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Bartending 101: 5 pro tips to make the best drinks

You need some basic food and drink preparation skills to create your cocktail taste. Picture supplied
You need some basic food and drink preparation skills to create your cocktail taste. Picture supplied

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Preparing mixed alcoholic beverages or cocktails may seem simple and easy as the process only involves a few steps and requires minimal ingredients. However, professional bartenders may disagree with this idea, as having skills, knowledge, and expertise is necessary to create delectable concoctions.

Meanwhile, this is not to say that it's impossible to create a delicious drink using items you have at home and a drink recipe that you can easily follow. Aside from this, basic knowledge of how some liquors and flavourings taste like could go a long way. Finally, you must have basic food and drink preparation skills to create your cocktail taste.

If you'd like some pro tips on how you can make the best drinks, it may be helpful to keep the following in mind:

1. Use high-quality ingredients

The quality of your ingredients will significantly influence how your drink tastes. Thus, selecting the best-quality components is essential if you want to create the perfect cocktail.

Suppose that you need hard liquor for your margarita. Pro bartenders suggest grabbing a 100 per cent blue agave tequila bottle for the best quality.

Lower quality variants only need 51 per cent of agave spirits to be considered tequila, with the rest of the drink being mixtures of caramel colouring and grain spirits. In this case, the purest product is the best option.

You can also consider mezcal as an alternative to tequila for making margaritas. Mezcal and tequila are derived from agave plants, giving them similar flavour profiles. Agave is a kind of plant native to Mexico that can take 30 years to mature and is used to create a variety of food and non-food products. When made into mezcal, the flavour is closely reminiscent of tequila but with a hint of smokiness due to the cooking process involved in creating this liquor.

Apart from choosing premium quality spirits, you must carefully select your cocktail's non-alcoholic components. In the case of margaritas, you'll need fresh, juicy limes for their juice and zest and a few ounces of quality Cointreau. The key is to pick the best quality ingredients to complement and elevate the flavours of your liquor.

2. Measure ingredients correctly

Besides using top-notch ingredients, another pro tip for making the best drinks is correctly measuring ingredients. If you're new to making your cocktails, then it might be helpful to consult a recipe book or food website online so you can follow a detailed recipe complete with recommended measurements.

As you practice making drinks at home, you'll need measuring tools such as measuring cups, shot glasses, jiggers, spoons, and other items that can help you add the right ingredients. Some also find it helpful to learn how to free pour or to measure ingredients by eyeballing the flow of liquid. This skill may take some time, but it will boost your confidence in your cocktail-making expertise.

You need some basic food and drink preparation skills to create your cocktail taste. Picture supplied
You need some basic food and drink preparation skills to create your cocktail taste. Picture supplied

3. Serve drinks at the right temperature

Any temperature changes could significantly affect a beverage's taste, so it's essential to know the ideal temperature recommended for serving an alcoholic drink. For instance, some drinks are best shaken or stirred to retain their flavours while taking the liquid to the right temperature before serving.

Examples of cocktail drinks shaken with ice include cosmopolitan and daiquiri. Meanwhile, negronis and Rob Roys are best stirred in a mixing glass with ice to retain their flavour while chilling.

If you're going to serve tequila on its own, experts believe it's best to skip the ice and keep the temperature around 20°C. However, cocktails such as Tequila Sunrise and margarita are served with ice to enhance the flavour combinations.

4. Use the right glass

A drink's container can affect a person's experience when enjoying a drink. The size and design of the glass should match how the drink is ideally served. For instance, a tall glass is suitable for mojitos and Bloody Marys to make room for the ice and other components of the drinks. On the other hand, martinis and Manhattans are usually served in stemmed cocktail glasses to highlight their rich aromas.

You must follow the correct procedures if you have to serve your drink in chilled glasses. For example, you can place regular glasses in the freezer for 30 minutes up to two hours to prepare them for serving. Meanwhile, cocktail glasses can be chilled simply by leaving ice inside for a few minutes.

5. Add a garnish

If you wish to provide a complete experience with your drinks, adding a garnish to your mixed beverages is a great idea. For instance, adding a sliced fruit on a glass's rim before serving would make it look more impressive.

Sometimes, minor touches to your cocktail also contribute to its flavour. For instance, a Paloma is often served on a glass with a salted rim to make a more dynamic taste profile. Overall, adding small touches to your drinks can elevate their taste. Hence, it's worth trying out.

Conclusion

There are various ways you can create the best drinks when bartending. Using excellent ingredients and following recipe measurements allows you to make impressive beverages. You can also invest in premium quality glasses of various shapes and sizes to improve your drink presentation.

Lastly, serving your concoctions at the right temperature with a beautiful garnish would be a treat for you and your guests.