Cocktail parties are a thing from the 1900s, the dry crusade fancified the hype and just made it better. Hosting a party doesn’t necessarily have to be overwhelming rather filled with tranquility and the right amount of fun. We have your party needs sorted, and this guide puts everything you need together, so you would not need to look any further.
Gear for Your Bar
The first mention in ‘Mixology 101’ is - access the right bar tools. Well, turn the aprons and shaker game on, and let’s study what tools are a must for your cocktail party.
Cocktail shaker
Cocktail shakers help you blend ingredients by shaking them. Shaking is one of the many methods there are to mixing drinks. You can choose from two different types of shakers, one being the Boston shaker and the other one being the cobbler shaker.
Bar Spoon
Mixing a cocktail or a mocktail just gets easy with a bar spoon, which has a really long and twisted handle. It comes in handy for the stirring process and precisely to layer ingredients in a drink.
Jigger
The measuring tool comes with a cup on either side, one of which measures a shot while the other measures half a shot. This tool helps you attain the perfect liquor ratio in the drinks, making a perfect drink for a perfect evening.
Strainer
The strainer is yet another essential tool when you have a Boston shaker, which does not include a strainer. A Hawthorne strainer is an amazing alternative bartenders opt for, to give every drink a nice strain.
Muddler
A muddler is essentially made of either wood or stainless steel, and used for the process of mashing fresh produce. You can mash fruits, herbs, or even spices for your cocktail, and enjoy the essence of freshly mashed produce.
Stock Up Your Bar Cabinet
We have the products that are not only a bang for your bucks but come through with a luxe vibe. Our products help you tend the bar and make a style statement of the perfect host.
5 pc Bar Set by Hooper of York
Let’s raise a toast to self-made cocktails. This barware kit contains a Boston Shaker (2 pcs), Hawthrone Strainer, Japanese Jigger, and Bar spoon that doubles as a muddler. This product is the go-to item for the beginner mixologist, or even makes an amazing classic gifting option.
Air Lock Wine Preserver by TrueBrands
Here is a tool that saves your wine from dilution and lets you savor your wine fresh. The high-quality wine preserver pump and stoppers seal freshness by removing air from the bottle and securing the flavor of your wine.
Rainbow Barware Set by TrueBrands
Here is an alternative barware set, with an oil slick finish. The set contains tools - shaker, jigger, strainer, and spoon, all of which help any beginner mixologist transform into an advanced. The PVD finish is the most luxurious finish you will find in any such set.
Bar Apron by Hooper of York
A must-have bar attire. This bar apron comes with pockets and metallic rings to hold on to bar tools. The apron is scratch-proof, soft to touch, and is perfect for hard use. We love the idea of productivity infused into style, exactly what this apron offers.
Bartending Skills and Techniques to Save the Evening
The next thing you need to do is, get yourself hooked with the perfect cocktail list. Cocktails from the prohibition era are the classic hit and check out the vintage cocktail recipes to get working on your counter right away. We did all the digging to help you know your craft.
Shaked, stirred, strained, topped, blended and all other cocktail techniques are for beginners. Right when you are ready to level up, you can try out the techniques given below and probably master them in no time, of course with a bit of practice.
Roll a drink – Bloody mary and other heavy drinks are made using this technique, tossing a drink from one pint to another.
Layer Cocktails – Layer up your drinks with different ingredients poured on top of each other. This makes your drink look super cool, and charms your evening party. This drink is always decked up and Instagram ready.
Muddle Cocktails – The muddler is put to best use here. Smash ingredients to pull out their fresh essence and serve them well on the drinks.
Mixers to Note
There are a bunch of mixers you can use to enhance the flavors of a drink, over and above liqueurs. Some of the mixers are homemade, and you can choose to make them from the ground up, all by yourself. The common type of mixers you can choose from are:
Cocktail Bitters – Concentrated flavor enhancements are referred to as cocktail bitters, which doubles any drink’s flavor with just a dash.
Sodas – Straight sodas, tonic water, and other flavored sodas are heavily added to a lot of cocktail recipes and make a heavenly combination. Keep some nice sodas in hand while whipping cocktails for your party.
Fruit Juice – Freshly squashed fruit juices pull out some amazing flavors from the cocktail. Depending upon the type of cocktail you are making, you can choose a fruit from your local grocery store.
Do not forget about presentation and garnishes. They end every drink on a good note. Choose the right glass for the cocktail, and the right garnish is extremely important, so, keep an eye on the glassware. Here is a pro tip, chill your glass and rim it with sugar, salt, or any other flavor for bartender grade serves. Stay abreast of garnishes, some of which are basic citrus garnishes, jars of bright red maraschino cherries, and more.
Cheers!