Q&A's
for Bartenders #2
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If a distilled
spirit is 100 proof then what % alcohol is it?
50. You just divide the proof in half.
If a distilled spirit says 42% on the bottle label
then what proof is it?
84 proof. You just multiply the proof by
2.
If a guest orders a CC & Coke, what do they want?
Canadian Club whisky (CC) and Coke.
Do tap, draw, draught, and draft basically mean the
same thing?
Yes.
If all red grape juice is clear and all white grape
juice clear then how do red wines get their color?
When red wine is made the skins are left
on. To achieve a color like a White Zinfandel they only leave
the skins on for a little bit to achieve the pink color.
What country is Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon
produced?
All Bourbons are produced in the US. And
to go further, only Bourbon made in Kentucky can have the words
Kentucky Bourbon on their label.
How many Champagne houses are located in California?
None. Champagne can only be named Champagne
when it’s from the Champagne region of France. Everything
else must say sparkling wine on the label.
Why is the term French Champagne an oxymoron?
Because if it’s Champagne it assumed
that it’s French.
What’s the difference between a shot and a shooter?
You drink both really fast, but shots are
made with 100% alcohol and served in a shot glass. Like a B-52,
shot of tequila, Buttery Nipple, etc. Shooters have a mix to them
like a Lemondrop, Woo Woo, KamiKaze, etc.
If a keg blows and you don’t have time to change
it right away what should you do to the tap handle?
Either unscrew it or put a glass upside
down on the handle. Preferably plastic.
How can you make juice flow quickly out of a store-n-pour?
Stick a drinking straw into the pour spout.
When someone with a British accent orders lemonade,
most times they mean what?
Sprite or 7up. Lemonade in Britain is lemon-lime
soda.
What is a Mint Julep and where is it famous?
A Mint Julep is the official Kentucky Derby
cocktail. It’s made with Bourbon, sugar, and spearmint leaves.
What is a bar par?
A par is the amount of liquor bottles that
should always be kept at your bar or in the store room. It makes
it easier for inventory and ordering. For example, let’s
say that your par for Cointreau is 4 bottles. This way you only
have to look at what you have and then add to it until it reaches
it’s par, which in this case is 4. It’s also used
to see if any bottles have been stolen. So if you have 1 empty
bottle of Cointreau, 1 full bottle on the back bar and one bottle
in the storage shelf then you know one bottle is missing because
the par is 4 and you only count 3.
What’s slang for Sambuca?
Buca (BOO-ka).
What is bar time?
Usually 10 minutes ahead of real time. It
helps to wrap things up at closing time.
What is a juice gun?
A gun like a soda gun but it dispenses juice.
Well, fake flavored juice. Most nightclubs use them. The stuff
is pretty nasty and nothing more than sugared flavored watery
mixes.
What is a Pousse Café (poose ka-FA, rhymes
with loose)?
It’s an after dinner layered drink.
It has 7 layers (some say 9), but don’t worry, no one will
ever ask you to make one. It’s just important to know that
all layered drinks like this are considered types of Pousse Café’s.
Name three modern day Pousse Cafés.
B-52, Blow Job, and Buttery Nipple.
What’s a Boilermaker?
A Boilermaker is a shot of whiskey dropped
into a beer. Like the Pousse Café, it’s a type of
drink.
Name three modern day Boilermakers.
Jäger Bomb, Flaming Dr. Pepper, and
Irish Car Bomb.
What's in a Buttery Nipple?
Equal parts of Butterscotch schnapps and
Irish cream. The Irish cream layers on top of the schnapps, however
in a lot of college nightclubs they just mix them together.
How do you make an Irish Car Bomb?
Pour equal amounts of Irish whisky and Bailey’s
Irish Cream into a shot glass then drop it into half a pint of
Guinness Stout. Notice how everything is Irish?
How do you make a Blow Job?
Pour coffee liqueur into a shot glass, layer
Irish cream on top then top with whipped cream.
What is a Flaming Dr.Pepper?
A shot made of grenadine, amaretto and 151
rum lit and dropped into half a pilsner beer then chugged. Know
that many bartenders seem to have their own special variations
on what goes into the shot glass. All agree on the amaretto and
151. This is my time-tested recipe that keeps my guests wanting
more. The grenadine is only and 1/8 of an ounce, and the 151 is
only 1/4 ounce.
Do all bars allow you to light drinks on fire?
No. Actually many don’t. In some cases,
managers will allow bartenders to light a drink and allow the
bartender to extinguish it before it gets near the guest.
What is a cappuccino?
Espresso and steamed milk.
If you add triple sec to Vodka Gimlet then what shooter
would you have?
KamiKaze.
What does the term "turn over" mean?
To use the seats in the bar or restaurant
over and over with new guests. The seats are being turned over.
What is a spotter?
A spotter is hired to ask like a normal
guest and report everything they see and hear happening. They
are sometimes called a secret shopper.
Why is an empty bottle called a dead soldier?
Refers to an empty beer bottle. The spirit
has left the bottle so it’s dead.
What is a carafe?
A glass container with a flared end that’s
used for wine. They were really popular in the 1980’s. Bartenders
took them over using them for tip jars and water. However, a lot
of bartenders now use buckets behind the bar due to theft of the
tip jar/carafes.
Name a couple of ways you can make a Chocolate Martini.
The main thing to know about Chocolate Martinis
is that you need vodka and a chocolate liqueur (and some bartenders
add cream). So you could make a Chocolate Martini with vodka and
white crème de cocoa for a clear cocktail and let’s
say, Vanilla vodka and Godiva chocolate liqueur for the other
one.
What French raspberry liqueur comes in a small round
bottle with gold plastic banding?
Chambord.
What’s in a Sour Apple-tini?
Citrus vodka, sour apple liqueur, and sour
mix. It gets a cherry garnish.
What’s in a Caramel Apple-tini?
The same as the Sour Apple-tini, but just
add butterscotch schnapps. (Some bartenders leave the sour mix
out.)
What’s in a Washington Apple?
Crown Royal, sour apple liqueur, and cranberry
juice.
An Orgasm has what in it?
Amaretto, coffee liqueur, and Irish cream
(some places add a little cream).
A Screaming Orgasm has what in it?
Vodka, amaretto, coffee liqueur, and Irish
cream (some places add a little cream).
Explain the phrase "All Cognacs are brandies
but not all brandies are Cognacs".
Cognac can only be made from grapes grown
in the Cognac region of France. Brandy can be made from grapes
and other fruits as well from anywhere.
What is the bizarre fact about a Chocolate Cake shot?
It doesn’t have chocolate in it, but
tastes like it.
What’s in a Mojito?
Muddled lime wedges, sugar and mint leaves,
rum and soda water.
When a bartender says that are going to break down the well, what
does this mean?
It means that they are going to shut it
down by putting everything away, and cleaning it. This happens
when a shift is about to end. It’s doing prep closing duties.
Do you use the flat or round end of a muddler to muddle?
Flat.
If you don’t have a bar spoon then what else
can you use to layer?
Using a cherry is the most popular, but
you can grab a lemon or lime wedge and run the alcohol down it’s
skin or anything thing else handy. Get creative! Once I saw a
bartender use his finger then when finished let the female guest
suck his finger. There’s an image you don’t forget.
If someone orders White Label, what do they generally
want?
They want Dewar’s White Label blended
Scotch whisky.
What bottle comes in the much coveted purple and gold
bags?
Crown Royal.
What is Tequila made from?
The sap of the hearts of the blue agave
plant. Well, at least 51% percent of it. By Mexican law, the other
49% can be from other agave plants.
What is Cointreau (KWAHN-troh)?
A French orange flavored liqueur.
What shape and color is a Cointreau bottle?
Square and brown.
If someone asks for a brut Champagne then what kind
of Champagne do they want?
Dry. Not sweet.
What does the term Coyote Ugly mean?
A slang term that means you’ve awaken
next to someone so ugly that you you’d rather gnaw off your
arm to get away instead of waking them.
What is wine made from?
Fruit. You were going to say grapes, weren’t
you? Well, grapes are fruit.
What is Frangelico?
An Italian hazelnut liqueur made from hazelnuts,
berries, herbs, a little bit of cacao, coffee, vanilla and caramel
for coloring. The bottle is often said to resemble an Aunt Jemima
Pancake Syrup bottle from those in the business. But the bottle
is supposed to resemble a monk’s habit with a rope for the
belt.
What’s in a drink called a Nuts & Berries?
Frangelico, raspberry liqueur, and cream.
How can you make the speed of liquid from a juice
pourer flow out faster?
Stick a straw in the pour spout.
If Southern Comfort is not considered a whiskey, then what is
it?
It’s considered a liqueur. It’s
made with peaches, apricots and citrus extracts.
What’s bitters?
It’s a high alcoholic liquid made
from bark, herbs, plants, fruits, and flowers. It adds extra flavor
to cocktails.
What does a bartender make for someone with an upset
stomach?
Bitters and soda. You usually make it in
a short glass without ice. Fill it with soda then dash in 3-5
dashes of bitters. The guest should suck it down with a drinking
straw as fast as they can. It’s usually at no cost.
What spirit is so versatile that it can be distilled
from rice, corn, potatoes, sugar, beets, rye or any vegetation?
Vodka.
Name the 5 main ingredients in beer.
Malt, barley, hops, yeast, and water.
How many ounces are in a pony glass?
1.
How many ounces are in a standard pint glass?
16.
What's a walkout?
A guest that walks out on their tab without
paying.
Name two popular coffee liqueurs.
Kahlúa and Tia Maria.
Is schnapps a liquor or liqueur?
Liqueur.
In 2005 Grand Marnier came out with a new product,
what was it?
It’s called NAVAN and it’s a
vanilla flavored Cognac.
Explain the name Triple Sec.
Triple Sec is an orange liqueur made from
the bitter skins of triple sec oranges.
What does it mean to marry bottles?
Pouring the contents of one bottle into
another, thus two bottles are married. It’s Illegal. Really
the law is that you can’t pour anything into any bottle
not even if it’s identical. It’s started when bar
owners would water down their liquor to make more money. With
that said, behind closed doors or out of eyesight, it’s
been known for bartenders working a 2 well or more bar to marry
identical bottles in order to consolidate.
What is the best way to sneeze behind the bar?
Into your elbow.
What flavor is anise?
Licorice.
What’s the difference between a cordial and liqueur?
Nothing. Some cordials are non-alcoholic
though.
What is the predominant flavor of gin?
Juniper berries.
What is the main difference between lagers and ales?
Lagers are brewed with bottom fermenting
yeasts and ales are brewed with top fermenting yeasts.
In America, what type of beer is produced the most?
Lager.
What main ingredient is in tonic water?
Quinine.
What does Blanc mean?
It’s French for white wine.
After opening a bottle of wine people sometimes say
that they have to drink it all now. Why is that?
Because it will spoil. Wine doesn’t
keep well after opening.
Name 3 things about Jägermeister?
It’s a German liqueur made from 56
herbs, fruit, and roots. It comes in a dark green square bottle.
People make comments that it tastes like cough syrup. It’s
used in a Jäger Bomb. In medium to low-end bars you’ll
usually see a tap for it on the back bar.
What does BAC stand for?
Blood Alcohol Content and is also called
Breath Alcohol Content or Blood Alcohol Concentration.
Does a 5 ounce glass of wine have the alcohol content
as a 12 ounce beer or a shot of 86 proof liquor?
Yes, they all contain the same amount of
alcohol.
Does the alcohol in wine, beer, and liquor have the
same impact on a person’s BAC?
Yes, beer and wine has less of an impact
than hard alcohol because distilled spirits raise a person’s
BAC higher and faster.
Approximately what percentage of alcohol enters the
bloodstream through the stomach lining?
10%-15%.
If you have food in the stomach before you drink alcohol
does it slow down the rate of absorption?
Yes.
Do fatty foods or high carb foods increase the absorption of alcohol
in the body?
Fatty foods will slow the absorption more
than high carb foods because fatty foods are harder to digest
therefore the easily digested high carb foods increase the alcohol
absorption rate.
Does a carbonated drink increase or decrease the absorption
of alcohol in the body?
It increases the absorption.
Can a person’s state of mind effect the rate
of absorption of alcohol in the body?
Yes. Worry, anxiety, and emotional stress
can lower the absorption and a blue mood will cause the alcohol
to the dumped into the small intestine.
What percentage of body fat tissue absorbs alcohol?
Zero. Body fat doesn’t absorb alcohol
from the bloodstream.
Do the brain, muscles and central nervous system absorb
any alcohol from the bloodstream?
Very much so.
What part of your body detoxifies most the alcohol in your body?
The liver.
How long does it take the liver to detox your body?
It takes the liver one-hour to detox one
shot of alcohol, 5 ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer.
What can speed up the livers detox process?
Nothing. Not coffee, or water, or food.
The only real thing that gets a person sober is time.
Is alcohol classified as a depressant or a stimulant?
It’s classified as a depressant, but
during the initial stages it acts as a stimulant on the central
nervous system.
What kind of gin does Sloe Gin contain?
None. It’s a liqueur made with sloe
berries.
What bottle has a picture of a clipper ship?
Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky.
What gets a garnish of 3 coffee beans dropped into
it?
A Sambuca served neat.
What country is Cognac produced?
France.
In what country is Champagne produced?
France.
What animal is on every bottle of Bacardi?
A bat.
What was America’s first liqueur?
Southern Comfort.
What infamous liqueur has been banned worldwide?
Absinthe.
What flavor is blue Curacao?
Orange. It’s really just a blue triple
sec but a tiny bit drier.
Who invented Champagne?
Dom Pérignon.
What does Cuba Libre mean?
Free Cuba.
Who invented the Mai Tai?
Vic Bergeron, also known as Trader Vic,
claims to have invented the Mai Tai in 1944 at his San Francisco
restaurant and bar in 1944.
Which is heavier, grenadine or blue Curacao?
Grenadine.
Where is the world’s best selling rum, Bacardi,
produced?
Puerto Rico.
When is it acceptable to bring your own bottle of
wine into an establishment?
When that establishment charges a cork fee.
Which means that you have to pay a fee to bring the bottle into
the establishment.
What hip-hop French liqueur packaged in an aqua-colored
bottle is made from Cognac, vodka, and tropical fruit juice?
Hpnotiq.
When someone says that a bottle of alcohol is a fifth,
what is a fifth?
1/5 of a gallon.
What country is Crown Royal from?
Canada.
What 1980’s film starring Tom Cruise is considered
the bartender movie of all time and also kick started performance/flair
bartending?
Cocktail.
What 2000 movie starred Piper Perabo who takes a night
job as a sexy bar top stomping whiskey slinging cowgirl?
Coyote Ugly.
What 2004 Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet song had these
lyrics, Pour me something tall and strong, make it a Hurricane
before I go insane?
It's Five O' Clock Somewhere. Even though
Jimmy Buffet has released many songs since 1977, this was his
first time to have a #1 song.
Who wrote the crowd pleasing interactive bar song,
Family Tradition, that had these lyrics, Why do you drink? Why
do you roll smoke?
Hank Williams Jr.
In Jimmy Buffet’s anthem song, Margaritaville,
he searches for a lost shaker of what?
Shaker of salt.
What is the traditional yet annoying road trip song
that starts with 99 and finishes with 1?
99 bottles of beer on the wall.
What song have these lyrics, He drinks a whisky drink,
he drinks a vodka drink, he drinks a lager drink, he drinks a
cider drink, he sings the songs that remind him of the good times,
he sings the songs that remind him of the better times?
Tubthumping by Chumbawamba. It has a nickname
of Pissin’ the Night Away.
What’s the most famous Reggae song about alcohol
sung by Bob Marley?
Red Red Wine.
What does T.G.I.F. mean?
Thank God It’s Friday.
What extremely popular 21st century cocktail is made with sour
apple schanapps?
Sour Appletini.
What is the reach-in?
The cooler you normally reach in to get
stuff behind the bar.
What is the walk-in?
The walk in is back in the kitchen. It’s
a big walk in refrigerator.
What is dry stock?
All the stock that’s not wet. Straws,
napkins, etc. There’s always a dry stock storage room or
area.
Name a couple of ways bars make their beer taps unavailable
after closing?
Put locks on the taps or un-tap the kegs.
Who cleans the beer lines?
The distributors send people out to clean
them.
Older bars have coolers behind the bar where a keg of beer is
placed. When a kegs blows (runs out of beer), you have to haul
a full keg to the bar to replace it. How do newer constructed
bars usually have their keg system set up?
They usually have them back in the coolers
near where they are delivered. Long lines are run from the back
cooler straight to the tap at the bar.
If a server scribbles down a few drink orders on a
cocktail napkin to save time during a rush and writes w/ after
a bottle beer or Margarita, what does that mean?
If you write w/ (with) next to a beer it
means with a glass. For a Margarita it means with salt.
Does a Frozen/Blended Margarita have the same alcohol
content as a Margarita on the rocks?
Yes, however the frozen Margarita is not
as potent because it is watered down from the ice in the blender.
What company makes Budweiser?
Anheuser-Busch.
Bombay Sapphire Gin comes in what color bottle?
It’s a translucent blue sapphire color.
What is ethanol?
In chemistry, the most common alcohol comes
in ethanol and methanol form. The main thing to know that that
ethanol is potable alcohol (drinkable) and methanol is not.
What is brewing?
It’s the production of alcohol for
alcoholic beverages through a process called fermentation.
What is fermentation?
The conversion of sugar to alcohol with
the use of yeast.
What does germination mean?
Anyone that has grown his or her own sprouts
from a jar knows what it is to germinate. If you don’t know,
then know that it’s that miracle moment of time that takes
place when a seed is just a seed and then enters the sprouting
stage.
What is distillation?
Vaporizing a liquid then cooling the condensation
and collecting the resulting liquid.
What is ginger beer?
Non-alcoholic highly flavored ginger soda.
What is orgeat (OAR-zhat) syrup?
Non-alcoholic almond syrup.
What is Opal Nera?
A black Sambuca (sam-BOO-ka).
How do you make a bar candle?
Stick some matchsticks or paper matches
into the end of straw and light.
If someone requested organic vodka, what vodka could
you suggest?
Rain.
What’s considered a bartender’s ginger ale?
Sprite or 7 up with a splash of cola to
look like ginger ale, however it doesn’t taste like it because
it’s missing the ginger.
What country is Greygoose from?
France.
Where did the Harvey Wallbanger get its name?
It's said that a California surfer name
Harvey would request the drink and end up walking into a wall
after drinking several.
What is Tuaca?
An Italian liqueur made from brandy, herbs
and fruit. They say the recipe is over 500 years old.
How can you carry a full drink across the room without
it spilling?
If you lay a straw across the drink then
the tension of the liquid grabs on the straw while gently rocking,
thus keeping it from spilling. Of course heavy rocking back and
forth will spill it. It’s a good trick for servers.
How many ounces are in a 750ml (fifth) of alcohol?
25.4.
How many ounces in a liter bottle?
33.8.
What are red quarters?
Bars that have machines (jukebox, bar top
games, etc.) spray paint a bunch of quarters to hand out to guests
to keep them drinking. When the tech empties the machines, he
gives the painted ones back to the bar. The quarters can be spray
painted any color, but red is used most often.
What song has these lyrics, It’s nine o’clock
on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in, there’s an
old man sitting next to me, makin’ love to his tonic and
gin?
Piano Man by Billy Joel.
What is the special item in a bottle of Mescal?
Worm. But it’s really a butterfly
larve.
What country is Labatt’s beer brewed?
Canada.
Who are the top 4 producers of highly flavored liqueurs?
Bols and Dukuyper, Hiram Walker and Marie
Brizard.
What is a bar die?
It’s the name for the structural part
of the front of the bar.
In what Garth Brooks song does he sing, Where the
whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away?
Friends in Low Places.
If you aren’t sure if a customer wants salt
on their Margarita, then what can you do?
Only salt half.
What’s the difference in the purple Crown Royal
bag and the purple Crown Royal Reserve bag?
The Reserve bag is made of velvet and the
other is made of felt.
What are 2 ways a bartender can make a drink taste
stronger w/o adding more than the required alcohol?
Pack it with ice so that less mixer is allowed
in the glass, and pour a little of the spirit down the straw so
that when they take a sip it tastes strong.
Name a makeshift way to serve a heated brandy/Cognac?
All you need is a rocks glass and hot water.
Preheat the brandy snifter by filling it 1/4 of the way with hot
water (the kind at a coffee station) then fill a rocks glass half
with hot water as well. Dump out the hot water in the snifter
and pour in the Cognac and set the bowl inside the rocks glass.
It’s also nice to present it on a saucer. You may have to
experiment with the glassware at your bar to test which glass
the snifter fits in best.
What does it mean when a customer leaves a cocktail
napkin on top of their drink when they aren’t present?
Means that they’ll be back.
What proof is Everclear?
190.
What country produces Belvedere vodka?
Poland.
What country produces Chopin vodka?
Poland.
What Brazilian sugar cane brandy means burning water?
Cacacha (kuh-SHA-suh)
What popular cocktail is made with Cacacha?
Caipirinha (ki-pee-REEN-yah)
What is in a Caipirinha?
Cachaca, lime juice and sugar.
What is reposado tequila?
Reposado means rested. Reposado tequila
is rested and aged in wood for a minimum of two months up to a
year. Most are aged four to eight months.
What is Añejo tequila?
Añejo tequila must be aged for a
minimum of 1 year in oak barrels that are 600 liters or smaller.
What does V.S. on a bottle of Cognac mean?
Very Special.
What does V.S.O.P. on a bottle of Cognac mean?
Very Special Old Pale.
What does X.O. on a bottle of Cognac mean?
Extra Old.
A server has ordered a draft beer, but has let it
sit too long and the head is gone. What can be done to spruce
up the beer head before serving?
Grab a straw. Stick it in the beer and stir
the beer up a bit until it produces the head you want.
Let’s say that you work at a bar where you sell
a lot of bottled wine by the glass. What can you do to prep the
wine bottles for the most efficiency?
You can uncork the bottle halfway. Don’t
pop the cork; just pull it up half way so that when you need the
bottle, you can pop it.
What is a Kir?
White wine and crème de cassis.
What is a Kir Royale?
Champagne and crème de cassis.
How would you make an upgraded Kir and Kir Royale?
Use Chambord.
What was Prohibition?
In America it was the years 1920-1933 when
no alcohol could be sold, manufactured, or imported, except for
churches and medicinal purposes.
What’s the deal with ice beer?
It has higher alcohol content because when
chilled, ice crystals (frozen water) form then are removed which
reduces the water content.
Name some ways to keep a pitcher of beer cold.
Set a glass of ice, Ziploc bag of ice, or
frozen water bottle inside. They also make pitchers that have
a frozen middles.
What's in Liquid Cocaine?
Jägermeister, Goldschlager, and Rumple
Minze.
What's in a Surfer on Acid?
Jägermeister, coconut rum, and pineapple
juice.
If a wine bottle cork is dry and crumbly when trying
to uncork the bottle, what does that tell you?
That the bottle was stored upright and not
on it’s side.
What is a Champagne Cocktail?
1 sugar cube soaked with bitters (about
6 dashes) and a Champagne glass filled with Champagne and a lemon
twist.
What’s in a Between the Sheets?
Rum, brandy, triple sec, and sour mix.
What is a Slippery Dick?
Layered a shot of banana liqueur and Irish
cream.
Why should you never bang open rolls of coins on the cash register
drawer insert?
It might break it and they cost $50. Bang
your rolled coins on the bar or something solid.
When traveling the Caribbean one realizes that almost
every Island produces it own spirit. What is the most common spirit
distilled there and why?
It’s rum because the climate is best
for growing sugarcane.
What exactly is a Hop?
A hop is a vine that contains tannins necessary
to preserve the beer. Tannins are also found in grape skins and
seeds to help age wine.
What exactly is barley malt?
It’s a grain that’s soaked in
water to germinate. It then turns into a source of sugar that
can is used in the brewing process.
Why do you never ever fill a glass with ice by dipping the glass
down into an ice well?
This is a very bad bartender habit and against
health code. Don’t start it. Let’s see, glass goes
into ice, some glass breaks off in ice, glass and ice look alike,
guests cut mouth then sues.
What’s in a Negroni?
Gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.
What's in a Stinger?
Brandy and white crème de menthe
usually served on the rocks.
Name two drinks that use fresh mint leaves.
Mint Julep and a Mojito.
If a bottle of alcohol says that’s it contains
45% alcohol then what proof is it?
90.
Explain single malt Scotch whisky?
It’s a blending process done in Scotland
by blending malt whiskies at a single distillery.
What are the two most popular drinks that call for
ginger beer?
Moscow Mule and the Dark N’Stormy.
If a sweet Manhattan is requested what do you add
to make it sweet?
A little bit of cherry juice or grenadine.
Where is Level vodka from?
Sweden. Absolut owns it.
If you add soda water
to a Sombrero then what drink have you made?
Smith & Kerns.
What bottle of Tequila comes with it’s own measuring
device?
Jose Cuervo 1800. Turn it upside down and
you can see the top fill up with I ounce of tequila. Pop it off
quickly then pour.
What is the standard serving size for an apéritif?
2 1/2-3 ounces.
Do you drink an apéritif before or after dinner
and why?
Before. It’s supposed to stimulate
the appetite.
How large should your ce scoop be?
Large enough to fill at least 2-3 glasses
of ice at one time. A 24 ounce scoop is perfect for most bars.
What can be used for an ice scoop in a pinch?
A shaker tin.
If you needed to chill a glass, how would you do it?
Fill it with ice and water.
What four prominent countries produce whiskey/whisky?
Scotland, Ireland, America, and Canada.
Which 2 countries drop the e in the word whisky?
Scotland and Canada.
Which 2 countries keep the e in the word whiskey?
America and Ireland.
What is Cognac made from?
Grapes grown in the Cognac region of France.
Where is Kahlúa made?
Mexico.
What fruit is sherry made from?
Grapes.
What fruit is Port made from?
Grapes.
What country produces Port?
Portugal.
What American liquor was the first to be marketed
in a square bottle?
Jack Daniel’s.
What does the word vintage mean?
The year that the grapes were harvested.
What is a Godmother?
Vodka and amaretto on the rocks.
What’s in a Godfather?
Scotch and amaretto on the rocks.
What’s in a Sidecar?
Brandy or Cognac, triple sec, and sour mix.
Can be served with a sugared rim.
What’s in a Daiquiri?
Light rum, simple syrup and fresh limejuice.
What American whiskey is filtered through 10 feet
of sugar maple charcoal before being put into charred white oak
barrels?
Jack Daniel’s.
What country produces Mount Gay Eclipse Rum?
Barbados.
What country produces Bacardi?
Puerto Rico. However the first factory was
in Cuba.
What cocktail does Robert De Niro drink in the movie
Meet The Parents?
Tom Collins.
Where is Appleton rum produced?
Jamaica.
Name 3 spirits that can be found in the reach in?
Goldschlager, Jägermeister, and Rumple
Minze.
What product bears the name of an 1870 clipper ship?
Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky.
What German liqueur sells counter tap machines that
chills the liqueur to 4 degrees F?
Jägermeister.
What is the taste difference between dark crème
de cacao and white crème de cacao?
Nothing. Both have the same chocolate taste.
What is the difference between Johnnie Walker Black
Label Scotch and Johnnie Walker Red?
Black is aged 12 years. Red is 8 years or
less.
What color is bourbon when it comes out of the still?
Clear.
Wild Turkey comes is available in 2 proofs, what are
they?
80 and 101.
Wild Turkey comes in two labels, what are they?
White and Black label.
What Japanese liqueur means, green?
Midori.
Name the rich chocolate liqueur made by in America
by Seagram’s.
Godiva Liqueur.
What is the proof of Rumple Minze?
100.
What Swedish vodka is infused with paprika and jalapeño
peppers?
Absolut Peppar.
What country originally produced sherry?
Spain.
What style of beer is made from roasted unmalted barley?
Stout.
What is the most popular Stout?
Guinness.
What country is Tuaca produced?
Italy.
What 90’s film tells a tale of men, women, drinks and nightlife
with L.A. as its backdrop and starred Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn?
Swingers.
How many bottles of wine are there in a magnum?
2.
What are the 2 most common apéritif fortified wines used
behind the bar?
Sherry and vermouth.
What is mixed in bloody mary mix to make bloody bull
mix?
Beef bouillon.
Jameson is aged in what type of oak casks?
They use casks that previously aged sherry.
What is wasabi?
Green Japanese horseradish.
What does OSHA stand for?
Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
In what country is Ouzo made?
Greece.
If you had a Bourbon on the rocks and a Scotch on
the rocks next to each other, how could you tell the difference
between the two?
The Bourbon will be darker.
Why do you often find the word horny associated with
Tequila?
Because an oven called a hornos
is used for the agave.
What is the piña part of the agave plant?
It’s the core and happens to be the
part used in the fermentation process, not the leaves. The cores
are crushed then baked in a hornos (oven). After that the baked
cores enter the fermentation process and the juice produced is
transferred to a still.
Amstel beer is from what country?
Holland.
What country is Red Stripe beer from?
Jamaica.
What is Knob Creek?
It’s a Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon.
What’s the main difference between Seagram’s
7 blended whiskey and Seagram’s VO blended whisky?
Seagram’s 7 is American (made in Indiana)
and Seagram’s VO is Canadian.
What is a true triple sec upgrade?
Cointreau.
How does a soda gun work?
Soda guns are hooked up with lines that
run to where the soda is kept. The gun will have buttons with
letters on the buttons. Generally, S = soda water, C = cola, W
= water, L = sprite or 7 up (L stands for lemon-lime soda), Q
or T = tonic water (Q stands for quinine of which is in tonic
water), and D = diet cola. Know that some of the soda’s
can be on buttons that don’t make sense, but you just remember
what that bar uses and go with it.
What does post-mix mean?
Post-mix has bags of syrup housed in boxes
that mix with a water line and CO2 line to make soda come out
a soda gun.
What does pre-mix mean?
The pre-mix system has the water all ready
pre-mixed in a canister. You see these canisters at a lot of portable
outdoor venue bars. Just push the button you need on the soda
gun to dispense.
