Module 6.

Understanding beverage service

Lesson 1. Beverage

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:

⚫ Identify terms, related to beverages service.

⚫ Describe the different tools and equipment commonly used in the bar

⚫ Differentiate the kinds of beverages and classify beverage items

according to brand.

⚫ Create a concoction of alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages

Introduction

Beverages play an important role in accompanying food. Beverages also

enhance flavor of main dish and help to cleanse the taste buds in between

bites and complement the dish. Hot beverages such as hot tea or coffee, and

hot chocolate are prepared in the kitchen and generally served from the

kitchen pantry. Cold beverages such as mocktails and alcoholic beverages

such as spirits, liquors, and cocktails come to the guests’ tables from bars.
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Hot Beverages: These are served hot. Hot beverages typically include

tea, masala tea (spiced tea), milk, hot chocolate, and variants of coffee

such as expresso, latte, and cappuccino.)

Cold Beverages: These are served and consumed while chilled. Cold

beverages include juices, mocktails, coolers, cold versions of tea and

coffee, milkshakes, carbonated drinks, mocktails, and sherbets.

Mocktails- a nonalcoholic drink consisting of a mixture of fruit juices or

other soft drinks.

Alcoholic Beverages

These beverages are usually served cold. Alcoholic beverages are

intoxicating and contain ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Such

beverages need to undergo fermentation and distillation to generate alcohol

contents. The percentage of alcohol varies in the range of 0.5% to 95%

depending upon the methods of fermentation and distillation.

 ∙ Wine, Cider, Perry, and Champaign are fermented alcohols.

∙ Beer, ale, and lager are fermented and brewed alcohols.

∙ Gin, Vodka, Whisky, Rum, Brandy, and Tequila are distilled alcohols.

●Cocktails – mixed alcohols

Types of Bars

A bar is a place where non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages are served. It is

equipped with a back bar with necessary equipment such as bar tools, and

glassware to serve the beverages. The customers sit on tall push-down

chairs around the counter. The barmen or barmaids commonly known as

bartenders prepare drinks and serve them to the customers. There are some

typical types of bars:

● Public: It is a bar in a public house which is open for public and not

exclusive.

● Service Bar: It is for the staff.

● Portable: They are compact bars easy to set up for off-premise

catering.
 ● Mini: It is a private bar located in VIP rooms, suites, or penthouses of

the hotel.

Bar Terminologies

Bar Spoon – a long mixing spoon which often has a lemon zester or

something similar on the other end.

Bitters – a herbal alcoholic blend which is meant to be added to other

cocktails to enhance flavor (e.g a Manhattan is rye, sweet vermouth and

a couple dashes of bitters). Angostura Bitters is one of the most popular

brands and was first invented by a German physician for stomach

maladies in 1824.

Blend – To mix up ingredients and ice in an electric blender.

Build – A bar term meaning to make a drink – starting with ice and then

‘building’ the drink by adding the other ingredients (i.e. alcohol, juice,

garnish etc).

Call Drink – Refers to when the customer orders a drink by giving both

the specific name of the liquor and the name of the mixer. E.g. Tanqueray

Ten and Tonic, Bacardi and Coke.

Chill – To chill a glass add ice and then water to any glass and let sit for

a minute or two (while mixing the drink in a shaker). Pour out the

contents of the glass and strain the drink into the chilled glass. This bar

terminology is often used for martinis.

Cocktail – A mix of alcohol and / or liqueurs combined with a mixer (like

soda or juice) and often shaken.

Dash – A few drops or a very small amount of an ingredient.

Dirty – Adding olive juice to a martini which makes it a Dirty Martini.

Dry – It means with dry vermouth and it's used in gin martinis. Dry in

general may also mean lack of sugar or sweetness.

Well Drink- A drink is a drink made with the cheapest liquor available at

the bar.

Premium Drink - A drink made from expensive liquor.

Draught beer (Draft beer)- A beer drawn from a metal barrel or keg.

House Wine - The less expensive wine served at the bar.

Frozen - It means blended. Example: Frozen Margarita

Neat- It means without ice and served in an old-fashioned glass. It is

used when ordering liquor by itself.

On the rocks - It means drink served with ice cubes in old-fashioned

glass.
Sweet- It means with sweet vermouth and it's used in gin martinis and

vodka martinis. Example: Sweet Martini.

Top Shelf- It means premium brands or drink or best liquors available in

the bar.

Garnish – A garnish is something added to a drink after the ingredients

to enhance the presentation. 

Layer – Layering a shot or drink is done the same way as floating. The

heavier alcohol goes on the bottom and the next, lighter alcohol gets

floated on top using a careful pour down the side of the glass or a pour

over an inverted spoon.

Muddle – To crush up ingredients with a special tool called a muddler.

This is done for drinks such as the Mojito – where the muddling process

extracts essential oils and flavors (from the mint leaves in case of the

Mojito).

Rim – To rim a glass, first wet the rim with a lime, or the lime juice in

a rimmer, then gently press the rim of the glass into a saucer of salt
Bar Tools

The following tools are necessary to serve beverages from bar:

∙ Bar Linen and Cocktail Napkins: They are used to save work area from

any mess while pouring

the beverage.

∙ Pouring Spouts: They make smooth serving of beverage apportioned

equally into the glasses.

∙ Juice Containers: They are useful to save bartending time by keeping

most demanded juices handy.

∙ Cocktail Shaker Tins: They are suitable for mixing the ingredients of

cocktails and martinis well.

∙ Short Shaker Tins: They are used to shake small amount of drinks

efficiently.

∙ Cocktail Strainer: It is used to sieve cocktails before serving.

∙ Corkscrew or Wine Opener: They are used to open corks of wine bottles.

∙ Bottle Opener: They are used to open caps of bottled beverages.

∙ Jigger: It is an alcohol measuring two-sided cup.

∙ Lemon Zester: It is used for cutting lemon zest.

∙ Masher: It is used to mash ingredients to help release oils and flavors

effectively.
Dram Shop Liability

The Dram Shop Liability in US is the body of law that governs the liability of

alcohol stores and the commercial establishments where alcohol is served.

This body endeavors to protect the society from the unpleasant outcomes of

serving alcohol to minors and intoxicated people.

Summary

A bar is a place where non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages are served. It is

equipped with a back bar with necessary equipment such as bar tools, and

glassware to serve the beverages.

There are two categories of beverages it is non-alcoholic and alcoholic

beverages. Non-alcoholic beverages examples are hot and cold beverages it

may include coffee, milk, tea, juices, waters, energy drinks while alcoholic

beverages are fermented, distilled, brewed, cocktails.