1.了解你的客戶群
別為了自己或者取悅其他調酒師而創造酒單。如果你在大型酒吧工作，周六晚上伏特加配蘇打水是最受歡迎的混飲，那么你花了半年研究的配有苦艾酒沫的薰衣草薩澤拉克雞尾酒肯定不是一個明智的選擇。做生意方面，沒有比了解你的客戶群更重要的事情了。想一想，你的酒吧里有什么類型的客人？他們喝了些什么？他們的喜好會因為今天是星期幾而改變嗎？

1. Know your audience
Don’t create a menu for yourself or to impress others bartenders. If you work in a high-volume lounge where Vodka & Soda is your most popular mixed drink on a Saturday night, then perhaps that lavender-scented Sazerac with the absinthe foam you’ve been tweaking for the past six months is not the wisest choice. Nothing is more important in business than knowing your audience. Think, what kind of people are visiting your venue? What are they drinking? Do their tastes change depending on what night of the week it is?

2.尋找平衡
試著創造一個全面的酒單。你不可能在同一時間滿足每一名客人，但是你能往這個方向努力。問問自己，你的酒單上是否呈現了各個種類的烈酒？當然，如果你的酒吧專注于一種烈酒，那么這個問題不那么重要。但是我總會確保酒單上有一款伏特加雞尾酒，兩款金酒酒飲，兩或三款威士忌酒飲，一款干邑的選擇，一兩款特基拉或者梅斯卡爾雞尾酒以及一些朗姆酒飲。另外還要添加一些低酒精度的酒和開胃酒。

2. Find a balance
Try to create a menu that has something for everybody. You’re never going to please everyone all of the time – but you can get close. Ask, do you have a good cross section of spirits represented? This, of course, isn’t so important if your establishment specialises in a specific spirit. But I always ensure I have a vodka cocktail, two gin drinks, two to three whisky drinks, a cognac option, one or two tequila or mezcal cocktails and a couple of rum drinks. Then flesh this out with low alcohol and aperitif options.

3. 謹記酒單上要有無酒精或低酒精飲品
近些年來，低酒精飲品廣受歡迎，這也是從烈酒時代慢慢轉變過來。“僅需攪拌一下的棕色酒飲”曾是通用的雞尾酒術語。個人而言，我等不及看到這一天的結束。感謝老天，如今人們更偏愛用起泡酒、味美思、雪莉酒、波特酒、瑪德拉酒或啤酒制作的雞尾酒，更不用說那些不計其數的阿瑪羅和苦味酒，比如阿貝羅和金巴利。低酒精酒飲容易與食物搭配，并且其中也包含很多優秀的雞尾酒。當然這些酒飲的利潤也相當不錯。

3. Make sure to list no-or low-alcohol drinks
Low-alcohol cocktails have become increasingly popular in recent years and it’s a welcome change from the era of strong, spirituous libations. “Stirred and brown” was a catchphrase that became part of common cocktail vernacular and, personally, I couldn’t wait for it to end. Thankfully, today, more people are appreciating cocktails made with sparkling wine, vermouth, sherry, port, madeira and beer, not to mention countless amari and other bitters such as Aperol and Campari. Low-alcohol drinks are great with food and make good session cocktails. The profit margins on them are incredible, too.

Libra at Trick Dog, San Francisco, nominated World’s Best Cocktail Menu, Tales of the Cocktail, 2014./舊金山的Trick Dog被提名為2014雞尾酒傳奇的全球最佳雞尾酒單。這杯酒名為Libra。

4. “避免太矯情的雞尾酒”
摩根•西克, 舊金山Trick dog:
“我們避免酒單上出現太裝的雞尾酒——我們努力將一些樂趣注入其中。我們從來不想讓酒單看起來太自以為是。有的酒吧喜歡讓酒單看起來比較高大上，但這不適合我們。我們避免讓酒單看起來很牛逼。我絕對會注意別人在做什么，也盡可能地從別人那里偷師。但我不認為流行什么就學什么會有用。不過我們也對流行口味的變化十分敏感。我們現在的客人比過去喜歡更干、更苦的雞尾酒，所以我們的雞尾酒也相應做了變化。我們的職責是為客人提供滿意的酒飲，因此對什么口味被認為是美味的需要有個概念。”

4. “Avoid overly precious cocktails”
Morgan Schick, Trick Dog, San Fransisco:
“We try to avoid overly precious cocktails – we try to inject a little bit of fun into it. We never want our menu to take itself too seriously. Some places a little pretension works in the menu. But it’s not right for us. We try to avoid making the menu too highbrow. I definitely pay attention to what other bars are doing and steal as liberally as everyone else. But I don’t think using an ingredient or a flavour or a technique because it’s trendy always works. But we are definitely sensitive to changes in popular palates. Our guests these days like a drier, more bitter drink than they did in the past so our cocktails are going that way. Our job is to give people something that they think is delicious and so being conscious of what is thought of as delicious is important.”

5. 酒單上不要有太多雞尾酒
琳瑯滿目的雞尾酒酒單曾經是主流。位于倫敦的Lab是我最喜歡的酒吧之一，擁有162款酒飲。太多了嗎？當然。不過那個時候覺得還行。但是時代在改變，人們口感也在變化，我們從中汲取經驗。酒單上該有多少款酒同時還取決于你的酒吧性質，正如The Dead Rabbit的杰克•麥加里解釋（請看第7條），長酒單就是他酒吧的特色，對于他而言，65款酒飲完全合適宜上手。Bacchanal（我在曼哈頓新開張的餐廳）的酒單上有22款酒飲，以紐約餐廳的標準而言這頗為雄心勃勃。

5. Don’t list too many cocktails
Enormous cocktail menus used to be the norm. One of my favourite bars of all time – Lab, in London – boasted 162 drinks. Is that too many? Of course. But at the time it felt right. But things evolve, tastes change, we learn. How many drinks you have on your menu can also be determined by the kind of venue you are. As The Dead Rabbit’s Jack McGarry explains (see number seven), a big menu is part of his bar’s identity and, for him, 65 drinks is appropriate and manageable. At Bacchanal, a new restaurant I’ve just opened in Manhattan, we have 22 drinks on our list, which by New York restaurant standards is considered quite ambitious.

6. “特色制作不能過度”
喬瓦金•西姆，紐約 Pouring Ribbons:
“首先，我們斟酌現在的酒單，并決定哪些酒該去該留。我們會考慮季節性和酒飲受歡迎程度。一旦我們決定哪些酒該被去除，我們就開始填上新的酒飲，所以是添加搖壺制作的清爽金酒呢？還是攪拌而成酒迷們熱愛的威士忌？還是試著根據情況設計新酒飲？我們同時要考慮到基酒種類的平衡，呈現風和酒杯選擇，冰塊選擇，色彩和裝飾的控制。我們不想要許多酒飲都加碎冰用皮爾森啤酒杯呈現，也不想太多攪拌而成的酒飲。如果酒單上有七款酒飲都需要橙皮裝飾，那么總需要在一些酒飲中使用橙汁，不然就會浪費很多柑橘。而且因為儲藏室很小，所以在特色制作或者需要花費大量時間制作的糖漿方面，我們一定要注意。限量的儲藏導致每天能夠購入的新產品不能超過現有的數量。最重要的是：保持酒飲水準，不管誰在吧臺后面或者星期幾，什么時候。這十分重要。你的酒飲不論在周二下午6點鐘由張三制作，還是周五半夜里由李四制作，口味都應該是一致的。”

6. “Don’t over do it on speciality produce”
Joaquin Sim, Pouring Ribbons, New York:
“Firstly, we look at the current menu and decide what’s staying and going. We take into consideration changing seasonality and a drink’s popularity. Once we’ve determined what is off the menu, we start to look at what holes need to be filled – so, shaken-gin- refreshing, or stirred-whisky-boozy – and try to devise new recipes accordingly. We also take into consideration a balanced array of base spirits, serving styles, glassware selection, ice needs, colours and garnishes. We don’t want too many drinks in pilsner glasses with crushed ice or too many stirred drinks. If we have seven drinks that call for an orange peel garnish then there better be a couple drinks that have orange juice in them otherwise we’re wasting a lot of citrus. Because we have so little back of house space, we also have to be careful to not overdo it on specialty produce or labour-intensive syrups. Our limited amount of storage dictates how many new products we can take in without shedding existing ones. Most important: make sure you can deliver. Consistency in execution by the staff, no matter who is behind the bar, or what day or time it is, is vital. Your drinks should be identical from staffer x on a Tuesday at 6pm as from staffer y at midnight on a Friday.”

7. “酒單要成功，員工一定要對其理念表示認同”
杰克• 麥格理，紐約The Dead Rabbit：
千萬別為了好看而做一份長長的酒單。你做的每件事需要有理由。我們這里有長酒單，因為這是我們的酒吧特色。當然這有利有弊：好處就是這是不錯的宣傳手法，并且容易成為和客人交流的話題，很多客人來這里并且將所有酒飲問個遍。弊端在于：對于客人而言，選擇太多。所以我們的員工需要聰明地幫助客人選擇一款酒飲，這至關重要。一定要記住在酒單上插入一小塊為那些想要快速點單的提示。另外一個挑戰是出于調酒師考慮，就是他們很難記住所有酒飲。但是我們試著克服這個困難：最近，我們在每個吧臺后裝了iPad，里面有所有酒飲的配方。在創造新酒單方面，我們挺民主。我們的調酒師都來自不同的背景。每個人在創造酒飲方面都有自己的特色，我非常喜歡這樣。酒單需要反映出不同的風格以及每個調酒師的個性。”

7. “No menu succeeds without the staff believing in its vision”
Jack McGarry, The Dead Rabbit, New York:
“Don’t have a big menu for the sake of it. There has to be a reason for everything you do. Our menus are large and that’s part of our DNA as a venue. There are pros and cons: on the plus side, it’s great PR, and it also makes a good talking point for our clientele: many guests come and work through the entirety of the menu. Cons: it’s a lot for the customer to take on board, which is why it’s absolutely essential our staff are well versed to help each guest select a drink: the success of every menu depends on the staff. Always be sure to have a small insert in each menu for anyone who wants to order quickly. Another challenge, from a bartender’s perspective, is that it’s very difficult to remember all the drinks. But we’ve tried to overcome that: recently, we installed iPads with all our recipes at each bar station. Our approach to creating new menus is democratic. We have a bartender unit that comes from very different backgrounds. Every bartender has their own style of creating drinks and that’s what I love. The menu should reflect different approaches, unique strains and each bartender’s personality.”

8. 思考如何以最好的方式描述每款雞尾酒
你的員工如何描述一款雞尾酒將對這款雞尾酒的銷售表現起決定性作用。而這只能在培訓中去解決這個問題，告訴他們如何描述一款酒飲的口感特色、質感、基酒以及調味配料。酒單上的書面描述同樣重要：有的酒吧，比如芝加哥的The Aviary走的是極簡風格，只用最少的詞匯描述每款酒（這意味著服務員需要更加能說會道）。而現在悉尼炙手可熱的酒吧Bayswater Brasserie，我們采用更詩意的風格。一杯Bramble可能會用這樣浪漫的方式描述：“大量倒入必富達金酒，淋在碎冰上，新鮮壓榨的檸檬以及輕柔地加糖，頂上戴著黑莓利口酒和細碎的小豆蔻”。

8. Work out how best to describe each cocktail
The way in which cocktails are articulated by your staff will determine what sells and what doesn’t. Again, this can be covered in training to ensure they know how to describe each drink’s flavour profile, texture, base spirit or modifiers. The wording on the menu is also key: some bars, such as The Aviary in Chicago, go for the minimalist approach, only using a few words for each drink (which means the floor staff need to be even more versed in how to describe each one). At the now shuttered Bayswater Brasserie in Sydney, we went for a much more poetic approach, where a drink such as a classic Bramble might be romanticised as such: “A hefty pour of Beefeater gin, poured over lashings of crushed ice with freshly pressed lemon and a whisper of sugar, crowned with wild blackberry liqueur and finished with finely grated nutmeg”.

9. “忠實于真實的自己”
賈斯•斯科特，愛丁堡Bramble bar：
“我們每一個季度更新一次酒單，這是對季節性的配料價格變動作出相應調整，同時也可以創造機會讓新產品一旦上市就可以讓消費者接觸到。不同雞尾酒帶來的盈利不同。我們的目標是百分之七十的毛利。有的雞尾酒低于這個目標值，有的超出。但我們永遠不會引導顧客點毛利高的雞尾酒。我們確保他們得到想要的雞尾酒——簡單如此。”

9. “Not every cocktail generates the same revenue”
Jas Scott, Bramble bar, Edinburgh:
“We change our menu quarterly to adjust to the cost of seasonal ingredients and give ourselves the opportunity to list new products as soon as they hit the market. Not every cocktail generates the same revenue. We aim for 70 per cent GP. Some fall under that, some over, but we never try to push customers towards higher GP cocktails. We make sure they get what they want – simple.”

10. “頂級酒單引導潮流，而非跟隨”
茲旦尼克•卡斯塔內科，新加坡香港街28號：
成功酒單的關鍵因素就是真正了解酒吧定位、目標和顧客。簡而言之，我們有八種基酒種類以及兩種基本酒飲：餐前酒飲和餐后酒飲。我個人屬于歐洲的老派調酒風格，所以不管何時，只要編寫酒單我都會確保含有這兩大種類。也不是說每款酒中都需要有“開胃酒”或者“消化酒”。你需要用自己的風格，讓酒單變得創新有趣，直白新穎，同時對于大部分客人而言還簡單易懂。我推崇簡單至上。超過25款酒飲的酒單對于客人來說太容易迷糊，而且這還會耽誤速度和持續性。客人們總希望能盡快喝上自己最愛的酒飲，并且每次嘗起來味道一樣。當年在布拉格的時候，我和帕維爾•司馬為Black Angels酒吧創作酒單，酒單上涵括了24款酒飲。人們覺得我們兩個瘋了一樣。那個年代，這個城市里其他的酒吧都有超過100款的酒飲。但是我們堅持了自己的想法。現在再去看看布拉格的酒吧吧！我非常欣賞大衛•安伯里六款基本雞尾酒的理念。也許六款酒飲無法創造一款世界級酒單，但是，你知道其中的涵義在于：構思全面又簡約的酒單會是長久的潮流。不要盲目的跟隨潮流。頂級的酒單需要引導潮流，而非跟隨潮流。對于每種潮流，我們嘗試并評價，并考慮它是否適合我們酒吧。不過，正如我所說的，重點還是在于了解自己酒吧的特色，并且堅持你的原則。也許有些酒飲技巧很酷，但是它并不一定適合你的酒吧。”

10. “Top class menus should lead, not follow”
Zdenek Kastanek, 28 Hong St, Singapore:
“The key to a successful menu is truly understanding the identity and goals of your venue and your guests. At its simplest, we have eight basic spirit categories and two fundamental types of drink: pre-dinner and after-dinner. I’m from the old, European school of bartending so whenever I write a menu I always try to cover those two bases. I don’t mean every drink needs to scream ‘Aperitif!’ or ‘Digestif!’ Give it your own style; make it interesting; innovative but transparent, adventurous but humble and clear to the average guest. I’m all about simplicity. Anything over 25 drinks becomes confusing for the guest and you begin to compromise speed and consistency. Guests always want their favourite drink to taste the same and be with them as fast as possible. When I was writing the menu at Black Angels in Prague with Pavel Šima we had 24 drinks on the menu. People thought we were crazy. At the time, other bars in city had 100-plus drinks. But that was our idea and we stuck with it. Now go and look at bars in Prague today. I’ve always been a fan of David A. Embury’s idea of six basic cocktails. Six drinks probably won’t make a world-class menu but, you get the point, simple, well thought-out menus go a long way. Don’t follow trends slavishly. A top-class menu should lead, not follow. With each trend, we examine the practise, evaluate it, and decide if it has a place in our bar. Again, the key is to have a true understanding of your venue’s DNA and the discipline to stick to it. Just because some drink technique is cool, doesn’t mean it’s right for your bar.”

11. 為所有的酒飲拍照
是的，所有。在這數碼時代，有這樣的雜志，也有不斷增長的在線博客和社交媒體，如果你要在激烈競爭中保持不落后，你必須花錢請專業攝影師。如果你能在酒吧中提供世界級的酒飲，那么總會有人想把這一消息分享給別人。如果這時你已經準備好了照片，這不僅讓你本身看起來很專業，也會讓媒體感到你十分配合而回來找你。

11. Photograph all your drinks
Yes, all of them. In this digital age, with magazines such as this one, as well as the increasing number of online blogs and other media outlets, you simply must spend money on a professional photographer if you want to stay ahead of the competition. If you put out world-class drinks across your bar, then there is always someone, somewhere that is going to want to tell other people about it. If you have top quality photos ready at the click of a button, then not only will you look professional, but these publications will come back to you again as a result.

Blind Pig, London, nominated for Best New International Cocktail Bar, Tales of the Cocktail, 2014./倫敦Blind Pig被提名為2014雞尾酒傳奇最佳新國際雞尾酒吧。

12. “為每款酒找到一個興趣點”
加里斯•伊文思，倫敦Blind Pig：
“好的酒單應該緊湊、容易理解，且看起來有趣。我們將雞尾酒的配方與雞尾酒一并列在酒單上，最后為這款酒找到一個興趣點——不論是與杯子還是與呈現有關的，這會引發客人感到好奇。所以Rye n’ Air這款酒就是‘關稅已付’，Cuba Pudding Jnr這款酒就是‘酸奶粉’。”

12. “Give each drink a point of interest”
Gareth Evans, Blind Pig, London:
“A good menu should be short, accessible, easy to understand and fun to look at. We list our drinks with the ingredients and then add a point of interest at the end – something referring to the glass, or serve, something that makes people ask questions. So, for Rye n’ Air, it’s ‘Duty Paid’, for Cuba Pudding Jnr, it’s “Yogurt Powder’.”

13. 不要低估公關的重要性
酒單完成以后，用社交媒體來推廣：臉書、推特、Instagram、微博、微信。這些社交媒體平臺的推廣作用可不能小看。嘗試每天推廣一款不同的雞尾酒。如果你在做促銷活動、開心時間、推廣新品或者新酒單，這些社交媒體就會是帶動業務發展非常有效的工具。

13. Don’t underestimate the power of PR
When your menu is finished, use social media to promote it: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, WeChat – the power of these social media platforms to sell drinks can’t be understated. Try to promote a different drink every day. And, if you’re running any drinks specials, happy hours, promotions or launching a new menu, then these can be very effective tools to drive business to your venue.

奈倫·揚是居住于紐約的調酒師及記者，他曾為全世界范圍內多家酒吧創造雞尾酒酒單。如今他在曼哈頓Bacchanal吧臺后工作，如今他也許正在細品一杯內格羅尼呢。Naren Young is a New York-based bartender and journalist who has created cocktail menus for dozens of bars around the world. You’ll now find him behind the bar at Bacchanal, New York, probably sipping on a Negroni.

Bartender interviews: Alexander Barlow