Words by Jane Ryan
Bar culture has evolved so phenomenally in the last decade thanks to the many talented people working behind our bars and the investment in education by leading global brands.
Nowadays it's no longer enough to simply memorise specs, instead a bartender should have an understanding of distillation, know the story of field to bottle and be able to tell the tale of a cocktails invention, be it a classic from the 1930s or a modern favourite.
Knowing where to begin is another matter, and being a young bartender on the scene can be an intimidating position. Enter Stolichnaya vodka and their newly launched Start With Stoli, an innovative website dedicated to educating the next generation of bartenders, and perhaps enabling a few of the old guard to brush up on their knowledge.
A mix of online workshops, ranging from punch to vodka distillation, trend articles and classic recipes means this website will be a valuable tool in a young bartender's arsenal. Better yet by submitting their own unique cocktail recipe, users will be in the running for a chance to win Stoli's Bartender's Dream Library, a collection of 50 crucial bar books, from The Bon Vivant's Companion, by Jerry Thomas all the way through to modern day essentials such as Amy Stewart's The Drunken Botanist and Tony Conigliaro's Drinks.
What makes Stoli's programme particularly exciting is its accessibility. Rather than waiting for leading bartenders and industry experts to travel to their cities, bartenders across the world can access all the information online, as well as interviews with luminaries from the world of mixology and tasting notes on the brand's range. What's more, the workshops are put together by the great and good of the industry, kicking off with Tony Abu-Ganim's Vodka Distillation.
As Stolichnaya Brand Ambassador, Matt Dakers, says; "The foundation of Start With Stoli allows aspiring bartenders starting out on their journey to access tools and build their knowledge they wouldn't necessarily receive from behind-the-bar. Many competitions and programmes are aimed at established bartenders whereas Start With Stoli inspires new bartenders to share their work."
Click here to visit Start With Stoli and see the educational website, start the online workshops, read the trend articles and browse a Bartender's Dream Library.
All editorial and photography on this website is copyright protected
© Odd Firm of Sin 2025
Join the Discussion
... comment(s) for Start With Stoli
You must log in to your account to make a comment.