After many years of bartending i figured out why some bartenders are good and others are great. A great bartender is a combination of two aspects of bartending. To be a bartender, you have to be a gin slinger and you have to be a barkeep. As a barkeep, it is your job to make the people welcome. You remember the regulars, and even those that only come in from time to time, you know their drinks and remember their joys and problems. You make the customer feel welcome, and you know how to bring a laugh to their lips. As a gin slinger, you know your drinks, you mix accurately, and consistently, and yet you can tailor your drinks for the individual. You are quick, getting people what they need when they need it, never leaving a single person behind, even if you have to ask them to wait their turn. To be a great bartender, you have to have an equal mix of both of these aspects. If you are all gin slingers, the people will love their drinks, but never come back. If you are all barkeep, the people will come back to talk, but you will never get the busy nights withthe big tips. It is this combination that makes me believe i am one of the greats.
