Hey, bartender, know how to make a Red Eye? How about a Purple Hooter? If not, maybe you should consider taking Lucullan’s Restaurant’s bartending class.

The three-day class covers all the basics of the bartending profession, plus some tips on how to make customers visit your bar again.

The class costs $69 per person, which includes a drink manual and certificate of completion. Terry Lowman, co-owner of Lucullan’s Restaurant and instructor of the course, said he has been teaching the class, offered eight times a year, since 1982.

“We try to take people who know nothing about bartending and give them some basic knowledge of a working bar,” Lowman said.

The most recent class session consisted of nine males and one female, with ages varying from high school seniors to adults from the Ames community.

Britt Spillers, waitress at Cafe Lovish said, “We just got our liquor license at work, and I’m going to be bartending so I decided to take the class.”

The first of the three classes began with bar psychology. Lowman described this as “reflecting” to customers by summarizing back to them what they’ve said and letting them know you’re listening.

“People come to bars to escape reality. They drink alcohol because they like what it does to them,” Lowman said.

Next came the classification and description of liquor along with a taste test. Students were seated at the bar and allowed to taste with a stirring stick (those under 21 got to smell instead) any of the liquors behind the bar.

“You have to incorporate touch, taste and feel in your teachings and not just tell,” Lowman said.

The students were then taught about the various recipes for drinks ranging from 1-900-FUK-MEUP to your basic martini, shaken not stirred.

“Our newest recipes [for drinks] came off of the Internet,” Lowman said. “Some have sinister names, well not sinister, but just a little naughty… they’re all a little naughty, I guess.”

Lowman described to students how the mood of the bar effects people.

“Low lighting is good because most people look better in low lighting,” he said. “If you want people to walk around and converse, it’s best to have uncomfortable chairs and place the bar in the center of the room.”

Lowman added that constant music is also a good thing.

Night two involved the description of many bar terms, such as ordering a drink “neat” or “on the rocks.” Neat means without ice and on the rocks means the drink includes ice.

Students were also taught which glasses went with which drinks and in which order, so the drinks keep the desired taste. Some drinks last longer than others without becoming “watered down,” while others need to be served immediately after preparation.

Lowman also talked about health and sanitation of bars along with liquor insurance, licenses and the Iowa Beer and Liquor Control Act.

During the third night, students took a test which consisted of 50 multiple-choice and true/false questions. Students also had to list the ingredients of about 15 drinks and name the glasses and garnishes used.

After passing the test, which all of the students did, students were given the Bartending School of America Certificate of Completion. This certifies that the recipient has successfully completed classroom instruction in bartending, mixing cocktails and serving customers.

However, after completion of the class, one might find that the information taught in the course can be learned just by working behind a bar.

“You learn quick behind the bar, you either sink or swim,” said Vincent Munoz, a bartender at People’s Bar and Grill, 2428 Lincoln Way, who has been tending bar for 12 years.

“Bartending school? I don’t know what it’s about. Here you just go through the ranks. You start out working the door here or at Lumpy’s and end up bartending,” Munoz said.

Paul DeVries, manager of Cy’s Roost, 121 Welch Ave., has heard about the class and said the instruction would help. However, “Ninety-nine percent of people will tell you it’s experience. You learn something new behind the bar every night,” he said.

When asked about when to stop serving a drinker, both said it is the bartender’s judgment.

“At least once a week we have somebody’s puke land wherever,” DeVries said.

“Yeah, puking’s a good sign they’ve had enough to drink — that or they’ve run out of money for tips, then it’s out the door with ya,” Munoz said.

When asked about memorable stories, each of the bartenders laughed and said they have too many to remember.

“It’s a great job — hell, it’s the best, but you have to put up with a lot of people’s crap,” DeVries said. “I do remember when the casting crew from ‘Twister’ came in for about five weeks. I was just sitting there talking to Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt.”