Bartender Vocabulary

Question 1

Bar Spoon

Answer 1

A long mixing spoon which often has a lemon zester or something similar on the other end

Question 2

Bitters

Answer 2

A herbal alcoholic blend which is meant to be added to other cocktails to enhance flavor

Question 3

Blend

Answer 3

To mix up ingredients and ice in an electric blender

Question 4

Burning your well

Answer 4

Dumping ice into sink and melting it with hot water, in addition to wiping down and cleaning the rest of your station

Question 5

Call drink

Answer 5

Refers to when the customer orders a drink by giving both the specific name of the liquor and the name of the mixer (ex. Bacardi and coke)

Question 6

Chaser

Answer 6

Anything that is consumed quickly after a shooter or straight (neat) shot of alcohol

Question 7

Chill

Answer 7

To chill a glass add ice and then water to any glass and let sit for a minute or two (while mixing the drink in a shaker.). Pour out the contents of the glass and strain the drink into the chilled glass

Question 8

Cocktail

Answer 8

A mix of alcohol and/or liqueurs combined with a mixer and often shaken

Question 9

Cooler

Answer 9

An alcoholic-based bottled beverage offered in a variety of different alcohols in a variety of flavored (ex. Smirnoff Ice)

Question 10

Dash

Answer 10

A few drops or a very small amount of an ingredient

Question 11

Dirty

Answer 11

Adding olive juice to a martini which makes it a dirty martini. The more olive juice added, the dirtier the martini

Question 12

Dry

Answer 12

Very little vermouth added to a martini. Extra dry martini is a drop of scotch swirled around the martini glass and then poured out before adding the gin

Question 13

Double

Answer 13

When a customer orders a “double”, you will need to pour twice as much liquor in a regular sized glass, while using less amount of the mixer or juice to avoid overflow

Question 14

Float

Answer 14

When one alcohol sits on top of another alcohol in a shooter glass. This can be done by pouring carefully down the side of the glass or pouring the floated alcohol over an inverted spoon, allowing the alcohol to trickle off the spoon in many directions

Question 15

Free pour

Answer 15

To make mixed drinks without using a measuring device like a jogger or measured pour spout

Question 16

Frost

Answer 16

To frost a glass, dip it in water, let it drain and then put it in the freezer. This creates a layer of frost around the glass and works especially well for beer mugs

Question 17

Garnish

Answer 17

A garnish is something added to a drink after the ingredients to enhance the presentation. Common garnishes are lemon slices and wedges, cherries, olives, etc.

Question 18

Highball

Answer 18

Any liquor mixed with soda served in a tall highball glass

Question 19

Jigger

Answer 19

An hour glass shaped steel measuring device - where one side measures 1 ounce and the other measures 1.5 ounces

Question 20

Layer

Answer 20

Layering a shot or drunk is done the same way as floating, where the waiver alcohol goes on bottom and the lighter alcohol goes on top

Question 21

Mixer

Answer 21

Mixers are the non-alcoholic “mixes” that accompany alcohol in drinks

Question 22

Muddle

Answer 22

To crush up ingredients with a special tool called a muddler to extract essential oils and flavors

Question 23

Neat

Answer 23

Served with no ice

Question 24

Premium

Answer 24

Refers to premium alcohol or top shelf liquor

Question 25

Rim

Answer 25

Wet the rim of a glass with a line, or the lime juice in a rimmer, then gently press the rim of the glass into a saucer of salt or other ingredient if desired

Question 26

On the rocks

Answer 26

With ice

Question 27

Shake

Answer 27

Using a shaker to shake a cocktail - never shake a cocktail in the direction of your guest

Question 28

Shooter

Answer 28

A 1-2 ounce shot in a shooter glass

Question 29

Sour

Answer 29

Refers to sourness of sour bar mix

Question 30

Speed rail

Answer 30

The long stainless steel shelf connected to the front of the sinks and ice well at bartender stations. It contain the most commonly ordered liquor and possibly other popular liqueurs or mixes

Question 31

Straight up

Answer 31

Shaken and strained into a glass without ice

Question 32

Toddy

Answer 32

A sweetened drink of liquor and hot water, often with spices and served in a tall glass

Question 33

Twist

Answer 33

The rind of a lemon which is peeled using a special peeler. The resulting lemon twist is thin and long

Question 34

Virgin

Answer 34

Refers to a non alcoholic drink

Question 35

Well drink

Answer 35

A drink where neither the brand of the liquor or brand of the mix is mentioned

Question 36

Build

Answer 36

A bar term meaning to make a drink - starting with ice and then “building” the drink by adding the other ingredients