Imagine starting your first day as a Bartender, and your customer orders an “old fashioned” — but you have no idea how to make it. This guide will help prevent that from happening by discussing how to memorize drinks as a Bartender, including cocktail recipes and simple steps to follow.
5 Steps To Memorize Drinks as a Bartender
To become a Bartender, you need to have good communication skills, work efficiency and a good memory. For the third part, we got you covered.
Follow the five steps below to develop a strong drink memory and be the most efficient Bartender you can be.
1. Know the Popular Cocktails
Start by memorizing the basics, like margaritas, martinis and Long Island iced teas, as these are most likely what people will order. Knowing the basics will make for a good foundation and get you started fast.
For example, a margarita has three main ingredients: tequila, lime juice and triple sec — with a salt rim.
To cover your bases, try learning the recipe for at least one cocktail from each liquor category — tequila, rum, gin, whiskey and vodka. You can also check out our collection of the 30 best Bartender drink recipes.
Keep in mind that there are also non-alcoholic drinks that you should know how to make just in case one of your customers does not drink alcohol.
2. Learn the Classifications
Classifications refer to the categorizations of cocktails based on their ingredients, characteristics or preparation methods. Understanding drink classifications can help you organize recipes and recall them later on more easily.
Check out some classifications below, together with examples and descriptions. Keep in mind that some drinks (like whiskey sour) can share two or more classifications because of their characteristics.
| Classification | Examples | Description |
| Classic Cocktails | • Margarita • Old Fashioned | Timeless drinks with basic ingredients like spirits, sugar, bitters and citrus |
| Highballs | • Gin and Tonic • Whiskey Sour | Tall, mixed drinks with a base spirit and a larger amount of mixer (soda, tonic, etc.) |
| Tiki Cocktails | • Mai Tai • Piña Colada | Fruity, tropical cocktails often featuring rum, juices and exotic garnishes |
| Martinis | • Classic Martini • Cosmopolitan | Elegant, spirit-forward cocktails served chilled, often with gin or vodka |
| Sours | • Whiskey Sour • Pisco Sour | Drinks with a base spirit, citrus juice and sweetener, offering a balance of sweet and sour flavors |
| Shooter Drinks | • Kamikaze • Lemon Drop | Small, strong drinks typically consumed in one go. They’re often vodka- or rum-based |
| Mocktails | • Virgin Mojito • Shirley Temple | Alcohol-free drinks that mimic classic cocktails, often refreshing and sweet |
3. Use Flashcards
Flashcards are an easy way to learn cocktail recipes. You can do this by writing the name of the cocktail (e.g., mojito) on one side, and the ingredients and instructions on the other.
Test yourself daily or use apps designed for learning drinks so you can familiarize yourself with both the name and the steps without looking. The table below provides some examples you can use for your flashcards.
| Cocktail Name (Front of Flashcard) | Examples | Classification (Back of Flashcard) |
| Mojito | • Rum, lime juice, mint leaves, sugar, soda water • Muddle mint and sugar, add lime juice and rum and top with soda water. | Tiki Cocktail |
| Margarita | • Rum, lime juice, mint leaves, sugar, soda water • Muddle mint and sugar, add lime juice and rum and top with soda water. | Classic Cocktail |
| Old Fashioned | • Tequila, lime juice, triple sec • Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a glass with a salted rim. | Classic Cocktail |
| Cosmopolitan | • Vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, lime juice • Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. | Martini |
| Whiskey Sour | • Whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup • Shake ingredients with ice, strain into a glass and garnish with a cherry or lemon wedge. | Sour |
| Negroni | • Gin, Campari, vermouth • Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into a glass over ice and garnish with an orange slice. | Stirred Cocktail |
| Piña Colada | • Rum, coconut cream, pineapple juice • Blend with ice until smooth and garnish with pineapple slice and cherry. | Tiki Cocktail |
| Gin & Tonic | • Gin, tonic water • Pour gin over ice, top with tonic water and garnish with lime wedge. | Highball |
4. Try Wordplay and Mnemonic Techniques
Using memory tricks can make a big difference. Although you have drinks like gin and tonic, with its ingredients in the name, you have other drinks with ingredients that can be trickier to remember.
For example, you can use the phrase “Go Catch Vermin” when you’re to remember a Negroni, which is made of gin, Campari and vermouth. If you’re a Pokémon fan, maybe you can say “Go Catch Voltorb” instead.
5. Memorize Through Repetition
There’s no better step to memorizing one thing than to do it over and over again. This also applies to memorizing drinks as a Bartender. Also, if you make a drink on your own, then it’s easier for you to know what you’re doing wrong and do it right next time.
What To Do When You Forget a Recipe
It’s normal to forget recipes, especially when you’re just starting. When it does happen to you, don’t panic. Most bars have recipe books or cheat sheets that you can use to double-check ingredients.
You can also just ask another Bartender. It’s always better to confirm the recipe than to guess and make a bad drink. With time, you’ll find yourself relying on cheat sheets and other Bartenders less often.
Pro tip: See how others make the drink and try to follow along. You can also learn more easily by watching others.
Grow Your Bartender Career
Memorizing drinks is just the beginning. Once you have the basics down, focus on building relationships with customers and improving your speed and efficiency.
To do this, know your clientele. Learn about the local affairs and their interests to strike conversations with ease and build on them.
To build your Bartender career even further, learn to work under pressure, keep your area clean and always deliver excellent service.
Looking for more tips to kickstart your Bartender career? Check out our job platform for Bartender openings and career advice tailored to you.
