As someone who is interested in becoming a bartender, it pays to know about the bartending basics that come along with the job. Being a bartender includes a lot more than simply pouring drinks for customers as they request them, as I originally thought!
Like any other profession, there are a lot of things that you need to
know about the work area, your day to day tasks, the tools of the
trade, and how to prepare for your day before you even see your first
customer. Beyond that, it pays to know the basic techniques for drink mixing and serving.
Tools:
- A Can Opener – For opening cans of fruit and syrup
- Cloths and Bar Mops – To keep an area clean and free of spills
- A Cocktail Shaker and a Blender – For mixing cocktails
- An Ice Bucket – To keep your ice cold and clean
- Measuring Cups – To measure ingredients used in making mixed drinks
- A Strainer – To remove ice, pulp, and other objects from mixes when you blend ingredients together
This is just a small sample of the many tools on the list, but also remembering that there are different styles
of drinking glasses meant for certain kinds of drinks. Wine has its own
type of glass, as do highballs, shots, cocktails, and many of the types
of drink.
Preparation:
- Keep your main (most popular) liquors and your ice right in front of
you. In all likelihood, you’ll be going back to these dozens of times
throughout the day.
- Safety is just as important as efficiency. As you handle drinks
while you work, you may spill some. Keep a mat under your feet in the
work area so that you don’t run the risk of slipping and falling.
- You may also want to consider preparing your garnishes beforehand,
so that you will have plenty to go around as people begin ordering the
drinks that garnishes typically go with.
Various Techniques:
- Shaking – When a drink requires that it be mixed and chilled at the
same time, you put the ingredients into a shaker in order to accomplish
that.
- Blending – When you need to mix ingredients that can’t be broken
apart by shaking, use a blender to ensure that the drink is made
properly. Sometimes, you may need ice. When that is the case, use a fair
amount of crushed ice to get the job done.
- Building – Unique among techniques that are considered bartending
basics, building means that you put the ingredients into the glass from
which the drink will be served.
- Straining – This technique ensures that large portions of
ingredients are kept out of the drink as you pour it from shaker to
glass
