An Easy Recipe

Millions of adults worldwide enjoy mixing and drinking alcoholic beverages, and with good reason. They’re fun! They come in a variety of colors and flavors, they need some skill (but not too much) to mix well, and they are a terrific activity for social gatherings.

But most people, professional bartenders aside, are probably quite confused about the many varieties of mixed drinks available. Virtually everyone knows the difference between a Screwdriver and Martini, but how many know the difference between a Fix and a Fizz? Part 1 of this article discussed four of the main drink types: cocktails, flips, cobblers and crustas.

Now let’s expand on those.

Cooler: A cooler is a drink, usually served in a tall glass, made with liquor and a carbonated beverage. They are typically garnished with fruit. For a splash of the unexpected at your next party, how about serving a Calypso Cooler? The drink recipe is: 1/2 oz spiced rum, 1/2 oz peach schnapps, 1/4 oz dark rum, 2 oz orange juice, 1 oz grenadine syrup, 1 oz lime juice, 2 oz lemon-lime soda. Pour the spiced rum, peach schnapps, dark rum, orange juice, grenadine and lime juice into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice cubes, and top with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with an orange flag, and serve.

Fix: A fix is a drink which combines various liquors, citrus and sugar. Here’s a fix recipe that’s sure to be a hit. Gin Fix: 1 tsp superfine sugar, 1 oz lemon juice, 2 tsp water, 2 oz gin, 1 maraschino cherry, 1 slice lemon. Fill a cocktail shaker half way with ice. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and water and shake to mix. Strain this mixture into a highball glass filled nearly full with crushed ice. Lastly add the gin and stir well. Garnish the drink with the cherry and lemon slice and serve.

Fizz: A fizz is a fix with a carbonated beverage added. You can turn the above fix recipe into a fizz quite easily. Gin Fizz: 1 tsp superfine sugar, 1 oz lemon juice, 2 oz gin, 1 maraschino cherry, 1 slice lemon, carbonated water. In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, sugar and lemon juice. Shake well. Strain into a highball glass with two ice cubes. Fill with carbonated water and stir well. Garnish with the cherry and the lemon slice and serve.

Julep: A julep is usually sweet, with a mix of liquor and aromatic spices. A very popular julep is the Mint Julep. Here’s a simple Mint Julep drink recipe: 4 fresh mint sprigs, 2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey, 1 tsp powdered sugar, 2 tsp water. Muddle (crush against side of glass) mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a Collins glass. Fill the glass with shaved or crushed ice and add bourbon. Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw.

So here are four more varieties of mixed drinks that can make interesting additions to your bartending menu. Serve these and your friends will be impressed by you knowledge and your next social gathering will be a rounding success!