Drip trays

Measure the spot where the tray will stand first. Under a single tap the round tray of 14 cm is enough: it takes up little room and moves aside easily when you wipe the bar. If you work a tower with several taps, the rectangular tray of 48 by 10 cm is the right one, because it covers the whole row without you having to place two side by side. The 30 by 15 cm model sits in between and is deeper, which helps if you also turn glasses upside down in it for a moment. Also consider whether you need to catch water at the sink rather than at the tap. The 27 cm sink overflow keeps the water level in the sink constant, so it does not run over when you lower a crate of glasses into it. The funnels of 15 cm and 110 mm channel liquid away exactly where you want it.

Position the tray so that the spout of the tap falls well inside it, not over the rim, because a drop that lands just beside the edge will still do its work on your bar top. Leave a few centimetres of play at the front, so you can hold a glass at an angle under the tap without touching the tray. An anti-slip mat underneath keeps the tray in place if you knock into it. Empty the tray during service and not only at the end, because a full tray slops over the moment you lift it. If you work on location, the tray belongs to the same fixed kit as your mobile bar setup.

Stainless steel is the logical material for this job, because beer, wine and citric acid leave it untouched and you can put the tray in the dishwasher. Rinse it after every shift, because the sugars from soft drinks and liqueur turn sticky and attract fruit flies. Limescale comes off with an acidic cleaner. Dry the tray afterwards with a cloth, wiping in the direction of the grain, and you will not see any streaks. Check now and then that the drain hole is not blocked with pulp or foam.

A dry bar takes more than catching drips alone. The coasters catch the condensation a cold glass gives off, and the glass crates keep your dirty glasses together so nothing is left standing on the bar. If you want to organise your working space further, look at the speed rails for bottles within reach. An overview of the complete kit is on the bar tools page, and the cocktail recipes show you per drink which tools you need.