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.

A

Absinthe

A liqueur flavoured with wormwood ( Artemisia Absinthium ), aniseed, angelica, cloves, etc, coloured yellow-green. Invented by a Frenchman ( Dr Ordinaire ) in Couvet, Switzerland. The recipe was sold to a Mr Pernod in 1797, was banned as absinthe in 1914 because of toxic nature. To drink ( classical method ) : place an absinthe spoon over a small stemmed glass and put a cube of sugar in the center of the spoon. Pour a measure of absinthe over the sugar and set the cube alight. The molten sugar and absinthe will drip into the glass ( setting fire to the absinthe in the glass ), when all the sugar has melted, douse with a little iced water and drink.

ABV

Alcohol By Volume.

Angostura Bitter

Famous Rum based Bitters, created in 1824 by Dr J.G.B Siegert, flavoured with bark and gentian, originally produced in Venezuela and now produced in Trinidad. 44.7% abv. Get its name from the venezuelian town its been created in. Now called Ciudad Bolivar.

Aperitif

A pre meal drink. Cocktail to encourage the gastric juices to flow. Can be a commercially made product or a mixed drink. eg : Fino sherry or a Dry Martini.