Bartender Guide

Drink Recipes

Entire List Drinks A - Z	Browse through our Drink Recipies in Alphabetical Order.
Latest Drink Recipes	A List of the 25 most recent drinks added to our site.
Mixed Drink Recipes	Most drink recipes fall into this general category.
Blended Drink Recipes	Here is our list of cocktails requiring a blender.
Coffee Drink Recipes	For a little pick me up. Try these drinks containing coffee.
Fruity Drink Recipes	Sweet tasty drinks you can't even tell have alcohol.
Martini Recipes	Variations on the classic Martini. (shaken not stirred)
Shot Recipes	If the drink you are looking for comes in a shot glass.
Strong Drink Recipes	Look out! These are some powerful drinks.
Unusual Drink Recipes	Non-traditional, fun drinks to impress your friends with.

The Basics of Pouring Drinks

When you are first starting out use a jigger to measure your pours. You should also make sure to use pour spouts. After a while you will get the feel of what the pour count (time it takes to pour a shot) should be for each kind of alcohol. The pour count will be different for a thick viscous liquid like Grand Marnier or Bailey's vs a thinner liquid like a vodka.

Referencing Drinks by Bar Cost

You will hear terms like well drinks and call drinks when around the bar. This is just a way of grouping drinks by their cost to the bar. This is also generally what the pricing of drinks is based on.

Well Drinks

Generally the cheapest mixed drinks and shots. The bar will have their standard low cost brands for things like vodka, gin, rum, tequila, bourbon. Usually the bartender will arrange their station so that the well alcohol is the easiest to access, since it will be used most often.

Call Drinks

A step up above well. Usually mid level cost items like Cuervo Gold and Jack Daniels.

Premium Drinks

Most of your best liquors fall in this category. Name brand vodkas, fancy scotches, good bourbons, etc. Blended drinks or layered drinks that take a lot of preparation are usually premium.

Super Premium / Top Shelf

The best of the best. Cognac and all of your most expensive liquor. Top Shelf got it's name from physical location. A Lot of bars would have their best stuff all the way on the top shelf of the bar, hence the name.

Glassware

Makes sure you have the proper glasses to serve your drinks in. In a busy bar you will be spending time helping your bar backs wash glasses when you start running out. On extremely busy nights consider moving to plastic glasses for serving. When it's really busy it's just too hard to keep all the glassware clean and ready to go. If you can though always use glass if possible. Most customers appreciate a drink out of a nice glass verses plastic.

Shot Glass

Generally 1 and 1/2 ounces in size. Used to serve shots and shooters.

Rocks Glass

Used to serve shots and shooters over ice.

Highball

This is a little bigger than a lowball. Usually drinks like long island iced teas are served in this glass.

Lowball

Most of your well mixed drinks will be served in this glass on ice.

Snifter

Cognac and brandy are served in this.

Flute

Champagne and Champagne mixes like mimosas are served in these.

Beer Mug

Can also be a pint glass.

Hurricane

Tropical drinks and blended drinks can be served in this.

Martini

Classic martini glasses are for what else? Martini's of course!

Wine Glass

For serving wine.

Margarita

Blended drinks like daiquiris and margaritas come in these.

Garnishes

The proper garnish makes for a great drink presentation. Make sure to have enough garnishes prepared ahead of time if you expect to be busy. Things like limes, lemons, and pineapple should be sliced up and ready to go. Standard drink garnishes are: lemon, lime, orange, maraschino cherries, olives, perl onions, and pineapple.

Tools of the Trade

Here is a list of the helpful tools of the trade for bartending. Bar supplies you will find useful and their descriptions.

Jigger

The jigger is the main measuring device of the bartender. Sometimes 2 sided with one side measuring a shot (1.5 ounces) and the other side measuring 1/2 of a shot.

Shaker

The shaker is used primarily for chilling shots, and mixing drink ingredients thoroughly. When you hear the term "shaken, not stirred" this is what you do that with.

Strainer

The bar strainer is used either with a shaker, or if in a pinch a glass like a beer pint. Used to chill and keep ice out of your pour. When you see the term "strain over ice", this is what you do that with.

Pour Spouts

Pour spouts are essential for the busy bartender. They help you regulate your flow from different bottles in a controlled manner. With a pour spout you don't have to guess at how much is in the bottle and how far to tip it before you get your liquid. With the spout you just turn the bottle over and the contents come out at the same rate every time.

Bar Mat

Catches any spillage so you do not make a mess.

Blender

Do not skimp here. A good blender will save you lots of time and aggravation.

Bar Games

Bar Games like darts (special drinking version shown in our bar supplies section) can add some fun.