Maybe you decided to start working out at home, maybe your catching up on your favorite documentary about big cats and bigger personalities, or maybe you’ve decided to try your hand at crafting some of your favorite cocktails at home.
With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of 5 of my favorite, simple to make cocktails.
Old Fashioned
The granddaddy of cocktails and, quite possibly, your granddaddy’s cocktail of choice. This drink is a classic and must try for any whiskey fan.
Ingredients:
- 2oz Rye Whiskey (Or Bourbon if you prefer)
- .75oz Simple Syrup
- 3-5 Dashes of Aromatic Bitters (Angostura is most common)
- A Big ol’ Ice Cube (These are a great budget option for making large ice)
- Orange Swath (Garnish)
how to make it:
- Add 3-5 dashes of your aromatic bitters into your rocks glass. Follow that up with your .75oz of simple syrup and your 2oz of Rye whiskey and stir briefly to combine.
- Next add in your large ice cube and stir until the drink is chilled.
- Now just take a vegetable peeler and peel a swath of orange zest. Squeezing between your index fingers and thumbs, express the oils over the top of the drink, rub around the outer edge of your glass, and drop it in.
Classic Daiquiri
When most people think of a Daiquiri, they probably think of something blended with banana and strawberries, tropical flavors, and a small umbrella. Not exactly what you would consider a simple drink. Believe it or not though, a Classic Daiquiri is one of the simplest drinks you can make.
Ingredients:
- 2oz Rum
- 1oz Lime Juice
- 1oz Simple Syrup
- Lime wheel (Garnish)
how to make it:
- To your shaker add 1oz of simple syrup, 1oz of lime juice, and 2oz of white rum.
- Fill your tin roughly 2/3 full with ice and shake vigorously with ice 10-15 times until the sides of the tin are frosty.
- Double strain into your cocktail glass of choice and garnish with a lime wheel.
Lemon Drop
A lemon drop is my cocktail of choice if I’m making a drink for someone just getting into cocktails. A little sweet, undeniably refreshing, and dangerously approachable. Perfect for a sunny afternoon.
Ingredients:
- 2oz Vodka
- 1oz Lemon Juice
- 1oz Simple Syrup
- Lemon swath (Garnish)
how to make it:
- Add 1oz of simple syrup, 1oz of lemon juice, and 2oz of vodka to your shaker
- Fill your tin roughly 2/3 full with ice and shake vigorously with ice 10-15 times until the sides of the tin are frosty.
- OPTIONAL:
- Some people like this drink with a sugared rim. If that’s you, cut a small slice of lemon and rub it around the rim of the glass so that the rim is wet with lemon juice.
- Gently press the wet rim of the glass into some sugar. Lift and repeat rotating the glass until the whole rim is coated in a thin layer of sugar
- Double strain into your cocktail glass of choice
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel a swath of lemon zest and, squeezing between your index fingers and thumbs, express the oils over the top of the drink. Rub the swath around the rim of the glass and drop it in.
sidecar
When most people think of a Daiquiri, they probably think of something blended with banana and strawberries, tropical flavors, and a small umbrella. Not exactly what you would consider a simple drink. Believe it or not though, a Classic Daiquiri is one of the simplest drinks you can make.
Ingredients:
- 2oz Cognac
- 1oz Orange Curacao
- 1oz Lemon Juice
How to make it:
- To your shaker, add 1oz of lemon juice, 1oz of orange curacao, and 2oz of cognac
- Add ice to your shaker until the tin is about 2/3 full and shake vigorously 10-15 times or until the outside of the shaker is frosty
- OPTIONAL:
- Some people like this drink with a sugared rim. If that’s you, cut a small slice of lemon and rub it around the rim of the glass so that the rim is wet with lemon juice.
- Gently press the wet rim of the glass into some sugar. Lift and repeat rotating the glass until the whole rim is coated in a thin layer of sugar.
- Double strain your shaker into your cocktail glass of choice and enjoy!
Negroni
Now a Negroni can be a polarizing drink. It’s unabashedly bitter and doesn’t apologize for being in your face. That being said, if you’re a fan of drinks with complex flavors and aren’t afraid of staining your face red, this is a drink you’ve got to try.
Ingredients:
- 1oz London Dry Gin
- 1oz Sweet Vermouth
- 1oz Campari
- A Big ol’ Ice Cube
- Orange Swath (Garnish)
How to make it:
- To a rocks glass, add 1oz of Sweet Vermouth, 1oz of Campari, and 1oz of London Dry Gin
- Add your big ol’ Ice Cube and stir until the drink is chilled
- Now just like we did with the old fashioned, take a vegetable peeler and peel a swath of orange zest. Squeezing between your index fingers and thumbs, express the oils over the top of the drink, rub around the outer edge of your glass, and drop it in.
And there you have it! 5 simple cocktails to try while stuck at home. Let us know which one of our 5 is your favorite and what your normal go-to quarantine cocktails is are.
We’d love to hear from you!
