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Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/808089
www.cheersonline.com 47 March/April 2017 • 4) PROPERLY LABEL AND STORE PERISHABLE AND OTHER INGREDIENTS. Bar staff at Manuela works with the kitchen to keep bar produce separate and organized. Herbs and garnishes are stored behind the bar. "Labeling is very important," says Kotantoulas. "Every ingredient, fresh juice and infusion that we make that has a shelf life is labeled with a date." At the 460-seat Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab location in Chicago, which does 2,800 cocktails per week, citrus and juice mixes are made fresh in-house every day. They're stored in a low-humidity and temperature-controlled environment in clearly marked bottles within arm's reach, and discarded at the end of every evening. Garnishes such as fresh mint, lime wedges and wheels and other fruit may be fine the next day, but their flavors change slightly as they dry, says Swain at Bourbon Steak. He offers leftovers like fresh orange juice to his staff to take home. 5) ORGANIZE PRODUCTS TO SERVE BEST SELLERS. The beverage team at Patrick Henry Creative Promotions recommends carefully reviewing the numbers. Use historical sales data—including previous year, month, week and day—to anticipate future sales' expectations and adjust production and placement of ingredients accordingly. Review your product mix report and ensure you can make all of your top-selling cocktails within two steps from the ice bin. Bratt concurs: "If vodka-based cocktails rank among the highest-volume sales, that spirit should be zoned in the rail closest to the station of service, limiting the number of steps needed to retrieve the items frequently used." At PCH, Diedrich says everything on the bartop and in the wells is placed with one arm's reach and half a step away. This equates to fewer and more precise movements, which is faster for bartenders and reduces fatigue. 6) DON'T SKIMP ON SLIP MATS. The function of proper mats goes beyond bartender comfort, Bratt points out. "Slip-resistant bar mats are a necessity when it comes to avoiding slips [and falls]," he says. Mats can also lessen the frequency of dropped bottles or glassware actually breaking. To keep staffers safe, make sure your mat is kept in good condition and replace regularly as needed, says Swain. Bourbon Steak replaces the bar mat at least every six months, even before it starts to wear down. 7) KEEP GLASSES MOVING. Glassware can make or break the speed of service, says Kotantoulas; it must remain a priority throughout a shift. Replenishing and polishing the glasses will most likely be a barback's main job during the bulk of his or her shift, but don't let the bar become overrun with dirty glassware and spills. You should also maintain a separate container for broken glass and any other sharp items, recommend Garcia and Moody. And avoid stacking glassware to prevent or minimize broken glasses. 8) ADJUST THE BAR SETUP FREQUENTLY. Garcia and Moody point out that as new programs roll out and as new drinks become top sellers, your setup has to evolve with it. The initial design of many lounges often does not anticipate the current volume. At Bourbon Steak, for instance, constant consolidation and reconfiguration is necessary, Swain says. To that end, the owners recently installed a third well to keep up the pace and streamline the process. Two Roads' Camby Hotel in Phoenix opened a 43-seat gin-focused cocktail bar called the Bee's Knees in 2015. The bar underwent a facelift after a year to improve its efficiency, Bourdon says. For example, the glass washer was relocated to the underused side service station, making it possible to install a second ice well. The underbar's new symmetry has allowed for a double speed rail—twice capacity for liquor bottles. "Without changing any of the infrastructure, plumbing or lighting, we now have the capacity to serve twice as many cocktails to our guests," Bourdon says. Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is a wine, spirits and lifestyle writer, and wine educator, in the Washington, D.C. area. "IF VODKA-BASED COCKTAILS RANK AMONG THE HIGHEST- VOLUME SALES, THAT SPIRIT SHOULD BE ZONED IN THE RAIL CLOSEST TO THE STATION OF SERVICE, LIMITING THE NUMBER OF STEPS NEEDED TO RETRIEVE THE ITEMS FREQUENTLY USED." — Kevin Bratt, concept beverage director for Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab