The Case for Making Cocktails at Home (and 4 Tips to Keep it Simple)
There’s a new trend in the alcohol beverage world that has people purchasing pre-made cocktails and mixed drinks at unprecedented rates. We understand the appeal—open, pour and enjoy. What could be simpler, especially during times of uncertainty?
Our founder Karen Hoskin has been making virtual happy hours classy with the Ti’ Punch cocktails featuring Montanya Exclusiva—it doesn’t get much simpler than three ingredients.
Still, we can’t help but think there’s something about the act of making a cocktail and the quality of the end result that make it worth the effort—especially now. We’ve long held that alcohol isn’t a necessary part of a good life, but enhances one when consumed mindfully.
And making cocktails at home doesn’t have to be complicated. You can start simple, and in less than five minutes create something fresh, flavorful and free of un-identifiable ingredients. Here’s our case for making your own cocktails at home and some tips on how to do it, including access to our new (free!) e-Book, The Little Book of Cocktails:
Why Make Your Own Cocktails?
There are so many reasons! First off, we’re careful about what we consume. Our founder has celiac disease, and many of our staff are mindful of things like sugar, gluten and ingredients they don’t recognize or can’t pronounce.
It’s never made sense to us to be that careful with food and then let go of those ideals during happy hour—we like to enjoy a great cocktail and feel good the next day! When you make your own cocktails, you can choose to make them with real, whole ingredients, resulting in more peace of mind and better flavor.
It also goes beyond the taste of the cocktail. There’s something about the act of making even the simplest drink that enhances the experience—it’s a pause at the end of a long day and turns happy hour into a ritual of sorts. And when you hand someone a cocktail you made yourself, you can see and feel the difference. The impression it makes runs deeper and the smiles are more genuine.
Tip #1: Start Simple
Our Tasting Room has a reputation for making unforgettable artisan cocktails. Many customers assume this means we make complicated recipes, but we always keep simplicity in mind. When the room is packed and the orders run long, nothing is more impressive than delivering a great-tasting cocktail in a reasonable amount of time. 😆
If you’re new to making cocktails, you don’t have to start with recipes that call for several types of spirits, unfamiliar ingredients or even infusions (though infusions are easier to make than you might think). Some of the classics we love the most are also the simplest cocktails to make (you’ll find a few of them in our blog post, Simple Three-Ingredient Cocktails). It’s perfectly legit to start simple and experiment over time.
A shaker and a jigger are key items for even the most basic home bar.
Tip #2: Invest in a Few Key Pieces of Barware (It Doesn’t have to be Expensive)
A few home bar essentials will go a long way in making and enjoying cocktails at home—but you don’t have to go overboard or invest in a bar cart (unless you want to). We recommend starting with a good shaker and jigger, a few simple glasses (a high ball, coupe glass and rocks glass will do), a couple of bitters and a recipe book or two. (You’ll find more specific recommendations in the Little Book of Cocktails and if you want the guess work taken out, we also offer a bar kit in our online store.)
Tip #3: Let the Spirits do the Heavy Lifting
When you’re starting out, it’s easy to go for the recognizable brands—and some of them are well-known for good reason. We like to dig a little deeper, though, because some spirits have artificial ingredients to add flavor, color, create a desired “mouth feel,” or act as preservatives. Some of these additives even have gluten, taking something inherently gluten-free and making it a bad choice for those who have celiac disease or gluten intolerances.
Figuring out which brands are which can be a bit tricky—companies aren’t required to report ingredients that account for less than 2% of the product. It takes some research, and even trial and error. We take some of the guess work out in our blog post Setting the Record Straight on Gluten in Spirits, which includes a link to a list of gluten-free alcohols and spirits. (And for the record, Montanya rums are free of gluten and artificial additives.)
Tip #4: A Little Bit of Planning Ahead Makes Happy Hour a Breeze
A little planning ahead (and for local Montanya fans, our cocktail kits) makes the Basil Paradisi simple to make on the fly.
When you have a few simple ingredients on hand, deciding what to make and making it quick is easy. We stock our home bars with simple syrups (making your own is so simple), homemade rum infusions (like Vanilla Rum), fresh citrus instead of juice, and a handful of tried and true mixers like soda water and tonic. It doesn’t take much time to acquire or make these items, and it makes cocktail night easy to pull off. It’s like meal prep to make weeknight dinners easy, only you don’t have to do it every week. 😊
Not sure where to start with these items? Check out the Little Book of Cocktails, which includes some of our favorite garnishes and mixers, and discusses how to reduce sugar in cocktails without compromising flavor. (And yes, we know—we’ve mentioned that little eBook a lot. But we’ve packed it full of info on making good cocktails at home, and it’s free!)
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when it comes to making cocktails at home? Keep the pressure low. If your first cocktail shaker is a mason jar, you won’t be the first home bartender to improvise.
A Closer Look at the Little Book of Cocktails:
Since we’ve mentioned it so many times, here’s a look at our brand new e-Book (it’s free!):
An Everyday Guide to Cocktails
What to stock in your home bar, elevating mixers & garnishes, demystifying gluten in spirits, and where to find recipes so you can enjoy better cocktails at home.