No. That is the essence of the control. Once the pour spout is placed on the bottle, liquor cannot be poured without placing the spout through the activator ring.

1. Walk the bar periodically to visually inspect that none of the bottle seals have been tampered with or removed.
2. Take shot count readings from each liquor station and enter them into the customized software to generate lost sales reports. Provide the necessary training and/or discipline to bartenders that have poured more liquor than they sold.
3. Reset the Spirit’s shot counts at the start of each new shift.
4. Log each liquor bottle out using the number from the security seal when it is issued to the bar and back in when the empty bottle is returned to management. The liquor logbook we provide helps managers control bottle theft.

Yes. The system will automatically pour your standard shot size when the control spout is inserted into the ring. Two other portion sizes can be programmed into the system and are represented by buttons on the faceplate of the pouring station. When your bartender makes a multi-liquor drink, they simply press the appropriate portion size button, insert the spout into the ring and pour. The liquor system will pour the requested portion size and track the amount of revenue that should be registered.

They may pour a tad slower while they get used to how to properly pour with the system. In most cases, after a few hours they’ll be back up to their normal speed making the common one-shot drinks. Three and four liquor drinks may take an extra few seconds to make since only one liquor can be poured at a time through the ring. When we’ve asked bar owners that have purchased the system about the pouring speed, every one of them tells us that having the liquor accurately portioned and counted is well worth the few extra seconds it takes their bartenders to make multi-liquor drinks.

Absolutely! The liquor system is easily incorporated into a flair bar. With the control pour spouts on the bottles, no liquor can be poured before the spout is inserted into the activator ring. So, when flair bartenders spin, throw or accidentally drop a bottle, liquor will not spill. After performing their flair routine, the bartender simply places the spout into the ring and pours the shot. Some flair bartenders can even pour through the ring over their shoulder into a drinking or mixing glass for an even more impressive display of talent.

Ideally, you want to have a liquor system for each bartender that works on the same shift. If you have 3 bartenders all working together and you can run 3 separate cash register reports at the end of their shifts, then you can compare each bartender’s potential liquor sales from their own liquor system report to the actual sales from their cash register report.

You want to put a pour spout on any revenue-producing liquor bottle as well as spouts on back up bottles for your faster moving stock. We’ll ask you to fill out a list of your liquor brands and the number of spouts you’ll need per brand. From this list, we will be able to determine the total number of control spouts you’ll need to get started. If you need more pourers, we’re only a phone call away.

No. Each bartender will be instructed to pour from their assigned liquor station but they are welcome to share the bottles.

The liquor system is able to “interface” to both cash registers and POS systems. Interfacing enables the register to automatically ring up the liquor when it is poured. Please call us at 1-800-285-2337 to discuss whether your register has the capability of interfacing to the Spirit system and whether interfacing is a viable option for your type of operation.

When you receive your liquor system, you will also receive a customized Spout Assignment Sheet. This chart will have a picture of each of the seven distinctively different control pour spouts, the liquor price they represent and a listing of the brands you carry that are assigned to each spout. Let’s say the #3 spouts are assigned to your $6.00/shot liquors, if you add a $6.00/shot liquor brand to your inventory, place a #3 spout on this bottle and add the brand name to the #3 spout listings on the Spout Assignment Sheet.

When you receive the liquor system from Alcohol Controls, everything you need to get started will be included. Over time, you may choose to purchase more spouts or security seals that we carry in stock and ship within 24 hours of your order. All liquor systems come with a 1 year warranty and you’ll never incur a service labor charge even after the first year.

We do the programming for you. You will be asked to provide us a list of your liquor brands, what you are charging per shot for those liquors and an estimate of how many pour spouts you want for each liquor brand. Once we receive that information and the three portion sizes you want your bartenders to pour, we’ll program the dispensing system so it is ready to be installed when you take it out of the box.

All it takes is 9 screws under the bar, which we provide for you. It’s as simple as that. Screw the pouring station’s mounting bracket, power supply and ring holder to the underside of the bar top; plug it in; place the pour spouts on the bottles; apply the security seals and you’re done. If you want to fly us out from Atlanta to do this for you, we’ll be glad to make the trip.

When you need to make changes, just give us a call on our toll-free number, 1-800-285-2337 and we’ll walk you through the simple programming changes over the phone.

First, check to make sure the pouring station is plugged into a live outlet. If it is, call us on our toll-free number, 1-800-285-2337. In most cases we can fix any problem right over the phone for no cost to you. If the problem is more serious, simply unplug the pouring station, slide it out of the mounting bracket and UPS it back to us. We guarantee to either repair or replace the unit within 24 hours. Our customers often claim that our service is quicker than service they receive from their local vendors.

Why do you think they’ve been with you so long? Typically, when bartenders know they are not being held accountable for registering all the liquor they pour, then the following four scenarios take place:

• Free drinks are given away for a variety of reasons but usually to solicit a bigger tip.
• Liquor shots are over-poured to entice customers into giving a bigger tip.
• Money is collected by the bartender and the sale is not registered. The cash is covertly pocketed or placed in the tip jar. Sometimes, it is put into the register drawer and removed before the end of the shift.
• Bartenders drink on the job because they know they can get away with it.

Unfortunately, many employees don’t do what’s expected until they are inspected. It’s not that we don’t have faith in human nature but people often need the fear of negative repercussions for them to follow the rules. When you last drove down the highway, how many people were going over the speed limit? We’d be willing to bet that when those same people saw a cop with a radar gun, they all slowed down to avoid getting a ticket. The liquor system is management’s radar gun – giving them the information they need every shift to prevent their bartenders from speeding.

Instruct the bartenders to be positive about the system when addressing a customer. If someone inquires about the system, the bartender can explain that the owner had the liquor system installed to insure that all customers receive a well-made and consistent drink. The bartender can enlighten the customer that when they get busy, they may inadvertently short-pour a drink because they are rushed but the dispensing system insures they pour a full shot every time.

We recommend having the bartender pour through the system into a shot glass or jigger for the first few weeks after implementing the system. Show the customers that they are receiving a full shot or even more than a full shot, if your standard shot size is more than the size of your shot glass or jigger. Bar owners that have purchased the system tell us that customer perception was a big concern of theirs before buying the system. What they discovered was the only customers complaining about the system, were the ones that were receiving free drinks before the controls were implemented. Do you need freeloaders occupying your bar stools?

Call your new best friends at Alcohol Controls toll-free from the USA and Canada at 1-800-285-2337. International calls to 404-262-2337 or email to Profit@AlcoholControls.com.