Beer-tending & Mixology

BEER-TENDING AND
MIXOLOGY

THE TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT,

GARNISHES & GLASSWARE
Beer-tending
Theres more to serving beer than simply pulling the
tap handle or opening the bottle. Your drawing or
pouring technique should give the correct foam head
size. Your equipment should be properly set up and
maintained. Your glassware should be clean, to
enhance the look and taste of the beer. All beer
should be served ice cold.

Packaged Beer
(Bottles or Cans)
To pour packaged beer, place the neck of the
bottle, or lip of the can, over the edge of a
scrupulously clean beer glass, without touching it to
the glasss rim. Quickly raise the bottom of the
bottle or can to a high angle, causing the beer to gurgle
into the glass until a fine head is created. Then, lower
the bottom of the bottle or can, reducing the flow of beer
into the glass until the foam rises to the rim. Depending on
the glass size, you may not empty the can or bottle. In that
case, place the can or bottle, with the label facing the guest, to
the right of their beer glass.

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BEER-TENDING
Draft Beer
When pouring a beer from a tap, open the tap all the way in a
quick, smooth motion by grasping the tap handle at its
base (pulling the tap handle at the top opens the tap too
slowly, causing the beer to draw foamy). At the
beginning of the pour, tilt the glass slightly, but do
not touch the glass to the beer spout. Then
straighten the glass as you pour, topping the
beer with a collar of 3/4 inch to 1 inch of foam.

Beer Best-Practices

Remember:
Clean glass
Ice-cold beer

*
*

* Top Pro Tip

Prior to pouring, ask the guest, Shall I
pour for you? Some people prefer to pour
their own beer or drink directly from the
bottle or can.

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MIXOLOGY

TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Pictures of all the tools, equipment and garnishes you need to know follow this section.

* Top Pro Tip

Always use a fresh glass. It may seem like a small thing, but its the easiest one to get right
never re-use a cocktail glass. Always give the guest a fresh glass, even if theyve ordered
another round of the same thing. This goes for all beverages including beer, wine by the glass,
and cocktails. Tap and large-sized bottled water may be re-poured into the existing glass. A
second single-serving bottle of mineral water should be served with a fresh glass.

Measuring
Jigger Measuring Technique
Half the battle of getting a good drink is following the recipe thats why we jigger
measure all of our spirits. The jigger you use should have a 1 ounce side and a 2 ounce
side. Check the markings on yours to be sure. When jigger-measuring, dont trail
your pour of spirits over the glass or jigger, or otherwise over-pour. It throws the drink,
and your costs, off-balance. Rinse the jigger between uses, especially after pouring
sticky, sweet or creamy ingredients where the residue can affect the taste of the next
drink made.

Jigger
Double-sided cups used for measuring spirits and cordials.

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MIXOLOGY

TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Shaking
The proper use of the shaker can make all the difference between a mediocre drink and a great
one. With practice, anyone can learn to shake a great cocktail. The technique varies slightly
depending on the type of shaker used. Heres how to do it with each of the most common
shaker types (defined below).

Bullet Shaker Technique

Measure the ingredients into the tin, and add ice. Affix the strainer and cap, and shake
hard. The proper amount of shaking is roughly to a count of ten, depending on the ice
cube size smaller cubes melt more quickly and take a little less shaking; larger cubes
take a little more.

Bullet Shaker (also called the Cobbler Shaker)

This shaker is named for its sleek, glamorous shape. There are three parts: the top cap unscrews
or lifts off to reveal the strainer, covering a tumbler-shaped tin. This shaker also comes in an
individual single-serving cocktail size.

Boston Shaker Technique

Build the ingredients in the glass side so you can see what youre doing. Add the ice.
Invert the metal tin over the glass (keep the glass resting on the bar), and tap it firmly
to seal. After creating the seal, invert the whole assemblage together so that the glass
is on top, and the metal tin is resting on the bar. Tap again to seal. Now grasp the
metal half firmly with one hand, and with your other hand cup the bottom of the glass
half with a firm grip. Now, shake like heck hard, and long. Get a rhythm going in
your head to shake to; try BOOM shacka-lacka-lacka BOOM shacka-lacka-lacka. Proper
shaking makes a great drink, and adds to the festive sound and show of a busy bar.

Boston Shaker
This shaker comprises just 2 pieces (often sold separately) the pint mixing glass and the metal
tumbler-shaped tin. For stirred drinks, use the glass side to measure your ingredients, add ice,
then stir.

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TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Shaking (continued)
Short Shaker Technique
Place the short shaker directly over the cocktail (like the Caipirinha) in the serving glass
(the glass that the guest will drink from) and vigorously shake for additional blending.

Short Shaker (also called a cheat tin)

This shaker is a single piece tumbler that looks like a smaller version of the stainless steel portion
of the Boston shaker. This shaker is normally used with the serving glass for drinks that are
muddled in a rocks glass.

Breaking the seal

With a bullet shaker, be careful when removing the top, because the pressure built up inside
from shaking sometimes causes the ingredients to spout up a bit when the top is opened. With
a Boston shaker or short shaker, breaking the seal is easy with a little practice. With the glass
half still on top, grasp the unit with one hand, where the glass and metal come together, with
two fingers wrapped around the glass half, and two fingers and your thumb curled around the
metal half. With the heel of your other hand, tap the rim of the metal shaker firmly, and this will
break the seal.

* Top Pro Tip

Plan Ahead If appropriate to the recipe, prepare your glass, i.e., add ice and water for chilling,
before starting to mix the cocktail.

Shake Like You Mean It When a drink is to be shaken, really shake it! A wimpy jiggle or two
doesnt achieve the very important purpose of shaking drinks, which is to incorporate water
and ice fragments into the drink (to balance the other ingredients), and to incorporate air
bubbles into the drink, giving it an effervescence and liveliness on the tongue. Carbonated
ingredients should never be shaken.

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TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Stirring
Stirring Technique
For stirred drinks, build the drink in the tumbler portion of the bullet shaker, or the glass
side of the Boston shaker. Add ice, push the bowl portion of the bar spoon all the way
down to the bottom of the glass, and then stir rhythmically in a circular motion (jiggling
the spoon doesnt do it). Like shaking, stirring cant be rushed, and the number of
times you stir depends on the size of your ice cubes. If youve got small cubes or
chips, they melt quickly so 20 or 30 times should do it. For large cubes, 50 times is
about right. Never stir with the handle of the bar spoon. If you put a slight bend in
the handle of your spoon, the stirring motion is easier than if the spoon is arrow-straight.

Bar Spoon
This long-handled spoon is used for stirred drinks.

Straining
Straining Technique
To strain a shaken or stirred drink into your prepared glass, use either the julep strainer,
with the concave side face-up, the cup facing down (for straining from the glass
portion of a Boston shaker); or the Hawthorn/spring strainer (for straining from metal
shaker tins), spring-side down, with the metal tabs resting on the rim of the shaker tin.
Either way, strain with one hand, holding the shaker firmly, with your thumb, third and
little fingers, and holding the strainer in place with your index and middle fingers (keep
them back out of the way of the flowing liquid). Pour slowly into the prepared glass,
lifting the shaker high as you pour the last few drops, for the final flourish. If youve
measured, and shaken or stirred, correctly, the drink should fit the glass, with no
waste or overflow.

Hawthorn Strainer
The Hawthorn strainer, or spring strainer, is used when straining from the metal side of the
Boston shaker.

Julep Strainer
The Julep strainer (the scoop-shaped one with the holes) is used with the glass portion of the
Boston shaker.
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MIXOLOGY

TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Muddling
Muddling Technique
Muddling has re-emerged as an important technique thanks to the new-found
popularity of Latin cocktails like the Caipirinha from Brazil, and Cubas Mojito. The flat
end of the muddler, a wooden, bat-shaped tool, is used to crush and release the
essential oils in ingredients like fresh mint and citrus. An orange slice and a maraschino
cherry are muddled with sugar to make the classic cocktail called the Old Fashioned.
Dont be delicate about muddling for the best flavor, really smash and crush the
ingredients.

Muddler
A bat-shaped tool at least 6 inches long used for crushing fruit in cocktails.

Rimming
Rimming Technique
Proper rimming of a glass with salt or sugar does not mean dipping the mouth of
the glass in a funky sponge soaked in an unknown liquid. Salt rimmers are great for
storing salt and sugar to keep them clean and dry; however, avoid using the sponge
thats often included it is difficult to clean and keep fresh, and thus is often filled
with bacteria.
Its easy to properly rim a glass. Heres how: Holding the stem or base of an empty
glass, use a fresh lemon (for sugar) or lime (for salt) wedge to moisten the outside rim
of the glass. (Moistening the inside rim causes the sugar or salt to cake on thickly, and
to dissolve into the drink itself). Lastly, hold the glass over the sink and gently tap the
glass to remove the excess salt or sugar.

Salt/Sugar Rimmer
A three-compartment container used to store salt and sugar.
* Top Pro Tip
Never rim a frozen glass. As the frost on the outside of the glass starts to dissipate, it causes
the sugar or salt to slide down the outside of the glass, making it messy for your guests to hold.
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TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Other Techniques
Build
To build means to add each drink ingredient consecutively to a serving glass (usually
ice-filled), leaving it up to the guest to mix the ingredients together.

Float
Some recipes call for ingredients to float on top of a cocktail (e.g., rum, grenadine,
Grand Marnier). A float refers to a small amount of a liquid that sits on top of a cocktail
without becoming mixed in. The procedure is simple, just pour the ingredient slowly
over the back of the bar spoon (which is held at the drinks surface) after you have
completed preparing the cocktail. Make sure you leave enough room in the glass when
preparing cocktails that call for a float to avoid overflowing.

Top
To top means to fill in bartender lingo. If a recipe calls for a top (e.g., club soda,
lemon/lime soda) leave enough room in the glass when making the cocktail to add the
top. The top is added last and left to the guest to mix in. Many cocktail recipes that
call for a top use the shake technique, and the carbonated top is added last, after
shaking. Never shake carbonated ingredients.

Rolling
When making any drink containing tomato juice, including the Bloody Mary, roll the
drink instead of shaking it. Shaking drinks containing tomato juice creates an
unpleasant frothy consistency and also separates the tomato juice. Gently pour (roll)
the drink back and forth between the glass side and the stainless steel tin side of
the Boston shaker to thoroughly blend the ingredients. Rolling can be done with or
without ice.

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TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Additional Tools and Equipment
Can opener (church key), bottle popper, wine opener/corkscrew
Our standard specs for each are chosen for ease of use, so you can do your work with speed
and precision. More than anything, guests hate to wait to get served. Read more about using
a corkscrew in the No Sweat Wine Service section of this Guide.

Paring knife, cutting knife, cutting board

Every bar needs these tools for properly preparing garnishes. Clean and dry them between
uses.

Tongs
Use tongs to place garnishes in a drink (except for citrus wedges, slices or twists meant to be
squeezed into the drink).

Ice scoop
Always use an ice scoop, and never a glass or your hands, to scoop ice for making your drinks.

Speed pourer
A reusable one-piece tapered spout that fits on a standard spirits/cordial bottle. The pourer
allows controlled fast pouring without dripping. Make sure that you rinse the pourer before
placing on a new product to prevent the residue from the previous bottle altering the taste of
the next few drinks made.

Hand-held citrus juicer

Used to easily and effectively squeeze the fresh juice from a lemon or lime half.

Citrus zester
The citrus zester is used for cutting citrus peels/twists and citrus spirals. This tool is
indispensable for creating the best possible citrus twists and spirals for your cocktails.

Nutmeg grater
Used for grating fresh nutmeg over cocktails.

Whipped cream dispenser

Used to create the freshest possible whipped cream garnish for cocktails and hot drinks.

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TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Tools for Preserving Wine
Private Preserve Wine Preserver gas
Private Preserve is an aerosol canister that lays a blanket of inert gas over the wine in a partiallyfull bottle to prevent oxidation. The canister has a tube extension that is attached to the spray
head. Insert the tube into the neck of the opened wine bottle and spray. Immediately recork
the bottle with the original cork. Do not use Private Preserve on Champagne or sparkling wine.

Vacu Vin wine bottle pump and rubber stoppers

This is a vacuum-seal hand pump that, when used properly, extracts the air from an opened
bottle of wine to slow down oxidation, and thus preserve its freshness longer. Place the reusable
rubber stopper in the open wine like you would a cork. Place the vacuum pump over the rubber
stopper and pump repeatedly until you feel resistance. Do not use the Vacu Vin pump on
Champagne or sparkling wine.

Champagne closure (also known as a clam shell)

This clam shell type of closure clamps over the top of the bottle and seals it, preserving the
natural bubbles in the Champagne/sparkling wine.

On the following pages we show pictures of all the basic tools and equipment you need to know.

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TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

a . Bar Spoon

b. Hawthorn Strainer
(spring strainer)
c . Julep Strainer
b

d. Boston Shaker
2 sections:
glass & stainless steel

e . Jigger
f . Short Shaker
(cheat tin)
g. Bullet Shaker
small or individual

h . Bullet Shaker
large

i . Muddler

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TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

a . Nutmeg Grater

b . Citrus Zester

c . Paring Knife
d . Cutting Knife
e . Cutting Board
c

f . Citrus Juicer
hand held
d

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TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

a . Can Opener
(church key)
b. Bottle Popper

c . Corkscrew

(waiters friend)
two examples
c

d. Tongs
e . Ice Scoop

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TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

a . Champagne Stopper
(clam shell stopper)

b. Private Preserve Wine Preserver

c . Whipped Cream Dispenser

d. Vacu Vin Wine Pump

with Rubber Stoppers
e . Speed Pourer - three
f . Salt/Sugar Rimmer

d
e

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COCKTAIL GARNISHES
The Basics
Freshness first! The basic rules for preparing garnishes are: cut only the amount of citrus you
will need to cover no more than one shift or one day. Citrus will rarely last over night and remain
in quality condition to enhance the cocktails youve worked so hard to mix. Before cutting,
wash the fruit, then remove the end pieces or poles, cut and seed the sections. Cut citrus
should look and taste fresh and beautiful without any sign of brown edges or drying out. If
cocktail olives, onions, and cherries have been used during a previous shift, ensure that they
were stored properly and remain in good condition, in clean trays or other appropriate
containers. If they are crushed or look old, discard them. Regardless of the type of garnish, it
is food. Handle it as you would any other perishable item, and store covered in the refrigerator.

Garnishing and Cutting Techniques

Note: All fresh fruit should be thoroughly washed and dried before cutting. Remove all
stickers and labels by peeling or cutting them off.

Lemon, lime, and orange peel or twist Use the channel knife portion of the citrus zester to cut
three-inch-long, thin pieces of citrus peel, avoiding the white pith. They dry out quickly, so
dont over-prep. Twist the peel over the drink to release its fragrant oils atop the cocktail,
before dropping into the drink.

Citrus spiral (sometimes called a horses neck) A long unbroken spiral of citrus made
using the citrus zester. See the photo demonstrating this technique in the garnish photo gallery
section of this Guide.

Lemon and lime wedges Proper cuts for lemon and lime wedges are as follows:

Remove the end sections or poles from the fruit.

Cut the fruit in half lengthwise.

Cut each half of the fruit into 3 wedges making sure to remove all the seeds. An entire
piece of fruit (either lemon or lime) should yield 6 wedges.

The wedge is used for a squeeze garnish, or hinged on the glass rim as directed by the recipe.
It is accepted that citrus garnishes are squeezed in the drink by the bartender. Otherwise use
tongs to place garnishes in drinks.

Orange slices Slice oranges horizontally, into rounds approximately 1/4 inch thick, then cut
each round into half moon shaped slices. Slices are either muddled as in the Old Fashioned, or
hinged on the rim as directed by the recipe.
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COCKTAIL GARNISHES
Garnishing and Cutting Techniques
(continued)
Pineapple wedge Using the cutting knife, cut the pineapple into 1/2 inch thick rounds
horizontally. Then cut each round in quarters. Each round should yield 4 wedges. Do not
remove the outer skin. Serve hinged on the rim of the glass, or as directed by the recipe.

Orange flag The classic garnish for Sours and Collinses is a maraschino cherry plus an orange
slice folded together and speared. Serve hinged on the rim of the glass or as directed by the
recipe.

Pineapple flag This classic garnish for tropical drinks consists of a maraschino cherry plus a
pineapple wedge stacked and speared together. Serve hinged on the rim of the glass or as
directed by the recipe.

Celery stalk This is the classic garnish for the Bloody Mary, used in addition to a lime wedge.
Place the cleaned and trimmed celery stalk directly in the glass.

Fresh mint Used both for garnishing and for muddling in drinks like the Mint Julep, the Mojito
and the Caipirinha.

* Top Pro Tip

To keep fresh mint in peak condition, place the sprigs in a glass of fresh, cold water and store in
the refrigerator.

orange slices
lime wedges
lemon wedges

olives
cherries
onions

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COCKTAIL GARNISHES

Lemon Wedge

Lime Wedge

Orange Slice

Orange Flag

Lemon Peel/Twist

Pineapple Wedge

Note: Lime and Orange would be identical

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COCKTAIL GARNISHES

Lemon Spiral (Horses Neck)

Creating a Citrus Spiral

Note: Lime and Orange would be identical

Pineapple Flag

Mint Sprig

Celery Stalk
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COCKTAIL GARNISHES
Creative Garnish Ideas to Jazz-Up your
Cocktail Program
Remember, for all garnishes freshness first!

Try using a melon baller to make fruit garnish spheres.

Serve candy or a salty nibble in a small dish next to the drink.
Be creative and experiment with whats in season or locally available.

UNUSUAL
GARNISHES

DRIED or CANDIED
FRUIT

FRESH FRUITS &

BERRIES

PICKLED or FRESH
VEGETABLES

PAPER
ACCESSORIES

(great for Bloody Marys)

Chocolate kiss

Banana chips

Banana

(served on the side)

Edible flowers
Blueberries

Olives
Blueberry

Candied ginger

Onions
Cherry

Green or other
colored and/or
flavored
cherries
Hard candy
(served on the side)

Kumquats
Lychee fruit
Nuts

Cherries

Peppers
Guava

Coconut
Kiwi
Cranberries
Mango
Melon
Papaya
Peach
Starfruit
Strawberry
Watermelon

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Paper parasols
Specialty straws

Blackberry

Ginkgo nuts
(served on the side)

Cucumber
spear or slices

Cherry
tomatoes

GLASSWARE
The Basics
What glassware do you need?
The range and style of glassware your bar needs depends on the type of business you expect
to have: Lobby lounge standards (highballs, beers)? A signature Martini program? Blended
coolers at a pool bar? An ambitious wine-by-the-glass program? For any or all of these
situations, here are the glassware basics to keep in mind:

Storage
Back-bar storage is usually very limited, necessitating careful planning of your glassware lineup.
For a signature Martini program, you may need space for a reach-in refrigerator or (even better)
a freezer for chilling your Martini glasses. You may need a glass-washer, or at least space for
storing soiled glassware before washing racks are better than bus bins for this purpose, to
minimize breakage.

Specialty Wine Stems

If you have an ambitious wine by the glass program, large balloon-shaped or other specialty
wine stems can be nice to enhance the aroma and flavor of fine wines (though a different shape
for every wine type isnt necessary). Give extra attention to pouring the right pour size (6
ounces). The glasses are not intended to be filled up the extra empty space in the glass
allows swirling the wine to showcase the aromas.

Glass Size
Bigger isnt necessarily better. Nearly all classic cocktail recipes, including ours, are calibrated
to make a delicious, balanced drink in normal-sized, rather than over-sized, glassware. Big
glasses throw off proportions, costs, or both. As the guest enjoys the drink, it warms, the ice
melts, and the taste loses its freshness long before the cocktails depleted. Giant Martini
glasses, though they look impressive, are a prime example of these drawbacks the Martini
tastes chilled, fresh and vibrant for the first few sips, then the flavor and appeal go downhill fast.
Its far more delicious, responsible, and cost-effective to offer a fabulously-crafted Martini in a
reasonable size, at a reasonable price. If the guest desires a second drink, they get a fresh one
rather than the leftovers from a monster glass. On the following page we list the basic glass
options.

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GLASSWARE
Basic Types & Shapes

Rock Glass

Snifter

Martini Glass
(also called a Cocktail Glass)

Pilsner Glass (also called a Catalina

Glass used for specialty cocktails)

Pint Glass

White Wine Glass

Red Wine Glass

Champagne Flute

Highball Glass

i i/C k il (0212)

Iced Beverage (0218)

Pony Glass (also called a Port

or Sherry Glass)

Sh

(0211)

Shot Glass

Irish Coffee Mug (0218)

Traditional Irish Coffee Mug

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Iced Beverage