Why Food Is the Next Frontier in Taprooms and Beer

Prior to the pandemic, brewery taprooms could draw big crowds with little more than hazy IPAs, sold by the pint and four-pack. Hungry? Sorry, today’s food truck forgot to show up.

Popping into taprooms for a pint is fun, but I’ll need dinner to stick around for a second round. For breweries, the next frontier is serving crowd-pleasing food and leaning into cold beer delivered with warm service.

“Hospitality is the way forward in the beer industry,” says Alexandra Nowell, a cofounder and brewer at Mellotone Beer Project. The forthcoming Cincinnati, Ohio, brewery will feature a cocktail bar, West Coast IPAs, and a menu that might include miso creamed kale and killer smashed burgers. “We’ve enlisted an incredible hospitality director to help us bring the restaurant vision to the world,” Nowell says.

For breweries, aligning cuisine with beer styles is a smart move. Culinary-minded Moody Tongue Brewing runs a sushi restaurant in NYC, where its Japanese-style Toasted Rice Lager is both an elegant palate cleanser between courses and a meal opener. “It’s a great aperitif,” says president and brewmaster Jared Rouben, who plans to add two additional sushi restaurants, in NYC and West Palm Beach, Florida.

A revolving roster of food trucks can confuse taproom customers. Two years ago, Varietal Beer in Sunnyside, Washington, invited the Triple C’s truck to permanently park outside, serving pulled pork sandwiches, crispy fish tacos, and more. “It’s consistent and people know what to expect,” says Chris Baum, the owner and head brewer.

Putting plates beside pints is good for the bottom line. The food menu, though, must be as compelling as the beer list. TailGate Brewery runs nine locations around Nashville and elsewhere in Tennessee. Customers can pair its beers, ciders, hard seltzers, and alcohol-free teas with pizzas topped with Nashville hot chicken or birria. Kids can grab chicken nuggets and waffle fries. Salads are solid. Be it beverages or food, “we have the same commitment to quality,” Keegan says.