As I mentioned before, Anchor Distilling recently reprinted the 1891 edition of “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“.
As someone who is somewhat involved in the bartender trade, I always enjoy going through old books and reading the advice that appears. Usually, I am amazed at how little has changed. How valid pieces of advice contained in a book from 1891 can be 118 years later.
So I thought I would go through Boothby’s “Ten Commandments” for bartenders one by one and see which ones still make sense for the 21st Century.
VIII. Keep the floor behind the bar as dry as possible. It not only looks better, but you will find your health greatly improved by following this rule. Many bartenders contract rheumatism, neuralgia and many other serious complaints through carelessness in this report.
I don’t know if it is recent world disasters, or the topic, but I’ve been having a very hard time getting inspired to write about bar floors.
Keeping the floor dry is certainly a sensible thing to do, above all for safety reasons.
Most bars I’ve worked in either use a wood slat lattice over the floor or the kitchen mats pictured above.
Both help, to a certain extent, to prevent slips and help with fatigue. They also allow one to be less concerned about the inevitable spills.
I can’t speak to whether these cushions help prevent “rheumatism,” “neuralgia,” or “other serious complaints”. I really haven’t been bartending long, or serious, enough to develop any “serious complaints” as a result. I mean, I do have my shares of aches and pains, but most are related to back, shoulders, elbow, and wrists. Back from a lifting injury in High School. Shoulders from 10 years as a line cook. Elbow from a bike accident a few years ago. Wrists from 15 years in Information Technology.
Personally, I find a daily regimen of stretching and exercise does the most to keep these “complaints” from becoming more “serious”.
And Michele says donating to Partners in Health is a good way to help.
As I mentioned before, Anchor Distilling recently reprinted the 1891 edition of “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“.
As someone who is somewhat involved in the bartender trade, I always enjoy going through old books and reading the advice that appears. Usually, I am amazed at how little has changed. How valid pieces of advice contained in a book from 1891 can be 118 years later.
So I thought I would go through Boothby’s “Ten Commandments” for bartenders one by one and see which ones still make sense for the 21st Century.
VII. If you are troubled with sore feet, bathe them regularly. Avoid patched or ragged hosiery, and wear a comfortable shoe with a heavy sole. Light soles, low cut shoes or slippers should never be worn behind a bar.
First let me stress one thing: Bartenders, like cooks and waitstaff, stand for almost the entire duration of their work day/night. If you’re lucky, you might get to lean against a post out back for a while, or, maybe, if you’re especially fortunate, sit down for long enough to scarf some food.
You will be bending over grabbing bottles, lifting buckets of ice, carrying cases of liquor, kegs of beer, or reaching up to grab bottles from the back bar.
All of this is especially tough on your back, especially lower back.
One of the most important things you can do to help yourself, and your back’s future, is to invest in quality footwear.
Different bartenders seem to have different philosophies of footwear. Almost all service requirements say they should be black. Beyond that, important features include a no slip sole and some decent amount of arch support. Waterproof is also not a horrible idea, as you’ll probably spill some liquids on them during the course of the evening.
Some people wear clogs, some people athletic type shoes. Others low work shoes. I, thankfully, have never seen a bartender wearing Batali inspired Crocs. I would probably have to slap them upside the head.
Personally, I go with the Red Wing Gentleman Traveler Boot. Red Wing boots are well made and durable. If you keep them cleaned and oiled, they should last you more than a few years, if not decades. As they don’t have the most super arch support, I have added some cushiony insoles I got from an athletic shoe store.
Not sure about the whole “hosiery” thing, but thick, black, cotton blend work socks from WigWam are my choice.
Boothby’s Ten Commandments: VI. Sell all the liquor you can, but use as little as possible yourself.
As I mentioned before, Anchor Distilling recently reprinted the 1891 edition of “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“.
As someone who is somewhat involved in the bartender trade, I always enjoy going through old books and reading the advice that appears. Usually, I am amazed at how little has changed. How valid pieces of advice contained in a book from 1891 can be 118 years later.
So I thought I would go through Boothby’s “Ten Commandments” for bartenders one by one and see which ones still make sense for the 21st Century.
VI. Sell all the liquor you can, but use as little as possible yourself.
Boy, this is a complicated one.
First, a few points.
As dealers in delicious alcoholic beverages, most bartenders, as a sort of career responsibility, do have a fine appreciation for booze.
From a management, loss prevention, perspective, the Boothby quote is entirely intuitive.
The more booze you sell, and the less your staff drinks, the better your bottom line.
On the other hand, there is a certain psychic toll to bartending.
Most people cannot maintain the appearance of liking everyone they talk to without a cost.
It isn’t possible. Different people handle it differently, but for many, a little alcoholic lubrication isn’t a bad idea.
Not to mention, as a manager, if you are too much of a stickler about booze consumption, your staff will just sneak and steal.
On the other hand, a drunk or surly bartender is never appealing to the guest.
Maybe there are some semi-psychic individuals who can appear perfectly sober, manage money, and the patrons in their venues while three sheets to the wind. I’m not one of them, or, more accurately, not comfortable with going down that path.
Then there are the other personal issues.
Sadly, or happily, I am a light weight in several senses. First, I’m pretty darn skinny with almost no appreciable body fat, giving me a pathetic tolerance to almost any volume of alcoholic beverage. Second, my body is not particularly fantastic at processing alcoholic beverages back into non-intoxicating substances.
What does all that mean?
While some of my compatriots may be able to imbibe while retaining their composure, I cannot. If I am to appear a professional of any sort, I cannot drink (much) while working. Important to recognize your limitations, I think.
Wow! Who would have thunk it? A year of Savoy Nights at Alembic Bar have come and gone.
Not to mention, a year of bartending on a semi-regular basis.
As Danny Louie put it a few Sundays ago, “I bet you’ve learned a lot!”
Gah! Sometimes I think I’ve learned so much I don’t remember a thing. Recipes, service standards, names, drink preferences, POS operation, etc. have claimed a big section of my brain.
The major things that have defined this year have been bartending and Michele and I adopting our dog.
Beyond that, much has been business as usual.
Since my birthday, in October, I have been struggling a bit, cough, as a “man of a certain age”, wondering where this is all going, and what I was hoping to accomplish. Getting myself in a bit of a lather, thinking about what I’m actually getting out of any of this cocktail junk and what I “deserve”. I need to let go of that way of thinking, as it is nothing but destructive.
I think I’ve gotten past that in the last few days, and am back to my typically midwestern way of looking at life, “things could be worse.”
I’m pleased with the direction the photos have taken on the blog and want to get more involved with photography in general. It was something I had put on a back burner in my life a while ago. Put a bookmark in that part of my life. I’m enjoying re-examining the photos I take with a more critical eye, instead of just taking snap shots of cocktails.
Maybe I’ll even bring the camera to the next Savoy Night at Alembic!
Oh, speaking of, the next Savoy Night at Alembic will be December 20th. We’re still ironing out exact details on what cool things we’re going to make, but hopefully we’ll have a couple punches and maybe some hot drinks.
Stop by, say hi, and order some cocktails from guys in goofy suits.
As I mentioned before, Anchor Distilling recently reprinted the 1891 edition of “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“.
As someone who is somewhat involved in the bartender trade, I always enjoy going through old books and reading the advice that appears. Usually, I am amazed at how little has changed. How valid pieces of advice contained in a book from 1891 can be 118 years later.
So I thought I would go through Boothby’s “Ten Commandments” for bartenders one by one and see which ones still make sense for the 21st Century.
V. When going off watch always dry and polish all the glassware and tools which you have used on your watch, and see that everything is in its proper place, so that your relief can work to advantage as soon as he arrives at his post.
You’ve had a killer shift and are dead tired. Just shooed the last of the hangers on out the door. Rousing yourself to do the closing cleaning tasks, well, can be a challenge.
But if you don’t your replacement, or the next day’s opener, is going to be in a world of pain, spending the first portion of shift cleaning sticky bottles and running around looking for supplies.
It’s professional courtesy, pure and simple, to do your best to make sure that your station, and the bar, is clean and in decent shape to do business after you have left.
Rouse yourself and remember that kindness given is usually returned.
As I mentioned before, Anchor Distilling recently reprinted the 1891 edition of “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“.
As someone who is somewhat involved in the bartender trade, I always enjoy going through old books and reading the advice that appears. Usually, I am amazed at how little has changed. How valid pieces of advice contained in a book from 1891 can be 118 years later.
So I thought I would go through Boothby’s “Ten Commandments” for bartenders one by one and see which ones still make sense for the 21st Century.
IV. Avoid conversations of a religious or political nature.
OK, Bars aren’t Libraries and a lively bar is much much more fun than a quiet, sober one.
However, as people who have been drinking are seldom more sensible or measured than when they are sober, it is a pretty good idea to avoid conversations whose subjects have resulted in pogroms, massacres, and genocides. I mean, even if you know the person in front of you is on the same page, you never know about the person to the right or to the left.
Customers can get up to enough mischief on their own, without you stirring the pot.
But when folks are shooting each other over dog sniffs, what is a safe topic?
Even apparently safe conversational gambits like Vodka slagging and the comparative merits of various Absinthes can get some people in a lather, cough, especially if they have a vested interest in same.
I mean, that I’m aware of, most brand reps or shills don’t seem to be carrying handguns, but I do sometimes wonder how that Australian Eucalyptus liqueur got on the back bar. “Yo, Bruce, you Bloody Seppo, I better see this in your bar or you’ll be nothing but a smudge on my roo bar!”
Best to be on the safe side.
As I mentioned before, Anchor Distilling recently reprinted the 1891 edition of “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“.
As someone who is somewhat involved in the bartender trade, I always enjoy going through old books and reading the advice that appears. Usually, I am amazed at how little has changed. How valid pieces of advice contained in a book from 1891 can be 118 years later.
So I thought I would go through Boothby’s “Ten Commandments” for bartenders one by one and see which ones still make sense for the 21st Century.
III. Always appear pleasant and obliging under all circumstances.
As you probably know, there are a bunch of relatively unrelated skills which bunch up under the title, “Bartender”. Making drinks, keeping track of money, serving food, taking orders, etc.
Probably the most important talent is the knack appear a “pleasant and obliging” host to your guests.
Some times it’s easy, some times it hard. Depends on your mood and the guest you are serving. But ideally, the guest shouldn’t know either way.
I guess that is Boothby’s point of using the phrase, “Always appear pleasant and obliging,” rather than, “always be pleasant and obliging”.
I’ve had a sucky day, I’m broke, my car broke down, my wife just yelled at me for staying out late the night before, the bar back called in sick, and a party of 20 just walked in the door. I’m about to go down in flames.
As a bartender, those are my problems. It’s part of the job to leave my problems at the door and do my best to facilitate my guests’ pleasant evenings, no matter the circumstances. That can be hard.
It can also be challenging to figure out exactly how best to serve your guests.
Some want to be left alone. Some come in to talk. Some come in to flirt. Some come in to make out with their date. Some come in to get hammered.
It is not my job to judge.
But it is my job to serve them all.
Personally, I have the hardest time with figuring out exactly how and when it is appropriate to break the ice when I can see a guest has some interest in communication beyond ordering their drinks and food. Most of my coworkers have a quiver full of handy jokes, anecdotes, and trivia to deploy in exactly these sorts of situations. I’m still working on it.
And the fact of the matter is, there are some people I get along with and some people I don’t. In normal life, I usually get to avoid hanging out with the people I don’t get along with. In the service professions, I gotta get past that and “appear pleasant and obliging” to folks I wouldn’t normally be caught dead chatting with.
But, like I said, I’m working on it, because, really I never know. Sometimes the people I think I’m going to hate serving turn out to be the highlight of the evening. And, on the other hand, the ones I thought were going to be a pleasure, sometimes turn out to be the biggest pain in the ass of the night.
Not that any of you are really a pain. You’re all wonderful and fascinating specimens of this human race. I love you all equally.
Hm. Getting around to that, one thing that I do think is really important to the job, is the ability to find the glorious, diverse splendor of the human race interesting. I would think it would be pretty tough to even appear pleasant and obliging, if you didn’t at least have an active interest and curiosity about your fellow man.
As I mentioned before, Anchor Distilling recently reprinted the 1891 edition of “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“.
As someone who is somewhat involved in the bartender trade, I always enjoy going through old books and reading the advice that appears. Usually, I am amazed at how little has changed. How valid pieces of advice contained in a book from 1891 can be 118 years later.
So I thought I would go through Boothby’s “Ten Commandments” for bartenders one by one and see which ones still make sense for the 21st Century.
II. See that your finger nails are always clean and your person presents a tidy appearance.
While you can’t always judge a book by it’s cover, I’m afraid it is inevitably the first thing it is judged by.
You’ll usually find me dressed in Levi’s Denim, Woolrich flannel, and work boots. I am nowhere the stylish dresser that many Bartenders are. No diamond pins, stylish hats, or pointed shoes typically adorn my twig-like frame.
However, for Savoy Cocktail Book night at Alembic, I usually wear a vest, a nice white shirt, and one of my father’s old silk ties. Semi-ironic, I suppose. But I like to think of the ties as somewhat totemic.
My father was a Funeral Director in the Midwest. His uniform was the dark suit, tie, and wing tips just about every day of his life. He was so much the better “people person” than I am, that I like to think some of his skills might carry over when I am wearing his ties. As if, somehow, the clothes might make the man. Or at least, I might be more cognizant of the sort of “people person” I can or should be, by wearing his ties.
Funny, eh?
I spent most of my youth wearing ripped jeans and untucked flannel shirts, irritating the hell out of my ex-Marine, Funeral Director Father, now here I am ironing shirts and wearing his ties.
It is interesting that Boothby uses some military-like terms in his commandments and. Classic bartending does often seem to involve the sort of neatness and precision associated with close order drills.
Is it any wonder quality cocktails didn’t get along with the loosey goosey, let it all hang out, keep on truckin’, 1970s?
But to get back to the “finger nails”, my boss at Heaven’s Dog, Erik Adkins, always says, “My hands are my tools,” and, indeed, that is very true. We use them to squeeze twists, handle fruit, measure booze. Grungy fingernails and unkempt hands are as unappealing in a barkeep as they are in a doctor.
This is another 19th Century Commandment still valid for the 21st Century.
As I mentioned before, Anchor Distilling recently reprinted the 1891 edition of “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“.
As someone who is somewhat involved in the bartender trade, I always enjoy going through old books and reading the advice that appears. Usually, I am amazed at how little has changed. How valid pieces of advice contained in a book from 1891 can be 118 years later.
So I thought I would go through Boothby’s “Ten Commandments” for bartenders one by one and see which ones still make sense for the 21st Century.
I. Always be on time to relieve the other watch. It is a good plan to make a practice of arriving a few minutes early so as to arrange your toilet and step to your station on time.
First, and probably most importantly, if you are late, you’re at the very least inconveniencing your coworkers. If you’re not on time they will likely have to stay late or do some of your work for you. Not a great way to win friends and influence people.
So here’s the other thing. When I go to my job at the University, I pretty much know what to expect ahead of time. Usually, most technology changes and meetings are scheduled weeks in advance. Aside from hardware or HVAC failures there really aren’t many surprises. Unless you have an early morning meeting, the consequences for being 15 minutes late are relatively minor. Maybe you try to make it up by staying 15 mins late or coming in early another day.
With food service, you almost never know what is going to happen until you get to work and start your day.
You could get there and have 50 people walk in the door as soon as it is unlocked. A full bar for all 8 hours of your shift. Or you could have a good hour before business picks up.
If you’re not prepared to handle the worst the evening will throw at you the moment the door opens, you are just asking for a world of pain and grumpiness.
This is a 19th Century “Commandment” that still makes sense in the 21st Century.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
(Cocktail) Boothby’s Ten Commandments.
I. Always be on time to relieve the other watch. It is a good plan to make a practice of arriving a few minutes early so as to arrange your toilet and step to your station on time.
II. See that your finger nails are always clean and your person presents a tidy appearance.
III. Always appear pleasant and obliging under all circumstances.
IV. Avoid conversations of a religious or political nature.
V. When going off watch always dry and polish all the glassware and tools which you have used on your watch, and see that everything is in its proper place, so that your relief can work to advantage as soon as he arrives at his post.
VI. Sell all the liquor you can, but use as little as possible yourself.
VII. If you are troubled with sore feet, bathe them regularly. Avoid patched or ragged hosiery, and wear a comfortable shoe with a heavy sole. Light soles, low cut shoes or slippers should never be worn behind a bar.
VIII. Keep the floor behind the bar as dry as possible. It not only looks better, but you will find your health greatly improved by following this rule. Many bartenders contract rheumatism, neuralgia and many other serious complaints through carelessness in this report.
IX. After using a bottle or tool always replace it before doing anything else. Make this a rule that should never be broken; and, when you are rushed with business, you will never be compelled to hunt for this or that, but you will always know just where it is.
X. After a party has finished drinking, remove the glassware from the bar as soon as possible, and dry and polish the bar top immediately, never allowing a particle of moisture to remain. This is a very important rule.
From “Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender“, recently reprinted by Anchor Distilling from a first edition, 1891 edition, at the California Historical Society.
