5 Tips for the Perfect Cocktail
The Whaling Club co-founder shares his must-haves
At our recent “almost summer” party in Los Angeles, we invited our local clients and creative community to come celebrate the change of the seasons. The Whaling Club kept everyone happy with a fantastic assortment cocktails. In the midst of the shaking and stirring, we asked the co-founder, Dan Scott, for his tips on making the perfect cocktail. In case you plan on hosting your own gatherings this summer, we wanted to share what we learned.
Quality Spirits
When making cocktails, he recommends using quality spirits that don’t break the bank. You’ll want to use something with character and personality, but not something that will leave a master distiller rolling over in his grave, and of course nothing that comes in a plastic bottle.
Big Ice
Most cocktails will benefit from being served over a large single piece of ice rather than several smaller pieces. Using cold ice that’s pure of imperfections will prolong the life of the cocktail and the reduced surface area of a single large cube helps to introduce additional water content at a slower rate which is almost always a good thing.
Chilled Glassware
While some bars will chill their glassware at the last minute, and others not at all, he recommends keeping a few of your favorite cocktail glasses directly in the freezer. We’re all familiar with the frosty beer mug, but we don’t see nearly enough frosty martini glasses. A chilled glass will help keep your drink cold for a longer period of time and is sure to impress any guest.
Fresh Ingredients
He can’t emphasize enough that using fresh ingredients makes better cocktails 100% of the time. Keeping an elbow juicer in the house along with a handful of lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges will ensure that you’re always ready to for a fresh margarita or daiquiri. House-made syrups allow you to control the balance of your drinks, and berries and herbs are a fantastic way to add a seasonal touch to your cocktails.
Accurate Measurements
He likes to equate making cocktails more to baking than to cooking. With cooking you often taste as you go, adding a pinch of salt here and there. With baking (and cocktails), you’re better off finding a recipe you love and sticking to it every time. Most cocktail recipes have been balanced down to the quarter of an ounce so you’ll want to use a jigger to accurately measure each ingredients just as you would when baking a cake.
For all of your cocktail needs visit www.thewhalingclub.com and follow the @thewhalingclub
