San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-02-22
THE BARTENDER.
Some of the Qualities Required OF
the Expert in His Line.

the Expert in His Line.
From the Boston Herald.
Few people are aware OF the de-
mands made upon the courtesy and
tact of the bartender. He has to
deal with all sorts Of natures, and
must to be popular, adapt his man.
ners and his conversation to suit
each customer. .He must be
Chesterfield to well-bred, gentle
manly customer and a Napoleon
to the tough and troublesome lag"
Many a good customer is driven
away by incivility, or even by
seemingly slight inattention on the
part of the bartender, who must
make no errors in sizing up his
patrons. The ideal man can tell
at glance how to please the in
dividual before him. liza stranger,
it is the good bartender's business
to greet him with affability and to
humor any Of his idiosyncracies,
however peculiar they may be.
Not long since customer went
to the bar Of first-class hotel in
Boston and called for a "dry"
Manhattan cocktail, Immediately
adding, by way OF precaution, mo
syrup at ALL"
WHAT exclaimed the barten-
der, "none at ALL"
mo"
"Well, that's funny" replied the
Ganymede, with an air Of con-
tempt, and then proceeded to make
the drink, which he delivered with
an exhibition of fatigue.
That bartender, though skillful
in drinkmiXing, was poor one.
He disregarded one of the most
important requisites Of his calling,
namely, the appreciation of the
fact, that the customer knows per-
fectly we'll what he wants, pays
for it, and should have it, no mat
ter, how peculiar his tastes may
seem to be to the bartender.
| AS a matter of fact, in the case
cited, the customer was entirely
correct in his taste, for the "sweet"
cocktail is seldom affected by eX-
perienced drinkers, who find in the
vermouth Of a Manhattan all the
sweetening necessary.
| Furthermore, the first.class bar
tender must be a ready Italker,
must be abreast Of the leading
news of the day, and must be ready
to express an opinion on it. He
must have good memory for
| names and faces, for character
istic weakness of the majority of
tipplers is the qualification they
experience at being known at the
bars they frequent, and at having
their favorite drink handed to
them before they have chance to
order it.
Then, again, the man behind the
bar frequently has to exercise vast
self-control. Troublesome custom
ers' often irritate him greatly, es-
pecially when, as is the rule in
in first. class places, drinks are re-
fused to those who have apparent
ly had too much already. He has
to perform the double task Of host
and policeman, and the duty is
| difficult in the extreme.
Rye and Bourbon are the two
great kinds Of whisky drunk in
this section OF the country, but the
bartenders say that not over one
man in fifty can tell the difference
between the two. This was anus
ingly illustrated in the presence Of
the writer the other day. He him
self had just been deceived by an
Interchange of bottles, when in
| walked a well-known man about
town, who, from years OF expert
ence, believes himself to be a Judge
of liquors.
"Rye whisky" he demanded.
Whisky was given him out OF the
Bourbon bottle. He tossed it off,
paid his check, wiped his mus
tache contentedly and strobe out,
without a suspicion of the substi'
tuition.
In view Of the comparatively
small demand for mixed drinks, it
is hardly surprising that few bar
tenders are artists at preparing
them. Indeed, there are few places
outside of Boston, outside Of clubs,
where a really fine mixed drink
may be obtained. Next in pOpu-
larity to straight whiskey come, in
order, Manhattan, Martini and
Tom gin cocktails, whiskey and
rum punches and then the long ar
ray of miscellaneous drinks such
as sOurs, toddies, fixes, julepS,
and the like. But only the cock
tails named possess sufficient pop
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