23 March 2010
Checklist for a Well Stocked Restaurant Bar
Posted by Crystal under: News; Recession Tips & Tricks; Wine .
A well-stocked bar can make any restaurant look really attractive in the eyes of the customers. While maintaining a well-stocked bar can be quite expensive, with the right approach it will result in higher sales of high-margin alcohol drinks, which would substantially contribute to your bottom line. Alcohol and liquors last for a long time, which makes maintaining a bar relatively easy compared to food maintenance, as you don’t have to worry about waste or spoilage issues. Here is the checklist for the very basic items any restaurant bar should have:
Regular Liquors. The most basic and versatile liquors are vodka, rum, tequila, gin, brandy, scotch, whiskey, and bourbon. Depending on the style of your restaurant, you may opt for the cheapest brands. Some restaurants offer only the highest quality liquor. In most cases, restaurants should have a little of both – some cheap liquors, some high-end ones, and some – in between. Depending on your drinks menu, you might want to stock more on certain liquors vs. the others. For example, if you serve a lot of mai tais, daiquiris, or pina coladas, consider buying larger quantities of rum. It is always smart to buy large bottles of vodka, as it is the most common liquor used for a variety of drinks, including martinis, screwdrivers, vodka & tonics, or White Russians.
Sweet Flavored Liqueurs. The market offers a large selection of flavored liqueurs. It all depends on your own personal taste and your desired drinks menu. For a full stocked bar, always have a wide range of sweet flavored liqueurs on hand to make various cocktails and signature drinks. The very minimum should be triple sec, coffee liqueur, amaretto, crème de cacao, Irish cream, dry and sweet vermouth, orange liqueur, and apple liqueur. Triple sec (or Cointreau) is the most popular orange liqueur used for making many cocktails, such as Cosmopolitan, Long Island iced tea, or margaritas. Sweet vermouth is used for Manhattans, while dry vermouth is the basis for European martinis. Other “must-have” liqueurs are Curacao, maraschino liqueur, anisette, crème de cassis, and schnapps.
Wine. If your restaurant does not have a separate wine cellar and a separate wine list, consider acquiring a basic assortment of wine. Have several varietals available, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and so on. Feature a couple of different wine regions, including Napa Valley, Oregon wine country, French and Italian wine regions. Have an assortment of red, white, sparkling, and rose wines. Also provide some fortified wines, including sherries and ports.
Beer. Purchase at least a couple of cases of beer, and keep several bottles refrigerated at all times. It is always nice to offer your guests locally brewed beer, if available. It will add a nice touch and will start many conversations with your patrons.
Mixers & Garnishes. Garnishes and mixers add that final special touch to many drinks, and it is something each bar should have to improve overall presentation of the drinks. At the very basic level, purchase sour mix, lime juice, lemon juice, tonic water, club soda, tomato juice, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, coconut milk, and cream. Orange slices, Maraschino cherries or brandied cherries are an excellent addition to many mixed drinks. Limes and lemons are versatile garnishes that can be applied to a vast majority of cocktails. If you serve dry martinis, make sure to have olives, cocktail onions, and other relevant garnishes. Another recently popular mixer is grenadine – it is a pomegranate-flavored syrup, used for making drinks, such as tequila sunrises and Shirley temples.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.