"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some ...
"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer."
-Frank Zappa
Member since:29.01.2003
Reviews:41
Members who trust:63
Member advice on bartending! Or just a sneaky peak into all things alcohol…
Being a bartender is pretty straightforward, becoming a good bartender is a little challenging but becoming a great bartender might be a good deal more difficult than everyone thinks… In this review I’ll look at product knowledge, presentation, flair bartending, and other random bits ad bobs!.
I’ll try my hardest to throw in a few little known interesting booze-related facts for your reading pleasure.
----Terminology----
I was thinking it might be best if I wrote some sort of nomenclature detailing the ways of the bartender so here is a brief list of some of the less obvious.
Hawthorne strainer – coiled strainer for shakers Double strain – strain with a hawthorn and then a small sieve Bar Spoon – a long, spiraled spoon Wheel – a slice through a piece of segmented fruit that looks like a wheel! Boston Shaker – cocktail shaker, half glass, half tin Muddler – a little rolling pin used for mashing fruit in a tin Twist – a twist of the zest of a citrus fruit Rocks Glass – A short, wide glass you would serve a short drink in Collins Glass – Also known as a highball, usually quite tall and around a half pint Martini Glass – A glass you’d serve a martini in Hurricane Glass – A tall, curvy, 80’s style glass with a stemmed base Champagne Flute – A champagne glass Sling Glass – A tall narrow glass, like a tall flute Brandy Balloon – A round stemmed glass for serving brandy. It is designed so that the spirit is warmed in the palm of the hand Snifter Glass – Ideal for nosing whiskies Proof – Proof is generally an American thing but is double the A.B.V. (percentage)
----Product Knowledge----
Sounds funny but every good bartender must have an unrivalled knowledge of what he or she is selling and making. It often means the difference between a tip and no tip – which in this sort of industry is paramount in deciding whether it’s beans on toast for tea or Sea bass and Truffles.
It is always important to taste what you are selling. The best way to do this is to hold a straw into the drink, put your finger on the end of the straw then lift the straw to your mouth. This lets you taste the drink without leaving your lipstick on the rim of the glass! This is particularly important when you are making cocktails. You might have forgotten an ingredient and a quick taste would tell you that, you might need a little more sugar or maybe you’ve put too much sugar in. Don’t give a paying customer a drink that you think doesn’t taste right, they won’t be back.
What I’ll try and do here is give an outline of a selection of different spirits, what they are, where they come from, differences in brands and maybe a recipe or two to help you on your way…
-Vodka-
Most people believe Vodka to be a cheap and nasty mixing spirit that gets you drunk. Well, if you want it to be then it can be done as vodka tends to be one of the cheapest spirits on the shelf in your local off-license. It also has a very short finish, meaning that the taste doesn’t tend to linger on your tongue so is considered to be more palatable. It is most widely consumed in Poland and Russia and is usually distilled from potatoes or grain.
A couple of good Vodka’s to try could be Ketel 1, a very smooth vodka from Holland that is ideal for mixing martinis or perhaps you could try Grey Goose which is a fantastic French vodka.
Espresso martini recipe
1 measure of fresh espresso 1 ½ measures vodka 1 measure Toussaint ½ measure (or to taste) of gomme sugar syrup
Shake really, really, really hard then double strain into a martini glass and garnish with three coffee beans. It should have a nice creamy head.
-Gin-
Ahh, one of my favourite spirits… You would be amazed at the differences in flavours between gins that come from all over the place! Different kinds of berries, different kinds of botanicals, different vintages of gins whose flavours depend upon the local selection of fresh botanicals from past years and of course different qualities of the methods and waters used in picking and distillation.
There are a few different kinds of gin. The most common is London gin which can be distilled anywhere you fancy! Plymouth gin on the other hand can only be distilled in Plymouth. There is Tom gin which is a more traditional, sweet gin and other gins such as Dutch gin. Gin originated in Holland and was drunk in shots by armies before going into battle – hence the term “Dutch Courage”. It was introduced to the English whilst fighting the French and it made its way over here…
A classic example of going a little over the top in the gin world is Martin Millers gin. The botanicals are distilled in London then shipped over to Iceland where the spirit is blended with Icelandic, glacial water. This gin is superb and has won awards year after year. If serving it with tonic I recommend adding some sliced strawberries rather than the familiar lemon or lime. Incidentally, gin is traditionally served with lemon however a very clever marketing ploy by Gordons seems to have changed the way we drink gin and is now usually served with lime.
I’d like to say that I do not rate Bombay Sapphire, in fact I think it’s a terrible gin whose only use is in gin and tonics. In blind tasting it almost always comes out worst. Sorry! However I respect the fact that it brought gin to the masses. If you don’t particularly enjoy the taste of gin then try Bombay Sapphire as it has a short finish (like vodka) and the flavour doesn’t linger.
Bramble recipe
This is an incredibly simple and tasty classic cocktail 2 measures gin ¾ measure fresh lemon juice Gomme sugar to taste Crème de Mure (Blackberry Liqueur)
Stir together the lemon, gin and sugar in a rocks glass until it tastes nice. Add crushed ice to the brim, lace with some crème de mure and garnish with a couple of blackberries and a twist of lemon.
-Whisky-
There are several different kinds of Scotch Whisky; blends, single malts, vatted malts and grain whisky. A Scottish whisky can only be called so after it has been left to mature in a barrel for 3 years and one day on Scottish soil. From then on it can only be further aged on Scottish soil as the second it leaves the country it leaves at the age it is at then. It has to be made only from water and barley, although caramel can be added to change the colour, and it has to be bottled at a minimum of 40% abv (alcohol by volume).
There are five different areas in which Scottish Whisky is distilled; Lowlands, Speyside, Highlands, Islay and Campbeltown. Islay whiskies are some of the most popular as they are all inherently peaty. If you are new to whisky it is best to start with a Lowland or a Speyside as they tend to be the smoothest and easiest on the palette.
When serving a whisky always offer ice and water but never pour the water yourself. Offer it in a small jug or a second glass. Every whisky drinker has his or own little way when it comes to drinking it, I like to have a taste of the spirit and then add only two or three tiny drops of water – just enough to release the other flavours.
A nice introduction to whisky is to drink a blended whisky with ginger beer and fresh lime. Really nice.
Hot Toddy Recipe
You can’t beat a hot toddy in the winter… 1 ½ Whisky ½ - ¾ Fresh lemon juice About the same amount of honey as whisky 6 cloves, crushed Boiling water
Mix the whisky, cloves, lemon, honey and a splash of the hot water in a latte glass until consistent. Top the glass up with hot water and stir. Taste then serve with a wedge of lemon or an orange twist.
-Bourbon-
Mutter the word bourbon and the word you are most likely to hear in reply is Jack Daniels. In my humble opinion Jack Daniels is not a particularly good Bourbon. It is overly sweet and lacks in subtle flavours. Bourbon is an American spirit that can be distilled anywhere in the States but almost all of them are made in Kentucky. Bourbon is distilled and then aged in oak barrels. By law these oak barrels can only be used once before they are sold on to makers of Scottish Whiskys, vineyards and the like. These barrels are often re-fired before being used to age again.
Bourbon is named after Bourbon county (Which is a dry state!) and is a French word. The French were fighting over territories in the battle of independence with the British and Kentucky was divided up and the French were given an area of land which they called Bourbon. Bourbon is made form corn (by law it has to be at least 51% corn but is usually closer to 70%) and the rest is mate from wheat or rye.
My personal favourite bourbon is the Old Rip Van Winkle as it works perfectly in Old Fashions and makes a cracking Manhattan. It has subtle hints of vanilla that come out beautifully with the water off the ice.
Rat-Pack Manhattan recipe
2 Measures Elmer T Lee Bourbon ½ Measure Sweet Vermouth ½ Measure Dry Vermouth Splash Grand Marnier cuvée du cent - Cinquantenaire
Add the bourbon and vermouth to an ice filled shaker. Stir until cold. Rinse the inside of a Martini glass with the Grand Marnier. Double strain the drink into the glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry and orange zest. Mmmmm…
-Tequila-
It makes you happy! No, really it does! Mention the word tequila and it’s either slammers or Margaritas. Tequila is made from a plant called the blue agave and is technically just a form of mezcal (mezcal is the spirit with the worm in the bottom…). Tequila is much like champagne in that it can only be called tequila if it is made in certain regions of Mexico.
Tequila is bottled in five different categories;
-oro (gold) which is unaged tequila that often has colourings and flavourings that resemble an aged tequila -blanco (white) or plata (silver) are unaged white spirit -reposado (rested) is aged for a minimum or two months and a maximum of 1 year -anejo (aged) is aged between one and three years -extra anejo (extra aged) is a minimum of three years old
If you are a tequila fan and ever spot Patron Café you should have a taste. It is a tequila and coffee liqueur that is really something special.
Classic Margarita recipe
2 measures of tequila 1 measure of tripel sec ½ measure of fresh lime juice ½ measure of lime cordial Shake and double strain into a margarita glass that has a salted rim and garnish with a wheel of fresh lime.
-Rum-
Rum is a fantastically versatile spirit that is distilled from sugarcane produce such as molasses. There are so many different rums from all over the world and every single one is special in its own way.
There are oodles of different classifications of rums; light rums, dark rums, spiced rums, flavoured rums, gold rums, over proofed rums, premium rums and dry rums. Then within these different categories you have various different ages of rums. Often though, the age depicts the colour.
If I were to recommend a rum it would have to be Ron Zacapa Centenario. Simply Gorgeous.
Treacle recipe
2 Measures of a good rum Dash of bitters Sugar syrup Apple juice
Put a couple of ice cubes in the bottom of an ice cold rocks glass with a dash of bitters and a splash of sugar. Add the first measure of rum and start stirring with a bar spoon. Continue stirring with the spoon for approximately ten minutes, adding pieces of ice gradually and the second measure of rum about half way through. Try not to touch the glass as the idea is to chill the drink and slowly break up the spirit. Once you have a full glass of ice and rum top with a splash of apple juice. Stir and garnish with a tiered wedge of apple.
This is a variation of an old fashioned which is done with bourbon but any type of spirit could be used.
-Triple Sec-
Triple sec is an orange flavoured spirit that was invented in 1834 by Jean-Baptiste Combier in Saumur, France. The word sec means dry in French. Those of you who have tasted Cointreau or Grand Marnier will know exactly what this stuff is. This is most often used when making someone a cosmopolitan.
Pear cosmopolitan recipe
This is the same as a standard cosmo only using pear vodka instead.
1 measure pear vodka 1 measure triple sec Dash of orange bitters 2 measures cranberry juice Splash of fresh lime juice
Shake and double strain into a martini glass, garnish with a flamed orange peel.
-Cachaca-
Not the most versatile of spirits but a damn good one none the less. You cannot beat a well made, fresh Caipriniah. Cachaca is similar to rum in that it is a distilled sugar cane product but was originally drunk by peasants. They would take some of the cachaca, mix it with some molasses to sweeten it and add some fresh lime then ideally it would be served on crushed ice.
Caipriniah
6 wedges of lime Soft brown sugar Gomme syrup Two measures of cachaca
Muddle a tiny amount or gomme syrup with a good barspoon of soft brown sugar until it forms a paste, add the lime wedges and muddle them in there too. Fill the glass with crushed ice (rocks glass). Add the first measure of cachaca and stir it all together then add the second measure and stir again. Top up the crushed ice and serve with a twist or wedge of fresh lime.
-Brandy-
Brandy is a grape based spirit that is (usually) distilled from wine. There are several different kinds of Brandys;
-Cognac is from the Cognac region in France -Armagnac is from the Armagnac region in France -Fruit brandy’s such as Slivovice, Calvados, Kirschwasser, Palinka, etc. -Lourinha is a Portuguese brandy
Brandy has been around for hundreds of years but was popularized in the 14th century. Brandy is similar to champagne in the certain typres of Brandy, such as cognac, can only be produced in certain areas. The South Africans make brandy and by law it is distilled almost exactly identically to cognac (double distilled in pot stills then aged for a minimum of 3 years).
Brandy Alexander recipe
2 measures of Brandy ½ measure crème cacao White ½ measure crème cacao Brown 1 measure double cream
Shake, double strain into a Martini glass and garnish by grating nutmeg over the top.
---Beers---
Beer, ahhhh… There are so many different kinds of beer it’s untrue! Lager, ale, stout, wheat, bitter, rice, pilsner…
Beer essentially needs 3 or 4 ingredients to be made. The first is water, secondly a choice of starch - typically barley - and some yeast. Different choices of starch produce different kinds of beers, often rice, oats, wheat and rye are used. The fourth ingredient is usually some sort of flavouring such as hops.
The local water supply also plays a large part in the type of beer that is made, much like when distilling a whisky. Dublin has very hard water which makes it ideal for brewing stouts, whereas other places that have soft water will be ideal for brewing light beers.
Zymocenosilicaphobia (Zi-mo-cenno-cilly-kafobi-e,) n.
Excessive or irrational fear of an empty beer glass; Prejudice or hatred of an empty beer glass.
Lager is the most commonly consumed type of beer in the world. It originated in the cellars of Eastern European monastries and castles because the cellars were cold and thus helped the Lager to ferment. The yeast used when making a lager is a bottom feeding yeast whereas in an ale top feeding yeast is usually used.
Rice beers include Budweiser and Tsing Tao (Check out Tsing Tao – it’s a great light, refreshing summery beer). Stouts include Guinness and Murphys. Lagers include Fosters, Carling, Heiniken, Tennants and Krusovice.
---Wine---
I’d like to go through a selection of wines but the best way to learn is to go and have a tasting session with an expert. Everyone tends to have their own preferences for grape variety and country of origin.
I like a nice rioja, a full bodied oak laden red that is full on the nose and has a long, satisfying finish.
That list is maybe a little over the top but it just gives an idea of the number of different varieties there are. Considering many wines are blends of more than one type of grape the different types and flavours of wine are limitless. I have been led to believe that Spain alone has 600 different varieties of grape.
----Presentation----
Presentation is key when you work behind a bar. Both how you yourself are presented and how the drink is presented. You should always dress smartly and in keeping with your surroundings. I wear a shirt, trousers and black shoes and this is the usual attire for bartenders.
I find it irritating when you purchase a drink that just doesn’t look appetising – you wouldn’t be impressed with a meal if it were slopped all over your plate and looked like it took thirty seconds and a microwave to prepare. So it’s important to put some effort into how the drink looks.
Take, for example, the Gin and Tonic. Firstly fill the glass to the brim with ice – this is important. In order to preserve the flavour of the drink there must be plenty of ice as the ice melts less slowly and therefore does not water down the drink nearly as quickly as a drink with half a dozen pieces of ice floating in it. Secondly choose the correct type of fruit for a garnish. Different gins taste best with different sorts of fruit; a lemon slice, a lime wedge, sliced strawberries, melon balls or even cucumber. The best thing to do, if you have a choice of fruit, is ask how the customer prefers their gin served. Add the gin and always offer bottled tonic, draft tonic isn’t that great…
If you are serving Gordons, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire or Blackwoods I recommend lime. For Citadel, Beefeater or Whitley Neil I like a slice of lemon. Hendricks is always served with cucumber and Martin Millers is great on strawberries.
One of the most important things about presentation is your banter! If you have no chat and look like a dour so and so then it’s going to reflect in your tips. If you have great banter, a smile of some description and some rubbish jokes then you’ll do just fine! When working in a bar with a vast array of spirits it’s also great to know a bit about them.----Flair Bartending----
Look its Tom Cruise! Nahh, Tom Cruise was rubbish in Cocktail! Flair bartending has come on in leaps and bounds since then (admittedly the movie did help propel this progression as it made flair famous) and competition is fierce all over the world – you may have seen some flair bartending on adverts on telly. Flair is a bit like juggling and requires a lot of skill and spatial awareness. Personally I enjoy doing some flair but haven’t quite reached the technical stage of many however do try to use “working flair” where humanly possible. Working flair is when the bartender is mixing the drink at the same time as he or she is throwing bottles all over the shop!
The best way of improving your flair is to get someone to show you a few moves then try linking the moves. It’s mostly down to practice though, lots and lots of practice! It’s also worth spending £20 on a flair bottle. These things are made of tough plastic and have the weight of a glass bottle. If you can’t afford one though just wrap a vodka bottle in duct tape so that when it smashes it doesn’t go everywhere.If anyone happens to find themselves in the West End of Glasgow then come check us out! The bar is at the top of Byres road and is called Booly Mardy’s (or Bloody Mary’s).
If anyone has any booze or bar related question feel free to leave me a message or drop me an email. The sheer amount of random facts some of my colleagues know about alcohol is incredible (or worrying?!?!)! I’ll probably add to this review and update as time goes by… I still want to do a bit about cider, champagne and loads of other spirits and cocktails!
Thanks for reading and remember a Martini is stirred, not bloody shaken!
John!
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wow... What don't I know now about drinks- fantastic review-i know many who suffer from Zymocenosilicaphobia !!!!!
Excellent review John- cheers Mary
Tricksty 13.07.2007 11:26
Encyclopedic! x
jesi 08.07.2007 00:31
i expect you'd get on well with my son Kingsley ~ he worked part-time and holidays at the pub in Liverpool by the football grounds when he was doing his degree at the Uni ~ and got on very well ~ he's a good communicator
. . . . ~ ! ♥♥ ! ~ ........................................................... ~ jes ~ ! ♥♥ !
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