A variety of cocktails is a feature of the menu of any large restaurant. But a long list of items can enter into a stupor of an inexperienced person. In this article we will talk about the variety of cocktails, the classification and types of such drinks. After reading it, the reader will not continue to waste his time studying the menu, rich in intricate foreign terms.
There are several classifications of cocktails. Only a professional bartender understands the variety of these drinks. It is not necessary for an ordinary visitor to know that “White Russian” refers to digestives, and “Gene Fizz” refers to long drinks. But the information presented below will help to understand the rich variety of cocktails.
Classification by time of use
As you know, drinking cognac in the morning is a bad taste. As, however, and any other alcohol. However, this is not the only rule regarding drinking time. There are other limitations. The culture of drinking is quite complicated.
Non-alcoholic and alcoholic cocktails exist. The variety of the latter is so great that the restaurant business theorists were not too lazy and created several classifications. According to one of them, alcoholic cocktails are divided into aperitifs and digestives. The first should be ordered at the bar before eating. The second - after. There is also a third kind - cocktails that you can drink at any time of the day (Any Time Drinks).
Aperitifs
It is with them that the meal begins. It is difficult to get confused in the variety of aperitif cocktails, because you can name just a few popular drinks of this type. Namely:
- Martini Dry
- Manhattan
- Negroni.
- "Dubonnet."
- "Kir Royal".
Martini Dry is a mixture of gin and dry vermouth. But, as in the case with any other cocktail, not only the proportions, but also the quality of the ingredients are important in the preparation of this aperitif. And of course, the skill level of the bartender. According to the classic recipe, Martini Dry includes 60 ml of vermouth and only 10 ml of gin. The glass must first be cooled by filling with ice. Pour in the ingredients, stir, then strain the drink through a strainer. Decorating "Martini Dry" is made with a slice of lemon, olives.
Without stopping at aperitifs (after all, the variety of cocktails and recipes is an extensive topic), we will briefly describe the composition of the other drinks listed above. Manhattan consists of vermouth and bourbon. "Negroni" - from gin, vermouth and campari. "Dubonne" is a French cocktail, and therefore is prepared on the basis of the French favorite drink - wine, and fortified. "Kir-royal" - a mixture of blackcurrant liquor and white wine.
Digestives
In decent society, these drinks are usually drunk during or after dinner. What is the composition of such cocktails? A variety of ingredients in the bar of a good restaurant allows not only to prepare a mixture according to the famous recipe, but also to create an original drink. Digestives are, in fact, all cocktails that do not fall under the category of aperitifs. The border between After Dinner Cocktails (after eating) and Any Time Drinks (at any time) is, but it is insignificant from the point of view of the layman. Therefore, let us move on to the classification by taste of drinks, each of which can be safely called a digestif.
Variety of cocktails
Perhaps the most popular are the cocktails Sauer. A required ingredient for each of them is lemon juice. Such cocktails are prepared in a shaker, much attention is paid to the decorative part.
Digests also include flip cocktails. The basis for such drinks can be different: liquor, wine, sherry. An obligatory component is an egg. The most popular cocktail of this family is Porto Flip. It is prepared from 45 ml of port, 15 ml of brandy and, of course, egg yolk. Smash cocktails are also called digests, which are strong drinks that are usually served in glasses with a volume of not more than 75 ml and decorated with mint or basil. And finally, layered cocktails. The composition of such drinks, as a rule, includes one or more liquors.
What else can be said about the variety of cocktails? The recipe "B-52" is described below. It is noteworthy that some theorists of bar art relate to this cocktail to smashes, while others to shot drinks. In addition, according to one classification, smash drinks are digests. According to another, aperitifs. In order not to get lost in the dense forest of restaurant wisdom, we will talk about the most popular drinks (perhaps no one has any doubts about their rich variety).
Cocktails: top 10
Before listing the most popular drinks, it is worth recalling two more terms that are found in the menu of drinking establishments. Namely: long drinks, shot drinks. The first include cocktails, which are usually served in tall glasses. The second - such as the "B-52", "Black Russian", "Orgasm", "Kamikaze."
Shot Drink is a small cocktail, its volume is 50-60 ml. But in the list below, there is only one of them. It's all about the strength of the shots, the way they are used (they are drunk in one sip). “Kamikaze” and “B52” are cocktails that imply a special mood; they are not drunk during a romantic date or a leisurely intellectual conversation. Read more about these drinks below. And now it’s worth mentioning the most famous:
- Mojito.
- Margarita
- "Long Island".
- "Pina colada".
- "Tequila boom".
- "Cosmopolitan."
- "B-52."
- "Blue Lagoon".
- "Daiquiri".
- "Sex on the beach."
Mojito
This cocktail is based on rum. The peculiarity of Mojito is the abundance of mint, which in combination with lime, ice and sparkling water creates a surprisingly refreshing effect.
This cocktail can be non-alcoholic. Instead of sparkling water, Sprite is often added to it. Mojito with vodka is a phenomenon that can only be found in bars in Russia. The most famous Cuban cocktail cannot be without rum. And therefore it is safe to say that Mojito with vodka is no longer Mojito.
Margarita
The origin of this cocktail is shrouded in legends. Most likely, Margarita was first prepared in Mexico. After all, the basis of this cocktail is tequila. For one serving, 35 ml of cactus moonshine. Other Ingredients: Orange Liqueur, Lime Juice. The cocktail is served in a wide glass with a high leg - the so-called daisy. It is prepared in a shaker, the edges of the glass are dipped in salt, after spending a slice of lime on them.
"Long Island Ice Tea"
In the seventies, in one of the bars on Long Island, a cocktail was invented, which included five types of alcohol: vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and cointreau. According to the classic recipe, these ingredients should be diluted with Coca-Cola, lemon juice and sugar syrup.
"Pina colada"
The name of this cocktail is known not only to regulars of bars. Pinacolada is a fairly popular drink, especially among the fair sex. The cocktail has a delicate, mild flavor. Its components are rum, pineapple juice, coconut milk, ice, cream.
"Tequila boom"
The composition of this cocktail is quite simple. It includes tequila and lemon. However, the rituals of using Tequila Boom are somewhat intricate. The simplest: to cover the glass with a napkin, hit it several times on the bar, then drink it. There are more creative ways, for example, putting on a construction helmet and using a hammer. However, such methods are suitable for a close friendly company.
Cosmopolitan
In order to prepare this cocktail, you will need orange liquor, cranberry juice, lemon, vodka. Cosmopolitan owes its popularity to the singer Madonna, who once appeared on the air with a martin glass in her hands (this is the type of barware intended for serving cocktails).
B-52
This cocktail belongs to the aforementioned shots. In general, “B-52”, along with other drinks of this category, is most in demand in nightlife venues. In high-end restaurants, shot drinks are not so actively ordered. These cocktails have the ability to bring a person into minutes intoxicated.
Cooking a B-52 at home is quite difficult without proper skill. A professional in his field can create this small masterpiece of bar art in just two or three minutes. The cocktail consists of Kalua, Cointreau and Belis. The layers of liquors should lie evenly, and that is why it is impossible to break the sequence of adding ingredients. Then they set fire to the cocktail, dip a long straw into the shot (this word is also used to call the glass itself, in which small cocktails are prepared) and drink.
"Blue Lagoon"
This long drink is usually ordered by girls. In rude men's hands, a tall glass with blue liquid, decorated with pineapple, cherry and other elements of the bartender’s decor, will look inharmonious. Composition of the cocktail: 50 ml of vodka, blue curacao, Sprite, lime, ice.
"Daiquiri"
This cocktail is usually served in the same glass as Margarita. Ingredients include rum, sugar syrup and lime juice. The ingredients are thoroughly whipped in a shaker, then poured into a glass, the edges of which are decorated with slices of fruit.
"Sex on the beach"
The bartenders, like the previous ones, prepare the most “passionate” cocktail in a shaker. Ingredients: vodka, peach liquor, cranberry and pineapple juice, ice. Mixing these ingredients creates an unusual aesthetic effect, as, indeed, any combination of liquors with juice.
The article does not present the full variety of cocktails. In the world (in the photo above only the most common drinks) there are a myriad of them. But thanks to the information presented above, it will not be difficult to navigate the cocktail menu of a restaurant or bar.