Impact of adding wine sales on beer sales for brewpub

[frenchc]

Does anyone have any experience with adding wine sales to a brewery/brewpub? I'm curious if it's a good thing for beer sales because more people will come in, or if it would take away from beer sales? Thanks!

[wailingguitar]

I cannot attest to the precise numbers... I'm in the back with my head down, making beer... but our taproom added wine and hard cider to the offerings and it has helped us get events that we would not have had otherwise, which ultimately creates buzz and adds to the bottom line. While I might not exactly like the idea as a brewer (I want beer, dang it), I can say it has been a boon in the big picture

EDIT: I should have noted that we are a production brewery with taproom as opposed to brewpub. Brewpubs I have worked have all had wine available.

[BeerBred]

I agree with the guitar. Big difference if it's a brewery or a brewpub. Find it surprising a brewpub wouldn't have wine already. You know what else might matter? The location... Are you in the NAPA valley or next to a Nascar track?

[Brandjes]

I added wine/cider about 1 year ago. In WA it requires a wine tavern permit which then makes the tasting room 21 and older. I think they just changed the law to allow Cider in tasting rooms without the tavern permit but I don't think wine is included.
My wine/cider sales YTD is 2.7% of total sales dollars and about 30:1 beer to cider/wine. Cider and wine total is about 50/50 split
It's nice to have something to offer non beer drinkers but if you can't allow minors then you need to decide what is more important to you.

[frenchc]

I agree with the guitar. Big difference if it's a brewery or a brewpub. Find it surprising a brewpub wouldn't have wine already. You know what else might matter? The location... Are you in the NAPA valley or next to a Nascar track?

No, it's not wine country. The problem is that our partners would get the revenue from the wine. I am concerned this would reduce beer sales, but I also wonder if it might actually bring more people in since wine only drinkers could come with friends who drink beer.

[barleyfreak]

I wouldn't worry about profits from a small volume, non-beer option. I would focus on the opportunity to attract customers, keep butts in seats and an increase in the share of wallet from individuals you might otherwise see only once, or for a limited time when they visit.

This. I tend to do the dog head tilt anytime someone comes in and doesn't order a beer. But that's just me. I have to admit, begrudgingly, that not everyone-in-the-universe likes beer. We serve food, and wood fired pizza and some peeps just have to have wine with it. Or cider. In our biz, more revenue comes from food than the beer because we're a restaurant too, and so it's all about filling the seats.