Click the play button on the video window to the right to see the show segmentAdd a jigger of showmanship and a splash of entertainment to your next party.
Scott Young takes show-stopping, bottle-flipping bartending to the extreme.
Guests are gathered around the bar, bottles are flying and cheers are erupting.
Everyone's laughing and having the time of their lives.
At the center of it all is Scott Young, president and founder of
ExtremeBartending.com, one of the busiest bar and cocktail sites on the net.
Young has taken the performance art of "flair bartending" way beyond the next level.
"Extreme bartending is more than just tossing bottles in the air," says Young, who over the last 15 years has performed all over the world including the Playboy Mansion. "It is also exceptional customer service and higher entertainment value."
He says, "An extreme bartender is adept at telling the best bar jokes, captivating the crowd with cool party tricks, and in general keeping the party running smoothly. We do everything with personality."
Young was just 22 when he started teaching himself the basics of flair bartending back in 1991.
"At the time, there was no one really doing this. I took a basic performance bartending course but the instructor was simply trying to copy what he saw in the movie 'Cocktail.'"
Convinced he could do better on his own, Young built a couple of bars in his back yard and practiced each day by himself.
At night, he taught the day's moves to a partner.
Five weeks later, the pair won third place in a flair bartending contest in Vancouver, which led to Young landing a bartending job at the best nightclub in town: the Roxy.
In early 1994, ExtremeBartending.com was created, enabling Young to train tens of thousands of bartenders through seminars and DVDs. Bar and Beverage magazine says they have the most complete training program. Nightclub & Bar Magazine calls them the world's leading ambassadors of the flair bartending art.
Young proudly adds that his extreme bartenders have performed at parties for 30 to 500 guests in 14 countries, 27 states and nine Canadian provinces.
Always ready with their own gear and a good joke, hosts of high-end parties may select a great venue, hire a band and even get magicians or dancers to entertain their guests but they almost always neglect the bartender.
Does a bartender in a black suit, who simply pours wine, beer and mixed drinks really fit in with a tropical-themed pool party? "We add a whole other dimension. We are well-versed in all sorts of cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks, and can help create a drink menu with a fun theme," says Young.
This is like a party-in-a-trunk. "The host supplies the alcohol but we bring our own gear such as shot glasses and shakers so they don't have to buy supplies. We even put our own juice in bottles so they can be thrown in the air.
"We're also versatile. Give us a small corner or center stage, and we're ready to do a full choreographed performance for the crowd as well as tend bar. We tell bar jokes. We know Irish drinking toasts. We're the full package."
Extreme bartenders are also right on top of the hottest drink trends.
"This summer it's all about effervescence," Young advises. "One favorite is adding Drinkin' Mate, a wild berry-flavored effervescent tablet to light beer. It goes great in the heat."
Drinkin' Mate contains all-natural guava leaf extract that is full of antioxidants and helps the body process alcohol better.
"Drinkin' Mate also goes well with 7-Up and a lemon if you want a refreshing non-alcoholic drink packed with antioxidants, or add vodka for another delicious twist."
Other hot cocktails this year include the Beer-ita, where half of the sweet and sour is substituted with beer.
Golfers have been quick to pick up on the Arnold Palmer, which is iced tea mix and lemonade; add vodka to the mixture and it becomes a John Daly.
And the Cuban Mojito remains a warm-weather classic.
While guests are enjoying the jokes, entertainment and cocktails, extreme bartenders are also involving them with interactive bar bets, magic tricks and games.
Can you lift a wine glass from the counter using just a straw?
Remove a coin from water without getting wet?
"We'll give out prizes and soon everyone is cheering."
Don't assume that by amping up an event's energy, extreme bartenders are promoting the over-consumption of alcohol.
"To the contrary, we stress serving responsibly," Young says. "We monitor how much we're serving everyone, and we watch for warning signs of intoxication. Because we've shown guests respect and made a connection with them from the outset, we can generally cut someone off without anyone feeling awkward or embarrassed."
The legions of extreme bartenders now trained in Young's form of cocktail gymnastics are changing how the world views going to the bar to get a drink.
As a frequent judge of bartending competitions around the world, he hopes to encourage others to "serve it with style" for a long time to come.
