Summer is in full swing! The days are long and the drinks are cold. But the best thing about summer is the bounty of amazing fruits and herbs whose abundance inspires the most creative and delicious cocktails of the year. With just a flick of the wrist, even the most ordinary cocktail becomes outstanding. No, we’re not talking about a magic wand, but close! When the farmers markets are overflowing and your garden is producing more cucumbers, berries, and herbs than you know what to do with, it’s time to turn to one of summer’s most satisfying cocktail techniques: muddling.
Muddling is quite possibly the easiest technical skill one can do at home to take their cocktails from ordinary to outstanding. Equal parts art and science, muddling is the gateway to flavor-rich, ultra-seasonal sips—and it’s a technique that any home bartender can master with just a little practice.
This medieval-looking wooden stick (essentially a pestle) is the key to unlocking bright flavors and oils from soft-leafed herbs and juicy, ripe fruits directly into your drink. It’s most commonly done with a tool aptly called a muddler, which looks like a short baton (often made of wood, plastic, or stainless steel). The goal isn’t to pulverize your ingredients but to press and bruise them just enough to release essential oils, juice, and aroma.
Below, we’ll explore the basics of muddling, offer some tips for success, and showcase ten standout cocktail recipes that highlight peak summer produce—from juicy berries to fragrant herbs to refreshing cucumber. If you’ve got a muddler and a bounty of fresh ingredients, you’ve already got the makings of some unforgettable summer drinks.
Muddle Mania: Pro-Tips for a Smashing Success
So what exactly is muddling? Muddling is the classic bartending technique of using the end of a flat, often wooden dowel to apply pressure, force open, or squeeze out a desired flavor from a solid ingredient—typically fruit, herbs, or vegetables—to release these flavors into a cocktail. When it comes to muddling, there are numerous dos and don’ts depending on the ingredient you’re working with. Before we dive into ingredient-specific muddling techniques, here are some general pro tips to make your muddling more effective:
- Use the right muddler. A flat-bottomed muddler works best for herbs and soft summer fruit. A flat surface facilitates the equal pressure and release of aromas and oils you’re seeking. You’ll see many options out there, including ones with little spikes or teeth. If you have one of those, reserve it for tougher ingredients like citrus rinds and raw sugar cubes.
- Don’t overdo it. When gripping a muddler, lower it into your shaker tin or glass. Apply gentle, even pressure to your ingredients. Twist the muddler while applying pressure. Work the ingredients from different angles to make sure all of their essence has been extracted. There is no need to pound the ingredients. Muddle fruits and herbs slowly and intentionally. Especially with herbs like mint or basil—too much force can make your drink bitter.
- Start with your muddled ingredients first. Always muddle in the bottom of your shaker or mixing glass before adding spirits or ice. If using a two-piece shaker tin (highly recommended), muddle in the small tin, not the large one. The larger tin requires you to put more of your hand inside to reach the bottom, which restricts angles and mobility. Muddling too forcefully or too quickly will cause the liquid to spill out of the tin that you worked so hard to extract in the first place.
- Straining is key. In most cases, you should double-strain the muddled ingredients into the cocktail glass. Be sure to use a Hawthorne strainer paired with a fine mesh strainer so you don’t end up with bits of fruit or herbs in your drink or teeth.
- Be fresh-forward. Muddling is all about showcasing freshness. Use just-picked herbs and ripe, in-season fruit for the best flavor.
Cool As a Cucumber
We recommend using English cucumbers, which have fewer seeds a better texture when muddled. Always remove the skins before muddling. The skin of a cucumber can become bitter when muddled and can inhibit some of the freshness that a cucumber so readily provides.
This refreshingly green Cucumber Cooler highlights the crispness of cucumber and the herbaceousness of dill. Made with crisp, classic Portland Dry Gin 33 combined with dill, cucumber, lime, and bubbly water, this is the ultimate garden party sipper. Muddling coaxes out the subtle, hydrating notes of cucumber and the fresh, aromatic qualities of dill, creating a truly refreshing gin experience.
If you’re a bit more of an adventurous imbiber, give The Range a whirl. Here, muddled cucumber meets our herbal Cascadia American Bitter Liqueur and our house-made Elder Flower Cocktail Syrup, a delicate blend of lychee, elder flower, pear, and rose. This drink offers a tart and bitter profile balanced by the freshness of muddled cucumber. a fantastic option for those who prefer a more culinary-driven drink.
Pineapple Express
Due to the firm and dense nature of pineapple, this is one fruit where you do want to muddle vigorously. Remove the core, dice into small pieces, and muddle with force. There is so much delicious juice in each small piece of pineapple, and you’re going to want every last drop.
Want to make a Piña Colada but don't have a blender? Then this blender-free recipe is for you. Plus, you'll get lots of practice honing your muddling skills with this one. This twist on the tropical classic gives a fresher, less syrupy tipple thanks to the muddling. Pineapple's natural acidity shines when muddled along with our Distiller's Cut Rum and coconut syrup. If muddling is the secret technique behind this delightful classic, then Liquid Alchemist's Coconut Syrup is the secret ingredient. Typically, coconut cocktail mixers are either extremely oily or almost entirely artificial. Not this one! It's creamy without being heavy and maintains the bright notes of coconut that other brands lack. This cocktail is best enjoyed poolside!
Ulimate Refreshmint
When muddling mint leaves, the key is to be very gentle. Mint leaves need only light pressing with your muddler. Over-muddling brings out the bitter, vegetal notes pretty quickly. Also, as a rule, if the cocktail recipes calls for muddling mint leaves folowed by shaking with ice, then you don't need to do much more than press the leaves to extract the oils.
No muddling roundup would be complete without the Mojito. Muddle fresh mint leaves and lime to create this timeless Cuban classic. Add Distiller's Cut Rum and a splash of soda for summer in a glass. Slap your mint leaves against the back of your hand first to activate their oils before muddling. If you can still get fresh strawberries, you'll want to shake up a Strawberry Mojito. Once you've perfected your mint muddling skills, test yourself with any of these fun muddled mint cocktails. Nothing's more refreshing than a mint cocktail on a sweltering summer day!
Peak Summer Bounty
Summer brings peak-season freshness for berries, stone fruits, melons, and fresh herbs and botanicals. These soft, juicy fruits and uber-fresh aromatic herbs are begging to be used in seasonal cocktails. When muddling, find the ripest fruits and botanicals and apply pressure generously. Always double-strain the muddled mixture to eliminate seeds, stems, skins or rinds, which are often overly bitter and/or vegetal in flavor. Don't forget to save some pieces of fruit and sprigs of herbs for garnishing your cocktails!
The vibrant Blueberry Thyme Vodka Smash combines muddled blueberries and thyme with our all-Oregon-grown, grain-to-glass New Deal Vodka and lemon. It’s earthy, fruity, and endlessly refreshing. Muddling unlocks the juicy sweetness of blueberries and the earthy, savory notes of thyme, creating a layered flavor profile that sings of summer.
This Strawberry Basil Cooler is a match made in muddling heaven—sweet strawberries and fragrant basil come together with Portland 90 Vodka for a drink that screams “peak summer.” The combination of sweet strawberries and aromatic basil is a classic for a reason, and muddling is key to extracting their vibrant flavors. Garnish with a whole basil sprig for aroma and visual flair.
A Pacific Northwest riff on the Long Island Iced Tea, the Ross Island Iced Tea gets the Portland treatment by muddling juicy peaches in sweet tea simple syrup followed by the spicy kick of our Hot Monkey Pepper Vodka to amp up the brightness. Muddling fresh peach provides a softer, more authentic fruit flavor than peach schnapps, perfectly complementing the sweet tea and spicy vodka. It’s bold, boozy, and perfect for backyard BBQs and bold flavor seekers.
The tried-and-true summer flavor combo of watermelon and mint shines in this vibrant vodka cocktail we call Heat Exchange, which will keep you cool on the hottest of days. Sweet watermelon, tart lime juice, and cooling mint leaves provide the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and aromatic. A gentle muddle extracts the pure, sweet essence of watermelon and the invigorating coolness of mint, making for a truly thirst-quenching drink.
Sage Advice
The mighty sage leaf packs a punch and can go from fragrant to pungent quickly. Muddle very gently, and be sure not to go overboard when experimenting with this herb. Its resinous aroma can be potent, so often just a few leaves will suffice. In cocktails, pairing sage with juicy summer fruit is a winning combination.
A sophisticated and refreshing take on the classic Collins, featuring the intriguing combination of raspberry and sage, the Raspberry Sage Vodka Collins layers tart raspberries and earthy sage with lemon, simple syrup, and vodka. Muddling coaxes out the tart-sweetness of raspberries and the earthy, slightly peppery notes of sage, creating a complex and aromatic profile that is both familiar and exciting.
An herbaceous twist on classic summer lemonade, the Blackberry Sage Vodka Lemonade is a deliciously refreshing summer sipper with a delightful interplay of sweet and savory notes. Muddling the blackberries releases their deep, jammy sweetness, while the sage adds an unexpected, grounding herbal counterpoint, elevating a simple lemonade to cocktail perfection.
Embrace the Muddle
Muddling is more than just a technique—it’s a celebration of seasonality. Whether you’re working with wild blackberries, garden mint, or a friend’s overzealous cucumber harvest, muddling lets you transform everyday produce into extraordinary cocktails. And in the heat of summer, there’s no better way to showcase the bounty of the season than with a drink that’s as fresh as it is flavorful. So grab a muddler, head to your nearest market or garden, and start experimenting. Your home bar and your taste buds will thank you!