Here Are 7 Cocktails Everyone Should Know How to Make

January 9, 2023January 9, 2023 James Martin 0 Comments

We enjoy a good craft drink as much as the next person. However, there is something irresistible about traditional cocktails that keeps us going back for more. One of these simple recipes will satisfy your booze cravings whether you have guests over or not.

Because we want you to be able to pull these recipes and their instructions out whenever you need them for an impromptu party, we kept the lists of ingredients and steps as short as possible. Most of these drinks can be made with items in your bar.

Mixing drinks may look complicated and time-consuming when performed by a professional bartender, but there are a few drinks that even a novice can master in a matter of minutes.

1. Negroni

Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin are the three main components.

The history of the Negroni Zero is shrouded in mystery. However, the most widely repeated (and likely fabricated) account is that Count Camillo Negroni instructed a bartender at Café Casoni to replace the soda water in his Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda) with gin. The beautiful cocktail, which has equal parts sweet, bitter, and boozy, was once something of a “bartender’s handshake” and was essential in the resurgence of interest in cocktails in the modern era.

The standard Negroni was derived from the low ABV Americano to satiate your need.

Preparation instructions:

One fluid ounce of dry London gin
A shot of vermouth

1 oz Campari

Mix for 20 to 30 seconds with ice. Pour through a strainer into a coupe—Peel an orange for garnish.

2. Martini

In 1863, the Italian vermouth brand Martini arose, which may have inspired the cocktail’s name. Meanwhile, a drink known as the Martinez had risen to prominence in San Francisco. Gin, vermouth, bitters, and Maraschino were all components of the Martinez. The traditional Martini was born once the vermouth and olives were eliminated.

Every Martini connoisseur has their preparation, whether extra dry, extra dirty, on the rocks, or none of the above. The dry vermouth and briny olive or citrusy touch give this drink its traditional status, complementing the gin’s elegant botanicals. For a sophisticated drinker, this vintage is as classy as it gets.

Preparation instructions:

2 oz gin

Dry vermouth, 1 ounce

Put the contents into a metal or glass shaker filled with ice. Don’t shake it; give it a good 10 seconds of stirring. Pour through a strainer into a cocktail or coupe glass, and top with a twist of lemon.

3. Manhattan

The first cocktail was likely served in Manhattan, although it needs to be clarified whether it was done at the exclusive Manhattan Club in the 1870s or at some other Manhattan establishment. Due to its recent renaissance, rye is now the dominant cereal grain. Furthermore, new 2:1 cocktail variations have evolved, many of which have been given the names of Brooklyn neighborhoods like the Red Hook and the Bensonhurst. The sweetness of fortified wine vermouth and the spice of rye whiskey makes Manhattan a timeless cocktail.

Preparation instructions:

2-ounce shot of rye
A shot of vermouth
The bitterness of Angostura, in two dashes

The ingredients should be stirred with split ice and strained into a chilled coupe. Add a touch of orange or a brandied cherry for presentation.

4. Daiquiri

The original Daiquiri didn’t arrive in a Slurpee-like machine behind the bar, which is why it has become one of the most frequently tampered-with beverages. During the Spanish-American War, an American is rumored to have invented it in Santiago de Cuba. By the early 1900s, it had found its way to the United States. Sasha Petraske, a leading figure in the contemporary cocktail renaissance, loved this beverage and taught his clientele how it was meant to be prepared.

Preparation instructions:

Two fluid ounces of white rum
Fresh lime juice, 1 ounce
3/4 ounce of sugar syrup

The Daiquiri is a classic because it’s the perfect blend of sweet, sour, and bold flavors. Very simple to prepare, yet just as simple to botch.

5. Classical Mojito

Havana, Cuba, is the birthplace of the sour cocktail known as the Mojito. Some placed the creation of the Mojito in the 1500s, while others put it in the 1800s when the Bacardi rum firm was established. In any case, Ernest Hemingway’s assistance in popularizing the drink in the 1930s cemented Mojito’s status as a defining Cuban beverage. If you’re looking for the perfect Mojito, look no further; this one is.

Here are the ingredients for a traditional mojito:

Herbal mint
Cocktail: rum with lime juice
Constant syrup
Carbonated water

Shake the ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Combine and pour into a coupe using a fine mesh strainer.

6. Gin Fizz

Gin, lemon, simple syrup, and soda water combine to create the traditional beverage known as the Gin Fizz. Gin fizzes originally appeared in print in an 1876 cocktail book, but in the early 20th century, they took off in popularity.

The Gin Fizz recipe calls for the following ingredients:

Alcohol Maple or simple syrup
Protein-free carbonated water with egg whites

The gin, fresh lemon juice, syrup, and egg white are combined in a cocktail shaker without ice, then the shaker is refilled with ice, and the mixture is poured into two glasses. Carbonation from the soda water combines with the egg white to create a foamy finish on top of each drink. It’s a neat technique that will amaze your guests.

7. Classical Sidecar

The popular legend is that an American army commander stationed in Paris during World War I came up with the Sidecar cocktail and gave it his name. That moniker comes from the fact that he supposedly got around in a sidecar attached to a motorcycle. Legend has it that the drink was created at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, which also lays claim to other cocktail standards. The Sidecar is among the official drinks recognized by the International Bartenders’ Association. Components of a Sidecar have been “officially” defined as follows:

An Orange Liqueur infused with Cognac (Cointreau or triple sec)

Salivary citric acid

It’s a multidimensional beverage with varying textures and flavors (warm, crisp, dry, rich, and complete). The cocktail is a true show-stopper, and it has quickly risen to the ranks of our favorite homemade sour drinks.

Final thought

This collection of simple cocktail recipes is perfect for anyone hoping to get their foot in the bartending door, or even if they’re throwing a party and need some drink ideas. There’s a little bit for everyone here, and the variety of flavors will impress your guests.