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The first conversation you have regarding your drinks when you walk into a pub/bar is with the mixologist. A mixologist might strike up a conversation with you, recommend cocktails or drinks, and perhaps even demonstrate some bar tool juggling. Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of this thrilling profession? Read to know more about how to become a mixologist in India, job prospects, pros and cons of the professions, eligibility, top colleges, and much more.
Table of Contents
Who is a Mixologist?
A mixologist is someone who creates cocktails and mixed drinks by combining various types of alcoholic beverages and other components. Yet, some people distinguish between a bartender and a mixologist because they believe that a bartender simply tends a bar, but a mixologist is involved in the creation of new cocktails. A mixologist’s primary responsibilities include mixing drinks, cleaning and arranging the bar, educating and entertaining clients, coming up with fresh drink suggestions, and devising new beverage menus.
An excellent mixologist should be attentive and personable. Clubs, taverns, breweries, bars, and distilleries hire mixologists. Some businesses hire a mixologist to give presentations at food and beverage shows and other marketing events. People can also consider it a part-time job. Because it is not a typical 9 to 5 job, this profile allows for flexibility in terms of working hours.
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Steps of Mixology
Here are the steps of mixology that most mixologists generally follow:
- Building
- Stirring
- Shaking
- Blending
- Layering
Roles and Responsibilities
Mixologists must perform a variety of jobs and responsibilities. Some of the major job duties they must fulfill are listed below.
- Keeping a well-stocked bar with ingredients to make signature beverages for guests as well as basic drink orders.
- For their non-alcoholic consumers, mixologists also prepare mocktails and shake such as smoothies, coffee, tea, juice, and so on.
- Mixologists produce alcoholic cocktails by combining materials such as whisky, beer, wine, and juice.
- Mixologists also produce customized beverages such as daiquiris, margaritas, and martinis based on management directives.
- They set up bar stations with supplies like beers on tap, glasses, mixers, liquor bottles, and so on.
- They are responsible for keeping the bar area healthy, clean, and organized to provide a safe and secure atmosphere for patrons.
- Discuss drink orders with clients to ensure that they are served appropriately, correctly, and efficiently. Additionally, to learn about client feedback.
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Pros and Cons of Becoming a Mixologist
Like every other profession, being a mixologist also has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Check them below:
Benefits
- Mixologists can make people happy by delivering delicious cocktails
- It is fun work since one gets to play a lot with the drinks to come up with some new ideas
- There is also the chance of earning extra money in addition to the regular pay.
- One meets a wide range of people from various backgrounds.
Disadvantages
- It can be difficult at times to present anything fresh in response to a customer’s request.
- There is no set work schedule.
- Salaries are not consistent throughout the year.
- It includes dealing with a variety of people, some of whom may not be pleasant.
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Eligibility Criteria
To become a mixologist, candidates must meet the minimum eligibility standards outlined below.
- Education: Employers prefer mixologists with a high school diploma or a higher secondary qualification.
- License: Most employers prefer people with a bartending license. A certificate can be obtained by attending a short-term paid training course at any company.
- Experience: Several organizations are looking for employees with prior expertise in bartending or mixology. Applicants with any type of training or internship as a mixologist or bartender would be favored for this position.
How to Become a Mixologist?
If you want to be a mixologist, the first thing you should think about is how well-educated you are.
- A mixologist must have a 10+2 diploma from a recognized board.
- If they want to work in a good industry, mixologists must have a bachelor’s degree.
- In terms of further education, Mixologists should have master’s degrees if they intend to work as a Mixologist for the rest of their lives. There will be many opportunities abroad after completing a Master’s degree.
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Skills Required
To be effective as a mixologist, the following unique skills are required:
- Knowledge of spirits: Mixologists must be well-versed in the many sorts of spirits on the market. They should be knowledgeable of the various profiles, ingredients, and flavors associated with each type of alcohol. They should be familiar with spirits to create distinctive drink concoctions. For example, tequila and lime juice constitute a popular drink combination that a mixologist should be aware of.
- Mixing methods: There are various methods for mixing drinks. Mixologists recognize the significance of utilizing the proper method and amounts of components to combine different drinks, which is known as the mixing technique. They also understand how to employ garnishes and other decorations to improve a drink’s presentation.
- Customer service: Mixologists must have an excellent rapport with their customers. Customer service entails interacting with consumers in a polite and friendly manner. Working as a mixologist may entail working at a bar or restaurant and interacting directly with customers. The job of a mixologist is to greet guests, answer inquiries about drinks, and collect drink orders.
- Communication Skills: This is another crucial talent that a mixologist must have. Mixologists must communicate frequently with consumers to learn their tastes and choices, as well as to make them comprehend the contents and production of the beverages. As a result, excellent communication skills are required. They must communicate with bartenders and hotel workers to ensure that the cocktails are prepared according to the customers’ preferences.
- Creativity: Mixologists employ numerous forms of creativity to create new drink concoctions. They also use various forms of innovation to create new drinks and marketing strategies for their specific clientele who enjoy drinking.
Employment Areas
A mixologist is employed in a variety of industries. The following are some of the job prospects for a mixologist:
- Restaurant
- Club
- Bar
- Tavern
- Pub
- Hotels
Top Recruiters
Some of the top recruiting firms that hire mixologists are as follows:
- Arbor Brewing Company, Bengaluru/Goa
- Cocktails and Dreams, Speakeasy, Gurugram
- Ellipsis, Mumbai
- The Flying Elephant, Park Hyatt, Chennai
- Hakkasan, Mumbai
- The Park Hotel, Delhi/Hyderabad/Kolkata/Bangalore
- Black Sheep Bistro, Goa
- Trilogy, Madhya Pradesh
- Kue Bar, Pune
- Lanterns Kitchen and Bar, New Delhi
Salary Packages
The top packages vary by location, but on average, a trainee mixologist earns approximately Rs 2 Lakh to Rs 4 Lakh per year, an experienced Mixologist earns around Rs 5 to Rs 7 Lakh per year, and a Head Mixologist earns around Rs 9 to Rs 10 Lakh per year. Salaries vary depending on the level of the organisation in which a person works.
Career Prospects
Individuals frequently chose mixology as a career for a few years before moving on to jobs in other sectors, such as
- Career in Cocktail Catering- A Cocktail Caterer’s job is comparable to that of a Food Caterer. They are engaged for events such as weddings, corporate meetings, and others to provide a variety of drinks to visitors. If you have an entrepreneurial mentality, this is the finest field to invest in.
- Sales Representative for Liquor- A Liquor Sales Representative’s job is to sell alcoholic beverages to taverns and restaurants. They have connections with liquor firms, thus candidates with good communication skills, experience in the world of alcohol, and a strong commitment level should apply.
- Manager of a Pub or Restaurant- People with years of mixology expertise are familiar with the club’s entire east-west-north-south perimeter. And this understanding qualifies them for the position of General Manager of a bar. They are in charge of everything that happens in and around the bar, as well as the entire Bartending/Mixology team.
Top Colleges
Here are some colleges where you can pursue a course in mixology and take your career as a mixologist forward.
India
- IHM Goa
- IHM Delhi
- Heritage Institute of Hotel & Tourism (HIHT)
- MDU Rohtak
- Institute of Bar Operations and Management, Ghitorni
- Mixoflair Institute of Beverage Studies, Nagpur
- NIMS University, Jaipur
- Parul University, Gujarat
- Magarpatta Institute of Hospitality Management (MIHM), Pune
- Whistling Woods International (WWI), Mumbai
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Abroad
If you want to study abroad and want to pursue this profession around the world, here are the top 5 colleges for mixology worldwide.
- The European Bartending School
- The Spirit Lab, London
- New York Bartending School
- The Mixology Academy, Rome
- Columbia Bartending School
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Books to Study Mixology
A job as a mixologist necessitates creativity and invention. They must continue to experiment with new cocktails by combining new ingredients. Mixologists can learn more about mixology and improve their talents by reading any of the books listed below:
| Books | Author/Publisher |
| How to Cocktail | America’s Test Kitchen |
| Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions | Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, Devon Tarby, and David Kaplan |
| Road Soda | Kara Newman |
| Meehan’s Bartender Manual | Jim Meehan |
| 3-Ingredient Cocktails | Robert Simonson |
| The Cocktail Club | Maureen Christian-Petrosky |
| The Old-Fashioned | Robert Simonson |
| The 12 Bottle Bar | David Solmonson & LesleyJacobs Solmonson |
| Alchemy in a Glass | Greg Seider |
| The Bar Book | Jeffrey Morgenthaler |
FAQs
Ans. Mastering the art and techniques of mixology takes time and attention. A true professional in mixology normally takes several years. Many people begin their careers as barbacks to learn the fundamentals of bartending before moving on to become servers or mixologists.
Ans. While there is no official education required to become a mixologist, there are numerous methods to enhance your career in this sector of the hospitality business. In this post, we will look at how to become a mixologist, what skills are required for the job, how much you can earn, and where you can learn to be a mixologist.
Ans. To become a mixologist, first, obtain professional bartending training from a reputable institution like the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) course. The five-day certification program at BAR teaches you all you need to know about mixology, from fundamental cocktail ingredients to crafting your concoctions.
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