The 7 classic cocktails are
The Martini
Old Fashioned cocktails
Manhattan
Daiquiri
Margarita
Sidecar
Bourbon Sour or Whiskey Sour
These can be made at home once you learn the basics
The really great thing about cocktails, is there are endless ways to make them
You can blend the alcohol spirits with any complementary mixers and additions you like
From the Bloody Mary to the Cosmopolitan, the skies the limit
When mixing your own cocktail recipe begin with the base spirit
Consider how much alcohol it requires for the batch size you are creating
Consider also how strong you want your drink
Juices, ice, and sparkling beverages can be used to dilute and elevate the base alcohol
Stirred cocktails are those built right in your cocktail glass
Here’s the method
– Choose your glass
-- Fill it with ice, if using, first
– Pour the base alcohol over the ice
– Add your balancer spirit directly into your glass
– Top off the glass with your seasoner
*this is your soda, juice, fresh citrus, coffee or whatever you are adding to finish your cocktails*
Stir the drink gently, garnish and enjoy
Shaken drinks use a shaker to mix some or all of the ingredients of the recipe
Here are a few tips
-- You want the contents of the shaker throughly combined and very cold
This is especially important for drinks served with no ice
Any carbonated drinks will be poured into the glass at the end
-- Add ice into your shaker
-- Add the spirits into your shaker
-- Shake it vigorously until the shaker gets very cold
Other juices, additional alcohols, and non-carbonated mixers can be added to the shaker as well
Now, strain the shaker contents into your glass and fill it with your seasoning component
This can be any soda, champagne or juice to fill the glass
Blended drinks are very popular at parties because they are refreshing and easy to make in large batches
You will need a blender, but they do not have to contain ice
All of the ingredients can be added to the blender and mixed until smooth and creamy
Any carbonated beverage will be added to the glass, not mixed in the blender
Pour and garnish
Speaking of garnishes, let's touch on those...
Garnishes help to set the mood, elevate the theme of your event, and infuse flavor into your cocktails
They are an important component to your beverages, so be sure to include them in your home bar
Glasses are another important factor in a successful home bar
Work to stock up on a selection of
Martini glasses
Champagne flutes
Whiskey glasses
High ball glasses
Wine glasses
Margarita glasses
If you discover that you really enjoy having a home bar, over time you can expand your stock to include more specialty items
But, don't worry about investing a bunch of money right off the bat
Select the ones that you and your friends most often enjoy and go from there