Bartending :D

[Colin O'Brien]

I'm going to college in NYC next year, and I've been thinking about bartending school- it seems like a pretty cool job, and I'd earn some money on the side to help pay for my ridiculous tuition. The age for pouring alcohol in NY is 18 so I'm set. Any bartenders out there who can share their experiences?

 

[Magma]

I'm going to college in NYC next year, and I've been thinking about bartending school- it seems like a pretty cool job, and I'd earn some money on the side to help pay for my ridiculous tuition. The age for pouring alcohol in NY is 18 so I'm set. Any bartenders out there who can share their experiences?

I slung drinks at a popular spot here during college. Made crazy dough and was banging one of the ****tails, in addition to the myriad of other women. Your social proof skyrockets, and you get your choice of women every night. It's fantastic.

The key is finding the right bar. The bar I tended was THE SPOT to be at in the summer time. College freshman home on summer break, hot temps, alcohol is flowing, and there you are behind the bar and in the spotlight. You get the picture.

Be careful of the drugs though. I developed a pretty healthy coke habit while I was there.

Ahhh...good times...

 

[Quiksilver]

The key is finding the right bar. The bar I tended was THE SPOT to be at in the summer time. College freshman home on summer break, hot temps, alcohol is flowing, and there you are behind the bar and in the spotlight. You get the picture.

Be careful of the drugs though. I developed a pretty healthy coke habit while I was there.

So true.

I work at a bar in Toronto right now. A tip is to go to the best bar school you can find. Pay a high dollar for it, because you'll earn back whatever you end up forking out, in the first two weeks on the job.

There's a serious lack of quality bartenders all over america right now, so take the time to learn to do the job properly, and with class.

So yeah, spare no expense on training, and choose a GOOD establishment to work in. Go in and ask to work without pay for a week, and see if you like your team, your manager, and the atmosphere. If you don't like it, bail out and move on.

 

[spider_007]

So true.
There's a serious lack of quality bartenders all over america right now, so take the time to learn to do the job properly, and with class.

This is true - and i'm one of them I've freakin' emarased my self many times.

You got to realize, it's hard work. I rarly have time to socialize when i'm there...there is always a line of people, and if there isn't a line of people, your getting ready for a line of people.....it's hard work (but good money)

 

[Magma]

You got to realize, it's hard work. I rarly have time to socialize when i'm there...there is always a line of people, and if there isn't a line of people, your getting ready for a line of people.....it's hard work (but good money)

Once you develop your skills, you can make it look effortless. Even when you're stacked five or six deep around the whole length of the bar. It's a lot of fun, actually, once you get in that groove.

But there are the slow nights, like Pro's Night (Sunday night), where you can relax a bit and flirt and mack on the women without the chaos. Those nights were the most fun because you could relax, get drunk, and most likely take a woman home with you. I had a lot of fun in those days.

 

[Colin O'Brien]

Apparently the NY Bartending school is top notch, it costs $695 in total but I think its a great investment. Once I get into the swing of things in college I'll see how my schedule is and get this thing going. Gotta say I'm really stoked about this

 

[spider_007]

Once I get into the swing of things in college I'll see how my schedule is and get this thing going. Gotta say I'm really stoked about this

in the mean time learn how to figure out change in your head. It should be an instinct. Imagine, music blaring, 10 people trying to get your attention, and you standing there trying to add up the cost of 10 different drinks in your head, and figure out the change.
http://www.funbrain.com/cashreg/index.html
There ware times when my brain would puirty much shut down, and i would have to stop for a second and regroup - but then i've only been doing this once a week for last 6 months - i'm probably not as used to it.


it's not all fun and games.

 

[War Against Betaism]

wth 18 is the legal drinking age in NYC? Me and my friends have also been interested in bartending because this one party we were the bartenders and all we did was pass out beer and give people shots. Though we also got a lot of attention from women. Unfortunately we're too young but I found a video about bartending on the internet. We're moving to a house in Irvine and plan on putting a bar there, or at least a semblance of it. It's not gonna happen right away since I can't picture how much it is to buy a full on bar set. Since most of the people we're interacting with will probably be students who are under 21, we wouldn't really need to know all the different mixes and have all the different drinks there. And we were telling ourselves, if we could introduce them to new mixes to the ingredients that we would have, it would at least make us look cool

 

[Suicide]

By all means go to bartending school, but do NOT tell anyone that you went. Every bartender, especially males, lie to get their first job. They will laugh in your face if you tell them that you're a bar school grad.

And be prepared to un-learn a lot of things bartending school will teach you.

 

[Magma]

wth 18 is the legal drinking age in NYC? Me and my friends have also been interested in bartending because this one party we were the bartenders and all we did was pass out beer and give people shots. Though we also got a lot of attention from women. Unfortunately we're too young but I found a video about bartending on the internet. We're moving to a house in Irvine and plan on putting a bar there, or at least a semblance of it. It's not gonna happen right away since I can't picture how much it is to buy a full on bar set. Since most of the people we're interacting with will probably be students who are under 21, we wouldn't really need to know all the different mixes and have all the different drinks there. And we were telling ourselves, if we could introduce them to new mixes to the ingredients that we would have, it would at least make us look cool

Here's what you can do:

Have a "stock the bar" party, and have everyone bring a bottle to the party. Since you're still young, quality doesn't matter to you yet. Ten High and Gilbey's will suffice. $20 bucks a bottle (or less) is what you're looking at.

All you need is the essentials to start out:
- Whiskey, Rum, Tequila, Vodka, Gin, Brandy, and Jager.
- Tonic & Soda Water, Collins Mix (if you're unsure of how to make Collins')
- Peach Schnapps, and other varieties of Schnapps (grape, apple, etc.)
- PLENTY of juice mixes and Red Bull
- Fruit

These are the foundations for MANY/MOST drinks that you'll likely come across. E.g. Cosmos, Long Islands, Sidecars, plus the inevitable whiskey-coke, gin-tonic, vodka tonic, and all your Collins varieties.

Have fun with it! Here's the trick bro: You can mix vodka with ANYTHING! I used to tell my women customers that I would make them my "special ****tail" and just mix vodka with a few different juices, maybe some Grand Marnier or Blue Curacao/Grenadine (for color) and some soda, and garnish with an orange or some other fruit. Then I'd tell 'em "This one is called the '$7 Burger' "or some other name I made up on the spot. I would literally make the drink up on the spot and then hit 'em with game.

They'd be "Ooooh. This is sooooo good! What's in it?" And then you begin "The Dance."

Just like everything else, it's all about having fun. Good luck with your endeavors, brother!

 

[spider_007]

http://www.webtender.com/browse.html

 

[War Against Betaism]

Thanks a lot guys, I was thinking to myself I probably would only need the drinks in the main shelf (I forget the term for it, where you put all the drinks you're going to be mainly using), and thanks for that link.

 

[untouchable_1]

so how did you guys get hired as a bartender to start and not have to work your way up bussing/barbacking first? do you just go to bartender school?

 

[spider_007]

I went to school for 11 weeks - one night a week. At the end of it, i knew the basics, and i had the "smart serve" certificat, required to serve drinks in canada. I think that was the most important part, because if i didn't have that, i would have to get traind on the job, at the bars expence.

 

[Quiksilver]

To one of the posters, yeah I was a barback first for two months. My guy quit and he vouched for me to take his position, so here I am.

By all means go to bartending school, but do NOT tell anyone that you went. Every bartender, especially males, lie to get their first job. They will laugh in your face if you tell them that you're a bar school grad.

And be prepared to un-learn a lot of things bartending school will teach you.

To get a job here in Toronto, you pretty much have to go through a school, competition is pretty tight.

And I don't quite get what you mean about unlearning stuff the bar school? I use that **** on a daily basis, what I was taught was a) drink knowledge(wine, beer, shots, etc), b) mixology, making a great drink that looks and tastes good c) how to sell yourself, being sociable, making eye contact, dressing well, etc. and d) tactics to be fast and efficient so you don't get bogged down.

Thanks a lot guys, I was thinking to myself I probably would only need the drinks in the main shelf (I forget the term for it, where you put all the drinks you're going to be mainly using), and thanks for that link.

The Well (vodka, rum, gin, tequila, whiskey)