| flair bartending |
|
| THE START OF FLAIR |
 |
Hey
look its tom cruise!” or
“you’re pretty good but
you’re no Tom Cruise!”
and even “hey your just
like that guy in
that Cocktail
movie!!” Every bartender
who has ever flipped, spun,
rolled, or tossed a liquor bottle,
beer bottle, or shaker tin, has heard
those words uttered from across the
bar. Yes it is true the 1988 Tom
Cruise movie Cocktail, an epic film
about young hotshot bartender
Brian Flanagan, brought flair bartending
to the masses. In the film,
Cruise’s character splits time
between the Manhattan social scene
to Jamaica and back, becoming the
quote “jet set bartender”, and of
course showcased flair bartending
to the world. But what is flair bartending?
Flair bartending is the act
of flipping, rolling, balancing, tossing,
catching, bouncing, and who
knows what else, with bottles, tins,
and various bar tools, all in the
process of making a drink. Flair
bartending is fancy pours and cuts
and is unlimited to the imagination
as to what can be achieved. One
thing that is for sure though, is that
it has come along way since that
1988 movie, and is entertaining
as all hell!! Nowadays a
bartender
who tosses a bottle or tin behind
their back behind a bar is just as
likely to hear this question, “hey,
have you ever been to that bar in
Las Vegas?” as they are likely to
hear any questions about the
worlds foremost scientologist.
Which brings us to Las Vegas.”
Ahhh yes “The Entertainment
Capitol of the World”.
”Sin City”. “What happens there
stays there”. And also known by a
little less recognized nickname, but
as equally deserving, “The Mecca
of Flair Bartending”. Flair bartending
first came to Las Vegas in 1997
with the opening of the Voodoo
Lounge, waaaaay up on the 51st
floor of the Rio All Suites Casino.
Two flair bartending legends, Alan
Mays and Ken Hall, moved from
Florida to Vegas to audition and
open up the Voodoo Lounge. This
was merely the beginning. Shortly
thereafter all-flair bars flooded the
city and the top flair bartenders
from all over the world moved
there for work. Perhaps the most
famous and successful is Harrah’s
Carnival Court, which boasts many
of the top flair bartenders in the
world on its staff, along with
Christian Delpech, the man most
people consider the most successful
flair bartender in
the world. On any given
day a patron at this circle
bar, which is
actually
outside Harrah’s in between
Harrah’s Casino and the Imperial
Palace, can expect a show like they
have never imagined, with anything
and everything being tossed
through the air. All the bartenders
are outgoing, quick to make a joke,
and yes VERY GOOD at what they
do. Coupled along side a rocking
cover band jamming all of your
favorite songs, this bar creates that
good time atmosphere that you are
only going to get in Las Vegas. But
be careful, the yard long drinks are
made for one reason and it is not to
quench your thirst!!!
Another flair bar in Las Vegas is
Shadow Bar located in Caesar’s
Palace. This bar combines a very
sleek, sexy lounge feel with world class
flair. This bar boasts the undefeated
world tandem champions,
and let me tell you, watching these
two work a shift together is nothing
short of unbelievable. Other
bars in Las Vegas include
Kahunaville, inside Treasure Island,
an island party bar that boasts
some of the worlds top competition
flair bartenders, The I Bar in the
Rio Casino, which infuses flair bartending
and world class mixology,
The Village Bar in the Rio Casino,
which combines great times, great
flair bartending, and really, really,
really strong drinks!!!! Also located
in Las Vegas is the first 24 hour
flair/mixology bar in the world,
The Red Room Saloon, which is a
combined effort of some of the top
bartenders in the world to bring
you an exciting flair bar with that
locals feel. Any day or night,
regardless of the time you will
most likely spot some of names in the bar industry relaxing
after a shift.
But is Las Vegas the only place that
someone can go to see an exciting
all flair bar in action? Absolutely
not. There are many flair bars all
over the United States, and the
world for that matter, that have
adopted such a concept. The aforementioned
Kahunaville, is actually
a chain that has locations in
Sandusky, Ohio (yes that is where
the movie Tommy Boy was filmed)
and in the Wisconsin Dells Water
Park. The Harrah’s Casino in North
Kansas City, MO boasts having a
Voodoo Lounge, modeling the concept
of its older brother and namesake,
The Voodoo Lounge in The
Rio Casino Las Vegas. Barmaniac in
Hollywood, FL staffs many of the
top-rated bartenders in the world
including Rodrigo Delpech, who is
every bit as talented as his previously
mentioned older brother,
Christian. Fullerton, CA plays
home to The Rockin Taco, an all
flair bar that has incorporated dueling
pianos into their concept. So
you see, there are many bars that
offer flair bartending as a concept
and form of entertainment, and
those were not near all of them.
And lets not forget the fact that
there are plenty outside of the
United States not mentioned, that
are every bit as good as their
American brethren. But someone
doesn’t have to go a so-called “flair
bar” to see bartenders who are passionate
about their jobs, entertaining
customers, using flair skills,
great drinks, and a personality to
match. Chances are there is someone
in your hometown that works
hard everyday, flipping, rolling and
tossing his/her way into every customer’s
heart, creating their own
Las Vegas. Entertaining customers,
never impeding service, and producing
quality drink after quality
drink, and good time after good
time. These people, along with the
bartenders that work in all the
above-mentioned bars, along with
thousands across the world make
up the Flair Bartenders’
Association, or the FBA.
So, what is the Flair Bartenders’
Association? The FBA is an association
of flair bartenders from across
the world that have come together
to compete, promote, and overall
spread the all around good word of
flair bartending. The FBA promotes
great bartending service first, and
then the use of flair in an everyday
work environment. The FBA
became a worldwide membership
association in 1998, deriving from
the Flair Bartenders’ Network,
which was formed a year earlier. In
its short lifetime, the FBA now has
grown to over 10,000 members in
over 130 countries worldwide. The
FBA has become the governing
body, so to speak, for competitions,
adopting a standardized system of
rules, and training and providing
qualified judges for FBA events.
The FBA organizes several events a
year all over the world, with the
culminating event being the
Legends of Bartending competition
held every year in Las Vegas in
conjunction with the Nightclub &
Bar Convention. “Legends” is an
invite only competition, that brings
together the world’s best bartenders
for a grueling 2 day event
that not only includes a flair round,
but it is the only competition on the
FBA Pro Tour that also has competitors
compete in a speed test,
and a separate accuracy pour test, a
test measured so closely that a single
drop of liquid could be the
deciding factor on competitor
placement. The top ten competitors
comeback for a second day, again
enduring an all day test of speed,
accuracy, and this time adding in a
blind working flair round, where
each competitor has three minutes
to make a previously unknown list
of drinks, using flair, and each bottle
is set any where from completely
full, to a few ounces. All these
events take place during the day,
and then at night the top ten come
back for the “Big Show”, the flair
finals. This is an open- to- the- public
event, and every year thousands
show up to watch these top ten
finalists, perform jaw dropping
tricks with bottles and tins and
every other bar tool imaginable,
each feat thought previously to be
impossible. The winner with the
highest score from all four events in
the day is crowned the Legends of
Bartending Champion. This years
Legend of Bartending X champion
is Dario Doimo from Kahunaville,
Las Vegas. Dario beat out over fifty
other competitors to take home the
gold this past February.
So what’s next in flair???/ The possibilities
are endless. Each city in
the world has little networks of
flair bartenders coming together to
show the world their version of
flair. Every town has local competitions,
showcasing the best local talent
from their respective city. The
world of flair will continue to grow,
continue to prosper, for one reason
and one reason only, and that reason
is this: as long as there is a bartender
somewhere out there, who
really enjoys his/her job, and
strives everyday to be better, and
laughs and jokes, and flips a bottle
or tin or what ever sort of bar tool
it is, no matter how complicated or
subtle the move is, flair will be
alive. One doesn’t need to go to
Vegas to see flair bartending. It is in
every city, everywhere you go. It is
out there, and Chilled Magazine
will find it and bring it to you. |
| |
|
| |
| FEATURED FLAIR BARTENDER |
| Jeff Fralich |
 |
Gilligans Island Bar Siesta Key Florida
- 2007 Sarasota Best Bartender runner-up
- 2006 Flair Showcase 1st place qualifier, Kansas City Missouri
- 2005 MAJORS Finlandia Winter Games 1st place
|
| How long have you been bartending
and How long have you been flairing? |
| I have been bartending for 10 years and flair
bartending for 6 years. I started at Bilimbi Bay in
Eden Prairie, MN and from there went to Drink
Uptown in Minneapolis where I worked along side
some of the best bartenders in the Minneapolis area. |
| |
| What made you start in the bar industry? |
| Funny story, I was sitting at a bar with my dad eating
lunch and the bartenders were getting killed
because there was a playoff hockey game on and
the bar was understaffed. My dad asked “Is it
alright if my son helps out?” they said “Hell Yeah!”
and I jumped behind
the bar and have been
slingin’ drinks ever
since.
With flair getting
good media coverage
now, who do you see
as the most
formidable flairer
at the moment?
There are a lot of
amazing flair bartenders out there right now that all
have their own style and vibe. My personal
Favorite is Nicolas Saint-Jean with Flairmotion.
He has a freestyle flair style that is fun to watch.
The Delpech brothers have done a great job with
exposing themselves to the media which is great
for flair as a whole, not to mention they are both
artists in their craft. Every night I meet people
who have never seen flair bartending a day in
their life and it is amazing to be the one to open
their eyes to something new and exciting. |
| |
| What is your favorite trick for the crowd? |
| That really depends on the circumstances. If it is
a large group I love to stack up a huge shot pour
and get them all pumped up! If it is someone who
has never seen flair before and they are into some
crazy bottle/tin action I will just go with the
moment and flip my little heart out. I have a lot
of regulars that sit for hours and have seen the
majority of my moves so its nice to hear them yell
out “Wow! That’s new!” It is nice to know that
people really get into it. Everyone loves fire
blowing. I get the biggest kick out of having
someone be in mid conversation and snapping
there head over to see what is going on and saying,
“Woah! That Was Cool!” |
| |
| How many hours a week do you think you train? |
| I flip 5 hours
a day at
home
(Sometimes
more) and
then work
from 7PM
until the bar closes. I pour/test on a daily basis and
I brush up on new drinks on a weekly basis. |
| |
| You’re known as a bit of a party animal, what
would you say was the best party you have been to? |
| Seeing DJ Tiesto live at Club Myth in Minneapolis
along with about 15 of my closest friends from back
home. If I could remember the whole evening I am
sure I would have a great story to tell . |
| |
| What are your plans for the future? |
| I am moving to Las Vegas September 1st. I am
focusing more on media coverage to get my name
out there. I will be starting to do the FlipMix on a
weekly basis, but shortening the clip lengths down
to 1 minute clips. I am in the process of expanding
FLAIRVILLE.com Please check back soon for
updates! |
| |
| If you could have
one drink with someone
dead or alive who
would it be? What
would you have? |
| Just because I love the
simplicity of it... .I
would like to do a Jim
Morrison shot with
Jim Morrison. |
| |
| Visit Jeffs website, www.flairville.com It is the official website for his company
“FLAIR! Bartending Services & Training” |
| |
|
| |
| FBA PRO TOUR LEADERBOARD |
 |
 |
Dario Doimo
Rank: 1
Kahunaville, Las Vegas
Points: 1440
Country: Italy |
|
 |
Rodrigo Delpech
Rank: 2
Miramar, Florida
Points: 1170 (-270)
Country: Argentina |
|
 |
Danilo Oribe
Rank: 3
Kahunaville, Las Vegas
Points: 960 (-480)
Country: Uruguay |
|
|
Subscribe Now