This is an often asked question with a simple answer.

Here’s what to do

Combine:

1 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Water

in a heavy pan on low heat. Stir to with wooden spoon until all the sugar is dissolved. Run the spoon around the edge of the pan to keep the sugar from crystallizing. Next, bring the mixture to a boil for 3 - 5 minutes, scoop of any accumulated scum and remove from the heat. Let cool and pour in to a clean squeeze bottle. You can keep this in the fridge for a month.

An essential for every bartender, the jigger (or measure in Europe) will save the home bartender a ton of disproportioned cocktails. Counting pours is cool, but a good jigger is your key to making great cocktails without the bother of getting it wrong.

A typical jigger has two measures - 1 ounce and 1 1/2 ounce. Personally, I like the double cup versions, a 1 oz. and 1 1/2 oz. side. Some have a handle. I have a nifty one that has a bottle opener in the handle and cup doubles as a small hammer to break up ice.

If you are serious about making great cocktails, pick up a good jigger and go to town.

More Bar Tools…

The Washington Post laid out this simple and affordable collection of spirits that will have you making Martinis, Mojitos and Manhattans in no time. These dozen well picked bottles can be had for a mere $187. Not a bad investment for the Summer. Spend another $80 bucks on on 5 specialty bottles like Pernod and Campari, and you’ll have the ultimate summer bar.

The Well-Stocked Bar for Summer (washingtonpost.com)

Our guide to stocking a bar …

photo: Washington Post

This new book series by Lisa Brown is hillarious. In addition to bartending, the series lays out all sorts of chores you can have you 2 year old perform. These include banking, making breakfast and fixing the car. Kinda gives new meaning to the old bedtime story

read more | digg story
Buy It - Baby Mix Me a Drink

Mixing Drinks in an electric blender can be tricky. Not enough time and the cocktail is not mixed well, too much and it turns to slush. Here’s how we do it. Of course, you may need to adjust depending on your blender. Typically, you are goin gto use a bleder in drinks involving fruit, cream, eggs and that are frozen.First, add 1 scoop of ice (about 1 cup) to the blender. Next, add you ingredients (booze, fruit, cream, etc…) according to the recipe. Secure the lid (this may seem trivial, but ya never know) and blend on low for 10 seconds. Let sit for a second and then blend on high for 10 seconds. At this point it should be done. If the cocktail is still a bit think blend it for 5 more seconds, but that is it. Pour into the chilled (this is critical) galss of you choice. Garnish and serve.

more barteding tips…

Ice is the most important ingredient for any party. You’ll not only need lots of ice to cool down bottles of beer (or a keg) white wine and sodas, but you need it for mixed drinks as well. The good news is that ice is cheap, so buy lots of it.

We recommend getting at least pound of ice per person. This should make for a cool event.

more Party Planning tips …

This is a great question as it causes a ton of confusion amongst bartenders and the home mixologist alike. Accodring to most, a standard shot is 1 1/2 fluid ounces, this is also commonly known as a Jigger. If you are counting at home, that’s a 6 count.

Wait,there are a few other types of shots:

- a 1 ounce shot is known as a Pony
- a double shot is 3 ounces

The British have a whole different system (25ml - 35 ml for a single shot), we’ll save that for another post.

The bar tool know as a Jigger (pictured here) actually has both a 1 1/2 oz”jigger”. and a 1 oz. “pony” measure. I love this tool! Counting is fine, but the Jigger is exact. When times get busy, it is a lifesaver. What can I say, sometimes counting to 6 is hard. I tend to use a jigger to take the “human element” (aka ME) out of the equation of making drinks.

Here’s a handy guide I made (print it out and put it on the bar)
Bar Measurement Chart