How SpeedKeg Turns a Draft Line Into a High-Volume Cocktail Placement With Chase Brooks
transcript
show notes
Cocktails are one of the biggest opportunities in the on-premise — but also one of the hardest drinks to scale.
In this sponsored episode of Business of Drinks, we talk with Chase Brooks, founder of SpeedKeg, a draft cocktail system built to help high-volume bars, restaurants, venues, clubs and stadiums serve more cocktails, faster.
SpeedKeg’s model is simple: the kegs come filled with the non-alcoholic ingredients for cocktails like margaritas, espresso martinis, mango daiquiris and barrel-aged tea. The operator adds the spirit they want — tequila, vodka, whiskey, rum or anything else that fits their program — then uses SpeedKeg’s Kinect system to mix and prep about 160 cocktails in around five minutes.
That flexibility is key. SpeedKeg isn’t asking operators to give up control of their cocktail program, and it isn’t asking spirits brands to step aside. Instead, Chase argues that draft cocktails can become a powerful new kind of on-premise placement — one that can help accounts move more volume while making service easier for the team behind the bar.
In this episode, Chase breaks down:
Why cocktail demand has outpaced the ability of many operators to serve cocktails efficiently
How slow service can cap revenue, especially in high-volume environments
Why operators should think less about shaving pennies off pour cost and more about getting more drinks across the bar
How SpeedKeg evolved from a ready-to-pour kegged cocktail into a more flexible B2B system
Why letting venues choose their own spirits brand was essential to the model
How draft lines may become an underused growth opportunity for spirits suppliers
The Gillette Stadium case study, where draft cocktails became one of the top alcohol sellers by revenue during major events
For drinks entrepreneurs, this is a smart look at what happens when a founder solves a real operational bottleneck — and then redesigns the business model around how the trade actually buys, sells and serves.
Because in today’s on-premise, the next big growth lever may not be another cocktail trend. It may be getting the drinks people already want into their hands faster.
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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.
Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.
Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.
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