Hello {{ FIRSTNAME }}, and welcome to Cocktail Builder! You’ve joined a community of cocktail lovers eager to learn new tips and tricks for mastering mixology. Whether you want to perfect your bartending skills or are just starting out, we have something for you. Every week, we’ll send you a helpful, practical cocktail article directly to your inbox. It could be anything from seasonal drink recipes to must-have cocktail equipment. For now, let’s go back to the basics and set you up for cocktail success. Here are the first three steps to becoming a solid bartender:

Step 1: Ice. All of us have that old ice tray that came with the refrigerator… And your guests can tell if you’re using that kind of ice. Instantly upgrade your cocktails with gorgeous, oversized ice cubes from King Ice ($8 on Amazon). If you only buy one fancy gadget for your bar, this is it.

Step 2: Bitters. A couple drops can completely transform a drink - adding warm, spicy, or acidic notes. These come in tiny bottles and last for years. If you’re just starting with bitters, get Angostura ($12). There are a few other key types of bitters you should know about - read about them.

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Step 3: Glasses. Red plastic cups we’ve all enjoyed in college are OK, but you’re classy enough now to own glasses that are as sophisticated as the drinks they hold. Stem coupe glasses) are most universal ($12); read up on other important types of glasses you should own.

Until next time, Alex from Cocktail Builder _Photo credit: amazon.com _