Cocktails

Cocktails are mixed drinks that have become popular since the first quarter of the 20th century and
all bars offer a list of selected cocktails. However, people have been drinking mixed drinks since the
inception; no one could really establish the origin of the term ‘Cocktail’. It is claimed that the first
recipe for a cocktail was lemon juice and powdered mixers, appreciated by Emperor Commodus in the
second century AD.

One of many popular notions on the birth of the word cocktail is that during the American War of
Independence, in 1779, an innkeeper, Betsy Flanagan of Virginia prepared of chicken she stole from a
neighbor who was pro British. She then served the French soldiers with mixed drinks decorated with
the feathers from the birds. Her merry French guests toasted her with the words Vive le cocktail. Since
then the word cocktail was used to mean the mixed drinks. This is of course one of the stories.

The word cocktail was first described in an American magazine Balance as ‘a mixture of spirits, sugar
water and bitters’ in 1806

The cocktail gained ground and popularity in the USA, especially during the Prohibition period. The
production, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverage were banned in the USA from 1920 to 1933
due to the pressure from religious and political thinkers.

"A cocktail is normally a short drink of 3 ½ -4 fluid ounces-anything larger being called a ‘mixed drink’
or a ‘long drink’"
Classification of cocktails
It is estimated that there are over 10 thousand mixed drinks and cocktails in use.
 Iced drinks can be roughly divided into four groups
1. Aperitif: These stimulate the Appetite. They must therefore be appealing to the eye. Broadly
speaking, these drinks are usually made from wines mixed with spirit.
2. Cocktail: This the largest group of all, and consists of all short shaken mixed drinks. They
should contain a spirit base, coloring and flavouring ingredient or other modifying agent
3. Long drinks: These are served in tall tumblers such as High Balls ,or Collins glass
4. Stimulants: Instead of going to the doctor, if one has a hangover the bartender will prescribe
cocktails or mixed drinks. They are also described as ‘Pick me ups’.
Components of Cocktail:
Cocktails have the following components:
 Base: The major alcoholic drink used in the preparation of a cocktail is called base, which is
usually a spirit. Most cocktails are built around spirits. If a cocktail has two or more alcoholic
drinks the quantity of the base generally will be more than the other. If two alcoholic drinks are
used in same quantity, then the one with the higher that is the sprit is considered as the base. If
 a cocktail has equal quantities of different spirits then any one of the spirit can be taken as the
base.
 Modifier: These are complimentary ingredients added to modify or enhance the flavours.
Spirits, aromatized, wines beer, fruit juices, soda, cream, liqueurs, water etc.
 Flavouring, Colouring and Sweetening Ingredient: A drink might have very small
quantities (few drops) of one or more flavouring and sweetening ingredients to make it different
from other drinks. A cocktail can be made without these ingredients
 Garnish: Many drinks have garnish. They are part of the product. It should be remembered
that some drinks do not have standard garnish and it is advisable to serve without any garnish,
instead of trying out different garnishes and spoiling the real flavour and value of the drink.
METHODS OF MAKING COCKTAIL
Cocktails are made in any of these following methods according to the type of modifier ingredients
 Building: It is made by pouring the ingredients one by one in the glass in which it is to be
served. If ice is required, it is placed first before adding the ingredients
 Stirring: refers to mixing of the ingredients with ice by stirring quickly in a mixing glass with
a stirrer and then straining to an appropriate glass. It is done very quickly to minimize the
dilution.
 Shaking: It is the mixing of ingredients thoroughly with ice by shaking them in Cocktail shaker
and straining into appropriate glasses. Effervescent drinks should never be shaken.
 Blending: This method is used for combining fruits, solid foods, ice etc in an electric bender.
Any drink that can be shaken can be blended. It is a suitable method for making large quantity
of mixed drinks
 Layering: This method is used when the ingredients used are of different colour flavour and
density. One ingredient is floated over the other by pouring gently over the back of the spoon
into straight-sided glass.

POINTS TO NOTE WHILE MAKING COCKTAILS AND MIXED DRINKS

 Make sure that there is a good supply of ice
 Do not reuse ice.
 Do not touch the ice with hands. Always use scoop or tongs.
 Serve cocktails in chilled glasses
 To avoid spillage, do not fill glasses to the brim
 Do not overfill thee cocktail shaker.
 Effervescent drinks must never be shaken. It should be stirred in at last.
 Do not use the liquidizer for effervescent drinks.
 Do not leave the prepared cocktail for a long time as they will separate
 To extract more juice from citrus fruits, Soak them in hot water
 To shake use short and snappy action
 Check the freshness of eggs before adding
  Always place ice first in the mixing glass or shaker followed by nonalcoholic beverage and then
non alcoholic beverages.
 To extract more juice from citrus fruits, Soak them in hot water
 To shake use short and snappy action
 Check the freshness of eggs before adding
 Always place ice first in the mixing glass or shaker followed by nonalcoholic beverage and then
non alcoholic beverages.

Cocktail Garnishes
A garnish is an item that decorates and flavours food and drinks. In bar the garnish most used are fruit
and some herbs. The fruit must always be fresh and washed.
The common garnishes are:
 Lemons: lemon skins impart lovely citrus flavour to drinks. It is best presented as twists of
lemon peel.
 Lime: A lime gives 16 wedges or slices. Wedges are used to moisten the rim of the glass to
adhere salt or sugar. Slices are lime wheels used as decoration for cocktails.
 Orange: Orange slices or wedges are used much the same way as lime is used in cocktails with
a base of orange juice.
 Maraschino cherries: These cherries are specially prepared for cocktail decorative
purposes.
 Olives: Olives go well with neat drinks like vodka and gin
 Pineapple: Pineapple spears or wheels go as garnishes for tropical drinks, where pineapple
juice is used.
 Mint leaves: they are ideal for decorative purposes specially when a contrast in colour is
desired
 Parsley: Parsley shoots are used in some rinks more as a decorative item.

GLASSWARE USED FOR MIXED DRINKS

Appropriate glassware should be used for all kinds of mixed drinks - cocktails, mocktail, or long drinks.
The glass chosen should be very clear without any bubbles. The glass should have a thin rim to provide
very good drink experience.
All glasses should be well polished, free from grease and without any traces of strong smell. The
glassware used during the service of cocktails are as follows:
 Rock
 Collins
 Champagne flute
 Wine Goblet
 Liqueur Glasses
 Highball
  Cocktail
 Tulip
 Tankard
 Brandy Sniffer/ Balloon

Popular styles of Mixed Drinks

 Cocktail Bar Equipment
To provide an efficient service of the different types of drinks requested by customers, the bar
must have available all the equipment required for making cocktails, decanting wine, serving wine
correctly, making non-alcoholic fruit cocktails and so on. Being well equipped is one of the basic
steps to running a successful bar. As well as having the right tools for the job, yourequipment
should be good quality and durable.
 Cocktail shaker: the ideal utensil for mixing ingredients that will not normally blend
togetherwell by stirring. A three-part utensil.
 Boston shaker: consists of two cones, one of which overlaps the other to seal in the mix.
Made ofstainless steel, glass or plated silver. The mix is strained using a Hawthorn strainer.
 Mixing glass: like a glass jug without a handle, but has a lip. Used for mixing clear drinks,
whichdo not contain juices or cream.
 Strainer: there are many types, the most popular being the Hawthorn. This is a flat spoon
shapedutensil with a spring coiled round its edge. It is used in conjunction with the cocktail
shaker andmixing glass to hold back the ice after the drink is prepared. A special design is
available for usewith liquidizers and blenders.
 Bar spoon: for use with the mixing glass when stirring cocktails. The flat ‘muddler’ end is
usedfor crushing sugar and mint in certain drinks.
 Bar liquidizer or blender: used for making drinks that require pureed fruit.
 Drink mixer: used for drinks that does not need liquidizing,especially those containing
cream orice cream. If ice is required, use only crushed ice.
 Can Opener: Useful for opening cans of fruit and syrup.
 Corkscrew: For Opening wine and champagne bottles.
 Cloths: for wiping surfaces and equipment. These should be damp and not wet.
 Cutting Board: For slicing fruit and other garnishes. This should be heavy and laminated.
 Bar Towels: These are 100% cotton and have sewn edges for durability. Use these along
withcloths to keep things clean. Make good use of times where you have no guests to clean
bottlesand wipe surfaces.
 Bottle Opener: For opening screw top bottles.
 Bottle Sealers: For keeping liquors and other bottle contents fresh.
 Cocktail Shaker: Essential for blending ingredients in cocktails and mixed drinks. Use a
short,sharp and snappy shaking technique unless otherwise stated. There are many cocktail
shakersavailable mostly all get the job done. Choose one that’s right for you. Always pour the
leastexpensive ingredient into the cocktail shaker first, and then if you find you’ve made a
mistake,you’ve not wasted the expensive liquors.
 Electric Blender: Many cocktails require a blender to blend the ingredients smoothly
togetheruseful for drinks with fruit pieces or ice cream etc.
 Grater: To grate spices like nutmeg and others.
 Ice Bucket: A metal or insulated ice bucket keeps your ice cold and clean.
 Ice Tongs and Scoops: Use these to add ice to drinks. Never handle ice with your hands, it’s
notonly unhygienic, but the heat from your hand will begin to melt the ice. Don’t use
glassware as ascoop it'll break or chip at best, then you’ll have blood and glass in your ice.
 Bar Spoon: A bar spoon with a long handle and a muddler end will allow you to mix
andmeasure ingredients as well as crush garnishes.
 Measuring Cups: Normally glass or chrome with incremented measurements imprinted up
theside. These are needed for accurate measurements. They usually come with a set of
measuringspoons which are needed for the smaller quantities.
 Mixing Glass: Useful for long drinks where it is required to mix the ingredients without
shaking.
 Sharp Knife: For cutting fruit and garnishes.
 Strainer: Removes the ice and fruit pulp from juices. This may come with a cocktail shaker.
 Other items:

 Other bar equipments

 glass rail
 speed rail
 bottle trough or bottle well
 Interaction with guests & suggestive selling
Recommending and upselling is an integral part of any successful hospitality business but is often
misunderstood. It’s easy for bar professionals to see making recommendations as an unnecessary,
commercial exercise with the sole objective of making more money for the business. However, this
couldn’t be further from the truth, making effective recommendations and upselling are linked to
delivering exceptional customer service.

 Why should you make recommendations?

The end goal of recommending a product, whether it’s a spirit, a cocktail, or a food item, is to
enhance and elevate the guest experience by making your guests feel special and valued. You’re
offering a recommendation that’s been tailored to meet their individual needs. Making the right
recommendation shows the care a bar professional has for the quality of service they deliver whilst
also demonstrating their professionalism, knowledge and passion for their craft.

The same could be said of upselling, it’s a device to enhance and elevate the guest experience by
suggesting a superior quality product to suit the guests’ preferences within a recommendation, for
example, the offer to include a premium spirit within a cocktail, tailored to deliver the best possible
experience for the individual guest.

 Understand your guests

The most important part of recommending is to ensure your recommendations are guest focussed;
you should use conversation to understand your guests wants and needs, and then recommend
products or serves that will deliver them. The art of recommending is about making the guest feel
like their needs have been listened to and understood and that your recommendations have
delivered exactly what they expected, or even better, exceeded their expectations. This makes
them feel valued and in turn will generate guest loyalty and trust.

Recommending a product that perfectly suits a guest’s wants and needs is vastly more important
than selling the most expensive product on the bar. Guests can tell when a recommendation is
genuine and tailored to their preference, and when a bar professional is trying to sell for
commercial reasons.

 Five upselling tips to boost your recommendation skills

1. Read and recognise your guest – This could relate to a repeat visit where you remember a
guest’s preferred drink, or, reading and recognising a guest’s current circumstances and tailoring
your recommendations accordingly. For example, if a guest is arriving late to a social occasion
they're unlikely to want to spend additional time studying the menu to choose their drink, and so
reading and recognising this, and suggesting one or two of the most popular cocktails or cocktails
that other guests in their party have ordered will help them make a quick decision and join the
occasion.

"Hi, what can I get you? The Mojito's and Daiquiris are really popular here and a few of the group
you're with have ordered the rum punch".

2. Know your menu - Being able to make recommendations without having to check the menu
will make you look more professional, and by extension, build trust with your guests. This will
increase the power of your recommendations (through authority bias) and make them come
across as more genuine and personal. You should also try and memorise any essential dietary
information about your menu, for example, which items are vegan friendly, so that when you're
asked you can share this information accurately without hesitation.

3. Bring the enthusiasm - The menu doesn’t just sell itself. When making suggestions or if you are
talking about products, you need to show genuine excitement. If you don’t show your enthusiasm,
then guests aren’t likely to buy into what you’re selling.

4. Make it personal – Personal recommendations are intrinsically more powerful. You’re the
expert and so your opinion matters. By personalising your recommendations your guests will be
much more likely to follow them and try what you’re suggesting. For example:

“My favourite Cocktail is the Tom Collins, I love citrusy, fresh drinks and a Tom Collins ticks all those
boxes”.

5. Ask guests to name their favourite brand – when guests place an order, especially one that
contains a spirit, always ask what their favourite brand is. If you stock it, you can deliver on their
expressed preference and if you don’t stock it, you can use your expertise to recommend a suitable
substitute. This scenario also creates an opportunity to make a recommendation that delivers an
elevated experience. For example:

Guest: I’d like a gin and tonic please.

Bartender: Do you have a favourite brand?

Guest: Yes, Tanqueray please.

Bartender: Have you ever tried Tanqueray Number 10? It’s a luxury expression from Tanqueray that’s
made with the addition of whole, fresh citrus fruits which gives it a beautiful, zesty flavour. Would
you like to try it?
  Proactivity is Key
There are two types of bar professionals: those who are reactive and wait for an order, or those
who are proactive and look for opportunities to lead a service experience. Reactive bar
professionals just go through the motions, but being proactive means offering recommendations
which offer a truly tailored experience and help to create that feeling that a guest is valued.

Opportunities to be proactive regularly present themselves and it’s important to identify and
recognise them. Going through the motions of making a recommendation often comes as second
nature to bar professionals with more experience. However, by taking a more conscious approach,
you can take your recommendations to a whole new level and elevate the experience you’re
delivering to your guests.

 Top Tip! Always be aware of generic orders such as ‘Gin and Tonic’ or ‘Vodka and Coke’.
Guests who don’t specify a brand are often more open to suggestions and recommendations.
This provides the perfect opportunity to find out what the guests preferences are and
suggest something new.

The power of words and body language

Never underestimate the power of the words you use when making recommendations or
describing taste and flavour to your guests. It’s great to use variety and there’s a wide range of
descriptive language you can utilise to support your recommendation.

 Personal – It’s my personal favourite, would you like to try it?

 Sensorial – It’s deeply aromatic and herbaceous, would you like to try it?
 Local – It’s what all our regulars here enjoy drinking, would you like to try it?
 Scarcity – It’s a limited-edition special that’s only available this evening, would you like to try
it?
 Popularity – It’s our most popular cocktail, would you like to try it?

In addition to verbal communication, your non-verbal communication and body language can play
a key role in increasing the efficacy of your recommendations. Your body language should always
express confidence and reinforce your capability.

 Smiling
 Nodding your head
 Mirroring
 Broad and open gestures

Far from being commercial tools, recommending and upselling should be viewed as tools to help
you elevate and enhance the guest experience – part of providing the best possible serve, and
ensuring a visit exceeds expectations. Understanding this core tenet and taking a conscious
approach to how you upsell and make recommendations will not only help you develop guest
loyalty and trust but make your day-to-day work more rich and rewarding.

COCKTAIL RECIPES
GIN BASED COCKTAILS

1. Bronx
Ingredients: ½ Gin
⅙ Dry Vermouth
⅙ Sweet Vermouth
⅙ Fresh Orange Juice

Method: Shake; Garnish with a slice of Orange

Glassware: Cocktail Glass
2. Dry Martini
Ingredients: 9/10 Gin
1/10 Dry Vermouth

Method: Stir; Garnish with zest of Lemon or Olive

Glassware: Cocktail glass

3. Sweet Martini

Ingredients: ⅔ Gin
⅓ Sweet Vermouth

Method: Stir; Garnish with cherry

Glassware: Cocktail glass

4. Pink Lady
Ingredients: ⅘ Gin
⅕ Grenadine

Method: Shake; Garnished with Maraschino cherry

Glassware: Cocktail Glass

5. White Lady
Ingredients: ½ Gin
¼ Lemon Juice
 ¼ Cointreau
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
6. Tom Collins

Ingredients: 2/10 Gin

2/10 Fresh Lemon juice
1/10 Gomme syrup
½ Soda

Method: Stir; Slice of Lemon

Glassware: Highball

BRANDY BASED COCKTAILS

1. Between-the-sheets

Ingredients: ⅓ Brandy
⅓ White Rum
⅓ Cointreau
1 Dash of Lemon juice
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
2. Sidecar

Ingredients: ½ Brandy
¼ Cointreau
¼ Lemon Juice
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
3. Alexander
Ingredients: ⅓ Brandy
⅓ Dark Brown creme de cacao
⅓ Cream
Method: Shake; Sprinkled with grated nutmeg
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
4. Fernet
Ingredients: ⅖ Brandy
⅖ fernet branca
 ⅕ Gomme syrup
Method: Stir; Lemon
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
5. Rolls-Royce
Ingredients: ⅓ Brandy
⅓ Cointreau
⅓ Orange Juice
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
6. TNT
Ingredients: ½ Brandy
½ Orange curacao
Dash of pastis
Dash of angostura bitters
Method: Stir
Glassware: Cocktail Glass

WHISKEY BASED COCKTAIL

1. Rusty Nail
Ingredients: 1 measure of Scotch Whiskey
1 measure drambuie
Method: Build
Glassware: Old-Fashioned
2. Black Jack
Ingredients: ⅓ Scotch Whiskey
⅓ Kahlua
⅓ cointreau
1 dash lemon juice
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
3. Manhattan
Ingredients: ⅔ rye Whiskey
⅓ Sweet Vermouth
1 dash of angostura bitters
Method: Stir; Cherry
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
4. Manhattan (Dry)
Ingredients: ⅔ rye Whiskey
⅓ Dry Vermouth
1 dash of angostura bitters
Method: Stir; twist of Lemon peel
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
5. Rob Roy
Ingredients: ½ Scotch Whiskey
½ Sweet Vermouth
Dash of angostura bitters
Method: Stir; cherry
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
6. God Father
Ingredients: ⅔ Whiskey
⅓ amaretto
Method: Build
Glassware: Old-Fashioned Glass

RUM BASED COCKTAILS

1. Blue Heaven
Ingredients: 2/10 White Rum
1/10 Amaretto
1/10 Blue Curacao
1/10 Lime juice
½ Pineapple juice
Method: Shake; Pineapple & cherry
Glassware: Old-fashioned
2. Cuba Libre
Ingredients: ½ White Rum
½ Lime juice
Pepsi/ Cola
Method: Build
Glassware: Highball
3. Pina Colada
Ingredients: 5/10 White Rum
3/10 Pineapple juice
2/10 Coconut cream
 Method: Shake; Pineapple
Glassware: Colada Glass/ Highball
4. Shanghai
Ingredients: ½ Dark Rum
⅛ pastis
⅜ lemon juice
Dashes of grenadine
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
5. Zombie
Ingredients: ⅕ Light Rum
⅕ Golden Rum
⅕ Dark Rum
⅕ Pineapple Juice
1/10 Fresh lime juice
1/10 Orange juice
2 dashes apricot Brandy
2 dashes of cherry Brandy
1 dash Orgeat syrup
Method: Shake; splashed with a dash of high alcoholic
demerara rum; pineapple, orange, sprig of rum
Glassware: Highball/ Goblet

6. Yellow Bird
Ingredients: ½ White Rum
⅙ Galliano
⅙ Cointreau
⅙ Lime Juice
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
VODKA BASED COCKTAIL
1. Black Russian
Ingredients: ⅔ Vodka
⅓ Kahlua
Method: Build
Glassware: Old-Fashioned
2. Bloody Mary
Ingredients: ⅕ Vodka
⅘ Tomato Juice
Few drops of lemon juice
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Celery, salt, and black pepper
Method: Shake; lemon, celery stick
Glassware: Highball
3. Blue Lagoon
Ingredients: ½ Vodka
½ Blue Curacao
Lemonade
Method: Build
Glassware: Highball
4. Moscow Mule
Ingredients: ⅔ Vodka
⅓ Lime Juice
Ginger Beer
Method: Build
Glassware: Highball
5. Screwdriver
Ingredients: 3/10 Vodka
7/10 Fresh Orange juice
Method: Build; Slice of Orange
Glassware: Highball
6. Silver Bullet
Ingredients: ⅗ Vodka
⅖ Kummel
Method: Stir/ Build
Glassware: Old-Fashioned
TEQUILA BASED COCKTAIL
1. Sunrise
Ingredients: ⅖ Tequila
⅕ galliano
⅕ creme de banane
⅕ Cream
 Dash of grenadine
Dash of Lemon juice
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
2. Margarita
Ingredients: ⅖ Tequila
⅖ Fresh Lime juice
⅕ Triple sec
Method: Shake
Glassware: Cocktail glass (rimmed with salt)
3. Mocking Bird
Ingredients: ⅔ Tequila
⅓ Grapefruit juice
Dash of Lime juice
Method: Build; cherry
Glassware: Old-Fashioned
4. Tequila Sunrise
Ingredients: ⅕ Tequila
⅘ Orange juice
Dash of Grenadine
Method: Build; Slice of Orange and Cherry
Glassware: Highball
5. Blue Shark
Ingredients: ½ Tequila
½ Vodka
2 Dashes of Blue curacao
Method: Stir
Glassware: Cocktail Glass