Getting started with mixing cocktails at home can be overwhelming.
There are a billion things to try and you can easily end up with a $500+ cart full of alcohol that you’re not sure how to drink.
The best place to get started is with a few classics! You can make so much with your base liquor and a few mixers. These six cocktails only use 9 ingredients and can be mixed without a cocktail shaker. Just pour all of the ingredients in a cup with ice and serve.
Spirits: Vodka, gin, white rum, tequila
Mixers: Limes, sugar*, ginger beer, grapefruit juice, mint
* Use sugar to make your own simple syrup
Moscow mule — 2 oz vodka | 3 oz ginger beer | 1 oz lime juice
Gimlet—2½ oz gin | ½ oz lime juice | ½ oz simple syrup
Daiquiri—2 oz white rum | 1 oz lime juice | ¾ oz simple syrup
Mojito—2 oz white rum | 3 mint leaves | ¾ fresh lime juice | ½ oz simple syrup
Paloma—2 oz tequila | 1/2 oz lime juice | Top with grapefruit juice
Greyhound—1 oz gin | Top with grapefruit juice
For more variety, add 3 more simple ingredients and you can make 3 more cocktails.
Spirits: Bourbon, bitters
Mixers: Lemons
Whiskey Sour—2 oz bourbon | ¾ oz lemon juice | ½ oz simple syrup
Mint Julep—2 oz bourbon | 8 mint leaves | ¼ oz simple syrup
Old Fashioned—2 oz bourbon | 3 dashes bitters | ¼ oz cold water | 1 tsp sugar
That’s it! 12 ingredients to make 9 cocktails and have the least fussy yet fully stocked bar. Cheers!