This fall Pernod-Ricard has partnered with the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) to bring the world an online version of their Bar Smarts bartender training, education and certification program.
Bar Smarts Wired takes one through 4 modules covering distillation, the spirits, mixology basics and practical applications of mixology. The $45 course is an amazing deal. You get a top notch mixology program, complete with pdfs for easy reading and entertaining videos featuring the likes of Dan Wondrich and Dale de Groff. The also student receives a very nice & complete set of bartools (pictured) and a bag to carry it all. Of course, Bar Smarts is not all fun, you need to pass 5 tests to graduate.
So if you got the itch to take an adventure in mixology, this is it.
Oh, water with bubbles, you have so many names: club soda, tonic water, sparkling water, mineral water … and more.
The Kitchn blog details the differences between each, when it matters which you use and when it doesn’t.
A question that’s probably plagued many home bartenders:
…What’s the difference between tonic water, mineral water, seltzer, carbonated water, and club soda? They all seem like fizzy water alternatives, and they may be identical. But could I, say, make one of those exquisitely refreshing-looking gin and tonics with the mineral water that I keep stashed in the fridge?
A good rule of thumb is that tonic water is good for mixing with just liquor because of its mineral flavor (think gin and tonic, vodka tonic), while its less-mineral-tasting cousin club soda is good for topping of sparkling cocktails that include other mixers and/or muddled elements (think Tom Collins, mojito).
Q: Marlene writes, “how many ounces are in a 1/5th bottle of vodka?”
A: First let’s use a 1 oz. shot for this exercise. Next, what exactly is a 1/5? It is an old measurement for a bottle of booze. It refers to the fact that the bottles were 1/5 of a gallon. These days most bottles are 750 ml, which is close to 1/5 of a gallon. A gallon contains 128 fluid ounces. So a fifth (1/5) or 750ml contains a tad more than 25 oz, or 25 one ounce shots. Of course many use 1 1/2 ounce for a standard shot which is around 16 shots.
The theme for Mixology Monday this month is 19th Century Cocktails. Living in San Francisco, naturally I was drawn to Pisco Punch. This famous cocktail came to be due to the large amount of Pisco available after the Gold Rush.
What is Pisco? It is a grape brandy from Peru. Just like French brandies, varieties range from rot gut to super premium. The main difference is that Pisco is aged, but not in barrels, rather ceramic or metal. The resulting spirit is clear.
So with all this potent Pisco around it became quite popular in San Francisco. This prompted owner, Duncan Nicol, of the Bank Exchange to create Pisco Punch a mix Pisco, pineapple juice, lime juice, simple syrup and Gum Arabic, and ingredient that helps it fizz. Unfortunately, the original recipe went to the grave with Ducan and Prohibition closed the bar. So there are several variations of the recipe as bartenders try to recreate the original.
This recipe comes to us from the makers of Inca Gold Pisco. I had the pleasure to meet the proprietor, who schooled me on the history of Pisco and Pisco Punch. In fact, he believes that San Francisco should make Pisco Punch our civic cocktail. With so many cocktails, like the Martini, I am staying out of politics.
Pisco Punch
3 parts Premium Pisco
2 parts pineapple juice
1 part lime juice
1 part simple syrup
3-4 drops Gum Arabic
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a shaker with ice. Pour into a punch or tall glass and garnish with pineapple.
For a party, make a batch in a large punch bowl. Just use the same proportions.
Ever have trouble getting a drink in a busy bar? If you look like me, the answer is yes. Good for us average folks, the guys at Ayslum.com have collected some helpful tips on getting and keeping a bartenders attention. Hating thirst, I have tested all of these, and they do work. So learn them, live them.
Here’s our favorites:
- Know what you want. Important in any bartender interaction, even is the bar is empty.
- Send the most attractive person at your table to get the drinks.
- Be confident
- When you do get your order, leave a decent, if not, large tip. Yes, Always.
Read more: Get a Bartender’s Attention and Keep the Drinks Flowing - Asylum
The word cordial comes from the Latin word for “Heart” and was used to describe it. It also came to mean a strong medicine or drink. These days it also refers to liqueurs, and in many places cordial is synonymous with liqueur. In other areas, fruit flavored liqueurs are referred to as cordials, while those flavored with herbs remain liqueurs.
From Apartment Theray’s Kitchn comes Five intriguing Cocktails Names. the article goes into deatil on the orins of each. Here’s the list. We’ve also linked to the recipe for each.
This fall Pernod-Ricard has partnered with the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) to bring the world an online version of their Bar Smarts bartender training, education and certification program. 
You get a top notch mixology program, complete with pdfs for easy reading and entertaining videos featuring the likes of Dan Wondrich and Dale de Groff. The also student receives a very nice & complete set of bartools (pictured) and a bag to carry it all. Of course, Bar Smarts is not all fun, you need to pass 5 tests to graduate.![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=d33494de-2cee-45af-a4c1-450d117f543e)
Oh, water with bubbles, you have so many names: club soda, tonic water, sparkling water, mineral water … and more. 
Ever have trouble getting a drink in a busy bar? If you look like me, the answer is yes. Good for us average folks, the guys at 
The word cordial comes from the Latin word for “Heart” and was used to describe it. It also came to mean a strong medicine or drink. These days it also refers to liqueurs, and in many places cordial is synonymous with liqueur. In other areas, fruit flavored liqueurs are referred to as cordials, while those flavored with herbs remain liqueurs.
From Apartment Theray’s Kitchn comes Five intriguing Cocktails Names. the article goes into deatil on the orins of each. Here’s the list. We’ve also linked to the recipe for each.