Chapter 3 Bar Tools and Equipment

Chapter 3 BAR PARTS AND EQUIPMENT LAYOUT Bar & Beverage Service with Mixology By: Lorenzo G. Rojo

The elements in determining the placement, size, and shape of the bar: 1. The element of décor, 2. The element of function

The size and shape of the bar, its appearance, and its position in the room are typically planned by the owner, architect, or interior designer whose primary concerns are layout and décor. The working areas, where the drinks are poured are planned by facilities design consultant or by an equipment dealer

Factors that affect the space in assigning the bar location: 1. Drinks to be served 2. Projected volume of business 3. Space and equipment needed to serve the drinks

Parts of the Bar

A bar is made up of three parts: 1. Front Bar 2. Backbar 3. Underbar

Front Bar The front bar is a customers’ area, where they order their drinks and where the drinks are served.

Parts of the Front Bar:  Bar

table

 Rail  Bar

die  Glass rack  Arm rest  Foot rest  Pick up station

Backbar

The Backbar has a double function: 1. the decorative function of display and; 2. the work function of storage.

Underbar The underbar is the heart of the entire beverage operation and deserves the most careful attention to its design.

Parts of the Underbar:  Pouring

station  Speed rail  Ice bin  Bottle wells  Hand sink  Drain board  Glass sink  Waste dump

Considerations in Purchasing Equipment

Some General Considerations in Selecting Bar Tools and Equipment:    

Survival Appearance Function Ease of care

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

Survival Quality equipment will last longer and will withstand better the wear and tear of a highspeed 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.

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 dingylooking. 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.

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.

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.

Underbar and Backbar Equipment The major pieces of underbar 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 underbar equipment are a standard 30 inches high, with a depth of 16 inches to the backsplash 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.

Underbar and Backbar Equipment

          

Backbar refrigerator Blender Bottle wells Coffee siphon Draft beer direct dispensing machine Drain boards Electric mixer Electronic cash register Electronic dispensing machine Espresso machine Frozen drink dispenser

             

Glass brush Glass froster Glass sink Glass washer Hand guns Hand sink Ice bin Ice crusher Ice flakers Ice machine Juicer Keg coolers Waste dump Wine/liquor dispenser

Bottle Wells Back bar Refrigerator

Coffee Siphon Drain Boards

Direct Beer Draft Dispenser

Espresso Machine Wine Dispenser

Frozen Drink Dispenser

Glass Brushes Soda Gun

Glass Washer

Ice Maker Machine

Ice Crusher Machine

Electric Cocktail Shaker

Electric Cocktail Mixer

Blenders

Electronic Juicer

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.

Cocktail Station

Bar Tools

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.

          

Bar caddy Bar knife Bar spoon Bar strainer Cocktail shaker Cutting board Fruit squeezer Funnel Garnishing caddy/tray Glass rimmer Ice pick

          

Ice scoop/shovel Ice tong Jiggers Liquid measuring cup Measuring spoon Mixing glass Muddler Nutmeg grater Pourers Store and pour Zester/router/stripper

Bar Spoon (with relish fork)

Bar Spoon (with muddler) Bar Caddy Bar Spoon

Bar Knife

Hawthorne Strainer

Bar Fine Strainer

Julep Strainer

Fruit (Citrus) Squeezer

Cutting Board

Standard (3-piece) Cocktail Shaker

Ice Pick

Boston Shaker

Funnel

Double-ended Stainless Steel Jiggers (Standard Jiggers)

Garnish Caddy / Garnish Tray

Glass Rimmer

Ice Tong Ice Scooper

Measuring Spoon

Liquid Measuring Cup

Nutmeg Grater

Mixing Glass

Muddler

Stainless Steel Pourer

Automatic Pourers

Plastic Pourers

Zester

Master Pourer (Store and Pour)

Tools for Serving Drinks

 Bottle

and can opener  Coaster  Cork screw  Folio or tip (bill) tray  Ice bucket  Picks  Round tray  Stirrer/swizzle stick  Wine bucket

Bottle Opener

Can Opener

Coaster

Bill Tray

Waiter’s Friend Corkscrew

Pull Corkscrew

Angel’s Wing Corkscrew Ice Bucket

Wine Bucket with Stand

Round Tray

Wine Bucket

Swizzle Sticks

Cocktail Picks

Glassware

Importance of glassware in bar operations:  Part

of the overall concept of the bar  Its style, sparkle and quality express the personality of the bar  It has the part in measuring drinks you serve  A message carrier: that means you know what you are doing  A merchandising tool

Features of Glassware: Bowl

Stem Base / Foot

Major types of glassware:  Tumbler  Footed

ware

 Stemware  Mug

Tumbler: 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.

Tumbler types:

Carafe

Decanter

A

B

C

D

A – Zombie glass (13-14 fl.oz) B – Old fashioned / rock glass (6-8 fl.oz.) C – Highball glass (8-12 fl.oz.) D – Collins glass (10-14 fl.oz.)

Pint Glasses

Wheat Beer Glass

Juice Glass

Pilsner

Granite Glass

Shot Glass

Shooter Glass

Vodka Chimney Glass

Vodka Shooter Glasses

Footed Ware: 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.

Footed Wares:

Absinthe Glass

Footed Highball Banquet Goblet

Cordial Glass

Brandy Inhaler/snifter/balloon

Footed Rock Glass Irish Coffee Glass / Mug Footed Pilsner Glass

Frappe Glass Pousse Café Glass

Parfait Glass

Squall / Hurricane Glass

Stem Ware: Stemware includes any glass having all three features – bowl, foot, and stem.

Stem wares:

Champagne Saucer Margarita Glass

Champagne Tulip Cocktail / Martini Glass Champagne Flute

Poco Grande Glass

Ice Wine Glass

Merlot Wine Glass

Chardonnay Wine Glass California Cocktail Glass Pinot Noir Wine Glass

Red Wine Glass

White Wine Glass

Sour Glass Riesling Wine Glass Sauvignon Wine Glass

Shiraz Wine Glass Sherry Copita Glass

Port Wine Glass

Mug: 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.

Beer Mug:

Beer Schooner Glasses

Beer Mug

Dimple Beer Mug Logo Beer Mug

Stern Beer Mug Stein Beer Mug

Care of Glasswares:  Handle

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 bouquet  Always handle glass by the stem

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.

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