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When Cocktails were First Introduced?
Before knowing the history of cocktail let’s understand what a cocktail is. It is an alcoholic beverage with an amalgamation of different spirits, flavored syrups and fruit juices. Though the word “cocktail” was termed in the late 1700’s the existence of cocktails in its crude form can be dated back to 1500s. In fact, drink historian and distiller of Sipsmith gin, Jared Brown suggests its beginning in 1200s when the alchemist Arnaldus de Villa Nova refined the distillation process and termed the liquid got as aqua vitae.
Though the exact date of the term cocktail is not documented, the word cocktail’s first recorded emergence was in a New York’s newspaper Balance & Columbian repository on May 13, 1806. It was construed as “stimulating liquor” with a composition of spirits, sugar, water and bitters.
The distinguished bartenders of the 1920s and 1930s gave the world some of the legendary drinks. By the end of the twentieth century, the cocktail culture became an international phenomenon.
The delicious cocktails are a wonderful way to celebrate intimate and special occasions. Cocktails are a must for every party be it a fun get together or a formal dinner. Cocktails can take your party to another level. If you thought that mixing drinks takes a lot of effort then some of the easy and quick cocktail recipes mentioned in this article will change your perspective. You will for sure be an expert mixologist in your next party!
5 Handy Tips to Make a Perfect Cocktail
Use Drink Ratio
Preparing a good cocktail is all about math, which is also the secret of cocktail aficionados and bartenders. The simplest and intoxicating ratio that is used to combine ingredients in the cocktail is sure to impress everyone. The three ingredients used in cocktail is Alcohol, a Sweet Ingredient (syrup), and a Sour Ingredient (like Lemon Juice). These basic ingredients are combined in the golden proportion of 2:1:1, which is when magic happens. (2 parts of alcohol, 1 part of sweetness and 1 part of sour ingredient).
Use Fresh Herbs
Add flavour to your cocktail with fresh herbs. You can show your creativity while adding herbs to your drink. Thyme, lavender, rosemary, basil is as flavorsome and saporous as mint. You can try these combinations –
- Mint and Lime
- Basil, Lime, Cucumber
- Thyme, Honey and Lemon
- Rosemary and Blackberry
- Lavender and Citrus
- Basil and Watermelon and Strawberry
Use Fresh Ingredients
Fresh ingredients and premium liquor are the secret of a delicious cocktail. Freshly squeezed juice of orange, grapefruit and lime takes your drink to the next level. Even for garnishes using fresh orange and strawberry slices will not only make your drink visually appealing, but tastes delicious as well.
Presentation Matters
Presentation is the most important thing when it comes to a drink. A bit of effort will make your cocktail look magical. The appearance of cocktails should go hand in hand with the amazing flavors it holds. Be it the shape of the glass you are serving the drink in, or sugar or salt on the rim of the glass, all adds to your presentation.
Shaken or Stirred
Cocktails that do not have juice must be stirred while cocktails with juice must be shaken. Shaking will ensure that the ingredients work together and the taste blends well. So, remember to shake, shake and shake, when your cocktail has juice in it.
6 Cocktail Recipes To Make Snazzy Drinks At Home
Caprioska
Caprioska is a cocktail popular in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. It is also known as caipirodka, or caipivodka.
- Vodka – 2 oz.
- 4 Lime Wedges
- Simple Syrup – 1 oz. (you can use 1 tbsp white sugar too)
- Lime – 1 Cut in quarters
- Crushed Ice
Ingredients
- Add sugar or simple syrup and lime quarters in a mixing container. Muddle to extract juice from lime.
- Now add crushed ice and vodka and shake. Pour the drink in tall chilled glass with ice.
- Garnish the drink with lime quarters.
How to Mix:
The Orange Tundra
This America cocktail was first made in 2003 and thereafter it became quite popular. Due to its orange appearance and cold serving temperature, the drink is named as Orange Tundra. It is best served without stirring.
- Vodka – 25 ml
- Coffee Liqueur – 25 ml
- Orange Juice – 25 ml
- Cream Soda – 25 ml
Ingredients
- Take a highball glass and add all the ingredients in the following sequence – Vodka, Cream, Soda, Coffee Liqueur and then lastly Orange Juice.
- If required, ice can be added.
How to Mix:
Beer, Bourbon and Barbecue
Three things when combined together are just great and they are – Beer, Bourbon and Barbecue. This is specially made during festivals held in the US cities. The cocktail was a creation of Steven Dennison, a Louisville mixologist and Tom Fischer. This unusual drink with its distinct flavors may not be to everybody’s liking, but it is always fun to try.
- Bourbon Whiskey – 11/2 ounces
- Honey Whiskey Liqueur – 1 Ounce
- BBQ Water – 1 Ounce
- ¼ Orange juiced
- 1 Bottle Beer for garnish
- Barbecue Sauce – 1 Bottle
- Hot Water – 19 Ounces
Ingredients
For the Cocktail
Ingredients for BBQ Water
- The BBQ Water is essentially watered-down barbecue sauce, which gives the drink its signature flavor. This can be prepared in any quantity, but make sure to maintain equal water-to-sauce ratio.
- Mix together barbecue sauce and steaming hot water in a bowl. Whisk thoroughly until it is fully incorporated.
- Allow it to cool.
- Unlike the other beer based cocktail drinks, in this recipe only the beer foam is used as a garnish for the drink. Make sure that you use a shaker to shake the beer and not in the bottle.
- Fill ice in a shaker and add BBQ water and the liquors. Add orange juice and shake vigorously.
- Strain the liquid into a cocktail glass.
- Pour the beer (1/4 of the bottle) in the cocktail shaker. Shake until it is foamy. Spoon this foam on the cocktail and serve.
Method
How to Mix:
Great Gatsby
Great Gatsby is an easy, bright and light cocktail created by Matt Gilpin of the Highlands Bar & Grill. Good vodka and fresh grapefruit juice in the drink will make you feel over the moon.
- Vodka – 1 ounce
- Lillet Blanc – 1 Ounce
- Fresh Grapefruit Juice – 21/2 ounces
- Orange Slice – Garnish
Ingredients
- Fill half of glass with crushed ice. Add Lillet Blanc, grapefruit juice and vodka. Stir and strain into ice-filled glass.
- Use orange slice to garnish the juice.
Method
Indian Summer
If you are in mood to drink after a busy workday, but lazy to go to a watering hole then mix this easy cocktail right at home that needs not more than 5 ingredients. It is an amazing drink for muggy summer evenings.
- Bourbon – 2 ounces
- Limoncello – 1/4th ounce
- Fresh Lemon Juice – ½ ounce
- Sage Leaves – 8 to 12
- Apricot Jam – 1 tbsp
Ingredients
- Fill the cocktail shaker with all the ingredients and ice. Shake vigorously.
- Fill a glass with crushed iced. Double strain the cocktail and pour into the glass.
- Garnish with sage leaves.
Method
Hibiscus Tea Cocktail
This cocktail is prepared using hibiscus tea concentrate, sweeter and water. The recipe is quick and easy to prepare and yields a beautiful deep magenta color that is perfect to add a dash of tart-sweet and floral essence to your cocktail. This refreshing, sweet and boozy cocktail is sure to win everyone’s heart.
- Filtered Water – 3 cups
- Sweetener of your Choice – ¼ to ½ cup (or to taste)
- Dried Hibiscus Flowers – ¾ Cup
- Ice Cubes – 5 to 6
- Large Lime – 1
- Hibiscus Tea Concentrate – ½ Cup
- Silver Tequila – 2 Ounces
- Agave Nectar – 1 Tbsp
Ingredients
For Hibiscus Tea Concentrate
For Margaritas
- Boil 3 cups of water, add hibiscus flowers. Remove from flame and allow it to steep for 30 minutes.
- Use a fine strainer and strain the tea mixture. Mix sweetener to taste. Stir and let it cool. (You can use ½ cane sugar and ½ agave nectar too).
- Add cooled hibiscus tea, crushed ice, 1 tbsp agave nectar and tequila in a shaker. Shake vigorously.
- Rim the serving glass with sugar or salt. Pour the mixture in glasses with crushed ice. Garnish with lemon wedges.
- Tip – You can store hibiscus concentrate for 2 weeks in the fridge.
Method
5 Desi Cocktails at Home
Curry Leaf Rum
This subtly spicy, sweet and aromatic drink is a unique recipe. If you are looking for something different for your party, then you must definitely try this.
- White Rum – 45 ml
- Curry Leaves – 8 – 10
- Lemon Juice – 2 tsp
- Mint Leaves – 5 to 7
- Honey – to your liking
- Crushed Ice
- Sparkling Water or Club Soda
Ingredients
- Muddle mint leaves, curry leaves, honey and lemon juice.
- Transfer it into a shaker. Add rum and crushed ice. Shake well.
- Pour the drink in Highball glass and top it with sparkling water or club soda.
- Line the glass rim with demerara sugar and garnish with lemon wedges.
Method
Jaljeera Vodka
Jaljeera is a popular drink in India that aids digestion and keeps away dehydration. If you want to take your cocktail party a notch higher, then Jaljeera vodka is the right choice. It is sure to be a hit among friends.
- 30 ml – Vodka
- 1 glass – jaljeera
Ingredients
- Mix together jaljeera and vodka and pour in a tall glass.
Method
Vodka Shikanji
This spicy, tangy and sweet cocktail is a party drink, perfect for warm summer evenings.
- Vodka – 50 ml
- Sugar Syrup – 40 ml
- Shikanji Salt – 1 Tsp
- Lime Juice – 30 ml
- Mint Leaves – 10
- For Garnishing – Mint leaves and Lemon Wheels
- Ice
Ingredients
- Fill the cocktail shaker with shikanji salt, sugar syrup, crushed ice, mint leaves, lime juice and vodka.
- Shake well and strain the liquid in a cocktail glass
- Garnish with mint leaves and lemon wheels.
Method
The Cocktail Banaras
Ankur Chawla’s (the runner-up at the #indsommchamp) creation The Cocktail Banaras is a refreshing potion, best taken before your meal.
- 2 – 3 pieces of Dried Betel Leaves
- 10 ml – Lime Juice
- 10 ml – Gin
Ingredients
- Muddle betel leaves and add in lime juice
- Add Gin and Ice cubes and shake well.
- Strain the mixture into martini glass.
- No garnish is required. Rub the pan leaf on the rim of the glass to get its fragrance.
Method
Kokam Fun
The sour taste of Kokam with a subtly sweet aroma makes this cocktail an unusual drink. It blends well with vodka giving this desi cocktail an exotic appeal.
- Vodka – 15 ml
- Gin – 15 ml
- Desmondji Pure Cane Rum – 15 ml
- Kokum Syrup – 30 ml
- Desmondji 51% Agave Spirit – 15 ml
- Peppercorns – 8
- Sliced Starfruit – ½
- Lime Wedges – 2
- 7up or Sprite to top
Ingredients
- Muddle together starfruit, lemon wedges and peppercorns
- Now add all the other ingredients except Sprite and shake well.
- Strain and pour the mixture in tall glass and top it with Sprite or 7 Up.
Method
Cocktail Party Guide
A cocktail party is a social gathering where guests enjoy alcoholic drinks. This is a modern, fun and sassy party. If you planning to host one, then here are some tips:
What time the party should start?
- A cocktail party is usually held outside the time frames of meal time. Idea; time would be late in the afternoon before or 30 minutes after the dinner time.
What to Serve? You have following options –
- Shots
- Martinis
- Full Bar
- Limited Bar
- Signature Cocktail
Drinks to Avoid
- Beer and Frozen Drinks are not recommended for a cocktail party.
A Few More Tips –
- Keep the bar area neat and tidy
- Keep the ice bucket always filled
- Refill mixers
- Stock up alcohol and other supplies
- Empty water from the ice bucket.
How long should the party last?
- This mostly depends on how much drink and food you are planning to offer. However, usually a cocktail party will last for 2 – 3 hours.
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Regular alcoholic drinks are a thing of the past. Its the time for naughty cocktails! So, spice up your party with these amazing cocktail recipes this year.