Chapter 3
BAR PARTS AND EQUIPMENT
LAYOUT
Bar & Beverage Service with Mixology
By: Lorenzo G. Rojo
The elements in determining the
placement, size, and shape of the bar:
1. The element of décor,
2. The element of function
The size and shape of the bar, its
appearance, and its position in the room
are typically planned by the owner,
architect, or interior designer whose
primary concerns are layout and décor.
The working areas, where the drinks are
poured are planned by facilities design
consultant or by an equipment dealer
Factors that affect the space in assigning
the bar location:
1. Drinks to be served
2. Projected volume of business
3. Space and equipment needed to
serve the drinks
Parts of the Bar
A bar is made up of three parts:
1. Front Bar
2. Backbar
3. Underbar
Front Bar
The front bar is a customers’ area,
where they order their drinks and
where the drinks are served.
Parts of the Front Bar:
Bar table
 Rail
 Bar die
 Glass rack
 Arm rest
 Foot rest
 Pick up station
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Backbar
The Backbar has a double function:
1. the decorative function of display
and;
2. the work function of storage.
Underbar
The underbar is the heart of the
entire beverage operation and
deserves the most careful attention
to its design.
Parts of the Underbar:
Pouring station
 Speed rail
 Ice bin
 Bottle wells
 Hand sink
 Drain board
 Glass sink
 Waste dump
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Considerations in Purchasing
Equipment
Some General Considerations in
Selecting Bar Tools and Equipment:
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Survival
 Appearance
 Function
 Ease of care
Look for Quality !!!
It makes very good business sense to invest in
high quality equipment for your bar.
Survival
Quality equipment will last longer and will
withstand better the wear and tear of a highspeed operation.
Heavy-gauge surfaces will resist dent, scratches,
and warp. Heavy-duty blenders will better
survive the demands of mixing frozen drinks.
Quality glasses will break less easily than thin
brittle ones.
Appearance
Quality products are usually more pleasing to the
eye, and are likely to maintain their good looks
longer.
Cheap glassware becomes scratched and
losses its gleam. Cheap blender containers
get dingy-looking. So do work surfaces. Since
much of your equipment is seen by your
customers, it is important to have it project an
image of quality, cleanliness, and care.
Function
High-quality products are less likely to break down.
Breakdowns of any kind hamper service and
give a poor impression of your operation.
If your pourer sticks, you’ve got to stop and
change it. If your corkscrew bends, you may
crumble the cork and loose your cool as you
present the wine and the customer may refuse it.
If your ice maker quits, you are in real trouble.
Repairs or replacements can be frustrating,
time-consuming and costly. Quality products,
moreover, usually come with guarantees.
Ease of Care
High-quality equipment is likely to be better
designed as well as better made.
This means smooth corners, no dirt-catching
crevices, and dent-free surfaces that clean
easily. It all makes for better sanitation and
better appearance.
Like everything else in life, quality cannot always
be judged by price.
For equipment quality, look at weights or
gauges of metals (the lower the gauge, the
thicker the metal); at energy requirements,
horsepower of generators, insulation of ice
bins and refrigerated storage, manufacturer’s
warranties and services.
Consider the design features of each item
in relation to its function and sizes and
shapes and capacities in relation to
needs.
Underbar and Backbar Equipment
The major pieces of underbar equipment
have surface of stainless steel which is
durable, cleans easily and is unaffected
by chemical cleaners needed to kill
bacteria.
It also looks nice and easily takes a high
polish.
Work surfaces of underbar equipment are
a standard 30 inches high, with a depth
of 16 inches to the backsplash at the
rear.
Units from the same manufacturer fit side
by side and give the appearance of
being continuous.
Each piece of equipment is either on legs
6 or more inches high, for access to
plumbing and ease of cleaning, or else
flush with the floor.
The legs have bullet feet (feet tampered
like bullets) for ease of cleaning. The feet
are adjustable to accommodate uneven
flooring.
Underbar and Backbar
Equipment
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Backbar refrigerator
Blender
Bottle wells
Coffee siphon
Draft beer direct dispensing
machine
Drain boards
Electric mixer
Electronic cash register
Electronic dispensing
machine
Espresso machine
Frozen drink dispenser
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Glass brush
Glass froster
Glass sink
Glass washer
Hand guns
Hand sink
Ice bin
Ice crusher
Ice flakers
Ice machine
Juicer
Keg coolers
Waste dump
Wine/liquor dispenser
Bottle Wells
Back bar Refrigerator
Coffee Siphon
Drain Boards
Direct Beer Draft Dispenser
Espresso Machine
Wine Dispenser
Frozen Drink Dispenser
Glass Brushes
Soda Gun
Glass Washer
Ice Maker Machine
Ice Crusher Machine
Electric Cocktail Shaker
Electric Cocktail Mixer
Blenders
Electronic Juicer
The centerpiece of any pouring station is
the ice chest (ice bin), with or without
bottle wells, having a speed rail
attached to the front. This piece of
equipment is variously known as a
cocktail station, cocktail unit,
beverage center or colloquially, jockey
box.
Cocktail Station
Bar Tools
Stainless steel is the metal of choice for small
equipment and utensils.
Most of the small bar equipment is used for
mixing and pouring.
A second group of utensils is used in preparing
condiments to garnish drinks.
A third group is involved in serving.
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Bar caddy
Bar knife
Bar spoon
Bar strainer
Cocktail shaker
Cutting board
Fruit squeezer
Funnel
Garnishing caddy/tray
Glass rimmer
Ice pick
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Ice scoop/shovel
Ice tong
Jiggers
Liquid measuring cup
Measuring spoon
Mixing glass
Muddler
Nutmeg grater
Pourers
Store and pour
Zester/router/stripper
Bar Spoon (with relish fork)
Bar Spoon (with muddler)
Bar Caddy
Bar Spoon
Bar Knife
Hawthorne Strainer
Bar Fine Strainer
Julep Strainer
Fruit (Citrus) Squeezer
Cutting Board
Standard (3-piece) Cocktail Shaker
Ice Pick
Boston Shaker
Funnel
Double-ended
Stainless Steel Jiggers
(Standard Jiggers)
Garnish Caddy / Garnish Tray
Glass Rimmer
Ice Tong
Ice Scooper
Measuring Spoon
Liquid Measuring Cup
Nutmeg Grater
Mixing Glass
Muddler
Stainless Steel Pourer
Automatic Pourers
Plastic Pourers
Zester
Master Pourer (Store and Pour)
Tools for Serving Drinks
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Bottle and can opener
Coaster
Cork screw
Folio or tip (bill) tray
Ice bucket
Picks
Round tray
Stirrer/swizzle stick
Wine bucket
Bottle Opener
Can Opener
Coaster
Bill Tray
Waiter’s Friend Corkscrew
Pull Corkscrew
Angel’s Wing Corkscrew
Ice Bucket
Wine Bucket with Stand
Round Tray
Wine Bucket
Swizzle Sticks
Cocktail Picks
Glassware
Importance of glassware in
bar operations:
Part of the overall concept of the bar
 Its style, sparkle and quality express the
personality of the bar
 It has the part in measuring drinks you
serve
 A message carrier: that means you know
what you are doing
 A merchandising tool
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Features of Glassware:
Bowl
Stem
Base / Foot
Major types of glassware:
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Tumbler
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Footed ware
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Stemware
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Mug
Tumbler:
A tumbler is a flat-bottomed glass that is
basically a bowl without stem or foot. Its
sides may be straight, flared, or curved.
Various sizes and shapes of tumbler are
known by the names of the drinks they
are commonly used for: old-fashioned,
rock glass, highball, collins, cooler,
zombie, pilsner. Glass jiggers and shot
glasses are mini-tumblers.
Tumbler types:
Carafe
Decanter
A
B
C
D
A – Zombie glass (13-14 fl.oz)
B – Old fashioned / rock glass (6-8 fl.oz.)
C – Highball glass (8-12 fl.oz.)
D – Collins glass (10-14 fl.oz.)
Pint Glasses
Wheat Beer Glass
Juice Glass
Pilsner
Granite Glass
Shot Glass
Shooter Glass
Vodka Shooter Glasses
Vodka Chimney Glass
Footed Ware:
Footed ware refers to s style of glass in which
the bowl sits directly on a base or foot. Bowl
and base may have a variety of shapes.
Traditional footed glasses include the brandy
snifter and certain styles of beer glass. Today
footed ware is also popular for on-the-rocks
drinks and highballs. In fact, any type of drink
can be served in a footed glass of the right
size.
Footed Wares:
Absinthe Glass
Footed Highball
Banquet Goblet
Cordial Glass
Brandy Inhaler/snifter/balloon
Footed Rock Glass
Irish Coffee Glass / Mug
Footed Pilsner Glass
Frappe Glass
Pousse Café Glass
Parfait Glass
Squall / Hurricane Glass
Stem Ware:
Stemware includes any glass having
all three features – bowl, foot, and
stem.
Stem wares:
Champagne Saucer
Margarita Glass
Champagne Tulip
Cocktail / Martini Glass
Champagne Flute
Poco Grande Glass
Ice Wine Glass
Merlot Wine Glass
Chardonnay Wine Glass
California Cocktail Glass
Pinot Noir Wine Glass
Red Wine Glass
White Wine Glass
Sour Glass
Riesling Wine Glass
Sauvignon Wine Glass
Shiraz Wine Glass
Sherry Copita Glass
Port Wine Glass
Mug:
A fourth type of glass is the mug.
You can think of it as a tumbler with a
handle or as a tall glass cup. It is usually
used for serving beer.
Beer Mug:
Beer Schooner Glasses
Beer Mug
Dimple Beer Mug
Logo Beer Mug
Stern Beer Mug
Stein Beer Mug
Care of Glasswares:
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Handle with care
Do not wash glasses mixed with plates or
spoons
Never used it in scooping ice
Throw chipped or broken glass
Do not pour hot liquid with cold glasses
Never stack glasses
Do not handle glass in bouquet
Always handle glass by the stem
In selecting glasses, size is a better guide
than the name of the glass, since a glass
with a specific name will come in many
sizes.
Buy glass sizes that you will never have to
fill to the brim; they will surely spill.
A glass for dinner wine should be only half
full, so the drinker can swirl the wine
around and appreciate the bouquet.
A brandy snifter of brandy is served so the
customer can savor the aroma.
In making your glass selection, remember that glassware
is about the most fragile equipment you will be using.
Consider weight and durability. Consider heat-treated
glass if you use a mechanical dishwasher.
Consider design and buy glasses that do not need
special handling: flared rims for example, break easily.
Then consider the breakage factor in figuring the
numbers you need.
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