In addition to crafting cocktails, aspiring bartenders must prove their conversational mettle in their final exam by talking a sphinx into revealing why it speaks only in riddles. Take an easier route to becoming a professional pourer with today’s Groupon: for $29, you get a two-hour wine class for novices at American Bartenders School (a $99 value).
Classes are currently scheduled for weekend evenings and afternoons beginning Saturday, February 25. Start times vary and additional classes may be added. (Visit here for updated schedule information).
For decades, American Bartenders School has helped aspiring spirit spreaders to develop steady hands, sure eyes for measurement, and an encyclopedic knowledge of drink formulas. During the wine class for novices, knowledgeable oenophiles introduce attendees to proper storage practice and explain the different characteristics and seminal film appearances of popular varietals. Nascent connoisseurs also receive advice on food pairings and the etiquette of blending wine cocktails, as well as discussing the proper glassware and tasting techniques necessary to bring out each elixir's unique flavors, aromas, and acidities.
After class, students can head to a nearby wine bar for complimentary tastings and use their freshly imparted knowledge to decipher restaurant wine lists written entirely in hieroglyphics.
American Bartenders School
For decades, American Bartenders School has helped aspiring spirit spreaders to develop steady hands, sure eyes for measurement, and an encyclopedic drink-formula knowledge. All of the school's classes cover basic mixing, garnishing, layering, and glassware selection in a realistic bar setting, complete with animatronic bar regulars debating whether Woody Allen is currently the president of Azerbaijan. Students gain access to a book of recipes for shooters, including cosmos, lemon drops, and jelly beans; learn how to make frozen specialties and hot toddies; and discover how to cure hangovers and hiccups. For the 12-hour bartending-certification course, graduation sessions are held where the instructors offer helpful tips on how to get hired as a bartender, before returning home with a mixology certificate, professional resumé, and the ability to set up and stock their own home bars, all of which make a classy addition to living rooms, lounges, and butler traps.