I got into cocktail making a couple of years back thanks to a brilliant book by expert barman Adam Seger. I got the gift for Christmas and it was one of those that stayed on the shelf for a good few months before I decided to give it a look. In fact it was when summer came that I eventually decided to take the book for a spin, and to be honest I haven’t looked back since. I can honestly say that I have gone front to book with that book, and I have become a real aficionado of making cocktails. If this is something which you haven’t considered, here is why I would recommend it.
Enjoying Your Drinks
The beauty of cocktail making is that you really do enjoy your drinks much more than if you were to just be drinking wine or beer. Because of the effort that goes into the flavor of the drinks rather than just the alcohol content, you end up with something more of an appreciation for them. Nobody wants to watch you spending ten minutes making a cocktail and then glug it down in a matter of seconds. This means that drinking becomes a far more enjoyable experience than it previously was.
Opening Your Eyes
Honestly there were so many cocktails which I made that I genuinely thought would taste horrible, but the way in which the flavors go together often work really well. This definitely opened my eyes to a new variety of flavors and how certain flavors could go together to make a truly delicious drink. I have no doubt that you will find this too, no matter what your usual favorite flavors are.
Attention to Detail
One thing which I have really learned since getting into cocktail making is how important the details are. For example getting the amount of ice right makes a huge difference, so too does the glass you use, and also the little additions of flavor which you add to the drink, have the ability to totally transform it. I was guilty in the beginning of thinking that I could do without certain ingredients from the menus that I was reading, but the reality is that you simply can’t, and you have to include each flavor profile in order for it to all come together as one.
Seeking Ingredients
Speaking of those ingredients, the reason why I left certain ones out in the beginning is that they were a little hard to source. Once I realized how important they were to the drink, it became really exciting to try and find these odd flavors and ingredients. This became a really great challenge in itself and when you finally secure an odd ingredient and enjoy it in a drink, there is certainly a sense of pride which you feel.
This is a great hobby to get into and I can assure that you will have a great time making cocktails and mocktails.
