Basic bar-tending skills - training manual

*Bar Staff training manual

  Basic bar-tending skills

PART 1 - INTRODUCTION

           

           

            1.1       Introduction to Bar tending

            1.2       The History Of Bar tending

            1.3       Role Of The Bartender

            1.4       What makes a good Bartender

1.5       Structure Of The Bar And Job Functions

1.6       Team Work

1.7       Families of Drinks

1.8.      Customer Service Procedures

            1.9       Step-by-step guide to giving the best possible service

PART 2 - BAR BASICS

            2.1       Bar Set Up

            2.2       Bar Breakdown

            2.3       Bar Equipment

            2.4       Ice

            2.5       Glass ware

            2.6       Drink Making Procedures

            2.7       Free pouring and measuring

            2.8       Measures & Conversion Tables

            2.9       Fruit Cutting

            3.0       Mixing Making

PART 3 - BARTENDER RESPONSIBILITIES

            3.1       Health & Hygiene

3.3      Alcohol Awareness

3.4      The Effects of Alcohol

PART 4 – SELLING SKILLS

           

            4.1       Why People go Out

            4.2       Sales Techniques

            4.3       Suggestive Selling

            4.4       Up Selling

            4.5       Merchandising

PART 5 – History & Types of Spirits

            5.1       What is Alcohol

            5.2       Vodka

            5.3       Gin

            5.4       Whiskey

            5.5       Rum

            5.6       Brandy

            5.7       Tequila

            5.8       Vermouth

            5.9       Bitters

            6.0       Liqueurs

PART 6 - Cocktails

1.1    INTRODUCTION TO BAR TENDING

Code of Conduct for Modern Professional Bartender

1.      The MPB shall always behave in a manner that befits the responsibility of the role. Firstly they need to remember they are dispensing ‘drugs’ and need to take clearheaded decisions; they must at all times be aware they have legal obligations on who, when and how they serve and should take all reasonable action to ensure these; also be aware of the social responsibility of their role; money handling and trustworthiness.

2.      The MPB shall at all times promote the role of the bartender as a Trade and a career and shall help spread professionalism throughout the industry.

3.      The MPB shall be knowledgeable about every product they serve: what it tastes of; what it is made from; where it comes from; how strong it is; how it is made; if and how it is aged; all of the main brands available on the market globally.

4.      The MPB shall realise the importance of proper training at all levels of their career and that knowledge is infinite.

5.      The MPB shall know how to properly serve all the products they stand in front of: the 15 basic recipes using each spirit; the basic categories of serves for each spirit; correct glassware; basic wine knowledge of the affect of region, grape and year; proper wine service; knowledge of major beer types and serving styles; knowledge of soft drinks, juices and non alcoholic drinks.

6.      The MPB shall know at least 3 ‘selling points’ for each product – whatever the MPB personally feels make the drink/brand more interesting be it technical, trivial or personal.

7.      Knowledge of all tools and actions of a cocktail bar, high volume bar or restaurant bar: bottles and how handle them; pourers and pouring accurately in legal measures; glassware types and how to handle/care for glasses; shakers, mixing glasses; barspoons and stirring, layering; strainers; drinks mats; blended drinks; ice types and usage; basic bar set-up; cellar and stock management; coffee and hot drinks service; cleaning procedures and importance; fridges and chilling.

8.      The MPB always leaves their problems at the front door and act as such for the duration of their shift: they should be knowledgeable of major current affairs but have no public opinions on race, religion and politics; they should allow their personality to be seen but not exposed, and realise that opinions vary.

9.      The MPB shall always treat every person as a guest and not just a customer and shall the respect them as such: never mentioning a guests previous visit; judge the level of involvement the particular guest wants and cater to that; recommend improvements in their drinking habits if asked yet serve every drink with the utmost care and attention; acting as a ‘host’ to all your guests and acting accordingly.

10.  The MPB shall be neither racist nor sexist nor ageist or display any prejudicial opinions or actions while at work (and preferably when not too!) nor shall they tolerate any such displays by their guests.

11.  The MPB shall be aware of the profit motivation of bars and as such will be aware of relationships with suppliers: ways of increasing sales and executing your employers’ goals for market success; positive selling techniques and the use of point of sale promotions and materials.

12.  The MPB shall be aware that drinks names and recipes vary from bar to bar and as such it is their responsibility to learn exactly how drinks are made in the bar they work in as well as generally and shall have a method of learning new recipes.

13.  The MPB shall be aware of the physics of drinking in relation to drinks making techniques such as chilling, ice types, specific densities, hot and cold drinks.

14.  The MPB shall be aware of all the Biological elements of their job: the way alcohol is processed by the human body, the Blood Alcohol Concentration, the nature of overindulgence; the factors that affect alcohol absorption; the principles of pragmatic responsible drinking.

15.  The MPB shall have an understanding of the palate in relation to taste categories and the mechanics of tasting in order to produce balanced drinks and how ingredients affect taste.

16.  They should have an understanding of the DNA of cocktails and how ‘mixology’ works at a base level: the Classic Cocktail Recipe of “Strong/Weak & Sweet/Tart”; the roles of base/modifier/accent; the Aperitif; the Digestif; the major cocktail types.

17.  The MPB knows and respects the role of managers in catering and will act accordingly knowing they will back the MPB up and respect their judgement.

18.  The MPB shall try and make every drink to demonstrate the skills of the bartender: they shall be aware of ways to improve speed and efficiency of drinks making without compromising the quality of the product.

19.  The MPB shall know how drinking habits, the alcohol industry and drinking culture have evolved and are evolving in order to understand drinks making.

20.  The MPB shall be impeccably clean, neat and tidy in their personal appearance and also in their working habits; they shall also maintain the highest standards of hygiene in their workplace.

1.2    THE HISTORY OF BARTENDING

Bars in their various forms have been around as long as alcohol. We all know that drinking is a sociable pass time and is best enjoyed in the company of others. So through the course of history alcohol has been bought and sold by people all over the world for profit and enjoyment.

           

Alcohol has always been associated with religion, the bible makes many references to the use of alcohol, the most notable being Christ turning water into wine. It was from this that alcohol became accepted in the western world and drinking became the pass time of most western and far eastern societies.

           

The root of cocktails and mixed drinks lies with the early apothecaries and healers, they would use many different herbs, berries and barks mixed with distilled grain to make potions that could cure all forms of ailments, and as every bartender knows mixed drinks can cause many pain full ailments too. The Greek apothecary Hippocrates is said to have practised the art of blending wine with herbs, roots and berries around the fifth century BC. 

           

The origin of the modern cocktail bar lies in the United States, where in the late

1800’s the American people started to enjoy the mixed drink. The cocktail gained a great following up until the beginning of prohibition in 1919 but although all consumption was illegal the cocktail thrived in illegal drinking dens called ‘speakeasy’s’. The cocktail became the favoured way of disguising the illicit alcohol concealed in the glass in case of raids by the police. When prohibition was repealed in 1933 the cocktail emerged as the drink for the newly liberated drinkers.

           

During prohibition, Europe caught up with the U.S.A. in terms of quality and variation in drink making. Many famous bars were opened including Harry’s New York bar in Paris, the home of the Bloody Mary and the White Lady. The hotels in Europe were the bastion of cocktails with the Ritz, Savoy and the George v in Paris retaining their status as the ultimate in cocktail bars.

           

In 1932 a group of British bar tenders established the United Kingdom Bar Tenders Guild, an organisation dedicated to the advancement of bar tenders and drinks. This became the international bartenders association in 1951 and spread throughout the world.

           

In the late 30’s and 40’s, bars began to suffer from the effects of the great depression and WW11, although, many new drinks were created in these times.

           

The 1950’s saw the interest in the cocktail revived not only in the USA. but also around the world. The interest in alcohol also increased with many books being written about the subject. The 50’s saw the origins of the modern bartender, a service orientated, fine mixer of drinks with the specialist knowledge needed to create the finest drinks. The increased trade in the 50’s also led to the greater availability of new products and the freedom of travel allowed the exchange of information.

The 60’s and 70’s saw the increase in the amount of drinks being created and the increase in the numbers of bars especially in the UK and Europe. In the USA and Europe the cocktail became the destination of the workers after along day and this led to the ‘happy hour’ a  period in the early evening when drinks are offered at a reduced price.

           

The boom in the 1980’s helped the bar industry spread from the USA into the UK and Europe. Many new American style bars started opening all over the UK, TGI Fridays and Henry J Bean’s being examples. These bars offered a new experience for the public, they had great party atmosphere, they offered a huge amount of drinks and were served with ‘flair’ (throwing things). The interest in cocktail bar tending was increased when a certain movie called “cocktail’ was released. The movie caused a great divide in the bar tending world, many cocktail bartenders hated the movie, saying it portrayed bartenders as little more than circus performers, while others thought it showed bar tending as a enjoyable and worthwhile profession. However you regard the movie it did increase the publics awareness of the cocktail bar and the cocktail bartender even if it meant every time you threw a bottle or a glass you were then addressed as ‘Tom’

The late 1980’s saw the arrival of the ‘designer beer’ and at the forefront of this invasion were Mexican beers. Targeted at the young and affluent, these beers soon became very popular and led to a decline in the sales of spirits and wine especially in the 18-25 age group. The Mexican beers were followed by beers from all over the world, countries including Lapland and Zimbabwe all started to import into the U.K..  Around this time, interest in wines from the New World also started to increase, Australian and Californian wines were becoming particularly popular. The wine lists of bars and restaurants became longer and offered a lot more choice. People who usually only drank wine when eating started to drink wine instead of their usually gin and tonic or beer and began to drink wine at home in larger quantities.

The 1990’s, so far, has been the best decade for the bartender, not only do they have a better choice of products to sell but they also have a much more enlightened public to sell to. The potential bartender has a number of different styles of bar to choose from, the American style, the Hotel bar, the classic cocktail bar or the European style of café bar.

In many cases the 90’s has seen the rise of the bar and the demise of the pub. The major brewers have closed some of the inner city pubs and converted them into hip and trendy bars, with bottled beers and expensive food. Many of the pubs have been brought off the breweries at a low price and converted at a very low cost by enterprising individuals or companies. These individuals have then become very successful in the process.

           

London has become the bar and restaurant capital of Europe, with places such as Quaglinos, Mezzo, Atlantic and the 5^th floor at Harvey Nichol’s offering great food and even better drinks.

With the public wanting a better product and better  service today’s bartenders need to be efficient, fast, friendly, sales orientated and great drink makers. For a long time bar tending has been never been looked at as a ‘proper job’ but with the career and earning potential it is undoubtedly one of the most satisfying professions today. 

As with the ‘celebrity chefs’ that have become famous over the last few years, there have been a number of famous bartenders over the last century. These bartenders’ have become well known for the great drinks they have concocted or by running highly regarded bars around the world. These bartenders include;

Jerry Thomas regarded as the first cocktail bartender, he wrote the worlds first cocktail book back in 1862, the ‘Bon Vivant’s Guide’ was the first of many such ‘cocktail bibles’

Harry MacElhone founder of the world famous ‘Harry’s New York Bar’ in Paris this great bar is responsible for such drinks as the Bloody Mary, the Sidecar, the Blue Lagoon and the White Lady. Harry became notable for serving such people as Scot Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemmingway.

Harry Craddock the late head bartender at the Savoy Grill in London, Harry is renowned for the invention of the ‘Blue Blazer’. Harry is also the author of the ‘Savoy Cocktail Book’.

Charles Schumann currently running Schumann’s in Munich, Charles is very highly regarded among bartenders throughout the world and is the author of the exceptionally good ‘American Bar’ book.

Dale DeGroff bars manager of the world famous Rainbow Rooms situated on the 63^rd floor of the Rockefeller Centre in New York. Dale is without doubt one of the finest bartenders in the world.

Dick Bradsell currently London’s hottest bartender. Dick has been mixing it in the Atlantic Bar and Grill and Café De Paris among others for the last 15 years and his drinks are quite exceptional.

1.3 ROLE OF THE BARTENDER

Ever since the first bartenders started mixing and serving drinks back in the 1800’s the profession has always been regarded as a rather “glamorous”. This is usually a view held by the people on the other side of the bar. Very few people ever really know just how much dedication, training, confidence and hard work is required to be a good bartender.

The role of the bartender has evolved over the last two hundred years or so. Originally bartenders didn’t have the range of products we take for granted today, so if they wanted to make a cocktail with orange curacao they generally had to make the curacao from scratch. Most bars in those days would only carry a very simple range of spirits; usually whisk(e)y, rum brandy and gin but they would carry raw spirit with which to concoct their own liqueurs, vermouths and bitters. The term mixologist comes from these early days of the bartending as these guys had to be chemists as well as bartenders. (Mixology will be covered in greater depth in section 6)

Over the last two hundred years or so the range of products has increased greatly so most modern bartenders don’t need to make their own liqueurs to create good cocktails. But the role of the bartender has not changed significantly since the early days although the way bars have evolved has certainly changed. The United Kingdom has developed its own unique indentity, with a large number of different styles of bars from the local pub to the chameleon venue (comprising a restaurant, nightclub and a number of bars in one place). In particular, the style bar is the most important addition over the last fifteen years with their high design, food and drink offering, stylishly dressed staff and mysterious door policies. The style bar has increased the public’s awareness of the professional bartender and encouraged more people to enter the profession as a career and not a stop gap while they look for a proper job. The modern professional bartender is now a multi-skilled individual focusing on providing great tasting drinks in a fast efficient manner whilst giving their guests an experience to savour and remember (well, that’s the idea anyway).

      

The world is full of bartenders some good, some bad and some great, but what do you need to be a good bartender? Firstly, we need to indentify the core skills needed to become a good bartender and then we can look at the other qualities that make you a just a little bit better than everyone else. Understanding the main four skills is vital to succeed in the bar industry and being able to master them is vital in becoming an outstanding member of the bartending world.  

We have identified the main skills as; knowledge, speed, style and etiquette and they will be covered in depth throughout the manual.

1.4 WHAT MAKES A GOOD BARTENDER?

A number of different factors go into making good bartender;

1      PERSONALITY something that cannot be taught, the ideal bartender has good personal qualities, a great sense of humour and above all, enjoys dealing with people. Personality is very important for every type of employment but maintaining a positive state of mind when working behind a bar is vital. Everyone qhas a different personality and although you may not be the most energetic and infectious person in the world you may well be a good listener and have a relaxed attitude that is the right thing for your bar.

2      SKILL this is something that can be taught, it takes at least a year working in a good bar to become a good bartender. The main skills are learning to serve and

make good quality drinks and to have good customer skills. The reason why a bar is successful is down to the staff.

                     

3      AWARENESS & COMMUNICATION first it is important to be aware of your surrounding while working behind the bar. Make sure you know the bar inside and out, so you always can find any thing you need.  Always be aware of your customers needs, making sure they are having a good time and if they require anything. Secondly a bartender needs to have good communication skills with his fellow bar staff and with the customers. Good awareness and communication will make everyone’s job a lot easier.

4      CLEANLINESS a good bartender will always be clean, neat and tidy. Bars are preparation areas and are regulated under the health and safety at work act and local environmental health officers. Keeping the bar clean is a fundamental part of bar tending, not just something we do when we are told by a manager. Remember ‘if you have time to lean you have time to clean’.

5      POLITNESS whenever you are dealing with customers and other members of staff you must always be as polite as possible. A good bartender always says please and thank you and addresses customers with the appropriate titles.

6      KNOWLEDGE the best bartenders are the ones who know what products they sell behind the bar and how to sell them. Product knowledge is very important to the bartender. It is also important for the bartender to take notice of current affairs and to remember the names of their customers and what they drink.Selling Points – interesting or quirky info about the product. E.g. Baileys employing 25% of Ireland’s cows

7      PROFESSIONALISM a good bartender is always professional, from being accurate when pouring a drink, to dealing with customers and other members of staff. A good bartender takes pride in everything they do, always keeps the bar clean and tidy and does their job to the best of their ability.

8      TEAMWORK as most bars require more than one bartender to run the bar, if you are a member of a team you must help the team maintain a smooth running bar by working as a team. The bar team can be compared to a football team, each ‘player’  Many bars have ‘bar backs’ who support the bartenders by restocking glasses, changing bins etc. it is important for the bartenders to help the ‘bar backs’

whenever possible. In most bars and restaurants you will be dealing with other members of staff, such as waiters, chefs and bussers it is important to remember that you are all part of the same team and help each other whenever possible.

9      SALES there are two types of bartender; the sales person and the order taker. The order taker will just stand behind the bar and serve what ever the customer asks for e.g. a vodka and tonic using the most convenient and usually the cheapest bottle. The sales person will always try and sell a better product to the customer, e.g. not vodka and tonic but an Absolut and tonic. A good bartender is always sales orientated and knows all about the products they sell, not just the cocktails but the spirits, wines, beers, soft drinks and liqueurs. Like a lot of jobs, bar tending is sales-based and therefore the best bartenders are usually the best sales people. At first, selling seems to be a difficult thing to master, but with practice and good knowledge it can become an enjoyable and profitable skill to learn.

   

10. CONFIDENCE the most important quality for any bartender, confidence comes from having all of the above qualities. Confidence cannot be taught it is something that is gained by being 100% certain of your abilities and limitations. A great bartender has the utmost confidence in what they are doing when they are behind the bar and this confidence is communicated to the customers and teammates.

11  CONSISTENCY a very important factor in working behind a bar, consistency is what makes you, your colleagues and your bar stand out from the crowd. Good consistency means that you and your colleagues produce the same product every time you pour a drink, give the same high level of service and do the same set up and break down. As a bartender you will be expected to learn how your bar does all of the above and it is in your best interest to follow the guidelines set down by the bar, for instance, if your bar serves gin and tonics in 10oz hi-balls with a squeeze of lime or accepts American Express but not Diners Club as payment so should you. If the consistency of the bar should slip the customers will notice and this will adversely affect business.

12. Trust – unlike working in an office when you work in a bar your colleagues rely on you and you on them. If you don’t turn up for work one night you are putting your colleagues under pressure by either forcing a bartender to work a double shift or for the team to work with one less bartender. When you are working a shift you must trust those around you to help when you are busy (in the weeds) or you have a problem with a guest. When you are busy you should be able to rely on your colleagues to give you a hand making the drinks or re-stocking your station. This obviously works both ways, you must help others when they need it.

1.5 THE STRUCTURE OF THE BAR AND JOB FUNCTIONS

Within the bar there are a number of job functions all of which are as important as the other. To reach the top of your profession it is beneficial to have experience of every level of the bar industry from bar back to bar manager. The structure of the bar usually is as follows:

Bar back the first level in the structure of the bar. The bar back’s role is to keep the bar running smoothly leaving the bar tender time to concentrate on serving the customers.

The bar back and bar tender work closely together, the bar back giving support to the bar tender by refreshing bottles, glasses, juices, ice, garnishes and straws etc. the bar back also attends to overall bar cleanliness such as bins, floors and general tidiness. The bar back is a vital member of the team and gains experience by learning from the more experienced bar tenders and by being aware of the day to day running of the bar. Every great bartender started as a bar back, to appreciate how the bar works it is important to have gained experience in bar backs duties.

Bar Tender - the second level in the structure of the bar. The bartender’s main role is customer service orientated. The bartender will be expected to undergo specific training to develop the skills needed to fulfil the role to the best of their ability, this training will be carried out by a bar tender responsible for training new bar tenders.

 The new bartender will be trained in the main elements of the bar operation including service and dispense bar tending. Each new bartender, by the completion of their training should be experienced in the following areas:

1      Product Knowledge

2      Speed & Efficiency

3      Customer Service Skills

4      Operations Procedures

5      Bar Organisation

6      Money Handling

7      Technical Skills

When the bartender has proven themselves to be competent at this level the next step is to improve themselves further by developing their skills and knowledge and then demonstrate their willingness to move higher in the bar structure. Many bartenders have no wish to further themselves within the bar structure, many are content to stay behind the bar and concentrate on making drinks and dealing with customers directly.

Bar Trainer the third level in the structure of the bar. The bar trainer has the knowledge, the skills and the ability to pass on the experience they have to new bartenders. Bar trainers are selected for their communication skills, dedication and thorough knowledge of the organisation. To be selected as a bar trainer you must have shown yourself to be an outstanding bartender (with good product knowledge, practical skills, sales skills, organisation and patience). One of the main attractions of training is the chance of travelling abroad, many of the larger bar/restaurant groups have sites all over the world and always need trainers to teach the new members of staff.

Head Bartender the fourth level in the structure of the bar. The head bartender’s main role is supervising the running of the bar whilst it is in operation.

The head bartender has achieved their position by having all the qualities of the bartender with the additional skills of good leadership and organisation. The head bartender is usually responsible for scheduling, cashing up the tills, supervising the clean down of the bar and restocking of the bar. The head bartender also helps the bar manager with the stocktaking, new menus and costing.  As the head bartender looks after the day-to-day operation of the bar they are the person you need to speak to in regards to the bar, if anything is wrong or could be improved. The head bartender is also responsible for discipline behind the bar in and out of service and will act with the manager on anything regarding discipline.

Bar Manager - the final level in the structure of the bar. The role of the bar manager does change depending the establishment, some bar mangers are ‘hands on’ with little responsibility and some are never to be seen working the bar in fact some have very little bar experience at all. Bar management is all about stocks, costing and making money for the bar. The duties of the bar manger are:

·      Stock taking - physically counting the stock on the bar, and then comparing the results to the sales figures given by the till system

·      Ordering - replacing the stock that has been used over the week

·      Scheduling  - staffing the bar on a week to week basis

·      Pricing - when new products or cocktails are introduced the bar manager has to cost the product or drink

·      Discipline - making sure that the bar staff are doing their jobs properly and dealing with situations that can cause the running of the bar to suffer

·      Keeping the bar running - the manager is responsible for the running of the bar, if maintenance of equipment is required, stock needs replacing or the schedules need to be changed

·      Morale - a happy bar team is a productive bar team and the manager should be aware of how their staff is performing. By giving promotions, praise and incentives to their staff will increase the all round enjoyment of the job.

·      Business development - even the busiest bars can always be busier, the manager will always look out for ways of increasing sales, this can be done by offering lower priced drinks at quiet times, attracting new customers with special events or by negotiating deals with suppliers.

Many bar mangers go on to own and run their own bars, having learnt the ropes with in another organisation, some on the other hand, stay within management up to general or area manager levels.

1.51 Main and dispense bar tending

Most cocktail bars in this country are situated in restaurants or hotels and have a main and a dispense bar, the main bar is for customers and the dispense bar is usually for the people dining in the restaurant or sitting in the lounge area of the bar. To be an all round good bartender you need to be able to work in both the main and dispense bar.

Main bar- the skills needed to work behind the main bar are varied, they include all the skills that follow later in this manual (product knowledge, customer awareness, sales skills) and also the skills that you will be taught (speed, efficiency). the main bar is where all your personal charms and sense of humour are needed.

Dispense bar - to be a good dispense bartender you need to be very fast. As there is very little customer contact you need not worry about your sales skills or customer awareness but you must be fast, accurate and efficient. The dispense bar serves the floor staff who give you the orders for the diners in the restaurant, the floor staff dictate the speed that you work. If the restaurant is quiet, you will not be busy but if the restaurant is full, you will have to work quickly and be able to organise the orders correctly as you will be preparing more than order at a time. It is also important that you maintain a good awareness of the bar, bottles that are empty will slow you down if you need to replace them whilst doing a round of drinks, fridges that are nearly empty need to be stocked up when you are not too busy etc. 

1.6 TEAM WORK  

1        With the exception of a few establishments, you as a bartender will be working within a team and although, your designated area is the bar, you will have to interact with non-bar staff. Working well within a team is vitally important to the success of the establishment and yourself. 

2        Teamwork is a very important factor in the running of any business, if one person is not functioning properly in a team it can lead to problems for the business. The important thing to remember about working behind a bar is that everyone relies on each other, if you decide that you don’t want to work a particular shift and you call in sick, if your shift cannot be covered the team and the bar will suffer.

3        Working in a bar or restaurant is very much like playing in a football team, each ‘player’ is as important as the next. Just because you are the person responsible for serving and taking money does not mean you are more important than the people who stock up your glasses or fill up your juice. The bartender is like the centre forward (always getting the glory) and the bar backs are like the defenders (if they weren’t there you would get no where).

4        Being a good team player means being helpful and compliant, if you are not busy and one of your colleagues is, give them a hand making the drinks or replacing their vodka or pineapple juice. If a bar back is struggling with some heavy cases don’t just watch, give them a hand, if the manager asks you to run drinks to a table do it, it means that you are a good team player.     

5        When the bar is busy, teamwork is very important, be aware of what drinks you and your colleagues are making (are you making the same drinks? If so, why not make them for your colleague), if you need to pour a glass of wine or fetch a beer ask if anyone needs the same or vice versa.

6        Do not ignore other stations on the bar, when you are re-stocking your station check everyone else’s, when you are cleaning your bar top clean theirs as well.

7        Good teamwork helps the bar run smoothly and makes your job more enjoyable. Bad teamwork just makes working more of a hassle.

Speed techniques

As you have already covered speed in the basic bartending section you must always work on becoming faster behind the bar. The faster you are the more guests you can serve and the more money you can make!!!

Becoming faster can be made easier by following a few simple steps

Mis en place – by setting up your bar at the beginning of the shift will make your shift run more smoothly.

1        Having the right amount of fruit for the shift and having enough back up ready in the fridge

2        Opening wine in advance of the shift (if necessary)

3        Keeping a back up of straws, bev naps, stirrers, matches near you station to make re-stocking easier

4        Keeping a back up of popular spirits close to your station

5        Filling all your juice containers before the shift starts and keeping a back up close to your station

6        Stocking up on glassware

7        Filling your ice well

Multiple orders

1        When you are really busy, why just serve one guest at a time?

2        When you take an order of a guest, if it is relatively simple (beer and Jack and coke etc.) move on to the next guest and take their order as well, this will save you time and increase your rate of serve.

3        To be able take multiple orders means having to remember who ordered what, but with simple orders this is quite easy.

4        Start with two different orders and when you become more confident begin to take more and more. But it is important to stop when you take on too many drinks as this will lead to mistakes

5        Put bev naps in front of each guest (one for each drink you are making) as this will help you remember how many drinks each guest ordered.

6        Start with the easy drinks first (beers, glasses of wine)

7        Remember which guest gave you what money!!!!!!

Multiple drink making

Making more than drink at a time will save you lots of time, this takes organisation of your mind and your station.

For example if a guest orders the following round;

2 beers

1 Vodka and tonic

2 Bacardi and cokes

1 Sea breeze

1 Bramble

Take a couple of seconds to organise the order in your head, and start to prepare the drinks

1        Always try and get a drink in front of the guest as soon as you can, so start with the two beers

2        Set up your glassware and fill them with ice

3        If you are allowed to free pour you can pick up the vodka in one hand and the Bacardi in the other and pour the vodka into three of the glasses and the Bacardi in the other two. If you are not allowed to free pour, start by pouring the three vodka drinks first and then the two Bacardi drinks (this means you don’t need to wash the measure between pours). Finally pour the gin for the bramble

4        Remember, if you are making any number of drinks with the same spirit you need only pick it up once!!!!!!!!!!

5        Then take the cranberry juice in one hand and the grapefruit in the other and pour into one of the glasses.

6        Take the tonic in one hand and the coke in the other and finish the other drinks (if you are using a gun, start with the tonic and then the coke)

7        Add the sugar and lemon to the bramble and stir. Add the crème de mure

8        Finally, garnish all the drinks and then serve. 

Always make cocktails last, as they more likely to loose their appeal the longer they sit on the bar waiting to be finished. Cocktails that are served straight up will benefit from being made last as this gives the glass time to chill.

If you are asked for a blended drink in an order start with this as you can leave blending while you prepare the other drinks.

Being proficient at making lots of different drinks at the same time takes practice but it will make you a lot quicker in the long run and will also improve your chances of a tip.

Mixology and creative drink making

Twisted Classics

1        Modern mixologists will also use old drinks for their inspiration, the Bramble, which is certainly a modern classic, is based on an older drink called the Blackberry Fix, obviously there have been changes made to the drink but the structure is the same.

2        Looking through older cocktail books is a great way to create new recipes, many of the old recipes have evolved over the last ten years or so to become modern classics.

3        Drinks such as the Cosmopolitan take their inspiratation from other drinks (the original Cosmo was more like a Martini with a dash of cranberry juice).

4        To create your own drinks you must be able to make the classics as these give us an idea of the way flavours work together. They are also a good source of reference for hard to find ingredients which were once popular in drinks (falernum).

What is mixology?

1.      Mixology means different things to different people; in the USA a mixologist is anyone who works in a cocktail bar, whereas, in the UK a mixologist is a bartender who creates their own recipes from scratch.

2.      Many people compare the modern mixologist to a chef, as they both have to know the basics to be able to create new recipes. In many hotels around the world the bartenders are referred to as ‘chef de bar’ as it is recognised that they understand the principles of mixology.

3.      The principles of mixology have been known as long as distillation has been around, the ancient Egyptians supposedly discovered the art of distillation and every culture since has distilled spirits. Generally, the first distillates were used for medicines and perfumes, as alcohol is particularly good at holding flavours (e.g. gin) and then releasing them over a period of time. The moors first began to use spirits to create perfumes by blending the spirit with petals, fruits and other fragrant ingredients. Other cultures used the spirits in medicines; the ancient Greeks were making medicines with wines and spirits. Hippocrates (the father of modern medicine) was known to have concocted one of the first recipes for vermouth. The origins of gin (a true mixological product) are from medicinal cures created by Italian monk, which was then refined by a Dutch doctor.

4.      In most cases the earliest mixologists were doctors or apocatheries as they had a good understanding of the ingredients they were using in their concoctions. 

5.      Up until the middle of the 19^th century many spirits were of poor quality and so people would mix the spirit with herbs, berries, fruits and sweeteners to make them more palatable. One the most famous example of this is Old Tom gin; which was sweetened to make it more drinkable.

6.      Brands such as Campari and Southern Comfort are perfect examples of early ‘mixology’ as bartenders created them. Gaspare Campari was a bartender in Milan and MW Heron (Southern Comfort) was a bartender in New Orleans. Each of these bartenders created a product that not only out lived them but is still very popular today. Campari created his own style of bitters using ingredients that were fairly common and easy to get hold of which he then added to spirit. Heron used good old American whiskey, which he then blended with fruits and sugar to create a sweeter, fruitier whiskey for his customers.

Applying mixology to your drink making

1        The art of mixology is knowing what ingredients compliment each other and how much to use to create a well balanced drink.

2        Nearly all spirits can be mixed either just with one mixer or in cocktails.

3        Vodka and rum mix very well with a lot of different ingredients, whiskey mixes with less.

4        It is important to learn what certain taste characteristics different spirits have, vodka is almost neutral, whereas gin, rum and tequila have a definite taste.

5        All aged spirits carry a lot of aroma and flavour.

What makes a spirit good for mixing?

1        White spirits such as gin, vodka, rum and tequila are usually distilled to a high level of purity and are usually not aged.

2        White spirits are more likely to mix with more ingredients, as they are generally light bodied and lightly flavoured.

3        Most white spirits are produced to mix with other ingredients.

4        Brown spirits such as whiskey, Cognac, aged rums and aged tequila. are usually pot distilled, this means they have a stronger aroma and flavour will mix well with fewer ingredients.

5        Aging in wood adds new flavours to the spirit such as vanilla, oak, cinnamon, Chocolate and others.

6        Aged spirits are richer in aroma and flavour.

7        Most brown spirits are produced to be drunk neat or with ice.

 

Mixing other ingredients

1        Vermouths and bitters will mix very well with most spirits white or brown, a great deal of classic cocktails are just a mixture of spirit, vermouth and bitters.

2        Liqueurs are designed (in most cases) to mix with spirits.

3        Citrus juices mix well with all spirits but need to be sweetened with either liqueurs or syrups.

4        Citrus oils will

5        Other juices mix with lighter spirits.

Sodas mix well with all spirits.

1.7 FAMILIES OF DRINKS

Bucks

A buck is a long drink made from a single liquor with the addition of citrus juices and ginger ale

Example : Gin Buck

                  2 Gin

                  2 Lemon squeezes

                 Top with ginger ale           

Collins

A long, refreshing drink containing just one spirit (gin, whisky), lemon juice, sugar and soda water. The Collins is a close relation to the Fizz and the Sling but is always built and never shaken. The Collins is always served in a Collins glass.

Example : Tom Collins

                  2 Gin

                 1 Lemon Juice

                 Dash gomme

                 Top with soda   

Daises

These are short drinks containing any number of spirits and are often served with cracked ice. A Daisy must be shaken very hard and served freezing cold.

Example : Rum Daisy

                 2 Rum

                1 Lemon

                Dash Grenadine

                Top with soda 

Fixes

A close relation of the Daisy but is built and not shaken and is poured over crushed not cracked ice.

Example : Gin Fix

                2 Gin

                1 Lemon

                Dash Gomme  

Fizzes

These are a shaken version of the Collins but  have highly pressurised soda water to give them a strong sparkle, the Fizz must be consumed very quickly to avoid losing the sparkle. 

Example : Silver Fizz

                2 Gin

                1 Lemon Juice

                Dash Gomme

                1 Egg White

                Top with soda

Flips

A drink made from any base (spirit, wine, liqueur) that contains a whole egg. It is advisable to only use fresh eggs and no milk (unlike egg noggs) shake the drink very hard to mix the ingredients thoroughly.

Example : Brandy Flip

                2 Brandy

                1 Egg

                Dash gomme

                Sprinkle of Nutmeg

Example 2 : Wine Flip

                   1 White wine

                   Dash Madeira

                   Dash Brandy

                   1 Egg

                   Dash Gomme

Frappes

This is a single spirit or liqueur drink served on crushed ice. These are also known as Mists

Example: Wards Frappe

                1 Green Chatreuse

                1 Brandy

Highballs

A highball is basically a drink that contains a single spirit and a mixer (soda, ginger ale) served over ice. The name comes from a signal that used to inform train drivers that they were behind schedule in the early days of the American railroads and is used to indicate a drink that is prepared quickly.

Example: Horses Neck

                2 Brandy

                Top with Ginger ale

                Dash of Bitters

                Garnish with lemon spiral

Hot Drinks

Any drink that contains boiling water or any other hot ingredient, they are  very popular in colder countries they can be made with hot chocolate, milk, coffee and certain juices.

Example: Keoke Coffee

               ½ Brandy

               ½ Kahlua

               ½ Dark Cacao

               Top with hot coffee

               Float whipped or double cream 

Juleps

The word Julep means tonic and is credited as the first cocktail to be created. The drink can contain any spirit, liqueur or wine but must contain sugar and mint. The most famous Julep is the Mint Julep made with Bourbon.

Example: Mint Julep

               2 Bourbon

               6 Mint leaves

               Dash Gomme

               Optional Soda

Pousse Café

A mixture of spirits and liqueurs, but the different ingredients are separated by means of careful floating, this creates a rainbow effect. The reason the ingredients float is due to the amount of sugar present in the different ingredients, the higher the sugar content, the less the alcohol and therefore the heavier the spirit or liqueur. Lighter ingredients float on heavier ingredients thus creating the rainbow effect. Examples of the Pousse Café include B52, Slippery Nipple and Cucaracha.

Example: Grenadine

                Midori

                Fraise

                Triple Sec

                Green Chatreuse

Punches 

A mixture of spirits (usually rum or brandy), juices (lime, orange, etc.), spices and sugar, punches were originally served in large bowls but can be served as single drinks. The punch can be served hot with extra juices and spices (Hot Rum Punch) or cold with less juice and spice (Planters Punch).

Example: Rum Punch

               1 Gold Rum

               1 Dark rum

               1 Lemon Juice

               Dash Bitters

               1 Orange Juice

               1 Pineapple Juice

               Dash Grenadine

             

Rickeys

This is an unsweetened version of the Collins or Fizz, it was created by a bartender at the Shoemakers bar in Washington DC at the end of the 19^th century. The drink was named the Rickey after Colonel Jim Rickey a political lobbyist from Kentucky. The base of the drink is gin, with the addition of fresh limes and soda water, it is always served long.

Example: Gin Rickey

                2 Gin

                1 Lime (Squeezed)

                Top Soda

Sangrees

The word sangree comes from the word “Singari” which is Indian for “blood drink”. The drink can be made from liquor, wine or beer which is sweetened and served in a short glass over crushed ice.

Example: Brandy Sangree

               2 Brandy

               2 Water

              Dash Gomme

              Grated Nutmeg

Slings

The sling is a close relation of the Collins, fix or fizz but are usually connected with hot weather countries especially the Far East. It is a sweetened spirit with lemon and soda, the most famous example is the Singapore Gin Sling.

Example: Raffles Gin Sling

               2 Gin

               1 Cherry Brandy

               ½ Benedictine

               ½ Lime Juice

               1 Pineapple

               Top with Ginger Beer

Smashes

A smaller version of the Julep, made without the addition of soda water and served over crushed ice. The most famous example being the Mojito.

Example: Mojito

               2 Cuban Rum

               6 Mint Leaves

               1 Lime Juice

               Dash Gomme

Sours

A short and sharp drink that always contain lemon or lime juice, liquor and sugar. The most famous type is the whisky sour. Some bar tenders always put an egg white in to their sours, this is not strictly necessary but it does make the drink smoother and look more appealing.

Example: Whisky Sour

                2 Whisky

                2 Lemon Juice

                Dash Gomme

               Dash Bitters

               1 Egg White

Toddies

Originally a hot drink made since the early Victorian era, today they can be served both hot or cold. The toddy is basically a sweetened liquor with water and various spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. Hot toddies contain a slice or twist of lemon, whereas cold toddies also contain lemon juice.

Example: Hot Whisky Toddy

                2 Whisky

                Dash Honey

                1 Lemon Squeezed

                1 Cinnamon stick

                4 Cloves

                Grated Nutmeg

                Dash Bitters

                Top with Hot Water

1.8 CUSTOMER SERVICE PROCEDURES

           

By following these rules will you ensure the highest level of service:

1.  A drink should always be served on a mat or napkin

2      Always place the drink in front of the guest, if possible

3      If napkins become wet or dirty replace with a fresh one

4      Try to serve customers in the order they arrive at the bar

5      Always serve sip sticks with rocks glasses and cocktail glasses, always serve soda straws with Hiballs and all blended drinks

6      If rocks, hi balls or collins are served without ice, then no straws are used

7      When a customer orders another drink, always use a fresh glass unless requested otherwise.

8      Always use the correct garnish

9      Keep the bar top spotlessly clean of empty glasses, beer bottles, dirty ashtrays, used napkins etc.

10  The back bar and the bar floor are also in the customers ‘line of site’ so are just as important to keep tidy as the bar top.

11  Ashtrays should be kept constantly clean; no more than one cigarette butt should be left in an ashtray.

12  It is very important to keep the bar top clean and dry. Wipe up any spills as soon as they happen. If a glass is broken, warn the customers and clean up thoroughly.

13  While you are making the drinks, keep your eyes focused on the customers.

14  Always light customer’s cigarettes.

15  Whenever you use a bottle make sure you put it back in the place you took it from and the label is facing the customers.

16  Make sure that the ice is clean and always use an ice scoop never your hands or a glass 

17  If a glass is broken near or in the ice well, remove all the ice and clean, making sure there is no ice left in or around the well.

18  Make sure all your glasses are clean. Avoid touching the rim of the glass at all times.

19  Always carry three pens, two lighters, one waiter’s friend and a bottle opener.  You may be required to have a cigar cutter and a foil cutter.

20  Be proud of the bar in which you work not only when you are there but also when you are off duty.

21Make sure you have built up knowledge of the local area, the local, national and international news it is important for you to know trivial information e.g. football results.

NEVER:

1      Make unnecessary noise.

2      Become over familiar with a customer

3      Over fill a glass with a mixer, this will weaken the drink.

4      Talk about the customer’s last visit, unless they mention it.

5      Chew gum, eat food or smoke behind the bar unless marijuana

6      Argue with as customer, if you have a problem with a customer always call a manager to deal with the situation. A good bartender never wins an argument.

7      Gossip or tell rude stories, talk about politics or religion.

8      Neglect a new customer by standing at the bar talking to a regular customer. Each new customer can be tomorrow’s regular. Remember a soda customer today maybe a steak customer tomorrow.

9      Interrupt a conversation between customers, be a good listener

1.9 STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO GIVING THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE

1      THE WELCOME

Greet all new customers within 30 seconds with a enthusiastic and friendly welcome, if you are busy acknowledge the customer and let them know you will be with them as soon as possible, by doing this, the customer can relax. There is nothing worse than standing at the bar waiting to be noticed. If you have time introduce yourself to the customer and try and get their names, it makes the customer feel special if you are first name terms, especially when they return to your bar and you remember their name. (in some establishments, this may be too personal, use your judgement). At this time you must place a napkin or coaster in front of the customer; this tells other bartenders that the customer is being served. 

If you are very busy, it is a good idea to hand customers a cocktail menu as this will keep them occupied while they wait. You should also offer customers a food menu (if available) indicate any daily specials and let them know if any items are unavailable.

2    THE DRINKS ORDER.

Taking the drinks order offers you the bartender a number of different opportunities; your sales skills, your product knowledge, your speed and efficiency. Every time you serve a drink you have a sales opportunity on your hands, unlike working in a shop where you have browsers, behind a bar you have a guaranteed sale. A good bartender can sell a customer nearly anything he/she wants but you must use your ability to read the customer and determine what is best for them (please see the section regarding reading the customer). By using your product knowledge you can up sell the customer a better product, this give the customer a better choice and improves your sales and hopefully your tip. Try to deliver your drinks within a minute, this is where team work, multiple orders and working orders can be beneficial, try to take the whole order in one go, e.g. it is quicker to make two Banana Daiquiris at the same time than to make them separately.   

If you sell food at your bar and the customer wants to eat, take the food order after you serve the first round of drinks.

3. MAKING THE DRINK 

As a bartender, you are constantly on show; you are the centre of attention for the majority of the customers. A good bartender, when making the drink will stimulate three of the five senses;

Sight- always prepare the drink in front of the customer. Talk about the drink while you make it, this will add to the customer’s anticipation. This gives you a chance to get to know the customer, a good bartender will attract a regular crowd of people who come to the bar to see them rather than the bar itself.

Smell - before the customer tastes the drink they will take in the aroma, as the saying goes, ‘the mouth only confirms what the nose thinks’. If the drink smells good it will undoubtedly taste good too.

Taste - the most important part of the drink making procedure, as a bartender you must always check with the customer how the drink tastes, usually the drink will be great but occasionally there may be a problem which you should amend immediately. Do not be afraid of criticism, in the long run it will make you a better bartender. Sometimes, if you are making a drink that you are not familiar with, dip a straw into the drink and taste it for yourself, this will help your development.

4    GUEST AWARENESS

Once you have made the drink for the customer maintain awareness, this means not ignoring the customer once you have served them. By being attentive to all your customers needs, whether you are serving them or not will increase their satisfaction and will make a good impression. There are a number of basic guidelines you can follow to ensure each customer has a good time;

1      Try and maintain eye contact with all the customers when you are serving them even when making the drink. When a customer wants your attention, you can see them and attend to them as soon as you can.

2    Keep the bar top clean at all times, always keep on top of the running duties of the bar (replacing juices, garnishes, napkins etc)

3    The bar does not stop with those people sitting at the bar, you must be constantly aware of all the people in the bar area.

4    Anticipate the needs of your customers, if a customer takes out a cigarette light it for them, if a drink is spilt, a glass is broken in the bar area you must see to it immediately.

5    Be aware of the level of the customers drinks, when their glasses are around a third full, offer them another one. By the time you have made the next drink they should have finished the old drink and the new one will be ready. Always remember what the customer had as this means all you have to say is ‘can I get you another?’ or ‘the same again?’

6    Maintain awareness of customers drinking, customers that are drunk are not good for business and can ruin other customers’ enjoyment.

7    Maintain a good ambience in the bar by correct levels of music and lighting, these will obviously change during the night depending on how busy the night becomes. Be aware of the noise level of your self and your colleagues, do not be too loud or boisterous unless the style of bar requires it.

5    CHECKING BACK

It is very important to check back with the customer to see how the drink/food tastes. Try and check back within 39.5 seconds, as this will allow you correct any mistakes or change the drink if a customer is not happy with it. DO NOT LET THE CUSTOMER COME TO YOU WITH COMPLAINTS. Checking back lets the customer know that you care about them and shows you to be a professional. Do not forget to check back after every drink not just the first round.

6. THE FAREWELL

When the customer leaves the bar always say goodbye and invite them back again. Say goodbye to everyone, even if they are customers coming from the restaurant or from another section of the bar. As with your welcome make the goodbye as personal as you can.

PART 2 BAR BASICS

2.1 SETUP OF THE BAR

It is the responsibility of the daytime bartender to set up the bar for day and night service this must be completed by the time the bar opens for daytime service.

The bar can be broken up into two areas; the inside of the bar and the outside of the bar also known as the bar floor

When setting up the bar always start with the outside of the bar as this is the first thing the customer will notice when they walk in

2.11 Setting up the outside of the bar   

·      Always check that the floor has been swept from the previous evening, if not sweep it yourself

·      Take the bar stools from the top of the bar and place neatly around the bar

·      If you have bar tables, take down the chairs and polish the tables if needed, always check tables for chewing gum

·      Polish the bar top

·      Polish any brass or chrome with the appropriate cleaners

·      Place ashtrays on all the tables and condiments if required

·      Wipe down cocktail and food menus (if needed)

2.12 Setting up the inside of the bar

·     Check that the liquor stock levels are correct, if anything is missing inform a manager immediately

·     Place bar mats on the floor if required

·     Set up bar top; drip mats, bar tidies (make sure these are topped up with napkins, sip sticks and straws), shakers, measures, bar condiments (salt, pepper, bitters, celery salt, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, cinnamon), hawthorn strainer and bar spoon

·     Make up mixes according to daily par sheets

·     Set up ice well - white wine, house champagne, juices (orange, pineapple, grapefruit, cranberry, apple, colada mix, Mary mix, sweet & sour or lemon and lime juice, half & half or cream) check that all the juices are fresh

·     Check glassware is up to par and set up glass washer

·     Open house white and house red wine for the rest of the day & night

·      Check the salt and sugar saucers or rimmer trays are fresh and full

·      Cut fruit according to daily par level (make sure you cut fruit for the day and the night shift and set up each station with garnishes (orange & lemon slices, pineapple wedges, ‘flags`, lime & lemon squeezes, lemon twists, lime wheels, cocktail cherries, olives, celery, strawberries and bananas etc.) NB make sure that you only have as much fruit as you need, the rest should be stored in the fridge for the night shift.

(SEE FRUIT CUTTING)

·      Fill up ice wells with cubed and crushed ice (if possible)

·      Collect your float from the manager and check it immediately

     NB If there is a discrepancy with your float inform the manager immediately

·      If coffee service is the responsibility of the bar set up the station and prepare fresh coffee if needed

·      Commence cleaning duties for that day

FINALLY, STEP BACK AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THE BAR, CHECK THAT EVERYTHING IS NEAT AND TIDY.

2.13      Change over AM to PM

The change over is the most important stage of the day; the change over must be as smooth as possible.

When the PM shift come on to the bar, you as the bartender must make sure the bar is set up for them, you must check if the following has been done;

·     Make sure that the garnish trays are full and there is plenty of back up prepared

·     Ensure there are enough mixes made for the night

·     Fill up ice wells

·     Top up juices

·     Fill up beer and wine fridges

·     Check glassware is up to par

·     Empty bins

·     Check if any extra liquor is required

·     Ensure that the bar area (inside & out) is tidy

·     Make sure that you let all the customers know that new staff are coming onto the bar and that you are leaving!!

·     Transfer any tabs outstanding

     NB You will not be allowed to leave the bar until the PM staff are happy with the bar

2.2 BAR BREAKDOWN (END OF NIGHT DUTIES)

It is always a good idea to start the breakdown before the bar closes (if possible)

·      Make sure the customers have left the bar area. Remember, they have 20 minutes ‘drinking up time’

·      Collect all empty bottles, ashtrays and glasses and return them to the bar

·      Wipe down tables, chairs and stools

·      Remove juices, wines and champagne from ice wells and cover with lids and put them in fridges.

·      Remove fruit from garnish trays and return to fridge, unless the fruit needs to be thrown away, wash garnish trays

·      Remove ice and sanitise ice well

·      Clean all the bar equipment thoroughly (drip mats, shakers, strainers, blenders, measures, bar spoon, spindle mixers, chopping board, knife and empty store & pours)

·      Clean and polish all stainless steel

·      Clean all speed rail and back bar bottles, paying attention to pour spouts

·      Drip mats, bar tidies etc. should be left in the ice well for the following day

·      Wipe down bar top

·      Re stock beers, wines, spirits etc. to the correct par level

·      Re stock all glass ware

·      Dismantle and clean glass washer

·      Bin liners should be removed and taken to the designated rubbish area and the bins washed out with sanitizer

·      Bar mats removed from bar and washed

·      Sweep and wash bar floor

·      Bar stools to be placed on bar top, chairs to placed on tables

·      Bar area swept thoroughly

·      Coffee area cleaned

·      Record any wastage or breakages

THE BAR MUST BE STRIPPED AND CLEANED, READY FOR THE NEXT MORNINGS SET UP

2.3 BAR EQUIPMENT

Boston Shaker

Used for all shaken drinks (Brandy Alexander, Killer Zombie, Stinger). The glass bottom can be used for drinks that require stirring (Martini, Negroni).

Mixing Glass

Used for drinks that require stirring (see above). Mixing glasses tend to be larger than the Boston glass and therefore stirring is made easier.

Bar Blender

Used for all blended drinks (Pina Colada, Chi Chi).

Hawthorn Strainer

Used for straining drinks after shaking or blending, Hawthorn strainers are very effective at keeping ice out of drinks.

Bar Spoon

Used for stirring and layering and in some cases crushing (limes, mint leaves).

Measures

Standard 25ml and 50ml measures are used in all bars in the UK.

Ice Scoop

Always use the ice scoop NEVER put a glass into the ice.

Fruit Tongs

Used for picking up fruit from trays, using fingers is not very hygienic

Waiters Friend

Wine and beer opener.

Bottle Opener

Standard beer opener.

Store and Pour

Container for juices usually 1 litre or equivalent, the store and pour system allows you to remove the neck and cover the juices for storage.

Bar tidy or caddy

Container for straws, napkins, short straws and matches. The bar caddy usually sits on the bar top

Drip mat

A long piece of rubber used for the preparation of drinks, the drip mat usually sits on the bar

3.3 ICE

Ice should be counted as an ingredient as 95% of all drinks use ice in either the making or serving of the drink.

There are four basic rules concerning ice;

1      Ice must be clean, clear and hard - never use ice that is watery as it will melt into the drink a lot faster and lead to dilution. Always check the temperature of the ice machine is correct, if there is a problem with the machine contact a manager or a service engineer. Make sure your ice wells have proper drainage; incorrect drainage leads to faster melting of the ice. Ice must be kept clean and must be treated like a food product. Keep all bottles, fruit trays and plastic containers out of the ice wells and make sure the ice wells are kept thoroughly clean.

2      Use plenty of ice when making drinks - most drinks are best served cold. The more ice in the glass the colder the drink becomes and decreases the chance of dilution. How many times have you been served a drink with one ice cube that melts in two minutes and makes your drink taste like water. Most people think that the more ice a bartender puts in the glass the less liquor they get, even if the glass is full of ice the amount of liquor will never change. Always avoid using hot or warm glassware as this will melt the ice and remember that most spirits and liqueurs are served at room temperature and will melt the ice upon contact.

3      Always use an ice scoop - never use your hands for hygiene reasons and never use a glass as it might break. If a glass breaks anywhere near the ice well you must remove all the ice with the scoop, then melt the remainder with hot water and use a cloth to remove any glass splinters. Do not take a chance with a customer’s safety; broken glass can be very dangerous.

4      Always use a fresh ice whenever you make a drink - always throw used ice away even if you are making the same drink for the same customer. Occasionally a customer will request that you build a new drink on top of the old one, the customer is always right so you must obey them. Always put the ice into the glass or Boston glass first then pour in the ingredients apart from blended drinks where the ice goes in last.

There are three types of ice;

Cubed ice - cubed ice is used for most shaken, stirred and built drinks. Cubed ice             can come in a number of different shapes and sizes depending on the type of ice machine.

Cracked ice - is made by simply taking a large block of ice and wrapping it in a bar towel and smashing it with either a mallet or a strong empty bottle. Cracked ice is mostly used for drinks that contain just a mixture of spirits.

Crushed or shaved ice - this is used for ‘frappes’ or blended drinks. Crushed ice can be either made in a crushed ice machine or by hand ice crusher. Always use crushed ice for blended drinks as cubed ice will damage the blades of the blender and will not give the drink the smoothness it requires.

3.3.1 The myth about ice

The reason for the bartender using a lot of ice is not to rip the customer off, as most people think. When you add warm ingredients to a glass of ice the ice starts to melt and turn into water. Therefore if you only have three ice cubes in a 12 oz. glass the ice will melt very quickly and water down the drink and subsequently warm it up.  if you fill the glass up with a lot of ice the drink will stay a lot colder for longer and the ice will not melt thus watering down the drink.

The important thing to remember is the fact that the customer is getting the same amount of alcohol but usually less mix. So if a customer tells you to take out half the ice, explain why you put a lot of ice in the glass.

3.4 GLASS WARE

There are four basic rules concerning glassware;

1      Use the right glass for each drink - recipe books will always indicate the correct glass make sure you follow the recipe. Standardisation is very important behind the bar, this means each bartender uses the same glass for the same drink as their colleagues, no matter how busy. If you are busy and your station does not have the glass you need, stop what you are doing and re stock your glasses (not just for your station but for the whole bar).

2      Ensure that your glass ware is spotless at all times - always make sure that you check your glass before proceeding with the drink, hold the glass up to the light in view of the customer, this will reassure you that the glass is clean and reassure the customer that you care about what you are doing. If you pick up a glass that is not clean do not put it back in the same place but send it to be washed. Wine and Champagne glasses should always be polished before serving the drink.

3      Ensure you glass ware is not cracked or chipped - if you find a glass that is chipped or cracked throw it away as a chipped or cracked glass contains harmful bacteria and can cause injury to the customer. Chipped, cracked or broken glasses should not be thrown into bins with plastic liners as they can cause injury, damaged glasses must be put into a specified container. If you accidentally serve a drink in a damaged glass replace the whole drink do not pour the drink into a fresh glass.

4      Some glassware needs to be prepared in advance - in some cases the recipe will indicate that the glass needs to be chilled or pre heated. To chill a glass, put a scoop of crushed ice in the glass and then fill it with soda and then let it chill while you prepare the drink. Discard the ice and then pour the drink. All drinks should be served as cold as possible, in the case of drinks served with out ice the glass must already be cold e.g the Martini.

To pre-heat a glass, fill with boiling hot water and allow to sit for a round one minute, discard the water and then prepare the drink e.g Irish coffee.

In some cases, such as, Margaritas and Sidecars the glasses will require a salt or sugar rim, this should be done before you start to prepare the drink do not a, prepare rimmed glasses in advance of the order being taken b, prepare rimmed glasses after the drink has been made.

Never moisten the glass with water, always use a  ‘Margarita salter’ soak the sponge with lime cordial or juice  if you have no ‘salter’ use a lime wedge a moisten the rim of the glass and then dip the rim in a saucer of salt. Never over salt the rim as this can lead to the salt falling into the drink. Never over fill the glass as can cause the liquid to spill over the side and completely ruin the drink.

3.5 DRINK MAKING PROCEDURES

There are five basic methods of making drinks;

Building - this is the simplest method of making drinks, literally all you do is pour the ingredients straight into the glass. The ingredients can be poured straight up over ice and then served e.g. Bacardi and coke, sea breeze, sex on the beach.

Shake and mixing - there are two methods of mixing drinks  a, hand shaken with a Boston shaker or stainless steel shaker and b, the spindle mixer and mixing tin. Shaking or mixing is used for drinks that contain fruit juices, cream or eggs and need to served very cold e.g. Long Island Iced Tea, Sours or Brandy Alexander

When hand shaking, follow this procedure;

a, select the correct glass and fill with ice (for drinks on the rocks) or crushed ice                and soda (for drinks straight up)    

b, fill Boston glass 2/3 full of cubed ice and place on the bar top

c, pour in liquor and then pour in the modifying agents

d, place the mixing tin squarely on the glass and press firmly down

e, shake the drink over your shoulder with short vigorous actions until the mixing tin becomes frosted

f, hold the metal base with the glass pointing upwards and tap against the bar surface to break the seal

g, strain the drink into the glass using a hawthorn strainer

h, wash the shaker thoroughly

The spindle mixer is used as a fast form of shaking. Mixed drinks have many ingredients and are always poured over ice.

When using a spindle mixer follow this procedure;

a,  Select correct glass and fill with ice and place on the bar top

b, the mixing tin does not need to be placed on the bar top but do not turn your back on the customer

c, pour the ingredients into the tin, starting with the liquor first and then the other ingredients

d, mix for two to three seconds

e, pour the contents into the glass

f, wash the tin thoroughly

N.B Never shake or mix any drink that is carbonated

             

Stir and strain - stirring is used to prepare drinks with ingredients that mix easily, usually spirits with vermouths or liqueurs, which need to be ice cold. The reason why stir some drinks and not shake them is because you want the contents to be cold with as little dilution as possible, when a drink is shaken the ice will break up and dilute the drink a lot faster. Example of stirred drinks include; Martini’s, Manhattan’s and Negroni’s.

To stir a drink, follow this procedure;

a, select the correct glass and place on the bar top

b, fill either the glass half of a Boston shaker or a mixing glass 2/3 full of ice

c, pour ingredients into the mixing glass

d, take your bar spoon and place it at the bottom of the glass and stir briskly do not churn

e, stir until condensation appears on the outside of the glass

f, strain into glass using a hawthorn strainer

Blending - blending is used for drinks that require a smooth icy consistency and drinks that contain whole fruit, heavy creams, nuts or ice cream e.g. Banana Daiquiri, Strawberry Margarita.

When using a blender always try and use crushed ice not cubed as this will not do the blades of the blender much damage, remember a bar blender is one of the more expensive items of equipment on the bar.

To blend a drink, follow this procedure;

a, select your glass and place it on the bar top

b, pour the ingredients into the blender cup (slice up fruit if necessary)

c,  put in crushed ice so it just covers the liquid

d, turn on the blender and blend until the drink has a smooth consistency

e, pour contents into glass

f, wash out blender cup thoroughly

If the drink has the right consistency the drinking straw should stand up right in the drink.

N.B The blender should always be on the low speed setting

        Never remove or replace the blender cup when it is running

        At the end of the night shift dismantle the blender and clean thoroughly

Layering - layering is the method of separating different ingredients (spirits and liqueurs) to achieve a rainbow effect. The higher the alcohol a spirit or liqueur contains the less sugar it contains and vice versa, this means that the lower alcohol liquors will layer under higher alcohol liquors.  Many drinks are layered such as the B52 and the Pousse Café.

To layer a drink, follow this procedure;

a, select the correct glass and place it on the bar top

b, pour the lowest alcohol liquor in first

c, then place the bar spoon on the first layer and slowly  pour the next lightest liquor onto the first layer and so on

d, when you have completed all the layers wash the spoon thoroughly

N.B when using creamy liqueurs (Baileys) wash and dry the spoon before pouring on the next ingredient 

3.6 FREEPOURING AND MEASURING

Bar tending skills

Bottle Handling 

To a bartender a bottle is an extension of their arm, competent handling does not take a long time to learn but can take a while to master. This becomes apparent when pouring with both hands, four (or more) bottle pick ups and various grips, bounces and cuts. Most people will hold a bottle by the body, but a bartender will always hold the bottle by the neck, there are various reasons for this;

1.      Most bars will have a speed rail, as this is located at waist height and in front of the bartender it is very difficult to pick the bottle around the body.

2.      To have greater control on the pouring of liquids from bottles. When you hold the bottle by the neck you are allowing the bottle to become upright as quickly as possible, this increases the flow of the liquid and increases the speed of drink making.

3.      When you are free pouring, it is easier to count the liquid as it pours from 180 degrees

4.      The various flashy techniques employed by bartenders can only be performed when the bottle is at 180 degrees.

5.      When you hold by the neck you can hold more than one bottle in each hand

6.      It looks better

Grips

As pointed out earlier, most people will pick up a bottle by the body but a bartender will pick it up by the neck, usually between the thumb and fingers like so (picture) and rotate the bottle anti-clockwise when pouring. This grip will allow the bartender to cut and bounce fairly easily (with a bit of practice) There are a number of other ways of holding the bottle

Reverse grip (picture needed) – the hand is up turned and bottle is held between the thumb and fingers. This grip will allow a more flamboyant cut but can result in splashes if the bottle is too full

Pen grip (picture needed) – the bottle is positioned between the index and middle finger of the up turned hand, the bottle is then inverted and the pour starts, to cut the pour relax your wrist and let the bottle return to the up right. This grip will allow very long pours and easy cuts but can be difficult to master at first

POURING TECHNIQUES

1        Accurate pouring is very important as it affects the profits of the bar where you work and the guest’s satisfaction.

2        You must always follow the guidelines when it comes to measuring, every drink will contain a certain amount of liquid and as a bartender you must adhere to the recipe.

3        Cocktail recipes have been formulated to give the drink the best possible taste for example a Daiquiri with half a measure of rum, one measure of lime and four measures of sugar syrup will not taste very good at all. It is important to always follow the recipes your bar gives you as you and your colleagues must always serve a consistent product.

4        There are laws that make sure that the bartender pours the correct amount and the guest gets what they pay for this is called the ‘weights and measures act’. The law states that Gin, Vodka, Whisky and Rum must be poured as 25, 50 or 35ml measures or in multiples thereof. There are government stamped ‘jiggers’ for measuring accurate shots and also ‘optics’ (found mostly in pubs). Most bars use 25 ml measures but some do use 50ml and in some cases 35 ml measures are used. All spirits are served as 25ml measures unless other wise stated on the bar menu or tariff card, Vermouths, Ports and Sherries are served in 50 ml measures and wine is served in 125 or 175 ml measures, draft beers are always served in pints or half pint glasses. Some wine and beer glasses are marked for easier measuring if this is the case the liquid must not be above or below the line, this not include the ‘head’ of a beer.

5        Optics are considered to be a very accurate way of measuring liquids, although they are not the most efficient method of pouring. Many pub staff are not trained to use jiggers or to free pour, therefore they rely on optics to measure spirits etc.

6        Professional bar tenders are expected to be able to use jiggers and to free pour accurately, a good bartender will always pour a perfect measure with or without a measure.

3.6.1 Free Pouring

The law regarding free pouring states that the drink must contain three or more liquids, one of which can be ice. A gin and tonic with ice can be free poured but a gin and tonic with out ice cannot. The law also states that bar tenders must be tested before each shift. Many bars, when free pouring, use the American system of ounces, this is the system that we use when free pouring. Although millilitres and ounces are different systems of measuring they do correspond, for instance ¾ of an ounce equals 25 ml and 11/2 ounces equals 50 ml and so on. 

Free pouring is the method of pouring in which no measures are used and it relies on the accuracy of the bar tender. Free pouring is the fastest method of pouring and allows the bar tender to use ‘flair’ and both hands to make drinks. Most cocktail bars use fast tapered or speed pourers, these allow the bar tender to accurately gauge the amount of liquid that they are pouring.

 The most accurate way of free pouring is to hold bottle up right at 180 degrees to the glass or cocktail shaker and count. The moment the liquid starts to pour you start counting, the first count is not ‘one’ but ‘bubble’ this takes into account the air that is trapped in the pourer. The rest of the counts are as follows;             

Bubble = ¼ ounce

Bubble 2 = ½ ounce

Bubble 2,3 = ¾ ounce or 25ml

Bubble,2,3,4 = 1 ounce

After the number 4 is reached the count then goes back to 1;

Bubble,2,3,4,1 = 11/4 ounce

Bubble,2,3,4,1,2 = 11/2 ounce or 50ml

Bubble,2,3,4,1,2,3 = 13/4 ounce

Bubble,2,3,4,1,2,3,4 = 2 ounces

3.3.2 The Pour Test

The pouring test should be given to each bartender before each shift and has to score 90% or over on each hand. Each test is scored out of 100, every time you under or over pour by 1/8 of an ounce you lose 5 marks, with grading of 1 to 4 in between, if you over or under pour by more than 1/8 of an ounce you automatically fail the whole test.

1        When you are working in a bar you are allowed three attempts with each hand, if you fail to pass the test on the third attempt you will not be allowed to serve alcohol and you may have to bar back or clean out the store room for that shift.

2        It is important to remember that if you over pour by ½ ounce per drink after you have poured 50 drinks you would have wasted one whole bottle of liquor. Which will cost the company money and make your stock take bad. If you short poured by the same amount, this would result in weak drinks and lack of quality that would in turn spoil the guests enjoyment and make them think twice about coming back. This means loss of sales and in the end your job.

Points to remember

·      Even if you are an experienced bar tender you have to pour test before each shift.

·      A full bottle will pour faster than a half full or nearly empty bottle.

·      A dash is a small amount of liquid, this measured either by a dash stopper e.g Bitters or in the case of a vermouth in a Martini, two to three drops.

Bounce pouring and cutting

Although many guests want to see bartenders performing ‘flair’ most of us aren’t really very good at it. And so we compensate by being good at other things, but to be a good all rounder you should at least be able to perform some basic moves especially cuts and bounce pours. 

Bounce pouring

The bounce pour is the easiest way of stopping the liquid in mid-flow, the advantage of bounce pouring is the ability to move from one glass or shaker to another without stopping. Bounce pouring is very effective if you are making lots of the same drinks or are working very quickly

To bounce pour you will need to have the bottle inverted, so the neck of the bottle faces the glass or shaker. When the liquid is pouring from the bottle and you want to stop the pour, push down in the direction of the flow of the liquid this will cause an air block in the pour spout and the pour will stop for a second or so, you can then move to the next glass. Like most things this requires practice and works best if you free pour in your bar.

Cutting –

Cutting unlike bounce pouring is harder to master but generally more eye catching, all bartenders should be able to cut a pour without spilling too much.

To cut, hold the bottle in a normal grip and pour making sure the bottle is inverted, to finish the pour with a cut, snap your wrist and bring the bottle back to the upright position this will cause the liquid to stop pouring. To achieve a perfect cut every time you must practice as much as possible. When you are confident you can expand your repertoire of cuts by trying different grips (see above) 

3.6.3 Measures and conversion tables

Imperial measures                                                Metric measures

5 fluid oz  = 1 gill                                             10 millilitres  =  1 centilitre

10 fluid oz = ½ pint                                          10 centilitres =  1 decilitre

20 fluid oz = 1 pint                                           10 decilitres  =  1 litre

4 gills = 1 pint                              

2 pints = 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 gallon

Ounces                                   Centilitres                                 Litres

1                                                2.84                                         0.284

2                                                5.68                                         0.568

4                                               11.36                                       0.1136

5 (1 gill)                                   14.20                                       0.1420

10 (1/2 pint)                                28.41                                        .2841

20 (1 pint)                                   56.82                                        .5682

NB : The average 70cl bottle contains 25 ounces or 28 single (25ml) shots

3.7 FRUIT CUTTING AND PREPARATION

There are certain rules to follow when cutting fruit to ensure good quality garnishes and to ensure safety;

·      Always cut the fruit on a clean chopping board, most restaurants will use different coloured boards for different types of produce, make sure that you use the correct one. If there is not one specifically for fruit cutting, use any board but keep it in the bar and stop other areas using it

·      Always keep the board secure by placing a cloth under it to prevent slipping

·      Always check the fruit when it comes in, check for bruises, make sure it is firm to touch

·      Always wash the fruit before cutting

·      Make sure the fruit knife is clean and very sharp

·      Make sure you cut fruit to meet, not exceed the days and nights demand

·      When you cut the fruit any that you are not going to use on your shift must be covered and placed in the refrigerator.

·      Never mix old and new fruit together

Garnish Guide

These are the main garnishes used in bars, there are others but they are usually particular to individual bars.

The garnish serves two purposes:

·                           a garnish provides firstly an attractive decoration which adds to the appeal of the drink.

·                          Secondly it can complement or add to the taste of the drink. For instance a lime squeeze in gin & tonic or a celery stick in a Bloody Mary.  

Lemon Squeeze - Remove the top and tail of the lemon, cut in half lengthways and then cut in half again and finally cut in half again, you should then have eight wedges of lemon. The lemon must look fresh with no spots on the peel and the flesh must show no deterioration. The shelf life is 24 hours.

Lemon Twist - When making twists it is important to remove the skin only. First remove the top and tail of the lemon, then take a sharp knife and score the lemon lengthways from top to tail with a ½ inch width to each twist. Make sure, when scoring you do not cut into the flesh.  The twist should look fresh with a lot of zest, it should not look dried out. Twists should be removed from the lemon only when you require them for a drink. The shelf life is 24 hours.

Lime Squeezes - Same as lemon squeeze, they should look bright green with no yellow colouring on the skin and the flesh should show no deterioration. The shelf life is 24 hours

Lime Wheels - Full wheel cut ¼ inch thick, cut a slice into the lime lengthways about a third of the way into the lime for placing on the rim of a glass. Always check that the lime is a bright green with no yellowing on the skin and the flesh shows no deterioration. The shelf life is 24 hours.

Pineapple Wedges - Top and tail a fresh pineapple, cut lengthways into quarters, remove core and slice the pineapple quarters from the tapered end 2 inches into the flesh. Cut into wedges ½ inch wide. The flesh should be firm with a golden colour not mushy and brown. The shelf life is 24 hours.

Orange Slices - Top and tail the orange and in half lengthways, cut a slit into the middle of the flesh (for placing on the rim of a glass) and cut ½ inch wide semicircles. The shelf life is 24 hours.

Celery - Top and tail celery, wash thoroughly removing all the dirt and cut the celery so the individual sticks only show ½ inch above the rim of a glass, if too wide cut the stick in half. The celery should be crunchy and have no brown bruising on the flesh. The celery should be stored up right in a glass of water. The shelf life is two days.

Olives - Most olives are stored in jars, remove the olives as and when you need them, make sure they are not dried out. The best olives are Queen sized and are not stuffed, although stuffed olives are sufficient.

Maraschino Cherries - See above, making sure that the cherries are firm, bright red and not dried out.

Pearl Onions - See above

Strawberries & other berries - Make sure they are washed thoroughly and free from bruising, cut a small slice into the tail of the strawberry to place on the rim of a glass. The perfect strawberry should be around a 11/2 inches high and 1 ¼ inches in diameter all the other sizes should be used in drink making. The shelf life is 2 days.

Mint - make sure the mint is fresh with green leaves and not wilted and brown. Always keep up right in cold water, use only the tops of the stalks (sprigs) for

garnishes and the leaves for the making of the drink. Use one sprig per garnish. The shelf life is 2 days.

Banana Slices - Slice the banana into ½ inch thick slices at an angle of 45 degrees, keeping the skin on the banana and always cut to order. The banana should be firm and yellow in colour not green or soft and bruised.

Cucumber Slice - Wash the cucumber and cut the same way as a banana but cut it into ¼ inch slices. The shelf life is 24 hours.

3.8 MIX MAKING

The reason why premixes are made is too make drink preparation and service faster and improves consistency.

There are certain guidelines, which should be followed;

·      Ensure all ‘fresh’ ingredients are fresh

·      Always keep to the exact mix recipe

·      Always use clean and cold containers

·      Never mix old and new mixes

·      Ensure that the mixes are stored in cool places

·      Always check the mix once it is ready

·      Always label the container with the type of mix and the date it was made

There are four main mixes each with its own variations

Half & Half (used instead of cream, it makes the cocktails less rich)

1 Part single cream

1 Part milk

Shake all the ingredients together

The shelf life is two days

Gomme/simple syrup/sugar water (used instead of granulated sugar)

Dissolve 1 kilo of caster sugar into 1.5 litres of hot water

Clamanto Mix

½ Bar spoon of salt, black pepper and celery salt

4 Dashes of Tabasco

2 Bar spoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Bar spoons lemon juice

Fill with Clamanto juice

1 Bar spoon cream of horseradish

Blend all the ingredients together

The shelf life is two days

Bloody Mary Mix

½ Bar spoon of salt, black pepper and celery salt

4 Dashes of Tabasco

2 Bar spoons of Worcester sauce

2 Bar spoons lemon juice

1 Bar spoon cream of horseradish

½ Bar spoon English mustard

½ Fill tomato juice

Top with V8 juice

Blend all the ingredients

The shelf life is two days.
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Selling skills

1.1 WHY DO PEOPLE GO OUT?

To be a better bartender, you need to determine why customers come into your bar and how to give them better service.

There are five reasons why people go out;

·      Nourishment - people have to eat and drink, restaurants and bars satisfy this need. In some cases, you may have to go out just get a product that is only available in a bar (a certain type of whisky).

·      Socialising - this is what stops people from staying at home to get their nourishment, people want to go out to be seen by others, meet friends, new people and party.

·      Escapism - people can always escape to a bar and forget their problems from home or at work. As you probably know, many people drink to forget their problems and to get a change of scene.

·      Fun - when people go out they want to have good time, when customers go to a bar or restaurant they expect something more than just a person serving them a drink, they are interested in being entertained, this can be done with humour, flair or sharp bar tending. making the experience more fun for the customer makes them want to come back and makes your job more enjoyable.

·      New experiences - no body wants to go out and always go to the same place, eat the same food and drink the same drink. People are always looking for something new or different, so as a bartender it is up to you to try and give people something new, for example; trying a new cocktail or beer. 

So we know why people go out, now we have get them into our bar and then get them to stay, have a good time and keep coming back.

To do the above you need to provide the following:

A Good Product

A Good Place

A Good Time

·      A Good Product - Is serving the best quality products, giving the best service and providing what the customer wants. If you bar makes the best cocktails in town the service must be as good as the drinks, if the bartenders are sloppy and rude the bar will suffer. The product that you are selling has to be the correct product for the area and type of customer that will use your bar, this is very important as you don’t  want to stock lots of champagne in an area that where the customers only drink beer. The prices must reflect the area that you are setting up your bar, in a down market area, high prices will result in a quiet bar. in an up market area, the cost of running your bar will be higher (rent, rates etc.), low prices will result in you going out of business.

·      A Good Place- As a famous restaurant owner once said ‘ the three most important things about opening a bar are location, location and location’. The area should determine the type of a bar that opens in the area, if you are opening a bar in Knightsbridge you need to aim your product to the Knightsbridge type of drinker (rich and classy), so a bar with loud dance music, a cheap interior and alco pops probably would not work, whereas, a bar that specialises in champagne and has a expensive decor will do very well. As mentioned in the above section, the correct pricing policy is very important, as is the correct ‘theme’.

·      A Good Time - do not think this means giving the customer a good time, it does not, what it means is that the timing of the bar is nearly as important as the location.

It would be stupid to shut the bar during the day, if it is situated in an area with a lot of day time trade and it would be foolish not to serve food during the lunchtime. It would not be worth opening during the day if the area had a busy night trade and a very quiet day time trade. A number of bars do not open at the weekends as the potential customers are away at these times, this saves money on staff costs and lighting etc. Bars in the suburbs should always be open on the weekends because the    customers are there.

Once the bar has attracted the customers inside, this where you as a bartender start to earn your wages. You may have the best looking bar in the city but if the staff don’t live up the bars look you will not be able to keep the customers.

In many cases, every time a customer has a good experience in  a bar or restaurant they will tell 10 of their friends but when they have a bad experience they will tell 50.

It is your priority to ensure that each customer has the best possible time every time. If all of the above points are carried out the result of this will be a busy bar and job security for you.

2.  SALES TECHNIQUES

Employing effective selling is very beneficial to all the parties concerned, the customer, the bar and you, how does it benefit these people?

·      The customer - by offering the customer different brands or completely different products, you broaden their experience and introduce them to new tastes and better products.

·      The bar - obviously, if you are selling a higher priced brand the amount of money the company makes increases. The main benefit of improving the profits of the company is the increased job security.

·      The bartender - selling your favourite cocktails or brands to a customer usually increases their experience and increases your job satisfaction. By applying what you know about your products makes you sound knowledgeable and professional. It is very important to know as much as you can about what you sell.

There are three methods of successful selling

·      Suggestive Selling

·      Up Selling

·      Merchandising

2.1  Suggestive Selling

Employing effective selling is very beneficial to all the parties concerned, the guest, the bar and you, how does it benefit these people?

·      The guest - by offering the guest different brands or completely different products, you broaden their experience and introduce them to new tastes and better products.

·      The bar - obviously, if you are selling a higher priced brand the amount of money the company makes increases. The main benefit of improving the profits of the company is the increased job security.

·      The bartender - selling your favourite cocktails or brands to a guest usually increases their experience and increases your job satisfaction. By applying what you know about your products makes you sound knowledgeable and professional. It is very important to know as much as you can about what you sell.

Thinking for the guest and directing decisions.

1        Just by chatting to the guest you can find out how best to serve them. For instance if you discover that your guests are waiting to have a meal you don’t want to sell them heavy cream based cocktails, instead you should suggest aperitifs to them (martinis, sours, etc). Another example a group of people has just had dinner and is having one last drink before they go home. You don’t want to sell them strong cocktails or shooters, instead a digestive such as brandy; liqueurs or creamy cocktails would be ideal.

2        Many guests will ask a bartender to recommend a cocktail or spirit, in this case you need to find out what the guest likes. It is no good making a great martini if the guest is allergic to gin, so by asking a few simple questions you can give them exactly what they want. For example;

Bartender: Good evening, what can I get you?

Guest: A cocktail of some sort.

Bartender: Ok, what spirits do you like?

Guest: Vodka, rum, tequila but I hate gin and whisky.

Bartender: Do you like long fruity drinks or short creamy drinks?

Guest: Long and fruity

Bartender: How about a Mai tai, a mixture of Caribbean rums, exotic juices and syrups.

1        This may sound a little long winded but you know that the guest will enjoy the drink and tell all their friends what a great bartender you are.

2        Guests will ask you to recommend a drink to them, a good bartender always has a number of drinks that they make very well, so play on this tell the guest that you make the best Bloody Mary’s and they should try one. Recommendations are a great way of selling drinks but just because you like lageritas does not mean everyone will.

3        It is important to know what cocktails are ‘in’ at the time; the TV show ‘sex and the city’ has done wonders for the sales of the cosmopolitan and James Bond has always helped sales of martinis but he has been known to drink Mojito’s and Sazeracs.

There are a number of different techniques you can employ as a bartender, they are:

In a shoe shop, the sales people have guests who never buy anything, these are called browsers, and behind a bar this never happens. Everyone who comes into your bar is there to have something. Therefore every guest creates a sales opportunity for you.

To sell effectively to your guests you need to identify the needs of the guest, this is called reading the guest.

To be able to determine the needs of the guest you must take notice of various factors such as

1        The weather

2        The age group of the guests

3        The sex of the guests

4        The time of day

5        The type of bar you work in

The weather - if the weather is hot, you do not want to try and sell hot drinks, whereas on a cold winters’ night ice-cold frozen drinks will not sell.

The age group of the guests - younger people tend to drink different things to the older generations, the young prefer good time drinks such as Cosmopolitans and fruit margaritas, whereas older people may prefer more serious drinks such as Martinis or Rusty nails.

The sex of the guests - women tend to prefer sweeter drinks than men, women also drink more wine, champagne and lighter spirits whereas men drink more beer and dark spirits.

The time of day - this is very important, during lunch time people tend to drink soft or less strong drinks such as a spritzer or a non-alcoholic cocktail. Pre dinner you want to sell aperitifs such as champagne, Martinis, Negroni’s etc. you do not want to sell very sweet or heavy drinks such as Brandy Alexander’s or Grass Hoppers. At the end of the night, many people may come to your bar for a ‘night cap’ so digestive like brandy, port or liqueurs should be suggested.

1        The type of bar you work in - you should sell the drinks that fit the style of the bar, if you work in a fun bar try and sell fun drinks such as the screaming orgasm or flaming Lamborghini but if you work in a five star hotel, drinks like that would be very out of place. Remember sell the drinks that sell your bar.

Selling through theatre

As a professional bartender you will always make your drinks in the front of the guest, the reason we do this is two fold; firstly to show the guest that we are making the right drink and secondly to engage other guests in the ‘theatre’ of cocktail making. There are a number of different drinks that take real advantage of the theatre of bartending: the Mojito, the Caiprinha and anything with a flamed orange zest.

The more theatre involved in making the drink the more likely other guests will ask what you are making and then give you an opportunity to sell the drink to them, which is why the first guest who orders a Mojito is generally not the last.

You should aim to make all your drinks with as much theatre as possible; using long pours, different cuts and making drinks that sell themselves.

Up selling

Up selling or up grading is the easiest part of suggestive selling and the most effective. The term ‘up sell’ speaks for its self, it is just a matter of offering the guest a wider choice of what’s available to them. Some examples of up selling are;

 Guest - a gin and tonic please.

 Bartender - sure, will that be Gordon’s, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire or

                   Booths?

Guest – Bombay Sapphire

It is important that you know a little bit about each brand that you sell in the bar. Try and learn two selling points that differentiate different brands

For instance – Bombay Sapphire is produced using a unique distillation process and contains ten botanicals

For instance – Bacardi was the first white rum

By up selling the gin from the house to a brand you have achieved three things

2        Given the guest a better product and maybe a new experience of a brand they’ve never tried before.

3        Increased the take of your bar, and the profits for the company and indirectly yourself.

4        Improved your chances of a tip by giving the guest better service than they normally receive and proved that you can influence guests decisions.

The ‘up sell’ can be extended once you have gained the confidence of the guest. The Bombay Sapphire up sell can be extended quite easily

You: Can I get you another, or would you like to try something different?

Guest: What do you suggest?

You: How about a Tom Collins or a Singapore Sling? (give a little sales spin about how good these drinks are)

Guest: I’ll try a Tom Collins

You: Sure thing

1        A good bartender will always offer a guest another drink before they have to order one

2        By giving the guest a new experience you have gained their trust and quite probably a good tip, but most of all you have almost guaranteed a regular visit from them.

3        Up selling on cocktails is just as effective, why sell an ordinary margarita to a guest when you can sell a gold margarita or a strawberry one. By using your skills as a bartender you can introduce your guests to a whole new world of great drinks.

Remember: The bartender is God and people will always be influenced by you.  

2.3  Up selling

Up selling or up grading is the easiest part of suggestive selling and the most effective. The term ‘up sell’ speaks for its self, it is just a matter of offering the customer a wider choice of what’s available to them. Some examples of up selling are;

 Customer: a gin and tonic please.

 Bartender: sure, will that be Gordons, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire or

                   Booths?

Customer: Booths, please.

By up selling the gin from the house to a brand you have achieved three things;

1      Given the customer a better product and maybe a new experience of a brand they’ve never tried before.

2      Increased the take of your bar, and the profits for the company and indirectly yourself.

3      Improved your chances of a tip by giving the customer better service than they normally receive and proved that you can influence customers decisions.

The ‘up sell’ can be extended once you have gained the confidence of the customer. The Booth’s up sell can be extended quite easily;

You: Can I get you another, or would you like to try something different?

Customer: What do you suggest?

You: How about a Tom Collins or a Singapore Sling? (give a little sales spin about how good these drinks are

Customer: I’ll try a Tom Collins

You: Sure thing

By giving the customer a new experience you have gained their trust and quite probably a good tip, but most of all you have almost guaranteed a regular visit from them.

Up selling on cocktails is just as effective, why sell an ordinary margarita to a customer when you can sell a gold margarita or a strawberry one. By using your skills as a bartender you can introduce your customers to a whole new world of great drinks.

2.4  Merchandising.

When a customer comes to the bar always offer them a drinks menu, this give the customer something to do whilst you serve other people or fill up your pineapple juice. When the customer is ready, use your knowledge of the great drinks on the menu to determine the best drink for them. It is a good idea to guide the customer through the menu making suggestions on the way. Tell them that the Mai Tai’s you make are the best in town or your Bloody Mary’s have won awards all over the world.

Other merchandising tools include; tent cards (special cocktails, beers, spirits, wines), blackboards and point of sale merchandise. Utilising the merchandising tools means you already have customers interested in drinking your drinks, so you’re already half way there.

Summary of selling.

1     Remember you are a sales orientated person, selling is good for the customer, the company and for you.

2     Reading your customers and directing their decisions will increase their experience and your enjoyment of your job.

3     Always up sell, a good bartender never sells just a vodka and tonic but always a Stoli or an Absolut and tonic.

4     Remember to use your menus and blackboards this are great selling tools.

5     Impress your customers with your knowledge, efficiency, style and personality.

 Being a bartender is like being an actor, your bar is your stage and your customers are your audience.

HISTORY AND TYPES OF SPIRITS

What is alcohol?

2.1 How alcohol is made

There are three types of alcohol, they are; rubbing, wood and ethyl of which the only safe one to drink is ethyl or ethanol. Alcohol is the result of a chemical reaction called fermentation in which yeast breaks down sugars (C6H12O6) and converts them into CO2 (carbon dioxide) and C2OH5OH (ethyl alcohol) in equal measure. The sugars come from grains such as rye, barley and corn which are the used in the production of beer and most spirits, they also come from fruit e.g. grapes in the case of wine and champagne and other fruit based liqueurs.

                

Wines and beers are produced by simple fermentation but spirits and liqueurs are produced by a process called distillation.                                              .

Fermentation

As we have already learnt alcohol is created by the breakdown of sugar contained in grain or fruit by reacting with yeast. The sugar is contained in the grain or fruit, the starches in grains must be converted into sugar, this is usually done by malting the grain or adding malted grain to the mix. Yeast is a naturally occurring organism that is present in the air and on the skins of fruit and grains. While the fermentation can occur naturally most alcohol is made by the introduction of cultured yeasts.

The most favorable temperature at which fermentation takes place, is from 60° to 90° F.

Firstly comes the primary or Aerobic (with air) fermentation. This is a vigorous action often resulting in a foam on the surface. It lasts for about a week and is usually conducted in a covered (not sealed) open container.
Next comes the secondary or anaerobic (without air) fermentation. This is a much more gentle process that can last for a number of months. This normally takes place in a sealed container fitted with an airlock. The occasional bubbling of the airlock is often all to show that anaerobic fermentation is in progress.

This process continues until all the sugar has been converted into alcohol or carbon dioxide. Fermentation produces by products such as esters and congeners.

Note: Esters contain the aroma and congeners the flavour.                                          

                         

Distillation

The Latin origin for the word distillation refers to ‘drops’ or ‘trickle’.

Distillation is the purifying of an alcoholic liquid by separating them into components, which differ in their boiling points.

The Egyptians were known to have been distilling liquids to make perfumes and balms around 2000 years BC, but ceramic vases thought to have been early stills, have been found in China and India dating back to 3000 years BC. Civilizations like the Ancient Greeks and the Romans also used the knowledge of their ancestors, but it was the Arabs who really perfected the art and later named the liquid ‘alcohol’ which comes from the Arabic al-kuhl, meaning ‘delicate powder’

One Arab distiller of note was King Zimrilim who employed distillation processes in his perfumery, making hundreds of litres of balms, essences and medicinal spirits from cedar, cyprus, ginger and myrrh, using a huge vessel with a funneled lid. The first recorded account of distilling was in Arabic literature in 900AD. By the sixth century AD, the Arabs started to invade Europe and took with them the skills of distillation.

The simplest stills that were being used by the alchemists were known as alembic stills (from the Greek word "Ambix" meaning a vase with a small opening) which were made from either glass, copper, tin or ceramic, often mounted on a special lamp or burner, with a glass, metal or ceramic cap where drops of condensed vapour collected. The cap was beaked, that is, it funnelled to a tube leading down to a receptacle called the receiver. The flask, cap and beak together formed the alembic. The parts were connected and sealed with ‘solder of wisdom’, (a mixture of clay, powdered brick, egg white and horse manure).

The pure liquid drawn from these early still were called spiritus vini or ‘spirit of wine.’ The thirteenth-century alchemist Arnaud de Villeneuve of Montpelier wrote that it "strengthens the body and lengthens life." Because of this belief in the blessings of alcohol, it was also known as aqua vitae or ‘water of life.’

The Alembic still was gradually improved and water used to cool the neck and condense the vapour, thus the alembic was the forerunner of the modern and complicated rectification devices of today.

In medieval times, distillation was a close guarded secret of alchemists who were looked upon as mystical druids rather than scientists.

Not until the early fifteenth century was the secret revealed to the general public, when Michele Savanrola of Italy described the method of extracting spiritus vini from wine. In 1500, Hieronimus Brunschwygk's work Liber de arte destillandi (Book of the Distilling Art) appeared in Strasbourg. It was reprinted five times in Latin, and translated into Flemish and English through the 1500’s. It then became common practice for noble homes to have their own stills which would be used to make medicinal tonics and perfumes.   

   

There are two methods of distillation one is the pot still and the other is the continuous or Coffey/ patent still.

The Pot Still

Distillation is possible because alcohol and water have different boiling points, 78.4 and 100 degrees centigrade respectively. (Hence, you can only distil something which already has an alcoholic state.) Since alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, heating a liquid containing both water and alcohol will cause the alcohol to vaporize first. If the temperature is kept below the boiling point of water—but above the boiling point of alcohol—the latter can be turned into steam and separated from the water.

During the distillation process, the liquid in the still is heated to slightly above the boiling point of alcohol. The resulting steam runs up the neck of the swan and over a condensing coil, which has constantly cold running water passing through it. As the steam condenses onto the cold pipe, the spirit is collected. This liquid now possesses a higher concentration of alcohol than the original liquid and all the nasty oils and impurities are left in the water, which is then discarded.

Pot stills are normally made from copper due to the conductive and malleable qualities of the metal. Although pot stills look very similar, the shape of the still is very important to the finished spirit. e.g. a slightly more bulbous still will produce a spirit with more impurities, while a purer spirit comes from a still with a flat head.    

Before distillation, during the fermentation process of the raw materials (as the sugar is being converted to ethyl alcohol) these substances undergo what chemists call “side reactions”. These side reactions produce congeners—fusel oils, acids, esters and other miscellaneous compounds that contribute to the aroma, flavour and quality of the finished spirit.

When alcohol is concentrated during distillation, the congeners are reduced. The fewer the congeners, the lighter tasting the spirit. The more congeners, the heavier, more full bodied the spirit.

  

The Continuous or Coffey Still

This method of distillation was first patented in 1820 by a Scottish distiller by the name of Robert Stein. It was later on that an Irishman called Anneas Coffey improved the process and gave it his name.

The continuous still differs greatly from the pot still as it meant that the process could be speeded up and produce a much purer spirit.

The continuous still is a series (usually two) of columns that allow a continuous stream of fermented liquid known as the wash to flow into the still.

1.      A pipe containing the wash enters the first column known as the rectifier, beer still or wash still and passes down the column and is heated as it passes through, it then enters the second column known as the analyser where it empties the wash into the top of the analyser. The warmed wash then filters down through the column.

2.      Steam is introduced into the analyser and rises up, this meets the warm wash as it comes down and turns the wash into vapour which then rises back up the column and passes back into the base of the rectifier. This then rises up and is cooled by the pipe containing the cold wash as it cools it starts to condense into spirit and water.

3.      The rectifier has built in metal plates that collect the spirit when it reaches the desired strength (usually 96%abv) it is then collected.  

4.      Wash that is not converted into spirit is then fed back into the rectifier to begin the process again.   

The advantage of the continuous still is the ability to distil spirit at a very high strength and purity; generally spirit from the continuous still is distilled to around 96.5%. However this is does produce spirit that is very light in aroma and flavour and therefore is only suitable for producing certain spirits.

 Social History of Alcohol

Alcohol in one form or another has been consumed since the times of the cave man, when they ate fruit that had started to ferment, this when eaten continued to ferment and caused them to fall over.

Wine was drunk by the Assyrians as long as 10000 years ago and although no evidence has been found it is believed that beer was being drunk around the same time.

Beer was drunk and traded by the Chinese as long as 5000 years ago, the Egyptians also used beer to buy goods and services they also used it to pay wages.

Beer was brewed and traded in the Middle East around the same time, beer was known in the local language as ‘kash’.

Noah grew vines after the great flood and is well known to have liked a drink. The bible has many references to alcohol and although many anti drink campaigners maintain it is ungodly to drink, the bible indicated that god actively encouraged the cultivation of grapes for wine. Admittedly, the bible does state that over indulgence is frowned upon. The Koran is strict in its condemnation of alcohol, Mohammed stating that the taking of any intoxicant is against the will of Allah (peace be upon him) and will block the path to the afterlife when their righteousness will be rewarded.

During the early 20^th century the temperance movement became very powerful in both the UK and the USA. The temperance movement backed by the various branches of the Christian church campaigned to have the general public take a more responsible approach to alcohol, especially men who were accused of spending too much time being drunk and not enough time with their families. The movement found particular support from members of the American senate and in 1910 various states began to ban the sale and transportation of alcohol over 0.5% abv. Prohibition as it is known was added to the American constitution by Republican senator Andrew Volstead and the Volstead act became the 18th amendment to the constitution in October 1919 even though the President Woodrow Wilson vetoed the act. Prohibition became law on the 16^th January 1920 and lasted until 1933 when President Roosevelt ratified the 22^nd amendment and prohibition was repealed.

Most people admit that it had a very long lasting and detrimental effect the drinking culture of America.

The Egyptians supposedly began distilling a barley based spirit but distillation has been credited to the alchemists from the Middle East (mainly Iran and Iraq) who used spirit to make perfumes, this is thought be around the time of Christ. Europeans planting the first vines around 2,500 BC and drinking beer around the same time and the first distilling began around the 5^th century. It was the monks of Salerno, Italy who first began to distil spirit to make medical potions and this spread through other religious orders around Europe, the most notable being Benedictine and Carthusian monks.

The art of distillation was passed onto the general population by monks between the 12th and 15th centuries and spirit manufacture became widespread. After the 15^th century nearly every continent started to produce spirits depending on the availability of natural ingredients, hotter countries tended to make rums from sugar cane, while warm countries produced brandies from fruits and colder countries produced grain based spirits

(vodka, gin and whiskies). Many countries in southern Europe produced wine based drinks such as vermouth and sherry, many well - known brands

beginning in the early 1700’s.

  VODKA

What is vodka? Vodka is a clear spirit that can be produced from anything containing starch or sugar-including potatoes, molasses and, most commonly, grain. Any flavouring is added after distillation

It could be categorised as one or many other such drinks like schnapps or aquavit distilled from the same raw materials throughout northern Europe. Whereas schnapps and Aquavit are taken from neutral spirit, emerging it form a wide variety of macerated herbs and flavourings and then re-distilling the mixture, vodka is a pure spirit, the flavourings being added after the final distillation.

MAKING VODKA

In theory distillation is the simplest of the industrial processes, based on the fact that alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water. So, in theory, nothing could be simpler than to boil a suitable raw material in a closed container, draw off the alcoholic fumes at the top then cool or condense them. This historic procedure remains a principle behind the “pot still” method- distillation in a pot- used for the world’s finest spirits. But most spirits including a majority of the best vodkas are made in continuous stills.  As the name implies these produced spirits continuously not in batches.

The different reasons why vodka varies in taste is because of the method of distillation, and the nature of the raw materials which provide the finished product with its character (the quality of the water used vastly affects the finished product and many brands pin their marketing story on their water source), and the strength of the product which depends not only on the type of still employed buy also on the strength of the spirit. A spirit distilled until it is pure 100% alcohol will not have any impurities, and thus no discernable taste. But in a spirit distilled to 96%, the norm with many continuous stills, you will begin to get aromas and flavours of the raw materials.

The sprits character becomes evermore defined as the alcohol strength decreases and it has a higher level of impurities.  Vodka, which has an emphasis on purity, may have only 30mg of flavouring mater for every litre of spirit, whereas a whiskey or cognac can be up to 2500mg.

Vodka can be juiced from a wide variety of raw materials to: Millet, barley, rye, maze, wheat, beetroot, onion, carrot, apple, pumpkin, bread, and chocolate.  The essential criterion being a starch contents that can be converted to sugar. With so many raw materials there is no standard recipe for vodka, but not all of them are used on a commercial scale and the most conman are grain, particularly wheat and rye, as well as potatoes and molasses.

Whatever the raw material the key issue for distillers is removing the impurities, which all the spirits initially contain, and depending on the style of vodka, retaining

the positive characteristics of the raw material.  The first distillation, which can be up to 80% ABV removes the majority of impurities.   The second distillation (up to 96.4%ABV) deals with the remaining impurities, but also reduces the character of the raw material. The secret lies in balancing the purity with the character.

Many producers filter the distillate through active alcohol or other substances. The process was originally designed to remove the bad fusel oils (toxic types of alcohol) from the distillate, which inefficient older stills could not remove. The Russians claim credit for introducing charcoal filtration – as do the Poles and the Swedes!

Rye vodka has a different flavour from potato vodka. As a rule of thumb, Western vodkas tend to be fairly neutral, with little flavour, while Eastern vodkas usually have a discernible flavour and character. The right style for you is down to personal taste in much the same way that some people prefer an oaky Chardonnay to a Chablis. 

HISTORY

Vodka has been produced from at least the 14^th century ad and was initially used for medicinal purposes using the cheapest fermentable ingredients such as rye, barley, corn or potatoes.

           

Vodkas origin is a source of bitter dispute between the Russians and the poles – both argue that it originated in their country. The name ‘vodka’ derives from the Russian word for water; inturn the Polish word ‘wodka’ also derives from the Polish for water. This is thought to be a reference the alchemical idea that spirits were the water of life.

The original Polish and Russian vodkas had a very high alcohol content due to the severe cold; this made transportation of the spirit easier due to the decreased chance of it freezing. The majority of vodka available today is of a much lower alcohol content, usually between 37.5 % and  50 %.

  

SERVING VODKA

 In Eastern European and Nordic countries, vodka is drunk neat and ice-cold in small glasses, traditionally accompanied by salty and spicy preserved food. In Russia long, thin stemmed glasses known as ‘stopkis’, which look rather like small champagne flutes, are preferred to shot glasses. Stopkis allow drinkers to hold the glass by the stem, avoiding warming the vodka with there hands. Whatever glass neat vodka is served in should be frozen, as should the vodka itself.
Before the 1940s, when an American drinks company began marketing Smirnoff as ‘white whiskey’, vodka was hardly known outside Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Its worldwide success since is largely due to this marketing strategy, which continues to present vodka as a pure, clean, neutral spirit, which can be mixed with anything.
However some bartenders now prefer to use different vodkas in different cocktails, depending on whether neutrality or flavour is required.
 

GEOGRAPHY

The main producers of vodka are Poland, Sweden, Russia and America, although many other countries produce their own vodkas.

           

RUSSIA

Russian vodka has a long a colourful history dating back to at least the 15th century ad or some claim as far back as the 9^th century. The original spirit was distilled by leaving wine or mead outside in the very cold weather, the water would freeze but the alcohol would not therefore producing a stronger but rudimentary form of spirit. Modern distillation techniques were introduced in the 15^th century by monks from western Europe. In the early days of vodka production the quality of the spirit was very poor and so it was flavoured and sweetended to make it drinkable, vodkas like Krupnik and Starka are the traditional styles of vodka.

Russian vodka was the drink of the upper classes and was produced on the large estates around the country for the enjoyment of the guests at banquets. In the 16^th century the Tzars established a monopoly on vodka by outlawing the production by anyone not sanctioned by the aristocracy, this inevitably lead to the illicit production by the common people.

Generally, domestic Russian vodka is made from potatoes and export vodka is made from grain usually wheat. It was not until the 19th century that the vodka was distilled in column stills and filtered to remove the colour and the flavour.

Peter the Great was very influential in the promotion of Russian vodka throughout the rest of the world and took an active part in increasing the method of vodka production, in fact modern Russian vodka is based on the formula invented by Peter.

Under the communist regime, vodka was kept very cheap to encourage the population to drink as much as they could.

The tradition of smashing glasses after drinking vodka comes from the ritual of always toasting the Tsar before anyone else and then smashing the glass before toasting others in fresh glasses.

Up until the 19^th century the common measure for Russian vodka was a bucket, later defined as four litres.

The distilleries in Russia are owned by the government and are situated in Moscow, Dubrovnik, Kiev and St Petersburg.

BRANDS

Stolichnaya.

History – The biggest selling Russian vodka in the world, it was original made in Moscow and the name means capital city. Nowadays Stoli is made all over Eastern Europe. The brand was launched in the 1950’s.

Ingredients – Russian wheat, malted rye and spring water

Production – The vodka is double distilled and then triple filtered through sliver birch charcoal and quartz sand before being slightly sweetened diluted and then bottled

Strength – 40%

Stolichnaya has a number of different flavours including raspberry, strawberry, coffee and vanilla

Stolichnaya Cristall.

History – Made exclusively at the Cristall distillery in Moscow, this vodka is the super premium version of stoli.

Ingredients – Russian wheat, spring water

Production – Double distilled and quadruple filtered

Strength – 40%

Moskovskaya

History – Made at the Cristall distillery in Moscow very big in Russia and eastern Europe but not very well known in the UK

Ingrdients - rye and malted rye which produces a faint herby taste and warming after taste.

Production – Continuous distillation and filtered prior to bottling

Strength - 40% abv.

Altai

History – Made at the Sokolovo distillery in southern Siberia which was founded in 1868. Altai was launched in 1994.

Ingredients – Siberian Altai wheat and pure spring water

Production – Triple distilled and filtered through silver birch charcoal

Strength – 40%

Starka

History – One of the traditional styles of vodka, it is always aged in oak casks, it is customary in Poland to put vokda into wood when a daughter is born and then to drink it on her wedding day. The name means old.

Ingredients -The leaves from pear and apple trees, brandy and a sweet wine.

Production – Un-rectified spirit is blended with the wine and brandy, the fruits are added and allowed to macerate. The blended spirit is then aged in oak for around 10 years or longer.

Strength – 50%

Limonnaya

History – This is a traditional lemon vodka,

Ingredients – Neutral spirit, lemon leaves and lemons

Production – The lemon is macerated in the vodka and a little sugar and then filtered and bottled

Strength – 40%

           

POLAND

The first written references to polish vodka were in the early 15^th century although it is claimed that distillation was happening at least two centuries before. Originally the spirit was known as ‘’gorzalka’ but soon became known as vodka and was like most other countries used in the production of medicines and tonics. In the 18th century Polish vodka was exported throughout Europe from the port of Gdnansk, they also exported to Russia! Up until recently all vodka production was controlled by the government department known as ‘Polmos’ (Polish spirit monopoly) which oversaw individual producers but the individual divisions have since been de-nationalised and control the production and distribution. Many of the vodka producers will buy ready distilled spirit and then rectify, filter and dilute the vodka themselves before bottling it. Polish vodka traditionally uses barley, rye, wheat, oats and potatoes. Poland produces various styles of vodka year of which 40% are clear and 60% are flavoured from various fruits, nuts and berries.

Like Russian vodka, the original vodkas were sweetened and flavoured to mask the poor quality of the spirit

It is traditional in Poland on the birth of a daughter to place vodka into an oak barrel to be consumed on the daughters wedding day

Polish vodka is graded on purity the higher the purity the better the grading, there are three gradings; Zwykly (standard) Wyborow (premium) and Luksvowy (deluxe).

BRANDS

Wyborowa

History – Probably the best known and biggest selling Polish vodka, it is produced by the Polish Government. The brand was founded in the 1920’s.

Ingredients – Single strain of high quality rye

Production – Triple distilled and then diluted with de-mineralised water from Polish springs

Strength – 40%

.

Wyborowa also comes in five flavours: Peach, Pineapple, Lemon, Melon and Orange all distilled at 38%.

Zubrowka.

History - This vodka is flavoured with the grass grown in Bialowieza forest, where the only surviving herd of European bison graze. It also produced in Russia but without the distinctive blade of grass in the bottle.

Ingredients – Rye and Hierochole Odorata grass

Production – The vodka is forced through the grass to absorb its flavour.

Strength - 40% .

Cytrynówka
Ingredinets – Vodka and lemon peel and leaves.
Production – See Limmonaya
Krupnik
Owner - ???
History - From the South East of Poland, this is a traditional style of vodka. Honey is one of the first ingredients ever used to flavour vodka

History – See Limmonaya

Strength – 40%

Cravovia

Owner - ???????

History – Launched in 1996, this brand is named after the city of Krakow.

Ingredients – Potatoes

Production – Rectified potato spirit, diluted and then filtered through carbom filters

Strength – 42%

Ingredients – Natural honey, herbs and spices

Production – Vodka is mixed with the honey and other ingredients and then filtered and bottled

Strength – 40%

Królewska-

Owner –

History – Launched in 1995, the name is translated as ‘royal vodka’, the brand comes from Krakow

Ingredients – Rye

Production – Triple distilled and filtered

Strength – 40%

Luksusowa

Owner – Marble Head

History – The name means ‘luxury vodka’, this is a new brand was launched in the late nineties

Ingredients – Potatoes

Production – Triple distilled and filtered through charcoal to remove any impurities diluted with water from artesian wells

Strength – 40%

Belvedere

History – This super premium vodka is very popular in the USA. It is named after the residence of the Polish president.

Ingredients – High quality rye

Production – Quadruple distilled

Strength – 40%

Finland

Finland has been producing vodka since the 16^th century after mercenaries returning from Europe bought the techniques of distillation with them. Finland has everything needed for vodka production, lots of high quality grain and very pure water. The production of vodka quickly took off and by the 17^th century it displaced beer as the national drink in the country. The Finns became one of the largest producers of vodka in the world with 27 distilleries of which the largest was the Rajamaki distillery near Helsinki. The Rajamaki distliiery was opened in 1888 originally to produce yeast for spirit production but dues its pure water source it began to produce spirits. The production of Finnish vodka was moved to the Koskenkorva in the 1980’s after vodka production was re-nationalised now all Finnish vodka is made there. Kosenkorva is in the heart of the grain belt with easy access to the pure glacial water used for fermentation and dilution.

The two leading brands are Kosenkorva Viina which is a domestic brand and Finlandia which is produced for export

Finlandia

 First launched in 1970 this vodka is produced at the Kosenkorva distillery but was originally made at the Rajamaki distillery.  It is made from six row barley and is grown in the Finnish winter sun allowing it to reach a high state of ripeness.

It is distilled in a five column still and is rectified to 96% and then combined with water from local springs to bring its abv to 40%.

Finlandia is also available in two other flavours; lime and cranberry

SWEDEN

Absolut.

The country of Sweden has been producing vodka since the 15^th century when it was produced from grapes this was called Brannvin, which means burnt wine. Unlike the rest of Europe the Swedish spirits were used not only for medicinal purposes but also in the production of gunpowder. The drinking of the spirit was confined to the rich due to the cost of producing the wine based spirit in a country without any vines. In the 17^th century grain mash was introduced thus making the spirit accessible to everyone.  There is one major producer of vodka in Sweden which is controlled by the government monopoly, they are called the Vin & Spirit   and the vodka they produce is called Absolut.

In 1879, Lars Olsson Smith introduced vodka called ‘Absolut rent branvin’ which translates into ‘absolute pure vodka’. The maverick entrepreneur circumvented a state backed vodka producer’s cartel by establishing a distillery on the island of Reimersholme (just outside the Stockholm city limets0 and offering a free ferry service to all his customers.

At that time in Sweden more than half of the vodka was produced in the Skane region in the southern part of the country.Olsson took over a number of distilleries and attacked distribution of what he considered to be inferior vodka, even so far as boycotting certain retail outlets.

After his death the brand had little success under the ownership of the Swedish state liquor monopoly. Then in 1979, the brands new centenary. Lars Lindmark , decide to re-launch the brand. The bottle was redesigned in the style of an old Swedish

medicine bottle – appropriate as vodka was sold in the 16^th and 17^th century as medicine.

The name ‘Absolute Pure Vodka’ could not be registered in so it was shortened to Absolut the original Swedish spelling. ‘Pure’ also posed legal problems so it was also removed. ‘ Country of Sweden’ was added, as was the silver medallion with the image of Lars Olsson Smith.

The now legendary, minimalist advertising campaign was launched in 1980 with ‘Absolut perfection’, which featured the bottle with a halo.   The adds established the brand as a leading, fashionable vodka. Leading to worldwide sales of 3.3 mil cases in its first decade and the 6.7 mil in its second by 1999.

Absolut is produced in the small southern Swedish Town of Ahus using winter wheat fro the skane region of southern Sweden. It is distilled to ABV 90% and then rectified to approx 95% ABV. A little ‘character’ is added to this pure pure, neutral spirit with the addition of a less pure, lower strength spirit. This is made from specially selected grain that undergoes a separate wash process before being distilled more gently to a lower proof. Although comprising of only a low percentage of bottled vodka, the addition helps give Absolut its malty flavour. Unlike many other vodkas, Absolut is not charcoal filtered and does not undergo any other form of chemical filtration.

Production – Distilled four times to 95%, Absolut is not filtered before bottling. ‘Charcoal is barbeques’ the president of the company is supposedly said.

Strength – 40%

Other Absoluts’

Absolut Red label is sold at 50%

Absolut Citron - made with lemon peel

Absolut Peppar - made with jalapeno peppers

Absolut Kurrant - made with red and black currants

Absolut Vanillia – made with Madagascan vanilla pods

Seriously…vodka

Owner – Facile

History – Launched in 1999 by some of the mast notable businessmen in Sweden.

Ingredients – Swedish wheat and glacial water

Production – The vodka is distilled and then blended with pure Swedish vodka before being filtered in a secret process

Strength – 40%

Vodka from around the world

Smirnoff

Owner – Diageo

History - The highest selling vodka brand is Smirnoff and it is made under licence in twenty-five countries around the world. The history of Smirnoff is quite a colourful one. 

Founded in Moscow in 1815 by Ivan Smirnoff this vodka was originally flavoured with strawberries, raspberries and other fruits. The Smirnoff Company was awarded a warrant to supply the Russian royal family in 1886 and this lasted until the revolution in 1917. Pierre Smirnoff escaped to Paris and set up a ill fated distillery but met and sold the recipe to Rudolf Kunnet who set up a distillery in Connecticut in the USA. The vodka did not sell and Kunnet was forced to sell the company to a local drinks firm called Heublien who made Smirnoff the successful brand it is today.

Ingredients – High quality grain diluted with de-mineralised water

Production- The spirit is rectified over 24 hours to produce a very neutral vodka which is then passed through up to ten columns filled with activated charcoal to remove any impurities, finally it is diluted and bottled.

Strength – Smirnoff red is 37.5% and Blue is 45%

Smirnoff Black

Owner – Diageo

History – Quite a recent addition to the brand, this vodka was originally produced in Moscow but is now produced in the UK and USA. Smirnoff Black is supposed to be drunk neat and frozen

Ingredients – High quality grain

Production – Triple distilled in traditional pot stills, then filtered through Siberian silver birch charcoal before being diluted and bottled

Strength – 40%

Skyy

Owner – Fior Brands

History – Created in 1991 by Maurice Knabar in San Francisco who wanted to create a spirit that would not give him a hangover. The vodka is reputedly very pure due to its 4 distillations and tripe filtering

Ingredients – American grain

Production – Distilled 4 times and triple filtered

Strength – 40%

 is a grain vodka which is triple distilled and is made in the USA. It is distilled at 40% abv.

There is also a citron Skyy vodka

Ketle One

Owner – In spirit brands

History – Produced by the Nolet family in Amsterdam and launched in 1990

Ingredients – High quality wheat

Production – Triple distilled and then re-distilled in a pot still known as ‘ketel 1’. The water used to dilute the vodka is filtered through local sand. The vodka is rested for 6 weeks prior to bottling

Strength – 40%

Ketel one also produce a citron vodka

Ciroc

Owner – Diageo

History – This vodka super premium vodka was launched in 2003 and is made in Northern France

Ingredients – French grapes (ugni blanc and mauzac blanc) harvested in November after the first frost

Production – the grapes are cold fermented and distilled 5 times

Strength – 40%

Grey Goose

Owner -??????????

History – Launched in 1997 in the USA this vodka is made in the Cognac region of France

Ingredients – French grains including rye, barley, maize and wheat, water from the Gente springs in Cognac

Production – Firstly distilled in a pot still and then distilled a further four times in a column still finally it is blended with water and bottled

Strength – 40%

Grey Goose is also available in orange and citron flavours

Polstar

Owner – Refoem Spirits Co (distributor)

History – Launched in 1997, this is a vodka from Iceland

Ingredients – High quality Icelandic grain

Production – Triple distilled and then blended with Seleyri spring water, the spring is located at the foot of a volcano range which purifies the water.

Strength – 40%

Polstar is also available in flavours including; cucumber, apple and cranberry

GIN

HISTORY

Juniper has been mixed with alcohol since the time of the druids, although it was the monks of Italy who began to mix it with distillates in the 14^th or 15th century. It became widely known after a Dutch doctor Sylvius Boe mixed juniper berries and distilled alcohol to make a remedy for kidney disorders. The word gin is a shortened version of the Dutch word Genever which means juniper the main flavouring agent in gin. The two main producers of gin are the UK and Holland.

GEOGRAPHY

ENGLAND

Gin was introduced to the UK in the 17^th century by soldiers returning from Holland after helping the Dutch fight the Spanish, before the British soldiers went into battle they given gin to drink to give them  courage this led to the term ‘Dutch courage’. It was William of Orange  who made gin the national spirit of England after he became king and outlawed French imports.  Gin was cheap to produce and soon became the drink of the lower classes. At the time there were no restrictions on the production of gin so it was made by almost everyone and drunk by almost the entire nation. In 1750 the consumption of gin in London was 11 million gallons. In the 1750’s restrictions called the gin acts were introduced to curb the amount of illegal gin being produced. The government outlawed the illicit production of gin and granted licenses to individuals who were allowed to produce and sell gin. This increased the quality of the gin and also made it easier for the government to collect revenues. When the  continuous still was introduced in the 1830’s the distillers were able to produce good quality neutral alcohol for use in their gins. Gin continued to gain popularity throughout the 19^th century and became the drink of the upper classes. Gin also found its way into the rest of the world with the growth of the British Empire. This growth led to invention of the two most famous gin based drinks, the martini and the gin and tonic.

Gin was first mixed with tonic in India in the days of the Raj, the  quinine in tonic water acted as protection from malaria  and the gin was used to ward off other ailments.

English Gin is produced from neutral grain spirit mixed with botanicals, these botanicals include juniper, coriander, angelica, orris root, or citrus peels. The grain is distilled in a continuous still to remove all the impurities and render the spirit completely tasteless. Then the flavour from the botanicals is extracted, this can be done by infusion or maceration and the spirit is distilled in a pot still to produce the finished gin. There are two types of English gin, London Dry and Plymouth Dry.

Some gins are produced using a method called cold compounding, this is a less expensive method and is used for low quality gins. The raw spirit is mixed with liquid botanical essences and then bottled.

Gin has had a rather bad reputation over the years, this has a lot to do with the poor quality gins produced before the Government restrictions. The phrase ‘mothers ruin’ is applied to gin because of the supposed way it induced mothers to miscarry unborn babies.

BOTANICALS

Juniper Berries- The main ingredient in all gins. Juniper usually comes from Italy or Yugoslavia. The berries are hand picked from October through to February and have a bitter sweet taste.

Lemon & Orange Peel- The peel is used instead of the flesh of the fruit because the skin contains oil. Usually from Spain, the peel is cut off and left to dry in the sun and then added with the rest of the botanicals. This gives the gin a citrus flavour.

Orris Root- The root of the Iris plant, often ground into a powder before use. Orris has a taste of violets, earth and tea and usually comes from Italy.

Angelica Root- Usually bought from France, Germany or Belgium, this is a key ingredient to gin as it holds the volatile flavours of other botanicals and marries them together. It has a musky, woody, sweet flavour with a piny dry edge.

Coriander Seeds- These seeds come from Morocco and gives the gin its spicy taste. Coriander is mellow, spicy, fragrant and aromatic with a gingery, lemon and sage taste.

Liquorice- Comes from Indo China, liquorice twigs are ground to a powder for gin distilling. This gives the gin an obvious liquorice flavour but also a light fresh woody taste.

Cinnamon- Comes from Sri Lanka, cinnamon is commonly used to give a spicy edge to gin.

Almond- Almond trees grow in West Asia and Vietnam. The almonds are hard and must be ground before use. They add a nutty, soapy and spicy flavour to gin.

Cassia Bark- A member of the cinnamon family, cassia is sometimes referred to as Chinese cinnamon.  It is the bark of the Acacia tree, which grows in Vietnam, China or Madagascar, which is removed from the trunk and rolled into quills. Cassia adds a taste similar to chewing gum and cinnamon to the gin.

Other botanicals which are sometimes used in gin production include: Cumin, fennel, violet, grain of paradise and anis.

 

LONDON DRY GIN

First produced in London after the government introduced tougher restrictions on the manufacture of gin. The first step is to produce a high quality neutral spirit, this is done using a continuous still, this is then supplied to the gin distillery. The second step is introduce the flavourings or botanicals. This is done by steeping the botanicals in the neutral spirit and then heating the liquid until it vaporises, the vapours then pass through the rectifier which cools them and the result is a very strong gin. The final step is to dilute the gin to a potable  drink. London dry gin is the most widely drunk gin in the world and is produced by many firms and although the gin can be produced anywhere in the world the best is usually distilled in the UK.

BRANDS

Bombay Sapphire

Owner – Bacardi Brown Forman

History

1        Bombay distillery opened in Warrington (Bridge St) in 1761 by Thomas Dakin producing Bombay Original. Taken over in 1850 by Greenalls and Bombay Original re-named as Greenalls gin

2        Originally used pot still distillation, until invention of continuous stills (carterhead). The first carterhead still was fitted in 1862

3        1959 – Alan Subin and Michel Roux decided to re-launch Bombay original

4        Moved to new site in 1962 (where it is still produced). In the 1970’s IDV took over and separated Greenals and Bombay production, Bombay gin stayed the same and Greenals gin changed

5        Mid 1980’s Sapphire was created – 2 more botanicals, blue bottle, Sapphire would be higher strength than original

6        2002 #2 in UK and number 1 premium gin

Ingredients

1        Neutral grain spirit (mainly wheat based) from Scotland, grain holds the flavour of the botanicals better than molasses based spirit

2        The botanicals used in gins were chosen because they could be stored for a long time

3        Juniper – from Tuscany, usually 50/60 different growers, chosen for the oil and moisture content. Always chosen before finding out the price, buy around 75 tonnes per year – Juniper used to cure kidney’s, cholera, dysentery, periods, help in child birth, heart disease and snake bites

4        Coriander – from morocco, smaller seeds than Bulgarian (other gins use this) give lighter, delicate flavour

5        Angelica – from Saxony (Munich) this is a root, gives length to the taste of gin, on its own it is musty, woody and bitter

6        Orris Root – from Florentine Iris, this is ground for distillation, the name is from the Latin Gold (or) Root (ris) gives a taste of violets and fits in the middle of the flavour profile (orris used in love potions)

7        Liquorice – from China, ground up for distillation, long history of usage in medicine around the world, comes from the Greek for sweet root

8        Lemon peel – from Spain (the peel comes from a soft drink maker)

9        Cassia Bark – from Vietnam related to the cinnamon family

10    Bitter Almonds – from Spain, cousin of the peach, only the stone is used, ground for distilling, bitter almonds used because gin works better with bitter ingredients (tonic)

11    Cubeb berries – Java

12    Grains of paradise – Nigeria (AKA Guinea grains)

Production

1        96% abv spirit is put into still with de-mineralised water to reduce it 45%

2        Heated up in still (takes about 3 hours to boil)

3        Carterhead acts as a re-distiller (rectifier in a column still) so the abv rises to 90% and the spirit becomes more refined as it is re-distilled

4        Botanicals are held in copper baskets above the still and the spirit vapour passes over the basket and becomes infused with the flavour of the botanicals.