Scott Hage, 41, Iowa City
Bartender @ Dublin Underground

How did you get into bartending?
It was a good way to pay for school, but not very good for grades. I don’t think I ever got more than three or four hours of sleep a night. I was young though. I could handle it.

What’s the best part of your job?
There’s a lot of things. If I had to narrow it down, it’s kind of like going out, but getting paid to do it instead of spending money. You can be social and not blow $100 a night on cocktails.

So have you gotten to be friends with a lot of your regulars?
Oh yeah. And I’ve been in town for quite a while. I’ve probably worked in five or six bars in Iowa City alone.

What’s the worst part of your job?
Telling people their limits, cutting people off, because they never agree with the bartender. In the morning they probably think it was a good decision, but you never hear the thank yous for that.

What’s your favorite drink?
I’m kind of an old-fashioned cocktail guy. When I work in big cities I tend to gravitate toward cocktail bars. I learned a lot in the big city, and like to bring that back to Iowa City.

Do you think cocktails have gotten more popular lately?
Over the past ten years, yeah. Back when I was in school, people just drank beer and whiskey Cokes, but now you’ve got a million flavored vodkas and liquors, and you just have more things to mix than ever before.

Describe your typical crowd.
There’s a lot of what we call “kids’ bars” in our neighborhood. We’re the more mellow pub, where everybody behaves themselves.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a bartender?
I’m a photographer as well as a bartender. Sometimes I’ll take two or three months off and do a project. I do magazine work, book art, pretty much anything. That’s what keeps me sane, that’s why I can work five nights a week as a bartender.
— ANNE