Welcome to the wonderful world of mixology!
This course is your ticket to becoming a master of the cocktail shaker and a connoisseur of all things boozy. Whether you are a seasoned bartender or a beginner, get ready to shake things up as we explore the art of creating delicious and unique cocktails. With that, let us get mixing!
Bar spoon - a long-handled spoon, usually twisted for extra grip, used to stire mixed drinks
Citrus squeezer - a tool used to quickly squeeze fruit and release juices
Collins glass - named after the Collins cocktail, this glass is a tumbler that will contain 10 to 14 fluid ounces. It is cylindrical in shape and narrower than a highball glass
Drip tray - the tray that sits beneath tap dispensers on a bar to collect and drain wasted liquid
Garnish tray - a convenient bar tool used to store and dispense condiments and garnish
Ice dump - the tray used to store ice on the bar
Jigger/double jigger - a measuring device, shaped like an hourglass, is used to make sure that the rights amounts of alcohol are added to every cocktail
Lowball glass - a short and wide glass that holds 4 to 10 ounces of liquid. It is also known as a “rocks glass” as it is used for drinks with only a few ingredients and served over ice.
Martini glass - a stemmed cocktail glass defined by its V-shaped, conical bowl
Muddler - a tool used to mash fruit, herbs and sugar to release flavours
Poco Grande glass - Translated from Spanish “Poco Grande” means “small-large”, this curvy glass is perfect for frozen cocktails. It hold 11 to 13 ounces of liquid.
Shaker - a tool used to combine and mix ingredients by shaking. There are three main types of shakers; the Boston shaker, Cobbler shaker and the French shaker
Shot/shooter glass - a small glass designed to contain a single or double measure of alcohol
Strainer - a tool used to prevent unwanted ingredients or particles entering a mixed drink and to ensure the liquid is smooth to drink
Tap - when a liquid is dispensed from a permanent fixture on the bar rather than directly from the bottle
Tongs - a tool used to pick up and carry ingredients such as ice and fruit as opposed to using hands
Alcohol - the ingredient in a mixed drink that gets you drunk, technically known as Ethyl Alcohol
ABV - alcohol by volume
Aperitif - generally a drink that is consumed before dinner
Bitters - a selection of liquor and herb mixers that add additional flavour
Chaser - to follow one drink immediately with another
Chill - adding ice and water to a glass and allowing it to sit for a few minutes whilst mixing a drink
Dash - a very small amount of an ingredient with no set measurement; approximately 1ml
Digestif - a drink that is consumed after dinner to aid with digestion and settle the stomach
Dirty - when olive brine is added to a mixed drink, usually a Martini
Dram - to take a small sip of alcohol
Express - to squeeze the rind of a fruit peel so the oils are teased to the top, adding flavour and scent to a cocktail
Flairing - When preparing drinks with crowd-pleasing tricks and showmanship, for example by spinning and throwing bottles
Flame - when flammable liquor is set alight prior to drinking
Free pour - to pour liquor without using a measurement tool
Frost - a glass that’s been dipped in water and frozen so it is frosted
Garnish - usually an edible item, such as fruit, which is added to a mixed drink for appearance
Infusion - adding an ingredient to a drink for a set period of time to allow the flavours to infuse into the drink, before removing the ingredient before serving
Layered - the technique of layering ingredients that do not mix, such as a float
Long drink - an alcoholic drink served in a tall glass which is typically less strong than a short drink
Measure - the standard amounts that we pour and serve alcohol
Mist - liquor served over crushed ice
Muddling - the technique of mashing fruit or herbs using a muddler so that their flavours are released into the drink
Neat - nothing added/served at room temperature
Old fashioned - made up spirit, sugar, bitter & water
On ice - to keep a drink chilled by surrounding it with ice
On the rocks - an alcoholic drink served with cubed ice
Pony - a one-ounce shot of alcohol, also known as a “pony shot”
Proof - the American standard for measuring the alcohol content in a distilled spirit or liqueur. The proof of alcohol is twice the amount of the alcohol percentage
Rim - to coat the rim of a cocktail glass in sugar or salt
Rinse - to rinse out a glass with a small amount of alcohol before preparing a drink
Shake - to use a cocktail shaker to mix ingredients by shaking
Short drink - an alcoholic drink served in a small glass which is typically stronger as a result
Sour - A family of mixed drinks that typically include lemon or lime juice
Spirit - used interchangeably with the word liquor to describe any alcohol that is unsweetened
Splash - more than a dash but less than half an ounce of an ingredient; approximately 2-3ml
Stir - to mix ingredients by stirring with a spoon
Straight - liquor served without any mixer nor ice
Straight up - a drink that is chilled by shaking or stirring and then poured into a long-stemmed glass
Strain - the process of removing any small objects or particles from a served drink by pouring into the glass via a strainer
Tincture - one ingredient, typically an alcoholic extract of plant or animal material
Twist - adding citrus flavour to a drink using the peel of a fruit as a garnish, often lime, lemon, or orange
Vermouth - fortified wine
Virgin - a mixed drink that does not contain alcohol
Wedge - a chunk of fruit added to a drink, usually as a garnish
Wet/Dry - usually used to refer to a style of Martini. A Wet Martini contains more vermouth, while a Dry Martini contains less
Wheel - a circular cut of fruit added to a drink, also usually as a garnish
1. Use fresh ingredients
Fresh squeezed juice goes a long way with cocktails. If you can not squeeze it yourself, purchase quality juices instead.
2. Chill your glasses ahead of time
Either chill them in your fridge or fill it with ice and water. By chilling the glass you help ensure the cocktail remains refreshingly cool to the very last sip.
3. When muddling herbs, press but do not pound
Be gentle to not crush the herbs. When the herbs are pulverized excessively, the herbs can produce a bitter taste that will spoil your cocktail.
4. When shaking, use lots of ice
More ice helps chill the cocktail further. Always add the ice last as it can dilute the drink if there too long.
5. Shake, shake, and shake some more
Shake the cocktails vigorously until you notice condensation on the outside of the jigger. This lets the cold fully perm ate the drink and delivers a cool, crisp finish to the cocktail.
6. Use a plate for rimming glassware
Do not dip sugar and salt glass rims in typical plastic containers. This will ensure that no salt or sugar gets inside of the glass.
7. Sample before serving
Fruit juices can vary in sweetness from fruit to fruit; try every drink (through a straw of course) before serving it to unsuspecting patrons.
Glass of Choice: Collins glass
Ingredients:
• 5 mint leaves, more for garnish
• 2 ounces white rum
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• Ice
• Club soda or sparkling water
• Lime slices, for garnish
Instructions:
1. Lightly muddle the mint in the bottom of a cocktail shaker until aromatic.
2. Add the rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and a handful of ice.
3. Shake it up.
4. Strain into a glass filled with ice.
5. Top with a splash of club soda.
6. Garnish with lime slices and more mint.
Glass of Choice: Martini glass
Ingredients:
• Coffee
• Kahlua
• Vodka
• Simple syrup
• Coffee beans
Instructions:
1. Brew the coffee then pour into a bowl to cool quickly.
2. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice then add the cooled coffee, vodka and simple syrup.
3. Then add the Kahula.
4. Shake the cocktail very hard in the cocktail shaker.
5. Strain the espresso martini into martini glasses.
6. Top with three coffee beans, serve.
Glass of Choice: Poco Grande glass
Ingredients:
• 1/2 of a pineapple
• 6 ounces of sweetened cream of coconut
• 2 ounces of unsweetened coconut milk
• 8 ounces of white rum
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
• 3 cups of ice
• For the garnish: maraschino cherry, pineapple slice, cocktail umbrella
Instructions:
1. Cut up half a pineapple into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Freeze pineaple until solid (3 hours).
3. Add the frozen pineapple, sweetened cream of coconut, unsweetened coconut milk, white rum, lime juice, and ice into a blender.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Freeze until mixture reaches a milkshake consistency.
6. Blend again.
7. Pour into a glass.
8. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, pineapple slice, and a cocktail umbrella.
Glass of Choice: Lowball glass
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) dark rum
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) pineapple juice
• 3/4 to 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Campari
• 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) lime juice
• 1/2 (1 tablespoon) simple syrup or maple syrup
• For the garnish: Pineapple wedge, pineapple leaves (optional)
Instructions:
1. Add the dark rum, pineapple juice, Campri, lime juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill it with ice.
3. Shake the cocktail shaker vigorously until cold.
4. Strain into a lowball glass.
5. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
6. If you have pineapple leaves, use them as a garnish to symbolize bird feathers.
Glass of Choice: Collins glass
Ingredients:
• 2 ounces gin
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• 1/2 ounce heavy cream
• 1/2 lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 3 dashes orange flower water
• 1 fresh egg white
• Club soda, chilled, to top
Instructions:
1. Add the gin, simple syrup, heavy cream, lemon and lime juices, orange flower water and egg white into a cocktail shaker.
2. Dry-shake (without ice) vigorously for about 10 seconds.
3. Add ice and shake for a least 15 seconds, until well-chilled.
4. Strain into a Collins glass.
5. Pour a little bit of club soda back and forth between the empty halves of the shaker tins to pick up and residual cream and egg white, the use that to top the drink.
Glass of Choice: Lowball glass
Ingredients:
• 2 ounces of Butterfly Pea Flower infused Tequila (see recipe below)
• 1 ounce of lime juice
• 0.75 ounce of triple sec
• 0.5 ounce of simple syrup (optional, for a sweeter drink)
For Butterfly Pea Infused Tequila
• 1 cup Silver Tequila
• 8 Butterfly Pea Flowers dried
Instructions:
1. To make Butterfly Pea Flower infused Tequila, add the tequila and butterfly pea flowers for a jar with a tight fitting lid.
2. Allow to soak for 2-3 hours or overnight.
3. Strain out flowers and keep in a sealed container.
4. Run a slice of lime around the rim of the glass, and dip it in salt (optional).
5. Fill the glass with ice, add the butterfly pea infused tequila.
6. In a cocktail shaker, add the lime juice, triple sec, and simple syrup if using.
7. Shake until combined and chilled.
8. Slowly pour into a glass, and watch the magic happen! The drink will turn from blue to purple.
9. Stir to fully combine before drinking.
10. Garnish with a lime if desired.
You have finished the first course of Untapped Mixology. We hope you had fun while going through this journey of refining your taste and skills. Be sure to share your skills with friends and family now that you are a master of mixology.
Be on the lookout for the next course, as we have plenty of more recipes and lessons on your way.
To stay in the know and up to date in terms of when future courses will be coming out, follow us on all socials:
@untappedmixology
