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the recipes are already out of date and the next hottest drink is out.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.
A shot = the standard house pour (varies from bar to bar)
We will pour 1.25oz shot (industry standard)
When writting liquors - its common practice to use shorthand:
Straight Liquor 1.25 oz pour
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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
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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
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Juices 1.25 oz pour
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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)
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Bloody Mary 1.25 oz pour
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click here for Bloody Mary mix recipe
Bloody Mary
1 shot Vodka
fill with Bloody Mary mix
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Sours and Collins 1.25 oz pour
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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
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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)
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Tropical Drinks
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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.
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Tropical 1 1 liquor / 1 flavor 1.25 oz pour
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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
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Tropical 2 multiple ingredients 2 oz pour
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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
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Long Island Tea 2 oz pour
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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
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Muddled 1.25 oz pour
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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
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Martini / Manhattan cocktail glass drinks 2 oz pour
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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
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Shots 1.25 oz pour
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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
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Bombs 1.25 oz pour
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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
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Cream Drinks 1.25 oz pour
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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
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Coffee Drinks 1.25 oz pour
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Irish Coffee
1 shot Irish Whiskey
top with coffee
Coffee Nudge
equal parts Brandy, Kahluh (coffee liqueur), Dark Creme de Cocoa
top with coffee
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Blended Drinks 1.25 oz pour
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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
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Wine and Champagne Drinks
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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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