Here is the inside scoop on tipping practices that are helpful in almost any situation!

Tipping Like the Local Celeb

In the industry, it’s quite common to tip big on the first round and if you do, you’ll usually get a drink on the house. By throwing down a generous tip at the beginning of the night (in the ballpark of $20-$50 for the round), you’re definitely creating goodwill with your bartender and you can expect better service. Be sure however that your bartender is not going to end their shift before you are ready to go. Tipping higher at the first round may help ensure the bartender comes back to you quicker the next time you come back their bar. It also may ensure future rounds will have a bit more alcohol if ordering mixed drinks. Be careful though in busy or high volume bars; your tip from the first round could quickly be forgotten. So in a high volume environment, it is far better, in the long run, to tip throughout the duration of your stay.

Consistent Over Tipping

Tip at least $10.00 your first round and then scale down from there. This way the bartender remembers you. If you see someone else doing this, chances are they work in the hospitality industry. It is a very common practice and one that will not leave you standing in a 30 minute order line. A bartender will not remember any tip under $5.00 unless you are a regular. Remember that at a nightclub you are paying the bartender with your tip to save you time in line.

Cash vs. Credit Card

Keep in mind that bartenders always prefer cash. It is a matter of getting paid that night or waiting until the weekly or bi-weekly pay day to see the tip in their check. Alternatively, you can pay with a credit card and then leave the tip in cash, which is a nice gesture.

Night Club vs. Restaurant Tipping

Ultimately, a lot of people think tipping a dollar per drink is the way to go, which is cool in a high volume dive bar. But if you’re going to a more upscale establishment, 20% should be the rule of thumb just as it is in a restaurant.

Good Service vs. Bad Service

Tipping based upon service is a general rule but be sure you’re making the point to the right person…the poor service provider. There is undoubtedly a number of establishments with horrible customer service, which by our standards is simply subpar to be in the hospitality industry and not treat your customers well. However, if you decide not the leave a tip for the server who brought you your drink, you're not punishing the owner or the server; you're punishing the bartender. Remember, the bartender still has to pay out the above mentioned staff whether he/she gets tipped or not. So as a kind gesture, walk over to the bar and tip the bartender separately.

Open Bar

When at an "open" bar, always tip as much as you would if you were purchasing a well drink. The open bar saves you money on the drinks but does not mean that you should stiff the bartender who is serving you those free drinks. Here it is customary to tip $1 - $2 per drink.

International Tipping

Navigating tipping customs can be difficult when you’re traveling abroad. In England, for instance, you would never tip in a pub, but you would buy the bartender a drink. It’s a way of showing respect for the bartender. If you go to a cocktail bar in London, however, you’re expected to tip.  In the U.S. it’s almost expected to tip even if you have bad service. However, Japan is the polar opposite. Because service is so entrenched in the Japanese culture, tipping would be an insult since serving is what they do — it’s an art. So you would not tip in a Japanese bar.   If you’re still not sure, don’t hesitate to ask the bartender. The bartender’s job is to be your man of local knowledge. He will likely tell you the best-case scenario for a bartender of course, but he won’t mind you asking.

For more information on bartending service, please contact JC Bartending at 972-786-1310 or visit our website at www.jcbartending.com .

Pimm’s:

Pimm's No. 1 Cup was created in 1840 by a bartender named James Pimm at an oyster bar in London's financial district. He blended gin with quinine and various herbs, and the drink was initially served as a digestive tonic in a tankard. The company claims that the original recipe of the liqueur is a trade secret known to only six people.

In 1859, he began selling Pimm's No. 1 commercially and the drink became a must-have concoction among the fashionable socialites of England. After the WWII, Pimm's brand added No.2 (Scotch-based), No.3 (brandy-based), No. 4 (rum-based), No.5 (rye-based) and No.6 (vodka-based). Although it is hard to find these Pimm's today as only No. 1 and No. 6 are produced today.

Originally produced in the city of London, today the production has moved to the Scottish Cameronbridge Distillery. Although the cocktail is still seen as an English summer afternoon drink, it has also become the drink of Wimbledon, gaining the similar reputation of what Mint Julep is to the Kentucky Derby.

Pimm's Cup
- 1 1/4 oz Pimm's No. 1
- 3 oz Lemonade (European lemonade is a carbonated drink similar to Sprite/7up)
- 7 up
- Garnish: Cucumber
(Optional: Mint leaves and an orange slice)

Fill a tall 12 oz glass with ice and add Pimm's #1 and lemonade. Top with 7up and garnish with a slice of cucumber. You can also use lemon soda to replace lemonade and 7 up.

Relax and enjoy your event!  Hire JC Bartending, Inc. and let us bring the party to you.

100 Calories

1.0 oz. Tequila
3.0 oz. Watermelon
0.1 oz. Simple Syrup
0.1 oz. Soda water
5 Cilantro pieces
Squeeze of lime
1 Bamboo spike

Muddle watermelon with cilantro leaves. Add ice, simple syrup, and tequila. Shake vigorously and pour all contents into a rocks glass. Garnish with a piece of watermelon in a bamboo spike

Skinny Colada

170 Calories

2 oz. SKYY Infusions Coconut
¼ oz. SKYY Infusions Pineapple
2 oz. Club soda
Splash of pineapple juice
Squeeze of lemon

Mix over ice in a highball glass.

Garden Fresh Summerita

150 Calories

1 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
1 oz. Cabo Wabo tequila
Juice of half a lime
3 sprigs fresh cilantro
3 thin slices of fresh cucumber
3 thin slices of a fresh jalapeño pepper
Cucumber wheel for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker (except cucumber wheel) filled with ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with cucumber wheel.

Skinny Bikini

138 Calories

1 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
1 ½ oz. SKYY Infusions Coconut
1 oz. Diet lemon-lime soda
3 oz. Light cranberry juice
Shredded coconut

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine X-Rated, rum, and cranberry juice and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice cube filled glass and top with shredded coconut for garnish.

Summer Peach

150 Calories

2 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
4 oz. Peach Tea
Peach slice for garnish
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, peach tea, and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice cube filled highball glass and garnish with peach slice.

Volito

85 Calories

1.5 oz Voli Lyte
1/2 of a Fresh Lime
8 Mint Leaves
1 Packet Sweetener
Club Soda
Glass: Highball
Garnish: Mint Sprig

Muddle Lime, Mint and Sweetener. Add Voli, shake lightly and pour all ingredients in a glass. Top with club soda.

Relax and enjoy your event! Hire JC Bartending, Inc. and let us bring the party to you.

Cocktail Party Beverage Calculator

(Available on Apple iTunes Store & Android Market)

Hate planning parties and never know how much alcohol, beer and wine to purchase?  Never make last minute runs to the store.  This app will help you enjoy your event without the worries of running out or buying too much!!  Industry average estimates that each guest may consume 1 drink per 1.5 hours throughout the duration of the event.  Taking the guess work out the equation, this app automatically calculates the amount of alcohol to purchase based upon the total number of expected guests and the type of bar you would like to provide.  It also provides a comprehensive list of the most popular types of beer, wine and alcohol to purchase for your event.   Download your Cocktail Party Beverage Calculator today by searching for JC Bartending on the Apple iTunes store or Android Market.

Themed Cocktail Party Drink Recipes

(Available on Android Market only)

Spice up your next party with a custom drink menu to match any type of themed event!   Check out this app with a comprehensive list of drink recipes for many types of occasions including Weddings, Halloween, Christmas, Bachelorette Parties and even Mocktails (non-alcoholic) for the Sweet 16 or High School Graduation Party.  For more fun drink recipes, visit www.jcbartending.info.  Download your Themed Cocktail Party Drink Recipes today by searching for JC Bartending on the Android Market.

JCBA Bartending Flashcards

(Available on Apple iTunes Store & Android Market)

Whether you are looking to get a jump start on your Bartending School Program or just want to learn how to mix some of the most popular drinks, this app will definitely keep you wanting to learn more.  Impress your friends by calling out the most popular drinks by their real names while at your next visit to the bar.   Download your Bartending Flashcards today by searching for JC Bartending on the Apple iTunes store or Android Market.

The 4th of July festivities are so close you can almost smell the BBQ on the grill, hear the kids splashing in the pool, and taste the ice cold drinks with the little umbrellas in them.  From our team here at JC Bartending we want to stress the importance of being safe during the holiday festivities and encourage the moderate consumption of alcohol and the use of a designated driver or a taxi service. With all that being said the 4th of July is a time to celebrate and JC Bartending is always ready for a good party!

Here are some perfectly patriotic cocktails to try this 4th of July to quench thirsts and impress your guests!

The Fourth

Mix the schnapps and cranberry juice in a shaker; pour into an ice-filled glass.

Muddle the jalapeno pepper, lemon and lime slices, tequila, blue curacao and simple syrup (to make a batch, dissolve sugar in equal parts hot water and chill) in the shaker. Slowly strain into the glass over the red layer. Garnish with watermelon, if desired.

 American Flag Shooter

• 1/3 Grenadine
• 1/3 Crème de Cacao
• 1/3 Blue Curacao

Directions

When prepared properly this shot will look red, white, and blue, and taste like a chocolate covered cherry. First pour the grenadine, then the Crème de Cacao then the Blue Curacao into a shot glass.

 For An Extra Splash of Red & Blue..

1) Designate a bartender who can serve your guests and keep an eye on how much everyone is drinking.

Hosts often try to play every role when planning their event.  They are the lead coordinator, decorator, chef, conversationalist and also try to play the bartender.  Wearing all of those hats are great, but sometimes things get over looked.  The one thing that you never want to over look is the potential of a minor serving themselves a drink or a few guests consuming too much alcohol to the point where it is unsafe for them to leave your home.  Unfortunately, if one of your guests leaves your home and kills someone due to drunk driving, you could be held liable.  Why not take that stress off of your shoulders and allow JC Bartending, Inc. help you out!

2) Alcohol is alcohol is alcohol.

 It is important to understand that a standard serving of beer (12 ounces), wine (5 ounces) and a cocktail (containing 1 1/2 ounces of distilled spirits) each contains the same amount of alcohol.  So just because you are only serving beer or wine doesn't mean that your guests can't get just as intoxicated as serving liquor.

3) Proper Food Pairing.

Make sure that you provide food to complement your cocktails. Research food pairings to enhance your chosen cocktails; fresh seafood goes great with vodka and heartier meats and cheeses complement Scotch and Bourbon well.  Keep in mind that eating bread while you drink does nothing to prevent or slow down intoxication.  It's the fatty foods that help!  Think about serving foods with high fat content to slow down the process of the blood entering into the blood stream.

4) Non-Alcoholic Beverages & Water

Make sure to have non-alcohol beverage options for your guests.  Try creating a festive non-alcohol punch for those guests who choose not to drink alcoholic beverages.  Always have plenty of water on hand!

5) The Safe Ride Home

Often times this is an after-thought, but make sure your guests have a safe way home either through designated drivers or a taxi and even keep those local cab service numbers handy.   JC Bartending has partnered with My Private Driver and would recommend that you incorporate their services into your planning process.

Relax and enjoy your event!  Hire JC Bartending, Inc. and let us bring the party to you.

Historical Facts - (source: Wikipedia.com)

Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held, family-owned spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. Its brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including the eponymous Bacardi rum.Founded on February 4, 1862, and family-owned for the past seven generations, Bacardi now employs nearly 6,000 people, manufactures its brands at 27 facilities in 16 markets on four continents, and sells in more than 150 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year in nearly 100 countries.The company's sales in 2007 were US$5.5 billion, up from $4.9 billion in 2006.

Bacardi Limited is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda and has a 16-member board of directors led by the original founder's great-great grandson, Facundo L. Bacardí.

Facundo Bacardí Massó, a Catalan wine merchant, was born in Sitges, Catalonia, (Spain) in 1814, and emigrated to Cuba in 1830. During this period, rum was cheaply made and not considered a refined drink, one rarely sold in upscale taverns. Don Facundo began attempting to "tame" rum by isolating a proprietary strain of yeast still used in Bacardi production today. This yeast gives Bacardi rum its unique flavor profile. After experimenting with several techniques he hit upon filtering the rum through charcoal, which removed impurities. In addition to this, Facundo aged the rum in white oak barrels, which had the effect of "mellowing" the drink. The final product was the first clear, or "white" rum in the world.  Bacardi's transition into an international brand was due mostly to Schueg's "business genius"; Schueg "branded Cuba as the home of rum, and Bacardi as the king of rums" and expanded overseas, first to Mexico (1931), then to Puerto Rico (1936), under the brand name Ron Bacardi. (Ron is the Spanish word for rum). Post-Prohibition production in Puerto Rico enabled rum to be sold tariff-free in the U.S. after Prohibition. He then expanded to the United States (1944).

Bacardi Limited has made several acquisitions to diversify away from the eponymous Bacardí rum brand. In 1993 Bacardi merged with Martini & Rossi S.p.A., the Italian producer of Martini vermouth and sparkling wines, creating the Bacardi-Martini group. In 1998 the company acquired Dewar's Scotch and Bombay Sapphire gin from Diageo for $2 billion. Bacardi acquired the Cazadores blue agave tequila brand in 2002 and in 2004 purchased Grey Goose, a French made vodka, from Sidney Frank for $2 billion. Bacardi is also the only brand to feature the Mexican free-tailed bat as its icon or logo.

Relax and enjoy your event!  Hire JC Bartending, Inc. and let us bring the party to you.

Healthier drinking is simply about redefining fun and making wiser choices. Great beer doesn't have to give you a gut, an eventful Saturday night shouldn't cost you your Sunday, and you never again have to feel guilty about taking the edge off a hard day.

Here are ten things you can do to improve your well being, and balance healthier drinking:

1. Avoid sugary mixers.

Things like margarita mix, juice with high fructose corn syrup, sodas and red bull are just as hard for your body to process as the alcohol itself. Try mixing your liquor with water or fresh fruit juice (no sugar added). You'd be surprised what great drinks you can make without all that extra sugar.

2. The clearer the better.

Vodka, gin, and light beer are much easier on your body (and lower in calories) than whiskey, bourbon, or red wine.

3. Don't mix.

Mixing light and dark liquors is hard on your stomach. It's also hard on your head. Mixing alcohol is never a good idea. Pick your drink of choice - and stick to it for the night. You'll thank yourself the next day.

4. Take a drinking break.

Push yourself to go for an extended period of time (days, weeks, etc.) with no drinking at all. Your liver will appreciate it and you might even see a decrease in your tolerance so you can drink less and spend less!

5. Eat well the next day.

Try healthy breakfast options like eggs and fresh juice. The best thing you can do for yourself is to eat foods that will help replenish the vitamins and minerals you've lost and put your body back on a healthy digestive cycle.

6. Eat before you drink.

Having a snack or a meal before your first beverage will help give your body the time it needs to process alcohol and help prevent nausea, headache, and upset stomach. A little bit of fatty food, starch or dairy goes a long way in coating your stomach lining and preparing your body for alcohol.

7. Eat selectively while you drink.

Some may get the munchies while drinking and studies have shown that the body processes the alcohol first and stores the food you eat while drinking as fat. This will prevent the beer belly phenomenon.

8. Drink water.

Before, during, after. Alcohol is a diuretic and causes dehydration. Have a glass of water between drinks to keep yourself hydrated and help prevent those nasty dehydration side effects.

9. Drink less.

We know, we know, some people don't want to hear this, but do yourself a favor, and have a few less drinks on those big nights out. Sometimes it's just about saying no to that last shot of Tequila.

10. Take your vitamins and minerals.

Drinking depletes essential nutrients - make sure you're feeding them to your system. If you don't have your bottle of Vitamin Water on hand, try some vitamin C and a B complex. It won't do everything, but it will certainly help.

Note: JC Bartending does not provide medical advice and this article is for your information only.

Take Responsibility

Before your New Year's Eve party even begins, make the decision to take responsibility for the people who come to your get-together. This might mean staying sober yourself so that you can keep your eye on everyone else, or naming a friend as the designated sober individual. Whatever the case, you take a chance by having a party in the first place, so do your best to ensure that everyone makes it home safely.

Hire a Bartender

Open bars are usually the most dangerous for New Year's Eve parties because nobody knows how much everyone else has had to drink. If you hire a bartender who "works" the entire night, he or she can make the decision to cut people off when they get too inebriated. This will reduce the risk of someone taking off in his car or, even worse, driving other people away. Make sure the bartender knows that he or she can make whatever call seems appropriate to avoid drunk driving.  This takes the pressure off of you as the host since the bartender will make the decision for you.

Remove Keys

Some people choose to take everyone's car keys at the beginning of a New Year's Eve party so that no one can succumb to drunk driving. If you stay sober, you can give keys back to others who aren't inebriated at the end of the evening, but everyone else must sleep it off, walk home, or obtain public transportation. This ensures that everything is kept under control while you enjoy the party.

Call a Cab or Even the Cops

You might lose a friend by taking this tip, but it's better than drunk driving. If someone at your New Year's Eve party insists on getting in his car while intoxicated, inform him that you'll have to summon the police. This will probably stop him in his tracks, but be prepared to follow through with your threat. Saving someone's life is more important than sitting in jail overnight for public intoxication.  Then offer him a cab ride home.  After telling him you will call the cops, he will more than willing take the yellow cab option v.s. the black and white cab.

Relax and enjoy your event!  Hire JC Bartending, Inc. and let us bring the party to you.