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Draft beer in kegs has the most stringent temperature requirements. It must be kept cold from brewer, to distributor, to storeroom, to bar, perferably at 35⬚F to 39⬚F (2⬚C to 4⬚C). Since draft beer is not pasteurized in the way that bottled beers are, it is much more susceptible to deterioration and might begin secondary fer-mentation if kept above 44⬚F (7⬚C), turning sour and cloudy and reducing its lifespan significantly. Stored at ideal temperatures, kegs have a life cycle. They start aging as soon as they are tapped, and last 30 days (optimistically, up to 45 days) after that.

Beer kegs should not share a walk-in cooler with food storage since frequent opening and closing of the door will make it impossible to keep the beer at a constant temperature. For the same reason, kegs in an underbar beer system should have their own special refrigerated storage space. The beer box or cooler should be maintained at a constant temperature between 36⬚F and 38⬚F (2⬚C to 3⬚C). Beer allowed to warm over 45⬚F (7⬚C) might become cloudy or turn sour. Beer allowed to chill below freezing might become unsalable; the water content of the beer freezes and separates from the alcohol. If allowed to thaw slowly at its normal temperature of 36⬚F to 38⬚F (2⬚C to 3⬚C), beer can sometimes be blended back together by gently rotating the kegs. (This is best done by your distributor.) But if the beer is cloudy after thawing and rotation, it is beyond salvaging.

There is more information in Chapter 8 on cleaning and caring for draft beer systems.

BAR TOOLS AND SMALL EQUIPMENT

Just as chefs have their favorite sets of kitchen knives that they guard zealously, bartenders have their favorite tools. Seasoned bartenders generally agree that the simpler the tool, the better. Gimmicks take up space and may not save any time, and a good bartender does not waste either. Buying high-quality tools is important because no one can afford to waste time at a busy bar struggling with poor-quality implements. Moreover, doing so can be dangerous or at least inefficient. An inex-perienced bartender wielding a hand shaker with an ill-fitting lid can drench a customer. Stainless steel is the metal of choice for small equipment and utensils, just as it is for large underbar pieces, and for the same reasons. It looks good, it is durable, and it is easy to clean. Most small bar equipment is used for mixing and pouring. A second group of utensils is used in preparing condiments to garnish drinks. A third group is used for serving.

Smallware for Mixing and Pouring

The indispensable tools for mixing and pouring by hand are:

䡲 ^Jiggers 䡲 ^Pourers

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A jigger (Figure 4.13) is a small container that measures ounces or fractions of ounces of liquors used for cocktails, highballs, and other mixed drinks. (Although

FIGURE 4.13 Jiggers for measuring liquor. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

these liquors are bought in bottles measured in met-ric terms—a liter, or 750 milliliters—they are mea-sured in ounces when drinks are poured. One ounce of liquid equals approximately 30 milliliters.) There are two types of jiggers. The double-ended, stainless-steel jigger has a small cup on one end and a large cup on the other. It comes in several combinations of sizes, such as ¹⁄2 ounce / 1 ounce, ³⁄4 ounce / 1 ounce, and 1 ounce / 1¹⁄2 ounces. The most-used combinations are probably the ³⁄4/ 1¹⁄2 ounces and the 1 ounce / 1¹⁄2ounces, but what you need depends on the size drink you serve.

The second jigger type is made of heavy glass with a plain or elevated base. It comes in several sizes, from⁷⁄8 ounce to 3 ounces. This jigger also comes with or without a line marking off another measure, for example, a 1-ounce glass with a line at¹⁄2 or⁵⁄8

ounce, or a 1¹⁄2-ounce glass with a line at ¹⁄2,⁵⁄8,³⁄4,

7⁄8, or 1 ounce. A glass jigger may also be used as a shot glass when a customer orders a straight shot.

To measure using the steel jigger, the bartender fills the cup to the brim. To measure using the glass jigger, the bartender fills to the line. After pouring

the drink the bartender turns the jigger upside down on the drainboard so that any residual liquor drains out and one drink’s flavor will not be carried over to the next. If a jigger is used for something heavy, such as cream or a liqueur, it is rinsed with water before reuse.

A pourer (see Figure 4.14) is a device that fits into the neck of a beverage bottle and is constructed to reduce the rate of flow to a predictable, controllable amount.

A pourer is used on every opened liquor bottle at the bar. There are three categories:

slow, semi-fast, and fast.

Pourers are available in either stainless steel or plastic. The plastic pourers come in different colors and can be used to color-code different types of liquor. The

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FIGURE 4.14 A pourer, which fits on bottle tops. Courtesy of Metrokane Products and Pollen Design, New York, New York.

with the exception of corks that fit into the bottlenecks; these wear out and must be replaced from time to time.

Some pourers that measure the liquor poured, then cut off automatically when a preset amount is reached. They are expensive and most bartenders don’t like them, but they are a form of control not to be overlooked if they will save more money and aggravation than they cost.

A mixing glass (see Figure 4.15) is a heavy glass container in which drink ingredients are stirred together with ice. A typical mixing glass has a capacity of 16 to 17 ounces. It is used to make Martinis, Manhattans, and other drinks whose ingredients blend together readily. It is rinsed after each use. Mixing glasses should be heat-treated and chip-proof.

A hand shaker or cocktail shaker (see Figure 4.16) is a versatile favorite of bartenders. It is a combination of a mixing glass and a stainless-steel container that

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fits on top of it, in which drink ingredients are shaken together with ice. The stainless-steel container is known variously as a mixing cup, mixing steel, or mix can. Ingredients and ice are measured into the mixing glass, then the cup is placed firmly on top, angled so that one edge is flush with the side of the glass. The two are held tightly together and shaken. The cup must be of heavy-gauge, high-quality stainless steel; if it loses its shape it will not fit tightly over the glass. Usually a shaker comes in a set with its own strainer. The strainer and shaker cup should have an overhang of about 1¹⁄2inches to seal properly. A shaker is used for cocktails made with fruit juices, egg, sugar, cream, or any other ingredient that does not mix readily with spirits. A shaker is rinsed after each use.

The mixing container of the shake mixer (mentioned earlier in the section on blenders) is also called a mixing cup, steel, or can. This machine has supplanted the hand shakers at some bars. It is faster and more efficient. It can even make ice-cream drinks, which is something hand shakers can not do. A bar strainer (see Figure 4.17) is a round wire coil on a handle, which fits over the top of a shaker or mixing glass; it has ‘‘ears’’ that fit over the rim to keep it in position. The strainer keeps ice and fruit pulp from going into the glass when the drink is poured. A bar strainer is used with mixing glasses and shaker and blender cups. An elongated strainer, for 19-ounce bar glasses and shakers, is a modern addition.

FIGURE 4.16 The shaker

A barspoon (see Figure 4.18) is a shallow spoon with a long handle, often with a bead on the end. The spoon and handle are stainless steel, typically 10 or 11 inches long. The bowl equals one teaspoon. Barspoons are used for stirring drinks, either in a drink glass or in a mixing glass or cup. During Prohibition humorist George Ade, writing nostalgically in The Old-Time Saloon, described the use of the barspoon in pre-Prohibition days when, he said, a good bartender would have died of shame if compelled to use a shaker: ‘‘The supreme art of the mixing process was to place the thumb lightly on top of the long spoon and then revolve the spoon at incredible speed by twiddling the fingers . . . a knack acquired by the maestros only.’’ Perhaps this mixing method explains the traditional bead on the end of the handle.

An ice scoop (see Figure 4.19) is, as its name implies, an implement for scoop-ing ice from an ice bin. It usually has a 6- or 8-ounce capacity. A standard size makes it easy to get just the right amount of ice with a single scoop. Bartenders who scoop ice out of bins directly with a glass are asking for trouble, which they will realize the first time that they break or chip a glass, leaving broken glass in the ice bin and a razor-sharp rim on the glass. Use the scoop!

Ice tongs (see Figure 4.20) are designed to handle one cube of ice at a time.

One of the less popular bar tools, tongs are a relic from the days when all cube ice were large. Nevertheless they are still used, for example, in airline service. They serve an important function because ice that goes into a drink should not be touched by human hands.

A muddler, or muddling stick (see Figure 4.21), is making a comeback with the renewed popularity of classic drinks, such as the Old-Fashioned. A muddler is a wooden tool that looks like a little baseball bat. One end is flat for muddling (crushing) one substance into another, such as sugar into bitters in an Old-Fashioned. The other end is rounded and can be used to crack ice. The muddler,

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FIGURE 4.17 Bar strainers. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

FIGURE 4.18 Barspoons. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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FIGURE 4.19 Ice scoops. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

FIGURE 4.20 Ice tongs. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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FIGURE 4.21 Muddling sticks. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

FIGURE 4.23 Funnels. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

too, is a relic from another day; now simple syrup instead of lump sugar is used, and ice rarely needs to be cracked.

FIGURE 4.22 Fruit squeezers. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A bar-type fruit squeezer (see Figure 4.22) is a hand-powered gadget that squeezes half a lemon or lime for a single drink, straining pits and pulp.

Funnels (see Figure 4.23) are needed in several sizes for pouring from large containers into small ones, such as transferring special mixes from bulk containers into plastic bottles for bar use. Some fun-nels have a screen at the wide end to strain pulp.

A glass rimmer (see Figure 4.24) is a handy gadget used to rim a glass with salt or sugar. It is made up of three trays. One tray contains a sponge that is saturated with lemon or lime juice, the second contains a layer of salt, and the third a layer of sugar. The glass rim is pressed on the sponge, then dipped in salt (for a Margarita or a Bloody Mary) or sugar (for a Side Car).

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FIGURE 4.24 A glass rimmer. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.