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Frozen Horse posted:Welcome back, thread and inhabitants. What would it take for you to actually permanently cut off a regular for their own good? Have any of you done so? If you mean cut off for the night, extremely disorderly behavior, having serious trouble speaking/walking/parsing sentences, or, and this is if I have been especially off on noticing such behavior, puking all over themselves/the bar. If you mean barring them for good, well... as far as I know we've only banned one guy in the last two years from my current job, for going on a blistering racially motivated rant at one of our serving staff. But from a past job, drug use on the premesis, showing up with and consuming outside alcohol, serious or repeated fighting, theft, vandalism, and one very interesting night that got several people banned for putting our pool table through one of the bar's windows.
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Aug 10, 2012 09:18
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leica posted:Has anyone banned cigar smoking in their bars? We've been thinking about it because there are a few regulars that smoke them non stop and the other patrons bitch and complain about it. One of the bars across the street from us has started kicking out people for smoking cigars, I was wondering if this was a trend to keep the majority happy. Smoking in or near 'public' indoor areas has been banned in the Greater Vancouver Area I think 2 years ago, but maybe more. It was banned in bars just before I got my first job around 5 years ago, which is shortly after they mandated that all bars/clubs had to have special smoking rooms + ventilation if they wanted to allow smoking. A LOT of people, regulars and staff were pissed off about this.
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Aug 10, 2012 19:31
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TwoPair posted:So how does one get into bartending? I've applied a few places, but it seems like every place wants prior experience, and I can't get any experience without getting hired somewhere. It's a real catch-22. Don't go to a bartending school, try and get a job lower down the chain (as a barback or busser), work hard and try not to piss the people above you off. Disclaimer: I went to a bartending school, it is a waste of time and money and will not get you a job, and is not a substitute for experience. I DID go right to bar at my first job though.
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Aug 10, 2012 20:37
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Sondheim posted:What's your guilty-pleasure girly mixed drink? Everyone has one. Chocolate martini. Vodka, white creme de cacao, and a cinnamon stir stick in the glass 
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Aug 12, 2012 02:45
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Nope, gently caress that creamy poo poo. I used to use Stoli vanilla though, which is actually quite nice in one
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Aug 12, 2012 02:55
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Bash Ironfist posted:These threads are awesome. I'm on like page 16 of one of the old threads, but I do have some questions that I haven't seen an answer for yet. 1) I know if someone came asking me for bottles I wouldn't give it to them, but that's because we have some kind of business arrangement here to get deposit money back (there's a bottle-deposit charge here in BC). Try your local liquor store if they take empties back; otherwise I don't think it really matters what kind of bottle you use, most are fairly similar and the weird ones (I'm looking at you, Dissarono) never really feel good to pour with anyway - and probably won't have spouts at whatever bar you're working at first. Practicing pouring is for muscle memory with respect to timing your pours, all you really need for that is a glass bottle (750mL or 1140mL - that's a 26oz or a 40oz), to get used to the weight, and a couple different spouts (that is, spouts of different end widths) to get used to timing your pours. You might also want to get a 1oz and 2oz shot-glass and a metal shaker. They'll help you measure out your shots and get a feeling for timing. Also, some regions (like here in British Columbia) pouring into a 1oz shot glass first with hard liquor is mandatory - no timed pours. 2)I doubt you need to really buy all that stuff, you should probably just memorize the ingredients/process and know what the bottles look like. 3) Yes, it will be easier to find a job this way. But if you get offered a bar position immediately I would take it. It might be rough-going at first but a few weeks in at most you should be much more comfortable than your first couple shifts (my first shift ever was on a busy karaoke night with one other tender and I essentially took on a barback roll in all but name). 4) I don't know what minimum wage is where you are, here in Vancouver it's now $10.25 - assuming your minimum isn't much lower than that, absolutely. You'll undoubtedly make as much or more money in tips. (I wouldn't worry though - you likely won't get the Friday/Saturday evening shifts at first).
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Aug 15, 2012 01:03
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You can probably find spouts easily enough at a local restaurant supply store - ask for a tapered spout, and a speed spout (or fast-pour spout). Don't get ones with cork stoppers, get the rubber/plastic stoppers - the cork will degrade and you'll end up having to buy new ones. You might also occasionally run across econo-pour spouts - which automatically measure out 1oz for you (I've seen these in hotels and a couple of bars) - they are worthless to you at this point, avoid them. As for bottles, any glass liquor bottle will do (don't use a wine bottle - while they might work fine the length of the neck is often longer than a liquor bottle and could throw you off). Absent the few odd bottles (Galliano, Luxardo, Dissarono, Don Julio and the like) most are cylindrical with short necks, a few are square or some other basic geometric shape - your average vodka or whiskey bottle should be fine. You might be able to buy empty bottles like this at a brew shop, but I don't really know - maybe just pick up whatever you like to drink?
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Aug 15, 2012 01:22
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Scooping with a glass is absolutely a dumb move, and your co-workers/staff should know so. Burning a well is No Fun. You might also run through what to do if they do break a glass in the well with them - I didn't get this kind of training and the first time I shattered a wine glass in a well I just kind of stood there for second; now luckily I was the only tender on at that point and business was slow - but if you've got a shared well and another tender doesn't see what you've done... Best method I've seen, as soon as it happens drench the ice in some grenadine, scoop as much into a free bar sink as possible, get a fresh bucket of ice to make drinks from until you're done, if you have a coffee maker get a jug of boiling water for washing down the ice you couldn't scoop out of the well. VVVVV Paints the ice a virulent red, but as Shooting Blanks says, training in that situation is paramount VVVVV JawKnee fucked around with this message at 02:13 on Aug 15, 2012 |
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Aug 15, 2012 02:05
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You'll have several bottles of bar-stuff - that is, cheap stuff that you put in if the customer doesn't specify something else, and you don't think it's important to ask. Those bottles will typically be quick to hand in a speed-rail right in front of, or around your ice-well. Common drinks like a rum and coke have a set way to make the drink usually - I use whatever the bar white rum is (Bacardi Superior at my current job). If you're making fancier drinks (in my opinion, drinks that aren't mixed with juice or pop) or if you work in a fancier style bar, it's probably a good idea to ask what kind of liquor they would like. E: For clarity JawKnee fucked around with this message at 05:43 on Aug 16, 2012 |
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Aug 16, 2012 05:39
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That is going to ruin your night eventually.
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Aug 16, 2012 06:11
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There are no cute girls with *no* experience applying? Bars here are regularly drowned in resumes - the service industry in Vancouver is entirely an employers market right now.
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Aug 17, 2012 01:07
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Serving shift today. 13 table section out on our patio. Asked my manager why she was giving me an over-sized section that was obviously going to fill up first and fastest. 'Because you're a superstar!' is not an adequate answer. I cannot provide a good amount of attention to that many tables at once, and you can gently caress off with your empty sentiments.
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Aug 23, 2012 05:59
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nrr posted:In the way of real advice though, start off by tipping ten bucks for your first drink, and get your drinks before the rest of the rabble for the rest of night. This. This has been my M/O whenever I go to a busy bar/club. Buy from the bartender, tip big on your first drink and they'll come to you first all night (as long as you keep tipping). The number of free drinks I've gotten out of this is nuts.
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Aug 24, 2012 00:45
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Daric posted:There's been 2 fights so far tonight. It's 7:15. Who gets into a fight in a fancy restaurant? 
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Aug 25, 2012 02:55
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An 11 o'clock regular
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Aug 26, 2012 22:29
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I've never seen an Irish Cream type liqueur go bad before, but most bottles don't survive being around my living space for that long (or the bar, either). Except for blue curacao, I've had a bottle of that poo poo for like 3 years now.
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Sep 7, 2012 01:22
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That's actually why I bought the bottle in the first place years ago - to make Electric Ice Teas
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Sep 8, 2012 01:29
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We go through quite a few bottles of Campari, but we have an older clientele mostly. Bitter drinks, best drinks.
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Sep 9, 2012 07:41
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Old Man Pants posted:Sorry for ruining all you bartenders nights with BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM, but you gotta do what pays. It's all WUUUUUUUUUB-WUB-WUBWUBWUBWUBWUB and suddenly I'm waking up the next morning with blood all over me.
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Sep 10, 2012 19:16
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OmNom posted:How can I speed up my ability to make more drinks at once? I will be handling the server's wine and beers orders, my own, plus walk-ins. It's enjoyable, but I just want to do better? I've been a bartender and server at almost every job I've worked, and while it's not the norm, I've occasionally had to take a section while I'm on bar. It sounds like you want to improve your efficiency - besides simply getting more practice (becoming more familiar with your establishment's recipes, as well as commonly ordered drinks and classic cocktails) you're going to want to focus on streamlining your tending for large orders. Say you have a set of drinks to make - are you filling all the glasses that need ice at the same time? Are you handling each bottle you need for the whole order only once (that is, if you need vodka for two drinks are you pouring the vodka for those two drinks consecutively before adding mix or whatever)? Are you garnishing drinks at the same time? I've found that approaching large orders like this helps to speed up your production time immensely provided you can keep the level of quality up to that of making each of those drinks one at a time. As with a lot of things behind the wood your memory is going to get tested doing this; quiz yourself on how well you know recipes, how efficiently you can pour, whether you know where everything you need for a random order is behind the bar. Besides that, make sure you're fully stocked at the beginning of, and throughout your shift. If you have beers on tap are any of your kegs just about empty? Do you need more fruit? Is your mix all stocked? Are your spouts all turned the same way on the backbar and in your speed-rail(this is a hell of an annoyance when you're trying to be quick). At the end of the day you'll get better with practice, especially if you're regularly high-volume.
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Sep 10, 2012 20:45
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Sheep-Goats posted:Let me introduce you to the Henny and Cranberry sect. That sounds loving horrible. Beer chat: coming from Canada (and the west coast as well), I'm young enough that I don't remember Molson vs. Labatt bars, but I can assure those of you south of the 49th that American beer is unjustly considered weak and pissy; Oregon puts out some of my favorite microbrews (I'm a huge IPA fan) to the point where I started homebrewing just so I could clone those beers rather than having to travel to points south just to get them.
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Sep 12, 2012 02:48
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Yeah, that's a Bulldog Margarita (at least where I work) and I loving hate them. Hope you like cleaning up messes! We had them on special. All. Summer. Long.
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Sep 12, 2012 15:26
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"I'll take 5, hook it up man! I'll be tipping well, for real, but can I run a tab?"
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Sep 13, 2012 06:21
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I'm guessing once you get into that range your tongue is already coated with ground up diamonds so you probably can't taste anything anyway  For real though, there are definite tiers to quality/price in liquor/liqueurs so maybe? The most expensive thing I've ever drank is JW Blue, and that was nice but I don't much enjoy scotch so it was wasted on me. I'm sure to some extent higher-price equates in a much more rigorous production of the product, and not just scarcity, but there's bound to be some kind of plateau for price/quality somewhere.
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Sep 14, 2012 04:52
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Here's a quick question for everyone (but especially those of you who take part in hiring) - how do you react to/deal with resume's (and the individuals behind them) who have post-secondary degrees listed? I was talking to a co-worker recently who says she always leaves her BFA off of her resume as she gets fewer call backs and worse interviews with it on there. I've only recently graduated (and am pursuing a second degree) but I've always listed my University, faculty, and recently my completed degree on my resume - is this a bad idea?
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Sep 17, 2012 19:30
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Sheep-Goats posted:1. Leave it off if it matters where you live 1. Vancouver is pretty competitive as far as service jobs go - bartenders here in the nicer bars usually have 5+ years experience (I'm at around that myself). 2. I've heard that actually, a couple friends I've got there got FOH jobs as servers/bartenders with little to no experience at all. 3. She's actually quit a short while ago due to getting contracted for a year with a local theatre troupe and already has another job at a local playhouse as an office bitch/intern. Better than my Philosophy degree, that's for sure (which is why I'm completing a CS degree in the first place).
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Sep 17, 2012 20:48
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BAR 402 - Advanced Manager Management (4 credits) This class will investigate the different advanced techniques in the handling of management; lectures will focus on avoiding the wrath of GM's, deflecting blame to the BoH, and covering behaviors. Prerequisites: BAR 100 - Introduction to Bar Positions, BAR 202 - Beginners Manager Management, and at least 2 other second year courses.
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Sep 19, 2012 04:13
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Coolguye posted:So here's an interesting conversation that came up at work today. That is a long-rear end post, but here goes: 1) I've never had access to the books for anywhere I've worked, but as you noted bartenders (and most FoH folks) get paid very little. How much of a drain this is depends on revenue which differs by venue. 2) The quality of both your products and the bar experience would change, I don't trust automatic espresso machines to make a better Latte than a trained barista, and I wouldn't trust a robot to mix a complicated drink well. Beyond that, the Bartender (good ones anyway) are a part of the entertainment in the bar; most people are going to a bar to socialize and not just to get drunk, which they can just do at home. 3) No, but with a caveat: personally I bartend because I like mixing drinks, and reducing my job to an assembly line position would be hellish. However I might be okay with a machine that doled out simple drinks (ie: rum/coke) provided it was unobtrusive, easy to use, and could pour faster than I can. 4) Doubtful. I can bang out about 8 to 10 simple drinks a minute in a rush, provided there's some overlap and no special attention or details needed - a machine like you suggest would either need lots of simultaneous input spaces, or be able to handle multiple orders at once - which is what makes some tenders so fast. 5) I've never run a bar, but would suggest that it's a mix. Bars and restaurants run on tight budgets with little room for fuckups - how would such a place handle implementing and handling potentially volatile new technology? My guess is such a thing would get tossed the first time it broke down. Honestly this sounds like a terrible idea.
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Sep 19, 2012 18:13
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Barbackbot
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Sep 19, 2012 21:09
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anuj posted:(*Actually surprised by how many of them really do care) This book was suggested to me by the guy who taught my bartending school course. Turns out the tldr of it is to smile, and be genuinely interested in the people around you.
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Sep 20, 2012 00:38
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Well I'm attempting to change jobs. Landed an interview after 2 days of looking around at a neat little punk rock/indie kind of vibe licensed cafe in East Vancouver named Perch. I'm not too sure how to dress for this - almost every bar job I've held involved uniforms of one kind or another (at the very least, blacks or black and whites), but I'm hesitant to just show up in jeans and a t-shirt. Anyone got any advice for this? Usually I just try and dress a level above the employees - so nice black jeans, and a
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Sep 21, 2012 04:03
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Got hired. 
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Sep 25, 2012 16:03
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I ended up up going with grey jeans, a t-shirt, a plaid print button up with the sleeves rolled, and for flair: my docs
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Sep 25, 2012 19:25
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That's one reason I like bartending in Vancouver (or BC in general really), every liquor and liqueur has to be measured with 1oz shot glasses, so unless you're a sloppy pour (in which case I think it's perfectly valid for a customer to get uppity), you can just say "That's the drink, I can put another shot in if you want but it's gonna cost you." That said, ubermarcus, how are you making your Mojitos? Up here that's a single oz of rum and I like to make those more... girly drinks in a collins type glass - so it's damned difficult to taste any alcohol on that - especially if it's white rum.
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Oct 6, 2012 04:48
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I guess I should update my work status for the list... thing. JawKnee - Bartender and Server at a members only club fine dining restaurant, and at a small independent east-Vancouver bar. The new place I'm at, Perch, is fan-goddamn-tastic. I can wear my own clothes (if it's not something I'd wear 90% of the time, it's a uniform - and gently caress uniforms, I'm sick of black-and-whites), listen to my own music, and work in a place I identify with ideologically. Also grats have so far been at the 20-25% mark.  I'm somewhat surprised we haven't gotten any static from the locals as where we are isn't exactly the nice part of Vancouver, but I guess we're pricing them out somewhat - a good thing too, I'm not a big guy (150lbs and 5'11"), and I tower over and outweigh most of the FoH staff here.
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Oct 10, 2012 04:59
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Because they have terrible taste?
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Oct 14, 2012 23:49
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I threw picklejacks on special tonight mostly as a joke at my Jameson loving manager's expense and it sold like mad Getting used to the night game again, along with being jacked up long after a shift.
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Oct 15, 2012 09:01
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1oz Jamesons, chase with 1oz pickle juice.
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Oct 15, 2012 16:15
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Pickleback, don't mind me, must have been more tired than I thought last night. Although picklejames would make more sense, but I didn't make it up.
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Oct 15, 2012 17:52
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| # ¿ May 3, 2024 18:27 |
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Found out today that I'll be working both Saturday and Sunday evening on the pre-halloween weekend at my new gig. Pretty sure I'm going to be going as this: 
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Oct 18, 2012 17:51
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