region’s gin history, its typical gin style (if there is one), and characteristic botanicals native to the area and that epitomise the region’s flavours. You could even suggest signature cocktails that hail from these regions.
By engaging guests in a story of global adventure that highlights the fascinating regional differences in production, it not only sells gin but also sells an experience.
The who and when – the story
Stories create a connection between customers and the spirit, making the drinking experience more personal and engaging.
Start by talking about the creators – are they a small family operation, or a group of friends who shared a love for gin? Talk about their passion, their dream, and their journey in establishing their distillery. Let your customers feel like they’re part of the story and understand what they are buying into.
For example, “This is Barnacle Gin, a small-batch distillery located on the wild and frostbitten coast of Antarctica. Kelp, a self-taught distiller, ditched his corporate job to pursue his passion for the outdoors, his love for traditional techniques and finding ways to imbue them into the gin he crafts.”
Too much info / space for a menu? Sure, it’s just an example. You can reduce down and focus on what matters to you.
The how and why – the process
Emphasising the unique production process and the philosophy behind it can give customers a newfound appreciation for the craft gin.
Maybe the gin is distilled in small batches, ensuring careful control over quality. Perhaps it’s made using a rare, centuries-old distillation method. Maybe it’s the opposite. It is made using hyper modern extraction techniques that result in liquid that is truly innovative. Perhaps it includes an unusual botanical that’s handpicked, locally sourced, or sustainably grown…
Process and production methods don’t have to be presented in nerdy, sterile ways. By bridging what someone is doing and how they are doing to the reason why something tastes the way it does, you can trigger someone’s curiosity to order it.
The what it tastes like – the flavour
Flavour is an obvious way to group gins on a menu and arguably, the easiest way you can truly capture the customer’s interest.
You could choose to describe each gin’s flavour profile in a way that’s enticing and easy to understand. Alternatively, group them into zones and describe the shared profiles between them (herbal, citrussy, spiced etc.).
The key to keep in mind if you do this is how you then serve it.
If someone has just picked a savoury, herbal gin and the way it’s served is a G&T that’s uses a citrus flavoured tonic and both a slice and a peel to garnish – there’ll be a mismatch in expectation irrespective of how delicious it is to taste. Try and serve them in ways that enhance the flavour categorisation / description that you’ve positioned them in on your menu.
The secret to upselling craft gin on a menu lies in creating an experience that extends beyond the drink itself. The location, the story, the production, and the taste – these elements weave a narrative that can make your customers feel they’re not just buying a gin, but investing in an adventure.
Find what’s right for you!
These are just a few practical strategies for enhancing gin sales in hospitality venues.
We have emphasised the importance of understanding different gins, introducing gin tasting flights, creating seasonal gin cocktails, and hosting educational events.
We’ve also highlighted innovative ways to present gin on menus, such as theming by region, story, production process, and flavour profile.
There are many more ways to go about it, and hopefully this has you plotting solutions that will work for you.
The key takeaway is that selling gin is not just about the listing brands or the drink itself. It is about creating a comprehensive experience that resonates with customers, encouraging them to explore the diversity that gin has to offer.
