The Complete Guide to Making Cocktails at Home for Beginners
Consuming alcohol is commonplace in the United States, with nearly 84 percent of people 18 and older enjoying alcoholic beverages at some point. Part of the fun of consuming alcohol is finding the best cocktails and drinks. Finding your favorite beverages at the bar is excellent, but you won’t enjoy them at home unless you learn how to make your own.
Making cocktails at home is an art; you must know the proper steps and glasses for cocktails when hosting friends. The proper cocktail-making supplies will take your drinks from mediocre to spectacular for a memorable night with friends.
Luckily, you’ve discovered this illuminating guide to the best tips for making your favorite cocktails for friends and family alike. Continue reading to host your parties in style today!
Get Quality Ingredients
If you’re cutting corners with ingredients, you can’t count on your homemade cocktails to taste like the ones at the bar. It’s best to purchase all the necessary ingredients for your needs. Add your quality ingredients gradually if you’re working within a limited budget.
High-quality spirits like vodka, gin, whiskey, and rum are excellent starting points. You can use these spirits as the foundation of your cocktails. Combine some mixers with your favorite cocktails like club soda, sparkling water, and fresh fruit juices.
You should also invest in minor additions like lemons, limes, and cherries. The best drinks have small touches that add big-time flavor and fun.
Purchase Essential Tools
You’ll also need the essential bartending tools for your home to start making cocktails. The perfect glasses for cocktails are a must-have, and you’ll need equipment for stirring and shaking your favorite drinks. You don’t need everything at a time, but finding what you need to make your favorite drink combos is best.
Cocktail shakers are a wise investment for mixing drinks effortlessly. A jigger is another helpful tool for measuring alcohol when creating drinks for friends. Remember a strainer to keep debris from the drinks you’re making at your home bar.
Perfect the Basic Cocktails
There are basic cocktails you must learn to make when making cocktails at home. Your menu will be complete with these classic drinks available.
The Old Fashioned is a balanced drink that is perfect to learn if you’re new to bartending. You’ll layer the drink ingredients for a balanced taste your guests will love.
Daiquiris are another fun option to learn when mastering the basic cocktails for your next party. You can prepare this drink by shaking or stirring the ingredients. It’s a refreshing drink option for those long days by the pool with friends.
Whiskey Highballs are another simple drink option to practice when preparing for your next friendly gathering. You’ll combine your whiskey with seltzer water and a bit of lemon for a refreshing whiskey drink. Use this drink as a platform to progress toward creating other drinks like the Cuba Libre.
Use Fresh Ingredients
Always use the freshest ingredients if you want your friends to be blown away by your drinks. Premixes might save you time and add convenience, but the flavor differs. The freshest ingredients are critical for a memorable drinking experience.
You can treat your guests to drinks that will have them returning for more when you’re taking time to use fresh ingredients. Drinks made with effort and love stand out for their subtle flavors and aesthetics.
You can’t achieve that same experience with drinks using premixed cocktails. Explore this page with rum cocktails recipes to try out at your next party or get-together.
Try Different Ice Cubes for Cocktails
It’s certainly subtle, but try different ice cubes for cocktails when making the perfect drinks at home. Ice influences the taste and drinking experience of all types of alcohol.
Small ice cubes are the best option for drinks served on the rocks. A Tom Collins is the perfect drink combination to try out smaller ice cubes to add a crispness to the flavor.
Large ice cubes are an excellent option for whiskey drinks that should be chilled for the best experience. You’ll add coolness to the drink without watering it down and detracting from the flavor.
Use crushed ice with daiquiris and Mai Tais for an easy, relaxing drinking experience. Crushed ice is also perfect when mixing a Mint Julep for friends.
Use your standard freezer ice with drinks that require stirring and shaking cocktails. Martinis are the perfect drink to create using your freezer ice.
Practice Your Technique
The best way to master making cocktails at home is to practice after purchasing the essential equipment and ingredients. Building a cocktail requires combining your essential cocktail ingredients in a container. Take your time to measure each ingredient for the perfect flavor.
Stirring a cocktail is another technique to practice in your free time. It sounds like the simplest method of making cocktails at home, but it takes patience and a long-stemmed spoon to find the success you crave. You aim to chill the drink and hide the alcohol’s taste while stirring.
You should also practice shaking a cocktail when learning to bartend from home. Wet shaking uses ice to mix the cocktail, while dry shaking uses zero ice.
Dry shaking is best when combining ingredients like milk or eggs with your drink of choice. Shake for 30 to 60 seconds for a perfectly blended drink.
Wet shaking lasts 15 to 20 seconds before straining the drink into your cocktail glasses. You’ll know the drink is ready when condensation forms outside the shaker.
Start Making Cocktails at Home Today
There’s never a better time to start making cocktails at home than today, especially if you want to be the best bartender for your next friendly gathering. Purchase the basic cocktail ingredients and glasses, and invest time in mastering the different mixing techniques. Learn when to use different ice cubes for cocktails, and ensure you have all the necessary equipment.
Are you ready to become the best host to your guests? Check out more of our culinary and health blog content for valuable tips and insights today!
