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Methods of Mixing cocktails
This Earth Bar Magazine article simply looks at different methods of
making a cocktail.
Build over ice
This is the simplest method of making a cocktail, it
simply involves placing ice in the glass & pouring the ingredients over the top. It can also help
create colourful effects.
Blender
The hardest thing to do well when blending cocktails
is to correctly measure the ice. The beginners method to get the correct amount & limit wastage
until you become confident with the amount of ice that should go into the blender is to fill your glass
with ice, then pour the ice from the glass into the blender.
When pouring ingredients from a blender gently tap
the side of the blender continuously this firstly gives you consistency & a smooth transition into
the glass.
If pouring 2 drinks from the 1 blend only fill the
glasses � way to ensure consistency.
Stir
Used most commonly in cocktails containing gin to
avoid bruising the gin. This is my most elegant form of cocktail mixology. The reason for stirring a
cocktail is to get an evenly balanced flavour. It is also used commonly as a way of mixing flavours when
the drink contains a fizzy substance, example Champagne or soft drink.
In cocktails such as the Old fashion the goal is to
slowly infuse the aromatic flavour of bitters with Bourbon, water melted from ice & sugar.
Normally stirred cocktails will be strained. Double
straining is also recommended for martini style cocktails.
Shake
& Strain
The goal of shaking a cocktail is similar to that of
stirring a cocktail except is much more effective when using liqueurs. A Liqueur is much heavier in
density than a spirit due to their high sugar content.
Shaking a cocktail is also a groovy look for any
stylish bar. The technique is simple, pour ingredients over ice into the mixing glass, put metal tin
over the top & shake. Always shake with glass pointed up & hand firmly over the mixing glass.
To separate tap the top of the metal tin firmly on
flat side, put hawthorn strainer on top of tin & strain
into glass.
Muddle Shake & Strain
Over the last 5 years cocktail muddling has become
the most popular way of mixing cocktails by mixologists in all the world trendy bar scenes. The reason
is that it extracts the full flavour of fresh fruit, herbs & spices. Allowing Cocktails to take on
new culinary styles.
To Muddle a cocktail ingredients is simply to crush
the ingredients to extract their flavour. In many fruits such as limes there are huge amounts of flavour
in the fruits skin that is essential to the flavour of drinks such as the Mojito & Caipiroska.
Although most drinks & muddles with sugar it is
not essential.
The reason that we then shake & strain the
cocktail is to remove all the excess pieces of fruit & herbs as it is their wonderful flavours that
we aim to acquire. It is also very important when making martini style cocktails to double strain.
Throwing
This is the latest London bar trend. It is normally
used with Martini’s to aerate the drink enhancing the flavour of the Gin.
The technique simply involves long pouring the
ingredients of a cocktail between two mixing glasses. The same technique used in India to make chai tea.
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