Build with intention
Understand the six parts of a complete drink and the starting ratio that ties them together.
Build your ownRich Portelance’s library class companion
Beyond the Shirley Temple — The Art & Science of the Mocktail
A grown-up guide to balance, aroma, texture, dilution and presentation—built for the class, useful long after the last glass is cleared.
Your way in
Start with the question in front of you.
Need a dependable drink tonight? Head to recipes. Want to improvise? Learn the structure. Something not quite right? The technique page will help you rescue it.
Make one of seven
Exact quantities, serving scales, substitutions and the lesson hiding inside every recipe.
Browse recipesFix the next round
Shake, stir, muddle, batch and troubleshoot with ordinary kitchen tools.
Use better techniqueThe one idea to remember
A recipe begins the conversation. Your palate gets the last word.
Taste before serving. Too sweet wants acid. Too tart wants sweetness. Too forceful wants dilution. Flat can mean it needs aroma, bitterness, bubbles—or simply a pinch of salt.
“Great drinks are about balance—not alcohol.”
Rich Portelance, class host and creator
The bartender’s lens
Three habits make the difference.
Taste in stages
Fruit and juice shift with ripeness, brand and season. Measure first, then make small adjustments.
Treat ice as an ingredient
Fresh, plentiful ice chills quickly and creates controlled dilution instead of a watery finish.
Finish at the nose
Citrus oils and fresh herbs meet you before the sip. A simple fragrant garnish earns its place.
A quick label check: verify alcohol-free products meet each attendee’s needs. Standard bitters may contain alcohol unless labeled zero-proof. Disclose aquafaba (chickpea/legume) and tonic water (quinine) when used; grapefruit can interact with some medicines.