With all the different Craft Beers available, now is a good time to educate yourself!

 

Once you know the different varieties, you can begin your exploration and better assist your customers.

 

PILSNER- a clean and simple pale lager.

 

WHEAT- light in flavor, cloudy with a prominent yeast flavor. Good for summer.

 

PALE ALE- gently roasted barley, more hoppy or spicy.

 

BROWN ALE- higher level of malt, less bitter, can go from sweet to earthy and malty.

 

INDIA PALE ALE (IPA) - Strong hoppy flavor, slightly bitter.

 

DOUBLE IPA -Doubled hops and malts give this brew strong, fruity, hoppy notes with malty undertones.

 

BOCK-Rich and malty with a bit of hops bitterness.

 

PORTER-Very dark, mild, roasted grains, hints of chocolate and toffee.

 

STOUT-Heavily roasted hints of coffee, chocolate, molasses. No hops flavor.

 

Ask your salesperson for information on the products you sell.  

 

Do some research on your own.

 

Beer is good all year long, and particularly on a warm, sunny, summer day.  

 

If Mother Nature would cheer up, we should soon be selling more of it!

 

I hope to see you in Alexandria at the annual conference!

 

Cathy Pletta

Kasson

Your humble editor had the opportunity to go to the Masters golf tournament a few weeks ago.

For the golfers out there, it really is surprising the elevation changes on the course.  The many hills are difficult to see on television.

For everyone, one of the most impressive parts of the tournament is the customer service CULTURE that is exemplified by each and every staff member. 

It came from everywhere - from contract security personnel, to food stand employees to restroom attendants.  (FYI, the restrooms are probably cleaner than the ones in your house.)

It was, "Yes, sir.  Welcome to the Masters. How can I help you?  Is there anything else I can do for you?" Etc.

In fact, I told a young woman helping me purchase a shirt to call me by my first name instead of "Sir."  She apologized and said it is the way they are trained and is a hard habit to break.

We can all learn about customer service from the Masters.

Here are a couple of customer service videos that might help in staff training:

Bad Customer Service from an Arizona Television Station

A Short Movie Loved by Those Attending Past MMBA Boot Camps

The MMBA Office has again received calls about the legality of selling below cost.

Here is the Minnesota Statute on the subject.  Note, it is not in Liquor Law, but Commerce Law:

325D.04 SELLING BELOW COST FORBIDDEN.

Any retailer , wholesaler , subjobber or vending machines operator who sells goods in any part of this state at prices lower than those exacted by the person elsewhere in the state for like qualities and grades and where the effect of such lower prices may be substantially to lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly in any line of business, or to injure, destroy , or prevent competition with the person selling at such lower prices, shall be guilty of unfair competition and subject to the penalties of section 325D.071; provided, that nothing shall prevent differentials in prices in different localities which make only due allowances for
differences in "cost of doing business" or "overhead expense" and in costs of delivery for such goods to different localities; nor differences
in prices in an endeavor made in good faith to meet the legal prices of a competitor selling the same commodity , articles, goods, wares or merchandise in the same locality or trade area.

The inhibition against sales below cost or locality discrimination shall embrace any scheme of special rebates, collateral contracts, or any device of any nature whereby such discrimination is, in substance or fact, ef fected in violation of the spirit and intent of sections 325D.01 to 325D.07.

This week, a member asked if the new Minnesota Enhanced Driver's License was valid for purchasing alcohol.

The answer is yes.

Click Here for More Information

Click Here for Even More Information

 

 Contact Bob Leslie at:

 

320-766-3871

 

763-428-0164

E-Mail Gary