🥃 Bartender
A bartender (barman) mixes and serves drinks behind the bar; Jerry Thomas described the craft in a book in 1862, and the International Bartenders Association has united bartenders since 1951.
A bartender (in British English also barman or barmaid) is a bar worker who makes and serves drinks behind the counter: mixes cocktails, pours beer, wine and spirits, and takes payment. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, a bartender also checks IDs so that alcohol is not sold to minors, and watches that guests are not too drunk.
History of the profession. The best-known 19th-century bartender was the American Jerry Thomas, nicknamed "the Professor". In 1862 he published in New York How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon-Vivant's Companion, often called the first American book about drinks. It recorded recipes that had been passed on by word of mouth, including one of the first written recipes for a whiskey sour and the flaming Blue Blazer, which Thomas made at the El Dorado saloon in San Francisco.
Professional community. The International Bartenders Association (IBA) was founded on 24 February 1951 in Torquay (UK) by seven national guilds. It now unites 67 countries and 8 observers, runs international competitions and training, and publishes cocktail lists: "The Unforgettables", "The Contemporary" and "The New Era".
Work and law. In 2025 about 762.6 thousand people worked as bartenders in the USA. Formal education is usually not required: training takes place on the job over several weeks. Most states allow serving alcohol from the age of 18, and a bartender must know local sales rules. Classic bar drinks such as the Sazerac, the Americano and aperitifs have their own pages on the site.
Why it matters to you. A bartender has the right and the duty to refuse a minor or a guest who is too drunk; this is a legal requirement, not rudeness. Skill makes a drink tastier, but not safer: one cocktail can contain several standard portions of alcohol, and you must not drive after the bar. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1862 — Jerry Thomas's book How to Mix Drinks; 24 February 1951 — IBA founded in Torquay |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | sales rules for alcohol of the country or state; in most US states alcohol may be served from the age of 18 |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Bartender → kind of → 🏷️ Label, law and health → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- What it affects
- 🍷 Standard drink, 🍷 Alcohol dependence, 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Related to
- 🥃 Sazerac, 🥃 Americano, 🥃 Aperitif, 🍷 Prohibition in the United States
- Images and sayings
- 🥃 Dry Martini, 🥃 Margarita, 🥃 Martinez, 🥃 Mary Pickford
- Part of
- 🏷️ Label, law and health
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Sommelier
Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender refuse to serve a guest?
Yes. The bartender checks IDs and watches the condition of guests; laws in most countries and US states forbid selling alcohol to minors or to people who are too drunk.
Who was Jerry Thomas?
A 19th-century American bartender nicknamed "the Professor", author of How to Mix Drinks (New York, 1862), often called the first American book about drinks.
What is the difference between a bartender and a sommelier?
A sommelier advises on and serves wine with meals in a restaurant; a bartender makes and serves cocktails, beer, wine and spirits behind the bar.
What is the IBA and what are its cocktail lists?
The International Bartenders Association, founded on 24 February 1951 in Torquay (UK); it unites national associations, runs competitions and publishes the lists The Unforgettables, The Contemporary and The New Era.
Do you need a qualification to work as a bartender?
Usually not: according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, bartenders are trained on the job over several weeks; in most US states alcohol can be served from the age of 18.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Prohibition in the United States — From 1920 to 1933 the making and sale of alcohol were banned in the US; wine for religious rites was one of the few exceptions.
- 🥃 Margarita — Margarita is a classic cocktail of tequila, the orange liqueur triple sec and fresh lime juice, shaken with ice. The IBA lists it as a Contemporary Classic; its origin is disputed, and the name first appeared in print in 1953.
- 🍷 Sommelier — A wine expert in a restaurant who recommends and serves wine with food.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Bartenders (duties incl. checking IDs and monitoring customers for intoxication; about 762,600 jobs in 2025; on-the-job training of a few weeks; most states require servers of alcohol to be at least 18)
- International Bartenders Association (IBA): About — founded 24 February 1951 in Torquay, UK, by seven guilds; 67 members and 8 observing countries; Academy, competitions, cocktail lists 'The Unforgettables', 'The Contemporary', 'The New Era'
- Scotch Malt Whisky Society Switzerland: Jerry Thomas and the Blue Blazer (born 1830 or 1832 in Sackets Harbor; 'How to Mix Drinks: Or, The Bon-vivant's Companion', New York 1862; early written whiskey sour; Blue Blazer at the El Dorado saloon, San Francisco)
- VinePair: The Blue Blazer (Jerry Thomas, 'The Professor', published the recipe in 'How to Mix Drinks' in 1862 with a drawing of himself making it)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)