We went over liquor pouring in Hard Skills – Section 3, Lessons 11 and 12. Everything I used in that video is listed below. You really should have some bartender “tools” at home to practice your pouring.
This lesson covers almost everything about the tools that we discussed in the “Pouring Liquor” video that I mentioned above. I also left instructions there. Hopefully, you have already purchased all of these tools and have been practicing. Anyway, this is really just a reminder lesson – because it’s extremely important that you start practicing.
You can get these online. I do not have any affiliate links here, so go to your favorite online retailer and order this stuff.
Important: Get some liquor bottles! Ask your local bartenders/bar managers for some empties. Or, stock up your ne home bar with some basics and use those.
Nice Tip: When going in for interviews, carry your wine opener and beer opener. Why? Read the true story below:
True Story
As a General Manager, I was conducting bartender interviews one afternoon. One of the applicants, I’ll call him Mario, was sailing through the interview pretty well. He was totally inexperienced, but I definitely liked him, and knew that he was a contender.
Towards the end of the interview, I asked him how he would open a bottle of wine. To my surprise, he whipped out his wine corkscrew and proceeded to demonstrate his wine opening technique.
I couldn’t resist: “Why, Mario, are you carrying around your wine corkscrew to an interview?” Mario stated, “I thought I would be prepared in case you hired me on the spot and needed me right away.
I hired him.
Pick up a “Cocktail Shaker Kit” or a “Bartender Practice Kit” or a “Bartender Mixology Set.” Just type in those search terms at your favorite online store and you’ll find some cheap sets. That’s all you need. I think I got everything below for less than $40. Of course, it you’re also in the process of setting up a nice home bar, get something a little nicer – which will be more expensive. You can buy pretty much everything below separately or in a package.
Beer and Wine Openers:
You’ll find the below liquor pourers very common across the bar industry:
Some very common jiggers. The ones below are mostly two-sided, and are 1/4 oz to 1 1/2 oz.
Pick up a couple of mixing stainless cups, a stirring spoon, strainer, and muddler:
Buy a Pour Tester for Bartenders:
OK – that’s it for this lesson. This is all that you really need – unless you’re setting up a nice home bar. Go back to Section 3, Lessons 11 and 12 and practice your pouring!
If you’re following along in the Basic Bartending Course:
Next Lesson: Introduction to Bartender Interview Tips and Techniques
Previous Lesson: Practice Pouring Liquor
Back to the Course Start Page: Basic Bartending Course
