Speed and Efficiency in High Volume Bartending – Bottle Opening
How many times do you have to open a beer bottle during a bartending shift? If you want to increase your speed and efficiency as a bartender, you need to look at the little things you do over and over and become better at them.
Ever wonder how veteran bartenders snap caps off beer bottles with their speed openers in a fraction of a second? Opening beer bottles quickly is a skill that takes time to develop, but with a few pointers your skill will develop much faster.
1. Purchase a speed opener that is about six inches long, has a ring at one end, and the bottle opening 2 half moons at the other side. It should be long, flat, and preferably stainless steel.
2. To use this opener, put your index finger through the ring of the opener, and rest the opener in your palm with the bottle opening end sticking out under your wrist. This grip gives the opener stability, which you will need to open bottles very quickly.
3. To practice, hold one beer bottle in the other hand, and see what it feels like to slowly grab onto the cap, and then quickly snap it off with an upward flick of your wrist.
4. It will take time to develop this skill as I said before, but practice as much as possible in the bar you work at. When two bottles are to be opened, hold one with your index finger and thumb, and the second with your middle finger against your index finger. Practice snapping both caps off with two quick flicks of your wrist. At first it will take a lot of concentration.
5. Eventually try opening up to six bottles at once, with two in your hand as mentioned above – and another 4 bottles being held by your forearm up against your lower chest/ upper abdomen.
I know, it would be way easier to learn this if we showed it on video… If anyone wants to donate a video camera, send me an email! Then we will make a helpful how-to video.
Good luck!
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