These articles guide you through all the popular cocktail ingredients that are used to mix drinks. They include base spirits, liqueurs, aperitifs, syrups, bitters, juice, dairy, mixers, ice and garnishes.
Liquor the Base Spirit – An introductory guide to all the base spirits like whiskey, gin, scotch, rum, tequila and vodka, plus a few relative newcomers to North America like cachaca and pisco. It also reveals how to source the best quality spirits without paying premium prices.
Liqueurs the Modifier Spirits – After the base spirits, these modifier liqueurs are the most popular in mixed drinks. They come in flavor families like orange, coffee, anise, nuts, and whiskey creams. Discover the differences between them and when you can substitute one for the other.
Specialty Liqueurs – These are the specialty liqueurs that are not commonly used in a lot of cocktails. That’s because they have unmistakeable flavor profiles that dominate the other ingredients. It’s also the home of the wildly unregulated fruit brandies, schnapps, and cremes.
Wine, Aperitifs and Digestifs – This is a broad category covering many different spirits. The wine based ones include the vermouths. The aperitifs are generally before dinner drinks to stimulate appetite. The digestifs are usually herbal drinks to help digest a meal. This guide covers all the popular ones you’ll find in cocktails.
List of Modifier Spirits – You won’t need to buy everything on this list to make cocktails at home. But you will find all of these at any decent cocktail lounge. It’s a good idea to have tasting parties with your friends. Try them all and keep notes, to see what you like best.
Making Simple Syrup for Cocktails – This syrup is just sugar and water, so why is it so complicated? It depends on the type of sugar, the water to sugar ratio, and the measuring devices, which vary by country. This article and recipe will guide you towards better simple syrup and well balanced drinks.
Cocktail Syrups and Flavorings – This is where mixology meets bartending. You’ll discover all the important details about syrups like orgeat, falernum, sweet and sour, flower waters, honey, agave, coconut creams and more. You’ll also find out how easy it is, to make your own grenadines and berry syrups.
Homemade Liqueurs – Most liqueurs, brandies, and schnapps, are nothing more than alcohol, sugar, color and flavor. That means it’s easy to make your own home made liqueur. These simple recipes show how to make your own citrus vodkas, fruit schnapps, raspberry, vanilla, anise, mint, and almond liqueurs, without spending a lot of money.
Cocktail Bitters – In recent years there has been an explosion of this essential cocktail ingredient onto the bar scene. This chapter gives a little background story on the history of bitters and how they came to be part of cocktails. It reveals the major players, including several in the orange category, along with detailed notes on what they taste like.
Juice, Dairy & Mixers – These are the ingredients that make each cocktail unique. You’ll discover everything you need to know about choosing citrus fruit and how to juice them. It covers cranberry, pomegranate, pineapple, peach, tomato and other popular juices. It also gives the inside scoop on raw eggs, creams, milk, soft drinks, soda water, tonics and more.
Cocktail Ingredients List – Here is the full list of ingredients that go into mixing drinks. You won’t need all them for home entertaining, but they and many others are standard fare at any cocktail bar. Use it as a grocery list, so you can buy based on what you like to drink.
Ice Making & Handling – Discover how to get better tasting ice. The ideal ice cube size for whiskey and cocktails. How much ice per person is needed for parties. How long to stir or shake for proper chilling and dilution. How to make crushed ice in the blender, or cracked ice in a Lewis bag.
Cocktail Garnishes – These are way more than decorations. They add color, texture, scent, flavor and drama. They can also be a lot of fun. You’ll discover how to garnish with lemon, lime and orange twists, slices and wedges. It covers olives, onions, cherries, mint, cucumber, celery, fruit sticks, plus colorful flags and hats.
