You must be at least 18 years old.
You do not need to be 21 to serve alcohol in certain cities and counties in Maryland. Students between the ages of 18 and 20 will be able to seek employment in Baltimore City, Ocean City, Prince George’s, Cecil, Montgomery, Washington, Wicomico, Worchester, and Frederick. (Please always check with the Liquor board in the counties that you will be working in first, as laws and serving age may change)
No. All you need is to have an outgoing personality, a knack for multitasking, and a strong work ethic.
Absolutely not! Bartending is a career for people of all ages and backgrounds. Remember: hotels, restaurants, and other high end operations cater to an older, more sophisticated audience. While there is nothing wrong with younger bartenders, the preference is for older employees who can relate to their particular clientele. You could even be at an advantage.
There is no such thing as a bartenders’ license in the state of Maryland. However, more and more employers are requiring their bartenders to be certified from a reputable bartending school like ours. Personality, knowledge, confidence, and efficiency behind the bar are the real attributes that the manager/owner is looking for in a bartender. It’s our unique training methods that give you the ability to do the job.
There are many factors to take into consideration when choosing a bartending school. We’ll never badmouth our competition, but we will tell you we constantly have people who compared schools and decided to enroll with us, even though many of them live minutes away from less expensive bartending schools. They choose us for many reasons: we are Maryland’s oldest bartender school, we have an outstanding reputation and we are highly recommended. We also have one of the most realistic, state-of-the-art training facilities in the country. Do some research and get a free Better Business Bureau report on the school you are considering. How long has the school been in business? Read Google Reviews from past grads and hear what they have to say. Ask about the curriculum, and how often is it revised. Does the school offer additional practice time throughout the course and free refresher classes after you graduate? Is the school an approved training facility by Professional Bartending Schools of America? Can the school offer nationwide job placement assistance to all graduates and future refresher classes? When choosing a bartending school, remember you want to make sure you’re spending your money wisely. Tuition at a Maryland state licensed school must be a set rate, and can’t offer deals or specials to try and get you enrolled. Remember: the least expensive school is never the best! If you save one or two hundred dollars by attending a cheaper school and one closer to home, but never get a good bartending job then your money was wasted. A good bartending school will have a friendly and knowledgeable staff. The classrooms should be set up just like a real bar and equipped with POS (point of sale) terminals, ice machines, hot and cold running water behind their bars, cocktail units, soda guns, draught beer, blenders, professional bar tools, glassware, live feed video cameras for student evaluations/training, custom lighting and sound system, and flat screen TV’s. If you are able to take a tour of the school, take advantage of the offer. Ask to see the training manuals and an actual class in session, or at least walk through the classroom. The classroom should be clean, neat and look like a real bar.
We would not have thousands of our Maryland Bartending Academy graduates working in some of the busiest bars throughout Maryland and the United States if this was true. Since we began training bartenders back in 1980, we have never had a single complaint lodged against us with the B.B.B. or M.H.E.C. from any of our past and/or present students. In fact, we ask every graduate if they would recommend us to friends and family, their answer is always “Yes.” Seven out of every 10 students who enroll have been referred to us! Unfortunately many people attended a sub-par bartending school, or even worse learn to mix drinks by taking an online course. It’s like trying to learn how to drive without ever getting behind the wheel! Just because a bartending school is licensed by the state, does not necessarily mean they provide quality training. Unfortunately they find out the hard way when they apply for a job, and they’re put behind the bar to test their skills. The student discovers he didn’t get quality training, never lands a bartending job so he badmouths all bartending schools whenever he gets the chance. It is these rip-off bartending schools that give the good bartending schools a bad reputation. Don’t sign up at any school until you thoroughly check them out. It’s all about the training!
Yes! We can arrange just about any class schedule to fit your schedule. Please call us at 410-787-0020 to discuss your needs. All flex schedules must be pre-arranged prior to beginning the course.
Most of our students start out with little or no knowledge of alcohol, yet most graduate the first time they take the course. It all boils down to a comprehensive curriculum and unique teaching from qualified instructors. Over 90% of our students graduate on schedule or within the allotted time.
Remember, mixing a drink is not chemistry; it is more like cooking. Mixing a drink is like baking a cake. If you use the right ingredients, which are measured correctly, the result is going to taste great. Bartenders do not have to taste every drink they make to know if it was made properly.