2011 Bar Trends: Drink Recipes You Actually Need to Know
Cream drinks and tropical cocktails are great to know; however, if you’re working at a pub or a neighborhood bar, chances are you may make one a night, if that. 90% of your clientele are ordering highballs, wine, or beer on any given night. Highballs are any drink made with one liquor and greater parts mixer. Examples include rum and coke, vodka and soda, vodka and cran, crown and coke, etc. Before making a highball type drink, ALWAYS attempt an upsell to a call or premium liquor. This will result in a tastier beverage, more income for your establishment, and ultimately, a happier customer.
Let’s talk about bar trends. I’ve noticed three major ones: the return of old timers, chicks ordering dude drinks, and scratch bartending.
1. The Return of The Old Timers
I blame Mad Men for this one. Negronis, Vespers, Martinis, Presbyterians, Old Fashions, Manhattans, and Car family drinks (Side Car, Box Car, Cable Car) are coming back in a big way. These drinks use darker liquors, bitters, raw sugar, and fresh fruit. In the 80’s and 90’s, Angostora bitters were rarely found behind the bar, but are becoming increasingly common. Things to keep in mind when using bitters is a little goes a long way- one or two dashes per cocktail. They ought to be used as a flavor enhancer rather than a main ingredient. Needless to say, I’m happy to see bar patrons moving away from the Gorilla Fart and Blow Job shooters.
2. Chicks Ordering Dude Drinks
There is a feminist revolution going on in bars right now. I’ve been seeing these tiny little waifs ordering their dad’s favorite single malt with no water back like it ain’t no thang. Whiskeys, scotches, and bourbons are becoming more and more common orders among women. I’m impressed. This brings up an important point: product knowledge. You’ve got to know the differences between Canadian, Irish, and Bourbon whiskey. Know you’re single malts from your blended scotches as well. You can’t successfully sell a product you don’t know.
3. Scratch Bartending
A lot of establishments are getting on the mixology bandwagon and are priding themselves on replacing classic (and gross) mixers like Rose’s lime juice and premixed Bloody Mary mix with fresh mixers made from scratch. Classic Sweet and Sour mix is made from reconstituted lemon concentrate, high fructose corn syrup, and bar foam. Why in the fuck would you put this junk in a premium liquor? I think this move away from premix is great. Organic liquor companies are also starting to pop up. It’s important to know how to make your drinks from scratch, as a lot of establishments will expect you to press and muddle your ingredients from scratch. Examples include the replacement of simple syrup with agave nectar, organic quinine (which can be purchased at BevMo, a California liquor store chain), fresh lime juice and sugar replacing sweet and sour, and organic fruit juices.
So what drinks do you ACTUALLY need to know how to make now a days? Here is a top ten:
1. All highballs (Cape Code, Greyhound, 7 & 7, Cuba Libre, etc.)
2. Bloody Mary (as well as Bloody Maria, Bloody Cesear, Bloody Bull, and Danish Mary).
3. Long Island Iced Tea (and all the other teas).
4. Basic shooters (Kamikaze, Scooby Snack, B52, Woo Woo, etc.)
5. Collins (Tom, John, Vodka, and Joe).
6. Martinis (Lemon Drop, Washington Apple, Dry, Cosmo, Dirty, Vesper, Gibson, etc.)
7. A handful of tropicals (Mai Tai, Zombie, Pina Colada will suffice).
8. Mojito
9. Vodka and Redbull (special energizer slut juice)
10. Margarita
Alright monkeys, that’s all for now.
- C
