There is no doubt bartenders have major skills, they are the masters of making a delicious mixed drink; but what if you feel like having a cocktail at home? Well, luckily, many of the classic cocktails are pretty simple to make, with most of them having just 3 ingredients. Here are 4 classic cocktails you can mix up at home.
1) The Daiquiri
Ingredients
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
1.0 oz Lime Juice
1.5 oz White Rum
Now, I know what you’re thinking, isn’t a daiquiri that frozen slushie of a drink with strawberries in it? Well... actually... no, that is a variation of a daiquiri. The classic one has just 3 ingredients - white rum, simple syrup, and lime juice. While you may not have simple syrup at home, as its name implies, it is very simple to make. All you need to do is mix one cup of water per 1 cup of sugar, heat it up in a pan to dissolve the sugar, let it cool and you have simple syrup. Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with a couple of ice cubes (always put cheap ingredients in first in case you mess up), and shake it until chilled. Strain into a glass and serve with a lime wedge (optional). It makes a very refreshing, not too sweet, mixed drink.
2) The Vodka Martini
Ingredients
2 Dashes of Bitters (optional)
0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
1.5 oz. Vodka
Lemon (for a twist)
We are going full James Bond with this martini by making it “shaken not stirred.” To begin, fill the shaker with a couple of ice cubes, the bitters, vermouth, and vodka, and shake it until chilled. Strain it into a glass. Take a slice of lemon peel, gently twist it over the glass to release some oils, then rub it along the rim of the glass and drop it in. Now you have a martini worthy of James Bond himself.
3) The Whiskey Sour
Ingredients
1 egg, white only
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
2 oz Bourbon Whiskey
Yes, this does have an egg white in it but don’t let that scare you. It adds a wonderful frothy texture to this drink, plus some extra nutrients! To begin, put the egg white into your shaker, and shake it to agitate it. You want it to be nice and frothy. Add in a couple of ice cubes, the simple syrup, lemon juice, and whiskey and shake until chilled. Strain it into a glass and give it a minute or two to settle with the foam on top and it is ready to drink!
4) The Gimlet
Ingredients
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
0.5 oz Lime Juice
1.5 oz Gin
This delightfully simple and classic drink is making a comeback! I accidentally made it one night as I was playing around, and since then have mentioned it to others, like Kila Pepples, and found out it is one of her favorite drinks. To make it, combine all the ingredients in a shaker with a couple of ice cubes (always put cheap ingredients in first in case you mess up), and shake it until chilled. Strain into a glass and serve with a lime wedge (optional). This is a crisp fresh drink, perfect for this summer weather.