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Looking to elevate your cocktail game, streamline your bar operations, or simply unlock the secrets of the perfect pour? You've come to the right place!
At Überbartools™, we're passionate about all things bar-related, and we're dedicated to sharing our knowledge and insights with you.
MixTake - Bartender Scapegoat
On the internet little is written on the topic of bartender scapegoating, this process we call a MixTake!
MixTakes represent alcohol discrepancies, waste and over-pouring (DWO) with Management only blaming bartenders!
Why the Mixtake?
Confusion exists between the concept of mixing a drink and DWO; both involve liquid transference; with one attached to blame!
MixTakes are generally caused by Management misunderstanding operational figures creating 2 victims; the bartender and team morale!
Many bar and beverage managers have never received professional training on the math, science and dynamics of running a bar, thereby making it easy to draw a straight line from the problem to a bartender!
On the other hand, professionals coming out of culinary institutions tend to have the benefit of being taught scientific process to problem solve.
Scapegoated bartenders tends to work in bars where there‘s little or no investment in proper pouring tools, allowing sloppiness to set in, with potential protective steps missed or overlooked.
In our view Management must provide the tools and training for bartenders to do the job expected, anything less, well, that’s a MixTake!
Scapegoating bartenders without equally apportioning responsibility to management is a massive MixTake, costing business opportunity and destroying careers!
More Pimples than Dimples
Success is not attractive when it’s just cosmetic.
In a hospitality marketplace with too many choices, being noticed is more important than looking pretty!
Great looking bars and restaurants dot the map yet rarely cross the “T(errific)” intersection or consumer crosshairs!
In a world where more real, more authentic and more crafty is the badge of individuality and exception... “Pimples” work!
Of course, “Dimples” are the cute boy or girl next door look... but… why have what’s next door, when we can go out for fun and adventure elsewhere or everywhere!
Hands up for being the only “Pimple” on the block: having excited guests coming back for more is what it’s all about!
The Baristocracy - The Elite
There’s a pecking order in the Bar business... it’s manifests via the movers, shakers, followers, flaunters of our industry… these fine people are The Baristocracy… and we all know some from its ranks.
These people are at the very pointy end of the success pyramid: deliverers of innovation that changes, improves and inspires all of us deeply.
Members of The Baristocracy attract guests who then drink deeply from the “spring”” at these rare liquid oases.
Most of us appreciate that delivering exception daily and weekly requires enormous energy, passion and skill... yet, not all of us can do it!
In an awfully crowded marketplace... adoring eyes glaze hungrily at excellence; those that fall into this lair, often tend to self-expel excuses such as: “oh, we’re just as good as such and such” or "we’re so much better than so and so”!
Sadly, people motivated by professional jealousy can never cut the mustard or slice a metaphoric lime, as they’re destined to only sweep the floor after the dust from others success settles!
How can the innovators create highways that others can or will never overtake?
The Baristocracy never stops moving forward, it’s not in their nature to rest, as perfection requires motion, tinkering, tailoring and then re-toiling some more.
The message for all of us: for the guys at the top of the pyramid success is never completely owned; it’s loaned or leased temporarily, with rent paid daily!
The rent being: having the right attitude (ego removed), inordinate creativity, hard work and the biggie, self-made luck!
Pay your rent daily... and hopefully you’ll soon join the honour roll too!
Worm of Mouth
The Rule of Thumb - The Power of 3
Our lives are consumed by the number 3!
We win, loose, judge, consider, select, discard, all based on this number!
Some examples:
3 is also crucial to a bar business as it’s the key to growing, winning and operating profitably!
When one considers the impact of the power of 3, the thought changes to “drinks philosophy”! Don’t worry this is not a conversation about the pros and cons of Pre or Post prohibition style drinks , it’s an understanding based on building a model inclusive of supporting engineering process and metrics.
The Bar Rule of Thumb…
There’s a direct relationship between guests spend, individual drinks sold and contribution margin towards a venues costs.
A great guide to understanding in easy terms the impact… consider overhead and expenses in terms of 3 drinks sold to one guest.
Remember a drink purchased by one customer, and then repeated, may not always mean a bar is making a profit.
Each Rule of Thumb has its own drill down with arising impact:
A One drink Philosophy
The focus is on SPEED! Quality, consistency, possibly service may take second or third place as it’s all about VOLUME. Being brilliant at getting it out quick is key as guest churn is high! This business may be characterised by consequences such as rising wastage, lack of care and possibly high staff turnover! If this game is not won through unbelievable costs controls, process and execution, it’s easy to just tread water! Let’s face it whose in business just to pay wages!
A Two drink Philosophy
The focus changes from slinging it out to looking at ways to drive profitable revenue opportunity, by encouraging the guest(s) to stay longer/spend more. Quality, consistency, guest experience becomes something to focus on. Less money can be spent on driving the numbers, more emphasis on customer retention. As spend per guest rises, the contribution margin required to cover remaining venue costs gets closer and closer to break-even.
A Three drink Philosophy
The focus here is detail: heightened guest experience, service levels, quality, perception of value, consistency. Greater investment can be made on the bells and whistles encouraging guest retention, larger spend! Supporting processes and activities will be built around engineering this business outcome, with rising profits to show for the effort.
Defining what your business is or aspires to be; measure by the Bar Rule of Thumb, it’ll change the way your business runs!
To your success!
Nohibition® - The Spirited Renaissance
It’s sometimes hard to imagine how far the spirits industry has grown, innovated and re-imagined itself from the dark days of Prohibition.
Nohibition®... The Spirited Renaissance - is defined as the polar opposite to the dark ages of Prohibition. The new beginning, or great awakening commenced in the early 21st century… with a handful of bartenders asking why not... going back to study history to re-imagine a future with no boundaries, endless possibilities and the opportunity to bring drinking enlightenment to the masses.
Whilst new Prohibitionists agitate throughout the world, threatening new legislation, new taxes, advertising restrictions... the industry has banded, educated and self-regulated to stave the threats.
To see how Nohibition® - The Spirited Renaissance has transformed the terroir TODAY we must ask the question(s): What new brands, categories, technology, innovations we take for granted TODAY that were not in existence 5-10 years ago?
Then stand back and be struck as we see how far we’ve come… it’s far more than awesome... it’s mind numbing!
When the world moves as fast as the power of thought, you’ll be amazed by who’s on the list!
Here’s a few examples:
The 86 Company |
Fever Tree |
The Bitter Truth |
Überbartools™ |
Berlin Convent |
World Class |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Germain |
Hendrick's Gin |
London Cocktail |
Face Book |
|
Ebay |
Berlin Bar Convent is a perfect example of the aforementioned Innovation... walk the endless halls at the show and you’ll soon see that over 50% of companies and brands on display... were NOT in existence 10 years before!
Our point: The Spirited Renaissance is bigger than just a brand or even the industry itself… the real power is understanding that the tidal wave of ideas, representing the hopes and dreams of so many passionate individuals and corporations becomes the sustaining force to outpace government legislative walls, keep up with consumer trends; providing assurance and opportunity for enterprising entrepreneurs, re-imaging tomorrow!
Hang on for the ride!
Angel's Share v's Devil's Take
Sometimes polar opposites exist within the same continuum ... a practical example of this thought is Angel's Share, which receives reverence and respect whilst it’s polar opposite the Devil’s Take, is completely ignored by profit atheists!
Angel's Share affects Distillers costs…Devil’s Take destroys Bar profits!
The differences and outcomes are wide reaching and devastating!
Angel's Share is the evaporative process in alcohol barrelling whereby a certain amount of alcohol evaporates silently through a barrel’s staves to reach the heavens: Angel's Share or Bacchus’s Bounty can equate to 5-10% yearly by volume loss depending on climatic conditions such as heat or cold.
The Devil’s Take on the other hand occurs downstream and is the process of alcohol transfer loss from bottle to serving glass at the Point of Pour. The Devil’s Take is widely agreed by industry experts such as Barmetrix and Bevinco to represent losses on average of 3-5 mL (1/10-1/6 Oz) per 30 mL or 1 Oz serve!
So how does one account for Angel's Share and the Devil’s Take?
Distillers are a fairly canny lot... every production loss, irregularity, imperfection is quickly noted and accounted for. As spirit ages, Angel's Share accounts for increasing costs. The total costs to bottle (including storage, processing, bottling, and packaging) is then divided by total net volume produced, resulting in higher cost and wholesale/retail sales price... (Marketing, transport, taxes, and margins excluded)
Bar operators on the other hand receive a certain amount of bottled sprits and alcohol into stock ... depleting via sales an amount weekly… the difference between POS recorded sales and remaining stock on hand being the Devil’s Take. .representing alcohol drips, leaks, over pours, freebies, shrinkage! Bars do not charge more money to guests/consumers for the arising alcohol wastage/loss. Of course if Bar’s were to increase the price of every drink served by the comparable amount of alcohol over-poured or wasted, wouldn’t incensed consumers demand greater accountability in the way alcohol is dispensed?
The Devil’s Take is broadly explained away by bar management as “a cost of doing business” rather than the consequence of poor practice and execution at the Point of Pour.
If Distillers owned bars would they find ways to account and reverse engineer the Point of Pour process to reduce or eliminate a preventable loss…we believe they would!
Acceptance of the Devil’s Take is not futile; practical, cost effective solutions are available to overcome this large problem... to learn more enquire here!
Crowd Fund Your Bar... Don't wait, Just Do It Now!
It’s the dream of every bartender to own their own bar!
Taking the bar plunge is NOT easy: fear, uncertainty, inexperience, money, investors; are the largest obstacles to fulfilling the dream, right now!
Wait up! The news is now a whole lot better, in fact the landscape has changed thanks to crowd funding.
If you are now crunching the numbers for your new bar or restaurant… here’s a new way to get over the line... and it’s simple!
The steps:
- A vision
- Tell a great story
- Bucket loads of Passion
- A location
Now with these ingredients visit the Crowd Funding site Kickstarter to see how people ask for funding... You’ll get a sense what current best practice is and then scale it to your dream.
To make your adventure easier... check out how some passionate restaurateurs and bartenders from Perth, Australia did it with their new venture… Lucky Chan.
Great story, beautifully told in an inspiring, connective way...
Follow their blueprint and you too will be on the Über road to success... bye bye Mr boss man!.
Casting Shadows or Leaving Footprints
Creating or designing is the exception rather than the rule in a very crowded marketplace.
Bartenders, managers and brand owners struggle to create that special patch in the broader imagination that they or their business can own.
Ideally we all want to create footprints or make a lasting impression on our guests or customers rather than casting a shadow; which ultimately becomes a bystander to the main game!
If you’re struggling to make that footprint – you’ll find the Über 8 Step Design Process helpful in your journey.
1. Define the problem or opportunity
Understanding your business, talents, considering what needs to be fixed, done or moved is the prequel to creating opportunity.
2. Research and Brainstorm
Understanding the landscape creates parameters to brainstorm a bunch of ideas.
3. Identify the FAB’s
Features and Benefits or Pro’s and Con’s, this is where at Über we like to think we get very real – it’s about being critical and constructive simultaneously. Be the Jekyll and Hyde to every idea/thought and then pivot and turn it around again!
4. Concepts
One or two clear paths/options become evident. At this point based on instincts, research and de/reconstruction, someone needs to make the call!. If you work in a team, it’s about the resounding group YES rather than the best least option by consensus. As a potential team leader, it’s here where your talents to inspire and shine will create pace and path!
5. Prototype
Your first attempt to pre-test the idea, service, product for trialling.
6. Test and Evaluate
This is the point where X’s rise or hope fades based on research and feedback. Be open to an unexpected Y result. Remember nuance or possibly a pivot may be called for...
7. Inspect and Improve
You’ve finessed, pivoted, re-polished and ready to go unleash your thing onto a waiting world.
8. Create/Produce
The point of no return, the point where your shiny new product, business concept or service has been quality tested and you’ve hit the market running.
Now sit back and use this time to establish your new thing.
To your success!
Will we have too many Bartenders?
Bartending in particular or hospitality in general have had issues attracting and retaining talent.
The last 10 years have demonstrated demand for work exceeds supply – a healthy situation to maintain fair hourly rates!
Professional bartenders have prospered, achieving great careers, status and opportunity.
Could this change?
The answers regrettably is a resounding YES!
It’s a matter of supply… massive oversupply!
Why?
An ageing population!
The employment effect throughout the western world has always relied on one generation retiring, making room for the next.
So what’s changing?
People are either deferring or electing not to retire – impacting the next generation of graduating University students to secure positions within the area they’ve studied.
Multiply this worldwide, and successive generations of graduates are taking longer and longer to find a starting position.
Competition is Everywhere
Competition is not limited to the talent pool in just one country any more it’s anywhere... just need internet access.
So what happens to students who can’t find a chosen career job, will they do the next best thing and look for something in the meantime!
Here’s a thought: graduating Uni grads working in hospitality who can’t find work may need to hold on to what they’ve got until something better comes up… if it ever does!
Imagine for a moment, if more and more graduating students seek shelter in hospitality – what happens to the school leavers who normally drift towards hospitality as their last resort?
Will the very educated be more attractive to a prospective employer than a less educated school leaver, assuming similar pay levels?
As a prospective employer who would you choose to serve your business and your customers the best?
Whatever the outcome more people will look towards hospitality as their permanent income source –maybe the time will come when they’ll be more available talent than jobs to go around. The law of supply and demand will create downward pressure on everyone’s hourly rates! We see this now in many other industries... So hospitality is next!
An ageing population, a glut of educated unplaced talent is a reality right now.
Hold on tight as the future is being quietly typed – we’re just not hearing it………yet!
Does Innovation Lead to Greater Trust?
Innovation is broadly defined as: something newly introduced... a new method or device.
Über’s own innovation process emanates from a deep desire to make a difference; helping people achieve better outcomes!
Fears, frustrations, pain and loss are strong motivators to encourage quest seekers to go off and discover new ways of helping people do things!
Arising outcomes can be measured via health and safety benefits, speed and efficiency improvements, aesthetics, consistency, ease of use etc.
Consider crowd-funding vehicles such as Kickstarter, as the perfect platform requiring us to believe and then go off and do something, like commit!
Ultimately the movement from “nothing to doing” comes down to crossing a bridge… the white space between which innovation and relationship live… we call that trust!
Über's Top 12 Checklist
Here’s Über’s TOP 12 bullet proof questions to anchor your due diligence/checklist when evaluating any new product and service which is promised or expected to assist, power, control, transform and run YOUR business!
Too often it’s the failure to ask the right questions leaving you, over-promised and under delivered, ultimately creating frustration and disappointment! Apply these tests, ask these questions you’ll never go wrong!
Staying in control from the get go... you're guaranteed a better chance of ending up with the results you want and expect!
Good luck!