Memorize These Cocktail Ratios for Easy Drinks at Home

“I NEVER MEASURE. I never will,” said Jonny Raglin, founder of San Francisco’s Comstock Saloon.

This might seem like a counterintuitive approach to making cocktails. Typically, the liquids are meticulously measured in ounces, dashes and teensy barspoonfuls. And while those precise units can be helpful—the first time you’re making a complicated drink, for instance—Raglin is among the legion of bartenders who view drinks in terms of ratios.

“Some of the greatest drinks in history are based on equal parts ratios, or 2:1 ratios,” Raglin noted. The Negroni, for instance, is equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari ; the Manhattan, 2 parts whiskey to 1 part sweet vermouth. “If you understand that, it doesn’t matter how big your cocktail glass is, or if you’re serving two or three or four people, you’ll get the drink right.” 

The ratios pros rely on are equally helpful for home bartenders. “No one wants to be bumbling around in their kitchen, or grabbing a book,” Raglin said. “People want to feel confident in their drink-making abilities, especially when entertaining guests.”

As the author of a book about equal-parts cocktails (“Shake. Stir. Sip.”), I’m already an advocate of this approach. And the cocktail book I’m most excited about this season is Michael Ruhlman’s latest, “The Book of Cocktail Ratios: The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails” (Simon & Schuster) published in May. It’s the cocktail-focused counterpart to his 2010 book “Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking.”

In the introduction to his new book Ruhlman writes, “Cocktail ratios are even more powerful than culinary ratios; the latter can vary depending on the desired result and required technique, but cocktails are 99 percent ratio, and the ingredients are simply mixed.”

Ruhlman devotes special attention to the sour, typically a ratio of 2:1:1 (2 parts spirit to 1 part sour and 1 part sweet). That basic ratio can morph into a classic Daiquiri (2 parts white rum: 1 part lime juice: 1 part simple syrup), or a Margarita (2 parts tequila: 1 part citrus juice: 1 part orange liqueur). From there, it’s easy to draw a line to a brandy-based Sidecar, vodka-based Lemon Drop or gin-based Bee’s Knees, with small tweaks. 

Knowing these ratios empowers bartenders to develop more elaborate drinks, said Carlos Yturria, owner of White Cap in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset neighborhood.

The bar’s signature White Cap Martini hews to the Martini’s familiar 2:1 gin-to-vermouth ratio. “It gives you some structure, or a basic template,” Yturria said. “Once you know the rules, you can alter them.” In this case, that means a seaweed-infused vermouth—an umami boost achieved by soaking a piece of nori in the spirit—meant to evoke the nearby Pacific Ocean. 

Perhaps most important, committing a few ratios to memory brings the fun back to making drinks, keeping it loose and easy. “It’s not just about the speed or the time it takes to measure out every single thing,” Raglin said. “You feel confident, you know you’re doing it right.” 

Cocktail Ratios to Learn Today:

2:1

• The Martini – Gin : Vermouth
• The Manhattan – Whiskey : Sweet vermouth

1:1:1

• The Negroni – Gin : Sweet vermouth : Campari

1:2

• The Highball – Spirit : Soda

2:1:1

• The Daiquiri – White rum : Lime juice : Simple syrup
• The Margarita – Tequila : Citrus juice : Orange liqueur

Got it? Now try a few variations.

The Sbagliato

This 1:1:1 drink, a variation on the equal-parts Negroni, swaps out gin for sparkling wine, yielding a lower-alcohol aperitivo.

Place a large ice cube in a white wine glass. Add 1 ounce each vermouth and Campari, then 1 ounce prosecco (or other dry sparkling wine). Garnish with orange peel.

Contemporary Daiquiri

What makes this “contemporary?” It deviates from the classic sour ratio of 2:1:1, which makes for a slightly stronger drink. 

Shake 2 ounces white rum and ¾ ounce each lime juice and simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water—bonus ratio!) with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe or an old-fashioned glass, over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime disk or wedge.

Paloma

This classic highball features a 1:2 ratio. Highballs are famously versatile; if a less-strong drink is desired, add more grapefruit soda, making it a 1:3 or 1:4 ratio.

In a rocks glass, mix 2 ounces tequila and 4 ounces Squirt (or other grapefruit soda) with ice. Finish with a squeeze of lime.

White Cap Martini

At heart, this is a classic 2:1 Martini ratio, with a few special touches added for briny complexity.

To make seaweed-infused vermouth, soak 1 small piece of nori in 1 cup Dolin dry vermouth for up to 45 minutes, then discard nori. (This makes enough for 4 drinks.)

To make the cocktail, stir 2 ounces Ford’s gin with 1 ounce seaweed-infused vermouth and ice, and strain into a Nick & Nora glass. Twist lemon peel over top of drink to express essential oils, then discard peel. Garnish with olives.