What day is it?

It is impossible to imagine a fun evening in a restaurant or other similar establishment without a bar and alcoholic beverages. Bartenders, creators of exquisite cocktails and a festive mood, are mandatory effective persons of various parties, corporate events, and other celebrations that take place in clubs or restaurants. At first glance, the bartending profession itself is already a holiday, because it consists of live communication, a demonstration of high-class craftsmanship, and a carefree atmosphere of rest. But in reality, this is a very difficult job that requires not only a creative approach, but also a lot of knowledge and abilities. Every year on February 6, representatives of this profession celebrate International Bartender Day.

How did the idea to celebrate International Bartender Day come about?

February 6 is the day of remembrance of the Catholic Saint Amanda, and it was he who was chosen as the day of their professional holiday by bartenders in 2008. The founders of the idea were Ukrainians — the Docker Pub club in Kyiv and the International Center for Bartending “Planet Z”. Since then, February 6 has been celebrated International Bartender Day steel in Ukraine, Russia and some other countries. St. Amanda’s Day was chosen for this event not by chance.

Saint Amand

Amand was born in France about 584. Despite the will of his family, at the age of twenty, the young man decided to devote his life to God and became a monk. He spent fifteen years in the city of Bourges, studying with the local bishop. All this time he lived in ascetic conditions, and his diet consisted only of bread and water. Amand then made a pilgrimage to Rome, and returning to France in 629, received the post of bishop without a specific diocese. His task was to convert people to Christianity, and despite considerable opposition, especially from the local feudal lords, Amanda succeeded in baptizing many people.

In addition, the saint was famous for his sociability and hospitality, and the region where he lived had long been rich in vineyards and generally had an ancient culture of drinking alcoholic beverages. Therefore, Amanda was considered their patron by all winemakers, as well as brewers and winemakers.

The main functions of today’s bartenders have been performed by owners or employees of pubs since ancient times. Even in Ancient Babylon, the code of King Hammurabi prescribed the rules of conduct for the owners and visitors of such establishments. In Ancient Greece, people used to drink wine diluted with water – this drink can be considered the prototype of cocktails.

In the Middle Ages in Europe, the profession of winemakers had already formed, who usually not only sold alcoholic beverages, but also produced them themselves – wine, beer or vodka, depending on the region and the tastes of their customers.

Bar. Bar. Bartender

The world owes the emergence of the bartending profession in its modern sense to the United States of America. In the middle of the 19th century, when the “gold rush” began in the country, local shops began selling alcohol in gold mining areas. In order to separate the alcohol zone from the rest of the trading hall, barriers began to be installed, which later took on the appearance of bar counters. The space behind the bar was called a bar, and the people who worked there were called bartenders. Gradually, bars appeared in almost all food establishments, as well as in hotels.

Cocktails, that is, a mixture of various alcoholic beverages, also originated in the United States. The inventor of the cocktail is considered to be Jerry Thomas, who worked behind the bar for many years and is the author of the famous book for bartenders “Bartender’s Guide”.

During the “dry law” era, bars began to disguise themselves as nightclubs, and the quality of illegal alcohol left much to be desired. Therefore, it was in the 1920s that cocktails gained great popularity – with the help of mixing, bartenders improved the taste of the drink. This is how the famous cocktails Long Island, White Lady, Mary Pickford and many others appeared.

Not all American bartenders wanted to engage in illegal activities, so some of them moved to European countries. Thanks to emigrant bartenders, the European bar culture has been greatly enriched. So, the bartender Harry Credon, who worked in London at the Savoy Hotel, was a favorite of the English public. The hotel bar was even called “American”.

Long period of work the bartender was considered mainly worthy of part-time work for young people, but recently the attitude towards this profession is changing for the better. For many, this is a real vocation, and there are many special schools and courses for bartenders that provide the necessary knowledge and training. For example, the European School of Bartenders has branches in 25 countries around the world.

International Bartender Day in history

• 1862

  American bartender Jerry Thomas published the book “Bartender´s Guide”. It is still considered the “Bible” of bartenders.
• 1930

  Harry Credon’s book with more than 700 cocktail recipes “The Savoy Cocktail Book” was released. The book gained worldwide recognition.
• 1951

  The International Association of Bartenders was created.
• 1966

  The first international annual competition of bartenders “Bacardi – Martini Grand Prix” took place.
• 2001

  The All-Ukrainian Association of Bartenders is registered.
• 2009

  The World Class bartending art competition was founded. Ukraine joined the participating countries of this competition in 2017.

Frequent Questions and answers about International Bartender Day

How to celebrate International Bartender Day?

There are many ways to celebrate International Bartender Day. This is a great reason to visit a bar or restaurant where you can watch the competitions held that day. On them, bartenders demonstrate their impressive professional skills. In many recreation facilities, special parties dedicated to this event are held. They are usually filled with music, dancing, and of course, alcoholic cocktails. Quizzes are also often held for visitors on knowledge of the history and composition of cocktails with prize draws.

It is worth congratulating your familiar bartender by complimenting his skill, leaving a nice tip, after all, just listening to him. After all, it is usually the bartenders who are forced to listen to visitors and even play the role of a psychologist.

And if you happen to stay at home on February 6, you can try the role yourself the bartender and prepare your favorite or completely new cocktail by learning the recipe from the Internet.

Representatives of the bartending profession can often be seen in feature films, but this role is rarely central. However, there are paintings with the main characters-bartenders. For example, watching the movies “Restaurant”, “Cocktail” or “Medonos Bar” in the company with a cocktail prepared by yourself will be a great way to celebrate the professional holiday of bartenders.

Why do we love this day?

The profession of a bartender in the modern world has turned into a real art that gives space for creativity. Bartenders entertain and at the same time surprise their guests, demonstrating their skills in spectacular flaring. But making cocktails in the classic style also requires considerable knowledge and skills.

Bartender is the business card of any restaurant, where people come to have a good time, chat, and meet interesting people. Communication with professional bartenders is always pleasant, because they are extremely balanced people who have developed the habit of correct treatment with very different guests. Bartenders are well-mannered, attentive and friendly to their customers. With their behavior, they are able to emphasize the atmosphere of relaxation and good mood.

A good bartender always remembers which of the guests prefers which drink and sees which of the visitors should be offered coffee instead of an alcoholic cocktail. The bartender spends the entire working shift on his feet, as professional etiquette prohibits him from sitting. He knows by heart dozens, and maybe even hundreds of cocktail recipes, prepares up to 300 drinks in an evening. Often the bartender is treated by guests, but at the same time he always remains sober and continues to do his job.

🎥 Cocktail preparation techniques

We will celebrate International Bartender Day: