Best Practices

Best Practices Bills Tips

Your doing it wrong: Don't muddle the mint in a mojito.

by Bill Thornton

This is a common problem in the bartending world. Most bartenders don't realize that you don't want to muddle mint while making a mojito, or any other cocktail that requires mint leaves for that matter. Mint leaves only need a light press to release the oils to flavor the drink. When you muddle the mint it brings out a bitter taste that overpowers the natural mint flavor. So, the next time you make a mojito - go easy on the mint!

Best Practices Bills Tips Maintenance

How to get rid of fruit flies at the bar

by Michael Garrison

A tested method of clearing out those pesky fruit flies without using tons of chemicals is to make a fruit fly trap.

Simply take 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a few drops of dish soap, 1 liter of water, and put it in a container.

Mix it well and place the container in the location you notice the most gnats. They are attracted by the vinegar but die after touching the soap. You can setup multiple of these traps around the bar for a non toxic sure fired solution.

Best Practices Bills Tips Soft Skills

Bill's Tips - Life Hack For Helping Ladies At The Bar That Are Being Annoyed

by Michael Garrison

As bartenders we are occasionally the line of defense for beautiful women that sit at our bar. Over the years, I have developed signal for women to let me know a customer may be bothering them (that will go unnoticed). If anyone is bothering you or being to forward, simply take your cocktail Napkin out from underneath your drink and slide it to the edge of the bar On the Bartender side. It is easy to notice and then it gives me the opportunity to engage and assist.

Always be diplomatic and courteous never trying to embarrass anyone but just resolve the Situation with class.

Best Practices Bills Tips Soft Skills

Bill's Tips: Beverage Napkins

by Michael Garrison

Tip: Always placing a cocktail napkin underneath the beverage sends a message that you are a professional and organized Bartender.

If you have heavy humidity, and are having trouble with the napkins sticking to the bottom of customers glasses, throw one shake of salt on the top of the napkin. Now the beverage napkin won't stick to the glass.

*Don't go overboard though because your bar top will look like a shuffleboard table.

Best Practices Bills Tips Maintenance

Bill's Tips: The Pour Spout

by Michael Garrison

Bill's Tip- run water over pourers before placing or replacing in liquor bottles. It makes them much easier to remove especially with Baileys and other thicker liquors. You should clean pour spouts between each bottle change. Keep a bucket of fresh spouts for new bottles, and a bucket for old spouts, that you can soak and clean at the end of your shift. This way you don't waste time during the shift.

Best Practices Soft Skills

Bill's Tips - How to make last call.

by Michael Garrison

Best Practices Maintenance Soft Skills

5 Things You Can Do To Be A Better Bartender TODAY! Especially #2

by Michael Garrison

1. Deep clean your bar - When you step back from the bar and really look at it from a patrons standpoint, you might be surprised. In addition, when was the last time you cleaned the back side of the beer cooler. (Probably not this week) This step might have just solved your fruit fly problem. The point is, that you need to clean all surfaces of all equipment behind the bar weekly. This will keep smells, insects, and mold at bay. Just wiping down the surfaces you see is not enough. If you don't have enough pride in your bar to think this is important, you might be in the wrong industry.

Best Practices Soft Skills

The #1 Tip You Can Implement Today To Drive Repeat And Referral Business To Your Establishment

by Michael Garrison

This tip is so simple yet so powerful, and will seem silly at first, yet my last 3 experiences at bars in the DC area, this small step was not in their process, and it leaves the patron with an empty feeling as they leave the bar.

What's the tip you ask? Say "thank you" or "thank you for your business" as the patron is getting up to leave, or at least as you deliver the final credit card slip for signature.

It let's people know that you, and the establishment value their business. If you couple this "thank you" process with a handshake when some one initially sits down, you are setting up a level of customer service that is higher that most establishments, and that will drive repeat business.

Best Practices Maintenance

10 Things Bartenders Should Be Doing... Today - Especially #3

by Michael Garrison

1.Keep a clean bar during the shifts.

I have seen a lot of bartenders that think since they are busy it is OK to make a mess of the bar (because they think it makes them faster). In reality they will misplace items and have to search for them on the next drink slowing them down. There is a simple formula for this. 1. Pre stock correctly. 2. Everything has a place. 3. Everything in its place 4. Wipe down surfaces. Just following those 4 rules will help to keep order and a clean bar during the madness.

2.Make it a point to remember names and drinks.

Customers like to feel special and when you remember their name and drink it can go a long way. Face it your in the service industry and that is good service which will help increase your tips. I tip more to a bartender that remembers my name and drink at the establishments I frequent.

Best Practices Soft Skills

Bartending Attitude

by Michael Garrison

If you are here, it is assumed you are a bartender in a local restaurant, pub or club. If not, you probably want to learn. This section begins with some grassroots essentials to becoming a good bartender. If you are bartending now, it is always good to review to keep your fundamentals fresh. Bartenders have a tendency to get burned out or develop ABS (Arrogant Bartender’s Syndrome), so let’s refresh to put the train back on the tracks.
“ When a man with money meets a man with experience, the man with experience ends up with the money and the man with the money ends up with the experience.”

Best Practices Maintenance

6 Reasons Your Draft Beer Is Funky (Also The Likely Reason That Draft Beer Could Cause Headaches)

by Michael Garrison

For years draft beer has been rumored to cause headaches, even with low consumption (1 or 2 beers). To date the case has been made by many but the cause has not yet been found. Some people suspect it is from dirty beer lines filled with bacteria that cause a bacterial infection. They claim the intense hangover is actually your body fighting the infection, but according to a spokes person from the Nationwide Brewers Association, there is no correlation.

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