So, what is the proper title for someone behind a bar? Is it a mixologist or a bartender? Is there a difference?
© Shannon Graham
Over the last few years the term "mixologist" has been used more often than ever before in the history of bartending, but is a mixologist just a fancy, scientific-sounding name for a bartender? Technically, yes, but there is a generally accepted difference between the two job titles and the two are often used interchangeably. Still confused?
Mixologists practice mixology and bartenders tend bar. In the industry we tend to think of a mixologist as someone who studies and helps evolve the field of bartending, creating innovative cocktails the world has never seen and reveling and refining the techniques and drinks of the bartenders of old: a sort of cocktail historian and revolutionary rolled into one. Mixologists are known for making a name for themselves in cocktail literature and industry-wide consulting jobs. Whereas the name "bartender" conjures images of a people person who can whip out 20 well-made, popular drinks (often featuring their own creations) and 50 draws of beer before you know what happened, all while keeping a crowded bar happy, lively and tipping nicely.
Those stereotypes are just that and there are many fine mixing professionals who could fall into both categories and many more who specialize in one or the other. Neither is better than the other, each has their own merits and the debate continues in the professional bartending community. In fact, many pros behind the stick are against the use of "mixology" all together and many of those are people others would mixologists.
What do you think? Is a mixologist simply an overrated title for a bartender or is there a legitimate distinction between the two?
Comments
I’m neither a bartender or a mixologist, just a regular guy whose concern, when ordering at a bar, is that the person behind the bar hears what I want and makes it properly.
When I ask for my usual Beefeater martini; up, dry, stirred with a twist, that’s what I expect to be set in front of me. Certain not what whomever makes it thinks is what I should have or what he/she is used to preparing.
That’s my rant and I’m sticking to it.
yep who cares about who’s who’s as long as you get the mix right… either way you both serve from behind the bar. Good service iright mix is all we ask for.
To me a bartender is one who dispensises mostly beer, wine and shots.
I agree with Dave ,where I work there are two kind of bartenders those that know only how to pour pints & g&t’s, whereas I make some damm fine cocktails that keep the guests coming back , so I suppose because I study and love my job I could be called a mixologist.
Finally a post that I can agree with. Though I never expected to make my living in booze I adore an article like this. Mixologists are not bartenders and someone who works behind a bar is not necessarily a bartender. From the bottom up far too many who work in bars are not interested in learning the trade and learn the least amount of drinks serving only their peers. True bartenders are those who have put effort to the craft and know drinks from sexy alligators to sidecars and kir royales, such is the level I have attained. Mixologists are that rare breed that have more specials than a monday night dive, in this school I am a mere student.
Well said Trev. I agree totally.
I think the term “Mixologist” was dreamed up by a bar tender who considered bartender a degrading term. He thought, I don’t just tend bar, I mix drinks and thus a new occupation was born.. A sort of exercise in self aggrandizement. It is similar to bulldozer operators being called operating engineers.
Unless and until some authoritative body, the state, a trade union or some such, sets standards and oversees the meeting of them, there can be no real difference between the two.
I agree. You are either a bartender, or a very good bartender.
A person who calls themself a ‘mixologist’ is merely attempting to glorify their profession by differentiating themself from a breed of very poor bartenders.
I think there’s a very important difference between the two. A bartender is a person who engages in the noble and storied profession of mixing and serving drinks. A mixologist, on the other hand, is a douchebag.
im a bartender and an aspiring flair bartender/ aspiring mixologist. i think there is a difference sort of. a bartender can simply tend the bar and know nothing about mixing drinks or really care about it for that matter. ive seen it alot and i end up with a bad drink. on the other hand a mixologist to me in a simple kind of way is a bartender who loves his or her job and is always trying to improve their skill. or it can be taken to the extent of a bartender who can create a drink in their head just by the flavors they want or want it to pair with.
@ Jon
So, a mixologist is a good bartender?
Allrighty,
I am no longer working behind the bar however I am still in the bar and booze business and must say I think there is a big difference between a bartender and a mixologist… similarly to how there’s a big difference between a chef and a cook…
The term Mixologist is a valid one and has been in use since before the first cocktail book was published in 1862. The first mention of it as far as I know was as far back as 1856 and it refers to bartenders who not only are good at entertaining their customers and who work the bar in a professional manner, but whom also have a knack with creating sublime and original concoctions…
If you don’t see the difference between the two, then I suppose you don’t see the difference between cask wine and a fine bordeaux or a big mac vs. a meal at El Bulli…
I agree with alcohologist….Bartenders serve beer and warm wine and schmooze with the bar flies….don’t know how to fix todays drinks. Gina at Lost and Found in West Los Angeles is a true mixologist. I have lived in great cities around the world and found her at our local bar. She is tthe BEST and most creative the price for ALL cocktails is $4.50!!!!! She also is a working stand up comic. Go see her for the best drink you’ve ever tasted.
I also agree with Alcohologist.
Just as in other professions, there are varying degrees of commitment, education, experience and invested interest in their chosen field. Most people understand that there is a difference between a Wine Steward and a Sommelier.
Elevating the definition well above your basic ‘drink slinger’, Bartenders, like Wine Stewards, have enough knowledge in their product to supply information, direction, and to execute the final product to the patron. Mixologists, like Sommeliers, have a higher level of education (often legitimate through accredited schools and programs) in the science behind the manufacturing and consumption of these products. They have a proven commitment to further the profession through advancement of innovation and technology.
As innovators, they are often called upon by the industry in the areas of New Product Development, Market Research, and Marketing. Many of the top professionals serve as authors or contributing editors for anything from cookbooks or lifestyle reference books to magazine articles. And many are brought on as consultants to new restaurant, entertainment, or hospitality ventures to translate an ethos or vibe consistent with the establishment’s overall message.
Of course, some will self-aggrandize and take the title of Mixologist to elevate their self-worth. But overall, if someone is considered a mixologist by their establishment, peers, and the surrounding community, a difference has been established.
I think people get too hung up on titles. For years, I had people trying to lable me a “bar chef”. Fine, whatever. I have also been called a mixologist too. The reality of the situation is that I am a bartender so long as I am behind the bar. I may employ the art of mixology in my work but, there is much more to what I do than that. There are “home enthusists” who can be mixologists but, the bartender is more than that. Not only must they know how to make a drink, they must also know how to give you the right drink. It is their job to find out what it is and provide it to you. If you need to attach a title to me to get the experience you want, do it. Just pay your tab.
Ok, I haven’t read all of the posts b/c I didn’t want to waste my time reading such crap. I have been working in cocktail and normal bars for 10 years. I run 4 top cocktail bars, but still consider myself a mixologist.
The differences between ‘bartender’ and mixologist’ are as big as the dif between a brain surgeon and a pediatrition. Mixology is very focused on science and innovation and matching tastes, textures, colours, temperatures, etc. Bartending is serving beer and spirit mixers. I know some fantastic bartenders but they are a long way from mixologists.
i agree with chris’s(14), second paragraph.
I am neither a bartender nor a mixologist. I run a liquor store. And I need to tell ya’ll that I have customers coming in all the time saying ” I just had this Fantastic drink at this bar called “whatever” and I have to look it up in my Bar-Guide so I can figure out the ingrediants for them to make it themselves at home. Most of the time they try and come back and say “it just didn’t taste the same!”
I just have to say to ya’ll–the job you do is fantastic-you and I know they can never make it at home the way you guys do. It’s what keeps YOU in business. And after they’ve bought all the liquor from me-they still can’t get it right themselves and keep going back to you. Thanks for all you do, you have a craft–keep it coming! BR
To Add on Chris’s Post, there is a very distinct difference.
Mixologist
1. If you’re a great bartender, you’ll hear “I used to bartend” or “I want to be a bartender” 10 TIMES A DAY!
2. A mixologist calls him/herself a mixologist because they have already learned all the classic & modern drinks and have moved on to who/how/when they were created.
3.A mixologist is employed at higher end establishments such as : Casino’s, Resorts, & All-suite Hotels. A mixologist also holds titles like “V.I.P. Bartender” and “Head Bartender” at these establishments.
Bartenders
1. Think they are a professional bartender.
2. Open beer at coyote ugly.
This is turning into a great conversation…thanks! Keep it up, it’s great to hear the different perspectives on such a “touchy” subject.
And they can serve a drink without lipstick from the last customer! That differnetiates a “Bartender” from a “mixolofist”
Since I first made a comment about the difference between a Bartender and a Mixologist I have read so me interesting comments , there was the guy saying that it is a gloryfied title , well maybe but a regular bartender does not as a rule go to the trouble of researching the products in his bar ,or research what products actually will blend with others ,and what fruits will blend together and taste good , the guy from the liquor store is right we guys that call ourselves Mixologist can make drinks that can not be replicated at home as we have a certain knack of making drinks and little quirks that people not in the know cannot replicate, I recentley made a guest a VESPER
MARTINI and the guest asked how I made it so light and well balached, it is with years of practice and experimentation which the average Bartender who serves beer and spirits & mixers most of his time behind a bar will never learn,that is why some of us are called Mixologists and others are good bartenders, I will never say that the average bartender does not do a good job but he tends not to be as passionate about what he does, bottom line is that the mixologist can make a damm good drink out of the most amazing ingredients and it will satisfy his clients, thats why they are called MIXOLOGISTS.
I would prefer the title bartender over mixologist. However mixology to me is someone who understands the science behind blending cocktails…perhaps a culinary background.but let’s be honest.I don’t care who makes my drink . Just put delicious booze in my glass and I’ll call you king for all I care.
I’m sorry but for the person who likened mixologists to master sommeliers, there is no certification process for mixologists. I know plenty of douchebags who call themselves mixologists. What about the waiters. There are those that work at Chilis (no offense intended) and those who hone their craft over decades learning the finer points of tableside service, expert wine service and recommendations and they are called ” waiter”. Not dining experience engineer. Of you really want to salute your craft, stick with bartender. Just go out and be a really good one!
i’ve been experimenting with drink recipies all my life, obviously virgin drinks when i was much younger, and I love being known as a bartender. but when i am compared to the guy pouring beer in the run down bar near the truck stop i usually clarify by calling myself a bartender while the other man is simply a “beer-tender”
Mixologist is the person who know how to mix any classic cocktails without following what are the brand or specific concoctions should be to get the Aromas, Color and presentation well balance.
Bartender mostly the person behind the bar who likes to see their customers on running taps but still one thing for sure that “Bartender Rules”
All I know is that I will never say, “hey, can you ask the mixologist (insert any kind of request you would hear at a bar)”
I’ll probably use the word “bartender” and I don’t mean any harm with that.
Interesting note: Firefox keeps telling that “mixologist” needs to be spell checked.
You can imagine how often I type “mixologist” and it is always marked as a misspelling no matter how many times I attempt to train my dictionary to accept it. I find it odd as well as the term stems from the 1800’s.
can we really turn away a term which is doing so much for our industry. Evolutions like this one will better service and drink structure for time to come. It is people who look down on the service industry that generally have trouble with this term. when they can make black forest foam using gas and cosmopolitan caviar then it is I that will be the first to sit down and pay attention to these people and there rants. Also I don’t believe the term should be used in the actual bar as when you are behind the bar and are bar tending then you are a bartender but when that person leaves the bar and then endeavors on their time off to better the standard of their drinks through research and other methods then they can be classed as whatever they like and who are you or I to tell them otherwise??????
I think Mixologist is just a nerdy hipster way to try and make one self feel more important than they are. I personally know several Mixologist with less than 6 months bartending experience, and the personality of wet carpet. One of them even had to ask how to make a Long Island Ice Tea! Sure they use a lot of green chartruse and dried campari dust, but most of their drinks taste like pre-prohibition cough medicine. I think the reason a lot of the classic cocktails went out of style is because they taste like sh*#! I suppose if you want to you could compare it to certain cars. Lets say the Pinto? You could probably call it a classic but it still sucks!
I am actually looking for a mixologist or someone whom I can work with to design 2 new bar menus – expat contracts are available for the right candidate? Any takers? Email me at chrischuah72@yahoo.com
I have only been tending bar for 5 years, and I’ve worked my fair share of “popping caps” and jager consuming bars, but even though i’ve worked these places, i wouldn’t call myself a “bad bartender”. i experiment QUITE often, changing up different drinks, creating my own, and trying to understand where and how things are made. i wouldn’t call myself a “mixologist”, but i also know i’m a damn good bartender. i can entertain a happy hour crowd of 20 and remember all their names & what they drink, or a music venue of 250 with efficiency and quickness. i think it’s all personal preference, an opinion. and no opinion is wrong.
I recently interviewed at the Cosmopoliton casino for a bartending position. One of the questioned they asked me was ” what’s the difference between a bartender and a mixologist?” I answered to the best of my knowledge, that it was a bartender that has a lot of experience. They responded that it’s someone who uses fresh ingredients, and infused alchohol, such as limes, mint, fresh fruit ect…. Well, that’s what I’ve been using the whole time as a bartender, duh! They said they were only hiring mixologist’s for their bar. I answered all their questioned correctly, needless to say they didn’t hire me. I think it’s best to call yourself a “mixologist” now a days…..if you want a job! Times are changing…
You are so right, the “mixologist” trend has overwhelmed the unassuming workforce, to the point where a bartending school graduate with no experience is hired before a 20 year bartending veteran, simply because of a title.
Its not really fair to put someone who works 10 hours a week opening bottles of bud and pouring pints in the same boat as someone who spends most of their waking hours researching spirits and succesful bars, trying new cocktails and mastering the craft. I dont see the difference when it comes to the kitchen (commis, head etc), drinks can be just as complex as food.
I agree with KB. Any way you slice it, he or she is a bartender. I have been in the restaurant business for over 10 years and I have worked at some very high end establishments. If I was working behind the bar, I was a bartender. If I was working on the floor, I was a waiter.
Honestly, working in the bar in my country(China) need to qualified, need to attend to bartender college, and it`s a kind of occupation in China. but after I came to UK, I find anyone who can speak english and using till and give customer drinks—–that is all call bartender. Well, now there is a word call mixologist— that just make someone who learn those knowledge form college—make them a little bit different—–only know how to mix drinks.
A professional Bartender should know how to taste-test wine, knowledge of wine, knowledge of cigar, bar management….etc
A Mixologist is someone who has a developed skill of understanding mixtures, what and how one ingredient will affect the other ingredients and why. Much of it is experimental, and some of it results in a great drink. A bartender is someone with good people skills and a great ability to make proper drinks and serve beer and wine. A Bartender should also have a good understanding of how the drinks might taste like and the various wine grapes and regions. One can be both, or mainly a bartender or mainly a mixologist. It takes patience and skill to be good at either one.
I love the fact that somebody else pointed the truth out. Thanks for the recognition. I sure do appreciate it. From your friend. at Mix Em Up Mixologist Bartending Service.
A bartender is one who has basic knowledge of mixed drinks, beer and wine and can serve quantity in a fast paced environment and make the proprietor profit. A mixologist one that has studied the craft and uses ingredients found in the kitchen. You can be one or the other or both. The professional mixologist is both.
Just like chefs, I have worked with many that can make a great dish but cannot run a kitchen. Their food tastes great but their restaurant will fail. You can be a mixologist and a crappy bartender at the same time.
ANY ONE WANTS TO WORK AT OUR NEW PLACE AS A “Mixologists” PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME. OUR PLACE IS LOCATED IN TORONTO. EMAIL: kselvachandiran@gmail.com
A bartender serves you a drink.
A mixologist serves you a drink with attitude (and suspenders).
Just a euphemism… nothing less…nothing more.
Mixologist generally for the high end club with a young crowd going to enjoy what is in at the moment, so he or she must be up to date on the latest and be innovative in their own right. Fast paced and not able to spend the time with the clientele whereas the bartender’s main job is tending to his patrons whether it is to pour an icy brew into a properly chilled mug or to listen to someone pouring their heart out over a glass. a great bartender not only mixes a good drink but makes the customers feel like family.
The difference between a bartender and a mixologist is the same as the difference between a cook and a chef.
I’d like to thank all the creative minds out there that can appreciate what a Mixologist is.I’m a music producer,songwriter,fashion guru and great cook in the kitchen for my lady.I just got out of bartending school and already my mind has laid the blueprints to becoming a Mixologist.
Research,Experimentation and Artistry are mine! Why? Not to give up my passion in music..but because I have a talent for all that is Artistic!
I couldn’t be simple in a creative field even if I tried to make it a “part-time gig”.But when you’re dormant, you remain latent while juices flow in the minds of Mixologists, tantalizing the buds, who said tasting isn’t fun!!??
For the “haters” out there, you will only appreciate what true art is (in any form of food,cocktails or desserts) when the days of a liqour tasting like cough medicine are gone.I suppose we should’ve never invented cocktails and stuck to moonshine huh SimpleSimon and HaterHailey? Average throat gugglers and drink tumblers will never innovate, only a Mixologist will create for our tastes.
It’s not the title….we bleed passion!
It ALL depends on the Management. Do they [the management] employ bartenders in the first place or JUST people who sling drinks? A ‘Bartender’, to me is someone who Tends a Bar, properly and IF that bar sells and serves mixed drinks i.e. G&T’s or cocktails or molecular creations, then their bartenders need to be mixologists as part of their job description. The term ‘Bartender’ is a term to be revered and respected and should in no way be used to describe someone who is not as ‘good’ as a mixologist. bar workers are two-a-penny, Bartnders are rare, and if the establishment calls for mixology then any bartender worth her or his title SHOULD be a mixologist on TOP of their bartender title, NOT instead of it. Ha! Cheers!
hmmm.. I’ve been tending bar for over 15 yrs. I perfer to be called an “Intoxicologist.”