Cocktails are immensely diverse, and their flavor and making may differ based on region. It may not be wrong to say that they are as diverse as people because everybody incorporates their unique and distinctive method, which brings out their unique flavor.
That’s why; you might be familiar with some popular cocktail names. However, when your created blend ends up being the perfect one, especially if you were playing with the ingredients.
What should you do?
What most people like to do is, even if all the ingredients are the same, except one, they want to add to the name to make it their invention. Even experienced bartenders find themselves stumped and can not come up with a classy name for the cocktail on the spot.
It is common to be perplexed at the thought of what could be the perfect name to attach to this blend you have created.
It puts our attention on the question at hand, i.e., how to name a cocktail.
There are five points you should consider while trying to name your cocktails. These are; based on ingredients, based on location, using historical events as the basis, named after famous personalities, and based on art, culture, movies, music, and so on.
Here, we will discuss some key points you should remember to ensure that your cocktail’s name fits the drink’s taste, texture, and appearance. So, continue reading for an in-depth view.
How To Name a Cocktail
There are numerous options and ways you can employ to bring into existence a perfect name for your cocktail, but to give you an idea of how to come up with just the right one, below are some points you should pay heed to.
1. Keep Things Simple (Ingredients-Based)
For starters, you don’t have to go into too much detail or come up with a sophisticated and luxurious name. You can always and should try to make it as plain as possible based on the ingredients you add.
For example, consider the cocktails like Passion Fruit Martini and Raspberry Gin. There is no need to rack your brain about what the taste will be like. The name, in and itself, explains what the drink offers, a regular Martini and Gin with passion fruit and raspberry twist.
Another similar drink is Rum and Coke, but there is something you should be mindful of while appending names, i.e., the cocktail base should be made from the same ingredients.
For example, if it is a martini, the base should be a martini, not a margarita or other, with a martini in the name.
2. Location Matters
The second option you have at your disposal is the location of the birth of that cocktail, especially if it is an entirely new blend.
It may astonish you, but people use this strategy even when naming their newborn. So, the birthplace of your cocktails holds the same importance as the ingredients.
For instance, the most common and familiar one among them is Manhattan. Similarly, you can check out the top 10 cocktails with American cities as their name base.
However, that is not the end; you can even use a local twist or your bar name to add to its name, e.g., Whitechapel to name one, which is done pretty often in the case of other foods and beverages too.
3. Creative Options (Art, Music, Movies, and So On.)
As the name suggests, this is the option where you are not bound by the constraints such as ingredients, appearance, and location. You can let your imagination run wild.
To get inspiration, you can check out a list of cocktail names inspired by movies and art.
While you can be as wild as possible when naming, you can also consider ingredients and make it more classy, e.g., Wolf Bite Shooter and Dracula’s Kiss.
There is another option that you can use. It is naming your drink based on feelings, which completely neglects the ingredient/location or cocktail base.
4. Use the Name of a Famous Personality
Another thing you can take advantage of is to use the name of famous personalities of the current time or even the past to name your drink. It was a popular option when cocktails started booming and were all the rage.
It may seem like an option of the past, but it can still provide you with a pretty nice-sounding name for your cocktail.
It can also be a group of people, e.g., Navy Strength, an example of this type.
5. Use Historical Events As the Basis
If nothing else fits the deal, then the last option you have is to look at the days, such as holidays or events, especially those having a historical meaning.
To bring out your inspiration, you should start by looking after events that cater to your interest, e.g., it may be football (sports), political movements, or some other event. You can pay tribute to an event by naming your cocktail after it.
Also, the name can be inspired by another cocktail, e.g., The Basil Cuban Cocktail.
Another cocktail, named French 75, has historical importance related to WWI.
Conclusion
To conclude, now you know the perfect way to name your cocktail.
However, to reiterate, you can come up with a name for your drink based on the location, ingredients, historical events, famous personalities, and lastly, by being creative and using art, pop culture, and movies as the base.
Frequently Asked Questions
Several factors come into consideration to bring out the exotic side and flavor of a cocktail; however, the primary factor is the balance between different taste profiles and the tension between these profiles.
For most people, the oldest cocktail is the Sazerac. It carries a sugar cube, rye whiskey, Peychaud’s Bitters, and Absinthe as the main ingredients.
The most challenging cocktail comes with a diverse list of ingredients, roughly 71, and is known as Commonwealth.
