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If there’s one thing in plentiful supply in the world of mixology (or cocktail making if you like) it is funny terms. One of them is ‘muddle’ or ‘muddling’ a cocktail. It is also one of the simple techniques you will need to learn if you want to make a number of drinks and is something that can also be used for things like adding flavour to homemade lemonade.
Want to know how to muddle cocktails? Let’s get started!
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What does ‘muddle’ mean when making a cocktail?
Muddling is a technique used when making drinks that use certain types of fresh ingredients that are a bit delicate. Herbs are a classic example with mint being the one you are most likely to run into first (here’s looking at you Mojito!)
The idea is to gently press and mix the ingredients around without grinding them to a pulp or squashing them completely. It takes a little practice to master but once you do, drinks that require muddling will be so much nicer.
What can you use to muddle?
The classic muddler is a bit like the pestle from a mortar and pestle only it tends to be longer to reach into tall glasses. Six to eight inches is a good length and around one inch in diameter.
There are lots of materials for muddlers. The simplest is a wooden one which sometimes has a flat bottom or sometimes has a toothed finish (those little spikes). They are often shaped a little wider at the top to make it easier to hold and grip. You can get unvarnished ones, the only worry there would be that some of the stronger ingredients could taint the wood so I would side with something like varnished bamboo.
My favourite is a metal muddler with a rubber bottom that is sturdy and easy to clean. These are often a little shaped and the bottom section is usually toothed. Some even have a non-slip grip to make it easier to muddle.
Finally, you can something like a polycarbonate muddler which personally I haven’t tried. But if you want something simple but easy to clean, this would be a good option as the plastic will not stain and should be dishwasher safe.
Can you muddle without a muddler?
Of course, if you are all spent up on buying the alcohol for your cocktails and can’t stretch to a muddler, that doesn’t mean you are going to completely miss out on a whole section of cocktails. That’s because it is possible to muddle through without a muddler.
One easy opening is a heavy glass with a thick bottom or even a measuring cup around two cups in size. You want something a little heavier than the average glass and with a flat bottom. Then you can squash the ingredients gently under it.
A bar spoon or a long-handled spoon (like you use for latte glasses) is another solution. As long as it doesn’t have too large a head, you can muddle the ingredients against the side of the glass with the back of the spoon.
Finally, if you have a rolling pin in the house then one end can work just fine as a muddler. Rounded or square, just use it to crush the herbs or other ingredients then slide them into the glass.
How to muddle
Once you have your muddler of choice, you are ready to actually do some muddling. The process is a simple one.
- Put the ingredients such as mint leaves in the bottom of a mixing glass or cocktail shaker, even the serving glass if that’s what the recipe recommends
- Gently press down and give it a half turn with the muddler
- Release and repeat until the ingredients are muddled but not completely squashed, usually 4-6 turns depending on the ingredient involved
- Add the other ingredients and follow the rest of the instructions to make the drink
Classic muddled cocktails
So, having said all of that about muddling cocktails, what are some examples of actual cocktail recipes you can make using this technique?
The classic of all classic muddled cocktails is the Mojito. This uses 6-8 mint leaves with simple syrup, lime juice, white rum and club soda. The mint leaves are muddled with the lime juice and sugar in the glass then the rum and ice added before being topped up with club soda.
Another famous cocktail is the Caipirinha, a type of spirit created in Brazil that is a bit like rum called cachaca. The drink is also very simple – muddle lime and sugar in a glass then add the cachaca and ice.
The Mint Julep and the various types of drinks it has led to are another mint muddle drink. Again, you muddle mint and sugar then add bourbon and ice before finishing with a mint spring and a straw.
The Smash cocktails are another sizeable category and they take muddling to the next level. A few examples of smash combinations include:
- Bourbon with peaches and mint
- Gin with strawberries and thyme
- Rye whiskey with cherries and tarragon
- Rum with raspberries and basil
- Tequila with pineapple and sage
- Whiskey with nectarines and lemon verbena
With all of them the basic idea is much the same – add the fruit and herbs, muddle them then add the alcohol and any other ingredients.
Easy mixology technique
Learning to muddle cocktails correctly is one of the basics of mixology and is well worth learning. It opens up a range of different cocktails and enhances them with unique flavours of ingredients like mint. Armed with your trusty muddler, there’s no end to the cocktails you can now make!
You might also like Bailey’s Boozy Milkshake by The Cocktail Bird
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