You Could Be Ruining Your Martinis With This One Fatal Mistake

There's something undeniably classy about drinking a minimalistic and stylish martini. Whether you like your martini dry, wet, or dirty, its simplicity might have inspired you to make your own. But with so few ingredients, even the tiniest mistake can throw off the entire drink. One of the most common missteps you might be making is not refrigerating your vermouth.

Vermouth is a fortified flavored wine, which, once opened, is prone to oxidation, degrading the quality of this wine like any other. This leads to the loss of delicate flavors, the fading of aromas, and a wine that eventually turns into vinegar. Since dry vermouth and gin or vodka are the only ingredients in your martini (save for an optional splash of olive juice or a lemon twist), an off-tasting vermouth can ruin your entire cocktail. Luckily, cold temperatures can slow the oxidation process right down — which is why you should store opened vermouth in the fridge instead of at room temperature. This gives you up to three months to use it in your cocktail of choice. 

If you're wondering whether your martini cocktail should be shaken or stirred, technically the latter method is correct. Since this cocktail uses only alcohol, you're just combining and chilling the ingredients, not emulsifying them or incorporating air. Stirring ensures that the alcohol doesn't get overly diluted or frosty. Feel free to shake if you want a super cold martini with bits of ice or just like ordering a cocktail Bond-style — but don't overdo the shaking, as 10 seconds is plenty. You should also never serve a martini in a warm glass, as this will quickly bring up the temperature of your cocktail. Instead, chill it in the freezer while preparing your drink.

It's also best to avoid using cheap spirits in your martini, since there will be little else to mask poor flavor. Whether you prefer gin or vodka, use something that's high in quality so that the complex notes can shine through in your cocktail. While you might prefer your martini dry (less vermouth) or wet (more vermouth), you should never eyeball your measurements. Remember, your martini has only two main ingredients, so even a small change can throw the balance off. With these tips, there's no reason your martini can't be as good as the ones served at a fancy rooftop bar.