First day working in a bar in Ireland - Things to know

Ireland is fast becoming an educational hub, with many international students choosing the emerald isle as the location to help fulfil their career ambitions. Though getting a job abroad to fund educational dreams can be quite daunting , one of the most readily available job options for students in Ireland is working in bars and restaurants. Ireland is recognised as one of the top hospitality destinations in the world, and is famous for its endless list of both traditional & modern pubs.

However, the recent pandemic has left many of these establishments understaffed, creating the perfect opportunity for new employees to get into the industry. Though many students choose bartending as a profession, it’s not an easy job to master as you must deal with many live situations.

So, it’s your first day on the job as a bartender. You've been thinking about this day for a long time, and it's finally arrived. You've been training for it, but nothing can prepare you for what it's like to go out behind the bar for the first time and take real orders from real customers. If you want to create the greatest impression possible on your first day on the job, here’s a few crucial things in mind.

Breakages will happen frequently.
Working in the fast-paced environment of bartending, glasses will break, and drinks will spill. Obviously you want to avoid being the cause of glassware being damaged, but even the most careful of bartenders will fall victim to frequent breakages. It’s an inevitability that you’ll quickly learn to get used to. The most essential thing is to wipe everything up as soon as possible and as thoroughly as possible.

It is critical to remember that if a glass breaks, you should advise the visitor not to attempt to clean it up. This is your job and ensures the safety of the customer. If the glass breaks near the ice well, all the ice must be removed and replaced with fresh ice. This is done to prevent shards of glass becoming hidden or mistaken for ice, which could seriously harm the customer if it ends up in their drink. The customers safety should always be the number one priority.

Maintain a Clean Bar
Keep your workspace tidy and always ensure that bar equipment is put back neatly in the areas that your manager and co-workers have outlined. When the bar becomes crowded, it's easy to fall into the temptation of taking shortcuts, tossing menus behind the bar, failing to clean surfaces and glasses etc. This is no excuse to disregard the proper cleaning procedures outline by your manager, and will come back to haunt you at the end of the night when you can’t leave until the bar has been thoroughly cleaned. Not only will the bar be safer, but patrons will feel more comfortable drinking at a clean and neat bar.
 
Learning How to Pour Pints & Serve Wine.
Knowing how to effectively pour alcoholic drinks from taps or wine bottles is a talent that both supervisors and consumers will appreciate. Managers will prefer that you’re not overly generous when pouring alcohol, as this can ultimately result in larger overhead costs. However, don’t become overly conservative with this, as customers will appreciate the fact that you do not under-pour their beverages. In Ireland, it’s expected that a bartender knows how to pure a good pint of Guinness, for some help on the subject you can check out the following article “How to Pour a Pint of Guinness into Guinness Glasses”.
 
Know Your Drink Ingredients
Customers in a bar will frequently look to you for advice when ordering. Educate yourself and have a thorough understanding of the menu at your bar before you begin work. Learn about the spirits and other components in each cocktail. Thankfully, the information about how to mix or create most alcoholic drinks is very easily located on the internet. Keep in mind that clients may frequently request cocktails that aren't on your menu, so it's important to have a thorough awareness of some of the more popular drinks. If you want to go the extra mile, study and practise the most widely ordered drink recipes before turning up on your first day. Your consumers will value your expertise and will hopefully tip you accordingly.
 
Understand how to communicate with your customers
As a beginner bartender, it’s tempting to spend a lot of time talking to a single customer. Customers frequently do not know they are taking your work time, causing you to fall behind in your duties.
Simply inform a visitor that you need to do something and will return shortly. If it doesn't work, you'll have to politely end the chat. You should move backwards while continuing to converse with the guest until the discussion slows and finishes. However, remember to return to the consumer periodically and re-engage conversation to ensure they are properly being attended to and always have a fresh drink when required. You can also try to engage the client in conversation with another person at the bar so that they have someone to chat to if they are drinking alone.
 
Keep yourself engaged with other work
There is always more to do as a bartender, whether it’s your first day or you are a seasoned veteran. If you can't think of anything to do, ask your boss or one of the bar's veteran workers what you should be doing. 
Pro tip: If there is nothing more you can do behind the bar, check around and ask if any customers need a top up. If there is also food served at the bar, you can ask the kitchen staff if there is anything you can help with. This will make you a valued and admired employee, making it easier to seek assistance when you are feeling overwhelmed.
 
Know your Bar Accessories 
While serving drinks to the customers, make sure you are using the correct bar glasses for specific drinks. Remember, it’s considered a sin in Ireland to pour a pint of Guinness into any glass other than an official Guinness pint glass! You must develop a general knowledge about glassware and serving sizes. You can do this by going on to an Irish bar and restaurant supplier’s website to see all of the different kinds of glasses available to businesses in Ireland. Conaty Food and Catering Supplies is one of the leading Glassware suppliers in Ireland. To see the many different types of glasses being used in bars and restaurants in Ireland check out their website at www.conatycatering.com