Up

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

Ordering a drink up (or straight up) means you want it chilled during preparation but served without ice in the glass. This serving style combines the refreshment of a cold drink with the elegance of a stemmed glass presentation. The up serving style involves chilling the cocktail by shaking or stirring with ice, then straining the liquid into a stemmed glass - typically a coupe, Martini glass, or Nick and Nora glass. The drink arrives cold but without ice diluting it further as you drink. This differs importantly from neat, which means room temperature without any ice contact. A whiskey neat has never touched ice. A whiskey served up has been chilled with ice and strained. The confusion between these terms leads to many miscommunicated orders. Classic cocktails traditionally served up include the Martini, Manhattan, Daiquiri, Sidecar, and Cosmopolitan. These drinks benefit from being ice-cold but would become overly diluted if served on ice in the glass. The up presentation also offers visual elegance for these sophisticated cocktails. The stemmed glass serves a functional purpose beyond aesthetics. By holding the stem rather than the bowl, your hand does not warm the drink. This keeps an up cocktail colder longer than if served in a handled or stemless glass. Chilling the serving glass is essential for drinks served up. A room-temperature glass will warm your carefully chilled cocktail within minutes. Place glasses in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before use, or fill them with ice water while preparing the drink. The amount of chilling during preparation matters for up drinks. Stirred drinks like Martinis and Manhattans typically get 30-40 seconds of stirring. Shaken drinks get 10-15 seconds of vigorous shaking. Both methods should produce a drink around 32-38 degrees Fahrenheit. When ordering up, you can say either up or straight up - both mean the same thing. Specify if you want a drink that is typically served on the rocks (like a Negroni) served up instead. Most bartenders will accommodate the request. Drinks served up should be consumed relatively quickly. Without ice to maintain temperature, they warm faster than drinks on the rocks. This is part of their appeal for some drinkers - a proper up cocktail is meant to be savored over perhaps ten minutes, not nursed for an hour.

💡 Pro Tips

• Always chill your serving glass before straining
• Hold the glass by the stem to avoid warming the drink
• Serve and drink promptly - up cocktails warm quickly
• Stirred drinks served up should be crystal clear

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing up with neat - up is chilled, neat is room temperature
• Not chilling the serving glass
• Taking too long to drink - the cocktail will warm
• Using a glass too large for the drink volume

🍹 Drinks That Use This

📚 Related Terms

Coupe Glass

A stemmed glass with a broad, shallow bowl originally designed for Champagne but now primarily used for serving cocktails served up (without ice).

Martini Glass

A stemmed glass with a distinctive V-shaped conical bowl, designed for cocktails served up without ice.

Neat

A spirit served at room temperature in a glass without ice, water, or any other additions.

On the Rocks

A spirit or cocktail served over ice in a rocks glass.