5 Cocktail Making Tips for the Amateur Bartender in you

Our readers would know that here, on the Just Wines blog, we have been sharing with them some delightful cocktail recipes. These range from a warming Mulled Wine for comforting you on foggy winter evenings, to an intense Star Gazer so that socialising at your next party is more fun! After all, there are so many different ways to enjoy wine. Why not try them all! Today, to shape up the inner bartender in you even better, we are bringing for you some professional tips for cocktail making at home. Without further adieu, let’s get started!

1. If you are interested in mixology (Mixing drinks/ bartending), start with investing in a jigger, cocktail shaker and muddler and bar spoon. Please note that these are the most basic bartending tools, and some cocktails may require more elaborate equipment, such as a blender.
2. This might sound obvious but use the best quality ingredients possible. You will be surprised how much difference that makes! Any product marked as a ‘fruit beverage’ or ‘juice drink’ should not be used in place of juices as they contain added flavours, very different from the natural taste of the fruit.
3. If a recipe calls for muddling mint, be gentle with the process. Bruising results in a bitter taste. The best way to go about with fresh mint is to hold it in one hand and ‘smacking’ it with another. This releases the oils from the leaves. Lightly muddle the mint next and use as required.
4. If your cocktail recipe requires freshly squeezed citrus juice, ensure that the fruit is at room temperature first. Before cutting the fruit, roll it over a kitchen counter to get its juices flowing. This way you will get the most out of your fruit.
5. That umbrella garnish or slice of lemon doesn’t belong to every cocktail. While you may be tempted to garnish a drink based upon its colour, it might be a good idea to use an ingredient that actually went into the drink. There are exceptions to this rule, however - one of them being classic cocktails. For example, a martini is almost always garnished with green olives or lemon twist (made with lemon peel).

Happy bartending!