Bartending School in a Book potx

BAR SETUP KNOW YOUR BAR BAR SAFETY & HEALTH CONCERNS ICE SAFETY BARTENDING TERMINOLOGY BARTENDER TOOLS GLASSWARE HOW TO CHILL A GLASS TIPS ON HANDLING GLASSWARE HOW TO FREE POUR PRACTICI

Bartending School in a Book

By Thomas StillwellCopyright © 2013 by, Cameron GossAll rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author

Reviewers may quote brief passages in reviews

Table of Contents

BARTENDING SCHOOL IN A BOOK

SO YOU WANT TO BE A BARTENDER?

IS BARTENDING RIGHT FOR YOU?

WHAT MAKES A GREAT BARTENDER? BAR SETUP

KNOW YOUR BAR

BAR SAFETY & HEALTH CONCERNS

ICE SAFETY

BARTENDING TERMINOLOGY

BARTENDER TOOLS

GLASSWARE

HOW TO CHILL A GLASS

TIPS ON HANDLING GLASSWARE

HOW TO FREE POUR

PRACTICING THE FREE POUR

HOW TO POUR A BEER

WORKING THE BAR

THE CONVERSATIONAL BARTENDER

REMEMBERING NAMES

THE ART OF CONVERSATION

KNOW HOW TO SMALL TALK

A TIP FOR DEALING WITH RUDE CUSTOMERS CHECKING ID

So you want to be a bartender?

So you want to be a bartender? That's fantastic! Bartending can be a fun and entertaining job that allows you to meet alot of interesting people and earn a good chunk of change all at the same time You'll be surrounded by people that are out

to have a good time, working in awesome locations, and mixing up tasty cocktails for your guests to enjoy

One great aspect about bartending is that it allows for a great amount of flexibility in your life No matter where youdecide to live there will, most likely, always be a bar nearby And every bar needs a bartender to pour drinks It's alsoguaranteed that there is a type of bar out there you will enjoy working at Whether you prefer a quiet wine bar with littlenoise, the loud and crazy night club scene, or perhaps you're the adventurous type and choose to mix drinks on a cruiseship or some exotic beach local Whatever the case there's a location out there you will love

The world of bartending is exciting, fun, and lucrative But make no mistake It's hard work and it does take a certainkind of person with certain skills to be a great bartender This book can't change what type of person you are What it can

do however is teach you the basic skills needed to jump in the profession From there it's up to you to practice those skillsuntil you've reached great bartender status Let's first go over what you'll learn in this book

The first thing we'll cover is how the typical bar is set up You'll learn what each section behind the bar is used for, thebest way liquors should be set up behind the bar, the importance of knowing your bar, and a few more helpful tips whennavigating yourself behind the bar From there we'll discuss important safety and health concerns when serving guests.After that if you want to be a bartender you're going to have to learn how to talk like one Bartending has its ownlanguage That's why it's a must to go over all the important terminology in the world of bartending You'll also learn theessential bartending tools, glassware and what each glass is used for, how to free pour, how to write a bartender resume.Finally we'll discuss the greatest section of this book Conversational skills and dealing with customers As if all thatinformation wasn't enough there's the added "expanded knowledge" section Here we'll go every type of wine, beer,spirits, and how they're made, how they should be drank, and finally a little bit of history for each

Feeling overwhelmed? Don't be Take every section bit by bit and treat this book as a reference manual that you can

go back to any time Get ready to learn everything you wanted to know about bartending Schools in session! Let's begin

Is Bartending Right for You?

All you have to do when bartending is mix drinks right? Wrong! That is a huge misconception that many people haveabout bartenders At the heart of bartending is customer service In the end that's what it comes down to, giving greatcustomer service so everyone can have a good time It's much more complicated than just mixing drinks Any old slob offthe street can walk in a bar toss some liquor in a glass and mix it up Making cocktails isn't what makes a bartender great.Awesome customer service and great people skills are what makes a bartender amazing

Now that we got that out of the way there's a very important question you have to ask yourself before diving into theworld of bartending Do you like people? Not every person of course, that would just be ridiculous But would youconsider yourself a people person? Generally speaking do you like talking, meeting, and interacting with others? If theanswer is no, than bartending is not for you You don't necessarily have to be good at interacting with others, althoughthat would help But you have to at least have a desire and a want to meet people and talk with them Believe it or not,conversational and social skills can be learned just like anything else But the desire to learn those things and be aroundpeople can't You either have it or you don't Once you answer that you'll know whether bartending is right for yourpersonality

There are a few other things to take into consideration For one, bartending can be a physically demanding job You'llconstantly be on your feet moving back and forth behind the bar, mixing drinks with both hands, and grabbing extra stockfrom the back room You'll also have to change the occasional beer keg which can be heavy and hard on the back If youhave certain health problems, particularly problems with your feet, than you might want to give bartending a pass Finally, you'll need a lot of patience If you've ever worked in a service industry job you know why People are asses!Not all of them of course, but some are ;especially when their drunk Patience is a skill that can be improved with practice.But if you think you might be a particularly confrontational person who can't put up with dumb asses you might want tothink long and hard about choosing to be a bartender Bartending is all about giving people great service; even theassholes

What Makes a Great Bartender?

As you have probably already gathered The number one thing that makes a great bartender great is awesome

customer service Your goal is to give what the customer wants before they even know they want it Not sure what thatmeans? Here's an example Have you ever been to a restaurant and the waiter/waitress drops off a refill before you evenfinished your first drink? Or you realize you need extra napkins only to find extras already placed at the end of the table.That's great service and that's what you want to strive for It really comes down to always thinking about the customerand what they might need at any given moment

Having a good memory will also help Yes you'll have to memorize a lot of cocktail recipes But don't worry too much.You won't have to memorize thousands of drinks That's just not practical But you will have to memorize the most popularones and whatever drinks are on your bar's menu Most of the time someone will order one of the more popular cocktailsand you'll already have it memorized So no worries You won't be running back and forth to a recipe book

A great bartender is also clean This is very important and we'll touch on it in greater detail later Just know that you

can't be a slob when you're in charge of making things people will ingest.

Social skills are also a must if you want to be a great bartender You'll be talking and interacting with others all nightand being completely socially inept won't help If you're not the most socially minded person don't worry Social skills arecalled skills for a reason Because they can be taught We'll go over some conversational and social tips later in this book.Just know that as long as you have a desire to get better at this you will

Bar Setup

Here we'll discuss the general layout of a bar and what the different sections are called and used for Ideally a bar isdesigned to be both aesthetically pleasing to look at and practical for running efficiently

The three major sections to a bar are:

1 The Bar Top

2 The Under Bar ( front& back under bar)

3 The Back Bar

The bar top is a very important section to the bar It's the customer's area where they will eat and be served theirdrinks Because of this it's crucial that you keep this area clean and free of empty glasses and other debris If you have amoment where you're free of helping customers it would be a good idea to wipe the bar top down Along the bar top you'llhave holders filled with napkins, stirrers, straws, toothpicks, and condiments if your bar serves food Keep these wellstocked If you don't you'll just get slowed down in the future when a guest is asking you for a napkin Ideally you'll wantone of these holders every four seats Just below the bar top will be a small lip lined with rubber This is called the servicerail The rubber is used to catch spills and ice

There are two under bars One under the bar top and the other under the back bar Underneath the bar top you'll findyour essentials like sinks, ice bins, register, glassware racks, garnishes, coolers filled with bottled beers and mixers, andthe very important speed rail

The speed rail is just a rack where you'll put your most used liquors in This is so you can always have your mostneeded liquors at a quick arm's length away speeding up the process Hence the name speed rail When your bar getsbusy and your making drinks left and right your speed rail will be your savior Without it you would be forced to go to theback of the bar and grab a bottle every time It might not seem like an issue, but it truly is easier to bend down and grabthe liquor you need rather than walking anywhere

There's no hard and fast rule on what liquors you want to stock in your speed rail Generally speaking you'll want thebasic spirits in your rail- vodka, gin, rum, and tequila However you may stock your speed rail differently depending onyour bar's menu It's not uncommon to also stock mixers in the rail It's really a personal preference However, generallyyou'll want to stock your speed rail with "well" also called "house" liquors Well/house liquors are what you could call

"off brand" spirits In other words they are what you use when you're not using popular brands of liquor You'll want tokeep your premium liquors on the back of the bar displayed for the customers to see So you don't want your Grey GooseVodka or your Bacardi Silver Rum in your speed rail

The under bar at the back of the bar is usually storage area for extra napkins, straws, printer paper, etc It's not

uncommon for this area to have more coolers for bottled beer Every bar is set up slightly different

The back bar is where you'll have all your shelving displaying your premium liquors This is like your bars

advertisement for what kind of liquors you carry That's why it's essential to keep this area cleaned and well stocked It'spretty common for your bar to stock its best glassware in this section also and fix this area up with lights This is theprettiest section of your bar and arguably one of the most important Treat this section with great respect

Your bar will ideally be set up for two bartenders to work at the same time and not run into each other Theoreticallyyou should be able to cut the bar in half and have each bartender work on either end, independent from one another Eachwill have their own register, ice bin, speed rail, garnishes, and coolers The liquors on the shelving at the back of the barshould be set up in a certain way as well You'll want to have the least popular liquors placed in the middle and the mostpopular liquors placed on both ends of the shelving This is so each bartender can have their own bottle of the morepopular liquors but can easily share the less popular bottles in the middle because they won't be ordered as frequently

Know Your Bar

Generally speaking bars will be set up similarly But every bar is slightly different It is absolutely crucial for you toknow your bar Your bar is your command center, it's your headquarters, it's what shields and separates you from thecrazy onslaught of customers You must become one with your bar Know exactly where everything is Know where tofind your cocktail shakers, strainers, jiggers, and muddlers (all of which are tools we'll go over later) Know where to findevery type of bottled beer your bar caries Is Bud Light in the front cooler or the back? Are extra napkins under theregister or in the back room?

You want to be able to grab something without looking or thinking When you get busy you'll appreciate the care youtook of getting to know your bar You'll also need to know where to find all your back up glasses, bottled beers, beer kegs,garnishes, etc If you run out of something you'll want to know exactly where to get it and not spend ten minutes runningaround the restaurant/bar trying to find extra limes

Those are just the physical aspects to the bar You'll also need to know your particular bar's policies Does your barallow tabs? What are the rules and procedures regarding tabs? Sometimes bars allow you to give away a certain number offree drinks each week as a way of enticing customers to come back Does your bar do this? If so how many drinks can yougive away? It's also common for bars and restaurants to be very picky on what type of glass goes with a specific drink.Last but not least, know your menu Every bar has a different menu of cocktails Some bars have their own signaturecocktails Commit these to memory

Every bar is different so it's up to you to learn and become one with it These are simply guidelines you should follow;like a check list

Bar Safety & Health Concerns

Bartenders usually don't come to mind when people are thinking about food safety You'll probably think of the dirtycook who doesn't wash his hands and undercooks chicken After all, food safety is only for chefs right? Nope Bartenderscreate things that will ultimately be consumed by someone; just like a cook It's your duty as a bartender to keep thingsclean and develop good habits so your guests can remain safe

The first rule is often overlooked by bartenders yet it seems like a no brainer Don't use the same cloth to wipe downthe bar top and your glasses All this does is spread germs from the bar top to your clean glasses

While we're talking about wiping the bar top down Don't just use a wet bar cloth to wipe it down This does no goodand simply smears the germs and filth around The bar top is a nasty place It's constantly having people off the streetlean on it, touch it, and they place their dirty hands and money all over it All those germs spread to the silverware, menus,other guest's hands, your hands, behind the bar, in the garnishes You get the idea

The right way to clean your bar is to have a bucket filled with warm water and a cleaning solution That way whenyou're wiping down the bar you're actually killing those germs

So, in short, never wipe down your bar and glassware with the same cloth and always use a cleaning solution whenwiping down the top of the bar

The next thing you need to consider is to never stack your glassware directly on the bar top For one you don't want

to use your bar top as a storage area This is the customer's area where they'll be eating, handling money, and just

generally spreading germs There's also a greater chance of a customer knocking one over and breaking it And brokenglass is a bartender's worse enemy If you don't have racks for your glassware and must place them on a counter behindthe bar stack them on a bar mat This is just a simple rubber storage mat This will help them stay in place and it will alsogreatly reduce the chance of them chipping on the counter top

It's also your responsibility to make sure the fruit and vegetables that will be used for garnishes are properly washedbefore using It's best to have an actual preparing area where you can prepare the garnishes You don't want this preppingarea to be behind the bar either As clean as you'll try to keep your bar it will still have germs The bar is often timessurrounded by dirty glasses, splashing water, and customers that cough and sneeze way too much Prepare your

garnishes the right way in a kitchen Before cutting your fruits and vegetables make sure you wash them thoroughly toensure any excess germs and bacteria are off the surface

Speaking of cutting garnishes Before you begin cutting garnishes you want to first sanitize your knives and cuttingboards It's important to treat this process with the same care that a chef would before cooking People can get sick from illprepared fruit and vegetables just like anything else Also, when preparing multiple types of fruits are vegetables it's agood idea to wash your knife and cutting board between each type of garnish Many people have allergies to certainfoods that can be set off by even the smallest pieces left over It may seem unlikely for someone to get sick from illprepared garnishes but it's better to stay safe than sorry You're a professional; keep your guests safe

Ice Safety

Ice safety is easily one of the most overlooked health concerns in both bars and restaurants As a bartender you'll behandling ice constantly Practically every drink you make will have ice in it and believe it or not, customers can get sickfrom dirty ice Therefore it's very important to handle ice appropriately

Are you ready for the number one golden rule for ice safety? Never ever use a glass to scoop ice from the bin There's

a few reason for this but the main reason is this- the ice can actually end up breaking the glass

If you end up with a broken glass in the ice bin you'll have to completely scrap all the ice in that bin This can be a longprocess You'll have to melt down all the ice and clean it out to make sure no pieces of glass are left in the bin You canimagine how much of a pain this would be if your bar is busy Not to mention you'll be an ice bin down and you'll have toget your ice from somewhere else

Despite how terrible a broken glass in the ice bin would be it's still not the worst that could happen The worst thatcould happen is the glass could chip without you noticing; leaving small fragments behind I'm sure you can see wherethis scenario is going but let's go over it anyway

Your bar is crammed full of customers all waiting to be helped Your running around like a madman trying to catch upwith the orders In a hurry, you scoop ice out of the ice bin with a glass The glass chips and leaves a small piece behind.You continue making the cocktail without noticing the small chip in the glass You then serve the drink to the customerwho notices the chipped glass but simply shrugs it off because it's not that big of a deal for him When it becomes a realissue is when you or another bartender goes back to the ice been and scoops ice That small piece of glass could easilyend up in someone's drink Which could result in a cut mouth or worse, being swallowed It doesn't take a rocket scientist

to figure out that swallowing glass is not a good thing Not to mention your bar could be facing a very hefty lawsuit The solution to this is simple Use a designated ice scoop and never use a glass Your customer's safety is in yourhands so stay professional about this Using an ice scoop also has another benefit It helps to keep the ice clean

Ice scoops will have a handle and a knuckle guard These will help to keep your hands from touching the ice As abartender your hands are always touching dirty surfaces, the messy bar top, empty plates and glasses, and dirty money

In other words, they're nasty So you never want to touch the ice with your bare hands It's also a good idea to wash yourhands as much as possible

Scooping ice with a glass isn't the only way pieces of glass can end up in your ice bin If a glass shatters on the bartop or the counter it's very likely that glass can get into the ice bin You've probably dropped a glass on the kitchen floor

at some point Remember how far the pieces can travel? Well that can happen behind a bar also Most ice bins shouldhave a lid This is why it's important to always keep the lid closed if the bin isn't being used If you have any doubt thatglass has gotten in the bin do the right thing, clean the bin out

Here's a pro tip for you If glass has gotten into an ice bin and your too busy to clean it out right away pour somegrenadine over the ice This will "mark " the ice a red color and let the other bartenders know not to scoop from that bin.From there just scoop your ice from a different bin until you have time to melt the other one down

Ice safety is very important in bartending Use common sense when handling ice and treat it like you would any otherkind of food

Bartending Terminology

If you want to be a bartender you have to learn how to talk like one These are most of the terms you'll come in contactwith

Shot-A shot is a measurement of liquor equaling 1.5 ounces Most shot glasses hold 1.5 oz and many actually have a

line marking the 1.5 oz mark You may also come across a "double shot" glass, this is simple taller than the standard shotglass and equals double the amount

Build- When you "build" a drink your simply mixing it in the glass it will be served in.

Up- This refers to a drink that's served without any ice but is typically shaken or stirred with ice So if you order a

martini shaken and served "up" the bartender will shake the drink over ice in a cocktail shaker Then he will strain it when

he pours so no ice gets into the glass

Rocks/ on the rocks- Rocks are ice So if a drink is ordered "on the rocks" it simply means served in a glass of ice Neat- Serving a drink "neat" means pouring straight out of the bottle into the glass No rocks, not serving it up, just

simply pouring it into the glass This is more common with higher quality liquors

Double- This refers to doubling the amount of alcohol within a drink This does not however mean you double the

amount of mixer in the drink This results in a much stronger cocktail

Tall- Tall is the opposite of double This is when you add double the amount of mixer to a drink but keep the same

amount of alcohol This will make for a much larger drink and will slow the consumption of alcohol down

Muddle- "Muddling" is the process of slowing crushing fruits or herbs at the bottom of the glass This is done with a

special tool called a muddler Slowly grinding the fruits and herbs releases extra flavors into the drink

Float- A float is a small amount of alcohol that is poured on top of a finished drink It's not mixed into the drink just

poured on top after the cocktail has already been mixed

Well/ House Liquor- We've been over this already but it doesn't hurt to mention it again "Well" or "House" liquors

are your more generic brands of liquors used when your premium liquors are either out, or not specified by the customer

Premium/ Call Liquors- Your premium liquors are your name brand liquors that you display at the back of the bar.

They are often called "call" liquors because the customer has to "call" them by name if they want it Typically you willwant to up sell from a house liquor to a call liquor because it will be more expensive

Sour- This simply refers to the mixer called "sweet and sour"

Virgin/ NA- Virgin means the non alcoholic (NA) version of the drink.

Twist- Ordering a drink with a "twist" just means adding a slice of lemon or lime to the cocktail.

Shaken-You probably know this one already Shaken means adding the contents of a drink into a cocktail shaker and

shaking it over ice to mix and chill the drink

86- 86 can have two meanings Generally it means an item is out of stock Some bartenders also use it as "86ed" which

refers to kicking someone out of the bar

Back- A "back" is a small glass of something that accompanies a drink This could be water, soda, beer, or anything

else for that matter "I'll have a scotch neat with a water back"

Chaser- This refers to anything that is quickly drank after a shot of alcohol This is often done to ease an unpleasant

after taste from the shot

Dirty-This is when you add olive juice to a martini Hence the term "dirty" martini.

Bar Back- A bar back is actually a person You can think of him/her as the "right hand man" to the bartender They

help the bartender keep the liquors stocked, glasses cleaned, beer kegs full, etc

These are the more popular terms you'll run into Study these and get them down That way when someone orders a

-"Vodka martini shaken and served up with a lime twist and a water back" you'll know what they want

Cobbler Shaker/ Boston Shaker Cocktail shaker- The cocktail shaker is used to mix drinks by shaking the cocktail over ice This shaking process also

helps to chill the drink There are two types of cocktail shakers The Cobbler shaker and the Boston shaker The Cobblershaker consists of the metal mixing cup, the strainer that fits on top of the cup, and a cap to cover the strainer

The Boston shaker has a much more simple design It consists of only a metal mixing cup and a glass that fits insidethe metal cup The Boston shaker does not have a strainer built into it so it will require a separate strainer Many

bartenders prefer the Boston shaker because the Cobbler style has a few faults Often times when pouring with thecobbler shaker ice will block the holes in the strainer This stops the flow of the pour and can be frustrating This type ofshaker can also be a pain to detach the strainer from the mixing cup

It's a personal preference and comes down to what the bar has in stock Generally speaking though you'll be able tomove much faster using the Boston style cocktail shake

Hawthorne Strainer/ Julep Strainer Cocktail Strainer-A cocktail strainer is used to strain liquids from an ice filled glass This is done so you can serve a

drink chilled without having ice in the glass The two types of strainers are called the Hawthorne Strainer and The JulepStrainer

But the more common of the two as the Hawthorne strainer The metal spring on the Hawthorne strainer fits inside theglass The spring acts as a strainer when you pour the cocktail into a glass The Julep strainer bowl shaped with a handleand allows the drink to pass through small holes This strainer fits inside the mixing glass

Wine Key/ Corkscrew opener Wine Key/ Wine Opener- The wine key is commonly referred to as a "waiters best friend" But it can also be the

bartender's best friend A wine key is used to open wines The small knife on the tool is used to cut the foil seal over thecork Wine keys typically have a bottle opener on them as well Wait staff usually prefer a wine key because its smallerand easier to carry around

As a bartender however you'll be behind the bar most of the night and won't need a small tool to carry around.Therefore you may prefer a simple corkscrew wine opener It's a little easier to open bottles with and it will have a bottleopener on the handle You will still need a small knife however to cut the foil over the cork

Speed Opener Speed Opener- The wine key might be the waiter's best friend But the speed opener is definitely the bartender's best

friend It's just a simple bottle opener for beer It is not a good idea to get in the habit of opening twist cap beer bottleswith your hands Sure you're probably able to do it, but it's about that one time you screw it up

You can easily find yourself in a situation where the bar is busy and you're pressed for time With wet hands, youquickly grab a bottle and try to untwist it Unfortunately however your hand slips and you end up cutting it on the cap.Now you'll have a potentially bloody hand, which of course is a health hazard Not to mention your hand will be hurt nowand as a bartender your hands are what make you money A bartender with a hurt hand is a slow and clumsy bartender.Not good So save yourself the Hassel ahead of time and just use a speed opener

Muddler Muddler- Muddling is a technique used to extract juices from fruit and vegetables Basically you put the fruit or

vegetables at the bottom of a glass and slowly grind and smash them This releases the tasty flavors into the drink AMuddler is just the tool used to do that A classic Muddler looks like a small baseball bat However many Muddlers thesedays can be plastic or even metal

Jigger Jigger- This is hands down one of the most important tools you'll use as a bartender A jigger is just a simple

measuring device It's used to measure the amount of alcohol you're pouring into a glass A Jigger usually consists of twosides each with a different measurement Common measurements are a 1.5 oz side (a shot) and a smaller 1 oz or 1/2 oz side.Jiggers have a range of measurements on either side so it's crucial that you know what type of jigger you are using.Using a jigger can have its pros and cons On one hand, many bartenders prefer not to use one and free pour (We'll goover free pouring a bit later) instead This is because measuring your pours with a jigger slows you down However using

a jigger ensures you are pouring the correct amount of alcohol into a drink at all times

Your bar's liquor is its bread and butter It's the lifeline and blood that keeps the business running, after all it is a bar.With that said, it can be very costly if your bar has several bartenders over pouring because they are not using a jigger.Over pouring can cause a large loss of inventory That's why it's not uncommon for a bar to require you to use a jigger atall times, even though it can slow you down So get use to using one and always know the measurements of your jigger

Pour Spouts Pour Spouts- Pour spouts are fitted on top of your liquor bottles These assist you in pouring and allow for a steady

and consistent stream when pouring Some pour spouts are faster than others so it's important for you to get a feel forthem before you dive right in and start pouring drinks Quality spouts will have a very small screen inside them Thisstops bugs or other debris from entering the bottle

These are most of the tools you'll come in contact with as a bartender Every tool has slight variations from other tools

of its kind so practice with them and become one with your tools just like you would with your bar

Glassware

Without glasses your bar would have to close shop Next to the actual liquor, glasses are the most important itemsbehind the bar This is why it's important to keep glasses clean and stocked as much as possible Things start to go badfast when your bar begins to run out of clean glassware

As a bartender, knowing your glassware is critical You'll need to know what types of glasses are used for what types

of drinks Let's get started

measurement tool if you don't have a jigger around.

Goblet/ Chalice

These are large bowl-like glasses They are often used for Margaritas and certain types of beers

Rocks/ Old Fashioned

Glass-These are short glasses typically used for serving liquors "on the rocks", hence the name rocks glass

Brandy Snifter

A Brandy snifter essentially looks like a short wine glass It is used for brandy, hence the name of course The design

of the glass actually has very practical purposes For one the balloon shape helps to hold the aromas from the drink withinthe glass The short stem is designed to hold the glass between the middle and ring fingers with the bowl of the glassresting in your palm This is done so the warmth of your hand warms the drink

Collins/ Chimney Glass

This is a tall and narrow glass used for a variety of cocktails such as the Tom Collins Many bars also use this forBloody Mary's and Long Island Ice Teas

Cocktail/ Martini glass

This is your classic Martini glass It is used for numerous cocktails and martinis These drinks usually don't have iceand are served chilled ( or in other words "up" if you remember your terminology) These glasses are often chilled beforeserving a drink

Poco Grande

Yet another cocktail glass These area similar to the hurricane glass and are typically used for tropical drinks

Irish Coffee Glass

This is used to serve hot drinks such as Irish Coffees

Wine Glass

We're all familiar with the typical wine glass However it is very common for certain wines to be served in certain types

of wine glasses Red Wines are usually served in a glass with a wider bowl much like the first glass pictured This helpsthe wine's aromas to be caught within the glass

White wines are often served in a more narrow, taller glasses Much like the second glass pictured The stem on thewine glass has a purpose as well It is designed to be held by the stem so that the warmth of your hand does not changethe temperature of the wine within the glass

Also another important note- Many bars have strict rules on what type of cocktail is served in what type of glass Forexample a Pina Colada goes in a hurricane glass not a pilsner glass It's your job to learn what those rules are and followthem Every bar is different, some are very strict, some aren't

How to Chill a Glass

Many cocktails are often served in chilled glasses This helps the drink say cold for longer If you were to serve a drink

in a room temperature glass, or even worse a glass out of the dishwasher, the warmth from the glass would be absorbed

by the drink That's why it's important to know how to properly chill a glass

Chilling a glass is an easy process and can be done a few ways One obvious way is to store the glass in a refrigerator.Unfortunately many bars don't have the refrigerator space to store their glassware in so you'll need to know other ways tochill a glass If that's the case this is what you'll want to do

If your bar has crushed ice you'll want to fill the glass with the ice and let it sit for a minute while you mix the drink.Your bar might not have crushed ice If that's the case it will most likely have cubed ice When you fill the glass withcubed ice there will be spaces inside the glass where the ice isn't touching the surface of the glass You'll want to fill theglass with water which will help the chilling process Let the glass sit for a minute while you mix the drink When the drink

is ready to serve simply dump the ice water out and pour the drink

Here’s an important note on safety when chilling a glass Never put ice in a glass that just came out of the dishwasher.The glass will be warm and putting ice into it will cause a sudden temperature change That sudden temperature changecan actually cause the glass to crack or even shatter all together And we all know how bad broken glass can be behindthe bar

Tips on Handling Glassware

These are just a few tips when handling glassware These may seem like common sense but they’re important to keep

in mind

First tip is that you never want hold a glass at the top where the rim is This is where your guests will drink from andyour hands will most likely be dirty and filled with germs As a bartender you’ll be handling lots of money, wiping downcounters, possible picking up dirty plates, you get the idea

Second tip is to always check wine glasses for smudges There are few things more embarrassing than having a glass

of wine returned because you failed to inspect it for dirty smudges and left over lipstick It shows lack of care, concern,and professionalism Not to mention if the wine came from a particularly expensive bottle your mistake could be costly.Save yourself the hassle, always check your wine glasses and wipe them down with a linen cloth It literally won’t takelonger than ten seconds

How to Free Pour

Learning how to free pour can be a tricky task But it's a technique that can really speed up your skills as a bartender.Before we get started on learning how to free pour, it's probably a good idea to explain what free pouring is

Free pouring is the act of pouring a measured amount of alcohol without using an actual measuring device like a jigger

or shot glass As a bartender you'll have to use one or the other Whether using a jigger or free pouring, it's essential foryou to have an accurate and consistent pour for every drink every time A bar simply can't run properly if its bartendersare pouring drinks incorrectly Whether you're over pouring or under pouring someone will be getting screwed With thatsaid, let's learn how to free pour

Free pouring is done by using a timed counting system This is very similar to beats in music Every bartender hastheir own personal count when free pouring and you'll develop your own also

You'll want to start by first holding the bottle by the neck and wrapping your index finger around the bottom of thepour spout This will prevent the pour spout from falling out of the bottle when you start to pour When you begin topour you'll want to hold the bottle almost completely vertical This will help to make a steady and consistent pour

As soon as you begin the pour you want to start counting like this- "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 " What your wanting is forevery word you say, including the "ands" to equal a quarter of an oz poured So for example if you wanted to pour a shot(which is 1 1/2 oz.) you'll count- "1 and 2 and 3 and." When you reach your last "and" quickly stop pouring

This might sound very difficult and it will be at first But you'll have to practice You must practice! Unfortunately this

is something you have to develop and can't be learned simply be reading how to do it When you practice you'll start todiscover your own personal rhythm You want your count to be a consistent rhythm every time This is like a metronome,with every word in your count being a click

Practicing the Free Pour

Now that you know how to free pour, let's discuss what you'll need in order to practice First, you never want to try tofree pour without a pour spout This is crucial You want a steady and consistent stream when you pour and this can only

be achieved correctly with pour spouts It's important to note that different pour spouts pour at different speeds

Therefore it's a good idea for you to get a feel for the spouts you'll be using on a daily basis You'll also need a measuringdevice to measure your pours when practicing This can be a jigger, or a some other measuring cup Finally you'll need anempty alcohol bottle filled with water to act as your bottle of alcohol So here's your list:

Once you start testing your pours you then adjust the rhythm of the count accordingly So, if you poured to littleadjust your count by slowing it down a bit If you pour too much, speed your count up Keep doing this and you'll start toget closer and closer to your perfect rhythm every time Rinse and repeat until you can consistently pour accurateamounts every time

How to Pour a Beer

Pouring a beer might seem like an easy process to the everyday person But there’s actually more to it than you mightthink There are right ways and wrong ways to pour a beer And as a bartender you always want to pour it the right way

So here’s how it’s done

When you pour a beer you want to create the ideal head on the beer The “head” is the foam top The foam, or head,gives the beer flavor and aromas These aromas would be lost if you were simply drinking the beer out of the bottle or youfailed to pour the beer correctly It’s also possible to have too much foam A beer full of nothing but foam is not going to

be an enjoyable drink When pouring a beer you want to aim for creating a ½ to 1 inch layer of foam

First you’ll want to ensure the glass you’ll be using is clean and also large enough to hold the amount of beer you’ll

be pouring into it You’ll want to start by holding the glass at a 45 degree angle

When you start pouring you want the beer stream to hit the middle of the glass and slide down towards the bottom.This is not the point you want the foam to form By pouring the beer on the side of the glass your helping to prevent theformation of foam

Keep pouring until the glass gets to about half full At this point start to tilt the glass directly up and down You alsowant to start pouring the beer stream towards the center This is when the foam will begin to form Keep pouring in thecenter until the beer bottle is empty or your glass is full Don’t be afraid to get aggressive with your pour When you keepthe bottle close to the glass and slowly pour into the center you won’t create the ideal amount of head Add some spacebetween the bottle and the glass and pour quickly into the center of the glass This will help the foam form more rapidly.Pouring beer the right way and creating a proper head will take practice It’s important to remember that different beerswill foam different amounts so get a feel for what kinds of beers your bar serves

Working the Bar

The skills under this section really come from experience But we'll go over a few tips on how to handle yourself behindthe bar and how to take orders from multiple customers

First, you want to be aware of your surroundings at all times Behind the bar won't be a very big space and you'll bemoving around in it a lot You might also be working with another bartender who's moving around just as fast as you Beaware of what's around you Is there an ice chest on the floor? Is there a mat behind the bar that tends to flip up on onecorner? These things might sound dumb, but these can be trip hazards And if you trip behind the bar there's probably adozen corners, cabinets, and glasses you can bust your head on Not good

Always look where you're going If you walk behind your coworker let them know your behind them This preventsthem spinning around or taking a step back and running into you This all will seem like common sense, but as a beginnerbartender it's easy to get caught up in everything and forget the common sense things Pay attention to the space aroundyou and look for possible hazards behind the bar and you'll be fine

Paying attention to your surroundings refers to your customers as well Keep your head up and scan the bar for newcustomers that walked up, someone who might need another drink etc This way you can have a working list of who needs

to be helped next, who's been waiting a long time, and who just walked up You always want to acknowledge newcustomers that walk up to the bar No matter how busy you are do your best to acknowledge them A simple smile and a

"be right with you" will do just fine If your too far away or the bar's too loud even a simple smile and head nod will do.This will let them know you see them and you know they're there

The second thing to consider when working the bar is multitasking when taking orders The ability to multitask is askill that will take a little while to master, but in time you'll get better When you've got a bar that's jammed full withcustomers all waiting for you to take their order you don't want to be moving slowly One way to move quicker is takingmultiple drink orders at the same time

If you get a group of 5 walk up to the bar, don't ask them one at a time what they want and then make their drinks one

at a time This is not efficient and efficiency behind the bar is key Let's say 3 of them want bottled beers and two of themwant martinis How can you speed up the process by multitasking You can first set up the martini glasses and put ice inthem to chill the glass Then serve the guests the beers and mix the martinis That's plenty time for the glasses to bechilled when the martinis are done being mixed

The same concept applies to multiple groups If you have two groups all with different drinks, try to think about thequickest way to get both of them out of the way One trick is to give each group some of the drinks they ordered ratherthan working on only one group at a time This way both groups feel that you are working on their order and are less likely

to complain

When multitasking using both hands is very beneficial If you have a drink with two different kinds of liquors don'tjust pour one liquor at a time, pour one in one in your right hand and one in your left This can get tricky with gettingyour pours right but that's why it's important for beginners to practice at home whenever possible

Frankly, working the bar mostly comes from experience and not from reading an article or a book like this one Justremember, always pay attention to your surroundings and what's going on behind the bar Keep your head up andacknowledge your customers Try to make drink orders as efficiently as possible and practice pouring drinks with bothhands Follow these tips and you'll be working the bar like a pro in no time

The Conversational Bartender

When looking at a bartender many people think all they do is make drinks After all on the surface that's what it lookslike This couldn't be farther from the truth Bartending is more about the business of human interaction than it is aboutmaking drinks It's about giving excellent customer service and making people feel liked As a bartender you'll be meeting,talking, and dealing with a lot of people in a short amount of time This is why great conversational skills benefits abartender much more than fast hands or memory ever would

Sometimes someone can be the best conversationalist, most outgoing people person you've ever met Like they wereborn that way How can you possibly become one of those people? The truth is you won't become a conversationalmaster over night or after reading this book After all being a great conversationalist is and art from and art forms aren'tlearned, their developed

Despite all this however becoming a better conversationalist is a great way to become a better bartender We will goover specific conversational tricks that you can incorporate into conversations These will help you when conversing withothers You'll learn actionable steps but it's up to you to put them into practice next time your behind the bar; or anywherefor that matter Let's get started

Remembering Names

As a bartender you're likely to run into many people that visit your bar regularly, hence the term "regulars" Yourregulars will be a great source for tips so you want to treat them as best as possible You want to be professional,

personable, and likeable One great way to do this is to remember their names

When you remember someone's name you make them feel special, interesting, and important This will give peoplepositive feelings that they love to have In turn, you'll be the bartender everyone wants to go to

Many people have a problem with remembering names Ever have a time when someone tells you their name and youforget it literally 5 seconds later; in one ear and out the other We've probably all experienced that at some point The goodnews is that remembering names is less about memory and more about listening Why is it so difficult for us to remembernames?

The answer to this is simple We're too busy worrying about ourselves and what others are thinking about us Thiscauses our minds to wander during that crucial moment when someone says their name How can we fix this?

The first and most important rule in order to improve name recognition is simple You must stay in the moment andmake a conscious effort to remember their name Don't worry about yourself and how you come across The truth is, they'll

be too worried about themselves also and won't pay attention to how you appear So when they begin to say their namefocus on the present moment and make a conscious effort to actually listen

You'll also want to look at the person It sounds silly But in reality people are often looking away when meetingsomebody Don't be looking at the bar top, or the clock, or anything else for that matter except the person's face All yourattention needs to be focused in on them You want to make them feel welcomed and important So look them in the eyeand smile

Lastly, and easily one of the best tricks, you want to repeat their name back to them After someone introduces

themselves to you there's always the common "nice to meet you" response Simply repeat their name within this response

"Nice to meet you Michael" Looking at the person and repeating their name is a great way to put a name to a face

If you didn't hear them say their name just politely ask them to repeat it Sooner is better than later It's less awkward toask someone to repeat their name right away rather than after a twenty minute conversation

Here's an important note on foreign names Just try your absolute best to pronounce it right Ask them to repeat itseveral times if need be It's not rude and they will understand As long as you're polite and show a general interest inthem this won't come across as being rude What is rude however is saying "Oh I could never pronounce that!" Never dothat That shows a complete lack of interest in the person and it comes across as lazy Do your best to pronounce it andapologize if need be

The Art of Conversation

Ironically being a great conversationalist isn't about talking It's about listening more and talking less It really is assimple as that Frankly most people are self centered and they love talking about themselves If you have a conversationwith somebody and they spend ninety percent of the time talking chances are they will think the conversation went great.And they'll love you for it That's what you want as a bartender So here's how you do it

Conversations have a natural flow to them There's a give and take One person will ask questions and listen (give).Then they will tell the other person something about themselves (take) The problem is many people, if not most, engage

in too much taking during conversation This is further explained through the concept of Conversational

Narcissism(CN) CN is a term coined by the sociologist Charles Derber Essentially CN is the act of always trying to shift

the attention of the conversation to yourself

In order to see NC in action Derber gave responses to statements within a conversation two different labels The twokinds of responses are "shift-response" and the "support-response" The shift response is when someone shifts thefocus of the conversation back on themselves The support response is when the listener allows the focus to remain onthe person of the original statement Here's some examples:

Jack: "I'm really hungry."

David: " When did you eat last?" (support-response) Here David keeps the focus of the conversation on jack.

-Jack: "I'm really hungry."

David: "I Just ate not too long ago." (shift-response) Here David is shifting the focus of the conversation to himself.

-Jack: "You won't believe what my boss did today!"

David: "uhh ohh What happened?" (Support-response)

-Jack: "You won't believe what my boss did today!"

David:" My boss is always making me angry also!" (shift-response)

Start listening to conversations and you'll realize how many times people respond with shift responses

Here is the number one pro bartending tip for becoming a better conversationalist Use less shift responses A lotless In fact keep the conversation focused on the other person as much as possible Ask questions about what they say.Listen and nod so the person knows their being heard Don't be rude however If the other person asks you a questionyou should respond It will take some getting used to But pay attention to the natural flow of conversations and you'llbecome great at this

Know How to Small Talk

When you bartend most of the conversations you'll have with others will be simple small talk The everyday chit chat.Even though it may seem simple, being good at small talk can be difficult at times Especially if you don't consider yourself

an outgoing people person For those of you who have difficulty with everyday banter this chapter is for you We'veprobably all found ourselves sharing an awkward moment of silence with someone we just met Let's learn how to avoidthat

Engaging in small talk really boils down to you making the other person feel comfortable and encouraging

them through questions to continue talking This process will be described with the acronym PAW.

P- Pillar statement This is a base statement to get the conversation going.

"It's been a beautiful 85 degrees this week "

"I ate at this new Mexican restaurant this week end."

A- About yourself Usually this immediately follows your pillar statement Here you will say something further about

yourself This will help to build comfort and report between you and the other person However, you don't want to go off

on some huge monologue Keep this brief and concise

"I've been think ing about going to the beach soon and possibly tak ing windsurfing lessons."

" I had these great chick en enchiladas."

W- Who, what, where, when, or how This is where you ask them a question This will help get them talking.

"What's your favorite beach to go to around here?"

" Do you have a favorite Mexican restaurant?"

Here is where small talk can get tricky This is perhaps the biggest tip to keep in mind when engaging in small talk Youwant to keep your questions as open ended as possible so the conversation can branch out into other topics Questionsthat can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no" are small talk roadblocks Nothing will bring a conversation to a

screeching halt faster than simple "yes" and "no" responses The questions above are open ended because the

conversation can continue like

this-"What's your favorite beach to go to around here?"

"I prefer the north beach It's less crowded."

"Yea there are a lot less people there Plus the north beach has that great burger shack "

" I love that place! I always order their Death Burger."

Etcetera See how the conversation continued with a natural flow If you asked a question with a simple yes or noresponse this could happen-

"Do you ever go to the beach?"

Dead in the water Yes and no questions are ok to ask if you have an immediate follow up question or statement

" Do you have a favorite Mexican restaurant?"

" Yes"

"Which one?"

"Mi Amigos"

"I've never been there but I've heard they have great Queso."

Notice how the conversation continues to flow? Also, when engaging in small talk it's important to not bombard theperson with questions You don't want them feeling like you're interrogating them A good rule of them is to have an

"about yourself" statement every two questions Much like the example above

Small talk is as simple as that Remember, the general rule for conversations still stands Get the other person to talk asmuch as possible and talk less yourself The good thing about being a bartender is that you're not obligated to talk tosomeone who doesn't want to talk If you have a customer who isn't responding very much to small talk than they mostlikely don't want to talk Just make sure they have everything they need and don't talk to them Knowing how to small talkcomes in hand for those customers who do want to talk And there will be plenty of them

A Tip for Dealing with Rude Customers

Every service job will have its fair share of dealing with rude customers However, dealing with rude customers as abartender is a little different than most jobs Many people are difficult when they’re sober But you’ll see how truly rudethey can be after they have alcohol in their system

So how should you handle rude customers? This is a very difficult question to answer and will easily be one of themost challenging aspects of bartending For the most part you’ll want to remain as polite as possible Don’t get caught up

in the situation and end up stooping down to their level Here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when dealingwith ridiculous people

Mindset

The most important aspect to take into consideration when dealing with rude customers is to have the appropriatemindset No matter what happens you want to remain in control of the situation In order to remain in control of a situationit’s essential to remain calm

When you compare a calm person with an extremely angry person the calm person will be the one in control After allthe angry person throwing a temper tantrum can’t even control themselves You will be able to think clearly and be in abetter position to calm the situation if you keep a level head

Many people respond to rude customers by being rude back to them They hold their chins high and bombard theother person with their own dose of cruel words because “they don't take crap from anyone” How exactly will that helpthe situation?

You want to aim to be a great bartender and a great bartender wouldn't stoop to the rude person's level They woulduse their awesome conversational skills to defuse the situation Granted, that's easier said than done and it's nearlyimpossible to teach how one can defuse situations like that effectively The truth is every situation is different and gainingthe skill of calming tense situations can only come from observation and practice

As a bartender you're likely to come across a few tense situations so you'll get your practice in After reading thisbook you won't be able to calm every angry customer down and you won't be able to solve every problem that arises.However the important idea that needs to be stressed is that these situations are about the end game Your goal is always

to calm the person down and defuse the situation as fast as possible

Don't let your ego and pride get in the way of solving the problem In other words, don't start yelling back or beingrude to the other person after they were rude to you Here's a situation to demonstrate this point further You decidewhich action the bartender takes is more impressive

Situation 1

-Angry customer walks up to the bar and starts yelling rudely at the bartender

-Bartender responds by yelling back at the customer because he “doesn't take any crap”

-Customer and bartender continue to yell at each other causing a big scene This causes several other customers toleave the bar

Situation 2

-Angry customer walks up to the bar and starts yelling rudely at the bartender

-Bartender remains calm and begins to defuse the situation with great conversational skills, charm, and humor

-Customer walks away from the bar with his drink smiling

So, what's more impressive? You always want to be the bartender in situation 1 Solve conflicts with your brain notyour macho ego and pride

When the Person Just Won't Listen

It would be great if every angry customer can be talked down with rational conversation and a calm attitude.

Unfortunately however we don't live in an ideal world There are a few situations that you'll have to handle a little

differently For one if the person is being extremely belligerent and won't calm down If they're yelling and screaming allover the place it's best to just call the bouncer or police and have them removed from the bar

Here's one way to look at it If the person is being so unreasonable that they are causing others to leave, than kickingthem out becomes a simple business decision That one person is not going to spend the same amount of money as the 5people they just caused to leave In that case get them out of there and keep the atmosphere fun and lighthearted

The other scenario is if they are actively being threatening, calling you names, and invading your personal space Ifthat's the case, kick'em out Even so there's still an important aspect to keep in mind At no point do you want to becomethe bartender in situation 1 You can still remain calm and call the police or bouncer to have them removed

Dealing with rude customers is difficult and really is an art form Art forms aren't learned they're developed and formed

So it'll take time and experience before you get good at it The key is to never take anything some drunk asshole sayspersonally Always keep a level head and remember that these situations are about defusing the problem as quickly aspossible and not about defending your ego and pride Keep those things in mind and half the battle is already won

Checking ID

It’s one of the most important things you’ll do as a bartender, and you’ll do it often- ID’ing people Serving a minoralcohol is bad news You’ll be slapped with a misdemeanor, and potentially get a small fine & jail time Not to mentionyour employer will most likely fire you on the spot and it will be next to impossible to get another bartending job in thefuture Simply put- when in doubt check the ID

Acceptable forms of identification

are-1 State issued identification card

2 State driver’s license

3 Passport

4 Military identification card

Your bar should have a guide on acceptable identifications It should be in color and describe IDs in detail Youshould become familiar with the different types of IDs you’ll come in contact with

Often times bars will have their own carding policy Some may have a policy that requires you to card anyone thatappears to be under the age of 35 Some have a policy of carding everyone no matter what Make sure you know whatyour bar’s policy is and follow it

There are a few things to keep in mind when carding someone For one, if you have a group of 5 and only 3 them need

to be carded just card everyone Some people are sensitive about their age and appearance Avoid making them feel likethe odd ones in the group and card everyone It’s the safe bet

When checking an ID there are three things you want to check thoroughly First is the birth date, of course This willverify that the person is indeed over the age of 21 It’s crucial that you know the current date each and every day you go

to work Many people will go out on or just after their 21st birthday You want to make sure that’s the case and they’re notgoing out a few days before their birthday Next you want to check the expiration date If the ID is expired it must bedenied and legally can’t be accepted as proper identification Lastly, and most obviously, you want to check the picture.Make sure the person who gave you the ID is the person in the actual photo

Tampered or chanced ID

This type of fake ID is also a legitimate ID or at least it was at one point in time The most common types of changedIds are cards in which the birth date or expiration date are altered Look closely at the entire ID and not just the picture.Make sure the font of the birth date and expiration date match the font of the rest of the card Also, feel the card Makesure there isn’t any laminate over the dates or picture This is why it’s important to ask the person to take the ID out oftheir wallet

Counterfeit ID

This type of ID is a complete forgery and often times takes a great amount of effort and skill to make Checking if an ID

is counterfeit can be tough but there are a few things you can look out for Take notice of the weight Does the ID feelright? Is it the right size and colors? Most ID’s you’ll receive will be from your own state so take your legitimate ID andget familiar with what it feels like

When checking IDs it’s important to pay close attention to that alone No matter how busy your bar is if you’rechecking an ID that’s all you should be doing Also, many people will attempt to you and distract you when trying to passoff a fake ID Don’t be distracted by them or anything else

The good thing is that checking IDs gets much easier the more you do it You’ll see more and more IDs and getfamiliar with them Just remember the three golden rules When in doubt ID, don’t be distracted and when checking payattention to detail

constantly Therefore speaking two languages could be beneficial.

Perhaps you’ve had a lot of experience with “point of sale” software Restaurants and bars are rapidly moving towardselectronic systems for taking orders and ringing people up If you have any experience with these kind of systems

definitely put it down here

Take some time on this sections and try to come up with a few things about yourself that sets you apart from others,especially if it’s customer service oriented

It’s also important not to fill a whole page of this section with highlights They’ll never get read So keep it at 3 to 5bullet points of your best and most relevant skills

3 Education

This section is pretty self-explanatory Simply put any kind of education you have down here Yes it’s just a

bartending job and you won’t need a degree in theoretical physics but if you do have a degree put it here Completingschool shows that you are a well-rounded person and have the determination to see something through to the end, all ofwhich are positive aspects a hiring manager will look for

Also, if you have any other type of education or training put it here Perhaps you’re certified in CPR and first aid.These kind of skills and training add up and really make your resume stand out Don’t leave anything out, think long andhard about your past education

4 Job Experience

This section will take up the bulk of your resume Here you will place your past job experience You’ll want to place themost relevant jobs to the one you’re applying for at the top and work your way down Here's a tip to make your experiencestand out

When putting your job duties under each location you worked at also describe the kind of bar it was and what type ofexperience you gained working there For example, if it's a small bar that specializes in wine mention how you gained a vastknowledge of different wines and developed a strong palette for tasting wine If you worked at a busy night club makesure to point out how you've learned to work under pressure and multitask

The actual job of being a bartender is more or less the same everywhere you go You'll make drinks, keep the placeclean, run a register, keep track of stock, and provide great customer service It's the atmosphere of each place you'veworked that shapes the kind of bartender you are So mention the different skills you've developed in the past This is agreat opportunity to set yourself apart from others applying for the job

If you don't have a lot of experience as a bartender that's fine Just try to focus on experience that is closely related.Perhaps you've been a waiter or waitress Any experience where you had to provide customer service is great as well

5 Certificates & Awards

Here you'll place any certificates and awards you have received that are relevant to the job If you're TAM

(Techniques in Alcohol Management) certified or perhaps CPR certified put it here

of resume examples online by doing a simple search

The Job Search

Now that you're ready to get out there and look for a job here's a few tips and what types of places need a bartender

Do a quick internet search for these establishments around your area to help find a job opening

Places that need bartenders:

-Pubs and Bars (obviously)

Alcohol Fermentation

Alcoholic fermentation is quite possibly the most important process to making alcohol Without it we wouldn't havebeer, wine, or any alcohol for that matter So what is fermentation? Fermentation is the process when an organism changes

a carbohydrate, for example a starch or sugar, into an alcohol or an acid

There are two types of fermentation, ethanol fermentation (ethanol is simply the name given to drinking alcohol) andlactic acid fermentation In fact, your body uses lactic acid fermentation This process takes place in your muscles duringstrenuous exercise When your muscles are under a lot of stress and not enough oxygen is reaching them they engage inlactic acid fermentation in order to gain more energy without the need of oxygen

Despite the importance of lactic acid fermentation to the human body we will be focusing on the other kind of

fermentation, ethanol fermentation (also called alcoholic fermentation)

Alcoholic fermentation is the process in which sugars are converted into energy, as a result alcohol and carbondioxide are produced as waste products During the production of alcohol, yeast, which is a microscopic fungus found inthe air, converts sugars into alcohol in order to gain energy Put simply, you can think of the yeast as "eating" the sugars

in order to gain energy and as a result alcohol is produced All alcohol-beer, wine, spirits, etc begins with the process ofalcoholic fermentation through yeast

To create the different alcoholic drinks we know today, different material goes through the process of fermentation.For example, wine is made through the fermentation of sugars found in grapes and other kinds of fruit Beer, whiskey, andvodka are made through the fermentation of different grains Rum is produced through the fermentation of sugarcane.Whether its fruit, grains, or sugarcane being fermented, yeast is always the cause of making the sugar turn into alcohol.Without yeast we wouldn't have alcoholic beverages

Alcohol Distillation

Alcohol distillation is a crucial step when making alcoholic beverages In fact, without distillation we wouldn't haveany of the spirits we have today This includes brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whisky We would however still havewine and beer Both wine and beer do not require distillation which is why they date back so far in human history

Distillation is a method of separating liquids from a mixture This method uses differences in volatility in a boilingliquid mixture Volatility is the tendency for a substance to vaporize Now let's put it a little more simply Alcohol and water

are both liquids and they both reach a boiling point at different temperatures Alcohol boils at a much lower temperature

than water Water boils at 212ºF while alcohol boils at 173ºF

Now, let's say we have a mixture of water and alcohol Using the process of alcohol distillation we would take thatmixture and raise the temperature to the boiling point of alcohol What this does is boil only the alcohol while leaving thewater in a liquid state The vapor that is produced from the boiling alcohol is then captured and cooled to a point that itturns back into a liquid As a result, the newly cooled solution will have a higher alcohol content than the original mixture.This process can be repeated over and over again each time increasing the solution's alcohol content The solution'smade through this process are called "distilled spirits" or simply just "spirits" As mentioned earlier spirits are every otherkind of alcoholic beverage except wine and beer

To be considered a spirit the solution must go through the distilling process, must not contain any added sugar, andhave a minimum of 20% alcohol by volume content Distilled beverages that are bottled with added sugar and additionalflavorings are called "liqueurs"

Without alcohol distillation we wouldn't have the majority of drinks enjoyed in bars today There wouldn't be elaboratecocktails, and drink menus would be limited to wines and beers So, next time you're enjoying a quality spirit think back tothe process of alcohol distillation and find further appreciation for the drink