Do you want to learn how to craft delicious cocktails, from a professional mixologist?

Whether you're a new bartender looking to learn a skill or a seasoned veteran looking to mix things up, I'll show you everything you need to know about crafting your perfect cocktail.


STEP 1: Select Your Ingredients

There are three main types of ingredients you'll use in any given cocktail.

1. Base ingredients: These include the spirits, citrus, liqueurs, mixers and bitters you'll use for the majority of your cocktail recipes. Most bartenders start with a base spirit such as vodka, gin or tequila, before building their cocktails.

2. Garnishes: A garnish is something you put on top of your cocktail to create a finished look. These could be fresh fruit, a citrus peel, spices or even a cheese ball. In fact, almost all bar menu items contain some sort of garnish.

3. Finishing elements: These include any ingredients you'll use to dress up your drink for presentation. You could use sweet syrups, spices, a cheese ball or even a fruit wedge.

I'll go over each of these in turn to give you a quick and easy introduction to the world of cocktails.