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Reasons for Successful Restaurants

Posted by EricVian | Restaurants | Saturday 23 May 2009 8:01 am

Successful restaurants are the ones that do a great job conveying what the dining establishment is about in all aspects of the business. There is an image that flows throughout the entire enterprise. Whether restaurant design, menu offerings, customer service, theme, or entertainment, they portray a clear vision of what makes their restaurant unique from all the others.

In almost all successful restaurants, you will find something distinct that sets them apart from all the rest and keeps their diners coming back frequently. That special It could be anything, like the chef coming out to talk with patrons, an open kitchen, an ethnic menu, reasonable prices for the quality of food, far-reaching wine or beer lists, live music, or the design of the dining room. Its that special niche that gives them the winning edge.

On the very basic level, successful restaurants do well because of their location, quality of food, the value of the food offering compared to price, customer service, such as greeting each guest as they enter, and the overall atmosphere of the dining room. They are all things that customers judge a business on and remain memorable in their minds.

All successful restaurants have behind them owners or a management staff that possesses certain characteristics necessary to achieve great things in the restaurant industry. All of those who run winning dining establishments are creative and flexible to adapt to change. They can work independently, but at the same time are comfortable with exercising authority and leading a team.

Many successful restaurants do a good job at retaining customers. They do this by excelling in customer service and building relationships. They know their repeat guests by name, seat them in their favorite spot, do little things that make them feel special and show interest in them through interaction.

All successful restaurants have an effective marketing plan that encompasses efforts to reach their target market. They have an interactive website that enables visitors to make reservations or order gift cards. Complementing the website is an email newsletter with news about the restaurant, seasonal offerings, events and special promotions. Winning restaurants also have a presence on social networking sites, Twitter and other trendy ways people get their news and information. They also maintain a presence in the community by sponsoring charitable events, joining local trade and business groups and holding in-house events. Quite simply, they create excitement around their restaurant that encourages people to want to be a part of it.

The Many Types Of Beer To Choose From

Posted by Avril Lavigne | Beverages | Saturday 9 May 2009 6:23 am

Throughout the years, many different types of beer have been created around the world. These types of beers can vary in things like flavor, color and aroma. Various different cultures have invented their own distinct take on this famous beverage.

Beer is generally classified into two types or styles based on the yeast used for fermentation. These two types are ales, which uses top-fermenting yeast, and lagers which are brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast. These yeast give the beer their own unique characteristics, which can affect how the beer looks and tastes.

Ales along with using top-fermenting yeast, are fermented at a warmer temperature than lagers. They’re fermented at about 15 to 23°C, 60 to 75°F and usually take a shorter amount of time to ferment. Ales tend to have a stronger more pronounced taste as well as a fuller body. Ales can also have a somewhat nutty or fruity taste that are the result of the warmer fermentation temperatures.

Some common varieties of ales include:

Pale ale – Pales ales are ales that use pale malts, usually barley. They all tend to have similar characteristics, such as a strong hop taste and low to medium malt levels, though many countries have their own versions of pale ale like the English Bitter, Saison, and India Pale Ale each with their own slight variations.

Porter- A porter is a dark ale ranging from dark brown to black in color. It was originally created in the 1700′s in Britain. A combination of three different kinds of ale, it was very popular among the porters of old London, hence the name. It was made from roasted malt barley giving it a rich aroma and full body.

Stout- Stout is a dark ale derived from porter. Like a porter it has a very dark coloring. This results from roasting the malted barley, used for brewing, until black. Irish dry stout like Guinness or Murphy’s are known for their bitter, roasted taste. The ale’s black color topped with distinctive creamy head gives it it’s nickname the “priest’s collar” and goes well with oysters.

The other type of beer are lagers. The word lager is derived from a German word “lagern”. “Lagern” translated means “to store” and alludes to a time when brewers used to store beer in caves to ferment in cooler temperature.

Lagers are made with bottom-fermenting yeast at temperatures ranging from 8 to15 degrees C or 46 to 59 degrees F. At these cooler temperatures, the beer will generally take a longer time to ferment. Lagers are known generally be lighter in color than ales. They also have a distinctively clean and crisp taste that makes them very popular to the masses. They also tend to have a lower alcohol content than ales and are best served cold.

Some beers categorized as lagers are:

Pilsner- Considered the most popular type of beer in the world. Pilsners are generally light yellow to golden in color and usually well balanced in flavor, with a clean, crisp taste.

American style lagers- The common, mass produced type of beer in America is a type of pilsen. Light in color and flavor, it is also high in carbonation.

Bock- Bock is a dark lager originating from Germany. It’s high in alcohol and malt making it a strong, full-bodied beer.

There are many more kinds of beers, each with their own distinct style and taste. There are enough choices to satisfy just about anyone’s taste.