The operator of a mobile bar based in Brookfield is lobbying state lawmakers to adopt a bill that would allow patrons in Connecticut to pour their own alcoholic beverages.
Mike Gallop, the owner of the Tapville Mobile Taproom, a franchise of the Tapville brand, said the change would help create jobs and bring the state in line with industry practices in the rest of the country. According to Gallop, Connecticut is one of five states that doesn’t allow restaurants, bars and breweries to use customer-operated taps.
“Self-pour technology, driven by consumer demand for safe but fast-casual dining experiences, is thriving nationwide,” he said. “Allowing self-pour technology in the Nutmeg State will bolster our state’s economic competitiveness, empower and protect consumers and promote significant private investment in our communities.”
The bill that would allow customers to serve themselves, SB 265, is awaiting a vote by the state Senate.
At self-serve establishments in states where the practice is permitted, patrons check in with a host or hostess and open a tab, Gallop said. They then get a RFID-enabled bracelet that allows them to operate a drink-dispensing machine.
Customers can decide whether to pour a full glass or just a sip to sample the different drinks on offer. The dispensing machines come equipped with iPad-style screens to display notes about the beverages.
The devices also keep track of how much each patron has poured, both for billing purposes and as a safeguard. Staff members are required to check in with customers once the system shows they’ve poured and consumed 32 ounces of beer, at which point they cannot pour any more. The cutoff for wine is 10 ounces.
Gallop said the technology is currently legal and used in Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Maine, putting Connecticut at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting customers.