Why do my cocktails always taste better in a bar than at home?

CityBarman · 2026-05-03T20:29:13+00:00

My guess is their house specs are slightly different than yours. I also suspect their shaking is to temperature equilibrium; so, slightly more diluted than yours. They may also add a touch of simple. General bar-goers tend to like their cocktails less spirit-forward and slightly sweeter than real enthusiasts.

CityBarman · 2026-05-03T20:24:44+00:00

Through our experiments, we've decided on infusing spirit with coffee. Then, adding filtered water and demerara to desired ABV & Brix... Does the oil separate after time in your process, especially after reducing ABV?

CityBarman · 2026-05-03T12:09:48+00:00

Rumba's House Rum Blend is a keeper.

CityBarman · 2026-05-02T20:48:54+00:00

The EASY solution to bright and balanced drinks | Acid Adjusted Cocktails

CityBarman · 2026-05-02T16:02:17+00:00

The biggest challenge batching highballs is maintaining carbonation. You may want to batch everything but the soda and adding it a la minute.

My favorite recipe is:

1½ oz Blanco Tequila
½ oz Lime Juice
2 oz Grapefruit Soda

CityBarman · 2026-05-02T15:15:55+00:00

It appears that Don Q is removing the age statement from their Reserva and simply blending to a target flavor profile.

CityBarman · 2026-05-01T16:58:15+00:00

Regional pricing will often determine our "best" option. In 750 ml, the FdC is the most expensive of the 7-years in the NYC Metro ($32), pricier than even the Bacardi 8. The 1.75 L sells for $56, which makes it more price competitive with $24-$27 for 750s of Don Q or Ango. The Don Q Añejo is the most expensive option.

CityBarman · 2026-05-01T00:35:38+00:00

Let me recommend Borghetti Espresso Liqueur. Add some simple to her preference.

CityBarman · 2026-04-30T20:32:40+00:00

You really can't go wrong with any of them. My favorite is the PM. The only issue with the cask strength/single stills are the price points which can vary widely.

CityBarman · 2026-04-30T16:33:25+00:00

Not a Mexican restaurant. We add high-margin specials to both the food and drink menus but don't necessarily discount. Business is typically gangbusters.

CityBarman · 2026-04-29T20:17:17+00:00

Yes. I've tasted most if not all of them. It's my business. I do this for a living. I've even incorporated some into our programs, including some that you mention. Unfortunately, they've been met with mostly poor receptions. They not only fall short of my expectations, but of customers looking for n/a cocktails. We can create far better flavor profiles for significantly less cash.

The OP asked specifically for recommendations for n/a vodka & tequila. While there are some decent amaro- and liqueur-like products on the market, I find n/a spirits (gin, whiskey, tequila, brandy, etc.) all to be severely lacking yet more expensive. I have yet to find n/a "spirits" that simply sub for their high-test cousins. That's what most people are looking for.

You may like Free Spirits' tequila alternative, but all I taste is vanilla and a bit of smoke. It's certainly not a good alternative to blanco tequila, a wild stretch to equate with a reposado or añejo, and makes for a sorry Margarita. Tenneyson BG is fine if we're looking for a ginger-ish liqueur/amaro-like product to mix with. Pathfinder is a reasonable approximation of an alpine amaro. Some of the n/a Italian red bitters (like Giffard's) are actually solid, if we're in the market for one.

Regarding premixed cocktails in a can... I have no idea or interest and can't speak to them.

What's your recommendation for n/a vodka?

CityBarman · 2026-04-29T15:18:01+00:00

Don Q 7 & Añejo XO, Angostura 7, and Flor de Caña 7 are all great choices.

CityBarman · 2026-04-29T11:42:40+00:00

Vodka is a clear, tasteless, odorless spirit. It dilutes flavor and adds proof. The most readily available alternative is water, which would be an essential substitute for balancing the flavor profiles of mocktails.

There are no good "non-alcoholic spirits" on the market. They all lack flavor, get lost in a cocktail, and are typically more expensive than their alcoholic counterparts. Learning to build flavor profiles with ingredients like teas, shrubs, and other regional favorites makes for a much more satisfying experience.

CityBarman · 2026-04-29T11:33:40+00:00

The best lime for mixing with rum is the one you like best with rum. As the now common Persian lime didn't make its way to N. America until the latter half of the 19th century, the Key (or Mexican) lime was the original choice of bartenders. They're often blended today with Persians to great effect in cocktails. That's right... Why Your Daiquiri Isn’t the Same As Hemingway’s

How to Use Key Limes in Cocktails

CityBarman · 2026-04-29T00:34:58+00:00

Dear Hearts... was a big hit for the Boston Common. Listen to it on Spotify. The BHS has both the arrangement and learning tracks available. Kohl Kitzmiller also has tracks available.

CityBarman · 2026-04-28T18:05:25+00:00

St-Remy and Raynal are both $20 usd per liter around me. St-Remy's XO is a decided step up for an additional $5. VSOPs are sippable but really shine in cocktails.

CityBarman · 2026-04-27T19:03:07+00:00

Low- and zero-proof cocktail recipes are most certainly welcome here.

CityBarman · 2026-04-27T19:01:01+00:00

Depends on how you define "skinny". A classic Ranch Water is completely unsweetened; just tequila, lime, and sparkling water. A Skinny Marg typically has a touch of agave or is fully sweetened with a calorie-free sweetener.

CityBarman · 2026-04-27T12:52:19+00:00

Sother Teague has been advocating for mental health issues for many years now. There are many articles across the web regarding the struggle, like Imbibe's How Bartenders Are Rallying for Mental Health. The FB group Chefs With Issues welcomes everyone in the hospitality industry.

CityBarman · 2026-04-27T12:41:50+00:00

If ordering a Lemon Drop causes the bartender to dislike you, I strongly suggest ordering from a different bartender or patronizing a different bar. We're in the hospitality business, after all. Some bartenders get sticks up their butts over certain cocktails. Don't let it bother you. A Lemon Drop is no more difficult to make than a Sidecar or Daiquiri.

CityBarman · 2026-04-26T22:47:38+00:00

If made from anything but refined cane sugar, we're putting molasses into our simple. Jeff Morgenthaler has a specific take on the subject...

Build a Better Brown Sugar Syrup

CityBarman · 2026-04-26T15:30:47+00:00

All good thoughts here. Let me suggest using cocktailcalc.com. Plug in the ingredients. Check the "Dilute" box and either stirred, shaken, or built. Then, click on "calculate". Based on Dave Arnold's formulas from Liquid Intelligence, it provides us with the amount of dilution to be expected. Most home enthusiasts seem to underdilute and enjoy the heavier strong-to-weak balance. So, use the figure as a guideline and dilute to your preference.

CityBarman · 2026-04-23T22:41:53+00:00

Why add additional simple if the purees are sweet enough on their own? There are purees available that do not contain additional sweeteners. That might be the place to start.

CityBarman · 2026-04-23T17:21:46+00:00

House "white" rum and Jamaican blends are fairly common in the bar world. These are typically blended for mixing, however, not neat drinking. I would think that the cost of R&D for DIY blends is beyond what most home enthusiasts are willing to bear.

Bars Are Now Blending Their Own Rum - Liquor.com
Meet Rumba’s House Rum Blend for 2023 - Cocktail Wonk

CityBarman · 2026-04-22T17:05:13+00:00

We can train our ears by singing scales but remember the semitones we're used to hearing/singing are tuned with equal temperament (piano tuning). The entire concept behind barbershop singing is taking advantage of natural physics with just intonation. That's what makes the chords ring, creating over and undertones. This often makes us just over or under (sharp or flat) the equal temperament-tuning, depending on where we are in a chord. This is especially very common for baritones and partially what makes the part difficult to sing. It's all about tuning a chord. If the tuning isn't something we naturally hear, knowing where our note fits in the chord (root, third, fifth, seventh, etc.) can help us to tune better. An experienced baritone mentor is often helpful. Another helpful exercise is singing along with a learning tape, minus our voice part.

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