There are several newer members in my bartending groups on Facebook and LinkedIn who joined from links in other bartending groups I belong to, so I decided to give them a list they can dig into right away even if they know nothing about Mnemonics, so the can begin to experience some benefits more or less immediately.
(Scroll down to see several drinks to memorize quickly using the acrostic memory technique)
Just an FYI to you, I also have a non-bartending specific version of a mnemonics group (strictly memory techniques) at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mnemonotechnique/
That said, in the mnemonic bartending group I mention “acrostics” a few times, which are popularly used to help memorize certain drink recipes. I don’t think I listed them here. First though, an “acrostic” is kind of like an acronym (an acronym is like NASA for “National Aeronautics and Space Administration”) where each letter of the acronym stands for the first letter of something else, only the acronym is just one word. An ACROSTIC uses the first letter of each word in a whole sentence to stand for what needs to be remembered.
EXAMPLES OF DRINK RECIPE ACROSTICS:
ORGASM: “Keep Bouncing Around”
Kahlua
Bailey’s
Amaretto
RED HEADED SLUT: “Just Pay Cash“
Jägermeister
Peach Schnapps
Cranberry Juice
SURFER ON ACID: “Just Can’t Paddle“
Jägermeister
Coconut Rum
Pineapple Juice
LYNCHBURG LEMONADE “Jack Tripper Sips 7-Up“
Jack Daniels
Triple Sec
Sour Mix
7-Up
WASHINGTON APPLE: “Crazy Cran Apples“
Crown Royal
Cranberry Juice
Apple Pucker
KAMIKAZE: “Very Tragic Landing“
Vodka
Triple Sec
Lime Juice
B-52: “Kills Bad Guys“
Kahlua
Bailey’s
Grand Marnier
BUTTERY NIPPLE: “Buttery Boobs“
Butterscotch Schnapps
Bailey’s
LEMON DROP: “Very Tart & Sweet“
Vodka
Triple Sec
Sour Mix
LIQUID COCAINE: “Just Get Ripped“
Jägermeister
Goldschläger
Rumpleminze
OATMEAL COOKIE: “Just Bring Golden Butter“
Jägermeister
Bailey’s
Goldschläger
Butterscotch Schnapps
KEYLIME PIE: “Very Likeable Lime Cake“
Vodka
Licor 43
Lime Juice (Roses)
Cream
CARROT CAKE: “Bakers Keep Golden Butter“
Bailey’s
Kahlua
Goldschläger
Butterscotch Schnapps
SIDECAR: (Sugared Rim) “Brandy’s Train Station”
Brandy
Triple Sec
Sour Mix
DREAMSICLE: “All Our Children (Dream)“
Amaretto
Orange Juice
Cream
CREAMSICLE: “Wise Children Take Orange Candy“
White Cacao
Triple Sec
Orange Juice
Cream
MUDSLIDE: “Very Bad Kids Cry“
Vodka
Bailey’s
Kahlua
Cream
BLUE HAWAIIAN: “Little Blue People Surf“
Light Rum
Blue Curacao
Pineapple Juice
Sour Mix
RED SNAPPER: “A Crown Catch“
Amaretto
Crown Royal
Cranberry Juice
JOLLY RANCHER: “A Mix of Sheep & Ponies“
Apple Pucker
Midori
Sour Mix
Pineapple Juice
GREEN TEA: “Irish People’s Shot“
Irish Whiskey
Peach Schnapps
Sour Mix
PURPLE HOOTER: “Violet Colored Shooter“
Vodka
Chambord
Sour Mix
SEX WITH AN ALLIGATOR: “Many Singles Crave Jäger“
Midori
Sour Mix
Chambord
Jägermeister
SEX ON THE BEACH: “Very Passionate Couples Only“
Vodka
Peach Schnapps
Cranberry Juice
Orange Juice
There are a few more I’ve seen… if I find them I’ll post them tomorrow (Friday) probably later in the evening. I don’t use them much except for backups – and to teach others. They’re good though, and do come in handy.
I created one myself two weeks ago for the Scooby Snack:
SCOOBY SNACK: “President Biden Whipped Mario Cuomo” (whipped him as in during an election)
Pineapple Juice (¾ oz)
Banana Liqueur (¾ oz)
Whipped Cream (2 oz)
Midori (¾ oz)
Coconut Rum (¾ oz)
I think they work very well for shooters because most shooters combine all ingredients in equal amounts (all ½ oz or ¾ oz) so simple lists work great. They’re virtually always in shooter or rock glasses, and for the most part have no garnishes.
You can also rhyme or rhythm memorize. Rhythm memorization is a technique we all used (without knowing it was a technique at that time) when we learned the alphabet song.
Rhyming works too. One example is for the SEX ON THE BEACH:
“Sex on the Beach
Is a Madras with Peach!“
The same goes for remembering the difference between a “Sea Breeze” (vodka, cranberry, grapefruit juice) and a “Bay Breeze” (vodka, cranberry, pineapple juice). Since one gets pineapple (starts with the letter p) and one gets grapefruit juice – all you have to do to remember the difference between a Bay and a Sea Breeze is “No p(ee) in the sea.”
These are pretty convenient for memorizing simple ingredient lists, and most are easily associated with the names of the individual drinks. Moreover, where the bartender learns drink category standard formula pours (3 parts X, 1 part Y, for instance, then they work well enough, to get through alright, but they really shine with simple all equal ingredient parts shooters. Acrostics fall apart where drinks become complex and a lot of them need to be learned.
Site Author, David Jonathan Curtis: David Jonathan Curtis, a seasoned professional in his fifth decade of bartending and bar management, began his career in Midtown Manhattan, NY, tending and managing bars before diving into Manhattan’s bustling nightlife scene. Over the years, he has mastered high-volume, high-pressure bartending as the lead bartender in both iconic Midtown clubs and Wall Street bars, generating over $1,350,000.00 annually in personal drink sales. He has since extended his expertise to establishments in Georgia and now Tampa, Florida. David’s roles as a Bartending Instructor at the American Bartending School in Tampa, while maintaining a second job bartending, and his years experience of managing bars, and working as a Brand Ambassador along with his extensive professional library of over 1,000 bartending books, highlight his dedication to continually refining his craft. He holds a diploma in Bar Management and is BarSmarts certified by Pernod Ricard.
