Making sure the bubbly is in good hands: apprentices and old hands attend International Bartending School once a month in New York to polish their skill in Champagne service

Nation's Restaurant News, Sept 5, 1988

Making sure the bubbly is in good hands Apprentices and old hands attend International Bartending School once a month in New York to polish their skill in Champagne service

Each year the International School of Bartending, with locations in 38 cities, graduates 1,400 new bartenders. They are men and women who have mastered the basics of pouring beer, mixing cocktails, and using the proper glassware as well as the how-to of credit card handling, controlling inventory, and keeping the register straight.

"To pass the 40-hour course, new bartenders must be able to mix 25 different drinks, ring them up on a register, write a check, and close out the register in 25 minutes," says Dan Lessa, director of the schools.

Once a month the main New York branch also offers a refresher course on the finer points of Champagne service for new and old bartenders. It is conducted by Smitty Kogan of the Champagne News and Information Service. At a typical meeting 30 to 50 barkeeps gather to hear Kogan give tips of the trade that can`t always be found in the books.

"The real trick to opening a bottle," says Kogan, "is to get the cork out without shooting your customer in the eye or blasting a hole in the ceiling."

Because Champagne is fermented in the bottle, it is held in by as much as 90 pounds of pressure-three times the force in an average automobile tire. Unleashing that kind of pressure calls for a bit of caution.

The proper way to open Champagne, he points out, is not with a dramatic bang but with a soft "pop" so that there's a minimal loss of bubbles and effervescence. "Bubbles," Kogan says, "are the first signs of a good sparkling wine. The smaller the better."

Kogan offers these tips for those who serve Champagne to the public.

. Serve Champagne after it has been chilled in a wine bucket filled with cold ice water for 30 minutes.

. Never remove the wire muzzle from the cork. Twist the wire slowly and keep your thumb firmly on the cork to keep it from blasting off. "The real secret," he stresses, "is that you don't twist the cork. Instead, you turn the bottle slowly, hand firmly gripping the cork, to create the soft pop that is the true sign of elegant Champagne service."

. Wipe the brim and bottle before serving. Hold the bottle with your thumb in the punt, or well at the bottom, with the label facing your customer.

. Use the proper glass. The taller and slimmer the better. For best results, use a slender flute or tulip-shaped stemware.

. Pour six generous glasses, two-thirds full, from a standard 26-ounce Champagne bottle.

. Be able to recognize and describe the characteristics of different types of Champagne. "Brut is very dry and is best for an aperitif before meals or with any course," Kogan says. Extra Dry is slightly less dry than brut.

It is actuallly semisweet and is best as an aftermeal digestive or with fruits.

"Dry, actually slightly sweet, is good afternoon sipping, and Semi-Dry, the sweetest type, is best with desserts," Kogan says.

Kogan offers one final tip from an old hand: "The cork can tell you a lot about the wine's condition before you serve it. A cork with a `belly,'or flanged bottom, means none of the bouquet or effervescence is likely to have escaped. But a straight cork that comes out too easily has probably allowed the Champagne to lose some of its bounce and taste."

PHOTO : Smitty Kogan warns students that a mishandled bottle can be a lethal weapon. `Twist the

PHOTO : bottle, not the cork!