View source for Bartender

{{Short description|Person behind the bar who serves (usually alcoholic) beverages}}
{{Other uses}}
{{redirect|Barman}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}
[[File:Bartender - Malmö-1992.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Bartender, Skyline Hotel [[Malmö]], 1992]]
A '''bartender''' (also known as a '''barkeep''' or '''barman''' or '''barmaid''' or a '''mixologist''') is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink [[beverage]]s behind the [[Bar (establishment)|bar]], usually in a licensed [[bar (establishment)|establishment]] as well as in [[restaurant]]s and [[nightclub]]s, but also occasionally at private parties. Bartenders also usually maintain the supplies and inventory for the bar. As well as serving [[beer]] and [[wine]], a bartender can generally also mix [[classic cocktails]] such as a [[Cosmopolitan (cocktail)|cosmopolitan]], [[Manhattan (cocktail)|Manhattan]], [[Old fashioned (cocktail)|old fashioned]], and [[negroni]].

Bartenders are also responsible for confirming that customers meet the [[legal drinking age]] requirements before serving them [[alcoholic beverages]]. In certain countries, such as the [[United States]], [[Canada]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] and [[Sweden]], bartenders are legally required to refuse more alcohol to [[drunk]] customers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olgr.nsw.gov.au/courses_rsa.asp |title=OLGR > Information and training for students and staff > |website=Olgr.nsw.gov.au |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022114543/http://www.olgr.nsw.gov.au/courses_rsa.asp |archive-date=October 22, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal_law/criminal_offences/alcohol_and_the_law.html|title=Alcohol and the law|website=www.citizensinformation.ie}}</ref>

Mixology is defined as the art or skill of preparing mixed drinks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of MIXOLOGY |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mixology |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref> At its core, the purpose of this practice is to craft cocktails. However, the science and skills required to successfully practice mixology are more intricate than what is seen at face value. The key to mixing drinks is knowing the ideal quantity of each ingredient needed to create the flavor profile required. Mixology aims to both elevate and balance the various flavors found in a cocktail.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Mixology Drinks: A Comprehensive Guide to Mixing |url=https://www.mixlycocktailco.com/blogs/news/mixology-drinks-a-comprehensive-guide-to-mixing |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=Mixly Cocktail Co |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Jerry Thomas - The bar-tender's guide (1887).djvu|thumb|''Jerry Thomas' Bartender's Guide'']]
[[File:Ada Coleman small 20110507-1109.jpg|thumb|[[Ada Coleman]] bartending at the [[Savoy Hotel]] in London, {{c.|1920}}]]

Historically, bartending was a profession with a low reputation. It was perceived through the lens of ethical issues and various legal constraints related to the serving of alcohol.<ref name="Mazenod">{{cite news|last=De Mazenod|first=Anne-Sophie|date=July 19, 2017|work=Le Figaro|title=Barman, un phénomène de mode ?|access-date=12 July 2018|url=http://avis-vin.lefigaro.fr/spiritueux/o133058-barman-un-phenomene-de-mode}}</ref>

The pioneers of bartending as a serious profession appeared in the 19th century. [[Jerry Thomas (bartender)|Jerry Thomas]] established the image of the bartender as a creative professional, credited with being the father of American mixology.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=What Is Mixology? {{!}} Mixology Definition |url=https://home.binwise.com/blog/what-is-mixology |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=home.binwise.com |language=en}}</ref> He earned this title by publishing ''Jerry Thomas' Bartender's Guide'', the first guide to making cocktails in 1862.<ref name=":1" /> Thomas perfected his skills by owning and manning saloons across the New York City area throughout the 1800s.<ref name=":1" /> Mixology started to take shape in the years following Thomas' book. [[Harry Johnson (bartender)|Harry Johnson]] published ''Harry Johnson's New and Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manua''l in 1882.<ref name=":0" /> Both of these books shared recipes for dozens of unique drinks that combined ingredients people had never thought to combine before. Thomas and Johnson incorporated flavored spirits, [[Liqueur|liqueurs]], and [[Fortified wine|fortified wines]] to their cocktails, which was a new concept.<ref name=":0" /> Mixology took off after these two publications. By the late 1800s, the term mixology was common and widely used.<ref name=":1" />

At the turn of the 20th century, slightly fewer than half the bartenders in [[London]] were women, such as [[Ada Coleman]]. "Barmaids", as they were called, were usually the daughters of [[tradesmen]] or [[mechanic]]s or, occasionally, young women from the "better-born" classes who had been "thrown upon their own resources" and needed an income.<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Women as Barmaids: Published for the Joint Committee on the Employment of Barmaids|author=Joint Committee on the Employment of Barmaids|date=1905|publisher=King|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B-VNAQAAMAAJ|access-date=1 September 2016}}</ref> Bartending has often been associated with the struggles of marginalized groups in the workforce, such as African-American women.<ref>Brenner, Johanna. “On Gender and Class in U.S. Labor History.” Monthly Review, vol. 50, no. 6, November 1998, p. 1-15.</ref> However, women have sometimes been restricted from bartending. For example, ''[[Goesaert v. Cleary]]'', 335 U.S. 464 (1948), was a [[United States]] [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] case in which the court upheld a [[Michigan]] law which prohibited women from being licensed as a bartender in all cities having a population of 50,000 or more unless their father or husband owned the establishment.<ref name="GoesaertSCOTUS">{{ussc|name=Goesaert v. Cleary|link=|volume=335|page=464|pin=|year=1948}}.</ref> The decision was subsequently overruled by ''[[Craig v. Boren]]'' (1976).<ref name="auto">{{ussc|name=Craig v. Boren|link=|volume=429|page=190|pin=|year=1976}}.</ref> 

[[File:Kulutusosuuskuntien Keskusliiton kokoelma D1974 8758 (30877064616).jpg|A bartender serving customers at a bar in [[Jyväskylä]], [[Finland]], 1961|thumb|upright=1]]
After the rise of the cocktail in the early 20th century, Americans were faced with [[prohibition in the United States|prohibition laws]] from the federal government. However, bartending culture remained alive throughout prohibition (1920-1933). Working in underground speakeasies, bartenders continued to provide their patrons with cocktails. Following the suspension of the eighteenth amendment and the release of legal alcohol back into the market, the cocktail era took a dip. People drank less and the Great Depression severely limited the ability of people to buy a drink. Cocktails started to be limited to the rich and famous. The celebrities in Los Angeles took a certain liking to the recipes of the old days. But the general population would no longer mix their drinks. Individualism was crushed, similarly to the food industry. The industry needed a renaissance, and it wasn't until the late 90s that the true re-emergence of the cocktail bar occurred.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Slavicek |first=Louise Chipley |title=The prohibition era : temperance in the United States |date=2009 |publisher=Chelsea House |isbn=978-1-4381-0437-9 |location=New York |oclc=299125989}}</ref>

The bartending profession was generally a second occupation, used as transitional work for students to gain customer experience or to save money for university fees.<ref name="Lucas">{{Cite book|author=Lucas, Rosemary|title=Employment relations in the hospitality and tourism industries|year=2004|isbn=978-0-415-29712-7|publisher=Routledge|pages=27–42|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=PbFmohPo-38C|access-date=April 26, 2010}}</ref> The reason for this is because bartenders in [[Gratuity|tipping]] countries such as Canada and the United States, can make significant money from their tips.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://barsandbartending.com/bartending-salaries/|title=Bartending Salaries from Around the World|date=2013-06-02|work=Bars and Bartending|access-date=2018-07-11|language=en-US}}</ref> This view of bartending as a career is changing around the world, however, and bartending has become a profession by choice rather than necessity. It includes specialized education—European Bartender School operates in 25 countries.<ref name="Mazenod" />

[[File:Trou à neige Terre Adélie.jpg|thumb|Bartender at a bar arranged in a [[snow cave]] ([[Adélie Land]], Antarctica, 1977).]]
Cocktail competitions such as World Class and Bacardi Legacy have recognized talented bartenders in the past decade and these bartenders, and others, spread the love of cocktails and hospitality throughout the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://australianbartender.com.au/2013/10/16/bacardi-legacy-global-cocktail-competition-announces-the-top-25/ |title=Bacardi Legacy Global Cocktail Competition announces The Top 25 &#124; australianbartender.com.auaustralianbartender.com.au |website=Australianbartender.com.au |date=2013-10-16 |access-date=2015-12-12}}</ref> Kathy Sullivan, owner of Sidecar Bartending, expressed the difficulties with becoming a prolific bartender, comparing the bartender to the drink they make: "In drinks you want balance. And you have to be balanced physically, emotionally and mentally."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vinepair.com/articles/career-bartending/|title=The Rise of Career Bartending: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly|date=November 17, 2016}}</ref>

== Mixology ==
{{One source|date=November 2024}}
[[File:Skinny margaritas.jpg|thumb|Cocktails]]
Mixology's purpose is to create new or unique cocktails that center around a specific flavor profile or theme. Because of this goal, flavor balance is critical, and is where science comes in. There are four main components to a cocktail: the spirit, the acid, the base and the garnish.<ref name=":0" /> Though in more general terms the most important elements consist of the base, a modifying, smoothing or aromatizing agent, an additional special flavouring or coloring agent.  

The base will always be the most dominant ingredient. It constitutes at least 50% of the entire volume of the cocktail, and always consists of spirit based liquors or wine based liquors.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Embury |first=David A. |title=The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks |publisher=Faber and Faber Limited |year=2008 |location=London |pages=24–25}}</ref> The type of base will determine the style of liquor, thus gin based cocktails, such as the martini, will differ from whisky based cocktails, such as the Manhattan.<ref name=":6" /> It is possible to mix a cocktail combining a number of bases, as long as they share essential characteristics, though it is considered "dangerous".<ref name=":6"/>  

The modifying agent functions as a buffer for the sharp bite of the base, and adds character to its natural flavour.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book |last=Embury |first=David A. |title=The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks |publisher=Faber and Faber Limited |year=2008 |location=London |pages=25–27}}</ref> Modifiers can be classified into the three categories of aromatics and bitters, fruit juices (with or without sugar), and smoothing agents (such as cream, sugar or eggs).<ref name=":7" /> Modifiers are often used sparingly so as not to overpower the base, Embury suggested a maximum of half an egg white, one quarter of a whole egg, one tablespoon of heavy cream or one teaspoon of sugar per drink.<ref name=":7" />   

Special flavouring agents, including not only non-alcoholic syrups but also various liqueurs and cordials, as well as other ingredients which could also be used as modifiers.<ref name=":8">Embury, David A. (2008). ''The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks''. London: Faber and Faber Limited. pp.&nbsp;27-28.</ref> Like the modifiers, special care must be taken so that the special flavouring agent does not overpower the base. For this reason quantities are often limited to drops and dashes.<ref name=":8" />    

Mixologists experiment with different quantities of each component to create a desired flavor or particular drink. Spirits can include gin, whiskey, rum, tequila, mezcal, and modifying liqueurs.<ref name=":0" />
Acids are sour, sharp flavors whose goal is to bring out flavor notes in spirits, add complexity and brighten drinks; they include fresh juices, such as lemon.<ref name=":0" /> Bases are sweeteners that aim to balance out spirits and acids; they can include simple syrup, honey, agave nectar, and liqueurs.<ref name=":0" /> Mixologists aim to find the ideal balance between acids and bases, so that each flavor is tasted, but not one is overpowering. The fourth component of a cocktail is a garnish. Mixologists top their creations with garnishes and can take more free rein here. Common garnishes include decorative lemon twists, smoked herbs, and edible flowers.<ref name=":0" />{{Unreliable source?|date=November 2024|reason=It's from a blog.}} Garnishes, finishing touches, and the presentation of drinks, allow for a mixologist's artistic side to shine through.

==By country==

=== Canada ===
[[File:Five bartenders behind St. Charles Hotel bar.jpg|Hotel bartenders in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], 1911|thumb]]
Bartenders can be found in many establishments across Canada. They may appear in nightclubs, restaurants, bars, hotels and even airports in cities. Canada does not have a national-wide bartender certification; instead, people must apply for a new provincial certification in each province in which they want to bartend. Some provinces do not require certification, such as Saskatchewan, Labrador, Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where there is no legally mandatory certification to serve alcohol, but certain documents for serving alcoholic beverages are marked as "recommended" in the province, and employers have a right to ask their bartenders to have them.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Exploring Trades and Occupations |url=https://www.quebec.ca/en/employment/trades-occupations/exploring-trades-and-occupations/6512-bartenders |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=www.quebec.ca |language=en |archive-date=December 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208223245/https://www.quebec.ca/en/employment/trades-occupations/exploring-trades-and-occupations/6512-bartenders |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As social attitudes toward legal responsibility change, more and more provinces are requiring certification for responsible alcohol sales of bartenders, managers and even event and liquor store employees. The provinces that require bartender certification are Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia. All of these certifications come with a card or certificate. If bartender certification is required in the province where the bartender is located, health and safety inspectors may ask to see a bartender's certifications when inspecting their workplace.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parks |first=Recreation and Cultural Services |date=2022-12-03 |title=Alcohol policy |url=https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/city-manager-administration-and-policies/policies-and-administrative-structure/administrative-policies/alcohol-policy |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=ottawa.ca |language=en}}</ref>

=== China ===
In China, with the prosperity of the bar industry, bartenders have gradually become a popular profession. Professional bartenders need to obtain the certification of the National Labor Department's vocational technical ability appraisement. Those who pass the exam will be issued a corresponding level of skill certificate by the China vocational education qualification certification center, which is a compliance certificate for relevant personnel's job hunting, appointment, promotion, etc. The certificate is valid nationwide. In China, tens of thousands of people have obtained the "Bartender Qualification Certificate" issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection units. With the great increase in the number of cocktail bars, as the pillar of the bar, the salary structure of the bartender includes the basic salary, service charge and drink commission. Any kind of bartending method requires basic bartending knowledge. Junior bartenders are required to master the varieties and formulas of 20 kinds of cocktails, and the training time is 40 hours; intermediate bartenders are required to master the varieties and formulas of 40 kinds of cocktails, and the training time is 60 credit hours; senior bartenders are not only required to master the varieties and recipes of hundreds of cocktails, but also focus on creating their own cocktails and managing bars.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Tiao jiu shi. Chu ji |date=2013 |publisher=Zhong guo lao dong she hui bao zhang chu ban she |others=Yang zhen, Chen xin, 杨真., 陈昕. |isbn=978-7-5167-0237-6 |edition=2ban |location=Bei jing |oclc=910264487}}</ref>

===India===
In 1981, Mumbaikar Shatbhi Basu became India’s first woman bartender.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/old-fashioned-no-more-city-nightlife-maturing-says-1st-woman-bartender/articleshow/107958118.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224043729/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/old-fashioned-no-more-city-nightlife-maturing-says-1st-woman-bartender/articleshow/107958118.cms|url-status=dead|archive-date=2024-02-24|title=Old fashioned no more! City nightlife maturing, says 1st woman bartender &#124; Mumbai News - Times of India|website=[[The Times of India]] |date=February 24, 2024}}</ref>

===Japan===
[[File:Takumi in Sailing Bar.jpg|A Japanese bartender making a cocktail in [[Sakurai, Nara]], Japan, 2021|thumb|upright]]
The Japanese way of bartending is like "a time-capsule of 1930s international bartending," cocktail historian David Wondrich said. The Japanese cut-glass mixing beaker is in almost universal use nowadays. Japanese bar-tools are also all widely used. The world has been mesmerised by the art and style of Japanese bartending.<ref>{{Cite web | language =en | author = cocktailforyou| url =https://www.cocktailsforyou.net/single-post/japanese-bartending | title =Japanese Bartending | work = cocktailforyou  | date = December 23, 2019| accessdate =2022-02-09  }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | author = 劉奎麟 姜靜綺 | title = The Japanese Cocktail : Watanabe Takumi and Kaneko Michito's philosophy |  date = November 2021  | isbn =  9786269538508 | url = https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010910213?loc=P_0020_002 | language =zh-tw }}</ref> Japanese law generally requires food and drink to be served under (or in conjunction with) the supervision of a food hygiene supervisor, and this also applies to bartenders. Nippon Bartenders' Association (N.B.A.) is an industry association for bartenders. It is an exam organized by the target is people over the age of 20 who work as a bartender in the restaurant industry. It is a subject exam on liquor and cocktails from the N.B.A. Official Cocktail Book. N.B.A. certification can also take exams other than members, but N.B.A. membership exam fees will be cheaper. Since the basic knowledge as a bartender is measured, it can be said that it is a suitable qualification for young people who study cocktails every day while working in the field to measure the results of their efforts.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Enubie shin ofisharu kakuteru bukku. |date=November 2016 |publisher=Shibatashoten |others=Nihon Batenda Kyokai, 日本バーテンダー協会 |isbn=978-4-388-06249-2 |oclc=962553902}}</ref>

===United Kingdom===
[[File:BarmaidUK.jpg|British student working as a barmaid, 1990s|thumb|upright]]
In the United Kingdom, bar work is often not regarded as a long-term profession (unless the barman or barwoman is also the [[landlord]]), but more often as a second occupation, or transitional work for students to gain customer experience or to save money for university fees.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} It therefore lacks traditional employment protections, so there is often a high turnover. The high turnover of staff due to low wages and poor employee benefits results in a shortage of skilled bartenders. Whereas a career bar manager would know drink recipes, serving techniques, alcohol contents, correct gas mixes and licensing law and would often have cordial relations with regular customers, short-term staff may lack these skills. Some [[pub]]s prefer experienced staff, although [[pub chains]] tend to accept inexperienced staff and provide training.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

Tipping bar staff in the United Kingdom is uncommon, not considered mandatory. The appropriate way to tip a barman or barwoman in the UK is to say 'have one for yourself', encouraging the employee to buy themselves a drink with one's money. Staff may instead opt to add a modest amount to a bill to take in cash at the end of their shift.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

===United States===
[[File:Bar tender making a classic cocktail.jpg|A bartender in [[Connecticut]] making a classic [[cocktail]], 2014|thumb|upright=1]]

Since the late 1700s or possibly the early 1800s, it was illegal for women in Kentucky to be bartenders and to be served spirits or wine while sitting at a bar. This was suspended at the beginning of [[Prohibition in the United States]], but was brought back in 1938. In 1968, Dixie Demuth (owner of the bar Dixie's Elbow Room) was charged with having a woman bartender and serving a mixed drink to a woman, Demuth’s own daughter, sitting at the bar. A Franklin Circuit judge sided with Demuth in 1970, but the case was appealed to the [[Kentucky Court of Appeals]], which was then the highest court in Kentucky. In 1972 that court ruled in Demuth’s favor, legalizing women bartending and being served spirits or wine while sitting at bars in Kentucky.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/2023/09/11/how-a-bar-owner-took-on-a-law-banning-women-bartenders-and-won/70824708007/|title=Gerth: How a feisty Kentucky bar owner took on a law banning women bartenders – and won|first=Joseph|last=Gerth|website=The Enquirer}}</ref>

After the end of [[Prohibition in the United States]] in 1933,<ref name="Mississippi State History">{{cite web | title =State of Mississippi History | url =http://www.theus50.com/mississippi/history.php }}</ref> [[Milwaukee]] did not grant women bartending licenses, unless the women were the daughters or wives of the bars’ owners. In 1970, Dolly Williams filed a complaint with the state regarding this, and the Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor, and Human Relations ordered the city to stop banning female bartenders. Milwaukee appealed against this, but in March 1971, a Madison court sided with Wisconsin and Milwaukee's common council announced that beginning April 1, 1971, gender would stop being an obstacle to obtaining a bartending license.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shepherdexpress.com/culture/milwaukee-history/freedom-behind-bars-fight-end-ban-female-bartenders-milwaukee/|title=Freedom Behind Bars! The Fight to End the Ban on Female Bartenders in Milwaukee|first=Matthew J.|last=Prigge|date=May 3, 2016|website=Shepherd Express}}</ref> 

''[[Goesaert v. Cleary]]'', 335 U.S. 464 (1948), was a [[United States]] [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] case in which the Court upheld a [[Michigan]] law which prohibited women from being licensed as a bartender in all cities having a population of 50,000 or more unless their father or husband owned the establishment.<ref name="GoesaertSCOTUS"/> The decision was subsequently overruled by ''[[Craig v. Boren]]'' (1976).<ref name="auto"/> 

The [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]] data on occupations in the United States, including that of bartender, publishes a detailed description of the bartender's typical duties<ref name="BLS Description">{{Cite book|author=U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics|title=Occupational Outlook Handbook|edition=2010–11 Library|date=January 2010|series=Bulletin 2800|isbn=978-0-16-084318-1|place=Washington, DC|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|chapter=Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers|chapter-url=http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos162.htm|page=492|access-date=April 25, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416105901/http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos162.htm|archive-date=April 16, 2010|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and employment and earning statistics by those so employed, with 55% of a bartender's take-home pay coming in the form of tips.<ref>{{cite web|author=U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics|work=Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2008|date=May 4, 2009
|title=35-3011 Bartenders|url=http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes353011.htm|access-date=April 26, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100528042931/http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes353011.htm| archive-date= May 28, 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> The hourly wage a bartender receives can vary depending on the state.  The federal [[Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938]] (FLSA) and the laws of most states allow employers a tip credit, which counts employees' tips toward minimum wage. As of September 26, 2020, the federal minimum wage rate is $7.25/hour.<ref name="Department of Labor">{{cite web |title=Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees |url=https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped |website=U.S. Department of Labor |access-date=November 3, 2019 |date=January 1, 2019}}</ref>

As a result of the professionalization of the trade, craft bartenders have begun to establish themselves as the elite class of the bartending profession. "Craft" cocktails are curated drinks using high-quality ingredients, generally accompanied by a higher price as well.<ref>Fowler, Jacqueline. “The Transformation of Occupations: A Case Study of Professionalism in Cocktail Bartending.” 2017. West Virginia University, PhD dissertation.</ref> Craft bartenders typically operate in more upscale venues, such as hotel bars. They make the majority of their income in tips from higher-class customers.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

Bartenders in the United States may work in a large variety of [[Bar (establishment)|bars]]. These include hotel bars, restaurant bars, sports bars, [[gay bars]], [[piano bar]]s, and [[dive bar]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cocktail+lounge |title=Cocktail lounge - definition of cocktail lounge by The Free Dictionary |website=Thefreedictionary.com |date=2012-06-12 |access-date=2015-12-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ |title=Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus |website=Thefreedictionary.com |access-date=2015-12-12}}</ref> Also growing in popularity is the portable bar, which can be moved to different venues and special events.

Hospitality bartenders make up 77% of the membership of the United States Bartender's Guild.<ref>“2019 Annual Report.” ''United States Bartenders' Guild'', 2019, https://www.usbg.org/about1/2019-annual-report .</ref> As a result, the union lobbies for higher tips with lower base wages. Lower-class bartenders generally do not participate in the union, since their customers may not tip or may not be able to afford to.<ref name=":0a">Dumont, Matthew P. “Tavern Culture the Sustenance of Homeless Men.” American Psychological Association, 12 August 1966.</ref>
[[File:1897 Saloon Blackhawk.jpg|Bartender and two patrons at the Toll Gate Saloon, [[Black Hawk, Colorado]], c. 1897|thumb]]
The bartender culture in the United States encourages bartenders to be inviting and friendly to their patrons. Their customers' needs and wants become their priority, as well as their safety and enjoyment of their time at the bar. Bartenders are urged to take care of their patrons however they can.<ref name=":0a" />

Bartenders may attend special schools or learn while on the job.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bartendinglicensehelp.com/ |title=Bartending License Help |website=Bartendinglicensehelp.com |access-date=2019-07-01}}</ref> Bartenders in the United States usually have on-the-job training, from the owners, [[management]], or other superior staff with experience. Prospective bartenders may gain experience by working as [[wait staff]] in a restaurant with a bar. Some vocational schools offer bartenders licenses.  Some US states require a bartenders license or a health certificate issued from the state.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bartenders : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/bartenders.htm#tab-4 |access-date=2022-12-07 |website=www.bls.gov |language=en-us}}</ref>

Most [[pub]]s and [[Bar (establishment)|bars]] seek to recruit outgoing, personable individuals as bartenders. All bartenders must comply with all food and beverage regulations, in the United States. All bartenders in the United States should be knowledgeable in mixing, garnishing, and serving drinks with a positive attitude and excellent communication skills. The competition for jobs is high in this field of work.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}<ref>{{cite web |first= |date=December 7, 2022 |title=Bartender Overview |url=https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/bartenderhttps://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/bartender |url-status=live |archive-url=https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/bartender |archive-date=December 7, 2022 |access-date=December 7, 2022 |website=U.S. News}}</ref>

== Mixologist ==
A mixologist is a person who has studied the deep history and science of mixed drinks and cocktails.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mixologist vs. Bartender: What Are the Differences? |url=https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/mixologist-vs-bartender |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=Indeed Career Guide |language=en}}</ref> While often confused with a bartender, there are notable differences between the two. A mixologist is more specific than a bartender. While all mixologists can be bartenders, not all bartenders can be classified as mixologists.<ref name=":1" /> The divide boils down to the skills needed to mix unique drinks. Mixologists must have the in-depth knowledge of how different ingredients interact when mixed, and what flavors they create together.<ref name=":0" /> This expertise allows mixologists to apply their skills in various manners.

Mixologists can create cocktails for a variety of reasons. They may purposely use unique ingredients, such as house-made ones, historical ones, uncommon ones or obscure flavors.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Are You a Mixologist or Bartender? Well, That's a Good Question |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-mixology-759941 |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=The Spruce Eats |language=en}}</ref> They may reimagine classic cocktails by putting their own spin on them, whether in terms of taste or technique. By examining the chemistry behind basic bar drinks, mixologists can take them to the next level.<ref name=":1" /> Additionally, they may toy with the chemical makeup of drinks to make them more sour, bitter, sweet, tangy or deep. Lastly, they may make entirely new cocktails by implementing innovative techniques or mixing flavors that have not been mixed before. This skill set allows mixologists to practice mixology in various ways. Whether it be for fun, as a profession, or as a consultant to restaurants or spirit companies, the skills required are the same.<ref name=":2" />

=== Notable mixologists ===

==== Ada "Coley" Coleman ====
Ada "Coley" Coleman (1875–1966) is remembered as the most famous female bartender of all time.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Five Of The Most Famous Mixologists |url=https://www.mixandtwist.co.uk/blog/five-of-the-most-famous-mixologists |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=www.mixandtwist.co.uk |date=November 22, 2018 |language=en-gb}}</ref> The British mixologist was one of only two women to be the head bartender at The Savoy in London, where she developed the Hanky Panky (a cocktail made with gin, vermouth and fernet-branca).<ref name=":3" /> During her tenure, Coley made cocktails for Mark Twain, the Prince of Wales, Prince Wilhelm of Sweden and "Diamond" Jim Brady.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ada Coleman |url=https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/2857/people/ada-coleman |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=www.diffordsguide.com |language=en}}</ref>

==== Harry Craddock ====
Harry Craddock (1876–1963) was a bartender during the prohibition era.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harry Craddock |url=https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/2345/people/harry-craddock |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=www.diffordsguide.com |language=en}}</ref> The British mixologist created and wrote the Savoy Cocktail Book, which is referred to as the cocktail bible in the mixology world.<ref name=":3" />

==== Dale Degroff ====
Dale Degroff (born 1948) is known by his nickname: the King of Cocktails.<ref name=":3" /> The American mixologist is known for reviving and improving classic 19th century cocktails with new flavor combinations and fresh ingredients.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dale DeGroff King Cocktail |url=http://www.kingcocktail.com/ |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=www.kingcocktail.com}}</ref>

==== Dick Bradsell ====
Dick Bradsell (1959–2016) was a British mixologist.<ref name=":3" /> He invented many classic cocktails, such as the Espresso Martini, the Treacle and the Bramble.<ref name=":3" /> Dick trained many top mixologists in the art of hospitality and drink making during his lifetime.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Dick Bradsell |url=https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/2665/people/dick-bradsell |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=www.diffordsguide.com |language=en}}</ref> He is known for always opting for fresh juices and ingredients, over anything pre-made or run of the mill.<ref name=":4" />

==See also==
{{Portal|Drink|Liquor|Society}}
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* [[Bar-back]], or runner, a bartender's assistant
* [[Flair bartending]], mixing drinks as performance
* [[Hospitality]]
* [[List of bartenders]]
* [[List of public house topics]]
* [[List of restaurant terminology]]
* [[Tavern]]
* [[Vintner]]
}}

== References ==
{{reflist|25em}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|bartender|barkeep|barmaid|mixologist}}
{{Wikibooks|Bartending|Cocktails}}
*{{Commons category-inline|Bartenders}}

{{Restaurant workers}}
{{Bartend}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bartending|*]]
[[Category:Food service occupations]]
[[Category:Restaurant terminology]]