subject: Basic Bartending Techniques That You Can Learn At Home [print this page] If want your party to be a big hit to your guests, it is important to learn the basic bartending techniques such as cocktail preparation. Cocktail preparation entails: combining ingredients, right mixing, garnishing, etc. Cocktails are usually measured through their taste, consistency, and appearance. Hence, people who want to serve the best drinks to their guests must learn and understand its basics.
Careful planning and preparation will ensure great cocktails. Just like a chef is to a restaurant, a great bartender makes sure that he has a well-stocked liquor cabinet. Also, a good host / bartender prepares the equipment he needs ahead of time. This simply means that he has to clean and setup what he needs after each cocktail preparation.
He also needs to prepare the right cocktail glass, and garnish it to add some "flavor" to the guests' drinks. He also needs to measure and pour the ingredients into a glass or shaker; and add ice last to keep it fresh. All the ingredients must be mixed properly and poured into a glass and garnish it for best results.
There will be instances wherein the drinks need to be "shaken" using a shaker. It is the most enjoyable way of serving drinks to the guest; think of Tom Cruise in the movie "Cocktail". You will probably spend around ten to twenty seconds for this. Check that the shaker is filled with two-thirds of ice cubes. When pouring the liquid into the glass, allow the ice to remain in the shaker.
Blending all the ingredients with ice together may be required for some cocktails. You will probably need crushed ice than ice cubes for this. This will prevent your blender's blades to wear out. Or you can also use a "Slushy Machine Hire". If you add fruits or herbs to the mixture, it is best to crush or dice these first before blending. The main reason why cocktails are blended is to achieve a smooth consistency.
For best results, you might need extra fine strain to obtain the right consistency and appearance of your cocktail. A typical strainer will filter the ice and big pieces of fruits as you pour the cocktail into the glass. Double straining will actually lessen the bitter aftertaste when you chew few bits of these herbs and fruits.
Cocktail garnishments are also added for aesthetic purposes. This also adds flavor and aroma to the drink. This is usually an edible ingredient used to garnish the drink. You can use it to stir your drink; have it sprinkled at the top of the cocktail; or place it on the rim of the glass. As fruits and herbs are popular types used for garnish, it is best that these be thoroughly washed and cleaned.
