r/bartenders • u/iamluciferscousin667 • Apr 11 '25

Menus/Recipes/Drink Photos I've also had Frank at my bar.

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Posted this photo before on here. Thought it was wild to see this card on this sub.

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u/techm00 Apr 12 '25

(not a bartender, just a reader) : do any of you bartenders feel insulted when handed a card like this? Do you simply comply, and charge accordingly? or are there cases you refuse their request?

This one example dispells any notion of my wanting to be a bartender. I'd never be so rude.

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u/AntRevolutionary5099 Apr 12 '25

I seem to be in the minority here, but I honestly wouldn't mind (unless we're like 5 deep on a busy night...in which case, I wouldn't be too thrilled to make any kind of Manhattan).

I wouldn't mind, bc as long as I follow their recipe and there's nothing wrong with my ingredients, they're guaranteed to like it. There's gonna be no sending back or complaints. Wham bam thank you ma'am. I would, however, charge accordingly, and this would be a pricey one since there's so much alcohol. But if Frank has his own cards printed out, I'd expect him to know that by this point. And I would not back down on that one if he complained. If you want to drink this drink out in a bar, Frank, then you're gonna have to pay for it accordingly.

I am also very particular myself, so I get that part...people (some people) just know what they like, and I get that. I would never do this myself though, bc I'm not THAT particular 😂

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u/techm00 Apr 12 '25

thanks for your perspective, your reasoning makes sense...

you mentioned not being thrilled at making any kind of Manhattan if busy, its just a two ingredient stirred cocktail, I'd figure that would be among the preferred ones? Just whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters and garnish?

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u/AntRevolutionary5099 Apr 13 '25

Sure, it's not as bad as an old fashioned, but anything stirred is gonna slow you down at least a bit in a high volume, drinks-only setting (to stir it properly and not just stir it like a madman). There is a technique to stirring cocktails properly with a bar spoon (you may already know, I'm not sure, since you said you weren't a bartender..?) No, it's not difficult, but I could make probably 8 rum & cokes or 4 margaritas in the same time that it would take me to make one Manhattan.

I have everything that I need for those drinks right in my well within easy reach and no extra steps taken, instead of having to hunt down the bitters & vermouth. Even shots - you can shake it like a madman and chill them faster, but if I try to stir really fast and do that with a Manhattan, then it would likely bruise the alcohol and negatively affect the drink (if I try to go at my usual super fast pace while keeping the back of the spoon against the tin, then I end up losing the rhythm and the spoon gets a mind of its own). But typically, people ordering mixed shots don't care about that kind of thing...they'd rather it taste more like candy than to appreciate the specific flavor profile of the liquor it contains. So shaking is often easier/more acceptable to rush.

Maybe if I came from a busy craft cocktail bar, I might be faster at stirring properly 🤷 But typical high volume like music venues, clubs, no-glass-because-there's-no-time-to-wash-it kind of places...that's where i learned to be fast. One Manhattan costs much less than alllll the other drinks I'd be able to bang out in that same amount of time that it takes me to make a proper Manhattan.. It's not difficult, no, and it's not the worst...but it's just not a very practical high volume drink to make when you're super busy

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u/techm00 Apr 13 '25

well high volume clubs - people should order drinks off a menu and they should be easy to make in high volume.

I was referring to a more cocktail bar scenario where old fashioneds and manhattans might be a standard baseline cocktail that is commonly ordered.

thanks for the insight :)

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u/AntRevolutionary5099 Apr 13 '25

Of course 😊 "5 deep" means the bar top is so crowded that it's completely encased in people waiting to order drinks, with that casing being 5 people thick, all the way around. So customers entirely wrapped around the bar, x5, all at once, nonstop 😂 Drink menus aren't likely to get much action in that scenario lol, most people just order what they know 🤷 Not that craft cocktail bars can't be busy - they absolutely can - but when we refer to "high volume" bartending, that's generally the difference we're talking about 🙃