You Won't Be Able To Make The Perfect Mojito Without A Muddler

Who doesn't love a good cocktail? When you think of the classics, mojitos are probably one of the many that can come to mind. It's a cocktail that has been around for a long time, and is often ascribed to some of our most famous historical personalities (like Hemingway). The perfect mojito is truly a sum of its parts: fresh lime juice, potent rum, lime juice, and sugar. It's crisp, refreshing, herbal, and bright and is one of the best beverages for warm weather relaxation.

Things that appear the simplest can be the hardest to perfect, and a mojito fits that bill. It's not enough to simply throw all these ingredients into a glass and call it a day: For the best mojito, that mint and sugar needs to be maximized. To make the perfect mojito, you need a muddler — a tool that's similar to a pestle — to really bring the mint to life in that cocktail. A muddler is an affordable addition to your mixology tools, and will add a whole new dimension of flavors to your cocktails.

To maximize your mojito experience, it's important to make sure each ingredient is really shining and in this case, that means making the most of your mint. A muddler is an affordable addition to your mixology tools that has a huge payoff in your final product. 

Generally a long handle with a flat base that can be punctuated with teeth, a muddler serves the same purpose as the classic mortar and pestle, but for glasses. Muddling your mint means releasing the oil and flavor from the leaves and allowing it to mingle with the other ingredients.

Not every muddler is the same. The ones that are available with teeth are ideal for muddling citrus fruits that need a little more force. However, when it comes to mojitos and muddling mint, you are going to want something that's more gentle. MasterClass recommends using a wooden muddler that doesn't have teeth, and if you don't have one of those, the end of a wooden spoon will provide the same effect.

The trick to muddling fresh herbs is to apply pressure, while still being gentle. Using a tool with teeth or too much force will tear the mint leaves. The goal is to just release the oils from the leaf so that the essence mingles with the rest of the ingredients of the mojito. You'll know you're doing it right when the mint becomes more fragrant in the glass.

Of course, mint isn't the only thing that will bring flavor to that mojito. For a more herbaceous cocktail, basil is a great herb to add along with some cucumber slices. If you're looking for something a little extra, fruit can be a great addition when mixed and muddled. Berries like strawberry and raspberry lend a bright note to the citrus in the classic cocktail. Mango also will add a fruity punch. Just be gentle — you want to muddle the flavors, not mash the fruit.