Drinks & Cocktails 101Everybody can make drinks and cocktails, you might need to put an extra effort into it because you might be uncertain which spirit goes well with another to make good cocktails. At this point, the method of tried and true is advisable. Just prepared for the possibility of getting extremely drunk in the process. Before purchasing the alcohol and begin making your alcoholic or non-alcoholic bachelorette party drinks and cocktails, you need to be aware of, that there are spirits that have been infused, soaked/steeped mixed, boiled etc. Those "substances" can include both fruit/berries, nuts and/or herbs/plants. Not to mention other aromatic and color chemicals we all know are there but ignore anyway coz we just want to get wasted on yummy flavored drinks. The best thing to do when dealing with flavored alcohol or liqueurs, is to first check with your girlfriends if someone isn´t allergic to anything you might purchase for a night of drinks & cocktails, laughter and a whole lot of crazy fun. Quick navigation: ALWAYS ASK IF SOMEONE IS ALLERGIC TO ANY NUT, HERB OR FRUIT BEFORE HAND You don´t want your friends suddenly dying on you while having fun, now do you? OK! Before we begin making the bachelorette party drinks I´m going to go through some essential knowledge about Spirits/liquors, liqueurs, wines and non-alcoholic cocktails (because I seriously doubt you´ll be drinking beer when you have a bachelorette party, that´s just boring and un-lady like ;P). If you feel that you want to skip this section and go straight to the cocktail-making and the drink recipes, here are the Cocktails & Drinks Recipes part. Measure and conversion system: Shaking rules: When you shake you can not and must not shake carbonized liquid such as Coca cola, sprite fanta, soda, sparkling water etc, using your boston or Japanese/European shaker. This creates pressure when you open the container after shaking the cocktail and can be dangerous. See more of the shaking rules here. Always put about 75% ice in your shaker when you shake a liquid, no matter if it´s for a shot or a drink. Vodka: Is a clear, white, water-like substance. Normally 40% (or more known as 80 Proof in some parts of the world, namely the US and Canada). There are over-proof vodkas out there and one of the reasons people have over-proof vodka is to get it to burn better when you make flamed cocktails & drinks. Overproof vodka brands: Everclear, McCormack. Brands of vodka are produced everywhere and here are some of the best known brands; Belvedere, Wyborowa, Chopin, Zubrowka, Snow Leopard, Smirnoff, Stolichnaya, Finlandia, Ketel One, 42 Below, Reyka, Absolut. Here is a more detailed list of vodka by country. Fruit flavored vodka is vodka with a hint of, for example apple (like smirnoff apple vodka) or passion fruit (like 42 below passion fruit). These flavored spirits are not made by infusion. You can read the history of vodka here, and the production phase if it´s of any interest to you. RUM: Distilled from sugar cane. Brands: Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Bundaberg (Australian, UP=Under proof=74 proof or 37%, OP=Overproof=115.4 proof or 55.7% and a whole bunch of others). Tequila: Distilled from the blue agave plant. Top selling brands today are Jose Cuervo and Sauza. 228+brands exists to date. GIN: Distilled from Barley, Rye or Corn, herbs and spices. Gin is derived from vodka and flavored with juniper and other herbs and spices.Brands: Beefeater, Bombay sapphire, Gordon´s dry gin, Tanqueray gin, Plymouth gin. At least 8 to 20 different plants, herbs and spices are used to create quality gin, those are called botanicals. There are a total of 120 botanicals to use in creating gin. Juniper is used in all gin spirits as the base botanical. "GIN" and "Distilled gin" are used as the 2 EU classifications to describe the process in which they are created. "GIN" means that it´s an uncategorized gin type with an alcohol % of 37.5%. A "Distilled gin" means that a process in which juniper and the other botanicals are distilled in a traditional stills along with a base spirit. Brandy/Cognac: Distilled from fruit. Alcohol is added to the fruit to make Brandy. Region-based production and botteling. Popular producers are Rémy Martin, Hennessy, and Courvoisier. There are strict laws of production for making Brandy/Cognac. Has a rating system for determining the quality and age of the bottle. SC - (Aged in wood for 2 years) Whisk(e)y: Whisk(e)y in general terms, is distilled from grain and is normally over 40%, 80 proof in strength. Whiskey is made from fermented beer and yeast which is distilled and then aged. There are 2 main definitions of whisk(e)y: 1) Single 2) Blended. Burbon - Is made in the US, mainly the south. By law, the only whiskey that can bear the name "burbon" and the state in which it was made, is Kentucky burbon whiskey. Only the US and irish whiskey are spelled whiskey with an e. To be called a burbon whiskey it has to be made by certain parameters. That means that it should contain at least 51% corn and no more than 80%. Distilled to an alcohol strength of no more than 80% and be kept and aged in charred new white oak barrels with an alcohol strength of no more than 62.5% for at least 2 years time. Aswell as being reduced to a strength no lower than 40%, 80 proof at the time of bottling. Irish - Tends to be triple distilled and spelled whiskey. (Bushmills, Jameson, Connemara, Tullamore dew, ) Canadian - (Canadian club, Forty creek, Black velvet, Crown royal, Canadian mist). Rye - The mash mixture (usually malted grain mixed with water), which has to be at least 51% rye, as stated by US law and the other ingredients which include barley and corn. It also states that the whiskey can have a maximum strength of up to 160 proof (80%) and should be aged in oak barrels (Wild turkey, Jim Beam). Scotch - There are 4 categories to scotch whisky (Single malt, Blended, Single grain and vatted malt/pure grain). Different regions/islands have different names (Highland-North-South-East-West-Central/Lowland/Campbeltown/Speyside/Ilay/Island/Arran/Jura/Mull/Skye/Orkney Islands). Cask strength means 50%+ or 100+proof. Tends to be double distilled (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Cragganmore, Bowmore, Talisker, Glenfiddich, Glen.../farclas/goyne/etc , Famous grouse, J&B rare etc). Liqueurs: All liqueurs are made differently, but for a liqueur to be called just that, it needs to have the fruits added to the alcohol. Otherwise it´s not a liqueur and can not be classified as such. Midori - Japanese honeydew melon liqueur. Green in colour, 20-21% (40-42 proof) alcohol. Midori means green in Japanese. Is a favorite ingredient in making fruity drinks. Passoa - Passion fruit flavour with 17% (34 proof) alcohol volume/bottle. Orange/red in colour. Comes in a mango flavor aswell. Triple sec - Produced from sun dried oranges. The orange skin is used to produce triple sec. Steeped in alcohol for 24h and a alcohol content of 15-40% (30-80 proof) depending on brands and quality. Also a long time favorite in drink recipes. Cointreau - Same as triple sec but just a bit more expensive. Produced in France and has a 40% (80 proof) alcohol content. Used as an aperitif and digestif. Contain sweet and bitter orange peels. Grand Marnier - The most expensive of the two liqueurs mentioned above and is a blend of cognac, orange and other ingredients. Has a 40% or 80 proof alcohol content. Banana liqueur - Produced by manufacturers like Bols and Marie Brizard. 17% or 34 proof. Orange curacao - Is a orange coloured liqueur made from small bitter oranges grown on the Island of curacao. Nowadays most of the orange curacao liqueurs are produced synthetically. Blue curacao - Same as orange curacao, but the color is blue. The only purpose it´s blue and why we have it in our list of drink recipes, is for mixing cocktails and to add colour to the drink. It has the same alcohol %/proof and flavour. Comes in a variety of colours (clear, red, blue orange, green) but blue and orange dominate the market. Apricot brandy - Orange in colour. Can not be labeled brandy/cognac as it´s method of production runs more towards a liqueur than a Cognac/Brandy. Producers include Marie Brizard and Bols. Pisang ambon - Specializing in exotic and tropical flavours this Dutch manufacturer has, amongst other things, a fruit and herb liqueur with a strong dominating hint of banana. Another well known flavor is the melon liqueur. Advocaat - Is a thick yellow liquid, originated in the Netherlands. Great for making eggnog (read about the history of egg nog here). Made from sugar, egg yolks, brandy, honey, cream vanilla and aromatic spirits. For the most part, advocaat is 30 Proof (15%) in the US, Canada, UK and Australia.Here is a great recipe for eggnog Creme de...:When speaking of "creme de", it does not imply that the liqueurs have cream in them, it only states what flavour is the most dominant in the liqueur. There are a great deal of manufacturers for liqueurs and some have better reputation than others. One of the best is Marie Brizard. Creme de Menthe - A green mint flavoured liqueur. Creme de Fraise - a red Liqueur flavoured with strawberries. Creme de Boise - Raspberry flavour, red coloured. Creme de Mûre - Blackberry flavour, dark red, almost black in colour. Creme de Cassis - Black currant, colour is blood red. Creme de Cacao - Cacao flavour, clear or dark brown colored liqueur. Creme de Banane - Banana flavour, transparent yellow. Creme de Violette - Violet flavour and colour. Creme de Noyaux - Almond flavour pink colored. Galliano - Vanilla flavour. Amber/yeallow in colour, main ingredients are vanilla and star anise. An unusually tall bottle with 60 proof alcohol content (30%). Jägermeister - Licorice and herb flavour liqueur made in Germany. With a 35% ,70 proof ABV (alcohol by volume) and a dark brown colour, the jagermeister is good as an ice cold shot or mixed with red bull. Traditionally the Germans drink it hot, or heated in room temperature. Kahlua - A coffee flavoured liqueur, hails from Mexico. 20% and 40 proof for most markets, except a few. Dark brown in color. Liqueur 43 - 31% 62 proof liqueur, yellow see-through color. Malibu - Sweet, colourless coconut liqueur with a 42 proof (21%) alcohol level. Frangelico - A liqueur made by monks to a secret recipe passed on throughout the generations. Contains different herbs and nuts. 24%, 48 proof. Sambuca - A clear semi-slow moving liquid made from liquorice/licorice. Different types of sambuca are made and with different flavours and colours, one being black (also comes in red and light brown colour from Luxardo). Ouzo - A clear liqueur from Greece laced with anise. Also made by combining cinnamon, cloves and coriander. A cool effect happens when you put in ice or water to the Ouzo which will transform the clear liquid to a milky white colour. Peachtree - Dutch peach liqueur 20% and 40 proof ABV. Krystal clear liquid. Produced by De Kuyper, Holland. Peppermint schnapps - Peppermint flavor made by Dekuyper. Sourz - 15% ABV 30 proof. Sour in taste and a non see-through liquid. US produced fruit liqueur with a limited range of flavours to choose from. Apple and raspberry being the most popular. Tropical, cherry and pineapple are three other flavours. A Jim Beam brand. Tequila Rose - US produced. Strawberry Cream liqueur & Tequila, colour is pink, 17% or 34 proof. Tia Maria - Coffe liqueur from Jamaica, made by Pernod Ricard. Ingredients are vanilla, sugar, cane spirit and Jamaican coffee beans. 26% or 52 proof. Chambord - Has a 16,5% 33 proof ABV. Blackberry flavor and a dark bloody red color. One of the most acknowledged liqueurs on the face of the planet. Among it´s consumers are courts and royal houses. Consists of black raspberries (petit framboises noires), cognac, acacia honey and vanilla. Drambuie - Has a honey and scotch flavor. Aftershock - This Jim Beam produced liqueur from Canada is a 5 colour 80 proof (40%) shooter, that can also be used in drinks. The colors are; Blue (Deep cool citrus), Red (Hot & Cool Cinnamon), Green (Thermal bite aniseed), Silver (Apple), Black (Cranberry). See how you can make a drinking game out of this one. Dooley´s - German cream toffee flavoured liqueur blended with vodka. Chartreuse - A French liqueur made from 130 plants. Green-coloured (110 proof and 55%), red-coloured (80-86 proof 40-43%). Southern comfort - A liqueur mix of fruit (peach, vanilla, orange), whiskey and spices (cinnamon). 70 proof (35% ABV=Alcohol by volume). Uncategorized spirits: Cachaca: A Brazilian made spirit that is produced from sugar-cane, much like rum. Is very popular in Brazilian drinks, the most popular being caipirinha. Minttu: A 80-100 proof (40-50% ABV) 50cl finnish produced bottle, with the taste of peppermint. For creating the best taste, it should be served ice cold. Crystal clear in nature, it delivers an absolutely delightful taste when shooting it. Works great in a mint Mojito as an extra addition for enhancing the mint flavour. It is mostly popular in the nordic countries. Absinthe - A.K.A the green fairy, as I like to call it. A green bitter 60% 120 proof or more alcohol content per bottle, made from herbs and illegal to possess in the US and some of the other countries. Can be served as a shot or with sugar on a spoon while dripping down ice cold water into the glass diluting the drink from 3/1 to as much as 5/1, which is the more traditional way to drink absinthe. The allowed amount of thujone, which is rumored to be a hallucinogen, has to have an amount of no less than 10mg/kg (10mg/2.2lb) is considered genuine. In the US it is illegal to own, consume or import absinthe containing thujone. There are less real absinthe bottles sold within the US (called absente) but they are thujone free. In recent times, a new legal absinthe produced in the US with real thujone content called Lucid has emerged. This has low enough thujone to be considered legal to buy, sell and consume. Campari: NOT FOR VEGETARIANS! Infused bitter herbs and used as an aperitif. Gets the red colour from "processed" insects (the cochineal insect). Used as an aperitif and is 41, 42, 50, 56 proof (20.5%, 21%, 25% or 28%, ABV=Alcohol By Volume) depending on where it´s sold. Orange bitters: Contains Caraway Coriander, Orange peel, Cardamom, Sugar and Some degree of alcohol. Should only be taken in drops, not dashes since it´s very bitter. More info Fernet: Italian produced 80 proof 40% ABV. Served as a digestif. A bitter aromatic spirit made from herbs & spices. Contains traces of (but does not include all herbs & spices in all the different variations) such as: Cardamom, saffron, myrrh, aloe and rhubarb. Include caramel coloring to get that dark look of quality. Gammeldansk: A Danish produced bitter spirit. Made from 29 herbs, spices and occasional flowers. A few include anise, cinnamon, laurel, gentian, seville orange, star anise, nutmeg, ginger, angelica etc. Wine: Vermouth Is an aromatic wine. Martini has a few wines in their collection, among them are Martini Bianco (white wine)/Rosso (Red wine)/Rosato/D´oro/Fiero/Extra dry. Cinzano Bianco/Rosso/Extra dry/Lemon/Rose/Orange. Cinzano and Martini are the most known vermouth producers around. Red - White - Rosé - Champagne: Non-Alcoholic/Mixers: What can you use to make drinks without alcohol? Easy! Any soft drinks & non alcoholic stuff you´ve got. Here´s a list of the most common essentials you´ll need for your cocktail making. You don´t need to get all these juices, depending on your preference and your taste, get what you think is necessary. If you want you can skip directly to the non alcoholic drinks Cranberry juice Fruits and garnishes: Apple Dictionary: Or go here for some detailed dictionary words. Highball/collins - A tall glass that fills 8-12 oz (236-354 ml). Old fashioned - A short glass with a thick bottom and thin smooth sides, 8-12 oz. Cocktail/Martini - 5-6 ounces, Mr Bonds favorite drinking glass. Rocks - same as old fashioned but thick everywhere, 8-12 oz. Hurricane/Poco grande - Usually about 15 oz. A large glass that used to hold the piña coladas back in the days. Coupette/Margarita - A margarita glass with 7 oz capacity. Shot - The smallest glass in the series with 1-2 oz. Wine/Gobblet - Wine glass with 8-12 oz capacity. Flute - A champagne glass usually 7 oz. Shaker - To shake your drinks in. Two popular types of shakers are the Boston (professional) and the Japanese/European (laymans) shaker. Strain/er - A device you put over your glas/boston shaker to get the drink out but keep the ice from pouring down into the drink, while you pour. Double strain - Strain with a normal strainer+a sieve. Sieve - Used to make lose tea with (before they invented tea bags). Much like the strainer, only denser filter. Mix - To automatically spin around a liquid in a fast pace, using your shaker and without ice in a spindle mixer or something similar. Blend - To automatically spin around a liquid in a blender at a high rpm rotation rate with crushed ice or regular ice cubes. Stir - To manually rotate the liquid with ice cubes using a spoon or something similar. Build - To pour the ingredients directly into a glass or container. Layer - Getting a liquid on top of another without them having to mix together. Straight up - Without ice Tools to have for making cocktails: You need a shaker (boston or European/Japanese),strainer, sieve, a spoon, liquid pourers (pour spouts), a muddler, a measure cup, glasses, straws, and beverage napkins. [NOTE]: All drink recipes and non-alcoholic drinks are made using cubed ice, both when you have ice in the boston shaker (when you shake) and in the glass, if not stated otherwise. [/NOTE] Punch: Pink Punch recipe When shaking shooters correctly, you need to do a little math to make it right. If you have glasses with, let´s say 2 oz capacity (just for practice) and you plan on making 10 shots you´ll get 20 ounces You need to take away -25% from your liquid before you shake. So the equation is: 2x10=20, 20/4 (or 20-25%)=5, 20-5=15, so instead of putting in 20 oz of liquid, you only need to put in 15 oz to make 10 shots. 2 oz x 10 glasses=20oz=>20/4 (where the 4 is the -25%)=5 oz, 20 oz-5 oz=15 oz of liquid. Easy as proverbial pie, well almost. Hey, you don´t need to do the math, just know that you´ll get more dilution the longer you shake the liquid. See more of the shaking guidelines above. To layer a shooter properly there are some simple guidelines to follow. The more alcohol there is in the liquid the lighter and the more diluted it gets. The less alcohol (or the more sugar it contains) the denser and heavier it becomes. How to layer: 1) Use a spoon to layer the liquid by placing the spoon inside the shot glass and let it touch the inside of the glass wall with the spoon facing either up or down, depending on how good you are at this. Start by having the spoon face upwards, at first anyway. 2.1) If you happen to have/own pour spouts for bottles use them by either tilt the shot glass in a 45 degree angle and place the spout close to the wall, (touching the wall of the glass). Take your thumb or any other finger that you feel comfortable with (like the index finger) and place on top of the air hole, cutting the supply of air going into the bottle, then pour the liquid. If you don´t get a steady and slow supply of liquid pouring out from the pour spout then you need to press harder on the hole until you do. 2.2) Same as above, only you skip the 45 degree angle on the glass and just pour it in a vertical standing glass. Note:All drink recipes for the shooters are for the capacity of 1-1 and 1/2 oz (or more). Multiply the drink recipes for the desired amount of shot glasses you´ll use. Now, enough blabbering, let´s get down to making drinks! |