For students looking to expand their alcoholic horizons beyond beer or shots of hard liquor, Stanford Student Enterprises (SSE) will offer an introductory bartending class, called “The Art of the Sip,” beginning tomorrow.

Each year, numerous freshmen get their first taste of alcohol, but even by the end of their Stanford careers, many don’t even know how to prepare a proper mixed drink.

“I usually see students either having shots or carrying out strange-looking brown concoctions, a mixture of everything they could find because they usually don’t know how to mix drinks,” said Eva Fornaeus ‘11.

San Francisco bartender Polly Martini will instruct students in basic bartending every Saturday for the next three weeks. SSE Development developed the idea from similar courses at peer universities.

“It’s not a comprehensive bartending education, but it’s a great way to learn about proper mixing/safety techniques,” said Adam Chadroff ‘10, SSE public relations manager.? Consumption of alcohol will not be allowed, so the course is open to all members of the Stanford community, including those under 21.

“Mixing is done with colored water, and the mixing techniques are simulated very well, but there is no alcohol safety issue at the course,” Chadroff said.

In order to address underage drinking concerns, Martini’s instruction will include alcohol safety and discussion of blood alcohol content levels, the law and how to take care of intoxicated people.

“We expect all participants to learn how to be safe with alcohol, now or in the future,” Chadroff added.

With sign-ups open for the course, many students are already showing interest.

“It takes away the connotation of the commodity to simply get drunk,” Laura Chau ‘11 said. “It takes it to a level of enjoyment.”

Fornaeus also believes the class offers practical knowledge for those who encounter alcohol.

“I think it’s an interesting course because it’s not something that you would normally learn in an academic environment, and it teaches you useful skills,” she said.

Chadroff said that SSE is very satisfied with the reaction to the class so far. The Nov. 3 session is nearly sold out. While the course does not actually certify participants to be qualified bartenders, it does register them to take an online course for the California State Responsible Server Certification.

“This should help aspiring bartenders to get a job opportunity,” Chadroff said, adding that Martini is interested in hiring a few of the most talented students for local bartending jobs.

All students of the class will also receive bartending supplies including a shaker, strainer and bartending book. The one-day course is three hours long and costs $125 per person or $100 each if a group of five people sign up together. Profits from the course go to the ASSU.

“This is a class about maturity, responsibility and sophistication,” Chadroff said. “We think of the class as a really fun way to learn bartending basics.”