Bar tender shares 10 drinks you should never buy in a busy bar

Deciding what cocktail we want at a busy bar can be a tough decision, but there are certain drinks bar tenders do not want customers to order.

There can be a variety of reasons for this, from the time it takes to make the drink to whether they have the correct ingredients available.

With this in mind, here are 10 cocktails which you shouldn't order if you're at a packed bar (otherwise you'll have an extremely annoyed bar tender).

Mojitos

While Mojitos are a classic cocktail which contains white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water and mint - this drink requires hand-muddled limes and any additional flavours you want and therefore it can take a while to make.

So you wouldn't be a fellow customer's biggest fan if there's a queue at the bar.

"It requires a bit more labor than many mixed drinks, as it involves first muddling fresh mint, lime, and sugar together to release the flavors," according to All Recipes.

“As soon as you order a mojito, most bartenders take a muddler out and start stomping these mint leaves," Rob Del Giorno, the bartending expert at bartending school 1-800-Bartend, told The Independent and says this is the incorrect way to make the drink. Instead bartenders should "spank the mint."

Long Island iced tea

This drink seriously packs a punch as it includes a mix of vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin, plus a splash of cola.

With the number of spirits to pour out and how lethal this combination can be for those drinking it, bartenders aren't fans of making this drink.

"You're likely only going to order one or two unless you plan on ending up on the floor at some point during the evening," according to Jamie Robinson, former bartender and current assistant food and beverage manager at Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, as per LadBible.

Bloody Mary

A Bloody Mary contains seasoned tomato juice with a splash of vodka - so this drink can cause a serious mess if spilt anywhere and in addition it can be tricky for bar tenders to find the ingredients for it. So, maybe save this drink for brunch time instead.

"Bloody Marys usually aren't on dinnertime or late-night cocktail menus, meaning the ingredients have been put away after brunch," as per Tasting Table.

Pina Coladas

With rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice making up this cocktail, it's not exactly the speediest one to make at a busy bar - particularly because a blender would be required.

Therefore, the making and clean-up process will slow down how fast a bartender can serve everyone's drinks. Howard, a bartending expert at American Bartenders School explained to The Independent that making drinks like piña coladas is “a pain in the butt" due to the multiple steps to make the cocktail.

Spicy margarita

Tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice agave syrup, plus a spicy kick is how the iconic spicy margarita is made and while the drink looks great it can be a pain for bartenders to make when the bar is packed.

"This is a specialised drink that takes careful execution, which isn't feasible for most bartenders on a busy night," executive bartender at Taste My Aruba, Zulay Duran explained, as per LadBible.

Cocktails containing egg whites

Ordering a cocktail with egg whites as an ingredient won't make you the bartender's best friend (or fellow customers for that matter) as it's a process to make the egg whites perfectly foamy for your drink.

"In most cases, egg white-based cocktails must be shaken for 30 seconds or more in two separate stages," as per The Chopping Block.

Layered shots

While they may look cool and are tasty to drink, asking the bartender for layered shots will cause a bit of a headache for them when it's busy.

This is because layered shorts typically require multiple spirits and need to be poured precisely, taking time in a time-pressured environment.

"The downside to layered cocktails is that they are very time-consuming for a bartender to make," A Bar Above says and the same goes for shots.

Just go for the singular spirit shots instead if you're looking for a quick and seamless order.

White Russian

This cocktail is made with vodka, coffee liqueur, cream and ice - do you see why bartenders aren't a fan of making this?

It is not exactly the quickest drink to make as bartenders will need to have heavy cream nearby to make an accurate version.

"Save your bartender the time of having to go check to see if they have some in the back, and save your stomach from mixing dairy with whatever else you might be inclined to drink that night," Robinson noted to LadBible.

Caffeine cocktails

Apparently, any kind of caffeine cocktail isn't great to request at a busy bar due to the fact bartenders will have to spend longer washing the utensils used to make the drink such as the shaker.

Vinny Spatafore, bartender and beverage operations manager at Blue Bridge Hospitality noted to Business Insider how the smell of the drink can be overpowering and a pain to clean up.

"The strong, lingering espresso smell means bartenders have to wash the shaker extra carefully, which can be time-consuming," he explained.

Personalised drinks

A big no-no at a busy bar is ordering a personalised drink, while a bespoke drink may be nice for you to try it is far from practical for bartenders who are trying to serve as many people as possible.

Those looking for personalised drinks should instead sign up for a cocktail-making class or book a specific event which offers this instead.

Communicating your order in a specific and concise way is recommended by Mixologist Joshua Lucas, from Kiki's in California who summed up as per LadBible. "Be specific but not a poet."

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