Any bartenders in the house? (apartment, credit, loans)

[BitViper]

My 23 year old son is intrested in becoming a bartender (its always been on of thoes things I've wanted to do too.. I'm too old now)..

He's been looking into someof the online and reqular schools.. but I'm wondering if thats the best route to take... Would it be better to just geta job as a bar-back and work his way thru..

He's an affable kid.. got the gift of gab.. not afraid of starting up a conversation...

Anyone got some insight?

Thanks.........

[MovingAloha]

Originally Posted by BitViper

My 23 year old son is intrested in becoming a bartender (its always been on of thoes things I've wanted to do too.. I'm too old now)..

He's been looking into someof the online and reqular schools.. but I'm wondering if thats the best route to take... Would it be better to just geta job as a bar-back and work his way thru..

He's an affable kid.. got the gift of gab.. not afraid of starting up a conversation...

Anyone got some insight?

Thanks.........

My step daughter worked her way through college as a bartender, and she indicates that bars prefer to train their own. My son who works as a part-time DJ in a very popular bar in LA says the same thing.

[BitViper]

How did she learn "Mixology" on the job?

[T. Damon]

I was a bartender for years going through college- was hired right after I turned 21 (most of my customers insisted I was too young to serve haha), didn't know a thing except how to drink a beer and make a screwdriver and was taught on the job.

The "mixology" is the easiest part of the job (although being slammed and getting a bunch of blender drink orders will set you over the edge) - like learning the lines in a play doesn't make the acting- Bar tending is knowing how to deftly manage a bunch of things at once and look cool doing it- pouring drinks, stocking ice/bar, taking orders from customers and wait staff, tending the cash, cleaning and stocking glassware, inventory, ordering, changing kegs and pretending to idly chat about innocuous subjects with all kinds of folks.

I think those bar tending schools are worthless but I just know from my side of things. I've been a bartender at many different places and never was learning what goes in what cocktails ever a hard part of the job.

[MovingAloha]

BitViper, I can't answer about he mixology, but I know that she was a bartender for over two years! I know when I was a waitress in a very high end club, they taught us basic mixology, just to know what we were ordering for our customer.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

BitViper,

I tended for several years in my early 20s in Boston and managed in various cities including here. I started as a bar back for a couple of months and busted my hump. The mixology aspect can be learned online or in books and as others have said, is probably the least difficult part of the job. The guest really is the most important in terms of mkaing them feel comfortable.

For me at least, its absolutely worth it try to barbacking to cut his teeth and see it from the other side of the bar (not the patron.)
For example, when I did become a bartender and a barback didnt show up on a crazy busy night, knowing how to change kegs, change ice, replace bottles, get glasses out of the dishwasher, the list goes on in the thick of a busy night was invaluable. These 'on the fly' kind of things that could potentially go wrong during the course of a shift, if he is a quick learner, will be like second hand.

IMHO its also important to understand the camaraderie between staff behind the scenes and being a barback gives someone that exposure. Of course this all depends on the kind of bar and clientele, but there are some aspects of bartending and working in the service industry that are universal in nature.
It can be a very task intensive job on the back end during busy times, but otherwise, a TON of fun.
He should do it, the experience can be very rewarding depending on point of view.

[Ankhharu]

Been in and out of the business for a few years now and yes, most places look down on the bartending schools. They are a waste of money. Besides, no bar is going to hire someone fresh out of bartending school with no prior experience (one exception and I'll get to that). As others have mentioned, it's not the drink recipes that are the problem, it's handling the dozen other issues that pop up along with dealing with a bar stacked deep full of impatient customers.

There are 2 ways he can go about this.
1-He can try to get on as a bar back at a bar. These positions are rarely advertised so he'll have to hit the pavement, show up at non-peak hours (2pm-4pm for example or when it first opens) and talk to a manager. Make no mistake, bar backing is hard hard work. He needs to be aware. However, in my opinion, this is probably the best place to start for a guy. Because you'll get the opportunity to watch and be behind the bar and even help out on small things in the beginning, learning what to do and what not to do.
2-look into waiting tables at a chain restaurant (i.e Chili's, OTB, Olive Garden, etc) and tell them you want to be a bartender eventually. These places are corporate owned, so they tend to hire within and they have a specific training regiment. The downside is less freedom but it's a way to get your foot in the door.

I'd also let your son know this. The industry is changing and not for the good if you're a guy. I have watched several friends who have been bartending 10+ years lose their positions to woman with virtually no experience, other than a pretty face and a great body because owners believe it will bring in more business. Guys buy more alcohol than woman and they are more likely to show up at a bar alone to drink and they are more likely to go to a bartender they think is hot. This has led to a movement of establishments hiring more and more woman regardless of qualifications. I'm currently a part of a private service industry group on facebook that has several hundred members. The purpose of the group is to compare notes, drink recipe nicknames, talk about the business or just vent. Just about every week there is someone complaining about how their manager is hiring incompetent bartenders who's only asset is a great rack. Just something he should be aware of.

[tonyinsd]

As someone who has both worked as a bartender and who also helped run a restaurant, let me give you some advice.

Save. Your. Money.

Get hired as a server, and then work your way to the bar. They will train you on mixing drinks. That's the easy part. Think about it. Half your orders are going to be beer. Then another 20 percent will be wine. So all you need to take care of a significant part of your business is the ability to pull a tap or open a bottle.

Now another ten percent will be for a mixed drink that's easy to make. Oh, it's SO HARD to make a vodka tonic or a scotch and soda. You need to go to school for that.

So basically, the only time you need to do any real mixing is when you have to deal with one of the ten percent that order a mixed drink that's not tough to make. And those drinks often are house specialties, so it's not like you'll be making them in bartending school.

The hard part is keeping your cool when it's busy and a bunch of doucheskanks all want a bunch of red headed sluts and your regulars are irritated by them.

[Clevelandgal]

It's been years since I tended bar, but I think the working the way up through bar backing or waiting tables is the way to go. if a restaurant or club has a service bar for the wait staff to get drinks for their tables, thats a good place to start because it doesnt carry the pressures of working a whole bar, which has a lot of different things to manage at once. I'm really glad I don't work in that business anymore, but for my age, the money was great. I afforded a car, and apartment and put myself through school with no loans or parental help! But I had a good work ethic and worked at high earnings venues. Too many people I worked with partied away and didn't finish school. The best thing about it were the people and problem solving skills I got out of it. I can handle all kinds of bat crap crazy
situations and not get rattled.

I never worked with anyone that went to bartending school,it was widely thought of as a joke.

[futbol]

I had a roommate in college who took a bar-tending class. It was a non-credit, after-hours class in which he got a certification. This was at a public university and those non-credit classes were a great deal $$$-wise. The school also offered classes in massage, scuba diving, cooking, etc. It was also a way to socialize.

He was able to get a part time bar job that he liked. Seemed worth it to me for the little that he paid. He said it was worth it just for the fun.

Now I don't know about serious bar-tending schools. The common wisdom on this thread on those is probably spot on.