Blender Bartender

The Beginner’s Guide to Mixology

Mixing
drinks is easy, just a little mix of soda or fruit juice with a splash of dash,
right? Sure, when it’s just the guys but what about mixing a drink that’ll
really have people feeling thirsty? You’ll impress your friends – and the
ladies – with your newly acquired flair skills as you train yourself to create
those perfect-tasting after-dark drinks… now there’s something worth learning.

Here, we’ve put together a quick guide that’ll turn the novice mixologist into an alchemist of alcoholic beverages in no time. Order up!

Tools of the Trade

First up is the barware you’ll need to get you mixing up
cocktails like a pro.

• Shaker: A standard stainless-steel shaker with a built-in strainer.
• Muddler: Usually made of wood with grooves at the bottom the muddler will mash your ingredients to release their flavors.
• Jigger: Shaped like an hourglass it’s the metal tot cup you’ll need to measure your ingredients. You could use a regular shot glass, but then you wouldn’t really look the part would you?
• Long spoon: This is good for stirring in deep glasses or getting your under garnishes just right.
• Glasses: These will include Cocktail, Highball, Collins glasses and some tumblers for those ‘on the rocks’ days.

Use nice-to-have items like those tiny umbrellas and swizzle
sticks to complete the look of your drinks.

Supply and Demand

You’re also going to want a fully-stocked mixes shelf so
here’s what you’ll need.

• Spirits: Vodka, gin, white rum, dark rum,
  whiskey, and tequila silver and gold.
• Mixes: These include bubbly beverages like soda
  water, lemonade, ginger ale, tonic, cola, Sprite and flavored and still water
  and fruit juices. You’ll need vermouth, a variety of liqueurs and aperitifs and
  of course, bitters.
• Garnishes: These are the fruity dressings and
  here you can really express your inner bartender using mint leaves, berries,
  lime, and slices of fruit like lemon, apple and even pineapple.

Make sure you have enough ice too, crushed or regular, to
keep your drinks nice and chilled.

MIXING MAGIC

Now that you’ve well-stocked and ready, you’ll need some
mixes to practise with. We’ve put together some of our every-season favorites
that’ll test your flair for flavor.

Mojito

• 60ml white rum                                                   
  —— Try
  —— Aviation Gin
• 20ml lime juice
• 15ml simple syrup
• club soda
• 12 mint leaves

Crush mint in shaker and add rum, lime juice, simple syrup
and ice and give it a quick shake before straining into a highball glass filled
with crushed ice. Top up the glass with soda and garnish with a lime wheel and
mint sprig.

—-
With age comes wisdom – Originating in Cuba over 500 years ago the mojito is
thought to be one of the world’s oldest mixed drinks.

Negroni

• 30ml gin                                                   
  —— TRY
  —— Aviation Gin
• 30ml bitter liqueur
• 30ml vermouth

Add all your ingredients into a tumbler glass with large ice
cubes and stir briefly with a swizzle stick and garnish with an orange peel.

—- The alchemist – It’s said that Count Negroni asked a bartender to strengthen his favorite cocktail, the Americano, by adding gin instead of soda water

Moscow Mule

• 60ml vodka
• 90ml ginger ale
• 15ml lime juice

Not much mixing is needed here, simply fill a highball glass
with ice, pour your ingredients in add a slice of lime and a swizzle stick,
stir and enjoy.

                —- Pin the tail on the donkey – The mule has many variations. Use tequila instead of vodka for a Mexican Mule or rum instead for the Aussie Mule

                                                                —–
TRY —– Fortaleza Tequila

                                                                —
— TRY —– Don Papa Rum

Long Island Iced-Tea

• 20ml vodka
• 20ml white rum
• 20ml tequila silver
• 20ml gin                                                        
  ——- TRY
  ——- Drumshanbo Irish Gunpowder Gin
• 20ml triple sec
• 20ml simple syrup
• 20ml fresh lemon juice
• small can of cola

Fill a Collins glass to the top with ice-cubes, pour all
your ingredients in and top up the glass with some cola. Mix it up with a long
spoon or swizzle stick then add a wedge of lemon or lime, a straw and a tiny
umbrella to complete the look. Enjoy.

——- Smashing – The Long Island Ice-Tea is one of the “stronger” cocktails out there with an average alcohol content of 22%