# Becoming a Bartender **URL:** \ **Category:** Lounge\ **Created:** [February 10, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/becoming-a-bartender/25932 "2009-02-10T05:18:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![amanaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@amanaplan](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/amanaplan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:22am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/becoming-a-bartender/25932/21 "2013-06-27T09:22:25Z")
I know this is something of an old thread, but I thought I could contribute to this topic. I’ve been bartending for 10 years. I fine dining and high volume restaurants, then nightclubs, then fancy cocktail lounges, etc. First of all, don’t do it to be cool. Or to make alot of money. The only bar gigs that pay out are nightclubs, and that really sucks to work. Grueling, high speed, non stop. No time to get to know your guests, or make good drinks. What I thinks makes a good bartender is good hospitality. Imagine that that single guy at your bar is your best friends cousin, in from out of town. How can you show him how welcome he is here, and have a good time? The hot girl who is getting hit on left and right, and maybe is just trying to have a quiet night with her friend, maybe you can help deflect some of the dudes. As far as mastery of drinks go, people are starting to take it more seriously. It used to be that anything with vodka and enough sugar would pass for a drink. Now we’re seeing a return to the old days when bartenders were like liquid chefs. You have to balance flavors, mouthfeel, presentation. You have to spend hundreds of hours studying your product spirits. How is gin made? What are the exact differences in flavor between Tanqueray and Bombay dry? When someone comes in for a drink, and wants to try something new, I aim to blow their mind every time. Then I gain their trust, and can introduce them to more sophisticated drinks. Bartending school is not worth the money. **Start as a barback** at a nice kind of place, where they take drinks seriously. Barbacks are hardest working, but most necessary part of a bar. You will sweat, but keep your eyes open and you’ll learn a lot. Taste every kind of alcohol. compare them. take notes on the flavors. look up their websites, find out how, where, since when their made. Then you can learn about mixing them. balance. On the personal note, i dont think your specific personality is nearly as important as your ability to gauge the personality of your guests. What would make them comfortable, feel welcome, what drink would either make their panties moist, or give them an erection cause its so damn tasty. Also, you have to eat shit, constantly. Rude/drunk guests, co-workers, bosses. You have to work under immense pressure, and eat shit, and like it. Then again, I’m always reminding myself that I have the most fun job in the world. I get to laugh and meet all kinds of awesome people and get them drunk in new and exciting ways, and I do kinda feel cool, and even if i’m not getting rich, I still live a pretty great life. Peace y’all! ---
**Author:** ![verongome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@verongome](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/verongome)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/becoming-a-bartender/25932/22 "2013-06-29T03:24:00Z")
i like to chat alot and yeah that’s the bartender job practically 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Whitehall](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/whitehall/32/1087_2.png) [@Whitehall](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Whitehall)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/becoming-a-bartender/25932/23 "2013-06-29T15:23:57Z")
I always thought that one of the great perks of bar tending would be lighting a female customer’s cigarette. But since California banned smoking in bars, won’t be getting that little kick. It’s also a good excuse for wearing a bow tie! (Maybe the only one.) Some of the comments remind me of the Willie Nelson song: “The night life, it’s not a good life, but it’s my life.” [Previous page](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/becoming-a-bartender/25932.md?page=1)