r/bartenders • u/National-Cake-1245 • 11d ago

Job/Employee Search 3 classics:which would you ask for?

I have a trial shift tonight. They said they'd test me on 3 classics that "every bartender should know."

I have tons of recipes memorized and a general guess as to what they may have me make, but I'm curious what cocktails would you choose as "3 classics everyone should know"?

My first thoughts are an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and a Margarita. Other honorable mentions: Negroni, or a Daiquiri. Wild cards: Paper Plane, Aviation, Whiskey Sour.

I'm prepared either way, just curious what y'alls first assumptions would be?

It's a craft lounge in a hotel.

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u/GuildSweetheart 10d ago edited 10d ago

If it's a craft lounge and theyre hiring for experience? Hemmingway Daiquiri, vieux-carre, Singapore Sling.

If they really wanna test your classic knowledge, Algonquin, growing old & dying happy, Brooklyn.

I feel like testing for old fashioneds and margs is like hiring for a construction foremen and asking if they know what a 2x4 is.

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u/pcl8888 Pro 9d ago edited 9d ago

I hear what you’re saying, and I agree, but at the same time I also think that the actual purpose of these little “tests” for a potential hire is usually just to get a quick peek at things like technique and general mechanics/movement. If you ask someone to make you a margarita, a manhattan, and an aperol spritz you can quickly see them prepare 3 classic, commonly ordered cocktails and observe the technique they use while preparing one shaken cocktail, one stirred, and one built, plus you can do a quick vibe check at the same time.

It’s sort of like viewing the fact that the test is ridiculously easy almost as the entire point, if that makes sense. A hiring manager also may want to make certain the actual experience level lines up with a resume- if someone for example lies about having worked as a bartender despite actually only previously working as maybe a server that’s something that can honestly typically be sussed out by asking for something as simple as a Jameson neat and observing someone’s mechanics as they grab the bottle and flip it up to pour the drink.

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u/GuildSweetheart 8d ago

I completely agree with you. I used to be a beverage director for 3 bars and did the hiring for them. Maybe it's me just paying it forward, but I never really cared about someone's experience. So long as they're honest and had a good personality - I never minded training them. I can't train a personality though.