Anyone else here a certifeid bar tender?
I'm going for the weekend course this friday to sunday, 16 hours total.

As I've planned to open my own bar/restaurant, this would be a good step to start. And.. of course.. the obvious benefits to myself. I can drink in style now. But lets not talk about underage consumption.

Yea.. so anyone else gotten certified? Any tips going into the course? Should I do some homework before classes start to try to get a head start?
EDITED for mistakes I suck at typing

you need a certificate?

here all you need to do is be over 18 and ask the landlord for a job.

Yep. And it's a grand ol' job if you ask me. I love working bar.

Do you get alot of respect as a bartender from the customers?

Definitely, you're under no obligation to serve them, so you don't even need a reason to refuse service - if they give you lip that crosses the line of just a bit of friendly grief, they get no more beer.

Muchos respect, and if you're good at your job, most locals will buy you a pint

Also, if you work at a palce where you get a lot of regulars, they're usually pretty cool. Doing a good job gets you good tips too.

Cool, I could be just like Moe.

What, ugly?

(Just kidding....! ;))

Or Tom Cruise.

not necessarily, it depends where you work. I've never done it personally (I really need to start getting some bar experience, it's such a good skill to have - I've poured a couple of pints in my time though) but virtually everyone I know has. Working at one of the student bars in london (not on campus) there are alot of idiots who treat the staff like crap, but on the whole, you're serving your peers, so they're nice. Small pubs with alot of locals are good, you end up knowing your customers well enough for them to understand if you're having a bad day or something.

And dont forget Bryan Brown... Do they teach you to throw stuff around like that?

At least here in seattle, it's not even worth getting a class b bartending license (<21 years of age). Sure, you can make cool drinks, but since you can't even work unless someone else working is 21+, most places won't even consider you for hiring as there is just as many people willing to work who are 21+.

Hence why I'm waiting till I'm 21.

Plus, out here, when studying/practicing at the courses, if you're not 21 you just use colored water. What is the fun in that?

But I have several friends who are bartenders, and they all love their work. So if you're in an area where drinking is legal at 18 or where you'll actually be able to get a job at that age, then I'd say it's a great choice.

Also, if they offer the Bartending flair courses in your area (throwing bottles around/juggling and such), then I'd say those are worth the extra cash. Being able to flair like that gives you a huge advantage.

Good luck!!