Bartending School of Sacramento

Thursday Trivia: According to an article in the Economist titled "The History of Drinking: Uncorking the Past," as Magellan prepared to sail around the world in 1519, he spent more on Sherry (a Spanish wine) than on weapons. Was he an alcoholic or just a pacifist? The world may never know.

Movie Monday! The tension throughout the entire scene of this Inglourious Basterds bar scene made it an instant classic. http://ow.ly/ky0BD

California comes in first in USA Today's list of "10 Best Craft Brew States in America." Way to go Cali! Have you been to any of the CA breweries listed? if so, which ones and how were they?

Terminology Tuesday: Muddle - To crush or grind solid ingredients (typically fruit, herbs, or seasonings) at the bottom of the shaker/cocktail glass using a muddler. This releases the flavor of said ingredients. Common muddled drinks: Old Fashioned, Mojito, Caipirinha, and the Caiproska (stay tuned for the recipes of these).

Movie Monday! Another great cinematic bar scene: The Departed's "cranberry juice" scene. We want to show some of your favorites. Comment letting us know what classic bar scenes you'd like to see and we'll eventually re-post giving you credit for the "request." *NSFW *Language

Friday Funnies! A very shy guy goes into a tavern and sees a beautiful woman sitting at the bar. After an hour of gathering up his courage, he finally walks over to her and asks tentatively, Umm, would you mind if I chatted with you for a while? She responds by yelling at the top of her lungs, No, I won’t sleep with you tonight! Everyone in the bar is now staring at them. Naturally, the guy is hopelessly and completely embarrassed, and so he slinks back to his table. Afte...r a few minutes, the woman walks over to him and apologizes. She smiles at him and says, I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. You see, I’m a graduate student in psychology and I’m studying how people respond to embarrassing situations. To which he responds, at the top of his lungs, What do you mean two hundred dollars? See more

Bar Terminology Tuesday - Box: You pour everything into a shaker without ice - just so the ingredients blend together - you don't shake this drink with ice. The reason for this is some bartenders claim that shaking drinks too vigorously can "bruise" the alcohol which will change the end result of the flavor of the cocktail. In our opinion, even if this "bruising" did exist it would only change the flavor in such a minor way - unnoticeable to most.

Movie Monday: What makes this a classic bar scene is Bill Murray's face after he takes a drink. Too funny. Would you like the drink he ordered?

Tired of drinking the same old beer? Add these to your beer bucket list and enjoy the wonderful flavors.

Terminology Tuesday: The Toddy - A sweetened (usually with honey or sugar) drink of liquor and hot water, often with spices, citrus and served in a cafe glass. This begs the question: Doesn't this make a Hot Toddy redundant? Tip: The heat from the water tends to bring out the harshness of cheap alcohol even more, so always use premium brands when making a Toddy. Bonus Tip: We've found that these drinks help soothe sore throats, clear stuffed nasal passages, and temporarily remedy other symptoms of the common cold. Now you have a drink to offer your guests even if they give you the "I'm sick" excuse.

On this Movie Monday we bring to you pehaps the best of the worst bar movies ever made. A movie that sees Patrick Swayze turn his dancing shoes in for bouncing shoes, utter one of the cheesiest lines in movie history: "Pain don't hurt," and where no one can stop him from putting baby in the corner. Behold, Roadhouse, in all of its terrible glory: http://ow.ly/jRj3C

Friday Funnies!.....Who needs soup? This warms your belly just the same!

Trivia Thursday: Who is the real Captain Morgan? Captain Morgan Spiced Rum is named after Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the English Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements. He earned a reputation as one of the most notorious and successful privateers in history, and one of the most ruthless among those active along the Spanish Main.