Bar Basics: How To Do Liquor Inventory
This article originally appeared on Restaurant Insider by Daniel Marzullo
Whether it’s whipping up scratch-made cocktails or tapping a craft beer keg, selling liquor in your restaurant is nothing short of fun. Conducting inventory of your liquor stock, however, isn’t always a party. But if you already have your restaurant liquor license and you’re planning on serving the hard stuff, proper inventory is an essential part of bar management.
Here are the bar inventory management basics you need to know.
Bar Inventory Spreadsheets
Before you start inventory calculations, it’s important to have all of your ducks in a row. This means creating a detailed bar inventory spreadsheet where you can record all of your information. This is essentially an invoice that tracks where all of your liquor comes from and how much it costs, so you can later track exactly where it’s going and how you’re profiting. If possible, opt for an online inventory system that will help you automate this process.
You should have an inventory spreadsheet for each given period. Whether that’s weekly or monthly, choose a timeframe that works for you. The spreadsheet should include: how much stock you started with at the beginning of the period, how much you gained (bought) throughout the period, and how much you have at the end. Its also helpful to break up your stock into three sections: beers, wines, and liquors.
Conducting Inventory
Once you’ve created an accessible spreadsheet, go through your bar and take stock of each bottle, case, and keg. Record the name, brand, and amount of alcohol that’s left in each bottle. Most restaurants use the tenths model, where you’ll record measurements like “a quarter full” or “half full.” Be sure to include notes on all of your liquor sources, whether that’s in the back cooler or at the front of the bar.
Then, you can use an inventory formula to see where you’re at. Take your starting inventory, add it to the inventory you received during the period, and subtract your ending inventory. This will provide you with your end usage, meaning how much liquor you’ve used during a given period. Keeping a working spreadsheet is also helpful because it can reveal how much liquor you have in stock on a given day. This is an especially valuable piece of knowledge for busy nights and weekends…
