Everybody’s thought of learning how to bartend at least once in their life. But bartending is no easy art, it requires a lot of patience, attention to detail and amateur skills to begin with. If you want to get started on your journey to becoming an at-home bartender, then we have a few tips that’ll help you along the way. Check out these 5 things every amateur bartender definitely needs to know.
5 Things Every Amateur Bartender Needs To Know
- Have the right tools
- Stock your favorite liquor
- Use your muddler
- Shake and stir
- Learn the basics
1. Have The Right Tools
It’s always great to think you know just how to measure your liquor, but the truth is, you probably don’t and are making drinks that are too strong or weak. Just like a wizard needs a wand, a bartender too needs the right tools to whip up the best drinks.
 Having the correct tools like a jigger, a shaker, a muddler etc. can elevate your drinks to the next level. So first things first, get your hands on all the basic tools every bartender needs.
Also Read: 7 Tools Every Amateur Bartender Needs
2. Stock Your Favorite Liquor
In the showmanship of bartending and experimenting with a variety of cool alcohol, you might actually just keep choosing your favorite liquor over and over. So while you can slowly start creating a great bar counter, always keep multiples bottles of the liquor you’re most likely to use.
It’s not just about stocking up your bar, but also about knowing your bar the best. Make sure that you keep a mental note of what you’re stocking up and what drink is kept where.
Also Read: Know Your Liquor
3. Use Your Muddler
Just imagine getting a mojito with mint leaves just thrown in, but as you take a sip you can’t taste the mint. What’s the point of adding herbs to your cocktails, if you can’t release their flavour into the drink?
That’s where your muddler comes into the picture. Use it to gently muddle some herbs (make sure not to over-muddle) to even make a run-of-the-mill drink taste complex.
Also Read: How To Take Care Of Bar Equipment
4. Shake And Stir
This is where a lot of us amateurs go wrong – lack of proper knowledge. We often end up stirring drinks that need to be shaken or shaking the ones that need to be stirred.
Read up on what drinks are meant to be shaken and which ones are supposed to be stirred, so you don’t mix it up and ruin the drink. Make sure to add the right amount of ice, and stir or shake for not more than 25 seconds.
Also Read: Top Things To Remember When Making Cocktails
5. Learn The Basics
Your repertoire shouldn’t begin with complicated, fancy drinks. It’s always essential to get the basics right before you jump to the complex skills in any profession or service.
Learn how to make at least 10 basic cocktails just right and try experimenting with them. Add your own twist to them and watch your skills grow from there. Get your foundation right and conjure up your own creations.
Also Read: 6 Cocktail Books To Buy For Every Budding Bartender
Summing Up
There’s a lot that goes into making bartending look so cool. These things that every amateur bartender needs to know, will surely help you begin your journey to reach there. So get on with practicing these skills, and bring your A-game to the bar.
FAQs
What Should A Beginner Bartender Know?
As a beginner, there are certain things that every bartender should know. These include:
- Basic drink knowledge
- A thorough idea of the bar
- How and when to use different types of tools
- Skills like shaking, stirring, mixing, and muddling
- How to serve drinks
What Are Three 5 Important Attributes Of A Bartender?
There are certain prominent attributes that make for a great bartender. Here are the 5 important features of a good bartender:
- Good customer service skills
- Proper knowledge of drinks
- Maintains cleanliness
- Efficient time management and memorization
- Constant awareness of the situation
What Are Some Of The Basic Cocktails?
Some cocktails are pretty basic and are straight out of a bartending textbook. So it’s essential for every bartender to know these common cocktails like:
- Martini
- Margarita
- Daiquiri
- Old Fashioned
- Whiskey Highball
What Are The Different Styles Of Bartending?
While it may give you the idea that all bartenders follow the same, that’s not really the case. There are different styles of bartending, some of these are:
- Classic
- Batched
- Molecular
- Tiki
- Fun & contemporary
What Is The 50% Rule In Bartending?
This is a very basic rule of bartending wherein if the customer’s glass is empty halfway (or less than 50%), then you can go on to serve another drink.
What Is A Bartender’s Handshake?
It is known in the cocktail community that bartenders often greet friends and colleagues with a shot of drink on the house. This is often called the bartender’s handshake.
