Bar Service

Study bartending online. Learn how to mix drinks, studying a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks; as well as learning general service skills to manage a bar.

Course Code: VTR204
Fee Code: S1
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification
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Learn how to manage a bar

Do you have an outgoing personality?  Are you dedicated, committed and flexible?   Bar staff are employed in restaurants and bars all over the world.  This is a great way to travel the world and adventure as you earn.

  • Learn the skills and knowledge you need to work anywhere in the world.
  • Gain great employment skills.
  • Study at home in your own time and pace.
  • Start your own bar.

This course provides foundation knowledge for those attending a bar or working as a drinks waiter or waitress. In this course you will:

  • become familiar with alcoholic drinks such as wine, spirits, beers and cocktails
  • learn how to make non-alcoholic drinks including cappuccinos, chai lattes and other specialty teas
  • learn how to provide quality service to bar customers
  • mix a range of cocktails and other drinks and
  • learn the fundamentals of wine appreciation.

Lesson Structure

There are 7 lessons in this course:

  1. Introduction
    • Industry orientation
    • Presentation
    • Bar equipment and layout, etc.
  2. Alcoholic Product orientation
    • Become familiar with the range of alcoholic products found commonly in a bar including spirits, beer and wine.
  3. Non Alcoholic Drinks
    • Become familiar with the range of non-alcoholic drinks that can be found at a bar; different coffee and tea types.
  4. Service Procedures
    • Protocol
    • Dealing with customers
    • Food handling
    • Tray service
    • Accounts, etc.
    • Learn the service procedures for a range of situations from an a la Carte restaurant to a bar and grill.
  5. Mixing Drinks
    • Develop an ability to mix a range of cocktails and other drinks in a bar.
    • Learn the art of flaring and how to make a Tequila Sunrise.
  6. Wine Appreciation
    • Understanding and appreciation of different wines.
    • Learn which wines go best with seafood, meat and cheese platters.
  7. Establishing a Bar Service
    • Consolidate skills so far developed to establish or improve the management of a bar service

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • To develop a broad understanding of the industry
  • Identify and describe the range of alcoholic products found commonly in a bar.
  • Identify and describe a range of non alcoholic drinks available at bars.
  • Develop an understanding of how to provide improved service to bar customers.
  • Develop an ability to mix a range of drinks
  • Identify and describe a wide variety of different wines.
  • Consolidate skills so far developed to establish or improve the management of a bar service.

What Do Bar Staff Do?

Bar staff often have duties segregated from food service staff; although in many restaurants, the same person might perform both duties. Essentially food service staff are responsible for meals and bar staff for drinks and light snacks. Menus can vary significantly depending on the type of establishment. In today’s ever changing world, there is increasing innovation, and the rules of traditional bar service are increasingly broken. As such, bar staff may very often find themselves performing various food service duties.

This course provides general knowledge for anyone who wants to work behind a bar or as a drinks waiter. In this course you will develop a broad understanding of the industry. Through this you will:

  • become familiar with alcoholic drinks such as wine, spirits, beers and cocktails
  •  learn how to make non-alcoholic drinks including cappuccinos, chai lattes and other specialty teas
  •  learn how to provide quality service to bar customers
  •  mix a range of cocktails and other drinks and
  •  learn the fundamentals of wine appreciation.

More than Just Drinks!

Working at a bar often involves more than just serving drinks. This is a job that can involve a lot of interacting with people (customers). Bar staff may find themselves being engaged in conversations about anything and everything. The "relaxed" environment combined with pharmaceutical affects of drinks (alcohol or even caffeine), and alter the way in which customers relate to a person serving them. 
 
At times, the affects of drinks may create problems (eg. if a customer becomes intoxicated), and the bar staff do need to be capable of dealing with such difficult situations.
 
Dealing with Alcoholics
Bar staff will inevitably encounter at least some customers who abuse their drinking. Dealing with such patrons starts with understanding them.
People with mental health problems are more likely to suffer from alcoholism and alcoholics are more likely to develop mental health problems. Diet is an important in the treatment of alcoholism and general treatment advice includes:
  • Treating malnutrition – a high percentage of alcoholics are malnourished either because they tend to have poor diets with too few calories and nutrients, or because alcohol can affect the body’s ability to absorb these nutrients. Dietary treatment for alcoholics will, therefore, require sufficient nutrients and calories to correct deficiencies.
  • Including good food sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants are important at helping to reduce the toxic effects of alcohol on different parts of the body especially on the brain and liver.
  • Taking additional B vitamins. Vitamin B deficiency is a very common side effect of alcoholism where deficiencies result from a variety of reasons such as low dietary intakes, impaired absorption in the small intestine and decreased storage capacity. B12 deficiency is a particular concern amongst alcoholics again due to poor diet and also due to the fact that low levels of stomach acid reduces the body’s ability to absorb this vitamin. Untreated vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anaemia, nervous damage and neurological disorders.
Dietary advice for alcoholism must also meet the requirements of any other conditions linked to the disease e.g. pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas), mental health problems such as depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers including those of the mouth, esophagus and liver), stomach and liver disease such as fatty liver, hepatitis and cirrhosis.
 

WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS BAR COURSE?

Bar service courses are often much shorter than this and more limited in both what they teach and how deeply they teach you.
This is a more serious course. It covers some things that other bar service courses might not cover; and because it is longer, it helps you to achieve more solid learning.
Graduates from this course will have a broader understanding of the scope and nature of bar work; and will have a raised awareness of the opportunities that exist to manage a bar.
Graduates may use this course to:

  • Expand the scope of what they can do working at a bar
  • Get a job or improve employment prospects
  • Get a background for starting their own bar, or buying and operating an existing bar
  • Broaden their understanding of beverage services in any area of hospitality
 
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

Simply click on the ENROL OPTIONS button at the top of this screen and follow the prompts.

You can see the course price at the top of this page. Click 'enrolment options' to see any payment options available.

You can pay by Credit Card, PayPal, Afterpay or bank transfer.

Yes! We have payment plans for most courses. Click 'enrolment options' to see the available payment plans.
We also have Afterpay that will allow you to pay for your course or payment plans in four instalments (if you are in Australia).


What do I need to know before I enrol?

There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

You don’t need to purchase any additional resources to complete our courses.

We aim to teach you the essentials without you having to purchase any specific computer program.
We recommend that you have access to a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, so that you can easily complete and submit your assignments.

You sure can. We are here to help you learn whatever your abilities.

Yes, if you are enrolling in a Certificate or Advanced Certificate, you might be eligible for credits if you have evidence of your previous studies or relevant experience. More information is here.

We recommend that you are able to browse websites, send emails and conduct online research. You will need to be able to type and submit your assignments.
If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

This is possible, it depends on the institution. We recommend that if you would like to use our courses that you contact the institution first. Our Course Handbook is a good resource for this.

Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course has been designed to cover the fundamentals of the topic. It will take around 100 hours to complete, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and anything else that is contained in the course. Our short courses are a great way to do some professional development or to learn a new skill.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

Yes, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can receive the course as paper notes or on a USB stick for an additional fee. We can also make alternative arrangements for you to send your assignments to us.

We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

Yes, your tutor is here to help you. Simply post any questions you have in your login.training portal or contact the office and we can pass on a message to your tutor.

We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

There are practical components built into the course that have been designed to be achieved by anyone, anywhere. If you are unable to complete a task for any reason, you can ask your tutor for an alternative.

When you complete the course work and the exam and you will be able receive your course certificate- a Statement of Attainment. Otherwise, you can receive a Letter of Completion.

You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

Yes, our courses are built to be applicable for people living anywhere in any situation. We provide the fundamentals, and each student can apply their own unique flair for their own interests, region and circumstances with the one-on-one guidance of a tutor. There is also a bit of student directed research involved.

Employers value candidates with industry skills, knowledge, practical skills and formal learning. Our courses arm you with all of these things to help prepare you for a job or start your own business. The longer you study the more you will learn.

ACS has an arrangement with OAMPS (formerly AMP) who can arrange Professional Indemnity from Australian and New Zealand graduates across all disciplines. Ph: 1800 222 012 or email acs@oamps.com.au.


Who are ACS Distance Education?

ACS Distance Education have been educating people for over 40 years.

We are established and safe- we have been in education for over 40 years.
We are focused on developing innovative courses that are relevant to you now and what you will need to know in the future.
We are focused on helping you learn and make the most of your experience.
You can enrol at any time, you can work on your course when it suits you and at your own pace.
We are connected to many industry bodies and our staff participate in continuous improvement and learning activities to ensure that we are ahead of what learning is needed for the future.

Our courses are not accredited by the Australian Government. However many of our courses are recognised and held in high regard by many industry bodies.

Our courses are written by our staff, who all have many years experience and have qualifications in their speciality area. We have lots of academic staff who write and update our courses regularly.


How do I enrol my staff/ sponsored students?

Yes, you can do a request for a bulk enrolment and request an invoice on our Invoice Request Form

We can prepare an invoice, quote or proforma invoice. Simply complete your details on our Invoice Request form

We can arrange bulk discounts for your course enrolment, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

Yes, we have many students who are in locked facilities, such as prisons or hospitals. We can cater by also offering paper notes at an additional cost.


What if I have any more questions or need more information?

We can assist you to find the right course for your needs. Get in touch with us via email (admin@acs.edu.au) call on +61 7 5562 1088 or complete our course advice form.


What if I change my mind?

Please get in touch with studentservices@acs.edu.au if you would like to be removed from our mail list.

If you would like ACS Distance Education to delete your information at any time (whether you are a customer or a prospective customer), please contact our privacy officer and we will process this ( admin@acs.edu.au ).

If students require a reproduction of their certificate, an electronic copy can be provided at a cost of AUD$35 incl GST. Printed copies are not available.




Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Lyn Quirk

M.Prof.Ed.; Adv.Dip.Compl.Med (Naturopathy); Adv.Dip.Sports Therapy
Over 30 years as Health Club Manager, Fitness Professional, Teacher, Coach and Business manager in health, fitness and leisure industries. As business owner and former department head for TAFE, she brings a wealth of skills and experience to her role as a tutor for ACS.

Karen Lee

Nutritional Scientist, Dietician, Teacher and Author.
BSc. Hons. (Biological Sciences), Postgraduate Diploma Nutrition and Dietetics.
Registered dietitian in the UK, with over 15 years working in the NHS. Karen has undertaken a number of research projects and has lectured to undergraduate university students. Has co authored two books on nutrition and several other books in health sciences.

Jade Sciascia

Biologist, Business Coordinator, Government Environmental Dept, Secondary School teacher (Biology); Recruitment Consultant, Senior Supervisor in Youth Welfare, Horse Riding Instructor (part-completed) and Boarding Kennel Manager.
Jade has a B.Sc.Biol, Dip.Professional Education, Cert IV TESOL, Cert Food Hygiene.

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