Mixology Guide
Contents
This free download includes tools and tips to guide you on your mixologist
journey. Whether you are looking to make drinks for yourself or impress
friends and host your own cocktail party, this guide is a great reference.
Mixology Tools
Glassware
Proper Setup
Technique
Tips
Top Recipes Every Bartender Should Know
Mixology Tools
Shaker
Like jiggers, shakers come in many styles. The most sought-after shakers are the tradi-
tional Cobbler cocktail shaker and the Boston shaker. A traditional shaker will have a fitted
top and a metal or glass jug. The Cobbler shaker tends to be used by home-mixologists,
while the Boston Shaker is more versatile and used more frequently by professionals.
Strainer
Some recipes require a strainer to separate ice or other elements from the final, poured
drink. The most common choice is the Hawthorne strainer which is placed over the glass
to strain your cocktail. This strainer contains a screen that prevents herbs and fruits from
falling into your drink.
Toothpicks
While this may not be an “official” mixology tool, toothpicks are sure to come in handy
when handeling and displaying your garnishes.
Mixology Tools
In order to create a perfect cocktail, you’ll want to have the right tools available in
your bar. Cocktail making is a craft. It is a skill that you can perfect over time, but
having the right tools makes it easier to be a successful mixologist!
BarSpoon/Stirrer
The bar spoon is not your average kitchen spoon or tea spoon. This metal spoon has a
unique appearance with a long spiral handle for stirring drinks in taller glasses. Its unique
design is a tradition at the bar and accommodates any type of glass.
Channel Knife
In order to create a spiral fruit peel garnish, you will need a channel knife. This small
spoon-shaped knife allows you to peel fruits and create the delicate garnishes that make
cocktails look professionally prepared and appetizing.
Jigger
Cocktail making is part art, part science. In order to be a great mixologist, you’ll need
some precision. The jigger is a helpful tool to measure liquors and other drink components.
There are many jiggers to choose from, but most bartenders tend to use a cone shaped one.
You can purchase tall and small jiggers for occasions where your mixing different quanti-
ties of drinks.
Muddler
There are certain cocktails that require you to use a technique known as muddling. Mud-
dling is a process where herbs and fragrant cocktail ingredients are pressed with a rotating
motion to release their flavors. As a mixologist, you will use a muddler to wake up flavors
and aromas in your drinks.
Glassware
There are several glasses that will help enhance flavors, depending on which
beverage you create.
Champagne Coupe
This glass has been a popular piece for centuries. It has been used for making any type of
cocktail but is known for the sidecar cocktail and Manhattan. Its long stemware allows the
beverage to stay chilled while providing a more elegant feel.
Glencairn Whiskey Glass
The purpose of using the Glencairn glass, was to maximize the flavors of the whiskey. The
concept originated from the traditional nosing glasses used by master blenders, borrowing
the wide bowl to show off the color and help expose the aromas, this design of the Glen-
cairn added a tapered mouth to allow for easier drinking.
High Ball glass
This glass is a tumbler that can contain 8-12 fl oz. It i sused to serve highball cocktails and
other mixed drinks.
Low Ball Glass (Old Fashioned Glass)
A short tumbler used to serve spirits such as whiskey, iwth ice cubes (on the rocks). This
glass is most often used to serve the old fashioned.
Martini Glass
If you want to make a vodka Martini, Manhattan, or Cosmopolitan, the martini glass is the
correct choice for any one of these cocktails. The long stem allows for the drink to stay
chilled while holding the glass. The martini glass is different from the traditional cocktail
glass, because it has a larger bowl, allowing the flavors to breathe.
Glassware
Roller Rock Glass
The Roller rock glass allows your beverage to stay chilled without overly diluting your
drink. Each glass has a silicone mold to create a solid ball of ice. The elevated glass dimple
in the base allows for the ice ball to swirl freely, keeping the spirits chilled, while adding a
bit of sophistication to your drink.
The Snifter Glass
Another glass used for whiskey and brandy is the snifter glass. It has a short steam which
allows for one to cradle the glass, while keeping the drink, warm. The large bowl provides a
space for swirling the beverage while the shorter mouth traps the aromas for a prominent
smell as you sip.
* Tip: When drinking your favorite spirit neat, be sure to use Rocks instead of ice.
Ice will dilute the liquor.
Proper Bar Setup
Setup is of up most importance. Proper setup ensures a smooth flow to your work-
space and allows you to serve your guests without a hitch.
Garnish Glasses
Place all fresh fruit and garnishes in a sepa- Glasses should be readily available above or
rated, insulated container out in front of you below your bar.
or to the side.
Ice Napkins
If your bar is setup away from the kitchen, Always serve your guests with a napkin
be sure to have a well-insulated container to along with their drink. You may also find
house the ice for your drinks. you need larger napkins or towels to wipe
the bar clean between drinks.
Sink Tools
It isn’t a bad idea to be near a sink if you Depending on whether you are left or right
only have one shaker. This will allow you to handed, keep all tools at arm’s length. If you
rinse your tools when going from drink to have a drawer on your bar, you can store
drink. your stirrer, muddler, and knife here.
Mixology Techniques
Becoming a mixologist is more than mixing a list of ingredients. To ensure the best
outcome of each drink, take special note of proper technique.
Dropping: drop the called garnish into the cocktail
once it has been completed.
Twisting: twist a citrus peel over a cocktail to spray
Garnish
juice and scent over the drink. Once this has been
completed, drop the twisted peel into the cocktail.
Floating: gently place the garnish on top of the drink
so that it floats on top of the cocktail. If the garnish
sinks, using a toothpick to place over top the glass
can be used.
This technique is used when a drink or cocktail calls
for the crushing of ingredients such as fruit and
sugar [Link] properly muddle, place your ingredi-
ents in the bottom of the glass in the order the recipe
Muddle
calls for. Take your muddling tool and push down and
drive the muddler in a downward, clockwise motion.
Once all the ingredients have been muddled and
juices have been extracted, pour the liquid portion of
the drink on top. Commonly muddled drinks include
the mojito and he muddled old fashioned.
Rolling a drink refers to the mixing of a cocktail that
is of medium intensity. This technique is used when
your goal is to not over dilute the cocktail. Rolling a
Rolling drink is simply placing the liquid ingredients in a
mixing tin or glass and transferring the ingredients
6-10 times by pouring them into another mixing tin.
Once this has been completed, pour the mixture into
the serving glass. The bloody mary cocktail is a drink
commonly rolled instead of shaken or stirred.
Mixology Techniques
First, pour ingredients into shaker. Then fill the
shaker with ice. Secure the lid. Hold your shaker
with both hands, one hand on each piece, and shake
Shaking vigorously over your shoulder. Shake for a slow
count of 10 or until you notice the outside of the
shaker frosting up. Strain the cocktail into a chilled
glass. Don’t forget to add ice to the glass prior to
pouring if the recipe calls for “on the rocks”.
Stirring is another method used to mix ingredients
for your drink. Stirring is a great option if you have
1-2 ingredients that won’t require a vigorous shake.
Stir
A common cocktail that is stirred and not shaken is a
martini. To stir, fill the glass with ice, pour over the
liquid mixture, grab your bar spoon, insert into the
glass and stir. Stir for around 30 seconds. Place a
strainer over the mixing glass and pour into the
desired serving glass.
10 Cocktail Recipes To Know
Bloody Mary
Ingredients:
6 oz Vitzellen Vodka
3 Cups Tomato Juice
6 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 TSP Horseradish
1 1/2 TSP Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 TSP Salt
1/4 TSP Pepper
1/4 TSP Tobasco
Directions:
In a pitcher, mix all ingredients together. Stir well
and serve in a chilled glass with desired garnish.
Common garnish include: celery, bacon, lemon,
olives, etc.
Cosmopolitan
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Vitzellen Vodka
1/4 oz lime juice
1/4 oz triple sec
1/4 oz cranberry juice
1 lime wedge for garnish
Directions:
Combine vodka, lime juice and triple sec into a
cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain
over chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lime
wedge.
10 Cocktail Recipes To Know
Dry Martini
Ingredients:
Cracked Ice
2 1/2 oz Bombshell Gin
1/2 oz dry vermouth
Green olive for garnish
Directions:
Combine ice, gin and vermouth in a shaker. Shake
well. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with olive
and serve.
Lemon Drop
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Vitzellen Vodka
.75 oz lemon juice
.75 oz simple syrup
Directions:
Combine vodka, lemon juice, ice and simple syrup
in a cocktail shaker. Shake until chilled. Strain over
chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon wedge.
10 Cocktail Recipes To Know
Manhattan
Ingredients:
Ice
2 oz John AP Conoley American Whiskey
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1 dash angostura bitters
1 maraschino cherry
Directions:
Combine whiskey, vermouth and bitters into a
cocktail mixing glass. Add ice and stir until chilled.
Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a mara-
schino cherry.
Mint Julep
Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1 TSP white sugar
1 1/2 oz John AP Conoley Bourbon Whiskey
4 Ice Cubes
5 fresh mint leaves
Directions:
Mix water andsugar together in chilled highball
glass until sugar is dissolved. Twist mint leaves to
release the scent adn flavor from each leaf. Add to
chilled highball glass. Fill glass 1/4 full with bour-
bon; add ice. Garnish with mint leaf.
10 Cocktail Recipes To Know
Moscow Mule
Ingredients:
2 oz Vitzellen Vodka
1 oz lime juice (fresh)
6 oz ginger beer (or enough to fill glass)
Garnish with lime
Directions:
Combine vodka and lime juice in a copper mug. Top
off the glass with ginger beer and gently stir with a
bar spoon until mixed. Garnish with lime slice.
Muddled Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
1 sugar cube
1 small orange slice
1 cherry
Splash of soda water
3 dashes of angostura bitters
2 oz John AP Conoley American Bourbon Whiskey
Ice
Directions:
Place sugar cube, bitters and soda water into a
lowball glass. Once the cube has obsorbed the
bitters and soda water, add cherry and orange slice.
Muddle together. Pour the bourbon on top of the
muddld ingredients. Add ice adn garnish with an
orange peel.
10 Cocktail Recipes To Know
Vodka Cranberry
Ingredients:
5 oz cranberry juice
1 oz Vitzellen Vodka
1 Lime Slice
Directions:
Combine vodka, cranberry juice and ice in a cocktail
shaker. Shake until chilled. Pour into a chilled
lowball glass. Serve with wedge of lime.
Whiskey Sour
Ingredients:
2 oz John AP Conoley American Bourbon Whiskey
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
Orange slice
Marashino Cherry
Directions:
Combine bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup in
a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover and
shake well until chilled. Strain cocktail into a
chilled lowball glass with a few ice cubes in it.
Garnish with orange slice and cherry.
You now have the tools to guide you through bartending
your own cocktail party. Mixology is an art. Make your own
drinks, experiment and create your own cocktails, and
impress your guests with your new-found skills.
[Link]
108 Bogue Commercial Dr
Bogue, NC 28570
252.354.9131
