Message 24069 of 39188 in General Discussion

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> 
> So HERE's the real question!
> 
> What are some good, respectable drinks, that ANY BAR--be it a family 
> restuaraunt, a club, or a corner bar--would know. Webtender has its 
> lists, but they're based too much on the numbers, and mostly the 
> fruit or juice or fuk-u-up noveltys.

The real problem is that ANY BAR takes in far too much territory. There are 
far more bars that would classify a Seven 'n Seven a fancy drink than there 
are bars where the bartenders are concerned about muddling or layering 
technics. I have been in bars where the four brands of beer came in cans, and 
liquor came from either a blended whiskey bottle or a vodka bottle and was 
served in a jelly glass with a can of coke, 7 Up, Mountain Dew, or Squirt on 
the side. Obviously, their interest in and ability to make even a Rusty Nail 
would preclude them making anything along the lines you are inquiring about.

In addition to venue, geography can also affect things. I was in a place in 
Rockford, Illinois the other night that was suppose to be the best eatery in 
their city. The tender didn't know how to make the first drink I ordered and 
likely also lacked the key liquor as well. Because they had a variation of a 
Mojito on their drink menu, I tried for a classic Mojito and ended up with a 
sugar mess with uncrushed mint leaves. Their steaks were better than a chain 
steak, but was barely acceptable and not cooked as ordered. The waitress was 
enthusiastic while taking the order, but untrained and lacked any instinct on 
how to work customers for tips. While I would bet the tender believed she was 
one of the best tenders in Rockford, I would also bet she just slaps drinks 
together without any pride in the final product. So, what would be included on 
her list of drinks made well? I confess, I don't know.

Stick to Screwdrivers or possibly Bloody Marys if you are a vodka drinker 
until you have found a bar where the bartender takes some pride in what they 
do. Personally, I stick to Bushmills and Soda on the rocks if I suspect the 
tender doesn't know what they are doing.

Just my thoughts.

Chance