In this two-part class taught by April Wachtel, students will begin Cocktails 101 (March 18th) by learning fundamentals of cocktails including tools, techniques, and some theory while preparing "mother" cocktails like sours and Manhattans. 
In the Cocktails 201 class, students will learn how to create infusions, and cover advanced (and showy) techniques, like smoking, swizzling, and carbonating cocktails. The advanced class culminates with an experimental session where you get to create your own signature cocktail from our spirits, infusions, flavored syrups, and herbs and spices.

In this two-part class taught by April Watchel, students will begin Cocktails 101 by learning fundamentals of cocktails including tools, techniques, and some theory while preparing "mother" cocktails like sours and Manhattans. 
In the Cocktails 201 class (March 25th), students will learn how to create infusions, and cover advanced (and showy) techniques, like smoking, swizzling, and carbonating cocktails. The advanced class culminates with an experimental session where you get to create your own signature cocktail from our spirits, infusions, flavored syrups, and herbs and spices.

*Sorry this class is sold out!

If you like your cocktails like you like your cheese, big, strong and bold, then this is the class for you. Spend an evening with a Murray's Cheese expert and April Wachtel, an NYC Mixologist as we explore the extremes of flavor both in the glass and on the plate!  With the right choices, these sweet and bitter drams of liquor can lead to eye-opening, taste bud inspiring pairings. You’ll leave with the tips (and the swagger) to become the ultimate home bartender, entertainer, and budding cocktail enthusiast.

*Sorry this class is sold out!

As the most unregulated spirit category in the world, rum has the greatest diversity in terms of flavor profile. But, while variety is great, it’s often difficult to interpret the products on the market, as there are so many options available. Join us for this primer on rum as we explore the origins, geography, and production of rum. We’ll sample rums with a range of flavor profiles and make several cocktails that showcase landmark moments in this spirit’s history. 

Winter is a time for lighting fires, snuggling in blankets, cooking comfort foods, and drinking delicious aged spirits. Along with experienced mixologist April Wachtel, we’ll break out the dark spirits and explore a range of boozy stirred drinks. If you like Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and Negronis, this class is for you! We’ll discuss spirit selection, the role of bitters and fortified aromatized wines, and aroma as an essential garnish property. We’ll taste spirits neat, then prepare and quaff four boozy stirred cocktails.

Do you want to build your home spirits collection but don't know where to start? Want to wow your guests with your creative cocktail creations? Want to get your home bar up and running without spending a fortune?

DIY Home Bar is an introductory crash course that will teach you everything you need to know to start making both classic and original cocktails at home. We will discuss cocktail history, tools & techniques, and how to build a smart and diverse spirits collection without breaking the bank. Most importantly, we will make (and drink!) a variety of cocktails in class as we discuss methods and ratios for proper balance. Finally, we’ll send you home with 10 classic recipes and the resources to have you making beautiful cocktails in no time, and on any budget. 

Summer is one of the best times to enjoy cocktails in New York City as herbs, fruits, and vegetables are fresh and abundant, and farmer’s markets overflow with stunning ripe and local produce. Join us for Seasonal Summer Cocktails to learn how to incorporate fresh ingredients into your cocktails, and how to prepare drinks for a group. We’ll make (and taste) a range of refreshing cocktails including a Blueberry Lemonade, a Peach and Basil Smash, a Dark & Stormy, and a Southside Fizz.

Looking to create a cocktail menu for your next party or event? Ever wonder how the pros decide what cocktails to put on their lists? Get down and dirty with menu design in this fun hands on cocktail workshop. We'll talk about principles behind menu development and examine samples from some of the best cocktail bars in the city.  We’ll prepare 3 classics, choosing between the Daiquiri, the Old Fashioned, the Margarita and the Mojito. Each student will create a 5 cocktail ‘menu’ including these classics, and will create the final two signature recipes from scratch.

Skip the long waits and typical brunch drink selections with this special Saturday class. We’ll take you beyond the bloody Mary and the standard OJ mimosa and get into a whole new world of cocktails to accompany your egg sandwich, French toast, and everything in between. We’ll discuss some of our favorite spirit selections that go perfectly with afternoon imbibing. We’ll also talk through some cocktail-making techniques so that you’ll leave with a better understanding of what makes a proper brunch drink. You’ll learn how to build a better cocktail, as well as what flavor profiles mix well together. Whether you are looking to bump up your at-home brunch entertaining or to experience some new variations on some cocktail classics, this class will help you take your daytime sips to the next level.

Are you constantly on the lookout for new ways to incorporate flavors, aromas, and textures to your cocktails? Always hunting for new tricks and techniques to use to wow your friends? April Wachtel, veteran NYC-based bartender, cocktail instructor, and founder of beverage consulting firm Swig + Swallow believes the perfect cocktail hits on all of these notes - it has a beautiful appearance, enticing aroma, complementary flavors and distinct mouthfeel. Join April when she returns to COOK to demonstrate processes from muddling and dry-shaking to smoking cocktails and infusion to expand your cocktail-making repertoire. Students will get to sample all cocktails throughout the class and light bites will be served. 

Ready to 'shake’ your dependency on recipes and develop the confidence to create delicious custom cocktails off the cuff? This is the perfect class for students who have a basic familiarity with proper tools and technique, and want to expand their repertoire and explore a range of flavor combinations. We’ll start with a review of basic cocktail-making guidelines and techniques to get you shaking and stirring just like the pros. We will then introduce you to common ratios, which are endlessly more useful than recipes when you want to get creative with your cocktails. We’ll apply those ratios to stirred and shaken cocktails and taste the results side by side to see what works and why. Finally, we will get down and dirty and make our own custom cocktails. Students will have a chance to experiment with spirits, juices, bitters and modifiers, receive feedback on their cocktail, and walk away ready to concoct their own variations at home.

http://www.astorcenternyc.com/class-bartending-201-techniques-tips-for-the-creative-process.ac

Skip the long waits and typical brunch drink selections with this special Saturday class. We’ll take you beyond the bloody Mary and the standard OJ mimosa and get into a whole new world of cocktails to accompany your egg sandwich, French toast, and everything in between. We’ll discuss some of our favorite spirit selections that go perfectly with afternoon imbibing. We’ll also talk through some cocktail-making techniques so that you’ll leave with a better understanding of what makes a proper brunch drink. You’ll learn how to build a better cocktail, as well as what flavor profiles mix well together. Whether you are looking to bump up your at-home brunch entertaining or to experience some new variations on some cocktail classics, this class will help you take your daytime sips to the next level.

*Sorry this class is sold out!

Want to know the difference between shaken and stirred drinks? Do you love cocktails when the pros make them but can’t seem to recreate them at home? Cocktails 101 is geared towards the beginner ‘cocktalian’….Instructor April Wachtel will start you at zero and get you up and humming in no time! We’ll make and discuss classic cocktails, failsafe ratios used by the pros, and essentials to stock your home bar.

Join April Wachtel (sub for Anthony Caporale) for a hands-on sequel to our consistently sold-out Whiskey, Bourbon, and Scotch Tasting class! You'll master the making of eight classic whiskey cocktails, including: Bourbon and Branch, Seven and Seven, Old-Fashioned, Rusty Nail, Classic Manhattan, Dry and Smoky Rob Roy, Bourbon Whiskey Sour, and Sazerac. Then we'll explore ways to customize these drinks to perfectly suit your tastes---and your guests'. If you've already taken our Whiskey, Bourbon, and Scotch Tasting class, this is the ideal next step to apply your knowledge. If you haven't, this class will provide a fantastic overview of how to use whiskey in creating a fantastic cocktail.

*Sorry this class is sold out!

Do you want to build your home spirits collection but don't know where to start? Want to wow your guests with your creative cocktail creations? Want to get your home bar up and running without spending a fortune?

DIY Home Bar is an introductory crash course that will teach you everything you need to know to start making both classic and original cocktails at home. We will discuss cocktail history, tools & techniques, and how to build a smart and diverse spirits collection without breaking the bank. Most importantly, we will make (and drink!) a variety of cocktails in class as we discuss methods and ratios for proper balance. Finally, we’ll send you home with 10 classic recipes and the resources to have you making beautiful cocktails in no time, and on any budget.

*Sorry this class is sold out!!

Ready to 'shake’ your dependency on recipes and develop the confidence to create delicious custom cocktails off the cuff? This is the perfect class for students who have a basic familiarity with proper tools and technique, and want to expand their repertoire and explore a range of flavor combinations. We’ll start with a review of basic cocktail-making guidelines and techniques to get you shaking and stirring just like the pros. We will then introduce you to common ratios, which are endlessly more useful than recipes when you want to get creative with your cocktails. We’ll apply those ratios to stirred and shaken cocktails and taste the results side by side to see what works and why. Finally, we will get down and dirty and make our own custom cocktails. Students will have a chance to experiment with spirits, juices, bitters and modifiers, receive feedback on their cocktail, and walk away ready to concoct their own variations at home.

*Sorry, this class is sold out!

We love the cozy warmth that a nice cocktail brings to our cold bodies in the dead of winter. But sometimes, we just want to hibernate instead of going out to our favorite bar. In this class, learn how to stock your bar and make cocktails in preparation for the polar vortex. Our teacher will instruct you on how to mix and shake drinks, learn proper bartending formulas and imbue the basics with some particularly winter ingredients.

*Sorry, this class is sold out!

Do you want to build your home spirits collection but don't know where to start? Want to wow your guests with your creative cocktail creations? Want to get your home bar up and running without spending a fortune?

DIY Home Bar is an introductory crash course that will teach you everything you need to know to start making both classic and original cocktails at home. We will discuss cocktail history, tools & techniques, and how to build a smart and diverse spirits collection without breaking the bank. Most importantly, we will make (and drink!) a variety of cocktails in class as we discuss methods and ratios for proper balance. Finally, we’ll send you home with 10 classic recipes and the resources to have you making beautiful cocktails in no time, and on any budget.

We love the cozy warmth that a proper cocktail brings to our bodies in the dead of winter. But sometimes, we just want to hibernate instead of going out to our favorite bar. In this class, learn how to make the perfect sippers to keep you toasty during the frostiest time of year. We'll learn to incorporate seasonal ingredients like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger, utilize spirits with depth and texture, and even learn to make a hot cocktail for those extra cold days!

(Substitute for Anthony Caporale)

The couple that plays together stays together---and what’s more fun than making drinks for two? Join the host of Art of the Drink TV and ICE Director of Beverage Studies Anthony Caporale as you learn to make amazing His-n-Hers Cocktails: a new way for couples to enjoy drinks together. Each His-n-Hers pairing consists of two cocktails with complementary flavor profiles---one geared toward a more masculine palette and presentation and the other toward more feminine tastes. The flavors are designed to be mixed, preferably through an after-sip kiss. The ingredients, while of high quality, are commonly available, making everything accessible and easy to prepare. Your drinks include classic and contemporary spins on His-n-Hers Martinis.

As the most unregulated spirit category in the world, rum has the greatest diversity in terms of flavor profile. But, while variety is great, it’s often difficult to interpret the products on the market, as there are so many options available. Join us for this primer on rum as we explore the origins, geography, and production of rum. We’ll sample rums with a range of flavor profiles and make several cocktails that showcase landmark moments in this spirit’s history.