free pouring is a mental system of volume measurement used when making cocktails. Other than an unrestricted pour spout (called a “speed pourer”) that fits in the neck of a bottle, no special measuring tools such as jiggers are required during the actual drink-making process when free pouring. Instead, bartenders judge the volume poured either by observing the levels of liquid in the mixing glass or, more frequently, by a system of “counts.” Such counts are precisely timed numbers noted silently in the bartender’s mind while pouring that correspond to fractions of an ounce.
In order to free pour properly, professional bartenders undergo rigorous training, usually at regular intervals, to maintain accuracy and consistency. An empty bottle may be filled with water, for example, and fitted with a speed pourer; then tests are conducted blind. Testing kits, such as that made by Exacto-Pour, gauge accuracy to within the nearest sixteenth of an ounce.
See also jigger and pour spout.
Morgenthaler, Jeffrey, The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2014.
By: Jeffrey Morgenthaler