Table of Contents
There are four measuring devices commonly used by bartenders: shot glasses, jiggers, pourers, and automated dispensers.
The Shot Glass
In some establishments, bartenders are provided with small glasses, called shot glasses, that are used for measuring. There are two kinds of shot glasses: plain and lined.
A plain shot glass holds a predetermined quantity when filled to the rim. Plain shot glasses are available in a number of sizes, from fractions of an ounce to several ounces. In any given bar, all such glasses should be the same size. In many of the establishments that use shot glasses, bartenders are told to fill the shot glass and pour the exact measure into the drink. In others, bartenders are provided with shot glasses that hold slightly less than management is willing to give (? ounce, for example, if 1 ounce is the standard measure). Bartenders are instructed to fill the shot glass, pour it into the drink, and then, in full view of the customer, pour an additional small amount directly from the bottle into the glass. Some believe there is a positive psychological impact to this practice: Customers think they are getting more than they are entitled to.
A lined shot glass is similar to a plain one, but a line is etched around the glass below and parallel to the rim. In some bars, the standard of fill is to the line, which is in full view of both the customer and the bartender. Some bars use shot glasses with deceptive lines so that when the bartender fills to the line on the inside of the glass, it appears to the customer to go above the line on the outside. This is an optical illusion, but it can give the customer a sense of getting something for nothing. Another variation on the lined – glass approach is to use glasses that hold the standard measure when filled to the rim, but have lines etched in the glass at some level below the rim. These are used for the same psychological reasons.
The Jigger
A jigger is a double – ended stainless steel measuring device, each end of which resembles a shot glass. The two measuring devices that make up the jigger are of different sizes — one may hold 1 ounce and the other 1 ? ounces. Many believe the jigger is necessary for the accurate measuring that ensures perfect cocktails. It can be used for measuring straight shots as well, but is more useful for preparing cocktails that call for varying quantities of ingredients. For measuring the ingredients required for these complex drinks, shot glasses are inappropriate. Some cocktails call for such varied measures as 1 ounce of one ingredient and 1? ounces of a second. To measure exact quantities of each ingredient, it is necessary to use the jigger. The Grandview Bistro uses a jigger for preparing all cocktails. It has 1? ounces on one side and 1 ounce on the other.
The Pourer
A pourer is a device, fitted on top of a bottle, that measures the quantity poured from the bottle, limiting that quantity to a predetermined amount. This is another way to control the quantity of liquor used in preparing drinks. Several different types of pourers are available, but all operate on the principle of controlling the quantity poured each time a bottle is used. In an establishment where 1 ounce is the standard measure, all bottles can be fitted with devices that dispense just 1 ounce. Each time the bartender tips the bottle to pour, exactly 1 ounce is dispensed. The psychological effect, if any, of these pouring devices, is widely disputed. Some think that the customer is given the illusion of the bartender pouring freely; others argue that customers may feel a certain resentment toward an establishment that neither trusts the bartender nor permits an extra drop to be dispensed to a customer. Still, others believe that pourers are useful at service bars, which customers never see, but should not be used at front bars, where customers watch bartenders mixing drinks. Most bartenders do not like these devices because it takes slightly more time to pour a shot than other means. There are many pourers and other devices associated with computer software, some of which are attached to liquor bottles. The following section discusses several of them.
Automatic Pouring Systems
All automatic pouring systems are designed to regulate the amount of liquor transferred from the bottle to the glassware.
How that is achieved is probably the biggest difference between each system. The most common method has a special pourer that fits on each bottle; this is then used in conjunction with a ring or collar that slides over the pourer and activates it. Most of these rings or collars are attached to the cash register or to a piece of hardware that is designed to take the place of the cash
register. The wireless free pour is another system that is commonly in use in foodservice operations dispensing liquor. This system has a radio transmitter, which transfers the data from the bottle to the software program and stores the information there in order to generate reports when the manager dictates. The benefit of this type of program is that there are no wires to interfere with the bartender ’ s activities, and the data is stored and available to the manager to assist in important decisions. The downside to this system is that it does not control the portions; therefore, this system is intended for use in an operation that is confident that the bartenders are following standard recipes and are skilled enough to do so without the use of measuring devices.
Alcohol Controls sells a product called the Liquor Clicker. It is a liquor pour spout that fits on each bottle at the bar. It portions every shot to the amount determined by management and tracks the number of shots dispensed on an odometer-style counter. The software used with these pourers allows management to print a report that shows the number of shots poured from each bottle, the potential revenue, and the actual revenue. Alcohol Controls also has a liquor control system called the Spirit. Bottles are capped with a Brand ID Control Pour that will portion every shot of liquor or glass of wine dispensed. Liquor cannot be poured until the bartender inserts the control spout into the dispensing station ’ s activator ring Where the bartender mixes drinks. It is tied into a point – of – sale (POS) system that records the sale.
Many companies have developed and successfully marketed various automated devices for dispensing predetermined measures of liquor. These range from comparatively simple systems for controlling only the pouring brands to elaborate electronic control systems that not only control ounces but also mix drinks at the push of a button. These systems, costing many thousands of dollars, are usually linked to cash registers in such a way that each sale is recorded on a guest check as the drink is prepared. In addition, meters record the quantities used, and this makes accurate inventory control possible.
Glassware
In addition to controlling the quantity of liquor used in preparing each drink, it is desirable to control the overall size of the drinks. Standardizing the glassware used for service makes this comparatively simple. It is the manager ’ s responsibility to establish the standard portion size for each type of drink and to provide bartenders with appropriate glassware.