Learn to Bartend

Worldwide, millions of adults like to mix and drink alcoholic beverages, and it’s no surprise. Mixed drinks are fun, flavorful and colorful. In addition, to mix them well, a person needs to have some basic skills which can set them out in a crowd.

But, unless you are a professional bartender, you’re probably in the dark about the various types of mixed drinks. “Types” doesn’t refer to brandy drinks vs. vodka drinks, most people know these differences. But what if you are asked the difference between a fix and fizz? In part one of this article we covered four types of drink: cobblers, cocktails, crustas and flips.

Now let’s expand on those.

Cooler: A cooler is a drink, usually served in a tall glass, made with liquor and a carbonated beverage. They are typically garnished with fruit. For a splash of the unexpected at your next party, how about serving a Calypso Cooler? The drink recipe is: 1/2 oz spiced rum, 1/2 oz peach schnapps, 1/4 oz dark rum, 2 oz orange juice, 1 oz grenadine syrup, 1 oz lime juice, 2 oz lemon-lime soda. Pour the spiced rum, peach schnapps, dark rum, orange juice, grenadine and lime juice into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice cubes, and top with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with an orange flag, and serve.

Fix: A fix is a drink which combines various liquors, citrus and sugar. Here’s a fix recipe that’s sure to be a hit. Gin Fix: 1 tsp superfine sugar, 1 oz lemon juice, 2 tsp water, 2 oz gin, 1 maraschino cherry, 1 slice lemon. Fill a cocktail shaker half way with ice. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and water and shake to mix. Strain this mixture into a highball glass filled nearly full with crushed ice. Lastly add the gin and stir well. Garnish the drink with the cherry and lemon slice and serve.

Fizz: A fizz is a fix with a carbonated beverage added. You can turn the above fix recipe into a fizz quite easily. Gin Fizz: 1 tsp superfine sugar, 1 oz lemon juice, 2 oz gin, 1 maraschino cherry, 1 slice lemon, carbonated water. In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, sugar and lemon juice. Shake well. Strain into a highball glass with two ice cubes. Fill with carbonated water and stir well. Garnish with the cherry and the lemon slice and serve.

Julep: A julep is a sweet mix of liquor and strong spices. Many are probably familiar with the most famous julep, the Mint Julep. To serve one at your next celebration, use this simple Mint Julep drink recipe: 4 fresh mint sprigs, 2 1/2 oz bourbon, 1 tsp superfine sugar, 2 tsp water. Muddle (crush against side of glass) mint leaves, sugar and water in a collins glass. Fill the glass with shaved (or crushed) ice and add bourbon. Add more ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw.

So there you have them…four more types of mixed drinks. Your next social gathering will be a terrific success with the addition of these fun and flavorful drinks.