Being in the hospitality industry, bartenders don’t like to grumble. But there are certain drinks they hate to make.
The primary reason a particular cocktail earns bartenders’ ire is the time it takes to make. On a busy night, with patrons three-deep, most bar professionals don’t want to spend five minutes muddling mint leaves.
Other dreaded orders are popular drinks that have no accepted, consistent recipe; the martini is a classic example. These invite the customer to say the drink was made incorrectly, no matter how it was mixed.
It is not always the drink itself the bartender hates; sometimes it’s the timing. Even the most simple shaken cocktail is a hassle during Friday-night rush hour.
But some drinks are the bane of bartenders at any time of day. Here are four examples.
- The Lemon Drop – This very common cocktail can come as a shot or in a martini glass. It’s a combination of vodka (commonly citron-flavored), fresh-squeezed lemon juice and sugar that threatens to leave you with a hangover.People love Lemon Drops because they’re fruity, sweet and often come in a glass rimmed with sugar. However, this drink is time-consuming to make and leaves the bartender with sticky hands.
- The Manhattan. – The Manhattan is a classic cocktail usually made from whiskey, sweet vermouth and a dash of bitters, served straight up or on the rocks with a cherry. Devotees favor this cocktail because of its old-time flavor and potency.Bartender Eric Berchtold of the Cinch in San Francisco says he doesn’t like to make Manhattans because, “Too many things go into it and everyone wants them made a different way.”
- The Cosmopolitan – The popular Cosmopolitan carries the same pitfalls as the Manhattan. A basic recipe is vodka, lime juice, cranberry juice and triple sec (an orange liqueur). But ever since the character Carrie Bradshaw on “Sex in the City” demanded perfection in her Cosmopolitan, people have had high standards in what was originally a fairly simple drink.
- The Mojito – Mojitos are delicious, they’re minty and fresh, and they provide a strong buzz. But, to most bartenders, the Mojito is the quintessential “it takes too long to make” drink. But, to most bartenders, the Mojito is the quintessential “it takes too long to make” drink.
