The cocktail station made its appearance in the early 1980s. The design of the furniture and accessories of cocktail stations as we know them today, with their equipment and bar layout, are a direct legacy. The cocktail station first appeared in the United States, then in England, and later in the 2000s in France. The first bartenders in France to take an interest in a workstation dedicated to cocktails and truly optimized were those who worked in the "molecular cocktail" trend, which closely followed molecular cuisine.
The goal of a cocktail station is to successfully create a tailored, ergonomic, and comfortable workstation that offers the capacity to produce a wide range of cocktails and beverages for the establishment. The ability of the cocktail station to meet these challenges is measured during production peaks. The Expert range stations are specially designed to handle these moments.
At the risk of disappointing, the perfect unique cocktail station does not exist. Each bar, depending on the production volume, production quality, space constraints, etc., calls for a different organization and therefore different furniture. However, many standard cocktail stations are well-balanced in terms of production and adequately meet needs. The cocktail workstation is a work area where a bartender can craft and serve cocktails without moving more than two steps. A multitude of configurations exist and are possible based on the establishment's specifications.
The "OLD TIMER" type cocktail station
This is one of the first preparation stations that appeared in the United States. The characteristic of old bars in the United States, like the majority of Anglo-Saxon customer counters, is a very wide customer counter, with a minimum width of 50 cm, and a wide, open gutter on the bartender's side. This feature is shared with pubs in Ireland and England. The bartender prepares the drink directly on the customer counter, in full view of the customer. He simply needs his stock of bottles below.
Cocktail, film directed by Roger Donaldson, 1988
The uniqueness of this type of station is having a very low speed rack where the necks of the bottles are grabbed 60 cm from the ground. This is almost at mid-thigh level.
Some bar stations in the United States can be found with a direct heritage from these old stations. They often remain very low with the integration of new equipment. For example, the establishment "The Dead Rabbit NYC" still has the OLD TIMER cocktail station principle with very low bottles arranged in a staircase manner. They have succeeded in this establishment in modifying certain parts to develop functionalities.
Conclusion of the "OLD TIMER" cocktail station:
Very rarely used nowadays, it is primarily the form of a station that then evolved into the "INTERNATIONAL" type cocktail station solution. Its great advantage is to offer a comfortable preparation space on the customer side, on the sole condition that all preparation is done on the customer counter. The distance the bartender has from their preparation area on the counter is very short. This prevents them from having to lean forward too much. Due to its low height, it does not allow for the integration of all refrigerators, freezers, and other electrical equipment in front of the bar that are needed at the bar today. The OLD TIMER station configuration does not offer flexibility in the way of working as the layout cannot be modified and the low height does not allow for considering a work surface or any other functionality.
The "INTERNATIONAL" type cocktail station
The main feature of the "INTERNATIONAL" type cocktail station is to allow for an impressive production volume, primarily by having a bottle storage space on a dedicated front bar staircase. This configuration allows for more than 30 bottle references to be poured at the front bar.
This solution is mainly found in Anglo-Saxon countries, in some new establishments in Asia, and in high-volume establishments.
This way of arranging the station significantly increases the width of the cocktail station.
Conclusion of the "INTERNATIONAL" cocktail station:
The INTERNATIONAL cocktail station often has a bad reputation, as it is often perceived as a high-volume station lacking production quality. However, this is not the case, as when well-composed, the INTERNATIONAL cocktail station transforms into a comprehensive tool. Its undeniable advantages are its ice and bottle storage capacity, which allows for a wide and deep menu. Another asset is its very comfortable work surface, although its often large size requires larger steps to access the different stations. This station remains an unconditional ally for large volumes.
The cocktail station of the "CONTINENTAL" type
This cocktail station is the most common today. It consists of various elements: icewell, speedrack, sink, shaker rinser, etc. The peculiarity of the CONTINENTAL station is to store the bottles mainly in the speedrack in front of the icewell. On average, there is storage for 7 to 18 bottles in a single or double row. The ice tank can be compartmentalized to dedicate part of it to additional bottle storage at the expense of ice storage.
The assembly of drinks and cocktails is done either on the bartender's worktop or on the counter rail. This depends on the configuration planned during the design.
Be careful, a cocktail station with a double icewell extending beyond often causes back problems. The risk is that the customer counter is too far away, forcing bartenders to constantly have their backs in tension to work. If one must choose an extended station, ensure not to exceed 45 cm of setback between the customer counter edge and the bartender’s chest.
We then understand the limitations of the CONTINENTAL type station with a double row of integrated speed racks; ice storage is reduced. By increasing the number of available bottles, the ice volume is decreased.
Conclusion of the cocktail station "CONTINENTAL":
The continental-type cocktail station offers good production versatility. The advantage of this bar station configuration is to be relatively compact to optimize movement if the other refrigeration equipment and glassware stocks are well arranged around the workspace. On the other hand, to be effective, this station must be used for a menu with a small selection. Also, the production volume constrained by storage size is not suitable for high-volume establishments. This solution is today one of the most used in the cocktail world, be it in cocktail bars or palaces. It allows in a compact space to adjust production based on quantity or beverage offer breadth. However, it remains poorly suited to an establishment that wishes to offer a large volume and a very extensive menu.
The "COMPACT" type cocktail station
The "compact" cocktail station type is characterized by complete stations not exceeding 1.5 meters in width. These stations mostly appeared starting in 2015. In a minimal space, these stations aim to offer a balanced sending area. There are many variants, each with its own advantages. Most are available in an embedded version.
One of the most used stations in the compact range is the Unity Bar Circus cocktail station. It has been the subject of extensive research to offer the best working comfort and the largest storage space in a minimal workspace. It is the international winner of the prestigious RED DOT DESIGN award recognizing its design and innovations. All its innovations protected by filing have brought major improvements in the cocktail station universe, such as the single basin with an inclined bottom. It allows a 165L capacity, prevents odors from the pipes from rising, and enables station cleaning in record time at the end of service. Another innovation of the station is the inclined comb separators. These stainless steel separators fit the station perfectly and offer unparalleled modularity. It is possible to decrease or increase all compartments according to one's needs and work habits. The station also includes many accessories and details enhancing working comfort.
Conclusion of the cocktail station "COMPACT":
Its versatility and compact nature make it one of the most used stations in the majority of establishments. On the downside, although these stations offer all the tools and accessories within reach, some spaces or bins are too small to be used comfortably. This is often the case with the cutting board, which is better left to the side to have a real preparation space if it is not on the customer track.
The cocktail station of type "DISCOTHEQUE"
The "nightclub" cocktail station type is characterized by high-volume stations with a focus on the speed of drink preparation. There are many variations depending on on-site service. Increasingly, soft drink refrigerators are being replaced by post-mix guns. This helps reduce restocking and decreases the time it takes to prepare drinks. To optimize production as much as possible, the glassware stock is located at the front of the bar, ready to be grabbed with the left hand. The glass is prepared on the bartender's workstation, with garnish and ice distributed via fast ice wells. Alcohol is accessible with the right hand in an inclined speedrack to increase the speed of bottle handling. This system is increasingly often paired with control systems. In most cases, the bartender handles the payment themselves, so they need a cash register or card terminal space.
An alternative to the alcohol speedrack is offered with alcohol guns. These allow for perfect control of the doses when dispensing alcohols. Managing empties only happens during setup when refilling kegs in reserve. Depending on the establishment, sometimes no garnish is used, allowing the entire workspace to be used for drink preparation.
Conclusion of the cocktail station "DISCOTHEQUE":
Dedicated solely to high-volume establishments, these stations offer large storage volumes in a reduced space optimized specifically for work speed. This configuration is designed to be compatible with the control systems offered by register operators. At the end of the service, the manager can quickly see the differences between doses served and doses billed. It should be noted that this type of configuration allows for almost no flexibility in the production menu.
The "MIXOLOGUE" type cocktail station
The "MIXOLOGUE" cocktail station type is characterized by stations with a large number of storage spaces and compartments for different garnishes, alcohols, and various preparations.The mixologist needs a large number of ingredients because their menu is well-curated, and the preparation is very elaborate. There must also be ample workspace as they require various tools for preparation, including portable bar appliances. The quality and precision of their work can be either hidden on the work surface or showcased on the preparation grid embedded in the customer counter. For their setup, it is preferable to install a fast dispenser to keep a quality ice supply in quantity for as long as possible.
Note that the majority of installations are done with refrigeration equipment, glass frosters, and other products.
Conclusion of the cocktail station "MIXOLOGUE":
Primarily dedicated to mixologists, this cocktail station resembles a perfumer's organ. A true work tool, it has the advantage of offering a large number of compartments and storage volume for flawless high-end service. On the downside, its bulk is relatively large compared to the UP/H score that such a station can offer.
Three other types of cocktail stations (much rarer):
The back-office cocktail station
This is a cocktail station not visible to customers, located in a back-office. It is often positioned facing a wall or a pass-through. This beverage station can be a dispatching point of any quality type. The advantage of being against a wall and not visible to the public is using the wall surface for glassware and ingredient storage. On each side, cold storage can be integrated into a refrigerated cabinet. The focus is therefore on volume and production. This configuration is often found in beach dispatch bars.
The production line station
This station is very rare but visually interesting. The idea is to progress the order of glasses through several stations like an assembly line. The only one known to us is that of the Queen Elizabeth bar at the Nacarat Hotel in Montreal (2019). Unfortunately, we have not seen for ourselves the result and the qualitative and productive contribution of this bar configuration. A variant, the so-called "assembly line" cocktail station; the cocktails are not made by a single person but by several people, similar to the production lines imagined by Ford in 1913. This practice is formidable in terms of bar output volume but leads to centralized orders and payments. The principle is to divide the cocktail production work into various stations, and the glasses follow a path to delivery. For this method to work, there must always be a minimum quantity of orders to avoid losing profitability, as the necessary staff is a minimum of 2 to 3 people to create the assembly line. Each person at their station is specialized with all their equipment within reach, which increases execution speed. Paradoxically, this formula, which one might think is only dedicated to the back-office, is found at the forefront in prestigious establishments. This is the case at the Nacarat Hotel where you can see bartenders bustling on the central island of the bar, and also the flagship Starbucks Café in Xian, China, integrates this type of production. But it is especially in the back-office that breaking free from the aesthetic of the bar allows for optimization of operational organization. This method dehumanizes the bartender’s work at the bar in favor of productivity alone.
Experimental Stations
Often with very visual and highly photogenic forms or using exceptional machines, experimental stations are great for generating buzz. Most are far more spectacular than they are effective in achieving real progress in production.
The cocktail station is composed of these elements:
- Often overlooked, the assembly/work surface/drink rail allows glasses and accessories to be placed for assembling drinks. It can be on the work surface, and having a grid with a collection basin is a plus for this type of station. Assembly can also be done on the customer counter. On the bartender's side, the grid typically measures about 100 cm long by 12 to 15 cm deep with a height of 2 cm. Grid drains should be avoided, as very little water flows into the basin. For reference, it takes 2 L to fill a one-meter-long grid. We often notice odors coming back through this drain despite plumbing recommendations for path traps or basement traps. A simple wipe of the basin at the end of service is preferable. If the bartender works on the customer counter, a distance of 30 cm to 45 cm is recommended between the edge of the work surface and the bartender's side of the grid.
If the assembly work surface is on the bar station, it is better to center it in relation to the bartender's station. The work surface is a preparation grid at least 40 cm wide by 30 cm deep.
- The icewell, also called ice chest and ice bin, is a large insulated box where ice cubes and crushed ice are stored during service. The icewell or ice chest is often mistakenly cited as the most important element, as it's not its size or volume that determines ergonomics. Many professionals focus on the icewell without considering the cocktail station as a whole, to the point of thinking the bartender works in front of the icewell. However, the bartender primarily works in front of the assembly work surface and uses the icewell just to get ice. Therefore, it doesn't actually need to be directly in front. Its size is still important because it determines the ice consumption of a bar. The less restocking during service, the better. The icewell often keeps preparations and solid ingredients placed in bins cool. Icewells are rarely mentioned with their ice capacity in kilograms. They are mostly described in liters. For cube ice, on average, 1.6 L of ice equals 1 kg of ice due to the air space between ice cubes. An 80 L bin can therefore hold 50 kg of ice. However, it is incorrect to count a full icewell because the setup often dedicates a large space in the icewell for various other preparations and bottles. For a cocktail station that requires crushed ice, estimate ⅓ crushed ice for ⅔ ice cubes. A 75 L icewell is already very comfortable for a standard service.
Ice cubes for quality cocktails should be cubic, solid, clear, and completely transparent. Optimal sizes for cocktails range from 28 to 32 mm per side. For crushed ice, nugget ice is preferred over traditional crushed ice because it lasts longer and is drier. Some ice machines produce spherical shapes or other special forms that are highly appreciated for being visually appealing in glass presentations. Hollow ice cubes should be avoided for making cocktails because their shape offers a larger surface area with the drink, tending to melt faster. For more information on ice cubes and ice machines, refer to the chapter Equipment.
- The garnish set is where condiments and solid ingredients are organized. It houses gastronorm pans size 1/9 with a depth of 10 cm or larger pans in ⅓ size. The condiment set is generally placed above the icewell, as the ice helps keep the bins cool. If some cocktails on the menu are in high demand, like mojitos, we recommend using larger pans like ⅓ or ⅙ with a depth of 10 cm, as mint occupies a large volume.
- The Speedrack or speedrail is the large bottle holder often placed in front of the bartender and allows for easy access to bottles ready to be poured. It must be wide enough to accommodate store & pour if necessary.
- There are several models of cocktail sinks. The most common model is a sink with a waste collection basket at the bottom of the basin and an internal step equipped with a star-shaped shaker rinser. Models with a pull-out spray faucet are preferred as they allow for easier cleaning of the station at the end of the service. There are also models with a sliding cutting board and a waste chute. A final model, called "TAKE OUT," includes a solid waste collection basket placed under the sink, allowing everything to be discarded in the sink without distinguishing between liquids and solids. This solution is appealing for establishments that want to maintain a consistently impeccable appearance, but this system requires careful maintenance to avoid any risk of overflows.
- The trash bin is often placed under the sink. The cocktail station requires two trash bins, one for general waste and the second for empty bottles. If the setup has been done correctly, the general waste bin does not need to be of large volume; a maximum of 39 L per station is sufficient for a service. However, the empty bottle bin always needs a larger volume, but space constraints require rotations.
New optional accessories complement this workstation, such as glass chillers, spice storage, tool washing bins, etc. Cocktail stations are constantly evolving, and new innovations are continually being created to enrich the bartender's range of tools.
Ergonomics of the cocktail station:
90% of people are right-handed. Naturally, this is reflected in the layout of the back bar. In our cocktail workspace, the right hand performs the precise tasks while the left becomes the support. Pouring is commonly done with the right hand, pouring from the shaker, placing decorations, adding ice, and so on. The left hand holds the receiving container, the strainer, etc. And in cases where both hands are involved in a delicate operation, the right hand always performs the more difficult and precise task. For example, pouring into a jigger held by the left hand, aiming and spraying with the right hand through a flame held by the left hand.
This greatly influences the organization of the workstation:
- The right hand tends to pour, so it needs direct access to bottles, shakers, spoons, and various tools. And if we consider the elements by the number of times they are used when making a cocktail, in order of importance, the most crucial grasping area remains the pouring bottles. Tools follow, then solid ingredients with ice. Contrary to popular belief, ice does not hold the top priority for access.
- The exception that proves the rule is the jigger. It is handled with both hands. The hand that holds the jigger must be precise, but even more so the hand that pours into the jigger. That's why it ends up in the left hand.
Therefore, they should be stored to the left and right of the bartender. However, they need to be cleaned between each use. Ideally, there should be a jigger rinser or a basin for rinsing it with a drying rack to the left of the bartender. On the bartender's left side, consider storing glasses on the work surface. For the stock fridge or glass chiller, as they are primarily used at the beginning of preparation, they can be placed to the right or left with a preference for the bartender's left side. It's important to pay attention to the direction of the hinges for opening towards the workstation. Most often, due to lack of space, they are placed at the back.
The ideal length for a cocktail station is between 1.6 m and a maximum of 2 m long. Making a larger station increases movement and decreases productivity.
How many cocktail stations should be planned?
Depending on the quality and method of cocktail preparation, if the bartender does not leave their station, they can produce more than 60 cocktails per hour without counting the cash register process. Every establishment is different, and the bartender's job is never to produce 100% of the time. The calculation of UP/h is so different from a nightclub to a palace that we prefer to conduct a case-by-case study. Restocking, cash handling, dishwashing, etc. However, here is the most common ratio that can be observed:
