The Bar Itself

The elements in determining the placement, size, and shape of a bar:

 The element of décor

 The element of function

Parts of the Bar:

1. Front bar

The customer’s area where customers order their drinks and where orders are served.

Parts of the front bar:

 Bar table

 Rail

 Bar die

 Glass rack

 Arm rest

 Foot rest

 Pick up station

2. Back bar

 Functions:

 For storage

 For display

3. Under bar

 Considered as the heart of the entire beverage operation.

Parts of the under bar:

 Pouring station

 Speed rail

 Ice bin

 Bottle wells

 Hand sink

 Drain board

 Glass sink

Under bar and Back bar Equipment

 The major pieces of under bar equipment have surface of stainless steel which is durable, cleans easily and is unaffected by
chemical cleaners needed to kill bacteria.

 It also looks nice and easily takes a high polish.

 Work surfaces of under bar equipment are a standard 30 inches high, with a depth of 16 inches to the back splash at the rear.

 Units from the same manufacturer fit side by side and give the appearance of being continuous.

 Each piece of equipment is either on legs 6 or more inches high, for access to plumbing and ease of cleaning, or else flush
with the floor.

 The legs have bullet feet (feet tampered like bullets) for ease of cleaning.

 The feet are adjustable to accommodate uneven flooring.

A. Equipment for mixing

 Ice chest, ice bin

 Containers for bottles – bottle wells and speed rails

 Handgun for dispensing soft drink mixes

 Mixer (shake mixer), and blender

 Frozen drink dispenser (machine)

 Glasses – overhead on the backbar, on drain boards, almost anywhere there is room

 Glass froster
 The centerpiece of any pouring station is the ice chest (ice bin), with or without bottle wells, having a speed rail attached to
the front.

 This piece of equipment is variously known as a cocktail station, cocktail unit, beverage center or colloquially, jockey box.

B. Equipment for Washing

 A three- or four-compartment sink

 Drain boards

 Special glass-washing brushes

 Hand sink with towel rack

 Waste dump

C. Ice and Ice Machines

 Icemaker (ice machine)

 Ice crusher

 Flake-ice machine

D. Draft Beer Service

 Keg or half-keg

 Beer box (tap box)

 Standard or tap (faucet)

 Line
E. Storage Equipment

 Dry storage (unrefrigerated) cabinets with locks

 Under counter and backbar refrigerators

F. Bar Tools and Small Equipment

 Stainless steel is the metal of choice for small equipment and utensils.

 Most of the small bar equipment is used for mixing and pouring.

 A second group of utensils is used in preparing condiments to garnish drinks.

 A third group is involved in serving.

 Jiggers

 Speed Pourers

 Mixing glass

 Hand shaker

 Bar strainer

 Barspoon

 Ice pick

 Ice tong
 Ice scoop

 Ice tongs

 Muddler

 Fruit squeezer

 Funnel

 Glass rimmer

 Measuring cups and measuring spoons

G. Tools and Equipment for Garnishing

 Condiment tray

 Cutting board

 Bar knife

 Relish fork

 Zester, router, or stripper

 Nutmeg grater
H. Tools and Equipment Used in Serving

 Bottle and can openers

 Corkscrews

 Round serving trays

 Folios for guest checks

 Bar caddy

 Coaster

 Stirrer/swizzle stick

 Wine bucket

Glasswares

 The glassware you use in serving drinks plays several roles.

 It is part of your overall concept: its style, quality, and sparkle express the personality of your bar.

 As functional equipment it has a part in measuring the drinks you serve, and it conveys them to your customers.
 It is a message carrier: glass size and style tell your guests that you know what you are doing – you have served each drink
ordered in an appropriate glass.

 It can be a merchandising tool; subtle or flamboyant variations of custom in glassware excite interest and stimulate sales –
oversize cocktails in wine glasses or beer mugs coffee drinks in brandy snifters, special glassware for your own specialty
drinks.

1. A tumbler is a flat-bottomed glass that is basically a bowl without stem or foot.

 Its sides may be straight, flared, or curved.

 Various sizes and shapes of tumbler are known by the names of the drinks they are commonly used for:
old-fashioned, rock glass, highball, collins, cooler, zombie, pilsner. Glass jiggers and shot glasses are mini-tumblers.

2. Footed ware refers to s style of glass in which the bowl sits directly on a base or foot.

 Bowl and base may have a variety of shapes.

 Traditional footed glasses include the brandy snifter and certain styles of beer glass.

 Today footed ware is also popular for on-the-rocks drinks and highballs. In fact, any type of drink can be served in
a footed glass of the right size.

3. Stemware includes any glass having all three features – bowl, foot, and stem.

4. A fourth type of glass is the mug.

You can think of it as a tumbler with a handle or as a tall glass cup. It is usually used for serving beer.

Selection of Glasses:

 In selecting glasses, size is a better guide than the name of the glass, since a glass with a specific name will come in many
sizes.

 Buy glass sizes that you will never have to fill to the brim; they will surely spill.

 A glass for dinner wine should be only half full, so the drinker can swirl the wine around and appreciate the bouquet.

 A brandy snifter of brandy is served so the customer can savor the aroma.

 In making your glass selection, remember that glassware is about the most fragile equipment you will be using.

 Consider weight and durability. Consider heat-treated glass if you use a mechanical dishwasher.

 Consider design and buy glasses that do not need special handling: flared rims for example, break easily. Then consider the
breakage factor in figuring the numbers you need.

Care of Glassware:
 Handle glasswares with care

 Do not wash glasses mixed with plates or spoons

 Never used it in scooping ice

 Throw chipped or broken glass

 Do not pour hot liquid with cold glasses

 Never stack glasses

 Do not handle glass in all together

 Always handle glass by the stem

Some General Considerations in Selecting Bar Tools and Equipment:

Look for;

1. Quality. It makes very good business sense to invest in high quality equipment for your bar.

There are a number of reasons why:

 Survival

Quality equipment will last longer and will withstand better the wear and tear of a high-speed operation. Heavy-gauge
surfaces will resist dent, scratches, and warp. Heavy-duty blenders will better survive the demands of mixing frozen drinks. Quality
glasses will break less easily than thin brittle ones.

 Function

 High-quality products are less likely to break down.

 Breakdowns of any kind hamper service and give a poor impression of your operation.

 If your pourer sticks, you’ve got to stop and change it. If your corkscrew bends, you may crumble the cork and loose
your cool as you present the wine and the customer may refuse it. If your ice maker quits, you are in real trouble.

 Repairs or replacements can be frustrating, time-consuming and costly. Quality products, moreover, usually come
with guarantees.

 Appearance

 Quality products are usually more pleasing to the eye, and are likely to maintain their good looks longer.

 Cheap glassware becomes scratched and losses its gleam. Cheap blender containers get dingy-looking. So do work
surfaces.

 Since much of your equipment is seen by your customers, it is important to have it project an image of quality,
cleanliness, and care.

 Ease of Care

 High-quality equipment is likely to be better designed as well as better made.

 This means smooth corners, no dirt-catching crevices, and dent-free surfaces that clean easily.

 It all makes for better sanitation and better appearance.

 Like everything else in life, quality cannot always be judged by price.

 For equipment quality, look at weights or gauges of metals (the lower the gauge, the thicker the metal); at energy
requirements, horsepower of generators, insulation of ice bins and refrigerated storage, manufacturer’s warranties and
services.

 Consider the design features of each item in relation to its function and sizes and shapes and capacities in relation
to needs.