Best Online Bartending Schools

Best Overall: Ananas

Why We Chose It: Available courses combine reading and video instruction with topics ranging from the basics of bar service to deep dives into individual spirits.

Pros
Number of course options available
Beer, wine, and spirits covered
Tests for knowledge retention

Cons
More reading than video instruction
Time commitment of each course not clear upfront

Ananas is an online learning platform geared toward hospitality workers and has a large selection of courses that cover important topics for improving your bartending skills. Course options are categorized by Hospitality Fundamentals and Hospitality Professional. Fundamentals focus on skill building with courses on bar service and cocktail service. It also features courses focusing on individual alcohol categories: beer, wine, and spirits. The Professional section is where you will find deep-dive courses into individual spirits as well as a cocktail course covering cocktail origins and recipes.

Courses are taught by experienced professionals in the industry and use a blend of slide presentations with video and how-to instruction mixed in. A test is provided at the end of the course. The total time commitment is not listed before beginning a course, but most slides contain a few paragraphs of text and most videos are under five minutes. All courses are self-paced.

Costs range from free to $25 for each course. You’ll need to register (which is free) to view the available courses.

Most Affordable: Bartending Mastery – Cocktail & Bartending Masterclass

Why We Chose It: If you are serious about taking the first steps to become a professional bartender, this comprehensive course provides valuable information at an affordable price.

Pros
Lessons can be completed in 10 minutes or less
Job-searching tips provided

Cons
No quizzes or tests given
Music in the videos distracts from instruction

If you are a beginner with plans to work as a bartender, you’ll need to know more than the basics about spirits and the tools needed to mix drinks. This course offered on Udemy covers essential topics in a short amount of time for only $19.99.

Learning modules include customer service, setting up your station and keeping it clean, and increasing your speed of service. You’ll learn about the history of the industry and its most successful influencers as well as how to mix a long list of cocktails. Tips on resume writing and job searching for bartenders are included as well.

All of the content is delivered through a combination of three hours of video instruction and 20 written articles to support what you are learning. Most students agree that the instructor teaches in a clear and easy-to-understand manner, but that the background music can be distracting, sometimes making it difficult to hear the important content being shared.

Best for Beginners: MasterClass Lynnette Marrero & Ryan Chetiyawardana

Why We Chose It: You will gain a better understanding of classic cocktails and learn about ingredients and techniques that will allow you to create better cocktails at home.

Pros
Instruction split into easy-to-follow modules
Self-paced
Learn from two expert instructors

Cons
Not available to purchase a la carte
No certificate or professional certification

Well-known New York City-based bartender and mixologist Lynette Marrero teams up with top cocktail bar owner and bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana (known as Mr. Lyan) to teach you to be a better mixologist. This course from MasterClass includes four-and-a-half hours of content spread across 17 self-paced, pre-recorded video lessons. You’ll gain perspective through understanding the philosophies of each of these experts and will begin building your foundation of knowledge as you learn how to mix a long list of drinks.

The instructors keep things simple and effectively explain complicated techniques while providing essential background information on the how and why of preparing classic cocktails. MasterClass makes it easy to access the modules with lessons that range from three to 33 minutes. You can stream them online or download them to watch later.

You will need to subscribe to MasterClass to access this course. An annual membership costs $180 and gives you access to over 100 classes in cooking, baking, wine, photography, music, and more taught by industry experts, with new classes added every month.

Best Free Option: Bartending Basics from Small Batch Learning

Why We Chose It: You’ll quickly learn about spirits and the basics of bar service through short, easy-to-watch video segments at no cost.

Pros
Videos are short and to the point
Covers wine, beer, and numerous spirits in detail
Overview of tools and techniques

Cons
No recipes or mixology guidance

If you want an overview of the basics and want them quick, this free course from Small Batch Learning hosted on Udemy is a valuable resource. The course covers a lot of information in just over 30 minutes thanks to quick videos that get straight to the point. Each of the 22 lessons is under two minutes long and covers detailed information about beer, wine, and spirits. Then the course moves on to descriptive demonstrations for cocktail tools and preparation techniques. You’ll walk away knowing more about bartending in a short amount of time.

In addition, this free course will lead you to the Small Batch Learning website, where you can get additional free, high-quality bartending courses. However, once there, they are a little difficult to find. At first glance, the site promotes its platform as a training tool for bars and restaurants to educate their staff. If you sign up for free, though, you can gain access to more in-depth courses that build off of this initial basic course.

Best for Mixology: A Bar Above Mixology Certification

Why We Chose It: This mixology certification will give you the knowledge you need to expand your bartending skills and develop your own innovative cocktail creations.

Pros
Teaches how to create your own cocktail recipes
Quizzes given
Includes certification

Cons
Not for beginners
Not all course details listed

Once you understand how to mix a classic cocktail, a deeper knowledge of the art and science behind ingredients, balance, and flavors is needed to create a winning drink that is all your own. Founder Chris Tunstall created the A Bar Above Mixology Certification program as a way to provide the resources he found to be lacking when he was ready to move beyond the basics and start creating his own cocktails.

The program combines two courses that cover ingredients and understanding cocktail components, followed by mastering balance and flavors. You’ll earn your certificate when you pass the two-part exam that consists of a multiple-choice test and a practical component, in which you will create your own original cocktail recipe and submit it for evaluation.

The course includes video lessons, interactive quizzes, and cheat sheets. Each unit has both video and text so you can learn by watching or reading. It is self-paced but you can expect to complete the course in three to eight weeks, depending on how quickly you move through each module. The total cost is $147 and you receive lifetime access to the content.