A Letter to My Bartenders
Photo by Gabe Fonseca
Bartenders,
I have a new cocktail exercise for you guys to work on. Whereas the last drill was about creativity, this one is about economy and about better understanding each and every ingredient.
Miles Davis is widely considered one of the greatest musical minds of the 20th century. Although he was a virtuoso trumpet player who could belt out anything he wanted, he is admired and known for playing very deliberately without any unnecessary notes
He was only able to do this, because he so well understood every single note that it allowed him to express himself purely and with clear intention. This is how we should aspire to be with cocktail ingredients.
Each component of the drink should be well-thought out and exist with purpose. This exercise should be helpful in getting us to understand this in action. With that said, here are the exercises in economy for you to complete:
HYBRID SOUR
2 ounces of a Single Spirit
3/4 ounces of Lemon or Lime
1/2 ounce of a Single Liqueu
r 1/2 ounce of Syrup
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4 Ingredients Total
TWO HALF HALF
2 ounces of a Single Spirit
1/2 Fortified Wine
1/2 ounce of a Single Liqueur
Optional: Two Dashes of one type of Bitters
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4 Ingredients Tops
COLLINS
2 ounces of a Single Spirit
3/4 ounces of Lemon or Lime
3/4 Syrup
Top with Club Soda
1 modifier in the form of: 2 Dashes Bitters or Muddled Produce
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5 Ingredients Total
These drills are not here to stump you, so do not feel that you must create the next modern classic. Instead they are here to stimulate you and force you to think about economy. You have until June 30th to come up with the three drinks, which gives you six weeks. Do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need any advice or guidance. Best of luck, and I can't wait to try your drinks.
"Telling yourself 'Oh, you have all the time in the world, you have all the money in the world, you have all the colors in the palette you want, anything you want,' I mean, that just kills creativity." - Jack White
Photo Credit: Gabe Fonseca 2013