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Showing Some Flair at the Barstylez World Final

Showing Some Flair at the Barstylez World Final

Barstylez, a bartending school in Singapore, held its “World Bartending Championship” about a month ago. What are they judging, you ask? Who makes the best Old Fashioned or invented the tastiest new cocktail this year? Not quite.

Check out champion Luca Valentin, from Romania. He may look like he’s more of a juggler than a bartender, but it’s actually a whole style called “flair bartending” (you can find lots of how-tos on Youtube.) Any bartender knows that being a good bartender is as much about your personality and presentation as it is about mixing good drinks. These guys just take that a step further.

If most of us tried this we’d just end up with a lot of broken bottles and impatient customers—but there’s no denying it’s an impressive trick that probably gets a lot of tips if you use it with some restraint. Is there anything from Valentin’s routine you’d consider toning down and using yourself? How do you try to keep your presentation fresh and fun?

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How Much Do Bartenders Make?

How Much Do Bartenders Make?

Lots of people get into bartending because they hear a lot about star bartenders making some serious bank—you may have even heard stories about bartenders pulling six-figure incomes. Some people do make that kind of money, but if you feel a little skeptical about that figure, you’re partly right. Most people don’t make that much bartending–but you can make some very solid money, and more importantly, you can take action yourself to make more. So how much do bartenders usually make?

Median hourly income:  $8.30/hour

Median hourly tips: $15/hour

Source: https://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2012/12/04/jobs-tips/4.html

First of all, it’s hard to say exactly. There isn’t much data out there about exactly how much bartenders make because most of their income is in tips—which should be reported to the government but sometimes, ahem, aren’t. The internet makes it pretty easy to gather informal information from bartenders on the ground, though.

And based on that, the answer is, it varies a lot. Most of your income will be in tips, and how much you make each night depends on three main factors: how many drinks you serve, how expensive they are, and how much your customers can or want to give. All those things are higher in places with a higher cost of living—so if you’re in the south or the middle of the country.

According to a study by TippingResearch.com which interviewed 1,000 service workers.ay men and couples are the best tippers! The worst? Foreigners and teenagers. This data was collected through the responses of over 1,000 service workers!   Here are the best and worst tippers:

Expect $30,000-$70,000 Per Year Including Tips

A typical salary at a decent bar will be in the neighborhood of $30,000 per year working full-time, the coasts will take you up the $45,000 or so, and cities will usually be higher than towns.

The highest salaries are around $70,000, but yes, some folks make $100,000.

No matter where in the country you are, where you fall in that $30,000-$70,000 range is going to depend a lot on the kind of bar you’re at.

Sports bars, for instance, will usually have pretty low prices, but get tons of traffic when there’s a big game on. Upscale restaurants will make you lots of tips per drink but get less traffic, and campus bars will get high traffic on Friday and Saturday night but the customers will tend to tip less. Hotels and country clubs make up for low traffic by offering their bartenders better hourly wages and benefits for their specialized attention to each customer. Basically, start out wherever you can get a job, and then look for somewhere that’s either high-volume or high-cost as you get better at your job and move up.

bartender

Those people making six figures are working in very particular kinds of places. High-end resorts, cocktail bars in places like Manhattan and San Francisco, exclusive nightclubs, and so on, are where you can pull in $1,000 in tips per night—places where the ultra-rich congregate. Of course, competition for those jobs is stiff, but you can work your way up to them.

What do you do to get those jobs? The same things you do to make more tips anywhere you work: upselling where you can (“You like bourbon, don’t you? Want to try our new bourbon cocktail?”), serving promptly, being friendly and personable, and making your customers feel special and valued. Remember their names, their favorite drinks, ask about their lives, tell them a joke: all customers are going to tip you better, and push your salary up, when they feel like you’re providing them the valuable service of a friendly face and attentive ear.

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State-by-State Requirements to Be a Bartender in New England

State-by-State Requirements to Be a Bartender in New England

new england

Bar owners like to stay in business, and staying in business means making sure you’re following local liquor laws and protecting yourself from being sued if someone has an accident after drinking at your business. Some states require, and other states recommend, certifications for anyone who serves alcohol to help with that. The courses usually take 2-6 hours to do, and go over things like how to tell when someone’s intoxicated, how and when to cut someone off, and how to diffuse tense situations. Here’s a breakdown of what laws apply where in New England, and what certifications you can get to comply with them and get serving.

Connecticut

Connecticut state flag
Connecticut state flag

Connecticut is pretty easy—they don’t have any legally required server training. Your employer may still want you to get some kind of training for their insurance, though. Talk to potential employers about what course they want you to have, or go with a widely recognized option like T.I.P.S. or ServSafe.

Maine

Maine state flag
Maine state flag

You’re required to have a certification to tend bar in Maine, but they’re pretty flexible about where you get it from. You can take a look at a list of accredited courses here—it includes commonly available courses like T.I.P.S. and ServeSafe. While it does accept a lot of certifications, Maine may not accept the online versions of them, so it’s worth looking up an upcoming in-person training in your area.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts state flag
Massachusetts state flag

Massachusetts doesn’t require you to have a certification, but does require your employer to have liability insurance… which usually requires you to have a certification. What programs will work depends on your employer’s insurance, but some of the most commonly accepted are T.I.P.S., ServSafe, and T.A.M. All of them can be taken online or in a class—you can look up upcoming class times and locations on their websites.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire state flag
New Hampshire state flag

Servers don’t need any special training in New Hampshire (owners and managers do, though—they need to take a state-run certification called MTS.) It’s still possible that a bar owner may want you to take a course for their insurance, but like in Massachusetts, what they accept will depend on the insurance.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island state flag
Rhode Island state flag

Rhode Island requires servers to have a certification, and like Maine, it accepts a lot of widely available courses. The bad news is their website listing what courses are approved it currently being updated, so there’s no published list of what certifications they’ll accept. T.I.P.S., ServSafe, S.M.A.R.T., and A.S.A.P. have all been accepted in the past, though, so you should be safe with one of them.

Vermont

Vermont state flag
Vermont state flag

Vermont is the strictest state in New England as far as certification—you need to take a special course offered by the state. You can take it for free online, for $25 as a seminar, or your employer may offer it in-house. You can register for it through Vermont’s liquor control board website.

You may notice when you look at these that (except for Vermont) T.I.P.S. will either meet the state requirement or meet most bar owners’ insurance needs. You can usually take it after you start working somewhere, but it doesn’t hurt to get it ahead of time, either. Local Bartending offers T.I.P.S. training online or in a class to help you get started on your bartending career—legally, responsibly, and safely.

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How to Become a Bartender

How to Become a Bartender

bartender

So you want to become a bartender? Maybe you’ve heard about the solid money you can make or maybe you’re just passionate about liquor, but either way you’re next step is landing that first job. Breaking into the industry isn’t always easy, but it’s absolutely doable with a little knowledge and patience. Here’s a run-down of the things you’ll need to do to become a bartender.

  1. Know what it takes. If you like making cocktails at home, bartending may seem like an easy way to make serious money—but working in a bar takes a lot more than just cocktail mixing skills. Learn what a bartender actually does. You’ll need to be ready and able to put on the charm even when you don’t feel like it, deal calmly with drunk and disorderly customers, work odd hours, and multi-task like a beast, just to name a few.
  2. Learn the trade. Top bartending jobs are competitive, and you’ll need to know your stuff backwards and forwards. Bartending classes can be a great way to learn about both the world of liquor—from how to mix cocktails to the difference between an IPA and an APA—and about the less happy parts of bartending, like ID laws, how to tell if someone is intoxicated, and legal liabilities.
  3. Keep up to date. Don’t let your education stop with classes, though. Follow cocktail blogs, read books, talk to other bartenders, and generally keep your finger on the pulse of drink culture. It will help set you apart from the competition at those desirable bars, and help you move up from other positions faster.
  4. Get certified. Your employer, state, or city may require you to get a certification (different from a bartending course) before you can serve alcohol—the most commonly required ones are TIPS and ServeSafe. Do some research about what you need in your area. There’s usually a grace period to get the certification after you start working, but at least knowing what you need will help you seem professional and prepared in interviews.
  5. Job interview skills! Just like with any other job, practice good job interview skills as you apply places. From your employer’s perspective, your ultimate job as a bartender is to increase sales—so be professional, charming, and get a sense of the customers, specialties, and overall vibe of each place you apply. All those things will help convince them you’ll be able to get customers buying.
  6. Work your connections. It’s much, much easier to get your first job in any industry if you know someone. Don’t be afraid to let anyone you know in the restaurant or bar industry know you’re looking to get your foot in the door—even a mild personal recommendation may be the thing that sets you apart from the stack of resumes.
  7. Be willing to start small. Most bars hire from within, and that means that bartending course or not, you’re probably going to have to start small. That could mean taking a job as a bar back or server, working at a less-than-ideal place, or taking the less lucrative daytime or event gigs—whatever it is, think of it as a stepping stone as you work your way up. With some patience, hard work, and knowledge, you’ll soon move up the ladder to the bartending job of your dreams.stacked glasses

Minimum ages to bartend


 

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  • Bar Consulting & Staffing
    Bar Consulting & Staffing

    Bar Consulting & Staffing

    Local Bartending School knows how complicated owning a bar can be. That’s because it’s team has dozens of years in the industry. Our expertise will simplify your operations.

    We can help your company with the following:

    -Hiring proper staff/Job placement
    -Over-pouring
    -Reducing insurance premiums
    -Developing company policies
    -Enforcing a “comp policy”
    -State of the art point of sale systems
    -Using the right alcohols
    -Getting your team trained and certified
    -Profitability

    Consultation Types:

    -In-person training
    -Phone and Skype consultations

    Package training and certification discounts are offered for bar owners from 20% off.

    bar-photoBeing a bar owner can be fun and rewarding. By investing a small amount into training, you can maximize your return on investment. One consultation could make you an additional $2,000-5,000+ per month in profits. (Income disclaimer: Your income is based on how well you put our ideas into action.

    We offer package deals as well as hourly consulting. You can choose to consult with either a bar owner, or nightclub owner both with incredibly valuable experience.

    Inquire here or call us!

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    Mixed Drinks Training
    Mixed Drinks Training

    Mixed Drinks Training

    WELL, CALL or TOP SHELF (Upselling) 

    well drink or rail drink is an alcoholic beverage served using the lower-cost liquors stored within easy reach of the bartender in the counter ‘speed rail’ or well.  Rail drinks differ from “call” drinks in that the former is offered when a customer does not specify a particular brand of liquor when ordering a mixed drink. The terms “well drink” and “rail drink” comes from the name for a bartender’s workspace, known as either the well or the rail.  In any given establishment, the rail/well liquors available may be known as the “house pours” or “house brands”.

    The actual liquors used by a drinking establishment will vary. A bartender’s well may include at least one variety of gin, rum, whiskey, vodka, bourbon, tequila,triple sec, and vermouth.  Some establishments that cater to higher-end clientele or wish to project an aura of luxury choose premium brands to be their well liquors (thus offering a “premium well”).

    Rail/well vs. Call vs. Top-Shelf

    A rail or well drink is usually served when a customer does not specify that a particular brand of liquor be used.  For example, a customer order for a “Scotch and soda” would lead the bartender to use a rail/well Scotch whisky and would be priced as a rail drink, whereas ordering “Glenfiddich and soda” would be a call drink.

    Call liquors are known as such because the customer “calls” or requests a particular brand of liquor.   Certain expensive brand-name liquors are not considered or priced as call, but are instead known as “top-shelf” liquors, both from their placement on the shelves and from their price relative to the other liquors available.

    Drinks using the ‘Well’ liquors are the lowest priced drinks.

    Drinks using the ‘Call’ liquors are charged at a higher rate.

    Drinks using ‘Top shelf’ liquors are the highest priced drinks.

    Drinks using several liquors are charged at a higher rate.

    EACH establishment has its own price structure, but the following may give you an idea:

    Top Shelf VODKAS frequently include:   Grey Goose, Kettel On, Belvedeire

    Call VODKAS frequently include:   Stolichnaya, Finlandia, Skyy, Absolut, Smirnoff

    Top Shelf GINS frequently include:   Bombay Saphire, Tanqueray Silver

    Call GINS frequently include:   Beefeater, Bombay, Boodle, Tanqueray

    Top Shelf RUMS frequently include:   Bacardi 151,  Mount Gay

    Call RUMS frequently include:   Bacardi Superior, Captain Morgan, Meyers, Malibu

    Top Shelf TEQUILAS frequently include:   Patron,  Cuervo Reservo, Cuervo 1800

    Call TEQUILAS frequently include:   Cuervo Gold, José Cuervo, Cortez

    Top Shelf WHISKEYS frequently include:   Crown Royal, Crown Royal Special Reserve,

    Call WHISKEYS frequently include:   Seagrams,  Four Rose, Jack Daniels, Canadian Club, Canadian Mist

    Top Shelf BOURBONS frequently include:   Old Grandad, Wild Turkey, Makers Mark, Knob Creek

    Call BOURBONS frequently include:   Jim Beam

    Top Shelf SCOTCHES frequently include:   Johnnie Walker Black, Chivas Regal, Glen Fiddich

    Call SCOTCHES frequently include:   Johnnie Walker Red, Dewars, J&B, Cutty Sark

    Below are some drinks you can plan on that will likely be ordered. Unfortunately, their name doesn’t tell you the ingredients. So, over time, you need to learn them. Until that time, keep a file handy that you can refer to in an emergency.

    Alabama Slammer

    Amaretto Sour

    Appletini

    B-52

    Bay Breeze

    Bellini

    Black Russian

    Bloody Mary

    Buttery Nipple

    Cosmopolitan

    Cuba Libre (rum & coke)

    Daquiri

    Fuzzy Navel

    Gimlet

    Irish Coffee

    Kamikaze

    Lemon Drop

    Long Island Ice Tea

    Madras

    Maitai

    Malibu Bay Breeze

    Manhattan

    Margarita

    Martini

    Melon Ball

    Mimosa

    Mojito

    Mudslide

    Old Fashioned

    Piña Colada

    Red Headed Slut

    Rob Roy

    Screwdriver

    Sea Breeze

    Seven & Seven

    Strawberry Daquiri

    Tequila Sunrise

    Tom Collins

    Whiskey Sour

    White Russian

    MARTINI ‘FAMILY’ of RECIPES

    GIN MARTINI

    4 parts Gin

    1 part Dry Vermouth (green bottle)

    Garnish: olives or lemon twist

    VODKA MARTINI

    6 parts Vodka

    1 part Dry Vermouth (green bottle)

    Garnish: olives or lemon twist

    PERFECT MARTINI

    5 parts Gin

    1 part Dry Vermouth (green bottle)

    1 part Sweet Vermouth (red bottle)

    Garnish: olives or lemon twist

    GIBSON (Gin Martini w onion garnish)

    4 parts Gin

    1 part Dry Vermouth (green bottle)

    Garnish: cocktail onions on a toothpick

    DIRTY MARTINI

    6 parts Vodka

    1 part Dry Vermouth (green bottle)

    1 part olive brine

    Garnish: olives

    COSMOPOLITAN (Vodka-Cranberry Martini)

    2 parts Vodka

    1 part Triple Sec

    1 Part Cranberry Juice

    Wedge of lime

    APPLETINI (Apple Martini)

    1 parts Vodka (Absolut Citron)

    1 part Apple Schnapps (DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker)

    1 part Apple Juice (optional)

    LEMON DROP (Lemon Martini)

    3 parts Vodka (Citron)

    2 parts sweet & sour mix

    1 part lime juice

    Lemon peel

    CHOCOLATE MARTINI

    3 parts Godiva chocolate liqueur

    1 part Creme de Cocoa

    Garnish: chocolate shavings

    MANHATTAN

    5 parts Whiskey

    1 part Sweet Vermouth (red bottle)

    Garnish: cherry

    ROB ROY

    5 parts Scotch

    1 part Sweet Vermouth (red bottle)

    Garnish: cherry

    PREPARING MARTINIS

    Generally, when a guest orders a ‘Martini ,’ they are asking for a Gin Martini.

    Generally, a guest who wants a Vodka Martini will specifically say ‘Vodka Martini.’

    Martini drinkers tend to be VERY specific about how they like their drink.

    Sometimes the guest will ask for a specific gin or a specific vodka, but not always.

    And usually if they want their martini to be ‘dry’ or ‘very dry,’ they will specify that as well.

    Nevertheless ALWAYS clarify by ASKING the following questions:

    1     Would that be a Gin Martini or a Vodka Martini?

    2     Would you prefer a specific brand of gin or vodka?

    (This is called ‘upselling.’  The owner or manager likes to see his bartenders ‘upsell.’)

    2     Do you want that ‘up’ or ‘on the rocks?’

    3     Would you prefer olives or a lemon twist?

    Rocks glasses tend to be the same size wherever you go,

    but ‘up’ Martini glasses come in several sizes. Because you will want your Martinis to nearly fill the glass,

    the count for your pour needs to be adjusted for the specific glass size you are using.

    If the guest asks for a Martini on the Rocks:

    1     Fill a ‘rocks’ glass with ice.

    2     Pour your Vodka or your Gin.

    3     Pour your Dry Vermouth (green bottle).

    4     Stir the Martini.

    5     EITHER add olives (2 or 3 on a toothpick (or plastic sword) if you have these).

    OR ‘rim’ the glass with the outside of your lemon twist and drop the twist in the martini.

    MOST guests order and expect a Straight Up Martini in a martini glass.

    1     Fill Martini glass with ice to chill it while mixing the Martini.

    2     Add ice to your shaker.

    3     Pour your gin or vodka.

    4     Pour your Dry Vermouth (green bottle).

    5     Cover your shaker with a pub glass and shake gently.

    6     Empty ice from your now chilled martini glass.

    7     Using your strainer, pour martini into your chilled martini glass.

    8     EITHER add olives (2 or 3 on a toothpick (or plastic sword) if you have these).

    OR ‘rim’ the glass with the outside of your lemon twist and drop the twist in the martini.

    VODKA – CRANBERRY Cocktails

    Unfortunately for new bartenders, now there are HUNDREDS of vodka-cranberry cocktails because there are at least 25 new ‘flavored’ vodkas and each have new names.  Bars now carry a variety of these new flavored vodkas. But different bars will carry a different set of flavored vodkas because they tend to work with specific brands or distributors.   So, nowadays, different bars will sell certain cocktails and not others.  So you’ll find that you have to adapt to that particular bar’s repertoire of vodka-cranberry cocktails.  You may Google ‘Vodka-Cranberry cocktail recipes’ to get an idea of the diversity of recipes that bartenders need to be aware of.

    That being said, there are a few classic vodka-cranberry cocktails (using traditional un-flavored vodka) that are sold at every reputable bar.  Some of these are:

    CAPE COD (or Cape Codder), or just Vodka Cranberry

    1 1/2 oz Vodka PLUS Cranberry Juice

    MADRAS

    1 1/2 oz Vodka PLUS Cranberry Juice Plus Orange Juice

    SEA BREEZE

    1 1/2 oz Vodka PLUS Cranberry Juice PLUS Grapefruit Juice

    BAY BREEZE

    1 1/2 oz Vodka PLUS Cranberry Juice PLUS Pineapple Juice

    DIRECTIONS:

    1     Using a tall glass or high ball glass if possible, fill glass with ice.

    2     Add Vodka.

    3     Fill glass with the specified fruit juice(s).

    4     EITHER Stir with long cocktail spoon.

    OR pour contents in a shaker to mix thoroughly.

    5     Garnish with a lime wedge or a lime wheel.

    TIP:  Cocktails utilizing thicker ‘mixers’ (citrus fruit juices, Bloody Mary mix, and especially cream drinks) are best shaken.  Cranberry juice, alone, is not really a thick ‘mixer.’ So stirring will suffice.  If your “mixer” is carbonated ALWAYS just stir with a cocktail spoon.

    The Cosmopolitan, while it is a Vodka-Cranberry cocktail, will be covered under MARTINIS.

    Sex on the Beach, while it is a Vodka-Cranberry cocktail, will be covered under SHOOTERS.


    GARNISHES

    LIME WHEEL or WEDGE

    Vodka Tonic

    Bloody Mary

    Gin Tonic

    Singapore Sling

    Gimlet

    Rum Coke (Cuba Libre)

    MOST Rum drinks in general

    Cosmopolitan

    Daquiri

    Margarita

    Mojito

    7 & 7

    Corona beer

    ORANGE WHEEL & CHERRY

    Sweet Drinks in general

    Whiskey Sour

    Tom Collins

    CHERRY ONLY

    Manhattan

    Old Fashioned

    LEMON TWIST

    Lemon Drop

    Martinis

    Long Island Ice Tea

    ORANGE ONLY

    Wheat Beers

    Mimosa

    Bellini

    OLIVES

    Martini

    ONIONS

    Gibsons

    WHIPPED CREAM

    Coffee Drinks

    MINT LEAVES

    Mojito

    Mint Julips

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    [VIDEO] Make a Vodka Watermelon Keg
    [VIDEO] Make a Vodka Watermelon Keg

    [VIDEO] Make a Vodka Watermelon Keg

    This is an interesting new way to east vodka-flavored watermelon!

    It takes a couple days to create and to let the vodka fully-infuse the watermelon. It is well-worth the wait. When you first tip the vodka bottles over, a majority of the vodka will stay in the bottle. When you let it sit, the vodka has time to penetrate into the watermelon.

    Learn how to make more drinks! Become a Bartender From $99 and Up!

    Click Here To Start Your Bartender Training

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