RSA Course Online

Category: Blog

  • Dangers of Over Indulgence

    For most people alcohol represents the opportunity to relax and unwind while others use alcohol to dull their pain and often tend to overindulge. The number of people with alcohol addiction problems seems to be on the rise and problems associated with alcohol abuse also seem to be increasing.

     

    Alcohol intoxication puts people at risk of disease and injury. Alcohol can damage your organs – brain, liver, heart, kidneys, and lungs and make you more likely to act violently and aggressively.  You may break the law, or harm yourself and others. Risky sexual behaviour could lead to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) some life threatening. Alcohol intoxication and poisoning can put you into a coma and cause other dangerous situations.

     

    In cases of extreme intoxication, alcohol poisoning can result. The intoxicated person needs to seek medical care if they experience: sudden difficulty breathing or chest pain, a seizure, extreme sadness and depression to harm yourself or others, hallucinations, inability to stop vomiting.

     

    Once you seek medical care what are the procedures they are likely to follow?

     

    The purpose of responsible service of alcohol is to prevent drinking from reaching this stage of intoxication. However there are instances where people will drink to an extent that their body cannot handle and in this case they need to seek medical care.

     

    Some of the treatments doctors will recommend are medicines, such as sedatives to calm or relax an intoxicated person or anti-nausea medication to calm the stomach and reduce vomiting often associated with intoxication.  Doctors may also recommend glucose to increase blood sugar levels or Vitamin B1 if levels in the body are lowered due to the alcohol intake.

     

    Some intoxicated people may require breathing support. This may be in the form of oxygen or a ventilator. If blood oxygen levels are lower than normal, doctors may prescribe oxygen through a mask.  

     

    A ventilator may be used in extreme cases to convey oxygen and “breath for the person” This is an intrusive method and these people have endangered themselves to a serious extent and should consider rehab or therapy once they are physically better. . An endotracheal (ET) tube is put into your airway through your mouth or nose. Sometimes a tube is put into an incision in the front of your neck. The ET tube is attached to the ventilator.

     

    How to help an Intoxicated Person

     

    Some cases of intoxication may not be as serious and may be treatable at home. In this case a person can be cared for by a family member or friend at home. This should start by removing the person from the source of the alcohol, the bar or party.

     

    Secondly a safe environment should be provided that doesn’t make it easy for the person to injure themselves or other. For example prevent falls, keep away from dangerous machines and objects, prevent the person  from driving vehicles.

     

    Determine from the person if ethanol has been ingested and whether it has been combined with any medication such as illegal drugs or non-ethanol alcohols or even prescription drugs.

     

    Determine if the person can be awakened with a tug on the shoulder.  Also ensure that the person’s condition is not due to an underlying medical cause or injury. Ask the person about other conditions and look for any evidence of a head injury or other trauma.

     

    Remember that there is no medication that can speed up the sobering process. Caffeine and cold showers have a minimal and very temporary effect. Other home remedies that people often concoct may also have a temporary effect but a minimal one.

     

     It is also important to remember that while it is normal to vomit when intoxicated as the body tries to expel what it interprets as “poison” , continuous vomiting for extended periods of time can be dangerous and  indicative of an underlying problem, so medical attention should be sought. To learn more about the alcohol and its effects on drinkers complete our convenient Online RSA course. Visit www.rsaonline.com to learn more or to register.

     

    Posted by Peter Cutforth

     

  • RSA Update on Wine

    Are there benefits to Wine drinking?

     

    There has long been raging a debate as to whether or not wine presents any benefit to the health of its drinkers. Certainly a good argument has been that In ancient times when wine was the alcohol of choice people lived longer and healthier lives. In countries where wine is produced and forms part of everyday life the life span seems to be longer, such as in Mediterranean countries such as Italy and Spain. So does drinking a glass a day really have health benefits?

     

    Well according to numerous studies done wine has many health benefits, when enjoyed in moderation, a few glasses a week. Red wine in particular can be good for you although white wine also presents its benefits. According to research drinking red wine can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimers, due to the grapes that make up the wine.

     

    Grapes contain in their skin miracle nutrients and are packed with Resveratol which actually protects the body’s cells. Saponin also contained in the grapes skin binds together with bad cholesterol and sifts it out of the body. The third magic component Flavonoids interfere and interrupt the multiplication of deadly cancer cells in the body.

     

    Non-alcoholic phytochemicals in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as antioxidants and prevent molecules known as “free radicals” from causing cellular damage in the body.  Although some studies which have focused on the health benefits of resveratrol use much greater dosages than you’ll find in an average glass of wine, resveratrol has been shown to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in arteries by altering lipid profiles and plasma viscosity.  Findings from a recent study suggest that resveratrol can produce potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk for coronary heart disease.  In animal studies, resveratrol reduced tumours forming by affecting one or more stages of cancer development.

     

    The Documented Benefits of Wine Drinking

     

    It reduces the risk of a heart attack. Evidence collected by The Harvard School for Public Health suggests that moderate wine drinkers suffering from high blood pressure are 30 per cent less likely to have a heart attack than non-wine drinkers.

     

    Wine apparently promotes longevity.  Wine drinkers have a 34 per cent lower mortality rate than beer or spirits drinkers according to a Finnish study of 2,468 men over a 29-year period, published in the Journals of Gerontology, 2007.

     

    Wine can also reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes in drinkers according to a study by Amsterdam’s VU University Medical Centre who conducted studies on 369862 people found that moderate drinkers were 30 per cent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes that non-drinkers.

     

    Wine drinkers have a lower chance of a stroke because the possibility of suffering a blood clot–related stroke drops by about 50 per cent in people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol. This according to a study of 3176 people in 2006 by a Columbia University. The university also found that the problem of brain decline is another problem that aging causes. Brain function declines at a markedly faster rate in non-wine drinkers than in moderate drinkers.

     

    A problem that often plagues aged people, cataracts can be reduced by 32 per cent compared to people who drink beer.

     

    Wine consumption also cuts the risk of colon cancer by an astonishing 45 per cent, research by a Stony Brook University revealed in 2005.

     

    Although the benefits of wine have been well documented and the fact that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and thin your blood there are also negative consequences of wine abuse. Red wine in particular is better for your health than spirits and beer.

     

    Red wine provides much more resveratrol compared to white. That’s because the longer the skin is kept on the grape during the wine making process, the greater the concentration of resveratrol in the wine. In white wine production the grape skin is removed before fermentation giving white wines a lower concentration in resveratrol compared to red wines.

     

    The Negative Side Effects of Wine

     

    Higher Risk of contracting breast cancer. Studies have shown alcohol can increase oestrogen levels and raise tumour progression in women rather than destroy it as in other cases.

     

     Causes Migraines. Wine is often a big trigger for people who suffer with migraine headaches. Although white wine contains more sulfites than red wine (sulfites are added to white wine to preserve its light color), red wine seems to be a much bigger migraine trigger due to the accumulation of histamines and tannins from prolonged contact with the skin.

     

  • Responsible Service of Alcohol Update:

    10 Priciest Wines Named

     

    An interesting post this week named the top 10 priciest wines that we would all love to get our hands on but most probably never will. For those that can, these are the kinds of wines that experienced wine drinkers and collectors would love to have aging in their cellar.  According to thehuffingtonpost.com these are the smoothest, most expensive wines on offer. (All the prices are US$)

     

    1. DRC – No it is not a hip-hop group, it’s the single most sought after domain in all of Burgundy, and all of the world for that matter. The Domaine de la Romanee Conti has long produced some of the finest Grand Cru Burgundy, but lately its wines have reached dizzyingly high prices. These are wines that require a bit of age on them to show their full potential. You can get a glimpse of that after just a handful of years in lesser vintages, but it’s still going to cost you. How much? Consider the following prices for DRC’s low, medium and high priced bottlings in a good vintage, a great vintage and a mature vintage!

     

    DRC Echezeaux: 2004 – $700 2009 – $900 1990 – $1,200 DRC La Tache: 2004 – $1,700 2009 – $3,200 1990 – $6,000 DRC Romanee Conti: 2004 – $11,000 2009 – $14,000 1990 – $18,000

     

    2. Le Pin – Burgundy is the reigning champ of bucket list wines, but Bordeaux is not far behind. Many people might think of Petrus as the ultimate Bordeaux bucket list entry, but the minuscule quantities of Le Pin make it both harder to find and more expensive, two qualifications that make it ideally suited for this list.

     

     Once again, prices for an average vintage, a great vintage and a mature vintage leave us all feeling a little poorer than we might actually be.

     

     Le Pin Pomerol: 2001 – $2,300 2010 – $2,500 1990 – $4,500

     

    3. Krug Clos d’ Ambonnay – Staying in France for just a moment, let’s take a look at the ultimate luxury wine: Champagne. Why would I characterize Champagne like this? For the most part, Champagne is a blend designed for consistency and thus it tends not to express terroir or vintage character, two traits that are essential for truly great wine.

     

    On the other hand, single vineyard vintage Champagne does show both, but you’ll need to pony up the Benjamins if you want to add this wine to your bucket list. Krug is one of the greatest Champagne houses, Clos d’Ambonnay one of the greatest vineyards. Put them together and we’re talking mortgage payment folks.

     

    There have only been three vintages made of Krug Clos d’Ambonnay. At this price, how can you blame the folks at Krug? A tight supply is the best way to maintain a floor on pricing, and that is one hand-rubbed, old growth forest Mahogany floor if I’ve ever seen one.

     

    Krug Clos d’Ambonnay: 1995 – $3,500 1996 – $2,200 1998 – $1,800 4. Vega Sicilia Unico

     

    – I now turn to Spain, if only because I’ve already mentioned several Italian wines in a previous bucket list email. Spain is a great source of value wines, though over the past several years, its top end wines have begun to receive much more attention from wine lovers and bucket list makers.  Vega Sicilia Unico: 2002 – $380 1990 – $350 1968 – $1,200

     

    Read more at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregory-dal-piaz/super-expensive-bucket-list-wines_b_1652658.html?utm_hp_ref=food#s1190701&title=Bruno_Giacosa_Collina

     

    While the list identifies the top expensive wines, it’s probably out of most people’s budget.

     

    So how do you choose a good wine that won’t break the bank?

     

    Be open to suggestions. A wine tasting is an awesome way to try new wines and develop your own preferences.  Keep an open mind to wines and don’t be afraid to try wines from different regions, chances are you may be surprised at how delicious they are, be adventurous.

     

    Also pay attention to the tastes of different wines. Because there are so many out there from virtually every part of the world that grows grapes, it’s important to pay attention to the wine and make note of your favourites.  This is your go-to list for all occasions and can be consulted at any time to ensure a good choice.

     

  • NSW Course Online – Now Available!

    RSA Online – NSW Approved!

     

    Great news!  Finally NSW residents can get their RSA course online!  After years of only allowing face-to-face training in NSW, the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR NSW) announced on 1 July 2012, that a twelve month trial of an Online RSA course in NSW would be launched.

     

    OLGR have allowed a select group of existing Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s) to offer the course, and have engaged strict guidelines for the RTO’s to comply with, particularly relating to student ID verification, including complying with the BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR DELIVERING ONLINE RSA TRAINING form, and also the AQTF national training guidelines.  The content of the course has been supplied by OLGR NSW, and must be used consistently by each RTO, within their own online portal systems, sometimes known as Learning Management Systems (LMS).

     

    The OLGR documentation has this to say about the content of the new course:

    In this course you’ll learn the principles and practices of the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA).

     

    RSA training is governed by NSW State liquor laws and completion of an RSA course is mandatory for licensees, serving and security staff.

     

    There are four topics you need to complete:

     

    1. Introduction to RSA

     

    This topic will help you to understand the purpose of Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA).

     

    In this topic you will learn about the principles of RSA, and the role of the Government in developing and enforcing RSA legislation  in NSW. Government officers and experienced licensees will explain many of these details so that you gain a thorough understanding.

     

    1. RSA legislation

     

    This topic covers the skills and knowledge to sell or serve alcohol according to NSW legislation.

     

    In this topic you’ll learn about the legal requirements of RSA. Industry professionals will explain the key aspects of RSA legislation and how it applies to your role in industry.

     

    1. Impact of alcohol

     

    In this topic you’ll hear about the risks to your patrons, including long-term health problems, associated with alcohol consumption.

     

    In this topic you will learn how alcohol impacts on personal and community health. A health professional will outline issues related to the sale and service of alcohol for different types of customers, especially those at risk. You will also see how  to provide accurate information to customers on alcoholic beverages.

     

    1. RSA strategies.

     

    This topic will give you a range of skills that will help you to comply with the requirements of the liquor laws.

     

    In this topic you’ll look at role plays demonstrating best practice in RSA strategies. You’ll also hear from licensees about how RSA is typically applied by staff in the workplace.

     

    Once a trainee has completed the course and online assessments, they receive a Statement of Attainment from the RTO.  This document contains their unique ID number, thus forming part of the ID verification process.  The RTO then submits their application to the OLGR NSW portal, and then emails an Interim Certificate to the trainee.  Once the trainee has received this they make an appointment with a local Post Office, to go in and have their photo ID verified, and get a Photo Competency Card issued by Australia Post.

     

    OLGR and Australia Post charge $70 for the competency card (which is a requirement for face-to-face, or online training).  This $70 is usually included in the price of training.

     

    The new delivery methodology launched on the 1st of July, but it seemed no RTO’s were ready on that exact day.  By early in the week, there were two providers, available online, the most economical being www.rsaonlinensw.com at $139 including the Photocard fee.

     

    This development from OLGR NSW makes it SO much more convenient to do your RSA Online (NSW), by avoiding the long hours involved with face-to-face training.

     

  • RSA Update : The Truth About Champagne

    Winemakers and connoisseurs have been debating the pros and cons of screw caps over cork for a while now. Recently sparkling winemakers have begun investigating the benefits of screw caps to the industry.

     

    According to a post by TheShout.com.au:

     

    About 18 million bottles of Champagne are wasted each year due to cork taint, according to a top wine critic, who has welcomed Australian winemaker De Bortoli’s pioneering move to release the world’s first screw-capped sparkling wines.

     

    Wine writer Tyson Stelzer told journalists at this week’s launch of the new De Bortoli wines that about five to six per cent of the Champagnes he tastes are “corked or distinctly ‘corky’”.

     

    “Comparing that with other international Champagne writers there seems to be fair agreement that it’s somewhere between four and six per cent,” he said.

     

    “If you do the maths somehow, Champagne ships 320 million bottles a year and that equates to 18 million bottles down the drain.”

     

    “At what cost? I reckon it must be at least a billion dollars, possibly $2 billion in corked or cork-tainted Champagne.”

     

    Stelzer said it was a gutsy move by De Bortoli to be the first to introduce the new Viiva closure, which uses technology that was five years in the making by Guala Closures.

     

    “There’s probably no more challenging sector of the wine market to pitch an alternative closure than sparkling wines,” he said.

     

    “Whether we like it or not, the consumer attachment to the pop of the cork is something that I don’t think we should underestimate.”

     

    De Bortoli Wines national sales manager, Peter Yeoman added that corked sparkling has hidden cost impacts for winemakers, because consumers who have a bad experience with a brand may not go back to it.

     

    “People turn around and they think there’s an issue with the product itself, when it’s actually been the closure,” he said.

     

    Source: http://www.theshout.com.au/2012/05/11/article/Corked-Champagne-costing-billions/XJHJCXQIUO.html

     

    ———

    The Low Down on Bubbly

     

     

     

     

    Picture : strangehistory.net

    		 While real Champagne is produced in the Champagne region of France, everything else is just sparkling wine.  The consensus is that the smaller the bubbles the better quality the champagne or sparkling wine. The reason for this is there are more bubbles available to release the flavor and aroma. But what other similarities does champagne share with wine?  Champagne is no different from any other kind of wine. It can be cellared (that is kept and improved with age) but the degree to which you can age a bottle of champagne without ruining it will vary according to a particular brand of champagne and conditions under which the champagne is stored.

     

    Napolean Bonaparte once said, : “I drink Champagne when I win, to celebrate… And I drink Champagne when I lose, to console myself.”

     

    Champagne certainly is the drink for celebrations and the 5400 champagne suppliers worldwide is a testament to its popularity.   Moët Et Chandon is the largest producer and its holds over 55% of the champagne market.

     

    ——————

    So what is the best way to drink champagne?

     

    From a flute glass of course. The wider wine glasses are not at all suitable as the bubbles evaporate too quickly and the aroma is also wasted. The better class of flutes has a little drop of glass on the bottom of it, that makes the bubbles rise from the little drop. Crystal glasses are also better as they are slightly rougher allowing the bubbles to come out more.  Champagne is best consumed at 6 to 10 degrees centigrade (42-50F).

     

    ——————

    Types of Champagne

     

    ——————

    Non Vintage

     

    Blended from wines that are several years old. Many NV Champagnes are a blend of thirty or forty different wines.  This Champagne cannot be sold until it is 15 months old, although most reputable houses will age the wine in for longer.  With age most champagnes will become richer.

     

    ——————

    Vintage

    Vintage champagne must be 39 months before it can be sold. Vintage Champagne is a blend of wines from a particular year, when the quality of the harvest was sufficient to declare a “Vintage”. Obviously, not every year is a vintage year, but the vintage is left to the individual houses themselves to declare. Therefore, some houses declare a vintage Champagne in a year where others did not feel the quality justified it.

     

    ——————

    Rosé

    Rosé Champagne can be made either by maceration of black grapes during pressing, so that the colour leeches out from the skins  or by adding a small proportion of the red wine form the Champagne region to give the wine a rose colour.

     

    ——————

    Prestige Cuvées

     

    Invented by Moët  in 1921. A special champagne in a vintage year can be “Prestige or Deluxe cuvées”. Probably the most famous of these is Moët’s Cuvée Dom Pérignon.  These are the most expensive champagnes and are the epitome of achievement for the champagne house.

     

    Complete the RSA course online and serve all these in your favorite champagne glass

     

  • RSA Course Online and Dealing With Sudden Crowds

    The RSA course teaches you how to serve alcohol safely and responsibly. This means there is no excuse for not serving safely, even when you feel you are swamped with work. There will be situations where a sudden crowd may appear. This could be because an event has kicked on to your bar/club, or it could be because people have planned an event at your bar with a lot of people. You will find that around half the time, these groups will call you and tell you about the crowd that will be coming, but the other half of the time you will have no idea, and a quite Monday could pretty quickly turn into a massive influx to your bar. Then the problem lies in the fact there is simply not enough staff to cater for such a large crowd. But in this case, you only serve as fast as you can while still having safety precautions in mind, there is no excuse for a lack of safe serving – people can get hurt.

     

    So How Do I Handle These Crowds Of People?

     

    There are several things that you can do when confronted with a large crowd on a usually slow night. The first of which is to simply call in more people to serve that night which is the safest option. I know this can be an almost impossible task, but regardless it is necessary for the safety of the bar and it’s patrons. If you can’t get more people in to work, then people will simply get their drinks a bit slower. But you will probably end up having more people working behind the bar than out on the floor. However you always need to consider things like the fact that you still need people cleaning up glasses on tables and in the bar as this will ensure that there is less broken glass and the bar is less cluttered, and safer.

     

    Why Did I get This Crowd?

     

    Music is often the thing that defines a bar or a club as either good or bad, and you will find that most clubs have a DJ, or a pre-mixed CD so that people are not hearing something they have heard before – it’s new. This can often be how people decide whether a club is good or bad – simply by listening to the music they are playing. So if you have particularly good music the word may get around. If you have no DJ at a club: A club is different to a bar and is often in requirement of some sort of house/club music.

    For the Bars: In a bar it is a bit harder to define what needs to be played as it is really up to what atmosphere you want to create. A slow and casual bar will have different music to one that often gets busy/crowded at night. So you really have to make the call of what to play.

     

    Being a Bouncer:

     

    If you are prone to sudden crowds you may be wise to get some good bouncers

    If you think that this is for you, you might need to complete your RSA Course online, as bouncers can end up handling a lot of alcohol as employees of a bar. So do the course to get the RSA Certificate and start working today! Watching for Minors in a crowded bar

     

    It is a well known fact that there will be people who are under the legal drinking age that will try and get into a bar, or get served alcohol anywhere. But the RSA Course teaches you that this will incur a fine anywhere from $7,000 up, so you should really never be doing it! The RSA course teaches you, amongst other things, how to check if a minor is using a real id or not. It tells you what to look for in the case that the ID may be fake, or someone’s they are borrowing. Another tip, though, is to ask them questions about the ID just in case they are using someone elses. If they don’;t know their address, you can tell it’s not theirs!  ——-

     

    So Grab your RSA Course Certificate Online!

     

    There are a few options when considering the RSA Course, and the online version of the course is fast and straightforward whilst it still gives you the best information on how to serve safely. This means that you can get to applying for jobs faster, and you can start working sooner!

     

  • Starting Your Own Bar

     

    It is a dream of many to own their own bar or nightclub. Why not own the place that you go to every weekend. But it can be a costly exercise for those who don’t do their homework. We provide some helpful hints from a variety of sources on how to successfully open your own bar.

     

     

    New bars & nightclubs only get one shot at success.

     

    Every customer that comes through your doors is crucial & you need them to return. It is of vital importance that your venue is ready for success from day 1.

     

    Most bars fail in the first 12 months of opening because they don’t have an adequate plan in place.
    It is important to remember you are not just opening a bar but operating a business. The first priority is to come up with a concept for your bar then like any business, you require a Business Plan.

    source: http://www.entertainoz.com.au/article-detailview.cfm?aid=14908

     

     

    Writing a business plan and considering all the things that are needed for a successful bar is essential to get it right. The Australian Government has guidelines for small business owners.

    Depending on what type of business you intend to start, your business plan could include these elements:* executive summary – a one-page overview written after your business plan is finalised* introduction – explains the purpose and objectives of going into business* marketing analysis – looks at the industry you are entering and how you fit in* marketing plan – your marketing strategy* operations plan – how you’ll set up the business, i.e. structure, location, regulations* management plan – how you’ll manage your business* financial plan – how you’ll finance your business, costing and financial projections.Business planning is an ongoing business activity – you should regularly review and revise your business plan.

    source: http://www.business.gov.au/Howtoguides/Thinkingofstartingabusiness/Pages/HowdoIwriteabusinessplan.aspx

     

     

     

    Marketing your bar is also going to be very important. If you are set on being the only owner then it will be all up to you. But consider what this very successful bar owner did

     

     


    What was your most successful marketing exercise?    Easily our most successful marketing exercise was our very first. We took 20 investors into the Commercial Club Hotel. They had stakes ranging from $500 up to tens of thousands. Every one of them ‘owned’ the hotel. They were a marketing machine! Most were young and excited, and inspired by the chance to be involved in something so fun and so different. They filled our venue week after week after week.

    source: http://anthillonline.com/how-to-open-a-bar/

     

     

    Sometimes it can be hard to know how to start a bar, so check out the video below on how to do it! The video is primarily related to the US, but a lot of the information can be translated to Australia.

     

     

    Starting your own bar in Australia also means that you need your RSA Certificate, obtained through the RSA Course, so get online and get started today!

     

  • Responsible Service of Alcohol Update : Mexican Fiesta Cocktails

    Spice up your cocktails menu with a few quick and easy Mexican inspired recipes. The Mexican lifestyle wouldn’t be the same without Tequila and Mezcal, the most popular Mexican Spirits. According to Mexicans, tequila dates back over 2000 years and Jose Cuervo was the first to commercialise the product in the 1800s. Tequila is actually a type of mezcal that is made from the agave plant, the blue agave or Agave Tequilana Weber which can only be found in the region of western Mexico around the town of Tequila, Jalisco. Tequila, which has become the national symbol of Mexico, has earned its popularity among partygoers the world over for its ability to get you drunk fast. Although drinking tequila shots is the most popular way to drink it across the globe, there is some debate about the “correct” way to shoot it (which comes first the salt or the lime?), how do the Mexicans do it? Well tequila connoisseurs say that it is a complete waste to shoot a fine tequila or mezcal, and they recommend that it be sipped, either alone or with sangrita, a mixture of tomato, orange juice and lime juice, spiced with chili powder. Alternatively you could combine your tequila with a few other ingredients to conjure up some delicious cocktails.  Here we share the top 5 Mexican Cocktails, which is your favourite?

     

    1.Sangria

    Undoubtedly one of the best and most popular Mexican drinks is Sangria. Especially enjoyable when shared in a group, sangrias are synonymous with fiestas.

     

    Ingredients•1/2 cup sugar •½ cup tequila •1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh •1/2 cup orange juice •1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur •1 (750 ml) bottle Burgundy wine •1/2 lemon, sliced •1/2 orange, sliced •ice Directions 1.a plastic container (with lid) combine sugar, lemon& orange juices, liqueur and wine; stir. 2.Refrigerate for several hours. 3.Pour into pitcher add lemon and orange slices. 4.Serve over ice

     

    Picture:www.food.com

     

    2. Margaritas

    When you think of margaritas, you think of fun. Try this simple recipe to wow your patrons.

     

    www.food.com
    		 Ingredients •Lime wedge •Coarse •1/4 cup fresh lime juice/1 large lime •1/4 cup silver 100% agave tequila •1/4 cup orange liqueur •1/2 cup ice cubes Directions 1.Rub the rims of 2 martini glasses with a lime wedge, then dip the rims in a dish of course salt. 2.Refrigerate the glasses if desired. 3.In a shaker, combine the lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur. 4.Add ice and shake 10 to 15 seconds, then strain into the prepared glasses.

     

    3. Tequila Sunrise

    No Mexican Fiesta would be complete without tequila. Try this Tequila Sunrise cocktail.

     

    Ingredients •2 ounces tequila •4 ounces orange juice •3/4 ounce grenadine Directions 1.Place ice cubes in a glass. 2.Pour in tequila and orange juice. 3.Slowly pour in grenadine and allow it to settle at the bottom of the glass before serving. 4.Do not stir. 5.Serve. 4.Rosita The less common, but equally delicious Rosita is made from tequila and Campar

    Photo: www.food.com
    Ingredients•2 oz. reposado or blanco tequila •Juice from 1/2 a lime •Pinch of salt •Grapefruit soda (Jarritos works well) •Ice cubes •Glass: highball •Garnish: lime wheel Directions 1.Pour tequila into a glass 2.Squeeze in the lime juice 3.Add the ice and salt 4.Fill the glass with grapefruit soda 5.Stir and garnish

     

    Photo : imbibemagazine.com

  • RSA Course Update – Bar Tips

    What Garnishes Do I Use?

     

    The garnish is for setting a mood that the drink does not set on it’s own. The drink garnish is a way of saying ‘this drink resembles a part of the world’ or ‘this drink represents a lifestyle choice for me!’ So the drink garnish is actually pretty important. When you are on holidays, it just makes the trip to be sitting there on a tropical beach with a drink that has a lot of ice and a good garnish.

     

    On the other hand, if you are sitting at a laid back, classy bar, you expect an olive in the martini and a lime wedge in a corona. It is basic garnishes like this that make or break a bar and it’s atmosphere. People drink for enjoyment and a garnish sets you apart as someone who recognises that.

     

    Types Of Garnish

     

    There are several drink garnishes you can use to make a drink really special.  You cant stick a cucumber garnish on a scotch based drink, it just wouldn’t work! But what you can do is use that kind of garnish on a lighter and more fun drink.

     

    The same goes for orange peels and other citrus based fruit garnishes. You want to pick something that will suit the drink and keep it classy! Either way, make it worth it, twist up your citrus peels, top the drink with a cherry, or even make a berry bouquet! These kinds of additions to a drink will set it apart from the competition and will keep guests entertained and happy.

     

    New Interesting Drink

    The Southern Mint Julep is an interesting drink to make, and not a lot of people have heard of it. But this is a good thing, if you can serve it, then people will appreciate a different and new drink. Check out how to make it below!

     

     

    Remember that you can only serve this at a licensed venue if you have finished the RSA Course which is fast and straightforward online. Start anytime!

     

    Home Bar

     

    There are several things that you will need to know when thinking about starting your own bar, and it is really best explained in  the video below! Remember even serving at a home bar, you should have your RSA certificate. You don’t have to – but what you learn from the course can really help you serve responsibly!

     

     

    Some people like to have bars like these, and they can be hard to stock, so i hope you learned something. Apart from home bars, if you want to serve at a real bar and be paid for it! You have to complete the RSA Course first, so get started.

     

    Drinking behind the bar

     

    There is a very firm policy on the topic of drinking behind the bar, and every bar upholds this policy. It is strictly prohibited, and after taking the RSA Course you should know that it is simply ridiculous to consider having a drink when serving people who are drinking. The job of the bartender is to serve responsibly and their judgement becomes impaired when they themselves start to drink. This leads to unsafe circumstances.

     

    If you don’t know about these drinking rules and regulations then you should brush up on them by taking the RSA Course online again, even if you have done it already. If you haven’t done it yet though, then you should consider it as it will allow you to serve alcohol at any establishment that is licensed in Australia!

     

    So Grab Your RSA Course Certificate Today!

     

    The RSA course certificate will allow you to work in a bar or restaurant and serve drinks with garnishes that you feel are appropriate. As such, you can have fun with the job and still be paid for doing something that you love! This can be interesting work that pays off in the end, so give it a go today. Get online and start the RSA Course to start applying for jobs in bars and restaurants today!

     

  • Interesting Ways To Prevent A Hangover – Bacon, Egg And Vegemite Sandwich?

    A hangover can really disrupt your day with annoying headaches and a constant sickening feeling. So is there a way to prevent or cure a hangover other then not drinking?

     

    Debate about Hangover cures

     

    Hangovers are poorly understood from a medical point of view.[18] Health care professionals prefer to study alcohol abuse from a standpoint of treatment and prevention, and there is a view that the hangover provides a useful, natural and intrinsic disincentive to excessive drinking.[19]

     

    Within the limited amount of serious study on the subject, there is debate about whether a hangover might be prevented or at least mitigated; additionally, there is a vast body of folk medicine and simple quackery. There is currently no empirically proven mechanism for prevention except reducing the amount of ethanol consumed, or for making oneself sober other than waiting for the body to metabolize ingested alcohol, which occurs via oxidation through the liver before alcohol leaves the body. A four-page literature review in the British Medical Journal concludes: “No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any conventional or complementary intervention is effective for preventing or treating alcohol hangover. The most effective way to avoid the symptoms of alcohol induced hangover is to avoid drinking.”[20]

     

    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangover_cures#Possible_remedies

     

    However then goes on to list Potentially beneficial remedies including:

     

    Rehydration especially with sports drinks or rehydration fluids, Vitamin B6

     

    Tolfenamic acid  better than placebo in reducing the reported hangover symptoms for headache, and for nausea, vomiting, irritation, tremor, thirst, and dryness of mouth.”[22]

     

    Yeast-based extracts: There is some evidence that the consumption of a yeast-based extract rich in thiamine and riboflavin (such as Vegemite or Marmite) is effective in the relief of hangover symptoms.[20] These extracts are commonly manufactured from a by-product of beer production.

     

    Food and water: consumption of foods such as eggs, which contain cysteine, and water may be enough to replenish lost moisture and at least rehydrate the body, making a hangover shorter. A traditional hangover remedy in India is coconut water, the natural electrolytes of which will assist in rehydration of the body. A bacon sandwich has also been claimed to effectively relieve hangovers.[31]

     

    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangover_cures#Possible_remedies

     

    Leaving us to suggest forgetting the kebab and

     

    Having a Bacon, egg and vegemite sandwich after drinking.

     

    This video presents some interesting supposedly scientific ideas and ways to deal with a hangover. In any case it’s pretty funny.

     

     

    Hangovers can be avoided by drinking in moderation and drinking water between alcoholic drinks.

     

    Does Antipokhmelin Work?

     

    This tablet  is supposed to give relief from hangover symptoms.

     

    This is what wikipedia has to say:

     

    Antipokhmelin is a Russian tablet that allegedly helps to prevent or overcome the negative effects of alcohol consumption and hangover. The main ingredient is succinic acid, also found in amber. It is marketed as RU-21 in the US and UK.[1] Claims of effectiveness are based primarily on anecdotal evidence, and there have been no known placebo controlled double blind studies published in peer reviewed scientific journals.

     

    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipokhmelin

     

    Apparently it was developed as a tablet that would overcome drunkenness and keep you sober, even while drinking. This would allow spies to drink with enemies and stay completely sober, in hopes that drunken officials would leak crucial information.

     

    Will Eating Food Prevent a Hangover?

     

    Food can be a good thing to help keep people sober, as it soaks up the alcohol in the stomach and helps slow down alcohol absorption. According to the video above and wikipedia a bacon and egg sandwich may help those suffering from a hangover. We suggest adding vegemite to increase the benefits. Well why not!

     

    If you own a bar you may want to consider serving food becasue it may reduce the speed at which people drink. Food also tends to make people thirsty so they will want to drink after eating, but may drink water or soft drinks instead.

     

    Should I Serve Food At My Bar?

     

    What time does your bar/club open or close? What time do most people come in to start drinking? By looking at these factors you can tell whether you will need to serve food or not.

     

    If you find that people are coming in early and getting too drunk to quickly, then at least offer bar snacks, or a bacon egg and vegemite sandwich! If they get drunk really quickly and are then forced to leave, often their friends will also leave. If they had spaced out the drinks they may have been able to drink more over the night and had a good time.

     

    Grab Your RSA Certificate Today!

     

    By going online and completing the RSA Certificate course, you are allowing yourself to serve responsibly at a bar/club/restaurant or even a liquor store. This means you know techniques of how to keep people relatively sober and having a good time. So get started today!