What Makes a Great Bartender?

 •Know your drinks.  Have a working knowledge of the popular drinks that evening  as well as the usual list of favorites.

 •Keep a list of shot recipes in your head that match the liqour you have on hand. It doesn’t have to be a long list, around three or four.

 •Listen. Keep your ears open. Listen to what your customers are saying and tend to their needs (within reason) before they have to ask. For instance, if you overhear someone saying they wished they had a glass of water, get them one before they ask.

•Read body language. If someone is sitting alone and wants to be left alone, leave them alone. People make eye contact when they want something.

•Learn a joke. Sooner or later someone is going to ask you for a joke. It doesn’t have to be funny, but have something on hand.

•Recognize repeat customers and greet them by name, if you can remember. Everyone wants to feel like they belong and if you can also remember their drink of choice, even better!

Hiring Servers & Bartenders

Before you ask the price, make sure any one you hire has the proper certification, such as ‘Serving it Right’!  Make sure this person’s appearance represents the vibe of your event.  Face-to-face meet & greets are perfect for this and is a great way to express your expectations and their promptness as well as their attention to detail!  Not all bartenders represent themselves properly – no one can apply for your ‘Special Occasion Licence’ but you or the person in charge (no one that is being paid), the last thing you need is RCMP shutting you down!  When in doubt, you can ask the RCMP if a Licence is required, only they can make that decision!

Alcohol Guest Consumption – Things to Think About When Purchasing!

So, how much alcohol do you  think you need per guest?  It is best to over purchase, especially from the BC Liquor Store as you can always return anything that hasn’t been opened (Liquor Barn does NOT let you do this!) for a full refund – just keep that receipt!  Running out of booze at any event is not cool and really, who wants to make a liquor run at your own event at 10pm? 

How to calculate alcohol consumption:

• First off, how many people will be at your event?  How many of those people will be drinking?
• Do you have an idea of what your guests prefer to drink?
• Once figured out, multiply this number by four, this should let you know the amount of standard drinks you may requireper person.
• Then convert this number into cases of beer, hard liquor, mix and wine

Rules of thumb:

• One bottle of wine is approx 6 x four ounce servings or 4 x six ounce servings  – stick to a choice of one or two different types of white and one or two different types of red.  A box of wine equals usually four litres so it works out to about four bottles of wine.
• Beer should be no less than three per guest – remember, you can return the cases not open – stick to a simple selection of two or three different types of beer!  It makes life so much easier!
• Highballs or hard liquor if you consider per 24 ounce bottle works out to about 20 -24 drinks (providing your guests aren’t requesting doubles).
• Always over buy your mix!  A place like Superstore should let you return anything not open!  If buying gin, make sure there is plenty of tonic and soda.  If buying rye, make sure there is ginger ale and coke.  For vodka, cranberry juice and OJ are popular – as well as sprite, diet coke and spicey clamato for Ceasers!
• Make sure you have a lot of ice!!  Especially if you do not have a proper fridge type cooler and are using aluminum buckets, camping coolers, etc… 

Make sure to post information for taxis, designated drivers, and other ways for your guests to get home safely!  All of these can be booked in advance so they are standing by to take people home at the end of the night…