13 Bartenders & Their Least Favorite Cocktail Trends

That moment when you realize not all bartenders are totally stoked about cocktail trends. Who knew Halloween candy-infused vodka and ice-carving would have their place in the depths of "trends I hate" hell?

For basic amusement and a semblance of education, here are 13 Seattle bartenders dishing on their least favorite current cocktail trends.

Is there a trend you can't stand? Feel free to vent in the comments.

Andrew Friedman, Liberty: "Vermouth. Sorry, I just don't buy it. Only cocktail geeks are excited about low-alcohol vermouth drinks. In my experience, the non-geek tries one, says, "Ooo! That's cool!", and then goes back to ordering their favorite style of drink."

Kate Perry, Rumba: "My least favorite trend is the glorification of bartending. The portrayal of bartenders as celebrity creates a focus on self-congratulatory individual egos instead of a focus on heart, hospitality and service."

Shattuck Wildaner, Artusi: "I would have to say unbalanced housemade tinctures and infusions. If you are gonna have something on your menu or offer it up to guests, you should spend a lot of time playing with it and perfecting it. You can't just throw a bunch of stuff together and call it good; you should really think about what you're doing and why you are doing it."

Melissa Cross, Sun Liquor: "Too many complicated modifiers. Lets keeps things simple and delicious."

Rob Sheldon, The Augustus: "The reintroduction of dairy into cocktails. Dairy curdles in the stomach when mixed with alcohol, is high in calories, and not good for the waistline. Most of all it gums up and covers the palate. Any good cocktail should cleanse the palate and stimulate the appetite."

Jamie Boudreau, Canon: "The only issue with ordering that I have is when someone orders a different bar's special cocktail and are stunned/pissed that we don't know the recipe. Especially when said bar is from another city and not a 'known' bar."

Gregg Holcomb, Witness: "Pre-batched cocktails. Nothing craft or sexy about that. The art is the love the bartender puts into your drink 'in the moment.'"

Erik Carlson, Bastille/Stoneburner: "Probably the most evil trend this time of year is candy corn infused vodka."

Elizabeth Powell, Liberty: "I would have to go with white whiskey. People want to get away with calling it moonshine, which it isn't. I don't find white whiskey to be an interesting flavor profile. I suspect that it's being used as a means to get people who don't drink whiskey into drinking whiskey. I prefer to think that people who are interested in widening their spirit horizon will find those industry professionals who they know will encourage them to taste new spirits without depending on hoopla and marketing."

Chris Goad, Canon: "One of my least favorite cocktail trends would have to be servers or bartenders who forget that the customer is our first priority at all times. They chose to spend their time and money at our jobs and consideration and respect for this needs to be a presiding factor in how we treat them."

Philip Thompson, Capitol Cider: "Local whisky that is released before it is ready. That is it. It drives me fucking crazy."

Craig Schoen, Walrus & the Carpenter: "Carving ice. if you want to carve ice, move to Quebec and carve trappers and beavers for the ice festival."

Erik Hakkinen, Zig Zag: "My least favorite trend in cocktails is the complete lack of daiquiri stands in Seattle."

— Wendy Miller is the founder of the Seattle LUPEC chapter and author of the Seattle Cocktail Culture app.

· All Cocktail Week 2013 Coverage [~ESEA~]