On Premise November/December 2013

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TAVERN LEAGUE OF WISCONSIN

November/December 2013 tlw.org

Handcrafted Small Batch Spirits The Rise of Wisconsin’s Craft Distillers

Also in this issue: How to Reduce Loss Behind the Bar An Overview of Tip Credit Rules ABL News Round-up

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Please Drink Responsibly.

CROWN ROYAL Blended Canadian Whisky. 40% Alc/Vol. Š2013 The Crown Royal Company, Norwalk, CT.

The Official Publication of the Tavern League of Wisconsin November/December 2013 Volume 31, No. 6

FEATURES

ABL Dispatch. . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Latest Industry News From Washington

A Taste of Wisconsin. . . . 12

Tavern League Members and State Craft Distillers Are a Smooth Combination

Pouring away Profit. . . 16 Don’t Miss Out on Profits Behind the Bar

TLW Convention Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Helping to Insure Our Industry’s Future

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Man Therapy: Taking on suicide man to man. . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 A Partnership Between Prevent Suicide Wisconsin and the TLW

A Tipping review . . . . . . . 30 Knowing the Rules Now Can Save You In the Future

LEAGUE SPOTLIGHTS League Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Chippewa County

Business Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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Loopy’s Grill & Saloon

Departments President’s Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Corporate Sponsors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Front Rail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Corporate Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Featured Affiliates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Accounting Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Legislative Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Affiliate Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

New Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Straight Up – Spirit Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Local League Updates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Advertiser Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

32 33 34 36 37 38

Socialize with us:

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President’s Perspective Is Your League Proactive?

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f your town, village or city planned to pass an ordinance that would affect your day-to-day business operations, would you be prepared to fight it? Over the years the Tavern League of Wisconsin has received numerous calls from members asking for assistance because their local leagues have had little or no time to respond to proposed changes to local laws. Issues such as sober server ordinances, noise ordinances and point systems seem to be cropping up in a number of places around the state.

In the case of Appleton’s smoking ban, a few of our Tavern League members learned about the city’s smoke-free workplace ordinance two days before the health committee was to vote on it. If passed by the four-member committee, the full city council was scheduled to vote on it two days later. Most of our members assumed there was really nothing we could do, however, with the help of a few volunteers, we were able to notify all Appleton tavern owners about the proposed ban, and we had a meeting on the following day to discuss our plan of action.

Our league has never had to react to something with such little time, and this nearly impossible task was frustrating to say the least. Our need to keep everyone informed prompted us to create a communications chain among members. We knew if we lost this fight it could have an enormous impact on all of our members and their businesses.

Every league should have some type of communication plan in place should occurrences like this arise. I’m sure many of you call your neighboring tavern owners to update them on upcoming events, or date changes for local meetings, or to alert them of stings to catch underage drinkers, or to notify them of a string of break-ins.

Now apply this on a larger scale. At your next local meeting bring the subject up for discussion. Ask five or six members to be in charge of contacting the entire league when news needs to be disseminated. The work can be divided in many different ways and you can decide what is best suited for your particular league. For example, if there are 100 members in your league and five members each contact 20 others, the task becomes manageable. Another possibility is to divide the list by towns, villages or cities. Now if just league members in one community must be contacted, you have a member assigned and ready to start calling.

An alternate method to contact several members is through email or text messages. On file with your league secretary should be phone numbers or email addresses that can be compiled and given to those on your communication committee. Remember, however, every county has members that don’t have computers or smart phones so you will still have to contact some members by phone. Again, the intent is to get the information out as quickly as possible to as many as possible.

In the event there is an ordinance being introduced in your area that will impact league members, don’t hesitate to contact the TLW office for help. When possible we will try to attend your council meetings to represent the TLW’s position. Understand, though, it is the local league that needs to have a strong presence at these meetings. If a large number of your membership attend and speak to the issue at hand, it is more likely that the council may act in your favor.

Lastly, get to know your city council members and mayor. When you have an established relationship, it is much easier to get their support when issues arise. Also, many times during casual conversation, they will let you know if there is a topic of interest that pertains to your league. It is always easier to be heard by someone with whom you are already acquainted.

As a league you need to brainstorm what will work best for your particular county. It is imperative that you’re not caught off guard and unprepared. With that, I hope to see many of you in the upcoming months!

Terry J. Harvath TLW President

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Any business interested inus.” joining should call the TLW office (608-270-8591) for our brochure that lists the benefits of thenot different Remember “Support who support Music Operators, Make sure to thank these groups for their support, and encourage others onInc. the list to participate.

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Any business interested in joining should the TLW office (608-270-8591) oursupport, brochureand thatencourage lists the benefits of the Remember “Support those who support us.” call www.tlw.org November/December 2013us.”On Premise 55 the TLW office (608-270-8591) for our brochure that lists the benefits of the different categories. Remember “Support those who support www.tlw.org 2012 January/February On Premise n

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877-264-5825 ^Based on a March 2013 national survey of bars and restaurants that subscribed to DIRECTV NFL SUNDAY TICKET during the 2012/2013 season who expressed an opinion.*COMMERCIAL XTRA PACK BILL CREDIT OFFER: Pricing for COMMERCIAL XTRA PACK based on Estimated Viewing Occupancy (EVO) 1–100 only. COMMERCIAL XTRA PACK (regularly $127.99/mo.) includes local channels, COMMERCIAL XTRA ($70.99/mo.), SPORTS PACK ($12.99/mo.) and outlet fees for two receivers ($44.01/mo.). Additional outlet fees of $15/mo. apply for the third and additional receiver. Purchase of 24 consecutive months of COMMERCIAL XTRA PACK required. DIRECTV will begin to credit the new customer’s account $127.99/mo. for six consecutive months for COMMERCIAL XTRA PACK once NFL SUNDAY TICKET is activated. NFL SUNDAY TICKET must be active on the account in order for credits to begin. Therefore, credits may begin after month two. Auto Bill Pay is required and enrollment must be maintained during the entire promotional offer period or credits will cease. Beginning in the 14th month, DIRECTV will credit the new customer’s account $10/mo. for 12 consecutive months. In the 26th month the $10/mo. credit will cease and DIRECTV services will automatically continue at the then-prevailing rate. Account must be in “good standing,” as determined by DIRECTV in its sole discretion, to remain eligible for all offers. IF BY THE END OF PROMOTIONAL PRICE PERIOD(S) CUSTOMER DOES NOT CONTACT DIRECTV TO CHANGE SERVICE THEN ALL SERVICES WILL AUTOMATICALLY CONTINUE AT THE THEN-PREVAILING RATES. IN THE EVENT YOU FAIL TO MAINTAIN YOUR PROGRAMMING AGREEMENT, YOU AGREE THAT DIRECTV MAY CHARGE YOU A PRORATABLE CANCELLATION FEE OF $480. LIMIT ONE COMMERCIAL XTRA PACK OFFER PER ACCOUNT. In certain markets, programming/pricing may vary. 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SPORTS SUBSCRIPTIONS AUTOMATICALLY CONTINUE EACH YEAR PROVIDED DIRECTV CARRIES THESE SERVICES, UNLESS SUBSCRIBER CALLS 1-866-945-9940 TO CANCEL PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SEASON. Offer void where prohibited or restricted. HD ACCESS OFFER: To access DIRECTV HD programming, HD Access fee ($25/mo.) and HD equipment are required. Number of HD channels varies by package. Upon DIRECTV System activation, DIRECTV will credit the new customer’s account for three consecutive months for HD Access, provided account is in “good standing,” as determined by DIRECTV in its sole discretion. In the fourth month, HD Access will automatically continue at the then-prevailing rate. LIMIT ONE HD ACCESS BILL CREDIT OFFER PER ACCOUNT. HARDWARE OFFER: Programming agreement, as defi ned by customer’s Commercial programming rate card, required. Up to four free HD or SD Receivers per commercial location. HD equipment also equires HD Access fee of $25/mo. Additional outlet fees of $15/mo. apply for the third and each additional receiver. Offer available to new Commercial customers in commercial structures no more than three stories high. No single-family residences allowed. Make and model of system at DIRECTV’s sole discretion. Offer void where prohibited or restricted. All DIRECTV Receivers must be continuously connected to the same land-based phone line. SONICTAP MUSIC CHANNELS OFFER: 24-month agreement to a Commercial base programming package required. Upon DIRECTV System activation, DIRECTV will credit the new customer’s account $34.99/mo. for three consecutive months for SonicTap Music Channels. Unless customer calls to cancel, in the fourth month SonicTap Music Channels will automatically continue at the then-prevailing rate. INSTALLATION: Free standard professional commercial installation. Complex/custom installation extra. DIRECTV programming, pricing, terms and conditions subject to change at any time. Taxes not included. Receipt of DIRECTV programming subject to terms of DIRECTV Commercial Customer Viewing Agreement; copy provided with new customer information packet. NFL, the NFL Shield design and the NFL SUNDAY TICKET name and logo are registered trademarks of the NFL and its affi liates. NFL team names and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. NFL: AP Photo. Eli/Peyton Manning: James Michelfelder+Therese Sommerseth. ©2013 DIRECTV. DIRECTV, the DIRECTV for BUSINESS logo and COMMERCIAL XTRA are trademarks of DIRECTV, LLC. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Front Rail .05 BAC … NOT THE ANSWER

By Pete Madland, TLW Executive Director

in state legislatures and among traffic safety advocates. The NTSB was one of the first organizations to push for a .08 legal limit and just a few years later states began lowering their legal limits.

Support for the policy quickly spread, though it took over two decades and Congress’ decision to withhold highway funding before all 50 states adopted the .08 standards. The U.S. is one of a handful of countries to remain at .08, most have limits of .05 or lower.

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s you all know, last spring, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) came out with a recommendation to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC)limit from .08 to .05. While lower limits have been successfully adopted in other countries, it wasn’t until the NTSB recommended a lower limit that the idea started to receive serious attention in the United States.

The NTSB’s role in traffic safety is to advise the states and Congress on legislative measures to increase public safety. In addition to the NTSB’s endorsement, .05 is supported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization and Alcohol Justice.

In adopting its .05 recommendation, the NTSB claimed that moving the legal limit to .05 could save thousands of lives every year. Yet when we examine the effect that moving to .08 has had on drunk driving deaths, the NTSB’s assertion that a .05 limit would dramatically improve traffic safety seems highly unlikely.

For many reasons, including advances in vehicle safety technology, public safety campaigns and changes in vehicle miles driven, traffic fatalities have fallen dramatically in the past 20 years.

Yet despite the fall in overall deaths, the proportion of deaths attributed to drunk driving has remained the same, roughly 33 percent. Adopting a .08 standard in all states by 2000 had no impact on lowering the proportion of traffic deaths attributed to drunk drivers.

Despite the growing support for a lower legal limit in the public health community, the NTSB stands alone among traffic safety organizations in recommending such a drastic policy change. Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration are among the agencies that have declined to endorse .05. Most state lawmakers are reluctant to pass legislation that lowers the legal limit for driving, though a few have stated they would support a .05 policy if introduced.

This finding has proven true in other countries. A study of South Australia after the state lowered its BAC limit from .08 to .05 found that the lower limit did not significantly affect the number of alcohol-related fatalities. A study of Denmark’s .05 law did not find a decrease in alcohol-related crashes in the first year, but did find an increase in the number of drivers who said they will not consume any alcohol to avoid violating the law.

Even though support for .05 is not yet widespread, it is only a matter of time before the policy begins to earn support

The reason lowering the legal limit doesn’t reduce drunk driving fatalities is simple: The policy targets social

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drinkers instead of the hardcore drunk drivers who cause the vast majority of alcohol-related traffic fatalities. In fact, the average BAC level of a drunk driver is .16 percent, double the current .08 standard. Over 70 percent of all drunk driving deaths are caused by someone with a BAC of .16 or higher.

Lowering the limit to .05 would also mean many women would be unable to drive after having just one drink. For most law-abiding citizens, this change would severely change their on-premise drinking habits; most would order fewer drinks or abstain completely if they plan on driving. But for those who already get behind the wheel with BAC levels of .15 or higher, lowering the legal limit is unlikely to have an impact on their decision to drink to excess and drive.

Meanwhile, studies continue to put the impairment level of driving at .05 in perspective. Recent studies have found that using hands-free devices to talk on cellphones while driving, or driving while sick or drowsy produce much worse reaction times than drivers that are at a .08 level.

Now we could reduce fatalities if we went to .00 tolerance or if we reduced the maximum speed limit to 40 mph, but neither is a realistic solution. With police budgets shrinking, it makes little sense to divert valuable resources from catching dangerous drivers to pulling over someone who may have had a beer or two with dinner.

Hardcore drunk drivers continue to kill almost 10,000 people every year. It’s time to place our attention where it belongs, on the hardcore drunk driver, not the social drinker. TLW

www.tlw.org

Partners in Progress Major suPPorter of state and LocaL tavern Leagues

Tavern League of Wisconsin • Co-sponsor of TLW Legislative Day • Underwriter of TLW Video on Jobs and Employment • Provider of Coin-Operated Games at TLW Conferences & Shows to Benefit TIPAC • Sponsor of the TLW Trip Give-away at TLW Fall Convention & Show • Donor of Large Screen TV at TLW Spring Conference & Show

LocaL Tavern League Programs (saferide, goLf, oThers) • Contributions and support from individual WAMO members • Matching Funds from WAMO to Tavern League Locals • Contributions to SafeRide Program, Golf and Others • Active Participation and Attendance

Wisconsin Amusement & Music Operators

PO Box 250, Poynette, WI 53955 1-800-827-8011 • www.wamo.net Hosts of the World’s Largest Dart Tournament & the Nation’s Largest Pool Tournament www.tlw.org

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ABL Dispatch – The Latest Industry News From Washington

By John Bodnovich

NTSB CHAIR CONTINUES PUSH FOR LOWER BAC In remarks made to the Governors Highway Safety Association Annual Meeting on August 27, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Deborah Hersman continued to push for states to adopt a threshold of .05 blood alcohol content (BAC ) or lower for drunk driving. In her remarks, Hersman noted the .05 BAC recommendation “has stimulated the most debate and received the most attention in the last year.

“We didn’t issue this recommendation to create controversy. We issued this recommendation because the science supported it,” Hersman said. “First, it is well-understood that alcohol impairment begins with the first drink and at .05 drivers experience a decline in both cognitive and visual functions.

Second, the data shows that crash risk is significantly elevated at .05. And third, lowering BAC limits have been shown to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths.”

Hersman was recently reappointed as chair of the NTSB by President Obama, and has vowed that the NTSB would continue to support its proposal to lower the legal BAC threshold to .05 or lower. Hersman was quoted in The Detroit

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News with the following remarks, “You know, they said the same thing about moving from .10 to .08.” She continued, “I’m confident the U.S. will eventually adopt the tougher limits.”

For more information on the .05 BAC debate, subscribe to the ABL Weekly or visit www.ABLUSA.org.

Despite the agency’s hard line, supporters for the proposal remain difficult to find. Mothers Against Drunk Driving has stated that their focus is interlock devices for impaired driving offenders.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has said that the states should take the lead on these recommendations. The Governors Highway Safety Association and AAA have declined to support the proposal, and an editorial in USA Today criticized it as ineffective.

On June 25, 2012, the IRS issued Rev. Rule 2012-18, classifying automatic gratuities as service charges. Service charges are considered to be wages, not tips, and are subject to payroll tax withholding.

This includes automatic gratuities leveraged for parties of a certain size. This rule will take effect January 1, 2014.

In the state of Wisconsin, lowering the BAC would have a devastating effect on the hospitality industry. It is projected that changing the legal BAC to .05 would cost Wisconsin at least 900 hospitality jobs. That’s a loss of more than $18 million in wages to Wisconsin workers and over $51 million lost in overall output. The state would lose over $15 million dollars in taxes as revenue decreases.

American Beverage Licensees remains committed to focusing alcohol-related highway safety policy where it is most effective: high BAC and repeat offenders who account for more than 80 percent of all traffic fatalities involving alcohol.

Criminalizing responsible and legal behavior does nothing to protect us on the highways and would only put an unnecessary burden on law enforcement resources.

IRS RULES ON AUTOMATIC GRATUITIES

The IRS differentiates between a tip and a service charge in the following way: For a payment to be considered a tip: 1. The payment must be made free from compulsion.

2. The customer must have the unrestricted right to determine the amount.

3. The payment should not be the subject of negotiation or dictated by employer policy and, 4. Generally, the customer has the right to determine who receives the payment.

Ensure that adequate processes and changes to automated or manual reporting systems and business practices are in place for properly distinguishing between service charge wage income and tips.

•R eview records to consider whether service charges have incorrectly been treated as tipped income and whether any adjustments to Form 941 are necessary.

•C onsider whether it is in your best interest to remove automatic gratuwww.tlw.org

ities and replace them with a calculation of three suggested tip rates: 15, 18 and 20 percent (Tip rates must be clearly identified for reference purposes only so as not to appear to be mandated).

• I nform employees of final changes to policy before they take effect January 1, 2014.

•C onsult with a tax advisor or attorney to ensure policies are in compliance with the IRS guidance and practices.

COMPLIANCE MONITORING As consequence of the rule, there is speculation that the IRS will more closely examine merchant compliance. As a reminder, service charges are considered wages, and, therefore, not eligible for the FICA Tip Credit. Auto-gratuities paid for catering, banquets, weddings and other amounts mandated by employer policy would also likely be covered by this new rule.

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AFFORDABLE CARE ACT – UPDATES

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On October 1, 2013, health insurance marketplaces opened in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Coverage is set to begin on January 1, 2014. Some Affordable Care Act updates: CM

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•O n August 23, the IRS issued guidance to small businesses interested in the Health Care Tax Credit for Small Employers. Small employers with no more than 25 full-time equivalent employees, who pay an average wage of less than $50,000 a year, and pay at least half of employee health insurance premiums may be eligible for a tax credit. To be eligible, a small employer must pay premiums on behalf of employees enrolled in a qualified health plan offered through a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace. The credit is limited to two consecutive taxable years for eligible employers. The IRS is accepting comments and requests for a public hearing until November 25.

For more information, consult your tax advisor or attorney.

• I n addition to delaying the employer mandate, the Obama Administration announced on September 26 that online enrollment for health insurance exchanges for small businesses would be delayed until November 1. Applications, however, for businesses seeking to enroll in the SHOP Marketplaces started October 1.

• As an employer, you should have notified your employees in writing by October 1 of the new health insurance marketplaces. Coverage is slated to start on January 1, 2014. Visit www.ABLUSA.org for more information. TLW CMY C K M C C Y C

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The American Beverage Licensees is the voice of America’s beer, wine and spirits retailers in Washington, D.C. The ABL represents the Tavern League of Wisconsin and its many members as well as thousands of other on- and off-premise retailers of beverage alcohol across the United States. John Bodnovich, executive director of ABL, submitted this report. For more information about ABL, visit www.ablusa.org www.tlw.org

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A Taste of Wisconsin N Tavern League Members and State Craft Distillers Are a Smooth Combination

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Story by Amanda Wegner | Photography by Shanna Wolf

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t wasn’t that long ago, says Paul Werni, owner of New Richmond’s 45th Parallel Spirits, that there were just a handful of businesses similar to his in the country.“You go back to 2000, and there was just a few small, craft distilleries in the country, and nothing in the Midwest really,” says Werni. “It’s really taken off in the last 10, 15 years or so.”

That’s a change from the eight decades prior. Once a thriving industry in the United States, the National Prohibition Act of 1919 drove legitimate distillers out of business and ground the industry to a halt. Here in Wisconsin, Guy Rehorst’s Great Lakes Distillery in Milwaukee, was the first to open in 2006, 73 years after Prohibition ended. Today, Wisconsin is home to at least 12 to 15 craft distilleries, of which six are members of the Wisconsin Distillers Association.

One reason Wisconsin’s distilleries are thriving is because of residents’ insatiable desire for Wisconsin-made products. Another reason is that market-savvy Tavern League members are featuring the products these distilleries are offering up.

SPIRITED COMPETITION Named for the 45th parallel, the latitudinal line ringing the earth midway between the equator and the North Pole and running just south of his facility, Werni was first inspired to open a distillery in the early 2000s after a small distillery elsewhere in the country made news for producing one of the topranked vodkas in the world. “When I heard that, I knew I wanted to do something like that and make something worldclass,” says Werni, who broke ground in 2006 and opened in 2007.

Yahara Bay Distillers’ imposing copper still, was imported from Germany and today it is central to the company’s success in making 16 different spirits.

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And he has. His 45th Parallel Vodka, his top-selling product, was previously the top product in Spirit Journal’s “115 Top 5 Star Spirits” list in 2009 and consistently earns other honors.

Werni calls it “grain to glass,” as he uses grain from a nearby sixth-generation family farm, located just south of his building. www.tlw.org

He offers two product lines: The super-premium 45th Parallel line (vodka and bourbon whiskey) and the newer, cost-effective Midwest (vodka and gin) line. Compared to many distilleries that use small barrels to speed up the aging process, Werni only uses big barrels.

A home brewer and winemaker, spirits were the next iteration for Great Lakes’ Rehorst, who crafts a portfolio of seven small-batch spirits in copper pot stills and uses local ingredients as much as possible, including local fruits, maple syrup and ginseng from Marathon County. His products are now available in 26 states.

“Copper pots were the way distilling was done for thousands of years; a lot of big brands are now in column stills, but they don’t offer the same control that a small pot does,” says Rehorst. “With this, the process is very interactive with the master distiller sampling at every step of the process, fine-tuning to get a more consistent product, and allowing us to do some creative things.”

Nick Quint started Madison’s Yahara Bay in 2007 and remembers the early difficulties of Wisconsin’s fledgling distillery industry. “Early on, you couldn’t do tastings or sell your own products. But luckily, we got changes that put us on the same level as breweries and wineries.” (Rehorst is credited with working with state legislators to change a state law that

In 2006, Guy Rehorst opened the first small batch distillery in Wisconsin.

His Great Lakes Distillery products are available in 26 states.

allows craft distillers to offer tasting rooms so customers can sample the product at the distillery and purchase directly from the business.)

Now available in Wisconsin as well as 15 other states, Quint makes a portfolio of 16 spirits. They range from a top-selling vodka to a three-year-aged V Bourbon Whiskey and the latest addition, Seraphine Chai Tea Vodka, in small batches in a copper still imported from Germany. Like many other craft distillers, he uses local ingredients whenever possible.

A newer and smaller operation in Coleman in Northeast Wisconsin, North Woods Distillery is a one-person operation run

by Curt Naegeli. His top seller is Heath Rum, which tastes like butterscotch; he also offers Chocolat Mint Rum. In addition to being available in a number of establishments throughout the state, he sells his Heath Rum to Sartori Cheese, which soaks 20-pound wheels of its popular BellaVitano cheese in it.

Naegeli designed and fabricated his own still that uses precise temperature control to burn off different types of alcohols formed by yeast in the liquor. His end goal is to maintain a high level of ethyl alcohol, which according to Naegeli, “makes us happy, while all the others just make us sad in the morning.” He adds, “These off-alcohols are toxins for our bodies to get rid of.”

Some of Great Lakes Distillery’s products include: Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka, a silver medal winner in the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition; Roaring Dan’s Maple Flavored Rum, which has a buttery sweetness; and Kinnickinnic Whiskey, which is a blend of straight bourbon sourced from one of Americas finest distilleries, and a malt whiskey and a rye whiskey produced at Great Lakes Distillery. www.tlw.org

GETTING THE WORD OUT Despite the challenges of building Wisconsin’s craft distilled spirits industry, many on-premise establishments across the state, including many Tavern League members, are happy to support these spirit purveyors.

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Begin Pouring Wisconsin’s Finest With These Spirited Ideas Here are some ideas from members and craft distillers alike to move these Wisconsin-made products: Get bar staff on board: Take a distillery tour to “let staff see where the spirits are made and the people producing them,” says Jill Skowronski, Yahara Bay’s vice president of sales/ marketing. “It’s easy to sell local if you’ve been here and see why we’re different and special.”

This can also add to your profit margin, adds Curt Naegeli, owner of North Woods Distillery. “Many patrons have a difficult time deciding what to drink and want to try something different. This is when a bartender can be a hero by up-selling a drink that is truly unique and delicious.”

Yahara Bay’s Nick Quint, left, studied the art of distilling spirits and with his two stepsons assembled his still piece by piece. His stepson, Lars Forde, has since joined the operation and the two of them are distilling the company’s wide variety of spirits.

For many members, it’s the local connection. “By supporting Great Lakes, that’s money that stays here, supporting local businesses, which is what America was built on,” says Lee Guk, owner of Milwaukee’s Lucky Joe’s, a tiki bar that offers most of Great Lakes’ portfolio. “These big companies aren’t going to come in and buy a drink in my place. But the odds of Guy Rehorst coming in and buying a drink, that’s pretty good,” he adds. “It’s awesome to support someone who you can meet and talk to and really learn about their product.”

And because it’s local, many patrons are willing to pay the upcharge. “We stock everything 45th Parallel’s got,” says Chris Polfus, owner of Brady’s Brewhouse, New Richmond. “We have his Midwest vodka and gin as rail, and the premium 45th Vodka is featured in our Brady’s Bloody Mary, which people will happily pay more for.”

Jennifer DeBolt, co-owner of Madison’s The Old-Fashioned, specifically focuses on Wisconsin-crafted products and features Yahara Bay and 45th Parallel Spirits, among others. “I think we need to look at the bigger picture. Yes, it is a little more expensive than traditional spirits, but in the end, people are willing to pay more for a local product that shows support for the state of Wisconsin,” she adds.

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Do a tasting: “Ask us to come out some night when you have a good crowd and people who might appreciate our goods,” says Guy Rehorst, owner of Great Lakes Distillery. “Your patrons will get to meet the people and get to shake our hands.

Honestly, that’s something very few brands can offer.”

Craft some cocktails: For instance, The Old Fashioned in Madison concocts an Apple Jack Old Fashioned, featuring Yahara Bay Apple Brandy, and it’s the tavern’s bestseller.

Lee Guk, owner of Lucky Joe’s in Milwaukee, says his top sellers are the Singapore Sling and Shark Week (similar to a Moscow Mule) cocktails, which are crafted specifically with Great Lakes’ rum. Or, work directly with the distillers; Naegeli offers numerous suggestions for his spirits, such as his Worther’s cocktail with Heath Rum and Root Beer.

Give it placement: Chris Polfus, owner of Brady’s Brewhouse in New Richmond, prominently features the craft spirits he offers with special placement on the bar. This, says Polfus, not only entices patrons when they can’t decide, but keeps the products top of mind for bartenders. Also, ask if any marketing materials are available; Jason Maye, owner of Jiz’s Fortier’s Bar in Coleman, has posters in his bar featuring North Woods’ Heath Rum. Just buy a bottle: “Just get a bottle and try it,” says Polfus.

“Make some cocktails. If you don’t like it, you’re out the cost of the bottle. But these guys are doing good stuff; it won’t go to waste!” www.tlw.org

Photography by LukeStudios.com The top-selling 45th Parallel Vodka has consistently earned top honors in tasting competitions and in media reviews. Paul Werni and his staff at the New Richmond distillery are pleased to share some of their knowledge through guided tours, tastings and even through their two-day distilling school.

Plus, it just tastes good. “It’s [North Woods Heath Rum] just good booze,” says Jason Maye, owner of Jiz’s Fortier’s Bar, Coleman. “People have it as shots and with mixers; we get orders in almost every week for it. It’s well worth the investment, and once people try it, they come back for it.”

HERE TO HELP When Tavern League members partner with craft distillers — and vice versa — it’s a win-win situation. And many of these craftsmen are willing to take the extra steps necessary to help

“I think we need to look at the bigger picture. Yes, it is a little more expensive than traditional spirits, but in the end, people are willing to pay more for a local product that shows support for the state of Wisconsin,” — Jennifer DeBolt, co-owner, The Old-Fashioned both succeed. “I think any of the state distilleries would work closely with any Tavern League member if they wanted,” says Quint. “If they open their arms to us, we open arms to them.

I understand the challenges bar and restaurant owners are facing, and we do everything we possibly can to help them to not only sell products, but do it profitably.” TLW www.tlw.org

Mike Disher - Matt Disher - Andy Disher - Michael Disher II November/December 2013

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Pouring Away Profit

Don’t Miss Out on Profits Behind the Bar

By Jennifer Bradley

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rofit for tavern owners is being poured away every day — literally, says Wayne Roth, owner of Baraboo-based BevIntel, a Bevinco company. “On average, 20 percent of what is poured never makes it to the register,” he says. “I’ve seen those percentages run into the high 40s.”

While some bartenders are very careful about what they ring up for each customer, others are not. While some bartenders are very precise in what they pour for each customer, others are not.

And while some bartenders pour double the amount in an effort to make greater tips, others do not.

Each of these scenarios is a losing situation for the person running the establishment, Roth explains. The professional business consultant says that what’s lacking in many places is an effective system of checks and balances. While it doesn’t need to be complicated, three major elements are involved in keeping the cash on the right side of the bar.

Inventory is the first issue to consider.

“Many don’t even keep track of what they go through,” he says. A cash register with the ability to spot check and compare what is poured against dollars paid for those drinks is essential. Along the lines of cash registers, Roth also recommends owners track non-sale transactions. Drawers should not be opened to make change, when in reality a sale wasn’t made, though it was counted.

Standardization is the next item to address. Roth explains bartenders know that owners can count cash and balance register drawers, but it’s much harder to track the liquid cash poured each shift.

They must set consistent expectations for everything from glass sizes to pour amounts, as well as the staff’s level of knowledge and execution of these.

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Inventory control, standardization, consistency and education are the keys to keeping profits behind the bar, says Wayne Roth.

It all boils down to a “good tasting drink” says Roth, and how much alcohol is poured determines that. He says that in order to set these standards, owners must know their customer base as well as competition. “If they are not going to you, who are they going to?” he asks. “What is your competition pouring and what are they charging?”

Roth gives this example that shows the value of standardizing. He says if a customer buys a margarita on a Wednesday night from bartender “Betty,” he may really like it and bring his friends back on Saturday. That night, though, “Joe” is bartending and the margaritas don’t taste the same, nor nearly as good.

Consistency is important, Roth says.

When bartenders each think their Bloody Mary or Old Fashioned is the best, confusion only reigns and a mixed

message is sent to customers. “In one bar, there are then many styles of one drink,” Roth explains. “There’s no identity to the bar.”

Education is the third lesson to increasing profits. Roth says bartenders need to understand that they and the establishment make more by pouring less. Regular training is how this message sticks.

Roth recommends owners treat their bartenders as professionals, offering educational opportunities about products, pouring and drink mixing. “And then test them,” he says, stressing that owners must establish a pour size and then make sure their staff knows what it is and is complying with it. The less alcohol poured away needlessly, the more profit tavern owners will see staying behind the bar. TLW

www.tlw.org

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TLW 78th Annual

FalL Convention Summary Helping to Insure Our Industry's Future

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beautiful stretch of warm autumn weather greeted Tavern League of Wisconsin members to Green Bay and the 78th Annual Fall Convention and Tradeshow, October 7-10. This fall’s events, hosted by Brown County Tavern League and sponsored by Society Insurance, were held at the Hyatt on Main and KI Convention Center. Over 600 attendees enjoyed a variety of meetings and activities centered on the convention’s theme: “TLW – Helping to Insure Our Industry’s Future.”

TUESDAY’S EVENTS MONDAY’S EVENTS The TLW board of directors met throughout the day Monday, covering a full agenda of topics. Wrapping up the day’s events was a welcome party at the Stadium View Bar in the shadows of Lambeau Field. In addition to re-connecting with old friends and getting to know new TLW members, everyone enjoyed a buffet, cocktails and the sounds of the Green Bay-based rock band, Shaker and the Egg. To the delight of the crowd, special guests, former Green Bay Packers Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston and William Henderson were on hand to sign autographs.

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The General Session attended by several hundred members, opened with the presentation of colors and a stirring rendition of the national anthem by former TLW member Andy Bain. A formal welcome to Green Bay was presented by Eastern Zone Vice President Dale VandenLangenberg, Brown County Tavern League President Sue Robinson and Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt.

In his remarks, the mayor commended the TLW and for its many charitable efforts. He singled out Tavern League members as running businesses that are probably the most connected to the community, playing a vital role in giving to worthwhile causes.

www.tlw.org

2013 fall convention Summary

Executive Director Pete Madland took the stage and announced an incentive program to increase TLW membership. The goal, according to Madland, is to increase membership by at least 10 percent or more by Jan. 1, 2014. He added how Wisconsin is unique in the strength of its tavern league membership, noting how surrounding states either have no organized tavern associations or just local leagues. The hard work, however, of TLW members needs to continue and recruiting new members needs to be a priority.

Following on the heels of Madland’s comments was President Terry Harvath, who had a little fun with the convention’s theme, striding to the podium dressed as if he just stepped off the Starship Enterprise. As the theme from Star Trek played, Harvath stated in his best Captain Kirk imitation, “We will seek new members, and fight laws where no association has dared to go.”

Harvath continued Madland’s praise for the league’s work and spoke about the goal and mission to increase membership.

Next Madland introduced Rick Parks, president of Society Insurance, the fall convention sponsor. Parks commended the TLW’s 78-year history as a trade association and Society’s important partnership with the league for the last 25 years. He recognized Mike Disher of Disher Insurance as a tireless advocate of the TLW.

The next person on the podium was TLW Secretary Sue Bonte Lee, who is also serving as acting treasurer, while Tom Dahlen runs for the state Assembly. Bonte Lee shared information about the previous day’s board meeting, reporting that TLW finances were solid.

Keynote Speaker and Vice President of Patrón Spirits, Mark Smith provided an insightful presentation on capturing new customers, especially the Millennials – individuals between the ages of 18 and 30. The use of social media, including Facebook, Twitter and text messaging, according to Smith is essential to reaching this brand and image conscious generation.

Tuesday morning’s session ended with President Harvath presenting the Member of the Year Award to Joey Legath from Joey’s on Taylor in Racine.

Tuesday afternoon members attended seminars on the Affordable Care Act and received advice from the Service Corps of Retired Executives. Time was also set aside to attend the tradeshow, where vendors shared samples and information about new products. The silent auction was open all afternoon and offered members a chance to bid on many items donated by leagues, districts and vendors. Many took their turn at Scatter Darts Tournament and played for a chance to win a cruise donated by WAMO. This year’s winners were Greg and Kathy Sondalle, Montello Tuesday evening, everyone gathered in the KI Center for the cocktail party, costume contest and music by The Cougars. A live auction presided over by Colonel Pete Madland was a huge success raising $15,200 for the Direct Givers Fund.

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2013 fall convention Summary WEDNESDAY’S EVENTS The convention opened on Wednesday with the ABL report presented by former TLW president and ABL representative, Robert “Bubba” Sprenger. Sprenger encouraged members to become active participants in the ABL and to attend its government day next June in Washington, D.C. TLW Lobbyist Scott Stenger gave an in-depth overview of some of the pending issues facing the industry, including the 19-yearold drinking age, potential new private well inspections, liquor sampling legislation for Class A license holders (Assembly Bill 344), Growler legislation and DUI checkpoints.

Terry Harvath, running unopposed for TLW president, took the oath of office as the morning session drew to a close.

In the afternoon, Executive Director Pete Madland and Convention Chair Sally Jo Topper visited vendors’ booths and awarded exhibitor prizes to TLW members on the tradeshow floor. District caucus meetings were held late Wednesday afternoon, followed by “Cocktails with the President” sponsored by Precision Pours and Patrón Spirits.

Final tally for the two-day silent auction was $4,255, which benefits the Tavern Industry Political Action Committee (TIPAC).

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www.tlw.org

2013 fall convention Summary Frank Productions and members adjourned to the Brown County President’s Reception held at noon at Bourbon Street Bar. A big thank you is extended to the Brown County Tavern League and the city of Green Bay for their hospitality during the TLW’s four-day convention. Also, a special thank you is extended to Society Insurance for their sponsorship of the event. TLW

THURSDAY’S EVENTS The last day of the convention opened with a presentation by Lauren LaViola, executive director of Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE). LaViola was introduced by Brad Schinke, 6th district director. The TLW has included CORE in its charity fundraising program for the last two years and LaViola shared success stories in which CORE has made a difference in the lives of young, critically ill children.

Schinke emphasized the TLW’s commitment to CORE when he presented LaViola with a check for $10,000 to continue the organization’s good work.

Next, the Nomination Committee report was given by Lorie Helm. The morning wrapped up with a lively musical tribute to the 1960s by Let Me Be

www.tlw.org

Nomination Committee Report: The following members have been nominated for the office and term noted. They will stand for election at the spring conference in La Crosse unless running unopposed.

Southern Zone VP:

1 year

Jim Pickett

Southern Zone VP:

2 year

Dan Taivalkoski

Central Zone VP:

1 year

Lori Frommgen

Central Zone VP:

2 year Robert Sprenger

Northern Zone VP:

1 year

Dan Corbin, Nancy Lorbetske

First District Director:

2 year

Dennis Salverson

First District Director:

1 year

Lou Larson

Second District Director:

2 year Eric Christenson

Second District Director:

1 year Tim Green, Steve Hepp

Third District Director:

2 year

Third District Director:

1 year Todd Giraud

Fourth District Director:

2 year

Fifth District Director:

2 year Ray Bruch

Fifth District Director:

1 year Tom Dorsey, Harlon Wright

Sixth District Director:

2 year

Sixth District Director:

1 year Brad Schinke

Seventh District Director:

2 year

Seventh District Director:

1 year Kris Zappa

Eighth District Director:

2 year Erin Farrar

Eighth District Director:

1 year

Ninth District Director:

2 year Robert Grosch, Lorie Helm

Dan Frisch

Jim Klabechek

Judy Vandenhouten

Diane Schwartz

Jim Seliger

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MAN THERAPY: TAKING ON SUICIDE MAN TO MAN

BI-STATE POINT OF SALE SOLUTIO

A Partnership Between Prevent Suicide Wisconsin and the TLW

By Debi Traeder

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t’s a fact, each year in Wisconsin over 725 people die due to suicide. Of these, nearly 80 percent are men. And just like their determination to find their way without asking for directions, men in general, do not like talking about their mental health needs — especially when they may have suicidal thoughts.

It’s also a fact that alcohol is involved in over 30 percent of Wisconsin suicide attempts and completions.

SUICIDE PREVENTION TAILORED FOR MEN Enter Man Therapy™. Developed in Colorado in 2012, Man Therapy is a groundbreaking approach to suicide and other men’s mental health issues, using humor to break through the stigma and fear that surround depression, divorce and suicidal thoughts straight-on — like a “man.”

Man Therapy is presented on an interactive website where men and their

loved ones can learn more about their own mental health, in the privacy of their own home. The strategy is to help men and those who care about them to

recognize early warning signs and give them the tools to do •something about it 222-3015 Mel Welch Dan Nelson • (800) before it reaches a crisis mode.

The hero of this web-based program is Dr. Rich Mahogany. He’s a man’s man — kind of a cross between Dr. Phil and Ron Burgundy, of Anchorman movie fame. He is dedicated to eliminating denial through his manly charm, no-bull approach, sense of humor and his practical advice to the participant.

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Through attention grabbers like “Grilling Animal Meat: Aromatherapy the way a man would do it” and “You Can’t We provide Hardware, Software and Fix Your Mental Health With Duct solutions Tape,” he Security makes it Camera OK to take charge for of your Bar, Restaurant one’s own mental health.and Retail Liquor Store.

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have a standing appointment with Dr. Mahogany. They can visit him any time and have sessions as long as they please.

Upon entering his virtual office, the participant is met by the good doctor himself, who immediately puts everyone at ease and provides an overview of what they will find by navigating through his office. There is even a short quiz a man can take to evaluate his own mental health, and depending on the answers given, receive a video response of recommendations and actions to consider.

There is access to resources as well as a wide range of do-it-yourself ideas and tips — and even professional therapist referrals to connect people to local support groups, Wisconsin resources and the national suicide crisis line.

PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH THE TLW Prevent Suicide Wisconsin (PSW) is a public-private partnership dedicated to reducing the number of suicides that take place in our state each year. Part-

nering with local tavern leagues and with the support of the Tavern League of Wisconsin, PSW is bringing the Man Therapy campaign to Wisconsin via local taverns and restaurants — meeting men on their own “turf.”

Piloted in the counties of Adams, Kenosha, Lincoln, Polk and Portage, these venues have been supplied with posters, business cards, drink coasters and public service announcements to use and promote the website. Other counties and establishments will be added as the campaign progresses through 2014.

According to information released at the American Association of Suicidology conference in April, Wisconsin was already ranked third in the nation for visits to the website with very little publicity. Given the state’s high suicide rate (13.4 per 100,000 as compared to the national rate of 12.1) and the high ratio of men to women who complete suicide, PSW sees Man Therapy as a way to reach this population in a non-intrusive and good-natured way.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM Priority is given to Tavern League members who collaborate with local suicide prevention coalitions. Tavern League members interested in participating in this project should visit the PSW website to find out how to contact the coalition in your area: preventsuicidewi.org.

Participating Tavern League members are also encouraged to have employees educated in recognizing and responding to individuals who may be suicidal through a short training program called QPR: Question, Persuade and Refer.

Visit mantherapy.org and try it out for yourself. Also, visit preventsuicidewi. org to learn more about Prevent Suicide Wisconsin and our efforts to reduce suicide in our state. TLW Debi Traeder Coordinator, Prevent Suicide Wisconsin Mental Health America of Wisconsin 2706 Pleasant View Dr., Schofield, WI 54476 715-551-0966 • traeders@charter.net

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Corporate Spotlight Wisconsin amusement & music operators year, more than 10,000 WAMO-sponsored electronic dart league members showed up in Green Bay to compete.

They came from all around the state for this fun event, which is also a very social one, Lucchi says jokingly. In all seriousness, though, he says that the people involved truly look forward to seeing each other every year and catching up.

“W

e are in this together,” says Al Lucchi, president of the Wisconsin Amusement and Music Operators Association (WAMO). He is describing WAMO’s longtime relationship with the Tavern League of Wisconsin. WAMO consists of more than 125 companies which provide game and entertainment machines to many Tavern League members. These include jukeboxes, video games, cranes, darts, pool, and more. In addition to the business aspect, WAMO works to expand and encourage the tavern marketplace.

While Lucchi, with Quarter Time Distributing in Waunakee, says it does not cost an establishment anything to host such products, the owner does do a revenue share with the operator. Formulas for this are based on volume, he explains. A better commission structure comes with more items and sales.

A large part of WAMO’s mission as a partner with the Tavern League can be found in action at the weekly pool and dart leagues so many TLW members are familiar with, and have in their own establishments. These, he says, help stimulate business on nights which traditionally would have been slower. “The more people we can get in on a Tuesday night, the better the bar does and the better our machines do,” Lucchi adds. Plus, the leagues last 18-20 weeks on average, a nice boost for a TLW member’s business.

“A team may come from Superior and meet a team from Milwaukee, and they don’t get to see each other but this once,” he says. “When you have that many people it’s just a fun event.”

The statewide pool tournament is also a big event, with more than 4,000 people participating this year alone.

Lucchi adds that WAMO members are encouraged to also support their local Tavern Leagues in counties around the state. Many do this through golf outings

and other fundraisers, which often benefit the SafeRide program.

chi. “Knowing this helps us get through some of the rough times when they come about.”

In its role as a bronze corporate sponsor of the TLW, WAMO also helps support the league’s Legislative Day and this year sponsored the TLW trip give-away at the TLW fall convention and donated a large, flat screen television as a prize at the spring conference.

Wisconsin Amusement & Music Operators Inc. (WAMO) 1424 N. High Point Rd. Middleton, WI 53562 608-635-4316 • www.wamo.net

SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH TLW Lucchi says that WAMO and the TLW are battling a war of sorts, together.

“Lots of outside forces are trying to

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The smoking ban also hurt the tavern industry, but this long-time TLW supporter says that it’s turning around slowly. In the meantime, the TLW can count on WAMO’s continued support in this mutually beneficial relationship.

“We have so many common interests and many good things to do,” says Luc-

— Al Lucchi, President, Wamo

The fun continues with what Lucchi says is the largest dart tournament in the world, held each May in Wisconsin. This n

He’s happy to see the economy continuing to improve, and says that many blue collar customers were hit hard since 2008. “We need to get them in the marketplace, feeling comfortable, making enough to survive and doing the things they like,” says Lucchi.

“Lots of outside forces are trying to hurt the tavern industry, and if they hurt them, they hurt us,”

EVENTS UNITE INDUSTRY

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hurt the tavern industry, and if they hurt them, they hurt us,” he adds. “People afraid to drive home after two drinks won’t stay long or will stop going to bars altogether. They also won’t play pool or darts, all the things that benefit both groups,” says Lucchi.

www.tlw.org

Identify and Prevent Employee Dishonesty Threats

By Mike Rosenau Employee dishonesty can be damaging to both your business’ bottom line and reputation. Losses, otherwise known as occupational fraud, can result from theft of money, securities or other property of the employer. A recent report from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) found that the typical organization loses an estimated 5 percent of its annual revenues to occupational fraud. In that same study, the ACFE found the median loss caused by occupational fraud was $140,000. This is a loss no business or organization can afford.

While of a general nature, here are some red flags that may warrant a closer look: 1. Employee lifestyle changes (expensive cars, jewelry, homes, clothes) 2. Significant personal debt and credit problems 3. Behavioral changes (an indication of drugs, alcohol, gambling or fear of losing the job) 4. Refusal to take vacation or sick leave (many violations are discovered while the perpetrator is on vacation) 5. Lower deposit amounts than expected on busy days

PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS Understanding some elements of occupational fraud may help business owners realize what steps are necessary to mitigate it.

1. Motive: The employee could be under a high amount of financial pressure.

2. Rationalization: Employees who commit fraud must be able to justify it to themselves. They know it’s wrong but they may rationalize that they’re not being justly compensated for their work, the theft won’t harm anyone or the employer deserves it.

3. Opportunity: Individuals who commit fraud recognize the chance to get away with it. Scenarios can range from a lack of cameras in sensitive areas, frequently absent owners or management, or too much trust or responsibility given to too few people.

IDENTIFY RED FLAGS It’s important to understand you can protect your business. For most of the concerns above, red flags may alert you to problems. A red flag is a set of unusual circumstances or something that varies from normal activity. And it’s a signal something should be investigated. www.tlw.org

PREVENT FRAUD One aspect of fraud prevention includes thorough fraud detection training.

Teach employees and managers the impact fraud can have on the organization, what constitutes fraud, the warning signs of fraudulent activity and how to report suspicious behavior.

Another fraud prevention measure includes implementing internal controls.

Internal controls help ensure efficient operations, compliance with laws and regulations, safeguarding of assets and accurate financial reporting. These policies and procedures should address: 1. Separation of duties: Implement a practice in which two separate employees are responsible for recording and processing a transaction.

2. Access controls: Restrict access to physical and financial assets and information, including online financial information such as bank accounts and credit card transactions, to authorized employees.

3. Authorization controls: Develop and implement policies to determine how financial transactions are initiated,

authorized, recorded and reviewed.

4. Policies: Establish and communicate strict policies for accessing company assets such as business inventory.

5. Exposure to cash: Monitor cash transactions closely and request receipts for all transactions.

6. Audits: Institute regularly scheduled and occasional random audits by a qualified financial professional such as a CPA. In the event of fraudulent activities, it’s important that business owners have a fraud reporting system in place. Employee tips are what most often uncover occupational fraud. Institute an anonymous reporting system for employees, vendors and customers to report any violations (suspected or actual) of policies and procedures. Craft and implement anti-retaliation policies that actively encourage employees to report suspicious activity.

It’s also a best practice for business owners to conduct extensive background checks on those who have access to company funds and other resources. For example, Society Insurance has a close relationship with a background screening company. Through this relationship, Society is able to offer its insured business owners discounted background checks. Society also has its business owners consult with risk control professionals to identify weak security areas and minimize fraud.

Employee fraud and dishonesty take a toll on businesses of all sizes. But by understanding what may be at the root of fraud and being able to identify potential red flags, you will be able to take action to prevent business-damaging events. TLW Editor’s Note: Mike Rosenau, MBA, CSP, ARM, is risk control manager at Society Insurance.

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LEAGUE PROFILE Chippewa county Tavern League

Chippewa COUNTY LEAGUE

At the recent TLW fall convention, members gathered to discuss league issues and to socialize. From left: Lori Kleich, Marty Loew, Wes Partlo, Cindy Welk, Rick Zwiefelhofer and Rob Summerfield.

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hile the Chippewa County Tavern League is in transition with the August retirement of longtime President Sonny Eckwright, the board of directors is excited about where the league is headed, according to board member and TLW Northern

Zone Vice President Rob Summerfield.

“It’s been a nice transition,” says Summerfield, owner of Bloomer’s Two Acres Supper Club, a family-owned establishment in business for 37 years. “Everyone is still sticking around to help, and every year we’ve got new people who are interested in getting involved and new people on the board. Even through we’re in the midst of switching leadership, we’ve got some new ideas and we’re excited to move ahead with those,” Summerfield says.

While membership is split between urban establishments centered in Chippewa Falls and rural destinations, tourism is a huge driver for the Chippewa County tavern industry. In the city of Chippewa Falls, the Leinenkugel’s facility helps bring in patrons, and outside the city, the lakes, woods and other recreation opportunities bring in business.

One such idea is recommitting to philanthropy, and the league will be choosing a target charity to support in coming months.

“We realize it’s something we haven’t been the best with, but it’s something we’re really committed to rekindling,” he adds.

Because of the urban-rural makeup, the league only operates a SafeRide program in Chippewa Falls, and that has just been restarted in the last year. “In Chippewa Falls, a few members have really taken charge to get it back; it was inactive for about five years. It’s a work in progress, but it’s working well,” Summerfield says.

Thanks to the league’s well-supported annual fundraisers, filling the kitty for the to-be-chosen charity should get off to a quick start. Some of their events include an annual fun run, a spring dinner and a bowling tournament.

In addition to focusing on charity, growing the league’s membership and hitting the “magic” 100-member mark is a priority in the next year. But they’re also ecstatic that their membership has held steady around 90 for that last several years given the state of the economy and industry. For that, they have Eckwright,

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owner of Chippewa Falls’ Wander Inn to thank.

In other areas, members rely on the good Samaritan system of getting patrons home.

The Chippewa County Tavern League especially prides itself on the good rapport it has with its state legislators and local officials. “It’s great that our legislators realize how big a value we are to the local economy,” says Summerfield. “They know our members vote and are very politically active and are keeping our eyes and ears to the ground, talking to them and making personal relationships. It’s something we’re proud of.” TLW www.tlw.org

Business Spotlight Loopy’s grill & saloon

Loopy’s Grill & Saloon has been extensively remodeled over the last 17 years. Six years ago, the “Loopy Dome” was added to enhance business during the slower winter months. They now host everything from year-round volleyball leagues to banquets. Loopy’s also has a full-service tiki bar overlooking the Chippewa River.

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ill “Loopy” Kleich isn’t joking when he says he’s been in the bar business since he was 14.

“I started tending bar with my father at age 14 when my family moved up from the Chicago area and bought the resort we vacationed at for years,” says Loopy, owner of Chippewa Falls’ Loopy’s Grill & Saloon.

“It was the Tomahawk Lodge in Tomahawk and it had a full bar and supper club along with several small cottages.”

When he moved to Eau Claire for college, he worked at O’Leary’s Pub and then moved to Chippewa Falls where he worked as a manager at The View on Lake Wissota on and off for almost 10 years.

He’s also tended bar in Breckenridge, Colo. and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

expanding it and continue to do so to this day,” says Loopy. Six years ago, they added The Loopy Dome and a full-service tiki bar overlooking the river.

on the river or an hour on the court, Loopy’s offers a full menu, featuring homemade pizzas and Leinie’s Honey Weiss fish fries.

The Loopy Dome was built to enhance the establishment’s slower winter months by enclosing and heating three outdoor volleyball courts with an air dome structure similar to the roof of the Metrodome in Minneapolis. In this addition, Loopy’s hosts 150 teams a week, year-round, as well as fundraisers, banquets, tournaments, music and comedy shows.

“Loopy’s is not only a place for everyone, catering to locals and tourists alike, it’s a place for everything,” says Loopy, who • Small Business served two consecutive terms as president Financial Planning of the Chippewa County Tavern League.

JIM ROPEL

• Specializing in Retirement Plans A longtime Tavern League advocate, • IRA’s Loopy appreciates the importance of the • Mutual Funds organization. “I would like to thank all • Annuities the current and past officeholders in the • Stocks & Bonds

920-387-5952

In the summer, along with volleyball Tavern League for all the work they do. leagues and parties, Loopy’s runs a tubTLW Affiliate 234 business North Clark ing, canoe and kayak rental on Street, Loopy’s Grill & Saloon Member Mayville, WI 53050 the Chippewa River.

10691 County Highway X, Chippewa Falls

715-723-Loop (5667) loopy@723Loop.com • www.723loop.com

Securities offered through Coordinated Capital Securities, Inc. • 6033 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716 • 608-221-4545 Member NASD/SIPC

When patrons get hungry after a day With plenty of experience in the industry, Loopy’s then-girlfriend (now wife), Lori, opened the place on January 3, 1997, and together they transformed the old tavern into Loopy’s. Located on state highway X between state highways 29 and 53, the establishment offers great views of the Chippewa River.

“The tavern was originally built in 1947 on Highway 29 until the highway was moved a few years back. It was Bobbi Jo’s, a small country tavern, and it was added on to over the years. We have spent the last 17 years extensively remodeling and www.tlw.org Tavern League of Wisconsin

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Featured Affiliates Blue Honey Bio-Fuels Inc. Did you know that the used cooking oil produced in your bar or restaurant can strengthen Wisconsin’s economy by keeping energy dollars here? John Feyen, CEO and co-owner of Blue Honey Bio-Fuels has built his company around this very principle. “My main goal when we started this business was to keep as much vegetable oil as possible in Wisconsin for use by local bio-fuel companies.”

Blue Honey collects waste vegetable oil from approximately 1,000 accounts in Wisconsin with a fleet of bio-fuel powered trucks.

The company works with processors set up in multiple locations throughout the state that convert the oil to useable products, including bio-diesel, ethanol and jet fuel.

“We aren’t in the market to process the oil into bio-fuels due to state environmental specifications,” says Feyen. “We do the hard work by collecting it, hauling it to our facility, then de-watering it and cleaning it up to remove the impurities. What’s left is the base, which we sell to the bio-fuel companies.”

Qpondog Text Message Marketing Specialists Growing your business and increasing revenue is the name of the game.

Wisconsin-based QponDog believes their proven system of text message marketing will put you on the road to more customer visits and $6,000 in additional annual sales per year. That’s a lofty promise, but according to QponDog President Jim Sickels, its one his company firmly believes in. In fact, Sickels says if you don’t achieve this increase in additional revenue by using their system, you don’t pay his company a penny.

So how do you achieve success and added revenue using QponDog’s services? “We’ve taken all the speed bumps away from using our program,” says Sickels. “The system we’ve designed means you, as a business owner, don’t have to do any work. We’ll design the whole program each month. Just let us know what specials you want to promote.”

The vegetable oil collection company opened its doors in 2007 and found the market and its customers were ready for a new player in the industry. “It all starts with customer service, which I’ve learned through my waste hauling and septic pumping businesses,” says Feyen. “Our philosophy is to treat our customers as partners, not as a number.”

Sickels says the success of QponDog’s program relies on building a database of 500 phone numbers and providing promotions featuring discounts of 25 percent or more. “We know that people are very guarded with their cell phone numbers and signing up for a texting program has to be very worthwhile. If, as a business owner, you’re going to be sending out messages, you need to make sure there is real value for the customer to ensure they’ll keep looking at those texts.”

Blue Honey provides several options for waste containers based on the needs of each business. All containers are weatherproof, have locking lids and are set up free of charge. The company’s goal is to schedule routine pick-ups when containers are three-quarters full to reduce the risk of overflows.

Staff buy-in is also essential in promoting the program, according to Sickels. “If waitstaff or bartenders explain how your business is offering great deals only through the texting program and they can get someone to sign up on the spot using their cell phone, that’s a huge bonus.”

According to Feyen, Blue Honey guarantees a fair and competitive price for used cooking oil that is based on quantity and quality.

For example, if a customer dumps too much water in a container or if soup or other liquids are added, Feyen’s drivers evaluate the quality of the oil they’re pumping and the price is set accordingly.

QponDog also provides printed marketing materials like table tents and posters to place strategically throughout a business. Plus they’ll add a link on the business’ website so customers can sign up online.

Blue Honey’s commitment to recycling vegetable oils has earned the company recognition from the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council’s Green Masters Program.

Feyen says the environmental benefits of this process are a winwin for everyone. “We joined the Tavern League as an affiliate member because there are opportunities for bars and taverns that aren’t producing a lot of oil to get rid of it in a way that turns it into a clean source of fuel, plus get paid for it. It could be a revenue stream for them and we just want to get the word out.”

Blue Honey Bio-Fuels Inc.

John Feyen P.O. Box 194, Ettrick, WI 54627 • 888-525-7229 jpcrbf@gmail.com • www.bluehoneybiofuels.com

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Account reps develop monthly calendars for each business, featuring an unlimited number of rotating messages. They target specific dates, plus tailor the message and the time it’s deployed.

QponDog offers TLW members a discounted rate of $99 per month and they give $10 of every TLW account back to the Tavern League. (Their normal price for their services is $129 per month.)

Sickels emphasizes, however, if you sign up for the program, the first 30 days are free. “We’ll train the business owner and get them all their marketing materials, but if they decide after the first 30 days the program isn’t for them, they don’t pay a dime. What’s to lose?”

Qpondog Text Message Marketing Specialists

Paul L. Hundt 5105 Leanne Ln., McFarland, WI 53558 • 608-228-1940 paulh@qpondogtms.com • www.g2tbar.com www.tlw.org

Vern’s Cheese Inc. Kurt Knoespel knows cheese and he also knows what it takes to be a part of a successful multi-generational family business. As the son of founders Vern and Edith Knoespel, Kurt has been immersed in all things cheese his whole life, helping deliver customer orders as a kid and watching as his parents displayed gift boxes at Christmastime from the family’s front porch.

Today, Kurt is director of sales for Vern’s Cheese and works sideby-side with his parents, three sisters, two brother-in-laws and his daughter.

The Chilton-based company employs 45-50 people, has 14 trucks, a retail store and online business. Their distribution is far-reaching, covering three-quarters of Wisconsin and parts of surrounding states.

In addition to over 100 varieties of cheese, of which approximately 95 percent are from Wisconsin, the company also sells other dairy products like milk, sour cream and cottage cheese. “For 49 years we’ve delivered quality products,” says Kurt. “We don’t buy on price, we look for quality. Our cheese suppliers are consistently placing in the top spots in cheese competitions.”

Statement of Ownership and Circulation

In addition, the company also sells summer sausage, hams, bacon, crackers, popcorn, candy, plus a wide assortment of products like pizza toppings, pizza dough balls, snack mixes and a variety of appetizers that are perfectly suited for bars and restaurants.

“We have an excellent tasting pickle for Bloody Mary’s,” says Kurt.

“Plus we offer everything else you’d want to use for a garnish from olives to onions and asparagus to mushrooms.”

Kurt feels the variety of products is one key to the success of their business, but more importantly it is the unwavering business philosophy that has stood the test of time. “We’ve always been customer focused and prided ourselves on doing the best for our customers,” says Kurt. “We don’t have a minimum order size, which is a really foreign concept to some of our competition. We try to work with people on this and we’ve found that’s especially helpful for the smaller bars and taverns.”

Kurt says he has been pleasantly surprised with how much business he’s gained by attending the TLW tradeshows and sampling a few products.

“It’s always fun to attend these tradeshows because we get to talk with the owners and managers that have buying power. Plus, it’s just great to meet new people; everyone is friendly and fun to talk to.”

Vern’s Cheese Inc.

Kurt Knoespel 312 W. Main St., Chilton, WI 53014 • 920-849-7717 kknoespel@vernscheese.com • www.vernscheese.com

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A Tipping Review

Knowing the Rules Now Can Save You In the Future

By Jen Bradley

ill Morgan, an attorney with Murphy Desmond S.C., says that being a watchful employer can save money, and his liquor license, when it comes to following proper tip credit procedures.

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must omit those employees that “customarily and regularly” do not receive tips such as cooks and hostesses. If they are included, the tip credit could be lost completely, he warns.

The Wisconsin minimum wage for tipped employees is set at $2.33 per hour.

(The federal minimum wage is $2.13 if a business crosses state lines.) For nontipped employees, it is $7.25 per hour.

This gives employers a tip wage credit maximum of $4.92 in Wisconsin, allowing them to pay less than the minimum wage out of pocket.

Morgan also sees questions arise when it comes to paying overtime to tipped employees. It must be paid on the paid amount, not the tip credit, which is at least $7.25 an hour.

“It presumes that employees are pulling in tips equal to that amount per hour,” says Morgan. “If they don’t, the employer must make up the difference.”

While it may seem straightforward, Morgan says that where employers run into problems most often is lack of paperwork. Employers need to stress the importance of tracking tips to their staff. It is simply good practice, to have them report daily or as a part of their pay period hours. Declaring a tip credit retroactively by employers could lead to a wage claim by an employee. Documentation on file should also include the portion of wages being withheld.

Morgan explains that as long as the dollar amount of tips, divided by hours worked is greater than $4.92, the employer is fine. “If not, you have to pay the difference, but also could be paying a substantial penalty,” he adds.

Another issue tavern owners face is the pooling of tips, he explains. If tips are pooled, each employee must be paid at least the minimum wage after they are dispersed. Employers cannot retain any of the pooled tips, and pooled tips also

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corners, he says, never pays in a positive way, but instead in expensive penalties.

“I think employers want to do the right thing but fall short on recordkeeping, which can put a tavern out of business,” Morgan explains.

The large number of employees one tavern can have in a three-year period should be reason enough to keep accurate tip declarations. He notes this can be thousands upon thousands of dollars

“I think employers want to do the right thing but fall short on recordkeeping, which can put a tavern out of business,” — Bill Morgan, Attorney, Murphy Desmond S.C.

To help employees remember to do their paperwork, Morgan suggests making tip declaration a part of closing out each shift worked. If tips are underreported, a tavern owner is essentially hurting himself. Educating employees is one way to avoid this, but also ensuring new management understands the why’s of this practice.

“If you don’t have the tip declarations on file, you can’t claim the credit,” says Morgan. “And if you’re subjected to an audit, they can go back up to three years.” Employees, he says, have two years from original date of work to make a wage claim to the Department of Workforce Development.

a small establishment isn’t going to have.

“It’s a huge number,” Morgan adds.

In a lot of communities, this type of offense is also a threat to an establishment’s liquor license. Many local governing agencies make a license contingent upon compliance with all state and federal laws. Morgan questions: “If a council didn’t like a particular owner, would they use that against them? Maybe so,” he says.

The rules aren’t being altered any time soon, Morgan adds, noting: “I haven’t seen any changes, which is good.” His mission continues to be helping owners understand how to fully follow the rules that are in place now. TLW

Morgan says that with the tougher economic climate, he’s been seeing more wage claims in recent years. Cutting www.tlw.org

Accounting Help tax and financial record retention

By Kimberly Ruef, CPA

addition, where no return was filed for a tax year, the IRS can assess tax at any time (even beyond three or six years). If the IRS claims that you never filed a return for a particular year, keeping a copy of the return will help you to prove that you did.

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here is often confusion about how long financial and tax records should be kept. There are many taxing authorities requiring retention of various records, each with different requirements and different time horizons. Financial and tax records may have to be produced if the IRS (or a state or local taxing authority) audits your return or seeks to assess or collect a tax. In addition, lenders, co-op boards, or other private parties may require that you produce copies of your tax returns as a condition to lending money, approving a purchase, or otherwise doing business with you.

Keep returns indefinitely and the supporting records usually for six years.In general, except in cases of fraud or substantial understatements of income, the IRS can only assess tax for a year within three years after the return for that year was filed (or, if later, three years after the return was due). For example, if your 2012 individual income tax return is filed by its original due date of April 15, 2013, the IRS will have until April 15, 2016 to assess a tax deficiency against you. If you file your return late, the IRS generally will have three years from the date you filed the return to assess a deficiency.

While it’s impossible to be completely sure that the IRS won’t at some point seek to assess tax, retaining tax returns indefinitely and important records for six years after the return is filed should, as a practical matter, be adequate. If you file your returns electronically, be sure to get copies from the company that prepared and/or filed your return.

Property Records Records relating to property may have to be kept longer. Keep in mind that the tax consequences of a transaction that occurs in one year may depend on things that happened in earlier years, and that the period for which you should retain records must be measured from the year in which the tax consequences actually occur. This may be significant, for example, where you sell property that you bought years earlier.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE

For example, suppose you bought your home in 1986 for $100,000 and made $20,000 of capital improvements in 1993. To determine the tax consequences of the sale, it’s necessary to know your basis (i.e., original cost plus later capital improvements). Thus, if you sell your home in 2013, and your return for that year is audited, you may have to produce records relating to the purchase in 1986 and the capital improvement in 1993 to be able to show what your basis is.

Therefore, those records should be kept for at least six years after your 2013 return is filed instead of just six years after the transactions they relate to occurred.

However, the three-year rule isn’t ironclad. The assessment period is extended to six years if more than 25 percent of gross income is omitted from a return. In

Similar considerations apply to other property which is likely to be bought and sold — for example, stock in a busi-

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ness corporation or in a mutual fund, bonds (or other debt securities), etc. In particular, remember that if you reinvest dividends to buy additional shares of stock, each reinvestment is a separate purchase of stock. The records of each reinvestment should be kept for at least six years after the return is filed for the year in which the stock is sold.

LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS To safeguard your records against loss from theft, fire or other disaster, you should consider keeping your most important records in a safe deposit box or other safe place outside your home.

In addition, consider keeping copies of the most important records in a single, easily accessible location so that you can grab them if you have to leave your home in an emergency.

If, in spite of your precautions, records are lost or destroyed, it may be possible to reconstruct some of them. For example, a paid tax return preparer is required by law to retain, for a period of three years, copies of tax returns or a list of taxpayers for whom returns were prepared.

Nonetheless, because you can never be sure whether third parties will actually have the records you need, the safest course of action is to keep them yourself, in as safe a place as possible.

For a complete list of records and their recommended retention schedule, contact your accountant. TLW Kimberly Ruef, CPA is a partner with Wegner LLP, CPAs & Consultants with offices in Madison, Baraboo, Janesville and Pewaukee. She has been providing accounting and tax services to businesses and business owners for over 20 years. This article is not intended to give you complete tax advice, but a general review of the subject matter.

Phone: (608) 274-4020 Email: kim.ruef@wegnercpas.com November/December 2013

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Legislative Notes TLW Enjoys success at state capitol

By Scott Stenger, Stenger Government Relations

the licensee shall be awarded $1,000 by the court plus court costs.

HOW THE BILL WILL WORK

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t has been a busy year in the state Legislature and the Tavern League of Wisconsin has had some good successes in Madison.

The “Brown Jug” bill was brought to the TLW Board of Directors by members of the Jefferson County Tavern League.

After reviewing the bill passed in Alaska, the board voted to work to pass a similar law in Wisconsin. Rep. Andre Jacque, (R-DePere) and Sen. Rick Gudex, (R-Fond du Lac) introduced Wisconsin’s version of the “Brown Jug” bill early in the legislative session.

Assembly Bill 61 was introduced in the state Assembly on March 7. The Assembly State Affairs Committee unanimously passed the bill out of committee to the full Assembly where it passed without objection on a voice vote. The bill then went to the state Senate where it passed out of the Senate Tourism Committee, 8-1 and passed the state Senate on a voice vote. As of this writing, the bill is awaiting action by Gov. Walker who is expected to sign it.

At or near the time the offense occurs, a licensed retailer is required to report the illegal conduct to law enforcement. The retailer may then proceed, regardless if the underage person is cited by law enforcement.

The next step is for a licensee to provide a notice to the underage person, or the underage person’s parent if applicable, of their intent to bring the civil action.

The notice must be mailed to the underage person’s last known address at least 15 days prior to the action being filed with the court, and shall include a demand for the relief provided by the law.

Once 15 days have elapsed, a licensee may then file the action with the court.

The burden of proof is on the retailer, showing by a preponderance of the evidence, that the underage person violated the law.

POSTING SIGNS Once the law takes effect licensed retailers will be able to post a sign outside their establishment warning underage persons they could be sued for $1,000 if they attempt to illegally enter a licensed premise. As was the case in Alaska, we are hopeful this bill will serve as a deterrent to underage persons from attempting to enter a licensed establishment.

WHAT THE NEW LAW MEANS The new law will allow Class A or Class B retailers to bring a private right of action against an underage person who commits an underage violation on the retailer’s licensed premise. If the underage person is less than 18 years of age, the licensee may bring the civil action against the underage person’s parent instead of the underage person. If the action is successful,

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The TLW will have signs available online and available for local leagues to distribute to their members.

$192,000 over the biennium for Wisconsin’s successful and award-winning SafeRide Program. With support from Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette and Rep. Rob Swearingen, R-Rhinelander a change to the funding formula was made to provide additional state revenue for the SafeRide Program.

Last year, approximately $830,000 was spent to operate and administer the program, which provided nearly 75,000 free rides home to individuals who had one too many drinks. Over 1,600 TLW members from around the state participate in the program, which was first established in 1985.

Because funding for the SafeRide program is tied to the OWI surcharge, funding for the program has been declining in recent years as drunken driving convictions are down dramatically. This is in contrast to the popularity of the program, which grew by an estimated 10 percent from the previous year.

The additional funds secured during the biennial budget were necessary, in the short term, to continue the financial viability of the program as well as help it grow in the future. We will continue to work to grow the SafeRide Program and continue to secure additional funding sources to meet its demands.

It has been a busy and productive 2013 for the TLW and we are looking forward to a successful and productive 2014.

Thank you for your continued support of and membership in the Tavern League of Wisconsin. TLW

MORE FUNDS FOR SAFERIDE PROGRAM During the 2013-15 biennial budget deliberations, the Tavern League of Wisconsin lobbied to secure an additional www.tlw.org

Affiliate Members TLW AFFILIATE MEMBERS as of October 15, 2013 Ackley Novelty Inc.

Corporate Casuals & Promotional Products

Insphere Insurance Solutions

Park Ridge Distributing Inc.

J T Advertising

Patrón Spirits Company

D & D Amusement Games LLC

J/R Ice & Refrigeration Repair LLC

Pehler Distributing Inc.

Dalin Lindseth & Co. S. C.

JBM Amusements

Dean Health Plan

Johnson Brothers Beverage

Dean’s Satellite

Johnson Dist. Inc.

Delafield Brew Haus

Just in Time Refrigeration LLC

American Income Life

DeVere Company Inc.

American Welding & Gas

Dierks Waukesha

Kavanaughs Restaurant Supplies

Amusement Devices Inc.

Dining Publications LLC

App Mountain LLC

DISCUS

Appleton Night Out.com LLC

Disher Insurance Services

Audio Entertainment

DJ D-Train

B & K Bar & Restaurant Supplies

Edge One Inc.

B-M Music & Games

El Cortez Hotel & Casino

Badger Hood Cleaning

Electro-Kold Corporation

Baraboo Sysco Food Services

Emil’s Pizza Inc.

Baraboo Tent & Awning

Energy Distributing

BarsGuru Enterprises LLC

Engels Commercial Appliance Inc.

Affiliated Investment Group Airgas National Carbonation Alliance Insurance Centers LLC Allied Games Inc. Allied Insurance Centers Inc. American Entertainment Services Inc.

Bartelt Insurance Services Bay Tek Games Bay Towel/Linen Rental Beechwood Distributors Inc. Benedict Refrigeration Service Inc.

County Wide Extinguisher Inc.

Fabiano Brothers Firehouse Pizza Flanigan Distributing Fleming’s Fire I Flipside Coin Machines Inc.

Best Bargains

Foremost Business Systems

Bevinco

Freistadt Alte Kameraden Band

Bi-State Point Of Sale Solutions Big Daddy Games LLC

Friebert, Finerty & St. John S.C. Game Management Corp.

KevCorp International KLB Insurance ServicesIllinois Casualty

QponDog On Mobile Advisors

Reindl Printing Reinhart Food Service LLC Riverside Foods Inc. S & S Distributing Inc. Saloons N Spoons/ Turbo Chemical

Lebby’s Frozen Pizza Lee Beverage Of Wisconsin LLC Legacy Advisor Network LJP Insurance Agency/ Rural Mutual

Sam’s Amusement Co. Sam’s Club Sanimax USA Inc. Saratoga Liquor Co. Inc.

LodgeVision (formerly Star Connection)

Schmidt Novelty

M & R Amusements & Vending LLC

Service Specialists

Serralles USA

Magnuson Industries Inc.

SniffIt LLC

Mass Appeal Specialties Inc.

Special Olympics Wisconsin Inc.

MBA Corp.

Stansfield Vending Inc.

Meyer Brothers LLC

Stevens Point Brewery

Micro Matic

Superior Beverages LLC

Mid-Oak Distillery Midstate Amusement Games

Blue Honey Bio-Fuels Inc.

General Beverage Sales Co.

BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.)

Glavinsured Agency Inc.

Bob Schuchardt Insurance

Great Lakes Amusements

Boelter Companies

Great Lakes Beverage

Bromak Sales Inc.

Great Northern Amusements

Mississippi River Distilling Company

Buy Right Purchasing Group LLC

Guardian Pest Solutions Inc.

Mitchell Novelty Co.

Gunderson Linen

Modern Cash Register Systems

Cash Depot

Precision Pours Inc.

Lamers Bus Lines

General Beer - Northeast Inc.

Hiawatha Chef, Bar and Janitorial Supply

Portesi Italian Foods Inc.

Kobussen Buses Ltd.

Bill’s Distributing LTD

Cardtronics USA

Plunkett’s Pest Control

Red’s Novelty LTD

Kessenich’s Ltd.

Games Are Us Inc.

Happy Tap

Pinkerton Solutions LLC

Racine Amusement Inc.

Keg-Stands LLC

Big Game Sports Cards/ Sterling Graphics

Capital Brewery

Per Mar Security Services

Midwest Amusements Midwest Coin Concepts Of WI Milwaukee Brewers

Superior Vending Swanel Beverage Inc./Banzai Tamarak Design’s Think Ink & Design This Drinks on Us LLC

Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Pedal Tavern LLC

Ticket King Inc. Toccata Gaming International LLC Tri-Mart Corporation Tricky Dick & Joyce Specialty US Foodservice

Murphy Desmond S.C.

Vern’s Cheese Inc.

National Chemicals Inc.

Vital Tokens

Central Ceiling Systems Inc.

Holiday Wholesale Inc.

Nei - Turner Media Group Inc.

Wausau Coin Machines Inc.

Century Services

Hospitality Services Corp.

New Glarus Brewing Co.

Chambers Travel

Huebsch Services

Northern Lakes Amusement

West Suburban Insurance Agency

Cintas Corporation

Ideal Ad & Sportswear

Northwest Coin Machine Co

Coffee Express Inc.

Independent Insurance Services Inc.

Office Supplies 2 U Inc.

Cornerstone Processing Solutions Inc.

www.tlw.org

Indianhead Foodservice Dist. Inc.

Omega Processing Solutions Paradise Printing Company

WI Hospitality Insured Wil-Kil Pest Control Wine Institute Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps Wordbyphone.com

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New Members TLW New Members August 9, 2013 to October 15, 2013 District 1 Kenosha City Breakwater Bar & Grill Lisa Meyers Kenosha Chaser’s Lounge Dan Creamer Kenosha Clubhouse Pub & Grille Kevin Koprovic Kenosha Frankie D’s Vino & Pizzeria Frank DeBartolo Kenosha Franks Diner Julie Rittmiller Kenosha

Interlude II Bar & Grill James Pruett Kenosha Los Cantaritos Mexican Restaurant Noe Jaimes Kenosha

Rumors Lounge Crystal Monday Kenosha

Ozaukee County Glide Inn LLC Marian Clark West Bend

Summit Ridge LLC Melissa Berberich & Matt Kratz Wonewoc

Sheboygan County Four of a Kind Ronald Ranieri Sheboygan

Split Decision Michael S. Kachel Whitewater District 2 Columbia County Portage Elks Lodge #675 Ron Shannon Portage

Crawford County Horseshoe Tavern Greg & Grant Russell Prairie Du Chien

Reefpoint Brew House John Valko, Jr. Racine Rock Inn Arlene & Terry Feest Racine On Premise

Hillsboro Brewing Company Snapper Verbsky Hillsboro

District 3

Racine City Clay’s Tap Shirley Willie Kenosha

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South Central The French Quarter Inc. Duane French & Amy Gutzmer Monroe

Never Mind Bar Lynn Hull Stoughton

Fire Pitt Brenda Jonas Trevor

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Marathon County Trailside Sports Bar & Grill Michael Erdmann Schofield

Webster’s Inn on Third Street Steve & Kellie Webster Reedsville

Madison/Dane County Jordan’s Big 10 Inc. Kelly Jordan Madison

Kenosha County Powers Lake Sportsman’s Club J Gehrke Powers Lake

Gary’s Getaway Bar Gary Siebold Manitowoc

Center Ice Sports Bar & Grill Stacie & John Billings Hillsboro

Jefferson County Baba’s Thirsty Rhino Andrew Rosenow Watertown

John’s Dock John Dunk Racine

Langlade County Riverview Golf Course Kretz Riverview Inc Antigo

Rock County Stables Bar & Grill Lori Jester Orfordville

Hauser’s Hideaway Paul R. Hauser, Jr. Rubicon

Tilted Kilt Mike Roscioli Kenosha

Manitowoc County Capitol Civic Centre, Inc. Peggy Krey Manitowoc

Juneau County Squirrel E’s Bar & Grill Earl Els Camp Douglas

Dodge County Heine’s Famous Pizza LLC George Heine Horicon

Pub 22 Bar & Grill Rob Warmouth & Mike Volakis Kenosha

Nick’s Nick Pease Platteville

Kelly’s Bleachers 2 Kelly Vecitis Waterford

Walworth County Beer Here John Cordio Whitewater

Infusino’s Pizzeria South Inc. Jerry Infusino Kenosha

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Racine County South Hills Country Club Nan Martin Franksville

McCormick’s Bar & Grill Derek McCormick Soldiers Grove Grant/Iowa County Legends Pub & Grill Fred F. Fink Darlington

November/December 2013

Wooden Shoe Devin Fassel Wonewoc La Crosse City/County Fjord Bar Dave Larson Coon Valley La Crosse Fieldhouse LLC Clayton Oehrle La Crosse Recovery Room Bar Matt Ellenz La Crosse River Rats French Slough Prop La Crosse T-Jo’s Pizza Bill Peden La Crosse Monroe County Peck’s Corner Roger Skrede Cashton Wetlands Restaurant, Pub & Catering T & J Hospitality Warrens District 4 Calumet County Hickory Hills Golf Joseph Nelesen Chilton High Cliff Restaurant Larry Trucco Sherwood Schumacher’s Shanty Jodi & Jim Schumacher Stockbridge

Washington County Auburn Bluffs Golf Course Patrick M. Adams Campbellsport Johnny Manhattan’s Nancy Manhattan Hubertus Fat Charlie’s Charlie Jones Richfield Amber Inn Anna Koehnke Slinger Pillars Pub Patrick Kent West Bend Washington House Pub Eddie Daniel West Bend Winnebago County Trailside Tavern Jean Redlin Menasha Dockside Tavern Food and Spirits Jason Lindemann Oshkosh District 5 Adams County Main Street Station Karen Witkoloski Adams

Marquette County KW’s Grill N’ Pub Kevin D. Kasten Endeavor Portage County Central Waters Brewing Company Anello Mollica Amherst Bullheads Bar and Grill Jerry Fahrner Stevens Point Shawano County The Blind Squirrel Trevor Milhaupt Shawano Waupaca County John’s Edgewater Bar & Grill John Wanty Iola Wood County Brown’s Bar Mike J. Brown Marshfield Bulldogs Bar LLC Melanie Galik Wisconsin Rapids Sunrise Bar Michael Pataska & James Gavin Jr Wisconsin Rapids District 6 Brown County Nic’s Bar & Grill Dave Nichols Green Bay Richard Craniums Don Mjelde Green Bay Swobey’s Bar Edward Tushoski Green Bay

Sidelines Bar & Grill Jeff & Maria Zeimet Nekoosa

The Hideout Nick Titel Green Bay

Lucky 13 Saloon Jim & Jackie Gloyd Wisconsin Dells

Kewaunee County Ape’s Bar & Grill LLC April Lohrey Algoma www.tlw.org

New Members Marinette County Richard’s Supper Club & Motel Rick Newingham Dunbar Wanek’s Paris in Pembine Michele & Casey Wanek Pembine Oconto County The Bucket Sports Bar Jane Van Vleet & Steve Price Gillett The Fifth Wheel Marsha LeRoy Gillett Rustic Ridge Supper Club Jen Olson Pulaski Red Maple Country Club LLC Julie Suring Suring Outagamie County Capitol Centre Phillip J. Plamann Appleton Still Wally’s Still Chris Koga Dale District 7 Barron County R Bar Bostad Enterprises Cameron Buckhorn Bar & Grill Craig Moen Prairie Farm Eau Claire City/County Elbow Room Garrett Jochimsen Eau Claire Metropolis Resort Tom Hahn Eau Claire Jackson County Travelers Tales Ash or Sarah Duff Black River Falls Pepin County The Pickle Factory LLC Marianne & Steve Dove Pepin Polk County Miki Jo’s Miki Jo Johnson Amery www.tlw.org

American Legion Post 396 Commander Frederic

Sandys Wayside Sports Bar & Grill Sandra Schorr Hayward

Taylor County Cindy’s Bar and Grill Cindy Berndt Medford

Wilkins Bone Lake Bar & Resort LLC Steven & Delores Bol Luck

MK’s Rustic Inn Mary Kay Mork Winter

Tomahawk/Merrill Area 1212 Sports Lounge Jared Schmidt Merrill

Trempealeau/Buffalo County Jen’s Swing Inn Bar Jennifer Halverson Osseo District 8 Ashland/Bayfield County Lakewoods Resort & Golf Philip Rasmussen Cable Burnett County The Local Michael Anesi Spooner Lakeland Area Preuss’s Pub Rattenbach & Preuss Arbor Vitae Oneida County Backwaters Bar & Grill Patrick Wilson Rhinelander Mulligan’s David O’Melia Rhinelander Wisconsin River Cruises Patty Zastrow Rhinelander Price County Sugarbush Tavern Frank Anetsberger Park Falls Sawyer County Thompson’s Game Farm Dale Thompson Exeland Lost Land Lake Lodge Dana O’Neill Hayward Nelson Lake Landing Inc. John Welter Hayward R & R Bayview Resort Lorena DeJoode Hayward Reel Livin’ Resort Matt & Jane Pfleger Hayward

Superior/Douglas County Marty & Gina’s Marty McCusky Foxboro Buckhorn LLC Dave & Kathy Rose Gordon Charlie Brown’s Bar Mark Fulda Superior Gronk’s Grill & Bar Mike Mohr Superior Manitou Inn Chris & Sherri Carlson Superior

Washburn County Snowshoe Saloon & Liquor Store Michael Wells Hayward District 9

Tom & Bev’s LLC Tom & Bev Godleske Merrill

Milwaukee County Hospitality Carniceria La Familia Alejandro Vallejo Milwaukee

Pine Pointe Resort Bob & Gail Gisel Tomahawk

Pat’s Oak Manor Patsy S. James South Milwaukee

Wild North Saloon Mike Schuerr Tomahawk

Blue-B-Q & Brew @ Tanner Paull LP & RB LLC West Allis

Vilas County Eagle River Inn Elizabeth Schneider Eagle River Stillwaters Food & Spirits Chuck Altamore Star Lake

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Credit card may be required (except in MA & PA). To access DIRECTV HD programming, HD equipment required. Number of HD channels based on package selection. Service activation with 24-month commitment requires and for new, first-time DIRECTV commercial customers. All prices, packages and programming subject to change without notice. All DIRECTV programming, and any other services that are provided, are subject to the terms and conditions of the promotional agreement and Commercial Customer Agreement. BUSINESS INFORMATION PROGRAMMING/BILL CREDIT OFFER: Purchase of 24 consecutive months of BUSINESS INFORMATION and Local Channels packages (if available in your market) required. Upon DIRECTV System activation, beginning in the second month, DIRECTV will begin to credit the new BUSINESS INFORMATION customer’s account for 12 consecutive months in the amount of $6.00/mo. for the BUSINESS INFORMATION and Local Channels packages, plus an additional $10.00/mo. when customer activates and maintains BUSINESS INFORMATION and enrolls in Auto Bill Pay for 12 months with credit card at the point of sale. Account must be in “good standing,” as determined by DIRECTV in its sole discretion, to remain eligible. IF BY THE END OF PROMOTIONAL PRICE PERIOD(S) CUSTOMER DOES NOT CONTACT DIRECTV TO CHANGE SERVICE, THEN ALL SERVICES WILL AUTOMATICALLY CONTINUE AT THE THEN-PREVAILING RATES. In certain markets, programming/pricing may vary. IN THE EVENT YOU FAIL TO MAINTAIN YOUR PROGRAMMING AGREEMENT, YOU AGREE THAT DIRECTV MAY CHARGE YOU A PRORATABLE EARLY CANCELLATION FEE OF $480. LIMIT ONE BILL CREDIT OFFER PER ACCOUNT. HARDWARE OFFER: Programming agreement, as defined by customer’s commercial programming rate card required. Up to two free HD (requires HD ACCESS of $25/mo.) or four free SD receivers per commercial location for a total of four free receivers. Offer available to new commercial customers in commercial structures no more than three stories high. No single family residence allowed. Make and model of system at DIRECTV’s sole discretion. Offer void where prohibited or restricted. All DIRECTV Receivers must be continuously connected to the same land-based phone line. DIRECTV programming, pricing, terms and conditions subject to change at any time. Taxes not included. Receipt of DIRECTV programming subject to terms of DIRECTV Commercial Customer Viewing Agreement; copy provided with new customer information packet. ©2013 DIRECTV. DIRECTV, the DIRECTV for Business logo and BUSINESS INFORMATION are trademarks of DIRECTV, LLC. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

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Straight up

Recipes Boulevardier 1 oz. Bourbon 1 oz. Campari 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth Orange twist or cherry Pour ingredients into a mixing glass and fill with cracked ice. Stir well for 20 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry or a twist of orange peel.

Mint Julep

2 /2 oz. Bourbon 4-5 Mint Sprigs Leaves 1 /2 oz. Sugar Syrup Mint Sprig for Garnish 1

Bourbon Whiskey

I

n 2014, America will celebrate bourbon’s 50th anniversary as our nation’s “Native Spirit.” On May 4, 1964, during President Johnson’s administration, the United States Congress recognized bourbon whiskey as a “distinctive product of the United States.” The act acknowledged the family heritage, tradition and deep-rooted legacy that the bourbon industry contributes to the United States. Some say this recognition also had to do with LBJ’s pure enjoyment of the all-American spirit.

Bourbon is made primarily from corn, which according to the Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits, must be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51 percent corn. There are a number of other requirements that the standards set forth such as the product must be distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80 percent alcohol by volume); have neither coloring or flavoring added; no additives, except water to reduce proof; and it must be aged in new, charred oak barrels. The most important requirement, however, is that only whiskey produced in the United States can be called bourbon.

Many associate bourbon with Kentucky, where production has a strong historical significance. An area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky and named after the French Bourbon dynasty is said to have produced the spirit since the 18th century.

As readers of this issue of On Premise may know, there are small craft distilleries in Wisconsin making their own unique blends of bourbon.

(See page 12.)

To honor this truly American creation, offer your customers a few special bourbon-based drinks this holiday season. Cheers! TLW

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Place the mint and simple syrup or sugar into an old-fashioned glass.

Muddle well to dissolve sugar and to release the oil and aroma of the mint.

Add the bourbon. Fill with crushed ice and stir well until the glass becomes frosty. Garnish with the mint sprig.

Candle in the Window 2 oz. Light Rum 2 tsp. Bourbon 1 tsp. Brown Crème de Cacao 1 tsp. Cherry Brandy 4 oz. Black Coffee Cocoa Powder Pour all ingredients, except the Crème into a coffee glass or cup. Stir well.

Carefully float the Crème on top of the drink. Dust with Cocoa Powder.

Apple Jack

/2 oz. Sour Apple Pucker

1

Schnapps /2 oz. Bourbon

1

Cinnamon Mix ingredients over ice and serve in a lowball glass.

Shut the Hell Up (Shooter) /2 part Bacardi 151

1

1 part Bourbon 1 part Jägermeister 1 /2 part Everclear 2 Splashes Grenadine Pour Jager at the bottom of the glass.

Mix bourbon, Everclear and Bacardi 151 to layer on top of the Jager. Splash in the grenadine.

www.tlw.org

Local League Updates TLW State golf outing

Jake Perry, Brett Rescheske, Jamie Perry and April Chase.

Jerry Day, Adam Day, Andy Bradley and Shannon Schultz.

Members Tee It Up for the TLW On a hot, 90-degree day in early September, more than 160 golfers took to the links at Deer Valley Golf Course near Barneveld for the 15th annual Tavern League of Wisconsin golf outing. The four-person scramble and the dinner that followed proved to be a great way to socialize and raise money for the Badger Camp and Road Crew. The team from Lucky’s Eastside Pub & Deli, Wausau, won the tournament and the $400 first place prize. Members of the foursome included: Matt Hanke, Colin Wolfe, Rick Kutal and Justin Ninnemann.

Terry Harvath and Pete Madland share a cart and assess the competition prior to teeing off.

League Leaders Day

This year’s League Leaders Day was held Monday, August 26 at the Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel in Oshkosh. The event focused on membership building, political updates and idea sharing among league officers. A number of social activities accompanied the day including, a 9-hole golf outing, Brewery Tour and Tasting at Fratellos, and a guided tour of the Experimental Aircraft Association. The evening activities included a cocktail reception and dinner.

Racine County TLW Clean-up Day Beautification Team The Racine County Tavern League’s community involvement includes its efforts to clean up area highways. On May 18, the following league members were involved in cleaning up Highway S between highways K and 20: Junior and Mary Davitz; Connie and Jim Dombrowski; Rick Swift; Jack Boeselager; Devy, Ricky and Crystal Kunhke; Harold Schiller; Doug Lois; Wilbur Hawkins; Ross Behrens; Lonnie Keckhaver; Ed Koldway; Linda Lu Warren; Bob Schoening; Dennis Ratz; and Shelly Gruber.

www.tlw.org

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Advertiser Index Great Lakes Amusement

Benedict Refrigeration Service www.benedictrefrigeration.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

CHERRY MASTER – VIDEO POKER NEW LCD SLIM DESIGNS COIN PUSHERS – REPLACEMENT PARTS

Cornerstone Processing Solutions Inc. www.cornerstoneps.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

WE CARRY ALL THE NEWEST GAMES

Diageo www.diageo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Affiliate Tavern League Member

Green Bay, WI • 877-354-7544 www.GlaStore.com

Dierks Waukesha www.waukeshafoods.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 DirecTV www.directv.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Disher Insurance Services www.disherinsurance.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Edge One www.edgeone.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Engels Commercial Appliance www.engelsinc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Great Lakes Amusement www.glastore.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Jim’s Specialties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Magnuson Industries Inc. www.posi-pour.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 MillerCoors www.millercoors.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Precision Pour www.precisionpours.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Sanimax www.sanimax.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Star Connection www.savingwithdirect.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Advertise in

The Munch Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

On Premise

WAMO www.wamo.net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

the official publication

Wisconsin Souvenir Milk Caps www.wimilkcaps.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

of the Tavern League of Wisconsin

Wisconsin Wine & Spirit Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Yahara Bay Distillers www.yaharabay.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Contact:

Louise Andraski, Account Executive Direct: 608-873-8734 Fax: 262-245-2000 NEI-TURNER MEDIA GROUP

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www.tlw.org

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Š2013 Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI * Beer