Do You Ever ?Flair? Bartend?
by Ryan Vlastelica
click to enlarge
Yes, that’s what it’s called, the crazy and generally pretty lame bottle tricks you loved so much in the Brian Brown movie Cocktail. There’s even an official competitive series run by the FBA (Flair Bartending Association). And that’s why the terrorists hate us.
COLIN
Where he presides: Dempsey’s, East Village
Favorite drink: Doesn’t drink
I don’t do any of that. But I do know how to draw a shamrock on the top of a pint of Guinness. This is an Irish bar. No tricks, really. But we do serve a nice fresh pint of beer.
HEATHER
Where she presides: Crocodile Lounge, East Village
Favorite drink: Absolution
The only trick I can do right now is just basic hand-flipping [she takes out a glass and flips it around her hand]. Actually, I’m training with another bartender right now to learn flair bartending. They have demonstrations and things online. The bartender I work with on Thursdays has been throwing things to me when we work to see if I can catch them. Like bottles — so far I haven’t dropped any. Vegas is all flair bartending now. You see a lot of it in Europe, too. I think New York bartending is more about attitude, though.
PAUL
Where he presides: Ulysses, Financial District
Favorite drink: Corona
No, I don’t do it. I’d be terrible at it. If I were to try, I’d break a glass or something. Tell you what, if you want to see that sort of thing, go down to the other end of the bar and ask the other guy. I know he used to do it a lot. He might do it for you. [Sadly, he wouldn’t.]
NICOLE
Where she presides: MacDougal Ale House, Greenwich Village
Favorite drink: Basil Haden
Oh, I’m not that creative a bartender. We’re a pretty basic beer and shot place, so no one ever asks me for entertainment. I did try it here once and broke a bottle, an empty bottle, so it was no big deal. I would probably have to pay for it if I dropped a full one, especially if they caught me on camera. But if I was here [moves against the wall], in the camera’s blind spot, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
JOE
Where he presides: Bar None, LES
Favorite drink: Bushmills
No, we never do anything like that here. [Regular: Yeah, there’s no flair allowed here. I had a guy do that once to me. He spun the bottle around, bounced it off something… I was like, ‘Don’t ever do that again. Just skip it and pour the fucking drink.’]
COLIN
Where he presides: Dempsey’s, East Village
Favorite drink: Doesn’t drink
I don’t do any of that. But I do know how to draw a shamrock on the top of a pint of Guinness. This is an Irish bar. No tricks, really. But we do serve a nice fresh pint of beer.
HEATHER
Where she presides: Crocodile Lounge, East Village
Favorite drink: Absolution
The only trick I can do right now is just basic hand-flipping [she takes out a glass and flips it around her hand]. Actually, I’m training with another bartender right now to learn flair bartending. They have demonstrations and things online. The bartender I work with on Thursdays has been throwing things to me when we work to see if I can catch them. Like bottles — so far I haven’t dropped any. Vegas is all flair bartending now. You see a lot of it in Europe, too. I think New York bartending is more about attitude, though.
PAUL
Where he presides: Ulysses, Financial District
Favorite drink: Corona
No, I don’t do it. I’d be terrible at it. If I were to try, I’d break a glass or something. Tell you what, if you want to see that sort of thing, go down to the other end of the bar and ask the other guy. I know he used to do it a lot. He might do it for you. [Sadly, he wouldn’t.]
NICOLE
Where she presides: MacDougal Ale House, Greenwich Village
Favorite drink: Basil Haden
Oh, I’m not that creative a bartender. We’re a pretty basic beer and shot place, so no one ever asks me for entertainment. I did try it here once and broke a bottle, an empty bottle, so it was no big deal. I would probably have to pay for it if I dropped a full one, especially if they caught me on camera. But if I was here [moves against the wall], in the camera’s blind spot, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
JOE
Where he presides: Bar None, LES
Favorite drink: Bushmills
No, we never do anything like that here. [Regular: Yeah, there’s no flair allowed here. I had a guy do that once to me. He spun the bottle around, bounced it off something… I was like, ‘Don’t ever do that again. Just skip it and pour the fucking drink.’]
