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About Us

DrinkMaster Bartending School – Educating the Next Generation of Bartenders and Guests

Founded in 1994 and licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Education since 1997, DrinkMaster Bartending School has trained more than 100,000 hospitality students over nearly 30 years. Located at 108 Lincoln St. in Boston, DrinkMaster is widely recognized as Massachusetts’ premier trade school for bartender career training, professional hospitality education, and responsible beverage service.

We are not a bar or restaurant. DrinkMaster does not sell alcohol, is not open to the public, and operates exclusively as a private, reservation-only trade school. Every program we offer — from our Master Bartending Course to craft cocktail workshops — is designed to educate bartenders, hospitality professionals, and consumers on the evolving culture of cocktails, hospitality, and creating experiences.

Our Mission

At DrinkMaster, we believe a cocktail is not just a recipe — it is a culinary composition. Our mission is to educate the next generation of bartenders to think like chefs: to understand the role of every ingredient, to create balance and nuance, and to craft beverages that elevate hospitality. A good drink is not defined by its alcohol strength, but by intention, thoughtful preparation, and guest experience.

  • Career Training for Bartenders
    Our Master Bartending Course provides hands-on training, a trade school diploma, TiPS alcohol certification, and unlimited job placement support. Students graduate with more than recipes — they gain an understanding of balance, service flow, accuracy, and how to confidently step behind any bar.

  • Accommodating Guest Preferences
    Today’s guests expect more than strong, sweet drinks — they want choice, balance, and intention. We teach bartenders to master classic full-proof cocktails while also learning how to modify those drinks into low-proof or no-proof versions that meet modern demand for moderation, flavor, and inclusivity. This prepares bartenders to accommodate every guest’s preferences, ensuring hospitality is about more than pouring — it’s about creating a cocktail experience tailored to the individual.

  • Culinary Cocktail Education
    We are inspired by how Michelin-starred chefs are now approaching beverages with the same intentionality they bring to food. This evolution has opened the door for the beverage industry to offer guests more thoughtful, well-balanced options — from low-proof cocktails to amaro-forward and spice-driven compositions. At DrinkMaster, we prepare bartenders to embrace this approach, treating cocktails as culinary works where balance, quality ingredients, and hospitality matter more than alcohol content.

  • Hospitality & Guest Experience
    Cocktails are part of a larger cultural and social experience. Our classes emphasize not only mixology technique but also the art of storytelling, history, and trivia that make cocktail culture come alive. Students learn how to connect with guests, create memorable experiences, and present drinks as part of a broader hospitality journey.

  • Craft Cocktail Classes for All
    Our Craft Cocktail Classes help students and guests alike understand flavor balance and learn how to discern intentional ingredients through guided tastings. These classes bring together professional bartenders and home enthusiasts, showing both groups how to make cocktails with intention and appreciation. By educating bartenders and consumers side by side, we help shape cocktail culture away from overly strong, boozy drinks and toward beverages that are balanced, thoughtful, and culinary in nature.

  • Craft Cocktail Syrups
    To support this philosophy, DrinkMaster has developed a line of Craft Cocktail Syrups. These syrups highlight seasoning, flavor, and balance — showing both bartenders and the public that an amazing cocktail can be built around craft, not just high-proof spirits.

Educational Tastings

DrinkMaster incorporates small-format educational tastings as part of its curriculum. These tastings are:

  • Pre-portioned and guided by an instructor.

  • Focused on sensory education — balance, aromatics, and flavor construction.

  • Conducted in compliance with all applicable regulations.

  • Offered only to students 21+, and always in conjunction with a structured class.

Students practice with bottles filled with colored water to simulate real-world bartending. Tastings, where included, are carefully measured demonstrations to help students learn flavor theory and craft techniques. This model mirrors respected institutions such as Boston University’s Wine Studies Program, Johnson & Wales University, and the Commonwealth Wine School.

Compliance & Recognition

DrinkMaster Bartending School has a spotless compliance record:

  • Licensed as a Massachusetts trade school since 1997.

  • Fully audited for 20 years with no unresolved complaints.

  • Recognized by the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) in 2025 as an educational institution, not a bar.

  • Audited by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and confirmed exempt from sales tax, as no alcohol is sold.

About our Founder

Jason Rothe, Owner and President of DrinkMaster, is one of Massachusetts’ leading educators in responsible beverage service. A nationally certified TiPS Alcohol Certification Trainer, Jason also serves as a consultant to law firms, restaurants, caterers, and municipalities on liquor liability compliance. He has been retained as an expert witness in liquor liability cases in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

With deep expertise in alcohol regulations, education, and sensory training, Jason has made DrinkMaster a trusted leader in both bartender career development and modern cocktail education.

Shaping the Future of Cocktail Culture

At DrinkMaster, our goal is to guide both professionals and the public in reimagining what a cocktail can be:

  • From boozy, artificially sweetened drinks of the past to modern compositions rooted in balance, nuance, and craft.

  • From alcohol-first thinking to a focus on culinary flavor, intentionality, and moderation.

  • From limited options for mocktails or low-proof cocktails to a rich spectrum of inclusive, creative beverages.

Whether training new bartenders to launch careers in hospitality or hosting public classes that show guests how to appreciate a well-balanced drink, DrinkMaster’s commitment is the same: to educate the next generation to enjoy, create, and appreciate cocktails as thoughtful culinary works.