Milwaukee John
Introducing: Milwaukee John - a bartender from (you guessed it) Milwaukee! John tends bar at YIELD, an indie/punk bar on Milwaukee’s east side.
Why did you decide to get into bartending?
Actually, I had answered a newspaper ad for a new bar - Cans - that was opening in the area. I had done some bussing in previous years and figured behind the bar was the next logical step. Mixing my social life with my monetary income seemed like a perfect avenue for me to follow.
How did you go from barbacking to bartending?
I worked hard and tough barbacking in those days (we drank even tougher). I got to the point where I was actually passed over for an open bartending slot for fear of a lacking a replacement for myself. Eventually, I got it though and have been in love ever since. It felt good coming home.
What is your favorite drink to make?
I am from Milwaukee, land of Jameson and the PRB; but we got ourselves some good drinks. In a bartending competition for a local newspaper, I came up with mixed drink called a “Dead Homie”…. it’s prepared in a pint glass, half Olde English (i know what you may be thinking at this point but stick with me), half orange juice, a splash of orange vodka (i prefer Stoli, but any will do) and top it with a bit of Chambord… garnish with an orange and a raspberry (bar cherries work too)…believe me, these will have you wobbling on your porch in no time on those hot Milwaukee summer days.
What is your least favorite drink to make?
Long islands…not because they contain so many ingredients (I don’t mind making Bloodys; even late night) but because they are just a horrible drink. Nowadays, they arent even made with actual separate liquors… just premixes… get over ‘em people. (P.S. - nothing screams “I am cheap and want to get boozed up quick more so than a L.I.”)
What is your bartender pet peeve?
If i make eye contact with you, order… I hate it when I am in the weeds and you get some guy/girl waving their money in your face only to have them turn around and ask their friends what they want when you finally get around to serving them. Know what you want when you get to the bar.
What’s the most interesting/scandalous thing that’s happened to you on the job?
Oh Christ! That one either involves whippits or nudity. We could probably leave it at that.
What’s the best line somebody has used to get a free drink from you?
“Hey, my girlfriend has the best tits in the world… I bet for a peek she would get a free shot eh? Show him honey!”
(I didn’t give her a shot…tits don’t pay my bills.)
What’s the most memorable pickup line you’ve heard?
I dunno… as bartenders i think we start to just ignore these after awhile… They get pretty pitiful sometimes. Like one girl said she would tip me on her $120 (ish) bar tab only if I made out with her. Let’s just say kissing her was not worth the five bucks I missed out on. She stiffed me.
Who would YOU want to have a drink with and why?
Hunter S. Thompson… Wild Turkey and mescal all night! That man would be right at home here in Milwaukee!
Tell us one thing about tending bar that we might not know.
Well, maybe this does not directly answer the question but Milwaukee was rated by Forbes magazine as the biggest drinking city in the nation. I mean they put us on the very top looking at everything from liquor store sales, to bar sales, to personal testimonies of drinking habits, etc. Trust me, if you have not spent a weekend in Milwaukee, you are missing something. (eh…even if you came you probably won’t remember it anyway; better off staying home!)
For more information about Milwaukee John, visit his page on MySpace.
4 Responses to “Milwaukee John”
January 24th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Interesting interview, good to get yet another insight into the mind of a bartender. I think I probably do the not ordering straight away at the bar thing too, but I’ll make an effort to change that in future!
January 30th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
the monkey loves yield!
great bar.. great music. some of the best bartenders in the city!!
April 1st, 2008 at 10:17 am
i really like your interview it gives me strength and ideas im doing a project in school and i waz hoping i could interview you for a few min.s so if you could emal me that would be great thank you
-Allison
June 10th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Huh, I really wanna be a bartender like him. Just need more practice/time/advices. Good recipes we still got from this blog, that nice. Thx.
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