VinePair

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

No craft cocktail bar should ever use it. For home bartenders], using the same mix in a Margarita , Whiskey Sour , and Tom Collins will result in subpar drinks that taste overwhelmingly similar. It’s mainly used for the Rusty Nail , a cocktail that’s rarely ordered these days.

Bartender 105

Bartender Bartending Bar Bottling 105

VinePair

MARCH 18, 2025

Nikka delivers purity and balance, enhancing cocktails without overpowering them. Lance Bowman, bar manager, UMMO , Chicago There is no other vodka I could be more excited to mention than Good Vodka. Its also versatile enough to work in stirred drinks like a Vodka Martini, making it a great workhorse behind the bar.

Vodka 104

Vodka Bartender Bartending Bar Management 104

VinePair

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

Shots are the bar scene’s greatest equalizer. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a fancy craft cocktail spot serving $20 Negroni riffs or a seedy dive bar with sticky floors and the faint smell of urine wafting through the air: Shot glasses are always on hand, waiting to be filled. It’s also great for the staff.

Bartender 105

Bartender Bartending Head Bartender Bar Management 105

VinePair

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

Mickey Stevenson, lead bartender, Four Walls , Nashville A few years ago, bartenders from multiple locations in our group started asking for a recipe for a Mexican Candy shot. Matt Chavez, bar manager, COQODAQ , NYC The M&M shot is a favorite of ours at Theodora Mezcal and Montenegro.

Bartender 85

Bartender Bartending Head Bartender Shooter 85