Whiskey - The largest Category of Liquors

As a Professional Bartender, you will find that a high degree of product knowledge is vital for success. Both customers and employers will expect you to know the products available. With this in mind, we will begin our discussion with the largest category of liquors: Whiskey.

Whiskey is a spirit, aged in wood, obtained from the distillation of a fermenting mash of grain. It can be produced from any grain, but corn, rye and barley are the principal grains used. The process by which it is made is fairly straight forward:

1. Start with grain (corn, rye, wheat or barley).
2. Malt the grain, to convert its starch into sugar.
3. Ferment the sugar to produce alcohol.
4. Distill the alcohol to separate it.
5. Age, if necessary, and bottle the finished product.

Malting - The process of converting the grain starch into sugar. This is done by soaking the grain in water to allow it to sprouted grain is dried out to stop growth, and then fresh water is added to produce a fermentable mash.

Fermentation - The process which all alcohol is made. Yeast is added to the mash produced during the malting step. The yeast than consumes the sugar in the mash, and in doing so, produces Ethyl Alcohol and Carbon Dioxide.

SUGAR + YEAST= ALCOHOL+CO2

In most circumstances, fermentation will only produce a beverage with an alcohol content of 15-20%, as yeast cannot tolerate large amounts of alcohol. Since most whiskey is at least two to three times as strong, the alcohol formed must be separated from the rest of the fermented mash.

Distillation - The process by which alcohol is separated from water. This is done through evaporation and condensation. Since water boils at a much higher temperature than alcohol 212*F verses 176*F. It’s possible to remove the alcohol from the water simply by heating it. A still is a large copper pot with a long neck. The long neck branches out and forms a coll. The coil ends in a collection tank of some kind. The fermented mash is placed in the still and heated at 176*F*, the alcohol boils but the water does not. The alcohol vapor then rises through the neck, until it comes to the coil at the end. This coil acts as a radiator and cools down the alcohol vapors. Once cooled, the vapor collects, in liquid form, at the other end. At this point, it can be between 50%-90% alcohol. Each time the liquor is distilled, it becomes more purified, eventually it will reach a state called grain neutral spirits, which is marketed as ever clear. All addition, we are not done just yet. All whiskey leaves the still clear in color and rather harsh in character. To give it color and the smooth and mellow the flavor, a final step must be employed.

Aging - before it is sold, most whiskey is placed in large wooden barrels to age. Oak works best. The longer the liquor stays in the barrels, the darker its color will become: and the smoother its flavor will be. The time involved can range from as few as two years, in the case of Tequila, to as long as fifty years, as in some Scotch. All aging stops completely when the liquor leaves the barrel. Liquor WILL NOT AGE IN its BOTTLE, AS WILL BEER OR WINE. Thus, a twelve year old Scotch will remain twelve years old forever, regardless how long it sits in your back bar.

Straight Whiskey - Once aged, the finished whiskey can then be bottled and sold. Most whiskey brands 99% are product of many different barrels of whiskey blended together, with water and other ingredients, after aging. This dilutes them to a more marketable proof, and insures consistent quality. Most bottles of whiskey sold have had up to one-third of their contents replaced by water. Recently, however, a new type of liquor has been introduced called:

Single Barrel Whiskey - Whiskey that is bottled DIRECTLY from the barrel, with no mixing, coloring, blending, or dilution. These spirited are hand-made, in small batches, and can command a high price. To a customer who wants quality, he can do no better. These single-barrel whiskeys were, for the most part, only introduce in 1991, so they are still quite new. They should be big sellers in upscale establishments.

COMMON TYPES OF WHISKEY

Scotch Whiskey - One of the oldest types of whiskey on the market. All must be made in Scotland, and the best are even bottled there. Scotch is made from malted barley; it has a distinctive Smokey flavor because the barley malt is dried over open fires made of peat. The smoke from these fires gives the finished whiskey its unique flavor. All Scotch imported to the United States must be at least four years old.

Blended Scotch - Made from combination of different whiskeys, with water ad grain alcohol added. These tend to be the lightest of the Scotches both in flavor and intensity. For this reason they are more common of the Scotch whiskeys.

Single Malt Scotch - Made from only one type of whiskey, with no additives or blending. Much more distinctive and intense flavor than the blended Scotch, and far more expensive. The true Scotch aficionado prefers the single-malt whiskeys. These whiskeys come from one of four primary regions in Scotland: Highland, Lowland, Campbeltown, and Islay. Islay malts are the smokiest available.

Vatted Malt Scotch - Made from a blend of several different single-malt whiskeys, this type is not sold outside of the United Kingdom.

Irish Whiskey -Very similar to Scotch, but since the malt is dried in ovens; it lacks the smoked taste of the Scotch, but not nearly as popular in this country.

Canadian Whiskey - Blended from a combination of corn, rye, and barley. These are produced in Canada under close government supervision. These whiskeys are very light in color, light in flavor, and among the most mixable of all. As a result, Canadian whiskey is extremely popular.

Rye Whiskey - Make from the Rye grain, this whiskey was one of the first to be sold in America. Its popularity peaked, however, in about 1890. Now most bars will not even carry it, except along the Eastern Seaboard. If you have a customer called for Rye whiskey, you should substitute Seagram’s V.O. is a Canadian blend, but it has a very high rye content. Most drinks that now use Bourbon were originally made with Rye.

Bourbon Whiskey - Invented in 1789 by a Baptist preacher, Bourbon whiskey is the only major type of liquor to be invented in America. The Reverend Elijah Craig discovered, quite by Accident, that if he aged his moonshine in barrels, which had been charred, or burned, on the inside, the whiskey took on a very different flavor and character. This became the Bourbon whiskey that we know today. By law, Bourbon is corn whiskey aged in charred oak for a minimum of two and one-half years.

Posted in Lesson Two, Whiskey | 2 Comments »

Bartending For Fun - Community Forums!

Mobsterweb.com Is proud to announce the release of its new Forums designed for everyone who is seeking to discuss any subjects to do with bartending. If you are a bar owner, Bartender or a person looking to become a Bartender… Then please fill free to Post in our “Bartending Jobs” and “Resumes” Section of the forum.

Please Support our Online Community by signing up and posting your subject by clicking the link labeled “Forums - NEW!! ” in the right sidebar or just click on on the picture below.

Thanks for the support!
Mobsterweb.com - Administration

Posted in Announcements | 1 Comment »

Free Pouring!

Free Pouring - A method of measuring liquor by counting, rather than the use of a Jigger. Practice is the best teacher here. The most accurate Bartenders will use a “ONE COUNT equals QUARTER OUNCE” system. To do this, you begin to count, quickly, as the liquor leaves the pour spout. Once your count has reached the disired level of liquor poured, you will stop both the pour and the count. With practice, a bartender can become quite accurate with this system: (Holding the bottle straight upside down)

1. 1 count = 1/4 oz
2. 2 counts = 1/2 oz
3. 3 counts = 3/4 oz
4. 4 counts = 1 oz
5. 5 counts = 1 1/4 oz (Your “house shot”)
6. 6 counts = 1 1/2 oz (______ on the rocks)
7. 7 counts = 1 3/4 oz
8. 8 counts = 2 oz
9. 9 counts = 2 1/4 oz
10. 10 counts = 2 1/2 oz (Double Shot)

Consistency is your goal when free pouring. Every shot you pour must be the same. Over or under pouring is in some cases illegal, and it will always impact you’re liquor-cost and profit margin guidelines. The speed, which you gain by free pouring, is not wroth it if sloppiness or lack of consistency causes your bar to lose money.

Posted in Free Pouring, Lesson One | 1 Comment »

Bar Terms and Variations

The following are more bar terms used every day as a bartender:

More Bar Terms

Washline - The Distance between the top of the glass, and the top of the drink. Don’t over-fill your glasses! Your wait staff and your customers will thank you!

Tall - A way to legally “weaken” a drink by adding more of the non-alcoholic mixer to it. This can be done either with the use of a taller glass or by using less ice. Remember, not all customers prefer a strong drink. Some customers will order Tall drinks if they are driving, for health reasons, or just because they want to drink without becoming intoxicated. Generally, there is no extra charge for tall drinks.

Light - A second way to legally weaken a drink. A light drink requires the bartender to serve a standard highball drink, with the shot split in two parts: one served in the glass with the mixer, and one served on the side, in a shot glass. Both glasses are served to the customer. If the customer chooses not to drink the 1/2 shot, you may throw it away.  Caution: DO NOT attempt to reuse or resell this liquor. Once purchased by a customer, whether he chooses to drink it or not, the alcohol cannot legally be resold. We strongly recommend that you sell tall drinks, rather than light drinks, to avoid any unnecessary concern.

Variations

One of the biggest worries most new Bartenders have is “what if a customer asks for a drink that I don’t know?” DON’T PANIC! There are far too many different recipes in this business for any one person to know them all. When in doubt, ask a co-worker. If you must, ask the customer. Most of the time, however, you should be able to figure out the ingredients in a dring simply from its name. In many cases the name of a drink all but tells you exactly what to put in it. Add to that your skill and training, and very little should stump you. Let’s look at few examples:

FUZZY NAVEL = Peach schnapps + Orange Juice

(Peaches are FUZZY, and oranges have navels!)

BLACK RUSSIAN = Vodka + kahlua

(Vodka is from Russia, and Kahlua is Black!)

The following list of terms will help you in the area, as well. Each of these next nine words or phrases tells you to add a specified ingredient to an already existing drink, as a modifier, as follows:

Slow - add 1/2oz. to 1oz. Sloe gin. sle gin is a generic, wild plum/wild cherry flavored liqueur. It is bright red in color and neutral sprits based.

Lovely - add 1/2 oz. to 1oz. Amaretto. Amaretto is a generic, almond-flavored liqueur. It has a light-brown color.

Screaming - add 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. Vodka.

Multiple - add 1/2 oz. Tequila. Both Screaming and Multiple are most commonly used with the ORGASM recipe.

Creamy - add 1/2 oz to 1oz. Cream, Milk, or Half n’ Half.

Stone - add 1/2 oz. to 1oz. Orange Juice.

Against the wall - add 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. Galliano.  Galliano is a proprietary, black licorice-flavored liqueur, with a bright yellow color. Its tall bottle can be difficult to pour without spilling, so be careful.

Comfortable - add 1/2 oz. to 1oz. Southern Confort. Southern Confort is a Bourban-based proprietary liqueur, with a sweet peach flavor. It comes in both 80 and 100 proof varieties.

Velvet - add 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. Cointreau. Cointreau is a clear, proprietary, orange-flavored liqueur from France.

Perfecta or Virgin - Both instruct you to DELETE the alcohol.

You will notice that the amount of each ingredient added varies. The amount you will use depends upon your establishment.

Posted in Bar Terms and Variations | No Comments »

Ways to Build and Serve a Drink

FOUR WAYS TO BUILD A DRINK

Pour -The ingredients are poured directly into the glass in which the drink will be served. They mix naturally in the glass or are stirred by the customer if he wishes. Poured drinks are usually served with a stir-stick for this purpose.

Shake - The ingredients have to e blended or shaken by hand, as they will not mix naturally. This is done by placing ingredients in the shell along with ice, covering with the other shell, and shaking so that the ice hits the bottom of each shell at least two times. Jar the shells loose with the heel of your hand and strain the dring into the glass to be served. If the glass and metal shells get stuck, a gentle rap on the edge of the bar should unstick them. Always rinse your mixing set after each use, and allow it to air dry.

Stir - The ingredients are poured over ice in a mixing glass and stirred about two times, strained into a stemmed glass and serverd. Too little stirring fails to mix or chill the ingredients: too much stirring melts the ice and dilutes, or bruises, the drink.

Blended - The ingredients of the drink are all placed in a blender, including the ice, if any. This will result in a smooth but fairly thick mixture, much like a milk shake. It is important that the ice is completely blended - you don’t want a finished drink to be lumpy. Always rinse the blender glass immediately and set up to dry. Note: not all blended drinks are served frozen.

FOUR WAYS TO SERVE A DRINK

Neat - Unchilled, served without ice. Usually a straight pour of liquor from the bottle, but can also include mixed drinks. Usually served in a cocktail stem or shot glass.

On the rocks - A drink served over cubed ice.

Straight UP - A chilled drink served without ice, usually in a stemmed glass. These drinks are usually stirred or shaken in a mixing set, and then poured into a pre-chilled glass through a strainer.

Frozen - Ice or ice cream is blended into the drink. Make sure it is blended thoroughly so there are no lumps.

Posted in Lesson One, Ways to Build and Serve a Drink | No Comments »

Drink Recipe Format and Terminology

Under the title of each recipe, there are instructions on how to make the drink. Example: (Pour, Highball, Cubed). Tthe first word tells how to build the drink. The second word tells which type of glassware to serve the drink in. The third word tells what kind of ICE is required. Alwyas remember to handle all glassware by the bottoms. DO NOT TOUCH THE UPPER HALF OF A GLASS!

Next to each recipe name is a common bar abbreviation for it. We’ll discuss these in more detail later. For now they are presented simply to allow you to become accustomed to some of the basic elements of communication in this business. These abbreviations do vary slightly from bar to bar, but by the end of this program you should be able to function and communicate in any establishment that you choose.

RECIPES

HIGHBALL {___/___}
(Pour, HIghball, Cubed)
Fill with any mixer(s)

Examples:
SCOTCH & SODA {S/S}
BOURBAN & WATER {B/W}
GIN & TONIC {G/T}
RUM & COKE {R/C}

* All TONIC drinks take a LIME SQUEEZE*

Cuba libre’ {Cuba}
(Pour, Highball, Cubed)
1 1/4oz. light rum
Fill with cola
Lime Squeeze

Easy Rider {Ama/s}
(Pour, Highball, Cubed)
1 1/4. Amaretto
Fill with soda water

Rickey {Rick}
{Pour, Highball, Cubed}
1 1/4 oz. Gin
Fill with soda Water
Lime Squeeze

Presbyterian {press}
(Pour, Highball, Cubed)
1 1/4 oz. Bourbon
Fill with equal parts:
Club soda and Ginger Ale, or
Club Soda and 7-UP

Boilermaker {B+ Draw}
(Pour, Highball, Cubed)
1 1/4 oz. Bourbon
Serve with a Draw Beer

MIST (Mist)
(Pour, Highball, Cubed)
1 1/4 oz. any liquor or liqueur
Lemon twist garnish

FRAPPE’ {FRAP}
(Pour, Highball, Cubed)
1 1/4 oz. any liqueor

___________ On the rocks {OF}
(Pour, Highball, Cubed)
1 1/2 oz. any liquor

Old-Fashioned {OF}
(Pour, Highball, Cubed)
1tsp. Suger
3 dashes of bitters
Splash of Soda Water
Cherry and/or Orange Wedge
—-MUDDLE—-
1 3/4 oz. Bourbon
–ADD ICE LAST–

Mohito
(Pour, Rocks & Highball, crushed)
6-8 Mint leaves
1 tsp. sugar
Splash of Club Soda
—MUDDLE—
1 1/4 oz light rum
—MUDDLE—
Strain into highball
Top with Club Soda
Mint Sprig Garnish

TIP:If your bar doesn’t carry Ginger Ale, a mixture of 90% 7-up and 10% Cola will suffice.

MUDDLING— IS A COMBINATION OF MASHING, MIXING, AND STIRRING COMBINE SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS. A BAR SPOON OR MUDDLER MAY BE USED. 

Posted in Drink Recipe Format and Terminology, Lesson One | No Comments »

Basic Bar Vocabulary

The follow are words used in most bars around the world and are very important if you want to become a successful bartender:

Station - This is the area where drinks are mixed. Bartenders have his/her own station during their shift. The main job of a bartender at his station (besides mix drinks) is to make sure he/she keeps the Station clean and in compliance with Health Codes. Also it is the job of the bartender to keep the ingredients in reach so that your customers do not have to wait for you to restock during your shift.

Rail - This is the area directly in front of the bartender. Slightly lower than the bar top.. This is where all the drinks are to be mixed, so that the customer can see the preparation.

Front Bar - The front bar serves the customers, but may also serve the establishments wait staff.

Service Bar - The Service bar is for the waiting staff only.  This service bar is used by the wait staff  to prepare such things as food and drinks.

Speed Rack- This is a long metal container infront of the bartender at knee level used to hold all the “Generic” brands of liquor.  These “Generic” brands of liquor are also called “well” drinks… If a customer doesn’t ask for a specific brand it is your responsibility to serve the “well” brand. 90% of all drinks are made from the speed racks. These “well” bottle labels should always face towards the bartender at all times. Make sure to know your speed rack and the drinks in it… knowing where your drinks are is one of the most important parts of bartending.

Back Bar - The area behind the Bartender’s workstation. This is usually where all the other liquors are kept, including cordials, liqueurs, and “call” brands. You may want to move a bottle from the back bar to an area beside your station if you have a customer asking several times for a particular brand during your shift. However, do not put it in the speed rack (the customer may then expect to pay only “well” price for “call” brands), and always return it to the back bar before you go home.

Ice Bin - Also called a JOCKEY BOX. It is in front of the bartender. The speed rack is attached to the front of the jockey box. Never dump drinks or used ice in the ice bin. You should always use a scoop to move ice from the bin into the glass. The scoop handle should be kept out of the ice and stored out of the ice bin. The procedures also apply to ice machines and transferring ice from the machine to a carrying bucket for your ice bin (jockey box).

Post Mix Gun - The post mix gun (soda gun) contains carbonated mixes and water, and is run by C02. Make sure it is plugged in and never let it fall into your ice. Take care when changing your syrup tanks that you don’t switch the “in” and “out” connectors. Also, do not disconnect a tank from the system unless you have a replacement ready to hook up. Your instructor will show you how to change these syrup tanks. Always be certain that all of your soda system tanks are securely strapped together. This prevents dangerous mishaps, and is required by law in most areas.

————————————————————-

Learn these labels from your soda gun:

C=Cola
G=Ginger-Ale
T=Diet Cola
Q=Quinine (tonic water)
W=Water
S=Soda Water / Club Soda
L=Lemon-Lime (7-up or Sprite)

Mixing Set - A typical Mixing Set will include:

1. Metal Shell (stainless Steel)
2. Glass Shell
3. Strainer
4. Bar Spoon
5. Liquor Measure (Jigger)
It is best to buy the best possible mixing set that you can afford. A well-made set should last for many years of narmal use.

JIGGER - A glass, plastic, or metal calibrated shot glass used to measure liquor, usually has two measures, one top and one bottom. They are made in a variety of sizes and size combinations. Your manager will select the proper size for your establishment. The jigger should be rinsed after each use, especially if pouring thick liqueurs like Kahlua or Bailey’s Irish Cream.

Measuring Liquor - When you pick up a bottle put your index finger alongside of the pour spout for control. Some establishments allow free pouring, which can be very exact if a Bartender is practiced and conscientious. Unfortunately, it can also lead to massive spillage and waste, as well as over-serving and last profit for the house. It is often policy for the management to require all Bartenders to measure out each shot using a jigger. Here at Aims, you will learn BOTH methods. This way, you’ll be prepared for any establishment.

Liquor - A beverage which is a direct product of a process called distillation. Whiskey, Gin, Vodka, Rum, Brandy and Tequila are all liquors.

Liqueur - A beverage made by adding various flavorings, extracts, sugar and/or water to a liquor. Thus, all liqueurs must have a liquor base.

Liquors and Liqueurs come in one of three varieties:

Proprietary - A trademarked brand name, made by only one company, whose recipes are well guarded. Examples include: Drambule, Kahlua, Southern Confort, and Galliano.

Generic - A non-trade-marked item. Any one of a number of different companies can make these. Generally speaking, a generic liquor or liqueur is a less-expensive copy of a proprietary one. Ecamples include: creme de menthe, peppermint schnapps, triple sec, and amaretto.

Schnapps -  A Sweetened, flavored liqueurs with a Neutral Spirits base.

TIP -  Whenever a customer does not specify a preference, always use a GENERIC liquor or liqueur in the drink. This keeps prices and bar cost down. The size of the shot differs between establishments. This is a fact few customers realize. A shot can range from 1 ounce to 3 ounces. Your boss should tell you your shot size prior to your first shift, and if you are allowed to free pour or if you must use a jigger.

Posted in Bar Vocabulary | No Comments »

Bartending for dummies

The career field of BARTENDING offers wide variety, a great atmosphere, flexible hours, and a pay that few other jobs can’t match! The following is a list of things that you will learn in order to become a great bartender.

Trade Secrets -  That will allow you to earn top dollar on your hourly wages and tips.

State Alcoholic Beverage Commission - Laws and regulations.

Health Department Regulations - Learning the regulations of the heath department can help make you a better bartender… because improper sanitation procedures behind the bar could cost you your job and cost your employer his or her business.

The following lessons will help you learn the tricks of the trade and also learn how to get and keep the job you really want.

Posted in Bartending for dummies | No Comments »