Ask Adam: Is It O.K. to Send My Cocktail Back if it Isn’t Strong Enough?

Got a question? Send it to advice@vinepair.com.

Is it O.K. to send my cocktail back if it isn’t strong enough?

Not unless you want to look like a real tool. As we’ve written before, people who say they want a “strong”-tasting cocktail usually just mean they want to taste the booze. If that’s your jam, just order your spirits straight. A cocktail is at its best when all the flavors are in harmony, not when all you can taste is one dominant spirit.

Now, some of you are still going to order your cocktails and request that they’re “strong.” Most bartenders have a trick for people like you. Many either float a bit of pure spirit on the top of your drink or even dip your straw in liquor before serving the drink to you. That way, your brain thinks the drink is “strong” because the first flavor you encounter is pure spirit, but it really isn’t.

Is it O.K. to complain if the server doesn’t let me taste my wine before he/she pours it?

Absolutely. If you are buying a bottle of wine and the server opens it and pours without giving you the opportunity to taste, it’s a big no-no. But it’s also important that you understand why you’re supposed to taste before you throw a fit: You taste to ensure the wine is not flawed, not to determine whether or not you like it. You would never return the steak or pasta you ordered simply because you decided you didn’t like it— well, unless you are that person. You’d only return it if something was wrong with it. The same is true for wine. If it has a flaw, you should absolutely send it back. And the only way you know is if you taste it before your full glass is poured.

Can I drink craft beer from a can or should I be pouring it in a glass?

I used to hear people claim it was uncouth to drink beer from a can, but I say drink your beer however you want. There are so many great craft beers in cans nowadays; if you feel like enjoying it straight from the source, there is no reason why you shouldn’t.

That said, there are a lot of advantages you can get from pouring your canned beer into a glass, especially the right glass. You’ll smell more of the beer’s aromas, pick up more of the flavors, and look classy AF doing it. But at the end of the day, you do you. Drink the beer how you want to drink it. Just please don’t shotgun it.