COCKTAIL is an alcoholic mixed drink that commonly consists of spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as sugar and citrus.
Whereas men usually order beer, brandy, or whiskey, most of the women prefer to order cocktails.
It is possible that it’s due to the distinct taste of the drink, as people describe as the progression of taste or how the flavor evolves in the drinker's tongue.
Another is probably because some bartenders tend to drown their drinks with syrup and a lot of juices, which, perhaps, make it delicious.
However, according to Kloyd Ang, Cagayan de Oro's cocktail expert and the bartender and bar manager of The Oak Room, cocktails should be balanced.
"The thing about cocktails, it’s different from one cocktail to another. Some cocktails are really strong. Some cocktails are really mild. Some tend to be on the sweeter side while some are really very alcoholic," Ang said.
"Yung nakasanayan kasi (What we are used to), especially in Cagayan de Oro, cocktails are mixed with a lot of syrups and a lot of juices. In fact, they're drowned in syrups and juices which make them delicious but a cocktail should be balanced. It should have balance. It shouldn't be too sweet, it shouldn't be too sour. It depends on the type of cocktail you are making. You can make a cocktail that's pretty strong but it’s still balanced," he added.
Ang has been in the bartending industry for years, albeit he really did not plan to pursue a career in bartending when he was still in college, studying information management at Xavier University.
He even shared that he was semi-forced to be a bartender and was also forced to learn stuff or things on mixing cocktails.
It just so happen that he is a huge fan of mixing stuff, it made him determined enough to teach himself about bartending through research, the internet, and books.
"It’s the joy of finding or it is the passion of learning and discovering something new. The art of mixing itself. Maybe people who have not tried bartending or have not tried mixing would not get it right away.
But it really is fun because it’s just like cooking that you're trying to make something new or something delicious at the same time, but this one can get you drunk though," Ang said.
"It’s a little complicated but it’s fun because the combinations are only limited by your imagination. The ingredients that you can use are only limited by what you can get," he added.
He also shared that he only got a formal training in bartending in Jamaican F&B Assessment and Training Center after a few months working as the bartender and bar manager of The Oak Room.
"I went to Jamaican to learn bartending. But I already had maybe 70 or 80 percent of the stuff that I learned from through research, internet, and books. So what I learned there was just maybe 20 percent. So kunti na lang talaga yung natutunan ko sa Jamaican talaga (I learned a little in Jamaican)," Ang said.
It was through working in The Oak Room that Ang became this great in mixing cocktails, satisfying his customers with its unique flavors and good service.
"Luckily, I've been receiving positive feedback from the customers. But what I would like to impart is that the customers should order the appropriate cocktail for them," the bar manager said.
"What I teach to my team is that, they should guide the customers when ordering cocktails. It’s crucial for them to order the right cocktail for them. I try to teach the team that you should try asking a series of question first before the customer orders," he added, further saying that this will give the servers and bartenders a better idea on what to recommend to their customers.
Working as The Oak Room's bartender made Ang passionate about bartending, particularly in making cocktails. He can even give his customers pieces of advice or recommendations as to what food is appropriate partner for their drinks.
Although he does not do competitions for bartending or flairtending, he was able to participate in the cocktail festival in Singapore.
"The food suited for the cocktails depends on what kind of cocktail you will be drinking. Some cocktails are good before a meal like appetizing cocktails. These are what you called pre-dinner drinks which stimulate the appetite," Ang said.
"There are cocktails that you can drink anytime of the day. There are also cocktails better to be drank after a meal because they're sweet and they tend to be like dessert," he added.
Kloyd Ang has been working as the bartender and bar manager of The Oak Room ever since the establishment opened in December 2016.
If you want to try his cocktail drinks or perhaps ask for his advice as one of the city's cocktail experts, Ang can be found working in The Oak Room located along Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City.