Beer Tending Mix Ology

8/9/2019 Beer Tending Mix Ology

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Beer-tending & Mixology


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Beer-tending

BEER-TENDING ANDMIXOLOGY –THE TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT,GARNISHES & GLASSWARE

1 | BEER-TENDING AND MIXOLOGY

There’s 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 glass’s 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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Draft BeerBEER-TENDING

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-PracticesRemember:

* 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 it’s the easiest one to get right —

never re-use a cocktail glass. Always give the guest a fresh glass, even if they’ve 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.

Jigger Measuring TechniqueHalf the battle of getting a good drink is following the recipe — that’s 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, don’t “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.

JiggerDouble-sided cups used for measuring spirits and cordials.

Measuring



Shaking

MIXOLOGY –

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. Here’s how to do it with each of the most common

shaker types (defined below).

Bullet Shaker TechniqueMeasure the ingredients into the tin, and add ice. Affix the strainer and cap, and shakehard. 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 TechniqueBuild the ingredients in the glass side so you can see what you’re 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 ShakerThis 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.

TECHNIQUES, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT



Shaking (continued)

MIXOLOGY –

Short Shaker TechniquePlace 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 sealWith 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 themetal 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 twodoesn’t 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.




Stirring

MIXOLOGY –

Stirring TechniqueFor 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 doesn’t do it). Like shaking, stirring can’t be rushed, and the number of

times you stir depends on the size of your ice cubes. If you’ve 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 inthe handle of your spoon, the stirring motion is easier than if the spoon is arrow-straight.

Bar SpoonThis long-handled spoon is used for stirred drinks.

Straining TechniqueTo 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 you’ve

measured, and shaken or stirred, correctly, the drink should “fit” the glass, with no

waste or overflow.

Hawthorn StrainerThe Hawthorn strainer, or spring strainer, is used when straining from the metal side of the

Boston shaker.

Julep StrainerThe Julep strainer (the scoop-shaped one with the holes) is used with the glass portion of the

Boston shaker.

Straining




Muddling

MIXOLOGY –

Muddling TechniqueMuddling has re-emerged as an important technique thanks to the new-found

popularity of Latin cocktails like the Caipirinha from Brazil, and Cuba’s 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.

Don’t be delicate about muddling — for the best flavor, really smash and crush the

ingredients.

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

Rimming TechniqueProper “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

that’s often included — it is difficult to clean and keep fresh, and thus is often filled

with bacteria.

It’ s easy to properly rim a glass. Here’s 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 RimmerA 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.

Rimming




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.

FloatSome 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 drink’s 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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Can opener (church key), bottle popper, wine opener/corkscrew Our standard spec’s 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 boardEvery bar needs these tools for properly preparing garnishes. Clean and dry them between

uses.

TongsUse tongs to place garnishes in a drink (except for citrus wedges, slices or twists meant to be

squeezed into the drink).

Ice scoopAlways 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 juicerUsed 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 isindispensable for creating the best possible citrus twists and spirals for your cocktails.

Nutmeg graterUsed for grating fresh nutmeg over cocktails.

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

Additional Tools and Equipment

MIXOLOGY –





Private Preserve Wine Preserver gasPrivate Preserve is an aerosol canister that lays a blanket of inert gas over the wine in a partially-

full 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 stoppersThis 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.

Tools for Preserving Wine



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TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

a. Bar Spoon

b. Hawthorn Strainer

(spring strainer)

c . Julep Strainer

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


a

d

e

f

h

b

c

d

g

i


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TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

a . Nutmeg Grater

b . Citrus Zester

c . Paring Knife

d . Cutting Knife

e . Cutting Board

f . Citrus Juicer

hand held

a


c

e

d

b

f


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TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

a . Can Opener

(church key)

b. Bottle Popper

c . Corkscrew(waiter’s friend) –

two examples

d. Tongs

e. Ice Scoop


a

c

d

e

b


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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

a

b

c

d

f

e




The BasicsCOCKTAIL GARNISHES

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 you’ve 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.

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 cutthree-inch-long, thin pieces of citrus peel, avoiding the white pith. They dry out quickly, so

don’ t 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 “horse’s neck”) — A long unbroken spiral of citrus madeusing 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 cuteach 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.

Garnishing and Cutting Techniques


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Garnishing and Cutting Techniques(continued)

COCKTAIL GARNISHES

orange sliceslime wedgeslemon wedges

olivescherriesonions


Pineapple wedge — Using the cutting knife, cut the pineapple into 1/2 inch thick roundshorizontally. 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 orangeslice 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 apineapple 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.



COCKTAIL GARNISHES

Lemon Wedge Lime Wedge

Orange Slice Orange Flag

Lemon Peel/TwistNote: Lime and Orange would be identical

Pineapple Wedge



COCKTAIL GARNISHES

Creating a Citrus Spiral Lemon Spiral (Horse’s Neck)Note: Lime and Orange would be identical

Pineapple Flag Mint Sprig

Celery Stalk


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Creative Garnish Ideas to Jazz-Up yourCocktail Program

COCKTAIL GARNISHES

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 what’s in season or locally available.

Chocolate kiss

Edible flowers

Ginkgo nuts

(served on the side)

Green or other

colored and/or

flavored

cherries

Hard candy


Kumquats

Lychee fruit

Nuts

Banana chips


Blueberries

Candied ginger

Cherries

Coconut

Cranberries

Banana

Blackberry

Blueberry

Cherry

Guava

Kiwi

Mango

Melon

Papaya

Peach

Starfruit

Strawberry

Watermelon

Cucumber

spear or slices

Olives

Onions

Peppers

Cherry

tomatoes

Paper parasols

Specialty straws

UNUSUALGARNISHES

DRIED or CANDIEDFRUIT

FRESH FRUITS &BERRIES

PICKLED or FRESHVEGETABLES

(great for Bloody Marys)

PAPERACCESSORIES




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:

StorageBack-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 StemsIf 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 shapefor every wine type isn’t 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 SizeBigger isn’t 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 cocktail’s depleted. Giant Martiniglasses, 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.

It’s 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.

GLASSWAREThe Basics


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Basic Types & ShapesGLASSWARE

IcedBeverage (0218)

Irish Coffee Mug (0218)

Highball Glass Snifter Rock Glass

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

Pony Glass (also called a Port

or Sherry Glass)Shot Glass Iced Beverage

Traditional Irish Coffee Mug

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