Gothamist: Save the Bartenders

JohnnyShred

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:21:37 -0500

A Manhattan is bitters, sweet vermouth, rye whiskey and a maraschino cherry - but not those fake red abominations. They aren't food and should not come near anything you put into your body. One is not supposed to shake a Manhattan. Shaking it bruises the whiskey and makes it cloudy. Amateur bartenders default to shaking things too much. Its a Manhattan, not a frickin' margarita. (Don't get me started on margaritas - thats an entire other post). The only place that managed to make a Manhattan correctly without me having to explain was at Superfine, and at Death and Co. And if you need to explain to a bartender how to make a drink, it will likely piss them off and the drink will come out worse than if you didn't tell them. And if they make it wrong, then you're out $10 and all pissed off trying to choke down this round so you can leave a get a real drink. So, I think it would be better advice to tell people to order whatever is good at the place they are at. You don't order something complicated at a dive-bar-shot-and-a-beer kind of place. However, at such a place in Hoboken there is a bartender I managed to train, but having a personal relationship with a bartender causes much bigger problems and is not always recommended - It is only for those with no day job and a young, healthy liver. In summary, the problem is squarely with the bartenders. If bartenders would avoid short cuts, put away the roses lime juice and started squeezing it fresh, people would change their habits. If bartenders learned how to really make a drink, I am sure customers would start ordering things that are more complicated, instead of just ordering something that is hard to screw up. Shout out to Joaquim at Death and Co. Best bartender ever. Except for maybe Miss Lola Belle at Enid's, but thats another class of bartender.

solidago

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:48:01 -0500

Bartenders do need some saving. I love Negronis, but have given up on ordering them because a good 3/4 of the time they don't have a clue what it is. Or the bartender will say "we don't have that," at which point I have to start explaining to them how its made (which I don't particularly like). Now I just order a gin and Campari, unless it is clear that the bartender knows his or her stuff.

Geoff

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:36:38 -0500

Yes, a Manhattan is NOT made with bourbon. However the resurgence of the Manhattan rose with the resurgence of small batch bourbons during the mid 90s, hence the confusion. It is indeed originally made with Rye. But Rye has not had the injection of hip that bourbon has received. Another good one for Gin drinkers is the Singapore Sling. * 30ml gin * 15ml Heering Cherry Liqueur * 7.5ml D.O.M Benedictine * 7.5ml Cointreau * 120ml Pineapple juice * 15ml fresh lime juice * 10ml grenadine * dash of Angostura bitters * Garnish: maraschino cherry, pineapple chunk, and orange slice

lily

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:51:35 -0500

a manhatton is NOT made with bourbon

Ben Alt

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:40:33 -0500

2nd on the Manhattan - though I think it's normally made with bourbon - only recently have better quality ryes started to make it in there. Had it both ways and either one is great. The old fashioned is a nice alternative to straight up whiskey, too. It's essentially whiskey, with some bitters, a little frut, muddled, a tiny bit of sugar and stirred with ice to dilute it. Occasionally it's made with scotch, but I find it's better with bourbon. Takes a long time to make one correctly, though. I'd suggest a Negroni to the more adventurous - equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and campari - very bitter, but a great summer drink. Also a big fan fan of the 1/2 Gin-1/2 Vodka Martini - very dry with a twist instead of an olive.

Brooks of Sheffield

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:25:33 -0500

But I've been trying for years now to give bartender's back their pride. They don't want it back. Nine out of ten bartenders don't know how to make the cocktails you list above. They'll give you a Manhattan made with bourbon if you don't stop them. And I guarantee you a Moscow Mule will stump them. Your cause is virtuous. But if they don't want to heal themselves, how can we?

jerry doodle

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:20:25 -0500

Sidecars? Pink squirrels?... What is this, a San Fransisco piano bar?

Stephanie

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:12:56 -0500

You have to go to great bars to get great drinks. And if anyone wants to break out of a drink routine, I'd highly recommend charging over to Cafe Gray and drinking in the brasserie. Matthew Conway, drinks director and sommelier, has worked with staff to create some stunning cocktails, including one with gin called a Thai Bulldog that I loved. And I hate gin! The drink calls for Bulldog Gin (hence the name), a little Lillet, a splash of Orange Juice, some Thai Basil Syrup (that has to be Gray Kunz's influence), finished wtih resh Thai Basil that's muddled then strained from the drink. It blew me away...

dusty

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:09:59 -0500

Too many bartenders in this town can't make a drink with more then two ingredients, let alone something exciting like a Pink Squirrel. I'm so tired of having to guide a bartender on how to make a proper Manhattan or Martini AND then have to tip!! WTF

Josh

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:03:09 -0500

[6], maybe your problem is you're drinking tonic water straight.

jorduroy

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 15:52:32 -0500

often whenever i order anything beyond a "__ and tonic" the response is "what's in that?" you're better off making cocktails yourself.

Ned Kelly

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 15:33:29 -0500

everybody, start ordering Sidecars (cognac, cointreau, lemon juice: shaken with ice, strained into martini glass with sugared rim) so that more bartenders know how to make them and make them well. it is an awesome drink.

Peter

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 15:33:01 -0500

I cannot imagine how anyone can stand the taste of tonic water. Disgusting!

jerry doodle

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 15:09:44 -0500

I'll have another Four Roses and Fresca, and thish time, make it hurt...

banana

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 15:00:51 -0500

part of the reason why i don't order more compilcated drinks in bars is because a lot of bartenders in this town don't even know how to make a proper martini. i'll order more exciting drinks if it's on a menu, which means that the bartender is (hopefully) trained to make these drinks. have you ever ordered a margarita at a bar that's not part of a latin restaurant? TERRIBLE. there are too few bartenders employed who know the right proportions of ingredients.

JoeBoy

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:51:22 -0500

Hey, I order Rusty Nails All The Time!

mmm

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:43:28 -0500

yay!!!! i want a tom collins now!

hr

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:32:27 -0500

who let the skirt write a piece about drinking?