The cocktail is one of few things Americans can call their own as part of the American legacy, aside from Texas barbeque and jazz, Erick Castro told his Cocktail 101 class Saturday afternoon at Midtown's Dragonfly.

A former Zócalo bartender and cofounder of Sacramento’s annual Midtown Cocktail Week, Castro taught a group of almost 30 how to make an Oriental, gin gimlet and Manhattan in just two hours, while sharing more knowledge and history about the art of cocktail-making than they could hope to remember. This is the first year the class has been incorporated into the week-long event. 

Participants worked at tables lined with shakers, jiggers (or measures), bottle openers, martini glasses, strainers and mixing spoons, listening intently as Castro guided them through the art of making each cocktail.

In between drinks, Castro covered the history of the cocktail dating as early as the 1860s. “If a drink is still popular 100 years later, it’s probably because it’s really good,” he said.

Demonstrating different mixing techniques, he explained how shaking will integrate all of the flavors, whereas muddling only releases the essence of the ingredients without disrupting the overall flavor of the drink.

After throwing down their first drink, the gin gimlet, much faster than Castro expected, students somewhat giddily tried to focus as he gave them important tips on cocktail creation.

“I liked the gin gimlet a lot," said Patricia Mendoza, a South Sacramento resident. "It was easy to drink. It's a good summer drink.” 

Fresh citrus, namely lime and lemon juice, is a key component of making a good cocktail. Average tequila mixed with fresh juice will make a better drink than any high-end tequila mixed with a generic sweet and sour mix, Castro said. “It’s like comparing steak to bologna,” he said.

Another student found that he liked the Oriental the most, enjoying the hint of orange in the Cointreau.

As the students sipped their second and third drinks at a much slower pace, the bartender answered questions about reliable liquor brands based on his seven years of expertise.

He told students not to be intimidated when selecting spirits in a grocery aisle. Rather than purchase liquor based on price, he suggested purchasing liquors that have a versatile taste that will complement a variety of cocktails.

“You can get a really good bottle of Vermouth for ten bucks," he said.

Some students were surprised to find out that old alcohol can sometimes be the culprit of a bad drink. Not knowing that liquor needs to be 20 percent alcohol to stay fresh in a refrigerator, people will store vermouth (14 percent alcohol) for extensive periods of time and then use it to make cocktails, Castro explained.

As perhaps his most valuable piece of advice, Castro encouraged his students to experiment when making cocktails at home. “This isn’t classical music where everything has to be played the exact same way,” he said. “This is jazz. Express yourself when you make a drink.”

Erick Castro is currently the beverage director at the Rickhouse in San Francisco and also an employee of Bourbon and Branch.

Photos by Jenn Walker. To read more about Midtown Cocktail Week, see Midtown Cocktail week is back and Artisan Bartenders Compete.

Drink Ingredients:

gin gimlet 
½ gin
¾ lime juice
½ Simple Syrup 
Ice 

Oriental
1 and ½ rye whiskey
¾ Cointreau
¾ Carpano
½ lime juice
Ice

Manhattan
2 parts rye whiskey
¾ sweet vermouth
2 dashes of bitter
Ice