2011 grad now Head Bartender Willie L seen here preparing my dirty martini. It was awesome as is the atmosphere and service. Looking good! Checkout that glass! Also 2011 grad Gianna and Willie at their favorite spot. The food was great, especially the walleye and spaghetti w meatballs. Thanks for everything see you soon. Nida Italia located in Little Italy.


Jessica 2006 grad showing her skills and smile while making my Captain & Coke. Looking good! She has worked at Shalala, Tino's, and Fridays. She is seen here at Jacks Bar and Grill in South Euclid on Friday.

 

Deanna, a current student and owner of Anthony's located in Little Italy is raising a bottle of wine as a toast. They just added alcohol to the menu. She is finishing class just in time to set up her bar and serve cocktails beginning in March. Way to go D glad we could help.

 "Whiskey around the World" at Manhattan’s of Toledo was a great time, good food, and very educational, especially if you didn’t know anything about whiskey.  We started our “Whiskey around the World” trip with Bulleit Rye Whiskey made in Kentucky.  An opening cocktail was offered any way you like; I had mine in a Manhattan on the rocks.   The Bulleit Rye is made with 95%  rye grains, aged 4-7 yrs. It has a golden amber color, was smooth and had a slight spicy (hot) flavor on its own.  Adding a cube of ice, toned down the spice and made it much smoother.  It sells for around $27 a bottle.

Next stop, Scotland-- a shot of Johnny Walker Double Black served with the Appetizer Buffet which included Skewered Lime Shrimp, Cold-Smoked Salmon and Rye l'amuse and Roasted/Spiced Nuts.  The Johnny Walker DB has recently been released to the public as it was only available in duty free shops prior. It is a blended scotch made from malted barley (other grains) that is smoked with peat and has no age statement since it comes from various aged barrels most 10 yrs and up.  JWDB had a very intense smoky aroma, deep dark amber color, and goes down very warm and smooth. Cost is around $46/bottle. 

Bushmill’s Black Bush an Irish Whiskey was served with a Mixed Green Salad topped with a Whiskey Dressing for the second course.  The BBB is a blended whiskey made from malted barley & other grains and aged 8-10 yrs in sherry casks.  It has a nice amber color, was very warm almost hot when swallowing yet smooth. It also had a slight sweetness from the Sherry casks. A 750 mL bottle is about $30. 

Onward to our Northern neighbors, Canada’s Crown Royal Reserve was served with the third course, Corn Chowder--quite tasty.  CRR is a blended whiskey made select barrels of CR aging whiskey of which there are over 1 million to choose from.  It has an amber color, was warm and smooth and had a slight spice to it. This CRR sells for around $43 a bottle. We travel back to Scotland for the World’s Best Scotch, Johnny Walker Blue Label served with Pork Tenderloin & Squash Ravioli. This is a blended whisky made from the rarest casks of Johnny Walker’s stock.  Currently JW has 7.5 million barrels of whisky aging in Scotland. The value of this whisky exceeds that of England and 46 other countries GNP.   JWBlue has a smoky aroma but not as intense as the double black. It also has deep amber color, and is very warm and smooth.  Since it is considered the World’s best it has a price tag to match at $215 a bottle.  

The evening ended with coffee and a Corn Cake with Whiskey Cream Sauce dessert--of course we couldn’t end without the whiskey and yes it was very delicious. My personal favorite was the Bulleit Rye Whiskey and my least favorites were the Johnny Walkers mostly because I do not care for smoked drinks or foods and their flavor & aromas are distinctly smoky.  The JWBlue was definitely the smoothest of all and I know my table mates who are whiskey drinkers liked it very much along with the CRReserve. 

I did learn the differences between whiskey, bourbon, scotch, & Irish whiskey’s.  It is all about where they are distilled, aged, and bottled along with what they are made primarily from.  All whiskey’s are made from grains (corn, wheat, rye &/or barley). No coloring additives are added, the color must come from the casks in which the whiskey ages in. Once bottled the aging process is complete. Some casks are charred & must be new and others may be previously used from whiskey or wine.  Bourbon is an American product made of no less than 51% corn.  Scotch must be distilled, aged & bottled in Scotland to be labeled scotch--otherwise it is called whiskey.  Irish whiskey must be distilled & aged in Ireland to be labeled an Irish whiskey.                                      Lesa Beaupry

Mere mention of the word “absinthe” conjures colorful imagery of a world gone by, a world filled with beauty, creativity, controversy and madness.

Originally crafted as a distilled folk medicine from the Swiss outback, absinthe emerged as a curious tonic of the rural Franco-Swiss culture. Having caught the fancy of an intrepid businessman who became enchanted with its powers, the commercial world was allowed to receive its first taste of the distinctive green spirit in 1805.

Throughout the 1800s, absinthe reigned as a defining icon of the Belle Époque in France (The Beautiful Era). Many an artist caught a glimpse of the world through absinthe-colored glasses, including the likes of Van Gogh, Manet, Degas, and Picasso.

Across the pond in the “little Paris” that we call “New Orleans”, the creoles were reveling in a café culture all their own at The Old Absinthe House located in the heart and soul of the French Quarter.

But like all good things, the bittersweet popularity of absinthe would come to a controversial end at the hands of those who stood to profit from its demise. Bad science, bad religion, and bad government would pin all societal problems not on the decadent culture that fostered them, but on the cloudy green national drink.

Almost a century later, armed with better science, strange religion, and sympathetic government, the few, the proud, the champions of all things absinthe have resurrected the Green Fairy and vindicated her from the accusations.
-- T. A. Breaux - Absinthe Historian / Chemist - Creator of Lucid, the first absinthe allowed into the USA after being banned for 95 years.

Top Ten Things to Know About Absinthe
1. Absinthe is a French word that means wormwood.
2. Absinthe is pronounced AB-sent.
3. Wormwood is an herb.
4. The oil in wormwood is called thujone.
5. Green Fairy is a nickname for absinthe. 6. La Fee Verte is French for Green Fairy.
7. Absinthe was banned in America in 1912 and practically worldwide by 1915.
8. Chemist and absinthe historian, Ted A. Breaux is responsible for getting the first absinthe back into America in 2007.
9. Pernod was the very first absinthe.
10. Historic partaking of absinthe does not include setting anything on fire.

Good afternoon! I just wanted to write and say a big THANK YOU to Milton! I really appreciate the knowledge and the fun presentations that he provided in which helped me to learn a new skill.  I was working at j.w.cheers in barberton and came across a interesting new opportunity. A new night club called the Thirsty Cowboy was opening in October in Medina.  I was a part of the grand opening which was so crazy busy I really don't remember the first weekend!

We've had performers such as David Allan Coe, Confederate Railroad, T.Graham Brown at the end of Feb. and Joe Diffie in April. In working hard, after a couple months I was promoted to Bar Manager!  I Love my job!!!!

I've included a picture in this email, I know Milton had requested one and I am finally able to send him one. (im second from the left)

A big thank you to everyone at the Cleveland bartending school!!!!!

Jennifer Sadzewicz Bar manager at the Thirsty Cowboy!

More touring, its a tough job but someone has to take one for the team. I'm up to it LOL This is a new winebar, again all in the name Swirl automatically you know what that means. We waited here for our reservation at Harvest.

It's divided in two parts a happening bar and very intimate lounge area furnished tastefully with fireplace, soft leather couches, tables for two, hardwood floor and deck, weather permitting. The menu is light apps that will hold you until your table is ready at Harvest. Thats what I call team work...You guessed it ! We will go back!

Continuing on my sweet sixteen tour, here is a new resturant in Solon, Ohio I visited. It has a great name,menu and atmosphere. I ordered a  rosemary cucumber martini. It had eye appeal but I wasnt crazy about the taste combination of cucumbers and rosemary. However the food and service were quite tasty. I will certainly go here again.

January UPDATE 1/30/2012
Rob T is at it again creating a drink with PAMA Liqueur.This is a pretty sweet contest great prizes. Rob gets a chance to use his considerable mixology skills again. Good Luck Rob!

Also Mimi R 2000 grad is working at Playhouse Sq and loving it. She just referred her friend Jenn to school.Thank You Mimi .
Look or ask around, you'll find our grads out an about.

Our very own instructor Rob T does it again! He finished fourth out of twenty finalists from across the country . The contest hosted by Esquire Magazine and Woodford Reserve Bourbon Manhattan contest, for best crafted cocktail. It was a huge honor to be around such talented mixologists. Rob got his start at Cleveland Bartending School, you make us proud!

Faith Perry 2004 CBS grad, just re-enrolled for refresher class. She wants to sharpen her skills. Faith has bartended and managed several places in Cleveland and surrounding areas including Crazy Horse, Mickey Finns, Danny Boy's Tav and Scoreboard....way to go Faith!

What do you call four CBS grads working at the same place....give up a class reunion...lol. Congratulations, Bill D, Chad, Amanda and Dave B who all work at the Executive Caterers party center in Lyndhurst,Oh

Rob Turek just won the Master of the Manhattan competition for Esquire Magazine and Woodford Reserve for the state of Ohio! Rob will now be flying, all expenses paid to New York city to compete in the national finals! Good Luck Rob!

Rob's at it again! He continues to up the standard for mixology! He is competing Wednesday in a Columbus, Ohio Flair Competition; something he's really good at! Rob also finished in the top two in Cleveland and the top fourteen in Ohio for the best Manhattan. The sponsors, Woodford Reserve Bourbon and Esquire Magazine, are searching for the most original Manhattan. Mixologists are judged on their ability to craft this classic cocktail. Read his creation and try making it yourself. You be the judge; We think it's a Winner!

More December News

Two CBS alums just called today to take advantage of our lifetime job placement. Adam C (2005 grad) was working at Westpark Station and Andre H (2009 grad) bartended at Dream Niteclub.Way to go guys, as always you’re welcome to browse our job openings. Also Matt S. (2011 grad) currently working at Taste of Excellence catering located in Strongsville ,Oh.

Im just finishing up the sweet sixteen, just in time for March Madness again. I stumbled on a real gem. TAZA  Bar&gGrill downtown Cleveland. While waiting on another bar to open, I stopped in for a libation.This is a Lebanese Resturant with homecooking from you guessed it, Lebanon. I enjoyed their signature martini. The receipe was Premiun Vodka, their special mix kinda reminded me of spicy salad dressing. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying this martini along with conversation from Pamela the bartender. The drink was spicy,but different and tasty.

By the way, congratulations to Daniel Radigan! He is our first 2012 graduate to get a job working at Flex downtown with another one of our grads Tim M.!

This is a shout out to our 2006 graduate, Paul V.! He is currently working at the Chocolate bar in downtown Cleveland. He finished in the Top Ten in BEST BARTENDER in BARLAND. We had two grads in the top ten. As you know, our instructor Rob Turek won in October. Way to go guys, you make us feel really proud. Cleveland's on fire!

I just returned from annual meeting in Tampa Fla. It was nice to see everyone,contribute ideas for the future of bartending and of course have fun.

Shoutout to meeting organizers Roger Oldham, Randy Bullen, Nancy Nolan and the rest of PBSA staff . Job well done.

Also thank the attendees from Tampa (John&Pat), San Antonio (Rachel), Woodbridge, New Jersey (Lambert & Laura),
Waterbury, Connecticut (Peter), Riverside, Calif (Nate) , Tucson (Jack),Philly (Ariela) and Cindy our social media queen from Fla.
 
I’m busy looking forward to 2012 Las Vegas or New Orleans, food,fun and the future of bartending and THE TALE OF THE COCKTAILS featuring the country’s best bartenders