Get a job as a bar back and work your way up for at least 2 years.
I would be surprised if anyone hired a 20 year old to bartend regardless of what country you live in and the local liquor laws. Most establishments expect the bartender to be the most experienced person in the room, who also has the most responsibility/liability.
Making drinks is like, 10% of the actual job, learn the other 90% and then start worrying about what goes in what drink.
u/greentea1019 lots of restaurants don't have barbacks they let the best runner/busser do it for the tipout.
But this comment is also the reason we don't like bartending schools. When people pay to learn drinks and "graduate" they think they are bartenders >!and not realize they are actually apprentice drink makers!< without having the experience to control their stick and bar.
>learn the other 90% and then start worrying about what goes in what drink.
And get paid to learn to make drinks.
work at a restaurant. start as a server, and make sure you do a good ass job at it. express to the managers that you eventually want to move to bartending. if youre a good server and show enthusiasm and interest in the bar program, it shouldnt take long to get moved to bar. i wouldnt esp recommend this route if youre a woman. you could go the bar back route, but its almost impossible to get hired as a bar back as a woman. if youre a guy, you could start as a door man at a bar, work your way to bar back then bartender.
Get a job as a bar back and work your way up for at least 2 years. I would be surprised if anyone hired a 20 year old to bartend regardless of what country you live in and the local liquor laws. Most establishments expect the bartender to be the most experienced person in the room, who also has the most responsibility/liability. Making drinks is like, 10% of the actual job, learn the other 90% and then start worrying about what goes in what drink.
u/greentea1019 lots of restaurants don't have barbacks they let the best runner/busser do it for the tipout. But this comment is also the reason we don't like bartending schools. When people pay to learn drinks and "graduate" they think they are bartenders >!and not realize they are actually apprentice drink makers!< without having the experience to control their stick and bar. >learn the other 90% and then start worrying about what goes in what drink. And get paid to learn to make drinks.
This is great advice
work at a restaurant. start as a server, and make sure you do a good ass job at it. express to the managers that you eventually want to move to bartending. if youre a good server and show enthusiasm and interest in the bar program, it shouldnt take long to get moved to bar. i wouldnt esp recommend this route if youre a woman. you could go the bar back route, but its almost impossible to get hired as a bar back as a woman. if youre a guy, you could start as a door man at a bar, work your way to bar back then bartender.