Cocktail ratio calculator
Two parts spirit, one part citrus, one part sweetener is the backbone of an enormous family of drinks: daiquiri, margarita, whisky sour, sidecar. Learning that one ratio and swapping the components covers more of a cocktail menu than memorising individual recipes ever does. The other classic is 3:2:1 for a slightly spirit-forward version, and 4:1:1 once you are into stirred territory.
For measuring drinks, not for advice about drinking them.
A cocktail ratio splits a total volume by parts. The classic 2:1:1 sour in a 90 ml drink is 45 ml of spirit, 22.5 of citrus and 22.5 of sweetener — and finishes near 108 ml once shaking has added its dilution.
How to use a cocktail ratio
Dilution is an ingredient, not an accident. Shaking a drink with ice adds roughly 20 to 25% of its volume in water and drops the temperature sharply, and both are essential to how the finished drink tastes. A batch made without allowing for it is harsh and unbalanced, which is why pre-batched cocktails have water added deliberately and are then chilled rather than shaken. Stirred drinks dilute less, around 15%, which is part of why they taste stronger at the same starting proportions.
Questions
Two parts spirit, one part citrus, one part sweetener; the base of the whole sour family.
Whatever you decide, as long as it is consistent. The tool works it out from the total volume.
Yes, about 20% to replace the dilution shaking would have added. Then chill it thoroughly.
Roughly 20–25% of the drink volume. Stirring adds nearer 15%.
Around 90 ml before dilution for a sour, or 60–75 ml for a stirred spirit-forward drink.