Bartending Class

Tequila and where is it origin?

It’s origin in Mexico. It’s made from the blue agave plant, and the bottle of alcohol is named after the town in Mexico. The two main types of that specific liquor is white and gold.

White Tequila

Bottled right after being distilled. It is the most common type used in bars and cocktails. Popular brand: Jose Cuervo Silver, Patron Silver, Don Julio Blanco, Espolon Blanco.

Gold Tequila

Aged, the most popular brands include: Jose Cuervo Gold, Sauza, and Herrandura.

Rum and where is it origin?

Made from sugarcane. It comes in light and dark varieties. It’s made mostly in the Caribbean. Popular rum brands include: Bacardi, Captain Morgans and Royal Oak.

Gin and where is it origin?

First made by the Dutch (Netherlands) and is flavored mostly by the juniper berry. Popular brands include: Tanqueray, Beefeater, Gordons and Seagrams Extra Dry.

Vodka and where is it origin?

It’s origin in Russia. Initially made from potatoes but now it is made from grain. Popular brands include: Smirinoff, Gordons, Absolute and Stolichnaya (Stoli’s).

Whiskey (with an “e”) and where is it origin?

It’s origin in Ireland. Whiskey is used for American and Irish varieties, such as Bourbon, Rye, and Irish. Popular brand: Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Makers Mark, Jameson and Jack Daniels

Whisky (without an “e”) and where is it origin?

It’s origin in Scotland. Whisky is used for Scotch, Canadian, and Japanese varieties. Popular brand: Crown Royale and Black Velvet.

Single Malt

Not blended with any other scotch.

Blended Whisky

They can be blended with numerous malt and grain whiskies.

Bourbon and where is it origin?

A type of American whiskey traditionally made in the South (Kentucky). Popular brands include: Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, and Makers Mark.

Aperitifs and where is it origin?

It’s origin in France. It’s an alcohol drink that you have before a meal. This could mean a cocktail, a glass of wine, or even a drink without alcohol. One would simply drink before a meal to stimulate the appetite.

Cordials/Liqueurs and where is it origin?

It’s origin in Monks in Italy. Any combination of fruits, nuts, beans, herb flavors, and different spirits typically make up cordials.

Mezcal

Similar to tequila, but it’s not tequila because it’s a smoker drink and made in different types of the agave plant and comes with a worm in the bottle.

Liquor (Spirits)

It’s a distilled alcoholic beverage with a high alcohol content. Alcohol content typically 40% of alcohol by volume or higher.

Liqueur (Cordial)

Are sweetened spirits that contain added flavors like fruit, herbs, nuts, or spices. Alcohol content is usually 15-30% of alcohol by volume, but can vary.

Beer and where is it origin?

It’s origin in Mesopotamia. Beer is the most served alcoholic beverage in the United States/Canada. Pouring a beer is quite easy, either out of a tap or from a bottle or can. You simply tilt the glass and the beer, you pour until the glass is about to overflow, straightening the glass as you go. You usually want about an inch of foam on the top, as this makes the beer pretty and also helps to keep it fresh.

Ale

Normally have more alcohol than your lagers, and they have a bolder flavor. Ales are served cool.

Pale Ale

It’s the most popular type of ale. This is a little lighter in color. It is hoppy, citrusy, floral, and sometimes bitter.

Porter Ale

This is the heaviest and darkest of all ales. Dark, rich, and malty with chocolate and coffee notes.

Brown Ale

It’s the least common type of ale. It has a robust flavor. Matly, nutty, and slightly sweet with caramel notes.

Lagers

It’s known for its crisp, clean, and refreshing taste.

Wine

The three main types of wine are red, white, and rose. Typically people with money would buy wine.

Red Wine

Different types of red wine are merlot, cabernet sauvignon, burgundy, and zinfandel.

White Wine

Different types of white wine are chablis, chardonnay, sauteme, riesling, fume blanc, and white zinfadel.

Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wines are classified as rose or white. Champagne, is a sparkling wine however not all sparkling wines are champagne. It’s all due to a French law. To be considered champagne, it must come from France in the region of Champagne; everything else is a sparkling wine.

Lager Beer

The most heavily consumed beer type in United States and Canada. It is known for its crisp, clean, and refreshing taste. Popular brands include: Budweiser, Coors, and Miller.

Stout Beer

The darkest and highest in alcohol of all beers. Stout beers are rich, dark, and full-bod-ied. Darker beers are served warmer than lighter beers.

Garnishes

Lemon, Lime, Orange, Onions, Celery Stalks, Cinnamon Sticks, Maraschino Cherries, and Green Olives. You either twist the fruit or drop it in or cut it in wedges or slices.

Juices

Cranberry, Orange, Pineapple, Grapefruit, Lime and Grape

Simple Syrup

To make it, mix one pound of sugar with 32oz of hot water and stir until sugar is dissolved and the syrup thickens. Keep it with your juices (cold).

Sodas

Cola, Diet Cola, Ginger Ale, Lemon-Lime Soda, Tonic Water, Soda Water, Quinine, and Orange Soda

Dairy

Milk, Half & Half, Whip Cream, and Cream

Premises

Bloody Mary, Margarita, Pina Colada, Bar Mix (instead of lemon juice also called sour mix), and Simple Syrup.

Spices

Salt, Rock Salt (for margaritas), Sugar, Pepper, Nutmeg, and Tabasco Sauce.

Miscellaneous

Grenadine, Triple Sec (contains alcohol), Angostura Bitters (contains alcohol), and Worcestershire Sauce (also called wooster sauce).

V.S. (Very Special)

Aged in oak barrels for at least 2 years.

V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale)

Aged for at least 4 years.

X.O. (Extra Old)

Aged for at least 10 years (previously 6 years before 2018).

Hors d’Age

A classification for Cognacs aged beyond X.O. standards, often decades old.

Speed Rail

This is where your most popular liquors, liqueurs, and mixes are set up. Traditionally, the speed rail is set up as follows: grenadine, lime juice, scotch, bourbon, whiskey, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, triple sec, tequila, rum, gin, and vodka. The speed rail is formatted so that the most popular liquors are at the right, starting with vodka.

Stirred

Straight up (no ice in glass).

On The Rocks

With ice in glass.

Shaken

Straight up.

Combined

Neat (not chilled, no ice, poured from the bottle directly into the glass).

Legal Limit

.08

BAC

Blood Alcohol Content

Lime Wedge

Lime juice, tonic water, or club soda

Lemon Wedge

Drinks mixed with lemon juice or sour mix.

Orange Wedge

Drinks mixed with orange juice

Cocktails

1-1/2 oz or 2 oz of vodka, tequila, or gin.

Highball

1-1/2 whiskey, ginger ale and lime wedge. All highball get ginger ale and lime wedge, only thing that change is kind of liquor customer wants. But all liquor is 1-1/2

Martinis

2-1/2 oz gin and 1 tablespoon of dry vermouth with green olive garnish. Martinis always get 2-1/2 oz of gin, unless they order a Vodka Martinis, then it’s 2-1/2 oz of vodka. Only thing that change is how little they want dry vermouth or change it to sweet vermouth (Sweet Martini) or mix both dry and sweet vermouth (Perfect Martini) or different garnish, like Gibson Martini is onion and Lemon Twist Martini is lemon.

Manhattan

2-1/2 oz whiskey, 1. tablespoon sweet vermouth, 3 dashes of bitters, and garnish with cherry. Manhattan always get 2-1/2 oz whiskey. Only thing that change is no bitters and add dry vermouth and lemon twist garnish (Perfect Manhattan). Or used dry vermouth instead of sweet vermouth (Dry Manhattan).

Tonic Drinks

1-1/2 liquor, tonic water, and garnish lime wedge

Creme de Cacao in Cocktail

1 oz or less (often ½ to 1 oz)

Light Cream

1 oz or less (usually 1 oz)

Old Fashioned

2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 dashes of bitters, 1 teaspoon of water, muddle until sugar is dissolved fill glass with crushed ice, 2 oz of blended whiskey (unless customer order Brandy Old Fashioned, then it’s brandy), stirred in with a lemon twist, and garnish with orange slice and a cherry.

Mint Julep

10 fresh mint leaves, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, muddle in the bottom of chilled glass or cup until leaves are crushed and sugar dissolved, fill cup with ice, and add 2 oz bourbon (unless customer order Brandy Julep, then it’s brandy), and garnish with three mint springs.

Vodka Collins

1-1/2 oz vodka (unless customer order John Collins, then it’s bourbon. Or Tom Collins, then it’s 2 oz gin), 1 oz bar mix shake, club soda, and garnish with cherry and orange slice.

Fizz

2 oz of either gin, sloe gin, or tequila, 1 oz bar mix, shake, and club soda.

Sour

1-1/2 of either whisky or vodka, 1 oz sour mix or lemon juice, and garnish with cherry and orange slice.

Bar Mix (also called Sour Mix)

1 oz and it’s either lemon or lime juice. Or Simple syrup or sugar.

Frozen Daiquiri

1-1/2 oz light rum, 1 oz lime juice, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Then if customer order with fruit, then you add fruit in it.

Pina Colada

2 oz rum, 5 oz pineapple juice, 1-1/2 oz coconut cream, and garnish cherry and pineapple slice. If it Banana Colada, then add one whole banana in it.

Frozen Margarita

If desired salt glass, 2 oz tequila, 1 oz triple sec, 2 oz lime juice, and garnish with lime. Then if customer order with fruit, then you add fruit in it.

Shots

Small ingredient portions, commonly ½ oz.

1 Parts

= ½ oz or 1 oz or 2 oz (depending on the bar) of either vodka or juice

2 Parts Soda

= 1 oz or 2 oz or 4 oz (depending on the bar)

Coffee

All Coffee get 2 oz of liquor (Caribbbean is rum, Royale is brandy, Irish is irish whiskey (Jameson), and Mexican is kahlua), 4 oz hot coffee, 1 teaspoon sugar float, and 2 oz of cream

Roy Rogers

4 oz ginger ale, 2 oz lemon lime, 1 teaspoon grenadine, and garnish with cherry and orange slice

Shirley Temple

4 oz lemon lime soda or Sprite, 2 oz ginger ale, and 1 teaspoon grenadine

Bellini

½ of a fresh peach, ½ oz simple syrup, muddle, then top with champagne

Mimosa

3 oz champagne and 2 oz orange juice

Spritzer

1 aperol, 2 prosecco, and 3 soda water. 3 oz dry white wine, top with club soda, and garnish with a lemon twist and orange.

Boiler Maker (Bomb)

1 shot (1-1/2 oz) of whiskey, 12 oz of beer in a mug, and serve the shot on the side. The drinker drops the shot glass into the beer and drinks it quickly before it foams over.

B-52 (Layered Shot) (KGB)

½ oz kahlua (bottom layer), ½ oz baileys irish cream (middle layer), ½ oz grand marnier (top layer), and layer carefully over the back of a spoon.

Kamikaze (Very Tragic Landing)

½ oz vodka, ½ oz triple sec, and ½ oz lime juice

Zombie

1 oz light rum, 1 oz anejo rum, 1 oz dark rum, ½ oz apricot brandy, 2 oz orange juice blend float, 2 teaspoons of bacardi 151 on top, and garnish with orange slice and cherry.

White Russian

1-1/2 oz vodka, 1 oz amaretto, and 1 oz cream

Mai Tai

1 oz light rum, 1 oz anejo rum, 1 oz triple sec, ½ oz lime juice, 2 teaspoons grenadine, and garnish with parasol and 4 straws.

Rusty Nail

1-1/2 oz scotch, ½ oz drambuie, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Tequila Sunrise

1-1/2 oz tequila, orange juice, stir, and float 2 teaspoons of grenadine

Long Island Ice Tea

1 oz gin, 1 oz vodka, 1 oz light rum, 1 oz tequila, 1 oz bar mix shake, 1 oz triple sec, shake and strain into ice-filled highball glass, top off with cola and lemon garnish

Blue Motorcycle

1 oz gin, 1 oz vodka, 1 oz light rum, 1 oz tequila, 1 oz bar mix shake, 1 oz blue curacao, shake and strain into ice-filled highball glass, and top off with sprite

Bloody Maria

2-1/2 oz tequila, 5 oz tomato juice, ½ oz lemon juice, 1 dash pepper, 1 dash salt, 3 dashes worcestershire sauce, 1 dash Tabasco sauce, and garnish with celery stick and lime wedge.

Bloody Mary

2 oz vodka, 5 oz tomato juice, ½ oz lemon juice, 1 dash pepper, 1 dash salt, 3 dash worcestershire sauce, 1 dash tabasco sauce, and garnish with celery stick and lime wedge.

Screwdriver

1 ½ oz vodka and orange juice

Greyhound

1 ½ oz gin or vodka and grapefruit juice

Rum and Coke (Cuba Libre)

1-1/2 oz rum and cola

Margarita

salt glass rim, 2 oz tequila, ½ oz triple sec, 1-1/2 oz lime juice, 1 oz bar mix, and garnish with lime

Grasshopper

1 oz creme de menthe, 1 oz white creme de cacao, and 1 oz light creme

Popular Triple Sec and What Fruit Is Triple Sec Flavor?

Blue Curacao, Dry Curacao (dry orange), Cointreau, and Grandmarnier (burnt orange). All Triple Sec is orange flavor

Orange Crush

orange juice 2-3 oz, vodka 1.5-2 oz, triple sec 1 oz, lemon-lime or club soda, stir, and garnish with an orange slice.

Cape Codder

1.5 oz vodka, cranberry juice, and lime wedge to garnish

Scot Soda

2 oz scotch whisky, 4-6 oz club soda (or soda water), and lemon twist for garnish

Moscow Mule

2 oz vodka, ½ oz lime juice, 3-4 oz ginger beer, and lime wedge or wheel for garnish

Pickleback Shot

It’s a drink where it’s consisting of a shot of whiskey (often Jameson) immediately followed by a shot of pickle brine (juice) as a chaser, designed to neutralize the alcohol’s burn with the brine’s acidity and saltiness.

Filthy Martini

2 ½ oz gin, ½ oz dry vermouth, ½ to 1 oz olive brine (from a jar of olives), and garnish with olives.

Anthony Bourdain

Was an American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian who starred in shows exploring international culture, food, and the human condition. He saw food as a way to connect with new people and ideas. Bourdain wrote a book called “Bone in the Throat” that’s about the mafia world through kitchen mayhem.