Bartending: How To Memorize All Those Recipes
When someone looks at the number of alcoholic drinks that a bar tender has to serve, the professions does appear scary. How can anyone know all the recipes and the ingredients?
Well, what no bartender really tells you is that in real life you do not have to know all the recipes. The majority of bars and hotels all over the country usually serve 20-40 standard drinks which make up 99% of the business. So one does not have to remember all the 1000s of recipes but just the common every day drinks.
If you pay attention you can learn the common 50 or so recipes in no time. However, it is always worth knowing some unusual recipes. You never know when a customer may ask you to make such an unusual drink. And if you can make it, you will be a hero (and get a big tip). While there are certainly a lot of drinks and ingredients to remember, one should always keep a small book handy behind the bar. You can always go at the back, peek into it and then make the drink.
Rather than learning all the ingredients and recipes, one should put more effort in adding style and flair to how one makes and pours the drink. The majority of customers have little clue what is exactly in the drink.
5 Responses to “Bartending: How To Memorize All Those Recipes”
July 4th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I always use to love the bartending job..I remember one of my friend doing this and he is still doing that. The passion was good that he use to be busy always. That is true that style and flairs really matters..
I really miss my friend now..
Thanks for the article.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:48 am
For me it’s hard to beat a simple Maliby Bay Breeze. I was on a cruise once and someone handed me one and that was it!
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:37 am
Bartender’s job looks like something close to magic to me:) What makes me amazed is the seeming ease of making cocktails and beauty of each motion - pouring, shaking, decorating… Art…
August 8th, 2008 at 6:36 am
thanks for the info
August 18th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Thanks for posting, thats comforting to know. Sometimes I do see a bartender looking up a recipe, it would be absolutely impossible to remember all of them.
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