19. HOW CLARET WINES SHOULD BE HANDLED, ETC. Claret Wines must be handled with great care; they should be kept in a temperature of 60-70 degrees in a horizontal position, and in serving them, especially in drawing the cork, shaking of the bottle should be avoided, or the sediment, which all clarets deposit, will be mixed with the wine, causing it to look murky. If too cold the bartender may have to place the bottle in warm water or steam the glasses to give the wine the desired temperature, which will always improve its flavor. 20. PURCHASING SUPPLIES. In purchasing supplies it is advisable and profitable to deal with first-class, reliable firms only, to obtain the best of goods. You will find that it pays best in the long run, to sell a good article at a fair profit. This will give a good reputation and gain the confidence of patrons. 21. HOW TO HANDLE ALE AND PORTER IN CASKS. In laying in your stock of Ale and Porter, see to it, that you have a sufficiently large stock, as some ales require considerable time to settle and get clear; Bass's Ale for example requires from one to six weeks, before it gets perfectly clear and fit to draw. Stock or Old Ale also requires plenty of time to settle. Ale or Porter should be tapped as soon as placed on the skids, and all shaking of the barrels on tap or to be drawn should be carefully avoided. New Ales require less time to be fit to draw, but it is advisable to have a good stock on hand, as storing will improve the Ale and give better satisfaction to the customer. Keep all Ale and Porter, also those that are bottled in a moderate temperature. 22. HOW ALE AND PORTER SHOULD BE DRAWN. The proper way of drawing Ale or Porter is directly from the cask, or as it is called from the wood; if the necessary room and convenience is available the customer prefers this to any other method. If drawn through pipes it is necessary to see to it, that these are made from the best material and constantly kept clean, and that the portion remaining in the pipes over night is not used, so that customers can always obtain a fresh, clear glass of Ale or Porter. Bottled Ales should be stored in a horizontal position, and only what is intended for use during the next three or four days put upright in a cool place, so that the sediment can settle on the bottom of the bottle. In pouring into glasses care should be taken not to shake the bottles. In cold weather it is not necessary to use ice with Ale or Porter drawn behind the bar; but if the weather is warm the temperature may be regulated by putting ice on the pipes. In pouring Ale out of a bottle, the bartender should avoid shaking the bottle while drawing the cork. If pouring out Bass's or Scotch Ale for one customer, a glass should be selected large enough to hold all the bottle contains, otherwise the portion poured out last will not look as clear as it ought to. If two or three glasses are to be filled, the bartender may take them in his left hand and carefully pour in the Ale, by gently tilting the bottle, and it will look perfectly clear and bright and give full satisfaction to the customers. 23. TREATMENT OF MINERAL WATERS. It is absolutely necessary to keep mineral waters in a cool place, so that they will be cold enough without using ice, when serving them to customers. Syphons of Selters or Vichy should not be placed directly on ice, as there is great danger that they may explode when coming in direct contact with the ice. These waters all contain more or less gas and acid, which should not be subjected to sudden changes of temperature; they should be placed in an ice box and allowed to cool off gradually. The proper temperature for these mineral waters would be from 35 to 50 degrees. 24. DECORATING DRINKS WITH FRUIT. It is customary to ornament mixed drinks with different kinds of fruit; when drinks are strained after being mixed, the fruit is placed in the glass into which the drink is strained; but when straining is not necessary the fruit is placed on top of the drink. The fruit should be handled with a handsome fork, and not with the fingers, but in case of a rush the bartender must do the best he can. 25. IN REFERENCE TO LUNCH. As it is now customary to serve more or less lunch to patrons, it is of the utmost importance, to see to it, that everything you furnish is properly served, clean and fit to eat; also that the place where the lunch is standing is kept perfectly clean, and no remnants of the lunch strewn on the floor. If this is neglected it will look bad enough to disgust some people. 26. HOW TO HANDLE FRUITS, EGGS AND MILK. Fruits, eggs and milk must always be kept in a cool and clean place, or in an ice box, to preserve them longer. Fruit cut in slices, left over from the day previous, should not be used, as they will taste stale and spoil a mixed drink. The bartender must be careful to have his milk cans clean, and not pour fresh milk to milk left over, as this will cause the milk to sour; the can should be kept tightly closed. In using eggs for mixed drinks, use a separate glass into which to to put the egg, and make |