5 Things You Didn't
Know About Bartending.
In honor of National Bartending Day,
here are some insights into
the origins of the trade.
1. The word "cocktail"
was first used in Britain.
"Cock-tail" was likely first used
as a slang term for an English ginger drink. .
2. Cocktails were
an American invention.
The first use of the word "cocktails"
as a mixed drink containing "spirits"
appears in a U.S. 1806 periodical,
'Balance and Columbian Repository.'.
3. Jerry Thomas
is considered the
'Father of Mixology.'.
The American barkeep wrote the first bartenders guide,
'The Bon Vivant Companion.' Published in 1862,
the guide included Thomas' own drink recipes.
4. Bartender "Olympics" are real.
"Flair-tending" competitions
focus on a bartender's juggling
skills. The World Class Club focuses
on cocktail recipe creativity.
5. The oldest pub has been in
existence for more than 1,000 years.
According to Guinness World Records,
Sean's Bar in Athlone, Ireland, has been
serving pints since the tenth century
