T Cole Newton at your service
Ask the bartender: Surprise me!
with T Cole Newton
Hi! My name is Cole. As a bartender, people ask me things: about their relationships, what they should be drinking, pop culture picks…any and all subjects are fair game. Am I an expert on any of it? Occasionally!
The Question: What's the best way to ask the bartender to help you pick a cocktail without saying "Just surprise me!"?
I always flinch at that request, “Just surprise me,” because it’s kind of impossible to navigate on its own. Anything genuinely surprising would be equally unwelcome. Sometimes I fantasize about giving those novelty-seeking guests an actual surprise: instead of a drink, perhaps I could serve a bucket of sawdust or a jar of live crickets. Maybe a can filled with those spring-snakes? Or I could thoughtfully and painstakingly craft an original cocktail and then, instead of serving it, pour it down my own pants. Surprise!
If you’re asking for a surprise, odds are you still want a beverage, in a glass, usually with some alcohol in it. While the flavor might be somewhat novel, it’ll probably be either bittersweet or sweet and sour, maybe with a little spice. I love a cocktail served in a smoke-filled glass dome as much as the next guy, but that’s not a style that most bartenders, even those working in high-end establishments, have access to. Given that framework, the room for a genuinely surprising cocktail is limited.
Of course, what people really mean when they say, “Surprise me,” is, “I don’t want to make a decision.” Valid! Making choices can be difficult and tiresome, and we do it all day long. (That’s why me and my boo gravitate towards tasting menus when we go on dates - someone else has already made all of the choices for us. And because we’re fancy.) So, with the understanding that you probably don’t want a shot glass full of thumbtacks but probably do want someone else to choose your drink for you, how can you ask for the bartender to do that without being a pest?
It helps if you provide at least a little information about your preferences. Have a base spirit that you love? That’s a great start. Have one that you hate? Even more important. (Mezcal is very popular right now, but it’s decidedly not for everyone.)
Another strategy is to volunteer what you normally order. “I usually just have a gin and tonic,” provides a wealth of information to work with: your usual is tall and refreshing, sweet, sour, lightly bitter, and herbaceous. You even have a base spirit to work with! If I were your bartender, that’d likely get you a Tom Collins or French 75, if I felt like sticking to the classics, or I might point you to the closest gin cocktail on the menu.
If you’re trying to branch out, though, this can be counterproductive. Asking the bartender to make you something similar to your usual might get you something new, but not that new. If you want your drink order to be based on the bartender’s preferences and not your own, you can try something like, “What’s your favorite drink on the menu?”
To sum up: “Surprise me!” won’t likely get you to the outcome you want (and might frustrate your bartender). “Can you just make me something? I usually drink Jack and Coke but want to try something new,” though, is a pro strategy. Even a single datum about your tastes and preferences is all a seasoned cocktail bartender should need to craft a delightful beverage catered to your tastes.
ASK COLE ANY QUESTION YOU LIKE!: upallnightnola@gmail.com
Enjoy Cole's spaces, with great cocktails, wines and events at:
12 Mile Limit (500 S Telemachus St) and The Domino (3044 St Claude Ave).
MORE FEATURES
with T Cole Newton
Hi! My name is Cole. As a bartender, people ask me things: about their relationships, what they should be drinking, pop culture picks…any and all subjects are fair game. Am I an expert on any of it? Occasionally!
The Question: What's the best way to ask the bartender to help you pick a cocktail without saying "Just surprise me!"?
I always flinch at that request, “Just surprise me,” because it’s kind of impossible to navigate on its own. Anything genuinely surprising would be equally unwelcome. Sometimes I fantasize about giving those novelty-seeking guests an actual surprise: instead of a drink, perhaps I could serve a bucket of sawdust or a jar of live crickets. Maybe a can filled with those spring-snakes? Or I could thoughtfully and painstakingly craft an original cocktail and then, instead of serving it, pour it down my own pants. Surprise!
If you’re asking for a surprise, odds are you still want a beverage, in a glass, usually with some alcohol in it. While the flavor might be somewhat novel, it’ll probably be either bittersweet or sweet and sour, maybe with a little spice. I love a cocktail served in a smoke-filled glass dome as much as the next guy, but that’s not a style that most bartenders, even those working in high-end establishments, have access to. Given that framework, the room for a genuinely surprising cocktail is limited.
Of course, what people really mean when they say, “Surprise me,” is, “I don’t want to make a decision.” Valid! Making choices can be difficult and tiresome, and we do it all day long. (That’s why me and my boo gravitate towards tasting menus when we go on dates - someone else has already made all of the choices for us. And because we’re fancy.) So, with the understanding that you probably don’t want a shot glass full of thumbtacks but probably do want someone else to choose your drink for you, how can you ask for the bartender to do that without being a pest?
It helps if you provide at least a little information about your preferences. Have a base spirit that you love? That’s a great start. Have one that you hate? Even more important. (Mezcal is very popular right now, but it’s decidedly not for everyone.)
Another strategy is to volunteer what you normally order. “I usually just have a gin and tonic,” provides a wealth of information to work with: your usual is tall and refreshing, sweet, sour, lightly bitter, and herbaceous. You even have a base spirit to work with! If I were your bartender, that’d likely get you a Tom Collins or French 75, if I felt like sticking to the classics, or I might point you to the closest gin cocktail on the menu.
If you’re trying to branch out, though, this can be counterproductive. Asking the bartender to make you something similar to your usual might get you something new, but not that new. If you want your drink order to be based on the bartender’s preferences and not your own, you can try something like, “What’s your favorite drink on the menu?”
To sum up: “Surprise me!” won’t likely get you to the outcome you want (and might frustrate your bartender). “Can you just make me something? I usually drink Jack and Coke but want to try something new,” though, is a pro strategy. Even a single datum about your tastes and preferences is all a seasoned cocktail bartender should need to craft a delightful beverage catered to your tastes.
ASK COLE ANY QUESTION YOU LIKE!: upallnightnola@gmail.com
Enjoy Cole's spaces, with great cocktails, wines and events at:
12 Mile Limit (500 S Telemachus St) and The Domino (3044 St Claude Ave).
MORE FEATURES