Bartenders spill on their most controversial takes

The cocktail scene has had many ups and downs in its history, and at the center of it all have been the bartenders. They are the ones who have created iconic drinks that have stood the test of time, and they have opinions about those cocktail and more. Vinepair asked several bartenders about their most controversial cocktail opinions, and some of the answers might surprise you.

I was shocked when one of the responses was that Manhattans are overrated. I thought this was a drink that bartenders would venerate, but apparently nothing is holy in cocktail land. Other opinions I could get behind, such as lower ABV drinks are worth the investment of time to get right, and that jiggers (measuring devices) are unnecessary if you are experienced. It’s fascinating to watch bartenders who can free pour with precision.

Other opinions were intriguing, including the idea that there are too many drink makers and not enough bartenders. “Everyone’s obsessed with crafting the coolest cocktail or pre-batching every element for speed, but in the process, we’ve lost a bit of the magic of true bartending,” says Evan Hawkins, owner and operator of Romeo’s in NYC. Another idea that had merit was that MSG belongs in cocktails. “It rounds out bitterness, amplifies citrus, and gives savory cocktails the kind of depth bartenders are always chasing with expensive vermouths or obscure amari,” according to Daniel Beedle of Kimpton The Forum Hotel in Charlottesville, Virginia.

I am not a bartender, but I have a controversial cocktail opinion: that a martini should only consist of gin and vermouth (I will allow a lemon garnish and a few olives). People should invent a new name if the drink has vodka or any liqueur. Not everything needs to be a something-tini. Do you have a controversial take on drinks?