Craft beers have been a growing trend recently, outselling domestic beers 20-1, according to Tim Juday. Each has a different flavor profile and style and come in flavors such as berry cider and southern tier chocolate with exotic names like Southern Tier Choklat Stout and DogFish Head Namaste.
“The craft beer scene is so huge now, we’re flying with it,” said Brandy Juday. “It’s not just drinking a beer, it’s an experience.”
The Judays have built their business steadily over nearly 16 years, when they first purchased the business known as Tom’s Deli.
When overhauling the location and renaming it, along came the craft trend. They’d always carried craft beers, but saw the demand grow and responded.
“It was just time to step up our game,” said Brandy Juday.
The craft stock is always rotating, with more choices coming in all the time. The Draft House doesn’t even tap a domestic beer, although they are available by the bottle.
There is even an option to sample four craft beers for $6 before committing. Tim Juday said his staff is trained to know the products to help customers choose.
While they’ve found a niche with the craft beers, the Judays take as much care in offering other beverages and fine-tuning their dining choices, employing culinary school graduates in the kitchen.
“We pride ourselves on customer service and we are working owners,” said Tim Juday.
Part of the branding plan is the free pizza giveaway. Each Friday, five people are chosen at random to win large pizzas, while 10 “losers” get medium pizzas by liking, sharing or leaving a comment on their Facebook page.
This has led to repeat business and they look for big things in the future, including giving back to the community. One big project is working on a dinner theater project with Tecumseh High School.
“We’ve worked hard for 15 years, we’ve got a great team and are just hitting our stride,” said Tim Juday.
The 571 Grill and Draft House is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and closed Sundays.
For more information, go to www.571grill.com.
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