Cocktail Garnishes 101

Cocktail Garnishes 101 with Matthew

 Matthew from the Bottleneck training team is teaching us all about garnishes and showing us how to use items you already have at home.

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Why use garnishes?

To regulate acidity, to reawaken your palate, and let’s be honest, for fun.

Acid: Think citrus. They help regulate the level of acidity and sourness of a cocktail. If you prefer your beverage on the sweeter side, discard the lime but if you like a tart drink, go ahead and squeeze it in.

Cleanse Your Palate: Olives and cherries are snackable garnishes that can help reawaken our palates. This helps prevent the second half of your cocktail from tasting muted. Plus, adding a garnish gives our drinks an aroma they wouldn’t have otherwise.

Fun: Some garnishes are just for show and to add a little extra pizazz to your drink. Garnishes that usually fall under this umbrella are flower petals, pineapple leaves, and of course, tiny umbrellas.

 

 

Garnishes To Try

The only limit to your cocktails is your own creativity.

For the rim: Salt, sugar, cinnamon sugar, seasoning blends like cajun and tajin

Snackables: Olives, cherries, pineapple, berries, bacon, cheese

Fresh: Cucumber, mint

Classics: Oranges, lemons, limes. They are classics for a reason, but you can get creative with your presentation. Cut into a wedge or wheel, put in just the peel, skewer, or even sear them.

For Show: Mini umbrellas, pineapple leaf, rosemary, flowers

 

 

How To Rim Your Glass

1. Put your salt, sugar, or seasoning on a small plate.

2. Decide if you want the garnish rim to go all the way around or on just one side.

3. Rub a lime or lemon wedge on the areas you want the garnish to adhere to.

4. Either dip or roll the rim of the glass in your seasoning mixture.

 

 

 

Go-to Garnishes

 Gin & vodka-based drinks: Lemons, limes, olives

Whiskey-based cocktails: Limes, oranges, lemons, cherries

Brandy: Cherries

 

 

Try a new garnish and tag us on social. We want to see them!