Learning the Essential Drink Mixing Techniques

Once you have all the ingredients and tools you need, you are ready to start mixing some cocktails. However, you cannot just fill your shaker with some spirits and then call it a drink. In fact, there are several mixing techniques that you must learn and master to become a true bartender. Some of these techniques are very easy, whereas others may require a bit of practice and experience. Don’t worry! Day after day, and cocktail after cocktail, your skill will improve and you will soon become an expert bartender!

Basic Bartending Techniques

• Shaken vs Stirred . Although these two words are often used interchangeably, they have two very different meanings. You can shake all cocktails who have juices or any flavoured ingredients. Contrarily, you stir drinks which are made of liquor or that need to be poured directly into a glass.
• Straining cocktails . Once your cocktail is ready, you shouldn’t serve it with the same ice you used to mix it. Straining is thus necessary to make your drinks smoother and more delicious by using fresh ice.
• “Building” your drink . Cocktails are usually built directly into the glass they are served in. This is a very easy bartender technique, which will immediately make you look like a professional.
• Topping a cocktail . If a recipe asks you to top your cocktail with a certain ingredient, it means that you should fill the glass with it. When topping the glass with more than one ingredient, you must always follow the order specified in the recipe, to make sure that all flavours and colours are layered perfectly.
• Blending drinks . This is one of the most important parts of your bartending journey, especially if you love frozen cocktails. Don’t forget to use the right amount of ice!

Advanced Bar Techniques

• Rolling a drink means that you should pour it from one container to another. Pay attention to never spill the drink outside its glass, and to shake it carefully to not break the chemicals of your spirits.
• Layering cocktails is easier than it may seem. All you need to do is to place ingredients on top of one another, creating colourful layers. Don’t forget that each ingredient has a different texture and taste, and it is thus important to know all these features when layering them.
• Muddling drinks . Some cocktails, such as the mojito, need to be muddled, which means smashed, to bring out all their freshness and aroma. You can muddle all types of fresh and frozen fruits, as well as herbs, spices, and leaves. If you don’t have any professional tool to muddle your ingredients, you can just use a wooden spoon.

Finding (and Making) Your Own Ingredients

Mixing a good cocktail is not all about pouring a few spirits and liquors together. In fact, there are other ingredients that you might wish to use, and each of them needs to be of the highest quality to ensure that your cocktail tastes perfect.

The best way to pick the freshest and most delicious ingredients is to make your own. This will also help you save a lot of money!

Don’t be afraid. These recipes are very easy to make, and you won’t need any professional tool. Besides, some of these ingredients can also be used for other recipes, such as desserts.

Homemade Drink Sweeteners

• Simple Syrup . The syrup is used in many cocktails because of its liquid form, which makes it easier to mix and dissolve into drinks. All you need to do is to bring some water to a boil, and then dissolve the sugar into it. If you want, you can add extra flavourings to spice it up.
• Grenadine . Grenadine is a pomegranate-flavoured syrup used to make several tequila-based cocktails. To make your delicious grenadine at home, you need to combine sugar and pomegranate juice and bring to a boil. Once ready, add a few dashes of orange flower water, to enhance its aftertaste.
• Sour Mix . Also known as “bar mix”, this syrup is made with lemon and it is usually added to tropical cocktails like the margarita. There are several ways to make the sour mix at home, but the secret is to always use excellent quality simple syrup. This is when your homemade simple syrup can come in handy!
• Agave Nectar . This is a good alternative to simple syrup, although it is not easy to make it at home. The best way is to experiment with different types of agave nectars which you can find on the market until you find the one which works best for you.
• Lime Cordial . Lime cordial shows that lime juice can be used as a sweetener for several cocktails. To make your own, you need to boil some citric acid, sugar and water. Once you obtain a syrupy mixture, you can flavour it with lime pieces.