How to Make a Cocktail
Choose a type of spirit that you want to use in your cocktail., Choose another type of alcohol to enhance the taste of the spirit (optional)., Get a nice cocktail shaker., Get a jigger or measuring cup., Muddle your fruit or herbs in the bottom of...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a type of spirit that you want to use in your cocktail.
It wouldn't be a cocktail without some alcohol, so be sure to get some.
The type of alcohol that you use in your cocktail.
Here are some ideas for spirits you can use:
Clear or colorless spirits.
These are more or less colorless in appearance and much of the time has a milder taste than other spirits.
Colorless spirits include:
Vodka Gin (Unaged) Cachaça Neutral Grain Spirit Soju Whiskeys.
Whiskeys are made from fermented grain mash, with the grain used changing from type to type.
Whiskey is popular around the world, but primarily manufactured in Scotland, Ireland, America, and Japan, each of which have distinct flavors.
The types of whiskey include:
Bourbon Scotch Rye Other colored spirits.
There are dozens of different kinds of spirits that would make sense in a cocktail.
Some of the most popular spirits not to have already been listed include:
Tequila Mezcal Absinthe Brandy -
Step 2: Choose another type of alcohol to enhance the taste of the spirit (optional).
Sometimes, a drink with a lower alcohol concentration is chosen to enhance the flavor of the spirit.
If you're going to use two types of alcohol in combination, be sure to test whether their tastes are compatible.
Gin and light beer may work in a refreshing drink with lemon and honey, or beer and tequila may work as a "beer-garita," but ouzo and red wine probably aren't likely to be paired anytime soon.
Beer and wine cocktails have become increasingly popular over the years.
Experiment with beer, for example, by making a simple Shandy, or lemonade and beer.
Experiment with wine by making a Kalimotxo, or red wine and coke.
Or try a French 75, which combines gin, sparkling wine, lemon, and sugar. , In order to combine your ingredients together, you're probably going to need a cocktail shaker.
Although certain cocktails that cocktails that use distilled spirits or very light mixers are stirred, most other cocktails are shaken.
Cocktails that have fruit juices, dairy products or eggs, simple syrup, sour mix, or any other thick ingredients need to shaken., A jigger is a useful tool if you want to make clean cocktails with exact measurements.
Think about it:
A cocktail where you "eyeball" the amount of alcohol or the amount of mixer can turn out too strong or too weak.
Many jiggers or measuring cups contain two sides, kind of like an hourglass.
The small jigger usually holds one ounce of liquid, while the bigger jigger holds two ounces.
This makes pouring cocktails that require "double" shots much easier. , Some recipes won't call for muddled fruits, but many will.
A mojito, for example, calls for muddled limes and mint to begin with.
Simply put the recommended amount of fruit and herbs in the bottom of your cocktail shaker and muddle with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon.
Make sure to get all the juices out of the fruit and break it up sufficiently. , As directed by your recipe, add the required liquids to your cocktail shaker. , Add ice once you're ready to shake so that you don't dilute the cocktail unnecessarily.
This is a mistake that many people make.
They put the ice in at the beginning instead of the end, thereby diluting their drink. , Vigorous shaking will combine all the ingredients in the drink together, blending them so that you don't taste an overwhelming amount of juice and not alcohol, or vice versa. , Different drinks call for different glasses.
A martini, for example, is always served in a martini glass, whereas a mojito is usually served in a highball glass.
Take the time to find which vessel is best for your cocktail.
You may think it's a bunch of hogwash, but there are plenty of people who think that choosing the right glass is what sets a good great apart from a great one.
If you plan on salting the rim of your glass — for a margarita, for example — do it before you pour the drink.
It's more difficult to salt a rim after you've poured the drink.
If your cocktail calls for ice to be added after you've shaken it, add fresh ice cubes instead of the ice cubes used while shaking.
Fresh ice cubes are larger, meaning they won't melt as quickly, diluting your drink. , Bitters are aromatic flavorings added to many (usually whiskey) drinks after mixing.
Probably the most famous bitters mix is Angostura bitters., The garnish you choose should be suitable for your cocktail.
An olive on a skewer, for example, traditionally goes with a martini. , -
Step 3: Get a nice cocktail shaker.
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Step 4: Get a jigger or measuring cup.
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Step 5: Muddle your fruit or herbs in the bottom of the cocktail shaker first (optional).
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Step 6: Add the juices
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Step 7: alcohols
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Step 8: and liqueurs into the cocktail shaker.
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Step 9: Add the ice after adding the liquids.
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Step 10: Close the cap to the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously
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Step 11: anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds
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Step 12: or until the shaker is too cold to hold.
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Step 13: Strain the drink into the appropriate vessel.
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Step 14: Add bitters to your drink (optional).
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Step 15: Add garnish to your drink (optional).
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Step 16: Sit back and enjoy your cocktail!
Detailed Guide
It wouldn't be a cocktail without some alcohol, so be sure to get some.
The type of alcohol that you use in your cocktail.
Here are some ideas for spirits you can use:
Clear or colorless spirits.
These are more or less colorless in appearance and much of the time has a milder taste than other spirits.
Colorless spirits include:
Vodka Gin (Unaged) Cachaça Neutral Grain Spirit Soju Whiskeys.
Whiskeys are made from fermented grain mash, with the grain used changing from type to type.
Whiskey is popular around the world, but primarily manufactured in Scotland, Ireland, America, and Japan, each of which have distinct flavors.
The types of whiskey include:
Bourbon Scotch Rye Other colored spirits.
There are dozens of different kinds of spirits that would make sense in a cocktail.
Some of the most popular spirits not to have already been listed include:
Tequila Mezcal Absinthe Brandy
Sometimes, a drink with a lower alcohol concentration is chosen to enhance the flavor of the spirit.
If you're going to use two types of alcohol in combination, be sure to test whether their tastes are compatible.
Gin and light beer may work in a refreshing drink with lemon and honey, or beer and tequila may work as a "beer-garita," but ouzo and red wine probably aren't likely to be paired anytime soon.
Beer and wine cocktails have become increasingly popular over the years.
Experiment with beer, for example, by making a simple Shandy, or lemonade and beer.
Experiment with wine by making a Kalimotxo, or red wine and coke.
Or try a French 75, which combines gin, sparkling wine, lemon, and sugar. , In order to combine your ingredients together, you're probably going to need a cocktail shaker.
Although certain cocktails that cocktails that use distilled spirits or very light mixers are stirred, most other cocktails are shaken.
Cocktails that have fruit juices, dairy products or eggs, simple syrup, sour mix, or any other thick ingredients need to shaken., A jigger is a useful tool if you want to make clean cocktails with exact measurements.
Think about it:
A cocktail where you "eyeball" the amount of alcohol or the amount of mixer can turn out too strong or too weak.
Many jiggers or measuring cups contain two sides, kind of like an hourglass.
The small jigger usually holds one ounce of liquid, while the bigger jigger holds two ounces.
This makes pouring cocktails that require "double" shots much easier. , Some recipes won't call for muddled fruits, but many will.
A mojito, for example, calls for muddled limes and mint to begin with.
Simply put the recommended amount of fruit and herbs in the bottom of your cocktail shaker and muddle with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon.
Make sure to get all the juices out of the fruit and break it up sufficiently. , As directed by your recipe, add the required liquids to your cocktail shaker. , Add ice once you're ready to shake so that you don't dilute the cocktail unnecessarily.
This is a mistake that many people make.
They put the ice in at the beginning instead of the end, thereby diluting their drink. , Vigorous shaking will combine all the ingredients in the drink together, blending them so that you don't taste an overwhelming amount of juice and not alcohol, or vice versa. , Different drinks call for different glasses.
A martini, for example, is always served in a martini glass, whereas a mojito is usually served in a highball glass.
Take the time to find which vessel is best for your cocktail.
You may think it's a bunch of hogwash, but there are plenty of people who think that choosing the right glass is what sets a good great apart from a great one.
If you plan on salting the rim of your glass — for a margarita, for example — do it before you pour the drink.
It's more difficult to salt a rim after you've poured the drink.
If your cocktail calls for ice to be added after you've shaken it, add fresh ice cubes instead of the ice cubes used while shaking.
Fresh ice cubes are larger, meaning they won't melt as quickly, diluting your drink. , Bitters are aromatic flavorings added to many (usually whiskey) drinks after mixing.
Probably the most famous bitters mix is Angostura bitters., The garnish you choose should be suitable for your cocktail.
An olive on a skewer, for example, traditionally goes with a martini. ,
About the Author
Ann Price
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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