Creating a Signature Cocktail at Home

Sure, classic cocktails are easy to make, and you can find recipes on many websites, but what if you want to take your cocktails to the next level? Consider creating your own signature cocktails at home for your next party. The secret? It’s all about balance. A touch of sour, a hint of sweet, and a beautiful finish make unique cocktails that stand out from the rest.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry! We break down the steps you need to follow to create your own signature cocktail, which are sure to impress any guest at your next party. Let’s get shaking!

Step 1: Choose your Base Spirit

You do not need to have a fully stocked bar to create a perfect cocktail, but you do need to have a good quality spirit as your cocktail base. It could be bourbon, rum, gin, whiskey, vodka…the list goes on and on. Picking a base spirit is all about what flavors you want to highlight and what feeling your want your guests to experience.

Maybe you are having a spring party and want to highlight the blooming season with floral elements. In this case you may want to select gin as your base cocktail. Or maybe you want to create a cocktail that warms your guests and makes them feel at home. In this case a bourbon or whiskey may be the way to go.

No matter what spirit base you choose, make sure you know the flavor profile of that spirit. It will help you decide what to mix into your cocktail. The best cocktails highlight the natural flavors of the spirit you are using.

Step 2: Choose your Mixers

The basic cocktail recipe is 2:1:1 – 2 parts spirit, one part sweet and one part sour. But the choices and combinations are endless.

For sweet options, consider the following:

• Simple syrup. Equal parts water and sugar, simple syrup is a base for many classic cocktails. Try taking simple syrup up a notch with an infused syrup. Infused syrups include herbs, spices, or even tea.

• Sugar cube

• Honey

• Agave

• Grenadine

For your sour options, most cocktails include some type of citrus. Lemons, limes, and oranges are all classic choices. Maybe you want to go a little more exotic with your cocktail and try kumquats, blood limes, yuzu, or even Buddha’s Hand lemons.

Step 3: Mix it Up

Next step is to bring everything together. The easiest way to do this is to add your spirit, sweet and sour elements to a cocktail shaker. Add a little ice to the shaker and mix it up. However, a cocktail shaker is not always the way to go. Shaking your cocktails allows the ice to melt more quickly and go into the drink. This can dilute the cocktail, which is why many people choose to stir their cocktail, instead of using a shaker.

Step 4: Finish with Finesse

Once your cocktail is well mixed, pour it into your desired glasses and add a garnish for a little flare! Mint leaves, lemon slices, cherries, or even burnt rosemary can create a beautiful cocktail finish – and add a little extra flavor right at the end.

And that is it! You are ready to try making your classic cocktail combination. Still not quite sure you can do it? We suggest starting with some classic cocktail recipes to get the hang of the process. Once you have the basics, the possibilities are endless.

Tag us in your cocktail adventures!

Cheers!