The Bar Towel

Cass wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 9:23 am
Is it a revenue/cost/profit issue during late hours? Staffing? Avoiding late night intoxication issues?

seangm wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 12:42 pm My thought is that it's especially this part: "Avoiding late night intoxication issues?"

The general vibe I get from most breweries and their taproom spaces is that they are more responsible, community oriented; often family friendly even. Late night drinking somewhat goes against that ethos. There's also the issue that a lot of breweries are in less accessible areas, industrial parks and whatnot, so it could be a social responsibility thing as they are often car-dependent locations. Staff safety too, having staff working in an isolated area late at night with intoxicated guests could be problematic.

Of course there are lots of breweries in the city proper where an industrial location wouldn't be a factor, so I would refer back to my original thought. Speculative of course, but that's the general sense I get, that most breweries specifically wouldn't want to cater to the late drinking, potentially rowdier crowd.

JerCraigs wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 1:21 pm I would imagine for some of the smaller ones it's partly a case of a limited number of staff only wanting to work a certain number of hours per week, combined with all the other things you have suggested.

Tapsucker wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 2:10 pm Counterpoint. Why don't more beers bars open earlier? Especially ones that could be serving lunch.

seangm wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 12:42 pm more responsible, community oriented; often family friendly even. Late night drinking somewhat goes against that ethos.

Craig wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 3:13 pm Are taprooms not open late? For example, Bellwoods is open until 1, Amsterdam Brewhouse until 12 or 2 depending on the day, Northern Maverick until 2. I'm sure there are some that don't say open too, I just checked a few randomly that I thought probably had later hours.

I think you'll definitely find a correlation between brewery location and their hours. Downtown Toronto breweries have a lot more incentive to stay open longer than a place in an industrial park.

MatttthewGeorge wrote: ↑Fri May 05, 2023 9:19 am a couple of "lates"

Cass wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 2:53 pm

seangm wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 12:42 pm more responsible, community oriented; often family friendly even. Late night drinking somewhat goes against that ethos.

I agree with your analysis, but these things can co-exist. A bar certainly can be friendly during the day and inviting at night without being irresponsible or lacking in community spirit. But I agree that taprooms tend to push out these kind of values a bit more.

Obviously there's a lot of factors at play, but it's also simply what has become generally acceptable in beer culture. I interviewed an owner of a Syracuse brewery last weekend for A Quick Beer and he explained that he and his wife wanted to start a hospitality business, and chose a brewery as they could close earlier than a bar or restaurant. I found that comment to be pretty peculiar for a rationale for why to open a brewery over a pub, but I guess it's a legit reason.