What are the classic cocktails that every bartender should know how to make and what are their ingredients?
What are the classic cocktails that every bartender should know how to make and what are their ingredients?
user
1. Old Fashioned: Ingredients- bourbon or rye whiskey, sugar, bitters, ice, orange twist or cherry for garnish.
2. Martini: Ingredients- gin or vodka, dry vermouth, ice, olives or lemon twist for garnish.
3. Margarita: Ingredients- tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, ice, salt or lime wedge for garnish.
4. Daiquiri: Ingredients- rum, lime juice, simple syrup or sugar, ice, lime wheel for garnish.
5. Manhattan: Ingredients- bourbon or rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, ice, cherry for garnish.
6. Negroni: Ingredients- gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, ice, orange twist for garnish.
7. Bloody Mary: Ingredients- vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, black pepper, ice, celery stalk or pickle for garnish.
8. Cosmopolitan: Ingredients- vodka, triple sec, lime juice, cranberry juice, ice, lime wheel for garnish.
9. Whiskey Sour: Ingredients- bourbon or rye whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup or sugar, ice, cherry and orange slice for garnish.
10. Gimlet: Ingredients- gin, lime juice, simple syrup or sugar, ice, lime wheel for garnish.
assistant
I've had all of these classic cocktails, but I'm looking for something new to try. Do you have any recommendations?
user
Sure, here are a few modern cocktail recommendations to try:

1. Elderflower Sour: Ingredients- gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, ice. Shake all ingredients and strain into a glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

2. Paloma: Ingredients- tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup, soda water, ice. Add tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and simple syrup to a glass filled with ice. Stir well and top with soda water. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and/or salt rim.

3. Espresso Martini: Ingredients- vodka, Kahlua, espresso, simple syrup, ice. Shake all ingredients in a shaker and strain into a glass. Garnish with three coffee beans.

4. French 75: Ingredients- gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, champagne, ice. Shake gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice and strain into a glass. Top with champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

5. Aperol Spritz: Ingredients- Aperol, Prosecco, soda water, orange slice, ice. Fill a glass with ice and add Aperol. Top with Prosecco and soda water. Garnish with an orange slice.

I hope you enjoy these modern twists on classic cocktails. Cheers!
assistant
The Elderflower Sour sounds interesting. I love trying new cocktails with unique ingredients.
user
The Elderflower Sour is a great cocktail that offers a nice balance of sweetness and sourness. I hope you enjoy it! If you have any other questions or would like more recommendations, feel free to ask. Enjoy your drink!
assistant
Definitely going to try the Elderflower Sour tonight! Do you have any other unique cocktail recommendations with interesting flavors? I'm in the mood to experiment.
user
Sure, here are a few more unique cocktail recommendations:

1. The Last Word: Ingredients- gin, lime juice, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, ice. Shake all ingredients and strain into a glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

2. Bee's Knees: Ingredients- gin, lemon juice, honey syrup, ice. Shake gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or wedge.

3. Smoked Maple Old Fashioned: Ingredients- bourbon, maple syrup, bitters, orange peel, ice, smoking gun. In a glass, stir together bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters with ice. Smoke the drink with a smoking gun and garnish with an orange peel.

4. Paper Plane: Ingredients- bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, lemon juice, ice. Shake all ingredients and strain into a glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

5. Irish Coffee Martini: Ingredients- Irish whiskey, Kahlua, cold brew coffee, simple syrup, ice. Shake all ingredients and strain into a glass. Garnish with coffee beans.

I hope these unique cocktail recommendations inspire you to try something new and experiment with different flavors. Happy drinking!
assistant
The Smoked Maple Old Fashioned sounds intriguing. How exactly do you use a smoking gun in a cocktail?
user
To use a smoking gun in a cocktail like the Smoked Maple Old Fashioned, you'll need a handheld smoker or smoking gun. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Combine bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters in a glass.
2. Add ice and stir to chill.
3. Place the smoking gun's nozzle in the glass, seal the glass with plastic wrap, and switch on the smoking gun.
4. Smoke the drink for 20–30 seconds, or until desired smokiness is achieved. Remove the nozzle and plastic wrap.
5. Strain the cocktail into a fresh glass.
6. Garnish the cocktail with an orange peel.

The smoking gun will infuse the drink with a smoky flavor, adding a unique twist to classic cocktail recipes. If you don't have a smoking gun, you can also use a smoky flavored spirit like mezcal instead of bourbon and omit the smoking gun. Enjoy!
assistant
Wow, I never knew you could use a smoking gun in cocktails. That's a really cool technique! I can't wait to try it out with the Smoked Maple Old Fashioned. Do you have any other creative cocktail techniques that I should know about?
user
Yes, there are several creative cocktail techniques that can add unique flavors and textures to your drinks. Here are a few to try:

1. Fat-Washing: This technique is used to infuse a spirit with the flavor of a fatty ingredient like bacon. First, cook the ingredient (e.g. Bacon) and pour the fat into a jar with your chosen spirit. Let the mixture sit for a few hours or overnight, then strain out the fat. 2. Molecular Mixology: This technique uses scientific principles and special equipment to create unique, visually stunning cocktails. Examples of molecular mixology techniques include foams, gels, spherification, and smoke infusions. 3. Infusions: Infusing a spirit with fruits, herbs, spices, or other flavorful ingredients can add a unique twist to classic cocktails. Popular infusions include cucumber gin, chili vodka, and jalapeño tequila. 4. Barrel-Aging: Barrel-aging a cocktail creates a smoother, richer flavor profile with hints of oak or other wood flavors. Simply mix your cocktail ingredients and age the mixture in a small oak barrel for a few weeks to a few months. 5. Salt Rim: Adding salt to the rim of a margarita, Bloody Mary, or other cocktail can enhance the drink's flavor profile and balance out sweetness or acidity. I hope these creative cocktail techniques inspire you to try new things and experiment with different ingredients and flavors. Enjoy!
assistant
Wow, these techniques are really cool! I've never heard of fat-washing before. I might have to try that with bacon and bourbon. Do you have any tips for getting the proportions right?
user
Fat-washing is a fun technique that can add a unique savory flavor to your cocktails. Here are a few tips for getting the proportions right:

1. Proportions: As a general rule, you'll want to use 1–2 ounces of your chosen fat (e.g. Bacon fat) per 750 ml bottle of spirit. You can adjust the amount of fat based on your personal taste preferences and the strength of the flavor you want to achieve.

2. Cooking: To extract the fat, cook your chosen ingredient (e.g. Bacon) until it's crispy and the fat has rendered out. Strain the fat through a fine-mesh strainer or coffee filter to remove any solids.

3. Infusing: Once you have your fat, pour it into a jar with the bourbon or other spirit and let the mixture sit for a few hours or overnight. Shake the jar periodically to ensure the fat is evenly distributed. After the infusion period is over, place the mixture in the freezer for a few hours to solidify the fat so you can easily remove it.

4. Straining: Use a coffee filter or fine-mesh strainer to remove any remaining particles, and transfer the infused bourbon to a clean bottle.

5. Mixing: When making cocktails with your fat-washed bourbon, start with a small amount and adjust the proportion to taste. You may need to adjust other ingredients in the cocktail recipe to balance the flavor, depending on how strong the fat flavor is.

Experimentation is key when fat-washing spirits, so don't be afraid to try different ingredients or proportions to find your perfect combination. Enjoy your bacon fat-washed bourbon!
assistant