*Originally published on December 28, 2021:

I'm not sure about you, but I feel like a complete dumbass when ordering drinks at the bar. It's why I stick to the basics: I only ever order a rum and coke (like seriously, how on earth could I mess that order up?). But having the same drink every time is starting to get old very quickly, and I find myself wanting to try something new, or at least sounding like I know what I'm talking about.

This is why I've done some digging and put together this list of bartender lingo and terms that'll not only help me next time I have an evening out, but you too. Now, let's get some bubbly!

Bartending Lingo and Terms:

#-deep

2-deep, 3-deep, etc., is in reference to the number of people waiting in line to get drinks at the bar

Back

A milder drink taken after a shot or neat glass of liquor (i.e., a shot of whiskey with a pickle-back is a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice)

Bitters

A concentrated herbal alcoholic blend added to cocktails to enhance flavor

Blend

To mix up ingredients and ice in an electric blender; depending on where you live, these could be called frozen drinks or blended drinks

Build

To make a drink, you start with ice and then systematically add the other ingredients to build the cocktail

Burn the ice

When you pour hot water into an ice bin to melt the ice; this typically happens when a glass breaks over the ice bin

‍Burnt

A burnt martini, which is a small bit of Scotch added

Call drink

A drink ordered with the specific liquor name and the specific mixer name (i.e., Jack and Coke)

Chaser

Anything consumed immediately after a shot or neat drink

Chill

To add ice to a glass or place the glass in a freezer for a brief period of time; this allows for the cocktail to be poured into a cold glass

Cocktail

An alcoholic mixed drink—a mix of spirits or a spirit mixed with other ingredients like water, soda, juice, or flavored syrup

Dash

A few drops of an ingredient

‍Dirty

The addition of olive juice to a martini

‍Double

A drink with double the amount of alcohol as the standard recipe calls for

Dry

The reduction of vermouth in a martini

‍Finger

A unit of measurement, equal to the width of a person's finger

Float

A liquor, mixer, or syrup slowly poured on top of a drink to create a layering effect

Frost

A glass dipped in water, drained, then put in a freezer

‍Garnish

Added to a drink after it's been made (i.e., orange zest, cherries, etc.)

‍Highball

Liquor mixed with soda water served in a tall, slim glass

‍House pour

Also referred to as "well,"; the liquor the bar offers, as opposed to top-shelf and premium drinks

Jigger

A small hourglass-shaped measuring device used by bartenders to pour accurately

Layering

A shot or drink with heavier alcohol on the bottom and lighter alcohol floated on top of it

Mixer

A non-alcoholic substance that accompanies alcohol in drinks (i.e., water, soda, juice, energy drinks, etc.)

‍Mixology

The art of creating and mixing cocktails

‍Muddle

To mash ingredients with a muddler, a special tool for grinding and crushing ingredients into the bottom and sides of a glass

‍Neat

A drink straight from the bottle; no ice, etc.

‍On the rocks

Served with ice

‍Pony

A 1-ounce shot, as opposed to the standard 1.5-ounce shot 

Premium

Premium alcohol or top-shelf liquor (e.g. the well or bar rail gin is Beefeater, and the premium is Tanqueray)

‍Rim a glass

To wet a glass's rim in a rimmer and press the glass into salt, celery salt, or sugar

‍Rocks glass

Also known as an Old Fashioned glass or lowball

Shake

To shake drink ingredients together in a shaker

‍Shooter

A small mixed drink taken as a shot, anywhere from 2-3 ounces

‍Shot

One-and-a-half ounces of straight liquor taken at once

Sour

The sour bar mix (equal parts lemon or lime juice and simple syrup) used to make whiskey sours, vodka sours, margaritas, etc.

Stir

To stir drink ingredients together with a bar spoon

‍Straight up / Up

A drink shaken or stirred, then strained and served in a stemmed glass without ice

‍Strain

The act of pouring a drink after shaking or stirring

Toddy

A sweet alcoholic drink cut with hot water typically served with warm spices (i.e., cinnamon, black pepper, and nutmeg)

‍Top shelf

The highest quality, most expensive bottles of alcohol available

Twist

A piece of citrus zest (a thin, curled slice of a citrus fruit peel) added to a drink for flavor or decoration

‍Virgin

A drink with no alcohol in it

‍Well drinks

Usually interchangeable with rail drinks and house pour, it's the lowest-cost liquor the bar has available

‍Wet

A drink with more of the mixer and less of the alcohol than the standard recipe calls for

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