From Server to Bartender: The Ultimate Guide to the Bartender’s Nemesis
Some people think I’m joking when I tell them that if they want to become a bartender, they should look for serving jobs first. It sounds odd to someone who’s never worked in the hospitality industry before… They think “Why would I serve tables when I want to work behind the bar… Why don’t I…
From Barback to Bartender: The Ultimate Guide to the Bartender’s Apprentice
When you’re learning how to become a bartender, breaking into the industry is one of the most frustrating problems you’ll face. I hear people complain about this all the time, “How the hell do I land a bartending job when every venue requires me to have a minimum of 2 years experience…” These frustrations are…
The Life of a Bartender
We’ve all heard the cliches. The bartender rolls out of bed at 3pm, has bourbon and cereal for breakfast, and then drags himself to work 2 hours later. At work, he performs an insane display of juggling, shaking, stirring, and mixing, that’s so impressive a customer will come up and say “Mr. Bartender, that is…
Vagatending 101: A Bartender’s Guide to Travel
“We need sometimes to escape into open solitudes, into aimlessness, into the moral holiday of running some pure hazard, in order to sharpen the edge of life, to taste hardship, and to be compelled to work desperately for a moment no matter what.” – George Santayana, “The Philosophy of Travel.” For as long as I…
30 Bartending Blogs You Should be Reading
These days, there are so many different bartending blogs & websites that cover the hospitality industry. It’s great for the industry and anyone who wants to be a part of it. But with so much information out there, it can be difficult to sort through the good from the bad. So I’ve decided to make…
How to Become a Bartender – The Ultimate Guide
Become a bartender, make great money, travel the world, live the dream! Chapter 1 – Introducing the Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Bartender Most bartenders agree with me, breaking into the industry and becoming a bartender is one of the most (if not the most!) difficult and frustrating aspects of bartending. I hear these frustrations…
10 Books Every Bartender Should Read
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss. Unfortunately, none of us are born with knowledge, wisdom, and skill. We learn and develop these things over time with consistent study & practice. And one of the best and most…
10 Customer Service Rules for Bartenders
There’s nothing worse than getting terrible customer service. You probably know what I’m talking about. I mean, everyone’s been on the wrong side of bad service… Maybe it was when you tried to cancel your phone contract and you were put on hold for 30 mins before you eventually got through. And when you finally…
The Different Types of Liquor – A Bartender’s Guide
Liquor vs Liqueurs? Whisky vs Whiskey? Scotch vs Bourbon? Spirits…? There’s no doubt about it, the world of liquor can be extremely confusing to the uninitiated. I remember when I first started working with liquor and I knew nothing. I had no idea what gin, vodka, or rum were. And I assumed that since scotch…
What Bartenders Should Know About Beer
I know what you’re thinking “I’m a bartender, why do I have to learn about beer?? Wah, wah, wah… Cocktails are way more interesting!” And sure, I get it. Depending on who you are, cocktails can be a lot more interesting to learn about. But craft beer has started to take over the world! And…
