At the end of the day, there’s much to be done to prepare the bar for the next opening. One of the more meticulous jobs to do is to individually clean the bottles so dust and other unwanted particles won’t accumulate. It also leaves you with a decision as to whether you’re leaving the liquor pourers on or not. 

Yes, you can leave pourers on liquor bottles, but the better decision would be to remove or cover them to protect the contents. What’s going to happen to the liquors if the spout is still intact on the bottles? Read on to find out.

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Advantages of Leaving Spouts on

• Saves time in assembly

If you don’t bother taking the spouts off every night, you can use less work to do every bar opening because you don’t need to put the spouts back on. So, you can use your time to do other chores to prepare for the day. 

• No added work for closing procedures

After service hours, the bartender and other bar staff are probably tired. If they choose to leave the spouts on, they can proceed with other closing procedures so they can close early.

• You don’t need to clean them as often

Since you will not remove the spouts every night, you don’t have to clean them regularly. Though, it is recommended that the pourers must be cleaned and sanitized every once in a while.

Disadvantages of Leaving Liquor Pourers on

• Oxidation rapidly occurs

In the case of pourers with no caps, oxygen can freely make contact with the alcohol subjecting it to degradation and reducing its shelf life. It would be a waste when liquors lose their original taste and you are forced to dispose of them. 

• Liquors lose their alcohol content

If the bottles are exposed to heat such as from sunlight or spotlights, the evaporated liquid will escape through the hole of the spout. If this continues for some time, the liquor will slowly lose its alcohol content. Sweet liqueurs will also lose their flavor or sweetness.

• Attracts bugs 

Flavored alcohol and liqueurs can attract bugs, mostly fruit flies because of their sugar content. Insects will surely land on the spouts when left uncovered. They can lay their eggs, or end up in the liquor which may cause dismay to your customers when they see floating flies in their cocktails. Worse, if a health inspector catches a health hazard in your bar - you’ll be fined! 

• It’s not hygienic

Dust and other unwanted particles don’t have a place in liquor spouts. If they happen to land in the bottles or just in the spout, it will pose some risks to your customers and may affect the business.

• Costs more

If you opt to leave the spouts on liquor bottles at all times but don’t want to get them dirty, you will have no choice but to buy caps to cover the spouts whenever the bar is closed. It will cost you more money especially if you decide to buy caps for all the liquor bottles.

Tips on Liquor Spouts: To Use or Not To Use

• Lesser used alcohols are better off with no pourers. Since they are rarely used, there’s no point putting liquor pourers on them. They won’t be exposed to air thus they won’t be wasted. 
• Don’t use pourers on expensive liquors. You can’t risk ruining expensive alcohols by attaching pourers to them. Their original caps produce a better seal than pourers, even the capped ones, thereby prolonging their shelf life.
• Use pourers with caps to save money. Spare yourself from the dilemma and get liquor pourers that include caps to cover the spouts. Also, you won’t have to spend additional cash on buying separate caps for your standard pourers. 
• Store your bottles away from heat. To alleviate the effects of oxidation, strategically store your liquor bottles away from sunlight or other sources of heat. 
• Trap those bugs. You can make a DIY trap to lure the fruit flies to a specific area far from your precious alcohol. This will keep them at bay during the day.

Types of Liquor Pourers

Some pourers have no defense against things that can ruin the alcohol when left on the bottle, while others have a short-term shield. Let’s get to know the different types of liquor pourers or spouts.

Standard steel pourer

This is the most common type used in bars because it fits most bottles and is user-friendly. The spout is a long, narrow, and slightly tapered metal and is attached to a rubber seal. It usually has a narrower tube that goes through the seal and to the spout, forming a tiny hole. This helps in the proper circulation of alcohol. 

Angled / Tapered pourer

Similar to the standard design but the difference lies in the bigger but shorter spout. Also, it appears to be cut off at an angle, which aids in preventing spillage. Some variations feature longer spouts but appear bent like a straw. 

Plastic-free flow pourer

Identical to a tapered pourer, but it is made of plastic so it is easier to clean. These can be available in various colors which is helpful for the bartender when labeling certain spirits. 

Cap on pourer

Very easy to use and effective, this type is mainly designed to prevent evaporation. It is mostly used for bourbon or whiskey. Insert it in the mouth of the bottle and when you’re not using the alcohol, you can put the original cap over the pourer to keep the alcohol safe from contamination. 

Pourer with universal dust cap

This pourer doesn’t look anything different but what sets it apart from the rest is its cap that protects the alcohol. In contrast to the flip-top pourer, this universal dust cap shields the entire pourer not just the opening of the spout, making it very handy when you want to speed up closing the bar.

Metal flip-top pourer

The upgraded version of the standard pourer. This liquor pourer has a metal lid attached to the tip of the spout to prevent unwanted particles from entering into the liquor. It works with a hinge so it can easily open and close when pouring and placing it upright. The only downside is that the cap gets sticky when used with a sticky liquor. 

Plastic flip-top pourer

The opening is larger, making the top cap bigger as well. This resembles the cap of a water bottle and is also available in different colors.

Measured pourer

Perhaps the most systematic type of pourer in the list, this one uses a mechanical ball bearing that enables every single pour to be of equal amounts. This is especially useful for busy bars to accommodate more drinkers faster. The spout is usually plastic and has a square cut. It is also collared so instead of inserting it in the bottle, it has to be twisted to create the seal. The downside of this liquor pourer is that it doesn’t allow other measurements other than one ounce. 

Screened pourer

It is like the measured pourer minus the ball bearings. As the name suggests, the spout features a screen to prevent dust and bugs from getting into the alcohol.

Alternatives to Liquor Pourer Caps 

It is clear that the downside of leaving pourers on liquor bottles outweigh the benefits. But if you still choose to do so, there are ways to mitigate the consequences without purchasing liquor pourer caps. You can use plastic wrap or foil to protect the spout from dust and bugs. This also prevents oxidation and evaporation because the holes are covered. 

If you find the previous option time-consuming, you can invest in a large cabinet where you can place all liquor bottles. When it’s time to close up, simply close the doors of the cabinet. The only downside to this is that the limited capacity of the cabinet may restrict the number of bottles.

Conclusion 

Every bar has its policy regarding removing or leaving liquor pourers on bottles. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend removing the pourers and cleaning them before putting them back on the bottles the next day. This way, health risks are prevented and cleanliness is maintained throughout the bar. Any practical bar tips you’d like to share? Leave them in the comment section below.

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