Pasta water has long been recognized as the key to improving the consistency of pasta sauce, so it's not entirely surprising that it can also elevate your average cocktail.

Mixing starchy pasta water into a cocktail will give the drink a silkier finish, lending some viscosity and a little salt without adding any sweetness.

You can use pasta water as a replacement for vermouth in a martini, or mix it up with bitters, lemon juice, and bourbon for an out-of-this-world whiskey sour.

For your pasta water, you want a briny flavor but not an overly salty one. You can achieve this by adding a tablespoon of salt for every gallon of water you're cooking with.

If you're planning on making a pasta water cocktail, you can store pasta water by putting it in a Tupperware bowl in the fridge or freezing it in an ice cube tray.