Completed: #20: Take a bartender class
The Professional Bartending School in Arlington is a serious school for people who want to learn the tips, tricks, and techniques of bartending in order to become paid bartenders. I do not have any desire to go into this profession, so I was excited to see that the school offers one free class. With this one free class, you don’t get the full range of lessons, you sit in on whichever course is being taught to the real, paying students.
A quick online survey and a follow up call with one of their helpful employees on Monday and I was signed up to attend a free class — their 9-1 Wednesday course on Martinis and Manhattans.
I had a great time. After running through which spirits make up Martinis, Manhattans, Gibsons, etc., we were allowed to get behind the “bar” and start making the drinks ourselves. And when I say bar, I mean a full bar, as in the set up — a variety of glasses, sinks, and soda sprayer, but the bottles were filled with water instead of liquor and our toppers were rubber olives and fruit slices.
Though it was fun, I will fully admit that I’d suck as a bartender. There’s so much to know. I mean, one does not mix a gin cocktail in a shaker. You must stir it, otherwise you lose the flavor. And a dry martini means less vermouth, not more, as I had thought. Plus, do you see that facial expression above? I would scare away clients with my akward-dancing-white-girl overbite [I wasn’t even dancing!!!] and stiff left arm.
I have nothing but positive things to say about the experience from start to finish. I was able to bring friends, our instructor was great, and we got hands-on experience. Plus, when I got home and checked my mail, I received a package from the school with my first tip. 🙂
– Lyssa