Cocktail Making Class - Level 1

Learn the tools and techniques to make four iconic cocktails in this hands-on mixology class in San Francisco.



2 hours Location SoMa Class size 1 to 20 (public classes), 12 to 25   $88 - $129 ($88 for Public; $129 for Private)
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Grab a seat and meet you mixologist

Grab a Seat and Meet You Mixologist

Show up with everything set and prepped for you by an expert mixologist! Just arrive 15 minutes before 12 pm so you can choose your seats, and we can start on time!


Learn the basics with a Moscow Mule

Learn the Basics with a Moscow Mule

Get started with one of the simplest mixed drink concepts — the highball. With step-by-step guidance, you’ll learn how to make a Moscow Mule, a popular example and a great introduction to mixology.


Master the sour with a local SF legend

Master the Sour with a Local SF Legend

Learn how to make a Tommy's Margarita next and master the Sour — one of the most essential cocktail formats and the base for countless mixed drinks. This San Francisco classic has taken the global cocktail scene by storm and is a recipe you’ll want to make again and again.


Shake up the perfect Mojito

Shake Up the Perfect Mojito

The Mojito is perhaps the most misunderstood mixed drink, while also being one of the most popular in the world. We'll show you how easy it is to make one that's better than most bars you'll visit.


Finish with the classic Manhattan

Finish with the Classic Manhattan

In the modern day, the word "cocktail" is used for all alcoholic mixed drinks, but the original cocktail is a simple formula, and the classic Manhattan is a delicious example. Once you learn this, you'll be amazed at how many other cocktails you can make.


Leave with your own cocktail kit

Leave with Your Own Cocktail Kit

You can pre-order an 8-piece cocktail tool kit to take home, or buy one at the end of class. Then you'll have a full set of everything you just learned to use!


Take photos and review us!

Take Photos and Review Us

After your class, we hope you'll be inspired to share your experience and photos with others right here on ClassBento, and if you have time, we'd also appreciate you doing the same on Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp, or whatever other platform you prefer. Thanks for joining us, and please try one of our other classes!


Ready to level up your bartending skills in San Francisco? Join us for a hands-on mixology class in SF where you’ll learn the essential tools, terminology, and techniques behind both classic and modern cocktails. Whether you’re a local or visiting, this mixology class is perfect for anyone looking to create professional-level cocktails right at home.
Taught by some of San Francisco’s most renowned bartenders from one of the city’s most famous cocktail bars, this class covers the fundamentals of home bartending. You’ll learn to craft four essential cocktails that most people misunderstand, gaining the confidence to make drinks the way you like them and impress your guests. Plus, you’ll discover how to order cocktails confidently when you’re out, ensuring you always get the drink you love.
What to expect:
  • Use a complete set of bar tools to make 4 full-size cocktails that you can enjoy.
  • Learn the art of cocktail construction and bartending techniques that you can easily replicate at home.
  • Optional: Purchase a brand new set of bar tools to take home and continue your bartending journey.
This cocktail class is perfect for anyone looking to boost their bartending skills while learning the craft of cocktail making. It’s also one of the most fun and unique things to do in San Francisco if you’re searching for a hands-on experience in the city.
Each cocktail is representative of a key formula found throughout the lexicon of cocktails. You'll be making and learning about the following:
  • The Highball - Moscow Mule
  • The Cocktail - Manhattan
  • The Sour - Tommy's Margarita
  • The Collins - Mojito
Please Note
  • 21 and Over only
  • If fewer than four people sign up, the class will be rescheduled to the next available date—so tell your friends and join together!


Please note: Public dates for this class require at least 4 guests to run. In the unlikely event that we don't reach this number, we may cancel the session; if that happens, we'll inform you and let you choose between a refund or reschedule, so please watch your email/SMS one day prior to the class.

Upcoming dates for Cocktail Making Class - Level 1

Times are Los Angeles time. Dates and prices as of 14 Nov 2026, 3:36pm; availability and price are confirmed live when booking on this page.

12 upcoming dates between 2 Jan 2027 and 6 Nov 2027.

  • Sat, Jan 2 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Jan 16 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Feb 6 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Mar 6 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Apr 3 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, May 1 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Jun 5 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Jul 3 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Aug 7 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Sep 4 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Oct 2 2027, 12pm-2pm
  • Sat, Nov 6 2027, 12pm-2pm
What you'll get
  • Use of a complete set of bar tools to make four full-size cocktails that you are welcome to consume
  • You may purchase a brand new set of clean bar tools to take home, here to in person.
Read more details   
Knowledge required
Perfect for first-timers!
What to bring
Friends (with tickets), a good attitude (for learning and having fun), and a full stomach (well, have breakfast and/or lunch beforehand...especially if you plan to consume your cocktails!)
Add-ons available for this class
  • Eight piece cocktail kit ($60)
  • ELIXIR Branded Glencairn Whiskey Tasting Glass ($15)
You can add these when you book (optional).
Suitable for

This class is great for individuals and couples as well as for a date idea, team building activity, Christmas party, birthday or bachelorette party.

This experience would also be a cool gift for her, gift for mom, Xmas gift or gift for couples.

Location

ELIXIR Saloon - 3200 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

We're just two blocks west of the 16th St. BART station and on the #19 SFMTA bus line. There's street parking all around (metered from Guerrero east; 2 hours free on Guerrero and west), and there's a parking garage at 16th and Hoff.

Cocktail Making Class - Level 1 location
Verified reviews

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Recent reviews of Cocktail Making Class - Level 1

  • 5/5 from Tamar Klaif, attended Nov 2026: Teacher Nick was great! Lots of historical cocktail info, friendly, fun, great environment!
  • 5/5 from Juliana Rossi, attended Oct 2026: The class was fun! I thought the history was interesting. I want to take the next class.
  • 5/5 from Jesse Young, attended Jun 2026: I had a blast. Nick and Nick were knowledge, welcoming, and fun. I would definitely book another class.
  • 5/5 from Edwin Tirado, attended Jun 2026: Had a great time! Highly recommend. Clear instruction, ample time to enjoy the cocktails and an overall enjoyable environment. I’d recommend to anyone wanting to try a cocktail class!
  • 5/5 from Mia Huddleston, attended Mar 2026: Great introductory class to mixology! Nick and Nick were very nice, knowledgeable, and helpful. We highly recommend the class
  • 5/5 from Catherine Buckman, attended Feb 2026: Nick was wonderful! So knowledgeable, informative, and fun. I learned so much and really enjoyed the class!
  • 5/5 from Olga Potasheva, attended Feb 2026: The bar is great, the cocktails are great, everything was perfect! It was a present for New Year and we finally made it! I wish it could be a bit later but that Saturday, it was a wonderful beginning for the rest of the day:) I booked this class with gift card (don't use 2 words on name line on a card, use only 1). It was very convenient. Even though gift card was for the specific class but we were thinking about another one, however decided to stay with this one. But it is great to have a choice even when you first think that everything's decided.
  • 5/5 from Carlos Henderson, attended Jan 2026: Nice was instructional and funny. I will definitely come cak to Elixir for drinks.
  • 5/5 from Meghana Missula, attended Jan 2026: The class was very informative and I thoroughly enjoyed the teacher’s demos. Cocktails were great too!
  • 5/5 from Mike Lin, attended Oct 2025: We made a few drinks with specific recipes, but the instructor had us focus on the template for each drink, so in the future we can make our own variations through substitution. The class is hosted in the second-oldest bar in San Francisco which was really cool to see and hear the history of.
  • 5/5 from Barbara Biscaro, attended Sep 2025: Very informative, fun and easy to transfer what learnt at home.
  • 5/5 from Mykenzie Busser, attended Jul 2025: Such an enjoyable experience!!! Highly HIGHLY recommend!!!
  • 5/5 from Jeffrey Frayer, attended Jun 2025: Fun environment to learn how to make delicious cocktails in a small group setting! Highly recommend. 5 stars.
  • 5/5 from Giselle Plascencia, attended Apr 2025: Teacher was very knowledgeable and helpful! It was nice socializing with the other people there and learning about the history of drinks. Super fun!
  • 5/5 from Derek Ranney, attended Apr 2025: Nick was phenomenal. We had a blast and the cocktails were delicious. We'll be back to elixir for the ambiance because of it!
  • 5/5 from Les Himel, attended Mar 2025: I needed that..a relaxing environment, learning about a social standard and how to mix/present a few cocktails. It was nicely handled by Nick, who shared some pertinent history.
  • 5/5 from Andrew Strickland, attended Jan 2025: A great class with lots of terrific information on how and why cocktails are structured the way they are as well as historical tidbits about each of the four we made.
Your teacher

Elixir To Go
Elixir To Go

5.0 (22)
Instagram followers 6k followers

The Evolution of a Cocktail Legacy
The modern “Cocktail Renaissance” began over 20 years ago, when a few pioneers across the country re-ignited the bar scene by introducing drink programs that focus on quality, creativity, history, and the return of hospitality—our founder, H. Joseph Ehrmann, is one of those pioneers. Over the past 22+ years, he and the Elixir team have built Elixir into a bar that many publications have called one of the “Best in America”.
We look forward to showing you why!

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