Cocktail Stirrer

(n.) A thin rod, usually made of plastic, glass or metal, used to mix the ingredients of a cocktail, More

Cognac

(n.) This grape brandy is made in the Charente region of France. The Dutch invented cognac in the 17th More

Cooler

(n.) A catch-all category for a broad swath of drinks made by mixing a spirit or fortified wine with More

Cordial

(n.) In the United States, the terms cordial and liqueur can be used interchangeably to denote a sweetened-spirit, though More

Crème de Cacao

(n.): A sweetened liqueur flavored with cacao (cocoa bean) and vanilla. The word “crème” refers to the rich texture More

Dash

(n.) An imprecise measurement used to indicate a very small amount of liquid, most often used in reference to More

Digestif (Digestivo)

(n.) Conceptually paired with the aperitif as book-ends to a meal, the digestif is an after-dinner drink, and is More

Distillation

(n.) A chemical process used to make high-alcohol spirits, distillation separates ethanol (drinking alcohol) from water. The basic steps: More

Double Strain

(v.) This cocktail-making technique for shaken drinks requires two strainers (usually a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer) for More

Dram

(n.) Derived from the Scottish-Gaelic term meaning “drink,” a dram originally indicated a liquid measurement equaling one-eighth of an More

Dry

(adj.) A drink order, usually in reference to the contemporary recipe for dry martinis, that specifies dry vermouth More

Dry Hopping

(v.) A beer-making technique in which hops are added to a beer after it has been cooked and fermentation More

Eau de Vie

(n.) This type of brandy is made from distilling fermented fruit, most often tree fruits and berries, such as More

Falernum

(n.): A sweetened syrup or liqueur made from lime zest, cloves, sugar, ginger and almonds that most likely originated More

Fifth

(n.) This measurement of liquid equals one-fifth of a gallon. In the United States, where Imperial measurements are used More

Finger

(n.) This measurement of liquid is determined by finger width against a glass. (e.g. “I’d like two fingers of More

Fizz

(n.) Essentially a sour made tall by adding soda water, the fizz category emerged in the late-19th century in More

Flip

(n.) While egg whites might show up in sours or fizzes, any drink with a whole egg could be More

Float

(v.) A bartending skill used to layer cocktail ingredients in the glass, as seen in drinks such as the More

Fortified Wine

(n.) Wine that has a distilled spirit added. This loosely-knit family of wines encompasses a wide range of styles. More

Free Pour

(v.) A bartending skill in which the act of portioning a cocktail’s ingredients is done by pouring spirits straight More

Garnish

(n.) An object placed on or in a finished cocktail that performs a decorative function, though some may also More

Gin

(n.) Gin’s legal definition requires it to be a neutral grain spirit flavored with juniper berries and proprietary blends of botanicals More

Grand Marnier

(n.) A French brand of orange-flavored liqueur used in mixed drinks, served neat as a digestif or used as More

Grappa

(n.) An Italian brandy distilled from grape pomace, the skins and seeds leftover from the winemaking process. Grappa is More

Grenadine

(n.) Historically made from tart-sweet pomegranate juice and sugar, grenadine is perhaps the most enduring in the category of More

Hard Shake

(v.) A highly choreographed and controversial version of the hand shake said to increase emulsification, texture and quality of More

Highball

1. (n.)  A spirit (most often whiskey) mixed with a carbonated beverage in a roughly 1:2 ratio and served More

House

(adj.) Usually inexpensive spirits or wine that a bar or restaurant serves unlabeled, often referred to as “well.” The More

Infuse

(v.) The practice of steeping herbs, spices, or fruits in alcohol to transfer flavor to the liquid. There are More

Irish Whiskey

(n.) Similar in many ways to its Scottish brethren, Irish whiskey generally skews lighter in flavor. Legally, Irish whiskey More

Jigger

(n.) A bartending tool used to measure small quantities of liquid. In 19th-century recipes, this measurement was imprecise, but More

Julep

(n.): Though Persian literature dating to 900 AD shows that the term originally referred to a nonalcoholic medicinal tonic, More

Julep Cup

(n.): A silver or tin cup in which mint juleps are traditionally served. Kentucky silversmiths have been making these More

Julep Strainer

(n.): This one-piece strainer consists of a shallow bowl with even round perforations and an attached handle. Designed specifically More

Kvass

Savory, sour and effervescent, kvass has been a subtly alcohol beverage enjoyed by Eastern Europeans for over a thousand More

Limoncello

(n.): An Italian lemon liqueur made from a neutral spirit, lemon zest and sugar. Popular in citrus-growing regions of More

Lincoln County Process

(n.): Used to make some Tennessee whiskeys, this technique requires whiskey to go through charcoal filtration before being aged in More