The Mixology Talk Podcast, Episode Forty Eight
Learn these words before ordering your next Martini and you’ll get exactly what you want!
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In today’s Episode…
About the Ingredients Used:
“Well”
“Well” spirits are the least expensive. They’re typically located “in the well” which is very close to the bartender because he/she will use them frequently. If you don’t specify differently, your drink will be made with whatever spirit is in “the well”.
“Call”
If you want your drink made with a specific spirit, go ahead and “call” it out. For example, you might order a “Tanqueray and tonic” instead of a Gin and Tonic. “Call” cocktails will typically have a higher price point than “well” drinks because the spirits are often higher-end.
“Premium”
Most expensive spirit in the range – also called “Top shelf”. Usually you’d order in the same way as ordering a “call” drink, but you’ll specify a high end brand. Cocktails made with “premium” spirits cost the most of all – which makes sense as their ingredients are more expensive.
“House” (For Wine)
The cheapest price of wine both for the bar and the consumer. Often this will be a wine the restaurant gets a good deal on from their distributor, or a wine that they have quite a bit of. Either way, it’ll typically be a lower end wine with a very low price point.
About Preparation:
“Shaken” vs “Stirred”
You’d only specify shaken vs. stirred in the case of a Martini – if you ask for your Manhattan “shaken” you might just get asked to leave!
Up vs Rocks vs Neat:
These words refer to how the drink will be served to you.
- Up: Served “up” in a cocktail or Martini Glass
- Rocks: Served in a Rocks glass, with ice
- Neat: Served room temperature in a rocks glass without ice (This is usually only done with a spirit only, not with a prepared cocktail.)
“Dry” vs “Wet”
Behind the bar, “Dry” and “wet” usually refer to how much vermouth is being added to your martini. (But they can apply to any drink that uses vermouth.) Dry means less vermouth, Wet means more. (Be careful if you’re actually trying to specify “Dry Vermouth” instead of “less sweet Vermouth”!)
Garnish:
“With a twist”: Add a twist. Unless you specify, you’ll probably get a lemon twist.
“No Fruit”: No fruit garnish.
Thank you Nicholas for sending this one in:
“I’ve heard when adding club soda to a cocktail you are making it ‘long.’”
I don’t know how widely used this term is, but I’ve definitely heard it before, so I wanted to be sure to add it to this list!
Specific Cocktails:
The “Dirty” Martini:
This one is pretty well known – a dirty martini is made with some of the olive brine thrown in. (We made a dirty martini with pepperocini juice too and it was fantastic! Seriously, give this one a try)
“Perfect” Manhattan
In this context, “Perfect” means using half sweet and half dry vermouth. So a perfect Manhattan can be made with half the sweet vermouth substituted for dry. In theory you could see “perfect” used with other vermouth cocktails, but usually it’s referring to a Manhattan
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What have we missed? How do you order your martini? Let us know in the comments!
I specify a 5 to 1 ratio of Broker’s Gin to Noilly Prat dry vermouth. And two dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters #6. No olive, just a lemon twist. In reality, I usually only get it my way when I’m the cocktail maker (ie. at home) or I’m in San Francisco or New York City (I’m sure other cities have bars that are properly equipped, but I don’ t travel to other cities very often)
Hi Julia and Chris ,
Awesome, it is an amazing one . Thanks for sharing !?