| Drink Types | ||
|---|---|---|
| International: | Cocktail | Most drinks are classified as these with some possibly having ice and some without. |
| Long Drink | Large drinks often with multiple liquors, liqueurs, fruit juices, etc. | |
| Shot | Straight or mixed drink generally without ice. | |
| Inside the U.S.: | Cocktail | Two Ounce Cocktail Cream Drink Highball Martini/Manhattan Sour/Margarita Wine Cocktail Coffee Drink |
| Long Drink | Tall Drink | |
| Shot: | Shot or a Shooter | |
| Basic US Drink Recipes | |
|---|---|
| Coffee Drinks | Generally, 1 and one half ounces of liquor and/or liqueurs, filled with coffee and often topped with whip cream, and possibly, some other garnish. This category also includes the straight brandy drinks, as they are both after-dinner drinks. |
| Cream Drinks | Generally, a sweet drink containing one ounce of low proof liqueurs with cream (or Half & Half) and having a three ounce total volume. They can be served either "straight" or "on the rocks." The basic recipe calls for White Creme de Cacao (which is clear) and a liqueur to add color and/or flavor. These drinks are always shaken or blended to get proper mixing. But, bartending loves exceptions and the Alexander uses Brown Creme de Cacao, and the Mudslide contains no Creme de Cacao. |
| Highballs | One of the two easiest to make mixed drinks (since it is not) because it is made with one ounce of alcoholic beverage (mostly liquor), two ounces of filler and maybe a garnish. Built in a highball glass over ice, first the liquor is added and then the filler. Served with a sip straw, the customer may stir it or drink it through the straw to attain a shot and chaser effect. |
| Martinis & Manhattans |
A small family of drinks served as cocktails or on the "rocks" that generally contain Vermouth. The other member of the family not in the name of the category is the Rob Roy. |
| Shooters | These are drinks meant to drunken in one to three gulps. Served without ice, a garnish or a straw for safety's sake (the exception is the Mind Eraser which gets ice and a straw.) The Pousse Cafe (Coffee Pusher) family falls into this category. Most others contain two ounces of alcohol. "Racy" names are quite common. |
| Sours & Mararitas |
These drinks contain one ounce alcohol minimum and Sweet & Sour Mix and must be shaken or blended. They are served as cocktails or "on the rocks." Most get a garnish. |
| Tall Drinks | Generally considered the most difficult category to memorize because of the sheer number of ingredients involved in some of the more contemporary drinks. The Collins family is a member of this group. The Electric Lemonade family (of which the Long Island Iced Tea is a member) is also a member. Some general rules are that they contain one and one-half ounces of alcohol minimum, Sweet & Sour Mix and five ounces of liquid. If only one liquor is used, it will be one and one-half ounces. If a liqour and a liqueur are present, it will be one ounce of liquor and one-half ounce of liqueur. If two liqueurs are present, it will be one ounce of each. If three or more liquors and liqueurs present, then each is one-half ounce. Many are regional in the variations to their recipes. These drinks are always shaken to mix, but before any carbonated topping is added. All drinks get a straw and a garnish. |
| Two Ounce Cocktails | The other easiest to make mixed drink, they consist of two ounces of alcoholic beverage in a rocks glass, and possibly a "splash" of something and maybe a garnish. This drink has the high proof liquor poured in first over ice and the lower proof (and heavier) liqueur poured in on top. Gravity does the mixing. Again, the exception in the Old Fashioned which done a bit different. |
| Wine Cocktails | A small group that includes the champagne cocktails which often have a liqueur to add color. The wine drinks are generally half wine and half filler. |
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