I’ll Have the Usual— Tips for Ordering Drinks at a Bar
Whether your ordering a “Woodreserve Manhattan with lime”, or “a Filthy Dry Martini”, here’s my tips on creating your own personal drink order— shaken or stirred.
A bar can be pretty intimidating—low lighting, a ridiculous about of very fancy looking bottles, and possibly a rather judgy bartender. If you’re new to the bar scene, or you just feel completely overwhelmed, let’s go over the basics of ordering drinks. By the end of this article, you’ll be an expert and (hopefully) you’ll have your very own.
The average bar is stocked with so many choices—wine, beer, classic cocktails, and craft cocktails. Fine wine and beer are perfect for so many moods and occasions—from casual after-work hangout to an elegant celebration. They are also a whole world of options and history. So we’re going to focus on the main event—cocktails!
To start, let’s review the elements of a cocktail.
The Spirit- this is the main part of the cocktail—the alcohol. Every bar should have the basics—vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and whiskey. Vodka is quite user-friendly. The flavor mixes well and is a safe bet for beginners. Gin is complex and layered and perfect for sipping. Rum is sweet and also user-friendly. It’s very popular in tropical and tiki drinks. Tequila has a distinctive taste that is quite different from other spirits. The most popular tequila-based drink is the margarita. Whiskey is an acquired taste. There are seasoned drinkers that do not like whiskey. There are also liqueurs which come in all flavors underneath the sun, but these five liquors (vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and whiskey) are the main ones.
The Mixers- these are any non-alcoholic elements added to the drink. These would be soda, juices, tonic water, or ginger beer.
The Flavor- Flavors can be added a few different ways. Syrups, which can be handmade or store bought, herbs and spices, and bitters.
The State- You’ll need to decide how you want your drink served. Serve it on the rocks (with ice) or neat (without ice at room temperature). Would you like it shaken or stirred? Ice will overtime melt, diluting the drink. You’ll have to decide the state of your drink.
The Garnish- There are actually a few classic drinks where the garnish is considered part of the drink. A classic martini can be garnished with olives (either 2 or 3) or a lemon twist. A manhattan is garnished with maraschino cherries.
The Completion- This part is any part of this drink that you need to specify a customization. Do you like 3 slices of lime or would you prefer a splash of grenadine?
Putting it all together
Now it’s time to put it all together.
Start with your spirit. Which do you prefer? Try taking sips of a variety of spirits and liqueurs. Which ones do you gravitate towards?
Try some mixers. This is where your handy-dandy bartender can really help. There are some basic spirit-mixer combinations that are quite user-friendly and every bartender will know. They will definitely know them because the recipe is in the title for most of these. This would be a vodka-cran (vodka and cranberry juice), a Jack and Coke (Jack Daniels and coca cola), Jameson and ginger (Jameson and ginger ale) and a gin and tonic. Other drinks, like a Paloma which is tequila and grapefruit juice, and a Moscow Mule, vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer are other favorites that your bartender will definitely know. Feel free to swap out any flavors, juices, or sodas to your preference (A Paloma with a splash of pineapple juice perhaps)
Watch the sweetness. Some people like super sweet drinks and others like things tart or even bitter. You can always ask the bartender for an additional 1/2 oz of simple syrup if you’d like to balance with some sweetness. If you’d like things a bit tart, add a citrus (lime, lemon, or orange juice) as a garnish so you can add it to your drink to your preference.
Ask the bartender. Bartenders are quite useful especially in this role. Don’t be afraid to ask the bartender! They’re used to not only slinging drinks, but they usually have a repertoire of drinks on hand. Start off with things that you know you like—pineapple juice, cranberry juice, ginger ale. You can always add a splash of anything to top off your new drink order.
Tell the bartender
When we put everything together, you should end up with your custom drink order. Remember, you can always take a classic cocktail and swap out (or in) ingredients. Do you love elderflower liqueur (St. Germain) and wouldn’t mind it in a margarita? Ask the bartender to make you “a margarita with a shot of St. Germain”. What a basic combination drink? Ask for “a Jack and Coke with 2 lemons”. What a specific juice but not sure if there’s a drink for it? Tell the bartender, “I like mango juice and tequila, can you make me something?”. If you want a specific liquor, use it in the title of your order. For instance, “I’d like a Maker’s Mark Old-Fashioned” or “give me a Ciroc Cosmopolitan”.
Now that you know how to create and order your own drink order, start testing it out. Your drink order is not just about getting a drink that you like for the evening, but it is actually about self-expression. If James Bond can do it, so can you. Embrace the ambiance, creativity and the enjoyment the company. Your perfect drink awaits you!
Cheers!
