Garnishing and crusting, the art of decorating drinks

Garnishing and crusting - these two mysterious-sounding words are the best way to surprise your guests not only with an unusual way of serving drinks but also with their interesting and unique taste. Garnishing and crusting techniques are well-known to experts in bartending, but they are also worth knowing and using at home.

What is drink garnishing?

Garnishing is nothing more than the art of decorating drinks using various additions that make even simple cocktails look spectacular and delight with their unique taste.

Mixology 350ml Glass; Mixology 500 ml Glasses,  Blended 350 ml Long Drink Glasses

Remember, however, that garnishing is a way of complementing and diversifying a drink, which means that the additions should not overwhelm it, but merely complement it. Moderation in decorating is therefore definitely advisable.

Drink garnishing – what additions to choose?

Garnishing usually involves decorating drinks – most often using fresh fruit – slices of which can be placed on the rim of a glass or alcohol glass, while chopped pieces can be dropped inside. Depending on what drink you plan to serve your guests, you can use, for example:

• colorful umbrellas – they will make your drinks look very exotic and summery;
• fancy twisted orange, lemon or lime peel;
• green or black olives – stuffed with pepper or paprika;
• mint leaves – they pair wonderfully with refreshing drinks, e.g. Mojito and Mint Julep;
• cocktail cherries – excellent for drinks with grenadine or green-colored drinks;  
• so-called lemon and lime wedges – drop them into drinks, and they will look incredibly exotic;
• a slice of lemon or other fruit (and sometimes even a vegetable!) – cut it and place it on the rim of the glass or goblet with the drink.

If you're thinking about treating your guests to truly exotic drinks, make sure they include equally exotic fruits. For example, grapefruit and pineapple pieces work great for this – you can use them as a base to make a delicious, Caribbean Piña Colada with rum and delicate coconut cream.

When garnishing, remember to maintain moderation, and when it comes to choosing individual decorations, trust your imagination and ingenuity, thanks to which you will easily conjure up many drinks that surprise not only with their interesting taste but also with their presentation.

Importantly, the glass itself in which you serve the cocktail is also an effective decoration. So, make sure your home bar has elegant Martini glasses, long and short drink glasses, or Margarita glasses.

Crusting drinks – a frosted effect on glass

Garnishing is not the only way to decorate drinks. Another equally popular way of creating original decorations is so-called crusting – thanks to this simple and quick technique, you will make even the simplest drink look very professional and incredibly appetizing!

Unlike garnishing, the crusting technique involves dipping the rim of the glass first in juice (e.g., lemon juice) and then in sugar or salt, which creates a frosted effect that improves both the appearance of the drink and its taste.

• Crusta – how to prepare it?

The most basic crusta can be made using just 2 ingredients – lemon or lime juice and sugar. For some drinks – e.g., Margarita or Salty Dog, the rim of the glass or tumbler can be covered with salt, which perfectly contrasts with the taste of the cocktail, adding elegance and a distinct character.

Another way to prepare a crusta is to moisten the rim of the glass with a small amount of liqueur that is added to the cocktail, and then dip it in sugar – in the form of crystals or powder.

Instead of lemon juice or liqueur, you can also use sugar syrup and grapefruit or orange juice to moisten the glass.

When creating a crusta, you must remember above all that it is supposed to add charm and an interesting look to the drink, but at the same time it should be an integral part of it, which means it must harmonize with it and form a coherent whole – also in terms of taste.

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You can also very easily flavor your drink crusta – in this case, reach for less obvious additions, such as:

• cocoa,
• grated orange peel with sugar,
• cinnamon,
• brown cane sugar,
• raspberry syrup and coconut flakes,
• finely chopped rosemary with salt,
• sugar with chocolate chips.

If you can't decide on one type of crusta – opt for an interesting mix of crusts within a single drink! How to do it?

Use 2-3 crusts on one glass – depending on which side you sip the drink from, you will achieve completely different taste sensations!