Mixology Basics
Mixology Basics
Mixology Basics
The Cocktail
During the Prohibition, the majority of liquor available consisted of bathtub gin and
scotch
scotch. These conditions were so awful that you had to add enough sweetened
sweetened,
cream, honey, syrups, etc.) to be able to swallow the
highly flavored ingredients (cream
drink and still have sufficient content. The cocktail was invented to cover the bad
taste of the base spirit they added juice, food items and garnishes to enhance the
drink. This accounts for the bizarre formulas still found in some recipe books today.
Parts of a cocktail
Base:: It is the fundamental ingredient. The base is usually spirit—gin rum, Vodka
Vodka.
Normally, the base consists of single liquor which determines the type of cocktail.
There are gin cocktails (Martinis), whiskey cocktails (Manhattans), rum cocktails
(Daiquiris), Tequila cocktails (Margaritas).
It is possible to combine two or more liquors as a base. For example, rye and
bourbon whiskey, while different flavor, have the same common characteristics and
can be used interchangeably or in combination as a base. Gin and white rum also
blend well.
Modifier:: A modifier slightly changes the base spirit, for example when making a
Martini Cocktail the vermouth is the modifier as this slightly changes the Vodka or
Gin.
Gin.The modifying agent also smoothes the biting sharpness of the raw liquor and
adds character to its natural flavor. This flavor should never be predominated over
the liquor flavor.
Colouring agent:: Again these are liqueurs which have strong colour. Blue Bols,
Cassis and Chambord are good examples. If you mix Blue Bols with Orange Juice
the drink will turn green.
Mixer:: The mixer is a non-alcoholic part of the cocktail these include fruit juices,
cola, 7Up, cream, soda etc.
Additives:: Additives are things that you would usually use in the kitchen. Eggs,
Tabasco, salt, hot sauce, and nuts etc.
Garnish:: The garnish is the part which increases the eye appeal of the drink.
Usually the garnish is a fruit which is a part of the ingredients of the cocktail (e.g. -
lemon wheel on a margarita) or something which enhances the taste of a cocktail
(e.g. – chocolate sauce on a mudslide)
Ice: An often overlooked but a very important part of a cocktail. Contrary to popular
belief the temperature of ice can also vary a lot (from –10F to +32F)). Warm ice
melts quickly and makes weak diluted drinks. The proper use of ice is very
important to make a good cocktail.
When making your own cocktails you only need two or more of thee above above.
Everyone has their own recipes, but if you are given one follow it. You may not
agree with it, you may have been taught in a different way. No matter where you go
in the world you will find different cocktails with the same name, or even have two
drinks with the same tastes totally different. Following the recipe in your bar will
ensure that every cocktail that is made there comes out the same no matter who
makes it.
IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT A RECIPE THEN ASK OR LOOK IT UP.
Recipe Adherence
1. Glassware
2. Ice
3. Free Pouring
4. Mix logy Techniques
5. Eye Appeal
6. Mixes
Glassware
Glass ware is specified on each drink recipe. Always use the correct glass. This
ensures the correct ration of liquor to the mixer. Unless specified in the recipe as
pre-heated or pre-
pre-chilled,, glassware must be at room temperature. Glassware just
out of the dish machine is too hot to use. Adding ice to a hot glass will cause
breakage.
WASHING GLASSWARE: a drink looses its eye and taste appeal if served in a
spotted or streaked glass or has remnants of lipstick. Even after through washing,
the glass ware may be fingerprinted if dirty hands are used to replace it.
All glass ware should be “beer clean”. A “beer clean” glass is one which the head
of foam will remain compact and firm for several minutes after pouring. As the
beer is consumed, the foam will form rings on the glass at each new level.
At the front bar, a four sink glass washing system is used to ensure clean
glassware.
SINK#4—A cold rinse (75 75 F) with Mikrolene sanitizer. The cold rinse brings
down the temperature of the glasses.
NOTE: Health codes may alter the order of sink#1 and sink #2.
Water needs to be changed frequently throughout the shift. This method satisfies
health requirements and the method ensures sparkling glassware.
Goblet(10 oz.)
Footed Glass Mug(8 oz.) Used for all hot drinks except
Those made with Hot Buttered
Rum Batter
ICE
Always ice glass with an ice scoop, NEVER with your hands or by scooping
a glass through the bin
Glasses should never be placed in ice. You might break the glass in the ice,
causing a health hazard for your guest.
Ice must be cold.. Ice may vary in temperature from –10F to +32F. “Warm ice
melts quickly and makes weak diluted drinks. Check the temperature of
the ice by placing a quick-read thermometer in the ice storage bin every
other day.
Ice must be dry. Ice should stay dry. The ice bins should have adequate
drainage to allow melting water to drain off easily and quickly. Check
ice bin drains at the ice machine, service bar and front bar at least once
a week.
Ice must be clean. Keep all impurities out of ice. Some bars store fruit,
bottles and cartons in the same ice used to mix drinks. Health
departments regard such ice as contaminated; and you should too. Ice
bins and ice scoops should be included in a regular cleanup program.
Use plenty of ice when making drinks. Unless specified by recipe, all
glasses should be packed with ice before a drink is made. This ensured
the proper ratio of liquor to mixer. The correct amount of ice also
prevents over dilution. Dilution is water from melting ice and is a part
of any drink, but excess dilution spoils the drink.
Use fresh, clean ice for every drink you make. Throw away used ice. You
would not serve a partially eaten salad, so do not use partially
consumed ice. Occasionally, a guest will request a new drink built on
top of old one; in that case accommodate the guest.
Replace ice if glass is broken over or near as ice bin. Do not take a chance
with guests’ safety. Broken glass in ice is extremely hazardous.
FREE POURING
Free pouring all drink is a part of the uniqueness of bartenders. There are four
reasons for free pouring:
1. Speed
2. Organization
3. Accuracy
4. Flair
The guidelines for a free pouring prevent the bottle from slipping out of your
hand or dislodging the pour spout. The guidelines also ensure a consistent
flow.
1. Bottle must be held firmly, yet relaxed with contact between fingers
and pour spout
2. Air flow of pour spout must remain unobstructed for a steady, even
stream.
3. When pouring, the bottle must be inverted perpendicularly to the bar
top.
4. When “cutting” the flow of the liquid, the “cut” must be clean, quick
and precise with no ““trails”.
”. The bottle should “snap”.
5. Put a half spin on the bottle when empty.
Bartenders must check their free pouring accuracy daily to ensure a consistent
product. Consistency is the key to free pouring. Consistent pouring will
increase your guest enjoyment of the drink you make.
MIXOLOGY TECHNIQUES
BUILD: When building a drink, the ingredients are poured into the glass
which it is served. The drink is “on-the-rocks” if it is served over ice.
The drink is “straight up” if it is served without ice. Building is the
easiest drink making technique and it is used for highballs, juice drinks,
nails and many hot drinks.
STIR & STRAIN: This technique is used to chill clear liquids when they are
served straight up. Stirring mixes the ingredients, assures proper
dilution and chills liquor to the proper serving temperature. Clear
liquors are stirred and strained, instead of shaken and strained, to
maintain the crystal clarity of the liquid. If a clear liquid is shaken or
mixed, it becomes mixed with air and looks cloudy. To stir and strain a
drink:
3. Stir quickly 8-10 times with a bar spoons until condensation forms
on the outside of the glass. DO NOT CHURN.
4. Fit a bar strainer over the mouth of the mixing glass and strain the
liquid into the proper glass. Never use your fingers to strain a
cocktail.
4. Rap mixing tin firmly downward onto the mixing glass to make a
seal.
5. Hold the base of the mixing glass in one hand and the base of the
mixing tin in the other hand; vigorously shake until a frost appears
on the mixing tin.
6. While holding the mixing tin and glass as step # 5, gently tap the
protruding edge of the mixing tin against the shot rail to break the
seal between the tin and the glass. Lift the tin off.
7. Fit a bar strainer over the mouth of the mixing glass and strain the
liquid into the proper glass.
While the ice chills the cocktail, the proper function of the ice is to agitate and
mix the ingredients together (just like the metal ball in a can of paint).
1. Pour ingredients into a mixing tin (ice may be added per recipe
directions)
2. Fit mixing tin into the mixing spindle until contact is made wth the
activation switch.
4. Pour mixture into proper glassware (if ice is used during mixing,
strain the drink per recipe directions)
5. Wash the mixing tin (and strainer)
BLEND: Blending liquefies a solid. Frozen and ice-cream drinks are blended
to a slushy or creamy consistency;; fluid enough to pour, yet thick
enough to hold a straw upright. To blend a drink:
3. Set speed to “low” (draws the ingredients down into the blades and
extends the life of the blades, clutch and motor). Turn the motor
“on”.
5. Switch speed back to “low”, “turn off” motor, allow blender to slow
and remove blender cup (this extends the life of the blades, clutch
and motor).
2. Place a bar spoon on top of the first “layer” so that the bowl of the
spoon rests on the surface.
3. Slowly and carefully pour the desired amount of second “layer” into
the bowl of the spoon. Technically, the downward force becomes an
outward force, moving the second ingredient across the first layer
instead of through it.
A muddler is a non-porous wooden tool used to prod the ingredients, not beat
them. To muddle an ingredient:
1. Hold the muddler firmly and press it into the ingredient while
turning the muddler a quarter of a turn.
CUTTING FRUIT
• Always wash fruit in cold water before cutting
• Always use a clean cutting board.
• Use a clean, sharp knife.
STOCKING
• Only stock enough fruit for ay given two hour period
STORAGE
• Always store garnishes refrigerated, covered and labeled.
• Do not store old garnished a top of new garnishes.
• When storing citrus garnishes that have been stocked, rinse them
with soda or water and drain before covering and refrigerating.
• Cherries, olives and cocktail onions should be stocked and stored
in their own juice.
• Cut celery should be stored in water to retain crispness and
stocked on the station in ice water.
GARNISH BASICS
Lemon twist—addsadds flavor from the oil in the lemon rind; twist a strip of lemon
rind, then wipe the rim of the glass with the rind, skin side down.
—used in short glasses (high balls, footed mugs and goblets); for
Sip sticks—used
footed mugs. Lay the stick over the top of the drink so it does not pierce the layer
of the whipping cream.
• Regularly wash away excess citric acid from citrus fruits with cold
water.
• Cherries, olives and any other fruit stored in liquid should be kept that
way to avoid them from drying out.
• Clean all cutting equipment thoroughly both before and after use. Keep
it spotless.
• Record all waste as soon as possible.
• Check for colour, texture, smell and taste when examining quality.
• Avoid over cutting fruit, the less you have left over at the end of
the session, the less is likely to spoil.
BAR MIXES
The shelf life of the mixes is short. It is important to control mixes by using pars
and correct ration. When handling mixes, follow these rules:
Any mix will settle according to the weight of its ingredients. For this reason it
is important that all mixes are stirred or shaken each time they are
transferred from one container to another (i.e., from barrel to pitcher, from
pitcher to quart; from quart to glass).
When making a mix from dry crystal, remember that crystal + water=
desired total yield.
MIX LABEL
DRINK TYPES
ROCKS / SHOTS
This is a single portion of liquor; either poured over ice; chilled and served up; or
up ((with or without a cream float). Examples of Rocks/ Shots are:
served straight-up
Remy Martin, up
HIGHBALLS
This is single liquor served with a mixer from the soda gun. Examples of
Highballs are:
Tanqueray andd Tonic
Cuba Libre
JUICE DRINKS
Single liquor served with a mixer that does not come off the soda gun. These
mixes include all fruit juices, sweet and sour, milk, cream, ginger beer, eetc.,
c., or a
combination. Examples of top selling Juice Drinks are:
Screwdriver
Bloody Mary
Sea Breeze
Planter’s Punch
Vodka Collins
Whiskey Sour
Madras
Tequila Maria
Colorado Bulldog
Sunburn
Black Russian
White Russian
Brave Bull
HOT DRINKS
Liquor plus a hot beverage (coffee, hot tea, hot cocoa, hot apple cider, etc.).
Some hot liquor are made with a single liquor while others may have two or more
liquors/ liqueurs. Examples of Hot Drinks are:
Café Gates
Café Toledo
Honey Tea
FROZEN DRINKS
Liquors and mixed blended with crushed ice to a refreshing, slushy consistency.
Examples of Frozen Drinks are:
Summer Breeze
Pina Colada
Strawberry Shortcake
DRINK PORTIONS
Each drink type has its own “formula”. If you know the type of drink and its
ingredients, the number of ounces of ingredients will be consistent. Exceptions
for this rule are listed after every portion. Exceptions exist when the drink would
taste better made in different proportions.
ROCKS / SHOTS
1 ½ oz. Or 1 ½ oz. + 1 oz. Cream
Exceptions: Gin / Vodka on the rocks
Lillet on thhe rocks
Silver Bullet
HIGHBALL
1 ¼ oz.
JUICE DRINKS
1 ¼ oz. + Mixers
Exceptions: Mint Julep
HOT DRINKS
These drinks can be made with one, two or three liquors / liqueurs.
Liqueur Flavor