We’ve put some of your weirdest cocktail questions to the test, who says we’re not the experts in barware and cocktail trivia?

Why do cocktails have so much ice?

Put simply, cocktails have lots of ice because the colder the drink, the slower the ice melts. And the slower the ice melts, the less diluted your drink will become. This means your drink stays cooler for longer, and you get a better taste for longer!

Unlike popular belief, bartenders don’t fill your glass with ice to save money on liquor, or to make your order more. You’re getting the same measures if you ordered without ice, it just tastes better, and that’s a fact!

Why do cocktails have little umbrellas?

Often seen in tropical and tiki cocktails, the little paper umbrella we all know and love is often used for decorative purposes. However, we’ve delved into the little umbrella’s origins. 

Some say these cocktail umbrellas started out with a purpose, shading cocktails from the sun and protecting them from bugs and flies. Others say it gave people something to chew on after they’d finished their drink, and others say they were introduced as a purely decorative object to entice more women into bars during the 1930s. 

Why do cocktails have 2 straws?

The answer to this question can vary depending on what bar you’re in. 

Some restaurants or bars use two straws to signify to serving staff whether a drink is diet/non-diet or alcoholic/non-alcoholic. Other times, short straws, used for drinks such as margaritas, come with skinny straws to help increase the speed and flow of the drink. It’s also said that having two different straws can allow you to drink at different levels, without mixing all the ingredients together.

Why do cocktails have to be shaken?

Shaking a cocktail will add aeration, creating a blended, all-in-one drink without layers. Shaking with ice will also help to dilute the ingredients and cool the cocktail from the inside. Shaking is required for certain ingredients such as egg whites or citrus juices, otherwise they will start to separate in the serving glass before the drink has even been enjoyed.

The alternative to shaking is stirring. This is more suited to carbonated drinks or long drinks that require more of a velvety texture rather than a foamy, aerated one.

Why do cocktails have weird names?

Now, this is a big question, but we’ll try and break it down. Mixologists have been branding their cocktails with ‘strange’ names for a long time now. Lots of cocktails are named after their own ingredients, a significant event or trend at the time of its creation, or after the budding bartender themselves. As for the weirder names, maybe the weirder, the more memorable?

Do cocktails get you drunk faster?

In short, no, drinking cocktails will not get you drunk faster than any other form of alcohol. Nor does mixing types of alcohol accelerate intoxication either. It’s simply the speed of which the alcohol is absorbed, or the strength of the liquor itself that plays a key factor in intoxication rates.

The myth that cocktails get you drunk quicker could however be linked to carbonated drinks. There are theories that although bubbles won’t make you any more intoxicated, they help to deliver the alcohol through your system quicker than still drinks - who’d have thought?

Want to make cocktails the easy way? We’ve got nearly 20 different flavours of pre-prepared cocktail mixes so you can enjoy a delicious mixed drink, without the faff.

Keep an eye on our blog page for more ‘how to’ guides and other cocktail content. Why not follow us on Instagram to check out our latest cocktail and barware accessories and gifts.