Best products from r/Mixology

I posted this in another thread so sorry its just a copy paste, but still relevent. Cocktail books generally have more than just recipes, theres a mind set and a philosophy behind making great cocktails and its all in how you treat your tools and ingredients.


Death and Co makes amazing books to teach and inspire how to make great unique cocktails. The modern classics covers the fundamentals of bar tools and all the philosophy, plus theres a bunch of neat recipes. They also have a codex thats super interesting in that they simplify and break down the origins of most cocktails. Everything is a riff on a classic, in one way or another.

Another one I like is from Smugglers Cove in San Fransisco (i think?) This book touches more into tiki and tropical cocktails, but its a lot of fun and there are plenty of great cocktails without super esoteric ingredients.

On the opposite end of the relax tiki book is this book from Grant Achatz, 3 Michelin starred chef of Alinea in Chicago (hence the pricy book). He also owns bars in Chicago and New York, and have some of the most exceptional drinks I've ever had. He's big on molecular gastronomy, wether its juice filled caviar balls, dry ice used to chill your drink tableside (with lots of smoke) or this tableside infusion. A lot of it is super over the top and not necessary, but for presentations sake its incredible. really innovative and inspiring


cheers

Hi there, here's my take on it as a professional bartender

> Is there anything basic tool I should be looking for? (Maybe a muddler?)

There are several basic tools I would deem 'essential':

Quality shaker (Cobbler or 18/28oz steel tins)
Hawthorne strainer (unless his shaker is a cobbler)
Fine strainer
Barspoon
Muddler
Jiggers

Realistically, if I was being super budget-conscious, I could probably get all of that for under $50.

In most cases, I recommend a mixing vessel for stirred drinks, either a proper mixing glass or simple boston pint, however for the sake of money, most common shakers can be used for this, it's just not as aesthetically pleasing.



> I've been looking at Amazon mostly. Is this an okay place to find stuff?

It is, and it also depends on what exactly you are looking for. If you're looking for high end Japanese crafted tools, you're probably going to have to look elsewhere (and spend more money), but for just the standards and getting started, you can do very well with Amazon. Barproducts.com is also great, but can be a bit overwhelming unless you know what you're looking for.

> Are sets better than buying things individually?

I would say no. Sets tend to be a collection of low-middling quality tools packaged all nice and pretty. It's worth the extra time to grab things piece by piece unless quality isn't of a grave concern (I could do my job with a basic 'set' of tools, they just wouldn't perform as well as if I selected them myself with the same budget.


> Any really good, basic recipe books you can recommend?

I think for most getting into cocktails, 'Craft of the Cocktail' by Dale DeGroff is probably the best starting off point. This is dependent 100% on your boyfriend's level of knowledge. If you're just interested in getting a big variety of recipes, I might also consider the 'Mr. Boston Guide'. If you don't mind spending a bit more, the new book 'Death & Co.' from the bar of the same name is both beautiful, and a fanytastic book that gives more detail into what all happens in a world-famous cocktail bar.

> Is there anything special about certain jiggers/strainers/funnels/bottles/stirrers that I should keep in mind (i.e. size, material, etc.)?

I could spend several hours on this subject, really. It all depends on what tool you decide to get him.

If I had to, off the top of my head, suggest just one thing for an enthusiast, it would be: http://www.amazon.com/Uber-Bar-Tools-ProStirrer-Spoon/dp/B0042L1U1G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1415970464&sr=8-3&keywords=barspoon

That's a high quality, all stainless spoon with a counterweight on the end that can be used as a muddler as well (2 birds with one stone!).

If you let me know what sort of budget you're looking to spend, I can help you a bit more specifically. I spend a lot of time looking at tools, as I'm constantly building and re-evaluating my toolset. By all means, let me know if you have any further questions.

Get a good shaker. By good, I mostly mean will not leak and will last Here is the link to the one I have - I have used it more days than not for the last 3 years, it is still going strong.

http://www.amazon.com/Metrokane-Bullet-Cocktail-Shaker-oz/dp/B00007B99J/ref=sr_1_29?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1427767505&sr=1-29

Also, get some glasses - I love the 'Dizzy' glasses from Crate and Barrel. They are $2 or $2.5 a glass depending on sales and the look and feel great. They are sturdy enough you aren't always worried about breaking them, and cheap enough that you won't mind if you do.
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/dizzy-double-old-fashioned-glass/s293431

I would also prioritize always having a couple of fresh lemons or limes in the fridge, and fresh ice. That alone is a huge step towards good cocktails.

I was in your exact shoes a few year ago, and while I wouldn't claim to be a 'mixologist' or anything overly fancy, I have a great home bar well stocked for entertaining, or just choosing what of my favorite drinks to enjoy after dinner. I would say that you have the right idea which is to get the things that you know you will be using and slowly expand as you see fit. Feel free to PM me if you have questions, and have a happy birthday!

As other people said, keep lemons and simple syrup around-- both are very cheap. (Get a juicer for your lemons to make the most out of em.)

As for whiskey, there are three types: bourbon, scotch, and rye. My very dear favorite of the bottom-shelf brands is Old Evan Williams, a bourbon. (Yes, I am cornfed trash.) Bulleit does both bourbon and rye and is a step up... a lot of bars go through this stuff like crazy. Get to Costco if you can-- their selection is a little small but always very cheap. I know they have Bulleit rye, and the Kirkland scotch is pretty smooth and something like $20. Maker's Mark is a step more expensive still, but it's good. Sometimes you can find a bottle at Trader Joe's for $25-30 which is totally worth it.

Finally! Cheap whiskey, like cheap wine, improves if you put it in a decanter. I have this one, which also comes with some lovely matching rocks glasses that are the perfect size and weight for a whiskey drink. Keep your whiskey in the decanter and a couple of the glasses in the freezer, and you're golden.

ETA: use Amazon to pick up any cheap home bartending tools you might want (for now, the decanter plus a shaker and small juicer). I've gotten all mine from there and they're perfectly serviceable.

You said that you do not want a paid bartending gig, and that's good, because very few places will hire a person from bartending school, ANY bartending school. Those schools are a rip off.

But, you said that you just wanted to learn some bartending skills. You're in luck because that's easy . Pick up some good books on bartending and read them, make drinks, and share those drinks with your friends.

Jeffrey Morganthaler just put out a really good book on the craft of bartending, and I highly recommend it ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/145211384X?pc_redir=1405569504&robot_redir=1). Read this first.

Look at how much money and time I just saved you! Plus, you'll learn a lot more useful information.

Good luck!

Cocktail Kingdom is good but the quality for many pieces seems to have dropped off (e.g. broken jigger, Koriko tins and mixing glasses) That being said almost everything I use everyday is from them.

Uber has some quality products and also offers sets. Reviews say that the quality varies in the sets, but the spoon and muddler I use work well. I believe they are based in Austria as well!

I have just discovered a new website called Parched Penguin. I have not bought anything yet but am interested in their mixing glasses and many decorative pieces for special occasions.

If you are just getting started I would buy:
-Hawthorne
-Jigger
-Hand Juicer
-Small Tin
-Large Tin

Once you enjoy it and have mastered all of your favorite shaken drinks:
-Mixing Glass. We use these at my bar because they are cheap and can go through the dishwasher.
-Muddler. Once again dishwasher friendly and industructible.
-Bar Spoon. A cheap and effective spoon, easy to learn a proper Japanese stir.


Then comes the books...

Just speaking in totally basic, broad strokes:

Your typical cocktail will have a spirit, a sweet component, and a bitter/sour component to balance the sweet. The sour is usually citrus/acid in most cocktails, so we’ll nix that here (though as a substitution, maybe try to make a few shrubs and see if your friend is into the vinegar thing?) Bitters and Amaros are the obvious go-to from there, usually in stirred, more booze-forward cocktails, so I would go with that.

What you’re describing above when you mention milk and the like is called a ‘lengthener;’ these include low acid juices (OJ, Grapefruit) etc. and other low intensity liquids. They can add flavor/texture/volume to a drink, but IMO and to my taste usually aren’t enough to balance it much. For example, I don’t find the Brown Derby cocktail to be in balance (at least not iterations of it like this one). I find it too sweet, and I think it needs the addition of just a little bit of lemon/lime to keep the honey in check. The grapefruit, at least in low quantity, just doesn’t have enough acid on its own to balance the honey.

If you really wanna get into the workings of making your own cocktails using a ‘Mr. Potato Head’ approach with these components, I’d highly recommend picking up a copy of ‘The Imbible’ by Micah Lemon. He bases the structure of tons of drinks off of two examples (the Manhattan and the Daiquiri) and breaks it down in very easy terms for the reader. It’s also a very respectable guide to start learning technique and basics from; I would’ve loved to have that when I was starting out, it would’ve given me a huge leg up.

Maybe look at getting a book like
this. the cocktails listed below would be great starts but having a book and a couple of choices of booze helps to try stuff out. Go for Iced Drinks over shooters. You can find an app for your phone that will also help you make drinks. It is a lot of fun to grab a bottle of vodka, rum, and whiskey and start finding drinks you like. This will cover some of the basic families of drinks and as you determine your tastes you can go down those rabbit holes. Happy Birthday to one lucky guy.

So I'd like to plug David Wondrich's Punch as good place to start if you want to do something creative that really involves the craft of punchmaking, which, at least according to Wondrich, is antithetical to how we make cocktails. If you just want a great recipe, I have to recommend his iced tea rum punch, it's in the book and also outlined in this promo article. It's quite tasty, easy to modify (Bourbon works great) and very easy to scale. Try it out on a weekend and then repeat the recipe for the wedding at a grander scale. Be warned though, it's easy to drink and includes a fair punch of caffeine. I've had a rough night or two due to this one.

This is a great jigger, he can make do without a barspoon, muddler, and strainer (unless he's making cocktails with egg), a funnel should be cheap, like less than 2 dollars. I've found a few things on amazon, I think it's a good place to shop.

Unless he's starting with no gear, most sets don't make sense.

I've always been able to find recipes online; /u/hebug's Not Cocktail of the Week series on /r/cocktails is where I went for all of my recipes for months and I still rely upon it regularly. Most recipe books include a lot of garbage he wouldn't (and shouldn't) ever make. There are some good recipe books, but the good ones tend to be a little specialized; for example Beachbum Berry's book, Beachbum Berry Remixed is amazing if you want to make tiki cocktails and are willing to buy about 10 bottles of rum and buy or make another 5-10 bottles of liqueur and syrup otherwise it's not worth picking up.

My favorite tools for home-made liqueurs and syrups are 1/2 pint, pint, and quart sized mason jars and swing-top glass bottles (most of mine are recycled beer and soda bottles).

Hopefully this helps a little.

Here are a few must haves-

• A good shaker (I like this one.)
  
• Lots of ice. Plan a day ahead. Nothing will kill your mixing session like running out if ice.
  
• Fresh lemons and limes. No exceptions. Ever.
  
• A good jigger. You can't eyeball everything. Some recipes call for as little as 1/4 oz.
  
• Some simple syrup. You can make it in your microwave. Heat equal parts sugar and water to a simmer. When the mix turns clear, your good to go. Cool it in the fridge, stick it in a bottle and serve.
  
• Good, fresh vermouth. If your vermouth has been out on a shelf for a year, pitch it. Go buy fresh bottles and store them in the fridge.
  
• Cointreau. Don't skimp on this one. Shitty triple sec makes shitty cocktails. This is crucial for Sidecars, Margaritas, and countless other classics.
  
  The two books should help you get started:
  
  
• Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails
  
• The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks
  
  Bang for your buck bottles:
  
  
• Cruzan Estate Light Rum
  
• Appleton Estates Gold Jamaican Rum
  
• Myers Dark Jamaican Rum
  
• Beefeater Gin
  
• Old Grandad Bourbon
  
• Elijah Craig 12 year Bourbon
  
• Famous Grouse Blended Scotch
  
• Sauza Hornitos Tequila
  
• Lairds Applejack (Apple Brandy- substitute for Calvados)
  
• Boyd and Blair Vodka (about $30 bucks a bottle, but its the best vodka on earth.)
  
  One Recipe for you to try:
  
  The Scofflaw
  
  
• 1 1/2 oz Rye or Bourbon
  
• 1 oz dry vermouth
  
• 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
  
• 3/4 oz real pomegranate grenadine. (DO NOT USE ROSE'S!!!)
  
  Shake over ice and strain. Garnish with lemon peel.

http://12bottlebar.com/

Go to that site, which is sadly no longer active, but the back log is great. Find recipes that basically use the stuff you have, and start working your way through it. Read the articles.

Or, they have a book, which is worth buying.

You will likely not be needing that blender, at least not very often. I find most blended drinks are more work than what they're worth on a small scale.

Otherwise, you just need a shaker and a pint glass for stirred drinks. You also might want to purchase a Hawthorne Strainer, a jigger, and possibly a mesh strainer.

I could list out 50 drinks that basically just use the spirits you have plus some juices/sugar, but I'd just be listing the stuff that's on 12 Bottle Bars site.

I won't do a ton, but here's an example of one rabbit hole: First, make a Gimlet, if you like it, then try a Fitzgerald, if you like it, then make a Bee's Knees. If you like that, then make a Gold Rush...

You get the idea.

Book-wise, I'd recommend picking up the Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler. It's pretty easy to find recipes online and there's no shortage of great classic and craft cocktail books, but the bar book covers techniques that would otherwise take a lot of time and experience to pick up.

The 12 Bottle Bar is a great read for someone putting together their own home bar.

You've probably seen or heard of all of these before, but these are my latest purchases, ready to be right at home in the new home bar I'm building...

Death & Co. - modern classic cocktails

The Dead Rabbit drinks manual

The Craft of the cocktail

The flavour bible

Imbibe!