Terminology to Know When Ordering Cocktails

by Kevin Smith Author

Going out for handcrafted cocktails in Tampa, FL, when you’ve never drunk alcohol before, or very rarely, can actually feel pretty intimidating. You want to have a good time though, and you don’t want to look like an idiot when you’re ordering your drinks. So, what do you do? Well, first of all, you don’t wing it. Second, you get to know these few essential terms and phrases to know.

On the Rocks

You probably already knew this from watching any movie where someone orders a drink. “On the rocks” just means that you want your drink with ice. If the bartender happens to ask you if you want it straight up, they’re asking you if you want it without ice. Drinks like Bourbon, whiskey, and tequila, and cocktails containing these liquors such as an old-fashioned are usually best served on the rocks.

Neat

When you ask for a drink served neat, this means that the drink will be room temperature straight out of the bottle. The difference between a neat drink and a drink served straight up is that typically a drink served straight up is shaken with ice to chill it first and then poured into a glass. Shots are usually served neat, but you might want to ask for your chaser straight up.

Dirty

The term dirty is used to describe a drink, usually a martini, that has olive juice in it. If you’ve seen an extra dirty martini and the way olive juice makes it cloudy, then you can understand where this term comes from. The more olive juice and the more olives, the dirtier the drink.

Well Drink

When you order a steak done well, you’re asking for it to be cooked all the way through. When you ask a bartender for a good drink, however, you’re just telling them that you’re not picky about the brand of alcohol. You will usually get a recommendation for what they prefer or just the least expensive brand. If you ask for a top shelf drink, you’ll get the most expensive and, in some cases, depending on your preferences, the highest quality alcohol.

Now that you have a few of the unspoken rules down, you can go out and have fun with your friends and have one less thing to worry about. Order what you like, try a few things and enjoy your time trying some new handcrafted cocktails in Tampa, FL.