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Top 10 Tips for Mixing Cocktails
Follow PartyCocktails.com's top 10 mixing tips for making fabulous cocktails every time. Further hints can be found on the Cocktail Mixing Techniques page.
Follow recommended recipes
The recipes on this site or in the further information section are a good starting place.
Chill your glasses
Chill glasses in advance in a fridge or simply fill with water and ice to chill while your are mixing your cocktail in the shaker. A chilled glass will keep your cocktail as cool as possible, from the first sip until the last.
Use the best ingredients available
That means, quality branded spirits, branded mixers, fresh fruit and freshly squeezed juices. If you put poor ingredients in you'll get a poor result out. Read more on stocking your bar...
Measure ingredients carefully
Use a quality jigger that allows you to pour half, quarter and eighth measures accurately.
Hold bottles by the neck when pouring
Holding spirit bottles by the neck makes it much easier to pour exactly the right measure.
Use lots of ice
Add lots of fresh ice to the shaker immediately before shaking. Always add the ice last to avoid unnecessary dilution of the other ingredients.
Shake well
Shake until the shaker feels uncomfortably cold to the touch and condensation starts to form on it. Stirring can be preferable for clear drinks, but the medical facts perhaps suggest otherwise.
Avoid large glasses
By the time you finish a drink in a large glass it will have warmed up, especially if the drink is served "up" (without ice) in a martini glass.
Taste before serving
Fresh fruits and juices can vary in sweetness so you may need to fine tune your cocktail with extra citrus juice or sugar syrup to achieve the right balance.
Garnish with subtlety
Use fresh garnish and simple cocktail picks. No garnish is far better than a forest of fruit, veg and umbrellas in the top of your drink!
