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The Complete Guide to Mixology
The honest, no-hype guide to the gear, costs, and first drinks you need to know before you buy your first bottle of bitters
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Is Mixology and Why People Love It
Let's start with a moment of total honesty: making a cocktail at home is not what most people imagine. It is not standing under a spotlight behind a glossy bar, flipping a shaker with one hand while guests whisper 'who is that?' to each other. If you actually try it, come back to me after you've spilled half a bottle of vermouth on your kitchen counter, and tell me how glamorous it was.
But here is what mixology actually is, and why it will hook you anyway. Mixology is a hobby made up of three small rituals that stack on top of each other: deciding what to make, making it carefully, and tasting it honestly. That is the entire loop. You do it once, you do it again, you improve a little each time, and somehow you never get bored of it.
The actual day-to-day of the hobby
When someone asks me what a typical afternoon of mixology looks like, I don't describe the drinks. I describe the process. First there's the planning stage, which is honestly the most fun part. You pick a recipe from a book, a blog, or a YouTube video. Maybe it's a classic Margarita - just tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and a simple syrup. That's four ingredients, none of which are exotic. Or maybe you find something a bit more ambitious, like a Bee's Knees, which calls for gin, lemon juice, and a honey