The Tobin Ellis Class, Part I

Disclaimer: I am stubborn, judgmental, and obnoxious. Or at least, that’s what Al Klopper always tells me. But seriously, sometimes I joke around too much or speak out of turn and for that, I apologize. Just wanted to get that off my chest to my classmates and my teachers.

Hear ye, hear ye; I have a confession to make. As combative as I was during Wednesday’s session, no class in the 2011 AMCA’s lineup (other than the sherry one with Phil Ward and Katie Stipe) has had as much of an impact on me. And ever since experiencing Tobin Ellis’s presentation, I’ve been digesting it.

I’ve spoken with my coworkers, fellow bartenders, and even random kids on playground swingsets about the different ideas and practices proposed to us in class. I’m not writing this because I agree with everything that Tobin told us; instead, I’m writing this because Tobin’s class perfectly illustrated the purpose of the advanced academy.

Look, if Bridget Albert were merely a charismatic bartender, then we’d be fools to take her class. But because she is a patient teacher who pushes us and challenges us to contemplate new philosophies, her class is completely worthwhile. And by asking someone like Tobin Ellis to instruct the AMCA for a day, she made the conscious decision to continue to refine us as bartenders as is always her goal. (I think).

Tobin’s hatred of jiggers and time-consuming cocktails and loquacious bartenders is not unwarranted. Jiggers are not perfectly accurate, a cocktail that takes 15 minutes to get to you is silly, and long-winded barpeople can be extremely annoying. Yet there was something beyond these things that really touched a nerve and I wasn’t quite sure until today what it was exactly.

Tune in shortly for part two; a jigger auction on ebay is calling my name…