Behind the Bar

The Business of the Bar

Grow your bartending career and bar business—the right way. We have the tips and methods to keep you on the right path.
The to-go cocktail program at Law Bird in Columbus, Ohio, is “accessible, fun and imaginative”—and cost-effective, says the bar’s owner.
Why Bar Retail May Be Here to Stay
Band illustration
This Is Why Your Favorite Band Has Its Own Booze Label
The menu posted on the wall at Double Chicken Please in New York City includes the ABV of each cocktail.
How Strong Is That Cocktail? Bars Are Starting to Specify.
Global Bar Week mashed together Bar Convent Berlin, BCB Brooklyn, BCB São Paulo and Imbibe Live into a single virtual super-conference.
How Cocktail and Spirits Festivals Have Changed During the Pandemic
A distillery taking precautious during Covid
For These Scientists and Distillers, a Safety Mindset Is Paramount During COVID
Bar illustration
How Community Support Has Actually Affected Black-Owned Bars
Laptop screen
Shōshin Art Club Provides the Virtual Master Classes Bartenders Need
The International Whisky Competition was moved to Estes Park, Colorado.
How Spirits Competitions Have Changed During the Pandemic
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Craft Distillers Push for Direct-to-Consumer Sales
A bartender prepares to-go cocktails wearing Ashley Roshitsh's handmade mask.
What Bartenders Are Doing Right Now to Earn a Living
liquor bottles composite
What It's Like to Launch a New Product During a Pandemic
Vodka production at Ublendit
This Company Is Disrupting How Spirits Are Distributed
Rotovap and cocktail
Why Bartenders Love Using the Rotovap for Cocktail Ingredients
Prediluted Red Hook Cocktail at Queen’s Park in Birmingham, Alabama
Make Your Bar More Sustainable and Profitable with Prediluted Cocktails
Spirits bottles
How to Sell Uncommon Spirits at Your Bar
The Oceanside, Ken Burns Effect and Full Windsor (from left) at Polite Provisions in San Diego
6 Small Tweaks to Upgrade Your Bar Program
Matchbook Distilling makes spirits customized to its clients’ wishes.
This Distillery Is Making Custom Spirits for NYC's Top Bars and Restaurants
Sign advertising takeout cocktails
To-Go Cocktail Sales Face a New Obstacle
Cocktails illustration
A Bartender’s Guide to Customers with Severe Allergies
5 Useful Tips for Nailing Your Cocktail Book Pitch
bargoers wearing masks
Bars Are Starting to Reopen. Owners Share Their Thoughts and Ideas.
Cocktail photo composite
How One Chicago Bartender Led the Fight for Cocktails To-Go
Jack Rose Dining Saloon backbar in Washington, D.C.
Why Jack Rose Sold Off Its Record-Setting Whiskey Collection
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How Bar Owners Are Taking Care of Their Teams Right Now
To-go cocktail at The Snug in Sacramento
How These Bars Found Success with To-Go Cocktail Programs
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This New Canned Cocktail Company Puts Bartenders Front and Center
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How American Bartenders Are Supporting Each Other Right Now
takeout cocktails illustration
Can To-Go Cocktails Save the Hospitality Industry?
phoenix illustration
Four Bartenders Remember How They Coped with Crises Past
delivery bags with cocktails
How This Cocktail Delivery Program Is Helping Bartenders
tipping illustration
How COVID-19 Is Affecting Bars and Bartenders (and How to Help)
Helping hand illustration
Aid and Resources for Bartenders During the COVID-19 Bar Closures
Barter & Shake’s Century Grand in Phoenix
How to Tackle the Challenges of High-Concept Bars
Sun Lite Moon Lite by Ari Daskauskas at Nitecap in New York City
Rethinking Tiki: How to Do Tropical Escapism Better
Cub Greengage
These London Bars Are Pioneering the Sustainable Cocktail Movement
Tini Martini at Pulitzer’s Bar in Amsterdam
Why to Incorporate Mini Cocktails into Your Beverage Program
Bartending competitions illustration
The Good and Bad of Cocktail Competitions
The Rules of Engagement for Dealing with Bar Regulars
The Right Way to Do Last Call
How to Run a Productive R&D; Session as a Bar Owner or Bartender
6 Simple Steps for Bartenders to Make Bigger Tips
Do Dehydrated Citrus Wheels Add Anything to Drinks?
How to Make the Most of Your Time When the Bar Is Slow