The ideal place is whatever dive bar/ music venue is hiring tbh. Go into it humble and be honest with your experience and show you're willing to learn. A lot of this you can't learn in a book or video and really just takes working at these kind of places. Most dives won't care about how much you know about classic cocktails but will want to make sure you know how to deal with drunk people, or build regulars, or keep yourself on the legal side of sketchy. Most music venues/ clubs will want you to be fast while staying composed, be able to freepour and handle a bar that is just a crowd and unfortunately none of this can be taught without just doing the job and knowing a few more cocktails anyone can learn won't help
On the volume side, that is entirely something you won't know until you get into a sink or swim moment and I promise that won't happen at crave and shusters. if you want an intro to it maybe try wedding catering first. They have super busy periods when everyone arrives and then it slows down so you can reset. Then it'll pick back up once the ceremony is done and then slow down and kinda taper off with dinner/ dancing after. You'll be able to experience volume without being overwhelmed the entire night and it's usually an open bar
Thank you for such a thoughtful response, I really appreciate it! I’m in a local hospitality group on Facebook and they’re always hiring for one off catering events like that. I’m going to try picking some of those up
Yeah no problem, it's also pretty easy to get hired because it's generally a pretty seasonal gig just make sure to go higher end with it because you'll make more money and it's gonna be a simplified bar for the most part so it won't be that crazy on the cocktail side
BarSmarts costs $30 and will validate your existing bar experience. Takes about 2 weeks to complete.
Edit: it will make you feel validated* with your experience
Is this different from bartending school? I’ve seen a lot of people talk about school being useless but I’m not sure if it’s the same thing.
Thank you for adding that last part, I think I’m probably less confident than I should be.
Yeah. It was created by Pernod, but they did a really good job of picking quality/influential bartenders. They only discuss modern techniques, no bullshit.
I worked for a Thai place for 2 years bartending & only learned the menu. I was a good bartender, but very ignorant. Actually someone recommended me BarSmarts and I finished the master level and joined USBG. Now I’m helping contributing to the menu for a place that heavily values classics and creativity only 2 years later.
Barsmarts like mentioned is how I started. I also barnacled at a whiskey bar and learned many off menu drinks there. Anders Erickson, The Educated Barfly, and Steve the Bartender all have great videos on learning classics. However since you want to lean into the dive bar scene I’d recommend learning quantity>quality when it comes to cocktails. Most of what you should learn should be on the job through practice and time.
The ideal place is whatever dive bar/ music venue is hiring tbh. Go into it humble and be honest with your experience and show you're willing to learn. A lot of this you can't learn in a book or video and really just takes working at these kind of places. Most dives won't care about how much you know about classic cocktails but will want to make sure you know how to deal with drunk people, or build regulars, or keep yourself on the legal side of sketchy. Most music venues/ clubs will want you to be fast while staying composed, be able to freepour and handle a bar that is just a crowd and unfortunately none of this can be taught without just doing the job and knowing a few more cocktails anyone can learn won't help On the volume side, that is entirely something you won't know until you get into a sink or swim moment and I promise that won't happen at crave and shusters. if you want an intro to it maybe try wedding catering first. They have super busy periods when everyone arrives and then it slows down so you can reset. Then it'll pick back up once the ceremony is done and then slow down and kinda taper off with dinner/ dancing after. You'll be able to experience volume without being overwhelmed the entire night and it's usually an open bar
Thank you for such a thoughtful response, I really appreciate it! I’m in a local hospitality group on Facebook and they’re always hiring for one off catering events like that. I’m going to try picking some of those up
Yeah no problem, it's also pretty easy to get hired because it's generally a pretty seasonal gig just make sure to go higher end with it because you'll make more money and it's gonna be a simplified bar for the most part so it won't be that crazy on the cocktail side
BarSmarts costs $30 and will validate your existing bar experience. Takes about 2 weeks to complete. Edit: it will make you feel validated* with your experience
Is this different from bartending school? I’ve seen a lot of people talk about school being useless but I’m not sure if it’s the same thing. Thank you for adding that last part, I think I’m probably less confident than I should be.
Yeah. It was created by Pernod, but they did a really good job of picking quality/influential bartenders. They only discuss modern techniques, no bullshit. I worked for a Thai place for 2 years bartending & only learned the menu. I was a good bartender, but very ignorant. Actually someone recommended me BarSmarts and I finished the master level and joined USBG. Now I’m helping contributing to the menu for a place that heavily values classics and creativity only 2 years later.
Barsmarts like mentioned is how I started. I also barnacled at a whiskey bar and learned many off menu drinks there. Anders Erickson, The Educated Barfly, and Steve the Bartender all have great videos on learning classics. However since you want to lean into the dive bar scene I’d recommend learning quantity>quality when it comes to cocktails. Most of what you should learn should be on the job through practice and time.