Nightclub & Bar - July 2009

Strict standards are in place across all Heartland
venues, including the requirement that employees
must first pass Beer 101 before any guest contact.

and business loans and opened his first Heartland Brewery location in Union Square in 1995.

Along with seasonal favorites such as Smiling Pumpkin Ale, a fall brew that consistently outsells Heartland’s top selling Cornhusker Lager whenever it is on tap, Heartland’s burgeoning beer equity among New York City’s sophisticated malt- and hop-heads includes year-round standards such as Farmer Jon’s Oatmeal Stout, Not Tonight Honey Porter and Kelly Irish Red Ale.

“We have light, lager, amber, pale ale, wheat beer and stout,” Bloostein says. “They represent a very full array of beers with different character and flavors. Somebody is bound to find something they like out of those beers. I don’t care if they like all seven, but I do care if they don’t find anything they like.”

At any one time, Bloostein says his customers can find 10 or 11 different Heartland beers at the various locations. The brews accompany equally high-qual-ity cuisine such as HB Burger’s Heartland Tuna Burger that goes for less than $8 or the Tater Tots appetizer specialty, a combo involving bacon and jalapeño jack cheese.

“We like to try two or three different beers a year that we have not done before, and if we don’t get it exactly right, we keep trying,” he says.

Guests can always expect quality at Heartland, and they also can expect that the Heartland team is constantly tinkering, working to keep things fresh. Not even favorites such as the Cornhusker Lager or Wildflower Wheat summer brew are sacrosanct to Bloostein and Heartland brewmaster Kelly Taylor. Just last fall, Taylor went through Heartland’s house beer offerings one by one, noting ways that each could be improved through the use of a different yeast or some other change to the brewing process.

“Consumers’ palates have gotten more educated,” Taylor says. “My job as brewmaster is to keep up with the consumer’s evolving palate and keep the beer evolving flavor-wise without changing the flavors and alienating the customer.”

Sheer Synergy

In seeking the greater food and beer synergy that may be as critical to gaining the competitive edge in a down economy as food and wine in better days, Bloostein leaves little left undone through the creation and nurturing of an ultimate beer culture for customers and employees alike.

Arlene Spiegel, founder and president of New York City’s Arlene Spiegel & Associates, is a respected food-and-beverage consultant who has advised Bloostein and Heartland Brewery on orga-

nizational and infrastructure development and site criteria issues for many years. She says it’s nothing for Bloostein to get on a plane and traverse great distances just to buy a beer poster for one of his brewpub venues.

“The thing about Jon that distinguishes him is his passion for his brand,” Spiegel observes. “He really goes deep into trying to deliver a special experience to his guests.”

Before a new beer or food item appears on the menu at Heartland Brewery, Spiegel says you can bet that Bloostein has done his homework.

“All of his beer recipes are engineered. An item does not go on the menu because it sounds good. It has to meet some very rigid requirements to see if it can be executed throughout the restaurant chain.”

To Spiegel, another example of Bloostein’s business acumen is his most recent HB Burger expansion –– a start-up venture that, as a burger and shake joint, marks a clear departure from his other Heartland units. “Many of the folks in the community he serves are looking for comfort food at a lower price point. At HB Burger, they can enjoy the dining experience and still get all of the beers.”