How Hiring a Cocktail Bartender Works in Pennsylvania
Spirit Forward is a Philadelphia based craft cocktail bartending team. Here is exactly how hiring our mobile bartending service goes, start to finish, including the unique nuances of bartending in Pennsylvania.
- 01You reach out
- 02We build the menu
- 03Catering agreement
- 04Event day
- 05Service
- 06Set up and break down
We provide EVERYTHING, you just bring the alcohol.
As specifically event and mobile bartenders, Spirit Forward doesn't hold a physical liquor license, as we do not sell alcohol in any capacity. This is a large benefit as we also do not have to package up liquor in our pricing.
Once we have our bar concept fully idealized, we will send through a short bottle list and can even recommend beer and wine quantities for the evening as well. This is just another touch point in our front to back process that makes the hard parts of your event much easier.
All we need to get started.
- The alcohol, from the list we give you.
- A water source. A kitchen sink is plenty.
- The space. A counter, a corner, a tent, a backyard, a rooftop. We could (and have) literally throw an amazing event in the middle of a field.
Everything else.
- Custom designed and framed cocktail menus.
- Every ingredient, made fresh in house.
- Cocktail-ready ice.
- Professional bar tools and equipment.
- Cups and straws.
- Elegant event tables when needed.
- The bar team.
- Setup and breakdown on either side of the night.
Want a full cocktail package? We can do that. Just need excellent bar staffing for a night? We do that too.
From first email to last call.
- 01
You reach out.
Tell us the date, location and roughly how many people. That's enough to start.
- 02
We build the menu with you.
A conversation about what you and your guests like drinking, the occasion, the season, and anything you've always wanted to try. We come back with a custom cocktail menu. We can work with anything from "I have no idea, but I love vodka" to "I'd like you to recreate this gin cocktail that has strawberry shrub and basil that we ordered on our first date", we can make that happen. Printed menus are included.
- 03
We'll send through a catering agreement that locks in your date.
We will then get to work on all of the finite details to help bring your bar concept to life.
- 04
Event day.
Our goal on event day is to allow you to truly "attend" your event and truly experience the bar instead of worrying about it. We will run each element seamlessly so that you can be present for your guests and even have a cocktail or two yourself! Our team are true professionals that will only need a simple check in upon arrival and exit to get a lay of the land then get to work.
- 05
Service.
We ensure that our team appropriately reflects your guest count and occasion. We want the bar to be crowded because they are interested in what we are doing as opposed to simply waiting for a drink. Beer, wine and cocktails all come from the same bar.
- 06
Set Up and Break Down.
We are thoughtful of the space and we will arrive and exit within 90 minutes on either side of event time. We will ensure that our working space is cleaner than we found it, it's what bartenders do.
Questions people ask about the process
Is it really legal for me to supply the alcohol and hire bartenders?
Yes. That is the only way it works in Pennsylvania. The Liquor Control Board's own guidance says a bartending service may be hired for its service, and the alcohol must be provided by the person hosting the event.
Can you supply the alcohol and add it to my bill?
No, and be wary of anyone without a liquor license who offers. In Pennsylvania that would be an unlicensed sale of alcohol.
How much alcohol will I need?
We tell you exactly. The list is built from your guest count, the length of the event, the menu, and the occasion.
What if my guest count changes?
We ask for your final guest count two weeks before your date. We understand things always change and we're happy to accommodate and adjust to your circumstances.
Do you have a minimum guest count?
No hard minimum. Most of our events run 50 to 350 guests, and we have a micro-event package for intimate weddings and smaller parties. Tell us the number and we'll size the bar to it.
Let's put something amazing together.
