Crave
Sara Samad

Beirut Bartender Series: Wassim at Garage 78


The bar: Garage78, The Alleyway, Hamra
The bartender: Wassim

Beirut.com: What is your favorite thing about being a bartender?

Wassim: It’s a very fun source of income. You spend your time serving people who are already in a great mood and you get to experiment with different ingredients to find which combinations create the best taste. It’s more of a hobby that you get paid for, than an actual job.

Beirut.com: What is your least favorite thing about being a bartender?

Wassim: It’s very tiring; and you’re not just tired while you’re working, but the rest of the day too, which is hard if you’re also a student. Typically, on average, we don’t get back home until three or four in the morning.

Beirut.com: What is the most annoying thing a customer does?

Wassim: When they reach over the bar and attempt to grab something. Not only is it annoying, it’s rude and disrespectful.

Beirut.com: What is the coolest thing a customer does?

Wassim: Most of the time interacting with customers is fun. They almost always have something nice to say and give you great compliments.

Beirut.com: What is the funniest thing that has happened to you while bartending at Garage?

Wassim: On the ceiling of the bar, there are metal rods installed. We are awaiting the arrival of a car which will be placed on top of them. One night, our waiter got very drunk, and decided it would be a great idea to climb on top of them. So he gets to the top, and is standing on the thin metal rod, and as he’s preparing to jump to the next one, he slips and falls from the ceiling onto the floor. It was hilarious. [He wasn’t seriously injured.]

Beirut.com: What is your signature drink?

Wassim:
The Blue Passion
3cl Vodka
2cl Orange
3cl Passion Fruit
1cl Lime
2 dashes Blue Curacao
Garnish with 3 thin orange slices and a mint leaf