Customer Reviews

Art Of the Drink, Volume 1: Bar Essentials

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a full-time bartender and have been for years, and I collect bartending books and videos to keep current. I've seen pretty much everything out there, and this is by far the best DVD you can get. The format is very original and entertaining, the students are interesting, attractive, and ask great questions, and it's very professionally made. But the best thing about it is the material. I've worked with a lot of professional bartenders that don't know half the stuff in this DVD. The instructor is extremely knowledgable and makes the information easy to remember by telling stories and joking around. It would also be great for someone who doesn't know anything about making drinks because the instructor covers everything from how a bar is set up to how to make a great martini. I know I learned some stuff, and that's saying something. Very highly recommended. If you have any interest in learning about bartending, get this DVD!

I am training to become a bartender in Las Vegas very soon, and this is the most informative DVD on the market today. I learned so much in such a short amount of time. I love it! Can't wait till the next volume comes out - I'm ordering it as soon as it's released.

Can't believe how much info they got in under 2 hrs. Covers everything you need to know and then some and does it really well. Plus the students are very cool and easy on the eyes. Definitely buy it.

I bought this for my husband before our last party, and we both ended up watching it several times. The amount of information on the DVD is incredible. You literally learn something every minute or two. The best part is the way the material is presented, though. The students are great and really make it fun to watch, and the instructor should be on the Food Network! This is one of my best internet purchases, and my new favorite how-to video. Get it, you won't be disappointed.

I bought this DVD along with many others on the subject in order to prepare myself for a job behind a bar. If you are like me this is not the DVD for you. I feel it spends too much time on the people being schooled and too little on the schooling itself. Personally, if I paid for a class and this is what I got i would be severely disappointed. The DVD starts with introductions of all the students that takes too long and is not even all that interesting. Then it starts a bar tour and this is one of the stronger points of the DVD where it talks about glasses and well liquors and where cordials are found and whatnot. It tells you where the garnishes are and what they are but not how to make or cut them. Then it goes into basic bar lingo. Then the part that really made me nonplussed it went into each of the base liquors; vodka, gin, rum, etc. The instructor gives you are very good history of the liquor but no real information about the liquor itself and what its used for. With each liquor they made one drink and doesn't even talk about any other drinks commonly made with the liquor examined or any properties of the liquor itself. It also never touched on liqueurs other than where you would find them in a bar. I found this product to be pretty useless.

I recently delved into the world of bartending, which is an unexpectedly fun way to earn extra money. Considering that I am a non-drinker you can imagine how scary and nerve-wracking that first day was. Prior to that first day I ordered this DVD along with one other DVD, The Arts of Professional Bartending, and a small army of books. Far and away this product beat the other DVD hands down.

The learning environment is friendly, inviting, and amusing not like the other product which I felt was nonsensical and a little childish. The DVD provides information that can be used right away. The set up, a real bar, shows and explains things that ,even after working in a bar, were still unclear.It provided information on basic drink recipes, the appropriate way to 'build' and serve a drink as well as other bar vernacular that was foreign to me. Even if you already are a drinker this product will only aid in you becoming a better imbiber.

Defintely a winner for me! I still believe in the value of the classroom teaching but what better way to supplement what you learn or get it together prior to the class meetings.

I really enjoyed the classroom-like environment in the DVD. I actually wanted to get up off my sofa and give it a try! The recipes at the end are really extensive and there are some cool drinks that are unique to the DVD. It's great, you can just pause it on the screen and go make it in the kitchen! What a cool way to use my DVD player.

I liked this DVD but it was more of an add on of information than a true trainning DVD. Picked up a few things that would help at a high class bar or restaurant.

lots of good info with tips on technique. That's a big part of making drinks I found. Technique.

I ordered this DVD to learn how to run my own private home bar. It's an amusing video with lots of good info.

Howdy:

Great introductory video.

Easy to follow. Very basic information about technique and glassware.

Good number of recipes.

A little bit staged, but it does allow the lesson to be presented.

I'd recommend it.

Wish there was a volume two to build upon this video.

Also you can check out Anthony's Podcast by the same name.

Scootter