Being a bartender and bar school instructor I've heard many interesting stories about liquor. Have you heard any of these?
"Dude, there's deer's blood and heroin in Jagermeister."
"My dad's brother's friend almost died after drinking Goldschlager because the gold flakes cut up his intestines!"
"If you eat the worm in tequila you will begin tripping because the worm is soaked in mescaline!"
Just as some people refuse to stop believing that the first moon landing was staged, you will always find gullible people wanting to believe these outrageous stories. There are some strange things in liquor abroad but not in the FDA controlled U.S.
1. Jagermeister: This 70 proof 56 herb-liqueur from Germany is a popular college party favorite. The word "Jagermeister" does in fact mean "hunt master" but could you imagine the FDA allowing blood of any kind in something we drink? Mmmm, "Could I please have a shot of hepatitis?" I guess it has something to do with the vampire obsessed culture of young America. And heroin? Well, once upon a time in the early 1930's when it was first introduced it did contain Opium. But sorry not anymore--just like Coca Cola had the fun stuff, it can only be purchased illegally on the streets these days. Some say that Jager tastes just like Nyquil. Well, think about it..what's the number one ingredient in cough syrup?..alcohol. And since it also contains herbs it does make a nice remedy for those sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, nighttime I need some rest remedies.
2. Goldschlager: This 87 proof Swiss cinnamon schnapps does contain real 24 gold karat flakes. But if you haven't noticed they're in the liqueur business. The gold flakes are so thin, soft and malleable they just dissolve into your system and do not cut up your intestines. If someone did once die while drinking Goldschlager, it was because they just drank too much. The gold is just a novelty. I wonder however, if gold is an essential mineral?
3. Worm in tequila: Tequila is a Mexican spirit made from the blue agave plant. Many people believe that the worm at the end of a bottle is somehow bloated with the drug mescaline. Well, it's actually not even a worm. It's the larva from a moth--gross huh? This larva lives in the blue agave plant, and so it's to commemorate where the tequila came from. Some also say it's proof that the tequila's alcohol content is high since the "worm" stays preserved. You don't find this tequila in many restaurants and bars in the U.S. because it very unappealing. Typically, makers of "Mezcal" (tequila made from a different agave species) is bottled with the worm. So forget about hallucinogenic qualities in this worm at all.
If you go to some far off countries there are even more strange things in liquor. In Cambodia there is a tarantula brandy made with newly dead tarantulas--aaahhhhhh! In rural Korea some farmers infuse their rice liquor with mouse carcasses (I don't know why) and also with dead snakes--supposedly the liquor neutralizes the venom. I say, if you're drinking this stuff, you must already be tripping.
So how and why do these urban myths get started? I suppose because everyone wants to have an interesting story to tell. This desire to know secret bizarre things about alcohol only contributes to the growth and development of an urban myth. And although the start of these stories may be partly factual, the truth only gets exaggerated by the whisper-down-the-lane affect.
http://www.utendbar.com/
The Bucks County School of Bartending
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Thursday, October 14, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
History of Philadelphia's Beer Brewing Roots
My interest in everything beer has led to a great interest in the history of breweries in the area of my home town Philadelphia. I have found that the city of Philadelphia played a sigificant part in the industrialization of beer in the U.S. and still does today.
Outrageous as it sounds, by the end of the Revolutionary War Philadelphia housed a tavern for every 25 men. Along with Boston, this concentration of taverns was more than anywhere else in the English speaking world at the time (talk about pub crawl). One notable tavern still in existance is The Old City Tavern built in 1773.
If you didn't already know, Philadelphia was the resting place of many German immigrants. They brought with them their love for beer and of course, started the famous Philly pretzel craze. At first, Germans set up breweries along the Schuylkill River. The river provided a spot the Germans needed to dig caves in order to keep their beer cold (or lagerned) during fermentation. With the advent of refrigeration these brewers purchased a 10 block area in North Phila. (north of Girard Avenue and West of 30th Street near Fairmount Park) where they built many breweries. This neighborhood became known as "Brewerytown." At one point there were about 100 breweries located in this area. Some of the major breweries at the time were:
Bergner & Engel
Arnolt & Schaefer
George F. Rothaker
George Keller
J & P. Baltz
Bergdoll
The Brewerytown neighborhood easily thrived due to it's proximity to the river and railroads--helping to distribute the beer throughout the country. By the end of the Civil War beer making was one of the top 5 sources of income for the city. But in 1920 Brewerytown was destroyed by Prohibition. In fact, almost every brewery in the country was forced out of business.
Yuengling Brewing Company in Pottsville Pa. however, did survive Prohibition. Originally called "Eagle Brewing Company" and established in 1829 the Yuengling family (which sounds Chinese--but is actually of German descent) changed it's name, but kept the eagle emblem for their bottles' labels. Yuengling survived by selling "near beer" which had less than .5% alcohol--they called it "Yuengling Special." In addition, the Yuenglings operated a dairy farm. Today, Yuengling is the oldest (surviving), but one of the fastest growing beer companies in the United States. In March of 2010, President Obama sent the Prime Minister of Canada a case of Yuengling Beer to settle a wager on the outcome of the winter olympics.
So what happened to Brewerytown? Every brewery in the town eventually disappeared from existance. What remains are some of the magnificent buildings. Being a predominately poor residential neighborhood now, a lot of these buildings and homes have either been destroyed or are in need of major repair. I recently took a driving tour through the area to view the German-styled architecture. The breweries have red-brick facades and elaborate trim. The surrounding townhomes that were built to house the brewery employees are obviously modeled after the breweries with their red brick and unique trim. In 1991 the National Registry of Historical Places recognized 380 buildings in the district.
A multi-million dollar project to repair and construct a "Brewerytown" square with premium shops, restaurants and housing has been put on hold due to a lawsuit and opposition from the AABRA (African American Business & Residents Association). The AABRA claims that this project would ultimately force the lower-income residents from their neighborhoods. I don't know much about the AABRA and their position, but it seems to me that this project would only up the value of the resident's homes and in the end be a benefit to the people of the community.
In the past two decades Philadelphia has seen a major boom in micro breweries. Today we have one of the highest concentration of craft breweries in the United States--and a reputation for making some of the world's best beer. Ironically enough, none of these new breweries are located in Brewerytown. Here are a few popular brewers in the area:
Philadelphia Brewing Co.
Yards Brewing Co.
Nodding Head
Dock Street
Manayunk Brewery
Sly Fox
Stoudts
Victory
Triumph
So for all beer lovers and history lovers alike please remember that Philadelphia certainly has history that includes more than just the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross and Independence Hall.
Bergdoll Brewery
Outrageous as it sounds, by the end of the Revolutionary War Philadelphia housed a tavern for every 25 men. Along with Boston, this concentration of taverns was more than anywhere else in the English speaking world at the time (talk about pub crawl). One notable tavern still in existance is The Old City Tavern built in 1773.
If you didn't already know, Philadelphia was the resting place of many German immigrants. They brought with them their love for beer and of course, started the famous Philly pretzel craze. At first, Germans set up breweries along the Schuylkill River. The river provided a spot the Germans needed to dig caves in order to keep their beer cold (or lagerned) during fermentation. With the advent of refrigeration these brewers purchased a 10 block area in North Phila. (north of Girard Avenue and West of 30th Street near Fairmount Park) where they built many breweries. This neighborhood became known as "Brewerytown." At one point there were about 100 breweries located in this area. Some of the major breweries at the time were:
Bergner & Engel
Arnolt & Schaefer
George F. Rothaker
George Keller
J & P. Baltz
Bergdoll
The Brewerytown neighborhood easily thrived due to it's proximity to the river and railroads--helping to distribute the beer throughout the country. By the end of the Civil War beer making was one of the top 5 sources of income for the city. But in 1920 Brewerytown was destroyed by Prohibition. In fact, almost every brewery in the country was forced out of business.
Yuengling Brewing Company in Pottsville Pa. however, did survive Prohibition. Originally called "Eagle Brewing Company" and established in 1829 the Yuengling family (which sounds Chinese--but is actually of German descent) changed it's name, but kept the eagle emblem for their bottles' labels. Yuengling survived by selling "near beer" which had less than .5% alcohol--they called it "Yuengling Special." In addition, the Yuenglings operated a dairy farm. Today, Yuengling is the oldest (surviving), but one of the fastest growing beer companies in the United States. In March of 2010, President Obama sent the Prime Minister of Canada a case of Yuengling Beer to settle a wager on the outcome of the winter olympics.
So what happened to Brewerytown? Every brewery in the town eventually disappeared from existance. What remains are some of the magnificent buildings. Being a predominately poor residential neighborhood now, a lot of these buildings and homes have either been destroyed or are in need of major repair. I recently took a driving tour through the area to view the German-styled architecture. The breweries have red-brick facades and elaborate trim. The surrounding townhomes that were built to house the brewery employees are obviously modeled after the breweries with their red brick and unique trim. In 1991 the National Registry of Historical Places recognized 380 buildings in the district.
A multi-million dollar project to repair and construct a "Brewerytown" square with premium shops, restaurants and housing has been put on hold due to a lawsuit and opposition from the AABRA (African American Business & Residents Association). The AABRA claims that this project would ultimately force the lower-income residents from their neighborhoods. I don't know much about the AABRA and their position, but it seems to me that this project would only up the value of the resident's homes and in the end be a benefit to the people of the community.
In the past two decades Philadelphia has seen a major boom in micro breweries. Today we have one of the highest concentration of craft breweries in the United States--and a reputation for making some of the world's best beer. Ironically enough, none of these new breweries are located in Brewerytown. Here are a few popular brewers in the area:
Philadelphia Brewing Co.
Yards Brewing Co.
Nodding Head
Dock Street
Manayunk Brewery
Sly Fox
Stoudts
Victory
Triumph
So for all beer lovers and history lovers alike please remember that Philadelphia certainly has history that includes more than just the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross and Independence Hall.
Bergdoll Brewery
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Do you need to go to bartending school?
I have worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. I am a certified teacher and the owner of a bartending school in the Philadelphia area. Let me start by saying that there is what's called a "bartender" and what I call a "beertender." Anybody can work at Billy Bob's Toothless Tavern or at the Bubble Gum Booty Lounge and open up Budweiser and pour shots of Jagermeister--that's beertending. Bartending is an art form and you could never work at an upscale lounge or restaurant if you haven't been classically trained.
Not that I think that there's anything wrong with beertending. I was once a beertender. I began my journey as a cocktail waitress at a busy restaurant & nightclub. I didn't mind squeezing myself through thick crowds of inebriated party goers while slinging a full tray of drinks and rocking dance tights and high heels. But after 2 years of getting my ass grabbed every 10 minutes and making a fraction of what the bartenders were making for doing less work I decided it was time to get myself behind the bar. At the time, my manager was only interested in experienced male bartenders. But lucky for me there was one shift that no other sane bartender there wanted to work--Country Western Night. Although I didn't make much money and only opened up the likes of Miller and Anheuser Busch I thought of myself as a "bartender." And so I headed downtown to Philadelphia where I landed another job at a new nightclub. I don't remember much other than loud music, wild lights, strippers in cages dancing, and of course more beertending.
I do recall some instances where a customer would say, "What kind of scotch do you have?" or "What's your best tequila?" Luckily for me I knew how to b.s. my way through these uncomfortable moments. But as my desire to work at nicer places and make more money grew each year, so did the need for me to know how to really bartend. Customers started asking for "Very, very dry Bombay Sapphire Martinis--up, rocks side with a twist" and "Can you make me a Perfect Manhattan and add a little bitters please." At that point I knew that I needed to buy some books or go back to beertending at white trash sports bars.
I have dedicated much time in the past 10 years to researching and reading about cocktails and spirits. And I'm sure I think about what it takes to be a great bartender more than most people in this industry--it's my job to do so. What I do is ultimately try to filter this information and teach each of my students what's necessary to start as a good bartender. Why not take a couple weeks out of your life and learn the right way. What's wrong with that? Anyone who doesn't believe in education is an idiot.
I have also heard that a person should just skip school and start out as server at a restaurant where they could get promoted and be trained by another bartender. If this is what you want to do, then great. But remember, it may take years for you to earn a spot behind the bar and you may not be trained the right way--there's a lot of beertenders out there doing the training. Point in case: I was once talking to a bartender that mentioned "I didn't need to go to school--they trained me here." At which point my friend and I said, "That's cool. We'd like to do some shots. Do you have any Patron?" She said, "No, we don't have that." Then we said, "Okay, I guess we'll have Jose Cuervo." And then she replied, "Oh, Jose's not working today."
It's actually not enough these days to have just gone to bartending school. A good mixologist interested in working at top-notch establishments needs to continue their education to stay current. In the latter part of the decade old-fashioned libations are making a huge come back. I have seen the use of orange bitters, simple syrup, egg whites, fresh muddled fruits and herbs, as well as seltzer canisters. Bartenders are being called upon to pair food items from menus with new innovative cocktails. Some bartenders are using only freshly infused vodkas and specific shaped ice and are demanding to be called "bar chefs."
But let's not forget a key component of being a great bartender--personality. I like to think of a bartender as a cocktail itself. One should be charming, vibrant and well balanced (not too sweet, but not too dry). He/she should have an immaculate appearance and provide a memorable impression that leaves a customer satisfied and wanting more. In my opinion bartending is 40% knowledge and 60% personality.
Unfortunately for me there are some bartending schools out there that really only prepare you to be a beertender. They hand you a book with 300 recipes and say "go practice." I once had a woman pose as an employee because she was planning on opening up her own school and wanted to suck as much information from me as possible--because she was too stupid to do her own research, I guess. I knew she was a beertender once I heard her telling my students things like, "You really don't need gingerale. Just mix 7-up and Cola" and "You really don't need White Zinfandel. Just mix white wine and red wine--it's the same thing." Ugh!! She is a beertender with a school at the moment. I feel sorry for the innocent people that are paying her money for an education. It is schools like these that give bartending schools a bad name. But as the owner of a Pa winery once told me "You're only as good as your worst competitor." He too has to deal with many people assuming that wine made in Pennsylvania wineries is not good (even though he holds platinum medals).
But on the bright side, I know that there are other good schools out there--and my hats off to you! So if you do decide to go to bartending school, don't just look for the cheapest tuition--do your research. For more information about my school go to: http://www.utendbar.com/
Not that I think that there's anything wrong with beertending. I was once a beertender. I began my journey as a cocktail waitress at a busy restaurant & nightclub. I didn't mind squeezing myself through thick crowds of inebriated party goers while slinging a full tray of drinks and rocking dance tights and high heels. But after 2 years of getting my ass grabbed every 10 minutes and making a fraction of what the bartenders were making for doing less work I decided it was time to get myself behind the bar. At the time, my manager was only interested in experienced male bartenders. But lucky for me there was one shift that no other sane bartender there wanted to work--Country Western Night. Although I didn't make much money and only opened up the likes of Miller and Anheuser Busch I thought of myself as a "bartender." And so I headed downtown to Philadelphia where I landed another job at a new nightclub. I don't remember much other than loud music, wild lights, strippers in cages dancing, and of course more beertending.
I do recall some instances where a customer would say, "What kind of scotch do you have?" or "What's your best tequila?" Luckily for me I knew how to b.s. my way through these uncomfortable moments. But as my desire to work at nicer places and make more money grew each year, so did the need for me to know how to really bartend. Customers started asking for "Very, very dry Bombay Sapphire Martinis--up, rocks side with a twist" and "Can you make me a Perfect Manhattan and add a little bitters please." At that point I knew that I needed to buy some books or go back to beertending at white trash sports bars.
I have dedicated much time in the past 10 years to researching and reading about cocktails and spirits. And I'm sure I think about what it takes to be a great bartender more than most people in this industry--it's my job to do so. What I do is ultimately try to filter this information and teach each of my students what's necessary to start as a good bartender. Why not take a couple weeks out of your life and learn the right way. What's wrong with that? Anyone who doesn't believe in education is an idiot.
I have also heard that a person should just skip school and start out as server at a restaurant where they could get promoted and be trained by another bartender. If this is what you want to do, then great. But remember, it may take years for you to earn a spot behind the bar and you may not be trained the right way--there's a lot of beertenders out there doing the training. Point in case: I was once talking to a bartender that mentioned "I didn't need to go to school--they trained me here." At which point my friend and I said, "That's cool. We'd like to do some shots. Do you have any Patron?" She said, "No, we don't have that." Then we said, "Okay, I guess we'll have Jose Cuervo." And then she replied, "Oh, Jose's not working today."
It's actually not enough these days to have just gone to bartending school. A good mixologist interested in working at top-notch establishments needs to continue their education to stay current. In the latter part of the decade old-fashioned libations are making a huge come back. I have seen the use of orange bitters, simple syrup, egg whites, fresh muddled fruits and herbs, as well as seltzer canisters. Bartenders are being called upon to pair food items from menus with new innovative cocktails. Some bartenders are using only freshly infused vodkas and specific shaped ice and are demanding to be called "bar chefs."
But let's not forget a key component of being a great bartender--personality. I like to think of a bartender as a cocktail itself. One should be charming, vibrant and well balanced (not too sweet, but not too dry). He/she should have an immaculate appearance and provide a memorable impression that leaves a customer satisfied and wanting more. In my opinion bartending is 40% knowledge and 60% personality.
Unfortunately for me there are some bartending schools out there that really only prepare you to be a beertender. They hand you a book with 300 recipes and say "go practice." I once had a woman pose as an employee because she was planning on opening up her own school and wanted to suck as much information from me as possible--because she was too stupid to do her own research, I guess. I knew she was a beertender once I heard her telling my students things like, "You really don't need gingerale. Just mix 7-up and Cola" and "You really don't need White Zinfandel. Just mix white wine and red wine--it's the same thing." Ugh!! She is a beertender with a school at the moment. I feel sorry for the innocent people that are paying her money for an education. It is schools like these that give bartending schools a bad name. But as the owner of a Pa winery once told me "You're only as good as your worst competitor." He too has to deal with many people assuming that wine made in Pennsylvania wineries is not good (even though he holds platinum medals).
But on the bright side, I know that there are other good schools out there--and my hats off to you! So if you do decide to go to bartending school, don't just look for the cheapest tuition--do your research. For more information about my school go to: http://www.utendbar.com/
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