Bartending

[lasersailor184]

I might as well post it here:

There is a class here at my school. It costs 125 dollars and runs 10 weeks, 2 hours a night. Unfortunately, this runs the last 10 weeks of the semester.

So I'm looking at this place: http://www.bartendingonline.com/ . They seem to have all their stuff together, but then again I wouldn't know. I'd be looking into getting the middle practice kit and learning all that stuff. I believe I could pick it up fairly quickly, I picked up hypnotism in about a week.

Also, is there a pay for the bartenders other then tips? Or is it just so insignificant that the tips just overshadow it?

I obviously don't think I could pick up the ideal drink from this school, but right now I need to get going quickly, or as quick as possible.

And the last question I can think of, is it worth it to buy the practice kit (left side: practice kits)? Would any size be of any real advantage to me?


And seeing as how I pissed off my aunt for some god unknown reason, I now have to make up a lot of money to just cover tuition.  So this information is really pertinent.


Oh, also I got this back from someone who manages a bar in Pittsburgh:

I think those bartending schools are a joke, to be honest - I think you're much better off learning on your own. Good bartending is something you just pick up; those classes teach you nothing but drink recipes, which you can learn yourself. You'd be blowing a few hundred bucks on something you could otherwise get for $2.50 in late fees from your library.

Start small - find a dive bar that doesn't HAVE waiters or waitresses. Most places like that are always looking for someone to cover the slow shifts - Sunday nights, afternoons, whatever. You'll eventually get to work the busier nights, and can spend your days learning to build different drinks, getting to know all the liquors, getting comfortable with the people you work for as well as the clientele, that sort of thing.

Speed and skill is 90% of bartending. It's not about knowing how to make an Alabama Slammer - it's about being able to remember five drink orders at once, how to most quickly get all the drinks made, and basically just how to whip around behind the bar. It takes practice, but eventually you'll be quick enough, skilled enough and have the experience necessary to get a job at a bigger bar, a nightclub, a restaurant, whatever.

I've been looking into picking up bartending.  However, I'm getting many answers as to the path to take.

Some people are telling me to look into bartending schools.  Some places are telling me that they only train in house bartenders (I.E. train up a waiter / waitress).

What is your experience as to what is required in bars?

[Mickey1992]

I was a barback for a year and then a bartender for five years at various places.  The worst of which was a hotel bar.  Constantly dealing with out-of-towners sucks.  You can never please them.  Everyone wants you to be their favorite bartender from back home.

I think you will learn more as a barback then any class or book can teach you.

Whatever you do, have a drink that you can make fast that will please the "What do you have that's good?" females that will constantly bug you.  They are a pain, they don't tip, and you want them to go away as quickly as possible.

[lasersailor184]

Barback?  Is that a bartender who works out of the kitchen?

[Ripsnort]

Sailer, if you're a good self-teacher, then books are the way to go...but if you're trying to break into the business for the first time, its my belief that they'll more likely give you a chance if they see that you've actually gone out of your way to take a school in Mixology. Thats my 2 cents.  The mixology schools teach you more than drink recipes, but the non-tangible result of a school is the will and desire to hire on at an establishment...that speaks volumns when you're interviewing.

Might I suggest self teaching, then go out and try to get a job as a barback, service bar or even bartender?  If no luck, then try the schools...my very first job (for 3 weeks) was a bartender for a catering business, the school helped place me in that job, and that job and the school was just enough experience to squeak me into a full time bartending job at a nice establishment.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Barback?  Is that a bartender who works out of the kitchen?

No, Kitchen bartender is known as a "Service Bartender".  Bar back is the guy that keeps your ice bin full, glasses clean, ashtrays empty, "backs up the bartender" when he takes a break, etc.  Some bars have them, some don't.  Most busy establishments will have them.

[lasersailor184]

Ok, I think I'll go with the online thing then.  Now to just scrounge up some money...



On a side note, after getting a good portion of funding cut off from my aunt for no good reason, I put on some music to calm down.  My playlist decided to play "She ****ing Hates Me" by Puddle of Mudd.  Sometimes I love my computer...

[tapakeg]

Ok, I would ignore the online bar school.

And once again this is coming from a bar school instructor.

Get the best book you can find and start studying.

Learn the basics, margarita's, kamakizies, cosmopolatains, rumncokes, and bud lights.

Knowing how to make these drinks is only the tip of the iceberg.  Remember names, be able to make several drinks at once, use both hands, be efficient......cut down on wasted movements when busy.  Remember what people drink, know who is in the playoff hunt for any sport. TIPS ARE NOT EXPECTED THEY ARE EARNED!!!!!!
Bad bartenders annoy me to no end.  You have to be able to read the customer.    Some people want to talk, some dont, no politics, religion, or arm wrestling, PERIOD.

Never watch "Cocktail", never quote "Cocktail", the movie just never happened, just like Caddyshack 2

I've done interviews where people showed me bar school diplomas, nice, but employers want experience.

The post earlier was great.  If you can find a job as a barback, great......go for it.  The money should be good and you can learn on the job.  Before you know it, you will be pouring when the bartender is on break, then BOOM, you have experience.

Go test the waters, throw out some applications.  Some places are actually eager to hire people with no experience because you don't have "bad habits"
They want to train you their way.

Some of the corporate places have an excellent bar program.
Chili's, TGIF's (got flair?), and others will teach you and teach you right.  Maybe the timing is perfect, maybe they are not hiring.  Some only hire within.  

In a nutshell, GO, you have the ambition, a little knowledge and on the job training is what you need.

Good luck

Tapakeg

[lasersailor184]

I should ignore the online school because it's not good?  Or because it's not needed?


Also, you said that some employers will ignore bar schools, but want experience.  Do I just call around talking to people and ask?

And what would I put on an application if I have nothing?



BTW, I can read people like books.  However I cannot remember a name to save my Golly-geen life.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by lasersailor184

BTW, I can read people like books.  However I cannot remember a name to save my Golly-geen life.

\
Better to remember them by their drink initially. The name will come naturally.  "Hey hiya doing! Rum and coke tonight?"....

[lasersailor184]

Oh, referring to past drinks.  I thought you were talking about remembering what they had been drinking that night.  I have no problem remembering things like that.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Oh, referring to past drinks.  I thought you were talking about remembering what they had been drinking that night.  I have no problem remembering things like that.

Right. If they come in often enough, you'll know what they like.  If management allows it, comp a drink every now and then, but not consistently or they'll begin to expect that.

[rpm]

I bartended and DJ'ed for several years at a hotel. I started as relief bartender and worked my way up. The starting base pay is usually pretty low and the tips for male bartenders is definitely less than a female will get, so don't get your hopes up too soon. You will learn how to earn them quick enough.

The online school sounds like nothing more than you would get out of a good bartending book. You need hands-on training.

[Seagoon]

I worked as a Barman (worked my way up from the kitchen) at a pub in St. Andrews called the Ardgowan while at college.

I was a terrible bartender as I can't count and so I often got in trouble at high volume times with adding up the tab and making change.

Please keep in mind that tending Bar is hard work (especially on Friday and Saturday evenings) and depending on where you work can actually be dangerous. I had the fun experience of getting taken off guard by a huge drunk I'd cut off, who dragged me bodily across the bar and was about to disconnect my head from my body when an even larger patron and the two other barmen jumped on him. Had he been armed, I'd probably have been in hospital at the very least with a case of GBH.

It's also depressing in the long run, if you work at a local bar, the people you see the most often actually sitting at the bar are your regulars, better than half of them are alcoholics in the process of drinking themselves to death. You'll find that some of them do have interesting stories to tell (unfortunately they tend to forget which one's you've already heard) but others are boring, angry, or just depressing. "Cocktail", it aint.

My advice if you are going to get started is to start with the bar in a chain restaurant where you can get training and back-up and where most of the drink orders will be filled for waitresses. Also you tend to get very few bizzarre cocktail orders at Bennigans so knowing the correct mix for a Harvey Wallbanger won't be as important (incidently its rocks, Vodka, Galliano, OJ, and a twist, I've forgotten the portions). All in all though, I'd say never make bartending your chosen trade unless you really don't have any other options...

- SEAGOON

[SMIDSY]

i got a cousin that is the #1 bartender in Chico, California (yes, they have a contest).

[SkyRock]

BARBACK FIRST!:aok