I came in and was greeted by Charmaine- she was an absolute doll.
Richard signed me up right away and I paid the $720 up front for the two weeks course. Slight down fall, he seemed a little pushy and annoyed that I asked questions about the course so I kept it brief. I was there less then 5 minutes. Charmaine greeted me once I left his office and asked when I would be starting--- Monday I told her, she offered for me to sit in and observe the class she was about to start (this was before 10am). I declined because I had other obligations that day, but I thought that was very kind none the less.
Monday rolled around and I got there a half hour early. Charmaine was my instructor. I was a little disappointed to find out that two out of the 5 people in my class were on payment plans- I wasn't told that was an option. I still planned on paying up front like I had but knowing that getting on a payment plan was an option would have been nice regardless. I like honesty.
The classes were really fun, a breeze. If you apply yourself you won't have any problems. There was one girl in class that always tried sitting next to me so she could copy my answers, she never paid any attention and was constantly asking me what she missed (she was buried in her phone the entire time so no wonder she struggled). She also always tried to practice mixing drinks next to me so she could copy my every movement. After several classes I squeezed myself between two other classmates and didn't have to explain why- they already knew.
You get a book to study in class and to take home with you. You have assignments/quizzes every day. As long as you pay attention and are truly there to learn you wont have any problems passing them. The instructor will help you if you get stumped or have questions. I usually ask lots of questions but Charmaine is a fast paced instructor and covered everything. Which was great!
The class room/facility is set up like an actual bar. The instructor will explain the different bar set ups and what is expected most places for opening and closing duties. They'll explain the different liquors and liqueurs. What you will practice mixing with is not real alcohol. Basically water and food coloring although occasionally you will get the chance to practice with the real stuff and get a chance to try different concoctions. Nothing that will give you a buzz. You will be able to practice technique and flare. You'll learn about all the utensils; some that bars will carry and others that wont be necessary. I'm glad I got to actually practice mixing because I'm a kinesthetic learner as opposed to a visual or auditory.
The written exam is long, be prepared for a couple pages. But again- if you apply yourself don't worry. The mixing exam is basically (speed test) 12 drinks mixed in under 8 minutes. You'll get to practice the proper pours each morning and also have plenty of time each class to practice other drinks so don't freak out! I stayed over a few times and came in early also a couple times so I could practice to my hearts content till I felt comfortable. I passed the written exam with a 96% and passed the mixing exam in 6 minutes.
There was every type of person in my class. A Hispanic lady who's English was a little rough, she already had a job with her family in a bar and was there to learn more recipes and to better understand the laws for bars, liquor, and serving- which they covered. There was a retired elderly women who was there for fun, she was basically just looking for another skill set and to learn different things to make at home for her and her husband. There was the girl who wanted everything to be handed to her (the one who was always peeking over my shoulder)- she cheated on her written exam (and yes, the instructor knew and had her re-take it, cheating is not tolerated) and not sure if she took her mixing exam or how many try's it took her. There was the army girl- she got out of serving our country after 20 years and wanted something to keep her busy and that would also be beneficial on the money front. And then there was me- I wanted a new career and skill set.
Charmaine won't just dump you after you pass your exam. She'll work with you, give you the opportunity to practice by actually working different events. She'll give you a password for their site afterwards that'll show you different job openings and she'll also keep in contact with you on different places that are looking for help.
Don't be hesitant to try it out. Some employers prefer hiring people who have actual experience as opposed to school or training. But then some people will hire you because you are trained properly, have flare, and haven't picked up any bad habits yet. It's a good foot in the door at least and even if you haven't bartended anywhere employers will like the fact that you've done events so you have some experience in that area- so definitely try to sign up for events when you can. read more
