Bartending Terminology: A Drinkers Guide to Understanding Bar Lingo
Understanding bartending terminology is not only beneficial to bartenders. If you’re planning on being a regular in your local bar, you might want to learn some basics.
Whether you’re looking to broaden your drinking vocabulary, sound fancy when ordering your drink or simply understand the meaning of common interesting phrases that get thrown around in bars, this guide to bar terminologies is a perfect starting point.
By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll be able to whip out your bar lingo and order your drink with confidence.
While each bar might have its unique slang, most of the terms listed here are universal in the industry.
86’d
This is probably one of the most popular terms on this list and it’s generally a common word, especially in the food and drinks industry.
When a drink on a bar menu is 86'd, it usually means, it’s sold out or no longer available.
Back / chaser
A chaser or a back is a small glass of milder drink that’s taken almost immediately after straight liquor. This can be anything from soda, water, or juice.
Basically, taking a chaser after liquor will slow down the absorption of alcohol, which will in turn prevent you from getting intoxicated too quickly.
Cocktail
Even if you’re not an avid bar visitor, you’ve certainly come across this word. A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that consists of one or more spirits blended with a mixer such as soda, juice, or flavored syrup.
Daisy
Daisy comes in many different variations but it’s one of the easiest cocktails to prepare. Even the most inexperienced barman can whip up one in a matter of seconds.
Usually made with gin or rum, Daisy is a sour cocktail that’s poured over crushed ice and sweetened with fruit syrup.
Dry
The term ‘dry’ can be a bit confusing as far as the bar terminologies go. This is because it has different meanings.
In most alcoholic beverages, dry means an absence of sweetener or sugar.
However, in cocktails, if you order your martini dry it means you want less vermouth in it. This is supposed to bring out the flavor of the base and leave the drink with a strong taste of ethanol.
Double
Alcohol is normally served by a definite measure. So, when you order a drink as ‘double’ it simply means you want a double amount of alcohol but a normal amount of other ingredients.
Garnish
This is something that’s added to a drink after it’s prepared to enhance its flavor or presentation. Common garnishes include lime wedges, lemon slices, olives, cherries, and cucumber slices.
High ball
The high ball is a cocktail served in a tall slim glass that goes by the same name.
The drink consists of a spirit mixed with a non-alcoholic but carbonated mixer. The narrowness of the glass helps the effervescence last longer.
Low ball
Lowball also known as rocks glass is a short tumbler mostly used to serve spirits.
Mixers
Mixers are non-alcoholic ingredients that are added to cocktails and mixed drinks. This can be juices, sodas, energy drinks, and even water.
Nightcap
A nightcap is an alcoholic drink that you can take just before retiring to bed or at the end of a festive night. It supposedly helps a drinker relax and promotes restful sleep.
Ideally, it should be liquor that contains polyphenols which can serve as an antioxidant.
Neat
This is probably the easiest and the most straightforward term used in bars.
Neat is a drink that’s made without a mixer or ice and is usually served in an old-fashioned cocktail glass.
In other words, it’s a spirit that’s poured directly from the bottle and served with no added ingredients.
Pick-me-up
Pick-me-up is a slang word that represents something you can take or do to make you feel better.
But in bar terminologies, it’s used to refer to an alcoholic drink you can take to cure a hangover or relieve the effects of alcohol.
On the Rocks
‘On the rocks’ is another pretty popular term in the bar industry. A drink on the rocks consists of an alcoholic beverage poured over ice.
The ice slowly dilutes the alcohol making the drink more palatable and pleasing to your taste buds. So if you’re yearning for a pour of your favorite spirit, ‘on the rocks’ is how you should order it.
Straight up
‘Straight up’ involves adding ice to the spirit then shaking or stirring and then serving the drink with no ice.
It typically applies to cocktails or mixed drinks. Common cocktails that are served straight up include manhattans, martinis, and sidecars.
Rim
Rimming is a process that involves dipping the rim of a cocktail glass into a rimshot tin containing either sugar or salt. While rimming a cocktail glass is seen as a decorative touch, the purpose stretches beyond that.
The ring provides color, texture, and contrasting flavors. In drinks such as margaritas, a pinch of sugar or salt on the rim of your glass offsets the sweet-and-sour mix of flavors within.
Sling
Sling is a type of cocktail that’s made up of a couple of base ingredients, fruit flavors, citrus, some type of liquor, sugar, and water.
This drink is very similar to a toddy (discussed below) and can be served hot or cold.
Shot
This means a small serving of liquor (about an ounce and a half) that’s typically consumed in a single swig.
Toddy
If you’re looking for a reason to kick start your day with a taste of booze, or you want to have one last drink to serve as a nightcap at the end of a busy evening you can always opt for a toddy.
The folklore stated that this drink can cure cold-induced congestion, and soothe a sore throat.
It’s essentially a sweetened alcoholic drink consisting of warm water, liquor, and spices.
Virgin
Virgin is a drink that contains no alcohol.
Cheers!!!
There you have it! 20 mixology terms, cocktail jargon, and other bar terminologies that you can add to your vocabulary. With this, you’ll communicate better with your bartender and order exactly what you want.
Special thanks to The Tilted Barrel for their help clarifying a few of the terms in this list!
