Mixologist or Bartender?

These polls are unscientific and don’t mean a thing.

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Here’s the poll from Imbibe Magazine: Which term do you prefer?

Personally, one who stands behind a bar and makes drinks is a bartender. One who finds or creates recipes and uses those recipes to help make drinks is a mixologist. That’s two different things altogether.

August 25, 2009 by John Martin under Spirits

2 Responses to “Mixologist or Bartender?”

  1. Posted by: Joni Mueller - 09/07/2009

    So it’s basically the difference between a chef and a waitress or waiter, then, huh? :)

  2. Posted by: John Martin - 09/07/2009

    Oh, I don’t know. On one level, the analogy works but there are as many differences as there are similarities.

    A waiter/waitress doesn’t really enter the kitchen and cook (although they might ladle the gumbo or garnish a plate). The bartender is certainly the chef for the drink, so the job is more than just serving.

    For some reason, many bartenders take offense at the mixologist title.

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