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When it comes to a liquor bottle display in your bar business, and how to display types of alcohol in a bar (and work with bar liquor storage), it’s all about aesthetics-even when it comes to displaying your bar books. Sure, you want the drinks you’re offering to be high quality-from mocktails to the Negroni cocktail, but the way you work your bar promotion ideas with your liquor display will seal the deal. Of course, there are all kinds of tips and tricks. You can display top shelf liquor in a highly visible place, make your wine selection look never-ending-including your house wines, or display alcohol based on the liquor bottle sizes for emphasis. You’ll learn what works best for you as you decide exactly what liquor and drinks you want to offer. You may find that adding your garnishes and extras to the display adds something special. Maybe you’ll decide to keep it minimal and let people appreciate the simplicity of the setup. Whatever you choose, the best ways to display liquor as you're opening a bar is to make the display look as enticing as possible. As important as learning how to get a liquor license is, learning how to display liquor is just as vital to bar and restaurant success.
How to Display Liquor Bottles
How you choose to display your liquor bottles will vary depending on space, bottles, and customers. If you’ve got a dive bar aesthetic, you may find that a “99 bottles of beer on the wall” display works best. With a wine bar, floor to ceiling wine racks will suit you well. If you’re keeping it standard, a classic look with the top shelf liquors up high and everything else minimized in view is perfect.
In case your bar setup already has a lot of shelving and cabinets your task will be finding places that suit your stock. If that is the case, you’ll be able to put things out and see what looks best where. If you’re still getting set up, you’ll want to figure out what alcohol you want to have on display. You’ll also want to look into the right techniques for the best ways to display liquor in a bar.
Basic Bar Liquor
As you build your liquor inventory, you may find that you and your customers lean towards certain brands. We’ll refrain from suggesting brands here. This list will give you a basic idea of the types of liquor you want to have on hand. This covers shots, cocktails, and anything else your customers may ask for.
The list includes:
- Vodka - having a variety of vodka is always a good idea, as it serves itself to so many drinks.
- Gin - this may be more customer specific, but having a good mix will suit you well for gin and tonics and other mixes.
- Rum - rum is another one that needs a few different types, you never know what someone might request.
- Tequila - a good mix for shots and mixers will serve you well.
- Whiskey - including bourbon, rye, Irish, and Scotch.
- Wine - you’ll want at least five options, with a range of grapes and types among them.
- Draft beer - at least four types is a good start, you can feel out what your customer base is looking for along the way.
- Bottled and canned beer - have a good variety here, there will always be customers who want something simple.
Bar Bottle Display
Once you’re done with stocking a bar with liquors, it’s time to decide where to put all of it. If you’ve got built in shelving, it’ll be pretty straightforward. You can sort your liquors by type, by price, or by what they’re used for. Maybe you want to organize by bottle height or color. Your bar bottle display should be based around what you sell a lot of, to keep it up front and in easy reach. You'll also find it helpful to organize around using a barcode scanner app for inventory, for whenever inventory rolls around. Your display plan may change as you figure out your key clientele.
If you don’t have shelving already, you’ve got the opportunity to create some display spaces that are all your own.
Liquor Bottle Stand
A really interesting way to display liquor in a bar is to use a liquor bottle stand. These can be sleek and silver, rustic and wooden, or anything in between. You can find some really interesting choices on Etsy, or go to your main bar supplier and see what they’ve got available. If your bar has a homemade feel to it, you could always go down the route of making your own liquor bottle stand.
Whatever you choose, the purpose of a good liquor bottle stand is to show off the liquor bottles you place on it. Find a stand that will showcase your best bottles, and it’ll be a great asset to how you display your liquor bottles.
Wine Storage Racks
This article wouldn’t be complete without talking about how to best store and set up wine bottle displays. There will certainly be many wines you want to keep in a cooler for proper wine storage. An aesthetically pleasing way to display wine, however, is with wine storage racks. It's even a great idea for different wine bottle sizes. To get inspiration for this, check our article on beverage storage ideas.
Wine racks are even more aesthetically designed than liquor bottle stands. There are beautiful options to display the best bottles and large scale options to hold your whole stock. Guaranteed, there’s a wine storage rack out there to suit whatever your needs may be. With the right rack, you’ll be able to display your bottles and get your customers in the mood for a great wine from your wine list.
Bar Spirits Display
Overall, your bar spirits display should show the best you have to offer in a way that suits the aesthetic of your bar. Whether that means:
- Lots of shelving with small amounts.
- Floor to ceiling racks.
- Something casual to feel super inviting.
The best bars all have one thing in common: beverage displays that make everything about the space better. Even the oldest bars in America fit that definition.
Frequently Asked Questions About a Liquor Bottle Display
Learning how to display liquor in a bar is one of the most integral parts of your bar design when it comes to profits and aesthetics. It's as important as knowing the answer to "Does liquor go bad?" It can even improve your customer service. If you display your liquor in the best way possible, you’ll be able to sell more, and your bar will look the part of all the best bars. These frequently asked questions will help you figure it out.
How Do You Organize Liquor In a Bar?
The best way to organize a liquor bottle display is to make it accessible for your bartenders and servers, and visually appealing for your guests. This generally means open shelving, and great lighting to show off the different bottle types and colors. Beyond that, it’s up to you to figure out what highlights your best bottles. You can even place tools like a cocktail jigger or the best cocktail shakers around them to show them off.
Which Part of a Bar is Used for Displaying Bottles?
For the most part, a liquor bottle display is designed to be behind the bar. This is both for safety to avoid broken glass, and security to deter theft. Most bars go for a large shelving display that goes up to the ceiling, with the bottles that are stored, but not used every day, up at the top. The bottles that are typically poured from remain under the bar for easy access.
How Do You Display Whiskey Bottles?
Whiskey bottles are often very recognizable, and therefore should be displayed in a way where your patrons can see each bottle clearly. Open shelving, or even a glass-front case is ideal for showcasing your top shelf whiskeys. Of course, you want to keep them accessible as well, as you’ll sell a lot of whiskey and whiskey drinks.
How Do You Make A Liquor Bottle Display Shelf?
Materials such as wood, metal, and hardware are required to make a liquor bottle display shelf. There are many display shelves currently on the market. However, many bar owners opt for custom designs for unique decor.
Some designs are basic shelving units, while others are designed to aesthetically display liquor based on type and style. Put your architectural and interior design inspiration to work with display shelves that best suit your space.
Create A Display That Works For Your Bar
What matters is that your liquor bottle display matches your bar. Truly, the question of how to display liquor in a bar comes down to what kind of display works for each bar. As you plan your bar, create your bar operations manual, and buy some furniture, you'll find what works for you. You can even come back to the BinWise blog for further inspiration.