The best bartenders learn to pour drinks accurately without measuring devices, using the counting method. Pourers and jiggers can also be used, but practice is key. Speed and technique are important for accurate pours, and mastering these skills can lead to faster service and increased profits.
Pouring drinks or accurate shots without the aid of a measuring device takes practice, but the best bartenders will learn to do it perfectly every time. This not only translates into better and faster drinks, but also more profits for the bar and less wasted liquor, which is always preferable. The most often recommended way of pouring liquor is the counting method, where the person pouring the liquor turns the bottle upside down, counts to four, and then immediately flips it over. It’s important to note that this can only be done if the bottle has a spout attached; never try it with a simple open bottle!
Remember that pouring liquor takes practice and until an individual pours it down, there are several ways to measure drinks. A jigger is a shot glass type gadget that is used to measure liquor to ensure shots are accurate. Other pourers that attach to the bottle are designed to pour a one-ounce shot and then stop pouring, but these don’t always work particularly well. In general, any bartender who can control the correct amount when pouring liquor will do better than someone who has to stop and measure.
Pourers that attach to the mouth of the bottle are typically designed to release between one-quarter and one-half of an ounce per second. Then, counting to four as you pour will result in a perfect one or two ounce shot. It is important to count every second, as in “one thousand, one thousand two” and so on. A simple count of “one, two, three, four” will not be correct unless an individual is counting particularly slowly. The speed with which the liquor is poured is also important, to ensure that the amount dispensed is correct.
The liquor bottle must be immediately turned upside down to pour, almost straight up and down, and then immediately turned upside down when the count is over; any hesitation will throw the measurement away. Some bartenders also twist the bottle at the same time to prevent any more drops of liquid from escaping, such as when pouring wine. All of these liquor pouring techniques require practice to get exactly the right result, but with continued effort it will become much easier and make the whole bartending process much easier and faster. Once an individual has mastered this, there are numerous other tips and tricks that can be used to impress other people when pouring shots and other mixed drinks.
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