Make My Bar

Bols' Barman in Amsterdam

Clement Brown IV,  recently married to the lovely Abby, and I were at a party celebrating the wedding of his/hers/theirs. Yes! he is the same CB noted in the March 2012 post titled "Parental Discretion Advised! Bars Bars Bars" blog. I remarked to Clement of the hesitancy I observe of many young men have regarding the making of cocktails.


As a default they resort to "sillies" [fn1]. Clement of course is now the master of his own version of the Negroni cocktail. I was quite impressed that he had the experimental yearning. A true mixologist, an adventurer and explorer - learning the art of cocktail making.


We spoke of what’s in the hesitancy of people to embark upon making a cocktail.
Repeating that.  Spoke with a young lady today – she asked me what have I been up to. I told her I had mastered the art of flaming an orange peel. I asked “do you make cocktails?”  She replied she does not know how.  

Frequently I hear, “I don’t make a cocktail as I don’t have the ingredients. I don’t have the fancy equipment and special liquor and the way too many needed bar glasses”.

"So I just don’t entertain!"

"Too bad, I say!"

So here’s your start. With an investment of less than $200 or 180€, you could start simply on the stuff and begin to acquire them incrementally, over time.
It’s as simple as –

         BAR TOOLS $60. Or 55€

• Martini shaker or mixing glass,
• Stainless steel stirrer,
• Ice cube bowl + tong.

         I particularly favor Rösle Brand kitchen and bar tools - the version made in Germany.

         BAR SUPPLIES $15 or  13€

• Bitters,
• Sugar cubes,
• Lemons & limes, [fn. 2]
• Cherries,
• Olives.

         BAR WARE $30 or 27€

• 6 martini glasses, and
• 6 highball glasses.        

         LIQUOR  CABINET  $80 or 70€

• Vodka – Smirnoff No. 20,
• Gin – Beefeaters,
• Whiskey – a good brand of Irish or Scotch,
• Bourbon – Four Roses.

Reference tools to use are “Old Mr. Boston Bartender Guide:  (USA) and Esquire.com. The free app “Mixology” is a good tool for drink menus and provides info on and an inventory of your liquor cabinet, tips and tricks, and more. You can do some research on Google and you will find your own preference in your native language.

Master a few drinks with a good friend. Once you are satisfied, make up a list of your 5 or so selected cocktails for the evening. Thus, when your party shows up, you will have a guide to steer them. You will be prepared and confident. And if they ask for a wine or beer, as the Barman at Glasgow’s Bon Accord Pub said, “It’s a whiskey bar!”... You can say, “It’s a cocktail party – Cocktails!” You have my permission to quote that Barman from Bon Accord. Use the same line. Your guests will look at you in awe.

                               Salut!

Mango Martini

Mango Black Tea infused gin

Agave syrup & dash of lemon juice

Adjust to taste. Rub the rim with mango or peach.

Serve with a slice of mango or peach.

I will leave it to you, as I will be doing this evening, to experiment  with your purchase of Mango Black Tea and mixing it with gin to arrive at the correct taste.

Music – a little Cuban will do the trick.

Appetizer - ceviche

[1] “Silly’s defined for me as a term Barman Mark uses in Belfast’s Berts Jazz Bar to describe cocktails the like of “gin and tonic”, or ”rum and coke”. 

[2] No premixed or artificial ingredients. For example, you can google Grenadine Syrup and there is a simple recipe for fresh, real Grenadine. Same for simple syrup and other syrups.