A New Standard for Professional Spirits Education
The Spirits Authority Flagship Training is more than a tasting. It’s a full-spectrum, in-person educational experience designed to make bartenders better operators, consultants, and sellers. Grounded in today’s real-world hospitality needs, it’s the modern benchmark for category education.
Who It’s For
For working bartenders, bar managers, beverage directors, Brand Ambassadors liquor store employees, spirits suppliers, and distributors who want to
Deepen spirits category knowledge with firsthand insight
Unlock a backbar’s full sales potential
Deliver memorable, consultative guest experiences
Stand out as industry leaders qualified for advanced opportunities
We’re the trusted team behind programs like BAR 5 Day, BarSmarts, and World Class. Building on the legacy of Paul Pacult’s original Spirits Authority, we’re proud to introduce a new methodology for understanding spirits categories—designed for the 21st-century bar professional.
What Makes It Different
Business-First Perspective: Every module ties category knowledge to actual bar profitability, guest engagement, and operational excellence.
A New Tasting Method: Developed over 15+ years teaching the industry how to taste — now refined to meet the needs of today’s professionals.
Storytelling with Substance: No myths, a dissection of marketing fluff. Accurate, firsthand stories that stick and inspire.
Real-Time Industry Feedback: Each session gathers genuine bartender reactions on spirits, delivering insights that help brands improve while keeping bartenders at the center of the conversation.
Built for Impact: Our trainings equip participants with practical strategies to increase sales, improve guest experience, and elevate their careers.
Course Dates and Details
The two hour course is offered free of charge to working bar professionals. Sign ups are first come, first serve. Participants are asked to review category information in advance of the coursework. We recommend BarSmarts Professional (link to Barsmarts.com) as a prerequisite. We won’t be teaching fermentation and distillation 101, this is for the seasoned professional looking to increase their skillset and deepen their understanding of the category.
The Gin Authority
Location: San Denver, USA
Date: July 30, 2025
The Brandy Authority
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Date: August 14, 2025
The American Whiskey Authority
Location: Chicago, USA
Date: August 3, 2025
The Agave Authority
Location: Miami, USA
Date: August 27, 2025
FAQ
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Yes, brand sponsorship makes this program possible. That said, we’re an independent organization, and the spirits we feature are carefully selected based on relevance to the modern bar, importance within their category, ability to illustrate style or place, and exceptional quality.
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The seminar runs approximately two hours. We don’t offer an online version because we believe hands-on tasting is essential to truly understanding these spirits and their categories.
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We operate on an annual rotation with the goal of covering as many markets as possible. If we’re not visiting your city this year, stay tuned—our next round of course offerings will be announced in March 2026.
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Yes! Attendees who are present and engaged for the full seminar will receive certification. This qualifies you for our professional database, making you eligible for distillery trips and other exclusive experiential opportunities.