How To Make Perfect Cocktails
Cocktails are fun to be involved with from start to finish, as they allow you to get creative with lots of different ingredients while also being able to enjoy the finished result. There are many ways to make a perfect cocktail, but you deserve only the best. Follow these eight incredible tips and you’ll be sure to make the perfect cocktail every single time. Each of these tips has been carefully selected with you in mind, meaning if you’re looking to create some of the manliest cocktails, you’ve come to the right place.
1. Know The Right Drink Ratio
Some may say there’s no such thing as too much alcohol, but if you want to create a cocktail which actually tastes nice, it’s important to follow some strict guidelines. A typical ratio to follow is 2:1:1. This basically means that for 2 parts alcohol, you’re going to want to add 1 part sweet and 1 part sour. By having this ratio in mind, your drink will taste perfectly balanced and each flavor will be able to have its chance to shine through. Of course, your ratios may vary depending on desired taste and ingredients used, but this general rule will stop you second-guessing the measurements you make.
2. Learn Your Favourite Recipes
The great thing about making cocktails is that you have the freedom to be as creative as you wish. However, if you’re new to mixology or want to recreate a taste from your favorite bar, it’s worth learning some of your favorite recipes. To assert your manliness and keep the hair on your chest, focus on whiskey cocktail recipes such as the ‘Old Fashioned’ or ‘Manhattan Cocktail’. These will be sure to keep your manliness intact as you sip (or gulp down) your creation.
If you want to stray from the whiskey then why not try some vodka cocktail recipes? As a matter of fact, a large number of cocktails have vodka in, so there will be plenty of recipes to learn. You’ll be sure to find one suited to you. Typical vodka cocktails include the ‘WooWoo’ and ‘Screwdriver’.
If you’re not a fan of whiskey or vodka, then don’t worry, there’s plenty of gin cocktails for all of the gin lovers out there, too. Whether you fancy a traditional Gin and Tonic or want to push the boat out with a Martini, you’ll have no problem finding a simple recipe to follow.
If you’re planning to use your cocktail making skills when hosting guests, then it’s recommended to learn a few different recipes which use different spirits so that you’re ready to please everyone’s taste buds!
3. Use Fresh Ingredients
When it comes to adding fruit to your cocktail, don’t cut corners by adding purees or pre-sliced fruit. For extra freshness and 10/10 presentation skills, prepare the fruit yourself so that it lasts longer and tastes better.
If the cocktail you wish to make is juice based, then ensure that you only purchase 100% real fruit juice. Any other product will be watered down, which results in a weak flavored cocktail – nobody wants that!
4. Ice Ice Ice
Ice is one of the most important ingredients in any cocktail, as it helps to keep the drink chilled as well as slightly diluting it for a more pleasant taste. When it comes to making your cocktail, don’t be skimpy with the ice. To make sure that the cocktail has enough ice, check to make sure that it slightly pokes out above the alcohol line. If you put too little ice in the cocktail, then the drink will become horrible and warm, ending up in a watery mess. Yuck.
5. Don’t Be Afraid To Use Herbs
Many men turn their nose up at putting herbs into a drink but don’t knock it until you try it. More times than not, herbs compliment cocktails extremely well and will take the overall taste to new heights. Not all cocktails require herbs, but if you’re following a recipe which suggests adding some, abide by it. If this doesn’t convince you enough, then think of the health benefits. Herbs add no extra calories or sugars, meaning they are full of guilt-free flavor!
Great flavor combinations include:
- Cucumber, lime & basil
- Lime & mint
- Lemon, honey & thyme
- Lemon & rosemary
6. Only Shake The Cocktail If It Has Juice
If the cocktail doesn’t have juice in it, then it needs to be stirred with ice so that a more bitter taste is created. However, if there is juice in the cocktail, then you can break the rules and shake it like there’s no tomorrow. By shaking the cocktail, you are allowing the ingredients to work together while slightly diluting, in order to create the most perfect blend of tastes. If you don’t end up shaking the cocktail, then it’s highly likely that you’ll end up tasting the ingredients in the reverse order you put them in the mixer. It won’t be great, so, when there is juice, shake shake shake.
7. Presentation Matters
Scrap the ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ slurs when it comes to making the perfect cocktail. The presentation is everything when it comes to cocktail making, so take a bit of time to make the finished product look nice. You don’t have to go crazy with the presentation, but just make sure that the cocktails appearance matches the wonderful flavors it holds. For example, if the cocktail you made is heavily based around whiskey, carry on with this theme by presenting the drink in some unique whiskey glasses. These will be sure to carry the drinks masculinity through and through.
The presentation doesn’t just stop at the shape of the glass, either. For added effect, depending on the drink you make, you can add sugar rims around the glass or even create a frosted effect to act mystery. The possibilities are endless when it comes to presenting your cocktail, and with the help from your creative flair, you will be able to create a signature look. And yes, that means you can add a paper umbrella if you really need to.
8. Keep The Cocktails Cool
Just like any other drink, cocktails will become warm over time and start to dilute too much. The large quantities of ice which you put in will be sure to help the cooling process, but if the cocktail mixture is not going to be consumed right away, then pop it in a wine cooler. A wine cooler will help to keep the cocktail chilled at a reasonable level, without letting the mixture freeze or melt. Although wine coolers aren’t made for cocktails, there’s nothing wrong with breaking the rules every once in a while! This is a neat little hack which will keep your carefully made cocktails fresh for hours.
Keep The Drinks Coming
Although each cocktail recipe will have various different methods to follow, the eight tricks in this guide will be sure to help you make a masterpiece time and time again. Before you know it, you won’t have to be breaking the bank at bars every weekend; you’ll have your very own bar right in the comfort of your own home! Once you’ve mastered the art of making multiple drinks, you can show off your skills to friends and family who will be gasping to try one of your homemade concoctions. You may even discover that you have a true passion for cocktail making and want to take this hobby even further by becoming a full-time bartender or mixologist!
Don’t forget that you can even make cocktails accessible for health enthusiasts, too. Simply replace calorie-filled syrups with more herbs and low-sugar ingredients and you’ll have a drink perfect for those on a strict diet!
So, as you can see, there really is a cocktail suitable for everyone. From alcoholic cocktails to mocktails, the possibilities really are endless when you pick up your mixing jug and get creating. Don’t be put off if the first drink you make doesn’t taste too good, as practice really does make perfect. With these eight tricks in mind, you’ll be making epic drinks time and time again, and your only regret will be that you didn’t start things sooner.
Manly Cocktail Inspiration
Want to start making some great cocktails but don’t know where to begin? We know the struggle. Don’t worry though, the following cocktail ideas have been chosen just for you, meaning they all contain the right portion of both masculinity and incredible taste. Simply pop one of these suggestions into a search engine and you’ll have the recipe within seconds.
- The Godfather
- Sidecar
- Dirty Martini
- Whiskey Sour
- Sazerac
- Snakebite
All of the above will be sure to get you grinning from ear to ear for all the right reasons. So, what are you waiting for? Learn a new skill today and make a series of perfect cocktails which you will be proud to call your own! Who knows, a year from now and you might even have a cocktail named after you…
