Cocktail garnishes

by | Jun 8, 2022

Garnish like a pro!

I’m a committed garnish skeptic. I like pretty cocktail garnishes when I see them in photos, but in my actual drink? They always somehow seem to hit me in the face and then I spill down my shirt and well…I suppose it was my own fault for wearing white.

Even as a garnish skeptic, I do believe in the functional garnish. What is a functional garnish? It’s a garnish that is there to enhance the flavor or aroma of a drink, not just there for looks. For example, a bit of lemon peel squeezed over a martini. The lemon oil that mists out lightly coats the top of the drink and adds an intoxicating citrus je ne sais quoi without adding any tartness or juiciness. Functional garnishes stand in opposition to decorative garnishes, that is to say, garnishes that are there to add to the look of the drink but don’t add anything to the flavor or aroma. Like pineapple leaves sticking out of a tropical cocktail. They look totally cool when you post the photo on instagram, but they don’t do anything more than that. I may complain about them all day long, but I don’t actually hate decorative garnishes or anything. I love a beautiful aesthetic. I’m just also really prone to making messes, ha. I like a nice clean streamlined drink with nothing to distract me. Waste also gives me anxiety, so if a garnish is likely to end up in the garbage, that gives me the heebee-jeebees. This is also why we have a quite robust compost program at our distillery.

Ok, so now you’ve completed Garnish 101 and know the difference between a functional and a decorative garnish! Each of our canned cocktails is complete and ready to enjoy from the can, but you can always accessorize one of the delicious and definitely functional garnishes below.

hand pouring a can of Frenchie cocktail into coupe glass with lemon

Frenchie Cocktail

Serve Frenchie in a pretty coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist or a lemon wheel. If you’d like a dash of extra whimsy and color in your cocktail garnish, add a slice of strawberry to the rim of the glass.

Briar Cocktail

Pour Briar into a tall glass and garnish with a sprig of mint. Feel free to add some blackberries as well! It’s the perfect combination of fruit and cooling herbs.

Vélo Spritz

Pour Vélo into a wine goblet with a few ice cubes and garnish with an orange wedge and a green olive. Pretend you are in Venice!

Need to stock up on charmingly handcrafted canned cocktails? Find them right here!