Technique
The handful of skills behind every drink on this site. None needs special equipment beyond a shaker, a jigger and plenty of ice.
ShakingWhen to shake instead of stir, how long and how hard, and why double straining and a cold glass matter.StirringWhy spirit-only drinks are stirred, how long to stir, and how to tell when a Martini or Manhattan is ready.Ice and dilutionWater from melting ice is a quarter to a third of most finished cocktails. How chilling and dilution are linked, and how to control them.Balance and ratiosThe ratios behind the classic families, how to adjust for your limes and liqueurs, and how to taste and fix a drink.SyrupsHow to make the syrups classic cocktails call for, how to swap one for another, and how long they keep.Egg white and foamHow to get a dense, silky foam on a sour, the dry-shake and reverse-dry-shake methods, aquafaba, and raw-egg safety.GarnishesWhy a citrus peel is an ingredient, how to cut and express one, and the garnishes worth bothering with.Glassware and measuringWhich glass each drink needs and why, chilling glasses, and how ml, oz, dashes and barspoons compare.