Virgo Cocktail

A spirit whose flavor profile revolves around juniper berries. Originally from the Middles Ages, modern gin is a derivative of the Dutch drink jenever (genever). You can make a home-made gin by simply infusing vodka. There are a large number of recipes online.

Also called akvavit this 'water of life; is a flavored spirit that is mostly produced in Scandinavia, since the 15th century. It is a grain or potato spirit base, and can be flavored with many herbs and spices. EU laws dictate it must be mostly flavored by caraway or dill. A common brand of caraway aquavit is Linie. You can actually make this yourself (or something very similar) here is a recipe from the book 'Akvavit' by Rasmus Risum-Urth: Toast in a pan: 2g cardamom, 8g pine nuts, 10g caraway, 1.5g cinnamon bark, 0.5g star anise, 2g pink peppercorns. Add spices to 500ml of vodka and sous vide for 2 hours at 60C (or just let steep for a week). Strain off solids and add 1.5L gin.

Also known as Vermouth di Torino, Italian vermouth, rosso and red vermouth; these vermouth have been sweetened with cane sugar or caramelized sugar, usually giving the vermouth 10-15% sugar and a slightly reddish brown color.

The most common fruit juice used in cocktails. This citrus juice is about 6% acid; pure citric acid. Lemon juice should be used the day it is squeezed, some like it freshly squeezed and others like it a few hours old.

A syrup made from dissolving granulated sugar (sucrose) in water. Regular simple is made by combining 1:1 sugar:water by mass, rich simple is 2:1 sugar:water by mass although only 1.5 times as sweet as regular. We always use 1:1 syrup unless otherwise noted in the recipe itself.

A concentrated aromatic bitters made in Trinidad from water, ethanol, gentian and other herbs and spices; used in many classic cocktails like the Manhattan.

A refreshing tasting watery vegetable used in some cocktails like the Gin and Tonic. Some people say cucumbers taste better pickled.