How to Plan the Beer Menu for a New Restaurant

Planning The Beer Menu For A New Restaurant (It’s Just As Important As Your Wine List)

Over 42% of drinkers in America prefer beer to wine, yet restaurants tend to focus on the wine list. The right food and wine pairings can really make a restaurant, but the same thought is not always put into beer menus. If you’re opening a new restaurant or overhauling your existing menu, pay careful attention to the beer list: it should complement the food menu as much as your wine list does.

The overall vision of your restaurant 

The first thing to bear in mind is the vision you have for your venue overall and the type of clientele you hope to attract. Every beer on your menu should support your vision and keep your guests coming back for more, which means making sure that each beer complements the style of food you serve. Your beers should also reflect your restaurant’s ethos: if, for example, sustainability is a big selling point, stocking beers from local breweries is a good move.

If you are licensed to sell alcohol with takeout, meanwhile, be sure to stock a few well-chosen canned beers. The beer and wine packaging industry has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years, and labels are now able to stand cold storage for longer without deterioration. Many craft brewers are now using new packaging options, which means you can still choose the beers and wines that best complement your food menu without worrying about whether labels will fade or peel.

 Pairing beer and food

Different varieties of beer vary in their alcohol content, color, taste and mouthfeel, so the first step to ensuring your beer selection complements your food menu is to understand the different styles. Taking a course, attending a tasting, or working with an expert will prove to be a good investment in the long run. This will also give you the knowledge to make considered recommendations to your guests.

Wheat beers pair well with fruity desserts and spicy main courses, while light lagers are a good complement to burgers, salads and spicy foods. An India pale ale will work well with Asian or Mexican dishes, barbecue and steak, and amber ales are a good fit for fried foods and pizza. Rich stews and burgers call for a dark lager option, while sushi and fish dishes benefit from being paired with a brown ale. Offer a stout to complement chocolate desserts and Mexican food, and a porter to serve with coffee desserts or game dishes.

A well-chosen yet simple menu

Although stocking beers that work well with the dishes on your menu is important, it’s wise to limit the number of beers you offer. This will not only help with stock management, but it will also be less intimidating to your guests. New restaurateurs are often advised to offer 12-16 beer, wine and cocktail choices.

If beer is to be your focus, however, and you will only be offering speciality beers, aim for around 50 options. In this instance, speciality beer is a focus of your vision, so it should draw as much attention as your food menu. Apply the same pricing approach that you use for your wines. If any option is going to be too costly to support your restaurant’s vision, leave it off and replace it with something that offers a similar flavor profile at a lower price. 

When you’re planning the menu for a new restaurant, the beer list is as important as the wine list. Every offering should complement the dishes you serve and your overall vision for the restaurant. Keep this in mind, and you’re sure to keep customers coming back for more.

Special thanks to freelance writer Jane Henderson for this Great Beer Now guest post!