Whether you want to expand beyond the classic gin and tonic at your home bar, or you have dreams of being a world-class bartender, you may be eyeing off taking a cocktail making class. A cocktail class offers a fantastic opportunity to learn more about your favourite cocktails, including what goes into them and the preparation.
Online cocktail making classes are booming, as they provide the opportunity to learn all about cocktails from the comfort of your own home. Here’s your detailed guide on where you can take an online cocktail making class, what you can learn, why it’s great, and how to pick the right one.
What can you learn in a cocktail-making course?
One of the biggest perks of an online cocktail course is the range of skills and knowledge you can pick up, in a relatively short amount of time. Some of the common learning outcomes can include:
- The history and evolution of cocktails, including how classic drinks came to be, and how modern mixology builds on that.
- Different career progressions as a bartender
- How to set up a bar/workstation: tools of the trade, glassware, equipment, hygiene and layout.
- Techniques for mixing: shaking, stirring, muddling, layering, and garnishing.
- Recipes for both classic cocktails and contemporary creations, which means learning the formulas and how to adapt them.
- Mocktails and non-alcoholic versions of popular cocktails. Many courses cover this so you’re not limited to just drinks with spirits.
- More in-depth options may also delve into areas such as menu creation, pairing drinks with food/events, and even some flair bartending or entertainment skills.
Where can you take an online cocktail making class?
There are several good options out there. One great element of an online cocktail class is that it can be completed from anywhere with an internet connection. It’s a wonderfully unconstrained way to study. This means you don’t need to search for “cocktail making class Melbourne”, “cocktail making class Sydney”, or “cocktail making class Perth”, even if you live in a bigger city.
Express Online Training has teamed up with Streamline Training to offer the Introduction to Cocktails, a super-accessible online short course that is self-paced, and takes around 2 hours to complete. This online cocktail making course covers a number of important topics, including the history of cocktails, workstation layout, methods for making cocktails, recipes, and more.
The short cocktail course can be paused and resumed as needed, plus you don’t need speakers or headphones to complete it. This Introduction to Cocktails course also lets you download and print your certificate of completion at home. As of November 2025, it costs just $35, plus you can pay when you pass.
If you want an entry-level course that you can do from home in a couple of hours, this is a great “dip your toes in” option.
What are the benefits of an online cocktail making class?
Why skip the in-person bar course and opt for an online one? There are several advantages to an online cocktail class:
Flexibility
You can do an online cocktail class on your own schedule, from home, and pause/continue as you need. Our Introduction to Cocktails course emphasises a “stop & resume at any time” attitude.
Comfort
With this course, you’re learning in your own space, where your tools and home bar might already exist (or you can build them). As such, there’s no need to travel. This added comfort is extra helpful for those that have a young family, or a busy schedule to work around.
Cost effective
Our online course tends to be cheaper than full in-person classes.This is due (in part) to the fact that there’s no venue hire. There’s also no travel time needed from you to attend.
Low pressure
Don’t want to feel pressured while learning? An online course gives you more time to practice, make mistakes privately, and not feel exposed in a live class. This way you can hone your skills in your own time.
Immediate reward
You finish the cocktail making class, and you have a heap of new knowledge to use for work or play! After a short cocktail making class, you’ll be better equipped to start making cocktails for your next get-together, date night, or event.
How to pick the right online cocktail class for you
There are lots of different choices when it comes to cocktail making class offerings. Here are some tips to make sure you pick a cocktail class that matches your goals:
Define your goal
Are you just learning for fun at home? Hosting friends? Or looking to develop your professional bar skills? If you’re doing a cocktail class for fun, a short course could be perfect to dip your toes in. Similarly, if you don’t like to complete in-person study with others around, an online cocktail class could be perfect.
Check the format
Decide whether you want to go down the self-paced path or if you’d prefer a live instructor. Are you self-motivated and happy to go at your own pace, or would you prefer the live interaction?
Figure out what’s included
Do you want a course that includes tools and equipment in a kit, or are you happy to source your own items? Kits can be helpful when starting from scratch, but you often don’t get to choose what you get in them, and that could mean double-ups with what you already have.
Time and commitment
How many hours does it take to complete the cocktail class you’re looking at? Will you be able to finish the course in a day or less, or is it a longer-term commitment?.
Cost vs value
Make sure you’re getting useful content, such as technique, information, and recipes, for your money! Weigh up the cost of the cocktail making class you’re looking at and decide if the description of what you’ll learn seems worth it.
Support
Does the course offer help and support for if you get stuck or have a question? For beginners this can make a big difference. Our course provides locally-based support, 7 days a week, including until late on weekdays.
Reviews and social proof
Look for feedback from past participants. Have people in reviews been happy with the cocktail class? Are there consistent negative reviews left? Alternatively, do any friends or family have recommendations for cocktail making classes they’ve enjoyed?
Region and availability
Is the cocktail making class easy to access? If you live remotely, an online cocktail class could be well-suited. Our online cocktail making class is Australia-based, with local support for any questions you may have.
Online cocktail making classes are a brilliant way to level up your bar skills. They can be a great idea for those that are doing it purely for fun, for hosting, or for a potential hospitality career. If you want a short cocktail making class that gives you the basic knowledge of cocktails, check out our Introduction to Cocktails course.