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Subject: Re: top shelf
From: Dan the Melon Man
Posted: Tue Dec 2. 2003, 01:43 UTC
Followup to: "Re: top shelf"  by aging bacchus  (Mon Dec 1. 2003, 21:57 UTC)
Clear as Mud, Bacchus.

While price is definately the number 1 classification (indeed the only one 
that counts as far as the mgt. should be concerned) There is a wide variation 
with international distribution. And taste (usually down to promotion and 
fashion) between the punters. Let them argue amongst themselves which is 
'better'.

I've worked bars (UK) where each top-shelf (ie, above-well) liquor had its own 
penny-perfect price. At least there was a digital till to assist with that, 
but I never stopped to memorize the brandy prices (was it 2.68 or 2.97 for 
Hennessy VSOP etc)

OTOH, it usually makes more sense to stick with 3 (or even 2) 'tiers' of 
pricing, anything with cost-price between X & Y is 'call' price, and 
everything above is 'premium' price. Plus one or two exceptions if you carry 
outrageous whiskeys or cognacs.

What falls into which category depends a lot on where.
Sometimes I found it almost 30% cheaper to serve Havana Club below Bacardi or 
Capt Morgans - in other places it's 50% higher.
Stoli used to be twice the price of Smirnoff but can now be got cheaper.
A deal on Absolut made that even cheaper than those one time.
Where I am now runs Famous Grouse in the well, where I'd only ever seen it as 
premium before now.
- these are all in odd countries, don't ask.

And over in Greece (and many other tourist traps) there is the 'under-well 
bottom shelf' tier of drinks - the no-name hooch that comes in 2 litre bottles 
and is not even fit for the well, but goes great in 2-for-one 'cocktails'.
In those places, Smirnoff, Bacardi and Gordons and Beam are considered 
'premium' - there being another layer of no-name stuff that's used as 
well/call. The boss gets nervous if you pick THEM up!

Anyway. Price is the only thing to look at. If someone cares about the name, 
let them say it.

.dan.


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