Essential Cocktail Building
You do not need an elaborate bar setup to serve a proper drink. Focus on fresh ingredients and cold glassware to bring out the intended character of the spirits.
Chill everything before you begin.
Your tools and glassware should be cold. Use large, solid ice cubes, as small chips melt too fast and dilute the drink before it reaches the proper temperature.
- Boston shaker
- Hawthorne strainer
- Jigger
- Mixing glass
- Bar spoon
What goes in.
- 2 ozbase spirit (gin, whiskey, or tequila)
- 0.75 ozfresh citrus juice
- 0.5 ozsimple syrup (1:1 water to sugar ratio)
- As neededlarge ice cubes
Aeration and Temperature
When shaking, use enough force to break the ice against the walls of the shaker. You are looking for the metal to become frosted and painful to touch; this indicates the drink is properly chilled and diluted.
The method.
Measure and chill
Add your spirit, citrus, and syrup into the shaker first, then fill it three-quarters full with ice.
The shake
Seal the shaker firmly. Shake vigorously for 10 to 12 seconds. Stop when the outside of the shaker is coated in heavy frost.
Strain
Place the strainer over the shaker. Pour into a chilled coupe or rocks glass. If using a rocks glass, add a fresh, large ice cube before pouring.
Finish
Express a twist of citrus peel over the surface to release the oils, then drop the peel into the glass.
Other turns to take.
The Stirred Method
Used for drinks without citrus, such as a Manhattan. Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir for 30 seconds rather than shaking to maintain a silky texture.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always juice your citrus immediately before mixing; juice oxidized after thirty minutes changes the drink profile.
If the drink feels thin, you have over-diluted it. If it feels harsh, shake it a few seconds longer.
Store your simple syrup in the refrigerator to keep it from fermenting.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why use simple syrup instead of granulated sugar?
Granulated sugar does not dissolve completely in cold alcohol, leaving a gritty texture at the bottom of your glass.
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