The Home Bartender Series Three: Throwing and Building
In the second part of the home bartender series we taught you about how to shake and stir a cocktail. In this post we’re going to teach you about how to throw and build a cocktail.

• Throwing a cocktail
  Throwing a cocktail can also be referred to as rolling. This method of making a cocktail is achieved by pouring your cocktail ingredients from one vessel to another. Any drink can be thrown but this method of cocktail making is best used when making drinks with “thick or heavy” ingredients like tomato cocktail or guava juice. A perfect example of an ideal rolled drink is the Bloody Mary. The aim of throwing a cocktail is to add aeration through tiny air bubbles which give it a textural element that you don’t get from shaking or stirring. Throwing “lengthens” your cocktail so it does not have a soupy texture as well as dilutes and chills it.
  How to throw a cocktail: you will need a Boston shaker (two tins) and a strainer like a calabrese.
  1. Add your ingredients to your small tin. Add about two thirds of cubed ice to your big tin.
  2. Choose a strainer like a calabrese that fits inside the big tin (with your ice) at about a 45 degree angle to allow the liquid to be poured back into the tin over the strainer.
  3. Hold the small tin with your ingredients in your left hand. Hold the big tin in your right (dominant) hand and secure the strainer with your fingers.
  4. Slowing pour the liquid from the small tin to the big tin and repeat until the tins get cold and your cocktail is aerated and chilled.
  5. Strain your cocktail into a glass and enjoy!

• Building a cocktail
  Built drinks are possibly the easiest cocktail to make. We generally build drinks like Mojitos, Aperol Spritz or spirit and mixers/juices for example a vodka cranberry or a gin and tonic.
  How to build a cocktail: You will need your glass that you will be serving the drink it, ice, a jigger and a barspoon or swizzle stick.
  1. Fill your serving glass with ice.
  2. Pour your alcohol into your glass using a jigger. Add any other desired syrups or liquor.
  3. Pour in your juice or tonic, etc. Pour liquid to liquid (not liquid to ice) as this will help your drink mix.
  4. Using a barspoon, gently give your drink a mix. Be sure not to churn it too much as you’ll lose carbonation.

Making a Mojito
A Mojito is an example of a built drink but we also churn it. A muddler, jigger and a barspoon are the only tools required.
Recipe:
50ml White Rum
25ml Sugar Syrup
20ml Fresh Lime Juice and 2 Lime Wedges
10-12 Mint Leaves
Soda Water
Crushed Ice
Method:
1. Add sugar syrup and lime wedges to a highball glass and muddle.
2. Add your mint leaves, rum and lime juice to the glass.
3. Add some crushed ice (about half the glass) and churn your cocktail vigorously using your barspoon.
4. Fill the glass with more crushed ice, give it a quick churn and top with soda water.
5. Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wheel.