The Cocktail Shaker You Should Actually Buy
Choosing a cocktail shaker looks simple until you actually buy one. Cobbler shakers are approachable, Boston shakers are faster and more durable, and most cheap cocktail kits get the decision wrong. Here is which shaker to buy for a home...
Two Dashes That Change Everything
Cocktail bitters are the smallest ingredient in the glass, but they are often the difference between a drink that tastes flat and one that feels complete. Here is what bitters do, which bottles matter, and how to use them properly....
The Negroni
The Negroni looks simple on paper, but equal parts does not mean thoughtless. Here is the history, the proper ratio, how to choose your gin and vermouth, and why the drink works at all.
How to Make Clear Ice at Home
Clear ice is the one craft-bar technique most home bartenders still skip, and it is the single biggest visual upgrade you can make to a stirred drink. Here is how to make it properly, and when it is actually worth...
The Only Bar Tools You Actually Need
Most advice around cocktail equipment gets it backwards. You are told to buy a full kit before you even know what you like to make. Here is what you actually need.
What Is Amaro?
Amaro is less a flavor than a function. This guide shows how to actually use it in drinks, from modifier to backbone to digestif.
The Vieux Carré
Created in the 1930s at the Hotel Monteleone's Carousel Bar, the Vieux Carré combines rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, and Bénédictine into something that should not work, but absolutely does.
The Penicillin
Created in 2005 at Milk and Honey in New York by bartender Sam Ross, the Penicillin has earned a place in the permanent canon in under two decades. Here's how to get it right.
The Hurricane Cocktail
The Hurricane cocktail is a classic New Orleans drink often dismissed due to tourist versions. Made properly, it is a layered rum cocktail with passion fruit syrup, fresh citrus, and real depth.
Vermouth Is Wine
There is a bottle of vermouth on most home bar carts that has been open for months. But vermouth is wine, and like wine, it changes once it is open. Here is why that matters for every cocktail you make...
The Dry Shake
If you've ever marveled at that perfect layer of silky foam on a craft cocktail bar Whiskey Sour, you've witnessed the magic of the dry shake. Here's the science behind it and exactly how to do it.