Up, Neat, Straight Up, or On the Rocks
Friday, May 9th, 2008
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I considered naming this article “How To Take an Order Behind the Bar”, since there seems to be a problem with bartenders and servers not fully understanding the vocabulary used in their workplace. I was reminded of this while reading this thread on the StraightBourbon.com forums some time ago. Yes, there seems to be some confusion about the terms “neat”, “up” (or “straight up”) and “with a twist”, and my goal is to try to help straighten this mess out.
Neat
The first - and simplest - term we’re going to examine is “neat“. “Neat” - as applied to drinks served in bars - refers to a shot of liquor poured directly from the bottle and into a glass. There is no chilling involved with a “neat” drink. There is never an additional ingredient in a drink served “neat”. You can not have a Screwdriver served “neat”. That’s not how we use the word.
Up
If you walk into a bar and order a Dry Martini, “neat”, you might be served a tepid shot of Martini and Rossi Dry Vermouth in a room-temperature glass. That’s how the term “neat” is used. Although you know how much I love vermouth, nothing about that order sounds appetizing. What you were probably looking for was a Dry Martini, served “up. “Up” implies that there was some preparation involved, and that there is no ice in the final product. You can have a Manhattan on the rocks, or I can give it to you “up”.
Straight Up
Where the real confusion lies is with the term “straight up”. Although I don’t know where the choaos began, these days there is a bit of conversation required when that phrase is used.
Let’s say you order a Wild Turkey, “straight up”. Your bartender should assume you mean that you want your bourbon “neat”, and serve it as so. However, if you were looking for a chilled shot of whiskey in a cocktail glass, you probably should have dropped the “straight” and asked for your drink “up”. And if, as a bartender, you’ve received an order for a Ketel One “straight up”, you should probably check with your customer to make sure they’re looking for chilled vodka and vermouth, and not a glass of warm vodka.
Twist
The third term that causes some confusion on both sides of the bar is the word “twist”. I’ve ordered a gin martini with a twist (my preferred garnish) and received a big wedge of lemon on the side of the glass. I’ve taken an order for a gin and tonic with a twist, and had the drink sent back because I garnished with a thin strip of citrus peel. A delicate blend of gin and vermouth, the Martini is ruined by a big squeeze of lemon juice. Conversely, the bold flavors of a gin and tonic need more than a light spritzing of lemon or lime oils on the surface of the drink.
To recap:
Neat: Right out of the bottle.
Up: Chilled, and served in a cocktail glass.
Straight Up: Usually means “neat”, but check first.
Twist: A thin strip of citrus peel. Default is lemon.
09 May 2008 at 10:22 am 1. Marleigh
Thanks for this. I’ve had many a bartender misunderstand what I mean when I say I’d like a drink “up”—I may print this out to keep with me, just in case.
09 May 2008 at 12:41 pm 2. Dan
Here’s my take on things.
Neat: Room temperature, straight out of the bottle into a glass, be it a lowball or a snifter, etc.
Up: Chilled, in a cocktail glass.
Straight Up: Chilled, in a lowball, highball, etc.
To me, the Sazerac is served “straight up”. This is also how I like my whiskey sours.
09 May 2008 at 12:54 pm 3. Lance J. Mayhew
I’m going to print this out and safety pin it to the shirt of anyone who dares misorder from me again now that this post is up.
I always cringe when they ask for a gin and tonic with a twist. I always try to clarify, and it usually devolves into them asking for a lime twist when what they wanted was a lime wedge. Stupid me, I should be able to read their minds from the beginning.
09 May 2008 at 12:55 pm 4. Lance J. Mayhew
Is that martini stem in your pic chipped?
09 May 2008 at 1:17 pm 5. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Dan, I think that a hard-core whiskey drinker looking for a “Lagavulin, straight up” is going to have a problem with your definition, there.
And Lance, that glass is chipped. I got all of those images off of iStockPhoto this morning and had to take the hand that was dealt.
Jeff
09 May 2008 at 1:23 pm 6. Barbara
I completely agree with your definitions Jeff. Now, if only we could get the customers to comply!
09 May 2008 at 1:30 pm 7. Dan
Ah, but a hardcore whiskey drinker would know to order his whiskey neat
09 May 2008 at 3:43 pm 8. Jeff Frane
As a customer, I appreciate the heads up. I always thought that neat=up=straight up. Obviously, I’m a dope.
Is there a specific reference for “neat, with water/ice in a separate glass”?
And I would put in a vote that any bar serving good malt whisky has a pitcher of *good* water available for a splash.
10 May 2008 at 7:39 am 9. blair frodelius
There have been several times I’ve ordered scotch or whiskey neat, only to be given an odd look when I ask for water on the side. 9 times out of 10, they bring a glass of ice water (with cubes), making it difficult to add to the glass without splashing everything everywhere. I’d like to see small pitchers available with spring water, even if it’s an extra cost. After all, how much is that shot costing you to begin with?
10 May 2008 at 9:02 am 10. John Claude
Jeff F.
“with a water back” is how you’d get that on the side.
Conversely, after bartending out East, I’m amazed at how many martini/manhattan drinkers want the rocks from the mix on the side. It kills me to see them sit on their drink FOREVER and keep it chilled by dumping the old ice in periodically.