Lesson 3 - The Cocktail Myth

Lesson 3 - The Cocktail Myth

Have you ever thought to yourself that bartenders have pretty impressive memories when it comes to cocktail recipes? They seem to be able to recall even the most obscure drink off the top of their head, right? In truth, there’s not as much detail to remember as you would think. This is because there are actually only six cocktails in the world that form the base for every single mixed drink you have ever heard of. They are The Daiquiri, Martini, Old Fashioned, Sidecar, Whisky Highball and Flip. 

Once you know these six by heart there’s no looking back. By simply swapping the elements like-for-like, for example switching the spirit, bitter or sweet element will allow you to easily recreate your favourite cocktails at home. At Rusty Barrel, we like to call this the ‘Mr Potato Head’ method. No matter what you change, the cocktail has universally recognisable base features. Now you know this ‘inside’ information hopefully you’ll feel inspired to really get creative. 

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