THERE are surely few events in the calendar year more synonymous with the pub than St Patrick’s Day.
The annual celebration of all things Irish has long been associated with a pub visit and this year – with 17th March falling on a Friday – it will give pubs hope that even those who may not normally mark the occasion might be tempted for one or two.
Just as St Patrick’s is synonymous with the pub, Guinness has become synonymous with St Patrick’s.
Alex Haslam, head of category development for the on-trade at Guinness parent company Diageo, described the annual event as “a key calendar date for the on-trade, providing a golden opportunity to drive footfall by providing exceptional experiences and drinks options that are of high-quality yet affordable”.
Ensuring pints are perfectly poured should be top priority, said Haslam, which includes factors such as the temperature of the beer and making sure glasses are clean. Haslam said these are ‘simple things that can be done in preparation to ensure an overall good consumer experience’.
It’s not just about the pints though.
Haslam said those venues with a food offer “can leverage this to provide a more elevated experience for customers and maximise sales during key calendar occasions such as St Patrick’s Day”.
“Guinness, for example, pairs perfectly with rich, smoky flavours of grilled or roasted meat and vegetables, or with well-known desserts, such as apple crumble,” he said.
This will also be the first year when Diageo and Guinness will be targeting visitors to the on-trade who are not drinking (or at least spacing out their pints with a non-alcoholic alternative) with the on-trade launch of Guinness 0.0.
Haslam said 42% of UK consumers are now looking to moderate their drinking – the highest the percentage has been at any time in the past seven years – which has prompted the company to make their alcohol-free variant available to pubs, bars and restaurants this year.
That’s not to say that everyone who fancies raising a glass to St Patrick is going to do it with Guinness, of course, and even Diageo acknowledges that the famous stout may not be to everyone’s taste.
Haslam advised that incorporating a cocktail menu into any St Patrick’s Day offer can be a ‘great way to provide customers with premium options’.
“A cocktail menu needn’t be over-complicated,” he said.
“Offering G&Ts with a twist or flavoured, vodka-based spritz serves can elevate a menu.
“Maintaining a good selection of flavoured spirits provides customers with high-quality options that bar staff can easily create.”
And as spirits may not be as instantly identifiable as St Patrick’s Day drinks, it will pay to flag up any themed serves or offers clearly in the venue and on social media.
“When it comes to merchandising your range of spirits – visibility is key,” he said.
“We suggest including costs clearly on menus and any promotions that are on offer are written on chalkboards, shared via social media or included in brochure holders that can be placed on tables.”
