1. Tom Collins
Add two liquid ounces of gin (preferably London Dry), one ounce of lemon juice, and 1/2 ounce of simple syrup to a Tom Collins glass. (Yes, we are starting with this one so that you will remember what the Tom Collins glass looks like.) Add ice, top off with club soda, and stir. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry.
To memorize how to create this drink, your best tool is mechanical repetition. But this knowledge comes down the line, after you have taken several orders for it. If you are still trying to get your first bartending gig, and haven't even tasted all the drinks you'll be serving, you need a shortcut to memorize the basics.
This is why I'll be mentioning instances where these drinks appear in various films and TV shows. If you saw the scene in Meet the Fokkers where Dustin Hoffman's character serves a tray of six glasses of Tom Collins, you might remember how the drinks appear onscreen, or how the characters mention lemon juice. If you didn't, reading my description of the scene could give you enough context to remember the unique characteristics of each drink.
2. Dry Martini
Combine two ounces of gin and 1/4th an ounce of dry vermouth into a mixing glass and stir. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Ask the patron if they want an orange or a lemon peel garnish.
Martinis appear in a lot of films, but there are two references that you should remember.
First, the famous request James Bond makes for a martini 'shaken, not stirred' has driven fans of martinis crazy for decades. Using a cocktail shaker breaks up the ice and waters down the drink. You never want to hear a patron say 'don't bruise the booze'.
Second, when ordering a martini, many will make a show of requesting as little vermouth as possible. It could be 1/8th an ounce, a few drops, or none. As Taron Egerton says in Kingsman: The Secret Service; 'Martini. Gin, not vodka, obviously. Stirred for 10 seconds while glancing at an unopened bottle of vermouth. Thank you.'
3. Margarita
Rub the rim of a margarita glass with a lime, and dip it into salt to coat the rim. (Using a different glass could cause the patron to get sticky fingers.) Half-fill a shaker with ice cubes. Combine two ounces of tequila (preferably 100% Agave), 1 1/2 ounce of lime juice, and 1/2 ounce of triple sec. Shake it up. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wedge.
Note that this recipe is one of the many times my measurements diverge from what is listed in the IBA Official Cocktail recipes. Recipes intended for international audiences use the metric system, which doesn't always convert easily to what bartenders in the US would recognize. Drink spouts and jiggers are measured with fluid ounces in mind. Think of drink recipes as variations on a theme, and the particular ingredients and measurements you decide to use as reflections of your personal style.
If anyone has trouble remembering what a margarita looks like, just remember that quick scene in Jurassic World where Jimmy Buffett grabs a couple before running away from dinosaurs.
4. Daiquiri
Add two ounces of light rum (preferably Cuban), one ounce of lime juice, and two bar spoons of superfine sugar into a shaker. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Frozen daiquiris, like the banana daiquiri John Cazale orders in the Godfather II, are a popular variant that shouldn't be confused with the original. If you are asked to make a daiquiri during a job interview, they are referring to the classic recipe. Don't go for the blender.
5. Manhattan
Pour two ounces of rye whiskey, 3/4ths an ounce of sweet red vermouth, and one dash of Angostura bitters into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.
This is a strong drink. In Some Like It Hot, when Marilyn Monroe asks for a bottle of vermouth to make Manhattans, it's meant to sound a little reckless.
6. Negroni
Build in an old fashioned glass over ice. Add one ounce of gin, one ounce of Campari, and one ounce of sweet vermouth. Garnish with an orange slice.
It's believed that Count Camillo Negroni invented this drink in 1919 when he requested an Americano with gin instead of soda water. In The Deuce, James Franco's character claims that it is his personal creation. If you read this far, you know enough cocktail lore not to be fooled by such claims.
7. Old Fashioned
Place a sugar cube in an old fashioned glass. Saturate with Angostura bitters and add dashes of bottled water. Muddle until distilled. Fill the glass with ice (preferably one large cube). Add 1 1/2 ounce whiskey (bourbon or rye). Stir gently. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
In Mad Men, the old fashioned is meant to represent how Jon Hamm's character is a bit stuck in the past. Also, according to show creator Matthew Weiner, martinis were cliche.
8. Rusty Nail
Pour 1 1/2 ounce of scotch whiskey and one ounce of Drambuie into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Stir gently.
Over the course of Better Caul Saul, Bob Odenkirk's character prefers different drinks based on the stage he is in. The Rusty Nail represents a low point, where all the color has been drained from life. (Your patrons probably won't appreciate this kind of psychoanalysis.)
9. Stinger
Pour two ounces of Cognac, and one ounce of White Creme de Menthe into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Stingers show up in several old films. One notable mention is The Big Clock (1948), where an order of Stingers gets the plot rolling.
10. Whiskey Sour
Mix 1 1/2 ounce bourbon whiskey, one ounce lemon juice, and 1/2 an ounce of simple syrup. Shake with ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with half an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
The entire story of The Hangover hinges on a whiskey sour binge.
Intermission
How are we doing?
If you were suddenly teleported behind a bar, and an angry customer expected you to whip up a Stinger without checking your notes, it is likely that you would flounder trying to remember the right glass and ingredients.
This is okay. Feeling overwhelmed is just one step as your brain struggles to accept new information.
This might be an appropriate moment to practice one drink. Pick your favorite from the list. If you don't want to waste any ingredients, just mimic setting out the right glass, then each following step. If you can remember the mechanics of how to prepare one drink, you can iterate the process over and over.
When you're ready, return to the list.
11. Black Russian
Pour two ounces of vodka and one ounce of coffee liqueur (usually Kahlua) into an old fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Stir gently.
Russians refer to this drink as 'Ninochka', after the 1939 film starring Greta Garbo.
To make a White Russian, as popularized in The Big Lebowski, add an ounce of fresh cream to the top and stir slowly.
12. Bloody Mary
Add 1 1/2 an ounce of vodka, three ounces of tomato juice, 1/2 an ounce of lemon juice, two dashes of Worcestershire sauce, two dashes of hot sauce (usually Tabasco), one pinch of celery salt, and one pinch of black pepper into a mixing glass with ice. Stir gently and pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with celery and a lemon wedge.
For a Virgin Mary, replace the vodka with additional tomato juice (4 1/2 ounces).
Films are more likely to reference the Bloody Mary ghost story than the drink, but it is featured in an early scene in Kill Bill.
13. Champagne Cocktail
Place a sugar cube with two dashes of Angostura bitters in a large champagne glass. Add 1/4 an ounce of Cognac. Pour three ounces of chilled champagne. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Champagne Cocktails are referenced in Casablanca, which is almost a Rosetta Stone of various popular drinks of the WWII era.
14. Cosmopolitan
Add 1 1/2 ounce vodka citron, one ounce cranberry juice, 1/2 ounce of Cointreau, and 1/2 ounce of lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime slice.
Sometimes media references are the key reason behind a drink's popularity. Sex and the City made the Cosmopolitan so popular that Sarah Jessica Parker's character had to mention the trend in the movie.
15. Cuba Libre
Build the drink in a highball glass filled with ice. Start with two ounces of white rum, then four ounces of cola, and finish with a splash of lime juice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
So, the Cuba Libre is mentioned in Cocktail, which will probably always hold the record for the sheer volume of drink references. You don't need to watch this to be a bartender.
16. Grasshopper
Pour one ounce creme de menthe, one ounce creme de cacao, and one ounce of cream into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake briskly and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Mint garnish is optional.
In Ronin (1998), the recipe for a Grasshopper is recited as a description of an unbeatable interrogation tactic.
17. Irish Coffee
Pour 4 ounces of hot coffee into a preheated irish coffee mug. Add two ounces of irish whiskey and one teaspoon of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour two ounces of fresh creme slowly to form a distinct layer.
In The Love Bug (1968), the VW Bug malfunctions when irish coffee is poured into the gas tank. Maybe don't try putting sugar in a gas tank.
18. Mojito
Mix six sprigs of mine with two teaspoons of white cane sugar and 1/2 ounce of lime juice into a Collins glass. Add a splash of soda water and fill the glass with ice. Pour 1 1/2 ounce of white rum and top with more soda water. Lightly stir.
In Miami Vice (2006), Colin Farrell announces that he is a fiend for mojitos. This is a metaphor for how his character is a fiend for mojitos.
19. Mai Tai
Take one ounce of amber jamaican rum, one ounce of Martinique molasses rum, one ounce of lime juice, 1/2 ounce of orange curacao, 1/2 ounce of orgeat (or almond) syrup, and 1/4 ounce of simple syrup. Add all these ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a double rocks or highball glass.
The Mai Tai is featured in Blue Hawaii (1961). This was part of the second wave of tiki bar popularity, as Hollywood was cranking out movies with these themes through the 50s and 60s.
20. Long Island Iced Tea
Obtain 1/2 ounce of vodka, 1/2 ounce of rum, 1/2 ounce of gin, 1/2 ounce of tequila, and 1/2 ounce of Cointreau. (Alternately, you can use 1/2 an ounce of each of your well bottles, which likely means substituting triple sec for the Cointreau.) Pour all of these into a highball glass filled with ice. Add one ounce of lemon juice, 1/2 ounce of simple syrup, and fill to the top with cola. Stir gently. Garnish with a lemon slice.
I won't be explaining the reference in Cruel Intentions (1999). You'll have to watch the whole thing.
Add two liquid ounces of gin (preferably London Dry), one ounce of lemon juice, and 1/2 ounce of simple syrup to a Tom Collins glass. (Yes, we are starting with this one so that you will remember what the Tom Collins glass looks like.) Add ice, top off with club soda, and stir. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry.
To memorize how to create this drink, your best tool is mechanical repetition. But this knowledge comes down the line, after you have taken several orders for it. If you are still trying to get your first bartending gig, and haven't even tasted all the drinks you'll be serving, you need a shortcut to memorize the basics.
This is why I'll be mentioning instances where these drinks appear in various films and TV shows. If you saw the scene in Meet the Fokkers where Dustin Hoffman's character serves a tray of six glasses of Tom Collins, you might remember how the drinks appear onscreen, or how the characters mention lemon juice. If you didn't, reading my description of the scene could give you enough context to remember the unique characteristics of each drink.
2. Dry Martini
Combine two ounces of gin and 1/4th an ounce of dry vermouth into a mixing glass and stir. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Ask the patron if they want an orange or a lemon peel garnish.
Martinis appear in a lot of films, but there are two references that you should remember.
First, the famous request James Bond makes for a martini 'shaken, not stirred' has driven fans of martinis crazy for decades. Using a cocktail shaker breaks up the ice and waters down the drink. You never want to hear a patron say 'don't bruise the booze'.
Second, when ordering a martini, many will make a show of requesting as little vermouth as possible. It could be 1/8th an ounce, a few drops, or none. As Taron Egerton says in Kingsman: The Secret Service; 'Martini. Gin, not vodka, obviously. Stirred for 10 seconds while glancing at an unopened bottle of vermouth. Thank you.'
3. Margarita
Rub the rim of a margarita glass with a lime, and dip it into salt to coat the rim. (Using a different glass could cause the patron to get sticky fingers.) Half-fill a shaker with ice cubes. Combine two ounces of tequila (preferably 100% Agave), 1 1/2 ounce of lime juice, and 1/2 ounce of triple sec. Shake it up. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wedge.
Note that this recipe is one of the many times my measurements diverge from what is listed in the IBA Official Cocktail recipes. Recipes intended for international audiences use the metric system, which doesn't always convert easily to what bartenders in the US would recognize. Drink spouts and jiggers are measured with fluid ounces in mind. Think of drink recipes as variations on a theme, and the particular ingredients and measurements you decide to use as reflections of your personal style.
If anyone has trouble remembering what a margarita looks like, just remember that quick scene in Jurassic World where Jimmy Buffett grabs a couple before running away from dinosaurs.
4. Daiquiri
Add two ounces of light rum (preferably Cuban), one ounce of lime juice, and two bar spoons of superfine sugar into a shaker. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Frozen daiquiris, like the banana daiquiri John Cazale orders in the Godfather II, are a popular variant that shouldn't be confused with the original. If you are asked to make a daiquiri during a job interview, they are referring to the classic recipe. Don't go for the blender.
5. Manhattan
Pour two ounces of rye whiskey, 3/4ths an ounce of sweet red vermouth, and one dash of Angostura bitters into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.
This is a strong drink. In Some Like It Hot, when Marilyn Monroe asks for a bottle of vermouth to make Manhattans, it's meant to sound a little reckless.
6. Negroni
Build in an old fashioned glass over ice. Add one ounce of gin, one ounce of Campari, and one ounce of sweet vermouth. Garnish with an orange slice.
It's believed that Count Camillo Negroni invented this drink in 1919 when he requested an Americano with gin instead of soda water. In The Deuce, James Franco's character claims that it is his personal creation. If you read this far, you know enough cocktail lore not to be fooled by such claims.
7. Old Fashioned
Place a sugar cube in an old fashioned glass. Saturate with Angostura bitters and add dashes of bottled water. Muddle until distilled. Fill the glass with ice (preferably one large cube). Add 1 1/2 ounce whiskey (bourbon or rye). Stir gently. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
In Mad Men, the old fashioned is meant to represent how Jon Hamm's character is a bit stuck in the past. Also, according to show creator Matthew Weiner, martinis were cliche.
8. Rusty Nail
Pour 1 1/2 ounce of scotch whiskey and one ounce of Drambuie into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Stir gently.
Over the course of Better Caul Saul, Bob Odenkirk's character prefers different drinks based on the stage he is in. The Rusty Nail represents a low point, where all the color has been drained from life. (Your patrons probably won't appreciate this kind of psychoanalysis.)
9. Stinger
Pour two ounces of Cognac, and one ounce of White Creme de Menthe into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Stingers show up in several old films. One notable mention is The Big Clock (1948), where an order of Stingers gets the plot rolling.
10. Whiskey Sour
Mix 1 1/2 ounce bourbon whiskey, one ounce lemon juice, and 1/2 an ounce of simple syrup. Shake with ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with half an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
The entire story of The Hangover hinges on a whiskey sour binge.
Intermission
How are we doing?
If you were suddenly teleported behind a bar, and an angry customer expected you to whip up a Stinger without checking your notes, it is likely that you would flounder trying to remember the right glass and ingredients.
This is okay. Feeling overwhelmed is just one step as your brain struggles to accept new information.
This might be an appropriate moment to practice one drink. Pick your favorite from the list. If you don't want to waste any ingredients, just mimic setting out the right glass, then each following step. If you can remember the mechanics of how to prepare one drink, you can iterate the process over and over.
When you're ready, return to the list.
11. Black Russian
Pour two ounces of vodka and one ounce of coffee liqueur (usually Kahlua) into an old fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Stir gently.
Russians refer to this drink as 'Ninochka', after the 1939 film starring Greta Garbo.
To make a White Russian, as popularized in The Big Lebowski, add an ounce of fresh cream to the top and stir slowly.
12. Bloody Mary
Add 1 1/2 an ounce of vodka, three ounces of tomato juice, 1/2 an ounce of lemon juice, two dashes of Worcestershire sauce, two dashes of hot sauce (usually Tabasco), one pinch of celery salt, and one pinch of black pepper into a mixing glass with ice. Stir gently and pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with celery and a lemon wedge.
For a Virgin Mary, replace the vodka with additional tomato juice (4 1/2 ounces).
Films are more likely to reference the Bloody Mary ghost story than the drink, but it is featured in an early scene in Kill Bill.
13. Champagne Cocktail
Place a sugar cube with two dashes of Angostura bitters in a large champagne glass. Add 1/4 an ounce of Cognac. Pour three ounces of chilled champagne. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Champagne Cocktails are referenced in Casablanca, which is almost a Rosetta Stone of various popular drinks of the WWII era.
14. Cosmopolitan
Add 1 1/2 ounce vodka citron, one ounce cranberry juice, 1/2 ounce of Cointreau, and 1/2 ounce of lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime slice.
Sometimes media references are the key reason behind a drink's popularity. Sex and the City made the Cosmopolitan so popular that Sarah Jessica Parker's character had to mention the trend in the movie.
15. Cuba Libre
Build the drink in a highball glass filled with ice. Start with two ounces of white rum, then four ounces of cola, and finish with a splash of lime juice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
So, the Cuba Libre is mentioned in Cocktail, which will probably always hold the record for the sheer volume of drink references. You don't need to watch this to be a bartender.
16. Grasshopper
Pour one ounce creme de menthe, one ounce creme de cacao, and one ounce of cream into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake briskly and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Mint garnish is optional.
In Ronin (1998), the recipe for a Grasshopper is recited as a description of an unbeatable interrogation tactic.
17. Irish Coffee
Pour 4 ounces of hot coffee into a preheated irish coffee mug. Add two ounces of irish whiskey and one teaspoon of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour two ounces of fresh creme slowly to form a distinct layer.
In The Love Bug (1968), the VW Bug malfunctions when irish coffee is poured into the gas tank. Maybe don't try putting sugar in a gas tank.
18. Mojito
Mix six sprigs of mine with two teaspoons of white cane sugar and 1/2 ounce of lime juice into a Collins glass. Add a splash of soda water and fill the glass with ice. Pour 1 1/2 ounce of white rum and top with more soda water. Lightly stir.
In Miami Vice (2006), Colin Farrell announces that he is a fiend for mojitos. This is a metaphor for how his character is a fiend for mojitos.
19. Mai Tai
Take one ounce of amber jamaican rum, one ounce of Martinique molasses rum, one ounce of lime juice, 1/2 ounce of orange curacao, 1/2 ounce of orgeat (or almond) syrup, and 1/4 ounce of simple syrup. Add all these ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a double rocks or highball glass.
The Mai Tai is featured in Blue Hawaii (1961). This was part of the second wave of tiki bar popularity, as Hollywood was cranking out movies with these themes through the 50s and 60s.
20. Long Island Iced Tea
Obtain 1/2 ounce of vodka, 1/2 ounce of rum, 1/2 ounce of gin, 1/2 ounce of tequila, and 1/2 ounce of Cointreau. (Alternately, you can use 1/2 an ounce of each of your well bottles, which likely means substituting triple sec for the Cointreau.) Pour all of these into a highball glass filled with ice. Add one ounce of lemon juice, 1/2 ounce of simple syrup, and fill to the top with cola. Stir gently. Garnish with a lemon slice.
I won't be explaining the reference in Cruel Intentions (1999). You'll have to watch the whole thing.
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