ADVANCED COCKTAIL MASTERY

1/. Cocktail Mastery – Bartending Technique

1.1) Pouring
1.2) Shaking
1.3) The Dry Shake
1.4) Stirring
1.5) Straining & Throwing
1.6) Ice Programmes
1.7) Knife Skills
1.8) Barista Techniques
1.9) Order of service/round construction
1.10) Advanced Garnishing

2/. Cocktail Mastery – Keeping It In The Family

The idea of ‘families’ of cocktails is based on the principle that there is a finite number of
core mixed drinks to which all others can be traced back to.
2.1) It All Goes Back To One
2.2) The English White Lady
2.3) The Russian Cousin
2.4) The American Cousin
2.5) The Scottish Brother
2.6) The French Brother
2.7) The Mexican Niece
2.8) The Cuban Cousin
2.9) Peter Dorelli’s Campari Family
2.10) Martini to Martinez

3/. Cocktail Mastery – The Main Cocktail Families

Understanding cocktail ‘family trees’ helps with recipe construction and helps customer
interaction.
3.1) Highballs
3.2) Collins, Fizz & Rickey
3.3) Fix
3.4) Juleps
3.5) Slings
3.6) Sours & Daisy
3.7) Martini
3.8) Flips
3.9) Punches
3.10) Pousse-cafés
 1. COCKTAIL MASTERY – BARTENDING TECHNIQUE

Understanding how to efficiently use the tools of the trade and the
associated techniques of cocktail bartending can make the difference
between a good bartender and a truly great one. Each movement, action and
methodology can influence the end product.

1.1) Pouring

Virtually everything a bartender produces is dependent on a combination of liquids or

other ingredients – and more specifically the measures thereof. But knowing a recipe is
fruitless unless you are able to follow it well and achieve the required outcome.
Essentially it comes down to the best way of getting the ingredients from the bottle into
the glass.

First and foremost there is one rule of production: if you are not confident with ANY
recipe, it is always recommended that a jigger should be used. This will allow accurate
reproduction of the drink which in turn will allow you to try how the cocktail should taste
for future reference. Once you have become familiar with a given drink’s taste and
presentation, you can revert to free pouring.

There is a fine line between the benefit of increased speed when free pouring compared
to the accuracy and slowness of using jiggers. However, this is only true when bartenders
use two hands during service (which should be standard practice for the very best
bartenders). If a bartender is not confident using their weaker hand, then jigger pouring
is quicker and more accurate, especially when pouring from bottles that do not contain
speed or turbo pourers.

Naturally, if both methods took an equal amount of time, jiggers would be used by
default as they reduce the margin for error in cocktail production, providing a more
consistent and higher quality of drink. Free pouring (which relies solely on human
judgement) means the margin of error is increased.

That is not to say that errors cannot occur when using jiggers, and there is indeed a
pronounced technique and skill in using them both quickly and accurately, but these
errors will be fewer under nearly all circumstances. In fact, you will be amazed at how
quickly you can produce drinks using a jigger once you become proficient.

However, despite the accuracy of using a jigger, if a bartender can accurately free pour
(with both hands) then it is undoubtedly a more efficient process: it will allow bartenders
to work more quickly and make them able to generate more revenue when a bar is busy.

The issue lies with when the free pouring method is inaccurate (usually due to lack of
practice or sloppy bartending). When this is the case, the resultant drink quality can be
significantly influenced – most often in an undesirable way. Bartenders that are
inaccurate will not only fail to follow recipes correctly and reduce the quality of their
drinks, but also run the risk of jeopardising a bar’s profitability (in the case of over-
pouring) or underselling to the customer (in the case of under-pouring). Neither
outcome is desirable.

The conclusion is obvious: only free pour if you can do so accurately, and be sure to test
yourself regularly. It is also worth remembering a customer’s perception – they will
always be more confident in their purchase if you use a jigger, as they can see they have
got what they paid for.

Unfortunately there is no sure-fire way to learn how to free pour other than through
significant and extended periods of practice. Each individual will choose to count
differently, will have access to different equipment (such as pourers) and will need to
learn on their own terms.

Other issues with free pouring surround the fact that many spirits have differing
densities (usually due to sugar content and/or even temperature) so naturally they pour
at different speeds. Again there is no hard and fast rule that allows you to accommodate
for the speed of the liquid other than practice.

Similarly the amount of liquid that remains in any given bottle will also influence the
speed at which the liquid is dispensed and adjustments sometimes need to be made to
account for this.

The very best bartenders should know how to use both techniques and decide which one
to deploy as and when required.

Practise Makes Perfect

The most accurate way to practice pouring is by using a set of electronic kitchen scales. 
Remembering that 1ml water weighs 1g, it is easy to identify whether you are under or
over pouring for any measure.  Electronic scales are also substantially cheaper than
measuring kits, but if you pour in ounces then measuring kits may be easier to use (1
fluid oz = 29.6ml).

To begin with, put a boston tin on the scales and ‘zero’ the balance.  Practice pouring a
single measure into another boston tin, and transfer the contents to the tin on the scales. 
If you’ve aimed to pour 25ml for example, the scales should read 25g.  Practice until you
are accurate.  It is important to practice with each hand.

Once you have mastered the single shot, learn how to pour other measurements that
occur frequently in cocktails.  These are 5ml, 10ml, 15ml, 20ml, 25ml, 35ml, 50ml. The
easiest way to master incremental pouring is if 50ml equates to a count to ten in your
head.  If you master a ten-count as 50ml, then each numerical increment will represent a
5ml increase in your pour, so a 25ml pour is a 5-count, 35ml is 7, 100ml is 20 etc.

Practice pouring with two hands; a good exercise is to pour a bottle simultaneously in
each hand into two boston tins, pouring a single shot with your right hand and a double
shot with your left.  Do this alternately with each hand until you’re accurate. 

When it comes to free pouring, the most obvious issue is that many spirits have differing
densities (usually due to sugar content) so naturally they pour at different speeds. There
are no rules that allow you to accommodate for the speed of the liquid other than
practice.

In Gary Regan’s ‘Joy of Mixology’ he charts the relative densities of many of the most
popular liquors and liqueurs, yet whilst the chart is informative and gives you an idea of
how quickly each spirit will pour relative to any other it will, unfortunately, not help with
your free pouring. Similarly the amount of liquid that remains in any given bottle will
also influence the speed at which the liquid is dispensed and adjustments sometimes
need to be made to account for this.

Practise is the only way to ensure you are completely confident in free pouring the
myriad of products behind your bar accurately.

1.2) Shaking

When it comes to shaking a cocktail, one thing must be clear; the process
itself is designed to serve a purpose and so long as that is achieved, the
relative chosen methodology should matter little.

The purpose of shaking a cocktail is to ensure that ingredients are adequately mixed, that
they are chilled, that the ingredients take on a sufficient amount of water (through
dilution) and that during the process a degree of air (or ‘life’) is injected into the drink.

There are several ways to shake a drink, and these will be explored later in this section,
but almost every bartender possesses their own unique style of shaking. Essentially, how
you choose to shake a drink is entirely up to you and in fact a bartender’s shake can help
to define them – so long as it is effective.

Whatever your chosen methodology, the difference between a good bartender and a
great one is down to pure execution. For example, if a professional chef and an amateur
are asked to make an identical dish in the same time and with the same ingredients and
equipment, one is more likely to produce a better dish: the professional’s mastery of their
techniques will tend to be better. In bartending terms, if a cocktail is shaken for too long
it can become overly dilute and lose significant character and flavour, yet if it is not
shaken for long enough, it can taste too strong, might not be sufficiently chilled and can
feel ‘flat’ on the tongue.

So how long should you shake for? As ever, there is no straight answer to this question
but the quality of ice you are using is integral to reaching a conclusion. Small cubes or
shards of ice break up quickly during the process of shaking, so shaking time should be
reduced in this instance to prevent over dilution. With larger, more robust cubes (nearly
always preferred), shaking time can be extended to lower the temperature of the drink
and more adequately control the quantity of water that is added.

There is one other significant consideration to how long you shake a drink for, and that
relates to the type of equipment that you have selected to make your cocktail. Only
through significant practice and experimentation will allow you to understand how your
chosen shaker will influence the activity that goes on inside of it.

Try making the same drink using several different shakers (Boston shaker,
three-piece/cobbler shaker, two-piece/Parisian shaker, Toby can and even some of the
old antique shakers) and judge if the capacity, shape, material and, significantly, the
distance the internal contents travel within the shaker changes the outcome of the
finished drink. There are heated discussions as to whether or not there are any
differences at all but each bartender has their preferred method of making drinks.

When using a small shaker the internal distance the ice has to travel is reduced
compared to the use of a larger Boston can and glass. The result (if you do not change
your technique accordingly) is that the ice strikes the ends of the can with a greater
frequency and this breaks down and melts more quickly. This can result in a drink that is
more dilute if the shaking time remains the same. Only time and experience with
different shakers will allow you to anticipate and control the amount of required dilution.

Once a drink has been shaken, it is ready to serve immediately. Why? Firstly, if you let
the contents remain in the shaker for an extended period, the ice will continue to melt
and further dilute the drink. Secondly, all the ‘life’ and air that you have injected through
your efforts will start to dissipate and the drink again might appear ‘flat’ on the tongue.
And remember: never put a carbonated ingredient inside a shaker and shake – it’s not
pretty.

There are many types of shakers available both new and vintage and each have different
properties and advantages.

Cobbler Shaker A three-part piece of equipment, comprising of a tin, strainer and cap.
This shaker is usually made of steel, although you can find some silver and glass
variations. Exceedingly easy to use, this is an entry-level shaker and one consumers may
well associate with cocktail mixing. Additionally, the Cobbler Shaker is often used for
cocktails containing egg-white – the smaller volume of the shaker works to better
emulsify the drink.

Boston Shaker Consists of one 28 ounce vessel, usually tin, and one thick, usually
tempered, 16 ounce mixing glass. The two components fit tightly together to form a
sealed container. Increasingly, the Boston glass is being rejected in favour of a tin of the
same size, which is lighter and which arguably gives a better balance when shaking.

Parisian Shaker Lesser known, this shaker is essentially the Cobbler Shaker without
an in-built strainer. It is rarely used, although is gaining popularity

Unusual forms and decorative shakers During the 1920s cocktail shakers were
produced in all manner of shapes and sizes, from Zeppelins to penguins, fire hydrants to
teapots, the shaker's was rendered in multiple forms and multiple materials. Frequently
over-sized, they will usually consist of two to three parts in the Parisian or Cobbler style
but are somewhat unwieldy and impractical.

Glass cobblers shakers A more economical alternative to the silver shakers popular
in the 1920s, often with hand painted images and recipes on the base, coloured, frosted
and etched glass shakers were particularly popular in the 1920s. Often quite fragile,
these examples are best saved for decoration rather than use in a busy bar.

Hard Shake
This is one of the more common variations of shake and one that is gaining popularity as
an effective method of mixing a drink. It has also received significant press coverage: this
method is particularly popular because not only does it have an aesthetic quality, but
also, and unlike other techniques, there is a definitive way of teaching it.

Fathered by Kazuo Uyeda, a famed Japanese bartender, the technique focuses on

shaking in such a way that the ice and recipe contained within strike four different
‘corners’ of the shaker. The technique works by effectively shaking on two different axes.
The shaker is held straight out in front of the body with the elbows held high, the shaker
is then propelled forth and back on a horizontal axis while the arms are simultaneously
raised and lowered on a vertical axis.

World Class Guru, Hidetsugu Ueno has become one of the most famous faces of the hard
shake. He explains the purpose of the hard shake is to insert more air into the drink than
would otherwise happen with conventional shaking, controlling the passage of the ice as
it travels around inside the shaker, thereby increasing mouthfeel and texture and
producing a drink that is full of ‘life’.

Ueno San explains "You need to put a large amount of (good) ice per drink for a hard
shake. It has to be very hard and cold cubed ice, factory made ideally. This means the
liquid turns much colder than a regular shake. When I measure my hard-shaken drinks,
they are always about -6C to -8C - like an iceberg at the Pole.

There is a gift for hard-shaken drinks, which is very tiny tipped [chipped] ice. I always try
to roll the ice around in the shaker to get tiny tipped ice. Most Western bartenders
double-strain to take them out because it makes the liquid watery, but when you sip
hard-shaken drinks, those ice [chips] melt right away in your mouth and people in Japan
feel it's comfortable. But they have to be very tiny otherwise it's just a foreign body.

It might sound strange but you cannot shake hard when you do a hard shake. You have
to loosen and relax your body."

Butterfly Shake
This method is another of Japanese origin however there is crucial difference between
this and the hard shake. The Butterfly method is intended to reduce the number of
collisions between the ice (and ingredients) and the internal walls of the shaker. The
fewer the collisions, theoretically, the less the ice breaks up and the more control one can
impart over the dilution. More importantly than this, however, is that this method allows
for a longer shaking time making it possible to further reduce the temperature of the
drink without adversely affecting any other variable. The Butterfly shake is usually
achieved by holding two smaller shaker sets (perhaps Cobbler or Toby shakers), one in
each hand. It is the motion of using both at the same time the represents the ‘Butterfly’
action.

The shake works on a vertical axis and as the arm (and shaker) moves up and down this
axis several small figure-of-eight shapes are incorporated and it is this motion that
theoretically reduces the number of impacts.

Italian Shake
The name given to the Italian shake is somewhat misleading, other than the fact that
there is a significant degree of style attached to the methodology which one might
assume to be classically Italian. This type of shaking is common among many European
bartenders, is seen in classic hotels across the globe and among those who strictly follow
the code of the IBA (International Bartenders’ Association). As a technique, it needs to
be said that unlike the hard shake, butterfly shake and London shake there is no obvious
end game or theoretical basis behind the Italian shake. In appearance it is not dissimilar
to the hard shake but the vigour of the shake is often reduced and the affected nature of
the shake is increased. The Italian Shake often seems to create a rhythmic/musical noise
during its action and the user will often cock the shaker over a shoulder during the
process.

London Shake
Unlike the other techniques that have been highlighted, there is no particular style or
methodology associated with London, though a London shake might be said to combine
a variety of these techniques. As the fastest moving hub of cocktail culture and with so
many bartenders working within central London it is no surprise that London has this
confluence of techniques. The London shake is the ultimate means-to-an-end shake.

Most London-based shakes are aggressive in nature, with the aim of speedy chilling and
dilution being at the forefront of the bartender’s mind. They do not perhaps possess the
stylistic qualities of the other variations but they are certainly effective.

1.3) The Dry Shake

This is a relatively new technique but it has gained significant traction

among high level bartenders.

Firstly, unlike a good number of techniques, there is a valid science behind the concept
of dry shaking, but it must be stressed that it is still possible to assume a take-it or leave-
it attitude toward this approach.

So what is dry shaking? It is a methodology used in cocktail production that is designed

to intensify (or increase) the foam content and consistency of a drink. It is not exclusively
applied but is nearly always used when recipes contain dairy, and particularly, egg-based
ingredients (albumen – or egg white – yolk or both). The process is a precursor to actual
shaking (with ice) and involves shaking all of the ingredients (including the egg) without
the inclusion of the ice; it is shaken ‘dry’.

Once the recipe has been shaken ‘dry’, ice is then normally added to the shaker and the
drink is completed as normal. The methodology is now common as it always produces
the desired result of increasing the head or foam content of the drink, as might be seen in
an egg-based Sour. There is nearly always a definitive difference in both the appearance
and texture of a dry shaken drink compared with drinks that have omitted this step.

There are three factors that work against dry shaking;

1/. An able bartender, using fresh egg and good execution, should be able to
produce a very similar if not identical result without dry shaking. This is only true,
however, if all factors, particularly the ice quality, work in the favour of the bartender.
2/. Recipes that have been dry shaken (particularly to excess) can have an
unpleasant and cloying texture on the palate and can have too large an influence on the
final drink. Whether this is preferred or not is personal preference.
3/. The process of dry shaking is slow and in a busy venue can be somewhat of a
luxury, particularly, as has been established, the impact of the process might not be
favourable one. It injects an additional service step that is not always necessary. If, like
many speakeasy venues, the menu includes several drinks that are made with egg, dry
shaking can result in lengthy customer waiting times and so lost sales.

So why does dry shaking work? It is all a question of proteins. Essentially the process of
dry shaking is not dissimilar from beating egg whites, just like when making a meringue.
The dry shaking works to unfold and break some of the protein bonds found within the
egg and therefore changes its structure to that of foam. The common scientific term for
this is denaturation. This process allows air to be bound into the mixture (helping to
create the foam).

By shaking without ice initially, the intensity of the foam is increased and the effects of
this are transferred into the cocktail. Theoretically it would be no different from folding
in some lightly beaten egg whites to your cocktail but this would adversely influence the
temperature.

1.4) Stirring

The process of stirring a drink is relatively easy, although some bartenders

find it hard to master the technique in a way that makes them look
comfortable and graceful when performing the task.

The concept of stirring a drink is similar to that of shaking, in so far that it is designed to
mix and chill the ingredients in the cocktail and also add a requisite volume of water
from the melted ice. The key difference is that ingredients will often dictate which drinks
should be stirred, as opposed to being shaken, and that whereas shaking injects ‘life’ into
a drink, stirring has the effect of providing a more velvety, softer texture and denser
mouth-feel.

How long should you stir for? Similar tenets are applicable for stirred drinks as with
shaken drinks. That being, apart from your execution of the technique, the two variables
that have the biggest influence on the outcome are ice quality and the temperature of the
ingredients that you are using.

The ambient temperature of the environment in which you work will also be influential
but this is often out of personal control and we must assume that most bartenders will be
working in room temperature.

Your decision as to how long to stir for should be influenced mainly however by the ice.
Small cubes melt quickly, and generally speaking, using these will allow you to produce a
drink that has reached perfect dilution but not the perfect temperature.

Larger cubes are almost always preferred as they melt more slowly and allow you to
reduce the temperature of the drink and to control much more accurately the dilution..

Remember that the quicker your ice melts the larger the chance of error.

A stirred drink is ready to serve when the perfect balance of water and temperature is
reached. If that is after 40 stirs in 30 seconds or 100 stirs and 2 minutes, then so be it. In
some cases, because events (or equipment) will work against you, it will simply not be
possible to produce perfect stirred drinks.

As with your choice of shaker (for shaken drinks), the choice of mixing/stirring vessel
you use will also play an important role. Using a digital thermometer and entirely room
temperature ingredients, try making the same drink but use a variety of mixing vessels
(Boston glass, Boston can, mixing glass, Thermos flask and even a wine cooler) and see
what the lowest temperature is that can be reached with each. You will be very surprised.

Stirring a drink does have several advantages;

1/. Because stirring occurs in an open vessel, you can test the drink multiple times during
its production so you know precisely when it is ready to serve.
2/. To a certain degree, drinks stir themselves; once the process has been started with
the first few stirs, the drink will continue to chill and dilute on its own accord even if the
drink is being made directly into the service glass (like the Old Fashioned). This
approach is obviously not as effective as giving the drink your full attention but it can
buy you moments of time on a busy shift.
3/. It is also possible to slow the process of dilution to a minimum by placing the drink
and vessel back inside a freezer; this way the drink will continue to chill but not dilute
and can be retrieved just before service.

As has been implied, the ambient environment can inadvertently transfer unwanted heat
(and therefore dilution) to your stirred drinks. For this reason it is recommended that a
heavy stirring glass stored in a refrigerator or freezer is used. Similarly, you should not
directly touch the mixing glass with your warm hands. Lastly, it is recommended that
you use pre-frozen ingredients (e.g. gin, vodka, bourbon) – it will not necessarily change
the final service temperature of the drink but it will give you more control over the
dilution.

Once a stirred drink is ready, it should be served immediately at its coldest. Stirred
drinks deteriorate rapidly once exposed to the warm environment. To prolong the life of
a stirred drink they should always be served in a frozen glass.

When to stir and when to shake? There are always exceptions but, as a general rule, if a
drink has any form of fresh juice it needs to be shaken. If a drink’s constituent parts
consist of just liquor or liqueur-based ingredients the drink should be stirred.

If you are attempting to create your own recipes, try shaking and stirring to see how
these influence the final outcome. Alternatively, adjust how you perform these
techniques, for example, if you have decided that your drink should be shaken but that
the results are too thin or not quite right, try shaking for different periods of time or with
different types of ice. An adjustment in the methodology, not the ingredient, can often be
enough to transform the recipe into a winner.

1.5) Straining & Throwing

This section will explore the other major techniques and tools associated
with professional bartending.

The Hawthorn Strainer

This item is one of the most important tools for the bartender but only works well if it is
correctly used. Generally speaking, a hawthorn strainer is shaped like a small metallic
table tennis bat with the addition of two ‘ears’ at the top of the bat and a spring running
around the top hemisphere of the bat. The purpose of the Hawthorn strainer is to keep
back the unwanted product of the drink-making process and to filter out the desired
part, the drink.

The spring (which is usually detachable) acts as a secondary filter and catches larger ice
shards and fruit waste. It is always wise to keep the springs if the equipment breaks so
that you have spares but also because many bartenders favour the addition of a
secondary spring to increase the intensity of the filter.

Most cocktail shakers, with the exception of the three-piece/Cobbler shaker, do not have
a built in strainer/filter and so there is always a requirement to use the Hawthorn
strainer. As a general rule, shaken drinks will be strained using a Hawthorn strainer and
it will only ever used in conjunction with a Boston can or the larger metallic base of a
two-piece/Parisian shaker.

If a Hawthorn strainer is used with a Boston glass or smaller mixing glass it will nearly
always cause the equipment to leak and the liquid will be dispensed in an unpredictable
manner.

To use this equipment effectively, place the tool inside the Boston can with the spring
face-down so that the tail of the Hawthorn strainer and the two ‘ears’ of the strainer sit
across the lip of the can. When dispensing liquid, pour so that the liquid is decanted
through the space located between the two ‘ears’ of the Hawthorn. Without adjusting the
Hawthorn there will be a significant gap between the spring and the lip of the Boston
can, and dispensing the liquid without adjusting will allow the strainer to filter out very
little of the unwanted ingredients. There is often small upward facing protrusion of metal
that allows, when pushed, for this gap between spring and lip to be closed, creating a
much tighter seal and thus increasing the effectiveness of the spring filter. The skill
comes in how the strainer is adjusted: if closed too tightly, the strainer will leak out of
the sides and probably miss the target vessel. However, do not close the gap enough and
too many chards of ice and any other items that need to remain in the Boston can, will
find their way into the drink.

As with most equipment, Hawthorn strainers vary in size and quality so try to find a one
that you are comfortable with and that fits your chosen shaker adequately.

The Julep Strainer

Unlike the Hawthorn strainer, the primary use of which is for shaken drinks, the Julep
strainer is used for the straining of stirred or thrown drinks. On occasion it can also be
used as a secondary filter in conjunction with the Hawthorn. The Julep strainer is again
shaped like a small table tennis bat, but the face of the bat is concave and full of small
holes. It lacks the spring associated with Hawthorn strainers. It is worth pointing out
that neither piece of equipment is an adequate replacement for the other and they both
have very specific uses.

As a general rule, the primarily use for the Julep strainer is for dispensing drinks that
contain pure liquor and it is nearly always used in conjunction with the Boston glass or
mixing glass. Many bars do not use this equipment but it is an essential piece of kit for
any professional establishment. Traditionally it is thought that the Julep strainer was
actually served with the drink so that the customer could drink and keep ice and fruit
contained in the drink away from the mouth – or moustache!

Fine Strainer
The fine strainer is a cause for much debate within groups of bartenders for the
technique and others against.

A ‘fine’ strainer should only be used when it has a purpose and that purpose is nearly
always when a Hawthorn strainer or Julep strainer (or a combination of both) is not
enough to keep unwanted detritus from reaching the glass or drink. The most obvious
example is when fresh fruit (particularly seeded fruit e.g. strawberries, raspberries etc.)
is used in a muddled drink or a drink that has been shaken with ice. The use of the fine
strainer works to remove small seeds and the tiny shards of ice that can be a by-product
of shaking. The removal of these ice shards prevents drinks from diluting further.

The issue with fine straining a drink is that it adds significantly to the production time of
the drink – like dry shaking, it adds an extra step and depending on the thickness of the
mesh it can be painfully slow. Many bartenders confuse the fine strainer with a tea
strainer: the mesh of a fine strainer is so tight that when it is full of unwanted material,
even liquid flows slowly through it.

Some argue that using a fine strainer affects the texture of a drink. When you shake a
drink you fill it with tiny bubbles of oxygen that make the drink feel alive on your tongue
for the first few sips of a recently poured drink. When you pass a drink through a fine
strainer some believe that these bubbles are also removed, creating a drink with a more
silky and velvety texture. Others argue that if that was the case then the drink would be
clear, without the cloud created by the bubbles produced during shaking.
Try it for yourself: make two identical drinks, one using just a Hawthorn strainer and the
other using a fine strainer. Taste both immediately and see which side of the argument
you agree with.

The choice is again a personal one but it is worth noting that many customers now expect
to see any type of drink fine strained, such is the proliferation of the technique, and some
influential industry commentators will judge you down for failing to use a fine strainer.
As with most things, so long as you are aware of the theory to support your point, there is
no issue.

Throwing
Throwing a drink is a difficult technique to master and is a particularly interesting and
different method of creating a drink that ought usually to be stirred. The profile of the
drink changes through aeration but the required temperature of the drink can still be
achieved through this method. As a general rule, while throwing is a valid technique, and
highly demonstrative and affected too, but it is also time consuming. If well practiced, it
is always a good technique to deploy on a quiet evening when your guests are looking a
little bored.

The perfect example of a drink that might be thrown is a Martini or Manhattan,

effectively anything that contains just straight liquor. To throw a drink you need to half-
fill two Boston cans or mixing vessels with ice. Add the ingredients to one of the
cans/vessels and cover it with a Hawthorn strainer. Hold both cans out in front of your
body at arm’s length and shoulder height. Slowly tip the can/vessel holding the
ingredients into the other can/vessel: while the ingredients are pouring keep the first
can/vessel steady and lower the receiving can to create a form of waterfall effect. Once
this is done, swap the cans and Hawthorn over, return to the start position and perform
the process again. Do this process several times and the drink will be ready to serve.

Boadas is Barcelona's oldest cocktail bar and is situated just off Las Ramblas, the city's
famous thoroughfare. Founded in 1933 it is still one of the most famous bars to promote
a ‘throwing’ technique. With its walls festooned with photographs of famous
patrons, posters and drawings by Miró, this art deco space has changed little since it's
opening and is an oasis from the dizzying atmosphere of the city outside. Born to Catalan
immigrants in Havana, Miguel Boadas was the first bartender at La Floridita and
brought the skills he acquired during that role back to Barcelona including his
"throwing" technique for which the bar is famed.

There is no menu, instead a board displays a Cocktail del Dia, a daily-changing drink,
else you can ask your bartender for a recommendation.Today, under the instruction of
Miguel's daughter, Maria Dolores, who was born the year of the bar's opening, the
immaculately attired bar team continue to practice Boadas' methodology.

1.6) Ice Programmes

The very notion of a having an ‘ice programme’ is a relatively new

phenomenon within bartending, but is one of the fastest growing trends and
it is becoming more commonplace to be able to buy in block ice from
commercial suppliers. The idea is that ‘hand-cracked’ ice that is carefully
shaped for a particular drink or serving vessel not only looks great but gives
bartenders the most control possible over dilution in drinks.

The ice you use is as important as any other factors within your cocktail and the aim for
perfection continues across the world. Jack McGarry, formerly at The Merchant Hotel,
Dublin and now bartending in New York, explains his methods in creating perfect,
crystal clear block ice.

Type of water “When we originally started out we employed the use of Fijian water
which was said to have a low mineral content and to be very pure. We also then began to
try distilled water which again was said to have very low mineral content and was very
neutral. We even used twice boiled water - but realised in the end that regular tap water
worked just as well.”

Type of freezer “The best freezer to use when making ice is a chest freezer. The reason
why is due to the fact the freezing element of the chest freezer is located at the bottom of
the freezer which enables it to have a steady temperature even when the door is left open.
Household freezers on the other hand have this element located at the back of the freezer
and every time this is left open the cold air quickly escapes. These inconsistencies have
dramatic results of the ice. Constant temperatures provide the optimum conditions for
good structure which give you that "firm and rigid" ice.”

Types of freezing containers “To put it simply: 'the bigger the better'. We used to use
shallow containers which resulted in horrible cloudy ice, but then discovered that half-
filling a much larger container gives water the best chance to make great ice. Ice freezes
in layers and not all at once, so if you use a shallow ice container you aren't giving the
mineral content any chance to escape, however with a much larger container the
minerals are forced upwards. The minerals are the last part to freeze. When stacking
containers on top of one another in a chest freezer it is also essential to leave room for air
between each stacked container, or the water in the underlying containers will not
freeze.”

While not all bars have the time to create their own block ice, companies such as
Hundredweight in New York have invested considerable time and money in supplying
block ice for local bars. They are employing the use of circulation systems to isolate the
mineral content; they are using reverse osmosis to isolate the minerals; they have slowed
down the freezing rate via condensers to ensure a smooth and constant temperature
range; they use deep chambers to freeze the ice; they thaw it out to ensure when they
actually harvest it that the ice isn't so brittle it cracks. Literally every single aspect has
been considered and put together in a harmoniously systematic routine.

Ice Carving
The new type of bar professional is also a sculptor and expert knifeman. Both of these
skills are now regularly seen in bars across the globe and while certain bartenders will
turn these particular skills into their main attributes, there is a base level that all
bartenders should aim to achieve.

Both of these skills are centred on hand-eye coordination: they require patience, acute
observation and dedication. Be warned, they require the use of potentially dangerous
tools and your safety should always be at the forefront of your mind when attempting
them.

Now, we are not talking about the ability to carve small scale models of the Sydney Opera
House but we are talking about the ability to utilise one of the most important
ingredients when it comes to cocktail production and service: ice.

Increasingly, bars are not just working with standard machine-produced ice but are
themselves buying-in or producing large blocks of ice that must be shaped/carved or
worked to fit the required glass.

Several (relatively expensive) tools are required if accurate carving is needed or you want
to work with medium to large blocks, as follows:

• Ice saw, 10”-16” serrated blade – this tool is used to reduced larger blocks into
sizes that are workable by hand, without cracking or splitting the ice. It can also be used
to score the blocks in preparation for picking.
• Ice pick and hammer – in some instances, when working with large blocks, it is
possible to save effort by lightly scoring the block and using a pick and hammer to split
the block into a desired or workable size. Care must be taken when attempting this as the
block can split into undesired shapes. When working with smaller blocks, the pick can be
used to chip off and split the ice to a desired size. The hammer need not be large and
when being used in conjunction with a pick or chisel, can also be rubberised.
• 3-piece chisel set (flat chisel, curved chisel and v-shaped chisel, all measuring
between 1”-2” in length) – while workman’s chisels are more than adequate for standard
use, and there is generally a larger variety of sizes, the very best carving chisels tend to be
Japanese and are designed specifically for working with ice. These tools will allow you to
shave finer and finer slices from the working block and provide much more control
because of their extreme sharpness. Some chisel sets will also include a scoop chisel for
creating divots within ice blocks.

When carving from hand, particularly with picks and chisels, it is important to always
chisel away from the body and away from the hand – and, of course, away from other
staff members and customers. In most cases the block will be resting on the palm of the
hand or being gripped between fingers and thumb, so by chiselling in a direction that
moves away from the smallest finger of the holding hand you are always directing these
dangerous tools away from the body.

When carving on a surface, make sure that the ice block sits on sound rubber matting or
is held by the surface. The more secure the ice block, the less dangerous it becomes.

The main consideration when carving by hand to produce bespoke-shaped ice is time; it
is a very slow process, even for the proficient, and is almost prohibitively slow if speed of
service and revenue are key factors. Also, if most of the ice is used in your bar
environment is carved out of the hand, always be sure to have very clean hands.

1.7) Knife Skills

It should be made clear at this stage that the knife skills required by a
bartender are not the same as those required by a professional chef. While
possessing this level of skill would not have a detrimental impact on a
bartender, it would be an over-extension of the skill set.

It is recommended that a bartender should possess three styles of knife:

• A sizable 10”-12” chef’s knife – for dealing with large fruit and citrus (pineapples,
grapefruits, watermelons etc.).
• A paring knife, approx 4”-5”, with a serrated edge – useful for slicing fruit, taking
the nubs off citrus fruits and dealing with softer fruit that is likely to bruise
• A paring or utility knife 4”-7”, with a straight edge – useful for more precise
garnish work and preparing twists etc.

In terms of care, it is recommended that a steel or other sharpening tool also be

purchased. There are two main reasons for this: the first is that sharp knives are much
more effective but the second is that blunt knives are much more dangerous – they are
liable to slip out of control and increase the risk of hurting the user.

When it comes to purchasing a knife, the main consideration should be comfort; it is a

tool that will be used regularly and it must feel good in the hand. Try different handle
styles and feel for the balance of the knife until you find something that works for you.

During usage your stance should be square on to the chopping surface and usually the
leg that is on the same side as the hand holding the knife, is slightly withdrawn to
provide stability and balance.

The knife itself should be worked in one of two motions: the first, dragging the blade
back toward the body (as you might when cutting a lemon slice); the second rocking the
blade back and forth in a regular controlled motion (as you might when slicing a
cucumber).

The most important hand however is arguably the hand that is not holding the knife; if
used correctly this hand will not only act as a guide for the cutting hand but will also
keep your usage of the knife safe. This hand should often make a form of ‘claw’, with the
thumb providing stability and the front section of the fingers proving a flat barrier to
guide the knife.

Be sure to always cut on a secure non-slip surface to make the cutting task as safe and
easy as possible. There are several options of knife blades available and each has
different properties and advantages.

High-Carbon steel consists primarily of iron and carbon. It is inexpensive, can hold an
edge and will not break easily. However, Carbon steel blades have to be dried and
cleaned after every use or they will rust. Carbon steel blades discolor when they come in
contact with acidic material. However, the discoloration does not affect the quality of the
knife.

Stainless steel consists primarily of iron and is high in chromium. Stainless steel
blades have the ability to hold a sharp edge slightly longer than high-carbon steel,
however it is so hard that it cannot be produced with as sharp an edge. If over exposed to
salt water, hard water, or acidic material, it may discolor or rust although is more highly
resistant to this than high-carbon steel.

High-carbon stainless steel is a combination of the best attributes of carbon steel

and stainless steel blades. These blades are not prone to rust or discoloration unless
under extreme conditions.

Laminated blades combine hard and brittle steel with tougher steel to form a layered
blade. They keep an extremely sharp edge that will stays sharp for longer than the other
types of metal, however, it will suffer acidity erosion as much as other metal knives.

Titanium knives are made from a mould of carbides and titanium and are a highly
durable blade. It is lighter, holds its edge longer, is more flexible and is more wear
resistant than steel.  It is also corrosion resistant. It is worth taking into account that
titanium coated blades are not comparable to blades made completely of titanium as the
titanium coating will wear down with sharpening.

 Ceramic - Ceramic blades are made of zirconium oxide and aluminum oxide. They are
very hard, and are resistant to acidity erosion. Additionally, because the edge of a
ceramic blade is much thinner than steel, cutting through items is quicker. However, the
hardness of ceramic makes it brittle and thus susceptible to chipping so they should be
used for slicing rather than chopping.

Plastic - Plastic blades are not sharp and are cannot be used for cutting anything harder
than fruit – even then they will require some force. However, they are completely
resistant to acid erosion and can be put in the dishwasher.

1.8) Barista Techniques

The advanced bartender does not just deal in mixed alcoholic drinks but
also in soft drinks and, increasingly, coffee. It is no longer acceptable for
bars to simply be accomplished in cocktails: consumer awareness has meant
that customers expect the same from their local bar as they do their
favourite restaurant or coffee shop. This has forced bartenders to learn the
secrets of the barista as part of their training.

The craft of the professional barista is a vast subject in itself, and at the highest level an
extremely complicated one too. This section will cover the basics and hint at some of the
professional considerations an aspirant coffee maker should seek to expand their
knowledge on.

Generally we associate a barista as someone who makes coffee using an espresso

machine, but it’s important to recognise that there are numerous ways in which to brew
coffee, and that espresso is not necessarily the best. For example, you can do a lot worse
than pouring a litre of just-below-boiling-point water over 30g of fresh coarse ground
coffee in a cafetiere, stirring it and leaving it to brew for three minutes before gently
plunging.

Whichever way you choose to make your coffee, you will always need to deal with a few
key factors. The flavour of a cup of coffee is determined by the chemical reactions that
take place when water mixes with ground coffee. This is known as the ‘extraction’ and
the main variables that affect it are listed below.

 Coffee origin
 Roast - Lighter roasts produce slightly more acidic coffees that retain natural
bean character. Darker roasts produce a slightly more bitter coffee with more
caramel, toast and cooked characteristics.
 Freshness – Incorporating how long ago the coffee was roasted, as well as the time
between grinding and brewing.
 Weight
 Grind size – This can also include the variance in grind size, i.e. is the particle
size uniform or varied?
 Water volume
 Water temperature – In the case of espresso this is also directly related to
pressure.
 Brew time

There are numerous other considerations that should be taken into account when in
pursuit of the perfect cup, but these are a very good place to start, and if you can get
them all right the results should be a tasty drink. A good extraction will translate to a
balanced cup, combining sweetness, acidity and bitterness into the equilibrium of a tasty
drink – here you will use the skills and understanding of flavour that you have learned as
a cocktail bartender. Under-extracted coffee usually tastes sour and has a watery mouth-
feel, whilst over-extracted coffee is usually bitter and astringent.

Always use freshly ground coffee, within one month of its roast date. If your supplier
doesn’t give a roast date on their packaging, check when it was roasted.

Espresso
Making espresso coffee is like brewing coffee under a microscope. It is a very unforgiving
brewing method, however it still remains one of the most popular choices worldwide.
The fundamental problem with espresso is that it attempts to brew coffee very quickly
through a combination of fine grind and high pressure. What this means in practice is
that the variables must be tweaked to an even finer degree than would be essential with
any other coffee-making process.

First and foremost the barista must start with clean, well maintained equipment. Water
filters are crucial for maintaining the espresso machines and group heads should be
cleaned daily according to the manufacturer’s directions.

The first job of the barista is to calibrate the burr grinder. Burr grinders produce non-
uniform grind particles, which lock together closely in a porta-filter. Coffee is
hydroscopic, meaning that it absorbs water based on ambient humidity. This means that
it entirely possible that your coffee needs to be ground at varying degrees as the day goes
on. The more water absorbed by the coffee beans, the finer they need to be ground. The
degree of grind will also change according to the age of the coffee: fresher coffees will
normally achieve better extractions with a coarser grind than older coffees. Coffee should
always be ground fresh for each drink and the barista should also calibrate the dose of
coffee dispensed by the grinder each time it is turned on, though many baristas still
prefer to do this by eye.

Once coffee has been dispensed into a clean portafilter it should be pressed into a
uniform level position using the correct sized tamper. This process ensures that when the
water mixes with the coffee it will evenly extract, rather than channeling through the
weakest part of the ‘puck’. The portafilter should then be cleaned and inserted into the
group head. At this stage it is necessary for extraction to take place immediately, to avoid
the coffee warming too much under the heat of the group head. It’s good practice to
‘flush’ the group head before inserting the portafilter to remove any excess grounds from
the previous extraction.

Extraction on an espresso machine should take around 25 seconds to produce 50ml of

liquid in total. Whilst extracting, the coffee should appear as thin streams that almost
turn into quick drops before they hit the cup. The streams should not twist or pulse, but
appear consistent and even.

Crema will always be present on good espresso, but it certainly isn’t a guarantee of
quality.

Milk Foaming
Badly foamed milk can ruin a perfectly good espresso. It is all-too-common to be served
coffee that has been made with boiled (or over-heated) milk and this results in a burnt,
bitter-tasting drink. The irony is that customers will usually refer to the coffee being
burnt, rather than the milk. Milk should be heated to around 60-65ºC (145-150ºF) and
no higher. At this temperature the sugars (lactose) within the milk are activated to
provide a sweetened taste, but the proteins have not been over-heated and so a stable
foam is produced. The real trick to milk foaming however, is to introduce air and then
emulsify it into the milk for a creamy texture, otherwise known as ‘microfoam’.

To do this, take chilled milk from the fridge and add it to a clean pitcher, leaving plenty
of room for expansion. Purge the steam wand of any water that may be in the pipe and
then dip it just below the surface of the milk. Turn the steam wand on and draw it up to
the surface of the milk. What you are aiming to do here is introduce air into the milk by
breaking the surface of the liquid: this should produce short, sharp ‘crackling’ noises. If
you pull the steam wand too high you will produce huge bubbles that are hard to get rid
of and spoil the aesthetics and tactile quality of the drink. After around 10 seconds of
this, drop the steam wand into the pitcher and aim to ‘spin’ the milk in a vortex. This
process refines the air produced in the first stage into very fine bubbles that are invisible
to the naked eye. The effect is a milk of wonderful creamy texture that will pour steadily
and consistently. Once the correct temperature is reached, stop immediately, remove the
pitcher, then clean and purge the steam wand of any excess milk.

Latte Art
With good espresso and well textured milk it is possible to pour ‘art’ directly onto the
surface of a latte, cappuccino or any other espresso-based drink topped with milk. Latte
art works by allowing a small amount of milk foam to float on top of the drink whilst the
pitcher is gently moved, creating flowing patterns in the shape of rosettas, ferns, hearts,
tulips, swans and even scorpions.

1.9) Order of service/round construction

A truly advanced bartender will not only have a comprehensive

understanding of the order of service but also an innate understanding of
how to manufacture their product in the most efficient and direct way.
Boiled down to its essentials, the concept of order of service revolves around
what order to make the drinks.

An example would be as follows: a customer requests a large number of mixed

drinks/cocktails, one of which is a Vodka Martini. The bartender should understand that
this drink needs to be served at its coldest (as this is when it is best) because it is what we
might call a ‘volatile’ cocktail – once the drink has been served it will deteriorate quickly.
It is also volatile because during its production it is most sensitive to over-dilution and
temperature so the bartender must also know when, during the order of service (or
round building), to start making and then to serve this drink.

If the bartender were to produce this drink before any other drink in the round, by the
time the other drinks were completed and they are all served to the customers, the Vodka
Martini would be long past its best. The aim is obviously to get all drinks out in perfect
condition, in the shortest possible time, and to finish making all drinks as closely
together as possible.

Assembling the order of service effectively requires an understanding of how each drink
deteriorates in the glass once it has been served. To reinforce the point above, cocktails
that are served straight up, such as Margaritas or Manhattans, are at their best just after
service, so in most cases they should be served at the end of a round of drinks so that
they do not deteriorate and warm up while guests wait for the remaining items.

Other drinks such as soft drinks, red wine and beer are less sensitive to temperature and
therefore can be made earlier in the round.

There is no hard and fast rule that dictates that, say, all Margaritas must be shaken
before Daiquiris or that all Daiquiris must be shaken before Sidecars and so on, but it is
important to understand why certain drinks are created before others.

Wider understanding of this concept has led to the proliferation of what is known as ‘ice
last’ bartending, where bartenders finish all recipes and pour them into the required
glassware but only add ice at the very point of service. While this is a valid technique
during large rounds, some bartenders have deployed this technique for making
individual spirit & mixers drinks – this is almost certainly an overextension of the
process.

Listed below are the general rules of order. This refers to the order in which drinks
should be served, where possible – and is also the order in which drinks deteriorate. This
process can get more complicated with regards to whether a drink has been shaken or
built but this list will be enough to successfully manage the production and order of
service for most rounds

1. Neat spirits/no ice

2. Red wine
3. Soft drinks
4. Beers
5. Spirit & mixers
6. Neat spirits on ice
7. White or rose wine
8. Short cocktails on cubed ice
9. Long cocktails on cubed ice
10. Champagne
11. Cocktails (long & short) on crushed ice
12. Cocktails containing egg white
13. Straight up cocktails.

So, if the round ordered calls for a glass of red wine, a beer, a Moscow Mule, a Whisky
Sour and a vodka martini, the bartender should do the following:

• Prepare all garnishes.

• Pour red wine.
• Make the cocktails in relevant boston glasses
• Serve beer
• Add ice to vodka martini and leave in ice well or freezer (martini will dilute itself)
• Dry shake whisky sour
• Shake Moscow Mule with ice and pour into glass
• Shake Whisky Sour with ice and pour into glass
• Stir martini and check dilution
• Add ice and garnish to Moscow Mule
• Add ice and garnish to Whisky Sour
• Serve Moscow Mule and Whisky Sour
• Pour and garnish Martini
• Serve Martini

1.10) Advanced Garnishing

There are two differing opinions on the concept of garnishes: the first is that a garnish
should be purely aesthetic and as such need not be edible. The second is that a garnish
should be able to contribute something to the drink with which it has been served (for
example, serving a Daiquiri with a lime wedge allows the drinker to add a small amount
of extra lime juice to reduce the sweetness of the drink), offering both a practical and
aesthetic extra edge to the drink.

When thinking about what kind of garnish to use there are many considerations.

• Appropriateness – does the garnish contribute to the drink? Most garnishes will
reflect at least some of the constituent ingredients of the cocktail or at least one key
ingredient. On a basic level, serving a lemon slice with a glass of lemonade is a good
example.
• Cost – how much does the garnish add to the production cost of a drink? A
vanilla-flavoured martini should not, for instance, be garnished with a whole vanilla pod.
This could double the cost of the drink and significantly impact upon your bar’s
profitability. If a drink is particularly popular and sells in large quantities, the garnish
should be attractive yet cost-effective. Outlandish garnishes are, generally speaking, for
venues that retail drinks beyond reasonable prices and for competitions. Remember that
cost is a major consideration.
• Preparation time – how long does a garnish take to prepare? Cocktails such as
the Horse’s Neck have difficult and time consuming garnishes. Remember, on busy shifts
it would be foolish to recommend a cocktail that prevents the bartender from serving for
a long period while they prepare a garnish. Garnish selection should also take into
account the knife skills of all staff.
• Mis-en-place – how many garnishes/fresh fruit ingredients can be pre-prepared
before service so as to dramatically reduce production and garnishing time? Many simple
garnishes can be produced in advance, such as lime wedges or mint sprigs. The key here
is to learn the patterns of service for the bar so that adequate preparation can be done.
Remember, good mis-en-place can greatly increase revenue.
• It is wise to produce garnishes for a particular round just prior to making the
drinks. This allows the bartender to garnish the drink and serve it as soon as it is
finished.
• Longevity and management – this is directly related to mis-en-place. An
advanced bartender needs to have a comprehensive understanding of fruit management
and the life span of regularly used items. Waste of all kinds need to be reduced to a
minimum. If prepared fruit is regularly being thrown away, the mis-en-place levels need
to be addressed. A bartender should know the yields for particular fruit items, such as
the approximate amount of juice per case of lemons, the number of slices you can obtain
from a cucumber and so on. This kind of knowledge allows proper costing and can help
reduce waste.

When it comes to the preparation of a drink you will often hear people say that the first
sip is with the eye, meaning that before a customer has had a chance to taste the drink
they observe its presentation. If a drink is unpleasant in appearance or conversely
attractive in appearance, it can help the customer formulate an opinion of what to expect
from the taste.

If you are going to use a garnish make sure that it is in perfect condition, unblemished
and not off colour. It is one of the easiest things to get right but do not underestimate the
impact if you get it wrong. Many consumers expect a garnish with their cocktail so
beware of disappointing them if you choose not to dress your drinks up.
Lemons
The lemons you're likely to have on your back-bar are Eureka lemons - a supermarket
variety that grows abundantly around the world. They'll tend to be waxed, so they'll be
nice and shiny. The wax is said to keep them from drying out. Purists might complain
about the wax but in truth that can often make them easier to zest. Organic versions will
probably not be waxed. These babies generally do the job, whether you're looking for
zest, juice, oils or a garnish.

Ask a grocer which are the best lemons though, and they'll probably say Amalfi lemons,
from the Amalfi coast between Napoli and Salerno in Italy. Amalfi lemons are unwaxed,
have a nobbly but good quality skin rich in oils, a sweeter juice, and are generally more
lemon-y all round. You'll know what we mean if you handle, smell and taste one. Most
traditional Italian lemonade recipes call for Amalfi lemons.

We also asked World Class Guru Salvatore Calabrese about lemons. He's no greengrocer,
but he's from the Amalfi coast. "Amalfi lemons are more aromatic, they don't have a
bitter after-taste and the zest is the best part," he said. "We used to just eat them every
day, just on their own."

Amalfi lemons are generally available year-round, though you might find them harder to
find, or greener, in the colder months of January or February. At these times of year, you
might look to South Africa, Argentina, Brazil or Chile - seen as the next best producers of
lemons.

Want an even sweeter lemon? You'll be talking about the Sorrento lemon - a larger,
rustic-looking lemon commonly used in cooking. It's practically the size of a small melon
though you'd probably use them for a lemon tart rather than a sour taste in a cocktail.

Cherries
Cherries are one of the last things to be 'upgraded' in the modern bar world. Can it really
be said that the bright red, heavily candied cherries that most bars carry really add any
extra complexity of flavour or indeed are at all complementary to the cocktail they are
adding them to?

Like any fruit, cherries come in a great many varieties. It should be noted that what you
are not looking for are the sweet cherries that you tend to find growing in your gardens
or that you'd use in cooking, for instance the bing variety used in cherry pie. In fact, what
we'd suggest you are looking for are cherries that otherwise taste decidedly sour when
they are picked off the tree. They'd probably give you a stomach ache, but once
macerated and aged in syrup - and no other mystery additives, flavourings or colourings
- become decidedly tasty. We'd recommend you seek out marasca cherries - it is these
from which 'true' Maraschino liqueur is made from - or varieties such as visciola,
amarena or griottine. Luxardo produces jars of marasca cherries as well as making
maraschino liqueur. We've also recently come across Supercherry, a British importer of
Visciola cherries and a related cherry dessert wine and aquavite.

Such cherries are all recognised by discriminating bartenders of having a more authentic,
natural cherry flavour simply by virtue of the fact that they contain only cherries, water
and sugar, and offer greater complexity across the sweet and sour spectrum. Some
brands take the stones out, others leave them in (be sure to warn guests or invest in a
cherry pitter), but the basic process is to harvest them, soak them in syrup for some time
(up to several months), potentially caramelise them, then bottle them.

Better yet, don't just use the cherries as garnishes, but use the syrups they come in as
cocktail flavourings, perhaps instead of cassis, or macerate your cherries yourself using
your own spices. Of course, there's a clear cost implication and we've come across bars
who have 'upgraded' their cherries only to find them too expensive, but the message here
is equally clear: cherries are not a 'standard' product and you can be still be
discriminating in what you choose to stock.

Olives
As the Martini is undisputedly the cocktail we think of when we're talking olives, we
asked Alessandro Palazzi, head bartender of Dukes Hotel in London, famed for its
undiluted (frozen) Martinis and massive, meaty apple green olives. They are the Bella di
Cerignola variety, sourced from Puglia, Italy (pictured, front). In fact, they are enhanced
with natural chlorophyll to give them a classic, rich green hue. "They have a very special
taste which doesn't interfere with the drink," he says. Indeed, Dukes serves them on the
side as Alessandro believes an olive garnish should complement the drink without
actually being in it. "Whatever you do with an olive, it can seriously destroy the flavour of
the drink". Leaving them untouched means the buttery yet clean taste remains delicious
whatever the accompanying drink.

Onions
Part of the lily family, onions are arguably the forgotten superfood, full of antioxidents
and with potent probiotic effects. They contain quercetin, which is a more potent
antioxident than vitamin E, and has anti-inflammatory effects by restraining the
production and release of histamine. Onions are rich in flavonoids, which reduce the risk
of heart disease, chromium, which helps maintain hormonal balance and increases 'good'
cholesterol levels.

They've got vitamin B and C, are high in fibre, and they're even regarded as an
aphrodisiac in some cultures. Now, we're not suggesting that you're going to get all this
from the odd Gibson, but it's all about balance, right? The ones you want on the back-bar
are Silverskin onions, pickled in white vinegar or light malt vinegar, though you might
try a sweet onion in a light barley vinegar. Anything stronger and you're likely to
overwhelm the gin.

Such onions are grown across northern Europe, most commonly in the Netherlands and
produce a sweet, crunchy, small white onion with both sweet and salty flavours that act
as a foil for the sharpness of the alcohol. We understand Mark's Bar at Hix simply uses
Garners onions, sourced from Selfridges, while Dukes Bar at Dukes Hotel uses a Dutch
brand, NVR.

It is said the Gibson Martini is named after the illustrations of Charles Dana Gibson, who
produced hugely popular pen-and-ink drawings of girls between the 1890s and 1930s -
iconic pin-ups who the two onions in a Gibson are said to commemorate the girls' best
assets.

Other origins include a cocktail book published in 1917 which includes a Martini-like
drink named Gibson but without the onions, and a separate Onion cocktail which we
might today call a Gibson. Gibson was a member of New York's The Players' club and a
bartender there by the name of Charley Connolly is credited for at least adding the
garnish, if not actually creating the drink.

Celery
Considered the ubiquitous Bloody Mary garnish, the celery stick is actually a relatively
recent addition to the drink. It apparently dates back to 1960 when a bartender at the
Ambassador Hotel in Chicago noticed a lady stirring her drink with a celery stick. That
was some forty years after the drink's invention by Fernand Petiot in 1920 in Paris (or
1921 in New York, depending on which story you believe).

That such a garnish came so late is something of a surprise when you consider it is the
perfect complement for a drink that already contained celery salt (ground celery seeds
mixed with sea salt). (Of course, a stiff rib of fresh celery also makes for a great stirrer in
such a thick drink.) In addition, celery is heralded as something of a wonder plant - seen
to variously lower blood pressure, may be anti-carcinogenic, lower cholesterol, alleviate
arthritis, even act as an aphrodisiac.

And there's a whole debate around whether it might be a miracle weight-loss cure, with
more calories required to chew and digest it than it provides nutritionally. On the other
hand, some people can be severely allergic to the plant, and it can bring on anaphylactic
shock, so be sure to mark its inclusion on your bar menu.

2. Keeping it in the family

There are thousands and thousands of cocktails in existence and more are
being created every day. The question facing any budding bartender is how
to remember the recipes. Unless you’re a genius, you can’t be expected to
remember all of them. However, retaining knowledge of a select few can
helpfully highlight the similarities between recipes and be extremely useful
in providing guiding principles if you want to invent your own drinks.

2.1) It All Goes Back To One

The idea of ‘families’ of cocktails is based on the principle that there is a finite number of
core mixed drinks to which all others can be traced back to. The point is that, like real
families, certain drinks are alike because their fundamental building blocks are so
similar. In fact, you can create whole ‘strings’ of drinks which all bear a resemblance to
each other in terms of their ingredients. Learning the common traits between these
family members means you can more easily learn the fundamental components of a
drink, and they can be helpful in perfecting your powers of recall.

Cocktail family theories can become quite technical – we’ll come on to those later – but
you can equally create your own families of drinks, contrived in such a way that they are
memorable to you. Peter Dorelli, veteran former head bartender of The Savoy Hotel,
cocktail trainer and World Class guru, created his own such tools of the trade to deal
with the embarrassment of not being able to remember a recipe for one drink or another
in front of a customer.
“The problem with cocktails is memory,” he says, though he seems to have a good
memory for customers, particularly female ones. “I remember a pretty lady who came in
to Stone’s Chop House – she was wearing a mini skirt, a mink coat and very little else.
She ordered a Balalaika cocktail but I could not remember what on earth it was, so I
pretended to need to cough and I went to check the ingredients. I thought I must never
put myself through that situation again.”

Back then, bartenders didn’t have nearly the resources that the modern industry has as
its disposal, so Peter had to dream up his own tools. “No-one ever gave me advice on how
to learn drinks,” he says. Being something of a people person, he conjured up a literal
family tree, personifying the cocktails that he was most called upon to make.

2.2) The English White Lady

In his mind, the White Lady, arguably the signature cocktail of The Savoy, became the
doyenne of his drinks list – an English ‘mother’ drink from which the others were
related. Being English she liked gin, which she paired with Cointreau, lemon juice, egg
white and cherry.

White Lady

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

1¾ shots Tanqueray No. TEN

1 shot Triple Sec
1 shot Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 fresh Egg white

2.3) The Russian Cousin

She had a ‘cousin’ in Russia, and they were very alike except for the fact that living in
Russia she preferred vodka to gin. She was the Balalaika cocktail, (and the rest of her
ingredients were otherwise the same as the White Lady).

Balalaika

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Orange zest twist
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

1¼ shots Ketel One

1¼ shots Triple Sec
1¼ shots Freshly squeezed lemon juice

2.4) The American Second Cousin

In turn, the cousin in Russia had a daughter who lived in the United States, a classy lady
in Peter’s mind. She also liked her drinks with vodka but liked to add lime juice instead
of lemon and liked to add a little colour, using cranberry juice to match her favourite
colour. She was, of course, the Cosmopolitan.

Cosmopolitan
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Flamed orange zest twist
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

1½ shots Ketel One Citroen

½ shot Triple Sec
1 shot Cranberry juice
¼ shot Freshly squeezed lime juice

2.5) The Scottish Brother

The English mother also happened to have two brothers. One lived in Scotland and while
he was like his sister the White Lady in practically every way, he was a quiet type and
living in Scotland he preferred whisky to gin, and didn’t care for cherries. He was the
Silent Third cocktail.

Silent Third

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and find strain into chilled glass

1½ shots Johnnie Walker Blue Label

1 shot Triple Sec
¾ shot Freshly squeezed lemon juice

2.6) The French Brother

The other brother lived in France. He was also similar to his sister the White Lady, but as
he lived in France he preferred brandy, and like their brother he didn’t care for the
cherry and egg white. He happened to like motorbikes, and always attached to his
motorbike was a sidecar – and that was what he liked to be called.

Sidecar

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

1½ shots Cognac
1 shot Triple Sec
1 shot Freshly squeezed lemon juice

2.7) The Mexican Niece

The French brother had a daughter in Mexico called Margarita. She was almost the
spitting image of her father but she preferred her local tequila instead of brandy, and as
there are no lemons in Mexico she used lime.

Margarita
Glass: Martini
Garnish: Salt rim (optional) and lime wedge
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

2 shots Don Julio Reposado Tequila

1 shot Triple Sec
1 shot Freshly squeezed lime juice

2.8) The Cuban Cousin

Finally, there was one other cousin related to the English White Lady. She lived in Cuba
and being a Latin type she liked her rum rather than gin. She didn’t feel the need to add
Cointreau to her spirit, but added some local limes instead of lemon juice and some
sugar syrup. She was the Daiquiri.

Daiquiri

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lime wedge
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fin strain into chilled glass

2¼ shots Pampero blanco rum

1½ shots Freshly squeezed lime juice
¾ shot Sugar syrup

This is simply a more easy way to remember that the White Lady is simply a variation on
a Silent Third and a Sidecar; that the Margarita is nothing more than a variation on the
Sidecar; the Cosmopolitan a variation on the Margarita, and so on.

2.9) Peter Dorelli’s Campari Family

Peter Dorelli has also created a Campari ‘family’ in his mind – it’s easy to see how you
can personify the Cardinale into a Cardinal who wears orange robes (Campari with
orange), an American who prefers his drinks longer and diluted (combine Campari with
sweet vermouth and soda and you’ve made an Americano), or an Italian (the original
Count Negroni, who would travel to England and so instead of soda preferred to add
gin). “It’s easier to remember in groups than individual recipes,” says Peter. “It engages
you more than a list.”

Cardinale

Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Orange slice
Method: Shake all ingredients and fine strain into ice-filled glass

2 shots Tanqueray No TEN

1½ Campari
1 shot Dry Vermouth

Americano
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Orange slice
Method: Pour Campari and vermouth into ice-filled glass and top with soda.
Stir and serve with straws

2 shots Campari
2 shots Sweet Vermouth
Top up with Soda

Negroni

Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Orange zest twist
Method: Pour all ingredients into ice-filled glass and stir

1½ shots Tanqueray No TEN

1½ shots Campari
1½ shots Sweet Vermouth

You get the idea: this method for remembering groups of drinks with similar ingredients
might not be scientific, and neither does it represent the chronological development of
the drinks (“I’m not interested in dates,” says Peter), but it does give you a clever method
for identifying not just with recipes but with ‘people’, and you can adapt this method for
yourself using your own relatives or people.

2.10) Martini to Martinez

Dry Martini

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Olive or Twist
Method: Stir vermouth with ice and strain to discard the excess leaving the glass and ice
coated with vermouth. Pour gin over vermouth coated ice, stir and strain into a chilled
glass

¾ shot Dry Vermouth

2½ Tanqueray No TEN

The Martini, and drinks that are similar to the Martini, can be easily rendered into a
family tree of sorts. One side of the family groups ‘Dry’ drinks such as the Dry Martini
(gin, vermouth and either an olive or a twist); while the Aviation is a simple variation,
using maraschino instead of vermouth and lemon juice, not just a twist. A close relation
to the Dry Martini too is the Vespa (which adds vodka to gin, and Lillet instead of
vermouth and a lemon twist).

Aviation

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Maraschino cherry
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

1¾ shots Tanqueray No TEN

¾ shot Maraschino liqueur
½ shot Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Vesper

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

3 shots Tanqueray No TEN

1 shots Ketel One
½ shot Lillet Blanc

The other side of the family is more exotic, more ‘aromatic’ – so there’s the Martinez
(gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino, bitters and a slice of lemon); of which the Bronx
Cocktail is a variation, using dry and sweet vermouth, orange juice instead of maraschino
and orange bitters instead of Angostura. You can even argue that the Negroni is a
variation on a Martinez, (substituting Campari for maraschino, and orange instead of
lemon, and no bitters).

Martinez

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Orange zest twost
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

2 shots Tanqueray No TEN

½ shot Sweet Vermouth
¼ Dry Vermouth
1/8 Maraschino Liqueur
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Bronx

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Orange zest twist (discarded) and Maraschino cherry
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

2 shots Tanqueray No TEN

¾ shot Dry Vermouth
¾ shot Sweet Vermouth
1 shot Freshly squeezed orange juice

Substitute bourbon or rye for the gin in the Martinez and you’ve practically got a
Manhattan; the Rob Roy is simple variation on that, with Scotch whisky instead of
bourbon or rye and Peychaud’s bitters rather than Angostura. Instead of bitters in your
Rob Roy try Bénédictine and hey presto, you’ve got a Bobby Burns. Use bourbon rather
than Scotch and put Angostura Bitters back in and you’ve created a Preakness Cocktail.
Use Applejack rather than Scotch, and brandy instead of Bénédictine, and you’ve made a
Corpse Reviver.

Manhattan

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Orange zest twist (discarded) and Maraschino cherry
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

2½ shots Bourbon
½ shot Sweet Vermouth
½ shot Dry Vermouth
3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Rob Roy

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lemon zest twist (discarded) and Maraschino cherry
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

2 shots Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky

1 shot Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Bobby Burns

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass

2 shots Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky

1 shot Sweet Vermouth
¼ shot Benedictine D.O.M.

Preakness Cocktail

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

1½ shots Bourbon
¼ Cognac
½ Benedictine D.O.M.
½ shot Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Corpse Reviver

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Orange zest twist
Method: Stir ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass

1½ shots Cognac
¾ Calvados
¾ Sweet Vermouth

Sooner or later you start seeing cocktail families and similarities between mixed drinks
everywhere you look. It’s all about substitutions. Take a classic champagne cocktail, for
example. It is made of a bitters-soaked sugar cube with brandy and champagne. Remove
the brandy and put in gin, substitute the bitters for lemon juice and you’ve basically got a
French 75; or substitute the brandy for crème de cassis and you get a Kir Royale.

Champagne Cocktail

Glass: Flute
Garnish: Orange zest twist
Method: Coat sugar cube with bitters and drop into glass. Pour cognac over soaked cube,
the top with Champagne

1 cube Brown sugar

3 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 shot Cognac
Top up with Brut Champagne

French 75

Glass: Flute
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Shake first three ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass. Top with
Champagne

1½ shots Tanqueray No TEN

½ shot Freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ shot Sugar syrup
Top up with Brut Champagne

Kir Royale

Glass: Flute
Garnish: Blackcurrant on rim
Method: Pour cassis into glass and top with Champagne

½ shot Crème de Cassis

Top up with Brut Champagne

Or think about the relationship between the Mojito and the Mint Julep – both based on
spirit, mint, sugar and water – only using different spirits.

Delve a little deeper and you come across the traditional drinks families – such as Fizzes,
Flips, Punches, Daisies, Smashes and others. You can, of course, go away and learn these
by heart, and work out which of your most popular drinks fit into each category. Better to
work out the common themes between each category, so when you are asked for any type
of drink that you recognised as being part of a family, you are half way there to
remembering what actually goes into it.

 A cocktail is, according to its historic definition, any mixed drink that combines
base spirit, sugar, water and bitters.

 A sour is made up of base spirit, citrus, sugar, bitters and egg white. Add
carbonated water and you’ve basically got yourself a fizz.

 A daisy is any drink that combines base spirit, lemon juice, sugar and grenadine.

 A cobbler is base spirit, liqueur, wine (normally sherry or port) and a veritable
pile of fruits either muddled and/or garnished.

 If you’re asked for a Collins, you should know it’s comprised of spirit (typically
gin), lemon juice, sugar and soda.

 Punches are made of spirit, lemon, sugar and water (or tea) with spices.

 Highballs are made up of spirits and a mixer, or soda, or juice, and maybe with
bitters.

 Flips were traditionally beer, rum, and sugar, though over time have seen the
incorporation of eggs and the disappearance of beer. You can make a flip with any
spirit.

The beauty of mixed drinks is that all of these ‘rules’ are incredibly broad and you can
adapt them, substitute them, change them according to what spirits, liqueurs, juices,
mixers and bitters you have to hand. Chances are, whatever drink you are making, it is
related to another already in existence.

3/. COCKTAIL MASTERY - COCKTAIL FAMILIES

Understanding cocktail ‘family trees’ helps with recipe construction and

helps customer interaction.

As a trainee chef, there are several basic recipes that will form the core aspects of your
training, such as making a simple ratatouille or hollandaise sauce. Once these types of
recipe have been mastered, a chef can evolve to turning hollandaise into béarnaise or
even making up their own twists on the classic recipe.

The same is true of a great number of cocktail recipes and naturally the more
cornerstones the bartender knows, the greater their options for original creations and
variations.
The following ten categories are not exhaustive: they are just here to provide a guide to a
wider style of drink. It is not exhaustive – and cannot be – because there are too many
exceptions to the rule and too many recipes that cannot be classified within the listed
categories. For example, where would one place the Old Fashioned or Treacle, and where
would one place the Irish coffee or Hot Toddy (is it simply a warmed sling?). There are
other styles of drink such as the Negus or classic Sangria (and its many variations) both
of which would also find it difficult to find a home.

Another important question to ask before considering the categories are how each
category is defined. Is it by the ingredients, the method or the glassware? Or even
combinations of the above. For example, if we make a Gin Martini and serve it in a
highball glass over ice, is it still a Gin Martini? Most people would say not.

Certain categories of drink do seem to be defined by the glass in which they arrive – the
Highball for instance or the Martini – but others such as the Sour seem to be defined by
their ingredients and the choice of glassware is secondary.

3.1) Highballs

The term highball is a confusing one, as these days it often refers to a standardised piece
of glassware rather than the contents of that glass. Highballs are the simplest of long
drinks.

Highballs should be served in a tall glass of approximately 8-12oz, over cubed ice, and
are simply a spirit and carbonated mixer. The use of carbonated mixers makes the
standard spirit more interesting and the simplicity of the recipe adds to highballs’
popularity. A garnish is allowed but if any other ingredients are added (particularly fresh
citrus juice) the drink may no longer qualify as a highball.

A Horse’s Neck is an example of a common single spirit highball, as is the G&T and
vodka and tonic. The Americano Highball is an example containing two alcoholic
ingredients.

Carbonated beverages started to appear toward the turn of the 1800s and popped up in
multiple places including the US, UK and Hungary. Ginger ale, cream soda and Coca
Cola started to appear from the mid-1850s onwards and the popularity of this type of
beverage has continued to grow ever since. Highball recipes started to appear in cocktail
books around the 1880s charting their popularity in print.

A good recipe for a highball would consist of approximately 1 part liquor to 2 or 3 parts
carbonated beverage. Please note that it is entirely acceptable to produce non-alcoholic
highballs, the Shirley Temple is one such example: a mixture of grenadine and ginger ale
or lemonade.

The highball deserves recognition as the bread and butter of the trade. One in every four
drinks served within the bar environment is a highball and with the proliferation of a
vast range of new and popular carbonated beverages that number might well increase.

Although a far cry from some of the original and popular highballs such as whisky and
soda or ginger, the new highball of the era is the vodka and Redbull or vodka and Coke.

Note, a spirit and mixer served with juice instead of a carbonated alternative is not
classified as a highball.

3.2) Collins, Fizz & Rickey

These styles of cocktail are relatively similar and, particularly through variations on the
Collins (Raspberry Collins etc.), they have helped generate a greater public interest in
what we might call more complex long drinks.

It seems that all of these drinks are defined not by a spirituous ingredient but again by
glassware and the variety of citrus juice used in their preparation. Increasingly, there is
also a methodological difference in the techniques used to produce these although it is
unclear as to where this difference began. All of these varieties of cocktail have been
common since the mid- to late 1800s.

Collins – the tallest dink in this category (approx 12-14oz); this is served in a large and
tall tumbler (often referred to as an extra large bar glass) and is a combination of spirit,
lemon juice (although several recipes quote lemon and lime), sugar and carbonated
water. It would have been served over cracked or cubed ice. Note that lemon juice is now
the citrus of choice for this recipe but the definition allows for lemon or lime to be used.

In terms of production (and in conjunction with some of the earlier recipes) it seems
common to build the Collins directly into the service glass, although post 1900s (when
ice became increasingly available) recipes change to suggest this cocktail should be
shaken.

Fizz – the midsize drink in this category (approx 10-12oz) was served in what might have
been called a large bar glass (what we might call a highball today). The ingredients for
the Gin Fizz and the Gin Collins are virtually identical, again calling for spirit, lemon
juice, sugar and soda. It seems that the Fizz is indeed just a smaller version of the Collins
however Fizz recipes are increasingly calling for lemon juice rather than lime. Also, in
terms of production methodology, there is evidence to suggest the Fizz was also built
(over cracked or cubed ice) but today it is much more likely to be shaken than would be a
Collins. The only clear difference between the Collins and the Fizz appears to be size.

Rickey – generally the smallest of the carbonated, complex long drinks (approx 8-10oz)
although is often seen served in a similar size glass to the Fizz (the large bar glass). A
standard Rickey is a combination of spirit, lime juice and soda over cracked or cubed ice.
The ingredients are remarkably similar to its two closest relatives, however the Rickey
almost exclusively calls for the use of lime juice and many recipes omit the inclusion of
sugar.

Several Rickey recipes contain other forms of sweet ingredient such as grenadine or
raspberry syrup but it is likely these are later additions to the original recipe. As with its
two relatives a built or shaken method seems to be acceptable.

3.3) Fix
The Fix is a delightful drink that was designed to do just that, give you a quick fix. In
essence, it is likely to be an older drink than the Collins, Fizz or Rickey as it does not
require the use of carbonated water and the first published recipes of Fixes appear to
predate those drinks. The history books offer little by way of real clarification on the
ingredients but there are several overlapping features that would allow us to define a true
Fix.

It would likely have been a drink of 10-12oz, making it similar in size to that of a Fizz and
again, it is a recipe that is not bound by the spirit it contains.

Most recipes for a Fix suggest that it contains spirit, lemon juice, sugar and water. It is
partly defined by its garnish which would have a mixture of seasonal fruits and berries
laid across the top of the glass. Now, while the earliest recipes seem to be as above,
several recipes from the same era suggest that sweet pineapple syrup was added in
conjunction with sugar, or as a replacement for it. This would be more than acceptable
for a Fix recipe.

This drink would be built over cracked or cubed ice and stirred, although today shaking
would also be acceptable.

3.4) Juleps

The Julep is the most quintessential of American mixed beverages and its popularity has
spawned countless publications and arguments, but it can at least be defined, partly by
its ingredients but more so the method of its production.

While the Julep has subsequently become famous for its appearance (in a Julep cup or
pewter tankard) the original would have been served in a large bar glass or tumbler,
approximately the size of Fizz or Collins glass.

It is not unfair to say that even today the Julep, in its strictest form, is one of the most
limited categories. Unlike the Collins, Fix or Fizz whereby a bartender would likely ask
you which spirit you’d prefer (though gin would be default), the Julep would almost
religiously be made with American whiskey, particularly Bourbon. Purists might suggest
brandy or peach brandy, and some modern Juleps are made with gin, but the whiskey-
based Julep has prevailed and Juleps thereby consist of a glass filled with plentiful mint,
sugar and whiskey. The Julep is further defined by the inclusion of a large amount of
powered/crushed ice (which is churned), making it a distinctly chilled beverage.

The importance of the Julep category is that the recipe is one of the first to include mint
leaves and of course a quantity of powdered ice. The similarity of this production method
to the common Mojito cannot be denied and so with the Julep we potentially have a
father to rum’s biggest cocktail.

3.5) Slings

The Sling is an interesting drink and in some respects is the forefather of the cocktail, in
fact when the word cocktail first came in to the common lexicon it was described
‘vulgarly’, as a ‘bittered sling’. The editor of the 1806 ‘Balance and Columbian Repository’
suggested, in response to a letter questioning the term, that a cocktail comprised of
spirit, water, bitters and sugar.

The Slings of today no longer resemble the original published recipes of the mid 1800s
with many having been changed to accommodate a variety of what we might call
modifiers (liqueurs, syrups etc.), juices and carbonated water or club soda.

A Sling would be served in an extra large bar glass (approx 12-14oz), similar in size to
that of a Collins over cracked or cubed ice. It would contain spirit, sugar and water and
the majority of early recipes were finished with a grating of nutmeg. In essence, it is
simply spirit served with sweetened water.

In terms of methodology, because the classic Sling is no longer a called-for recipe and
new, more complicated recipes have taken its place, modern day Slings are virtually
always shaken but the original recipe slings were built and mixed in the service glass.
The most famous modern Sling recipe is the Singapore Sling – though this is typical of
how the term has become far removed from the Slings of old.

The Sling was also often referred to or classified as a Toddy (which would have been
served warm) although Toddy recipes have since evolved to include spirit, lemon, spices
and often honey.

3.6) Sours & Daisy

These days, the Sour and the Daisy are often closely linked but there are
many who feel that the Daisy is more like a Fix or a Fizz than it is a Sour.

In many ways the Sour is the ultimate cocktail, it provides the base for the Collins, Fizz,
Fix, Rickey and of course the Daisy. For an advanced bartender, understanding how to
produce the perfect Sour should be one of the key skills and if this cannot be mastered, it
can make life behind the bar very difficult indeed.

The basic comprehension of ‘spirit, sweet and sour’ occurs in the vast majority of
cocktails and in the most part a bartender must understand how this balance of sweet
and sour works with the huge variety of spirits and liqueurs that are available. For
example, an Amaretto Sour will need less sugar than say a Whisky Sour and adjustments
are required at virtually every level in between.

Sour – the Sour, appears in the first published cocktail book, Jerry Thomas’s ‘Bon
Vivant’s Companion’. In this book the Sour is likened in all ways to a Fix, except that the
garnish is much simpler, replacing the heaped seasonal fruit with a simple lemon piece
that must be left in the glass.

It is now commonly accepted that the Sour is a combination of spirit, sugar (and
occasionally other forms of non-alcoholic sweetener) and citrus, nearly always lemon –
though several early recipes suggest lime, or combinations of both, is acceptable. We are
happy to have lime as an option because this then allows us to squeeze the Daiquiri into
this category also.
The Sour would have originally been served, like the Fix, in a tumbler, and built over ice.
Again, it has been commonplace since the early 1900s to serve Sours in smaller pieces of
glassware such as the specific Sours glass or a Delmonico glass. These days you are more
likely to receive your Sour in a rocks glass, over cubed ice, with the possible inclusion of
egg white. It is unclear as to when egg white started to make its way into the recipe but it
adds an interesting texture and body to the recipe which some find pleasant. The garnish
has virtually remained unchanged (a lemon piece or wedge) and is standard.

Daisy – the history books again are not conclusive but what seems to be true is that this
recipe would have been originally served in a large bar glass (akin to a Fizz or a Fix).

Before the variation, virtually all Daisies would have contained spirit, lemon juice (some
again say that lime is acceptable), sugar and carbonated water. It would also have been
served over cracked, possibly shaved ice, and garnished with several seasonal fruits,
making its appearance not dissimilar from the Fix.

The main difference, and the one that seems to define the Daisy, is that many of the early
recipes called for the inclusion of yellow Chartreuse (or other sweet liqueurs) and it is
not uncommon to find that the sugar element is either entirely replaced by or has in
addition to it, other sweet syrups, perhaps grenadine or raspberry. These additional
sweeteners are almost certainly what set the Daisy apart.

It also became common at some stage to shake the Daisy and serve it in a smaller
cocktail or Delmonico glass rather than build it in the large bar glass as had been
previously prescribed, for this reason it becomes more like the Sour.

It is worth mentioning at this point that other important recipes appear fall close to the
Sour/Daisy category, such as the Margarita and the Side Car. Both of these recipes are
basic Sours in construction but like the Daisy, the sweet ingredient (and there is only
one) is an orange liqueur. More recently this type of cocktail has been referred to as a
New Orleans Sour and this denotes the use of a primary alcoholic sweetener. However
one might categorise these drinks, they cannot be forgotten.

3.7) Martini

The Martini is possibly the most confusing of all the categories not only because it is a
drink in its own right, nor just because it is the name of a brand of vermouth, but also
because more than any other drinks category/family it has spawned hundreds upon
hundreds of spin-offs. Most of these drinks have been defined as a Martini simply
because the piece of glassware in which they are served is so iconic. As a modern symbol
of cocktail culture, nothing is more powerful than this V-shaped glass.

The other issue with the classic Martini (gin or vodka) is that the recipes are so varied
and more so than any other drink, it is a cocktail that requires the bartender to interact
with the customer to help them define their own parameters – for this reason it is
possibly the most personal of cocktails.

In terms of origin, it is highly likely that the cocktail that we call the Martini today is
based on another Jerry Thomas recipe known as the Fancy Gin Cocktail. The recipe goes
as follows:
3-4 dashes gum syrup
2 dash of bitters (Bogart’s)
1 wine-glass of gin
1-2 dashes of Curacao
1 piece of lemon peel

Shake these ingredients and strain into a fancy wine glass, then add the lemon peel on
top.

Around the same period (1887) there is also a cocktail known as the Martinez, combining
gin, sweet vermouth, bitter and maraschino (although some recipes call for Curacao).
This drink is also seen be some as the predecessor to the Martini.

The word Martini itself actually appears in print in Harry Johnson’s ‘Bartender’s
Manual’ (1888) and by this stage vermouth was more readily available – although it is
worth noting that the vermouth in this case would likely have been red, sweet and
Italian, not the traditional white, dry and French variety we associate with the Martini
today. This recipe is very similar to the above although there is the addition of vermouth
and the garnish specifies that a cherry or medium sized olive is acceptable.

Whatever theory you prefer, it seems that there is a clear lineage for the Martini and
what defines a classic Martini today is a combination of ingredients, glassware,
methodology and garnish – as such, it is one of the few drinks to actually be defined by
all four variables. A true Martini today is a combination of either gin or vodka and
vermouth (nearly always dry vermouth). The quantity and manner in which the
vermouth is applied is dependent on the recipe but one thing is for certain: it must
contain vermouth.

The accepted method of production (unless a customer specifically requests it to be

shaken – James Bond has a lot to answer for) is for the drink to be stirred and then
strained into a frozen Martini/Delmonico/Coupette glass. The garnish is nearly always a
lemon twist or an olive (or both).

Moving on from this, the Martini in its wider sense can contain just about anything and
is only defined by its use of that classic V-shaped stem. The variations are endless, from
Chocolate and Raspberry Martinis to French Martinis and even Porn-Star Martinis. The
Cosmopolitan might also be considered a form of Martini.

None of these recipes bear any resemblance to the classic but are connected only by their
method or presentation – change the way in which they are served and they almost
certainly cease to be ‘Martinis’.

It has, however, been suggested that the ‘true’ Martini alone should be allowed to keep
its unique name and all other drinks, if simply served in this style, should be called ‘Neo
Martinis’ or simply ‘Up-drinks’.

3.8) Flips

The Flip is actually quite a simple drink and is another that has grown in popularity over
the past decade. Despite the pleasure that can be derived from a good Flip, this family of
drink may never be popular among the regular drinking public, simply because there is a
‘fear’ of consuming beverages that contain raw egg.

Like many recipes, the Flip appears in the oldest cocktail books, clearly suggesting that it
was a drink of note. A Flip would always be served in a small cocktail, wine or
Delmonico-style glass and would always be shaken with cracked ice before being
strained.

The ingredients for a flip were simply spirit of choice, whole egg and sugar. The garnish
would always be a dusting of nutmeg. The major issue surrounding the Flip is that
bartenders often now confuse Flips with Eggnog. Although there are some confusing
messages, with recipes such as the New York Flip, the Flip does not contain milk or
cream whereas the Eggnog must contain at least one of those ingredients.

Although most Flips appear to contain single spirituous ingredients, it is more than
acceptable to use multiple ingredients (including liqueurs and fortified wines) in their
creation. Additional spices may also be used for garnishing or flavour.

Harry Johnson’s recipe for a Claret Flip is as follows:

1 fresh egg
½ tablespoon of sugar
½ glassful of shaved ice
1½ wineglasses of claret wine

Shake well till thoroughly mixed, then strain it into a fancy bar glass, grate a little
nutmeg on top, and serve.

His Eggnog recipe is similar except for the addition of milk.

3.9) Punches

Punches were and still are one of the most exciting of cocktail categories, providing a
unique freedom of expression for the bartender but also opening up vastly the types of
ingredients that could be used. It is no coincidence that this category of drink occupied
virtually the first 80 recipe slots in Jerry Thomas’ original book. The punch is also
unique because it has become known as a ‘party drink’ or, as we might call it today, the
original sharing cocktail. It was made in large quantities and ladled out and each
noteworthy establishment in society had its own recipe. That is not to say that Punch
recipes could not be made for the individual, however this was less common.

It is also one of the few drinks that seems to have a clear origin, upon which most people
have agreed. The term punch is said to come from the Hindi word panch or from the
Persian word panj; both meaning ‘five’ and seeming to refer to the number of ingredients
it contained.

Punches have been quoted in literature for much longer than any of the above families of
drink and generally contain the following ingredients: spirit (or wine or even ale), lemon,
sugar, water and spice. It is not uncommon to find punches containing several different
alcoholic ingredients, as can be seen in the recipe below for a Philadelphia Fish House
Punch taken from Jerry Thomas’ ‘Bon Vivant’s Companion’:

1/3 pint of lemon juice

3/4 pound of loaf sugar
1 pint of mixture (brandy, peach brandy and rum)
2 1/2 pints of water

Many punch recipes, such as the Artillery Punch, replace the spice for a chilled variety of
tea. It was also popular to replace the sugar in certain recipes with other sweet
ingredients such as raspberry syrup, pineapple syrup, curaçao and maraschino. With
regards to garnish, plenty of chopped and season fruit would fill the punch bowl and
large sprinklings of nutmeg and spice might also be popular.

The wider category of punch would also likely contain the Cup, of which the most
familiar modern recipe would be a Pimm’s. As for punch recipes today, the term has
become somewhat of a catch-all for any kind of drink that is served in a punch bowl (or
similar) or that contains a large number of ingredients. Rum certainly provides the most
common base for today’s punches and the two are synonymous.

As was the case centuries ago, with each establishment purporting its own recipe, the
modern generation of bar has also tried to create a signature recipe. Modern punch
recipes, if in no other form but the name, include drinks such as the Russian Spring
Punch.

3.10) Pousse-cafés

The last and smallest of the listed categories/families but by no means less
iconic.

The Pousse-Café is a drink that is constructed by layering sweeteners, liqueurs and

spirits on top of each other, and in a particular order, so as to create an attractive
beverage that is often consumed in one mouthful.

Although modern varieties of Pousse-Café can contain as few as two ingredients, with the
majority consisting of three ingredients, the older and more interesting versions of the
recipe can contain six ingredients or more.

It seems that most Pousse Cafes are not defined by ingredients but by the layering
techniques in which they are made and also by the style of glassware in which they are
served. The Pousse-Café glass is small fluted style of glass (sometimes tapered,
sometimes straight), similar perhaps to a small Champagne flute.

Pousse-Cafés do not tend to contain juice or citrus but the ingredients need not be purely
alcoholic. The perfect Pousse-Café will show ultimately clarity and no fuzziness between
the layered ingredients.

The recipe below is from Harry Johnson’s ‘Bartender’s Manual’:

1/6 parfait d’amour or raspberry syrup

1/6 maraschino
1/6 vanilla (green)
1/6 Curacao (red)
1/6 Chartreuse (yellow)
1/6 Brandy

Each ingredient is layered in the above order.

Modern Pousse-Café recipes include the B52 and the inappropriately named Slippery
Nipple. Recipes like this are produced in shot glasses rather than specific Pousse-Café
glasses, making the only defining characteristic of a modern Pousse-Café the fact that the
ingredients are layered.

For those interested in producing new Pousse Cafes, Gary Regan’s ‘Joy of Mixology’
cocktail book has an interesting table that charts the densities of many widely available
ingredients, allowing bartenders to see which ingredients would float in relation to each
other without going through the process of trial and error.

4/. Cocktail Mastery - Winning Cocktail Competitions

Throughout your bartending career there will be opportunities to enter

cocktail competitions. These competitions will vary in style, complication
and the demands that are placed upon the bartender. As ever, there is no set
formula to winning and competition can sometimes be fierce but the
following tips may give you the winning edge.
 
4.1) The Rules
 
The first thing you’re taught when taking part in an examination (of any kind) is to read
the question thoroughly, and the same is true when entering cocktail competitions. The
rules or the competition brief provide the parameters within which you must operate and
if you understand them well, you will undoubtedly put yourself at an advantage.

Look back at previous World Class competitions to familiarize yourself with the format.
On a national level, the competition begins with bursts, which can provide invaluable
hints and tips for succeeding. They include educational background information on
different spirit categories and are hosted by Diageo’s Reserve ambassadors, who have
been involved since World Class began. You can get a clear idea of the level of
sophistication of mixology that tends to be presented, the level of innovation that’s
expected from entrants, as well as a firm grasp on the presentational style that’s expected
of entrants. This is where the showmanship starts.

Most competitions will have strict rules and regulations* particularly with regards to the
type and number of ingredients that can be used and also with regards to the style of
drink that must be created. Other competitions will allow for a greater degree of personal
freedom but virtually all competitions will come with an attached brief. It goes without
saying you should read it.

For instance, bartenders may be required to produce a new form of Daiquiri or a

variation on the Piña Colada. They might also be required to use a particular brand or
spirit category. Cocktails may need to be served in a certain type of glassware or suit a
particular occasion such as after-dinner, al-fresco or aperitif. Often, the rules include a
combination of the above factors. Failing to comply with even this most rudimentary or
requirements could mean at best, missing out on crucial points scores, at worst early
dismissal.

Check to see if there is a time limit, how many drinks you are required to make and
whether equipment and ingredients will be provided for you. Be sure to read any
attached judging criteria and, for competitions that contain multiple rounds, be sure you
have studied the rules of each round.

Are the judges working blind or will you be facing a team of specialists? If so, will you be
judged on just the taste of your recipes or will your own commentary and presentation
also factor? In most cases, judging criteria will be weighted toward a specific outcome, so
be sure to concentrate your efforts in the rights areas. Whatever you do, if you fail to
deliver on the brief, you can almost certainly rule out any chance of winning.

Better still, do some research about who the judges are. Their own careers will give you a
strong steer as to what their areas of expertise are, which spirit categories they favour
and tailor your drinks to impress them. Whether your judge is Tanqueray global brand
ambassador Angus Winchester or The Maestro himself Salvatore Calabrese, you should
be able to rustle up some crucial background facts that you can build in to your patter or
into your drinks recipes. Perhaps you will present your own twist on a long-forgotten gin
cocktail for Angus, or include a hard-to-find ingredient from the Amalfi Coast, where
Salvatore grew up, to impress them. It’s about going the extra mile.
 
*Bartenders should be aware of competitions sponsored or hosted by the International
Bartender’s Association (IBA) as these competitions always adhere to strict rules
including sections on technical bartending.
 
 
4.2) Naming Drinks
 
Giving your cocktail an appropriate moniker is nearly always the hardest
part – and only slightly less important than naming your first child!
 
A great name should resonate or evoke thoughts in the mind of your drinker and might
even induce the drinker to salivate at the very thought of it. However, there are certain
guidelines which should inform you as to what is appropriate and what is not.

A name must be pronounceable as it needs to be ordered easily within a bar. Where

possible the name should appeal appropriately to the target audience.

If a good name cannot be thought up, try a name that best describes the type
of drink that you are a making: is it a Sour or a Martini or a Fizz? This will often provide
the suffix for your recipe e.g. Cherry Sour, East London Fizz, Chocolate Martini.

Many bartenders will try to incorporate the name of the brand they are using or a
specific piece of technical information or knowledge. Others will use humour or generate
puns to aid in their drinks-naming.
Essentially, however the name of the drink should fit the drink and its appearance
perfectly. Consider incorporating a brand into the cocktail name: not only is it arguably
more easy to remember but if it encourages brand-calling then competition-supporting
brands may also look favourably on it. Don Julio, Zacapa, Tanqueray, Ketel One and
Johnnie Walker are all ripe for accompanying with alliteration and rhyming.

Unfortunately the skill of naming drinks cannot be taught, like certain things in life, you
either have it or you don’t.
 
4.3) It’s Not Size That Matters
 
When it comes to producing a top-notch, truly inspired cocktail, it is not always the case
that bigger is better or that the more complex the drink, the greater your chances of
winning will be.

The concept of ‘size’ actually applies in three difference forms: the first in relation to the
actual size of the drink; the second in relation to the number of ingredients included in
the drink; and the third in reference to how complicated the drink is to produce.
 
Actual size – this can often be ruled out as a factor before the competition starts,
particularly if the rules dictate that a specific type of drink must be made. If the rules do
not specify such a thing, the choice of recipe and the size of the serve can be an integral
part of the competition.

It is worth considering the following: can you predict how the other competitors might
serve their drinks? If you can, then providing an alternative serve to the masses can help
you stand out as a competitor. Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries and use innovative
glassware or alternative ways of serving a particular product. It is worth remembering
that sometimes fortune favours the brave. 
 
Number of ingredients – the number of ingredients should not matter unless stipulated
in the rules. Be sure to check.

There are practical implications that should be applied even to winning drinks, at which
point simple drinks with a few ingredients might be preferred. A good drink is a good
drink, irrespective of the number of ingredients, but it makes intuitive sense that if that
aim can be achieved with fewer ingredients then it is more likely to be replicated
elsewhere as the recipe is easier to remember.

If we look at the most famous cocktails: the Daiquiri, Manhattan, Mojito and Margarita
we see simple combinations of three or four ingredients. These recipes have stood the
test of time for good reason. (It goes without saying that you should never forget to
include the base spirit when making a cocktail in a competition – it is surprising how
frequently nerves count against this and bartenders forget this most crucial of
ingredients.)

Beware that there are always exceptions to the rule, such as the Zombie or Singapore
Sling, but also note that the more ingredients you add, the more likely you are to mask
the flavour of the base spirit: this can be a real issue if the competition is sponsored by a
specific brand – especially where points are awarded for the character of that brand
showing in the finished drink.
 
 
4.4) Degree of Complication
 
The techniques used to create your cocktail can also be influential on your
progress.
 
Increasingly bartenders are attempting more and more difficult methodologies to
provide a point of difference. This can be seen in the proliferation of molecular
techniques, for example. It is essential that if such techniques are used that they are
explained clearly to the judging panel and more specifically that the usage of these
techniques has a clear qualitative advantage when compared to standard techniques. If
the same goals can be achieved in a more simple way, then it is worth considering the
value of the chosen methods – especially if points are awarded for simplicity.

The other key point is the issue of timing: be sure that you can accomplish the brief and
produce your drinks in the desired time, regardless of how you choose to make the
drinks. Practice making and talking about your drink in the allotted time.
 
 
4.5) The Back Story
 
A good yarn will help sell anything.
 
Not all competitions will require the need for a back story or provide an opportunity to
converse with the judges. When judging is blind and competitors are evaluated solely on
the qualities of the drink, then any story that may accompany the drink will be
superfluous. It is true, however, that all great drinks have a story behind them and with
this in mind it is worth preparing one even if it ends up being delivered to the customers
you serve it to in the bar.

The stories behind the creation of drinks such as the Margarita and the Cosmopolitan are
many-fold – they add mystery and excitement to the recipes and afford an opportunity
for bartenders to explain the potential origins to interested guests. It is worth
remembering at this point that a bartender is as much a salesman as a drinks creator and
any information, particularly stories, which can reinforce a product or potential
customer purchase, are invaluable sales techniques.

In certain respects, part of being a good bartender includes possessing the ability to tell a
good story and, when necessary, just being able to conjure one up out of thin air to the
amusement of guests and surrounding company. Rather like one’s capacity to adequately
name a drink, the ability to create a good back story for your own recipe is a special one.
Another crucial opportunity to impress the judges – and one that is frequently
overlooked – is by imparting as much relevant brand information as possible. Bartenders
often feel loathe to repeat certain information if it was already delivered to a judge by a
competitor, but you should not feel shy of saying what you know about the products you
are using.

In particular, ensure you know the production and distillation techniques employed in
the base spirits you are using – uncovering a little-known fact about the fermentation of
Don Julio tequila may be a stretch, but you may find that the way you construct your
cocktail reflects these methods quite well indeed. Equally, intimately knowing the
botanicals used in Tanqueray No. TEN gin or how the solera system in Zacapa rum
functions could also provide opportunities to enliven your recipe and presentation, down
to the serving vessel you used.
When you’re given the opportunity to deliver a back story there are, however,
several things to consider such as the length of time it takes to tell (you don’t want to
bore the judges), the humour content and the uniqueness of situation that spawned the
creation of the drink. The real aim of a back story is to make the drink more interesting
and more appealing. If your story enchants the judges (or the customer) and is based on
historical fact, then it can only help your cause.
 
 
4.6) Know the Sponsor
 
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
 
The biggest mistake I ever witnessed a bartender make during competition was for him
to announce, when his moment came, that the drink he had invented tasted better with
an alternative type of gin from that of the sponsor’s gin. From that point forward it was
clear that regardless of the quality of the cocktail and all other associated factors, this
chap was not going to win. The brief had requested a cocktail that worked with a specific
type of gin and to slander the sponsor’s gin as an opening gambit was foolish, to say the
least.

First and foremost, the sponsor of the competition is paying for everything: if there is a
prize and there often is, they’ve paid for that too. Obviously the sponsor has arranged the
competition for a reason but more often than not the competing bartenders have the
most to gain.

If a competition is sponsored by a specific brand, make sure the key brand or product is
at the forefront of the drink. For example, if all drinks must be made with Tanqueray 10,
it is highly advisable that the featured product is the most significant contributor to the
final drink. There is little to no point in creating a Tanqueray No. TEN cocktail that
works equally well or better with another style or brand of gin. It is usually expected that
the featured product will be either the only spirit in the drink or appear in the highest
volume (check the rules of the competition). The featured product should also be the
most prominent flavour provider in the drink and the rest of the ingredients should
complement those flavours.

Again, this is where knowing who the judges are becomes integral to success: often one
of the judges will be a representative of the brand in question and will be tasked with
looking for the drink or bartender that fits not only the brief but also the brand itself.
 
 
4.7) Original Ingredients
 
House-made cocktail constituents are not always better than mass market
commercially produced alternatives.
 
There is a very fine line indeed when it comes to the use and inclusion of original
ingredients. The reason for this is that many competitions require winning drinks to be
replicable in multiple locations, financially viable with regards to ingredients costs and
also easy to produce in busy bars. Needless to say, with regards to the cost of original
ingredients, this should be a standard consideration for any professional bartender, as a
drink that is to be retailed needs to be sufficiently profitable.

There is unequivocally a double-edged sword here because most judging criteria award
marks for simplicity and ease of production, but often this is contrary to the use of
original ingredients which can be complicated, rare or expensive.

For example, a house-made syrup or artisanally produced infusion, essential to a recipe,

might allow one to score heavily on the originality scale, yet the very same ingredient can
also render a drink difficult to produce and/or not commercially viable, particularly if
the items requires a degree of expertise that is not easily transferable.

Even if an ingredient is not ‘house’ produced it can still be original, however, if that
product is one of limited availability (specific to a local area, region or even country) it
can still detract from the simplicity scale and make replicating that drink difficult.

Products do not have to be house-made to be original nor do they need to be expensive.

Remember that original ingredients are important but searching endlessly to include
something original should not be a priority. If you have an excellent drink using existing
ingredients, you are still likely to fare well (possibly better).

If you really must include something original for your recipe, always have a back-up item
that is easy to acquire that you can recommend to the judges as an alternative. This way
you can stay original but also display clear consideration for the other factors associated
with such ingredients.
 
 
4.8) Ingredients and Balance
 
Both essential to a good drink… and to winning.
 
This is possibly the most important section to understand in competitive bartending,
because quite simply this section relates to the actual cocktail or drink itself. During
competition it also allows a bartender to demonstrate their understanding of flavour in a
way that separates them from their competitors.
 
Ingredients
With regards to the chosen ingredients there are certain tenets that must always be
adhered to if you want to increase your chances of winning.

The first of these is with reference to perishable ingredients. In most cases this relates to
fresh produce. For example where cocktails contain fresh lemon juice, lime juice or other
citrus, this juice should be squeezed just before use or ideally à la minute, as this will
help maintain the best qualities of the fruit. By the same token, if you decide to use any
other fresh fruit or herbs, these should be of pristine quality and flavour. Because of the
disparity that can be found in fresh produce, it’s often wise to taste some from your
chosen batch just to be sure.

Other perishable ingredients also include vermouths, wines and fortified wines, cordials,
syrups, sweeteners, juices and liqueurs: given that all of these items can pose a risk to the
final product quality you must be confident that your chosen ingredients are in perfect
shape. You only get one opportunity to perform so don’t let your ingredients be your
downfall.

While it is generally true that ingredient quality increases with price it is not always
necessary to use the most expensive items. Try to choose your ingredients based on
quality and their relevance to the recipe, not on price.

Your choice of ingredients can also be an indicator of your understanding and the
breadth of your expertise. You should always try to explain why you have used particular
ingredients and why you feel these best contribute to the recipe. If you achieve all of this,
you will have done a good job.

Your understanding of ingredients and the sophistication of your palate is crucial

particularly if you are presented with a ‘mystery box’ of ingredients. This is a common
challenge in both national World Class competitions and in the global final. When you
are presented with botanicals and other ingredients that may be unfamiliar, you must be
ready and primed to instantly make mental flavour pairings with the base spirits you are
using, whether it’s the chamomile notes in Tanqueray No. TEN, the peppery heat of Don
Julio tequila or the tropical notes within Zacapa 23 rum.
 
 
Balance
As has been mentioned previously, the quality of your ingredients can help remarkably
but without an understanding of flavours and how to combine them you will still struggle
to create a winning drink.

When thinking about balance there is a large amount to consider: the strength of the
alcoholic ingredients, the sharpness of the citrus, the intensity of the sugars used, the
amount of water contained in the drink, the depth and flavour of any modifiers
(vermouths, liqueurs etc.), even the temperature or manner of service can affect the final
balance. The aim is to combine your ingredients in such a way that they produce a
perfectly harmonious result.

Look at the original Daiquiri: it is a cocktail comprising just three ingredients, but to
make sure it has the correct balance of sweet and sour to accompany the strength and
flavour of the rum is a difficult task indeed.

Unfortunately, there is no empirical way to measure balance and as such it’s slightly
subjective. The mystery of good balance is that you might not always notice when it is
present, but you will always notice when it is not!

Theoretically, for a competition, a well-balanced drink allows the main (or sponsor’s)
spirit to shine and to allow all the other included ingredients to play their part in the
orchestra. From a simple Gin & Tonic to the most complex of cocktails – balance is key.
 
4.9) Luck Favours the Prepared
 
Like a successful athlete or any dedicated professional, the harder you work
to achieve your goals the more likely you are to succeed.
 
Preparation can be viewed in a number of ways.
 
Research
If you are to face a judging panel you should naturally arrive armed with the correct
knowledge to field any potential questions. Knowledge is the key to a successful
presentation. You should be able to explain how your ingredients are produced, where
they come from and why they taste the way they do. You should be aware of ABVs and be
able to confidently offer tasting notes and descriptions to the judges.

If the competition rules dictate you make just one original drink, there is no excuse to
not know everything about the ingredients and the products that you are using. The
ability to explain all facets of your recipe and its component parts shows not only
dedication and commitment but it might also help you on your way to victory.
 
Practice
It is not uncommon to hear bartenders confess, mid-competition, that they have never
made this particular recipe before. It is assumed that great kudos will be bestowed upon
those who have the capacity to think on their feet. The truth, however, is slightly
different. While a sharp mind, able to create recipes on the spot, is an admirable trait for
a bartender, in the world of the competition well practised and refined recipes usually
come out on top. Practice does generally make perfect.

Practice also has another benefit. When competitions are strictly time limited, with
penalties awarded for excess time, it is not uncommon to see a good number of
competitors fail to meet the time limit. If you are required to make several versions of the
same drink, or even several different drinks, it is highly recommended that you test
yourself before arrival to make sure you won’t be losing any unnecessary marks.
 
Arrive Early
This might make you look too eager, but when the pressure is on and preparation time is
running short, the earlier you arrive, the easier your job. Arriving early allows you to
familiarise yourself with your surroundings and to make sure you know the location of
any necessary equipment.

Bars often have limited equipment and usually it is first-come, first-served with regards
to who gets to use it. This type of preparation, particularly in unfamiliar surroundings,
can lead to you looking professional rather than flustered. It can also afford you the time
to do a full run-through of your performance before your number is called.
 
Equipment
The basic rule is to assume that wherever your competition is being held, the location
will have none of the equipment you require to compete. If you make this assumption
then you are forced to bring everything you need with you. This includes shakers, knives,
specialist tools and even ingredients. You will naturally be more familiar and confident
with your own equipment and while the bar might carry a blueberry liqueur, it might not
be the same brand that makes your recipe so special. Bartenders have even been known
to transport their own ice across the world! They are usually the ones that win.
 
 
4.10) Performance & Presentation
 
The magic is in the performance. Some call this star quality.
 
Naturally, if the rules of competition specify that competitors are to be judged blind, then
the requirement to perform goes little beyond the performance of making the perfect
cocktail. But when the judges are facing you, your performance becomes all the more
important.

It is no lie that great performances have won competitions, even when the drink quality
was lacking. This is because a truly great performer has the capacity to convince the
panel that what they are tasting, or are about taste, is something so special that they
believe it even when it isn’t true.
 
Points of difference
Judges are always looking for the X-factor (forgive the term). In a competition where the
drinks standard is high, the difference between winning and losing can come down to
your personal performance as a bartender. This could be the humour that you inject, the
degree of knowledge that you display or your technical capacity.

If you have drafted a list of points that you want to cover, make sure that you get them all
in: the pressure of the stage can cause even the very best to lose their cool. Be clear and
informative but be careful not to bore the judges – they are a sensitive species and can
lose their patience with a misdirected know-it-all.
 
Be professional
Never tell a panel of judges that you just came up with your entry that morning, that it
was a last-minute effort or that you were out the previous evening getting drunk. At the
very least you should try to convey that you are well prepared even if you are not. These
competitions are for professionals and bartenders should behave as such: loutish, loud
and lewd behaviour is for losers.
 
 
Presentation
 
The last thing that you need to take care of is the presentation of your drink and, in some
respects, yourself.
There is a little bit of overlap between performance and presentation but there are
certain things that apply directly to presentation.
 
Be clean
Bartending is not only about making good drinks but also about cleanliness and personal
and professional hygiene. Wear presentable and clean clothes. Make sure your hands
and nails are spotless (it is sometimes wise to explicitly wash your hands in view of the
judges) – remember that your hands are the one thing that the judges will be watching
during the round.

Do not partake in any unhygienic practices such as handling ice or touching the rim of a
glass. All of these things will detract from your total score. Cleanliness also refers to how
you actually tend the bar: clean up your mess as you go, do not spill or waste product, be
efficient, effective and present your drink as pristinely as is possible.
Before the judges have a chance to observe and taste your drink, they will have a chance
to observe your ingredients and equipment. Make sure that your bottles/ingredients are
forward facing and that your equipment is presentable.

Once you arrive, put everything you need on a tray or arrange your bar so that everything
is visible and in reach… you should never need to look around for either equipment or
ingredients during the presentation.

It is wise – and polite – to offer the judges water before you start, as you would with any
customer, and to prepare your bar with napkins.
 
Technique
The judges will also examine your chosen methodology. If a drink is difficult to make and
requires accuracy, be sure to use the tools at your disposal such as jiggers or other forms
or measure. Be sure to present your ingredients as you use them and specify what they
contribute to the drink. Similarly, be prepared to answer questions on your technique
and methodology: some judges can really go to town on sloppy bartending practice.

In terms of technique, different judges favour different practices and techniques. For
example, Simon Difford always expects to see shaken drinks double strained and will
dock points for what he considers sloppy bartending. World Class guru Salvatore
Calabrese will dock points for stirring with the back (flat) end of a bar spoon, while Dale
DeGroff wants to see orange zest properly flamed on a Cosmopolitan. If your judge has
written a bartending book or has a blog, then reading it will tell you a lot about what they
like and dislike.
 
 
Glassware
Although some competitions will designate the use of a particular style of glassware,
others will allow for free choice. The decision of how best to serve your drink is a more
complicated decision than it might appear. For instance, if a drink is rich in flavour and
complexity it might not be best to serve it long and over ice. Quite often the quality and
style of a drink dictates how and in what it should be served, but competitors can fall
short by choosing a piece of glassware and trying to force a drink into it, perhaps
adjusting the recipe so that it fits accordingly, but to the detriment of the drink itself. The
right piece can help place you on top of the podium.

Don’t forget to handle your glassware correctly when you pass a drink to the judges.
 
Garnish

Once all other presentation decisions have been made, you need to select the correct and
appropriate garnish. Should the garnish be purely aesthetic or contribute to the drink
itself? Certain garnishes (twists for example) can be significant contributors and can
really add a finishing flourish. Some competitions also award points for aroma – in this
case a twist could be a winning garnish.

In the competition environment it is possible to use outlandish and impressive garnishes

that might not otherwise be suitable for regular bar use, either because of preparation
time or cost: a garnish like this can help win you the competition, but be prepared to face
tough question if the judges think that it is over the top.
 
Innovative presentation and methodology

What, if any, innovative presentation should be included? Bartenders have formed

veritable platters out of presentations, making their drink a centrepiece of a much wider
display: serving drinks with specific accompaniments (food or drink) is not uncommon if
the bartender feels that this highlights the character of the drink.

Think about ice and what might be available at the competition location. Can you bring
your own ice? It is worth shaping some pieces especially for the competition (again
showing skill and dedication).
Lastly, if you are going to use specifically different methodology, can you back it up with
fact? If you choose to dry-shake, for instance, or use molecular techniques, does this
improve the quality of the drink and can you clearly explain your thinking.