cocktail flights?

[mod*betty]

I don't know if there is any bar that offers this service but it just occurred to me that it would be good for folks new to the "serious cocktail" scene to be able to try a small sample of a variety of drinks, or even liquors in a smaller portion, to sample and decide. Kind of like when you go to a brewery and they give you a small glass of each of their offerings, and a description of what each is supposed to be like.

Not necessarily shots, but like a Mini Manhattan? a teeny Sazerac? Where I would not have to be paying $10-$12 for a drink that I realized after a few sips really wasn't for me?

Does anyplace offer this type of thing or am I just dreaming?

[thirtyoneknots]

I don't know if there is any bar that offers this service but it just occurred to me that it would be good for folks new to the "serious cocktail" scene to be able to try a small sample of a variety of drinks, or even liquors in a smaller portion, to sample and decide. Kind of like when you go to a brewery and they give you a small glass of each of their offerings, and a description of what each is supposed to be like.

Not necessarily shots, but like a Mini Manhattan? a teeny Sazerac? Where I would not have to be paying $10-$12 for a drink that I realized after a few sips really wasn't for me?

Does anyplace offer this type of thing or am I just dreaming?

←

We experimented with this once and even with a small-ish crowd I had a hell of a time keeping up. Every time a customer ordered, I had to make three drinks for them, since making small ones isnt any faster than making full-sized ones. with about 6 people at the bar the bar manager and I together were fairly weeded trying to do this, though it got a little better later on when we had drinks made and sitting in carafes on crushed ice (all this while conducting normal restaraunt operations). The problem with this is that it lead to waste. In the end my conclusion was that the strain on the bar was not a good tradeoff, and most customers are fine with trying something if a reasonably skilled bartender is there to help guide them to a selection.

[slkinsey]

Flatiron Lounge has been doing flights of cocktails ever since they opened, as far as I know. The secret is to batch the cocktails and keep them under refrigeration. If you pre-dilute, you don't even need to shake them with ice (I don't know what FL does). Even if you do shake with ice, it can't take too much longer to shake out and pour two small drinks made from a batch and pour out one batched rocks drink than it takes to measure, shake out and pour one regular-sized drink. Needless to say, logistics have to be taken into consideration when designing the flights and you only offer one flight at a time (themes are good for flights).

Flatiron Lounge also has really nice little wooden boards with three circular depressions that fit the bottoms of their glassware. Once the flight has been prepared, you just bring over the whole board and set it in front of the customer. Here's a picture taken by Snowy is dead:

Edited May 23, 2008 by slkinsey (log)

[Alchemist]

it got a little better later on when we had drinks made and sitting in carafes on crushed ice (all this while conducting normal restaraunt operations). The problem with this is that it lead to waste.

Waste, Waste? Really? Staff drinks is what I believe that is called.

Toby

Edited May 23, 2008 by Alchemist (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

it got a little better later on when we had drinks made and sitting in carafes on crushed ice (all this while conducting normal restaraunt operations). The problem with this is that it lead to waste.

Waste, Waste? Really?  Staff drinks is what I believe that is called.

Toby

←

Of course, I meant waste in the sense that the full profit wasn't being realised.

I see now that I neglected to add the adjective "ill-conceived" to my first post there. If it had been planned out like the one slkinsey details it would be a different matter, though my understanding of the original post was an inquiry about sample sized drinks. I should also add that serving someone that much liquor at once is actually illegal in Texas (stupid TABC)

[jsmeeker]

it got a little better later on when we had drinks made and sitting in carafes on crushed ice (all this while conducting normal restaraunt operations). The problem with this is that it lead to waste.

Waste, Waste? Really?  Staff drinks is what I believe that is called.

Toby

←

Of course, I meant waste in the sense that the full profit wasn't being realised.

I see now that I neglected to add the adjective "ill-conceived" to my first post there. If it had been planned out like the one slkinsey details it would be a different matter, though my understanding of the original post was an inquiry about sample sized drinks. I should also add that serving someone that much liquor at once is actually illegal in Texas (stupid TABC)

←

It's illegal? Really? I suppose you mean there is a limit to the number of ounces of hard liquor one can be served at once (single order??) in Texas? I know Texas isn't as progressive as some states when it comes to alcohol laws, but it really isn't that horrible. I've certainly never run into issues in bars in my home state.

[thirtyoneknots]

it got a little better later on when we had drinks made and sitting in carafes on crushed ice (all this while conducting normal restaraunt operations). The problem with this is that it lead to waste.

Waste, Waste? Really?  Staff drinks is what I believe that is called.

Toby

←

Of course, I meant waste in the sense that the full profit wasn't being realised.

I see now that I neglected to add the adjective "ill-conceived" to my first post there. If it had been planned out like the one slkinsey details it would be a different matter, though my understanding of the original post was an inquiry about sample sized drinks. I should also add that serving someone that much liquor at once is actually illegal in Texas (stupid TABC)

←

It's illegal? Really? I suppose you mean there is a limit to the number of ounces of hard liquor one can be served at once (single order??) in Texas? I know Texas isn't as progressive as some states when it comes to alcohol laws, but it really isn't that horrible. I've certainly never run into issues in bars in my home state.

←

3 oz is the max allowed to be served to a single customer at a time (and I think 32 oz of beer, but I'm not 100% sure). That's why you typically have to have two id's to get a pitcher of beer at establishments where that is the typical order (yes I live in College Station, and I'm not ashamed to drink at The Chicken).

[david coonce]

Bin 36 in Chicago has flights of certain drinks.

[Alchemist]

it got a little better later on when we had drinks made and sitting in carafes on crushed ice (all this while conducting normal restaraunt operations). The problem with this is that it lead to waste.

Waste, Waste? Really?  Staff drinks is what I believe that is called.

Toby

←

Of course, I meant waste in the sense that the full profit wasn't being realised.

I see now that I neglected to add the adjective "ill-conceived" to my first post there. If it had been planned out like the one slkinsey details it would be a different matter, though my understanding of the original post was an inquiry about sample sized drinks. I should also add that serving someone that much liquor at once is actually illegal in Texas (stupid TABC)

←

I would guess that there is around 3 oz. maybe a little less in a flight at the FI. Most of the cocktails come in right around 2 oz of booze, so 3 1oz (of liquor) cocktails would squeeze you right in there by the skin of your teeth.

Toby

[thirtyoneknots]

it got a little better later on when we had drinks made and sitting in carafes on crushed ice (all this while conducting normal restaraunt operations). The problem with this is that it lead to waste.

Waste, Waste? Really?  Staff drinks is what I believe that is called.

Toby

←

Of course, I meant waste in the sense that the full profit wasn't being realised.

I see now that I neglected to add the adjective "ill-conceived" to my first post there. If it had been planned out like the one slkinsey details it would be a different matter, though my understanding of the original post was an inquiry about sample sized drinks. I should also add that serving someone that much liquor at once is actually illegal in Texas (stupid TABC)

←

I would guess that there is around 3 oz. maybe a little less in a flight at the FI. Most of the cocktails come in right around 2 oz of booze, so 3 1oz (of liquor) cocktails would squeeze you right in there by the skin of your teeth.

Toby

←

I wondered about that, the picture sort of makes it look like they are full-sized servings, but it seems that those would be warm by the time you got through them (if that were the case). Anybody know what they're charging for that flight?

[Snowy is dead]

I think that it was 18 for the flight. They weren't full sized, but about half the normal size, if I remember, which is questionable. A regular makes the boards for them. Don't remember much more. That was the start of a long day of hard research.

Sean

edit to add that my information is 2 years old at this point, almost to the day.

Edited May 30, 2008 by Snowy is dead (log)

[mod*betty]

thanks for your input everybody- I will be putting the places mentioned on my googlemap!