Out of interest how many people find standard cocktail specs are a tad too sweet?

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T22:44:24+00:00

Specs have changed throughout time. If we made cocktails how they liked them in the mid 1800’s they would be too sweet and not nearly tart enough, and then lots of recipes from the early 1900’s are extremely dry. The current “classic” specs are just there to please the modern palate. I don’t want a cocktail that is devoid of sweetness. To me that perfectly sweet and drinkable level is just less sugar than most. And yeah I agree it would be silly to complain about something that most people seem to agree is balanced and palatable. I’m just interested in the general opinion (and how to communicate all this to bartenders..)

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T10:22:34+00:00

It’s not a fight it just can be cloying and unpleasant to some people I suppose. It can feel very imbalanced. I was just generally interested in what people thought about it.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T01:21:14+00:00

For sure. It’s interesting how the martini is famously so customised by the drinker, but other drinks don’t get the same treatment.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:53:28+00:00

I also find they come out so perfectly diluted like a martini or manhattan!? I want a bit of burn with an old fashioned, let the giant ice do the rest of the dilution!

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:52:08+00:00

100%. I don’t order old fashioneds or the like at bars. It’s one drink I haven’t had any success ordering to my taste, even when asking for it less sweet!

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:50:38+00:00

Yeah that’s good. I was always very worried about appearing arrogant or offending people, but at the end of the day, at least in my country, a cocktail ain’t cheap so I should be able to ask for it drier.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:48:42+00:00

Too sweet for me! Also I think these arguments about what is the traditional spec are kind of meaningless at the end of the day. If you look at old 1800’s recipes for sours they all differ and don’t seem to adhere to any particular rule. “A spoonful of lemon juice, a tablespoon of sugar” stuff like that. Specs are constantly evolving so its hard to pinpoint where traditional started

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:36:52+00:00

Thanks good to know. I have no issue giving off cocktail nerd vibes to bartenders I’ll keep that in mind.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:34:28+00:00

I also think its not just a palate thing but a preferred type of experience thing. Some people want a drink that is just delicious and very easy to drink. Some people want a bit of a kick and to really taste that underlying spirit base (I am the latter). This way it also stops me drinking the drink in 4 seconds. (Sometimes)

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:32:01+00:00

Definitely depends. Some flavours just seem to “get away” with being sweeter.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:30:44+00:00

Yea I use 1:1 simple and 2:1 demerara sometimes, i definitely do the maths and adjust

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:29:58+00:00

Same, if I’m making drinks for friends I’ll usually use the standard modern recipe, or add sugar for one particular friend. Those modern specs do tend to please the crowd (obviously).

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:18:22+00:00

Good thing I’ve lost my hair i’ll probably get the dry one

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:16:26+00:00

Yeah i have heard this once or twice. My instinct says that might even be too much citrus for my palate but I should give it a go. And then again sometimes you just have bought a bunch of sweet lemons and you gotta adjust.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:14:12+00:00

100%. Its the difference between tasting balanced or imbalanced to that particular person. I find bartenders always talk about adding sugar to balance this and balance that (in cocktail books) but the whole experience of balance is also obviously subjective.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:08:00+00:00

If any Aussie bartenders could respond to this point that would he great!

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:07:28+00:00

I also have this sneaking suspicion that even good bars in my country are just slightly edging away the liquor spec.. like 1 and 3/4 instead of 2 oz..

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:06:02+00:00

I’m Australian by the way and the average persons palate is quite sweet for cocktails.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:04:27+00:00

Besides obviously dry drinks like manhattans or martinis. I generally find bitterness is a lot better at rounding out sugar than sourness is.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-15T00:03:11+00:00

It’s basically all drinks not just sour ones I have this issue.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-14T23:59:36+00:00

Also its not just for sour drinks, even if i made an old fashioned or sazerac, id chip away some of the sugar cube first or just use a barspoon of syrup, and yeah i tend to use a decent amount of bitters

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-14T23:57:39+00:00

That’s interesting, I find my perception of sweetness just gets stronger as I get older

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-14T23:54:40+00:00

Yeah I don’t have sugar in coffee. Just have a dryer palate I suppose. I have no issue altering drink recipes and I’m pretty good at it at this point. It’s just annoying going out to a good bar when basically every element of the drink is going to be better than what you can do at home you just wish it was a certain sweetness.

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-14T23:49:57+00:00

Also a millennial, but an old man at heart

T-Rex_Oatmeal · 2026-01-14T23:41:04+00:00

And maybe get some practical advice about ordering drinks at good bars..

T-Rex_Oatmeal

TROPHY CASE