The Underrated Classic Cocktail Everyone Should Try

A well-stocked bar can make adults light up like children in a candy store. From beers to cocktails to straight-up shots, there are countless choices when it comes to finding your drink of choice. 

However, for those of us who like to switch it up, the seemingly endless list of options at the bar can be overwhelming, to say the least. What's more, the stress of the decision can make us overlook some of the most classic drinks that bartenders have in their arsenal. But the classics shouldn't be overlooked; there's a reason they're called that, after all.

Mashed asked Jack Schramm, former head bartender at Existing Conditions and co-founder of Solid Wiggles, about which classic cocktails he thinks are the most underrated. His answer may come as a surprise, but the reasoning behind it is sound — and it just might convince you to abandon your go-to cocktail order, too.

When asked what underrated cocktail he thinks more people should try at bars, bartender Jack Schramm's answer was a classic daiquiri. He says that if you order this simple cocktail, your bartender's eyes will "light up." 

Contrary to popular belief, ordering a classic daiquiri will not lead you to babysitting a glass of overly sweet frozen slush (or a "monstrosity," as Schramm calls it). A classic daiquiri is much more straightforward; the only ingredients are rum, lime juice, and simple syrup ... maybe also a lime twist if your bartender is feeling fancy (per Liquor.com). Schramm describes this cocktail as "bright, bracing, ice-cold, and insanely refreshing." 

He adds that daiquiris are a favorite among bartenders, so you might be on their good side if you order one. And this tip just might come in handy when you're fighting to get a bartender's attention.

The subsequent most important question for bartender Jack Schramm was whether he thinks there are any mixed drinks people should avoid ordering, whether it's because they're not worth their cost or they are more of a pain for bartenders to make. His answer was just as surprising, and just as helpful. 

"My sincerest hope is that guests at bars will stop ordering drinks they don't actually like because they think they're supposed to because they're popular and cool," he says. "I see adult men in suits suffering through Old Fashioneds all the time because they would be embarrassed to order something light and refreshing." With the way that sweeter, fruitier drinks tend to be geared towards women, and drier, stronger drinks towards men, it's no wonder that he sees this phenomenon of inauthenticity so often. Many bartenders out there are tired of seeing it too, and like Schramm, many are working to de-gender drinks (per Liquor.com).

So, the next time the bar-induced panic is about to set in, remember Schramm's advice: "Just drink what you like. No shame, no stigma."