All about alcohol for waiters. What the waiter should know about the classification of wine and vodka drinks

23 tips for beginner bartenders:

Cocktails are served on a variety of occasions. Usually they are a mixture of several strong drinks in composition, complementing one another; most of them are multicolored and justify the origin of the term: "cocktail" - in English it means "cock's tail". Often the ratio between the drinks that make up the cocktail can be arbitrary, depending on taste and desire, as well as on the availability of initial products.

What do you need to make a cocktail masterpiece?

Need to know:

First, the difference between one type of liquor and another;

Secondly, the names and recipes of classic mixed drinks;

Thirdly, how and in what glasses to serve them;

Fourth, how to translate one measure into another.

1. Wash dishes immediately after using them. It is better to do this either with plain hot water, or with the help of detergents, but never with soap. Keep two clean towels handy at all times: one for drying dishes and one for polishing. While shining, hold the glass against the light. This way you control cleanliness and, at the same time, make a strong impression on visitors with your attitude to hygiene.

2. It is best to clean the bar counter once a week with linseed oil, and daily with water and soda, and then wipe it dry with a clean cloth.

3. A weak solution of lemon juice or ammonia in warm water removes stains and layers left on the mirror by dust and cigarette smoke. Wipe and polish with paper towels - then there will be no fibers left on the mirror.

4. Bar shelves should not be empty. By putting all the empty bottles in one drawer, you can easily see what needs to be added to the bar stock by the end of the day.

5. Freshly cut fruit will retain its freshness if stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. When peeling lemons and oranges, remove the white bitter substance just under the skin. Never take spoiled fruit for cutting. After taking out of the refrigerator, cover the sliced ​​\u200b\u200bfruits with a damp cloth - this will keep them fresh.

6. Lemon mixture (sour) can be prepared ahead of time. To do this, mix 3 parts fresh lemon juice with 1 part simple syrup. For every 750 ml of this mixture, add 1 egg white and mix everything together.

7. Remember that the most correct way to make a drink is the way that the visitor likes, even if the drink he ordered is prepared in a completely different way.

8. If the visitor orders a drink exactly by the brand of this or that spirit, put a bottle in front of him before starting to prepare the mixture.

9. Spilled or unsatisfactory drinks silently replace the visitor.

10. It is always better to pour a few drops into the measuring liquid than not to top up. If, after mixing and filling the visitor's glass, there is still some of the drink left in the vessel, do not pour it out; after the guest has drunk his cocktail, refill his glass as a courtesy.

11. Shake cocktails vigorously, but not for long, otherwise the ice will dilute the drink. As soon as the shaker gets frosty on the outside, stop shaking.

12. Do not try to skimp on the ingredients of drinks: good spirits make good drinks. You can't rely on the visitor not noticing the difference.

13. If you need to fill several glasses from one shaker, line them up so that they are in contact with the edges. By jogging the shaker back and forth, you will evenly distribute the drink.

14. To cool the glass, you need to fill it with ice chips or put it in the freezer for a few minutes. To warm up a glass, you need to fill it with hot water, wait 1-2 minutes and pour it out.

15. In order to fill the glass with layers and not mix them, it is necessary to pour the desired liquid along the handle of a teaspoon, slightly touching the surface of the drink already poured into the glass.

16. Simple syrup should be prepared in advance to save time.

Hot method: dissolve 0.5 kg of sugar in 0.5 liter of water, boil the solution for 3 minutes and cool. Cold method: gradually pour 0.5 kg of sugar into 0.5 liters of cold water, shaking vigorously until the sugar is completely dissolved.

17. Lemons and oranges are cut like this: 1 centimeter is cut off from both ends, then the fruit is cut in half lengthwise and then into slices 0.5 cm thick. If a corner of a green lemon is mentioned in the recipe, it should be cut lengthwise into 4-8 pieces.

18. Impurities to alcohol (plain, soda and tonic water) are introduced into alcohol, and not vice versa.

19. Fruit juices (with the exception of tomato, cranberry or green lemon juice) should be used fresh or frozen, never canned.

20. Always store cherries and olives in their own juice in a sealed container. Rinse olives in water before use.

21. Install a large funnel in the washbasin and pour the rest of the cocktails there: pieces of fruit will get stuck in the nose of the funnel and be removed as they are filled, the ice will slowly melt and drain into the pipe without cooling the washing water.

22. Serve the ladies first. Single visitors have priority over groups of two or more.

23. Try to remember the favorite drinks of the bar regulars.

If we approach the issue of mixing cocktails at home in more detail, then for a start I would advise you to look through the literature on bar business. For example, it is enough for a beginner to read The Bartender's Bible and IMBIBE by David Wondrich. Firstly, it will help you better understand what you are mixing your drink with and what should be the result. Second, it's very interesting.

Ninety-five percent of what is, and what will be, has already been invented. And unique cocktails that fall into the remaining 5% are a small miracle and, as a rule, an accident. But for those who do nothing, even accidents do not happen.

One of the important roles in the preparation of cocktails is played by tools. They are an extension of the hands of the bartender.

Everything you need for a good result: a convenient and reliable shaker, a mixing glass, a bar spoon, a strainer, a fine strainer and, of course, good ice (large square ice from an ice maker).

When choosing equipment, the rule "expensive - high quality" does not always work.

When choosing a shaker, try to squeeze its open part with your hand. If the metal bends too much, the shaker will soon start to leak. Glasses should fit snugly into each other and open easily with the right hit.

The mixing glass must be made of durable thick glass. You can choose iron, but it is not very convenient and aesthetic.

The whole grace of making a drink in a glass is that you see the drink, you see that nothing extra has got there.

When choosing a spoon, it is enough to make sure that everything is in order with the center of gravity and that it lies comfortably in the hand. The rest is a matter of taste.

A strainer (English strainer - “filter”, “sieve”) is a tool that filters out large ice particles or pieces of fruit when the bartender pours a cocktail from a shaker into a glass.

There are two types of strainers:

• Julep strainer (no spring around the edges). It was invented before the invention of straw straws to drink from glasses filled with crushed ice.
• Regular strainer with a spring.

All of them are good. Which one to choose is a matter of taste.

Fine strainer

In fact, this is an ordinary strainer, even from a hardware store it can fit. However, the smaller the holes, the better.

Mixing technique

Drinks without the acidic part (this is usually lemon or lime juice) - Negroni or Americano, Arno or Bijou - are easy to mix in a glass. It is enough to pour the ingredients into a glass, add ice and stir. Then just pour off the ice into a chilled glass or drink with ice - it's a matter of taste.

But, whatever one may say, without a shaker and ice, a good drink cannot be mixed. There are two main mixing techniques - shake and stir. Everything else - blend (beat in a blender), build (pour on ice), layer (put in layers) - echoes of either a club or a beach party.

Shake

The bartender pours the cheaper ingredients first. If you make a mistake, the mistake will cost less.

When the ingredients are in the shaker, you can add ice. The shaker should be full of ice - so the drink is less diluted with water.

The more ice in the glass, the slower it will melt and the less water there will be.

After intensive whipping of the drink for 3-6 seconds, it must be filtered from the used ice into a chilled glass using a strainer. Maybe there were fruits in the shaker, mint, basil and so on. There should be a beautiful clean drink in the glass.

steer

Same story: ingredients, ice, stir, filter.

ELEPHANT

If you make yourself a simple mix, there is a funny club rule SLON: glass, ice, base, filler.

The strong part (base) is poured first on the ice to smooth out the roughness and alcohol content. Since inexpensive alcohol is used in mix drinks, it is usually odorous, sharp, alcoholic. Two or three ingredients don't mix properly, so the alcohol needs to be smoothed out, cooled down.

Proportions and structure

The word "cocktail" (English cocktail - "cock's tail"), if you dig deep, is only a small category of mixed drinks.

A cocktail is a strong part, a sweet part, a bitter part, and water or soda.

Each drink has its own specific structure or category. There are no more than 15–17 of these structures in the world.

• Daisy: strong part, sweet part in the form of liquor, sour part. An example of a cocktail with this structure is Margarita.
• Fizz: strong part, sour part, sweet part, protein and soda. An example of a cocktail with this structure is Gin Fizz.
• Collins. It differs from fizz only by the absence of protein. An example of a cocktail with this structure is John Collins.
• Sauer(usually an egg white drink): strong part, sour part and sweet part. An example of a cocktail with this structure is Whiskey Sour.
• Martini: strong part garnished with a few drops of vermouth.

Any professional bartender can simply substitute the ingredients. It's like substituting words into sentences, adding beautiful speech turns. The rest is a matter of technique and tactics. Tactics here means choosing how good you cook and for whom.

Combinations

When mixing cocktails at home, pay attention to excellent proven combinations:

• wine, mint and cranberry;
• vodka and basil;
• whiskey and passion fruit;
• amaro (herbal liqueur) and cherry;
• tequila, tomato and celery;
• tequila and orange.

Use for cocktails not only purchased, but also homemade syrups. This is a whole field for experiments.

For example, 800 g of sugar, 1 liter of water and 20 g of cinnamon sticks can be used to make homemade cinnamon syrup. It is perfect for a Red Neck cocktail (40 ml House bourbon, 20 ml cinnamon syrup, 20 ml sour, 100 ml dry apple cider, 10 g bacon for decoration).

And if 500 g of barberry sweets are poured into 500 ml of water and boiled to a liquid state, you will get a bright-tasting barberry syrup. We advise you to try Candy Tree with it (50 ml of vodka, 30 ml of homemade barberry syrup, 30 ml of lemon juice, 15 ml of blackcurrant liqueur, 5 ml of pomegranate syrup).

Among the most unusual combinations, I can name our extravagant, but refined drink Crusher No. 14. For him, we mixed banana sambuca, passion fruit puree, cream, lemon juice in a shaker and got a new hit.

To repeat this cocktail at home, you will need:

• 50 ml banana sambuca;
• 20 ml passion fruit puree;
• 20 ml cream;
• 20 ml of lemon juice;
• 10 ml of sugar syrup;
• whipped cream;
• cherry for decoration.

Experiments and cocktail names

To prepare delicious drinks, you need good proven recipes. You can take classic cocktail recipes as a basis and add something of your own.

It is very important to experiment and try even a product that is obviously unsuccessful. So sometimes very unusual combinations come to mind, which in the end can pleasantly surprise.

There is no single exact rule for inventing a name. It's easier to make a mental map - everything will fall into place.

For example, we want to celebrate the birthday of the crocodile Gena in Anapa and present him with a cocktail. We are looking for associations with a crocodile, with Anapa, with the sea, with a blue helicopter and ice cream. We collect identical associations from each circle and form a drink. We determine the matching ingredients and sculpt the name.

Most often, the names attract by the ears to the ingredients. It's even funny. For example, a spicy drink with Ostrovsky ginger or a cocktail with Innocent wine.

Everything else is just a play of images and words.

For example, I want the drink to be called "Low Kick". A cool and fashionable name today, which came mainly from Thai boxing. A low kick is, as a rule, an imperceptible blow, which, hitting the target twice or thrice, cuts the opponent down. How to bind it to a drink? Everything is simple. The drink should be slow-acting, but strong. And then the game of tastes and combinations does its job.

For the head waiter, waiter, bartender, it is important to know the aromatic and taste characteristics of the most famous and significant alcoholic beverages. To this end, the characteristics underlying their classification should be taken into account. Here are the classification characteristics of the main drinks.

Vodka- the most common alcoholic drink obtained by diluting rectified ethyl alcohol to a strength of at least 40% alcohol, followed by purification of the mixture

Vodka is divided into two groups:

ordinary vodka with a strength of 40, 50, 56% alcohol about bullock, Old Russian, Wheat, Siberian); special vodka that contains flavoring and aromatic substances (additives) that improve and soften the taste and smell of alcohol (Russian, Posolskaya, Ukrainian gorilka, Peter I, Nikita, Moscow special and etc.).

In addition to those listed in many regions of Russia, a significant number of vodkas of new names were produced, for example capital-crystal and Moscow-Crystal, unparalleled in world practice. In the market of alcoholic beverages in Russia, imported vodkas, such as Andreevskaya, Romanov, Kalinka and others produced in Germany. Vodkas of the following names come from Sweden: Absolute, Shsolut blue, Absolute chime, Absolute citron, Absolute with pepper; from USA - Smirnoff, Amerik Royal, White Eagle, Siberian Tiger Blood; from China - Golden Star.

Tinctures are not inferior to vodka in their prevalence. Depending on the alcohol content, they are: bitter (30- SCH% alcohol), low-grade (25-23%), semi-sweet 30-40%), sweet (16-25%). Unlike vodka, tinctures have a pronounced aroma, bitter, bitter-spicy or burning taste. Tinctures are prepared on the following raw materials:

Petrovskaya- on rye crackers and cognac with the addition of a small amount of sugar;

Belovezhskaya- for infusion of rhizomes of cinquefoil, dill seed, infusion of bay leaf, etc.;

mountain oak forest- on the rhizome of angelica, galangal, ginger, pepper, oak bark;

peppercorn- on red and black pepper;

Stark- on the leaves of an apple tree, pear with the addition of cognac and Port wine.

A lot of bitter tinctures are produced in the CIS countries and abroad (Anisovka, Lemonnaya, Petrovskaya and etc.).

A special place among bitter tinctures is occupied by Russian and Riga black balms.

Whiskey is the most widely used drink in the world. Scotch whiskey has many varieties that differ in aroma, bouquet and taste:

Single malt (single malt whiskey) - classic Scotch whiskey made from barley and other elements, exposure - at least 3 years; the most famous brands: Cardhu (Kardu), Glenlivet (Glenlivet), Maccallan (Makkalan). Use at room temperature, neat or slightly diluted with water;

Pure malt (pure malt whiskey) has the following varieties: Glen Eagle (Glen Eagle) - has the smell of old oak, is known as one of the best in the world; Pure Malt Berry "s (Pue Malt Berry)- a softer grade than the previous one. Used about! varieties either in pure form at room temperature or diluted with ice;

Blend (blended whiskey) - the most used in the world, has many varieties:

The Antiquary (Anticuary)- obtained from single malt of long exposure times;

Ballantine's (Ballantines) - light single mall blend whiskey (12 and 21 years old);

Bell's (Bells) - classic blend of high quality, the pride of British manufacturers;

Black and White (Black and White)- light blend, which has the highest popularity, is characterized by a slightly honey harmonious taste;

Buchanan (Buchenen) - belongs to the privileged category of top quality blend;

Chivas (Chivas) - aged for at least 12 years, one of the most expensive in the world;

Clan Campbell (Clan Campbell) - delicate whiskey, the best-selling brand, which has two varieties: White Heather (White Heather) and whiskey Legendary (Legendary) 21 years old, with a very delicate taste and aroma;

Catty Sark - perhaps the most common blend in the world, combining strength and softness, it is drunk both in pure form and slightly diluted with water, has a light color;

Johnnie Walker (Johnnie Walker)- on prevalence and the world competes with the previous grade.

It is important for the waiter to be able to navigate the whiskey varieties that have components of different ages. If a blend is labeled with an aging time, it refers to the age of the youngest whiskey in the blend. If the proportion of old single malt is quite large in the blend, then the phrase “de luxe” is present in the name of the whiskey.

Irish whiskey (whiskey) differs significantly from Scotch whiskey (whisky) in the following indicators, characteristic of its varieties:

pot still - the most traditional whiskey, obtained from a mixture of malted and unmalted barley with the addition of rye and oats;

grain - grain whiskey made from wheat and corn with a small addition of malted barley;

single malt - whiskey made from malted barley;

pure malt - a mixture of single malt whiskey, obtained from different smoked distilleries;

blend - A mixture of malt whiskeys, potstill whiskeys and smooth whiskeys.

Irish whiskey differs from all others in its lack of aftertaste, subtle, elegant taste.

The most popular brands of Irish whiskey are known all over the world:

Jameson Irish Whiskey (Jameson Irish Whiskey)- triple distillation, aged in oak sherry casks, which is why the stock has a rich sherry flavor and vanilla aroma, known since 1780;

Old Buchmilles (Old Bushmills)- consists of a mixture of malt and grain whiskey, has a clean and smooth taste. Its diversity: Black Buch (Black Bush) - a prestigious drink containing 80% malt whiskey aged in sherry casks; Buchmill Malt (Bushmil Malt)- the only Irish suit belonging to the "luxury" category, aged 10 years;

Paddy (Paddy)- the second most important whiskey in Ireland, held since 1825;

Tillamore Dew (Tullamore Dew) - blended whiskey, triple distilled, has an amber color and a "velvety" taste, aged for 7 years in oak barrels. Received many awards at international competitions. Like other brands, it is used in its pure form, with water, with ice, in Irish-type cocktails.

Widely known in the world is also American whiskey, which can be of several types: Straight Whiskey (Straight Whiskey), which in turn has the following varieties: Bourbon (Bourbon), Rye Whiskey (Paradise whiskey), Corn Whiskey (Korn whiskey), Wheat "hiskey (Bum whiskey) etc. They differ from each other in the production technology, the grain used, the fermentation and filtration process used. The finest American whiskeys come from the states of Tennessee and Kentucky, renowned for their unsurpassed water, which allows the whiskey to fully reveal its flavors during aging.

The most famous brands of American whiskey are:

Early Times (Early Times)- at least 3 years of aging in oak barrels;

Four Rosses Bourbon (Fauer Roses Bourbon) - aged 8 years in oak barrels;

Jack Daniel's (Jack Daniels)- world famous whiskey

1866), marked with the highest awards of seven international exhibitions;

Jim Beam (Jim Beam)- has at least 4 years of exposure;

Maker's Mark (Makers Mark)- whiskey of very high quality, produced in small quantities;

Old Forester (Old Foriste) and Wild Turkey (Wild Turks)- well-known brands, the recipe for which is kept secret.

Canadian whiskey successfully competes with American whiskey and is classified with indices from A to E as the quality of the drink decreases.

The most famous brands of Canadian whiskey are: Canadian Club (Canedian Club)- a typical Canadian whiskey, distributed all over the world; Seagram's V.0 (Seagrams V.O)- lay J something, pleasant whiskey; Canadian Mist (Canedian Mist)- whiskey produced in Canada and bottled in the USA, which is why it is very popular in these countries.

When recommending whiskey to customers, the waiter should know that this drink should have a temperature of 18 to 20 ° C. If the temperature is lower, then the aroma of whiskey will not be felt, and if it is higher, the sensation of alcohol will be unnecessarily strong.

Gin- a strong alcoholic drink made from rye alcohol mixed with aromatic alcohol from juniper berries and other aromatic raw materials. The content of alcohol and gin is 40-50%.

According to the production technology, there are two main types of gin:

Dutch - juniper berries, along with other ingredients, are mixed with barley malt and rye, fermented and distilled;

London dry - berries or aromatic spirits from them are mixed with raw grain alcohol and repeatedly distilled. The main aroma is due to juniper berries, although other ingredients are widely used: coriander, angelica, orange peel, orris root, cardamom, etc.

Gin has a juniper flavor that should be stronger than other spice flavors, but at the same time not drown out the smells of lemon, orange, coriander, almonds. The real taste of gin, consumed in its pure form, creates a feeling of cold in the mouth.

London dry gin is famous for its following brands:

Gordone Landan Dry Gin- strong, traditional taste drink;

Gilbis gin- softer and more fragrant, fresh in taste, which is facilitated by a light citrus flavor;

Beefeater- a traditional, more "heavy" drink with a characteristic resinous taste and aroma.

Other popular London gins: Boodles (Boodles), Burnett's White Satin (Barnets Bite Satin), Ballantine's Dry Gin (Ballan-pshins dry gin), Squires Dry Gin (Squires dry gin), Old Inn (Old Inn), Seagram's Extra Dry Gin (Seagrams Extra Dry Gin), Bombay Sapphir Distilled London Dry Gin (Bombay Safety Distilled Pandan Dry Gin), Booth's Finest Dry Gin (Boots Finest Dry Gin), Gilbey's London Dry Gin (Gilbeyz Landan Dry Gin) and etc.

Dutch gin is represented mainly by the two most famous brands of Bol "s ("Bole"): Genever V.0 (Genever V.O) and Claeryn (Klayerin).

Other varieties of gin are:

London Dry Gin (Landan dry gin)- dry gin of the highest quality (the word "dry" means the absence of sugar in its composition), produced in different countries of the world;

Plymouth Gin (Plymouth Gin)- in its manufacture, mineral acid is added, which gives it a taste of ether;

Yellow Gin (Yellow gin)- amber color, which is due to the aging process of gin in oak barrels.

All over the world, Jeep varieties flavored with wild plums are in high demand. Sloe Gin (Slow Gin), bitter almonds Almond Gin (Almond gin), apples Apple Gin (Apple gin), lemon Lemon Gin (Lemon gin), bitter oranges Orange Gin (Orangedzhin), blackcurrant Blackurrent Gin (Blackcurrent gin). These include Pimm's number 1 (Pimmz amber one)- an English drink containing several ingredients whose names are kept secret.

In Russia and the CIS countries, several brands of gins are produced:

Baltic- made from aromatic alcohols of juniper, coriander oil, contains 45% alcohol;

Vilnius- similar in taste to the Baltic, the same fortress;

Captain's- in addition to the main ingredients, it includes cardamom and malt;

Caravel - has a pungent taste.

The waiter can recommend gin to customers both in pure form or with ice, and in the form of a cocktail, i.e. mixed with other drinks: vermouth, bitter, tonic - as well as lemon, olives and pickled onions. Gin tonic is one of the world's most popular gin-based mixed drinks. For gourmets, the waiter can offer any of the classic cocktails: Gin Fizz (Gin Fiz), Dry Martini (Dry Martini), White Lady (White Lady) and etc.

Rum- a popular drink in Latin America, obtained from sugar cane and containing 40-80% alcohol. The fermented cane wort is repeatedly distilled in distillation apparatuses, and then several times passes through activated carbon and quartz filters.

Depending on the taste properties and strength, rum is divided into several types:

light type: Havana Club (Havana Club) 3 or 7 year aging Ron Bacardi Light-Dry (Ron Bacardi Light-Dry), Captain Morgan White Label (Captain Morgan White Label) x Ronrico White Label (Ronrico White Label);

middle type: Ronrico Smooth-Gold (Ronrico Smooth-Goth)), Ronrico 151 proof (Ronrico 151 proof), Captain Morgan Gold Label (Captain Morgan Gold Label), Rhum Blanc Charleston (Ram Blanc Char-leston), Rom Negrita Bordinet "s (Rum Negrita Bordinets);

heavy type: Myer's Planters Punch (Myers Planters Punch), Captain Morgan Black Label (Captain Morgan Black Label), Gavana Club (Havana Club) 5 years old.

Rum of low strength (24% alcohol) - Malibu stands out separately. It is drunk in 145 countries of the world. Thanks to its mild coconut taste, very pleasant, this type of rum is used to make first-class cocktails, as well as others.

Cognac- a strong alcoholic drink obtained from grape spirit aged in oak barrels. As a result, cognac spirit acquires a delicate oak flavor. The right to be called genuine cognac (cognac) is acquired only by drinks made from grapes grown in the vicinity of the city of Cognac (France), and grapes of a strictly defined variety.

The cognac production process must include double distillation and aging for at least 30 months. To improve the color of the drink, caramel or a tincture of a water-alcohol solution on oak chips can be used, which make up no more than 2% of the total amount of the drink. The drink itself must have a fortress to! less than 40%, as well as an indication of belonging to a certain category depending on the shutter speed: three stars, VSOP, etc.

All these requirements apply to brandy drinks (from brand(y) wine - a type of English cognac), which includes all cognacs 1 . These drinks are produced in other countries.

1 The word "brandy" also has other roots - from gol. branwin, which translates as “burnt wine”, since the burning (distillation) of wine made it possible to preserve its properties when transported to distant countries. Brandy means: an alcoholic drink obtained by distilling wine is like making cognac! However, the production processes in the distillation of brandy are not regulated as strictly as cognac. A large amount of caramel is also added to the brandy, which creates the illusion of its long aging in oak barrels.

Often the word "brandy" is used as a synonym for the word "liquor" - in w\ cases where the name of the fruit used in the preparation of the drink is nearby (for example, Cherry Brandy, Apricot Brandy, etc.).

except for France, should not be called "cognac" ("cognac"), but only "brandy", which is due to international law.

In order to designate the aging of cognac in oak barrels, the following system is used from 1 to 5 stars:

VS/Very Special (VS), De Luxe (De Luxe), Selection (Selection)- age not less than 2.5 years;

Superior (Superior)- cognac 5 stars or more, age not less than 3.5 years;

VSOP/Very Superior Old Pale (VSOP), Vieux (Vie), VSO (BCO), VVS (BBC), Rare (Pap), Reserve (Reserve)- age not less than 4.5 years;

VVSOP (VVSOP), Grande Reserve (Grand Reserve)- age not less than 5.5 years;

Napoleon (Napoleon), XO / Extra Old (X O), Extra (Extra), Royal (Royal), Or (Op), Tres Vieux (Gre Vie), Vieille Reserve (Bueu Reserve), I also those cognacs that have the name of a historical person in the name or on the label of which a personal bottle number is used - the age is at least 6.5 years.

Cognacs also differ in their place of origin, which is reflected on their labels:

Crande Champagne (Grand Champagne);

Fine Champagne (Fine Champagne).

Over 300 different cognacs of the following varieties are supplied to Russia:

Bisquite (Biskyuit), is divided into brands: Classique*** (Classic***)- from 3 to 5 years of exposure, VSOP Fine Champagne- holding period from 8 to 10 years, Prestige (Prestige)- 12 years of exposure;

XO Excellence - cognac Fine Champagne 30-35 years old;

Privilege (Privilezh) - a mixture of the oldest cognacs from Grand Champagne (contain 41.5% alcohol).

Companies producing cognac are widely known all over the world.

The Camus company ("Camus") produces cognacs of the following brands: VS de Luxe (VS de Luxe), Grand VSOP (Grand VSOP), Napoleon Extra Old (Napoleon Extra Old)- a mixture of more than a hundred cognacs, XO Superior (XO Superior)- blend (mixture) of 170 cognacs. Some brands have a aging period of more than 50 years. The presence in the title of the word "Extra" ("Extra") means the pinnacle of the flavor range of Camus cognacs, which have received many international awards.

House Gautier (“Gautier”) produces cognacs: VS- holding period of at least 3 years, VSOP Napoleon- 12 years of exposure, XO- Aging period 25 years, Tradition Rare- rare cognac ("tenth generation" of the House "Gaultier").

House Hennessy (“Hennessy”) produces cognacs: VS- a mixture of more than 40 cognacs; VSOP Privilege (VSOP Privilege)- a blend consisting of more than 60 different cognacs; XO- a mixture of more than one hundred 1 cognacs; Paradis (Parades)- the result of mixing several I hundred cognacs from the company's old stocks; Richard Hennessy- the latest brand of the House of Hennessy, which includes cognacs distilled 200 years ago.

House Martell ("Martel") produces cognacs: VS, VSOP MedailA lion (VSOP Medion), Cordon Rubis (Cordon Ruby), Cordon Noirw (Cordon Nuar), XO Cordon supreme (X O Cordon Su prem), Cordon I Bleu (Cordon Bleu).

House Remy Martin ("Remy Martin") produces cognacs: K5 (7sh Fine Champagne - an average of 10 years of exposure; XO Special (X I About Special) - the average age in his blend is 25 years; Centaure (Caih\tor)- cognac, poured into the figurine "Centaur", average age - 30 years; Extra Perfection (Extra Perfection)- 35 years of aging; Uage d "or (Lage d" or) - 45 years old, its name means "golden years"; Louis XIII (Louis XIII), poured into elegant crystal decanters. The average age of cognac aging is 50 years. Some of the cognacs included in the blend are over 100 years old.

Firm Augier ("Ogier") offers cognacs *** and VSOP.

House Courvoisier ("Courvoisier") produces cognacs: VS, VSOP, XO, VOC Extra.

The company Delamain ("Delamen") produces cognacs: Crande Champagne Pale & Dry (Grand Champagne Pale and Dry), Grande Champagne Vesper (Grand Champagne Vesper), Grand Champagne Tres Venerable (Grand Champagne Tre Venerable), Grand Champagne Reserve de la Famille (Grand Champagne Reserve de la Familie) .

House Frapin (“Frapen”) produces cognacs: VS, VSOP, VIP XO (VIP X O), Extra, Chateau de Fontpinot (Chateau de Fontpino), Domaine Frapin (Dome Frapin).

House Gaston de Lagrange ("Gaston de Langrange") produces cognacs: VSOP, Napoleon, Prestige (Prestige), XO.

Hardy ("Ardi") - a family company that produces the world's most expensive cognac Perfection at a price of 4 thousand dollars. Gamma brandy ***, VSOP, XO Noces d?argent (X O Nose Dorzhan), Crystal Diam-mond (Crystal Diamond).

House Hine ("Ain"), founded in 1763, produces cognacs: VSOP, Antigue (Antique), XO, Extra, Grande Champagne Old Vintage (Grand Champagne Old Vintage), Triomphe (Triumph).

Otard ("Otar") - a house founded in 1795, specializes in exporting cognacs of the range to eastern countries: ***, VS()I XO, Extra.

French cognacs differ in quality with the help of letters and their combinations: E- extra (special), F- lovely, M - seasoned, O- old, R- light coloured, S best, V- very.

L The combination of letters determines the following aging periods for cognac spirits:

VO- very old (from 12 to 15 years); L VOP- very old, light;

VSO- very high quality, old (from 15 to 20 years);

VSEP- very high quality, special, light (from 18 to

VSOP- very high quality, old, light (from 20 to 30 years old); VVSOP- very high quality, old, light (from 26 to

OH- old, extra (cognac of the highest quality).

All alcoholic drinks produced in the CIS countries, sold under the name "cognac", are not real cognac, but are brandy. These brandies (cognacs) are produced by distillation of Armenian, Moldovan, Georgian and Azerbaijani wines.

In addition to cognacs, fame and popularity has Armagnac- an ancient drink (XV century), produced on the basis of white wine in the south-west of France in the province of Gascony. It is obtained from the same grape varieties as cognac. It is double distilled into Alambique Armagnas, hence its name. The age of the drink is determined in the same way as for cognac. The most famous companies - manufacturers of Armagnac are:

Chabot ("Shabo") - this house, founded in 1828, produces: Blason d "or, VSOP de Luxe, Napoleon Special Reserve, XO Superior,

extra special;

Cles des Dues ("Cle de Duc") - an old family company under the control of the Remy-Cointreau group, produces: *** VSOP, XO, Millesines(of a certain year of distillation);

Marquis de Montesquion ("Marquis de Montesquieu") is a company that produces a range of Armagnacs, famous brands: Janneau (Jano), Tradition (Tradition), Samalens (Samalans), Gerland (Jerlan), Larressingle (Laressingle), Lafontan (Lafontan).

The waiter can offer armagnac as an aperitif - with ice, water, soda and juice. Armagnac goes well with champagne, orange juice, coffee.

I write randomly, but I will try to systematize everything. This, I hope, is not the first collection of my tips, so you can safely expect more =).

I did not immediately understand this common truth, and therefore, I am very sorry. You need to take your time in everything, from finding a job, and ending with dismissal from it. Bartender's craft does not tolerate fuss. When choosing your future place of work, you should carefully study all the available offers, weigh all the pros and cons, ask around, find out, taste, so to speak. They offered an internship - there is no need to rush either. Sometimes it can drag on for a couple of weeks, or even more, but since the owners of the establishment need it so, it’s better to put up with it, of course, if the situation doesn’t smell bad.

In work, you should completely forget about the rush. Accept the idea that at first many things will not work out - patience will help overcome any barrier. First you need to patiently get used to working days, to capture and study as much as possible. More experienced partners will help with this, so it’s better to go first as an assistant bartender, and only then stand at the bar on your own. Over time, your movements become refined, correct, balanced and carefully considered. If you immediately grab onto everything in a row, nothing good will come of it.

Now to the point:

• Before you start your first work shift, try to learn as much as possible from a working bartender in an institution as many working moments as possible. Here you should be persistent and not be afraid to ask questions. Find out where everything is, who handles orders, how goods are received, how these goods are counted. Be sure to find out your powers and responsibilities, since in some establishments a bunch of incomprehensible responsibilities are dumped on the bartender. It would not be superfluous to learn about the preparation of branded drinks, if any. In addition, just in case, it is worth clarifying the preparation of some well-known cocktails, since some bars use their own recipes.
• During the first working days, try to get used to the environment. It is very important to feel the workplace, to love it, whatever it may be. All in all, bartender should feel at the counter, like a fish in water. From my personal experience, I can say with confidence that adaptation usually takes about 2 weeks. After that, you already have a complete picture of the chosen profession and place of work.
• During workdays, you must always be balanced. If the boss presses, just agree with him, but still do everything as before, of course, if they, that is, the bosses, are really wrong. The client brought it out - ask your partner to serve him further. The client is always right - this is a true statement, but he is your guest, so let him deign to behave like a guest. Rudeness and bad behavior is not welcome anywhere.
• Calmness is the main requirement from the bartender during the steaming. You are the master of the situation. It is understandable that guests want to get their drink faster and rest further, but the fuss will only make things worse. He lost his temper - everything immediately starts to fall out of his hands, drinks spill, layers in shots do not fall, everything behind the bar ends instantly. It is better to ask your partner to stand on the front line for at least a couple of minutes, and to retire yourself and calm down, smoke or just sit and take a deep breath. Working at the bar with a partner is the most beautiful thing in the bar trade. You always feel support, you always know that you will be insured and will not be offended - this should be cherished.

And in general, do everything quickly, but at the same time and slowly. You will immediately find your rhythm. If you understand that you are not made for certain conditions, it is better to look for a new place. But, nevertheless, any difficulty can be overcome, adapted and adapted.

Oh, this is a great bar truth. The bar should always be as prepared as possible for any situation. You understand this especially when it comes to steam. Even running out of cream in a bottle can cause so much trouble that you can’t even imagine. The most dangerous thing is to lose the rhythm - if you lost it, then everything, write - is gone!

• Make the most of the bar. If the warehouse with products is far away, then it is worth placing as much as possible behind the rack itself. Display everything that can be displayed in the window. Fill all lockers and shelves with the most popular elite, wine and other drinks. Fill refrigerators as much as possible with juices, vodka, beer, champagne, and other drinks that are served cold but without ice. In a 24-hour establishment, this is usually done by a night shift of bartenders, most often one. In Crimea, we worked only at night, but one person remained to spend the day, so to speak, in an institution (this applies, by the way, to the first tip - we still performed the duties of watchmen). His job was to stock up the bar and make sure it was completely clean. The work environment throughout the evening and night depended on how well it was done, so we fought a lot with partners if someone didn’t do something.
• Prepare all the little things. In summer, it is better to pick mints in advance for. So that it does not wither by the evening and remains in its original form, put it in some container and cover it with a damp cloth or cloth, moistening it periodically as it dries. I would not advise cutting fruits in advance - they will lose their appearance quickly enough. Fill the siphon (cylinder) for cream. Pour coffee into the hopper, pour water into the boiler, put the tubules and skewers into the organizer.
• Prepare supplies. Press a small bottle of lemon fresh juice (so that it does not turn sour quickly, add a small amount of vodka to it, of course, if it will not go into soft drinks), prepare sugar syrup, if there is none factory-made (0.5 l of water per 0.5 kg of sugar - boil for 3 minutes and cool). We also prepared a small bottle of fresh orange juice at Caffeine - it helped a lot, as we had some cocktails with fresh juice.
• clean up. Wash all bar equipment before work, rub the dishes if you are doing this in your establishment (in some, dishwashers do this). If you have a coffee machine, soak and then thoroughly wash the holders. As necessary, clean the system itself in the car - I'll tell you how later. Soak overnight or put on (as you will have there with the schedule) a cappuccinatore. Wash the bar well. If it is wooden, then it should be rubbed with polish, if from other materials - first with a damp cloth, then dry, and then with alcohol - we did this in the Crimea, we rubbed the rack once a day with vodka. Then the rack will shine, all sorts of stains and other husks will disappear on it, and most importantly, it will become perfectly clean.
• Lay out the dishes. In coffee houses, it makes sense to immediately reserve a certain number of saucers: put a napkin, sugar, candy (if served). This helps a lot in a couple - you do not need to waste time serving. And during operation, you can re-serve empty places on the rack.

This advice, of course, I already mentioned in the first one, but here I mean something else. First, study the bar card well and the calculation for all cocktails. Remembering the ingredients and their quantities should take seconds. In a good way, you should not go to work until you have learned the ingredients of all cocktails.

Second, remember your customers. What and who drinks, how he behaves, what you can talk to him about. Regular guests of the establishment are a real gift for any bartender. No need to waste time guessing the order, the guest of the establishment, as a rule, already knows what he will be. We sometimes got to the point that a person is still parking a car, and you are already starting to prepare his favorite drink. This is a real time saver. In addition, such guests constantly go to the institution for a reason - it means they like everything, and if they like it, then you can count on a good tip.

This is where it gets really annoying. A very, very big disadvantage of working with a partner arises when he is DIRTY. The workplace should always be clean, no matter what the steam does not happen. Spilled - wipe, dropped - pick up, turned on - turn off, dirty - wash, tired - no time=). These are the truisms of teamwork. One of your oversights will come out sideways with several of your partner. And if you work on your own, then even more so - there is no insurance, you have to rely only on yourself, so if you please do not worsen your life - there is no need!

Here I mean neatness. People love it when the interlocutor looks good, and the bartender simply has to look good. Clean and ironed clothes are the default. I didn’t work in restaurants, and, probably, I wouldn’t want to, but there you still need to always be well-shaven, cut and combed. In clubs or coffee houses, you can afford a modest stubble and hair on your head, the main thing is that it looks like a hair, and not like a bum's hair =).

Shoes, of course, are not visible behind the bar, but still I will give advice to the ladies: wear closed shoes, preferably with dense material on top. It would be nice if this material can be washed or at least wiped with a damp cloth. This I mean that something will constantly spill and fall on your feet - it’s better to be ready for anything. Of course, shoes should be comfortable - your feet will thank you after you stand another 15 hours behind the counter. In fact, in almost all establishments, you can be fined for your appearance, and if you are completely insane, you can be fired.

Uncommunicative for staunchly not a place. Many guests come to establishments not to drink anything, but only for communication. Train competent speech - mat is not welcome. Notice what topics regular guests like to talk about, if you are not strong in it, then it makes sense to fix it. They talk about football - read about football, about finances - read a couple of Forbs magazines, about women - just talk about women, a woman says - just listen =). You should not enter into heated arguments with guests, if you think that the client is wrong on some issue, it is better to remain silent. Agreeing with everything is also stupid, but spoiling the attitude is not the best idea. Stick to the neutral side.

The bartender is the face of any drinking establishment. Behind the seeming simplicity of his work lies a lot of nuances that you can learn all your life. This is a very respected profession in the world, among the bartenders there are world-class celebrities. The best virtuosos take part in popular competitions of professional skills; even the International Bartender's Day has been established. Only beginners on their way to the heights of skill, professionals give some advice.

Work honestly

A stealing worker will never become a professional. Savings on cocktail ingredients, alcohol substitution and other cheating will definitely be noticed by bar visitors, management or security. Not a single reputable establishment is interested in losing its image, therefore, at best, the swindler will be shown the door. It will no longer be possible to get a good job with a similar reputation.

• Dishes should be washed immediately after use. Plain hot water and not soap, but using detergents. You should always keep two clean towels on hand: for wiping dishes and for polishing. When wiping glasses, keep them in the light. In addition to cleanliness, this will impress visitors with proper hygiene.
• The bar counter should be cleaned daily with baking soda and once a week with linseed oil. Then wipe dry with a clean cloth.
• Stains and layers on mirrors from dust and cigarette smoke will be removed with a weak solution of lemon juice or ammonia. In order not to leave fibers, the mirrors are wiped with paper napkins.

Always have "on" memory

You can’t go to independent work without learning the bar list and the ingredients of all cocktails. Over time, knowledge should be brought to automatism, it should take seconds to remember the recipe. Must know:

• difference between types of alcohol;
• names and recipes of classic cocktails;
• recipes for branded drinks of your institution;
• in what dishes to serve drinks and how to decorate them.

From the first days, you should remember the guests and their preferences. A regular customer is a gift for any bartender. In addition to saving time, this knowledge will pay off with a good tip.

keep calm

The craft of a bartender does not accept fuss. At the beginning of a career, much will not work, only patience will come to the rescue. Over time, the movements will become refined, and the decisions made will be correct and balanced.

In the early days, you need to get used to the environment. It is important to feel the workplace and love it in order to feel at the counter like a fish in water. It takes about two weeks to adapt, after which the beginner gets a more or less complete picture of the chosen profession.

Nothing should unbalance - neither the nitpicking of the authorities, nor the drunken antics of the guests. It is important to remember that the client and boss are always right. Reciprocal rudeness can leave you without work overnight, so it’s better to calmly continue your work. It will disarm any brawler. Calmness is also useful during the park. It is clear that any guest wants to be served as quickly as possible. But the hustle and bustle will only add to the problems.

Prepare in advance for the work shift

The bar should be prepared as much as possible for any influx of visitors, that is, packed "to the eyeballs". The most popular drinks should be at hand, and the refrigerator should be stocked as much as possible with vodka, champagne, beer and juices - drinks served cold, but without ice.

Little things should also be prepared: coffee is poured into the hopper, the cream siphon is filled, water is poured into the boiler, skewers and tubules are laid in the organizer. So that the greens do not wither by the evening, it must be covered with a damp cloth and moistened periodically.

Look good

It is not only unpleasant to communicate with an untidy person. Not everyone dares to take a drink from his hands, so he will ensure the outflow of visitors. And vice versa: a bartender who is clean and neatly dressed, neatly trimmed, observing personal hygiene will be in demand by any public. Especially if he is still in a constantly good mood, communicates friendly and sincerely smiles.

Be able to prioritize

Children are served first, then older people: first ladies, then men. If there is a whole crowd of guests behind the counter, then the first is to serve a lonely visitor, and only then the company. If there are several people at the counter who do not know each other, each of whom wants to talk, then you can talk a little at the same time with everyone, or better, introduce them and have a conversation with everyone at once. Guests will appreciate and remember such a move.