- Bartender's Handshake Recipe
- Fernet Branca Bartender's Handshake
- Bartender's Handshake Des Moines Iowa
There is a drink. A dark, viscous, bitter drink. An amaro. A fernet. It is a drink, that, when ordered as a shot, instantly makes one recognizable as someone who works in the beverage hospitality industry. It is Fernet-Branca, and it is the Bartender’s Handshake.
Just as a knowledge of and appreciation for Fernet-Branca will allow industry outsiders to step, honorarily, behind the scenes of this age-old profession, this blog aims to allow you, the craft cocktail enthusiast or aspiring bartender, to gain insight into how the pros make great drinks. The goal is to make information on things like amari, small-batch whiskey, international-style gins, terroir-infused mezcals and everything else in this amazing cocktail renaissance sweeping the world more accessible to everyone.
It’s the unspoken ritual of many a hospitality industry vet: the bartender’s handshake, that revered go-to drink from one barkeep to another. It’s equal parts secret password, insider’s wink, and sign of solidarity.
Along the way, we’ll showcase the tools and methods that bartenders use to make outstanding cocktails, discuss some history, some mythology (most cocktail history is mythology, after all), review a few classic recipes that highlight particular techniques as well as some of my own recipes that highlight particular flavors. We’ll talk about what makes a great drink great, and how you, the home cocktail enthusiast or future professional, can use that knowledge to make better drinks.
So have a seat at the bar, pour yourself a shot of Fernet, and enjoy your time at the Bartender’s Handshake!
Here are some links to get you started:
- It's been popular in NYC for about seven years. It was the bartender handshake here for a while, but it got so mainstream (I mean, normies started drinking it) that it's essentially meaningless now. You can find Fernet Branca in easily 80% of NYC bars. Shit, it's even on tap some places.
- The bartender’s handshake may be more exciting to barflies than to bartenders themselves, but it offers a glimpse of the soon-to-be hot spirits in bars everywhere. Jack Lauterback explores this year’s popular bartender.
- The Bartender’s Handshake, Des Moines, Iowa. 2,696 likes 59 talking about this 583 were here. A small, neighborhood cocktail bar. Serving craft cocktails, unique wines.
- 1 review of The Bartender's Handshake 'Now it's always nice to have a bar or two with in walking distance of your home! This place is perfect for a night cap, a date night, or just going out! This hip new spot on Ingersoll will soon be a destination for anyone wanting cool cocktails, craft brews, small bites, all.
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Bartender's Handshake Recipe
To get some pointers on how to bartend, go here for bartending primer and here for some in-depth bartending lessons.
Fernet Branca Bartender's Handshake
If you want to learn more about the booze that's in your drinks, go here.
Bartender's Handshake Des Moines Iowa
If you want to learn about some specific cocktails, here are some recipes to chose from.
Go here for the step by step documentation of my portable bar build, and here to purchase the complete plans for $1.99.
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