Bartending Pouring Techniques

To quote Doug Coughlin (Bryan Brown) from the movie Cocktail, “Bartenders are the aristocrats of the working class. They are paid accordingly."

Your pouring techniques are a reflection of your professional bartending skills and talents. Basically, you can pour a number of ways, all with their pros and cons, but which ever method you prefer there are a few basics. When you pick up a liquor bottle, hold it by the neck, wrapping your index finger around the base of the pour spout. This will give you maximum control of the bottle, allowing you to direct the liquor stream, and will prevent the occurrence of having the speed pourer slip out of the bottle. As you begin to pour keep the bottle just slightly off vertical. Tilting the bottle more than this, inhibits the steady flow which is vitally important to proper pouring technique. Of course you will need to develop a "count" for measuring your pour. Every type of pour spout has its own rate of flow. To stop a pour, lower the bottom of the bottle and, in the same motion, twist the pour spout towards you. Making sure each shot is poured with a finishing snap of the wrist which will knock the liquor back down and avoid dripping.

Another pouring technique that can be employed when making a few drinks at once is to simply align the glasses in a row. Begin pouring until each glass is more or less half filled, then back and forth over the glasses until the shaker is empty. This ensures everyone has the same amount.

Creating a layered drink or shot with liqueurs of various colors requires an all together different technique. To begin, slowly pour each liqueur the inverted side of a teaspoon (round side up) into your glass. Always start with the heaviest liqueur first. Knowing the specific gravities of the alcohol helps you to know the proper order in which to add the ingredients. Pour slowly and if possible have each of the liqueurs chilled. The round surface of the spoon acts as a "buffer" and slows down the rate of flow which, in turn, spreads each ingredient over the next without mixing them together.

Learn the proper pouring techniques, standardized orders of mixing, when to blend, shake, stir, strain, layer and the proper terminology. Here at the Academy of Professional Bartending, we'll teach you how to master the "Free pouring" method for distilled spirits as well as the methods for pouring and serving beer and wine. From shots to shooters, cocktails to coffees, beers to wines and layered to straight we show you all you need to know to impress your guests and keep them coming back for more from their favorite bartender!

Call us today or even better yet why not stop by our school. Speak with one of our representatives and sit in on a free class. Spend some time with us and allow us to show you how you can start YOUR exciting career by training with the Westchester Bartending Pros!