Our 3 week Class

In the last few weeks, I’ve enrolled in the complete bartending course at the Dublin Bar Academy. It’s a 3 week intensive course, designed to teach us everything about being an expert bartender. This includes 30 + cocktails; cocktail flair; history of all the different spirits and how they’re made; master class including tastings for whisky, tequila/mescale, over 30 different liquors, coffee barista, as well as tasting all the cocktails that we are making. There are exams every day and then a comprehensive exam and a practical behind the bar (double and triple orders) exam which involves making 10 cocktails in under 10 minutes. There are also visits to Guinness and Jamesons for a behind-the-scenes bit of information. It gave me a new appreciation for the knowledge that a bartender has to have – as well as those that are making my drinks. I took the course using up 3 weeks of last year’s vacation. It meant being up early – and into the city most days by 8:00 AM. I found it a real challenge – because I’d done nothing like it before – but also because it was so different it was absolutely enjoyable. I am looking forward to putting my newly gained skills to use – either at a bar or in a party at some point.

My team – the Bittersweet Sweet Symphony. Notice that the guys have bottles of bitters, bottles of grenadine, and we ladies (one happy / one sad) are playing the champaigne flutes?

Now, what would my blog be without a few pictures from what we learned…

Free Pouring- the ability to pour alcohol at a pre-determined measure – with no shot glass – this is me practicing.

Practicing the double order pour.

In addition to time behind the bar (6 stations) practicing cocktail making, free pouring, and learning about cocktail flair (essentially juggling bottles), we had to spend plenty of time hitting the books to study (seriously I’m 3 weeks behind in TV!).

Italian Grippa master class with tasting. Grippa is a type of Italian spirit made from the pumice of grapes.

We had many master classes. They ranged from a Whisky day (including trip to Jamesons), to Tequila and Mescale, Italian Grippa, a complete range of liquor tasting (30 different types of spirits from fruit, to herbal, to egg/milk/bean), to a day at the Guinness Brewery, and also time learning to be a certified coffee barista.

Starting out at 11 am, we had 30 liquors to taste today. By the afternoon, we didn’t want to try anymore.

Coffee anyone? I loves me some espresso!

Visitor today was the bar manager from the Merchantile Bar. He taught us some custom cocktails – including an espressotini with infused spirits.

Oh – and if you ever wondered what a 600 Euro bottle of Patron Tequila (from our master class on Tequila) looks like – it is a thing beauty.

I am in love. Patron Burdios at our tequila tasting today. 600 Euro a bottle; and only 3 bottles allocated to Ireland. It is aged in oak casks before being distilled a third time and aged again in chateau margeaut (bordeaux) wine barrels. Talk about perfection… and something I’m never ever likely to taste again. *feeling blessed*

In the end, we had a 3.5 hour written exam and a practical exam which we had to make 10 cocktails in under 10 minutes out of double / triple orders. My time? 10 minutes and 30 seconds. My overall grade – I found out for the class was a 91%, which I’m super pleased.

Whiskey Sours – made with Wild Turkey. Yum Yum!

What’s your favorite cocktail? Do tell! As a certified bartender / barista – I’d love to get the chance to make it for you!