How to Muddle
Muddling fresh herbs and fruits is one of the best ways to get the full flavor potential out of fresh ingredients. The mojito has become one of the most popular and refreshing muddled drinks today, but many bartenders ruin this drink by over-muddling the mint. There are many other cocktails that can also benefit from using freshly muddled ingredients. We want to aid bartenders worldwide by helping them become more creative with their mixology.
There are many ways to muddle and many types of muddlers. Finding the right muddlers for what you want to accomplish is the key to turning okay drinks into amazing ones your guests will come back for again and again.
Muddling cocktails may have started as a specialized process that only master mixologists in exclusive bars would use, but many modern cocktails require muddling. Follow these simple rules for perfect cocktails every time.
1. Always use fresh herbs; this will make a big difference in your cocktails.
2. Herb leaves have small veins which contain chlorophyll. If the leaves are shredded or crushed, the chlorophyll gets released, which adds a very bitter taste. (Similar to grass) This is why a flat-headed muddler is preferred for herbs.
3. Muddlers with teeth on the business end are much better for muddling fruits. The teeth tear through the rinds and flesh of fruits, releasing the oils and juices within. The serrated edges tend to cause herbs to shredding, releasing more chlorophyll into your cocktail.
4. Always use a cocktail shaker tin, sturdy mixing glass, or pint glass that will not break. You don't want to risk chipping glass into a cocktail, especially if using a Stainless Steel Muddler.
5. When muddling herbs, press down lightly and give a few twists.
6. A serrated head muddler can be used with fruits; you should see the juice and oils released from the fruit as you press them.
7. Adding simple syrup with the leaves while muddling is a great way to ensure the flavors dissolve evenly throughout the drink.
Tip: Simple syrup is super easy to make. It is just equal parts sugar and water(for example 1cup sugar= 1 cup water). It can be combined using hot water and a bit of stirring. Or you can combine room-temperature water and sugar in a jar with a lid and shake the heck out of it (it will take about four good minutes of shaking). A rich simple syrup can also be made with a larger sugar ratio to the water used. In this case, less can be used per drink, and it will last a bit longer in the fridge