Bartending schools in Europe - The Spirit Lab

Bartending schools in Europe

During the last decade or so, bartending has emerged as a great career option. Many aspiring bartenders today therefore go to a professional bartending course to learn the trade. There are a number of great bartending schools in Europe that impart comprehensive knowledge about the trade. They not only teach the students recipes of classic and modern cocktails but also gear them to become responsible bartenders who have the confidence to set up and manage a good bar and make a success of it.

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About bartending schools in Europe:

There are many tips in the life of a bartender that go beyond what the curriculum of any of the bartending schools in Europe actually teach. Let us discuss a few of these.

  • All experts unanimously agree that ultimately this trade is about guest experience; all guests should leave feeling better than when they walked into the bar. So that is what all bartenders should focus on; creating a fun atmosphere in their bar and working towards customer satisfaction. The drinks should be perfect and the bartender himself should become the friend behind the counter of all his guests. His shoulder is the one the customer should be able to cry on, he should be able to advise them on what is trending or the best place to take a girl on a date. Even a simple eye contact, a greeting and a goodbye will make them happy.

  • The next point they firmly believe in, is the knowledge of all the spirits, beers and wines. Any bartender should know the taste of all the liquors he wishes to have in his bar. He should study and research each of them so that he can compare and contrast them. Only then can he talk about them to his guests. He also needs to understand everything about the contents of his back bar; the flavour, the texture, the aroma, the chemistry of food and thereby be able to pair liquor, additives and garnishes to create unique cocktails.

  • Organizational skill is a very important prerequisite of all bartenders agree the experts. Bartending is a fast paced, high pressure job and it is only an organized bartender who will be able to do the balancing act of creating and serving drinks, keeping tabs on servers, guests as well as on cash.

  • All successful experienced bartenders emphasize on the use of the freshest of ingredients in their cocktails. Their advice is to always source local ingredients and think of innovative ways to preserve and use them.

  • Ultimately a successful bartender is one who is passionate about the trade and takes pride in what he does and he has to be a ‘people person’ who can respond to his guests’ mood and make them feel welcome and comfortable all the time.

If you are as passionate about bartending and believe that it is your calling, take a course at a bartending school in Europe, learn the basics thoroughly, and hone your skills by practicing constantly. Remember to open up and interact with your guests, make each and every one of them feel special and you will have them coming back to your bar for more.

Among the bartending schools in Europe, choose The Spirit Lab in London.

Professional Mixology Training

COCKTAIL BARS, HIGH END RESTAURANTS & 5* HOTELS

Professional Mixology Training

COCKTAIL BARS, HIGH END RESTAURANTS & 5* HOTELS

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Internationally Accreditated
Professional
Qualification

WSET

The world’s leading provider of Wine and Spirit education and it’s the crucial qualification for professionals in the wine & spirit trade as well as for non-professional connoisseurs.

The Drinks Trust

The Drinks Trust is the charity dedicated to the drinks and hospitality workforce. It strives to empower people in our industry through services designed to assist financially, restore well-being and develop skills, and to do so with compassion and respect.

IAMI

It is primarily an association of colleges & other organisations involved in providing education and training for personnel involved in the Merchant Navy & Super Yacht. It acts as an accreditation body and formally recognises the competency standards required.

Guest Program

It is the only Internationally Accredited Maritime Hospitality & Service Training Program for the Interior Superyacht Crew.

Welcome to the Spirit Lab

Our Courses

Beginners Course

Beginner | Level 1

5 days intensive – £799

Looking to master the secrets of cocktail making and build up confidence behind the bar? This program is aimed at Beginners or Junior Barmen. The course also appeals to anyone who is interested in developing their knowledge of Mixology and wants to acquire new skills.

Advanced Course

Advanced | Level 2

4 days intensive – £999

Do you wish to take your Mixology knowledge to an advanced level? This course is aimed at both Experienced Bartenders and previous students who have successfully completed our International mixology course.

Coming soon

New Course

New Course

We are in the process of extending our curriculum and will have a new course available soon.

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Google Reviews

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5.0
Based on 281 reviews
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Thomas Rankin
19:13 10 Mar 25
A great weeklong course in mixology, good balance between theory and practical and a lot of fun. Will definitely be doing level 2 with them. Cannot recommend it highly enough!
Georgie Kenny
18:44 10 Mar 25
This was such an amazing and informative course. Manny was a great teacher and I will take all my knowledge I learnt into my career!
Elliot Rose
15:06 10 Feb 25
Anna Pomeroy
17:41 09 Feb 25
Great course, an abundance of information was given and Manny was high energy and put in a lot of effort throughout. High expectations were asked of the students to learn the level of high standards and quality in the industry. Ideally I'd prefer the course to be 1 or 2 days longer to fully digest all the information and there be more time to practise making and practise our tasting skills. However otherwise I would definitely recommend the course to others
Fabian D'Angelo
18:43 07 Feb 25
What an amazing course, I’ve never learnt so much in such a short amount of time.

I hadn’t had any bartending experience prior, and a week later am already feeling comfortable enough being behind a real bar with customers.

It’s an intensive course, you get as much out of it as you put in. You don’t need month long courses, you learn everything you need to in a week.

Highly recommend.
Sandra Turnbull
10:17 13 Jan 25
Manny has a wealth of experience and knowledge which he shares with the participants. As an absolute beginner I had to work hard but it was worth it as I now have a great foundation to build on. If you want a career in mixology or improve your skills I would recommend this course.
Zac Jacobs
14:07 14 Oct 24
So good. Big up Manny!
Macarena Jimenez
15:21 05 Oct 24
Very professional and fun training.
Finn Carter
15:21 22 Sep 24
Brilliant course, well run and very informative. Way better than I expected.
Varun r
20:18 21 Sep 24
Chris McDonnell
05:58 16 Sep 24
Really enjoyable course. Perfectly structured, so you are always learning but having fun at the same time.
Thanks Emanuele! Great location too. I’d 100% recommend.
Rachna Rao
15:31 29 Aug 24
This mixology course is very well structured and sheds a lot of light on the techniques that go into making cocktails at a professional bar environment. It is the perfect combination of seriousness and fun at the same time! I learned a lot and would highly recommend to anyone wanting to join this field of work or even open their own bar!

Manny is a great teacher, always giving that extra bit of effort and taking time to answer questions thoroughly. He’s also fun spirited and had amazing energy!
Akiah Tromans
14:08 15 Aug 24
Best mixology/bartending course you can possibly take in 5 days. Manny is passionate and treats the craft like an artform. If you apply yourself, you will learn lots. Highly recommend to any aspiring bartenders!
Sulaxan Ganeshanathan
14:00 12 May 24
I chose the 1 week intense course and I must say Manny was such a great instructor. He was very patient and tailors the course according to each persons requirement. He was super friendly and helpful with each of our queries. I would highly definitely recommend this course with Manny.
JulyAnh Nguyen
17:27 13 Apr 24
If you are someone like me who has a passion for making cocktails, I highly recommend taking this course....

Outside of my degree as a university student, I took time this spring to explore and develop my new profound love for mixology.

Today, I was awarded the International Mixology diploma from the Spirit Lab London Bartending Academy, approved by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust recognized in more than 70 countries worldwide.

Despite my background, I extend my utmost gratitude to director Emanuele Mancini for accommodating me by being a demanding but fair mixology teacher challenging my skills both on and off the bar.

Receiving this acknowledgment, meant more than the completion of a 5-day intensive spirit training course at the heart of the Marylebone district in London; it was a milestone in my ability to remain calm under pressure and build the confidence to face things outside of my comfort zone.

If you are someone like me who is unsure due to inexperience, I can tell you that my 5-day journey to cocktail-making started in a foreign place to a young professional who can confidently push out multiple spirits at a high level.
Ritesh Shah
11:44 07 Apr 24
I am so glad I chose the Spirit Lab to fulfil a dream of perfecting my skills, understanding and learning more about the art and history of cocktail making with Emanuele Mancini. It was a 5 day intensive course with a small group.
Emanuele is clearly passionate about the industry and this really shows as he picks up on every detail and perfects you along the way. He is truly an inspiration and a leader in this industry. I loved his style of teaching and this made me more determined to succeed. I highly recommend the Spirit Lab as I am now more confident in making cocktails and will continue to ensure I take every opportunity to put my new skills to the test.
Thank you Emanuele
YUECHEN LI
17:09 22 Jul 23
For anyone who is just interested in cocktails or inexperienced beginner who tries to get into the industry but keep getting rejected, I 100% recommend this course. Manny is such a patient, fun, engaging and experienced teacher! The classes follows theory + practice structure. I definitely love this methodology ( imagine when you go to the bar and you start to talk smart ) I’ve become more confident behind the bar but definitely need to put more effort in remembering the cocktail ingredients _(:зゝ∠)_
Bonus part of this course: you got to taste so many stunning cocktails!!

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