This one is for all the bar staff out there.

We’ve all been there… the bar is heaving; the vibe is great and cocktails are the order of choice. All of these are good things right? But it takes time and skill to produce a perfectly crafted cocktail. Drinkers not only want a great tasting cocktail using quality ingredients they want it to look ‘gram’ worthy.

Smart bars are always looking for better ways of doing things. Dehydrated garnishes are one of those small steps that have a big impact over time. Every step– no matter how small – to make things simpler, more efficient, and more beautiful, has a compound effect on a bar’s profitability and a customer’s satisfaction.

Bar staff know this feeling: You're in the middle of a 10 cocktail rush, and thought to yourself “F*&k, I really wish I didn’t have to cut lime wheels right now,” or “Geez, this an inconvenient time for me to be making an apple fan” that’s because the smarter version of yourself was screaming at you: “this is inefficient — there’s a better way!”

Well, it’s time to stop the regret, and for you to listen to that smarter version of yourself. Dehydrated garnishes are part of the answer, and here’s why… 

They’re a massive time saver

That’s right, instead of cutting and peeling (often adding an extra 30 minutes of prep time to the shift), you get to reach, grab, and elegantly place a dried wheel on top.

Over the long run, that’s enough extra time to turn a busy shift from Un-Happy Hour into a relaxed and controlled experience for staff, and customers.

You’ll have freed up time that you can then use to keep banter going, help out teammates, and generally look like a pro.

Say goodbye to waste

Many a bar staff waste a good chunk of the fruit on either side of a citrus wheel. While the fruit wastage adds up over time, each individual piece isn’t quite big enough to juice or to turn into another garnish.

Even if it is intended to be saved for later, it usually ends up in the rubbish.

Dehydrated garnishes are a way of providing a positive path of least resistance, while also eliminating waste.

It’s near impossible to eliminate waste entirely from a bar but having garnishes that are on hand and ready, and not have to ditch at the end of a shift, goes a very long way.

Totally insta worthy drinks

Ever heard the expression ‘people drink with their eyes’? It’s true – the better a bar’s drinks look, the more customers will enjoy them and keep coming back for more. 

The dehydration process darkens the citrus fruit itself quite significantly. This can provide a dramatic, intriguing contrast against the drinks, allowing really interesting colour combinations – think foams, or darkly coloured combinations of liquids.

They’re Keepers

Prepping garnishes ahead of a shift is a no-brainer for saving time – but nailing the exact amount to be used, every time never happens.

There are two outcomes when pre-prepping garnishes: underestimate and get caught short-handed – usually in the middle of the unexpected rush that caused you to underestimate in the first place.

Or, overestimate – and either end up with soggy (or dried out) citrus in your customer’s glass, and/or a compost full of expensive fruit. It’s not just the fruit itself – it’s the labour that went into cutting, storing, and tossing it.

Dehydrated garnishes mean they become a lot more shelf-stable. With a 12-month shelf life, they reduce the margin for error when trying to forecast sales, and prep accordingly.  

Control costs

Keeping quality controls tight is hard. One person’s cuts are inevitably thicker or thinner than the next. That makes it next to impossible to accurately assign a cost-per-garnish amount to finished drinks. 

When buying dehydrated garnishes, if they’re not ‘by the piece’ then the containers usually come with an ‘average contents’ statement – both will give you the ability to nail down per-unit costing, and manage inventory with ease. Buying in bulk at a wholesale rate makes dried citrus wheels are a cost-effective option.

It’s about the aromatics

When you strip the water out of anything, it usually intensifies the remaining ingredients. Garnishes are no different. 

We’re talking about aromas, mostly –the increased aromas that they impart can be used to a bartender’s advantage. Fresh garnishes can throw out the perfect balance of a cocktail if squeezed excessively – not so for the dried version.

Dehydrated garnishes have a ton of benefits – with a really wide range of applications.

By upping your bar’s dehydrated garnish game, you will not only save labour costs, storage and reduce waste, but the cocktails will also have an eye-catching appeal and leave customers wanting more – it’s a win-win.