You’d love to have your own home bar. Who wouldn’t? If you’ve been dreaming about building your own home bar but everywhere you look the prices are too high, I’d love to give you some ideas that will help bring the cost down.
A nice backdrop for the bar is always brick with surrounding cabinets and a mirror. But, who says you have to hire a contractor, a cabinet maker and an interior designer? With just a little creativity, you can be well on your way to a beautifully finished professional looking bar in no time.
First of all, you can build your own cabinets with 2 X 4s and plywood. If you walk through a hardware store, you’ll find so many things that you will want to use for projects all around your home. If you look for cabinet doors, you’ll find them of all shapes and sizes. You can get plain wood that you can paint or finish any way you like.
So, you don’t have to buy an entire cabinet set. Just build the structure with 2 X 4s and plywood. Then, finish them off with the cabinet doors. You can finish your frame the same as you finish the doors. Then, you can make the surface of the counter look great in several inexpensive ways.
The most inexpensive way to make the surface of a counter look spectacular without spending ridiculous amounts of money is to use wallpaper. Get virtually any design you want and wallpaper the countertop. It’s that easy.
You can also use floor tiling to make the countertop look just the way you want. You’d actually have a more durable design if you get the square foot sections that adhere to the floor. Granite countertops are a lot more expensive. But if you have a small surface area, you might be able to fit it in your budget.
Your options aren’t finished yet. Wood veneers are great for making the counter look like it has a wood finish. They also make a good match for the bar itself. What’s more, the leather fabrics you can use don’t have to be that expensive if you only get enough to cover the surface of the counter and the bar if you want them to match. Leather is actually a touch of class.
When you are looking at applying brick to the backdrop, look at faux brick finishes. A small section of faux brick is all you need. Simply center it on your countertop and let it rise to the bottom of your cabinets. If you have a cabinet on each side of the brick, it will look great.
Finish the look with lights and a mirror and you’ve got yourself the start of a professional looking bar. Of course, the actual bar will look great if it matches the cabinets in your backdrop. You can build your bar rather inexpensively too with 2 X 4s and plywood. Then, visit your hardware store again for some good design ideas.
Trim for the walls often looks great when you use it to create designs on your bar. You can add dimension or just a touch of style when you look at all your trim options and choose some that really dress up your bar perfectly. Keep a place for your kegerator. Add a beer tap and a bar handle. You’re looking more and more like a professional bar every minute.
You’ll need stools and then you’ll want to add more and more to your bar. Mirrors cover all the walls. A Jagermeister machine sits on top of the bar. A television hangs on the wall. You’ll love what you can do. But, all it takes is getting started.
Author: Stan Schubridge
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Humorous photo captions
A building engineer at Saint Francis Hospital is not an engineer in the literal sense of the word. By that I mean, he is not an individual who designs things. A building engineer is a person primarily responsible for the maintenance of the air conditioning systems in the hospital, a Building Services and Environmental Engineer.
A typical degreed BSEE specializes in all aspects of building services: heating, air conditioning, ventilation, plumbing, lighting, electrical services, building management systems and controls. In the hospital that would have included a large steam turbine located in the basement at the southeast corner of the building also a Honeywell computer system that controlled pneumatic valves and dampers, regulating the air cleanliness also the temperature and humidity inside the hospital.
Although I am not sure what year it was that one of the building engineers graduated from college, it would surely have been in the early seventies because I left to go to college myself in the fall of 1973. Regardless, sometime after learning that, I was invited to the man’s graduation party, a bash to be held in a bar directly across the intersection from the hospital.
A couple of men I worked with in the Electronics Shop, Jim Burke and George Fletcher, showed up also a horde of others from the Maintenance Shop and a couple of the Building Engineers. I was driving a new blue 1973 Ford Van and parked it facing the bar, a little west of the door.
The bar, located in a small shopping mall at the northwest corner of 61st and Yale, was not that large. There was a juke box inside the door also a couple of pool tables then further back there were a few tables for four with a small bar on the right. If my memory serves me, the pool tables were at a lower level than the bar but if that assumption were true, obviously the owners would have opened themselves up to expensive lawsuits resulting from inebriated patrons tripping or falling over the two levels. Therefore I would have to say my memory is faulty in that one instance. But I have a clear recollection of other events as they unfolded throughout the evening.
Upon entering the door and regardless of the architecture, the two men from the Electronics Shop and I sat down at a table near the front: George sitting across from me with his back to the pool tables and Jim on my left with his back to the bar.
Glancing around the crowded room I doubt there were any of those present that knew George was a straight shooting pool shark. I know I didn’t. And even when the shock wore off George was still running the tables before drinking so much he didn’t know which end of the cue stick to strike the ball.
But that wasn’t the only reason George relinquished his place at the table, there were others there with the ability to sink a tough shot and George finally lost and returned to the chair directly across from me. Jim and I we were not nearly so good at playing pool and spent most of our time sitting at the table sipping suds and observing the other player’s skill or lack of it.
Some time passed, with the three of us continuing to have a great time, when all of a sudden the conversation shifted to work. I don’t think I knew it at the time and Jim and George may not have been aware of their distrust of the other – if that was the problem. In simple terms they may not have liked the other or each of them harbored a deep-set resentment for the other.
At the time Jim was either the shop foreman or was bucking for the job and George was reporting to him or would have if Jim got the job. Whether any of what I have said was relevant or had anything to do with what happened next is open to debate and my lack of insider information, but for whatever reason, all hell broke loose when the two men started arguing about something that involved work.
As the argument heated up I just sat there dumbfounded, switching my gaze from one to the other, not believing what was happening less than three feet away. Here were a couple of guys, both of which were my friends and friends of each other, I thought, arguing over nothing or at least what I thought at the time was petty, certainly not important enough to quarrel with the intensity they were going at it. But there they were heatedly disagreeing about something that was obviously important to them.
One thing I’ve always said about myself is I don’t get into fights while I’m drinking and for that reason I purposely maintained a neutral stance throughout their squabble. I had hoped it would soon run its course and one of them would either shut up and apologize or leave – but neither of them did.
Some more time passed before one of them stood up then the other and they started grappling for position. Those around the pool table nearest our table backed up out of the way and the two men, attempting to stretch the other’s neck, began exchanging blows in the space between the pool table and the north wall.
It looked like David and Goliath – Jim was over six foot tall and George was about my height, five foot eight or so. Also Jim had previously run a bar over in Creek County near Sapulpa and had some experience dealing with drunks. With that being said, George may have had a few more drinks than he or any of us even realized or was more susceptible to the alcohol and he was starting to lose to the bigger man fast.
In the blink of an eye, Jim threw George up against the north wall like a super human robot or monster then pounced on him like Dracula would have with his cape flowing. And some of us developed a sickening feeling when the sound waves produced by George’s head striking the brick wall exploded from the scene at 774 mph then sat frozen in place as George’s body crumpled to the floor.
An instant later Jim grabbed George around the neck and started beating his head into the floor and the same squashy sound as a large grapefruit striking a hard concrete surface found our ears.
I don’t know what would have happened if the bartender hadn’t showed up with the butt end of a cue stick and stuck it up to Jim’s head and demanded that he stop. Jim wasn’t a fool and wasn’t drunk to the point he thought taking on another man his size or larger was an option, so he relaxed his grip on the smaller man and stood up.
I don’t remember much of anything that followed. But if I were to guess, George was rushed back across the intersection to the hospital to check for damaged parts and most everyone would have discussed the incident for a few minutes then started filtering out the door and the bar would have emptied out in a hurry. That is except for me.
I don’t know why I would have stayed behind. I must have been drunk past the point of sensible thinking and wasn’t ready to go home. Instead I got up from the table and stumbled over to the bar.
I don’t know how long I sat there and don’t have a firm memory of even going over there but I remember sitting at the bar for a period of time and the only persons I saw there with me were the two people behind the bar and both of them had their eyes fixed on me.
I probably glanced up at the clock a time or two, which was above the bar directly in front of me. And at some point would have seen the short hand on the one and the long hand on the six. But if I did, it didn’t change my thinking or alter my pattern of behavior because I continued to sit there and ordered another beer.
Some more time passed with me switching my gaze around the empty room and back to the bar and from one of the two sets of anxious eyes to the other. But I still didn’t get it. Those two people were ready to leave and my presence was the only thing that kept them from doing just that.
Finally I struggled to my feet and requested a bill and was told it had been taken care of. I offered to pay anyway but was shown the door instead and finally exited the bar to the parking lot outside.
I have always thought of myself as being different than most when I am drinking. That is – as I have already stated – I don’t get into fights and I don’t drive fast. But the two individuals standing at the entrance to the bar would not have known that and both of them appeared overly concerned that an individual was leaving their property drunk, after drinking their alcohol, also an individual that was in no shape to be driving home, regardless of the distance. And there were a good fifteen miles between the open door where the two individuals stood and the door to my house. That distance included a narrow bridge over the Arkansas River, the town of Bixby and a number of dark, shadowy and lonely back roads that connected my house to all the above.
I glanced back through the window in the open van door toward the bar before entering the cab of my van and heard one of them yell out to me, “Are you going to be alright?”
I had failed at my first attempt to get in the van and paused before making a second attempt and glanced again back toward the bar. “Yes,” I yelled back, all the while gripping the steering wheel with one hand and the door rest with the other and struggled into the seat and closed the door, then continued but not loud enough that they could hear me, “yes, I am going to be all right.”
As I slowly backed the van away from the bar and pulled out into the street, I kept the windows up because it was cold outside and I didn’t know the condition of the roads. Also in my mind I thought it would be best to stay on the back roads until reaching the river then I would have to head over to Memorial to catch the bridge there.
Afterward, I don’t know how much time had passed, but I remember driving south on Sheridan Road at five miles per hour – a mile east of the bar and a mile west of Memorial Drive – when I had this very intense urge to spit. But I also knew enough not to just roll the window down and hang my head out the opening. I was learned enough to know that if I did that at any speed, I would be in the ditch before I could get my head back around to the front and gather what bearings I had at the moment and refocus on the road.
Well, as I explained above, I am different than most so what I did next was to roll the window down real slow, all the while maintaining a steady eye contact on the road, then at the last moment turned my head to the side and spit out the window then jerked my head back to the front as quickly as I could.
Twenty years later I was telling the story to Jack Lewis, a friend and coworker at the cement plant in Pryor, when Jack butted in, “You weren’t drunk!” He shouted.
I stopped and glared at him, “What do you mean, I wasn’t drunk?”
“Well, you would have spit in your face!” Lewis declared.
Hearing his statement, I was even more puzzled, “What do you mean…spit in my face?”
“Well, you would have just thought the window was down!” Jack said, finally.
I learned just recently that Jack got up early one morning some years ago and drove a Ford Falcon pickup to a bar and parked it outside. Unknowing to him, his wife drove up there in a second automobile, a small Chevrolet coupe and exchanged vehicles with him, planning to take the pickup to the shop for some scheduled maintenance.
Later Jack left the bar and got into the car, so drunk he didn’t realize the two automobiles had been changed and drove the Chevrolet home.
Later, when Jack didn’t say anything about the automobiles being switched, his wife asked him if he had been to a bar that morning. Of course Jack denied it and his wife asked him again. “Jack, I am only going to ask this you one more time. Did you go to a bar this morning?”
The conversation went back and forth for a minute before Jack’s wife finally told him she had switched automobiles on him and he was so drunk he hadn’t noticed. Knowing that about Jack, I didn’t doubt he knew where I was coming from and I had to restate my position.
Ok! So I wasn’t that drunk. But even then I found myself out in the ditch and over corrected – even at five miles per hour – before finally getting the van straightened up and back in the right hand lane.
The next thing I remember was knocking on the front door of my house near 191st and Yale and grinning from ear to ear, expressing a term of endearment to my wife, saying, “Hi Sugar!”
I don’t remember ever being in that situation again and was one lucky guy for not driving off into the river or something worse, such as crashing into another vehicle or being thrown into the drunk-tank for driving while intoxicated.
Hell, I don’t even remember crossing the Arkansas River Bridge north of Bixby or Marie’s response to my ill prepared early morning greeting. But somehow I made it home and I suppose without incident but even that is open to debate.
The following poem was written several years after the fact. But it takes into account my thoughts while sitting at the bar with just the three of us there: the barmaid, the guy that stayed around or showed up at the last minute to take her home – and me. And that is where I came up with the saying, There Are Always Three People At Closing.
Through the years I have grown up and been learning
About the facts of life going down
I have been married two times and divorced once
So in between and before I got around
It seems that the way to get girls was
To make a visit to the local watering hole
There belly up to the bar and get noticed
At least that was what I have always been told
So as soon as I was old enough to get started
I walked in and flashed my ID around
Then strolled up to the bar to place my order
And looked around for the girls to be found
All I saw were two men at the shuffleboard
And two more playing pool by the door
An old guy sipping suds in the corner
And a lone female waitress on the floor
No one else seemed interested in her so
I thought, what the hell? and told her my name
Ordered a draft from the well if it’s cold and
Thought, “boy, this is easy and what a game.”
So I drank four or five tall cool ones
And was really getting to know her by now
When the old man from over in the corner
Climbed the bar stool to my left and sit down
He slurred a few words to me about
His times on the road and all around
He told me his life was one big hustle
And the way I was doing it wasn’t sound
He said, “son I have been doing this for years and
I haven’t ever got a barmaid alone
There have always been three people at closing
Me, the barmaid and another guy that shows up to take her home.”
“Ah!” I said, “You don’t know what you’re saying!”
So he got up and left me for his own
I looked around and the barmaid was smiling
That shored me up and I was glad the old man was gone
I looked up at the clock and it was winding
To the time and I thought again, boy this is fun
I glanced around to the old man in the corner
And he was gone – I guess his day was done
I turned round as the back door was opening
Being so late I thought it must be a bum
Drank the last from my glass and it’s empty
Then saw a man and thought, where’d he come from?
Then I thought of the old man in the corner
And his stories about round closing time
So I looked around and counted all the patrons
Found there’s me, him and her looking fine
So I got up to leave the game was over
And staggered out to my truck in the cold
Disappointed, I thought of the old man in the corner
And what he said, that there are always three people at closing
Author: Benjamin Cox
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Electrical Pressure Cooker Online
When looking for a restaurant to please a wide variety of tastes, you need a menu with plenty of choices.
There are times when I know I want steak or fish, and I know the best place to go is our local Good Ole’ Boys restaurant. They have a limited menu and it has not changed in years. You can order steak, catfish, fried shrimp, or a burger. That’s about it. They also have a salad bar.
They do have the best steak and catfish in the area. However, they offer no cocktails or beer of any kind, and not everyone is always in the mood to choose from steak or fish, and sometimes folks are in the mood for a wind down cocktail happy hour.
The restaurant we frequent most often is Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar. It is about 2 miles from us, and their menu is loaded with choices allowing something for everyone, including kids.
They offer several different types of appetizers, buffalo wild wings, wraps, tenders, several different salads, ribs, shrimp, fish, nachos, potato skins, delicious burgers, buffalitos, flatbreads, sandwiches, pulled pork, garlic mushrooms, shoestring fries, queso chili fries, mini corn dogs, mozzarella sticks, quesadillas, onion rings, potato wedges, cheeseburger slammers, and more.
They offer daily lunch specials in our area, and two nights a week they have wing night specials as well.
Their happy hour offers great drink discounts. They offer standard and specialty cocktails along with several different beers on tap and in bottles, including domestics and imports.
Our particular Buffalo Wild Wings is non-smoking due to local city ordinances, so the entire family can enjoy a great atmosphere, delicious food, and without inhaling second hand smoke.
Buffalo Wild Wings is a sports bar, so there are televisions everywhere. You can play poker and other video games right at your table with controllers they provide. You can also enjoy other games such as pinball and arcade style amusements.
You can eat at the bar, in the bar area, or at several tables throughout the large establishment. If you prefer dining al fresco, they can accommodate that as well.
They open early and close late, so if you get a late night hunger strike, you can visit them for a delicious snack or meal.
The food and drinks are affordable, and there is something for everyone, including finicky eaters.
They also sell their bottled wing sauces and they offer several different flavors with varying degrees of heat. We keep BWW sauce on hand for a variety of homemade dishes, including our own version of the buffalo chicken wrap.
My personal favorite meal there is the buffalo grilled chicken tender wrap with shoestring fries and a tall cold draft beer. If you get a chance to visit Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar, give it a try. Enjoy!
Author: Laura Maness Brown
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Electrical Pressure Cooker Online
Of course, a set of clear instructions comes with any newly delivered kegerator that is fresh out of the box. If you get one second hand, you might have problems. If you like throwing instructions away before you give them a look, you might have problems. So, here are a few tips to help you get your home bar and keg drinking fun up and running in no time.
First of all, don’t throw the instructions away. Haven’t you learned this one already when you were building your daughter’s new kitchen set that you bought her for Christmas? Ok, then. What’s up with people still throwing away the instructions? Important note, exchange the daughter kitchen set experience with anyone you may have had where you skipped a step and realized later how drastic of a mistake that was.
Moving on, when you open up your box, make sure you look through your parts. They should be listed close to the beginning of the instructions. Make sure you have everything. Plus, make sure you take a look at what tools you’ll need. Grab them from your garage, tool box, tool belt, trunk of your car, tool drawer, behind the dryer or anywhere else you might have the tools you need.
One final note about this particular step, look through the instructions real quick to find any item that you might need but don’t have. Normally, everything’s included. But depending on the kegerator you purchase or the purpose you have for it, you may need to take a trip to the hardware store and grab a few extra items before you get started.
Depending on the kegerator instructions and the particular person who wrote them, you’ll begin with the tower installation. You’ll have a gasket to stop the air flow and this is one of the most important steps. Make sure that you line the screw holes up and that the gasket sits flat. After you thread the beer line through the airway hole, be very careful that you screw the screws in tight but not too tight. This is where most people develop problems and it’s the first step you have to do.
We all know how ridiculous air, gaskets and beer can be when the three just aren’t getting along. So, make sure it’s right from the start. Take your time. Tighten the screws with steady pressure and make sure your gasket sits right.
The next step is probably to install the guardrails. So, have fun with that. You can’t really screw that up too much. So moving forward, you’ll most likely have to setup the regulator next. Place a hose clamp over the air line hose at the end that is going to attach to your regulator. Now, when you place your air line on the regulator valve, you’ll be able to slide the hose clamp up and tighten. Once again, be careful when you tighten the hose clamp. Tighten sturdy. But, tightening too much can damage the hose and cause a leak.
There should be a CO2 tank holder and you should use it. Once the tank is in place, put a line clamp on the air line and attach to the air line valve on the coupler. Slide the line clamp up and tighten. Put another line clamp on the beer line and with a seal in the wing connector, attach the connector to the beer line valve on the coupler. Slide the line clamp up and tighten.
Now, it’s easy. Make sure that the faucet on the tower is tight. Then, do what you were born to do. Tap the keg. If you need instructions for how to do that, ask one of your beer enthusiast friends who are sitting around thirsty and have a seat in the corner.
Of course, you will have to learn how to clean your lines and I would hope that you do that before you drink your first draft or run your first ounce of beer through the line. But, at least now you know how to setup your kegerator.
Author: Stan Schubridge
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Advice on AdSense
For those who are not in the know a kegerator is a beer dispensing device. The keg is kept under refrigerated conditions to keep it chilled. The beer may remain fresh for many months to come despite refrigeration for extended periods. Before conversion of a refrigerator into a kegerator, it is advisable that you first list your needs and wants. What exactly do you expect from this device? After determining your needs and objectives, you may now go shopping around for an acceptable vessel.
The most common refrigerators for kegerator conversion are the stand-up refrigerator and the waist-high freezer.
There are a number of issues to consider before conversion. One of these considerations is space. You will have to ensure that adequate space is available for smooth conversion of the refrigerator. The process of conversion shall also be affected by your intended purpose. Do you intend to have it for beer storage only? How many beers shall you serve at a time?
The most likely candidates for conversion are the stand-up refrigerators. This is due to the ease of conversion. All you have to do is drill holes on the door and mount your beer shanks and trays on the door. Before you commence the drilling process, ensure that refrigerant lines are not mounted on the doors. This is very important. Should you make a mistake and drill into one of those pipes then your dream would be a flop even before you start. There are a number of ways of knowing if such pipes are present. Observe the door and see if there are pipes running into the door. Also observe the door hinges to see if they are unnecessarily bulky. This is a sure sign of their presence. However if you are still in doubt it is best to confirm. This you will do by removing the inner lining panel.
When using small sized refrigerators or freezers, you need to be sure that they will be able to accommodate the keg. It would be a disaster for example if you bought a fridge or freezer intending to convert it only to find out that it cannot accommodate your keg. It is therefore necessary that you do accurate measurements to ensure that the refrigerator or the freezer is big enough to accommodate the keg. It is also important to ensure that the bottom is flat. It may be necessary to build a false bottom into the device to prevent the kegs from falling every time the door is opened.
If your wish to have a kegerator with a bigger capacity, it is necessary to use a large storage freezer. This is the case where the kegerator has at least four taps. A lot more work needs to be done such devices. It will be necessary to install draft towers as this will provide extra room for cold storage and lagering of beers. In the case of a freezer based kegerator, it is necessary to modify the temperature controller. This requires some expertise in electronics. You may do it yourself if you have some level of proficiency. If not, it may be necessary to call in an electronics expert. If you observe carefully the above cited issues, you will be the proud owner of a fully functioning kegerator.
Author: Felicia Jenkins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax
Running a sports bar is a very profitable business when walking in with the proper knowledge and equipment. Knowing where to start and what items to purchase beforehand will enable you to grow your business quickly and efficiently. So, what are the items that are needed? Listed below are sports bar supplies that are an ultimate must have. Be sure to add them to your list to maximize your opening business potential, or increase your current business.
Top supplies for any sports bar:
Bar stools: bar stools should be attractive and comfortable. The perfect bar stool would remain within the sports bar theme and not appear to fancy. Remember, the idea is to be inviting and to provoke a longer period of daily use.
4-Top tables: 4-top tables are space efficient and invite a more relaxed crowd. The basic design allows for easy maneuverability by customers and easier re-organizing for bar owners.
Beer: beer is the one top selling beverage at any sports bar and a must have on any sports bar supplies list. A wide variety will cover the preference of a larger crowd. Be sure to keep domestics and add a few specialty beers to put you on the map.
Beer taps: allows for disbursement of draft beer. Stainless steel is easy to clean and reduces build up within the tap when properly maintained.
CO2 lines: CO2 will keep beer kegs properly pressurized and allow for the distribution of over 90% of the beer from the keg.
Liquor: a variety of liquor, mixers and flavorings allow for the mixing of various shots, mixed drinks, and non-alcoholic drinks.
Bar supplies: there are a wide number of sports bar supplies that are needed to enable a bar to perform properly.
Mandatory items for daily use will be:
* Bar rags needed to keep bars properly cleaned
* Pourers enables proper poring and reduces contamination
* Shot glasses allows for individual sales of liquor
* Rocks glasses good for liquor on the rocks, double shots, and soda mixes
* Flutes allows for more liquid to be added to liquor beverages
* Soda cups for distribution of non-alcoholic beverages
* Jiggers enables proper measurement of liquor
* Bar napkins reduces rings and condensation on table/bar tops
* Stirrers keeps drinks sanitary by reducing cross contamination
* Fruit trays needed to hold condiments for drinks
* Cleaning products allows for cleanliness and sterilization
* Bottle openers stationary item to open beer bottles
The proper list of sports bar supplies will ensure that the bar is functional, easily maintained, delivers proper disbursement of beverages and remains professional. These basic supplies also help the bar to remain within the guidelines of liquor laws pertaining to its state.
Author: Edward Dean
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax
According to the most recent food expenditure data from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, spending on food and alcohol in restaurants across the nation was approximately $485 million in 2008. With spending like this, it is no surprise people who possess an entrepreneurial spirit often desire to own and operate a restaurant in order to reap the benefits of not only food but also beer, wine, and liquor consumption. However, before profits can flow, there are various factors the new restaurant owner must consider to make the watering hole a success.
“Americans enjoy eating out, and the pace of development of the modern lifestyle indicates that they will continue to eat out more in the future,” said Douglas Brown, author of the best-selling The Restaurant Manager’s Handbook. “…Four out of five consumers agree that going out to a restaurant is a better way to use their leisure time than cooking and cleaning up.”
One of the most important tasks to prep your restaurant for success is to survey the existing bar environment where your business is located.
According to Valerie Mellema, professional bartender and author of The Professional Bartender’s Handbook, an effective way to research location must-haves for your restaurant is to talk with others in the area to find out about their typical clientele and what types of food and alcohol are popular. For example, in Florida, Land Shark beer is a local favorite, but in Pennsylvania, Yuengling is a staple of any flourishing establishment.
“If certain types of beer are popular, be sure to offer these beers by the bottle and on draft,” Mellema said. “For a large after-work martini crowd, stock the bar with a variety of vodkas and gins, along with the usual liquors.”
Creating something to be accommodating, comfortable, and entertaining is one of the initial steps of any successful bar or restaurant business – a well-organized establishment with visible stock will not only attract guests, but will also make the ordering process flow. Optimal bar organization can be achieved through the following steps:
1. Install proper refrigeration. Refrigeration is essential for a bar because many drinks require refrigerated mixers, garnishes, and even eggs.
2. Furnish your bar with an appropriate amount of cabinets and sinks. Cabinets should be easily accessible and should contain alcohol and extra necessities, like straws and napkins. Cleaning supplies are essential and there should also be a hand washing sink, a triple sink setup, and an all-purpose sink.
3. Keep a variety of drink-specific glasses in stock. Most guests will be impressed if specialized glasses are used. Various glass types included wine glasses, pints, beer mugs, highballs, cocktail glasses, martini, and rocks glasses. Back-ups of glassware should also be stored somewhere easily accessible.
4. Set up an accommodating bar top. Bar mats for jiggers and mixing glasses, as well as holders for napkins and straws, are essential. Bartenders will appreciate a mixing area with a grate and drain so the excess liquor and mixers will easily drain.
5. Supply necessary liquors. These include: Brandy, Cognac, Gin, Light Rum, Anejo Rum, Blended Scotch, Whiskey (Blended or Irish), Canadian Whiskey, White Tequila, Gold Tequila,,Vodka, Citrus Vodka, Bourbon.
6. Include a variety of cordials. Cordials can be used as mixers, after dinner drinks, or as floaters. Popular cordials include, Amaretto, Contra or Triple Sec, Crème de Cassis, Grand Marnier, Crème de Cacao (White & Dark), Kahlua, Sambuca (White), Crème de Menthe (White & Green), Bailey’s Irish Cream, B & B, Curacao (White & Blue), Chambord, Frangelico, Schnapps (Peach & Peppermint), Tuaca, Melon Liqueur, Southern Comfort, Tia Maria.
7. Include wells in bar construction. Wells, which allow frequently used liquors and liqueurs to be easily accessed, are a necessity in public bars.
8. Include a plethora of beers. Make sure to have different types of beer like lagers, ales, porters, and stouts available in draft and bottles.
9. Make beer kegs and taps easily accessible for staff. Beer taps should be located in an area that allows bartenders to easily access the kegs. Kegs are very heavy, but the staff should be able to change them out on their own. Once empty, kegs can usually be returned to the vendor for refilling.
10. Be knowledgeable about storing wine. Reds should not be stored
in the refrigerator, nor should they be stored in an area that will expose them to light. White wine should be stored in a temperature-controlled refrigerator. Necessary wines include: Red Wine, Blush Wine, Sherry (Cream & Dry), Port (Tawny & Ruby), Vermouth (Sweet & Dry), Rose Wine.
11. Use popular brand names when setting up a bar. Guests will request specific liquors and will be impressed if they are available. To make ordering easy, determine how much of each different type of liquor is sold. These numbers are used so there is not an excess of inventory and everything will be fresh. Always keep at least one back-up bottle of every liquor.
12. Stock up on required mixers, garnishes and other Necessities: Cocktails should have the appropriate mixers and garnishes. Most guests look forward to eating the olives in their martinis or the cherries in their Amaretto Sours. Examples of garnish necessities include Ginger Ale, Grenadine, various types of juice, lemon-lime soda, lime and lemon wedges, pineapple, cocktail onions, fresh mint, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper, sugar, whipped cream.
13. Determine the tools and equipment needed to run a bar. There are various tools necessary in a bar. Some tools are necessary for making specific types of drinks, while others are used in many different drink recipes. Examples include a long bar spoon, a covered cocktail shaker, wine keys, muddlers for making drinks like a mojito, and jiggers for measuring out cocktails.
14. Create an inviting atmosphere. Having a bar setup that guests will enjoy is important. Many small bars do not look like much, but the servers and bartenders are friendly, therefore, the atmosphere and the staff of a bar will essentially make it or break it. Effective ways to create a fun atmosphere include plenty of bar top space, televisions, and jukeboxes, as well as games like darts or pool.
Author: Amber McDonald
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Weddings are a time to remember. If you really want to be remembered for your wedding, then try customized Koozie’s that the guests can keep. They can come in many different colors and can have pretty much any design you can possibly imagine on them. You can buy them with taste in mind, or if your families live a little on the wild side, there are always the “funny” koozie’s. I am going to list the top 10 designs guaranteed to make a lasting impression. For the sake of keeping this a little more on the light side, I believe that you will enjoy these little laugh a minute blurbs from some of the best koozies online!
Kool Koozie Ten: “Marriage is a 3-Ring Circus! Let the Show Begin!” The picture depicts three rings in the center of the text. The bride and groom’s names appear on the koozie, with the date of the wedding.
Kool Koozie Nine: “Made it to the church…. on Time!!!” The picture depicts a church in the background. The bride and groom’s names appear on the koozie, with the date of the wedding.
Kool Koozie Eight: “Eat, Drink and be Married!” The picture depicts a guy holding a piece of cake in one hand and a cold draft beer in the other. The bride and groom’s names appear on the koozie, with the date of the wedding.
Kool Koozie Seven: “COMMITMENT” The picture depicted below the word commitment is of a pair of handcuffs. The bride and groom’s names appear below the picture, with the date of the wedding.
Kool Koozie Six: “To have and to hold and to keep your beer cold!” The picture depicts a cold draft beer in the center of the text. The bride and groom’s names appear below the picture and text, with the date of the wedding.
Kool Koozie Five: “We Got Lucky.” The picture on the koozie depicts a 1 cent piece face up. The bride and groom’s names appear below the picture, with the date of the wedding.
Kool Koozie Four: “Vows are done, time for fun!” The picture depicts them driving away in a car with the words just married on the back of the car. The bride and groom’s names appear below the picture with the date and the location of the wedding.
Kool Koozie Three: The Bride and Groom’s names were depicted first on this koozie. The picture is of a bride holding a fishing rod with the groom dangling from the hook upside down. The text below the picture reads “A Reel Catch,” and the date and location of the wedding followed the catch phrase. (No Pun Intended.)
Kool Koozie Two: “Another 1 Bites the Dust” The picture depicts the groom standing there looking confused with a ball and chain locked to his ankle. The koozie also includes the bride and groom’s names below the picture.
Kool Koozie Number One: (Drum Roll Please!) The Bride and Groom’s names are on the top of the koozie. It said, “Insert Bride’s name and Groom’s name got married and all I got was this darn KOOZIE.” Then at the very end, it states the date of the wedding.
There are many places you can get custom designed Koozies – no matter where you get them, these designs are sure to make a splash!
Author: Gabriel J. Adams
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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With fantasy drafts looming just over the horizon, for most of us this is a time of last-minute web-site perusing and web-site scouring in hopes of cooking up that special lineup that will get us a coveted fantasy football championship. In the search for that magical recipe, we all need one key ingredient: a good, strong defense. Take a minute and peruse this portion of our fantasy cookbook that will let you in on the top five fantasy defenses that should slide under the radar in most drafts this summer.
5. Arizona Cardinals: Year after year we look to this team to be a fantasy defense standout, but like rice pudding without raisins, they seem to be missing that one necessary bit of pizzazz that moves them from average dessert to dining delicacy. This season, we think Denny Green’s finally getting it right. He focused more on defense in the draft this season, spending first and third round picks on cornerbacks Antrel Rolle and Eric Green, which should help round out a now solid secondary that actually has the depth to incorporate productive nickel and dime schemes. With third and fifth round picks used to bulk up a linebacking core that needed a little help, the Cards have properly rounded out a defense that has always had a strong defensive line. A look in at the numbers reveals that Arizona allowed just 20.1 points per game in 2004, good for 12th in the league, while only allowing 35 touchdowns (T-9th in NFL). At 9th in passing defense (189.8 yd/gm) they force teams to pound the ball, which always eats up clock and lowers point totals, which are necessities for any fantasy defense. Overall, the Cards were right in the middle of the pack in turnovers, 30, with 15 picks and 15 fumble recoveries. However, they had a turnover differential of just +1. This typifies the missing link for the Cardinals in the recent past — they’ve lacked a strong offense to help keep the defense rested and off the field. But, it’s hard to have an offense when you don’t have a good quarterback or running back. Finally, Denny Green has seen the light and has drafted a quality running back in J.J. Arrington to compliment a quarterback, Kurt Warner, who can actually get the ball to his top flight receivers. To boot, this team held on to Josh McCown, which gives them the option of now one of the best back-ups in the league. Expect a top 10-15 defense out of the Cardinals, who might now have the tools to get it done in the NFC-West.
4. Miami Dolphins: No matter how bad their record, never count this team out as having a bad defense. They are like the Atlanta Braves of the football world , as whoever they put out there on defense knows how to get the job done. Despite a troublesome 4-12 record last season, the Dolphins quietly allowed just 22.1 points per contest. Digging a bit deeper, one might realize this number would have been still lower had the Dolphins not thrown 8 interceptions that were returned for touchdowns (no other team had more than 4). This alone would bring down their points allowed down to 18.6 per game, good for 8th in the league! This problem should be remedied as Miami is going to get back to the type of football that kept them in the playoffs year after year in the recent past: running the football. With Ricky Williams cleared for camp and Ronnie Brown ready to roll, this team is going to spend down after down between the tackles and little time in the air. That means low-scoring, fast games – a great defensive recipe. And like a true master chef, Dave Wannstedt still had his faculties about him enough to draft 4 defensive players after Arrington, including Matt Roth (Iowa) and Channing Crowder (Florida). Add these ingredients to a defensive dish that already includes names like Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Junior Seau, Tebucky Jones, Kevin Carter, and Sam Madison, and you’re staring at one tasty treat. Still not convinced? Keep in mind this Dolphin defense was still 2nd in the league against the pass last season (162.0 yd/gm) and will finally be happy and healthy up front on defense to stop the run. This is a great year to get back on a perennial favorite defense that many will have written off.
3. Houston Texans: “Four”. That is the number that typifies this defense. Not only does 4 represent the number of marshmallows I can fit in my mouth at one time, it also signifies the number of rushing touchdowns the Texans allowed all of last season. Four – wow, that’s easily best in the league. However, that might lead you to believe that they have a suspect secondary that gives up a lot through the air. Not so. With Philip Buchanon, Dunta Robinson, Marcus Coleman and Glenn Earl back there, they have the names to get it done. This year should show a cohesiveness to this group, who still managed 22 interceptions last year (5th in NFL), that may have lacked a bit in the past, as these young players are all maturing and learning the NFL game and how to play with each other more and more. Regardless, this team still only allowed 21.2 points per game, and keep in mind they play Indy twice every year. They gave up 10 or less points in 4 games last season and helped sure up the middle of their d-line by drafting DT Travis Johnson (Fla St.) in the first round. Taking Vernand Morency (Okl St.) in the 2nd round of the draft helped solidify a ground game that should keep this young, active defense well-rested this season, making them more appealing than a rack of ribs and an ice-cold beer for this year’s fantasy fanatics.
2. Washington Redskins: This defense was my personal choice for fantasy drafts last season, which worked out wonderfully. This new season has whetted my appetite for drafting them once again. Quietly, the Redskins were a defensive juggernaut last season. Playing in the low-scoring, grind-it-out NFC-East, they are in the perfect division for low-scoring games. With Steve Spurrier at the helm, they could never play this type of football — they were too loose and gave up too many big plays. Now, in just one season under Joe Gibbs, the Skins have turned this defense into what many have been hoping it would blossom into for years. In ‘04 they were 7th in the league in pass defense (186.1 yd/gm) and amassed a solid 40 sacks (T-9th). With numbers like that, it would be natural to assume their run defense was suspect. Not so! In fact, it was quite the opposite, ranking 2nd in the league at just 81.5 yards per game, allowing league bests of 3.1 yards/carry and 76 total first downs on the ground! It’s hard to score on a team with numbers like these. Perhaps that’s why the Skins were 5th in the league in points against (16.6 per game) and tied for 4th in the league in total touchdowns against (30). Now, Spurrier would have thought this cake was finished cooking and let it simply cool by the window. However, Gibbs is a wise old man and decided to tinker with the icing a bit, drafting CB Carlos Rogers (Auburn) with the 9th pick in the draft and adding a couple of solid linebacking prospects with his 5rd and 6th round picks. Rogers has brought a nice little position battle to camp, which should raise the levels of play of all involved. This defense will by dangerous again this year and, perhaps, is worth your pick on fantasy draft day.
1. Buffalo Bills: Our top sleeper choice for fantasy defenses for the 2005 season has to be the Buffalo Bills. This team has all the ingredients, has passed the taste-test, and is ready for Betty Crocker’s cookbook. Look at the numbers here. The Bills were 8th in the league allowing just 17.8 points per game in 2004. They allowed just 6 rushing touchdowns all season, good for 2nd in the league. Their passing defense was 3rd in the league at just 164.0 yards per game, totaling 45 sacks, good for third in the league. This well-rounded D was also 7th in the league against the run at 100.2 yards per game. Ok, now, sit down and brace yourself. Without much press, this Bills team grabbed a league best 39 turnovers! Only Carolina had more interceptions and only 3 teams recovered more fumbles. Overall, Buffalo allowed under 10 points 3 times last season and 20 or less points in 12 of their 16 contests. You could almost make the argument that this was the best defense in the league and almost certainly top five. Not much has changed in the offseason and this team continues to improve on offense, which should help the defense as well. Further, the Bills dodge the Colts again this season and play a soft out-of-division schedule including Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Oakland, which should help in turnover differential and low point totals. This is the steal of the fantasy draft this season, so if you have the chance, be sure to grab up the Buffalo Bills defense on draft day.
Author: Jay Richardson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Netbook, Tablets and Mobile Computing
Ready to drown your sorrows about the economy with a nice cold beer? Learn how to homebrew and save yourself that nickel in your pocket!
Considering that the cost of a microbrew draft can be up to $5, being able to brew several gallons of beer at home for a cost of about $10 per batch saves you a lot of cash! (possibly at the expense of increasing your waist-line!) The initial investment in a beer kit that will teach you how to homebrew is about $100, including both the equipment that you’ll need as well as the ingredients for your first batch of beer. Once that initial investment in the equipment has been made, each subsequent batch makes your homebrew more and more economical!
So how do you do it? It’s very easy, and a quick search online or simple reading the instructions that come with your beer kit will get you started brewing right away. But how do you really do it, you’re asking?
It’s easy…here are the basic steps…
1) Boil the wort or malt. Homebrew kits come with a container or packet of syrupy pre-hopped malt. All you have to do is add water and optional hops or additional sugars or fruits (honey, molasses, pie filling, etc) and bring it all to a boil
2) Cool wort and add it to your fermenter (comes in the kit) along with brewing yeast. Wait 1 week for the yeast to work it’s magic, churning out alcohol with every nibble of sugar.
3) Bottle the fermented beer into individual bottles, adding a small amount of priming sugar before putting on the cap. This allows the carbonation to begin.
In less than 2 weeks from start to finish, your first batch of home made beer will be ready to drink!
Author: Casey McCoy
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Electric Pressure Cooker
