Bartending Techniques

Master the art of cocktail making with step-by-step guidance

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Fundamentals

Every bartender needs these -- the foundation of cocktail making

10 techniques

High-Volume & Speed

Speed, efficiency, and service techniques for busy bars

10 techniques

Upscale & Presentation

Elegant presentation and service for fine dining and craft bars

12 techniques

Craft Cocktail

Artisanal preparation, house-made ingredients, and creative techniques

16 techniques

Insane

Molecular, experimental, and over-the-top techniques for the truly dedicated

12 techniques

Technique connects to:Glassware Guide (glass choice per technique)Template Ratios (what to build)Flavor Theory (why the technique matters)
References

Sources for the technique canon — from muddling discipline to fat-washing, milk clarification, and carbonation.

  • Jeffrey Morgenthaler (2014). The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique. Chronicle Books.
    Used for: Technique discipline — measuring, shaking form, dry shake, reverse dry shake, throwing, service standards.
  • Dave Arnold (2014). Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail. W.W. Norton.
    Used for: Dilution and temperature targets for shaken vs stirred drinks, acid-adjusting technique, batching math, carbonation.
  • Jim Meehan (2011). The PDT Cocktail Book. Sterling Epicure.
    Used for: Modern craft technique specifics, glassware discipline, contemporary house specs.
  • Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, David Kaplan (2018). Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions. Ten Speed Press.
    Used for: Root-recipe framework, the Modern Sour 2:1:¾ house standard, family-tree approach to cocktail templates.
  • David Wondrich (2007). Imbibe! From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to Professor Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar. Perigee.
    Used for: Historical claims about 19th-century American cocktail lineage — Jerry Thomas era, template origins, Martini ratio drift.