emerit Bartender study plan
emerit Bartender · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Bartending skills, knowledge, and practices (National Occupational Standards based)
List and define the core legal responsibilities of a bartender regarding alcohol service, licensing conditions, and refusal of service
Memorize the standard measures and unit-counting method for the main spirit categories and apply them to sample drinks
Practice three scripted refusal-of-service scenarios aloud, covering polite persistence, offering alternatives, and escalation
Label a blank bar layout with stations, equipment, and safety zones from memory
Your checkpoint
A one-page reference sheet of legal duties, standard measures, and a written refusal script, self-tested with a 20-item recall quiz scoring at least 16/20
Bartending skills, knowledge, and practices (National Occupational Standards based)
Build a personal toolkit list of bar equipment and state the purpose and safe use of each item
Demonstrate correct glassware selection for ten classic drink styles and justify each choice
Explain the purpose and steps of opening, mid-shift, and closing procedures in sequence
Identify common cross-contamination and hygiene risks at the bar and state the control for each
Your checkpoint
A completed equipment and glassware matrix covering at least 25 items with purpose, care, and matching drink styles, plus a 10-point hygiene risk checklist
Bartending skills, knowledge, and practices (National Occupational Standards based)
Memorize the recipes, ratios, and garnish for 20 core mixed drinks and prepare them consistently
Apply the standard build methods (shake, stir, build, blend, muddle) to the correct drink categories
Measure and control dilution, temperature, and texture in shaken versus stirred drinks
Practice free-pouring to a target measure and record accuracy over repeated trials
Your checkpoint
A recipe card set for 20 core drinks and a pour-accuracy log showing at least 20 timed trials with variance noted
Bartending skills, knowledge, and practices (National Occupational Standards based)
Memorize the production steps, regions, and serving conventions for the main wine categories
Compare the principal beer styles and state correct storage, temperature, and dispense practice for each
Explain the base, production, and flavour profile of the major spirit families
Describe how to store, rotate, and monitor stock to maintain quality and control waste
Your checkpoint
A tasting-note grid for 15 products across wine, beer, and spirits with style, origin, service temperature, and flavour descriptors, plus a stock rotation checklist
Bartending skills, knowledge, and practices (National Occupational Standards based)
Sequence a full service workflow from greeting through order taking, preparation, delivery, and payment
Demonstrate upselling and recommendation language that matches drinks to customer preference
Handle three complaint or conflict scenarios using a calm, documented resolution process
Explain cash handling, till reconciliation, and point-of-sale accuracy controls
Your checkpoint
A recorded role-play or written transcript of three service scenarios with a self-scored checklist covering greeting, recommendation, resolution, and payment
Bartending skills, knowledge, and practices (National Occupational Standards based)
Identify the main allergens and dietary considerations relevant to bar service and state how to communicate them
Explain responsible service limits, signs of intoxication, and the duty-of-care response at each stage
Describe emergency procedures for fire, spill, breakage, and first aid at the bar
Apply safe manual handling and slip-prevention practice to a typical shift layout
Your checkpoint
A two-page safety and responsible-service briefing covering allergens, intoxication stages, emergency steps, and manual handling, validated against a 15-item quiz at 80 percent or higher
Bartending skills, knowledge, and practices (National Occupational Standards based)
Complete a timed full mock exam under exam conditions and record the score by topic
Analyse every missed question and map the error to a specific knowledge gap
Re-drill weak areas with targeted recall practice until accuracy improves
Rehearse written and verbal explanations of standard procedures to exam standard
Your checkpoint
A mock exam score report with an error log that categorises each miss by topic and a revised study priority list
Bartending skills, knowledge, and practices (National Occupational Standards based)
Review the error log and confirm closure of each identified gap
Complete a second timed mock exam and compare results with week 7
Recite key measures, recipes, and legal duties from memory without prompts
Finalize a concise one-page revision sheet for pre-exam review
Your checkpoint
A second mock exam score at or above the target pass mark plus a completed one-page revision sheet and a signed readiness checklist
Milestones
Week 2: Can state legal responsibilities, standard measures, and equipment use without notes, and score at least 80 percent on the week 1 to 2 self-test
Week 4: Can prepare 20 core drinks to recipe with recorded pour accuracy, and explain wine, beer, and spirit categories with correct service conventions
Week 6: Can handle service, conflict, allergen, and emergency scenarios correctly in role-play, scoring at least 80 percent on the safety and responsible-service quiz
Week 8: Second mock exam meets or exceeds the target pass mark, with every error-log item marked resolved and the revision sheet complete