To make a great cocktail all you need are the right barware tools, your favourite cocktail recipe, the ingredients and a good technique. Channel your inner mixologist and follow our beginner's guide on how to make a cocktail!
What you'll need
Tools - To measure the ingredients for a cocktail, a jigger comes in pretty handy to stop you from over-measuring. To mix a cocktail, you're most likely going to need a shaker or bar spoon. Read our guide on All the Essential Barware You Need at Home.
Glasses - Whether you're making a cocktail for 1 or 10, you're going to need some glasses! Check out our cocktail recipes page to see which glasses we use for each cocktail.
Spirits - One of the main ingredients. Pick your favourite spirit, whether that is gin, vodka, rum, whisky etc. and create a cocktail with flavours you like and compliment the spirit.
Mixers and Liqueurs - Tonic water, ginger ale and orange juice are good mixers to have in. Liqueurs provide that sweetness to a cocktail.
Fruits and Citrus - The best way to add some freshness to your cocktail is by adding fresh fruit. To balance the sweet tones, citrus flavours from lemons and limes are great depending on the cocktail.
Ice - An essential ingredient. Used for diluting the cocktail and to make it nice and cold.
Follow our step by step video on how to make a cocktail.
Method
Follow our steps to create the perfect cocktail. Or you can watch our handy how to video and follow along!
1. Find a recipe you like the sound of (view our cocktail recipes), make sure you have all the right ingredients in and barware tools to proceed.
2. Select your suitable cocktail glass.
3. Prepare the garnish for your cocktail. So for example, if you're making a Pornstar Martini, be sure to have half a passionfruit ready to garnish.
4. Measure and pour the ingredients into your cocktail shaker. Then add ice if the recipe requires it.
5. Mix all ingredients (stir, shake etc)
6. Poor or strain mixed ingredients into the suitable cocktail glass.
7. Add the garnish to the cocktail and enjoy!
