Table of Contents
WHEN ORDERING DRINKS LIQUOR ALWAYS IS FIRST
A comprehensive Bartenders Guide on Drink Orders. At the point when you order a cocktail, always name the liquor first.
Example: Jack and Coke, Captain and Coke, Gin and Juice, Vodka Orange “Screwdriver”, etc.
Basic Mistakes Bartenders make: When a few people order Vodka Red Bull, they call it Red Bull Vodka. Why? One day someone ordered a Double Red Bull and Vodka, so I asked him, “Would you like a double Red Bull and Vodka or a double Vodka and Red Bull?”
Note: Look at any blended mixed drink recipe book and you’ll see that the liquor is always named first, then the juices or soft drinks. At the point when bartenders make blended drinks, they always pour the liquor first, then the juice or soft drink.
NAME THE BRAND FIRST
In the event that you like a blended drink in with a particular brand, name the brand first.
Example: If you like to drink Vodka and Tonic and you like Belvedere, order a Belvedere and Tonic instead of Vodka and Tonic with Belvedere.
Personal Experience: One day a lady came to my bar and ordered this way, “May I have a Vodka Cranberry… Stoli and Orange Juice.” I thought that she wanted a Vodka Cranberry and a Stoli Orange Juice. She actually meant a Stoli Cranberry and a plain Orange Juice.
DON’T ASSUME ANYTHING
Don’t assume that all the bartenders make the drinks exactly the same way because they don’t.
There are many variations of the same blended drink formula and many bartenders make the drinks differently.
Example: A Lemon Drop Martini
A few bartenders use:
Citrus Vodka, Triple Sec, Lemon Juice and Sugar or
Citrus Vodka, Triple Sec, Sweet and Sour Mix, and Sugar or
Vodka, Triple Sec, Lemon Juice and Sugar or
Vodka, Triple Sec, Sweet and Sour Mix and Sugar, etc.
On the off chance that you like your drink to be made a certain way, ask the bartender to make it the way you want it.
TYPES OF DRINKS
Well Drink
A well drink is a drink made with the cheapest liquor available at the bar.
Example: If you order a Rum and Coke, you get the cheapest rum and Coke. You don’t get Bacardi and Coke.
Note: Next time you go to a Happy Hour and you order a drink, you realize that you will get the cheapest liquor available at that bar.
Keep in Mind: If you go to a bar and order a drink without determining a liquor, you will get the cheapest liquor for your drink. In other words, you get a well drink.
Would you like to find out about well drinks?
CALL DRINK
A call drink is a drink made with a predefined liquor. You call for liquor to be utilized in your drink.
Example: Bacardi and Coke, Jack and Coke, Stoli and Cranberry, Tanqueray and Tonic, etc.
Careful: If you call for the most costly liquor, your drink will turn into an excellent drink and not a call drink
Note: If you don’t know about the drink that you want to order is a call drink or premium drink, ask the bartender and he/she will let you know.
PREMIUM DRINK
An excellent drink is a drink made with a costly liquor.
Example: Grey Goose and Tonic, a Patron shot, Cadillac Margarita, etc.
Note: This is also called a top-shelf drink.
DRAFT BEER (DRAFT BEER OR TAP BEER)
Draft beer, draft beer, or tap beer, will be beer drawn from a metal (barrel).
Note: The most normal name is draft beer or tap beer. I lean toward calling it draft beer.
BASIC WINE
Basic wine alludes to the more affordable wine at the bar or restaurant.
BACK
Back means a non-alcoholic chaser. It is often utilized when an individual orders a shot of straight liquor and wants water, soda, or juice chaser to go with the shot.
Example: Let’s assume you want a shot of Jack Daniel’s and you want to chase it with a glass of Coke. This is the means by which you would order it, “May I get a shot of Jack Daniel’s with a Coke back.”
Example 2: You want a shot of tequila and a glass of water. You order it like this, “May I get a shot of tequila with water back.”
CHILLED
Chilled definition is cold. It is utilized when ordering shots of liquor.
Example: A chilled shot of tequila or a chilled shot of bourbon.
Step by step instructions to cool a shot of liquor?
Pour the liquor into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a shot glass.
Note: Chilling a liquor adds a little bit of water to it.
DIRTY
Dirty means with olive juice and it’s utilized in gin martinis and vodka martinis.
Example: A Dirty Martini.
TWOFOLD
Twofold means twofold the liquor. In other words, two shots of liquor in one drink.
Example: A twofold shot of tequila means two shots of tequila served in one hotshot glass.
DRY
Dry means with dry vermouth and it’s utilized in gin martinis and vodka martinis.
Example: A Dry Martini.
Note: Dry doesn’t mean without vermouth. On the off chance that you don’t want vermouth, order a gin up or vodka up.
SOLIDIFIED/BLENDED
Solidified means blended.
Example: A Frozen Margarita.
Careful: If you order a Margarita at a bar, don’t assume that it will be blended. On the off chance that you really want a blended Margarita, order a Frozen Margarita and in the event that you really want a Margarita with ice, order a Margarita on the rocks.
NEAT
Neat means without ice and in an old-fashioned glass. It is utilized when ordering liquor without anyone else.
Example: If someone orders a Scotch neat, that individual wants Scotch without anyone else and in a good old glass.
Another Name: Some individuals say, “Straight Up” when they want a liquor without anyone else. This could be in a good old glass or in a shot glass.
Note: If someone asks for “neat” don’t empty the liquor into a shot glass. It has to be filled with a good old glass so it could be consumed by small sips.
ON THE ROCKS
On the rocks means with ice.
Example: Whiskey on the rocks, Margarita on the rocks, etc.
Note: If you pour liquor on the rocks, use an old-fashioned glass. Good old glass is also known as a “rocks glass” because it is utilized to serve single liquors on the rocks.
SWEET
Sweet means with sweet vermouth and it’s utilized in gin martinis and vodka martinis.
Example: Sweet Martini
TALL
Tall means in a greater glass. On the off chance that you order a tall drink, you get the same amount of liquor, but with more squeeze or soda.
Example: Tall Screwdriver, Tall Cape Cod, Tall Jack and Coke, Tall Gin and Tonic, etc.
Careful: Not all the drinks can be made of tall drinks.
Which drinks can be made of tall drinks?
Drinks that come in Highball glasses can be made tall by using Collins glasses.
Note: If you don’t care for strong drinks, you may ask your bartender to make your drink a tall drink.
TOP SHELF
Top shelf means premium. It means to utilize the best liquors available at the bar.
Example: Top-Shelf Long Island Iced Tea
UP
Up means chilled and strained into a martini glass.
Example: Stoli Up, Absolut Up, Sapphire Up, etc.
Note: If you want a martini without vermouth, order a gin up or vodka up.
WITH A TWIST
This means to add a twist, usually a lemon twist, to the drink.
WITH SALT
This means to coat the edge of a glass with kosher salt.
Note: Typically margaritas with tequila have salt around the rim of their cocktail glass.
Conclusion: When serving drinks it is always best to clarify your order with the customer. It will save you time and get you better tips from your clients.