When you’re serving cocktails to guests, there’s a very easy way to impress them by tweaking the drink so it’s just how they like it:
- Use just a little less of each ingredient than the recipe calls for, or pour in your pre-mixed cocktails but leave a little room at the top.
- Ask if they prefer the drink sweet or dry or sour – whatever are the flavor options for that particular cocktail.
- Add a little bit of the correct ingredient(s) to get the flavor they’re after.
For example, you’re serving pre-mixed gin martinis, and one guests prefers hers dry. Give her some extra gin. The next guest doesn’t like them dry – give him some extra vermouth.
Or you’re serving a Honolulu cooler to someone who isn’t wild about sweet drinks, but is curious to try this one. Just add some extra lime juice to increase the tartness.
Mellow a whiskey sour by adding extra sugar, or increase the sourness by adding extra lemon juice.
Add (extra) ice to any drink to weaken it for those who find the alcohol taste a little overpowering, or aren’t big drinkers.
Common sense, and tasting your ingredients, will tell you which ingredient will increase which taste factor. And the fact that you’ve asked what they prefer and are doing your best to make it perfect is half the show – even if the final result isn’t the best drink your guest ever had, she’ll appreciate the effort you’ve made and feel well taken care of.
