Stylish bartending is an increasingly common practice by bartenders who are not only trained to mix and serve drinks, but also perform in styling contests showcasing a wide variety of skill and showmanship. These performances are increasing in popularity as juggling, cartwheeling, pouring and other moves create some extremely impressive choreographed acts. There are even some tandem bartending contests where a pair of flair mixologists work together as a single act.
There are actually two moments of flair bartending: work style and show style. The style of work involves teaching efficiency of movement and being able to use both hands in tandem to quickly serve as many people as possible in a very short time.
Show style is what most people think of when they think of bartending style. This involves throwing and juggling bottles, pouring multiple drinks at once, and all the other choreographic and display moves that make this such an entertaining and popular skill.
While flair bartending has definitely taken off to whole new levels in the last twenty years, some form of this flashy bar-serving style has been around for over 150 years according to the Flair Bartender Association (FBA).
Both styles of flair bartending have their uses, and while working flair may not be flashy, it is highly practical and gives bartenders the skills to handle even the biggest rush. Showing style can be very lucrative as there are many competitions that involve significant cash prizes. Some good tricks also tend to help tips on a normal night.
For all these reasons, as well as growing general interest, flair bartending is certain to remain popular for years to come.
