Key takeaways
- The best way to serve cocktails on tap is using an automated and precise dispensing system.
- It allows you to serve a range of cocktails, mocktails, and other chilled drinks without needing separate equipment.
- You can significantly reduce service time to maximise your profits from high-margin drinks like cocktails.
For bars and restaurants, serving cocktails on tap is more important than ever. Compared to other drinks like beer and wine, both alcoholic cocktails and mocktails are high-margin drinks that represent a significant return on investment.
That said, traditional cocktail service can be time-consuming and imprecise. Varying staff skill levels often mean some cocktails taste stronger than others, and introduce bottlenecks like spillages. Therefore, the best way to serve cocktails on tap is using a dispenser – but what should you look for in a system?
To learn more about how to serve cocktails on tap, I spoke to Gayle Lawrenson. She is the founder of Quick Mixology, a cocktail machine company based in Plymouth, England. Read on for her insight.
Which drinks can you serve with a cocktail tap?
For Gayle, one of the main benefits of serving cocktails on tap is that there isn’t a fixed number of drinks you can serve with each dispenser. Instead, you can mix and match ingredients to constantly rotate your cocktail lineup without requiring new equipment.
“When people hear ‘cocktail tap,’ they often imagine a single product coming out of a single line,” she tells me. However, modern systems are now capable of much more – either pulling ingredients from different lines or pouring refrigerated batch-made cocktails for fresh service.
With systems like this, where you can adjust ingredients and liquids with ease, you can vastly expand your drinks menu. “It means we can serve classic cocktails, modern signatures, mocktails, flavour sodas, and lemonades,” she explains.
That said, Gayle acknowledges that some drinks are better-suited to these dispensing lines than others. “Drinks that rely on consistency, balance, and speed are particularly well suited,” she says. “But with the right setup, you’re not limited to just ‘simple’ cocktails. The key isn’t the tap itself, but how intelligently the ingredients are integrated behind it.”
Systems like the Flo-Smart are well-suited to serving cocktails on tap. You can dispense cocktails in under six seconds per serving, representing a significant boost in service speed. You can use it to serve anything from espresso martinis to Daiquiris, allowing you to instantly expand your cocktail menu with the same system that also dispenses milk, iced coffee, and matcha.
Key features to look for in a cocktail tap
For Gayle, there are three main factors to consider when choosing a system for serving cocktails on tap. “For me, the ideal cocktail tap is about precision and reliability, not just speed,” she says.
First and foremost, you need a system that is repeatable and produces standardised serving sizes every time. “Consistency is absolutely critical,” she explains. “Every guest should receive the same drink every time, regardless of who is on shift or how busy the bar is.”
Dispensers like Flo-Smart are especially suitable in this regard. The system has a semi-automatic dispensing mode where you can choose from preset small, medium, or large volumes. You can program these to suit your cup sizes, meaning all staff need to do is press the touchscreen to dispense the right quantity of your cocktails.
Gayle also acknowledges the need for fast service – with one caveat. “Speed is important, of course, but it should never come at the expense of quality,” she says. “A great system delivers both: rapid service and a cocktail that tastes exactly as intended.”
Therefore, your dispenser should accurately serve your drinks without compromising their quality. Otherwise, customers may be dissatisfied with the flavour of your machine-dispensed drinks compared to those made by bar staff. In turn, it’ll slow your service down and potentially result in lost sales.
Gayle also outlines a few other requirements for serving cocktails on tap. “Ease of calibration, temperature control, cleanliness, and the ability to handle complex recipes are just as important as how fast the drink hits the glass,” she adds.
Flo-Smart addresses these concerns with stainless steel nozzles for easy cleaning and compatibility with under-counter refrigerators that connect to your dispensing line. That way, you can serve chilled drinks efficiently and hygienically while also optimising your profit margins.
The growing importance of serving cocktails on tap
Gayle believes that serving cocktails on tap will become an increasingly pivotal part of a bar or restaurant’s business model. Therefore, investing in such equipment now is just as much a future-proofing strategy as it is a way to quickly serve high-margin drinks.
“Cocktail taps will become important, but I think their role will evolve,” she says. “The future isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about scaling quality. As venues get busier and staffing becomes more challenging, operators will look for ways to maintain high standards while increasing output.
“Advanced cocktail tap systems allow bars to do exactly that: serve more guests without sacrificing consistency or creativity,” she says.
The profit margins you can unlock with this increased output and consistency are vast. For instance, Flo-Smart can serve over 700 cocktails an hour. The average pour cost of a cocktail is 25%, meaning a 75% return on investment. This can represent a per-serving profit as high as USD $10 per drink, which, when scaled across hundreds of hourly servings, can be hugely significant.
Gayle also emphasises that serving cocktails on tap complements rather than compromises the artisanal aspect of cocktail service. “When used properly, they don’t replace skill – they support it,” she says.
Because of this combination of potential profit, operational efficiency, and versatility, a system for serving cocktails on tap will become even more important in the future. “I believe we’ll see more venues adopt these systems not just for speed, but as a core part of delivering a premium, reliable cocktail and mocktail experience,” Gayle concludes.
If you’re interested in a Flo-Smart system for serving cocktails on tap, visit our website or get in touch with us directly.
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