Top 6 Tips for Bars for Winter 2022

Libations expert Mia Mastroianni joined us on Instagram Live last month to talk about the future of the bar industry, the best new trends she’s seeing, and what to do to get ready for the holiday season.

Mia has nearly 20 years of experience in the service industry all over the USA. She was one of the founding members of Soho House West Hollywood and is an expert mixologist on the show Bar Rescue (we met her when the Ripple Maker was featured in an episode).

Here are a few tips Mia shared in our chat

1. People are drinking more mindfully, so keep healthy ingredients in mind when you’re creating your drinks. Explore things like carrot juice

2. People are looking for something different in their drinks. Explore savory ingredients like sesame oil

3.  After two years without – people are looking to go out and have a proper, traditional holiday celebration. Create a seasonal menu, hang decorations, create tailored advertising to provide the experience they’ve been missing out on. Give them a reason to visit your venue, specifically.

4. Explore spices for winter – like a Chai tea syrup in a whiskey sour

5. Hire people with the right attitude for your team, personality counts more than experience (and make sure you’re fully staffed for the holidays!)

6. Craft a signature cocktail that your customers can’t create at home. Consider heavier glasses to make the cocktails seem more luxurious, and add a visual flourish – like edible glitter or a Ripples print on top, to create an experience for your customers that they’ll be talking about for years.

The whole session was amazingly fun and full of great advice. Watch it below!