Regarding Martinis

[Dixie]

I keep encountering bartenders lately that don't put vermouth in martinis. They simply try to serve me straight gin in a fancy glass. Worse yet, they just assume I want it dirty (the brine level actually results in it being filthy), which I don't like at all.

So, my question is this. Do people not like martinis but don't know what else to order, or do twenty-something bartenders not know what a martini is?

(I made this one with Empress 1908 Indigo gin.)

[GH85Carrera]

I was at an anniversary party long ago, and the bride and groom insisted we all make a toast with a martini. Yuck! I managed to choke it down. That is the first and last martini ever.

I will stick to beer.

My dad liked martinis. He said he just opens a bottle of vermouth in the same room, and that was enough for him. Yea, he just liked gin.

I suspect the bartenders you are encountering have never really been taught how to make a martini. Just stick to beer, the bartender can't mess that up!

[Crowbob]

I’m thinking if I’m ever in FLA, I’ll ned to look old Dixie up.

But, I’m probally too ascared to.

[vash]

i like it dirty.

and my bud tints it with vermouth. i think he puts it in the glass and ice, does drink, pours out the icy slurry and dumps in the drink.

cant be sure.

its been a minute since i've had one.

[masraum]

Weird. I tended bar for ~5 years when I was younger.

I only made a dirty martini if someone ordered a dirty martini, otherwise the only olive juice that got into the thing would have been from the olives being wet.

No vermouth? If you don't get vermouth (or dirty) then how is it a martini?

Just because something is in that sort of glass doesn't make it a martini.

A lot of folks that tend bar fell into it, and know squat about making drinks. When I was tending bar, I knew too many folks that didn't know and would try to fake it if they didn't.

[vash]

my all time favorite martini glass is the Nick and Nora version.

they look so cool and vintagey.

[mgatepi]

I absolutely love a good martini! And it seems to be a dying art to make one of the simplest drinks. I find myself giving explicit directions to the bar tender when I order. My wife thinks I am being ridiculous! But it MUST be done! Oh and I explain to them the difference between dirty and dusty. I like mine dusty, just about 3 teaspoons of brine.

[Steve Carlton]

My ex's brother used to make lemon drop martinis. They were killer!

[greglepore]

Yeah, I think a lot of bartenders assume that folks today want a "dry" martini-very little to no vermouth. Just say "not too dry" when you order.

And no, dirty isn't right unless you order dirty, so I guess you need to say "please not dirty".

Its a lot of instruction, but only a non self confident bartender will object to you expressing your wishes. I always preferred a customer to tell me. Its like doneness on a steak.

[Seahawk]

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

I’m thinking if I’m ever in FLA, I’ll ned to look old Dixie up.

But, I’m probally too ascared to.

Nah, I talk a lot of sh***, but I'm a sweet heart.

My daddy always said, "Women's breasts are like martinis. One's not enough, and three is too many."
Me? I find after one I'm wanting to show you my boobs, and after two I'm throwing up on your shoes.

[lindbhr]

Certainly must have vermouth, and in our case, vodka. My friend orders his martinis " dirty as Galveston Bay". And I laugh every time.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by greglepore

Yeah, I think a lot of bartenders assume that folks today want a "dry" martini-very little to no vermouth. Just say "not too dry" when you order.

And no, dirty isn't right unless you order dirty, so I guess you need to say "please not dirty".

Its a lot of instruction, but only a non self confident bartender will object to you expressing your wishes. I always preferred a customer to tell me. Its like doneness on a steak.

Almost every martini that I ever had to make (that wasn't dirty), also included the request "hardly any vermouth, please." I've had someone ask me to put a little vermouth in the glass, swirl it around, and then dump it out and that's all that they wanted.

Maybe "I'm already dirty, so my martini shouldn't be" will get there attention.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by mgatepi

I absolutely love a good martini! And it seems to be a dying art to make one of the simplest drinks. I find myself giving explicit directions to the bar tender when I order. My wife thinks I am being ridiculous! But it MUST be done! Oh and I explain to them the difference between dirty and dusty. I like mine dusty, just about 3 teaspoons of brine.

A tablespoon of olive juice sounds like a pretty dirty martini to me.

[stevej37]

I think I've had only one in my life also.
It was back in HS when they lowered the drinking age to 18
I didn't know better and drank it down as if it was a beer.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by lindbhr

Certainly must have vermouth, and in our case, vodka. My friend orders his martinis " dirty as Galveston Bay". And I laugh every time.

Ick! You'd have to blend up a couple of olives to get it that dirty.

Vaguely related, 2 or 3 weeks ago, the currents in the Gulf changed and the beaches at Galveston looked like this for several days.

[Dixie]

I like mine dry, no twist, blue cheese olives, and make it skate.

[gregpark]

Originally Posted by masraum

I've had someone ask me to put a little vermouth in the glass, swirl it around, and then dump it out and that's all that they wanted.

That's how I make them. Coat the glass with Vermouth from glass to chilled glass then dumped into the sink. And made with Gin, never Vodka. And shaken, not stirred. A proper martini should be ice cold

[pwd72s]

As one who has had his battles with alcohol, I'd caution to remind that it's all really just booze.

Overheard in a pool hall..."I'm allergic to alcohol. I kept breaking out in handcuffs."

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

As one who has had his battles with alcohol, I'd caution to remind that it's all really just booze.

Overheard in a pool hall..."I'm allergic to alcohol. I kept breaking out in handcuffs."

It could be worse. I'm also allergic to alcohol. It makes my legs spread. :0