|
Bartending:
It's an Intoxicating Career
Setting up your own bar can be pretty easy. There are however,
a number of things which good bartenders need to run a bar.
To succeed in hospitality or “hospo” as it is sometimes known
within the trade, you need to have the basic wine, liquor, and
spirits, as well as knowledge of how to mix them well to
produce fine drinks for your patrons. You must also have the
correct bar tending equipment.
All of these things are essential to the professional barkeep.
As in every retail business with an onsite point of sale, for
example; a shop, location is essential. Your pub must be
located in an area where it will be seen by lots of people, as
well as having a lot of car parking space, and enough room
inside for people to sit and enjoy themselves. The bartender
has to learn how to operate the bar, as well as overseeing the
general operation of the bar and looking after the guests.
Bartenders need to know their field exceptionally thoroughly -
and how to take over during busy periods.
Another job bartenders have is knowing different drink
varieties. Bartenders are responsible for serving and mixing
drinks, a wide variety of them.
It is nearly impossible to know every possible mixed drink or
cocktail, so most bartenders use mixing lists hidden under the
bar to tell them what goes with what.
Bartenders must work fast, which makes it impossible to read
every single label. To help with this, they always arrange
their stock in order on the shelves, to ensure that they can
easily find everything.
This means that when business picks up and you find yourself
short on time, you should know where everything is.
To become a successful bartender or mixologist, takes years of
practice.
There are several styles of bartending as well, from the well
known and very impressive flair bartending to pulling pints
down at “the local”.
Flair bartending involves doing impressive tricks with drinks
and bottles, which will “WOW” the customers. Flair bartending
is the hardest style to master. It takes years and years of
practice.
Flair bartenders all around the world will tell you that flair
brings the most crowds, while it can also cost you dearly in
broken bottles.
Every bar needs to possess the basic spirit varieties. Those
are Tequila, Vodka, Rum, Gin, Whisky, Bourbon and White Rum.
Keep a range of fruit juices at the bar as well. Lemon juice,
orange juice, and even pineapple juice are all essential
ammunition in any barman's arsenal.
Most mixed drinks require juice. Screwdrivers, Madras,
Tequila-Lime-and-Soda and a ‘Slow, Comfortable Screw against
the Wall’ are all cocktails which require fruit juice as one
of their main ingredients. Mixed drinks are very popular,
making it essential for the bartender to be proficient in the
art of Mixology, as well as having the right ingredients on
hand at all times.
A lot of drinks that bartenders mix will require specialist
tools like shakers, measuring cups, rinsing bowls, and straws.
Shakers are the most commonly used tool, as they are essential
for mixing alcoholic cocktails.
Bartenders also need to keep a clean cloth on hand, to quickly
clean up spills and keep the service area clean.
As a career, bartending may provide you with a good income.
By going to college, you can learn proper bartending
technique. If you learn fast and adopt the correct techniques,
you can make more money than you ever thought possible when
you own your own pub.
Bartending is a high paying career, a lot of fun, as well as a
fantastic way to meet new people. There are a lot of colleges
and universities which offer bartending as a qualification. No
matter what you do, bartending will be a lot of fun and will
take you far in life while providing you with an exciting
career. |
