By Matt Boyle & Jeff Van Horne, The Clever Barkeep
BITTERS, BITTERS AND MORE BITTERS
Bitters are powerful flavouring agents that pack a punch. A small dash goes a
long way. If you want to flavour your cocktail and add complexity, try various
types of bitters. A selection of bitters are available at The Port by the NSLC.
INFUSE INTEREST
Add flavour to your cocktails by infusing your simple syrups. You can
simply add herbs and spices to your simple syrup and heat them on the
stove to get your desired intensity of flavour. For example, try making
a cinnamon syrup for your holiday cocktail creation. Heat up a pan and
crack some cinnamon sticks into the pan to toast for 30 to 40 seconds
before adding them to your warm simple syrup. The longer you infuse the
cinnamon, the more concentrated your syrup will be.
EXPERIMENTAL GARNISHES
Although citrus zest adds a nice aroma, you can also add aromatic herbs
or spices as your garnish to give you a different aroma in your cocktail.
Try using toasted star anise to enhance your next Old Fashioned.
NEW IDEAS, NEW FLAVOURS
If you like Old Fashioned cocktails, try something new by mixing up a
Boulevardier, a classic cocktail that offers similar bold and bitter tastes.