How to Muddle Herbs for Cocktails and Mocktails
Learn to muddle herbs for fantastic cocktails and mocktails. This simple technique releases amazing flavor for tasty summertime beverages with or without alcohol. Read on for tips on how to muddle, what to muddle and some tasty beverage recipes.
Also Read : How to Make Simple Syrup & Herb Infused Simple Syrup, Rhubarb Simple Syrup, How to Make Tea with Fresh Herbs
HOW TO MUDDLE HERBS
WHAT IS MUDDLING
Muddling is when you gently and lovingly release aromatic oils from fruits and herbs. To release the aroma you can use a fancy cocktail muddler, the back of a tablespoon or the bottom end of a wooden spoon.
Muddling is NOT tearing, cutting, mincing, ripping or otherwise pulverizing herbs to bits and pieces. You do not want to smush herbs so hard that they become tiny bits or bleed green chlorophyll. Chlorophyll has a bitter flavour that you do not want in your drinks. And you certainly don’t want little bits of herbs stuck on your teeth – it’s just not that sexy!
Muddle any herb that has a flavour you love – mint, lavender, lemon balm, rosemary, etc. Also try some unexpected herbs like sage, basil and thyme – you’ll be amazed at the flavour when mixed into beverages.
Basic Steps to Muddling
- Use a sturdy, thick walled glass, canning jar or cocktail shaker.
- Add herbs and a bit of sugar or simple syrup to bottom of glass.
- Add fruit if desired.
- Use a cocktail muddler, end of a wooden spoon or back of a tablespoon to gently but firmly press the herbs against the side of the glass, twist and repeat. Do not shred the herbs to bits and pieces – it can make your drink taste bitter and you’ll end up with tiny green bits that aren’t pleasant to drink.
- Just twist until you smell the aroma of the herb. That aroma will get stirred in to your beverage beautifully.
HOW MUCH TO MUDDLE
Be kind and gentle and squeeze just until you smell the aroma of the herbs.
Stop if your leaves are starting to tear or you see green streaks on the bottom of the glass.
Easy does it!
Which of the following mojito mint beverages would you rather drink?
MUDDLING DRINK RECIPES
The best way to learn is to try it! Here are some delicious recipes to experiment with. You’ll be an expert muddler before you know it.
Lime Thyme
Ingredients
- 2 wedges fresh lime
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 3-4 sprigs thyme
- 2 tsp sugar
- Ice
- Sparkling water or soda
Instructions
- Squeeze juice from lime into thick, short tumbler. Add the lime wedges and additional lime juice into glass.
- Add thyme and sugar into glass.
- Muddle to release aroma.
- Fill glass with ice. Top with soda.
- Garnish with flower and mint.
Classic Mojito Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 wedges lime
- 1/2 oz lime juice 1 Tbsp
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 5-8 leaves mint
- Ice
- 2 oz white rum 4 Tbsp
- lime flavoured sparkling water or club soda
Instructions
- Place mint and sugar in short, thick glass.
- Add lime wedges, lime juice and sugar in sturdy, short glass. Muddle to release more juice and extract flavour from the lime. It's okay to really muddle that lime.
- Add mint and with a much softer touch, gently muddle the mint to release it's aroma. Do not crush, rip or tear mint.
- Fill tumble with ice. Pour white rum over ice.
- Top remaining glass with sparkling water or club soda. Garnish with sprig of mint and serve.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Sparkling Mint Lemonade
Ingredients
- 5 leaves mint
- 2 tsp sugar
- Ice
- ¼ cup lemonade
- Sparkling water or soda
Instructions
- Place mint and sugar in short, thick glass.
- Muddle to release aroma.
- Fill glass with ice. Add lemonade, top with soda.
- Garnish with flower and mint.
Berry Basil Sparkler
Ingredients
- 5 leaves basil
- 2-3 Tbsp whole/diced berries
- 2-3 tsp simple syrup
- Ice
- Sparkling water or soda
Instructions
- Place basil, berries and simple syrup in short, thick glass.
- Muddle to squish berries and release flavour of basil.
- Fill glass with ice. Add soda.
- Garnish with basil leaves and a few fresh berries.
NEXT LEVEL – SIMPLE SYRUP & HERB INFUSED SYRUP
Take things to the next level by adding simple syrups and Herb Infused Simple Syrup to your beverage making.
Simple syrup is sugar water. Instead of using granulated sugar or honey that don’t dissolve easily in ice cold beverages, you use simple syrup where the sugar has already been dissolved.
Go even a step further and use herb infused simple syrup. This is when sugar water is steeped with fresh herbs, so the simple syrup is flavoured with herbs. Seriously good stuff.
If you are making many beverages and don’t want to muddle every drink – use herb infused simple syrups instead.
Try making:
Pina Romera – pineapple juice with rosemary simple syrup
Blue Ginger Spritzer – blueberries with ginger and lemon grass simple syrup
Rhubarb Mojito – mint with rhubarb syrup
Will you muddle herbs this summer? Which bevie will you try first? Comment below or if you make one of these recipes, share your photos with me on Instagram @getgettys or Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.
Getty Stewart is a Professional Home Economist, speaker, frequent media guest and writer dedicated to putting good food on tables and agendas. She is the author of several recipe books on enjoying and preserving fruit, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener. Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this.
