The Golden Martini 1st Draft

The Martini Problem

It frustrates me whenever I go to a bar and my drink comes out wrong. I understand that knowing every cocktail in the world is almost impossible, but how do you mess up a martini?

To be fair, martini drinkers speak their own language. Dry, wet, dirty, extra dirty, shaken, stirred—everyone seems to have a different preference. So I understand why it can get confusing.

In this blog, I’ll teach you how to make the Golden Martini while I enjoy one myself.

What Makes a Good Bartender?

To become a successful bartender, you need two skills: the ability to connect with people and the ability to make consistently good cocktails. As a bartender, you’re part of the entertainment. You’re helping create the atmosphere that makes people want to stay and have a good time.

The problem is that some bartenders only have the first skill, and for many restaurant owners, that’s enough.

Why I Started Making the Golden Martini

Recently, I’ve been ordering my Golden Martini at local restaurants. About one out of every three times, it’s made correctly. Somehow, some bartenders interpret “dirty martini” as “make it as salty as humanly possible.” It’s an easy fix when I’m sitting at the bar, but if I’m at a table and the drink is still drinkable, I usually won’t send it back.

The Recipe

Golden Martini

• 3 oz reposado tequila

• 1 oz olive brine

• 2 dashes orange bitters

Shake it like a motherfucker.

Pour into a martini glass and garnish with three olives.

Simple.

The Dirty Martini Debate

Lately, I’ve been getting versions made with 2 ounces of tequila and 1.5 ounces of olive brine. That’s wild to me. My standard dirty martini ratio has always been 3 ounces of spirit and 1 ounce of olive brine. If someone wants it extra dirty, then I’ll bump the brine up to 1.5 ounces.

For me, balance is the key. The spirit should still be the star of the show.

Why Call It the Golden Martini?

I think “Golden Martini” is the perfect name for this cocktail.

I’ve always had an obsession with gold. I wear a gold chain and a gold septum. At work, I use a gold bar blade and a gold wine key. I’ve even considered getting gold bracers simply because they’re gold.

Beyond that, the combination of Reposado tequila and olive brine gives the drink a beautiful golden hue. The name fits both the look and the flavor.

Final Thoughts

Maybe this is just me planting a small seed of knowledge on the internet.

I’ve worked as a bartender in about five different restaurants, so I’d like to think I know a thing or two—although the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Either way, the discussion is open. Let me know what you think.

After all, this is only the first draft.