Crafting the Perfect At-Home Cocktail
It is almost time for ReVerb Distilling spirits to hit the shelves at your in-home bar. We make small-batch whiskey, Texas gin, and unaged white rum. Once you get your hands on our Austin-made spirits, you will want to be prepared to experience each flavor. While all our spirits are crafted to be enjoyed neat or with a simple mixer, making interesting, complex cocktails is a fun and elevated way to enjoy spirits right from the comfort of your home. Let us show you how!
Tools
First, you will want to acquire some tools. Bar tools can be found in a lot of different stores, from Target or Amazon to specialized bar tool stores like Cocktail Kingdom or Bull in China. Here’s what you’ll need:
Cocktail shaker: These come in three different types, a Boston (usually for busy bars), a cobbler (most likely for at-home bars because they have a strainer built-in), or a French (kind of a combo between the two).
Jigger: This is the two-sided measuring tool you see bartenders using. While you can use other methods to measure your cocktails, just ensure you always measure, especially when first starting out.
Muddler: These are good for making cocktails with fresh ingredients, like if you want to make a strawberry basil gin fizz with our ReVerb Distilling Gin. Muddle the first two ingredients in your shaker, then add other ingredients like gin, lemon, and sweetener before shaking with ice.
Strainer: When straining a cocktail with citrus, you should use two methods of straining to ensure there is no pulp left over. Having a hawthorn and mesh strainer is a good idea. Or, if you’re using a cobbler shaker with its built-in strainer, just the mesh strainer can suffice.
Juicer: Speaking of citrus, you will want a citrus juicer for your at-home cocktails. Using fresh lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit in your recipes makes a huge difference. If you’re trying to impress your guests, always use fresh citrus.
Stirring spoon: For cocktails that don’t need to be stirred, like a classic old-fashioned made with American bourbon. Typically, drinks that are made up entirely of spirits and liqueurs only need to be stirred with ice, not shaken. Examples of this are the Negroni, Martini, Manhattan, and Old-Fashioned. Once you add citrus, juices, or heavier ingredients, the cocktail's oxidization in the shaker benefits its overall flavor and texture.
Glassware: Now you can have some fun with it! There is ‘correct’ glassware for certain cocktails, which is determined by the type or quantity of ice required in the final presentation. A martini requires no ice, so it is served up in a martini glass. An Old-Fashioned typically suggests a large whiskey cube, which means that the cocktail goes in a rocks glass. All that being said, it is your bar and your choice of how classic or funky you want to be. Got some weird pink transparent rocks glasses and prefer your martini on ice? Go for it.
Okay, now we’re ready to make a cocktail. There’s a bit of lingo you should know that can help you decipher some of what you’re seeing in cocktail recipes.
Dry shake: To do this means to shake your cocktail without ice. This is a method used to create froth in your cocktail. Egg-white cocktails like a whiskey sour will require a dry shake, followed by a wet shake (with ice).
Dirty dump: Cocktails that contain ingredients that stick to the ice may call for a dirty dump. This means that instead of straining it, you will just pour the entire contents of your cocktail into the serving glass. Fruit puree or coconut cream are common ingredients that would benefit from a dirty dump.
Float: To ‘float’ an ingredient means waiting until the last step, then gently adding this ingredient to the top for a layering effect. A common cocktail that uses this method is the New York Sour, which is like a whiskey sour, but with a red wine float on top.
It is time you set forth and make a ReVerb cocktail. We have a list of cocktail suggestions on our website, and they’re organized by difficulty level. If you’re feeling like an easy cocktail recipe, our rye whiskey goes well in a classic Manhattan. We also suggest our barrel-aged whiskey in a classic Old-Fashioned.
If you’re feeling up for it, try our American rum recipe, which is a Texas take on an original recipe.
Dearly Departed:
1 ½ oz ReVerb Rum
¾ oz lime juice
¼ oz passion fruit puree
½ oz pineapple juice
¼ oz orgeat
2 spritz absinthe
Shake all ingredients together, and dirty dump into the funkiest glassware you can find. Add pineapple, an umbrella, or greenery for garnish. Then, sit back and enjoy your staycation at your at-home bar.