Tasting skills & drink vocabulary
5 posts
What Is in a Beautiful Cocktail? A Tasting Guide to Cognac and Grand Marnier
The Beautiful cocktail is equal parts cognac and Grand Marnier. Learn how it tastes, how to make and serve it, what to pair with it, and alcohol-free options.
Methanol in Drinks: Understanding Testing and Its Limits
Learn why you cannot taste or smell methanol, how laboratories and home kits test drinks for it, where those tests fall short, and how to choose drinks safely for a gathering.
What Is a Drink Cozy? A Taster's Guide to Keeping Drinks at Their Best
A drink cozy is an insulating sleeve for cans, bottles or cups. Learn how it protects flavour, carbonation and grip, which type suits your drink, and how to use cozies at gatherings.
How to Make a Drink’s Taste Less Noticeable
How to not taste a drink you find too strong: use serving temperature, dilution, flavour balance, glassware and food pairings to soften harsh flavours and aftertaste, plus alcohol-free options.
Testing a Drink for Spiking: What Your Palate and Test Kits Can and Cannot Tell You
Why taste can't reliably detect drink spiking, how drink test kits work, why false negatives happen, what to do after a suspected exposure, and how hosts can serve drinks more safely.