COCKTAILS

 

Cocktails are mixed beverages that have gained widespread popularity since the early 20th century, with virtually all bars offering a curated selection of these drinks. Despite this modern proliferation, the consumption of mixed drinks dates back to antiquity, and the precise origin of the term "cocktail" remains elusive. Historical accounts suggest that the earliest known recipe for a cocktail consisted of lemon juice combined with powdered mixers, a concoction reportedly favored by Emperor Commodus in the second century AD.

 One of the many popular theories regarding the origin of the term "cocktail" dates back to 1779 during the American War of Independence. According to this account, a Virginia innkeeper named Betsy Flanagan prepared chicken that she had taken from a pro-British neighbor. She subsequently served mixed drinks to French soldiers, garnished with the feathers from the chickens. In celebration, her cheerful French guests raised their glasses and exclaimed, "Vive le cocktail!" This anecdote is just one of several stories surrounding the term's inception.

The earliest documented definition of "cocktail" appeared in the American magazine Balance in 1806, describing it as "a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters."

The cocktail gained ground and popularity in the USA, especially during the Prohibition period. The production, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages were banned in the USA from 1920 to 1933 due to pressure from religious and political thinkers.

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"A cocktail is normally a short drink of 3 ½ -4 fluid ounces-anything larger being called a ‘mixed drink’ or a 'long drink’.

Classification of cocktails

It is estimated that there are over 10 thousand mixed drinks and cocktails in use.

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Iced drinks can be roughly divided into four groups

1. Aperitif: These stimulate the Appetite. They must therefore be appealing to the eye. Broadly speaking, these drinks are usually made from wines mixed with spirits.

2. Cocktail: This is the largest group of all, and consists of all short, shaken mixed drinks. They should contain a spirit base, coloring and flavouring ingredient, or other modifying agent

3. Long drinks: These are served in tall tumblers such as High Balls or Collins glasses

4. Stimulants: Instead of going to the doctor, if one has a hangover, the bartender will prescribe cocktails or mixed drinks. They are also described as ‘Pick me ups’.

​Components of Cocktail:

Cocktails have the following components:

Base: The major alcoholic drink used in the preparation of a cocktail is called base, which is usually a spirit. Most cocktails are built around spirits. If a cocktail has two or more alcoholic drinks, the quantity of the base will generally be more than the other. If two alcoholic drinks are used in the same quantity, then the one with the higher that is the sprit is considered the base. If a cocktail has equal quantities of different spirits, then any one of the spirits can be taken as the base.

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Modifier: These are complementary ingredients added to modify or enhance the flavours. Spirits, aromatized, wines, beer, fruit juices, soda, cream, liqueurs, water, etc.

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Flavouring, Colouring and Sweetening Ingredients: A drink might have very small quantities (a few drops) of one or more flavouring and sweetening ingredients to make it different from other drinks. A cocktail can be made without these ingredients

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Garnish: Many drinks have garnish. They are part of the product. It should be remembered that some drinks do not have a standard garnish, and it is advisable to serve without any garnish, instead of trying out different garnishes and spoiling the real flavour and value of the drink.

METHODS OF MAKING COCKTAIL

Cocktails are made in any of the following methods according to the type of modifier ingredients

Building: It is made by pouring the ingredients one by one into the glass in which it is to be served. If ice is required, it is placed first before adding the ingredients

Stirring: refers to mixing of the ingredients with ice by stirring quickly in a mixing glass with a stirrer and then straining to an appropriate glass. It is done very quickly to minimize the dilution.

Shaking: It involves thoroughly mixing ingredients with ice by shaking them in a Cocktail shaker and then straining the mixture into the appropriate glasses. Effervescent drinks should never be shaken.

Blending: This method is used for combining fruits, solid foods, ice, etc, in an electric blender. Any drink that can be shaken can be blended. It is a suitable method for making a large quantity of mixed drinks

Layering: This method is used when the ingredients used are of different colours, flavours, and densities. One ingredient is floated over the other by pouring gently over the back of the spoon into a straight-sided glass.

 

 POINTS TO NOTE WHILE MAKING COCKTAILS AND MIXED DRINKS

• Make sure that there is a good supply of ice

• Do not reuse ice.

• Do not touch the ice with your hands. Always use a scoop or tongs.

• Serve cocktails in chilled glasses

• To avoid spillage, do not fill glasses to the brim

• Do not overfill the cocktail shaker.

• Effervescent drinks must never be shaken. It should be stirred in at last.

• Do not use the liquidizer for effervescent drinks.

• Do not leave the prepared cocktail for a long time, as it will separate

• To extract more juice from citrus fruits, soak them in hot water

• To shake use short and snappy action

• Check the freshness of eggs before adding

• Always place ice first in the mixing glass or shaker, followed by the non-alcoholic beverage and then the alcoholic beverages.

• To extract more juice from citrus fruits, soak them in hot water 

Cocktail Garnishes

The common garnishes are:

Lemons: lemon skins impart a lovely citrus flavour to drinks. It is best presented as twists of lemon peel.

Lime: A lime gives 16 wedges or slices. Wedges are used to moisten the rim of the glass to adhere salt or sugar. Slices are lime wheels used as decoration for cocktails.

Orange: Orange slices or wedges are used much the same way as lime is used in cocktails, with a base of orange juice.

Maraschino cherries: These cherries are specially prepared for cocktail decorative purposes.

Olives: Olives go well with neat drinks like vodka and gin

Pineapple: Pineapple spears or wheels go as garnishes for tropical drinks, where pineapple juice is used.

Mint leaves: they are ideal for decorative purposes, especially when a contrast in colour is desired

Parsley: Parsley shoots are used in some rinks more as a decorative item.

GLASSWARE USED FOR MIXED DRINKS

Appropriate glassware should be used for all kinds of mixed drinks - cocktails, mocktails, or long drinks. The glass chosen should be very clear without any bubbles. The glass should have a thin rim to provide a very good drink experience.

All glasses should be well polished, free from grease and without any traces of a strong smell. The glassware used during the service of cocktails is as follows:

• Rock

• Collins

• Champagne flute

• Wine Goblet

• Liqueur Glasses

• Highball

• Cocktail

• Tulip

• Tankard

• Brandy Sniffer/ Balloon

TYPES OF COCKTAILS

Buck

Comprises: Spirit + ginger beer/ginger ale + lime juice
Glass: Collins or highball
Serve: With ice
Created: Late 1890s

Cobbler

Comprises: Spirit or wine base + fruit + sugar
Glass: Collins or Cobbler glass
Serve: Shaken and served over crushed ice garnished with lots of fresh berries and fruits

Colada

Comprises: Spirit + fruit juice + sweetener
Glass: Poco Grande / Colada glass
Serve: Blended with crushed ice
Created: Pre-1922
Example: Piña Colada

Collins

Comprises: Spirit + lemon (or lime) juice + sugar (&/or liqueur) + soda water
Glass: Collins
Serve: Traditionally a stirred/built drink but now often shaken. Always served long over ice.
Created: London 1814
Example: Tom Collins

Cooler

Comprises: Wine/spirit base + soda/ginger ale/other carbonate (often also with flavoured syrup/liqueur + bitters)
Glass: Collins
Serve: Built or shaken and served long over ice
Created: Unknown
Example: Colonial Cooler

Crusta

Comprises: Spirit + lemon juice + sugar + bitters
Glass: Fluted glass – usually wine glass
Serve: Shaken and strained into sugar rimmed glass with a large lemon zest
Created: 1840s or 1850s
Example: Brandy Crusta

Daisy

Comprises: Spirit + liqueur (usually orange) + lemon or lime juice
Glass: Coupe, old-fashioned, goblet
Serve: Shaken and served straight-up, on-the-rocks or frozen
Example: Margarita
Created: Pre-1876

Egg Nog

Comprises: Spirit (mostly rum, brandy, bourbon) + milk &/or cream + sugar/liqueur + egg yolk
Glass: Old-fashioned, Collins or toddy
Serve: Shaken and served straight-up. Also served hot.
Created: 1600s
Example: Eggnog (cold)

Fix

Comprises: Spirit + lemon juice + sugar syrup (mostly raspberry syrup or fresh pineapple & sugar)
Glass: Old-fashioned or goblet
Serve: Shaken and served over crushed ice.
Created: Mid-1800s
Example: Gin Fix

Fizz

Comprises: Spirit + citrus + sugar + carbonated mixer (soda, ginger ale, champagne)
Glass: Fizz or Highball (8 to 10oz)
Serve: Shaken and served in tall chilled glass (without ice) topped with carbonate to produce a thick head.
Created: Late 1800s
Example: Ramos Gin Fizz

Flip

Comprises: Spirit/fortified wine + sugar + egg yolk & white (or just the yolk)
Glass: Coupe or wine glass
Serve: Shaken and served up or mixed and heated
Created: 1600s England
Example: Flipping Good

Frappé

Comprises: Spirit or liqueur or cocktail or non-alcoholic liquid
Glass: Not specific
Serve: Poured over crushed ice
Created: 1800s
Example: Absinthe Frappé

Grog

Comprises: Rum + lemon juice + sugar/sweetener
Glass: Double old-fashioned
Serve: Shaken and served on-the-rocks
Created: 1740 or earlier. In 1740, Admiral "Old Grogram" Vernon ordered the British Navy's daily issue of half a pint high-proof rum be replaced with two servings of a quarter of a pint, diluted 4:1 with water which became known as 'grog'.
Example: Grog

Highball

Comprises: Spirit + carbonated mixer
Glass: Highball (max 10oz capacity)
Serve: Premixed ingredients or simply poured into ice-filled glass.
Created: 1890s. First known publication by Chris Lawlor of the Burnet House, Cincinnati, USA.
Example: Scotch Whisky Highball

Julep

Comprises: Spirit + mint + sugar
Glass: Julep cup
Serve: With muddled mint and served over crushed ice.
Created: Unknown. First known publication 1634 in a court poem by John Milton, England.
Example: Mint Julep

Martini

Comprises: Gin (or vodka) + vermouth & often bitters
Glass: Cocktail (V-shaped Martini)
Serve: Shaken or stirred and served straight-up
Created: Unknown. Earlier origins but first "Martini Cocktail" published in Tim Daly's 1903 Bartenders Encyclopedia
Example: Dry Martini

Mull

Comprises: Wine + herbs and spices
Glass: Goblet or toddy
Serve: Stirred and served hot
Created: 2nd century by the Romans
Example: Mulled Wine

Pousse café

Comprises: Spirits + liqueurs + syrups
Glass: Tall thin shot glass or small schooner (2.5oz max capacity)
Serve: Layered in glass
Created: Unknown
Example: Pousse-Café

Punch

Comprises: Spirit + citrus + sugar + spice
Glass: Punch cup (or Collins glass)
Serve: Mixed in a punch bowl (or individually mixed and served on-the-rocks)
Created: 17th century India
Example: Fish House Punch

Screw

Comprises: Spirit (usually white) + orange juice
Glass: Collins
Serve: Usually mixed in the glass and served on-the-rocks
Created: Unknown but popular in 1950s
Example: Screwdriver

Sling

Comprises: Spirit + citrus juice + sugar/liqueur + soda
Glass: Sling
Serve: Shaken and served in an ice-filled glass.
Created: Unknown but popular in late-1800s
Example: Gin Sling

Sour

Comprises: Spirit (or liqueur) + citrus juice (usually lemon) + sugar or other sweetener (not necessary if liqueur based) + bitters (optional) + egg white (optional)
Glass: Old-fashioned or sour glass.
Serve: Shaken and served on-the-rocks or shaken and served straight-up.
Created: The first record of a Sour appears in 1856 and the first known written recipe appears six years later in Jerry Thomas' 1862 The Bartender's Guide.
Example: Whiskey Sour

Swizzle

Comprises: Spirit (or strong liqueur) + citrus + flavoursome sweetener or liqueur + bitters
Glass: Collins
Serve: Mixed in a glass filled with crushed ice using a swizzle stick
Created: Originated from the 17th century Switchel
Example: Chartreuse Swizzle

Toddy

Comprises: Spirit + sugar/sweetener + hot water
Glass: Toddy glass
Serve: Stir in a pre-warmed glass
Created: Unknown, but the first published reference to a Toddy was in England in 1741.
Example: Scotch Toddy

References:

* IHM Notes

* https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/1989/cocktails/cocktail-categories/families