| Chapter 13 No Hangover, Please Non-alcoholic Drinks We should start by clarifying the common misunderstanding that Virgin Drinks and non-alcoholic drinks are one in the same. Not true. Virgin Drinks are simply drinks where the alcohol is excluded, for example, to make a Virgin Margarita or a Frozen Daiquiri, simply remove the alcohol from the recipe. You can apply this practice to any drink out there. Non-alcoholic drinks on the other hand are drinks specifically designed to be served without alcohol. This is not the type of point that would be the difference in you obtaining a job, but it is still the type of knowledge you should commit to memory. It is important to have a few non-alcoholic drinks up your sleeve that you can offer to a designated driver, non-drinker or child. Drink Mix Preparation Glass Garnish Roy Rogers Cola, 2-3 dashes grenadine Rocks Highball Cherry Shirley Temple Lemon Lime Soda, ginger ale, 2-3 dashes grenadine Rocks Highball Cherry Yellow Jacket Pineapple, Orange & Lemon Juice Shaken Highball None Cranberry Cooler Cranberry juice, Lemon Lime Rocks Highball None Other Popular Drinks By focusing on the 7 drink clusters detailed above and practicing their subtle varieties, you will have a strong working knowledge of how to make 76 drinks by focusing only on the unique qualities of 13! Not bad, eh? As you learned earlier, DME Shortcuts� will put you on the fast track to getting behind the speed rail at your new place of employment, however, there are, some, drinks that you really should commit to memory. You didn�t think you�d get off that easy, did you? Every bar will differ, but years of experience has shown that what we�ve included in Chapter 17 should take care of more than 75% of the drinks that are ordered of you. Don�t be concerned when you take a look at the 200+ differing drinks we�ve listed. There is no need to memorize all these drinks! However, we would suggest that you have fun and explore this chapter and try to add another 10 or so from this list on top of the 76 listed above to your repertoire of �no brainers�. Certification Test Questions & Hands on Homework Please find your test questions relating to Chapter 13. These are refreshing drinks to enjoy almost any time. We�d recommend preparing one of the following: � Roy Rogers � Yellow Jacket Before proceeding, we do strongly recommend re-reading Chapters 8-13 due to the vast amount of important information that these chapters contain. We�ve reached the end of the drink memorization processes, let�s just make sure you�ve got it down before moving forward! 13-140 What's the difference between a Virgin drink and a non-alcoholic drink? 13-141 What are all the ingredients in a Shirley Temple? Chapter 14 Keep The Change The difference between a good Bartender and a great Bartender. What you�ve learned so far, when applied, will give you the skills to effectively set the tone for a rewarding and profitable relationship with your customer, however, the points listed below can be seen as �the icing on the cake�. A truly great bartender will be spotted by his customers instantly, and this type of first impression will cultivate a walk in customer into a regular. Good for the bar, good for you. Place all drinks directly in front of your guest and always serve on cocktail napkins. Furthermore, be sure to replace soggy or dirty napkins. ? If serving beer in a mug, make sure its frosted. ? If you see your customer reaching for a match, light their cigarette for them. ? Empty ash-trays whenever possible and make sure matches and cigarettes are completely extinguished. ? Don�t gossip. Never complain about fellow employees, supervisors, guests or bosses. This will always come back to haunt you and could cost you your job. ? Wipe up spilled drinks immediately and replace them at no cost no matter who was at fault. ? If your customer is unhappy with their drink, for whatever reason, replace it at no charge. ? Do your best to keep the glasses clean at all times. NEVER serve a glass with your finger touching the rim, or in the case of wine, your hand touching the bowl. ? Never be overly friendly with a customer when they are with others unknown to you. There is a fine line here that you will have to be aware of when you better get to know the guest, but in general, keep the chatter brief unless they continue it and you have the time. ? Never mention a customer�s last visit unless they bring it up themselves. ? Do your best not to let any individual customer wait at the bar for an extended period of time. Try to monitor the order in which customers enter the bar and serve them accordingly. ? Always do your best to keep a spotlessly clean bar. ? If you are ever not attending to a customer, find something to clean, straighten up, or prepare. Certification Test Questions & Hands on Homework Please find your test questions relating to Chapter 14. As we�ve already covered the majority of the substance when it comes to drink making, we�d suggest in reviewing these test questions that you focus on a particular drink cluster, preparation method and garnish combination that you feel you know the least. Now is the time to make mistakes, not on the job. As such, we leave which drink you�d like to prepare and enjoy up to you! 14-142 What should you do if a customer spills a drink? 14-143 In what instance should you mention a customer's last visit? 14-144 What should you do if the things are slow at the bar? 14-145 What types of people should you not talk about with your guests? Chapter 15 Get Ready to Change Lives! (No, Really!) The Bartender�s Code It�s fun, it�s exciting, you can earn a lot of money, yes, but in life, with all this good, typically comes a bit of extra responsibility. We�ve always felt proud to carry on this responsibility, because as victims of drunk driving accidents know better than anybody, if something could have been changed to have things turn out differently, by all means they would have changed it. The fact of the matter is, YOU can make a difference! You are at the helm of the ship as a bartender and have the responsibility of being knowledgeable of who is drinking what and how much. Even if you�re working on a busy night, by using the pointers spelled out in this course, you�ll be able to spot a drunk, potentially dangerous customer, and take action before the unthinkable happens. What not to do Each state has different laws governing the responsibility of the bartender when it comes to serving drinks to intoxicated individuals and minors, but the bottom line is this: don�t serve more drinks to someone already drunk, and if you�re concerned at all that they might be getting behind the wheel of a car, do whatever you can to make sure that they don�t! And most definitely do not serve alcohol to minors. Check their ID even if you�re not sure. (You may very well be flattering them!) Serving alcohol to minors is a serious offense and could result in the loss of the liquor license of the bar in addition to fines. Should someone ever discover that you and or your place of business was somehow to blame for alcohol related injury or death, or even if they could make it seem as though you were, there could be much more serious fines resulting in civil and or criminal lawsuits against you and the bar owner. These are serious facts which you, as a bartender, must be aware of. Sever Training Programs Some states require a server-training program to ensure that you are fully aware of your responsibility as a bartender and thereby help to protect yourself, the establishment, and the public at large. As far as getting a job, this is nothing for you to be directly concerned with in that your new boss will be very familiar with all the guidelines in your particular State as he has the most to lose. Furthermore, he will most likely pay for your certification. Server-Training certification is typically not required prior to your first day of work, but rather can be completed within months after the initial date of hire, with varying time periods from state to state. Again, don�t concern yourself with this process now, your new boss will take care of it. Forget about the liability of the bar or yourself, think about the lives you can save by being proactive and adhering to basic safety guidelines. Common signs of drunkenness Now that we�ve hit you with all the heavy legal ramifications associated with your new job, it�s important for you to have the skills to recognize a drunk! If they�re very drunk, the signs are typically obvious, but given the gravity of the circumstances surrounding what could happen to you or your bar, it�s important for you to be aware of the following and to look out for the signs: � Drinking Alone � Drinking Too Fast � Loud Speech � Argumentative � Complaining Persistently � Argumentative in General � Crude, or inappropriate comments � Obscenities � Falling Asleep or falling down � Spilling drinks � Stumbling , swaying or bumping into things � Slurred speech � Crying, depressed or moody � Disparate changes in behavior Most of these are fairly obvious, but we can�t stress enough the need for you to have the ability to spot these signs and act accordingly. Approximate Blood Alcohol Concentration (B.A.C.) The legal DUI / DWI levels vary from state to state, but you should know that the range is between . 08 - .10 and you should be aware of how many drinks can get someone to that level. Review the BAC chart below and do your best to familiarize yourself with it. #Drinks/Hour Body Weight in Pounds 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 Caution 1 .04 .03 .03 .03 .02 .02 .02 .02 2 .08 .06 .05 .05 .04 .04 .03 .03 3 .11 .09 .08 .07 .06 .06 .05 .05 Driving Impaired 4 .15 .12 .11 .09 .08 .08 .07 .06 5 .19 .16 .13 .12 .11 .09 .09 .08 Legally intoxicated 6 .23 .19 .16 .14 .13 .11 .10 .09 7 .26 .22 .19 .16 .15 .13 .12 .11 8 .30 .25 .21 .19 .17 .15 .14 .13 9 .34 .28 .24 .21 .19 .17 .15 .14 10 .38 .31 .27 .23 .21 .19 .17 .16 11 .40 .34 .30 .27 .24 .22 .20 12 .38 .33 .29 .26 .24 .22 13 .40 .36 .32 .29 .26 .24 14 .38 .34 .31 .28 .26 15 .37 .33 .30 .28 These calculations should only be used as a general guideline for estimating blood or breath alcohol levels. The predicted alcohol levels listed may not be valid for a variety of reasons. How to handle drunk & disorderly clientele While most everyone comes to a bar for socializing, fun, and with good intentions, alcohol, when used excessively can bring out the worst in people which can in turn affect the overall mood of the bar as well as the safety of themselves and others. It�s important to recognize the first signs of drunkenness and for you to control the situation. If someone's drinking is getting out of hand, try one or all of the following in an attempt to foster a more bar friendly and safe atmosphere: Slow down their drink orders. Place water directly in front of their drink as a not so subtle hint. Mix drinks with a lower alcohol content. Offer alcohol-free drinks on the house. Offer food. Talk to their friend or partner, who may be more able to get through to them. Cut them off completely and stop serving them any type of alcohol. If your customer is rude, unruly and dangerous, don�t hesitate to have security or the police escort them out of the building. If the individual is intent on driving and none of your other tactics have worked, you may want to let them or their partner / friend know that there are mandatory breathalyzer stops set up all around the bar that they cannot avoid. This little white lie could do a tremendous amount of good. A+ Bartender Tip Have a Cab Company or even a specific Cabbie who you always refer your intoxicated clients to. Find someone reliable. By doing so you�ll take care of your clients, your boss, yourself and prevent the unthinkable. Remember that just because you will never tangibly know the impact you make by being a responsible bartender, doesn�t mean you shouldn�t continue this practice. By abiding to the unspoken code of the profession, recognizing when a customer could be a hazard to themselves and others and doing something about it, you�ll be effecting untold lives but will never know. You�ll never be recognized, thanked or rewarded in any way for following this code other than by the gratitude you choose to give yourself at the end of each shift. You are an unknown hero in this respect; changing untold lives by being a responsible bartender. Test Questions & Hands on Homework Please find your test questions relating to Chapter 15. This is it! The rest of the course is about you applying your skills at your new place of employment! You�ve come a long way and need to appreciate this. As we stated at the conclusion of chapter 14, now is the time for you to focus on your weaknesses. Challenge yourself with perhaps some of the blended drinks, or even to create the perfect Martini! Whatever area you feel you need the most work on, right now is the time to do it. Take stock of your skills and choose a drink cluster, preparation method or single drink, and take the time to perfect it! 15-146 Who are the two types of people you should never serve drinks to? 15-147 What types of repercussions could you and your bar suffer from if failing to abide by the answer to the above question? 15-148 What are three common signs of Drunkenness? 15-149 What is the legal BAC range that encompasses all U.S. States 15-150 What does BAC stand for? 15-151 On how many drinks within an hour would be enough to put a 200 pound individual over . 08? 15-152 What is one way to slow down or control a drunken customer? 15-153 And another? 15-154 How many lives can you expect to change by being a conscientious bartender? Chapter 16 Time to get to the Party� I mean, to work! How to land the ideal bartending job Congratulations! You�ve made it through the course and completed the homework, yes? Well then make yourself a drink (tip yourself well), sit back, take a breather and give yourself some recognition, as you�ve already completed one of the most difficult tasks in becoming a bartender ! You say you haven�t done these things!? If you�ve already made yourself a drink, empty it out, by all means! Of course, we jest, however cannot be serious enough in stating that the information contained in this course has been designed to prepare you with the necessary skills to get bartending as soon as humanly possible, however we would never recommend trying to get a job somewhere without your passing grade and the confidence in your own abilities as a bartender. We know how that this course will deliver, but you need to participate as well. If you haven�t successfully obtained a passing grade and don�t feel confident enough to enter the world of bartending, then we strongly recommend reading through the course again. We know that at times, this will seem like work, because it is! But remember the benefits that will come at the end of your efforts�this should hold you through. We know you can do it!!! Your Future By purchasing this course, we know you�re serious about this fun, exciting and rewarding line of work, however the worst thing you could do would be to apply for a job with sub-par, un-practiced bartending skills. Below, we�ll provide some on-going tips for you to get that dream job, but if you land it and management soon discovers that your ability to make drinks is not as you�d indicated, then it will be the quickest job you�ve ever had, and you�ll have ruled out a viable opportunity for when you do hone down your skills in the future! If by this point you still think that bartending is a breeze of a position, you are both right and wrong. Bartending is, in fact, hard work, the hardest part being learning how to do it, and chances are you� ve already figured that out! That�s half the battle! The second hardest part is to land the job you want. After that, it�s money and fun with a job where the party comes to you (and your only working part time)! Time to Get That Job! Right now you�ve got the stuff that management is looking for, you just have to find the management that�s looking for you and prove it to them! As diligent as you have been in learning the craft of bartending, you must be equally diligent when seeking out your dream job. Here are some tips to get you there! Breaking into the bartending world will take commitment on your part and you should be prepared for this. The most lucrative bartending positions are also the hardest to get and are typically the most fast paced. Even armed with the knowledge contained within the course, we still would not recommend you to apply to one of these fast paced bars immediately, as you�d be better advised to learn your skills and get some resume experience by starting out in one of the easier to get bartending jobs, then working your way up with more on the job skills and confidence. Loosing a job at your dream location would be heartbreaking and could very well happen if you weren�t properly prepared. If you do have the ideal, fast paced bar that you�d like to work for, we�d recommend to first find another position within the bar as either a waiter, a bar-back (an assistant to the bartenders), or whatever is available. We�d only recommend this if you are dead set on working nowhere else, because that passion will come across to your new boss. However for the majority of you, we�d recommend to seek work doing what you want to do, bartending! There are a variety of establishments that hire �first time� bartenders and still pay well. Here, you won�t waste time in a position other than the one you�re seeking out, and when you do arrive at your ideal place of work, you�ll already have the know-how necessary to cut it in the fast paced world of bartending. Your Employment Options Airports We all know how busy airports can get, and to boot, how anxious people feel before getting on the plane. Airport bars get a lot of activity from people looking to take the edge off, people waiting for a connection, or kicking off a vacation. With such a wide cross section of people coming through from businessmen to weekend fliers, you�ll get a good opportunity to deal with different personality types and experience different tipping philosophies, all the while better learning how to read your customer. Knowledge that will pay off. Literally. Catering Services Similar to an airport, a catering service will get you experience with just about every type of person there is, from company sponsored events, to weddings, to bar mitzvah�s. A brief look on the Internet or through your local yellow pages will put you in touch with the most popular catering services in your area. Concession Companies Companies that service concerts, fairs, sporting events or similar are as fast paced as nightclubs, but much easier for you to get your foot in the door. Here, you�ll have little one on one time with your clientele, but you will get the chance to deal with a high volume of customers and an equally varied degree of personalities. These jobs can be well paid due to the number of people you�ll serve. Cruise Ships If you have the luxury of getting away for an extended period of time, here�s a nice way to see the world and benefit from the liberal tipping philosophy of the typical vacationer. This certainly is not an option for everyone, but nonetheless should be included. Hotels Hotels typically have restaurants and you could get the opportunity to service business people entertaining clients on expense accounts (good tips), or people enjoying a vacation of some sort, more prone to tip well to the friendly bartender willing to spend some time with them and answer a few questions they may have about your part of the world. Restaurants Restaurants are a good place to start as a bartender, where the bar may or may not be extremely crowded all the time, and management could justify taking on a certified bartender such as yourself. Depending upon the restaurant, you�ll have the opportunity to service customers waiting for tables, and maybe others who wanted a quieter place to get a drink. Local Pubs or Beer & Wine Bars Your basic neighborhood tavern, the environment in these types of establishments is often like that of Cheers, where everybody knows your name, and the locals will get to know you, like you, and tip you as regularly as they come to visit. Typically, these establishments are looking for a person who can fit in with the local culture and �speak their language� so chances are, if it�s local to you, you�ve got the qualities they�re looking for. Nightclubs We list this last, because in the way of money to be earned, nightclubs are the cr�me de la cr�me when it comes to tipping. A fast paced nightclub is filled with upwardly mobile party goers who like to spend money and make sure others can see it. (This is good for you, too, as tipping well is a sought after quality for many who frequent these bars). The patrons are typically very discriminating in their taste and want what they pay for. Like what you may have seen in �Cocktail� or �Coyote Ugly�, these establishments can be fast-paced and give you the opportunity to serve a lot of drinks, however you must know your stuff. Unless you know someone at the club, in management or otherwise, we would not recommend this venue as your first approach when seeking out a bartending job, even if it is your desired goal. We�d highly recommend finding a job at one of the other establishments listed above and honing your skills. All the while, you might find a clever way to get to know the owner of the club you�d like to work at by attending the club, getting a feel for how they operate, and even coming in early when you know the owner will be there to let him know your intent. These are highly paid jobs and you must be aggressive and know your skills to land them. Wherever You Apply, You Must do this� Resumes As with any job, we would highly recommend creating a resume, and most definitely feature your training from FreeBartendingSchool.com on that resume. While we would recommend you create a resume, do be mindful of when you should include it. Most places of employment will want you to fill out an application that covers much of the standard information contained on your resume. With that said, you may very well be able to simply staple your resume to their application, save yourself time and also demonstrate a level of professionalism to your prospective boss by ensuring that your resume is printed on a nice bond of paper and structured in a neat and orderly fashion. Meet with Management In the same breath, we would also recommend always getting a face to face meeting with management. If you can sell them on yourself and your abilities before providing a resume that shows no prior experience with the exception of your FreeBartendingSchool.com schooling, then you will have a dramatically better chance of getting the job. Remember, bartending is 90% attitude and personality! If you can convey your enthusiasm to your future boss, your chances of getting that job rise exponentially. Much like you will be reading your customers on what they want, and how and when, you will read your prospective employer. If You Can�t Meet with Management If you�ve tried everything and can�t meet with management, you MUST ensure that your resume / application is at least left with them. The competitive field that it is, if you approach the working bartender about a job opening, chances are better than not that they will tell you they are not hiring. To save yourself time, start with the list of the local establishments in your area that we provided, add on any additional bars that you feel you would be specially suited for and call to find out the name of the manager and what their schedule is. Homework like this will save you the time of hoping that they are in when you visit. Most ideally, try to set up an appointment with the manager. After all, they are very busy and you must respect that. Setting the tone with this type of professionalism will get you noticed. Appearance As with any job or any human interaction for that matter, first impressions are extremely important. In meeting with potential employers you should be very well groomed, smell nice and if at all possible, wear neat, conservative clothes. The only exceptions to this would be if you were applying at a surfing themed bar and knew that all the employees wore Hawaiian shirts, etc., then it might be a good idea to show that you already fit in with the overall feel of the bar. Again, this might sound like common sense, but it�s subtleties like this that could make the difference in you getting the job or not. When to go In order to make best use of your time, we�d suggest visiting several bars in one day, and even going to the places you�d rather not work first, just to get comfortable in the new environment of interviewing for a bartending position. If you can get an appointment with the manager, fantastic, but if not, you�ll have to �pop in�. From your phone work, you should have learned the times when the manager is working, however, try to speak to that manager directly, and schedule a time for an appointment. If you can�t get the manager on the phone, go to the bar between 11am-4pm. If it�s a restaurant, adjust this time to 9:30am-11:30am or 2:30pm-5pm. The goal here is to find a time when your prospective boss is going to be there, but not in the mad rush of dealing with busy periods (night time for bars, and meal time for restaurants, etc.). Where to go Go somewhere that you�d like to go if you were looking to relax at a bar yourself! Go to the type of bar where you automatically fit in and not only will you have a better chance of getting the job, you�ll better relate to the customers. Wherever you work, you must be prepared to encounter and professionally serve people of every variety. Second to a New York City taxi driver, I can�t think of any other job where you�ll meet all walks of life and some whom you�ll wonder whether or not they even are. Always be bold! You must be prepared for the fact that as a DME certified bartender, you have the skills it takes to serve drinks, but you are still entering a highly competitive field. When meeting the manager of the establishment where you�d like to work, you�re going to have to stand out in that person�s mind. Most importantly, make sure that you bring out your personality and enthusiasm for working for him in the interview or even a brief meeting. Having completed the DME course, being certified and having thoroughly practiced your skills, you ARE an experienced bartender! You just haven�t had experience behind HIS bar. You might just have to fight your way in and the only way to do this is to be bold! Should anyone ever look at your resume and state the above, tell them that you ARE experienced. Ask them what their favorite virgin drink is. When they give you the answer, tell them that you�d like to make this drink for them �on the house�, to show them how fast you work and to demonstrate your abilities. Make sure you ask them if this is okay before walking behind the bar (we said bold, not stupid), then get to it! If they don�t want you behind the bar getting in the way of others, tell them you�ll recite the ingredients and how to make it, tell them about the DME shortcuts for drink making and how it saves you time and leaves more room for you to memorize any house specials they may have. Tell him that you will work for free for 2 nights to show how good you are. Be bold and be aggressive! Much of how far you want to take this will be up to you and your evaluation of the circumstances at hand, the disposition of the manager, etc., and we certainly wouldn�t recommend these tactics at the airport (probably not necessary), but when you are applying to the more competitive establishments that will earn you a more competitive salary, YOU MUST BE BOLD! YOU NOW HAVE THE SKILLS, SO GO AND GET THAT JOB! You are beyond the point of test questions, so there are none for this chapter. Now it is time for you to apply the knowledge you�ve already learned to the active pursuit of getting behind the bar! Do take a moment and make yourself your favorite drink and recognize how far you�ve come. By reaching this point, we know you have the necessary skills to become a bartender. Now is the time for you to make it happen! Most of all, it�s you that matters: Your skills that should be recognized and your commitment to quality and professionalism in the world of bartending. Keep this in mind as you embark on the search for your new career and when you find yourself behind the bar. The bartender�s code can�t be stressed highly enough by the Freebartendingschool.com and your living up to our standards is why we exist as an organization! As a final note, we always enjoy hearing from our students and you are no exception. Please email any stories or feedback you may have about your new career or our program. Like any good bartender, we�re always receptive to improvement. BEST OF LUCK! WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING SERVED BY YOU! HOME / ANSWERS |