Bar Training - Instructor's Guide
- Isla Rose
- Dec 29, 2022
- 11 min read
The Instructor's Guide or Manual (from the instructor's POV) that I use to train new bar staff.
Overall, I recommend familiarizing the trainee with the bar layout, how to pour beer and wine, how to make cocktails, and reviewing the rules and emergency protocol.
I recommend the trainee read the following articles, or similar resources:
Mapping Out the Space
Fresh Cut Fruits (Limes, Lemons, Oranges, etc.)
Direct the trainee to the fridge where you keep fresh fruit.
- What container is fresh, uncut fruit kept in?
- Do you keep a display of fresh fruit up on the counter for guests to see?
- Where is the cutting board kept?
- Where is the cutting knife?
- Where is the safety glove?
- Where is the peeler?
- What containers are used for sliced fruit? Where are those containers stored?
- Where is the garnish station, and where does each fruit go in that station?
- How much fruit should be stored, cut, and in the garnish station before a shift starts?
Explain the cutting process to the trainee. Show them where to wash the fruit, set up the cutting board, and how to cut the fruit (with safety glove on! This is likely a legal requirement for your establishment; don't slack on the safety glove just because you feel comfortable cutting a fruit like you're at home).
Let the trainee cut a fruit. Let the trainee move the cut fruit to the garnish station, and put the reminder in the correct container for storage.
Show the trainee where to dispose of unused fruit parts after cutting, and where to dispose of old/rotten fruit.
Other Fruits (Olives, Cherries, etc.)
Are there any fruits used at your garnish station that don't need to be cut? These likely include olives and maraschino cherries, which are likely stored in a container full of brine or juice.
Show your trainee where to find these fruits in the fridge, what tool to use to put them in the garnish station, and what to do with the fruit after the shift is over (where to store overnight & where to dispose of rotten fruit).
How much fruit should be in the fridge and in the garnish station before a shift starts?
Herbs
Locate any herbs kept in the fridge. Where are these located, and where are the backups in storage? How much should be in the fridge before a shift starts?
Also, does the bar staff need to wash or pluck the leaves off any of the herbs before use?
Syrups & Purées
Locate the fridges where you keep syrups and purées overnight, as well as where they go when taken out for a shift. Do they sit on a counter? In a speed rack?
If these items need to go in a specific order, teach this to the trainee. Are there labels? Or do they need to write the order down now and memorize it for their next shift?
Beer Bottles / Cans
Locate all of the bottles or cans of beer kept in the fridge. Where are these located, and where are the backups in storage? How many should be in the fridge before a shift starts?
Chilled Wine
Locate all of the boxes or bottles of wine kept in the fridge. Where are these located, and where are the backups in storage? How many should be in the fridge before a shift starts?
Are there any single-serve bottles of wine, like Prosecco or Champagne? Where are these kept? Where are the backups? How many should be in the fridge before a shift starts?
Room-Temp Wine
Locate all of the boxes or bottles of wine kept in cabinets or on the shelf. Where are these located, and where are the backups in storage? How many should be in the bar before a shift starts?
Alcohol Bottles & Well Liquor
Locate all of the remaining alcohol kept in the bar. Where are these located, and where are the backups in storage? How many should be in the bar before a shift starts?
Most bars have a cabinet to keep well liquor and backups, while one open bottle of each is kept in the ice well speed rack. If the speed rack items need to go in a specific order, teach this to the trainee. Are there labels? Or do they need to write the order down now and memorize it for their next shift?
Tools
Locate all of the following:
- Shaker Tins
- Strainers
- Stir Spoons
- Peelers
- Can Openers
- Knives
- Ice Scoops
- Bottle Openers (There may be different types for beer, wine, and liquor)
- Stoppers
- Pour Spouts
- Fruit/Herb Containers and Lids
- Straws
- Garnish Swords
- Napkins
Glassware
Locate all of the following:
- Pint Glasses
- Wine Glasses
- Champagne Flutes
- Mule Mugs
- Rocks Glasses (All sizes)
- Chilled Glasses (Martini, shot, and beer glasses, etc.)
- Backup Glasses
Cleaning Supplies
Locate all of the following:
- Rags
- Sponges
- Polishing Cloths
- Cleaning Solution
- Sink Sanitizing Solution
- Trash Can Liners
- Drain Cleaners
Where are the backups in storage? How much supplies should be ready in the bar before a shift starts?
Also locate:
- Brooms & Dustbins
- Trash Cans
- Recycling & Composting
- Glass Disposal
What is each used to dispose of?
Sinks
If your bar staff washes glassware in the bar, teach the trainee how this is done.
Important questions to consider:
- Where are garnishes, straws, used fruit, and ice disposed of before cleaning the glasses?
- What temperature is the water set to?
- Which sink gets soap? Which gets cleaning solution?
- Where are the glasses set to dry?
- Where are the glasses moved to once they're dry?
Ice Well
How full should the well be to begin a shift? How should bar staff burn the well to clean it or leave it overnight? Where does bar staff get ice for the well?
Beer
Bottle Stoppers
Where are wine stoppers kept? How are they cleaned?
Opening a Wine Bottle
Have the trainee practice using a wine bottle opener, whether on an unopened bottle of wine or an empty bottle with a cork stuffed in.
Checking the Wine Glass
Show the trainee where to get a wine glass. Point out what the trainee should look for before serving the glass: Chips in the glass, lipstick stains, fruit residue, sticky spots, etc.
Pouring the Wine
Demonstrate, then let the trainee try:
Measure 6oz of water into a wine glass. Have the trainee pour a glass of wine to match the height of the glass of water. Explain that every glass of wine served needs to be 6oz.
Cleaning the Wine Glasses
Explain how to polish a wine glass, and encourage the trainee to polish glasses when they have free time during a shift.
Wine
Bottle Stoppers
Where are wine stoppers kept? How are they cleaned?
Opening a Wine Bottle
Have the trainee practice using a wine bottle opener, whether on an unopened bottle of wine or an empty bottle with a cork stuffed in.
Checking the Wine Glass
Show the trainee where to get a wine glass. Point out what the trainee should look for before serving the glass: Chips in the glass, lipstick stains, fruit residue, sticky spots, etc.
Pouring the Wine
Demonstrate, then let the trainee try:
Measure 6oz of water into a wine glass. Have the trainee pour a glass of wine to match the height of the glass of water. Explain that every glass of wine served needs to be 6oz.
Cleaning the Wine Glasses
Explain how to polish a wine glass, and encourage the trainee to polish glasses when they have free time during a shift.
Cocktails
Recipe Cards
Locate the recipe cards your staff uses, whether your bar has its own renditions of classic cocktails or has its own specialty cocktails. Give a copy or have the trainee take a photo of the recipe cards. Explain that the trainee will need to memorize the contents and be familiar with where to find all of the ingredients.
Pour Spouts
Where are pour spouts kept? How are they cleaned?
Checking the Glass You're Serving
Show the trainee where to get cocktail glasses. Point out what the trainee should look for before serving a drink in the glass: Chips in the glass, lipstick stains, fruit residue, sticky spots, etc.
Building a Drink
Have the trainee make the cocktail tickets that come in. They may take a long time, checking the recipe card step by step. But it's important to learn the correct recipes and techniques, so have patience.
Shaking
Talk the trainee through how to shake a tin, whether the mixing tin is sealed with another tin or a pint glass.
Stirring
Talk the trainee through stirring a cocktail: How long? Where does the spoon go?
Straining
Talk the trainee through how to use Hawthorne and Julep strainers.
Garnishing
Go over which drinks receive which garnish.
Explain how to build a flag garnish.
Some drinks have multiple garnish options, like a Martini or a Gin & Tonic.
Free-Pouring
Discuss free-pouring with the trainee. Is it allowed in your bar? Maybe even expected, depending on the speed and style of your expected bar service.
If free-pouring is allowed in your bar, practice with the trainee using a bottle full of water. Discuss how the trainee should develop their own personal count, and should think of that count in their head as they pour into a jigger to start. Do not let a bartender free pour without efficient practice and a free-pour test.
Bar Opening & Closing
Go over the chores bar staff have when opening and closing the bar. Feel free to refer the trainee to these articles:
How to Open (Prep) a Bar
How to Close a Bar
Bar Rules
Checking IDs
The trainee should already be confident with how to check an ID. Regardless, give them and yourself a refresher: Carding (US Laws)
Drinking on the Job
Does your bar allow staff to drink on the clock? Take shots with guests? Discuss this with the trainee.
Serving Free Drinks
Does your bar allow staff to give out any free drinks throughout the shift? Is there a certain number or monetary amount allowed? Or is it prohibited?
Cutting off Customers
Provide the trainee with your own experiences, or feel free to assign a quick read: Cutting Off a Customer
Emergency Response
Identify all panic buttons in the bar. Who should bar staff alert in case of an emergency?
Discuss the kinds of emergencies that could occur. It's a difficult discussion, but much better to be aware and prepared than a deer in the headlights:
Alcohol Poisoning
If a customer shows symptoms of alcohol poisoning, don't be afraid of overreacting to the situation; It'd be much better to report the incident and have the customer be alright than leave the customer alone, risking their life and your job.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
Difficulty remaining conscious
Confusion
Severely slowed speech and response rate
Passing out
Vomiting
Seizures
There are more symptoms you may not be able to see as their bartender:
Clammy skin
Low body temperature
Slow heart rate
Slow or irregular breathing
Alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening: the person may choke on their own vomit, enter a coma, receive brain damage, or die. Do not be afraid that you're making a mountain out of a mole hill; Getting the guest help matters much more than everyone else having a fun night.
Explain who the trainee should go to if they are concerned a customer has alcohol poisoning.
Do your best to not let the customer leave the bar, without physically preventing them from doing so. If they are with friends, alert them. Their friends should want to help.
Explain to the trainee how to call 911 or how to properly assign someone else on staff to do so. Know your bar's address. If the paramedics ask you to do anything to assist the customer while help is on the way, do as they ask and stay calm.
Roofied (Drugged / Spiked) Customer
Symptoms of Being Roofied:
Customer feels foggy all of a sudden, or has difficulty concentrating and staying focused; Disoriented.
Acts excessively drunk, even after drinking just a little alcohol.
Interacts with people differently than before: The customer appears to have lost their inhibitors, alertness, or filters. Talks openly with complete strangers.
Memory loss; The customer doesn't remember how they got there or what they said a few minutes ago.
Acts sedated or sleepy.
Has difficulty moving; customer feels paralyzed or loses control of their muscles.
Nausea
18% of women and 1% of men experience date rape at some point in their lives. Only 13.8% of cases are committed by a stranger. If you think your customer has been drugged, alert management. If you're comfortable telling the customer, explain your concern and don't let them keep drinking.
If you think you see someone drugging a drink, the best case scenario is to call it out immediately. Don't let anyone drink it. Alert your team. Your manager should address the drugged customer and make sure they get home safely. This may include calling police for safe transport, to report the crime, or arrest the suspect. Be prepared to provide an honest statement.
In all dangerous situations like these, follow your gut. It is much better to have a false alarm than let a date rape happen.
Intoxicated Customer
Visit the article linked above, "Cutting a Customer Off", for in-depth directions for what to do in this scenario.
Drunk Driving
If you observe an intoxicated guest, you should have already alerted management. But next, if that guest still plans to drive:
DO NOT physically restrain the guest, or you could be charged for assault or put yourself in danger. DO keep up with the guest, making note of their car make and model and the direction they'll be leaving. Communicate your observations with the guest: Tell them you are obligated to report drunk driving to the police.
If the guest chooses to drive away, follow through on your word. You or your management should call the police. You may be asked to provide a statement, in which you should provide honest facts recounting your interaction with the customer.
Rules and regulations can be scary. You may be scared about losing your license or job. But these rules prevent deaths. According to the CDC, 29 people die every day from a drunk driving crash in the United States. You do not need that on your conscience.
Violent / Unruly Customer
Distance yourself to quickly assess and avoid. DO NOT physically restrain the guest, or you could put yourself in danger or be charged for assault. Speak in a caring tone, but you don't have to be the one to calm the customer down. You do not have to approach a violent customer, let alone by yourself. Call 911 or properly assign another staff member to do so.
Keep watch of the guest, including if they leave the bar in a state where they are not safe to drive. In that case, note their car make and model and the direction they'll be leaving.
Shooting
It's the worst-case scenario none of us want to think of, but have a plan ready in case the worst actually happens. Locate panic buttons, phones, hiding spots, rooms with locks, and emergency exits.
In a shooting, focus on getting yourself to safety. Do not blame yourself for not protecting others. Do your best with what you can do in the moment. Follow your gut.
Fire
Locate the following in your bar:
- Fire alarm switches
- Fire extinguishers
- Smoke detectors
- Emergency Exits
If the fire alarm goes off during your shift, quickly connect with staff to discover why the alarm has been pulled. It may be a fire, a shooting, another emergency where staff and guests would be safer outside, or it may be a false alarm like a kid's prank or an accidental pull.
If you can't find management quickly, focus on getting yourself and customers out of the building. Prioritize your safety, even if it looks like you're overreacting; Better to be safe than sorry.
If your management allow staff to use a fire extinguisher in an emergency, and if the staff member is comfortable and familiar with using one, you can teach the trainee how to use one.
*Don't actually spray a fire extinguisher if you aren't experiencing an emergency, as the powder can be irritating to the eyes and skin, damage property and electronic devices, and needs to be reset after each use.
Only use a fire extinguisher if the fire is small. If it is large and growing quickly, exit the building and call 911.
To use a fire extinguisher, remember Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep, or P.A.S.S:
- Pull the small metal pin in the handle. This breaks the tamper seal.
- Aim low, pointing the nozzle at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the lever slowly, discharging the agent inside.
- Sweep the nozzle from side to side, aiming low, covering the fire with the agent.
Natural Disaster
In the case of a flood, earthquake, tornado, or other disaster, touch base with your management. Focus on getting yourself, then others, to safety.
Comments