Thrillist - What’s It Like Being a Sober Bartender?

For many people, the only reason to set foot inside of a bar is to drink alcohol. And it’s no secret some in the bar industry drink on the job. Consuming alcohol is seemingly part of the profession—bartenders might taste cocktails as they go, accept a customer’s offer to buy them a shot, or enjoy well-earned drinks at the end of a long shift. Night after night, professionals in the bar industry navigate a career that is structured around drinking. But what about bartenders, like Barnhill, who have cut alcohol out of their own lives entirely?