2-Day Introduction to Cocktails Course

Discover the World of Cocktails – From History to Hands-On Practice

Join our 2-Day Introduction to Cocktails course at the Dublin Bar Academy and explore the foundations of cocktail culture. Learn the stories behind classic drinks, master essential tools and techniques, and gain confidence behind the bar with hands-on training. Perfect for beginners and enthusiasts alike – no prior bartending experience required!

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2-Day Introduction to Cocktails Course

Join us for a dynamic, hands-on journey into the art of cocktails — perfect for beginners and enthusiasts alike. Guided by our expert instructors, this two-day course offers the perfect balance of practical bartending experience and essential cocktail knowledge.

You’ll work behind a fully equipped, professional training bar while exploring the history of cocktails, key bar tools, glassware, and service techniques. Along the way, you’ll taste and create iconic classics — gaining real skills and confidence in every pour.

Every participant receives:

  • Classic Cocktail Bible – a beautifully curated collection of 80 legendary recipes, personally selected and approved by our instructors. It’s the ultimate companion for recreating timeless drinks at home or in your bar. 
  • Our Cocktail Book – filled with recipes, practical tips, and foundational knowledge.
  • An official Certificate of Completion from the Dublin Bar Academy.

299

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Currently working in the Irish hospitality industry?

Get in touch as you are eligible for a subsidy for yourself or your staff through our partnership with Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet.

Start Your Cocktail Journey in Dublin

Explore the world of classic cocktails in a fun, interactive setting. Learn about the drinks you love, gain bar confidence, and build a foundation of knowledge that opens the door to further exploration. This is your chance to experience the culture, science, and service of cocktails – right here at Dublin Bar Academy.

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Who Is It For?

Aspiring Bartenders Looking to Build Foundational Skills Behind the Bar.
Hospitality Newcomers Wanting a Certified and Practical Introduction to Cocktail-making.
Cocktail Enthusiasts Eager to Explore Classic Recipes and Hands-on Techniques.

What You’ll Learn

The 2-Day Introduction to Cocktails course focuses on the foundations of cocktail theory and hands-on practice. You’ll gain a well-rounded understanding of the cocktail world through four key learning modules:

Theory

  • Cocktail History
  • Introduction to Equipment & Tools
  • Understanding Glassware & Garnishing

Practical Bartending

  • Making Classic Cocktails
  • Multi Order Flow
  • Bar Movements & Technique
  • Glassware Handling & Service Basics

Tasting

  • Guided Tasting of 30+ Classic Cocktails
  • Understand Balance, Texture & Presentation

Certification & Take-Home Materials

  • Certificate of Completion
  • Student Booklet with Recipes & Theory

The Classic Cocktail Bible – 80 iconic recipes reviewed by Dublin Bar Academy

3 Major Benefits

1
Master the Classics
Learn how to create the world’s most iconic cocktails with confidence and precision.
2
Build Practical Skills
Gain hands-on experience using real bar equipment in a professional setting.
3
Take Home a Knowledge Pack
Leave with recipes, resources, and certification that you can use forever.

Course Modules

Course Modules

Cocktail Theory & History

Explore the fascinating evolution of cocktails – from pre-Prohibition to modern day. Understand the stories behind the drinks and how culture shaped what we sip today.

Essential Tools & Equipment

Learn the names, functions, and handling techniques of bartending gear – from shakers to jiggers, glassware to strainers.

  • What’s a Boston shaker?
  • How do you measure precisely with a jigger?
  • Why does glassware shape matter?
Service & Technique

From shaking and stirring to pouring and garnishing – you’ll gain confidence in the essential techniques used by professional bartenders. Learn how to handle drinks with style and deliver them with flair.

Classic Cocktail Tasting

Taste and analyze more than 30 classic cocktails to understand balance, texture, and presentation. Train your palate to recognize the elements of a well-made drink.

  • Why is Manhattan stirred and not shaken?
  • What makes a daiquiri balanced?
  • What’s the story behind the Negroni

The Theory of Bartending

Find Your Flavours

Flavour is a personal thing. To create the best cocktails you need to find your own flavours and learn to express yourself through them. The course is full of tasting opportunities for you to discover taste profiles, flavour combinations and textures that you haven’t experienced before and begin opening your mind to the world of possibilities within mixology. 

By the end of the course you will have greater insight into the flavours that make you tick and that you’re best suited to experiment and work with.

Understand Your Palate

The key to success in mixologist training is understanding your own palate. The reason flavour is such a personal experience is because no two people taste things in the same way. By learning exactly what sort of palate you have will naturally lead you to finding your personal groove and importantly where you can train it to be more receptive or open. 

You’ll taste a wide range of flavours and flavour combinations that will expand the horizons of what your palate can appreciate and what exciting combinations you can come up with yourself.

Elevate Your Drinks

Mixology is all about elevation of flavour. By creating homemade products instead of using store bought, generic products you can create far better depth of flavour, more natural expressions of the ingredients you use and mix and match flavours within a product to create new and exciting combinations. 

By doing so you’ll learn how to turn the classic cocktail formulas and recipes into elevated twists that will outshine the cocktails they’re based on!

Elements of Mixology

Taking the scientific elements of mixology one step further. We’ll explore the cutting edge of mixology and craft cocktails by experimenting with the techniques and cocktail production methods like: fat washing, infusion, clarification, flavour extraction, sous-vide and many more.

This is where the magic of mixology really shines. By combining wonderful flavours with showstopping cocktail aesthetics, you’ll be making craft cocktails that can go head to head with drinks in top bars around the world.

Design Your Own Cocktails

Using mixology products goes well beyond just twisting classic recipes. The world of craft cocktails is based on utilising the techniques and extractions of flavour within mixology to create all new cocktails that push the boundaries of cocktail culture ever forward. You’ll have the chance to design your own mixology products that you’ll then experiment with to create your own craft cocktails that express the flavours that excite you the most and work harmoniously with your preferred spirits and liqueurs.

You never know, you could be creating a new modern classic that will put you in the cocktail hall of fame!

The Practice of Bartending

Bartending Essentials Masterclass

Learn the tools of the trade! Bartender training involves all sorts of equipment like jiggers, different types of bar spoons, shakers and strainers, as well as a range of glassware and all sorts of products from spirits to garnishes.

You’ll dive into the essential equipment, as well as some of the more advanced pieces of kit we use to make amazing cocktails. We’ll discuss the major spirit categories, talking about where they’re from, what they are made of and how they’re made. Plus we’ll cover the importance of quality ice, what the purpose of ice is in a cocktail and why certain types and shapes of ice are important.

  • What exactly is a ‘jigger’?
  • What’s the difference between a coupe and a martini glass?
  • What is tequila made from?
  • How is clear block ice made?
How to Mix Drink

Mixing drinks is the name of the game! You’ll learn the principle techniques you need to make cocktails, from stirring to shaking to rolling, as well as which method is most suitable for different drinks. We’ll show you different ways to shake cocktails and how different types of shakes and shakers affect the cocktail. You’ll practice how to stir a drink properly to get it perfect every time, as well as different mixing techniques that you can use instead of stirring.

You’ll also get an understanding of how to pour, garnish and serve drinks correctly, whilst also learning about the importance of a cocktail’s appearance and how to excite the people you are mixing them for.

  • What’s the difference between shaking and stirring?
  • Why do some cocktails need to be stirred?
  • What makes a garnish ‘great’?
  • What does a perfectly poured cocktail look like?

The World of Mixology

Find Your Flavours

Flavour is a personal thing. To create the best cocktails you need to find your own flavours and learn to express yourself through them. The course is full of tasting opportunities for you to discover taste profiles, flavour combinations and textures that you haven’t experienced before and begin opening your mind to the world of possibilities within mixology.

By the end of the course you will have greater insight into the flavours that make you tick and that you’re best suited to experiment and work with.

Understand Your Palate

The key to success in mixologist training is understanding your own palate. The reason flavour is such a personal experience is because no two people taste things in the same way. By learning exactly what sort of palate you have will naturally lead you to finding your personal groove and importantly where you can train it to be more receptive or open.

You’ll taste a wide range of flavours and flavour combinations that will expand the horizons of what your palate can appreciate and what exciting combinations you can come up with yourself.

Elevate Your Drinks

Mixology is all about elevation of flavour. By creating homemade products instead of using store bought, generic products you can create far better depth of flavour, more natural expressions of the ingredients you use and mix and match flavours within a product to create new and exciting combinations.

By doing so you’ll learn how to turn the classic cocktail formulas and recipes into elevated twists that will outshine the cocktails they’re based on!

Elements of Mixology

Taking the scientific elements of mixology one step further. We’ll explore the cutting edge of mixology and craft cocktails by experimenting with the techniques and cocktail production methods like: fat washing, infusion, clarification, flavour extraction, sous-vide and many more.

This is where the magic of mixology really shines. By combining wonderful flavours with showstopping cocktail aesthetics, you’ll be making craft cocktails that can go head to head with drinks in top bars around the world.

Our Story

A genuine demand for higher standards in training and education

The Dublin Bar Academy was set up in 2012 to give young and aspiring bartenders the training they need to step behind any bar in the world with confidence. Since then we trained and brought thousands of students to become masters of their craft and brought knowledge to thousands of lovers of beverage.

We look forward to continuing the journey with thousands of students to come to Dublin Bar Academy. We look forward to welcoming you to our family and the journey of flavour.

INSPIRING THE BARTENDERS OF TODAY
EDUCATING THE bARTENDERS OF tOMORROW

EMBARK ON YOUR JOURNEY OF FLAVOUR

In a city renowned for their bars,
we provide an education in drinks excellence.

141 North King Street
Dublin 7, Ireland

+353 (0) 1 561 7799
[email protected]