For those of you looking to get into the industry, here are our top 4 bartending tips for beginners. Best beginner bartending tips #1 Bartending is not just about making drinks If bartending was just about making drinks, then the person who memorized the most drink recipes would be the greatest bartender. It would just...
When you look at the different types of bartending jobs available in your area, it is important to think about how they are different. What kind of customers will you be serving? Do you have an idea of the kind of experience they will expect? What skills will serve you best in that environment? And,...
What is the difference between a Margarita vs Daiquiri? The main difference is the alcohol in each cocktail. Margaritas are made with tequila and sweetened with triple sec, while daiquiris are made with white rum and simple syrup for sweetener. Their common ingredients are lime juice, lots of ice and sometimes fruit juices. Margarita vs...
Comprehensive Drink Knowledge The best paid bartenders know their drinks and premium options. This is essential for providing the best experience possible for your customers. A gin and tonic from the well of your bar will have a different taste profile than one made with a premium liquor, like Hendricks. Adding touches like muddled cucumber...
Try Sipping Tequila! I can’t stress this enough. In Canada and the US, tequila is just drank wrong! For all the time that goes into growing the agave, then the energy put into production and aging this is a spirit that really should be enjoyed slowly. Tequila as a shot Why do we slam back...
Who orders a virgin cocktail? Drinking alcohol isn’t for everyone so virgin cocktails are a great alternative for bartenders to offer. In fact there are a lot of reasons people should avoid alcohol – pregnancy or other medical conditions, psychological or previous addiction issues, religious or personal preferences. There may also be young ones at...
The neutrality of vodka is its greatest strength in a cocktail. It is an amazing base spirit that allows bartenders to build tasty cocktails, free from the influence of more robust liquors. There are characteristics like aging, additives and congeners in other spirits that radically alter the taste of your drink. Vodka is not meant...
Start with vodka, add botanicals to flavour, you have a gin. Gin is simply a juniper flavoured vodka. This may burst the bubble of mystery on what the spirit might be, but that’s the reality. Photo by Jez Timms Gin has to be one of the first spirits I began to appreciate. It’s not because...
For a splash of sweetness, add a liqueur. Not too much. Add just enough to complement the cocktail. What can you do with Rootbeer Schnapps, Cherry Cordial, or Ginger Liqueur? Of course you could always just enjoy a little in a glass as a dessert. Instead of a alternative to a piece of cake, sip...
Vodka is Boring Vodka is a spirit carefully designed to be plain and boring. Gin starts to have a bit flavour. Vodka though is a great starting point for learning about spirits and that’s where we start with this course. If vodka were to be described in a picture… Photo by Philipp Berndt I know...
