Chapter 3
Bar Parts &
Equipment Layout
I. Chapter Objectives
After discussing this chapter, you should be able to:
Learn the elements in placement, size and shape of a bar;
Identify the different parts of the bar;
Learn the equipment and its placement or lay out in the bar;
Learn the different tools used in preparing and serving the drinks in a bar; and
Learn the different types of glassware, proper handling and care.
II. The Bar Itself
a. The elements in determining the placement, size, and shape of a bar:
1. The element of décor – the bar must be aesthetically designed to attract the guest and
for the bar to portray the concept of the establishment.
2. The element of function – the bar must be designed properly so that its able to
function well. It means the size of the bar should be large enough depending on the
space available and the task to be performed in the bar. It must be large enough so
that the bartender could perform his function well.
III. Parts of the Bar
a. The front bar – the customer's area where customers order their drinks and where orders
are served.
Parts of the front bar:
1. Bar table – the flat surface where drinks and foods of the guest are placed and
consumed by the guest.
2. Rail – also known as glass rail, spill through and rail drip. It is where the glass is placed
and drink is poured and garnishing is placed before serving it to the guest. It serves as
a check for the bartender's personal hygiene and sanitation.
3. Bar die – the column that supports the bar table.
4. Glass rack - it is where the glasses are placed after drying and polishing and for display.
5. Arm rest – where the guest can lean on the bar for comfort.
6. Foot rest – also for guest comfort while in the bar.
7. Pick up station – it is where the order of table guest is placed by the bartender and is
picked up by the bar server.
Front Bar Glass Rail
Hanging Glass Rack Pick Up Station
b. The back bar
Functions:
1. For storage – the lower part of the back is either used as wet storage or dry storage.
If it is for wet storage, usually the lower back bar storage is a refrigerator or also
called the back bar refrigerator. If it is for dry storage, then it is just a covered shelves
either made of wood or stainless metal.
2. For display – the upper back bar is usually used for display. In displaying liquors in
the back bar it must be arranged according to price. The most expensive brand must
be on top and at the bottom the least expensive brands.
Back Bar
c. The under bar – the heart of the entire beverage operation. It is known as the heart of
the beverage operation because most of the tools, equipment and ingredients used for
pouring and storing drinks are placed and it is where drinks are being prepared or mixed.
Parts of the under bar:
1. Pouring station - also known as bartender station, it is where the drinks are being
prepared.
2. Speed rail – also known as well, it is in this part where commonly used
ingredients/liquors are being placed for easy access.
3. Ice bin – for storing ice.
4. Bottle wells – it is located at the side of the ice bin for chilling bottled drinks.
5. Hand sink – for hand washing of the bartender.
6. Drain board - use for air drying of glasses before polishing.
7. Glass sink – use for cleaning glasses and other items in the bar.
8. Waste dump – for dispensing trash/waste.
Waste Sink
Pouring Station/Bartender Ice Bin and Bottle Wells
Station with Speed Rail
Hand Sink Glass Sink
IV. Equipment
Under bar and back bar equipment
1. Back bar refrigerator - used to store perishable ingredients and different types of bottled
and canned beers.
2. Blender - This is used to grind, puree and refine ingredients.
3. Bottle wells – located beside the ice bin for chilling bottle of drinks or juices.
4. Coffee siphon - used in preparing brewed coffee.
5. Draft beer direct dispensing line - used to dispense draft beers.
6. Drain boards – used to air dry the glasses.
7. Electric Mixer – used for blending and mixing solid ingredients
8. Electronic cash register – used to record and store cash transactions.
9. Electronic dispensing system – used to dispense ingredients automatically, faster and
efficient.
10. Espresso machine - used for producing espresso coffee.
11. Frozen drink dispenser – used to prepare and dispense frozen drink.
12. Glass brush – used to clean glassware particularly tall glasses.
13. Glass froster – used to chill the glasses before serving.
14. Glass sink- used to wash, rinse and sanitize glasses.
15. Glass washer – a machine operated washer to clean glasses faster and in large quantity.
16. Hand guns – for dispensing soft drinks and mixes.
17. Hand sink- used to wash hands before and after preparing.
18. Ice bin – for storing ice.
19. Ice crusher – used for crushing ice faster and in large volume.
20. Ice flakers – used to produce ice flakes or fine crushed ice.
21. Ice machine - A machine that freezes water to make ice cubes. Also called ice maker.
22. Juicer – used to extract juices.
23. Keg coolers – used to store and chill keg or draft beers.
24. Waste dump - used to store waste, waste must be segregated.
25. Wine/liquor dispenser - used to dispense liquors in specific quantity.
Considerations in Purchasing Equipment
Look for quality:
1. Survival – it is more economical to buy expensive equipment that is durable and can be
used for a longer period of time rather than buying cheaper equipment that bug down
easily. If the cheaper equipment bug down during the operation you will not lose sales on
the drink that uses that equipment but you lose a customer due to dissatisfaction which is
more costly.
2. Function – buy multi-functional equipment as possible like blenders that can directly
blend using cubed/tubed ice. This will limit the use of crushed ice that needs the use of an
ice crusher. A saving in electricity and space can be great benefit in the bar.
3. Appearance – equipment used in the bar are visible to the guest, better appearance
equipment add up to the appreciation and satisfaction of the guest on the products and
services of the bar
4. Ease of care - ease of maintenance and care of an equipment is a major contribution for
the survival and longevity of the equipment. So buy equipment that can easily be cleaned
and maintained.
V. Bar Tools
A. Tools for mixing, pouring and garnishing drinks
1. Bar caddy – used in storing bar supplies and decorations.
2. Bar knife - used to pick ingredients and in cutting and slicing.
3. Bar spoon – used for picking up, measuring ingredients and in stirring cocktails.
4. Bar strainer – used for straining drinks after mixing.
5. Cocktail shaker – used for mixing cocktails by shaking.
6. Cutting board – used to cut fruit slices and garnishes.
7. Fruit squeezer - used for squeezing fruits to extract the juice.
8. Funnel - used to transfer contents from one container to another container.
9. Garnishing caddy/tray - used in storing garnishes for easy access.
10. Glass rimmer – a tool use to rim or frost the rim of the glass with sugar or salt.
11. Ice pick - used for breaking packed ice or block of ice.
12. Ice scoop/shovel – used for picking up ice in large quantity.
13. Ice tong - used for picking ice cube individually.
14. Jiggers - used for measuring ingredients in preparing and serving drinks or cocktails.
15. Liquid measuring cup - used to measure liquid ingredients in large quantity.
16. Measuring spoon - used for measuring liquid and powdered ingredients.
17. Mixing glass – used for mixing cocktails by stirring.
18. Muddler – used to press or muddle ingredients such as fresh fruit slice and some herbs to
extract flavor and aroma.
19. Nutmeg grater – used in grating nutmeg directly on top of the drink.
20. Pourers – used to control/regulate the flow of drinks during pouring.
21. Store and pour – a container with spout used to store and pour juices or mixers.
22. Zester/router/stripper – used in stripping skin of fruits for garnishing.
B. Tools for serving drinks
1. Bottle and can opener – used to open bottle or cans.
2. Coaster – used as underliner in serving chilled drinks.
3. Cork screw – used to open bottle of wine stoppered with cork.
4. Folio or tip tray - used to collect payments from the guest.
5. Ice bucket - used in serving ice to the table guests.
6. Picks – used for picking garnishes to be place in the drink.
7. Round tray – used to serve drinks to table guests.
8. Stirrer/swizzle stick - used for stirring a drink by the guest himself.
9. Wine bucket - used to chill and maintain the coldness of the wines served to the guests.
Wine bucket is not for chilling the wine, chilling of wine is done in a wine chiller/cooler.
VI. Glassware
A. Importance of glassware in the bar operations are:
1. It is part of the overall concept of the bar – it means the glasses should help project a
particular concept or theme the bar is trying to project to its guests. Example, if the concept
or theme of the bar is safari, then some glasses particularly those that will be used in serving
the specialty drink of the bar must be designed with safari animal figures like a martini
glass with a snake figure wrap around the stem of the martini glass.
2. Its style, sparkle and quality express the personality of the bar – low quality and poor
appearance of glasses provide an impression that the bar is for the low end market or guests.
While high quality and great appearance glasses indicate that the bar is catering the high
end market or guests. The glasses indicate what kind of guests the bar is or will be serving.
3. It has the part in measuring drinks you serve – drinks served per shot need not to be
measured, all you need is a shot glass with a corresponding size of the drink per shot and
pour the directly to the shot glass. Example is tequila, mostly it is served by shots.
4. A message carrier: that means you know what you are doing - using the glass correctly
according to its proper use indicate professionalism on the part of the bartender.
5. A merchandising tool - specially designed glasses particularly those used in serving
specialty drinks of the bar must be displayed or showcased for it attracts attention and
curiosity to the guests, thus it could help sell the drinks of the bar.
B. Glass term and types
Features of glassware
a. Bowl
b. Base/foot
c. Stem
C. Major types of glassware
1. Tumbler – flat-bottomed glass that is basically a bowl without a stem.
2. Footed ware – a style of glass which the bowl sits directly with the base.
3. Stemware - glasses with three main features.
4. Mug - thick glass with ear or handle used mostly for serving beers or some hot
beverages.
Tumbler types:
1. Carafe – this glass is both for serving beverage for large group and for storing
ingredients.
2. Collins glass - used to serve Collins cocktails in particular and other cocktails.
3. Decanter – use for decanting wine and storing other alcoholic beverages like
whisky and brandy such as cognac.
4. Granite glass – used to serve specialty cocktails.
5. High ball glass – used to serve juices, tea, soft drinks and other cocktails.
6. Juice glass – used to serve juices during breakfast as an appetizer.
7. Old fashioned glass – used to serve old fashioned cocktail and drinks on the rocks.
8. Pilsner glass – used to serve pilsner beer or beer in can or in bottle.
9. Pint Glass - used to serve beer in large bottle or quantity.
10. Rock/Scotch Glass - used to serve whisky on the rocks.
11. Shooters glass – used to serve shooters drink.
12. Shot glass – used to serve straight up or shot drinks.
13. Vodka chimney - used to serve vodka without ice.
14. Vodka shooters – used to serve vodka without ice.
15. Wheat beer glass – used to serve wheat beer.
16. Yard glass – used to serve beer in large quantity.
17. Zombie glass – used to serve zombie cocktail in particular and other specialty drink.
Footed ware:
1. Absinthe glass – used to serve absinthe liqueur.
2. Banquet goblet - used to serve water.
3. Brandy inhaler – used to inhale brandy.
4. Brandy snifter – used to sniff brandy.
5. Cordial glass - used to serve cordials or liqueurs and rainbow cocktails.
6. Dutch brandy glass – used to warm brandy before drinking.
7. Footed high ball – used to serve juices, soft drinks, tea and other cocktails.
8. Footed pilsner glass – used to serve beer in can or in bottle.
9. Footed rock glass – used to drinks on the rocks.
10. Frappe glass – used to serve frappe.
11. Irish coffee glass/mug - used to serve Irish coffee cocktail.
12. Parfait glass – used to serve ice dessert.
13. Pousse café glass – used to serve pousse café.
14. Squall/hurricane glass – used to serve specialty cocktails.
15. Wise goblet - used to serve cocktails in large quantity.
Stemware:
1. California cocktail – used to serve specialty cocktails.
2. Champagne Saucer – used to serve champagne and other sparkling, for fast drinker.
3. Champagne Tulip – used to serve champagne and other sparkling, for slow drinker.
4. Chardonnay wine glass – used to serve chardonnay wine.
5. Cocktail glass – used to serve martini cocktails or other cocktail drinks.
6. Flute Champagne – used to serve champagne and other sparkling wine, for slow
drinker.
7. Ice wine glass – used to serve ice wines.
8. Margarita glass – used to serve margarita cocktail in particular and other cocktail
drinks.
9. Merlot wine glass – used to serve merlot wines.
10. Pinot noir wine glass – used to serve pinot noir wines.
11. Poco grande glass – used to serve piña colada cocktail and other specialty drinks.
12. Red wine glass – used to serve red wines.
13. Riesling glass – used to serve Riesling wines.
14. Sauvignon glass – used to serve sauvignon wine.
15. Sherry copita – used to serve sherry wines in particular.
16. Sherry wine glass – used to serve sherry wines in particular.
17. Sherry/port wine glass – used to serve sherry or port wine or other fortified wines.
18. Shiraz wine glass – used to serve Shiraz wines.
19. Sour glass - used to serve sour cocktails.
20. White wine glass - used to serve white wines.
Beer Mug:
1.Beer schooner – used to serve draft beers in large quantity.
2.Beer mug - used to serve draft beers.
D. Care of glassware
1. Handle with care
2. Do not wash glasses mixed with plates or spoons
3. Never used it in scooping ice
4. Throw chipped or broken glass
5. Do not pour hot liquid with cold glasses
6. Never stack glasses
7. Do not handle glass in bouquet
8. Always handle glass by the stem
EQUIPMENT:
Hand gun Glass w asher Glass brush Ice bin
Ice ma ker/machine Ice crusher Electric Shaker Blender
Glass sinks Back bar refrigerator Keg coolers Keg fonts
Electric juicer Liquor dispenser Electronic liquor Electronic cash
dispenser register
Electric cocktail Electronic liquor Electronic POS Portable bar
mixer dispenser
Espresso machine Coffe siphon Bottle wells Drain board
Frozen drink Glass froster Ice flakes Waste dump
dispenser
BAR TOOLS FOR MIXING AND POURING:
Double ended Pourers: free pourer and measured Boston shaker Cocktail
jigger shaker w/
handle
Bar spoon Mixing glass Ice shovel Ice tong Ice pick
Store and pour Muddler Squeezer Juicer Bar strainer
Julep strainer Measuring Liquid measuring Standard cocktail
spoon cup shaker
TOOLS AND GARNISHING:
Cutting board Bar knife Bar spoon w/ relish Zester/router/ Nutmeg grater
fork stripper
Glass rimmer Bar caddy Garnishing
caddy/tray
TOOLS FOR SERVING:
Bottle opener Waiter’s Butterfly/wing Bar tray Stirrer/
corksrew type corkscrew swizzle stick
Wine bucket
GLASSWARE
Tumblers:
Shot glass Wheat beer glass Zombie glass Old fashioned High ball glass
glass
Pilsner glass Pint glass Granite glass Vodka shooter Vodka
chimney
Collins glass Yard glass Wine decanter Juice glass Carafe
Footed Ware:
Squall glass Irish coffee glass Banquet goblet Brandy snifter Footed high
ball
Absinthe glass Footed rock Cordial glass Pousse café glass Dutch brandy
glass glass
Brandy inhaler Footed pilsner Wise goblet Parfait glass Frappe glass
glass
Stemware: Cocktail glasses
Cocktail glass Margarita glass Poco grande glass California Sour glass
cocktail
Stemware: Wine glasses
Sherry/port White wine glass Red wine glass Champagne Flute
wine glass saucer champagne
Champagne Sherry wine Sherry copita All-purpose wine Chardonnay
tulip glass glass wine glass
Riesling glass Sauvignon glass Ice wine glass Merlot wine glass Pinot noir
wine glass
Shiraz wine
glass
Stemware: Stemmed beer goblet/glass
Beer mug:
Beer schooner Beer mug
