THE HISTORY OF BARTENDING
By Tony Sylvester

Beginning of Bartending
     The history of bartending dates back to ancient times and can be found in Roman, Greek, and even Asian societies.   Public drinking houses, as they were called in those times (now called PUBs in England), served as a place for people to socialize.  Before the 15th century, the majority of bartenders were alehouse owners and female innkeepers who brewed and produced their own liquor.

     In western European regions such as England, Ireland, France, and Germany, taverns were the heart of the social world for many professionals from investors to poets.  Bartenders and bar owners were considered members of the economic and social elite.  They owned property and were recognized as part of one of the wealthiest trades of all time.  This social status of bartending was then passed on to the New World.

Prohibition and Bartending
     Prohibition in the United States made the bartending culture stronger than ever before in history and gave bartenders an aura of mystery and power.  Gangsters in the mob owned social clubs and bartenders were well paid for supplying them with the illegal substance of alcohol.  The bartenders from the Prohibition period are credited with creating some of the most famous cocktails that we know today, such as Long Island Ice Tea, the Highball, and Gin and Tonic.

The Benefits of attending ABC Bartending Schools
     ABC Bartending Schools have fully equipped bars for the students to train on.  Each bar is set up as if you were training on the job, with soda guns, blenders, sinks, speed racks, glassware, ice bins, and bottles so that you will LEARN BY DOING.

      ABC Bartending Schools encourage its students to practice as much as they want in order to improve their skills; there is no additional fee for extra class or practice time.  With a hands-on approach to learning, the instructors really do make a difference. Once you leave ABC, you’ll be as sharp as a razor.

The History of ABC Bartending Schools
     Since 1977, Tony Sylvester has been the key ingredient in forming the largest privately owned bartending school system in the country.  Matching the right face with the right place has been the key to ABC’s success.  At the ABC Bartending Schools, students are taught how to act, walk, talk, feel, and think like a professional bartender.

      When it comes to job placement, students are also taught what to say, how to say it, and who to say it to in connection with job interviews.   This gives our students a competitive edge over people with years of experience.

      Being a third generation bartender in the hospitality industry, Tony Sylvester has established opportunities for his ABC students across the country once they graduate from what has been called “the Harvard of Mixology schools.”  As a private school, ABC offers its lifetime training services, available at any of their schools nationwide, for a one-time fee, something you won’t find at other schools that are based on affiliation.

      ABC now boasts 22 schools nationwide, from Honolulu to South Beach, with plans for more schools opening this year.  This multi-million dollar bartending school grants thousands and thousands of bartending degrees each year in cities across the country.