Bartending For Dummies

Cocktails can fall into two categories. Some are strange and delightful; a few are strange and, honestly, awful. But cocktails get invented and catch on even though they offend the palates of most people. Maybe they have catchy names. Maybe they look neat when served. Who knows?Here is a list of ten off-the-wall drinks that are worth sampling.

Setting up a home bar can become quite costly. The variety of liquors available today is mind-boggling. How do you pare down your shopping list to the essentials? Some bartenders may scoff at the idea of not having both American and Canadian whiskies in a bar. And do you really need both dry and sweet vermouth?

Hosting a holiday gathering and need a drink recipe to warm up the crowd? This tangy, cinnamon shot with a kick is sure to be a hit at your party. 1/2 oz. cinnamon whiskey 1/2 oz. apple liqueur Combine in a shot glass and sip or shoot.

All bartenders should be familiar with beer. The beer-brewing process begins with pure water, corn grits, and malted barley. Malted barley is the basic ingredient and is often referred to as the “soul of beer.” It contributes to the color and characteristic flavor of beer. Malted simply means that the barley has been steeped or soaked in water and allowed to germinate, or grow.

Many drinks require fruit garnishes. Your guests expect the garnish, so you can't forgo it, and you have to do it well. Presentation counts, big time. You may mix the best drinks on the planet, but if they don't look good when you serve them, no one's going to want to drink them.Lemon twistsCut off both ends of the lemon.

Flaming the oil of an orange peel enhances the orange flavor in a cocktail, especially one made with Lillet, an orange-based aperitif. After this technique was introduced to bartenders in New York City, they ran with the idea and added it to various liquors such as bourbon, vodka, gin, rum, and so on. Follow these steps to flame an orange peel or any other variety of citrus.

As a bartender, you will probably be asked at some point to shake a drink. The main reasons for shaking drinks are to chill a cocktail, to mix ingredients, or to put a head or froth on some cocktails. As a general rule, you should shake all cloudy drinks (including cream drinks and sours), and you should stir all clear drinks.

When you read about the production of alcoholic beverages, you see terms like proof and distillation thrown around. Proof is the strength of an alcoholic beverage. In the United States, the scale is 200 degrees, with each degree equal to 0.5 percent alcohol by volume. So a 100-proof spirit is 50 percent alcohol.

As a bartender, there's no sense serving good wine if you're not going to do so at the right temperature. If served at a wrong temperature, wine will lose the subtle nuances of flavor that make it so popular. Wine Type Temperature Range Full-bodied red wines 65°–68° F Light-bodied red wines 60°–65° F Dry white wines 50°–55° F Sweet red and sweet white wines 42°–46° F Sparkling wines and Champagnes 42°–46° F Port is a great after-dinner drink.

Good bartenders pride themselves on being knowledgeable about cocktail recipes and proficient in the art of properly serving their guests and patrons. With a healthy repertoire of popular mixed drink recipes and the right ingredients at your fingertips, you can be the life of any gathering. © Kolya Korzh / Unsplash.

People generally expect bartenders to serve certain drinks in certain kinds of glasses. The problem is that there are more standard bar glasses than most people (and many bars) care to purchase. Brandy or cognac snifter: These are available in a wide range of sizes; the large, short-stemmed bowl should be cupped in the hand to warm the brandy or cognac.

These hot drink recipes are the perfect thing to slice through the bitter cold in the middle of winter. There are plenty of hot drink choices to help you keep the cold away. Try one of these to warm you to the bones. Hot Bomb 3/4 oz. Two Fingers Tequila 1/4 oz. Cinnamon Schnapps Shake with ice; strain into a shot glass.

One of the popular rums, Captain Morgan, lends itself to many different, versatile recipes for the enthusiastic rum drinker. Some are traditional, others, not so much. So, raise your glass! Captain & Cola 1-1/2 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum 3 oz. Cola Stir in a tall glass with ice. Captain & OJ 1-1/4 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum 5 oz.

Baileys Irish Cream offers many options for your drink of choice. It works well as an addition to your morning (or, let’s face it, your afternoon or evening) coffee, but can also be a great addition to more unique drink recipes. Bailey Shillelagh 1 part Baileys Irish Cream 1 part Romana Sambuca Pour ingredients in a shot glass.

Blue drinks make a perfect accompaniment to a festive gathering. You will achieve just that with Blue Curaçao. Here are a few great recipes if you decide to go blue: Blue Blocker 1 oz. Stoli Ohranj Vodka 1/2 oz. Blue Curaçao Combine over ice and stir. You can also serve this drink in a shot glass (without ice).

If tangy tequila is your drink of choice, give one of these drinks a try. The following are made using Jose Cuervo tequila to give your taste buds a tasty treat. Cuervo Alexander 1 oz. Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila 1 oz. Coffee-Flavored Liqueur 1 oz. Wild Cherry Brandy 2 scoops Vanilla Ice Cream Blend until smooth.

It’s not hard to make that great tequila cocktail you had the other day. It looked fancy enough, but just follow these steps and you will be on your way to bartending excellence. Tequador 1-1/2 oz. Tequila 2 oz. Pineapple Juice 1 dash Rose’s Lime Juice Grenadine Shake the first three ingredients with crushed ice.

For all the vodka lovers out there, Stoli is a great choice for cocktail creations. Choose your favorite from below and follow the simple steps, then sit, relax and enjoy! Stoli Butterfly 1 oz. Stoli Vanil 1 oz. Stoli Razberi 1 oz. Hiram Walker Crème de Banana Splash Soda Serve over ice and garnish with a Cherry.

Perfect for a girls night out, or even a girls night in, these pink drink recipes are delicious and a general crowd pleaser. Just follow these easy steps to make the perfect pink drink. Pink Cadillac with Hawaiian Plates 1-1/4 oz. 1800 Tequila 2 oz. Pineapple Juice 2 oz. Cranberry Juice 1/2 oz. Sweet & Sour Mix Combine in a rocks glass.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere. That’s good enough for bartenders. Do you need any more justification for having a drink at 6 or 9 or 11 in the morning? So maybe you don’t mix up an alcoholic beverage before you head off to the office every morning, but sometimes a drink with a little kick is appropriate before noon.

Is someone you know celebrating a golden birthday? Match your drinks to the theme of the evening and surprise that special someone with a golden themed drink on their special day. Gold Digger Martini 1-1/2 oz. Finlandia Pineapple Vodka 1/2 oz. Cointreau Stir with ice; serve straight up or over ice. For millionaire-chasing maids.

Are you a rum drinker? Or, maybe you just like a good cocktail. Here are some delicious recipes for using your favorite Bacardi rum to make a variety of drinks, from classic to exotic. Bacardi & Cola 1-1/2 oz. Bacardi Light or Dark Rum Cola Pour Rum into tall glass filled with ice. Fill with your favorite Cola and garnish with a squeeze of a Lemon.

Do you love a good Bloody Mary? This is often hailed as the hair of the dog (decide for yourself if it works), but if you need to mix things up a bit, try one of these variations on the classis Bloody Mary. Bloody Bull 1-1/4 oz. Vodka 2-1/2 oz. Tomato Juice 1-1/2 oz. Beef Bouillon 1–2 tsp. Lemon Juice Dash Worcestershire Sauce Dash Tabasco Sauce Dash Pepper Combine with ice in a shaker.

You know that dietary trend that says that coconut water is good for you? Jump on the bandwagon with these tasty coconut drink recipes. Okay, maybe it doesn’t have the same health benefits, but they’re delicious anyway. Coco Loco (Crazy Coconut) 1-1/2 oz. Herradura Tequila 3 oz. Pineapple Juice 2 oz. Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut Blend.

Do you have a wicked sweet tooth? Instead of reaching for the candy bowl, try reaching into your liquor cabinet. These chocolate infused drinks are great for romantic evenings or just as a treat for the chocolate lover. Chocolate Covered Cherry 2 oz. Chocoviac 1/2 oz. Cherry Soda Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry.

Need a drink idea to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Really, you don’t need a reason, you can simply toast to your Irish (or not so Irish) heritage. Try one of these great Irish themed drink recipes. Irish Angel 1 oz. Bushmills Irish Whiskey 1/4 oz. Crème de Cacao 1/4 oz. White Crème de Menthe 1/2 oz. Cream Mix with ice in a cocktail shaker or blender.

Many guests coming to your special event will expect a beverage of some variety. If you don’t want to deal with mixing individual drinks all night long, try one of these large serving crowd pleasers. Citrus Serenade 8 oz. Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail with Calcium 1/2 Banana, cut into slices 1/2 cup Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt 1/4 cup Red Grapefruit Sections, membranes removed 1/2 cup Crushed Ice Put all ingredients in a blender.

Punches of all kinds are an expected beverage at many of today’s social gatherings. Whether you’re an aspiring bartender or just someone who wants to be a good host, you need to have at least a few of the following punches in your repertoire. Ambrosia Punch 20 oz. can Crushed Pineapple, undrained 15 oz. Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut 2 cups Apricot Nectar, chilled 2 cups Orange Juice, chilled 1-1/2 cups Light Rum, optional 1 liter Club Soda, chilled In a blender, purée the Pineapple and Cream of Coconut until smooth.

A good number of your guests may choose not to drink alcohol, but this decision doesn’t mean that they’re stuck with boring soft drinks. Any of the following recipes are sure to impress. Chocolate Banana Colada Shake 1/3 cup Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut 1/2 cup Milk 1 tbsp. Chocolate Syrup 1-1/2 cups Chocolate or Vanilla Ice Cream 1/2 cup Sliced Banana Mix in a blender until smooth.

If you love a good fruity drink, try one of these delicious raspberry flavored cocktails. Just add an umbrella, maybe a fruit garnish and you are prepared for sunny relaxation! Rasmopolitan 1-1/4 oz. VOX Raspberry 1/2 oz. Cointreau 1 oz. Cranberry Juice Mix in a shaker half-filled with ice. Pour into a chilled martini glass.

There is almost no better way to relax under the sun than with a delicious summer cocktail. Choose your favorite and follow the easy steps to get you one step closer to fun in the sun. Bay Breeze 1-1/2 oz. Absolut Vodka 3 oz. Pineapple Juice 1 oz. Cranberry Juice Stir. Serve over ice. Quite refreshing. Beach Bum 1 oz.

Celebrate the Irish holiday with your favorite green drink. It doesn’t have to be beer. Take one of these great recipes with you to this year’s festivities and be a hit with your host for St. Patrick’s Day. Green Chili 1 part Hiram Walker Peach Schnapps 1 part Midori Dash Tabasco Sauce Shake with ice and strain into a shot glass.

Looking for a drink to keep you warm during the long winter season? This adult hot chocolate is perfect for cold nights spent indoors by the fire. 1 oz. coffee liqueur 1 oz. peppermint schnapps Add coffee liqueur and peppermint schnapps to a mug, and pour 8 oz. of your favorite hot chocolate over the top. Stir, and toss in some mini marshmallows to taste.

Cocktail names seem to get more creative every year. But back in the cocktail’s heyday, drinks were often just named after the person who concocted them or the place where they were invented. What follows is a short list of traditional cocktails and how they came to be called by their familiar monikers: Bellini: Invented in Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, around 1943.

Enjoy one of your favorite holiday treats, cocktail-style, without the effort and stress of slaving away over an oven all afternoon! It's sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next holiday party. 1-1/2 oz. Irish cream liqueur 1-1/2 oz. coffee liqueur 1-1/2 oz. peppermint schnapps Pour Irish cream liqueur, coffee liqueur, and peppermint schnapps into a cocktail shaker with a generous handful of ice.

The cocktail recipes listed here are classics for a reason: They taste good. Whether you’re a professional bartender or just someone who likes to throw cocktail parties at home, you should know how to make these mixed drinks recipes like you know how to make toast. Bacardi Cocktail Bacardi cocktail is the only cocktail issued a copyright from the United States government.

The truth of the matter is that a real Martini is simply a couple ounces of ice-cold gin (or vodka if gin isn’t your thing) your bartender serves you with a dash of vermouth. Some people like more or less vermouth than others (or none at all), and some people prefer an olive or a twist of lemon or even a pearl onion for a garnish.

The gluten-free movement is gaining momentum as more people are diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, or simply choose to avoid consuming gluten. But many people who are following a gluten-free diet still want to enjoy a beer or cocktail.Gluten is a protein found in foods processed from wheat, including barley and rye.

Ultimately, the Martinis you see here are just cocktails like any other, but they’re called Martinis because they’re served in a martini glass. Bartenders have to be trendy, and it’s trendy. In a few years, something else will be trendy. At one time, people drank cocktails with raw eggs in them because they were popular.

The Grinch may be a mean one, but these shots aren't! Whether you shoot or sip to enjoy, these are sure to amuse at any holiday party. 1 oz. melon liqueur 1/2 oz. citrus vodka Combine melon liqueur and citrus vodka in a shot glass. Garnish with a toothpick and a maraschino cherry for extra Christmas flair. Enjoy!

Here are several drinks you can serve on holidays throughout the calendar year. Sure, you can have green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, but where’s the fun in that? Sample something different. New Year’s Eve: Midnight Cocktail 3 oz. Dry Champagne 1/2 oz. Goldschläger Fill a champagne flute with chilled Champagne, leaving room at the top.

Say you're throwing a party and don't know how much is enough for the number of guests you've invited. Here are all the answers you’ll need when it comes to stocking up on liquor and supplies for a get-together. How much liquor should you buy? Here are some quick tips on the amount of liquor you should buy for the number of guests at your party.

Opening wine and champagne bottles doesn't take much skill — just a little practice, but any bartender should know how. And the more you practice, the more wine or champagne you have to drink. Score! Wine bottles To open a wine bottle, you want to use a waiter's opener. Then go through these steps: Using the blade on the opener, cut the lead foil or capsule at the middle of the bulge near the bottle neck.

Here are some pointers on how to set up your home bar. Whether you are serving guests in your home for a cocktail party, or setting up a bar for wedding guests, these tips will help keep it running smoothly. How to situate the bar Keep the bar as far as possible from your food and snacks. Doing so prevents large groups of people from staying in one area.

A traditional Scandinavian favorite full of spices, this easy-to-make classic winter drink is a perfect way to warm up the crowd at large holiday gatherings. 2 bottles of red wine 1 cup spiced rum 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (or 3 cinnamon sticks) 1 tablespoon whole cloves 1 whole orange peel In a large pot on the stove, combine all ingredients and stir on medium heat.

A good bartender should know the popular cognac brands. Even though all cognacs are produced in the same region, and even though every brand seems to have the same jumble of age designations on its labels, you may be surprised at the degree of distinctiveness among the brands. Some brands have a strong, room-filling aroma; some have a mild grape flavor; others have hints of caramel and vanilla.

There are four popular types of gin bartenders should know: London dry gin, Dutch gin, Holland gin, and flavored gin. The following are all London dry gins. Each brand has its own distinctive flavor that comes from a carefully guarded recipe. Aviation: A gin distilled in Portland, Oregon, from an adventurous blend of spices from around the world.

Rum is produced throughout the Caribbean and beyond. There are several different types of rum, bartenders should know. Rum is required in different cocktail recipes, and is a very popular alcoholic drink. Here are several popular brands: 10 Cane (Trinidad) Admiral Nelson Spiced Rum (Puerto Rico) Angostura (Trinidad) Appleton Estate (Jamaica) Bacardi (Puerto Rico) Brinley (Saint Kitts) Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum (Puerto Rico) Castillo (Puerto Rico) Cavalier (Antigua) Cockspur (Barbados) Cruzan Rum (U.

Scotch whisky is a readily available liquor bartenders are bound to come across. These are the brands of Scotch whisky that you're most likely to find at your local bar or liquor store: Ballantine's is available in these varieties: Finest, 12 Year Old, Blended Malt 12 Year Old, 17 Year Old, 21 Year Old, and 30 Year Old.

Regardless of what you are serving at your event, bartenders should make themselves familiar with some common measurements and serving sizes. Being prepared with this knowledge will make you more prepared to deal with any situation that comes at you behind the bar. Bottle-related measurements Here is some handy information about the capacities of standard distilled spirit bottles.

Aperitif comes from the Latin word aperire, meaning “to open.” An aperitif is usually any type of drink a bartender would serve before a meal. Most aperitifs are usually low in alcohol and mild-tasting. You can drink many cordials and liqueurs listed later as aperitifs as well. Here are the individual products that are available: Amer Picon (French): A blend of African oranges, gentian root, quinine bark, and some alcohol.

Not all bartenders may come across Armagnac. Armagnac, though less well-known than cognac, is France's oldest brandy and has been produced continuously since the 15th century (as early as 1422). It's distilled from premium white wine grown in the Armagnac region of southwest France. How armagnac is made Armagnac is a distillate produced from the continuous, or single, distillation process.

Every bartender will inevitably come into contact with beer. Beer is an exceptionally popular alcoholic drink. Following are the different types of beer and some tips on how they should be served. Types of beer You've probably seen some of the following terms on beer labels, or maybe you've heard them in beer commercials: Ale is top-fermented beer.

Bourbon is the best-known and probably the most popular whiskey produced in the United States. It has an amber color and a slightly sweet flavor. By law, straight bourbon must be made from at least 51 percent corn, and it must be aged in brand-new, charred oak barrels for at least two years. Although Tennessee whiskey doesn't have to be made this way, both Tennessee distilleries — George Dickel and Jack Daniel's — also follow these guidelines.

Brandy is made by distilling wine or fruit and then aging it in oak barrels. For bartending purposes, the difference in brand varies from country to country. Soil, climate, grapes, production methods, and blending give each brandy its own unique flavor and style. When brandy is produced, it undergoes four basic processes: fermentation of the grape, distillation to brandy, aging in oak barrels, and blending by the master blender.

Canadian whisky (spelled without the e) is a blend of aged grain whisky and heavier-flavored blended whiskies; it's aged in oak casks (usually white oak barrels) for a minimum of three years. No rules limit the grain, distilling proof, formula, or type of barrels used. Each distiller is allowed to make its own type of whisky.

Bartenders should know that cognac can be produced only in the legally defined region of Cognac, France, located between the Atlantic and Massif Central — specifically, at the junction between the oceanic and continental climate zones. The region also straddles the dividing line between northern and southern climates.

Flavored vodkas, which have become quite popular in the bartending world, are made with the addition of natural flavoring ingredients. Scores of flavored vodkas are available, from apple to Zubrowka. (Once sold with a single blade of grass in each bottle, Zubrowka is no longer available with grass in the United States because some believed the grass contained a toxic compound, but you can still get it sans flora.

Rums are now available in several different flavors for bartenders; new flavors of rums come out every day. Check with your local liquor retailer or liquor wholesaler to see what's new. Here are some popular options: Bacardi flavors include Bacardi Ciclon (90 percent Bacardi Gold rum and 10 percent blue agave tequila and a hint of lime), Bacardi Limón (a lemon-citrus-flavored rum), Bacardi Tropico (Bacardi Gold rum mixed with exotic fruit juices), Bacardi O (Bacardi rum infused with the essence of ripe oranges), Bacardi Razz and Black Razz (raspberry), Bacardi Vanila, Bacardi Coconut and Rock Coconut (coconut), Bacardi Dragonberry, and Bacardi Grand Melón (watermelon).

The gin and tonic is one that most bartenders know. Gin is basically a distilled grain spirit flavored with extracts from different plants, mainly the juniper berry. The Dutch were the first to make gin and have been doing so since the late 1500s. A little history Gin was invented by Franciscus de la Boe, also known as Dr.

Irish whiskey is triple-distilled from barley and other grains in pot stills and aged between five and ten years. As bartenders should now, one major difference between Scotch and Irish whiskey is that when drying the barley malt from which the whiskey is distilled, the Irish use coal rather than peat, which prevents the smoky flavor found in Scotch whisky.

The process of making mezcal hasn't changed much since the Spanish arrived in Mexico in the early 1800s and brought with them distillation technologies. The Aztecs near the mountaintop settlement of Monte Alban in Oaxaca had cultivated a certain species of agave plant for juice, which they fermented into what they called pulque.

For bartending purposes, port and sherry fall into the wine category. Port is a sweet, fortified wine to which brandy is added. It's named for Oporto — a city in northern Portugal. It's made from grapes grown in some 72,000 acres of vineyards in a designated area along the Douro River, known as the Alto Douro.

Rum is a mainstay for most bartenders. Caribbean rum has been exported out of the islands for hundreds of years, linked to the tropical and subtropical climates where sugar cane thrives. It was Christopher Columbus himself who first brought sugar cane to the Caribbean from the Azores. But the origins of rum are far more ancient, dating back, most experts say, more than 2,000 years.

Distilled at no more than 160 proof, rye whiskey is a fermented mash or grain containing at least 51 percent rye. It's matured in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of two years. Rye has a strong, distinctive flavor. For quite some time, rye has taken a back seat to bourbon in the preferences of American whiskey drinkers, but rye has seen a resurgence lately.

Bartenders should definitely know about Scotch whisky. Scotch whisky (spelled without the e in whiskey) has a distinctive smoky flavor that's the result of both the choice of ingredients and the method of distillation. Scotch whisky must be distilled and matured for at least three years in Scotland — but not necessarily bottled in Scotland.

Tequila and bartenders is a good match. Since the 17th century, and now by Mexican law, all tequila comes from a certain area known as Tequila within the state of Jalisco. In this dry, volcanic soil of the Sierra Madre foothills, you can find the home of tequila's largest producers. Tequila is produced from the heart of one species of agave plant, the Agave tequilana weber, or the blue variety.

As a bartender, you will probably be asked to use vermouth in drink recipes. Vermouth originated in the 18th century, when wine growers in the foothills of the French and Italian Alps developed a method of enhancing the taste of sour or uncompromising wines with the infusion of a variety of sweeteners, spices, herbs, roots, seeds, flowers, and peels.

Bartenders should certainly be familiar with vodka. Vodka was originally distilled only from potatoes, but today, it's also made from grain — mostly wheat, rye, and corn. But distillers don't seem at all hindered by tradition; in Turkey, they use beets! Vodkas are distilled at a very high proof (190 or higher), and most are filtered through activated charcoal.

Good wine will be a part of any bartending experience. Climate is a big factor in making good wine. To grow wine-worthy grapes, summers can't be too hot and autumns need to be cool. Light rainfall is necessary in the winter and spring, and the rain needs to taper off in the summer and fall. Harsh, cold winters with hail, frost, and heavy winds are bad for growing grapes.

When setting up your home bar, always use popular name brands. These brands aren't always the most expensive, but they tend to be the most recognizable and your guests will get a quality product. The basic setup A basic bar setup for your home and for spur-of-the-moment entertaining should consist of the following: One 750 ml bottle of the aperitif of your choice (Campari, Dubonnet, Lillet, and so on) One 750 ml bottle of sparkling wine or champagne Four 750 ml bottles of white domestic wine Two 750 ml bottles of red domestic wine One 750 ml bottle of dry vermouth One 750 ml bottle of sweet vermouth One 750 ml bottle of flavored vodka (stick to orange, lemon, raspberry, or vanilla flavor) One 750 ml bottle of vodka (domestic) One 250 ml bottle of vodka (imported) One 750 ml bottle of gin (domestic or imported) One 750 ml bottle of rum One 750 ml bottle of Scotch One 750 ml bottle of single-malt Scotch One 750 ml bottle of whiskey (domestic or imported) One 750 ml bottle of bourbon One 750 ml bottle of tequila One 750 ml bottle of brandy or cognac Twelve 12 oz.

A quick and easy drink to make for your next holiday party, this refreshing shot tastes much better than it sounds! Just remember to stay away from the yellow snow outside! 1 oz. citrus vodka 1 oz. pineapple juice Combine citrus vodka and pineapple juice in a shot glass. Sip or shoot to enjoy.