5 Things You Didn't <br />Know About Bartending.<br />In honor of National Bartending Day, <br />here are some insights into <br />the origins of the trade.<br />1. The word "cocktail" <br />was first used in Britain.<br />"Cock-tail" was likely first used <br />as a slang term for an English ginger drink. .<br />2. Cocktails were <br />an American invention.<br />The first use of the word cocktails <br />as a mixed drink containing "spirits" <br />appears in a U.S. 1806 periodical, <br />'Balance and Columbian Repository.'.<br />3. Jerry Thomas <br />is considered the <br />'Father of Mixology.'.<br />The American barkeep wrote <br />the first bartenders guide, 'The <br />Bon Vivant Companion.' Published in 1862, <br />the guide included Thomas' own drink recipes.<br />4. Bartender 'Olympics' are real.<br />"Flair-tending" competitions <br />focus on a bartender's juggling <br />skills. The World Class Club focuses <br />on cocktail recipe creativity.<br />5. The oldest pub has been in <br />existence for more than 1,000 years.<br />According to Guinness World Records, <br />Sean's Bar in Athlone, Ireland, has been <br />serving pints since the tenth century
