A mixologist is a person who has studied the history of mixed drinks and cocktails. They often know the significance behind each ingredient in a drink and understand the impact of each mixing technique. Mixologists create new cocktail recipes by combining innovative ideas with traditional knowledge. While both roles may work behind a bar and serve drinks to customers, a large portion of their work involves the design and creation of new cocktail recipes. Their other job duties include creating a unique version of a traditional cocktail, using untraditional bar tools to create innovative drinks, combining ingredients to present new cocktail recipe, staying knowledgeable about new cocktail trends, collaborating with other mixologists to learn new techniques, supervising bartenders, developing extensive, personalized cocktail menus for a restaurant, event or bar and much more. 

Taken from Indeed 2024.

Working you way up

You could gain an entry level job in a bar and learn on the job. You may want to ask to shadow a mixologist to learn some tricks from the trade. 

Taking a course

Online or offline mixology courses can teach you easy and popular cocktail recipes and advanced mixology. Taking a mixology course is an easy way to learn advanced level mixology and you can become a beginner to advanced level mixologist in a short period. 

Doing research/learning recipes

Start learning about popular drink recipes and particular ingredients, this was you can gain more knowledge, which would particularly impress a new employer. 

Take advice from experience mixologist

Talking to others in the industry is the best way to learn some tricks of the trade and can really support you in developing further knowledge. 

Learning mixology is hard and requires a lot of time and patience. Remember to keep up with changes in the industry, mixology is an art and it is all about practicing and playing with different ingredients.