If you've ever mixed a cocktail at home and thought, "this doesn’t taste quite as good as the ones I enjoy in a cocktail bar," you’re not imagining things. There are several key reasons your home drinks might miss the mark. From citrus juice quality to how you shake, measure, and serve, each element plays a part. Let’s break it down and share some practical tips to help you make drinks that taste like they came from a professional.
Cocktail bars almost always use freshly squeezed citrus like lime, lemon, or orange. Fresh juice has bright acidity and delicate oils that create a noticeable flavour difference. Bottled sour mix or juice, on the other hand, is often overly sweet or flat. It contains preservatives and lacks aroma. At home, squeezing citrus right before mixing takes only 30 seconds, but it can dramatically improve your drink.
Bars use lots of ice. They fill the shaker, the glass, and often use large cubes. This helps with proper chilling and dilution. If you don’t use enough ice, or if your ice is crushed or too small, it melts too fast. That leads to a watery or warm drink. Proper dilution is part of a good cocktail. Ideally, about 25 to 30 percent of the ice melts during shaking or stirring. This creates balance. If you shake for just a few seconds, your drink won’t chill properly or taste right.
Even if you use plenty of ice, a quick shake or stir won’t cut it. Your cocktail will stay too warm and under-diluted. Shaking for too long can also be a problem, as it may water the drink down too much. Bartenders usually shake for about 10 to 15 seconds depending on the recipe. This creates the ideal mix of cold temperature and proper dilution. At home, many people stop shaking too soon, which often results in a drink that’s either too harsh or too strong.
Precision matters in cocktail making. Mixologists use jiggers to measure spirits, citrus juice, syrups, and other ingredients. This ensures consistency and balance. At home, many people pour by eye, which can throw off the ratio completely.
You’ve probably seen the viral “two shots of vodka” meme. Watch it here. Sandra Lee claims to pour two shots, but it looks more like four or five ounces. It’s a funny clip, but not a great example of how to make a balanced cocktail.
To improve your home drinks, use a jigger. If you don’t have one, you can still measure accurately. Try using this online converter to convert ounces into millilitres, teaspoons, or tablespoons. That way, you can use kitchen tools you already own to get the ratios right.
Bars chill their glassware in advance so the drink stays cold longer. At home, we often pour straight into a room-temperature glass, which immediately warms up the cocktail. Chilling a glass is simple. You can place it in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice water while preparing the drink. Pouring into a cold glass improves the entire experience.
Good cocktails depend on technique as much as on ingredients. Small details such as how you shake, how fast you stir, or whether you garnish can all affect the final result. Even the order in which you add ingredients matters. Bartenders follow specific methods because they know it influences everything from aroma to mouthfeel. At home, skipping these steps can make a big difference in the outcome, so make sure you don't just skim those recipes, follow them to a T!
The water you use, especially for ice, can change the taste of your drink. Tap water with strong mineral content or chlorine can create off-flavours. Many bars use filtered water for this reason.
Another thing to consider is how you store your spirits. A bottle that’s been open for months may taste dull due to oxidation. Try to store bottles upright, sealed tightly, and in a cool place. Consider buying smaller bottles if you don’t use them often, especially for liqueurs and vermouths.
This one isn’t technical, but it still matters. A cocktail often tastes better at a bar because of the experience. Think about the lighting, music, mood, and presentation. At home, most of us make drinks while multitasking. We sip while cooking or watching TV. That makes the drink feel less special. Creating even a small ritual around making your cocktail can enhance the way you experience it.
If you’re in Montreal or nearby, you don’t have to wonder if your ratios are right or stress over finding a jigger. Our expert mixologists at MTL Craft Cocktails will bring everything to you and create beautiful, balanced drinks for your party or event.
If you'd like to learn to make better cocktails yourself, we also offer group mixology workshops. These fun, hands-on sessions teach you the fundamentals of cocktail making. You’ll learn how to mix like a pro, using proper technique, ingredients, and tools.
Whether you're planning a party or just want to improve your skills, we're here to help you bring the cocktail bar experience to your home.
Ready to upgrade your cocktail game? Reach out today to book your private mixology session or event. Let’s shake something great together.
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