A simple exercise in slowing down, paying attention, and experiencing your drink.
Introduction
One of the key elements of the weekly practice outline in Old-Fashioned: Classic Cocktails and Ancient Wisdom, is “mindful mixology.” I provide a quick explanation in the book, but if you’re not sure what that is about, read on for a more detailed explanation. If you’re in a hurry (ironically, given the subject matter), the outline is below. But, if you can, I encourage you to pause and “mindfully” read the explanations that follow.
The Short Version
- Prepare–create a nice space, both physical and mental, to make your drink, and then:
- Look–notice what you see.
- Listen–notice what you hear.
- Touch–notice what you feel.
- Smell–notice what you smell.
- Taste–notice what you taste.
- Drink–enjoy your drink!
- Finish–take a moment to appreciate what you did.
The Full Experience
What Mindful Mixology Is, and Isn’t.
Maybe you aren’t familiar with “mindful mixology,” or mindfulness, in general. I certainly wasn’t, initially. The good news is that mindfulness is simple, though not easy.
Mindfulness, in general, is “simply” being present for what you are doing. Anything can be done mindfully, whether it be making a cocktail or going for a walk or brushing your teeth. For me, understanding mindfulness is easiest when I contrast it with the default mode I tend to find myself in throughout the day: autopilot and/or distracted multi-tasking.
Many of us prepare and/or eat our meals while doing something else. Watching a video. Listening to a podcast. Driving. Working at a computer. Multi-tasking can feel efficient, but it divides our attention. One of the consequences of multi-tasking is that we are not “present” with those things we are doing. Before you know it, the food has been swallowed and you barely remember eating it. You ate your whole meal on autopilot. You don’t remember what someone just said to you because you were scanning a text message. More relevant to Old-Fashioned, you look down and notice that your cocktail glass is empty and you barely remember what it tasted like or, as has often been the case with me, you notice that you’ve already poured a second, or topped it off, without even really being aware that you did so.
I think that one of the major causes of our tendency to behave like that is cultural pressure to be productive, to hurry, and our diminishing capacity for patience due to those same cultural forces and technological forces. Slowing down and taking time, with almost anything, can seem tedious, wasteful, and even aggravating. It’s also challenging for most of us.
So, I think it’s important to set reasonable expectations. None of us can, or need to, become masters of living in the present, mindfully performing every task. What we can do is be intentional about doing something mindfully, and then maybe add more “somethings” along the way. If you’re reading this, I offer “mindful mixology” as a sample “something.”
“Mindful mixology,” for our purposes, is not, primarily, about being “mindful” of how much you drink and being careful not to overdo it—though that might be a by-product of the kind of mindfulness we are focusing on. Instead, mindful mixology is about the mindful preparation and enjoyment of a cocktail (or wine, or beer, or tea, or coffee, or whatever beverage you want). For our purposes, when we are mindful in this way, we intentionally slow down, resist the urge to multi-task or reply to a text or watch a YouTube video (etc.), and try our best to really notice what we are doing and experiencing. When you do so, I suspect you will find the experience to be more enjoyable than it otherwise would have been, and, sneakily, you have gifted yourself a break from the hustle of everyday life as a bonus.
Mindful mixology is about being intentional and present and appreciating what we are doing. It’s not about becoming some sort of expert with a sophisticated palate. When we get to the part about engaging the senses, it doesn’t mean coming up with sophisticated descriptions of what you are smelling or seeing. I do not have a great palate or vocabulary for this stuff myself. I used to be into wine more than cocktails, and I would go to a tasting event and someone would sniff and swirl and taste and comment on the hint of shoe leather and peppercorn while I’m thinking to myself “I smell grapes.” When I make an Old Fashioned, I smell “bourbon” and orange. I’m very confident about the orange. If that’s all you smell, perfect. You can’t be wrong about your own subjective sensory experience.
1. Prepare
The little things matter. With these weekly “meditations” we, ideally, want to make the experience a meaning-filled ritual that provides a sharp (and welcome) contrast to much of our everyday experience. So, the space in which you do the exercise can make a meaningful difference to your experience. As much as is under your control, try to make the space “nice” for you based on your own circumstances and preferences.
I make my cocktails in my kitchen, and I like to clear the counter of as much stuff as possible so I have a nice open space with nothing except the ingredients and tools I will be using. I’ll also wipe down the counter if it looks like it needs it. Sometimes I’ll put some music on at a low volume because I enjoy it, but usually I don’t. Earlier in the week I reviewed the cocktail I planned to make so that I could make sure to get any ingredients I didn’t already have, such as an orange, because I’m making an Old Fashioned in this example. I get all of the ingredients and tools I will need: bourbon, Angostura bitters, simple syrup, an orange, a Luxardo cherry (or maybe two!), a big ice cube, a glass, and a stirring spoon. I make mine directly in the glass I’ll be drinking from, but you might prefer to make it in a mixing glass and then pour into a chilled glass at the end. I then arrange all of those things in a spread and take a moment just to notice them. Nothing fancy. Just notice.
I then make it a point to set my phone down, face down, several feet away, at minimum. I have a physical copy of Old-Fashioned (though you might use a Kindle version instead) open to the correct week and I review the recipe before making the drink. I don’t always remember to do so, but I like to then take at least one deep breath just to calm down my brain a little bit more.
One more thing—and this one might be difficult to accomplish depending on your circumstances: unless you are doing this with a like-minded partner, this is “me” time. It might only be 10 minutes (though I hope it’s more), but for those 10 minutes you get to take a break and do something for yourself. If there are other people in your surroundings, hopefully they will respect that and help you to have that time to yourself.
2. Look
“Look” is just what you think it is. What is it that you see when you’re preparing the cocktail? Observe the colors and shapes of your ingredients. What are the shapes of the ice? Cubes, spheres, or something else? How clear is the ice? Does it look like a piece of glass, or a cloudy bit of quartz? What are the colors of the spirits or bitters you’re using? What about the colors and designs and shapes of their bottles? Notice the color of ingredients such as oranges or mint leaves, and the light in your space as it reflects off of glasses or ice or bottles.
When I made an Old Fashioned, these were my observations: The bourbon has a lovely dark amber color. Perhaps honey? The orange bitters (from my personal version) are basically transparent, but the Angostura bitters are pleasantly dark. The ice sphere is cloudy but becomes clearer as liquid is poured over it. Pouring the ingredients over the globe of ice also produces a nice image as the cocktail cascades over the sides. The completed cocktail still has the color of honey – though lighter now due to some dilution.
3. Listen
This is also what you think it is. Listen to any sounds at each step. Is there a splash as you pour into a glass? A clinking of ice? Is there a hiss from adding tonic? If you are shaking the drink, listen to the rattling and sloshing from inside the mixing cup.
My experience: The sound of the bitters splashing or the bourbon sloshing is too faint for my ears to pick up, but the stirring of the cocktail in the glass produces a pleasant jangling sound almost like wind chimes.
4. Touch
How does each bottle or glass feel against your fingers? Smooth? Cool? What are the textures of ingredients such as orange peels? How does the shaker feel in your hand? Can you notice the weight shifting as you shake? How does the mixing spoon feel gripped in your fingers, and as you stir?
My experience: Each bottle feels smooth in my hands, and the glass is cool to the touch once filled with ice. There is something soothing about the rhythmic stirring—until my fingers start to get tired because of some repetitive stress injury issues I have!
5. Smell
Before mixing, take a moment to smell each ingredient and ask yourself what you detect. Can you smell the “licorice” in the absinthe? The brine from the olive jar? The citrus smell from the orange? What about the spirits? Is there a strong “burn” of alcohol from the high proof? Is there a candied fruit smell? After you have mixed the ingredients, smell the now mixed drink and note what is different. Did any of the smells trigger a memory for you? On this one especially I want to reinforce that you smell what you smell. You really can’t get this wrong. Don’t feel any sort of way if you don’t come up with fancy descriptions. I never manage to do so.
My experience: I don’t have a great sense of smell, which is variously a blessing or a curse. I can smell the spice of the bitters, and the citrus from the orange. The smell of the orange made me think of the navel orange trees we had when I was a kid, and the tree in the backyard where my parents live now. That tree is always filled with oranges during their season—like, “branch-breaking” full. They make for a pleasant pairing. The bourbon smelled just like bourbon. . . .
6. Taste
Things get even more fun now. Once your cocktail is ready, take it (and the book) to the place you will enjoy it. Ideally, this is a place that is comfortable and quiet but do what you can do. Before you do anything else, take just a second or two to see what, if anything, you’re anticipating. Do you think you know what it’s going to taste like? What, specifically, are you anticipating? When you’re ready, lift the glass to your lips and pause, smell the drink again, and notice how the scents might have evolved.
Then, take a slow, intentional sip. Feel the liquid in your mouth, notice the flavors and sensations—whether they’re sweet, bitter, sour, or spicy—and how the ingredients blend. As you swallow, feel the drink’s warmth or chill. Did your experience match your anticipation?
My experience: The drink is cool in my mouth and sweet, with a little kick of spice at the very end. I didn’t have many notes—which is fine.
7. Drink
Just enjoy the drink now. I recommend continuing to pause and check in with your senses. Has anything changed? Is the drink less cold now? Diluted from melting ice? Is there still any lingering scent of citrus or spice or mint, etc.?
It’s also perfectly fine if, at this point, you consider the “mindful” component concluded, and you just want to settle in to enjoy the cocktail, read the weekly entry, and think some deep thoughts. That’s what I do. I can only be “mindful” for so long!
8. Finish
I think it’s nice when things have a good beginning, and a good end. We were intentional about preparing the space and ourselves for the “meditation,” so try to do something similar at the conclusion. Don’t just jump up, put the glass in the sink or washer, and get right back to the business of normal life, if possible. Take just a few seconds more to take a couple breaths, remember your experience, and maybe mentally express some gratitude for the time you gave yourself and the work you are doing on living a better life. Then, go on about your business, trying your best to incorporate any insights or challenges that came up during the reflection question portion.
Hopefully, your mind is a bit more rested and refreshed from the break from everyday life. Whether or not you came to any profound insights from the reflection questions, my sincere hope is that you benefitted from a brief break from autopilot and multi-tasking, and that, with time and practice, you can incorporate more mindfulness into your day and into more activities, and that you enjoy the mental and emotional benefits that can come from setting aside those moments for yourself. However, even if you don’t feel particularly rested or mentally benefitted, you still did something good for yourself. You were present for those 30 minutes, or 20, or maybe just 10 minutes of your life. You noticed what you were doing and smelling and tasting and thinking. That’s enough just by itself.
Feel free to bookmark this page and use the list as a guide while making a drink.
Mindful Mixology in Old-fashioned
A Guide to Mindful Mixology expands on the weekly practice introduced in Old-fashioned: Classic Cocktails and Ancient Wisdom. The book pairs 52 classic cocktails with ancient philosophy, reflection, and practical exercises for a year of more intentional living.
