Beverage Management
Course Outline

Course Fee: $165
ACF Approved CEH: 30 Hours
Subject Area: Business Management
Course Approved by: The American Culinary Federation
Instructor: Amber Johnson

This course has been developed and optimized for online delivery using the licensed title The Bar and Beverage Book, 5th edition, published by Wiley and Sons, Inc. and authored by Costas Katsigris and Chris Thomas. The fee for this course includes access to all online course materials and an official certificate of completion from chefcertification.com. Once your course is completed, your course completion will be authenticated, and a certificate of completion will be generated. This official certificate of completion will be uploaded to your account, and will be available through the course dashboard for this course.

Introduction/Course Description:

Drinking alcoholic beverages is as old as human history, and making a profit from serving such drinks came right on the heels of drinking them. Throughout history, alcoholic beverages have been a part of everyday life in most cultures, used in tinctures, tonics, and remedies. Throughout this course, we will explore the history of alcoholic beverages, responsible alcohol service and regulations that impact the beverage industry. We will also examine the various types of beverages that make up a successful beverage program including beer, wine, spirits and the art of mixology.


Course Objectives/Program Outline

Module One - Overview of the Beverage Industry

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn the historical importance of alcohol in religious rites, ceremonies, and medical treatment; in meals; in fellowship; and in humankind’s search for wisdom and truth.
  • Learn about how wine, beer, and distilled spirits were created.
  • Examine the impact of Prohibition on the bar industry.
  • Compare and contrast the types of businesses that make up today’s beverage service industry.

Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Module Two - Responsible Alcohol Service

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the effects of alcohol in the human body, both positive and negative, from health claims to the latest hangover research.
  • Understand the impact of alcoholism in today’s society.
  • Become familiar with the alcohol-related laws in effect in most areas, as well as the ongoing controversies they generate.
  • Learn the importance of responsible alcohol service and how to spot and handle customers who may have had too much to drink.
  • Set specific alcohol service policies and train staff members.
  • Become proactive on behalf of the beverage service industry to educate consumers and uphold a reputation as a responsible business.
  • Value the responsibility of keeping up to date on the latest health benefits and/or dangers of alcohol consumption.

Project 1: Liability Laws
Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Module Three - The Beverages - Spirits

Learning Objectives:

  • Distinguish between fermented and distilled beverages and identify them.
  • Select the types and price ranges of spirits that fit your clientele.
  • Define “proof” and relate it correctly to alcohol content.
  • Understand the variables in distillation and their importance to the finished product.
  • Become familiar with each of the spirit types commonly served from today’s bar.
  • Define and explain such familiar but mysterious terms as: bottled in bond, aged in wood, sour mash, single malt, London dry, neutral spirits, VSOP, and more.
  • Serve each type of spirit correctly and profitably—even absinthe!
  • Increase sales of after-dinner drinks.

Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Module Four - Wine Appreciation

Learning Objectives:

  • Classify wines according to type and recognize some of their distinguishing characteristics.
  • Learn about the grapes used to make wine, and the winemaking process.
  • Familiarize yourself with the world’s leading wine regions and the types of wine they produce.
  • Read and understand wine labels.

Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Module Five - Wine Sales and Service

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn how to taste a wine so that you can adequately assess its characteristics and describe them to customers.
  • Create a wine list by selecting and pricing the wines you want to sell.
  • Train your service staff to recommend and serve wines.
  • Increase your wine sales.
  • Open and store wine properly.

Project 2: Matching Price Ranges
Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Module Six - Beer

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the market trends affecting today’s brewing industry.
  • Learn how beer is made and the role of each of its ingredients.
  • Recognize and describe the various types and styles of beer.
  • Learn how to take proper care of a draft-beer system and why each step is important.
  • Learn to properly store canned and bottled beer.
  • Correctly choose and clean beer glasses.
  • Sell beer profitably in a bar or restaurant setting.
  • Train and motivate staff members to sell beer.

Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Module Seven - Mixology - Part One

Learning Objectives:

  • Know what makes a “good drink” good.
  • Understand the relationship between glass size and amounts of liquor, ice, and mix, and apply this knowledge in creating drinks.
  • Decide on the method, equipment, ingredients, and garnish(es) to be used for each drink you serve.
  • Know how ingredients are measured and choose an appropriate method of measurement.
  • Know how to use premixed ingredients and other shortcuts appropriately.
  • Explain and demonstrate the build method of drink mixing.
  • Make highballs, juice drinks, liquor-on-ice drinks, Collinses (with mix), coolers, coffee drinks, the pousse-café and layered drinks, and other build-in-glass drinks.

Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Module Eight - Mixology - Part Two

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain and demonstrate the stir, shake-by-hand, blend, and shake-mix methods of drink mixing.
  • Explain and demonstrate how to make frozen and ice-cream-based drinks.
  • Understand how to prepare cocktails from these families: sour, Collins (from scratch), sling, fizz, tropical, and cream drinks.
  • Take drink orders accurately, fill them efficiently, and train others to do so.
  • Develop a suitable drink menu for a limited-menu bar.
  • Create signature (specialty) drinks.

Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Module Nine - Regulations

Learning Objectives:

  • Research your state and local regulations.
  • Meet licensing, registration, and code requirements.
  • Observe legal hours of sale and sell only beverages that you are licensed to sell.
  • Avoid selling to underage or intoxicated persons.
  • Buy your beverages from licensed suppliers.
  • Avoid illegal relationships with suppliers.
  • Observe laws about record keeping, bottle closures, empty bottles, and official inspections.
  • Check product labels for legitimacy.
  • Avoid illegal advertising.
  • Train employees to be aware of and observant of beverage laws.

Quiz: Multiple-choice questions that pertain to objectives above.

Final Exam

Multiple choice questions taken from each module

Final Learning Statement

Learning statements should be in a narrative format – as opposed to an outline format. Depending on individual writing styles Learning statements should be 1-2 pages. The learning statement can vary according to individual style. Your learning statement should answer the broad question of "what did you learn?". To help get you thinking, here are some suggested questions:

  • What are the major concepts of the course that you have learned?
  • What new professional language have you acquired relating to the topic?
  • Thinking back to your project reflections, were you surprised at the outcomes?
  • What new resources did you find in the study of the content?
  • As a chef/food service professional, what new concepts will you now integrate into your work?
  • Are there any ideas that presented themselves as enlightening and useful?

Requirements for Course Certificate of Completion

The following are the general course requirements for issuing a certificate of completion for this course:

  • Student must receive 80% or better on each module quiz as well as the final exam
  • Student must complete all course projects as outlined within the course
  • Student must complete a Final Learning Statement at the end of this course