Among the key tools of a good bartender, the mixing glass is a mostly important tool for those cocktails that need to be mixed. This powerful instrument must be used in those drinks that do not need to be removed energetically with a shaker. How long should we mix? The mixing glass should be used for about 15 or 20 seconds.

The first thing you should know is that this technique consists in, literally, mixing distillates that have been in barrels for a long time, in order to awake flavours forgotten in the wood. Anyway, not everything is that simple, we can find exceptions. Dry Martini, for example, leads to a singular case, its main ingredient, gin, does not require time in the barrel, however, to create this distillate we use the mixing glass. When we want to give more presence to a distillate versus another, in those cases, we must use this bartender’s professional instruments.

You might think that something as simple as mixing in a glass does not require training or standards. However, there are several recommendations to consider if you are going to prepare a cocktail:

1. The mixing glass must be at the centre of the table to aim a better control of the process and to focus in not missing anything.
2. Please fill the glass with ice, this tool must always be at a very low temperature. Stir well the ice and the water to capture the flavours.
3. Hold it with your left hand and hold the top facing to the left to serve drinks to your guests or customers.
4. The spoon is your best friend. Handle it with ease, remember that you are mixing ingredients and delicacy is a virtue to achieve a unique mix. The quality of your cocktail will depend on the management of the mixing glass.
5. Once the process is complete, you must quickly serve the resulting mixture into the cups previously positioned in the bar.
6. It is not recommendable to prepare more than three cocktails at once. It could be a mistake in the final result.
7. Finally, before preparing the next mix, do not forget to wash the glass with water and without soap.

With these few tips, you can properly mix and produce the best drinks, impressing others with your knowledge about cocktails.