From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Professional Bartender in Washington D.C. posing for the camera.

Five bartenders in Toronto, Canada in 1911

A bartender (barman, barkeeper, barkeep, barmaid, or tapster, among other names; a particularly experienced bartender specializing in cocktails is sometimes referred to as a mixologist) is a person that serves beverages behind a bar in a bar, pub, tavern or similar establishment. This usually includes alcoholic beverages of some kind, such as beer, both draft and bottled, wine and/or cocktails, as well as soft drinks or other non-alcoholic beverages. He/She "tends the bar". A bartender may own the bar they tend or be simply an employee. Barkeeper carries a stronger connotation of being the purveyor, i.e. owner.^[1]

In addition to their core beverage-serving responsibility, bartenders also:

• take payment from customers (and sometimes the waiters or waitresses)
• maintain the liquor, cocktail garnishes, glassware and other supplies or inventory for the bar (though some establishments have barbacks who help with these duties)

In establishments where cocktails are served, bartenders are expected to be able to properly mix hundreds to thousands of different drinks.

A mixologist is a term for a bartender who specializes in the creation of cocktail recipes; the term usually implies special expertise and professionalism.

Bartenders also usually serve as the public image of the bar they tend, contributing to as well as reflecting the atmosphere of the bar. In some establishments focused strictly on the food, this can mean the bartender is all but invisible. On the other extreme, some establishments make the bartender part of the entertainment, expected perhaps to engage in flair bartending or other forms of entertainment, such as those exemplified in the films Cocktail and Coyote Ugly. Some bars might be known for bartenders who serve the drinks and otherwise leave a patron alone, while others want their bartenders to be good listeners and offer counseling (or a "shoulder to cry on") as required. Good bartenders help provide a steady clientele by remembering the favored drinks of regulars, having recommendations on hand for local nightlife beyond the bar, or other unofficial duties. They are sometimes called upon for answers to a wide variety of questions on topics such as sports trivia, directions, or the marital status of other patrons.

In regions where tipping is the norm, bartenders depend on tips for most of their income. Bartenders are also usually responsible for confirming that customers are of the legal drinking age before serving them alcohol.

United States

In some states, bartenders are required to obtain certification as a condition of employment.

Bar in the Toll Gate Saloon, Black Hawk, Colorado (probably 1897)

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides extensive detail on the typical job requirements faced by bartenders in the United States, as well as employments and earning statistics by those so employed. For example, a November 2004 BLS study determined that Montana is the only U.S. state where over 1% of the state's workforce is employed as a bartender.^[2]

The following is the job description for bartenders used by the BLS:

Bartenders fill drink orders either taken directly from patrons at the bar or through waiters and waitresses who place drink orders for dining room customers. Bartenders check identification of customers seated at the bar, to ensure they meet the minimum age requirement for the purchase of alcohol. They prepare mixed drinks, serve bottled or draught beer, and pour wine or other beverages. Bartenders must know a wide range of drink recipes and be able to mix drinks accurately, quickly, and without waste. Besides mixing and serving drinks, bartenders stock and prepare garnishes for drinks; maintain an adequate supply of ice, glasses, and other bar supplies; and keep the bar area clean for customers. They also may collect payment, operate the cash register, wash glassware and utensils, and serve food to customers seated at the bar. Bartenders usually are responsible for ordering and maintaining an inventory of liquor, mixes, and other bar supplies. Bartenders have the right to "card" or see if you have ID.

United Kingdom

A student in the UK working as a barmaid

In the United Kingdom, bar work is not generally regarded as a long-term profession, but more often as a second occupation, or transitional work for students to gain customer experience or to save money for college fees. As such, it lacks traditional employment protections and therefore has a high turnover.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ Webster's 7th dictionary "barkeep: one that keeps or tends a bar for the sale of liquors"
2. ^ November 2004 BLS, bls.gov. Retrieved 2008-07-10

External links

From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection

This book is intended for intermediate readers.

Serving multiple flaming cocktails is an impressive skill.