What Is a Well Drink and Why Is It Ordered So Often?

To better understand the origin of well drinks, let us hop into a hypothetical time machine: It is the early 19th century, and the concept of a cocktail is hot on everyone’s lips. In spite of Prohibition, cocktail culture is flourishing and even evolving — as history has proven time and again, limitations breed creativity.

Secret bars called ‘speakeasies’ are everywhere, and since they’re essentially operating on the sly, bartenders must be skilled at multitasking: in addition to keeping an eye out for the authorities, they have to serve drinks in haste. As such, popular (and by this, we mean inexpensive) spirits are stored within arm’s reach in a specific part of the bar colloquially called the ‘bar well’ or ‘bar rail.’

To fast forward to the present, cocktails concocted using spirits from the ‘well’ or the ‘rail’ has naturally come to be known as ‘well drinks’ or ‘rail drinks’ in bartending lingo.

Does low cost always equate to low quality? In order to answer this question, think about hamburgers at various price points. While a Wagyu burger comes with a premium patty, many still favor fast food staples for a variety of reasons.

Sure, well drinks got their start as a low-cost option, but in today’s diverse drinking culture, many bars have expanded their well selection to include a wider range of spirits. Traditionally, a typical well would include at least one kind of gin, vodka, rum, whisky, bourbon, tequila, triple sec, and vermouth. Today, however, you’ll find flavored liquors and likely some liqueurs.

You’ve probably had one or more of these well drinks without even knowing it. These uncomplicated cocktails rarely contain no more than five ingredients.

Popular two-ingredient well drinks:
Gin: Gin and Tonic, Gin, and Juice
Vodka: Vodka Tonic, Screwdriver
Rum: Rum and Coke,
Whisky: Scotch and Soda

Other cocktails:
Daiquiri: Contains rum, lime juice, and simple syrup
Long Island Iced Tea: Contains vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin, and cola
Margarita: Contains tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and simple syrup (optional)
Moscow Mule: Contains vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice
Mojito: Contains white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint
Tequila Sour: Contains tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white (optional)
Tequila Sunrise: Contains tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup
Tom Collins: Contains gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water
Whiskey Sour: Contains whiskey/bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white (optional)

To wrap up, well drinks allow the wider public to partake in cocktail culture without breaking the bank. Since they’re also easy to whip up, ordering one will also cut down on your waiting time at a crowded bar. You’re welcome for the tip!