The following terms are very brief guidelines. Simple and (sometimes too simple) to the point. I’ll go over them a bit further between each of the two images.
Back, or Chaser: The “chaser” is as described. However, a “back” originally describes a water-back or a soda-back (as in club soda, though I personally don’t care if they ask me for a Coke or ginger ale – no difference to me) to accompany a strong drink like a Martini, Manhattan, Old Fashioned, etc… anything with no mixers that is strong or has high alcohol content.
Bitters: Yes they’re made with aromatic herbs or roots but it’s way more than that. They’re the equivalent of the chef’s spices. There are dozens of great types of bitters out there. Angostura Bitters isn’t the only one, and many drinks call specifically for varieties from Orange Bitters (No – they are NOT all the same – so try out several different brands of Orange Bitters and you’ll see what a difference each makes in a drink)… Peychaud’s Bitters – used in Sazeracs, Vous Carres, etc – and many more from Chocolates to Nuts.
Chilled: as described, but obviously a bottle placed on ice or kept in a freezer is chilled – There’s chilled DILUTED (as a pure Vodka or Gin martini, up in a chilled cocktail glass, no ice) and chilled STRAIGHT meaning non-diluted in a (hopefully) chilled glass to KEEP it chilled until the customer gets it.
Dirty: Olive juice and olive brine are the same thing in culinary use, but technically olive oil is the true juice squeezed from the fruit. Olive Brine: This is the salty, tangy liquid made of water, salt, and sometimes vinegar or lemon juice that is used to cure and store olives. As the olives sit in the jar, they infuse this liquid with their savory flavors and oils. Olive “Juice”: When people ask for “olive juice” (such as for a dirty martini), they are actually referring to this bottled or jarred olive brine.
Floater: The floater actually refers to specific density. LOW density liquors are high in alcohol (and not high in sugar) content, and will float on top of liquors with low alcohol content (alcohol floats on top of water). Sugary and syrupy mixes (grenadine, simple syrup, many sweet and low alcohol content liqueurs will sink – or become the BASE of layered drinks. So anyone asking for a drink with a grenadine floater (just an FYI here) is getting grenadine on top that will sink down and color the drink in a pretty way – but it’s not going to be, and never will be, a floater.
Muddled: This part we all know – Crushing or bruising ingredients using physical force. But there are many refined techniques used in muddling, each one to achieve a specific desired effect. CRUSH muddling with an orange slice or a cherry and sugar cube isn’t bruise muddling as with mint in a Mint Julep (aka Kentucky Derby) to only release the oils but not break the mint plant’s cellular walls releasing bitterness, or a different type of muddling of mint in a Mojito which ALSO isn’t crushing entirely, but does release some bitterness into the drink as part of the recipe flavor profile.
Aside from these few different methods of muddling based on the drink type, there are a few others including blend muddling and shake muddling which I do not teach on this site, though I will when I make the time.
PS: If you’re using a wooden implement to muddle, do you know how to treat and care for your muddler properly? Do you know the difference between a muddler and a toddy stick? 🙂 Some more homework for you on caring for wooden tools behind the bar.
NEAT: I make that bold for good reason! “NEAT” and “STRAIGHT” mean the same thing. Many people will ask for NEAT or STRAIGHT as “STRAIGHT up”.
I repeat – NEAT and STRAIGHT are the same thing. UP, by itself, is something else. Anyone orders a drink “UP” it means chilled in a Martini Glass. If they order it “STRAIGHT up” they want it NEAT or STRAIGHT – not “UP.” If you ask A.I. in some cases it will answer you that “Straight up: Often used interchangeably with “up” (chilled and strained), though some drinkers and bartenders use it to mean “neat” (room temperature) depending on the specific spirit.” The fact is (no sugar coating here) “Hillbillies” and back country lesser educated farm folk ordered straight as “Straight up!” meaning straight since the 1800s and 1900s, and that practice continues. “Straight up!” means STRAIGHT not UP. So clarify or you’ll be pouring booze the wrong way. Educate your wait staff AND the customer. That’s part of the job.
SHOOTER: See “FLOATER” above. If it’s LAYERED then it’s layered based on specific density. Such a drink is technically called a “Pousse Cafe” (which is famous and can be layered in several layers, demonstrating the bartenders expert abilities in knowledge of the specific densities of each liquor and liqueur.) One such shooter layered drink is the “Sex With an Alligator,” they’re often just three or four liquors/liqueurs – equal amounts (so no brainers and usually asking for an attack of Diabetes) everybody behind the bar on day one loves to learn. 1:1:1 or 1:1:1:1 – all the same proportions, just remember the ingredients! (good for servers, bar backs, and novice bartenders to memorize without any instruction).
“TWIST” – !: THIS ONE (as defined in the image above) A TWIST is the peel of any specifically called for citrus (of any kind – Lemon, Lime, Orange – peel of) fruit which is twisted OVER the drink to EXPRESS THE CITRUS OIL AROMA over the top of the cocktail and is then either added to the drink or discarded. THESE are TWISTS: (granted, BIG and LONG, demonstrating my knife skills, but they’re certainly NOT “fruit slices.” )
