Currently my favorite cocktail is a vodka gimlet. Made with Belvedere, Rose’s lime juice and shaken like a crying baby, this drink is pure perfection if the ratio is right. Three parts vodka, one part Rose’s lime juice–that’s it. It is surprising to me how many bartenders (in this area) don’t know what a gimlet is, especially considering its very simple ingredients.
Is there a drink you love that you find yourself explaining to bartenders?
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Eight years in Nashville, and I have run into only two bartenders that know the difference between “up” and “neat.” And I only ask for ONE ingredient.
I used to drink the heck out of gin gimlets (Beefeater’s and Rose’s). You think I would have trained all the bartenders in the metro area!
i can never find a bar that makes a “dark and stormy”
95% of the bartenders have no idea what it is, and the 5% that do always say they don’t have the ingredients. usually it is the authentic ginger beer that causes problems and i think barritt’s might even be out of production..?? very spotty info to be found on the intarwebs.
A “dark and stormy” anywhere I’ve tended was always just a “rum and ginger” since no one carries ginger beer.
SoCo and Lime.
It confuses people.
There’s a reason SoCo and Lime confuses people. Most rational people would never combine those two flavors. Having just tried it this past weekend, I can understand why. It’s as horrible as I thought it would be when I first heard it being ordered. And I’ve had my regular “Jack on the rocks” screwed up more often than I can count.
I tried a Jack and cranberry juice the other day when I found myself with only those two ingredients for cocktail making in the house. Not bad at all.
My favorite:
I like to taste my beer, so the fashion of freezing glassware is not one to which I subscribe. I always order my beer “in a warm glass” which every bartender and serves knows (or should know) implies “not frozen.” Once, at O’Charley’s, the server brought me a glass, filled with hot water, and a floating bottle of beer. Unfortunately, she wasn’t joking.
The gimlet is like the margarita: if you can’t be bothered to squeeze a lime, you don’t deserve to have one. Try it with fresh-squeeze lime juice and you’ll never go back. If you want a cool variation, use key limes.
I’ve tried it with real limes. Too sour. And I ain’t fucking around making simple syrup.
When I was in Wilmington, I asked the bartender at three different bars for a sidecar, and none of them knew what it was. At the second, I explained what it was, and she determined then that they .. didn’t have brandy. To be fair, she was at least honest (and kinda funny, to me), when she said “oh — well, we’re not really bartenders. we just make drinks.” No shit..
I’ve never been well versed with cocktails. I love LI iced tea, irish coffee, Budweiser, and I’m all curious about that Rangpur stuff (Tanq.?) they’re advertizing now. That looks mighty fine.
Not really a cocktail, but I love a black velvet and most of the time I have to explain that it is half Guiness and half pear cider. Well that’s one version anyway.
A daiquiri. Not a strawberry daiquiri, but the rum, lime juice, and simple syrup kind. Every time I order one, they tell me that they don’t have frozen drinks. Bastards.
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