A threepack of questions about simple bar drinks

[SmackFu]

(Drinks are food, right? If this is in the wrong forum, sorry.)

1) Would you order a "vodka tonic" or a "vodka and tonic"?
2) How would you order a drink that was cranberry juice and vodka? Bonus: Would this be a "girlie drink"?
3) The biggie: what are all the standard drinks you can make with the basic spirits (gin, rum, vodka, tequila, maybe whiskey) and the mixers a bar would have on hand? Like rum and coke, gin and tonic, etc.

[Reeder]

1) Would you order a "vodka tonic" or a "vodka and tonic"?

Vodka Tonic


2) How would you order a drink that was cranberry juice and vodka? Bonus: Would this be a "girlie drink"?

Ask for a Granitas

3) The biggie: what are all the standard drinks you can make with the basic spirits (gin, rum, vodka, tequila, maybe whiskey) and the mixers a bar would have on hand? Like rum and coke, gin and tonic, etc.

Damn you aren't asking for much are ya?

Just google mixed drinks.

[Ephemera]

1. Vodka tonic.
2. Cape cod.
3. A hell of a lot.

[SmackFu]

Thanks. I screwed up the 3rd question. I meant more like "basic drinks you can make with one standard spirit + one standard mixer", like the examples I gave. If this is still too many to list, oh well.

[Cinnamon Girl]

1) Would you order a "vodka tonic" or a "vodka and tonic"?
"Vodka tonic."

2) How would you order a drink that was cranberry juice and vodka? Bonus: Would this be a "girlie drink"?
"Vodka cranberry." or "Cape Cod"

3) The biggie: what are all the standard drinks you can make with the basic spirits (gin, rum, vodka, tequila, maybe whiskey) and the mixers a bar would have on hand? Like rum and coke, gin and tonic, etc.
Try here (http://www.drinksmixer.com/) for a dizzying assortment of ideas. The more upscale bars will have more variety of mixers, I believe. Take a look at what everyone else is ordering. If you see mostly beer (especially draft or bottled domestics), the bar is stocked to serve mostly beer and the bartenders will probably not know but a few of the most common mixed drinks. YMMV, of course.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Oh, I see Aes beat me to it, but you'll have to ask him if he considers it a "girlie drink." I'm a girl, so I'm probably biased, but I'd say no. Just don't ask for an umbrella.

[LifeOnWry]

OK, I'll take a shot at #3 - I'm not sure I have the question right, but I'll try.

Vodka + tonic
Vodka + soda
Vodka + grapefruit juice = Greyhound
Vodka + grapefruit juice with salt on the glass rim = Salty Dog
Vodka + Rose's lime juice = Gimlet
Vodka + tomato juice or V8 = really basic Bloody Mary, but I wouldn't recommend it
Vodka + orange juice = Screwdriver
Vodka + an olive = beginner martini (but it really needs a LITTLE vermouth, too)

Is this what you mean? If so, I'll come back with more.

[Reeder]

Heh.

Granitas sounds much cooler than a *Cape Cod*

:D

[Cinnamon Girl]

Heh.

Granitas sounds much cooler than a *Cape Cod*

:D
Yes, but it sounds girlie. ;)

[Ephemera]

Oh, I see Aes beat me to it, but you'll have to ask him if he considers it a "girlie drink." I'm a girl, so I'm probably biased, but I'd say no. Just don't ask for an umbrella.

Ha. I'm biased too as I'm proudly not a "manly man". Except for jagermeister and tequila, my taste in alcohol is decidedly "girly".. I love margaritas, fuzzy navels, sangria, and amaretto sours and the only way you'll get me to drink vodka, gin, whiskey, or scotch is under pain of death.

[Hunter Hawk]

1) Would you order a "vodka tonic" or a "vodka and tonic"?
"Vodka tonic."
Note that you'll end up with well vodka if you order this. If you're okay with that, fine; otherwise, you should specify the brand you want--e.g., "Stoli and tonic". The use of the word "and" is optional, depending on what sounds best.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Ha. I'm biased too as I'm proudly not a "manly man". Except for jagermeister and tequila, my taste in alcohol is decidedly "girly".. I love margaritas, fuzzy navels, sangria, and amaretto sours and the only way you'll get me to drink vodka, gin, whiskey, or scotch is under pain of death.
Meh. I'll share a margarita with ya anytime! Especially one of those big ones and ESPECIALLY if it's got Midori or Grand Marnier in it! Yum! :D

[Jurph]

Standard mixers include

- tonic
- fruit juices (orange, cranberry, tomato, occasionally apple)
- sodas (Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, club soda)
- sour mix

Standard spirits include

- gin (one or two names)
- whiskey (at least ten ubiquitous "name" brands)
- vodka (usually not asked for by name, but comes in flavors)
- rum (spiced, coconut, several brand names)
- a sparkling wine for girly drinks

...and that's just off the top of my head from the last two open-bar functions I attended. Twenty big bottles of varying types and qualities of liquor times ten mixers gives the bartender a "short list" of 200 drinks he can make with just one mixer and just one liquor. Most aren't named, but you can ask for them pretty easily -- "I'll have a X AND Y please" -- even if you don't know the fancy name. The only exception I can think of is a "vodka and orange juice" which will definitely get you a funny look if you call it anything but a screwdriver.

For instance, a "rum and coke" might be called under the name "Captain (Morgan) and Coke" or a "Cuba Libre," and depending on the bartender and his supplies, all three of those drinks could come out with minute differences. When I ask for a whiskey and cranberry, I get a few funny looks, and then the bartender asks what kind of whiskey I want. I start off asking for Jameson if they've got it; I've settled for Canadian Club.

Realize that the short list of 200 gets bigger pretty fast. If you assume 20 liquors and 10 mixers, you get

200 unique drinks with one mixer and one liquor
2000 unique drinks with two mixers and one liquor (but who is going to add tomato juice to a rum and coke???)
4000 unique drinks with one mixer and two liquors (a screwdriver with a splash of coconut rum, sir?)

...and so on.

You can go check out webtender.com to see what commonly-known drinks can be made from the ingredients in your bar.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Note that you'll end up with well vodka if you order this. If you're okay with that, fine; otherwise, you should specify the brand you want--e.g., "Stoli and tonic". The use of the word "and" is optional, depending on what sounds best.
Well, I wouldn't usually because I wouldn't order one. IMHO the tonic is nastier than any cheap-ass well vodka. But, hey, I'm with you on this one. Some take it as a bit snobbish, but Stoli is a vast improvement over Popov. I'm partial to Grey Goose, myself. And Absolut Pepar in a Bloody Mary.

[SmackFu]

OK, I'll take a shot at #3 - I'm not sure I have the question right, but I'll try.You've got it exactly right. And the vodka list is probably the longest, since no one mixes rum and juice. Gag. So the theoretical 200 drinks isn't quite that long in reality.

[Reeder]

You've got it exactly right. And the vodka list is probably the longest, since no one mixes rum and juice. Gag. So the theoretical 200 drinks isn't quite that long in reality.

Actually rum goes very well with juice.


Pineapple juice especially.

[Eva Luna]

Actually rum goes very well with juice.


Pineapple juice especially.

And even better with mangoes. Unfortunately there aren't many bars where one will find an actual mango, so I have to make killer mango daiquiris at home.

[Hunter Hawk]

For instance, a "rum and coke" might be called under the name "Captain (Morgan) and Coke" or a "Cuba Libre,"
Nitpick: Cuba Libre != rum & coke. (It also has lime in it.)

[AppallingGael]

Note that you'll end up with well vodka if you order this. If you're okay with that, fine; otherwise, you should specify the brand you want--e.g., "Stoli and tonic".

Thanks for the tip; I'd thought I was pretty sharp ordering "vodka and Ocean Spray".

I've seen guys drinking Vodka-Cranberries fairly often at parties but rarely at a bar. If you do feel brave enough to order, I'd suggest just naming the ingredients so as not to seem to familiar with the thing.

[Hunter Hawk]

I'm partial to Grey Goose, myself.
Yeah, I normally drink Grey Goose because it's pretty common. Have you ever had Hangar One, though? It's very good.

[Reeder]

I have never tried Grey Goose vodka.

I did see a print ad for some vodka, forgive me, but I can't remember the brand, that bragged about being the second best after Grey Goose though.

[pulykamell]

(Drinks are food, right? If this is in the wrong forum, sorry.)

1) Would you order a "vodka tonic" or a "vodka and tonic"?


Vodka tonic.


2) How would you order a drink that was cranberry juice and vodka? Bonus: Would this be a "girlie drink"?


Vodka cranberry. Girlie? Maybe. I wouldn't drink it, but I don't necessarily think it's girlie.


3) The biggie: what are all the standard drinks you can make with the basic spirits (gin, rum, vodka, tequila, maybe whiskey) and the mixers a bar would have on hand? Like rum and coke, gin and tonic, etc.
[/quote]

a few more...

Scotch + club soda = Scotch & Soda aka
Whiskey + ginger ale = Highball
Gin + Vermouth = Martini
Gin + Grapefruit + salt on rim = Salty Dog (I've never had it with vodka)
Gin + Grapefruit = Greyhound (May also be made with vodka, but IMHO, gin mixes particularly well with bitter mixers like tonic and grapefruit juice.)
Whiskey + Sour Mix = Whiskey Sour
Vodka + Sour Mix = Vodka Sour
Gin + Sour Mix = Gin Sour
Vodka + Kahlua = Black Russian
Jack Daniels + Coke = Jack & Coke
Seagram's 7 +7-Up = 7 & &

[Cinnamon Girl]

Yeah, I normally drink Grey Goose because it's pretty common. Have you ever had Hangar One, though? It's very good.
Oooh, no. Thanks for the rec, Hunter. I'm going to have to try Buddha's hand and kaffir lime. They sound spectacular. I do loves me some good vodka.

Reeder, do try it. My vodka journey started with Stoli, then Absolut, then I discovered Grey Goose. Next will be Hangar One. I like the flavored vodkas for mixed drinks, but you also gotta have a good ole plain one, too. Oh, and I've never heard of a brand comparing itself as only second-best to another brand. Weird.

Eva Luna, doesn't a Mangotini (http://www.cocktailtimes.com/vodka/) sound good?

[Eva Luna]

Eva Luna, doesn't a Mangotini (http://www.cocktailtimes.com/vodka/) sound good?

I have issues with the whole concept of Finnish mango vodka; those three words were not meant to go together.

It was a nice idea, though.

[LifeOnWry]

You've got it exactly right. And the vodka list is probably the longest, since no one mixes rum and juice. Gag. So the theoretical 200 drinks isn't quite that long in reality.

Rum mixes beautifully with all kinds of juices. Its very nature is sorta tropical, and if you've got a coconut rum like Malibu, so much the better.

Gin and any kind of citrus juice = yuck. The aromatic agent in gin (juniper) is completely incompatible with sweet flavors, IMHO. Think brushing your teeth and drinking a big ol' glass of orange juice. Bleeeah.

If anyone's tending bar and you get an old fella who orders "bourbon and branch," that's just bourbon and water.

[Silver Fire]

Now, I'm not saying that [b]I[b] think a vodka cranberry is "girlie" but, after being told this particular (temporary) casino bar wouldn't make a Long Island tea, it's the very first thing the bartender recommended to me, a girl.

Just sayin'.

[Silver Fire]

And apparently, the effects of those girlie drinks have yet to wear off. Woo, coding fuck ups!

Oh, btw, vodka + kahlua = coffee martini, according to this (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5656491&postcount=17) post by QuickSilver.

They aren't great, IMO.

[pulykamell]

Gin and any kind of citrus juice = yuck. The aromatic agent in gin (juniper) is completely incompatible with sweet flavors, IMHO. Think brushing your teeth and drinking a big ol' glass of orange juice. Bleeeah.

I dunno. I do think it goes well with grapefruit (which isn't too sweet anyway.) Personally, I don't drink it except with tonic. Not much of a gin guy myself. It doesn't give me pleasure like a good bourbon, rye, or cognac do.

I'm not much of a vodka drinker anymore (I guess I just don't understand its appeal. At least gin has a flavor) but one oft-neglected vodka which is good is Tanqueray Sterling Vodka. It's easily one of the cleanest, smoothest vodkas out there, and my personal favorite straight vodka. (It also seems to be the vodka of choice of the Southwest Side Chicago Polish community.)

There are two more flavored vodkas I need to share. These are the only vodkas I drink with any degree of regularity. First, there's Zubrowka, a Polish vodka flavored with bison grass. Each bottle contains a tall blade of this grass, supposedly known for its aphrodisiac qualities. Anyhow, it's a wonderful vodka with an herbal flavor.

The second is Smirnov (http://www.pitt.edu/~slavic/courses/russ1771/labels/vodka/smper.jpg) Pepper Vodka (Pertsovaya). The Ukrainians are also pretty well known for their similar pepper & honey vodkas. This vodka has a light whiskey color to it and a relatively smooth taste with a sharp hot pepper finish.

[wolf in second hand clothing]

I have never tried Grey Goose vodka.

I did see a print ad for some vodka, forgive me, but I can't remember the brand, that bragged about being the second best after Grey Goose though.

Here's a fun little trick: Drink the bottle of Grey Goose yourself, then the next time you have/go to a party, fill the bottle with some random $20 vodka. All your friends will exclaim "how smooth it is!" and exclaim that "you really get what you're paying for!"

[even sven]

Yeah, once you get out of Gordon's and Winner's cup territory, most vodkas are a scam. By law they can't contain anything but alcohol and water. Some have better filtering processes than others, but none of them are worth much more than the pretty bottles. Vodka is 99.99% marketing, but if you want to pay sixty bucks a bottle, go right ahead.

I know plenty of guys that drink vodka with cranberry juice. I'd hesitate ordering it in a den of old men smoking cigars, but in a mixed group it should be fine.

A Lemon drop is vodka, lemon juice and suger syrup. Definitely girly.
A [b]Tom Collings[/i] is a good summer afternoon drink. It's gin, sour mix and soda.

If you pay attention, there is a bit of a code in drink naming. "Hairy" means to add half a shot of vodka. "Wall" or "Wallbanger" impies Galliano, used in harvey wallbangers. "Screw" or "Sex" involves orange juice.

[even sven]

Wow, I totally failed to code that. Sorry.

[edwino]

Not that I'm a professional drinker or anything, but:

I learned to drink vodka with Absolut. I then went to Russia for 2 and a half weeks and drank my weight in vodka (mainly Stoli, Moskovkaya, and very nice Siberian brands). I am decidedly unimpressed by Belvedere and Grey Goose when it compares to Stoli. I can tell a difference if I drink them neat, but the way to do that is with the vodka chilled and bartenders don't usually keep it that way. Perhaps Stoli is a sentimental favorite for me, but I think because it has been around forever and a day, people underrate it.

The thing about any spirit, IMHO, is as soon as you start adding mixers, or even water or ice, most people won't be able to tell Absolut/Stoli from Grey Goose and Belvedere. I think once you go to Smirnoff, which is an excellent mixing vodka, you can start to tell if you are drinking it on the rocks, but not with mixers.

I think the same is true of gin. I can't tell Beefeater from Bombay Sapphire once you add the tonic and a twist. I would venture the same is true about premium versus standard rums, bourbons, tequilas, whiskeys, and other spirits. Note that this doesn't mean to use McCormick's or Popov in your screwdrivers, but that the standard (not cheap) liquors are just as good once you add anything else. It is why serious whiskey drinkers will tell you to at most add only a splash of water to your single malt in order to appreciate it fully. Putting it on the rocks destroys the subtle flavors and you may as well be drinking a blend by that point.

Now to the OP -- I think there are several ingredients that you all are forgetting that are only stocked because they are key ingredients of popular mixed drinks. There are probably 20 or 30 of these that most bars cover. Bloody Marys (tomato juice & tabasco or mix), margaritas (triple sec and lime juice), Manhattans (bitters and all other kinds of garbage), martinis (vermouth), amaretto sours (sour mix and amaretto), gimlets (lime cordial), grenadine cocktails, contain non-standard ingredients.

[SPOOFE]

The aromatic agent in gin (juniper) is completely incompatible with sweet flavors, IMHO.
Singapore Sling. 'Nuff said! :D

'Course, a Sling has another alchohol to mix tastes with, so maybe that helps. But it's the only gin drink that I like now (I used to be really big into gin... huge Bombay Saphire fan... but my tastes have worn off).

As for "girlie drinks", I just say that if it gets me drunk, who cares? My typical trifecta of orderin's (this I deem the proper amount to have in a light night of hanging at the bar) includes a White Russian, a Singapore Sling, followed by a Strawberry Daiquiri. Great stuff.

[SPOOFE]

I would venture the same is true about premium versus standard rums, bourbons, tequilas, whiskeys, and other spirits.
Not so much with tequila... it's realy easy to tell a $15 bottle of Jose Cuerva from a $50 bottle of Patron... but tequila is kind of the odd one out among liquor, anyway.

[Hunter Hawk]

I think the same is true of gin. I can't tell Beefeater from Bombay Sapphire once you add the tonic and a twist. I would venture the same is true about premium versus standard rums, bourbons, tequilas, whiskeys, and other spirits.
Translation: "I don't have a refined palate." ;)

Seriously, though, at any one time I'll have somewhere around half a dozen different kinds of gin, rum, tequila, etc. in my home bar because they all have different flavor profiles that I like. Sure, if I'm going to have a mixer with an overwhelming flavor I'll use a cheaper spirit, but not all drinks kill the taste of the main ingredient that way--and while I won't drink gin straight, I will drink other spirits straight, and you can definitely tell the difference then.

[Reno Nevada]

Except for jagermeister and tequila, my taste in alcohol is decidedly "girly

Aesiron wins for 'least girly' drink! Jagermeister and tequila--what do you call that one, Grievous Bodily Harm? :p

[Insomniactress]

Which leads me to a most pressing question...

How do YOU make a Long Island Iced Tea?!

I've seen more than a couple of varieties online, and I'm perpetually confused - I'd hate to commit a social faux pas when I'm next entertaining (let's overlook the fact that I'm entertaining myself), so...is there a definitive ingredient list?

Are there favoured brands of the liquors involved?

[melondeca]

A Long Island Iced Tea consists of one half ounce of the following liquors: vodka, gin, triple sec, clear rum and clear tequila. Top these off with coke, stir and garnish with a lemon wedge. Enjoy your basic LIIT.

[pulykamell]

A Long Island Iced Tea consists of one half ounce of the following liquors: vodka, gin, triple sec, clear rum and clear tequila. Top these off with coke, stir and garnish with a lemon wedge. Enjoy your basic LIIT.

This is exactly it. Five whites: vodka, gin, triple sec, rum, tequila. I've always been taught to put in one part sour mix (or lemon juice and sugar syrup as well) and just a splash of coke. Serve over lots of ice. The acid is particularly important for cutting through the sharp alcoholic taste of the drink. Without it, I think Long Islands are too aggressive.


I think the same is true of gin. I can't tell Beefeater from Bombay Sapphire once you add the tonic and a twist. I would venture the same is true about premium versus standard rums, bourbons, tequilas, whiskeys, and other spirits.


I would agree with you. Straight alcohol is different, of course. You can tell a Knob Creek from a Jim Beam, but once you start mixing, most of this distinction is destroyed. (Not that I would ever in my life mix an upmarket whiskey with anything.)

[edwino]

Translation: "I don't have a refined palate." ;)Never claimed that I do -- I have little sense of smell and this severely limits me in progressing as a gourmand. Although it is great in my hobby of traveling to each wastewater and sewage treatment facility in the US.

Seriously, though, at any one time I'll have somewhere around half a dozen different kinds of gin, rum, tequila, etc. in my home bar because they all have different flavor profiles that I like. Sure, if I'm going to have a mixer with an overwhelming flavor I'll use a cheaper spirit, but not all drinks kill the taste of the main ingredient that way--and while I won't drink gin straight, I will drink other spirits straight, and you can definitely tell the difference then.Again, I'm not talking about a) cheap liquor and b) liquor straight or with little mix. Your standard bar G&T (1/3 gin if you are lucky, in a highball glass topped with tonic and ice with a healthy squeeze of lime) is what I'm talking about. Yes there is a reason to avoid cheap tequila in a margarita, but I don't think there is a reason to use Patron in a margarita. The difference is minimal, IMHO. I'm not talking shots of Don Julio versus tequila that comes in a plastic bottle with a sombrero on the lid. This especially applies to vodka -- so many people get the vodka & Sprite or the vodka tonic or the screwdriver with Grey Goose. IMHO it is foolish, when Smirnoff will do equally well. But I think the same is true for mixed drinks with most other liquors.

[Hunter Hawk]

Your standard bar G&T (1/3 gin if you are lucky, in a highball glass topped with tonic and ice with a healthy squeeze of lime)
:eek: Translation: "I'm going to the wrong bars."

When I mentioned the half-dozen different types of gin, I could definitely tell the differences between them when used in a gin & tonic.

[Spoons]

The only exception I can think of is a "vodka and orange juice" which will definitely get you a funny look if you call it anything but a screwdriver.I have been to one or two places where "vodka and orange juice" is counted as a standard highball, and priced accordingly (say, $4.50). A "screwdriver," however, is on the premium cocktail list, with martinis and manhattans and such, and also priced accordingly (say, $5.50).

I don't agree with this practice, though it really doesn't affect me much--hey, I drink mostly beer anyway, though I'd never turn up my nose at dry martinis, single-malt Scotches; and yes, vodka-and-tonics--but sometimes, it seems, you have to be careful what you ask for. As always, caveat emptor.

Whiskey + ginger ale = HighballMaybe this is a regional thing--around here, any simple liquor + mix combo is referred to by the standard designation "highball." You'll sometimes see on a bar's drink menu or chalkboard something like, "Happy Hour Highballs, $3.50," meaning a drink of liquor and mix: rum and Coke, vodka and OJ, gin and tonic, and so on.

[Biffy the Elephant Shrew]

Gin and any kind of citrus juice = yuck.
Any kind of citrus juice? A gin & tonic isn't complete until you've squeezed the lime wedge into it.

[Ephemera]

Aesiron wins for 'least girly' drink! Jagermeister and tequila--what do you call that one, Grievous Bodily Harm? :p

Gah, no. Not together. Although now that you've put it in my mind, I might try it.

How does "Double Homicide" sound?

[edwino]

Gah, no. Not together. Although now that you've put it in my mind, I might try it.

How does "Double Homicide" sound?Behold the Harsh (http://www.webtender.com/db/drink/1288). I wonder if anybody has actually drank that? Yuck.

[pulykamell]

Maybe this is a regional thing--around here, any simple liquor + mix combo is referred to by the standard designation "highball." You'll sometimes see on a bar's drink menu or chalkboard something like, "Happy Hour Highballs, $3.50," meaning a drink of liquor and mix: rum and Coke, vodka and OJ, gin and tonic, and so on.

Highball is one of those drinks that are named after the glass they are served in, rather than any meaningful marriage of ingredients. The original highball started out as rye + club soda (ya know, whiskey soda) but eventually morphed into rye + ginger, then eventually into any whiskey + ginger ale. These days it seems to mean any spirit + any carbonated beverage served in a highball glass. It's like the word martini (a particular pet peeve of mine.) Anything containing more than gin or vodka, vermouth, and olives should not be called a martini, imho. Appletinis are not martinis. Neither are chocolate martinis. They are just cocktails that happen to be served in a martini glass.

But, oh well, it is a living language, after all, so what can I do?

[voguevixen]

(2) How would you order a drink that was cranberry juice and vodka? Bonus: Would this be a "girlie drink"?


I'm sort of surprised no one has mentioned it yet (unless I missed it) but depending on how strong you want it, you could order a Cosmopolitan. This is a "martini"-style drink usually served "up" in a cocktail glass, but if you associate cocktail glasses with "Sex in the City" bimbos you could order a "Cosmopolitan, rocks" which would be served to you on ice in a rocks glass, (or neat, which would come iceless in one of those largish shot glasses, which probably have their own name that's eluding me.) The difference between a Cosmo and a Cape Cod is the ratio of juice to booze. A Cape cod is cranberry juice with a slug of vodka in it, and a Cosmopolitan is vodka with a splash of cranberry, pretty much. It is girly-looking, but not girly strengthed.

[pulykamell]

I'm sort of surprised no one has mentioned it yet (unless I missed it) but depending on how strong you want it, you could order a Cosmopolitan. This is a "martini"-style drink usually served "up" in a cocktail glass, but if you associate cocktail glasses with "Sex in the City" bimbos you could order a "Cosmopolitan, rocks" which would be served to you on ice in a rocks glass, (or neat, which would come iceless in one of those largish shot glasses, which probably have their own name that's eluding me.) The difference between a Cosmo and a Cape Cod is the ratio of juice to booze. A Cape cod is cranberry juice with a slug of vodka in it, and a Cosmopolitan is vodka with a splash of cranberry, pretty much. It is girly-looking, but not girly strengthed.

No. That's not right. A cosmopolitan has vodka, triple sec (or cointreau), lime and cranberry juice. It is NOT a simple vodka cranberry.

[Hunter Hawk]

No. That's not right. A cosmopolitan has vodka, triple sec (or cointreau), lime and cranberry juice. It is NOT a simple vodka cranberry.
Specifically, it is:

5 parts lemon vodka (originally Absolut Citron)
5 parts triple sec (originally Cointreau, but Stock brand triple sec is recommended)
4 parts fresh lime juice
Dash or two of cranberry juice (really just for color)

(The above recipe is as described by the guy who invented it, and can be found in the book Cosmopolitan: A Bartender's Life. The author is Toby Cecchini.)

[Only Mostly Dead]

Behold the Harsh (http://www.webtender.com/db/drink/1288). I wonder if anybody has actually drank that? Yuck.
I was going to contribute the same link myself. Though I definitely prefer the name "Grievous Bodily Harm".

It reminds me of my favorite (to hear fabled stories of) mess-your-head drink, the Irish Carbomb (http://www.webtender.com/db/drink/4194). Apparantly it doesn't hit for a few minutes after you finish, but when it does, it's like a bomb going off.

[InternetLegend]

Vodka tonic, and I don't bother specifying the vodka because I don't expect much from bar drinks. And I'm cheap.

I just call it a vodka and cranberry juice, because I don't want to seem overly familiar with the drink. I do think it's girlie, because my father taught me that any drink with juice in it was girlie. Then again, he was a snob among alcoholics, so I thought that might have just been him until the last time I ordered one and the bartender included a veritable fruit salad on a swizzle stick (a sure sign you're holding a girlie drink). Of course, she did the same when I switched to vodka tonics, so maybe she just thought I looked like I needed some fresh fruit with my alcohol.

As for combinations, the previous posters are far more well-versed than I am. I'm still working on the vodka drinks.

[melondeca]

The Irish Carbomb is one of the greatest drinks ever created. My friends and I go to our local pub specifically to drink these all night. It is thick and strong at first but when you get to the bottom of the glass it tastes like a good cappucino. Yum. These drinks also work to my advantage because most guys don't believe that a girl can drink more or faster than they can so a challenge usually ensues to see who can finish their carbomb the fastest. Of course, I always win which means free drinks for me. Yeah. :D

[bouv]

The Irish Carbomb is one of the greatest drinks ever created. My friends and I go to our local pub specifically to drink these all night. It is thick and strong at first but when you get to the bottom of the glass it tastes like a good cappucino. Yum. These drinks also work to my advantage because most guys don't believe that a girl can drink more or faster than they can so a challenge usually ensues to see who can finish their carbomb the fastest. Of course, I always win which means free drinks for me. Yeah. :D

You must be my dreamwoman.

Seriously, an Irish Carbomb is my favourite drink. I know there are a few variations, and I'm at work so the internet filter won't let me see the one that was linked to at webtender, but my version is as follows:

Pint of Guiness (obviously Draught if they have it, if not, then go for the kind in the can. Don't use bottles unless that's all you can get (mainly cause the bottles have less in them :p))
3/4 shot of Irish Cream
1/4 Shot of Jameson Whiskey.

Pour Guiness into pint glass. Pour irish cream into shot glass, top off with the jameson. Drop the shotglass into the Guiness and chug like Hell!

For those not familiar with it, if you don't chug it fast enough, then the guiness will curdle the irish cream and you will be drinking whiskey flavored guiness with little cream chunks floating in it.

[pulykamell]

:eek: It should be a sin to sully your Guinness like that! Heathen!

[Cerri]

The big trend here lately is Jaegerbombs. A bar glass of Red Bull with a shot of Jaeger dropped into it (ala boilermaker style), and chug the whole thing.

They're actually pretty good, tastes like grape juice to me. And woo they hit you hard after a couple.

[mazinger_z]

:eek: It should be a sin to sully your Guinness like that! Heathen! I disagree. I love all things Guiness, and I would gladly trade car bombs with a comely less ready to test her drinking prowess.

Also, a pint of Guiness is actually too much Guiness. Less Guiness means more tasty Bailey's and Jamison's, and less spillage -- b/c after all, this is a competition.

[pulykamell]

Well, chugging Guinness is just plain wrong. Dumping Bailey's and Jameson's into Guinness is the Work of the Devil. You must savor your drinks, not guzzle them down like a wild fratboy with no regard to taste or tradition.

I tell ya, kids these days...

[Necros]

Just as another posted mentioned where a rum and coke != a Cuba Libre, a vodka and cranberry != a Cape Code. Both drinks require the addition of lime.

And, AFAIK, a Long Island Iced Tea does not traditionally contain tequila. It's all the clears, sweet and sour, splash of cola.

[melondeca]

I disagree. I love all things Guiness, and I would gladly trade car bombs with a comely less ready to test her drinking prowess.

Also, a pint of Guiness is actually too much Guiness. Less Guiness means more tasty Bailey's and Jamison's, and less spillage -- b/c after all, this is a competition.

Hmmm...is that a challenge? ;)

[SPOOFE]

You guys want a good "dare" drink, then order your buddy a double Gorilla Fart. Two shots Bacardi 151, two shots Wild Turkey. Tastes like a gorillas ass, and gets you royally fucked up.

Word of warning: If you're so drunk that you can shoot a Gorilla Fart without retching, you're in trouble. You might as well just head to the crapper right then and there and wait for the inevitable.

[pulykamell]

And, AFAIK, a Long Island Iced Tea does not traditionally contain tequila. It's all the clears, sweet and sour, splash of cola.

I've always been taught it has the following five: vodka, rum, triple sec, tequila, gin. This site claiming the original recipe agrees. (http://www.ivillage.co.uk/food/tools/recipefinder/display_recipe/0,,6210,00.html)

[Necros]

I've always been taught it has the following five: vodka, rum, triple sec, tequila, gin. This site claiming the original recipe agrees. (http://www.ivillage.co.uk/food/tools/recipefinder/display_recipe/0,,6210,00.html)

Interesting. Well, in my defense, all I can say is that thewre are bartending schools out there teaching their students the wrong way to make a Long Island Iced Tea. Thanks for the info. ;)

[BurnMeUp]

Heh.

Granitas sounds much cooler than a *Cape Cod*

:D

I was always under the impression a granitas was a frozen drink similar to a maguerita or daqueri.