Bartenders spend their shifts crafting drinks to suit their customers’ many tastes — but their own preferences often look quite different once the bar closes.
After hours of mixing cocktails, some bartenders reach for something familiar and comforting, rather than what patrons might expect.
Sometimes it’s a popular staple; other times, it’s a lesser-known pour reserved for industry insiders.
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Fox News Digital spoke with three bartenders across the country to find out what they order for themselves when they step out from behind the bar.
Here are six of their top choices.
A coffee liqueur-bourbon hybrid is a favorite of Stephanie Cohen, head bartender of The Port of Call in Mystic, Connecticut.
“One of my go-to shots is a 50/50 split base shot composed of Veritable Coffee Liqueur and Ship’s Bell Bourbon,” she said.
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“I think after a big meal, I tend to want something a bit stronger and richer, but not necessarily higher ABV,” referring to alcohol by volume.
The honey and chocolate flavors of Veritable Coffee Liqueur, she added, are “lifted by the rounded-out warm spices in Ship’s Bell Bourbon.”
“I couldn’t think of a bad time to enjoy a mini stirred coffee martini,” Cohen added.
Aleks Petrashek, a bartender and manager at Barrel Proof in New Orleans, said he recommends a “whiskey cocktail in a glass” experience with a Miller High Life pony chaser.
“For a truly great shot, you want something that offers more than just a quick burn,” he said.
“I suggest a chilled shot of Big Easy Whiskey with a High Life pony chaser. Served straight out of a freezer, the low temperature mellows the proof and the chilling highlights the inherent complexity of the whiskey.”
Petrashek spoke highly of the layered flavors — which include “a smooth initial sweetness, followed by notes of caramel and spice, finishing with a satisfying warmth.”
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“It’s a premium, complex flavor profile in a single gulp, making it a fantastic value and a sophisticated, fast choice for the whiskey lover.”
For those looking for a simple, holiday-like shot, Bartender Magazine’s Ryan Foley suggested Rumple Minze peppermint schnapps.
The New Jersey-based expert said that the 100-proof peppermint schnapps has been “a bartender favorite for a while.”
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Peppermint schnapps “give you a minty, cooling feeling while you enjoy [them],” he said.
Bottles range from $30 to $35, Foley added, making them an affordable shot.
Made from 100% Blue Weber agave, Foley called these coconut-flavored-infused shots “a crowd pleaser.”
“The natural coconut flavors also lead it to be mixed beautifully in cocktails, like an espresso martini or margarita, and even unique shots with orange juice,” he suggested.
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Foley called the tequila “great value for any occasion and something growing in popularity with the bartender community.”
Green tea shots are popular with bargoers and bartenders alike, Foley said.
“You will see [and] hear people ordering these a lot at bars or during a fun, energetic night out,” he said.
There’s no actual tea in these shots. Rather, they’re made with equal parts Jameson Irish whiskey, peach schnapps and sour mix, with a splash of lemon-lime soda, Foley said.
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“These are things that a majority of bars have, making this available and easy to order,” Foley added.
M&M shots are made of mezcal and Amaro Montenegro — and they don’t exactly taste like candy.
Mezcal lends smokiness, earthiness and a little bitterness to the shot — while Amaro Montenegro is sweet and herbal, Foley said.
These shots are a bartender’s favorite because the products on their own “are amazing.” When combined, they “make a mix that tastes like dessert,” Foley said.
Not every bar has mezcal, so M&M shots are more of an “if you know, you know” selection, Foley said — making them “more common with bartenders and those into cocktail culture.“
