A-Z Of Mixology Part 1: Understanding Bar Jargon

At its core, bartending is more than just looking good or using the right tools. It's an art deeply connected to language. It's not only about making drinks but also grasping the words that define the craft. Have you ever felt confused reading a cocktail menu, wondering about terms like middi or the difference between a dash and a splash? If you've hung out at a bar, you understand that figuring out these terms is like decoding the secret language of bartenders. 

Understanding bartending terminologies doesn't have to be a daunting task. While some words may be self-explanatory, others require a deeper dive. This list isn't exhaustive, but it covers commonly used words in the cocktail realm, demystifying the language for those on their bartending journey. For seasoned cocktail enthusiasts, consider it a delightful refresher; for novices, it is a valuable guide to enhance your mixology pleasure.

Explore this compilation of mixology terms from A to Z to become fluent in the language of the bar:

Alcohol: Ethanol, a type of alcohol, forms naturally when yeast ferments sugars. Present in beer, wine, and liquor, it's an organic compound composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms.

ABV: Alcohol by volume, is a metric revealing the percentage of pure alcohol in a beverage. This measurement varies widely across alcoholic drinks, with standard ABV ranges for each type. 

Aperitif: An apéritif, a pre-meal low-alcohol drink, stimulates appetite. Typically dry, common choices include vermouth, champagne, pastis, gin, ouzo, fino, amontillado, or other dry sherry styles, excluding sweet options. 

Back: A "back" is a milder beverage served alongside a main drink in a separate glass. Common choices include water, cola, or pickle juice, providing a contrast to a strong drink.

Bartender's Spoon: A bar spoon, with its extended handle, is a bartending tool designed for mixing and layering both alcoholic and non-alcoholic mixed drinks. Its length allows it to reach the bottom of tall containers for direct mixing.

Bitters: Bitters are alcoholic blends of herbs used to enhance the flavour of cocktails. A bartender's secret weapon, such as angostura bitters, is that they're made with herbs and berries, adding subtle but crucial bitterness.

Boston Shaker: The Boston Shaker, common in bars, combines a large glass and a slightly larger metal tumbler. When shaken, the ice forms a seal, thoroughly mixing the ingredients and, crucially, chilling the drink.

Box: Boxing is the act of pouring a drink into and out of a shaker, typically just once, omitting the need for shaking. This swift method efficiently mixes the drink without the traditional shaking process.

Bruised: Bruised denotes a cocktail that has been overshaken, resulting in an unsightly appearance and excess water content. This occurs when a drink has been agitated excessively during the shaking process.

Burnt: Burnt in mixology refers to the use of Scotch in Martinis. This adds a distinct smoky flavour to the cocktail. The term feature the incorporation of Scotch whisky into the drink.

Build: Building a drink involves starting with ice in a glass and sequentially adding ingredients like alcohol, seasonings, and garnishes. This method creates a well-layered and visually appealing cocktail.

Cask Strength: Commonly used in whisky, cask strength denotes the gerat alcohol-by-volume (ABV) of the spirit straight from the cask, often ranging from 60 to 65 percent. During maturation, water is added to achieve the desired 40 percent ABV.

Champagne Flute: Elegant, long glasses are designed to enhance champagne's effervescence. The narrow shape preserves bubbles, making them perfect for celebrating. Hold from the base to maintain chill.

Chaser: A drink, often taken after tequila, to alter the alcohol's straight taste.

Chilling Glasses: Optional but recommended for straight-up cocktails. It means chilled glasses, especially for martinis and daiquiris, enhance presentation and keep cocktails delightfully cold. 

Cocktail: A blend of liquor, liqueurs with soda or juice, fruits, etc., often shaken before serving. 

Collins: A drink served in a tall glass, preferably with seltzer or soda water.

Cordial: A sweet, flavoured liqueur used in cocktails, typically containing fruits or herbs, adding a pleasant taste to mixed drinks.

Congeners: Like seasonings, they add flavour to any alcoholic drink or cocktail. However, they come with side effects, like hangovers.

Crusta: A drink served in a glass lined with lemon and orange peel. Dash: A small, quick pour of an ingredient, often aromatic bitters, added to a cocktail to enhance flavour without overpowering the drink.

Dram: A unit of measurement equal to 3.5 ml, commonly used for small amounts of potent ingredients in cocktails.

Daisy: A Daisy is a cocktail with a spirit base, citrus juice, sweetener, and sometimes flavoured liqueurs, served over ice.

Dirty: In bar terminology, "dirty" refers to a cocktail, typically a Martini, that includes olive brine, giving it a savoury and salty flavour.

Double-Strained: This means using a fine mesh strainer alongside a regular strainer to remove all ice and solid particles from a cocktail, ensuring a smooth texture.

Dry: It refers to a style of cocktail that has minimal sweetness, often with little or no added sugar or sweet components.

Feather: Floating a small amount of alcohol on a drink's surface, creating a strong first sip illusion.

Fix: Like a Daisy, it's a crushed ice drink in a goblet. Fizz: Citrusy, carbonated, or bubbly, it's a sour family drink.

Flame: Setting a drink on fire before serving.

Flaming Zest: Expressing citrus zest's oils over a flame for added aroma and flavour.

Flip: A creamy concoction blending sugar, eggs, and spirit or wine.

Float: One alcohol layer resting on another in a shooter glass.

Free Pour: To make drinks without using a measured pour, spout, or jigger to measure.

Frost: It refers to draining a glass of water and placing it inside a freezer to create an icy layer around the glass.

Garnish: Garnish refers to the decorative and flavorful elements added to a drink after it has been mixed, enhancing its visual appeal and taste.

Gomme: It refers to gomme syrup, which is a type of sugar syrup that includes gum arabic, adding viscosity to cocktails.

Grog: It is a beverage made with fruit juice, water, and rum, often served in a mug.

Infusion: This involves steeping flavours, like herbs or fruits, into a liquid, enhancing its taste over time. 

From popular phrases to more niche expressions, this journey into the bartending glossary is to be continued...