Have you ever wondered why the cocktails that you make at home don’t seem to taste like the pro’s drinks? Well, at Thirst, we are the pro’s when it comes to making cocktails. The meisters in mixology so to speak and truth to be told, it’s the little things that can make the difference between a perfect cocktail and a mediocre one.

Whether you are someone who loves to dabble in the art of cocktail making and shaking or are an aspiring mixologist, then this information is for you.

We train our bartenders in the art of mixology. Through the Thirst Bar Academy, each of our expert staff members know what it takes to make the perfect, actually, the best cocktail in the business. Our strong passion for bar services ties into our Thirst for Life. If a crash course in cocktails is what you are after, then read on…

Trick 1 – Upgrade your liquor cabinet

There is a big difference between the distilled spirits found on the top shelf and those found on the bottom shelf at a liquor store. Your drinks are a direct reflection of the quality of their ingredients. Because the liquor is the strongest ingredient in your cocktail, it’s important to spend a little extra cash on quality.

At Thirst, we always ensure that our drinks are made with the best quality ingredients. We are not expecting you to break the bank on a bottle of gin or what have you, but just a little upgrade from your usual bottom of the range bottle could go a long way in taste.

Trick 2 – Use fresh ingredients

Opting for the canned option of an ingredient is always the easy route, but it doesn’t mean it is the best one. For example, there is a big difference in taste between canned pineapple and fresh pineapple, the same thing applies to berries.

Now, we are not only talking whole fruit, but also fruit juices. Rather buy freshly squeezed fruit juice as opposed to long-life juice, or worse, mixed juice. If you can also make your own juices with a blender or juicer – even better!

Use fresh ingredients for:

• Berries
• Citrus
• Juices

The fresher the more delicious!

Trick 3 – Match the temperature of the glass with the drink

This may seem like a pretty simple or even unnecessary step, but this trick to expert cocktail making can make the world of difference.

Here are our guidelines:

• When serving cold drinks, chill the glass – this keeps the drink cooler for longer and improves the experience of drinking it
  • Keep the glasses in the fridge before using
• When serving warm cocktails, warm the glass up by running it under hot water

Trick 4 – Not every cocktail needs to be garnished

This is what separates the pro’s from the wannabes. A number of people think that every cocktail they make needs to be garnished with some sort of decoration to make it look nicer.

Things like a slice of orange, lime or lemon or a sprig of mint, should only be used when needed for flavour and balance.

For example, the classic gin and tonic without a slice of lemon or lime is ludicrous as this ingredient makes for that simple yet subtle citrus flavour. Just like a martini without the olives will lack the brine flavour that infuses this iconic drink.

But the trick is to only use garnish when the recipe calls for it.

Trick 5 – Measure everything

A splash of this, a hint of that and of course a sprinkle of this stuff is a recipe code for disaster.

It is of utmost importance that you measure everything that goes into your cocktail. Granted, a number of bartenders who are experts in what they do, tend to already know the ingredients of certain drinks off the top of their head. Which is why you don’t always see professionals measuring everything.

But, if you are new to the game, then measuring is the aim.

Hire a pro

If you don’t have the cocktail flair or you just don’t really care what makes your drink taste so good, then we suggest you give our Thirsty Barmen a call and have our expert services put to the test at your next event or party. Our mobile bar services are bound to tantalise your taste buds.