Mixology info thread

[LlamaMama]

Another thing I've seen alluded to, but never explained, is whether ordering and drinking mixed drinks at a bar somehow teaches the mixologist the recipe. Can someone please describe whether or how this works?

[mtglady]

My Vampire Sim is a level 10 Mixologist and has moonlighted at 8 different nights so far.  He has met the Cool Creator challenge and is 15 drinks shy of meeting the Master Mixologist challenge.  He does not know how to cook or garden.
I stocked his home bar with all known havestables from Normal to Great and so far I haven't seen any being used, nor have I received an option to use them.  I also have tried stocking the bars where he moonlights and I have received the same results.
I then stocked some cheap nectar ($18 per bottle) in both his home bar and a moonlightling bar and I was given the option both times for him to serve the nectar. 
He will be working hard tonight and I will update my findings.   
Note - He has the lifetime wish to be a Master Mixologist.  He just has to save up the money now to buy a bar. 

[mtglady]

@LlamaMama - yes the Sim will learn a drink recipe by visiting the different bars and ordering the different drinks.  Sometimes they learn them by drinking only one glass and other times you have to order the drink several times. 
A pop-up appears when they learn a new recipe and there will also be a 'drop-down 'listing the drinks learned if you click on the Mixologist skill tab just like in the Photography skill.   

[LlamaMama]

I stocked his home bar with all known havestables from Normal to Great and so far I haven't seen any being used, nor have I received an option to use them.  I also have tried stocking the bars where he moonlights and I have received the same results.

I thought I saw in a guide that you can use stocked items either automatically or manually. This is odd.

@LlamaMama - yes the Sim will learn a drink recipe by visiting the different bars and ordering the different drinks.  Sometimes they learn them by drinking only one glass and other times you have to order the drink several times. 
A pop-up appears when they learn a new recipe and there will also be a 'drop-down 'listing the drinks learned if you click on the Mixologist skill tab just like in the Photography skill.   

Thank you! Just what I needed to know. Btw, I sure liked the opportunity to sample a drink for $1000 pay!

[Anushka]

You can use stocked items the way described in guide.
Next time your Sim go to moonlight, put some fruit and/or veggies in his inventory. As soon as he/she start moonlighting, click on bar and choose stock bar, after you place what you want to use, click on bar and choose "select ingredients for next drink" and then choose "manually". I managed to use even plasma fruit and garlic like this but got fired and chased out of bar after that drink Anyway, next drink you serve will get the name and costumer will comment something about good ingredients in drink. After few drinks made like that, they should automatically use items stocked in bar.

And about learning recipes by moonlighting - it didn't work for me, but I didn't moonlight a lot. mtglady told you what is working, order the same drinks over and over again until you see the message that Sim learned recipe, or check skill journal.

[LlamaMama]

I've been annoyed with how the drinking action gets cut off too soon when another action is queued up after it. Has anyone else noticed that?

[mtglady]

You can use stocked items the way described in guide.
Next time your Sim go to moonlight, put some fruit and/or veggies in his inventory. As soon as he/she start moonlighting, click on bar and choose stock bar, after you place what you want to use, click on bar and choose "select ingredients for next drink" and then choose "manually". I managed to use even plasma fruit and garlic like this but got fired and chased out of bar after that drink Anyway, next drink you serve will get the name and costumer will comment something about good ingredients in drink. After few drinks made like that, they should automatically use items stocked in bar.

Thank you so much for this information.   I had been stocking his home bar and trying it there (even invested in the most expensive one) and could not use any of the stocked items.  I am going to try it tonight as my Sim's agent asked them to moonlight at the Aquarius just before I shut down.

[LlamaMama]

@Anushka: Thank you for the complete description of how it works. Very helpful!

[Leto85]

You can use stocked items the way described in guide.
Next time your Sim go to moonlight, put some fruit and/or veggies in his inventory. As soon as he/she start moonlighting, click on bar and choose stock bar, after you place what you want to use, click on bar and choose "select ingredients for next drink" and then choose "manually". I managed to use even plasma fruit and garlic like this but got fired and chased out of bar after that drink Anyway, next drink you serve will get the name and costumer will comment something about good ingredients in drink. After few drinks made like that, they should automatically use items stocked in bar.

And about learning recipes by moonlighting - it didn't work for me, but I didn't moonlight a lot. mtglady told you what is working, order the same drinks over and over again until you see the message that Sim learned recipe, or check skill journal.

Fantastic! I didn't try the mixology skill because after reading al those troubles people got I didn't even like to start a bucked skill.
But now I actually think I will!
People like you are a great value for this forum.

[Pam]

I've got a Sim who has a wish to moonlight, but I'm not getting that option at the bars.  I tried it from Map View and also tried from inside the building by clicking on the bar itself.  She's got level 3 in Mixology, but she's still a teen.  I hope that's the problem, but would like to hear what others' experience has been with moonlighting.

[Anushka]

Pam, I'm not shore on what level you can go moonlight, but you should get a message about it, it is early and it might be at level 2 or 3.
I only played YA mixologist, and whenever he visits the bar that is open and already have an mixologist on duty, I always got the option to moonlight (among other options such as order drink, bar food, give advice etc). Even in SV, not just in BP. Maybe they are teens, or maybe you tried too early, before NPC mixologist even show up? If not, than wait till YA birthday and hope for the best.

Leto, thank you!

[Chris]

Pam, I have a teen and young adult sim who both have 3 mixology skill points.  The young adult sim gets the option to moonlight when clicking on the bar, but the teen doesn't.  I'm assuming they have to be young adults before being able to moonlight. 

[mtglady]

Pam, teens can order drinks but they can't serve them, so therefore they can't moonlight.  My teen is a level 10 and has already completed the challenge to create 25 unique drinks.  He just can't go any further until he ages up.  Don't you know that it is a law that he has to be over 18, well at least in my town anyway - lol! 

[Leto85]

Don't you know that it is a law that he has to be over 18, well at least in my town anyway - lol! 

Haha, good point. I believe it has to do with the teen rating where this game is build around. No alcohol (or non-alcohol) serving until you age up.
Pretty weird actually that they can drink the stuff though. Hmmm, have no explanation for that.

[Pam]

I believe it was at level 5 that Bubblegum was able to moonlight as a Young Adult.  She didn't do a very good job, though, because I don't know what I'm doing.  She's made $11 so far.  At the moment, she's in Al Simhara with Banana and Cinnamon.  I've made a nice party area on the third floor of the family palace.  She's been creating unique drinks and subjecting her family to Mixology practice.