Bar/Drinks people I need your help!

[LifesTooShortYOLO]

So I started a new job this week in a posh restaurant and am expected to do both the front of house and bar area.
Despite having a degree in medicine I have no idea what is what in the bar when it comes to beers and wines etc 😂🤦🏻‍♀️
Can anyone share their top knowledge on the basics I will need to get me started please?
ie...
Wine - Will white Wine and Rose be in the fridge chilled and Red wine on the shelf?
Beer - Ale/Lager/Bitter what's the difference can you name some popular brands of each please?
Draught and On Tap etc what does this mean?!
Any help or advice on anything that may help me would be much appreciated! Thank you 😊 🙏🏻

I assume they know that you have no experience? In which case they should give you full training.

Wine - Will white Wine and Rose be in the fridge chilled and Red wine on the shelf? Pretty much. Some bars have wine 'on tap' as well though. Don't forget sparkling wines as well.

Beer - Ale/Lager/Bitter what's the difference can you name some popular brands of each please?

Beer/Ale/bitter is 'flat' and lager is 'fizzy'. Most things called 'ale' these days refer to craft beers so will differ widely between regions depending on what the local breweries make. They will range in colour from black to golden depending on what they are made from. A nationwide bitter would be something like John Smiths or Boddingtons

Lager is fizzy and tends to mainly be bigger brands like Stella, Heineken, Fosters etc

Draught and On Tap etc what does this mean?! Draught generally means that it is hand pulled through to the bar using beer pumps from barrels of beer (usually in the cellar). On tap can mean the same thing but can also refer to a mechanical method of pumping through a wide range of drinks, everything from coke to cider/beer/wine.

Things to ask include checking you know how to change the post mix (the soft drink syrups) and also understanding the difference between soda/tonic/sparkling water

Most wine now comes in screw tops but if it doesn't learn how to properly open a bottle of wine using a waiters friend.

@carrythecan

I assume they know that you have no experience? In which case they should give you full training.

Thanks for your helpful comment. Of course they are providing training I just wanted to be up on my knowledge and do my research on the basics before I start.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be funny. I just thought you were just panicking unnecessarily. Most bars and restaurants would have a new staff member shadowing an experienced person on their first few shifts.

It's difficult to talk about which beers you will be serving etc without knowing the type of place you're going to work in. Eg craft or local drinks focus, or more mainstream? Is it a French or Italian restaurant which will have a huge wine menu etc? Does it serve cocktails etc.

Anyway, pastabest has covered some of the basics.

I haven’t worked in bars for years but in the posher places they used to provide training before you ‘went live’, have they done this? Just thinking that they usually want to see you can correctly make drinks and the best part is you get to drink what you make and taste the food! (I remember being shown the correct order to make a gin and tonic and the wrong way to do it and it really does taste different!).

They may also want you to be able to make recommendations so should train you on what wines go with their dishes.

But some things I found helpful to know:

-which glasses to be used (red/white wine glasses are different, which ones to be using for single/double measures etc)
-check if you have branded pint glasses. I think you can get fined for not using them if the brand is doing their checks (Guinness-only not lager in a Guinness glass for example)
-check if you are expected to upsell singles to doubles or if you have any offers on
-learn how to make cocktails if you offer them and basic ones if not. I worked in a bar that didn’t offer cocktails but people would still ask for things like a Black Russian or martini or whatever so it was helpful to know what these are if asked
-most people will ask for a particular brand of beer/ale/lager but if they don’t and you offer more than one just ask ‘any particular brand?’
-pour Guinness first to halfway up the glass and leave it to settle while making other drinks! Then top it up at the end
-agree with @pastabest re. The beer descriptions but depends where you are in the country as to what ‘beer’ means. To me, beer and lager are the same thing but in Yorkshire for example beer and ale/bitter are the same thing!
-always smile and be friendly and most people will be nice back!
-try and keep tabs of who is next in the queue (it’s easier than it sounds) as it’s so annoying when it’s busy and the bar staff are only serving one area and people who are ‘cutting in’

Good luck I’m sure you’ll be fine!

I think your post may overwhelm you unnecessarily.

The place will have a select section of beers. They will train you in which glass to use and how to pour.

Please dont take this the wrong way but have you not been into a bar and ordered a drink.( I know that sounds sarky and I dont mean it)
If you have did you notice uf it was a wine, was it chilled. If it was beer was it a local brew?

Thanks Chippytea16 that's some really useful tips!
Some of which I wouldn't have even thought of.

Haha NotACoolDad yes but half of the time you don't even think about it but I'm aware my rose wine comes chilled yes 😁

I'm starting tomorrow and have revised the wine list as its quite extensive.

Any tips of pouring a beer/ale or bitter from a pump?!

Put the glass under the nozzle until it is almost touching the bottom of the glass. Hold the glass in the middle and do not put your fingers near the top. Keep the glass straight. Pull slowly and firmly on the hand pull all the way down as far as it will go. Push the hand pull back and pull down again it should only need 3 or 4 good pulls to fill the glass. You want about a centimetre of head at the top of the glass, unless you live in an area that doesn't like heads on their pints! Carefully lower the glass out from under the nozzle and make sure you push the hand pull back up to the starting position.

It's been a few years since I last pulled a pint, but here are my top tips -

If the Guinness starts to splutter, stop pouring immediately
Empty slop trays frequently
Wear comfy, flat wipe-clean-able shoes
Ask how tips at the bar work, also if you're expected to stay after closing time to clean
Did I mention the Guinness thing?