How to build a perfect round every time!

[@tyrantdirector]

Would love to see how to build a round of Cocktails please

[@צלילכשר]

I would like to watch a video about a round of cocktails, sounds very helpful in a busy cocktail bar.

[@thebadpred]

Second that

[@Barprints]

@@thebadpred Third! Always nice to see how other pros optimize their workflow

[@ChadWinters]

Also would be interesting to see how to make a batch cocktail, like premaking Old Fashioneds or Sazeracs

[@artirony410]

generally you just scale up all your ingredients by a factor of the number of servings except you don't do this with aromatics like bitters or like how absinthe is used in a Sazerac because they can end up dominating a batched drink. The advice I've always heard is to start with half the amount and adjust from there. So for example if you're making a batch of Old Fashioneds and your recipe is 1.5oz whiskey, 1 barspoon of simple syrup, and 2 dashes of bitters and you're making these for 6 people, you would multiply the whiskey and sugar by 6 but the bitters by 3.

[@ChadWinters]

@@artirony410 do you add water, I’ve seen that recommended

[@artirony410]

@@ChadWinters yeah if you're not going to be serving over ice you'd need to calculate dilution which is a percentage of the total volume that I can't remember off the top of my head right now

[@Ghorda9]

@@artirony410 don't you just use a mixing glass?

[@olehfishchuk5680]

Yes please! More of it. Always end up doing same cocktail for everyone because don’t know how to quickly make 3-5 of same one

[@corinnemourits3663]

Making a video showing how to make multiple cocktails like you do behind the bar would be a lovely idea.

[@mihaelcarr487]

This is wonderful content. My only disparity is the double agitation of the mixers. Thinking about removing CO2 from a mixer twice and not knowing the specific time a guest will take the first drink may lead to a very sad sip. I use kold draft cubes, the machine isn't consistent so I'm 100% on board with judging the ice used. But construction and triage and a proper running FOH crew should avoid any issues of dilution or "adding to much mixer" High volume vs curated spaces do diverge in the style of execution and, this information is wonderful but I do feel like it leans toward high volume bits vs slow paced bits. I stopped at minute 7:30 so many apologies if you addressed that later. I also haven't watched any of you other videos so I just don't want to sound like a mean person, this is just me knee jerk first response. 💕💕

[@kennethpaquin8574]

I prefer to add the ice first. Besides no splashing, the ice starts chilling the glass before the arrival of the other ingredients. If there is an interruption before the spirit is in the glass then it is no big deal to empty the ice and water and start again. When busy it is much quicker to add the ice across the row, because you don't have to worry about splashing. And for that reason also, you can keep your hands off of the ice. Since you are measuring the spirit with a jigger, you don't have to estimate how much space in the glass to leave for ice, you just add the mixer until full.

[@murilo9992]

Thanks a lot for the tips Cara! A video on how to manage multiple drinks with one cocktail shaker would be great too

[@Barprints]

Multiple of the same drink or different drinks?

[@murilo9992]

@@Barprints Both! let's say a group of friends ask for: 2 daiquiris, 3 pina coladas and a planter's punch. In this example, you have multiple "easy" cocktails and one that takes more time and preparation.

[@Barprints]

@@murilo9992 In that case its a question of how big your shaker is, and just adjusting the the single quantities accordingly and not putting too much ice in the shaker so you don't take up too much volumes. Also, I'd do the daiquiris first because the ingredients are lighter and won't through the flavors off of the following drink the way the coconut cream might. Even with a quick rinse its better the go lighter first in a hurry.

[@ypofarmstead1189]

Comprehensive video and liked the way you presented. You were taught well. Was impressed with the “ice after” reasoning as well. Been toying with the idea of using my 32 years behind fast paced, high volume bars as the basis of a KZbin channel. Going through comments, sounds like there is a demand for that content. But… bartenders are in demand and I can’t muster the energy to shoot video and bartend.

[@armorguy1108]

Oh my God. This is one of the best videos you've ever made. I now realize why some of the drinks I make are not as good as they could be because of interruptions (home bar) and losing track of where I am in the process. Thank you so much. I think I shall be a much better home bartender going forward.

[@motttheben]

This was awesome, and super useful! I'd love to see how to build a round of cocktails. Since the health restrictions in my corner of the world have been lifting I've been hosting cocktail nights, but I've been frustrated at how slow I am getting them made & served. I could really use some tips on this front, my friends will thank you! Thanks for all the great content!

[@Barprints]

These are all great tips! The only thing I'd add to help you making cocktails at home is to plan ahead for what you're serving. The prep in bars is different because they're already laid out with everything you need in the places you most need them. At home for example I'd recommend depending on your home set up, a cooler filled with ice and a ice scoop, because you always need more than you think. Also plan your ingredients around which cocktails you'll be making. Bars have everything on hand obviously, so depending on how big your home bar is, it's easier to plan for making a specific cocktail(s) that night👍

[@markolson1552]

Ben and Barprints are spot on! I would also appreciate content for setting the menu for a home-based cocktail night, especially one that's unthemed (as compared to Tiki Night, or Halloween, or something focused like that).

[@LemonMeIon]

Yes to having plenty of ice and organizing your garnishes/glasses. Also don’t be afraid to mix together non-citrus ingredients (spirits and liqueurs) and pre-batch cocktails. All you should have to do is measure, shake/stir, pour, and get back to entertaining.

[@robertjones6324]

That all makes sense to me. I have been cutting my limes and lemons wrong, but at least they were in wedges. Great video, Cara.

[@UnmistakableSoundOf]

I'd love to see some tips for a round of cocktails. Whenever I've got friends over and there's multiple orders, I always feel like I'm away for ages in the kitchen; as much as I like this hobby, hanging out with my mates would be nice too...

[@TallAndIndian]

Great video Cara! Very informative. I was waiting till the end to hear the "So now you know".

[@christinecamley]

You rock!! This would take me forever, as someone who has never worked in a bar!! Super interesting!!

[@dannyskinner6232]

Volume bartending is such an important skill! Would love to see the round of cocktails video 😃

[@sebastianbruhl19]

That is a really useful video. A really nice workflow for a beginner - I tried it and it's much quicker, than I guessed it was. Thank you.

[@kevinwichlin9889]

Even with an in-depth explanation of the process it was pretty quick

[@Stratoscopic]

You are wonderful, Cara. Thank you so much for these suggestions!

[@TrueNorthCook01]

I would love to hear how you would do a round of cocktails, please and thank you.

[@BehindtheBar]

Stay tuned!

[@rba9693]

Really like this series more of this please!

[@BehindtheBar]

Glad you liked it!

[@TheTribalBarGuy]

Love those type of videos. And I have to say this was the biggest Lime I have ever seen. :@) Cheers!

[@JohnnyWraith989]

+1 on the tips for cocktail rounds! I always feel like I take too long making cocktails when I'm hosting, so it'd be nice to get some tips from a pro!

[@ericchilver9113]

Lonsdale Street Melbourne, a local. . Looking forward to Victoria getting back to normal , meantime mixing my own, Thankyou for all the enjoyable explanations. Your accent is delightful.

[@BritishGandalf]

This needs a cocktail sequel

[@bim41337]

DEFINITELY interested in how to manage a large order with mixed kinds of drinks and cocktails. It's pretty much what troubles me the most when working at the bar.

[@kai44478]

This is great! I would love to see one on cocktails.

[@kristinnelson-patel442]

The ordering logic here is great-thanks!

[@BrandonCerelius]

Yes! Would be interested to see you do a round of cocktails. Also, would be cool to see an unedited un-commentated real-time run-through at the end.

[@BehindtheBar]

ooh that’s a great idea, wish we’d have thought of that haha!

[@B0mbshell_]

Thanks for the tips! Would love to see more! :)

[@taquitopicante5863]

Great video! Your presentations are beautiful. I would like more info on what makes a 'fancy' gin & tonic! Cheers.

[@BehindtheBar]

Thanks pal! ‘Fancy’ gin and tonics are generally based on the matching the botanicals in the gin with a good tonic and fun garnishes, so a savoury gin like Gin Mare with FeverTree Mediterranean tonic and a skewered olive and rosemary, or Hendricks with elderflower tonic and cucumber 😊

[@alohaann6106]

Thanks for another great video, always good. Iwas always taught to pour the mixers first, or bitters, then the spirit, and finally the ice. Cheaper product first so to speak. Thoughts?

[@cobylyons4439]

That same thought crossed my mind

[@SaltyTowers]

This is so perfect! I wish you’d tour Cali!

[@WalterPonsano]

Fantastic, but please please please a round of cocktails!!! Thank you!

[@ASM-vo2nx]

Round of cocktails please! Great video!

[@NothingState]

Nice for home or private small events, no reason to be interrupted to the point of stopping midway through a round at a busy bar unless a fight breaks out though.

[@BehindtheBar]

Depends on the size of bar! We often only have a couple of staff on so if someone breaks a glass or something then someone has to sweep it. Also means if you have to jump out (for example if you’re the manager on shift and have to deal with something) someone else can swap in easily 😊

[@ericktellez7632]

Somebody should invent a huge shaker with layers, like 1 liter size shaker that breaks in 3 little shakers that are detachable and in each layer you build up the cocktails, put all 3 pieces together and then shake them all the same time and now you have 3 cocktails done.

[@BehindtheBar]

Million dollar idea!

[@ginafriend1690]

Hi Cara 😊 I truly appreciate this informative video. Thank you dear! I have a question about Lemon Twists. Some places I go to have wonderful flavor. I suppose depends on the type of lemon (?) and how to you store them (?) is it a splash of club soda? Curious. Thank you

[@BehindtheBar]

I’m honestly not too sure about this one, I’d guess it’s just to do with the freshness- if fruit gets cut too far in advance then it dries out but also if it sits in the fridge for too long before being cut it definitely loses some potency too!

[@Mark_Wood]

your content is so fantastic! Thanks so much!!!

[@Barprints]

Great tips Cara! I follow many of these mantras myself! Cheers!

[@MrNateiyf]

Thanks G! This will help when I have al my friends over

[@ferguschan6740]

For me, I think it depends on the type of ice. If it's a clear ice cube, then ice before the mixer. If it's crushed ice, then mixer before ice.

[@Barprints]

That's a great point! Especially since clear ice needs to temper a bit so it doesn't crack.

[@PBandJ25]

Great ideas! Great video!!

[@DrinkInDigital]

Useful tips. Great job!

[@abhijithhb4795]

Thanks for the tips, very helpful 👍

[@ItsMe-fs4df]

Brilliant. Looking at possibly setting up a bar with a couple of mates. So stuff like this is invaluable (yeah okay, they are actual bartenders and we're just the money... But hey, now I know :P )

[@CorySchoolland]

Super useful, thanks!

[@VaruniaKhan]

Didn't even realise you were in Aus let alone Melb! The accent I guess made me assume not.. but I've just realised you work with my mate!

[@BehindtheBar]

Oh that’s cool! Who is that?

[@LasseJulius]

Great video, as always, Cara! Thank you! And - I have to say this: Very pretty dress!

[@lxxwj]

so what is "dry"? must be an aussie thing, ive never heard that term in the US besides stuff like dry martini or dry vermouth / wine

[@lxxwj]

nvm, i heard you say ginger at 7:51. cool term for ginger ale/beer!

[@joeyjoejoshabbadu7963]

Perfect.

[@johnnyg2252]

Thanks

[@scQue]

So... those are all what I prefer to term "1+1"s--which most of my customers rarely order. What about mixing actual cocktails? In my experience, I find it best to do one cocktail from start to finish... doing multiple whenever possible... not typically working on multiple drinks at a time.

[@BehindtheBar]

Yup, as I say this is just a basics round although a lot of the same principles apply to cocktail making, but we’d like to do a cocktail version in the future. I like all my bartenders to work on multiple to have a full round up at the same time wherever possible!

[@turnschuh2901]

Very nice!!! And now please a mix from Longdrinks, Sours and OldFashioneds ;-) thanks!👍

[@kierenmoore3236]

I know one wouldn’t normally be explaining the whole process, but the other reason I’d tend to put the ice in first is so that the mixer remains as fizzy as possible when it’s actually served … ?!

[@jameshaulenbeek5931]

Ice actually causes the carbonation to leave the drink faster.

[@kierenmoore3236]

@@jameshaulenbeek5931 … … … the ice and the mixer aren’t in contact any longer, just because you add the ice to the glass first … … … but the sooner you dispense the mixer, the sooner it starts losing carbonation … … …

[@jameshaulenbeek5931]

@@kierenmoore3236 i get what you're saying - put the mixer in last, you'll have more carbonation. But, once it hits the ice, it starts losing carbonation faster. In addition, as she said in the video, you may not get the same ratio of liquor and mixer each time. Having inconsistent mixed drinks is a pretty fast way to lose business. That's how I make multiple drinks for friends when we're hanging out - makes it easy to stay consistent without constant measuring.

[@disconfrno]

Could you do some voice acting for my Google Voice, and GPS please. 😁👌🏻

[@lazzermanufactorum8233]

How to build a round of cocktail would be nice to know... :p I'm still searching how to be efficient when i have 2-3 different cocktails to build for friends...

[@BehindtheBar]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@tbjtbj4786]

Did you ever find the cain juice? If I remember right you are not that fond of fuzzy navel right? There was a beach bar that made there on version by 1/2 oj and pineapple. Over the weekend at a buddy BBQ. We made a little twist on that if you have the makings give it a try and see if its better. 2oz Evan Williams peach bourbon 1oz of the satsuma rum and 3 or 4 oz pineapple juice. Shaken . For a sweet drink I think it was ok in the heat.

[@BehindtheBar]

haha just don’t like the name!! I’m up in sugar country in QLD at the moment but still doesn’t seem to be readily available unfortunately…

[@tbjtbj4786]

@@BehindtheBar hope you can find some to try. If you have a juicier you could peal a few pieces and cut them to fit it. To try. If you had to do that to use as a sweetener It probably won't be worth the aberration.

[@paueraka5097]

Hi, can you show us no alcohol and no sugar cocktails. Yes I know it's complicate but I like very much the cocktails but i can't drink every day....some healthy and funny drinks, ok a little bit of sugar it's ok but not too much. I'ts a challenge. Thanks i love your channel and your videos.

[@SP-cp3qu]

great vid

[@BehindtheBar]

thank you, glad you enjoyed pal!

[@SP-cp3qu]

@@BehindtheBar thanks, Cara's a legend!

[@ginafriend1690]

Also .. on a large scale, if I were to mix a bottle of Vodka, how much would I add (in say) Club Soda and Cranberry measurements to the mix?

[@BehindtheBar]

somewhere around 4:1 mixer to spirit is usually good depending how lit you’re planning on getting haha!

[@ginafriend1690]

@@BehindtheBar Very FYI 😄 shared by 2. Thanks 😉

[@TeresaTeresaTeresa-t5o]

Omg that’s the biggest lime I have ever seen!

[@darrenscheyer1102]

Thank you for your videos Cara. Here's my question: I have a bar cart, and I find it somewhat difficult to build a round of drinks at the cart. So I grab what I need and take it to the kitchen island to build the drink and then put the bottle(s) back on the cart. Would you suggest doing that drink by drink, or grabbing all the bottles I need for the round of drinks?

[@BehindtheBar]

if you’re able to I’d definitely grab them all, or at least what you need to knock out a few at a time 😊

[@Jay78910]

Bar carts are from an era when drinks had less ingredients and ice buckets were more prevalent. Consider having a dedicated area/shelf in your kitchen, you'll find it's easier and quicker for anything beyond neat.

[@trimbaker1893]

Nice. Right on Cara. : ) George.

[@cobylyons4439]

Great tips, but this presentation begs the question: What do you do with the drinks you just made?

[@BehindtheBar]

Unfortunately there are some casualties when we film haha!

[@ЮрийПоликарпов-ц7ч]

🥰🥰🥰

[@kurtgustafson3346]

Wait…..scotch and coke? Is that a thing? I’m getting one!

[@jackwilson4284]

Works especially well as a smokey cokey with a heavily peated Islay like Ardbeg.

[@evasivedave8156]

I would love to see where people that order scotch and coke are taken out and dropped off in the middle of the outback with just that drink in a canteen.

[@BehindtheBar]

🤣

[@Barprints]

LOL....I've seen people kicked out of homes for that! 😂

[@nicolasnegrete3226]

Now some Tikis¡

[@controlledchaos8851]

Omg your beautiful 😍

[@naicesmassun8442]

Good grief! Your citrus are huge!

[@BehindtheBar]

🤣

[@MatthewOliphant]

Mmmm ... process videos...

[@little_billy]

Great video!!! Love that dress!!! You are lovely anyway,. Never thought of making drinks at my home bar that way, Learn a little something from each video. Oh, yes, trust you completely, the truth of it all, I see that in all your videos, the love and passion for what you do, with that smile, really makes you shine, Beautiful !!!