Bartending School: Mixology, the way we mix drinks.

Mixology

Mixology is the study of mixing drinks. It is a fake word. That is, you won't find mixology in any dictionary of repute or renown. That being said, you won't find most people who write dictionaries in bars either.

Mixology is about know how to make a mix of things taste really good. This does not need to be a complicated list of forty ingredients. Mix drinks of all sorts rely on the tempering of a mixologist's skill to make them tasty. For example, one the glaring falsities out there is that more booze in a mix drink makes it better. No. More booze in a mix drink makes it taste like, well, more booze. At that point, the mix drink in question ceases to be a mix drink and becomes a means of getting drunk. A good gin and tonic, for example, tastes like a gin and tonic, not gin with tonic thrown in. To make mix drinks properly, a bartender relies on their mixology experience to guide their pouring hand.

So how does one study mixology? Mixology is not a list or text book. Mixology may be best described as a 'feel' or as 'experience.' To get this feel takes practice. It is kind of like an apprenticeship. As you gain bartending experience you will begin to see certain things, 'feel' how a drink should be made, and know what each mix drink should taste like.

In many ways, mixology means different things for different bartenders. Depending on their individual experiences, bartender may make certain mix drinks differently etc. None of this is wrong. With mixology it is all about the personal study of the mix drinks you make and whether or not people like the way they taste. There are purists out there who insist that certain mix drinks - like the ever contested martini - be made to certain exacting standards, but this is no fun and it really limits the creativity of a bartender. Mixology is based on experimentation and exploration. Without those creative bartending souls we would all still be drinking straight whiskey in saloons - forget ordering a cosmopolitan or a broken down golf cart.

If you would like to learn more about mixology, the art and science of mix drinks, click the link below.

Mixology Home Page

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