Mixed Drinks 101 – Ratios

by | Jan 28, 2021 | Cocktails, Drugs, LifeSkills, Recipes | 187 comments

Previously, we’ve stuck to cocktails, which in the classic definition have strict requirements.  Today, we’ll branch off to allow mixed drinks (basic and two part).  What’s a two part drink?  It’s a drink with two ingredients and (potentially) a garnish: gin and tonic, scotch and soda, rum and coke, etc.  These drinks don’t have a strict ratio, and a lot goes to personal preference.  I would generally start with a 1:3 ratio, but it’s easily adjustable to your own tastes.  Assuming a carbonated mixer, these don’t get shaken or vigorously stirred (a gentle stir with a swizzle stick or bar spoon won’t hurt) as you don’t want to drive off all the carbonation.  As the majority of your drink here is the mixer, the way to make these better is to go with a better mixer.

Next, let’s move onto a ratio that will open up a large range of drinks to be made.  This is a 2:1:1 ratio; 2 parts strong, 1 part sweet, 1 part sour.  Strong is going to be your liquor.  Sweet can be simple syrup, grenadine, triple sec, or any other liqueur that has a sweet flavor.  Sour is generally citrus juice (generally lemon, lime, or a blend of the two), keep in mind that if you’re grabbing Rose’s Lime Juice that’s a sweetened ingredient.  Go ahead, and put the three ingredients you want into the shaker filled with ice, shake it until it’s chilled, and strain into a chilled glass.  What drinks fall into this family?  Daiquiri (rum, simple syrup, lime), lemon drop (vodka, simple syrup, lemon), sidecar (brandy, triple sec, lemon), gimlet (gin, simple syrup, lime).  Again, this ratio gives you a starting point, and you can adjust the ratio for specific drinks to taste.  You can also add a dash of bitters if you wish.  As a reference, a traditional recipe for the Bee’s Knees is:

  • 2 part honey syrup (simple syrup made with honey)
  • 3 part lemon juice
  • 8 part gin

Squinting, you can see the 2:1:1 ratio.  This drink tends towards the stronger side, with less sweetness and sour to balance it out.

Finally, let’s move on to a simple spritzer ratio.  This is a 1:2:3 ratio; 1 part fruit juice, 2 part liquor, 3 part seltzer.  Here the goal is to look for seltzers and juices that work well together, and then find an appropriate liquor to mix in.  You can either shake the liquor and juice together, and strain it into a glass, or you can put the liquor and juice into a glass and give it a quick stir.  After that, top with the seltzer.  For an example, look towards something similar to a Paloma: grapefruit juice, tequila, and grapefruit seltzer.  As a reference, the traditional recipe for the Paloma is:

  • 1 part Lime Juice
  • 3 part Tequila
  • 8 part grapefruit flavored pop

The major difference here is pop instead of seltzer, and some lime juice to offset the sweetness of the pop (which will have the grapefruit flavor).  If you look, it’s pretty close to the 1:2:3 ratio we were talking about.  The ratios aren’t shackles, they’re there to provide guidelines to give you a starting point.

About The Author

Nephilium

Nephilium

Nephilium is a geek of multiple types living in the vast suburban forests of Cleveland.

187 Comments

  1. Brochettaward

    Seconders, huh, yeah
    What are they good for?
    Ahh…
    Seconders
    I despise
    It means not being First
    Seconding means tears
    To thousands of mothers’ eyes
    When their sons go out to fight
    And do not come in First

    • DenverJ

      Finally first and nobody likes your haiku. Sad. I’m joking. Solid first

  2. blackjack

    I like a half glass and half scotch.

    • AlexinCT

      I do that with bourbon…

  3. westernsloper

    Today I did Alkaseltzer cold and a White Claw side car and slept half the day. But I am a flake.

    • Nephilium

      IPA right now, chuckling at patio heaters being on when it’s in the 60s.

      • westernsloper

        Ya, the AZ’rs have different temp relations than normal people.

      • DEG

        I was in San Antonio around Christmastime.

        It was mid 50s at night and folks were wearing heavy jackets.

    • Tulip

      That makes my stomach hurt in sympathy.

      • westernsloper

        It was a glorious nap. Only half phlegm now.

    • pistoffnick

      I’d make fun of you (pointing out that White Claw is the choice of 17 year old girls, and I would know, I bought it for my 17 year old daughters), but I kinda like it.

      • pistoffnick

        *flashes moobs at western anyone looking*

      • westernsloper

        Dood, I drank it in hunting camp. Only myself and another guy liked it. He voted for Biden but that is not the point. We called it Sorority Juice. Ya I am one of them too.

      • pistoffnick

        What happens at deer camp…

      • pistoffnick

        …gets relived many years later.

      • pistoffnick

        *fedora tip*

        Don’t ever reveal that you are a fan of Siri’s inverted nipples.

  4. limey

    I like the sound of the Paloma. I don’t like tequila much but I think I’d enjoy that.

    • westernsloper

      That depends on the Tequila. Your comment made me axshally read Nephs article. My go to is a cheap silver tequila, lime juice out of the natural plastic bulbs in your grocers fruit section and lime soda water. the ratio and effects varies depending on my mood.

    • Nephilium

      Again, you could sub vodka, rum, or gin for the tequila.

      • limey

        I’d better try all four to see which one I like best.

    • DenverJ

      See, that’s weird. I like tequila (but am responsible enough not to drink it) and don’t like gin, but for this recipe, I think replacing the tequila with gin would taste better? *raising inflection to sound like 21yr old twit asking question *

    • pistoffnick

      Just me and my Old Grand dad

    • DEG

      Good song.

      • DenverJ

        True fact: that’s two different Robert Johnson songs combined to become the one that rules them all by Thorogood.

  5. trshmnstr the terrible

    *looks sorrowfully at the empty tequila bottle, the empty Woodford bottle, and the fifth of cheapo vodka that is my drink cabinet*

    I know you did an equipment article earlier, but did you do a “stock these things to be able to make a wide range of drinks” article? A trip to Total Wine is in the offing.

    • Nephilium

      Not really. I kind of touched on it in the equipment article. I’d start with a good clear liquor, simple syrup, citrus, and ice.

      • Nephilium

        Sitting and thinking more, after the basics, I’d get dry and sweet vermouth (small bottles as it will lose flavor over time), triple sec or orange Curacao, and a good bottle of bitters. That’ll get you through a lot of drinks.

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        Much appreciated! I’ve always wanted to have a decently stocked liquor cabinet, but didn’t know where to even begin.

      • Nephilium

        Not a problem at all.

      • Viking1865

        I personally only splurge on the stuff I drink on the rocks or neat, which for me is bourbon, rye, Scotch, and Irish whiskey. My vodka is Titos, my gin is Gordons, my tequila is Lunazul. The closest any of those will come to neat is with tonic or seltzer and citrus in the summer time. I also keep a couple cheaper bourbons for mixing, don’t like using my good stuff mixed in ginger ale.

      • Tulip

        Keep vermouth in the fridge

      • EvilSheldon

        Yup. Putting an expiration date on it isn’t a bad idea either. Three months from when you crack the cap is a good rule of thumb.

      • Sean

        Putting an expiration date on it isn’t a bad idea either.

        Never thought of that. Noted for the unopened bottle sitting on my shelf.

    • Ownbestenemy

      Woodford is some good stuff. I need to get some more.

    • Don escaped Qanon

      “Woodford”

      good stuff

      Golf buddy got me a fifth of Buffalo Trace Saturday for no particular reason: it’s a solid value. I’ll use it in the flash I carry as “sharing whiskey”

      I drink Jack but not for any defensible reason; it’s just who I am

  6. Muzzled Woodchipper

    This just in!

    The Department of Homeland Security issued a national terrorism bulletin Wednesday warning of the lingering potential for violence from people motivated by antigovernment sentiment after President Joe Biden’s election, suggesting the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol may embolden extremists and set the stage for additional attacks.

    Sounds bad.

    The department did not cite any specific plots, but pointed to “a heightened threat environment across the United States” that it believes “will persist” for weeks after Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.

    Oh. So nothing.

    But it gets better:

    But this particular bulletin, issued through the department’s National Terrorism Advisory System, is notable because it effectively places the Biden administration into the politically charged debate over how to describe or characterize acts motivated by political ideology, and suggests it regards violence like the kind that overwhelmed the Capitol as akin to terrorism.

    Welcome to the War on Terror 2: WITE NASHUNALIST BOOGALOO.

    • blackjack

      Yeah, that’s just the DOJ cupping Biden’s balls. They’re so happy to have Badorangeman gone!

      • blackjack

        DOJ, DHS, tomato, tomahto.

      • DenverJ

        Know your memes. Personal pet peeve. The meme is not “bad orange man “, or at least didn’t start that way, it’s “orange man bad”

      • DenverJ

        Of course, I’m the man still defending the hill on “my bag” vs “my bad”…

    • Ownbestenemy

      Burn cities and terrorize neighborhoods its an ‘idea’

      Dare step foot on the hallowed grounds of the birthplace of the American Empire and its terrorism. Got it.

      • Count Potato

        Didn’t Seattle have warlord?

    • westernsloper

      You have to give them credit because they played this one well. They made half the nation “domestic terrorists.” I’m not sure we get out, but ya, we are here.

    • Count Potato

      CNN has been playing that song all week.

    • The Other Kevin

      Ah that word embolden again. In 2016 someone posted on FB that they were literally afraid for their life because they were gay and Trumps win would embolden gay haters. As far as I know she’s still alive and has never been assaulted.

    • The Other Kevin

      6 more years of Threat Level Orange.

    • Hyperion

      Unity! Healing!

    • creech

      “The department did not cite any specific plots, but pointed to “a heightened threat environment across the United States” that it believes “will persist” for weeks after Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.”
      This is easily even more “baseless” and “unsubstantiated” than claims of voter fraud. Pharaoh wants “unity” but his toadies spread fear and hatred.

      • Muzzled Woodchipper

        But our brave press corps has just collectively turned in to stenographers, so it’s okay.

  7. KromulentKristen

    Look what you people have done to me. A year ago, the Raki bottle was the only one there, and I only used that for cooking knockoff Carrabbas mussels.

    https://pasteboard.co/JLOkLPw.jpg

    • pistoffnick

      Hang out with drunkards…

    • Nephilium

      A decent start.

    • The Bearded Hobbit

      KK: Saw your comment in the morning links but didn’t have a chance to reply until now. Thanks for the info.

    • rhywun

      I have two of those.

      Want the creme of violette.

    • Gustave Lytton

      What’s on other liquor shelves out of view?

    • Ownbestenemy

      I too blame others for my drinking hobby

      • Tulip

        I blame you all for making it seem normal.

      • Ownbestenemy

        ?? Like taking a bath

      • Nephilium

        When have I ever claimed to be normal?

      • DenverJ

        It’s better than prison for murdering ’em. Just saying.

  8. Ownbestenemy

    Nice write up Neph! Still gonna just pour a glass of bourbon tonight though.

    • DEG

      #8 looks like an alien.

      But at least there are no face diapers.

    • mrfamous

      #3 is an unusually pretty girl.

      • Hyperion

        Someone give her a sammich.

  9. DEG

    MMmm….. daquiris.

    Thanks Nephilium!

  10. Tulip

    I guess gin rickeys aren’t cocktails, but I like them. A friend had lemon grass syrup once so we made Thai rickeys. Yum!

    Anyway, thanks for these articles Neph. I’m really enjoying them.

    • Nephilium

      The ricky is due for a rename and a trendy comeback. It’s happened for radlers and shandies.

      • Tulip

        It’s a great summer drink.

      • Viking1865

        It’s my summer go to. Bourbon or gin or even tequila.

  11. trshmnstr the terrible

    Just an FYI to TPTB. Looks like the forum is out of commission.

    • Tulip

      I had no trouble accessing it just now.

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        I just logged out and back in and it’s fine. My session must’ve ended and it didn’t tell me.

        False alarm.

  12. kinnath

    This weeks haul: 4 cases Ball quart jars, rings, lids; 6 cases Ball pint jars, rings, lids; 11 cases Ball half-pint jars, rings, lids.

    Still a long way to go.

    • pistoffnick

      WHERE ARE YOU FINDING THESE?

      *makes plans to travel to Iowa*

      • kinnath

        Walmart.

        I think I will run about 100 mile loop through little town Walmart this weekend. The Walmart online site says there are several stores with a handful of cases on the shelf.

        I left three cases of wide-mouth pints on the shelf, because I only plan to stock one caliber.

      • pistoffnick

        As I said in a previous thread, canning jars / canning lids are becoming scarce. Stock up when you find some.

      • KromulentKristen

        Just ordered 48 pint jars from the interwebz

      • kinnath

        Beyond scarce.

        Scalpers (amazon affiliates) are charging 12 bucks for a single package of 12 lids.

    • Tulip

      I can get them at a local Safeway. I am now buying some whenever I go there as I am expanding my garden this year.

      • straffinrun

        How do you get an elephant into a Safeway bag? Take the “f” out of “Safe” and the “f” out of “way”.

      • Tulip

        I don’t get it

      • straffinrun

        There is no effin way.

      • limey

        ?

      • rhywun

        Buncha comedians around here.

  13. Dr. Chipping Pioneer

    Dr. CP’s Keto Old Fashioned:

    Fill a tumbler with ice cubes
    Add 5 drops of stevia extract
    Fill the glass 2/3 full of good bourbon (I prefer Woodford Reserve)
    Add 15 shakes orange bitters
    Top with mandarin orange flavoured soda water

    • pistoffnick

      Yeah, being pre-diabetic, I can’t do the sugary cocktails any more.

      • pistoffnick

        Thanks

  14. KromulentKristen

    Good night!

    • pistoffnick

      G’Night, KK

  15. BakedPenguin

    Wow, now that it’s irrelevant, PBS shows a Pam Bondi video about Burisma corruption.

    • mrfamous

      “While some ethics experts have said Hunter Biden’s seat on the Burisma board could raise the appearance of a conflict of interest, independent news reports have found no wrongdoing by Hunter Biden or former vice president Joe Biden. ”

      HA HA HA HA HA! Oh god, my sides hurt.

      • Master JaimeRoberto (royal we/us)

        They are experts. Don’t argue.

      • commodious spittoon

        Remember when Trump’s son meeting with a Russian attorney was proof by itself of his total corruption?

      • Chafed

        Now open your eyes.

  16. straffinrun

    Gin Tonic. Add gin until it doesn’t taste like tonic.

    • dbleagle

      Make sure you add the lime. That way you are protected from scurvy and malaria.

      G&T, it’s a health drink!

      • straffinrun

        Salad!

  17. straffinrun

    Very painful on the crotch.

    It’s a way to remember how to make what shot?

  18. dbleagle

    Mint leaves muddled with lime juice
    Black Rum (or white rum if you don’t want taste)
    Simply Limeaide
    Ice

    Scurvy be gone!

    Dinking that preparing to prep the calamari for dinner.

    • Tulip

      You have the life!

  19. creech

    Tucker’s ranting about short selling tonight: no redeeming value, destroyers of American jobs, etc. It’s hard to believe he’s this poorly educated in free market economics.

    • Chafed

      He saw his ratings and decided he liked drinking the Kool Aid.

    • commodious spittoon

      All I know is white ethnonationalists calling themselves redditerrorists are doing longselling on the stock markets and it’ll bankrupt social security retirement or something.

      • Chafed

        You got it.

    • slumbrew

      naked shorts still seem incredibly sketchy to me.

      • slumbrew

        I rush to add: but yes, there is nothing wrong with short selling (other than the unlimited downside, but that’s the short-seller’s problem)

      • mrfamous

        Theoretically it is. In practice it appears that if the short sellers are the right people, it becomes everyone else’s problem.

    • grrizzly

      He was always like that. A couple of years ago he praised Elizabeth Warren for economic patriotism.

    • Gustave Lytton

      Tucker has been a populist for a while.

      • Chafed

        I think only about the the last 5 years. Before that he was a conservative (maybe a neocon) with a mild libertarian streak.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Was that when he stopped wearing bow ties?

    • slumbrew

      It’s enraging.

      I’m so glad I don’t have kids so I don’t have pay through the nose for public schools employees to get paid but not actually do their jobs.

      *what? what’s that you say?….*

      • commodious spittoon

        Something about not getting all the government we pay for…

        I’d say keep talking yourselves out of a job, but at this point I’m content with keep talking yourselves marginally out of social relevancy, which is the heart of their toxicity. We’d be better off paying them to stay home and do nothing.

      • Chafed

        I think the teacher’s unions are doing a good job eroding public support. It’s not the end of them by any means. But it is becoming a catalyst for expanding charter schools and backpack funding.

      • straffinrun

        It doesn’t really meet the criteria to be called a union.

  20. Chipwooder

    Years ago I went to a restaurant in New Orleans that had a drink I’ve never seen anywhere else. They called it the Beauregard. It was a variation of a mint julep, with the addiition of triple sec. Very tasty.

    • Plinker762

      Sounds racist.

      • Chipwooder

        Most likely sir! The tiny Confederate battle flag on the toothpick should have been a dead giveaway.

      • Plinker762

        Probably now called Beatrice and served with a rainbow flag

      • PudPaisley

        Definitely racist. The drink is probably named after Brig. Gen. Beauregard, who was from NOLA area. He’s the one who led the attack on Fort Sumter and was involved in many big battles to stop the slaves from becoming free.

    • straffinrun

      I slipped a roofie into Brian Stelter’s mint julep and bent him over the fainting couch.

      • commodious spittoon

        Prove it, faggot.

      • straffinrun

        You want a reliable source?

      • commodious spittoon

        Stelter getting fucked is nothing new. Let me see him cornholed like the pig from that one episode of Black Mirror, we’ll talk

      • straffinrun

        He found Don Lemon’s black hole.

    • leon

      And the cops do absolutely nothing about it.

  21. hayeksplosives

    I read a set of comments like these and am amazed that this is the same crew from whom I seek enlightenment, cogent arguments, and analysis of the happenings around us.

    It’s like having a schizophrenic boyfriend. “Oh, boy, let’s see which personality shows up today.”

    I’ll just back slowly out of the room and close the door behind me now…

    • UnCivilServant

      sometimes you just need to have fun and be silly.

      You know we’re perfectly capable of being serious when needs be.

    • Tejicano

      There’s always somebody pushing yin when you’re looking for yang. But then sometimes it’s mostly yang. The balance works for me.

  22. Yusef drives a Kia

    Morning all you miscreants, which clique do you belong to? Im of the poor folks clan,

    • Sean

      Mornin.

      It’s cold outside.

      ?

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        18? Not too bad, at least its not Cali right now, flood city,

      • The Hyperbole

        Meh, 14 in normal degrees, nice and refreshing.

      • Gender Traitor

        It’s a balmy 21 over here. Either it’s warming up fast or you’re further away than I thought.

      • UnCivilServant

        1 degree here.

        -17 wind chill.

        Might be a bit chilly.

        Oh, the high is supposed to be 16.

      • UnCivilServant

        Heh. The wind chill is the same number as the base temp in degrees euro.

    • Tejicano

      If there was a clique that would have me they wouldn’t be the type I’d want to hang with.

    • mrfamous

      Morning! Despite the fame, me too.

    • Gender Traitor

      Morning, UCS. It’s Friday. I hope that thought helps lessen your stress.

      • UnCivilServant

        I finally got a decent amount of sleep last night, though not uninterruped as I did wake up around 2am thinking it was time to go to work.

      • Gender Traitor

        I nod off watching TV in the living room, then go to bed and can’t get to sleep.

      • UnCivilServant

        I have difficulty falling asleep with a TV on. The noise keeps me up. Fans or furnaces I can sleep with. Talking or music, I can’t.

      • Tejicano

        I used to do that too and can commiserate.

        Since I gave up on the corporate working dog routine and started my project-based career I sleep much better. I’m not making much money because this commie virus killed the industry I was breaking into. But I’ve shifted gears and it looks like I’m going to be busy (and making some coin) for a while.

        Now I just have to wedge in some time for the gym.

  23. Yusef drives a Kia

    In the parking lot, having a smoke, gonna make electricity for the mushrooms, what a strange place for such a facility, Scottville Mi, mycopia.com

  24. Tejicano

    Friday evening here. Went out to dinner with my family. Now we’re back home and the day is winding down. Wife and kids are taking their baths in turn. I’m doing tall cans, waiting for my turn. Then we’ll be doing bedtime stories for the kids.

    • Yusef drives a Kia

      Family, sounds like a fine Evening, do enjoy Tej,

    • Gender Traitor

      Nice! Baths still more of a thing than showers?

      • Yusef drives a Kia

        Howdy GT, gotta run, Good day to you!

      • Gender Traitor

        Likewise to you, Yu!

      • Tejicano

        The bath is an immutable part of the Japanese culture. When I renovated this place I went to lengths to build a proper bath using a blend of Italian tile, American construction materials, and Japanese technology. Hit a button and the tub fills to the pre-programmed temp and level.

      • rhywun

        I’m with Cosmo Kramer. I don’t want to sit in a tepid pool of my own filth. Showers FTW.

      • UnCivilServant

        If it’s tepid, you used the wrong temperature.

      • Tejicano

        With a Japanese bath you lather up, wash your hair, and rinse off before getting into the tub. The floor around the tub is made to be waterproof and to drain all that off – kinda like a shower would. You’re supposed to be totally clean before you get into the tub.

        I actually think this is a point in common between Japanese culture and American culture which is not generally shared by Europeans. We both bathe/shower every day while Europeans don’t see it as all that necessary.

      • rhywun

        Too much ceremony for my taste.

      • Tejicano

        It’s not really ceremony. You get clean, and then you relax in a hot tub.

  25. Sean

    Dude.

    You just can’t make this stuff up. Peter Strzok’s wife has been promoted to Director of the Division of Enforcement at the SEC

    • leon

      Are they still makes after the whole affair thing?

      • mrfamous

        And give up the grift? Not a chance.

    • rhywun

      The corruption already starting from day one of the Puddin’ years is breathtaking. It’s almost comical.

      • leon

        You really realise what the whole “return to normal” was about

      • Sean

        2021 will be plagued by lazy writing. Obvious plots & villainy, most which would be too hokey for even the Syfy channel.

    • Hyperion

      Gumby’s back!

    • rhywun

      A chicken suit.

    • Tejicano

      “Who said the pie isn’t big enough for everybody to get a slice?”

    • leon

      They got the green light for it in the election.

    • Sean

      “+10% to the big guy” added to all invoices.

  26. Hyperion

    So, sound like they’ve built a great wall around the capital, because you know, walls are bad.

    How long before these guys are portrayed as authoritarian hypocritical assholes? You taking notes, CNN? Is your note pen working, you know, for democracy?