Park Liquors

Massapequa Park





Glossary

Apéritif
an alcoholic drink that is taken as an appetizer before a meal
Back
a ‘back’ is a small glass of something which accompanies a drink
Bar Spoon
a long mixing spoon which often has a lemon zester or something similar on the end
Bitters
a herbal alcoholic blend which is meant to be added to other cocktails to enhance flavor (e.g. a Manhattan is rye, sweet vermouth and a couple dashes of bitters). See Our Page About Bitters
Blend
To mix up ingredients and ice in an electric blender. Depending on where you live, these could be called frozen drinks or blended drinks. This is different from a distillers or bottlers definition of blend, as the distiller or bottle may combine different batches or barrels of a spirit, and this is called "blended"
Build
A bar term meaning to make a drink, starting with ice and then 'building' the drink by adding the other ingredients
Burnt
Refers to martinis with Scotch. Some recipes call for 1:2 scotch to gin, While others are just a drop of a peaty single malt swirled around the glass and then dumped out, and the gin is added. Note: a burnt martini is technically not a martini as it doesn’t contain vermouth
Call Drink
Refers to when the customer orders a drink by giving both the brand and name of the liquor and the name of the mixer
Chaser
Anything that is consumed quickly after a shooter or straight (neat) shot of alcohol
Chill
Refers the process where a glass is chilled by putting ice and then water to a glass and letting it sit for a minute or two, use the time to mix the drink in a shaker, or gather the ingredients. Pour out the contents of the glass and strain the drink into the chilled glass. This provides a cool drink, and preventing it from getting watered down from ice
Cocktail
A mix of alcohol and/or liqueurs combined with a mixer (like soda or juice) and often shaken
Cointreau
A brand name of a triple sec. Cointreau has more alcohol than triple sec
Cooler
An alcoholic-based bottled beverage offered in a variety of flavors
Dash
A few drops or a very small amount of an ingredient
Dirty
Adding olive juice to a martini which makes it a Dirty Martini. The more olive juice, the dirtier the martini
Dry
Very little vermouth added to a martini. The more dry the customer wants their martini, the less vermouth added
Flame
Setting a drink on fire. Sambuca is often lit on fire to heat it up before putting the flame out and drinking it. Another common method is to use 151-proof rum which is very flammable. Please do not handle flame drinks unless you are VERY skilled, and always handle with care
Floating
refers to adding a liquor to a drink in such a way that the drink is not mixed or disturbed, it has layers to it. Mastering floating takes skill and practice, but makes for a nice presentation. Common ways of floating include: Using a syringe to add the liquor, and trickling the liquor over the back of a spoon
Free Pour
To make and mix drinks without using any measuring device
Frost
Create a thin layer of ice (frost) around a glass. To frost a glass, dip it in water, let it drain and then put it in the freezer
Garnish
A garnish is something added to a drink after the ingredients to enhance the presentation, and sometimes enhance the flavors of the drink
Highball
A liquor mixed with soda, and served in a tall glass (highball glass)
Jigger
an hour-glass shaped steel measuring device where one side measures 1 ounce (30ml) and the other measures 1½ ounces (45ml). In actuality jiggers come in many sizes and styles
Layering
Layering is similar to floating. The heavier alcohol goes on the bottom and the next lighter alcohol gets floated on top. Using this technique multi layered (and colored) drinks can be made
Mixer
A mixer is a non-alcoholic liquid that is added to (mixed) with alcohol in drinks. Mixers can be water, soda, juice, etc.
Muddle
To crush up ingredients with a special tool called a muddler. This is done for drinks such as the Mojito — where the muddling process extracts essential oils, aromas, and flavors (in the case of a Mojito, from the mint leaves)
Muddler
A bartender's tool, to mash or muddle fruits, herbs and spices in the bottom of a glass to release their flavor and aroma. Muddlers often look like small baseball bats. Muddlers are available at most department stores and at Amazon (affiliate link)
Mulled
Mulled spirits are wine and liquors that have been heated and spiced
Neat
Neat drinks have about 2 ounces. There are no added ingredients (no ice!), and the liquor is not served chilled. Most neat drinks are high-quality spirits, brandy, and whiskey
Pony/Pony Shot
A drink that contains about 1 ounce
Premium
Premium refers to premium alcohol or top-shelf liquor
Rocks (on the)
On the rocks simply refers to a drink with ice
Roll
A term used to describe a drink that is first built, then the drink is poured into and out of a shaker tin. This gently mixes the drink
Sangria
A wine based cocktail that contain wine and fruit. Often triple sec or orange juice is added
Shaker Tin
Used to mix cocktails. The Shaker Tin goes on top of a glass, forming a seal, and the drink is shaken
Salting
Salting is a bartending term that refers to applying a thin layer of salt around the rim of a glass to enhance the flavor of a drink. To get the salt to stay on the rim you need moisture. Cut a wedge of fresh lime or lemon and rub it all the way around the rim. Make a Pile about 3/4 inch of salt on a tray and place the glass upside down on the salt. Turn it slowly from side to side, and you will have a salted rim
Schnapps
A heavily sweetened form of liqueur made by mixing neutral grain spirit with fruit syrup, spices, or other flavors
Shake and Strain
Putting ice and ingredients into a shaker tin, shake and strain into a glass. Often used for shooters and martinis. This chills the drink, diluting it while shaking, the drink served does not get more diluted while it sits
Shaking
Shaking refers to mixing drinks by shaking the contents rather than stirring. A martini is one drink that is commonly shaken. Silver bar shakers are the most effective tools to use, as they are designed for that purpose and fit together properly, without leaking. Most drinks need about 10 shakes, if the drink contains a creamy type of liquor, it will need about 30 shakes
Shooter/Shot
A shooter or shot is a 1-2 ounces of either straight liquor (like Tequila) or a mixture of alcohol (like a B-52 Shooter — Irish Cream, Kahlua and Grand Marnier) that is meant to be drank (shot) in one gulp
Sour
The sourness of sour bar mix, bar lime mix, lime bar mix or margarita mix (different names for essentially the same thing), which are used in. If someone orders a whiskey Sour, they want whiskey and bar lime mix
Triple Sec
Any clear dry orange-flavored liqueur, including the brand Cointreau. Cointreau has more alcohol than triple sec
Well Drink
A drink are made with the cheapest liquor at the bar

Handling Glassware

It is very important that you know how to handle glassware. If you don't handle the glassware correctly, you can cut yourself or somebody else.