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| Photo: Buffalo Wild Wings |
Craft beer at corporate chains? It may seem a bit like an oxymoron, but a lot of restaurants could learn a lesson from national eatery Buffalo Wild Wings.
Franchises in the Buffalo Wild Wings family are able to stock whichever beers they like, so when Sam Hookway took over as bar manager at the Indianapolis location back in February, he had one thing in mind: "to have the best draft beer selection in the city."
Since the restaurant is part of a large, nationwide chain, Coors, Miller and Bud Light will probably always top the Buffalo sales list, but Hookway saw opportunities in other areas: "I got rid of beers like Peroni and Molson, which aren't that different from the other light lagers we sell."
The plan has worked: About half the beer they sell is craft, enticing patrons who might otherwise not frequent such an establishment. And how about beer lovers who scoff at the notion of sipping indie suds on a corporate-controlled stool? "That's a battle I've been trying to fight," Hookway says.
He admits, "Some people say the atmosphere isn't conducive to enjoying a good beer, or that we don't have the proper glassware." But Hookway stays competitive with great prices and a little arrogance about his selection: "If you got the beer, you can't really complain."
So why is it worth it? "I love beer," he says with a laugh, and he loves helping to spread that love through Indiana.
Here's the unique draft selection of the Indianapolis branch of Buffalo Wild Wings. What restaurant chains do you think do the best job of stocking a solid beer selection?
- Coors Light
- Miller Lite
- Bud Light
- Miller High Life
- Heineken
- Stella Artois
- Three Floyds Gumballhead
- Bell's Oberon
- Leinie Sunset Wheat
- Blue Moon
- Samuel Adams Summer Ale
- Upland Wheat
- Leinie Summer Shandy
- Newcastle Summer Ale
- Smithwick's
- Abita Turbodog
- Dogfish Head Black & Blue
- Founders Imperial Stout
- Guinness Draught
- Dark Horse One Oatmeal Stout
- Victory Prima Pils
- Samuel Adams Boston Lager
- Killian's
- Dos Equis
- New Belgium Fat Tire
- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
- Founders Red's Rye
- Dogfish Head 90 Minute
- Bell's Two Hearted
- Three Floyds Dreadnaught
- Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere
- Rogue Dead Guy Ale
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