The classic pillars
The drinks the whole bar canon stands on, one lesson each.
1. Negroni
Equal thirds gin, Campari, sweet vermouth; stirred over ice, orange peel. A lesson in bitter balance: five millilitres either way makes a different drink…2. Old Fashioned
Older than the word 'cocktail': spirit, sugar, bitters. Stirred slowly over a big cube; the peel is expressed over the glass. Teaches patience and the dash.3. Daiquiri
Rum, lime, sugar — the bartender's tuning fork. Shaken to frost, served straight up in a frozen coupe. Nowhere to hide.4. Margarita
The sour in full dress: tequila, triple sec, lime and the salt rim — an ingredient, not a decoration. Salt the outside, before you build.5. Martini
Gin and dry vermouth, stirred, twist or olive. A lesson in temperature: everything ice-cold, gin from the freezer, glass too. The ratio is where character…6. Whiskey Sour
Bourbon in a sour frame, optionally egg white and the dry shake. Teaches foam: 10 seconds without ice, then 15 with.7. Mojito
Muddled mint (gently!), lime, syrup, rum, soda, a mountain of crushed ice. Teaches herbs: press the mint, never grind it.8. Espresso Martini
Vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso; a violent shake builds the crema and three beans on top. The coffee-temperature lesson: let the shot cool a minute…
Equal thirds gin, Campari, sweet vermouth; stirred over ice, orange peel. A lesson in bitter balance: five millilitres either way makes a different drink…2. Old Fashioned
Older than the word 'cocktail': spirit, sugar, bitters. Stirred slowly over a big cube; the peel is expressed over the glass. Teaches patience and the dash.3. Daiquiri
Rum, lime, sugar — the bartender's tuning fork. Shaken to frost, served straight up in a frozen coupe. Nowhere to hide.4. Margarita
The sour in full dress: tequila, triple sec, lime and the salt rim — an ingredient, not a decoration. Salt the outside, before you build.5. Martini
Gin and dry vermouth, stirred, twist or olive. A lesson in temperature: everything ice-cold, gin from the freezer, glass too. The ratio is where character…6. Whiskey Sour
Bourbon in a sour frame, optionally egg white and the dry shake. Teaches foam: 10 seconds without ice, then 15 with.7. Mojito
Muddled mint (gently!), lime, syrup, rum, soda, a mountain of crushed ice. Teaches herbs: press the mint, never grind it.8. Espresso Martini
Vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso; a violent shake builds the crema and three beans on top. The coffee-temperature lesson: let the shot cool a minute…
Free printables
Printable Cocktail Recipe CardsEight classics on 4 × 6 cards, with room for your notesFree PDF · US Letter and A4 →
Vintage Cocktail PostersSix classics as vintage-style prints: Negroni, Martini, Old Fashioned, Margarita, Daiquiri and MojitoFree PDF · US Letter and A4 →
Retro Cocktail Posters IISix more classics as vintage-style prints: Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, Mai Tai, French 75, Sidecar and Mint JulepFree PDF · US Letter and A4 →
Cocktail Tasting JournalTaste like a bartender: pages to rate and remember every drinkFree PDF · US Letter and A4 →
25 Classic CocktailsThe recipes every home bartender should know, with exact measuresFree PDF · US Letter and A4 →