The Beverage Service World
PREFACEThis book is intended as a text for college level courses in bar and beverage operations management. Its chapters provide, first, a brief history and an overview of the beverage industry. They then cover the fundamental areas of beverage operations—the planning of the bar, staffing the bar, legal factors, drink costing, purchasing, receiving and storage, beverage production methods, as well as mixology.The book also contains several chapters not normally covered in beverage operation management texts: the role of the customer in the success of the business, controlling internal theft, and the promotion of responsible drinking. An extensive glossary is included to assist students in the class as well as managers in the field. Management forms were added to assist students in the understanding of the material, as well as to assist them in setting up and operating a beverage operation. The bar and beverage operation business is very dynamic and always changing. These chapters were included to reflect trends that, we believe, will be crucial to the industry.To be successful in the ever increasingly competitive arena, beverage operations need to be customer-driven. The text stresses the importance of the customer to the success of an operation. Chapter Two is dedicated specifically to the role of customer. The importance of the customer and the role of customer service is surprisingly left out of most beverage operation texts, but future managers (and those currently working in the industry) must respond to their customers in all aspects of the running of the business.The text is broken up in four segments:Introduction to the Beverage Industry and the Role of the Customer, The Running of the Bar, Beverage Product Knowledge and Mixology, Management of the Bar OperationsThe material on the planning of a bar covers the different types of bars and the determining of target markets and market segments. Market and feasibility studies are included. The importance of a clear-cut concept as well as the setting of atmosphere, décor and layout is emphasized. The equipment chapter explains and displays the major pieces of both large and small equipment crucial to the operation of a bar.Bar managers need to be knowledgeable about the products they serve in their operations. The product knowledge segment of the text covers the mechanics of both fermentation and distillation as well as the key factors that affect quality. There are chapters for the major beverage the classifications: spirits /cordials, wines, and beer. Each chapter includes materials on how the products are made and what distinguishes them from other beverages in their classifications. The basics of mixology is covered so students understand the key drink classifications, behind the bar procedures, garnishing, etc.There are both similarities and differences between the running of a beverage operation and the running of a food service operation. The last segment of the text covers materials managers and future managers must know to successfully run an operation selling alcoholic beverages. Key topics such as staffing, legal factors, drink costing and pricing, and purchasing / storage all require special attention and are covered it individual chapters.Promoting the responsible consumption of alcohol is a major concern to operations serving alcohol in a time where people are so quick to look to the courts. Managers must understand the importance of controlling the consumption of alcohol to their guests, and how to promote non-alcoholic beverages in their operations.Another major concern to bar operators is theft by employees. Bartenders and servers have the opportunity to steal both cash and inventory from their employers as well as their guests. Studies show most of the theft from an operation is from employees not from outsiders. The chapter on internal theft helps the student and future manager to determine why employees steal, how they steal, and how to develop policies and procedures to control the theft.The text is organized in a manner that facilitates both teaching and learning. Each segment provides the student with the key material they need in the crucial areas. The chapters begin with objectives and outlines to prepare the reader for what follows and to help identify the key concepts. Each chapter has questions to help the student better grasp the material. The chapters include pictures and diagrams to better illustrate the key points of the text. Key terms are highlighted in the text and included in a comprehensive glossary at the end of the book.The idea for the book came from many years of combined working experience coupled with many years of teaching beverage operation management class. The book was written with both the future and present manager in mind. The material presented is timely and presented in a way that is easy to understand. The test bank and overhead masters provided in the instructor's manual will be a great benefit to those teaching the course.We are grateful to the educators who reviewed the manuscript, and our friends and colleagues who shared materials with us. The editorial staff of Prentice Hall needs to be commended for their patience through the long and arduous task of writing and re-writing the manuscript. A special thanks goes to all of the companies that assisted us by sharing the pictures and diagrams used throughout the text. We both would like to thank our students for allowing us to share our experiences and knowledge with them and for sharing their knowledge and experiences with us.Most of all we would both like to thank our families for their assistance in this project. Without their patience and support this project would not have been completed.