The cocktail revival is underway, it seems like everywhere you look, bars and clubs are offering them on the menu. There are loads of great new drinks being invented everyday and everybody wants some. A night out drinking cocktails can be quite expensive and, although they might make it look difficult, it’s not actually that hard to make your own at home. Being able to mix your own drinks is sure to impress at dinner parties. You won’t be able to do any of the fancy tricks you get at professional cocktail bars but that’s just for show, it won’t make any difference to the taste of the drink itself. If you’re looking to jump on the cocktail bandwagon, here are some basics to get you started.
Equipment
One of the main things that separates a good cocktail from a bad one, is having the right stuff to make it in. Set yourself up a designated cocktail station, separate from the kitchen. It can get quite messy so you want to contain it. A couple of good end tables are perfect for this, just make sure you get ones that wipe down easily.
Next is the cocktail shaker. It’s worth spending a bit on a good one, otherwise, it’ll leak everywhere. Always go for a metal one as the ice will make the metal contract and form a tight seal, making sure that it doesn’t leak. It also cools the drink a lot better than a plastic one will, not to mention it makes you look like you know what you’re doing. If you look for a good set, you will get all of the extras that you need, like a muddler for crushing fruit and a strainer for getting smoother drinks without any chunks.
Recipes
Once you’ve got all of the equipment, you’re ready to start mixing. Start off by mastering these two classic recipes and you should be able to cater for all tastes. From there you can start experimenting with something a bit more advanced.
Tom Collins
This refreshing gin cocktail is a great summer drink that most people will enjoy and it’s incredibly simple to make. You will need:
- One 50ml measure of good quality gin.
- Lemon (or lime, both work well).
- One teaspoon of sugar.
- Soda water.
Put your gin, the juice of a lemon, and the sugar into the cocktail shaker and throw in a handful of ice. Then shake it up for a few minutes and pour into a glass over a generous amount of ice. Top it up with a small amount of soda water, don’t use too much otherwise you will dilute the flavor of the drink. Garnish with a small segment of lemon or lime.
If it’s to your taste, putting a small handful of fresh coriander in before you shake it gives a unique, fresh flavor.
Whiskey Sour
We usually think of cocktails as fruity, sweet drinks, and that isn’t to everybody’s taste. Fortunately, the whisky sour is the perfect drink to cater to these guests. You will need:
- One 50ml measure of good quality whiskey (scotch is traditional but bourbon also works well).
- One egg white (separated from the yolk).
- Half a lemon.
- One teaspoon of sugar.
- Soda water.
A lot of people are put off by the egg white but once it’s mixed, you can’t taste it, and it gives a great creamy texture to the drink.
Put the whiskey, egg white, juice of the lemon, and the sugar into the cocktail shaker. For most cocktails, this is the point where you would put the ice in but is very important that you don’t when making a whiskey sour. Shake it for a few minutes first so all of the ingredients are combined. Then you put the ice in and give it another shake. If you put ice in straightaway, the egg white will clump up and you will get lumps in your drink. Once shaken, serve over a few pieces of ice in a small tumbler. Top up with a little soda water and you’re ready to drink.
