As the summer season approaches, we’re thinking about all of the new team members who will be joining us for these busy months. A new employee receives over 175 hours of training in their first year at The Broadmoor. On top of that, there are over 40 classes available at any given time open to everyone across the resort.
Last week, we stopped by Basic Bartending Training to see what it was all about and, of course, have a little fun too. Here’s what we learned. Hopefully you’ll be able to pick up a few tips along the way. Enjoy!
Any employee at The Broadmoor can sign up for classes like this one and our fellow pupils for the morning ranged from those who were already bartenders at the hotel looking to brush up on their knowledge, to employees from departments like The Spa and Retail, who thought that the course would be interesting (it definitely was).
The class was a focus on bartending service specific to banquets. This was a great way to be introduced to bartending concepts, because everything was very basic; at a banquet, most often, everything is pre-paid for and the products offered are limited and selected by guests ahead of time.
We were led by two seasoned Broadmoor bartenders, Matt and Dennis, and with their breadth of knowledge it quickly became evident that they really knew what they’re doing. We began by reviewing what was taught in the course’s pre-requisite: Responsible Alcohol Service. This class covers the laws that we follow at all times and their related aspects relevant to those who are behind a bar.
The next part of our two-hours explored the basics of how to setup a bar specific to banquet functions and the nuances of service that come along with working these unique events.
While everyone who is employed at The Broadmoor receives service training during orientation, and then brushes up continuously throughout their time at the hotel, providing great service can differ within individual positions and departments. For bartenders, an emphasis is put on the ability to be flexible, managing crowds, and being able to offer suggestions and alternatives.
We get walked through what tools of the trade are kept behind each banquet bar.
Can you believe what a small space this is to work in?!
Next, we got into the fun stuff – learning about and practicing different drinks.
When you’re working with a banquet bar that is small, limited in its product offerings, and most importantly, portable, adjustments are made so that you have the ability to make many of the most popular drinks with the bare resources. Drinks that any alcohol service at The Broadmoor is ready to make are what we call “The Top 20.”
The details of this part of the class got us thinking about how simple it would be to stock up on a few items and become a master host with the ability to do all of this home (remind us to do this before our next dinner party).
We reviewed the five basic types of glasses that can work for almost every drink – wine, rocks, collins, highball, and pilsner.
Next came the garnishes. With some cut limes and lemons, maraschino cherries, and olives, you too are on your way to being a bartender. The one thing that will put you over the edge is having lemon rinds on hand to twist into beverages. This releases the oils so that you get the lemon taste without the juice (yes, of course, we learned this fancy trick in class).
For the last part of the class, Matt and Dennis put us all to the test. The Top 20 were written on pieces of paper and put into a bucket from which we each drew and had to prepare. We used water and iced tea in place of actual liquor, but helped each other as we practiced proper glass selection, measuring, and final presentation.
Overall, this was a really fun way to learn about some of the skills that our other team members possess. And now we have go-to professionals as we think about our next dinner party. If you have any questions for our top-notch bar staff, feel free to send them our way.
The morning’s fantastic results.
Here is a list of The Top 20 for you to practice at home (in no particular order):
-Gin/Vodka and Tonic/Soda –Bourbon and Coke –Cape Cod –Rum and Coke –Margarita
–Sea Breeze –Madras –Bloody Mary –Seven and Seven –Cosmopolitan
–Tom/Vodka Collins -Screwdriver –Martini –Whiskey Sour –Rum Punch –Gimlet
–Long Island Iced Tea –Manhattan –Greyhound –Wine Spritzer
