ALT-1 Beginners Guide to Bartending
Bartending can be one of the most fun and lucrative careers in the service industry, but breaking into the business can be difficult. Everyone wants experience which you can’t get because everyone wants experience. But if you understand that bartending is more than just cracking open a beer; you will be that much closer to getting your foot in the door.
There are three main categories of alcoholic beverages that a bartender needs to understand: beer, wine, and spirits. Depending on your work environment there may be a focus on one category over the other, but a good bartender has an understanding of all three. Beer is the beverage of the everyman, and knowing its intricacies is very important. Craft and micro-brews have gained major popularity in the last decade, and more recently there has been a resurgence of fading regional favorites. A good bartender stays on top of beer trends and is well versed in the different varieties. Like with wine, it is important to also understand how food pairings with beers work, and be able to make recommendations based on meal or season.
Spirits take bartending to the next level. Their variety and complexity seem to know no bounds. For example, when selecting a vodka you need to know the brand and its country of origin which can greatly effect taste and mouth feel. Then the vodka might come in a dozen different flavors. Some brands offer higher end limited run varieties. Once you understand what this part of the bar has to offer, a bartender must then learn how each spirit should be treated. Recipes for all common and traditional cocktails (i.e. gimblet, Tom Collins, martini) should be memorized as well as knowing modern trends like candy flavored liquors and energy drink mixers.
Wine may be the most complex area of the bar, but the knowledge needed is really dependent on the bartender’s individual career. However, every bartender needs to know the basics of wine including grape varieties, blends, and basic food pairings. Wine presentation knowledge is important for bartenders who work in high end fine dining. Because there is so much to learn about wine, having extensive wine knowledge can be a huge career asset as for many wine is serious business.
Once a bartender has mastered his tools, it is time to put them to use. A good bartender is an artist, a friend, a therapist, and a circus act. Making a great cocktail is important, but it means nothing if you can’t juggle your customers on a Saturday night. Just an important, many people come in to the bar because they want someone to listen. Letting them pour out their soul is part of the job. The social aspect of bartending requires a lot of flexibility because your patrons will be as varied as your wares.
Bartending is not as easy as looks, but the great ones make it look effortless. They are the perfect storm of bar knowledge, skill, and personality. By learning the basics, you give yourself an excellent platform to becoming an excellent bartender.
