Reference

Glossary

The vocabulary of the bar, defined in plain language. 66 terms.

B

BatchCocktail Techniques
To pre-mix a cocktail in volume ahead of service, with dilution and chill built in.
BruisingCocktail Techniques
A discredited myth that shaking gin damages its flavor.
BuildCocktail Techniques
Assemble a cocktail directly in the glass it is served in.

C

Chill HazeCocktail Techniques
The temporary cloudiness that appears in a very cold spirit-forward cocktail.

D

DashCocktail Techniques
The imprecise but conventional unit of measure for bitters — roughly 0.6 ml.
DilutionCocktail Techniques
The water added to a cocktail by melting ice during shaking or stirring.
Double strainCocktail Techniques
Straining a shaken cocktail through both a Hawthorne and a fine-mesh sieve.
Dry ShakeCocktail Techniques
Shaking a cocktail without ice before shaking again with ice.

E

Expressed peelCocktail Techniques
A citrus peel that has been twisted over the drink and dropped in or discarded.
ExpressingCocktail Techniques
Twisting a citrus peel over a drink so its oils spray across the surface.

F

Fat-WashCocktail Techniques
Infusing a spirit with the flavor of a fat (bacon, butter, cacao butter) then freezing the fat out.
FloatCocktail Techniques
A layer of one ingredient poured gently on top of a finished drink.
Free PourCocktail Techniques
Measuring by count while pouring from a speed-pour spout instead of using a jigger.

G

GarnishCocktail Techniques
The final decorative element added to a drink — peel, cherry, olive, herb.

J

Julep StrainCocktail Techniques
Straining a cocktail with a perforated julep strainer, typically from a mixing glass.

M

MuddleCocktail Techniques
Press herbs, fruit, or sugar in the bottom of a glass to release oils and juice.

R

RinseCocktail Techniques
Coating the inside of a glass with a small pour, poured out or absorbed.

S

SpecCocktail Techniques
The exact recipe of a cocktail — ingredients, ratios, method, glass, garnish.
SplashCocktail Techniques
An imprecise small pour, roughly 1/4 oz or a bar-spoon's worth.
StirredCocktail Techniques
A cocktail chilled and diluted in a mixing glass with ice using a bar spoon.
Straight UpCocktail Techniques
Chilled by shaking or stirring, then strained into a glass without ice.
StrainCocktail Techniques
Separate the finished drink from the ice used to chill or shake it.
SwizzleCocktail Techniques
A Caribbean stirring technique using a swizzle stick spun between the palms.

T

TwistCocktail Techniques
A strip of citrus peel, expressed over a drink and used as garnish.

U

UpCocktail Techniques
A chilled cocktail served without ice, typically in a coupe or Martini glass.

W

Wash LineCocktail Techniques
The visible fill line where the liquid meets the glass.
WheelCocktail Techniques
A cross-section slice of citrus used as garnish.