Bar & Cocktail Pronunciation
The bar world is filled with words borrowed from French, Italian, Spanish, Gaelic, Polish, German, Japanese, and plenty of other languages that apparently never got together to discuss phonics. Even seasoned bartenders occasionally encounter a bottle and think, I know what you are—I just don't know how to say you.
This guide covers commonly mispronounced beers, spirits, cocktails, wines, brands, and bar terms using easy-to-read phonetic spellings.
For some of the real tongue-twisters, click — LISTEN to hear the word spoken in
real-world videos. Good to know: the pronunciation site allows up to 20 free uses per day before requiring a paid plan—so choose your tongue-twisters wisely.
And remember, pointing at a bottle and saying, “I'll have that one,”
is always Plan B. 😂
Beer
Franziskaner — frahn-tsiss-KAH-ner — LISTEN
Harnaś — HAR-nash
Hitachino Nest — hee-TAH-chee-no
Hoegaarden — HOO-gar-den
Kasztelan — kash-TEH-lahn
Leinenkugel's — LIE-nen-koo-gulz
Łomża — WOAM-zhah
Löwenbräu — LUR-ven-broy
Pilsner Urquell — PILZ-ner UR-kwell
Singha — SING
Smithwick's — SMITH-icks
Tsingtao — CHING-dow
Yuengling — YING-ling
Weihenstephaner — VY-en-shtay-fah-ner — LISTEN
Bitters
Angostura — ang-uh-STOOR-uh — LISTEN
Boker's — BOH-kers
Peychaud's — pay-SHOHZ — LISTEN
Regans' — REE-gunz — LISTEN
Cocktails
Aperol Spritz — AP-er-ol spritz
Batida — bah-CHEE-dah (or bah-TEE-dah)
Bijou — BEE-zhoo
Boulevardier — boo-luh-var-dee-AY
Caipirinha — kai-pee-REEN-yah
Daiquiri — DAI-kuh-ree
Kir Royale — keer roy-AL
Mai Tai — MY-tie
Mojito — moh-HEE-toh
Negroni — neh-GROH-nee
Paloma — pah-LOH-mah
Piña Colada — PEEN-yah koh-LAH-dah
Sazerac — SAZ-uh-rak
Ti' Punch — tee POONSH
Vieux Carré — vyuh kah-RAY — French for “Old Square,”
referring to the French Quarter. — LISTEN
Cognac/Brandy
Armagnac — ar-mahn-YAK
Calvados — kal-vah-DOHS
Courvoisier — koor-vwah-ZYAY — LISTEN
Hennessy — HEN-uh-see
Rémy Martin — ray-MEE mar-TAN
Gin
Beefeater — BEEF-ee-ter
Bombay Sapphire — bom-BAY SAF-fire
Hendrick's — HEN-dricks
Tanqueray — TANG-kuh-ray
Bar & Cocktail Terms
Anise — ANN-iss
Aperitif — ah-pair-uh-TEEF
Cinchona — sin-KOH-nah
Digestif — dee-zhess-TEEF
Demerara — dem-uh-RARE-uh
Macerate — MASS-uh-rate
Mise en place — meez ahn PLAHS
Nouvelle — noo-VELL — French for “new.”
Orgeat — or-ZHAHT — LISTEN
Sommelier — suh-muhl-YAY
Terroir — tair-WAHR
Verjus — vair-ZHOO
Worcestershire — WUSS-ter-sheer — LISTEN
Spirits
Absinthe — AB-sinth — LISTEN
Amaro — ah-MAH-roh
Amaro Montenegro — ah-MAH-roh mon-teh-NAY-groh
Anisette — ANN-ih-SET
Apéritif — ah-pair-uh-TEEF
Amaretto di Saronno — ah-mah-RET-toh dee sah-ROHN-noh
Becherovka — BEH-kher-ov-kah — LISTEN
Bénédictine — beh-neh-deek-TEEN
Chambord — sham-BOARD
Chartreuse — shar-TROOZ
CioCiaro Amaro — cho-CHAR-oh ah-MAH-roh
Cocchi — KOH-kee
Cognac — KOHN-yak — LISTEN
Cointreau — KWAHN-troh
Crème de cassis — krem duh kah-SEES
Crème de cacao — krem duh kah-KOW — LISTEN
Crème de noyaux — krem duh nwah-YOH
Curaçao — KYOOR-uh-sow (rhymes with cow) — LISTEN
Cynar — chee-NAHR
Disaronno — dee-sah-ROHN-noh
Drambuie — dram-BOO-ee
Falernum — fah-LER-num
Fernet — fair-NET — LISTEN
Frangelico — frahn-JEH-lee-koh
Galliano — gahl-YAH-noh — LISTEN
Grand Marnier — grahn mar-NYAY
Licor 43 — lee-KOR koo-ah-REN-tah ee TRES
Lillet — lee-LAY
Luxardo — loo-ZAR-doh —