What Glass do I use for what cocktail?

Most cocktail recipes suggest a type of glassware that works well with that drink and knowing a Highball glass from an Old-fashioned is important. The significance of using an appropriate glass can make or break the look of your wonderful cocktail. Also take into consideration that making a "double" or "triple" martini in a Highball glass may be fun now but you may feel differently about it in the morning. The determining factor when choosing the appropriate glass for a cocktail should be that the amount of liquid in a drink be compatible with the size of glass, that simple.
Within this growing tour of glassware I have also marked a few of the glasses as a "Must-Have" for the home bar. Use this feature to choose the essential glassware to buy for your new bar.
When shopping for glasses, don't be afraid to step out of the box. Be creative and add flare to your drinks by choosing unique glass designs like those below.

Cocktail Glass

A Home Bar Must-Have The familiar conical shape of the Cocktail Glass makes most of us think of Martinis and so it should. Martinis, other classic cocktails and neat drinks that are between 3 and 6 ounces are commonly seen in a Cocktail Glass (or Martini Glass).
Ideal for:
· Chilled chilled drinks
· Frappes
· Martinis
· All "up" cocktails
Tip- Plunge the bowl of an empty glass into ice a few minutes before preparing the cocktail for a quickly chilled glass.

Highball Glass

A Home Bar Must-Have Highball Glasses are large tumblers that hold between 8 and 12 ounces and can easily replace a Collins glass. This glass is generally used for mixed drinks that have a high proportion of mixer to liquor, such as scotch and soda, bourbon and water, etc.
Ideal for:
· Highballs
· Bloody Mary
· Other tall drinks
· Beer
· Soda
Tip-Keep your highball glasses chilled to keep tall drinks cooler longer.

Old-fashioned Glass

A Home Bar Must-Have Sometimes called a lowball or rocks glass, the Old-fashioned Glass is a squat tumbler that holds between 5 and 10 ounces. Typically used for short mixed drinks and anything on the rocks.
Ideal for:
· Black and White Russians
· Old-fashioneds
· Mai Tais
· "On the Rocks" drinks

Champagne Flute

A Home Bar Must-Have The Champagne Flute is a tall, thin, tapered glass that holds between 7 and 11 ounces and is perfect for Champagne Cocktails. The purpose of the flute design is to keep the bubbles in the flute longer; with less surface area exposed to the air, the bubbles can't escape as fast.
Ideal for:
· Champagne Cocktails
· Champagne

Collins Glass

A Collins Glass is an optional addition to the home bar as it is interchangeable with the highball glass. Used primarily for any Collins drink, it is a narrow tumbler that holds between 8 and 12 ounces.
Ideal for:
· Tom Collins
· Zombies
· Long Island Iced Tea

Irish Coffee Glass

The Irish Coffee Glass replaces the average mug for good-looking hot cocktails. This footed glass mug holds between 8 and 12 ounces and is made of heat-resistant glass.
Ideal for:
· Hot Buttered Rum
· Hot Toddy
· All hot drinks

Hurricane Glass

A Hurricane Glass is typically used for frozen and blended cocktails. The distinct pear-shaped curve of this glass is reminiscent of vintage hurricane lamps and holds between 10 and 12 ounces.
Ideal for:
· Frozen Piña Coladas
· Coco Coladas
· Blended cocktails
· Frozen cocktails

Margarita Glass

This is the perfect and true way to serve a Margarita. The wide bowl of the Margarita Glass is usually 5 inches in diameter and makes for easy rimming with salt. While normal sized glasses hold between 12 and 20 ounces the Super Margarita Glass is available and will hold up to 60 ounces of liquid for the ultimate Margarita party.
Ideal for:
· Margaritas

Shot Glass

A Home Bar Must-Have
The shot glass is one of the best known glasses in any bar. The size of Shot Glasses available varies greatly but the average shot is 1 1/2 ounces. A "short shot", or "pony shot", is another common size that holds only 1 ounce. Typically a Shot Glass is made of a thick glass, especially at the base. This thick glass is meant to absorb the shock of being slammed on a table or bar, something that often happens after a person consumes its potent contents. Novelty and nostalgic Shot Glasses are collector's items that often display promotions for events, places and company brand names. The more interesting novelty glasses depict cartoons, humorous situations or sayings.
Ideal for:
· Shooters
· Playing the "Quarters" drinking game

The History Of Cocktails

Now that it is summer, or so they say but all the cloudy rainy days we had makes me wonder, but needless to say it is cocktail time!!! Now that you have all the amazing recipes to use with your Lemotion..... get started and enjoy.

But where did it all start? Today we are looking at the history of cocktails.

Cocktails exude the word ‘exotic’ - the very name Pina Colada conjures up images of relaxing on the beach in a tropical paradise. This and the fact they are fun and versatile is probably the reason that they’ve become so popular. They’re great for parties or smaller, more manageable get-togethers and the combinations of spirits and juices are endless, so have fun experimenting!
The origin of the name 'cocktail' is not certain, though many explanations have been suggested - some romantic, some gruesome, most no doubt unfounded...

One story goes that Betsy Flanagan, owner of a New York guest house, served her speciality drink Betsy's Bracers. The bar was visited by American soldiers during the War of Independence, and one night they were celebrating as Betsy prepared them a meal made from chickens. They decorated their glasses with feathers and toasted Betsy's drink: "Here's to the divine liquor which is as delicious to the palate as the cocks' tails are beautiful to the eye." To which one officer replied: "Vive le cocktail!"

Some say the name originated in England - horses of mixed origin would have their tails docked to distinguish them from thoroughbreds, and were known as 'cocktailed' horses. Familiar with the term, Dr Johnson (inventor of the dictionary) mixed his friend Boswell a drink of wine laced with gin. He told him: "...to mix spirits to wine smacks of our alcoholic hyperbole. It would be a veritable cocktail of a drink."

A more likely suggestion is that cocktails were developed during prohibition to hide the taste of the low-grade illegal spirits which were being produced in the hills and basements of the US. As time went by and laws changed, cocktails became fashionable in Europe where eventually fine spirits were incorporated to give a whole new dimension in taste and purpose.

Lemotion - Hangover Monday

If your weekend was a bit of a bender due to too much Lemotion cocktails then this is for you

Supplies Needed to Remedy a Hangover

Today, it's all about hangover remedies and prevention, and for this recipe, here's what you'll need:

1000 milligrams vitamin C
one B complex vitamin
600 milligrams N-acetyl-cysteine or "NAC"
400 milligrams Ibuprofen
one over-ripe banana
5-6 frozen strawberries
1/4 cup wild blueberries
1/4 cup frozen or fresh pineapple
about 1 1/2 cups cold vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup orange juice
a dash of salt
a dash of cayenne
about 100 ounces clear, filtered water

Reasons for a Hangover

There's a huge body of medical research that delves into why you feel one particular set of symptoms or another when you're hung over, but basically it boils down to this: alcohol is toxic to just about every major organ in your body. While your system is well-equipped at dealing with small amounts of alcohol, over-consumption forces your internal processes into all sorts of imbalance. But none of this information is gonna help cure your pounding head, so on we go.

Prepare the Vitamins and Pain Relievers

Start by setting aside the vitamins C and B, which are essential vitamins your body is likely depleted of. Also set aside the NAC, a powerful antioxidant, and the ibuprofen. Taking vitamins or pain relievers on an empty stomach can cause discomfort in a perfectly functioning, healthy body, so let's blend up our shake first.

Blend All of the Ingredients

Combine all your ingredients in a blender, from the banana to the cayenne. And don't try to fit in the 100 ounces of water, either into the blender or your stomach just yet, Drunky. The fruit contains fructose, which is a healthy form of sugar, and the banana is a natural antacid that can help with your nausea. The salt will keep you safe from the rare but potentially dangerous hyponatremia, and the cayenne is just an all-around natural bad stuff butt-kicker. Once you've got it all in, blend away and pour yourself a glass.

Drink the Shake

Take it easy with this one. Don't force anything into your body that doesn't want to go there, although this stuff is oddly delicious.

Take the Vitamins and Drink Water

Once you've got a few swallows down, pop your vitamins, NAC, and ibuprofen, and be sure to follow your shake with a full glass of room temperature water. Next to air, water is the number one substance essential for human survival. Make sure that throughout the day, your mantra is this: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Lemotion photo shoot at Shaker Bar School

Lemotion had a photo shoot at Shaker Bar School, 19 Dorp Street in Cape Town yesterday evening. What a great time we had. It gave a me bigger appreciation for the guys and girls who always pour me my Lemotion Cocktails in clubs and bars in and around South Africa. It was great seeing the hard work that goes into developing new drinks, the styles it is being poured (bottles flying around all over the place) and it is made to look so easy.

What Are the Shaker Bar Schools?
Shaker Bar Schools operate three training academies - Cape Town, London and Birmingham. Established in 2001, the Shaker Bar Schools are the leading bartending schools in South Africa & the UK, dedicated to providing bartending, cocktail & flair related educational courses.

Meet The Instructors

Adam Freeth (Founder)
Founder and Managing Director of Shaker UK. Adam set up Shaker as part of a BA and MSc in Business Management, coupled with his bartending exploits throughout Europe. With over a decade of experience throughout the bar industry, he has developed Shaker into one of the UK's foremost authorities on bartending and training. Having tended bar for the rich & famous, Freeth has also appeared on television as an authority on drinks and has appeared in national and trade press.
Freeth has been responsible for training over 2000 bartenders over the last 6 years, and has travelled worldwide with the International Bartenders Course.

Nickname: Charlie
Shoe Size: 11
What do you do?: Everything
What do you like?: Travelling and my mountain bike
What don't you like?: Driving
Fav Tipple: Gin & Tonic with fresh lime
Fav Cocktail: Daiquiri Classic
Fav Record: Depends on my mood
Fav Film: The Goonies
Happiness is: Cycling
Hero: My Bro & Jerry Thomas
Where would you rather be?: Chapmans Peak Cycling
What do you know?: Beer is regarded as a staple food in Bavaria

Anil Sabharwal (Co-Founder)

Anil was pivotal in setting up the Shaker Bar School and Flair School in the UK and has trained more than 2000 budding bartenders since 2001. As a competition bartender, he has been a competition finalist many times, including winning TGI Fridays Birmingham flair comp, Roadhouse World Flair finalist on several occasions, Northern Flair League champion (2004) and National Bartenders' Challenge (2000), which he won. His flair training has taken him worldwide. He is currently ranked among the best flair bartenders on the planet. A real bartenders' bartender, you will rarely see Anil not working a shift or flairing. Anil now heads up Bar School & Event operations in Cape Town .

Nickname: Er...Anil?
Shoe Size: 8
What do you do?: Run Cape Town Operations
What do you like?: Flairing and 700's
What don't you like?: People who don't say please
Fav Tipple: Quite enjoy a nice glass of red with fresh lime
Fav Cocktail: Sailor Jerry Mojito
Fav Record: Depends on my mood
Fav Film: Shawshank Redemption & Anchorman
Happiness is: Making people smile
Hero: Spiderman
Where would you rather be?: Chilling in the Lordy Mansion watching the sunset
What do you know?: Apparently, 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the population

Simon Clarke
Simon joined the Shaker crew in 2005 having learnt his trade in some of the best (and worst!) bars in Birmingham. He has spent the last 5 years amassing a wealth of knowledge & passion for the hospitality industry and has been a religious attendee of the Birmingham Association of Bartenders weekly education sessions for nearly 3 years. Simon is a formidable & innovative competition entrant, having either placed or won in nearly every competition he's ever entered. He has now turned his attention to imparting this wisdom to Shaker students across the globe, and his infectious enthusiasm makes Si an exceptional & inspirational trainer.

Nickname: The Bear
Shoe Size: 13, I also wear very large socks
What do you do?: Training
What do you like?: I like scotch, scotchy, scotchy, scotch...
What don't you like?: Anyone that upsets my woman
Fav Tipple: Large measures of bourbon
Fav Cocktail: Espresso Martini, hold the Kahlua
Fav Record: The Tracy Chapman Collection
Fav Film: The Cinderella Man
Happiness is: Waking up to views of Table Mountain, every single day
Hero: Johnny Wilkinson
Where would you rather be?: Nowhere
What do you know?: I don't know much, but I know I love you...

Jennie Saunders

Jennie joined the Shaker crew in 2006 as part of the management team. Jennie has been involved in events since then and has joined the Bar School training staff. She has placed 1st in the Birmingham Association of Bartenders competition and 2nd in the Ketel One Bloody Mary regional heats in 2006. Jennie has a broad base of experience in pubs, clubs, 4* hotels, cocktail lounges and fine dining restaurants. She has also, over the last 5 years, occupied the role of bartender, waitress, chef, and manager and has a real passion for and understanding of all things hospitality.
Nickname: Jaffa
Shoe Size: 7, (or 8 when I'm telling the truth)
What do you do?: Quite a lot, actually
What do you like?: Ostriches...an extraordinarily versatile pet
What don't you like?: People that don't care
Fav Tipple: This week, I 'ave mostly been drinking wine...beefy Austrians & Germans
Fav Cocktail: Appletons Extra Old Fashioned with a lime twist
Fav Record: Cat Stevens - Moonshadow
Fav Film: Leon - makes me cry like a baby every time
Happiness is: Sunday mornings with newspapers, a fry up, coffee, and the Bear
Hero: My Daddy & my wee brother Adam
Where would you rather be?: In the kitchen
What do you know?: Less than I will tomorrow but more than I did yesterday

Myles Cunliffe

Myles is a drinks mogul. After 7 years of working in a multitude of different venues from Babington House, Blanch House, Fifth Floor, event work for some of the countries top agencies, his vast knowledge of all things wet surpasses most in the industry. In 2004, Myles gained 3rd place in the UK's largest mixology competition and graduated with a HND in wine studies from Plumpton College, Brighton University.
Myles has been a trainer with Shaker for 3 years and heads up the London Bar School. He is currently studying for the WSET Diploma.
Nickname: Milo
Shoe Size: 11
What do you do?: I teach the art of inspiration and run London Ops
What do you like?: Rum, my wife, wine, fishing, braai on the beach, not in that order. Just an easy life!What don't you like?: Being late, being rubbish at flair
Fav Tipple: At the moment, I enjoy everything
Fav Cocktail: Green sangrita & Tequila
Fav Record: Faithless, Miss You Less See You More
Fav Film: Taxi, (the French one)
Happiness is: Weekends off with the family

Rozanne Olivier of iDistribute took some amazing pics of Lemotion in action. This I will show you next time with some excellent new cocktails for the warm summer days.

South Africa - Alive with Posibilities

Now that the Rugby World Cup is over, but by no means forgotten. The Boks are traveling through the country saying thanks to all the support they got from the nation and showing off The Webb Ellis cup they brought home with them. Lemotion wants to today look at the Soccer World Cup being hosted by South Africa in 2010. More specifically some of the amazing Stadiums that are being built around the country.

Matches for the Soccer World Cup 2010 will be played in 9 cities around South Africa.
They are Cape Town, Port Elisabeth, Durban, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Rustenburg and Polokwane.

Just look how amazing it all looks, if the spirit of this country was as big as it was during the Rugby World Cup over the past month imagine what this country would be like in 2010. It is going to be mind blowing



Greenpoint Stadium - Cape Town

Greenpoint Stadium in Cape Town, Western Cape, is to be specially built for 2010, with a retractable roof and a capacity of 70 000. It will host six first-round matches, one second-round, one quarter-final and one semifinal match.(Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)



The King Senzangakhona Stadium - Durban

The King Senzangakhona Stadium in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, is to be specially built for 2010, with a capacity of 80 000. It will host six first-round matches, one second-round, and one semifinal match.(Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)



The Nelson Mandela Stadium - Port Elisabeth

Artist's impression of the 50 000-seat Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. It is to be specially built for 2010 and will host five first-round matches, one second-round match, one quarter-final and the third-place playoff. (Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)



The Soccer City Stadium - Johannesburg

The Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg is to undergo a major upgrade for the 2010 tournament, with a new design inspired by traditional African pottery and a revamped capacity for 104 000 football fans. The stadium will hold the final and opening matches, five first-round matches, one second-round match and one quarter-final.(Image: South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee)



But probably the best thing about the Soccer World Cup being held in South Africa in 2010 is that Lemotion will be there in full force to Sheer on Bafana Bafana all the way.

So you have 3 years to perfect your recipes for Lemotion Cocktails so let us see what cocktails you come up with. Send them to us and we will try them out as well.

Just for a laugh

At the end of yet another beautiful sunshine day in Cape Town before going home to watch the sunset with a Lemotion Cosmo in hand. I thought I would share this great pic with you all. It seems the Queen has her priorities right and she looks fantastic in the green and gold.

Have you found any funny pictures on the Internet celebrating the Springboks' victory?

Please share them, it would be great to see them.