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Building A Better Home Bar with Jeffrey Morgenthaler

by Seanan Forbes on Oct 28, 2014 in Liquor for Clyde Common
  
Asked what common mistakes home bartenders make, Morgenthale

Asked what common mistakes home bartenders make, Morgenthaler has an immediate answer: “Not shaking drinks hard enough or long enough.” It’s a common mistake. “I think a lot of people shake for three seconds and then think it’s done.” What should you aim for? “Ten to fifteen seconds, shaken very hard.”

You’re shaking to a dual purpose: dilution and chill. The two are inseparable. “You can’t get a drink cold without getting it diluted,” Morgenthaler says, “and you can’t get it diluted without getting it cold.”

Don’t think of dilution as a bad thing, as if you were making a weak drink. A well-made cocktail contains a healthy portion of water – and Morgenthaler says that’s the way you want it. “An undiluted drink is too strong. Water is one of the most important elements in a cocktail.”

And since water is such an important element, the best bartenders use great ice: solid, cold and clear. Morgenthaler has three tips for those who want to get a good chill at home: “Use bigger cubes. Use a silicon mold. And set your freezer to very cold.”

2/5

Photo by Dylan + Jeni

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