Know your Algonguin from your El Diablo

The Glossary

Sometimes it can appear that us bartenders are speaking in a foreign tongue, this page helps to get us all speaking the same language.

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Old Fashioned Glass

The technical difference between a rocks glass and an old fashioned glass is that although usually the same shape and size, an old fashioned glass has a concave bottom on the inside.  This was designed to help crush the sugar, water and bitters into a paste in the bottom of the glass when making an Old Fashioned cocktail.

Although these glasses come in a range of sizes I personally recommend getting one around 12oz (340ml).

Old Tom Gin

A sweetened version of London Dry Gin, popular in the 19th century but soon disapperared.  Now being reprodcued done to the revived interest in classic cocktails from that era.