Country club management is no easy job. Fortunately, there are a lot of resources available today that you can use and make your life easier, and your country club - much better. What’s even better is that you are already reading such a resource.
From figuring out country club food to poolside cocktails, special drinks, private label wine and everything in between, you have a lot of planning and organizing to do! Country club inventory management can be daunting but when following good advice, you will be able to stay on top of things and provide impeccable customer service.
In this article, we want to pay special attention to your beverage program and temperature-control storage that will do so much for your country club business. There are benefits that you can’t even imagine that investing in temperature-control storage can bring. Let’s dive deeper into this topic!
What Is Temperature-Control Storage?
Temperature-control storage units are specially designed to maintain a steady temperature, as well as humidity. They are a great way to keep all your fresh produce and beverages in top condition for a longer period of time.
Storage with controlled temperature is very important in keeping food and beverages fresh. There is a variety of beverage storage solutions available that will help you serve your clients better, in any part of your country club. Whether you are storing wine or non-alcoholic drinks, you have to ensure proper storage to avoid spoilage, waste, and loss of revenue. In a way, by investing in a great temperature-controlled units, you are doing beverage damage control and loss prevention.
Key Takeaway: Temperature-control storage for beverages provides a great variety of benefits that will affect positively the profitability of your business.
Benefits Temperature-Control Storage in Country Clubs
Organizing the beverage inventory is hard and time-consuming enough to take any chances of beverages going to waste. That’s why, one of the first things you, as a business owner, must do, is figure out the storage for the different types of beverages. From wine cellars and refrigerators to coolers and minibars, there are different types of storage.
These different types of storage will work best in different areas of your country club. For example, a cooler would be a great solution if you want to sell drinks to people enjoying golf. Minibars are great to stock up on quality drinks to welcome guests. You get the gist of it.
But why planning all of that is so important?
1. Preservation of Quality
Temperature-control storage will preserve the quality of any food and beverages you store in them. Wine, for example, needs to be stored at a certain temperature depending on the type. It also needs to be put on its side to keep its taste qualities.
There are similar requirements for storing other types of beverages. It’s crucial to know how each type of alcohol or non-alcoholic beverage has to be stored. This way, you will not have to deal with expired beverages and ones that have lost their flavor.
2. Compliance with Regulations
Country clubs, like other businesses in the hospitality industry, have to comply with certain regulations to be able to serve food and follow the latest adult beverage trends. Some of these regulations include storing specific items in specific ways, at certain temperatures.
So going back to our previous point, once you settle on a menu and you start ordering the spirits, soft drinks, everything from your wine lists, etc., you need to be prepared with the storage. You should know how to arrange everything to ensure it will stay in perfect condition until a client orders a drink.
This way, you won’t only prevent wasting money because of spoilage, but your country club will also comply with the regulations, which will save you from having to pay a hefty fee.
3. Cost Savings
This point is huge. We already touched on that but imagine how much money you can waste by storing any food or beverages in an inappropriate way! What if bottles upon bottles of quality wine get spoiled? What if the beer doesn’t keep its unique flavor?
Providing the right temperature and environment for all bottles of alcoholic beverages in your inventory is crucial. Not only will they stay fresh, which will boost customer satisfaction, but they will also save you from having to replace bottles that were improperly stored.
You can read about alcohol expiration here, so you can make sure everything is used up before that, too!
4. Improved Customer Experience
Temperature-control storage can help ensure that items served to customers are of high quality and freshness. This can enhance the overall customer experience and satisfaction, leading to repeat business and positive reviews.
This is especially important when you are running a country club, as your satisfied customers will bring more people. And you want more country club members, right?
5. More Food and Beverage Pairing Options
Having appropriate temperature-control storage in your facilities will allow you to provide better food and drink pairing options to your guests. A good wine cellar will provide space to store a wide variety of wines that can be paired with different foods.
For example, you can provide a better variety of cheese pairing options when you have different white and red wines, as well as rose, champagne, and other sparkling wines. Seafood dishes, salads, meats, and other meals also combine well with different flavors and that’s why you need to have a proper wine selection.
Craft beer and food pairing options are also very popular and because many people enjoy this type of drink, and it’s best to stock up on a variety. The great thing about beer is that you can store it not only in the restaurant and bar area but also in coolers by the golf course and also serve it around the pool. Learn what is beer on tap, too, and consider implementing it to your menu.
The same goes for other alcoholic beverages, cocktail drinks, and soft drinks. A wide variety helps create more and better pairing options with food, which will satisfy the taste of a larger audience.
Frequently Asked Questions about Temperature-Control Storage for Beverages
If you need more information on the topic of temperature-control storage for beverages in country clubs, read these frequently asked questions.
At What Temperature Should I Store Wine?
Wine generally can be stored at 55°F, regardless of the type. However, if the wine storage temperature is stable, you can also store it at 45°F to 65°F.
The wine will stay in a good condition with these temperatures. Just keep in mind it’s best to keep wine stored on its side so the cork can be kept moist. This way, oxygen can’t get inside of the bottle and cause the wine to lose its great qualities.
What’s the Ideal Temperature for Storing Beer?
Beer should be stored at 50°F to 55°F. This is the ideal temperature, also known as the “cellar temperature”, which will keep the beer nice, cold, and refreshing.
People who love beer do not like warm beer, so you have to make sure you always have enough beer cooled down at this perfect temperature.
Is It OK to Use a Cooler for Alcohol?
Coolers can be used to chill alcoholic beverages and keep them fresh. However, they should not be used for long-term storage.
If you are using coolers in your country clubs, you should restrain from keeping beverages in them for long periods of time. Instead, put a few options and take the coolers near the golf course where people can enjoy a beer or other refreshing drinks without going back to the bar or restaurant.