Garnish Tips for the Beginning Bartender

By Kanyon Walker


One of the most important parts of a drinks overall appearance and appeal is the garnish. Most customers know exactly which garnish their drink should be served with. Garnishes add to the drink's appearance and some affect the taste. If a garnish is forgotten, the customer may become dissatisfied, and future bar sales along with the bartender's tips will be affected.

The garnish should be fresh, prepared properly, and add to the appearance of the drink. The flavor of the garnish should be compatible with the flavor of the drink.

When making orange garnishes, they should be picked together with a cherry before you actually use them for a drink. The name of this combination is a "flag" or "butterfly", depending on the way they are put together.

All drinks containing pineapple juice should get a pineapple wedge for a garnish. If you work at any type of resort type bar that sells tropical drinks, you will go through a lot of pineapple wedges. Most corner bars in the cities and suburbs do no stock this garnish. Instead they will substitute with oranges and cherries for their more fruity drinks.

Lime wedge garnishes are found in most all drinks containing tequila, this includes margaritas.

Lemon wedge garnishes are popular in most vodka drinks.

Garnish Tips:

1. Always make to stock up on your garnish supply before your shift. Keep an extra supply in the fridge so you can swap out whenever the first batch gets used up.

2. Drinks should be filled with ice to the point where the garnish can sit nicely on top. Squeeze any lemon or lime wedges into the drink and rub them around the rim of the glass before putting them on top. When doing the squeezing, cup your hand around the garnish so as not to spray customers at the bar.

3. Set the garnish wedge into the drink.

4. Set any lime wheels onto the rim of the glass.

5. Squeeze any lemon twists into the drink, then rub the fruit around the rim of the glass.

6. All coffee drinks should get whip cream.

7. All hot tea drinks should get a lemon twist.

8. Lemon twists can also be added to most white wine and champagne drinks.

9. A lime wedge can be added to most tonic drinks.

Follow these garnish guidelines and your bartending shift is sure to be a success!




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