Craft bartending is a skill made up of handcrafted components from fresh ingredients, such as homemade syrups, fresh-squeezed juices and herbs, and unique liqueurs. Some may call it expensive or passionate, but one thing is for sure, crafted cocktails hit a different note compared to regular beverages.
Craft Ingredients for Your Drink
It’s easy to make simple syrup. The ingredients you need are sugar and water. Boil a cup of water and add a cup of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, and let it cool. After it cools, store the syrup in a glass bottle.
The deep dark color of blackberries can add a beautiful rich shade to your cocktails. In a large pan, cook the blackberries and sugar until it becomes pulpy and the sugar is dissolved. Pour the gin into a mixing glass and strain in the fruit mix. Stir well and pour it into a bottle.
This ingredient counters any sweetness or sourness from your cocktail. It takes multiple steps to make cocktail bitters. First, make an alcohol infusion with quassia bark, cardamom seeds, coriander seeds, orange peel, caraway seeds, and dried gentian root.
Seal the jar, and shake. The mixture should be stored in a cool and dark place for 14 days. Shake it once a day. Strain the infused alcohol into a clean container. Use a muddler to break up the strained botanicals and add them to a saucepan.
Add water and mix, bringing the mixture to a boil. Cover and lower the heat. Let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the mixture into a jar. Seal and let it rest for five days in a cool and dry place. Shake it once a day.
Strain the liquid in a jar and combine it with the infused alcohol. In a small saucepan, use what you strained from the aromatic water and add sugar. Stir until the sugar caramelizes.
Add the caramelized sugar to the mixture and shake. Strain it and pour the contents into a bitter bottle.