Mixing with Spirits Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering the core principles of cocktail balance, families of drinks including spirit-forward, sours, highballs, and specific classic recipes.

Strong element

The base spirit of a cocktail, which is generally $40\%$ abv or higher and the centrepiece of the flavour profile.

Weak element

The dilution provided by ice through stirring or shaking, as well as optional non-alcoholic ingredients such as fruit juices, dairy products, sodas, and tonics.

Modifier

An ingredient added to a cocktail to provide a bitter and/or a sour counterpoint to the sweetness.

Simple syrups

A sweetener made of sugar dissolved in water.

Short drinks

Mixed drinks that have a limited number of ingredients and rely on dilution through shaking or stirring with ice to provide the weak component.

Long drinks

Larger volume mixed drinks where the weak component is provided through sodas, juices, dairy products, or other non-alcoholic beverages.

Spirit-forward cocktail

A high-alcohol cocktail generally built or stirred, often combining spirit with sugar and bitters or spirit and liqueur, such as the Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

Alexander family

A modification of the spirit-forward cocktail style that includes the addition of cream, such as the Brandy Alexander.

The short sour

A family of drinks based on a strong-sour-sweet balance, typically shaken to create a light airy texture and dilution.

Aquafaba

Chickpea water used as a vegan foaming alternative to egg white in cocktails like the Pisco Sour.

The highball

The simplest mixed drink style, consisting of a long drink served over cubed ice, such as a Gin and Tonic or Cuba Libre.

Cuba Libre

A named highball example consisting of rum and coke with lime.

Horse's Neck

A highball variation made with Cognac, ginger ale, and bitters.

Americano

A highball that uses a split base for the strong element, consisting of Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda.

The long sour

A family of drinks including the Collins, Sling, and Sparkling Sour, which are short sours turned into long drinks by adding club soda or other mixers.

Tom Collins

A long sour made with Gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup, topped with club soda.

French 75

A long sour containing Gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup, topped with Champagne.

Paloma

A long sour variation made with Tequila, lime juice, and Mexican grapefruit soda.

Negroni

A spirit-forward cocktail composed of Gin, Campari, and Sweet vermouth.

Sazerac

A spirit-forward cocktail made with Cognac or Rye, Peychaud's Bitters, absinthe, and sugar.

Rusty Nail

A spirit-forward cocktail consisting of Scotch and Drambuie.

Sidecar

A short sour variation made with Cognac, lemon juice, and Triple sec.

Clover Club

A variation of a short sour made with Gin, lemon juice, raspberry syrup, and egg white.