No, not like rightthissecond (though I wouldn’t fight you on it if you offered me one). I need like “a” drink, “my” drink. I’m 26 years old and ordering a drink at a bar literally sends me into frazzled mode when I think I want something other than a beer or wine. Granted, that ever happening is rare, but here’s why:
I’ve never really been the kind of person to have “the usual” anywhere I go. Every time I stare up at the menu boards at my favorite local delis and cafes, it’s as if I expect that they’ve changed since the last time I’ve been there. Up until recently, I could never make up my mind when it came to what kind of coffee drink I wanted in the mornings (cold press, half a shot of hazelnut syrup, soy milk, if you want to buy me coffee soon).
So, lately as I’ve watched my (classier? cooler?) friends saddle up to the bar and confidently order their Grey Goose and sodas or their Jameson on the rocks or their vodka cranberries, I take my sweet time perusing the beer and wine menus and typically opt for something that falls into some combination of these categories:
- It’s Minnesota made
- I’ve never heard of it
- It’s a Pinot Noir or a Sauv Blanc (depends on the season), or again, something I’ve never heard of
While I’m perfectly happy with a Premo or a Pinot, I’d like to expand my horizons a bit, but I don’t know where to start. So this is where I’m asking you to weigh in.
What’s YOUR cocktail?
And more importantly, what should mine be?
Some guidelines for your suggestions to me:
- I veto Captain Morgan. No, not because of some bad night in college. Because I seriously can’t stand that shit.
- Let’s not get too froofy about it. I love me some Colorado Bulldogs, but ordering what’s really a glorified Grown Up Chocolate Milk in a place like the CC Club just doesn’t seem right (then again, ordering anything there thats not a pitcher of Premium just doesn’t seem right).
- Scratch that. Anything’s fair game.
That’s about it for rules. Now, HELP!
Doniree Walker is an aspiring yogini, jet-setter, foodie, and story-teller. She's a writer and geek girl by trade, and a lover and a connector by lifestyle, and is currently obsessed with: train travel, single-serving chocolate milk, and brand new notebooks. Oh, and she's also part supergirl. Wanna be friends? 
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Take a pick: whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila. I can probably recommend something. I’ve been trying to find a drink of my own, so I’ve done some research (drinking).
why do i feel like this has something to do with my deep, crazy love affair with all things malibu bay breezes? maybe i’m being full of myself, but i mean… i talk about it all the time and probably sound like quite the alcoholic.
here’s what your signature cocktail MUST be:
-enjoyable. don’t order something that you think will make you look cool. (not that you would. just saying) it should be easy to drink, easy to make and appropriate in all situations and seasons.
-pretty. i like pink. i think that’s why i started drinking the bay breeze.
-not too strong. i’m not kidding. no one likes a signature drink that puts you on your ass after two. that’s what martinis are for and personally, i only slam back two of those babies in the most dire of situations. you need to be able to have this signature drink in your hand all night and remain some semblance of class. (not really, but i mean.. it sounds good, right? thought so.)
-you should be able to re create this drink on your own in pitchers with ease. this is important.
the end.
I’m a fan of Stoli Raspberry and Sprite. It’s quite tasty.
Though, I did try a Black Russian over the weekend, and it tasted like coffee…which made me happy as well.
If it means taking one for the team, we can go out on a binge one night and just try everything. I’ll do it because I love you.
My signature cocktail is a Grey Goose & tonic. That’s usually my old standby. The great thing about this is most of my friends always know what to order for me without asking! If I’m only going to have one drink that night, though, I get Macallan 12 on the rocks. Because I’m hardcore that way and scotch makes me fun. So, those 2 choices are of the Definitely Not Froofy variety. Honestly, when I tell guys (especially older ones) that those are my drinks, they’re pretty impressed by it. Also, they’ll knock you on your ass and make you forget your name if you let them.
I really WANT to be a gin & tonic drinker, but I’m still acquiring the taste for gin. Right now I like it in gimlets, but some places make shitty gimlets, so what can you do, right?
Wine is a good standby, too. Classy lady drinkin’ wine, right over here! I usually get red and reserve white for Summer day-time drinking.
I don’t have a beer of choice because I’ve made it my personal mission in life to try as many different beers as humanly possible.
My drink if not beer at a bar is a Whiskey Sour. I order them every where. I showed a bar in Ireland how to make them. If I go to a bar that I know makes this, I get a Porn Star. My College Campus pub and a few in Toronto have them. Those are my drinks.
My personal drink is capt and diet coke. Otherwise a Strawberry Stripper is good. or if it’s just a drink with a friend- I’ll go for a Cosmo and limit myself to one.
To me there’s nothing like a good Jack & Coke (any cheaper or more expensive bourbon should be drank on the rocks).
At a restaurant no longer open there was an off menu drink called “XXX Strawberry lemonade” it was pretty much a long island iced tea but with strawberry lemonade all made up into a big mason jar. If you find a place that makes that you have to let me know!
My 3 favorite go to drinks are a rum & coke, margarita on the rocks and a tom collins. I discovered the tom collins a few months back and fell in love, they are really yummy and refreshing!
This has been my crusade for the last month or so, one I have no luck with. I love me a mojito but I’m rarely happy with them when I order them at bars. I’m trying to acquire a taste for scotch but it’s a slow process. I’m thinking about giving gimlets a try, seems like a good drink for anytime of year.
If I had a recommendation I would go with a Tom Collins, they are usually pretty well done.
I drink mojitos (and the occasional bellini) in the summer and gin and tonic in the cooler months. That’s really all I drink besides beer and wine. I like to keep it simple!
When I indulged more often in cocktails (as opposed to wine and beer, like I do now) I would order Stoli and lemonade, Jack and 7UP or waaaaayyy back it was Rum and OJ. The Stoli/lemonade is deeply satisfying on a hot hot summer night, on a breezy patio with a cute guy staring at you. I’m just sayin’……
Now? If I’m getting a cocktail it’s a martini ‘cuz I *love* the glass shape (can’t tell you why tho) and often it’s a Lemon Drop. But if it isn’t wine these days, it’s beer. A good Summit, or a Sam Adams Shandy.
Now I’m thirsty…..
My drink is a Tom Collins, but some bars make them too lime-y and not lemon-y enough.
Just a reminder; July 10, 5p-7p, at the Cellars in Woodbury, a free Scotch tasting. You may find something to your liking and open a new door.
If you go, I may go back and attend with you.
Rachel is right about having something you can nurse for a long time. If you are new to “true” martini’s you can nurse on one for a long time. Your mom says mine taste like lighter fluid, even though I use top shelf vodka or gin.
I always loved Long Island Tea, but 2 or 3 and you will need a nurse.
When we were 18, we’d go to Pensacola to Rosie O’Grady’s and get Hurricane’s (with the flame), but 2 or 3 of those and it “Hail the cab” time.
Whatever you choose, have a glass of water in-between each and save a few $$$.
Love ya
After reading your dad’s comment I am pretty sure I love him!
My favorite go to drink has usually been an absolute cranberry, but lately I’ve really taken a liking to mojitos. I definitely understand your anxiety though when it comes to ordering the ‘perfect’ drink. I’m willing to take one for the team with you some day soonish and we can just, you know, try them all.
four of my favorites:
amaretto sours = whiskey sours’ sweeter/high schoolier cousin
mint julep = delicious and refreshing!
vodka tonic = when you’re not interested in the sugar…
manhattan = old man lawyer drink!
After bartending for awhile, I noticed that a girl drinking a good beer with confidence gets the most interesting conversation and company. And I don’t mean “bad” interesting. I mean, the good guys, girls, old married couples etc would find that girl and she’d have a good time.
My favorite is, and always will be, a Jack and Coke. Not effing pepsi. Coke.
If you’re splurging, anything Glenlivet (yum, Scotch whiskey!) and soda (or even water) is pretty delicious.
Try some Glenlivet and water or soda. You drink like an old man anyway.
Very nice. I’m a sweet drink kind of girl because, well, hard liquor doesn’t go well with me. (Imagine that.) Like you, I drink a lot of wine and beer. BUT if I do have the occasional cocktail, my favorites are: a madras (vodka + OJ + cranberry juice), an amaretto sour or a white grape martini. All three are delish!
your dad and me? i have a feeling we are going to get along FANTASTICALLY.
I have had the exact same problem for EVER. I am just beginning my foray into the beer world, so for years we’d go to dive bars and I’d be stuck with a rum & coke or some crappy wine. I panic when faced with copious options (this is why I never go to Coldstone. My obsession with ice cream combined with their endless selection is literally paralyzing.) So I think I’ve settled on the following defaults, just so I don’t end up ordering something I hate:
“Beer” Bars (where everyone is ordering beer, but you’re not in the mood) : Vodka Gimlet
Something Sweet: Stoli Raspberry, sprite with a lime OR Three Olives cherry vodka and diet coke (usually only at sweenys)
Wine: Any Malbec if they have it.
If I feel like getting trashy (but in a classy way): Brandy Manhattan
I usually stick with a Grey Goose and Tonic or a Hendricks Gin and Tonic with cucumber. Delicious.
Remember when your dad commented on your blog? That’s amazing. Also? once you pick yourself a cocktail, I’d like you to pick me one too! (Please..)
Recently my signature cocktail has been a dirty vodka martini, extra olives. Basically a way to hide the fact that I’m drinking straight vodka.
As a former bartender I can tell you this: things like mojitos, strawberry strippers, and white russians are generally for inexperienced drinkers, people who don’t care to taste their booze, or kids who are still in the ‘yummy’ phase. Beyond that they’re a bitch to make and thus if you are drinking them all night you should probably know that you are annoying the piss out of your bartender….just saying. So what’s a girl to do? You have a couple of options that will garner respect from your bartender, show a bit of class, and ultimately make you a more well rounded alcoholic. First, the wine. Red or white, sparkling or not, there is such a staggering variety of wine out there to be discovered. Nearly all of them have subtle differences in flavor and complexity and I know that an adventurous girl like you can appreciate that. But where to start? Hit the library or Barnes and Noble and pick up a book about wine basics. Arm yourself with some facts about wine and you’ll probably find yourself eager to dive in. As you read you’ll get some ideas and you may just find yourself happily lost amongst the possibilities. Remeber with wine (as with anything) it’s all about what tastes good to you. Don’t ever let some snob tell you what’s what…if you like it, own it…just try not to get stuck on Franzia
This way you can try something new whenever you want and not annoy the bartender by saying things like “What do you like?” or “Make me something yummy.” When it comes to liquor, I suggest that you start with what you know. Do you generally prefer whiskey? Gin? Vodka? Tequila? Take whatever it is that appeals to you the most (or the one or two that don’t make you sick to smell them) and start there. Decent liquors have a flavor of their own that can’t be easily appreciated when they are diluted by sugary sodas or juices. Not that there’s anything wrong with a nice 7&7 or a Jack and Coke, but think about it, when you mask the flovor of the booze so heavily, it can be difficult to decide if you even like the alcohol. So I suggest that you try to develop a taste for things like vodka sodas, whiskey waters, and gin and tonics. Try to think of your libations as things to be savored just a bit. Remember, a cicktail isn’t meant to quench your thirst, it’s meant to be enjoyed and experienced just a bit more than your bottle of water or your Diet Coke. When it comes to beer, my take is similar to the way I feel about wine. Try a variety of things from a variety of regions (have you tried many Belgian ales? They’re very often quite flavorful and usually they have a bit more kick in the alcohol department than your average American lager) but remember to go with what tastes good to you. Don’t let some snob tell you that you’re weak just because you don’t care for Guiness. If you’re choking anything down then you’re not enjoying yourself and you’re depriving yourself of the (second) most important aspect of alcohol consumption. Lastly, remember that it’s okay to change your mode with the changing seasons. A refreshing gin and tonic is perfect for an outdoor event during the Summer, and no one would blame you for going with something heavier and headier during the dead of winter. Anywhoo, I hope my rambling gave you some insight. Be sure to let us (your readers) know how the Summer shapes up for you drinking-wise. Cheers!
Hey Doni,
I left a really long, thoughtful reply to this post but I guess it didn’t show up. It was a good three or four paragraphs! Who knows, maybe I hit the back button or something. Anyway, I hope you figured out your new drink.
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