The Small Screen Network Is A Virtual Bar School

The Food Network has never given much play to cocktails (save for Sandra Lee's dreadfully themed sippers), and although bar books provide text-based how-to instructions, they don't have that oh-so-important visual component that clarifies the process of crafting complex drinks.

But now the ever-expanding Small Screen Network aims to improve cocktail education with four distinct, web-exclusive shows hosted by top drinks luminaries like author Robert Hess and mixologist Jamie Boudreau of Seattle's Tini Bigs.

These short, instructive videos teach viewers everything from the step-by-step process for flaming an orange peel to mastering classic drinks like the mint julep to choosing the right kind of ice for every cocktail.

If you've already perfected the art of home bartending, this start-up still has something else to offer: a great place to geek out over liquid culture.