I'm a newbie trying to get into bartending...I have a few questions?

[MreCool1]

1) For drinks that have the mixture in the name (ie: rum and coke), how many oz of alcohol and how many oz of the other drink do you normally put?

2) What's a good amount of drinks to have memorized for an interview? I was thinking around 80ish

3) I noticed that there are different recipes for the same drink (like, there's 4 different recipes I've seen for a zombie for instance). Do I have to know ALL variations right now, or can I get by with just knowing one way and adjusting as I get experience?

4) For someone with no bartending experience, where would I have the best chance of getting hired? I'm guessing there's pretty much no chance of getting hired at a nighclub or something without experience

 

[Rastasquatch]

1) Generally depends on the bar's practice. Most places do 1 .oz liquor in a glass with ice then fill to top with soda or whatever (1 oz. is a measure called a pony- the small side of that shiny double cup thingy). Some will do 1 1/2 oz. liquor in a glass with ice then fill to top with soda or whatever (that is the other side of the double cup thingy- called a jigger).

Most bars do not actually measure- they pour liquor and count "one thousand one, one thousand two.

2) LOL, that IS ambitious... aim for 80, but be happy if you remember 5. 99% of all bars serve 99% beer. Worry about knowing 3 or 5 basic styles of beers, before you memorize the bar manual (which you should still do).

3) There are lots of variations of cocktails because the creators used to keep the recipes a secret to thwart theiving competitors (and theiving employees). Competitors would just make up their own recipe and give it the name of the drink they were stealing. Don't worry about it. Nobody is going to ask for a zombie, if they do- they won't know what is in it, if they do know what's in it- they already know there are a thousand recipes. Don't be embarrassed to look up a recipe when you need to. Don't encourage the idiots who want exotic drinks in an insanely busy bar either. A really crappy, really expensive zombie will nudge them back towards lite beer in a bottle when that happens.

4) Most bars will have slow nights that it is difficult to staff (no tips). Many will take on untrained bartenders for those nights or promote a waitress to be the down time bartender. They will either train you, put you on with a trained staff person, or throw you to the wolves unprepared. In all of those situations you will make mistakes, and you will have nights from hell. Just stick it out and in a week or two you'll know the ropes.

Good luck.