About Mixologist
A mixologist is a person who mixes various types of alcoholic beverages and other ingredients to make cocktails and mixed drinks. A mixologist is another term for a bartender who makes and serves cocktails. However, some people distinguish between a bartender and mixologist as they believe that bartender just tends a bar and on the other hand mixologist is the one who is involved in creating new cocktails. Some of the major tasks of a mixologist are mixing drinks, cleaning and organizing the bar, educating and entertaining customers, coming up with new drink suggestions and designing new menus for beverages. A good mixologist should be a good listener and friendly.
Mixologists are hired by clubs, taverns, breweries, bars and distilleries. Some of the companies hire a mixologist to perform presentations at food and beverage shows as well as other marketing events. A career as a mixologist is a good choice for the candidates who are interested in working at a bar or club. Candidates can also look at it as a part-time work option. This profile provides flexibility as far as the working hours are concerned because it is not like a routine 9 to 5 job.
Eligibility to become Mixologist
Candidates should satisfy the minimum eligibility requirements decided below in order to become a mixologist
Education: Companies hire mixologists who have a high school diploma or higher secondary certificate. Most of the companies prefer candidates who have a bartending licence. Candidates can obtain a certificate by attending a short term paid training course at any company.
Experience: A lot of employers are usually on the lookout for employees who have prior experience in bartending or mixology. Candidates who have completed any kind of training or internship as a mixologist or bartending will be preferred for this profile.
Skills: Every professional requires a skill set. Some important skills required for being a mixologist are listed below.
- Accuracy
- Communication
- Interpersonal Skills
- Organization Skills
- Friendly
- Energetic
- Adaptability
- Stress Management
- Flexibility
- Teamwork
- Critical Thinking
- Creativity
Types of Job Roles Mixologist
Mixologists are majorly hired at bars and clubs. Their job roles will depend upon their experience and skills. Candidates can apply to any profile available for mixologist after checking the job description.
Employment Opportunities for Mixologist
A mixologist is hired in many sectors. Some of the employment opportunities available for a mixologist are as follows:
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Club
- Tavern
- Pub
- Hotels
Pay Scale/Salary of Mixologist
The annual pay scale for the mixologist will totally depend on the club/ restaurant/ bar at which he is working. Candidates can check the average pay scale below:
Starting Salary per annum (in INR): 1 to 2 lakhs
Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR): 2 to 3 lakhs
Senior Level Salary per annum (INR): 6 to 7 Lakhs
Books & Study Material to Become Mixologist
A career as a mixologist requires creativity and innovation. They need to keep on experimenting with new drinks by mixing new ingredients. Mixologists can refer to any of the book listed below to learn more about mixology and enhance their skills:
- How to Cocktail by America’s Test Kitchen
- Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, Devon Tarby, and David Kaplan
- Road Soda by Kara Newman
- Meehan’s Bartender Manual by Jim Meehan
- 3-Ingredient Cocktails by Robert Simonson
- The Cocktail Club by Maureen Christian-Petrosky
- The Old-Fashioned by Robert Simonson
- The 12 Bottle Bar by David Solmonson & Lesley Jacobs Solmonson
- The Savoy Cocktail Book
- Gin & Tonic by Frédéric Du Bois and Isabel Boons
- Alchemy in a Glass by Greg Seider
- The Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler
- Whiskey Cocktails
- The Craft of the Cocktail by Dale Degroff
Pros of becoming a Mixologist
- Mixologists can make people really happy by presenting some good cocktails
- One comes across all sorts of people from varied backgrounds
- It is a fun job because one gets to experiment a lot with the drinks to come up with some new ideas
- There is also the option of earning extra apart from the fixed salary
Cons of becoming a Mixologist
- Sometimes, it may get challenging to present something new as per the customer’s demand
- There is no fixed working schedule
- The wages are not fixed throughout the year
- It involves dealing with various kinds of people and with some people, the experience may not be good or pleasant
Top Colleges
Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Lucknow
National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Noida
Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Goa
Institute of Hotel management, Kolkatta
Institute of Hotel management, Mumbai
St. Mary’s College, Banglore
Institute of Hotel management, Ahmedabad
Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Shimla
