Chapter 7

Bar and Beverages

Objectives• After reading and studying this chapter, you

should be able to:– Explain how to obtain an alcoholic beverage

license– Identify factors to consider when developing

the design and layout of a bar– List guidelines for suggesting wines to

accompany menu items

Objectives (cont’d.)– Identify a restaurant’s legal liability regarding

the sale of alcoholic beverages– List ways in which bartenders and others can

defraud the restaurant bar and beverage operation

Introduction• Beverages

– Account for 25% to 30% of total sales• Higher ratio will attract the Department of Alcoholic

Beverage Control or Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco (ABT) department

– Sales yield more profit than food sales– Production cost is less than in the kitchen

• Margins are greater

Alcoholic Beverage Licenses• Most common:

– On-sale general• Authorizes sale of all types of alcoholic beverages for

consumption on the premises– Off-sale general

• Authorizes sale of all types of alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises in original, sealed containers

– On-sale beer and wine• Authorizes sale on the premises of beer, wine, and

malt liquor

Alcoholic Beverage Licenses (cont’d.)

– Off-sale beer and wine• Authorizes sale of beer, wine, and malt beverages

for consumption off premises in original containers– On-sale beer

• Authorizes sale on the licensed premises of beer and other malt beverages with an alcoholic content of four percent or less by weight

How to Apply for a License• Application process can be lengthy

– States have jurisdiction over the sale of alcohol• Regulations vary and must be met

– Notices stating that a license has been applied for must be placed in the newspaper and posted in the restaurant window

• Minimum of 30 days

Bar Layout and Design• A number of factors affect bar location and

design:– Type of restaurant– Overall design and layout of the restaurant– Intended prominence of the bar– Number of bartenders required to operate the

bar and beverage service– Volume of business expected– Degree of self-sufficiency of the bar

Bar Layout and Design (cont’d.)

– Electric and water supply– Construction costs of providing electric and

water supply– Distance to the storeroom and the dispensing

system– Location of the beer kegs and cooling

equipment

Bar Layout and Design (cont’d.)• Bar setup is divided into three areas:

– Front bar• Where the bartender prepares drinks• Workstation has storage space for equipment,

beverages, speed racks, ice, and glasses– Back bar

• Used for aesthetics • Functions as a storage and display area

– Under bar• Contains speed rack with common pouring brands

Placement of a Bar within the Restaurant

• Bar location– Should be in a location with easy access– To be a highlight, place near the entrance in

prominent lighting• Seating

– Some provide comfortable seating so the customers can relax

– Seats placed close together encourage conversation

Figure 7.1: Roy’s New York floor plan

Beverages• Cocktails:

– Style of mixed drink• Mixture of distilled spirits, sugar, water, and bitters

– Has come to mean almost any mixed drink containing alcohol

• Usually contains one or more types of liquor and one or more mixes

Beverages (cont’d.)• Cocktail categories:

– Short drinks: up to 3.5 ounces– Tall drinks: up to 8.5 ounces

• Factors of a good cocktail:– Balance of the ingredients– Quality of the ingredients– Skill of the bartender

Spirits• Whiskey

– Made from a liquid that has been fermented and distilled from grain

– Aged, often for long periods – Whiskey from Scotland is called scotch – Most whiskey is blended

• Bourbon – Now produced mainly from corn – Aged up to six years in charred barrels

White Spirits• Most common:

– Gin: popular foundation of many drinks (e.g., martini, gin and tonic, etc.)

– Vodka: made from several ingredients,• Predominantly barley, corn, wheat, rye, sugar beet

molasses, and potatoes– Rum: dark or light in color

• Dark: distilled from molasses • Light: distilled from fermented juice of sugar cane

White Spirits (cont’d.)– Tequila: distilled from the agave tequilana– Cognac: distilled from wine

• Regarded by connoisseurs as the best brandy– Brandy: distilled from wine

• Comes from California and South Africa

Nonalcoholic Beverages• Include:

– Sodas and juices– Nonalcoholic beers– De-alcoholized wines– Nonalcoholic cocktails (e.g., Shirley temple)– Bottled waters– Power drinks– Coffee – Tea

Bartenders• Top tasks:

– Collect money for drinks served– Check identification of customers– Balance cash receipts– Attempt to limit problems and liabilities– Clean glasses, utensils, and bar equipment– Take beverage orders from serving staff or

directly from patrons– Serve wine and bottled or draft beer

Bartenders (cont’d.)– Clean bars, work areas, and tables– Mix ingredients– Serve snacks or food items to customers seated

at the bar

Bartenders (cont’d.)• Top work activities:

– Perform for, or work directly with, the public– Communicate with persons outside the

organization– Establish and maintain interpersonal

relationships– Identify objects, actions, and events– Judge the qualities of things, services, or people

Bartenders (cont’d.)– Communicate with supervisors, peers, or

subordinates– Get information– Sell or influence others– Perform general physical activities– Monitor processes, materials, or surroundings

Basic Bar Inventory • Selection depends on the type of

restaurant– Example: a trendy upscale restaurant will carry

several premium brands• Sustainable bars

– New concept– May include organic, “biodynamic,” and/or

local alcohol

Wines• Fermented juice of freshly gathered grapes

– Produced in temperate parts of the world• Soil, climate, and cultivation all have a significant

impacts • Too much or too little of one essential element will

mean a poor tasting wine– First categorized by color: red, white or rosé

• Further classified as light beverage wines, still, sparkling, fortified, and aromatic

Wine Making• Six steps:

– Crushing– Fermenting– Racking– Maturing– Filtering– Bottling

Wine Making (cont’d.)• After fermentation

– Wine is transferred to racking containers • After maturing

– Wine is filtered • Helps stabilize and removes solid particles (i.e.,

fining)

• Wine is then clarified – Adding egg white or bentonite removes

impurities as it sinks to the bottom

Wine Making (cont’d.)• Fine vintage wines

– Kept for a few years to further mature in the bottle and are consumed at their peak

• White wines – Mature quicker than red– Often consumed within a few months of

bottling• Better white wines are aged a few years

Sparkling Wines• Include: champagne, sparkling white wines,

and sparkling rosé wines – Sparkling comes from addition of carbon

dioxide• Naturally produced or infused

• Champagne – Owes its sparkling quality to a second

fermentation in the bottle• Called method champenoise

Fortified Wines• Include: sherries, ports, Madeiras, and

marsalas– They have brandy or wine alcohol added

• Gives a unique taste • Increases alcohol content to about 20 percent

– Sweeter than regular wine – Each has several subgroups with a range of

aromas and tastes

Aromatic Wines • Fortified and flavored with herbs, roots,

flowers, and barks– Can be sweet or dry

• Known as aperitifs– Normally enjoyed before a meal to stimulate

digestive juices

How to Select a Wine List• Wine selection should be appropriate

– Naturally, an Italian restaurant will feature wines from Italy

• Consider varietal type of grape and, most importantly, what’s on the menu– Pairing food with wine is critical to the enjoyment

of the meal• Wines can either complement or detract from a dish

Wines with Food• Guidelines:

– White wine: served with white meat—pork, turkey, chicken, veal, fish, and shellfish

– Red wine: served with red meat—beef, lamb, duck, and game

– Champagne: served throughout the meal– Port and red wine: goes well with cheese– Dessert wines: complement desserts and fresh

fruits that are not highly acidic

Wines with Food (cont’d.)– Dishes cooked in wine: best served with wines

of that variety– Regional food: best served with wine of the

same region– Wines are best not served with salads with

vinegar dressings, chocolate, or strong curries• Too strong or acidic

Responsible Alcoholic Beverage Service

• Guidelines:– Write a responsible alcohol-serving mission

statement outlining your position on drinking and safety

– Review local and state liquor laws– Assess the operation’s clientele– Make a plan for developing and maintaining

relationships with law enforcement officials and transportation organizations

Responsible Alcoholic Beverage Service (cont’d.)

– Establish a comprehensive program of ongoing staff training

– Create a schedule of management audits of policy and practice

– Create a system of actions that demonstrate support for responsible and enjoyable drinking

Responsible Alcoholic Beverage Service (cont’d.)

• Programs should include responsible actions– Example: a trained person at the door to:

• Check ID’s• Discourage patrons from leaving with alcohol• Prevent intoxicated patrons from driving

– Encourage a “designated driver” program– Post taxi numbers– Encourage food consumption

Third Party Liability• Owners, managers, bartenders, and servers

– Liable if they serve alcohol to minors or intoxicated people

• Dram shop laws– Legislation that governs the sale of alcoholic

beverages

Third Party Liability (cont’d.)• Combating underage drinking

– Major brewery distributed a booklet showing the authentic design and layout of each state’s driver’s license

• Trade associations – Have produced a number of preventive

measures and programs aimed at responsible alcohol beverage service

Controls• Liquor inventory

– Not properly controlled: can seriously affect the restaurant’s bottom line

– It is safe to assume, that given a chance, liquor will be stolen

– Institute a weekly or biweekly audit• May be done by an outside auditor• Outcome is a reduction in smuggling and an

increase in net savings

Controlling Losses• Measures:

– Limit bar access to bartenders and make them accountable for pouring-cost results

– Give incentive bonuses for good results– Require that drink orders be rung into the

register before drinks are made– Use a remote system in which servers must ring

up the order before it goes to the bartender– Install a video camera

Controlling Losses (cont’d.)– Install an alarm on the bar door– Do not allow bags in the bar area– Provide lockers in another area– If bartenders make mistakes, have them written

off and signed for by management– Cushion bar floors to reduce breakage– Set up a system that allows employees to report

incidents anonymously– Be careful in hiring employees: check references

and do background check

Ways to Steal in a Restaurant or Bar

• Estimates:– 25 percent of employees steal regardless of

controls in place– 25 percent will not steal regardless of controls

in place– 50 percent will steal if given the opportunity

• Practitioners Publishing Company’s Guide to Restaurants and Bars– 99 ways to steal in a restaurant or bar