USBG Master Accreditation Program – Studying, Testing and Yes, PASSING!

The USBG Master Accreditation Launch!

The USBG has been hosting private chapter launches of their Master Accreditation (MA) Program since late February. Members of the MA Executive Board traveled to; Chicago, New York, LA, Austin, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Denver and Phoenix to host round one of the MA launch events open to USBG members. Some of the chapters elected to host a testing session at their launch; Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas and New York all made the level one, USBG SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL exam available at their events.

Overall, the test was well received and test takers were excited about the level of difficulty and spectrum of categories covered on the test. After testing in the USBG chapter cities some important changes were made to the test, questions deemed vague or subjective were replaced or reworded, and the validity and relevance of all test questions were given a second look and when necessary, improved. The testing process was very valuable to putting the final touches on the test.

We currently have 33 graduates and USBG SPIRITS PROFESSIONALS! All graduates will be listed on our website http://www.usbg.org/Certification/Graduates as we test. Congratulations to our graduates for their achievement! We are looking forward to proctoring the ADVANCED BARTENDER exam live very soon as well as getting our SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL exam on-line for all to try their hand. The on-line test should be available in the next 6 weeks.

The USBG MA Board will be at Tales of the Cocktail (www.talesofthecocktail.com) next week offering the level one SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL exam on Sunday, July 12 at 2:30pm. Please send an email to usbg_events@hotmail.com to save your seat. It is first come first serve and there are only 200 seats available. The test is FREE for USBG MEMBERS taking it for the first time, OTHERWISE it is $50 for current USBG members & $175 for Non-USBG Members.

Below are some commonly asked questions and our answers…

“How do I study or prep for the USBG MA exams?” seems to be the question of the day. FIRST, please visit http://www.usbg.org/Resources to print the level one SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL and level two ADVANCED BARTENDER study outlines to use as your checklist in preparation for the tests.

Once you have your checklist and know which categories you need to brush up on before testing, it will be beneficial to go through VIRTUAL SPIRITS, also available on http://www.usbg.org/Resources. This is a great tool provided by our friends and supporters at Beam Global Spirits and Wine. You can learn as you go and take each category’s tutorial as many times as you need to, start and stop at your convenience and learn at your own pace. It is a very comprehensive tool for your level one preparations.

Remember, the USBG MA Program is strictly a testing system implemented to set the standard for each level and professional title offered. Each bartender will be starting at their own level of understanding and will have a different number of years under their belt at the beginning of their accreditation journey. The USBG is and will always be a networking and educational tool for bartenders all over the country and is really the BEST way to prep for your MA exams. Becoming an active USBG member allows you to learn hands on at chapter events and from your peers. The USBG is always looking for partners in education to bring industry experiences to our members.

“When and Where can I test?” is another good one! Well, until our tests are available on-line, our tests are of course only offered live.

The on-line SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL exam will be up and running at usbg.org within the next 6 weeks (we are very hopeful to meet this deadline).

In the mean time we will have a testing session at Tales of the Cocktail, July 12th at 2:30pm. (as stated above) Please send an email to usbg_events@hotmail.comto save your seat. It is first come first serve and there are only 200 seats available. The test is FREE for USBG MEMBERS taking it for the first time, OTHERWISE it is $50 for current USBG members & $175 for Non-USBG Members.

We will host another round of tests in each chapter city at the end of the summer, most likely in September; San Francisco, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Austin, Chicago, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York.

The ADVANCED BARTENDER exam is a two part test, a written and a practical. So of course the practical must be tested live. The schedule for these exams will be posted on usbg.org as soon as we iron them out. We will most likely start in each of our chapter cities with this exam as well.

Please look for us on the schedule at all major trade events through out the year as well as checking back with usbg.org for updated testing schedules.

 

ABSOLUT Top Bartender

Absolut Top Bartender

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET IN ON THE DRAMA!

It takes wit, charm and a whole lot of talent. Sign in to Facebook and become a fan of ABSOLUT TOP BARTENDER to watch Season 1 of LXTV’s On the Rocks.

 

You can find out how you could be America’s next best, and watch all the episodes of the first season to see the drama, the final showdown, and the contestants.

There’s Graham “Britnip” Kimura the half-Japanese, half-British, master impersonator. Amanda “Mandarr” Washington, who loves mixology and her ‘89 Jetta. And, lets not forget Daniel (DJ) Love the accomplished violinist.

There’s much more where that came from so stay tuned for new episodes and more about Season 2. Grab your shaker, start mixing…and watching.

Become a fan of ABSOLUT TOP BARTENDER, today!

 

www.facebook.com/absoluttopbartender

USBG National Cocktail Competition! May 12th, 2009 San Francisco CA

Armando Rosario, Las Vegas NV

Tres Generaciones Tequila & the San Francisco Chapter of the USBG hosted this year’s USBG National Cocktail Competition!

Congratulations to our San Francisco Chapter for hosting such an exciting event and a huge THANK YOU to Tres Generaciones Tequila who was a very gracious sponsor! The National Competition was held in San Francisco this year during San Francisco Cocktail Week. The May 12th event was a huge success and all in attendance had a great time! There was plenty to do in the city that week and many members came in early and stayed through the week to take advantage of the food & beverage scene.

As for the competition itself we had a great turn out, about 200 people came out to the famous Starlight Room atop the beautiful Sir Francis Drake Hotel. Tony Abou-Ganim a USBG National Ambassador and long time member was a fantastic host and judge. Livio Lauro our National USBG President was on the technical bench and Bobby G Gleason, USBG National Ambassador and Beam Global’s Mixologist was an entertaining emcee and did a fantastic job representing his Tres Generaciones brand!

The San Francisco local competition was early in the day and they had a fantastic group of talent come out to compete.   Below were the San Francisco local standings after 21 competitors took the bench.

San Francisco FIRST PLACE - Mr. Ronaldo Colli, from Americano Bar with his drink Kama Sutra

San Francisco SECOND PLACE - Mr. Jimmy Patrick, from Lion and Compass with his drink Rita Milano

San Francisco THIRD PLACE- Mr. Marc Goldfine, from 83 Proof with his drink The Starry Night

San Francisco Best Technical Performance - Mr. Ronaldo Colli, from Bar Americano

We reset the stage and in the evening began the national heat. We had 9 competitors from all over the country (see below list)  representing their chapters. It was an impressive first for the USBG to have such a large and talented group of competitors having grown so much since last year’s annual competition. Though we have grown so much in size since last year, we are extremely proud to say that this year’s competition proved we are still very much all about QUALITY not just quantity when it come to our membership!

The competitors were assigned the order in which they would compete and began to prepare in the prep station. The 4 tasting judges were set up in a blind tasting room, the technical judge, Livio Lauro had his stop watch and clipboard in hand and we were on our way!

Here are the results of the 2009 USBG National Cocktail Competition…

National FIRST PLACE- Mr. Armando Rosario, LasVegas, NV with his drink The Real Dill

National SECOND PLACE – Mr. Daniel Love (aka DJ Love), Chicago, IL with his drink Aztec Gold

National THIRD PLACE – Mr. Ricky Gomez, New Orleans, LA with his drink The Red Pepper Daisy

National FOURTH PLACE- Mr. Ronaldo Colli, San Francisco, CA with his drink Kama Sutra

National FIFTH PLACE – Mr. Bill Norris, Austin, TX with his drink The Palabra Ultima

National SIXTH PLACE- Mr. Jonathan Pogash, New York, NY with his drink The Pulitzer

National SEVENTH PLACE- Mr. Edwin Cruz, Los Angeles, CA with his drink La Venganza

National EIGHTH PLACE – Mr. Mark Stoddard, Denver, CO with his drink Sandia Smash

National NINETH PLACE – Mr. Matt McCullough, Phoenix, AZ with his drink Southern Paloma

National Best Technical Performance - Mr. Ronaldo Colli, San Francisco, CA

Congratulations to Armando Rosario of the Nevada Chapter for placing FIRST! Armando will be attending the IBA’s 35th Annual, World Cocktail Competition in Berlin, Germany to represent the United States Bartenders’ Guild. The competition is August 11th. His drink, The Real Dill (see recipe below) was a crowd and judge pleaser. We wish Armando safe travels and much luck in Berlin!

The REAL  DILL, created by Armando Rosario
1 oz Tres Generaciones Plata Tequila
1 oz Vox Vodka
1 oz Fresh lime juice
¾ oz Agave nectar
2 slices of English cucumber
Sprig of dill.
Shake and strain into a cocktail glass
Garnished with a sprig of dill and cucumber slices

About Tres Generaciones, Tres Generaciones or Three Generations is named after Don Cenobio, Don Eladio and Don Francisco Javier Sauza, the three legendary tequila pioneers of the Sauza family who helped define the tequila industry and grow Sauza® into one of today’s leading tequilas. The Tres Generaciones Society honors and celebrates today’s high achievers and influencersby bringing them together to share their knowledge and wisdom with the next generation. More information on Tres Generaciones can be found at www.tresgeneraciones.com.

Night Club & Bar Show Las Vegas

Are you in Las Vegas for Night Club & Bar this week? If so tell us what some of the highlights have been and how you think it’s going!

USBG Master Accreditation Program Testing Sessions!

The tests are here!!!

End of March & all of April 2009 the MA Program will be hosting our kick off “USBG SPIRTS PROFESSIONAL” (level 1 exam) testing events in ALL of our 10 chapter cities! These event will be sponsored by Beam Global & Beam Global’s Virtual Spirits!

USBG.org will be updated at MIDNIGHT pm March 15th with the study guides for our tests and the kick off event schedule!

Please note there have been a few changes to the program making it more accessible and convenient for you!

Changes have been made to the original post below in red!

GOOD LUCK!

USBG Master Accreditation Program.

Introducing the USBG Master Accreditation Program!

The profession of bartending and it’s surrounding careers have re-surged and in the current economy career competition is at an all time high. Self proclaimed, bar related titles no longer set individuals apart for their talent and product knowledge, likely because most of these titles are untested and unregulated.

The USBG has created the USBG Master Accreditation Program to take away the ambiguity and set a standard once and for all. The USBG will challenge our members and beverage professionals all over the country to prove their merit by studying for and passing our tests.The USBG Master Accreditation Program is strictly a testing system with three tiers of achievement as listed below.

This is an added benefit to being a USBG member, USBG members receive discounted test fees compared to non-members. USBG members are known to have an advanced product knowledge and understanding of the industry because education is such an important part of what each chapter offers its members. Now, beverage professional all over can take the USBG’s tests and strive to achieve each level.

We will be launching the MA Program’s level 1 test, USBG SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL exam in ALL of our current USBG chapter cities at the end of March and through out April 2009. If you are a paid in full, active USBG member at the time of the launch event your first exam will be free! We want you to have the chance to be among the first to become a USBG SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL! If you are not a USBG member (why not?) your testing fees will be as listed below.

Here are the three levels of the MA Program tests…. NOTE: you no longer have to be a USBG member to take these tests. USBG members receive a discounted test fee and their first test FREE!

1. USBG SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL (Written or On-line test) $50 for USBG Members and $150 for non-members
Successfully passing this test will qualify the candidate as a USBG Spirits Professional. Ensuring employers and colleagues that they are knowledgeable and well versed in all spirit categories from every corner of the world as well as sake, beer, wine , cigars, service, history of cocktails, mixology and much more.

2. USBG Advanced Bartender (Written or On-line Exam & Live Practical Evaluation) $100 for USBG members and $300 for non-members
Successfully passing BOTH of the advanced tests, written and practical. This will ensure that the candidate has a working knowledge of the craft of bartending, an advanced level of product knowledge on all spirit categories as well as sake, beer, wine & cigars, and that they have a strong understanding of the beverage industry overall. They have a clear understanding of important aspects of management and running a successful bar program. Candidates must pass a rigorous practical evaluation testing their professionalism behind the bar and proving  their working knowledge of cocktails and mixology. The candidate may add the acronym AB after their name signifying that they are a USBG Advanced Bartender and they will be pinned as such.

3. USBG Master Mixologist ™ (Thesis) $150 for USBG members and $450 for non-members
Candidates will submit a thesis to the MA Board on a relevant beverage industry related topic of their choice for review and approval. They must also successfully pass a panel interview and practical discussion regarding their thesis after the Board has researched, reviewed and checked all references on the thesis. Once approved their thesis will then be added to the USBG Master Mixologist Journal for record. The candidate may add the acronym MM after their name to signify that they are a USBG Master Mixologist and will be pinned as such.

We will be launching the all new USBG.org MARCH 15th at 11:59 pm with study guides  and outlines as well as fantastic ways to prep for our tests. We will send USBG members an update as soon as we are on-line.

Shake it Up in Las Vegas!

EXTRA, EXTRA!!!! The 3rd annual Shake it Up Cocktail Competition at the Nightclub and Bar Show in Las Vegas, Nevada is quickly approaching.  The Cocktail Competition will be Tuesday, March 3rd at the Convention Center.

Log on to www.ncbshow.com and click on the “Shake it Up” shaker for rules and to enter the most exciting cocktail competition of the year.  First place winner will receive $5000.00!

Get shaking, time is of the essence and the deadline to turn in your cocktail is Sunday February 1st by midnight! 

Brining in the New Year!

Where were you when the ball dropped and what were you sipping?

Most of you were probably working….Did your bar do anything special for New Years Eve?

Creativity in our current economy! How are you being affected?

How are you handling the challenges of today’s economy behind your bar?

Have you had to cut back on staff and or have you found creative ways to schedule and adjust?

Any suggestions or advice on weathering the storm to pass on to your fellow bartenders and bar owners/managers?

New in New Orleans, 2008 was a great time to get started!

I am very proud that New Orleans now has a USBG chapter. We look forward to getting more involved with our sister chapters and exchanging and learning information. Ann Tuennerman, New Orleans Chapter President