Once you start bartending, you’ll find that because you know the craft and show off your skills to become a better host, you’re going to have people who are, for lack of a better term, “haters.” They’re going to throw the most obscure drink names at you, just for the sake of making you look like a clown in front of everyone else. Luckily, there’s an easy way to fake it, so that you save face: you can get the drink made, and you won’t have to flat out say “I don’t know how to make that.”

It’s more than a simple matter of not just wanting to admit you don’t know the answer, though: the moment you don’t know how to make a drink is the moment somebody can say “well I can make it myself, move over!” and you suddenly lose your post behind the bar. Then, you’ll have spent a bunch of money on creating the perfect experience for your guests, as well as being the center of attention behind the bar, all to have the situation hijacked by some joker who just wants to steal your thunder.

So, how do you pull it off? Simple: you ask for their preference. It works for everything: if you’re lost on what the ingredients of the drink are, or if you’re not sure which garnish goes with the cocktail, simply saying “Well, I have seen that made that a few different ways; how do you like yours?” can pull you out of that situation, and keep you in the driver’s seat.

Off for the next couple of days; have a very Happy Thanksgiving, and shop on Black Friday - it’s good for the economy.

(Just kidding.)