Florida Bartending Schools

Professional Bartending Schools of America

At Professional Bartending Schools of America, instructors teach the art of mixology in a bar setting that prepares students for careers in establishments from the neighborhood bar and grill to the busiest nightclub in the city. The group of schools includes 36 state-licensed programs, including four in Florida: in Clearwater, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando.

The courses are one, two or five weeks long, depending on frequency of classes. They are available during the day, evenings or weekends. The school helps all graduates with job placement.

The New York Bartending School of South Florida is in Fort Lauderdale. It is among the toughest bartending schools in the area, with high requirements for graduation and more extensive training material than some other schools. The school teaches mixology in addition to the functioning of point-of-sale registers, keg beer systems, ice machines and all equipment used in a bar. Students must complete 20 perfectly made drinks in six minutes, a more stringent requirement than many other programs. This school is hands-on from day one and is geared toward preparing students for jobs in a fast-paced bar. It does not require students to sit and watch an instructor make drinks as a form of learning.

Ace Bartending Academy is a Miami school that offers an opportunity to find work in local bars within two weeks with no prior experience necessary. Bartending classes at Ace include instruction on how to make 200 popular and traditional cocktails. In addition, the course teaches students about health regulations, safety, how to interview for jobs and liquor production information.

Students learn the key lingo associated with the bartender's job, differences in glassware, garnish types, liquor and beer brands, and use all the tools of the bar trade in a real working bar classroom.

Orlando Bartending School is in a modern pub-style classroom in Central Florida's most-toured city. The course includes 14 hours of instructor lectures and demonstrations and 265 hours of behind-the-bar practice. Students learn more than 125 cocktails and become well versed in wine and beer knowledge. Students are also certified in the ServSafe Responsible Service program. The course is available in one-, two- and five-week versions. The school is licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education.