mocktails

• Mocktail


  A mixture of one or more liquids with other ingredients prepared in a specific manner. Usually, a major ingredient predominates and other items complement the color and flavor.
• Common ingredients used in preparing mocktails

  • Ice
  • Carbonated drinks (soda, cola, ginger ale, tonic)
  • Fruit juices
  • Dairy products (milk, cream, ice, eggs)
  • Fruits and other garnishes
  • Sugar syrup
  • Other ingredients (condiments, spices, bitters)
• Ice


  • Key element used to chill the glass, chill and dilute the drink, and fill up the glass
• Carbonated drinks


  • Usually freshly drawn, kept chilled, and are used to fizz up the drink
• Fruit juices


  • Serve as the base of the drink. Fresh juices always give the best taste and flavor; however, these should be well-chilled and used within their limited shelf life. Some bartenders prefer ready-made mixes which last longer and to ensure consistency.
• Dairy products


  • Include milk, cream, ice, eggs
• Fruits and other garnishes

  • Good bars have a large selection of fruits, cut and prepared in different shapes to be used as garnishes
• Garnishes


  Edible (cut fruits) and non-edible (fancy items like fancy umbrella) products used to decorate a drink, making it more appealing and presentable
• Sugar syrup


  Unlike granulated sugar, sugar syrup quickly mix with liquid, hence more suitable in preparing mocktails
• Other ingredients


  • Condiments (tobacco sauce, Worcestershire sauce)
  • Salt
  • Spices (nutmeg, cinnamon)
  • Bitters
• Methods of Making Mocktails

  1. Build - Ingredients are added step by step in the glass in which the drink is to be served. The ingredients are floated one on top of the other, taking advantage of the difference in the viscosity of the liquids.

  2. Stir - The ingredients are mixed by stirring them with ice in a mixing glass and straining the mixture into a chilled serving glass. Ingredients that easily blend are stirred.

  3. Shake - In this method, the ingredients are mixed by shaking them by hand in special shakers. Usually, ingredients that do not readily mix like sugar, cream, egg, and fruit juices are shaken before being strained into the glass.

  4. Blend - Blended drinks are made using electrical blenders. Most drinks that are shaken can also be blended. However, drinks incorporating foods like ice, cream, and fruits need to be always blended.
• Rules in Making Good Mocktails

  • Ice should be clear, clean, and fresh.
  • Use clean shakers and fill them up to ¾ full only.
  • Carbonated drinks are not shaken or blended.
  • Mocktails should always be served in clean, pre-chilled glasses.
  • Measure ingredients accurately; inaccurate mixing spoils balance in the drink.
  • Do not reuse ice, stirrer or garnish.
  • Garnish the drink only after it is made and added into the glass.
• Types of Garnishing Drinks

  • Simple - Sliced fruit (fresh or preserved), peeled vegetable or herb, placed either on the rim of the glass or in the drink.
  • Specialized/Elaborate - It is a combination of sliced fruit, peeled vegetable or herb, and decoration placed either on the rim of the glass or in the drink.
  • Frosted/Rimmed - Salt or sugar is added on the rim of the glass to provide flavor and texture to the drink.
• Rules in Garnishing Drinks

  • Garnish must be related to the drink
  • Do not over garnish or over decorate the drink
  • Proportion the size of the garnish with the size of the glass
  • As much as possible, a garnish should be edible
  • Handle garnish properly - Avoid handling garnish with bare hands. If it is needed to hold it with bare fingers, hold garnish on the part which is not edible