The Bar and Beverage Book

The Bar and Beverage Book explains how to manage the beverage option of a restaurant, bar, hotel, country club—any place that serves beverages to customers. It provides readers with the history of the beverage industry and appreciation of wine, beer, and spirits; information on equipping, staffing, managing, and marketing a bar; and the purchase and mixology of beverages. New topics in this edition include changes to regulations regarding the service of alcohol, updated sanitation guidelines, updates to labor laws and the employment of staff, and how to make your operation more profitable. New trends in spirits, wine, and beer are also covered.

Preface vii

Acknowledgements xiii

Chapter 1 The Beverage Industry, Yesterday and Today 1

Chapter 2 Responsible Alcohol Service 31

Chapter 3 Creating and Maintaining A Bar Business 73

Chapter 4 Bar Equipment 123

Chapter 5 The Beverages: Spirits 171

Chapter 6 Wine Appreciation 229

Chapter 7 Wine Sales and Service 275

Chapter 8 Beer 309

Chapter 9 Sanitation and Bar Setup 357

Chapter 10 Mixology, Part One 399

Chapter 11 Mixology, Part Two 433

Chapter 12 Employee Management 471

Chapter 13 Purchasing, Receiving, Storage, and Inventory 521

Chapter 14 Planning For Profit 563

Chapter 15 Managing Your Bar Business 619

Chapter 16 Regulations 651

Glossary 681

Index 711

COSTAS KATSIGRIS is the Director Emeritus of the Food and Hospitality Service Program at El Centro Community College in Dallas, Texas, and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. He is also the coauthor of Design and Equipment for Restaurants and Foodservice, published by Wiley.

CHRIS THOMAS is a professional writer, based in Seattle, Washington, and Boise, Idaho, who specializes in food and wine topics. She is also coauthor of Design and Equipment for Restaurants and Foodservice and Off-Premise Catering Management, published by Wiley.

THE FULLY STOCKED GUIDE TO FIVE-STAR BAR AND BEVERAGE SERVICE

Imagine if the ability to mix a drink was the only skill needed for a successful beverage operation! But in today’s market, people who sell beverages in bars, restaurants, hotels, and catering companies need to know much more than mixology. While the mixing and serving of drinks is extremely important, so is having a thorough understanding of wine, beer, and spirits; knowledge of how to equip, staff, manage, and market a bar; the legal and regulatory environment of serving alcohol; and how to be profitable in running a beverage operation. The Bar and Beverage Book provides all this information and more for anyone looking to thrive in this ultra-competitive industry.

The Bar and Beverage Book, Fifth Edition provides new material and information on trends and changes across the industry, including:

• New trends in spirits, wine, and beer, including the resurgence of absinthe, classic cocktails, and preparation styles
• Changes to alcohol service regulations, as well as updates to sanitation guidelines, labor laws, and employment practices
• A focus on environmental and social responsibility: eco-friendly packaging, alternative bottle closures, “green” winemaking, and health-related labeling requirements
• New instructions for creating a pre-opening budget and prime cost worksheet, and how to determine workers’ productivity on a given day or shift
• New uses of technology, from POS systems to checking IDs to online marketing
• Demographic trends and their potential effects on consumer spending habits, employee hiring practices, and more

The Bar and Beverage Book, Fifth Edition is an invaluable resource for those involved in the beverage management and hospitality fields—students about to enter the industry, aspiring operators, and working restaurateurs.