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Bartending School
"I've been bartending and bar managing for nearly 20 years and this is the BEST teaching tool you'll ever find on the subject. The "courses" and "certification programs" offered by schools and online associations are for people who want to waste their time and have too much money to spend. This video is all you need."

Drink Recipes

THE TOP 60

Many bartending guides brag about listing 1000 recipes - this is not that guide.

Experience has shown that by the time those books are published, the recipes are already out of date and the next hottest drink is out. The truth is, most bartenders make the same 30-50 drinks all night long.

Rather than list hundreds of recipes you will never use, here are the Top 60. These are your foundation recipes that have proven themselves universally popular. They have been carefully chosen to demonstrate the drink catagories and mixing techniques you will need to begin bartending. All of the drink catagories and techniques are demonstrated in depth on the DVD.

Each bar will also have their own menu drinks and local favorites that need to be learned - a college nightclub will require a different recipe skill set than a fine dining restaurant. Plan on memorizing another 10-20 drinks when you gain employment at a new bar.

Once you have completed the DVD training and memorized the TOP 60, you should have no problem learning the new drinks that come your way.

Remember:

  • This is by no means a comprehensive list, but the minimum needed to step behind the bar and begin your trial by fire.

  • Many popular drinks are variations of a drink you will learn here. By learning these recipes, you are building a system for learning EVERY recipe you come across. (see DVD for details)

  • Each bar has their own policies and drink recipes. Follow the recipes at your bar and, ultimately, your goal is to make the beverage your customer wants to drink.

Garnishes

  • Squeeze = Lime
  • Twist = Lemon
  • Tonic water = lime
  • Margaritas = lime
  • Long Island = Lemon
  • Sours and Collins = cherry / orange (flag)
  • Drinks without a mixer only get a garnish on request
  • When in doubt, garnish to flavor (so a drink with orange juice gets an orange slice)

Common Measurements

A shot = the standard house pour (varies from bar to bar) We will pour 1.25oz shot (industry standard)

  • Shot = 1 1/4oz
  • Swirl, float or splash = approx. 1/4 oz

 Liquor Abreviations

When writting liquors - its common practice to use shorthand:

  • Rum = R
  • Vodka = V
  • Gin = G
  • Tequila = T
  • Whiskey = W
  • Brandy = Br
The same is true for juices
  • Orange Juice = OJ
  • Cranberry Juice = C
  • Grapefruit = Gr
  • Pineapple = P
This is less common in our era of "a computer in every bar," so we will keep it simple and obvious. Your bar may have its own abreviations. Your bar manager will let you know.

 THE TOP 60

VERY IMPORTANT
These recipes have been pared down to "Cliff's Notes"
and include no information on techniques, garnishes and glassware. They have been designed for quick reference and memorization rather than detail.

Complete RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS and VISUAL DEMONSTRATIONS
can be found on the 90-minute BARTENDING SCHOOL DVD

DVD purchase information

 

Straight Liquor
1.25 oz pour
Black Russian
Vodka and Coffee Liqueur (Kahluh)
1/2 shot each

Rusty Nail
1oz Scotch
1/4 oz Drambuie

Stinger (Brandy Stinger)
1oz Brandy
1/4 oz White Creme de Menthe
(Vodka stinger - replace brandy with vodka)

Godfather
1oz Scotch
1/4 oz Amaretto

Beautiful
Cognac
Grand Marnier
1/2 shot each
serve straight up in a brandy snifter

Highballs
1.25 oz pour
Highballs require no memorization
because they are ordered by their ingredients

For example:
Rum and Coke (R/C)
Gin and Tonic (G/T)
Seven and Seven (Seagrams 7 whiskey and 7up)
Captain and coke (Captain Morgan's Rum and Coke)

An exception is a:

Cuba Libre
Rum and Coke with a lime garnish

Juices
1.25 oz pour
Screwdriver
Vodka / orange juice

Cape Cod
Vodka /cranberry juice - lime garnish

Sea Breeze
Vodka / cranberry and grapefruit

Bay Breeze
Vodka / cranberry and pineapple

Greyhound
Vodka / grapefruit

Salty Dog
Vodka / grapefruit - salt the rim

Tequila Sunrise
Tequila / orange juice - top with grenadine

Fuzzy Navel
Peach Schnapps / orange juice
(think: fuzzy:peach and navel:orange)

Bloody Mary
1.25 oz pour
click here for Bloody Mary mix recipe

Bloody Mary
1 shot Vodka
fill with Bloody Mary mix

Sours
and Collins

1.25 oz pour
click here for sour mix recipe
Generally, Sours and Collins are named after their base liquor. Common drinks are the whiskey/sour, amaretto/sour, vodka/collins and more . . .
Two exceptions are:

Tom Collins
Gin and collins (think Old Tom Gin)

John Collins
Whiskey and collins (think 'J' - Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, John Collins)

Margarita
1.25 oz pour
Classic Margarita
1 shot Tequila
1/4 oz lime juice
1/4 oz triple sec (non-alcoholic)
fill with sour

For a flavored margarita,
simply leave out the triple sec (orange liqueur)
and add a flavored liqueur (rasberry, melon ,peach, etc.)

Also, sugar (not salt) rim of glass.

Rasberry Margarita
1 oz Tequila
1/4 oz lime juice
1/2 oz Chambord (or rasberry liqueur)
fill with sour
and OJ (optional)

Tropical Drinks
There is tremendous variety in tropical drink recipes. Each city and each bar seem to have their own version and even bartenders working at the same bar will often have their own variations and specialty drinks.

The recipes shown here have been choosen for a combination of good taste, ease of memorization and use of common ingredients. Memorize these and, if necessary, make adjustments after you are hired. Your bar manager will tell you the correct recipe for your bar

See the DVD for the different mixing techniques and glassware options.

Tropical 1
1 liquor / 1 flavor
1.25 oz pour
Sex on the Beach
1/2 shot Vodka
1/2 shot Peach Schnapps
equal parts OJ and cranberry juice

Melon Ball
1/2 shot Vodka
1/2 shot Midori (melon liqueur)
fill with orange juice

Blue Hawaiian
1 oz Rum
1/4 oz Blue Curacao
equal parts OJ and pineapple juice

Lynchburg Lemonade
1 oz Whiskey (or Jack Daniels)
1/4 oz triple sec
1/4 oz Amaretto (optional)
equal parts sour and 7up (or sprite)

Singapore Sling
Gin and Collins - float Cherry Brandy
1 oz Gin
sour and soda
1/4 oz Cherry Brandy

Tropical 2
multiple ingredients
2 oz pour
Mai Tai
1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Dark Rum
1/4 oz lime juice
1/4 oz triple sec
equal parts OJ and pineapple juice

Hurricane
Mai Tai - float grenadine
1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Dark Rum
1/4 oz lime juice
1/4 oz triple sec
equal parts OJ and pineapple juice
float grenadine

Zombie
Hurrican - float 151 Rum
1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Dark Rum
1/4 oz lime juice
1/4 oz triple sec
equal parts OJ and pineapple juice
float grenadine and 151 Rum

Rum Runner
1 oz Rum
1/2 oz Creme de Bannana
1/2 oz Blackberry Brandy
1/4 oz lime juice
fill with OJ and pineapple juice

Long Island Tea
2 oz pour
Long Island Iced Tea
1/2 oz Rum
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Triple Sec
fill with sour and cola

Muddled
1.25 oz pour
Mojito
1 shot Rum
muddle limes, mint and sugar
top with soda water

Old Fashioned
1 shot Whiskey
muddle orange, cherry, sugar, bitters
top with soda water

Martini / Manhattan
cocktail glass drinks
2 oz pour
Martini
2 oz Vodka or Gin
less than 1/4 oz vermouth (see DVD for details)

Gimlet
2 oz Vodka or Gin
less than 1/4 oz lime juice

Cosmopolitan
1 1/2 oz Vodka
1/4 oz lime juice
1/4 oz triple sec
splash cranberry juice

Grape Nehi
1 1/4 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Chambord (rasberry liqueur)
1/4 oz triple sec
splash sour and 7up

Apple Martini
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Apple Schnapps
splash sour and 7up

Manhattan
2 oz Whiskey
vermouth (see DVD for details)

Sidecar
1 1/2 oz Cognac
1/2 oz Cointreau (orange liqueur)
squeeze fresh lemon

Shots
1.25 oz pour
Built

Chocolate Cake
equal parts Vodka and Frangelico
sugar rim

3 Wise Men
equal parts Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Johnny Walker

Chilled

Kamikazi
1 shot Vodka
splash each: lime juice and triple sec

Lemon Drop
1 shot Citrus Vodka
served with lemon and sugar rim
(optional - splash triple sec)

Purple Hooter
equal parts Vodka, Chambord (rasberry liqueur)
and sour mix

Red Headed Slut
equal parts Jagermeister, Peach Schnapps
and cranberry juice

Layered
pour in order
equal parts

B-52
Kahluh (coffee liqueur), Irish Cream, Grand Marnier

Blow Job
Kahluh (coffee liqueur) Irish Cream, whip cream

Buttery Nipple
Butterscotch Schnapps, Irish Cream

Liquid Cocaine
Jagermeister, Goldschlager, Rumple Minze

Bombs
1.25 oz pour
Dr. Pepper
1 oz Amaretto
top with 151 Rum
drop into a half pint of beer

Irish Car Bomb
1/2 shot each: Irish Whiskey and Irish Cream
drop into a half pint of Guinness

Cream Drinks
1.25 oz pour
White Russian
1/2 shot each: Vodka and Kahluh(coffee liqueur)
top with half-and-half (cream)

Smith and Wesson
AKA Colorado Bulldog
1/2 shot each: Vodka and Kahluh(coffee liqueur)
top with half-and-half and cola

Toasted Almond
1/2 shot each: Amaretto and Kahluh(coffee liqueur)
top with half-and-half

Brandy Alexander
1/2 shot each: Brandy and White Creme de Cocoa
top with half-and-half
often served chilled and strained into a cocktail glass

Coffee Drinks
1.25 oz pour
Irish Coffee
1 shot Irish Whiskey
top with coffee

Coffee Nudge
equal parts Brandy, Kahluh (coffee liqueur), Dark Creme de Cocoa
top with coffee

Blended Drinks
1.25 oz pour
Most Bars will make frozen drinks with a pre-made mixer. Simply combine liquor and mixer in a blender according to directions on the mixer package. In general . . .

Daiquiri or Pina Colada
1 shot Rum
Flavored Daiquiri or Pina Colada Mix

Margarita
1 shot Tequila
Flavored Margarita Mix

Wine and Champagne Drinks
Mimosa
in a champagne glass OJ and Champagne

Kir
in a wine glass 1/4 oz Creme de Cassis
Fill with white wine

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