by Deirdre Gould

Created on: July 09, 2009

While it may seem like a very basic skill, there is more to chilling glassware while serving drinks than one would think. There is nothing like realising during the middle of a rush that the bar is completely empty of not only chilled glassware, but even room temperature. All of your nice clean glasses are resting comfortably in the scalding hot dishwasher because you (or your barback) have been far too busy to worry about putting away clean glasses.

Many novice bartenders would resort to panic at this point, and even experienced servers heave an inward sigh of exasperation when this happens. The difference is that most seasoned bartenders have a few quick tricks up their sleeves to remedy the situation. Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of remedy, so search out your bar for convenient cooling spots before you start the night. Many bars have glassware coolers, but you shouldn't stop there. White wine fridges and beer fridges are also well known and usually accessible spots to cool glassware. But a lot of bartenders forget both their CO2 plate cooler (which, especially in older bars, are simply sinks with the carbonation lines at the bottom and must be doused with ice constantly or goodbye fizz!) and their keg coolers. While the CO2 plate usually offers a lot of space for cooling (don't forget your juices, milk and garnishes can go here too), the keg cooler is not so obvious as a hiding spot for glasses. even if your keg cooler is packed full, however, the top of kegs can be used to cool pilsners and mugs. Make sure to place the glasses with their rim up, because those kegs, even if they look clean, are not. The lip around the keg (especially a half barrel) will allow you to set several glasses on top without fear of the glasses tumbling and breaking.

Of course, once you are in the thick of it, all this preparation has already passed you by. Still, there are a few quick tricks to chill glassware quickly. Let me offer one word of warning, however, from someone who learned the hard way. If you are removing glassware from a piping hot dishwasher, run them under lukewarm water before trying these techniques. Otherwise you risk breakage in your own hand or the customer's from cooling the glassware too quickly from a heated state.

First: is someone currently ordering or are you anticipating your need? If you are anticipating need, it helps to do several glasses at once (this is especially true of draft glassware, as you will

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