How to Make a Cocktail

Co-authored by Tom Blake

Last Updated: March 12, 2023 Approved

Cocktails come in many variations, but they all combine alcohol with some type of mixer, like juice or soda. To make your own version, you can muddle fruit or herbs in the bottom of cocktail shaker, then add your preferred liquor and mixer. Shake the mixture with ice and pour it through a strainer into a cocktail glass. Or, try a classic like a martini, mojito, mint julep, or margarita.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making a Basic Cocktail

1
Choose a type of liquor that you want to use in your cocktail. It wouldn't be a cocktail without some alcohol, so be sure to get some. Here are some ideas for spirits you can use:
- Clear or colorless spirits. These are more or less colorless in appearance and much of the time has a milder taste than other spirits. Colorless spirits include:
  - Vodka
  - Gin
  - (Unaged) Cachaça
  - Neutral Grain Spirit
  - Soju
- Whiskeys. Whiskeys are made from fermented grain mash, with the grain used changing from type to type. Whiskey is popular around the world but primarily manufactured in Scotland, Ireland, America, Canada, and Japan, each of which have distinct flavors. The types of whiskey include:
  - Bourbon
  - Scotch
  - Rye
  - Irish
  - Canadian
  - Japanese
- Other colored spirits. There are dozens of different kinds of spirits that would make sense in a cocktail. Some of the most popular spirits not to have already been listed include:
  - Tequila
  - Mezcal
  - Absinthe
  - Brandy
2
Add another type of alcohol to enhance the taste of the spirit, if desired. Sometimes, a drink with a lower alcohol concentration is chosen to enhance the flavor of the spirit. If you're going to use 2 types of alcohol in combination, be sure to test whether their tastes are compatible. Gin and light beer may work in a refreshing drink with lemon and honey, or beer and tequila may work as a "beer-garita," but ouzo and red wine probably aren't likely to be paired anytime soon.
- Beer and wine cocktails have become increasingly popular over the years. Experiment with beer, for example, by making a simple Shandy from lemonade and beer. Experiment with wine by making a Kalimotxo, or red wine and cola. Or try a French 75, which combines gin, sparkling wine, lemon, and sugar.
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3
Get a nice cocktail shaker. In order to combine your ingredients together, you're probably going to need a cocktail shaker. Although certain cocktails that cocktails that use distilled spirits or very light mixers are stirred, most other cocktails are shaken.
- Cocktails that have fruit juices, dairy products or eggs, simple syrup, sour mix, or any other thick ingredients should to shaken.
4
Use a jigger or measuring cup. A jigger is a useful tool if you want to make clean cocktails with exact measurements. Think about it: a cocktail where you "eyeball" the amount of alcohol or the amount of mixer can turn out too strong or too weak.
- Many jiggers or measuring cups contain 2 sides, kind of like an hourglass. The small jigger usually holds 1 fl oz (30 mL) of liquid, while the bigger jigger holds 2 fl oz (59 mL). This makes pouring cocktails that require "double" shots much easier.
5
Muddle your fruit or herbs in the cocktail shaker first, if applicable. Simply put the recommended amount of fruit and herbs in the bottom of your cocktail shaker and muddle with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon. Make sure to get all the juices out of the fruit and break it up sufficiently.
- Some recipes won't call for muddled fruits, but many will. A mojito, for example, calls for muddled limes and mint to begin with.
6
Add the juices, alcohols, and liqueurs into the cocktail shaker. As directed by your recipe, add the required liquids to your cocktail shaker.
7
Put in the ice after adding the liquids. Add ice once you're ready to shake so that you don't dilute the cocktail unnecessarily. This is a mistake that many people make. They put the ice in at the beginning instead of the end, thereby diluting their drink.
8
Close the cap to the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. This can take anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds, or until the shaker is too cold to hold. Vigorous shaking will combine all the ingredients in the drink together, blending them so that you don't taste an overwhelming amount of juice and not alcohol, or vice versa.
- If you plan on salting or sugaring the rim of your glass — for a margarita, for example — do it now, before you pour the drink. Dip the glass into a shallow dish full of water, then dip it in a shallow dish of salt, sugar, or whatever is appropriate for your drink.
9
Strain the drink into the appropriate vessel. Different drinks call for different glasses. A martini, for example, is always served in a martini glass, whereas a mojito is usually served in a highball glass.
- Take the time to find which vessel is best for your cocktail. You may think it's a bunch of hogwash, but there are plenty of people who think that choosing the right glass is what sets a good drink apart from a great one. Also, the glass affects the appearance, which influences your perception of its taste.
- If your cocktail calls for ice to be added after you've shaken it, add fresh ice cubes instead of the ice cubes used while shaking. Fresh ice cubes are larger, meaning they won't melt as quickly, diluting your drink.
10
Add bitters to your drink, if applicable. Bitters are aromatic flavorings added to many (usually whiskey) drinks after mixing. Probably the most famous bitters mix is Angostura bitters.
11
Finish with a garnish to your drink. The garnish you choose should be suitable for your cocktail. An olive on a skewer, for example, traditionally goes with a martini.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Five Classic Cocktails

1
Make a martini. Sleek and sophisticated — and seriously boozy — this cocktail is the epitome of class. Classic martinis come with either gin or vodka, and have the option of being made "dirty," or with added olive juice.
- Chocolate martini
- Strawberry martini
- Eggnog martini
- Key lime martini
2
Make a mojito. Popularized in the Americas by none other than Ernest Hemingway, this summery drink is the class of the tropics. Lime, mint, rum, sugar, and fizzy water — how can you go wrong with that?
- Strawberry mojito
- Mango mojito
- Blueberry mojito
- Pineapple mojito
3
Make a mint julep. A classic American southern tradition, the mint julep is simple but sophisticated. Drink this during Derby weekend and you'll feel like you're in Kentucky no matter where you are.
4
Make a margarita. Margaritas are the quintessential Mexican cocktail. Made with lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and a bit of sugar, they are usually served straight-up, although they can also be blended.
- Orange margaritas
- Strawberry margaritas
- Frozen margaritas
- Banana margaritas
5
Make an old fashioned. The old fashioned is a boozy cocktail — only bourbon and syrup stand between it and your tummy. Although the old fashioned has seemingly fallen out of fashion since its heyday in the '20s and '30s, it remains a go-to for many cocktail drinkers.

Expert Q&A

Question

What's an easier way I can make a cocktail?

Tom Blake
Professional Bartender
Tom Blake manages the bartending blog, craftybartending.com. He has been a bartender since 2012 and has written a book named The Bartender's Field Manual.

Tom Blake

Professional Bartender

Expert Answer

It’s highly dependant on the cocktail you’re trying to make. A very simple way of making a cocktail is simply combining two ingredients together. For instance, a godfather cocktail combines scotch and amaretto over ice.
Question

How do I make a vodka cocktail?

Community Answer

Vodka mixes with just about anything as it has a neutral taste. So, try fruit juices, sodas, coffee, tomato juice., etc. Start with an ounce of it and add a mixer to taste.
Question

How do I make a classic mojito?

Community Answer

Muddle about one tablespoon of fine sugar (bar sugar) with some fresh mint leaves (like six to twelve or so) in a tall glass. Fill glass with ice and add 1.5- 2 ounces of rum (depending how strong you want it) the juice of half a lime and fill to top with club soda. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a wedge of lime. You can adjust amount of sugar and or lime juice according to how sweet or sour you want it. Great summer drink, very refreshing! For a twist, you can use a flavored rum, like a spiced rum, whatever you like.

Warnings

Consuming alcoholic beverages when you are under the age of 18 in the UK and Australia and 21 in the US is illegal.

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