Rebuilding cocktail program at new bar(am I in over my head?)

I started at this new place my sister used to work at (she is currently at their much much nicer sister restaurant) and she failed to mention how little of a bar/cocktail program they have. She also informed my manager that I have managed bars before and have experience creating menus for my previous bars. So lo and behold I am now kind of leading the program. Was not expecting this.

It’s definitely a challenge: No formal beer tap system (4 lines connect to metal coils that run through a big white cooler that sits on top of one of the fridges which we fill with ice - I’m surprised it actually works), no speed rails for the house liquors (they currently live in an empty well), not much glassware or proper cocktail tools to work with, no bar mat to make drinks on so I have to use the little space on the drip rails, no soda gun (we use cans), not much space to house syrups in the fridges, the bar itself is pretty shallow, the setup doesn’t make sense at all (the liquors are on the opposite side of the bar separated by the 3-bay so I have to run back and forth to make a single drink), the list goes on…

I’m working with bar bones you get the picture.

Not to mention I am the only one with actual experience behind a bar, the other bartenders are servers who will pick up the shifts behind the bar. So not much help on my end.

My manager informed me that they are trying to raise their bar sales (I think we’re sitting at around 15/18% - extremely low I know) and she would like me to create cocktail/mocktail menus. The owner and all of management like me and value my opinions.

My previous experience has mostly been in places with craft cocktails. I’m talking full prep: fat washes, milk washes, egg whites, fresh juices, etc. This place is very casual and I am a bit out of my element.

When I asked my manger what kind of prep work they would be capable of for the new menu she said anything… I knew this was not going to be the case so I dialed back the menu. I was then told my prep for the menu was too involved…So, I dialed it back even more.

Why am I staying here? The work schedule is very ideal for me while I am in school. We do get busy, but no one really comes for the drinks. I am also very stubborn and like to fix things I see potential in.

Anyways, I spoke with the owner today and we were discussing a new setup behind the bar that would allow for better function and flow. In my head in order to raise bar sales we need better cocktails, thus we need a well functioning bar to push out more cocktails during service and be able to handle better cocktails. I told him how I envision the new setup and have been drawing out new possible setups that would make sense given the tight space back there. I am confident in the setup we decided on. Now we just have to move things around.

I’ve also been making a list of tools/materials we desperately need.

I was so embarrassed of the old fashioned I had to send out last night, no orange peels to use, no cherries, only orange bitters, simple syrup and bourbon. Maybe this is me being dramatic but it felt wrong sending that out. I’ve been practically begging my manger for angostura aromatic bitters and she came back with peychauds and orange bitters..I brought my own angostura bitters in today and she goes “wow where did you find those I can’t find them anywhere?”…..

I have been writing up a plan for the new year. I would like to give the staff a “training session” on basic cocktail knowledge so they all feel confident if a customer orders a drink off the menu. They seem eager/excited to learn and are always asking me questions(it really warms my heart). I also want to type up a list of house keeping things everyone should be doing to keep the bar clean (we’ve had a problem with flies and creepy crawlies). I’m going to build a new menu and mocktail menu. I would also like start doing tiki Thursdays with a new tiki cocktail every Thursday. I’m going to be recipe testing at home after my finals are finished. I want to have at least 5 tiki cocktails done before we start this so that I am ahead of things and am not rushing to think of one the week of.

My manger just told me today she wants to do a new special every Friday starting in the next two weeks…I don’t know when she was going to tell me this but I have finals lol. So unless she was going to do the specials herself I don’t know where these specials were going to come from. I’ve made it clear that I’m kind of limited on what I can do until my semester is over.

So now I’m not sure if the tiki Thursdays are a good idea if she wants a new special every Friday. That doesn’t seem feasible in my head. I’m sure I could do it but that’s going to be a lot for one person to keep up with.

I’m getting a bit frustrated because I was not expecting to be given all this responsibility. I just wanted my two weekend shifts. I’ll gladly help with cocktail creation but my manger is starting to seem like a bit of a train wreck. We’re running out of things we shouldn’t be out of, she’s coming in late and hungover frequently. I can’t fault her for not knowing much about cocktails but I’m constantly having to remind her of basic things we need (angostura bitters, pour spouts, etc.) The owners wife who comes in on the weekends to help has started telling me to just start doing things. I feel like the bounds of my responsibilities are starting to be blurred and I’m not really sure what I have control over in a sense. Maybe that’s my work ocd.

Any advice is welcomed. Am I in over my head?