What Are The Best Pour Spouts For Liquor Bottles?
If you're a budding mixologist, a craft distiller, a professional bartender, or a home drinker with a penchant for high-end spirits, you've likely been frustrated by the annoying dribbles and spills that often result from pouring into shot glasses, measuring apparatus, or other bar tools. Believe it or not, this is a common problem - even at commercial bar setups - that has a couple of easy solutions. Amongst these is the pour spout, a not-so-complicated apparatus, that makes making drinks very easy. In this guide, we'll discuss the various types of pour spouts for liquor bottles.
The Best Pour Spouts for Liquor Bottles- The Complete Guide
What Are Pour Spouts For Liquor Bottles?
Every time you walk into a bar and follow the bar signs to the back bar, you might come across these bar tools. They are used by most bartenders. Wondering what these are, then we have the answer for you. They are called pour spouts, pourers, spigots, or even sippers by some. They aid in pouring the liquid accurately into the glasses or the measuring bar tools.
How To Choose The Right Pour Spout For Liquor Bottles?
Liquor bottles are a great way to store a variety of different spirits. However, it can be a pain to pour a drink from a liquor bottle without spilling it all over the counter instead of the shot glasses. Want saving from the pain of spilled alcohol? We've put together a list of the best pour spouts to use when pouring out liquor.
How Does A Pour Spout Work?
In speed pourers, when the liquid flows out from the spout, a vent lets air back into the bottle. This helps the liquid to get poured out smoothly, unlike when you pour the liquid directly from the bottle. When the liquor gets poured, the air that bubbles in makes it difficult to control the amount. A pour spout helps avoid this and gives control over the quantity, and method of pouring of the liquor.
What Steps To Take When Selecting A Pour Spout?
Planning on starting a business in the bar industry? First figure out the type and style of bar. Understand the clientele. See what sort of liquors they choose. Get the Liquor License in place well in time too! You also need to keep all your bar sets, tools, and supplies ready. Ensure you have your suppliers in place.
What Materials Can Be Used To Pour Spouts?
There are multiple types of liquor bottle pourers available in the market. The materials they use are predominantly plastic or stainless steel. Each has its own set of pros and cons. It depends on the type of bartending that will take place behind the bar. Consider the liquor availability, budgets, Liquor Cost, and such factors too.
Plastic Material-
Plastics are the most commonly used materials across various products. Molding plastic into different shapes is easy. Their affordability, accessibility, and color customization make this material easy to work with. These are some of the most common materials used for bottle pourers, especially because of their affordability, and accessibility. They come in regular all-plastic style or have a chrome finish to give a metallic look.
Stainless Steel Material-
Hospitality-related and kitchen products are made from stainless steel. Its durability and resistance to easy rusting make it a good choice for bar supplies and bar tools. These tools include liquor bottle pourers. Its aesthetic appeal makes it an easy choice.
How To Take Care Of The Pour Spouts?
Using appropriate pour spouts for their intended purpose is the first step to the proper maintenance of the liquor pour spouts. Ideally, the bottles should not be kept with the pour spouts on them. Use rubber stoppers to cap or close the bottle. This ensures the alcohol doesn't evaporate over time, or any flies or bugs don't enter the bottle during off-hours.
List Of The Best Liquor Pour Spouts
What is your preference for your bar? Are you looking for pour spouts for a sophisticated lounge bar or a colorful and bright sports bar? Whatever the vibe of the bar, you will find liquor pourers for all types. It's just a matter of understanding which works well.
Standard Metal Pourer-
A standard metal pourer has an elongated spout that aids in speed and accuracy. It helps overcome the problem of spillage and also allows for high-flow pours with precision. This stainless steel liquor pourer comes with a rubber seal that helps secure it to the opening of the bottle. A standard pourer does not come with a stopper or such mechanism. Those keep the opening closed to avoid not just leakages or evaporation of the alcohol. Flaps also help in keeping the flies and such out.
Tapered Metal Pourer-
This pour spout is similar to the standard metal one with a couple of differences. This angular spout gives a medium-flow pour. This pour spout meets the requirements of control, consistency in speed, and accuracy. The cons of a standard pourer are the same in this one too.
Screened Metal Pourer-
Bartenders usually don't use this type of pour spout, especially for fast-selling liquors. The screen keeps the flies and bugs at bay. It makes it difficult to give a high-flowing pour and liquors with a thicker consistency. Syrupy ones like Midori, Kahlua, or even the chocolate liquors are difficult to pour. These are also difficult to clean out properly.
Metal Pourer With Flap-
This type of metal pour spout has an additional mechanism of a flap that helps close the opening. The flap either opens on its own when the bottle tilts or manual opening is a must. It depends on which brand and design you pick.
Standard Plastic Pourer-
These are available in multiple color options and are easy on the pocket. The liquid bottle pourers made from plastic are some of the most common pour spouts found. They are made from a single piece of plastic molded into shape. This makes them quite durable. As they come in different colors, they are used for color-coding liquor bottles. They also help give a uniform look across the bar.
Chromed Plastic Pourer
This is a standard plastic pourer with a metallic layer over it. It gives a more sophisticated look and is popular with many bartenders and bar owners/managers. This offers a faster free flow of liquor. This type of speed pourer is easier to clean. It doesn't have any flap/cover of its own to keep away any contamination.
Screened Plastic Pourer
This pour spout has the same features as a standard plastic pourer. It keeps away contamination and fruit flies with the screen as an added benefit. This needs regular cleaning. Product accumulation causes problems.
Ball Pourer-
This liquor bottle pourer pours out a measured amount of liquor. Usually, 1 oz or 1.5 oz are the measurements per pour normally. This quantity control reduces liquor costs.
Computerised Pourer-
These pour spouts have newer technology. These poures are in metal or plastic. Metal ones are more commonly used. They offer various options in the pour method. They have measured pourers or have a free flow.
A Comparision On What's Available
When it comes to plastic pourers especially, you'll get a host of products online. Just log on to e-commerce websites like Amazon, or bar-specific ones like Barproducts.com. You will find plastic pour spouts dime to dozen in almost any color of your choice, and at very affordable rates. Even stainless steel liquid pourers are easily available there from a budget price to higher costs.
Pour Spouts- Dos And Don'ts
Avoid using pour spouts for uncommon liquor bottles. Check if different bottles are fitted securely with the liquor bottle pourers. This is true, especially for the expensive ones. Use them without the liquor bottle pourers attached, if they are not ones with a regular opening. If not using, shut them tightly with their regular caps. They are best to work with for liquor bottle closing.
Pour Spouts- A Conclusion
Plan to Run Bar? You might have thought earlier that choosing a pour spout is amongst the easiest things to do. While it isn't rocket science, picking right plays an important role. It ensures both - money-wise and inventory wise - you stay on point. Make the correct choice in time, and it will see you reducing unnecessary costs in the long run.