Mix it up

Mix and shake your way to great sales with this guide to cocktail-making

KNOW YOUR SPIRITS

Get clued up on spirits as each one has a different role to play as the base of a good cocktail. Vodka is flavourless and so will blend with anything, whereas whisky is full of flavour and smoky, so needs to be carefully matched to avoid overpowering the tastebuds.

GET THE MEASURE

A good mixologist will have measurements down to a fine art so they’re comfortable using a jigger, aka a cocktail measuring cup, and a free pour.

SHAKE IT

As shaking is the preferred mixing technique for noncarbonated cocktails, practice makes perfect, so whatever type of cocktail shaker you choose to use practise, practise, practise.

MUDDLED UP

Muddling is one of the keys to a quality cocktail and will elevate yours. It’s crushing ingredients, such as fresh mint, lime and ginger, to release their juices. It helps the flavours combine with the spirit and sugar to create a refreshing drink and infuses the drink with the right balance of flavours.

IT’S A STRAIN

One of the most important aspects of cocktail-making is straining to stop ice shards and bits of fruit and herbs getting into the glass. Some drinks, such as a cosmopolitan, can be double-strained to remove coarse bits and then a fine strain to keep tiny flecks of ice and fruit out of the finished serve.

KNOW IT

Learn the basic cocktail recipes by heart. It makes you look professional and cuts down wait times for customers. Know how to make a bloody Mary, a martini, a margarita and a negroni as a minimum.

Top tips

»The golden rule is a ratio of 2:1:1 – two parts spirit, one part sweet and one part sour.

»Know your cocktail and how much ice to use: citrussy ones are best enjoyed when chilled down to below freezing temperature and slightly diluted, ie lots of ice, whereas dark spirit-based ones need less chilling and less dilution, i.e. little to no ice.

»Use the right glass: it can affect the taste, aroma and temperature.

»Garnish: the last step in crafting the perfect cocktail is the garnish – it not only enhances the appearance of the drink but also the flavour. Go olives with a martini, orange peel with an old fashioned, fresh mint leaves with a mojito, coffee beans with an espresso martini, a maraschino cherry with a Manhattan or citrus peel with a negroni.

Try these on-trend ideas for Christmas and the new year

SPICY GINGER PUNCH

Add bourbon and spiced apple juice to a glass with ice, top with ginger beer and garnish with a slice of apple or orange. You could make this in a punch bowl too. And serve warm for a comforting hot cocktail.

HONEY FIZZ

Pour any type of gin, lemon juice, honey syrup and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker is frosty. Pour into champagne flutes and top with chilled champagne or prosecco. Garnish with lemon peel and honeycomb.

WHITE RUSSIAN WITH A TWIST

Measure out a shot each of vodka and coffee liqueur and add to a glass. Top with equal measures of heavy cream and whole milk (half a shot of each is a good balance). Add ice and stir. Mix in a couple of pumps of salted caramel syrup for a spiked latte-style cocktail. You could swap out the whole milk for oat milk too.