Measuring: The Secret to Perfect Drinks

A lot of people think that bartending is an easy job. Not true. Bartending is a scientific method that has to be mastered to become an art. Bartenders have to deal with things like following cocktail recipes, blending mixed drinks, and measuring drinks for mixing. These steps have to be executed gracefully and perfectly because one mistake can destroy a drink. The most important thing in mixing drinks is the process of measuring. Cocktails and mixed drinks have their own unique recipes and they should be followed top the letter. If you put in too much or too little it can make a huge, readily noticeable difference. The most common mistake that new mixers make is to add extra liquor to drinks thinking that their guests want a stronger cocktail. This is the kind of thing that should be avoided when measuring drinks.

In measuring, there is a lot of terminology that should be memorized. For example, a “jigger”, the main instrument that is used for measuring drinks, is used to measure up to 4 cl of liquor.

The usual measurements in recipes are centiliters, splashes, and dashes, but you can come across other forms of measurements. Many old cocktail books use the term “parts” and this refers to a fraction of the glass size that the cocktail is to be served in. For example, three parts vodka is the same as 3 cl vodka. Your glasses should be sized adequately because the process of ice melting doesn’t add to this method.

When using splashes and dashes, the best measuring tool to use is a measuring spoon. Aside from splashes and dashes, drop and pony are also part of measuring terminologies. A pony is equal to 3cl, a dash is equal to 1/6 of a teaspoon or 5ml, a splash is almost a dash because it’s the smallest amount of liquid that you can pour out of a bottle, and a drop is one drop.

These are the things to take in and have knowledge of when you are measuring drinks for mixing. Remember, measurements can make or break the drink you’re mixing.