Message 16867 of 22774 in Behind the Bar

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> What questions do you ask when someone orders a manhatten?  A 
> martini?  A margarita?  
> I wouldnt ask any questions but if they were to give special 
> instructions (dirty--olive juice, blended--blender with ice, 
> perfect--1/4 ounce italian and french vermouth, etc...) I would 
> follow them, otherwise I would not insult them by asking how they 
> like it.

You should always ask how they like it.  If they knew how they liked it, 
they'd order it properly, but most people are dumb, which always makes our job 
tougher.

Martini: Gin or Vodka, Type of Gin or Vodka, Up or Rocks, Garnish (Twist or 
Olives most commonly), Shaken or Stirred

Manhatten:  Type of whisky, up or on the rocks, shaken or stirred

Margarita:  Up, on the rocks, or Blended, Salt or no Salt, Type of Tequila is 
less important than in a martini or manhatten, imho, although still a good 
upsell question

 
> What is call order?  Can you give an example of it?
> A call order is any order in which the customer specifies the liquor 
> to be used. A Jack and coke would be a call order. 

I suppose this is acceptable.  Call Order (not A call order) is how cocktail 
servers are supposed to ring in drinks (and the best way to make drinks).  It 
typically starts at frozen drinks and ends with draft beer (so as to not allow 
time for the head to dissipate).

> 
> What is the difference between Pravda Vodka and Stolichnya?

Pravda is polish and Stoli is russian.

 > How 
> about the difference between Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's?
> Jim Beam is a Kentucky Bourbon, and while Jack Daniels is made in a 
> similar style to a Kentucky Bourbon, it is actually make in tennessee 
> and it goes through the extra process of charcoal filtration.

Good answer

> 
> Name 6 kinds of white wine.
> Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Reisling, - on a good day I 
> could finish this question but today I'm drawing a blank.

Check out George's answer (Thinking Bartender)

  
> Which one doesn't belong:  Blue Curacao, Cointreau, Grand Marnier
> They are all orange flavored but I would say blue caracao either 
> because of its color or the fact that it is not a brand name just a 
> generic type of liquor. 

Blue Curacao and Cointreau are both versions of triple sec, whereas Grand 
Marnier is a top shelf orange liquer produced from Cognac with a decidedly 
different texture and taste.

> 
> What is in a Colorado Bulldog?
> It is a type of Bloody Mary I believe. 

White Russian + Coke

> 
> Explain this statement:  All cognac is brandy but not all brandy is 
> cognac.
> Brandy is an alcohol distilled from fremented grapes (wine), it comes 
> in many different types VS, VSOP(very special old pale), flavored, 
> etc... Cognac is a very specific type of brandy from the cognac 
> region of France.

Good good.

> 
> What should you ask if someone asks for a vodka and tonic?  
> I dont know. Lemon or lime????

Upsell Upsell Upsell! 

> 
> How many herbs is Jagermeister purported to contain?
> over 45 herbs

56 to be exact

> 
> What is the proper garnish for a cuba libre?
> I dont know. 

Lime.  Its a rum and coke with lime.  (I like it with a good half lime muddled 
in the bottom)

> 
> What is the proper garnish for a shot of sambuca?
> Mint?

3 coffee beans.

> Name 3 Italian Liquers:
> Limoncello, Grappa, ammeretto di siarono

Grappa is actually a liquor.  Frangelico or Tuaca are two other choices

> 
> What is the difference between Whisky and Whiskey?
> There is no real difference according to spelling other than 
> Candadian and Scotch will be Whisky and American and Irish will be 
> Whiskey.

Good.

>  
> What is mead?
> Mead is a wine fermented from honey. 

Close.  While it is sometimes called "Honey Wine," it is its own disinct 
beverage.

>  
> What is the difference between lager and ale?
> I dont know other than a lager is thicker, darker, and stronger 
> tasting than ale.  All of the prominent domestic brewers in the 
> states brew ale.

Lager uses bottom fermenting yeast and Ale uses top fermenting yeast.  All of 
the prominent brewers in the states actually brew lager, specifically, pale 
lager (aka piss water ;))

> 
> What kind of alcohol does a Shirley Temple get?  
> It is a virgin cocktail so none.

Good.  Although you wouldn't believe how many people complain about not having 
enough vodka in it.

>  
> What is a Blue Blazer?  Who made it famous?
> I dont know.

Flaming scotch drink made famous by "The Professor" Jerry Thomas (who wrote 
the first bartender's guide)

> 
> Ironically, where can you NOT drink a Lynchburg Lemonade?
> Lynchburg.

Sucks that you can't even buy Jack Daniel's at its own brewery.  Does anyone 
know if you can even sample it?

> 
> What Fruit goes with Corona?  Blue Moon?  Hoegaarden?
> Corona = lime, Blue Moon = orange, And I am assuming Hoegaarden is a 
> weisse so it  would receive a lemon. 
> 
> What are cocktail onions used for?
> To garnish a gibson.
> 
> What can give a chocolate martini its chocolate flavor?
> Godiva (chocolate liquer) 

One of many choices, again, see George's post in this thread.

> 
> What is sake?
> Rice wine

While known as "Rice Wine," Sake (which actually means "Alcoholic Beverage in 
Japanese), as we know and order it, is actually closer to Beer than wine.  
 
> 
> Where does Tsingtao come from?  
> My guess is China.
> 
> Where is Budweiser originally from?
> USA 

St Louis, specifcally.  Good job on the trick question.

>  
> Where did pilsner style beers originate?
> Germany

Pilsen, Chezchoslovakia.  However, an argument could be made for Germany as 
Bohemia, where Pilsen is located, spent a large time under the rule of the 
Habsburgs.  The area is predominantly ethnically Czech, though, so it would be 
a shaky argument at best.

>  
> Who was responsible for creating Benedictine?
> I dont know.

Good ole Catholic Monks from the Order of Saint Benedict.  At least monks knew 
how to party in the middle ages!  

>  
> How do you change a keg?  co2 tank?  Soda bag/box?
> Ive been working on this one. To change a keg you pop the handle up 
> to shut off its operation, you then turn the tap 1/4 turn to release 
> it from the keg, you replace the keg turning it 1/4 turn to fasten 
> it, and then you push the tapping handle down to tap the keg.
> To change a co2 tank you first turn the tank off and then you simply 
> disconnect it using a wrench, reconnect the new one and then turn it 
> on.
> I dont know what a soda bag is.

A soda bag contains the premix for sodas, juices, and other bar mixes that 
come through the soda gun.  

> 
> How do you cut lime wheels?
> I would use a mandolin or with a knife finely slice a whole lime.
> 
> What is the proper garnish for a Cosmo?
> A sugared rim and/or a lime.

I would say no to the sugared rim, but yes for the lime.  I prefer the flamed 
orange peel, personally.

> 
> What does neat mean?  up?  straight up?  perfect?  dry?
> Straight up means no mixer, just alcohol. Neat also means no mixer 
> just alcohol.  perfect means equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. Dry 
> means no vermouth. Up means  no mixer but the customer would still 
> like his drink shaken. 

Good.  Dry can also mean "use dry vermouth" when ordering a drink with sweet 
vermouth as the standard ingredient.

>  
> What is a waterback?  barback?  backbar?  
> A waterback is a glass of water served alongside a drink, this is 
> typically done with whiskies. A barback is a bar apprentice, he is in 
> charge of maintaing stock and everything else aside from preparing 
> most drinks. A backbar is where a call and premium liqours are 
> displayed behind the bar.
>  
> What is a pour cadence?
> It is the count you use to help pour a controlled amount.
>  
> What is the legal age to work in a bar in Illinois?  Drink in a bar?  
> 
> Be in a bar with parents?
> To work in a bar you must be 21. To drink in a bar you must be 21. 
> With your parents you can be any age.
>  
> What is the definion of 1 "drink" in terms of beer, wine, or spirits? 
> 
> 1 drink = 1 beer (12 oz), 1 glass of wine (5-6 oz.), or one shot of 
> liqour (1 1/2 oz.) 
>  
> Thanks,
> Tell me how I did.

Good on those too.

I'd say that to bullshit your way into a local place you're probably fine.  
I've never been asked any of these questions in interviews (and likely 
couldn't have answered most of the obscure ones even when I had a year of 
experience under my belt) but I know that when the time comes for me to move 
into management, I plan on asking at least a few of them to get an idea of 
prospective employees.  Someone who knows the history of alcohol and cocktails 
is obviously an enthusiast and, ideally, a good employee.

I'd approach any interview saying that you have limited experience.  If you 
did catering say, you would obviously not know alot of this (like I didn't), 
but you could still bullshit the easier parts.

-- 
Bartender Savant
http://bartendersavant.blogspot.com