Dive into the vibrant world of bartending as we explore the intricate balance between craft cocktails and genuine connections! At the end of the episode, we explore the biggest problem in bartending for 2025. We'll discuss the changing landscape of the bar industry, sharing personal anecdotes and insights gained from years of experience. Discover why being a great bartender transcends simply mixing drinks—it's about fostering relationships, understanding customer needs, and, ultimately, creating memorable experiences. We'll also delve into exciting new tools and trends shaping our industry today, offering tips for both new bartenders and seasoned pros looking to deepen their craft. Join us for an engaging conversation that promises to leave you inspired and eager to shake things up behind the bar! Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey Bar Ninja Nation.
Welcome to the Bar NinjaPodcast, where we talk about
everything from trials andtribulations, from life behind
the bar to tips and tricks tomake you a better bartender and
a better drinker.
Join your host, Bill Thornton,Kayla Lowe and yours truly, Mike
Garrison.
Let's go have some fucking fun.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
We just see your mic.
Oh, that's good.
At least we're a step ahead,we're already one step ahead.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
We're recording.
That's the story there we go.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Now we can see part of your face.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
It's not just the mic man, I was like I haven't seen
either of you guys in a while.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
It's been a minute I know it's been a hot minute.
You know what's crazy.
I was thinking about this today.
I was actually talking to mydad and january felt like a
whole year in itself.
And then febru.
I'm like wait, we already wentthrough February, Like it's
almost March.
Really weird, I don't know.
Yeah, I cannot believe how longJanuary was.
Yeah, but February, it's a blinkof an eye.
February just started.
(00:54):
We're already talking aboutMarch and I'm like whoa, which
I'm honestly happy about,because I'm exhausted from the
cold.
I get very seasonally depressed, so I'm over it, you should be
here in freaking trees fallingdown land.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I'm looking at a chainsaw, a tucking apart
chainsaw chains for the chainsaw.
Oh no, I'm a blind guy.
I shouldn't be using a chainsaw.
It's not really.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It did snow here today.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yeah, a little bit today.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, I was like.
No, I just want to be on abeach and sweltering in the sun
we were ranked top 10 bartendingpodcast.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
We got number nine on feed spot and we only actually
did four episodes last year Iwas like we do good despite
ourselves I was literallythinking this.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I was like we need to send out the calendar invite
and just have it reoccurringevery thursday evening with the
riverside link, and it's just,we don't even have to think
about it.
And then of course somethingcrazy comes up.
We can just move it, but thatway we'll get a ton of content
plus, I can schedule interviewsfor thursday.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
You know, I just tell people hey, thursday at eight
yeah, jump off for a half houryeah, it's so much easier yeah,
that's exciting.
We've got the new site up tosell the new bottle openers, the
j plates, so that's rolling.
I'm gonna get the bottle ninjasback online, so I'm going to
put those on this week.
So let those go roll outthere's not a ton left.
I mean, I don't even knowwhat's going to happen when we
(02:09):
run out of those.
Those will just be acollector's item.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, we should just list them right now for $99.99.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
There you go Because they're a collector item, but
they'll probably have maybe nineof those shakers left the CD
tool shakers, which is still thesickest shaker I've ever
touched.
Yeah, it's like a pound and ahalf US stainless steel made in
an old.
They found the machine in anold factory.
It's literally crazy, turned itback on still worked, and so
they're hand-making shakers, andthen we got them to make a fuel
(02:38):
for us with that laser etched.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
I tell you about my buddy.
When I handed it to him heflipped it and it's.
You know it's heavy.
So he's behind the back andjust chucked it across the bar
like I'm like, well, that's thefirst drop.
So you know it looks fine.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah, it definitely feels unlike any other shaker
ever.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
It destroys ice, so hopefully we can get them to do
another round they want to tryto get them on the podcast too.
Yeah, because they have areally cool story about making
the first US company or twoveterans and they make barware
in the US.
So it's pretty.
It's pretty cool that youhaven't checked out their stuff.
It's C&D tools.
You should definitely.
It's not for novice bartenders.
(03:16):
It's definitely pro levelequipment.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
It's the chef knife comparison.
It's not such a good.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, people would be like $200 shaker.
What do you know?
And I'm like man, that's USstainless steel, handmade.
Yeah, that's probably threetimes the amount of stainless
steel as a chef knife and no onehas a problem paying $300 for a
handmade chef knife.
It's so true and a handmadecocktail shaker and they're like
$199.
So, yeah, you can't go backLike everything else just feels
(03:42):
like garbage.
It's facts, big facts, it'sfacts, it's facts.
Yeah, definitely.
What have you guys beendrinking lately?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Always beer.
Beer, it's kind of my yeah, andalso always love a mezcal
Negroni.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Just always.
Yeah, we've been jamming on alittle mezcal Negroni.
They've been for a minute.
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
There's this one place it's called the Crunkleton
in Charlotte and incrediblecocktail bar, and we went for
our anniversary and it's the oneplace I'll definitely get a
mezcal Negroni, no matter whatis going on.
It's so good.
There's barrel-aged Two ofthose.
You're going to walk outfeeling a little loopy, but
there's delicious, so delicious.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, with like 80% of the margaritas and Negronis
I've had lately we've been usingMezcal for that Mavita.
So good, the green behind it.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, I know I need to actually get some just to be
able to make it here, because Ionly get them at, like, specific
cocktail locations, becauseotherwise, like it's not that,
it's one that you like canreally mess up.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
But it's also, if it's not made right, it's just
okay and it's really not worthit, but especially when there's,
like some, that are so good.
So I need to kind of perfect,making that one put on a bit of
a dirty gin martini kick.
I haven't made it, I haven'thad.
The end of the summer was kindof a bombay sapphire tonic,
fresh squeeze of lime phasetrying to hold on to summer.
And then I opened it up.
Like you know what I'm gonnamake a bombay dude that's 12
months a year from now I get ityeah, fever tree, little bombay
and fever, it's so good.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Yeah, it's so good all day long.
We have a navy hill is reallygood too.
In richmond, I guess, locallymade tonic.
They do a tonic and a soda plustonic I've had navy hill.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
That's really good that's good.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Um, that's another one we use, but the uh.
So when you're making yourmartinis, I used to hold the
pour spout and then do thevermouth around the rim and let
it kind of fall down and thenroll it and then spit it.
How do you make yours?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I first started because that's my professional
pour clocked in.
But I really wanted to do,instead of kind of blessing the
glass with the vermouth, Ireally wanted to have that
flavor profile because I'vealways been a vodka martini guy
and nine out of ten times I'mjust going dirty anyway.
So I kind of did the structuralbuild with, you know, the
quarter ounce um of the vermouthand it really I've like, with
(05:57):
the first sip I took of it itwas kind of a.
We were just chilling, relaxing.
I was like I just want to drinkafter dinner, and it was just
perfect.
I was like this is so good adrink after dinner, and it was
just perfect.
I was like this is so good.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Is that what you call a blessing?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, it's always terminology I use and I don't
know where I came up with it,but it was, you know.
I've also heard people compareit to where you just wave the
bottle over it.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, it kind of coats it well.
Like a lot of people I havedone it for, like oh, that's,
this is one of the best martinisI've had.
I'm like, all right, it's justthe way I was taught to make it
and some people just wantstraight gin, straight vodka.
Really smoke a little bit offlavor yeah yeah, mescal, mescal
and grody's have definitelybeen hanging on.
I was at a bar the other night.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Seems like the old espresso martinis back too I had
one of those actually this pastweekend.
I'm still haven't really beendrinking too much, so it's like
when I have my drinks, it's likeI'm way pickier about it, it's,
yeah, it's not just like yeah,like, I'm not just like oh,
whatever, yeah, no, like now,like if I'm having a drink, it's
like okay what do I?
Really deeply want, and so wewent.
(06:56):
We went to an escape room theother night and then we had
espresso martinis prior toescape rooms and I'm, I'm, I'm
very smart, but escape roomsaren't my type of smart like.
I'm, totally like, I'm like theaccessory, I'm like oh look, I
found a shell that has a numberon it.
I don't know what this means,so ben's great at them, I'm just
like I actually did better inthis one than I usually do, so
(07:17):
maybe it was the espressomartinis gave me an extra, like
kick, I don't know, but yeahyeah, there's a place around
here that makes great ones theold uh van gogh, double espresso
days.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
We used to just leave that stuff in the freezer and
just pull it out and do shots ofthat in colorado colorado man,
it was uh espresso martinis andwe would do shots of double
espresso vodka.
And then to waka we would do.
That was like the bartender'shandshake in color.
It was like Tawaka or FangoGood times.
I read something the other day.
It said the bartender'shandshake now has moved on from
(07:51):
Frenette.
Well, it's Blueberry Stoli.
I don't know if I believe thearticle or not.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
What, yeah, why, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Stoli making a little promotion, yeah, promotion, I,
yeah, I mean and why blueberry Idon't know what do you make
with that?
No, it's just like.
Like you know, a bartendercomes to your bar after their
shift whatever they used to callthe bartender's handshake and
so yeah it was for net for along time.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Yeah, I was at a local bar and a kind of a
notorious customer around thelake I was.
I just paid my tab, so I wasleaving and he said is it, can
you make me an espresso martini?
But with like no coffee.
And I was just like I'm gonnago, I'm just gonna go a decaf, I
(08:35):
don't know it's like oh yeah, Ihaven't been back to be like,
well, how did that work out foryou?
because I've heard a lot of thesilly stuff across the wood and
I was like he was dead seriousyeah, like, how do you say, how
do I make this without, withoutespresso being an espresso
martini?
Speaker 2 (08:50):
that's funny.
Yeah, just vodka, baileysessentially, or not baileys?
Or just vodka baileys and kluaand then just I don't know, yeah
Was that a shot?
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Was that some Faka Bailey's?
No, no, no, kalua Bailey's andGrand Marnier?
Remember we used to just slamthose Bill.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
B-52s and the ski lifts.
There was a baby Guinness shottoo.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Which one was that?
That's just Kalua with Bailey's.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Okay, I used to love those when I was in college,
which kind of makes sense, it'sjust sweet, and we used to take
those.
Yeah, we put a little bitgrandma on the top, go float on
the top man.
Yeah, I kind of miss all thoseold, weird the old you know 90s,
2000, because that was portside, that was massanut and that was
(09:38):
mangoes it's another lake barstill stuff we make that whole
bar scene.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
It was crazy how it just changed to craft cocktails
and like that whole shooterscene just disappeared.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
We went through the green tea shots, purple gatorade
, oh yeah.
And then fire.
I mean, fireball is still athing, but just I remember when
fireball became like such a hotthing and I, you know, I I don't
know.
I think it kind of goes twoways either love fireball, you
hate it.
I definitely hate it and I'vehad horrible experiences with it
.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Just I don't know, just like it rips up your whole
inside it's not my thing to workon, uh, some of the tree stuff
we were doing, and for whateverhis mo is, he always shows up
with, you know, like a airplane,bottles of fireballs.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
I'm like man, when in rome, whatever, no, I just had
fireball for the first time lastweekend first, no way she had
never had it.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Never had it.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
I don't know, I mean what did she think?
She's like it tastes like a RedHot and I'm like, yeah, it's
like the thing.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yeah, I don't know I just there was another shot that
was like with.
It was with Rumchata andFireball and I forget what it
was called.
But then those became a hotthing too.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
That is cold.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
I forget what those were.
That's cold.
And then there were blowjobshots.
That one was like just like.
I think it was just Baileys andwhipped cream.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Oh man, when Bill and I were bartending at the ski
lodge it was like they werebizarre.
Remember the brain hemorrhage,oh God, where you do Baileys
with grenadine and and it wouldcurdle in the glass and look
like a brain and then peoplewould drink that for some reason
They'd pay for it.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
90% of the blowjob shooters I've poured.
The guy sits on the bar withthe shot between his leg and the
girl takes it with her handsbehind her back.
That was a big BlacksburgCollege thing.
Yeah About the entire show towatch that.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
And there was a pickle shot Like the pickle
juice shot.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
I forget which one that one was.
It was actually uh, I forgetwhat it's called.
It is good actually.
Uh, cure hangover, it was thatwell, I forget what you.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
It's just it's actually way better than I
expected.
I remember being like there'sabsolutely no way I'm drinking
that, and then I actually likedit.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Uh, fairways, I had some of Candy LaPerna's famous
homemade pickles and I'd savedthe brine.
So I went in and was like I'mgoing to make piccolinis today,
just to do it.
And it was just like the wholebar started chugging piccolinis.
It was this is decades beforethe pickleback type thing.
It was just this little craftcocktail that I threw out to the
(12:02):
regulars.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
That's wild little craft cocktail that I threw out
to the regulars.
That's wild, Awesome.
I'm going to we've teased thisbefore, but I'm going to try to
get with Tony Maloney or TobyMaloney that did the bartender's
manifesto and see if he'll comeon and talk about mixology.
Cause man, it's the best bookon the market for learning.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
I keep seeing all these influences on the
tiki-taki that are just suchgood bartenders, that have so
many funny things to say.
I would love to.
I might just start reaching out.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
You need to start reaching out to them on the
tiki-taki yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
I've never, heard it called tiki-taki.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
We uh, yeah, Bill, bill, bill, and you reach out be
like I've been following you onthe tiki talk and I was going
to interview craft cocktails.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
He somehow got the trademark or whatever.
I've sent you the link before.
He's a really big jackbartender in Vegas, does a lot
of flare instruction videos.
Every time I talk to him he'sdown to hang out and have a
little podcast action.
He also on the Tiki Taki.
He's on there.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
We gotta get on Tiki.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Taki.
We need a Tiki Taki.
We need a Bar Ninja Tiki Taki.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
He's on there.
We gotta get on Tiki Taki, onthe Tiki Taki.
We need a Tiki Taki, we need aBar Ninja Tiki Taki.
Yeah, and make sure you call itthat too, I'll get a Tiki Taki.
We have a million followers.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Follow us on Tiki Taki Bar.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Ninja Tiki Taki.
Not yet.
We're not there yet, but assoon as we get a tiki-taki.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
As soon as we get a tiki-taki, then we can make
t-shirts First things first weneed to crank it reals Bill.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
I'm all about some silly-ass content, that's for
sure.
I was literally with all thisstuff that's going on down here.
I'm like I just need a filmcrew, I just need somebody
following me around, and justthe silly-ass shit.
It was snowing like crazy.
I didn't put my contacts in soI could wear my dark sunglasses,
(14:04):
so I had my best vision.
So I had to go to the localstore because I ran out of gas.
I needed to get gas mixed andI'm driving on snow and the road
which I know very well, and I'mon the road, it goes to the
left and I just, for whateverreason, I was in whiteout mode
and I just drove into a ditch.
No big deal, oh no.
But I was in whiteout mode andI just drove into a ditch, no
big deal, put it in four wheeldrive, oh no, put it down in
four wheel drive.
But I was just like, yeah,roads over there, like nobody
(14:29):
drove by Goodness.
But it was very like yeah, whydon't I have a driver's license?
Shit like this.
This is exactly why ValidSounds pretty valid.
I can't believe I just did thatand I've I've done it before I
really have back.
I would have been greattiki-taki, great tiki-taki video
there you go.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
So I look in the other day at bars.
We're just kind of payingattention.
When I go to bars it seems likebartenders are a little more
competent than they werepost-COVID but still not really
creating like connection orcommunity.
Like it doesn't seem likeanybody, even like bars that
should want to have regulars areyou know like hey, what's your
(15:10):
name?
I've seen you in here fivetimes.
At that point I'm throwing myhand down hey, you come in all
the time.
What's your name?
Here's my name.
Like I feel like the bartendershould be the first one.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I am flabbergasted at how bartenders are, and this
has happened multiple timesrecently.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
They go to the end of the bar and start getting on
their phone.
They just don't know, they justdon't trade.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
And I'm the only customer at their bar.
For lunch I was in Roanoke andwent to a very established
restaurant that has been therefor decades.
Turned out he was the owner'sson and he didn't even speak to
me.
You know, it was like it washard for me to get his attention
and I was just like what?
Like when you have one customer, like you should.
I've seen it.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Eye contact has been an issue Like they don't.
People just don't make eyecontact.
You know what I mean.
Like, or even like in a localplace where I've been in a
couple of times, usually like ifsomebody did that to my bar
well, you know, bill, we were, Imean we just we completely
crafted the community at thosebars, like we had all the people
we wanted yeah, I kind of thinkit's like almost just a huge
cultural shift and it's in linewith just the way not like the
(16:09):
whole world, but just ultimatelyeverything's going.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Even like you mentioned, you know people, the
bartenders are there and thenthey just grab their phones and
they get on them.
Everything is so digital nowand like that's like where a lot
of the connection is thatfostering and creating that
community and like reallycultivating.
It is such a rare and find andsuch a gem.
So now, like where when we wereall in the industry, it was
something that was expected andif it, if that didn't happen,
(16:33):
then you wouldn't really go backto that bar, like it was an
actual standard, where now Ifeel like the standards,
unfortunately, are just muchlower.
And so if you do do those smallthings and I know we've kind of
hit on this in other likepodcasts before but it makes a
big difference.
It makes a huge difference.
But yeah, I mean I do agreethat they're more competent than
like right out of COVID.
I think after COVID everyonewas just like what just happened
to the world?
Like what the fuck's going?
(16:53):
That do cultivate, that,especially in the bar industry,
I think is very rare and it'sit's weird.
It shouldn't be that way.
But yeah, it's more of justkind of like the revolving door
Come in, you come out, and thereare some people like I mean,
just because I have we have alot of connections in the
(17:15):
community, so there's peoplethat we're friends with the
bartending.
It's a little bit different,but otherwise, yeah, like I see
the same people all the time andthey're not like, oh my gosh,
great to see you again.
And when that does happen, I'mlike I am coming back here.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
You know, I feel like all bartenders should have to
read how to Win Friends andInfluence People.
Yes, you should have to readthat book to be a bartender.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
I need to reread it.
It's such a good one.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
But people's name is the most important thing to them
.
So if you just ask somebody'sname, even if you don't remember
it, you know say oh, I'm Rick,you know, you know what's your
name.
Oh, I'm Mike.
Oh, hey, mike, I'm Rick.
Shake their hand.
I mean, your tip just went up10%.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Oh, you're literally adding 10% to your income yearly
.
Yeah For sure.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Just by doing that, and Look, I might not remember
it, but just remind me next timeyou come in Just wanting to
connect with somebody,especially if they're coming to
your bar multiple times.
It's just weird to me, you seethat.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I've always kept it in my bag.
Now I put it in my bag.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
But I literally have these Well, and there are notes
in your phone.
You can easily be like yeah,met this person and take some
notes Starting back.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I do it when I meet neighbors.
Oh yeah, yeah, I do feel likeat the house in christiansburg,
but I've got a lot of thesegoing back to blacksburg to
massanut tom and nancy have thisyou know 38 foot scarab boat.
They live, you know, on theother side of the lake.
They drink this.
That's like just the littlenotes that I've kept to build
regulars over the decades, likethis one was one of them yeah,
and then there's apps to keeptrack of it too.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
But I mean, if you take those notes and then even
like what their kids' names are,their dogs' names, things like
that, like especially if youhave regulars, you know like
you're not going to go that deepwith everybody.
But if you've got 15, 20regulars.
You're seeing all the time andyou're keeping those notes and
you can kind of refresh yourself, I mean, and they're like just
how was your day, type stuff,just the most basic of
(18:59):
interactions that we're used tothe bartenders having.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
I'm like what is going on?
That being said, I've foundthere's not much of that at all.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Like there, really isn't anymore and it's like.
I mean that used to be like.
Why I'd go to bars is to likeyou know talk to people and
interact.
We've talked so much about thattoo.
And I mean, ultimately, you,you know, sitting there talking
to somebody at the bar isdifferent.
But and even kind of going backto other things we've said is,
the bartender is kind of likethe host, you know, like they're
the ones that set the tone forwhat people feel like when we're
at the bar.
So if the the bartender is kindof being standoffish and not
(19:29):
really engaging, well, everyoneelse is going to be like, well,
they're on their phone.
I'm just like your mind too youknow it?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
just it sets the tone .
It's almost like they feel liketheir job is to make you a
great drink cocktail and thentheir job is done.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Old fashioned, but that's only half the job.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
It's half the job Right, you're not in the right
job.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Yeah, you're kind of on stage when you're back there,
and I still think that thathasn't come back to the level it
used to.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Oh, not at all.
Like I said, I think ultimatelyit is kind of just like a
cultural shift, you're rightcultural shift.
There's a big shift in generaland the way people even interact
nowadays too.
Even building the jet set andeverything.
We're so, so focused onbuilding and cultivating the
community, because that standsout.
I mean, there's so many placesto go eat, there's so many
(20:13):
places to go work out, and whatreally stands out is the
environment you create and thepeople that want to keep coming
back.
Of course, the product that youoffer, offer and everything.
There's so many things that gointo it.
But like one thing that canreally make you stand out is the
community that you cultivate.
But yeah, it's just sointeresting, like I said, it
just feels like the revolvingdoor.
Everyone's like so fast paced,going through the motions and
just I feel like ultimately justvery distracted.
(20:33):
And you know, we have so muchgoing on and then every single
day we're just constantlyabsorbed with so much stuff in
our phones and I think it reallytakes a toll on the way we
interact in person, becausewe're constantly interacting
with something or someone on ourphones.
And then, when it comes down topersonal connection, especially
for people that necessarilymaybe aren't super personal, I
(20:54):
mean all three of us are likewe'll talk to a brick wall any
day and be able to start aconversation.
But some people that's just notkind of in their who they are
so I was an introvert before Ibartended.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
I mean, I worked at the restaurant that I'd
bartended at and I think I wasthere.
Some people are like you workedhere for six months before I
ever heard anything out of yourmouth, like I was just kind of
shy that's kind of crazy to me.
You get to bartending and itjust it's a role.
So you feel like you get tobartending and it's just it's a
role.
So you feel like you had tolike and it goes back to the
stage.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Fulfill that role, stepping on the stage and going
into not necessarily a character, but I've seen, you know it's
like well, there are plenty ofintroverts out there now that
are still bartending, and whenyou hang out with them and
they're not behind the wood,they're not as outgoing and
stoic.
There's also the burnout factor, like I just can't deal with
(21:42):
the fucking public anymore, soI'm gonna be over here drinking
my guinness and you know, justdon't talk to me.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
So I always find yeah , well, that's like in any job,
yeah, yeah, it's like you getoff of talking to people and
you're like okay, don't speak tome, nobody I definitely.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Having that buffer of the wood across from you is so,
so nice, and I'll be out inpublic now and be like I'm gonna
go.
I don't want to talk to any ofthese people anymore I'm
socially people yeah, no, we allare.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Ultimately, I mean that's, you know, we're talking
about going to have like a good,you know experience of people
talking at a bar and then.
But you know, I agree, itdefinitely hasn't come back you
know, completely, at least forthe way that, like I remember it
.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
By any means.
That'll be a good next time Irun into a bartender like that.
I'm trying to carry my uh, mylapel mics wherever I'm going.
Now I'll get them on a quicklittle.
You know two minute.
You know what.
What makes you bring yourpersonality to work?
You know so many bartenders now.
It'd be a good opportunity togo out in the field and get some
people on the mic.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yeah, ask them to rate their personal connections.
How would you rate yourpersonal?
Connection as a bartender On ascale of one to 10?
Speaker 3 (22:53):
It just it's mind boggling to me because we, you
know we've sold desserts toupsell to.
You know I did anything toincrease my income, knowing
through reading the books andall this stuff.
So just as a bartender, youhave to know you're going to
make more money being personalinstead of just going through
the motions, the cocktail build.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Especially in a neighborhood, a neighborhood
restaurant you can buildyourself busy seven days a week.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
You know you can have your bar slammed at all times.
Build yourself busy seven daysa week.
Oh yeah, you can have your barslammed at all times and we
worked in a tourist high volumebar Bill, but people would come
back every year to see you andto see me and to talk to us and
have the drink that we made.
It's pretty cool when thathappens.
I used to have it in Nags Head,have it in Colorado, have it in
.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Yeah, between here and, and we also would get that
in Blacksburg for football games.
You know you're slammed, butyou would still be like oh hey,
it's good to see you Came infrom Maryland to catch the game
blah blah, blah, blah blah.
It is really yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
I mean, that's even, that's like when I was in
college, too, and I was workingat the local bar.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
I mean it was every single night.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
I knew who was coming , money I was making from the
people I was serving.
It's crazy that, like I don'tknow I don't know if people
think of it that way or if it'scalculated to a certain extent,
it just doesn't feel that way.
You know, in a lot of places atleast.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I've noticed that.
And then prepping the bar, itseems like sometimes bartenders
are really busy because theydon't have what they need for
the shift behind the bar.
So then you know you're runningback to the kitchen.
Oh, yeah, yeah and uh.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
So I've seen a lot of that lately tiki bars where
they run out of limes becausethey've sold so many coronas.
I'm like I don't know what totell you.
You got to cut seven millionlines.
It's the first thing you haveto have them.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
All the drinks, all the margaritas, yeah yeah the,
the late I don't know, it'sweird and I'm also.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
Yeah, the cocktails have gotten better, but the
service has gone down a littlebit.
And is it worth the sacrifice?
These days?
Speaker 3 (24:51):
not all bars, not all bars yeah, yeah, and this is
the kind of thing that startsthe conversation to where people
actually think about it.
And I've.
You know some of the bartendersI've trained similar recently.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
I'm seeing them behind the wood and I will watch
them, with six customers, jumpon their phone and I'm like get
over here and talk to thisperson, but the training begins
yeah, it's insane to me, likewhen you walk in and like you,
nobody makes eye contact withyou or greets you within the
first three seconds, quitefrankly, but that happens way
(25:21):
more frequently than it everused to.
I know that.
And again, it's not all placesby any means, but it definitely
happens which is justmind-boggling.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
And there's a lot of blind jokes in there, facts, and
I've had customers be like kindof hearing me out with those
dark glasses man, and I'm likeI'm blind, but there's a lot of
jokes here.
If you want to, oh, I'm sosorry, it's okay, it's
completely fine.
Trust me, the regulars willstart picking on me as soon as
they get here.
I was talking to anotherbartender about a regular.
(25:53):
that is a jackass.
That is, you know, there everyday, good for a $20 tip but runs
other customers off.
Is a big gym guy, meathead,typical angry guy and the
ownership wants them there.
(26:14):
You kind of want them there,but it just changes the room.
I know people that will not goto this bar because they know
he's going to be there.
But yet he's your regular andhe's worth five grand a year in
tips or whatever the number is.
It's such an interesting littleconversation I want to have
(26:36):
with more bartenders.
I don't put up with shit.
Somebody really pisses me off.
They're gone and that's justhow it's going to be.
But a lot of establishments youreally can't do that.
So it's unique to know and thatI'm sure there are just
thousands of bartenders.
There are hundreds ofbartenders out there that are
(26:56):
putting up with that regularthat they don't really like that
much.
But it's just part of you know,part of the business and I feel
like that's why we used tocurate our crowd.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
And so one you would have.
It would get drowned out alittle bit by all the other
people that were there.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
It's more the difference between the grouchy
regular because we've all hadthose, they're out there for
sure and the offensive regular,I guess is what I'm trying to
articulate.
So I'm going to go to thepaper's house when we get off
the podcast.
Got that going for?
Speaker 1 (27:28):
us.
There's that.
Anything else you guys want totalk about?
I had just the bottle openerson my list.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Have you seen the J plate yet, bill?
I saw a grab bed blanchersomewhere.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
It might have been something that popped up
instagram, yeah, yeah, yeah,it's probably instagram campaign
.
Yeah, so we got the j plate isour old flat plate bent on the
corner.
So, bill, when you put it inyour pocket it sticks out and
you can just flick it with yourfinger.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
It is 10 times faster than oh, yeah, I think it'll be
a regular flat plate or speedplate and every pro is gonna get
absolutely so it uh, yeah,everyone that's got one loves it
.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Um, I got 60 of them made.
These are.
I found a laser engraving placein richmond down the street, so
I actually finished them herein richmond and then got them
laser engraved with the B logothe same way.
Yeah, I bent them myself.
I made a press break and then Ibent them all myself and then
like I've got the perfect angle.
You know, I like tried out abunch of different angles and
(28:26):
that's in the Outer Banks, man,we always used to bend our flat
plates.
We either used the bent flatplate or the church key, and
then somebody's like why don'tyou patent that?
And so finally I've got theDeWitt Ross and Stevens, our IP
attorneys, are actuallypatenting it right now.
Yeah, so we'll have a patent onthat I've already got a
provisional patent, so it'salready patent pending, and then
(28:48):
they're doing the real patent.
Yeah, but it's sick, man.
You can put it in a side pocket, you can put it in a holster,
you can put it in just like.
Even when you'd have a flatplate and a holster, you still
had to kind of like get yourfinger in the little loop part.
This thing you just flick itright out, and when it's laying
on on the bar a flat plate waslike harder to pick up because
it was like flat on the barsurface this thing lays at an
(29:09):
angle, so no matter if it's, youknow, upside down or right side
up, you can just grab it.
You can either pop it up or youcan just grab it right off the
bar, so like it's so much fasterin every shape way and form.
So, um, I'm figuring thosethings will sell out real quick.
We just started selling thosethis week.
So jump over to barninjacom.
You can buy them or you can getthem on barninjajplatecom.
(29:33):
Yeah, so go just head over tobarninjajplatecom.
Yeah, so go just head over tobarninjajplatecom, it's all one
word.
Or barninjacom.
Our podcast website has a linkover to it too, as well.
But grab them while you can,because they're going to go
quick.
I put it online and like sixpeople bought them before I even
I was like wait, hold on who'sbuying.
(29:54):
How does anyone know thisexists yet?
So it's funny Go over there andgrab them and then we'll put
the old Bottle Ninja, which wasour novelty opener First product
that Bill and I ever did.
What were we doing?
What's the story on that?
We?
Speaker 2 (30:07):
were making fun, I was making fun of Brad.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
No, you were flipping , I was flipping the wine key
around Shoulder to shoulder twopitchers.
Brad bought a real Bollie Songknife then yeah, yeah, yeah,
like he was a militant guy.
He brought a real, likeswitchblade or whatever a
butterfly knife to the bar Everyday.
He was like the lunch bartenderand he always had some type of
weapon that he wanted to showyou during shift change.
(30:30):
And today's day was a butterflyknife.
And so then I'm making fun ofBrad and I took the wine key and
I was like look, I'm Bradeverybody.
And then opened a bottle ofbeer with it and then Bill's
like oh my God, we're going tomake a butterfly knife bottle
opener.
And I was like what are youtalking about?
He's like I got a guy, I gotmetal manufacturer.
We're going to Blacksburg, sureas shit.
(30:51):
Five days later we're at a 40000 square foot metal
manufacturing facility with anactual butterfly knife on a
metal grinder and we grindedthat sucker into a bottle opener
, like we took the blade, dulledthe blade and then cut it into
an opener and then we just weonly made one.
We're never trying to sell them.
And then, um, bill was theblind ninja at the bar, and then
(31:12):
, when we would use the thing,he was like oh, I'm the blind
ninja and you're the bar, ninja,and that's where the name came
up with it, or we came up withthe name.
This is like 2003.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
We came up with bob and then we would have.
We had one of them that we madea bar and then everyone that
came in was like where'd you getthat?
Speaker 1 (31:27):
and I want one and then we were like we just made
this video, this thing's a joke.
Um, did we lose bill?
That's crazy.
But uh, yeah.
And then someone was likepeople would start offers like a
hundred dollars for it and thenwe were like dude, we should
probably make these so that'swhy we started making them, and
then we started selling them umthat's awesome.
That's a really cool storythough yeah, the whole thing
(31:47):
just started as a joke, um, butthey're fun because you're like
bored behind the bar and youjust flip it around you do it,
yeah, and we can go.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
I don't.
It's awesome I don't know.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
He just fell off.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
I fell off, y'all fell off a second.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Did his iPad die.
Can y'all hear me?
We know, we know you're goingto love it yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Uh, cool.
Well, it's good seeingeverybody.
Probably see you guys nextThursday.
Yes, for sure.
I want to start getting moreinto doing interviews with
bartenders and then like moremixology.
We got so stuck on the softskills.
I'm also going to launch thatsoft skills book, hopefully this
week too.
It's all it's written.
So it's bartending, soft skills, kind of all the stuff we
(32:26):
talked about on the podcast thelast couple of years Just
because it's just what's missingin bartending right now.
Yeah, I agree, it's like.
As much as I want to get intothe mixology part, I'm like the
other half of bartending is moremessed up, like the cocktail
side.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
people are doing a pretty good job on yeah, it's
the actual like building part ofbeing a bartender besides
making the yeah, thefundamentals.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, because I mean, if you're a bartender, you kind
of are the product as much asthe drink is the product yes,
the drink is the product, butalso, like I, will go to a bar
that has a really good bartenderover one that doesn't that's
the thing.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
The product's everywhere, like product is
everywhere.
There's so much competitionthat ultimately, if you don't
stand out, then there's noreason for me to go back.
You know I go try somethingelse new, and there's new places
opening constantly and turningover.
So if you don't make it, if youdon't have the right soft
skills, then yeah, I mean whatyou know there's five
restaurants make it, so at leastdo everything you possibly can
(33:24):
to make it yeah, customerservice is everything training
in general is probably likerestaurateurs, chefs.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
They do all these things, make them look nice,
they make the restaurant theykind of hire.
You pay tens of thousands ofdollars to get a cocktail menu,
they make it look fancy, butthen they don't train the staff.
Training, training, training.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Kevin Alpin all his stuff in Charlotte, the top
shelf the best ones are.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
It's stated to stick around or train, but I think
definitely it's a needsimprovement area for the entire
industry, for sure.
And, on a good note, go buy aBottle Ninja.
Go buy a J-Plate Go buy ashaker Make great gifts, if you
can get one, yeah, buy two.
You know what Gifts I have athree-pack.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Buy four get one for free.
One price for shipping.
Buy as much stuff as you wanton that website.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
It's only one price for shipping, not a promo yet.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
I oh yeah, I'll work on that False advertising.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Honestly no, I'll put that together.
By the time this comes outthere'll be a buy four, get one
free.
We'll do that, never mind, Ilied, no false advertising, it's
true.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
We just created a promo.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
We just created a promo.
Yeah, this is board meetingpodcast, everything, all in one
Yep.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
All right, podcast everything all in one Yep,
that's awesome.
All right guys.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
Great podcast.
Love it All right.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
I'll see you guys next week.
Bar Ninja out, all right, barNinja out.
Bar Ninja out.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
How do I get off this ?
Speaker 1 (34:46):
thing.
See you guys later, See ya.
Thanks for listening to thisepisode of the Bar Ninja Podcast
.
Please be sure to subscribe tous on your favorite podcast
player and join the Bar NinjaNation that has over 7,000
bartenders in it by going towwwbarninjacom and you can enter
your email.
Until next time.
See you then.
You.
Hey Bar Ninja Nation.
Welcome to the Bar NinjaPodcast, where we talk about
everything from trials andtribulations, from life behind
the bar to tips and tricks tomake you a better bartender and
a better drinker.
Join your host, Bill Thornton,Kayla Lowe and yours truly, Mike
Garrison.
Let's go have some fucking fun.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
We just see your mic.
Oh, that's good.
At least we're a step ahead,we're already one step ahead.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
We're recording.
That's the story there we go.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Now we can see part of your face.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
It's not just the mic man, I was like I haven't seen
either of you guys in a while.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
It's been a minute I know it's been a hot minute.
You know what's crazy.
I was thinking about this today.
I was actually talking to mydad and january felt like a
whole year in itself.
And then febru.
I'm like wait, we already wentthrough February, Like it's
almost March.
Really weird, I don't know.
Yeah, I cannot believe how longJanuary was.
Yeah, but February, it's a blinkof an eye.
February just started.
(00:54):
We're already talking aboutMarch and I'm like whoa, which
I'm honestly happy about,because I'm exhausted from the
cold.
I get very seasonally depressed, so I'm over it, you should be
here in freaking trees fallingdown land.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I'm looking at a chainsaw, a tucking apart
chainsaw chains for the chainsaw.
Oh no, I'm a blind guy.
I shouldn't be using a chainsaw.
It's not really.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It did snow here today.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yeah, a little bit today.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, I was like.
No, I just want to be on abeach and sweltering in the sun
we were ranked top 10 bartendingpodcast.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
We got number nine on feed spot and we only actually
did four episodes last year Iwas like we do good despite
ourselves I was literallythinking this.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I was like we need to send out the calendar invite
and just have it reoccurringevery thursday evening with the
riverside link, and it's just,we don't even have to think
about it.
And then of course somethingcrazy comes up.
We can just move it, but thatway we'll get a ton of content
plus, I can schedule interviewsfor thursday.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
You know, I just tell people hey, thursday at eight
yeah, jump off for a half houryeah, it's so much easier yeah,
that's exciting.
We've got the new site up tosell the new bottle openers, the
j plates, so that's rolling.
I'm gonna get the bottle ninjasback online, so I'm going to
put those on this week.
So let those go roll outthere's not a ton left.
I mean, I don't even knowwhat's going to happen when we
(02:09):
run out of those.
Those will just be acollector's item.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, we should just list them right now for $99.99.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
There you go Because they're a collector item, but
they'll probably have maybe nineof those shakers left the CD
tool shakers, which is still thesickest shaker I've ever
touched.
Yeah, it's like a pound and ahalf US stainless steel made in
an old.
They found the machine in anold factory.
It's literally crazy, turned itback on still worked, and so
they're hand-making shakers, andthen we got them to make a fuel
(02:38):
for us with that laser etched.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
I tell you about my buddy.
When I handed it to him heflipped it and it's.
You know it's heavy.
So he's behind the back andjust chucked it across the bar
like I'm like, well, that's thefirst drop.
So you know it looks fine.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah, it definitely feels unlike any other shaker
ever.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
It destroys ice, so hopefully we can get them to do
another round they want to tryto get them on the podcast too.
Yeah, because they have areally cool story about making
the first US company or twoveterans and they make barware
in the US.
So it's pretty.
It's pretty cool that youhaven't checked out their stuff.
It's C&D tools.
You should definitely.
It's not for novice bartenders.
(03:16):
It's definitely pro levelequipment.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
It's the chef knife comparison.
It's not such a good.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, people would be like $200 shaker.
What do you know?
And I'm like man, that's USstainless steel, handmade.
Yeah, that's probably threetimes the amount of stainless
steel as a chef knife and no onehas a problem paying $300 for a
handmade chef knife.
It's so true and a handmadecocktail shaker and they're like
$199.
So, yeah, you can't go backLike everything else just feels
(03:42):
like garbage.
It's facts, big facts, it'sfacts, it's facts.
Yeah, definitely.
What have you guys beendrinking lately?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Always beer.
Beer, it's kind of my yeah, andalso always love a mezcal
Negroni.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Just always.
Yeah, we've been jamming on alittle mezcal Negroni.
They've been for a minute.
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
There's this one place it's called the Crunkleton
in Charlotte and incrediblecocktail bar, and we went for
our anniversary and it's the oneplace I'll definitely get a
mezcal Negroni, no matter whatis going on.
It's so good.
There's barrel-aged Two ofthose.
You're going to walk outfeeling a little loopy, but
there's delicious, so delicious.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, with like 80% of the margaritas and Negronis
I've had lately we've been usingMezcal for that Mavita.
So good, the green behind it.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, I know I need to actually get some just to be
able to make it here, because Ionly get them at, like, specific
cocktail locations, becauseotherwise, like it's not that,
it's one that you like canreally mess up.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
But it's also, if it's not made right, it's just
okay and it's really not worthit, but especially when there's,
like some, that are so good.
So I need to kind of perfect,making that one put on a bit of
a dirty gin martini kick.
I haven't made it, I haven'thad.
The end of the summer was kindof a bombay sapphire tonic,
fresh squeeze of lime phasetrying to hold on to summer.
And then I opened it up.
Like you know what I'm gonnamake a bombay dude that's 12
months a year from now I get ityeah, fever tree, little bombay
and fever, it's so good.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Yeah, it's so good all day long.
We have a navy hill is reallygood too.
In richmond, I guess, locallymade tonic.
They do a tonic and a soda plustonic I've had navy hill.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
That's really good that's good.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Um, that's another one we use, but the uh.
So when you're making yourmartinis, I used to hold the
pour spout and then do thevermouth around the rim and let
it kind of fall down and thenroll it and then spit it.
How do you make yours?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I first started because that's my professional
pour clocked in.
But I really wanted to do,instead of kind of blessing the
glass with the vermouth, Ireally wanted to have that
flavor profile because I'vealways been a vodka martini guy
and nine out of ten times I'mjust going dirty anyway.
So I kind of did the structuralbuild with, you know, the
quarter ounce um of the vermouthand it really I've like, with
(05:57):
the first sip I took of it itwas kind of a.
We were just chilling, relaxing.
I was like I just want to drinkafter dinner, and it was just
perfect.
I was like this is so good adrink after dinner, and it was
just perfect.
I was like this is so good.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Is that what you call a blessing?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, it's always terminology I use and I don't
know where I came up with it,but it was, you know.
I've also heard people compareit to where you just wave the
bottle over it.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, it kind of coats it well.
Like a lot of people I havedone it for, like oh, that's,
this is one of the best martinisI've had.
I'm like, all right, it's justthe way I was taught to make it
and some people just wantstraight gin, straight vodka.
Really smoke a little bit offlavor yeah yeah, mescal, mescal
and grody's have definitelybeen hanging on.
I was at a bar the other night.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Seems like the old espresso martinis back too I had
one of those actually this pastweekend.
I'm still haven't really beendrinking too much, so it's like
when I have my drinks, it's likeI'm way pickier about it, it's,
yeah, it's not just like yeah,like, I'm not just like oh,
whatever, yeah, no, like now,like if I'm having a drink, it's
like okay what do I?
Really deeply want, and so wewent.
(06:56):
We went to an escape room theother night and then we had
espresso martinis prior toescape rooms and I'm, I'm, I'm
very smart, but escape roomsaren't my type of smart like.
I'm, totally like, I'm like theaccessory, I'm like oh look, I
found a shell that has a numberon it.
I don't know what this means,so ben's great at them, I'm just
like I actually did better inthis one than I usually do, so
(07:17):
maybe it was the espressomartinis gave me an extra, like
kick, I don't know, but yeahyeah, there's a place around
here that makes great ones theold uh van gogh, double espresso
days.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
We used to just leave that stuff in the freezer and
just pull it out and do shots ofthat in colorado colorado man,
it was uh espresso martinis andwe would do shots of double
espresso vodka.
And then to waka we would do.
That was like the bartender'shandshake in color.
It was like Tawaka or FangoGood times.
I read something the other day.
It said the bartender'shandshake now has moved on from
(07:51):
Frenette.
Well, it's Blueberry Stoli.
I don't know if I believe thearticle or not.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
What, yeah, why, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Stoli making a little promotion, yeah, promotion, I,
yeah, I mean and why blueberry Idon't know what do you make
with that?
No, it's just like.
Like you know, a bartendercomes to your bar after their
shift whatever they used to callthe bartender's handshake and
so yeah it was for net for along time.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Yeah, I was at a local bar and a kind of a
notorious customer around thelake I was.
I just paid my tab, so I wasleaving and he said is it, can
you make me an espresso martini?
But with like no coffee.
And I was just like I'm gonnago, I'm just gonna go a decaf, I
(08:35):
don't know it's like oh yeah, Ihaven't been back to be like,
well, how did that work out foryou?
because I've heard a lot of thesilly stuff across the wood and
I was like he was dead seriousyeah, like, how do you say, how
do I make this without, withoutespresso being an espresso
martini?
Speaker 2 (08:50):
that's funny.
Yeah, just vodka, baileysessentially, or not baileys?
Or just vodka baileys and kluaand then just I don't know, yeah
Was that a shot?
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Was that some Faka Bailey's?
No, no, no, kalua Bailey's andGrand Marnier?
Remember we used to just slamthose Bill.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
B-52s and the ski lifts.
There was a baby Guinness shottoo.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Which one was that?
That's just Kalua with Bailey's.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Okay, I used to love those when I was in college,
which kind of makes sense, it'sjust sweet, and we used to take
those.
Yeah, we put a little bitgrandma on the top, go float on
the top man.
Yeah, I kind of miss all thoseold, weird the old you know 90s,
2000, because that was portside, that was massanut and that was
(09:38):
mangoes it's another lake barstill stuff we make that whole
bar scene.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
It was crazy how it just changed to craft cocktails
and like that whole shooterscene just disappeared.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
We went through the green tea shots, purple gatorade
, oh yeah.
And then fire.
I mean, fireball is still athing, but just I remember when
fireball became like such a hotthing and I, you know, I I don't
know.
I think it kind of goes twoways either love fireball, you
hate it.
I definitely hate it and I'vehad horrible experiences with it
.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Just I don't know, just like it rips up your whole
inside it's not my thing to workon, uh, some of the tree stuff
we were doing, and for whateverhis mo is, he always shows up
with, you know, like a airplane,bottles of fireballs.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
I'm like man, when in rome, whatever, no, I just had
fireball for the first time lastweekend first, no way she had
never had it.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Never had it.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
I don't know, I mean what did she think?
She's like it tastes like a RedHot and I'm like, yeah, it's
like the thing.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yeah, I don't know I just there was another shot that
was like with.
It was with Rumchata andFireball and I forget what it
was called.
But then those became a hotthing too.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
That is cold.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
I forget what those were.
That's cold.
And then there were blowjobshots.
That one was like just like.
I think it was just Baileys andwhipped cream.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Oh man, when Bill and I were bartending at the ski
lodge it was like they werebizarre.
Remember the brain hemorrhage,oh God, where you do Baileys
with grenadine and and it wouldcurdle in the glass and look
like a brain and then peoplewould drink that for some reason
They'd pay for it.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
90% of the blowjob shooters I've poured.
The guy sits on the bar withthe shot between his leg and the
girl takes it with her handsbehind her back.
That was a big BlacksburgCollege thing.
Yeah About the entire show towatch that.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
And there was a pickle shot Like the pickle
juice shot.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
I forget which one that one was.
It was actually uh, I forgetwhat it's called.
It is good actually.
Uh, cure hangover, it was thatwell, I forget what you.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
It's just it's actually way better than I
expected.
I remember being like there'sabsolutely no way I'm drinking
that, and then I actually likedit.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Uh, fairways, I had some of Candy LaPerna's famous
homemade pickles and I'd savedthe brine.
So I went in and was like I'mgoing to make piccolinis today,
just to do it.
And it was just like the wholebar started chugging piccolinis.
It was this is decades beforethe pickleback type thing.
It was just this little craftcocktail that I threw out to the
(12:02):
regulars.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
That's wild little craft cocktail that I threw out
to the regulars.
That's wild, Awesome.
I'm going to we've teased thisbefore, but I'm going to try to
get with Tony Maloney or TobyMaloney that did the bartender's
manifesto and see if he'll comeon and talk about mixology.
Cause man, it's the best bookon the market for learning.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
I keep seeing all these influences on the
tiki-taki that are just suchgood bartenders, that have so
many funny things to say.
I would love to.
I might just start reaching out.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
You need to start reaching out to them on the
tiki-taki yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
I've never, heard it called tiki-taki.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
We uh, yeah, Bill, bill, bill, and you reach out be
like I've been following you onthe tiki talk and I was going
to interview craft cocktails.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
He somehow got the trademark or whatever.
I've sent you the link before.
He's a really big jackbartender in Vegas, does a lot
of flare instruction videos.
Every time I talk to him he'sdown to hang out and have a
little podcast action.
He also on the Tiki Taki.
He's on there.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
We gotta get on Tiki.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Taki.
We need a Tiki Taki.
We need a Bar Ninja Tiki Taki.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
He's on there.
We gotta get on Tiki Taki, onthe Tiki Taki.
We need a Tiki Taki, we need aBar Ninja Tiki Taki.
Yeah, and make sure you call itthat too, I'll get a Tiki Taki.
We have a million followers.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Follow us on Tiki Taki Bar.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Ninja Tiki Taki.
Not yet.
We're not there yet, but assoon as we get a tiki-taki.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
As soon as we get a tiki-taki, then we can make
t-shirts First things first weneed to crank it reals Bill.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
I'm all about some silly-ass content, that's for
sure.
I was literally with all thisstuff that's going on down here.
I'm like I just need a filmcrew, I just need somebody
following me around, and justthe silly-ass shit.
It was snowing like crazy.
I didn't put my contacts in soI could wear my dark sunglasses,
(14:04):
so I had my best vision.
So I had to go to the localstore because I ran out of gas.
I needed to get gas mixed andI'm driving on snow and the road
which I know very well, and I'mon the road, it goes to the
left and I just, for whateverreason, I was in whiteout mode
and I just drove into a ditch.
No big deal, oh no.
But I was in whiteout mode andI just drove into a ditch, no
big deal, put it in four wheeldrive, oh no, put it down in
four wheel drive.
But I was just like, yeah,roads over there, like nobody
(14:29):
drove by Goodness.
But it was very like yeah, whydon't I have a driver's license?
Shit like this.
This is exactly why ValidSounds pretty valid.
I can't believe I just did thatand I've I've done it before I
really have back.
I would have been greattiki-taki, great tiki-taki video
there you go.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
So I look in the other day at bars.
We're just kind of payingattention.
When I go to bars it seems likebartenders are a little more
competent than they werepost-COVID but still not really
creating like connection orcommunity.
Like it doesn't seem likeanybody, even like bars that
should want to have regulars areyou know like hey, what's your
(15:10):
name?
I've seen you in here fivetimes.
At that point I'm throwing myhand down hey, you come in all
the time.
What's your name?
Here's my name.
Like I feel like the bartendershould be the first one.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I am flabbergasted at how bartenders are, and this
has happened multiple timesrecently.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
They go to the end of the bar and start getting on
their phone.
They just don't know, they justdon't trade.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
And I'm the only customer at their bar.
For lunch I was in Roanoke andwent to a very established
restaurant that has been therefor decades.
Turned out he was the owner'sson and he didn't even speak to
me.
You know, it was like it washard for me to get his attention
and I was just like what?
Like when you have one customer, like you should.
I've seen it.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Eye contact has been an issue Like they don't.
People just don't make eyecontact.
You know what I mean.
Like, or even like in a localplace where I've been in a
couple of times, usually like ifsomebody did that to my bar
well, you know, bill, we were, Imean we just we completely
crafted the community at thosebars, like we had all the people
we wanted yeah, I kind of thinkit's like almost just a huge
cultural shift and it's in linewith just the way not like the
(16:09):
whole world, but just ultimatelyeverything's going.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Even like you mentioned, you know people, the
bartenders are there and thenthey just grab their phones and
they get on them.
Everything is so digital nowand like that's like where a lot
of the connection is thatfostering and creating that
community and like reallycultivating.
It is such a rare and find andsuch a gem.
So now, like where when we wereall in the industry, it was
something that was expected andif it, if that didn't happen,
(16:33):
then you wouldn't really go backto that bar, like it was an
actual standard, where now Ifeel like the standards,
unfortunately, are just muchlower.
And so if you do do those smallthings and I know we've kind of
hit on this in other likepodcasts before but it makes a
big difference.
It makes a huge difference.
But yeah, I mean I do agreethat they're more competent than
like right out of COVID.
I think after COVID everyonewas just like what just happened
to the world?
Like what the fuck's going?
(16:53):
That do cultivate, that,especially in the bar industry,
I think is very rare and it'sit's weird.
It shouldn't be that way.
But yeah, it's more of justkind of like the revolving door
Come in, you come out, and thereare some people like I mean,
just because I have we have alot of connections in the
(17:15):
community, so there's peoplethat we're friends with the
bartending.
It's a little bit different,but otherwise, yeah, like I see
the same people all the time andthey're not like, oh my gosh,
great to see you again.
And when that does happen, I'mlike I am coming back here.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
You know, I feel like all bartenders should have to
read how to Win Friends andInfluence People.
Yes, you should have to readthat book to be a bartender.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
I need to reread it.
It's such a good one.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
But people's name is the most important thing to them
.
So if you just ask somebody'sname, even if you don't remember
it, you know say oh, I'm Rick,you know, you know what's your
name.
Oh, I'm Mike.
Oh, hey, mike, I'm Rick.
Shake their hand.
I mean, your tip just went up10%.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Oh, you're literally adding 10% to your income yearly
.
Yeah For sure.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Just by doing that, and Look, I might not remember
it, but just remind me next timeyou come in Just wanting to
connect with somebody,especially if they're coming to
your bar multiple times.
It's just weird to me, you seethat.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
I've always kept it in my bag.
Now I put it in my bag.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
But I literally have these Well, and there are notes
in your phone.
You can easily be like yeah,met this person and take some
notes Starting back.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I do it when I meet neighbors.
Oh yeah, yeah, I do feel likeat the house in christiansburg,
but I've got a lot of thesegoing back to blacksburg to
massanut tom and nancy have thisyou know 38 foot scarab boat.
They live, you know, on theother side of the lake.
They drink this.
That's like just the littlenotes that I've kept to build
regulars over the decades, likethis one was one of them yeah,
and then there's apps to keeptrack of it too.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
But I mean, if you take those notes and then even
like what their kids' names are,their dogs' names, things like
that, like especially if youhave regulars, you know like
you're not going to go that deepwith everybody.
But if you've got 15, 20regulars.
You're seeing all the time andyou're keeping those notes and
you can kind of refresh yourself, I mean, and they're like just
how was your day, type stuff,just the most basic of
(18:59):
interactions that we're used tothe bartenders having.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
I'm like what is going on?
That being said, I've foundthere's not much of that at all.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Like there, really isn't anymore and it's like.
I mean that used to be like.
Why I'd go to bars is to likeyou know talk to people and
interact.
We've talked so much about thattoo.
And I mean, ultimately, you,you know, sitting there talking
to somebody at the bar isdifferent.
But and even kind of going backto other things we've said is,
the bartender is kind of likethe host, you know, like they're
the ones that set the tone forwhat people feel like when we're
at the bar.
So if the the bartender is kindof being standoffish and not
(19:29):
really engaging, well, everyoneelse is going to be like, well,
they're on their phone.
I'm just like your mind too youknow it?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
just it sets the tone .
It's almost like they feel liketheir job is to make you a
great drink cocktail and thentheir job is done.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Old fashioned, but that's only half the job.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
It's half the job Right, you're not in the right
job.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Yeah, you're kind of on stage when you're back there,
and I still think that thathasn't come back to the level it
used to.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Oh, not at all.
Like I said, I think ultimatelyit is kind of just like a
cultural shift, you're rightcultural shift.
There's a big shift in generaland the way people even interact
nowadays too.
Even building the jet set andeverything.
We're so, so focused onbuilding and cultivating the
community, because that standsout.
I mean, there's so many placesto go eat, there's so many
(20:13):
places to go work out, and whatreally stands out is the
environment you create and thepeople that want to keep coming
back.
Of course, the product that youoffer, offer and everything.
There's so many things that gointo it.
But like one thing that canreally make you stand out is the
community that you cultivate.
But yeah, it's just sointeresting, like I said, it
just feels like the revolvingdoor.
Everyone's like so fast paced,going through the motions and
just I feel like ultimately justvery distracted.
(20:33):
And you know, we have so muchgoing on and then every single
day we're just constantlyabsorbed with so much stuff in
our phones and I think it reallytakes a toll on the way we
interact in person, becausewe're constantly interacting
with something or someone on ourphones.
And then, when it comes down topersonal connection, especially
for people that necessarilymaybe aren't super personal, I
(20:54):
mean all three of us are likewe'll talk to a brick wall any
day and be able to start aconversation.
But some people that's just notkind of in their who they are
so I was an introvert before Ibartended.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
I mean, I worked at the restaurant that I'd
bartended at and I think I wasthere.
Some people are like you workedhere for six months before I
ever heard anything out of yourmouth, like I was just kind of
shy that's kind of crazy to me.
You get to bartending and itjust it's a role.
So you feel like you get tobartending and it's just it's a
role.
So you feel like you had tolike and it goes back to the
stage.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Fulfill that role, stepping on the stage and going
into not necessarily a character, but I've seen, you know it's
like well, there are plenty ofintroverts out there now that
are still bartending, and whenyou hang out with them and
they're not behind the wood,they're not as outgoing and
stoic.
There's also the burnout factor, like I just can't deal with
(21:42):
the fucking public anymore, soI'm gonna be over here drinking
my guinness and you know, justdon't talk to me.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
So I always find yeah , well, that's like in any job,
yeah, yeah, it's like you getoff of talking to people and
you're like okay, don't speak tome, nobody I definitely.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Having that buffer of the wood across from you is so,
so nice, and I'll be out inpublic now and be like I'm gonna
go.
I don't want to talk to any ofthese people anymore I'm
socially people yeah, no, we allare.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Ultimately, I mean that's, you know, we're talking
about going to have like a good,you know experience of people
talking at a bar and then.
But you know, I agree, itdefinitely hasn't come back you
know, completely, at least forthe way that, like I remember it
.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
By any means.
That'll be a good next time Irun into a bartender like that.
I'm trying to carry my uh, mylapel mics wherever I'm going.
Now I'll get them on a quicklittle.
You know two minute.
You know what.
What makes you bring yourpersonality to work?
You know so many bartenders now.
It'd be a good opportunity togo out in the field and get some
people on the mic.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Yeah, ask them to rate their personal connections.
How would you rate yourpersonal?
Connection as a bartender On ascale of one to 10?
Speaker 3 (22:53):
It just it's mind boggling to me because we, you
know we've sold desserts toupsell to.
You know I did anything toincrease my income, knowing
through reading the books andall this stuff.
So just as a bartender, youhave to know you're going to
make more money being personalinstead of just going through
the motions, the cocktail build.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Especially in a neighborhood, a neighborhood
restaurant you can buildyourself busy seven days a week.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
You know you can have your bar slammed at all times.
Build yourself busy seven daysa week.
Oh yeah, you can have your barslammed at all times and we
worked in a tourist high volumebar Bill, but people would come
back every year to see you andto see me and to talk to us and
have the drink that we made.
It's pretty cool when thathappens.
I used to have it in Nags Head,have it in Colorado, have it in
.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Yeah, between here and, and we also would get that
in Blacksburg for football games.
You know you're slammed, butyou would still be like oh hey,
it's good to see you Came infrom Maryland to catch the game
blah blah, blah, blah blah.
It is really yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
I mean, that's even, that's like when I was in
college, too, and I was workingat the local bar.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
I mean it was every single night.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
I knew who was coming , money I was making from the
people I was serving.
It's crazy that, like I don'tknow I don't know if people
think of it that way or if it'scalculated to a certain extent,
it just doesn't feel that way.
You know, in a lot of places atleast.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
I've noticed that.
And then prepping the bar, itseems like sometimes bartenders
are really busy because theydon't have what they need for
the shift behind the bar.
So then you know you're runningback to the kitchen.
Oh, yeah, yeah and uh.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
So I've seen a lot of that lately tiki bars where
they run out of limes becausethey've sold so many coronas.
I'm like I don't know what totell you.
You got to cut seven millionlines.
It's the first thing you haveto have them.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
All the drinks, all the margaritas, yeah yeah the,
the late I don't know, it'sweird and I'm also.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
Yeah, the cocktails have gotten better, but the
service has gone down a littlebit.
And is it worth the sacrifice?
These days?
Speaker 3 (24:51):
not all bars, not all bars yeah, yeah, and this is
the kind of thing that startsthe conversation to where people
actually think about it.
And I've.
You know some of the bartendersI've trained similar recently.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
I'm seeing them behind the wood and I will watch
them, with six customers, jumpon their phone and I'm like get
over here and talk to thisperson, but the training begins
yeah, it's insane to me, likewhen you walk in and like you,
nobody makes eye contact withyou or greets you within the
first three seconds, quitefrankly, but that happens way
(25:21):
more frequently than it everused to.
I know that.
And again, it's not all placesby any means, but it definitely
happens which is justmind-boggling.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
And there's a lot of blind jokes in there, facts, and
I've had customers be like kindof hearing me out with those
dark glasses man, and I'm likeI'm blind, but there's a lot of
jokes here.
If you want to, oh, I'm sosorry, it's okay, it's
completely fine.
Trust me, the regulars willstart picking on me as soon as
they get here.
I was talking to anotherbartender about a regular.
(25:53):
that is a jackass.
That is, you know, there everyday, good for a $20 tip but runs
other customers off.
Is a big gym guy, meathead,typical angry guy and the
ownership wants them there.
(26:14):
You kind of want them there,but it just changes the room.
I know people that will not goto this bar because they know
he's going to be there.
But yet he's your regular andhe's worth five grand a year in
tips or whatever the number is.
It's such an interesting littleconversation I want to have
(26:36):
with more bartenders.
I don't put up with shit.
Somebody really pisses me off.
They're gone and that's justhow it's going to be.
But a lot of establishments youreally can't do that.
So it's unique to know and thatI'm sure there are just
thousands of bartenders.
There are hundreds ofbartenders out there that are
(26:56):
putting up with that regularthat they don't really like that
much.
But it's just part of you know,part of the business and I feel
like that's why we used tocurate our crowd.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
And so one you would have.
It would get drowned out alittle bit by all the other
people that were there.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
It's more the difference between the grouchy
regular because we've all hadthose, they're out there for
sure and the offensive regular,I guess is what I'm trying to
articulate.
So I'm going to go to thepaper's house when we get off
the podcast.
Got that going for?
Speaker 1 (27:28):
us.
There's that.
Anything else you guys want totalk about?
I had just the bottle openerson my list.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Have you seen the J plate yet, bill?
I saw a grab bed blanchersomewhere.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
It might have been something that popped up
instagram, yeah, yeah, yeah,it's probably instagram campaign
.
Yeah, so we got the j plate isour old flat plate bent on the
corner.
So, bill, when you put it inyour pocket it sticks out and
you can just flick it with yourfinger.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
It is 10 times faster than oh, yeah, I think it'll be
a regular flat plate or speedplate and every pro is gonna get
absolutely so it uh, yeah,everyone that's got one loves it
.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Um, I got 60 of them made.
These are.
I found a laser engraving placein richmond down the street, so
I actually finished them herein richmond and then got them
laser engraved with the B logothe same way.
Yeah, I bent them myself.
I made a press break and then Ibent them all myself and then
like I've got the perfect angle.
You know, I like tried out abunch of different angles and
(28:26):
that's in the Outer Banks, man,we always used to bend our flat
plates.
We either used the bent flatplate or the church key, and
then somebody's like why don'tyou patent that?
And so finally I've got theDeWitt Ross and Stevens, our IP
attorneys, are actuallypatenting it right now.
Yeah, so we'll have a patent onthat I've already got a
provisional patent, so it'salready patent pending, and then
(28:48):
they're doing the real patent.
Yeah, but it's sick, man.
You can put it in a side pocket, you can put it in a holster,
you can put it in just like.
Even when you'd have a flatplate and a holster, you still
had to kind of like get yourfinger in the little loop part.
This thing you just flick itright out, and when it's laying
on on the bar a flat plate waslike harder to pick up because
it was like flat on the barsurface this thing lays at an
(29:09):
angle, so no matter if it's, youknow, upside down or right side
up, you can just grab it.
You can either pop it up or youcan just grab it right off the
bar, so like it's so much fasterin every shape way and form.
So, um, I'm figuring thosethings will sell out real quick.
We just started selling thosethis week.
So jump over to barninjacom.
You can buy them or you can getthem on barninjajplatecom.
(29:33):
Yeah, so go just head over tobarninjajplatecom.
Yeah, so go just head over tobarninjajplatecom, it's all one
word.
Or barninjacom.
Our podcast website has a linkover to it too, as well.
But grab them while you can,because they're going to go
quick.
I put it online and like sixpeople bought them before I even
I was like wait, hold on who'sbuying.
(29:54):
How does anyone know thisexists yet?
So it's funny Go over there andgrab them and then we'll put
the old Bottle Ninja, which wasour novelty opener First product
that Bill and I ever did.
What were we doing?
What's the story on that?
We?
Speaker 2 (30:07):
were making fun, I was making fun of Brad.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
No, you were flipping , I was flipping the wine key
around Shoulder to shoulder twopitchers.
Brad bought a real Bollie Songknife then yeah, yeah, yeah,
like he was a militant guy.
He brought a real, likeswitchblade or whatever a
butterfly knife to the bar Everyday.
He was like the lunch bartenderand he always had some type of
weapon that he wanted to showyou during shift change.
(30:30):
And today's day was a butterflyknife.
And so then I'm making fun ofBrad and I took the wine key and
I was like look, I'm Bradeverybody.
And then opened a bottle ofbeer with it and then Bill's
like oh my God, we're going tomake a butterfly knife bottle
opener.
And I was like what are youtalking about?
He's like I got a guy, I gotmetal manufacturer.
We're going to Blacksburg, sureas shit.
(30:51):
Five days later we're at a 40000 square foot metal
manufacturing facility with anactual butterfly knife on a
metal grinder and we grindedthat sucker into a bottle opener
, like we took the blade, dulledthe blade and then cut it into
an opener and then we just weonly made one.
We're never trying to sell them.
And then, um, bill was theblind ninja at the bar, and then
(31:12):
, when we would use the thing,he was like oh, I'm the blind
ninja and you're the bar, ninja,and that's where the name came
up with it, or we came up withthe name.
This is like 2003.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
We came up with bob and then we would have.
We had one of them that we madea bar and then everyone that
came in was like where'd you getthat?
Speaker 1 (31:27):
and I want one and then we were like we just made
this video, this thing's a joke.
Um, did we lose bill?
That's crazy.
But uh, yeah.
And then someone was likepeople would start offers like a
hundred dollars for it and thenwe were like dude, we should
probably make these so that'swhy we started making them, and
then we started selling them umthat's awesome.
That's a really cool storythough yeah, the whole thing
(31:47):
just started as a joke, um, butthey're fun because you're like
bored behind the bar and youjust flip it around you do it,
yeah, and we can go.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
I don't.
It's awesome I don't know.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
He just fell off.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
I fell off, y'all fell off a second.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Did his iPad die.
Can y'all hear me?
We know, we know you're goingto love it yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Uh, cool.
Well, it's good seeingeverybody.
Probably see you guys nextThursday.
Yes, for sure.
I want to start getting moreinto doing interviews with
bartenders and then like moremixology.
We got so stuck on the softskills.
I'm also going to launch thatsoft skills book, hopefully this
week too.
It's all it's written.
So it's bartending, soft skills, kind of all the stuff we
(32:26):
talked about on the podcast thelast couple of years Just
because it's just what's missingin bartending right now.
Yeah, I agree, it's like.
As much as I want to get intothe mixology part, I'm like the
other half of bartending is moremessed up, like the cocktail
side.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
people are doing a pretty good job on yeah, it's
the actual like building part ofbeing a bartender besides
making the yeah, thefundamentals.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, because I mean, if you're a bartender, you kind
of are the product as much asthe drink is the product yes,
the drink is the product, butalso, like I, will go to a bar
that has a really good bartenderover one that doesn't that's
the thing.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
The product's everywhere, like product is
everywhere.
There's so much competitionthat ultimately, if you don't
stand out, then there's noreason for me to go back.
You know I go try somethingelse new, and there's new places
opening constantly and turningover.
So if you don't make it, if youdon't have the right soft
skills, then yeah, I mean whatyou know there's five
restaurants make it, so at leastdo everything you possibly can
(33:24):
to make it yeah, customerservice is everything training
in general is probably likerestaurateurs, chefs.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
They do all these things, make them look nice,
they make the restaurant theykind of hire.
You pay tens of thousands ofdollars to get a cocktail menu,
they make it look fancy, butthen they don't train the staff.
Training, training, training.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Kevin Alpin all his stuff in Charlotte, the top
shelf the best ones are.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
It's stated to stick around or train, but I think
definitely it's a needsimprovement area for the entire
industry, for sure.
And, on a good note, go buy aBottle Ninja.
Go buy a J-Plate Go buy ashaker Make great gifts, if you
can get one, yeah, buy two.
You know what Gifts I have athree-pack.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Buy four get one for free.
One price for shipping.
Buy as much stuff as you wanton that website.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
It's only one price for shipping, not a promo yet.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
I oh yeah, I'll work on that False advertising.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Honestly no, I'll put that together.
By the time this comes outthere'll be a buy four, get one
free.
We'll do that, never mind, Ilied, no false advertising, it's
true.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
We just created a promo.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
We just created a promo.
Yeah, this is board meetingpodcast, everything, all in one
Yep.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
All right, podcast everything all in one Yep,
that's awesome.
All right guys.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
Great podcast.
Love it All right.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
I'll see you guys next week.
Bar Ninja out, all right, barNinja out.
Bar Ninja out.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
How do I get off this ?
Speaker 1 (34:46):
thing.
See you guys later, See ya.
Thanks for listening to thisepisode of the Bar Ninja Podcast
.
Please be sure to subscribe tous on your favorite podcast
player and join the Bar NinjaNation that has over 7,000
bartenders in it by going towwwbarninjacom and you can enter
your email.
Until next time.
See you then.
You.
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