Professional Bartender here, AMA

Hey Veeky Forums,

I'm a professional cocktail Bartender in one of the top-three major cities in the USA. I've been slinging hooch for 10 years now and figured Veeky Forums would maybe like to pick my brain on booze, bar-tending, and the industry in General.

My specialties lie in American and Scotch whiskeys, with a preference toward Ryes. I have a good working knowledge of Italian/French Amari and Bitters, Vermouth, and other fortified wines.

I've worked at some extremely intense bars, my last gig had a full restaurant kitchen used for nothing but ingredient prep for Cocktails, and we also ran a full custom Ice program using a 2 bay Clynebell. I have done pretty much everything one can do in the Cocktail world, but also enjoy working at a dive bar now and again as a little vacation.

So, AMA. I go on shift in 3 hours but I'll be monitoring this thread as long as it lasts.

Other urls found in this thread:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartender_(manga)nime?
twitter.com/NSFWRedditImage

You ever buttfuck Tom Cruise?

Why wouldn't you just say the name of the city.

Not that I know of.

Glory hole user? Good man.

I like my sex like I like my women, anonymous and with a sense of shame afterwards.

Are bartenders meant to measure out the shots of liquor they put in drinks?
Is it bad etiquette to just guesstimate when serving a drink?
Do bars ever water down vodka etc?

Best way for a home mixer to elevate the quality of what he does short of purchasing higher shelf booze?

why are you dressed like a cunt? lose the hitler youth it isn't 2010 anymore.
what are some good sipping rums?

Not OP but it's slow as shit to constantly measure out the liquor. In a normal cocktail you should have a count in your mind that will give you the right amount. For expensive stuff I will actually measure it out.

how do you feel about making grateful deads or long island iced teas?

Depends, if you're doing a cocktail, a good bartender will Jigger out everything. Measurement = consistency and Consistency is our watchword. Now anyone who is worth their salt can freepour a 1.5oz shot very, very accurately, and if you have a Rum and Coke I might just freehand it, but if it is anything remotely cocktail like I will measure. So it's not bad etiquette to freepour unless they cannot do it accurately.

And I have never personally worked at or seen it happen, it would be a huge, huge fine and likely a liquor license pull offense.

Firstly, good technique and good ice. You want dense ice, not weepy watery ice. Technique is knowing what drinks should be stirred, what shaken, and how to do both effectively. The key is chilling the drink while diluting it to the right amount, over diluting while under-chilling is the most common problem for the home bartender. You can make extremely good classic cocktails with only mediocre spirits provided you know a little bit about the preparation. If you want to know more specifics ask away.

Also, measure everything. A Jigger is your friend.

Anything by Plantation, their 5 year is really great. Also the higher end Zacapas. I am really into Agricole rums right now however.

You can be just as fast with jiggering everything with practice. Freepour has its place and you should be good at it but it's always less accurate than a jigger.

My job is to make you the best drink I can as you ordered it. I personally am not a fan of either drink but if you want one, I'll make you the best damn one you've ever had. Likely won't be cheap as you're used to because I don't carry any bottom shelf stuff in my well.

What's your favorite beer?
Do you hate people who order fireball or mojitos more?

On that note, any bartender who won't make you something they have the ingredients for is an asshole. My job is to serve you what you want as good as it can be made. If you want opinions on what to drink, I have a million of them, but only if you ask.

Otherwise? You want top shelf 300$ scotch with coke on it? Yes sir whatelse can I do for you. It's the newbies that get all up in arms over trying to make you drink a certain thing a certain way.

Lone Pint Yellow Rose, but I'm really not much of a beer drinker. I generally can be seen sucking down Miller High-Life with a shot of Four Roses at home.

And generally fireball. Mojitos are tasty. That being said a lot of industry types still drink Fireball so I keep a bottle in the freezer. It's a liquor made of pure regret.

>I don't carry any bottom shelf stuff in my well.
I've tried making these at home with top shelf and they don't taste very good becuase the tequila seems to overpower everything

I was actually refused one time at a local bar and told one of the other bartenders a couple week later during conversation and she gave me a chip to get a free drink

also saw it on some 5 minute vice vid with a anonymous bartender airing his grievances about customers

You have to adjust every recipe for different spirits, the recipe is only a version that works with the named products, and serves as a nice baseline if you're changing the spirits, but generally with anything not listed, you have to adjust a bit with every change.

And you met one good and one bad bartender.

Oh shit, you live in the Houston area, huh? Lone Pint is a pretty neat little garage of a brewery.

Is it worth it to get an ice bag and mallet specifically just for ice, or is there an easier method for a single person?

Google "Lewis Bag"

But for crushed ice at home I use a bartowel and a rubber mallet. Wrap up a fist sized amount of ice and smash the shit out of it to annoy your neighbors and enjoy that Mint Julep.

Have you ever seen the show bar rescue? What do you think of it?
I mean, to me it kinda seems like it's setup, like most "reality" tv but at least some of the drink tips are interesting. Makes me not want to go to shit bars though that's for sure.

It's a setup show, the host doesn't know shit about cocktails. View it as pure entertainment but it's not at all how the industry works... And some of his recipes and advice is so fucked up its hilarious.

you looks like a bernie supporter

die

if I ordered a Manhattan how would you make it by default?

My house Default:

2oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1oz Cocci di Torino Vermouth
2 Dash Angostura bitters

Stir down for 45 seconds in a mixing glass, strain with Julep Strainer, serve in a Coupe with a Luxardo Marischino garnish.

What's the worst drunk you've seen?

What can someone do with really cheap vodka? Like SKOL or non-name brand?

Something like a roomtemp cocktail thats more masculine.

What do you think about the whole "if the bartender makes a shitty old fashioned he's a shitty bartender" meme?

Nice, I feel like that validates my own Manhattans. I've never used that vermouth though so I'll try it out.

I'm young and found I liked Manhattans so they are almost the only cocktail I order. I also wanted to get good at making one drink before making a bunch of them. What other cocktails would you recommend I branch out to?

Mix it with something.

My personal Manhattan:
2oz High-West Double Rye Whiskey
1oz Cocci di Tornio
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Peychaud Bitters
1 Barspoon Ardbeg 10 Islay scotch.

Stir whiskey, vermouth, bitters for 60 seconds in mixing glass, rinse Coupe with Ardbeg discarding remainder, strain into coupe. Lemon cheek squeezed over and then cut for garnish.

Had a guy take a swing at my doorguy, get knocked down. We helped him up, he takes another swing, gets knocked down, repeat etc. Ended up getting dragged kicking and screaming into the street where he proceeded to throw his shoes at our door.

Hard to really work with that kind of vodka without covering the taste. I'd just make a punch using a marischino liquor and GF juice. Not much you can do at room temp, it's gonna taste like ass either way unless you either mix it or chill the hell out of it.

The Old Fashoned is an extremely simple drink, so if yours is legit garbage I'd say you need to study up a bit. That being said, plenty of amazing bartenders do not make mixed drinks at all, that doesn't make me better than them, it's just a different skillset. However anyone who makes cocktails should have 3-4 good OF recipes in their head at all times and be good at making them. Protip: an Old Fashoned can be made with anything. I regularly make them with Mezcal, Rum, Bourbon, Rye, Gin, Genever, etc.

Look at any other stirred down whiskey cocktails. Vieux Carre's would be a great starter, also the Boulevardier.

meant to reply here

ever start sucking dick

Because he's making it up, and gave a time limit as a back story for when he accidentally googles the wrong answer to someone's post and needs a believable reason as to why he abandons the thread once he's called out

One of my subordinates is retiring this weekend, and while the company isn't giving him shit, I wanna get him a nice bottle of whiskey. What would you recommend? Say $50 limit.

Bourbon: Get him a bottle of Jeffersons Reserve
Rye: Whistlepig 10yr
Scotch:
Islay: Laphroig Quarter Cask
Speyside: Toumintoul 10
Highland: Glenlevit Nadurra

How does it feel doing a job even women can do?

What're the best drinks that include home made whipping cream? I've made so much I just want to eat it up. I've even been putting it on coffee.

Well, integrating whipping cream into a drink isn't really a thing, but you cannot go wrong with the old-school Irish coffee. That being said, any rum and fruit based cocktail could get a dash of cream on the top and be tasty. I'd recommend using crushed ice instead of rock ice so the cream doesn't dissolve into the drink as quickly.

Think tiki, Zombies, Punches, Slings, etc.

>1 Barspoon Ardbeg 10 Islay scotch.
That's interesting. Thanks for the good thread, OP. I'll try these.

This is a cool/interesting thread OP thanks for bothering

I don't really know what to ask, not much of a cocktail drinker because I don't live in a big city with good coktail bars and I'm to poor to make them myself.

How about wha'ts the worst (as in taste wise) cocktail you've ever tried/had to make?

Also, I read an article about an increasing trade in old vintage spirits like bottles of gin bottled 50 years ago and Campari that still had crushed bugs in it, is an old bottle of gin/whiskey that's been sat in a bottle for 40 years any better than fresh?

Four Old Fashioned Recipes:

Bourbon/Rye:
2oz Spirit
1 Barspoon 2/1 Turbinado Syrup
2 Dash Angostura Bitters
1 Dash Peychad bitters

Mezcal:
2oz Vida
1bsp Agave Syrup
3 dashs Aztec Chocolate bitters

Sotol:
2oz Sotol de Chiuahua
1bsp Agave
3 dash Mole Bitters

Rum:
2oz white rum (dark is fine too)
1bsp Turbo
2dash Coffee Bitters

Genever:
2oz Bols Genever
1bsp Rich Simple
1dsh Ango
1dsh Peychauds
1dsh Orange Bitters

for all OFs, Stir with ice 30-45 seconds in mixing glass, strain into rocks glass over ice, zest and garnish with an orange peel.

You're welcome brother, it's a really good addition to a Manhattan. You won't get a big smoky punch on the palate, but you will get a little peat with the smell and a little peat on the back of the palate

We play a game called bar chess which is basically another bartender picks three bottles at random and you have to make a cocktail out of it. I had one that was scotch, midori, and lemon vodka... it was horrifying.

And my opinion on vintage spirits is that they are awesome and generally quite different than the modern make, not necessarily better. That being said I had a negroni with the original recipe Campari (which was indeed colored with crushed beetle shells) and it was freaking outstanding.

I come in and ask for a Long Island Iced Tea, extra tea.
What do you do?

Also note: Distilled Spirits do not age, they, given a sealed bottle, will be exactly the same 50 years from now as they were the day they were put in the bottle, provided they are well sealed, and kept in a cool dark place. The interest in old spirits isn't them changing with age, it's the recipe and methods changing over the years which gives a different flavor to the same brand.

add extra coke

I ask if you know that there is no tea in a Long Island. But yea, would be a decent answer if you insisted.

I've heard stories of people getting pissed off when they get Martinis made with gin.
Ever get anyone acting retarded when you give them exactly what they ordered?

All the freaking time. Usually I just politely ask what they really wanted and enjoy drinking the martini that was "wrong".

My favorite one is when someone orders a whiskey cocktail and then sends it back because "it tastes too much like whiskey". All you can do is shake your head, snicker privately, and make them something they'll like. I'm a big fan of the idea that customers should never feel judged by not knowing what they want, which is when they pick something they aren't gonna like. Ask your bartender for a recommendation, he'll ask some questions and more often than not make you something awesome that is repeatable.

But on the point of Martinis... Now a days I usually ask "vodka or gin" unless I know the customer, and then from there I try to doctor it to the way they like it. Everyone who drinks martinis has a different way they like them... some of which are disgusting. Had one customer who wanted equal parts vodka and olive brine, no vermouth, shaken to death and strained over ice... its a fucking disgusting drink, but hey, the money talks.

On that point, my personal Martini:

2oz Beefeater 24 Gin
1oz Lillet Blanc Vermouth
1dsh Angostura Orange Bitters

Stir with ice for 60 seconds, strain into Coupe/Martini glass, garnish with Orange Flag

neat thread

>mezcal old fashioned
Care to share your recipe?

see

how much do i have to tip for you to give me free booze or give me top shelf accidentally for well prices

how much of your bosses booze do you drink/give away for tips

i worked at a bar that served mostly to college kids and they definitely added water to their booze bottles

I want to get into cocktail making

I like gin mostly, what would be a good starter set of liquors and ingredients?

Also I haven't heard of many cocktails with beer in them, I like sour beers a lot, how would you incorporate one into a cocktail?

>i really like sour beers

try mixing them with some vinegar

faggot

I don't give away anything just because you tipped me, if you're a cool interesting customer or had a shitty day I might buy you a drink. Top shelf never goes for free, but I might discount or give you a taster if you're cool.

I've been doing this for about a decade, I ring everything up. I get a 50% discount on anything so if i'm buying you a drink, I am literally buying you a drink. This industry is hugely reputation based at my level, and if you get the rep of a thief you will never work again in anywhere decent.

Gin:
A bottle of London Dry Gin
A bottle of Old Tom Gin
A bottle of Sloe Gin
Tonic Water
Soda Water
Lime Cordial
Fresh Limes
Dry Vermouth (keep in a fridge)
Blanc Vermouth (keep in a fridge)
Peychauds Bitters
Angostura Bitters
Orange Bitters

With these you can make Gin Fizzes, Tom Collins, Sloe Gin Fizzes, Martinis, Vespers, Gimlets, and many many more.

For beer? The beer cocktail is actually really old-school. I like making egg drinks with beer an Amaro.

Cynar Flip:
1oz Cynar
4oz Stout
1 Whole Egg

Add all ingredients to tin, shake with no ice for 10 seconds, open tin and fill with ice, shake for 1+ minute until drink is frothy, use a Hawthorne Strainer to strain into a Tulip or Beer glass and enjoy a creamy delicious drink.

With a sour beer, use a sweeter Amaro (Meletti comes to mind) and use same recipe as above except add 1/4oz Lemon Juice.

Cocchi is killer stuff, ive taken quite a liking to their vermouth amaro in coctails and served as a highball with soda water.
My current "manhattan" prefference:
2oz bookers
1oz cocchi vermouth amaro
couple drops peychauds
nice long stir and drained into a coupe, luxardo garnish

Amaro Highballs are the tits, I do one with Cynar, Cocci, Lillet, and soda that is bangin' good.

The Sicilian Sidearm:
1.5oz Cynar
.75 Cocci Torino
.75 Lillet Blanc

Build over rocks, in order, into a Collins glass, add Soda, do not stir. Garnish with large lemon twist, drink top to bottom with straw.

That's funny, I'm drinking some vingary kombucha right now.
Wow thank you, definitely gonna start building a little bar. I don't fuck with stouts much but I'm gonna try that cocktail, sounds great. Always liked drinks with egg/egg white in them, particularly pisco sours.

Didn't add it to that list but also make up some simple syrup. I prefer a 2:1 "Rich" Simple

Rich Simple:
2 Parts by WEIGHT
White Sugar
1 Part by WEIGHT
Water

Bring water to boil, stir in sugar until dissolved, remove from heat. WARNING, IT IS BASICALLY NAPALM NOW

Make a quart or two and keep it around, it basically lasts forever if refrigerated.

Also note: This 2:1 recipe works fairly well with any sugar including Agave, Honey, Turbinado, Brown Sugar, Molasses, etc.

Sounds solid as heck.
Have you tried making a martini with Serbian slivovitz? Get some crazy flavours going on
2oz bela osa slivovitz
3/4oz dolin blanc dry
1/4 oz dolin blanc
stirred strained
pickled garlic and cornichon garnish
nice served with some sort of cured pork product

Allright Guys, time to get ready for my shift. If you're in Houston try to hit the 8th Wonder Brewery Cocktail Throwdown tonight and you might catch me there.

I'll be home around 3am, and will keep answering questions as long as the thread is around, but it's gonna be a while till I'm back.

Cheers!

Sounds perfect, i find cynar one of those bottles that tends to hang around in my fridge a bit longer than other amaros

A friend introduced me to vermouth flips the other day where you dry shake equal parts dry and sweet vermouth with egg white, then crushed ice and served strained in a lowball, really nice low alcohol cocktail, super creamy

Meant to say 8th Wonder H-town Shakedown. Anyway I'm on the way out. Chin Chin

Those are most jobs.

good read, thx op

i have some vanilla liqeuer (galliano? i think) a friend left at my house and i have no earthly idea what to do with it. i've been mixing it into rum + cokes to make a sweeter drink but is there anything better i could mix it with?

How long is soda water good for after being opened? I feel like I should just use the small bottles otherwise the rest gets flat by the time I use it again.

Most underrated drink?

Why do you always pretend like you don't see me when I'm at the bar waiting for a drink?

I'm also really into agricoles, and have plantation 5 sitting on my bookshelf bar right now, along with the Stiggins.

Which agricoles do you like?

Best I've had so far is Clement Colonne Creole

brilliant thread, learned alot. gonna fuck up some OF's next weekend

good shift so far. keep asking questions and ill get to them later!

>at hipster bar
>"jim beam, neat, please"
>that look of contempt that invariably follows

fuck that guy. jb is legit

What's your highest end sauce available?

right now? Yamazaki 18 running at 120 a pour because it wont exist again. i dont play with the really spendy stuff. looks good but after 100 a pour itll never sell at my joint. We try to keep it democratic and never run over 20% COG

My opinion? The whiskey highball. Whiskey, Ice, Soda. its amazing how doing such a simple drink right can change the flavor so much.

I like Kamikazes but I want a bigger drink then the small old fashioned glass it comes in.

How do I do this without simply adding more ingredients?

Don't really know too much about drinking, Have you watched the bartender aen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartender_(manga)nime?

>no one is freaking out about the word hooch
What happened to you fags

>How long is soda water good for after being opened?

How about using google instead of fucking up my thread with your bullshit questions that could be answered easily if you weren't such a lazy piece of shit begging to be spoonfed?

I'll serve you when I can, as soon as I can. Normally I give a customer a nod to say "ok, I see you, I'll be right with you" if I'm too busy to serve him right then

kill yourself

not me but he makes a good point on the second question... and for soda? buy small bottles unless youre throwing a party.

Does it upset you that I'm a casino bartender making $180k a year who doesn't have to worry about making complicated mixed drinks? Majority of the time we just serve wine and beer.

nope. sounds like a great gig mate. Glad there are guys in our industry pulling that kind of scratch.

>order bourbon and soda
>he makes me a beam and coke

nah son

It was fun answering your questions guys but I have to go.

Tom Cruise just came into the bar and I buttfucked him. It was actually great! What a nice guy.

You make a good mojito?

I've been a bartender for a half year and working at a Dive Bar. All night I make Jack & Cokes, Long Island Iced Teas, and Bloody Mary's.

What resources did you find most helpful in learning your craft? I would one day like to be in a similar place where you are. I'm just putting my hours as higher end places generally want experience.

Trying to remember all the great cocktails can be a pain though since I'm not exactly making Singapore Slings and Corpse Revivers.

What various scotches/gins would you recommend as good having good quality/price ratios for each of the different brackets? $10-$30, $30-$70, $70-200, $200+ etc. I like Islay scotches and more "baotannicalish" gins the most if that helps.

im not a bartender, but if i were you, i'd look up the top 20 most ordered cocktails, make flash cards and drill myself every day until it was burned into my brain.

I don't like bourbon. Is there one that will change my mind?

Huh, don't know why I quoted you.

do you like any brands of whiskey?

I like scotch and rye. Can't remember the brands though.

well in that case you want to look at high rye bourbon mash. Wild Turkey gets a bad rap but start there. ill post a more indepth list later when im off work. Got 3 Sazeracs on deck.