Published on November 28, 2022
Ready to impress?
Garnishes and flourishes in drinks date back to the 19th century as extravagant top Bartenders would showcase their skills, mainly when piling cobblers and juleps high with fruit slices or flaming orange peels. However, creativity has evolved and now there are many ways to impress customers with mixology skills and elevate bland beverages. Check out our guide to become a genius at garnishing and take your beverages to the next level.
One – Use hard herbs as skewers for soft fruit, berries or olives, instead of a cocktail stick. Herbs such as sage, thyme and rosemary work well as they have a sturdy stick and could balance on the top of the glass, or rest in the drink.
Two – Make citrus peel the star of your drinks. Use oily and aromatic peels from limes, lemons, oranges and grapefruits. It adds oomph and variety to any beverage. Carefully peel the skin, avoiding the bitter pith, and the peel will naturally curl into pretty spirals.
Three – Decorate the glass rim with colourful sugar or sprinkles, or even go classic with natural salt or sugar. Dip the rim into honey, agave nectar or even just water, then dip in your chosen decoration to give your drink extra flavour and a fantastic look.
Four – Add leaves like mint, basil, wood sorrel and hibiscus to make any drink feel botanical and fresh. Pineapple leaves can be added for a tropical look in juices and cocktails like Pina Coladas to give height and finesse.
Five – Sugar paper toppers are great for drinks with a thick, foamy top. You can add logos, designs or patterns to make even more amazing drinks. Stencils are also great for putting designs on foamy drinks with powdered chocolate, coloured powered sugar or matcha.
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About the author
Chloe Lewis
Chloe looks after all copywriting and proof-reading for Drink Warehouse UK, working with the Marketing team to deliver educational content to all our customers. She has spent many years in the hospitality sector, moving from behind the bar to now helping venues to stock their own. You can find more from Chloe about beer, cider, spirits, wine, non-alcoholic, soft drinks and RTDs all over our blogs, website, social media and Set The Bar magazine.
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