Beverage Glossary
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Absinthe. An
herbal liqueur from France (also made in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria) that
is strictly regulated for containing a small amount of a nerve-damaging
ingredient called alpha thujone. It is illegal to purchase Absinthe in the
United States due to its extremely high alcohol content.
Acetaldehyde. A by-product of the human liver when metabolizing alcohol that prompts inflammation and may stimulate the immune system. Adjunct. Any cereal grain added to malted barley in making beer. Also called a malt adjunct or grain adjunct. Aging. The storing of wine or spirits in wooden casks for a period of time to improve flavor. Aguardiente (ah-GWAHR-dee-EN-tay). The Mexican name for rum whose sugar-can based spirits exceed 50 percent. Ah-so. A wine-opening device that consists of two prongs, which are wedged into the neck of the bottle between the cork and the glass and twisted. Alberino (al-behr-EEN-yoh). A grape that makes a popular Spanish white wine of the same name, full-bodied and lightly sweet. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. A federal agency in the U.S. Treasury Department responsible for licensing, taxing, and regulating the labeling of alcohol and tobacco products sold in the United States. Abbreviated TTB. Alcoholic. A person who is addicted to alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverage. A potable liquid containing .5 percent or more of ethyl alcohol (by definition under federal law). Alcoholism. An addiction to alcoholic beverages. Ale. A malt beverage (beer) made by top fermentation at lukewarm temperatures. Alembic, alambic. A copper pot still used in distilling Cognac. Altbier. German for old beer, made in a traditional Rhineland style using both ale and lager techniques. Known for a coppery red color and very hoppy flavor; top-fermented and coldlagered. Amaretto. An almond-flavored liqueur. Ambience. Another term for atmosphere; the overall sensory and psychological impact of surroundings. Amphora. Airtight clay containers that the ancient Greeks used for wine storage. See pitching. Anejo tequila. A tequila that has been aged in wood for at least one year. The word anejo means "aged" in Spanish. Angostura (ANN-goh-STIR-ra). Condiment bitters from Trinidad. Anisette. A generic name for a sweet liqueur made with anise seed, fruit peels, and other herbs. Annealing. The slow-cooling process used to harden melted glass; part of the process of making glassware. Aperitif (a-PAIR-ih-TEEF). 1. A fortified wine flavored with herbs and spices. 2. A wine served as an appetizer before a meal. Appellation controlee (ah-pel-la-SEE-awn kawn-tro-LAY). A phrase on a French-wine label indicating that the wine comes from the controlled area named and meets its strict legal standards. Applejack. A U.S. brandy distilled from apple cider and aged in wood. Apricot brandy. On a U.S. bottle, a brandy made from apricots. On an imported bottle, an apricot-flavored liqueur made from brandy. Approved Viticultural Appellation. The U.S. counterpart of the European appellation system;the phrase is applied to a unique vineyard area officially defined and controlled. Abbreviated AVA. Aquavit (ah-kwa-VEET). A Norwegian spirit (spelled akvavit in Denmark) much like vodka;made from potatoes, and most often flavored with caraway. Aqua vitae (OCK-wah VY-tah). An early Latin term for a distilled spirit. The literal translation is water of life. Arak, arrack. A brandy-like rum from Indonesia, aged in The Netherlands. Armagnac (AR-mun-yak). A brandy made in the Armagnac district of France. Aroma. A fruity or flowery scent of a wine, beer, or spirit. Aromatized wine. A fortified wine to which aromatic herbs and spices have been added,such as vermouth. Assorted discount. A price reduction based on quantity purchases: i.e., "Buy five cases and get a 20-percent discount." Also called a multiple-brands discount. Astringent. A wine-tasting term referring to an aspect of the wine that makes the mouth pucker. Auslese (AUSCH-lay-za). A German wine made from particularly ripe grapes picked very selectively in bunches. |
Bacchus. The god of wine in Roman mythology; still
used as a popular symbol of wines
and drinking.
Backbar. The rear structure of the bar behind the bartender, including storage, equipment,glassware, and liquor displays.
Balance. A term in wine tasting that describes how the components in a wine relate to each other to form a "good" or harmonious overall taste.
Bank. The amount of starting cash 1. in the register, for making change; or 2. in some
payment systems, the cash carried by each server.
Bank-count slip. A paper (similar to a deposit slip) on which a list of all of the bills and
coins is made for the start and/or end of a business day or work shift.
Barback. A bartender’s helper, usually an apprentice bartender.
Barbera (bar-BAHR-uh). An Italian red grape (also grown extensively in California) used
primarily for blending with other reds.
Bar-code scanner. A handheld device that reads the Universal Product Code bar codes
commonly affixed to most items sold today. See Universal Product Code.
Bar cost. See beverage-cost percentage.
Bar die. The vertical structure that supports the front portion of the bar and shields the
underbar from public view.
Bar knife. A small to medium-size stainless-steel knife, such as a paring or utility knife.
Barley. The primary grain used to make beer and scotch. Two-row and six-row barley are used for this purpose, so named because of the numbers of rows of individual grains on the heads of each stalk.
Bar manager. The person in charge of all of the aspects of operation in a bar, or all of the aspects of beverage operation in a restaurant.
Bar mixer. A blender used strictly for making mixed and frozen drinks.
Barrel. 1. In beer-making, a 31-gallon glass- or stainless-steel-lined tank. Breweries’ output is measured in barrels. 2. In making distilled spirits or wines, the wooden casks in which the liquid is stored to age and mature it.
Barrel house. The storage area for barrels at a bourbon-making distillery.
Barspoon. A shallow, long-handled spoon for mixing drinks, equal to 1 teaspoon.
Bar strainer. A round wire coil on a handle, used with a mixing glass or a shaker to strain a freshly mixed drink into a glass.
Bar sugar. A superfine sugar.
Bartender. A person who mixes and serves drinks to bar customers and fills drink orders for servers.
Base. The primary liquor in a mixed drink; usually at least a jigger.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The U.S. Justice Department agency responsible for the enforcement of some laws related to these items. It works with the TTB to enforce alcoholic-beverage laws. Abbreviated BATF.
Beer. 1. A fermented beverage made from malted grain (usually barley), water, hops, and yeast. 2. A fermented grain mixture, or wort, from which whiskey or grain neutral spirits are distilled; distiller’s beer.
Beer box. A refrigerator specially designed for a draft-beer system. Also called a tap box.
Beer-clean glass. A glass that is free of grease, soap, and lint.
Beerenauslese (BAHR-un-OUSCH-lay-zuh). A German wine made from individually picked,perfectly ripened grapes.
Beer gas. A mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in a container used in a draft-beer
system to keep the beer carbonated and to propel it through the lines from keg to tap.
Beer system. A draft-beer supply system, consisting of a keg of beer, a beer box, a tap,
lines, and a carbon-dioxide cylinder.
Beginning inventory. The dollar value of the physical inventory at the beginning of an
accounting period (which should be equal to the ending inventory of a previous accounting period).
Belgian ale. A beer made in Belgium, either by the Trappist-abbey-owned breweries licensed to make them or in the style of the traditional Trappist products. Also called abbey ales or abbey beers.
Benedictine. A prestigious French liqueur made by Benedictine monks from a secret recipe of herbs.
Beverage cost. The cost of spirits, wine, and beer for a given time period, determined by subtracting the beginning inventory from the ending inventory for that period.
Beverage-cost method. A formula for pricing mixed drinks based on the costs of their
individual ingredients.
Beverage-cost percentage. A beverage cost expressed as a percentage of sales. Often called simply bar cost.
Beverage director, beverage manager. The person in charge of all phases of beverage operation in a large organization. Also may be called beverage steward.
Bin card. A storeroom card for each beverage item showing the bin number and the amount of stock on hand.
Bin number. A number assigned to each wine on a wine list, which makes it easier to
organize and inventory, and easy for customers to refer to it by number if they cannot
pronounce the name.
Binge drinking. Consuming four or more alcoholic beverages (for women; five or more
alcoholic beverages for men) in rapid succession, usually in a party setting.
Bitter. A British-style ale, high in flavor and low in alcohol.
Bitters. Spirits flavored with such items as herbs, bark, and fruits, without the addition of sugar. Flavoring bitters are used in minute quantities as condiments; beverage bitters are potable beverages.
Blanc de blancs (blawn da BLAWN). A white wine made entirely from white grapes; usually a Champagne made from the Chardonnay grape.
Blanc de noirs (blawn deh n’WAHR). A white wine made from red grapes; usually Champagne made from the Pinot Noir grape.
Blend. 1. To mix, or marry, wines or spirits of different ages, character, or origin before
bottling. 2. To mix a drink in a blender.
Blended American whiskey. A whiskey containing at least 20-percent straight whiskey plus neutral spirits, with no aging requirement.
Blended gas. A combination of carbon dioxide and nitrogen used in a draft-beer system.
See beer gas.
Blonde beer. An ale or lager with a very light color and a medium-bodied flavor.
Blood alcohol content. The percentage of alcohol in an individual’s blood; used as a measure of the degree of intoxication. Abbreviated BAC.
Blue agave. The type of desert plant used to make Tequila; grown in five specific
government-authorized regions of Mexico. Also called maguey in some parts of Mexico.
Blush wine. A wine made from red grapes in which the grapes’ skin is separated from the juice soon after crushing, giving the wine a pale (pink or peach) color instead of dark red.
BMSW. Abbreviation for Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. A blend of single-malt Scotch whiskies from more than one distillery. Also called vatted malts or pure malts.
Bock beer. A rich, heavy, dark, malty beer, high in alcohol, made seasonally in Germany;also made in various styles in the United States.
Body. 1. Of a wine, the feel of a wine in the mouth, the result of its alcohol, sugar, and
glycerin content. 2. Of a spirit, the amount of flavor and aroma.
Bonded warehouse. A warehouse in which liquor is stored under government supervision.
Born-on date. A type of freshness dating, using the date on which a beer was canned or
bottled. Abbreviated BOD.
Botanicals. Herbs and spices used as flavorings in spirits, especially liqueurs, and fortified wines.
Botrytis cinerea (bo-TRY-das sin-AIR-ee-a). A mould that dries ripened grapes, concentrating their sugar and flavor (French pourriture noble; German Edelfaule). The literal translation is noble rot. These grapes are used to make supersweet dessert wines of high quality.
Bottled in Bond. A phrase on a bottle’s label indicating that the spirit inside is straight,
distilled at 160 proof or less at one plant by one distiller, aged at least four years, and bottled at 100 proof in a bonded warehouse.
Bottom fermentation. A method of making lager beers in which yeasts act from the bottom of a fermenting tank at low temperatures.
Bouncer. A security person for a bar whose job is to be on the lookout for unruly behavior and underage patrons and to be able to deal with these issues firmly and politely.
Bouquet. A complex and interesting odor of a mature wine.
Bourbon. A whiskey made with 51 percent or more corn, plus other grains, and aged at
least two years in charred new-oak containers.
Brandy. A distilled spirit made from wine or other fermented fruit juice.
Break-even point. The point in operating a business at which no profit is made and no loss is incurred. Handy to know because it enables you to track the minimum number of dollars that should be made each day to show a profit.
Breathe. A term for wine being exposed to air when it is first opened. Also called aeration.
Brewer’s yeast. Special types of yeast used in beer-making. Also called ale yeast or lager yeast.
Brewpub. A bar / restaurant combination in which at least some of the beer served is brewed on-site.
Broken case. A case of 12 bottles made up of different items. Also called a mixed case.
Brown goods. A nickname for whiskies and brandies—spirits dark in color and with hearty flavors.
Bruised beer. A beer that has been warmed and cooled again, which may suffer in quality as a result.
Brut (BROOT or brutt). A French term on a Champagne label, indicating that the Champagne is dry (meaning the grapes used to make it contained little or no sugar); the driest style of Champagne.
Budget. A financial plan for a given period that coordinates anticipated income and expenditures to ensure solvency and to yield a profit.
Build. To mix a drink in its glass.
Bundling. Offering more than one item (for example, a bottle of wine with two dinner
entrees) as a combination, often for a single or special price.
and drinking.
Backbar. The rear structure of the bar behind the bartender, including storage, equipment,glassware, and liquor displays.
Balance. A term in wine tasting that describes how the components in a wine relate to each other to form a "good" or harmonious overall taste.
Bank. The amount of starting cash 1. in the register, for making change; or 2. in some
payment systems, the cash carried by each server.
Bank-count slip. A paper (similar to a deposit slip) on which a list of all of the bills and
coins is made for the start and/or end of a business day or work shift.
Barback. A bartender’s helper, usually an apprentice bartender.
Barbera (bar-BAHR-uh). An Italian red grape (also grown extensively in California) used
primarily for blending with other reds.
Bar-code scanner. A handheld device that reads the Universal Product Code bar codes
commonly affixed to most items sold today. See Universal Product Code.
Bar cost. See beverage-cost percentage.
Bar die. The vertical structure that supports the front portion of the bar and shields the
underbar from public view.
Bar knife. A small to medium-size stainless-steel knife, such as a paring or utility knife.
Barley. The primary grain used to make beer and scotch. Two-row and six-row barley are used for this purpose, so named because of the numbers of rows of individual grains on the heads of each stalk.
Bar manager. The person in charge of all of the aspects of operation in a bar, or all of the aspects of beverage operation in a restaurant.
Bar mixer. A blender used strictly for making mixed and frozen drinks.
Barrel. 1. In beer-making, a 31-gallon glass- or stainless-steel-lined tank. Breweries’ output is measured in barrels. 2. In making distilled spirits or wines, the wooden casks in which the liquid is stored to age and mature it.
Barrel house. The storage area for barrels at a bourbon-making distillery.
Barspoon. A shallow, long-handled spoon for mixing drinks, equal to 1 teaspoon.
Bar strainer. A round wire coil on a handle, used with a mixing glass or a shaker to strain a freshly mixed drink into a glass.
Bar sugar. A superfine sugar.
Bartender. A person who mixes and serves drinks to bar customers and fills drink orders for servers.
Base. The primary liquor in a mixed drink; usually at least a jigger.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The U.S. Justice Department agency responsible for the enforcement of some laws related to these items. It works with the TTB to enforce alcoholic-beverage laws. Abbreviated BATF.
Beer. 1. A fermented beverage made from malted grain (usually barley), water, hops, and yeast. 2. A fermented grain mixture, or wort, from which whiskey or grain neutral spirits are distilled; distiller’s beer.
Beer box. A refrigerator specially designed for a draft-beer system. Also called a tap box.
Beer-clean glass. A glass that is free of grease, soap, and lint.
Beerenauslese (BAHR-un-OUSCH-lay-zuh). A German wine made from individually picked,perfectly ripened grapes.
Beer gas. A mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in a container used in a draft-beer
system to keep the beer carbonated and to propel it through the lines from keg to tap.
Beer system. A draft-beer supply system, consisting of a keg of beer, a beer box, a tap,
lines, and a carbon-dioxide cylinder.
Beginning inventory. The dollar value of the physical inventory at the beginning of an
accounting period (which should be equal to the ending inventory of a previous accounting period).
Belgian ale. A beer made in Belgium, either by the Trappist-abbey-owned breweries licensed to make them or in the style of the traditional Trappist products. Also called abbey ales or abbey beers.
Benedictine. A prestigious French liqueur made by Benedictine monks from a secret recipe of herbs.
Beverage cost. The cost of spirits, wine, and beer for a given time period, determined by subtracting the beginning inventory from the ending inventory for that period.
Beverage-cost method. A formula for pricing mixed drinks based on the costs of their
individual ingredients.
Beverage-cost percentage. A beverage cost expressed as a percentage of sales. Often called simply bar cost.
Beverage director, beverage manager. The person in charge of all phases of beverage operation in a large organization. Also may be called beverage steward.
Bin card. A storeroom card for each beverage item showing the bin number and the amount of stock on hand.
Bin number. A number assigned to each wine on a wine list, which makes it easier to
organize and inventory, and easy for customers to refer to it by number if they cannot
pronounce the name.
Binge drinking. Consuming four or more alcoholic beverages (for women; five or more
alcoholic beverages for men) in rapid succession, usually in a party setting.
Bitter. A British-style ale, high in flavor and low in alcohol.
Bitters. Spirits flavored with such items as herbs, bark, and fruits, without the addition of sugar. Flavoring bitters are used in minute quantities as condiments; beverage bitters are potable beverages.
Blanc de blancs (blawn da BLAWN). A white wine made entirely from white grapes; usually a Champagne made from the Chardonnay grape.
Blanc de noirs (blawn deh n’WAHR). A white wine made from red grapes; usually Champagne made from the Pinot Noir grape.
Blend. 1. To mix, or marry, wines or spirits of different ages, character, or origin before
bottling. 2. To mix a drink in a blender.
Blended American whiskey. A whiskey containing at least 20-percent straight whiskey plus neutral spirits, with no aging requirement.
Blended gas. A combination of carbon dioxide and nitrogen used in a draft-beer system.
See beer gas.
Blonde beer. An ale or lager with a very light color and a medium-bodied flavor.
Blood alcohol content. The percentage of alcohol in an individual’s blood; used as a measure of the degree of intoxication. Abbreviated BAC.
Blue agave. The type of desert plant used to make Tequila; grown in five specific
government-authorized regions of Mexico. Also called maguey in some parts of Mexico.
Blush wine. A wine made from red grapes in which the grapes’ skin is separated from the juice soon after crushing, giving the wine a pale (pink or peach) color instead of dark red.
BMSW. Abbreviation for Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. A blend of single-malt Scotch whiskies from more than one distillery. Also called vatted malts or pure malts.
Bock beer. A rich, heavy, dark, malty beer, high in alcohol, made seasonally in Germany;also made in various styles in the United States.
Body. 1. Of a wine, the feel of a wine in the mouth, the result of its alcohol, sugar, and
glycerin content. 2. Of a spirit, the amount of flavor and aroma.
Bonded warehouse. A warehouse in which liquor is stored under government supervision.
Born-on date. A type of freshness dating, using the date on which a beer was canned or
bottled. Abbreviated BOD.
Botanicals. Herbs and spices used as flavorings in spirits, especially liqueurs, and fortified wines.
Botrytis cinerea (bo-TRY-das sin-AIR-ee-a). A mould that dries ripened grapes, concentrating their sugar and flavor (French pourriture noble; German Edelfaule). The literal translation is noble rot. These grapes are used to make supersweet dessert wines of high quality.
Bottled in Bond. A phrase on a bottle’s label indicating that the spirit inside is straight,
distilled at 160 proof or less at one plant by one distiller, aged at least four years, and bottled at 100 proof in a bonded warehouse.
Bottom fermentation. A method of making lager beers in which yeasts act from the bottom of a fermenting tank at low temperatures.
Bouncer. A security person for a bar whose job is to be on the lookout for unruly behavior and underage patrons and to be able to deal with these issues firmly and politely.
Bouquet. A complex and interesting odor of a mature wine.
Bourbon. A whiskey made with 51 percent or more corn, plus other grains, and aged at
least two years in charred new-oak containers.
Brandy. A distilled spirit made from wine or other fermented fruit juice.
Break-even point. The point in operating a business at which no profit is made and no loss is incurred. Handy to know because it enables you to track the minimum number of dollars that should be made each day to show a profit.
Breathe. A term for wine being exposed to air when it is first opened. Also called aeration.
Brewer’s yeast. Special types of yeast used in beer-making. Also called ale yeast or lager yeast.
Brewpub. A bar / restaurant combination in which at least some of the beer served is brewed on-site.
Broken case. A case of 12 bottles made up of different items. Also called a mixed case.
Brown goods. A nickname for whiskies and brandies—spirits dark in color and with hearty flavors.
Bruised beer. A beer that has been warmed and cooled again, which may suffer in quality as a result.
Brut (BROOT or brutt). A French term on a Champagne label, indicating that the Champagne is dry (meaning the grapes used to make it contained little or no sugar); the driest style of Champagne.
Budget. A financial plan for a given period that coordinates anticipated income and expenditures to ensure solvency and to yield a profit.
Build. To mix a drink in its glass.
Bundling. Offering more than one item (for example, a bottle of wine with two dinner
entrees) as a combination, often for a single or special price.
Cabernet Franc (CAB-ur-NAY fronk). A relative of the Cabernet
Sauvignon grape; often used for blending.
Cabernet Sauvignon (CAB-ur-NAY so-vin-YON). One of the world’s most important grape varietals; used to make red wines of Bordeaux in France; also in California, Australia, and other reds.
Cachaca (cah-CHOK-ah). A Brazilian-made rum made from unrefined sugarcane juice.
Call brand. A brand of liquor specified by a customer ordering a drink; a brand frequently requested ("called for") by name.
Cage. The wire hood that encases a Champagne bottle cork, holding it firmly in place.
Calvados (KAL-vah-dose). A French apple brandy.
Campari. A bitter Italian spirit, which is 48 proof; among the most popular of the beverage bitters.
Canadian whiskey. A blended whiskey imported from Canada; light in flavor and body; aged at least three years.
Capital risk. Financial risks that, through a number of ways, may be preventable, such as waste, breakage, and spillage.
Capsule. The foil or plastic cap covering the top of a wine bottle.
Carafe (kah-RAFF). A glass container used to serve house wines; holds two to four glasses.
Carrying costs. The total dollar value of your inventory; items for which you have already paid but have not yet been sold or used.
Cash flow. The cash that comes into and goes out of a business. Tracked as a cash-flow forecast or cash budget.
Cash register. A machine for recording and totaling sales. See POS.
Cask-conditioned beer. A secondary fermentation of beer, done by adding yeast and priming wort to a wooden cask called a firkin. The beer is served directly from the firkin.
Cask strength. A term used on a whiskey label that means that no water was added to the whiskey to dilute it before bottling.
Category management. Tracking specific sales to see what sells well and what does not,then using that information to make more profitable business decisions.
Cava. A Spanish-made sparkling wine.
Cellarmaster. See sommelier or wine steward.
Cellar temperature. For the wine storeroom, 55 F to 60 F (12.8 C to 15.6 C).
Chalice. A footed, wide-mouthed glass appropriate for European beer styles, such as ale.
Chambord. A French liqueur flavored with raspberries.
Champagne process. The French process of making Champagne, in which yeast and sugar are added to a bottle of still wine, which then undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle.
Chapitalization. In winemaking, the process of adding extra sugar before fermentation when grapes do not contain enough natural sugar of their own.
Chardonnay. One of the world’s top white-wine grapes or the wine of the same name. It is also the grape used to make French Chablis and White Burgundies.
Charmat (shar-MAH) process. The method of making a sparkling wine in a large closed container under pressure rather than in individual bottles. Also called bulk process or charmat bulk process.
Chartreuse. A brightly colored, very expensive, herbal liqueur; made in a single monastery from a secret recipe since the seventeenth century.
Chaser. An additional liquid, such as beer or water, drunk immediately after gulping a shot of alcohol.
Chateau (shah-TOE). A vineyard in France. Some U.S. vineyards have picked up the term in naming their wineries.
Chateau-bottled. A wine bottled at the vineyard by its owner, made exclusively from grapes grown at that vineyard.
Chenin Blanc (SHEN-in BLONK). A popular white grape used to make wines of the same name, as well as the Vouvray wines (in France) and the Steen wines (in South Africa).
Claret. The British term for a red Bordeaux wine.
Classified growth. Wines from the chateaux of France that have been recognized for their high quality. The classification began in 1855 and lists the wineries (chateaux) by "first growth" (best and most prestigious) to "fifth growth" (also excellent). The classifications are subjective, and a great deal has changed since 1855.
Coarse salt. A salt that is larger than table salt and is used for rimming glasses. Also called kosher salt or Margarita salt.
Cobra gun. The dispensing head of an automatic beverage-dispensing system, for soft drink or liquor pouring. So named because of the lines that "snake" toward its head; the head itself has buttons on it that are pushed to dispense each beverage. Also called a handgun or six-shooter.
Cocktail. A mixed drink.
Cocktail glass. A stemmed glass with a flared bowl, usually holding 3 to 5 ounces.
Cognac (CONE-yak). A brandy made in the Cognac district of France.
Cointreau (KWON-trow). A brand-name liqueur that is a blend of several citrus fruits.
Collins glass. A tumbler that holds 10 to 12 ounces.
Collins mix. A sweet-and-sour combination of lemon juice, sugar, and club soda used to make Collins drinks.
Compound gin. A gin made or flavored by mixing high-proof spirits with the extracts of juniper berries or other botanicals.
Concept bar. A bar in which the de′cor transforms the space into an exotic place or another time period. Rainforest Cafe′s are examples of popular concept bar / restaurants.
Condiment. 1. A pungent or spicy product used to flavor drinks, such as bitters and Tabasco.2. A garnish, used in this sense largely by manufacturers of condiment trays.
Condiment tray. A multicompartment tray in which garnishes (e.g., cherries, lemon wedges,and olives) are stored at a serving station.
Congeners (CON-jun-ers, or cun-JEEN-ers). Products present in minute amounts in fermented and distilled beverages; provide the beverages’ distinctive flavors and aromas and certain features of a hangover.
Consultant. A specialist in design, market survey, feasibility, facilities design, and/or some other aspect of bar development or operation who works on a fee or retainer basis.
Continuous still. A continuously operating pair or series of interacting columns in which spirits are vaporized by steam. Also called a column still, a patent still, and a Coffey still.
Contract brewer. A brewery hired to make, label, and market private label brands for
brewpubs, under contract. See regional specialty brewery.
Contribution margin. Sales less product cost. Also called gross profit.
Control. A means of preventing, detecting, measuring, or eliminating waste, error, and pilferage.
Control state. A state in which all alcoholic beverages are sold from state-run stores. Also called a monopoly state. Compare license state.
Cooler. 1. A bucket for wine service, in which wine is surrounded by crushed ice; a wine chiller. 2. Kitchen jargon for refrigerator. 3. A glass tumbler that holds 15 to 16 ounces. 4. A tall, iced drink.
Cordial. A brandy or other spirit sweetened and flavored with natural flavorers. Also called a liqueur.
Cordial glass. A stemmed glass that holds 1 to 3 ounces.
Corked. A term that describes a wine with an unpleasant taste, usually due to chemicals or substances on the cork coming into contact with the wine. See 2, 4, 6-Trichloroanisole.
Cork retriever. The long wires on a handle that are used to grab a cork that has been
pushed into a wine bottle and turned upright to remove it.
Corkscrew. A device with a spiral screw that is used to open a corked bottle. See worm.
Corn liquor. A whiskey made with 80 percent or more corn in the mash, aged in uncharred or used, charred oak barrels. Not common as a bar whiskey.
Costing. Establishing the exact cost of a drink by figuring the cost of each ingredient in its recipe.
Cost percentage. 1. A cost expressed as a percent of sales. 2. As a control method, a
measurement of the actual bar cost percentage (based on a physical inventory) against standard bar cost percentages and past performance.
Count. The number of items in a container (necessary to cost a drink recipe).
Cover charge. A small entry fee charged at the door of a bar, usually when there is live entertainment; often used to pay the band or other entertainer.
CPU. Abbreviation for central processing unit, of a computerized register system (POS).
Craft brewery. Another term for microbrewery.
Credit memo. A seller’s document crediting a buyer for short, broken, or otherwise unsatisfactory merchandise or mistakes on an invoice.
Crus classes (KROO clah-SAY). The formal quality ranking of chateaux wines in Bordeaux and certain other French wine districts. Also called classified growths.
Cruvinet (KROO-vin-AY). The brand name of a popular, temperature-controlled winestorage cabinet.
Cryptosporidium. A common waterborne parasite that causes illness.
Cullet. Reused bits of broken glass, melted with soda, lime, and fine sand to make glass.
Curacao (KYOOR-a-sau). A liqueur made from the peel of a Caribbean fruit called the bitter orange.
Cup. 1. An 8-ounce liquid measure. 2. The metal can of a shaker or a blender. 3. A wine punch.
Cynar. A syrupy, dark brown Italian aperitif made of artichoke leaves.
Cabernet Sauvignon (CAB-ur-NAY so-vin-YON). One of the world’s most important grape varietals; used to make red wines of Bordeaux in France; also in California, Australia, and other reds.
Cachaca (cah-CHOK-ah). A Brazilian-made rum made from unrefined sugarcane juice.
Call brand. A brand of liquor specified by a customer ordering a drink; a brand frequently requested ("called for") by name.
Cage. The wire hood that encases a Champagne bottle cork, holding it firmly in place.
Calvados (KAL-vah-dose). A French apple brandy.
Campari. A bitter Italian spirit, which is 48 proof; among the most popular of the beverage bitters.
Canadian whiskey. A blended whiskey imported from Canada; light in flavor and body; aged at least three years.
Capital risk. Financial risks that, through a number of ways, may be preventable, such as waste, breakage, and spillage.
Capsule. The foil or plastic cap covering the top of a wine bottle.
Carafe (kah-RAFF). A glass container used to serve house wines; holds two to four glasses.
Carrying costs. The total dollar value of your inventory; items for which you have already paid but have not yet been sold or used.
Cash flow. The cash that comes into and goes out of a business. Tracked as a cash-flow forecast or cash budget.
Cash register. A machine for recording and totaling sales. See POS.
Cask-conditioned beer. A secondary fermentation of beer, done by adding yeast and priming wort to a wooden cask called a firkin. The beer is served directly from the firkin.
Cask strength. A term used on a whiskey label that means that no water was added to the whiskey to dilute it before bottling.
Category management. Tracking specific sales to see what sells well and what does not,then using that information to make more profitable business decisions.
Cava. A Spanish-made sparkling wine.
Cellarmaster. See sommelier or wine steward.
Cellar temperature. For the wine storeroom, 55 F to 60 F (12.8 C to 15.6 C).
Chalice. A footed, wide-mouthed glass appropriate for European beer styles, such as ale.
Chambord. A French liqueur flavored with raspberries.
Champagne process. The French process of making Champagne, in which yeast and sugar are added to a bottle of still wine, which then undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle.
Chapitalization. In winemaking, the process of adding extra sugar before fermentation when grapes do not contain enough natural sugar of their own.
Chardonnay. One of the world’s top white-wine grapes or the wine of the same name. It is also the grape used to make French Chablis and White Burgundies.
Charmat (shar-MAH) process. The method of making a sparkling wine in a large closed container under pressure rather than in individual bottles. Also called bulk process or charmat bulk process.
Chartreuse. A brightly colored, very expensive, herbal liqueur; made in a single monastery from a secret recipe since the seventeenth century.
Chaser. An additional liquid, such as beer or water, drunk immediately after gulping a shot of alcohol.
Chateau (shah-TOE). A vineyard in France. Some U.S. vineyards have picked up the term in naming their wineries.
Chateau-bottled. A wine bottled at the vineyard by its owner, made exclusively from grapes grown at that vineyard.
Chenin Blanc (SHEN-in BLONK). A popular white grape used to make wines of the same name, as well as the Vouvray wines (in France) and the Steen wines (in South Africa).
Claret. The British term for a red Bordeaux wine.
Classified growth. Wines from the chateaux of France that have been recognized for their high quality. The classification began in 1855 and lists the wineries (chateaux) by "first growth" (best and most prestigious) to "fifth growth" (also excellent). The classifications are subjective, and a great deal has changed since 1855.
Coarse salt. A salt that is larger than table salt and is used for rimming glasses. Also called kosher salt or Margarita salt.
Cobra gun. The dispensing head of an automatic beverage-dispensing system, for soft drink or liquor pouring. So named because of the lines that "snake" toward its head; the head itself has buttons on it that are pushed to dispense each beverage. Also called a handgun or six-shooter.
Cocktail. A mixed drink.
Cocktail glass. A stemmed glass with a flared bowl, usually holding 3 to 5 ounces.
Cognac (CONE-yak). A brandy made in the Cognac district of France.
Cointreau (KWON-trow). A brand-name liqueur that is a blend of several citrus fruits.
Collins glass. A tumbler that holds 10 to 12 ounces.
Collins mix. A sweet-and-sour combination of lemon juice, sugar, and club soda used to make Collins drinks.
Compound gin. A gin made or flavored by mixing high-proof spirits with the extracts of juniper berries or other botanicals.
Concept bar. A bar in which the de′cor transforms the space into an exotic place or another time period. Rainforest Cafe′s are examples of popular concept bar / restaurants.
Condiment. 1. A pungent or spicy product used to flavor drinks, such as bitters and Tabasco.2. A garnish, used in this sense largely by manufacturers of condiment trays.
Condiment tray. A multicompartment tray in which garnishes (e.g., cherries, lemon wedges,and olives) are stored at a serving station.
Congeners (CON-jun-ers, or cun-JEEN-ers). Products present in minute amounts in fermented and distilled beverages; provide the beverages’ distinctive flavors and aromas and certain features of a hangover.
Consultant. A specialist in design, market survey, feasibility, facilities design, and/or some other aspect of bar development or operation who works on a fee or retainer basis.
Continuous still. A continuously operating pair or series of interacting columns in which spirits are vaporized by steam. Also called a column still, a patent still, and a Coffey still.
Contract brewer. A brewery hired to make, label, and market private label brands for
brewpubs, under contract. See regional specialty brewery.
Contribution margin. Sales less product cost. Also called gross profit.
Control. A means of preventing, detecting, measuring, or eliminating waste, error, and pilferage.
Control state. A state in which all alcoholic beverages are sold from state-run stores. Also called a monopoly state. Compare license state.
Cooler. 1. A bucket for wine service, in which wine is surrounded by crushed ice; a wine chiller. 2. Kitchen jargon for refrigerator. 3. A glass tumbler that holds 15 to 16 ounces. 4. A tall, iced drink.
Cordial. A brandy or other spirit sweetened and flavored with natural flavorers. Also called a liqueur.
Cordial glass. A stemmed glass that holds 1 to 3 ounces.
Corked. A term that describes a wine with an unpleasant taste, usually due to chemicals or substances on the cork coming into contact with the wine. See 2, 4, 6-Trichloroanisole.
Cork retriever. The long wires on a handle that are used to grab a cork that has been
pushed into a wine bottle and turned upright to remove it.
Corkscrew. A device with a spiral screw that is used to open a corked bottle. See worm.
Corn liquor. A whiskey made with 80 percent or more corn in the mash, aged in uncharred or used, charred oak barrels. Not common as a bar whiskey.
Costing. Establishing the exact cost of a drink by figuring the cost of each ingredient in its recipe.
Cost percentage. 1. A cost expressed as a percent of sales. 2. As a control method, a
measurement of the actual bar cost percentage (based on a physical inventory) against standard bar cost percentages and past performance.
Count. The number of items in a container (necessary to cost a drink recipe).
Cover charge. A small entry fee charged at the door of a bar, usually when there is live entertainment; often used to pay the band or other entertainer.
CPU. Abbreviation for central processing unit, of a computerized register system (POS).
Craft brewery. Another term for microbrewery.
Credit memo. A seller’s document crediting a buyer for short, broken, or otherwise unsatisfactory merchandise or mistakes on an invoice.
Crus classes (KROO clah-SAY). The formal quality ranking of chateaux wines in Bordeaux and certain other French wine districts. Also called classified growths.
Cruvinet (KROO-vin-AY). The brand name of a popular, temperature-controlled winestorage cabinet.
Cryptosporidium. A common waterborne parasite that causes illness.
Cullet. Reused bits of broken glass, melted with soda, lime, and fine sand to make glass.
Curacao (KYOOR-a-sau). A liqueur made from the peel of a Caribbean fruit called the bitter orange.
Cup. 1. An 8-ounce liquid measure. 2. The metal can of a shaker or a blender. 3. A wine punch.
Cynar. A syrupy, dark brown Italian aperitif made of artichoke leaves.
Dash. A one-sixth teaspoonful, or about 10 drops of
a liquid.
Dasher. A dispenser built into the neck of a bottle from which no more than a dash is
usually dispensed, such as Tabasco or bitters.
Dealer at large. A liquor retailer who travels and makes sales in more than one state, such as a circus or carnival vendor.
Decant (dee-KANT). To carefully pour wine from a bottle to a carafe (or a decanter) so that the sediment remains in the bottle.
Delivery system. The process for ordering, producing, and delivering food and drinks to customers.
Demeraran rum. A rum made in Guyana; when specified in a drink recipe, it often means 151-proof rum.
Demi-sec. A French term on a Champagne label; the literal translation is half dry, but this is one of the sweetest styles of Champagne.
Demographics. Statistical data on population of a given area, such as age, income, dining habits, and lifestyle.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (de-nom-ee-NATZ-ee-OH-na dee OR-ih-JEEN-ah KON-troh-LAT-ta). A phrase on an Italian wine label indicating that the wine comes from the controlled district named and meets its strict legal standards. Abbreviated D.O.C.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita. In Italy this label designation indicates that the wine meets even higher standards than the normal D.O.C. "Garantita" means guaranteed. Abbreviated D.O.C.G.
Depletion allowance form. A paper on which any problem with inventory is recorded:
breakage, spills, transfers from one bar or site to another, or any beverage given away for any reason.
Dessert wine. 1. A class of fortified wines, often sweet, that includes port, sherry, Madeira, marsala, angelica, and muscatel. 2. Any sweet wine served at the end of a meal.
Detail tape. The paper tape made by a POS system or cash register as a way of documenting sales.
Diastase. The enzyme in malt (sprouted grain) that changes starches to sugars.
Die. A vertical structure that supports the top of the front bar and divides the customer’s side from the bartender’s side.
Dionysus. The god of wine in Greek mythology. Also called Bacchus, in Roman mythology.
Direct draw. The practice of serving draft beer most directly from the keg so that very short beer lines are required.
Distillation. The separation of alcohol from a fermented liquid by heating to vaporize the alcohol, then condensing the vapors.
Distilled spirit. An alcoholic beverage made by distilling a fermented liquid.
Doppelbock. German for double bock, this especially rich, strong bock beer is made as high in alcohol content as possible. See bock beer.
Doux. A seldom-seen designation on a Champagne label indicating extreme sweetness.
Draft beer. An unpasteurized beer drawn from keg to glass. The British spelling is draught.
Drambuie (dram-BOO-ee). A brand-named liqueur made from Scotch and honey.
Dramshop laws. State laws dictating (among other things) that the seller of alcohol to an intoxicated person may be held liable for damages caused by that person.
Drink size. The amount of base ingredient used per drink.
Dry. 1. Lacking in sweetness. 2. A person favoring the prohibition of alcoholic-beverage
sales. 3.The term used for an area in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is forbidden.
Dry beer. A beer with less sweetness and little or no aftertaste; light and lively.
Dry gin. An English-style gin, as opposed to Dutch gin.
Dry stout. A beer made in the stout style, but without lactic sugar, creating a stout that is not sweet-tasting.
Dutch gin. A full-bodied, malt-flavored gin imported from Holland. Not a bar gin. Also
called Hollands, Genever, and Schiedam.
Dasher. A dispenser built into the neck of a bottle from which no more than a dash is
usually dispensed, such as Tabasco or bitters.
Dealer at large. A liquor retailer who travels and makes sales in more than one state, such as a circus or carnival vendor.
Decant (dee-KANT). To carefully pour wine from a bottle to a carafe (or a decanter) so that the sediment remains in the bottle.
Delivery system. The process for ordering, producing, and delivering food and drinks to customers.
Demeraran rum. A rum made in Guyana; when specified in a drink recipe, it often means 151-proof rum.
Demi-sec. A French term on a Champagne label; the literal translation is half dry, but this is one of the sweetest styles of Champagne.
Demographics. Statistical data on population of a given area, such as age, income, dining habits, and lifestyle.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (de-nom-ee-NATZ-ee-OH-na dee OR-ih-JEEN-ah KON-troh-LAT-ta). A phrase on an Italian wine label indicating that the wine comes from the controlled district named and meets its strict legal standards. Abbreviated D.O.C.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita. In Italy this label designation indicates that the wine meets even higher standards than the normal D.O.C. "Garantita" means guaranteed. Abbreviated D.O.C.G.
Depletion allowance form. A paper on which any problem with inventory is recorded:
breakage, spills, transfers from one bar or site to another, or any beverage given away for any reason.
Dessert wine. 1. A class of fortified wines, often sweet, that includes port, sherry, Madeira, marsala, angelica, and muscatel. 2. Any sweet wine served at the end of a meal.
Detail tape. The paper tape made by a POS system or cash register as a way of documenting sales.
Diastase. The enzyme in malt (sprouted grain) that changes starches to sugars.
Die. A vertical structure that supports the top of the front bar and divides the customer’s side from the bartender’s side.
Dionysus. The god of wine in Greek mythology. Also called Bacchus, in Roman mythology.
Direct draw. The practice of serving draft beer most directly from the keg so that very short beer lines are required.
Distillation. The separation of alcohol from a fermented liquid by heating to vaporize the alcohol, then condensing the vapors.
Distilled spirit. An alcoholic beverage made by distilling a fermented liquid.
Doppelbock. German for double bock, this especially rich, strong bock beer is made as high in alcohol content as possible. See bock beer.
Doux. A seldom-seen designation on a Champagne label indicating extreme sweetness.
Draft beer. An unpasteurized beer drawn from keg to glass. The British spelling is draught.
Drambuie (dram-BOO-ee). A brand-named liqueur made from Scotch and honey.
Dramshop laws. State laws dictating (among other things) that the seller of alcohol to an intoxicated person may be held liable for damages caused by that person.
Drink size. The amount of base ingredient used per drink.
Dry. 1. Lacking in sweetness. 2. A person favoring the prohibition of alcoholic-beverage
sales. 3.The term used for an area in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is forbidden.
Dry beer. A beer with less sweetness and little or no aftertaste; light and lively.
Dry gin. An English-style gin, as opposed to Dutch gin.
Dry stout. A beer made in the stout style, but without lactic sugar, creating a stout that is not sweet-tasting.
Dutch gin. A full-bodied, malt-flavored gin imported from Holland. Not a bar gin. Also
called Hollands, Genever, and Schiedam.
Eau de vie (oh da vee). The French translation of the
Latin term aqua vitae, or water of life;a general term for a spirit.
ECR. Abbreviation for electronic cash register; a computerized cash register.
Edelfaule (AY-dul-FOY-la). The German term for botrytis cinerea, or noble rot.
Edible cocktail. A term for the use of alcohol to create or enhance a dessert.
Eighty-six. 1. A signal to stop serving liquor to someone who has had too much to drink.2. A sign that a supply of a product has run out.
Eisbock. A concentrated, highly alcoholic bock beer made by freezing the beer, then removing the ice crystals from it.
Eiswein. A rare wine, usually German, made from grapes that have frozen on the vine before harvesting, concentrating their richness and sweetness.
Ending inventory. The dollar value of physical inventory at the end of an accounting period.
Enology, oenology. The science of winemaking; a college degree in winemaking.
Estate-bottled. The term for wine bottled at the vineyard by the vineyard owner and made exclusively from grapes grown at that vineyard.
Ethanol. A type of alcohol found in spirits, beer, and wine.
Excise tax. A tax on items that the government considers nonessential, including alcoholic beverages.
Exempt employee. An employee who is exempt from federal overtime-pay requirements because of managerial or supervisory duties.
Extensions. On an invoice, multiples of the same item at the same price.
Extra. A term on a cognac label indicating that the cognac was aged at least 51/2 years.
Extra sec. A term on a Champagne label; the literal translation is Extra Dry, but it means that the wine contains a small amount of added sugar.
Falernum. A sweet syrup with almond-ginger-lime flavors; 6-percent alcohol.
Farmhouse ale. A beer made in the home-brewed style of historic Belgium or France with added herbs, pepper, or grated orange rind, then bottled and stored like wine.
Feasibility study. A detailed analysis of whether a planned enterprise can make a profit on a given site.
Fermentation. The action of yeast upon sugar in a solution, which breaks down the sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol.
Fetal alcohol syndrome. A pattern of birth defects in a child whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. Also known as fetal alcohol effects (abbreviated FAE). Abbreviated FAS.
FICA. Federal Insurance Contributions Act, commonly known as Social Security.
FIFO. Acronym for "first in, first out," a way to ensure freshness by rotating products in
storage.
Filler cap. The rubber or vinyl top to a blender.
Financial statement. A statement showing the assets, debts, and net worth of an individual or enterprise.
Fine Champagne. A term on a cognac label indicating that the cognac was made from at least 50 percent of grapes from the Grande Champagne section of the Cognac district and the balance from the Petite Champagne section.
Finish. 1. The aging of wine in the bottle; bottle finish. 2. The aftertaste of a wine.
Firkin. The wooden cask used to store a certain type of beer. See cask-conditioned beer.
Fixed expenses. Expenses that remain the same regardless of sales volume.
Flag. A garnish of sliced orange or other citrus fruit on a pick, usually with a cherry.
Flaker. A machine that produces soft, snow-like ice used primarily to keep things cold, such as on a salad bar or in a wine bucket. Also called a flake-ice machine.
Flavonoids. Plant pigments found in fruits and vegetables that have antioxidant or anti-inflammatory benefits.
Flexhose. A flexible metal hose on which a cobra gun is mounted.
Flight. Several samples of different beers or wines purchased together, in lieu of a single glass or beer or wine, to encourage experimentation.
Float. To pour a liqueur or cream on the surface of a drink without mixing.
Flute. A Champagne glass, footed or stemmed, with a narrow, slightly flaring bowl.
Folio. A folder for enclosing the guest check for presentation to the customer.
Food and Beverage Director. The title of a management position in a restaurant, bar, or hotel that involves ordering products, developing menus, and hiring staff members. Also called F-and-B.
Footed glass or footed ware. A glass or glasses with a bowl that sits on a base or foot.
Foreseeability. The legal premise that a person can reasonably anticipate that a particular course of action, such as serving one more drink to an intoxicated person, could result in harm or injury to that person or a third party.
Fortified wine. A wine to which brandy or other spirits have been added.
Frangelico (fran-JEL-ih-koh). The brand name for an Italian liqueur flavored with herbs and hazelnuts.
Free-pour. To pour liquor for a drink without using a measure, estimating the amounts.
Fringe benefits. Compensation other than wages, such as free meals or paid vacations.
Frizzante (free-ZAHN-tay). An Italian term for slightly sparkling wine, such as Lambrusco.
Front bar. That part of a bar structure used by customers.
Frozen-drink dispenser. A machine that produces frozen, premixed drinks in large quantities.
Fruit-juice drink. A highball made with liquor and fruit juice instead of a carbonated mixer.A Screwdriver or a Salty Dog are examples of fruit-juice drinks.
Fruit squeezer. A hand-operated gadget used to squeeze half a lemon or lime for fresh juice for a single drink so that pits and pulp do not get into the drink.
Funnel. A cylinder with a sharply tapered end for pouring from large containers into smallerones.
ECR. Abbreviation for electronic cash register; a computerized cash register.
Edelfaule (AY-dul-FOY-la). The German term for botrytis cinerea, or noble rot.
Edible cocktail. A term for the use of alcohol to create or enhance a dessert.
Eighty-six. 1. A signal to stop serving liquor to someone who has had too much to drink.2. A sign that a supply of a product has run out.
Eisbock. A concentrated, highly alcoholic bock beer made by freezing the beer, then removing the ice crystals from it.
Eiswein. A rare wine, usually German, made from grapes that have frozen on the vine before harvesting, concentrating their richness and sweetness.
Ending inventory. The dollar value of physical inventory at the end of an accounting period.
Enology, oenology. The science of winemaking; a college degree in winemaking.
Estate-bottled. The term for wine bottled at the vineyard by the vineyard owner and made exclusively from grapes grown at that vineyard.
Ethanol. A type of alcohol found in spirits, beer, and wine.
Excise tax. A tax on items that the government considers nonessential, including alcoholic beverages.
Exempt employee. An employee who is exempt from federal overtime-pay requirements because of managerial or supervisory duties.
Extensions. On an invoice, multiples of the same item at the same price.
Extra. A term on a cognac label indicating that the cognac was aged at least 51/2 years.
Extra sec. A term on a Champagne label; the literal translation is Extra Dry, but it means that the wine contains a small amount of added sugar.
Falernum. A sweet syrup with almond-ginger-lime flavors; 6-percent alcohol.
Farmhouse ale. A beer made in the home-brewed style of historic Belgium or France with added herbs, pepper, or grated orange rind, then bottled and stored like wine.
Feasibility study. A detailed analysis of whether a planned enterprise can make a profit on a given site.
Fermentation. The action of yeast upon sugar in a solution, which breaks down the sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol.
Fetal alcohol syndrome. A pattern of birth defects in a child whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. Also known as fetal alcohol effects (abbreviated FAE). Abbreviated FAS.
FICA. Federal Insurance Contributions Act, commonly known as Social Security.
FIFO. Acronym for "first in, first out," a way to ensure freshness by rotating products in
storage.
Filler cap. The rubber or vinyl top to a blender.
Financial statement. A statement showing the assets, debts, and net worth of an individual or enterprise.
Fine Champagne. A term on a cognac label indicating that the cognac was made from at least 50 percent of grapes from the Grande Champagne section of the Cognac district and the balance from the Petite Champagne section.
Finish. 1. The aging of wine in the bottle; bottle finish. 2. The aftertaste of a wine.
Firkin. The wooden cask used to store a certain type of beer. See cask-conditioned beer.
Fixed expenses. Expenses that remain the same regardless of sales volume.
Flag. A garnish of sliced orange or other citrus fruit on a pick, usually with a cherry.
Flaker. A machine that produces soft, snow-like ice used primarily to keep things cold, such as on a salad bar or in a wine bucket. Also called a flake-ice machine.
Flavonoids. Plant pigments found in fruits and vegetables that have antioxidant or anti-inflammatory benefits.
Flexhose. A flexible metal hose on which a cobra gun is mounted.
Flight. Several samples of different beers or wines purchased together, in lieu of a single glass or beer or wine, to encourage experimentation.
Float. To pour a liqueur or cream on the surface of a drink without mixing.
Flute. A Champagne glass, footed or stemmed, with a narrow, slightly flaring bowl.
Folio. A folder for enclosing the guest check for presentation to the customer.
Food and Beverage Director. The title of a management position in a restaurant, bar, or hotel that involves ordering products, developing menus, and hiring staff members. Also called F-and-B.
Footed glass or footed ware. A glass or glasses with a bowl that sits on a base or foot.
Foreseeability. The legal premise that a person can reasonably anticipate that a particular course of action, such as serving one more drink to an intoxicated person, could result in harm or injury to that person or a third party.
Fortified wine. A wine to which brandy or other spirits have been added.
Frangelico (fran-JEL-ih-koh). The brand name for an Italian liqueur flavored with herbs and hazelnuts.
Free-pour. To pour liquor for a drink without using a measure, estimating the amounts.
Fringe benefits. Compensation other than wages, such as free meals or paid vacations.
Frizzante (free-ZAHN-tay). An Italian term for slightly sparkling wine, such as Lambrusco.
Front bar. That part of a bar structure used by customers.
Frozen-drink dispenser. A machine that produces frozen, premixed drinks in large quantities.
Fruit-juice drink. A highball made with liquor and fruit juice instead of a carbonated mixer.A Screwdriver or a Salty Dog are examples of fruit-juice drinks.
Fruit squeezer. A hand-operated gadget used to squeeze half a lemon or lime for fresh juice for a single drink so that pits and pulp do not get into the drink.
Funnel. A cylinder with a sharply tapered end for pouring from large containers into smallerones.
Galliano (GAL-ee-AH-noh). The brand name of an Italian
liqueur that is yellow in color
and made with herbs.
Gamay Beaujolais (GAM-ay BO-zha-lay). A light, fresh, and fruity red wine made from
gamay grapes. The first wines of each vintage are released as Nouveau Beaujolais in an annual French celebration that has been adopted in other countries.
Gay-Lussac system. The percentage of alcohol in a spirit by volume; the label designation (instead of proof) commonly used in Europe.
Generic wine. A U.S. wine of a general style or type whose name is borrowed from a famous European wine, such as burgundy and chablis. U.S. law refers to these wines as semi-generic.
Geneva, genever (jeh-NEE-vur). A Dutch gin.
Gewurztraminer (guh-VURTS-tra-meener). A pinkish-colored grape from Germany and the Alsace region of France; used to make spicy, fruity white wines of the same name, as well as late-harvest whites. Also called Gewurz (guh-VURTS).
Giardia lamblia. A common waterborne parasite that causes flu-like symptoms when ingested.
Gin. A neutral spirit flavored with juniper berries.
Glass brush. A sturdy type of brush used specifically for cleaning glassware. There are glass brushes for use by hand, as well as motorized models.
Glass froster. A small, top-opening freezer in which to put glasses or beer mugs for chilling before use.
Glasswasher. A small, mechanical dishwasher made for cleaning and drying glassware that fits in an underbar or backbar area.
Glycerin. An odorless, colorless liquid found in wine as a by-product of fermentation; it is visible on the inside of a wineglass after swirling, clinging to the sides of the glass. These streams of glycerin are called legs.
Grain neutral spirits. Spirits distilled from a grain mash of 190 proof or higher.
Grand Cru (gron KRU). A French term on a wine lable indicating the highest classification of burgundy wines; the literal translation is great growth in French. Beneath Grand Cru is
Premier Cru (PREM-ee-yay KRU).
Grand Marnier (GRAN marn-YAY). A French brand-name mixture of cognac and curacao.
Grande Champagne. A term on a cognac label indicating that the cognac was made from grapes grown in the Grande Champagne section of the Cognac district.
Grappa (GROPP-ah). A highly alcoholic liqueur made by distilling the leftover skins, stems, and seeds from winemaking. Although the name is used in many countries only Italy has the legal right to use it.
Grenache (gren-OSH). A red grape that makes a fairly sweet, light, red wine, such as France’s Tavel rose′; also used in blending.
Grenadine. A sweet, red syrup flavored with pomegranates.
Gross operating profit. Sales less product costs and controllable operating expenses.
Gross profit. Sales less product cost. Also called the contribution margin.
Gross profit method. A formula for determining the percentage of profitability of a particular drink. The same method can be reversed to help correctly price that drink.
Guest experience. A guest’s total impression of an establishment, from their mood when they walk in, to how they are treated and whether they enjoy what they have ordered.
Handgun. The dispensing head for an automatic soda or liquor system.
Hangover. The chemical imbalance experienced after overindulging in alcohol; common symptoms include headache, queasiness, stomach cramps, dizziness, and dehydration.
Happy hour. A limited period of the day, often early evening, during which drink prices
are reduced.
Hard cider. A low-alcohol liquor fermented from apples or apple juice.
Hard lemonade. A low-alcohol product made by blending beer with lemonade.
Head. 1. The collar of foam at the top of a glass of beer. 2. In distilling, the top section of a pot still, where alcohol vapors are collected.
Highball. A drink made by mixing a spirit and carbonated water (or another mixer) and
serving it with ice in a highball glass. Gin and Tonic or Scotch and Soda are examples of
highballs.
Himbeergeist. A German-made raspberry brandy.
Hollands. A Dutch gin.
Hops. Blossoms of the female hop vine, which an essential flavor ingredient of beer.
Hourglass. The common term for a tall, slim, all-purpose beer serving glass of 10 to 16 ounces.
House brand. Liquors commonly poured when customers do not specify a specific brand. Also called well or pouring brands.
House wine. A specific wine that a restaurant sells by the glass or carafe.
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons. Chemical refrigerants used in icemakers and other refrigeration systems. These newer-style chemicals do not do as much damage to the atmosphere as chlorofluorocarbons, their predecessors. Abbreviated HCFCs.
Hydrofluorocarbons. Chemical refrigerants used in icemakers and other refrigeration systems. Abbreviated HFCs. See hydrochlorofluorocarbons.
and made with herbs.
Gamay Beaujolais (GAM-ay BO-zha-lay). A light, fresh, and fruity red wine made from
gamay grapes. The first wines of each vintage are released as Nouveau Beaujolais in an annual French celebration that has been adopted in other countries.
Gay-Lussac system. The percentage of alcohol in a spirit by volume; the label designation (instead of proof) commonly used in Europe.
Generic wine. A U.S. wine of a general style or type whose name is borrowed from a famous European wine, such as burgundy and chablis. U.S. law refers to these wines as semi-generic.
Geneva, genever (jeh-NEE-vur). A Dutch gin.
Gewurztraminer (guh-VURTS-tra-meener). A pinkish-colored grape from Germany and the Alsace region of France; used to make spicy, fruity white wines of the same name, as well as late-harvest whites. Also called Gewurz (guh-VURTS).
Giardia lamblia. A common waterborne parasite that causes flu-like symptoms when ingested.
Gin. A neutral spirit flavored with juniper berries.
Glass brush. A sturdy type of brush used specifically for cleaning glassware. There are glass brushes for use by hand, as well as motorized models.
Glass froster. A small, top-opening freezer in which to put glasses or beer mugs for chilling before use.
Glasswasher. A small, mechanical dishwasher made for cleaning and drying glassware that fits in an underbar or backbar area.
Glycerin. An odorless, colorless liquid found in wine as a by-product of fermentation; it is visible on the inside of a wineglass after swirling, clinging to the sides of the glass. These streams of glycerin are called legs.
Grain neutral spirits. Spirits distilled from a grain mash of 190 proof or higher.
Grand Cru (gron KRU). A French term on a wine lable indicating the highest classification of burgundy wines; the literal translation is great growth in French. Beneath Grand Cru is
Premier Cru (PREM-ee-yay KRU).
Grand Marnier (GRAN marn-YAY). A French brand-name mixture of cognac and curacao.
Grande Champagne. A term on a cognac label indicating that the cognac was made from grapes grown in the Grande Champagne section of the Cognac district.
Grappa (GROPP-ah). A highly alcoholic liqueur made by distilling the leftover skins, stems, and seeds from winemaking. Although the name is used in many countries only Italy has the legal right to use it.
Grenache (gren-OSH). A red grape that makes a fairly sweet, light, red wine, such as France’s Tavel rose′; also used in blending.
Grenadine. A sweet, red syrup flavored with pomegranates.
Gross operating profit. Sales less product costs and controllable operating expenses.
Gross profit. Sales less product cost. Also called the contribution margin.
Gross profit method. A formula for determining the percentage of profitability of a particular drink. The same method can be reversed to help correctly price that drink.
Guest experience. A guest’s total impression of an establishment, from their mood when they walk in, to how they are treated and whether they enjoy what they have ordered.
Handgun. The dispensing head for an automatic soda or liquor system.
Hangover. The chemical imbalance experienced after overindulging in alcohol; common symptoms include headache, queasiness, stomach cramps, dizziness, and dehydration.
Happy hour. A limited period of the day, often early evening, during which drink prices
are reduced.
Hard cider. A low-alcohol liquor fermented from apples or apple juice.
Hard lemonade. A low-alcohol product made by blending beer with lemonade.
Head. 1. The collar of foam at the top of a glass of beer. 2. In distilling, the top section of a pot still, where alcohol vapors are collected.
Highball. A drink made by mixing a spirit and carbonated water (or another mixer) and
serving it with ice in a highball glass. Gin and Tonic or Scotch and Soda are examples of
highballs.
Himbeergeist. A German-made raspberry brandy.
Hollands. A Dutch gin.
Hops. Blossoms of the female hop vine, which an essential flavor ingredient of beer.
Hourglass. The common term for a tall, slim, all-purpose beer serving glass of 10 to 16 ounces.
House brand. Liquors commonly poured when customers do not specify a specific brand. Also called well or pouring brands.
House wine. A specific wine that a restaurant sells by the glass or carafe.
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons. Chemical refrigerants used in icemakers and other refrigeration systems. These newer-style chemicals do not do as much damage to the atmosphere as chlorofluorocarbons, their predecessors. Abbreviated HCFCs.
Hydrofluorocarbons. Chemical refrigerants used in icemakers and other refrigeration systems. Abbreviated HFCs. See hydrochlorofluorocarbons.
I-9 Form. A government form for establishing a person’s
proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States.
Ice bin. The container in which ice is stored.
Ice crusher. A machine that crushes cubed ice into smaller pieces.
Ice machine. A machine that freezes water to make cube ice. Also called an icemaker.
Ice scoop. A plastic implement for getting ice out of an ice bin; for bars, a 6- or 8-ounce capacity works best.
Ice tongs. Tongs used for handling one cube of ice at a time so that hands do not touch the ice.
Ignition Interlock law. A law that requires a person who has been convicted of drunk
driving to use a device on his or her vehicle that tests for sobriety (by blowing into it) in
order to start the vehicle or keep it running.
Image. A customer concept of the unique identity of an enterprise.
Imperial stout. A British-style stout beer, high in alcohol content; originally made for shipment to Russian royalty.
Income statement. A financial report showing kinds and amounts of revenue, kinds and amounts of expenses, and resulting profit or loss for a specific period.
India Pale Ale. A hearty beer style created for transport from Britain to colonial India; often copied by brewers today for its light color but full, sometimes fruity flavor.
Infusion. Flavoring a spirit by immersing fruit or spices in it and letting it marinate at room temperature.
Inlet chiller. A unit that can be added to an ice-making system that collects cold water as it drains away from the icemaker and recirculates it, chilling incoming water while saving energy.
Inventory. 1. The amount of stock on hand at any given time. 2. The process of taking
inventory by counting each bottle on hand.
Inventory turnover rate. The speed at which you use up existing inventory; a figure used to decide if you are keeping too much or too little in inventory.
Invoice. A seller’s document that specifies what goods were delivered as part of a customer’s order.
Irish whiskey. A whiskey made in Ireland from several grains by a triple-distillation process.
Jamaican rum. A dark, full-flavored rum distilled from molasses; used in certain tropical drinks.
Jigger. A glass or metal measure for liquor; sized in ounces or fractions of ounces.
Job analysis. The process of creating a job description by listing individual tasks and the equipment and skills required to do them.
Job description. A written list of duties and responsibilities for a worker.
Job specifications. A list of the knowledge, skills, or abilities a worker must have to perform specific jobs or tasks.
Jug wine. An inexpensive wine available in bottles, or boxes, larger than liters.
Kabinett (KAB-ih-net). A German quality wine made from grapes ripe enough to ferment without added sugar; one of five categories of a German quality designation for top-quality unsugared wines.
Kahlua (kuh-LOO-uh). A brand name of a Mexican-made liqueur that contains sugar-canebased spirits flavored with coffee and vanilla.
Keg. A half-barrel of beer; contains 15 1/2 gallons.
Kilning. The process of drying barley or other grain in a kiln.
Kirsch (keersh), kirschwasser (KEERSCH- voss-er). A wild-cherry brandy; usually from the Rhine River valley of Germany; colorless and unaged.
Krausening (KROY-zun-ing). In beer-making the addition of a small amount of newly fermenting wort to beer during the lagering stage, to induce additional fermentation and carbonation.
Krystal. A term on a German wheat beer label indicating that the beer has been filtered to eliminate the natural cloudiness that results from brewing with wheat.
Lager (LAW-gur) beer. A beer made by bottom fermentation at cool temperatures.
Lagering. Storing beer to mellow or condition it.
Lambic beer. A well-known style of wheat beer; often used as the base for adding fruits.
Lambrusco (lam-BROOS-koe). A red grape grown primarily in Northern Italy and used to make a sweet, fruity, red wine of the same name; has some natural "fizz" or carbonation.
Lawnmower beer. A slang term for a mainstream commercial beer that is nothing special,just something to drink when doing the chores.
Lay down. To store wine in the bottle; to age wine until it is ready to drink.
Layout. The arrangement of furniture, fixtures, traffic patterns in a room.
Lead time. The length of time between ordering items and having them delivered to you.
Ledger. One or more books of individual accounts for each category of assets, liabilities,and equity.
Lees. In winemaking the stems, skins, pulp, and seeds left over after grapes have been
pressed and their juices removed. Also called vinaccia or pomace in other countries.
Legs. See glycerin.
Liabilities. The money owed by a person or business to others; debts.
License state. A state in which retail dealers may buy from any supplier licensed to sell to them rather than from state stores. Compare control state.
Light beer. A beer that is brewed to contain less alcohol and fewer calories than a regular
or Pilsner-style beer.
Light whiskey. A U.S. whiskey distilled at 160 to 190 proof; light in flavor and body but not in alcohol.
Limited retail dealer. An organization, usually charitable or nonprofit, exempted from paying state liquor taxes for special events as long as they pay for a permit for the event. Church festivals and benefit concerts are examples of limited retail dealers.
Liqueur. A brandy or another distilled spirit sweetened and flavored with for example herbs, fruit, and spices. Also called cordial.
Local option. The state’s ability to give a county, city, or voting precinct the right to choose whether to sell alcoholic beverages in that jurisdiction.
London dry gin. A gin in the English style, which is made with high-proof spirits redistilled with juniper berries or mixed with extracts.
Long. A slang term for a drink that totals more than five measures of fluid.
Long draw. A draft-beer system in which the kegs must be stored far enough from the taps to require long (more than 14 feet) beer lines.
Ice bin. The container in which ice is stored.
Ice crusher. A machine that crushes cubed ice into smaller pieces.
Ice machine. A machine that freezes water to make cube ice. Also called an icemaker.
Ice scoop. A plastic implement for getting ice out of an ice bin; for bars, a 6- or 8-ounce capacity works best.
Ice tongs. Tongs used for handling one cube of ice at a time so that hands do not touch the ice.
Ignition Interlock law. A law that requires a person who has been convicted of drunk
driving to use a device on his or her vehicle that tests for sobriety (by blowing into it) in
order to start the vehicle or keep it running.
Image. A customer concept of the unique identity of an enterprise.
Imperial stout. A British-style stout beer, high in alcohol content; originally made for shipment to Russian royalty.
Income statement. A financial report showing kinds and amounts of revenue, kinds and amounts of expenses, and resulting profit or loss for a specific period.
India Pale Ale. A hearty beer style created for transport from Britain to colonial India; often copied by brewers today for its light color but full, sometimes fruity flavor.
Infusion. Flavoring a spirit by immersing fruit or spices in it and letting it marinate at room temperature.
Inlet chiller. A unit that can be added to an ice-making system that collects cold water as it drains away from the icemaker and recirculates it, chilling incoming water while saving energy.
Inventory. 1. The amount of stock on hand at any given time. 2. The process of taking
inventory by counting each bottle on hand.
Inventory turnover rate. The speed at which you use up existing inventory; a figure used to decide if you are keeping too much or too little in inventory.
Invoice. A seller’s document that specifies what goods were delivered as part of a customer’s order.
Irish whiskey. A whiskey made in Ireland from several grains by a triple-distillation process.
Jamaican rum. A dark, full-flavored rum distilled from molasses; used in certain tropical drinks.
Jigger. A glass or metal measure for liquor; sized in ounces or fractions of ounces.
Job analysis. The process of creating a job description by listing individual tasks and the equipment and skills required to do them.
Job description. A written list of duties and responsibilities for a worker.
Job specifications. A list of the knowledge, skills, or abilities a worker must have to perform specific jobs or tasks.
Jug wine. An inexpensive wine available in bottles, or boxes, larger than liters.
Kabinett (KAB-ih-net). A German quality wine made from grapes ripe enough to ferment without added sugar; one of five categories of a German quality designation for top-quality unsugared wines.
Kahlua (kuh-LOO-uh). A brand name of a Mexican-made liqueur that contains sugar-canebased spirits flavored with coffee and vanilla.
Keg. A half-barrel of beer; contains 15 1/2 gallons.
Kilning. The process of drying barley or other grain in a kiln.
Kirsch (keersh), kirschwasser (KEERSCH- voss-er). A wild-cherry brandy; usually from the Rhine River valley of Germany; colorless and unaged.
Krausening (KROY-zun-ing). In beer-making the addition of a small amount of newly fermenting wort to beer during the lagering stage, to induce additional fermentation and carbonation.
Krystal. A term on a German wheat beer label indicating that the beer has been filtered to eliminate the natural cloudiness that results from brewing with wheat.
Lager (LAW-gur) beer. A beer made by bottom fermentation at cool temperatures.
Lagering. Storing beer to mellow or condition it.
Lambic beer. A well-known style of wheat beer; often used as the base for adding fruits.
Lambrusco (lam-BROOS-koe). A red grape grown primarily in Northern Italy and used to make a sweet, fruity, red wine of the same name; has some natural "fizz" or carbonation.
Lawnmower beer. A slang term for a mainstream commercial beer that is nothing special,just something to drink when doing the chores.
Lay down. To store wine in the bottle; to age wine until it is ready to drink.
Layout. The arrangement of furniture, fixtures, traffic patterns in a room.
Lead time. The length of time between ordering items and having them delivered to you.
Ledger. One or more books of individual accounts for each category of assets, liabilities,and equity.
Lees. In winemaking the stems, skins, pulp, and seeds left over after grapes have been
pressed and their juices removed. Also called vinaccia or pomace in other countries.
Legs. See glycerin.
Liabilities. The money owed by a person or business to others; debts.
License state. A state in which retail dealers may buy from any supplier licensed to sell to them rather than from state stores. Compare control state.
Light beer. A beer that is brewed to contain less alcohol and fewer calories than a regular
or Pilsner-style beer.
Light whiskey. A U.S. whiskey distilled at 160 to 190 proof; light in flavor and body but not in alcohol.
Limited retail dealer. An organization, usually charitable or nonprofit, exempted from paying state liquor taxes for special events as long as they pay for a permit for the event. Church festivals and benefit concerts are examples of limited retail dealers.
Liqueur. A brandy or another distilled spirit sweetened and flavored with for example herbs, fruit, and spices. Also called cordial.
Local option. The state’s ability to give a county, city, or voting precinct the right to choose whether to sell alcoholic beverages in that jurisdiction.
London dry gin. A gin in the English style, which is made with high-proof spirits redistilled with juniper berries or mixed with extracts.
Long. A slang term for a drink that totals more than five measures of fluid.
Long draw. A draft-beer system in which the kegs must be stored far enough from the taps to require long (more than 14 feet) beer lines.
Maceration. Steeping or soaking herbs or other flavor
sources in a spirit to make a liqueur.
Macrobrewery. A large national or international beer-making business with multiple locations and an annual output of more than 500,000 barrels.
Maderized. The term used to describe a wine that smells overly sweet, such as a Madeira or port, when it is not supposed to; usually indicates that the wine has been improperly stored and may be bad.
Malt. A grain, usually barley, that is sprouted, then dried.
Malt beverage. The term used by a U.S. Standard of Identity in place of beer for a beverage made by fermenting malted barley with hops in water.
Malt liquor. A lager beer with a higher alcohol content, 5.5 to 6 percent or more, than
Pilsner.
Malt scotch. An unblended whiskey made in Scotland entirely from malted barley.
Malternative. An industry slang term for alcoholic beverages made like beer but with additional ingredients, from caffeine, to flavorings, to other types of alcohol.
Marc. The French term for grappa.
Market segment. A subgroup of the total customer market having similar needs, attitudes,and lifestyles.
Marry. 1. To blend wines or spirits. 2. To add something to the liquor in a bottle.
Mash. In making beer or spirits to cook malt, with or without other grains, to convert
starches to sugars; the resulting product is a mash.
Mash bill. An old-fashioned (American colonial) term for a beer-making recipe.
Mash tun. The container in which mash is cooked.
Mature (mah-TOUR). The term on a Champagne label indicating dry (little or no sugar). See brut.
Mega-tap bar. A beer bar that offers hundreds of beer brands on tap.
Merlot. A red grape or the mellow, uncomplicated red wine made from it; grown primarily in Bordeaux, Italy, and California.
Mescal. A white, tequila-like spirit made from agave plants that are not blue agave or located in one of Mexico’s specific tequila-producing regions. Also spelled mezcal.
Metaxa (meh-TAX-ah). A Greek brandy; slightly sweetened.
Metered pour. A liquor-dispensing system that measures and controls drink size.
Myers’s Rum. A brand name of a heavy, dark rum from Jamaica.
Microbrewery. A small, independent brewery that produces fewer than 15,000 barrels of beer annually. Also called a craft brewery.
Micron rating. The measure of how effective a water filter is at removing dangerous parasites and particles; the lower the micron rating number, the greater the filtration capabilities.
Minimum wage. The lowest amount that can be paid by federal law to most hourly employees. See subminimum wage.
Mise en bouteille au chateau (MEEZ on bou-TAY oh shah-TOW). A French phrase on wine labels indicating that the wine is chateau-bottled or estate-bottled. Also seen as mise au chateau or mise du chateau.
Mise en place (MEEZ ohn PLASS). A French phrase meaning "Everything in its place"; in bartending, this means that the bar is correctly set up, looks good, and is ready for business.
Mix can, mixing cup, mixing steel. The metal-cup portion of a shaker or shake mixer.
Mixed case. See broken case.
Mixed pint. The result of blending one beer with another, or with another type of alcohol, in a single glass.
Mixing glass. A heavy glass container in which drink ingredients are stirred with ice.
Mixology. The art or skill of mixing drinks containing alcohol.
Mixto. A commonly made tequila; half is derived from the blue agave plant and half from other sources (neutral spirits, corn, or sugarcane).
Mocktail. A cocktail made without the liquor.
Monopole (MONN-oh-POLE). In France a brand name or wine name that belongs exclusively to a particular wine producer or shipper.
Monopoly state. See control state.
Moonshine. The nickname for liquor brewed secretly in illegal stills.
Muddler. A wooden implement used for crushing fruit and sugar cubes and cracking ice.
Muller-Thurgau (MYOOL-ur TUR-gau). A popular white grape grown in Germany, used to make a variety of styles of table wine.
Multiple-brands discount. See assorted discount.
Multiple facings. Three or four bottles of the same liquor brand displayed together on the backbar.
Muscat. A popular grape used to make sweet, fruity wines, such as Italy’s sparkling Asti Spumante, grown in both red and white varieties.
Must. The juice from crushed grapes before fermenting.
N2 canister. A container of nitrogen used in a blended-gas draft-beer system.
Napoleon Cognac. A cognac aged at least 5 1/2 years. (No brandy actually dates from Napoleon’s day.)
Nebbiolo (neb-ee-OH-loh). The red Italian grape used to make Barbaresco and Barolo wines.
Negociant (neh-GO-see-ahn). A French wine merchant and shipper, sometimes a blender and bottler as well.
Neoprohibitionism. A modern-day movement to outlaw the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Neotemperance. A modern-day movement to control alcohol abuse through legislation
while allowing use of alcohol in moderation.
Net profit. Sales less all expenses.
Neutral spirits. Spirits distilled at 190 proof or above; almost pure alcohol, with no distinct flavor or odor characteristics; used in blending to make other types of spirits.
Ninkasi. The ancient Sumerian goddess of brewing.
Nitrogenated beer. A smooth, creamy beer style made by using a special flow restrictor in the tap to force nitrogen out of beer just before pouring.
Noisette (nwah-SET). A French brand-name, hazelnut-flavored liqueur.
Nonalcoholic beer. A malt beverage with the flavor of beer containing less than 0.5-percent alcohol.
Nonexempt employee. An employee who must be paid the federal minimum wage for
hourly work.
Macrobrewery. A large national or international beer-making business with multiple locations and an annual output of more than 500,000 barrels.
Maderized. The term used to describe a wine that smells overly sweet, such as a Madeira or port, when it is not supposed to; usually indicates that the wine has been improperly stored and may be bad.
Malt. A grain, usually barley, that is sprouted, then dried.
Malt beverage. The term used by a U.S. Standard of Identity in place of beer for a beverage made by fermenting malted barley with hops in water.
Malt liquor. A lager beer with a higher alcohol content, 5.5 to 6 percent or more, than
Pilsner.
Malt scotch. An unblended whiskey made in Scotland entirely from malted barley.
Malternative. An industry slang term for alcoholic beverages made like beer but with additional ingredients, from caffeine, to flavorings, to other types of alcohol.
Marc. The French term for grappa.
Market segment. A subgroup of the total customer market having similar needs, attitudes,and lifestyles.
Marry. 1. To blend wines or spirits. 2. To add something to the liquor in a bottle.
Mash. In making beer or spirits to cook malt, with or without other grains, to convert
starches to sugars; the resulting product is a mash.
Mash bill. An old-fashioned (American colonial) term for a beer-making recipe.
Mash tun. The container in which mash is cooked.
Mature (mah-TOUR). The term on a Champagne label indicating dry (little or no sugar). See brut.
Mega-tap bar. A beer bar that offers hundreds of beer brands on tap.
Merlot. A red grape or the mellow, uncomplicated red wine made from it; grown primarily in Bordeaux, Italy, and California.
Mescal. A white, tequila-like spirit made from agave plants that are not blue agave or located in one of Mexico’s specific tequila-producing regions. Also spelled mezcal.
Metaxa (meh-TAX-ah). A Greek brandy; slightly sweetened.
Metered pour. A liquor-dispensing system that measures and controls drink size.
Myers’s Rum. A brand name of a heavy, dark rum from Jamaica.
Microbrewery. A small, independent brewery that produces fewer than 15,000 barrels of beer annually. Also called a craft brewery.
Micron rating. The measure of how effective a water filter is at removing dangerous parasites and particles; the lower the micron rating number, the greater the filtration capabilities.
Minimum wage. The lowest amount that can be paid by federal law to most hourly employees. See subminimum wage.
Mise en bouteille au chateau (MEEZ on bou-TAY oh shah-TOW). A French phrase on wine labels indicating that the wine is chateau-bottled or estate-bottled. Also seen as mise au chateau or mise du chateau.
Mise en place (MEEZ ohn PLASS). A French phrase meaning "Everything in its place"; in bartending, this means that the bar is correctly set up, looks good, and is ready for business.
Mix can, mixing cup, mixing steel. The metal-cup portion of a shaker or shake mixer.
Mixed case. See broken case.
Mixed pint. The result of blending one beer with another, or with another type of alcohol, in a single glass.
Mixing glass. A heavy glass container in which drink ingredients are stirred with ice.
Mixology. The art or skill of mixing drinks containing alcohol.
Mixto. A commonly made tequila; half is derived from the blue agave plant and half from other sources (neutral spirits, corn, or sugarcane).
Mocktail. A cocktail made without the liquor.
Monopole (MONN-oh-POLE). In France a brand name or wine name that belongs exclusively to a particular wine producer or shipper.
Monopoly state. See control state.
Moonshine. The nickname for liquor brewed secretly in illegal stills.
Muddler. A wooden implement used for crushing fruit and sugar cubes and cracking ice.
Muller-Thurgau (MYOOL-ur TUR-gau). A popular white grape grown in Germany, used to make a variety of styles of table wine.
Multiple-brands discount. See assorted discount.
Multiple facings. Three or four bottles of the same liquor brand displayed together on the backbar.
Muscat. A popular grape used to make sweet, fruity wines, such as Italy’s sparkling Asti Spumante, grown in both red and white varieties.
Must. The juice from crushed grapes before fermenting.
N2 canister. A container of nitrogen used in a blended-gas draft-beer system.
Napoleon Cognac. A cognac aged at least 5 1/2 years. (No brandy actually dates from Napoleon’s day.)
Nebbiolo (neb-ee-OH-loh). The red Italian grape used to make Barbaresco and Barolo wines.
Negociant (neh-GO-see-ahn). A French wine merchant and shipper, sometimes a blender and bottler as well.
Neoprohibitionism. A modern-day movement to outlaw the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Neotemperance. A modern-day movement to control alcohol abuse through legislation
while allowing use of alcohol in moderation.
Net profit. Sales less all expenses.
Neutral spirits. Spirits distilled at 190 proof or above; almost pure alcohol, with no distinct flavor or odor characteristics; used in blending to make other types of spirits.
Ninkasi. The ancient Sumerian goddess of brewing.
Nitrogenated beer. A smooth, creamy beer style made by using a special flow restrictor in the tap to force nitrogen out of beer just before pouring.
Noisette (nwah-SET). A French brand-name, hazelnut-flavored liqueur.
Nonalcoholic beer. A malt beverage with the flavor of beer containing less than 0.5-percent alcohol.
Nonexempt employee. An employee who must be paid the federal minimum wage for
hourly work.
151 degree rum. A rum that is 151 proof; used especially for
flaming and as a float on mixed drinks.
Oatmeal stout. A beer made with a small percentage of oatmeal as the grain in the mash.
Off-premise sales. Sales of alcoholic beverages to be consumed at a different place from where the sale takes place. Supermarkets are examples of off-premise retailers. Compare onpremise sales.
Old Ale. A thick, sometimes fruity style of beer aged after fermentation. Usually made for winter consumption or for blending with other ales. Also called a Winter Warmer.
One-empty-for-one-full. A system for controlling losses by requiring an empty liquor bottle to be turned in to the storeroom for each full bottle issued.
On-premise sales. Sales of alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the same premises where the sale takes place. Bars and restaurants are examples of on-premise retailersCompare offpremise sales.
On the rocks. Served over cube ice.
Orange flower water. A flavoring extract used in mixed drinks.
Orgeat (oar-ZHAY). A sweet almond-flavored syrup.
Ounce method. A liquor measurement and control technique that compares the total number of ounces of liquor used (based on a physical inventory) with the number of ounces sold (based on drink sales).
Ouzo (OO-zoe). A Greek anise-flavored liqueur.
Overhead expenses. Fixed expenses not related to sales volume or hours of operation.
Overproof. A spirit (usually rum) that has a higher-than-normal proof, or alcohol content.
Overrun. The percentage of air forced into a liquid drink mix by the pump in a frozendrink machine. The overrun increases the overall volume of the mix, making the drinks light and slushy.
Overtime. The amount of time worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek.
Oxidized. A wine that has gone bad because oxygen has gotten into the bottle, with a dull or rust color and vinegary or musty flavor.
Par stock. The amount of each liquor, beer, and wine to be kept at the bar at all times.
Participatory bar. A bar business that includes customers as part of the entertainment, such as playing pool or singing karaoke.
Pasteurization. In beer-making, heating briefly in the can or bottle to kill bacteria and
remaining yeast cells.
Pear William. The English translation of Poire William, a colorless, unaged brandy made in France or Switzerland that usually has a whole pear encased in its bottle.
Peat. Decomposed vegetation that is harvested and burned for drying barley in making
Scotch, giving the liquor a smoky favor.
Peaty. The smoky or ash-like character imparted to Scotch whisky from the use of peat fires to dry the grain or from its water source coming into contact with peat. Also called peatreek.
Perceived value. The value of product/ service in a customer’s eyes, whatever its actual worth.
Percolation. In making liqueurs, adding herbs other flavors by pumping the spirit through them over and over.
Periodic order method. A system of reordering merchandise on certain dates every month.
Perpetual inventory. An ongoing daily record of purchase and issue for each inventory item, compiled from invoices and issue slips.
Perpetual order method. A system of reordering merchandise when existing inventory drops below a certain number.
Perquisites. Fringe benefits related to specific jobs or job levels. Also called perks.
Per se law. A law (in this case, a drunk-driving law) that says that police can use a single piece of evidence, such as a breath test or a driver’s refusal to take the test, to determine guilt.
Peychaud’s (PAY-shows). A brand of strong bitters from New Orleans.
pH. The abbreviation used to describe the amount of acidity in water, expressed on a scale of 1 to 14; an important component of the beer-brewing process.
Phenolic compounds. Natural antioxidants found in red grapes that give them their red coloring and the acidity known as tannins.
Physical inventory. Counting inventory in stock, bottle by bottle.
Pickup station. The section of the front bar where serving personnel turn in and receive drink orders and return empty glasses.
Pils. A cone-shaped glass with no stem or foot; used for serving Pilsner-style beers.
Pilsner. A mild, dry style of beer, usually 3.2- to 4.5-percent alcohol by weight (4 to 5
percent by volume). Sometimes spelled Pilsener.
Pinot Blanc (PEE-noh BLONK). A white grape used primarily for making sparkling wines in California, Italy, and France.
Pisco (PEES-ko). A Peruvian brandy.
Pitching. The ancient process of coating the insides of clay containers (amphora) with tar to keep them watertight.
Plymouth gin. An English-style gin with less alcohol (82.4 percent) than regular gin.
Point-of-sale system. A system in which a point-of-sale register functions as an input terminal for a central processing unit (CPU). Abbreviated POS system.
Pomace. The leftover seeds and skins from crushed grapes.
Pomace brandy. A brandy made from distilling the leftover skins, stems, and seeds from winemaking. Known as grappa in Italy and marc in France.
Pony. A slang term for 1 ounce.
Portable bar. A rolling bar unit, popular in hotel use, that can be positioned at a meeting,banquet, or reception for beverage service.
Porter. A dark, bittersweet specialty ale, about 5- to 7.5-percent alcohol by volume.
Positioning. Establishing an enterprise favorably in customers’ eyes in relation to its
competition.
Post-mix system. A system of dispensing carbonated beverages from a handgun by mixing carbon dioxide, water, and concentrated syrup from bulk supplies.
Post-off discount. Lowering the price of an item, usually if it is bought in quantity, to
increase sales.
Potential sales value. Sales dollars that a given bottle of liquor would earn if all of its
contents were sold; a control tool for measuring losses when compared with actual sales.
Pot still. A pot-shaped still in which spirits are distilled by using direct heat from below.
Pouilly Fuisse′ (POO-ee fweh-SAY). A well-known French white wine from the Macon region.
Pouilly Fume′ (POO-ee foo-MAY). A well-known French white wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Loire Valley; not to be confused with Pouilly Fuisse′.
Pour. In a drink recipe to add an ingredient as is without straining it.
Pourer. A device that fits into the neck of a liquor bottle to reduce the flow of liquor to a controllable speed or a preset amount.
Pouring costs. A comparison of what it costs to offer beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Each category is determined by dividing the cost of goods sold by the gross sales for a given time period to arrive at a percentage.
Pouring station. The area of a bar where each bartender works, with his or her own supply of liquor, mixes, ice, glasses, and so on. Busy or large establishments have multiple pouring stations. Also called a cocktail station, cocktail unit, beverage center, or jockey box.
Pousse-cafe′ (POOS kaf-FAY). An old-fashioned after-dinner drink consisting of liqueurs floated in layers, one atop another, in multiple colors and densities.
Precheck. To ring up a drink order before the drinks are poured.
Oatmeal stout. A beer made with a small percentage of oatmeal as the grain in the mash.
Off-premise sales. Sales of alcoholic beverages to be consumed at a different place from where the sale takes place. Supermarkets are examples of off-premise retailers. Compare onpremise sales.
Old Ale. A thick, sometimes fruity style of beer aged after fermentation. Usually made for winter consumption or for blending with other ales. Also called a Winter Warmer.
One-empty-for-one-full. A system for controlling losses by requiring an empty liquor bottle to be turned in to the storeroom for each full bottle issued.
On-premise sales. Sales of alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the same premises where the sale takes place. Bars and restaurants are examples of on-premise retailersCompare offpremise sales.
On the rocks. Served over cube ice.
Orange flower water. A flavoring extract used in mixed drinks.
Orgeat (oar-ZHAY). A sweet almond-flavored syrup.
Ounce method. A liquor measurement and control technique that compares the total number of ounces of liquor used (based on a physical inventory) with the number of ounces sold (based on drink sales).
Ouzo (OO-zoe). A Greek anise-flavored liqueur.
Overhead expenses. Fixed expenses not related to sales volume or hours of operation.
Overproof. A spirit (usually rum) that has a higher-than-normal proof, or alcohol content.
Overrun. The percentage of air forced into a liquid drink mix by the pump in a frozendrink machine. The overrun increases the overall volume of the mix, making the drinks light and slushy.
Overtime. The amount of time worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek.
Oxidized. A wine that has gone bad because oxygen has gotten into the bottle, with a dull or rust color and vinegary or musty flavor.
Par stock. The amount of each liquor, beer, and wine to be kept at the bar at all times.
Participatory bar. A bar business that includes customers as part of the entertainment, such as playing pool or singing karaoke.
Pasteurization. In beer-making, heating briefly in the can or bottle to kill bacteria and
remaining yeast cells.
Pear William. The English translation of Poire William, a colorless, unaged brandy made in France or Switzerland that usually has a whole pear encased in its bottle.
Peat. Decomposed vegetation that is harvested and burned for drying barley in making
Scotch, giving the liquor a smoky favor.
Peaty. The smoky or ash-like character imparted to Scotch whisky from the use of peat fires to dry the grain or from its water source coming into contact with peat. Also called peatreek.
Perceived value. The value of product/ service in a customer’s eyes, whatever its actual worth.
Percolation. In making liqueurs, adding herbs other flavors by pumping the spirit through them over and over.
Periodic order method. A system of reordering merchandise on certain dates every month.
Perpetual inventory. An ongoing daily record of purchase and issue for each inventory item, compiled from invoices and issue slips.
Perpetual order method. A system of reordering merchandise when existing inventory drops below a certain number.
Perquisites. Fringe benefits related to specific jobs or job levels. Also called perks.
Per se law. A law (in this case, a drunk-driving law) that says that police can use a single piece of evidence, such as a breath test or a driver’s refusal to take the test, to determine guilt.
Peychaud’s (PAY-shows). A brand of strong bitters from New Orleans.
pH. The abbreviation used to describe the amount of acidity in water, expressed on a scale of 1 to 14; an important component of the beer-brewing process.
Phenolic compounds. Natural antioxidants found in red grapes that give them their red coloring and the acidity known as tannins.
Physical inventory. Counting inventory in stock, bottle by bottle.
Pickup station. The section of the front bar where serving personnel turn in and receive drink orders and return empty glasses.
Pils. A cone-shaped glass with no stem or foot; used for serving Pilsner-style beers.
Pilsner. A mild, dry style of beer, usually 3.2- to 4.5-percent alcohol by weight (4 to 5
percent by volume). Sometimes spelled Pilsener.
Pinot Blanc (PEE-noh BLONK). A white grape used primarily for making sparkling wines in California, Italy, and France.
Pisco (PEES-ko). A Peruvian brandy.
Pitching. The ancient process of coating the insides of clay containers (amphora) with tar to keep them watertight.
Plymouth gin. An English-style gin with less alcohol (82.4 percent) than regular gin.
Point-of-sale system. A system in which a point-of-sale register functions as an input terminal for a central processing unit (CPU). Abbreviated POS system.
Pomace. The leftover seeds and skins from crushed grapes.
Pomace brandy. A brandy made from distilling the leftover skins, stems, and seeds from winemaking. Known as grappa in Italy and marc in France.
Pony. A slang term for 1 ounce.
Portable bar. A rolling bar unit, popular in hotel use, that can be positioned at a meeting,banquet, or reception for beverage service.
Porter. A dark, bittersweet specialty ale, about 5- to 7.5-percent alcohol by volume.
Positioning. Establishing an enterprise favorably in customers’ eyes in relation to its
competition.
Post-mix system. A system of dispensing carbonated beverages from a handgun by mixing carbon dioxide, water, and concentrated syrup from bulk supplies.
Post-off discount. Lowering the price of an item, usually if it is bought in quantity, to
increase sales.
Potential sales value. Sales dollars that a given bottle of liquor would earn if all of its
contents were sold; a control tool for measuring losses when compared with actual sales.
Pot still. A pot-shaped still in which spirits are distilled by using direct heat from below.
Pouilly Fuisse′ (POO-ee fweh-SAY). A well-known French white wine from the Macon region.
Pouilly Fume′ (POO-ee foo-MAY). A well-known French white wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Loire Valley; not to be confused with Pouilly Fuisse′.
Pour. In a drink recipe to add an ingredient as is without straining it.
Pourer. A device that fits into the neck of a liquor bottle to reduce the flow of liquor to a controllable speed or a preset amount.
Pouring costs. A comparison of what it costs to offer beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Each category is determined by dividing the cost of goods sold by the gross sales for a given time period to arrive at a percentage.
Pouring station. The area of a bar where each bartender works, with his or her own supply of liquor, mixes, ice, glasses, and so on. Busy or large establishments have multiple pouring stations. Also called a cocktail station, cocktail unit, beverage center, or jockey box.
Pousse-cafe′ (POOS kaf-FAY). An old-fashioned after-dinner drink consisting of liqueurs floated in layers, one atop another, in multiple colors and densities.
Precheck. To ring up a drink order before the drinks are poured.
Premier Cru (PREM-ee-ay CROO). A French term on a wine
label indicating the secondary quality designation for burgundy wines. See Grand Cru.
Premium well. A well that is stocked with upscale, more expensive name-brand liquors. Also called a super-well.
Premix system. A system of carbonating beverages from bulk supplies as they are dispensed from a handgun.
Preset. The key on a computerized cash register that is set to figure and record extensive information on a specific item sold.
Pressware. Inexpensive, commonly used glassware made by being pressed into a mold.
Pretax profit. The amount of money a business makes, including all income and expenses except for taxes. Also called net profit.
Primary competitor. A bar that vies for the same market segment because it has a concept similar to yours. See secondary competitor.
Prime costs. The largest and most necessary expenses to do business; in bars, these are beverage and payroll costs.
Prime-ingredient cost. The cost of the major ingredient in a drink (its base liquor); used as a basis for pricing the drink.
Prix fixe (PREE-FEEKS or PREE-FEE). The French term for fixed price.
Product/ service mix. The combination of products and services offered to customers by a given enterprise.
Pro forma statement. A financial report that shows what a business should be making and spending, based on a set of assumptions about the industry, local economy, and other market factors.
Prohibition. The period of time in U.S. history (1920 to 1933) when the manufacture, sale,and transportation of most alcoholic beverages was illegal.
Proof. A measure of the alcoholic content of a spirit; each degree of proof is 1/2-percent alcohol by volume.
Proof gallon. In the United States 128 fluid ounces of 100-proof liquor.
Proprietary name. The brand name of a wine producer or shipper.
Pub. The popular British term for a casual, neighborhood bar. Short for public house.
Pull date. The date that a product should no longer be sold, after which it begins to
deteriorate; typically pull dates are marked on cans, bottles, and other packaging.
Purchase order. A buyer’s document specifying merchandise ordered. Abbreviated P.O.
Purchase-order number. The number that identifies a particular purchase purchase order. Abbreviated P.O. number.
Purchasing. The process of deciding what is to be served, which supplies are needed to produce these items, and procuring (ordering and buying) them.
Pure malt. See BMSW.
Qualitatswein (KVAHL-ee-tots-VINE). A German wine-quality category; medium-quality wine from a designated region. Abbreviated QbA.
Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (KVAHLih- tots-VINE met PRAD-dih-kut). A German superiorquality rating for wines having special attributes based on ripeness of the grape. Abbreviated QmP.
Rabbit. A much-imitated type of corkscrew, trademarked by the Metrokane company. Handles that look somewhat like a rabbit’s ears are used to grasp the wine bottle’s neck as a lever quickly extracts the cork.
Racking. In winemaking the process of draining the juice off the lees (skins and stems) and into a fresh cask.
Rail. 1. The recessed portion of a bar top closest to bartender, where drinks are poured.Also called the glass rail, drip rail, or spill trough. 2. On antique bars the brass footrest at the bottom front of the bar.
Ready-to-drink. A beverage category that includes premixed bottled or canned alcoholicbeverage products, such as malternatives. Abbreviated RTD.
Reasonable care. The legal term for what an ordinary, prudent person would do to prevent harm or injury.
Rectification. The alteration of a distilled spirit by blending, adding flavors or color, or
redistilling to purify or concentrate.
Refrigeration circuit. The system of equipment that chills and circulates air and correctly humidifies refrigerated space.
Refrigeration cycle. The process of removing heat from a refrigerated space.
Regional brewery. A brewing facility that produces from 15,000 to 500,000 barrels of beer annually.
Regional specialty brewery. A brewery whose main or largest-selling product is a microbrew or specialty beer.
Regular rate. The hourly rate for determining overtime pay.
Relish fork. A long, thin two-tined fork for spearing such items as olives and cocktail
onions.
Reorder point. The point at which supplies must be ordered to maintain minimum stock.
Reposado Tequila. A Mexican Tequila that has been aged 2 to 11 months by law. Reposado means resting in Spanish.
Requisition. 1. To request stock from the storeroom to be released for use at the bar. 2.The form for requesting the issue of stock and the record of such issue. Also called an issue slip.
Resveratol. An antioxidant that is found naturally in the skins of red grapes.
Riesling (REES-ling). A fruity white grape used to make many German white wines, including (when it is picked overripe) late-harvest and dessert wines.
Rim (or rimming). To coat (or coating) the rim of a glass with salt, sugar, or celery salt.
Rimmer. The device for rimming a glass evenly.
Rioja (ree-OH-hah). The Spanish wine district producing mostly red wines in the Bordeaux style; the red wine that comes from this district.
ROI. Abbreviation for return on investment; share of profit expressed as a percentage of amount invested.
Rose′ (roe-ZAY). A wine made from dark-skinned grapes whose juice is allowed to ferment with the skins for only 12 to 24 hours, resulting in a light peach or pink color. Some rose′s are in the blush-wine category.
Rotate stock. To put new supplies behind the existing stock so that the oldest will be used first.
Router. See zester.
Rum. A spirit distilled from molasses or sugarcane.
Rye. 1. A whiskey made with 51 percent or more of rye plus other grains, aged at least two years in charred new-oak containers. 2. In the East the popular term for blended whiskey.Sake (sah-kee). A Japanese wine made from rice
Premium well. A well that is stocked with upscale, more expensive name-brand liquors. Also called a super-well.
Premix system. A system of carbonating beverages from bulk supplies as they are dispensed from a handgun.
Preset. The key on a computerized cash register that is set to figure and record extensive information on a specific item sold.
Pressware. Inexpensive, commonly used glassware made by being pressed into a mold.
Pretax profit. The amount of money a business makes, including all income and expenses except for taxes. Also called net profit.
Primary competitor. A bar that vies for the same market segment because it has a concept similar to yours. See secondary competitor.
Prime costs. The largest and most necessary expenses to do business; in bars, these are beverage and payroll costs.
Prime-ingredient cost. The cost of the major ingredient in a drink (its base liquor); used as a basis for pricing the drink.
Prix fixe (PREE-FEEKS or PREE-FEE). The French term for fixed price.
Product/ service mix. The combination of products and services offered to customers by a given enterprise.
Pro forma statement. A financial report that shows what a business should be making and spending, based on a set of assumptions about the industry, local economy, and other market factors.
Prohibition. The period of time in U.S. history (1920 to 1933) when the manufacture, sale,and transportation of most alcoholic beverages was illegal.
Proof. A measure of the alcoholic content of a spirit; each degree of proof is 1/2-percent alcohol by volume.
Proof gallon. In the United States 128 fluid ounces of 100-proof liquor.
Proprietary name. The brand name of a wine producer or shipper.
Pub. The popular British term for a casual, neighborhood bar. Short for public house.
Pull date. The date that a product should no longer be sold, after which it begins to
deteriorate; typically pull dates are marked on cans, bottles, and other packaging.
Purchase order. A buyer’s document specifying merchandise ordered. Abbreviated P.O.
Purchase-order number. The number that identifies a particular purchase purchase order. Abbreviated P.O. number.
Purchasing. The process of deciding what is to be served, which supplies are needed to produce these items, and procuring (ordering and buying) them.
Pure malt. See BMSW.
Qualitatswein (KVAHL-ee-tots-VINE). A German wine-quality category; medium-quality wine from a designated region. Abbreviated QbA.
Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (KVAHLih- tots-VINE met PRAD-dih-kut). A German superiorquality rating for wines having special attributes based on ripeness of the grape. Abbreviated QmP.
Rabbit. A much-imitated type of corkscrew, trademarked by the Metrokane company. Handles that look somewhat like a rabbit’s ears are used to grasp the wine bottle’s neck as a lever quickly extracts the cork.
Racking. In winemaking the process of draining the juice off the lees (skins and stems) and into a fresh cask.
Rail. 1. The recessed portion of a bar top closest to bartender, where drinks are poured.Also called the glass rail, drip rail, or spill trough. 2. On antique bars the brass footrest at the bottom front of the bar.
Ready-to-drink. A beverage category that includes premixed bottled or canned alcoholicbeverage products, such as malternatives. Abbreviated RTD.
Reasonable care. The legal term for what an ordinary, prudent person would do to prevent harm or injury.
Rectification. The alteration of a distilled spirit by blending, adding flavors or color, or
redistilling to purify or concentrate.
Refrigeration circuit. The system of equipment that chills and circulates air and correctly humidifies refrigerated space.
Refrigeration cycle. The process of removing heat from a refrigerated space.
Regional brewery. A brewing facility that produces from 15,000 to 500,000 barrels of beer annually.
Regional specialty brewery. A brewery whose main or largest-selling product is a microbrew or specialty beer.
Regular rate. The hourly rate for determining overtime pay.
Relish fork. A long, thin two-tined fork for spearing such items as olives and cocktail
onions.
Reorder point. The point at which supplies must be ordered to maintain minimum stock.
Reposado Tequila. A Mexican Tequila that has been aged 2 to 11 months by law. Reposado means resting in Spanish.
Requisition. 1. To request stock from the storeroom to be released for use at the bar. 2.The form for requesting the issue of stock and the record of such issue. Also called an issue slip.
Resveratol. An antioxidant that is found naturally in the skins of red grapes.
Riesling (REES-ling). A fruity white grape used to make many German white wines, including (when it is picked overripe) late-harvest and dessert wines.
Rim (or rimming). To coat (or coating) the rim of a glass with salt, sugar, or celery salt.
Rimmer. The device for rimming a glass evenly.
Rioja (ree-OH-hah). The Spanish wine district producing mostly red wines in the Bordeaux style; the red wine that comes from this district.
ROI. Abbreviation for return on investment; share of profit expressed as a percentage of amount invested.
Rose′ (roe-ZAY). A wine made from dark-skinned grapes whose juice is allowed to ferment with the skins for only 12 to 24 hours, resulting in a light peach or pink color. Some rose′s are in the blush-wine category.
Rotate stock. To put new supplies behind the existing stock so that the oldest will be used first.
Router. See zester.
Rum. A spirit distilled from molasses or sugarcane.
Rye. 1. A whiskey made with 51 percent or more of rye plus other grains, aged at least two years in charred new-oak containers. 2. In the East the popular term for blended whiskey.Sake (sah-kee). A Japanese wine made from rice
Sambuca (sam-BOO-kah). The generic name for a clear
liqueur with a licorice flavor.
Sangiovese (SAN-gee-oh-VAY-zee). The red Italian grape used to make Chianti.
Sanitize. To destroy bacteria with a chemical solution.
Sauvignon Blanc (SO-vin-yon-BLONK). The adaptable white grape used to make many French wines, including white Bordeaux, Graves, Sancerre, Sauternes, and Pouilly Fume′. In the United States and elsewhere this grape is used to make the white wines Fume′ Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc.
Schnapps. In the United States a sweet liqueur that is usually fruit- or mint-flavored.
Scotch. A whiskey made in Scotland; typically a blend of malt whiskies and grain neutral spirits.
Screw-pull. A type of corkscrew that twists into a wine-bottle cork and extracts it. Also
called a lever-pull.
Seasonal ale. A specialty ale made for spring or fall release; has hints of spices.
Sec. A French term on a Champagne label; the literal translation is dry but this wine is
slightly sweet.
Secondary competitor. A bar that competes with yours simply because it is located in the same area.
Sekt (zekt). A German term for sparkling wine.
Semillon (SEM-ee-YON). A white grape that had been used primarily for blending but is
now bottled as its own varietal; a rich, fruity white wine.
Server. A waiter or waitress.
Service bar. A bar pouring drinks for table service only, often out of public view.
Service encounter. The server’s first contact and subsequent "relationship" with a guest.
Service mark. A trademark for a service rather than a product. See trademark.
Service napkin. A clean, white towel or napkin carried by a wine server; used to wipe
condensation off the bottle and to wipe the lip of the bottle before pouring. Also called a
serviette, the French word for napkin.
Service scape. The environment in which a service encounter takes place. A service scape includes the de′cor, lighting, music, and anything else that affects the guest experience. Also called a landscape.
Shake. To mix a drink by shaking it in a shaker or using a shake mixer.
Shake mixer. A top-shaft mechanical drink mixer. Also called a spindle blender.
Shaker. The combination of a mixing glass and a stainless-steel container fitting over the glass, in which drink ingredients and ice, are hand-shaken.
Shelf life. The length of time that a beverage can be stored without loss of quality.
Sherry butt. A wooden cask in which sherry is aged.
Shooter. A small, straight-up drink served in a shot glass, typically consumed all at once,as in drinking a toast.
Short. A slang term for a drink that equals less than five measures of liquid.
Shot. The portion of liquor served straight in a shot glass with a glass of ice water or another liquid on the side.
Shot glass. The small glass in which a shot is served.
Shrinkage. Losses due to theft, spillage, and other occurrences.
Silica. The fine sand used in making glass.
Simple syrup. A sweetener for mixed drinks made of one part sugar and one part water.
Singani. A Bolivian-made brandy from grapes; a type of pisco.
Single-cask. The unblended Scotch from a single cask in a single distillery; usually the most exclusive (and expensive) type of Scotch.
Single-malt Scotch. An unblended malt Scotch from a single distillery.
Skimming. An identity-theft crime in which an illegal device is used to surreptitiously read(skim) the stored data on the magnetic strip of a credit card and to use the information to make a counterfeit card.
Slivovitz (SHLIV-uh-vits). A plum brandy made in central Europe.
Snifter. A footed glass with a large, rounded bowl in which brandy is typically served.
Solera system. A Spanish storage method for making some kinds of liquor, notably brandy.The system consists of rows of barrels filled with liquor of different ages; the oldest product is tapped and refilled with a younger product, and multiple vintages are blended for product consistency.
Sommelier (SUM-el-yay or SOHM-ee-yay). The person who handles the ordering and serving of wines in a restaurant, typically having considerable wine knowledge. Also called a
wine steward, cellarmaster, winemaster, or wine waiter.
Sour. A family of mixed drinks made with lemon juice, served in a Sour glass, and garnished with cherry and orange. A Whiskey Sour and a Daiquiri are examples of Sours.
Sour mash. In whiskey-making a distilling method in which a portion of fermented mash from a previous fermentation is added to fresh mash.
Southern Comfort. A brand-named liqueur made from American brandy, peach juice, and other ingredients.
Sparkling wine. A wine containing carbon dioxide in solution that bubbles when poured.
Spatlese (SHPAYT-lay-zah). A German wine made from fully ripened grapes, late-picked
after the official harvest date.
Special Occupational Tax. The annual federal tax that each liquor retailer is required to
pay (to the TTB) for each place of business. Abbreviated SOT.
Speed bar. A very busy, high-volume bar that requires experienced bartenders who can
work under pressure.
Speed rail, speed rack. A bottle-width rack for liquor bottles that is attached to the apron of underbar equipment.
Splash. A slang term for 1/4 of an ounce.
Sports bar. A bar with a sports theme that attracts customers by showing a variety of
sporting events, usually on big-screen television sets.
Spumante (spoo-MON-tee). An Italian sparkling wine.
Standard. Another term for the tap or faucet of a keg-beer dispensing system.
Standard cost percentage. A cost / sales ratio based on standardized drinks; provides a standard for measuring the actual cost / sales ratio.
Standard drink size. A standard amount of prime ingredient used per drink.
Standard glass. A glass of a specified size and shape for a given drink.
Standardized drink. A drink that is characterized by standard ingredients in standard quantities,a standard portion size, a standard glass size, and standard preparation procedures.
Standardized recipe. A recipe listing specific ingredients and amounts that all bartenders in the business must follow. See standardized drink.
Standards of Identity. The U.S. government’s definitions of the various classes of spirits,wines, and malt beverages, including how it is made, what it is made of, its alcohol content,and the type of container in which it is aged.
Station. The area of a bar set up for a certain part of the drink-service process, such as a pouring station or a serving station.
Steam beer. A beer made by combining bottom fermentation with higher temperatures of ale fermentation. The name refers to the steam that is released when the barrels are tapped. Called dampfbier in Germany.
Stemmed glass or stemware. A glass with a foot, stem, and bowl.
Still wine. A wine without bubbles; nonsparkling.
Stir. To mix a drink by stirring its ingredients with ice in a mixing glass.
Stout. A full-flavored dark ale, usually imported, having an alcohol content ranging from 4 percent to as high as 10.5 percent by volume.
Straight. A liquor served "as is," without mixing in other ingredients.
Straight up. A drink served in a chilled glass without ice.
Straight whiskey. An unblended whiskey containing 51 percent or more of a single grain
type, usually corn or rye.
Strainer, bar strainer. A wire spring with a handle and ears that fit over the rim of a
measuring glass or cup.
Stripper. A hand tool used for cutting twists of fruit peel.
Strip stamp. A Federal stamp placed over the top of a sealed liquor bottle; now most often a tamper-evident closure of metal or plastic.
Structure. 1. The term for a combination of attributes of a wine: its sweetness, acidity, and the amounts of tannins and alcohol in the wine. 2. For a cocktail the components that are mixed together to make it: a base spirit, complementary ingredients to modify or enhance flavors, and a garnish.
Suberin oak. The type of tree from which natural cork is harvested.
Submicron filter. A water filter that removes most types of dangerous parasites from water systems.
Subminimum wage. A lower wage (lower than the federal minimum wage) allowed to be paid only to workers under age 20 and only during their first 90 days on the job. Also called a training wage.
Suggestive selling. The technique of offering or recommending additional items to customers.
Sulfites. Chemicals found naturally in many wines; a small percentage of people have allergic reactions to them.
Sweet-and-sour mix. A bar substitute for sugar and lemon or lime in mixed drinks.
Sweet stout. A beer made with milk (or lactic) sugar and fewer hops, resulting in a less
bitter flavor that some compare to sweetened espresso.
Swizzle stick. A stir stick used to mix a drink in the glass.
SWOT analysis. An appraisal of four common business factors: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
and threats.
Syrah. An adaptable red grape that makes a tannic, full-bodied red wine; used often in
blending. Called Shiraz in Australia.
Sangiovese (SAN-gee-oh-VAY-zee). The red Italian grape used to make Chianti.
Sanitize. To destroy bacteria with a chemical solution.
Sauvignon Blanc (SO-vin-yon-BLONK). The adaptable white grape used to make many French wines, including white Bordeaux, Graves, Sancerre, Sauternes, and Pouilly Fume′. In the United States and elsewhere this grape is used to make the white wines Fume′ Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc.
Schnapps. In the United States a sweet liqueur that is usually fruit- or mint-flavored.
Scotch. A whiskey made in Scotland; typically a blend of malt whiskies and grain neutral spirits.
Screw-pull. A type of corkscrew that twists into a wine-bottle cork and extracts it. Also
called a lever-pull.
Seasonal ale. A specialty ale made for spring or fall release; has hints of spices.
Sec. A French term on a Champagne label; the literal translation is dry but this wine is
slightly sweet.
Secondary competitor. A bar that competes with yours simply because it is located in the same area.
Sekt (zekt). A German term for sparkling wine.
Semillon (SEM-ee-YON). A white grape that had been used primarily for blending but is
now bottled as its own varietal; a rich, fruity white wine.
Server. A waiter or waitress.
Service bar. A bar pouring drinks for table service only, often out of public view.
Service encounter. The server’s first contact and subsequent "relationship" with a guest.
Service mark. A trademark for a service rather than a product. See trademark.
Service napkin. A clean, white towel or napkin carried by a wine server; used to wipe
condensation off the bottle and to wipe the lip of the bottle before pouring. Also called a
serviette, the French word for napkin.
Service scape. The environment in which a service encounter takes place. A service scape includes the de′cor, lighting, music, and anything else that affects the guest experience. Also called a landscape.
Shake. To mix a drink by shaking it in a shaker or using a shake mixer.
Shake mixer. A top-shaft mechanical drink mixer. Also called a spindle blender.
Shaker. The combination of a mixing glass and a stainless-steel container fitting over the glass, in which drink ingredients and ice, are hand-shaken.
Shelf life. The length of time that a beverage can be stored without loss of quality.
Sherry butt. A wooden cask in which sherry is aged.
Shooter. A small, straight-up drink served in a shot glass, typically consumed all at once,as in drinking a toast.
Short. A slang term for a drink that equals less than five measures of liquid.
Shot. The portion of liquor served straight in a shot glass with a glass of ice water or another liquid on the side.
Shot glass. The small glass in which a shot is served.
Shrinkage. Losses due to theft, spillage, and other occurrences.
Silica. The fine sand used in making glass.
Simple syrup. A sweetener for mixed drinks made of one part sugar and one part water.
Singani. A Bolivian-made brandy from grapes; a type of pisco.
Single-cask. The unblended Scotch from a single cask in a single distillery; usually the most exclusive (and expensive) type of Scotch.
Single-malt Scotch. An unblended malt Scotch from a single distillery.
Skimming. An identity-theft crime in which an illegal device is used to surreptitiously read(skim) the stored data on the magnetic strip of a credit card and to use the information to make a counterfeit card.
Slivovitz (SHLIV-uh-vits). A plum brandy made in central Europe.
Snifter. A footed glass with a large, rounded bowl in which brandy is typically served.
Solera system. A Spanish storage method for making some kinds of liquor, notably brandy.The system consists of rows of barrels filled with liquor of different ages; the oldest product is tapped and refilled with a younger product, and multiple vintages are blended for product consistency.
Sommelier (SUM-el-yay or SOHM-ee-yay). The person who handles the ordering and serving of wines in a restaurant, typically having considerable wine knowledge. Also called a
wine steward, cellarmaster, winemaster, or wine waiter.
Sour. A family of mixed drinks made with lemon juice, served in a Sour glass, and garnished with cherry and orange. A Whiskey Sour and a Daiquiri are examples of Sours.
Sour mash. In whiskey-making a distilling method in which a portion of fermented mash from a previous fermentation is added to fresh mash.
Southern Comfort. A brand-named liqueur made from American brandy, peach juice, and other ingredients.
Sparkling wine. A wine containing carbon dioxide in solution that bubbles when poured.
Spatlese (SHPAYT-lay-zah). A German wine made from fully ripened grapes, late-picked
after the official harvest date.
Special Occupational Tax. The annual federal tax that each liquor retailer is required to
pay (to the TTB) for each place of business. Abbreviated SOT.
Speed bar. A very busy, high-volume bar that requires experienced bartenders who can
work under pressure.
Speed rail, speed rack. A bottle-width rack for liquor bottles that is attached to the apron of underbar equipment.
Splash. A slang term for 1/4 of an ounce.
Sports bar. A bar with a sports theme that attracts customers by showing a variety of
sporting events, usually on big-screen television sets.
Spumante (spoo-MON-tee). An Italian sparkling wine.
Standard. Another term for the tap or faucet of a keg-beer dispensing system.
Standard cost percentage. A cost / sales ratio based on standardized drinks; provides a standard for measuring the actual cost / sales ratio.
Standard drink size. A standard amount of prime ingredient used per drink.
Standard glass. A glass of a specified size and shape for a given drink.
Standardized drink. A drink that is characterized by standard ingredients in standard quantities,a standard portion size, a standard glass size, and standard preparation procedures.
Standardized recipe. A recipe listing specific ingredients and amounts that all bartenders in the business must follow. See standardized drink.
Standards of Identity. The U.S. government’s definitions of the various classes of spirits,wines, and malt beverages, including how it is made, what it is made of, its alcohol content,and the type of container in which it is aged.
Station. The area of a bar set up for a certain part of the drink-service process, such as a pouring station or a serving station.
Steam beer. A beer made by combining bottom fermentation with higher temperatures of ale fermentation. The name refers to the steam that is released when the barrels are tapped. Called dampfbier in Germany.
Stemmed glass or stemware. A glass with a foot, stem, and bowl.
Still wine. A wine without bubbles; nonsparkling.
Stir. To mix a drink by stirring its ingredients with ice in a mixing glass.
Stout. A full-flavored dark ale, usually imported, having an alcohol content ranging from 4 percent to as high as 10.5 percent by volume.
Straight. A liquor served "as is," without mixing in other ingredients.
Straight up. A drink served in a chilled glass without ice.
Straight whiskey. An unblended whiskey containing 51 percent or more of a single grain
type, usually corn or rye.
Strainer, bar strainer. A wire spring with a handle and ears that fit over the rim of a
measuring glass or cup.
Stripper. A hand tool used for cutting twists of fruit peel.
Strip stamp. A Federal stamp placed over the top of a sealed liquor bottle; now most often a tamper-evident closure of metal or plastic.
Structure. 1. The term for a combination of attributes of a wine: its sweetness, acidity, and the amounts of tannins and alcohol in the wine. 2. For a cocktail the components that are mixed together to make it: a base spirit, complementary ingredients to modify or enhance flavors, and a garnish.
Suberin oak. The type of tree from which natural cork is harvested.
Submicron filter. A water filter that removes most types of dangerous parasites from water systems.
Subminimum wage. A lower wage (lower than the federal minimum wage) allowed to be paid only to workers under age 20 and only during their first 90 days on the job. Also called a training wage.
Suggestive selling. The technique of offering or recommending additional items to customers.
Sulfites. Chemicals found naturally in many wines; a small percentage of people have allergic reactions to them.
Sweet-and-sour mix. A bar substitute for sugar and lemon or lime in mixed drinks.
Sweet stout. A beer made with milk (or lactic) sugar and fewer hops, resulting in a less
bitter flavor that some compare to sweetened espresso.
Swizzle stick. A stir stick used to mix a drink in the glass.
SWOT analysis. An appraisal of four common business factors: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
and threats.
Syrah. An adaptable red grape that makes a tannic, full-bodied red wine; used often in
blending. Called Shiraz in Australia.
2, 4,
6-Trichloroanisole. A
harmless but smelly combination of mold, chlorine, and moisture that sometimes forms on natural
cork, permeating the wine inside the bottle and tainting it with an off-putting, musty odor. See corked.
Abbreviated TCA.
Table tent. A card folded into a triangle that stands on a table top; used to advertise specialty drinks or a short wine list.
Table wine. A grape wine (red, white, or rose′) with an alcohol content of up to 14 percent by volume.
Tafelwein (TOF-el-vine). The lowest-quality category of German wines; the literal translation is table wine.
Tall drink. A drink served in a large glass (Collins or larger) in which there is a high
proportion of mix and ice to spirit.
Tamper-evident closure. A closure on a liquor bottle, part of which remains on the bottle when the bottle is opened.
Tap. 1. A beer faucet. 2. To set up a keg of beer for bar use by connecting one line to a
carbon-dioxide tank and one line to the tap.
Tare weight. The weight of an empty container, which is used to calculate the weight or
volume of its contents.
Tastevin (TAT-vin or TASS-tah-van). A wine-tasting cup that hangs from a cord or ribbon from the neck of a sommelier; a traditional part of his or her uniform.
Tax stamp. Proof given by the TTB to a retailer when he or she registers and pays the Special Occupational Tax.
Temperance. A word meaning moderation, self-restraint, and sobriety; used to label people or groups who believe in very stringent legal limits on drinking, or forbidding it altogether;the Temperance Movement historically had a powerful voice in the United States.
Tempering. In the glassmaking process the step in which cooled glass is reheated to high temperatures to "shock" it and make it more temperature-resistant. When the entire glass is tempered it is called fully tempered; when only the rim receives this treatment it is called rim tempered.
Tempranillo (TEMP-rah-NEE-yo). The primary red wine grape grown in Spain, used to make Rioja wines.
Tennessee whiskey. A whiskey made in Tennessee, filtered through maple charcoal; similar to bourbon and often considered part of the bourbon family.
Tequila (teh-KEE-lah). A distinctively flavored spirit from the Tequila district of Mexico;
distilled at low proof from the fermented juices of the blue agave plant.
Tequila Puro. A Mexican Tequila distilled from 100-percent blue agave.
Tequillaria. (teh-KEE-lah-REE-ah) A bar or restaurant with a menu focused on tequilas and foods that complement them.
Tequiza. A brand-name beverage that is a blend of beer, tequila, and lime.
Third-party liability. The legal concept holding that the seller of alcohol to an intoxicated
person may be held liable for damages caused by that person to a third party.
Three-tier system. An alcohol-sales-and-distribution method common in the United States,with a product going from a producer, to a wholesale distributor, who sells to retailers (including bars and restaurants).
Throw sediment. A wine that has been chilled or chilled too quickly, which causes solid
crystals to precipitate on the cork or at the bottom of the bottle. The crystals (calcium
carbonate) are harmless but off-putting to some consumers.
Tia Maria. The brand name of a Jamaican-made, coffee-flavored liqueur.
Tied-house. A financial or legal interest in a retail enterprise held by a brewer, distiller, or wholesaler; in most states this is a violation of the law.
Tip credit. The percentage of the minimum wage that an employer may subtract from the wages of tipped employees.
Tip out. The practice of servers sharing tips with busboys, barbacks, and other service
people who are not commonly tipped as part of the service team.
Tipped employee. An employee who receives at least $30 per month in tips.
Tip pooling. The practice of servers combining all or a percentage of their tips and dividing the total amount among the staff.
Top fermentation. The method of making malt beverages in which the yeasts act from the top of the fermenting beverage.
Total business pricing. The concept that menu items must work together (some, expensive to make but popular; others, inexpensive and very profitable) to maximize total profit.
t-PA antigen. A beneficial enzyme in ethanol (alcohol) that helps prevent blood clots.
Trade dress. Elements of a product’s or business’s image that make it distinctive (e.g., logos,color combinations, and the size or shape of a building or container) from those of competitors.
Trademark. The exclusive right to use a business or product name after going through the correct legal process to register the name.
Training wage. For new employees under age 20, 85 percent of minimum wage, allowable for the first 90 days on job.
Trebbiano (treb-ee-AH-no). An Italian white grape used to make Soave wines and some
sparkling wines.
Triple sec. The generic name for Curacao liqueur that is clear (colorless).
Trockenbeerenauslese (TROCK-un-BAHRun-OWSCH-lay-za). A rich, sweet German wine
made from individually selected, overripe grapes shriveled with Edelfaule (noble rot).
TTB. The abbreviation for the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
Tulip. A stemmed glass with a tulip-shaped bowl. Some tulips are used specifically for
Champagne; others, for beer.
Tumbler. A flat-bottom glass without a stem or foot.
Twist. A strip of citrus-fruit peel used as a garnish.
Tyramine. A chemical found in some types of wine and beer that interacts with some types of antidepressants to increase blood pressure, possibly to dangerous levels.
Table tent. A card folded into a triangle that stands on a table top; used to advertise specialty drinks or a short wine list.
Table wine. A grape wine (red, white, or rose′) with an alcohol content of up to 14 percent by volume.
Tafelwein (TOF-el-vine). The lowest-quality category of German wines; the literal translation is table wine.
Tall drink. A drink served in a large glass (Collins or larger) in which there is a high
proportion of mix and ice to spirit.
Tamper-evident closure. A closure on a liquor bottle, part of which remains on the bottle when the bottle is opened.
Tap. 1. A beer faucet. 2. To set up a keg of beer for bar use by connecting one line to a
carbon-dioxide tank and one line to the tap.
Tare weight. The weight of an empty container, which is used to calculate the weight or
volume of its contents.
Tastevin (TAT-vin or TASS-tah-van). A wine-tasting cup that hangs from a cord or ribbon from the neck of a sommelier; a traditional part of his or her uniform.
Tax stamp. Proof given by the TTB to a retailer when he or she registers and pays the Special Occupational Tax.
Temperance. A word meaning moderation, self-restraint, and sobriety; used to label people or groups who believe in very stringent legal limits on drinking, or forbidding it altogether;the Temperance Movement historically had a powerful voice in the United States.
Tempering. In the glassmaking process the step in which cooled glass is reheated to high temperatures to "shock" it and make it more temperature-resistant. When the entire glass is tempered it is called fully tempered; when only the rim receives this treatment it is called rim tempered.
Tempranillo (TEMP-rah-NEE-yo). The primary red wine grape grown in Spain, used to make Rioja wines.
Tennessee whiskey. A whiskey made in Tennessee, filtered through maple charcoal; similar to bourbon and often considered part of the bourbon family.
Tequila (teh-KEE-lah). A distinctively flavored spirit from the Tequila district of Mexico;
distilled at low proof from the fermented juices of the blue agave plant.
Tequila Puro. A Mexican Tequila distilled from 100-percent blue agave.
Tequillaria. (teh-KEE-lah-REE-ah) A bar or restaurant with a menu focused on tequilas and foods that complement them.
Tequiza. A brand-name beverage that is a blend of beer, tequila, and lime.
Third-party liability. The legal concept holding that the seller of alcohol to an intoxicated
person may be held liable for damages caused by that person to a third party.
Three-tier system. An alcohol-sales-and-distribution method common in the United States,with a product going from a producer, to a wholesale distributor, who sells to retailers (including bars and restaurants).
Throw sediment. A wine that has been chilled or chilled too quickly, which causes solid
crystals to precipitate on the cork or at the bottom of the bottle. The crystals (calcium
carbonate) are harmless but off-putting to some consumers.
Tia Maria. The brand name of a Jamaican-made, coffee-flavored liqueur.
Tied-house. A financial or legal interest in a retail enterprise held by a brewer, distiller, or wholesaler; in most states this is a violation of the law.
Tip credit. The percentage of the minimum wage that an employer may subtract from the wages of tipped employees.
Tip out. The practice of servers sharing tips with busboys, barbacks, and other service
people who are not commonly tipped as part of the service team.
Tipped employee. An employee who receives at least $30 per month in tips.
Tip pooling. The practice of servers combining all or a percentage of their tips and dividing the total amount among the staff.
Top fermentation. The method of making malt beverages in which the yeasts act from the top of the fermenting beverage.
Total business pricing. The concept that menu items must work together (some, expensive to make but popular; others, inexpensive and very profitable) to maximize total profit.
t-PA antigen. A beneficial enzyme in ethanol (alcohol) that helps prevent blood clots.
Trade dress. Elements of a product’s or business’s image that make it distinctive (e.g., logos,color combinations, and the size or shape of a building or container) from those of competitors.
Trademark. The exclusive right to use a business or product name after going through the correct legal process to register the name.
Training wage. For new employees under age 20, 85 percent of minimum wage, allowable for the first 90 days on job.
Trebbiano (treb-ee-AH-no). An Italian white grape used to make Soave wines and some
sparkling wines.
Triple sec. The generic name for Curacao liqueur that is clear (colorless).
Trockenbeerenauslese (TROCK-un-BAHRun-OWSCH-lay-za). A rich, sweet German wine
made from individually selected, overripe grapes shriveled with Edelfaule (noble rot).
TTB. The abbreviation for the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
Tulip. A stemmed glass with a tulip-shaped bowl. Some tulips are used specifically for
Champagne; others, for beer.
Tumbler. A flat-bottom glass without a stem or foot.
Twist. A strip of citrus-fruit peel used as a garnish.
Tyramine. A chemical found in some types of wine and beer that interacts with some types of antidepressants to increase blood pressure, possibly to dangerous levels.
Ugni Blanc. A type of white grape used primarily in
making cognac.
Unallocable expenses. Expenses that are neither fixed nor directly tied to sales.
Underbar. Equipment installed behind and under the front bar.
Universal Product Code. A series of vertical bars of varying widths printed on the packaging of most consumer products, which can be read by a computerized scanner for inventory purposes. Abbreviated UPC.
Upsell. To suggest that a customer have his or her drink made with a more prestigious or expensive liquor than the well brand.
Van der Hum. A South African brandy-based liqueur that is the equivalent of Curacao.
Variable expenses. Expenses that fluctuate, depending on the sales volume.
Varietal (va-RY-ah-tul). A wine named for its predominant grape.
Vatted Malt Scotch. A Scotch that is a blend of 100-percent malt whiskies from more than one distillery. Also called Pure Malt Scotch.Vase. A Pils-style beer glass. Also called a weizen glass.
Vieille reserve. A French term on a cognac label indicating that the cognac has been aged
at least 5 1/2 years. The literal translation is old reserve.
Vienna lager. A light- to medium-bodied beer with a distinct red or amber color and a
toasted malt aroma.
Viognier (VEE-ohn-YAY). A white-wine grape that makes a wine of the same name with
distinctive, assertive fruit flavors and light sweetness; used in blending or bottled on its own.
Vini da tavola. A Italian table wine produced outside the government’s D.O.C. quality standards, although not necessarily of lesser quality.
Vintage. A term on a wine label indicating the year that the grapes were crushed and the winemaking process began for that bottle.
Vintage-dated. A wine that has its year printed on the label, indicating all the grapes used to make it were harvested in that year.
Vitus vinifera. The ancient, original grape species from which almost all of today’s wine
grapes are descended.
Vodka. Neutral spirit treated to remove distinctive character, aroma, and taste.
VS. On a Cognac label, stands for Very Superior, aged at least one and a half years.
VSOP. On a Cognac label, stands for Very Superior Old Pale, aged at least four and a half years.
Unallocable expenses. Expenses that are neither fixed nor directly tied to sales.
Underbar. Equipment installed behind and under the front bar.
Universal Product Code. A series of vertical bars of varying widths printed on the packaging of most consumer products, which can be read by a computerized scanner for inventory purposes. Abbreviated UPC.
Upsell. To suggest that a customer have his or her drink made with a more prestigious or expensive liquor than the well brand.
Van der Hum. A South African brandy-based liqueur that is the equivalent of Curacao.
Variable expenses. Expenses that fluctuate, depending on the sales volume.
Varietal (va-RY-ah-tul). A wine named for its predominant grape.
Vatted Malt Scotch. A Scotch that is a blend of 100-percent malt whiskies from more than one distillery. Also called Pure Malt Scotch.Vase. A Pils-style beer glass. Also called a weizen glass.
Vieille reserve. A French term on a cognac label indicating that the cognac has been aged
at least 5 1/2 years. The literal translation is old reserve.
Vienna lager. A light- to medium-bodied beer with a distinct red or amber color and a
toasted malt aroma.
Viognier (VEE-ohn-YAY). A white-wine grape that makes a wine of the same name with
distinctive, assertive fruit flavors and light sweetness; used in blending or bottled on its own.
Vini da tavola. A Italian table wine produced outside the government’s D.O.C. quality standards, although not necessarily of lesser quality.
Vintage. A term on a wine label indicating the year that the grapes were crushed and the winemaking process began for that bottle.
Vintage-dated. A wine that has its year printed on the label, indicating all the grapes used to make it were harvested in that year.
Vitus vinifera. The ancient, original grape species from which almost all of today’s wine
grapes are descended.
Vodka. Neutral spirit treated to remove distinctive character, aroma, and taste.
VS. On a Cognac label, stands for Very Superior, aged at least one and a half years.
VSOP. On a Cognac label, stands for Very Superior Old Pale, aged at least four and a half years.
Waiter’s corkscrew. A combination worm (the screw itself), small
knife, and lever for extracting a cork from a wine bottle at tableside. The corkscrew folds up, much
like a pocketknife. Also called a
waiter’s friend.
Weighted average. A method of determining the potential sales value of a bottle of liquor.
Weinbrand. A generic name for German-made brandy.
Well. 1. The supply of most-used liquors at a pouring station. 2. The area of the underbar in which these liquors are stored together; also called the bottle well.
Well brand. The brand of liquor poured when a customer does not specify a brand.
Wet area. An area (e.g., county or voting precinct) in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is legal.
Wheat beer. A top-fermented beer made with both wheat malt and barley malt; light in color, with a slightly fruity flavor and aroma.
Wheat malt. A beer made with malt that consists of half barley and half wheat.
Wheel. A round slice of lemon, lime, or orange used as a garnish.
Whiskey. A spirit distilled from grain. Also spelled: whisky.
White goods. An industry nickname for the colorless spirits such as vodka, gin, rum, and tequila.
White Zinfandel. A wine of pink or peach color made by crushing Zinfandel grapes but
separating the juice from the grape skins early so that it does not take on the dark color of the red grape.
Wholesaler’s basic permit. A federal permit that allows a liquor or wine wholesaler to sell to retailers.
Widget. A marble-sized pellet of carbon dioxide placed in some bottled or canned beers. The pellet bursts when the beer is opened, creating foam.
Wild fermented. A beer-making or winemaking process in which the liquid ferments by using natural yeasts found in the air rather than by the addition of yeast.
Wine. Fermented juices of grapes and occasionally of other fruits.
Wine bar. A bar with a theme of wine appreciation and featuring a wine list that encourages sampling and learning about different types of wines.
Wine basket. A wicker basket used for carrying a bottle of wine horizontally from cellar to table to avoid agitation.
Wine cabinet. A storage unit for wines in which partially full bottles are filled with inert
gas to keep the remaining wine fresh. A popular brand name is Cruvinet.
Wine chiller. A bucket or container into which ice and water are placed to surround a wine bottle and chill it quickly.
Wine gallon. In the United States 128 fluid ounces of alcoholic beverage of unspecified
alcoholic content.
Wine spritzer. A drink made by combining wine and sparkling water over ice.
Wine steward. A person who handles customers’ wine orders and service. Also called a sommelier.
Wing corkscrew. A rather bulky style of corkscrew with handles, known as "wings," that rise as the screw or worm is twisted into the cork; the cork is extracted when the wings are pushed downward.
Wood management. A distiller or winemaker’s system of using wooden casks or barrels to store, age, and blend liquids. Variables include the type and age of the wood, what was previously stored in the barrels, and whether they are charred or uncharred.
Word of mouth. Publicity generated by customer recommendations of for example a place of business.
Workweek. The fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours; seven consecutive 24-hour periods.
Worm. 1. In a still a coil in which the hot alcoholic vapors are cooled and condensed. 2.
The spiral part of a corkscrew. Also called the screw or augur.
Wort. In beer- and whiskey-making the liquid in which starches have been converted to
sugar.
Yeast. The ingredient responsible for fermentation in making alcoholic beverages by breaking
down sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Zero Tolerance. The catchphrase for a strict no-drinking or no-drinking-and-driving policy.
Zest. The thin outer skin of a lemon or orange containing flavorful oils.
Zester. A tool that cuts a narrow strip of zest. Also called a router.
Zinfandel (ZIN-fun-DELL). An adaptable red grape that is used to make light, fruity White Zinfandel wines and the dark, full-flavored regular Zinfandels. Grown primarily in California.
Weighted average. A method of determining the potential sales value of a bottle of liquor.
Weinbrand. A generic name for German-made brandy.
Well. 1. The supply of most-used liquors at a pouring station. 2. The area of the underbar in which these liquors are stored together; also called the bottle well.
Well brand. The brand of liquor poured when a customer does not specify a brand.
Wet area. An area (e.g., county or voting precinct) in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is legal.
Wheat beer. A top-fermented beer made with both wheat malt and barley malt; light in color, with a slightly fruity flavor and aroma.
Wheat malt. A beer made with malt that consists of half barley and half wheat.
Wheel. A round slice of lemon, lime, or orange used as a garnish.
Whiskey. A spirit distilled from grain. Also spelled: whisky.
White goods. An industry nickname for the colorless spirits such as vodka, gin, rum, and tequila.
White Zinfandel. A wine of pink or peach color made by crushing Zinfandel grapes but
separating the juice from the grape skins early so that it does not take on the dark color of the red grape.
Wholesaler’s basic permit. A federal permit that allows a liquor or wine wholesaler to sell to retailers.
Widget. A marble-sized pellet of carbon dioxide placed in some bottled or canned beers. The pellet bursts when the beer is opened, creating foam.
Wild fermented. A beer-making or winemaking process in which the liquid ferments by using natural yeasts found in the air rather than by the addition of yeast.
Wine. Fermented juices of grapes and occasionally of other fruits.
Wine bar. A bar with a theme of wine appreciation and featuring a wine list that encourages sampling and learning about different types of wines.
Wine basket. A wicker basket used for carrying a bottle of wine horizontally from cellar to table to avoid agitation.
Wine cabinet. A storage unit for wines in which partially full bottles are filled with inert
gas to keep the remaining wine fresh. A popular brand name is Cruvinet.
Wine chiller. A bucket or container into which ice and water are placed to surround a wine bottle and chill it quickly.
Wine gallon. In the United States 128 fluid ounces of alcoholic beverage of unspecified
alcoholic content.
Wine spritzer. A drink made by combining wine and sparkling water over ice.
Wine steward. A person who handles customers’ wine orders and service. Also called a sommelier.
Wing corkscrew. A rather bulky style of corkscrew with handles, known as "wings," that rise as the screw or worm is twisted into the cork; the cork is extracted when the wings are pushed downward.
Wood management. A distiller or winemaker’s system of using wooden casks or barrels to store, age, and blend liquids. Variables include the type and age of the wood, what was previously stored in the barrels, and whether they are charred or uncharred.
Word of mouth. Publicity generated by customer recommendations of for example a place of business.
Workweek. The fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours; seven consecutive 24-hour periods.
Worm. 1. In a still a coil in which the hot alcoholic vapors are cooled and condensed. 2.
The spiral part of a corkscrew. Also called the screw or augur.
Wort. In beer- and whiskey-making the liquid in which starches have been converted to
sugar.
Yeast. The ingredient responsible for fermentation in making alcoholic beverages by breaking
down sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Zero Tolerance. The catchphrase for a strict no-drinking or no-drinking-and-driving policy.
Zest. The thin outer skin of a lemon or orange containing flavorful oils.
Zester. A tool that cuts a narrow strip of zest. Also called a router.
Zinfandel (ZIN-fun-DELL). An adaptable red grape that is used to make light, fruity White Zinfandel wines and the dark, full-flavored regular Zinfandels. Grown primarily in California.
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