The Art of Bartending Tricks
A bartender is a person who serves drinks to customers in a bar, pub, or restaurant. A bartender’s primary responsibility is to take drink orders from customers and serve the drinks. Bartending tricks are not easy to learn and practice, but they are a great way to make your bartending experience more fun and exciting.
Bartenders need to make sure that the customer’s order is correct. Bartenders need to be knowledgeable about what types of alcoholic drinks are available and how they should be made so that they can provide good service.
Bartending is a Dance
Bartending can be seen as a form of dance because it requires rhythm, timing, and coordination. It’s not only about mixing drinks; it’s about creating an atmosphere that draws people in and makes them want more.
To become a great bartender, you must learn to do more than pour drinks. You need to know how to move and shake your body to make people want to return for more. They are not just there to pour drinks; they entertain customers and make them feel welcome.
Basic Bartending Techniques Before Learning Tricks
Bartending can be a lot of fun, and it’s a great way to earn extra money – but the first step to being a good bartender is knowing how to do the basics. There are several techniques that you’ll need to know before you can make drinks for your customers.
Shaking
Shaking a drink is one of the essential bar tricks. It is a technique for mixing drinks with citrus ingredients, like lime and lemon juice.
The best way to shake a drink is to hold it with both hands, holding it at eye level, and then use your wrists to rotate the shaker. Shaking drinks isn’t just a way to mix them up – it also adds air bubbles and makes them more bubbly on top, which can make them look more appealing on the bar countertop when they are served to customers who order them.
Stirring
Stirring is the most common technique used in cocktails. It is essential to know that the stirring bartending technique can be used for drinks with different ingredients, but it is most commonly used for cocktails with a lot of ice.
The main idea behind this technique is to use the spoon to stir the drink while it’s being poured. This will help break up the cubes and give you an even consistency throughout the drink.
Pouring
This is one of the essential skills to learn when starting as a bartender. It’s all about getting the perfect amount of liquid in each glass or cup without spilling or overfilling it. Bartenders need to be able to do this with both hands, which means they need to be ambidextrous.
Throwing
A bartender needs to know how to throw a cocktail, which is an essential skill. This skill teaches you how to throw a cocktail in a glass with finesse and style. It also teaches you how to make a perfect cocktail, not just about throwing it into the glass.
The bartender needs to accurately judge the distance between them and the customer and then throw the drink towards them without spilling it or dropping it on their way there. This skill can take years of practice before one becomes proficient at it and can be considered an expert at bartending.
Muddling
Muddling is a bartending technique that extracts flavour from fresh fruit or herbs. The bartender muddles the fruit or herb in the bottom of a glass with a spoon, then adds sugar and other ingredients.
The use of this technique varies depending on the type of drink being made. For example, muddling can be used to make a mojito, but it would not be appropriate for making an Old Fashioned. Bartenders need to have this skill because it’s one of the most used skills in the industry, and it’s a great way to add flavour to drinks.
Spanking
Bartenders have been using spanking to keep their hands free for other tasks and to ensure that their hands are always dry. Most bartenders know moist palms can result in a sticky and slippery grip on the glass. Adding a squeeze of lemon juice or lime will keep your hands dry and effective for hours.
Double Straining
Double straining is a bartending technique that involves using two fists to squeeze the juice out of a citrus fruit or other hard object, such as an orange. This process creates more juice and less pulp, making cocktails taste better. This can improve the flavour of your cocktails by extracting more juice from the ingredients. It also removes any seeds or membranes from the fruit, giving your drink a smoother texture.
To perform double straining, start peeling off one end of the fruit. Then use both hands to squeeze the fruit until its juices come out in streams. Be careful not to puncture it; if done incorrectly, this could cause a mess on your bar top and stained hands.
Dry Shaking
Dry shaking is a technique that makes cocktails and other drinks more potent and flavorful. It involves using less ice and less liquid than traditional shaking methods. This is a great way to improve your cocktail skills without spending hours making drinks from scratch. Using less liquid and ice, you can create potent shaken cocktails that taste great!
Sweetening
In bartending, one of the most critical decisions a bartender can make is what type of sweetener to use in drinks. Sweeteners come in different forms and flavours, and it can be challenging to choose the right one for a particular drink. Saccharin is a natural sugar substitute that is often used as a replacement for sugar in cocktails. Saccharin has a low-calorie count and lacks sweetness, so it is typically used to balance out other flavours or to achieve a dry taste.
Lifting
Bartenders need to lift the drinks. They also have to do this safely, without hurting or losing their balance. This is because they might spill the drinks if they fall from a height or if someone throws something at them from above while they are carrying heavy items on their back.
Basic Bartending Tricks for Drinks
The following tricks are intended for those who want to become a bartender:
The Rainbow Bomb
A Rainbow bomb is a cocktail served in a rainbow of colours. The drink combines three different alcoholic beverages, usually made from fruit juice. It is a cocktail that consists of vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, and grenadine. It is named after the rainbow flag, which is featured prominently in the drink.
The drink was created by the bartender at the Rainbow Bar and Grill in San Francisco, California in 1940. The drink has been served since then, and it has become popular among bartenders worldwide. However, this cocktail has not been served with any specific colour. It was created to be served on any colour of glass that you want to serve it on.
Jägerbomb Balance Technique
Jägerbomb Balance Technique is a bartending technique that uses gravity to stabilise a drink. Jerry Gerbom first invented the Jägerbomb Balance Technique in 1978. The theory behind this technique is that when you balance a drink on an unstable surface, the movement of the drink will create a vortex which will cause it to stay stable. This technique can be used with any drink and in professional and home bars.
Liquid-Nitrogen Caipirinha
Bartenders have long used Caipirinhas to keep their drinks cold and refreshing. Liquid nitrogen has now become the preferred way to make these cocktails, as it creates a frosty beverage that is hard to top.
Caipirinhas are a classic cocktail enjoyed by people of all ages since its birth nearly 100 years ago. Caipirinhas are made by blending a solid spirit with an ice-cold liqueur or rum, such as tequila or brandy. They can be made with the classic mix of caipirinha ingredients such as lime, sugar and salt.
The Backdraft
Bartending is a challenging and often dangerous profession. One of the most difficult tasks bartenders face is dealing with fire. This is done through the use of The Backdraft technique. The Backdraft is a quick and effective way to extinguish small fires in bar areas. It involves using a fan to create a gust of wind that will blow the flames out.
Fire and Ice
When it comes to the fire and ice technique, there are a few essential steps that need to be followed to make them properly. The first is to mix your drink ingredients in a shaker with ice. This will create a cold, refreshing drink that’s perfect for summertime barbecues and parties. Next, you need to light your fire — this involves putting a match or lighter under the liquid in your cocktail shaker and lighting it on fire.
Doing this will heat the liquid and cause it to start bubbling. Lastly, you need to serve your drink! Pour the hot liquid into a glass, add whatever garnishes you like, such as straws, umbrellas, citrus wedges, and enjoy!
Blue Blazer
When you want to create a classic blue blazer cocktail, bartenders often recommend using a simple syrup made with sugar, water and lemon. This recipe creates a bright and acidic drink that can be enjoyed on its own or used to enhance other cocktails. To make the syrup, start by heating sugar and water until the sugar has dissolved. Then stir in lemon juice. If desired, you can add club soda for extra fizz. Once you have the syrup prepared, it’s time to mix in your spirit of choice.
For this drink, we recommend using rye whiskey because it has a bold flavour that will stand out against the sweetness of the syrup. Next, add ice cubes to your shaker and shake well until everything is cold.
Four-Count Pour
When you bartend, it’s essential to make a four-count pour. This is a standard drink order that requires you to pour four ounces of liquor into a glass, and then stir it with a spoon. Here’s how to do it:
- Start by pouring the liquor into the glass at an angle.
- Then, tilt the glass so that the liquor reaches the centre of the glass.
- Finally, stir the liquor with the spoon.
Pouring a Finger
A bartender’s job is to make drinks for customers. One way to make a drink is to pour a finger. Pouring a finger is used when making cocktails that involve using an entire shot glass in one pour. Pouring a finger can be difficult, but with practice, it can be mastered.
When pouring a finger, always start by filling your left hand with ice cubes and then filling your right hand with liquor. Gently place the liquor inside the glass before you cover the ice cubes. Then, tilt the glass, so the liquor falls directly into the ice cubes below. Once all the liquor has been poured, use your fingers to smooth out any bumps or waves in the drink and then give it to your customer.
Candle Technique
The candle technique is an essential part of bartending. Proper candle technique can make your mixed drink look and taste better.
There are different types of candles to choose from, so it’s crucial to find the right one for your bar. If you’re using votives, for example, you’ll need a smaller candle that will fit in most holders. If you’re using tapers, you’ll want a larger candle that can be placed on the bar top or near your drinks. Hold the candle close to the drink so its smoke blends with the vapour created by heating your drink ingredients.
Conclusion:
- Know your ingredients and how to make cocktails with them.
- Develop your signature cocktails and serve them with flair and tricks.
- Be sure to keep your bar clean and organised, and be prepared to answer any patrons’ questions.
- Remember that bartending is a fun, social job – enjoy it!
- Be sure to review these tips often to perfect your skills.
- Flair bartending is the art of doing bartending tricks, and it involves exhibition flair and working flair.
- Finally, always be friendly and enjoy serving your guests!
FAQs
Are bartenders paid more than servers?
In most cases, bartenders can demand a higher wage and get it, especially if they have experience, while many servers do not even make minimum wage and rely on tips. Depending on where they work, they can make a lot of money. The pay at a high-end restaurant can be pretty good.
What are the best ways for a bartender to stand out?
If you are friendly, approachable, and polite at all times, you will become an influential bartender, and customers will stay with you. People with outgoing personalities and a naturally friendly nature tend to succeed in bartending. Maintaining a professional and friendly demeanour is a skill you can develop.
What is it like to be a bartender?
The road to becoming a bartender is not an easy one. Being humble when you first start is essential. There are two things you can do that require no experience, such as becoming a barback and learning from a mentor. It will take less time to achieve your dream if you are willing to learn and work hard.
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