Stuck at home as of late? Here are some recipes for cocktails which will put your home bar to good use, as compiled from top brands and acclaimed mixologists.
It has not been an easy first few months of 2020, to say the least. Hundreds of millions of us — if not billions of us — are stuck at home more of the day than not. In turn, there may be plenty of time and opportunity to utilize that home bar of yours for some top-tier cocktails.
On behalf of Guilty Eats, I have gathered 15 cocktail recipes from a mix of top spirit brands and well-respected American mixologists. Simply put, there is something for everyone who imbibes, as the list of craft beverages shown below does include offerings with beer, wine, tequila, gin, and even egg whites.
Simple Vodka Lemonade
Beyond tasting delicious, drinking a Simple Vodka Lemonade may make you feel great in other ways. For every bottle produced, Simple Vodka donates 20 meals per bottle to U.S. hunger relief programs like Feeding America; during the COVID-19 crisis, Simple Vodka has been donating 40 meals per bottle sold both nationally and locally to U.S. hunger relief.
Ingredients and method combined:
- 2 oz. Simple Vodka
- Top with fresh squeezed lemonade or lemonade of choice
- Garnish with a lime
Croft Pink Sparkling Rosé Cocktail
While rosé is not for everyone — as not everyone can”rosé all day” –Croft Rosé’s Sparkling Rosé Cocktail aims to brings out even more sweetness through its combination of simple ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Croft Rosé Port Wine
- 3 oz. Simple Syrup
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Sparkling Water
Method:
- Place fresh strawberries and blueberries in a glass.
- Add 3 oz. of simple syrup.
- Fill 3/4 of the glass with Croft Pink Port.
- Top off with sparkling water and lightly stir once again to combine all the ingredients.
985
The 985 may require you to do a little extra shopping before attempting to make it, but it ought to be worth your while, to say the least. Expect sweetness, assuming you’re into that sort of thing in your cocktails.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. St. Germain
- 0.75 oz. Nardini Mandorola Grappa
- 0.25 oz. Simple Syrup
- 0.5 oz. Lemon Juice
- 1 Hulled Strawberry
Method:
- Combine all of the ingredients shown above, muddle, give a quick shake and fine strain.
- Then top with 3 oz. Prosecco.
- Garnish: Strawberry slices, lemon wheel and tarragon
The Auric Spritz
The Auric Spritz calls for some mint and related muddling of that mint, but you are guaranteed to impress other people when it’s actually served.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Aperol
- 0.5 oz. Dolin Blanc Vermouth
- 0.5 oz. Magdalena Rum
- 0.25 oz. Simple Syrup
- 0.5 oz. Lemon Juice
- Shake and Fine strain into a large wine glass
Method:
- Muddle 3-5 sprigs of mint
- Combine the muddled mint in a mixing glass with the ingredients shown above
- Add ice and top with Prosecco
- Garnish: orange wheels, Mint sprig
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Spicy Cucumber Margarita
Cinco De Mayo is less than a month away which means it’s time for cocktails, and this is definitely one cocktail that could work for a Mexican-themed celebration, even at home.
Ingredients:
- 2 Parts Avión Silver
- 1 Fresh Lime Juice
- 1 Part Agave Nectar
- Slices of Cucumber & Jalapeño
Method:
- Muddle 1-2 thin slices of jalapeño pepper in the bottom of a cocktail shaker with the lime and agave nectar juices.
- Add the tequila and a handful of ice.
- Shake and strain into a glass over ice.
- Garnish with thinly sliced cucumbers and jalapeños.
The Sapporo Bees Knees
You can get your first sip of the spring with this combination of sweet honey, crisp Sapporo Light, and smooth Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin in a delicious at-home cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. Sapporo Premium Light
- 1 oz. Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin
- 3/4 oz. lemon juice
- 1/2 oz. Golden Blossom Honey
Method:
- Combine all but the beer in a shaker with ice, shake and strain over rocks in a glass.
- Slowly pour the beer over the back of a spoon to get the layered effect.
- Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Shed & Tonic
Following some spring decluttering, you may want to enjoy Broken Shed Vodka as part of your reward for organizing or “Marie Kondo-ing” your life.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Broken Shed Vodka
- 1 splash of fresh lime juice
- 4 oz. of tonic water
- Garnish with a lime slice
Method:
- Pour vodka in glass.
- Top with tonic water.
- Squeeze lime wedge(s) over the drink.
- Drop wedge(s) into drink
- Lightly stir with ice.
The Partida Pink Paloma
The paloma is often known as “the working man’s drink.” A tequila-based cocktail, it can also be great for some Cinco De Mayo-related celebrations.
Ingredients to combine for maximum enjoyment:
- 2 oz. Partida Blanco
- 1 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
- 0.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.5 oz. Simple Syrup
- 1.5 oz. Grapefruit Soda
Magellan Negroni
A popular Italian cocktail that is considered an apéritif, negronis are stirred, not shaken. They help class up the joint, so you also ought to file this one into the “impress your guests” folder.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Magellan Gin
- 1 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. sweet red vermouth
Method:
- Stir ingredients in a glass over ice.
- Garnish with an orange twist.
- Enjoy.
Barbancourt Mojito
Rhum Barbancourt is a Haitian rum made with natural sugar cane and no molasses. Said canes are picked up by hand. A high-quality spirit for sure.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star, Aged 4 Years
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 1 tbl. sugar
- 3 fresh mint leaves
- Splash of club soda
- 2 drops of Angostura bitters
Method:
- Muddle the mint leaves with the sugar in a glass.
- Fill the glass with cubed ice then add the Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star and lime juice.
- Complete the cocktail with club soda and Angostura bitters.
Phuket
Bar manager Brad Walther at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach, California came up with an exotic cocktail called “the Phuket.” This is especially fitting because the name of Yebiga — as founded by Faith No More bassist Bill Gould (who also has a new Talking Book album out) and partnered on with Catalyst Campaigns’ Scott Goodstein — in Serbian translates to “F*** it.”
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Yebiga
- 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice (preferably key limes)
- 0.5 oz. Light Agave Nectar
- 4 to 5 dashes of Bitter Truth Thai Bitters
Method;
- Shake and pour over crushed ice.
- Top with Fever Tree Ginger Beer and Angostura Bitters.
- Garnish with a mottled mint sprig.
Tanqueray & Sonic
A lighter take on the Gin & Tonic, the Tanqueray & Sonic is made with equal parts tonic and soda water. It can be deliciously-garnished with grapefruit, lemon, lime or any citrus.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Tanqueray No. TEN or Tanqueray London Dry
- 2 oz. Tonic Water
- 2 oz. Club Soda
- Garnish: Grapefruit wedge
- Glassware: Copa glass or red wine glass
Method:
- Build in copa glass or red wine glass.
- Add ice.
- Garnish with grapefruit wedge.
Cucumber Lemon T&T
Another Tanqueray-enhanced, tonic-oriented cocktail that you can serve in a copy glass.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Tanqueray No. TEN or Tanqueray London Dry
- Tonic water to top
- Lemon
- Garnish: Cucumber ribbon & lemon wheel
- Glassware: Copa glass or red wine glass
Method:
- Build in copa glass or red wine glass.
- Squeeze lemon wedge and dispose.
- Add ice.
- Garnish with cucumber ribbon and lemon wheel.
Lavender Lime T&T
And the third time’s a charm, folks The Lavender Lime T&T is another alternative for those who like their Tanqueray, tonic and copa glassed drinks.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Tanqueray No. TEN or Tanqueray London Dry
- Tonic water to top
- 4 dashes Lavender bitters (optional)
- Garnish: Lime wheel, mint
- Glassware: Copa glass or red wine glass
Method:
- Build in copa glass or red wine glass.
- Add ice.
- Add 4 dashes of lavender bitters and stir.
- Garnish with lime wheel and mint.
Farmer’s Smoke House
Last but not least is an egg-based cocktail which will make 2 servings based on the ingredients and method shown below. Any mezcal be utilized for one, although Cointreau is recommended for the orange liqueur selection.
Ingredients:
- 2 Farmers Hen House Organic egg whites
- 2 oz. Mezcal
- 1 oz. Cointreau orange liquor
- 1 fresh squeezed grapefruit
- 4 dashes of orange bitters
- 1 oz. of simple syrup
- Lemon peel (optional: orange zest) for garnish.
Method:
- Combine ingredients and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Top with lemon peel and orange zest.
Which of these cocktails will you be making at home? Do any of these cocktails sound like something you want to try? Do you have any recipes for cocktails we should be trying? Tell us which one you think is the best in the comments.