Drinks Every Bartender Should Know
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*Note: The following cocktail recipes are a starting point. For one thing, a 1 ½ oz measure is not what every bar pours. Check with your manager to find out the house standard.
Also, fresh lemon juice plus simple syrup is "the real sour mix", (*see note on Sour Mix below). Freshly squeezed juices are ideal, if time & budget allows.
Cape Cod:
Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka Fill with Cranberry juice Madras: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz vodka Fill to 3/4 with Orange juice. Top with Cranberry juice Greyhound: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka Fill with Grapefruit juice. Salty Dog: Same as Greyhound but Rim the glass with salt. Bay Breeze: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka Fill with Pineapple juice. Top with Cranberry Malibu Bay Breeze: Same as Bay Breeze use Malibu Rum instead of Vodka Sea Breeze: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka Fill to 3/4 with Grapefruit juice Top with Cranberry Juice Gin or Vodka Tonic: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Gin or Vodka Fill with Tonic Lime Garnish Highball (Whiskey&Ginger): Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Whiskey (ask guest for preference) Fill with Ginger Ale Presbyterian: Same as Highball, but use half Ginger Ale & half Seltzer Rum & Coke: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Rum Fill w/coke. Cuba Libra: Same as Rum & Coke, except garnish with Lime. Vodka Soda: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka Fill with Seltzer Garnish with a lemon. 7&7: Glass Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Seagrams 7 Fill with Seven up Vodka Collins: Glass: Highball 1 ½ oz vodka 2oz sour mix. Short shake. Fill with Club soda Garnish: Cherry & Orange (Never shake a drink after a carbonated ingredient has been added). Tom Collins: Made the same as Vodka Collins use Gin instead of Vodka John Collins: Made the same as Vodka Collins Use Whiskey instead of Vodka Joe Collins: Made the same as Vodka Collins use Scotch instead of Vodka. Sloe Gin Fizz: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Sloe Gin 2oz Sour mix Short shake. Fill with club soda Bloody Mary: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz vodka Fill with Tomato Juice 3 dashes of salt & pepper. 2 drops of Worcestershire. 2 drops of Tabasco. Squeeze of lemon juice. Horseradish to taste. Roll and Pour. (2) STYLE DRINKS: Margarita: Glass: Margarita or Coupe. Ask guest "Up or on the Rocks? Salt or No salt". If guest prefers salt, rim glass with lime, Dip into salt dish on an angle as to get salt only on outside of glass - none on inside. If guest prefers drink ON THE ROCKS, add ice to glass 1.5 oz Silver Tequila ½ Triple sec 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice 3/4 oz Simple (or Agave) Syrup Add all ingredients to shaker w/ice. Shake and strain into prepared glass. For Golden or Top Shelf Margarita use premium Tequila and substitute Grand Marnier or Cointreau for Triple Sec Sex On The Beach: Glass Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka ½ oz Peach Schnapps Fill with Orange Juice. Top with Cranberry Juice Woo Woo: Glass: Highball w/ice. 1 ½ oz Vodka. ½ oz Peach Schnapps. Fill with Cranberry Juice Fuzzy Navel: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Peach Schnapps. Fill with Orange Juice. Hairy Navel: Glass: Highball w/ice 1oz Vodka 1 ½ oz Peach Schnapps Fill with Orange Juice Melon Ball: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka ½ oz Midori (Melon liqueur) Fill with Orange Juice Pearl Harbor: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka. ½ Midori (Melon liqueur). Fill with Pineapple Juice Blue Hawaiian: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Light Rum ½ of Blue Curacao Fill with Pineapple Juice Tequila Sunrise: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Tequila Fill with Orange Juice Top with ½oz of Grenadine (3) MULTIPLE LIQUOR DRINKS: (SERVE RESPONSIBLY!) Long Island Ice Tea: Glass: Highball w/ice ½ oz Vodka ½ oz Gin ½ oz Light Rum ½ oz Tequila ½ oz Triple sec 2oz Sour mix Short shake. Top with Cola. Lemon Garnish Alabama Slammer: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz sloe Gin ½ oz Amaretto ½ oz Southern Comfort. Fill with Orange Juice. Short Shake. Red Devil: Glass: Highball w/ice 1oz Vodka ½ oz Amaretto 1/2oz Triple Sec ½ oz Southern Comfort ½ oz lime juice Fill with Orange Juice. Short Shake Red Death: The same as Red Devil, but top with Sambuca Mai Tai: Glass: Highball w/ice. ½ oz Light Rum. 1 ½ oz Creme de Almond. 1 ½ Triple Sec. 1 ½ Sour Mix. Short Shake. Cherry Garnish. Top with Dark Rum Singapore Sling: Glass: Highball with ice. 1oz Gin. ½ oz Grenadine. 1 ½ oz sour mix. Short Shake . Top with Cherry Herring. Cherry & orange Garnish. MILK DRINKS: White Russian: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ vodka 1oz Kahlua Top with Milk. Short Shake. Toasted Almond: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 oz Amaretto 1 ½ oz Kahlua Fill with Milk. Shake and Pour. Kahlua & Milk (also called - Sombrero): Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Kahlua Fill with Milk. Shake and Pour. Smith & Kerns: Glass: Highball w/ice 1oz Kahlua. Fill with Milk. Shake and Pour. Top with Soda. Creamsicle: Glass: Highball w/ice. ½ oz vodka. ½ oz Triple Sec ½ oz Orange Juice 1 ½ oz Milk Short Shake OG DRINKS (“ORIGINAL GANGSTER” - OLD SCHOOL DRINKS): Godfather: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ oz Scotch ½ oz Amaretto Godmother: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka ½ oz Amaretto Negroni: 1oz Gin 1oz Sweet Vermouth 1oz Campari Pour over ice in Rocks Glass. Stir. Orange twist. (Usually served on the rocks, but some guests may prefer it UP in which case - stir over ice in mixing cup. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.) Whiskey Sour: Glass: Highball Ingredients: 1 ½ oz oz Whiskey 2 oz Sour Mix (Fresh preferred) Optional: 1/2 oz egg white (makes drink foamy) Method: Shake Ingredients in a Mixing Glass or Cocktail Shaker w/ice. Strain into a large old fashioned glass with fresh ice. Garnish with Cherry & Orange. Sours can also be Made with Amaretto, Vodka, or Scotch. Old Fashioned: Rocks glass. Packet of Sugar 2 dashes of Bitters Splash of soda Optional: Cherry & orange and glass Muddle Add 2 oz Whiskey (ask guest if they have a preference of Whiskey) Fill glass with ice Black Russian: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka ½ oz Kahlua Brave Bull: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ oz Tequila ½ oz Kahlua French Connection: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ Brandy ½ Amaretto Bocci Ball: Glass: Highball w/ice 1 ½ oz Amaretto. Fill with Orange juice. Top with club soda Rusty Nail: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ oz Scotch ½ oz Drambuie Vodka Gimlet: Glass Rocks w/ice 2 oz Vodka ½ oz lime garnish Kamakazi: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ oz Vodka ½ oz Triple Sec ½ oz Lime Juice Stinger: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ oz Brandy 1 oz White Creme de Menthe Mudslide: Glass: Rocks w/ice 1 ½ oz vodka ½ Kahlua ½ Irish Cream Short Shake. Martini/Manhattan/Rob Roy: FYI: Can be made either up (NEAT without ICE) or on the Rocks (ICE) Always pour Vermouth first. STIR, don’t shake these drinks, (remember, James Bond requests a Martini Shaken, not Stirred because that is the exception, not the rule). A Martini is traditionally made with Gin, however many people prefer Vodka Martinis. Ask guest for their preference of base spirit, (by brand). This is also your opportunity to "upsell", that is, to suggest a top shelf brand. Dry Martini: Fill mixing glass w/ice 2-3 drops of Dry Vermouth (there is some controversy on this – years ago Martinis were made 2:1 Gin to Vermouth, these days most people prefer their Martini VERY dry – in other words, with very little Vermouth.) 2oz Gin or Vodka (Always Ask) Stir & Strain Olive Garnish (one large or 3 small) Dirty Martini: Same as Regular Martini but add some Olive juice. Extra Dry Martini: Fill mixing glass w/ice 1 drop of Dry Vermouth, Then pour out Vermouth, (Just Kiss the ice with the Vermouth) 2oz of Gin or Vodka. Stir & Strain. Lemon twist or olive garnish. Gibson: Made the same as a Martini. But garnish with 3 cocktail Onions, instead of olive Manhattan: Mixing glass with ice 1 oz Sweet Vermouth 2oz Whiskey, (ask guest for preference) Stir & Strain into a chilled Coupe or Martini glass. Cherry Garnish Dry Manhattan: Fill mixing glass w/ice 1/2 of Sweet Vermouth 2oz Whiskey, (ask guest for preference) Stir & Strain into a chilled Coupe or Martini glass. Lemon Twist Garnish Perfect Manhattan: Mixing glass with Ice ½ oz each of Dry & Sweet Vermouth 2oz Whiskey, (ask guest for preference) Stir & Strain into a chilled Coupe or Martini glass. Lemon Twist Garnish Rob Roy: Mixing glass with ice ½ oz of Sweet Vermouth 2oz Scotch Stir&Strain. Cherry Garnish Misc: Cosmopolitan: Mixing glass or shaker with ice 1 ½ oz Vodka ½ Lime juice ½ Triple sec 1 oz Cranberry juice Shake & Strain into Chilled Martini glass. Lime Garnish Apple Martini: Mixing glass or shaker with ice 1 ½ oz Vodka (Apple flavored Vodka can be used if available) ½ Apple Pucker Shake & Strain into Martini glass. Cherry Garnish Cheesecake Martini: Mixing glass or shaker with ice 1 ½ oz Vanilla Vodka ½ Amaretto ½ Pineapple Juice ½ Cranberry juice Shake & Strain into Martini glass. Cherry Garnish Mimosa: Glass: Champagne (Flute) Fill Glass with 3/4 with Champagne. Top with Orange Juice A Good Night Kiss: Sugar cube Drop of Bitters Champagne Splash of Campari Put one drop of Angostura Bitter on sugar cube and drop in flute. Add champagne and splash of Campari Bellini: Glass: Champagne (Flute) Add 1/2 oz Peach Puree to Flute, (if unavailable, substitute Peach Schnapps) Fill Glass with with Champagne. |
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*Note on Sour Mix:
Many bars have Sour Mix on the soda gun. This is an artificial product and a poor substitute for the "real sour mix", which is a combination of half freshly squeezed lemon juice and half simple syrup, (recipe for simple syrup below**). While it is possible to combine the simple syrup and lemon juice ahead of time to create sour mix, it will not stay fresh for more than a day or two - lemon juice should ideally be used on the day it has been squeezed. So, combining simple syrup and lemon juice, in equal parts, as you prepare the drink, will produce the best results. **Simple Syrup Recipe: Combine 2 cups granulated white sugar with 2 cups hot water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add 1 tablespoon vodka, (acts as a preservative). Store, refrigerated, in a resealable container, (an empty clear liquor bottle with the label removed works well). Lasts about 2 months in the refrigerator. More notes on Sour Mix and being a good Bartender/Employee: If your manager tells you to use Sour Mix from the soda gun, do it! While you can try to encourage the use of fresh ingredients, it is not your place to change things completely. For one thing, if you make drinks one way, and on your night off, someone else makes them differently, the guests may be confused. Also, Sour Mix from the gun is less expensive, and the drink may not be "priced out" for using fresh ingredients. This cuts into the expected profit margin for that drink. Always be learning, educating yourself and experimenting! This is the philosophy we have at the Bartender Journey Podcast. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio!
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