Learn cocktails with confidence.
Beginner-friendly guides to cocktail techniques, essential recipes, tools and home bartending.
Fundamentals
What Is Building a Cocktail?
What the build method means, which cocktails use it and how it differs from shaking and stirring.
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Fundamentals
Core skills and concepts every home bartender should master first.
10 Guides -
Essential Cocktails
The classic recipes every well-stocked home bar should be able to make.
1 Guide Tools & Glassware
What to buy, what to skip, and how to use the equipment you already have.
Coming soonBeginner Questions
Quick, direct answers to the questions every beginner has but hesitates to ask.
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New to cocktails? Start here.
Five steps that take you from complete beginner to confident home bartender.
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Learn the core techniques
Shaking, stirring, straining — master the three methods that cover 90% of cocktails.
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Stock the essential spirits
You don't need everything. Start with four bottles and make dozens of cocktails.
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Make your first five cocktails
Five classic recipes that teach you technique, balance and flavour at the same time.
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Fundamentals
All guides
What Is Building a Cocktail?
What the build method means, which cocktails use it and how it differs from shaking and stirring.
Large Ice vs Standard Ice: Does Ice Size Matter?
How cocktail ice size affects chilling, dilution and serving, and when large cubes are actually worth using.
How to Salt a Cocktail Glass Rim Properly
How to create a clean, even salt rim for Margaritas without over-salting the drink.
How to Make a Margarita Without Triple Sec
A tequila, lime and agave Margarita with no orange liqueur, inspired by the Tommy's style.
What Is Double Straining and When Should You Do It?
What double straining removes, which cocktails benefit and when a normal strain is enough.
How to Stir a Cocktail Properly
Learn bar spoon technique, stirring time, ice and dilution for smoother spirit-forward cocktails.
What Is Dry Shaking and When Should You Use It?
What a dry shake does, which cocktails need one, and how to build better cocktail foam.
How Much Ice Should You Use in a Cocktail?
How much ice to use when shaking, stirring and serving cocktails, plus what actually controls dilution.
Shake vs Stir: When to Shake or Stir a Cocktail
The simple rule for knowing which cocktails to shake, which to stir, and what each technique actually changes.