BAR OPERATIONS
By Dr.Vikash Prasad
Syllabus
BAR OPERATIONS
A. Types of Bar
B. Area of Bar
C. Front Bar
D. Back Bar
E. Under Bar (Speed Rack, Garnish Container, Ice
well etc.)
F. Bar Stock
G. Bar Control
H. Bar Staffing
I. Opening and closing duties
Introduction
Bar is a licence premises selling all kinds of alcoholic beverages to the
customers.
It is further classifies into two:
On premises
Off Premises
In on premises bar the organisation is authorised to sell alcoholic beverages to
guest while they are seated and the guest can enjoy the drink in the premises.
These bars does not allows the customers to take the bottle out of the outlet.
On premises bars sells fermented beverages by bottle and spirits are to be sold
by pegs not by bottle.
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On the other hand off premises bars are the bars which is permitted to sell
alcohol by bottle only, not by peg. Even the customers are not allowed to enjoy
the drink at or near off premises bars. At any cost they are not authorised to sell
spirits by measuring pegs.
Types of Bar
1. Pubs – They serve beer and is attached to a brewery.
2. Dispense Bar – It is also known as Back Bar or Support bar. It is mostly
located at the back area. It is not an F&B outlet. Its main function is to
supply drinks to the F&B outlets not having their bar inventories. They
even prepare the cocktails for the outlets. Drinks are supplied against the
BOT.
3. Lounge Bar- Lounge is an area meant for relaxing which is normally
located near the reception area. Some hotels have lounge bar which
serves all kinds of alcoholic beverages to the guests at the lounge.
4. Banquet Bar – It’s a temporary bar set up in banquets to serve alcoholic
drinks during specific function. The type and quantity of drinks to be
served are generally predetermined at the time of booking the function.
The drinks can be purchased by the host from the hotel as the agreed rates
or the host can gets its own bottle and get served by the hotel staff, in this
case a corkage charges will be levied.
5. Cocktail Bar – These bars they serve all kinds of cocktails along with
other alcoholic beverages. It is also known as public bar, main bar or
guest bar.
Area of a Bar
Generally 15 – 20 % of the outlet area is allocated for the bar counter and the bar as an outlet
is always located in a convenient position of the hotel.
• 15-18 sq.ft is required per person.
• Always situated near the foyer of the hotel.
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Parts of bar
There are three main parts of a bar. They are as under:
• Front bar
• Under bar
• Back bar
Front bar consists of:
• Bar counter- Formica, wood, granite and heat resistant glass is used for the counter.
• Leg rail.
• Ladies hand bag rail.
• Arm rest (rounded off for comfort).
• Height of the front bar is 4 feet.
• Width of the bar counter is 16- 18 inches.
• The height of the bar stools are ranging from 2 feet – 3 feet.
Under bar
• Under bar is the work station (work area) of the bartender.
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• Under bar is the area between the front bar and the back bar.
• Under bar is a 3 feet access aisle for the bartender.
• Under bar consists of the following equipments:
Sinks, refrigerators, chillers, bottle well, speed rail, glass rail, draught beer tap, fountain bar
mixers, cobra dispensers, blenders, electric glass washers, bar mats and sometimes POS
system.
Back bar
• The back bar liquor display constitutes the back bar.
• Often mirrors are placed in the back bar counter in order to increase the virtual space.
• Cowboys often used to spot their enemies with the help of the mirror placed in the
back bar.
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Bar Layout of parts of Bar
Bar Layout of parts
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Some important bar terms:
Bar die
• Vertical wall kind fixture that separates bar counter from rest of the room.
Cash bar
• During banquet functions cash bar is set up where guests pay cash and consume.
Well drink
• Pouring brand or house brand served from the well situated at a waist level of the
bartender for fast service inside a bar (generally premium and regular brands).
• Call brand –all deluxe imported brands on display.
Free pour
• The dispensing of alcoholic beverages without using any measuring devices.
Generally the bartender pours the liquor with the help of a measuring count. One
should be careful to prevent wastage.
Drip Rail
Speed Rail
Bottle rack that stacks bottles of pouring brands and popular brands for easy and speedy
access.
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Speed Pourer
A knob attached at neck of the bottle which helps in free flow of beverages.
Mini Bar
Bar which is set in guest rooms in hotel in a form of Mini refrigerator with miniature
alcoholic beverages being set in that refrigerator.
Ullages
The loss of wine/alcoholic beverages during shipment is known as ullages. The other
meaning is the gap between the cork and alcohol layer is bottle is also known as ullage.
Corkage
The charge which is charged to the guest for all cork or crown cap of the bottles opened
during function. In this case the bottle is being bought by the guest. The rate for bottles
opening charges is being set by the hotel, well in advance.
Call Brands
The brands which is being called by guests. These brands are the premium brands.
Bar Optics
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It’s used in bar, in which when you press the knob with glass from bottom, then the bar optics
dispense the set measurement of alcohol.
Bottle Well
The structure which is used in under bar to hold the bottles.
Bar Equipments
In Journal
Bar Stock
In journal
BOT
Bar order ticket, which is used for taking and placing beverage orders in bar /Restaurant.
On the rocks
Dry
Measures the sweetness in any alcoholic beverages.
Different Liquor Licenses
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Opening and Closing Duties of a Bar Tender
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Bar Records and Controls
Daily Consumption Record
This record shows the daily consumption of liquors offered in the bar.
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Par Stock form (Beverages)
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Inter Bar Transfer
Many a times what’s happens that a F&B outlet is out of stock of any
particular brand, and even store is not in any state of supplying that
brands, but some other F&B outlet of that same hotel has that brand bottle
extra with them, In this case the outlet who is out of stock can request the
other outlet having the stock to give that bottle of beverage to them, so
that the guest order can and taken and there is no revenue loss to the
hotel. In this case this request has to done with the help of Inter Bar
transfer note.
This is needed so that there is proper movement of bottle and inventory
management.
In Many hotels it adds to the inventory of the outlet who has requested for
the transfer, and it is deducted from the inventory of the outlet who has
given the bottle on receiving the transfer note.
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Beverage Requisition
Function Liquor Consumption form
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Bar Frauds
Staff may bring their own spirit bottles, sells the contents and pocket the money
without recording the sales.
Staff may under pour the drinks and sell the drinks, thus saved without recording and
pocket the cash
Staff may use personal measuring device which is smaller than the ones issued by
excise department.
The staff may not record the revenue from the individual drinks till they reach the
normal number of drinks from a bottle and then record a full bottle sale and pocket the
difference.
The staff may bill for more number of drinks to a group of guests, usually in a
function catering than actually served.
Reuse of bills of similar orders.
Remedies
Good beverage control system is in operations.
Changing the shifts and duties of the staff frequently.
Taking daily stock of the bar during and at the end of the operations.
Avoiding VOID KOT in bar operations, or VOID KOT should be supported by
justification written by the outlet manager.
Bar Book to be maintained every day end.
Note: Do read Books for detailed informations.
Bibliography
singarvelvan, R. (2011). Food and Beverge Service. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Vara Prasad, G. K. (2010). F&B Simplified. delhi: Pearsons.
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