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In the craft cocktail world, we are pretty good about knowing obscure historical facts about spirit categories, wine and beer. If there was ever a Jeopardy game based off this, bartenders would dominate the show.
When it comes to the ingredients that are used to make a particular booze or mixer, however, we have a little more trouble. There are a lot of reasons for this:
First of all there are so many different bottles and mixers available to us now that it is hard to keep track of everything.Second, ingredient labels are not required (at least in the USA) for most of these ingredients, and producers have traditionally been very secretive about the ingredients that go into creating their mysterious delicious drinks. (That’s right I’m looking at you Chartreuse!)
So when a customer comes up to you and says they are vegetarian or vegan, then asks which of your cocktails they can drink… are you sure you can answer correctly?
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One of the best ways you can make your drinking sessions more fun and satisfying is by playing drinking games. They're usually a staple in almost all the gatherings, get-togethers and parties that have alcoholic beverages and drinks being served. Almost everyone in the world has a slight idea of what beer pong is. However, there are several other games and activities you can do while sipping on tequila with a group of close buddies or family. Yeah, tequila does really well when you're taking part in fun drinking activities with friends. Anyway, here's a few drinking games you can try out at your next drinking session.
Categories
This drinking game requires a little brain power from players. 'Category' is announced by one player and the player seated on the left is then required to call out something that can be placed in that said category. The game goes on and on until one player accidentally repeats or can't answer. This player then has to drink their liquor or beer of choice. It sounds pretty easy, right? Don't get fooled. After you've had a bit too many the game becomes a whole different ball game. It gets even harder if you perform really badly under pressure.
I've Never
This might just be one of the most popular games in the world. There are no drinking games lists worth their salt if they lack I've Never on it, which is also commonly called Never Have I Ever. It's a simple time-honored game that starts off by one player telling the group something they have never done. Those that are guilty of having done what's been said must drink. It's the perfect game for those people intending to uncover dirty secrets
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Your skin is the largest organ in your body and one of the only organs your bar guests can see – take care of it!
No one wants to see bleeding knuckles, saggy eyes or cracked fingertips. And although guests should never see your bare feet, if your tootsies aren’t happy, you’re in for a very rough shift.
The laymen wouldn’t understand, but you and I know that being a bartender is extremely hard on your skin. But painful skin on your hands and feet can be debilitating at worst, or at least really ruin your night.
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The holidays are just around the corner and now begins the anxiety of trying to find the perfect gift for someone special. If that someone happens to love making well crafted cocktails at home, then this article has you covered. Also check out our list of gifts for bartenders for more ideas.
A big part of any hobby is having the right tools to truly enjoy it. With cocktails there are a few standards that you should have in your cabinet, but you can constantly be adding new tools to your liquor cabinet if you get serious about this hobby.
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Ah, January. The beginning of a new year, and end of a busy season. Oftentimes this is a hard time of year for bartenders but it doesn’t have to be for you!
Now is the best time to prepare yourself mentally and financially for what’s to come to ensure you aren’t struggling to make ends meet in the slow period between New Years and St. Patrick’s Day.
Here’s how:
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In just a few days we’ll be knee-deep in Turkey dinners, work parties and spending time with friends and family. You may already be getting asked, “What do you want for Christmas?”
If you’re a bartender or just shopping for one, this list will hopefully give you some out-of-the box ideas for the perfect gift!
Hey bar owners! If you are an employer looking to give a gift to your hospitality employees, the most requested gift was a Friday or Saturday night off. Just sayin’.
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The holiday season is upon us, and you’re bumming because you’re going to miss yet another Thanksgiving or Christmas with your family (maybe even both!) because you have to work.
Sound familiar?
I know it’s hard being away from family serving other people this time of year, but I would argue the holiday season is actually one of the best times to be a bartender — even if it means you miss out on spending time with your loved ones.
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Herbs found their way into the cocktail scene a long time ago. We have been using more and more fresh herbs in craft bars as it has evolved over the last decade, but I think we have just reached the tip of the iceberg as far as how common they are in drinks. Fresh herbs open a door to a huge number of flavor and aroma possibilities that just wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
If you’re considering broadening your mixology horizons (so to speak), why not consider growing some of your own herbs? I’ve drafted a list of herbs to consider if you’d like to start your very own mixology herb garden.
I had some of my own ideas on what to include in this list, but I also wanted to get advice from other bartenders as well. Facebook was a great resource for this and I was able to get a lot of great recommendations from people. Of course there were a few “medical grade” recommendations that did not get included in the list, but I’m actually surprised there weren’t more. Special thanks to everyone that helped with this article, especially Nick Burton of Stateofthesoil.com who recommend some unusual herbs and flowers (for another article I’m sure) that I have never heard of.
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It’s the middle of the night, and you’ve just wrapped up another busy shift at your bar. You’ve counted your money, cleaned up, and now it’s time to go home and get some rest.
Except, you don’t feel tired. Your back aches and your feet are sore — and your body desperately wants to rest, but your mind doesn’t want to shut off.
Sound familiar?
It can be hard to relax a highly stimulated mind — especially after a long and busy shift. Luckily, there are things you can do to quiet your mind and get some sleep so you’re ready to hit the ground running when you wake up.
If you’re struggling to relax after your evening shifts, here are 6 things you can do to unwind:
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It’s Friday night and you’re rushing into a busy evening shift. When you step behind the bar, you notice everything is in disarray. The garnishes are out of place, the house liquor is all mixed up and the napkin holders are all out of napkins and straws.
You immediately feel stressed and annoyed. Is it too much to ask to walk into a clean and organized bar?
In the bar industry, you get what you give when it comes to organization and bar maintenance, and good bartenders know a clean and organized space is a safe haven and money magnet!
When the bar is clean and easy to navigate, you’ll be more efficient and attentive when serving customers which equates to better and faster service, meaning higher tips.
What’s more — an organized bar reduces chaos and feelings of overwhelm because you’ll always know where everything is meaning you’ll feel happier and more at ease and your shifts will run smoother. Plus, you’ll be ready for any surprise health inspections that may come your way!
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Gin, to many young imbibers, is like a coiled rattlesnake. As soon as they see or hear it, they stop dead and back away slowly. They’d rather hug a cactus than taste a juniper berry.
And this is a great shame. Gin is a wonderful, complex, infinitely mixable and misunderstood spirit. More people should be trying it. More bartenders should be creating with it. It is our duty, standing behind our broad pulpit at the church of holy spirits, to get the people out of their ruts, banish their misconceptions and help them try something new.
So next time you hear someone express fear and loathing of gin, be ready to twist open their mind like a stubborn jar of pickled onions.
So what are you going to say?
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You may not realize it, but you use systems every day to work faster, better, and longer. Listen in for more ideas on how you can leverage systems to improve every shift!
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Bartending is a great job with lots of wonderful perks. As a bartender, you get to meet tons of new people, make connections that may turn into future opportunities and you have an uncapped earning potential.
But, it’s also challenging because it requires you to stand for long period of time, often without breaks, while serving others. What’s more — your patience is regularly tested as picky and demanding customers can frequently ride on your last nerve. Not to mention a sometimes difficult schedule, making it hard to spend time with people you care about or take time away.
Bartender burnout is a real thing, and it often comes up suddenly when you just feel like you can’t serve another person. If you’re feeling over it and are dreading each shift, then this article is for you!
Here are 9 tips for dealing with bartender burnout that will help you rediscover your passion for bartending!
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When I arrived for my closing shift the other night, the mid-shift bartender (as usual) gave me a quick status report.
“I gave Jim a single and a double already,” he said. “I’m not serving him anymore.”
“Is he drunk?” I asked.
“No,” he replied. “I just don’t like him.”
I wasn’t surprised. I don’t like him either.
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