Mixology starts here...
Like everything you will find here on J/J, the purpose of this page is to help you make great cocktails! If you’ve been sticking to off the shelf mixers or were afraid to go beyond the casual "rum and coke", the following content will be perfect to get you started making amazing cocktails! First, let’s break down what makes up a great libation...in its simplest form, a cocktail is composed of three main elements:
- The base spirit: this is the alcohol that is the star of the drink. The primary spirits are brandy, gin, mezcal (tequila), rum, vodka, and whiskey. Some cocktails will also use wine or liqueurs as the base spirit. No matter what you add after this, the goal is to never lose the flavor of the base spirit. The ingredients you bring into the cocktail should enhance the key notes of your base without drowning it out.
- A sour element: describes any source of flavor that is sour in taste. This could be lemon, lime, cranberry, or even oranges (blood in particular).
- A sweetener: can be found in many forms such as simple sugar (equal parts water/sugar), honey, maple syrup, agave, demerara sugar, and sweet flavored liqueurs.
Note: Fruit juices can add both sour/sweet or a combination of flavors to the base spirit.
Additionally, there are many other elements that can be added to a cocktail to create a unique potion. In my reading one of the more interesting ways to categorize them came from Camper English of the site alcademics.com.
I really liked his break down and included some of the more common elements used in most cocktails. These are: accents, mixers, thinners, thickeners, and floats. You can find the full list on the link above.
Accents are often used in small quantities but add unique flavor. Examples of these include absinthe, bitters, or tinctures. Muddled ingredients also fall into this category.
Mixers are non-alcoholic liquids which can exceed 50% of the volume of a drink while adding special characteristics. Soda water and tonic water are common examples that add a carbonated "feel" to the drink. Juices are also commonly used to impart flavor such as strawberry in a margarita.
Thinners may contain alcohol but can be used to reduce the alcohol content while adding additional flavors. These can be things such as water (obviously), vermouth, sake, or even beer.
Thickeners are used to provide different sensation to a drink such as a creaminess, or the appearance of a "head" as common in beer. Egg whites are a commonly added thickener. Other examples are xanthan gum, agar-agar, gum Arabic, gelatin and pectin, dairy elements, or starches.
Floats are added on top of the completed cocktail to create a unique characteristic or essence. Float elements don't often mix exceedingly with the drink itself and can be just about anything. Some examples include flavored liqueurs, spirits, fortified wines, or syrups. It's often recommended that you use the back of a bar spoon to avoid plunging (and mixing) the ingredient with the rest of the cocktail.
The Golden Ratio
We're not much for "rules" here on J/J but one phrase you may hear about is the "Golden Ratio" which is a time-tested guide to avoid cocktails that are too sour, too, sweet, or too boozy/weak. The truth is that you will need to play around with this ratio to achieve your desired results.
- 2 - Spirit
- 1 - Sour
- 1 - Sweet
This ratio gives deference to the alcohol so that its qualities are front and center. The sweet and sour modifiers balance out but not without first bringing their own particular tones. These added amounts are not exact, and in most cases an ounce is too sweet or sour. In most mixes it is more common to use a 1/2 ounce or even 3/4 ounce. Drinking establishments commonly run their cocktails a little sweet as this appeals to more people. In the table below, you will see a list of common ingredients for both sweet and sour:
| Sweet | Sour | Bitter |
| Granulated sugars | Citrus juice* | Amaro/Aperol |
| Syrups | Vinegars | Campari |
| Fruit juices | Pickled/Fermented juices | Dry Vermouth |
| Honey | Acids | |
| Agave | ||
| Sweet cream |
* Note: Citrus often has both sweet and sour notes.
| Accent | Mixers | Thinners/Thickeners/Floats |
| Muddled fruit | Tonic water | Egg white |
| Muddled herbs | Club Soda | Water |
| Bitters | Juices | Vermouth |
| Tincture | Seltzers | Beer or Saki |
| Fruit liqueurs | Creme |