The act of muddling can be traced back centuries. Various cultures across the world utilized muddling-like methods to craft medicinal drinks, crushing herbs and plants to extract their beneficial properties.    

Fast forward to the world of cocktails, muddling became especially notable with the rise of the Mint Julep in the American South and the Mojito from Cuba. Both require bartenders to gently press mint leaves to release their aromatic oils, turning muddling into a bar industry artform to master.  

Don't underestimate the complexity of muddling; there's more to it than just crushing ingredients in your glass. Follow these core techniques to serve the perfect muddled drink every time.   

1. Gentle Pressing: The key is to press ingredients just enough to extract flavors without demolishing them. Too much force can ruin your drink. For instance, muddling mint requires a delicate touch to release the oils without tearing the leaves, which can result in bitterness.  
2. Circular Motion: This ensures an even extraction of flavors. Twist ingredients against the sides of the glass or shaker to optimize the release of essential oils or juices.  
3. Layered Muddling: When muddling multiple ingredients, it's crucial to understand which ones require a firmer press and which require a gentler touch. This might mean muddling in stages. 

1. The Muddler: The star of the show, a muddler is typically made of wood, stainless steel, or plastic and comes in various sizes and shapes. Some have a flat base, while others are toothed. The choice often depends on the bartender's preference and the ingredients they're working with.  
2. Mixing Glass or Shaker: A sturdy vessel is needed to withstand the pressure of muddling, especially when working with harder ingredients like raw sugar cubes or thick fruits.  

Fine-tune your muddling skills to create fragrant and delicious cocktails to stand out in a competitive environment. Follow these best practices to be at the top of your game.  

1. Clean Ingredients: Always ensure that fruits and herbs are thoroughly cleaned. This is not just for hygiene but also to ensure you don't add external flavors to the drink.  
2. Understand Ingredient Texture: Softer ingredients, like berries or citrus segments, require less force than firmer ingredients, such as cucumbers or raw sugar. Chop ingredients like fruit into small pieces to make muddling easier.   
3. Avoid Over-Muddling: Overworking certain ingredients, especially herbs, can lead to excessive bitterness or pulpiness in a drink. Aim for a balanced extraction to prevent breaking them into small pieces.   
4. Equipment Care: If using a wooden muddler, avoid soaking it for long periods to prevent it from becoming waterlogged. You can also wipe it down with food-safe oils to aid in water resistance. Regular cleaning of any muddler type ensures flavors aren't transferred between cocktails. To keep your glassware safe, never muddle in a stemmed glass.  

To perfect your muddling technique, practice it with this Captain Morgan’s Mojito Recipe. Using mint leaves that need a delicate touch and firmer lime wedges gives you a great opportunity to train your layering.  

To learn more about other advanced bar techniques that can supercharge your performance, join Diageo Bar Academy to access exclusive insight. 

• Muddling is an ancient art that's been used for centuries to extract oils and flavors for drinks and medicine.    
• When muddling ingredients, you want to be gentle enough to not destroy the fruit or herbs. Over-muddling can add bitterness and other unwanted flavors to your drink.    
• The muddler is a key piece of equipment that can come in different materials and sizes. Keep it clean between uses to ensure you don't mix in different flavors.    
• Understanding the textures of ingredients can make you better at muddling. Firm citrus fruits need more force, while delicate herbs like mint need less.