Cocktail Business Cards Are The Solution For Picky Drinkers

James Bond isn't the only one who's picky about how his drinks are made, but the fictional spy is forever noting that he likes his iconic martinis shaken, and never, under any circumstances, stirred. Perhaps if he had a card listing his preferred cocktail and preparation method listed, he could bypass this routine explanation to bartenders, and dedicate more time to saving the world.

Avoiding repetitive explanations is one reason cocktail business cards are becoming an increasingly popular bar accessory. Unlike traditional business cards, which are primarily used to exchange contact information, the cocktail version is a way to acquaint bartenders with your favorite drink, as well as the specifics of how you'd like it made. These cards are especially useful if you're traveling in a country where you don't know the language, if your favorite drink is obscure, or if it requires some custom refinements to the standard recipe.

Does it seem a tad pretentious? Maybe, but this emerging trend is a boon for discerning drinkers who no longer have to engage in constant back-and-forth conversations with bartenders over banal cocktail minutiae. Instead, they simply hand over their cocktail business card, and await the result: a perfectly made drink (according to their exacting standards, at least).

Cocktail business cards are indeed becoming an increasingly fashionable accessory, with elegant designs that showcase not only images of the drink in the appropriate cocktail glassware, but also list its exact ingredients and detailed preparation instructions. Interestingly, this concept is not new. Some social media users have noted that similar cocktail cards have been part of the drinking culture in countries like Japan, where social drinking often intertwines with business interactions. Others have advocated for the revival of these cocktail-themed cards to assist both bartenders and their most exacting patrons.

Cocktail business cards — minus the business information aspect — do seem to be growing in popularity, particularly in large cities like New York and Los Angeles. Bartenders there have taken to social media to recount their experiences receiving the cards. As this combination of particularity and politeness applies to countless bar-goers, cocktail business cards may be a trend that sticks around for a while. However, they're unlikely to ever become as ubiquitous as the traditional business cards from which they take their inspiration.

While some might find it perfectly polite to give bartenders cocktail business cards in crowded bars, this may not always be the best course of action. Just as there's etiquette in the exchange of traditional business cards, one should exercise discretion when handing out the cocktail variant. Yes, it's true that most mixologists are happy to accommodate requests for custom preparations, but offering a cocktail card in a bustling bar or nightclub might not yield the desired outcome — which is to say, a custom cocktail carefully crafted according to precise instructions.

Regarding the design of the cards, most people seem to prefer including as much detail about measurements and preparation as possible. The cards used for these recipes are generally of high quality, too, though the need for such quality may depend on whether one is handing out new cards at each stop, or using the same one over and over. In the latter scenario, lamination is advised. The bartender is likely to remember the gesture, in any case, so once the cards are presented, your specialty drink will probably be prepared according to the instructions on all future visits. This, of course, is the very reason why picky individuals invest in these cards in the first place.