The American government has a document with the exact rules on how to mix cocktails — here are the 13 best recipes

pulse

August 4, 2017 7:23 PM

The National Archives has a guide to mixing essential cocktails that any amateur mixologist should know.

null

Creative cocktails have become the hallmark of bartenders around the world. After all, there's no "right" way to mix up a drink, right?

Apparently, there is — and the U.S. government seems to have signed off on it.

Craig Stoltz, a cocktail enthusiast and former Washington Post editor, posted a curious engineering diagram on Liquor.com.

The diagram, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in 1974, spells out exactly how to create some of the most common cocktails around.

A closer look at who signed off on the document — which is preserved in the National Archives — reveals that it is more of a prank than actual law, with signatures like "I. Mixum" and "I. P. Freely." However, that doesn't mean that the chart doesn't contain some useful advice.

Here are 13 of the cocktail construction recipes on the chart that any amateur mixologist should have under their belt, from the martini to the Zombie.

Old Fashioned

For an 8 oz beverage, stir:

Daiquiri

Shake with cracked ice, then remove:

Manhattan

Stir with cracked ice, then remove:

Tom Collins

For a 12 oz. beverage, mix:

To make the John Collins, swap the gin for bourbon.

Whiskey Sour

Shake with cracked ice, then remove:

Screwdriver

To make a 6 oz beverage, stir:

Martini

Stir with cracked ice, then remove:

To make a Gibson, swap the olive for a white pickled onion.

Rum and Cola

To make a 12 oz beverage, stir:

Mint Julep

Stir:

Zombie

To make a 14 oz drink, shake with cracked ice and remove:

Make sure to add a straw.

High Ball

Mix:

Grasshopper

Shake with cracked ice, then remove:

Gin Fizz

For a 6 oz drink, stir:

pulse

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

Get rewards worth up to $20 when selected to participate in our exclusive focus group. Your input will help us to make informed decisions that align with your needs and preferences.

I've got feedback!

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng