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 Rickhouse
A Few Craft Bars in SF
Bourbon and branch
Raven Bar
Bloodhound
Clock bar
Jaspers
Burritt Room
Alembic
15 Romolo
Smuggler’s Cove
Coachman
Slanted Door
Rye
NOPA
Comstock
83 Proof
Novello
Cantina
 Mixology Basics
People ask me what my most important cocktail item is when I’m throwing a party.
Is it the type of alcohol? The glasses? Maybe the ice? Nope! It’s surprising, but the
answer is always the freshness of the citrus juice – namely, lime and lemon. If we’re
talking orange or grapefruit juice, I can get away with fresh-bought from the store,
but limes and lemons must absolutely be squeezed fresh, all the time, every time.

Why is juice so important? It seems the less inherent sugar is in the juice, the quicker
it begins to degrade -- this means that it’s important that it be fresh. You can squeeze
an hour or two ahead of time and you’ll be fine. You can also freeze the fresh juice
and it will keep for another month. Regardless, to make amazing cocktails every
time, the most important ingredient is always fresh lime or lemon juice.

Once you have fresh juice, the rest is a piece of cake. Make sure you have enough
ice, alcohol, sweetener, and bitters, and you can make any cocktail palate happy. The
sweetener that SF Mixology recommends for its ease of use and low cost is simple
syrup. This is, simply, sugar and water combined in equal parts. This 1-1 ratio syrup
is more soluble, easier to use, and fits perfectly with the ratios and recipes in the
next sections. Keep in mind, liqueurs can also act as sweetener. For the bitters, we
recommend a good, old-fashioned Angostura brand. As for the ice, you can never
have too much! If you run out, your whole party comes to a halt, so it’s always better
to be safe than sorry.

Balance
When you’re creating cocktails, ratios are just as important as they are to dishes you
might cook in your kitchen. If for some reason you don’t have fresh juice, you can
also balance with bitters. Whether you use bitters or juice, the main point is that you
are creating balance in the drink. This means you have to adjust the ratios of tart,
sweet, and bitter, because it is these factors that can balance a drink. For example,
if you don’t have any ‘tart,’ then what can you use to offset sweet? Bitter, of course!
This bitter-and-alcohol drink is the first type of cocktail we’ll cover, which is fitting,
as this is the type of cocktails that was first invented! Keep in mind that these old-
school drinks rely more heavily on the character of the spirit used to carry the flavor,
and they tend to be stronger drinks. If you’re ready to create one of these, then a
simple ratio to remember is 4-1-bitter.
 4-1-Bitter
This ratio refers to 4 parts alcohol, 1 part sugar, and then a few dashes of bitters. You
can extrapolate into amounts by using 1:1 ratio simple syrup. You can then use, for
example, 2oz Whisky, and ½ oz of simple syrup with 2 – 4 dashes of bitters. In fact,
this ratio is exactly what makes up the old fashioned “old fashioned” cocktail. This
type of blend provides for a rich, alcohol-driven taste, all the more deep because it
is tempered by the sweetener and accented by the bitters. If we stop here, however,
the drink lacks a little something. By adding a lemon or orange zest to the top of
the drink, you can create an aromatic sensation that is a precursor to the rest of
the drink. This is called a forward sensation, a sense that tends to be comprised of
aromatically-driven flavors. In other words, a forward sensation is typically made up
of essences that are light enough to be carried by the air in front of the drink.

The next ratio we’ll cover is one that uses tartness as a means to balance. In historic
terms, when citrus fruit became more readily available, bartenders could start using
citrus more frequently in cocktails. We then find use for a different ratio: 2-1-1.

2-1-1
This ratio refers to 2 parts alcohol, 1 part tart, and 1 part sweet. Again, you can
extrapolate into amounts by using a 1:1 ratio of simple syrup, and fresh lime/lemon
juice. You can then use this syrup in the same amounts that you do fresh lime or
lemon juice. For example, you can use 2 oz alcohol, 1 oz lime/lemon juice, and 1 oz
simple syrup. This makes for a wonderful balance of tart and sweet on the palate. In
this combination, the alcohol is important not just to provide character, but also to
add structure. Structure holds flavors up on your palate they way that walls hold up
a building. Without it, the flavors are not as amplified or long-lasting.

These ratios are simple. If you want to create more complex drinks, you still need
to use balance as a way to begin thinking about amounts. You’ll also have to adjust
accordingly if you’re using hybrid ingredients such as liqueurs, as these always add
a sweet sensation as well as alcohol structure. Even when using orange juice, it’s
important to be flexible and to think about balance, as this juice adds not only tart,
but sweet, as well.

To demonstrate this point we’ll use the margarita in a simple 2-1-1. But, instead of
using simple syrup for sweetener, we’re going to use a liqueur. Originally the liqueur
used was Cointreau, which is very high in alcohol, and not very sweet. Consequently,
this drink as a “2-1-1,” is high in alcohol and not so sweet. In this case, you may want
to adjust slightly to get the same balance. However, it’s interesting to keep in mind
that this margarita may be enjoyed as a dryer, higher-alcohol drink. Remember, once
you learn the rules, you can break them with style!

Let’s try an experiment. Take a ‘bad’ tequila such as Cuervo Gold, and a cheap
liqueur such as triple sec (which is a sweeter, watered-down version of Cointreau).
Put them together with fresh lime juice in a 2-1-1 ratio. Now, except for the lime
juice, the drink is all alcohol. If you actually do this experiment, you’ll see that what
would otherwise be a very hard-to-swallow cocktail is actually made into something
delightful when you add fresh lime juice. This not only demonstrates the power of
fresh juice, it also shows that you can use liqueur as a sweetener.

Equal Levels
Although the 2-1-1 ratio is a basic tenet to many of the cocktails you know, it’s by no
means the only way to balance. The most important point is to use equal levels of
sugar and acid. A 1:1 simple syrup can pair in equal volume with lime/lemon juice,
but you can also dissolve sugar directly into lemon/lime juice at equal volumes -
which will produce a cocktail with similar balance but with a fuller mouthfeel and
increased structure due to less water content.

Alternatively to the 2-1-1, a 4-1-1 works better with certain spirits. A good rule of
thumb to remember is the more sip-able a spirit is alone, the higher in ratio it can be
used in a cocktail. Similarly, the more oak/wood aging a spirit has tends to produce
the same effect. Definitely don’t stop at 2-1-1 or 4-1-1, sometimes just a few drops
of acid and sugar create an amazing blend.

Flavor
Flavor is almost wholly separate to balance. Once you’re familiar with creating
balance, you can move onto exposing flavors. An easy way to think about the flavors
of a cocktail is to divide this creating them into 3 distinct parts.

1) Base -------- The main spirit.

2) Modifier --- An ingredient which significantly changes the drink.
3) Accent ------Something that adds small changes or highlights.

Looking at the Gin Sour (gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup), it’s not difficult to identify
gin as the “base” and the lemon and sugar as “modifiers”. But it may not be easy to
identify the “accent” or understand if one is even present. But there is an accent
in this case: water. If sugar is added in the form of simple syrup (sugar + water),
it means a small amount of water has been added to the drink. This water adds a
subtle difference in texture and dilution, which acts as an important accent to a
drink that may taste a little too rich or strong without it.

Sidenote: This brings us to an important connection we should understand

before moving forward. Mouthfeel and flavor are associated. Mouthfeel
includes a large array of factors such as astringency (i.e. drying, coating,
adhesive), texture (i.e. creamy, watery, oily), and body (i.e. full, heavy, thin).
The many factors of mouthfeel can effect almost everything we taste.

Pitting the Tom Collins vs. Mojito we understand how the same ingredient can act as
a modifier in one drink, and an accent in another. If one adds a significant amount
of club soda to the Gin Sour, it turns from a short, stout drink to a tall and more
refreshing one known as a Tom Collins. In this case, the soda water acts as a modifier.
The Mojito, in contrast, has only a small amount of soda which serves only to make it
slightly effervescent and more diluted. In this case, the soda is considered an accent.

Thinking in these terms helps you hit the ground running when you need to come
up with a cocktail. A new cocktail making session often begins with selecting a base
spirit. That’s why if you ask a good bartender to make you something special, they
often ask, “What’s your base?”. You want to consider all three levels as necessary
components to a good cocktail and when you taste a drink that seems off, it’s likely
missing one of these.

Base Profiles
Spirits possess varying characteristics based on thier genre. When thinking about how
to use one, there are basic principles that each specific genre lends to a cocktail you
may find helpful. The following list of liquor types summarizes these characteristics.

Vodka is essentially a way to spike anything without changing its flavor too much.
When you want to expand on the characteristics inherent in a non-alcoholic mixture,
vodka can add the layers you need without insisting on injecting its own flavor. If
your cocktail is a building, then vodka raises your building up several levels without
adding any extra floors - like a house on stilts. This is unlike other spirits, which add
their own floors changing the character of the whole building.

Gin is light and aromatic. It does less well with juices that lack bright acidity (i.e.
Orange Juice) and tends to do better paired with higher concentrations of acidity (i.e.
Blood OJ, lemons, limes). Gin also loves vegetation like herbs, flowers, cucumbers
etc. Be aware of each gin’s flavor profile when you start experimenting. A good way
to get a basic understanding of a specific gin’s effect in a cocktail, is to simply create
a 2-1-1 sour with it and gauge how its flavors manifest.

Rum runs a larger gamut of uses. It can be very light or dark brown and heavy.
Lighter rums tend to be very versatile possessing higher astringency and sweetness
levels that enable them to carry the flavors of softer fruits like mangos and bananas
in addition to fruits higher in acid. Darker types of rum include “Demerara”, “Dark”,
“Black”, and aged rums. These may already have considerable sweetness or a high
level of oak/wood. With either of these factors, your relative ease of “throwing”
something together that tastes good decreases sharply. In general, the better liquor
tastes by itself, the higher you can use it in ratio to acids, bitters, and sugars. Don’t
forget to reduce the amount of sugar you add if the rum is pre-sweetened.

Sidenote: Oak aging adds a light astringence and bitterness to spirits, so

be aware of that when using them in your cocktail. If the aged spirit is also
sweeter, then you’re looking at a product that already possesses several
componants that you otherwise would add to a cocktail. These factors help
make a spirit sip-able, but they may also overwhelm your cocktail.

Tequila is rather strong in its message; the decade long lifespan of the blue agave
plant. Tequila is unique due to how long the agave plant takes to mature before
harvest (7-12 years). It tells the story of the agave’s life on earth and its character
is terroir driven. Terroir is expressed in the flavors borne from what the plant has
endured while it was alive. When first playing with Tequila, everything may taste
like the Margarita since it is by far the most popular tequila drink, but when you get
over this, you’ll enjoy using Tequila for its surprisingly versatile properties. With its
more notable character, it is a powerful addition to cocktails so use big bold flavors
to accompany it.
Whisky is a spirit not often found in citrus drinks. All whisky is aged in oak and the
extra bitterness or astringency from soaking in oak makes it more sensitive when
paired with highly acidic fruit juice. Heavier, less acidic and sweeter fruit juices tend
to work better. In general, whisky does better with spirituous cocktails (see below). A
notable whisky drink that uses orange juice is the “Blood and Sand”. This drink, along
with the “Manhattan” and the “Old Fashioned”, gives you three good starting points
on your quest to become adept at creating whisky cocktails.
 The Color of Sugar
Now it’s time to discuss a few concepts using color. Many chefs use the phrase “color
is flavor” as a guide for their culinary endeavors. As a bar chef, it’s helpful to think
the same way because flavors seem to line up nicely based on color, even if it is
partly psychosomatic. For the time being, we are going to focus on color only where
sugar is concerned.

Of the three dimensions we’ve covered so far (sweet, bitter, tart), sweet is the most
universal in cocktails. A little addition of sugar to the otherwise bland drink can
work wonders to bring it alive and make it pop. Certain fruits added to a drink (i.e.
muddled blueberries) need just the right amount of sugar to let them burst.

Although tasting sugar is straight forward, it can be hard gauging whether a drink
needs more OR less of it. Many of my own bartenders have sworn a drink was too
sweet, when in fact it was not sweet enough. You can tune your palate to perceptions
of sweetness by using trial and error. This may mean many trips to Bevmo, but I
promise it will be rewarding. To add a little structure to your future trials with sugar,
use the following color rule:

Brown pairs better w/ brown spirits, white pairs better w/ clear spirits.

White sugar is sucrose, commonly known as table sugar. It is the product of refining
cane sugar or sugar beets and separating the molasses by-product. Brown sugar can
take several popular forms. Some brown sugar is white sugar with molasses re-added.
Natural brown sugar in the raw is only partially refined sugar and is distinguished by
the presence of residual molasses. Demerara is coarser raw brown sugar with large
crystals; and turbinado is raw brown sugar that’s been steam-cleaned with a light
molasses flavoring.

Shaking vs. Stirring

Confused about when to stir and when to shake? Here is a good rule to follow. When
mixing a drink (i.e. serving ‘up’):

IF juice = Shake IF no juice = Stir

When a drink is shaken, about 50% more volume is added from the melting of ice.
Stirring only adds about 25% volume. Thus, a shaken drink is more diluted and chilled.
 Exception: Vodka Martini -- Vodka drinkers often like a smoother drink with
less ethanol burn. Within reason, the more diluted and chilled a drink is,
the smoother and less burn it has. That’s why lots of bartenders still shake
vodka martinis eventhough it lacks juice. However, it’s becoming trendy to
stir vodka martinis which can help retain the integrity of the vermouth. But
even with a vermouth free martini, stirring may be desirable to shaking due
to less final dilution and chill content, which helps expose the otherwise
very subtle flavors that the specific vodka may possess.

Shaking juice is important because of the need to shake citric acid. Acidity expresses
itself by donating hydrogen, which happens by a substance giving electrons and
protons away. The more or less are given away, the higher or lower the PH levels in
the drink, and consequently, the greater the difference in expression of tartness on
the palate. The protons actually get “shaken off” as the drink gets colder and more
diluted. Of course this is a silly expression, nothing actually gets “shaken off”, but I
hope you get the idea. You have to shake juice to get the right expression of tartness,
as well as a proper integration of acidity with the other ingredients in the drink --
particularly the alcohol!

Throwing a Party and Cocktail Options

To decide what cocktails to make, knowing what options are available is important.
Here are some questions to ask:

1) How much time do I have?

2) What ingredients/supplies do I have?
3) What kind of drink do I want to make?

Two basic varieties

of cocktails exist, and
underneath those two
subcategories are several
more layers:
Citrus Types
Citrus juice has logistical issues that can be difficult to overcome, even for a fully
functioning bar. I’ll tell you a recent story of a bar and its citrus program. The owners
of this bar had very little exposure to the cocktail world when I helped them create
the menu and train the staff. Part of the program consisted of teaching the staff
the importance of fresh lime and lemon juice. In the first month, staff would arrive
early every day to hand squeeze the juice. After some time doing this, they decided
it would be easier to get an automatic juicer. At about the same time they switched
to “autojuice”, I got an email from the manager about how some of the drinks were
getting complaints… etc. I was unaware they started using an auto juicer, so I told
him to try and make sure everything is fresh and the bartenders were executing
properly.

Fast forward a few weeks to the official grand opening. I noticed the barback using
the automatic juicer and I was surprised that no one had noticed the difference in
the drinks due to this juicer. The expensive citrus juicer rips through the inside of
the fruit and extracts all the bitterness from the pith. Although it is technically fresh
juice, it can make the difference between awesome and undrinkable cocktails. This
is not to say that you couldn’t use an automatic juicer, but you have to be careful
selecting the right one, and juicing gently. Even then, you may want to filter the
juice before using in a cocktail.

The moral of the story is the difficulty in acquiring, storing, and understanding
the importance of citrus juice. If two bar owners, a manager, and a whole staff
of bartenders didn‘t notice what was wrong, what does that say for the average
consumer? If you want to keep your drinks out of the world of mediocrity, then you
must embrace the effort it takes to use fresh citrus.

Here are some important things to note with citrus cocktails:

1. It takes time to hand squeeze juice. Make sure you have time to prepare a batch
of fresh lime or lemon juice before your party starts.

2. Fresh lime or lemon generally does not last more than 24 hours, even in the
cooler.

3. The area where hand squeezing happens is going to get wet and sticky.
4. Don’t underestimate the number of limes and lemons you’ll go through:
a. 1 lemon = approx. 1 oz juice.
b. 1 lime = approx. ½ oz juice.
c. Refrigerated fruit yields approx. 25% less juice.
d. Small produce stores will sell you a whole box of limes and lemons (~200
pieces) for a fraction of the cost of buying them individually. And do not go
to a large grocery store or even Trader Joes, you will pay much greater prices
than a small store (i.e. the type with fruit out on the sidewalk).

5. You can freeze fresh lime and lemon juice for up to one month.

6. Fresh orange and grapefruit juice will last up to a week in the cooler.

Spirituous Types
Spirituous cocktails, such as the “old fashioned”, are significantly easier to execute.
Without the burden of citrus, they can be delivered with minimum prep time. The
main thing to keep in mind is that spirituous cocktails are generally high in proof and
balance is often hinged on the dance between sweet and bitter.

The simplest spirituous variety to make (on average) is the Liqueur Driven subcategory.
Since liqueurs are sweet, adding sugar is optional. Some liqueurs possess astringency
and bitterness as well, and your cocktail can be balanced by simply adding water to
dilute. An example is the Absinthe Frappe, which is Absinthe, water, and maybe a
touch of sugar. It doesn’t get any easier than that. Absinthe is already a blend of
bitter and sweet (high proof) alcohol. It is the classic “cocktail in a bottle” - add
water to serve.

Other subcategories under Spirituous are equal in production difficulty. Your

commitment to making them will vary based on available supplies.

Basics needed to execute Basics needed to execute

Spirituous Cocktails: Citrus Cocktails:
Sugars/simple syrup Sugars/simple syrup
Bitters Citric Acid (i.e. lime or lemon juice)
Spirits/liqueurs Spirits/liqueurs
Water/Ice Ice
Citrus peel for zest is desirable.
Spirituous Subcategories
Liquor Driven: This is a spirit only cocktail, without liqueur. In its most
basic form, it includes liquor, sugar, bitters, and water (i.e. melted ice).

Liquor + Liqueur: In its simplest form this type will have a spirit and one
liqueur (i.e. Manhattan: Whisky + sweet vermouth + bitters).

Liqueur Driven: These are less numerous and tend to be more difficult to
balance due to the powerful and often concentrated character of a liqueur and
the fact that your cocktail will be comprised largely with it.

Refreshing: Any of the other types made taller and/or softer (more refreshing)
by adding some form of bubbles. (i.e. Kir Royale: Champagne + crème de cassis).

Citrus Subcategories
Power Juice: A cocktail with significant amounts of acidity/tartness. To get this
level of acidity, these cocktails usually have somewhere around ½ the volume
in lime or lemon juice vs. liquor. The monster amounts of less tart orange and
grapefruit used in greyhounds & screwdrivers also fall into this category.

Citrus Light: A cocktail with approx. ¼ the amount of lemon or lime juice
compared to liquor (or the equivalent level of tartness using less acidic juices).
A cosmopolitan or a vodka/pineapple fall into this category.

Peeled: These are citrus drinks where the fruit is muddled. The muddling of
the citrus adds a bitter “peely” character to the cocktail due to muddling the
peel (i.e caipirinha).

Refreshing: Any other type made taller and/or softer (more refreshing) by
adding bubbles. (i.e. Tom Collins – a Power Juice cocktail made tall by adding
a few ounces of club soda.
 Old Fashioned (1800 - 1810)
Classics 2 oz. Whiskey
3 dashes Bitters
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
Dash Water
1 Lemon Peel

Martini (1890 - 1900)

1.5 oz. Gin
1.5 oz. Dry Vermouth
(Alt: .75 oz Vya Whisper Dry + .75 oz Perucci White)
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Lemon Peel

Sour (1860)
1.5 oz. Gin, Whiskey, or Vodka
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
.75 oz. fresh Lemon Juice

Collins (1860)
1.5 oz. Gin, Whiskey, or Vodka
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
.75 oz. fresh Lemon Juice
Soda Water fill

Manhattan (1870-1880)
2 oz. Whiskey
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Bitters
Lemon or Orange Peel

Sazerac (1880-1890)
2 oz. Rye, Cognac, or Bourbon
(Alt: 1 oz Cognac + 1 oz Rye)
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
Absinthe or Pastis
 Gimlet (1890-1900)
1.5 oz. Gin
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
.75 oz. fresh Lime Juice

Daiquiri (1900 - 1910)

1.5 oz. White Rum
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
.75 oz. fresh Lime Juice

Mojito (1920-1930)
2 oz. White Rum
1 oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. fresh Lime Juice
4-6 Mint Leaves
Top with Soda Water

Margarita (1930-1940)
2 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. fresh Lime Juice

Mai Tai (1940-1950)

1.5 oz. Ages Rum
.5 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. Lime Juice
.5 oz. Orgeat
.5 oz. Simple Syrup

Cosmo (1980-1990)
1.5 oz. Citron Vodka
.75 oz. Cointreau
.25 oz. fresh Lime Juice
1 oz. Cranberry Juice
Burnt Orange Garnish
 Dutch Honey
2 oz. Bols Genever
.5 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
Variations .5 oz. Simple Syrup
.25 oz. Honey Syrup
1 oz. Lemon Juice
4 dashes of Angostura

Aviation
1.5 oz. Gin
.5 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
.5 oz. Liqueur de Violette
.75 oz. Lemon Juice

El Diablo Cocktail
1.5 oz. Tequila
.5 oz. Crème de Cassis
1 oz. Lime Juice
Top with Ginger Beer

Corpse Reviver #2
1.5 oz. Plymouth Gin
.75 oz. Lillet Blanc
.75 oz. Cointreau
.75 oz. fresh Lemon Juice
Absinthe or Pastis

Tommy’s Style Margarita

2 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Agave Nectar

Blood and Sand

1.5 oz. Scotch (lightly peated)
.75 oz. Orange Juice
.75 oz. Cherry Heering Liqueur
.75 oz. Sweet Vermouth
Garnish with Burnt Orange
 Pisco Apricot Tropical
2 oz. Pisco
1 oz. Apricot Brandy
1 oz. Lime Juice
.75 oz. Pineapple Gum Syrup
4 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Singapore Sling
1 oz. Gin
.5 oz. Cherry Heering
.25 oz. Cointreau
.25 oz. Benedictine
.25 oz. Grenadine
3 oz. Pineapple Juice
.5 oz. Lime Juice
Dash of Angostura Bitters

Cunningham
1.5 oz. Scotch Whiskey
.5 oz. Benedictine
.5 oz. Cherry Heering
.5 oz. Orange Juice (Preferably Blood Orange)
.5 oz. Lemon Juice
Garnish with Burnt Orange and Brandied Cherry

Saturn
1.25 oz. Gin
.5 oz. Orgeat
.5 oz. Passion Fruit Juice
.5 oz. Falernum
.5 oz. Lemon Juice

Pan Am Clipper
2 oz. Calvados
1 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Grenadine
Absinthe or Pastis
San Francisco Mixology
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San Francisco, CA 94105

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