The Elusive Perfect Bar
How to build the perfect bar in 2024? Hello, fellow hospitality friends! The following is the transcript from my webinar with Ian Purcell of BarTrack from February 22, 2024. Ian is the Senior Director of Client Success at BarTrack, one of the fastest-growing companies in the hospitality industry. Click here to watch our webinar.
Host: Ian Purcell
Today, we’ll be diving into the realm of professional bar design with special guest Rick Uzubell of Cabaret Design Group. I’m your host, Ian Purcell, Senior Director of Client Success at BarTrack. Imagine a bar space where aesthetics and functionality converge to create a seamless staff and customer experience. Today, we have the privilege of exploring the wonders of Cabaret Design Group with expert and owner Rick Uzubell. I’ll also be answering some of Rick’s questions about how the BarTrack system works and getting his feedback on our many innovative features. Let’s jump into it!
Guest Star: Rick Uzubell
Hi there viewers, Rick Uzubell here! Owner and Founder of Bar Designers and Cabaret Design Group. After decades of experience, I’m excited to share with you some of the key takeaways for building the perfect bar. Bars are not just about visual appeal, but also about creating an atmosphere that immerses your audience while equipping your staff with all the tools necessary to make service operations seamless.
TO BUILD THE PERFECT BAR YOU NEED ERGONOMICS
At the core of every great bar design, we emphasize the importance of space planning, ergonomics and efficiency. The finishes are what we develop once the equipment layout has been established. Let’s learn more about how these factors contribute to the perfect Bar and therefore, customer experience. I’ve authored numerous blog posts and YouTube videos, because there’s a lot that goes into planning. The following blog post provides the best fundamental information through an actual case study
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SPACE PLANNING IS PARAMOUNT TO SUCCESSFUL BARS
The first step to build the perfect bar begins with space planning. To guarantee success, all the proper architectural standard clearances must be incorporated, as shown in Fig. 1, above. As I always say, bars are built from the inside-out. If you use these dimensions to build your bar, you’ll be on your way to achieving an ergonomically-correct bar.
The most critical dimension to build the perfect bar is the 11" interior overhang of the bar top.
I use these dimensions with every bar I design. Here’s a practical example of how these dimensions need to be applied. One of the toughest bars I’ve worked on is shown in Fig. 2, above.
WHEN PLANNING A BAR EMPTY SPACE APPEARS DECEPTIVELY LARGE
On the left (‘Plan View’), the space intended for the island bar was 1,000 sq.ft., which appears large – especially in a space surrounded by windows (natural light distorts sight lines, making the space feel larger than it is). Using the clearance dimensions from the sketch in Fig. 1, I applied all of my basic bar clearances to see if the prospective island bar would fit.
As shown on the right side (‘Section View’) of Fig. 2, you’ll notice that the island bar just fit! From my years of experience, I wasn’t as concerned with the length of the bar, because I knew I could make adjustments.
Using all the above information, I created a plan view, as shown in Fig. 3, below, left. At that point, I knew the contractor was well on his way to build the perfect bar! The finished result in shown in Fig. 4, below, right.
Key Elements of Bar Design: Draft Beer Systems
Host: Ian Purcell
Now that we’ve explored the world of Cabaret Design Group, let’s switch gears and head over to the fascinating world of draft beverage monitoring and management. Rick, can you tell us a bit about the tools and systems you’d recommend to build the perfect bar’s draft program?
Guest Star: Rick Uzubell
There’s a lot that goes into a smoothly operating bar and the draft beverage program plays a large part of that. When designing a new draft system for a bar, operators should consider several factors to ensure smooth operations and customer satisfaction.
THE VALUE OF HIGH-QUALITY DRAFT BEER EQUIPMENT
Firstly, invest in high-quality equipment to maintain beverage quality and minimize downtime. Proper staff training is crucial for efficient operation, ensuring that employees can handle the system effectively and address any issues promptly. Implementing inventory management systems can help track stock levels, prevent waste, and optimize ordering processes.
PROPER LAYOUT WILL HELP BUILD THE PERFECT BAR
Additionally, consider the layout and organization of the draft system to enhance workflow and reduce wait times, ultimately contributing to maximum bartender efficiency, improved customer experience and increased revenue. For instance, consider the double-service draft beer tower shown in Fig. 5, below I designed this tower with Micro Matic so the two bartenders working on either side of the bar are contained within their respective work zones. In ergonomic bar design, we minimize bartender movements.
To build the perfect bar, we often use the Micro Matic UCM dispenser, shown in Fig. 5.1. This is used for the bartender that handles wait staff orders, and ensures that that bartender maintains maximum efficiency.
There’s a lot to know when investing in a draft beer system and I wrote this blog post which covers most of the basics for making an informed decision.
Bar Controls to Build the Perfect Bar in 2024
Host: Ian Purcell
When you mention inventory and quality management systems that increase revenue for the bar, BarTrack enters the stage. As the name suggests, the BarTrack system is all about efficiently tracking and managing beer inventory. Whether you’re a bar owner or a craft beer enthusiast, the importance of keeping track of your beer inventory, getting high-resolution data that’s simple to interpret, and ensuring quality pours cannot be overstated. As an expert in this industry Rick, what are your thoughts on BarTrack as a comprehensive solution for draft management at the bar?
Key Features of BarTrack Will Help You Build the Optimal Bar
Guest Star: Rick Uzubell
As a bar designer, BarTrack stands out to me as a revolutionary technology, in many ways. As seen in Fig. 6, above, from keg management to real-time inventory updates, BarTrack provides a comprehensive solution for draft management. For the first time, operators get real-time data about their systems to streamline efficiency.
When so much hard work and planning has gone into an excellent bar design, a system like BarTrack is the golden ticket to ensuring those standards are upheld. Whenever we see a bar we’ve designed using BarTrack, we can rest assured those beverages are going to pour perfectly, the staff is going to enjoy streamlined inventory within that carefully designed space, and owners are going to realize a faster ROI. Therefore, that carefully designed bar will be profitable. It’s the special key to unlock the last step in a well-functioning and successful space.
THE SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN BAR DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT
Host: Ian Purcel
Absolutely! Getting buy-in from key stakeholders like yourself who know what goes into creating these bars and then managing them effectively is what this system is all about. You’re describing how BarTrack simplifies the complexities of bar management, specifically draft beverage management, just as Cabaret Design Group simplifies all the initial complexities of a new or remodeled bar build.
With features like real-time keg tracking by the oz, inventory alerts, and waste breakdown analytics, we empower businesses to optimize their operations and provide the best beverage and bar experience to their customers.
And there you have it, a glimpse into the captivating worlds of Cabaret Design Group and BarTrack. A big thank you to our guest star, Rick Uzubell, for sharing his expertise. Now, it’s time for your questions! Whether you’re looking to increase profitability, build out a new bar, or simply want to learn more about what we do, we’d love for you to connect with us on our website or at Rick’s, both are listed here. We can’t wait to hear from you. Cheers!
KEGERATORS CAN HELP BUILD THE PERFECT BAR
Guest Star: Rick Uzubell
One last thing, Ian. I want our audience to be aware of an emerging trend, and that’s the pairing of batch cocktails and kegerators. For those unaware, batch cocktails enable bar owners and operators to serve today’s immensely popular drinks, such as the nitro espresso martini, in five gallon batches and dispense them through their draft beer system. However, the draft beer delivery can also be achieved with kegerators!
MY HISTORY WITH KEGERATORS
Over the years I’ve written a lot about kegerators, and admittedly, they’ve been in-and-out of my radar. In other words, I’ve loved kegerators and I’ve also hated them. However, with the emergence of batch cocktails, I’m again a proponent of the kegerator – especially for restaurants.
KEGERATORS AND BarTrack: THE WINNING COMBINATION!
Fig. 8 depicts a kegerator that’s setup to dispense batch cocktails and Fig. 8.1 shows how BarTrack is incorporated inside the kegerator. This could easily be converted to any combination of cocktails and beer. Folks, with BarTrack, the kegerator can help any restaurant owner build the perfect bar! I specify BarTrack and kegerators for all our restaurant clients!
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