As a bartender, I have been asked the question “What is a well?” countless times. Many customers are familiar with the term, but aren’t exactly sure what it means or how it affects their drink orders. In order to clear up any confusion, here’s everything you need to know about wells at bars.
In essence, a well is simply the area behind the bar where bartenders store and access the most commonly used liquors for making mixed drinks. It typically consists of several tiers or levels of bottles arranged in rows for easy accessibility.
The term “well” actually originated from back when bars used actual wells as repositories for their liquor supply. As time passed and bars became more sophisticated, this practice evolved into various types of shelving units known as speed rails which continue to be called wells.
At its core, a well should contain all the basic spirits necessary to make popular cocktails such as rum, vodka, gin, tequila and whiskey – both bourbon and rye – plus triple sec (a type of orange liqueur), sweet vermouth and dry vermouth (mixers for Manhattan-style cocktails), bitters and tonic water. Additionally some brands like Jack Daniel’s or Smirnoff may preferentially stock in their botles alongwith other common ones even if they don’t fit under basic spirits’ category.
You’ll notice that most cocktail menus at bars list these base spirits because they can be combined with other mix-ins like juices or syrups to create limitless variations on classic drinks such as Margaritas or Old Fashioneds.
Because these liquors are generally cheaper than higher-end specialty brands that may not sell as much volume-wise on account that an average person doesn’t always feel inclined towards ordering an expensive scotch just out of curiosity everytime he/she goes out —–they’re categorized differently on price lists too——— bottom shelf/ rail: meaning there prices are economically friendly without compromising on quality standards.
Bars usually have a tiered pricing structure that is linked to the quality and expense of the alcohol. This means that if you order a drink made with one of these well liquors, it’ll cost less than a cocktail made with, for example, top-shelf scotch or bourbon.
Now for something interesting: depending on how bartenders set up their wells, some spirits bottles may be placed in more prominent positions— or on ‘top shelf’ so to speak — making them easier and thus quicker to access (read pour) which can increase sales significantly. For example during summers, one can find rosés or different vodkas stationed right upfront!
There’s another reason why planning your wells matter too: “fluidity.” It’s critical when you’re running busy shifts like Friday nights where customers tend to repeat orders over the course of night without really changing what they’re drinking etc. Thinking about the placement and organisation from popular choices — which roughly translates into “best-sales demands” –– will save time because it won’t slow down service when bartenders need change bottles/ make drinks quickly.
So as you can see setting up a well isn’t just random but thought through process based keeping both- customer preferences in mind and bar-tending logistics in consideration!
In conclusion I’d add – Regardless of whether you consume plenty alcohol despite steeping by prices against quantity value logic or prefer mocktails instead, knowing how bars organise themselves behind-the-scenes via getting familiarised with basic terms like “well” makes your experience seem more informative!
As a bartender, I have been asked the question “What is a well?” countless times. Many customers are familiar with the term, but aren’t exactly sure what it means or how it affects their drink orders. In order to clear up any confusion, here’s everything you need to know about wells at bars.
In essence, a well is simply the area behind the bar where bartenders store and access the most commonly used liquors for making mixed drinks. It typically consists of several tiers or levels of bottles arranged in rows for easy accessibility.
The term “well” actually originated from back when bars used actual wells as repositories for their liquor supply. As time passed and bars became more sophisticated, this practice evolved into various types of shelving units known as speed rails which continue to be called wells.
At its core, a well should contain all the basic spirits necessary to make popular cocktails such as rum, vodka, gin;, tequila , and whiskey – both bourbon and rye – plus triple sec (a type of orange liqueur), sweet vermouth and dry vermouth (mixers for Manhattan-style cocktails), bitters and tonic water. Additionally some brands like Jack Daniel’s or Smirnoff may preferentially stock in their botles alongwith other common ones even if they don’t fit under basic spirits’ category.
You’ll notice that most cocktail menus at bars list these base spirits because they can be combined with other mix-ins like juices or syrups to create limitless variations on classic drinks such as Margaritas or Old Fashioneds.
Because these liquors are generally cheaper than higher-end specialty brands that may not sell as much volume-wise on account that an average person doesn’t always feel inclined towards ordering an expensive scotch just out of curiosity everytime he/she goes out —–they’re categorized differently on price lists too——— bottom shelf/ rail: meaning there prices are economically friendly without compromising on quality standards.
Bars usually have a tiered pricing structure that is linked to the quality and expense of the alcohol. This means that if you order a drink made with one of these well liquors, it’ll cost less than a cocktail made with, for example, top-shelf scotch or bourbon.
Now for something interesting: depending on how bartenders set up their wells, some spirits bottles may be placed in more prominent positions— or on ‘top shelf’ so to speak — making them easier and thus quicker to access (read pour) which can increase sales significantly. For example during summers, one can find rosés or different vodkas stationed right upfront!
There’s another reason why planning your wells matter too: “fluidity.” It’s critical when you’re running busy shifts like Friday nights where customers tend to repeat orders over the course of night without really changing what they’re drinking etc. Thinking about the placement and organisation from popular choices — which roughly translates into “best-sales demands” –– will save time because it won’t slow down service when bartenders need change bottles/ make drinks quickly.
So as you can see setting up a well isn’t just random but thought through process based keeping both- customer preferences in mind and bar-tending logistics in consideration!
In conclusion I’d add – Regardless of whether you consume plenty alcohol despite steeping by prices against quantity value logic or prefer mocktails instead, knowing how bars organise themselves behind-the-scenes via getting familiarised with basic terms like “well” makes your experience seem more informative!”