VinePair

JULY 23, 2024

Tequila can be magic in a cocktail. This chameleon-like versatility makes tequila an intriguing base for drinks beyond the Margarita, and there are plenty of bangers to consider. There are also some tequila cocktails that, in the eyes of bartenders, have a little less bang. We asked 14 industry pros to find out.

Tequila 98

Tequila Bartending Bartender Bar 98

VinePair

AUGUST 28, 2024

The easiest cocktails to master, according to bartenders: Manhattan Cuba Libre Moscow Mule Daiquiri Vodka Martini Old Fashioned Whiskey Highball Honeysuckle Negroni Vodka Soda “The easiest drink to master, from my perspective, is the classic Manhattan. Brian Miller, bar manager, Stockton Inn , Stockton, N.J.

Bartending 111

Bartending Bartender Highball Vodka 111

Cheers

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

Notes Wil Schultz, bar manager at Oak Steakhouse Nashville, created this recipe. Print Love Is Sweet Like Candy Course Drinks Keyword Cointreau, egg white, Grenadine, lemon, tequila Ingredients 2 oz. Corazn reposado tequila oz. Volcan silver tequila oz.

Simple Syrup 105

Simple Syrup Mixologist Liqueur Tequila 105

Cheers

DECEMBER 13, 2023

Notes Katie Tobin, bar manager at The Aquifer Bar at New Riff Distilling, Newport, KY, created this recipe. Print Let It Snow Course Drinks Keyword blanco tequila, coconut milk, lime, orange liqueur, white cranberry juice Ingredients 1 ½ oz. Blanco tequila 1 ½ oz.

Simple Syrup 116

Simple Syrup Mixologist Liqueur Muddling 116

VinePair

AUGUST 5, 2024

She said ‘delicious.’” —Brian Miller, bar manager, Stockton Inn , Stockton, N.J. the reply was always — wait for it — vodka. There’s also always a good restrained chuckle or side-eye resulting from orders such as a Gin & Tonic made with vodka and soda or ‘I don’t like alcohol, but want something strong.’”

Bartending 105

Bartending Bartender Vodka Simple Syrup 105

VinePair

AUGUST 14, 2024

While clear spirits like gin and tequila might feel like the most obvious choices for summertime sipping, rum and bourbon also have their place, as do lighter, low-ABV options like vermouth and Pimm’s. Swapping the tequila for mezcal is equally delicious and a great option for those looking for something a bit more complex.”

Bartending 92

Bartending Bartender Bar Management Bar Manager 92

VinePair

MAY 30, 2024

Tobias Hogan, bar manager at Can Bar in Portland, Ore., A guest will likely order a mini libation in addition to a regular cocktail, wine, or a zero-proof drink, says Tristian Brunel, bar manager at NYC’s The Tusk Bar — something they may not have done if all the drinks were only full-size.

Gin 105

Gin Digestif Zero-Proof Happy Hour 105

VinePair

JULY 25, 2024

It’s a basic sour recipe, made with Skyy Vodka , lemon juice, and lavender syrup. I worked in a Chili’s in high school,” says Sarah Morrissey, the bar manager of the recently reopened Le Veau d’Or on New York Upper East Side. “I Don’t get crazy, just a Dirty Martini with gin or vodka.”

Rum 136

Rum Bartending Bartender Mixology 136

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.

Bar 105

Bar Simple Syrup Highball Head Bartender 105

VinePair

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

The rat-a-tat, staccato names of most of these drinks — Rum and Coke , Gin & Tonic , Vodka Soda — leave nothing to the imagination. This is particularly relevant when it comes to agave spirits like tequila and mezcal, thanks to the U.S.’s Del Maguey Vida was in everyone’s well because it was the only workhorse mezcal at the time.

Bar 121

Bar Gin Bartending Bartender 121

VinePair

FEBRUARY 22, 2024

” —Martin Fernandez, bar manager Rochambeau , Boston “Not a cocktail, but a spirit: rum. The Honeysuckle Hottie, a vodka-and-tea-based cocktail, offers a unique twist to the traditional Hot Toddy and is a refreshing, sophisticated alternative. ” —Cory Patterson, beverage director, Bucatino , Falmouth, Mass.

Bartending 116

Bartending Bartender Tiki Rum 116

VinePair

AUGUST 27, 2024

So, when management offered to recruit a few bar-curious servers to cover the vacant lunch shifts, I jumped at the opportunity to cut lemon and lime wedges all day in exchange for feeling like I was Tom Cruise in “Cocktail” for a few hours on a Tuesday afternoon. Now bar managers are asking, ‘What is your background?’

Bartending 114

Bartending Bartender Bar Mixology 114

VinePair

NOVEMBER 26, 2023

The type of fruit and category of booze can be arbitrary, but for the sake of argument, let’s say the fruit is pippin apples and the booze is vodka. You fill the container with the apple slices and the vodka, seal the lid, and wait a day or two for the fruity essence to penetrate the spirit’s soul as it absorbs some of the alcohol.

Infusions 52

Infusions Vodka Bitters Bartending 52

VinePair

OCTOBER 1, 2024

Abraham Flota, bar manager, Prospect , San Francisco “I think both Mojitos and Espresso Martinis are universally hated by bartenders.” Colm Whelan, general manager, Desert 5 Spot New York , NYC “One drink that should be retired from cocktail menus is the Cosmopolitan. Hailey Donovan, bar manager, Northern Spy , Canton, Mass.

Bartending 98

Bartending Bartender Bar Management Bar Manager 98

Bartender.com

JANUARY 9, 2024

The idea for the overall menu, and specifically the animals crewing the ship, came from the bar manager Travis (who happens to be my son), and luckily, I knew exactly the take I wanted to put on those creatures. With movement and energy, but sitting happily behind the foreground text and cocktail images.

Bar 52

Bar Bar Management Bar Manager Alcohol 52

Cheers

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

Print Spiced Apple Margarita Course Drinks Keyword agave, apple cider, cinnamon, lime, tequila Ingredients 2 parts Código 1530 Reposado Tequila 1 ½ parts Organic apple cider ¾ parts Fresh lime juice 1 tsp. Origen vodka ¾ oz. Blanco Tequila ¾ oz.

Simple Syrup 105

Simple Syrup Tinctures Muddling Mixologist 105

Cheers

MARCH 10, 2025

Bill Sabine is bar manager at the Nautilus Pier 4 in Boston. I enrolled in a local bartending school with job placement and landed an event bartending gig, then worked up to the clubhouse bar. Tequila and vodka are always popular, so Tequila Mockingbird and Kermit the Frog. Shake to chill and combine.

Mixologist 72

Mixologist Tequila Bartending School Rum 72

VinePair

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

Others may prefer to keep things classic, opting for simple pours of tequila or whiskey. We did a little digging (drinking) and found the classic combination of tequila, watermelon pucker, and a hot sauce to be quite mouthwatering. And if theres one group of people that knows exactly what the people want, its bartenders.

Bartending 86

Bartending Bartender Head Bartender Shooter 86

Cheers

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

Its made with caramelized onion-infused vodka, house-pickled green tomato brine, and blanco vermouth, then garnished with a goat cheese-stuffed olive. Velveteen Rabbit in Las Vegas has a Guavatomic cocktail, with guava-infused vodka, toasted pistachio, pineapple amaro, Cocchi Americano, lemon and a rosemary smoke bubble.

Zero-Proof 75

Zero-Proof Infusions Vodka Tequila 75

Mixologists

MARCH 28, 2025

Stir gin or vodka with dry vermouth, and garnish with an olive or lemon twist. Shake tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau or triple sec, and serve with a salted rim. Imagine a gin infused with rosemary and grapefruit, or a vodka with strawberries and basil. Martini: A sophisticated and elegant cocktail, with endless variations.

Mixology 52

Mixology Muddling Molecular Mixology Infusions 52

Cheers

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Other top cocktails at Bar Louie include the Wild Berry Margarita, with Don Julio blanco tequila, blackberry, strawberry, Truly Wild Berry seltzer, Twang nectarberry and blueberries, and the Pink Flamingo Paloma (Casamigos blanco tequila, Deep Eddy ruby red vodka, agave, lime and Fever-Tree sparkling grapefruit).

Bar 59

Bar Happy Hour Beer Vodka 59