Eight guests are seated on the aft deck and the order comes in as one line from the chief stew: three Negronis, two Espresso Martinis, a Margarita, an Aperol Spritz and "a Martini, very dry, with a twist." You have one bar, one set of tins and about six minutes before the first drink is warm. This is why you learn the specs cold.
The Core Repertoire
| Cocktail | Spec | Method / glass |
|---|---|---|
| Martini | 60 ml gin, 10–20 ml dry vermouth, dash orange bitters (optional) | Stir; coupe; twist or olive |
| Manhattan | 60 ml rye/bourbon, 30 ml sweet vermouth, 2 dashes Angostura | Stir; coupe; cherry |
| Negroni | 30 ml gin, 30 ml Campari, 30 ml sweet vermouth | Stir; rocks over large cube; orange |
| Old Fashioned | 60 ml bourbon/rye, 5–10 ml sugar syrup, 2–3 dashes Angostura | Stir over ice; rocks; orange twist |
| Daiquiri | 60 ml white rum, 30 ml lime, 15–20 ml sugar syrup | Shake; coupe |
| Margarita | 50 ml blanco tequila, 25 ml lime, 20 ml orange liqueur | Shake; rocks or coupe; salt to taste |
| Whisky Sour | 60 ml whisky, 30 ml lemon, 20 ml sugar, egg white (optional) | Dry shake, then shake; rocks |
| Sidecar | 50 ml Cognac, 25 ml lemon, 25 ml orange liqueur | Shake; coupe |
| Espresso Martini | 50 ml vodka, 30 ml fresh espresso, 15 ml coffee liqueur, 5–10 ml sugar | Shake very hard; coupe; 3 beans |
| Aperol Spritz | 60 ml Aperol, 90 ml prosecco, splash soda | Build over ice; wine glass; orange |
| Mojito | 50 ml white rum, 25 ml lime, 20 ml sugar, mint, soda | Build over crushed ice; highball |
| Bloody Mary | 50 ml vodka, 100–120 ml tomato juice, lemon, Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt, pepper | Throw; highball |
| Bellini | White peach purée topped with prosecco (roughly 1 : 2) | Build; flute |
| French 75 | 30 ml gin, 15 ml lemon, 10 ml sugar, top Champagne | Shake base, top; flute |
Treat these as defensible starting points, not scripture. House specs vary, and the Daiquiri especially is tuned to the lime and the rum in front of you.
Adjusting Without Breaking
- "Very dry" Martini → less vermouth (down toward 10 ml), never no vermouth unless the guest insists. A gin-only Martini is chilled gin.
- "Not too sweet" → cut the sweetener 3–5 ml at a time and taste. Do not compensate with more spirit.
- "Stronger" → usually means less dilution, not more alcohol. Shorten the stir and use a larger cube.
- "Sweeter" → add sweetener, then a touch more citrus to keep it from going flat.
- Change one variable at a time and taste with a clean straw.
Consistency Across a Round of Eight
- Batch the round, not the recipe. For three identical Negronis, build 90/90/90 in one mixing glass, stir once, split into three glasses. They will be identical; three separate builds will not be.
- Sequence by fragility. Sparkling and foam-topped drinks go last — a Spritz and an Espresso Martini die on the pass.
- Set up first. All glassware out, chilled, garnished, before you pour anything.
- Deliver as one round. A guest waiting alone while others drink is a service failure, not a bartending one.
Onboard Notes
- Fresh espresso for an Espresso Martini must be fresh — cold, stale coffee gives no crema and no foam.
- Egg white in a sour: use pasteurised egg white or aquafaba where the vessel's food-safety system requires it.
- Many classic origin stories are genuinely disputed. Say "the story goes" or say nothing.