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Training You How to
Sell and Serve Alcohol Responsibly

Top BAC Apps and Educational Tools

July 1, 2018 by Aaron Heasley

Being a bartender or being involved in alcohol sales means means you might be asked from time to time about blood alcohol content (BAC) from customers, friends, or curious family members. You should have a toolbox of BAC apps at your disposal. Once you receive your certification, you become the go-to person for everything alcohol related.

 

“How much alcohol is in a screwdriver?”

“Can I drink more if I eat first?”

“Will I get sick if I drink liquor or beer first?”

 

Some of the questions are silly, but others give you a chance to really impart some health education on how people can be responsible drinkers. Here are a few of the top BAC apps and educational tools in use today.

BAC Breathalyzer

A more surefire way to test BAC is with the BACTrack Breathalyzer App for iOS. You need the breathalyzer which connects the app to your device wirelessly using Bluetooth. One of the best features is that you can use it to test not only yourself, but your friends who are with you as well. Another nice feature is the ZeroLine which tells you approximately how long it will take you to get all of the alcohol out of your system.

The Virtual Bar

Available both online and as an app, The Virtual Bar from The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility is a good BAC estimator to explore before you go out for a night of drinking. You select your gender, height, weight, and age, and then the type of drink to consume. You also select how long you take to consume the drink, a minute (like a shot or chug), 15 minutes, or 30 minutes. This app also allows you to add food eaten which can be an important factor in BAC. When you begin drinking with food in your stomach, this slows the absorption of alcohol. So, you can see the difference between drinking on an empty stomach, or after a cheeseburger and fries. This app also tells you how long it will take you to get back to 0.000 BAC.

Duke University

The Alcohol Pharmacology Education Partnership at Duke University has an excellent comprehensive program for sharing information with high school-aged students. This is an ideal program for talking about drinking with your kids, nieces and nephews, or even first year college students. We hope they don’t drink because it’s illegal for anyone under 21 (under most circumstances), but parties happen and opportunities happen. Let’s arm them with the information they need to make safe decisions based on the facts.

You’ll want to keep your toolkit of alcohol education apps and materials handy as you enter your bartending or alcohol sales career. You never know who you’ll be able to help by showing how them how to enjoy responsibly.

Filed Under: Blog

Weird Alcohol Laws and Other Useless Trivia

June 4, 2018 by Aaron Heasley

Weird Alcohol Laws on the Booksweird alcohol laws

There are some fairly standard alcohol laws that most of us can get behind, like having a BAC (blood alcohol content) level too high to operate machinery and a legal age for drinking. But there are some others that make you say “Wait…what?” Here are just a few of the weird alcohol laws on the books around the country. Perhaps knowing a few of these tidbits will help you during your next night of local bar trivia.

Maine

Maine was the first state to prohibit manufacturing and sale of liquor in 1851. The ban only lasted 5 years, which was plenty long enough for those who like a little white wine with their melted-butter soaked lobster tails.

Then, ever since the nationwide prohibition, which was from 1919 to 1933, Maine legislators allowed communities to determine to their alcohol status. This leaves about 50 areas in Maine today that are completely dry.

But the whole state isn’t so stuffy. If St. Patrick’s Day lands on a Sunday, when one typically can’t buy alcohol before 9:00 am (cause you should be in church, you heathen!), they’ll look the other way while you buy armloads of beer at the crack of dawn.

Alabama

Keep the ladies off the labels and everything will be ok in Alabama. That’s right, in the heart of the Bible belt, you can drink your wine, but you won’t find any labels with “immodest or sensual” imagery. That would be just too much to bear! Now get me my Alabama Slammer or Yellowhammer and meet me on the side porch to watch this hurricane go through.

Ohio

“Feel free to drink like a fish in Ohio, but no matter how tempted you may be, do not give any alcohol to a fish.”

This oft-cited weird alcohol law is actually not true. There is nothing on the books in Ohio that says you can’t get a Bass as tipsy on Buckeye beers as you’d like. But it turns out there is some history with the strange, yet popular, non-law.

It wasn’t Ohio, but Oklahoma where there was a law on the books that you couldn’t poison to catch fish with “fish berries,” a native berry used to flavor a local distilled brew. Somehow, over time, it all got mixed up into getting fish drunk and a typo from Oklahoma to Ohio makes this one of the longest running alcohol myths to date.


South Carolina and Kentucky

Election day – A day where about half of the population will want a drink or two to celebrate, and the other half will want several more drinks to drown in their sorrows. Too bad if you live in South Carolina or Kentucky because there’s no drinking allowed on Election Day. But, go ahead and build up a hoard of liquor and beer in your home for that special day, because the law is actually just against serving it or selling it. Here’s to legal loopholes!

 

Filed Under: Blog

5 Basic Steps to Becoming a Bartender

May 24, 2018 by Aaron Heasley

permitBeing a bartender is a great job. You get to socialize, the shifts are flexible, and you earn tips. Do you want to become a bartender but don’t know what it takes? Try these simple steps to start your journey.

Get an ABC permit
ABC stands for alcoholic beverage control. These permits are obtained by taking classes, and they educate you in the art and business of serving alcohol. Having an ABC permit can help you stay well versed in the most current regulations so you avoid fines, insurance hikes, loss of your liquor license, or even business closure.

Memorize classic cocktails
Classic cocktails are going to be some of the most popular drinks people order, so it’s a good idea to know how to make them. Research some of the most popular cocktails so you have a good base knowledge of what your customers will order. Drinks like a Martini, Manhattan, Margarita, Bloody Mary, Long Island Iced Tea, Whiskey Sour, and an Old Fashioned are all considered classic cocktails.

Learn the lingo
If you’ve ever spent time in a bar, then you’ve probably heard some of the bartending terms that most bartenders use. You can learn these during your training, but it’s beneficial to know them ahead of time. Terms like “on the rocks,” “with a twist,” “up,” and “neat” are all phrases you should understand. You should also know terms like shaking, muddling, or stirring, and how they change the way a drink is made.

Practice, practice, practice
Before you step behind the bar, the best thing you can do is practice. You can throw a party with all your friends and play bartender for the night so you can really build up the skills and muscle memory it takes to become a good, quick bartender. Your friends can give you their honest opinion on how good your drinks taste so you can improve.

Try a barback position first
The barback is basically the busser of a bar. They lift heavy objects like kegs and other package orders, and they run around the bar making sure everyone has what they need. Becoming a barback is a great way to get familiar with the bar if you’re not quite ready to become a bartender yet.

There are approximately 65,116 bars, taverns, and nightclubs across the United States today. If you want to bartend at one of them, make sure you get your ABC permit, memorize the classics, learn the lingo, and practice. All of these tips should get you on the path to success.

Filed Under: Blog

4 Awesome Benefits of Being a Bartender

May 3, 2018 by Aaron Heasley

abcYou’ve been to a bar or restaurant where you’ve seen a bartender having tons of fun with their customers. Besides working with booze all the time, there are other benefits to becoming a bartender. If you have the skills to do it, here are some undeniable reasons being a bartender is an awesome job.

You always get to socialize

People come into bars every day, so you are always talking with someone. You get to meet all different kinds of people, and you never know what kind of entertaining conversation awaits. You also never know what kind of relationships you’ll form with the people you meet. You might make great networking connections, new friends, or even find the love of your life.

You get tips

On top of your hourly wage, most patrons will tip you for your service. The better your service, the better your tips will be. This gives you a great earning potential. You might take home a whole week’s pay in just one busy Friday night after all the tips you get.

The shifts are flexible

If you’re not the kind of person that wants a nine-to-five office job, then bartending might be the choice for you. You typically can work the lunch shift and be out for activities with your friends later, or you work at night and have free time during the day. Either way, you aren’t chained to a desk completing boring work every day.

You don’t need a degree

When you apply to be a bartender, the employer does not ask what your degree is in. Although you don’t need a traditional college degree to be a bartender, it helps to have ABC classes under your belt. An ABC license gives you the knowledge you need to be a safe, successful bartender. You learn almost everything you’re going to need to know when you’re actually behind the bar serving drinks to patrons.

The employment of bartenders across the country is projected to grow 10% from 2014 to 2024. This rate is faster than the average for all other occupations. It’s no wonder more and more people want to be bartenders. You get to meet people, get tips, the shifts are flexible, and the ABC training is way more interesting than studying for a college degree. Have fun on your new adventure as a bartender!

Filed Under: Blog

ABC Class: Bartender Best Practices Behind the Pine

March 26, 2018 by Aaron Heasley

abc classShoutout to all you bartenders out there. You’ve got a doozy of a job some days, and it can be wildly thankless and stressful, but your level of responsibility is no joke. Maybe you took your ABC class a while ago, maybe you’re enrolling in classes now or getting a license soon. Either way, the advice ahead is universal.

You know the gig. When bartenders are on a shift, they can go 10 to 12 hours straight, sometimes without taking a break. Getting tired is a fact of the industry, but getting lazy is not. You’re the kings and queens who hold the keys to the castle from behind the bar and have an obligation to look out for the contentment, safety, and health of masses that flood you with incessant requests for service. The ultimate service industry balancing act. We have some simple mantras that’ll keep you keen back there. Some you may learn in ABC class, others are from years in the trenches, and you’re bound to come across some of your own as you go forward, but all of them are excellent to keep in mind and practice.

Awareness is key

Barring extreme circumstances, being aware of what’s going on in your bar will help you avoid issues before they actually become issues. The bartender on their phone can’t possibly serve people, let alone see if there are situations developing that require immediate or impending attention. Heads up, phones down, you’re vigilant; you surely don’t want to be in the position of not knowing what’s going on if something happens in your domain.

Time is your ally

The only thing that cures drunk is time. Not coffee, not food, not some ill-contrived internet hack or pill, just time. Awareness plays into this because you can’t know a patron’s intake level and consumption timeframe unless you’re paying attention whilst serving. Bartenders can get in a lot of trouble if they aren’t focused here. They’re at your bar, they’re asking you for beverages, not serving themselves. As much as it’s your responsibility to be aware of them, it’s your responsibility to be aware of yourself. Take care to not overserve and make sure everyone has a water in front of them, regardless of whether or not they drink it (it’s just good form).

If you must, be the enemy

They’ll teach this in ABC class, but you won’t feel how difficult it is until you’re put in the position of being the enemy. There comes a point in every bartender’s career that they have to stop serving someone, ask someone to leave, or send them home. Naturally, 99% of the time, this doesn’t go over well with the person being given the boot. It’s not fun being the bad guy/girl in that instance, but we guarantee it’s for the best. You’re looking out for their safety, plus, in the end, they’ll end up returning and thanking you most times. Being the enemy from time to time saves the customer, the establishment, and you.

Bartending is one of the most interesting jobs in existence. You cultivate your own social microcosm immersed in a rich tapestry of human interaction and exchange, just add alcohol. That can make things a bit more combustible, but that’s part of the fun. So long as safety, awareness, and responsibility are entering into your process behind the bar, you’re well on your way to making the best bar environment possible.

Filed Under: Blog

4 Facts You Need to Know About ABC Permits in Tennessee

June 29, 2017 by Aaron Heasley

abc permitAlcohol sales are some of the most prevalent in America. In fact, at least 24.3 million people have purchased beer in a nightclub or bar within the last 30 days alone. But if your establishment serves alcohol, it’s important to follow the proper ABC permit and licensing guidelines to a tee.

Here’s a short guide for business owners in Tennessee to help build a better knowledge of just what needs to happen for proper TABC compliance.

Pregnancy Warnings Are Not Optional
When an establishment sells alcoholic beverages, it is required by law to display a pregnancy warning. According to guidelines from the TABC, this warning must be posted “in a prominent place, easily seen by customers.” This is essential, as not having a sign posted can result in a fine of $25 per day.

Servers Have a Limited ABC Class Window
When a server is hired, they have exactly 61 days from the day they began serving to acquire an ABC permit. This means there is a small, two month window in which a server must take ABC classes and obtain a permit. Needless to say, it’s better to acquire this permit sooner rather than later.

There Is No Grace Period After a Permit Expires
A server permit is good for five years, after which it will expire. Unfortunately, there’s no grace period between a permit’s expiration and when a server must apply for new documentation. This means a permit must be renewed before its expiration date!

Establishments Must Keep Copies of ABC Permits
Every server working with alcoholic beverages should have a permit to do so. In addition, the establishment in which they work must have a copy of that permit for every server. That means as soon as a permit has been issued, a server should bring it to their place of employment so the appropriate copies can be created.

Acquiring server permits is only half the battle. The rest involves keeping up to date on standards, restaurant requirements, and general knowledge about the serving and consuming of alcoholic beverages. Make sure you and your staff are adequately informed.

Filed Under: Blog

Important Ways to Protect Yourself When Serving Alcohol

May 25, 2017 by Aaron Heasley

licenseDid you know that almost 43% of bartenders work in restaurants or similar eating establishments? That’s right, it’s not just bars employing staff members who serve alcohol. Whether you’re part of the restaurant industry or the bar industry, it’s crucial that your employees know how to properly serve alcohol. Here are a few practical things you should know.

Don’t serve alcohol to an intoxicated customer.
If a customer is visibly intoxicated when they order a drink, it’s time to cut them off. How do you know when someone has had too many? Monitoring. Checking in with customers periodically and making note of how many drinks they’ve already ordered is an important part of making sure your patrons are safe in your establishment.

Don’t serve to the point of intoxication.
Any licensed bartender or server should know when to stop serving drinks. The signs of intoxication obviously arise on a highly individualized basis, but an experienced server should know the telltale signs of intoxication in their customers. Some common symptoms to look for are flushed skin, heightened aggression, and nausea or dizziness.

Always ask for ID.
Serving alcohol to anyone under the age of 21 is illegal. Even if someone appears over 21, it’s imperative to ask for the proper identification. If this isn’t standard practice, servers not only risk breaking the law, they risk losing their jobs as well. It’s absolutely crucial for servers to know how to properly check an ID to ensure nobody under the age of 21 is allowed to purchase or drink alcohol.

Invest in ABC classes.
If you want to make sure every server in your establishment is fully prepared and knowledgeable about the sale of alcoholic beverages, ABC classes are absolutely essential. In these classes, servers will learn all of the information above and more. Training typically culminates in the issuing of a license or permit which businesses can keep on record. If you have any questions about ABC training, don’t hesitate to contact our team at Aim to Serve.

Learning to serve alcohol is only half the battle. After that, it’s a matter of making sure employees are upholding the procedures learned in their ABC classes. Don’t let your business go unprotected.

Filed Under: Blog

A Few Important Reasons to Invest in Corporate Alcohol Training

May 4, 2017 by Aaron Heasley

classesAlcohol sales play a large financial role for many restaurants around the world, but there are several important steps they must take before serving alcohol becomes a reality. And one of the most important is corporate alcohol training classes for employees. Here are just a few of the many reasons your food establishment should be investing in these classes.

Training and Tracking
Keeping tabs on servers’ alcohol training is one of the most important tasks a restaurant owner or manager has to perform. If a training certificate is out of date or an employee hasn’t been properly trained for alcohol serving yet, it can pose serious consequences not just for that server, but for the business as a whole. Investing in regular ABC permit training can ensure this never happens at your establishment.

Identifying Minors
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages to be a minimum of 18 years old, but every state requires people who purchase alcoholic beverages to be over 21. One of the most important reasons to invest in ABC licenses is a secure knowledge of how to check for ID and when to check for it. Servers may be aware of general guidelines, but not knowing specifics could make or break a career, the restaurant’s reputation, and most importantly, the law. It’s absolutely essential for servers to know the law when it comes to identifying minors in an establishment that serves alcohol.

Identifying Intoxication
Another important aspect of corporate alcohol training is knowing when a person is too intoxicated, even if the signs aren’t obvious at first. Many national restaurant chains have incorporated this into their standard training. These establishments require all front-of-house employees to receive alcohol training because greeters and hostesses often serve as the first line of defense against dangerously drunken diners. If someone enters the restaurant and orders one drink too many, all managers are trained to handle the situation.

Unfortunately, the maxim “The customer is always right” doesn’t always apply, especially when the customer in question is clearly intoxicated.

These are just a few of the reasons that it’s so important to practice vigilance about alcohol training. Make sure your business takes just as much care to receive the proper training. Failure to do so could result in harm to your business, your employees, and expensive fines.

Filed Under: Blog

Frequently Asked Questions About ABC Permits, Answered

April 3, 2017 by Aaron Heasley

permitsWhether you’re a business owner or a bartender, it’s essential to have ABC permits before you can serve alcohol in any establishment. And with 65,116 bars, taverns, and nightclubs in the U.S., that’s a lot of permits.

That being said, it’s also important to ask questions if you have any. Fortunately, we’re here to answer some of the most frequently asked ABC permit questions for you. Keep reading to find the answers you’ve been looking for.

What is an ABC card?
An ABC card, or a server permit, is documentation that proves you’ve been properly trained and certified to serve alcohol within a given location. This licensing is required in most states by law and requires a five-hour class to obtain. The class will teach you everything you need to know as a server to safely serve alcohol to patrons. You’ll learn things such as alcohol awareness, proper techniques for carding, and intervention practices.

What is the ABC class like?
If you want to compare it to something, it’s perhaps easiest to compare an ABC class to a five-hour defensive driving course that is required before someone is given their driver’s license. The class covers a multitude of safety techniques and alerts students to potential hazards they may not have been aware of before.

What happens if I misplace my ABC card?
If you misplace your ABC card, it’s important that you get another one as soon as possible. Numerous people think that the original copy of an ABC card is their employer’s property and not their own, but quite the opposite is true. Replacing the card is on you, and you should contact a local TABC office if that’s the case.

How do I pay for an ABC permit?
Most ABC classes don’t accept personal checks. Instead, you should rely on cash or company checks to pay for the training, as it’s a company requirement for you to have the proper ABC license. In addition, some ABC classes do accept major credit cards.

ABC permits are extremely important for any server working in an establishment that serves alcoholic beverages to patrons. Not only will an ABC class teach you how to properly serve alcohol, it will ensure you know the proper safety measures to take while doing so.

Filed Under: Blog

Three Key Questions to Ask Before Applying for an ABC Permit

March 3, 2017 by Aaron Heasley

abc permit picture for Aim To Serve Tennessee websiteRestaurants and bars continue to increase in popularity among Americans. In 2016 alone, the National Restaurant Association estimated that combined food and drink sales in U.S. establishments would reach a whopping $19.9 billion, with this number to only increase as time goes on.

Knowing this, obtaining an ABC permit, which enables you to serve alcohol at your cafe or restaurant, may be a highly profitable decision for your business. Currently, 43 percent of all bartenders work in a restaurant; however, it’s likely that this number will increase given current trend. The best way to ready your establishment is through one of these permits.

Is my application accurate?
When applying for your ABC license, it’s essential to be as accurate and correct as possible. Even one misplaced letter or misspelled name can jeopardize your application. Double- or even triple-check all spellings and numbers on your application before turning it in to ABC. It’s a huge time saver to turn in just one application with no do-overs.

Have I included all parts of my establishment?
It’s one of the most common mistakes people make while filling out applications for ABC permits and licenses. They’ll fail to include their restaurant’s patio or sidewalk seating area when describing their establishment — and, as a result, they won’t be permitted to serve alcohol in these parts of the restaurant. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, be sure to note all areas of your establishment where customers will be seated. Also make sure to provide a barrier around any outdoor seating you may have, as this will prevent non-patrons from entering these areas.

Have I looked at the special conditions?
Like any license, ABC permits are almost always subject to certain special terms and conditions that you should be aware of. However, these conditions aren’t found on the license itself; you’ll usually have to look them up online. Certain restrictions in your city or state might impact the way your establishment is allowed to serve alcohol, so make sure you know about them before you obtain your permit and begin serving alcohol to your customers.

For more information about obtaining an ABC license for your restaurant or cafe, feel free to contact us.

Filed Under: Blog

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