VinePair

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Vodka can be a bar’s workhorse spirit. It provides the backbone for some of the scene’s most popular drinks, from the trendy Espresso Martini to the humble Vodka Soda. Although vodka is a neutral-grain spirit, different brands can carry distinct yet nuanced characteristics that make them unique.

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Vodka Bartending Bartender Head Bartender 98

VinePair

APRIL 7, 2025

Though the cocktails are simple and quaffable, they arent the same two-ingredient well drinks patrons order at a dive like a Vodka Soda or Rum and Coke. The challenge of making the perfect highball, and the increased popularity of technique-forward drinks, makes this cocktail the ideal canvas for creative bartenders to riff on.

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Highball Bartending Bartender Head Bartender 94

VinePair

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

“Astrology was fun because it was pushing a lot of the bartenders out of their comfort zone — deeply researching a zodiac sign, getting inspired by it, and then making a drink that accurately represents it,” says Patty Dennison, head bartender at Grand Army Bar in Brooklyn, where an astrology-themed menu launched in October.

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Wine Head Bartender Sommelier Club 96

The Cocktail Lovers

APRIL 11, 2025

Evening by the sea, Twenty7 Bar and three cooling cocktails Over at Twenty7 Bar we met head bartender Renato Motta who told us about the three cocktails he had created to celebrate Flauer Alissio. It makes the base for a perfect for a non-alcoholic aperitif, but also works well with a little gin or vodka too. The Gin Flauer (Be!Gin,

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Gin Infusions Mixologist Bartender 104

The Cocktail Lovers

JUNE 8, 2024

In this episode… We’re mixing… The Pearl Ingredients: 90ml premium sake (we used Toku) 30ml vodka 3 slices of freshly peeled ginger I piece of candied ginger to garnish (optional) Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Which she has done. Tune in to find out more. Shake vigorously to bruise ginger.

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Gin Head Bartender Bartender Bartending 114

VinePair

JUNE 6, 2025

I’ve seen coworkers with true reverence cite service as the sole driver behind their craft and then roll their eyes in a guest’s face for ordering a ‘Tito’s and vodka’ [instead of ‘Tito’s and soda’]. ” —Justin Young, head bartender, Farm Bar Lakeview , Chicago “Too many drink makers, not enough bartenders.

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Bartending Bartender High Volume Head Bartender 53

Cheers

DECEMBER 22, 2023

Print Amanda’s Holiday Spritz Course Drinks Keyword apple brandy, cinnamon, Crop Meyer lemon vodka, sparkling wine, spiced pear liqueur Ingredients Makes 25 5-oz. Notes Enrique Diaz, head bartender at Bar Bastion, created this recipe for Le Jardinier in New York. Crystal Head Aurora vodka ¾ oz.

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Brandy Mixologist Liqueur Muddling 111

Chilled Magazine

MARCH 13, 2025

While I had experience bartending, I initially focused on bussing tables and running food. Then, I worked my way up the ranks to barback, bartender, head bartender, program curator, and eventually beverage director, though I will always be a bartender at heart.

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Barback Barback Bartender Bartending 130

VinePair

OCTOBER 17, 2024

The program’s take on the famously arduous Ramos Gin Fizz employs liquid-nitrogen-flash-frozen whipped cream to save head bartender Danny Reylock precious minutes and arm strength, cutting the drink’s shaking time from minutes to just seconds.

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Bar Aperitif Head Bartender Bartender 103

VinePair

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

I sat down with beverage director Jonathan Adler and head bartender Danny Reylock to find out what’s possible with an armory of high-tech tools like chamber vacuums, sonicators, liquid nitrogen, and a full-time pastry chef handling prep. Rather than settle or substitute, Adler turned the drink on its head.

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Liqueur Simple Syrup Bartender Bartending 98

VinePair

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

That ignited the curiosity of then head bartender and current Clemente bar manager Richie Millwater, who was so inspired by the ingredient that he started using it in all sorts of R and D projects. The miso syrup is married with vodka, maraschino, fennel liqueur, cherry blossom vermouth, and Vin Santo del Chianti.

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Bar Simple Syrup Highball Vodka 105

Cheers

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Once the star of the cocktail scene, gin has never regained momentum since vodka took off in recent decades. It uses a split-base of gin and vodka, dry vermouth that’s been macerated with charred scallions, and a few dashes of white balsamic and a house-made salt-and-pepper tincture.

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Gin Infusions Bar Manager Bar Management 116

VinePair

AUGUST 14, 2024

If you don’t like gin, then make it with tequila, vodka , rum, or mezcal.” When I was little and my dad was the age I am now, his go-to in the summer was always an Ice Pick: vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, and iced tea. ” —Jillian Moore, head bartender, My Loup , Philadelphia “Tongue Twister.

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Bartending Bartender Bar Manager Bar Management 98

Bar Magazine

JANUARY 14, 2025

Curated by bar manager, Andrea Di Chiara, and head bartender, Angelo Sparvoli, new menu highlights include: A Touch of Pink Since opening, The Savoy has attracted the worlds most discerning guests, from the royal family to celebrities past and present.

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Bar Bar Manager Bar Management Head Bartender 52

VinePair

APRIL 25, 2024

And now we have Margaritas, because tequila is the fad, not vodka. At The Cabinet , the East Village bar that boasts the widest selection of mezcal in New York City, head bartender Diego Rivera has two Margaritas on the menu. The Apple Martini , the Espresso Martini. Why did we call that a Martini? I have no idea.

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Tinctures Tequila Liqueur Infusions 105

VinePair

FEBRUARY 28, 2024

Depth and Complexity In London’s cocktail world, fruit distillates in general are “mega trendy,” according to Alex Kratena, former head bartender at Artesian and the co-founder of both Tayēr + Elementary and Muyu liqueurs. But what do you do when life sends you plums? But those fruit spirits are primarily coming from French and U.K.

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Cocktail Culture Bitters Rum Promoter 111

VinePair

MAY 9, 2024

This is such a step up from a Black Russian , which seems obvious when you consider that coffee grows much nearer to agave production than vodka’s wintery latitudes. Haley Merritt, head bartender, Midnight Rambler , Dallas “The Mexican Martini. I garnish mine with a grapefruit zest to give it some punchy aromatics.”

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Tequila Speed Rack Bartending Bartender 98

VinePair

JANUARY 25, 2024

While some Trader Joe’s do sell spirits, in addition to branded private-label bottles of tequila, vodka, and whiskey, Pronto! The consensus among most of the bartenders I talked to was that Pronto! But Dante head bartender Eloy Pacheco was surprised at the quality of Pronto! compared to the price.

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Bitters Bartender Bartending Happy Hour 116

The Bartender Company

JANUARY 16, 2024

Some of the popular types of non-alcoholic spirits include those that mimic gin, whiskey, rum, vodka, and liqueurs. For additional tips, ask our event planners (or the head bartender or beverage director at your event) to guide you in creating a cocktail that satisfies your taste buds but keeps alcohol out of the equation.

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Alcohol Zero-Proof Vodka Gin 52

Bar Magazine

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

This cocktail is as multifaceted as the diamond it celebrates and is made by combining Belvedere vodka that’s been fat-washed with Cheddar to create a velvety umami taste, Mancino Secco vermouth infused with nori seaweed for depth, wasabi bitters for a hint of spice, and crowned with a garnish of cheddar tuile.

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Bar Head Bartender Gin Infusions 52

Bar Magazine

OCTOBER 16, 2024

Formerly the head bartender at London’s Artesian, which won World’s Best Bar multiple times, Kratena is celebrated for pushing the boundaries of mixology through creativity, sustainability, and craftsmanship.

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Bar Signature Cocktails Mixology Head Bartender 52

VinePair

JANUARY 14, 2025

It features cilantro vodka from Twisted Path a small family-owned distillery in Milwaukee paired with manzanilla sherry, lime juice, and a charred tomato and bell pepper syrup we make in-house using our wood-fired and coal grill. Janice Bailon, head bartender, Leyenda , Brooklyn The Adonis!

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Bartending Bartender Bar Manager Bar Management 126

VinePair

AUGUST 5, 2024

—Rhys Williams, former bartender and brand ambassador, Faccia Brutto , NYC “The funniest and weirdest drink orders that I constantly got during my nightclub days were always a Grey Goose and Vodka , a Tito’s and Vodka, a Stoli and Vodka, or an Absolut and Vodka. Rum in the original Vodka Soda !?”

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Bartending Bartender Vodka Simple Syrup 105

VinePair

JULY 25, 2024

It’s a basic sour recipe, made with Skyy Vodka , lemon juice, and lavender syrup. The cocktail itself wasn’t nearly as satisfying as my banter with the quick-witted bartender, who seemed like she’d been shaking drinks for as long as I’ve been alive. Don’t get crazy, just a Dirty Martini with gin or vodka.”

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Rum Bartender Bartending Mixology 137

VinePair

OCTOBER 1, 2024

You still get that tart flavor, but you swap vodka for gin, and add Maraschino liqueur, green Chartreuse , and fresh lime juice.” Christopher Petropoulos, head bartender, Balos , Washington, D.C. “ For guests enjoying a night out, I’d recommend they try a Last Word cocktail instead for an elevated substitution. The Moscow Mule.

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Bartending Bartender Bar Manager Bar Management 98

Cheers

JANUARY 23, 2024

The Caprese Martini at Jac’s On Bond in New York, with Grey Goose vodka, Lustau Blanco, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, and garnished with skewered cherry tomatoes. For example, Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo is offering a Martini that features vodka infused with Japanese salmon jerky.

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Gin Tinctures Liqueur Infusions 111

VinePair

FEBRUARY 22, 2024

The Honeysuckle Hottie, a vodka-and-tea-based cocktail, offers a unique twist to the traditional Hot Toddy and is a refreshing, sophisticated alternative. The combination of chamomile tea, honeysuckle vodka , and Benedictine creates a harmonious blend of flavors that is both soothing and flavorful.”

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Bartending Bartender Tiki Rum 116

VinePair

MAY 13, 2024

Their top-selling drink is a Vodka Soda. The Vodka Y Soda isn’t just a two-ingredient highball; they add guava and pasilla into the mix, and the result is refreshing and intensely flavorful. This brings us back to the Vodka Soda, a drink that many cocktail snobs have rendered beneath them for years. There’s a lot to unpack.

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Vodka Highball Bar Hospitality 117

Bartender.com

JANUARY 9, 2024

We celebrated my dad’s birthday every year at Trader Vic’s and I developed an even deeper personal affinity for tropical-style drinks during my time as the head bartender at The Polynesian.

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Bar Alcohol Bar Manager Bar Management 52

Chilled Magazine

APRIL 25, 2025

Vodka Steak & Chopin Potato Ingredients 2 oz. Chopin Potato Vodka 2 dashes Worcestershire 2-3 turns cracked black pepper Preparation Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into chilled martini glass. Add shallot, Chambord, vodka, vinegar, and white pepper into a sealed container and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

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Mixology Shooter Vodka Head Bartender 165

Imbibe Magazine

MARCH 12, 2025

Bartenders incorporate herbal infusions or housemade mignonettes, opt for gin or vodka bases, and experiment with proportions. Brass Poppys Gibson At the lobby bar in Austins chic Hotel Van Zandt, you can order your Gibson with vodka or gin; either way, it will be a theatrical affair. gin or vodka 1/2 oz.

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Infusions Vodka Gin Head Bartender 141

Chilled Magazine

MARCH 13, 2025

While I had experience bartending, I initially focused on bussing tables and running food. Then, I worked my way up the ranks to barback, bartender, head bartender, program curator, and eventually beverage director, though I will always be a bartender at heart.

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Barback Barback Bartender Bartending 147

VinePair

JANUARY 15, 2025

Culch Vodka is mixed with a vermouth blend, a chicken bouillon blend, caperberry brine, and orange bitters. At Brooklyns Bitter Monk head bartender Ryan Garrison garnishes his Fauna & Flora Martini with a side glass of air-fried tarragon leaves.

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Head Bartender Gin Bartender Bartending 105

Casual Mixologist

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Its briny olive juice and clean base of gin or vodka make it refreshingly bold, while the modest ingredient list lets your chosen spirit shine. Hanky Panky Raise a glass to history with this classic cocktail, first crafted in 1903 by the legendary Ada Coley Coleman, the only female head bartender in the history of the Savoy Hotel.

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Simple Syrup Head Bartender Gin Mixology 98

VinePair

MAY 12, 2025

Made with vodka , Froot Loops, pineapple, coriander, and lemon juice, the Accidentally Loopy first appeared on menu at a bar in Bismark, N.D., The former leans into more traditional mezcal pairings, fusing the smoky agave spirit with the chocolaty breakfast cereal and orange, along with espresso, fennel, and lemon. and was a smashing success.

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Infusions Food Safety Bartender Bartending 105

VinePair

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

Edward Hardebeck, head bartender, Corima , NYC The trendiest shot right now, in my opinion, would be the Green Tea shot. David Muhs, head bartender, Monkey Thief , NYC We are heavy on only two items: Tequila Ocho Reposado, and our No. 1 house cocktail, the Shy Lady. Tequila for familiarity, mezcal if you’re daring.

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Bartending Bartender Head Bartender Shooter 92

VinePair

JUNE 5, 2025

The 25-seat space is set up like the living room of a warm, welcoming party, where bartender-owner Andres Siem serves as host. Cocktails like a Porcini Martini with porcini-infused vodka, sherry, and mezcal highlight a devotion to nature and the abundance of ingredients it provides, always served in pristine vintage glassware.

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Bar Cocktail Culture Head Bartender Bartender 60