Isn’t it fascinating to watch how a bartender swiftly whips up perfect cocktails at a party? If you had a few tricks up your sleeves, you too could make some stunning cocktails and the whole world would want to be a part of your gala! We at Unsobered are here to help you achieve just that. Here are 8 cocktail hacks that you should know to be a pro-in-house bartender and be the highlight of every house party!
8 Cocktail Hacks That You Should Know
- Backups For Bar Tools
- Rim Your Glass With Honey Or Salt
- Crushed Ice At Home
- Maple Syrup Or Jam As Sweetener
- Garnish Your Cocktails
- Clear Ice Cubes With Boiled Water
- Age Your Cocktails With Burnt Sugar
- Make Edible Shot Glasses
1. Backups For Bar Tools
It often happens that when you throw a party, especially a house party, you don’t find all the necessary bar tools at home. What if we tell you that we have the ultimate backup tools for whatever you’re missing at home?
- So what if you don’t have a cocktail shaker? You can always use a water bottle or a mason jar instead to give your cocktails the rollercoaster ride they deserve.
- If you don’t have jiggers available, you can use measurement spoons and cups at home as an alternative.
- For those of you who don’t own a cocktail strainer, you can use a regular tea strainer or the lid of a mason jar instead.
- For stirring, a chopstick could come to the rescue if there’s no stirring spoon available.
Use these alternatives and don’t let these crunches stop you from serving the best cocktails at your party!
Also Read: Must-Have Cocktail Tools For Your Home Bar
2. Rim Your Glass With Salt Or Honey
Who doesn’t like that salty flavor on their lips, especially after having a sip of their favorite cocktail? Luckily, cracking this code is not a big deal. All you have to do is take a plate, put some salt in it, take your cocktail glass, turn it upside down, and dip the rim in the salt. Now, pour your cocktail into the glass, and have each sip followed by a touch of salt.
If you or your friends have a sweet tooth, you can give honey a shot. Follow the same process with honey on a plate, and there you have a sweet-rimmed cocktail glass!
Also Read: How To Rim A Glass
3. Crushed Ice At Home
Some cocktails just deserve to wear that crown of crushed ice, and nothing else can make up for it. And to honor these cocktail queens, why go out and get crushed ice when you can make it right at home?
Here’s what you need – a rolling pin, some ice, and a zip-lock bag. Start with putting the ice in the zip lock bag (make sure you lock the bag), take the rolling pin, and get all your frustration out on those ice cubes. Now, that’s an ice hack you ought to try! Add the crushed ice to your glass and let everybody crush on your bartending skills!
4. Maple Syrup Or Jam As Sweetener
We’re sure you must have tried common sweeteners like simple syrup, honey, and white sugar. But there are several syrup substitutes you can experiment with. How about fruit jams or maple syrup as sweeteners? If you haven’t already, then this is your cue to try these. While you’re at it, squeeze a bit of lime into your cocktail as well to get that citrusy flavor and a refreshing aroma!
5. Garnish Your Cocktail
Is it even a cocktail if there are no herbs or colors to garnish it with? Here are some of the best ideas to garnish your cocktail –
- One of the most common hacks in cocktail books is using a sliced lime or orange on the rim of your glass.
- If you want to add a special twist to your drink, you can use colored sugar to decorate your drink. Take powdered sugar, add a few drops of your favorite food coloring, and whisk it with a fork to get the desired color. Now use this sugar to decorate your glass, ta-da!
- Olives or cherries on a toothpick to compliment your gin or vodka martinis.
- Use fresh herbs like basil, thyme, mint, or rosemary, to add a touch of refreshment to your cocktail.
- How about freezing some edible cocktail flowers and herbs and adding them to your drink? Choose some herbs or flowers you like, add them to your ice cube tray, and complete your drink with these colorful ice cubes!
- If you want to add a citrus burst to your drink, you could add a citrus peel rose garnish. Cut out the peel of an orange in a circular form from top to bottom, like you’re unwinding the thread from a spinning top. Do this till you finally have a long peel of an orange, now roll it up so you get the shape of a rose out of it. Lastly, seal it with a skewer or a toothpick and use it as your citrusy floral garnish.
Trust us, these garnishing hacks are sure to make your guests fall in love with your colorful and festive cocktails.
Also Read: 8 Best Cocktail Garnish Ideas
6. Clear Ice Cubes From Boiled Water
Another tip to make your cocktail look stunning is to use clear ice cubes instead of the regular cloudy ones. How do we get these clear ice cubes, you ask? Well, all you have to do is boil a pot of water, let it cool down a bit, pour it into an ice tray, and freeze. Voila! You just got yourself some sparkling ice cubes to add to your cocktail.
7. Age Your Cocktails
How about giving your cocktails an edge, by adding some unique flavors to them? If you want to age your cocktail, then let burnt sugar do the work. For this, you need sugar and hot water.
- Take 1 cup of sugar and ¾ cup of hot water.
- Heat the sugar and once it melts, let it boil to a point where it turns brown, thick, and gets a smoky flavor.
- Once it foams and smokes, take it off the heat, add some hot water to it, and keep stirring.
- Later, put it back on medium flame and keep stirring till you get a thick syrup. After it cools down, you can add it to your cocktail.
And if you want to give it a smoky citrusy flavor, you could flame an orange peel.
- Take an orange peel and hover it over a lit match above your drink.
- Once it’s warm, squeeze it to let out the oil into the drink.
- Rub the peel over the glass rim and finally just drop it in the drink.
8. Make Edible Shot Glasses
One more way to impress your guests is to make edible shot glasses for them. Here you really have to bring out all your creativity and carve out shot glasses out of a watermelon to serve your tequila shot. And if you’re going for a White Russian, then maybe use a chocolate mold to get a chocolate shot glass. These shot glasses could be the ideal companions to follow those flaming shots down your throat!
Also Read: 5 Vodka Shots And Shooters That Taste Great
Summing Up
These 8 cocktails hacks are all you need to bring your A-game while hosting house parties. Now that you know of these, get ready to serve some amazing cocktails, and set the bar on fire (not literally)!
FAQs
What Cocktails Should A Bartender Know?
Some basic cocktails that every bartender must know are Martini, Margarita, Gin
& Tonic, Manhattan, Moscow Mule, Long Island Ice Tea, Whiskey Sour, and Old Fashioned.
What Are 4 Basic Methods In Making Cocktails?
The basic methods of preparing cocktails are – shake-shake, blend-mix, build-construct, and stir-stir.
What Are The 3 Most Popular Cocktails?
Some of the popular cocktails around the world are Cosmopolitan, Margarita, Martini, Negroni, Manhattan, Gimlet, Daiquiri, Espresso Martini, and Old Fashioned.
What Is The 50 Rule Of Bartending?
As per this rule, a bartender is not allowed to serve another drink to someone until they finish at least half of their previous drink.
Which Cocktail Is Best For Beginners?
If you’re a newbie, here are some of the best cocktails to try – Martini, Mojito, Tom Collins, Sex On The Beach, Cosmopolitan, Whiskey Sour, and Piña Colada.
What Are The Main Cocktail Garnishes That Every Bar Should Have?
Some of the common garnishes every bar should have are cherries, olives, limes, salt, rosemary, lemons, mint leaves, and cinnamon.
Does Shaking A Cocktail Make A Difference?
Yes. Shaking a cocktail unnecessarily can lead to a change in its texture, whereas, stirring only chills and dilutes the cocktail.
How Long Should You Stir A Cocktail?
Well, the time would vary depending on the cocktail you choose. However, to stay in the safe waters, you can stir the drink for around 30 to 45 seconds.
