A Bartender’s Guide:

Teaching the basics of bartending and the history behind the

cocktail

By: Cortney Costanzo

 Bartending
• History of the Cocktail • How to make drinks with:
– Where did the name come from?
– Vodka
– Gin
• Bartending etiquette
– Rum
– Whiskey
• Profit margin
– Tequila
– examples
– Beer
• Draft beer
• Quiz
– Wine
• Red
• White
– Quiz
 The history of the cocktail
• What is a cocktail?
– The official definition is “an iced drink of wine
or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring
ingredients”
– A cocktail is a mixture stimulating liquor,
composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water
and bitters.
 Where did the name cocktail come
from?
• There are many different stories about the origin
of the name cocktail. These are just a few…
– Refers to a rooster’s tail being used as a colonial
drink garnish
– The rooster theory is also said to have been
influenced by the colors of the mixed ingredients,
which may resemble the colors of the roosters tail.
– The word cocktail may be a distant derivation of the
name for the Aztec goddess, Xochitil. Xochitil was the
name of a Mexican princess who served drinks to
american soldiers.
 Bartending Etiquette
Do’s and Don’ts
• Do
1. Treat all guests fairly and
equally.
2. Strive to keep the bar as
clean as possible. “A
bartenders professionalism
can be measured by the
cleanliness of their bar.”
3. Ask if the customer wants a
specific brand they’d prefer
over the house brand.
4. Maintain eye contact.
5. Avoid touching areas of the
glass that might be put near
or in the customers mouth.
• Don’t
1. Serve drinks that have been
improperly prepared or are
inferior in any respect.
2. Gossip, argue, gamble or lend
money to the clientele.
Bartenders should also avoid
being embroiled in
inflammatory conversations.
3. Listen in on customers
conversations and should
only comment if addressed
directly.
 How do I calculate profit margin?
Net profit margin = net profit X 100
revenue
Let’s try a simple problem using house vodka:
1 bottle ≈ 30 ounces or 20 shots
1 shot = 1.5 ounces (the amount of liquor in one mixed drink)
1 mixed drink sells for $4.50 and 1 bottle of house vodka sells for $7

30shots = 20 mixed drinks.

1.5 shots 20 drinks X $4.50 per drink = $90 (revenue)
$90 - $7 = $83 (net profit)

Net profit margin = ($83/$90) X 100 = 92% profit

Therefore, for every dollar sold using house vodka $.92 is profit
 Is the profit as much for
Call or Premium liquor?
• Using premium in a mixed drink:
– 1.5 ounces in 1 drink at $6.00 per drink
– 20 drinks per bottle. 1 bottle cost $36
20 X $6 = $120(revenue) $120 - $36 = $84 (net profit)
($84/$120) X 100 = 70% profit
• Using premium on the rocks:
– 3 ounces in one drink at $7.00 per drink
– 10 drinks per bottle (30/3=10). 1 bottle cost $36
10 X $7 = $70(revenue) $70-$36 = $34 (net profit)
($34/$70) X 100 = 48% profit
 Quiz 1
1. A cocktail is an iced drink of wine or ______ mixed with
flavoring ingredients?
a. Water c. Beer
b. Liquor d. Sugar
2. Select True or False: the name cocktail may have came from the roosters tail being
used as a garnish in drinks?
3. Select Yes or No: should you serve a drink that you know was improperly made?
4. Select True or False: can a bartender’s professionalism be measured by how clean
their bar is?
5. Calculate the profit of call gin sold at $5 a drink when the
bottle cost $20?
a. 100% c. 80%
b. 40% d. 20%
 Vodka
is a clear, tasteless and odorless liquid distilled
from grain, to potatoes or molasses.
• How to make a…
Mixed Drink: Rocks Drink: Martini:
- Fill glass with ice - Fill rocks glass with ice - place 1.5oz of
- Add 1.5oz (1 shot) - add 3oz of vodka vodka, and .75oz
of vodka - garnish with straw of dry vermouth in
- Pour in mixer an ice filled cocktail
ie: orange juice shaker. Shake well.
- Garnish with straw - strain into a martini
glass
Click on the - serve with an olive
picture for
more
information
 Gin
is a very dry spirit made from grain and flavored
with juniper berries
• How to make a…
Mixed Drink: Rocks Drink: Martini:
- Fill glass with ice - Fill rocks glass with ice - place 1.5oz of
- Add 1.5oz (1 shot) - add 3oz of gin gin, and .75oz
of gin - garnish with straw of dry vermouth in
- Pour in mixer an ice filled cocktail
ie: tonic shaker. Shake well.
- Garnish with straw - strain into a martini
or lime glass
- add a dash of bitters
and an olive
Click on the
picture for
more
information
 Whiskey
is distilled from grain mash and aged in oak barrels. There
are three most popular types, Scottish whiskey (aka
scotch), Irish Whiskey, and American Whiskey.
• How to make a…
Mixed Drink: Rocks Drink: Manhattan:
- Fill glass with ice - Fill rocks glass with ice - fill rocks glass
- Add 1.5oz (1 shot) - add 3oz of whiskey with ice
of whiskey - garnish with straw - add 3oz of whiskey
- Pour in mixer - add a dash of
ie: coke sweet vermouth.
- Garnish with straw - add a dash of
cherry juice
- stir drink and
garnish with 2 cherries
Click on the
picture for
more
information
 Rum
is distilled from sugar and aged in oak barrels.

• How to make a…
Mixed Drink:
- Fill glass with ice
- Add 1.5oz of rum
- Pour in mixer
ie: coke
- Garnish with straw
Daiquiri:
- Add desired amount of ice to
blender
- Add 1.5oz of light rum
- Add 2oz of sour mix and blend
- Pour into glass and garnish
with a lime wedge and straw

Click on the
picture for
more
information
 Tequila
is made from the agave plant in Mexico
• How to make a…
Mixed Drink: Margarita – video clip
- Fill glass with ice
- Add 1.5oz of tequila
- Pour in mixer and/or other
liquor
ie: orange juice and grenadine

Click on the
picture for
more
information
 Beer
is made from water, barley, yeast, and hops.

All beer is made with all these four ingredients; the only
variation between them is in the amount used of each
ingredient, plus the variations in brewing
As a bartender you will serve beer in a bottle or draft.
 Beer: Draft
• Light (ales):
– You can steepen the angle
significantly when pouring.
– Pour quickly enough so
that the beer develops a
finger width head.
Click on the
pictures for
more
information
• Dark (stout/lager):
– Requires a very slow pour.
A beer like Guinness
requires extra attention as
the head is so thick that
you may have to pour a
littler, stop, and then
continue
– Aim for the side of the
glass
– Develop a head of about
1.5 inches
 Wine
Red
• How it’s made: • Most popular types you might
– Red wine is made almost see in your bar:
exclusively from black grapes. – Merlot
– They are put through a
crusher which breaks the
skins. The grapes are moved – Cabernet
from the crusher into
fermentation vats with the – Pinot noir
skins. This can take up to 4
weeks or longer.
– Shiraz
– The skins will rise to the
surface and form a cap. The
vat is then flushed so the cap Click on the
breaks up. The wine is then picture for
transferred to tanks or barrels more
where a second fermentation information
will occur for about a year.
 Wine
White
• How it’s made: • Most popular types you
– The skin and seeds are might see in your bar:
removed from the grapes – Chardonnay
before any of process is
begun.
– Pinot grigio
– They are then put through
a crusher. The grapes are
moved from the crusher – Sauvignon Blanc
into fermentation vats. This
can take up to 4 weeks or – White zinfandel
longer. The vat is flushed
and is then transferred to
tanks or barrels where a – Riesling
second fermentation will Click on the
occur for about a year. picture for
more
information
 Vocabulary
click on the word to go back to the slide

• House- is generally the least expensive, or in other words the least

quality liquor used by the establishment to make any given drink.
• Call- is when the customer “asks” for a certain brand of liquor to be used
when making his/her drink. They have to ask because it is more expensive
than “house” brand.
• Premium- or top shelf brand, would be the most expensive liquor in the
establishment. Because it costs so much it is not considered “call” brand
price even though the customer is still calling for a brand.
• Dry Vermouth- is wine flavored with aromatic herbs and spices. It is
clear in color and tends to be bitter.
• Sweet Vermouth- is wine flavored with aromatic herbs and spices.
It is red in color and tends to be sweet.
• Bitters- an alcoholic beverage that contains herbal essences and citrus
flavoring. It adds a bitter flavor.
 Quiz 2
1. How many ounces of liquor is put in a mixed
drink?
a. 3 oz c. 6 oz
b. .5 oz d. 1.5 oz
2. Which is not a type of white wine?
a. Cabernet c. Sauvignon Blanc
b. Riesling d. Pinot Grigio
3. Select True or False: Red wine goes better
with red meat than white does?
 References
About.com: Cocktails; The History and Culture of Cocktails, Bartending
and Distilled Spirits. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2009 from
About.com: Cocktails website:
http://cocktails.about.com/od/history/The_History_Culture_of_Cocktails.htm
Bartending Guide. (2009). Retrieved November 7, 2009, from
Boozl.com website: http://www.boozl.com/
Diego, thebar.com. (2009). Retrieved from thebar.com website:
http://www.thebar.com/en-us/Pages/default.aspx
HowdiniGur. (2008, January 31). How to make a margarita cocktail –
margarita recipe [video file]. Retrieved from http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDOtcVtxURc
Plotkin, Robert. (2004). Bar Management Insider: Bartending Etiquette.
Retrieved November 7, 2009, from Accubar website:
http://www.accubar.com/Insider/Tip13.asp
The Webtender: Bartender’s Handbook. (2009). Retrieved November 7,
2009, from The Webtender website: http://www.webtender.com
/handbook/
 The End
Hope this was helpful to all of those who
would like to become a bartender.
Click this symbol to end the slide show.

Click the picture to

go to The Webtender
website for further
information
 Quiz 1 question 1(a)
a. Water – sorry try again. There is ice in
your drink, but water is not a key
ingredient in a cocktail.

Click the ? To return to the quiz

 Quiz 1 question 1(b)
b. liquor- Correct!!! Great job 
 Quiz 1 question 1(c)
c. Beer- Nope sorry try again. I don’t know
how good beer would taste with sugar
added.
 Quiz 1 question 1(d)
d. Sugar- there will already be enough sugar
in the flavoring ingredients. We don’t need
anymore. Try again.
 Quiz 1 question 2(true)
• True – You are absolutely correct!
 Quiz 1 question 2(false)
False- Sorry… re-read the slide on where
the cocktail got it’s name.
 Quiz 1 question 3(yes)
Yes – Ew!! Would you drink something that
you know was made wrong! So why would
you serve it? Try again
 Quiz 1 question 3(No)
No – I wouldn’t either, good job!
 Quiz 1 question 4(True)
True – absolutely! Good job!
 Quiz 1 question 4(false)
False – you can tell a lot of things from how
clean a bartender keeps their bar. Sorry
try again.
 Quiz 1 question 5(a)
a. 100% - all bars wish they made a 100%
profit except it’s just not feasible. Try
again.
 Quiz 1 question 5(b)
b. 40% - nope check your math again…
 Quiz 1 question 5(c)
c. 80% - now that’s more like it. Great job.
For every dollar sold 80 cents are profit.
 Quiz 1 question 5(d)
d. 20% - this is not much.. Sorry try again.
 Quiz 2 question 1(a)
a. 3oz - good guess but this is the amount
in a rocks drink.
 Quiz 2 question 1(b)
b. .5oz – I don’t think you’d be able to taste
the alcohol in that drink. Try again.
 Quiz 2 question 1(c)
c. 6oz – Wow! That be one strong drink! Try
again.
 Quiz 2 question 1(d)
d. 1.5oz – Great job. Someone was paying
attention.
 Quiz 2 question 2(a)
a. Cabernet – great job. This one was tricky.
 Quiz 2 question 2(b)
b. Riesling – Sorry this is a white wine.
 Quiz 2 question 2(c)
c. Sauvignon Blanc – Even though it sounds
like a red, it’s actually a white. Try again.
 Quiz 2 question 2(d)
d. Pinot Grigio – You must have gotten
confused with Pinot Noir, that’s the red;
Pinot Grigio is a white. Try again.
 Quiz 2 question 3(true)
True – correct! Good job.
 Quiz 2 question 2(false)
False – sorry it does. You would have
known if you clicked on the picture of
white wine in the information slide.