There are several things that beginning bartenders should know. You'll want to familiarize yourself with the common ingredients and terminology used in the bar and cocktail recipes, essential mixing techniques like shaking, stirring, and muddling, and the gear that can help you pull it all together.
5 Tips for Newbies - Beginners guide (extended version)
40 related questions found
What is rule number 1 of bartender?
1. Thou shalt never get so drunk that you can't count the money. Bartenders are often encouraged to drink a little during their shift, whether because a regular wants to buy them a shot or the staff needs a morale booster.
What are the five P's of a professional bartender?
Everything from why you shake, when you muddle, to the practicalities of the job, and what we call the five 'P's of world class service: pride, passion, preparation, professionalism and presentation.
You have to not only be courteous to customers; you also have to offer them some courtesy from time to time. Especially to those who are regulars at the bar. This is an important part of the golden rule. When we talk about courtesy, we refer to a drink or liquor.
Every rookie bartender should adopt the mantra “slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Spilling liquor, over-pouring and ruining a drink, breaking a glass, or slicing a finger aren't only embarrassing consequences of trying to do too much, too fast, they'll also eat up a bartender's valuable time during a busy night.
Several bartenders mentioned that they remembered many drinks in their repertoire basically as riffs on another—instead of remembering abstract formulas, they master a few common drinks and then add and subtract ingredients to those to remember others.
Completing bartending school does not guarantee you a job as a bartender. You will still need to gain on-the-job experience working in a bar or restaurant setting. Many bartenders begin their careers as waiters or runners before advancing to bartending roles.
The “four count” is preferred because it breaks down so easily — “1” equals a quarter shot, “2” equals a half shot, on up to a full “4” count — which is the house pour, or one full shot.
The hardest part of this job is that no matter whether you are having a bad day, or going through something, whenever you sign in to start work, you have to face it, and you have to face it from the very first day. All you have to focus on is looking after the customers to make them happy.
What are the three things you don't talk about in a bar?
It's a commonly known pearl of wisdom and, generally speaking, a widely accepted practice that there are three things you never talk about in bars: politics, religion and race.
Using the four-count method, a 1.5-ounce pour is 3 counts using a pour spout. That means you'll start pouring and say “one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand” and stop.
Bar etiquette refers to how you should behave in a bar. While spending time at a bar is a great way to let loose and have fun, it is also important to respect the space, workers, and people around you.
For the uninitiated, the free pour is one that is done by the experienced bartender who can accurately pour out the ¾, 1 oz, or 1.5 oz pour by counting or eyeballing the flow, and does not need to use a jigger or some other method of pour spout regulation.
Friendly, polite, accommodating, engaging, charming. These are all necessary qualities of a good bartender. Excellent communication skills shine through in aspects of a bartender role, including customer service, and communicating confidently with other members of the team.
