Quite good kit for the beginning comes with cocktail shaker, muddler, scoop, strainer, knife, and case. Different types of muddlers are not essential gear since you can use other tools in your kitchen, but if you choose kit of muddlers, be sure that they are not lacquered or glazed, because that coating wears off over time and could get into your drinks. A spoon will help you stir it up a bit better, and it doubles as a smaller measuring stick, pay more attention to long spoons since some cocktails require high cups.

Most cocktails require shaking or stirring, so you can pretty much get away with using only a cocktail shaker and long-handled bar spoon. Nearly every cocktail recipe that calls for shaking or stirring calls for straining so that the drinks are separated from using the ice in your shaker/stirring glass so you can serve the cocktails over-iced (or on top of large chunks of ice to keep the drinks from getting too watered down). If you are using a Boston-style shaker, you will want to pick up something called a Hawthorne Strainer so you make sure the ice that you used to chill your beverage does not get into the glass and dilute your cocktail.

If you are making a cocktail with the shaking method, then you are straining with a hawthorne strainer, mentioned above, then you will still have small pieces of ice, and potentially other bits and pieces, making their way into your cocktail. Strainers are perfect for when you are making cocktails and you want to avoid having tiny bits of ice or bits of fruit floating around in your final drinks. Strainers help to keep the small bits of ice within an empty metal mixing bowl, and outside the cocktail.

The first step is stocking up the bar with all of the essentials for making a fantastic cocktail at home. If you are wondering how to make a great cocktail, keep in mind the order of ingredients is essential. Next, it is important that you use quality ingredients when making cocktails. If you are the owner of a bar, or looking to start a bar, one of the ways you can customize cocktails on your menu is by including a few home-made ingredients.

Identifying a couple classic cocktails that you like. Use ingredients that you know, usually no more than two or three per drink if you are only in the beginning of making craft cocktails.

You will have to adjust the sugar and ingredients of each recipe, since a frozen drink using ice as the main component might call for a stronger flavour profile, while more tart drinks are more likely to be a good pair with ice. Strictly speaking, you should never use the ice twice, using fresh ice at every stage of shaking, stirring, and serving the cocktail — even if using the same ingredients. Subpar ice, or ice used more than once, will dilute your cocktail excessively - both in mixing and in consumption, making for a much less enjoyable experience.

Craft cocktails are the kind made from scratch, using fresh ingredients with no artificial flavors or additives. A craft cocktail is never made using pre-made ingredients, which are standard in every bar. First and foremost, craft cocktails are typically made from quality ingredients. Nowadays, craft cocktails are becoming popular features because of their fresh ingredients and unique flavors, and also because of their beautiful looks.

With the rise of craft cocktails, more bars are slowing down and focussing on the most exquisite, intricately-flavored drinks, which are going above (or sometimes even building upon) the mixed drinks we are all familiar with. This trend has led to a lot of people becoming interested in different types of drinks, like cocktails. Not only are there fresh ingredients in the mix, cocktails are made using techniques that are not just shaking or stirring these days.

The availability of ingredients has increased greatly, and being able to find recipes on the internet has made cocktails much more approachable. This means you no longer have to keep a liquor cabinet full of expensive ingredients in order to enjoy quality cocktails, you can enjoy them in your own home anytime.

The first step is stocking up the bar with all of the essentials for making a fantastic cocktail at home. Identifying a couple classic cocktails that you enjoy. While your ingredients will differ depending on which drinks you enjoy making, it offers a great starting point to create classic as well as unique cocktails.

You can create cocktails at home by mixing drinks together in a glass or a big bowl, but we definitely suggest investing in a proper cocktail shaker. For cocktails, you would measure out your ingredients in the glass portion of your shaker first (Or any other transparent container with measuring lines), and then fill it up with ice before shaking. Ideally, you will have kept the ingredients chilled, or at the very least, chilled the glass for your cocktail, either by using ice or by using ice and cold water.

Strictly speaking, you should never use the same ice twice, using fresh ice each time through shake, stir, and serve of the cocktail — even if using the same ingredients. In a pinch (or hurry), your local supermarkets or bodegas ice may do, but be sure to use extra-hard ice to shake or stir with plenty of it, so that the cocktail is chilled as fast as possible, not giving ice any time to melt. Bad ice (like the sort you get from the built-in-ice ice dispenser in the refrigerator) melts too fast and dilutes your drink excessively, leading to a weak, flat cocktail.

Quite good kit for the beginning comes with cocktail shaker, muddler, scoop, strainer, knife, and case. Different types of muddlers are not essential gear since you can use other tools in your kitchen, but if you choose kit of muddlers, be sure that they are not lacquered or glazed, because that coating wears off over time and could get into your drinks. A spoon will help you stir it up a bit better, and it doubles as a smaller measuring stick, pay more attention to long spoons since some cocktails require high cups.

Most cocktails require shaking or stirring, so you can pretty much get away with using only a cocktail shaker and long-handled bar spoon. Nearly every cocktail recipe that calls for shaking or stirring calls for straining so that the drinks are separated from using the ice in your shaker/stirring glass so you can serve the cocktails over-iced (or on top of large chunks of ice to keep the drinks from getting too watered down). If you are using a Boston-style shaker, you will want to pick up something called a Hawthorne Strainer so you make sure the ice that you used to chill your beverage does not get into the glass and dilute your cocktail.

If you are making a cocktail with the shaking method, then you are straining with a hawthorne strainer, mentioned above, then you will still have small pieces of ice, and potentially other bits and pieces, making their way into your cocktail. Strainers are perfect for when you are making cocktails and you want to avoid having tiny bits of ice or bits of fruit floating around in your final drinks. Strainers help to keep the small bits of ice within an empty metal mixing bowl, and outside the cocktail.