Elemental Mixology

The level of detail that Andrew includes in these sessions is above and beyond. As someone who is new to drinking this could have been a very intimidating place to enter — instead, he’s able to make it all very accessible, informative, and entertaining. I can’t imagine that a better opportunity to learn about mixology exists.

I’ve finished the course now, and promised, here is the update. This class exceeded the expectations Andrew set up in the first class! It was wide ranging, with discussions from how the various types of alcohols are made, and the history behind them, all the way to a in depth, comprehensive investigation into all the different types of mixed drinks. Each class included hands on mixing (with real alcohol, not colored water) that we then tasted and compared between different variations, types, and sub-​types. It was always fun, fast paced, and worth every penny. I’m signed up for the Liquor Steward’s Course next!

Elemental mixology is second to none. The value in this course is unmatched. Whether you are a person who likes to enjoy an occasional drink on the weekend or an industry veteran of 30 years you will gain an immense amount of knowledge and understanding that is not available anywhere else.
True genius is being able to take a complex idea and simplifying it so everyone can understand it. Andrew has created a course that does just that. After taking this course you will have the strongest foundations on mixology. This course is not about memorization of recipes rather understanding each style of drink. With this foundation the drinking world is your oyster. Do with it what you see fit.
I have seen over the years other courses and programs taught by well respected companies and individuals improve themselves and get a little closer to what Elemental Mixology teaches but they are still light-​years away. Some have even adopted pieces of Elemental Mixology’s curriculum, or terminology but they don’t posses the history or facts to back it up. Elemental Mixology does.
Your instructor, Andrew, is always researching, fact checking, and improving upon his craft and curriculum. The last time I saw this was when I took a course taught by an Ivy League professor. Andrew’s style of teaching is fabulous. No matter what your level of knowledge he never makes you feel bad about asking any question. He will give you historical reasons, real world application reasons, and common sense reasons for the answer to your question. It is quite spectacular to be a part of.
I have been in the industry 17 years. Originally, I took the course 3 years ago as a way to continually educate myself. I thought I had a good «cocktail» knowledge but after the first day I realized I hadn’t even scratched the surface. This course is so good I sponsored three friends and co-​workers to take it. Each of them had the same experience I did.
Los Angeles lost a huge untapped resource when the program moved to Portland, and Portland gained a huge asset. Taking this course will exponentially increase your knowledge, appreciation, and enjoyment of drinks. My only warning is once you take this course you cannot go back. It is like taking the red pill.

As a mere mixology hobbyist, it was more than reassuring when I learned that my classroom cohort was comprised of bartenders, caterers, liquor distributors, and bar managers. I knew that being amongst such a learned batch a craftspeople meant I’d catch on if only by osmosis. But I was in for so much more just as everyone else across that list that sat in rapt attention when Andrew Willett began to lecture and, better still, each held that same attention across the entire multi-​segment class. Oh, the things that we will learn!
The American Cocktail, a bittered sling she be, has long needed a rugged polymath to escort her back into polite society. Andrew Willett brings his exhaustive thirst for knowledge, centered under this small pool of light, chasing away the darkness and all the mystery of ingredient after ingredient, preparation after preparation, always peeling back the layers of history where wars and revolutions, trade embargoes, mutinies, privateers, pirates, navies, monarchies, moonshiners, and even border-​town suffragettes have toiled in their conspiracy to help craft the perfect drink that sits balanced and harmonious waiting for you to make your own.
You can’t get what these classes give by just reading recipe books. You can’t trust the lore of the craft if you’re uncertain of the research that’s been done by others, too much of it slipshod. And lastly, you’ll go broke buying the wrong tools and the wrong booze, following the instructions of those that just came close but not close enough. Learn Elemental Mixology and you’ll begin to unlearn what has held you back.

I booked Andrew’s Casual Mixing class for my girlfriend and I a couple of weeks ago, because we thought it would be a fun afternoon. It was certainly that, but we got way more than we bargained for. This was my first bartending class, and I wasn’t expecting to learn why and how you should make your own simple syrup, or how prohibition rendered the word «cocktail» effectively meaningless, or what makes gin fall into the family of liquors called geists.
We were exposed to a lot of information, but Andrew kept it accessible — it never felt overwhelming. The great thing about the courses and Andrew’s book, which is included, is that they teach you to understand mixed drinks in a way that frees you from rote memorization of recipes. You’ll see the matrix, even if you can’t quite fly after just one session.
Also, it’s obvious that Andrew cares about the craft of bartending, but he does it without being pretentious, or a caricature. He doesn’t dress or otherwise style himself like a prohibition-​era bartender, and he’s not condescending or uptight. He’s just a smart, personable guy who wants you to walk out of his bar knowing not only how to make mixed drinks of all types, but why, and for whom, at what time.
Portland is full of people who are passionate about their craft and dedicated to reaching the highest attainable level of perfection with it. I think Andrew’s going to fit in here just fine. We’ll be going back.

Andrew, the instructor, is passionate, INSANELY knowledgeable, and definitely offers the best bar course in the industry. Although I currently reside in Los Angeles, I have decided (without much convincing) to travel up to Portland just to take his masters course. Andrew teaches the true historical tradition of the craft which, in my opinion, is a necessity to know if pursuing a profession in the craft (or even for just starting a home bar).

From this moment, we’re handing Andrew to Portlandia.
We can only hope that its denizens will find Andrew’s approach to cut through the noise and clarify a discipline that was fully mastered more than 100 years ago.
Speaking as one of many of Andrew’s students here in Los Angeles, we’re grateful for his contribution to mixology and the body of scholarship in general as a stewardship of that which is Earnest and True.
Be warned: this is a craft that is fleeting, fragile, and seemingly elusive even as it is fully rational and systematic. Like a mortal man who connects us with our cultural past that is all but forgotten, but for the efforts of a handful of earnest scholars.
Vale, Magister Dilectus!

Cheers to Andrew for sharing his passion for bartending and the lost tradition of true American mixology! My boyfriend and I were lucky enough to attend Andrew’s last casual mixology course in LA over the weekend. We both love a good drink, but as we get closer to the (dreaded) age of 30, we’re less inclined to get trashed on a plastic bottle of booze (Popov, anyone?). Going out to bars and lounges is fun enough, but what we’ve really been searching for is education so we can mix at home for ourselves and friends (did I mention we’re almost 30? Sometimes a Friday night is better spent at home with wine and Netflix). Long story short, we stumbled upon Andrew’s courses through a little internet research, and my boyfriend bought us the couples package for Christmas. We weren’t sure what to expect, but it was exactly what we were looking for!
Andrew has a wealth of knowledge in alcohol, history, etymology and American culture. His mission is clear: to save the lost tradition of American mixology through sharing his passion and educating others.
During the class, we learned about drinks, took turns making drinks, drank drinks and laughed at the English for their love of punch (read Andrew’s book!), The class was four hours long, but I could have sat for another four hours listening to Andrew’s stories (although after another four hours of drinking, I may have gotten a little sloppy).
Whether you’re a casual drinker or are looking to bartend professionally, I wholeheartedly recommend Andrew’s courses. He’s moving to Portland in a few weeks, so if you live up North be sure to check him out!

I am in the middle of the course now and I can tell you that Andrew is American greatness. In any field of endeavor a person of note and merit comes along and codifies or organizes an art or a discipline into a coherent form that enlightens and defines the subject. In music this was Stravinsky in the 20^th century and Frank Lyoyd Wright in Architecture. It has been Julius Caesar in Military strategy or by reorganizing how medicine deals with heart problems Dr. Christian Barnard. You can’t find better than what Andrew has put together and it is well worth the price. The value never ends and besides that it’s fun. His book which comes with the course and it is the final word on mixology. I lift a glass to Andrew and I say to you a World of delight bekons. I am pleasantly surprised, amazed and damn glad my girlfriend bought this course for me as a birthday present.

Andrew is the man! i swear this guy knows everything about history of liquor. Classes are fun, we make tons of drinks every session.
This is only my second class, but I can tell you that I have learnt a lot. Cant wait to finish this course.
Would definitely recommend!

I cannot recommend Andrew and his courses highly enough. I have no desire to mix professionally — I’m purely a home enthusiast. I took the Standard course over a year ago, and it’s still paying off. Myself, my wife, and our friends all have a new appreciation for a higher level of drink making.
I go back to Andrew’s book (included with the course) frequently. Since the approach he teaches is focused on ingredients and flavors, rather than memorizing recipes, I’ve even been able to concoct some new drinks based simply on knowing the kinds of things someone likes. Or just opening the liquor cabinet and experimenting.
Be warned — this course will make you a drink snob. In the best possible way.

The instructor, Andrew Willet has a true love for the art of bartending and mixology that is not only infectious but wonderfully communicated. His knowledge of liquors and the history of drinks is truly staggering. While I did not go on to pursue bartending in a professional capacity I am now a hit a parties. His courses are hands-​on (and drinks on) and are excellent for anyone looking to take their bartending (or drinking) to the next level, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Obviously, Teetotalers should skip this one.

I attended Andrew’s Mixology Symposium roughly a year ago and I’ve been recommending it since.
The class started with 4 or 5 of us couples listening to Andrew dive deep into the history of language as we glanced awkwardly at one another wondering just how much time we would be spending on linguistics before we started on something to do with what we had come for. Turns out he was laying the groundwork of a rich and colorful history of the drinks and the art behind them and it wasn’t long before he was tying it all together for us.
Andrew then took us on an exploration of several classes of drinks, their history and what sets them apart. Mix in a few cynical sidebars on certain drinks which have lost their way in our country, a loving exploration of ingredients and an analysis of where the spirits come from and I left Andrew’s with a fantastic fundamental understanding of mixology. …and a recipe book that rivals War & Peace. I’ve mixed a few of those recipes and brought them to parties and they’re always a hit.
I’d recommend this class to anyone interested in history or drink. I enjoyed both.

This is really as good as it gets as far as learning about the correct way to mix liquor professionally. Andrew is incredibly professional without being stuffy. I have taken many bartender’s courses (9 and counting) and without a doubt this one puts the others to shame. Oh and we are not talking about «colored water» here this is the real deal drink making class.
Life changing and makes you appreciate the finer side of making a great cocktail.
Want to learn from the guy who «wrote the book» on mixology? Yea that’s Andrew… literally

Andrew Willett is a mixology savant. While many great bars and restaurants are studying and creating the reinvigorated art of drink making, and now many are publishing books about their work, I’ve seen nobody create such an exhaustively researched and analyzed system for understanding the history, science and art of drink making in such a level of detail and scholarship as Andrew Willett and Elemental Mixology.
His classes give the casual drinker a tremendous appreciation of the history, science and art behind mixed drinks. Most people will learn more about drinks and liquor in the first 15 minutes of an Andrew Willett class than in their lifetime of drinking. And his more in-​depth courses provide prospective mixologists a systematized approach to understanding the universe of cocktails, and impart one with a tremendous ability to be inventive with confidence rather than simply stumbling through trial-​and-​error to create new drinks. Finally, all this is accomplished in the beautiful cocktail classroom and laboratory he’s created and with the guiding reference of his exhaustively sourced textbook.
My story: While considering a career change to «mixology,» I decided to bone up on my 20-​years-​outdated bartending skills by attending both a traditional bartending school and Andrew’s 6-​week Standard Mixing Class. Andrew’s school is nothing like these traditional schools that preach memorization and efficient handling of colored water. Elemental Mixology strikes at the heart of the history-​based craft mixology renaissance, and provides an intelligent, analytical framework that while grounded in history, is firmly pointed toward the exciting, leading edge of drink making in the 21^st Century.
If you don’t want to take my word for it, simply take one of his casual one-​or-​two-​session courses, you’ll have a fun time, and I’ll bet you’ll want to go back for more, like I did.

Elemental Mixology is for anyone interested in what goes into and what’s behind your favorite mixed drinks. Andrew teaches a chef’s approach to drink-​making, meaning that rather than rigid memorization of specific recipes, he focusses on the fundamentals of drink categories and empowers you with the ability to make a well-​executed drink from whatever you may have available. You’ll also get a full (and accurate) history of how various drinks and spirits came to be. This isn’t anything like a traditional bartending school’s approach — we’d enjoy much better drinks if more servers took Andrew’s course.
Courses are suited for beginners, seasoned professionals and those of us somewhere in between. I took the Complete Drinks Course and Fabrication Course, and use the skills I learned from both at home all the time. Whether you’re a bar seeking to improve your drink-​making capabilities or individual looking for the perfect gift for the home bar enthusiast who seems to know/​have everything — send them to Elemental Mixology.

I cannot recommend Andrew’s classes enough. Whether you are a professional or novice, Andrew’s knowledge of the RIGHT way to make drinks is unprecedented. I suggest any or all of the courses, as you will constantly be learning, as Andrew is an unbelievable fountain of knowledge. Andrew’s philosophy corrects so much of what you thought you knew about making drinks. It’s also fun and approachable, and anyone can use these practical skills and knowledge.

We attended one-​time course as team-​building event for work and I’d recommend this to any group under 10 people or so.
Brilliant time with Andrew. This guy has probably forgotten more about mixology than I’ll ever know. Get the book too… great resource.

I’m not normally one to review, but since I keep talking about and recommending this class to most everyone I talk to, i might as well tell you nice internet strangers. my friend got REALLY into mixology and followed andrew’s blog for a few years. it turns out this master of all things alcohol lives in LA! and teaches classes? what luck! eventually my friend suggested we take one of the mixology courses andrew offers, but when i saw the price i balked. I’ve enjoyed mixing drinks and dabbling in my own time, but never thought i’d have the time, patience, or money to invest in bringing it up to the next level… and i’m someone who would see groupons for bartending schools and wonder if perhaps i should go to make better drinks there (holy crap am i glad i didn’t do one of those). when i first heard of the class i compared it to all those other bartending schools on Unilocal,price and education-​wise, and only now do i realize they aren’t in the same universe. even though when i tell people about this amazing mixology course i’ve been taking they think of a bartending school and cosmos, this could not be further from the case.
if you’re looking to make grasshoppers appletinis while spinning a shaker over your head and catching it behind your back, this isn’t the class for you. if you’re looking to blow your friends (and frankly your own) mind with the most amazing drinks you’ll ever taste… that happen to be coming out of your kitchen, then keep reading. i’m a frugal person, so the idea of spending nearly $ 400 for 6 four hour sessions seemed a bit daunting… i wanted to take the abbreviated course to just get an idea of what it was, my friend wanted the extended 10 course class, but i got him to compromise with the 6 course. it was an AMAZING overview of not only the history of and understanding of every type of mixed drink, history of the drinks and what goes in them, but gave me the tools and understanding to make every single one of the amazing drinks in his 600 page book (which he just GIVES you). the 6 courses give plenty of time to review every type of mixed drink and even make and taste what felt like over a hundred different types of drinks. my only regret honestly is not taking the 10 week course to get to spend even more time making and tasting even more drinks. you get an idea of the tools and method you need to make any drink in his book within the first two sessions, but your skill and speed increase quickly.
my bar now has every tool i could need (soon the right size and type of glasses as well) to make all of my favorite drinks from the class. not only can i replicate any drink in his book with ease, you learn the standard proportions that make each type of drink work, so even without the book, a recipe, or the proper bottles needed, i can go to my liquor cabinet and grab a couple of bottles, sling them together in the right proportions and method and wind up with a great tasting drink that may have never been tasted before. i’d say the only real downside of the class is i now am a bit of a drink snob when i go out since very few bars (but still pretend to enjoy the drinks for the sake of my friends) can make a drink as well as i can, so i’d rather just stay at home and host my friends… but it is nice to go out and look for inspiration for new drinks to invent. oh, and the bottles. i already had a good collection of alcohol, but since taking the class i’ve slowly been buying bottles of everything needed to make my favorite drinks from the class and replacing my existing bottles with what i now realize is MUCH BETTER alcohol, which i learned about and tasted in the class, but thankfully he also provides a liquor companion that breaks down his suggested bottle (s) for all future buying.
i cannot recommend this class highly enough. Unilocal,please modify my review to allow for 6 stars.

Out of all the courses offered by Andrew, I’m taking the «Elemental Mixology Drinks Course (Complete)» for $ 375 and I think it’s worth every fucken penny (in my humble opinion).
If you dig the old school history of bartending and drink making from the 1920’s and much earlier, you will love Andrew’s teaching in this very informative, friendly and hands on class. The group is nice and small (about 7 in a class). It comes with a 600 page outstanding & detailed book that is perhaps the best I’ve seen so far, and is very useable.
As Andrew says, this is the crown jewel of the Elemental Mixology courses, and the only mixology course offered anywhere that is correct to pre-​prohibition standards from the golden age of American drink-​making (1880 – 1910). Some of the very latest drinks are also covered, but made according to the higher standards of the golden age.
I went into this with my doubts (just a bit) but once I stepped into his wonderful craftsman style home where he lives and made my way up to the 3^rd floor where he has created a wonderful home bar/​lounge, I knew I was in for some serious drinking education. This is the BEST and Andrew is a very good teacher. Certificates are available if requested upon completion of the following courses: Standard Mixing Course, Master Mixing Course, Liquor Tasting Course.
This is N O T like the typical shitty 21^st century bartending teaching courses you run across. The kind that teach you how to speed fast through your drink making, spinning your cocktail shakers behind your back and quizzing you on recipe memorizing. This is a real quality low key and hands on education for the true lover of the vintage cocktail and the art of mixology. Keep in mind that there is no certificate for this class, but there’s loads of great information you won’t get anywhere else.
I started the class as a regular guy who could follow a recipe at home, but not know if I did it right. Now I finished the class as a guy who has a SHIT load of the «proper» cocktail creating instruction with in-​class experience and drink history knowledge and liquor industry information. It’s night and day from what I know now compaired to when I started. I’m 100% more confidant now on how to make a drink and as well as talk about it as home bartender with friends and family now.
With continued pratice at home, I’ll just will grow better and better in my craft.