The long-awaited Tipsy Texan education & internship program is finally here. Beginning February 16 we will be teaching The History and Practice of Cocktail Mixology, a 12-week intensive academic program covering all aspects of recreational tippling. The course will be led by myself and Lara Nixon (Boxcar Bar). We begin with the origins of alcohol in pre-modern medicine, then travel through cocktail history from the golden age of the 19th century, to the “noble experiment” of Prohibition and its aftermath, finishing with the modern cocktail revival of the last decade. There will be a class on each major category of spirits, with a lecture on the history and styles of the spirit followed by a hands-on discussion and demonstration of cocktails featuring that spirit. Other classes will cover such topics as Molecular Mixology and Garden-to-Glass bartending. Participants in the full course will be treated to field trips, special lectures and workshops covering diverse topics in cocktail mixology and hostpitality. Classes will be taught by the team of Alan and Nixon with numerous special guests. Class size will be limited to twenty students. A limited number of interns will be accepted for enrollment in a specialized independent study track. Descriptions of the internship program follow the jump.
Details:
Registration begins online after January 1, and deadline for full program is February 15, 2010.
Regular classes will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-8:00 at Twin Liquors Marketplace at Hancock Center
Student enrollment fee is $350 for the full course, $250 for members of the United States Bartenders Guild.
For students not seeking program certification, individual classes may be audited for tuition of $35 per class, when space is available.
“Walk-in” registration for single classes may be made up until noon of the class day
For more information email info@tipsytexan.com
The History and Practice of Cocktail Mixology: Areas of Specialization for Interns
Track 1: Culinary Horticulture & Urban Homesteading
Over the course of the semester, interns will gain hands-on experience with culinary herbs & vegetables, with a focus on planning & planting the “Mixologist’s Garden”. Work sessions will be led by experienced gardeners and pioneers of Austin’s sustainable food community. Field trips will include work days at venerable urban farms such as Rain Lilly and Boggy Creek. Interns will occasionally be joined by local chefs and other culinary professionals. As the garden begins to bear fruit, kitchen sessions will be conducted to make use of what is in season. We will discuss how to make liqueurs and infusions, jellies & jams, bitters & tinctures, etc. from garden ingredients, and we will explore the role of these ingredients in cocktails.
Requirements: Candidate must have an interest in gardening from a culinary perspective, though actual experience is not required. There will a two-hour work session once a week in addition to regular lecture time. Additionally, there will be occasional field trips to area farms and gardens.
Track 2: Social Media & Personal Branding for Hospitality Professionals
This track will focus on the role of Web sites like Twitter and Facebook in building a career in the food & beverage industry. Activities will include using social (as well as conventional) media outlets to promote various events throughout the semester, as well as developing your own personal online brand.
Requirements: Candidate must have basic understanding of social media platforms and be interested in personal brand development. Command of graphic design, photo & video editing programs is a plus.
Track 3: Event Production & Promotion
Being a bartender, chef or restaurateur requires a lot more than turning the lights on and serving customers. In the modern hospitality environment, professionals must spend a lot of time promoting themselves and their establishments. This track will focus on various ways that this can be done. Interns will assist with promotional events throughout the semester. Participation in this track will include access to several significant food & beverage events in the Austin area, such as the Hill Country Wine & Food festival in April. The main semester project will be to plan and execute a major cocktail event in the spring.
Requirements: Candidates must be able to devote approximately two hours to weekly event planning sessions. Additional time will be required on nights and weekends to work or attend events. Some events will include paid work.
Track 4: The Practical Mixologist
Being a bartender is not a monolithic enterprise. There are many different styles of bartending, and participants in this track will gain experience working in diverse establishments from high-volume bars to high-end classic cocktail lounges. After evaluating your skills and interests, we will develop a schedule that gets you the maximum experience that you are looking for.
Requirements: candidates will get hands-on experience both in the Tipsy Texan test kitchen and in the real workplace. Applicants must be available to work some nights and weekends as the schedule of the host bars dictates
Track 5: Cocktail Journalism & Culinary History
In the current media culture, a “journalism” career can include not just magazines and newspapers, but also books, countless Web sites and blogs, educational events and conferences. This track will study the various ways that a career in mixology (and hospitality in general) can nurture those of us with the artistic impulse to express ourselves through the written word and with visual media. Two applicants will be accepted—one writer and one photo or video journalist.
Interns will take a look at cocktail mixology through the researcher’s eye, and from a journalist’s perspective. Interns will gain access to many of Austin’s most respected food & beverage journalists.
Requirements: participants will produce original content that will be published at TipsyTexan.com and other local blogs and publications, including their own. Interns will attend a handful of food media events throughout the semester. Semester project will include an editorial piece for a major local food publication.
