Bartender Tips

Even though you've mastered the art of bartending, there are always a few bartender tips to keep handy - particularly when the holidays arrive.

For instance, do you know how to make one of the main ingredients of quite a few mixed drinks? It's called simple syrup, and like the name implies, it's very simple to make ahead of time.

Simply, dissolve 1 pound of granulated sugar in 8 ounces of warm water. Stirring constantly, add an additional 8 ounces of water until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then, store the syrup in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and use when called for. How easy is that? I guess that's why it's called simple syrup!

With the holidays always seemingly around the corner, here are a few more items you might want to have handy - especially for those specialty drinks:

• Peppermint candy or candy canes
  
• A block of bittersweet chocolate for grating
  
• Colored sugar for rimming glasses.

And here are some additional tips for bartenders that you might find useful:

• Serve cocktails icy cold. If possible, store your equipment in the freezer for a few hours before using.
  
• Have lots of cracked ice on hand. You must discard the ice in the cocktail shaker once you've mixed the drink. And always use fresh ice if the cocktail is "on the rocks."
  
• It's not a time-saver, but drinks seem to taste better when mixed individually - especially drinks lik martinis and anything with carbonation in the mix. Use a clean, chilled glass for each cocktail - even for refills.
  
• Be sure you include non-alcoholic choices when serving drinks and ALWAYS encourage your guests to drink responsibly.

For more great info for the bartender of the party, check out our Tips for Mixing Drinks page.

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