Its back to (bar tending)school this season
When my friends heard I’d be driving down to Westerly to take bartending classes on what happened to be the perfect beach day, they hitched a ride and dropped me off at the Southern New England (SNE) Bartending Institute. Glaring as they drove away to sandier pastures, my enthusiasm for bartending weakened as I walked into the school.
SNE Bartending Institute is an exact replica of a bar with fewer tables and more sink stations. Two girls my age took the class with me – one, a server who wants to gain more bartending skills and the other, a Dunkin’ Donuts employee who wants to bartend because “Dunkin’ sucks.” She looked like she meant it. Our instructor, Danielle Kelleher, jumped right into teaching and it was obvious that she loves making drinks. I started to perk up again. As a lover of drinking drinks, I was thrilled to be taught by someone who makes bartending an art.
Day one is all about pour count, which students perfect by the end of the week. Kelleher makes it her personal goal that each of her students has the perfect pour. You start with the five-count shot (1 and ¼ oz). I picked up a lime green duct taped bottle with the word “gin” on it, and began to pour. My classmates and I struggled to find the proper five count rhythm to make a shot. It made me understand why potions class is so difficult. But this class is all about practice and I saw my improvement as class went on.
Over the next few days, it was all about the drinks. We learned the basics, like classic martinis, all the breezes (so many breezes), and the more complex teas and shots. The list seemed daunting at first, but with all the practice and note cards for guidance, the list became second nature except maybe cocktail shots. Fancy shots are a mystery to me. The other students were pouring like professionals while I struggled. I thought the point of a shot was to have the overwhelming taste of booze in your mouth. Half of the names are so silly that I don’t think I could bring myself to order one. “Ya’ know what? I’ll take three red-headed sluts, please.”
When I wasn’t pouring, Kelleher told entertaining stories of her years bartending across the country working as a flare bartender, dealing with underage drinkers, murder (that’s right) and so much more. I can only hope that my bartending experience will be as exciting as hers.
At the last class it was time to test my skills. The pour test was one of the more nerve wracking exams I have ever taken. But even with my shaky hands, I was able to score a 99 – not too shabby if you ask me.
I now am fully prepared to serve the masses. Unless you want a fancy shot.
Out of the many drinks I learned, here are a few fall favorites.
Amaretto Sour
Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in 1 and ¼ oz. of Amaretto liqueur. Fill rest of the glass with sour mix. Add a cherry garnish.
The Manhattan
Fill the shaker with ice. Pour 3 oz. of bourbon. Add ¼ oz. of sweet vermouth and two to three dashes of bitters (Angostura bitters are the preferred choice). Stir the ingredients together and strain into chilled rocks or martini glass. Add a cherry for garnish.
Caramel Apple Martini
Fill the shaker with ice. Pour 1 and ½ oz. of vodka. Add ¾ oz. of sour apple pucker and ¾ oz. of butterscotch schnapps. Shake all the ingredients together and strain into a chilled martini glass. Place an apple slice on the rim of the glass for garnish.
