DIY Cocktails

  • What’s the difference between a cream liqueur and a crème liqueur?

    ByDOTW Staff

    Sometimes it seems to take a special dictionary to navigate the cocktail world. For instance, while it is true that crème is the French word for cream, a crème liqueur and a cream liqueur are not the same.

    Cream liqueurs, such as Baileys or Carolans Irish cream, contain dairy cream. Crème liqueurs, such as crème de menthe and crème de cacao, have more sugar than other liqueurs and therefore a thicker consistency. They do not, … Read more

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    Maple Bacon Bloody Mary

    ByDOTW Staff

    I love Bloody Marys! Since it’s tomato season, now is the perfect time to make this cocktail with fresh tomatoes. It’s easier than you think.

    This variation includes bacon and maple syrup, but it’s not just for brunch! Bacon makes such a tasty garnish and the maple syrup perks up the natural sweetness of the fresh tomatoes.

    As far as garnishes go, the Bloody Mary is the most fun. Why stop with bacon? Add the … Read more

  • Sangria Basics

    Sangria is a DIY dream. It’s a wine punch with fruit and liquor in it. What kind of wine, fruit and liquor? That’s up to you.

    Some people like to top off their sangria with ginger ale, lemon-lime soda or club soda. Some people like it room temperature, while others drink it over ice. It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t like sangria. It’s possible they wouldn’t be people worth knowing.

    Using expensive wine is … Read more

  • Martin Miller’s DIY Gift Pack Giveaway

    ByJonas Halpren

    It’s still Summer, so why not giveaway some cool stuff to make cocktails and a $150 Amex Gift Card. Simply like this page, comment or like Martin Miller’s Facebook Page and you’ll be entered to win a DIY Summer Cocktail Gift Pack containing a shaker and other bar tools, a copy of our book DIY Cocktails and $150 Amex Gift Card (for incidentals).

    * To enter you must be at least 21 years of age … Read more

  • Manhattans: Stirred Not Shaken

    ByDOTW Staff

    The Manhattan is one of my favorite cocktails, yet some bars make me sad by shaking this drink instead of stirring it. Overall, a good rule of thumb to follow is that if a drink consists of all alcoholic mixers (as this one does), then stirring is sufficient to mix the drink. As Robert Hess points out in this instructional video, it also makes for a much more visually appealing cocktail. Check out this video … Read more

  • Lychee Gimlet

    Until this drink, I’d never had a cocktail made with fresh lychees. Their bumpy shell houses a squishy, gelatinous fruit with a little seed inside that. It tastes like a sweeter more syrupy grape with an exotic fruit twist. Nolet’s Gin sent me a box of lychees and a suggestion for how to use them … a Gimlet made with lychees. How could I resist?

    In case you’ve never seen a lychee before (I hadn’t), … Read more

  • How to Muddle

    ByDOTW Staff

    Many cocktails have “muddled” ingredients, so recipes tell you to grab your muddler and muddle away. But what does that even mean?

    A muddler is a wooden pestle that looks like a miniature baseball bat. The flat end is used to smash ingredients, such as the lime and mint in a Mojito. We recommend wood because it won’t damage your glasses. Some muddlers have teeth on the end, which is great for fruits but too … Read more

  • How to Make Flavored Syrup

    ByDOTW Staff

    Flavored syrups are a simple way to add flair to your cocktails. But you don’t need the store-bought variety. You can take your favorite fruit, herbs and even vegetables and turn them into a cocktail syrup. It’s as easy as boiling water! And who says the syrup is just for cocktails? Mix it with club soda or sparkling water for an easy homemade soda.

    Here is the basic formula and instructions:

    Ingredients

    1 part water… Read more

  • Delft Blue

    It’s Mixology Monday time again, and this month we are hosted by Adventures In Cocktails with the theme – “Niche Spirits”. So that means no basics: no vodka, tequila, gin, rum, brandy or whiskey.

    We said, “Hey, how about a nice Genever Cocktail from our new book – DIY Cocktails?”

    Genever, AKA “Holland Gin”, is the Dutch predecessor from which the more ubiquitous “London Dry” gin evolved.

    Ingredients:
    2 parts Bols Genever
    1 part Creme … Read more

  • American Dad

    If your Dad is a fan of classic whiskey cocktails, this new creation with a strong, traditional flavor may be the one to mix him for Father’s Day.

    Using the ratio for a Manhattan as inspiration, I started with a rye base and played with the sweet/dry balance that the vermouth usually offers. Amer is a French aperitif with flavors of bitter orange and gentian root. (AMERican Dad, get it? Ha?) Dry vermouth is often … Read more