20 Rules for Bartenders

 Great bartenders are born, not made. If you walk through a crowd, you can pretty much point to people who could succeed at this job, based on how they carry themselves and how they relate to other people. The basic skills of the job can be taught, and the nuts and bolts of our job do not require an advanced degree, but a truly great bartender has the natural compulsion to anticipate the smallest details, and the training required to ensure each one is executed correctly.

Bartenders have no adjudicating body that can tell us all the right and wrong way of executing our jobs. Every bar is different, just as every person is different, and it is impossible to devise a system that works for all the various bars in the world, the hordes of people who work them, and the throngs of those who drink there.

There have been some great bartenders who have laid down general guidelines for how to tend bar, but it is difficult to find a detailed, specific list of how bartenders should act. What makes a good bartender? What about a bad one? What does a good bartender do...and what don't they do?

As I train bartenders for my bar, I try to pass along these 20 rules. Do you have any to add?

1. Do everything you can to make your guests happy within the boundaries you have been given.
2. It's not your party. It's not your booze. It's not your bar.
3. You are on stage and people are watching you. Act accordingly. If you are not comfortable with this, find another job.
4. Sleeping with your customers is a great way to lose money.
5. Know what you serve and why. If you work at a beer bar, make sure you know about beer. If you're new and uneducated, pick a few that you can get to know well, and start from there.
6. Learn how to make cocktails. Practice the details.
7. Cash-handling is king. Neat money shows your customers and owners that you are paying attention to their cash.
8. Tips aren't everything. It's a long-term game, so don't sweat the random crappy gratuity from time to time.
9. Insist on proper behavior in your bar, whatever that happens to be. If you let the clientele run your establishment, you will never regain control.
10. Learn how to comp and why.
11. Look the part.
12. Control your environment. Is the A/C too high? Is the music too loud? Your clienteles' comfort is directly proportional to the number of stars they will give you on Yelp when they walk out the door.
13. Branch out. Make sure you have the skill-sets necessary to deliver what people can reasonably expect in your bar, and work to gain the skills you'll need to succeed at your next job. Because you will have a next job, and it will require more of you.Know a joke. Get good at banter. People pay for booze, but they tip for your service.
14. Keep a clean bar. Turn bottles to face forward. Wipe the bar-top. Straighten the stools. If people think you don't care, they won't either.
15. Mise en place. It's a fancy French phrase for how you arrange your tools and ingredients. Set your mise, and do the same thing every time. You can't be fast if you're constantly searching for what you need.
16. Don't touch your face, hair, or any other part of your body. Cough in to the crook of your arm. Sneeze down. Always be seen washing your hands. Don't be disgusting.
17. Open your mouth. Talk to people. Say hello when they walk up and goodbye when they leave. Chat with your clientele, ask how they're doing, even if it's just passing time. Often, that is exactly what people want from you.
18. Keep your mouth shut. Don't offer advice. Don't dominate conversations. Keep yourself to yourself.
19. Behind the bar, you are an illusion, a fantasy, a servant, and an actual person all rolled in to one. Choose wisely which side you choose to present at any given moment.

Classic Drinks to Order at a Bar

 For traditionalists who like to keep things simple, these recipes will guarantee your drink is made perfectly.

Don't get us wrong, we love and inventive, over the top cocktail as much as anyone, but the timeless flavors of cocktails like the margarita, the Manhattan, and the martini are the cocktail version of comfort food, and we can't imagine imbibing without them. Whether you're brushing up on your home mixology menu or looking for a go-to order for your next cocktail hour, these classics will never steer you wrong.

Old Fashioned. 

The recipe is simple:

- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 sugar cube or 1 tsp sugar
- Orange twist garnish

Put sugar in glass. Cover it with dashes of bitters. Add whiskey and stir until sugar dissolves. Add ice, stir again, and serve. If the barman starts shaking the ingredients or muddling fruit, have your next round at another bar.

Bar Tools

 

Bartending Tools

Bartending tools with attitude! That is exactly what you will find here in our Bar Tools section. Have fun getting completely consumed with our colorful, professional, and unique bartender candy selection. We offer the largest array of Bottle Openers (Bar Keys), Cocktail Shaker Tins, Strainers, Bar Spoons, Muddlers, Jiggers, professional bar tools, and so much more. No one else compares to the amazing bar products we offer, and especially at such low prices! We have products for every type of bartender. So no matter if you are a bartender just starting out, a Flair Bartender, or have reached the professional Master Mixology and craft level, we have everything you need to keep your bartending ammo stocked with the industry's latest and greatest.

Cocktail Shaker:

There are several types of cocktail shakers to choose from, the two most prevalent being the Cobbler Shaker and the Boston Shaker. The Cobbler Shaker is a 3-piece shaker that has a built-in strainer within the lid whilst the Boston Shaker consists of only 2-pieces. The Boston Shaker can consist of a tin and glass or a small and large tin – you will need to use a hawthorn strainer with a Boston Shaker in order to strain your cocktail into it’s drinking vessel.

Mixing Glass:

If you opt for a Boston Shaker then you can utilise your glass from the shaker as a mixing glass or even a standard drinking glass for that matter but if you are looking for something a little more professional, take a look at the Yarai Mixing Glass which has a high capacity and is a rock solid mixing glass.

Bar Spoon:

Necessary for all your stirred drinks. You can use a standard spoon but a bar spoon has more length, usually around 25-30cm, which makes it much easier to make a stirred drink when using a mixing glass or hi-ball glass.

Measuring Tool:

Whether you decide to use a measuring cup that you already have at home or a jigger, remember that accuracy and consistency is important when making your drink. You want to ensure you get the balance right for strength, sweetness, sourness, etc. and your measuring tool will help achieve this.

Strainer:

If you opt for the Cobbler Shaker, you’re all sorted with the built-in strainer but if you go with a Boston Shaker you’ll need a hawthorn strainer when transferring your freshly shaken cocktail into a glass. You may also want to invest in a conical strainer (or tea strainer) which finely strains out pips, pulp and finer ice shards.

Pourer:

Although not a necessity, the humble speed pourer makes measuring and pouring so much easier. Having a few speed pourers on hand will make it much easier to make consistent drinks and save on wastage after you’ve had a few 😉 there aren’t many options when it comes to speed pourers but Uber Bar Tools BarFlow or ProFlow pourers – they are the best in the industry, a little more expensive but they’ll last 10 times as long compared to any other and the smooth, consistent pour is incredible.

Cutting Tool:

A small paring knife will do the trick. You can cut small citrus such as lemons and limes for juicing and garnish; wheels, wedges, twists, etc.