DrinkedIn Trends

A guest waves you over to get your attention. They point to their drink and tell you it’s been tampered with, or spiked. Yikes.

What do you do next?

You probably have a dozen things going through your head:

It’s a tough situation that happens – and it’s something you should be prepared to deal with if / when it does.

It’s the perfect drink. You poured your heart and soul into the recipe. You made a dozen different versions. You infused, macerated, chopped and tinkered. And it’s finally absolutely perfect.

And then you realize… now you have to come up with a name.

Ughhhh….

How do you find a name that tells the story of the cocktail and does it justice? Or even for a simpler drink without so much R&D, what’s a good name that “feels” right?  It’s definitely one of the trickiest parts of cocktail creation (in my opinion.)

And while this article won’t give you the perfect name for your drink, I will provide some ideas and inspiration for things to think about the next time you find yourself stumped.  Good luck!

The sun is out and so is school! This time of year people are traveling and out enjoying the warm weather, which usually means they are also in a good mood and happy to open their wallets. Summer can be a great time to be in the hospitality industry, but the increase in the volume can also be difficult for some businesses to adapt to. This week we thought we’d take a quick look at some things you can do to make sure you and your bar are ready for the summer rush.

Here’s a few things to consider if your bar or restaurant is about to go into your busy season:

Hiring

In order to handle the extra volume that some restaurants and bars experience, you’ll probably have to hire and train new staff members. It takes time to get the new staff hired, trained and efficient and being late to the party can cost your establishment money. The key to getting your staff trained properly for the busy season is to work backwards from the beginning of your busy season.

Let’s be honest, if you’ve been in the hospitality industry long enough, you are probably a little bit dead inside. You’ve seen the best and worst of humanity and dealing with drunk people on a regular basis would probably make even Mother Teresa’s heart turn a little callous.

But we weren’t always like that. There was probably a time when we were new and the idea of making a mojito for a guest or coming up with a “fun” take on a Old fashioned might have excited us, instead of wanting to pretend you “just ran out of mint”!

Engagement seems to be one of the biggest buzzwords in just about any industry at the moment. The hospitality industry is no different and can present it’s own challenges. Getting your employees and team mates to care about the bar (not just their job) can make a huge difference in everyone’s quality of life (and, of course, the bottom line.)

The best time to get bartenders “engaged” is the very first time they walk in the door. The next best time is “right now”. But for today, we’re going to talk about onboarding new staff and getting them engaged right from their very first shift.

as

The Great Debate: Which Way do you Use your Julep Strainer?

Until recently, I thought there was a “right” way and a “wrong” way to hold your julep strainer. I assumed the way Chris did it (bowl facing down, curve facing up, as shown on the right above) was just “how it’s done”. But then I actually asked him about it and found out that it’s actually a matter of personal preference.

First, a Brief History Lesson

Julep strainers are so named because of their original purpose – they were designed for the drinker to put into their glass to hold back the crushed ice and mint while they drink their Mint Juleps. (Especially important if you had a moustache.) Eventually the task of straining a cocktail became the job of the bar man and the Hawthorne Strainer was invented, taking much of the julep strainer’s glory.

Are you employed by a bar or do you own the place?

I’m not asking if your name is on the lease and whether you pay all the bills. (but maybe you aspire to that.)

What I mean is: do you take ownership-level pride and responsibility over the bar?

You can be an employee that fulfils all the duties in your job description. You do what you’re told and you achieve what’s expected.

It’s a big week for Chris & I and A Bar Above!  This week marks a huge milestone in our podcast (150 episodes!) but more importantly we’re announcing that our very own store is open for business!

Watch the Episode:

TL;DR: The shop is open for business!

Head on over to Shop.ABarAbove.com for some great bar tools! (OK, a tad biased here… )

Don’t forget to use code SOFTOPENING for 15% off until May 8!