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Mr. Tibbs posted:I'm an American studying in Denmark right now. Would it be considered rude/pretentious to go to a cheapish bar and order something slightly less common like a Rusty Nail. I vaguely remember something from the last thread about how European bartenders are more for pouring beer than really mixing drinks. I'd be surprised if they had Drambuie in Denmark to be honest, but you never know.
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Aug 31, 2012 19:39
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Euro bartender here, working in a somewhat specialized beer bar. The most mixing I have to do is adding cassis to a glass of champagne. The rest of the time I'm pouring beers, advising people what beers to drink, educating people on some of the more unusual beers on the menu... But that's ok. People know they don't have to ask for a cocktail in my bar - we're rather unequipped for that.
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Sep 1, 2012 10:47
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My rep likes to sneak in a case of Amaretto or some ridiculous butterschnapps liquor and then says "It'll sell if you guys get behind it !! Mystery Shot !!" gently caress him. I've been lazy to get a new rep, and have just been buying off their company website. And drat you Young's Market for not returning my calls!
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Sep 1, 2012 20:11
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjn0Ni6g1kM poo poo Brand Ambassadors say Only found this video this week but had a great cackle at it.
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Sep 2, 2012 07:30
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So... I just finished my first shift as a bartender. I was hired with no experience in anything alcohol and a strong recommendation from a bud. The bar is actually a "casino", but is easily the shittiest place I've ever had the pleasure drinking in. The last renovation was twenty-some years ago, and I'm pretty sure the place has never been professionally cleaned even once since the owner (who is trying to re-sell the place) bought it. My first night involved the following: Walking into the shift to the managers trying to work out which one of the employees broke in that morning and swiped over a hundred bucks from the till. Then they explained that they didn't want me to close with the evening shift gal, but I was going to have to anyway. Oh, and my shift was gonna be a double. Watching a woman gamble away hundreds of dollars on digital lotto and booze, then break down crying over the phone when explaining what she did to her daughter. Getting propositioned by a disgusting bipolar lady who reeked of catpiss, who proceeded to get completely trashed, hopped in her car, and peeled away from the bar. She was pulled over and arrested a few blocks away. Being headbutted, really, really hard as I forced a barfly out at close. At least he tipped well. Probably five or six different townies telling me to make a Captain and Coke, "Easy on the coke." Then walked away without tipping. Anyhow, I don't think I would have been nearly as competent/confidant without having read these threads months back. Anyone who even thinks about applying to be a bartender should read through each and every one.
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Sep 2, 2012 09:16
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Verr posted:Probably five or six different townies telling me to make a Captain and Coke, "Easy on the coke." Then walked away without tipping. I hope you didn't pour their drinks any differently than you would a normal Captain and Coke. You can always ask if they want a double (most will say no).
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Sep 2, 2012 09:21
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gently caress no. I just gave them the  for an awkwardly long moment, then made them a Captain and Coke using a shot glass to measure, as opposed to mixing a 1/3 or 1/2 like I was doing for everyone else.
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Sep 2, 2012 09:34
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A night when the past five years have been real soft, and we crushed it. Tomorrow all the neighborhood herds back from the beach and we will flow cocktails like water. As it is written, so shall it be. Happy labor say, bitches.
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Sep 2, 2012 10:00
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Coldfire posted:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjn0Ni6g1kM People think cocktail bartending is all disapproving looks and vests, but we have fun (liquor).
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Sep 2, 2012 10:05
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two very, very lovely ladies in tonight sitting at my bar enjoying what looked like maybe their anniversary dinner, shared a bottle of bubbles and then while one of them was talking to me about champagne and oysters the other one started licking and sucking on her finger and it took every single ounce of professionalism left in me to keep a straight face and continue answering her questions. luckilly for me though, as the restaurant quietened down and there was barely anyone left with the perfect end to a completely draining and exhaustive night in my sights, cue 12 people to come in and loudly ruin the mood and then 4 of the guys start relentlessly hitting on these poor girls, scaring them off completely. gj bros 
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Sep 2, 2012 11:47
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Vegetable Melange posted:That is the handiwork of a friend for the spirited awards. The other vids in the ceremony were almost as genius, worth checking out. To be fair, though, you also have disapprovement and vests. Verr posted:So... I just finished my first shift as a bartender. I was hired with no experience in anything alcohol and a strong recommendation from a bud. The bar is actually a "casino", but is easily the shittiest place I've ever had the pleasure drinking in. The last renovation was twenty-some years ago, and I'm pretty sure the place has never been professionally cleaned even once since the owner (who is trying to re-sell the place) bought it. My first job was at a similar place. My general advice: Good tippers in a place like that drink for free or almost for free. Nevermind house policy. Same for most attractive females. If you're also responsible for check cashing just don't do it for anyone who isn't an obvious once a day regular (if the owners allow you to do it at all). You'll probably never have a decent crowd in there but if you do get a few young people or nice people and their girlfriends chase the scum away from them like a guard dog would. You might get robbed in a place like that. By a skeevy meth head. With a shotgun. Go over what you're going to do now (give all the money to them quickly) so you don't fumble at the wrong time later. raton fucked around with this message at 12:10 on Sep 2, 2012 |
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Sep 2, 2012 12:00
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First college football home game today, pretty much the start of our busy season. Bartended 13 hours, was at the bar for over 15. Just weeds the entire time, rear end kicking behind the bar, throwing people out every time I turn around, catching fake ID's again (we didn't have door guys for half of it), running out of poo poo and improvising, pouring into whatever glassware was handy because gently caress if I've seen a clean shot glass in the last hour, and just everything I love and hate about bartending. Absolutely glorious but just so exhausting, utterly draining, ears still ringing from the music and that awful cacophony of people talking, yelling, singing, whistling, screaming. On the opposite side of things, as I was leaving for work my old lady was on her way to a wedding that she was in. Pulls off of flasks before the wedding. Sneaking off to a bar between the wedding and the reception. Free booze at the reception. When the reception winds down, everyone still standing heads out to the bars! We come home at exactly the same time (because she ended the night at my bar and I drove us). Now, I'm stone sober. Not a drop the entire day. The only thing I want at this point is to find some sort of screen that can project some sort of video, sit in front of it and loving unwind. I want to take pulls off a bottle until I can't feel the countless cuts on my hands or how sore my feet are, until the ringing in my ears turns to beautiful silence, until that argument I had with that stupid over-entitled oval office stops rising up in my brain and making me clench my jaw all over again. Until I hit that elusive state of numb. The only thing she wants? "Oh my god, it was such a great wedding. It was so cute! They wrote their own vows and they were crying, it was perfect. And then at the reception we had like three shots of Jager, and then a couple of beers. And then another shot, I don't know what it was, it tasted really good. And then I had this Ranger IPA, that was weird because I thought Rangers were an Army thing but this didn't have anything to do with the Army, but it was still good, and then we had a shot of tequila, no wait, that was when we got to the bars, OH BUT BEFORE THAT we were walking to the bars and I totally fell down and skinned (the utter gently caress, wow) out of my knee but it's okay, it's not that bad. But the wedding! It was so cute. They wrote their own vows. And they were crying! It was perfect! Did I tell you this already? Well it was so cute. And they were crying......." The absolute best piece of advice I can give to any bartender, rookie or veteran. Find yourself a significant other that works in this industry. It's hard, but they are out there. It limits your dating pool considerably but if you don't heed this advice, you run the risk being driven completely, totally, 100% loving bat poo poo insane. In other news, that shift paid my rent for the month. If you gents need me, I'll be out back digging a shallow grave and working out an alibi.
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Sep 2, 2012 12:43
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Got to throw somebody out for the first time  It was really just a group of party crashers at a wedding I was working. The cocktail hour/reception had been going on for about 3 hours at that point. I didn't recognize these ladies, and they were wearing denim miniskirts and such when everybody else was dressed up fancy as gently caress. It was perfect, and I couldn't help but smiling when telling them they had to get out. They also had to go past at least two "Private Event" signs. Also, the bride's mother screamed at me for overserving her husband, who fell over stupid drunk in the middle of the best man's speech. She went on to yell about how he's on medication that makes him "drunker than usual." I think she just needed to hear herself say that to get how silly that was. And possibly trying to save her husband some face at their kid's wedding. Oh well. Made out pretty well anyway.
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Sep 2, 2012 18:32
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 (Rename me Reddit Reposter.)
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Sep 2, 2012 20:42
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nrr posted:two very, very lovely ladies in tonight sitting at my bar enjoying what looked like maybe their anniversary dinner, shared a bottle of bubbles and then while one of them was talking to me about champagne and oysters the other one started licking and sucking on her finger and it took every single ounce of professionalism left in me to keep a straight face and continue answering her questions. Imagine this but they're in skimpy bikinis with their nipples poking out. This is the bar I work at 
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Sep 2, 2012 22:31
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Well, you poor bastard. There's definitely something to be said for people getting dressed up in evening wear to have cocktails and/or a nice dinner. Especially when those people are a couple of rather sophisticated looking ladies who are riding that fine line between behaving quite classy, and wanting to gently caress each others brains out right there on the bar. The upside of my work environment though, is NO BLENDED DRINKS  which I'm sure you do a shitload of at a college pool bar, and I think I hate blended drinks with enough of a passion that I would actually trade in bikini clad customers to not have to make them.
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Sep 2, 2012 22:49
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I'm a staunch defender of the principle that a daiquiri consists of Rum, Lime, Simple, and Shove That Blender Up Your rear end. (Alcohol only makes me angry when I talk about it while sober.)
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Sep 2, 2012 22:53
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Halloween Jack posted:I'm a staunch defender of the principle that a daiquiri consists of Rum, Lime, Simple, and Shove That Blender Up Your rear end. And Maraschino liqueur, surely?
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Sep 2, 2012 23:15
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PT6A posted:And Maraschino liqueur, surely? Also I've slung a few batches of various fruity blender drinks for parties this year, admit it, that poo poo rules.
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Sep 2, 2012 23:23
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NEVAAR
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Sep 2, 2012 23:33
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Sheep-Goats posted:You might get robbed in a place like that. By a skeevy meth head. With a shotgun. Go over what you're going to do now (give all the money to them quickly) so you don't fumble at the wrong time later.   Thanks.
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Sep 3, 2012 03:23
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Verr posted:
Sorry to be grim, but a sketch casino/bar is a magnet for armed robbery.
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Sep 3, 2012 03:43
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nrr posted:The upside of my work environment though, is NO BLENDED DRINKS We have an Island Oasis machine which makes it about 100 times easier and faster. And I will gladly make frozen drinks if it means I get to see women in what is basically their underwear all day long.
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Sep 3, 2012 04:08
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That is good advice to anyone who works a till, really. I worked for RadioShack for about 3 years off and on, and I still remember my first training session with my boss after my various product certifications were done. It was on how to empty the till into a bag if someone ever walked in with a gun. He even coached me on what to say every step of the way: asking them if they wanted roll change, announcing every movement I made before I made it, even what size bag to use when I handed it over (the small ones). And this is a loving RadioShack, not exactly the sketchiest sort of place.
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Sep 3, 2012 04:11
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Labor day weekend. It wasnt two of the three.
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Sep 3, 2012 09:50
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Hey guys, I'm dead. Labor day weekend killed me.
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Sep 4, 2012 18:31
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Took big hits Sat/Sun while understaffed (read: $$$) and then spent Monday getting lit on mezcal and dope tacos before endless fernet and oysters. I love industry parties.
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Sep 4, 2012 19:13
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Also I only recently hit the point where people are trying to poach me away from my job, and it was a doozie; a client, heavy into PR/Event Production, asking me what it would take to open my own place. "Cash, Real Estate, PR, what?" I said all that, and more. And if he's talking, I'm listening.
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Sep 4, 2012 22:11
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Vegetable Melange posted:Also I only recently hit the point where people are trying to poach me away from my job, and it was a doozie; a client, heavy into PR/Event Production, asking me what it would take to open my own place. "Cash, Real Estate, PR, what?" Aww, it's cute watching idiots try to throw money at would be cocktail bar owners. Of course, only if "owner" entails giving up all but 15%-20% of your say to whatever frat boy(s) with money wants to try to back you in exchange for party house rights.
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Sep 5, 2012 09:37
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Tom Rakewell posted:Aww, it's cute watching idiots try to throw money at would be cocktail bar owners. Of course, only if "owner" entails giving up all but 15%-20% of your say to whatever frat boy(s) with money wants to try to back you in exchange for party house rights. Oh, believe me, I've seen disasters happen. I know people who had a couple investors pull out at the 5yr mark. Even when it's going well, it's hell. I do have a role model in the guys I used to work for, who are aggressively turning out the restaurants (but then, food is a lot less fashionable than booze, so you have to think). Never hurts to have a conversation or six.
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Sep 5, 2012 17:19
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Vegetable Melange posted:Also I only recently hit the point where people are trying to poach me away from my job, and it was a doozie; a client, heavy into PR/Event Production, asking me what it would take to open my own place. "Cash, Real Estate, PR, what?" My bar manager has had people trying to get him to open a bar for years, and has found out most of the "investors" are full of poo poo, he doesn't want to open a bar anyway because he knows how it is, and he has a family so it probably wouldn't work out too well in that regard. Unless you want it to consume your life opening your own place probably isn't worth the risk nine times out of ten. It is fun talking about it though, we do it all the time [edit] also, been looking at bartender want ads in CL, is it really a good idea to advertise that you need a bartender with a "following" because that implies you're desperate for customers so why the hell would I want to work there then? Applebees Appetizer fucked around with this message at 18:34 on Sep 5, 2012 |
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Sep 5, 2012 18:09
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Vegetable Melange posted:Oh, believe me, I've seen disasters happen. I know people who had a couple investors pull out at the 5yr mark. Even when it's going well, it's hell. I do have a role model in the guys I used to work for, who are aggressively turning out the restaurants (but then, food is a lot less fashionable than booze, so you have to think). Never hurts to have a conversation or six. Of course, I'm just jaded at hearing pitches and being fed the same lines, and it's always good to go into those things with a giant dose of skepticism. Hands-off investors can be tricky to deal with, because restaurants and bars are notoriously dangerous/risky investments, and the most cash-minded investors are going to stay away from them as a rule of thumb. So people seeking to open restaurants without being actively involved in them are the type of people who really just want to play owner and have a personal clubhouse, i.e. not the type of person to do business with in a restaurant/bar setting.
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Sep 5, 2012 20:21
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Thanks for the advice/pointers on talking to reps and our vendors. I'm done with the ordering for the foreseeable future, and while it's good experience I'm sure, God drat I will not miss the paperwork that went along with it, nor the awkward buddy-buddy style conversations when all I want is my drat beer in my drat bar.
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Sep 5, 2012 23:27
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Liquor question: I have a bottle of Carolan's Irish Cream that is unopened, but I don't have the slightest idea how old it is (probably very if I don't remember buying it). Does this poo poo go bad, and if so is it obvious? Like chunky or whatnot? It's a cheap knockoff brand so throwing it away certainly won't cause me any grief but if it's still drinkable why waste booze?
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Sep 6, 2012 21:59
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If it's unopened, you should be cool.
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Sep 6, 2012 23:48
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I've never seen an Irish Cream type liqueur go bad before, but most bottles don't survive being around my living space for that long (or the bar, either). Except for blue curacao, I've had a bottle of that poo poo for like 3 years now.
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Sep 7, 2012 01:22
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It's partially dairy, so you'll know when it turns. That said, I object to your assertion that is is "drinkable".
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Sep 7, 2012 01:23
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JawKnee posted:I've never seen an Irish Cream type liqueur go bad before, but most bottles don't survive being around my living space for that long (or the bar, either).
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Sep 7, 2012 03:27
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So I've been working for this restaurant group for 4 years now. Started as a servers-assistant (busboy basically) then after about 9 months I started serving tables and thats what I have been doing ever since. The concept is prime beef steakhouse and great wine mixed with casual dining (fried fish and chicken) in a market that is built for this type atmosphere. I got asked this week to move full time to bartender. Theres a whole program they have established to pass beforehand but god drat I am excited. I needed the change of scenery so bad. They have had me even cocktailing recently to get used to the change in job duties. I guess I don't know why I am posting this, just excited, knew SA would have a forum on it.
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Sep 7, 2012 03:55
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SubponticatePoster posted:I have a bottle of that too, that I picked up when I was trying to make purple drinks for some dumb occasion. What the gently caress do you make with blue curacao that isn't a horrible syrupy mess? You can sort of use it as a substitute for triple sec, so theres that. I have a bottle of Campari sitting around, that might be found in ruins and people might think that this poo poo was actually drank by someone.
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Sep 7, 2012 07:46
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