Infusion
The process of soaking an ingredient in a liquid, usually spirits or syrups. Infusions add a whole new variable to tweaked classics or allow for new creations.
Fat Washing
The process of infusing a spirit with a liquid fat source such as melted butter, melted animal fat or an oil. The mixture is infused at room temperature for a period of time, then placed in the freezer where the fat hardens at the surface and can then be removed and discarded. The result is a unique flavor enhancement that also adds a silky texture and richness.
Tincture
Whereas bitters can be made up of a wide array of ingredients, a tincture is an infusion of a single ingredient into a spirit.
Shrub
The key difference between tinctures or bitters and a shrub is the inclusion of vinegar, and often honey. Shrubs add an acidic and savory element to a cocktail.
Dash
A dash is a splash of an ingredient from a dasher bottle, measuring somewhere around 10 drops or just shy of a quarter of a teaspoon.
Muddle
The act of pressing herbs or fruit with a pestle, as with mint in a Mojito.
Swizzle
The swizzle is both a type of cocktail and a method of mixing. If a drink features crushed or pebble ice, such as the Mint Julep or many tiki cocktails, stirring or shaking is not an optimal method of incorporating the ingredients. Instead, a swizzle stick cuts through the crushed ice without over-diluting.
Rinse
The act of pouring a small amount of an ingredient into an empty glass and gently rolling it to coat the inside, thereby imparting a touch of that ingredient's flavor to the cocktail. The Sazerac, for example, features an absinthe rinse in most recipes.
Neat
A small pour of a single spirit without ice.
Up
A shaken or stirred cocktail served without ice, usually in a stemmed glass. The elevated structure of the glass inspired the term.
Twist
A strip of citrus that is squeezed over the surface of a cocktail, expressing its oils to add a trace of flavor.
Amaro
Translating to “bitter,” amaros are bitter-sweet Italian liqueurs that are produced by macerating and/or infusing herbs, barks, roots and fruits into alcohol. It's typically consumed after a meal as a digestive, but they also add wonderful depth and nuance to cocktails.
