Tips and Quips From Mixologists

Even at the height of their popularity, members of the Rat Pack didn't drink Dom Perignon every night. But visitors to The Corner, a bar at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Mich., can-it's one of the few places in the world where you can order Dom by the glass.

Bartender Jody Haddad believes in giving his clients a little something out of the ordinary.

"Being a bartender means doing something different that people will remember," said Haddad, 25.

Doing something different helped Haddad win "the war of the pour" in a local bartending contest. Arriving in boxing gear, with the theme from Rocky playing in the background, Haddad went the distance by showing off some of the drinks he's created: the Split Decision, served in a double glass with a single stem, the TKO and a tropical drink called the South Paw-cific.

"My role is to make people happy," Haddad said. "If people aren't feeling entertained, they won't come back."

Haddad knows the recipes for 150 to 200 drinks, although most of his clients at The Corner prefer flavored martinis, mojitos and coffee drinks. For Haddad, however, being a bartender requires just as much personality as it does expertise.

"Part of the job is just being me," Haddad said with a laugh. "I can't help other people have fun if I'm not having fun. And I'm not doing my job if people aren't having fun."

Andy Cumpsty

Westin Dublin o Dublin, Ireland

Part chef, part mad scientist and all showman, Andy Cumpsty has kept customers at The Mint Bar at the Westin Dublin on the edge of their seats for the last 2 1/2 years. In a city better known for Guinness and Irish whiskey, who but Cumpsty could have convinced patrons to sample a martini featuring a smoked baby octopus at the bottom of the glass?

"I should have been a chef," said Cumpsty, 28. "I'm always trying to bring in new garnishes,
whether it's Bombay Sapphire with fresh rosemary and lime or mango spiced rum with mint. I want to show people the tastes they're missing."

Cumpsty honed his skills at theme restaurants like T.G.I. Friday's and The Fashion Café before
making a splash at Sound Republic, a London-based bar that served as the backdrop for Britain's
"Pepsi Chart Show." Since moving to Ireland, he has trained bartenders throughout the country,
including the Jameson Irish Whiskey staff, and has hosted a biweekly slot on "Ireland A.M."

Though he's already created 30 to 40 of his own cocktails, Cumpsty continues to travel the world searching for new flavors, new combinations and new drink-mixing techniques. He is constantly competing in bartending contests and says he plans to settle for nothing less than being recognized as the greatest bartender in the world.