Five New Years Tips for Amateur Mixologists

If your new years’ resolution is to learn how to mix cocktails like the professionals, then we are here to help! Here are some useful tips and tricks of the trade that you can use at home to create beverages worthy of the Savoy Hotel.

Create a List of Ten Cocktails

Trying to learn hundreds of cocktails all in one go is only going to confuse and demotivate you. Give yourself a list of your top ten favourite cocktails and work on perfecting these before any others. Keep these cocktails simple to start with – you can build up to more difficult techniques and complicated recipes later.

Get Equipped

In order to make cocktails like the pros, you will need to stock your bar with a few basic tools. Of course, a bottle opener and corkscrew are essential, but you will also need to invest in a strainer, stirrer, muddler, mixing glass, jigger and bar spoon. It would also make sense to start collecting the various different types of glassware required for your cocktails of choice.

Think Quality Over Quantity

When you first set up your bar, it can be tempting to fill it with lots of spirits and liqueurs to make it look authentic. However, if you have a list of ten cocktails that you are trying to perfect, you can build your bar up gradually, purchasing only the ingredients that you will need and choosing a better quality of beverages in order to ensure yours is the home bar that everyone is talking about!

Look to the Garden

Some of the best mixologists use ingredients that they have plucked fresh from the garden, giving their drinks an organic, delicious taste that is hard to replicate with older produce. If you are able to grow some of your ingredients, then it should be a priority. In the meantime, always choose the freshest fruits, herbs and garnishes that you can, and never be tempted to opt for frozen fruit unless the recipe calls for it.

Practice Makes Perfect

There are some mixology methods that are almost impossible to get right first time. If you have never muddled herbs before, it can be easy to over-stimulate them so that they over-power your drink. The key is to be gentle, muddling for just a few seconds in order to release the natural oils and delicate scents. Equally, using egg whites in cocktails is something that not everyone can master, as they tend to need a good, strong, shake for over ten seconds to get the light, frothy consistency that you need. Remember not to lose heart and keep practicing – it will be worth it in the end.

The path to mastering mixology might not be easy, with a few bad cocktails along the way, but once you know how to create your favourite drinks, you will never look back!