Dehydration is one of the most practical and transformative techniques in modern mixology.Whether used for garnish aesthetics, shelf-stable infusions, or to concentrate the flavor of fruits and herbs, learning how to dehydrate ingredients correctly can elevate your cocktail presentation and deepen its aromatic complexity.

I started The Double Strainer because too much know-how lives in back offices and paywalled PDFs. This project exists to keep the craft open, practical, and free — from milk washing to menu engineering — so you can bring clarity to prep, service, and training. Today’s post is both celebration and instruction: a precise recap of the year, the people who inspired us, and the practical guides, worksheets, and recipes you can put to work tonight.

Great bars aren’t run on intimidation or “rock-star” egos. They’re built by leaders who set standards, protect culture, and help people do the best work of their careers—night after night.This article translates modern leadership research and bar management practices into a practical guide for Head Bartenders, Bar Managers, and Beverage Directors.

This is a bright, green, garden-forward tonic built from tarragon, basil, and lemongrass—carbonated to service pressure in a siphon. It’s designed for speed (blend-strain-filter-charge), clarity (fine strain + coffee filter), and stability (cold extraction + low oxygen). Below you’ll find why it works, how to nail it every time, and how to use it across cocktails, low-ABV, and zero-proof serves.

The Daiquiri is widely considered the ultimate benchmark for a bartender’s skill. Far from the frozen, fruit-laden slushies often found in tourist traps, the authentic Daiquiri is a sophisticated trinity of Cuban rum, fresh lime, and sugar. It is the distilled essence of balance—a cocktail where there is nowhere for low-quality ingredients or poor technique to hide.

Guests decide what kind of bar they are in long before the first sip. In the first 30 seconds, a room communicates its standards through dozens of signals: the welcome, the pace, the atmosphere, the smell in the air, the confidence of the team. Done well, those moments create instant trust and comfort, the kind that turns a walk-in guest into a loyal regular. Done poorly, no perfect Negroni or Espresso Martini will fully reset the mood.

In the ever-evolving world of mixology, few techniques balance tradition and modern precision like Milk Punch, also known as Milk Washing. Mixing milk with spirits sounds counterintuitive until you see the result: cocktails that pour clear and bright, drink remarkably smooth, and carry a soft, rounded texture that is difficult to achieve with dilution and chilling alone. Milk washing is not a gimmick. It is clarification with purpose: stripping harsh edges, tightening flavor

When it comes to crowd-pleasing highballs with American roots, few drinks are as instantly refreshing and approachable as the Lynchburg Lemonade. A citrus-forward long drink that balances sweetness, acidity, and spirit, it’s a staple on many bar menus—and for good reason.

There are bartenders who follow trends. Then there are those who create them. Simone Caporale belongs firmly in the second category. If you’ve ever poured a drink with a story, crafted a cocktail with intention, or thought of hospitality as more than just service, chances are you’re walking a path he helped pave.

When you walk into The Dead Rabbit (New York), you immediately feel the hum of Irish folk blended with modern rhythms. At Nightjar (London), a live jazz trio whispers through the room, matching the sophistication of the glassware and the complexity of the cocktails. At Atlas (Singapore), the grandeur of Art Deco interiors is amplified by classical and swing playlists, giving every sip of gin a sense of timeless elegance.

The Whiskey Sour is a timeless cocktail, beloved for its balance of spirit, citrus, and sweetness, crowned with a velvety froth of egg white. But in today’s era of creative mixology, classics are meant to be reimagined. Enter the Lager Whiskey Sour - a twist that merges the malty bitterness of beer with the familiar structure of the sour, resulting in a drink that is complex, refreshing, and modern.

Bitters are frequently described as the "salt and pepper" of the bar world. Despite being used in minute quantities, their impact on a drink’s final profile is profound. These concentrated botanical infusions provide the structural "skeleton" of a cocktail, balancing sweetness and acidity while adding layers of complexity that would otherwise be impossible to achieve.

Crystal-clear ingredients are not just about looks. In cocktails, clarification is a prep technique that removes suspended solids, so flavors read cleaner, textures feel smoother, and liquids pour with a more refined finish.

Inspired by Peter Gabriel’s moving track “Down to Earth”, this mocktail borrows more than just the name; it shares the same emotional register: grounded, rich in depth, and subtly uplifting. The title plays on dual meanings: “Earth” refers not only to the song’s introspective tone but also to the drink’s earthy flavour profile, built around beetroot, sesame, and mint: ingredients that connect the drink to the soil, the senses, and something deeper than just refreshment.

Beer is one of the oldest and most beloved alcoholic beverages in the world. But while most people enjoy it straight from the bottle or poured into a frosty pint glass, there’s an entire world of mixology waiting to be explored with beer as a key ingredient. From light and effervescent lagers to bold and complex stouts, beer brings depth, texture, and carbonation to cocktails in ways that traditional mixers simply can’t.

In contemporary mixology, where ingredients are selected not merely for their sweetness but for their depth, provenance, and aromatic potential, honey has earned a place of prestige. Far beyond a simple sweetener, honey is a botanical expression of terroir, seasonality, and floral diversity. For the modern bartender, understanding the different types of honey and their sensory profiles is key to crafting thoughtful, balanced, and expressive cocktails.

The Pornstar Martini is one of the most iconic and celebrated cocktails in modern mixology. With its bold passion fruit flavor, elegant pres

In the pantheon of bartending legends, few names resonate with the same reverence as Harry Craddock. A true icon of the pre-Prohibition and interwar cocktail scene, Craddock’s contributions continue to echo behind bars around the world. Known not only for his technical precision and showmanship but for the meticulous preservation of cocktail culture during its most precarious era, Craddock’s legacy is firmly etched into the foundations of modern mixology.

In the ever-evolving landscape of cocktail culture, house-made sodas are no longer just playful additions — they are the backbone of high-level zero-proof mixology and refined highball construction. Among these, pomelo soda stands out for its rare citrus complexity, delicate bitterness, and crystalline refreshment.

Italy is celebrated for its bold flavors and fragrant ingredients, and the De Curtis (an italian famous actor) beautifully captures