All bartenders unite here

[Darkforge]

I'm confused about all this x second pours...

Here in England we have a standard measure in mililitres that is what a single shot has to be (it can be over, but not under).

as such we have "measures" that are exactly a shot that you have to fill and then transfer to another glass, or measuring devices attached to the bottles that ony pour an exact shot.

No offence but next time I visit america i'll prob stick to bottles stuff so I know exactly what i'm getting...

[IvorTangrean]

I'm confused about all this x second pours...

Bartenders often use a special spout on their bottles that let the booze flow at a certain rate so that a 4 second pour is a shot, it saves them having to pour it into a shot glass and then into the customers glass.

[EricKei]

Here in England we have a standard measure in mililitres that is what a single shot has to be (it can be over, but not under).

as such we have "measures" that are exactly a shot that you have to fill and then transfer to another glass, or measuring devices attached to the bottles that ony pour an exact shot.

We do have standard sizes here (one ounce). To the best of my understanding, many bars in the US use the measuring devices or measuring shot-cups, as well. However, it makes sense that a bartender might want to learn how to do "timed" pours in case he ends up at a place that does not have those measure, or is at someone's house where he'd have to time it.

One thing of note, however -- bars here are more likely to make sure that nobody goes OVER the proscribed size limit, rather than under.

[bunnyboy]

On the topic of good drinks....

I found a rather odd drink when trying to figure out what to do with some booze at home...

1 pony vodka
2 jiggers Midori (or other melon luquer)
half an ounce of grenadine.

great sipping, for those of us who like semi-sweet drinks.

and Long Islands are good... then again I drink for taste and enjoy it, not long island... gulp...long island...gulp...(ad vomitus)

always fun being around one of my friends... always seems to have liquers that I've either rarely seen or never seen before like Creme de Violet.

[Akasa]

I have to say I love my bartender. He knows what I want. All he has to do is ask me if I'm getting liquor or soda. He knows I start off the night with 2.
Oh and what I drink is a drink he made up for me on the spot one night. The next week he didn't quite remember what was in it and over 2 weeks we figured it out and perfected it. Now we both know what is in it.
I haven't yet found a bar to frequent in Hawaii, but when visiting Texas he's my man. (I'm also a good tipper.)

[XCashier]

His response? "Stop being a stupid b**** and get me 5 Coronas."

Hahaha, like THAT was going to work. Let's just say that the bouncers quickly escorted him out of the bar, and he was forced to buy his Coronas elsewhere.

And yet another SC learns the hard way not to be rude to those who prepare your food/drinks. Hooray for bouncers who are quick to respond!

to

[Midnight12]

Sure! We have cheap and strong! It's called GROG. You'll have to drink it fast, though, that stuff can eat thru a metal cup in about ten seconds flat...

(cookies shots for the reference)

I want to say escape from monkey island but thats probably not right. Heh Guybrush.

[Jester]

A bartender thread? Oh, gee, I suppose I might have a few comments/opinions on this one.....

"I'll take a gin and tonic, you can make it strong"
-"I'll take a bourbon with a splash of coke"

These are actually two different things.

To the first one, I will just look at them with my King of the Smartasses "Are you kidding me" glare and ask, "Do I LOOK like someone who makes weak drinks?"

The second one is quite different. See, many people who order drinks like that want just that....their liquor with just a splash of mixer. They don't necessarily want more booze for free, like the other examples....they just want less mixer, just like someone ordering a drink "tall" wants more mixer. This person, I make their drink as requested, usually in a shorter glass.

You'll be glad to know that I get the same thing evertime i go to a bar.

Shot of tequila and a diet coke.

My girlfriend is similar, only she doesn't bother with the soda. Shot of Cuervo (neat, not chilled, no salt or lime) and a glass of ice water.

Yes, of course she's weird. She's dating me, isn't she?

Rail can also be called Well. It's the crap stuff in the rack right below the bartop, easy to get to, and cheap as hell.

Yes and know. Rail and well are the base liquors that a bar will use, but they are not always "cheap as hell" or crappy. I have worked in bars that DO have cheap no-name wells, and when people ask me what the wells are, I usually tell them, "I don't know, and you don't want to."

But there are bars that use quality liquors for their wells. For example, at The Bar, we have premium well, such as Bacardi, Jim Beam, Bombay, etc. No cheap crap here, thank you very much. (I have mentioned many times before how much I love working for these people.)

I'm not a drinker and haven't been to a bar in years, so forgive what may be a stupid question but why is this considered a bad thing to do? That is, if someone likes a drink a certain way, don't you want them to tell you upfront? And if they're asking for extra alcohol in their drink, isn't it assumed you're going to charge them for it?

Yes and no. People who order doubles know they are paying more, though sometimes they may assume they are only paying a certain amount more, and may be surprised at the bars that charge them (shockingly!) double the amount for double the booze, as mine does.

But for the most part, people who are ordering "strong" drinks are asking for extra booze without being charged extra money. A standard drink is made with a standard amount of alcohol. If you want more, you pay more. Most of the people cited in the OP were cheap shits who were being asses. Not only do I give them the "Do I look like I make weak drinks" stare and question, but then I go about making them their drink....exactly as I would had they not been a dumbass about it. And you know what? They usually smile and say something along the lines of, "Now THAT'S a drink!" Idiots.

The exception being that which I cited above, i.e., the "splash of mixer" people.

I guess the bar where I work is just cheap considering they told us only 3 seconds

Timed counts vary from bartender to bartender, for my 1 count may be twice as long or half as long as your 1 count. Me, a shot is a 6 count, but that is the way I do it. (I have tested myself, too...pouring liquor into a shot glass, my 6 count will fill it perfectly.) That being said, spouts have been known to pour erratically, so it is good to know where in the glass the liquor should come to on a standard shot...which I do, to the point that, when needed, I can "free pour" (pouring using no spout) liquor to the right amount in a drink, something I often have to do as we have too many rums in my bar (over 150) to have all of them open and spouted.

Speaking of the "splash of x with my y", had a tequila sunrise last night, and I swear, the bartender went apeshit with the tequila.

I don't want to taste liquor in my liquor.

I had something similar once. I walked into one of my regular watering holes, and had plenty of money in my pocket and was in a good mood, so told the bartender, who I knew, to make me "the best margarita you can." Sadly, he misinterpreted what I meant, and he went heavy on the tequila, making it very strong, but not necessarily very good. See, a margarita is a drink that requires balance. If all you are doing is making it strong, that makes a great "tequila martini," but not necessarily a great margarita. I thanked him for the first drink, and drank it, but also explained what I meant, and when he brought me my second, it was wonderful, made with top notch ingredients and, more importantly, well-balanced.

I'm confused about all this x second pours...

No offence but next time I visit america i'll prob stick to bottles stuff so I know exactly what i'm getting...

It is merely a way for a bartender to pour quickly and efficiently without having to resort to measuring devices. Some do it better than others. Since different people have different internal timers, I think that management dictating a certain "timed" pour is dangerous ground for them, but then, I don't run those bars. See my above commentary on the whole timed pour thing.

That all being said, whenever I am in doubt, I will order bottled beer, as there is no way that even the most incompetent bartender can screw THAT up. (Sadly, incompetent management can screw that up by having coolers that aren't cold enough, but if that is the case, that is a bar I will not be returning to.)

[EricKei]

I want to say escape from monkey island but thats probably not right. Heh Guybrush.

Well, all of them feature Grog one way or another, so you're technically right ^_^

It started with Secret of MI, which just came out as a remake on Steam for ten bucks.

Been playing that and the new episodic expansion.

[missbartender]

These are actually two different things.

To the first one, I will just look at them with my King of the Smartasses "Are you kidding me" glare and ask, "Do I LOOK like someone who makes weak drinks?"

The second one is quite different. See, many people who order drinks like that want just that....their liquor with just a splash of mixer. They don't necessarily want more booze for free, like the other examples....they just want less mixer, just like someone ordering a drink "tall" wants more mixer. This person, I make their drink as requested, usually in a shorter glass.

I understand what you are saying, I was just giving examples. I actually have had people say that to me before though, meaning they want a lot of alcohol and not a lot of soda for the same price. I can usually tell the difference between the people who understand the pricing differences and the people who are trying to get "sh**faced." Last night I actually had someone reach across the bar and hold the bottle of liquor (can you tell that I work in a college bar?). They quickly got escorted out.



Here's a story from last night. I wasn't working, I went out to a bar with some friends. It was pretty crowded, but we managed to find stools at the bar. The guy sitting next to me had his girlfriend sitting on his lap. They were heavy making out, and next thing I know, his fingers were in places that I'd rather not see. The best part? I guess he hit a good spot because her leg kicked into mine. I couldn't stop laughing.

I've seen people heavily kissing before when I'm working, but never anything like that. It was pretty funny.

[Jester]

Last night I actually had someone reach across the bar and hold the bottle of liquor (can you tell that I work in a college bar?). They quickly got escorted out.

That has nothing to do with working in a college bar, and everything to do with the customer in question being a total asswipe.

While I have never had someone so bold (i.e., stupid) as to try that nonsense in my bar, I have told people in no uncertain terms that I am the person controlling their alcohol, and they will behave accordingly. Only someone really stupid would fuck with someone who has told them that they are controlling their alcohol. "But Jester, what if they're just drunk?" Generally speaking, even drunks...no, especially drunks...won't fuck with someone controlling their booze unless they are also really stupid.

I will say right here and now that anyone who would reach over and try to grab the bottle of booze I was pouring would be given one very strongly worded warning from me to stop it immediately. They wouldn't get a second warning....a second offense would result in my booting them out, and alerting my manager as to the situation....and I have no doubt that my manager would support me in that.

[Midnight12]

Well, all of them feature Grog one way or another, so you're technically right ^_^

It started with Secret of MI, which just came out as a remake on Steam for ten bucks.

Been playing that and the new episodic expansion.

MUST obtain. i loved the series still do. grog....heh i remember when sobe attempted their turn at grape grog. but anywho...if but bars served non acidic version of grog

[missbartender]

Here's another example of people trying to get more liquor:

SC: "I want a Bourbon and coke, no ice"

And that is usually followed by, "you can make it strong."

Haha, well thanks for the permission, a**. I will not only NOT make it strong unless you plan on paying for it, but I will act too busy to give you ice when you come back to me after realizing it tastes horrible warm.


Ok, I realize that my posts make me sound like a huge b****, but I promise I'm not!

[Jester]

Once again, I have to disagree with you. If they are doing that just to get a stronger drink, yes, they suck. But I HAVE had people order drinks like that, with no expectation of extra booze (they say the first phrase, not the second phrase), simply because, whatever you may think of how that tastes, they like it. Though more frequently I will get "very little ice, please" rather than "no ice." Probably something to do with the warm climate I am in. Yes, a lot of people think that "less ice" equals more booze, but if they order it that way and don't say anything about more booze, and don't bitch about the resulting drink, it's all cool by me.

And I don't think you sound like a bitch so much as someone who is frustrated with their cheap greedy customers bitching about their tactics for trying to get something for nothing.

[EricKei]

And I don't think you sound like a bitch so much as someone who is frustrated with their cheap greedy customers bitching about their tactics for trying to get something for nothing.

Seconded. You're just doing your job: making sure that the customers get what they pay for. If they want a double portion of the boozeahol portion, they need to pay for a double portion like everybody else does