This a copy of a letter that I wrote to Julian the Web master at
www.thecocktailpage.com (He is located in France)
Tue, Feb 20, 2001, Kent Garber wrote:
Julian,
I find while searching through bar books and searching through different
WEB sites that some drinks will have different names but be made with the
exact same ingredients and the exact amounts of each of those ingredients.
And I find, that some drinks will have the same name, but are made with
different ingredients, or the same ingredients, but different amounts of each
of those ingredients. Is there any location that stores the recipes for all
drinks or is it a free-for-all?
Kent Garber
Hi Kent,
As far as I know, the IBA (International Bartending Association) maintains a
list of about 50 to 100 classical drinks, which are defined precisely.
For the rest, well, I guess it's more or less a free-for-all, as you say. I'm
not sure that different bartenders would agree on drink names or ingredients,
not to mention bartenders from different countries.
For example, I was quite sure that the "Blue lagoon" was a standard drink. In
many bars, they did not know it, in some; they'd call it Blue Hawaii, in other
some other name. Sometimes, they'd use gin, some other time vodka...
It would be nice it in the long term if my site or another could become a
"reference", but this is probably not going to happen soon.
Cheers,
Julien -- Webmaster
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Kip,
On other forums drinkers have asked the same questions.
I have researched many drinks. Hot Apple pie, Irish Lady, martinis, Mexican
Martini, etc. and some of the recipes don't even use the same ingredients.
The most diverse recipe is probably the Mexican Martini, about every
establishment has it's own unique recipe. I find it is almost a waste of time
to refer to a drink recipe with a name.
I hope this information helps.
Kent Garber