How to Garnish a Cocktail: 11 Cocktail Garnish Ideas

Here are some cocktail garnish ideas to liven up your favorite cocktail or complement a cocktail creation of your own:

1. 1. Berries: Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries can all add extra fruit flavor to your drink. All you need to do for this garnish is slide a cocktail skewer through your berries and rest the skewer on top of the glass.
2. 2. Celery: A celery stick can be used to add a refreshing element to a cocktail, like a Bloody Mary.
3. 3. Citrus: There are a variety of citrus garnishes that can be added to cocktails, from basic twists, to wedges, to wheels.
4. 4. Cocktail onions: Pickled pearl onions do not frequently appear in many cocktails but they are the signature garnish of the Gibson cocktail, which is a variation on the Martini
5. 5. Maraschino cherries: Maraschino cherries are preserved, sweetened cherries that are used frequently in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktail recipes. Cocktails garnished with maraschino cherries include the Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, Vodka Collins, and occasionally an Old Fashioned.
6. 6. Mint: Mint adds an aromatic flavor to cocktails and is the main ingredient in both the Mojito and the Mint Julep. Bartenders often smack mint sprigs with their hand to release the mint’s oils before adding it to a cocktail.
7. 7. Olives: Green olives are the garnish of choice in a classic Gin Martini and often come stuffed with additional ingredients like pimento peppers or blue cheese.
8. 8. Pineapple: A wedge of pineapple is a great way to add a tropical flair to a mixed drink and is frequently used to garnish tiki drinks, like the Piña Colada and the Mai Tai.
9. 9. Sugar: Sugaring the rim of a glass is an easy way to add a decorative and sweet garnish to your cocktails. Rub a citrus wedge around the rim of the glass to make the sugar stick, and to add an extra acidic flavor to the drink. You can also rim a glass with salt instead of sugar using the same method.
10. 10. Whipped cream: A sweet, whipped cream topping is the ideal way to garnish many liqueur-based, dessert cocktails or frozen drinks.
11. 11. Inedible garnishes: Not all garnishes are intended to be eaten. Cocktail umbrellas, straws, sparklers, and swizzle sticks are all examples of inedible garnishes that are used solely for ornamental purposes.

Citrus fruits—lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits—make up the most popular category of cocktail garnishes. There are three different ways that a citrus fruit garnish can be prepared:

1. 1. Twist: A basic citrus twist is simply a curled sliver of citrus rind. A basic citrus twist is made by using a vegetable peeler or paring knife to cut out an oval-shaped slice of citrus peel, which is then squeezed to express the oils and curl the rind. Though simple to make, garnishing with the basic twist brings heightened visual appeal to a cocktail, and the citrus oils from the rind add a vivid aroma and extra flavor to your drink.
2. 2. Wedge: A wedge is a cut, triangular section of citrus fruit, often either lemon or lime, that either rests on the rim of the glass or is squeezed and placed into the cocktail. When a wedged is squeezed into a drink, the juice adds acidity to balance out the cocktail’s flavor.
3. 3. Wheel: A wheel is a round slice of citrus fruit placed on the rim of a cocktail glass solely for decoration and is usually discarded before the drink is consumed.

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