Bar Terms

ABV

ABV (Alcohol By Volume) is the standard measurement expressing the percentage of pure alcohol (ethanol) contained in an alcoholic beverage, measured at 20°C (68°F).

Also: Alcohol By Volume, alc/vol

Aperitif

An alcoholic beverage served before a meal to stimulate the appetite, typically dry or bitter rather than sweet.

Also: apéritif, apéro

Base Spirit

The primary alcoholic ingredient that forms the foundation of a cocktail, typically comprising the largest portion of the drink.

Also: main spirit, primary spirit

Bitters

Highly concentrated aromatic flavoring agents made from botanical ingredients, used in small amounts to add complexity and balance to cocktails.

Also: cocktail bitters, aromatic bitters

Blackstrap

A style of rum made from blackstrap molasses, the dark, thick final byproduct of sugar refining. Blackstrap rums have intense flavors of molasses, coffee, and bitter chocolate. Essential for authentic Corn 'n' Oil and some tiki drinks.

Call Drink

A cocktail ordered by specifying the exact brand of spirit to be used, such as asking for a Tanqueray and Tonic.

Also: call, specified brand

Chaser

A chaser is a milder beverage consumed immediately after a shot of hard liquor to soften the alcohol burn and cleanse the palate. Common chasers include beer, water, soda, and fruit juice. The practice allows drinkers to enjoy spirits more comfortably while resetting their taste buds between drinks.

Also: back, follow-up drink

Collins Family

A family of long drinks combining a base spirit, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water, served tall over ice in a Collins glass. First recorded in Jerry Thomas's 1876 Bar-Tender's Guide.

Daiquiri Family

A branch of the sour family built on white rum, fresh lime juice, and sugar. Named after the town of Daiquiri in Cuba, the template has spawned hundreds of variations including frozen, flavored, and spirit-swapped riffs.

Dash

A dash is a small, imprecise measurement in bartending typically ranging from 1/32 ounce to 1/6 teaspoon (approximately 0.6 to 1 milliliter), delivered through a quick shake of a dasher bottle. Used primarily for potent flavoring agents like bitters, a dash is the bartending equivalent of a pinch in cooking.

Also: bitters dash

Digestif

An after-dinner drink intended to aid digestion, typically stronger and featuring herbal, bitter, or sweet rich flavors.

Also: after-dinner drink

Dilution

The water added to a cocktail from melting ice during shaking, stirring, or serving, which is essential for proper balance and mouthfeel.

Also: water content

Dirty

A bar term describing a cocktail made with the addition of olive brine (the salty liquid from olive jars), most commonly applied to Martinis. The brine adds a savory, slightly cloudy character and a distinctive salty, umami-rich flavor that transforms the drink's profile.

Also: dirty martini style, with olive brine

Dry

In cocktails, refers to drinks made with less sweet vermouth or simply less sweetness overall; in wines and vermouths, indicates low residual sugar content.

Also: less sweet, brut

Equal Parts

A cocktail template where all main ingredients are used in the same proportion, typically 3/4 oz each. Classic examples include the Last Word, Paper Plane, and Naked and Famous.

Falernum

A sweet, spiced Caribbean syrup or liqueur made with lime, almond, ginger, cloves, and allspice, essential for many tiki cocktails.

Also: velvet falernum

Fizz Family

A branch of the sour family that adds carbonated water to the base template of spirit, citrus, and sugar. Fizzes are served without ice in the glass, shorter and more concentrated than a Collins.

Flip

A family of cocktails containing a whole egg or egg yolk, creating a rich, creamy texture.

Also: Egg Flip

Flip Family

A family of cocktails made with a spirit or fortified wine, a whole egg, and sugar. Originally served warm in colonial-era taverns, modern flips are shaken vigorously until silky smooth and served chilled.

Free Pour

The technique of pouring spirits directly without using a jigger, relying on counting and experience to achieve accurate measurements.

Also: speed pouring

Garnish

A decorative and often functional element added to a finished cocktail, providing visual appeal, aromatic enhancement, and sometimes flavor.

Also: decoration, finishing touch

Golden Age

The period from roughly 1860-1920 considered the first golden age of cocktails, when professional bartending emerged and many classic recipes were created. Also refers to 1930s-1950s Havana, when American bartenders fleeing Prohibition created Cuban classics like the Daiquiri and El Presidente.

Grenadine

A sweet, tangy red syrup traditionally made from pomegranate juice and sugar. The name derives from the French word "grenade" meaning pomegranate, which comes from the Latin "grānātum" (seeded). Used to add color, sweetness, and fruity depth to cocktails and mocktails.

Also: pomegranate syrup, grenadine syrup

Highball Family

A family of two-ingredient cocktails combining a base spirit with a carbonated mixer in a tall glass, typically in a 1:2 or 1:3 spirit-to-mixer ratio. One of the simplest and most versatile cocktail formats in existence.

Manhattan Family

Cocktails following the Manhattan template of whiskey, vermouth, and bitters. Includes the Rob Roy (Scotch), Brooklyn (rye with dry vermouth), and numerous variations.

Margarita Family

A branch of the New Orleans Sour using tequila, fresh lime juice, and orange liqueur as the sweetener. The most ordered cocktail family in the United States, with frozen, spicy, and spirit-swapped variations.

Modifier

Supporting ingredients that complement and balance the base spirit in a cocktail, including vermouths, liqueurs, syrups, and bitters.

Also: secondary ingredient

Muddled

A description indicating that ingredients have been pressed and crushed to release their flavors before the other ingredients are added.

Also: crushed, pressed

Neat

A spirit served at room temperature, poured straight from the bottle into the glass without ice, water, or any mixers.

Also: straight (informal), room temperature

Negroni Family

Cocktails following the Negroni template of spirit, bitter liqueur (typically Campari), and vermouth in equal or similar parts. Includes the Boulevardier, Old Pal, and Mezcal Negroni.

Old Fashioned Family

The oldest cocktail template: base spirit, sugar, bitters, and a small amount of water, served over ice with minimal modification. The formula matches the first printed definition of a cocktail published in 1806.

On the Rocks

On the rocks is bartending terminology meaning a spirit or cocktail poured over ice cubes. The term dates to the mid-1940s, with the word "rocks" referring to ice cubes, possibly derived from how hand-chipped ice blocks resembled rough stones.

Also: over ice, with ice

Orgeat

A sweet almond-flavored syrup made from almonds, sugar, and often orange flower water, essential for tropical and classic cocktails.

Also: almond syrup

Overproof

Spirits bottled at higher than standard alcohol content, typically above 50% ABV (100 proof), offering more intense flavor and alcohol punch.

Also: navy strength, cask strength

Perfect

A cocktail made with equal parts sweet (red) and dry (white) vermouth instead of just one type.

Also: balanced

Proof

Proof is a measurement of alcohol content in distilled spirits. In the United States, proof equals twice the alcohol by volume (ABV), so 80 proof means 40% ABV. The term originated in 16th-century England when spirits were tested with gunpowder to determine their strength for taxation purposes.

Also: alcohol proof, proof spirit

Shaken

A description indicating that the cocktail should be vigorously mixed with ice in a shaker to chill, dilute, and aerate.

Also: shake

Simple Syrup

A liquid sweetener made by dissolving sugar in water, used to incorporate sweetness smoothly into cold cocktails.

Also: sugar syrup, bar syrup

Sling Family

A family of drinks combining a base spirit, citrus, sweetener, and soda water with additional herbal or spiced liqueur elements. The Singapore Sling, created at Raffles Hotel in 1915, is the most famous member.

Smash Family

A family of cocktails built on fresh herbs, citrus, a base spirit, and sugar served over crushed ice. Descended from the julep tradition, the Smash format became a defining category of modern American bartending.

Sour Family

Cocktails built on the template of base spirit, citrus juice, and sweetener. One of the oldest and most widely used cocktail families, first codified in Jerry Thomas's 1862 Bar-Tender's Guide.

Spirit-Forward

A cocktail style where the base spirit remains the dominant flavor, with modifiers playing supporting roles rather than masking the alcohol.

Also: boozy, strong

Splash

A splash is an informal bartending measurement typically ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 ounce (7.5 to 15 milliliters), representing a quick pour that adds flavor without dominating a drink. Larger than a dash but smaller than a full measure, splashes are commonly used for mixers like soda water, citrus juice, and olive brine.

Also: small pour, quick pour

Split Base

A cocktail technique using two or more base spirits in combination, creating complexity that neither spirit could achieve alone. Examples include the Vieux Carré (rye + cognac) and Oaxaca Old Fashioned (tequila + mezcal).

Spritz

A category of Italian cocktails combining a bitter liqueur with prosecco and soda water, served over ice. The name comes from the German word for "spray." The Aperol Spritz is the most famous, but variations use Campari, Select, or other aperitivos.

Stirred

A description indicating that the cocktail should be gently mixed with ice using a bar spoon to chill without aeration.

Also: stir

Tiki

A cocktail and aesthetic movement inspired by romanticized Polynesian themes, featuring complex tropical drinks with multiple rums and exotic ingredients.

Also: tropical, Polynesian pop

Top Shelf

Premium spirits stored on the highest shelf behind the bar, representing the establishment's finest and most expensive options.

Also: premium, high-end

Twist

A strip of citrus peel used as a garnish, expressing aromatic oils over the drink and often left in or perched on the rim.

Also: citrus twist, peel

Up

A cocktail that has been chilled (by shaking or stirring with ice) and then strained into a stemmed glass without ice.

Also: straight up

Well Drink

A cocktail made with the bar's house spirits, which are typically the most economical options kept in the speed rail or well.

Also: rail drink, house pour