When placing your order at the bar, there are two types of mixed drinks that you should know: call drinks and well drinks. While you can order either at any time, bars often advertise specials on these drinks during certain times. For instance, a happy hour special might be “$6 call drinks” or “$3 well drinks.” Both are good deals that can save you money. However, there is a difference in quality, and its important to know what youre ordering.
In any given establishment, the rail/well liquors available may also be known as the “house pours”, “house brands”, “house spirits”, “pour brands”, or “proprietary spirits”. This view from behind a Berlin bar shows the rows of liquor bottles and mixers on the underbar shelf.
What Is a Call Drink?
Call drinks are ordered with a specific brand of liquor: you are calling out the brand. For instance, you may order:
- Belvedere martini with a twist: The bartender knows to make a vodka martini with Belvedere Vodka and a lemon twist.
- Tanqueray and tonic with two wedges: This order should result in a gin and tonic made with Tanqueray Gin, served with an extra lime wedge.
- Makers Manhattan: You will get a Manhattan cocktail made with Makers Mark Bourbon.
There are also common call drinks. Two of the most popular are the seven and seven and Jack and Coke.
You will pay more for a call drink than a well drink. However, sometimes the upgrade is worth it, and happy hour specials may offset the extra cost. For example, the house scotch may be Lauders, but you want a rusty nail with Johnnie Walker Black, which comes at an additional cost.
To avoid confusion when ordering drinks, name the liquor or specific brand first. For instance, say “Stoli and cranberry,” not “cranberry and Stoli” or “double scotch and soda,” not “double soda and scotch.” Bartenders typically pour spirits first, so theyre used to thinking in this particular order. In the “double” instance, you might actually get twice the soda rather than the double shot of scotch you really want.
Behind every bar, there’s the well, a rail stocked with at least one bottle of tequila, vodka, gin, bourbon or rye, scotch and rum. These bottles are also referred to as the “house pour” or the “house brands.” Essentially, they’re the bar’s go-to bottles when you ask for a basic drink or a shot. There is no set requirement for what liquor is stocked in the well, or the quality of the spirits, but you can usually expect well bottles to be pretty cheap. But that doesn’t mean the liquor is necessarily bad. Sometimes the well spirit is your best bet, giving you the best bang for your buck.
Acceptable:Sauza Silver A simple, light spirit with balance and subtle herbal notes from the agave, this commonly used well tequila is great as a shot (especially with the traditional salt and lime) or mixed into drinks like Margaritas.
Acceptable: White Horse Blended Scotch Deceptively cheap, this blended scotch uses whisky from Lagavulin as one of its main components. Light and honeyed, this sumptuous whisky is great in a cocktail (try it in a simple Scotch and Soda) and even okay on its own over ice.
Acceptable: Kentucky Deluxe While this blended whiskey is a bit rough, it certainly serves its purpose. Shoot it with a pickleback or mix it with spicy ginger beer.
Best:Rittenhouse 100 Proof This rye is bold and boozy, with a backbone of black pepper spice. Order it neat or in a Manhattan.
BUYING ALCOHOL FOR A HOUSE PARTY | A Fool-Proof Guide
FAQ
What does house alcohol mean?
What do you call house liquor?
What does house mean at a bar?
What is another term for house brand in regards to liquor?
What if a restaurant sold a drink with the most expensive liquor?
If they sold drinks with the most expensive liquor at the same price as mid-range brands, the establishment would lose money. Generally, normal call drinks include the most popular brands that are reasonably priced. Examples include Smirnoff Vodka, Bacardi Rum, and Jim Beam Bourbon.
Who makes a good house wine?
A to Z Wineworks, based in Dundee, OR, brings the brilliance of Oregon wine to the list of house wine options. Their wines are a mix of simple, complex, and everything in between. If you want a house wine that rounds out your wine list, A to Z is the wine for you. 4. J Vineyards & Winery
Are house wines worth it?
Of course, there is more to it than that. However, house wines are an affordable option featured at pretty much every bar, restaurant, cocktail bar, or other alcohol-serving business. While house wines are easy to enjoy and to work as an option to sell wine by the glass, they’re not a simple mix.
What is house wine & how does it work?
Ultimately, house wine is designed to give patrons an option that is delicious and accessible for a price that won’t break the bank. It can even work as a lamb wine pairing. While house wines are similar in pricing to happy hour or marketing bar promotions, there is a key difference.