Bar-Diction - ary - 4

Bar, Tools, Liquor, Mixing, Distillation, Production

TERMINOLOGY LOG

Series – 4 of 8

G – L

Garnish / Tray
The final topping to any given cocktail, though not every cocktail requires or receives a garnish. It takes experience as a bartender to understand what best goes with what, yet the key is to remain simple about it. Please see Garnish Extravaganza in Liquid Masters.
The standard Garnish Tray is rectangular, about 2 feet long and comes with plastic holding containers for 6-8 different garnishes. Locate and purchase at your nearest restaurant and bar supply.

Gates
Before the square, plastic, clear pourer tops with built-in screens became popular, there were “Whiskey Gates” – a round pourer with a hard black shell, and a metal screen instead of plastic. These screens, well in use now, save sweeter liquor / liqueur spirits from the fruit flies entering the bottle,
eliminating total waste of the bottle’s remaining contents.

Gill
An English liquid measurement, equal to 4 ounces, ¼ pint, or .1183 liter.

Glasswashers
There are basically three types:
1. Manual stick-up brushes (set in wash tank 1)
2. Motor-rotation brush units (set in wash tank 1)
3. Glass Machine Washers (completely enclosed and set behind the bar)(place inside rack, close door, push button)
With the use of #1 and #2, there are three water sinks behind the bar: A Wash tank, a Rinse tank, and a Soak tank. Make sure the drain and dry area for the glasses is clean at all times, and ample time is given for air drying, before you re-stack and re-hang.

Gravity
A term used to describe the thickness levels of spirited liqueurs, cordials, schnapps, and fruit brandies.
2. Measuring a weight of liquid substances, with the use of a Hydrometer.
3. The higher the sugar content, the thicker or more viscous the liqueur.
Also see Density and Viscosity.

Hair of the Dog
The morning (or afternoon) after the night before. One of those times during the hangover hours where it may become necessary to turn one’s mood around and indulge in a little “Pick-Me-Up”. A reduced-alcohol version of the previous night’s cocktail that eventually did you in, or just start off with a medicinal Bitters and Soda to clear how ever many layers of fog you seem to be sensing at the moment. Maybe this is how the Bloody Mary became so famous on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon! Other bitter spirits include Campari and Fernet Branca, poured on-the-rocks, and with club soda. Here’s to the dog in all of us . . . Cheers!

Hallucinogenic
The psychoactive constituents of a medicinal plant or herb that may cause visions or hallucinations depending on the amount consumed.

Herbals
Liqueurs made of many herbs and spices, and impossible to acquire the usually long list of ingredients that result in a complex, hard to duplicate flavor. The Secret Recipe! Far from a sweet single-flavored cordial, these herbal liqueurs such as Bene-dictine, Chartreuse, Strega, Trappistine, China Martini, Izarra, Certosa, and others are mostly made in France, Holland, Italy, and throughout Eastern Europe. Some are known as Cloister Liqueurs.

Hosted Bar
A term used when the drinks for the party are paid for by the host of the party. Another term for this is Open Bar - which does not mean all night. There are times where the host will request that the bar be “Hosted” or “Open” from say 6:00 – 8:00 pm, and from 8:00 – 12:00 midnight it turns into a Cash Bar. This can be termed a Split Bar. When drinks are not paid for by the host, it is termed a No Host Bar. The bartenders for the party, banquet, function, special event will need to be notified by management ahead of time, as to start charging for drinks right at 8:00 pm. It may be a good idea not to announce this to the guests, to avoid some individuals feeling the need to slug em’ down for that early 2 hour period just before dinner.

House Pour
The standard pour-per-drink amount that management usually comes up with, determined from the types, styles and ounce amounts of all the glassware chosen to be used behind the bar in order to come up with a proper and generous Liquor >to Mix >to Glass ratio. Also see Standard Pour Requirement (S.P.R.)

Hydrometer
A device that measures the specific gravity/density/viscosity (thickness) of any given liqueur. Made with different cali-brations, the exact one to get for liqueurs is 1.0 – 1.22 . Available at any scientific supply outlet for about $15. You’ll also need to purchase a 250ml tall measuring beaker / graduated cylinder, to float the hydrometer once the liqueur’s been poured in. Also $15. Both are glass, and very fragile.

Ice Machine
Usually located in the back kitchen, near the liquor cage, or in an adjacent storage room near the main bar if you’re lucky enough to have one, where a water line can be available nearby. There are many sizes depending on the occupancy rate of the bar, club, rest-aurant, hotel one works in. Make sure you have the machine fit with the type of Ice Trays that give you the exact type of ice cubes you prefer for your bar and your glassware. There are dif-ferent sizes and types available to choose from; Cracked, Crushed, Slab Tray cubes, and models that produce Individual ice cubes, as in Lenticular ice, which is a round or square Crescent/Dome shaped cube (my personal favorite). Never forget to replace the filters when absolutely necessary, so the cubes always remain clear and clean, not cloudy or milky which is the result of sodium and cal-cium deposits when the old filter can no longer clean the water. This creates not only bad tasting ice, but a bad tasting drink as the ice slowly melts, and then the deposits slowly kill the car-bonation of the club soda, tonic, and any other carbonated ingred-ients within the drink. If you suspect the machine is not oper-ating correctly or breaking down, for whatever reason, notify the manager as soon as possible. The last thing you want is to have to call out for an ice truck delivery of 500 or 1000 lbs. of funky cocktail cube ice (never fits the glass) on a busy night emergency.

Ice Plate
Located in the bottom of your bar’s ice well, this plate assists in the carbonated beverages from the beverage gun being chilled below room temperature when served into the glass, so the ice cubes avoid as much diluting as possible. You will notice cooling tubes/lines connected from the plate to the guns’syrup calibration box. The plate is easily movable by hand, even though it’s a little awkward and has some weight to it. The underside of it needs to be cleaned on a regular basis, as does the interior floor of the ice well. Always run the beverage gun a little bit before the start of each shift, and before a load of ice gets the plate too cold and freezes the lines.

Ice Scoop
An indispensable tool behind the bar. The U.S. Public Health Office requires that one be used. Avoid using your hands or a mixing cup to scoop ice into a glass for a drink. It has a very unprofessional look to it. Drinking glasses should never be dipped or scooped into the ice as they can chip and break, contaminating your ice with glass chips and slivers, where your whole ice well will have to be burned, and replaced with fresh ice so everything is safe for your customers. The best size scoop is a stainless steel 24 oz., and can be purchased at your local bar and rest-aurant supply outlet for about $6.

Ice Types
Center-holed cocktail cubes, cracked, crushed/shaved, small thin square cubes, and round dome-shaped cubes called Lenticular ice, designed to chill longer, fit more fully and easier into glass-ware, and crushes into a blender really well. These cube styles listed are not all that’s out there on the market, but offers a good selection to choose from. Just make sure you have the ice that you want in your club or your private party.

Ice Well
The center of the Bartenders’ work space, surrounded by liquors, juices, and the speed rack of main-pour liquor bottles. Hopefully deep and sizeable to last between the barback’s fill-ups. Use a 24 oz. scoop for quicker multiple-glass ice fills. The garnish tray will usually be on the left or right side.

Infusion
A water-based preparation in which flowers, leaves, or stems are brewed in a similar way to tea.

Jigger
A long time ago this term referred to 1 ½ oz. of liquor, an actual liquid level/amount. Today, a Jigger is a term for the actual piece of equipment itself. It is a stainless steel dual-ended shot measurer. One end always holds twice as much as the other – 1 oz./ ½ oz. - 1 ¼ oz./5/8 oz. - 1 ½ oz./ ¾ oz. The best tool to use if you’re required to measure all pours at the bar you currently work in. Your local restaurant/bar supply carries all sizes.

Jockey Box
Located at either the left or right side of the bartender’s ice well, and sometimes both sides, depending on how one sets it up. These are the compartments that shelve the square black containers designed to hold all of the juices, mixers, and other miscellan-eous bottles if there’s room. At the end of each shift, the under-side drip areas of the jockey boxes need to be rinsed, drained, and wiped down.

Lace / Lacing
Used in conjunction with “Float”, this a dash of a final liquor, also as the last ingredient of a given recipe, that simply gets poured at the very top, swirling it around. Usually the color and density of the liquor will create a great looking visual contrast (as it stays afloat) with the colors and flavors of the cocktail’s previous ingredients. Then just add a groovy looking garnish!

Last Call
Clubs, Bars, Restaurants, Hotels etc., close at different times depending on late-night business volume, demographics, venue / theme, private parties and of course the State’s hour/time limit on alcohol serving. Here in California it’s 2:00 am. We give “Last Call” usually at 1:30 am to give ample time for finishing a drink, so you find don’t yourself rushing a customer at the last moment, which is not cool! Even though all glasses empty to full need to be off the bar, table tops, and out of people’s hands by 2:00 am, it’s best not to do this at the last moment either. By no later than 1:55 am, glassware should not be seen out in the open, much less in a customer’s hand. Also, make sure your wrist watch, the house clock on the wall, and the closing manager’s watch are all in sync, and all in correct time. In short, the general rule is to make the call at 20-30 minutes before state law curfew. If you tend bar in an establishment that closes up their bar before the state’s designated curfew, then there’s no potential for legal trouble, so you can give the call at 10-15 minutes before the bar stops serving, since there’s no rush to consume.

Liqueur
Also known as Cordials in the U.S., this French term is used for the fruity, mint, herbal, chocolate, and syrupy sweet spirits such as flavored schnapps, liqueurs, and fruit brandies like apricot and blackberry.

Liquor Cage - See Cage

Liquor Gun
This is a hand-held apparatus that comes with a fitted holster, and a thick coil filled with smaller individual lines usually ran to the back bar storage area and connected to a Liquor Tree. It is connected to the inner edge of the bar rail, on the opposite side of the Beverage Gun. Not in every bar, I’ve used ones that contain some 15-18 lines and corresponding buttons. This gun also pre-measures the standard pour of the house, as well as other presets like short pour (for Long Islands) and long pour (for Martini drinks). Real handy when you’re crankin’ it out, and pretty easy to use once you get the feel of it. You can see how you would have both guns in your hand at the same time for Vodka/tonics, Rum / Cokes etc. Well, Call, and Premium brands are all used in the liquor gun, prioritized of course by level of usage/sales.

KB

Bar-Diction - ary - 3

Bar, Tools, Liquor, Mixing, Distillation, Production

TERMINOLOGY LOG

Series – 3 of 8

C – F

Corkscrew
If you stock corked bottles of wine, these are essential for every waiter and bartender to own. The “Waiter’s Corkscrew” is the most popular, which folds up like a jack knife – containing a short knife, bottle opener, and the actual curled steel prong that screws into the cork, where the bottle opener doubles as a leve-rage puller for the cork to lift out of the bottle. A tricky one to use is called the “Ah So”, and does not puncture the cork. It has two 2-3 inch flat prongs, one slightly shorter than the other, and are inserted at the top of the bottle’s neck between the cork and the bottle glass. Slowly work down and twist up, raising the cork out of the bottle. May be easier on Reds than Whites. Either way, it’s tricky. It’s up to you to become the master! Another one is called the “Boomerang”. Instead of a knife to trim the foil off the top ridge of the bottle, it has four small cutting wheels con-nected to a bridge that expands out to fit wine bottle tops per-fectly, ridge or non-ridged. The foil cut, when trimmed, results in the cleanest looking cut on the market today. It also has the same curled steel prong that screws into the cork, but does not contain a short knife. The Boomerang can be purchased or special ordered at your nearest Fine Wines stores, as well as the Ah So and Waiter’s Corkscrew. Wine Sales Reps will sometimes hand them out to managers and waiters as a way to advertise the brand stocked in the House, with the brand name etched on the side of the corkscrew. Also check your local restaurant and bar supply.

Cutting Board
Used for the preparation of any cut/sliced fruit or other condi-ment, for purposes of garnishing cocktails. Many sizes and shapes available, in hard plastic or fine smooth wood. All cutting boards should be routinely washed, rinsed, and dried after each use.

Dash
About ¼ of a teaspoon in measurement, this pour is usually towards the end of the cocktail’s preparation, by floating or lacing a dash of a liqueur, syrup, or citrus juice.

Decoction
A water-based preparation of bark, roots, berries, seeds, or twigs simmered in boiling water.

Density
A term used to describe the thickness levels of spirited liqueurs, cordials, schnapps, and fruit brandies.
2. Thickness of consistency.
3. Volume of liquid under specified conditions of pressure and temperature.
Also see Gravity and Viscosity.

Detoxification
The process of aiding removal of toxins and waste products from the body.

Distillation
A purification process, where the given mixture is heated to separate the volatile parts from its less active parts – Liquid >to Vapor >to Liquid. The separation of alcohol from fermented mash through levels of intense heat. The hotter the temperature, the more neutral the flavor. The lower the heat, the greater the flavor of the resulting distillation. The vapor is then cooled, condensed, and then used to produce a fine spirit.

Drag
A half-inch (1/4 oz.) tail of designated liquor poured into the glass as the bottle angles back up to its upright position, in conjunction with, and after the use of the jigger (for the house measured pour). Example: If your House pour is 1 ½ oz., but you only have a 1 ¼ oz. jigger, then simply “drag” the last ¼ oz. over the ice in glass instead. Also known as Tail.

Drainboard
The resting place for your glassware after just being washed and rinsed. The place for the glass to completely dry from rim to foot, without the use of a dry towel. The thin plastic webbed-mesh much of the industry uses to lift the glass above the board (for the illusion of better and faster drying)is pathetic. The best thing to use are what’s known as Egg Shell sheets. There a ½ inch tall in height, and come in 24 x 36 hard plastic sheets and are white in color. There usually what is used for the ceilings of elevators. Excellent drainage, and very inexpensive. You can get them at your local hardware and gardening supply stores. The only task is you will have to cut/slice them to fit in your built-in stainless steel washing and draining area of ther bar, but it’s simple. The measuring is easy.

Dramshop Law
(Section 25602) of ABC Code
A liquor liability protecting bar owners from losses resulting from customers who become intoxicated and cause injury or damage to others and their property, either within or outside of your bar.
Any person who sells, furnishes, gives or causes to be sold, fur-nished or given away, any alcoholic beverages to any habitual drunkard, or to any obviously intoxicated person is guilty of a misdemeanor. After 1979, a bill was passed in California legis-lature that no longer held the licensee/owner liable for an intoxi-cated individual who was of legal age, but does hold them liable to this day for the serving of an alcoholic beverage to any person or any intoxicated person found to be under age, who then sub-sequently ends up in a car accident on their way home,including the harm, injury, or death of any others involved in the accident.

Dry
In regards to the correct measured use of Dry Vermouth, an adjec-tive used to describe when a customer wants their martini (Gin or Vodka) “Extra Dry” or drier than normal. Vermouths come as Sweet – Red/Rouge color, and Dry – Straw/Blonde color. Based on the type of vermouth used, or the degree of sweetness desired. Also see Wet

Elixir
A liquid herbal preparation with a pleasant taste, due to the addition of fruit and honey. Known as highly nutritive, invigor-ating tonics for the mind, body, and spirit. Elixer Tonics & Teas, out of Los Angeles is the place to contact:
Store #s– Phone –310-657-9310 Fax –310-657-9311
Website – elixer.net
Business offices – Phone – 323-850-9450 Fax – 323-850-9451

Espresso/Cappuccino Machine
Not every bar has one, but if so, it’s normally located somewhere in the Back Bar area so it can be close and connected to a water line, for heating and steaming purposes. Standard recipes are the Espresso, Cappuccino, Caffe Latte, Caffe Mocha, Cocoa Latte, and Macchiato. Decaf is available.

Eau-De-Vie (Eaux)
French for “Water of Life”, it is a brandy distilled from the fer-mented mash of any fruit. These are colorless brandies with an aroma and flavor suggestive of fruit blossoms.

Flag
A term not used much today (except in bartending schools!).
A 2-4 color garnish combination of a Cherry (Red), and either a Lime (Green), Lemon (Yellow), Orange (Orange), or all three at your preference, depending on the ingredients, flavor, and overall color and character of the cocktail.

Flash Blending
A method of blending where the intention is not to crush the ice, since there is no blade to do so, but to force together different consistencies of ingredients in the same way used in making soda fountain milkshakes. The ice normally used is crushed already, so as to chill the ingredients at the same time. 5 seconds of flash blending is all that is needed for a cocktail. Pour or strain into glass.

Flavoring Agent/Accent
An ingredient for cocktails, such as a syrup, bitters, herbal liqueur, or a dash of an exotic, complex aperitif.

Flights
A common term used by wine tasters, referring to wine judges at com- petitions tasting wines in flights (groups of chardonnays, pinot noirs, etc.). Same goes for spirits flights in restaurants and bars tasting a selection of Tequilas (Blanca, Anejo, Reposado) as example, for characteristics and quality. Can be set-up com-plete with product info, or a more informal presentation by a bartender to educate a curious guest. “Blind Flights” are a series of wines or spirits tasted by a group, with the tasters unaware
of the brand names.

Float / Floater
In Pousse Cafe’s, liqueurs “float” one atop the other. When making drinks like a Mai Tai or Singapore Sling, the final ingredient in each of these two classic cocktails is a “float” or “lace” of dark rum for the Mai Tai, and cherry brandy for the Sling, which sits on top of the rest of the previously poured liquid ingredients to the recipe.

Floor Mats
These half-inch raised rubber mats are not only essential for safety, but required by law to be on the floors of all back bars and kitchens. Designed rectangular in 3 by 5 foot squares to fit perfectly, and completely covers the full path of the bartenders’ walkway behind the bar. Drain holes throughout, excess liquid fall is the main reason why the mats are mandatory.

Fortified Wine
A wine, as in Madiera, Port, or Sherry, that has a grape spirit added to it.

Frappe
In regards to cocktails, this term means the use of crushed/shaved ice instead of cubed ice, with a simple base liquor of choice. See also Mist.

Free Pour
A term used when the bartender measures the pour with an internal count instead of the use of a measuring tool like a jigger or a shot glass. The knowledge of the speeds of certain and different pourer tops for liquor bottles used behind bars is extremely im-portant to accurately measure the House Pour with a gauged count in the mind.

Frosted
1. A chilled glass, not frozen, but cold enough so the glass looks cloudy or foggy, yet avoids the lips sticking to the glass.
2. Coating the rim of the glass with any of various granulated food products, such as coarse margarita salt, sugar, cinnamon sugar, or celery salt. Shaved or crushed coconut also works provided you use a liqueur, chocolate syrup, or other flavored syrup for the rim so the coconut will grab and stick. For the others, use a lime, lemon, or orange squeeze.

Funnel
With many different sizes available, this is for pouring liquid from one container into another. Mixers and juices that are pur-chased in larger containers for cost purposes will need to be transferred into smaller containers for your ice well’s jockey box.

Fusel Oils
A by-product of the distillation process, these oils are found in all major spirits. An excess of these oils is what causes hang-overs. This element is part of the spirit’s natural character.
See also Congeners and Sulfites.

KB

Bar-Diction - ary - 2

Bar, Tools, Liquor, Mixing, Distillation, Production

TERMINOLOGY LOG

Series – 2 of 8

B – C

Bottle Par
Save up underneath (underbar) in a rack or bus tub, all of the liquor bottles you empty during the shift. At the end, right them down and give the list to whomever is in charge of pulling fresh ones out of the liquor cage for you to re-stock in the bar. This could be the bar manager or the M.O.D. (Manager on Duty) who has the keys. This procedure is simple, but very important. You may also be asked to save wine bottles, and to put all beer bottles and
aluminum cans into separate recycling containers.

Breakage
Another term for Bottle Par, you will hear this equally as much.
Refers to a liquor bottle being emptied, finished off, out, done with. In the past, before the prominence of glass recycling, the bartender would actually break/smash the bottle to avoid any less respectables re-filling that same bottle with cheaper alcohol and re-selling it as the previous, known as Backfilling.

Breakdown
The closing chores of any establishment with an operational bar, beginning about an hour or so before the last call for alcohol – when the bar shuts down its service for the evening, whatever designated time that may be. For optimum cleaning and re-stocking efficiency, have a closing systems checklist together with your barback (if you have one). If not, and the bartender is closing down everything themselves, use the checklist sheet to get a memory rhythm going, and after some repetition you won’t need the
sheet anymore. If this type of sheet is not necessary, great!
At closing time, follow bar policy regarding the re-stocking of beer, wine, liquor, and miscellaneous items. Some bars re-stock at closing, some at opening. When you leave, leave the bar looking clean.

Brine
The liquid/juice contained in jars of olives. It is nothing more than water containing large amounts of salt.

Bruised
When the customer says “bruise it”, they are asking the bartender to shake the martini so forcefully that it cracks the edges of the ice into small slivered ice chips, and as the cocktail is strained into the martini glass, the sliver chips slip out through the strainer floating atop the chilled liquid ingredients. When the shaker is cracked (from the sound) really well, meaning to shake forcefully, it is also meant to “Wake up the Spirits”! Cracked ice or lenticular - dome-shaped ice cubes are best for producing bruised ice chips.

Burn the Ice
A term used at the end of the night, or at the end of any bartender’s shift depending on what time they’re cut, to melt all the remaining ice in the bartender’s ice well, and do a final wipe down. This job is for either the barback or the bartender, depending on how the job descriptions run for your particular place. This is done as a health and sanitary precaution.

Cage
Short for Liquor Cage, this is the fenced/walled and locked area of the building where all of the liquor is stored for requisition to the bars by either the bar manager, restaurant manager, general manager, or any M.O.D.(manager on duty). If this locked down area
is away from any temperature changing sunlight, and is large enough, it can also stock the bottles of red wine, backup cases of white wine, and bottle beer by the case. For all of this product it is good for the stocking room/liquor cage to have a slightly cooler than room temperature feel to it. This also makes it more conducive to faster icing down for ready chill. This room should house its own addition and reduction sheet, as bar requisitions come in, and matched up at the end of each month for inventory control purposes. Above all, keep clean and organized at all times.

Call
Refers to the liquor poured when a customer requests a specific brand, or calls out for a brand name. This also, with Premium and Top Shelf, incurs a bump up into the next price category.

Calling Order
With an operational bar serving many categories of beverages, it is best for the waiter/bartender communication and service to be as proficient as possible. Depending on business volume, the bar’s operational working and serving time efficiency, and the waiter / kitchen relationship, it may be of underrated importance to work up and adhere to a certain “Calling Order” for drinks. Same goes when cocktail waitresses are on the barstaff. It normally goes Difficult > Easy > Hot > Cold > Layered. For a more thorough breakdown, see The Efficient Calling Order in Liquid Masters.

Canelle Knife
A term for a vegetable peeler, used to score along the thinner green skin of cucumbers and other vegetables, taking off strips of peel and used for some cocktail garnishes. A similar looking tool to the lemon Zester, which has a deeper angled sharp center edge for stripping the thicker skins of certain fruits. For any professional bar, it’s good to have both. The kitchen will normally stock these tools as well.

Can Opener
This opener is still useful, even though all beer cans are pop tops. You will need this to open large cans of tomato juice for Bloody Mary house prep mix, and other juices for mixer cocktails. The reverse end of this tool usually has a bottle opener as well.

Cash Bar
A term used when the host of the party is not paying for the drinks. Also see Hosted Bar

Cellar Temperature
A dark, cool room kept at 48-55 degrees fahrenheit, housing the restaurant’s listing of Reds from the wine list, as well as fortified wines like Ports, Oloroso and Cream sherries, and Madieras. Even fruit brandies (Eaux-de-vie), specialty Liqueurs, and the best Spirits in the house can be kept here, away from any excessive heat.

Chai
A term more prevalent in Bordeaux, it is a warehouse used to store and age barrels of wine or cognac.

Champagne Stopper
A bar tool that helps avoid the waste of good champagne for about 24-48 hours. A spring and pressure mechanism, the two sides swing back down and clamp under the lip of the champagne bottle.

Chaser
A mild drink sipped or consumed after a shot of any given spirit. This drink can be sodas, still water, club soda, juices, beer, or even squeezes of lime. Usually consumed after a shot of liquor to re-balance and/or cool down the palate. Cheers!

Chilled
A term used in mixing or shaking, to get a cocktail to its desired temperature. Preferably very cold, by way of using a Boston shaker, Bullet shaker, or an Antique shaker with a closed top.
For optimum chill factor, make sure the glass used is also chilled before.

Church Key
A – A 5”L X ¾”W X 1/8”D steel strip bottle and can opener, with a puncturing tip at one end and a crown lifter at the other. B – A bottle opener/crown lifter with a two-foot chain that re-coils after each use, and clamps over the top of the pant waist and belt, either on the left or right hip depending on what hand you use the most. Made by Gatto.

Cigar (Guillotine) Cutter
A small slicing device to cut the tip off the puffing end of one’s cigar. The standard size fits most ring gauges and can be purchased inexpensively as well as high end gold plated in the best cigar shops. Many styles available.

Citrus Juices
Used for either fruit as a garnish, or fresh squeezed. And many more fruit juices are used for mixing in a wide variety of cocktails, sweet to tart.

Cocktail
Historical reference defines the word ‘Cock tail’ as a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, and often but not always with the use of various mixers and other flavor enhancers.

Computer-Dispensed Liquor Bars
Attempting to become popular around 1985, it failed, thankfully to patrons everywhere. You may know of an establishment with this type of system in the back bar. If you’d like to become a non-bartender, work this! Not only do customers steer clear once they realize their drink has been measured by a machine instead of a human, but no matter how good the food is, you’ll never see them again. It also causes communication paralysis between the bartender and the customer. This is an occupation where the human being as “Bartender” is of actual top priority over a machine. Please share with me a few seconds towards that imaginary concept, won’t you! I believe a certain very large hotel chain may still use this slight overkill of a measuring/monitoring system for their entire liquor inventory. Yet they’re stuck with it from purchasing many of them, it becomes too costly to dump.

Concoction
To invent, plan, or devise a preparation by the mixing of certain specifically chosen ingredients, by blending together or to cook, creating an attractive tasting consumable recipe.

Congeners
Flavoring and coloring agents present in all alcoholic beverages, which are a major cause of hangovers. Liquors high in congeners are Bourbon, Brandy, and Rum. Vodka, a clear-colored liquor has a low level, which is safer for some people. Similar as a result of what Sulfites do in wines. A natural characteristic element in the distillation process. See also Fusel Oils

Corkage Fee
A nominal charge to dining customers who wish to bring their own bottle(s)of wine into a restaurant to enjoy with their dinner.
The fee is usually listed somewhere on the menu.

KB

Bar-Diction - ary - 1

Bar, Tools, Liquor, Mixing, Distillation, Production

TERMINOLOGY LOG

Series 1 of 8

A - B


Accents
Light flavor enhancers to finish off a cocktail with the right touch. Accents come in the form of Liquids, Confections, Powder Sugar, Spices, Creams, Nuts, Fruits and Vegetables. Some are listed in the Garnish Extravaganza and Nuts, Spices, Accents,
and Flavorings, in my book Liquid Masters - backbar information log and historical reference guide, available through my email.

Alembic Pot Stills
Made of copper, these stills are used in the distillation of Cognac. Impervious to most acids and good conductors of heat. Alembic stills process the distillate one lot at a time, while big commercial distilleries use Column stills & process continuously. The name is Arabic, for the shape of its head gear.

Alcohol By Volume (A.B.V.)
Also known as the Gay-Lussac scale, it is a percentage of alcohol in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage. “ABV” is usually specified on beverage labels in addition to Proof. Example: A liquor bottle that says 80 Proof, is 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), a 60 Proof liquor is 30% ABV, and so on.

Aphrodisiac
Certain liquid substances that excite the libido and sexual activity. The word Anaphrodisiac does the opposite, it inhibits this activity.

Aromatized Wine
Slightly fortified by the addition/blending of small amounts of spirits, and flavored with a specifically chosen variety of botanical ingredients (extracts of herbs, roots, and spices). Vermouth, Amer Picon, Byrrh, Dubonnet, Suze, and Punt E Mes are all examples of an aromatized wine.

Atomizer
A device that reduces liquid, by way of separating liquid into small particles, producing a fine spray or liquid mist. In Bartending, this small glass bottle with spray top is used with vermouths for the Martini, Manhattan, Rob Roy, and Gibson, as well as herbal liqueurs and other exotic flavors. To locate and
purchase these 2 or 4 ounce cobalt blue, green, brown, and clear bottles, go to www.bottlesetc.com

Back
As in Soda Back or Water Back, when a customer requests this in a short glass to accompany and set next to their current cocktail, for purposes of re-balancing the palate, and dashing away an initial water thurst in the avoidance of gulping their cocktail.

Backbar
The interior of the bar, inside and separate from the bar’s actual serving top, housing the cooler stock, back bar & counter top, and low and high shelving for the Call, Premium, and Super Premium/Top Shelf bottles of liquor. Used depending on overall bar design, for glassware stock.

Backfilling
This is a term used for an illegal fill of a liquor bottle in the backbar or anywhere on-premise. It is against the law to pour from one liquor bottle into another liquor bottle, regardless if the liquor bottle was partially full or empty. In regard to Prep Mixes, always use clean, new generic bottles or containers – plastic or glass, and/or the Stor n’ Pour plastic juice containers.

Backsplash / Splash-out
When a bartender fills a glass over the top of the rim with cocktail ice, then attempts to pour in the first shot of liquor, finding out that half of the shot bounces off the top of the ice and out onto the bar or into the spillmat. This happens more if the bartender is using a liquor gun, which is more a spraying out than it is a pouring out.
Solution: Don’t overfill the glass with ice. Add more ice after the pour if necessary.
It only results in a waste for both the customer and the owner of the establishment, not to mention the potential loss of a customer if the bartender’s ego keeps him or her unaware of the obvious reflection of being a rookie, and failing to make the correction on their own. Pay attention to everything you’re doing behind the bar. It’s too easy to be sloppy. Add more precision to the job of pouring.

Barback
One of the crucial positions on the bar staff, especially in a busy night club. It is a benefit for management to always have this position filled with good, fast, high energy individuals who don’t mind breakin’ a sweat! What a busboy is to a food server, a barback is to a bartender. In busy venues, the barback restocks and refills just about everything. They’re the Ice runner, keg changer, they wash all the glasses, replenish all the garnishes,
and wipe the bartop down during the night when possible. This allows the bartender to do nothing except Smile-Pour-Serve-and Ring as fast and efficiently as possible, and extend communications with the customer when you can. The highest appreciation comes when the barback is promoted to the bartending position. 15 – 25 % is the variance of tip-out to the barback.

Barkeep
An older side term used in place of or association with the word Bartender. The individual who keeps the bar in perfect working and operational order at all times during their shift, and all hours of the bar from open to close. The term is still used and heard occasionally today.

Barspoon
A long-stemmed stainless steel spoon, with a shallow bowl holding between one-half and one teaspoon of liquid, with a twisted shaft used to stir together ingredients in cocktails and mixed drinks. The back of the bar spoon is also used to break the fall when layering liqueurs for the Pousse Café drink preparations, resulting in the look of distinct bands.

Bar Top
The front serving counter for all of the bartender’s customers. Should be wiped clean of any soil and debris at all break-point times during the shift.

Bases
The primary, main, or base liquor/spirit of any given cocktail. The white spirits of Vodka/Gin/Rum are considered Neutral Spirits that mix with almost anything. Tequila, Whiskey, Scotch, and Brandy are also legitimate bases, as well as Pisco and Cachaca are from South America.

Beer Taps
A CO2 driven system of thick lines that usually run from the cooler to either the front or back bar, wherever the tapping is best situated. Beer containers known as Kegs are used for the tap lines – holding up to 2000 ounces for domestic beer, and a little less for some import beers. Kegs are very heavy, so never lift alone. When tapping in a fresh keg for one that just popped, be careful as to not shake it around too much when shifting it close to the line to avoid “foam for days”. See the page Scenes from the Barley Farm in the Liquid Masters book.

B.E.O.’s
Short for Banquet Event Order sheets. Mainly used in Hotels, Country Clubs, and establishments with space availability for banquets, private parties, and special events. When an event is booked, this sheet goes out to all required department heads for staffing and serving, all food preparations, and full or partial bar service. This sheet is usually on legal size 9 x 14 paper.
There may be revisions to the original prospectus for any given event. Special circumstances, last minute changes, and party size often occur.

Beverage Gun
This is a hand-held device that comes with a fitted holster, connected to the inner edge of the bar rail, on either the left or right side of the ice well. A CO2 driven system dispensing tonic water, club soda, filtered still water,lemon-lime soda, cola soda, diet cola and other flavors depending on the number of lines and buttons the particular gun contains. It’s even possible to put other non-carbonated beverage mixers like cranberry juice, sweet & sour, lemonade, and margarita mix through the lines and into the gun as well. This time-efficient tool is normally in every bar, including portables used in hotels and other large activity centers. Also known as Speed Gun, Cobra, or Snake.

Bitter Spirits
Derived from quinine and medicinally related from the roots and herbs, these spirits can be just the right tonic for a Pick-Me-Up, and to “Lift” the spirits! Usually served alone or with soda, examples are Campari, Fernet Branca, and Punt e Mes. They
stimulate secretions of saliva and digestive juices, increasing appetite.

Boston Shaker
A name given when you put a standard stainless steel shaker tin and a 16 oz. pint glass together (one gently secured inside the other) to be used for preparation of cocktails and mixed drinks to be “shaken” and strained. There is no such thing as an individual piece of barware called a Boston Shaker. Rather, it is the joining together of two specific individual pieces of barware.

Botanicals
A term describing the fruits, spices, herbs, roots, barks, peels, fruit stones, seeds, and leaves used to flavor enhance certain liquors, liqueurs, wines, and beers.

Bottle Extenders
Put out by Tanqueray (green) and Bombay (blue), these 4 inch tubular stems screw onto the tops of these two brand bottles (due to their short necks), so bartenders have a safer grip to pour from. Hard to find , they also fit perfectly on the popular Ketel One vodka bottle as well as the Tanqueray 10 bottle which also have short necks, and are interchangeable. Ask your liquor representative for a couple of them next time you see them. You may or may not get lucky! It’s too bad Absolut doesn’t make them for their bottle line.

Bottle Opener
A vice/lever type of tool used to crack open or bend up and off the tops of various bottled beverages. If you work in a venue that has a high volume of bottle beer sales, your upper palm and lower finger area will be raw at the end of the night if you keep using your hand. Most bars have “top-pops” connected to the front or side of the beer cooler as another option.


The total individual entries of this series piece is 198.
Series 1 through 4 will be this month of September, and
Series 5 through 8 will be determined at another time.

There are some other Special Topic content pieces I have, that I may run at another time as well. Stay Tuned !

Kyle