Published by: Julia
Learn mixology from two of the world’s award-winning cocktail masters. Step-by-step video instructions for classic drinks like martinis, margaritas, mojitos and more. As well as how to make your own bitters and other cocktail ingredients.
Who are Lynnette Marrero & Ryan Chetiyawardana?
Lynnette Marrero & Ryan Chetiyawardana are both leading lights in the world of mixology. They know their craft.
Both of them have won numerous awards for their work. They are excellent teachers who deliver their video classes in a clear, concise way. Interweaving interesting facts and additional points in that ensures this masterclass will appeal to all kinds of mixologists.
Lynnette and Ryan both believe in making their own ingredients and very much view cocktail mixing as a craft. They use cocktails to lift people´s moods and make occasions even more special and memorable.
This masterclass is an excellent resource for anyone who is serious about getting involved in the industry. Yet, it will still appeal to people like me who are simply curious about mixology and would like to learn to make a few of the classics and do it the right way.
By the way, we recommend purchasing Masterclass for more than just one single course. The value comes when you take several. If you want to read our review of the whole platform, check out this Masterclass review article.
If you want to just find out what some of the best masterclasses are, this is the article for you.
Equipping your home bar
Setting up your home bar need not be complicated. Neither one of these world-renowned mixologists thinks that you need a lot of complicated equipment to make cocktails. Here are some of the points covered in this lesson:
- You don´t need a long list of spirits or specialist equipment to make great cocktails
- How to store more delicate ingredients like vermouth
- Which taste note ingredients you cannot do without, for example, bitters
- Which spirits to invest in and what flavor qualities to look for
- How to offer your friends more choice without spending a fortune
- How you can substitute spirits and ingredients to be able to make more cocktails with a smaller range of spirits
- How to adapt ordinary kitchen utensils instead of buying specialist cocktail-making equipment
- How to use spices, syrups, jams and other food ingredients in your cocktails
This first lesson demonstrates just how good this course is. I was expecting just a list of cocktail making equipment. But, as you can see from the above, Lynnette and Ryan take things far beyond that. They provide heaps of additional information, something they do many times throughout their course.
How to customize the drinks you create to suit each palate
When you make a cocktail for someone, you want it to be delicious. So, understanding what they are likely to enjoy is important. You need to explore their palate. You can do that in a few different ways, for example, making them lemonade and getting their feedback on how it tastes to them.
I nearly skipped over this class. But, I urge you not to do so. This class is about so much more than just understanding someone´s palate. During this video, you start to learn some of the techniques and terminology.
Drinks you will learn to make by taking this masterclass
One of the other things I like about this course is the fact that there are recipes/mixes in practically every class. Some videos are dedicated to specific drinks.
For example, the Intimate Classis sessions cover cocktails like the Mojito and Old-Fashioned. But some of the simpler drinks, sometimes non-alcoholic can be found in the general information videos. The lemonade recipe is part of the Understanding Your Palate video.
To help you to understand exactly which drinks and cocktails you will learn to make I have listed them below:
- Fresh lemonade
- Traditional Old-fashioned
- Beeswax Old-fashioned
- Fancy-Free
- The perfect mojito
- A whiskey smash
- Clara Bow
- Margarita
- Siesta
- Cosmopolitan
- Panacea
- Pisco Sour
- Morning Glory Fizz
- Vodka Martini
- Gin Martini
- A Manhattan/Martini
- Vesper
- Martinez
- Nuked Negroni
- Toffee Negroni
- Queen´s Park Swizzle
- A Savory Sherry Spritz
- Tiki
- DIY Highballs
- Punches
- Llama Del Rey Punch
- Nectar of Gaia
- The Lyan Mary (a special Bloody Mary)
- For Whom the Bellflower Tolls
- Batched Bottled Fizz
- Barracuda
- Portland Calling
Learn to experiment and customize your cocktails
That is an impressive list of cocktails you are going to learn how to make. But, the above only tells you half the story.
For each recipe, Lynnette and Ryan tell you about multiple variations. It would take you days to make them all and you would be quite squiffy by the end. This truly is a masterclass.
Throughout the classes, you are treated to some amazing tips. For example, the fact that citrus juices that are squeezed in the morning will have a different level of acidity from ones that are pressed later in the day.
Cocktail recipes for beginners to advanced mixologists
That is a very long list of cocktails you are going to learn to make. Some are super easy, others are far more complicated. If you are not used to mixing cocktails it is best to start with solo starters, for example, mojitos and whiskey smash. Then try making a few Martinis.
Later, when you have mastered the basics, you will be able to move on and start making some of the more complex cocktails.
Making your own mixology ingredients
It is not enough to simply know how to combine the spirits. Often, it is the non-liquid ingredients that make your cocktails taste so good. Many of these ingredients are not easily available or taste much better when made fresh. So, being able to make your own mixology ingredients is actually an important skill.
- How to infuse bourbon with beeswax using the sous-vide method
- How to cut the perfect citrus peels
- Manicuring citrus peels
- How to express citrus from peels
- The right way to create a flamed orange twist
- How to infuse spirits with fresh herbs and fruit using a microwave
What else you will learn
As I said above, Lynnette and Ryan share a wealth of knowledge throughout each video. It is worth taking the time to go through each lesson twice. I did that so that I could write this review and in doing so ended up learning the following additional things:
- The different types of rum and how to use them in cocktails
- The difference between Amaro and Aperitivo
- How to saber a bottle of champagne
- How to choose the right sparkling wine for cocktails
- How to make silky smooth drinks using egg whites
I suspect even though I have taken the course twice, I have still missed a few things.
At this stage, I want to urge you to consider buying the masterclass pass. The reason I say this is that if I did not have the pass I would have probably never have taken this brilliant course. I was able to do so without having to pay a single dime more.
Understanding the different types of whiskeys
The style of the spirits you choose to use is important. When it comes to taste, there is a lot of variation in the way a rye whiskey and an Irish whiskey taste. So, the differences are explained along with some suggestions about how and when you might want to use each type. The whiskeys discussed include:
- Bourbon
- Rye
- Irish
- Scotch
Using the information provided, you can make and experiment with classic whiskey-based cocktails such as whiskey smashes and the old-fashioned. During the course, you will learn how to tweak things so that you can use the whiskeys you already have to make interesting drinks.
Tequila styles and cocktails
Tequila is a spirit I am not very familiar with. So, I learned a lot from this part of the course.
It is a very complex ingredient, with a lot of variation. For example, I did not know that Tequila aged in American oak barrels is quite different from that aged in European barrels. Where the agave was grown also has an impact. They also explain the difference between Mezcal and Tequila.
- Blanco and Joven
- Reposado
- Añejo and Extra Añejo
- Highland agave spirits
- Lowland agave spirits
Gin styles and how to use each one
Across the world, gin is turning into the spirit of choice. There are thousands to choose from, but they all fall into one of four categories. In this course, what they are and the flavor profile of each is explained, in full. Along with how to make a gin Martini and a classic Negroni.
Here are the types of gins you will learn about:
- London Dry
- Plymouth
- Old Tom
- World Gin
Micro distilleries are everywhere. Many are producing unusual and delicious gins. Fortunately, the way Lynnette and Ryan teach makes it easy for you to take advantage of them. They show you how to change your mixes so that you can use any gin to make a wonderful cocktail.
How to pair cocktails with food
Like most people I enjoy pairing my drinks with what I am eating. Usually, that means wine. So, I was quite surprised by the idea of drinking cocktails with my meals.
They came up with some great ways to do this. For example, drinking sherry while eating almonds or a barracuda cocktail with a meat course. I really wish they had spent a bit more time on this subject. Apart from the examples they shared and made there was not a lot of other information.
Getting creative with your cocktails
In their final lesson, Ryan and Lynnette discuss some ways you can experiment once you have gotten good at making cocktails. They clearly like working collaboratively and working with clients to tell their stories. To come up with cocktails that fit in with the vibe of their restaurant.
This is interesting. But, the takeaway from this video, for us students, is not be afraid to experiment and have fun doing it. It is a great way to learn.
Masterclass mixology pdf workbook
As you can see from my masterclass review every course comes with a workbook. These guys have packed a huge amount into their course, so I was surprised the Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana cocktail masterclass PDF was not that big.
But, all the recipes are there. As are the most important sections. Including, how to equip your home bar and how to work out which cocktail to pair with which foods.