Recently Mnemonics expert Dr. Anthony Metivier posted an article on a Facebook page for foreign language learning saying
“I see a lot of people talking about ‘converting’ formulas and words into images to aid memory when learning a language.
I know what they mean, but this is NOT what any master of memory does. At least…
Not to my awareness.
Instead, you ‘compose’ your toolbox of images in advance. That way, you NEVER waste time ‘converting’ anything into anything.
You CONNECT instead….” 1
This goes for drink memorization as well. Throughout my Mnemonics for Mixologists posts I’ve supplied plenty of pre-thought up imagery to use, many of them to help memorize precise quantities (splashes, dashes, ½ oz, ⅓ oz, ¾ oz, … 2½ oz etc, etc.) but also tools to remember specific ingredients such as Jägermeister and other specific ingredients.
If you’re here for the first time, I urge you to get on board learning recipes quickly, with dead on accurately — all of your bar or restaurant specialty drink menu drinks can be mastered perfectly (glass, method, ingredients, garnish) in a day.
The advanced (and simple, depending on where you are in your Mnemonics development) methods and “tools” concept aren’t just for memorizing drink recipes, but for learning and memorizing virtually anything. (As Dr. Metivier makes clear in his language learning video.
Speaking of language, some people are under the false impression that Mnemonics recall is slow and lumbering. Yet if you’ve ever had the chance to master a foreign language using Mnemonics you’ll know that speed is instantaneous with practice, or conversation (both comprehension and response) would be impossible.
If you’re here for the first time, please check out my Bartending Mnemonics posts on this site and start learning to use my tools; if you’re returning and haven’t started learning them yet, please do so now. No time like the present.
There’s a LOT to learn besides just drink recipes. With over 1,000 books (yes, over one thousand!) in my bar-book library, there’s always a WHOLE lot more to learn. 🙂
Site Author, David J. Curtis: David Curtis, a seasoned professional with decades of bartending and bar management experience began his career in Midtown Manhattan, NY, tending and managing bars before diving into Manhattan’s bustling nightlife club scene. Over the years, he has mastered high-volume, high-pressure bartending as the lead bartender in iconic Midtown clubs and tended bar briefly in the Wall Street area, generating over $1,350,000.00 annually in personal drink sales. He has since extended his expertise to establishments in Georgia and now Tampa in Exclusive Platinum Service Awards Clubs, Florida. David’s roles as a Bartending Instructor at the American Bartending School in Tampa, while maintaining a second job bartending, and his years experience of managing bars, and working as a Brand Ambassador along with his extensive professional library of over 1,000 bartending books, highlight his dedication to continually refining his craft. He holds a diploma in Bar Management and is BarSmarts certified by Pernod Ricard.
Footnotes 👇
(you can see his full video on this topic as it applies to lanuage memorization here: https://youtu.be/uJbRKxDEHJE [↩]
