Drink measurements

How much alcohol should I put into my cocktails? How much soda should I add? What is a Part?

Cocktails are a great way to enjoy a night out or a special occasion. They also provide a good opportunity to experiment with new flavors and ingredients.

There are several ways to measure the amount of alcohol and ingredients in a cocktail. Some bartenders like to weigh out their ingredients by volume, some use a jigger, while others like to eyeball the parts in a drink using a speed pourer.

What is a Part in a Drink?
A part in is simply a relative measurement and works for single drinks and large batches. For example, when the recipe calls for 1 part of ingredient A, and 2 parts of ingredient B, you use twice as much of ingredient B. Example two parts (2 shot glasses) of orange juice, and one part (1 shot) of vodka.

Dash or Splash
A dash is bigger than a splash, but both are small amounts. You use them to flavor a cocktail for taste, so it’s a bit of a judgment call. A splash generally involves less viscous liquids such as mixers, whereas dashes are used with stronger flavorings, such as tabasco.

Jiggers
Jiggers are metal measuring devices that usually have two cones, one on either end.  Typically they measure 1 oz. (30 ml) and 1.5 oz. (45 ml)

Get used to these terms and measurements:
Jigger: 1 1/2 oz. (imperial), 2.4 cl (Metric), 45 ml.
Cup: 8 oz. (imperial), 24 cl (Metric)
Tablespoon: 1/2 oz. (imperial), 1.5 cl (Metric)