Haxton's Liquors: Home Bar 101

Lingo!

Bang!

A term used to identify double- or triple-flavor reinforced drinks such as Cherry Bang! ie, cherry juice, cherry liqueur, and cherry brandy.

Cobbler

A tall drink traditionally served in a Highball or Collins glass filled with finely crushed ice and decorated with fresh fruit and mint sprigs. It may use any type of wine or spirit with or without a sweetener.

Chaser

A mixer that is tossed down the gullet after one has drunk a straight shot of whiskey or other spirit instead of being combined with a spirit in a glass. (See Shooter)

Boilermaker

Originally was "a shot-and-a-beer," meaning a shot of whiskey followed by a beer chaser.

Collins

Basically a sour in a tall glass with club soda or seltzer water. The famous Tom Collins made with gin has been extended to include everything from applejack (a Jack Collins) to Irish whiskey (Mike Collins)

Cooler

There are many recipes for coolers, which all have these things in common: true coolers are made with ginger ale, club soda, or another carbonated beverage, and he rind of a lemon or orange, cut in a continuous spiral, with one end hooked over the rim of the glass. All coolers are served in tall glasses such as a Collins glass.

Crusta

A short drink of the sour type served in a glass that is completely lined with an orange or lemon peel cut in a continuous strip.

Cup

A punch-type drink that is made by the cup, or glass instead of in a punch bowl.

Daisy

An oversize, sour-type drink sweetened with a fruit syrup such as raspberry and usually served in a large goblet with crushed ice and straws. (See Fix)

Eggnog

A traditional Christmas holiday bowl containing a delectable combination of eggs, sugar, cream or milk, and brandy, rum, or bourbon served cold in individual cups in all it's rich, creamy goodness.

Fix

A sour-type drink similar to the Daisy and traditionally made with crushed ice in a large goblet.

Fizz

There are many fine old recipes for Fizzes, which are as the name suggests, products of the old siphon bottle that "fizzed" the drink with a stream of bubbles as it was being made. The Gin Fizz is typical and similar to the Tom Collins.

Flip

A creamy, cold drink made of eggs, sugar, and your favorite wine or spirit. The Brandy Flip and the Sherry Flip are perhaps best known. The Flip began in Colonial times as a hot drink made of spirits, beer, eggs, cream, and spices, mulled with a red-hot flip iron, or flip dog that was plunged into the drink.

Frappˇ

Anything served with finely crushed ice.

Grog

Originally a mixture of rum and water that was issued to sailors in the Royal Navy and later improved with the addition of lime juice and sugar. Now a Grog is any kind of drink, usually made with a rum base, fruit, and various sweeteners, and served either hot or cold in a large mug or glass. Reputedly named after Admiral Edward Vernon, who was called "Old Grog" because of the grogram cape he wore.

Highball

Any spirit served with ice and club soda in a medium to tall glass. Other carbonated beverages may be used, but if other ingredients are added, it is no longer a Highball.

Julep

A venerable drink made of Kentucky bourbon, sugar, mint leaves, and plenty of crushed ice. An American classic.

Lowball

A short drink consisting of spirits served with ice alone, or with water or soda in a short glass. (See On-the-Rocks)

Mist

A glass packed with crushed ice to which spirits are added, usually straight.

Mulls

Wine or wine drinks that are heated and served as hot punches. Also called mulled wine from the time when drinks were heated with a red-hot poker, loggerhead, or flip iron.

Neat

A straight shot of any spirit taken in a single gulp without any accompaniment. (See Shooter)

Negus

A hot, sweet drink, with or without spices. Port or sherry traditional. Named after colonel Francis Negus, an eighteenth-century English luminary.

Nightcap

Any drink that is taken immediately before retiring. Milk punches, toddies, and short drinks such as liqueurs or fortified wines are favored.

On-the-Rocks

Any wine or spirit poured over ice cubes, usually in Old Fashioned glass. (See Lowball)

Pick-Me-Up

Any concoction designed to allay the effects of overindulgence in alcoholic beverages.

Posset

An old English invention consisting of a mixture of hot wine, milk, and spices. Eggs were often used, with or without eggs, and ale was sometimes used in combination with wine or used in place of it.

Puff

A combination of spirits and milk mixed in equal parts and topped with club soda. Usually served in an Old Fashioned glass.

Punch

A combination of spirits, wine, sweeteners, flavorings, fruit garnishes, and sometimes various carbonated beverages mixed in and served from a large bowl to a number of people. Individually made punches are called Cups.

Rickey

A drink made with gin or other spirit, lime juice, and club soda, usually served with ice in a small highball or Rickey glass, with or without sweetening. Named for Colonel Joe Rickey, and old-time Washington loggyist.

Sangaree

A tall drink containing chilled spirits, wine, or beer, sometimes sweetened and given a good dusting with grated nutmeg.

Shooter

A straight shot of whiskey or other kind of spirit taken neat.

Shrub

Spirits, fruit juices, and sugar, aged in a sealed container such as a cask or crock, then usually bottled.

Sling

A tall drink made with lemon juice, sugar, and spirits, usually served cold with club soda.

Smash

A short Julep made of spirits, sugar, and mint, usually served in an Old Fashioned glass.

Sour

A short drink made or lemon or lime juice, sugar, and spirits. The whiskey Sour is the classic Sour, but may be made with vodka, gin, rum, brandy, or various liqueurs, especially fruit-flavored cordials such as apricot or peach.

Swizzle

Originally a tall rum cooler filled with cracked ice that was swizzled with a long twig, stirring rod or spoon rotated rapidly between the palms of the hands to produce frost on the glass. The Swizzle, a Caribbean invention, is made with any kind of spirit today and is traditionally served in a tall highball or Collins glass.

Syllabub

An old English recipe consisting of milk, cream, sugar, and spices, blended with sherry, port, or Madeira to produce a very sweet, creamy mixture that is often served in a sherbet glass as a dessert. In a more liquid form it may be drunk like a Posset.

Toddy

Originally a hot drink made with spirits, sugar, spices, and a lemon peel mixed with hot water and served in a tall glass. Now a Toddy may be served cold with ice, and any combination of spices and spirits.

Tot

A small amount of any beverage, a "short shot", or "a touch".
from barkeep

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