Most popular beers of 2022 + Staffing tactics

Ben Wiley is an owner of some of the best bars in Brooklyn, NY, like Bar Great Harry and Glorietta Baldy.

Their beer, wine, cocktail, and spirits lists are always top-tier. And the spaces themselves are homey and comforting. But the thing that really makes Ben's bars special is his staffing: it's obvious his friendly, helpful staff is happy to be there.

In this week's interview, he offered up some tactics for how to actually show your staff that you care about them as human beings.

And that's important, because when you can do that, you're way more likely to never be scrambling to staff your bar or restaurant: people will actively want to work for you.

Here's some of Ben's advice:

• Communicate consistently and often—send staff an opening email about deliveries coming in, parties that are coming in, etc. Make sure that goes out. Every. Single. Day. At the same time. Require staff to send you a closing email, too. Consistently communicating with staff—and asking the same of them—shows that you care. And that will make staff more likely to want to work for you.
• Proactively ask your staff for ideas, and actually incorporate some of those ideas into your business. The great thing about this is it's not just to make staff feel heard. It's actually good for your business too, since your staff are the ones with their ears to the ground.
• Checklists and processes show that you care. Use them. But only if you're actually going to commit to using them. They can be magic, but we all know the feeling of working in the bar whose checklist is 3 years old and has old takeout orders scribbled on it.
• Overlook—don't punish—mistakes. It may be hard in the moment, but you'll be rewarded in the long run.
• Offer staff bonuses, especially ones that indicate you know them as human beings: like a birthday, baby, or marriage bonus. Holiday bonuses are nice too, but not as personal.

Check out the interview clips for even more detail and tips:

• Liquor.com looks at how cocktail menus have changed in the era of supply chain issues. (AKA life without Chartreuse.)
• Athletic Brewing is making a 7-figure media investment next month with its "Give Dry a Try" tagline.
• After scoring 60 points, grabbing 21 rebounds, and giving 10 assists against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic told reporters "I'm tired as hell. I need a recovery beer." That's a cool move. [Video.]

A few obvious sought-after craft beers were popular this year. No surprise there.

But some of the domestics that made the list left our jaws on the floor. Busch Light Apple?

Yeah. That was the most searched-for beer of 2022. (Editor's question: does this indicate a decline in American civilization?)

Here are the 10 most popular beers of 2022, from number 1 to number 10:

	Busch Light Apple Fruit Beer · 4.1% · St. Louis, MO
	The Alchemist Heady Topper Double IPA · 8.0% · Stowe, VT
	Schlitz Pale Lager · 4.6% · San Antonio, TX
	El Segundo Broken Skull IPA · 6.7% · El Segundo, CA
	Indeed strawberry fields Sour Ale · 5.4% · Minneapolis, MN
	Bass Ale English Pale Ale · 5.0% · St. Louis, MO
	Castlemaine XXXX Lager Pale Lager · 3.5% · Milton, Australia
	Russian River Pliny The Elder Double IPA · 8.0% · Santa Rosa, CA
	Presidente Pilsner · 5.0% · Santo Domingo
	Medalla Light Pale Lager · 4.5% · Mayagüez, PR

Note: Data comes from pageviews to BeerMenus.com beer pages.

Happy New Year to all of you out there, and thanks so much for reading! We're very excited to continue sending this weekly newsletter through all of 2023!

Now please enjoy the all-too-timely meme of the week: