Basic Bar Supplies For A Pub

By Shaun Parker

The selection and stocking of a bar with the correct supplies can be a daunting prospect for the inexperienced or new bar owner, especially when taking into consideration that the wrong choices can seriously impact on the atmosphere and success of your bar.

So let’’s assume that you have your beverage choices already made and would like some guidance as to what bar supplies you will need to prepare and serve your drinks efficiently to your customers. There are a vast number of items to consider when buying bar supplies so in an effort to keep things simple and avoid confusion I will stick to the basics.

Glassware

Your selection of glassware if chosen carefully can greatly increase the atmosphere and overall drinking experience for your customers, Decide if you want to offer standard styles of glassware which is readily available and cheap to replace, or you may prefer to use more stylised and contemporary types of glassware which may be more expensive and harder to replenish but has the added effect of making your establishment stand out from the competition.

Bottle openers

The ability to open the different types of bottles behind your bar means you will need the necesary tools to do the job. There are two different kinds of openers you will need to purchase, one for removing the pressed bottle tops from bottled beers and one for removing the corks from the necks of wine bottles. Bottled beers need a claw type opener which can be mounted to a surface behind the bar or carried in the bar tenders pocket.

Wine bottles require a corkscrew style opener to prise the cork out of the wine bottle in one piece, again either mounted to a surface behind the bar or carried in the bar tenders pocket. A very popular product commonly known as a waiter’’s friend is a handy device that incorporates both elements of the two types of opener and can easily be stored behind the bar or carried by the bar tender depending on personal preference. Another related product to consider is a wine/champagne re-sealer to keep unused beverages fresh and ready for use at a later time re-sealers can be a simple rubber stopper or can be of a more complex vacuum style often incorporating a pump of some description.

Cocktail Mixing

Cocktail Preparation can be a complex affair with regards to recipes but having the right equipment gives you the foundation to start the learning process. Measuring spoons or thimble/spirit measures are a great bar supply tool for dispensing correct amounts of ingredients,Cocktail shakers are a must have for mixing and blending your drinks to perfection, many shakers are designed with a built in strainer to filter out unwanted ice or fruit from the drink prior to serving.

Pourers and measurers

Nearly all of your spirit and liquor bottles will require some sort of pourer/measurer inserted into the bottle neck. This can be either an optic (mounted to the wall by using an optic bracket) which will dispense a measured amount of spirit by pressing a lever. Also you might want to consider using free flow or measured pourers which require the bottle to be manually tilted over a glass to deliver the desired amount of liquid.

Ice Machines

You can never have too much ice so select an ice machine that is capable of providing you with more than enough ice for a day’’s business. Take into account the storage capacity of the unit and the rate at which the machine will replenish any ice you remove from the unit during bar service. Bear in mind you will need to dispense your ice from an ice bucket (usually insulated and with a lid to slow down the melting process) to speed up drinks service. Whole ice cubes are not always suitable especially for cocktails so provide your bar with an ice crusher either an inexpensive manually hand operated unit or a more costly electric model or alternatively an electric bar blender which can mix large quantities of ice at the same time as other cocktail ingredients.

About The Author

Shaun Parker has been a pub landlord for many years. He is a member of the campaign for real ale and offers advice on bar equipment to aspiring publicans.