U FLAIR ! September 2011

The Ultimate Bartending Competition in 2011

During the early 90’s until early 20^th century, bartending competitions for students in the country has been linked with trade shows or culinary events. I myself joined a few but I was always wondering why there aren’t any exclusive bartending competitions. I was browsing through the internet one day and to my delight I stumbled upon the FBA (Flair Bartenders’ Association) which was based in the United States. Membership was possible online so I decided to be a member. This group helped me a lot because this was where I met all the top dogs of bartending at that time (and until now) and I got to interact with them even online.  It is here where I was inspired to put up my own bartending competition inspired and patterned after LEGENDS bartending competition which was held in Las Vegas, the mecca of bartending.

I was determined to elevate bartending here in my own little way through the students since no one was willing to at that time. This was dubbed LAST CALL! Bartending challenge. This was the first competition to do away with jiggers and do free pouring through “Working Flair”. We also had a “Pour test” that was a bonus round. I had to go through my list of schools, sponsors and friends just to make it happen. At first the dean of each school I went to were hesitant but with sheer determination they joined. The first year had around 50 participants. The following year it increased. Kolehiyala Flairshowdown was also born which was exclusive for girls. We had a good 4 year run. All good things must come to an end for I had to work for Holland America for 2006. But before that I designed a competition for a Major juice company that had it going for 2 years. When I came back, I judged a competition, I was amazed that the skills set of students doubled but to my dismay, the technical stuff and mixology aspect decreased. Electrical tapes were all over the bottle and shakers and. No one had a spill stop 285-50. Very alarming.

It’s been around 4 years since I organized a competition but I have been brainstorming and this was the right year to introduce a new format and bring competitions back to proper perspective. Everything fell into place and I worked with On ground activation and DKT Philippines. This year marked the beginning of a new kind of bartending for the Philippines. U FLAIR! This is Flair and Mixology combined. Objective is to make a drink on the spot in 4 minutes based on the descriptions he will draw from 2 lots. To give you an idea, one lot has the secret ingredient like mint, orange, and banana. The other lot contains descriptions like “something fruity”, “something potent” and the list goes on. Why this kind of format? Well, in a real bar situation, a guest will come to you not knowing what to drink. The usual bartender would just recommend any drink out of the bar list. A professional bartender on the other would ask the guest what flavor he likes and from there derive and create a personal drink. I didn’t copy this from any other competition. I just thought that this is what service excellence is all about. So I wanted to make students experience this since they will be doing this when they are in a real bar.

U FLAIR! Had around 50 applicants which were trimmed down to 36. These were then spread out into 3 venues: ICON, Club Phi, and Eivissa Super Club. The Grand finals was held at Dolce Superclub. 

I missed the competition scene especially the briefing part. This is where I get to gauge how the competition will be based on their questions and comments. (Include list of students)This competition is not the only first to introduce a new concept for 2011, it is also the first to give away a PORTABLE BAR as GRAND PRIZE as well as ORIGINAL FLAIR BOTTLES as trophies. We had resident judges who were all prominent in the beverage industry in their own right. I had no chefs as judges in a bartending competition of course. The first heat at ICON was pretty tough for it was their first time for this kind of format. The judges would say were understanding but they didn’t compromise the objective of the competition. The winners of this hat were probably the ones who were focused since most of the contestants forgot to put garnish on their creations.

The second heat was held in Club Phi at Metro Walk Ortigas. The venue was bigger and the competition mode I would say was a bit prepared compared to the first which was understandable.

The third heat was done at Eiivissa Super Club at Tomas Morato. Here the main challenge was the celing forit was too low for a bartending competition.Another one was the strobe lights right above  the stage for this made some of the contestants’ move restricted. Nevertheless, they were still able to show case their metal and it was a pretty good performance by everyone.

The GRAND FINALS was held at Dolce Super Club. The execution of this one was splendidly done having a technical as well as a stage director to oversee the details. The duration of the event was like American Idol style for each contestant had an introduction video before they were introduced.

 Another highlight of this competition was the reintroduction of the POURTEST using an authentic EXACTO POUR unlike some competition that only used “TEST TUBES”. I hope this round of the competition should be present for all those who wish to come up and produce a competition themselves for this is the basic skill needed for WORKING FLAIR.

It was a nerve wracking atmosphere during the FINALS for people had no clue who was gonna win since it was  the first time to have this kind of format.

The distinguished panel of judges during the Grand finals were: Dax Jaurigue of Source Asia Business Inc., Philippe Bartholomi of Century Park, Roderick Sorino of Princess cruises and The Brand Manager of DKT Philippines Mr. Norman Campoy. I would also like to acknowledge the other judges during the elimination round which were Henry Magalona of Philippine Barista Guild and Rey Navoa also from Source Asi a Business Inc.

To conclude, I personally hope that this competition maybe a learning experience. To be a professional bartender we need to know the basics and constantly enrich ourselves with knowledge for as they say “ Knowledge is the best investment”

Here are some pictures from this historical bartending competition. 
Please check this link:  Pictures of U FLAIR!

Who is Larry Guevara a.k.a "The Saint"?

Hi guys!!! It's been a while since my last blog. I have been a little busy with some stuff left and right but during that long stall I was itching to write one blog. Well better late than never.Here in the Philippines, I would like to think that there are only a handful of professional bartenders that I recognize and this guy fits to a T especially that he is also from the high seas.


Give us a brief profile of yourself.

- My name's Larry Guevara, a.k.a. "The Saint" because of my seminary backgrounds back in the days. I used to work for TGIFriday's from 2003 to 2005 but I'm now working as a Cruise Lines Flair Bartender for Celebrity Cruises. And when people ask me why I chose to be a bartender instead of becoming a priest - well, I realized there are more spirits behind the bar than in the church.

Place of birth, grade school, high school and college

- I was born in Bicol,Sorsogon. Spent my high school and college at the Our Lady of Penafrancia Seminary (to become a priest then.) I finished my first degree in AB Philosophy then eventually pursued culinary at the Philippines Women's University where I got my second degree in Hotel and restaurant Management.

What was your First job?

- I first started in the hospitality industry working as a Front Desk Personnel at Hotel Intramuros de Manila which was actually affiliated with the Hotel and Tourism Institute of the Philippines under the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines back in 2002.

What made u decide to pursue First job?

-Call it fate but I attended a seminar on Front Desk Operations as part of our school prerequisites and it was timely that the hotel was looking for a front desk personnel. I was getting high marks and the professor asked me if I would be interested to work at the hotel. The rest, as they say, is history.

Did u make it as a bartender right away?

-Just to give you a short background of my bartending career, I started applying for the bartender position at TGIFriday's since the beginning of 2000 but I didn't get the job until 2003. The thing was, eventhough I had the guts and the basic knowledge of becoming a bartender I later realized that I lacked alot on experience and bartending skills which explains why I didn't make the cut. But that didn't stop me from pursuing though my dream of becoming a bartender. In fact, like the story of Michael Jordan when he didn't make the cut in his sophomore years to play basketball, the experience taught me alot of lessons and made me even more passionate and determined to pursue my bartending career. Through research, constant practice and alot of heart poured into my new found calling, everything finally paid off when I finally got a flair bartender job at TGIFriday's Malate in 2003.


What Competitions have you joined? How did u do?

-My first bartending competition was at the Last Call Bartending Challenge for students (which you actually organized.) Since I joined TGIF I had the pleasure of competing and representing my TGIF Malate store in 2003 and in 2004. But my most memorable would be my first competition in 2003 held at TGIF Quezon City branch where I emerged as the first runner-up and the crowd favorite. It was a phenomenal competition for me coz for the record I was the first Filipino flair bartender who did the 3-bottle juggle combined with the 'swipe' and the 'figure 8' moves which the crowd have never seen before. That was the greatest achievement I'll never forget in my flair bartending career.

Do u think these competitions that who have joined will make u ready to join the top dogs of flair in the future?

- I've been out of the competitions for some time now but I believe that with my experience and the level of my flair bartending skills now I can say that I've progressed alot. However, there are alot of competitions both local and international and they all have different rules and regulations to follow. I'm really looking forward to being back in the competition circuit soon most especially that I've finally found my own style of flair. Nowadays, it's so easy to watch flair moves in the internet like you tube but in real competitions (like the FBA sanctioned events) copying or executing moves would not get you farther as compared to working on oyur own original and raw moves.

Who do u look up to? Local/ International?

- Since I started with flair bartending I've always looked up to the Argentine style of flair like the Delpech brothers, Adriano Marcellino, Juan Llorente and Christian Oldan. I've always liked their fluid style of flair. I started dancing when I was young so their style opened my mind the possibility of incorporating dance and flair in my moves. Also, they always put on a great show and a smile on their faces everytime they are on stage which makes it even entertaining.

Who gave u the “Saint” monicker?

- I was first called the "Flair Devil" back in 2003 coz of my sick moves and out-of-this-world style. But I guess this monicker caused me my 2 competitions so I finally decided to change it to "The Saint" because of my seminary background.

Working on ships, what can u say about flair in ships? How about bartending in general? Is it easier to work in ships or landbase?

- Flair in the ship is now becoming a rule rather than an exemption. My point is, more and more flair bartenders are getting jobs because of their extra skills as compared to a bartender who can't flair. In my present company, for example, they realized the importance of competing with the shoreside establishments like in Las Vegas so the company finally decided to bring the concept of flair bartending in ships thus they added the concept of the Martini Bar which is actually a flair bar. Apparently, bartending in ships is way more different in a landbase bar or restaurant although the same basic knowledge and skills have to be acquired first in order to succeed as a bartender. Like in a chain restaurant, the bartenders creativity in preparing cocktails can sometimes be limited because of the company rules and standards. However, this shouldn't stop anyone from pushing the envelop because like any other profession bartending is a continued process of learning, of trial and error. Now, working in cruise ships as compared to any landbase establishment is not an easy job. It is more demanding; involves longer hours and a lot of 'special cleaning' most especially in the US ports where the United States Public health inspectors get onboard the ship to check whether the standards on sanitation and safety of the ship are followed and met. It is a grueling job being in the cruise ship too because of the trainings and the drills that all crew members have to undergo throughout the contract.

Have u made contributions in your own little way to promote our profession?

- Every time I'm working behind the bar, I always take pride in my profession and in the cocktails that I prepare for the guests. I can assume that I stand out above the rest not only because of my bartending skills and knowledge but most importantly because of my personality behind the bar. Also, whenever I'm given the opportunity to give out talks to an audience I always try to bring them in into the bartender's world of flair and mixology. In my flair shows, however, I always make sure that I have the Philippine flag with me so I can be better recognized as a Filipino flair bartender who is proud of my culture and heritage.

What is your signature move if any?

- The "foot swipe" like a breakdance flair move. The "London Bridge" with a bottle and tin exchange from between my legs and a whole lot more.....Hehehehehe...Check out my videos in youtube! Search for speakeasy101.
So what's next for the Saint?
- Life is a very unpredictable reality so for the moment I just want to go with the flow and let the tides of life lead me. Working in the cruise lines has been one of the best part of my career so I guess I'll keep on travelling for now to see the world and enjoy life to the fullest. Cheers!

Basic Bartending Seminar

We will be hosting a Basic Bartending Seminar at the Ultima Entrepinoy Center on May 18 and 29. Another session will be on May 25 and 27 for those who can't make it on the first. Early birds can take advantage of the discounted price of P1,600 (normal price is P1,700). Here's the poster we created for this workshop.



Hope to see you all there!

NC II Bartending in the Philippines ---is it necessary??

If one will go to Google.com and search, ”What do I need to be a certified bartender?,” there is a link that would say that one must be at least 18 years of age since it is the legal age of drinking. There are some states that would say 21. It really depends on the law of each state. I also read that to get a certificate you must attend classes, in this case “bartending classes,” that go thru 8 sessions for 4 hours each, after which, you take a final exam and get a certificate.

Here in the Philippines, “Bartending” is part of the course Hotel and Restaurant Management. It is divided into lecture and lab parts and is better known as beverage or bar management which is usually taken by students in their 2nd or 3rd year in college. In this regard, we can say that we are following what other countries are doing in terms of following the legal age for drinking. If one finishes the course, one gets a diploma since a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management is good for 4 years.

Although now, since I believe there is an Associate course which lets the student finish the course in 2 years, it is here they get a certificate.Another thing I know is that there are really “bartending schools” in some countries, not just short courses but schools. And the more credible schools do placements in establishments.

So after reading these I would say that so far I am a certified bartender based on the information I got. I searched another website and I would say that I need this training to be really certified:

(Taken from the link http://www.certifiedbartender.com)

Bartending Licenses

As a general rule most states do not require specialized training, certification or licensing for Bartenders, however, some localities (counties and cities) require Bartenders apply for a license to Bartend. It is strongly encouraged that you check with your local city hall to determine if one is required where you plan on working. The licensing fee varies but generally it it costs between $25 and $50 and takes less than 1 month to receive -- usually it can be processed in a couple of days. Most do require Bartenders to go through some sort of Certification program such as the B.A.I.'s Certified Bartender course.

What Is T.I.P.S.? Training for Intervention Procedures by Servers of Alcohol.

If you serve alcohol or employ people who do, more and more of our courts have a message for you. You've got to do more to stop intoxicated customers from driving drunk. To help you avoid that risk, and help save lives, there is a proven training program called TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures by Servers of Alcohol). Generally your employer will provide this training to you either as an ethical choice or potentially to receive a reduction in liability insurance rates.

What Is L.E.A.D.S.?

The L.E.A.D.S. (Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs Alcohol Seller/Server Training Program) is a free, voluntary prevention and education program for retail licensees, their employees, bartenders and applicants. It began on January 1, 1991 with a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Since February 1995, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has funded the program. Since 1991, the L.E.A.D.S. Program has trained over 100,000 people.

The curriculum is designed for licensees, managers, bartenders, and employees. There is no separate management curriculum. Program length is 3-1/2 hours, except for Fairs/Special Events Training, which is 2 hours.

Benefits Of L.E.A.D.S Training

Reduces risk of liability, including criminal (court action), civil (lawsuit) and administrative (ABC accusation).

1. L.E.A.D.S. Training can help reduce the risk of license revocation.
2. Possible reduced insurance premiums.
3. Provides ways to deal with difficult situations.

So you see, these 2 training programs are very important. I have asked this question before, how come we aren’t really strict in serving alcohol to minors? The answer I got from one mentor is because of our economic situation. This I believe shouldn’t be an excuse because we shouldn’t limit our learning based on what we have in our country.

When I worked on ships, serving alcohol to minors was strictly monitored and followed. One could lose a job right away when found out. I being in a situation where I was with a mother and daughter. The mom ordered a bottle of champagne from me and asked me to give her 2 glasses and pour champagne in them. Based on dramshop law, L.E.A.D.S. and T.I.P.S., what would you do?

I have been in the bartending profession for about 11 years now and I have been connected in the academe for about 5 years. When I arrived here n the country supposedly for my vacation, I was fortunate enough to have been invited as a judge in one in-school bartending competition. Upon conversing with some people from the academe I found out that it is now required for educators to take competency exams so they could teach aside from taking up a masteral course eventually. Wow! Actually, it is a good idea to be “certified” but at the back of my head, is it worth taking the exam? One will pay a fee and for what, to get a piece of paper which states that you are qualified to teach Bartending which here in the country, I believe there is really a need to certify educators into teaching bartending since not anybody can really teach this profession . And I have been in both academe and industry for what, more than what is necessary?

I had second thoughts but I figured since I wanted to go back to the academe again, then "let us do what the Romans do." After 2 weeks of delay I finally came to the assessment center with my picture, resume, and P900. I didn't study deliberately to see if I will pass or not based on mere stored knowledge.

After taking the exam which I would say lasted for about 2 hours since it contained written and practical exams, I would say I passed. As I write this blog I did pass! But here's the catch, I felt that I was shortchanged. I was expecting more since I paid P900, I didn't get what I paid for. I could have been happier if I found the exam hard and it would be easier for me to accept if I failed having known I didn't prepare. If there would be readers from TESDA, let this blog be an appeal, I am not mocking this exam but please make it more worth its fee. There were some instances that kind of affected my ego.

I took the same exam with a fourth year college student and we paid the same fee. I am not being arrogant or something but can't there be a level so there would be an appropriate exam for a certain bracket or group? I used to teach in TESDA Women's Center and I would think that the things that I have been teaching them to pass the NC s the same questions I answered. I only look up to a handful of people that I consider mentors in the area of Bartending, and none of those are connected with TESDA.

I paid for an exam which was photocopied poorly. with some misspelled and missing words, and some poor grammatically constructed questions. I believe that nobody's perfect. I have nothing against the assessor for he was just tasked to assess. I have nothing against the assessment center for the questionnaires I would think is centralized. TESDA is supposed to be highly regarded as the center of skills development. But where is the skill in developing a well thought of, well-produced exam?

We are talking about economic crunch, so why charge so much for something of low value? If I may I can help suggest making the exam a more dignified one and as I have mentioned a separate exam for the students and instructors. I think this goes back to what I have observed that the bartending profession here is very much taken for granted. I cannot blame them for there are really very few qualified and credible individuals who can teach the profession. It is not just flipping of bottles. Again, I call to all educators, with the COHREP's theme of MOVING FORWARD AND BEYOND, let us indeed do this in every little thing we do so we can teach our students to be globally competitive.

Bartending as a Profession

What is a REAL Bartender?

I am currently working as a bartender on a cruise ship and I can safely say that it is a different kind of experience. Nature of the job is basically the same as being a bartender on land. At first I thought that I will find it hard to adapt because of the tall tales I have heard before I got this job.

But bearing in mind that I have been bartending for quite sometime as well as teaching the profession, needless to say, everything else became like second nature.

This post is a very good way to start 2010 because this is the essence why this site was made. I remember we had one training for us bartenders and our head bartender asked us, “What is a bartender?”

Our head bartender said a bartender is the one who mixes drinks…does this…does that…etc. etc. … and I thought, oh, how slow can you get?

I just kept silent for the duration of this seminar because I felt like I didn’t have the same wave length as the rest did although I know the others didn’t simply care. If you would read the previous lines again, it is not “what is” but “who is,” yet technically before you ask the person you should try to find out the noun where the person was derived from.

I hope I am making sense here…

Bartending According to the Books

Our profession, bartending, comes from the word “bartend” which is made up of two words “bar” which means any horizontal object which can act as a barrier between the bartender and his/her beverages from the guest and ”tend” which means to serve or dispense.

A bartender is the person who is in charge of the bar…in some countries this person is known as the barkeeper. So first and foremost a bartender should know everything that he has in his bar and what his bar is all about.

The profession as defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary :

A calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.

A profession is a vocation founded upon specialised educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain"[1]. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, professions involve the application of specialised knowledge of a subject, field, or science to fee-paying clientele.[2] It is axiomatic that "professional activity involves systematic knowledge and proficiency."[3] Professions are distinguished from other occupations represented by trade groups due to their level of legal recognition.[4]

Based on my research, during the olden days, almost anybody can be a bartender. You can be a college student who wants to earn some extra money or you can be a somewhat older person who wants to keep busy for the remainder of your life.

An example of this is the young student who is working his/her way through college and often too young to even legally buy liquor in a bar themselves; but can earn an extra income serving drinks in that same bar as a bartender.

On the other side of the coin, an elderly person can turn their hands to bartending to supplement their pensions. Between these two extreme age groups there are all kinds of people who fill the position of a bartender.

In fact, barmen have been likened to the man in the streets (or should we say man in the pubs) psychologist or priest. Those two additional professions, inevitably, come with the job.

Bartending is really one of those really ancient occupations that have been around since man first started picking up 'ladies of the night' from the very earliest forms of taverns.

However, although prostitutes are often termed as being part of a profession (or indeed part of the oldest profession), very few people ever think of bartending as a profession at all! It is just a "fill-in job" in most people's eyes.

Here in the Philippines, during the 70’s until early 90’s people who tended the bar were just “accidental” bartenders, they were either underemployed or were just trying to make both ends meet. But during the mid 90’s bartending has become a course/subject under the BS Hotel and Restaurant Management course/discipline.

How I Became Interested in Bartending

Personally, I took the course at first because I wanted to eat…but as I encountered this course in my 2nd year which is called Bar Management Laboratory and Lecture, interest grew since I must admit during those days drinking after class was a routine. But I stumbled into this movie by Tom Cruise entitled Cocktails and if you watched this movie, who wouldn’t want to be a bartender with the perks that come with it?

And so the interest for flair grew when I tried having a short training in TGIF.

After graduation, I had to be a bum for some months since during my time, if you wanted to apply for a bartender job, all the ads would say “with 3 years experience.”

WOW, a fresh grad having experience…hmmm…Sucks, right?!?!

I always tell myself how can you have experience if you can’t be given the opportunity to have one? But then again it’s all about timing. I finally landed my bartending job simply because nobody else would take the job because of the pay. It was kinda low at that time…but I didn’t go for the pay since I was just starting out…I wanted to gain “experience.”

So let’s get back to the topic at hand…bartending is indeed and should be a profession. If anybody can be a bartender before, not anybody can qualify as a professional bartender. It’s not enough that you know how to mix drinks. The knowledge in bartending never ceases, from the different brands of liquors available in the market, to the bar trends, to the latest cocktails that people drink, and every other information about bartending that you should at least have an idea about since the growth of the profession now is tremendous!!!

Possible Career Paths of a Professional Bartender

In fact, if you really love the bartending profession, let me show you how diverse and interesting one’s career can be if he is really a “professional.” If you decide to work whether for a free-standing bar, a hotel or a cruise ship, this is how your path would be:
If you decide to be your own boss and be an entrepreneur:

That’s why I miss being in circulation when it comes to the business. I am surprised that since I have been gone during a contract, some people here in my country claim they are the best or that they were the first. My friends, you as well as I know that talk is cheap. Walk your talk. Be a professional bartender and do your job. That’s all that matters.

If anybody would ask me if I am a bartender, I would say I am a professional bartender.

PS: The first picture on this article is Professor Jerry Thomas, the father of American Mixology.

The second picture is Harry Schraemli, a swiss author who wrote books on cocktails.