Difference Between a Bartender and a Mixologist
Posted on 11. Mar, 2012 by admin in Bartenders Guide
Photo by Dana Moos
While browsing the internet over the last few years a question I come across a lot of people asking ‘What is the difference between a bartender and a mixologist?’.
This being an important question to know when becoming a bartender, we’ll be going to go over the differences in this article.
Bartender vs. Mixologist
The main differences that you find that is between a bartender and a mixologist are not always easy to see.
Anyone who works behind a bar you would know of as a bartender. If someone works at a pub that sells draft and bottled beer as well as different types of mixed drinks such as coke and rum, you would also consider these people to be bartenders.
Now, a Mixologist is different.
If you take a look in the dictionary for the definition of mixology, you will find a definition along the lines of: ‘The art or skill of preparing mixed drinks’. Which sounds similar to the definition you would think of when you think of a bartender.
But they’re not.
Mixologists are people who are often more skilled than bartenders in the different arts of blending, preparing, mixing, and creating cocktails. They understand and are more skilled in preparing the ingredients that makes up different cocktails, depending on the different syrups, cordials, mixes, and bitters.
They also work with a lot more ingredients that are more advanced, such as infused alcohols, exotic fruit, herbs, flowers, and flavored teas.
Mixologist’s are known to be innovators when it comes to the cocktails, and they are often the people that are called upon to do market research developments.
They also tend to be more knowledgeable about the different types of glassware that are used to enhance the presentation of many different types of cocktails.
If you have been a bartender for a period of time and you are now looking to get deeper into the creative types of mixology, you will need to begin to learn a number of different things.
You’ll need to understand all of the different flavors of each different type of liquors as well as the spirits that they pair together with.
You’ll want to research more into the correct preparation of different types of cocktails, and you will need to know if it needs to be shaken, blended, or stirred.
Experimenting with different combinations of spirits and liquors as well as different ingredients would be something that you will want to start doing regularly.
So as you can see, there are many differences between a bartender and a mixologist.
Bartenders may not be as knowledgeable at cocktails as a mixologist, but if you have been bartending for a while now and want to learn more about cocktails, you might consider learning how to be a mixologist.
What would you prefer to be… A bartender or a mixologist?
Share your thought 
Cheers, Shawn.
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