Academy of Professional Bartending
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Garnishes: Lemons and Oranges and Limes Oh My!

The Art of Garnishing Cocktails

Wheels, slices, wedges, spirals, twists or flamed twists. When it comes to citrus garnishes, cocktail recipes can get quite specific. Here’s everything you need to know to garnish like a pro!

You've heard the phrase, "it looks good enough to eat." Garnishes are designed for that very reason. Complement the flavor and style of the drink you're serving with beautiful garnishes.

Garnishes can consist of any combination of fruits, fruit wedges and cocktail onions. When preparing cocktail garnishes, always use fresh, washed ingredients. Fruit is not only used as ornamentation, but it can influence the taste of the cocktail as well.

It seems that larger lemons and limes are much sweeter than the smaller ones. Also, make sure that the skin is thin, these tend to be juicer. In order to retrieve more of the juice a bartender will microwave the fruit on high for 20-30 seconds and then let stand for a couple of minutes before cutting and squeezing. Optionally, you can let them soak them in warm water for a few minutes for the same effect. Place the fruit on a flat hard surface with your hand on top of the fruit. Begin rolling back and forth. This softens the fruit and makes it easier to squeeze the juice out. Always store freshly cut garnish with either a damp napkin over it or in a garnish tray with a cover when not in use. This keeps it fresh and fruit flies off. Freshness is the key word here because sliced fruits usually will not last longer than 24 hours.

Nothing is written in stone when it comes to bartending, especially garnishing drinks. However, try to use the appropriate garnish for the drinks "theme". Rum-based cocktails, like a Bahama Mama, are decorated with tropical garnishes and umbrellas. Tequila based drinks can have any combination of citrus fruits. Gin or vodka based drinks lean toward garnishes with a more distinguished flair: pearl onions, olives and the popular citrus twist. Brandy and whisky drinks usually have minimal use of garnishes.Upscale restaurants and hotels lean towards the larger, more flamboyant garnishes. Your local bars tend to go low key and functional. In a nutshell, keep them simple, logical, and fresh. And remember, a bad drink with a great garnish still equals a bad drink!

Here are some basic guidelines for garnishing a drink:

Drinks are garnished according to the mixer, the liquor and the drink or by the patrons preference.

Step 1 - By the Mixer:

Anything with ____ = is garnished with a ____.

Step 2 - By the Liquor:

Hard liquors come in a variety of spirits and flavors that can determine which garnish will be most appropriate. Vodkas can be flavored with lemon, watermelon, peach, pear and so forth. Rums come in orange, coconut, raspberry and such. There are berry liquors, pomegranate liquors and so on--garnish according to fruit flavor, if possible.

Step 3 - By the Martini:

Step 4 - Other Drinks:

It's easy to garnish a drink if you know what is in the drink, so be educated about what you are serving. Sometimes bars and restaurants also have specific garnish guidelines to follow for uniformity. If you have any doubts, ask the consumer if they have a preference, or simplify with a lemon twist or lime

At the Academy of Professional Bartending classes in New York, you will learn the importance of garnishing a drink, the different styles of garnish to serve such as Wheels, Spirals, Balls, Wedges, Drops and much more!

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