Cocktails 101
It's easy to get caught up on bar tools, the layout of the bar itself, and fancy dancy signature cocktails - that you believe will separate your brand and satisfy your guests. All of which are important, especially securing the appropriate bar tools.
Click here to learn about 12 Must-Have Bar Tools.
The best bars excel at basic cocktails and complex ones. The next time you feel like you or your bar tenders are getting over confident with complicated new-age mixology theory, but neglecting or missing standard and classic cocktail techniques, it might be a good idea to bring it all back to the basics.
Undeniably, it is a murky path to cocktail enlightenment. Light the way with a revisit to what you learned in cocktail kindergarten. Provided here is a review of four basic cocktail categories: 1) Sours, 2) Fizzes, 3) Old-Fashioneds, and 4) Three-Part Cocktails.
Sours
Sours contain citrus juice, should be tart or tangy, are usually shaken in a cocktail shaker, and served straight-up. Fresh squeezed juices are a necessity, often paired with simple syrup to sweeten. Sidecars, margaritas, Cosmopolitans, and Last Words can all be considered sours. Click here for the Classic Fresh Whiskey Cocktail.
Fizzes (or Collins)
Fizzes include anything with bubbles - highballs, Collinses, mules, bucks. These drinks can be incredibly simple and are usually considered to be the most refreshing cocktail category. With a variety of sodas, basic booze, and some lemons and limes, Moscow Mules, rye & gingers, Campari gin & tonics, mojitos, Tom Collins, or palomas are easily created and enjoyed.
Old-Fashioneds (or lowball cocktails)
These old-school short cocktails are simply sweetened liquor buttoned up with something bitter. The sweet can come from sugar, muddled with fruit or simmered into syrup, or a sweeter liqueur like triple sec or maraschino. The bitter comes from a few dashes of bottled bitters or a bitter spirit like an amaro. Often whiskey-based, like Sazerac, a Toronto or a rusty nail, old-fashioneds are potent, and if done well, perfectly balanced. Click here for Top 5 Old-Fashioned Recipes.
Three Parters
Spirit forward, these cocktails include a 3 part combination of booze, a modifier (a lower-alcohol ingredient like vermouth) plus a bitter or syrup. In this category, we find martinis, Manhattans, Brooklyns, Negronis, boulevardiers, Rob Roys, and any cocktail that is bold and boozy. Click here for Top 5 Martini Recipes.
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