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Sometimes, convenience is more important in the hospitality industry than a perfect presentation or experience. Canned wine is an excellent example of that. Different varieties of wine (including low-alcohol wine, exotic wine, and CBD wine) can be served quickly and similar to wine by the glass - in smaller amounts.
If you are a restaurant owner who is wondering whether to include canned wine in the beverage program, this article can help you make a decision. We will look into the benefits of offering wine in cans alongside the regular options we are all familiar with.
Depending on the concept of your place, however, you can even replace entirely some wine offerings in favor of canned wine. Storing wine has never been easier, but more on that later!
History of Canned Wine
We all have heard something about the history of wine but how did people decide to put it in cans (see: history of red wine, history of white wine, and history of rose)? Wine is typically aged in barrels for flavor, maturity, and longevity once it’s put in a bottle. Wine bottles, on the other hand, are created in a way to keep the wine from spoiling and promote proper aging, too.
Suddenly, things changed, and in December 2004, Wines & Vines magazine published an article titled “Wine in Cans: Improving the Process.” In this article, the author explained that US wineries were trying to can wine since 1936. This way only a year after beer brands managed to package their production in cans.
Unfortunately, all of the attempts to make canned wine failed. The stability of the wine, as well as longevity, were real issues that prevented wineries from selling canned wine before the breakthrough in 1982. The first canned wine was made in Italy by Giacobazzi in that year.
In the early 2000s, the issues with canning wine were resolved and the product was patented.
The issues have been solved once a company looked into how the three main components interact with each other. Wine, cans and their lining, and the pouring process.
Key Takeaways: Serving canned wine brings a lot of benefits - from chilling it with ease to storing, and portion control, it’s a great beverage to consider adding to your inventory. If you are running a hotel or cruise ship bar and restaurant, canned wine will be a great addition to your offers, too.
Why Serve Canned Wine in Your Restaurant?
A good wine list can take any restaurant to the next level. You can offer a wide variety of local wines or exotic options and create unique food and wine pairings.
Canned wine doesn’t bring the same luxurious feel a nice bottle of unique wine does. However, there are many great benefits to serving canned wine that are worth considering before you decided to scratch it off your list.
Convenience
The main difference between corked bottles of wine and canned wine is convenience. Easier to open and a lot easier to store in temperature-controlled storage, canned wine is surely a more convenient option.
The compact size of the can, as well as the lightweight, makes it easy to carry, which will ease your bar staff and waiters. Customers can easily try different types of wine when they order cans instead of whole bottles.
Portion Control
The amount of wine in a can is typically a single serving. This helps with portion control and can reduce waste. This makes canned wine not only great for restaurants but also for hotel minibars, country club weddings, and other such events.
Faster Service
If you are running a place where people can enjoy a fine dining experience, canned wine is probably not something you need in your restaurant beverage inventory. One of the great things about canned wine is that it can be served easily to different individuals.
Canned wine is a great beverage to have at large events like concerts, birthday parties, reunions, and other such gatherings. Being able to serve people fast will increase customer satisfaction and improve their overall experience.
Chilling Efficiency
Canned wine can be chilled much quicker than a bottle of wine because of the smaller volume. This is very useful when you want to serve chilled beverages or frozen wine on demand. Situations in which this will be really convenient are when you have people on a cruise ship or in a hotel, who have purchased an all-inclusive drinks package.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
Canned wine is a more eco-friendly alternative. That’s because aluminum cans are easier to recycle than glass bottles and producing them leaves a lower carbon footprint. Glass bottles require more energy to produce, transport, and recycle.
Protection of Light and Oxygen
The aluminum cans are an effective way to protect wine from oxygen and light. Both of these can degrade the quality of the wine and that’s why it’s important to preserve it properly. When stored correctly, the freshness and flavor of the wine will be kept longer.
Reduced Risked of Breakage
This is beneficial on two different levels. First, when arranging the beverage inventory, when you are not dealing with glass bottles that can be broken, the potential loss is prevented. Second, when you are serving canned wine, there’s a smaller chance of waste due to breakage either.
Beverage Inventory Management
If you decide to add canned wine to your beverage program and reap all of the great benefits that come with it, you should also consider using beverage inventory software. By using software, such as BinWise Pro, you can do loss prevention with ease, count bottles in no time, examine customer behavior and so much more!
Book a demo with us to learn more about all of the amazing features of BinWise that will help you keep your beverage inventory in check!
Frequently Asked Questions about Canned Wine
Have more questions regarding canned wine? Let’s see the answers to some of the common questions people ask!
Is the Quality of Canned Wine the Same as That of Bottled Wine?
The quality of canned wine can be as good as the quality of bottled wine. Canned wine is well-protected against light and oxygen, which helps preserve its flavor and freshness. The main difference between the two is the way the wine is served.
If you want to create a luxurious experience bottled wine is the way to go, but when you are looking for convenience - canned wine is the best option.
Can Canned Wine Be Aged?
The intent of canned wine is not to be aged at all. The package is designed in a way so the wine can be consumed immediately while maintaining the freshness of it. The can helps chill the wine much quicker and makes serving it to customers or guests much easier.
Are There Different Wine Varieties Available in Cans?
Canned wine comes in a wide variety of options. From red, white, and rose, all the way to sparkling wine - you can find any kind of wine in a can. This helps restaurants and bars provide a variety to their customers in a very convenient way.
Can I Use Canned Wine to Create Wine Cocktails?
Canned wine has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its convenience and portability. It's an excellent choice for wine cocktails, especially if you need smaller amounts of wine for the specific drink. There's a large variety of canned wines to chose from and you can create numerous unique cocktails!