Everything from fermentation, examines what are the differences between Pot Distillation and Continuous Distillation, the effects of barrel aging on a spirit and how to evaluate the quality of a spirit based on taste.
Spirits and Liqueurs This section focuses on the history, regulations and production methods for all of the major spirits categories. Cocktail History and Bar Essentials This section covers the history of cocktails, some of the personalities that are famous in our industry, and talks about the tools that we should be familiar with behind the bar. They also cover some of the mixers and garnishes that we use behind the bar.
Service Management and Cocktail Recipes This last informational chapter provides information on how to use some of the tools that were mentioned in the previous section, comments on menu design, and standard steps of service when you are bartending. They talk about a few theories on menu design, creating new cocktails and even touch on a few ideas like substitution and complex substitutions.
Drink Builder Final Exam The final chapter is the equivalent of a virtual bartending exam. I believe you even have to choose the correct glass and garnish as well. My take away from the Bar Smarts Wired Program.
I am really impressed with the program and would recommend any new or even experienced bartender to take the course. They do a great job building a solid foundation of knowledge regarding spirits history, production of spirits, cocktail history and the basics of bartending.
They go into great detail on all the main base spirits, cocktail history, the history of the tools, and how spirits are made. There are a few things that I would have loved to see more of and that was the same level of detailed information on other areas of the course. For example, they will touch upon a subject, but only give a glancing look at it and leave you wanting more.
For example this happened when they covered brandies and talked in great detail about Cognac and Armagnac, but only mentioned Pisco in one paragraph. The focus of these two programs is very different. While there is a bit of overlap, most of the content is very different. BarSmarts spends a great deal of time on the history of spirits and learning existing cocktail recipes.
The Mixology Certification, however, is focused on learning how to create your own cocktails — and in great detail. We also do this on the sweetening section and cover all the major types of sugar, their relative sweetening ability as it is compared to table sugar and the taste profiles of some of the different types of sweetening agents.
Similarly with spirits, bitters, etc. If you would like to learn more about bartending I highly recommend Bar Smarts. I love experimenting, creating cocktails, and drinking Green Chartreuse. Dale DeGroff starts off the session with an overview of bar service and how to make really good cocktails. His experience and passion for the craft comes through in everything he shares and he definitely has strong opinions, most of which I share.
And, all along the way, Dave Wondrich is chiming in on the history of the tools and passing around vintage examples from his collection. Neither had I, but I can now say that I have and I do At the end of the cocktails discussion, Dave dives in to his favorite topic for a bit, punch.
Then, the best part, he serves some punch which Dave I think described best. Dave wrapped up the discussion and demo portion with a quote that rings more true than I think I realized at the time.
At this point things break up for a tasty lunch and time to chat with your fellow students. This was also time for a final cram session for a lot of folks, because next up was the practical and written exams.
The group was divided in half. The first half going first to the written exam, which includes questions about cocktails and spirits as well as a blind tasting portion. The second half of the group was further broken down into groups of seven for the practical exam.
The practical is the part that I think would be the most daunting. The reason why? These are guys who have been in the cocktail business for years. So, how does it work? Like this. Then the testing begins. It is put on by the same people who you mention from BarSmarts Wired, every bit as professional and informative. It adds a tasting component and a final exam where students make drinks, one on one, with one of the instructors.
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