Create Your Own Cocktail!

Now that you’ve stocked your bar, collected some tools and tried some easy recipes you should be ready for the next step in your journey to becoming a home-bartender. Today, we’re going to teach you three strategies to creating your first signature cocktail!

The Hot-Swap
The first strategy is something you’re probably already familiar with. Take a recipe you already know, and swap out one ingredient. For example, swap out the tequila in a Paloma for grapefruit flavoured vodka and you’ve got yourself a Swedish Paloma! Or, swap out the rum in a Mojito for lime flavoured vodka, and you’ve just made a Vodka Mojito! The possibilities here are nearly endless! Just swap one ingredient out for something that tastes similar and you’ve got yourself a brand new-ish drink!

Infusions
This one requires a bit more work ahead of time, but gives a much better payoff in the end. In short, by infusing spirits and syrups with new flavours, you can transform the taste of the original cocktail. To learn more about infusions, check out our guide to Simple Syrup.

The 2:1:1 Formula
If you’re not just looking to change an existing recipe but create your very own from scratch, the 2:1:1 formula is the place to start. Although you might already have an idea of what you want to put in your cocktail, balancing those ingredients might still be tricky. This is where the 2:1:1 formula comes in.

If you’ve ever made drinks like the Tom Collins, Vodka Sour or Sea Breeze, you’ve already used this formula! Essentially, the 2:1:1 formula denotes a ratio of ingredients, that will always yield a perfectly balanced drink. To start, use 2 parts of your spirit of choice, 1 part of something sweet, and 1 part of something sour. Try making your signature drink using this formula first, then adjust the ratios to your liking!

Need a place to start? Here are 7 recipes to experiment with!