Are Cocktail Garnishes Really Necessary?

When you think of cocktail garnishes, your mind may immediately go to kitschy paper umbrellas and plastic spears. But fun as those may be, we happen to think that garnishes, whether for food or drinks, are always more fun when they're edible. But are they strictly necessary in your beverage?

In many cases, yes. A well-chosen garnish can greatly enhance the overall flavor and experience of a cocktail and awaken your senses, whether that's gustatory or aromatic. For example, a maraschino cherry can be a sweet finish to a Manhattan, or a fancy stuffed olive may be enjoyed at the end of a martini. Coffee beans add a jolt of java to enhance the experience of drinking an espresso martini, while a twist of citrus peel can bring key aromas and essential oils to a cocktail before you even take your first sip. And who among us hasn't bitten into a wedge of fresh pineapple that once adorned the rim of a tropical piña colada?

Moreover, some garnishes give a visual cue to what's in a drink and cannot fairly be omitted. Others are key to the actual drinking experience. Think muddled mint in mojitos, green olives in dirty martinis, or lemon slices on the rim of — you guessed it — a lemon martini. Ingredients like citrus wedges also allow you to increase the acidity of your drink by giving the garnish a squeeze.

Some garnishes can get very creative and sometimes tip into over-the-top territory. Who can forget the viral TikTok hot dog cocktail garnished with a swizzle stick bearing four savory snacks, including a cocktail frank? Necessary? Definitely not. Delicious? Probably, assuming you're hungry.

Cocktails aren't the only beverages that benefit from a tasty and well-chosen garnish. Beer's flavors can also be enhanced this way; consider that Blue Moon beer is traditionally garnished with a slice of orange to complement the brew's citrus notes. Likewise, Corona beer is often sipped through a small wedge of lime lodged in the neck of the bottle, and pumpkin ales are a fall treat made more delicious with the addition of a cinnamon and sugar garnished rim on your pint glass.

Even though garnishes can sometimes improve the flavor of a drink, others argue that it's time to largely do away with them. In a world that is becoming more mindful of food waste, omitting garnishes from cocktails is just one way to reduce what's tossed in the bin and perhaps also reduce one's carbon footprint (is that lemon wedge locally-sourced, for instance?). In a similar vein, some restaurants and bars are getting creative and repurposing garnishes, such as lemon peels, by dehydrating them for other uses like coating rims.