Get Into Bartending - Day 2

• Hospitality
• Higher Education (degree)

Day 2 - Agenda

• FLOW Online modules: The Bartender and Guest Service
• Assessment
• Spirits & Optics
• Theory of cocktails
  
• LUNCH
  
• Cocktail sessions (Mojito, Margarita and Manhattan
• Meet the Employer; Q and A and opportunity to network

Spirits

• Strong alcoholic drinks (35–50% ABV)
• Made from grains, fruits, potatoes, or sugar cane
• Clear vs dark spirits (vodka/gin vs rum/whisky

How Spirits Are Made

• Fermentation – Yeast + sugars = alcohol
• Distillation – Heating, collecting alcohol vapour, condensing
• Maturation – Some spirits aged in barrels, others bottled fresh

Gin

History

The origins of gin can be traced back to the Middle Ages, with records describing a drink called "Jenever", a Dutch spirit made with juniper, a botanical found in the Northern Hemisphere. 

And by today's regulations, the taste of juniper must be the signature note in any gin.

In 1689, the Dutch Protestant Prince William of Orange and his wife Mary become co-rulers of England, Scotland and Ireland. During the Thirty Years War with France, they quickly outlawed imported French brandy and promoted local distillation. Meanwhile, English soldiers fighting for the Dutch in their war of independence from Spain, noticed the Dutch soldiers drinking 'Genever ' / gin for courage (coining the phrase "Dutch courage"). With a ban on French brandy, William and Mary unknowingly opened the floodgates to uncontrolled distillation and distribution of this juniper-flavoured liquid from their homeland.

Tequila

History

Centuries ago, legend has it that a bolt of lightning struck an agave plant in an agave field, setting it ablaze. The heat caused a natural fermentation process, resulting in a sweet liquid known as "pulque."

The arrival of the conquistadors in 1519 introduced the country to new distillation techniques and copper stills.

Blanco/Silver/Plata Tequila: A clear (but not necessarily colourless) spirit aged for up to 60 days with vegetal, earthy agave notes.

Joven/Gold Tequila: Joven (young) or oro (gold) tequila is generally basic tequila with additives such as colouring and flavourings. Exceptions include blending silver tequila with reposado, añejo and muy añejo tequilas whilst retaining the 100% de Agave classification.

Reposado Tequila: Reposado (rested) tequila must be matured in American oak or Encino oak cask for at least 60 days. The casks used impart oak and caramel flavours and give a distinctive golden hue, as well as softening the agave characteristics.

Añejo Tequila: Tequila like Don Julio Añejo is aged for a minimum of 1 year, often in bourbon or French oak casks, resulting in darker, hearty spirit that entertains a balance of agave and wood flavours.

Muy Añejo tequila – Muy Añejo (Ultra Aged) tequila must be aged for a minimum of 3 years in cask with a maximum capacity of 600 litres. This softens the spirit with notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak and makes it ideal for sipping.

Irish Whiskey

History

The history of Ireland and whiskey go hand in hand. Irish whiskey is one of the oldest spirits in Europe, where distillation has taken place since the 6th century.

The Gaelic translation of “Water of Life” is “Uisce Beatha” (Ishka Ba-ha), which over time was anglicised into the word “whiskey” that we know today.

Irish whiskey is made from grains, water, and yeast. The key grains are barley (malted and unmalted) and corn. The use of unmalted barley is one of the main differences between Irish whiskey and Scotch production. It began as a way to reduce tax imposed on malted barley in the middle of the 19th century. Unmalted barley contributes a nutty and oily characteristics, and is used only in the production of Irish Pot Still Whiskey.

The use of peat is minimal and only a small (but growing) number of Irish whiskeys are peated.

Rum

History

The earliest versions of rum were more than likely produced in Asia; however, the category took shape in the Caribbean. In the 1600s, plantation enslaved people discovered that molasses, a by-product of sugar refining, would ferment in the warm tropical air.

It wasn't long before rum production took off in the tropics, and its popularity spread to Colonial America and beyond. 

The Sugar Act of 1764 and trade restrictions in the mid-1800s caused rum to lose favour, while the Prohibition era of the 1920s further challenged its popularity.Rum finally bounced back with the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, and an American fascination with the South Pacific and tropical island culture inspiring Tiki-style bars, restaurants and classic rum cocktails like the Mai Tai and the Fogcutter.

Types of Rum

Whilst no definitive way to categorise rum exists, attempts have been made to group rums by colour or production methods. A good indication, traditionally, is the language spoken in its country of origin. The language was adopted from its colonising country, and each of these countries had a particular taste for their rum and, therefore, a specific style and production process.

What is a Cocktail?

• Mixed drink combining at least 2 ingredients
• One usually a spirit
• Balance between strong, weak, sweet, sour, and bitter

To the Bar!

Mojito

• 50ml Captain Morgans rum
  
• 25ml lime juice
  
• 2 barspoons caster sugar
  
• 12 mint leaves
  

Churn in Highball glass with

Crushed ice

Top with soda

Garnish with a big mint sprig

Mojito

Not to be left behind in the History stakes the Origins of the Mojito probably predate most if not all cocktails. A great heritage in Nautical and Naval history it was commonly known as an ‘El Draqu’e’ a restorative and medicinal concoction using the local or readily available spirit (Rum) with the healing values of mint and lime and the palatable properties of sugar.

Thank fully centuries later we managed to refine Rum from its dangerous Aquardiente roots to be refined, light and palatable i.e. Bacardi 1862.

The Cuban cocktail culture was booming during the early 1900’s and beyond with the introduction of ice and masters of balance the Cantinero’s. This once Medicinal throw it back and get it over with concoction soon became a lively and refreshing afternoon libation, first referred to in print in 1927 as a Mojito meaning little magic or spell. Bacardi being the only light refined rum commercially and widely available at the time holds title as the ingredient first printed to date.

 

Its recipe is still almost as identical as its beginnings with fresh lime juice balanced with refined sugar coupled with light dry rum that doesn’t dominate or disappear.

Not far off a sour really however the introduction of an aromatic herb – Mint is a first in most books. Mint makes all the difference to the complexities of this cocktail engaging the customer with all senses especially the menthol aromatics.

 

To top or not with soda? Discuss.

 

3 ingredients with water and a herb the evolution continues.

Tall drinks are coming into fashion.

Margarita

• 70ml Don Julio Tequila
  
• 35ml Cointreau
  
• 50ml Lime Juice
  
• 12.5ml Agave Syrup

Shake and strain over cubed ice,

Garnish with a lime wedge

Margarita

 

The Margarita also has a mixed and Orphan like status in its heritage, however it does belong to a great Swinging family we consider ‘The Sour Family’ of which there are many off beat cousins, delinquent siblings and Divorced Parents. They all have something in common, with a Base spirit a citrus element balanced with a sweet underpinning. The family tree …Daquiri, Side car, Bacardi cocktail, Pisco Sour, Clover Club etc.

 

The Margarita means ‘Daisy’ in Spanish. (there’s that delinquent side,

A Daisy is regarded essentially the same but sweetened with Grenadine.)

 

As Most Cocktails evolved in different cultures they usually started with an inclusion of a Common Citrus juice for its health giving properties mixed with the local spirit for its restorative powers and balanced with a sweet ingredient to make it palatable and or fancy.

Thank fully these days we have come a long way, Todays Margarita is a 3 part Tequila 2 part Lime juice and 1 part Cointreau or triple sec.

The advent of Agave syrup has allowed our cocktail culture and modern day palate to replace the orange flavoured sweetener to a tequila complimenting sweetness allowing the many different types of Tequila’s nuances to come to the forefront.

The Tommy’s Margarita was born circa 1982 ?

 

To salt or not to salt Discussion!

Half lip it!

Again this cocktail has 3 ingredients, Arguably 4 with water and a myriad of results.

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Manhattan

• 50 ml Bulleitt Bourbon
  
• 25ml Martini Rosso Vermouth
  
• 3 dashes Angostura
  
• 1 barspoon maraschino syrup
  

Stir over ice until

Well chilled and diluted

Strain into Martini glass

Manhattan

Thought to be one of the fore fathers of the Modern Cocktails, it was a simple rendition of a Rye or sometimes Irish Whisky and usually Sweet Italian Vermouth. The Popularity of Sweet Italian Vermouth in the late 1800’s makes this drinks origin very hard to pin down as it is believed a lot of bartenders especially in America were experimenting a lot with their local spirits i.e. Rye/Irish whisky and the new ’cocktail in a bottle’ Vermouth.

As it has evolved over time, from a libation that was closer to 2 parts Vermouth and 1 part whisky to the opposite and from something that was garnished with a simple quarter lemon wheel. (In which it was sometimes referred to as a fancy cocktail because of the Garnish of fruit.)

Today we know it to have at least a quarter of Vermouth (usually a third) and to be either a rye or a rye heavy mash bill whisky. The days of a sweet, dry or perfect Manhattan has become somewhat defunct in modern day palates and cocktail culture. The introduction of dry Vermouth in popular Whisky drinks was a fad in the early 1900’s and doesn’t really show its face in popular cocktails in the 2000’s .

In Current Cocktail Culture the plastic sugar cherry has been popped out the window and replaced with the Orange and or lemon zest only. It is important we engage the customer aromatically which the citrus certainly does. If you have a nice Amoro marinated Cherry it could be a nice addition too.

Today Woodford Reserve ticks all of the box’s being a Heavily Rye lead American straight Whisky coupled with Martini Rosso a classic 148yr old Italian Vermouth.

 

With all things Balance is the Key, the amount of Vermouth must reflect the nuances of the Whisky, as does the addition of bitters, how much and what type.

A lot of aficionados would in the early day’s use an Orange bitters or what was Bokers bitters. Today take your pick of hundreds, just keep it balanced and know what flavours you are trying to compliment and balance out.

 

Whether you use an Orange or a Lemon or any other style of Aromatic Garnish should depend on the overall complimentary experience as well.

 

3 ingredients Whisky, Vermouth and Water

Coupled with a garnish there are infinite possibilities.