![]() The person arrived on time and even assisted with the clean up. They touched base with me again a few days before the event and told me the name of the person to expect. Using some of the same ingredients for a variety of drinks means you don’t end up with a dozen random bottles of liquor you’ll never use again.They were great about reaching out to me to figure out what I wanted and how I saw things going. A good bartender can help map out a drink selection that works within your budget and even some of what your home bar contains. You also get the benefit of that experience when it comes to choosing a menu for the event. I’m a perfectly competent home drinks maker, but I’m certainly not pro-level, and the drinks coming off our bar that night were on point. It really did make all the difference in the world, and not just because I didn’t spend all night making drinks. You may like: Looking for a go-to budget bourbon? Spirits experts say these are the ones you should buy Other than some extra vodka I ended up with (because when in Louisville, people will always drink whiskey no matter what’s on the menu!), you’d never have known anyone was here. ![]() In our case, we bought the ice, ingredients and supplies like disposable cups and booze, and the bartender did all the set-up, brought her own tools, made all the drinks and cleaned up after. As with any job, the key is that everyone has the same, and clear, expectations. If it’s a fit, settle on the price and duties, make sure you know what’s included and specify an arrival and departure time along with any directions on a uniform. Then you “interview” them - just ask a few questions to make sure you vibe, they said. So how do you find the right bartender? The best thing, Mike and Janell said, is to ask someone working at a bar you like whether they freelance or know someone who does. Even with these visual cues, it might be worth reminding guests to tip, Mike said. Our bartender set out a tip jar, and I put her Venmo on the bar menu. Ready to host parties again? Try these 5 home bar makeover tips to really amp up the spaceĮxpect to pay them between $200 and $300, he said (in addition to buying your own booze), and then ask your guests to tip them if you’re not also covering that. So you’ll want to make sure they earn enough to make it worth giving up a regular bartending shift, he added. it's like ‘oh this is like a party, party.’ It's just nice to be taken care of.”īut you also want to take care of your bartender, Mike said. ![]() There's a special kind of feeling that you get when you're invited. It takes the party to the next level, and it makes your guests feel like they're special enough to get invited to this party that you put in enough effort to have a bartender actually be there to cater to everybody. They were also guests at the party and raised a great point.īesides getting to enjoy your own event, “another awesome reason to hire a bartender for a house party,” Janell said, “is it makes your guests feel like they're worth it. So what should you know if you want to take back your own party? I chatted with Mike Bass, an award-winning mixologist, consultant and educator in the cocktail world, and his partner Janell Lenfert, a seasoned bartender, for advice. Let me tell you, it felt like the ultimate decadence to be served a freshly made and delicious cocktail in my own house! The day of the party, she arrived early to juice all the citrus and get set up, and I never had to look at the bar or think about it unless I was getting a Singapore Sling or a Midori Sour (it was a '70s theme, what can I say!?). Then she gave me an ingredients list to shop for. The bartender took my theme - which was a retro, '70s-themed prom night - and gave me some suggestions for cocktails that would make sense in a home bar situation and tie into the theme. More: From father to grandson, how this family built Angel's Envy bourbon from the ground upĪnd for a party of a good size, I’ll never do it any other way. So I asked a friend who knows everyone in the events world for a recommendation, got a lead on a great freelance bartender, and for the first time ever, turned over control of the drinks in my house to someone else. But this was a special night - our first party in so long - and I wanted to enjoy the festivities, and wanted my guests to kick back and just have fun. ![]() “I can mix myself a drink,” a friend said when I mentioned hiring a bartender. ![]() I threw my first post-pandemic-era party recently at my home in Old Louisville, and the absolute best decision I made was to get professional help for the event. You know how when you’re having a party you get stuck mixing drinks all night and don’t get to socialize? Yeah, how about we don’t do that anymore. View Gallery: Hiring a professional bartender will let you actually enjoy your party ![]()
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