Bartending Articles

Article / Updated 09-27-2021

When doing any sort of entertaining, one of the biggest hassles is trying to figure how to set up your bar. Here are a few tips for setting up your home bar. Set up a traffic flow for your party Keep the bar as far as possible from your food and snacks. This prevents large groups of people from staying in one area. If possible, base a wine and beer bar in one area and a cocktail bar in another. Keep your bar in or near the kitchen Cleaning up spills is a lot easier in your kitchen. What's more, you'll do a lot less running around if you are close to the sink and refrigerator. If you have to set up your bar in another location, put a small rug or cloth under and behind the bar to protect the floor or carpet. And no matter where your bar is, use a strong, steady table to avoid tipping or collapsing. Serve smartly Your party will run smoothly and your guests will be happy if you take the following suggestions to heart: Use nothing larger than a shot glass for shots, and do not serve doubles to your guests. You aren't doing anyone any favors by overserving. If a recipe calls for 1-1/2 oz. of vodka, use just that amount. All mixed drinks should not exceed 2 oz. of liquor. Use lower proof products if they're available. Have fruit punch available for those "light" drinkers. Have alcohol-free drinks available, plus coffee and tea. Use only clean, fresh ice and fruit. If possible, chill glasses and do not put them out until five minutes before the party begins. When serving hot drinks, make sure that the cups or glasses have handles. Use scoops, tongs, or large spoons to serve ice. Never use your hands. If you do not have bottle pourers, rub wax paper over the tip of liquor bottles to prevent dripping. Close the bar an hour to an hour and a half before the end of the party. If possible, hire a professional bartender.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-01-2021

Good bartenders pride themselves on being knowledgeable about cocktail recipes and proficient in the art of properly serving their guests and patrons. With a healthy repertoire of popular mixed drink recipes and the right ingredients at your fingertips, you can be the life of any gathering.

Article / Updated 04-21-2017

Bartenders should definitely know about Scotch whisky. Scotch whisky (spelled without the e in whiskey) has a distinctive smoky flavor that's the result of both the choice of ingredients and the method of distillation. Scotch whisky must be distilled and matured for at least three years in Scotland — but not necessarily bottled in Scotland. Some Scotch whiskies are distilled and aged in Scotland but bottled in another country. Types of Scotch whisky Two kinds of Scotch whisky are distilled: malt whisky (from barley) and grain whisky (from cereals). Malt whiskies are divided into four groups according to the geographical location of the distillery in which they're made: Lowland malt whiskies: Made south of an imaginary line drawn from Dundee in the east to Greenock in the west. Highland malt whiskies: Made north of the aforementioned line. Speyside malt whiskies: Made in the valley of the River Spey. Although these whiskies come from within the area of the Highland malt whiskies, the concentration of distilleries and the specific climatic conditions in Speyside produce whiskies of an identifiable character, which is why they're classified separately. Islay malt whiskies: Made on the island of Islay. Credit: Illustration by Lisa Reed Each group has its own clearly defined characteristics, ranging from the gentle, lighter-flavored Lowland whiskies to those distilled on Islay, which are generally regarded as the heaviest malt whiskies. Grain distilleries are mostly found in the central belt of Scotland, near the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Single-grain whiskies display individual characteristics in the same way as malts, although the geographical influence isn't the same. Married together, malt whiskies and grain whiskies create blended Scotch whisky, which accounts for 95 percent of world sales. A blended whisky can have many (up to 50) different types of malt whiskies blended with grain whisky (from cereals). As you may expect from the name, a single-malt Scotch whisky is made from one type of malt, and it's not blended with other malts or grain whiskies. How Scotch is made Making Scotch whisky from malts dates back to 1494 to Friar John Cor and his fellow friars. Until the mid-1800s, nearly all Scotches were single-malt. Then Andrew Usher came up with the idea of mixing malt whisky and grain whisky to create blended Scotch whisky. Here's how the process works: The barley is malted, or soaked and dried for germination. During this period, the starch in the barley converts to fermentable sugar. To stop the germination, the malted barley is smoked, usually over peat fires in open malt kilns, giving Scotch whisky its smoky taste. The barley is mixed with water and yeast. Fermentation takes place, and alcohol is the result. This liquid is then usually pumped into stills and double-distilled until the correct proof is attained. After distillation, the whisky is typically placed in used American oak wine or bourbon barrels (some distillers use sherry casks or wood from other countries); these are then aged by law for a minimum of three years. Most Scotch whiskies age from five to ten years, sometimes much longer. It's said that the longer a whisky ages in the barrel, the smoother it becomes. After the whisky finishes aging in the barrel, each distiller then completes its own blending, filtering, and bottling. Scotland has more than 100 distilleries that produce more than 2,000 different Scotch whiskies. Storing and serving suggestions Scotch can be served over ice, straight up, with water or club soda, or in a variety of mixed drinks. Single malts and aged Scotch whisky (over 12 years) can be served straight up or on the rocks with a splash of water. After opening, store a bottle of Scotch whisky in a cool, dry place out of direct light. It should have a shelf life of approximately two years. Whisky doesn't improve with age after it's bottled.

Article / Updated 04-21-2017

Enjoy one of your favorite holiday treats, cocktail-style, without the effort and stress of slaving away over an oven all afternoon! It's sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next holiday party. 1-1/2 oz. Irish cream liqueur 1-1/2 oz. coffee liqueur 1-1/2 oz. peppermint schnapps Pour Irish cream liqueur, coffee liqueur, and peppermint schnapps into a cocktail shaker with a generous handful of ice. Shake well, and pour into a martini glass. For extra festive flair, garnish the edge of your martini glass with sprinkles or red and green sugar crystals.

Article / Updated 04-21-2017

The Grinch may be a mean one, but these shots aren't! Whether you shoot or sip to enjoy, these are sure to amuse at any holiday party. 1 oz. melon liqueur 1/2 oz. citrus vodka Combine melon liqueur and citrus vodka in a shot glass. Garnish with a toothpick and a maraschino cherry for extra Christmas flair. Enjoy!

Article / Updated 04-21-2017

A quick and easy drink to make for your next holiday party, this refreshing shot tastes much better than it sounds! Just remember to stay away from the yellow snow outside! 1 oz. citrus vodka 1 oz. pineapple juice Combine citrus vodka and pineapple juice in a shot glass. Sip or shoot to enjoy.

Step by Step / Updated 04-21-2017

Many drinks require fruit garnishes. Your guests expect the garnish, so you can't forgo it, and you have to do it well. Presentation counts, big time. You may mix the best drinks on the planet, but if they don't look good when you serve them, no one's going to want to drink them.

Article / Updated 06-06-2016

It’s completely appropriate that bartending is also known as the art and science of mixology. As a bartender, you need to know who to mix and measure not only a jigger, or shot, but how much to add when a recipe calls for a dash of bitters or how many bottles of wine to send out when a customer orders a jeroboam. The following table shows standard and metric measurements for common and uncommon alcohol quantities: MeasurementMetricEquivalent StandardEquivalentMeasurementMetricEquivalent StandardEquivalent 1 dash 0.9 ml.1⁄32 oz. 1 fifth 755.2 ml.25.6 oz. 1 teaspoon 3.7 ml.1⁄8 oz. 1 quart 944.0 ml.32 oz. 1 tablespoon 11.1 ml.3⁄8 oz. 1 imperial quart 1.137 liter38.4 oz. 1 pony 29.5 ml.1 oz. magnum 1.534 liter52 oz. 1 jigger 44.5 ml.11⁄2 oz. 1 half gallon 1.894 liter64 oz. 1 miniature (nip) 59.2 ml.2 oz. jeroboam (4 bottles of wine) 3.078 liter104 oz. 1 wineglass 119.0 ml.4 oz. tappit-hen 3.788 liter128 oz. 1 split 177.0 ml.6 oz. 1 gallon 3.789 liter128 oz. 1 half pint 257.0 ml.8 oz. rehoboam (6 bottles of wine) 4.434 liter150 oz. 1 “pint” (1/2 of bottle of wine) 375.2 ml.12 oz. methuselah (8 bottles of wine) 5.912 liter200 oz. 1 tenth 378.88 ml.12.8 oz. salmanazar (12 bottles of wine) 8.868 liter300 oz. 1 pint 472.0 ml.16 oz. Balthazar (16 bottles of wine) 11.829 liter400 oz. 1 “quart” (1 bottle wine) 739.0 ml.25 oz. nebuchadnezzar (20 bottles of wine) 14.780 liter500 oz.

Article / Updated 06-06-2016

All bartenders should be familiar with beer. The beer-brewing process begins with pure water, corn grits, and malted barley. Malted barley is the basic ingredient and is often referred to as the “soul of beer.” It contributes to the color and characteristic flavor of beer. Malted simply means that the barley has been steeped or soaked in water and allowed to germinate, or grow. Brewing beer is a step-by-step process: The corn grits and malt are cooked and blended to create mash. A sugary liquid, called wort, is extracted from the mash. The remaining solid portion of the mash, the brewer's grain, is sold as feed. The wort is transferred to the brew kettles, where it's boiled and hops are added. Hops are responsible for the rich aroma and the delicate bitterness in beer. The wort then moves to the wort cooler. Sterile air is added next, along with yeast, which converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The wort moves to fermentation tanks for a carefully controlled time period. Brewers can use two different categories of yeast: bottom and top. Bottom yeast settles to the bottom of the tank after converting all the sugar, and the resulting beer is a lager. Top yeast rises to the top of the tank when it's done with the sugar, and the beer it produces is an ale.

Article / Updated 06-06-2016

Rum is produced throughout the Caribbean and beyond. There are several different types of rum, bartenders should know. Rum is required in different cocktail recipes, and is a very popular alcoholic drink. Here are several popular brands: 10 Cane (Trinidad) Admiral Nelson Spiced Rum (Puerto Rico) Angostura (Trinidad) Appleton Estate (Jamaica) Bacardi (Puerto Rico) Brinley (Saint Kitts) Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum (Puerto Rico) Castillo (Puerto Rico) Cavalier (Antigua) Cockspur (Barbados) Cruzan Rum (U.S. Virgin Islands) DonQ Rums (Puerto Rico) English Harbour (Antigua) Fernandes Vat 19 Rum (Trinidad) Gosling's Black Seal Rum (Bermuda). Gosling also makes a Gold Rum and an Old Rum. Gran Blason Añejo Especial (Costa Rica) Havana Club (Cuba) Matusalem (Dominican Republic) Mount Gay Rum (Barbados) Myers's Original Dark Rum (Jamaica) Ocumare (Venezuela) Oronoco (Brazil) Pampero (Venezuela) Pusser's (Tortola, British Virgin Islands) Pyrat (Anguilla) Rhum Barbancourt (Haiti) Ron Del Barrilito (Puerto Rico) Ronrico (Puerto Rico) Ron Zacapa (Guatemala) Royal Oak (Trinidad) Sailor Jerry (U.S. Virgin Islands) Sea Wynde (Jamaica and Guyana) Stroh (Austria) Stubbs (Australia) Tanduay (Philippines) The Kraken Rum (Trinidad and Tobago) Tommy Bahama Rum (Barbados) Whaler's (Hawaii) Wray & Nephew (Jamaica) Zaya Rum (Trinidad)