This is a silly question, but I am about to be 21 and I need to know how to order drinks?!
My 21st bday is in 2 weeks!
Answers: Haha for those of you who are over 21, you might be laughing. Or maybe you felt my pain at one point or another. But I know that I like wine and I know that I like my rum and coke and my margaritas...but how do I branch out and order new drinks? How do I know that to order?I don't even know the difference between red wine, white wine and all the various other types..like chardonay or anything! Same goes with alcohol...whiskey, rum, etc. How do you figure this out??
My 21st bday is in 2 weeks!
If you're going out someplace special for your birthday, then go there early for a visit. Check out the bar, the menu and their wine list. Talk with a wine stewart before you go there for recommendations..take notes if you want to. Go to a book store and invest in a decent bar book to read up on all the different types of alchol...and it will usually have a drink selection as well.
The number one mistake that people your age make when drinking is, they jump around. They'll try four different beers, then try a gin & tonic, then a rum & coke, and then a couple of different popular shooters...and then they can't remember getting home, much less why they feel like heck the next morning. When you're legal, then buy some half-pints of your own to try at home with some different mixers, or buy several on the very small bottles to try as well. Since you like rum & coke, try some different rums...if you presently drink light rum, then try a dark. Forget the girly flavors of any type of liquor...gin, vodka, rum, etc. Stick with basics. If you're worried about making mistakes or an impression, then make your mistakes at home.
Pick what you drink based on what you like. Don't worry about trying to impress a waiter with your ordering prowness..remember, you're the one leaving him a tip. Drink what you like, but drink to enjoy it...not just to get drunk.
Hey, I'm 60 years old, and when my wife & I go out and order a meal that would usually call for white wine, the wine stewart always has a heart attack because I order red wine for me...I can't stand white wine and I don't give a darn what wine goes with what food, I order what I like...I'm the one drinking it, not the wine stewart.
Have a great Birthday!
You start trying things. Slowly. If you're at a nice restaurant, explain to the wine steward that you'd like some help picking out a decent wine. They're usually happy to help.
Why dont you go to like a web bartender and look through the drinks or something. I just turned 21 in september. I acutally have yet to go outside of my beer, white russians, tequila sunrises, and stuff i drink regularly. But Webtenders have thousands of mixed drinks and stuff.
Red wine is served room temperature, white wine is served chilled. They are served is similar glasses.
Many bars will have a wine list, divided by color. House wine is the cheapest wine you can get at any establishment.
If you really want to figure out the tastes of hard liquor, I say buy a bottle of each when you turn (not to get drunk) but to sample. Small bottles (rum, vodka, whiskey, gin, etc).
People order based on what they already know tastes good. So, just ask a bartender what they recommend, and get that.
The bunch selling alcohol want your money. They'll be happy to answer all your questions. They don't really care about you as long as they get paid. They'll answer your questions.
Ask the bartender! If (s)he's any good he'll consider it part of his job, and would be happy to assist a bar neophyte.
While it's not the best move to pull during busy times (Saturday night, for example) he'll be able to tell you what's most popular, what's not, what he likes, what he doesn't, and what drink tastes like what (there're drinks out there that taste like everything from coconut, melon, Dr. Pepper, orange Tic Tacs, Creamsicles, almonds, liquorice... you name it!)
Who knows... first drink might be on the house!
Have fun and good luck! :)
I don't drink wine so I can't help you there.
What I do is go to the bar and say "what's strong, but doesn't taste like turpentine?" and they usually hook me up with a great drink. Depends on the bar though. At the local honkey tonk, I just go in and have a cheap beer like everyone else. I don't even think the bartender knows how to make drinks!
Visit a local winery that has tastings. You can know absolutely nothing and fit right in. It's a good time and you'll learn a lot about it.
Here's few terms you should know:
On the rocks = with ice
Straight up = no ice
Frozen = blended with ice
You don't always have to tell the bartender. Your rum and cokes will be with ice because that's the norm. Margaritas have tequila; daiquiris have rum - these can be frozen or on the rocks. Margaritas also have a "salt or no salt" option, which is when the lip of the glass is rimmed with salt (or not). Me, I like a margarita "on the rocks" "with salt". Frozen ones give me a headache.
When branching out, you might want to stay with the sweeter stuff until you develop a taste for things like whiskey, with the possible exception of a whiskey sour. Try vodka and cranberry (served on the rocks), a screwdriver (vodka and OJ - also on the rocks), even a fuzzy navel (peach schnapps and OJ).
Happy Birthday!